diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.test.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.test.ts
index a3768f613ef..9bf9637869d 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.test.ts
@@ -24,11 +24,12 @@ function writeState(state: 'running' | 'stopped'): void {
   writeFileSync(distrosFile, JSON.stringify([{ name: 'Ubuntu', state, version: 2 }]))
 }
 
-function connector(onChange = vi.fn()) {
-  const fake = createFakeWslHostConnector({ distros: [], distrosFile, pairingCode }, onChange, {
-    isKnownDistro: () => true,
-    runtime
-  })
+function connector(onChange = vi.fn(), stopSilently = false) {
+  const fake = createFakeWslHostConnector(
+    { distros: [], distrosFile, pairingCode, stopSilently },
+    onChange,
+    { isKnownDistro: () => true, runtime }
+  )
   return { fake, onChange }
 }
 
@@ -58,6 +59,14 @@ it('drops the bridge of a distro the test stops and refuses a no-boot reconnect'
   await expect(fake.connect('Ubuntu', { noBoot: true })).rejects.toThrow('Ubuntu is not running.')
 })
 
+it('leaves a silent stop for a runtime call to report, as when liveness saw only a quick reboot', async () => {
+  const { fake, onChange } = connector(vi.fn(), true)
+  await fake.connect('Ubuntu')
+  writeState('stopped')
+  expect(await fake.reachability('Ubuntu', 'wsl:ubuntu')).toBe('stopped')
+  expect(onChange).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('Ubuntu', null, { state: 'closed' })
+})
+
 it('still reports a plain close for an explicit disconnect of a running distro', async () => {
   const { fake, onChange } = connector()
   await fake.connect('Ubuntu')
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.ts
index ee41bd87b84..87c7b73d80a 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-e2e-fake-connector.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ const FakeWslHostsSchema = z.object({
   /** Each distro the fake is asked to start, one per line, so e2e can prove nothing respawns. */
   connectLogFile: z.string().optional(),
   /** `missing` stands in for a build shipped without the orcad template. */
-  serverFiles: z.enum(['present', 'missing']).optional()
+  serverFiles: z.enum(['present', 'missing']).optional(),
+  /** A stop the fake does not report, as when liveness sees only a quick reboot: a runtime call must. */
+  stopSilently: z.boolean().optional()
 })
 
 export function readFakeWslHostsConfig(
@@ -123,8 +125,13 @@ export function createFakeWslHostConnector(
     // A running fake distro's missing server is reachable by a reconnect; a stopped one's bridge is gone.
     reachability: async (distro) => {
       if (isStopped(distro)) {
-        // As production liveness reports a stopped distro's lost bridge.
-        dropBridge(distro, { state: 'distro-stopped', terminals: 'exited', recovering: false })
+        // As production liveness reports a stopped distro's lost bridge, unless told to stay quiet.
+        dropBridge(
+          distro,
+          config.stopSilently
+            ? { state: 'closed' }
+            : { state: 'distro-stopped', terminals: 'exited', recovering: false }
+        )
         return 'stopped'
       }
       return active.has(key(distro)) ? 'available' : 'unreachable'
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatStructuredSession.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatStructuredSession.tsx
index 944b88bce19..dd08af83233 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatStructuredSession.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatStructuredSession.tsx
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ import { useStructuredAgentSessionDeliveryNotices } from './use-structured-agent
 import { dispatchWasWithdrawn } from '../../../../shared/structured-agent-session-dispatch-rejection'
 import { useNativeChatHostOutage } from './use-native-chat-host-outage'
 import { useNativeChatHostOutageNotice } from './use-native-chat-host-outage-notice'
-import { useNativeChatHostPermissionGate } from './use-native-chat-host-permission-gate'
+import { useNativeChatHostSendGate } from './use-native-chat-host-send-gate'
 import { useNativeChatAvailabilityNotice } from './use-native-chat-availability-notice'
 import { useStructuredAgentSessionStartFailureFacts } from './use-structured-agent-session-start-failure-facts'
 import { pendingPromptsAllUnanswerableHere } from '../../../../shared/agent-session-approval-subject'
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ export function NativeChatStructuredSession(
     hostOutage === null
   )
   const agentLabel = structuredAgentLabel(props.agent)
-  const hostPermission = useNativeChatHostPermissionGate(props.target, props.agent, agentLabel)
-  const hostHeld = hostPermission.sendBlockedReason !== null
+  const hostSendGate = useNativeChatHostSendGate(props.target, props.agent, hostOutage)
+  const hostHeld = hostSendGate.sendBlockedReason !== null
   const submits = useStructuredNativeChatSubmitReveal(controller, provisionalLaunch.retry, hostHeld)
   const promptResponse = useStructuredPromptResponseHold(submits.respond)
   const needsFailureFacts =
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ export function NativeChatStructuredSession(
     setOptionPickerRequest,
     onError: reportComposerError,
     onSubmitted: submits.revealLatest,
-    sendBlockedReason: hostPermission.sendBlockedReason ?? install.sendBlockedReason
+    sendBlockedReason: hostSendGate.sendBlockedReason ?? install.sendBlockedReason
   })
   const asyncQuestion = { paneKey, session, send: transport.send }
   const continuation = useNativeChatInterruptedContinuation({
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ export function NativeChatStructuredSession(
     composerError: composerError ?? continuation.continueError,
     claudeSignIn,
     availability,
-    hostPermission: hostPermission.notice
+    hostPermission: hostSendGate.notice
   })
   if (hostNotice) {
     notices.push(hostNotice)
