diff --git a/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts b/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts
index a66ec323848..582ba59dc5a 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts
@@ -533,6 +533,9 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
         ...(this.supportsStartupIngress && !attachOnly && opts.startupIngress
           ? { startupIngress: opts.startupIngress }
           : {}),
+        ...(!attachOnly && opts.oscColorQueryReplies
+          ? { oscColorQueryReplies: opts.oscColorQueryReplies }
+          : {}),
         ...(!attachOnly && opts.agentSessionEnsure
           ? { agentSessionEnsure: opts.agentSessionEnsure }
           : {})
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts b/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts
index 731da9eefd5..7c2b2c30112 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { checkPtySpawnHealth } from './pty-subprocess'
 import { createNoopDaemonFileLog, type DaemonFileLog } from './daemon-file-log'
 import { isTuiAgent } from '../../shared/tui-agent-config'
 import { parsePtyStartupIngressIntent } from '../../shared/pty-startup-ingress'
+import { parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors } from '../../shared/terminal-osc-color-reply'
 import { unlinkOwnedDaemonPidFile, unlinkOwnedDaemonTokenFile } from './daemon-spawner'
 import {
   DAEMON_ENDPOINT_LOST_MESSAGE,
@@ -1028,6 +1029,7 @@ export class DaemonServer {
             shellReadySupported: p.shellReadySupported,
             historySeedChunks,
             startupIngress: parsePtyStartupIngressIntent(p.startupIngress),
+            oscColorQueryReplies: parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(p.oscColorQueryReplies),
             ...(p.shellReadyTimeoutMs !== undefined
               ? { shellReadyTimeoutMs: p.shellReadyTimeoutMs }
               : {}),
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/session.ts b/src/main/daemon/session.ts
index 377f0fee184..0c3f6cd8dc1 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/session.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/session.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   type PtyStartupIngressIntent
 } from '../../shared/pty-startup-ingress'
 import { extractOnlyCookedEchoSafeQueryReplies } from '../../shared/terminal-query-reply'
+import type { TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors } from '../../shared/terminal-osc-color-reply'
 import type {
   PendingOutputRecord,
   SessionState,
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ export type SessionOptions = {
   // a reaper, dead sessions and their scrollback emulators accumulate for the daemon's lifetime.
   onExit?: (code: number) => void
   startupIngress?: PtyStartupIngressIntent
+  oscColorQueryReplies?: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
   ownerBackend?: PtyOwnerBackend
 }
 
@@ -206,6 +208,7 @@ export class Session {
     const echoProbe = createPtySlaveEchoProbe(this.subprocess.slavePath)
     this.startupIngress = new PtyStartupIngress({
       ...(opts.startupIngress ? { intent: opts.startupIngress } : {}),
+      ...(opts.oscColorQueryReplies ? { liveOscColors: opts.oscColorQueryReplies } : {}),
       ...(opts.ownerBackend ? { ownerBackend: opts.ownerBackend } : {}),
       write: (data) => this.subprocess.write(data),
       onEmission: (emission) => this.emitSubprocessOutput(emission),
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts
index 114aae91ad2..0a174e352e1 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import type { StartupCommandDelivery } from '../../shared/codex-startup-delivery
 import type { TuiAgent } from '../../shared/types'
 import type { ShellReadyState, TerminalSnapshot } from './types'
 import type { PtyStartupIngressIntent } from '../../shared/pty-startup-ingress'
+import type { TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors } from '../../shared/terminal-osc-color-reply'
 import type {
   AgentSessionClaimedSpawnResult,
   AgentSessionExecutionClaim,
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ export type CreateOrAttachOptions = {
   shellReadyTimeoutMs?: number
   historySeedChunks?: readonly string[]
   startupIngress?: PtyStartupIngressIntent
+  oscColorQueryReplies?: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
   agentSessionEnsure?: {
     claim: AgentSessionExecutionClaim
     surface: AgentSessionSurfaceBinding
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts
