diff --git a/src/main/daemon/daemon-create-or-attach-result.ts b/src/main/daemon/daemon-create-or-attach-result.ts
index 6e587537b82..79417577ab7 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/daemon-create-or-attach-result.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/daemon-create-or-attach-result.ts
@@ -8,17 +8,24 @@ export type DaemonCreateOrAttachResult = {
   shellState: ShellReadyState
   historySeeded?: boolean
   launchAgent?: TuiAgent
-  wslDistro?: string
+  /** Undefined only when talking to a daemon predating WSL session context. */
+  wslDistro?: string | null
 }
 
 export function getDaemonSessionResultMetadata(session: {
   launchAgent: TuiAgent | null
   historySeeded: boolean | undefined
   wslDistro: string | null
-}): Pick<DaemonCreateOrAttachResult, 'launchAgent' | 'historySeeded' | 'wslDistro'> {
+}): {
+  launchAgent?: TuiAgent
+  historySeeded?: boolean
+  wslDistro: string | null
+} {
   return {
     ...(session.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: session.launchAgent } : {}),
     ...(session.historySeeded !== undefined ? { historySeeded: session.historySeeded } : {}),
-    ...(session.wslDistro ? { wslDistro: session.wslDistro } : {})
+    // Why: null authoritatively identifies a native session; omission is
+    // reserved for older daemons that predate this wire field.
+    wslDistro: session.wslDistro
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.test.ts b/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.test.ts
index a9f25d5865a..14243aa15eb 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.test.ts
@@ -149,6 +149,38 @@ describe('DaemonPtyAdapter (IPtyProvider)', () => {
       expect(result.id).toContain('wt-1')
     })
 
+    it('keeps a reattached native UNC session native despite a conflicting WSL preference', async () => {
+      const platform = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, 'platform')
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'win32' })
+      try {
+        const sessionId = 'native-conflicting-wsl-attach'
+        const created = await adapter.spawn({
+          cols: 80,
+          rows: 24,
+          sessionId,
+          cwd: '\\\\server\\share\\repo',
+          shellOverride: 'powershell.exe'
+        })
+        const attached = await adapter.spawn({
+          cols: 80,
+          rows: 24,
+          sessionId,
+          cwd: 'C:\\repo',
+          shellOverride: 'wsl.exe',
+          terminalWindowsWslDistro: 'Ubuntu'
+        })
+
+        expect(created.wslDistro).toBeNull()
+        expect(attached.wslDistro).toBeNull()
+        expect(attached.isReattach).toBe(true)
+        expect(lastSpawnOpts?.cwd).toBe('\\\\server\\share\\repo')
+      } finally {
+        if (platform) {
+          Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', platform)
+        }
+      }
+    })
+
     itOnPosix('keeps plain Codex startup on the short daemon shell-ready timeout', async () => {
       await adapter.spawn({
         cols: 80,
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts b/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts
index 5d44eeb71d9..202718eab7f 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/daemon-pty-adapter.ts
@@ -301,10 +301,13 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
 
