fix(delivery): ignore Claude's drawn cursor blank (#2933)

For #2925. On an idle Claude seat with the typing guard set to draft-aware, every automatic delivery was held as draft_input_busy while rig capture read the input box as empty. The guard's strict reader counted Claude's own drawn cursor, a single inverse-video blank at the start of the composer, as typed text; the capture annotation already trimmed it. The strict reader now recognises that one drawn blank at the start of a one-row Claude composer and reads the box as empty. Real draft text, ordinary spaces, a moved cursor and multi-row input keep the existing protection, and the explicit draft-aware mode's handling of unreadable input is unchanged. No new refusal or timeout. Reproduced in an isolated 68x31 tmux 3.6 pane with the reported frame: unchanged main held the send, and with the change the message submits once while a real draft stays untouched. It doesn't explain the reported delay of about fifteen minutes before the first hold.

docs/as-built/cli-reference.md

@@ -372,25 +372,15 @@ approval says how long and until when, in UTC. A target older than this CLI igno
 
 On a 0.7.11 or later target, its person answers the request in the TUI (`rig tui`, then `attention`: open it), on
 Steering, or in Slack: with Approve or Deny, or in their own words. Typed words never deny it.
-- **When the target has a receiving agent** (the one chosen in `agents.operator_session`, else its kernel operator
-  `operator-agent@kernel`), it asks. The person's answer, a click or their words, comes back to it as a reply, and it
-  decides with `rig host approve <code>` or `rig host deny <code>`. It asks the person back when the answer isn't clear.
-  The person is told once that their answer was received. If the agent isn't running, the request and that receipt say
-  so, and they name the direct controls (below). The request stays pending, never granted or denied, until a decision or
-  expiry. If the agent doesn't pick up the answer, the person is told at expiry that it didn't.
-- **When the target has no receiving agent** (or the queue can't send rows to it, or OpenRig couldn't read which; the
-  request says which, and names a chosen agent it couldn't use), the person's answer, a click or their words, is kept on
-  the request and decides nothing. (A Steering Deny or Drop, which closes the request, still refuses it.) The person
-  gets one receipt naming the direct controls. If a receiving agent is set
-  before the request expires, it gets their answer once and decides. (On 0.7.11, Approve and Deny decided at once here,
-  and words were asked again.)
-- **The direct controls:** the target's TUI pairing settings (`rig tui`, then Settings, Instance & work, Pairing
-  requests; the Feed's request opens it there), or `rig host approve|deny` below. The TUI lists the open requests from
-  `GET /api/hosts/pair-requests` (code, requester, expiry, status, who reads the answer, and the person's kept answer,
-  so an Approve over a kept Deny is made knowingly; no credential), reads the
-  request again before Approve or Deny, and decides through `POST /api/hosts/pair-decision` with its operator bearer
-  token. A decision it can't confirm (a timeout, a lost connection or a server error) reads "outcome unknown" and is
-  read again, never sent twice.
+- **When the target has a kernel operator (`operator-agent@kernel`),** it asks. The person's answer, a click or their
+  words, comes back to it as a reply, and it decides with `rig host approve <code>` or `rig host deny <code>`. It asks
+  the person back when the answer isn't clear. The person is told once that their answer was received. If the operator
+  isn't running, the request and that receipt say so, and they name the terminal route. The request stays pending, never
+  granted or denied, until the operator decides or the request expires. If the operator doesn't pick up the answer, the
+  person is told at expiry that it didn't.
+- **When the target has no kernel operator** (or the queue can't send rows to it, or OpenRig couldn't read which; the
+  request says which), Approve and Deny decide at once. A reply in words, or with none (a file), is kept on the
+  request, and the person is asked again with a new request.
 - **Either way,** the outcome reaches the person as its own update: approved or denied, and by whom.
 
 On either target, `rig host approve <request>` or `rig host deny <request>` (the pairing code, or the request's
@@ -398,11 +388,11 @@ approval row id), run on the target from an agent seat or a plain terminal, deci
 token: an agent seat carries `OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN`, and a person sets it or passes `--bearer <token>`. Without
 it the daemon answers 401, and nothing is decided. It decides once, and refuses an
 unknown (404 `pair_request_unknown`), expired (409 `pair_request_expired`) or already-decided (409
-`pair_request_decided`) request, including one its row already decided before the requester's next check (an agent
-seat's close naming Approve, or a refusing close). A close never approves over the person's recorded Deny. It records who decided: the seat, or `human@host` from a plain terminal. The person
+`pair_request_decided`) request, including one its row already decided before the requester's next check (a click on
+a target with no kernel operator, or a refusing close). It records who decided: the seat, or `human@host` from a plain terminal. The person
 gets one update with the result. An agent seat's `rig queue update <id> --state done --closure-reason no-follow-on
 --resolution approve` on an unanswered request still approves, and any other close that carries no answer and isn't
-the person's own reply, or `--state denied`, refuses. To refuse a pairing, use Deny on the target's pairing settings or on Steering, run
+the person's own reply, or `--state denied`, refuses. To refuse a pairing, answer Deny on a target with no kernel operator, run
 `rig host deny`, or let it expire (nothing is persisted). At its deadline a request's ask closes as expired, even when the requester stopped waiting, so a late click there isn't
 accepted. The decisions live in the daemon's memory, as the requests do, so a daemon restart drops an open request.
 

docs/reference/agent-startup-guide.md

@@ -428,22 +428,24 @@ running seat only through the action in the last column.
 
 ### New guidance for a running seat
 
-These reach a running seat without a restart, in the order they reach the agent:
+There are three ways for a seat to pick up new guidance:
 
-1. **Tell it.** `rig send <seat> "Read <file>: <why>"`, or `rig walk <seat> --through <files>` for several. It's in the
-   conversation at the seat's next turn. The seat's reply is the only evidence that it read the file.
+1. **Tell it.** `rig send <seat> "Read <file>: <why>"`, or `rig walk <seat> --through <files>` for several. The seat's
+   interruption settings can hold a message; `rig send` may report `retained, not delivered`.
 2. **The refocus hook**, where the seat runs OpenRig's `openrig-core` hooks (**Refocus** in `rig seat status` shows whether
    the hook has recorded it). The hook's content comes from `OPENRIG_REFOCUS_CONTENT_REF` (a `rig context get` address),
-   else `OPENRIG_REFOCUS_CONTENT_FILE`, else `refocus/REFOCUS.md` under `OPENRIG_HOME`, else the shipped default. It
-   reaches the agent at the next prompt after a compaction, and for Claude also once the conversation has grown past the
-   hook's size threshold.
+   else `OPENRIG_REFOCUS_CONTENT_FILE`, else `refocus/REFOCUS.md` under `OPENRIG_HOME`, else the shipped default. After
+   compaction the hook waits for an eligible prompt. For managed Claude compaction it skips the acknowledgement boundary,
+   and other prompts can arrive first and be skipped while restore is pending. Claude can also refocus after the
+   conversation grows past the hook's size threshold.
 3. **Its guidance file, loaded again:** for Claude at its next compaction, `/clear` or start, for Codex at its next start.
    **Guidance** in `rig seat status` shows which of OpenRig's blocks were written after the session's recorded startup finish.
 
-A pointer or a message names a file; the seat still reads it itself, under its own permission settings. A seat whose
-harness asks before reading a file outside its project (its own `LEARNED.md` under the topology root, a plugin's skill)
-waits at that prompt until someone answers it, even though a hook could deliver an excerpt of the same file. Finding a
-file, a hook picking up, and the agent reading and using it are separate facts.
+A file pointer leaves the read to the seat, under its own permission settings. `rig walk` reads the named files in the
+calling process and sends their contents. A seat whose harness asks before reading a file outside its project (its own
+`LEARNED.md` under the topology root, a plugin's skill) waits at that prompt until someone answers it, even though a hook
+could deliver an excerpt of the same file. Finding a file, a hook picking it up, and the agent reading and using it are
+separate facts.
 
 Per harness: Claude Code's and Codex's permission choices are in the setup reference
 ([Claude Code](getting-started.md#claude-code-a-different-launch-flag),

docs/reference/daemon-http-clients.md

@@ -218,5 +218,9 @@ an open FYI, or a closed ask is not that receipt. The rig-wide reads and their l
   and every catalog project's missions root. A row may omit `project:` or `mission:` only when its remaining
   tags identify exactly one physical slice with a resolved project and mission. Ambiguous matches count nowhere,
   even if first-wins discovery or a list filter leaves only one row visible; an explicit mismatched project or
-  mission never counts. Counts are recomputed on every list request. `?refresh=1|true` invalidates the separate
-  listing cache, not a stored queue-count snapshot. This resolution does not change the returned slice list or filters.
+  mission never counts. Several `slice:` or `mission:` tags on one row count only when they all name the same
+  physical slice or mission (a slice's folder name and its frontmatter `id:`, say); a row that names two distinct
+  slices, missions or projects counts nowhere, while `qitemCount` can include it under several tagged slices,
+  subject to the existing project filter and the newest 500 rows per slice. Counts are recomputed on every list
+  request. `?refresh=1|true` invalidates the separate listing cache, not a stored queue-count snapshot. This
+  resolution does not change the returned slice list or filters.

packages/daemon/src/attention-surface.ts

@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ export interface AttentionItem {
   /** The row's questions and the answers recorded so far, as the queue row holds them. */
   humanQuestions?: HumanQuestion[];
   humanAnswers?: HumanAnswers;
-  /** The settings page where the person decides this request directly, without an agent (a pairing request's Approve and
-   *  Deny): a TUI settings category, and the request it opens on there. */
-  settingsLink?: { category: string; focus: string; label: string };
 }
 export interface AttentionDetail {
   item: AttentionItem;

packages/daemon/src/domain/seat-kinds.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// The seat boundary. A seat's kind comes from its binding's `attachment_type`, the key the seat-kinds facade in #1429
+// proposed (by rlch, credited). This first boundary covers today's kinds only: tmux, which is also the column's default
+// and what a legacy row with no value means, and external_cli. Each seat's three responsibilities stay where they are:
+// the runtime that keeps the process alive (RuntimeAdapter), the session that carries messages and turns to the agent
+// (SessionTransport, which asks this resolver), and the view a person watches and types into (TerminalProvider).
+
+/** Today's seat kinds. */
+export type SeatKind = "tmux" | "external_cli";
+
+/** A binding's kind as stored. `unknown` names a stored value that isn't one of today's kinds, and is never read as tmux. */
+export type ResolvedSeatKind = { kind: SeatKind } | { kind: "unknown"; stored: string };
+
+export function resolveSeatKind(stored: string | null | undefined): ResolvedSeatKind {
+  if (stored === null || stored === undefined || stored === "tmux") return { kind: "tmux" };
+  if (stored === "external_cli") return { kind: "external_cli" };
+  return { kind: "unknown", stored };
+}
+
+/** How OpenRig's inbound transport (send, capture and the activity probe) reaches a seat of this kind. An external CLI
+ *  seat runs inside someone else's program, so OpenRig can't type into it or read it: `none`. An unknown stored kind
+ *  keeps the path it takes today, the tmux one, so nothing changes for it here; whether it should is an open question
+ *  for its owner, not something this boundary settles. */
+export function seatInboundTransport(seat: ResolvedSeatKind): "tmux" | "none" {
+  return seat.kind === "external_cli" ? "none" : "tmux";
+}

packages/daemon/src/domain/session-transport.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import type { SlowOperationInstrumentation } from "./slow-op-recorder.js";
 import { hashSentText, type CaptureObserverSink, type CaptureSlot, type ObservationInput, type ObservedBinding } from "./capture-observer.js";
 import { isAttentionRequiredReadinessCode, type NodeBinding, type ReadinessOptions, type ReadinessResult } from "./runtime-adapter.js";
 import { getLatestStartupFailedEvent, hasClaudeResumeIdentityWork, isRecoverableStartupFailure } from "./startup-orchestrator.js";
+import { resolveSeatKind, seatInboundTransport } from "./seat-kinds.js";
 
 // OPR.0.4.1.10 — send-readiness freshness. The runtime-hook store keeps a 5min freshness for activity
 // DISPLAY, but "safe to send NOW" needs a tight window: a stale "idle" read must not authorize a send
@@ -448,14 +449,18 @@ function closesFramedPromptAbove(lines: string[], open: number, indent: number,
 const codexFooter = (line: string): boolean => isComposerFooter(line)
   || /(?:\b\d+% context left\b|\bContext \[)/.test(line);
 
-/** Preserve faint styling so autocomplete ghosts can be separated from authored
- * text. Color channel values must never be interpreted as style codes. */
+/** Preserve the styling used for autocomplete ghosts and the drawn cursor.
+ * Color channel values must never be interpreted as style codes. */
 function styledTextLines(screen: string) {
-  let faint = false;
+  let faint = false, inverse = false;
   return screen.replace(/\r\n/g, "\n").split("\n").map(raw => {
     let text = "", offset = 0;
-    const faintCells: boolean[] = [];
-    const append = (value: string) => { text += value; faintCells.push(...Array<boolean>(value.length).fill(faint)); };
+    const faintCells: boolean[] = [], inverseCells: boolean[] = [];
+    const append = (value: string) => {
+      text += value;
+      faintCells.push(...Array<boolean>(value.length).fill(faint));
+      inverseCells.push(...Array<boolean>(value.length).fill(inverse));
+    };
     for (const match of raw.matchAll(/\x1b\[([0-9;:]*)m/g)) {
       append(raw.slice(offset, match.index));
       const codes = match[1]!.split(";");
@@ -466,15 +471,18 @@ function styledTextLines(screen: string) {
           const skip = codes[i + 1] === "5" ? 2 : codes[i + 1] === "2" ? (codes[i + 2] === "" ? 5 : 4) : 0;
           // Color channels are not style codes. Ambiguous compound sequences
           // provide no faint-style proof, rather than interpreting an RGB 2 as dim.
-          if (!skip || i + skip !== codes.length - 1) { faint = false; break; }
+          if (!skip || i + skip !== codes.length - 1) { faint = inverse = false; break; }
           i += skip;
-        } else if (code === "" || code === "0" || code === "22") faint = false;
+        } else if (code === "" || code === "0") faint = inverse = false;
+        else if (code === "22") faint = false;
         else if (code === "2") faint = true;
+        else if (code === "7") inverse = true;
+        else if (code === "27") inverse = false;
       }
       offset = match.index! + match[0].length;
     }
     append(raw.slice(offset));
-    return { text, faintCells };
+    return { text, faintCells, inverseCells };
   });
 }
 
