diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.test.ts
index bed6553c415..9d28a1a8b05 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.test.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,19 @@ describe('shouldSkipHiddenRendererOutput', () => {
     ).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('can opt synchronized chunks into model-backed restore for prototype coverage', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldSkipHiddenRendererOutput({
+        foreground: false,
+        canRestoreHiddenOutput: true,
+        startupRendererQueryWindowActive: false,
+        synchronizedOutputActive: true,
+        allowSynchronizedModelRestore: true,
+        data: '\x1b[?2026h\x1b[2J\x1b[H╭ rich 😀 ╮\r\n\x1b[?2026l'
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+  })
+
   it('keeps startup query windows live', () => {
     expect(
       shouldSkipHiddenRendererOutput({
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.ts
index b78319bdb92..c4f81c10827 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/hidden-renderer-skip-eligibility.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export type HiddenRendererSkipEligibility = {
   canRestoreHiddenOutput: boolean
   startupRendererQueryWindowActive: boolean
   synchronizedOutputActive: boolean
+  allowSynchronizedModelRestore?: boolean
   data: string
 }
 
@@ -116,18 +117,21 @@ export function shouldSkipHiddenRendererOutput({
   canRestoreHiddenOutput,
   startupRendererQueryWindowActive,
   synchronizedOutputActive,
+  allowSynchronizedModelRestore = false,
   data
 }: HiddenRendererSkipEligibility): boolean {
   if (
     foreground ||
     !canRestoreHiddenOutput ||
     startupRendererQueryWindowActive ||
-    // Why: DEC 2026 frames can arrive split across chunks; safe-looking rows
-    // may precede rich table/TUI bytes that need live xterm renderer state.
-    synchronizedOutputActive ||
     data.length === 0
   ) {
     return false
   }
+  if (synchronizedOutputActive) {
+    // Why: release behavior keeps split DEC 2026 frames live. The override is
+    // only for proving model-backed replay before shipping richer hidden skips.
+    return allowSynchronizedModelRestore
+  }
   return containsOnlyRestorableHiddenOutput(data)
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.test.ts
index 967da282a5d..4d3dc9c2a25 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.test.ts
@@ -533,6 +533,8 @@ describe('connectPanePty', () => {
     }
     delete (globalThis as unknown as { window?: unknown }).window
     delete (globalThis as Record<string, unknown>).__ptyConnectDiag
+    delete (globalThis as Record<string, unknown>)
+      .__ORCA_TEST_ALLOW_SYNCHRONIZED_HIDDEN_MODEL_RESTORE__
   })
 
   it('does not retain PTY connect diagnostics unless e2e debug state is enabled', async () => {
@@ -3132,6 +3134,82 @@ describe('connectPanePty', () => {
     }
   })
 
