diff --git a/src/cli/handlers/terminal.test.ts b/src/cli/handlers/terminal.test.ts
index b13775dce00..18832ba28a6 100644
--- a/src/cli/handlers/terminal.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/handlers/terminal.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import { printHelp } from '../help'
 import { COMMAND_SPECS } from '../specs'
 import { TERMINAL_HANDLERS } from './terminal'
 
+const ORIGINAL_EXIT_CODE = process.exitCode
+
 describe('terminal close CLI', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
     vi.restoreAllMocks()
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ describe('terminal close CLI', () => {
 describe('terminal send CLI', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
     vi.restoreAllMocks()
+    process.exitCode = ORIGINAL_EXIT_CODE
   })
 
   it('marks combined text and Enter as an agent prompt candidate', async () => {
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ describe('terminal send CLI', () => {
       }
     })
     vi.spyOn(console, 'log').mockImplementation(() => {})
+    process.exitCode = undefined
 
     await TERMINAL_HANDLERS['terminal send']({
       flags: new Map<string, string | true>([
@@ -128,6 +132,7 @@ describe('terminal send CLI', () => {
     expect(console.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.stringMatching(/Structured Chat.*Switch it to Terminal.*orca terminal send/s)
     )
+    expect(process.exitCode).toBe(1)
   })
 
   it('keeps text-only and bare Enter sends as direct terminal input', async () => {
diff --git a/src/cli/handlers/terminal.ts b/src/cli/handlers/terminal.ts
index 00c0a5cd807..d0ced262a43 100644
--- a/src/cli/handlers/terminal.ts
+++ b/src/cli/handlers/terminal.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ export const TERMINAL_HANDLERS: Record<string, CommandHandler> = {
       client: { id: 'orca-cli', type: 'desktop' }
     })
     printResult(result, json, formatTerminalSend)
+    if (!result.result.send.accepted) {
+      process.exitCode = 1
+    }
   },
   'terminal wait': async ({ flags, client, cwd, json }) => {
     const timeoutMs = getOptionalPositiveIntegerFlag(flags, 'timeout-ms')
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orchestration-structured-chat-lease.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orchestration-structured-chat-lease.test.ts
index 67469a480c2..c7e407b317f 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orchestration-structured-chat-lease.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orchestration-structured-chat-lease.test.ts
@@ -287,10 +287,12 @@ describe('orchestration while Structured Chat owns an agent session', () => {
     expect(writes.mock.calls.filter(([ptyId]) => ptyId === WORKER.ptyId)).toHaveLength(0)
   })
 
-  it('returns terminal.send typed refusal metadata without writing bytes', async () => {
+  it('reports a real gate refusal with typed metadata and zero bytes written', async () => {
     const response = await rpc('terminal.send', {
       terminal: WORKER.handle,
       text: 'new prompt',
+      enter: true,
+      agentPrompt: true,
       client: { id: 'test-client', type: 'desktop' }
     })