@@ -569,7 +577,11 @@ export function inspectComposerInput(snapshot: ComposerSnapshot | null, runtime:
       else if (cursorOffset >= 0 && !rows[cursorRow]!.slice(cursorOffset).trim()) visible[cursorRow] = rows[cursorRow]!.slice(0, cursorOffset);
     }
     const atStart = y === start && x === prefix;
-    const empty = atStart && rows.length === 1 && rows[0] === "";
+    // Claude can draw an inverse-video blank in the cursor cell (#2925). Only
+    // that single cell at the start is padding; ordinary/preceding spaces stay input.
+    const inverseCells = styled[start]!.inverseCells;
+    const cursorBlank = prompt.glyph === "❯" && rows[0] === " " && inverseCells[prefix] && !inverseCells[prefix - 1];
+    const empty = atStart && rows.length === 1 && (rows[0] === "" || cursorBlank);
     const last = visible.length - 1;
     const cursorAtEnd = y === start + last && x === prefix + stringWidth(visible[last] ?? "");
     const label = visible.length === 1 && COMPOSER_COLLAPSED_PASTE_PATTERN.test(visible[0]!) ? visible[0]! : null;
@@ -969,7 +981,7 @@ export async function probeSessionActivity(input: {
     };
   }
   const readTarget = binding?.pane ?? sessionName;
-  if (attachmentType === "external_cli") {
+  if (seatInboundTransport(resolveSeatKind(attachmentType)) === "none") {
     return {
       state: "unknown",
       reason: "unsupported_attachment",
@@ -2569,7 +2581,7 @@ export class SessionTransport {
       const binding = this.sessionRegistry.getBindingForNode(node.id);
       const latestSession = latestByNode.get(node.id);
 
-      if (binding?.attachmentType === "external_cli" && binding.externalSessionName) {
+      if (resolveSeatKind(binding?.attachmentType).kind === "external_cli" && binding?.externalSessionName) {
         targets.push({
           sessionName: binding.externalSessionName,
           rigName,
@@ -2900,7 +2912,7 @@ export class SessionTransport {
     // External CLI seats never wait: main refuses them before anything else,
     // and a probe or wait would only delay that refusal (or mistake it for
     // an absent session).
-    if (meta.attachmentType === "external_cli") {
+    if (seatInboundTransport(resolveSeatKind(meta.attachmentType)) === "none") {
       return { ok: false, failure: {
         ok: false,
         sessionName,
@@ -3094,7 +3106,7 @@ export class SessionTransport {
     const waitMode = waitForIdleMs !== undefined;
     let waitEvidence: Pick<SendResult, "activity" | "waitedMs" | "attempts"> = {};
 
-    if (sessionMeta.attachmentType === "external_cli") {
+    if (seatInboundTransport(resolveSeatKind(sessionMeta.attachmentType)) === "none") {
       return {
         ok: false,
         sessionName,
@@ -4360,7 +4372,7 @@ export class SessionTransport {
     readable?: { width: number; height: number }; readableBudget?: ReadableBudget }): Promise<CaptureResult> {
     sessionName = physicalSessionName(this.db, sessionName);
     const sessionMeta = this.getSessionMeta(sessionName);
-    if (sessionMeta.attachmentType === "external_cli") {
+    if (seatInboundTransport(resolveSeatKind(sessionMeta.attachmentType)) === "none") {
       return {
         ok: false,
         sessionName,

packages/daemon/src/routes/attention.ts

@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ export function attentionRoutes(): Hono {
           ...(!toPerson && q.state === "blocked" && q.blockedOn && isHumanSeatSessionRef(q.blockedOn) ? { answer: { verb: "resolve" as const, actorSession: actorFor(q.blockedOn) } } : {}),
           ...(toPerson ? { asker: q.sourceSession } : {}),
           ...(questions ? { humanQuestions: questions, humanAnswers: q.humanAnswers ?? {} } : {}),
-          // A pairing request is also decided directly on this host's settings page, opened on this request (its row).
-          ...(q.evidenceRef?.startsWith("pair-request:") ? { settingsLink: { category: "instance", focus: q.qitemId, label: "Open pairing settings (Approve or Deny directly)" } } : {}),
           summary: q.summary || q.body.trim().split(/\r?\n/).find(Boolean) || "Request summary unavailable", urgency: q.priority, unblocks, at: q.tsUpdated, scope: p ? `project ${p.id}` : "instance · project unknown", project: p ? { id: p.id, root: p.root } : null, source: `/api/queue/${encodeURIComponent(q.qitemId)}` };
         const unbound = noConnector(toPerson ? q.destinationSession : q.blockedOn);
         const notSent = unbound || quiet.has(q.qitemId);

packages/daemon/src/routes/hosts.ts

@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ function describePairTtl(ms: number): string {
 }
 const PAIR_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000;
 
-/** The pairing request's one question. A person answers it with a click or in their own words. Both are context for the
- *  receiving agent (the request's owner), which acts on them with `rig host approve|deny`; where none reads answers yet,
- *  they're kept for one, and neither decides by itself. */
+/** The pairing request's one question. A person answers it with a click or in their own words. Where an agent reads
+ *  answers (the request's owner), both are context it acts on with `rig host approve|deny`; on an agent-free host the
+ *  person's click is the decision. */
 const PAIR_QUESTION_ID = "pair";
 const PAIR_APPROVE = "approve";
 function pairQuestion(requester: string, code: string): HumanQuestion[] {
@@ -129,9 +129,8 @@ interface IssuedPair {
   expiresAt: number;
   /** The person asked. */
   person: string;
-  /** The seat that reads the person's answer and decides (the host's receiving agent); null when no agent reads answers
-   *  here yet, where the answer is kept and a direct decision (`rig host approve|deny`, or the TUI's pairing settings)
-   *  decides. */
+  /** The seat that reads the person's answer and decides (the kernel operator); null when this host is agent-free, where
+   *  the person's own click, or `rig host approve|deny` in a terminal, decides. */
   owner: string | null;
   /** The explicit decision (`rig host approve|deny`), made once. */
   decision?: { approve: boolean; by: string };
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ interface IssuedPair {
   receipted?: boolean;
   /** The expiry has been settled (its ask closed, the person told), by the poll or the expiry timer. */
   expirySettled?: boolean;
-  /** Why an agent-free request has no owner: this host has no receiving agent, the queue can't take rows to it, or
+  /** Why an agent-free request has no owner: this host has no kernel operator, the queue can't take rows to it, or
    *  OpenRig couldn't read which. */
   freeReason?: "none" | "unroutable" | "unknown";
   /** The receiving agent the queue couldn't take rows to (`unroutable`). */
@@ -148,10 +147,6 @@ interface IssuedPair {
   freeNote?: string;
   /** Why the owner is a receiver used instead of the chosen one (an unusable agents.operator_session). */
   ownerNote?: string;
-  /** The owner was resolved after the request was made (a receiving agent set meanwhile), so the person's ask still
-   *  comes from the synthetic source and their answer is passed on to it once (`forwarded`). */
-  lateOwner?: boolean;
-  forwarded?: boolean;
 }
 
 interface ClientPair {
@@ -216,12 +211,6 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
       : `no agent reads answers on this host (no receiving agent is set in agents.operator_session, and it has no ${KERNEL_OPERATOR_SESSION})`;
   }
 
-  /** The direct controls on this host, apart from a Needs-you answer: the TUI's pairing settings, or the CLI with the
-   *  operator bearer token. */
-  function directDecision(code: string): string {
-    return `open the TUI's pairing settings (rig tui, then Settings, Instance & work, Pairing requests), or in a terminal with its operator bearer token run rig host approve ${code}, or rig host deny ${code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>)`;
-  }
-
   /** Whether the owner's session is running now; null when that can't be read. */
   function ownerRunning(c: { get: (key: string) => unknown }, owner: string): boolean | null {
     try { return !!getRepo(c).db.prepare("SELECT 1 FROM sessions WHERE session_name = ? AND status = 'running' LIMIT 1").get(owner); }
@@ -237,13 +226,12 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
   }
 
   /** What the request's own row has decided, read the same way by the poll and by `rig host approve|deny`: a refusing
-   *  close, or an agent seat's close naming Approve. Null while it's undecided: a person's click or words are an answer
-   *  for the receiving agent, never a decision by themselves, with or without an agent here. */
+   *  close, an agent seat's close naming Approve, or, on an agent-free host, the person's Approve or Deny click. Null
+   *  while it's undecided; a person's reply never decides it. */
   function rowDecision(c: { get: (key: string) => unknown }, rec: IssuedPair, item: QueueItem | null): boolean | null {
     const answer = item?.humanAnswers?.[PAIR_QUESTION_ID];
-    if (pairClosedRefusing(item, answer != null || closedByReply(c, item))) return false;
-    // A close never approves over the person's own recorded Deny: it would hand the token over against what they chose.
-    if (pairClosedApproving(item) && answer !== "deny") return true;
+    if (pairClosedRefusing(item, answer != null || closedByReply(c, item)) || (!rec.owner && answer === "deny")) return false;
+    if (pairClosedApproving(item) || (!rec.owner && answer === PAIR_APPROVE)) return true;
     return null;
   }
 
@@ -268,11 +256,11 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
         `Pairing code: ${code} — confirm it matches the code shown on the requesting side.`,
         ...(owner ? [
           `Answer with Approve or Deny, or in your own words. ${owner} reads your answer and acts on it: a clear yes pairs, a clear no denies, and if your answer isn't clear it asks you back.${rec.ownerNote ? ` (${rec.ownerNote}, so ${owner} reads it instead.)` : ""}`,
-          ...((running) => running === true ? [] : [`${running === false ? `${owner} isn't running right now, so your answer waits` : `OpenRig couldn't tell whether ${owner} is running, so your answer may wait`} until it starts; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile. To decide sooner on this host: ${directDecision(code)}.`])(ownerRunning(c, owner)),
+          ...((running) => running === true ? [] : [`${running === false ? `${owner} isn't running right now, so your answer waits` : `OpenRig couldn't tell whether ${owner} is running, so your answer may wait`} until it starts; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile. To decide sooner, in a terminal on this host with its operator bearer token: rig host approve ${code}, or rig host deny ${code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`])(ownerRunning(c, owner)),
           `For ${owner}: when the person's answer to this request comes back, act on it. A clear yes or an Approve click: rig host approve ${code}. A clear no or a Deny click: rig host deny ${code}. Don't ask them to confirm a clear answer. If their words are unclear or conditional, ask them back, naming pairing code ${code}, and act on what they answer.`,
         ] : [
-          `No agent reads answers here yet: ${noReader(rec)}. Your answer, a click or your words, is kept, and goes to the receiving agent once one is set; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile.`,
-          `To decide now on this host: ${directDecision(code)}.`,
+          `Answer with Approve or Deny. Typed words are kept but don't decide it, and you're asked again: ${noReader(rec)}.`,
+          `To decide in a terminal on this host with its operator bearer token: rig host approve ${code}, or rig host deny ${code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`,
         ]),
         `Approval hands this daemon's bearer token to the requester (full API access).`,
         `This request expires ${describePairTtl(rec.expiresAt - rec.createdAt)} after creation, at ${new Date(rec.expiresAt).toISOString().slice(0, 19).replace("T", " ")} UTC; expiry persists nothing.`,
@@ -454,44 +442,6 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
     return c.json({ pairId, code, approvalQitemId: qitemId });
   });
 
