diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers.go b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers.go
index 3d414d19aa..89bc1af57b 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package loginpty
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"io"
@@ -26,12 +27,23 @@ type LoginCommandLookup interface {
 	Get(id string) (agents.Agent, bool)
 }
 
+// ErrNoHostShellDescriptor is the sentinel a HostShellSessionBinder returns
+// when the client_id has no durable descriptor to bind. It is not fatal: the
+// host shell PTY still starts and streams, there is simply nothing persistent
+// to reconcile against.
+var ErrNoHostShellDescriptor = errors.New("no host shell descriptor for client")
+
+type HostShellSessionBinder interface {
+	BindHostShellSession(ctx context.Context, tabID, sessionID string) error
+}
+
 // Handlers wraps the manager + agent registry to expose HTTP/WS endpoints.
 type Handlers struct {
-	mgr      *Manager
-	registry *registry.Registry
-	logger   *zap.Logger
-	upgrader gorillaws.Upgrader
+	mgr             *Manager
+	registry        *registry.Registry
+	logger          *zap.Logger
+	upgrader        gorillaws.Upgrader
+	hostShellBinder HostShellSessionBinder
 }
 
 // NewHandlers constructs Handlers. If checkOrigin is nil, the upgrader uses
@@ -55,6 +67,10 @@ func NewHandlers(mgr *Manager, reg *registry.Registry, log *zap.Logger, checkOri
 	}
 }
 
+func (h *Handlers) SetHostShellSessionBinder(binder HostShellSessionBinder) {
+	h.hostShellBinder = binder
+}
+
 // defaultCheckOrigin mirrors the policy used by the existing terminal
 // handler: allow no-origin requests (non-browser clients), allow loopback
 // origins (dev), otherwise require Origin host to match Request host.
@@ -123,6 +139,7 @@ func (h *Handlers) httpStartHostShell(c *gin.Context) {
 	}
 
 	managerKey := hostShellAgentID
+	tabID := ""
 	if len(req.ClientID) > 0 {
 		var clientID string
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(req.ClientID, &clientID); err != nil {
@@ -134,20 +151,53 @@ func (h *Handlers) httpStartHostShell(c *gin.Context) {
 			c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "client_id must be a UUID"})
 			return
 		}
-		managerKey += ":" + parsedClientID.String()
+		tabID = parsedClientID.String()
+		managerKey += ":" + tabID
 	}
 
 	shell, shellArgs := detectShell()
 	command := append([]string{shell}, shellArgs...)
 	sess, err := h.mgr.StartWithKey(managerKey, hostShellAgentID, command, req.Cols, req.Rows)
-	if err != nil && err != ErrSessionAlreadyRunning {
+	reused := errors.Is(err, ErrSessionAlreadyRunning)
+	if err != nil && !reused {
 		h.logger.Warn("host shell start failed", zap.Error(err))
 		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
 		return
 	}
+	if tabID != "" && h.hostShellBinder != nil {
+		if handled := h.bindHostShellSession(c, tabID, sess, reused); handled {
+			return
+		}
+	}
 	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, sess.Status())
 }
 
+// bindHostShellSession reconciles a started host-shell PTY with its durable
+// descriptor. It returns true when it has already written an error response, so
+// the caller must stop processing.
+//
+// A missing descriptor (ErrNoHostShellDescriptor) is not fatal: the PTY is a
+// generic host shell keyed by client_id and callers may attach without ever
+// persisting a Quick Terminal tab, so the session keeps running. Any other bind
+// error is a 500; a freshly created session is stopped to avoid leaking it,
+// while a reused session belongs to an existing attachment and must survive.
+func (h *Handlers) bindHostShellSession(c *gin.Context, tabID string, sess *Session, reused bool) bool {
+	bindErr := h.hostShellBinder.BindHostShellSession(c.Request.Context(), tabID, sess.ID)
+	if bindErr == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if errors.Is(bindErr, ErrNoHostShellDescriptor) {
+		h.logger.Debug("host shell started without durable descriptor", zap.String("tab_id", tabID))
+		return false
+	}
+	if !reused {
+		sess.stop()
+	}
+	h.logger.Warn("host shell bind failed", zap.String("tab_id", tabID), zap.Error(bindErr))
+	c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": bindErr.Error()})
+	return true
+}
+
 // detectShell picks a sensible interactive shell, preferring $SHELL on Unix
 // and PowerShell on Windows. The returned arguments are part of the shell
 // command because PowerShell needs flags to remain an interactive PTY shell.
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers_test.go
index 0d8785692d..c55d478dda 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers_test.go
@@ -2,16 +2,34 @@ package loginpty
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	gorillaws "github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 )
 
+type hostShellBinderStub struct {
+	tabID     string
+	sessionID string
+	err       error
+}
+
+func (s *hostShellBinderStub) BindHostShellSession(_ context.Context, tabID, sessionID string) error {
+	s.tabID = tabID
+	s.sessionID = sessionID
+	return s.err
+}
+
 func TestDetectShellWindows(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name      string
@@ -60,14 +78,20 @@ func TestDetectShellWindows(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func newHostShellRouter(t *testing.T, mgr *Manager) *gin.Engine {
+func newHostShellRouterWithBinder(t *testing.T, mgr *Manager, binder HostShellSessionBinder) *gin.Engine {
 	t.Helper()
 	gin.SetMode(gin.TestMode)
 	router := gin.New()
-	NewHandlers(mgr, nil, mgr.log.Zap(), nil).RegisterRoutes(router)
+	handlers := NewHandlers(mgr, nil, mgr.log.Zap(), nil)
+	handlers.SetHostShellSessionBinder(binder)
+	handlers.RegisterRoutes(router)
 	return router
 }
 
+func newHostShellRouter(t *testing.T, mgr *Manager) *gin.Engine {
+	return newHostShellRouterWithBinder(t, mgr, nil)
+}
+
 func startHostShellRequest(t *testing.T, router http.Handler, body map[string]any) (Status, int) {
 	t.Helper()
 	payload, err := json.Marshal(body)
@@ -95,6 +119,39 @@ func stopSession(t *testing.T, mgr *Manager, sessionID string) {
 	}
 }
 
+func connectHostShellStream(t *testing.T, serverURL, sessionID string) *gorillaws.Conn {
+	t.Helper()
+	wsURL := "ws" + strings.TrimPrefix(serverURL, "http") + fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/agent-login/sessions/%s/stream", sessionID)
+	conn, _, err := gorillaws.DefaultDialer.Dial(wsURL, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("dial stream: %v", err)
+	}
+	return conn
+}
+
+func waitForHostShellOutput(t *testing.T, conn *gorillaws.Conn, needle string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(15 * time.Second)
+	var output strings.Builder
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		if err := conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(3 * time.Second)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("set read deadline: %v", err)
+		}
+		messageType, data, err := conn.ReadMessage()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("read message: %v; output so far: %q", err, output.String())
+		}
+		if messageType != gorillaws.BinaryMessage {
+			continue
+		}
+		output.Write(data)
+		if strings.Contains(output.String(), needle) {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("timed out waiting for %q in %q", needle, output.String())
+}
+
 func TestHostShellClientIDIsIdempotentAndIndependent(t *testing.T) {
 	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
 	router := newHostShellRouter(t, mgr)
@@ -189,3 +246,94 @@ func TestHostShellRejectsMalformedJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("malformed body started a host shell session")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestHostShellClientIDBindsSessionBeforeResponding(t *testing.T) {
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
+	binder := &hostShellBinderStub{}
+	router := newHostShellRouterWithBinder(t, mgr, binder)
+	tabID := uuid.NewString()
+
+	status, code := startHostShellRequest(t, router, map[string]any{"client_id": tabID})
+	if code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("start status = %d", code)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { stopSession(t, mgr, status.ID) })
+	if binder.tabID != tabID {
+		t.Fatalf("binder tab id = %q, want %q", binder.tabID, tabID)
+	}
+	if binder.sessionID != status.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("binder session id = %q, want %q", binder.sessionID, status.ID)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHostShellStartsWhenNoDescriptorToBind(t *testing.T) {
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
+	binder := &hostShellBinderStub{err: ErrNoHostShellDescriptor}
+	router := newHostShellRouterWithBinder(t, mgr, binder)
+	tabID := uuid.NewString()
+
+	status, code := startHostShellRequest(t, router, map[string]any{"client_id": tabID})
+	if code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("start status = %d, want %d (missing descriptor must not fail start)", code, http.StatusOK)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { stopSession(t, mgr, status.ID) })
+	if got := mgr.GetByID(status.ID); got == nil || !got.Status().Running {
+		t.Fatal("host shell session was stopped despite a benign missing-descriptor bind")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHostShellReusedSessionSurvivesBindError(t *testing.T) {
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
+	binder := &hostShellBinderStub{}
+	router := newHostShellRouterWithBinder(t, mgr, binder)
+	tabID := uuid.NewString()
+
+	first, code := startHostShellRequest(t, router, map[string]any{"client_id": tabID})
+	if code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("first start status = %d", code)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { stopSession(t, mgr, first.ID) })
+
+	// A subsequent start for the same client reuses the session. A hard bind
+	// error must surface as 500 but must NOT stop the reused (still-attached)
+	// session.
+	binder.err = errors.New("descriptor write failed")
+	_, code = startHostShellRequest(t, router, map[string]any{"client_id": tabID})
+	if code != http.StatusInternalServerError {
+		t.Fatalf("reused start with bind error status = %d, want %d", code, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	}
+	if got := mgr.GetByID(first.ID); got == nil || !got.Status().Running {
+		t.Fatal("reused host shell session was stopped after a bind error")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHostShellSessionSurvivesWebSocketReconnect(t *testing.T) {
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
+	router := newHostShellRouter(t, mgr)
+	server := httptest.NewServer(router)
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	clientID := uuid.NewString()
+	status, code := startHostShellRequest(t, router, map[string]any{"client_id": clientID})
+	if code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("start status = %d", code)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { stopSession(t, mgr, status.ID) })
+
+	firstConn := connectHostShellStream(t, server.URL, status.ID)
+	// Don't wait for a shell prompt: it varies by shell and by user (zsh "%",
+	// bash "$", root "#"), which made this hang under CI's root bash. The
+	// command's own echoed marker is a deterministic readiness signal instead.
+	if err := firstConn.WriteMessage(gorillaws.BinaryMessage, []byte("export KANDEV_QT_ONE=QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE && echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE\n")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write export command: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitForHostShellOutput(t, firstConn, "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE")
+	_ = firstConn.Close()
+
+	secondConn := connectHostShellStream(t, server.URL, status.ID)
+	defer func() { _ = secondConn.Close() }()
+	if err := secondConn.WriteMessage(gorillaws.BinaryMessage, []byte("echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE\n")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write echo command: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitForHostShellOutput(t, secondConn, "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE")
+}
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager.go b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager.go
index c1afce4a49..39d9a991aa 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager.go
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ type Manager struct {
 	sessions map[string]*Session // key: internal uniqueness key
 	byID     map[string]*Session // key: sessionID
 	log      *logger.Logger
+	timeouts sessionTimeouts
 
