diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.agent-surface.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.agent-surface.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a81ce9e5369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.agent-surface.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { useRef } from 'react'
+import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import type { NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps } from './new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props'
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
+import { getDefaultSettings } from '../../../shared/constants'
+import { RUNTIME_CAPABILITIES } from '../../../shared/protocol-version'
+import { setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests } from '@/runtime/local-runtime-capabilities'
+import type { HostStructuredAgentAvailability } from '@/runtime/host-structured-agent-availability'
+import { TooltipProvider } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
+import AgentCombobox from '@/components/agent/AgentCombobox'
+import { AGENT_CATALOG } from '@/lib/agent-catalog'
+import NewWorkspaceComposerModal from './NewWorkspaceComposerModal'
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  submit: vi.fn(),
+  host: 'local',
+  availability: vi.fn<() => HostStructuredAgentAvailability>()
+}))
+vi.mock('@/runtime/use-host-structured-agent-availability', () => ({
+  useHostStructuredAgentAvailability: mocks.availability
+}))
+vi.mock('@/components/agent/AgentSettingsDialog', () => ({ default: () => null }))
+vi.mock('@/hooks/useDetectedAgents', () => ({
+  useDetectedAgents: () => ({
+    detectedIds: ['claude', 'opencode'],
+    isLoading: false,
+    detectionFailed: false,
+    needsServerUpdate: false
+  })
+}))
+vi.mock('@/hooks/useComposerState', () => ({
+  useComposerState: () => ({
+    cardProps: {
+      projectOptions: [],
+      selectedRepoIsGit: true,
+      detectedAgentIds: new Set(['claude', 'opencode']),
+      agentRows: {
+        target: { workspace: { kind: 'git-worktree', executionHostId: mocks.host } },
+        detectionTarget: { kind: 'local' }
+      }
+    },
+    composerRef: useRef(null),
+    submitQuick: mocks.submit,
+    createDisabled: false
+  })
+}))
+// Keep the actual owner/handler and picker; unrelated project/name fields are outside this seam.
+vi.mock('@/components/NewWorkspaceComposerCard', () => ({
+  default: (p: NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps) => (
+    <div ref={p.composerRef}>
+      <AgentCombobox
+        agents={AGENT_CATALOG}
+        value={p.quickAgent}
+        onValueChange={p.onQuickAgentChange}
+        allowBlankTerminal
+        surfaceRows={p.agentSurfaceRows}
+      />
+      <button onClick={p.onCreate} disabled={p.createDisabled}>
+        Create
+      </button>
+      <button onClick={() => p.onQuickAgentChange(null)}>Blank</button>
+      <button onClick={p.onQuickSetupOnlySelect}>Setup only</button>
+      <button onClick={() => p.onQuickAgentChange('claude', 'terminal')}>Choose CLI</button>
+      <button onClick={() => p.onQuickAgentChange('claude', 'chat')}>Choose chat</button>
+    </div>
+  )
+}))
+const initial = useAppStore.getState()
+beforeEach(() => {
+  mocks.submit.mockReset()
+  mocks.host = 'local'
+  mocks.availability.mockReturnValue({ state: 'pending' })
+  setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests(RUNTIME_CAPABILITIES)
+  useAppStore.setState({
+    activeModal: 'new-workspace-composer',
+    modalData: {},
+    settings: {
+      ...getDefaultSettings('/test'),
+      experimentalNativeChat: true,
+      defaultTuiAgent: 'claude'
+    }
+  })
+})
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  useAppStore.setState(initial, true)
+})
+const create = () => screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create' })
+const submit = async () => {
+  await act(async () => fireEvent.click(create()))
+}
+
+it('gates the selected chat at click/keyboard, preserves terminal and blank exceptions, and repairs host changes', async () => {
+  setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests(null)
+  const view = render(<NewWorkspaceComposerModal />, { wrapper: TooltipProvider })
+  expect(create().hasAttribute('disabled')).toBe(true)
+  await submit()
+  fireEvent.keyDown(create(), { key: 'Enter', ctrlKey: true })
+  fireEvent.keyDown(create(), { key: 'Enter', metaKey: true })
+  expect(mocks.submit).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  act(() => setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests(RUNTIME_CAPABILITIES))
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Blank'))
+  await submit()
+  expect(mocks.submit).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(null, expect.objectContaining({ setupOnly: false }))
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Setup only'))
+  await submit()
+  expect(mocks.submit).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(null, expect.objectContaining({ setupOnly: true }))
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Choose CLI'))
+  expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').textContent).toContain('Claude (CLI)')
+  await submit()
+  expect(mocks.submit.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[1].launchChoice).toMatchObject({
+    route: 'terminal-tui',
+    requestedSurface: 'terminal'
+  })
+  mocks.availability.mockReturnValue({
+    state: 'received',
+    byAgent: new Map([['claude', { agent: 'claude', state: 'available' }]])
+  })
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Choose chat'))
+  await submit()
+  expect(mocks.submit.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[1].launchChoice).toMatchObject({
+    route: 'structured-native-chat',
+    requestedSurface: 'chat'
+  })
+  mocks.host = 'ssh:other'
+  view.rerender(<NewWorkspaceComposerModal />)
+  expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').textContent).toContain('Claude (CLI)')
+  await submit()
+  expect(mocks.submit.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[1].launchChoice).toMatchObject({
+    route: 'terminal-tui',
+    requestedSurface: 'terminal'
+  })
+})
+
+it('submits the untouched refusal-aware OpenCode CLI instead of the registered catalog chat', async () => {
+  mocks.availability.mockReturnValue({
+    state: 'received',
+    byAgent: new Map([['opencode', { agent: 'opencode', state: 'refused' }]])
+  })
+  render(<NewWorkspaceComposerModal />, { wrapper: TooltipProvider })
+  act(() =>
+    useAppStore.setState({
+      settings: {
+        ...getDefaultSettings('/test'),
+        experimentalNativeChat: true,
+        defaultTuiAgent: 'opencode'
+      }
+    })
+  )
+  expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').textContent).toContain('OpenCode (CLI)')
+  await submit()
+  expect(mocks.submit.mock.calls[0][1].launchChoice).toMatchObject({
+    agent: 'opencode',
+    route: 'terminal-tui'
+  })
+  expect(mocks.submit.mock.calls[0][1].launchChoice.requestedSurface).toBeUndefined()
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx
index 604a9deff70..2f7cb432d54 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/NewWorkspaceComposerModal.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { AgentLaunchSurface } from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
 import React, { Suspense, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
 import { lazyWithRetry } from '@/lib/lazy-with-retry'
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
 import { getWorkspaceComposerInitialFocusTarget } from '@/lib/workspace-composer-initial-focus'
 import { getFolderWorkspacePrimaryActionLabel } from '@/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-helpers'
 import type { WorkspaceCreationTargetHint } from '@/lib/project-host-workspace-target'
+import { useAgentMenuObservation } from '@/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
 import { addAppKeyListener, removeAppKeyListener } from '@/lib/app-keyboard-router'
 
 // Why: match App-level AddRepoDialog loading — the add flow is off the hot
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ function QuickTabBody({
     onComposerNodeChange,
     nameInputRef,
     submitQuick,
-    createDisabled,
+    createDisabled: formDisabled,
     selectAddedProjectRepo
   } = useComposerState({
     initialName: modalData.prefilledName ?? '',
@@ -172,8 +174,6 @@ function QuickTabBody({
   )
   const preferredQuickAgent = useMemo<TuiAgent | null>(() => {
     const pref = settings?.defaultTuiAgent
-    // Why: detection can still be pending when quick-create submits; keep the
-    // prior catalog fallback while filtering disabled agents out of that choice.
     return pickQuickWorkspaceAgent(pref, cardProps.detectedAgentIds, settings?.disabledTuiAgents)
   }, [cardProps.detectedAgentIds, settings?.defaultTuiAgent, settings?.disabledTuiAgents])
   const resolvedQuickAgentSelection = resolveQuickWorkspaceAgentSelection({
@@ -191,10 +191,28 @@ function QuickTabBody({
   const [quickSelectionCleared, setQuickSelectionCleared] = useState(false)
   const quickSetupOnly = quickAgent === null && quickSelectionCleared
 
-  const handleQuickAgentChange = useCallback((agent: TuiAgent | null) => {
-    setQuickAgentOverride(agent)
-    setQuickSelectionCleared(false)
-  }, [])
+  // Why keyed by agent: a pick repaired to another agent must not carry the old one's surface.
+  const [quickAgentPick, setQuickAgentPick] = useState<{
+    agent: TuiAgent | null
+    surface?: AgentLaunchSurface
+  }>({ agent: null })
+  const quickAgentSurface = quickAgentPick.agent === quickAgent ? quickAgentPick.surface : undefined
+  const observation = useAgentMenuObservation(
+    cardProps.agentRows?.target ?? null,
+    active && Boolean(cardProps.agentRows),
+    cardProps.agentRows?.detectionTarget
+  )
+  const launchSelection = observation.selectionFor(quickAgent, quickAgentSurface)
+  const createDisabled = formDisabled || !launchSelection.ready
+
+  const handleQuickAgentChange = useCallback(
+    (agent: TuiAgent | null, surface?: AgentLaunchSurface) => {
+      setQuickAgentOverride(agent)
+      setQuickAgentPick({ agent, surface })
+      setQuickSelectionCleared(false)
+    },
+    []
+  )
 
   const handleQuickSetupOnlySelect = useCallback(() => {
     setQuickAgentOverride(null)
@@ -202,8 +220,14 @@ function QuickTabBody({
   }, [])
 
   const handleCreate = useCallback(async (): Promise<void> => {
-    await submitQuick(quickAgent, { setupOnly: quickSetupOnly })
-  }, [quickAgent, quickSetupOnly, submitQuick])
+    if (createDisabled) {
+      return
+    }
+    await submitQuick(quickAgent, {
+      setupOnly: quickSetupOnly,
+      launchChoice: launchSelection.choice
+    })
+  }, [createDisabled, quickAgent, launchSelection.choice, quickSetupOnly, submitQuick])
   // Why: Add Project layers over the composer as a nested dialog instead of
   // replacing it in the activeModal slot — closing the composer mid-flow (and
   // losing the typed name/prompt) was the old, abrupt behavior. Once opened it
@@ -320,6 +344,18 @@ function QuickTabBody({
         quickSetupOnly={quickSetupOnly}
         onQuickSetupOnlySelect={handleQuickSetupOnlySelect}
         {...cardProps}
+        createDisabled={createDisabled}
+        agentSurfaceRows={
+          cardProps.agentRows
+            ? {
+                model: observation.model,
+                selection: launchSelection,
+                surface: quickAgentSurface,
+                contextKey: observation.contextKey,
+                onPick: handleQuickAgentChange
+              }
+            : undefined
+        }
         primaryActionLabel={primaryActionLabel}
         onOpenAgentSettings={() => setAgentSettingsOpen(true)}
         onCreate={() => void handleCreate()}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.test.tsx
index 7a4265d3813..6e64f4953ab 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.test.tsx
@@ -1,120 +1,103 @@
 // @vitest-environment happy-dom
-
-import React, { type ReactNode, act } from 'react'
-import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
-import type { AgentSessionContinuationRequest } from '@/lib/agent-session-continuation'
-
-const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
-  detectAgents: vi.fn(),
-  launchContinuation: vi.fn(),
-  settings: { defaultTuiAgent: 'codex', disabledTuiAgents: [] }
-}))
-
-vi.mock('@/store', () => ({
-  useAppStore: (selector: (state: unknown) => unknown) => selector({ settings: mocks.settings })
-}))
-vi.mock('@/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation', () => ({
-  detectAgentSessionContinuationAgents: mocks.detectAgents,
-  launchAgentSessionContinuation: mocks.launchContinuation
-}))
-vi.mock('@/lib/agent-catalog', () => ({
-  getAgentCatalog: () => [{ id: 'codex', label: 'Codex' }],
-  getAgentLabel: () => 'Codex'
-}))
-vi.mock('@/components/agent/AgentCombobox', () => ({
-  default: ({
-    value,
-    allowBlankTerminal
-  }: {
-    value: string | null
-    allowBlankTerminal?: boolean
-  }) =>
-    React.createElement('div', {
-      'data-agent': value ?? '',
-      'data-allow-blank': String(allowBlankTerminal === true)
-    })
-}))
-vi.mock('@/components/ui/dialog', () => ({
-  Dialog: ({ open, children }: { open: boolean; children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    open ? React.createElement('div', null, children) : null,
-  DialogContent: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('div', null, children),
-  DialogDescription: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('p', null, children),
-  DialogFooter: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('footer', null, children),
-  DialogHeader: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('header', null, children),
-  DialogTitle: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => React.createElement('h2', null, children)
-}))
-vi.mock('@/components/ui/select', () => ({
-  Select: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => React.createElement('div', null, children),
-  SelectContent: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('div', null, children),
-  SelectItem: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('div', null, children),
-  SelectTrigger: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) =>
-    React.createElement('button', null, children),
-  SelectValue: () => React.createElement('span')
-}))
-
+import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
+import { getDefaultSettings } from '../../../../shared/constants'
+import { STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY as CHAT } from '../../../../shared/protocol-version'
+import { setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests } from '@/runtime/local-runtime-capabilities'
+import { makeWorktree } from '@/store/slices/worktrees-slice-test-fixtures'
+import { TooltipProvider } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
+import type { UseDetectedAgentsResult } from '@/hooks/useDetectedAgents'
 import { AgentSessionContinuationDialog } from './AgentSessionContinuationDialog'
 
