diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accept.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accept.ts
index 0582bed3353..979a50d3008 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accept.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accept.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export function acceptPtyDataForRenderer(
   const preservesSeq = !payload.transformed && rawLength === payload.data.length
   const startSeq = typeof outputSeq === 'number' ? Math.max(0, outputSeq - rawLength) : undefined
   const projectionId = projection?.identity.projectionSemanticsId
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (!session.mainWindow || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     if (projectionId) {
       session.sshOutputIntake?.transferProjections([projectionId], 'renderer-destroyed')
     }
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accounting.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accounting.ts
index eddc49be3f2..16fc3520f86 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accounting.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/accounting.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,11 @@ export function clearDeliveryResyncProbe(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
 }
 
 export function requestDeliveryResyncForGatedPty(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
-  if (session.deliveryResyncOutstandingRequestId !== null || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (
+    session.deliveryResyncOutstandingRequestId !== null ||
+    !session.mainWindow ||
+    session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()
+  ) {
     return
   }
   session.deliveryResyncRequestSerial += 1
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/debug-snapshot.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/debug-snapshot.ts
index facc04e4e74..3388ef153f7 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/debug-snapshot.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/debug-snapshot.ts
@@ -46,13 +46,14 @@ export function buildMainDeliveryDiagnostics(session: PtyIpcSession): PtyMainDel
     })
   }
   perPty.sort((a, b) => b.inFlightChars + b.pendingChars - (a.inFlightChars + a.pendingChars))
-  const windowAlive = !session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()
+  const { mainWindow } = session
+  const windowAlive = mainWindow && !mainWindow.isDestroyed()
   return {
     appVersion: getAppEnvironment().getVersion(),
     mainUptimeMs: Math.round(process.uptime() * 1000),
-    windowFocused: windowAlive ? session.mainWindow.isFocused() : null,
-    windowVisible: windowAlive ? session.mainWindow.isVisible() : null,
-    windowMinimized: windowAlive ? session.mainWindow.isMinimized() : null,
+    windowFocused: windowAlive ? mainWindow.isFocused() : null,
+    windowVisible: windowAlive ? mainWindow.isVisible() : null,
+    windowMinimized: windowAlive ? mainWindow.isMinimized() : null,
     msSinceLastPowerSuspend: lastPowerSuspendAtMs === null ? null : now - lastPowerSuspendAtMs,
     msSinceLastPowerResume: lastPowerResumeAtMs === null ? null : now - lastPowerResumeAtMs,
     perPty: perPty.slice(0, DELIVERY_DIAGNOSTICS_MAX_PTYS),
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/exit.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/exit.ts
index 9aba356b3c3..a7575f7c2e6 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/exit.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/exit.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export function preparePtyExitForRenderer(
   session: PtyIpcSession,
   payload: { id: string; code: number; incarnationId?: string }
 ): (() => void) | null {
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (!session.mainWindow || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     session.sshOutputIntake?.transferPtyProjections(payload.id, 'renderer-destroyed')
     return () => {}
   }
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ export function finalizePtyExitForRenderer(
   session: PtyIpcSession,
   payload: { id: string; code: number; incarnationId?: string }
 ): void {
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (!session.mainWindow || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     session.rendererCreditBeforeExitByPty.delete(payload.id)
     return
   }
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export function sendPtyExitToRenderer(
 }
 
 export function sendPtySpawnedToRenderer(session: PtyIpcSession, id: string): void {
-  if (!session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (session.mainWindow && !session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     session.mainWindow.webContents.send('pty:spawned', { id })
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/flush.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/flush.ts
index 038d955a932..ffe3c3014e8 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/flush.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/flush.ts
@@ -50,13 +50,17 @@ export function clearDispatcherReadyWatchdog(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
 
 export function armDispatcherReadyWatchdog(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
   clearDispatcherReadyWatchdog(session)
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (!session.mainWindow || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     return
   }
   // Why: one-shot self-heal — force the gate open if the reloaded page never signals ready, so a dropped handshake can't hold it forever. Unref'd so it can't keep the process alive.
   session.dispatcherReadyWatchdogTimer = setTimeout(() => {
     session.dispatcherReadyWatchdogTimer = null
-    if (session.rendererPtyDispatcherReady || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+    if (
+      session.rendererPtyDispatcherReady ||
+      !session.mainWindow ||
+      session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()
+    ) {
       return
     }
     session.rendererPtyDispatcherReady = true
@@ -77,7 +81,7 @@ export function clearFlushTimerIfIdle(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
 