 	// onExit is invoked from a goroutine when a session terminates (with the
 	// agent ID and exit code). Used by callers to invalidate discovery cache
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ func NewManager(log *logger.Logger, onExit func(agentID string, exitCode int, ex
 		byID:     map[string]*Session{},
 		log:      log.WithFields(zap.String("component", "login-pty")),
 		onExit:   onExit,
+		timeouts: defaultSessionTimeouts(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -111,10 +113,12 @@ func (m *Manager) StartWithKey(managerKey, agentID string, cmd []string, cols, r
 		ID:          uuid.NewString(),
 		AgentID:     agentID,
 		managerKey:  managerKey,
+		lifetime:    lifetimeForAgent(agentID),
 		Cmd:         append([]string(nil), cmd...),
 		subscribers: map[chan<- []byte]struct{}{},
 		log:         m.log.WithFields(zap.String("agent", agentID)),
 		startedAt:   time.Now(),
+		done:        make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
 	if err := sess.start(cmd, cols, rows); err != nil {
@@ -160,10 +164,29 @@ func (m *Manager) StopSession(sessionID string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// StopAll terminates every currently live session and waits for manager cleanup.
+func (m *Manager) StopAll() error {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	sessions := make([]*Session, 0, len(m.byID))
+	for _, sess := range m.byID {
+		sessions = append(sessions, sess)
+	}
+	m.mu.Unlock()
+
+	for _, sess := range sessions {
+		sess.stop()
+	}
+	for _, sess := range sessions {
+		sess.waitDone()
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // supervise watches the session's lifetime: waits on the process, enforces
 // timeouts, then deletes the session from the manager and notifies onExit.
 func (m *Manager) supervise(sess *Session) {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), HardTimeout)
+	defer close(sess.done)
+	ctx, cancel := m.hardTimeoutContext(sess)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	exited := make(chan exitInfo, 1)
@@ -175,8 +198,10 @@ func (m *Manager) supervise(sess *Session) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	idle := time.NewTimer(IdleTimeout)
-	defer idle.Stop()
+	idle, idleCh := m.newIdleTimer(sess)
+	if idle != nil {
+		defer idle.Stop()
+	}
 
 	var info exitInfo
 loop:
@@ -204,13 +229,16 @@ loop:
 			// it also unblocks a stuck Windows ConPTY Read.
 			sess.stop()
 			break loop
-		case <-idle.C:
+		case <-idleCh:
 			sess.log.Info("login session idle timeout — terminating")
 			sess.stop()
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			sess.log.Info("login session hard timeout — terminating")
 			sess.stop()
 		case <-sess.activityCh:
+			if idle == nil {
+				continue
+			}
 			// Reset idle timer on output activity.
 			if !idle.Stop() {
 				select {
@@ -218,7 +246,7 @@ loop:
 				default:
 				}
 			}
-			idle.Reset(IdleTimeout)
+			idle.Reset(m.timeouts.idle)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -278,6 +306,44 @@ type exitInfo struct {
 	err  error
 }
 
+type sessionLifetime int
+
+const (
+	sessionLifetimeBounded sessionLifetime = iota
+	sessionLifetimeUnbounded
+)
+
+type sessionTimeouts struct {
+	idle time.Duration
+	hard time.Duration
+}
+
+func defaultSessionTimeouts() sessionTimeouts {
+	return sessionTimeouts{idle: IdleTimeout, hard: HardTimeout}
+}
+
+func lifetimeForAgent(agentID string) sessionLifetime {
+	if agentID == HostShellAgentID {
+		return sessionLifetimeUnbounded
+	}
+	return sessionLifetimeBounded
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) hardTimeoutContext(sess *Session) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc) {
+	if sess.lifetime == sessionLifetimeUnbounded {
+		return context.Background(), func() {}
+	}
+	return context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), m.timeouts.hard)
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) newIdleTimer(sess *Session) (*time.Timer, <-chan time.Time) {
+	if sess.lifetime == sessionLifetimeUnbounded {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	timer := time.NewTimer(m.timeouts.idle)
+	return timer, timer.C
+}
+
 func exitCodeFromError(err error) int {
 	if err == nil {
 		return 0
@@ -297,6 +363,7 @@ type Session struct {
 	Cmd     []string
 
 	managerKey string
+	lifetime   sessionLifetime
 	mu         sync.Mutex
 	cmd        *exec.Cmd
 	pty        ptyHandle
@@ -314,10 +381,18 @@ type Session struct {
 
 	activityCh chan struct{} // notifications to supervise loop on output
 	readDone   chan struct{} // closed when readLoop exits (all PTY output drained)
+	done       chan struct{} // closed when supervise finishes cleanup
 
 	log *logger.Logger
 }
 
+func (s *Session) waitDone() {
+	if s.done == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	<-s.done
+}
+
 // ManagerKey returns the internal uniqueness key used by Manager. It is
 // intentionally separate from AgentID so keyed host shells can prove their
 // descriptor owns the session without exposing the key as an agent identity.
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager_test.go
index 84a589e11b..4041f40d0b 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,18 @@ func newTestManager(t *testing.T, onExit func(string, int, error)) *Manager {
 	return NewManager(log, onExit)
 }
 