-function request(worktreeId: string): AgentSessionContinuationRequest {
-  return {
-    source: { capturedText: 'previous session', sourceAgent: 'codex' },
-    worktreeId,
-    workspacePath: '/repo',
-    launchSource: 'sidebar'
-  }
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  detection: vi.fn<() => UseDetectedAgentsResult>(),
+  launch: vi.fn()
+}))
+vi.mock('@/hooks/useDetectedAgents', () => ({ useDetectedAgents: mocks.detection }))
+vi.mock('@/hooks/useAgentDetectionTarget', () => ({
+  useAgentDetectionTargetForWorktree: () => ({ kind: 'local' })
+}))
+vi.mock('@/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation', () => ({
+  launchAgentSessionContinuation: mocks.launch
+}))
+const initial = useAppStore.getState()
+const request = {
+  source: { capturedText: 'previous session', sourceAgent: 'codex' as const },
+  worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+  workspacePath: '/repo',
+  groupId: 'group-1',
+  initialCwd: '/repo/.',
+  launchSource: 'sidebar' as const
 }
-
-describe('AgentSessionContinuationDialog', () => {
-  let container: HTMLDivElement
-  let root: Root
-
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    ;(
-      globalThis as typeof globalThis & { IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT?: boolean }
-    ).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true
-    vi.clearAllMocks()
-    container = document.createElement('div')
-    document.body.appendChild(container)
-    root = createRoot(container)
+const detection: UseDetectedAgentsResult = {
+  detectedIds: ['codex'],
+  isLoading: false,
+  detectionFailed: false,
+  isRefreshing: false,
+  needsServerUpdate: false,
+  refresh: async () => ['codex']
+}
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks()
+  mocks.detection.mockReturnValue(detection)
+  mocks.launch.mockResolvedValue(true)
+  setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests([CHAT])
+  useAppStore.setState({
+    settings: { ...getDefaultSettings('/test'), experimentalNativeChat: true },
+    repos: [{ id: 'repo-1', path: '/repo', displayName: 'repo', badgeColor: '', addedAt: 0 }],
+    worktreesByRepo: {
+      'repo-1': [makeWorktree({ id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: '/repo', hostId: 'local' })]
+    }
   })
+})
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  useAppStore.setState(initial, true)
+})
 
-  afterEach(() => {
-    act(() => root.unmount())
-    container.remove()
+it('clears failed detection, gates unresolved Start, and submits the displayed root/subfolder choice', async () => {
+  const props = { open: true, request, onOpenChange: vi.fn() }
+  mocks.detection.mockReturnValue({ ...detection, detectedIds: null, detectionFailed: true })
+  const view = render(<AgentSessionContinuationDialog {...props} />, { wrapper: TooltipProvider })
+  expect(screen.getByText('Could not detect Agents on this workspace host.')).toBeTruthy()
+  mocks.detection.mockReturnValue({ ...detection, detectedIds: null, isLoading: true })
+  view.rerender(<AgentSessionContinuationDialog {...props} request={{ ...request }} />)
+  expect(screen.queryByText('Could not detect Agents on this workspace host.')).toBeNull()
+  expect(screen.getByText('Detecting Agents on this workspace host…')).toBeTruthy()
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start New Session' }))
+  expect(mocks.launch).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  mocks.detection.mockReturnValue(detection)
+  view.rerender(<AgentSessionContinuationDialog {...props} />)
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getAllByRole('combobox')[0])
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('option', { name: /Codex/ }))
+  await act(async () => fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start New Session' })))
+  expect(mocks.launch.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatchObject({
+    initialCwd: '/repo/.',
+    groupId: 'group-1',
+    launchChoice: { route: 'structured-native-chat', requestedSurface: 'chat' }
   })
-
-  it('clears a prior detection failure while detecting a new request', async () => {
-    let resolveSecond: (agents: ['codex']) => void = () => {}
-    mocks.detectAgents.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('offline')).mockReturnValueOnce(
-      new Promise<['codex']>((resolve) => {
-        resolveSecond = resolve
-      })
-    )
-
-    await act(async () => {
-      root.render(
-        <AgentSessionContinuationDialog open request={request('wt-1')} onOpenChange={vi.fn()} />
-      )
-    })
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(container.textContent).toContain('Could not detect Agents'))
-
-    act(() => {
-      root.render(
-        <AgentSessionContinuationDialog open request={request('wt-2')} onOpenChange={vi.fn()} />
-      )
-    })
-    expect(container.textContent).toContain('Detecting Agents')
-    expect(container.textContent).not.toContain('Could not detect Agents')
-
-    await act(async () => resolveSecond(['codex']))
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(container.querySelector('[data-agent="codex"]')).not.toBeNull())
-    // Why: continuing a chat needs an agent to resume it into.
-    expect(container.querySelector('[data-allow-blank="false"]')).not.toBeNull()
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getAllByRole('combobox')[0])
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start Codex in a terminal' }))
+  expect(screen.getAllByRole('combobox')[0].textContent).toContain('Codex (CLI)')
+  view.rerender(<AgentSessionContinuationDialog {...props} open={false} />)
+  view.rerender(<AgentSessionContinuationDialog {...props} />)
+  expect(screen.getAllByRole('combobox')[0].textContent).not.toContain('(CLI)')
+  await act(async () => fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start New Session' })))
+  expect(mocks.launch.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0].launchChoice.requestedSurface).toBeUndefined()
+  view.rerender(
+    <AgentSessionContinuationDialog
+      {...props}
+      request={{ ...request, initialCwd: '/repo/packages/app' }}
+    />
+  )
+  expect(screen.getAllByRole('combobox')[0].textContent).toContain('Codex (CLI)')
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getAllByRole('combobox')[0])
+  expect(screen.getByText('No chat in a subfolder')).toBeTruthy()
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('option', { name: 'Codex (CLI)' }))
+  await act(async () => fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start New Session' })))
+  expect(mocks.launch.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0]).toMatchObject({
+    initialCwd: '/repo/packages/app',
+    launchChoice: { route: 'terminal-tui', requestedSurface: 'terminal' }
   })
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.tsx
index 8b31cb59e83..73569b6ca68 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent-session-continuation/AgentSessionContinuationDialog.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { Loader2, MessageSquarePlus } from 'lucide-react'
 import AgentCombobox from '@/components/agent/AgentCombobox'
+import { useAgentMenuObservation } from '@/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+import { useAgentDetectionTargetForWorktree } from '@/hooks/useAgentDetectionTarget'
+import type { AgentLaunchSurface } from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
+import { workspaceKindForWorktreeId } from '@/lib/agent-launch-route-input'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import {
   Dialog,
@@ -25,10 +29,7 @@ import {
   type AgentSessionContinuationContextMode,
   type AgentSessionContinuationRequest
 } from '@/lib/agent-session-continuation'
-import {
-  detectAgentSessionContinuationAgents,
-  launchAgentSessionContinuation
-} from '@/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation'
+import { launchAgentSessionContinuation } from '@/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation'
 import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
 import { isTuiAgentEnabled } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent-selection'
 import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent'
@@ -51,67 +52,64 @@ export function AgentSessionContinuationDialog({
   onStarted
 }: AgentSessionContinuationDialogProps): React.JSX.Element {
   const settings = useAppStore((state) => state.settings)
-  const [detectedAgents, setDetectedAgents] = useState<TuiAgent[]>([])
-  const [selectedAgent, setSelectedAgent] = useState<TuiAgent | null>(null)
-  const [contextMode, setContextMode] = useState<AgentSessionContinuationContextMode>('focused')
-  const [detecting, setDetecting] = useState(true)
-  const [detectionFailed, setDetectionFailed] = useState(false)
+  const [pick, setPick] = useState<{
+    request: AgentSessionContinuationRequest | null
+    agent: TuiAgent
+    surface?: AgentLaunchSurface
+  } | null>(null)
+  const detectionTarget = useAgentDetectionTargetForWorktree(request?.worktreeId ?? null)
+  const [contextPick, setContextPick] = useState<{
+    request: AgentSessionContinuationRequest | null
+    mode: AgentSessionContinuationContextMode
+  } | null>(null)
+  if (!open) {
+    if (pick) {
+      setPick(null)
+    }
+    if (contextPick) {
+      setContextPick(null)
+    }
+  }
+  const contextMode = contextPick?.request === request ? contextPick.mode : 'focused'
   const [starting, setStarting] = useState(false)
   const [showStarting, setShowStarting] = useState(false)
   const disabledAgents = settings?.disabledTuiAgents ?? EMPTY_DISABLED_AGENTS
 
+  const observation = useAgentMenuObservation(
+    request
+      ? {
+          workspace: {
+            kind: workspaceKindForWorktreeId(request.worktreeId),
+            worktreeId: request.worktreeId
+          },
+          launchCwd: request.initialCwd
+        }
+      : null,
+    open && Boolean(request),
+    detectionTarget
+  )
+  const { detectedIds, detectionFailed } = observation.detection
+  const detecting =
+    detectedIds === null && !detectionFailed && !observation.detection.needsServerUpdate
   const agents = useMemo(
     () =>
       getAgentCatalog().filter(
-        (agent) => detectedAgents.includes(agent.id) && isTuiAgentEnabled(agent.id, disabledAgents)
+        (agent) => detectedIds?.includes(agent.id) && isTuiAgentEnabled(agent.id, disabledAgents)
       ),
-    [detectedAgents, disabledAgents]
+    [detectedIds, disabledAgents]
   )
   const hasFullContext = request ? hasFullAgentSessionContext(request.source) : false
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!open || !request) {
-      return
-    }
-    let cancelled = false
-    setDetecting(true)
-    setDetectionFailed(false)
-    setDetectedAgents([])
-    setSelectedAgent(null)
-    setContextMode('focused')
-    void detectAgentSessionContinuationAgents(request.worktreeId)
-      .then((detected) => {
-        if (cancelled) {
-          return
-        }
-        const enabled = detected.filter((agent) => isTuiAgentEnabled(agent, disabledAgents))
-        setDetectedAgents(enabled)
-        setSelectedAgent(
-          chooseInitialContinuationAgent({
-            availableAgents: enabled,
-            sourceAgent: request.source.sourceAgent,
-            defaultAgent: settings?.defaultTuiAgent
-          })
-        )
-      })
-      .catch((error) => {
-        console.error('Agent detection failed for continuation dialog', error)
-        if (!cancelled) {
-          setDetectedAgents([])
-          setSelectedAgent(null)
-          setDetectionFailed(true)
-        }
-      })
-      .finally(() => {
-        if (!cancelled) {
-          setDetecting(false)
-        }
-      })
-
-    return () => {
-      cancelled = true
-    }
-  }, [disabledAgents, open, request, settings?.defaultTuiAgent])
+  const currentPick =
+    pick?.request === request && agents.some((agent) => agent.id === pick?.agent) ? pick : null
+  const selectedAgent =
+    currentPick?.agent ??
+    chooseInitialContinuationAgent({
+      availableAgents: agents.map((agent) => agent.id),
+      sourceAgent: request?.source.sourceAgent ?? null,
+      defaultAgent: settings?.defaultTuiAgent
+    })
+  const selection = observation.selectionFor(selectedAgent, currentPick?.surface)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!starting) {
@@ -124,7 +122,7 @@ export function AgentSessionContinuationDialog({
   }, [starting])
 
   const handleStart = async (): Promise<void> => {
-    if (!request || !selectedAgent || starting) {
+    if (!request || !selectedAgent || starting || !selection.ready) {
       return
     }
     const prompt = buildAgentSessionContinuationPrompt(request.source, contextMode)
@@ -138,6 +136,7 @@ export function AgentSessionContinuationDialog({
       worktreeId: request.worktreeId,
       groupId: request.groupId,
       initialCwd: request.initialCwd,
+      launchChoice: selection.choice,
       launchSource: request.launchSource
     })
     setStarting(false)
@@ -151,7 +150,8 @@ export function AgentSessionContinuationDialog({
   const sourceAgentLabel = request?.source.sourceAgent
     ? getAgentLabel(request.source.sourceAgent)
     : null
-  const startDisabled = detecting || starting || agents.length === 0 || !selectedAgent
+  const startDisabled =
+    detecting || starting || agents.length === 0 || !selectedAgent || !selection.ready
 
