diff --git a/src/main/codex/codex-structured-fork-eligibility.test.ts b/src/main/codex/codex-structured-fork-eligibility.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e3d216af222
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/codex/codex-structured-fork-eligibility.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { agentJournalItemKey } from '../../shared/agent-session-journal-item-key'
+import type {
+  AgentJournalItemBody,
+  AgentJournalItemIdentity,
+  AgentJournalRenderItem
+} from '../../shared/agent-session-journal-types'
+import {
+  selectAgentSessionPrefix,
+  structuredForkEligibleItems
+} from '../../shared/agent-session-prefix'
+import type { StructuredAgentSessionEventSink } from '../native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-event-sink'
+import { createCodexJournalTranslator } from './codex-structured-journal-translation'
+import type { CodexStructuredSessionEvent } from './codex-structured-session-adapter'
+
+const SESSION_ID = 'session-1'
+const THREAD_ID = 'thread-abc'
+const TURN_ID = 'turn-1'
+const HANDLE = { provider: 'codex', threadId: THREAD_ID } as const
+
+/** Reduces the sink's append/tombstone stream the way the journal store does, so the predicate
+ *  under test sees what the real producer actually leaves behind. */
+function reducingSink(): {
+  sink: StructuredAgentSessionEventSink
+  items: () => AgentJournalRenderItem[]
+} {
+  const rows = new Map<string, AgentJournalItemBody>()
+  return {
+    sink: {
+      appendItem: (identity: AgentJournalItemIdentity, body: AgentJournalItemBody) => {
+        rows.set(agentJournalItemKey(identity), body)
+      },
+      appendTombstone: (identity: AgentJournalItemIdentity) => {
+        rows.delete(agentJournalItemKey(identity))
+      },
+      publish: () => {}
+    },
+    items: () =>
+      [...rows].map(([itemId, body], index) => ({
+        itemId,
+        body,
+        sequence: index,
+        observedAt: 1
+      })) as AgentJournalRenderItem[]
+  }
+}
+
+function notification(method: string, params: unknown): CodexStructuredSessionEvent {
+  return { type: 'notification', sessionId: SESSION_ID, threadId: THREAD_ID, method, params }
+}
+
+/** Drives the real translator through one turn. Stopping before `turn/completed` leaves the
+ *  journal in the shape a live turn really has. */
+function journalAfterTurn(settled: boolean, turnId: string = TURN_ID): AgentJournalRenderItem[] {
+  const tap = reducingSink()
+  const translator = createCodexJournalTranslator({
+    sink: tap.sink,
+    primaryThreadId: () => THREAD_ID
+  })
+  // Live user bubbles come from the submission, not the provider echo.
+  tap.sink.appendItem(
+    { provider: 'orca', clientMessageId: `prompt-${turnId}` },
+    { kind: 'message', role: 'user', blocks: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Ask' }] }
+  )
+  translator.handle(notification('turn/started', { turn: { id: turnId } }))
+  translator.handle(
+    notification('item/completed', {
+      item: { type: 'agentMessage', id: `answer-${turnId}`, text: 'Answered' }
+    })
+  )
+  if (settled) {
+    translator.handle(notification('turn/completed', { turn: { id: turnId } }))
+  }
+  return tap.items()
+}
+
+function assistantId(items: readonly AgentJournalRenderItem[]): string {
+  const answer = items.find(
+    (item) => item.body.kind === 'message' && item.body.role === 'assistant'
+  )
+  expect(answer).toBeDefined()
+  return answer!.itemId
+}
+
+describe('forking a turn the real Codex producer settled', () => {
+  it('leaves no lifecycle row behind once the turn completes', () => {
+    const items = journalAfterTurn(true)
+    // The producer contract this feature must read: settlement TOMBSTONES the row. Nothing in the
+    // product ever writes `turnLifecycle.state: 'completed'`, so a fixture that does is not a
+    // model of any journal Orca can produce.
+    expect(items.some((item) => item.body.kind === 'status' && item.body.turnLifecycle)).toBe(false)
+    expect(items.map((item) => item.body.kind)).toEqual(['message', 'message'])
+  })
+
+  it('offers the settled turn as forkable and retains it inclusively', () => {
+    const items = journalAfterTurn(true)
+    const itemId = assistantId(items)
+    expect(structuredForkEligibleItems(items).has(itemId)).toBe(true)
+    const selected = selectAgentSessionPrefix({
+      items,
+      itemId,
+      handle: HANDLE,
+      boundary: 'through'
+    })
+    expect(selected).toMatchObject({ ok: true, throughId: TURN_ID })
+    expect(selected.ok && selected.retained.map((item) => item.itemId)).toEqual(
+      items.map((item) => item.itemId)
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('refuses the same turn while it is still running', () => {
+    const items = journalAfterTurn(false)
+    const itemId = assistantId(items)
+    expect(
+      items.some(
+        (item) => item.body.kind === 'status' && item.body.turnLifecycle?.state === 'running'
+      )
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(structuredForkEligibleItems(items).has(itemId)).toBe(false)
+    expect(
+      selectAgentSessionPrefix({ items, itemId, handle: HANDLE, boundary: 'through' })
+    ).toMatchObject({ ok: false, reason: 'busy' })
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a settled earlier turn forkable while a later turn runs', () => {
+    const settled = journalAfterTurn(true)
+    const items = [...settled, ...journalAfterTurn(false, 'turn-2')]
+    expect(structuredForkEligibleItems(items)).toEqual(new Set([assistantId(settled)]))
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-acquisition.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-acquisition.ts
index 57f6f2d92df..a29c01c3e5f 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-acquisition.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-acquisition.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   beginStructuredForkAttempt,
-  proveStructuredForkAcquisition
+  proveStructuredForkAcquisition,
+  refuseStructuredForkAttempt
 } from './structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle'
 import { isDeepStrictEqual } from 'node:util'
 import { claudeRewindAcquisitionProofs } from './structured-rewind-claude-proof'
@@ -80,8 +81,16 @@ export async function acquireOwner(
     }
   } catch (error) {
     if (isAgentSessionPreSpawnError(error)) {
+      // The launch never resolved, so no provider session can exist: settle the attempt rather
+      // than strand it. A failure past this point stays ambiguous and keeps the guard.
+      await refuseStructuredForkAttempt(input.store, record, describePreSpawnRefusal(error))
       throw error
     }
     return rethrowAfterAgentSessionAcquisitionCleanup(input.adapter, record.sessionId, error)
   }
 }
+
+function describePreSpawnRefusal(error: unknown): string {
+  const cause = error instanceof Error ? (error.cause ?? error) : error
+  return cause instanceof Error && cause.message ? cause.message : 'agent_session_pre_spawn'
+}
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.test.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.test.ts
index fba8bff63ec..697d7959837 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { mkdtemp, rm } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { AgentSessionRecordStore } from '../../runtime/agent-session-record-store'
 import { AgentSessionJournal } from '../agent-session-journal/journal-store'
 import type { AgentSessionForkRecord } from '../../../shared/agent-session-fork'
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import { isAgentSessionRecord } from '../../../shared/agent-session-record'
 import {
   beginStructuredForkAttempt,
   proveStructuredForkAcquisition,
-  publishStructuredForkJournal
+  publishStructuredForkJournal,
+  refuseStructuredForkAttempt,
+  restartRefusedStructuredFork
 } from './structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle'
 