+func waitForSessionRemoved(t *testing.T, mgr *Manager, sessionID string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	deadline := time.After(3 * time.Second)
+	for mgr.GetByID(sessionID) != nil {
+		select {
+		case <-deadline:
+			t.Fatalf("session %s was not removed from manager", sessionID)
+		case <-time.After(20 * time.Millisecond):
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // drainOutput consumes the subscriber channel until it closes; returns all bytes received.
 func drainOutput(sess *Session) []byte {
 	ch := make(chan []byte, 32)
@@ -132,14 +144,7 @@ func TestStartWithKey_SeparatesUniquenessFromPublicAgentID(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	first.stop()
-	deadline := time.After(3 * time.Second)
-	for mgr.GetByID(first.ID) != nil {
-		select {
-		case <-deadline:
-			t.Fatal("first session was not removed from manager")
-		case <-time.After(20 * time.Millisecond):
-		}
-	}
+	waitForSessionRemoved(t, mgr, first.ID)
 	if sibling := mgr.GetByID(second.ID); sibling == nil || !sibling.Status().Running {
 		t.Fatal("cleaning up one internal key removed or stopped its sibling")
 	}
@@ -200,3 +205,90 @@ func TestWriteAndResize_WhenNotRunning(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Resize err = %v, want ErrSessionNotRunning", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestStartWithKey_HostShellSessionsDoNotTimeOut(t *testing.T) {
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
+	mgr.timeouts = sessionTimeouts{idle: 40 * time.Millisecond, hard: 80 * time.Millisecond}
+
+	sess, err := mgr.StartWithKey("_host_shell:tab-a", HostShellAgentID, []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("StartWithKey: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_ = mgr.StopSession(sess.ID)
+		waitForSessionRemoved(t, mgr, sess.ID)
+	})
+
+	time.Sleep(3 * mgr.timeouts.hard)
+	if !sess.Status().Running {
+		t.Fatal("host-shell session stopped despite no-timeout policy")
+	}
+	if mgr.GetByID(sess.ID) == nil {
+		t.Fatal("host-shell session disappeared from manager")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStart_AgentLoginSessionsStillIdleTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	exited := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, func(string, int, error) {
+		exited <- struct{}{}
+	})
+	mgr.timeouts = sessionTimeouts{idle: 40 * time.Millisecond, hard: time.Second}
+
+	sess, err := mgr.Start("test-agent", []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = mgr.StopAll() })
+
+	select {
+	case <-exited:
+	case <-time.After(3 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("agent login session did not idle-timeout")
+	}
+	waitForSessionRemoved(t, mgr, sess.ID)
+}
+
+func TestStart_AgentLoginSessionsStillHardTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	exited := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, func(string, int, error) {
+		exited <- struct{}{}
+	})
+	mgr.timeouts = sessionTimeouts{idle: 250 * time.Millisecond, hard: 80 * time.Millisecond}
+
+	sess, err := mgr.Start("test-agent", []string{"sh", "-c", "yes x"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = mgr.StopAll() })
+
+	select {
+	case <-exited:
+	case <-time.After(3 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("agent login session did not hard-timeout")
+	}
+	waitForSessionRemoved(t, mgr, sess.ID)
+}
+
+func TestStopAll_StopsEverySessionAndIsIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
+	mgr := newTestManager(t, nil)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = mgr.StopAll() })
+	first, err := mgr.Start("test-agent", []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first start: %v", err)
+	}
+	second, err := mgr.StartWithKey("_host_shell:tab-a", HostShellAgentID, []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second start: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := mgr.StopAll(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("StopAll: %v", err)
+	}
+	if mgr.GetByID(first.ID) != nil || mgr.GetByID(second.ID) != nil {
+		t.Fatal("StopAll returned before sessions were removed")
+	}
+	if err := mgr.StopAll(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second StopAll: %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/helpers.go b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/helpers.go
index 40e201e1e7..397008668f 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/helpers.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/helpers.go
@@ -1052,7 +1052,14 @@ func registerSecondaryRoutes(
 	// Login PTY: spawns agent login commands under a PTY on the kandev host
 	// (claude auth login, auggie login, ...). The manager is shared with Quick
 	// Terminal so descriptor lifecycle callbacks observe the same sessions.
-	loginpty.NewHandlers(p.loginMgr, p.agentRegistry, p.log.Zap(), nil).RegisterRoutes(p.router)
+	loginHandlers := loginpty.NewHandlers(p.loginMgr, p.agentRegistry, p.log.Zap(), nil)
+	if p.quickTerminalSvc != nil {
+		// Guard the assignment: passing a nil *quickterminal.Service straight
+		// into the interface would create a typed-nil binder that is non-nil to
+		// the handler's nil check but panics when invoked.
+		loginHandlers.SetHostShellSessionBinder(p.quickTerminalSvc)
+	}
+	loginHandlers.RegisterRoutes(p.router)
 	if p.quickTerminalSvc != nil {
 		p.quickTerminalSvc.RegisterRoutes(p.router)
 	}
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/httpserver_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/httpserver_test.go
index dc404f1e30..02d2e3c4d2 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/httpserver_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/httpserver_test.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/loginpty"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/config"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/logger"
 	"go.uber.org/goleak"
@@ -30,6 +31,31 @@ func TestBuildHTTPServerAbortsWhenInterlockTokenGenerationFails(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuildLoginPTYServicesRegistersStopAllCleanup(t *testing.T) {
+	var cleanups []func() error
+	loginMgr, _ := buildLoginPTYServices(testLogger(t), nil, nil, nil, func(fn func() error) {
+		cleanups = append(cleanups, fn)
+	})
+	if len(cleanups) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("cleanup count = %d, want 1", len(cleanups))
+	}
+
+	sess, err := loginMgr.StartWithKey("_host_shell:tab-a", loginpty.HostShellAgentID, []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("StartWithKey: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = loginMgr.StopAll() })
+	if err := cleanups[0](); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("cleanup: %v", err)
+	}
+	if loginMgr.GetByID(sess.ID) != nil {
+		t.Fatal("cleanup returned before login session stopped")
+	}
+	if err := cleanups[0](); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second cleanup: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func testLogger(t *testing.T) *logger.Logger {
 	t.Helper()
 	log, err := logger.NewFromZap(zap.NewNop())
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/loginpty.go b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/loginpty.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7ad8983a39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/loginpty.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package backendapp
+
+import (
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/loginpty"
+	agentsettingscontroller "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/settings/controller"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/logger"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/quickterminal"
+	quickterminalrepo "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/quickterminal/repository"
+)
+
+func buildLoginPTYServices(
+	log *logger.Logger,
+	quickTerminalRepo *quickterminalrepo.Repository,
+	taskAuthorizer quickterminal.WorkspaceAuthorizer,
+	agentSettingsController *agentsettingscontroller.Controller,
+	addCleanup func(func() error),
+) (*loginpty.Manager, *quickterminal.Service) {
+	loginMgr := loginpty.NewManager(log, func(_ string, _ int, _ error) {
+		if agentSettingsController != nil {
+			agentSettingsController.InvalidateDiscoveryCache()
+		}
+	})
+	if addCleanup != nil {
+		addCleanup(loginMgr.StopAll)
+	}
+	quickTerminalSvc := quickterminal.NewService(quickTerminalRepo, loginMgr, taskAuthorizer)
+	loginMgr.SetSessionExitCallback(quickTerminalSvc.HandleSessionExit)
+	return loginMgr, quickTerminalSvc
+}
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/main.go b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/main.go
index 3f85b702ac..5457c07fcd 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/main.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/main.go
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ import (
 
 	// Agent infrastructure
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/hostutility"
-	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/loginpty"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/mcpconfig"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/registry"
 	agentctlclient "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/runtime/agentctl"
@@ -110,7 +109,6 @@ import (
 	workflowservice "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/workflow/service"
 
 	// Repository cloning
-	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/quickterminal"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/repoclone"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/runtimeflags"
 
@@ -1811,13 +1809,13 @@ func buildHTTPServer(
 	// The login PTY manager is shared by agent-login dialogs and Quick
 	// Terminal tabs. The latter uses an owner-aware exit callback to keep its
 	// durable descriptor accurate even while no browser is attached.
-	loginMgr := loginpty.NewManager(log, func(_ string, _ int, _ error) {
-		if agentSettingsController != nil {
-			agentSettingsController.InvalidateDiscoveryCache()
-		}
-	})
-	quickTerminalSvc := quickterminal.NewService(repos.QuickTerminal, loginMgr, services.Task)
-	loginMgr.SetSessionExitCallback(quickTerminalSvc.HandleSessionExit)
+	loginMgr, quickTerminalSvc := buildLoginPTYServices(
+		log,
+		repos.QuickTerminal,
+		services.Task,
+		agentSettingsController,
+		addCleanup,
+	)
 
 	// Opt-in authentication. Runs after CORS; in disabled mode it only
 	// injects the synthetic single-user identity (behavior unchanged).
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service.go b/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service.go
index 7887d0cc7c..d179f54703 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service.go
@@ -163,6 +163,17 @@ func (s *Service) HandleSessionExit(managerKey, sessionID, _ string, exitCode in
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *Service) BindHostShellSession(ctx context.Context, tabID, sessionID string) error {
+	_, err := s.UpdateLifecycle(ctx, tabID, sessionID, models.StatusRunning, "", nil)
+	if errors.Is(err, repository.ErrNotFound) {
+		// The host shell was started for a client_id that has no persisted
+		// Quick Terminal tab. Signal the caller to keep the PTY running rather
+		// than treating the missing descriptor as a start failure.
+		return loginpty.ErrNoHostShellDescriptor
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 func (s *Service) reconcileTab(ctx context.Context, tab *models.Tab) error {
 	if tab == nil || tab.SessionID == nil {
 		if tab != nil && tab.Status == models.StatusConnecting {
@@ -177,7 +188,11 @@ func (s *Service) reconcileTab(ctx context.Context, tab *models.Tab) error {
 	if !s.ownsSession(tab.TabID, *tab.SessionID) {
 		return s.markUnavailable(ctx, tab)
 	}
-	status := s.manager.GetByID(*tab.SessionID).Status()
+	session := s.manager.GetByID(*tab.SessionID)
+	if session == nil {
+		return s.markUnavailable(ctx, tab)
+	}
+	status := session.Status()
 	if !status.Running {
 		return s.markUnavailable(ctx, tab)
 	}
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service_test.go
index 80118f0365..c7ad35b269 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jmoiron/sqlx"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
 