   return (
     <Dialog
@@ -200,13 +200,22 @@ export function AgentSessionContinuationDialog({
             <label className="text-xs font-medium">
               {translate('components.agentSessionContinuation.agent', 'Agent')}
             </label>
-            <AgentCombobox
-              agents={agents}
-              value={selectedAgent}
-              onValueChange={setSelectedAgent}
-              allowNarrowTrigger
-              triggerClassName="min-w-0 w-full"
-            />
+            {request ? (
+              <AgentCombobox
+                agents={agents}
+                value={selectedAgent}
+                onValueChange={(agent) => setPick({ request, agent })}
+                surfaceRows={{
+                  model: observation.model,
+                  selection,
+                  contextKey: observation.contextKey,
+                  surface: currentPick?.surface,
+                  onPick: (agent, surface) => setPick({ request, agent, surface })
+                }}
+                allowNarrowTrigger
+                triggerClassName="min-w-0 w-full"
+              />
+            ) : null}
             {detecting ? (
               <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
                 {translate(
@@ -237,9 +246,11 @@ export function AgentSessionContinuationDialog({
             </label>
             <Select
               value={contextMode}
-              onValueChange={(value) =>
-                setContextMode(value as AgentSessionContinuationContextMode)
-              }
+              onValueChange={(value) => {
+                if (value === 'focused' || value === 'full') {
+                  setContextPick({ request, mode: value })
+                }
+              }}
             >
               <SelectTrigger className="min-w-0 w-full" size="sm">
                 <SelectValue />
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.surface.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.surface.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f2431c92b1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.surface.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import type { ReactElement } from 'react'
+import { AGENT_CATALOG } from '@/lib/agent-catalog'
+import { TooltipProvider } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
+import type { NewTabAgentMenuRow } from '@/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+import type { NewTabAgentMenuModel } from '@/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+import type { AgentLaunchSurface } from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
+import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent'
+import type { UseDetectedAgentsResult } from '@/hooks/useDetectedAgents'
+import AgentCombobox from './AgentCombobox'
+import { resolveAgentMenuSelection } from '@/lib/agent-menu-selection'
+
+afterEach(cleanup)
+
+const detection: UseDetectedAgentsResult = {
+  detectedIds: ['claude', 'codex', 'gemini', 'grok'],
+  isLoading: false,
+  detectionFailed: false,
+  isRefreshing: false,
+  needsServerUpdate: false,
+  refresh: async () => []
+}
+
+function settled(rows: NewTabAgentMenuRow[]): NewTabAgentMenuModel {
+  return { state: 'settled', rows, detection }
+}
+
+const CHAT_ROWS: NewTabAgentMenuRow[] = [
+  { kind: 'chat', agent: 'claude' },
+  { kind: 'chat', agent: 'codex' },
+  { kind: 'chat-unavailable', agent: 'grok', reason: 'subfolder' },
+  { kind: 'cli', agent: 'gemini' },
+  { kind: 'cli', agent: 'grok' }
+]
+
+function renderPicker(
+  model: NewTabAgentMenuModel,
+  value: TuiAgent | null,
+  surface?: AgentLaunchSurface
+): { onPick: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn> } {
+  const onPick = vi.fn()
+  const element: ReactElement = (
+    <AgentCombobox
+      agents={AGENT_CATALOG}
+      value={value}
+      onValueChange={vi.fn()}
+      allowBlankTerminal
+      surfaceRows={{
+        model,
+        surface,
+        onPick,
+        selection: resolveAgentMenuSelection({
+          agent: value,
+          surface,
+          settings: { experimentalNativeChat: true },
+          inventoryReady: model.state === 'settled',
+          answer:
+            model.state === 'settled' &&
+            model.rows.some((row) => row.agent === value && row.kind === 'chat')
+              ? 'yes'
+              : 'no-chats',
+          chatPending: model.state === 'loading',
+          plain: model.state === 'settled' && model.rows.every((row) => row.kind === 'terminal')
+        })
+      }}
+    />
+  )
+  render(element, { wrapper: TooltipProvider })
+  return { onPick }
+}
+
+function option(text: string): HTMLElement {
+  const match = screen
+    .getAllByRole('option')
+    .find((candidate) => candidate.textContent?.startsWith(text))
+  if (!match) {
+    throw new Error(`no option ${text}`)
+  }
+  return match
+}
+
+describe('AgentCombobox surface rows', () => {
+  it('picks a chat from the row and the CLI from its terminal button or the keyboard', () => {
+    const { onPick } = renderPicker(settled(CHAT_ROWS), 'claude')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').textContent).toBe('Claude')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+    expect(option('Gemini').textContent).toBe('Gemini (CLI)')
+    expect(option('Grok').getAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBe('true')
+    expect(option('Grok').textContent).toContain('No chat in a subfolder')
+    fireEvent.click(option('Codex'))
+    expect(onPick).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('codex', 'chat')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Start Codex in a terminal' }))
+    expect(onPick).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('codex', 'terminal')
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+    const search = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search agents...')
+    fireEvent.keyDown(search, { key: 'ArrowRight' })
+    fireEvent.keyDown(search, { key: 'Enter' })
+    expect(onPick).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('claude', 'terminal')
+    expect(onPick).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+
+    // A mouse commit and a dismissed interaction both cancel a transient terminal arm.
+    for (const dismiss of [false, true]) {
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+      const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search agents...')
+      fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: 'ArrowRight' })
+      if (dismiss) {
+        fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: 'Escape' })
+      } else {
+        fireEvent.click(option('Claude'))
+      }
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+      fireEvent.keyDown(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search agents...'), { key: 'Enter' })
+      expect(onPick).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('claude', 'chat')
+    }
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search agents...')
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: 'ArrowRight' })
+    fireEvent.pointerMove(option('Codex'))
+    fireEvent.pointerMove(option('Claude'))
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: 'Enter' })
+    expect(onPick).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('claude', 'chat')
+  })
+
+  it('shows a terminal pick as the CLI and keeps its button lit on reopen', () => {
+    renderPicker(settled(CHAT_ROWS), 'claude', 'terminal')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').textContent).toBe('Claude (CLI)')
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+    expect(
+      screen
+        .getByRole('button', { name: 'Start Claude in a terminal' })
+        .getAttribute('aria-pressed')
+    ).toBe('true')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps the plain list when chats are off, and waits for the host before labelling', () => {
+    renderPicker(
+      settled([
+        { kind: 'terminal', agent: 'claude' },
+        { kind: 'terminal', agent: 'codex' }
+      ]),
+      'claude',
+      'terminal'
+    )
+    expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').textContent).toBe('Claude')
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: /in a terminal/ })).toBeNull()
+    cleanup()
+
+    renderPicker({ state: 'loading', placeholderCount: 2 }, 'claude')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('combobox').hasAttribute('disabled')).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
+
+it('keeps exact-agent search ahead of the default agent', () => {
+  const { onPick } = renderPicker(
+    settled([
+      { kind: 'terminal', agent: 'openclaude' },
+      { kind: 'terminal', agent: 'claude' }
+    ]),
+    'openclaude'
+  )
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('combobox'))
+  const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search agents...')
+  fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: 'claude' } })
+  fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: 'Enter' })
+  expect(onPick).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith('claude', 'terminal')
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.tsx
index c033893322b..0a594b89f1e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentCombobox.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ import {
   renderAgentComboboxItem
 } from './agent-combobox-items'
 import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
+import { rowLabel } from '@/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-row-presentation'
+import {
+  SurfaceAgentItems,
+  surfaceCommandValues,
+  useSurfaceRowArming,
+  type AgentComboboxSurfaceRows
+} from './agent-combobox-surface-items'
 
 type DefaultAgentPreference = TuiAgent | 'blank' | null
 
@@ -54,6 +61,8 @@ type AgentComboboxProps = AgentComboboxSelectionProps & {
     cleared: boolean
     onClear: () => void
   }
+  /** Lists the "+" menu's chat and CLI rows instead of `agents`; picks go to `onPick`. */
+  surfaceRows?: AgentComboboxSurfaceRows
 }
 
 const BLANK_VALUE = '__none__'
@@ -69,6 +78,7 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
   onTriggerEnter,
   allowNarrowTrigger = false,
   clearSelection,
+  surfaceRows,
   ...selection
 }: AgentComboboxProps): React.JSX.Element {
   const allowBlankTerminal = selection.allowBlankTerminal === true
@@ -90,20 +100,26 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
   const selectedDefaultPreference = selectionCleared
     ? null
     : (value ?? (allowBlankTerminal ? 'blank' : null))
-  const openCommandValue = selectionCleared ? '' : (value ?? BLANK_VALUE)
   const canClear = clearSelection !== undefined && !selectionCleared
   const filteredAgents = useMemo(() => searchAgentPickerEntries(agents, query), [agents, query])
   const blankMatchesQuery = useMemo(
     () => allowBlankTerminal && agentPickerBlankTerminalMatches(query),
     [allowBlankTerminal, query]
   )
-  const pickedCommandValue = getAgentPickerCommandValue({
-    blankValue: BLANK_VALUE,
-    blankMatchesQuery,
-    currentValue: value,
-    filteredAgents,
-    rawQuery: query
-  })
+  const pickerValues = { agents, query, value, blankValue: BLANK_VALUE, blankMatchesQuery }
+  const surface = surfaceRows ? surfaceCommandValues(surfaceRows.model, pickerValues) : null
+  const surfaceList = surface?.rows ?? []
+  const openCommandValue = selectionCleared
+    ? ''
+    : ((surface ? surface.selected : value) ?? BLANK_VALUE)
+  const pickedCommandValue = surface
+    ? surface.highlighted
+    : getAgentPickerCommandValue({
+        ...pickerValues,
+        currentValue: value,
+        filteredAgents,
+        rawQuery: query
+      })
   const activeCommandValue = selectionCleared && !query ? '' : pickedCommandValue
   const resolvedCommandState = resolveAgentComboboxCommandState(
     commandState,
@@ -173,6 +189,18 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
     setQuery('')
   }, [])
 
+  const handleSurfacePick: AgentComboboxSurfaceRows['onPick'] = (agent, surface) => {
+    surfaceRows?.onPick(agent, surface)
+    closePicker()
+  }
+  const arming = useSurfaceRowArming(
+    surfaceList,
+    commandValue,
+    handleSurfacePick,
+    JSON.stringify([open, query, surfaceRows?.contextKey])
+  )
+  const picksCli = surfaceRows?.selection.cli === true
+
   const handleSelectAgent = (nextValue: TuiAgent): void => {
     selection.onValueChange(nextValue)
     closePicker()
@@ -249,6 +277,8 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
               role="combobox"
               aria-expanded={open}
               onKeyDown={handleTriggerKeyDown}
+              // Why: the "(CLI)" suffix depends on the host's answer; it never pops in on a settled field.
+              disabled={surfaceRows?.selection.ready === false && value !== null}
               className={cn(
                 // Why: callers sometimes pass `min-w-0` for grid layouts, but
                 // the compact trigger still needs room for "GitHub Copilot".
@@ -270,7 +300,11 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
                 ) : selectedAgent ? (
                   <AgentIconLabel
                     icon={<AgentIcon agent={selectedAgent.id} size={14} />}
-                    label={selectedAgent.label}
+                    label={
+                      picksCli
+                        ? rowLabel({ kind: 'cli', agent: selectedAgent.id })
+                        : selectedAgent.label
+                    }
                   />
                 ) : (
                   <AgentIconLabel
@@ -305,7 +339,12 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
             focusSearchInput()
           }}
         >
-          <Command shouldFilter={false} value={commandValue} onValueChange={setCommandValue}>
+          <Command
+            shouldFilter={false}
+            value={commandValue}
+            onValueChange={setCommandValue}
+            onKeyDown={surfaceRows ? arming.onKeyDown : undefined}
+          >
             <CommandInput
               ref={setInputNode}
               placeholder={translate(
@@ -337,7 +376,17 @@ export default function AgentCombobox({
                     )
                   })
                 : null}
-              {filteredAgents.map((agent) =>
+              {surfaceRows ? (
+                <SurfaceAgentItems
+                  surfaceRows={{ ...surfaceRows, onPick: handleSurfacePick }}
+                  rows={surfaceList}
+                  value={value}
+                  armedValue={arming.armedValue}
+                  defaultAgent={defaultAgent}
+                  onSetDefault={onSetDefault}
+                />
+              ) : null}
+              {(surfaceRows ? [] : filteredAgents).map((agent) =>
                 renderAgentComboboxItem({
                   key: agent.id,
                   itemValue: agent.id,
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentTerminalLaunchButton.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentTerminalLaunchButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..18d4d22b1b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/AgentTerminalLaunchButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import React from 'react'
+import { SquareTerminal } from 'lucide-react'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+type AgentTerminalLaunchButtonProps = Omit<React.ComponentProps<'button'>, 'children' | 'title'> & {
+  title: string
+}
+
+/** The trailing control on an agent's chat row that starts its CLI in a terminal instead.
+ *  Hidden until its row is highlighted; each list reveals it with its own selector. */
+export function AgentTerminalLaunchButton({
+  title,
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: AgentTerminalLaunchButtonProps): React.JSX.Element {
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      tabIndex={-1}
+      title={title}
+      aria-label={title}
+      className={cn(
+        '-my-0.5 grid size-6 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-md opacity-0 outline-none focus-visible:opacity-100',
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      <SquareTerminal />
+    </button>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-items.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-items.tsx
index 268045053be..f7c57dd4575 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-items.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-items.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ type ItemRenderArgs = {
   onSetDefault?: () => void
   icon: React.ReactNode
   label: string
+  disabled?: boolean
+  title?: string
+  /** After the label: an unavailable row's reason, or a chat row's terminal button. */
+  trailing?: React.ReactNode
 }
 