-  // The requests on this host that haven't expired, for its pairing settings: who asks, the code, when it expires, its
-  // status, and who reads the person's answer. No credential is listed; the code decides nothing without the operator
-  // bearer token (POST /pair-decision).
-  router.get("/pair-requests", (c) => {
-    const now = Date.now();
-    // Decided means what `rig host approve|deny` would find: its own decision, or one the request's row records.
-    // A row that can't be read is "unknown", never "pending".
-    const decidedOf = (rec: IssuedPair): boolean | null | undefined => {
-      if (rec.decision) return rec.decision.approve;
-      try { return rowDecision(c, rec, rec.qitemId ? getRepo(c).getById(rec.qitemId) : null); } catch { return undefined; }
-    };
-    // The person's answer kept on the request (their choice, or the start of their words, and who), shown where a direct
-    // decision is made, so an Approve over a kept Deny is made knowingly. Unreadable: not shown.
-    const keptOf = (rec: IssuedPair): { by: string; choice?: string; words?: string } | null => {
-      try {
-        const item = rec.qitemId ? getRepo(c).getById(rec.qitemId) : null;
-        const kept = item?.humanAnswers?.[PAIR_QUESTION_ID];
-        if (kept == null && !closedByReply(c, item)) return null;
-        const by = (item && item.state !== "pending" ? getRepo(c).closingTransition(item.qitemId, item.state)?.actorSession : null) ?? rec.person;
-        return typeof kept === "string" ? { by, choice: kept === PAIR_APPROVE ? "approve" : kept }
-          : kept != null && typeof kept === "object" ? { by, words: kept.text.replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim().slice(0, 200) } : { by, words: "" };
-      } catch { return null; }
-    };
-    const requests = [...issued.values()].filter((rec) => now <= rec.expiresAt).map((rec) => ({
-      code: rec.code,
-      requester: rec.requester,
-      createdAt: new Date(rec.createdAt).toISOString(),
-      expiresAt: new Date(rec.expiresAt).toISOString(),
-      status: ((d) => d === undefined ? "unknown" : d === null ? "pending" : d ? "approved" : "denied")(decidedOf(rec)),
-      person: rec.person,
-      owner: rec.owner ?? null,
-      ...(rec.owner ? {} : { noReader: noReader(rec) }),
-      ...((kept) => kept ? { answer: kept } : {})(keptOf(rec)),
-      approvalQitemId: rec.qitemId || null,
-    }));
-    return c.json({ requests });
-  });
-
   router.get("/pair-request/:pairId", async (c) => {
     const pairId = c.req.param("pairId");
     const rec = issued.get(pairId);
@@ -502,65 +452,36 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
       await settlePairRequest(getRepo(c), rec, "expired", PAIR_SOURCE_SESSION);
       return c.json({ status: "expired" });
     }
-    // Approval hands over this daemon's bearer token, so only an explicit decision does: `rig host approve` (or the TUI's
-    // pairing settings), or an agent seat's close naming Approve. A person's answer arriving decides nothing by itself:
-    // it's for the receiving agent, and where there's none yet it's kept for one. The request stays pending until a
-    // decision or expiry.
+    // Approval hands over this daemon's bearer token, so only an explicit decision does: `rig host approve`, an agent
+    // seat's close naming Approve, or, on an agent-free host, the person's own Approve click. A person's answer arriving
+    // decides nothing where an agent reads it: the request stays pending until the agent acts or it expires.
     const item = rec.qitemId ? getRepo(c).getById(rec.qitemId) : null;
     const answer = item?.humanAnswers?.[PAIR_QUESTION_ID];
     const approved = rec.decision ? rec.decision.approve : rowDecision(c, rec, item);
     if (approved === null) {
       // The person's reply (their words, or a reply with no words, such as a file) decides nothing by itself.
       const replied = (answer != null && typeof answer === "object") || (answer == null && closedByReply(c, item));
-      const answered = answer != null || replied;
-      const said = typeof answer === "string" ? `your ${answer === PAIR_APPROVE ? "Approve" : answer === "deny" ? "Deny" : answer} choice`
-        : answer != null && typeof answer === "object" ? `"${answer.text.replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim().slice(0, 200)}"` : "your reply";
-      if (!rec.owner) {
-        // A receiving agent set since the request was made takes it from here, with what the person already answered.
-        const now = pairOwner(c);
-        if (now.owner) {
-          rec.owner = now.owner;
-          rec.lateOwner = true;
-          if (now.ownerNote) rec.ownerNote = now.ownerNote;
-          delete rec.freeReason;
-          delete rec.freeSession;
-          delete rec.freeNote;
-        }
-      }
-      if (rec.owner && rec.lateOwner && answered && !rec.forwarded) {
-        rec.forwarded = true;
-        // One forward per request, by an id the request names: a create that failed after it committed isn't sent again.
-        const forwardId = `qitem-pair-forward-${(rec.qitemId || pairId).replace(/^qitem-/, "")}`;
-        // The person's whole answer for the agent to act on (receipts keep a short preview), and where it's recorded.
-        const whole = typeof answer === "string" ? `their ${answer === PAIR_APPROVE ? "Approve" : answer === "deny" ? "Deny" : answer} choice`
-          : answer != null && typeof answer === "object" ? `these words: "${answer.text.trim()}"` : "a reply with no words in it (such as a file)";
+      // Agent-free, the reply closed the request and its buttons, and nothing reads it: ask again, keeping their words on
+      // the closed row, so the person still has a way to decide. A reply never denies.
+      if (!rec.owner && replied) {
+        const closed = rec.qitemId;
+        rec.qitemId = ""; // one ask at a time: a poll meanwhile reads pending
+        const words = answer != null && typeof answer === "object" ? answer.text.replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim() : "";
         try {
-          await getRepo(c).create({ qitemId: forwardId, sourceSession: PAIR_SOURCE_SESSION, destinationSession: rec.owner,
-            summary: `Pairing ${rec.code} from ${rec.requester}: ${rec.person} answered before you were its receiving agent`,
-            body: [`${rec.person} answered pairing request ${rec.code} from ${rec.requester} with ${whole}, while no agent read answers on this host. You're its receiving agent now.`,
-              ...(rec.qitemId ? [`Their answer is recorded on the request's approval row: rig queue show ${rec.qitemId} --full (its question, the options and everything they sent).`] : []),
-              `Act on what they meant: a clear yes or an Approve click, rig host approve ${rec.code}; a clear no or a Deny click, rig host deny ${rec.code}. If it isn't clear, ask them back, naming pairing code ${rec.code}.`,
-              `The request expires at ${new Date(rec.expiresAt).toISOString().slice(0, 19).replace("T", " ")} UTC.`].join("\n") });
-        } catch {
-          // Only a forward that isn't there is passed on at the next poll.
-          try { rec.forwarded = !!getRepo(c).getById(forwardId); } catch { rec.forwarded = false; }
-        }
-      }
-      // No agent reads answers here: tell the person once that their answer is kept, and how to decide directly.
-      if (!rec.owner && answered && !rec.receipted) {
-        rec.receipted = true;
-        try {
-          await getRepo(c).create({ sourceSession: PAIR_SOURCE_SESSION, destinationSession: rec.person, humanIntent: "update",
-            summary: `Pairing ${rec.code} from ${rec.requester}: answer kept`,
-            body: `Received ${said} on pairing request ${rec.code} from ${rec.requester}. No agent reads answers on this host yet (${noReader(rec)}), so it's kept for the receiving agent once one is set, and nothing is granted or denied meanwhile. To decide now: ${directDecision(rec.code)}.` });
-        } catch { /* the answer is kept either way */ }
+          rec.qitemId = await askPerson(c, pairId, rec, [words
+            ? `You wrote "${words.length > 200 ? `${words.slice(0, 200)}…` : words}" in reply to this request. Your words are kept, and they didn't deny anything: ${noReader(rec)}, so please decide with Approve or Deny here.`
+            : `Your reply to this request had no words to keep here, and it didn't deny anything: ${noReader(rec)}, so please decide with Approve or Deny here.`]);
+        } catch { rec.qitemId = closed; } // the next poll asks again
+        return c.json({ status: "pending", code: rec.code });
       }
       // Where the owner reads answers, tell the person once that their answer was received, and whether the owner is
       // running to read it.
-      if (rec.owner && !rec.receipted && answered) {
+      if (rec.owner && !rec.receipted && (answer != null || replied)) {
         rec.receipted = true;
+        const said = typeof answer === "string" ? `your ${answer === PAIR_APPROVE ? "Approve" : answer === "deny" ? "Deny" : answer} choice`
+          : answer != null && typeof answer === "object" ? `"${answer.text.replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim().slice(0, 200)}"` : "your reply";
         const running = ownerRunning(c, rec.owner);
-        const waiting = `Nothing is granted or denied until it acts, or the request expires at ${new Date(rec.expiresAt).toISOString().slice(0, 19).replace("T", " ")} UTC. To decide now on this host: ${directDecision(rec.code)}.`;
+        const waiting = `Nothing is granted or denied until it acts, or the request expires at ${new Date(rec.expiresAt).toISOString().slice(0, 19).replace("T", " ")} UTC. To decide now, in a terminal on this host with its operator bearer token: rig host approve ${rec.code}, or rig host deny ${rec.code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`;
         const reading = running === true ? `${rec.owner} reads it and acts on it. You'll see the result here, or a question if your answer isn't clear.`
           : running === false ? `${rec.owner} isn't running, so it may not have read it yet. ${waiting}`
           : `OpenRig couldn't tell whether ${rec.owner} is running, so it may not have read it yet. ${waiting}`;
@@ -574,7 +495,7 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
     }
     // Single-shot: the first decided read consumes the pairing.
     issued.delete(pairId);
-    // A decision from a close (an agent seat's close, or a refusing close) is told to the person
+    // A decision from a close (the person's click on an agent-free host, an agent seat's close) is told to the person
     // here; `rig host approve|deny` told them when it decided. Not awaited: nothing between the expiry check above and
     // this response yields, so a slow update can't carry the handover past expiry.
     if (!rec.decision) {
@@ -607,8 +528,8 @@ export function hostsRoutes(opts?: { bearerToken?: string | null; humanRegistry?
     if (Date.now() > rec.expiresAt) {
       return c.json({ error: "pair_request_expired", message: `Pairing request ${rec.code} from ${rec.requester} expired at ${new Date(rec.expiresAt).toISOString().slice(0, 19).replace("T", " ")} UTC. Nothing was decided; the requester can run rig host pair again.` }, 409);
     }
-    // One decision per request: an earlier `rig host approve|deny`, or one its row already records (a refusing close, or
-    // an agent seat's close naming Approve), even before the requester's next poll.
+    // One decision per request: an earlier `rig host approve|deny`, or one its row already records (a click on an
+    // agent-free host, a refusing close, an agent seat's close naming Approve), even before the requester's next poll.
     const item = rec.qitemId ? getRepo(c).getById(rec.qitemId) : null;
     const decided = rec.decision ?? (() => {
       const approve = rowDecision(c, rec, item);

packages/daemon/test/attention.test.ts

@@ -81,17 +81,6 @@ it("uses real human obligations, source summaries and dependents; excludes agent
   } finally { f.db.close(); }
 });
 
-it("a pairing request links to the settings page that decides it directly, opened on that request; other asks don't", async () => {
-  const f = fixture();
-  try {
-    f.row("pair-ask", "human-founder@external"); f.row("other-ask", "human-founder@external");
-    f.db.prepare("UPDATE queue_items SET evidence_ref = ? WHERE qitem_id = ?").run("pair-request:fixture-pair-id", "pair-ask");
-    const items = (await f.read()).items;
-    expect(items.find(i => i.id === "queue:pair-ask")?.settingsLink).toEqual({ category: "instance", focus: "pair-ask", label: "Open pairing settings (Approve or Deny directly)" });
-    expect(items.find(i => i.id === "queue:other-ask")?.settingsLink).toBeUndefined();
-  } finally { f.db.close(); }
-});
-
 it("keeps current proof corrections and exact project sources, retained health clears and unavailable states", async () => {
   const f = fixture();
   try {

packages/daemon/test/composer-input.test.ts

@@ -162,6 +162,15 @@ describe("cursor-bound composer input", () => {
     expect(inspectComposerInput(claude("\x1b[2;38;5;245mAsk Codex to do anything\x1b[0m", { x: 2, y: 2 })).state).toBe("empty");
   });
 
+  it("recognizes only a single inverse-video Claude cursor blank at the prompt start", () => {
+    const cursor = { x: 2, y: 2 };
+    expect(inspectComposerInput(claude("\x1b[7m \x1b[0m", cursor))).toMatchObject({ state: "empty", rows: [""], cursorAtEnd: true });
+    for (const body of [" ", "\x1b[38;5;7m \x1b[0m", "\x1b[7m\x1b[27m ", "\x1b[7m \x1b[0mdraft"]) {
+      expect(inspectComposerInput(claude(body, cursor)).state).toBe("text");
+    }
+    expect(inspectComposerInput(claude("\x1b[7m \x1b[0m", { x: 3, y: 2 }))).toMatchObject({ state: "text", rows: [" "] });
+  });
+
   it("requires the complete owned text and preserves significant spaces", () => {
     const input = inspectComposerInput(claude("Run two commands\nthen report."));
     expect(composerContainsOwnedText(input, "Run two commands\nthen report.")).toBe(true);

packages/daemon/test/draft-aware-delivery-native.test.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { TmuxAdapter } from "../src/adapters/tmux.js";
 import { shellQuote } from "../src/adapters/shell-quote.js";
 import { ALL_MIGRATIONS } from "../src/db/all-migrations.js";
 import { migrate } from "../src/db/migrate.js";
-import { inspectComposerInput } from "../src/domain/session-transport.js";
+import { annotateInputBox, inspectComposerInput } from "../src/domain/session-transport.js";
 import { RigRepository } from "../src/domain/rig-repository.js";
 import { SeatDeliveryGuard, resolveGuardTarget } from "../src/domain/seat-delivery-guard.js";
 import { SessionRegistry } from "../src/domain/session-registry.js";
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("native draft-aware terminal deliv
     }
   }, 30_000);
 
-  it("submits a multiline paste under a combined update footer through real tmux", async () => {
+  it.each(["update-banner", "cursor-block"])("submits a multiline paste with %s and keeps a real draft through tmux", async variant => {
     const scratch = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "draft-banner-"));
     const socket = join(scratch, "s");
     const env = { ...process.env }; delete env.TMUX; delete env.TMUX_TMPDIR;
@@ -143,8 +143,9 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("native draft-aware terminal deliv
     const db = new Database(":memory:");
     let transport: SessionTransport | undefined;
     try {
-      const command = [process.execPath, composer, "claude", stateFile, "update-banner"].map(shellQuote).join(" ");
-      const pane = (await tmux(["-f", "/dev/null", "new-session", "-d", "-P", "-F", "#{pane_id}", "-x", "120", "-y", "40", "-s", "worker@test", command])).trim();
+      const command = [process.execPath, composer, "claude", stateFile, variant].map(shellQuote).join(" ");
+      const [width, height] = variant === "cursor-block" ? ["68", "31"] : ["120", "40"];
+      const pane = (await tmux(["-f", "/dev/null", "new-session", "-d", "-P", "-F", "#{pane_id}", "-x", width, "-y", height, "-s", "worker@test", command])).trim();
       await vi.waitFor(() => expect(state().input).toBe(""), { timeout: 5000 });
       migrate(db, ALL_MIGRATIONS);
       db.exec(`INSERT INTO rigs(id,name) VALUES ('rig','test');
@@ -157,7 +158,14 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("native draft-aware terminal deliv
       const guard = new SeatDeliveryGuard(db, name => resolveGuardTarget(db, name)); adapter.deliveryGuard = guard;
       transport = new SessionTransport({ db, tmuxAdapter: adapter, rigRepo: new RigRepository(db), sessionRegistry: new SessionRegistry(db) });
       await guard.set("a", { mode: "draft-aware" }, "human@test", "protect fixture input");
-      await vi.waitFor(async () => expect(inspectComposerInput(await adapter.captureComposerSnapshot(pane), "claude-code").state).toBe("empty"));
+      if (variant === "cursor-block") {
+        await vi.waitFor(async () => {
+          const snapshot = await adapter.captureComposerSnapshot(pane);
+          expect(snapshot?.cursor).toEqual({ x: 2, y: 26, width: 68, height: 31 });
+          expect(snapshot!.screen.split("\n")[26]).toContain("❯\u00a0\x1b[7m ");
+          expect(annotateInputBox(snapshot!.screen, snapshot!.cursor, "claude-code")).toMatchObject({ status: "empty", confidence: "high" });
+        });
+      } else await vi.waitFor(async () => expect(inspectComposerInput(await adapter.captureComposerSnapshot(pane), "claude-code").state).toBe("empty"));
       const text = "first line\nsecond line\nlast line";
       const result = await transport.send("worker@test", text, { deliveryId: "banner", actorSession: "sender@test", verify: false });
       expect(result, JSON.stringify(result)).toMatchObject({ ok: true, sent: true });
@@ -165,7 +173,7 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("native draft-aware terminal deliv
       await tmux(["send-keys", "-t", pane, "-l", "person's draft"]);
       await vi.waitFor(() => expect(state().input).toBe("person's draft"));
       expect(await transport.send("worker@test", "another message", { deliveryId: "draft", verify: false }))
-        .toMatchObject({ outcome: "retained", sent: false });
+        .toMatchObject({ outcome: "retained", sent: false, reason: "draft_input_busy" });
       expect(state()).toEqual({ input: "person's draft", submissions: [text] });
     } finally {
       await transport?.guardedDelivery?.stop();

