From 3a3ccd5385e27f71d04b200b61fa7f5dd27418c3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mohamed Boudra <boudra.moha@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:48:34 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] feat(app): open workspace chats immediately

Reserve the final workspace, agent, and initial message identities before preparation so the normal agent panel can own the conversation throughout creation. Keep follow-ups queued until the first prompt starts and hand failures back to the existing workspace form or failed agent draft.
---
 docs/architecture.md                          |  49 +-
 package-lock.json                             |   1 +
 .../e2e/browser/creation-idempotency.spec.ts  | 367 ++++++++++++++-
 .../e2e/browser/creation-old-daemon.spec.ts   |  53 +--
 packages/app/e2e/support/creation-fixtures.ts | 130 ++++--
 packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/creation.ts  | 338 +++++++++++++-
 .../app/e2e/support/helpers/new-workspace.ts  |   1 +
 packages/app/package.json                     |   1 +
 packages/app/src/agent-presentation/index.ts  |   8 +-
 .../sidebar/sidebar-workspace-row.tsx         |  13 +-
 packages/app/src/composer/actions.test.ts     |  82 ++++
 packages/app/src/composer/actions.ts          |  18 +-
 .../app/src/composer/agent-controls/index.tsx |  84 +++-
 .../app/src/composer/draft/workspace-tab.tsx  |   9 +-
 packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx           |  56 ++-
 .../src/composer/submission/writer.test.ts    |  60 ++-
 .../app/src/composer/submission/writer.ts     |  50 +-
 .../hooks/use-sidebar-workspace-entries.ts    |  31 +-
 .../src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspaces-list.ts  |   9 +-
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ar.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/en.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/es.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/fr.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ja.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ko.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/pt-BR.ts      |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ru.ts         |   9 +
 packages/app/src/i18n/resources/zh-CN.ts      |   9 +
 packages/app/src/panels/agent-panel.tsx       |  35 +-
 .../app/src/review/feedback/use-feedback.ts   |   8 +-
 packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.test.ts | 241 ++++++++++
 packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts      |  20 +-
 .../app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx  | 430 ++----------------
 .../compact-workspace-header/tab-switcher.tsx |   5 +-
 .../workspace/use-workspace-tab-rename.tsx    |   2 +
 .../workspace/workspace-desktop-tabs-row.tsx  |   4 +-
 .../workspace/workspace-route-state.test.ts   |  17 +
 .../workspace/workspace-route-state.ts        |   2 +
 .../screens/workspace/workspace-screen.tsx    |  80 +++-
 packages/app/src/stores/session-store.ts      |   8 +
 .../workspace-draft-submission-store.test.ts  |  24 -
 .../workspace-draft-submission-store.ts       |  16 +-
 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/index.ts  |   9 +
 .../workspace-creation/internal/capture.ts    |  12 +
 .../workspace-creation/internal/model.test.ts | 337 ++++++++++++++
 .../internal/presentation.test.ts             | 159 +++++++
 .../workspace-creation/internal/random-id.ts  |   1 +
 .../internal/random-id.web.ts                 |   3 +
 .../app/src/workspace-creation/model/index.ts | 249 ++++++++++
 .../workspace-creation/presentation/index.ts  | 113 +++++
 .../app/src/workspace-creation/runtime.ts     | 146 ++++++
 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/submit.ts | 288 ++++++++++++
 .../app/src/workspace-creation/ui/index.tsx   |  56 +++
 .../server/agent/create-agent/intent.test.ts  |  32 ++
 .../src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.ts   |  21 +-
 packages/server/src/server/session.ts         |  10 +-
 ...rkspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts |  54 ++-
 57 files changed, 3222 insertions(+), 601 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/index.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/capture.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/model.test.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/presentation.test.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.web.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/model/index.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/presentation/index.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/runtime.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/submit.ts
 create mode 100644 packages/app/src/workspace-creation/ui/index.tsx

diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index 29f9c7f817..4eb4590691 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -340,11 +340,50 @@ Example: adding a new enum value
 
 ### Creation ownership
 
-Creation is owned by the daemon across socket lifetimes. A workspace request can include
-its initial agent and prompt. Workspace readiness is published before provider startup;
-the app keeps its existing disk-ready navigation and observes the remaining creation.
-Callbacks do not advance the workflow. Resource reservations in acknowledgement are
-identities, not ready workspace records.
+Creation execution is owned by the daemon across socket lifetimes. A workspace request
+can include its initial agent and prompt. The app's `workspace-creation/` module owns
+chat submission presentation outside React: it reserves final IDs and a message identity,
+then opens the agent target before asynchronous preparation or a daemon response.
+The New workspace chat entry requires `creationLifecycle`; empty workspaces, terminal
+launches, and existing-workspace agent drafts retain their own entry points.
+
+Pending presentation never enters the directory replica as a fabricated resource.
+Routes, tabs, and the sidebar retain it until the corresponding authoritative resource
+has been observed. Files, terminals, scripts, and agent timeline initialization wait for
+real resources. The creating agent opens in the normal agent panel and composer, showing
+its submitted configuration. Until the host publishes the agent, its destination cwd is
+unknown and its controls are read-only. The host publishes the agent before it starts the
+initial prompt, so prompts wait in the agent's queue until creation completes
+(`isAgentReadyForPrompts`). `composer/actions.ts` applies that to every prompt path: send
+and review feedback queue behind earlier prompts, and send now and queue drain leave the
+queue untouched. The queue drains on adoption or when the initial turn ends. The first
+message uses composer submission reconciliation; creation never sends it again when the
+panel mounts. Completion does not navigate, and draft cleanup checks the captured version
+so it cannot erase newer input.
+
+A failed creation goes to the existing owner of whatever the host did not create, using
+the receipt's resources and `failedStage`. Creation has no failure UI of its own:
+
+- No workspace: the app returns to New workspace with the submitted draft and shows the
+  error the way that screen shows its own submit errors.
+- Workspace but no agent: the agent tab becomes an existing-workspace agent draft holding
+  the prompt, in the abandoned create-flow state. Its error and Send retry are that draft's
+  own; the retry creates the agent in the kept workspace.
+- An agent that exists or may exist, including a failed first prompt: creation completes
+  and the agent tab keeps the agent's own timeline and turn error. Turning it into a draft
+  would create a second agent on Send.
+
+Queued follow-ups and unsent composer text belong to a composer identity, so they move
+with the creation: from the form to the creating agent, back to the form or the agent draft
+on failure, and to the created agent after retry (`transferComposerFollowUps`). The initial
+prompt stays the form's or draft's input. The agent draft also carries the submitted
+setup and context attachments. The host ignores `config.cwd` when a create request names a
+workspace, so a draft's retry starts at the workspace root, not a nested fork cwd.
+
+Adopted successful attempts release their payloads; a bounded cache of compact receipts
+absorbs duplicate commands from retained forms. The SDK owns reconnect observation; the
+app has no resend loop. Pending views survive navigation and pane remount, not app
+process death. Resource reservations are identities, not ready workspace records.
 
 The creation journal (`server/creation/`) owns identity and execution for both legacy and
 modern creation RPCs. Requesting progress never selects a different journal. Existing
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 1f5cce1657..ea6b5bb13f 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -35715,6 +35715,7 @@
         "@gorhom/portal": "^1.0.14",
         "@marijn/find-cluster-break": "^1.0.2",
         "@mattermost/react-native-paste-input": "2.0.1",
+        "@noble/hashes": "^2.4.0",
         "@react-native-async-storage/async-storage": "2.2.0",
         "@react-native-masked-view/masked-view": "0.3.2",
         "@react-native/normalize-colors": "0.86.3",
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-idempotency.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-idempotency.spec.ts
index 7658addf72..de967609b6 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-idempotency.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-idempotency.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
+import {
+  hideCreationLifecycle,
+  holdWorkspaceProvisioning,
+  reportUnknownPromptOutcome,
+} from "../support/helpers/creation";
 import type { createCreationScenario } from "../support/helpers/creation";
+import { expectComposerMode, expectComposerModel } from "../support/helpers/agent-profiles";
+import { expectChatHistoryAttachment } from "../support/helpers/assistant-fork";
 import { expect } from "../support/fixtures";
 import { test } from "../support/creation-fixtures";
 
@@ -105,26 +112,38 @@ test("new workspace navigation and optimistic prompt precede agent initializatio
   await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
 });
 