 export function flushPendingData(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
   session.flushTimer = null
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (!session.mainWindow || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     // Why release now: bookkeeping is being wiped, so no future drain can resume these producers — local shells would wedge.
     session.producerFlowControl.releaseAll()
     session.clearDeliveryResyncProbe()
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/lifecycle-reset.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/lifecycle-reset.ts
index 961c09188a1..475ddcadc0e 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/lifecycle-reset.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/lifecycle-reset.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { WebContents } from 'electron'
+import type { PtyRendererDelivery } from '../session'
 import {
   didFinishLoadHandler,
   didFinishLoadWebContents,
@@ -60,9 +60,14 @@ export function clearRendererLifecycleResetHandlers(): void {
   setRendererLifecycleResetState({ contents: null, handler: null, navigation: null })
 }
 
-export function registerRendererLifecycleResetHandlers(webContents: WebContents): void {
+export function registerRendererLifecycleResetHandlers(
+  webContents?: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents']
+): void {
   clearRendererLifecycleResetHandlers()
   markRendererPtysHiddenForRendererLifecycleReset()
+  if (!webContents) {
+    return
+  }
   const handler = markRendererPtysHiddenForRendererLifecycleReset
   const navigationHandler = (details: { isMainFrame: boolean; isSameDocument: boolean }) => {
     if (!details.isMainFrame || details.isSameDocument) {
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/payload.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/payload.ts
index 119bb173ed7..8be6dfd11dd 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/payload.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/delivery/payload.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export function sendModelRestoreNeededMarker(
   reason: PtyModelRestoreReason,
   markerSeq: number | undefined
 ): boolean {
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  if (!session.mainWindow || session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     return false
   }
   try {
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ export function sendPtyDataToRenderer(
   payload: PtyDataPayload,
   projectionAdmissionIds?: readonly string[]
 ): { sent: boolean; projectionsTransferred: boolean } {
+  if (!session.mainWindow) {
+    if (projectionAdmissionIds) {
+      session.sshOutputIntake?.transferProjections(projectionAdmissionIds, 'renderer-destroyed')
+    }
+    return { sent: false, projectionsTransferred: projectionAdmissionIds !== undefined }
+  }
   const charCount = getPtyPayloadCharCount(payload)
   const accounting = session.rendererDeliveryAccountingByPty.get(id)
   const hadAccounting = accounting !== undefined
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/resize-visibility.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/resize-visibility.ts
index d3326a2df6e..c9f3e92c620 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/resize-visibility.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/resize-visibility.ts
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ export function installPtyResizeVisibilityIpc(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
   ipcMain.removeAllListeners('pty:rendererDispatcherReady')
   ipcMain.on('pty:rendererDispatcherReady', (event) => {
     // Why: the reconcile below destructively clears delivery accounting, so a straggler handshake from a dying window must not reset the new window.
-    if (!isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(event, mainWindow, mainWindow.webContents)) {
+    if (!isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(event, mainWindow)) {
       return
     }
     // Why: a handshake while the gate is already open means a page load whose lifecycle reset was missed; clear the dead page's stale accounting so it can't permanently gate survivors.
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/serialize-buffer.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/serialize-buffer.ts
index d7b5d35d642..1c314875745 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/serialize-buffer.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/serialize-buffer.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export function installPtySerializeBufferIpc(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
     ) => {
       // Why: the snapshot seeds terminal restore state, so only the main window may settle it.
       if (
-        !isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(event, session.mainWindow, session.mainWindow.webContents) ||
+        !isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(event, session.mainWindow) ||
         typeof args?.requestId !== 'string'
       ) {
         return
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ export function requestSerializedBuffer(
   ptyId: string,
   opts?: { scrollbackRows?: number }
 ): Promise<SerializeResult> {
-  if (session.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+  const { mainWindow } = session
+  if (!mainWindow || mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
     return Promise.resolve(null)
   }
 