 type AgentDefaultContextMenuProps = {
@@ -75,19 +79,25 @@ export function renderAgentComboboxItem({
   onSelect,
   onSetDefault,
   icon,
-  label
+  label,
+  disabled,
+  title,
+  trailing
 }: ItemRenderArgs): React.ReactNode {
   const row = (
     <CommandItem
       key={key}
       value={itemValue}
       onSelect={onSelect}
+      disabled={disabled}
+      title={title}
       className="items-center gap-2 px-3 py-1.5"
     >
       <Check
         className={cn('size-4 shrink-0 text-foreground', isChecked ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0')}
       />
       <AgentIconLabel icon={icon} label={label} />
+      {trailing}
     </CommandItem>
   )
   return (
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-surface-items.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-surface-items.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..84b515f803f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/agent/agent-combobox-surface-items.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
+import { CommandItem, CommandSeparator } from '@/components/ui/command'
+import { AgentIcon, type AgentCatalogEntry } from '@/lib/agent-catalog'
+import { searchAgentPickerEntries } from '@/lib/agent-picker-search'
+import type { AgentLaunchSurface } from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
+import type { NewTabAgentMenuRow } from '@/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+import type { NewTabAgentMenuModel } from '@/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+import {
+  chatUnavailableLabel,
+  rowId,
+  rowLabel,
+  rowTitle
+} from '@/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-row-presentation'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
+import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent'
+import type { resolveAgentMenuSelection } from '@/lib/agent-menu-selection'
+import { renderAgentComboboxItem } from './agent-combobox-items'
+import { AgentTerminalLaunchButton } from './AgentTerminalLaunchButton'
+
+/** The "+" menu's rows in the picker: a chat row picks the chat, its terminal button the CLI. */
+export type AgentComboboxSurfaceRows = {
+  model: NewTabAgentMenuModel
+  /** The user's explicit pick for the selected agent; absent follows the agent's own row. */
+  surface?: AgentLaunchSurface
+  selection: ReturnType<typeof resolveAgentMenuSelection>
+  contextKey?: string
+  onPick: (agent: TuiAgent, surface: AgentLaunchSurface) => void
+}
+
+// Nothing launches until the form is submitted, so the picker says "start", not "launch".
+function terminalPickTitle(label: string): string {
+  return translate('components.agentCombobox.startInTerminal', 'Start {{value0}} in a terminal', {
+    value0: label
+  })
+}
+
+const PLACEHOLDER_WIDTHS = ['w-3/5', 'w-1/2', 'w-2/3', 'w-2/5', 'w-3/4', 'w-1/3', 'w-4/5', 'w-1/4']
+
+export function visibleSurfaceRows(
+  model: NewTabAgentMenuModel,
+  agents: readonly AgentCatalogEntry[],
+  query: string
+): NewTabAgentMenuRow[] {
+  if (model.state !== 'settled') {
+    return []
+  }
+  const matching = searchAgentPickerEntries(agents, query)
+  return query.trim()
+    ? matching.flatMap((agent) => model.rows.filter((row) => row.agent === agent.id))
+    : model.rows.filter((row) => matching.some((agent) => row.agent === agent.id))
+}
+
+/** cmdk values for the surface list: the selected agent's row, and the row a query highlights. */
+export function surfaceCommandValues(
+  model: NewTabAgentMenuModel,
+  picker: {
+    agents: readonly AgentCatalogEntry[]
+    query: string
+    value: TuiAgent | null
+    blankValue: string
+    blankMatchesQuery: boolean
+  }
+): { rows: NewTabAgentMenuRow[]; selected: string | null; highlighted: string } {
+  const rows = visibleSurfaceRows(model, picker.agents, picker.query)
+  const selected =
+    surfaceRowValue(visibleSurfaceRows(model, picker.agents, ''), picker.value) ?? null
+  const first = rows.find((row) => row.kind !== 'chat-unavailable')
+  const highlighted = !picker.query.trim()
+    ? (selected ?? picker.blankValue)
+    : picker.blankMatchesQuery
+      ? picker.blankValue
+      : first
+        ? rowId(first)
+        : ''
+  return { rows, selected, highlighted }
+}
+
+/** The row that carries the selected agent: its chat row when it has one, so the lit button shows. */
+export function surfaceRowValue(
+  rows: readonly NewTabAgentMenuRow[],
+  agent: TuiAgent | null
+): string | undefined {
+  const own = rows.filter((row) => row.agent === agent && row.kind !== 'chat-unavailable')
+  const row = own.find((candidate) => candidate.kind === 'chat') ?? own[0]
+  return row ? rowId(row) : undefined
+}
+
+/** cmdk keeps focus in the search box, so ArrowRight arms the highlighted row's terminal button. */
+export function useSurfaceRowArming(
+  rows: readonly NewTabAgentMenuRow[],
+  commandValue: string,
+  pick: (agent: TuiAgent, surface: AgentLaunchSurface) => void,
+  interactionKey: string
+): { armedValue: string | null; onKeyDown: (event: React.KeyboardEvent) => void } {
+  const [armed, setArmed] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const key = JSON.stringify([interactionKey, commandValue])
+  const [previousKey, setPreviousKey] = useState(key)
+  if (previousKey !== key) {
+    setPreviousKey(key)
+    setArmed(null)
+  }
+  const armedValue = previousKey === key ? armed : null
+  const onKeyDown = (event: React.KeyboardEvent): void => {
+    const row = rows.find((candidate) => rowId(candidate) === commandValue)
+    const input = event.target instanceof HTMLInputElement ? event.target : null
+    const caretAtEnd = !input || input.selectionStart === input.value.length
+    if (event.key === 'ArrowRight' && row?.kind === 'chat' && caretAtEnd) {
+      event.preventDefault()
+      setArmed(commandValue)
+    } else if (event.key === 'Enter' && armedValue !== null && row) {
+      // Stopped so cmdk does not also select the row and start a chat.
+      event.preventDefault()
+      pick(row.agent, 'terminal')
+    } else if (armedValue !== null && !['Shift', 'Meta', 'Control', 'Alt'].includes(event.key)) {
+      if (event.key === 'ArrowLeft') {
+        event.preventDefault()
+      }
+      setArmed(null)
+    }
+  }
+  return { armedValue, onKeyDown }
+}
+
+export function SurfaceAgentItems({
+  surfaceRows,
+  rows,
+  value,
+  armedValue,
+  defaultAgent,
+  onSetDefault
+}: {
+  surfaceRows: AgentComboboxSurfaceRows
+  rows: readonly NewTabAgentMenuRow[]
+  value: TuiAgent | null
+  armedValue: string | null
+  defaultAgent?: TuiAgent | 'blank' | null
+  onSetDefault?: (agent: TuiAgent) => void
+}): React.ReactNode {
+  const { model, onPick } = surfaceRows
+  if (model.state === 'loading') {
+    // Why: rows fill in once every answer is known, instead of reshuffling under the pointer.
+    return PLACEHOLDER_WIDTHS.slice(0, model.placeholderCount).map((width) => (
+      <CommandItem
+        key={width}
+        value={`loading:${width}`}
+        disabled
+        aria-label={translate(
+          'auto.components.tab.bar.QuickLaunchButton.agentsLoading',
+          'Loading agents'
+        )}
+      >
+        <span aria-hidden="true" className="flex h-[1lh] flex-1 items-center">
+          <span className={cn('h-2 rounded-full bg-muted', width)} />
+        </span>
+      </CommandItem>
+    ))
+  }
+  const pickedValue = surfaceRowValue(rows, value)
+  const terminalPicked = surfaceRows.selection.cli
+  return rows.map((row, index) => {
+    const id = rowId(row)
+    const label = rowLabel(row)
+    const startsCliGroup = row.kind === 'cli' && index > 0 && rows[index - 1]?.kind !== 'cli'
+    const unavailable = row.kind === 'chat-unavailable'
+    const pressed = row.kind === 'chat' && id === pickedValue && terminalPicked
+    const agentLabel = rowLabel({ ...row, kind: 'chat' })
+    return (
+      <React.Fragment key={id}>
+        {startsCliGroup ? <CommandSeparator /> : null}
+        {renderAgentComboboxItem({
+          key: id,
+          itemValue: unavailable ? `unavailable:${row.agent}` : id,
+          isChecked: id === pickedValue,
+          isDefault: defaultAgent === row.agent,
+          onSelect: () => onPick(row.agent, row.kind === 'chat' ? 'chat' : 'terminal'),
+          onSetDefault: onSetDefault && !unavailable ? () => onSetDefault(row.agent) : undefined,
+          icon: <AgentIcon agent={row.agent} />,
+          label,
+          disabled: unavailable,
+          title: unavailable
+            ? undefined
+            : row.kind === 'chat'
+              ? rowTitle(row, agentLabel)
+              : terminalPickTitle(agentLabel),
+          trailing: unavailable ? (
+            <span className="shrink-0 text-muted-foreground">
+              {chatUnavailableLabel(row.reason)}
+            </span>
+          ) : row.kind === 'chat' ? (
+            <AgentTerminalLaunchButton
+              title={terminalPickTitle(agentLabel)}
+              aria-pressed={pressed}
+              className={cn(
+                'hover:bg-background [[data-selected=true]_&]:opacity-100',
+                (pressed || armedValue === id) && 'bg-background opacity-100'
+              )}
+              // Keeps focus in the search box; the click picks the CLI, not the row.
+              onMouseDown={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
+              onClick={(event) => {
+                event.stopPropagation()
+                onPick(row.agent, 'terminal')
+              }}
+            />
+          ) : null
+        })}
+      </React.Fragment>
+    )
+  })
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx
index 3617229c830..d9c4a11e60d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection.tsx
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tooltip
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
 import type { NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps } from './new-workspace-composer-card-props'
+import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent'
 
 type NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSectionProps = Pick<
   NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps,
   | 'quickAgent'
+  | 'agentSurfaceRows'
   | 'onQuickAgentChange'
+  | 'agentRows'
   | 'quickSetupOnly'
   | 'onQuickSetupOnlySelect'
   | 'onOpenAgentSettings'
@@ -29,6 +32,7 @@ type NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSectionProps = Pick<
 
 export function NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection({
   quickAgent,
+  agentSurfaceRows,
   onQuickAgentChange,
   quickSetupOnly = false,
   onQuickSetupOnlySelect,
@@ -42,6 +46,22 @@ export function NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection({
   defaultTuiAgent,
   handleSetDefaultAgent
 }: NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSectionProps): React.JSX.Element {
+  const comboboxProps = {
+    agents: visibleQuickAgents,
+    value: quickAgent,
+    onValueChange: (agent: TuiAgent | null) => onQuickAgentChange(agent),
+    allowBlankTerminal: true as const,
+    onOpenManageAgents: onOpenAgentSettings,
+    defaultAgent: defaultTuiAgent,
+    onSetDefault: handleSetDefaultAgent,
+    clearSelection: onQuickSetupOnlySelect
+      ? { cleared: quickSetupOnly, onClear: onQuickSetupOnlySelect }
+      : undefined,
+    allowNarrowTrigger: true,
+    triggerClassName:
+      'h-9 w-full min-w-0 border-input text-sm focus:border-ring focus:ring-[3px] focus:ring-ring/50',
+    onTriggerEnter: createDisabled ? undefined : onCreate
+  }
   return (
     <>
       <div className="min-w-0 space-y-1" data-contextual-tour-target="workspace-creation-agent">
@@ -71,26 +91,7 @@ export function NewWorkspaceComposerAgentSection({
             </TooltipContent>
           </Tooltip>
         </div>
-        <AgentCombobox
-          agents={visibleQuickAgents}
-          value={quickAgent}
-          onValueChange={onQuickAgentChange}
-          allowBlankTerminal
-          onOpenManageAgents={onOpenAgentSettings}
-          defaultAgent={defaultTuiAgent}
-          onSetDefault={handleSetDefaultAgent}
-          clearSelection={
-            onQuickSetupOnlySelect
-              ? {
-                  cleared: quickSetupOnly,
-                  onClear: onQuickSetupOnlySelect
-                }
-              : undefined
-          }
-          allowNarrowTrigger
-          triggerClassName="h-9 w-full min-w-0 border-input text-sm focus:border-ring focus:ring-[3px] focus:ring-ring/50"
-          onTriggerEnter={createDisabled ? undefined : onCreate}
-        />
+        <AgentCombobox {...comboboxProps} surfaceRows={agentSurfaceRows} />
       </div>
 