-for (const scenario of [
-  { suffix: "", prepare: async () => {} },
+for (const entry of [
   {
-    suffix: " after remount",
-    prepare: async (creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>) =>
-      creation.evictAndReturnToDraft(),
+    name: "an agent draft",
+    open: (creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>) =>
+      creation.openAgentDraft(),
+    button: "Send message",
+    expectWorkspace: async (_creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>) => {},
+  },
+  {
+    name: "a new workspace",
+    open: (creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>) =>
+      creation.openWorkspaceForm("local"),
+    button: "Create",
+    expectWorkspace: (creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>) =>
+      creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace(),
   },
 ]) {
-  test(`retrying failed agent initialization preserves its workspace${scenario.suffix}`, async ({
+  test(`a failed agent start in ${entry.name} keeps the draft, its error and its retry`, async ({
     creation,
     startup,
-  }) => {
-    await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
-    await creation.submitPrompt("Retry this workspace and agent together.", "Create");
-    await creation.expectAgentStillStarting();
+    page,
+  }, testInfo) => {
+    const prompt = "Retry this agent after its startup fails.";
+    await entry.open(creation);
+    await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, entry.button);
     await startup.fail();
-    await creation.expectStartupFailure();
-    await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
-    await scenario.prepare(creation);
-    await creation.submitPrompt("Retry this workspace and agent together.");
+    await creation.expectFailedAgentDraft(prompt);
+    await entry.expectWorkspace(creation);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("failed-agent-draft.png") });
+    await creation.resendFailedDraft();
+    await creation.expectPromptVisible(prompt);
+    await entry.expectWorkspace(creation);
     await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
   });
 }
@@ -171,3 +190,323 @@ for (const entry of [
     await expect(page.getByText("agent_request_key_conflict", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
   });
 }
+
+for (const isolation of ["local", "worktree"] as const) {
+  test(`a held ${isolation} workspace opens the normal agent panel and queues a follow-up`, async ({
+    creation,
+    page,
+  }, testInfo) => {
+    const prompt = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the first workspace prompt.";
+    const followUp = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the queued follow-up.";
+    const draft = "Keep this unsent draft through adoption.";
+    const provisioning = await holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page);
+    await creation.openWorkspaceForm(isolation);
+    await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, "Create");
+    const request = await provisioning.waitForRequest();
+
+    await test.step("the final agent panel paints before any host response", async () => {
+      expect(request.workspaceId).toMatch(/^wks_[a-f0-9]{16}$/);
+      expect(request.agent!.agentId).toMatch(/^[a-f0-9-]{36}$/);
+      await expect(page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(`/workspace/${request.workspaceId}$`));
+      await expect(
+        page.getByTestId(`workspace-tab-agent_${request.agent!.agentId}`).filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toBeVisible();
+      await creation.expectPromptVisible(prompt);
+      await creation.expectNormalAgentComposer();
+      await expectComposerModel(page, "Ten second stream");
+      await expectComposerMode(page, "Load test");
+    });
+
+    await test.step("a follow-up waits in the queue instead of reaching the agent", async () => {
+      await creation.queueFollowUp(followUp);
+      await creation.typeComposerDraft(draft);
+      expect(provisioning.agentPrompts()).toBe(0);
+      await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("held-normal-panel.png") });
+    });
+
+    await test.step("adoption keeps the same agent, draft and queue order", async () => {
+      provisioning.release();
+      await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+      expect(await creation.agentIds()).toEqual([request.agent!.agentId]);
+      await expect(page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(`/workspace/${request.workspaceId}$`));
+      await creation.expectUserMessagesInOrder([prompt, followUp]);
+      expect(provisioning.agentPrompts()).toBe(1);
+      await creation.expectComposerDraft(draft);
+      await creation.expectTimelineSettled();
+      await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("adopted-normal-panel.png") });
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+test("a held workspace on compact shows the final agent prompt and composer", async ({
+  creation,
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const provisioning = await holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page);
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("worktree");
+  await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
+  await creation.submitPrompt("Show my prompt before workspace provisioning.", "Create");
+  const request = await provisioning.waitForRequest();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(`/workspace/${request.workspaceId}$`));
+  await creation.expectPromptVisible("Show my prompt before workspace provisioning.");
+  await creation.expectNormalAgentComposer();
+  await creation.expectAgentCannotBeStoppedYet();
+  await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("compact-held.png") });
+  provisioning.release();
+  await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+  expect(await creation.agentIds()).toEqual([request.agent!.agentId]);
+  await creation.expectInitialPromptOnce("Show my prompt before workspace provisioning.");
+});
+
+test("workspace creation recovers a lost response without replaying the first prompt", async ({
+  creation,
+  workspacePromptRetry,
+}) => {
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("worktree");
+  workspacePromptRetry.holdAcknowledgement();
+  await creation.submitPrompt("Recover this workspace prompt once.", "Create");
+  await workspacePromptRetry.waitForDeliveredPrompt();
+  await creation.expectPromptVisible("Recover this workspace prompt once.");
+  await creation.evictAndReturnToDraft();
+  await workspacePromptRetry.disconnectAndReconnect();
+  await workspacePromptRetry.expectSameAgentAndMessage();
+  await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+  await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+});
+
+test("a pending workspace survives leaving and remounting before any daemon event", async ({
+  creation,
+  page,
+}) => {
+  const provisioning = await holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page);
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("worktree");
+  await creation.submitPrompt("Keep this pending workspace across remount.", "Create");
+  await provisioning.waitForRequest();
+  await creation.expectPromptVisible("Keep this pending workspace across remount.");
+  await creation.evictAndReturnToDraft();
+  await creation.expectPromptVisible("Keep this pending workspace across remount.");
+  provisioning.release();
+  await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+  await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+});
+
+test("a failed workspace returns to New workspace with the prompt and its error", async ({
+  creation,
+  provisioningFailure,
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const prompt = "Keep my prompt when the workspace fails.";
+  await provisioningFailure.arm();
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
+  await creation.submitRepeatedly("Create", prompt);
+  await creation.expectReturnedToNewWorkspace(prompt, "Provisioning outcome is uncertain for test");
+  await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("failed-workspace-returned.png") });
+});
+
+test("a failed workspace keeps its queued follow-up and unsent text through resubmission", async ({
+  creation,
+  provisioningFailure,
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const prompt = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the resubmitted workspace.";
+  const followUp = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the resubmitted follow-up.";
+  const draft = "Keep this unsent text through the failed workspace.";
+  await provisioningFailure.arm();
+  const provisioning = await holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page);
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
+  await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, "Create");
+  await provisioning.waitForRequest();
+  await creation.queueFollowUp(followUp);
+  await creation.typeComposerDraft(draft);
+  provisioning.release();
+
+  await test.step("New workspace shows the prompt, its error and the queued follow-up", async () => {
+    await creation.expectReturnedToNewWorkspace(
+      prompt,
+      "Provisioning outcome is uncertain for test",
+    );
+    await creation.expectQueuedFollowUp(followUp);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("failed-workspace-follow-up.png") });
+  });
+
+  await test.step("resubmitting delivers the prompt, then the follow-up, once", async () => {
+    await creation.resubmitWorkspace();
+    await provisioning.waitForRequests(2);
+    provisioning.release();
+    await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+    await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+    await creation.expectUserMessagesInOrder([prompt, followUp]);
+    await creation.expectComposerDraft(draft);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("resubmitted-workspace-follow-up.png") });
+  });
+});
+
+test("a failed agent start keeps its queued follow-up and unsent text through retry", async ({
+  creation,
+  startup,
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const prompt = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the retried agent.";
+  const followUp = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the retried follow-up.";
+  const draft = "Keep this unsent text through the failed agent start.";
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
+  await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, "Create");
+  await creation.queueFollowUp(followUp);
+  await creation.typeComposerDraft(draft);
+  await startup.fail();
+
+  await test.step("the agent draft shows the prompt, its error and the queued follow-up", async () => {
+    await creation.expectFailedAgentDraft(prompt);
+    await creation.expectQueuedFollowUp(followUp);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("failed-agent-follow-up.png") });
+  });
+
+  await test.step("retrying delivers the prompt, then the follow-up, once", async () => {
+    await creation.resendFailedDraft();
+    await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+    await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+    await creation.expectUserMessagesInOrder([prompt, followUp]);
+    await creation.expectComposerDraft(draft);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("retried-agent-follow-up.png") });
+  });
+});
+
+test("a forked worktree agent that fails to start keeps its setup and context through retry", async ({
+  creation,
+  lateStartup,
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const prompt = "Keep this fork's setup, image and history through the retry.";
+  await creation.openNestedAgentFork("worktree");
+  await creation.attachImage();
+  const startup = await lateStartup.arm();
+  await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, "Create");
+  await startup.fail();
+
+  await test.step("the agent draft keeps the fork's configuration and context", async () => {
+    await creation.expectFailedAgentDraft(prompt);
+    await expectComposerModel(page, "e2e-fast-stream");
+    await expectComposerMode(page, "Load test");
+    await creation.expectImageVisible();
+    await expectChatHistoryAttachment(page);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("failed-fork-draft.png") });
+  });
+
+  // An agent created in an existing workspace starts at the workspace root: the host ignores
+  // config.cwd when the request names a workspace, so the nested cwd is not asserted here.
+  await test.step("retrying creates one agent in the worktree with that configuration and context", async () => {
+    await creation.resendFailedDraft();
+    await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+    await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+    await creation.expectAgentConfig({ model: "e2e-fast-stream", modeId: "load-test" });
+    await creation.expectImageVisible();
+    await expect(
+      page
+        .getByTestId("user-message")
+        .filter({ hasText: "Chat history" })
+        .filter({ visible: true }),
+    ).toHaveCount(1);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("retried-fork-agent.png") });
+  });
+});
+
+test("a forked worktree whose workspace fails keeps its context through resubmission", async ({
+  creation,
+  provisioningFailure,
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const prompt = "Keep this fork's history when its workspace fails.";
+  await creation.openNestedAgentFork("worktree");
+  await provisioningFailure.arm();
+  await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, "Create");
+
+  await test.step("New workspace shows the prompt, its error and the fork's context", async () => {
+    await creation.expectReturnedToNewWorkspace(
+      prompt,
+      "Provisioning outcome is uncertain for test",
+    );
+    await expectChatHistoryAttachment(page);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("failed-fork-workspace.png") });
+  });
+
+  await test.step("resubmitting creates one agent with that context", async () => {
+    await creation.resubmitWorkspace();
+    await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+    await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+    await expect(
+      page
+        .getByTestId("user-message")
+        .filter({ hasText: "Chat history" })
+        .filter({ visible: true }),
+    ).toHaveCount(1);
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("resubmitted-fork-workspace.png") });
+  });
+});
+
+test("an unsupported host keeps the draft and asks for an update before creating anything", async ({
+  creation,
+  page,
+}) => {
+  const host = await hideCreationLifecycle(page);
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
+  await creation.submitPrompt("Retain my unsupported host draft.", "Create");
+  await expect(
+    page
+      .getByText("Update this host to create a workspace with an agent.", { exact: true })
+      .first(),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/new\?/);
+  host.expectNoCreationRequest();
+});
+
+for (const isolation of ["local", "worktree"] as const) {
+  test(`a fork keeps its image and nested cwd in the optimistic and real ${isolation} agent`, async ({
+    creation,
+    page,
+  }, testInfo) => {
+    const provisioning = await holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page);
+    const cwd = await creation.openNestedAgentFork(isolation);
+    await creation.attachImage();
+    await creation.submitPrompt("Keep this image and nested cwd.", "Create");
+    const request = await provisioning.waitForRequest();
+    expect(request.agent!.config?.cwd).toBe(cwd);
+    expect(request.agent!.images).toHaveLength(1);
+    await creation.expectPromptVisible("Keep this image and nested cwd.");
+    await creation.expectImageVisible();
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("pending-image-nested-cwd.png") });
+    provisioning.release();
+    await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+    await creation.expectNestedAgentCwd();
+    await creation.expectImageVisible();
+    await creation.expectInitialPromptOnce("Keep this image and nested cwd.");
+  });
+}
+
+test("closing the pending agent tab leaves host creation running", async ({ creation, page }) => {
+  const provisioning = await holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page);
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
+  await creation.submitPrompt("Finish creation after I close the tab.", "Create");
+  const request = await provisioning.waitForRequest();
+  await creation.expectPromptVisible("Finish creation after I close the tab.");
+  await creation.closePendingAgent(request.agent!.agentId!);
+  provisioning.release();
+  await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+  await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+  await creation.expectInitialPromptOnce("Finish creation after I close the tab.");
+});
+
+test("an uncertain prompt receipt keeps the created agent tab and its timeline", async ({
+  creation,
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await reportUnknownPromptOutcome(page);
+  await creation.openWorkspaceForm("local");
+  const prompt = "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for an uncertain first prompt.";
+  await creation.submitPrompt(prompt, "Create");
+  await creation.expectAssistantReply();
+  await creation.expectAgentNotWorking();
+  await creation.expectOneCreatedWorkspace();
+  await creation.expectInitialPromptOnce(prompt);
+  await creation.expectNoCreationRecovery();
+  await creation.expectAgentCount(1);
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-old-daemon.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-old-daemon.spec.ts
index 4b418b304a..cc6ecc2998 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-old-daemon.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/creation-old-daemon.spec.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ for (const version of ["0.2.5", "0.7.2", "0.8.0"]) {
       });
     }
 