index dcc88fada05..935d31aa97c 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export async function createOrAttachTerminalSession(
     shellReadySupported,
     historySeedChunks: opts.historySeedChunks,
     ...(opts.startupIngress ? { startupIngress: opts.startupIngress } : {}),
+    ...(opts.oscColorQueryReplies ? { oscColorQueryReplies: opts.oscColorQueryReplies } : {}),
     wslDistro,
     onExit: () => deps.onSessionExit(opts.sessionId, opts.agentSessionGeneration),
     ...(opts.shellReadyTimeoutMs !== undefined
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/types.ts b/src/main/daemon/types.ts
index 1f067885467..c465336a5cb 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/types.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/types.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ export type CreateOrAttachRequest = {
     shellReadySupported?: boolean
     shellReadyTimeoutMs?: number
     startupIngress?: PtyStartupIngressIntent
+    oscColorQueryReplies?: {
+      foreground?: string
+      background?: string
+    }
     agentSessionEnsure?: {
       claim: AgentSessionExecutionClaim
       surface: AgentSessionSurfaceBinding
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty.ts
index ddc829d2d13..3bedea26245 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty.ts
@@ -226,7 +226,10 @@ import {
 } from '../../shared/setup-agent-sequencing'
 import { dropAgentResumeArgvFromCommand } from '../../shared/agent-resume-argv-drop'
 import { parseWorkspaceKey } from '../../shared/workspace-scope'
-import { getStartupTerminalColorQueryReplyColors } from './terminal-startup-color-query-replies'
+import {
+  getLiveTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors,
+  getStartupTerminalColorQueryReplyColors
+} from './terminal-startup-color-query-replies'
 import {
   assertFolderWorkspacePathUsable,
   getFolderWorkspacePathStatus
@@ -4704,6 +4707,10 @@ export function registerPtyHandlers(
           deadlineMs: 5_000
         }
       }
+      const liveOscColorQueryReplyColors = getLiveTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(args)
+      if (liveOscColorQueryReplyColors) {
+        spawnOptions.oscColorQueryReplies = liveOscColorQueryReplyColors
+      }
       let ptySpawnCommitReported = false
       const reportPtySpawnCommitted = (): void => {
         if (ptySpawnCommitReported) {
@@ -6432,6 +6439,10 @@ export function registerPtyHandlers(
             deadlineMs: 5_000
           }
         }
+        const liveOscColorQueryReplyColors = getLiveTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(args)
+        if (liveOscColorQueryReplyColors) {
+          spawnOptions.oscColorQueryReplies = liveOscColorQueryReplyColors
+        }
         const resolvedPaneSpawnReservationKey = makePaneSpawnReservationKey(
           args.worktreeId,
           args.connectionId,
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/terminal-startup-color-query-replies.ts b/src/main/ipc/terminal-startup-color-query-replies.ts
index 6d6b8ebff42..4f35f18d137 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/terminal-startup-color-query-replies.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/terminal-startup-color-query-replies.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { isTuiAgent } from '../../shared/tui-agent-config'
 import { agentKindSchema } from '../../shared/telemetry-events'
 import type { SleepingAgentLaunchConfig } from '../../shared/agent-session-resume'
 import {
+  parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors,
   terminalOscColorQueryReply,
   type TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
 } from '../../shared/terminal-osc-color-reply'
@@ -56,3 +57,9 @@ export function getStartupTerminalColorQueryReplyColors(args: {
   }
   return normalizeTerminalColorQueryReplyColors(args.terminalColorQueryReplies)
 }
+
+export function getLiveTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(args: {
+  terminalColorQueryReplies?: unknown
+}): TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors | null {
+  return parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(args.terminalColorQueryReplies) ?? null
+}
diff --git a/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts b/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts
index 6601a56ac31..a4b4d0ef513 100644
--- a/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts
+++ b/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts
@@ -945,6 +945,7 @@ export class LocalPtyProvider implements IPtyProvider {