 const NOW = 1_800_000_000_000
@@ -198,4 +200,109 @@ describe('durable fork lifecycle', () => {
       })
     ).toThrow('agent_session_provider_handle_invalid')
   })
+
+  it('settles an attempt that never reached the provider and drops its stranded prefix', async () => {
+    const { store, record, fork } = await prepare()
+    await beginStructuredForkAttempt(store, record)
+    await refuseStructuredForkAttempt(store, record, 'managed account is switching')
+    // The store re-serializes in full on every lease renewal, so the dead prefix must not survive.
+    expect(store.getRecord(record.sessionId)?.fork).toMatchObject({
+      phase: 'refused',
+      reason: 'managed account is switching',
+      retained: []
+    })
+    expect(isAgentSessionRecord(store.getRecord(record.sessionId))).toBe(true)
+    // A refused record is terminal: it is re-armed deliberately, never resumed in place.
+    await expect(
+      beginStructuredForkAttempt(store, store.getRecord(record.sessionId)!)
+    ).rejects.toThrow('agent_session_operation_unknown')
+    await restartRefusedStructuredFork(store, record.sessionId, fork)
+    expect(
+      await beginStructuredForkAttempt(store, store.getRecord(record.sessionId)!)
+    ).toMatchObject({ throughId: 'turn' })
+  })
+
+  it('leaves an ambiguous outcome under the guard rather than settling it', async () => {
+    const { store, record } = await prepare()
+    await beginStructuredForkAttempt(store, record)
+    await store.commitProcessIdentity({
+      sessionId: record.sessionId,
+      fence: 1,
+      process: { hostId: 'local', pid: 123, processStartTimeMs: NOW, spawnToken: 'child-token' },
+      now: NOW
+    })
+    const proved = await store.proveOwner({
+      sessionId: record.sessionId,
+      fence: 1,
+      now: NOW,
+      link: proveStructuredForkAcquisition(record, {
+        linkId: 'fork-link',
+        handle: { provider: 'codex', threadId: 'child' },
+        origin: 'created',
+        mintedAtFence: 1,
+        observedAt: NOW
+      })
+    })
+    expect(proved.fork?.phase).toBe('provider-succeeded')
+    // A provider session may already exist here; settling would license a second one.
+    await refuseStructuredForkAttempt(store, proved, 'too late')
+    expect(store.getRecord(record.sessionId)?.fork?.phase).toBe('provider-succeeded')
+  })
+
+  it('settles its existing epoch after a crash instead of replacing the child journal twice', async () => {
+    const { root, store, record } = await prepare()
+    await beginStructuredForkAttempt(store, record)
+    await store.commitProcessIdentity({
+      sessionId: record.sessionId,
+      fence: 1,
+      process: { hostId: 'local', pid: 123, processStartTimeMs: NOW, spawnToken: 'child-token' },
+      now: NOW
+    })
+    const proved = await store.proveOwner({
+      sessionId: record.sessionId,
+      fence: 1,
+      now: NOW,
+      link: proveStructuredForkAcquisition(record, {
+        linkId: 'fork-link',
+        handle: { provider: 'codex', threadId: 'child' },
+        origin: 'created',
+        mintedAtFence: 1,
+        observedAt: NOW
+      })
+    })
+    const openJournal = async () => {
+      const journal = new AgentSessionJournal({
+        journalDir: join(root, 'journal'),
+        identity: {
+          sessionId: record.sessionId,
+          workspaceId: 'workspace',
+          hostId: 'local',
+          agent: 'codex',
+          providerHandle: { kind: 'codex', threadId: 'child' }
+        }
+      })
+      journals.push(journal)
+      await journal.open()
+      return journal
+    }
+    // Crash in the window between the journal transaction and the completion transition.
+    const transition = vi
+      .spyOn(store, 'transitionHandoff')
+      .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('host exited'))
+    await expect(publishStructuredForkJournal(store, proved, await openJournal())).rejects.toThrow(
+      'host exited'
+    )
+    transition.mockRestore()
+    expect(store.getRecord(record.sessionId)?.fork?.phase).toBe('provider-succeeded')
+
+    const reopened = await openJournal()
+    const epoch = reopened.cursor().epoch
+    await publishStructuredForkJournal(store, store.getRecord(record.sessionId)!, reopened)
+    expect(reopened.cursor().epoch).toBe(epoch)
+    expect(reopened.snapshot().items.map((item) => item.itemId)).toEqual(['codex:child:turn:0'])
+    expect(store.getRecord(record.sessionId)).toMatchObject({
+      schemaVersion: 2,
+      fork: { phase: 'completed', retained: [] }
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.ts
index 9e6edc5cb49..dd23f0f7577 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
+import { isDeepStrictEqual } from 'node:util'
 import { agentSessionForkAnchor } from '../../../shared/agent-session-fork'
-import type { AgentSessionForkTarget } from '../../../shared/agent-session-fork'
+import type {
+  AgentSessionForkRecord,
+  AgentSessionForkTarget
+} from '../../../shared/agent-session-fork'
+import { agentJournalItemKey } from '../../../shared/agent-session-journal-item-key'
 import { isAdmissibleAgentJournalItemBody } from '../../../shared/agent-session-journal-schemas'
 import {
   agentSessionProviderHandleKey,
@@ -39,6 +44,56 @@ export async function beginStructuredForkAttempt(
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Settle an attempt that provably never reached the provider.
+ *
+ * Without a terminal for this case the record stays `attempted` forever: every later attach throws
+ * `agent_session_operation_unknown` and replay deliberately skips the phase, so the child is
+ * wedged. Clearing `retained` matters just as much — the store re-serializes in full on every
+ * lease renewal, so a stranded prefix is rewritten every few seconds for the life of the record.
+ *
+ * Only a proven pre-provider failure may settle here. An ambiguous one must keep `attempted` and
+ * refuse a second attempt rather than risk a second provider session.
+ */
+export async function refuseStructuredForkAttempt(
+  store: AgentSessionRecordStore,
+  record: AgentSessionRecord,
+  reason: string
+): Promise<void> {
+  const fork = store.getRecord(record.sessionId)?.fork
+  if (fork?.phase !== 'attempted') {
+    return
+  }
+  await store.transitionHandoff(record.sessionId, (current) => {
+    if (
+      current.lease.runtimeFence !== record.lease.runtimeFence ||
+      current.fork?.phase !== 'attempted'
+    ) {
+      throw new Error('agent_session_checkpoint_stale')
+    }
+    return {
+      ...current,
+      fork: { ...current.fork, phase: 'refused', reason: reason.slice(0, 512), retained: [] }
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+/** Re-arm a refused fork. The retry re-derives the prefix from the parent, because settling the
+ *  refusal dropped the stranded copy. */
+export function restartRefusedStructuredFork(
+  store: AgentSessionRecordStore,
+  sessionId: string,
+  fork: AgentSessionForkRecord
+): Promise<unknown> {
+  return store.transitionHandoff(sessionId, (current) => {
+    if (current.fork?.phase !== 'refused') {
+      throw new Error('agent_session_checkpoint_stale')
+    }
+    // Merged, not replaced: the replay that preceded this stamped the recovery operation ids.
+    return { ...current, fork: { ...current.fork, ...fork, phase: 'prepared' } }
+  })
+}
+
 export function proveStructuredForkAcquisition(
   record: AgentSessionRecord,
   acquired: AgentSessionProviderHandleLink
@@ -83,11 +138,23 @@ export async function publishStructuredForkJournal(
       }
       return { ...item, body: item.body }
     })
-    await journal.replaceEpochItems(
-      'handle_forked',
-      record.lease.runtimeFence,
-      forkJournalSeed(items, fork.source, head.handle)
-    )
+    const seed = forkJournalSeed(items, fork.source, head.handle)
+    // A crash after the journal transaction must settle its existing epoch, not replace it twice.
+    // The child journal is opened and seeded before its event sink is bound, so on re-entry it
+    // holds exactly the seed; anything else means the child moved on and must not be overwritten.
+    const landed = journal.snapshot().items.map(({ itemId, body }) => ({ itemId, body }))
+    if (landed.length > 0) {
+      if (
+        !isDeepStrictEqual(
+          landed,
+          seed.map(({ identity, body }) => ({ itemId: agentJournalItemKey(identity), body }))
+        )
+      ) {
+        throw new Error('agent_session_operation_invalid')
+      }
+    } else {
+      await journal.replaceEpochItems('handle_forked', record.lease.runtimeFence, seed)
+    }
     await store.transitionHandoff(record.sessionId, (current) => {
       if (
         current.lease.runtimeFence !== record.lease.runtimeFence ||
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.test.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.test.ts
index 0f9c476336b..0ad56f4348c 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.test.ts
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ import type { AgentSessionForkSource } from '../../../shared/agent-session-fork'
 import { computeAgentSessionPayloadFingerprint } from '../../../shared/agent-session-mutation-envelope'
 import { AgentSessionRecordStore } from '../../runtime/agent-session-record-store'
 import { AgentSessionJournal } from '../agent-session-journal/journal-store'
-import type {
-  StructuredAgentSessionAdapter,
-  StructuredAgentSessionAcquireInput
+import {
+  AgentSessionPreSpawnError,
+  type StructuredAgentSessionAdapter,
+  type StructuredAgentSessionAcquireInput
 } from './structured-agent-session-adapter'
 import { StructuredAgentSessionHost } from './structured-agent-session-host'
 import {
@@ -61,6 +62,8 @@ async function setup(provider: 'claude' | 'codex' = 'codex') {
             sessionId: isChild ? 'child-thread' : 'parent-thread',
             leafUuid: forked ? input.fork!.throughId : 'turn-2-1'
           } as const)
+    // Settlement TOMBSTONES a turn's lifecycle row, so a finished turn leaves none behind. A
+    // fixture that appends `turnLifecycle.state: 'completed'` models no journal Orca can produce.
     if (!isChild) {
       for (const turn of ['turn-1', 'turn-2']) {
         input.events?.appendItem(identity(turn, 0), {
@@ -73,10 +76,6 @@ async function setup(provider: 'claude' | 'codex' = 'codex') {
           role: 'assistant',
           blocks: [{ type: 'text', text: `${turn} answer` }]
         })
-        input.events?.appendItem(
-          { provider: 'orca', clientMessageId: `${turn}-done` },
-          { kind: 'status', text: 'Completed', turnLifecycle: { turnId: turn, state: 'completed' } }
-        )
       }
     }
     return {
@@ -104,10 +103,6 @@ async function setup(provider: 'claude' | 'codex' = 'codex') {
       role: 'assistant',
       blocks: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Third answer' }]
     })
-    input.events?.appendItem(
-      { provider: 'orca', clientMessageId: 'turn-3-done' },
-      { kind: 'status', text: 'Completed', turnLifecycle: { turnId: 'turn-3', state: 'completed' } }
-    )
     return { state: 'accepted', providerIdentity: identity('turn-3', 0) }
   })
   const adapter: StructuredAgentSessionAdapter = {
@@ -256,10 +251,28 @@ describe('fork from a structured turn', () => {
     expect(store.getRecord('child-session')?.fork?.phase).toBe('attempted')
     expect(store.getVisibleSessionTabIndex().sessionIds).not.toContain('child-session')
     expect(host.hasSession('child-session')).toBe(false)
-    await host.fork(caller, child, source)
+    // The ambiguity guard: the provider may hold a child, so the retry must never make a second.
+    expect(await host.fork(caller, child, source)).toMatchObject({ ok: false })
     expect(acquire).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
   })
 