@@ -106,6 +107,6 @@ export function requestSerializedBuffer(
     if (opts) {
       payload.opts = opts
     }
-    session.mainWindow.webContents.send('pty:serializeBuffer:request', payload)
+    mainWindow.webContents.send('pty:serializeBuffer:request', payload)
   })
 }
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write-input.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write-input.ts
index c7348ddfaef..77b27ef16f0 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write-input.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write-input.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import type { BrowserWindow, IpcMainEvent, IpcMainInvokeEvent, WebContents } from 'electron'
+import type { IpcMainEvent, IpcMainInvokeEvent } from 'electron'
+import type { PtyRendererDelivery } from '../session'
 import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../../runtime/orca-runtime'
 import type { IPtyProvider } from '../../../providers/types'
 import { isPtyWriteUnavailableError } from '../../../providers/pty-write-unavailable-error'
@@ -12,10 +13,12 @@ import { interactiveOutputCharsByPty, lastInputAtByPty } from '../delivery/visib
 
 export function isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(
   event: IpcMainEvent | IpcMainInvokeEvent,
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow,
-  mainWebContents: WebContents
+  mainWindow: PtyRendererDelivery | undefined
 ): boolean {
+  const mainWebContents = mainWindow?.webContents
   return (
+    !!mainWindow &&
+    !!mainWebContents &&
     event.sender === mainWebContents &&
     !mainWindow.isDestroyed() &&
     !(typeof mainWebContents.isDestroyed === 'function' && mainWebContents.isDestroyed())
@@ -26,23 +29,21 @@ export type PtyWritePayload = { id: string; data: string }
 export type PtyViewportClaimPayload = { id: string; cols: number; rows: number }
 
 export function createPtyWriteInput(deps: {
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow
+  mainWindow?: PtyRendererDelivery
   runtime?: OrcaRuntimeService
 }): {
   writePtyInput: (args: PtyWritePayload) => boolean | Promise<boolean>
   writePtyInputAccepted: (args: PtyWritePayload) => boolean | Promise<boolean>
   isPtyWritePayload: (value: unknown) => value is PtyWritePayload
   isPtyViewportClaimPayload: (value: unknown) => value is PtyViewportClaimPayload
-  isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow: (
-    event: IpcMainEvent | IpcMainInvokeEvent,
-    mainWebContents: WebContents
-  ) => boolean
+  isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow: (event: IpcMainEvent | IpcMainInvokeEvent) => boolean
 } {
   const { mainWindow, runtime } = deps
 
   const reportUnavailablePtyWrite = (id: string, error: unknown): void => {
     if (
       !isPtyWriteUnavailableError(error) ||
+      !mainWindow ||
       mainWindow.isDestroyed() ||
       (typeof mainWindow.webContents.isDestroyed === 'function' &&
         mainWindow.webContents.isDestroyed())
@@ -144,10 +145,8 @@ export function createPtyWriteInput(deps: {
     (value as { cols: number }).cols > 0 &&
     (value as { rows: number }).rows > 0
 
-  const isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow = (
-    event: IpcMainEvent | IpcMainInvokeEvent,
-    mainWebContents: WebContents
-  ): boolean => isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(event, mainWindow, mainWebContents)
+  const isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow = (event: IpcMainEvent | IpcMainInvokeEvent): boolean =>
+    isMainWindowPtyIpcEvent(event, mainWindow)
 
   const writePtyInput = (args: PtyWritePayload): boolean | Promise<boolean> => {
     // Why: mobile-presence-lock defense-in-depth — the renderer's onData guard can let one keystroke slip during the state-flip lag, so catch it server-side. See docs/mobile-presence-lock.md.
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write.ts
index 62adcd02113..04065921d07 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/write.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-import type { BrowserWindow } from 'electron'
+import type { PtyRendererDelivery } from '../session'
 import { getPtyIpc } from '../../pty-host-bindings'
 import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../../runtime/orca-runtime'
 import { createPtyWriteInput } from './write-input'
 
 export function installPtyWriteIpcHandlers(deps: {
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow
+  mainWindow?: PtyRendererDelivery
   runtime?: OrcaRuntimeService
 }): void {
   const ipcMain = getPtyIpc()
-  const { mainWindow, runtime } = deps
+  const { runtime } = deps
   const {
     writePtyInput,
     writePtyInputAccepted,
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export function installPtyWriteIpcHandlers(deps: {
   const hostViewportClaimTails = new Map<string, Promise<boolean>>()
 
   ipcMain.on('pty:write', (event, args: unknown) => {
-    if (!isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow(event, mainWindow.webContents) || !isPtyWritePayload(args)) {
+    if (!isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow(event) || !isPtyWritePayload(args)) {
       return
     }
     const claimTail = hostViewportClaimTails.get(args.id)
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export function installPtyWriteIpcHandlers(deps: {
     writePtyInput(args)
   })
   ipcMain.handle('pty:writeAccepted', (event, args: unknown): boolean | Promise<boolean> => {
-    if (!isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow(event, mainWindow.webContents) || !isPtyWritePayload(args)) {
+    if (!isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow(event) || !isPtyWritePayload(args)) {
       return false
     }
     const claimTail = hostViewportClaimTails.get(args.id)
@@ -42,11 +42,7 @@ export function installPtyWriteIpcHandlers(deps: {
 
