diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/ipc-pty-connect.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/ipc-pty-connect.ts
index 3023236de0e..52b983c51fd 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/ipc-pty-connect.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/ipc-pty-connect.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type IpcPtyConnectContext = {
   /** True only for the one buffered exit consumed by this connect attempt. */
   isExpectedExitCurrent: () => boolean
   ownsPtyId: (id: string) => boolean
+  handleExplicitlyClosedConnect?: (id: string) => boolean
   bind: (id: string) => void
   isCurrent: (id: string) => boolean
   setCallbacks: (callbacks: PtyConnectOptions['callbacks']) => void
@@ -89,6 +90,9 @@ export async function connectIpcPty(
     const priorIncarnationFence = currentPreHandlerPtySequence()
     const spawnResult = await spawnIpcPty(transportOptions, options, admittedSessionId)
     const retireFreshSpawn = async (): Promise<void> => {
+      if (context.handleExplicitlyClosedConnect?.(spawnResult.id)) {
+        return
+      }
       // A newer generation may already own a recycled id; an id-only kill would retire its PTY.
       if (
         !spawnResult.isReattach &&
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport-types.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport-types.ts
index 4d7eaf7358b..2f6ed734bbf 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport-types.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport-types.ts
@@ -232,7 +232,10 @@ export type PtyTransport = {
    *  it also drops the transport's output processor from the pty side-effect memory census,
    *  so a reattached one would run untracked. Create a new transport instead. */
   detach?: (options?: { preserveExitObserver?: boolean }) => void
-  destroy?: () => void | Promise<void>
+  destroy?: (options?: {
+    /** Explicit close can retain retirement intent until an unbound connect settles. */
+    onAbandonedConnect?: (ptyId: string) => boolean
+  }) => void | Promise<void>
 }
 
 export type IpcPtyTransportOptions = {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport.ts
index f794b9a1e4d..7731e75eac5 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/pty-transport.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ export function createIpcPtyTransport(opts: IpcPtyTransportOptions = {}): PtyTra
   } = opts
   let connected = false
   let destroyed = false
+  let onAbandonedConnect: ((ptyId: string) => boolean) | undefined
   let ptyId: string | null = null
   let lifecycleGeneration = 0
   let lastExitGeneration: number | null = null
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ export function createIpcPtyTransport(opts: IpcPtyTransportOptions = {}): PtyTra
             lastExitGeneration === lifecycleGeneration &&
             lifecycleGeneration === connectGeneration + 1,
           ownsPtyId: (id) => !destroyed && connected && ptyId === id,
+          handleExplicitlyClosedConnect: (id) => destroyed && (onAbandonedConnect?.(id) ?? false),
           bind,
           isCurrent: (id) => lifecycleGeneration === connectGeneration && connected && ptyId === id,
           setCallbacks,
@@ -268,7 +270,8 @@ export function createIpcPtyTransport(opts: IpcPtyTransportOptions = {}): PtyTra
         : { ...(opts.cwd ? { cwd: opts.cwd } : {}), ...(shellOverride ? { shellOverride } : {}) },
     resetCrossChunkParserState: outputProcessor.resetAgentStatusCarry,
 
-    destroy() {
+    destroy(options) {
+      onAbandonedConnect ??= options?.onAbandonedConnect
       destroyed = true
       try {
         this.disconnect()
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/use-terminal-pane-close-actions.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/use-terminal-pane-close-actions.ts
index 330b42166cd..ea85e929e81 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/use-terminal-pane-close-actions.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal-pane/use-terminal-pane-close-actions.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useImperativeHandle } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useImperativeHandle, useRef } from 'react'
 import { useAppStore } from '../../store'
 import type { PaneExternalDropTarget } from '@/lib/pane-manager/pane-manager'
 import { makePaneKey } from '../../../../shared/stable-pane-id'
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ import {
 } from './terminal-pane-tab-detach'
 import { clearPaneTerminalError } from './terminal-error-accumulation'
 import type { TerminalPaneBindingController } from './use-terminal-pane-layout-bindings'
+import { retireUnboundIpcTerminalPane } from './retire-unbound-ipc-terminal-pane'
+import { capturePendingTerminalPaneClose } from './terminal-pane-close-admission'
 
