diff --git a/crates/tty7-gateway/src/serve.rs b/crates/tty7-gateway/src/serve.rs
index 2ad8fc5f..70751ef0 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-gateway/src/serve.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-gateway/src/serve.rs
@@ -349,12 +349,16 @@ async fn pane_stream(
     backend: Arc<dyn Backend>,
 ) -> io::Result<()> {
     let (down_tx, mut down) = mpsc::channel::<Down>(PANE_BACKLOG);
+    // Weak, so the stream still ends when the pane's feed does.
+    let refused = down_tx.downgrade();
     std::thread::Builder::new()
         .name(format!("gateway-pane-{pane_id}"))
         .spawn(move || read_pane(feed, down_tx))?;
 
     // Keystrokes go through one thread so they reach the pane in the order
-    // they were typed; each `send_input` is its own daemon round trip.
+    // they were typed; each `send_input` is its own daemon round trip. One
+    // that fails is said to the phone, which would otherwise go on showing a
+    // live pane while what it types goes nowhere.
     let (input_tx, input_rx) = std_mpsc::channel::<Vec<u8>>();
     std::thread::Builder::new()
         .name(format!("gateway-input-{pane_id}"))
@@ -362,6 +366,10 @@ async fn pane_stream(
             for bytes in input_rx {
                 if let Err(e) = backend.send_input(machine.as_deref(), pane_id, &bytes) {
                     log::debug!("mobile gateway: input to pane {pane_id}: {e}");
+                    let message = format!("typing didn't reach the pane: {e}");
+                    if let Some(down) = refused.upgrade() {
+                        let _ = down.blocking_send(Down::Event(PaneEvent::Error { message }));
+                    }
                     return;
                 }
             }
@@ -370,10 +378,11 @@ async fn pane_stream(
     loop {
         tokio::select! {
             frame = read_frame(&mut recv) => match frame? {
+                // Once typing has failed, the phone has been told; later
+                // keys are dropped rather than ending the stream, which would
+                // read as the pane closing.
                 Some(Frame::Bytes(bytes)) => {
-                    if input_tx.send(bytes).is_err() {
-                        return Ok(());
-                    }
+                    let _ = input_tx.send(bytes);
                 }
                 // No upstream messages yet; one from a newer app is ignored
                 // rather than fatal, so the terminal keeps working.
diff --git a/crates/tty7-gateway/tests/bridge.rs b/crates/tty7-gateway/tests/bridge.rs
index d4c7dec9..f47b99b6 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-gateway/tests/bridge.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-gateway/tests/bridge.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ impl Backend for FakeMachine {
     }
 
     fn send_input(&self, _machine: Option<&str>, _pane_id: u64, bytes: &[u8]) -> io::Result<()> {
+        if bytes == b"refuse" {
+            return Err(io::Error::other("the daemon hung up"));
+        }
         let typed = self.typed.lock().unwrap();
         typed
             .as_ref()
@@ -296,6 +299,32 @@ async fn a_paired_phone_reads_the_tree_and_drives_a_pane() {
     assert!(err.to_string().contains("no such pane 99"), "{err}");
 }
 
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+async fn typing_that_fails_is_reported_not_dropped() {
+    let rig = Rig::new().await;
+    let session = within(rig.paired()).await;
+    let (mut keys, mut screen) = within(session.pane(None, 1)).await.unwrap();
+    within(screen.next()).await.unwrap(); // size
+    within(screen.next()).await.unwrap(); // prompt
+
+    keys.input(b"refuse").await.unwrap();
+    let Some(PaneItem::Event(PaneEvent::Error { message })) = within(screen.next()).await.unwrap()
+    else {
+        panic!("expected the failure to be reported");
+    };
+    assert!(message.contains("the daemon hung up"), "{message}");
+
+    // Keys after it go nowhere, but the stream stays up: its end would say
+    // the pane closed, which it did not.
+    keys.input(b"ls\r").await.unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_millis(300), screen.next())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "nothing more arrives"
+    );
+}
+
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
 async fn a_revoked_phone_is_cut_off_at_its_next_stream() {
     let rig = Rig::new().await;
diff --git a/mobile/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/mobile/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 38bac344..a50a123f 100644
--- a/mobile/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/mobile/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -254,9 +254,19 @@ async fn pane_open(
     let (input_tx, mut input_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel::<Vec<u8>>();
     state.panes.lock().await.insert(handle, input_tx);
 
+    // A write that fails is said on the pane's channel, and the handle goes,
+    // so the next key is refused too rather than queued behind a dead stream.
+    let refused = on_output.clone();
+    let app_state = state.inner().clone();
     tokio::spawn(async move {
         while let Some(bytes) = input_rx.recv().await {
-            if keys.input(&bytes).await.is_err() {
+            if let Err(e) = keys.input(&bytes).await {
+                app_state.panes.lock().await.remove(&handle);
+                let event = PaneEvent::Error {
+                    message: format!("typing didn't reach the computer: {}", err(e)),
+                };
+                let json = serde_json::to_string(&event).expect("events serialize");
+                let _ = refused.send(InvokeResponseBody::Json(json));
                 return;
             }
         }