   ipcMain.removeAllListeners('pty:claimViewport')
   ipcMain.on('pty:claimViewport', (event, args: unknown) => {
-    if (
-      !isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow(event, mainWindow.webContents) ||
-      !runtime ||
-      !isPtyViewportClaimPayload(args)
-    ) {
+    if (!isPtyWriteEventFromMainWindow(event) || !runtime || !isPtyViewportClaimPayload(args)) {
       return
     }
     const prior = hostViewportClaimTails.get(args.id)
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/bind-listeners.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/bind-listeners.ts
index 935d7f60432..31bacec82f7 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/bind-listeners.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/bind-listeners.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export function bindProviderListeners(session: PtyIpcSession): void {
   setLocalWriteUnavailableUnsub(
     localProvider.onWriteUnavailable?.((payload) => {
       if (
+        !session.mainWindow ||
         session.mainWindow.isDestroyed() ||
         (typeof session.mainWindow.webContents.isDestroyed === 'function' &&
           session.mainWindow.webContents.isDestroyed())
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/listener-lifecycle.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/listener-lifecycle.ts
index 2b31257234e..815749582f8 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/listener-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/provider/listener-lifecycle.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { WebContents } from 'electron'
+import type { PtyRendererDelivery } from '../session'
 
 // Why: localProvider.onData/onExit return unsubscribe functions. Without
 // storing and calling these on re-registration, macOS app re-activation
@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ export let localExitUnsub: (() => void) | null = null
 export let localBackgroundStreamUnsub: (() => void) | null = null
 export let localWriteUnavailableUnsub: (() => void) | null = null
 export let didFinishLoadHandler: (() => void) | null = null
-export let didFinishLoadWebContents: WebContents | null = null
-export let rendererLifecycleResetWebContents: WebContents | null = null
+export let didFinishLoadWebContents: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents'] | null = null
+export let rendererLifecycleResetWebContents: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents'] | null = null
 export let rendererLifecycleResetHandler: (() => void) | null = null
 // Why: the hidden-delivery gate registries mirror renderer state; a reload/crash destroys owners without unregistering, so they reset when the renderer is replaced (drop memory preserved).
 export let rendererGateResetLoadHandler: (() => void) | null = null
 export let rendererGateResetGoneHandler: (() => void) | null = null
-export let rendererGateResetWebContents: WebContents | null = null
+export let rendererGateResetWebContents: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents'] | null = null
 // Why: the backgrounded-delivery dedupe map lives in the registerPtyHandlers closure but teardown funnels through module-scope clearProviderPtyState.
 // Why null-init + wrapper fn: see delivery/debug.ts — rolldown const-folds `export let fn = noop` bridges (STA-5661).
 let clearBackgroundedDeliverySyncForPtyImpl: ((id: string) => void) | null = null
@@ -72,14 +72,14 @@ export function setLocalWriteUnavailableUnsub(fn: (() => void) | null): void {
 
 export function setDidFinishLoadHandler(
   handler: (() => void) | null,
-  contents: WebContents | null
+  contents: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents'] | null
 ): void {
   didFinishLoadHandler = handler
   didFinishLoadWebContents = contents
 }
 
 export function setRendererLifecycleResetState(args: {
-  contents: WebContents | null
+  contents: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents'] | null
   handler: (() => void) | null
   navigation: ((details: RendererNavigationDetails) => void) | null
 }): void {
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export function setRendererLifecycleResetState(args: {
 }
 
 export function setRendererGateResetState(args: {
-  contents: WebContents | null
+  contents: PtyRendererDelivery['webContents'] | null
   load: (() => void) | null
   gone: (() => void) | null
 }): void {
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-handlers.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-handlers.ts
index 7794a8ef60a..aaace9fac37 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-handlers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-handlers.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import type { BrowserWindow } from 'electron'
 import { getAppEnvironment } from '../../../shared/app-environment'
 import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../runtime/orca-runtime'
 import type { Store } from '../../persistence'
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ import {
   clearRendererGateResetHandlers,
   clearDidFinishLoadHandler
 } from './delivery/lifecycle-reset'
-import { createPtyIpcSession, type PtyIpcSessionOptions } from './session'
+import { createPtyIpcSession, type PtyIpcSessionOptions, type PtyRendererDelivery } from './session'
 import { wirePtyIpcSession } from './delivery/wire-session'
 import { configureLocalPtyProvider } from './provider/local-configure'
 import { bindProviderListeners } from './provider/bind-listeners'
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ import {
 import { ensureLinuxTerminalOrcaCliShimDir } from '../../cli/linux-terminal-orca-cli-shim'
 