     const startupEchoProbe = createPtySlaveEchoProbe(readPtySlavePath(proc))
     const startupIngress = new PtyStartupIngress({
       ...(args.startupIngress ? { intent: args.startupIngress } : {}),
+      ...(args.oscColorQueryReplies ? { liveOscColors: args.oscColorQueryReplies } : {}),
       ownerBackend: resolvePtyOwnerBackend({
         platform: process.platform,
         shellPath,
diff --git a/src/main/providers/pty-provider-contract.ts b/src/main/providers/pty-provider-contract.ts
index 09f3cda62fd..a90b81bf7c7 100644
--- a/src/main/providers/pty-provider-contract.ts
+++ b/src/main/providers/pty-provider-contract.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { TuiAgent } from '../../shared/types'
 import type { PtyStartupIngressIntent } from '../../shared/pty-startup-ingress'
+import type { TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors } from '../../shared/terminal-osc-color-reply'
 import type { StartupCommandDelivery } from '../../shared/codex-startup-delivery'
 import type { TerminalOscLinkRange } from '../../shared/terminal-osc-link-ranges'
 import type { PtyBackgroundStreamEvent, PtyDataEvent } from './pty-provider-events'
@@ -92,6 +93,8 @@ export type PtySpawnOptions = {
   terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation?: 'auto' | 'powershell.exe' | 'pwsh.exe'
   /** Fresh-spawn-only source authority installed before any PTY output is released. */
   startupIngress?: PtyStartupIngressIntent
+  /** Theme colors for live OSC 10/11 answers after startup query authority closes. */
+  oscColorQueryReplies?: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
   agentSessionEnsure?: {
     claim: AgentSessionExecutionClaim
     surface: AgentSessionSurfaceBinding
diff --git a/src/main/providers/ssh-pty-spawn-request.ts b/src/main/providers/ssh-pty-spawn-request.ts
index 889c0813ee9..0012fa9945d 100644
--- a/src/main/providers/ssh-pty-spawn-request.ts
+++ b/src/main/providers/ssh-pty-spawn-request.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export function buildSshPtySpawnRequest(args: {
           startupIngress: options.startupIngress
         }
       : {}),
+    ...(options.oscColorQueryReplies ? { oscColorQueryReplies: options.oscColorQueryReplies } : {}),
     ...(options.agentSessionEnsure ? { agentSessionEnsure: options.agentSessionEnsure } : {}),
     ...(args.supportsCreateOperation
       ? { agentSessionCreateOperationId: options.agentSessionCreateOperationId }
diff --git a/src/relay/pty-handler.test.ts b/src/relay/pty-handler.test.ts
index b97c1bd0847..c017c497027 100644
--- a/src/relay/pty-handler.test.ts
+++ b/src/relay/pty-handler.test.ts
@@ -1866,6 +1866,40 @@ describe('PtyHandler', () => {
     }
   })
 
+  it('answers live OSC 11 on a POSIX SSH relay and strips the query', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const originalPlatform = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, 'platform')
+    Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'linux' })
+    try {
+      let dataCallback: ((data: string) => void) | undefined
+      const term = {
+        ...mockPtyInstance,
+        onData: vi.fn((cb: (data: string) => void) => {
+          dataCallback = cb
+        }),
+        onExit: vi.fn()
+      }
+      mockPtySpawn.mockReturnValue(term)
+      await dispatcher.callRequest('pty.spawn', {
+        shellOverride: '/bin/bash',
+        oscColorQueryReplies: { foreground: '#2e3434', background: '#ffffff' }
+      })
+
+      dataCallback!('\x1b]11;?\x1b\\\x1b[6n')
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(8)
+
+      expect(term.write).toHaveBeenCalledWith('\x1b]11;rgb:ffff/ffff/ffff\x1b\\')
+      const dataNotifies = dispatcher.notify.mock.calls
+        .filter((call) => call[0] === 'pty.data')
+        .map((call) => call[1] as { data: string })
+      expect(dataNotifies.map((frame) => frame.data).join('')).toBe('\x1b[6n')
+    } finally {
+      if (originalPlatform) {
+        Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', originalPlatform)
+      }
+    }
+  })
+
   it('forwards color queries from a POSIX SSH relay owner', async () => {
     const originalPlatform = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, 'platform')
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'linux' })
diff --git a/src/relay/pty-handler.ts b/src/relay/pty-handler.ts
index 6dd3cd8a7fc..986acce5bd4 100644
--- a/src/relay/pty-handler.ts
+++ b/src/relay/pty-handler.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ import {
