diff --git a/src/main/providers/startup-line-typed-length.live-shell.test.ts b/src/main/providers/startup-line-typed-length.live-shell.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8f6c9106354
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/providers/startup-line-typed-length.live-shell.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+/**
+ * Real-zsh proof for the typed launch lines `startup-line-prompt-carry.ts` lets a prompt ride: a
+ * multi-line line whose every line fits the per-line budget, up to the whole-line budget, reaches
+ * zsh intact through Orca's own wrapper, ready marker and startup write.
+ *
+ * Why a slow user config too: the write is released 1.5 s after spawn even without the marker, and
+ * then lands while the terminal is still line-buffered, where macOS keeps at most MAX_CANON bytes of
+ * one line. The per-line budget is what survives that; a single 1.1 KB line did not.
+ */
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { existsSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import * as pty from 'node-pty'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  createShellStartupOutputScanState,
+  scanShellStartupOutput
+} from '../shell-startup-output-scanner'
+import { selectShellStartupFeatures } from '../shell-startup-features'
+import { isBracketedPasteSafeShell } from '../../shared/startup-command-submission'
+import {
+  TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES,
+  ZSH_MULTI_LINE_STARTUP_LINE_BUDGET_BYTES
+} from '../../shared/startup-line-prompt-carry'
+import {
+  restoreUserDataPathAfterEach,
+  setTestUserDataPath
+} from './local-pty-shell-ready-test-harness'
+
+const ZSH_PATH =
+  process.platform === 'win32'
+    ? ''
+    : (spawnSync('sh', ['-c', 'command -v zsh'], { encoding: 'utf8' }).stdout ?? '').trim()
+
+/** Lines of prompt text, each `perLine` bytes. */
+function promptLines(lineCount: number, perLine: number): string {
+  const words = 'Fix the failing checks on this branch, then explain what changed and why.'
+  return Array.from({ length: lineCount }, (_unused, index) => {
+    let line = `L${index}:`
+    while (line.length < perLine) {
+      line += ` ${words}`
+    }
+    return line.slice(0, perLine)
+  }).join('\n')
+}
+
+let home = ''
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  home = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'orca-typed-line-home-'))
+  setTestUserDataPath(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'orca-typed-line-ud-')))
+})
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  rmSync(home, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 5, retryDelay: 100 })
+})
+
+restoreUserDataPathAfterEach()
+
+/** Types `printf '%s' '<text>' > out` the way a local pane types a launch line; returns what ran. */
+async function typeIntoZsh(text: string, userConfigSeconds: number): Promise<string | null> {
+  if (userConfigSeconds > 0) {
+    writeFileSync(join(home, '.zshrc'), `sleep ${userConfigSeconds}\n`)
+  }
+  const out = join(home, 'out.txt')
+  const done = join(home, 'done.txt')
+  const { ensureShellReadyWrappers } = await import('./local-pty-shell-ready-wrapper-generation')
+  const { getShellLaunchConfig } = await import('./local-pty-shell-ready')
+  const { writeStartupCommandWhenShellReady, STARTUP_COMMAND_READY_MAX_WAIT_MS } =
+    await import('./local-pty-shell-ready-startup-command')
+  ensureShellReadyWrappers()
+  const env: Record<string, string> = { PATH: '/usr/bin:/bin', HOME: home }
+  const launch = getShellLaunchConfig(
+    ZSH_PATH,
+    selectShellStartupFeatures({
+      shellPath: ZSH_PATH,
+      env,
+      hasStartupCommand: true,
+      waitsForShellReady: true,
+      emitsStartupIdentity: false
+    })
+  )
+  expect(launch.supportsReadyMarker).toBe(true)
+  const proc = pty.spawn(ZSH_PATH, launch.args ?? [], {
+    name: 'xterm-256color',
+    cols: 200,
+    rows: 40,
+    cwd: home,
+    // Why ORCA_ORIG_ZDOTDIR: the user's config is read from the sandbox home, not the real one.
+    env: { ...env, ...launch.env, ORCA_ORIG_ZDOTDIR: home, TERM: 'xterm-256color' }
+  })
+  const scan = createShellStartupOutputScanState()
+  let resolveReady: ((signal: { postMarkerBytesObserved: boolean }) => void) | null = null
+  const ready = new Promise<{ postMarkerBytesObserved: boolean }>((resolve) => {
+    resolveReady = resolve
+  })
+  // The provider's cap (local-pty-shell-readiness-session.ts): a later marker releases the write.
+  const cap = setTimeout(() => {
+    resolveReady?.({ postMarkerBytesObserved: false })
+    resolveReady = null
+  }, STARTUP_COMMAND_READY_MAX_WAIT_MS)
+  proc.onData((data) => {
+    if (resolveReady && scanShellStartupOutput(scan, data).ready) {
+      resolveReady({ postMarkerBytesObserved: true })
+      resolveReady = null
+    }
+  })
+  writeStartupCommandWhenShellReady(