+  it('recovers a fork whose launch failed before any provider session existed', async () => {
+    const { host, store, child, source, acquire } = await setup()
+    acquire.mockImplementationOnce(async () => {
+      throw new AgentSessionPreSpawnError(new Error('managed account is switching'))
+    })
+    await expect(host.fork(caller, child, source)).rejects.toThrow('managed account is switching')
+    // Settled, not stranded — and the dead prefix is dropped rather than rewritten on every
+    // lease renewal for the life of the record.
+    expect(store.getRecord('child-session')?.fork).toMatchObject({
+      phase: 'refused',
+      retained: []
+    })
+    expect(await host.fork(caller, child, source)).toMatchObject({ ok: true })
+    expect(host.journalSnapshot('child-session').items).not.toHaveLength(0)
+    expect(acquire.mock.calls.filter(([input]) => input.fork)).toHaveLength(2)
+  })
+
   it('resumes the proved child when journal publication fails instead of forking again', async () => {
     const { host, child, source, acquire, store } = await setup()
     const replace = vi
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.ts
index 0721f99764d..f9210ee53a0 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-fork.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { forkJournalSeed } from './structured-fork-journal-seed'
 import { restoreRewindJournalBody } from './structured-rewind-journal-body'
 import type { AgentSessionRewindReason } from '../../../shared/agent-session-rewind'
 import { prepareStructuredForkReplay } from './structured-agent-session-fork-replay'
+import { restartRefusedStructuredFork } from './structured-agent-session-fork-lifecycle'
 import type { AgentSessionForkSource } from '../../../shared/agent-session-fork'
 import { agentSessionLeaseAdmitsWriter } from '../../../shared/agent-session-lease-adjudication'
 import { computeAgentSessionPayloadFingerprint } from '../../../shared/agent-session-mutation-envelope'
@@ -65,7 +66,9 @@ export function forkStructuredAgentSession(
     ) {
       return refuse('invalid-target')
     }
-    let fork = prior
+    // A refused attempt proved no provider session exists, so the retry re-derives the prefix
+    // instead of replaying a record whose retained copy was dropped when it settled.
+    let fork = prior?.phase === 'refused' ? undefined : prior
     if (!fork) {
       const support = context.deps.adapter.forkSupport?.(source.sessionId)
       if (!support?.supported) {
@@ -140,10 +143,15 @@ export function forkStructuredAgentSession(
         fields: attachFingerprintFields(attach)
       })
     }
+    // Ordered: replay reads the settled `refused` record to mint the recovery envelope this
+    // existing child record requires, and only then is the record re-armed for a fresh attempt.
     const replay = await prepareStructuredForkReplay(context, caller, attach)
     if (replay.result) {
       return replay.result
     }
+    if (prior?.phase === 'refused') {
+      await restartRefusedStructuredFork(store, params.envelope.sessionId, fork)
+    }
     return attachStructuredAgentSession(attachContext, caller.callerKey, replay.params)
   })
 }
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.test.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.test.ts
index 297d2d15c5b..cc3dc490278 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.test.ts
@@ -85,13 +85,62 @@ describe('fork journal identities', () => {
     expect(() =>
       forkJournalIdentity({ provider: 'claude', sessionId: 'parent', uuid: 'id' }, source, target)
     ).toThrow('agent_session_identity_required')
-    expect(() =>
-      forkJournalIdentity(
-        { provider: 'legacy', agent: 'codex', sessionId: 'parent', recordId: '1' },
-        source,
-        target
-      )
-    ).toThrow('agent_session_identity_required')
+  })
+
+  it('carries an adopted transcript into the child and continues it on the new thread', () => {
+    // Adoption imports the whole prior conversation under `legacy:` keys, so a turn taken after
+    // adopting is a mix of legacy history and Codex echoes. Both belong in the child.
+    const imported = ['msg_1', 'msg_2'].map((recordId) => ({
+      itemId: agentJournalItemKey({
+        provider: 'legacy',
+        agent: 'codex',
+        sessionId: 'parent',
+        recordId
+      }),
+      body,
+      observedAt: 1
+    }))
+    const seed = forkJournalSeed(
+      [
+        ...imported,
+        { itemId: 'codex:parent:turn-a:0', body, observedAt: 2 },
+        { itemId: 'codex:parent:turn-a:1', body, observedAt: 3 }
+      ],
+      source,
+      target
+    )
+    expect(seed.map((item) => agentJournalItemKey(item.identity))).toEqual([
+      'legacy:codex:parent:msg_1',
+      'legacy:codex:parent:msg_2',
+      'codex:child:turn-a:0',
+      'codex:child:turn-a:1'
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('leaves the parent turn-lifecycle row behind rather than seeding a phantom running turn', () => {
+    const lifecycle: AgentJournalItemBody = {
+      kind: 'status',
+      text: 'Codex is working…',
+      turnLifecycle: { turnId: 'turn-a', state: 'running' }
+    }
+    const seed = forkJournalSeed(
+      [
+        {
+          itemId: agentJournalItemKey({
+            provider: 'legacy',
+            agent: 'codex',
+            sessionId: 'parent',
+            recordId: 'turn-lifecycle:turn-a'
+          }),
+          body: lifecycle,
+          observedAt: 1
+        },
+        { itemId: 'codex:parent:turn-a:1', body, observedAt: 2 }
+      ],
+      source,
+      target
+    )
+    expect(seed.map((item) => agentJournalItemKey(item.identity))).toEqual(['codex:child:turn-a:1'])
   })
 