packages/daemon/test/fixtures/draft-composer.mjs

@@ -5,19 +5,23 @@ import { StringDecoder } from "node:string_decoder";
 import stringWidth from "string-width";
 
 const [runtime, stateFile, footerVariant] = process.argv.slice(2);
+const cursorBlock = footerVariant === "cursor-block";
+const rule = cursorBlock ? `\x1b[38;5;244m${"─".repeat(68)}\x1b[39m` : "────────────────────────────────────────";
 let input = "", pending = "", pasting = false, cursor = 0, ghost = false;
 const submissions = [];
 const decoder = new StringDecoder("utf8");
 
 function render() {
   const rows = ["Editable delivery fixture", ...submissions.slice(-3).flatMap(text => text.split("\n"))];
-  if (runtime === "claude") rows.push("────────────────────────────────────────");
+  if (cursorBlock) while (rows.length < 25) rows.push("");
+  if (runtime === "claude") rows.push(rule);
   const start = rows.length;
   const displayed = ghost && cursor === input.length ? `${input}\x1b[2m suggested follow-up\x1b[22m`
-    : input || (runtime === "codex" ? "\x1b[2mAsk Codex to do anything\x1b[22m" : "");
+    : input || (runtime === "codex" ? "\x1b[2mAsk Codex to do anything\x1b[22m" : cursorBlock ? "\x1b[7m \x1b[0m" : "");
   const body = displayed.split("\n");
   rows.push(`${runtime === "claude" ? "❯\u00a0" : "› "}${body[0]}`, ...body.slice(1).map(line => `  ${line}`));
-  rows.push(...(runtime === "claude" ? ["────────────────────────────────────────", "? for shortcuts"] : ["", "fixture · 90% context left"]));
+  rows.push(...(runtime === "claude" ? [rule, cursorBlock
+    ? "  \x1b[38;5;211m⏵⏵ bypass permissions on\x1b[38;5;246m (shift+tab to cycle)\x1b[0m" : "? for shortcuts"] : ["", "fixture · 90% context left"]));
   if (runtime === "claude" && ghost) {
     rows[rows.length - 1] = "⏵⏵ accept edits on (shift+tab to cycle) · ← for agents";
     rows.push("✘ Auto-update failed: no write permission to npm prefix · Run claude doctor");

packages/daemon/test/host-pair-explicit-approval.test.ts

@@ -103,117 +103,151 @@ async function fixture({ kernel = true, operator, ownershipUnreadable = false }:
   const slackThreadReply = (text: string) => router.route({ type: "message", user: "UPAIR", channel: "CPAIR", thread_ts: "1.1", ts: "3.3", text });
   /** Rows created in reply to the request: an answer to it is kept on the request itself, so there are none. */
   const replyRows = () => repo.list({ limit: 1000 }).filter((item) => item.replyTo === ask || item.destinationSession === "host-pair@kernel");
-  /** The pairing settings' read: the requests on this host, as text, so a leaked token would show. */
-  const requests = async () => { const res = await app.request("/api/hosts/pair-requests"); return { http: res.status, text: await res.text() }; };
-  return { repo, contract, ask, issued, poll, answer, decide, toPerson, slackButton, slackThreadReply, replyRows, requests };
+  return { repo, contract, ask, issued, poll, answer, decide, toPerson, slackButton, slackThreadReply, replyRows };
 }
 
-// With no receiving agent (no agents.operator_session, no kernel operator), a person's click or words are kept for the
-// receiving agent once one is set, never a decision by themselves; the direct controls are the TUI's pairing settings and
-// rig host approve|deny on this host.
-const NO_READER = `no agent reads answers on this host (no receiving agent is set in agents.operator_session, and it has no ${OPERATOR})`;
-const direct = (code: string) => `open the TUI's pairing settings (rig tui, then Settings, Instance & work, Pairing requests), or in a terminal with its operator bearer token run rig host approve ${code}, or rig host deny ${code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>)`;
-const kept = (code: string, said: string) => `Received ${said} on pairing request ${code} from requester@far-host. No agent reads answers on this host yet (${NO_READER}), so it's kept for the receiving agent once one is set, and nothing is granted or denied meanwhile. To decide now: ${direct(code)}.`;
-
-describe("host pairing with no receiving agent: answers are kept for one, and the person decides directly", () => {
-  it("the request carries one question, says no agent reads answers yet, and names the direct controls", async () => {
+describe("host pairing with no kernel operator running: Approve and Deny decide, typed words are asked again", () => {
+  it("the request carries one question, Approve or Deny, and tells the person typed words are kept and asked again", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
     const item = f.repo.getById(f.ask)!;
     expect(item.sourceSession).toBe("host-pair@kernel");
     expect(item.humanQuestions).toEqual([{ id: "pair", question: `Pair requester@far-host (code ${f.issued.code}) with this host?`, options: [
       { id: "approve", label: "Approve: hand this host's bearer token to the requester" }, { id: "deny", label: "Deny" }] }]);
-    expect(item.body).toContain(`No agent reads answers here yet: ${NO_READER}. Your answer, a click or your words, is kept, and goes to the receiving agent once one is set; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile.`);
-    expect(item.body).toContain(`To decide now on this host: ${direct(f.issued.code)}.`);
+    expect(item.body).toContain(`Answer with Approve or Deny. Typed words are kept but don't decide it, and you're asked again: no agent reads answers on this host (no receiving agent is set in agents.operator_session, and it has no ${OPERATOR}).`);
+    expect(item.body).toContain(`rig host approve ${f.issued.code}, or rig host deny ${f.issued.code}`);
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
   });
 
-  it.each([
-    ["a typed reply \"no\" (Steering or the TUI)", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ decision: "no" }), "\"no\""],
-    ["a typed reply \"yes\" (Steering or the TUI)", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ decision: "yes" }), "\"yes\""],
-    ["a typed Slack thread reply", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackThreadReply("who is this?"), "\"who is this?\""],
-    ["Steering's Approve choice", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" }), "your Approve choice"],
-    ["the TUI's Approve act (primary user)", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve", authority: "primary-user" }), "your Approve choice"],
-    ["Slack's Approve button", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackButton("approve"), "your Approve choice"],
-    ["Steering's Deny choice", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "deny" }), "your Deny choice"],
-    ["Slack's Deny button", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackButton("deny"), "your Deny choice"],
-  ] as const)("%s is kept on the request and decides nothing: one receipt names the direct controls, and no token", async (_label, act, said) => {
+  // Steering's and the TUI's "reply <text>": the person's words close the request and are kept under its question.
+  // Nothing on this host reads them, so they never deny: the person is asked again, and their choice there decides.
+  it.each(["no", "yes", "who is this?"])("a typed reply %j (Steering or the TUI) never denies: words kept, the person is asked again, and Approve there pairs", async (words) => {
     const f = await fixture();
-    await act(f);
-    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)?.humanAnswers?.pair).toBeDefined();
-    expect(f.replyRows()).toEqual([]);
+    expect((await f.answer({ decision: words })).status).toBe(200);
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-    expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ humanIntent: "update", sourceSession: "host-pair@kernel",
-      summary: `Pairing ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: answer kept`, body: kept(f.issued.code, said) })]);
-    // Polling again sends nothing more.
+    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on",
+      humanAnswers: { pair: { kind: "typed-reply", text: words } } });
+    const [again, ...more] = f.toPerson();
+    expect(more).toEqual([]);
+    expect(again).toMatchObject({ state: "pending", sourceSession: "host-pair@kernel", humanQuestions: f.repo.getById(f.ask)!.humanQuestions });
+    expect(again!.body).toContain(`You wrote "${words}" in reply to this request. Your words are kept, and they didn't deny anything`);
+    // Polling again asks nothing more.
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
     expect(f.toPerson()).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect((await f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" }, again!.qitemId)).status).toBe(200);
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
+    expect((await f.poll()).http).toBe(404);
   });
 
-  it.each([true, false])("kernel rig registered: %s. Answers close the request in place, with no reply rows, and decide nothing", async (kernel) => {
-    for (const act of [
-      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" }),
-      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackButton("deny"),
-      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ decision: "yes" }),
-    ]) {
-      const f = await fixture({ kernel });
-      await act(f);
-      expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done" });
-      expect(f.repo.closingTransition(f.ask, "done")?.actorSession).toBe(PERSON);
-      expect(f.replyRows()).toEqual([]);
-      expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-    }
+  it.each(["yes", "no"])("a typed Slack thread reply %j never denies: words kept, the person is asked again", async (words) => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    await f.slackThreadReply(words);
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
+    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", humanAnswers: { pair: { kind: "typed-reply", text: words } } });
+    expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ state: "pending", sourceSession: "host-pair@kernel" })]);
   });
 
   it("a plain terminal on this host decides with rig host approve, recorded as a direct human action, and the person is told", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
     await f.answer({ decision: "yes please" });
     await f.poll();
+    const again = f.toPerson()[0]!;
     expect(await f.decide(f.issued.code, "approve")).toEqual({ status: 200,
       body: { ok: true, decision: "approve", code: f.issued.code, requester: "requester@far-host", by: "human@host" } });
-    expect(f.toPerson().filter((item) => item.summary === `Pairing ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: approved`)).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({
+    // The open re-ask is closed with the result, and one update tells the person.
+    expect(f.repo.getById(again.qitemId)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on", resolution: "pairing approved by human@host" });
+    expect(f.toPerson().filter((item) => item.humanIntent === "update")).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({
       body: `Pairing request ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: approved by human@host. This host's token is handed over when the requesting machine next checks, if it's still waiting.` })]);
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["Steering's question card", { questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" }],
+    ["the TUI's Approve act (primary user)", { questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve", authority: "primary-user" }],
+  ] as const)("%s: Approve hands the token over once, then the pairing dies", async (_label, input) => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    expect((await f.answer(input)).status).toBe(200);
+    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", humanAnswers: { pair: "approve" } });
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
     expect((await f.poll()).http).toBe(404);
   });
 
-  it("a receiving agent set after the person answered gets their answer once, and the person is told it reads it", async () => {
+  it("Slack's Approve button hands the token over once", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
     await f.slackButton("approve");
-    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-    vi.stubEnv("OPENRIG_AGENTS_OPERATOR_SESSION", "lead@fixture-rig");
-    try {
-      expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-      await f.poll();
-      const toAgent = f.repo.list({ limit: 1000 }).filter((item) => item.destinationSession === "lead@fixture-rig");
-      expect(toAgent).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ sourceSession: "host-pair@kernel",
-        summary: `Pairing ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: ${PERSON} answered before you were its receiving agent` })]);
-      expect(toAgent[0]!.body).toContain(`${PERSON} answered pairing request ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host with their Approve choice`);
-      expect(toAgent[0]!.body).toContain(`rig host approve ${f.issued.code}`);
-      // It decides with the explicit operation, as any receiving agent does.
-      expect((await f.decide(f.issued.code, "approve", "lead@fixture-rig")).status).toBe(200);
+    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)?.humanAnswers).toEqual({ pair: "approve" });
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
+    expect((await f.poll()).http).toBe(404);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["Steering's Deny choice", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "deny" })],
+    ["Slack's Deny button", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackButton("deny")],
+  ] as const)("%s denies, with no token", async (_label, act) => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    await act(f);
+    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)?.humanAnswers).toEqual({ pair: "deny" });
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
+  });
+
+  // An answer is kept on the request, like a runner's permission request's: no reply row goes to host-pair@kernel, so it
+  // works the same on a daemon without a kernel rig, and nothing is left for a seat that doesn't exist.
+  it.each([true, false])("kernel rig registered: %s. An Approve choice (Steering, the TUI, Slack) closes the request in place and approves once", async (kernel) => {
+    for (const [actor, act] of [
+      [PERSON, (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" })],
+      // The terminal names no responder: the TUI's act is recorded unattributed.
+      ["human@host", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve", authority: "primary-user" })],
+      [PERSON, (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackButton("approve")],
+    ] as const) {
+      const f = await fixture({ kernel });
+      const result = await act(f);
+      // Steering and the TUI answer over HTTP; Slack's router returns its own disposition.
+      if (typeof (result as { status?: unknown }).status === "number") expect((result as { status: number }).status).toBe(200);
+      expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on", humanAnswers: { pair: "approve" } });
+      expect(f.repo.closingTransition(f.ask, "done")?.actorSession).toBe(actor);
+      expect(f.replyRows()).toEqual([]);
       expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
-    } finally { vi.unstubAllEnvs(); }
+      expect((await f.poll()).http).toBe(404);
+    }
   });
 
-  it("the pairing settings list the request with who reads it, show a decision's status, and never carry the token", async () => {
-    const f = await fixture();
-    const before = await f.requests();
-    expect(before.http).toBe(200);
-    expect(JSON.parse(before.text)).toEqual({ requests: [expect.objectContaining({ code: f.issued.code, requester: "requester@far-host",
-      status: "pending", person: PERSON, owner: null, noReader: NO_READER, approvalQitemId: f.ask })] });
-    expect((await f.decide(f.issued.code, "approve")).status).toBe(200);
-    const after = await f.requests();
-    expect(JSON.parse(after.text).requests).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ code: f.issued.code, status: "approved" })]);
-    expect(before.text.includes(BEARER) || after.text.includes(BEARER)).toBe(false);
+  it.each([true, false])("kernel rig registered: %s. A Deny choice (Steering, Slack) closes the request in place and denies once", async (kernel) => {
+    for (const act of [
+      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "deny" }),
+      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackButton("deny"),
+    ]) {
+      const f = await fixture({ kernel });
+      const result = await act(f);
+      if (typeof (result as { status?: unknown }).status === "number") expect((result as { status: number }).status).toBe(200);
+      expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", humanAnswers: { pair: "deny" } });
+      expect(f.repo.closingTransition(f.ask, "done")?.actorSession).toBe(PERSON);
+      expect(f.replyRows()).toEqual([]);
+      expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
+      expect((await f.poll()).http).toBe(404);
+    }
   });
 