-    test("current app creates a workspace, navigates before agent startup, and creates another agent on an old daemon", async ({
+    test("current app requires a host update for chat workspaces and preserves existing-workspace agent creation", async ({
       page,
       project,
       client,
@@ -104,49 +104,34 @@ for (const version of ["0.2.5", "0.7.2", "0.8.0"]) {
       const prompt = "Create this workspace: emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates";
       await fillComposerDraft(page, prompt);
       await pressSubmitBeforeTheNextRender(page, "Create");
-      await gate.waitForRequest();
-      await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/workspace\//);
       await expect(
-        page.getByTestId("user-message").filter({ visible: true }).filter({ hasText: prompt }),
+        page
+          .getByText("Update this host to create a workspace with an agent.", { exact: true })
+          .first(),
       ).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/new\?/);
       expect((await client.fetchAgents()).entries).toHaveLength(0);
-      const workspaces = (await client.fetchWorkspaces()).entries.filter(
-        (workspace) =>
-          workspace.projectId === project.projectId && workspace.id !== project.workspaceId,
-      );
-      expect(workspaces).toHaveLength(1);
-      gate.release();
-      await gate.waitForCreated();
-      await expect.poll(async () => (await client.fetchAgents()).entries.length).toBe(1);
-      const first = (await client.fetchAgents()).entries[0]!.agent;
-      await client.waitForFinish(first.id, 20_000);
-      await expectPromptOnce(client, first.id, prompt);
-      await expect(
-        page.getByTestId(`workspace-tab-agent_${first.id}`).filter({ visible: true }),
-      ).toHaveText(prompt);
-
+      expect(
+        (await client.fetchWorkspaces()).entries.filter(
+          (workspace) => workspace.projectId === project.projectId,
+        ),
+      ).toHaveLength(1);
+      await page.goto(buildHostWorkspaceRoute(daemon.serverId, project.workspaceId));
       await createAgentTabFromMenu(page);
       const secondPrompt = "Create another agent: emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates";
       await fillComposerDraft(page, secondPrompt);
       await pressSubmitBeforeTheNextRender(page, "Send message");
+      await gate.waitForRequest();
+      gate.release();
       await gate.waitForCreated();
-      await expect.poll(async () => (await client.fetchAgents()).entries.length).toBe(2);
-      const second = (await client.fetchAgents()).entries.find(
-        ({ agent }) => agent.id !== first.id,
-      )!.agent;
-      expect(second.workspaceId).toBe(first.workspaceId);
-      await client.waitForFinish(second.id, 20_000);
-      await expectPromptOnce(client, second.id, secondPrompt);
+      await expect.poll(async () => (await client.fetchAgents()).entries.length).toBe(1);
+      const agent = (await client.fetchAgents()).entries[0]!.agent;
+      expect(agent.workspaceId).toBe(project.workspaceId);
+      await client.waitForFinish(agent.id, 20_000);
+      await expectPromptOnce(client, agent.id, secondPrompt);
       await expect(
-        page.getByTestId(`workspace-tab-agent_${second.id}`).filter({ visible: true }),
+        page.getByTestId(`workspace-tab-agent_${agent.id}`).filter({ visible: true }),
       ).toHaveText(secondPrompt);
-      await expect(
-        page
-          .getByTestId("user-message")
-          .filter({ visible: true })
-          .filter({ hasText: secondPrompt }),
-      ).toBeVisible();
-      await page.screenshot({ path: test.info().outputPath("old-daemon-creation.png") });
     });
 
     async function expectPromptOnce(client: DaemonClient, agentId: string, text: string) {
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/creation-fixtures.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/creation-fixtures.ts
index c6d3579206..e869e3d2f2 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/creation-fixtures.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/creation-fixtures.ts
@@ -11,27 +11,24 @@ import {
 import { installDaemonWebSocketGate } from "./helpers/daemon-websocket-gate";
 import { delayBrowserAgentCreatedStatus } from "./helpers/new-workspace";
 
-export const test = base.extend<{
-  startup: { release(): Promise<void>; fail(): Promise<void> };
-  promptRejection: void;
-  creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>;
-  promptRetry: ReturnType<typeof createPromptRetryScenario>;
-  agentRetries: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof retryNextAgentCreation>>;
-  delayedCreation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof delayBrowserAgentCreatedStatus>>;
-}>({
-  startup: async ({ page }, provide) => {
-    void page;
-    const client = await connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient();
-    const plugin = await copyPluginExample("lifecycle-logger");
-    const gate = path.join(plugin.directory, "startup.txt");
-    const failure = path.join(plugin.directory, "startup-failure.txt");
-    const previous = await client.getDaemonConfig();
-    try {
-      await writeFile(gate, "hold");
-      await writeFile(failure, "fail");
-      await writeFile(
-        path.join(plugin.directory, "index.server.ts"),
-        `
+interface StartupGate {
+  release(): Promise<void>;
+  fail(): Promise<void>;
+  dispose(): Promise<void>;
+}
+
+/** Holds every later workspace agent's startup until it is released or failed once. */
+async function installStartupGate(): Promise<StartupGate> {
+  const client = await connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient();
+  const plugin = await copyPluginExample("lifecycle-logger");
+  const gate = path.join(plugin.directory, "startup.txt");
+  const failure = path.join(plugin.directory, "startup-failure.txt");
+  const previous = await client.getDaemonConfig();
+  await writeFile(gate, "hold");
+  await writeFile(failure, "fail");
+  await writeFile(
+    path.join(plugin.directory, "index.server.ts"),
+    `
 import { readFile, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
 export default function contribute(server) {
   return server.before("agent.session_open", async ({ request }) => {
@@ -50,17 +47,88 @@ export default function contribute(server) {
     return request;
   });
 }
+`,
+  );
+  await client.patchDaemonConfig({ pluginsEnabled: true });
+  await client.installDirectoryPlugin(plugin.directory);
+  return {
+    release: () => rm(gate, { force: true }),
+    // Replacing the command must not expose a truncated, empty file to the hook.
+    fail: () => rename(failure, gate),
+    async dispose() {
+      await rm(gate, { force: true });
+      await client.removePlugin("lifecycle-logger");
+      await client.patchDaemonConfig({ pluginsEnabled: previous.config.pluginsEnabled });
+      await plugin.cleanup();
+      await client.close();
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+export const test = base.extend<{
+  startup: StartupGate;
+  /** A startup gate installed mid-test, after agents that must start normally. */
+  lateStartup: { arm(): Promise<StartupGate> };
+  promptRejection: void;
+  /** Fails the next workspace request once it is armed. */
+  provisioningFailure: { arm(): Promise<void> };
+  creation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createCreationScenario>>;
+  promptRetry: ReturnType<typeof createPromptRetryScenario>;
+  workspacePromptRetry: ReturnType<typeof createPromptRetryScenario>;
+  agentRetries: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof retryNextAgentCreation>>;
+  delayedCreation: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof delayBrowserAgentCreatedStatus>>;
+}>({
+  startup: async ({ page }, provide) => {
+    void page;
+    const gate = await installStartupGate();
+    try {
+      await provide(gate);
+    } finally {
+      await gate.dispose();
+    }
+  },
+  lateStartup: async ({ page }, provide) => {
+    void page;
+    const gates: StartupGate[] = [];
+    try {
+      await provide({
+        arm: async () => {
+          const gate = await installStartupGate();
+          gates.push(gate);
+          return gate;
+        },
+      });
+    } finally {
+      for (const gate of gates) await gate.dispose();
+    }
+  },
+  provisioningFailure: async ({ page, creation }, provide) => {
+    void page;
+    void creation;
+    const client = await connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient();
+    const plugin = await copyPluginExample("lifecycle-logger");
+    const previous = await client.getDaemonConfig();
+    try {
+      const failure = path.join(plugin.directory, "provisioning-failure.txt");
+      // Fails one workspace request per arm, so a resubmission can succeed.
+      await writeFile(
+        path.join(plugin.directory, "index.server.ts"),
+        `
+import { rm, stat } from "node:fs/promises";
+export default function contribute(server) {
+  return server.before("workspace.create", async ({ request }) => {
+    const failure = ${JSON.stringify(failure)};
+    if (!(await stat(failure).catch(() => null))) return request;
+    await rm(failure, { force: true });
+    throw new Error("Provisioning outcome is uncertain for test");
+  });
+}
 `,
       );
       await client.patchDaemonConfig({ pluginsEnabled: true });
       await client.installDirectoryPlugin(plugin.directory);
-      await provide({
-        release: () => rm(gate, { force: true }),
-        // Replacing the command must not expose a truncated, empty file to the hook.
-        fail: () => rename(failure, gate),
-      });
+      await provide({ arm: () => writeFile(failure, "fail") });
     } finally {
-      await rm(gate, { force: true });
       await client.removePlugin("lifecycle-logger");
       await client.patchDaemonConfig({ pluginsEnabled: previous.config.pluginsEnabled });
       await plugin.cleanup();
@@ -114,6 +182,14 @@ export default function contribute(server) {
       gate.restore();
     }
   },
+  workspacePromptRetry: async ({ page }, provide) => {
+    const gate = await installDaemonWebSocketGate(page);
+    try {
+      await provide(createPromptRetryScenario(page, gate, "workspace"));
+    } finally {
+      gate.restore();
+    }
+  },
   agentRetries: async ({ page }, provide) => {
     await provide(await retryNextAgentCreation(page));
   },
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/creation.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/creation.ts
index 1c3d5dda89..0c96f6aa52 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/creation.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/creation.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
+import { awaitAssistantMessage } from "./agent-stream";
+import { forkMostRecentAssistantTurnToNewWorkspace } from "./assistant-fork";
 import type { WorkspaceCreateRequest } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
 import { expect, type Page } from "@playwright/test";
 import { daemonWsRoutePattern } from "./daemon-port";
 import { gotoAppShell } from "./app";
 import { gotoWorkspace } from "./launcher";
-import { fillComposerDraft } from "./composer";
+import { attachComposerTestImage, fillComposerDraft } from "./composer";
 import { createAgentTabFromMenu } from "./workspace-tabs";
 import {
+  connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient,
   openNewWorkspaceComposer,
   selectWorkspaceIsolation,
   loadSessionMessageReaders,
@@ -44,6 +47,43 @@ export async function captureWorkspaceAgentRequest(page: Page, options: { block:
   return { waitForRequest: () => request };
 }
 
