diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-availability.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-availability.ts
index cccbb956f3c..4e520af1b9a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-availability.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-availability.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import type { Tab, TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/types'
 import type { AgentType } from '../../../../shared/agent-status-types'
 import { isNativeChatSupportedAgent } from '@/lib/native-chat-supported-agent'
 
-export { isNativeChatSupportedAgent } from '@/lib/native-chat-supported-agent'
+export { isNativeChatSupportedAgent }
 
 /** Inputs that decide whether a tab may toggle into the native chat view.
  *  Kept as a plain shape (not the live store) so the decision stays pure and
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-pending.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-pending.ts
index e76349a9a62..3021dc7bba4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-pending.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-pending.ts
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ export function launchPromptAsMessage(
   }
 }
 
+// Why: prune only once an assistant turn has landed after the matching user
+// text — keeping the optimistic bubble through the user-only phase avoids a
+// first-turn flash before the transcript's own copy of the turn catches up.
 export function shouldPruneLaunchPrompt(
   entry: NativeChatLaunchPrompt,
   messages: NativeChatMessage[]
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.ts
index f815d450c9d..42d577b4d14 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.ts
@@ -268,10 +268,19 @@ export function launchAgentInNewTab(args: LaunchAgentInNewTabArgs): LaunchAgentI
   // lands after mount the agent binary never starts; the user sees a bare shell.
   // Since both calls happen synchronously in the same React batch, the queue
   // is in place by the time the pane commits.
+  // Why: the followup path pastes the prompt as an unsubmitted draft (submit
+  // stays false), so gate the initial chat view like a `draft` launch —
+  // otherwise a default `auto-submit` followup would open native chat with no
+  // submitted turn to render.
+  const viewModePromptDelivery =
+    hasPrompt && isFollowupPath && promptDelivery === 'auto-submit' ? 'draft' : promptDelivery
   const tab = store.createTab(worktreeId, groupId, undefined, {
     launchAgent: agent,
     quickCommandLabel,
-    ...initialAgentTabViewModeProps(store.settings, { agent, promptDelivery })
+    ...initialAgentTabViewModeProps(store.settings, {
+      agent,
+      promptDelivery: viewModePromptDelivery
+    })
   })
   store.queueTabStartupCommand(tab.id, {
     command: startupPlan.launchCommand,
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-activation.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-activation.test.ts
index 107a573eeeb..53e6a5fe8ed 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-activation.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-activation.test.ts
@@ -495,6 +495,61 @@ describe('ensureWorktreeHasInitialTerminal', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it('opens the startup default tab in native chat when configured', () => {
+    let createdIndex = 0
+    const createTab = vi.fn(() => ({ id: `tab-${++createdIndex}` }))
+    const store = createMockStore({
+      createTab,
+      settings: {
+        experimentalNativeChat: true,
+        openAgentTabsInChatByDefault: true
+      }
+    })
+
+    ensureWorktreeHasInitialTerminal(
+      store,
+      'wt-1',
+      { command: 'claude', launchAgent: 'claude' },
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      { runCommands: true, tabs: [{ title: 'Claude', command: 'claude' }] }
+    )
+
+    expect(createTab).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, 'wt-1', undefined, undefined, {
+      pendingActivationSpawn: true,
+      recordInteraction: false,
+      launchAgent: 'claude',
+      viewMode: 'chat'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a draft startup default tab in terminal mode even when native chat is configured', () => {
+    let createdIndex = 0
+    const createTab = vi.fn(() => ({ id: `tab-${++createdIndex}` }))
+    const store = createMockStore({
+      createTab,
+      settings: {
+        experimentalNativeChat: true,
+        openAgentTabsInChatByDefault: true
+      }
+    })
+
+    ensureWorktreeHasInitialTerminal(
+      store,
+      'wt-1',
+      { command: 'claude', launchAgent: 'claude', draftPrompt: 'Review before sending' },
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      { runCommands: true, tabs: [{ title: 'Claude', command: 'claude' }] }
+    )
+
+    expect(createTab).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, 'wt-1', undefined, undefined, {
+      pendingActivationSpawn: true,
+      recordInteraction: false,
+      launchAgent: 'claude'
+    })
+  })
+
   it('gates startup behind setup completion when both are provided in new-tab mode', () => {
     setSetupScriptLaunchMode('new-tab')
     let createdIndex = 0