-  it("the pairing settings show a decision the request's own row records (an agent's close), before the requester collects it", async () => {
+  it.each([true, false])("kernel rig registered: %s. A typed reply (Steering, Slack) closes the request in place, words kept, never denied", async (kernel) => {
+    for (const act of [
+      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ decision: "yes" }),
+      (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackThreadReply("yes"),
+    ]) {
+      const f = await fixture({ kernel });
+      const result = await act(f);
+      // Steering and the TUI answer over HTTP; Slack's router returns its own disposition.
+      if (typeof (result as { status?: unknown }).status === "number") expect((result as { status: number }).status).toBe(200);
+      expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", humanAnswers: { pair: { kind: "typed-reply", text: "yes" } } });
+      expect(f.repo.closingTransition(f.ask, "done")?.actorSession).toBe(PERSON);
+      expect(f.replyRows()).toEqual([]);
+      expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("a click that decides is told to the person as the outcome, apart from their click", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
-    await f.repo.update({ qitemId: f.ask, actorSession: AGENT, state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on", resolution: "approve" });
-    expect(JSON.parse((await f.requests()).text).requests).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ code: f.issued.code, status: "approved" })]);
-    const g = await fixture();
-    await g.repo.update({ qitemId: g.ask, actorSession: AGENT, state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on", resolution: "deny" });
-    expect(JSON.parse((await g.requests()).text).requests).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ code: g.issued.code, status: "denied" })]);
+    await f.slackButton("approve");
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
+    expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ humanIntent: "update", summary: `Pairing ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: approved`,
+      body: `Pairing request ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: approved by ${PERSON}. This host's token was handed to the requesting machine.` })]);
   });
 
   it("an agent seat approves only by naming the choice: rig queue update --state done --closure-reason no-follow-on --resolution approve", async () => {
@@ -236,20 +270,25 @@ describe("host pairing with no receiving agent: answers are kept for one, and th
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
   });
 
-  it("a person's own Deny is never overridden: a later agent close naming Approve hands nothing over", async () => {
+  it("an explicit Deny wins over a later agent close that names Approve", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
     // A recorded Deny whose return hasn't closed the request yet (its close failed), then an agent's approving close.
     f.repo.recordHumanAnswer({ qitemId: f.ask, actorSession: PERSON, questionId: "pair", optionId: "deny" });
+    expect(f.repo.getById(f.ask)?.state).toBe("pending");
     await f.repo.update({ qitemId: f.ask, actorSession: AGENT, state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on", resolution: "approve" });
-    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
+    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
   });
 
-  it("a recorded Approve that didn't close the request decides nothing; a later Steering Deny verb denies", async () => {
-    const f = await fixture();
-    f.repo.recordHumanAnswer({ qitemId: f.ask, actorSession: PERSON, questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" });
-    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-    await f.contract.act({ verb: "deny", qitemId: f.ask, actorSession: PERSON });
-    expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
+  it("a recorded Approve whose return didn't close the request still approves once; a later Steering Deny before the poll denies", async () => {
+    const approvedOpen = await fixture();
+    approvedOpen.repo.recordHumanAnswer({ qitemId: approvedOpen.ask, actorSession: PERSON, questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" });
+    expect(approvedOpen.repo.getById(approvedOpen.ask)?.state).toBe("pending");
+    expect(await approvedOpen.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
+
+    const deniedAfter = await fixture();
+    deniedAfter.repo.recordHumanAnswer({ qitemId: deniedAfter.ask, actorSession: PERSON, questionId: "pair", optionId: "approve" });
+    await deniedAfter.contract.act({ verb: "deny", qitemId: deniedAfter.ask, actorSession: PERSON });
+    expect(await deniedAfter.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
   });
 });
 
@@ -282,14 +321,14 @@ describe("host pairing with the kernel operator running: the person's answer goe
     const f = await fixture({ operator: "exited" });
     const item = f.repo.getById(f.ask)!;
     expect(item.sourceSession).toBe(OPERATOR);
-    expect(item.body).toContain(`${OPERATOR} isn't running right now, so your answer waits until it starts; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile. To decide sooner on this host: open the TUI's pairing settings (rig tui, then Settings, Instance & work, Pairing requests), or in a terminal with its operator bearer token run rig host approve ${f.issued.code}, or rig host deny ${f.issued.code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`);
+    expect(item.body).toContain(`${OPERATOR} isn't running right now, so your answer waits until it starts; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile. To decide sooner, in a terminal on this host with its operator bearer token: rig host approve ${f.issued.code}, or rig host deny ${f.issued.code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`);
     await f.slackButton("approve");
     expect(f.repo.list({ limit: 1000 }).filter((row) => row.replyTo === f.ask)).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ destinationSession: OPERATOR, state: "pending" })]);
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
     const [receipt, ...more] = f.toPerson();
     expect(more).toEqual([]);
     expect(receipt!.body).toContain(`Received your Approve choice on pairing request ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host. ${OPERATOR} isn't running, so it may not have read it yet. Nothing is granted or denied until it acts, or the request expires at `);
-    expect(receipt!.body).toContain(`To decide now on this host: open the TUI's pairing settings (rig tui, then Settings, Instance & work, Pairing requests), or in a terminal with its operator bearer token run rig host approve ${f.issued.code}, or rig host deny ${f.issued.code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`);
+    expect(receipt!.body).toContain(`To decide now, in a terminal on this host with its operator bearer token: rig host approve ${f.issued.code}, or rig host deny ${f.issued.code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`);
     // The person's terminal route works without a seat.
     expect((await f.decide(f.issued.code, "approve")).body).toMatchObject({ ok: true, by: "human@host" });
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "approved", token: BEARER }, leaksToken: true });
@@ -352,11 +391,10 @@ describe("host pairing with the kernel operator running: the person's answer goe
 });
 
 describe("host pairing: one decision per request, and no reply is denied on a technicality", () => {
-  it("a kept Deny click decides nothing by itself; the direct decision after it is the one decision, and a second is refused", async () => {
+  it("a Deny click the requester hasn't polled yet stands: rig host approve is refused, and the poll denies", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
     await f.slackButton("deny");
-    expect((await f.decide(f.issued.code, "deny")).status).toBe(200);
-    expect(await f.decide(f.issued.code, "approve")).toMatchObject({ status: 409, body: { error: "pair_request_decided", decision: "deny", by: "human@host" } });
+    expect(await f.decide(f.issued.code, "approve")).toMatchObject({ status: 409, body: { error: "pair_request_decided", decision: "deny", by: PERSON } });
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "denied" }, leaksToken: false });
   });
 
@@ -377,11 +415,12 @@ describe("host pairing: one decision per request, and no reply is denied on a te
     expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ body: expect.stringContaining(`Received your reply on pairing request ${f.issued.code}`) })]);
   });
 
-  it("an attachment-only Slack reply with no receiving agent is never denied: it's kept, and the person gets one receipt", async () => {
+  it("an attachment-only Slack reply on an agent-free host is never denied: the person is asked again", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
     await f.slackThreadReply("");
     expect(await f.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: f.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-    expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ humanIntent: "update", sourceSession: "host-pair@kernel", body: kept(f.issued.code, "your reply") })]);
+    expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ state: "pending", sourceSession: "host-pair@kernel",
+      body: expect.stringContaining("Your reply to this request had no words to keep here, and it didn't deny anything") })]);
   });
 
   // The queue keeps no words for the literal text "[file reply]" (the text a Slack file reply carries), so these closes
@@ -389,12 +428,12 @@ describe("host pairing: one decision per request, and no reply is denied on a te
   it.each([
     ["Steering", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.answer({ decision: "[file reply]" })],
     ["Slack", (f: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture>>) => f.slackThreadReply("[file reply]")],
-  ] as const)("the literal text [file reply] typed in %s is never denied: kept with a receipt, with or without a receiving agent", async (_label, act) => {
+  ] as const)("the literal text [file reply] typed in %s is never denied: asked again with no operator, a receipt with one", async (_label, act) => {
     const free = await fixture();
     await act(free);
     expect(free.repo.getById(free.ask)?.humanAnswers?.pair).toBeUndefined();
     expect(await free.poll()).toEqual({ http: 200, body: { status: "pending", code: free.issued.code }, leaksToken: false });
-    expect(free.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ humanIntent: "update", body: kept(free.issued.code, "your reply") })]);
+    expect(free.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ state: "pending", body: expect.stringContaining("Your reply to this request had no words to keep here") })]);
 
     const owned = await fixture({ operator: "running" });
     await act(owned);
@@ -423,8 +462,7 @@ describe("host pairing: one decision per request, and no reply is denied on a te
 describe("host pairing: exact expiry, and an agent-free request says why nobody reads answers", () => {
   it("the outcome update can't hold the token: a hanging update doesn't delay the approved response", async () => {
     const f = await fixture();
-    // An agent's close naming Approve: the poll decides it, and tells the person without awaiting the update.
-    await f.repo.update({ qitemId: f.ask, actorSession: AGENT, state: "done", closureReason: "no-follow-on", resolution: "approve" });
+    await f.slackButton("approve");
     const create = f.repo.create.bind(f.repo);
     const hang = vi.spyOn(f.repo, "create").mockImplementation(((input: Parameters<typeof f.repo.create>[0]) =>
       input.humanIntent === "update" ? new Promise(() => {}) : create(input)) as typeof f.repo.create);
@@ -447,7 +485,7 @@ describe("host pairing: exact expiry, and an agent-free request says why nobody
     const f = await fixture({ kernel: false, operator: "running" });
     const item = f.repo.getById(f.ask)!;
     expect(item.sourceSession).toBe("host-pair@kernel");
-    expect(item.body).toContain(`No agent reads answers here yet: ${OPERATOR} can't receive answers on this host. Your answer, a click or your words, is kept`);
+    expect(item.body).toContain(`Answer with Approve or Deny. Typed words are kept but don't decide it, and you're asked again: ${OPERATOR} can't receive answers on this host.`);
   });
 
   it("a receiving agent chosen in agents.operator_session owns the request, with no kernel operator here", async () => {
@@ -466,24 +504,19 @@ describe("host pairing: exact expiry, and an agent-free request says why nobody
       const f = await fixture();
       const item = f.repo.getById(f.ask)!;
       expect(item.sourceSession).toBe("host-pair@kernel");
-      expect(item.body).toContain(`No agent reads answers here yet: no agent reads answers on this host (agents.operator_session is "alex@external", which isn't an agent's session, so it's ignored, and it has no ${OPERATOR}). Your answer`);
+      expect(item.body).toContain(`you're asked again: no agent reads answers on this host (agents.operator_session is "alex@external", which isn't an agent's session, so it's ignored, and it has no ${OPERATOR}).`);
       expect(item.body).not.toContain("no receiving agent is set");
     } finally { vi.unstubAllEnvs(); }
   });
 
-  it("when OpenRig can't read who owns the request, it says it couldn't tell; once it can, the receiving agent takes the kept answer", async () => {
+  it("when OpenRig can't read who owns the request, it's agent-free and says it couldn't tell", async () => {
     const f = await fixture({ operator: "running", ownershipUnreadable: true });
     const item = f.repo.getById(f.ask)!;
     expect(item.sourceSession).toBe("host-pair@kernel");
-    expect(item.body).toContain("No agent reads answers here yet: OpenRig couldn't tell whether an agent reads answers on this host. Your answer, a click or your words, is kept");
+    expect(item.body).toContain("Answer with Approve or Deny. Typed words are kept but don't decide it, and you're asked again: OpenRig couldn't tell whether an agent reads answers on this host.");
     await f.answer({ decision: "yes" });
-    // The ownership read works again at the poll: the running kernel operator is the receiving agent now, and gets the
-    // person's kept answer once; the person is told it reads it.
     await f.poll();
-    await f.poll();
-    expect(f.repo.list({ limit: 1000 }).filter((row) => row.destinationSession === OPERATOR && row.sourceSession === "host-pair@kernel"))
-      .toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ summary: `Pairing ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host: ${PERSON} answered before you were its receiving agent` })]);
-    expect(f.toPerson()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ body: expect.stringContaining(`Received "yes" on pairing request ${f.issued.code} from requester@far-host. ${OPERATOR} reads it and acts on it.`) })]);
+    expect(f.toPerson()[0]!.body).toContain("and they didn't deny anything: OpenRig couldn't tell whether an agent reads answers on this host, so please decide");
   });
 });
 