 export function registerPtyHandlers(
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow,
+  mainWindow?: PtyRendererDelivery,
   runtime?: OrcaRuntimeService,
   getSelectedCodexHomePath?: GetSelectedCodexHomePath,
   getSettings?: () => GlobalSettings,
@@ -92,7 +91,7 @@ export function registerPtyHandlers(
   setInvalidatePendingPtyDrainPolicy(() => {})
   // Why: neutralize rebind at the same moment as drain so a daemon replace in this window cannot attach the old accept/exit closures.
   setRebindProviderListeners(() => {})
-  registerRendererLifecycleResetHandlers(mainWindow.webContents)
+  registerRendererLifecycleResetHandlers(mainWindow?.webContents)
 
   const getLocalPtyStartupPromise = (connectionId?: string | null): Promise<void> | undefined => {
     if (connectionId) {
@@ -169,17 +168,19 @@ export function registerPtyHandlers(
     // Why: the daemon pacer must not keep throttling ptys whose hidden marks died with the renderer; the fresh renderer's sync re-marks the still-hidden ones.
     session.resyncBackgroundedDeliveriesAfterGateReset()
   }
-  setRendererGateResetState({
-    contents: mainWindow.webContents,
-    load: resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState,
-    gone: resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState
-  })
-  mainWindow.webContents.on('did-finish-load', resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState)
-  mainWindow.webContents.on('render-process-gone', resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState)
+  if (mainWindow) {
+    setRendererGateResetState({
+      contents: mainWindow.webContents,
+      load: resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState,
+      gone: resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState
+    })
+    mainWindow.webContents.on('did-finish-load', resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState)
+    mainWindow.webContents.on('render-process-gone', resetRendererPtyDeliveryGateState)
+  }
 
   // Why: only LocalPtyProvider PTYs (main-process) can be orphaned on reload; daemon sessions survive by design and cleanup would kill them.
   clearDidFinishLoadHandler()
-  if (localProvider instanceof LocalPtyProvider) {
+  if (mainWindow && localProvider instanceof LocalPtyProvider) {
     const lp = localProvider
     const finishLoadHandler = () => {
       // Why: always advance to keep the generation monotonic, but skip the sweep on crash/freeze-recovery reload — it would kill live local PTYs before session restore (#5787).
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.test.ts
index 7063ec2454d..a1b6f723483 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ describe('registerHeadlessPtyRuntime', () => {
 
     expect(events).toEqual(['handlers', 'hydrate'])
     expect(registerHandlersMock).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    expect(registerHandlersMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]).toBeUndefined()
     expect(hydrateMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(store)
 