+/** Hold the creation request before the daemon can reserve or provision anything. */
+/** Holds each workspace request with an agent until `release` sends the held requests. */
+export async function holdWorkspaceProvisioning(page: Page) {
+  const frames = await loadSessionMessageReaders();
+  let held: Array<() => void> = [];
+  const requests: WorkspaceCreateRequest[] = [];
+  let agentPrompts = 0;
+  await page.routeWebSocket(daemonWsRoutePattern(), (browser) => {
+    const server = browser.connectToServer();
+    browser.onMessage((frame) => {
+      const message = frames.client(frame);
+      if (message?.type === "send_agent_message_request") agentPrompts++;
+      if (message?.type === "workspace.create.request" && message.agent) {
+        held.push(() => server.send(frame));
+        requests.push(message);
+        return;
+      }
+      server.send(frame);
+    });
+    server.onMessage((frame) => browser.send(frame));
+  });
+  async function waitForRequests(count: number) {
+    await expect.poll(() => requests.length).toBe(count);
+    return requests[count - 1]!;
+  }
+  return {
+    waitForRequest: () => waitForRequests(1),
+    waitForRequests,
+    release: () => {
+      const sending = held;
+      held = [];
+      for (const send of sending) send();
+    },
+    agentPrompts: () => agentPrompts,
+  };
+}
+
 export async function pressSubmitBeforeTheNextRender(page: Page, name: string): Promise<void> {
   const create = page.getByRole("button", { name, exact: true });
   await expect(create).toBeEnabled();
@@ -59,9 +99,11 @@ export async function pressSubmitBeforeTheNextRender(page: Page, name: string):
 export async function observeCreationRequests(page: Page) {
   const frames = await loadSessionMessageReaders();
   const pending = new Set<string>();
+  let workspaceRequests = 0;
   page.on("websocket", (socket) => {
     socket.on("framesent", ({ payload }) => {
       const request = frames.client(payload);
+      if (request?.type === "workspace.create.request") workspaceRequests++;
       if (
         request?.type === "workspace.create.request" ||
         request?.type === "agent.create.request"
@@ -84,6 +126,7 @@ export async function observeCreationRequests(page: Page) {
     });
   });
   return {
+    workspaceRequests: () => workspaceRequests,
     async settled() {
       await expect.poll(() => pending.size).toBe(0);
     },
@@ -138,12 +181,88 @@ export async function retryNextAgentCreation(page: Page) {
   };
 }
 
+function agentComposer(page: Page) {
+  // Retained workspaces keep hidden composers mounted beside the focused one.
+  return page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Message agent..." }).filter({ visible: true });
+}
+
 export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
   const requests = await observeCreationRequests(page);
-  const project = await seedWorkspace({ repoPrefix: "creation-idempotency-" });
+  const project = await seedWorkspace({
+    repoPrefix: "creation-idempotency-",
+    repo: { files: [{ path: "nested/context.txt", content: "Nested agent working directory" }] },
+  });
   let workspaceId = project.workspaceId;
+  const evictionWorkspaceIds = new Set<string>();
+  const sourceClients: Array<{ close(): Promise<void> }> = [];
   return {
-    cleanup: project.cleanup,
+    cleanup: async () => {
+      for (const client of sourceClients) await client.close();
+      await project.cleanup();
+    },
+    async openNestedAgentFork(isolation: "local" | "worktree") {
+      const cwd = `${project.repoPath}/nested`;
+      const sourceClient = await connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient();
+      sourceClients.push(sourceClient);
+      const source = await sourceClient.createWorkspace({
+        source: { kind: "directory", path: project.repoPath },
+        agent: {
+          config: { provider: "mock", model: "e2e-fast-stream", modeId: "load-test", cwd },
+          initialPrompt: "emit 1 coalesced agent stream updates for the source conversation.",
+        },
+      });
+      if (!source.agent || !source.workspace)
+        throw new Error(source.error ?? "Missing nested source agent");
+      evictionWorkspaceIds.add(source.workspace.id);
+      await project.client.waitForFinish(source.agent.id, 20_000);
+      await gotoWorkspace(page, source.workspace.id);
+      await awaitAssistantMessage(page);
+      await forkMostRecentAssistantTurnToNewWorkspace(page);
+      await selectWorkspaceIsolation(page, isolation);
+      return cwd;
+    },
+    attachImage: () => attachComposerTestImage(page),
+    async expectImageVisible() {
+      await expect(
+        page
+          .getByRole("button", { name: "Open image attachment", exact: true })
+          .filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toHaveCount(1);
+    },
+    async expectInitialPromptOnce(prompt: string) {
+      const agents = (await project.client.fetchAgents()).entries.filter(
+        ({ agent }) => agent.workspaceId === workspaceId,
+      );
+      expect(agents).toHaveLength(1);
+      const reader = await connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient();
+      try {
+        const timeline = await reader.fetchAgentTimeline(agents[0]!.agent.id);
+        expect(timeline.entries.filter(({ item }) => item.type === "user_message")).toHaveLength(1);
+        expect(
+          timeline.entries.filter(
+            ({ item }) => item.type === "user_message" && item.text === prompt,
+          ),
+        ).toHaveLength(1);
+      } finally {
+        await reader.close();
+      }
+    },
+    async expectNestedAgentCwd() {
+      const workspace = (await project.client.fetchWorkspaces()).entries.find(
+        (entry) => entry.id === workspaceId,
+      )!;
+      const nestedAgent = (await project.client.fetchAgents()).entries.find(
+        ({ agent }) => agent.workspaceId === workspaceId,
+      )!.agent;
+      expect(nestedAgent.cwd).toBe(`${workspace.workspaceDirectory}/nested`);
+    },
+    async closePendingAgent(agentId: string) {
+      await page.getByTestId(`workspace-tab-agent_${agentId}`).filter({ visible: true }).hover();
+      await page.getByTestId(`workspace-agent-close-${agentId}`).filter({ visible: true }).click();
+      await expect(
+        page.getByTestId(`workspace-tab-agent_${agentId}`).filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toHaveCount(0);
+    },
     async openWorkspaceForm(isolation: "local" | "worktree") {
       await gotoAppShell(page);
       await waitForSidebarHydration(page);
@@ -165,6 +284,74 @@ export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
       if (prompt) await fillComposerDraft(page, prompt);
       await pressSubmitBeforeTheNextRender(page, button);
     },
+    async expectNormalAgentComposer() {
+      await expect(agentComposer(page)).toBeEditable();
+      // Provisioning belongs to the workspace header and sidebar, not the conversation.
+      await expect(page.getByText("Creating workspace and agent…", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+    },
+    async expectAgentCannotBeStoppedYet() {
+      await expect(
+        page.getByRole("button", { name: "Stop agent" }).filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toBeDisabled();
+    },
+    async queueFollowUp(prompt: string) {
+      await agentComposer(page).fill(prompt);
+      await agentComposer(page).press("Enter");
+      await expect(
+        page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send queued message now" }).filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(page.getByText(prompt, { exact: true }).filter({ visible: true })).toBeVisible();
+    },
+    async expectQueuedFollowUp(prompt: string) {
+      await expect(
+        page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send queued message now" }).filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toHaveCount(1);
+      await expect(page.getByText(prompt, { exact: true }).filter({ visible: true })).toBeVisible();
+    },
+    async resubmitWorkspace() {
+      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create", exact: true }).click();
+    },
+    async expectAgentConfig(config: { model: string; modeId: string }) {
+      const agent = (await project.client.fetchAgents()).entries.find(
+        (entry) => entry.agent.workspaceId === workspaceId,
+      )!.agent;
+      expect({ model: agent.model, modeId: agent.currentModeId }).toEqual(config);
+    },
+    async typeComposerDraft(text: string) {
+      await agentComposer(page).fill(text);
+      // The composer publishes typed text to its draft after the next paint.
+      await page.evaluate(
+        () => new Promise((resolve) => requestAnimationFrame(() => setTimeout(resolve, 0))),
+      );
+    },
+    async expectComposerDraft(text: string) {
+      await expect(agentComposer(page)).toHaveValue(text);
+    },
+    async expectAgentNotWorking() {
+      await expect(
+        page.getByTestId("turn-working-indicator").filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toHaveCount(0);
+    },
+    async expectTimelineSettled() {
+      await expect(page.getByText("Updating messages", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+    },
+    async expectUserMessagesInOrder(prompts: string[]) {
+      const agent = (await project.client.fetchAgents()).entries.find(
+        (entry) => entry.agent.workspaceId === workspaceId,
+      );
+      const reader = await connectNewWorkspaceDaemonClient();
+      try {
+        await expect
+          .poll(async () =>
+            (await reader.fetchAgentTimeline(agent!.agent.id)).entries.flatMap(({ item }) =>
+              item.type === "user_message" ? [item.text] : [],
+            ),
+          )
+          .toEqual(prompts);
+      } finally {
+        await reader.close();
+      }
+    },
     async expectPromptVisible(prompt?: string) {
       // Inactive agent tabs retain their timeline DOM beside the visible draft.
       const rows = page.getByTestId("user-message").filter({ visible: true });
@@ -175,7 +362,7 @@ export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
       await expect(page.getByTestId("user-message").first()).toBeVisible();
       await expect(
         page
-          .locator('[data-testid^="workspace-tab-draft_"][aria-selected="true"]')
+          .locator('[data-testid^="workspace-tab-agent_"][aria-selected="true"]')
           .filter({ visible: true }),
       ).toBeVisible();
     },
@@ -224,15 +411,57 @@ export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
           .first(),
       ).toBeVisible();
     },
-    async expectStartupFailure() {
-      await expect(page.getByText(/Creation startup failed for test/).first()).toBeVisible();
+    async expectFailedAgentDraft(prompt: string) {
+      await requests.settled();
+      await expect(
+        page
+          .locator('[data-testid^="workspace-tab-draft_"][aria-selected="true"]')
+          .filter({ visible: true }),
+      ).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(
+        page
+          .getByText(/Creation startup failed for test/)
+          .filter({ visible: true })
+          .first(),
+      ).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(agentComposer(page)).toHaveValue(prompt);
+      await this.expectNoCreationRecovery();
+    },
+    async resendFailedDraft() {
+      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send message", exact: true }).click();
+    },
+    async expectReturnedToNewWorkspace(prompt: string, error: string) {
+      await requests.settled();
+      await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/new\?/);
+      await expect(agentComposer(page)).toHaveValue(prompt);
+      await expect(page.getByText(error).filter({ visible: true }).first()).toBeVisible();
+      await this.expectNoCreationRecovery();
+      expect(requests.workspaceRequests()).toBe(1);
+      expect(
+        (await project.client.fetchWorkspaces()).entries.filter(
+          (workspace) =>
+            workspace.projectId === project.projectId &&
+            workspace.id !== project.workspaceId &&
+            !evictionWorkspaceIds.has(workspace.id),
+        ),
+      ).toHaveLength(0);
+    },
+    async expectNoCreationRecovery() {
+      await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Retry creation", exact: true })).toHaveCount(
+        0,
+      );
+      await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Return to draft", exact: true })).toHaveCount(
+        0,
+      );
     },
     async expectOneCreatedWorkspace() {
       await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/workspace\//);
       await requests.settled();
       const workspaces = (await project.client.fetchWorkspaces()).entries.filter(
         (workspace) =>
-          workspace.projectId === project.projectId && workspace.id !== project.workspaceId,
+          workspace.projectId === project.projectId &&
+          workspace.id !== project.workspaceId &&
+          !evictionWorkspaceIds.has(workspace.id),
       );
       expect(workspaces).toHaveLength(1);
       workspaceId = workspaces[0]!.id;
@@ -265,8 +494,11 @@ export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
         .toBe(title);
     },
     async evictAndReturnToDraft() {
+      workspaceId = new URL(page.url()).pathname.split("/workspace/")[1]!;
       const draft = page
-        .locator('[data-testid^="workspace-tab-draft_"][aria-selected="true"]')
+        .locator(
+          '[data-testid^="workspace-tab-draft_"][aria-selected="true"], [data-testid^="workspace-tab-agent_"][aria-selected="true"]',
+        )
         .filter({ visible: true })
         .first();
       const draftTestId = await draft.getAttribute("data-testid");
@@ -276,6 +508,7 @@ export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
           source: { kind: "directory", path: project.repoPath },
         });
         if (!result.workspace) throw new Error(result.error ?? "Failed to seed eviction workspace");
+        evictionWorkspaceIds.add(result.workspace.id);
         await switchWorkspaceViaSidebar({
           page,
           serverId: getServerId(),
@@ -296,15 +529,18 @@ export async function createCreationScenario(page: Page) {
 export function createPromptRetryScenario(
   page: Page,
   gate: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof installDaemonWebSocketGate>>,
+  kind: "agent" | "workspace" = "agent",
 ) {
+  const requestType = `${kind}.create.request`;
+  const responseType = `${kind}.create.response`;
   let firstMessage: ReturnType<typeof gate.getClientRequests>[number] | undefined;
   return {
     holdAcknowledgement() {
-      gate.holdNextServerMessage("agent.create.response");
+      gate.holdNextServerMessage(responseType);
     },
     async waitForDeliveredPrompt() {
-      await gate.waitForHeldServerMessage("agent.create.response");
-      firstMessage = gate.getClientRequests("agent.create.request").at(-1);
+      await gate.waitForHeldServerMessage(responseType);
+      firstMessage = gate.getClientRequests(requestType).at(-1);
     },
     async disconnectAndReconnect() {
       const fetches = gate.getClientRequestCount("fetch_agents_request");
@@ -315,13 +551,89 @@ export function createPromptRetryScenario(
         .toBeGreaterThan(fetches);
     },
     async expectSameAgentAndMessage() {
-      expect(gate.getClientRequestCount("agent.create.request")).toBe(1);
+      expect(gate.getClientRequestCount(requestType)).toBe(1);
       await expect
         .poll(() => gate.getClientRequestCount("creation.subscribe.request"))
         .toBeGreaterThan(0);
-      expect(gate.getClientRequests("agent.create.request").at(-1)).toEqual(firstMessage);
+      expect(gate.getClientRequests(requestType).at(-1)).toEqual(firstMessage);
       expect(gate.getClientRequestCount("send_agent_message_request")).toBe(0);
       await expect(page.getByTestId("user-message").filter({ visible: true })).toHaveCount(1);
     },
   };
 }
+
+export async function hideCreationLifecycle(page: Page) {
+  const frames = await loadSessionMessageReaders();
+  let requests = 0;
+  await page.routeWebSocket(daemonWsRoutePattern(), (browser) => {
+    const server = browser.connectToServer();
+    browser.onMessage((frame) => {
+      if (frames.client(frame)?.type === "workspace.create.request") requests++;
+      server.send(frame);
+    });
+    server.onMessage((frame) => {
+      const message = frames.server(frame);
+      if (
+        message?.type === "status" &&
+        message.payload.status === "server_info" &&
+        typeof message.payload.features === "object" &&
+        message.payload.features !== null
+      ) {
+        browser.send(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            type: "session",
+            message: {
+              ...message,
+              payload: {
+                ...message.payload,
+                features: { ...message.payload.features, creationLifecycle: false },
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+      browser.send(frame);
+    });
+  });
+  return { expectNoCreationRequest: () => expect(requests).toBe(0) };
+}
+
+/** Simulate an uncertain receipt after the real daemon registered and ran the initial agent. */
+export async function reportUnknownPromptOutcome(page: Page) {
+  const frames = await loadSessionMessageReaders();
+  await page.routeWebSocket(daemonWsRoutePattern(), (browser) => {
+    const server = browser.connectToServer();
+    browser.onMessage((frame) => server.send(frame));
+    server.onMessage((frame) => {
+      const message = frames.server(frame);
+      if (
+        message?.type === "workspace.create.response" &&
+        message.payload.agent &&
+        message.payload.creation
+      ) {
+        const error = "Initial prompt outcome is uncertain for test";
+        browser.send(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            ...JSON.parse(frame.toString()),
+            message: {
+              ...message,
+              payload: {
+                ...message.payload,
+                error,
+                creation: {
+                  ...message.payload.creation,
+                  phase: "failed",
+                  error,
+                  outcomeUnknown: true,
+                },
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+      browser.send(frame);
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/new-workspace.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/new-workspace.ts
index 63034d52a3..fa33fbdb58 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/new-workspace.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/new-workspace.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type NewWorkspaceDaemonClient = Pick<
   | "createPaseoWorktree"
   | "createWorkspace"
   | "fetchAgents"
+  | "fetchAgentTimeline"
   | "fetchWorkspaces"
   | "getPaseoWorktreeList"
   | "getDaemonConfig"
diff --git a/packages/app/package.json b/packages/app/package.json
index e2e39ec03d..b94bf60d26 100644
--- a/packages/app/package.json
+++ b/packages/app/package.json
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
     "@gorhom/portal": "^1.0.14",
     "@marijn/find-cluster-break": "^1.0.2",
     "@mattermost/react-native-paste-input": "2.0.1",
+    "@noble/hashes": "^2.4.0",
     "@react-native-async-storage/async-storage": "2.2.0",
     "@react-native-masked-view/masked-view": "0.3.2",
     "@react-native/normalize-colors": "0.86.3",
diff --git a/packages/app/src/agent-presentation/index.ts b/packages/app/src/agent-presentation/index.ts
index f3c3f139f7..c6d240879b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/agent-presentation/index.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/agent-presentation/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useAgentCreation } from "@/workspace-creation";
 import { useShallow } from "zustand/shallow";
 import { useProviderIcon } from "@/components/provider-icons";
 import type { PanelDescriptor } from "@/panels/panel-registry";
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export function useAgentDescriptor(
   target: { kind: "agent"; agentId: string },
   context: { serverId: string },
 ): PanelDescriptor {
+  const creation = useAgentCreation(context.serverId, target.agentId);
   const descriptorState = useSessionStore(
     useShallow((state) => {
       const session = state.sessions[context.serverId];
@@ -49,8 +51,10 @@ export function useAgentDescriptor(
       };
     }),
   );
-  const icon = useProviderIcon(descriptorState.provider, context.serverId);
-  return buildAgentDescriptor({ ...descriptorState, icon });
+  const provider = creation ? creation.provider : descriptorState.provider;
+  const title = creation ? creation.text : descriptorState.title;
+  const icon = useProviderIcon(provider, context.serverId);
+  return buildAgentDescriptor({ ...descriptorState, provider, title, icon });
 }
 