       <div className="!mb-2">
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts
index 5895d6b7053..6bd8e6e6aff 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/new-workspace/new-workspace-composer-card-props.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { AgentComboboxSurfaceRows } from '@/components/agent/agent-combobox-surface-items'
+import type { ComposerAgentRows } from '@/hooks/composer-state/composer-agent-rows-target'
 import type RepoCombobox from '@/components/repo/RepoCombobox'
 import type { NewWorkspaceProjectOption } from '@/lib/new-workspace-project-options'
 import type {
@@ -37,7 +39,13 @@ export type NewWorkspaceComposerCardProps = {
   onComposerNodeChange?: (node: HTMLDivElement | null) => void
   nameInputRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLInputElement | null>
   quickAgent: TuiAgent | null
-  onQuickAgentChange: (agent: TuiAgent | null) => void
+  agentSurfaceRows?: AgentComboboxSurfaceRows
+  onQuickAgentChange: (
+    agent: TuiAgent | null,
+    surface?: AgentComboboxSurfaceRows['surface']
+  ) => void
+  /** Where the quick agent would start; null keeps the picker's plain agent list. */
+  agentRows?: ComposerAgentRows | null
   /** Cleared picker: skip the agent and the extra shell when setup runs. */
   quickSetupOnly?: boolean
   onQuickSetupOnlySelect?: () => void
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit-surface.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit-surface.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..47cc160cf48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit-surface.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_CLIENT_LAUNCH_MODE_CAPABILITY,
+  STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY
+} from '../../../../shared/protocol-version'
+import type * as LocalRuntimeCapabilitiesModule from '@/runtime/local-runtime-capabilities'
+import { makeProjectGroup, makeFolderWorkspace } from './folder-workspace-composer-submit-fixtures'
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  activateAndRevealFolderWorkspace: vi.fn(),
+  terminal: vi.fn()
+}))
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/worktree-activation', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<Record<string, unknown>>()),
+  activateAndRevealFolderWorkspace: mocks.activateAndRevealFolderWorkspace
+}))
+vi.mock('@/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab', () => ({ launchAgentInNewTab: mocks.terminal }))
+vi.mock('@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client', () => ({
+  callStructuredAgentSession: vi.fn(async () => ({ supported: false, reason: 'wsl' }))
+}))
+vi.mock('@/runtime/local-runtime-capabilities', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof LocalRuntimeCapabilitiesModule>()),
+  readLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesOrUnknown: () => [
+    STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY,
+    STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_CLIENT_LAUNCH_MODE_CAPABILITY
+  ]
+}))
+
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
+import { getDefaultSettings } from '../../../../shared/constants'
+import { submitFolderWorkspaceCreate } from './folder-workspace-composer-submit'
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  mocks.activateAndRevealFolderWorkspace.mockReset()
+  mocks.terminal.mockReset()
+})
+
+function create(
+  surface?: 'terminal',
+  createFolderWorkspace = vi.fn(async () => makeFolderWorkspace())
+): Promise<boolean> {
+  return submitFolderWorkspaceCreate({
+    projectGroup: makeProjectGroup(),
+    name: '',
+    lastAutoName: '',
+    linkedWorkItem: null,
+    note: 'Fix the flaky checkout flow',
+    quickAgent: 'claude',
+    launchChoice: {
+      agent: 'claude',
+      route: surface ? 'terminal-tui' : 'structured-native-chat',
+      executionHostId: 'local',
+      requestedSurface: surface ?? 'chat'
+    },
+    autoRenameBranchFromWork: false,
+    agentCmdOverrides: {},
+    createFolderWorkspace,
+    onOpenChange: vi.fn()
+  })
+}
+
+describe('submitFolderWorkspaceCreate surface pick', () => {
+  it('starts the CLI in a terminal for a terminal pick even when chats are the default', async () => {
+    useAppStore.setState({
+      settings: { ...getDefaultSettings('/home/test'), experimentalNativeChat: true }
+    })
+    mocks.activateAndRevealFolderWorkspace.mockReturnValue({ primaryTabId: 'tab-1' })
+
+    mocks.terminal.mockReturnValue({ surface: { kind: 'host-published' } })
+    const materialization = Promise.withResolvers<ReturnType<typeof makeFolderWorkspace>>()
+    const creating = create(
+      undefined,
+      vi.fn(() => materialization.promise)
+    )
+    useAppStore.setState({
+      settings: { ...getDefaultSettings('/home/test'), experimentalNativeChat: false }
+    })
+    materialization.resolve(makeFolderWorkspace())
+    await creating
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(mocks.terminal).toHaveBeenCalledOnce())
+    expect(mocks.terminal.mock.calls[0]?.[0]).toMatchObject({
+      agent: 'claude',
+      prompt: 'Fix the flaky checkout flow',
+      agentSessionLaunchPlan: { route: 'terminal-tui' }
+    })
+
+    useAppStore.setState({
+      settings: { ...getDefaultSettings('/home/test'), experimentalNativeChat: true }
+    })
+    await create('terminal')
+    expect(mocks.terminal).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    const startup = mocks.activateAndRevealFolderWorkspace.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[1]?.startup
+    expect(startup?.command).toContain('claude')
+    expect(startup?.command).toContain('Fix the flaky checkout flow')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit.ts
index 0dde03495e3..a6974025d10 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ import {
   getLinkedItemDisplayName,
   toFolderWorkspaceLinkedTask
 } from './folder-workspace-composer-helpers'
-import { planAgentSessionLaunch } from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
+import {
+  planAgentSessionLaunch,
+  adoptAgentSessionLaunchVerdict
+} from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
+import type { AgentLaunchChoice } from '@/lib/agent-menu-selection'
 import { newAgentLaunchRequestId } from '@/lib/agent-launch-request-id'
 import { beginStructuredAgentSessionProvisionalLaunch } from '@/lib/structured-agent-session-provisional-tab'
 import { getNewWorkspaceProjectGroupHostId } from '@/lib/new-workspace-project-options'
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ type SubmitFolderWorkspaceCreateParams = {
   linkedTaskSourceContext?: TaskSourceContext | null
   note: string
   quickAgent: TuiAgent | null
+  launchChoice?: AgentLaunchChoice
   autoRenameBranchFromWork: boolean | undefined
   agentCmdOverrides: Record<string, string> | undefined
   agentArgs?: string | null
@@ -71,6 +76,7 @@ export async function submitFolderWorkspaceCreate({
   linkedTaskSourceContext,
   note,
   quickAgent,
+  launchChoice,
   autoRenameBranchFromWork,
   agentCmdOverrides,
   agentArgs,
@@ -130,18 +136,28 @@ export async function submitFolderWorkspaceCreate({
   // `startupPlan.draftPrompt` alone can't tell whether this launch has one.
   const launchDraftPrompt =
     quickAgent && linkedWorkItem ? resolveFolderWorkspaceLaunchDraft(linkedWorkItem, note) : null
-  const plan = quickAgent
-    ? planAgentSessionLaunch(useAppStore.getState(), {
+  const launchRequest = quickAgent
+    ? {
         requestId: newAgentLaunchRequestId(),
         agent: quickAgent,
         workspace: {
-          kind: 'folder',
+          kind: 'folder' as const,
           runtimeEnvironmentId,
           executionHostId: getNewWorkspaceProjectGroupHostId(projectGroup)
         },
         prompt: launchDraftPrompt ?? note,
-        promptDelivery: launchDraftPrompt ? 'draft' : 'auto-submit'
-      })
+        promptDelivery: launchDraftPrompt ? ('draft' as const) : ('auto-submit' as const)
+      }
+    : null
+  // Creation retains its chosen route, but admission after materialization may fall back.
+  const plan = launchRequest
+    ? launchChoice
+      ? adoptAgentSessionLaunchVerdict({
+          ...launchRequest,
+          route: launchChoice.route,
+          executionHostId: launchChoice.executionHostId
+        })
+      : planAgentSessionLaunch(useAppStore.getState(), launchRequest)
     : null
   const structuredLaunch = plan?.route === 'structured-native-chat'
   // Why: the pending badge should only appear when the submitted prompt can
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.launch-status.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.launch-status.test.tsx
index 8b748b1a515..9352e9b27c6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.launch-status.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.launch-status.test.tsx
@@ -5,16 +5,22 @@ import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { StructuredLaunchState } from '@/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-registry'
 import type { StructuredLaunchAttempt } from '@/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-request'
+import type * as WorktreeFixtures from '@/store/slices/worktrees-slice-test-fixtures'
 
 vi.mock('@/hooks/useDetectedAgents', () => ({
   useDetectedAgents: () => ({ detectedIds: ['claude', 'codex'] })
 }))
 vi.mock('@/hooks/useShortcutLabel', () => ({ useOptionalShortcutLabel: () => null }))
-vi.mock('@/store', () => {
+vi.mock('@/store', async () => {
+  const { makeWorktree, TEST_REPO } = await vi.importActual<typeof WorktreeFixtures>(
+    '@/store/slices/worktrees-slice-test-fixtures'
+  )
   const state = {
     settings: { defaultTuiAgent: 'codex', disabledTuiAgents: [] },
-    worktreesByRepo: {},
-    repos: [],
+    worktreesByRepo: {
+      [TEST_REPO.id]: [makeWorktree({ id: 'worktree-1', repoId: TEST_REPO.id, hostId: 'local' })]
+    },
+    repos: [TEST_REPO],
     activeWorktreeId: 'worktree-1',
     tabsByWorktree: { 'worktree-1': [{ id: 'starting-tab', ptyId: null }] },
     ptyIdsByTabId: {},
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.test.ts
index bb133f8356d..49b9eb8b8d4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React from 'react'
 import { renderToStaticMarkup } from 'react-dom/server'
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { makeWorktree, TEST_REPO } from '@/store/slices/worktrees-slice-test-fixtures'
 import { QuickLaunchAgentMenuItems } from './QuickLaunchButton'
 