   parsePtyStartupIngressIntent,
   type PtyIngressEmission
 } from '../shared/pty-startup-ingress'
+import {
+  parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors,
+  type TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
+} from '../shared/terminal-osc-color-reply'
 import { extractOnlyCookedEchoSafeQueryReplies } from '../shared/terminal-query-reply'
 import { resolvePtyOwnerBackend, type PtyOwnerBackend } from '../shared/pty-owner-backend'
 import { RecentPtyOutputBuffer } from '../main/runtime/recent-pty-output-buffer'
@@ -169,6 +173,7 @@ type ManagedPty = {
   gracefulKillSent?: boolean
   startupIngress?: PtyStartupIngress
   startupIngressIntent?: ReturnType<typeof parsePtyStartupIngressIntent>
+  liveOscColors?: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
   ownerBackend: PtyOwnerBackend
   agentSessionOwners?: AgentSessionOwnerBinding[]
 }
@@ -743,6 +748,7 @@ export class PtyHandler {
     const echoProbe = createPtySlaveEchoProbe(readPtySlavePath(managed.pty))
     managed.startupIngress ??= new PtyStartupIngress({
       ...(managed.startupIngressIntent ? { intent: managed.startupIngressIntent } : {}),
+      ...(managed.liveOscColors ? { liveOscColors: managed.liveOscColors } : {}),
       ownerBackend: managed.ownerBackend,
       write: (data) => managed.pty.write(data),
       onEmission: emitIngressData,
@@ -1611,6 +1617,7 @@ export class PtyHandler {
       params.startupIngressVersion === PTY_STARTUP_INGRESS_VERSION
         ? parsePtyStartupIngressIntent(params.startupIngress)
         : undefined
+    const liveOscColors = parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(params.oscColorQueryReplies)
     const managed: ManagedPty = {
       id,
       incarnationId: randomUUID(),
@@ -1636,6 +1643,7 @@ export class PtyHandler {
         wslDistro: terminalWindowsWslDistro
       }),
       ...(startupIngressIntent ? { startupIngressIntent } : {}),
+      ...(liveOscColors ? { liveOscColors } : {}),
       ...(terminalHandle ? { terminalHandle } : {}),
       ...(managedStartupCommand && (shouldProviderDeliverCommand || rendererShellReadySupported)
         ? {
diff --git a/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-color-answer.ts b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-color-answer.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1ce370b3fc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-color-answer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import {
+  terminalOscColorQueryReplies,
+  type TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors,
+  type TerminalOscColorQuerySlot
+} from './terminal-osc-color-reply'
+import type { PtyOwnerBackend } from './pty-owner-backend'
+import type { PtyStartupIngressIntent } from './pty-startup-ingress-intent'
+
+type ColorReplyDelivery = {
+  answer: (reply: string, onFailed?: () => void) => boolean
+}
+
+export function answerLiveOscColorQuery(args: {
+  slots: readonly TerminalOscColorQuerySlot[]
+  colors: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors | undefined
+  ownerBackend: PtyOwnerBackend
+  delivery: ColorReplyDelivery
+}): boolean {
+  if (!args.colors || args.ownerBackend === 'windows-conpty') {
+    return false
+  }
+  const replies = terminalOscColorQueryReplies(args.colors, args.slots)
+  if (!replies) {
+    return false
+  }
+  for (const reply of replies) {
+    args.delivery.answer(reply)
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+export function answerStartupOscColorQuery(args: {
+  slots: readonly TerminalOscColorQuerySlot[]
+  intent: PtyStartupIngressIntent | undefined
+  answeredSlots: Set<TerminalOscColorQuerySlot>
+  delivery: ColorReplyDelivery
+  onBothSlotsAnswered: () => void
+}): boolean {
+  if (args.slots.some((slot) => args.answeredSlots.has(slot)) || !args.intent) {
+    return false
+  }
+  const replies = terminalOscColorQueryReplies(args.intent.colors, args.slots)
+  if (!replies) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  let wroteAny = false
+  for (const [index, reply] of replies.entries()) {
+    const slot = args.slots[index]
+    if (slot === undefined) {
+      return wroteAny
+    }
+    args.answeredSlots.add(slot)
+    // Why per slot: the replies to one query are written independently, so a
+    // deferred write that fails after reporting success invalidates only its own
+    // claim. Dropping every claim would let a slot that did land be answered a
+    // second time, and a duplicate reply corrupts a parser already mid-read.