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/agent/loginpty"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/logger"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/quickterminal/models"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/quickterminal/repository"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/user/store"
 )
@@ -28,6 +31,15 @@ func serviceRepository(t *testing.T) *repository.Repository {
 	return repo
 }
 
+func serviceManager(t *testing.T) *loginpty.Manager {
+	t.Helper()
+	log, err := logger.NewLogger(logger.LoggingConfig{Level: "error", Format: "json"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("logger: %v", err)
+	}
+	return loginpty.NewManager(log, nil)
+}
+
 func TestListMarksAConnectingDescriptorWithoutPTYAsUnavailable(t *testing.T) {
 	repo := serviceRepository(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()
@@ -72,3 +84,99 @@ func TestCreateRejectsReusingATabIDInAnotherWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("cross-workspace reuse error = %v, want %v", err, repository.ErrTabIDConflict)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestListKeepsARunningQuickTerminalSessionAttached(t *testing.T) {
+	repo := serviceRepository(t)
+	mgr := serviceManager(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	tabID := "11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111"
+
+	tab, err := repo.Create(ctx, store.DefaultUserID, "workspace-1", tabID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	sess, err := mgr.StartWithKey(loginpty.HostShellAgentID+":"+tabID, loginpty.HostShellAgentID, []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start session: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = mgr.StopAll() })
+	if err := repo.UpdateLifecycle(ctx, tab.UserID, tab.TabID, sess.ID, models.StatusRunning, nil, ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("UpdateLifecycle: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	svc := NewService(repo, mgr, nil)
+	tabs, err := svc.List(ctx, "workspace-1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(tabs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("tabs count = %d, want 1", len(tabs))
+	}
+	if tabs[0].SessionID == nil || *tabs[0].SessionID != sess.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("session id = %v, want %s", tabs[0].SessionID, sess.ID)
+	}
+	if tabs[0].Status != models.StatusRunning {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %q, want %q", tabs[0].Status, models.StatusRunning)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestListMarksMissingQuickTerminalSessionUnavailable(t *testing.T) {
+	repo := serviceRepository(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	tabID := "11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111"
+
+	tab, err := repo.Create(ctx, store.DefaultUserID, "workspace-1", tabID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := repo.UpdateLifecycle(ctx, tab.UserID, tab.TabID, "missing-session", models.StatusRunning, nil, ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("UpdateLifecycle: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	svc := NewService(repo, serviceManager(t), nil)
+	tabs, err := svc.List(ctx, "workspace-1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(tabs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("tabs count = %d, want 1", len(tabs))
+	}
+	if tabs[0].SessionID != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("session id = %v, want nil", tabs[0].SessionID)
+	}
+	if tabs[0].Status != models.StatusExited || tabs[0].Error == "" {
+		t.Fatalf("tab = %#v, want exited/unavailable", tabs[0])
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBindHostShellSessionPersistsRunningState(t *testing.T) {
+	repo := serviceRepository(t)
+	mgr := serviceManager(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	tabID := "11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111"
+
+	tab, err := repo.Create(ctx, store.DefaultUserID, "workspace-1", tabID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	sess, err := mgr.StartWithKey(loginpty.HostShellAgentID+":"+tabID, loginpty.HostShellAgentID, []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 1"}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start session: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = mgr.StopAll() })
+
+	svc := NewService(repo, mgr, nil)
+	if err := svc.BindHostShellSession(ctx, tab.TabID, sess.ID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("BindHostShellSession: %v", err)
+	}
+	stored, err := repo.Get(ctx, tab.UserID, tab.TabID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get: %v", err)
+	}
+	if stored.SessionID == nil || *stored.SessionID != sess.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("session id = %v, want %s", stored.SessionID, sess.ID)
+	}
+	if stored.Status != models.StatusRunning {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %q, want %q", stored.Status, models.StatusRunning)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/components/app-sidebar/app-sidebar.tsx b/apps/web/components/app-sidebar/app-sidebar.tsx
index 514c682d83..c48749ce5f 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/app-sidebar/app-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/app-sidebar/app-sidebar.tsx
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function AppSidebarNavigation({ collapsed, inOffice, settingsMode }: AppSidebarN
         <>
           <div
             className={cn(
-              "flex flex-col gap-2 overflow-y-auto",
+              "flex flex-col gap-1 overflow-y-auto",
               inOffice ? "flex-1 min-h-0 pb-8 scroll-pb-8" : "shrink-0",
             )}
             data-testid="app-sidebar-scroll"
diff --git a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.test.tsx b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.test.tsx
index 8ff4752f04..a36856d0a4 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.test.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ import { QuickTabAddMenu } from "./quick-tab-add-menu";
 vi.mock("@kandev/ui/dropdown-menu", () => ({
   DropdownMenu: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <div>{children}</div>,
   DropdownMenuTrigger: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <div>{children}</div>,
-  DropdownMenuContent: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <div>{children}</div>,
+  DropdownMenuContent: ({ children, align }: { children: React.ReactNode; align?: string }) => (
+    <div data-testid="quick-chat-add-menu-content" data-align={align}>
+      {children}
+    </div>
+  ),
   DropdownMenuLabel: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <div>{children}</div>,
   DropdownMenuSeparator: () => <hr />,
   DropdownMenuItem: ({
@@ -50,6 +54,9 @@ describe("QuickTabAddMenu", () => {
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("quick-chat-add-menu-trigger"));
 
     expect(await screen.findByText("Agents")).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("quick-chat-add-menu-content").getAttribute("data-align")).toBe(
+      "start",
+    );
     expect(screen.getByText("New Agent")).toBeTruthy();
     expect(screen.getByText("Terminals")).toBeTruthy();
     expect(screen.getByText("New Terminal")).toBeTruthy();
diff --git a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.tsx b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.tsx
index 5a26d73d1f..d8445ea9db 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export function QuickTabAddMenu({ onNewAgent, onNewTerminal }: QuickTabAddMenuPr
           <IconPlus className="h-4 w-4 sm:h-3.5 sm:w-3.5" aria-hidden />
         </Button>
       </DropdownMenuTrigger>
-      <DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="w-64">
+      <DropdownMenuContent align="start" className="w-64" data-testid="quick-chat-add-menu-content">
         <DropdownMenuLabel className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
           {t("common:agents")}
         </DropdownMenuLabel>
diff --git a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.test.tsx b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.test.tsx
index 812f1b3cc0..223044e0f6 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.test.tsx
@@ -73,25 +73,63 @@ const tab = {
 };
 
 describe("QuickTerminalTabView", () => {
-  it("starts a host shell with the terminal tab's stable client id and detaches on unmount", () => {
+  it("starts a host shell with the terminal tab's stable client id and detaches on unmount", async () => {
     const onStateChange = vi.fn();
     const view = render(<QuickTerminalTabView tab={tab} onStateChange={onStateChange} />);
 
-    return waitFor(() =>
+    await waitFor(() =>
       expect(screen.getByTestId("pty-view-probe").getAttribute("data-lifecycle")).toBe(
         "detach-on-unmount",
       ),
-    ).then(() => {
-      fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("pty-view-probe"));
-      expect(startHostShell).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ cols: 80, rows: 24 }, { clientId: tab.tabId });
-      view.unmount();
+    );
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("pty-view-probe"));
+    expect(startHostShell).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ cols: 80, rows: 24 }, { clientId: tab.tabId });
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(onStateChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        status: "running",
+        sessionId: "session-1",
+        exitCode: null,
+        error: null,
+      }),
+    );
+
+    view.unmount();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the shared descriptor when a connecting mount is cancelled before its create resolves", async () => {
+    // Under StrictMode the descriptor-create effect runs, tears down, and runs
+    // again for the same stable tabId. The idempotent backend create returns the
+    // same row, so the cancelled first mount must not delete it — otherwise the
+    // live tab (and its bound PTY) is destroyed and cannot survive a reload.
+    let resolveCreate: ((value: unknown) => void) | undefined;
+    createQuickTerminalTab.mockImplementationOnce(
+      () =>
+        new Promise((resolve) => {
+          resolveCreate = resolve;
+        }),
+    );
+
+    const view = render(<QuickTerminalTabView tab={tab} onStateChange={vi.fn()} />);
+    view.unmount();
+    resolveCreate?.({
+      tabId: tab.tabId,
+      workspaceId: tab.workspaceId,
+      sessionId: null,
+      sequence: 1,
+      status: "connecting",
     });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(deleteQuickTerminalTab).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("renders accessible lifecycle status for the selected terminal", () => {
     const { rerender } = render(<QuickTerminalTabView tab={tab} onStateChange={vi.fn()} />);
 