 const {
@@ -128,8 +129,10 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   openSettingsTargetMock.mockReset()
   storeState.settings.defaultTuiAgent = 'codex'
   storeState.settings.disabledTuiAgents = []
-  storeState.worktreesByRepo = {}
-  storeState.repos = []
+  storeState.worktreesByRepo = {
+    [TEST_REPO.id]: [makeWorktree({ id: 'worktree-1', repoId: TEST_REPO.id, hostId: 'local' })]
+  }
+  storeState.repos = [TEST_REPO]
   storeState.openSettingsPage = openSettingsPageMock
   storeState.openSettingsTarget = openSettingsTargetMock
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.tsx
index bebb9ae8b63..f4466344e35 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/QuickLaunchButton.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ import { newAgentLaunchRequestId } from '@/lib/agent-launch-request-id'
 import { captureNativeChatComposerFocusIntent } from '@/components/native-chat/use-native-chat-composer-reveal-focus'
 import { newAgentPromptOutcome } from '@/lib/new-agent-prompt-outcome'
 import { activeAgentNotesSendFailureMessage } from '@/lib/active-agent-note-send-result'
-import { Settings as SettingsIcon, SquareTerminal } from 'lucide-react'
+import { Settings as SettingsIcon } from 'lucide-react'
+import { AgentTerminalLaunchButton } from '@/components/agent/AgentTerminalLaunchButton'
 import {
   DropdownMenuItem,
   DropdownMenuSeparator,
@@ -329,13 +330,10 @@ function ChatRow({
       }}
     >
       {children}
-      <button
+      <AgentTerminalLaunchButton
         ref={cliButton}
-        type="button"
-        tabIndex={-1}
         title={cliTitle}
-        aria-label={cliTitle}
-        className="-my-0.5 grid size-6 place-items-center rounded-md opacity-0 outline-none hover:bg-accent focus-visible:bg-accent focus-visible:opacity-100 [[data-highlighted]_&]:opacity-100"
+        className="hover:bg-accent focus-visible:bg-accent [[data-highlighted]_&]:opacity-100"
         onKeyDown={(event) => {
           // Stopped so the row's own Enter handling does not start a chat instead.
           if (event.key === 'Enter' || event.key === ' ') {
@@ -353,9 +351,7 @@ function ChatRow({
             }
           }
         }}
-      >
-        <SquareTerminal />
-      </button>
+      />
     </DropdownMenuItem>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-row-presentation.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-row-presentation.ts
index adc7d0b2e19..f45e93f53af 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-row-presentation.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-row-presentation.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ export function chatUnavailableLabel(reason: ChatUnavailableReason): string {
       )
     case 'wsl':
       return translate('auto.components.tab.bar.QuickLaunchButton.chatNotInWsl', 'No chat in WSL')
+    case 'subfolder':
+      return translate(
+        'auto.components.tab.bar.QuickLaunchButton.chatNotInSubfolder',
+        'No chat in a subfolder'
+      )
     case 'not-on-host':
       return translate(
         'auto.components.tab.bar.QuickLaunchButton.chatNotOnHost',
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows-owner.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows-owner.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..58b5e568a98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows-owner.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { act, cleanup, renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
+import { useAgentDetectionTargetForWorktree } from '@/hooks/useAgentDetectionTarget'
+import { workspaceKindForWorktreeId } from '@/lib/agent-launch-route-input'
+import {
+  makeFolderWorkspace,
+  makeWorktree,
+  TEST_REPO
+} from '@/store/slices/worktrees-slice-test-fixtures'
+import { makeProjectGroup } from '@/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-submit-fixtures'
+import { setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests } from '@/runtime/local-runtime-capabilities'
+import { getDefaultSettings } from '../../../../shared/constants'
+import type { AppState } from '@/store/types'
+import {
+  STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY as CHAT,
+  STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_CLIENT_LAUNCH_MODE_CAPABILITY as CLIENT
+} from '../../../../shared/protocol-version'
+import { useAgentMenuObservation, useNewTabAgentMenuRows } from './use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+const initial = useAppStore.getState()
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  useAppStore.setState(initial, true)
+  setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests(null)
+})
+it('settles ownerless continuation and plus inventory without borrowing agents, then recovers on hydration', async () => {
+  const group = makeProjectGroup()
+  const folder = makeFolderWorkspace({ id: 'f1', projectGroupId: group.id, folderPath: '/work' })
+  const repo = { ...TEST_REPO, id: 'r1', path: '/work/local' }
+  const cases: { worktreeId: string; rows: Partial<AppState> }[] = [
+    {
+      worktreeId: 'folder:f1',
+      rows: {
+        folderWorkspaces: [
+          { ...folder, executionHostId: 'local' },
+          { ...folder, executionHostId: 'ssh:other' }
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      worktreeId: 'folder:f1',
+      rows: {
+        folderWorkspaces: [folder],
+        projectGroups: [group],
+        repos: [repo, { ...repo, id: 'r2', path: '/work/remote', connectionId: 'other' }]
+      }
+    },
+    { worktreeId: 'r1::/remote/restored', rows: { repos: [repo] } }
+  ]
+  for (const { worktreeId, rows } of cases) {
+    const local = vi.fn<AppState['ensureDetectedAgents']>(async () => ['claude'])
+    const otherHost = vi.fn(async () => [])
+    const getStatus = vi.fn()
+    Object.assign(window, { api: { runtime: { getStatus } } })
+    setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests(worktreeId.startsWith('folder:') ? null : [CHAT, CLIENT])
+    useAppStore.setState({
+      ...initial,
+      settings: { ...getDefaultSettings('/home/me'), experimentalNativeChat: true },
+      activeWorktreeId: worktreeId,
+      activeWorkspaceExecutionHostId: null,
+      folderWorkspaces: [],
+      projectGroups: [],
+      repos: [],
+      worktreesByRepo: {},
+      detectedWorktreesByRepo: {},
+      restoredRuntimeHostIdByWorkspaceSessionKey: {},
+      detectedAgentIds: ['gemini'],
+      remoteDetectedAgentIds: { other: ['codex'] },
+      ensureDetectedAgents: local,
+      ensureRemoteDetectedAgents: otherHost,
+      ensureRuntimeDetectedAgents: otherHost,
+      ...rows
+    })
+    const hook = renderHook(() => {
+      const target = useAgentDetectionTargetForWorktree(worktreeId)
+      const workspace = { kind: workspaceKindForWorktreeId(worktreeId), worktreeId }
+      return {
+        form: useAgentMenuObservation({ workspace }, true, target),
+        plus: useNewTabAgentMenuRows(worktreeId, true, target)
+      }
+    })
+    expect(hook.result.current.form.detection).toMatchObject({ detectedIds: [], isLoading: false })
+    expect(hook.result.current.form.selectionFor('claude', 'terminal').ready).toBe(false)
+    for (const model of [hook.result.current.form.model, hook.result.current.plus]) {
+      expect(model.state).toBe('settled')
+      expect(
+        model.state === 'settled' &&
+          model.rows.every(
+            (row) =>
+              row.kind === 'chat-unavailable' &&
+              row.reason === 'check-failed' &&
+              row.executionHostId === undefined
+          )
+      ).toBe(true)
+    }
+    for (const probe of [local, otherHost, getStatus]) {
+      expect(probe).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    }
+    local.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      useAppStore.setState({ detectedAgentIds: ['claude'] })
+      return ['claude']
+    })
+    await act(async () => {
+      setLocalRuntimeCapabilitiesForTests([CHAT, CLIENT])
+      useAppStore.setState({
+        folderWorkspaces: [{ ...folder, executionHostId: 'local' }],
+        repos: [repo],
+        worktreesByRepo: {
+          r1: [makeWorktree({ id: worktreeId, repoId: 'r1', hostId: 'local', path: '/work/local' })]
+        },
+        detectedAgentIds: null
+      })
+    })
+    expect(hook.result.current.form.detection.detectedIds).toEqual(['claude'])
+    expect(hook.result.current.form.selectionFor('claude').ready).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      hook.result.current.plus.state === 'settled' && hook.result.current.plus.rows
+    ).toContainEqual({ kind: 'chat', agent: 'claude', executionHostId: 'local' })
+    hook.unmount()
+  }
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts
index 2332c789440..a454d8229ab 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts
@@ -10,13 +10,10 @@ import { runtimeHostContactForEntry } from '../../../../shared/runtime-host-cont
 import { isTuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent-config'
 import { isNativeChatEnabled } from '../../../../shared/structured-native-chat-launch-route'
 import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
-import {
-  structuredAgentLaunchSupport,
-  type AgentLaunchRoutingInput
-} from '@/lib/agent-launch-routing'
 import {
   buildAgentLaunchRouteInput,
-  workspaceKindForWorktreeId
+  workspaceKindForWorktreeId,
+  type ProspectiveWorkspace
 } from '@/lib/agent-launch-route-input'
 import { useHostStructuredAgentsVersion } from '@/lib/chat-provider-agents'
 import { structuredAgentSessionTargetForHost } from '@/runtime/structured-agent-session-owner'
@@ -30,6 +27,7 @@ import { getRuntimeEnvironmentRevision } from '@/runtime/runtime-environment-rev
 import { useHostStructuredAgentAvailability } from '@/runtime/use-host-structured-agent-availability'
 import {
   buildNewTabAgentMenuRows,
+  hostChatAnswer,
   type HostChatAnswer,
   type NewTabAgentMenuRow
 } from '@/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
@@ -44,31 +42,9 @@ import {
   type UseDetectedAgentsResult
 } from '@/hooks/useDetectedAgents'
 import { readDetectedAgentsForTarget } from '@/lib/agent-detection-target-inventory'
-
-function hostChatAnswer(input: AgentLaunchRoutingInput): HostChatAnswer {
-  const support = structuredAgentLaunchSupport(input)
-  if (support.supported) {
-    return 'yes'
-  }
-  switch (support.blocker) {
-    case 'runtime-capability-unknown':
-      return 'not-yet-known'
-    case 'agent-without-structured-session':
-      return !input.hostStructuredAgents && input.hostCapabilities?.includes(CATALOG) !== false
-        ? 'not-yet-known'
-        : 'not-on-host'
-    case 'remote-execution-host':
-      return 'ssh'
-    case 'project-runtime':
-      return 'wsl'
-    case 'runtime-capability':
-    case 'client-capability':
-      return 'no-chats'
-    case 'custom-start-directory':
-    case 'reused-terminal':
-      return 'yes'
-  }
-}
+import { resolveAgentMenuSelection } from '@/lib/agent-menu-selection'
+import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent'
+import type { AgentLaunchSurface } from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
 
 export type NewTabAgentMenuModel =
   | { state: 'loading'; placeholderCount: number }
@@ -87,21 +63,46 @@ function catalogUnlearned(
   )
 }
 
+/** A launch whose workspace may not exist yet, or that starts in a directory of its own. */
+export type AgentMenuRowsTarget = {
+  workspace: ProspectiveWorkspace
+  /** Only a terminal can start here, so chat rows say so instead of dropping the directory. */
+  launchCwd?: string | null
+}
+
 /** `detectionTarget` is the workspace's agent-inventory host, resolved by the caller. */
 export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
-  worktreeId: string,
+  target: string | AgentMenuRowsTarget,
   open: boolean,
   detectionTarget: AgentDetectionTarget | undefined
 ): NewTabAgentMenuModel {
+  return useAgentMenuObservation(target, open, detectionTarget).model
+}
+
+export function useAgentMenuObservation(
+  target: string | AgentMenuRowsTarget | null,
+  open: boolean,
+  detectionTarget: AgentDetectionTarget | undefined
+) {
+  const worktreeId = typeof target === 'string' ? target : target?.workspace.worktreeId
+  const launchCwd = typeof target === 'string' ? undefined : target?.launchCwd
+  const unresolvedTarget = Boolean(worktreeId) && detectionTarget === undefined
   // Why: hidden worktrees stay mounted, so only the shown one holds its host's streams.
-  const worktreeShown = useAppStore((state) => state.activeWorktreeId === worktreeId)
+  const worktreeShown = useAppStore(
+    (state) => typeof target === 'string' && state.activeWorktreeId === worktreeId
+  )
   // Why: acquiring while the workspace is shown means the first open already knows its agents.
   const acquired = useDetectedAgents(open || worktreeShown ? detectionTarget : undefined)
   // Closing the menu or leaving the workspace must not erase the known inventory.
   const storedIds = useAppStore((state) =>
     detectionTarget ? readDetectedAgentsForTarget(state, detectionTarget) : null
   )
-  const detection = { ...acquired, detectedIds: acquired.detectedIds ?? storedIds }
+  // No owner means no agents to offer; a later owner publication resumes normal detection.
+  const detection = {
+    ...acquired,
+    detectedIds: unresolvedTarget ? [] : (acquired.detectedIds ?? storedIds),
+    isLoading: !unresolvedTarget && acquired.isLoading
+  }
   useHostStructuredAgentsVersion()
   const localCapabilities = useSyncExternalStore(
     subscribeLocalRuntimeCapabilityObservation,
@@ -109,7 +110,10 @@ export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
     readLocalRuntimeCapabilityObservation
   )
   const settings = useAppStore((state) => state.settings)
-  const workspace = { kind: workspaceKindForWorktreeId(worktreeId), worktreeId }
+  const workspace =
+    typeof target === 'string'
+      ? { kind: workspaceKindForWorktreeId(target), worktreeId: target }
+      : (target?.workspace ?? { kind: 'floating' as const })
   const facts = useAppStore(
     useShallow((state) => {
       const input = buildAgentLaunchRouteInput(state, { agent: 'claude', workspace })
@@ -143,7 +147,7 @@ export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
     input.hostCapabilities?.includes(AVAILABILITY) === true &&
     Boolean(structuredAgentSessionTargetForHost(facts.executionHostId))
   const availability = useHostStructuredAgentAvailability(
-    published && !plain
+    published && !plain && !unresolvedTarget
       ? {
           executionHostId: facts.executionHostId,
           runtimeId: facts.runtimeId,
@@ -194,7 +198,7 @@ export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
       localCapabilities.state === 'known' ? localCapabilities.capabilities : null
     )
   useEffect(() => {
-    if ((!open && !worktreeShown) || plain || inventoryFailed) {
+    if ((!open && !worktreeShown) || plain || inventoryFailed || unresolvedTarget) {
       return
     }
     if (localCapabilities.state === 'unlearned') {
@@ -211,6 +215,7 @@ export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
     worktreeShown,
     plain,
     inventoryFailed,
+    unresolvedTarget,
     localCapabilities,
     hostCatalogPending,
     localCatalogPending,
@@ -218,7 +223,8 @@ export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
     input.hostCapabilities
   ])
   // Only dependencies that can enable an action hold the cold fill; a failed inventory is terminal.
-  if (
+  const loading =
+    !unresolvedTarget &&
     !inventoryFailed &&
     ((detection.detectedIds === null && detectionTarget !== undefined) ||
       (!plain &&
@@ -227,29 +233,68 @@ export function useNewTabAgentMenuRows(
           availability?.state === 'pending' ||
           hostCatalogPending ||
           localCatalogPending)))
-  ) {
-    return {
-      state: 'loading',
-      placeholderCount: Math.max(chatAgents.length, detection.detectedIds?.length ?? 0, 2)
+  const answerFor = (agent: TuiAgent): HostChatAnswer => {
+    if (unresolvedTarget) {
+      return 'not-yet-known'
     }
+    const route = buildAgentLaunchRouteInput(state, {
+      agent,
+      workspace,
+      ...(launchCwd ? { tuiCustomization: { cwd: launchCwd } } : {})
+    })
+    const preliminary = hostChatAnswer(roster ? { ...route, hostStructuredAgents: roster } : route)
+    if (!roster || !['yes', 'not-yet-known', 'not-on-host'].includes(preliminary)) {
+      return preliminary
+    }
+    const verdict =
+      availability?.state === 'received' ? availability.byAgent.get(agent)?.state : undefined
+    // An agent the host could not check keeps this client's facts; the click's admission decides.
+    return !verdict || verdict === 'refused' ? 'not-on-host' : preliminary
   }
+  const executionHostId = unresolvedTarget
+    ? undefined
+    : parseExecutionHostId(facts.executionHostId)?.id
   const rows = buildNewTabAgentMenuRows({
     settings,
     detectedOnHost: detection.detectedIds,
     chatAgents,
-    hostChatAnswer: (agent) => {
-      const route = buildAgentLaunchRouteInput(state, { agent, workspace })
-      const preliminary = hostChatAnswer(
-        roster ? { ...route, hostStructuredAgents: roster } : route
-      )
-      if (!roster || !['yes', 'not-yet-known', 'not-on-host'].includes(preliminary)) {
-        return preliminary
+    hostChatAnswer: answerFor
+  }).map((row) => ({ ...row, executionHostId }))
+  const model: NewTabAgentMenuModel = loading
+    ? {
+        state: 'loading',
+        placeholderCount: Math.max(chatAgents.length, detection.detectedIds?.length ?? 0, 2)
       }
-      const verdict =
-        availability?.state === 'received' ? availability.byAgent.get(agent)?.state : undefined
-      // An agent the host could not check keeps this client's facts; the click's admission decides.
-      return !verdict || verdict === 'refused' ? 'not-on-host' : preliminary
-    }
-  }).map((row) => ({ ...row, executionHostId: parseExecutionHostId(facts.executionHostId)?.id }))
-  return { state: 'settled', rows, detection }
+    : { state: 'settled', rows, detection }
+  return {
+    model,
+    detection,
+    contextKey: JSON.stringify([workspace, launchCwd, facts]),
+    selectionFor: (agent: TuiAgent | null, surface?: AgentLaunchSurface) =>
+      resolveAgentMenuSelection({
+        agent,
+        surface,
+        settings,
+        executionHostId,
+        inventoryReady:
+          target === null ||
+          (detectionTarget !== undefined &&
+            (inventoryFailed ||
+              (detection.detectedIds !== null &&
+                (agent === null || detection.detectedIds.includes(agent))))),
+        answer:
+          target === null
+            ? 'no-chats'
+            : inventoryFailed
+              ? 'not-on-host'
+              : agent === null
+                ? 'yes'
+                : answerFor(agent),
+        chatPending:
+          !unresolvedTarget &&
+          !inventoryFailed &&
+          (capabilityPending || availability?.state === 'pending' || hostCatalogPending),
+        plain
+      })
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-agent-rows-target.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-agent-rows-target.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0162342620d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-agent-rows-target.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import { getNewWorkspaceProjectGroupHostId } from '@/lib/new-workspace-project-options'
+import type { AgentDetectionTarget } from '@/hooks/useDetectedAgents'
+import type { AgentMenuRowsTarget } from '@/components/tab-bar/use-new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+import type { ComposerModel } from './composer-model'
+
+export type ComposerAgentRows = {
+  target: AgentMenuRowsTarget
+  detectionTarget: AgentDetectionTarget | undefined
+}
+
+/**
+ * The workspace the quick-create agent would start in, named the way the create submit names it.
+ * Null where that host is not known until creation (an ephemeral VM): the picker keeps its plain list.
+ */
+export function resolveComposerAgentRows(state: ComposerModel): ComposerAgentRows | null {
+  if (state.isProjectGroupTarget) {
+    const group = state.selectedProjectGroup
+    return group
+      ? {
+          target: {
+            workspace: {
+              kind: 'folder',
+              runtimeEnvironmentId: state.folderTargetRuntimeEnvironmentId,
+              executionHostId: getNewWorkspaceProjectGroupHostId(group)
+            }
+          },
+          detectionTarget: state.folderTargetAgentDetectionTarget
+        }
+      : null
+  }
+  if (!state.resolvedRepoId || (state.ephemeralVmsEnabled && state.selectedEphemeralVmRecipeId)) {
+    return null
+  }
+  const runtimeEnvironmentId = state.selectedRepoRuntimeEnvironmentId?.trim() || null
+  const connectionId = state.selectedRepoConnectionId
+  const runTarget =
+    state.selectedWorkspaceTarget.status === 'ready' ? state.selectedWorkspaceTarget.target : null
+  return {
+    target: {
+      workspace: {
+        kind: state.selectedRepoIsGit ? 'git-worktree' : 'folder',
+        repoId: state.resolvedRepoId,
+        executionHostId: runTarget?.hostId ?? state.selectedRepoExecutionHostId ?? undefined
+      }
+    },
+    // Same inventory host the dialog's own agent list reads.
+    detectionTarget: runtimeEnvironmentId
+      ? { kind: 'runtime', environmentId: runtimeEnvironmentId }
+      : typeof connectionId === 'string'
+        ? { kind: 'ssh', connectionId }
+        : { kind: 'local' }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-contract.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-contract.ts
index 89ff82d54b9..2173dbb5263 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-contract.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-contract.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { ComposerModel } from './composer-model'
+import type { ComposerAgentRows } from './composer-agent-rows-target'
 