     let scrollback = restoreInfo ? getRecoveredHistorySeed(restoreInfo) : null
     let result = await createOrAttach(scrollback)
-    wslDistro = result.wslDistro ?? wslDistro
+    let providerWslDistro = result.wslDistro === undefined ? wslDistro : result.wslDistro
+    // Why: explicit null from a current daemon overrides the caller's WSL
+    // preference; undefined preserves compatibility with older daemons.
+    wslDistro = providerWslDistro ?? undefined
     if (wslDistro) {
       this.wslDistrosBySessionId.set(sessionId, wslDistro)
-    } else if (result.isNew) {
+    } else if (providerWslDistro === null || result.isNew) {
       this.wslDistrosBySessionId.delete(sessionId)
     }
     const launchIdentity = (): { launchAgent?: NonNullable<typeof result.launchAgent> } =>
@@ -337,7 +340,7 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
         pid,
         ...launchIdentity(),
         coldRestore: cachedRestore,
-        ...(wslDistro ? { wslDistro } : {}),
+        ...(providerWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: providerWslDistro } : {}),
         ...(!result.isNew ? { isReattach: true } : {})
       }
     }
@@ -361,10 +364,11 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
         effectiveCols = restoreInfo.cols
         effectiveRows = restoreInfo.rows
         result = await createOrAttach(scrollback)
-        wslDistro = result.wslDistro ?? wslDistro
+        providerWslDistro = result.wslDistro === undefined ? wslDistro : result.wslDistro
+        wslDistro = providerWslDistro ?? undefined
         if (wslDistro) {
           this.wslDistrosBySessionId.set(sessionId, wslDistro)
-        } else if (result.isNew) {
+        } else if (providerWslDistro === null || result.isNew) {
           this.wslDistrosBySessionId.delete(sessionId)
         }
         pid = typeof result.pid === 'number' && result.pid > 0 ? result.pid : null
@@ -409,7 +413,7 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
           pid,
           ...launchIdentity(),
           coldRestore,
-          ...(wslDistro ? { wslDistro } : {}),
+          ...(providerWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: providerWslDistro } : {}),
           ...(providerSequence ? { providerSequence } : {}),
           ...(!result.isNew ? { isReattach: true } : {})
         }
@@ -418,7 +422,7 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
         id: sessionId,
         pid,
         ...launchIdentity(),
-        ...(wslDistro ? { wslDistro } : {}),
+        ...(providerWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: providerWslDistro } : {}),
         ...(providerSequence ? { providerSequence } : {})
       }
     }
@@ -458,7 +462,7 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
         id: sessionId,
         pid,
         ...launchIdentity(),
-        ...(wslDistro ? { wslDistro } : {}),
+        ...(providerWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: providerWslDistro } : {}),
         ...(providerSequence ? { providerSequence } : {}),
         ...(isReattach ? { isReattach: true } : {})
       }
@@ -478,7 +482,7 @@ export class DaemonPtyAdapter implements IPtyProvider {
       id: sessionId,
       pid,
       ...launchIdentity(),
-      ...(wslDistro ? { wslDistro } : {}),
+      ...(providerWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: providerWslDistro } : {}),
       snapshot: snapshotPayload,
       snapshotCols: result.snapshot.cols,
       snapshotRows: result.snapshot.rows,
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts b/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts
index 2ee3aeba35b..c5d6c04dfee 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/daemon-server.ts
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ export class DaemonServer {
           pid: result.pid,
           shellState: result.shellState,
           ...(result.launchAgent ? { launchAgent: result.launchAgent } : {}),
-          ...(result.wslDistro ? { wslDistro: result.wslDistro } : {}),
+          wslDistro: result.wslDistro,
           ...(result.historySeeded !== undefined ? { historySeeded: result.historySeeded } : {})
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts
index 5c4ad2d9a69..10cd5733cd3 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-create-contract.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@ export type CreateOrAttachResult = {
   shellState: ShellReadyState
   historySeeded?: boolean
   launchAgent?: TuiAgent
-  wslDistro?: string
+  wslDistro: string | null
   attachToken: symbol
 }
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-wsl-context.test.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-wsl-context.test.ts
index e9fccb7b737..123726beae2 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-wsl-context.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-wsl-context.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,39 @@ describe('TerminalHost WSL context', () => {
     }
   })
 