-    expect(screen.getByRole("status").textContent).toContain("Connecting to terminal…");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("quick-terminal-status").textContent).toContain(
+      "Connecting to terminal…",
+    );
 
     rerender(
       <QuickTerminalTabView
@@ -107,6 +145,8 @@ describe("QuickTerminalTabView", () => {
         onStateChange={vi.fn()}
       />,
     );
-    expect(screen.getByRole("status").textContent).toContain("Terminal exited with code 7.");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("quick-terminal-status").textContent).toContain(
+      "Terminal exited with code 7.",
+    );
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.tsx b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.tsx
index 5564a06840..d72bdeeb85 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-terminal-tab-view.tsx
@@ -2,12 +2,7 @@
 
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import {
-  createQuickTerminalTab,
-  deleteQuickTerminalTab,
-  startHostShell,
-  toQuickTerminalTab,
-} from "@/lib/api";
+import { createQuickTerminalTab, startHostShell, toQuickTerminalTab } from "@/lib/api";
 import {
   PtyTerminalView,
   type PtyTerminalState,
@@ -89,9 +84,11 @@ export function QuickTerminalTabView({ tab, onStateChange, onDescriptorReady }:
     setDescriptorReady(false);
     createQuickTerminalTab(tab.tabId, tab.workspaceId)
       .then((descriptor) => {
-        if (cancelled) {
-          return deleteQuickTerminalTab(tab.tabId).catch(() => undefined);
-        }
+        // The descriptor is keyed by the stable tabId and the backend create is
+        // idempotent, so a cancelled mount (StrictMode remount, tab switch,
+        // reload) must NOT delete it — the next mount reuses the same row. Only
+        // an explicit tab close deletes the descriptor, via useQuickTerminalClose.
+        if (cancelled) return;
         const nextTab = toQuickTerminalTab(descriptor);
         onDescriptorReadyRef.current?.(nextTab);
         setDescriptorReady(true);
@@ -113,8 +110,17 @@ export function QuickTerminalTabView({ tab, onStateChange, onDescriptorReady }:
 
   const shouldRenderTerminal = Boolean(tab.sessionId) || (needsDescriptor && descriptorReady);
   const startSession = useCallback<StartPtySession>(
-    (size, options) => startHostShell(size, options),
-    [],
+    async (size, options) => {
+      const session = await startHostShell(size, options);
+      onStateChange({
+        status: session.running ? "running" : "exited",
+        sessionId: session.session_id,
+        exitCode: session.exit_code ?? null,
+        error: null,
+      });
+      return session;
+    },
+    [onStateChange],
   );
 
   return (
diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts
index 5c85968399..510c92b617 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts
@@ -22,16 +22,16 @@ async function waitForTerminalReady(page: Page) {
     .not.toBe("");
 }
 
-async function sendMarker(page: Page, marker: string) {
+async function runCommandAndWaitForOutput(page: Page, command: string, expected: string) {
   await page.getByTestId("quick-terminal-terminal").click();
-  await page.keyboard.type(`echo ${marker}`);
+  await page.keyboard.type(command);
   await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
   await expect
     .poll(() => readQuickTerminalBuffer(page), {
       timeout: 10_000,
-      message: `Waiting for terminal marker ${marker}`,
+      message: `Waiting for terminal output ${expected}`,
     })
-    .toContain(marker);
+    .toContain(expected);
 }
 
 function terminalTab(dialog: Locator, sequence: number) {
@@ -81,19 +81,23 @@ test.describe("quick terminal tabs", () => {
       await expect(dialog.getByTestId("quick-terminal-terminal")).toBeVisible();
       await expect(dialog.getByTestId("host-shell-done")).toHaveCount(0);
       await waitForTerminalReady(testPage);
-      await sendMarker(testPage, "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(
+        testPage,
+        "export KANDEV_QT_ONE=QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE && echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE",
+        "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE",
+      );
       await expect(dialog.locator('[data-testid="quick-terminal-tab"]')).toHaveCount(1);
 
       // The descriptor and detached PTY survive a full page reload. The
-      // launcher must reattach the existing session instead of creating a
-      // second terminal, including the buffered marker output.
+      // launcher must reattach the existing shell instead of creating a
+      // second terminal.
       await testPage.reload();
       await expect(terminalButton).toBeVisible();
       await terminalButton.click();
       await expect(dialog).toBeVisible();
       await expect(dialog.locator('[data-testid="quick-terminal-tab"]')).toHaveCount(1);
       await expect(dialog.getByTestId("quick-terminal-tab-panel")).toBeVisible();
-      await expect.poll(() => readQuickTerminalBuffer(testPage)).toContain("QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(testPage, "echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE", "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
 
       // Dismissing the shared surface detaches the terminal but does not stop it.
       await testPage.keyboard.press("Escape");
@@ -104,28 +108,45 @@ test.describe("quick terminal tabs", () => {
       await terminalButton.click();
       await expect(dialog).toBeVisible();
       await expect(dialog.locator('[data-testid="quick-terminal-tab"]')).toHaveCount(1);
-      await expect.poll(() => readQuickTerminalBuffer(testPage)).toContain("QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(testPage, "echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE", "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
 
       // The grouped menu's New Terminal action always creates a second PTY.
-      await dialog.getByTestId("quick-chat-add-menu-trigger").click();
+      // Radix marks the rest of the page aria-hidden while the menu is open, so
+      // the `dialog` role locator stops resolving; measure the trigger before
+      // opening and reference the menu content by its page-level test id.
+      const addMenuTrigger = testPage.getByTestId("quick-chat-add-menu-trigger");
+      await expect(addMenuTrigger).toBeVisible();
+      const addMenuTriggerBox = await addMenuTrigger.boundingBox();
+      await addMenuTrigger.click();
+      const addMenu = testPage.getByTestId("quick-chat-add-menu-content");
+      await expect(addMenu).toBeVisible();
+      const addMenuBox = await addMenu.boundingBox();
+      expect(addMenuTriggerBox).not.toBeNull();
+      expect(addMenuBox).not.toBeNull();
+      expect(addMenuBox!.x).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(addMenuTriggerBox!.x - 2);
+      await assertLocatorWithinViewportX(addMenu, "desktop quick chat add menu");
       await expect(testPage.getByText("Agents", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
       await expect(testPage.getByText("Terminals", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
       await testPage.getByTestId("quick-chat-new-terminal").click();
       await expect(dialog.locator('[data-testid="quick-terminal-tab"]')).toHaveCount(2);
       await waitForTerminalReady(testPage);
-      await sendMarker(testPage, "QUICK_TERMINAL_TWO");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(
+        testPage,
+        "export KANDEV_QT_TWO=QUICK_TERMINAL_TWO && echo $KANDEV_QT_TWO",
+        "QUICK_TERMINAL_TWO",
+      );
 
       const firstTab = terminalTab(dialog, 1);
       const secondTab = terminalTab(dialog, 2);
       await firstTab.getByRole("button", { name: "Terminal 1", exact: true }).click();
-      await expect.poll(() => readQuickTerminalBuffer(testPage)).toContain("QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(testPage, "echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE", "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
       await secondTab.getByRole("button", { name: "Terminal 2", exact: true }).click();
-      await expect.poll(() => readQuickTerminalBuffer(testPage)).toContain("QUICK_TERMINAL_TWO");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(testPage, "echo $KANDEV_QT_TWO", "QUICK_TERMINAL_TWO");
 
       // Closing one tab stops/removes only that tab and falls back to its sibling.
       await secondTab.getByRole("button", { name: "Close Terminal 2" }).click();
       await expect(dialog.locator('[data-testid="quick-terminal-tab"]')).toHaveCount(1);
-      await expect.poll(() => readQuickTerminalBuffer(testPage)).toContain("QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
+      await runCommandAndWaitForOutput(testPage, "echo $KANDEV_QT_ONE", "QUICK_TERMINAL_ONE");
 
       // The chat launcher switches content kind without discarding the terminal.
       await testPage.keyboard.press("Escape");
diff --git a/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.test.ts b/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.test.ts
index e5f7a842b1..701b6bfef3 100644
--- a/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.test.ts
@@ -2,33 +2,110 @@ import { act, renderHook } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 const reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal = vi.fn();
-let state = { reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal };
+const hydrate = vi.fn();
+const listQuickTerminalTabs = vi.fn();
+let state = {
+  reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal,
+  hydrate,
+  quickChat: { terminalTabs: [] as Array<{ workspaceId: string }> },
+};
 
 vi.mock("@/components/state-provider", () => ({
   useAppStore: (selector: (value: typeof state) => unknown) => selector(state),
 }));
 
+vi.mock("@/lib/api/domains/quick-terminal-api", () => ({
+  listQuickTerminalTabs: (...args: unknown[]) => listQuickTerminalTabs(...args),
+  toQuickTerminalTab: (tab: unknown) => tab,
+}));
+
 import { useQuickTerminalLauncher } from "./use-quick-terminal-launcher";
 
