diff --git a/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.test.ts b/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.test.ts
index ff767b94ac9..52d498e4aa5 100644
--- a/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.test.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ describe('claude slash command catalog', () => {
 
   it('seeds from the init frame that proved the session', () => {
     expect(new ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog(init()).commands).toHaveLength(3)
-    expect(new ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog().commands).toEqual([])
+    expect(new ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog().commands).toBeUndefined()
     // A frame of the right subtype but without the array is not a catalog.
-    expect(new ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog({ type: 'system', subtype: 'init' }).commands).toEqual([])
+    expect(
+      new ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog({ type: 'system', subtype: 'init' }).commands
+    ).toBeUndefined()
   })
 
   it('replaces the catalog on commands_changed and reports only real changes', () => {
@@ -70,3 +72,13 @@ describe('claude slash command catalog', () => {
     expect(catalog.commands).toEqual([{ name: 'review', kind: 'skill' }])
   })
 })
+
+it('distinguishes missing catalogs from an authoritative empty update', () => {
+  const catalog = new ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog()
+  expect(catalog.commands).toBeUndefined()
+  expect(catalog.observe(init({ slash_commands: [] }))).toBe(true)
+  expect(catalog.commands).toEqual([])
+  expect(catalog.revision).toBe(1)
+  expect(catalog.observe(init({ slash_commands: [] }))).toBe(false)
+  expect(catalog.revision).toBe(1)
+})
diff --git a/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.ts b/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.ts
index 980fe42f48f..5fd6c2c617d 100644
--- a/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.ts
+++ b/src/main/claude/claude-slash-command-catalog.ts
@@ -46,14 +46,17 @@ export function readClaudeSlashCommands(
 /** Per-session `/` catalog, seeded from the init frame that proved the session
  *  and refreshed by every later init or `commands_changed` frame. */
 export class ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog {
-  private entries: AgentSessionSlashCommand[]
+  private entries: AgentSessionSlashCommand[] | undefined
+  revision = 0
 
   constructor(initMessage?: Record<string, unknown>) {
     this.entries =
-      initMessage && carriesCommandCatalog(initMessage) ? readClaudeSlashCommands(initMessage) : []
+      initMessage && carriesCommandCatalog(initMessage)
+        ? readClaudeSlashCommands(initMessage)
+        : undefined
   }
 
-  get commands(): AgentSessionSlashCommand[] {
+  get commands(): AgentSessionSlashCommand[] | undefined {
     return this.entries
   }
 