+    if (!args.delivery.answer(reply, () => args.answeredSlots.delete(slot))) {
+      args.answeredSlots.delete(slot)
+      return wroteAny
+    }
+    wroteAny = true
+  }
+
+  if (args.answeredSlots.has(10) && args.answeredSlots.has(11)) {
+    args.onBothSlotsAnswered()
+  }
+  return wroteAny
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-contract.ts b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-contract.ts
index 461c6d6c836..d07f0fa2faf 100644
--- a/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-contract.ts
+++ b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-contract.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { PtyOwnerBackend } from './pty-owner-backend'
 import type { PtyStartupIngressIntent } from './pty-startup-ingress-intent'
 import type { PtySlaveEchoProbe } from './pty-slave-line-discipline-echo'
+import type { TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors } from './terminal-osc-color-reply'
 
 export type PtyIngressEmission = {
   data: string
@@ -11,6 +12,13 @@ export type PtyIngressEmission = {
 
 export type PtyStartupIngressOptions = {
   intent?: PtyStartupIngressIntent
+  /**
+   * Live OSC 10/11 answers for the whole PTY lifetime. Distinct from startup
+   * `intent`: that path is once-per-slot and expires. Survey-style readers
+   * (gh auth login) query after that window; a late renderer reply is `\x1b]`
+   * on stdin.
+   */
+  liveOscColors?: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
   ownerBackend?: PtyOwnerBackend
   write: (data: string) => void
   onEmission: (emission: PtyIngressEmission) => void
diff --git a/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-live-osc.test.ts b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-live-osc.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2fff41665e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress-live-osc.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { PtyStartupIngress, type PtyIngressEmission } from './pty-startup-ingress'
+
+const COLORS = { foreground: '#2e3434', background: '#ffffff' }
+const FOREGROUND_REPLY = '\x1b]10;rgb:2e2e/3434/3434\x1b\\'
+const BACKGROUND_REPLY = '\x1b]11;rgb:ffff/ffff/ffff\x1b\\'
+
+function visible(emissions: readonly PtyIngressEmission[]): string {
+  return emissions.map((emission) => emission.data).join('')
+}
+
+describe('PtyStartupIngress live OSC 10/11 answers', () => {
+  afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers())
+
+  it('answers a post-startup OSC 11 query and strips it from forwarded output', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const emissions: PtyIngressEmission[] = []
+    const writes: string[] = []
+    const ingress = new PtyStartupIngress({
+      liveOscColors: COLORS,
+      write: (data) => writes.push(data),
+      onEmission: (emission) => emissions.push(emission)
+    })
+    // gh auth login writes OSC 11 (ST) plus CPR, then survey-reads stdin.