   it('does not retain source submission identities or prompt authority', () => {
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.ts
index 54b13b69f6f..f305008da28 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-fork-journal-seed.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ export function forkJournalIdentity(
       ordinal: identity.ordinal
     }
   }
+  // Import-scoped bridge-era rows: no provider echo can ever reconcile against one, and the
+  // session id already names the provider conversation the child forks from, so it carries over
+  // verbatim rather than being minted into a namespace the child cannot reproduce.
+  if (identity.provider === 'legacy') {
+    return identity
+  }
   if (identity.provider === 'claude' && target.provider === 'claude') {
     // Forked files rewrite sessionId; retained UUIDs still belong to the parent namespace.
     return {
@@ -57,8 +63,9 @@ export function forkJournalSeed(
     if (!identity) {
       throw new Error('agent_session_identity_required')
     }
-    // Host status and submission identities belong to the parent's operation lifecycle.
-    if (identity.provider === 'orca') {
+    // Host status and submission identities belong to the parent's operation lifecycle. So does a
+    // turn-lifecycle row, whichever namespace it was keyed in — the child opens its own.
+    if (identity.provider === 'orca' || (item.body.kind === 'status' && item.body.turnLifecycle)) {
       return []
     }
     const rekeyed = forkJournalIdentity(identity, source, target)
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatMessageList.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatMessageList.tsx
index e6970905052..0a61cdff321 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatMessageList.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/NativeChatMessageList.tsx
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ export function NativeChatMessageList({
           onScroll={handleScroll}
           className="scrollbar-sleek h-full overflow-y-auto [scrollbar-gutter:stable_both-edges] px-3 pt-10 pb-4 sm:px-4"
         >
-
           <div
             ref={contentRef}
             // Why: matches composer column (max-w-4xl) with 5px horizontal inset
@@ -314,7 +313,13 @@ export function NativeChatMessageList({
                     />
                   )}
                   {forkAction?.eligibleIds.has(message.id) ? (
-                    <Button variant="ghost" size="sm" className="self-start text-muted-foreground" disabled={forkAction.pending} onClick={() => forkAction.onFork(message.id)}>
+                    <Button
+                      variant="ghost"
+                      size="sm"
+                      className="self-start text-muted-foreground"
+                      disabled={forkAction.pending}
+                      onClick={() => forkAction.onFork(message.id)}
+                    >
                       <GitFork className="size-3.5" />
                       {translate('components.native-chat.forkFromTurn', 'Fork from this turn')}
                     </Button>
@@ -355,7 +360,6 @@ export function NativeChatMessageList({
             ) : null}
             {!showTurnStatus && showTypingIndicator ? <NativeChatTypingIndicatorRow /> : null}
           </div>
-
         </div>
         {showJump ? (
           <button
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.test.ts
index 2a60f9a895f..2bfe87b7879 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
-const { call } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ call: vi.fn() }))
-vi.mock('@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client', () => ({ callStructuredAgentSession: call }))
+const { call, CapabilityError } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  call: vi.fn(),
+  CapabilityError: class extends Error {}
+}))
+vi.mock('@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client', () => ({
+  callStructuredAgentSession: call,
+  StructuredAgentSessionCapabilityError: CapabilityError
+}))
 vi.mock('@/i18n/i18n', () => ({ translate: (_key: string, fallback: string) => fallback }))
 import { forkStructuredSessionFromTurn } from './structured-agent-session-fork-command'
 