+const WORKSPACE_ID = "workspace-1";
+
 describe("useQuickTerminalLauncher", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal.mockReset();
-    state = { reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal };
+    hydrate.mockReset();
+    listQuickTerminalTabs.mockReset();
+    listQuickTerminalTabs.mockResolvedValue({ tabs: [] });
+    state = {
+      reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal,
+      hydrate,
+      quickChat: { terminalTabs: [] },
+    };
   });
 
-  it("reuses or creates the terminal for the requested workspace", () => {
-    const { result } = renderHook(() => useQuickTerminalLauncher("workspace-1"));
+  it("reuses or creates the terminal for the requested workspace", async () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useQuickTerminalLauncher(WORKSPACE_ID));
 
-    act(() => result.current());
+    await act(async () => {
+      await result.current();
+    });
 
-    expect(reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith("workspace-1");
+    expect(listQuickTerminalTabs).toHaveBeenCalledWith(WORKSPACE_ID);
+    expect(reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith(WORKSPACE_ID);
   });
 
-  it("does not launch without a workspace", () => {
+  it("hydrates shared terminal tabs before reuse when the local store is empty", async () => {
+    listQuickTerminalTabs.mockResolvedValue({
+      tabs: [
+        {
+          tabId: "tab-1",
+          workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID,
+          sessionId: "session-1",
+          sequence: 1,
+          status: "running",
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useQuickTerminalLauncher(WORKSPACE_ID));
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await result.current();
+    });
+
+    expect(hydrate).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      quickChat: {
+        terminalTabs: [
+          {
+            tabId: "tab-1",
+            workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID,
+            sessionId: "session-1",
+            sequence: 1,
+            status: "running",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    expect(reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith(WORKSPACE_ID);
+  });
+
+  it("does not relist server terminals when the workspace already has one locally", async () => {
+    state = {
+      reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal,
+      hydrate,
+      quickChat: { terminalTabs: [{ workspaceId: WORKSPACE_ID }] },
+    };
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useQuickTerminalLauncher(WORKSPACE_ID));
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await result.current();
+    });
+
+    expect(listQuickTerminalTabs).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(hydrate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith(WORKSPACE_ID);
+  });
+
+  it("does not launch without a workspace", async () => {
     const { result } = renderHook(() => useQuickTerminalLauncher(null));
 
-    act(() => result.current());
+    await act(async () => {
+      await result.current();
+    });
 
+    expect(listQuickTerminalTabs).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.ts b/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.ts
index 6b9c99224e..af80b22245 100644
--- a/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.ts
+++ b/apps/web/hooks/use-quick-terminal-launcher.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,32 @@
 import { useCallback } from "react";
 import { useAppStore } from "@/components/state-provider";
 import { captureQuickChatLauncherFocus } from "@/components/quick-chat/quick-chat-focus";
+import { listQuickTerminalTabs, toQuickTerminalTab } from "@/lib/api/domains/quick-terminal-api";
 
 /** Opens or re-selects a workspace's terminal in the shared Quick Chat surface. */
 export function useQuickTerminalLauncher(workspaceId?: string | null) {
   const reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal = useAppStore((state) => state.reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal);
+  const hydrate = useAppStore((state) => state.hydrate);
+  const terminalTabs = useAppStore((state) => state.quickChat.terminalTabs);
 