@@ -507,37 +540,3 @@ describe("host pairing: expiry when the requester stopped waiting", () => {
     } finally { vi.useRealTimers(); }
   });
 });
-
-describe("host pairing, round 1: the kept answer where it's decided, and one whole forward", () => {
-  it("the pairing list carries the person's kept answer: a Deny click, or their words, with who", async () => {
-    const f = await fixture();
-    expect((await f.answer({ questionId: "pair", optionId: "deny" })).status).toBe(200);
-    expect(JSON.parse((await f.requests()).text).requests).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ status: "pending", answer: { by: PERSON, choice: "deny" } })]);
-    const g = await fixture();
-    expect((await g.answer({ decision: "only after lunch" })).status).toBe(200);
-    expect(JSON.parse((await g.requests()).text).requests).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ status: "pending", answer: { by: PERSON, words: "only after lunch" } })]);
-  });
-
-  it("a late receiving agent gets the person's whole words and the approval row, once, even when the forward's create throws after it committed", async () => {
-    const f = await fixture({ operator: "running", ownershipUnreadable: true });
-    const words = `please pair it, ${"the build host needs it for the release ".repeat(8)}and tell me when it's done`;
-    expect(words.length).toBeGreaterThan(200);
-    await f.answer({ decision: words });
-    const realCreate = f.repo.create.bind(f.repo);
-    let attempts = 0; // forward creates tried: the first commits and then throws
-    const spy = vi.spyOn(f.repo, "create").mockImplementation(async (input) => {
-      const made = await realCreate(input);
-      if (input.qitemId?.startsWith("qitem-pair-forward-") && attempts++ === 0) throw new Error("read back failed after commit");
-      return made;
-    });
-    try {
-      await f.poll();
-      await f.poll();
-    } finally { spy.mockRestore(); }
-    expect(attempts).toBe(1); // the next poll found the committed forward and didn't send it again
-    const forwards = f.repo.list({ limit: 1000 }).filter((row) => row.destinationSession === OPERATOR && row.sourceSession === "host-pair@kernel");
-    expect(forwards).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(forwards[0]!.body).toContain(`with these words: "${words}"`);
-    expect(forwards[0]!.body).toContain(`rig queue show ${f.ask} --full`);
-  });
-});

packages/daemon/test/hosts-add-pair-routes.test.ts

@@ -471,11 +471,11 @@ describe("pair-request — the target-side issuance handshake (FR-6)", () => {
     expect(item.summary).toContain(code);
     expect(item.evidenceRef).toContain("pair-request:");
     expect(item.state).toBe("pending");
-    // This host has no receiving agent, so the request says so: the person's answer is kept for one, and the direct
-    // controls are the TUI's pairing settings and rig host approve|deny on this host.
+    // This host has no kernel operator, so the request is agent-free: Approve and Deny decide, typed words are kept and the
+    // person is asked again, and a terminal on this host can decide with rig host approve|deny.
     expect(item.sourceSession).toBe("host-pair@kernel");
-    expect(item.body).toContain("No agent reads answers here yet: no agent reads answers on this host (no receiving agent is set in agents.operator_session, and it has no operator-agent@kernel). Your answer, a click or your words, is kept, and goes to the receiving agent once one is set; nothing is granted or denied meanwhile.");
-    expect(item.body).toContain(`To decide now on this host: open the TUI's pairing settings (rig tui, then Settings, Instance & work, Pairing requests), or in a terminal with its operator bearer token run rig host approve ${code}, or rig host deny ${code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`);
+    expect(item.body).toContain("Answer with Approve or Deny. Typed words are kept but don't decide it, and you're asked again: no agent reads answers on this host (no receiving agent is set in agents.operator_session, and it has no operator-agent@kernel).");
+    expect(item.body).toContain(`To decide in a terminal on this host with its operator bearer token: rig host approve ${code}, or rig host deny ${code} (OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set, or --bearer <token>).`);
   });
 
   it("a request stays open as long as its requester waits, and its approval says how long and until when", async () => {

packages/daemon/test/refocus-record.test.ts

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ describe("seat status reads what OpenRig's own refocus hook recorded", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("an earlier record that can't be read makes the history unknown, never 'no record' or an older time", () => {
+  it.skipIf(process.getuid?.() === 0)("an earlier record that can't be read makes the history unknown, never 'no record' or an older time (root bypasses mode 000)", () => {
     withHome((home) => {
       // Alone: an unreadable earlier record, and the seat now has another conversation (or no resume token).
       prompt(home, "earlier");
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ describe("seat status reads what OpenRig's own refocus hook recorded", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("a state folder that can't be read reads unknown, not 'no record'", () => {
+  it.skipIf(process.getuid?.() === 0)("a state folder that can't be read reads unknown, not 'no record' (root bypasses mode 000)", () => {
     withHome((home) => {
       prompt(home, conversation);
       const dir = join(home, "refocus");

packages/daemon/test/seat-kinds.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// The seat boundary's resolver: today's two kinds, and a stored value that's neither read as unknown, never as tmux.
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { resolveSeatKind, seatInboundTransport } from "../src/domain/seat-kinds.js";
+
+describe("resolveSeatKind", () => {
+  it.each([
+    [null, { kind: "tmux" }],
+    [undefined, { kind: "tmux" }],
+    ["tmux", { kind: "tmux" }],
+    ["external_cli", { kind: "external_cli" }],
+    ["herdr", { kind: "unknown", stored: "herdr" }],
+    ["", { kind: "unknown", stored: "" }],
+    ["TMUX", { kind: "unknown", stored: "TMUX" }],
+  ] as const)("reads %j as %j", (stored, expected) => {
+    expect(resolveSeatKind(stored)).toEqual(expected);
+  });
+
+  it("gives an external CLI seat no inbound transport, and every other kind today's tmux path", () => {
+    expect(seatInboundTransport({ kind: "external_cli" })).toBe("none");
+    expect(seatInboundTransport({ kind: "tmux" })).toBe("tmux");
+    // An unknown stored kind keeps the path it takes today; the resolver still names it unknown.
+    expect(seatInboundTransport({ kind: "unknown", stored: "herdr" })).toBe("tmux");
+  });
+});

packages/daemon/test/session-transport.test.ts

@@ -2741,6 +2741,27 @@ describe("SessionTransport", () => {
     expect(hasSessionSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  // A stored kind that isn't one of today's (only reachable by writing the column directly) takes today's path, the tmux
+  // one, for send and capture: the seat boundary adds no refusal and changes nothing for it.
+  it("a binding whose stored kind isn't tmux or external_cli sends and captures through tmux, as before the boundary", async () => {
+    const { node } = seedCanonicalRig();
+    db.prepare("UPDATE bindings SET attachment_type = 'herdr' WHERE node_id = ?").run(node.id);
+    const callOrder: string[] = [];
+    const tmux = mockTmux({
+      sendText: async () => { callOrder.push("sendText"); return { ok: true }; },
+      sendKeys: async (_t, keys) => { callOrder.push(`sendKeys:${keys.join(",")}`); return { ok: true }; },
+      capturePaneContent: async () => "line1",
+    });
+    const transport = createTransport(tmux);
+
+    const sent = await transport.send("dev-impl@my-rig", "hello");
+    expect(sent.reason).not.toBe("transport_unavailable");
+    expect(callOrder).toContain("sendText");
+    const captured = await transport.capture("dev-impl@my-rig");
+    expect(captured.ok).toBe(true);
+    expect(captured.content).toContain("line1");
+  });
+
   // Test 11: resolveSessions by rig returns running sessions
   it("resolveSessions by rig returns running sessions", async () => {
     seedCanonicalRig();

packages/tui/src/attention/attention-model.ts

@@ -100,8 +100,6 @@ export function attentionLines(state: ViewState, snap: FleetSnapshot, width: num
           lines.push({ text: `Or answer in your own words: reply <text>, ${as}${verb === "answer" ? " (it fills the first unanswered question and closes the request)" : ""}.` });
         }
       }
-      // The settings page that decides this request directly (a pairing request's Approve and Deny), opened on it.
-      if (d.item.settingsLink) lines.push(listItem(d.item.settingsLink.label, { type: "config-category", category: d.item.settingsLink.category, focus: d.item.settingsLink.focus }));
       // Chat, as on the Feed card: open the asker's own terminal to answer in your own words.
       if (d.item.asker) {
         const view = seatViewOf(snap, d.item.asker);

packages/tui/src/config/config-model.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { fieldLine, sectionRule, sliceWhole, wrapDetailLines, type ContentLine } from "../detail.js";
 import type { FleetSnapshot, ViewState } from "../types.js";
-import { pairingLines } from "./pairing.js";
 
 export interface ConfigEntry {
   key: string;
@@ -233,8 +232,6 @@ function configContentLines(state: ViewState, snap: FleetSnapshot, width: number
     { text: `Next: ${snap.connections?.nextAction ?? "rig gateway status"}` },
     { text: "Guidance only; verification contacts Slack explicitly." },
   ], width));
-  // A pairing request is decided directly here (the Feed's pairing item opens this page on it).
-  if (category === "instance") lines.push(...pairingLines(snap.pairRequests, state.configFocus, width), { text: "" });
   if (category === "display") lines.push(...wrapDetailLines([{ text: `Client timezone: ${state.timeZone} (selected at TUI start)` }], width));
   lines.push({ text: `${entries.length} settings${state.filter ? ` matching “${state.filter}”` : ""} · Enter opens full value/source` }, { text: "" });
   lines.push({ text: "  SETTING / VALUE / SOURCE · env > file > default" });

packages/tui/src/config/pairing.ts

@@ -1,113 +0,0 @@
-import { escapeControlChars, listItem, sectionRule, wrapDetailLines, type ContentLine } from "../detail.js";
-import type { Action } from "../types.js";
-
-/** One open pairing request on this host, as GET /api/hosts/pair-requests serves it. */
-export interface PairRequest {
-  code: string;
-  requester: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-  expiresAt: string;
-  status: "pending" | "approved" | "denied" | "unknown";
-  person: string;
-  /** The agent that reads the person's answer; null when none does here (`noReader` says why). */
-  owner: string | null;
-  noReader?: string;
-  /** The person's answer kept on the request, which decided nothing by itself: their choice, or the start of their words. */
-  answer?: { by: string; choice?: string; words?: string };
-  /** The request's approval row, which names it for a decision. */
-  approvalQitemId: string | null;
-}
-export interface PairRequestsRead { requests: PairRequest[]; readAt: string }
-type PairDecisionAct = Extract<Action, { type: "act"; act: "pair-decision" }>;
-
-function hhmm(iso: string): string {
-  return /T(\d\d:\d\d)/.exec(iso)?.[1] ?? iso;
-}
-
-/** Instance & work's pairing requests: each open request, who reads the person's answer, and Approve and Deny as direct
- *  controls (as `rig host approve|deny`). `focus` (an approval row) marks the request the Feed opened this page on; when
- *  that request is no longer listed, the page says so above the list. */
-export function pairingLines(read: PairRequestsRead | null | undefined, focus: string | null | undefined, width: number): ContentLine[] {
-  const lines: ContentLine[] = [sectionRule("Pairing requests", width)];
-  if (!read) {
-    return [...lines, ...wrapDetailLines([{ text: "Pairing requests unavailable: this host's list couldn't be read. Refresh, or run rig host approve <code> or rig host deny <code> here." }], width)];
-  }
-  const focused = focus ? read.requests.find((r) => r.approvalQitemId === focus) : undefined;
-  const text: ContentLine[] = [];
-  if (focus && !focused) text.push({ text: "The request you opened isn't open here anymore: it expired, was collected or decided, or the daemon restarted. Open requests are below." });
-  if (!read.requests.length) text.push({ text: "No open pairing requests on this host." });
-  for (const r of read.requests) {
-    const mark = r === focused ? "> " : "  ";
-    text.push({ text: `${mark}${r.code} · ${r.requester} · expires ${hhmm(r.expiresAt)} UTC · ${r.status}` });
-    text.push({ text: `    ${r.owner ? `${r.owner} reads ${r.person}'s answer and decides` : `No agent reads answers here: ${r.noReader ?? "reason unreported"}`}` });
-    if (r.answer) {
-      const a = r.answer;
-      text.push({ text: a.choice === "deny" ? `    ${a.by} answered Deny (kept). Approve overrides it.`
-        : a.choice === "approve" ? `    ${a.by} answered Approve (kept). Deny overrides it.`
-        : a.choice ? `    ${a.by} chose ${a.choice} (kept).`
-        : a.words ? `    ${a.by} wrote "${a.words}" (kept).` : `    ${a.by} replied with no words (kept).` });
-    }
-    if (r.status === "pending" && r.approvalQitemId) {
-      const act = (decision: "approve" | "deny"): Action => ({ type: "act", act: "pair-decision", request: r.approvalQitemId!, decision, code: r.code, requester: r.requester });
-      text.push(listItem(`Approve ${r.code}: hand this host's bearer token to ${r.requester}`, act("approve"), 4),
-        listItem(`Deny ${r.code}`, act("deny"), 4));
-    } else if (r.status === "unknown") {
-      text.push({ text: "    Its decision couldn't be read here: refresh before deciding." });
-    }
-  }
-  text.push({ text: `Read at ${read.readAt}. Approve and Deny decide directly, as rig host approve|deny does; the request is read again first.` });
-  return [...lines, ...wrapDetailLines(text, width)];
-}
-
-export interface PairDecisionClient {
-  pairRequests(): Promise<{ requests: PairRequest[] }>;
-  pairDecision(request: string, decision: "approve" | "deny"): Promise<{ status: number; body: Record<string, unknown> | null }>;
-}
-
-/** Decide one pairing request from the settings page: read it again first, so a request that's no longer open, or already
- *  decided, is reported and nothing is sent; then decide. When the decision can't be confirmed (a timeout or a lost
- *  connection), the outcome is unknown: it reads the request again and says what that shows, never deciding a second time. */
-export async function decidePairRequest(client: PairDecisionClient, act: PairDecisionAct): Promise<string> {
-  // The notice is printed on the status line, which nothing else cleans: the requester is a host not yet paired, and the
-  // daemon's own messages can quote it, so the whole notice is escaped as the list's lines are.
-  return escapeControlChars(await decideOnce(client, act));
-}
-
-async function decideOnce(client: PairDecisionClient, act: PairDecisionAct): Promise<string> {
-  const what = `Pairing request ${act.code} from ${act.requester}`;
-  const find = async () => (await client.pairRequests()).requests.find((r) => r.approvalQitemId === act.request);
-  let before: PairRequest | undefined;
-  try { before = await find(); } catch (error) {
-    return `${what}: it couldn't be read again first (${(error as Error).message}), so nothing was sent. Refresh and try again.`;
-  }
-  if (!before) return `${what} isn't open here anymore (expired, collected or decided, or the daemon restarted). Nothing was sent.`;
-  if (before.status === "unknown") return `${what}: its decision couldn't be read, so nothing was sent. Refresh and try again.`;
-  if (before.status !== "pending") return `${what} was already ${before.status}; that stands. Nothing was sent.`;
-  // Not confirmed either way: the decision may have been recorded. Read it again and say what that shows; never resend.
-  const unknown = async (why: string): Promise<string> => {
-    const head = `${what}: the ${act.decision === "approve" ? "Approve" : "Deny"} wasn't confirmed (${why}), so its outcome is unknown.`;
-    try {
-      const after = await find();
-      return `${head} Read again: ${!after ? "it's no longer open here." : after.status === "pending" ? "still pending, with no decision recorded. Check again before deciding again." : `${after.status}.`}`;
-    } catch (again) {
-      return `${head} Reading it again failed too (${(again as Error).message}): refresh before deciding again.`;
-    }
-  };
-  let result: Awaited<ReturnType<PairDecisionClient["pairDecision"]>>;
-  try { result = await client.pairDecision(act.request, act.decision); } catch (error) {
-    return unknown((error as Error).message);
-  }
-  // The daemon's plain refusals decide nothing: no bearer (401), a bad request (400), gone (404), decided or expired (409).
-  // Any other failure, such as a server error, can follow a recorded decision, so its outcome is unknown.
-  if (result.status !== 401 && ![400, 404, 409].includes(result.status) && (result.status < 200 || result.status >= 300)) {
-    return unknown(`HTTP ${result.status}${typeof result.body?.error === "string" ? ` ${result.body.error}` : ""}`);
-  }
-  if (result.status === 401) return `${what}: this daemon refused the decision without its operator bearer token, so nothing was decided. Start the TUI with OPENRIG_AUTH_BEARER_TOKEN set to the token this daemon runs with, or run rig host ${act.decision} ${act.code} here.`;
-  if (result.status < 200 || result.status >= 300) {
-    const message = typeof result.body?.message === "string" ? result.body.message : `HTTP ${result.status}${typeof result.body?.error === "string" ? ` (${result.body.error})` : ""}`;
-    return `${what}: not decided here. ${message}`;
-  }
-  return act.decision === "approve"
-    ? `Approved ${what}: the requester collects this host's bearer token at its next check.`
-    : `Denied ${what}: nothing is handed over.`;
-}

