diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-spawn-gate.test.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-spawn-gate.test.ts
index 9ac77756865..2cb0c4e1e8d 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-spawn-gate.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-spawn-gate.test.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,31 @@ describe('TerminalSpawnGate', () => {
     )
   })
 
+  it('counts a remote resume that arrives with a claim but no history seed', async () => {
+    await host.createOrAttach({
+      sessionId: 'remote-resume',
+      cols: 80,
+      rows: 24,
+      agentSessionEnsure: {
+        claim: {
+          digestVersion: 1 as const,
+          keyId: 'key',
+          identityDigest: 'r'.repeat(43),
+          worktreeScopeDigest: 'b'.repeat(43),
+          agent: 'codex' as const
+        },
+        surface: {
+          worktreeId: 'worktree',
+          tabId: 'tab-remote',
+          leafId: '11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111',
+          terminalHandle: 'term_remote'
+        }
+      },
+      streamClient: stream()
+    })
+    expect(gate.snapshot().liveAutomatic).toBe(1)
+  })
+
   it('never charges an attach and frees the live slot when the session exits', async () => {
     await restore('restore-a')
     await host.createOrAttach({
diff --git a/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.test.ts b/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.test.ts
index 934d8421f35..bf1a78ecd64 100644
--- a/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.test.ts
@@ -47,12 +47,11 @@ function mulberry32(seed: number): () => number {
 }
 
 describe('resolveSpawnCharge', () => {
-  it('infers automatic restore for an old caller only from a claim plus a history seed', () => {
+  it('infers automatic restore for an old caller from an agent claim, seeded or not', () => {
     const state = createSpawnAdmissionState(LIMITS, 0)
     expect(resolveSpawnCharge(state, facts(), LIMITS, 0)).toBe('automatic')
-    expect(resolveSpawnCharge(state, facts({ hasHistorySeed: false }), LIMITS, 0)).toBe(
-      'interactive'
-    )
+    // A remote client's resume: fresh terminal id, claim, no history seed.
+    expect(resolveSpawnCharge(state, facts({ hasHistorySeed: false }), LIMITS, 0)).toBe('automatic')
     expect(resolveSpawnCharge(state, facts({ hasAgentSessionClaim: false }), LIMITS, 0)).toBe(
       'interactive'
     )
diff --git a/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.ts b/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.ts
index 7fa69328256..7cf02ae74b7 100644
--- a/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.ts
+++ b/src/shared/host-spawn-admission.ts
@@ -133,9 +133,11 @@ export function resolveSpawnCharge(
   limits: SpawnAdmissionLimits,
   now: number
 ): SpawnCharge {
+  // Why a claim alone: a remote client's `--resume` arrives on a fresh terminal id with no
+  // history seed, so requiring one let every reconnect storm through. An old caller is only
+  // ever paced, so a user-started agent costs at most a short wait during a storm.
   const intent =
-    facts.declaredIntent ??
-    (facts.hasAgentSessionClaim && facts.hasHistorySeed ? 'automatic-restore' : 'interactive')
+    facts.declaredIntent ?? (facts.hasAgentSessionClaim ? 'automatic-restore' : 'interactive')
   if (intent === 'interactive') {
     return 'interactive'
   }