+  it('returns authoritative null when a native session is attached with a WSL preference', async () => {
+    const spawnSubprocess = vi.fn(() => createSubprocess())
+    host = new TerminalHost({ spawnSubprocess })
+    const platform = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, 'platform')
+    Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'win32' })
+    try {
+      const created = await host.createOrAttach({
+        sessionId: 'session-native',
+        cols: 80,
+        rows: 24,
+        cwd: '\\\\server\\share\\repo',
+        shellOverride: 'powershell.exe',
+        streamClient: { onData: vi.fn(), onExit: vi.fn() }
+      })
+      const attached = await host.createOrAttach({
+        sessionId: 'session-native',
+        cols: 80,
+        rows: 24,
+        shellOverride: 'wsl.exe',
+        terminalWindowsWslDistro: 'Ubuntu',
+        streamClient: { onData: vi.fn(), onExit: vi.fn() }
+      })
+
+      expect(created.wslDistro).toBeNull()
+      expect(attached.wslDistro).toBeNull()
+      expect(spawnSubprocess).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    } finally {
+      if (platform) {
+        Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', platform)
+      }
+    }
+  })
+
   it('uses a remembered distro only when the selected shell is WSL', () => {
     const platform = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, 'platform')
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'win32' })
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty.test.ts
index a8dd387dffe..984bd045431 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty.test.ts
@@ -1414,14 +1414,18 @@ describe('registerPtyHandlers', () => {
       // OpenCode plugin dir, Pi managed extension env, Codex home, and dev-mode CLI
       // overrides were silently missing for daemon users (the common case).
 
-      function setupDaemonAdapter(supportsGitCredentialGuardHost = true) {
+      function setupDaemonAdapter(
+        supportsGitCredentialGuardHost = true,
+        reportedWslDistro?: string | null
+      ) {
         const daemonSpawn = vi.fn(
           async (options: {
             env: Record<string, string>
             sessionId?: string
             isNewSession?: boolean
           }) => ({
-            id: options.sessionId ?? 'daemon-pty'
+            id: options.sessionId ?? 'daemon-pty',
+            ...(reportedWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: reportedWslDistro } : {})
           })
         )
         setLocalPtyProvider({
@@ -1934,6 +1938,67 @@ describe('registerPtyHandlers', () => {
         })
       })
 
+      it('distinguishes an attached native context from an older daemon fallback', async () => {
+        await withWin32Platform(async () => {
+          _setWslCachesForTests({ available: true, distros: ['Ubuntu'] })
+          const settings = {
+            localWindowsRuntimeDefault: { kind: 'wsl', distro: 'Ubuntu' },
+            terminalWindowsShell: 'wsl.exe',
+            terminalWindowsWslDistro: 'Ubuntu',
+            terminalWindowsPowerShellImplementation: 'auto'
+          }
+          const cases: {
+            reportedWslDistro: string | null | undefined
+            expectedWslDistro: string | null
+            sessionId: string
+          }[] = [
+            {
+              reportedWslDistro: null,
+              expectedWslDistro: null,
+              sessionId: 'native-session'
+            },
+            {
+              reportedWslDistro: undefined,
+              expectedWslDistro: 'Ubuntu',
+              sessionId: 'older-daemon-session'
+            }
+          ]
+
+          for (const testCase of cases) {
+            setupDaemonAdapter(true, testCase.reportedWslDistro)
+            const runtime = {
+              setPtyController: vi.fn(),
+              createPreAllocatedTerminalHandle: vi.fn(() => null),
+              preAllocateHandleForPty: vi.fn(),
+              registerPty: vi.fn(),
+              onPtySpawned: vi.fn(),
+              onPtyExit: vi.fn(),
+              onPtyData: vi.fn(),
+              preparePtyExecutionContext: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true)
+            }
+            handlers.clear()
+            registerPtyHandlers(
+              mainWindow as never,
+              runtime as never,
+              undefined,
+              (() => settings) as never
+            )
+
+            await handlers.get('pty:spawn')!(null, {
+              cols: 80,
+              rows: 24,
+              sessionId: testCase.sessionId,
+              cwd: '\\\\server\\share\\repo'
+            })
+
+            expect(runtime.preparePtyExecutionContext).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+              testCase.sessionId,
+              testCase.expectedWslDistro
+            )
+          }
+        })
+      })
+
       it('blocks runtime-created daemon PTYs when project WSL runtime requires repair', async () => {
         await withWin32Platform(async () => {
           _setWslCachesForTests({ available: true, distros: ['Debian'] })
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/pty.ts b/src/main/ipc/pty.ts
index 0c1803d4555..8c6b89d0d48 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/pty.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/pty.ts
@@ -3235,7 +3235,11 @@ export function registerPtyHandlers(
           }
           runtime?.preparePtyExecutionContext?.(
             result.id,
-            args.connectionId ? null : (result.wslDistro ?? expectedWslDistro)
+            args.connectionId
+              ? null
+              : result.wslDistro === undefined
+                ? expectedWslDistro
+                : result.wslDistro
           )
         } catch (err) {
           if ((isMintedSessionId || preparedProvisionalExecutionContext) && effectiveSessionAppId) {
@@ -4228,7 +4232,11 @@ export function registerPtyHandlers(
           }
           runtime?.preparePtyExecutionContext?.(
             result.id,
-            args.connectionId ? null : (result.wslDistro ?? expectedWslDistro)
+            args.connectionId
+              ? null
+              : result.wslDistro === undefined
+                ? expectedWslDistro
+                : result.wslDistro
           )
           spawnTiming.mark('provider_spawn')
         } catch (err) {
diff --git a/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.test.ts b/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.test.ts
index 4e2b189deaa..fcd6235b101 100644
--- a/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.test.ts
@@ -228,11 +228,63 @@ describe('LocalPtyProvider', () => {
 