packages/tui/src/daemon-client.ts

@@ -428,15 +428,6 @@ export class DaemonClient {
   reviewFleet() {
     return this.get(`/api/review/fleet`);
   }
-  /** This host's open pairing requests (read-only; nothing in it is a credential). */
-  pairRequests() { return this.get("/api/hosts/pair-requests") as Promise<{ requests: import("./config/pairing.js").PairRequest[] }>; }
-  /** Decide a pairing request directly, as `rig host approve|deny` does (POST /api/hosts/pair-decision), with the operator's
-   *  action headers. Returns the HTTP outcome; a timeout or a lost connection throws, and then the outcome is unknown. */
-  async pairDecision(request: string, decision: "approve" | "deny"): Promise<{ status: number; body: Record<string, unknown> | null }> {
-    const res = await this.fetchImpl(`${this.baseUrl}/api/hosts/pair-decision`, { method: "POST",
-      headers: { ...this.actionHeaders, "Content-Type": "application/json" }, body: JSON.stringify({ request, decision }), signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10_000) });
-    return { status: res.status, body: await res.json().catch(() => null) as Record<string, unknown> | null };
-  }
   /** The mission-control write Steering uses to answer a request (POST /api/mission-control/action). */
   missionControlAction(input: { verb: "approve" | "answer" | "resolve"; qitemId: string; actorSession: string; questionId?: string; optionId?: string; decision?: string; authority?: "primary-user" }) {
     return this.post("/api/mission-control/action", input, { headers: this.actionHeaders, unauthorized: ACTION_UNAUTHORIZED }) as Promise<{ verb: string; qitemId: string; closedQitem: unknown;

packages/tui/src/detail.ts

@@ -26,18 +26,12 @@ export interface ContentLine {
 
 /** Wrap prose and full references without losing a link's target. Graph/table rows
  * retain their own layout; callers opt in only for detail pages. */
-/** Text from outside shown in the terminal: tabs as spaces, and every other control character as a visible \xNN, so it
- *  can't move the cursor, clear the screen or start an escape sequence. */
-export function escapeControlChars(text: string): string {
-  return text.replace(/\t/g, "    ").replace(/[\x00-\x08\x0b\x0c\x0e-\x1f\x7f]/g, (ch) => `\\x${ch.charCodeAt(0).toString(16).padStart(2, "0")}`);
-}
-
 export function wrapDetailLines(lines: ContentLine[], width: number): ContentLine[] {
   const room = Math.max(8, width);
   // A ContentLine is one logical terminal row. YAML block scalars and current
   // source files may contain CR/LF; never emit those inside a physical row.
   const logical = lines.flatMap((line) => line.text.split(/\r\n|\r|\n/).map((text, i) => ({
-    ...line, text: escapeControlChars(text),
+    ...line, text: text.replace(/\t/g, "    ").replace(/[\x00-\x08\x0b\x0c\x0e-\x1f\x7f]/g, (ch) => `\\x${ch.charCodeAt(0).toString(16).padStart(2, "0")}`),
     ...(i ? { action: undefined, zones: undefined, segs: undefined } : {}),
   })));
   return logical.flatMap((line) => {

packages/tui/src/hydrate.ts

@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import { fileTargetForPath } from "./reading.js";
 //   - A failed read leaves its portion honest-empty and records a NAMED error.
 import { emptySnapshot } from "./state.js";
 import type { ConfigRead } from "./config/config-model.js";
-import type { PairRequestsRead } from "./config/pairing.js";
 import type { ConnectionsRead, ControlPlaneRead, SlackManifestRead } from "./connections/connections-model.js";
 import type { UsageRead } from "./usage/usage-model.js";
 import { DaemonClient } from "./daemon-client.js";
@@ -486,19 +485,17 @@ export async function hydrateSnapshot(
     const passive = async <T>(label: string, read: () => Promise<unknown>): Promise<T | null> => {
       try { return await read() as T; } catch { readErrors.push(`${label}: unavailable`); return null; }
     };
-    const [config, controlPlane, connections, pairRequests] = await Promise.all([
+    const [config, controlPlane, connections] = await Promise.all([
       passive<ConfigRead>("CONFIG", () => client.configBrowser().catch(error => {
         configError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Read failed; cause not identified.";
         throw error;
       })),
       passive<ControlPlaneRead>("control plane", () => client.health()),
       passive<ConnectionsRead>("Slack observation", () => client.connections()),
-      // Instance & work's pairing requests: an in-memory, read-only list on this host.
-      passive<PairRequestsRead>("pairing requests", async () => ({ requests: (await client.pairRequests()).requests, readAt: new Date().toISOString() })),
     ]);
     let daemonTarget = "unreported";
     try { daemonTarget = new URL(client.baseUrl).origin; } catch { /* no raw invalid target */ }
-    return { ...emptySnapshot(), config, configError, controlPlane, connections, pairRequests, daemonTarget, hydratedAt: new Date().toISOString(), readErrors };
+    return { ...emptySnapshot(), config, configError, controlPlane, connections, daemonTarget, hydratedAt: new Date().toISOString(), readErrors };
   }
 
   const readingOnly = viewContext?.section === "specs";

packages/tui/src/main.ts

@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import { evaluateOneClickGate, restoreConfirmMessage } from "./crash-cart/one-cl
 import { daemonStartArgs } from "./crash-cart/start-daemon.js";
 import { readLocal } from "./local-reading.js";
 import { replyAct, opensOnDefaultFeed, actingAs, answerRequest } from "./attention/attention-model.js";
-import { decidePairRequest } from "./config/pairing.js";
 import type { AttentionRead } from "@openrig/daemon/attention";
 import { StartupController } from "./startup.js";
 import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
@@ -464,8 +463,6 @@ async function run(): Promise<void> {
       } else if (action.act === "run") {
         const result = await client.launchNode(action.rigId, action.agent);
         view.dispatch({ type: "notice", message: launchNodeNotice(action.agent, result) });
-      } else if (action.act === "pair-decision") {
-        view.dispatch({ type: "notice", message: await decidePairRequest(client, action) });
       } else if (action.act === "answer") {
         const result = await client.missionControlAction(answerRequest(action));
         const actor = actingAs(snapshot.attentionRead, action.actorSession);

packages/tui/src/state.ts

@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ function reduce(state: ViewState, action: Action, snap: FleetSnapshot): ViewStat
       return { ...next, lastError: action.message };
     case "config-category": {
       if (!CONFIG_CATEGORIES.some((c) => c.id === action.category)) return { ...next, lastError: "Unknown CONFIG category" };
-      return syncSelection(resetContent({ ...next, section: "config", drill: [], viewTab: "table", configCategory: action.category, configKey: null, configFocus: action.focus ?? null, filter: "", healthOpen: null }), snap);
+      return syncSelection(resetContent({ ...next, section: "config", drill: [], viewTab: "table", configCategory: action.category, configKey: null, filter: "", healthOpen: null }), snap);
     }
     case "config-setting":
       return resetContent({ ...next, section: "config", drill: [], viewTab: "table", configKey: action.key, healthOpen: null });
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ function reduce(state: ViewState, action: Action, snap: FleetSnapshot): ViewStat
       next.healthOpen = null;
       next.configCategory = null;
       next.configKey = null;
-      next.configFocus = null;
       if (!state.sections.some((s) => s.name === action.section))
         return { ...next, lastError: `unknown section "${action.section}"` };
       return syncSelection(
@@ -368,8 +367,8 @@ function location(s: ViewState): string {
 }
 
 function navigationFrame(s: ViewState): NavigationFrame {
-  const { attentionCategory, attentionOpen, project, terminalView, terminalPage, file, externalUrl, section, drill, filter, selection, runningOf, viewTab, contentOffset, contentMaxOffset, contentTargetCount, contentSelection, focusedPane, scopesMission, scopesSelected, scopesCollapseReqs, scopesNarrative, executionOpen, expanded, recentOpen, timeZoneHelp, configCategory, configKey, configFocus } = s;
-  return { attentionCategory, attentionOpen, project, terminalView, terminalPage, file, externalUrl, section, drill, filter, selection, runningOf, viewTab, contentOffset, contentMaxOffset, contentTargetCount, contentSelection, focusedPane, scopesMission, scopesSelected, scopesCollapseReqs, scopesNarrative, executionOpen, expanded, recentOpen, timeZoneHelp, configCategory, configKey, configFocus };
+  const { attentionCategory, attentionOpen, project, terminalView, terminalPage, file, externalUrl, section, drill, filter, selection, runningOf, viewTab, contentOffset, contentMaxOffset, contentTargetCount, contentSelection, focusedPane, scopesMission, scopesSelected, scopesCollapseReqs, scopesNarrative, executionOpen, expanded, recentOpen, timeZoneHelp, configCategory, configKey } = s;
+  return { attentionCategory, attentionOpen, project, terminalView, terminalPage, file, externalUrl, section, drill, filter, selection, runningOf, viewTab, contentOffset, contentMaxOffset, contentTargetCount, contentSelection, focusedPane, scopesMission, scopesSelected, scopesCollapseReqs, scopesNarrative, executionOpen, expanded, recentOpen, timeZoneHelp, configCategory, configKey };
 }
 
 function applyDrill(state: ViewState, next: ViewState, action: Extract<Action, { type: "drill" }>, snap: FleetSnapshot): ViewState {

packages/tui/src/types.ts

@@ -413,8 +413,6 @@ export interface FleetSnapshot {
   specsLoaded?: boolean;
   config?: import("./config/config-model.js").ConfigRead | null;
   configError?: string;
-  /** This host's open pairing requests, read with Settings; null when unavailable. */
-  pairRequests?: import("./config/pairing.js").PairRequestsRead | null;
   connections?: import("./connections/connections-model.js").ConnectionsRead | null;
   controlPlane?: import("./connections/connections-model.js").ControlPlaneRead | null;
   /** OPR.0.6.0.5 — the shipped Slack app manifest (same object as `rig slack manifest`); null when unavailable. */
@@ -535,8 +533,7 @@ export type Action =
   | { type: "timezone" }
   | { type: "recent-open"; transitionId: number }
   | { type: "back" }
-  /** `focus`: an item the category opens on, such as a pairing request's approval row in Instance & work. */
-  | { type: "config-category"; category: string; focus?: string }
+  | { type: "config-category"; category: string }
   | { type: "config-setting"; key: string }
   | { type: "noop" }
   | { type: "error"; message: string }
@@ -584,8 +581,6 @@ export type Action =
   /** Answer a request on its own row, as the person the Feed served: Steering's Approve, or a choice
    * (questionId + optionId) or their own words (decision) through mission control's answer. */
   | { type: "act"; act: "answer"; qitemId: string; verb: "approve" | "answer" | "resolve"; actorSession: string; questionId?: string; optionId?: string; decision?: string }
-  /** Decide a pairing request directly on this host, as `rig host approve|deny` does, by its approval row. */
-  | { type: "act"; act: "pair-decision"; request: string; decision: "approve" | "deny"; code: string; requester: string }
   /** Answer the open request in your own words (the `reply` command); main resolves it to the served answer act. */
   | { type: "attention-reply"; text: string }
   | { type: "notice"; message: string };
@@ -617,8 +612,6 @@ export interface ViewState {
   history?: NavigationFrame[];
   configCategory?: string | null;
   configKey?: string | null;
-  /** The item an opened category is focused on (a pairing request's approval row). */
-  configFocus?: string | null;
   pendingDrill?: PendingDrill | null;
   /** Last PendingDrill seq handed out; never reused while this view lives. */
   pendingSeq?: number;
@@ -662,7 +655,7 @@ export interface ViewState {
   lastError: string | null;
 }
 
-export type NavigationFrame = Pick<ViewState, "attentionCategory" | "attentionOpen" | "project" | "terminalView" | "terminalPage" | "file" | "externalUrl" | "section" | "drill" | "filter" | "selection" | "runningOf" | "viewTab" | "contentOffset" | "contentMaxOffset" | "contentTargetCount" | "contentSelection" | "focusedPane" | "scopesMission" | "scopesSelected" | "scopesCollapseReqs" | "scopesNarrative" | "executionOpen" | "expanded" | "timeZoneHelp" | "recentOpen" | "configCategory" | "configKey" | "configFocus">;
+export type NavigationFrame = Pick<ViewState, "attentionCategory" | "attentionOpen" | "project" | "terminalView" | "terminalPage" | "file" | "externalUrl" | "section" | "drill" | "filter" | "selection" | "runningOf" | "viewTab" | "contentOffset" | "contentMaxOffset" | "contentTargetCount" | "contentSelection" | "focusedPane" | "scopesMission" | "scopesSelected" | "scopesCollapseReqs" | "scopesNarrative" | "executionOpen" | "expanded" | "timeZoneHelp" | "recentOpen" | "configCategory" | "configKey">;
 
 export interface ViewStateStore {
   instanceId: string;

packages/tui/test/action-auth.test.ts

@@ -118,20 +118,10 @@ describe("against the daemon's real routes, a pairing answer without the operato
     expect(await d.poll()).toMatchObject({ status: "pending" });
   });
 