+    ready,
+    proc,
+    `printf '%s' '${text}' > '${out}'; printf ok > '${done}'`,
+    () => {},
+    {
+      bracketedPasteSafe: isBracketedPasteSafeShell({
+        shellName: 'zsh',
+        waitsForShellReady: launch.supportsReadyMarker === true
+      })
+    }
+  )
+  const deadline = Date.now() + 20_000 + userConfigSeconds * 1000
+  while (!existsSync(done) && Date.now() < deadline) {
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50))
+  }
+  clearTimeout(cap)
+  const ran = existsSync(out) ? readFileSync(out, 'utf8') : null
+  const exited = new Promise<void>((resolve) => proc.onExit(() => resolve()))
+  proc.kill()
+  await Promise.race([exited, new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 2000))])
+  return ran
+}
+
+describe.skipIf(!ZSH_PATH)('a multi-line launch line typed into zsh', () => {
+  // Lines at the per-line budget, as many as the whole-line budget leaves room for.
+  const perLine = TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES - 1
+  const text = promptLines(
+    Math.floor((ZSH_MULTI_LINE_STARTUP_LINE_BUDGET_BYTES - 200) / (perLine + 1)),
+    perLine
+  )
+
+  it('arrives whole through the ready barrier', async () => {
+    expect(await typeIntoZsh(text, 0)).toBe(text)
+  }, 60_000)
+
+  it('arrives whole when the user config outlasts the barrier and the write lands early', async () => {
+    expect(await typeIntoZsh(text, 3)).toBe(text)
+  }, 60_000)
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/agent-launch-typed-line-shell.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/agent-launch-typed-line-shell.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1ef35b85292
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/agent-launch-typed-line-shell.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { nameLocalTypedLineShell } from './agent-launch-typed-line-shell'
+
+describe('naming the shell a local launch line is typed into', () => {
+  it('takes the request’s shell first, then the setting, then SHELL, as the spawn does', () => {
+    const base = { isRemote: false, platform: 'darwin' as const, envShell: '/bin/bash' }
+    expect(
+      nameLocalTypedLineShell({
+        ...base,
+        shellOverride: '/opt/homebrew/bin/fish',
+        defaultShellSetting: '/bin/zsh'
+      })
+    ).toBe('fish')
+    expect(nameLocalTypedLineShell({ ...base, defaultShellSetting: ' /bin/zsh ' })).toBe('zsh')
+    expect(nameLocalTypedLineShell(base)).toBe('bash')
+    expect(nameLocalTypedLineShell({ ...base, envShell: '' })).toBe('zsh')
+  })
+
+  it('names none for a remote host, whose relay picks its own login shell', () => {
+    expect(
+      nameLocalTypedLineShell({ isRemote: true, platform: 'darwin', envShell: '/bin/zsh' })
+    ).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('names none on Windows, where the pane may be cmd, PowerShell, Git Bash or WSL', () => {
+    expect(
+      nameLocalTypedLineShell({ isRemote: false, platform: 'win32', envShell: '/bin/zsh' })
+    ).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/agent-launch-typed-line-shell.ts b/src/main/runtime/agent-launch-typed-line-shell.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6a7f83c048b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/agent-launch-typed-line-shell.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { basename } from 'node:path'
+
+/**
+ * The shell a local pane's startup line gets typed into, named before the spawn the way the spawn
+ * picks it: the request's shell, the default-shell setting, then `SHELL`
+ * (`ipc/pty/runtime/spawn-preflight.ts`, then the local or daemon launch plan).
+ *
+ * Undefined where the host cannot name it: a remote host, whose relay picks its own login shell,
+ * and Windows, whose pane may be cmd, PowerShell, Git Bash or a WSL distro.
+ */
+export function nameLocalTypedLineShell(args: {
+  isRemote: boolean
+  shellOverride?: string
+  defaultShellSetting?: string
+  platform?: NodeJS.Platform
+  envShell?: string
+}): string | undefined {
+  if (args.isRemote || (args.platform ?? process.platform) === 'win32') {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  const shellPath =
+    args.shellOverride?.trim() ||
+    args.defaultShellSetting?.trim() ||
+    (args.envShell ?? process.env.SHELL) ||
+    '/bin/zsh'
+  return basename(shellPath).toLowerCase()
+}
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/agent-terminal-startup-prompt.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/agent-terminal-startup-prompt.test.ts
index c6b7370a30a..cdf6cd16dbb 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/agent-terminal-startup-prompt.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/agent-terminal-startup-prompt.test.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ vi.mock('electron', () => ({
   app: { getPath: vi.fn(() => '/tmp') }
 }))
 