@@ -68,10 +74,53 @@ describe('fork create intent replay', () => {
     call
       .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: false, refusal: { forkReason: 'busy' } })
       .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: true })
-    await expect(forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(args)).rejects.toThrow('Wait for the conversation')
+    await expect(forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(args)).rejects.toThrow('Wait for this conversation')
     await forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(args)
     expect(call.mock.calls[1]?.[2].envelope.sessionId).not.toBe(
       call.mock.calls[0]?.[2].envelope.sessionId
     )
   })
+
+  it.each([
+    ['unsupported', 'cannot be forked'],
+    ['history-limit', 'too much history'],
+    ['stale-epoch', 'moved on'],
+    ['invalid-target', 'Could not fork this turn.'],
+    ['outcome-unknown', 'could not be confirmed']
+  ])('reports a %s refusal in its own words', async (forkReason, message) => {
+    call.mockResolvedValue({ ok: false, refusal: { forkReason } })
+    await expect(forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input())).rejects.toThrow(message)
+  })
+
+  it('surfaces the pre-request capability guard instead of an unconfirmed outcome', async () => {
+    const args = input()
+    call
+      .mockRejectedValueOnce(new CapabilityError('Forking requires a newer Orca server.'))
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: true })
+    await expect(forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(args)).rejects.toThrow('newer Orca server')
+    // Nothing was sent, so the retired attempt must not replay the abandoned child id.
+    await forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(args)
+    expect(call.mock.calls[1]?.[2].envelope.sessionId).not.toBe(
+      call.mock.calls[0]?.[2].envelope.sessionId
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('evicts the oldest unconfirmed attempt instead of wedging every later fork', async () => {
+    call.mockRejectedValue(new Error('disconnected'))
+    const first = input()
+    await expect(forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(first)).rejects.toThrow('could not be confirmed')
+    for (let index = 0; index < 200; index += 1) {
+      await expect(forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input())).rejects.toThrow('could not be confirmed')
+    }
+    call.mockReset()
+    call.mockResolvedValue({ ok: true })
+    // The 202nd fork in this app session must still reach the host.
+    await forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input())
+    expect(call).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    // The evicted entry no longer replays, so the retry mints a fresh child id.
+    await forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(first)
+    expect(call.mock.calls[1]?.[2].envelope.sessionId).not.toBe(
+      call.mock.calls[0]?.[2].envelope.sessionId
+    )
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.ts
index 5e24e8909ac..b7cc2dd1f56 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-fork-command.ts
@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@ import type {
   AgentSessionMutationResult
 } from '../../../../shared/agent-session-wire'
 import type { RuntimeClientTarget } from '@/runtime/runtime-rpc-client'
-import { callStructuredAgentSession } from '@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client'
+import {
+  callStructuredAgentSession,
+  StructuredAgentSessionCapabilityError
+} from '@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client'
 import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
 
-const attempts = new Map<
-  string,
-  { params: StructuredAgentSessionCreateParams; running?: Promise<void> }
->()
+type ForkAttempt = { params: StructuredAgentSessionCreateParams; running?: Promise<void> }
+
+const attempts = new Map<string, ForkAttempt>()
+const MAX_TRACKED_ATTEMPTS = 128
 
 export function forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input: {
   target: RuntimeClientTarget
@@ -37,16 +40,6 @@ export function forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input: {
     return attempt.running
   }
   if (!attempt) {
-    if (attempts.size >= 128) {
-      return Promise.reject(
-        new Error(
-          translate(
-            'components.native-chat.forkUnconfirmed',
-            'A fork could not be confirmed. Retry the same turn to check its outcome.'
-          )
-        )
-      )
-    }
     attempt = {
       params: structuredAgentSessionCreateParams({
         sessionId: createStructuredAgentSessionId(input.agent, () => crypto.randomUUID()),
@@ -56,7 +49,7 @@ export function forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input: {
         randomUuid: () => crypto.randomUUID()
       })
     }
-    attempts.set(key, attempt)
+    track(key, attempt)
   }
   const current = attempt
   current.running = callStructuredAgentSession<
@@ -65,35 +58,18 @@ export function forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input: {
     .then(
       (result) => {
         if (!result.ok) {
-          if (
-            result.refusal.forkReason &&
-            result.refusal.forkReason !== 'outcome-unknown' &&
-            result.refusal.forkReason !== 'proof-mismatch'
-          ) {
-            attempts.delete(key)
-            throw new Error(
-              translate(
-                'components.native-chat.forkFailed',
-                'Could not fork this turn. Wait for the conversation to finish and try again.'
-              )
-            )
-          }
-          throw new Error(
-            translate(
-              'components.native-chat.forkUnconfirmed',
-              'A fork could not be confirmed. Retry the same turn to check its outcome.'
-            )
-          )
+          throw refusalError(key, result.refusal.forkReason)
         }
         attempts.delete(key)
       },
-      () => {
-        throw new Error(
-          translate(
-            'components.native-chat.forkUnconfirmed',
-            'A fork could not be confirmed. Retry the same turn to check its outcome.'
-          )
-        )
+      (error: unknown) => {
+        // The capability guard runs before the request leaves the client, so no child exists: the
+        // attempt is retired and the real reason reaches the user.
+        if (error instanceof StructuredAgentSessionCapabilityError) {
+          attempts.delete(key)
+          throw error
+        }
+        throw new Error(unconfirmed())
       }
     )
     .finally(() => {
@@ -101,3 +77,67 @@ export function forkStructuredSessionFromTurn(input: {
     })
   return current.running
 }
+
+/** Bound the table by EVICTING the oldest idle entry. Refusing at the cap instead wedged forking
+ *  app-wide — every session, tab and worktree — until a restart, reported as an unconfirmed fork. */
+function track(key: string, attempt: ForkAttempt): void {
+  while (attempts.size >= MAX_TRACKED_ATTEMPTS) {
+    let evicted = false
+    for (const [candidate, entry] of attempts) {
+      if (!entry.running) {
+        attempts.delete(candidate)
+        evicted = true
+        break
+      }
+    }
+    if (!evicted) {
+      break
+    }
+  }
+  attempts.set(key, attempt)
+}
+
+/** A settled refusal proves the host minted no provider session, so the child id is retired and a
+ *  retry starts clean. An unknown or mismatched outcome must reuse it to adjudicate the original. */
+function refusalError(key: string, reason: string | undefined): Error {
+  if (reason === undefined || reason === 'outcome-unknown' || reason === 'proof-mismatch') {
+    return new Error(unconfirmed())
+  }
+  attempts.delete(key)
+  return new Error(refusalMessage(reason))
+}
+
+function refusalMessage(reason: string): string {
+  switch (reason) {
+    case 'busy':
+      return translate(
+        'components.native-chat.forkBusy',
+        'Wait for this conversation to finish, then fork the turn.'
+      )
+    case 'unsupported':
+    case 'history-not-paginated':
+      return translate(
+        'components.native-chat.forkUnsupported',
+        'This conversation cannot be forked.'
+      )
+    case 'history-limit':
+      return translate(
+        'components.native-chat.forkHistoryLimit',
+        'This turn carries too much history to fork.'
+      )
+    case 'stale-epoch':
+      return translate(
+        'components.native-chat.forkStaleEpoch',
+        'This conversation moved on. Reopen it and fork the turn again.'
+      )
+    default:
+      return translate('components.native-chat.forkFailed', 'Could not fork this turn.')
+  }
+}
+
+function unconfirmed(): string {
+  return translate(
+    'components.native-chat.forkUnconfirmed',
+    'A fork could not be confirmed. Retry the same turn to check its outcome.'
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.test.tsx
index abf185cb913..564cc0fcb9f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.test.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   call: vi.fn(),
+  forkAvailable: vi.fn(),
   operationId: vi.fn(),
   enqueueSettingsWrite: vi.fn()
 }))
@@ -12,7 +13,8 @@ let fence = 3
 let sessionCommands: { name: string; kind: 'command' | 'skill' }[] | undefined
 