 export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingController) {
+  const confirmedCloseRef = useRef<(() => void) | null>(null)
   const {
     clearSessionRestoredBannerForPane,
     managerRef,
@@ -46,6 +49,13 @@ export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingContr
         clearSessionRestoredBannerForPane(paneId)
         const leafId = manager.getLeafId(paneId)
         if (leafId) {
+          retireUnboundIpcTerminalPane({
+            getState: useAppStore.getState,
+            tabId,
+            leafId,
+            transport: paneTransportsRef.current.get(paneId),
+            getTransports: () => paneTransportsRef.current
+          })
           useAppStore.getState().setCacheTimerStartedAt(makePaneKey(tabId, leafId), null)
           useAppStore.getState().dropAgentStatus(makePaneKey(tabId, leafId), { paneRemoved: true })
         }
@@ -79,12 +89,18 @@ export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingContr
         return
       }
       const transport = paneTransportsRef.current.get(paneId)
-      const ptyId = transport?.getPtyId()
+      const pending = capturePendingTerminalPaneClose(controller, paneId, useAppStore.getState)
+      const ptyId = transport?.getPtyId() ?? pending?.ptyId
       if (!ptyId) {
         executeClosePane(paneId)
         return
       }
       const settings = useAppStore.getState().settings
+      const close = (): void => {
+        if (!pending || pending.isCurrent()) {
+          executeClosePane(paneId)
+        }
+      }
       let decided = false
       const decide = (act: () => void): void => {
         if (decided) {
@@ -93,12 +109,23 @@ export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingContr
         decided = true
         act()
       }
-      const confirmClose = (): void =>
+      const confirmClose = (): void => {
+        if (pending && !pending.isCurrent()) {
+          return
+        }
+        confirmedCloseRef.current = close
         setPendingCloseConfirmation({
           paneId,
           copyKind: getCloseDialogCopyKind(paneId)
         })
-      const probeTimeout = setTimeout(() => decide(confirmClose), RUNNING_CLOSE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS)
+      }
+      const probeTimeout = setTimeout(
+        () =>
+          decide(
+            pending && settings?.skipCloseTerminalWithRunningProcessConfirm ? close : confirmClose
+          ),
+        RUNNING_CLOSE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS
+      )
       // Why the shared probe rather than a direct inspect: this is the same question the tab-close
       // guard asks, and the two must not drift on what an unanswered host means.
       void probePtyRunningWork(settings, [ptyId], { timeoutMs: RUNNING_CLOSE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS })
@@ -106,10 +133,10 @@ export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingContr
           clearTimeout(probeTimeout)
           decide(() => {
             if (
-              probes[0]?.verdict !== 'live' ||
+              (pending ? probes[0]?.verdict === 'exited' : probes[0]?.verdict !== 'live') ||
               settings?.skipCloseTerminalWithRunningProcessConfirm
             ) {
-              executeClosePane(paneId)
+              close()
             } else {
               confirmClose()
             }
@@ -117,7 +144,9 @@ export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingContr
         })
         .catch(() => {
           clearTimeout(probeTimeout)
-          decide(() => executeClosePane(paneId))
+          decide(
+            pending && !settings?.skipCloseTerminalWithRunningProcessConfirm ? confirmClose : close
+          )
         })
     },
     // oxlint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- Preserve the pre-split dependency contract.
@@ -143,22 +172,24 @@ export function useTerminalPaneCloseActions(controller: TerminalPaneBindingContr
   }, [])
   const handleConfirmClose = useCallback(
     (dontAskAgain: boolean) => {
-      if (pendingCloseConfirmation === null) {
+      if (pendingCloseConfirmation === null || confirmedCloseRef.current === null) {
         return
       }
-      const paneId = pendingCloseConfirmation.paneId
+      const confirmedClose = confirmedCloseRef.current
+      confirmedCloseRef.current = null
       setPendingCloseConfirmation(null)
       if (dontAskAgain) {
         void updateSettings({
           skipCloseTerminalWithRunningProcessConfirm: true
         })
       }
-      executeClosePane(paneId)
+      confirmedClose()
     },
     // oxlint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- Preserve the pre-split dependency contract.
     [executeClosePane, pendingCloseConfirmation, updateSettings]
   )
   const handleCancelClose = useCallback(() => {
+    confirmedCloseRef.current = null
     setPendingCloseConfirmation(null)
     // oxlint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- Preserve the pre-split dependency contract.
   }, [])
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/terminal-tab-retirement.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/terminal-tab-retirement.ts
index 80e67824699..e2e034fa6af 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/terminal-tab-retirement.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/terminal-tab-retirement.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,30 @@ export function isTerminalTabPresent(
   return locateTerminalTab(state.tabsByWorktree, tabId) !== null
 }
 
+export function hasTerminalPtyOwnerOutsidePane(
+  state: TerminalTabRetirementState,
+  identity: string,
+  tabId: string,
+  excludedLeafId?: string
+): boolean {
+  for (const [ownerTabId, owner] of collectLiveTerminalTabs(state)) {
+    const ids =
+      ownerTabId === tabId
+        ? Object.entries(state.terminalLayoutsByTabId[tabId]?.ptyIdsByLeafId ?? {})
+            .filter(([leafId]) => leafId !== excludedLeafId)
+            .map(([, ptyId]) => ptyId)
+        : collectPtyIdsForTab(state, ownerTabId, owner.rowPtyId)
+    if (
+      ids.some(
+        (ptyId) => getTerminalPtyOwnershipIdentity(state, ptyId, owner.worktreeId) === identity
+      )
+    ) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+  return false
+}
+
 export function buildTerminalTabRetirementPlan(
   state: TerminalTabRetirementState,
   tabId: string