+    ingress.accept('\x1b]11;?\x1b\\\x1b[6n')
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0)
+    expect(writes).toEqual([BACKGROUND_REPLY])
+    expect(visible(emissions)).toBe('\x1b[6n')
+    ingress.accept('\x1b]11;?\x07prompt')
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0)
+    expect(writes).toEqual([BACKGROUND_REPLY, BACKGROUND_REPLY])
+    expect(visible(emissions)).toBe('\x1b[6nprompt')
+    ingress.drainAndClose()
+  })
+
+  it('still answers live OSC 11 after startup query authority expires', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const emissions: PtyIngressEmission[] = []
+    const writes: string[] = []
+    const ingress = new PtyStartupIngress({
+      intent: { colors: COLORS, deadlineMs: 5_000 },
+      liveOscColors: COLORS,
+      write: (data) => writes.push(data),
+      onEmission: (emission) => emissions.push(emission)
+    })
+    ingress.accept('\x1b]10;?\x07\x1b]11;?\x07')
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0)
+    expect(writes).toEqual([FOREGROUND_REPLY, BACKGROUND_REPLY])
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(5_000)
+    writes.length = 0
+    ingress.accept('\x1b]11;?\x1b\\')
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0)
+    expect(writes).toEqual([BACKGROUND_REPLY])
+    expect(visible(emissions)).toBe('')
+    ingress.drainAndClose()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress.ts b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress.ts
index fe1aa041752..f8df0a29391 100644
--- a/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress.ts
+++ b/src/shared/pty-startup-ingress.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 import {
   parseTerminalOscColorQuery,
-  terminalOscColorQueryReplies,
+  type TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors,
   type TerminalOscColorQuerySlot
 } from './terminal-osc-color-reply'
+import {
+  answerLiveOscColorQuery,
+  answerStartupOscColorQuery
+} from './pty-startup-ingress-color-answer'
 import type { PtyStartupIngressIntent } from './pty-startup-ingress-intent'
 import type { PtyOwnerBackend } from './pty-owner-backend'
 import { PtyStartupReplyDelivery } from './pty-startup-reply-delivery'
@@ -38,6 +42,7 @@ const ECHO_CONTINUATION_HOLD_MS = 500
  */
 export class PtyStartupIngress {
   private readonly intent: PtyStartupIngressIntent | undefined
+  private readonly liveOscColors: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors | undefined
   private readonly ownerBackend: PtyOwnerBackend
   private readonly delivery: PtyStartupReplyDelivery
   private readonly onEmission: (emission: PtyIngressEmission) => void
@@ -54,6 +59,7 @@ export class PtyStartupIngress {
 
   constructor(options: PtyStartupIngressOptions) {
     this.intent = options.intent
+    this.liveOscColors = options.liveOscColors
     this.ownerBackend = options.ownerBackend ?? 'posix-pty'
     this.delivery = new PtyStartupReplyDelivery(this.ownerBackend, options.write, options.echoProbe)
     this.onEmission = options.onEmission
@@ -242,7 +248,8 @@ export class PtyStartupIngress {
     const input = combinePtyIngressSourceSpans(this.queryPending, span)
     this.queryPending = null
     const suppressConptyQuery = this.ownerBackend === 'windows-conpty'
-    if ((!this.queryOpen || !this.intent) && !suppressConptyQuery) {
+    const canAnswerColorQuery = Boolean(this.liveOscColors || (this.queryOpen && this.intent))
+    if (!canAnswerColorQuery && !suppressConptyQuery) {
       this.emit(input, false)
       return
     }
@@ -277,7 +284,23 @@ export class PtyStartupIngress {
         this.emit(slicePtyIngressSourceSpan(input, emittedOffset, candidateIndex), false)
       }
       const querySpan = slicePtyIngressSourceSpan(input, candidateIndex, query.endIndex)
-      const answered = this.queryOpen && this.intent && this.answerQuery(query.slots)
+      const answered =
+        this.queryOpen && this.intent
+          ? answerStartupOscColorQuery({
+              slots: query.slots,
+              intent: this.intent,
+              answeredSlots: this.answeredSlots,
+              delivery: this.delivery,
+              onBothSlotsAnswered: () => {
+                this.queryOpen = false
+              }
+            })
+          : answerLiveOscColorQuery({
+              slots: query.slots,