@@ -64,15 +67,17 @@ export class ClaudeSlashCommandCatalog {
     }
     const next = readClaudeSlashCommands(message)
     if (
+      this.entries !== undefined &&
       next.length === this.entries.length &&
       next.every(
         (entry, index) =>
-          entry.name === this.entries[index]?.name && entry.kind === this.entries[index]?.kind
+          entry.name === this.entries?.[index]?.name && entry.kind === this.entries?.[index]?.kind
       )
     ) {
       return false
     }
     this.entries = next
+    this.revision += 1
     return true
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-adapter.ts b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-adapter.ts
index 0bdbfeaf9d7..bd8e3974651 100644
--- a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-adapter.ts
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ export class ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapter implements StructuredAgentSessionAda
         : event.type === 'message'
           ? (session?.backgroundTasks.observe(event.message, event.startsTurn === true) ?? false)
           : false
-    if (event.type === 'message') {
-      session?.commands.observe(event.message)
+    if (event.type === 'message' && session?.commands.observe(event.message)) {
+      this.deps.onCommandsChanged?.(event.sessionId)
     }
     session?.translator?.handle(event)
     this.deps.onEvent?.(event)
@@ -264,8 +264,10 @@ export class ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapter implements StructuredAgentSessionAda
     const session = this.sessions.get(sessionId)
     return session ? backgroundTaskState(session) : undefined
   }
-  readCommands: NonNullable<StructuredAgentSessionAdapter['readCommands']> = (sessionId) =>
-    this.sessions.get(sessionId)?.commands.commands
+  readCommands: NonNullable<StructuredAgentSessionAdapter['readCommands']> = (sessionId) => {
+    const catalog = this.sessions.get(sessionId)?.commands
+    return catalog ? { commands: catalog.commands, revision: catalog.revision } : undefined
+  }
   answerPrompt: StructuredAgentSessionAdapter['answerPrompt'] = (input) =>
     answerClaudePrompt(this.session(input.sessionId), input)
   setOption: StructuredAgentSessionAdapter['setOption'] = (input) =>
diff --git a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-commands.test.ts b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-commands.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4ebd57c1a6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-commands.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  adapterFor,
+  fakeClaude,
+  identityFor,
+  tick,
+  PROVIDER_SESSION_ID
+} from './claude-structured-session-test-support'
+
+describe('session command updates', () => {
+  it('publishes changed catalogs exactly once while idle', async () => {
+    const claude = fakeClaude()
+    const changed = vi.fn()
+    const adapter = adapterFor(
+      claude,
+      {},
+      [],
+      [],
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      changed
+    )
+    await adapter.acquire({ identity: identityFor(), fence: 7, spawnToken: 'spawn-9' })
+    expect(adapter.readCommands('session-1')?.commands).toBeUndefined()
+    const frame = {
+      type: 'system',
+      subtype: 'commands_changed',
+      session_id: PROVIDER_SESSION_ID,
+      slash_commands: ['plugin:check', 'doctor'],
+      skills: ['plugin:check'],
+      terminal_slash_commands: ['doctor']
+    }
+    claude.connections[0].handlers.onMessage?.(frame)
+    await tick()
+    expect(adapter.readCommands('session-1')).toEqual({
+      commands: [{ name: 'plugin:check', kind: 'skill' }],
+      revision: 1
+    })
+    expect(changed).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith('session-1')
+    claude.connections[0].handlers.onMessage?.(frame)
+    await tick()
+    expect(changed).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    claude.connections[0].handlers.onMessage?.({ ...frame, slash_commands: [] })
+    await tick()
+    expect(adapter.readCommands('session-1')).toEqual({ commands: [], revision: 2 })
+    expect(changed).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    await adapter.closeSession('session-1')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-state.ts b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-state.ts
index bd7bb9d9661..92cbfd43e42 100644
--- a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-state.ts
+++ b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-state.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export type ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps = {
     identity: AgentSessionJournalIdentity
   }) => Promise<ClaudeStructuredLaunch>
   onEvent?: (event: ClaudeStructuredSessionEvent) => void
+  onCommandsChanged?: (sessionId: string) => void
   onBackgroundTasksChanged?: (
     sessionId: string,
     state: AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState | null
diff --git a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-test-support.ts b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-test-support.ts
index 903cafae416..6c0fea9b4c9 100644
--- a/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-test-support.ts
+++ b/src/main/claude/claude-structured-session-test-support.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ export function adapterFor(
   initTimeoutMs?: number,
   readTranscriptLeaf?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['readTranscriptLeaf'],
   persistHandle?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['persistHandle'],
-  onBackgroundTasksChanged?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['onBackgroundTasksChanged']
+  onBackgroundTasksChanged?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['onBackgroundTasksChanged'],
+  onCommandsChanged?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['onCommandsChanged']
 ): ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapter {
   return new ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapter({
     resolveLaunch: async () => ({
@@ -210,6 +211,7 @@ export function adapterFor(
       ...launch
     }),
     onEvent: (event) => events.push(event),
+    onCommandsChanged,
     openConnection: claude.openConnection,
     readProcessStartTime: async () => 1_700_000_000_000,
     now: () => 1_700_000_000_500,
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-adapter.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-adapter.ts
index 4872426d009..f678dca38ca 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-adapter.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import type {
 import type {
   AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState,
   AgentSessionOptionsResult,
-  AgentSessionSlashCommand,
+  AgentSessionCommandsResult,
   AgentSessionWireRefusalCode
 } from '../../../shared/agent-session-wire'
 import type { StructuredAgentSessionEventSink } from './structured-agent-session-event-sink'
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export type StructuredAgentSessionAdapter = {
   backgroundTaskState?(sessionId: string): AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState | null | undefined
   /** The `/` surface the running provider reports for itself. Undefined when the
    *  provider never reports one, which is what keeps the client on its catalog. */
-  readCommands?(sessionId: string): AgentSessionSlashCommand[] | undefined
+  readCommands?(sessionId: string): AgentSessionCommandsResult | undefined
   /** Fires the provider callback for an approval or a question. The wire calls
    *  this only after the durable compare-and-set won, so it runs exactly once. */
   answerPrompt(input: {
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-host.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-host.ts
index 60ef98c1900..3191a4039ae 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-host.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-host.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ export class StructuredAgentSessionHost {
     now: () => this.now()
   })
   private readonly subscribers = new AgentSessionSubscribers({
-    onJournalPublished: (sessionId, journal) => this.statusFeed.publish(sessionId, journal)
+    onJournalPublished: (sessionId, journal) => this.statusFeed.publish(sessionId, journal),
+    commandsRevision: (sessionId) => this.deps.adapter.readCommands?.(sessionId)?.revision
   })
   private readonly tasks = new StructuredAgentSessionTaskQueue()
   private readonly runtimeState: StructuredAgentSessionHostRuntimeState
@@ -317,11 +318,9 @@ export class StructuredAgentSessionHost {
   readOptions = (sessionId: string): Promise<SessionWire.AgentSessionOptionsResult> =>
     readStructuredAgentSessionOptions(this.mutationContext(), sessionId)
 