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-host-send-gate.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-host-send-gate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eb2e7a8b732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-host-send-gate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import type { NativeChatHostPermissionGate } from './use-native-chat-host-permission-gate'
+import type { NativeChatHostOutage } from './use-native-chat-host-outage'
+
+const permission = vi.hoisted(() => {
+  const gate: NativeChatHostPermissionGate = { sendBlockedReason: null, notice: null }
+  return { gate }
+})
+vi.mock('./use-native-chat-host-permission-gate', () => ({
+  useNativeChatHostPermissionGate: () => permission.gate
+}))
+
+import { useNativeChatHostSendGate } from './use-native-chat-host-send-gate'
+
+const target = { kind: 'environment', environmentId: 'wsl:ubuntu' } as const
+
+function outage(kind: NativeChatHostOutage['kind']): NativeChatHostOutage {
+  return { kind, environmentId: 'wsl:ubuntu', hostLabel: 'Ubuntu', canReconnect: true }
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  permission.gate = { sendBlockedReason: null, notice: null }
+})
+
+it('holds Send on a stopped WSL distro, saying Start comes first', () => {
+  const gate = renderHook(() => useNativeChatHostSendGate(target, 'claude', outage('stopped')))
+  expect(gate.result.current.sendBlockedReason).toBe('Start Ubuntu to send.')
+})
+
+it.each(['offline', 'reconnecting'] as const)('leaves Send to the host while it is %s', (kind) => {
+  const gate = renderHook(() => useNativeChatHostSendGate(target, 'claude', outage(kind)))
+  expect(gate.result.current.sendBlockedReason).toBeNull()
+})
+
+it("keeps the host permission check's own reason and notice first", () => {
+  permission.gate = { sendBlockedReason: "Checking this host's chat permissions…", notice: null }
+  const gate = renderHook(() => useNativeChatHostSendGate(target, 'claude', outage('stopped')))
+  expect(gate.result.current).toBe(permission.gate)
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-host-send-gate.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-host-send-gate.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b0788f0bee2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-host-send-gate.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
+import { structuredAgentLabel } from '@/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-label'
+import type { AgentType } from '../../../../shared/agent-status-types'
+import type { RuntimeClientTarget } from '../../../../shared/runtime-client-target'
+import {
+  useNativeChatHostPermissionGate,
+  type NativeChatHostPermissionGate
+} from './use-native-chat-host-permission-gate'
+import type { NativeChatHostOutage } from './use-native-chat-host-outage'
+
+/** What holds Send on the chat's host: its permission check, or a stopped WSL distro only Start may boot. */
+export function useNativeChatHostSendGate(
+  target: RuntimeClientTarget,
+  agent: AgentType,
+  outage: NativeChatHostOutage | null
+): NativeChatHostPermissionGate {
+  const permission = useNativeChatHostPermissionGate(target, agent, structuredAgentLabel(agent))
+  if (permission.sendBlockedReason !== null || outage?.kind !== 'stopped') {
+    return permission
+  }
+  return {
+    ...permission,
+    sendBlockedReason: translate(
+      'components.native-chat.hostOutage.startToSend',
+      'Start {{distro}} to send.',
+      {
+        distro: outage.hostLabel
+      }
+    )
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/de.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/de.json
index 3268d5e6ba9..1373796adfa 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/de.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/de.json
@@ -19307,7 +19307,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Erneut verbinden",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} ist gestoppt",
         "start": "Starten",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca konnte nicht prüfen, ob {{distro}} läuft"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca konnte nicht prüfen, ob {{distro}} läuft",
+        "startToSend": "Starte {{distro}}, um zu senden."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Fortfahren",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index 165a8d20336..479554344b8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -19733,7 +19733,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Reconnect",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} is stopped",
         "start": "Start",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca couldn't check whether {{distro}} is running"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca couldn't check whether {{distro}} is running",
+        "startToSend": "Start {{distro}} to send."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Continue",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/es.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/es.json
index 485ef9f482d..f63605470e4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/es.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/es.json
@@ -19439,7 +19439,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Reconectar",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} está detenido",
         "start": "Iniciar",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca no pudo comprobar si {{distro}} se está ejecutando"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca no pudo comprobar si {{distro}} se está ejecutando",
+        "startToSend": "Inicie {{distro}} para enviar."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Continuar",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/fr.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/fr.json
index f91c40ac26d..bddcb24f070 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/fr.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/fr.json