+  it('can prototype hidden rich synchronized restore from the headless model', async () => {
+    ;(globalThis as Record<string, unknown>).__ORCA_TEST_ALLOW_SYNCHRONIZED_HIDDEN_MODEL_RESTORE__ =
+      true
+    const { connectPanePty } = await import('./pty-connection')
+    const transport = createMockTransport('pty-id')
+    const capturedDataCallback: {
+      current: ((data: string, meta?: { seq?: number; rawLength?: number }) => void) | null
+    } = { current: null }
+    transport.connect.mockImplementation(async ({ callbacks }: { callbacks: ConnectCallbacks }) => {
+      capturedDataCallback.current = callbacks.onData ?? null
+      return 'pty-id'
+    })
+    transportFactoryQueue.push(transport)
+    const getMainBufferSnapshot = window.api.pty.getMainBufferSnapshot as unknown as ReturnType<
+      typeof vi.fn
+    >
+    const richHiddenFrame = [
+      '\x1b[?2026h',
+      '\x1b[?1049h',
+      '\x1b[2J\x1b[H',
+      '\x1b[?25l',
+      '\x1b[2;36m╭────────────────────────────╮\x1b[0m\r\n',
+      '\x1b[2;36m│ model-backed rich 😀 ███░ │\x1b[0m\r\n',
+      '\x1b[2;36m╰────────────────────────────╯\x1b[0m',
+      '\x1b[6;4H\x1b[?25h',
+      '\x1b[?2026l'
+    ].join('')
+    const visibleTrigger = 'visible-trigger\r\n'
+    getMainBufferSnapshot.mockResolvedValue({
+      data: richHiddenFrame,
+      cols: 96,
+      rows: 18,
+      seq: richHiddenFrame.length + visibleTrigger.length,
+      source: 'headless'
+    })
+
+    const pane = createPane(1)
+    const refresh = vi.fn()
+    const terminal = pane.terminal as typeof pane.terminal & {
+      _core?: { refresh: typeof refresh }
+    }
+    terminal._core = { refresh }
+    terminal.write = vi.fn((_data: string, callback?: () => void) => {
+      callback?.()
+    })
+    const manager = createManager(1)
+    const deps = createDeps({
+      isVisibleRef: { current: false }
+    })
+    const disposable = connectPanePty(pane as never, manager as never, deps as never)
+    await flushAsyncTicks(6)
+
+    capturedDataCallback.current?.(richHiddenFrame, {
+      seq: richHiddenFrame.length,
+      rawLength: richHiddenFrame.length
+    })
+    await flushAsyncTicks(2)
+
+    expect(pane.terminal.write).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(getMainBufferSnapshot).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    ;(deps.isVisibleRef as { current: boolean }).current = true
+    capturedDataCallback.current?.(visibleTrigger, {
+      seq: richHiddenFrame.length + visibleTrigger.length,
+      rawLength: visibleTrigger.length
+    })
+    await flushAsyncTicks(20)
+
+    expect(getMainBufferSnapshot).toHaveBeenCalledWith('pty-id', { scrollbackRows: 5000 })
+    expect(pane.terminal.resize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(96, 18)
+    expect(pane.terminal.write).toHaveBeenCalledWith(richHiddenFrame, expect.any(Function))
+    expect(pane.terminal.write).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(visibleTrigger, expect.any(Function))
+    expect(refresh).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, 39, true)
+    disposable.dispose()
+  })
+
   it('queues visible split-pane PTY bytes when the pane is not active', async () => {
     const { connectPanePty } = await import('./pty-connection')
     const transport = createMockTransport()
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.ts
index 6d48109a9ae..d825916a3d9 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-connection.ts
@@ -420,6 +420,15 @@ function recordPtyConnectDiagnostic(message: string): void {
   }
 }
 
+function shouldAllowPrototypeSynchronizedHiddenModelRestore(): boolean {
+  const target = globalThis as {
+    __ORCA_TEST_ALLOW_SYNCHRONIZED_HIDDEN_MODEL_RESTORE__?: boolean
+  }
+  return (
+    import.meta.env.DEV && target.__ORCA_TEST_ALLOW_SYNCHRONIZED_HIDDEN_MODEL_RESTORE__ === true
+  )
+}
+
 // Why: when multiple panes/tabs need the same deferred SSH connection,
 // the first one calls ssh.connect() and subsequent ones must wait for it
 // rather than returning early (which would leave them disconnected). This
@@ -2609,6 +2618,7 @@ export function connectPanePty(
         canRestoreHiddenOutput: canUseHiddenOutputSnapshot(transport.getPtyId()),
         startupRendererQueryWindowActive: isHiddenStartupRendererQueryWindowActive(),
         synchronizedOutputActive: synchronizedHiddenOutput,
+        allowSynchronizedModelRestore: shouldAllowPrototypeSynchronizedHiddenModelRestore(),
         data
       })
       if (shouldSkipHiddenOutput) {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/terminal-hidden-tui-visual-restore.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/terminal-hidden-tui-visual-restore.spec.ts
index c1e608a03d8..a1fc9e86d3d 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/terminal-hidden-tui-visual-restore.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/terminal-hidden-tui-visual-restore.spec.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
 } from './helpers/terminal'
 
 type HiddenTuiWindow = Window & {
+  __ORCA_TEST_ALLOW_SYNCHRONIZED_HIDDEN_MODEL_RESTORE__?: boolean
   __terminalPtyDataInjection?: {
     inject: (paneKey: string, data: string, meta?: { seq?: number; rawLength?: number }) => boolean
   }
@@ -82,6 +83,15 @@ async function resetHiddenDebug(page: Page): Promise<void> {
   })
 }
 
+async function setPrototypeSynchronizedHiddenModelRestore(
+  page: Page,
+  enabled: boolean
+): Promise<void> {
+  await page.evaluate((enabled) => {
+    ;(window as HiddenTuiWindow).__ORCA_TEST_ALLOW_SYNCHRONIZED_HIDDEN_MODEL_RESTORE__ = enabled
+  }, enabled)
+}
+
 function writeHiddenFrameScript(scriptPath: string, runId: string): void {
   const frames = Array.from({ length: 25 }, (_, frame) => tuiFrame(runId, frame))
   writeFileSync(
@@ -379,6 +389,98 @@ test.describe('Hidden terminal TUI visual restore', () => {
     rmSync(scriptPath, { force: true })
   })
 