 vi.mock('@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client', () => ({
-  callStructuredAgentSession: mocks.call
+  callStructuredAgentSession: mocks.call,
+  structuredAgentSessionForkAvailable: mocks.forkAvailable
 }))
 
 vi.mock('./native-chat-session-option-settings-write', () => ({
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ function seededByNextLaunch(): Record<string, string> | undefined {
 }
 
 const LOCAL_TARGET = { kind: 'local' } as const
+const REMOTE_TARGET = { kind: 'environment', environmentId: 'remote-host' } as const
 
 const OPTIONS = {
   models: [
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ describe('useStructuredAgentSession options', () => {
     mocks.call.mockImplementation((_target, method) =>
       method === 'agentSession.options' ? Promise.resolve(OPTIONS) : Promise.resolve(null)
     )
+    mocks.forkAvailable.mockReset().mockResolvedValue(true)
   })
 
   it('applies provider-reconciled values after a model change', async () => {
@@ -523,3 +527,52 @@ describe('session command catalog stream', () => {
     ).toHaveLength(0)
   })
 })
+
+describe('fork support probe isolation', () => {
+  const COMMANDS = [{ name: 'compact', kind: 'command' as const }]
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks()
+    fence = 3
+    mocks.operationId.mockReset().mockReturnValue('operation-1')
+    mocks.call.mockImplementation((_target: unknown, method: string) =>
+      method === 'agentSession.options'
+        ? Promise.resolve({ ...OPTIONS, conversationCommands: COMMANDS, fork: { supported: true } })
+        : Promise.resolve(null)
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('keeps conversation commands and options when the remote fork probe fails', async () => {
+    // The probe is a second RPC to the remote host. A transient failure used to blank the
+    // slash-command menu and drop this turn's option refresh with it.
+    mocks.forkAvailable.mockRejectedValue(new Error('unreachable'))
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useStructuredAgentSession({
+        sessionId: 'session-1',
+        target: REMOTE_TARGET,
+        agent: 'codex',
+        isVisible: true
+      })
+    )
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.conversationCommands).toEqual(COMMANDS))
+    expect(result.current.forkSupported).toBe(false)
+    // The per-turn option refresh rode on the same `.then`; it must still land.
+    expect(result.current.optionSnapshot.find((entry) => entry.id === 'model')?.kind).toMatchObject(
+      { currentValue: 'gpt-live' }
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('reports fork support when the probe answers', async () => {
+    mocks.forkAvailable.mockResolvedValue(true)
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useStructuredAgentSession({
+        sessionId: 'session-1',
+        target: REMOTE_TARGET,
+        agent: 'codex',
+        isVisible: true
+      })
+    )
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.forkSupported).toBe(true))
+    expect(result.current.conversationCommands).toEqual(COMMANDS)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.ts
index 8ee94097c9d..a62adf72585 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-agent-session.ts
@@ -97,8 +97,11 @@ export function useStructuredAgentSession(args: {
       sessionId
     })
       .then(async (result) => {
+        // The probe is a separate RPC to the remote host. Its failure may only cost the fork
+        // affordance — the slash-command menu and this turn's options come from `result`.
         const forkSupported =
-          result.fork?.supported === true && (await structuredAgentSessionForkAvailable(target))
+          result.fork?.supported === true &&
+          (await structuredAgentSessionForkAvailable(target).catch(() => false))
         if (!stale) {
           setConversationSupport({
             sessionId,
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f2bdfa85d38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+const { eligible } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ eligible: vi.fn(() => new Set<string>(['assistant-1'])) }))
+vi.mock('../../../../shared/agent-session-prefix', () => ({
+  structuredForkEligibleItems: eligible
+}))
+vi.mock('./structured-agent-session-fork-command', () => ({
+  forkStructuredSessionFromTurn: vi.fn()
+}))
+
+import { useStructuredForkAction } from './use-structured-fork-action'
+
+type Props = Parameters<typeof useStructuredForkAction>[0]
+type Controller = Parameters<typeof useStructuredForkAction>[1]
+
+const props = { agent: 'codex', target: { kind: 'local' } } as unknown as Props
+
+function controller(isWorking: boolean): Controller {
+  return {
+    forkSupported: true,
+    forkSource: { sessionId: 'parent', expectedEpoch: 'epoch', expectedRuntimeFence: 1 },
+    isWorking,
+    journalItems: [{ itemId: 'assistant-1' }]
+  } as unknown as Controller
+}
+
+describe('fork action eligibility work', () => {
+  it('does no eligibility scan while a turn is live', () => {
+    eligible.mockClear()
+    // The action is unavailable mid-turn, but a live turn emits a journal delta per frame and the
+    // memo runs before the early return — so an ungated memo rescans the transcript for nothing.
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(() =>
+      useStructuredForkAction(props, controller(true), 'worktree', () => {})
+    )
+    for (let index = 0; index < 5; index += 1) {
+      rerender()
+    }
+    expect(result.current).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(eligible).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('scans once the turn settles and the action becomes available', () => {
+    eligible.mockClear()
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useStructuredForkAction(props, controller(false), 'worktree', () => {})
+    )
+    expect(eligible).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(result.current?.eligibleIds.has('assistant-1')).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.ts
index 2e801da0b74..20e9e1e34e4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-structured-fork-action.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import type { useStructuredAgentSession } from './use-structured-agent-session'
 import { forkStructuredSessionFromTurn } from './structured-agent-session-fork-command'
 import { toRuntimeWorktreeSelector } from '@/runtime/runtime-worktree-selector'
 