 export type ComposerCardSourceProps = Pick<
   ComposerModel,
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ export type ComposerCardSourceProps = Pick<
 >
 
 export type ComposerCardActionProps = {
+  agentRows?: ComposerAgentRows | null
   selectedRepo?: ComposerModel['selectedRepo'] | null
   onRepoChange: ComposerModel['handleRepoChange']
   onProjectChange: ComposerModel['handleProjectChange']
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-props.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-props.ts
index f199e509913..3573f98134a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-props.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-card-props.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { resolveComposerAttachmentTarget } from './composer-attachment-target'
 import { getAttachmentLabel } from '@/lib/new-workspace'
 import { getQuickComposerCreateDisabled } from '@/lib/new-workspace-create-gates'
 import type { ComposerModel } from './composer-model'
+import { resolveComposerAgentRows } from './composer-agent-rows-target'
 import type { ComposerCardActionProps, ComposerCardSourceProps } from './composer-card-contract'
 
 export function buildComposerCardProps(state: ComposerModel) {
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ export function buildComposerCardProps(state: ComposerModel) {
     tuiAgent,
     onTuiAgentChange: setTuiAgent,
     detectedAgentIds: isProjectGroupTarget ? folderDetectedAgentIds : detectedAgentIds,
+    agentRows: resolveComposerAgentRows(state),
     onOpenAgentSettings: handleOpenAgentSettings,
     advancedOpen,
     onToggleAdvanced: () => setAdvancedOpen((current) => !current),
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-submit-model.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-submit-model.ts
index 2455c4e364f..c683a320fab 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-submit-model.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/composer-submit-model.ts
@@ -62,5 +62,8 @@ export type ComposerSubmitModel = {
   ) => QuickSubmitSource | null
   resetForNextCreate: () => void
   submitQuick: (agent: TuiAgent | null, options?: QuickSubmitOptions) => Promise<void>
-  submitFolderTarget: (requestedAgent: TuiAgent | null) => Promise<void>
+  submitFolderTarget: (
+    requestedAgent: TuiAgent | null,
+    options?: QuickSubmitOptions
+  ) => Promise<void>
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/folder-submit-orchestration.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/folder-submit-orchestration.ts
index 036177a4a73..13831b1a874 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/folder-submit-orchestration.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/folder-submit-orchestration.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { QuickSubmitOptions } from './quick-creation-request'
 import type { ComposerModel } from './composer-model'
 
 type FolderSubmitOrchestrationInput = Pick<
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ export function useFolderSubmitOrchestration(input: FolderSubmitOrchestrationInp
   const { canResolveFolderSmartGitHubSubmit } = decisions
 
   const submitFolderTarget = useCallback(
-    async (requestedAgent: TuiAgent | null): Promise<void> => {
+    async (requestedAgent: TuiAgent | null, options?: QuickSubmitOptions): Promise<void> => {
       if (!selectedProjectGroup?.parentPath || folderCreateDisabled) {
         return
       }
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ export function useFolderSubmitOrchestration(input: FolderSubmitOrchestrationInp
           linkedTaskSourceContext: taskSourceContext,
           note,
           quickAgent: agent,
+          launchChoice: options?.launchChoice,
           autoRenameBranchFromWork: settings?.autoRenameBranchFromWork,
           agentCmdOverrides: settings?.agentCmdOverrides,
           agentArgs: agent
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..02486d8d5b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { act, cleanup, renderHook } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { getDefaultSettings } from '../../../../shared/constants'
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
+import type { PreparedQuickSubmit } from './composer-submit-model'
+import { useQuickCreationExecution } from './quick-creation-execution'
+const background = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn())
+vi.mock('@/lib/worktree-creation-flow', () => ({ runBackgroundWorktreeCreation: background }))
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  background.mockClear()
+})
+
+it('carries the accepted route across preparation and retains CLI startup/prompt under chat defaults', async () => {
+  const prepared: PreparedQuickSubmit = {
+    submitLinkedWorkItem: {
+      type: 'issue',
+      provider: 'linear',
+      number: 0,
+      url: '',
+      title: 'Typed note'
+    },
+    agent: 'opencode',
+    submitLinkedIssueNumber: null,
+    submitLinkedPR: null,
+    submitTitleName: null,
+    nameIsAutoManaged: false,
+    smartGitHubCreateNames: { workspaceName: 'fix', displayName: undefined },
+    workspaceName: 'fix',
+    nameWasGenerated: false,
+    smartSubmitBaseBranch: undefined,
+    submitCompareBaseRef: undefined,
+    submitPushTarget: undefined,
+    submitBranchNameOverride: undefined,
+    effectiveSetupDecision: 'skip',
+    hookPreparation: undefined,
+    linkedLinearIssue: undefined,
+    linkedLinearIssueWorkspaceId: undefined,
+    linkedLinearIssueOrganizationUrlKey: undefined,
+    effectiveBranchNameOverride: undefined,
+    submitBaseBranch: undefined,
+    createDisplayName: undefined,
+    pendingFirstAgentMessageRename: false,
+    trimmedNote: 'Fix the checkout'
+  }
+  const settings = { ...getDefaultSettings('/test'), experimentalNativeChat: true }
+  const original = useAppStore.getState().settings
+  const prepare = vi.fn<() => Promise<PreparedQuickSubmit | null>>()
+  const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+    useQuickCreationExecution({
+      clearNewWorkspaceDraft: vi.fn(),
+      createMultiple: false,
+      effectivePresetId: null,
+      ephemeralVmRecipes: [],
+      ephemeralVmsEnabled: false,
+      isSubmissionCancelled: () => false,
+      linkedGitLabIssue: null,
+      linkedGitLabMR: null,
+      normalizedSparseDirectories: [],
+      onCreated: vi.fn(),
+      parentWorktreeId: null,
+      persistDraft: false,
+      persistSetupAgentStartupPolicy: async () => true,
+      prepareQuickSubmit: prepare,
+      resetForNextCreate: vi.fn(),
+      resolvedInitialWorkspaceStatus: undefined,
+      selectedEphemeralVmRecipeId: null,
+      selectedRepoAgentLaunchFact: { kind: 'known', platform: 'darwin', hostKind: 'local' },
+      selectedRepoExecutionHostId: 'local',
+      selectedRepoIsGit: true,
+      selectedRepoIsRemote: false,
+      selectedRepoTarget: { kind: 'local' },
+      selectedRepoStartupShell: 'posix',
+      selectedWorkspaceTarget: { status: 'unavailable', reason: 'no-eligible-repo' },
+      settings,
+      sparseEnabled: false,
+      taskSourceContext: null,
+      telemetrySource: undefined
+    })
+  )
+  try {
+    for (const route of ['terminal-tui', 'structured-native-chat'] as const) {
+      const deferred = Promise.withResolvers<PreparedQuickSubmit>()
+      prepare.mockReturnValueOnce(deferred.promise)
+      let pending: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve()
+      act(() => {
+        pending = result.current.executeQuickCreation(
+          { kind: 'none' },
+          'opencode',
+          'fix',
+          null,
+          'repo-1',
+          { launchChoice: { agent: 'opencode', route } }
+        )
+      })
+      useAppStore.setState({
+        settings: { ...settings, experimentalNativeChat: route === 'terminal-tui' }
+      })
+      await act(async () => {
+        deferred.resolve(prepared)
+        await pending
+      })
+      const request = background.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0]
+      expect(request).toMatchObject({
+        agent: 'opencode',
+        agentLaunchRoute: route,
+        quickPrompt: 'Fix the checkout'
+      })
+      if (route === 'terminal-tui') {
+        expect(request.startup).toMatchObject({
+          launchAgent: 'opencode',
+          command: expect.stringContaining('opencode')
+        })
+        expect(request.startup.command).toContain('Fix the checkout')
+      } else {
+        expect(request.startup).toBeUndefined()
+      }
+    }
+  } finally {
+    useAppStore.setState({ settings: original })
+  }
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.ts
index e662651103b..1e370e4c9d0 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-execution.ts
@@ -174,8 +174,10 @@ export function useQuickCreationExecution(input: QuickCreationExecutionInput) {
 
       const promptDelivery = quickDraftPrompt ? 'draft' : 'auto-submit'
       // Why: the verdict is persisted on the request as data and re-entered once the worktree exists.
-      const agentLaunchRoute = agent
-        ? resolveAgentSessionLaunchRoute(useAppStore.getState(), {
+      const agentLaunchRoute = !agent
+        ? 'terminal-tui'
+        : (options?.launchChoice?.route ??
+          resolveAgentSessionLaunchRoute(useAppStore.getState(), {
             agent,
             workspace: {
               kind: selectedRepoIsGit ? 'git-worktree' : 'folder',
@@ -186,8 +188,7 @@ export function useQuickCreationExecution(input: QuickCreationExecutionInput) {
             },
             prompt: quickDraftPrompt ?? quickPrompt,
             promptDelivery
-          })
-        : 'terminal-tui'
+          }))
       const structuredLaunch = agentLaunchRoute === 'structured-native-chat'
 
       const request = buildQuickCreationRequest({
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-request.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-request.ts
index 1a56baab822..71a69372d5f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-request.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-creation-request.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { AgentStartupPlan } from '@/lib/tui-agent-startup'
 import type { LinkedWorkItemSummary } from '@/lib/new-workspace'
 import type { TaskSourceContext } from '../../../../shared/task-source-context'
 import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../shared/tui-agent'
+import type { AgentLaunchChoice } from '@/lib/agent-menu-selection'
 import type { GitPushTarget } from '../../../../shared/worktree/types'
 import type { SetupDecision } from '../../../../shared/worktree/create-types'
 import { toFolderWorkspaceLinkedTask } from '@/components/sidebar/folder-workspace-composer-helpers'
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ export type QuickCreationRequestInput = {
 
 export type QuickSubmitOptions = {
   setupOnly?: boolean
+  launchChoice?: AgentLaunchChoice
 }
 