-  /** Empty when the provider reports no catalog, which the client reads as
-   *  "keep the curated list" rather than "this session has no commands". */
-  readCommands = (sessionId: string): SessionWire.AgentSessionCommandsResult => ({
-    commands: this.deps.adapter.readCommands?.(sessionId) ?? []
-  })
+  readCommands = (sessionId: string) => this.deps.adapter.readCommands?.(sessionId) ?? {}
+
+  publishCommandsChanged = (sessionId: string): void => this.subscribers.commandsChanged(sessionId)
 
   async handoffStatus(sessionId: string): Promise<SessionWire.AgentSessionHandoffStatus> {
     this.requireSession(sessionId)
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.test.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.test.ts
index 81bcfa82b40..1131466ced5 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.test.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,48 @@ describe('AgentSessionSubscribers', () => {
     ])
   })
 
+  it('includes catalog revisions on reconnect and sends an idle checkpoint without journal work', async () => {
+    const journal = await journals.open({
+      identity: {
+        sessionId: SESSION,
+        workspaceId: 'workspace-1',
+        hostId: 'local',
+        agent: 'codex',
+        providerHandle: { kind: 'codex', threadId: 'thread-1' }
+      },
+      journalDir: join(root, 'catalog-journal')
+    })
+    let revision = 1
+    const events: AgentSessionSubscribeEvent[] = []
+    const subscribers = new AgentSessionSubscribers({ commandsRevision: () => revision })
+    subscribers.open({
+      id: 'one',
+      sessionId: SESSION,
+      journal,
+      fence: 7,
+      emit: (event) => events.push(event)
+    })
+    expect(events[0]).toMatchObject({ type: 'snapshot', commandsRevision: 1 })
+    revision = 2
+    subscribers.commandsChanged(SESSION)
+    expect(events[1]).toEqual({
+      type: 'batch',
+      sessionId: SESSION,
+      fence: 7,
+      commandsRevision: 2,
+      batch: { cursor: journal.cursor(), items: [], removedItemIds: [], submissions: [] }
+    })
+    subscribers.open({
+      id: 'two',
+      sessionId: SESSION,
+      journal,
+      cursor: journal.cursor(),
+      fence: 7,
+      emit: (event) => events.push(event)
+    })
+    expect(events[2]).toMatchObject({ type: 'batch', commandsRevision: 2 })
+  })
+
   it('reports every content publication to the journal hook, subscribed or not', async () => {
     const journal = await journals.open({
       identity: {
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.ts
index 29dffa6a687..7e7d66b929c 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-subscribers.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ type Subscriber = {
 }
 
 export type AgentSessionSubscribersHooks = {
+  commandsRevision?: (sessionId: string) => number | undefined
   /** Fires after any publication that can change journal content, whether or not anyone
    *  is subscribed to the transcript: session lists project status from this same edge. */
   onJournalPublished?: (sessionId: string, journal: AgentSessionJournal) => void
@@ -196,6 +197,17 @@ export class AgentSessionSubscribers {
     }
   }
 