     resolveHydration()
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.ts
index 2212fbfac3a..424cb40facd 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-headless-runtime.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import type { BrowserWindow } from 'electron'
 import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../runtime/orca-runtime'
 import type { Store } from '../../persistence'
 import type { GlobalSettings } from '../../../shared/global-settings-types'
@@ -23,21 +22,8 @@ export function registerHeadlessPtyRuntime(
     onPtyExit?: (id: string, exitSequence: number) => void
   }
 ): Promise<void> {
-  // Why: headless `orca serve` has no renderer window but still needs the same PTY handlers so remote clients can drive terminals.
-  // Why a fake rather than null: `registerPtyHandlers` takes a non-null BrowserWindow. `isDestroyed: () => true`
-  // is what makes that safe — every renderer-liveness guard reads it and skips, so no send is ever attempted.
-  // Keep `webContents.isDestroyed` in step with it: guards check both, and a missing method reads as "alive".
-  const headlessWindow = {
-    isDestroyed: () => true,
-    webContents: {
-      isDestroyed: () => true,
-      send: () => {},
-      on: () => {},
-      removeListener: () => {}
-    }
-  } as unknown as BrowserWindow
   registerPtyHandlers(
-    headlessWindow,
+    undefined,
     runtime,
     getSelectedCodexHomePath,
     getSettings,
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/register-without-renderer.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-without-renderer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..513d969f110
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/register-without-renderer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+import { EventEmitter } from 'node:events'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../runtime/orca-runtime'
+import { setupPtyIpcSuite } from '../pty-ipc-test-harness'
+import {
+  getLocalPtyProvider,
+  getPtyRendererDeliveryDebugSnapshot,
+  registerPtyHandlers,
+  registerSshPtyProvider,
+  setPtyOwnership,
+  unregisterSshPtyProvider
+} from '../pty'
+import { registerHeadlessPtyRuntime } from './register-headless-runtime'
+import { onMock } from '../pty-ipc-mock-registry'
+
+vi.mock('electron', () => import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.electronModuleMock()))
+vi.mock('fs', () => import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.fsModuleMock()))
+vi.mock('node-pty', () => import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.nodePtyModuleMock()))
+vi.mock('node:child_process', async (importOriginal) =>
+  (await import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry')).childProcessModuleMock(await importOriginal())
+)
+vi.mock('../../opencode/hook-service', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.openCodeHookServiceModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../mimo/hook-service', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.mimoHookServiceModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../agent-hooks/server', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.agentHookServerModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../pi/titlebar-extension-service', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.piTitlebarExtensionModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../pwsh', () => import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.pwshModuleMock()))
+vi.mock('../../wsl', async (importOriginal) =>
+  (await import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry')).wslModuleMock(await importOriginal())
+)
+vi.mock('../../telemetry/client', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.telemetryClientModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../telemetry/classify-error', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.classifyErrorModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../cli/linux-terminal-orca-cli-shim', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.linuxCliShimModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../memory/pty-registry', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.ptyRegistryModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../agent-hooks/migration-unsupported-pty-state', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.migrationUnsupportedPtyModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../codex/codex-pane-account-registry', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.codexPaneAccountRegistryModuleMock())
+)
+vi.mock('../../codex/codex-state-db-backfill-recovery', () =>
+  import('../pty-ipc-mock-registry').then((m) => m.codexBackfillRecoveryModuleMock())
+)
+
+describe('PTY registration without renderer delivery', () => {
+  const {
+    handlers,
+    mainWindow,
+    mainWindowIpcEvent,
+    installObservableDaemonTestProvider,
+    getPtyWriteListener
+  } = setupPtyIpcSuite()
+
+  it('keeps daemon output and exits flowing to the runtime without renderer work', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const daemon = installObservableDaemonTestProvider()
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService()
+    const setController = vi.spyOn(runtime, 'setPtyController')
+    const onData = vi.spyOn(runtime, 'onPtyData').mockReturnValue(6)
+    const onExit = vi.spyOn(runtime, 'onPtyExit').mockImplementation(() => {})
+    const onLifecycleExit = vi.fn()
+    setPtyOwnership('daemon-pty', null)
+    const initialTimerCount = vi.getTimerCount()
+
+    await registerHeadlessPtyRuntime(
+      runtime,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+      { onPtyExit: onLifecycleExit }
+    )
+    const controller = setController.mock.calls[0]?.[0]
+    expect(controller).toBeDefined()
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(initialTimerCount)
+    daemon.emitData('daemon-pty', 'output')
+    daemon.emitDataGap('daemon-pty', 3)
+    daemon.emitExit('daemon-pty', 0)
+
+    expect(onData).toHaveBeenCalledWith('daemon-pty', 'output', expect.any(Number), 6, undefined)
+    expect(onExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith('daemon-pty', 0, undefined, { providerExitObserved: true })
+    expect(onLifecycleExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith('daemon-pty', expect.any(Number))
+    await expect(controller?.serializeBuffer?.('daemon-pty')).resolves.toBeNull()
+    expect(getPtyRendererDeliveryDebugSnapshot()).toMatchObject({
+      pendingChars: 0,
+      rendererInFlightChars: 0,
+      flushScheduled: false,
+      diagnostics: { windowFocused: null, windowVisible: null, windowMinimized: null }
+    })
+    expect(mainWindow.webContents.on).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(mainWindow.webContents.send).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(daemon.pauseProducer).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('routes local and SSH control to their providers, including attach and buffer snapshots', async () => {
+    const remote = installObservableDaemonTestProvider()
+    const remoteProvider = getLocalPtyProvider()
+    registerSshPtyProvider('ssh-a', remoteProvider)
+    const local = installObservableDaemonTestProvider()
+    const localProvider = getLocalPtyProvider()
+    const localClear = vi.spyOn(localProvider, 'clearBuffer')
+    const remoteClear = vi.spyOn(remoteProvider, 'clearBuffer')
+    const attach = vi.spyOn(localProvider, 'attach').mockResolvedValue({})
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService()
+    const setController = vi.spyOn(runtime, 'setPtyController')
+    const remoteId = 'ssh:ssh-a@@remote-pty'
+    local.getBufferSnapshot.mockResolvedValue({ data: 'local history', cols: 80, rows: 24 })
+    remote.getBufferSnapshot.mockResolvedValue({ data: 'remote history', cols: 100, rows: 30 })