 export function buildQuickCreationRequest(
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-submit-action.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-submit-action.ts
index 21013ae3551..b1600f85158 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-submit-action.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/composer-state/quick-submit-action.ts
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export function useQuickSubmitAction(input: QuickSubmitActionInput) {
   const submitQuick = useCallback(
     async (requestedAgent: TuiAgent | null, options?: QuickSubmitOptions): Promise<void> => {
       if (isProjectGroupTarget) {
-        await submitFolderTarget(requestedAgent)
+        await submitFolderTarget(requestedAgent, options)
         return
       }
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index 4ac2fbf3988..c80665cd091 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -3817,6 +3817,7 @@
             "chatNotInstalled": "Not installed",
             "chatNotOverSsh": "No chat over SSH",
             "chatNotInWsl": "No chat in WSL",
+            "chatNotInSubfolder": "No chat in a subfolder",
             "chatNotOnHost": "No chat on this host",
             "chatCheckFailed": "Couldn’t check chat availability",
             "chatLoading": "Checking chat support…",
@@ -19846,7 +19847,8 @@
       "runTerminalUnavailable": "Run terminal is unavailable."
     },
     "agentCombobox": {
-      "clearSelection": "Clear agent selection"
+      "clearSelection": "Clear agent selection",
+      "startInTerminal": "Start {{value0}} in a terminal"
     },
     "newWorkspace": {
       "agentOptional": "Agent [Optional]",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-menu-selection.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-menu-selection.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9fa7f287807
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-menu-selection.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../shared/tui-agent'
+import type { ExecutionHostId } from '../../../shared/execution-host'
+import { isNativeChatDefaultFor } from '../../../shared/structured-native-chat-launch-route'
+import type { AgentLaunchSurface } from './agent-session-launch-plan'
+import type { AgentLaunchRoute } from './agent-launch-routing'
+import type { HostChatAnswer, NewTabAgentMenuSettings } from './new-tab-agent-menu-rows'
+
+/** Accepted renderer intent; route and explicitness remain distinct through admission. */
+export type AgentLaunchChoice = {
+  agent: TuiAgent
+  route: AgentLaunchRoute
+  executionHostId?: ExecutionHostId
+  requestedSurface?: AgentLaunchSurface
+}
+
+export function resolveAgentMenuSelection(input: {
+  agent: TuiAgent | null
+  surface?: AgentLaunchSurface
+  settings: NewTabAgentMenuSettings | null | undefined
+  executionHostId?: ExecutionHostId
+  inventoryReady: boolean
+  answer: HostChatAnswer
+  chatPending: boolean
+  plain: boolean
+}): { ready: boolean; choice?: AgentLaunchChoice; cli: boolean } {
+  const { agent, surface, answer } = input
+  if (agent === null) {
+    return { ready: true, cli: false }
+  }
+  const wantsChat = surface !== 'terminal' && isNativeChatDefaultFor(input.settings, agent)
+  const canBeChat = ['yes', 'not-yet-known', 'not-on-host'].includes(answer)
+  const pending =
+    (surface !== 'terminal' && input.settings == null) ||
+    (wantsChat && canBeChat && input.chatPending)
+  const route =
+    wantsChat && !pending && answer === 'yes' ? 'structured-native-chat' : 'terminal-tui'
+  return {
+    ready: input.inventoryReady && !pending,
+    cli: !pending && !input.plain && route === 'terminal-tui',
+    choice: {
+      agent,
+      route,
+      executionHostId: input.executionHostId,
+      ...(surface ? { requestedSurface: route === 'terminal-tui' ? 'terminal' : 'chat' } : {})
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-session-launch-plan.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-session-launch-plan.ts
index 757728344f6..aa396c02fdc 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-session-launch-plan.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/agent-session-launch-plan.ts
@@ -34,10 +34,13 @@ import type { AgentLaunchRequestId } from '@/lib/agent-launch-request-id'
 import { relearnHostStructuredAgents } from '@/runtime/host-structured-agents'
 import { awaitLocalRuntimeCapabilities } from '@/runtime/local-runtime-capabilities'
 
+/** Which surface the user picked for one launch: the agent's chat, or its CLI in a terminal. */
+export type AgentLaunchSurface = 'chat' | 'terminal'
+
 export type AgentSessionLaunchRequest = AgentLaunchRouteArgs & {
   /** The user action this launch serves, minted where that action is handled. */
   requestId: AgentLaunchRequestId
-  requestedSurface?: 'chat' | 'terminal'
+  requestedSurface?: AgentLaunchSurface
   selectedExecutionHostId?: ExecutionHostId
   resumeFrom?: StructuredAgentSessionResumeSource
   onPromptDelivered?: () => void
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@ export type AgentSessionLaunchRequest = AgentLaunchRouteArgs & {
  */
 export type AgentSessionLaunchVerdict = {
   route: AgentLaunchRoute
-  requestedSurface?: 'chat' | 'terminal'
+  requestedSurface?: AgentLaunchSurface
   /** The user action this launch serves; a re-entry with this verdict is that same action. */
   requestId: AgentLaunchRequestId
   agent: TuiAgent
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.test.ts
index df00b763504..f19198f2a00 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.test.ts
@@ -4,17 +4,22 @@ const launchAgentInNewTab = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn())
 const writeClipboardText = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => undefined))
 const ensureDetectedAgentsForWorktree = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn())
 const toast = vi.hoisted(() => ({ error: vi.fn(), success: vi.fn(), warning: vi.fn() }))
-const store: { settings: { disabledTuiAgents: string[] } } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
-  settings: { disabledTuiAgents: [] }
-}))
+const store: { settings: { disabledTuiAgents: string[]; experimentalNativeChat?: boolean } } =
+  vi.hoisted(() => ({
+    settings: { disabledTuiAgents: [] }
+  }))
 
 vi.mock('@/store', () => ({ useAppStore: { getState: () => store } }))
 vi.mock('@/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab', () => ({ launchAgentInNewTab }))
 vi.mock('@/lib/agent-catalog', () => ({
+  getAgentCatalog: () => [{ id: 'claude', label: 'Claude' }],
   getAgentLabel: (agent: string) => (agent === 'codex' ? 'Codex' : 'Claude')
 }))
 vi.mock('@/lib/agent-detection-target-inventory', () => ({ ensureDetectedAgentsForWorktree }))
 vi.mock('sonner', () => ({ toast }))
+vi.mock('@/runtime/structured-agent-session-client', () => ({
+  callStructuredAgentSession: vi.fn(async () => ({ supported: false, reason: 'wsl' }))
+}))
 vi.mock('@/i18n/i18n', () => ({
   translate: (_key: string, fallback: string, values?: Record<string, string>) =>
     Object.entries(values ?? {}).reduce(
@@ -172,3 +177,51 @@ describe('launchAgentSessionContinuation', () => {
     expect(toast.warning).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 })
+
+it('retains the accepted route across detection, and explicit chat declines without the preference fallback', async () => {
+  const { launchAgentSessionContinuation } = await import('./launch-agent-session-continuation')
+  const { beginHostAdmittedStructuredLaunch } =
+    await import('./structured-agent-session-launch-admission')
+  for (const requestedSurface of [undefined, 'chat'] as const) {
+    const detected = Promise.withResolvers<string[]>()
+    ensureDetectedAgentsForWorktree.mockReturnValueOnce(detected.promise)
+    const pending = launchAgentSessionContinuation({
+      agent: 'claude',
+      prompt: 'continue',
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+      groupId: 'group-1',
+      initialCwd: '/repo/.',
+      launchSource: 'sidebar',
+      launchChoice: {
+        agent: 'claude',
+        route: 'structured-native-chat',
+        executionHostId: 'local',
+        requestedSurface
+      }
+    })
+    store.settings.experimentalNativeChat = false
+    detected.resolve(['claude'])
+    await pending
+    const args = launchAgentInNewTab.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0]
+    expect(args).toMatchObject({
+      initialCwd: '/repo/.',
+      groupId: 'group-1',
+      prompt: 'continue',
+      agentSessionLaunchPlan: { route: 'structured-native-chat', requestedSurface }
+    })
+    const fallback = vi.fn(() => ({ opened: true }))
+    const launch = beginHostAdmittedStructuredLaunch({
+      plan: args.agentSessionLaunchPlan,
+      hooks: {},
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+      executionHostId: 'local',
+      target: { kind: 'local' },
+      openAdmitted: vi.fn(),
+      onHostDeclined: fallback
+    })
+    await expect(launch.settlement).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      kind: requestedSurface ? 'failed' : 'terminal'
+    })
+    expect(fallback).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(requestedSurface ? 0 : 1)
+  }
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.ts
index 080830781f7..ce66ea942b4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-session-continuation.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
 import { isTuiAgentEnabled } from '../../../shared/tui-agent-selection'
 import type { LaunchSource } from '../../../shared/telemetry-events'
 import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../shared/tui-agent'
+import {
+  adoptAgentSessionLaunchVerdict,
+  planAgentSessionLaunch
+} from '@/lib/agent-session-launch-plan'
+import type { AgentLaunchChoice } from '@/lib/agent-menu-selection'
+import { workspaceKindForWorktreeId } from '@/lib/agent-launch-route-input'
 import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
 
 type LaunchAgentSessionContinuationArgs = {
@@ -15,6 +21,7 @@ type LaunchAgentSessionContinuationArgs = {
   worktreeId: string
   groupId?: string | null
   initialCwd?: string | null
+  launchChoice?: AgentLaunchChoice
   launchSource: LaunchSource
 }
 
@@ -65,24 +72,20 @@ export async function launchAgentSessionContinuation({
   worktreeId,
   groupId,
   initialCwd,
+  launchChoice,
   launchSource
 }: LaunchAgentSessionContinuationArgs): Promise<boolean> {
-  if (!(await ensureAgentAvailable(agent, worktreeId))) {
-    return false
-  }
-
   const label = getAgentLabel(agent)
   // Why: the paste helper writes blind when the agent's composer was never observed, so a
   // written prompt is not a delivered one. Claiming success there is how the whole handoff
   // could vanish silently (#22479).
   let deliveryUnconfirmed = false
-  const result = launchAgentInNewTab({
-    requestId: newAgentLaunchRequestId(),
+  const delivery = {
     agent,
     worktreeId,
     ...(groupId ? { groupId } : {}),
     prompt,
-    promptDelivery: agent === 'claude' ? 'draft' : 'submit-after-ready',
+    promptDelivery: agent === 'claude' ? ('draft' as const) : ('submit-after-ready' as const),
     launchSource,
     ...(initialCwd ? { initialCwd } : {}),
     onPromptDeliveryUnconfirmed: () => {
@@ -101,7 +104,21 @@ export async function launchAgentSessionContinuation({
         )
       )
     }
-  })
+  }
+  const request = {
+    ...delivery,
+    requestId: newAgentLaunchRequestId(),
+    workspace: { kind: workspaceKindForWorktreeId(worktreeId), worktreeId },
+    tuiCustomization: { cwd: initialCwd }
+  }
+  // Capture preference routes before detection awaits; only deliberate picks demand a surface.
+  const plan = launchChoice
+    ? adoptAgentSessionLaunchVerdict({ ...request, ...launchChoice, worktreeId })
+    : planAgentSessionLaunch(useAppStore.getState(), request)
+  if (!(await ensureAgentAvailable(agent, worktreeId))) {
+    return false
+  }
+  const result = launchAgentInNewTab({ ...delivery, agentSessionLaunchPlan: plan })
   if (!result) {
     notifyLaunchFailed(label)
     return false
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts
index 28c243c0161..f5b21f97e7a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/new-tab-agent-menu-rows.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+import {
+  structuredAgentLaunchSupport,
+  type AgentLaunchRoutingInput
+} from '@/lib/agent-launch-routing'
+import { STRUCTURED_AGENT_SESSION_REGISTERED_AGENTS_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY as CATALOG } from '../../../shared/protocol-version'
 import type { GlobalSettings } from '../../../shared/global-settings-types'
 import { isNativeChatProviderDisplayedOn } from '../../../shared/native-chat-providers'
 import {
@@ -10,9 +15,48 @@ import { filterEnabledTuiAgents } from '../../../shared/tui-agent-selection'
 import { orderTabLaunchAgents as orderAgents } from '@/components/tab-bar/tab-agent-launch-options'
 
 /** What the workspace's machine says about opening an agent as a chat, installation aside. */
-export type HostChatAnswer = 'yes' | 'not-yet-known' | 'ssh' | 'wsl' | 'not-on-host' | 'no-chats'
+export type HostChatAnswer =
+  | 'yes'
+  | 'not-yet-known'
+  | 'ssh'
+  | 'wsl'
+  | 'subfolder'
+  | 'not-on-host'
+  | 'no-chats'
 
-export type ChatUnavailableReason = 'check-failed' | 'not-installed' | 'ssh' | 'wsl' | 'not-on-host'
+export function hostChatAnswer(input: AgentLaunchRoutingInput): HostChatAnswer {
+  const support = structuredAgentLaunchSupport(input)
+  if (support.supported) {
+    return 'yes'
+  }
+  switch (support.blocker) {
+    case 'runtime-capability-unknown':
+      return 'not-yet-known'
+    case 'agent-without-structured-session':
+      return !input.hostStructuredAgents && input.hostCapabilities?.includes(CATALOG) !== false
+        ? 'not-yet-known'
+        : 'not-on-host'
+    case 'remote-execution-host':
+      return 'ssh'
+    case 'project-runtime':
+      return 'wsl'
+    case 'runtime-capability':
+    case 'client-capability':
+      return 'no-chats'
+    case 'custom-start-directory':
+      return 'subfolder'
+    case 'reused-terminal':
+      return 'yes'
+  }
+}
+
+export type ChatUnavailableReason =
+  | 'check-failed'
+  | 'not-installed'
+  | 'ssh'
+  | 'wsl'
+  | 'subfolder'
+  | 'not-on-host'
 
 export type NewTabAgentMenuRow = (
   | { kind: 'chat'; agent: TuiAgent }