+  commandsChanged(sessionId: string): void {
+    for (const subscriber of this.subscribers(sessionId)) {
+      this.emit(subscriber, {
+        type: 'batch',
+        sessionId,
+        batch: { cursor: subscriber.cursor, items: [], removedItemIds: [], submissions: [] },
+        fence: subscriber.fence
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
   private subscribers(sessionId: string): Subscriber[] {
     return [...(this.bySession.get(sessionId)?.values() ?? [])]
   }
@@ -276,7 +288,12 @@ export class AgentSessionSubscribers {
    *  unknown outcome or poison every later publication. */
   private emit(subscriber: Subscriber, event: AgentSessionSubscribeEvent): void {
     try {
-      subscriber.emit(event)
+      const commandsRevision = this.hooks.commandsRevision?.(subscriber.sessionId)
+      subscriber.emit(
+        event.type !== 'end' && commandsRevision !== undefined
+          ? { ...event, commandsRevision }
+          : event
+      )
     } catch {
       this.drop(subscriber)
     }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/structured-agent-session-runtime.ts b/src/main/runtime/structured-agent-session-runtime.ts
index d670c16f47d..2d3faa0be4a 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/structured-agent-session-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/structured-agent-session-runtime.ts
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ async function install(deps: StructuredAgentSessionRuntimeDeps): Promise<Install
           }
         })
       },
+      onCommandsChanged: (sessionId) => host?.publishCommandsChanged(sessionId),
       onBackgroundTasksChanged: (sessionId, state) =>
         host?.publishBackgroundTaskState(sessionId, state),
       ...(deps.openClaudeConnection ? { openClaudeConnection: deps.openClaudeConnection } : {}),
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/structured-claude-runtime-adapter.ts b/src/main/runtime/structured-claude-runtime-adapter.ts
index 95151f1dae9..4ef32220372 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/structured-claude-runtime-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/structured-claude-runtime-adapter.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export type StructuredClaudeRuntimeAdapterDeps = {
   openClaudeConnection?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['openConnection']
   readProcessStartTime?: ClaudeStructuredSessionAdapterDeps['readProcessStartTime']
   onUnexpectedExit: (event: StructuredAgentSessionLifecycleEvent) => void
+  onCommandsChanged?: (sessionId: string) => void
   onBackgroundTasksChanged?: (
     sessionId: string,
     state: AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState | null
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ export function createStructuredClaudeRuntimeAdapter(
         })
       }
     },
+    onCommandsChanged: deps.onCommandsChanged,
     ...(deps.onBackgroundTasksChanged
       ? { onBackgroundTasksChanged: deps.onBackgroundTasksChanged }
       : {}),
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.test.ts
index cd8644f0491..be1858209b8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.test.ts
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ describe('native skill and command picker', () => {
     expect(items[1]).toMatchObject({ kind: 'skill', description: null, sources: [] })
   })
 
-  it('keeps the disk scan when the session reports nothing', () => {
+  it('does not revive disk skills after an authoritative empty report', () => {
     const items = buildNativeChatPickerItems(
       [],
       [skill({ name: 'ref-oss', skillFilePath: '/home/ref-oss/SKILL.md' })],
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ describe('native skill and command picker', () => {
       '/',
       []
     )
-    expect(items.map((item) => item.name)).toEqual(['ref-oss'])
+    expect(items).toEqual([])
   })
 