 export function buildAgentDescriptor(input: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-workspace-row.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-workspace-row.tsx
index 2488e7956e..50b7410f99 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-workspace-row.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-workspace-row.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { useWorkspaceCreation } from "@/workspace-creation";
+import { CreatingWorkspaceRow } from "@/workspace-creation/ui";
 import { memo, useCallback, useMemo, useState, type Ref } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { View, Text, type GestureResponderEvent } from "react-native";
@@ -58,7 +60,16 @@ interface SidebarWorkspaceRowProps {
   dragHandleProps?: DraggableListDragHandleProps;
 }
 
-export function SidebarWorkspaceRow({
+export function SidebarWorkspaceRow(props: SidebarWorkspaceRowProps) {
+  const creation = useWorkspaceCreation(props.workspace.serverId, props.workspace.workspaceId);
+  if (creation && !creation.workspaceObserved)
+    return (
+      <CreatingWorkspaceRow attempt={creation} onPress={props.onPress} selected={props.selected} />
+    );
+  return <ReadySidebarWorkspaceRow {...props} />;
+}
+
+function ReadySidebarWorkspaceRow({
   workspace,
   selected,
   shortcutNumber,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/actions.test.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/actions.test.ts
index 697f848a09..68c69136ed 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/actions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/actions.test.ts
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ describe("cancelComposerAgent", () => {
   function baseInput(): {
     client: ComposerCancelClient & { canceledIds: string[] };
     agentId: string;
+    isAgentPublished: boolean;
     isAgentRunning: boolean;
     isCancellingAgent: boolean;
     isConnected: boolean;
@@ -309,6 +310,7 @@ describe("cancelComposerAgent", () => {
         },
       },
       agentId: "agent",
+      isAgentPublished: true,
       isAgentRunning: true,
       isCancellingAgent: false,
       isConnected: true,
@@ -340,6 +342,13 @@ describe("cancelComposerAgent", () => {
     expect(input.client.canceledIds).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it("does nothing while the host has not published the agent", () => {
+    const input = baseInput();
+    const result = cancelComposerAgent({ ...input, isAgentPublished: false });
+    expect(result).toBeNull();
+    expect(input.client.canceledIds).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("does nothing when the agent is already being canceled", () => {
     const input = baseInput();
     const result = cancelComposerAgent({ ...input, isCancellingAgent: true });
@@ -419,6 +428,29 @@ describe("pickAndPersistImages", () => {
 });
 
 describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
+  it("queues a prompt behind earlier ones without sending while the agent is not ready", async () => {
+    const client = createFakeSendClient();
+    const stream = createFakeStream();
+    const queued: QueuedComposerMessage = { id: "later", text: "later", attachments: [] };
+    const queue = createFakeQueue(new Map([["agent", [queued]]]));
+
+    const outcome = await dispatchComposerAgentMessage({
+      client,
+      agentId: "agent",
+      text: "next follow-up",
+      attachments: [],
+      encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
+      submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: false,
+      queue,
+    });
+
+    expect(outcome).toBe("queued");
+    expect(client.calls).toEqual([]);
+    expect(stream.tail.get("agent") ?? []).toEqual([]);
+    expect(queue.read("agent").map((item) => item.text)).toEqual(["later", "next follow-up"]);
+  });
+
   it("forwards the configured active-turn intent without provider capability checks", async () => {
     const client = createFakeSendClient();
     const stream = createFakeStream();
@@ -430,6 +462,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [],
       encodeImages: async () => [],
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
       activeTurnBehavior: "steer",
     });
 
@@ -446,6 +480,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [],
       encodeImages: async () => [],
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
       activeTurnBehavior: "steer",
       activeTurnId: "turn-1",
     });
@@ -458,6 +494,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [],
       encodeImages: async () => [],
       submission: legacy,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
       activeTurnBehavior: "steer",
     });
     expect(legacy.tail.get("legacy")?.[0]?.turnId).toBeUndefined();
@@ -476,6 +514,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
         attachments: [],
         encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
         submission: stream,
+        isAgentReady: true,
+        queue: createFakeQueue(),
       }),
     ).rejects.toBe(rejection);
 
@@ -496,6 +536,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
         attachments: [],
         encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
         submission: stream,
+        isAgentReady: true,
+        queue: createFakeQueue(),
       }),
     ).rejects.toBe(transportError);
 