+              colors: this.liveOscColors,
+              ownerBackend: this.ownerBackend,
+              delivery: this.delivery
+            })
       if (answered || suppressConptyQuery) {
         this.emit(querySpan, true, '')
       } else {
@@ -288,39 +311,6 @@ export class PtyStartupIngress {
     }
   }
 
-  private answerQuery(slots: readonly TerminalOscColorQuerySlot[]): boolean {
-    if (slots.some((slot) => this.answeredSlots.has(slot)) || !this.intent) {
-      return false
-    }
-    const replies = terminalOscColorQueryReplies(this.intent.colors, slots)
-    if (!replies) {
-      return false
-    }
-
-    let wroteAny = false
-    for (const [index, reply] of replies.entries()) {
-      const slot = slots[index]
-      if (slot === undefined) {
-        return wroteAny
-      }
-      this.answeredSlots.add(slot)
-      // Why per slot: the replies to one query are written independently, so a
-      // deferred write that fails after reporting success invalidates only its own
-      // claim. Dropping every claim would let a slot that did land be answered a
-      // second time, and a duplicate reply corrupts a parser already mid-read.
-      if (!this.delivery.answer(reply, () => this.answeredSlots.delete(slot))) {
-        this.answeredSlots.delete(slot)
-        return wroteAny
-      }
-      wroteAny = true
-    }
-
-    if (this.answeredSlots.has(10) && this.answeredSlots.has(11)) {
-      this.queryOpen = false
-    }
-    return wroteAny
-  }
-
   private releaseQueryPending(): void {
     if (!this.queryPending) {
       return
diff --git a/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.test.ts b/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.test.ts
index 065c4a6f551..f176203e43a 100644
--- a/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { parseTerminalOscColorQuery } from './terminal-osc-color-reply'
+import {
+  parseTerminalOscColorQuery,
+  parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors
+} from './terminal-osc-color-reply'
 
 describe('parseTerminalOscColorQuery', () => {
   it('matches exact OSC color queries terminated by ST or BEL', () => {
@@ -43,6 +46,17 @@ describe('parseTerminalOscColorQuery', () => {
     expect(parseTerminalOscColorQuery('\x1b]11;?;?\x1b\\', 0)).toEqual({ kind: 'none' })
   })
 
+  it('accepts theme colors that can produce OSC 10 and OSC 11 replies', () => {
+    expect(
+      parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors({
+        foreground: '#2e3434',
+        background: '#ffffff'
+      })
+    ).toEqual({ foreground: '#2e3434', background: '#ffffff' })
+    expect(parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors({ foreground: '#2e3434' })).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(null)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
   it('rejects unsupported query-shaped bodies without waiting for a terminator', () => {
     expect(parseTerminalOscColorQuery(`\x1b]10;?${'x'.repeat(10_000)}`, 0)).toEqual({
       kind: 'none'
diff --git a/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.ts b/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.ts
index cd79b2fd3db..6e11a8c97ee 100644
--- a/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.ts
+++ b/src/shared/terminal-osc-color-reply.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,23 @@ function clampByte(value: number): number {
   return Math.min(255, Math.max(0, Math.round(value)))
 }
 
+export function parseTerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors(
+  value: unknown
+): TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors | undefined {
+  if (!value || typeof value !== 'object') {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  const record = value as { foreground?: unknown; background?: unknown }
+  const colors: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors = {
+    ...(typeof record.foreground === 'string' ? { foreground: record.foreground } : {}),
+    ...(typeof record.background === 'string' ? { background: record.background } : {})
+  }
+  if (!terminalOscColorQueryReply(colors, 10) || !terminalOscColorQueryReply(colors, 11)) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  return colors
+}
+
 export function terminalOscColorQueryReply(
   colors: TerminalOscColorQueryReplyColors,
   slot: TerminalOscColorQuerySlot