   it('rejects a session-reported name that is not a safe insertion token', () => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.ts
index 6a10978a6c6..3535a90c04b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-state.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export function deriveComposerAutocomplete(
   profile: NativeChatAgentProfile | null = null,
   discovery: NativeChatSkillDiscoverySnapshot = { ...EMPTY_DISCOVERY, skills },
   dismissedTriggerKey: string | null = null,
-  sessionSkillNames: readonly string[] = []
+  sessionSkillNames?: readonly string[]
 ): ComposerAutocomplete {
   const before = draft.slice(0, caret)
   if (before.startsWith('/') && !/\s/.test(before)) {
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ function deriveSlashAutocomplete(
   profile: NativeChatAgentProfile | null,
   discovery: NativeChatSkillDiscoverySnapshot,
   dismissedTriggerKey: string | null,
-  sessionSkillNames: readonly string[]
+  sessionSkillNames: readonly string[] | undefined
 ): ComposerAutocomplete {
   const triggerKey = '/:0'
   if (dismissedTriggerKey === triggerKey) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-types.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-types.ts
index 9a9af79e536..9035770919a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-types.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-types.ts
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ export type NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport = {
   optionsSurface: SessionOptionsSurface
   optionSnapshot: SessionOptionDescriptor[]
   optionPickerRequest?: NativeChatOptionPickerRequest | null
-  /** The `/` surface the running session reports. Empty keeps the curated
-   *  per-agent catalog, which is what an older host leaves the client with. */
+  /** Absence keeps the curated catalog; an empty report is authoritative. */
   sessionCommands?: readonly AgentSessionSlashCommand[]
   worktreeId?: string
   onError: (message: string | null) => void
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-picker-items.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-picker-items.ts
index 7a3f8083332..5f78061efb6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-picker-items.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/native-chat-picker-items.ts
@@ -106,9 +106,8 @@ function mergeNativeChatSkills(
   // actually loaded (plugin roots, setting-source filters), and a scanned root
   // the session ignored must not be offered. The scan stays the source of
   // description and scope for the names both know about.
-  const names = sessionSkillNames?.length
-    ? sessionSkillNames.filter(isTokenSafe)
-    : [...discovered.keys()]
+  const names =
+    sessionSkillNames !== undefined ? sessionSkillNames.filter(isTokenSafe) : [...discovered.keys()]
   return [...new Set(names)]
     .map((name) => discovered.get(name) ?? pickerSkill(name, []))
     .sort(comparePickerSkills)
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4f4c58ffdcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { useNativeChatComposerCatalog } from './use-native-chat-composer-catalog'
+import type { NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport } from './native-chat-composer-types'
+import { getVerifiedNativeChatCommands } from '../../../../shared/native-chat-agent-profiles'
+import { structuredSlashCommands } from '../../../../shared/structured-agent-session-composer'
+
+function transport(sessionCommands?: NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport['sessionCommands']) {
+  return { sessionCommands } as NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport
+}
+
+describe('composer catalog authority', () => {
+  it('keeps PTY and unsupported structured providers on their original catalogs', () => {
+    const pty = renderHook(() => useNativeChatComposerCatalog('claude'))
+    expect(pty.result.current.agentCommands).toEqual(getVerifiedNativeChatCommands('claude'))
+    expect(pty.result.current.sessionSkillNames).toBeUndefined()
+    const oldHost = renderHook(() => useNativeChatComposerCatalog('claude', transport()))
+    expect(oldHost.result.current.agentCommands).toEqual(structuredSlashCommands('claude'))
+    expect(oldHost.result.current.sessionSkillNames).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+  it('respects empty catalogs and command-only catalogs without reviving disk skills', () => {
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ reported }) => useNativeChatComposerCatalog('claude', transport(reported)),
+      {
+        initialProps: {
+          reported: [] as NonNullable<NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport['sessionCommands']>
+        }
+      }
+    )
+    expect(result.current).toEqual({ agentCommands: [], sessionSkillNames: [] })
+    rerender({ reported: [{ name: 'custom-command', kind: 'command' }] })
+    expect(result.current).toEqual({
+      agentCommands: [{ name: 'custom-command' }],
+      sessionSkillNames: []
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.ts
index 2e70e542aa3..e9a7b84e09a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-catalog.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,9 @@ import {
 import { structuredSlashCommands } from '../../../../shared/structured-agent-session-composer'
 import type { NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport } from './native-chat-composer-types'
 
-const EMPTY_SKILL_NAMES: readonly string[] = []
-
 export type NativeChatComposerCatalog = {
   agentCommands: readonly SlashCommandSuggestion[]
-  sessionSkillNames: readonly string[]
+  sessionSkillNames: readonly string[] | undefined
 }
 