@@ -19659,7 +19659,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Reconnecter",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} est arrêté",
         "start": "Démarrer",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca n'a pas pu vérifier si {{distro}} est en cours d'exécution"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca n'a pas pu vérifier si {{distro}} est en cours d'exécution",
+        "startToSend": "Démarrez {{distro}} pour envoyer."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Continuer",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ja.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ja.json
index 89eb4f12bc7..bacd9960b09 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ja.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ja.json
@@ -18920,7 +18920,8 @@
         "reconnect": "再接続",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} は停止しています",
         "start": "起動",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca は {{distro}} が実行中かどうかを確認できませんでした"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca は {{distro}} が実行中かどうかを確認できませんでした",
+        "startToSend": "送信するには {{distro}} を開始してください。"
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "続行",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ko.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ko.json
index f15b1f0e8cb..ffd8f483f46 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ko.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ko.json
@@ -18920,7 +18920,8 @@
         "reconnect": "다시 연결",
         "stopped": "{{distro}}이(가) 중지되었습니다",
         "start": "시작",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca가 {{distro}}이(가) 실행 중인지 확인하지 못했습니다"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca가 {{distro}}이(가) 실행 중인지 확인하지 못했습니다",
+        "startToSend": "보내려면 {{distro}}을(를) 시작하세요."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "계속",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/pt.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/pt.json
index 0041892035e..73d269b1f6e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/pt.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/pt.json
@@ -20297,7 +20297,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Reconectar",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} está parado",
         "start": "Iniciar",
-        "unverifiable": "O Orca não conseguiu verificar se {{distro}} está em execução"
+        "unverifiable": "O Orca não conseguiu verificar se {{distro}} está em execução",
+        "startToSend": "Inicie {{distro}} para enviar."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Continuar",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ru.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ru.json
index a7cd994c422..d0aa48a13af 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ru.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/ru.json
@@ -19907,7 +19907,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Подключиться снова",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} остановлен",
         "start": "Запустить",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca не удалось проверить, запущен ли {{distro}}"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca не удалось проверить, запущен ли {{distro}}",
+        "startToSend": "Запустите {{distro}}, чтобы отправить."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Продолжить",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/tr.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/tr.json
index 3a850b3cefa..1545778ed65 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/tr.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/tr.json
@@ -19291,7 +19291,8 @@
         "reconnect": "Yeniden bağlan",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} durduruldu",
         "start": "Başlat",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca, {{distro}} öğesinin çalışıp çalışmadığını denetleyemedi"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca, {{distro}} öğesinin çalışıp çalışmadığını denetleyemedi",
+        "startToSend": "Göndermek için {{distro}} dağıtımını başlatın."
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "Devam et",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hant.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hant.json
index fbe024e0382..f643cd78aed 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hant.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh-Hant.json
@@ -19032,7 +19032,8 @@
         "reconnect": "重新連線",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} 已停止",
         "start": "啟動",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca 無法確認 {{distro}} 是否正在執行"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca 無法確認 {{distro}} 是否正在執行",
+        "startToSend": "請啟動 {{distro}} 後再傳送。"
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "繼續",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh.json
index 4a498473c6f..1ce1e74d8ea 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/zh.json
@@ -18890,7 +18890,8 @@
         "reconnect": "重新连接",
         "stopped": "{{distro}} 已停止",
         "start": "启动",
-        "unverifiable": "Orca 无法确认 {{distro}} 是否正在运行"
+        "unverifiable": "Orca 无法确认 {{distro}} 是否正在运行",
+        "startToSend": "请启动 {{distro}} 后再发送。"
       },
       "interruptedContinue": {
         "continue": "继续",
diff --git a/tests/e2e/wsl-host-chat.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/wsl-host-chat.spec.ts
index 63fc5821195..c948793ff29 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/wsl-host-chat.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/wsl-host-chat.spec.ts
@@ -255,4 +255,122 @@ test.describe('native chat on a WSL host', () => {
       rmSync(projectPath, { recursive: true, force: true })
     }
   })
+
+  test('holds Send and offers Start when a runtime call, not liveness, finds the distro stopped', async ({
+    orcaPage: hub,
+    claudeStub
+  }, testInfo) => {
+    // Two Electron apps and two chat turns around one stop.