       const second = await provider.spawn({ cols: 120, rows: 40, sessionId: first.id })
 
-      expect(second).toEqual({ id: 'serve-session-1', pid: 12345, isReattach: true })
+      expect(second).toEqual({
+        id: 'serve-session-1',
+        pid: 12345,
+        wslDistro: null,
+        isReattach: true
+      })
       expect(mockProc.resize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(120, 40)
       expect(spawnMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     })
 
+    it('keeps a native UNC session native on a conflicting WSL reattach', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'win32' })
+      const first = await provider.spawn({
+        cols: 80,
+        rows: 24,
+        sessionId: 'native-session',
+        cwd: '\\\\server\\share\\repo',
+        shellOverride: 'powershell.exe'
+      })
+      spawnMock.mockClear()
+
+      const second = await provider.spawn({
+        cols: 120,
+        rows: 40,
+        sessionId: first.id,
+        shellOverride: 'wsl.exe',
+        terminalWindowsWslDistro: 'Ubuntu'
+      })
+
+      expect(first.wslDistro).toBeNull()
+      expect(second.wslDistro).toBeNull()
+      expect(spawnMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('keeps the first WSL distro on a conflicting distro reattach', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'win32' })
+      const first = await provider.spawn({
+        cols: 80,
+        rows: 24,
+        sessionId: 'wsl-session',
+        cwd: '\\\\wsl.localhost\\Ubuntu\\home\\jin\\repo'
+      })
+      spawnMock.mockClear()
+
+      const second = await provider.spawn({
+        cols: 120,
+        rows: 40,
+        sessionId: first.id,
+        shellOverride: 'wsl.exe',
+        terminalWindowsWslDistro: 'Debian'
+      })
+
+      expect(first.wslDistro).toBe('Ubuntu')
+      expect(second.wslDistro).toBe('Ubuntu')
+      expect(spawnMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
     it('does not reattach numeric caller session ids that can collide after restart', async () => {
       const first = await provider.spawn({ cols: 80, rows: 24 })
       spawnMock.mockClear()
diff --git a/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts b/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts
index fef99e7d4f8..28c5586152c 100644
--- a/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts
+++ b/src/main/providers/local-pty-provider.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ const ptyAgentForegroundContextPaths = new Map<string, string[]>()
 const ptyLastRecognizedForeground = new Map<string, string>()
 const ptyTerminalHandle = new Map<string, string>()
 const ptyInitialCwd = new Map<string, string>()
+// Why: reattach requests carry current settings, not the live process's launch
+// context. Keep the first creator's WSL/native identity for the PTY incarnation.
+const ptyWslDistroById = new Map<string, string | null>()
 // Why: node-pty callbacks must be disposed before environment teardown, but
 // onExit separately owns physical process-exit proof during termination.
 const ptyDisposables = new Map<string, { dispose: () => void }[]>()
@@ -239,6 +242,7 @@ function clearPtyState(id: string): void {
   ptyLastRecognizedForeground.delete(id)
   ptyTerminalHandle.delete(id)
   ptyInitialCwd.delete(id)
+  ptyWslDistroById.delete(id)
   ptyLoadGeneration.delete(id)
   ptyTerminationMode.delete(id)
   ptyPhysicalExits.delete(id)
@@ -518,12 +522,18 @@ export class LocalPtyProvider implements IPtyProvider {
       }
       const existing = ptyProcesses.get(reattachId)
       if (existing) {
+        const existingWslDistro = ptyWslDistroById.get(reattachId)
         try {
           existing.resize(args.cols, args.rows)
         } catch {
           /* Existing PTY may reject resize during teardown; still return the live handle. */
         }
-        return { id: reattachId, pid: existing.pid, isReattach: true }
+        return {
+          id: reattachId,
+          pid: existing.pid,
+          ...(ptyWslDistroById.has(reattachId) ? { wslDistro: existingWslDistro ?? null } : {}),
+          isReattach: true
+        }
       }
     }
     const id = allocatePtyId(reattachId ?? undefined)
@@ -871,9 +881,15 @@ export class LocalPtyProvider implements IPtyProvider {
     }
 