@@ -519,6 +561,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
         attachments: [],
         encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
         submission,
+        isAgentReady: true,
+        queue: createFakeQueue(),
       }),
     ).rejects.toBe(transportError);
   });
@@ -540,6 +584,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
         attachments: [],
         encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
         submission,
+        isAgentReady: true,
+        queue: createFakeQueue(),
         activeTurnBehavior: "steer",
       }),
     ).rejects.toBe(transportError);
@@ -560,6 +606,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       ],
       encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
     });
 
     expect(client.calls).toHaveLength(1);
@@ -606,6 +654,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachmentSubmitFormat: "legacy-github",
       encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
     });
 
     expect(client.calls[0].options.attachments).toEqual([
@@ -639,6 +689,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [],
       encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
     });
 
     expect(stream.head.get("agent")).toHaveLength(2);
@@ -656,6 +708,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [],
       encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
     });
 
     expect(client.calls[0]?.options).toMatchObject({
@@ -676,6 +730,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [review],
       encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
     });
 
     expect(client.calls[0]?.options.attachments).toEqual([review.attachment]);
@@ -694,6 +750,8 @@ describe("dispatchComposerAgentMessage", () => {
       attachments: [browserElement],
       encodeImages: passthroughEncodeImages,
       submission: stream,
+      isAgentReady: true,
+      queue: createFakeQueue(),
     });
 
     expect(client.calls[0]?.options.attachments).toEqual([
@@ -796,6 +854,7 @@ describe("sendQueuedComposerMessageNow", () => {
     const submitted: Array<{ text: string; attachments: ComposerAttachment[] }> = [];
     const result = await sendQueuedComposerMessageNow({
       agentId: "agent",
+      isAgentReady: true,
       messageId: "msg-1",
       queue,
       submitMessage: async (input) => {
@@ -814,6 +873,7 @@ describe("sendQueuedComposerMessageNow", () => {
     const submitted: Array<{ text: string; attachments: ComposerAttachment[] }> = [];
     const result = await sendQueuedComposerMessageNow({
       agentId: "agent",
+      isAgentReady: true,
       messageId: "msg-1",
       queue,
       submitMessage: async (input) => {
@@ -825,6 +885,27 @@ describe("sendQueuedComposerMessageNow", () => {
     expect(submitted).toEqual([{ text: "send me", attachments: [review] }]);
   });
 
+  it("leaves the queue untouched while the agent is not ready", async () => {
+    const queued: QueuedComposerMessage[] = [
+      { id: "msg-1", text: "first", attachments: [] },
+      { id: "msg-2", text: "second", attachments: [] },
+    ];
+    const queue = createFakeQueue(new Map([["agent", queued]]));
+    const submitted: Array<{ text: string; attachments: ComposerAttachment[] }> = [];
+    const result = await sendQueuedComposerMessageNow({
+      agentId: "agent",
+      isAgentReady: false,
+      messageId: "msg-2",
+      queue,
+      submitMessage: async (input) => {
+        submitted.push(input);
+      },
+    });
+    expect(result).toEqual({ status: "waiting" });
+    expect(submitted).toEqual([]);
+    expect(queue.state.get("agent")).toBe(queued);
+  });
+
   it("restores the queued entry to the front and surfaces the error message on failure", async () => {
     const queue = createFakeQueue(
       new Map([
@@ -839,6 +920,7 @@ describe("sendQueuedComposerMessageNow", () => {
     );
     const result = await sendQueuedComposerMessageNow({
       agentId: "agent",
+      isAgentReady: true,
       messageId: "msg-1",
       queue,
       submitMessage: async () => {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/actions.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/actions.ts
index f810ef19c6..65946424c3 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/actions.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/actions.ts
@@ -170,13 +170,14 @@ export function removeComposerAttachmentAtIndex<T extends ComposerAttachment>(in
 export interface CancelComposerAgentInput {
   client: ComposerCancelClient | null;
   agentId: string;
+  isAgentPublished: boolean;
   isAgentRunning: boolean;
   isCancellingAgent: boolean;
   isConnected: boolean;
 }
 
 export function cancelComposerAgent(input: CancelComposerAgentInput): Promise<void> | null {
-  if (!input.isAgentRunning || input.isCancellingAgent) return null;
+  if (!input.isAgentPublished || !input.isAgentRunning || input.isCancellingAgent) return null;
   if (!input.isConnected || !input.client) return null;
   try {
     return Promise.resolve(input.client.cancelAgent(input.agentId));
@@ -188,6 +189,9 @@ export function cancelComposerAgent(input: CancelComposerAgentInput): Promise<vo
 export interface DispatchComposerAgentMessageInput {
   client: ComposerSendClient;
   agentId: string;
+  /** See isAgentReadyForPrompts. Prompts for an agent that is not ready wait in its queue. */
+  isAgentReady: boolean;
+  queue: QueueWriter;
   text: string;
   attachments: ComposerAttachment[];
   attachmentSubmitFormat?: ComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat;
@@ -201,7 +205,12 @@ export interface DispatchComposerAgentMessageInput {
 
 export async function dispatchComposerAgentMessage(
   input: DispatchComposerAgentMessageInput,
-): Promise<void> {
+): Promise<"sent" | "queued"> {
+  if (!input.isAgentReady) {
+    // A creating agent takes prompts after its initial one; this waits behind it in the queue.
+    queueComposerMessage(input);
+    return "queued";
+  }
   const wirePayload = splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit(input.attachments, {
     format: input.attachmentSubmitFormat,
   });
@@ -226,6 +235,7 @@ export async function dispatchComposerAgentMessage(
       attachments: wirePayload.attachments,
     });
     input.submission.accept(input.agentId, clientMessageId);
+    return "sent";
   } catch (error) {
     input.submission.reject(input.agentId, clientMessageId);
     throw error;
@@ -293,6 +303,8 @@ export function editQueuedComposerMessage(
 
 export interface SendQueuedComposerMessageNowInput {
   agentId: string;
+  /** See DispatchComposerAgentMessageInput. A queued prompt stays in place until then. */
+  isAgentReady: boolean;
   messageId: string;
   queue: QueueWriter;
   submitMessage: (input: { text: string; attachments: ComposerAttachment[] }) => Promise<void>;
@@ -301,6 +313,7 @@ export interface SendQueuedComposerMessageNowInput {
 
 export type SendQueuedComposerMessageNowResult =
   | { status: "missing" }
+  | { status: "waiting" }
   | { status: "submitted" }
   | { status: "failed"; errorMessage: string };
 
@@ -309,6 +322,7 @@ export async function sendQueuedComposerMessageNow(
 ): Promise<SendQueuedComposerMessageNowResult> {
   const item = input.queue.read(input.agentId).find((q) => q.id === input.messageId);
   if (!item) return { status: "missing" };
+  if (!input.isAgentReady) return { status: "waiting" };
   input.queue.write((prev) => {
     const next = new Map(prev);
     next.set(
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/agent-controls/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/agent-controls/index.tsx
index 72795289cf..7c5fb7e432 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/agent-controls/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/agent-controls/index.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/provider-selection/provider-selection";
 import { filterSelectableModels } from "@/provider-selection/model-catalog";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
+import { useAgentCreation } from "@/workspace-creation";
 import { useProvidersSnapshot } from "@/hooks/use-providers-snapshot";
 import { resolveProviderDefinition } from "@/utils/provider-definitions";
 import { mergeProviderPreferences, useFormPreferences } from "@/hooks/use-form-preferences";
@@ -420,6 +421,56 @@ function selectAgentControlsSlice(
   };
 }
 
+/** A creating agent shows its submitted configuration, read-only, until the host publishes it. */
+function useAgentControlsSource(serverId: string, agentId: string) {
+  const publishedAgent = useSessionStore(
+    useShallow((state) => selectAgentControlsSlice(state, serverId, agentId)),
+  );
+  const creation = useAgentCreation(serverId, agentId);
+  const hasClient = useSessionStore((state) => Boolean(state.sessions[serverId]?.client));
+  const agent = useMemo<AgentControlsSlice>(() => {
+    if (publishedAgent || !creation) return publishedAgent;
+    return {
+      provider: creation.provider,
+      // The destination is not known yet; never stand in the source directory for it.
+      cwd: null,
+      runtimeModelId: null,
+      model: creation.config.model,
+      features: undefined,
+      runtimeThinkingOptionId: null,
+      thinkingOptionId: creation.config.thinkingOptionId,
+      lastUsage: undefined,
+    };
+  }, [creation, publishedAgent]);
+  return {
+    agent,
+    isPublished: publishedAgent !== null,
+    canEdit: hasClient && publishedAgent !== null,
+    submittedModeId: creation?.config.modeId ?? null,
+  };
+}
+
+function ignoreModeSelection(): void {}
+
+function resolveModeControl(input: {
+  live: AgentModeControlValue | null;
+  isPublished: boolean;
+  submittedModeId: string | null;
+  entry: ReturnType<typeof resolveSnapshotSelectedEntry>;
+  providerDefinitions: AgentProviderDefinition[];
+}): AgentModeControlValue | null {
+  if (input.isPublished) return input.live;
+  if (input.entry?.status !== "ready" || !input.entry.modes?.length) return null;
+  return {
+    provider: input.entry.provider,
+    providerDefinitions: input.providerDefinitions,
+    modeOptions: input.entry.modes,
+    selectedModeId: input.submittedModeId,
+    onSelectMode: ignoreModeSelection,
+    disabled: true,
+  };
+}
+
 function resolveSnapshotSelectedEntry(
   snapshotEntries: ReturnType<typeof useProvidersSnapshot>["entries"],
   agentProvider: string | undefined,
@@ -1556,14 +1607,13 @@ export const AgentControls = memo(function AgentControls({
   isCompactLayout,
 }: AgentControlsProps) {
   const { updatePreferences } = useFormPreferences();
-  const agent = useSessionStore(
-    useShallow((state) => selectAgentControlsSlice(state, serverId, agentId)),
+  const { agent, isPublished, canEdit, submittedModeId } = useAgentControlsSource(
+    serverId,
+    agentId,
   );
   const client = useSessionStore((state) => state.sessions[serverId]?.client ?? null);
   const toast = useToast();
-  const modeControl = useLiveAgentModeControl(serverId, agentId);
-  const commandCenterModes = toCommandCenterModes(modeControl);
-  const modeProviderDefinitions = getModeProviderDefinitions(modeControl);
+  const liveModeControl = useLiveAgentModeControl(serverId, agentId);
 
   const {
     entries: snapshotEntries,
@@ -1586,6 +1636,26 @@ export const AgentControls = memo(function AgentControls({
     [agent?.provider, snapshotEntries],
   );
 