+    await registerHeadlessPtyRuntime(runtime)
+    const controller = setController.mock.calls[0]?.[0]
+    if (!controller) {
+      throw new Error('missing runtime PTY controller')
+    }
+
+    expect(controller.write('daemon-pty', 'local input')).toBe(true)
+    expect(controller.write(remoteId, 'remote input')).toBe(true)
+    await controller.clearBuffer?.('daemon-pty')
+    await controller.clearBuffer?.(remoteId)
+    await expect(controller.attach?.('daemon-pty')).resolves.toBe(true)
+    await expect(controller.attach?.(remoteId)).resolves.toBe(false)
+    await expect(controller.serializeProviderBuffer?.('daemon-pty')).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      data: 'local history'
+    })
+    await expect(controller.serializeProviderBuffer?.(remoteId)).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      data: 'remote history'
+    })
+    expect(local.write).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith('daemon-pty', 'local input')
+    expect(remote.write).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(remoteId, 'remote input')
+    expect(localClear).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith('daemon-pty')
+    expect(remoteClear).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(remoteId)
+    expect(attach).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith('daemon-pty')
+
+    unregisterSshPtyProvider('ssh-a')
+    expect(controller.write(remoteId, 'disconnected input')).toBe(false)
+    await expect(controller.probePtyLiveness?.(remoteId)).resolves.toBeNull()
+    expect(local.write).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects renderer input when no renderer owns the registration', async () => {
+    const daemon = installObservableDaemonTestProvider()
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService()
+    setPtyOwnership('daemon-pty', null)
+    await registerHeadlessPtyRuntime(runtime)
+
+    getPtyWriteListener()(mainWindowIpcEvent, { id: 'daemon-pty', data: 'untrusted' })
+    expect(
+      handlers.get('pty:writeAccepted')?.(mainWindowIpcEvent, {
+        id: 'daemon-pty',
+        data: 'untrusted'
+      })
+    ).toBe(false)
+    expect(daemon.write).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(mainWindow.webContents.send).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('detaches desktop lifecycle listeners and restores delivery after headless re-registration', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const daemon = installObservableDaemonTestProvider()
+    const provider = getLocalPtyProvider()
+    const subscribe = vi.mocked(provider.onData).getMockImplementation()
+    if (!subscribe) {
+      throw new Error('missing daemon data subscription')
+    }
+    const unsubscribe = vi.fn()
+    const onDataSubscribe = vi.spyOn(provider, 'onData').mockImplementation((listener) => {
+      const dispose = subscribe(listener)
+      return () => {
+        unsubscribe()
+        dispose()
+      }
+    })
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService()
+    const onData = vi.spyOn(runtime, 'onPtyData').mockReturnValue(6)
+    const rendererEvents = new EventEmitter()
+    mainWindow.webContents.on.mockImplementation((event, listener) =>
+      rendererEvents.on(event, listener)
+    )
+    mainWindow.webContents.removeListener.mockImplementation((event, listener) =>
+      rendererEvents.removeListener(event, listener)
+    )
+    const renderer = {
+      ...mainWindow,
+      webContents: Object.assign(mainWindow.webContents, { id: 1 })
+    }
+    registerPtyHandlers(renderer, runtime)
+    expect(rendererEvents.listenerCount('did-finish-load')).toBe(1)
+    expect(rendererEvents.listenerCount('render-process-gone')).toBe(2)
+
+    await registerHeadlessPtyRuntime(runtime)
+    expect(rendererEvents.eventNames()).toEqual([])
+    expect(onDataSubscribe).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(unsubscribe).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    mainWindow.webContents.send.mockClear()
+    daemon.emitData('daemon-pty', 'output')
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(20)
+    expect(onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(mainWindow.webContents.send).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    registerPtyHandlers(renderer, runtime)
+    expect(unsubscribe).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    const ready = onMock.mock.calls.findLast(
+      ([channel]) => channel === 'pty:rendererDispatcherReady'
+    )?.[1]
+    ready(mainWindowIpcEvent)
+    daemon.emitData('daemon-pty', 'output')
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(20)
+    expect(onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(rendererEvents.listenerCount('did-finish-load')).toBe(1)
+    expect(rendererEvents.listenerCount('render-process-gone')).toBe(2)
+    expect(mainWindow.webContents.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'pty:data',
+      expect.objectContaining({ id: 'daemon-pty', data: 'output' })
+    )
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/controller-deps.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/controller-deps.ts
index db55b637e57..8f20245505c 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/controller-deps.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/controller-deps.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { BrowserWindow } from 'electron'
+import type { PtyRendererDelivery } from '../session'
 import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../../runtime/orca-runtime'
 import type { Store } from '../../../persistence'
 import type { IPtyProvider } from '../../../providers/types'
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export type PtyRuntimeControllerDeps = {
   trustedTerminalHandleEnv: Set<string>
   retiredRejectedPtyIds: Map<string, NodeJS.Timeout>
   reversibleStopOwnersByPtyId: Map<string, number>
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow
+  mainWindow?: PtyRendererDelivery
   transitionSpawnHiddenRendererPtyDeliveryState?: (id: string, hidden: boolean) => void
   syncPtyBackgroundedDelivery?: (id: string, caller: string) => void
 }
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/operations.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/operations.ts
index 703fa009b7d..f03892a6e31 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/operations.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/runtime/operations.ts
@@ -169,7 +169,9 @@ export async function clearBufferFromRuntimeController(
   ptyId: string
 ): Promise<void> {
   // Why: desktop xterm and daemon/SSH providers hold separate buffers; clear both so mobile resubscribe can't resurrect cleared history.
-  deps.mainWindow.webContents.send('pty:clearBuffer:request', { ptyId })
+  if (deps.mainWindow && !deps.mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
+    deps.mainWindow.webContents.send('pty:clearBuffer:request', { ptyId })
+  }
   try {
     await getProviderForPty(ptyId).clearBuffer(ptyId)
   } catch {
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty/session.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty/session.ts
index 30c6735cde2..e5c59d9b81a 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty/session.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty/session.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { BrowserWindow } from 'electron'
+import type { BrowserWindow, WebContents } from 'electron'
 import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../runtime/orca-runtime'
 import type { Store } from '../../persistence'
 import type { GlobalSettings } from '../../../shared/global-settings-types'
@@ -58,8 +58,15 @@ export type PtyIpcSessionOptions = {
   onPtyExit?: (id: string, exitSequence: number) => void
 }
 