+    test.setTimeout(240_000)
+    await waitForSessionReady(hub)
+    await hub.evaluate(async (command) => {
+      await window.__store?.getState().updateSettings({
+        experimentalNativeChat: true,
+        agentCmdOverrides: { claude: command }
+      })
+    }, buildFakeAgentCommandOverride(claudeStub.command))
+    const offer = await createRuntimeDesktopPairingOffer(hub)
+    const fakeDir = mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'orca-e2e-wsl-chat-parked-'))
+    const distrosFile = path.join(fakeDir, 'distros.json')
+    const connectLogFile = path.join(fakeDir, 'connects.log')
+    writeDistros(distrosFile, RUNNING)
+    // The fake reports no stop of its own, so only the runtime call's park can say it.
+    const desktop = await launchDesktopWithFakeWsl(
+      {
+        distros: RUNNING,
+        distrosFile,
+        connectLogFile,
+        pairingCode: offer.pairingUrl,
+        stopSilently: true
+      },
+      testInfo
+    )
+    const projectPath = createGitProject()
+    try {
+      const { page } = desktop
+      await page.evaluate(async () => {
+        const settings = await window.api.settings.set({ experimentalWslHosts: true })
+        window.__store?.setState({ settings })
+        await window.__store?.getState().updateSettings({
+          experimentalNativeChat: true,
+          defaultTuiAgent: 'claude'
+        })
+      })
+      const added = await page.evaluate(() =>
+        window.api.runtimeEnvironments.wslHosts?.add({ distro: 'Ubuntu' })
+      )
+      expect(added, JSON.stringify(added)).toMatchObject({ ok: true })
+      await callEnvironment(page, WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID, 'repo.add', {
+        path: projectPath,
+        kind: 'git'
+      })
+      await expect.poll(() => focusProject(page, projectPath), { timeout: 60_000 }).toBeTruthy()
+      await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'New tab', exact: true }).first().click()
+      await page
+        .getByRole('menu')
+        .getByText('Claude', { exact: true })
+        .first()
+        .click({ timeout: 60_000 })
+      const chat = page.locator('[data-native-chat-root="true"]')
+      const composer = chat.getByRole('textbox')
+      const sendButton = chat.getByRole('button', { name: 'Send', exact: true })
+      const type = async (text: string): Promise<void> => {
+        await expect(composer).toBeEditable({ timeout: 60_000 })
+        await composer.click()
+        await page.keyboard.type(text)
+        await expect(composer).toContainText(text)
+      }
+      const replies = chat.getByText('Stub reply.')
+      await type('hello')
+      await sendButton.click()
+      await expect(replies.first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 120_000 })
+
+      // The distro stops; a runtime call (as a poll would) finds it stopped and parks the host.
+      const connectsBeforeStop = fakeWslConnects(connectLogFile).length
+      writeDistros(distrosFile, STOPPED)
+      await expect
+        .poll(
+          () =>
+            callEnvironment(page, WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID, 'agentSession.createSupport', {
+              worktree: `path:${projectPath}`,
+              agent: 'claude'
+            }).then(
+              () => 'answered',
+              (error: unknown) => String(error)
+            ),
+          { timeout: 30_000 }
+        )
+        .toContain('Ubuntu was stopped')
+      const stoppedNotice = chat.getByText('Ubuntu is stopped', { exact: true })
+      await expect(stoppedNotice).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 })
+      // Send waits for Start rather than failing against a stopped distro; while held, the button is
+      // named by why it waits, as for any host hold.
+      await type('while stopped')
+      await expect(
+        chat.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start Ubuntu to send.', exact: true })
+      ).toBeDisabled()
+      await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath('wsl-host-chat-parked.png') })
+      expect(fakeWslConnects(connectLogFile)).toHaveLength(connectsBeforeStop)
+      expect(readDistroState(distrosFile)).toBe('stopped')
+
+      await chat.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start', exact: true }).click()
+      await expect
+        .poll(() => fakeWslConnects(connectLogFile).length, { timeout: 60_000 })
+        .toBeGreaterThan(connectsBeforeStop)
+      await expect(stoppedNotice).toBeHidden({ timeout: 60_000 })
+      await expect(sendButton).toBeEnabled({ timeout: 60_000 })
+      await sendButton.click()
+      // The held message goes out after Start and gets its own reply.
+      const held = chat
+        .locator('[data-native-chat-scroll]')
+        .getByText('while stopped', { exact: true })
+      await expect(
+        held.last().locator('xpath=following::*[text()="Stub reply."]').first()
+      ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 120_000 })
+    } finally {
+      await desktop.dispose()
+      rmSync(fakeDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+      rmSync(projectPath, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    }
+  })
 })