-  return useCallback(() => {
+  return useCallback(async () => {
     if (!workspaceId) return;
     captureQuickChatLauncherFocus();
+
+    if (!terminalTabs.some((tab) => tab.workspaceId === workspaceId)) {
+      try {
+        const response = await listQuickTerminalTabs(workspaceId);
+        if (response.tabs.length > 0) {
+          hydrate({
+            quickChat: { terminalTabs: response.tabs.map(toQuickTerminalTab) },
+          });
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Best-effort. If the shared-state refresh fails, fall back to the
+        // existing local reuse-or-create behavior.
+      }
+    }
+
     reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal(workspaceId);
-  }, [reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal, workspaceId]);
+  }, [hydrate, reuseOrCreateQuickTerminal, terminalTabs, workspaceId]);
 }
diff --git a/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/plan.md b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/plan.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74a1f7d28e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/plan.md
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+---
+spec: docs/specs/quick-terminal/spec.md
+created: 2026-08-06
+status: draft
+---
+
+# Implementation Plan: Quick Terminal Durable Session Lifecycle and Menu Alignment
+
+## Overview
+
+Two user-reported defects remain after the refresh-persistence work shipped:
+
+1. A quick terminal does not survive a page reload in practice. A refreshed tab re-numbers
+   ("Terminal 7") and a new shell is created instead of reattaching to the existing one.
+2. The plus-button creation menu opens toward the leading (left) edge of the tab strip, overhanging
+   the workspace edge, which is awkward.
+
+The persistence infrastructure (durable descriptors, boot payload, resync, reattach by `sessionId`)
+already exists and is correct. The reload failure is not a missing-descriptor bug; it is a
+**session-lifetime** bug: quick-terminal PTYs share the agent-login `IdleTimeout = 10m` /
+`HardTimeout = 30m` in `loginpty`. A quiet or detached terminal is reaped, so on the next boot/resync
+`reconcileTab` finds no live session, calls `markUnavailable`, and persists `session_id = NULL` /
+`status = exited`. The user then starts a fresh terminal, and `sequence` keeps climbing.
+
+The fix gives quick-terminal host-shell sessions their own lifetime policy: **no idle or hard
+timeout**. They end only on explicit tab close (already stops the PTY), natural process exit
+(already reported via `HandleSessionExit`), or backend shutdown. To avoid leaking PTYs on shutdown
+when the timeout no longer reaps them, the `loginpty.Manager` gains a `StopAll` wired into graceful
+shutdown. The menu fix is a one-line alignment change plus coverage.
+
+## Confirmed root cause
+
+- `apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager.go` `supervise()` applies `IdleTimeout` (10m) and a
+  `HardTimeout` (30m) `context.WithTimeout` to **every** session, including host-shell sessions
+  started by quick terminals. A quiet or detached quick terminal is terminated by these.
+- `apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service.go` `reconcileTab()` (run by `List`, which boot state
+  and GET `/quick-terminal-tabs` both call) sees the reaped session as `!Running` and calls
+  `markUnavailable`, persisting `session_id = ""` and `status = exited`. This is why reload shows the
+  terminal as gone and a new one is created.
+- `apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.tsx` sets `align="end"` on a `w-64`
+  `DropdownMenuContent`; the trigger is at the leading edge of the strip, so the menu opens leftward.
+
+## Backend
+
+### Per-session lifetime policy in loginpty
+
+- Add an explicit lifetime policy to `Session`/`StartWithKey` so a session can opt out of the idle
+  and hard timeouts. Host-shell sessions (`agentID == HostShellAgentID`) use the no-timeout policy;
+  all other agent-login sessions keep the existing 10m/30m behavior. Prefer a small, explicit
+  policy value (e.g. a `noTimeout bool` or a `lifetime` struct on the session) set from `agentID`
+  inside `StartWithKey`, rather than reading `agentID` string comparisons scattered in `supervise`.
+- In `supervise()`, when the policy disables timeouts, do not arm the idle timer and do not wrap the
+  context in `WithTimeout`; still handle natural process exit (`exited`) and external `stop()` so
+  cleanup, map removal, and `onExit` remain correct. Keep the existing drain/`readDone` behavior.
+- Add `Manager.StopAll()` that stops every live session (idempotent), for graceful shutdown.
+
+### Graceful shutdown wiring
+
+- Register a cleanup in `backendapp` that calls `loginMgr.StopAll()` during graceful shutdown, so
+  no-timeout quick-terminal PTYs are reaped when the backend stops (they previously relied on the
+  30m hard timeout). Follow the existing `addCleanup`/`runCleanups` pattern used for the lifecycle
+  manager.
+
+## Frontend
+
+### Menu alignment
+
+- In `quick-tab-add-menu.tsx`, change `align="end"` to `align="start"` on `DropdownMenuContent` so
+  the menu opens toward the trailing edge. Preserve the existing mobile bottom-sheet treatment.
+
+### Reload reattachment (verification, likely no behavior change)
+
+- The reattach path already exists (stable `tabId` → `managerKey`, reconcile trusts backend
+  `running`). With sessions no longer reaped, confirm no additional frontend change is needed for
+  reload reattachment; only add regression coverage. If a residual client-side path still starts a
+  fresh shell for a `running` restored descriptor, fix it in the terminal tab view / reconcile so a
+  restored live descriptor only attaches by `sessionId`.
+
+## Tests
+
+- **What:** host-shell sessions are not reaped by idle or hard timeout, while agent-login sessions
+  still are; `StopAll` stops all live sessions and is idempotent; natural exit and external stop
+  still clean up manager maps and fire `onExit` under the no-timeout policy.
+  **Files:** `apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager_test.go`.
+  **How:** `testing/synctest` to advance fake time past 10m/30m and assert a host-shell session is
+  still running while an agent-login session has exited; direct `StopAll` assertions.
+- **What:** `reconcileTab` keeps a still-running host-shell session as `running` with its
+  `sessionId` after simulated long idle (no reaping), and only `markUnavailable` when the manager
+  truly has no entry.
+  **Files:** `apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service_test.go`.
+  **How:** table-driven service tests against a manager holding a live long-idle session and one
+  with no entry.
+- **What:** graceful-shutdown cleanup invokes `loginMgr.StopAll()`.
+  **Files:** the relevant `apps/backend/internal/backendapp/*_test.go` for cleanup wiring.
+  **How:** assert the registered cleanup stops a seeded live session.
+- **What:** the add menu renders with start alignment and existing items.
+  **Files:** an existing `apps/web/components/quick-chat/*` test (extend, do not add a new file
+  unless none covers this component).
+  **How:** assert the `DropdownMenuContent` alignment prop / rendered side and the two menu items.
+
+## E2E Tests
+
+- **Scenario:** GIVEN a running quick terminal left idle past the old 10m idle window (fast-forward
+  or a shortened test policy hook), WHEN the user reloads and reopens Quick Chat, THEN the same tab
+  and sequence reattach to the same PTY without a new numbered terminal.
+  **File:** `apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts` (extend the existing reattach spec).
+  **What to verify:** single tab, unchanged sequence/label, same-session marker output, and no
+  second shell. Close every surviving terminal in `finally`.
+- **Scenario:** GIVEN the plus menu on a desktop pointer viewport, WHEN it opens, THEN it opens
+  toward the trailing edge and stays within the viewport.
+  **File:** `apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts` or the existing quick-chat menu
+  spec.
+  **What to verify:** menu bounding box is to the right of the trigger and within the viewport.
+
+## Verification Results
+
+_To be filled in during implementation._
+
+## Implementation Waves And Parallel Candidates
+
+Wave 1 (parallel-safe, independent surfaces):
+
+- [ ] [Task 01: Per-session lifetime policy and StopAll in loginpty](task-01-loginpty-lifetime-policy.md)
+- [ ] [Task 02: Fix add-menu alignment](task-02-add-menu-alignment.md)
+
+Wave 2 (depends on Task 01):
+
+- [ ] [Task 03: Shutdown wiring, reconcile coverage, and reload E2E](task-03-shutdown-and-reattach-verification.md)
+
+Task 02 is fully independent of the backend tasks and can land in parallel. Task 03 depends on the
+Task 01 policy/`StopAll` surface.
+
+## Risks
+
+- Removing timeouts means a runaway or forgotten shell can live for the entire backend uptime.
+  Mitigation: explicit tab close already stops the PTY, natural exit is reported, and `StopAll`
+  reaps everything on shutdown. This matches the user's explicit request and stays bounded by
+  process lifetime.
+- The lifetime policy must not weaken agent-login OAuth reaping. Keep the policy keyed strictly to
+  `HostShellAgentID` and assert the agent-login path still times out.
+- `supervise` cleanup correctness (map removal, `onExit`) must hold when the idle timer and timeout
+  context are absent. Cover natural exit and external stop under the no-timeout policy.
+- E2E time-advancement for a 10m idle window is expensive; prefer a test-only shortened policy hook
+  or fake-clock injection rather than a real 10-minute wait.
diff --git a/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-01-loginpty-lifetime-policy.md b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-01-loginpty-lifetime-policy.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0af9fcfc38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-01-loginpty-lifetime-policy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+---
+id: "01-loginpty-lifetime-policy"
+title: "Per-session lifetime policy and StopAll in loginpty"
+status: draft
+wave: 1
+depends_on: []
+plan: "plan.md"
+spec: "../../specs/quick-terminal/spec.md"
+---
+
+# Task 01: Per-session lifetime policy and StopAll in loginpty
+
+## Acceptance
+
+- Host-shell sessions (`agentID == loginpty.HostShellAgentID`) run with no idle timeout and no hard
+  (wall-clock) timeout. They end only on natural process exit or an explicit `stop()`/`Stop`/
+  `StopSession`.
+- Agent-login sessions (any other `agentID`) retain the existing `IdleTimeout` (10m) and
+  `HardTimeout` (30m) behavior unchanged.
+- The lifetime policy is set once at session creation (in `StartWithKey`, derived from `agentID`),
+  not by scattered string checks inside `supervise`.
+- Under the no-timeout policy, `supervise` still exits and cleans up correctly on natural process
+  exit and on external `stop()`: the session is removed from `m.sessions` and `m.byID`, and `onExit`
+  fires with the correct exit code.
+- `Manager.StopAll()` stops every currently live session, is idempotent, and returns after all are
+  stopped.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+(cd apps/backend && go test ./internal/agent/loginpty/... -count=1)
+(cd apps/backend && golangci-lint run ./internal/agent/loginpty/... --timeout=5m)
+```
+
+## Files likely touched
+
+- `apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager.go`
+- `apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/manager_test.go`
+
+## Dependencies
+
+None.
+
+## Parallelism
+
+Parallel-safe with Task 02 (frontend). Task 03 depends on this task's policy and `StopAll` surface.
+
+## Inputs
+
+- Spec sections: State machine (no idle/hard timeout row), Failure modes, Persistence guarantees.
+- Existing `supervise()` loop: `exited`, `idle.C`, `ctx.Done()`, `activityCh` cases; `Session.stop()`
+  idempotency; `waitForCommand()`.
+- `HostShellAgentID` constant in `apps/backend/internal/agent/loginpty/handlers.go`.
+
+## Output contract
+
+Report the policy representation chosen, the `supervise` changes, the `StopAll` implementation, and
+exact test results. Do not change agent-login timeout constants. Update this task and the parent plan
+only after the focused tests and lint pass.
+
+## Results
+
+_To be filled in during implementation._
diff --git a/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-02-add-menu-alignment.md b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-02-add-menu-alignment.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3f8cf9faff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-02-add-menu-alignment.md
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+---
+id: "02-add-menu-alignment"
+title: "Fix add-menu alignment"
+status: draft
+wave: 1
+depends_on: []
+plan: "plan.md"
+spec: "../../specs/quick-terminal/spec.md"
+---
+
+# Task 02: Fix add-menu alignment
+
+## Acceptance
+
+- The Quick Chat plus-button creation menu opens toward the trailing edge of the tab strip (aligned
+  to the button's start), not toward the leading edge, on pointer viewports.
+- The existing menu content is unchanged: an **Agents** section with **New Agent**, a separator, and
+  a **Terminals** section with **New Terminal**.
+- The existing mobile/coarse-pointer bottom-sheet treatment for the dropdown remains intact.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+(cd apps/web && pnpm run typecheck)
+(cd apps && pnpm --filter @kandev/web lint)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm vitest run components/quick-chat)
+```
+
+## Files likely touched
+
+- `apps/web/components/quick-chat/quick-tab-add-menu.tsx`
+- An existing `apps/web/components/quick-chat/*` test that covers the add menu (extend it; add a new
+  test file only if none covers this component).
+
+## Dependencies
+
+None.
+
+## Parallelism
+
+Fully independent of the backend tasks; can land in parallel with Task 01 and Task 03.
+
+## Inputs
+
+- Spec section: What (plus-button menu opens toward the trailing edge).
+- `quick-tab-add-menu.tsx`: `DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="w-64"` is the current source
+  of the leftward opening.
+- `apps/web/app/globals.css` inset bottom-sheet treatment for Radix DropdownMenu below 640px.
+
+## Output contract
+
+Report the alignment change, the test assertion added/updated, and exact command results. Update this
+task and the parent plan only after typecheck, lint, and the focused test pass.
+
+## Results
+
+_To be filled in during implementation._
diff --git a/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-03-shutdown-and-reattach-verification.md b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-03-shutdown-and-reattach-verification.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d34f89979
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/task-03-shutdown-and-reattach-verification.md
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+---
+id: "03-shutdown-and-reattach-verification"
+title: "Shutdown wiring, reconcile coverage, and reload E2E"
+status: draft
+wave: 2
+depends_on: ["01-loginpty-lifetime-policy"]
+plan: "plan.md"
+spec: "../../specs/quick-terminal/spec.md"
+---
+
+# Task 03: Shutdown wiring, reconcile coverage, and reload E2E
+
+## Acceptance
+
+- Graceful backend shutdown stops all live quick-terminal (host-shell) PTYs by invoking
+  `loginMgr.StopAll()` through the existing cleanup chain, so no-timeout sessions do not leak.
+- `reconcileTab` keeps a still-running host-shell session as `running` with its `sessionId` after a
+  simulated long idle (session no longer reaped), and only clears/marks unavailable when the manager
+  genuinely has no live entry for the descriptor.
+- After a page reload of a still-running quick terminal (including one idle past the old 10m idle
+  window), the same tab and `sequence` reattach to the same PTY and no new numbered terminal is
+  created.
+- If any residual client path starts a fresh shell for a restored `running` descriptor, it is fixed
+  so a restored live descriptor attaches by `sessionId` only.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+(cd apps/backend && go test ./internal/backendapp ./internal/quickterminal/... -count=1)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm vitest run components/quick-chat lib/state/slices/ui)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm e2e -- terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts)
+```
+
+## Files likely touched
+
+- `apps/backend/internal/backendapp/` (cleanup registration for `loginMgr.StopAll()`) and its test.
+- `apps/backend/internal/quickterminal/service_test.go`
+- `apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts`
+- Frontend reconcile / terminal tab view only if a residual fresh-start path is found.
+
+## Dependencies
+
+Depends on Task 01 (`StopAll` and the no-timeout policy must exist first).
+
+## Parallelism
+
+Sequential after Task 01. Independent of Task 02.
+
+## Inputs
+
+- Task 01 policy and `Manager.StopAll()`.
+- `backendapp` `addCleanup`/`runCleanups` graceful-shutdown pattern (mirrors the lifecycle manager
+  cleanup already registered).
+- `service.go` `reconcileTab` / `List` reconciliation and `ownsSession` guard.
+- Existing reattach E2E in `apps/web/e2e/tests/terminal/quick-terminal.spec.ts`.
+
+## Output contract
+
+Report the cleanup wiring, reconcile test additions, any frontend change made, and exact command
+results including the E2E run. Prefer a test-only shortened policy hook or fake clock over a real
+10-minute idle wait in E2E. Update this task and the parent plan only after backend, frontend, and
+the targeted E2E pass.
+
+## Results
+
+_To be filled in during implementation._
diff --git a/docs/specs/quick-terminal/spec.md b/docs/specs/quick-terminal/spec.md
index 9549a309aa..8d11ee1573 100644
--- a/docs/specs/quick-terminal/spec.md
+++ b/docs/specs/quick-terminal/spec.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
-status: shipped
+status: building
 created: 2026-08-03
-updated: 2026-08-05
+updated: 2026-08-06
 owner: kandev
 ---
 