+export type PtyRendererDelivery = Pick<
+  BrowserWindow,
+  'isDestroyed' | 'isFocused' | 'isVisible' | 'isMinimized'
+> & {
+  webContents: Pick<WebContents, 'id' | 'isDestroyed' | 'send' | 'on' | 'removeListener'>
+}
+
 export type PtyIpcSession = {
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow
+  mainWindow?: PtyRendererDelivery
   runtime?: OrcaRuntimeService
   store?: Store
   getSettings?: () => GlobalSettings
@@ -182,7 +189,7 @@ const unsetSessionFn = (): never => {
 }
 
 export function createPtyIpcSession(args: {
-  mainWindow: BrowserWindow
+  mainWindow?: PtyRendererDelivery
   runtime?: OrcaRuntimeService
   store?: Store
   getSettings?: () => GlobalSettings
diff --git a/src/main/orcad/orcad-entry.ts b/src/main/orcad/orcad-entry.ts
index 16df8754d76..02533588e9d 100644
--- a/src/main/orcad/orcad-entry.ts
+++ b/src/main/orcad/orcad-entry.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 /**
- * `orcad` — the Orca runtime served from plain Node, with no Electron.
+ * `orcad` — the Orca runtime served without Electron.
  *
  * Installs the Node host adapters, constructs the same `OrcaRuntimeService` the
  * desktop uses, installs a PTY controller via `registerHeadlessPtyRuntime`, and
  * serves runtime RPC. See docs/design/node-only-runtime-backend.html.
  *
- * Desktop UI surfaces stay uninstalled: no native notifications, no renderer window. The
- * renderer window is faked as a destroyed one because `registerPtyHandlers` takes a
- * non-null `BrowserWindow`. Browser automation is different — it is installed through
+ * Desktop UI surfaces stay uninstalled: no native notifications or renderer delivery.
+ * Browser automation is installed through
  * the runtime factory, but only when an Electron serve sidecar or an operator-supplied
  * Chromium proves available at startup.
  */