+  const modeControl = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      resolveModeControl({
+        live: liveModeControl,
+        isPublished,
+        submittedModeId,
+        entry: snapshotSelectedEntry,
+        providerDefinitions: agentProviderDefinitions,
+      }),
+    [
+      agentProviderDefinitions,
+      isPublished,
+      liveModeControl,
+      snapshotSelectedEntry,
+      submittedModeId,
+    ],
+  );
+  const commandCenterModes = toCommandCenterModes(modeControl);
+  const modeProviderDefinitions = getModeProviderDefinitions(modeControl);
+
   const agentProviderModels = useMemo(
     () => buildAgentProviderModels(agent?.provider, models),
     [agent?.provider, models],
@@ -1769,7 +1839,7 @@ export const AgentControls = memo(function AgentControls({
   const commandCenterRegistration = (
     <AgentControlCommandCenterRegistration
       sourceId={`agent:${serverId}:${agentId}`}
-      enabled={Boolean(client)}
+      enabled={canEdit}
       controls={commandCenterControls}
     />
   );
@@ -1814,7 +1884,7 @@ export const AgentControls = memo(function AgentControls({
         onRetryModelProvider={handleRetryModelProvider}
         isRetryingModelProvider={snapshotIsRefreshing}
         onDropdownClose={onDropdownClose}
-        disabled={!client}
+        disabled={!canEdit}
         modeControl={modeControl}
         modelSelectorServerId={serverId}
         isCompactLayout={isCompactLayout}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/draft/workspace-tab.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/draft/workspace-tab.tsx
index d00b6f7790..29f082ce76 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/draft/workspace-tab.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/draft/workspace-tab.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
 import { openWorkspaceChanges } from "@/workspace-tabs/open-supporting-view";
 import { useSettings } from "@/hooks/use-settings";
+import { transferComposerFollowUps } from "@/composer/submission/writer";
 
 const EMPTY_PENDING_PERMISSIONS = new Map();
 const DRAFT_CAPABILITIES: AgentCapabilityFlags = {
@@ -184,8 +185,7 @@ async function submitDraftCreateRequest(input: {
     ...(imagesData && imagesData.length > 0 ? { images: imagesData } : {}),
     ...(attachmentsArray && attachmentsArray.length > 0 ? { attachments: attachmentsArray } : {}),
   };
-  const creation = useWorkspaceDraftSubmissionStore.getState().creationByDraftId[input.draftId];
-  const result = creation ? await creation.retry(options) : await client.createAgent(options);
+  const result = await client.createAgent(options);
 
   return {
     agentId: result.id,
@@ -466,10 +466,6 @@ export function WorkspaceDraftAgentTab({
         selectModelMessage: t("workspaceSetup.errors.selectModel"),
       }),
     createRequest: async ({ attempt, text, images, attachments, cwd }) => {
-      if (pendingAutoSubmit?.agentCreation) {
-        const result = await pendingAutoSubmit.agentCreation.result;
-        return { agentId: result.id, result };
-      }
       return submitDraftCreateRequest({
         draftId,
         attempt,
@@ -491,6 +487,7 @@ export function WorkspaceDraftAgentTab({
       clearWorkspaceAttachments({ scopeKey: draftAttachmentScopeKey });
       useWorkspaceDraftSubmissionStore.getState().clearDraftSetup({ draftId });
       onCreated(result);
+      transferComposerFollowUps(serverId, tabId, result.id);
     },
   });
   const turnPresentation = useMemo(
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx
index d000c269af..f475b00384 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { useImageAttachmentPicker } from "@/hooks/use-image-attachment-picker";
 import {
   selectAgentSentMessages,
   selectAgentTurnPresentation,
+  selectIsAgentPublished,
   useSessionStore,
 } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { useFilePicker } from "@/hooks/use-file-picker";
@@ -88,9 +89,9 @@ import {
   toggleForgeAttachmentFromPicker,
   uploadFileAttachments,
   type AttachmentPersister,
-  type QueueWriter,
   type QueuedComposerMessage,
 } from "@/composer/actions";
+import { isAgentReadyForPrompts } from "@/workspace-creation";
 import { useVoiceOptional } from "@/contexts/voice-context";
 import { useToast } from "@/contexts/toast-context";
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
@@ -123,7 +124,10 @@ import type { KeyboardActionDefinition } from "@/keyboard/keyboard-action-dispat
 import type { MessageInputKeyboardActionKind } from "@/keyboard/actions";
 import { submitAgentInput } from "@/composer/submit";
 import { ComposerRecall } from "@/composer/recall";
-import { createMessageSubmissionWriter } from "@/composer/submission/writer";
+import {
+  createAgentMessageQueueWriter,
+  createMessageSubmissionWriter,
+} from "@/composer/submission/writer";
 import { ComposerKeyboardScopeProvider, useComposerKeyboardScope } from "@/composer/keyboard-scope";
 import { useAppSettings } from "@/hooks/use-settings";
 import { RenderProfile } from "@/utils/render-profiler";
@@ -258,8 +262,8 @@ function resolveCheckoutRemoteUrl(
   return checkoutStatus?.remoteUrl ?? null;
 }
 
-function buildCancelButtonStyle(isConnected: boolean, isCancellingAgent: boolean): object[] {
-  const disabled = !isConnected || isCancellingAgent ? styles.buttonDisabled : undefined;
+function buildCancelButtonStyle(canCancel: boolean, isCancellingAgent: boolean): object[] {
+  const disabled = !canCancel || isCancellingAgent ? styles.buttonDisabled : undefined;
   return [styles.cancelButton, disabled].filter((value): value is object => Boolean(value));
 }
 
@@ -1083,7 +1087,7 @@ interface ComposerCancelButtonProps {
   buttonIconSize: number;
   cancelButtonStyle: (object | undefined)[];
   handleCancelAgent: () => void;
-  isConnected: boolean;
+  canCancel: boolean;
   isCancellingAgent: boolean;
   agentInterruptKeys: ReturnType<typeof useShortcutKeys>;
   t: TFunction;
@@ -1093,7 +1097,7 @@ function ComposerCancelButton({
   buttonIconSize,
   cancelButtonStyle,
   handleCancelAgent,
-  isConnected,
+  canCancel,
   isCancellingAgent,
   agentInterruptKeys,
   t,
@@ -1111,7 +1115,7 @@ function ComposerCancelButton({
     <Tooltip delayDuration={0} enabledOnDesktop enabledOnMobile={false}>
       <TooltipTrigger
         onPress={handleCancelAgent}
-        disabled={!isConnected || isCancellingAgent}
+        disabled={!canCancel || isCancellingAgent}
         accessibilityLabel={accessibilityLabel}
         accessibilityRole="button"
         style={cancelButtonStyle}
@@ -1306,8 +1310,6 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
   );
   const queuedMessages = queuedMessagesRaw ?? EMPTY_ARRAY;
 
-  const setQueuedMessages = useSessionStore((state) => state.setQueuedMessages);
-
   const isCompactFormFactor = useIsCompactFormFactor();
   const isCompactLayout = resolveCompactLayout(isCompactLayoutOverride, isCompactFormFactor);
   const isDesktopWebBreakpoint = resolveIsDesktopWebBreakpoint(isCompactFormFactor);
@@ -1570,9 +1572,12 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
       if (!client) {
         throw new Error(t("workspace.terminal.hostDisconnected"));
       }
+      const session = useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId];
       await dispatchComposerAgentMessage({
         client,
         agentId: targetAgentId,
+        isAgentReady: isAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId, targetAgentId),
+        queue: createAgentMessageQueueWriter(serverId),
         text,
         attachments: sendAttachments,
         attachmentSubmitFormat: resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat({
@@ -1583,10 +1588,7 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
         activeTurnBehavior,
         activeTurnId:
           activeTurnBehavior === "steer"
-            ? (selectAgentTurnPresentation(
-                useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId],
-                targetAgentId,
-              ).turnId ?? undefined)
+            ? (selectAgentTurnPresentation(session, targetAgentId).turnId ?? undefined)
             : undefined,
       });
       onAttentionPromptSend?.();
@@ -1620,13 +1622,7 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
   );
   const hasAgent = agentState.status !== null;
 
-  const queueWriter = useMemo<QueueWriter>(
-    () => ({
-      read: (id) => useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.queuedMessages?.get(id) ?? [],
-      write: (updater) => setQueuedMessages(serverId, updater),
-    }),
-    [serverId, setQueuedMessages],
-  );
+  const queueWriter = useMemo(() => createAgentMessageQueueWriter(serverId), [serverId]);
 
   const queueMessage = useCallback(
     (queuedMessage: string, queuedAttachments: ComposerAttachment[]) => {
@@ -1896,6 +1892,10 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
     const cancellation = cancelComposerAgent({
       client,
       agentId: targetAgentId,
+      isAgentPublished: selectIsAgentPublished(
+        useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId],
+        targetAgentId,
+      ),
       isAgentRunning,
       isCancellingAgent,
       isConnected,
@@ -1952,6 +1952,7 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
       // Reuse the regular send path; server-side send atomically interrupts any active run.
       const result = await sendQueuedComposerMessageNow({
         agentId,
+        isAgentReady: isAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId, agentId),
         messageId: id,
         queue: queueWriter,
         submitMessage: ({ text, attachments: queuedAttachments }) =>
@@ -1962,7 +1963,7 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
         setSendError(result.errorMessage);
       }
     },
-    [agentId, queueWriter, submitMessage, t],
+    [agentId, queueWriter, serverId, submitMessage, t],
   );
 
   const handleQueue = useCallback(
@@ -2010,9 +2011,14 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
     [agentId, recall, replaceUserInput, serverId],
   );
 
+  const isAgentPublished = useSessionStore((state) =>
+    selectIsAgentPublished(state.sessions[serverId], agentId),
+  );
+  // A creating agent cannot be stopped until the host publishes it.
+  const canCancelAgent = isConnected && isAgentPublished;
   const cancelButtonStyle = useMemo(
-    () => buildCancelButtonStyle(isConnected, isCancellingAgent),
-    [isConnected, isCancellingAgent],
+    () => buildCancelButtonStyle(canCancelAgent, isCancellingAgent),
+    [canCancelAgent, isCancellingAgent],
   );
 
   const isVoiceSwitching = voice?.isVoiceSwitching ?? false;
@@ -2029,7 +2035,7 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
         buttonIconSize={buttonIconSize}
         cancelButtonStyle={cancelButtonStyle}
         handleCancelAgent={handleCancelAgent}
-        isConnected={isConnected}
+        canCancel={canCancelAgent}
         isCancellingAgent={isCancellingAgent}
         agentInterruptKeys={agentInterruptKeys}
         t={t}
@@ -2039,9 +2045,9 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
       agentInterruptKeys,
       buttonIconSize,
       cancelButtonStyle,
+      canCancelAgent,
       handleCancelAgent,
       isCancellingAgent,
-      isConnected,
       t,
     ],
   );
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.test.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.test.ts
index 3ee174d554..0820ab25d0 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ import { afterEach, expect, test } from "vitest";
 import type { DaemonClient } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import type { UserMessageItem } from "@/types/stream";
-import { createMessageSubmissionWriter } from "./writer";
+import { useDraftStore } from "@/stores/draft-store";
+import { buildDraftStoreKey } from "@/stores/draft-keys";
+import { createMessageSubmissionWriter, transferComposerFollowUps } from "./writer";
 
 const CANONICAL_ONLY_SERVER_ID = "canonical-only";
 
