diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-empty-chat-reuse.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-empty-chat-reuse.test.ts
index 5ca6ee99f6c..67b3671e105 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-empty-chat-reuse.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-empty-chat-reuse.test.ts
@@ -113,10 +113,8 @@ import {
   clearNativeChatDraftCacheForTests,
   writeNativeChatDraftCache
 } from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-draft-cache'
-import {
-  structuredAgentSessionPaneKey,
-  structuredAgentSessionTabId
-} from '../../../shared/structured-agent-session-projection'
+import { structuredAgentSessionTabId } from '../../../shared/structured-agent-session-projection'
+import { structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey } from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-draft-store'
 import { adoptAgentSessionLaunchVerdict } from './agent-session-launch-plan'
 import {
   beginStructuredAgentSessionProvisionalLaunch,
@@ -279,8 +277,8 @@ describe('a second "new chat" with no text', () => {
   it('opens a new chat when the idle chat has a typed draft', async () => {
     pick('plus-pick-1')
     await publishIdle(first.sessionId)
-    const tabId = structuredAgentSessionTabId(first.sessionId)
-    writeNativeChatDraftCache(structuredAgentSessionPaneKey(tabId, first.sessionId), 'half a q')
+    // Under the conversation's key, which the composer and every hand-back write.
+    writeNativeChatDraftCache(structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey(first.sessionId), 'half a q')
 
     expect(pick('plus-pick-2').sessionId).toBe(second.sessionId)
   })
@@ -288,8 +286,7 @@ describe('a second "new chat" with no text', () => {
   it('opens a new chat when the idle chat has an image in its composer', async () => {
     pick('plus-pick-1')
     await publishIdle(first.sessionId)
-    const tabId = structuredAgentSessionTabId(first.sessionId)
-    appendNativeChatAttachmentCache(structuredAgentSessionPaneKey(tabId, first.sessionId), [
+    appendNativeChatAttachmentCache(structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey(first.sessionId), [
       { id: 'shot', path: '/tmp/shot.png' }
     ])
 
@@ -484,6 +481,15 @@ describe('a "new chat" with text', () => {
     )
   })
 
+  it('leaves a starting chat whose draft holds text, given back or typed, to its user', () => {
+    mocks.launch.mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => undefined))
+    const blank = pick('plus-pick-1')
+    writeNativeChatDraftCache(structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey(blank.sessionId), 'my words')
+
+    expect(pick('notes-send', { prompt: 'review notes' }).sessionId).toBe(second.sessionId)
+    expect(readOutbox(blank.sessionId)).toEqual([])
+  })
+
   it('takes an empty chat still starting, as before', () => {
     mocks.launch.mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => undefined))
     const blank = pick('plus-pick-1')
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-different-request.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-different-request.test.ts
index 253a91c85bf..338e5ec8ad6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-different-request.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-different-request.test.ts
@@ -67,10 +67,7 @@ import {
   readNativeChatDraftCache,
   writeNativeChatDraftCache
 } from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-draft-cache'
-import {
-  structuredAgentSessionPaneKey,
-  structuredAgentSessionTabId
-} from '../../../shared/structured-agent-session-projection'
+import { structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey } from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-draft-store'
 import { StructuredAgentSessionCreateRefusalError } from '@/lib/launch-structured-agent-session'
 import {
   getStructuredAgentSessionLaunchLifecycle,
@@ -520,10 +517,8 @@ describe('an empty chat still starting', () => {
 
   it('leaves a chat its user is typing into to them, and opens a new chat for the notes', async () => {
     const blank = startStructuredAgentLaunch(WORKTREE_ID, 'codex', { requestId: 'plus-pick' })
-    const paneKey = structuredAgentSessionPaneKey(
-      structuredAgentSessionTabId(blank.sessionId),
-      blank.sessionId
-    )
+    // The conversation's draft, which its composer writes.
+    const paneKey = structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey(blank.sessionId)
     writeNativeChatDraftCache(paneKey, 'half a question')
 
     const notes = startStructuredAgentLaunch(WORKTREE_ID, 'codex', notesSend)
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-empty-chat.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-empty-chat.ts
index 1d11c7b03d4..2f8b15d91ef 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-empty-chat.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/structured-agent-session-launch-empty-chat.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
-import {
-  structuredAgentSessionPaneKey,
-  structuredAgentSessionTabId
-} from '../../../shared/structured-agent-session-projection'
 import { getStructuredAgentSessionOutbox } from '@/components/native-chat/structured-agent-session-outbox-storage'
 import { readNativeChatDraftCache } from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-draft-cache'
 // The draft store, not the composer hook: the launch must not load the composer (a store cycle).
-import { readNativeChatComposerDraft } from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-draft-store'
+import {
+  readNativeChatComposerDraft,
+  structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey
+} from '@/components/native-chat/native-chat-composer-draft-store'
 
-/** A starting chat is empty until its user sends into it or puts text or images in its composer;
- *  after that it is theirs, and another request never goes into it. */
+/** A starting chat is empty until its user sends into it or puts text or images in its draft (typed,
+ *  or given back); after that it is theirs, and another request never goes into it. Read by the
+ *  conversation's key, which the composer and every hand-back write. */
 export function isStructuredLaunchChatEmpty(sessionId: string): boolean {
-  const paneKey = structuredAgentSessionPaneKey(structuredAgentSessionTabId(sessionId), sessionId)
+  const scopeKey = structuredAgentSessionDraftScopeKey(sessionId)
   return (
     getStructuredAgentSessionOutbox(sessionId).length === 0 &&
-    readNativeChatDraftCache(paneKey).trim() === '' &&
-    readNativeChatComposerDraft(paneKey).images.length === 0
+    readNativeChatDraftCache(scopeKey).trim() === '' &&
+    readNativeChatComposerDraft(scopeKey).images.length === 0
   )
 }