-function runtimeWithAgentLaunch(): {
+// The shell the host names for a local line; bash takes no multi-line line, zsh does.
+function runtimeWithAgentLaunch(
+  options: { terminalDefaultShell?: string; connectionId?: string } = {}
+): {
   runtime: OrcaRuntimeService
   spawn: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>
 } {
@@ -27,11 +30,13 @@ function runtimeWithAgentLaunch(): {
     store: { getSettings: () => Record<string, unknown> }
     resolveTerminalWorkspaceLaunchScope: (selector: string) => Promise<unknown>
   }
-  internal.store = { getSettings: () => ({}) }
+  internal.store = {
+    getSettings: () => ({ terminalDefaultShell: options.terminalDefaultShell ?? '/bin/bash' })
+  }
   vi.spyOn(internal, 'resolveTerminalWorkspaceLaunchScope').mockResolvedValue({
     id: 'wt-1',
     path: '/repo/app',
-    connectionId: null,
+    connectionId: options.connectionId ?? null,
     repo: null,
     folderWorkspace: null
   })
@@ -83,6 +88,37 @@ describe('a terminal create that is handed a launch prompt', () => {
     expect(onStartupPromptCarry).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false)
   })
 
+  it('carries a short-lined multi-line prompt on a local zsh line, so the agent starts with it', async () => {
+    const { runtime, spawn } = runtimeWithAgentLaunch({ terminalDefaultShell: '/bin/zsh' })
+    const onStartupPromptCarry = vi.fn()
+
+    await runtime.createTerminal('id:wt-1', {
+      startupAgent: 'claude',
+      startupPrompt: 'summarize the diff\nthen list the risks',
+      onStartupPromptCarry
+    })
+
+    expect(spawnedCommand(spawn)).toContain('summarize the diff\nthen list the risks')
+    expect(onStartupPromptCarry).toHaveBeenCalledWith(true)
+  })
+
+  it('starts clean on a remote host, whose shell this host cannot name', async () => {
+    const { runtime, spawn } = runtimeWithAgentLaunch({
+      terminalDefaultShell: '/bin/zsh',
+      connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+    })
+    const onStartupPromptCarry = vi.fn()
+
+    await runtime.createTerminal('id:wt-1', {
+      startupAgent: 'claude',
+      startupPrompt: 'summarize the diff\nthen list the risks',
+      onStartupPromptCarry
+    })
+
+    expect(spawnedCommand(spawn)).not.toContain('summarize')
+    expect(onStartupPromptCarry).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false)
+  })
+
   it('starts Hermes clean instead of refusing when its env budget cannot hold the prompt', async () => {
     const { runtime, spawn } = runtimeWithAgentLaunch()
     const onStartupPromptCarry = vi.fn()
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-worktree-removal-target.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-worktree-removal-target.ts
index 2ec280f056b..415a1b82964 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-worktree-removal-target.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-worktree-removal-target.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { resolveLocalProjectRuntimeForWorktreeId } from '../local-project-runtim
 import { resolveBareAgentLaunchCommand } from './runtime-agent-launch-resolution'
 import { agentPromptRidesLaunchCommand } from '../../shared/tui-agent-startup'
 import { planStartupWithPromptCandidate } from '../../shared/startup-line-prompt-carry'
+import { nameLocalTypedLineShell } from './agent-launch-typed-line-shell'
 import { resolveAgentStartupPlanInputs } from '../../shared/agent-startup-plan-inputs'
 import { agentStartedTelemetry } from '../agent-launch/agent-started-telemetry'
 