 /**
@@ -27,18 +25,19 @@ export function useNativeChatComposerCatalog(
   agent: AgentType,
   structuredTransport?: NativeChatStructuredComposerTransport
 ): NativeChatComposerCatalog {
+  const structured = Boolean(structuredTransport)
   const reported = structuredTransport?.sessionCommands
   const agentCommands = useMemo(
     () =>
-      !structuredTransport
+      !structured
         ? getVerifiedNativeChatCommands(agent)
-        : reported?.length
+        : reported !== undefined
           ? sessionSlashCommandSuggestions(agent, reported)
           : structuredSlashCommands(agent),
-    [agent, reported, structuredTransport]
+    [agent, reported, structured]
   )
   const sessionSkillNames = useMemo(
-    () => (reported?.length ? sessionReportedSkillNames(reported) : EMPTY_SKILL_NAMES),
+    () => (reported !== undefined ? sessionReportedSkillNames(reported) : undefined),
     [reported]
   )
   return { agentCommands, sessionSkillNames }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-picker-state.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-picker-state.ts
index 1e735900259..2072872a81a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-picker-state.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-picker-state.ts
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ import {
   emitNativeChatSendClassified
 } from '@/lib/native-chat-telemetry'
 
-const EMPTY_SESSION_SKILL_NAMES: readonly string[] = []
-
 export type NativeChatPickerState = {
   autocomplete: ComposerAutocomplete
   listboxId: string
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ export function useNativeChatPickerState(args: {
   draft: string
   caret: number
   agentCommands: readonly SlashCommandSuggestion[]
-  /** Skill names the running session reports; empty keeps the host disk scan. */
+  /** Skill names the running session reports; absence keeps the host disk scan. */
   sessionSkillNames?: readonly string[]
   textareaRef: RefObject<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>
   setDraft: (value: string) => void
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ export function useNativeChatPickerState(args: {
     draft,
     caret,
     agentCommands,
-    sessionSkillNames = EMPTY_SESSION_SKILL_NAMES,
+    sessionSkillNames,
     textareaRef,
     setDraft,
     setCaret,
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 9a42ccb6da6..1d43b4bd1f5 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(), operationId: vi.fn() }))
 let fence = 3
+let commandsRevision: number | undefined
 
 vi.mock('@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client', () => ({
   callStructuredAgentSession: mocks.call
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ vi.mock('./use-structured-agent-session-read', () => ({
   useStructuredAgentSessionRead: () => ({
     state: {
       fence,
+      commandsRevision,
       items: [],
       submissions: [],
       status: 'ready',
@@ -333,3 +335,110 @@ describe('useStructuredAgentSession options', () => {
     })
   })
 })
+
+describe('session command catalog reads', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks()
+    fence = 3
+    commandsRevision = 0
+  })
+
+  const args = { sessionId: 'one', target: LOCAL_TARGET, agent: 'claude' as const, isVisible: true }
+  const commands = [{ name: 'plugin:review', kind: 'skill' as const }]
+  function respond(read: (params: { sessionId: string }) => Promise<unknown>) {
+    mocks.call.mockImplementation((_target, method, params) =>
+      method === 'agentSession.commands'
+        ? read(params)
+        : Promise.resolve(method === 'agentSession.options' ? OPTIONS : null)
+    )
+  }
+
+  it('clears previous session data before a new read settles or fails', async () => {
+    let reject!: (error: Error) => void
+    respond(({ sessionId }) =>
+      sessionId === 'one'
+        ? Promise.resolve({ commands })
+        : new Promise((_resolve, rejectPromise) => {
+            reject = rejectPromise
+          })
+    )
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook((props) => useStructuredAgentSession(props), {
+      initialProps: args
+    })
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual(commands))
+    rerender({ ...args, sessionId: 'two' })
+    expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toBeUndefined()
+    await act(async () => reject(new Error('method_not_found')))
+    expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('does not reuse a catalog for the same session id on another paired runtime', async () => {
+    const first = { kind: 'environment' as const, environmentId: 'first' }
+    const second = { kind: 'environment' as const, environmentId: 'second' }
+    mocks.call.mockImplementation((target, method) => {
+      if (method === 'agentSession.commands') {
+        return target === first ? Promise.resolve({ commands }) : new Promise(() => {})
+      }
+      return Promise.resolve(method === 'agentSession.options' ? OPTIONS : null)
+    })
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      (target) => useStructuredAgentSession({ ...args, target }),
+      { initialProps: first }
+    )
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual(commands))
+    rerender(second)
+    expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('drops responses from a superseded session and retains authoritative empty responses', async () => {
+    let resolve!: (value: unknown) => void
+    respond(({ sessionId }) =>
+      sessionId === 'one'
+        ? new Promise((resolvePromise) => {
+            resolve = resolvePromise
+          })
+        : Promise.resolve({ commands: [] })
+    )
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook((props) => useStructuredAgentSession(props), {
+      initialProps: args
+    })
+    rerender({ ...args, sessionId: 'two' })
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual([]))
+    await act(async () => resolve({ commands }))
+    expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it('refreshes an idle catalog only on revision changes, not transcript renders', async () => {
+    let current = commands
+    respond(async () => ({ commands: current }))
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(() => useStructuredAgentSession(args))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual(commands))
+    const reads = () =>
+      mocks.call.mock.calls.filter(([, method]) => method === 'agentSession.commands').length
+    for (let index = 0; index < 30; index += 1) {
+      rerender()
+    }
+    expect(reads()).toBe(1)
+    current = []
+    commandsRevision = 1
+    rerender()
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual([]))
+    expect(reads()).toBe(2)
+  })
+
+  it('falls back after a current catalog read failure and fences reacquisition', async () => {
+    respond(async () => ({ commands }))
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(() => useStructuredAgentSession(args))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toEqual(commands))
+    respond(async () => {
+      throw new Error('unreachable')
+    })
+    commandsRevision = 1
+    rerender()
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toBeUndefined())
+    respond(() => new Promise(() => {}))
+    fence = 4
+    rerender()
+    expect(result.current.sessionCommands).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
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 0b3e7051f71..73b102e237b 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
@@ -173,7 +173,15 @@ export function useStructuredAgentSession(args: {
     }
   }, [isVisible, optionCatalog, sessionId, state.fence, target, turnId])
 