+const NO_ELIGIBLE_ITEMS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set()
+
 export function useStructuredForkAction(
   props: Omit<NativeChatStructuredViewProps, 'mode'>,
   controller: ReturnType<typeof useStructuredAgentSession>,
@@ -12,18 +14,22 @@ export function useStructuredForkAction(
   onError: (message: string) => void
 ) {
   const [pending, setPending] = useState(false)
-  const eligibleIds = useMemo(
-    () => structuredForkEligibleItems(controller.journalItems ?? []),
-    [controller.journalItems]
-  )
   const agent = props.agent === 'claude' ? 'claude' : props.agent === 'codex' ? 'codex' : undefined
-  if (
-    !controller.forkSupported ||
-    !controller.forkSource ||
-    !worktreeId ||
-    controller.isWorking ||
-    !agent
-  ) {
+  const enabled = Boolean(
+    controller.forkSupported &&
+    controller.forkSource &&
+    worktreeId &&
+    !controller.isWorking &&
+    agent
+  )
+  // Hooks cannot be skipped, so the unavailable case is gated inside the memo instead: a live turn
+  // emits a journal delta per frame and every one of them would rescan for a discarded result.
+  const eligibleIds = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      enabled ? structuredForkEligibleItems(controller.journalItems ?? []) : NO_ELIGIBLE_ITEMS,
+    [enabled, controller.journalItems]
+  )
+  if (!enabled || !controller.forkSource || !worktreeId || !agent) {
     return undefined
   }
   return {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index 40c2f94bc77..d4f99ef7c39 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -5298,11 +5298,7 @@
           "5c9c7c16aa": "Add a project to create workspaces",
           "a30e34eb5c": "Close workspace board",
           "views": "Sidebar view",
-          "createMenu": "Create",
-          "addProject": "Add project",
-          "25a95899c9": "Add Project",
-          "ca6f729da2": "New workspace ({{value0}})",
-          "moreActions": "More workspace actions"
+          "addProject": "Add project"
         },
         "SidebarNav": {
           "80611a8b10": "Search",
@@ -16268,9 +16264,7 @@
             "permission": "Needs attention"
           },
           "filtersSection": "Filters",
-          "viewSection": "View",
-          "compactModeDescription": "Shows shorter thread rows with one-line titles and two-line status messages.",
-          "unreadOnlyDescription": "Filters the activity list to show only threads with unread updates."
+          "viewSection": "View"
         },
         "clearCompleted": {
           "clearedOne": "Cleared 1 completed agent",
@@ -17260,7 +17254,11 @@
       },
       "forkServerUpdateRequired": "Forking requires a newer Orca server. Update the server and try again.",
       "forkFromTurn": "Fork from this turn",
-      "forkFailed": "Could not fork this turn. Wait for the conversation to finish and try again.",
+      "forkFailed": "Could not fork this turn.",
+      "forkBusy": "Wait for this conversation to finish, then fork the turn.",
+      "forkUnsupported": "This conversation cannot be forked.",
+      "forkHistoryLimit": "This turn carries too much history to fork.",
+      "forkStaleEpoch": "This conversation moved on. Reopen it and fork the turn again.",
       "forkUnconfirmed": "A fork could not be confirmed. Retry the same turn to check its outcome."
     },
     "tab": {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/runtime/structured-agent-session-client.ts b/src/renderer/src/runtime/structured-agent-session-client.ts
index ab8ac845091..5ed8769337b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/runtime/structured-agent-session-client.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/runtime/structured-agent-session-client.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ import {
   type RuntimeClientTarget
 } from './runtime-rpc-client'
 
+/** The paired runtime is too old for this method. Thrown BEFORE any request leaves the client, so
+ *  a caller may report the real reason and retire the attempt: no session was created. */
+export class StructuredAgentSessionCapabilityError extends Error {}
+
 export async function callStructuredAgentSession<TResult>(
   target: RuntimeClientTarget,
   method: string,
@@ -28,7 +32,9 @@ export async function callStructuredAgentSession<TResult>(
       AGENT_SESSION_REWIND_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY
     ))
   ) {
-    throw new Error('Rewinding requires a newer Orca server. Update the server and try again.')
+    throw new StructuredAgentSessionCapabilityError(
+      'Rewinding requires a newer Orca server. Update the server and try again.'
+    )
   }
   if (
     method === 'agentSession.create' &&
@@ -37,7 +43,7 @@ export async function callStructuredAgentSession<TResult>(
     'forkFrom' in params &&
     !(await structuredAgentSessionForkAvailable(target))
   ) {
-    throw new Error(
+    throw new StructuredAgentSessionCapabilityError(
       translate(
         'components.native-chat.forkServerUpdateRequired',
         'Forking requires a newer Orca server. Update the server and try again.'
diff --git a/src/shared/agent-session-fork.ts b/src/shared/agent-session-fork.ts
index cbbbc13dcbb..6b55a3bbce0 100644
--- a/src/shared/agent-session-fork.ts
+++ b/src/shared/agent-session-fork.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,11 @@ export const AgentSessionForkRecordSchema = z.object({
   expectedRuntimeFence: z.number().int().positive(),
   source: z.custom<AgentSessionProviderHandle>(isAgentSessionProviderHandle),
   throughId: Key,
-  phase: z.enum(['prepared', 'attempted', 'provider-succeeded', 'completed']),
+  /** `attempted` is the ambiguity guard: the provider may or may not hold a child, so it never
+   *  retries. `refused` is its terminal counterpart for a failure that provably preceded any
+   *  provider session, and is recoverable. */
+  phase: z.enum(['prepared', 'attempted', 'provider-succeeded', 'completed', 'refused']),
+  reason: z.string().min(1).max(512).optional(),
   retained: z
     .array(
       z.object({
diff --git a/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.test.ts b/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.test.ts
index aa5cc6ae063..f358a82736b 100644
--- a/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.test.ts
@@ -7,32 +7,35 @@ import {
   agentSessionPrefixWithinBounds
 } from './agent-session-prefix-bounds'
 
-function items(provider: 'claude' | 'codex'): AgentJournalRenderItem[] {
-  return ['a', 'b'].flatMap(
-    (turnId, turn) =>
-      [
-        {
-          itemId:
-            provider === 'codex' ? `codex:parent:${turnId}:0` : `claude:parent:${turnId}-prompt`,
-          body: { kind: 'message', role: 'user', blocks: [] },
-          sequence: turn * 3,
-          observedAt: 1
-        },
-        {
-          itemId:
-            provider === 'codex' ? `codex:parent:${turnId}:1` : `claude:parent:${turnId}-answer`,
-          body: { kind: 'message', role: 'assistant', blocks: [] },
-          sequence: turn * 3 + 1,
-          observedAt: 1
-        },
-        {
-          itemId: `orca:${turnId}`,
-          body: { kind: 'status', text: 'Done', turnLifecycle: { turnId, state: 'completed' } },
-          sequence: turn * 3 + 2,
-          observedAt: 1
-        }
-      ] as AgentJournalRenderItem[]
-  )
+/** Models a real journal: settlement TOMBSTONES a turn's lifecycle row, so a finished turn leaves
+ *  none behind. Only a live turn has one, appended at turn start — before its answer. */
+function items(provider: 'claude' | 'codex', running?: string): AgentJournalRenderItem[] {
+  return ['a', 'b'].flatMap((turnId, turn) => {
+    const rows: AgentJournalRenderItem[] = [
+      {
+        itemId:
+          provider === 'codex' ? `codex:parent:${turnId}:0` : `claude:parent:${turnId}-prompt`,
+        body: { kind: 'message', role: 'user', blocks: [] },
+        sequence: turn * 3,
+        observedAt: 1
+      } as AgentJournalRenderItem
+    ]
+    if (running === turnId) {
+      rows.push({
+        itemId: `legacy:${provider}:parent:turn-lifecycle%3A${turnId}`,
+        body: { kind: 'status', text: 'Working', turnLifecycle: { turnId, state: 'running' } },
+        sequence: turn * 3 + 1,
+        observedAt: 1
+      } as AgentJournalRenderItem)
+    }
+    rows.push({
+      itemId: provider === 'codex' ? `codex:parent:${turnId}:1` : `claude:parent:${turnId}-answer`,
+      body: { kind: 'message', role: 'assistant', blocks: [] },
+      sequence: turn * 3 + 2,
+      observedAt: 1
+    } as AgentJournalRenderItem)
+    return rows
+  })
 }
 