     const proc = spawnResult.process
+    const spawnedShellIsWsl =
+      process.platform === 'win32' && pathWin32.basename(shellPath).toLowerCase() === 'wsl.exe'
+    const spawnedWslDistro = spawnedShellIsWsl ? (launchWslDistro ?? undefined) : null
     createPtyPhysicalExit(id)
     ptyProcesses.set(id, proc)
     ptyInitialCwd.set(id, cwd)
+    if (spawnedWslDistro !== undefined) {
+      ptyWslDistroById.set(id, spawnedWslDistro)
+    }
     // Why both signals: launchAgent is the caller's explicit intent and
     // survives command rewriting (e.g. auth env prefixes); recognition covers
     // callers that pass a bare agent command line without the flag.
@@ -1031,7 +1047,11 @@ export class LocalPtyProvider implements IPtyProvider {
     // briefly 0/undefined if node-pty hasn't observed the forked child yet.
     const rawPid = proc.pid
     const pid = typeof rawPid === 'number' && Number.isFinite(rawPid) && rawPid > 0 ? rawPid : null
-    return { id, pid }
+    return {
+      id,
+      pid,
+      ...(spawnedWslDistro !== undefined ? { wslDistro: spawnedWslDistro } : {})
+    }
   }
 
   // Local PTYs are always attached -- no-op. Remote providers use this to resubscribe.
diff --git a/src/main/providers/types.ts b/src/main/providers/types.ts
index 8b04b0b096a..36f58318c1d 100644
--- a/src/main/providers/types.ts
+++ b/src/main/providers/types.ts
@@ -111,8 +111,10 @@ export type PtySpawnResult = {
   pid?: number | null
   /** Minimal allowlisted launch ownership returned by daemon reattach. */
   launchAgent?: TuiAgent
-  /** Immutable local WSL execution context returned by a daemon session. */
-  wslDistro?: string
+  /** Immutable local WSL execution context returned by a daemon session.
+   *  Null authoritatively identifies a native session; undefined means the
+   *  provider cannot report the context (including older daemons). */
+  wslDistro?: string | null
   /** ANSI snapshot of the terminal screen, present when reattaching to an
    *  existing daemon session. Write this to xterm.js to restore visual state. */
   snapshot?: string