-  const [sessionCommands, setSessionCommands] = useState<readonly AgentSessionSlashCommand[]>([])
+  const catalogIdentity = useMemo(
+    () => ({ sessionId, target, fence: state.fence }),
+    [sessionId, target, state.fence]
+  )
+  const [catalog, setCatalog] = useState<{
+    identity: typeof catalogIdentity
+    commands: readonly AgentSessionSlashCommand[] | undefined
+  }>()
+  const sessionCommands = catalog?.identity === catalogIdentity ? catalog.commands : undefined
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!isVisible) {
       return
@@ -184,16 +192,18 @@ export function useStructuredAgentSession(args: {
     })
       .then((result) => {
         if (!stale) {
-          setSessionCommands(result.commands ?? [])
+          setCatalog({ identity: catalogIdentity, commands: result.commands })
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        if (!stale) {
+          setCatalog({ identity: catalogIdentity, commands: undefined })
         }
       })
-      // Why: a host that predates this method answers method_not_found, which is
-      // the same as "no catalog" — the composer keeps its curated list.
-      .catch(() => {})
     return () => {
       stale = true
     }
-  }, [isVisible, sessionId, state.fence, target, turnId])
+  }, [isVisible, catalogIdentity, sessionId, state.commandsRevision, target, turnId])
 
   const optionSnapshot = useMemo(
     () => structuredAgentSessionOptionSnapshot(optionState),
diff --git a/src/shared/agent-session-wire.ts b/src/shared/agent-session-wire.ts
index f52bc24b850..d30758785a8 100644
--- a/src/shared/agent-session-wire.ts
+++ b/src/shared/agent-session-wire.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ export type AgentSessionSubscribeEvent =
       fence: number
       handoff?: AgentSessionHandoffStatus
       backgroundTasks?: AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState | null
+      commandsRevision?: number
     }
   | {
       type: 'batch'
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ export type AgentSessionSubscribeEvent =
       fence?: number
       handoff?: AgentSessionHandoffStatus
       backgroundTasks?: AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState | null
+      commandsRevision?: number
     }
   | {
       type: 'reset'
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ export type AgentSessionSubscribeEvent =
       fence: number
       handoff?: AgentSessionHandoffStatus
       backgroundTasks?: AgentSessionBackgroundTaskState | null
+      commandsRevision?: number
     }
   | { type: 'end' }
 