@@ -232,7 +233,14 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeWithResolveWorktreeRemovalTarget extends OrcaRuntimeWith
         windowsShellOverride: opts.shellOverride,
         sessionOptions: this.toAgentSessionOptions(opts.launchPreferences)
       }),
-      opts.startupPrompt ?? ''
+      opts.startupPrompt ?? '',
+      nameLocalTypedLineShell({
+        isRemote,
+        ...(opts.shellOverride ? { shellOverride: opts.shellOverride } : {}),
+        ...(settings.terminalDefaultShell
+          ? { defaultShellSetting: settings.terminalDefaultShell }
+          : {})
+      })
     )
     if (!startupPlan) {
       // Why: an explicit agent that yields no plan would otherwise spawn a bare
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-store-contract.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-store-contract.ts
index 43fe59b34e1..a39e7797583 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-store-contract.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-store-contract.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ export type RuntimeStore = {
     agentDefaultArgs?: GlobalSettings['agentDefaultArgs']
     agentDefaultEnv?: GlobalSettings['agentDefaultEnv']
     terminalWindowsShell?: GlobalSettings['terminalWindowsShell']
+    // Read by the launch-line carry rule to name the shell a local line is typed into.
+    terminalDefaultShell?: GlobalSettings['terminalDefaultShell']
     floatingTerminalEnabled?: GlobalSettings['floatingTerminalEnabled']
     agentStatusHooksEnabled?: GlobalSettings['agentStatusHooksEnabled']
     terminalCopyTrimsGutter?: GlobalSettings['terminalCopyTrimsGutter']
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.test.ts
index 9d90ef4900f..fe82665de5d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.test.ts
@@ -109,10 +109,10 @@ describe('buildWorktreeStartupForAgent host resolution', () => {
 })
 
 describe('buildWorktreeStartupForAgent prompt carry', () => {
-  const build = (onPromptCarry?: (carried: boolean) => void) =>
+  const build = (onPromptCarry?: (carried: boolean) => void, terminalDefaultShell = '/bin/bash') =>
     buildWorktreeStartupForAgent({
       repo: makeRepo({}),
-      settings,
+      settings: Object.assign({}, settings, { terminalDefaultShell }),
       agent: 'claude',
       prompt: 'summarize the diff\nthen list the risks',
       getLaunchPlatform: () => 'linux',
@@ -129,6 +129,14 @@ describe('buildWorktreeStartupForAgent prompt carry', () => {
     expect(onPromptCarry).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false)
   })
 
+  it('carries a short-lined multi-line prompt on a local zsh line, as main typed it', () => {
+    const onPromptCarry = vi.fn()
+    const result = build(onPromptCarry, '/bin/zsh')
+
+    expect(result.startup.command).toContain('summarize the diff\nthen list the risks')
+    expect(onPromptCarry).toHaveBeenCalledWith(true)
+  })
+
   it('keeps folding the prompt for a caller that delivers nothing afterwards', () => {
     // `orca worktree create --prompt` has no post-start paste of its own for an argv agent.
     expect(build().startup.command).toContain('summarize the diff')
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.ts
index 23069c0be03..139679ba705 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { isTuiAgentEnabled, pickTuiAgent } from '../../shared/tui-agent-selectio
 import { resolveAgentStartupPlanInputs } from '../../shared/agent-startup-plan-inputs'
 import { buildAgentDraftLaunchPlan, buildAgentStartupPlan } from '../../shared/tui-agent-startup'
 import { planStartupWithPromptCandidate } from '../../shared/startup-line-prompt-carry'
+import { nameLocalTypedLineShell } from './agent-launch-typed-line-shell'
 import {
   detectInstalledAgentsWithShellPathHydration,
   detectRemoteAgents
@@ -152,7 +153,16 @@ export function buildWorktreeStartupForAgent(
   const prompt = environment.prompt ?? ''
   let startupPlan: ReturnType<typeof buildAgentStartupPlan>
   if (environment.onPromptCarry) {
-    const offered = planStartupWithPromptCandidate(planInputs, prompt)
+    const offered = planStartupWithPromptCandidate(
+      planInputs,
+      prompt,
+      nameLocalTypedLineShell({
+        isRemote: repoIsRemote(repo),
+        ...(settings.terminalDefaultShell
+          ? { defaultShellSetting: settings.terminalDefaultShell }
+          : {})
+      })
+    )
     startupPlan = offered.plan
     if (startupPlan && prompt.trim()) {
       environment.onPromptCarry(offered.promptCarried)
diff --git a/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.test.ts b/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.test.ts
index c897edddc87..0d1b9293200 100644
--- a/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 import {
   hasControlByte,
   planStartupWithPromptCandidate,
-  TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES
+  TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES,
+  ZSH_MULTI_LINE_STARTUP_LINE_BUDGET_BYTES
 } from './startup-line-prompt-carry'
 import type { TuiAgent } from './tui-agent'
 import {
@@ -10,14 +11,26 @@ import {
   RUNTIME_CAPABILITIES
 } from './protocol-version'
 