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ them without losing work, and return to the most recent terminal without managin
 - The tab-strip plus button opens a creation menu grouped like the task-detail Dockview add menu:
   an **Agents** section with **New Agent**, a separator, and a **Terminals** section with
   **New Terminal**. Existing tabs remain directly selectable in the tab strip rather than being
-  duplicated in the creation menu.
+  duplicated in the creation menu. Because the plus button sits at the leading edge of the tab
+  strip, its menu opens toward the trailing edge (aligned to the button's start) so it does not
+  overhang the workspace edge.
 - Choosing **New Agent** preserves the current ordinary/configuration setup flow. Choosing
   **New Terminal** always creates and activates a distinct host-shell terminal, even when another
   terminal exists.
@@ -42,6 +44,10 @@ them without losing work, and return to the most recent terminal without managin
 - Switching to another tab or dismissing the shared dialog detaches the terminal presentation but
   leaves its host-shell session running. Reopening the dialog or reselecting the tab reconnects to
   that same session and replays the backend's available recent output.
+- A quick-terminal host-shell session has no idle or wall-clock timeout. Once started it runs until
+  the user closes its tab, the shell process exits, or the backend stops. A long-running or quiet
+  process therefore keeps running while the dialog is closed and survives page reloads. This differs
+  from the Agents-page agent-login sessions, which retain their existing idle and hard timeouts.
 - Closing a terminal tab stops that tab's host-shell session and removes only that tab. Closing a
   chat tab retains the existing Quick Chat confirmation and task-deletion behavior.
 - After the active tab is removed, the dialog selects the nearest remaining tab in the same
@@ -151,6 +157,7 @@ legacy singleton login surface retains its existing behavior and authorization c
 | Connecting | Host-shell start succeeds | Store the returned session ID, attach its stream, and mark the tab running. |
 | Running | Chat/terminal tab switch or dialog dismissal | Detach the rendered terminal; keep the backend PTY and tab descriptor alive. |
 | Detached | Tab selected or terminal launcher used | Reattach to the same session and replay available buffered output. |
+| Running or detached | Quiet or long-running work | The session has no idle or hard timeout; it stays running across tab switches, dialog dismissal, and page reloads until closed, exited, or the backend stops. |
 | Running or detached | PTY exits | Mark the tab exited when observed; retain it for inspection. |
 | Connecting, running, exited, or error | Terminal tab close | Stop the session when one exists, remove the tab, select the nearest remaining same-workspace tab, or close the dialog when none remains. |
 
@@ -168,9 +175,9 @@ checks, and Agents-page authorization behavior remain unchanged.
 - Closing a terminal tab while its start request is pending removes the tab and stops the session if
   that request later succeeds. Development StrictMode replay uses the stable client ID and cannot
   create or stop a sibling session.
-- A detached session may exit or reach the existing backend idle/hard timeout. Reattaching to a
-  session that no longer exists marks the tab exited or unavailable; it does not create a
-  replacement implicitly.
+- A detached session may exit on its own (for example the user runs `exit` or the shell process
+  crashes). It is not reaped by an idle or hard timeout. Reattaching to a session that no longer
+  exists marks the tab exited or unavailable; it does not create a replacement implicitly.
 - A descriptor whose PTY disappeared during a backend restart or while no client was attached is
   retained with an exited/unavailable status and a cleared session association. The user must
   choose **New Terminal** to create a replacement.
@@ -191,9 +198,11 @@ checks, and Agents-page authorization behavior remain unchanged.
   for the same authenticated user and workspace. The backend is the durable source of descriptor
   membership, sequence, lifecycle snapshot, and latest session association.
 - Host-shell processes and their rolling output buffers live only in backend memory. Dismissing the
-  shared dialog does not stop them, but explicit tab close, process exit, the existing idle/hard
-  timeout, or a backend restart does. A backend restart leaves the descriptor behind and marks it
-  unavailable until the user explicitly creates a new terminal.
+  shared dialog does not stop them, and quick-terminal sessions have no idle or hard timeout, so
+  only explicit tab close, the shell process exiting, or the backend stopping ends one. A backend
+  restart leaves the descriptor behind and marks it unavailable until the user explicitly creates a
+  new terminal. On graceful backend shutdown all live quick-terminal sessions are stopped rather
+  than left to leak.
 - Reconnection can replay only the backend's existing rolling output buffer; this feature does not
   add durable terminal history.
 
@@ -217,6 +226,13 @@ checks, and Agents-page authorization behavior remain unchanged.
 - **GIVEN** a running terminal tab with a persisted descriptor, **WHEN** the user refreshes the page,
   **THEN** the Quick Chat dialog restores one terminal tab with the same sequence and reattaches to
   the same live session without creating a duplicate PTY.
+- **GIVEN** a running terminal tab whose process has produced no output and stayed detached for
+  longer than the agent-login idle timeout, **WHEN** the user refreshes the page and reopens Quick
+  Chat, **THEN** the tab reattaches to the same still-running session rather than showing exited and
+  rather than starting a new numbered terminal.
+- **GIVEN** the plus button at the leading edge of the tab strip, **WHEN** the user opens the
+  creation menu on a pointer device, **THEN** the menu opens toward the trailing edge and stays
+  within the viewport instead of overhanging the leading edge.
 - **GIVEN** a persisted terminal descriptor whose PTY was lost during a backend restart, **WHEN** the
   user opens Quick Chat, **THEN** the tab remains visible as exited/unavailable and no replacement
   session starts until **New Terminal** is chosen.
@@ -244,6 +260,10 @@ checks, and Agents-page authorization behavior remain unchanged.
 
 - Persisting terminal output or keeping a PTY process alive across a backend restart. The durable
   descriptor only makes the tab discoverable and reports that its old session is unavailable.
+  Removing the idle/hard timeout keeps a quiet session alive while the backend runs; it does not
+  make the process survive the backend stopping.
+- Changing the Agents-page agent-login session lifecycle, which keeps its existing idle and hard
+  timeouts.
 - Synchronizing terminal input or output streams between multiple attached clients beyond the
   existing PTY subscription and rolling buffer behavior.
 - Task-workspace terminals, repository working-directory selection, or moving terminals between
@@ -257,3 +277,5 @@ checks, and Agents-page authorization behavior remain unchanged.
 [Quick Chat and Terminal Tabs implementation](../../plans/quick-terminal/plan.md)
 
 [Quick Terminal refresh persistence repair](../../plans/quick-terminal-refresh-persistence/plan.md)
+
+[Quick Terminal durable session lifecycle and menu alignment](../../plans/quick-terminal-durable-lifecycle/plan.md)