 describe('bounded conversation prefix', () => {
@@ -53,11 +56,11 @@ describe('bounded conversation prefix', () => {
       expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: true, throughId: provider === 'codex' ? 'a' : 'a-answer' })
       if (result.ok) {
         expect(result.retained.map((item) => item.itemId)).toEqual(
-          history.slice(0, 3).map((item) => item.itemId)
+          history.slice(0, 2).map((item) => item.itemId)
         )
       }
       expect(structuredForkEligibleItems(history)).toEqual(
-        new Set([history[1]!.itemId, history[4]!.itemId])
+        new Set([history[1]!.itemId, history[3]!.itemId])
       )
     }
   )
@@ -71,13 +74,13 @@ describe('bounded conversation prefix', () => {
           : ({ provider, sessionId: 'parent', leafUuid: 'b-answer' } as const)
       const result = selectAgentSessionPrefix({
         items: history,
-        itemId: history[4]!.itemId,
+        itemId: history[3]!.itemId,
         handle,
         boundary: 'before'
       })
       expect(result.ok).toBe(true)
       if (result.ok) {
-        expect(result.retained).toHaveLength(provider === 'codex' ? 3 : 4)
+        expect(result.retained).toHaveLength(provider === 'codex' ? 2 : 3)
       }
     }
   })
@@ -97,13 +100,12 @@ describe('bounded conversation prefix', () => {
     expect(
       selectAgentSessionPrefix({ ...args, handle: { provider: 'codex', threadId: 'foreign' } })
     ).toMatchObject({ ok: false, reason: 'invalid-target' })
-    history[2]!.body = {
-      kind: 'status',
-      text: 'Working',
-      turnLifecycle: { turnId: 'a', state: 'running' }
-    }
-    expect(selectAgentSessionPrefix(args)).toMatchObject({ ok: false, reason: 'busy' })
-    expect(structuredForkEligibleItems(history).has(history[1]!.itemId)).toBe(false)
+    // A live turn: the running row is the one the producer actually leaves in the journal.
+    const live = items('codex', 'b')
+    expect(
+      selectAgentSessionPrefix({ ...args, items: live, itemId: live[4]!.itemId })
+    ).toMatchObject({ ok: false, reason: 'busy' })
+    expect(structuredForkEligibleItems(live)).toEqual(new Set([live[1]!.itemId]))
   })
 
   it('inherits the retained entry and UTF-8 byte bounds', () => {
diff --git a/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.ts b/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.ts
index d0276de764e..c3fd072a8bc 100644
--- a/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.ts
+++ b/src/shared/agent-session-prefix.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,15 @@ import {
   agentJournalSubmissionKey,
   parseAgentJournalItemKey
 } from './agent-session-journal-item-key'
-import type { AgentJournalRenderItem, AgentJournalSnapshot } from './agent-session-journal-types'
+import type {
+  AgentJournalItemIdentity,
+  AgentJournalRenderItem,
+  AgentJournalSnapshot
+} from './agent-session-journal-types'
 import type { AgentSessionProviderHandle } from './agent-session-provider-handle'
 import type { AgentSessionRewindReason, AgentSessionRewindRecord } from './agent-session-rewind'
 import { agentSessionPrefixWithinBounds } from './agent-session-prefix-bounds'
+import { activeStructuredAgentSessionTurnId } from './structured-agent-session-projection'
 
 type PrefixSelection =
   | { ok: false; reason: AgentSessionRewindReason }
@@ -125,38 +130,57 @@ export function selectAgentSessionPrefix(
   }
 }
 
+/** End of the turn containing `selected`, or null while that turn is still live.
+ *
+ *  Settlement TOMBSTONES a turn's lifecycle row rather than rewriting it to `completed`, so a
+ *  finished turn leaves no row behind and only the live turn still has one. Completion is
+ *  therefore read as "not the active turn", off the same projection the chat view reads. */
 function completedTurnEnd(
   items: readonly AgentJournalRenderItem[],
   selected: number,
   providerKey: (id: string) => string
 ): number | null {
-  const key = parseAgentJournalItemKey(providerKey(items[selected]!.itemId))
   const nextPrompt = items.findIndex(
     (item, index) => index > selected && item.body.kind === 'message' && item.body.role === 'user'
   )
-  const end = nextPrompt === -1 ? items.length : nextPrompt
-  const lifecycle = items
-    .slice(selected, end)
-    .findLast(
-      (item) =>
-        item.body.kind === 'status' &&
-        item.body.turnLifecycle &&
-        (key?.provider !== 'codex' || item.body.turnLifecycle.turnId === key.turnId)
-    )
-  return lifecycle?.body.kind === 'status' && lifecycle.body.turnLifecycle?.state === 'completed'
-    ? end
-    : null
+  const key = parseAgentJournalItemKey(providerKey(items[selected]!.itemId))
+  return liveTurn(activeStructuredAgentSessionTurnId(items), key, nextPrompt === -1)
+    ? null
+    : nextPrompt === -1
+      ? items.length
+      : nextPrompt
+}
+
+/** Codex names the live turn in its own item keys; Claude does not, and a running turn is always
+ *  the newest one, so a Claude row is live exactly when no later prompt bounds it. */
+function liveTurn(
+  activeTurnId: string | null,
+  key: AgentJournalItemIdentity | null,
+  isLastTurn: boolean
+): boolean {
+  if (activeTurnId === null) {
+    return false
+  }
+  return key?.provider === 'codex' ? key.turnId === activeTurnId : isLastTurn
 }
 
 export function structuredForkEligibleItems(items: readonly AgentJournalRenderItem[]): Set<string> {
-  return new Set(
-    items
-      .filter(
-        (item, index) =>
-          item.body.kind === 'message' &&
-          item.body.role === 'assistant' &&
-          completedTurnEnd(items, index, (id) => id) !== null
-      )
-      .map((item) => item.itemId)
+  const activeTurnId = activeStructuredAgentSessionTurnId(items)
+  const lastPrompt = items.findLastIndex(
+    (item) => item.body.kind === 'message' && item.body.role === 'user'
   )
+  const eligible = new Set<string>()
+  items.forEach((item, index) => {
+    if (item.body.kind !== 'message' || item.body.role !== 'assistant') {
+      return
+    }
+    // Parsing every key is wasted work on the idle journal a fork is actually taken from.
+    if (
+      activeTurnId === null ||
+      !liveTurn(activeTurnId, parseAgentJournalItemKey(item.itemId), index > lastPrompt)
+    ) {
+      eligible.add(item.itemId)
+    }
+  })
+  return eligible
 }