-function offer(agent: TuiAgent, prompt: string, extra: { cmdOverride?: string } = {}) {
+function offer(
+  agent: TuiAgent,
+  prompt: string,
+  extra: { cmdOverride?: string; shellName?: string | undefined } = {}
+) {
   return planStartupWithPromptCandidate(
     {
       agent,
       cmdOverrides: extra.cmdOverride ? { [agent]: extra.cmdOverride } : {},
       platform: 'darwin'
     },
-    prompt
+    prompt,
+    extra.shellName
+  )
+}
+
+/** `count` prompt lines of `bytes` each, as a multi-line source-control prompt is. */
+function linesOf(count: number, bytes: number): string {
+  return Array.from({ length: count }, (_unused, index) => `${index}:`.padEnd(bytes, 'x')).join(
+    '\n'
   )
 }
 
@@ -119,6 +132,49 @@ describe('whether a launch prompt rides the typed startup line', () => {
   })
 })
 
+// Pinned live by startup-line-typed-length.live-shell.test.ts; the refusals below were measured on
+// macOS through the same write: a 1.1 KB single line lost to zsh's late write, every multi-line line
+// lost to bash 3.2, and to fish whenever its config outlasted the ready barrier.
+describe('a multi-line prompt typed into a shell the host names', () => {
+  it('rides a zsh line as main typed it when each line is short, so the agent starts with it', () => {
+    const prompt = linesOf(21, 100)
+    const { plan, promptCarried } = offer('claude', prompt, { shellName: 'zsh' })
+    expect(promptCarried).toBe(true)
+    expect(plan?.launchCommand).toContain(prompt)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a zsh line off the launch command when any one line exceeds the per-line budget', () => {
+    const prompt = `${linesOf(3, 100)}\n${'y'.repeat(TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES + 1)}`
+    expect(offer('claude', prompt, { shellName: 'zsh' }).promptCarried).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a zsh line off the launch command past the whole-line budget', () => {
+    const prompt = linesOf(Math.ceil(ZSH_MULTI_LINE_STARTUP_LINE_BUDGET_BYTES / 400) + 1, 400)
+    expect(offer('claude', prompt, { shellName: 'zsh' }).promptCarried).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a long single line off a zsh launch command, which a late write truncates', () => {
+    const prompt = promptForClaudeLineOf(TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES + 1)
+    expect(offer('claude', prompt, { shellName: 'zsh' }).promptCarried).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it.each([['bash'], ['fish'], ['pwsh'], [undefined]])(
+    'never types a multi-line line into %s',
+    (shellName) => {
+      const { plan, promptCarried } = offer('claude', linesOf(3, 50), { shellName })
+      expect(promptCarried).toBe(false)
+      expect(plan?.launchCommand).not.toContain('0:')
+    }
+  )
+
+  it.each([
+    ['TAB', 'see\tthis\nnext line'],
+    ['CR', 'first\r\nsecond']
+  ])('never types a %s-bearing multi-line prompt into zsh', (_label, prompt) => {
+    expect(offer('claude', prompt, { shellName: 'zsh' }).promptCarried).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
 describe('the capability clients gate a prompted launch on', () => {
   it('is advertised by every host that applies the typed-line rule', () => {
     // An older host folds any prompt into the typed line, so its absence is the gate.
diff --git a/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.ts b/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.ts
index 94335922233..65e70e2d11d 100644
--- a/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.ts
+++ b/src/shared/startup-line-prompt-carry.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
  * byte as a key, a canonical-mode write truncates a line
  * past MAX_CANON (1024 on macOS), and cmd caps a line at 8191. Decided here, where the line exists,
  * so the answer is a fact about what was built rather than a prediction of it.
+ *
+ * `startup-line-typed-length.live-shell.test.ts` types lines through Orca's own ready barrier and
+ * submission into real shells, including one whose config outlasts the barrier's 1.5 s cap so the
+ * line lands while the terminal is still line-buffered. Only zsh read a multi-line line whole in
+ * both cases, and only while each of its lines stayed short; a long single line was lost there.
  */
 