@@ -317,7 +320,8 @@ export type AgentSessionSlashCommand = {
  *  surface: a host that predates it answers `method_not_found`, and the client
  *  keeps rendering its curated catalog. */
 export type AgentSessionCommandsResult = {
-  commands: AgentSessionSlashCommand[]
+  commands?: AgentSessionSlashCommand[]
+  revision?: number
 }
 
 /** Provider-reported choices and effective next-turn values. Additive read-only
diff --git a/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.test.ts b/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.test.ts
index d36b6717758..8c903748918 100644
--- a/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.test.ts
@@ -409,3 +409,31 @@ describe('structured agent session reducer', () => {
     expect(withoutCapability.backgroundTasks).toBeUndefined()
   })
 })
+
+it('applies catalog-only checkpoints without replacing transcript or submission state', () => {
+  const state = reduceStructuredAgentSession(EMPTY_STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION, {
+    type: 'event',
+    event: {
+      type: 'snapshot',
+      sessionId: 'session-a',
+      fence: 1,
+      page: hydrationPage([item('one', 1)], [submission(1)]),
+      commandsRevision: 0
+    }
+  })
+  const event = {
+    type: 'batch' as const,
+    sessionId: 'session-a',
+    fence: 1,
+    commandsRevision: 1,
+    batch: { cursor: state.cursor!, items: [], removedItemIds: [], submissions: [] }
+  }
+  const updated = reduceStructuredAgentSession(state, { type: 'event', event })
+  expect(updated.commandsRevision).toBe(1)
+  expect(updated.items).toBe(state.items)
+  expect(updated.submissions).toBe(state.submissions)
+  expect(updated.cursor).toBe(state.cursor)
+  expect(reduceStructuredAgentSession(updated, { type: 'event', event })).toBe(updated)
+  const { commandsRevision: _revision, ...oldEvent } = event
+  expect(reduceStructuredAgentSession(updated, { type: 'event', event: oldEvent })).toBe(updated)
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.ts b/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.ts
index 88d41b2f8e5..f364a5d6cc1 100644
--- a/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.ts
+++ b/src/shared/structured-agent-session-reducer.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import type {
 export type StructuredAgentSessionState = {
   epoch: string | null
   cursor: AgentJournalCursor | null
+  commandsRevision?: number
   fence: number | null
   items: AgentJournalRenderItem[]
   submissions: AgentJournalSubmission[]
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ export function reduceStructuredAgentSession(
       epoch: action.page.epoch,
       cursor: action.page.liveCursor ?? null,
       fence: action.page.fence ?? null,
+      commandsRevision: sameEpoch ? state.commandsRevision : undefined,
       items: action.page.items,
       submissions: sameEpoch
         ? mergeSubmissions(state.submissions, action.page.submissions)
@@ -205,7 +207,10 @@ export function reduceStructuredAgentSession(
     return state
   }
   if (event.type === 'snapshot' || event.type === 'reset') {
-    return replacePage(event.page, event.fence, event.handoff, event.backgroundTasks)
+    return {
+      ...replacePage(event.page, event.fence, event.handoff, event.backgroundTasks),
+      commandsRevision: event.commandsRevision
+    }
   }
   if (state.epoch !== event.batch.cursor.epoch) {
     return state
@@ -224,6 +229,7 @@ export function reduceStructuredAgentSession(
     journalUnchanged &&
     (event.fence === undefined || event.fence === state.fence) &&
     (event.handoff === undefined || event.handoff === state.handoff) &&
+    (event.commandsRevision === undefined || event.commandsRevision === state.commandsRevision) &&
     backgroundTaskStatesEqual(backgroundTasks, state.backgroundTasks) &&
     state.status === 'ready' &&
     state.error === undefined
@@ -234,6 +240,7 @@ export function reduceStructuredAgentSession(
     ...state,
     cursor: event.batch.cursor,
     fence: event.fence ?? state.fence,
+    commandsRevision: event.commandsRevision ?? state.commandsRevision,
     items: journalUnchanged
       ? state.items
       : mergeItems(state.items, event.batch.items, event.batch.removedItemIds),