+  test('prototypes rich synchronized TUI restore from the headless model', async ({
+    orcaPage,
+    testRepoPath
+  }, testInfo: TestInfo) => {
+    await waitForSessionReady(orcaPage)
+    const firstWorktreeId = await waitForActiveWorktree(orcaPage)
+    const secondWorktreeId = (await getAllWorktreeIds(orcaPage)).find(
+      (id) => id !== firstWorktreeId
+    )
+    test.skip(!secondWorktreeId, 'hidden TUI restore needs the seeded secondary worktree')
+    if (!secondWorktreeId) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    await switchToWorktree(orcaPage, secondWorktreeId)
+    await ensureTerminalVisible(orcaPage)
+    await waitForActiveTerminalManager(orcaPage, 30_000)
+    const hiddenSnapshot = await waitForPaneIdentitySnapshot(orcaPage, 1)
+    const hiddenPane = hiddenSnapshot.panes[0]
+    if (!hiddenPane?.ptyId) {
+      throw new Error('hidden rich model prototype pane did not bind a PTY')
+    }
+    await switchToWorktree(orcaPage, firstWorktreeId)
+    await expect
+      .poll(() => getActiveWorktreeId(orcaPage), {
+        timeout: 10_000,
+        message: 'first worktree did not become active before hidden rich model prototype'
+      })
+      .toBe(firstWorktreeId)
+
+    const runId = randomUUID()
+    const finalMarker = `VISUAL_RESTORE_FINAL_${runId}_24`
+    const scriptPath = path.join(testRepoPath, `.orca-hidden-rich-model-${runId}.mjs`)
+    writeHiddenFrameScript(scriptPath, runId)
+    await resetHiddenDebug(orcaPage)
+    await setPrototypeSynchronizedHiddenModelRestore(orcaPage, true)
+    try {
+      await writeHiddenFrames(orcaPage, hiddenPane.ptyId, scriptPath)
+      await resetHiddenDebug(orcaPage)
+
+      await expect
+        .poll(async () => (await readHiddenDebug(orcaPage))?.hiddenRendererSkipCount ?? 0, {
+          timeout: 10_000,
+          message: 'prototype rich hidden TUI output should skip renderer writes'
+        })
+        .toBeGreaterThan(0)
+      await expect
+        .poll(() => readMainSnapshotSource(orcaPage, hiddenPane.ptyId!), {
+          timeout: 10_000,
+          message: 'prototype rich hidden TUI source did not come from headless model'
+        })
+        .toBe('headless')
+
+      await switchToWorktree(orcaPage, secondWorktreeId)
+      await ensureTerminalVisible(orcaPage)
+      await waitForActiveTerminalManager(orcaPage, 30_000)
+
+      await expect
+        .poll(() => getTerminalContent(orcaPage, 12_000), {
+          timeout: 10_000,
+          message: 'prototype rich headless TUI frame did not restore when visible'
+        })
+        .toContain(finalMarker)
+
+      const content = await getTerminalContent(orcaPage, 12_000)
+      expect(content).toContain(`Frame 024`)
+      expect(content).toContain('╭')
+      expect(content).toContain('├')
+      expect(content).toContain('█')
+      expect(content).not.toContain('Orca skipped hidden terminal output')
+      await expect
+        .poll(() => readTuiCursorState(orcaPage), {
+          timeout: 5_000,
+          message: 'prototype rich headless TUI cursor stayed hidden after restore'
+        })
+        .toMatchObject({
+          hidden: false,
+          initialized: true
+        })
+
+      const screenshotPath = testInfo.outputPath('hidden-rich-model-restore-final.png')
+      await orcaPage.screenshot({ path: screenshotPath, fullPage: true })
+      await testInfo.attach('hidden-rich-model-restore-final.png', {
+        path: screenshotPath,
+        contentType: 'image/png'
+      })
+    } finally {
+      await setPrototypeSynchronizedHiddenModelRestore(orcaPage, false)
+      rmSync(scriptPath, { force: true })
+    }
+  })
+
   test('keeps hidden terminal side effects live while hidden output may restore', async ({
     orcaPage
   }) => {