 import { TUI_AGENT_CONFIG } from './tui-agent-config'
@@ -15,9 +20,12 @@ import { buildAgentStartupPlan, type AgentStartupPlan } from './tui-agent-startu
 import type { TuiAgent } from './tui-agent'
 
 /** Half of macOS MAX_CANON: a single typed line this long survived every canonical-mode write
- *  measured, and 1 KiB did not. */
+ *  measured, and 1 KiB did not. Also the cap on each line of a multi-line one. */
 export const TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES = 512
 
+/** A multi-line line typed into zsh: the largest measured intact behind a late write (8 KiB). */
+export const ZSH_MULTI_LINE_STARTUP_LINE_BUDGET_BYTES = 8192
+
 const encoder = new TextEncoder()
 
 function typedLineBytes(line: string): number {
@@ -27,6 +35,8 @@ function typedLineBytes(line: string): number {
 export function startupLineCarriesPrompt(args: {
   agent: TuiAgent
   withPrompt: AgentStartupPlan | null
+  /** The shell the line is typed into, when the host can name it before the spawn. */
+  shellName?: string
 }): boolean {
   const { withPrompt } = args
   if (!withPrompt || withPrompt.followupPrompt !== null) {
@@ -38,7 +48,25 @@ export function startupLineCarriesPrompt(args: {
     return true
   }
   const line = withPrompt.launchCommand
-  return !hasControlByte(line) && typedLineBytes(line) <= TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES
+  if (!hasControlByte(line)) {
+    return typedLineBytes(line) <= TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES
+  }
+  return args.shellName === 'zsh' && zshReadsMultiLineWhole(line)
+}
+
+/**
+ * zsh takes a multi-line line as one bracketed paste, and a write that beats its line editor still
+ * reaches it line by line, so each line must fit the terminal's line buffer. bash 3.2 has no
+ * bracketed paste, and fish drops a paste written before its reader is up.
+ */
+function zshReadsMultiLineWhole(line: string): boolean {
+  const lines = line.split('\n')
+  return (
+    lines.every(
+      (part) =>
+        !hasControlByte(part) && typedLineBytes(part) <= TYPED_STARTUP_LINE_PROMPT_BUDGET_BYTES
+    ) && typedLineBytes(line) <= ZSH_MULTI_LINE_STARTUP_LINE_BUDGET_BYTES
+  )
 }
 
 /** Any C0 byte or DEL, not just CR/LF: no quoter escapes them, and a single-line command is written
@@ -64,11 +92,18 @@ type StartupPlanInputs = Omit<
  */
 export function planStartupWithPromptCandidate(
   inputs: StartupPlanInputs,
-  prompt: string
+  prompt: string,
+  shellName?: string
 ): { plan: AgentStartupPlan | null; promptCarried: boolean } {
   if (prompt.trim()) {
     const withPrompt = buildAgentStartupPlan({ ...inputs, prompt, allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true })
-    if (startupLineCarriesPrompt({ agent: inputs.agent, withPrompt })) {
+    if (
+      startupLineCarriesPrompt({
+        agent: inputs.agent,
+        withPrompt,
+        ...(shellName ? { shellName } : {})
+      })
+    ) {
       return { plan: withPrompt, promptCarried: true }
     }
   }