-  it("with the operator bearer, the person's Approve is recorded and kept for a receiving agent; it doesn't decide the agent-free request", async () => {
+  it("with the operator bearer, the person's Approve is recorded and decides the agent-free request", async () => {
     const d = await daemon();
     await d.approve(d.tui({ Authorization: `Bearer ${ACTION}` }));
     expect(d.repo.getById(d.issued.approvalQitemId)).toMatchObject({ state: "done", humanAnswers: { pair: "approve" } });
-    expect(await d.poll()).toMatchObject({ status: "pending" });
-  });
-
-  it("the settings page's direct decision takes the operator bearer: without it nothing is decided, with it the request is approved", async () => {
-    const d = await daemon();
-    const refused = await d.tui({ Authorization: `Bearer ${TERMINAL}` }).pairDecision(d.issued.approvalQitemId, "approve");
-    expect(refused.status).toBe(401);
-    expect(await d.poll()).toMatchObject({ status: "pending" });
-    const decided = await d.tui({ Authorization: `Bearer ${ACTION}` }).pairDecision(d.issued.approvalQitemId, "approve");
-    expect(decided).toMatchObject({ status: 200, body: { ok: true, decision: "approve" } });
     expect(await d.poll()).toMatchObject({ status: "approved" });
   });
 });

packages/tui/test/config-journey.test.ts

@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ describe("CONFIG in the normal TUI journey", () => {
     expect(snap.config!.entries.filter((e) => e.group === "general").map((e) => e.key)).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([...SETTINGS_VALID_KEYS]));
     while (["config", "system"].includes(view.get().section)) escape();
     expect(view.get()).toMatchObject({ section: work.section, selection: work.selection, filter: work.filter, contentOffset: work.contentOffset });
-    expect(new Set(trace)).toEqual(new Set(["GET /api/config?view=browser", "GET /healthz", "GET /api/gateway/connections", "GET /api/hosts/pair-requests"]));
+    expect(new Set(trace)).toEqual(new Set(["GET /api/config?view=browser", "GET /healthz", "GET /api/gateway/connections"]));
     expect(sources.map((p) => readFileSync(p, "utf8"))).toEqual(before);
     expect(external).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(JSON.stringify(snap)).not.toContain(secret);

packages/tui/test/pairing-settings.test.ts

@@ -1,155 +0,0 @@
-// A pairing request is decided directly on this host's settings page: the Feed's pairing item opens Settings > Instance &
-// work on that request, Back returns to the item, and Approve and Deny there read the request again before deciding, as
-// `rig host approve|deny` does. A decision that can't be confirmed reads "outcome unknown" and re-reads; it never retries.
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
-import { DaemonClient } from "../src/daemon-client.js";
-import { hydrateSnapshot } from "../src/hydrate.js";
-import { createViewState, emptySnapshot } from "../src/state.js";
-import { attentionLines } from "../src/attention/attention-model.js";
-import { configLines } from "../src/config/config-model.js";
-import { decidePairRequest, pairingLines, type PairDecisionClient, type PairRequest } from "../src/config/pairing.js";
-import { parseCommand } from "../src/grammar.js";
-import type { Action, FleetSnapshot } from "../src/types.js";
-
-const request = (over: Partial<PairRequest> = {}): PairRequest => ({ code: "482913", requester: "requester@far-host", createdAt: "2026-11-11T01:00:00.000Z",
-  expiresAt: "2026-11-11T01:10:00.000Z", status: "pending", person: "alex@external", owner: null,
-  noReader: "no agent reads answers on this host (no receiving agent is set in agents.operator_session, and it has no operator-agent@kernel)",
-  approvalQitemId: "pair-ask", ...over });
-type DecideAct = Extract<Action, { type: "act"; act: "pair-decision" }>;
-const approveAct: DecideAct = { type: "act", act: "pair-decision", request: "pair-ask", decision: "approve", code: "482913", requester: "requester@far-host" };
-
-describe("pairing requests on Settings > Instance & work", () => {
-  it("the Feed's pairing item opens the settings page on that request, with Approve and Deny there; Back returns to the item", async () => {
-    const ask = { id: "queue:pair-ask", kind: "action" as const, summary: "Pair requester@far-host with this host?", unblocks: null, urgency: "routine",
-      at: "2026-11-11T01:00:00Z", scope: "instance · project unknown", project: null, source: "/api/queue/pair-ask", recipient: "alex@external",
-      settingsLink: { category: "instance", focus: "pair-ask", label: "Open pairing settings (Approve or Deny directly)" } };
-    const client = new DaemonClient({ baseUrl: "http://fixture", fetchImpl: (async (url) => {
-      const u = new URL(String(url));
-      if (u.pathname === "/api/attention") return Response.json({ scope: "instance", readAt: ask.at, items: [ask], sources: [{ source: "queue", state: "available", detail: "fixture" }],
-        detail: u.searchParams.get("item") ? { item: ask, lines: [], files: [] } : null, detailError: null });
-      if (u.pathname === "/api/queue/human-updates") return Response.json({ items: [], limit: 20, truncated: false });
-      if (u.pathname === "/healthz") return Response.json({ status: "ok", selfHostId: "fixture-host" });
-      if (u.pathname === "/api/config") return Response.json({ observedAt: ask.at, home: "/fixture", readOnly: true, sources: [], entries: [], exclusions: [] });
-      if (u.pathname === "/api/gateway/connections") return Response.json({ error: "fixture" }, { status: 404 });
-      if (u.pathname === "/api/hosts/pair-requests") return Response.json({ requests: [request(), request({ code: "777111", requester: "other@host", approvalQitemId: "other-ask" })] });
-      throw new Error(`Unexpected request: ${u}`);
-    }) as typeof fetch });
-    let snap: FleetSnapshot = emptySnapshot();
-    const view = createViewState({ instanceId: "pairing-settings", getSnapshot: () => snap });
-    const refresh = async () => { snap = await hydrateSnapshot(client, undefined, null, null, null, view.get()); };
-    view.dispatch(parseCommand("attention")); await refresh();
-    view.dispatch({ type: "attention-open", id: ask.id }); await refresh();
-    const open = attentionLines(view.get(), snap, 140).find((l) => l.text.includes("Open pairing settings"));
-    expect(open?.action).toEqual({ type: "config-category", category: "instance", focus: "pair-ask" });
-
-    view.dispatch(open!.action!); await refresh();
-    expect(view.get()).toMatchObject({ section: "config", configCategory: "instance", configFocus: "pair-ask" });
-    const page = configLines(view.get(), snap, 140);
-    const text = page.map((l) => l.text).join("\n");
-    expect(text).toContain("> 482913 · requester@far-host · expires 01:10 UTC · pending");
-    expect(text).toContain("  777111 · other@host");
-    expect(text).toContain("No agent reads answers here: no agent reads answers on this host");
-    expect(page.filter((l) => l.action?.type === "act").map((l) => l.action)).toEqual([
-      approveAct, { ...approveAct, decision: "deny" },
-      { ...approveAct, request: "other-ask", code: "777111", requester: "other@host" }, { ...approveAct, request: "other-ask", code: "777111", requester: "other@host", decision: "deny" },
-    ]);
-
-    view.dispatch({ type: "back" }); await refresh();
-    expect(view.get()).toMatchObject({ attentionOpen: ask.id });
-    expect(view.get().section).not.toBe("config");
-  });
-
-  it("a request the Feed opened on that's no longer listed says so above the open ones; a decided or unreadable one offers no controls", () => {
-    const text = (focus: string | null, requests: PairRequest[]) => pairingLines({ requests, readAt: "2026-11-11T01:01:00Z" }, focus, 140);
-    const gone = text("gone-ask", [request()]);
-    expect(gone.map((l) => l.text).join("\n")).toContain("The request you opened isn't open here anymore");
-    expect(gone.some((l) => l.text.startsWith("> "))).toBe(false);
-    const decided = text("pair-ask", [request({ status: "approved", owner: "lead@rig", noReader: undefined })]);
-    expect(decided.map((l) => l.text).join("\n")).toContain("lead@rig reads alex@external's answer and decides");
-    expect(decided.some((l) => l.action?.type === "act")).toBe(false);
-    const unknown = text(null, [request({ status: "unknown" })]);
-    expect(unknown.some((l) => l.action?.type === "act")).toBe(false);
-    expect(unknown.map((l) => l.text).join("\n")).toContain("Its decision couldn't be read here: refresh before deciding.");
-    expect(pairingLines(null, "pair-ask", 140).map((l) => l.text).join("\n")).toContain("Pairing requests unavailable");
-  });
-});
-
-describe("deciding a pairing request from the settings page", () => {
-  const fake = (lists: PairRequest[][], decide: PairDecisionClient["pairDecision"]) => {
-    const pairDecision = vi.fn(decide);
-    let i = 0;
-    const client: PairDecisionClient = { pairRequests: async () => ({ requests: lists[Math.min(i++, lists.length - 1)]! }), pairDecision };
-    return { client, pairDecision };
-  };
-
-  it("reads the request again first: one already decided, or gone, is reported and nothing is sent", async () => {
-    const decided = fake([[request({ status: "denied" })]], async () => ({ status: 200, body: { ok: true } }));
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(decided.client, approveAct)).toBe("Pairing request 482913 from requester@far-host was already denied; that stands. Nothing was sent.");
-    const gone = fake([[]], async () => ({ status: 200, body: { ok: true } }));
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(gone.client, approveAct)).toContain("isn't open here anymore");
-    expect(decided.pairDecision).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(gone.pairDecision).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it("decides a pending request by its approval row, and passes the daemon's own refusal through", async () => {
-    const ok = fake([[request()]], async () => ({ status: 200, body: { ok: true, decision: "approve" } }));
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(ok.client, approveAct)).toBe("Approved Pairing request 482913 from requester@far-host: the requester collects this host's bearer token at its next check.");
-    expect(ok.pairDecision).toHaveBeenCalledWith("pair-ask", "approve");
-    const late = fake([[request()]], async () => ({ status: 409, body: { error: "pair_request_decided", message: "Pairing request 482913 was already denied by lead@rig; that stands." } }));
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(late.client, { ...approveAct, decision: "deny" })).toBe("Pairing request 482913 from requester@far-host: not decided here. Pairing request 482913 was already denied by lead@rig; that stands.");
-    const noToken = fake([[request()]], async () => ({ status: 401, body: { error: "unauthorized" } }));
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(noToken.client, approveAct)).toContain("refused the decision without its operator bearer token, so nothing was decided");
-  });
-
-  it("a decision that times out reads \"outcome unknown\", then reads the request again and says what it shows, never sending twice", async () => {
-    // As fetch does: the timeout rejects the promise, it doesn't throw synchronously.
-    const timeout = async (): Promise<never> => { throw Object.assign(new Error("The operation was aborted due to timeout"), { name: "TimeoutError" }); };
-    const landed = fake([[request()], [request({ status: "approved" })]], timeout);
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(landed.client, approveAct)).toBe("Pairing request 482913 from requester@far-host: the Approve wasn't confirmed (The operation was aborted due to timeout), so its outcome is unknown. Read again: approved.");
-    const notYet = fake([[request()], [request()]], timeout);
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(notYet.client, approveAct)).toContain("its outcome is unknown. Read again: still pending, with no decision recorded. Check again before deciding again.");
-    const blind = fake([[request()]], timeout);
-    blind.client.pairRequests = vi.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce({ requests: [request()] }).mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("connection refused"));
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(blind.client, approveAct)).toContain("its outcome is unknown. Reading it again failed too (connection refused): refresh before deciding again.");
-    for (const f of [landed, notYet, blind]) expect(f.pairDecision).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-  });
-});
-
-describe("pairing settings, round 1", () => {
-  it("shows the person's kept answer above Approve and Deny, so an Approve over a kept Deny is made knowingly", () => {
-    const lines = pairingLines({ requests: [request({ answer: { by: "alex@external", choice: "deny" } })], readAt: "2026-11-11T01:01:00Z" }, "pair-ask", 140);
-    const text = lines.map((l) => l.text).join("\n");
-    expect(text).toContain("alex@external answered Deny (kept). Approve overrides it.");
-    expect(lines.filter((l) => l.action?.type === "act")).toHaveLength(2);
-    const words = pairingLines({ requests: [request({ answer: { by: "alex@external", words: "only after lunch" } })], readAt: "2026-11-11T01:01:00Z" }, null, 140);
-    expect(words.map((l) => l.text).join("\n")).toContain('alex@external wrote "only after lunch" (kept).');
-  });
-
-  it("a server error from the decision reads \"outcome unknown\" and reads again, never sending twice; the plain refusals stay plain", async () => {
-    const decideOnce = vi.fn(async () => ({ status: 500, body: { error: "internal_error" } }));
-    let i = 0;
-    const lists = [[request()], [request({ status: "approved" })]];
-    const client: PairDecisionClient = { pairRequests: async () => ({ requests: lists[Math.min(i++, 1)]! }), pairDecision: decideOnce };
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(client, approveAct)).toBe("Pairing request 482913 from requester@far-host: the Approve wasn't confirmed (HTTP 500 internal_error), so its outcome is unknown. Read again: approved.");
-    expect(decideOnce).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    for (const status of [400, 404, 409]) {
-      const plain: PairDecisionClient = { pairRequests: async () => ({ requests: [request()] }), pairDecision: async () => ({ status, body: { message: `refused ${status}` } }) };
-      expect(await decidePairRequest(plain, approveAct)).toBe(`Pairing request 482913 from requester@far-host: not decided here. refused ${status}`);
-    }
-  });
-});
-
-describe("the decide notice escapes what the request carries", () => {
-  it("a requester with control characters or an escape sequence is shown escaped, never written to the terminal raw", async () => {
-    const hostile = "evil\x1b[2J\x1b]0;owned\x07@far-host";
-    const act = { ...approveAct, requester: hostile };
-    const gone: PairDecisionClient = { pairRequests: async () => ({ requests: [] }), pairDecision: async () => ({ status: 200, body: {} }) };
-    const notice = await decidePairRequest(gone, act);
-    expect(notice).not.toMatch(/[\x00-\x08\x0b\x0c\x0e-\x1f\x7f]/);
-    expect(notice).toContain("evil\\x1b[2J\\x1b]0;owned\\x07@far-host");
-    // The daemon's own refusal can quote the requester too: escaped the same way.
-    const refusing: PairDecisionClient = { pairRequests: async () => ({ requests: [request({ requester: hostile })] }),
-      pairDecision: async () => ({ status: 409, body: { error: "pair_request_decided", message: `Pairing request 482913 from ${hostile} was already denied` } }) };
-    expect(await decidePairRequest(refusing, act)).not.toMatch(/[\x00-\x08\x0b\x0c\x0e-\x1f\x7f]/);
-  });
-});