@@ -47,3 +49,59 @@ test("tracks submissions when canonical prompts are supported", () => {
 
   expect(submissionIds(CANONICAL_ONLY_SERVER_ID)).toEqual(["canonical-only-message"]);
 });
+
+const TRANSFER_SERVER_ID = "transfer";
+
+function queued(id: string) {
+  return { id, text: `follow-up ${id}`, attachments: [] };
+}
+function queueIds(agentId: string): string[] {
+  return (
+    useSessionStore.getState().sessions[TRANSFER_SERVER_ID]?.queuedMessages.get(agentId) ?? []
+  ).map((item) => item.id);
+}
+function draftText(agentId: string): string | undefined {
+  return useDraftStore
+    .getState()
+    .getDraftInput(buildDraftStoreKey({ serverId: TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, agentId }))?.text;
+}
+function typeDraft(agentId: string, text: string): void {
+  useDraftStore.getState().saveDraftInput({
+    draftKey: buildDraftStoreKey({ serverId: TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, agentId }),
+    draft: { text, attachments: [] },
+  });
+}
+
+test("follow-ups move with their IDs and order behind the destination's, and only once", () => {
+  initializeSession(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, {});
+  useSessionStore.getState().setQueuedMessages(
+    TRANSFER_SERVER_ID,
+    new Map([
+      ["optimistic", [queued("a"), queued("b")]],
+      ["recovery", [queued("earlier")]],
+    ]),
+  );
+  typeDraft("optimistic", "typed but unsent");
+
+  transferComposerFollowUps(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, "optimistic", "recovery");
+  transferComposerFollowUps(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, "optimistic", "recovery");
+  transferComposerFollowUps(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, "recovery", "recovery");
+
+  expect(queueIds("recovery")).toEqual(["earlier", "a", "b"]);
+  expect(queueIds("optimistic")).toEqual([]);
+  expect(draftText("recovery")).toBe("typed but unsent");
+  expect(draftText("optimistic")).toBeUndefined();
+  useSessionStore.getState().clearSession(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID);
+});
+
+test("unsent text never replaces a destination draft and stays at its source", () => {
+  initializeSession(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, {});
+  typeDraft("source", "typed on the source");
+  typeDraft("destination", "already typed here");
+
+  transferComposerFollowUps(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID, "source", "destination");
+
+  expect(draftText("destination")).toBe("already typed here");
+  expect(draftText("source")).toBe("typed on the source");
+  useSessionStore.getState().clearSession(TRANSFER_SERVER_ID);
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.ts
index f8b40034b6..af9c7c1be9 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/submission/writer.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-import type { MessageSubmissionWriter } from "@/composer/actions";
+import type { MessageSubmissionWriter, QueueWriter } from "@/composer/actions";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
+import { useDraftStore, type DraftInput } from "@/stores/draft-store";
+import { buildDraftStoreKey } from "@/stores/draft-keys";
 import {
   appendSubmittedUserMessage,
   removeSubmittedUserMessage,
@@ -63,6 +65,14 @@ export function createMessageSubmissionWriter(serverId: string): MessageSubmissi
   };
 }
 
+export function createAgentMessageQueueWriter(serverId: string): QueueWriter {
+  return {
+    read: (agentId) =>
+      useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.queuedMessages.get(agentId) ?? [],
+    write: (update) => useSessionStore.getState().setQueuedMessages(serverId, update),
+  };
+}
+
 export function handoffCreatedAgentMessageSubmission(
   serverId: string,
   agentId: string,
@@ -70,3 +80,41 @@ export function handoffCreatedAgentMessageSubmission(
 ): boolean {
   return useSessionStore.getState().handoffCreatedAgentUserMessage(serverId, agentId, message);
 }
+
+function isEmptyDraft(draft: DraftInput | undefined): boolean {
+  return !draft || (!draft.text.trim() && draft.attachments.length === 0);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Moves the queued follow-ups and the unsent agent draft of one composer identity to the identity
+ * that now owns them, such as a recovery draft or the agent it creates. Queued messages keep their
+ * IDs and order, after any already queued there; an idle destination agent drains them. The unsent
+ * draft moves only into an empty slot, and otherwise stays where it is. Repeating is harmless.
+ */
+export function transferComposerFollowUps(serverId: string, from: string, to: string): void {
+  if (from === to) return;
+  const session = useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId];
+  if (session?.queuedMessages.get(from)?.length) {
+    useSessionStore.getState().setQueuedMessages(serverId, (queues) => {
+      const moving = queues.get(from);
+      if (!moving?.length) return queues;
+      const next = new Map(queues);
+      next.set(to, [...(queues.get(to) ?? []), ...moving]);
+      next.delete(from);
+      return next;
+    });
+    const agent = session.agents.get(to) ?? session.agentDetails.get(to);
+    if (agent?.turn.phase === "idle") {
+      void import("@/runtime/host-runtime").then(({ getHostRuntimeStore }) =>
+        getHostRuntimeStore().drainQueuedAgentMessage(serverId, to),
+      );
+    }
+  }
+  const drafts = useDraftStore.getState();
+  const source = buildDraftStoreKey({ serverId, agentId: from });
+  const destination = buildDraftStoreKey({ serverId, agentId: to });
+  const draft = drafts.getDraftInput(source);
+  if (!draft || isEmptyDraft(draft) || !isEmptyDraft(drafts.getDraftInput(destination))) return;
+  drafts.saveDraftInput({ draftKey: destination, draft });
+  drafts.clearDraftInput({ draftKey: source });
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspace-entries.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspace-entries.ts
index c2eb65ac76..8bea1109eb 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspace-entries.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspace-entries.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useWorkspaceCreations } from "@/workspace-creation";
+import { creatingSidebarEntry } from "@/workspace-creation/presentation";
 import { useMemo, useRef } from "react";
 import { useStoreWithEqualityFn } from "zustand/traditional";
 import { useCreateFlowStore } from "@/stores/create-flow-store";
@@ -19,6 +22,7 @@ export function useSidebarWorkspaceEntries(
   placements: readonly SidebarWorkspacePlacement[],
   enabled = true,
 ): ReadonlyMap<string, SidebarWorkspaceEntry> {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
   const serverIds = useMemo(
     () => Array.from(new Set(placements.map((placement) => placement.serverId))),
     [placements],
@@ -32,6 +36,7 @@ export function useSidebarWorkspaceEntries(
   const pendingCreateAttempts = useCreateFlowStore((state) =>
     enabled ? state.pendingByDraftId : EMPTY_PENDING_CREATE_ATTEMPTS,
   );
+  const creations = useWorkspaceCreations();
   const previousEntriesRef = useRef<ReadonlyMap<string, SidebarWorkspaceEntry>>(EMPTY_ENTRIES);
 
   // Collection ownership is intentional: retained sidebars have one cheap
@@ -45,13 +50,25 @@ export function useSidebarWorkspaceEntries(
       previousEntriesRef.current = EMPTY_ENTRIES;
       return EMPTY_ENTRIES;
     }
-    const entries = buildSidebarWorkspaceEntries({
-      placements,
-      sessions,
-      pendingCreateAttempts,
-      previousEntries: previousEntriesRef.current,
-    });
+    const entries = new Map(
+      buildSidebarWorkspaceEntries({
+        placements,
+        sessions,
+        pendingCreateAttempts,
+        previousEntries: previousEntriesRef.current,
+      }),
+    );
+    for (const placement of placements) {
+      if (entries.has(placement.workspaceKey)) continue;
+      const creating = creations.some(
+        (creation) =>
+          creation.serverId === placement.serverId &&
+          creation.workspaceId === placement.workspaceId &&
+          !creation.workspaceObserved,
+      );
+      if (creating) entries.set(placement.workspaceKey, creatingSidebarEntry(placement, t));
+    }
     previousEntriesRef.current = entries;
     return entries;
-  }, [enabled, pendingCreateAttempts, placements, sessions]);
+  }, [enabled, pendingCreateAttempts, placements, sessions, creations, t]);
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspaces-list.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspaces-list.ts
index 378c4b4862..90745ec57b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspaces-list.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-sidebar-workspaces-list.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useWorkspaceCreations } from "@/workspace-creation";
+import { addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces } from "@/workspace-creation/presentation";
 import { useHostFeatureMap } from "@/runtime/host-features";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from "react";
 import { useStoreWithEqualityFn } from "zustand/traditional";
@@ -150,10 +153,12 @@ export function useSidebarWorkspacesList(options?: {
       : undefined;
   const { projects: hostProjects } = useWorkspaceStructure(directoryServerIds, sort);
 
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const creations = useWorkspaceCreations();
   const selectPlacements = useMemo(createSidebarWorkspacePlacementSelector, []);
   const sidebarModel = useMemo(
-    () => selectPlacements(hostProjects),
-    [hostProjects, selectPlacements],
+    () => addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces(selectPlacements(hostProjects), creations, t),
+    [hostProjects, selectPlacements, creations, t],
   );
 
   const projects = sidebarModel.projects.length > 0 ? sidebarModel.projects : EMPTY_PROJECTS;
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ar.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ar.ts
index 108fad41d4..2c9f1421fb 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ar.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ar.ts
@@ -1339,6 +1339,15 @@ export const ar: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "جارٍ إنشاء مساحة العمل…",
+      creatingLabel: "جارٍ إنشاء مساحة العمل",
+      updateHost: "حدّث هذا المضيف لإنشاء مساحة عمل تتضمن وكيلاً.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "اختر مشروعًا ومضيفًا",
+      projectUnavailable: "المشروع غير متاح على المضيف المحدد",
+      workspacePending: "لا يزال إنشاء مساحة العمل جاريًا.",
+      agentPending: "لا يزال إنشاء الوكيل جاريًا.",
+    },
     title: "مساحة عمل جديدة",
     create: "يخلق",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/en.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/en.ts
index 16bddd9cf9..4d3886da2a 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/en.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/en.ts
@@ -1347,6 +1347,15 @@ export const en = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "Creating workspace…",
+      creatingLabel: "Creating workspace",
+      updateHost: "Update this host to create a workspace with an agent.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "Choose a project and host",
+      projectUnavailable: "Project is not available on the selected host",
+      workspacePending: "Workspace is still being created.",
+      agentPending: "Agent is still being created.",
+    },
     title: "New workspace",
     create: "Create",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/es.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/es.ts
index 2226583781..b12f2d2b60 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/es.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/es.ts
@@ -1375,6 +1375,15 @@ export const es: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "Creando espacio de trabajo…",
+      creatingLabel: "Creando espacio de trabajo",
+      updateHost: "Actualiza este host para crear un espacio de trabajo con un agente.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "Elige un proyecto y un host",
+      projectUnavailable: "El proyecto no está disponible en el host seleccionado",
+      workspacePending: "El espacio de trabajo aún se está creando.",
+      agentPending: "El agente aún se está creando.",
+    },
     title: "Nuevo espacio de trabajo",
     create: "Crear",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/fr.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/fr.ts
index 65d72d405b..1410892d9a 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/fr.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/fr.ts
@@ -1369,6 +1369,15 @@ export const fr: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "Création de l’espace de travail…",
+      creatingLabel: "Création de l’espace de travail",
+      updateHost: "Mettez cet hôte à jour pour créer un espace de travail avec un agent.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "Choisissez un projet et un hôte",
+      projectUnavailable: "Le projet n’est pas disponible sur l’hôte sélectionné",
+      workspacePending: "L’espace de travail est en cours de création.",
+      agentPending: "L’agent est en cours de création.",
+    },
     title: "Nouvel espace de travail",
     create: "Créer",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ja.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ja.ts
index 5829bf4fa3..0667a6afc9 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ja.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ja.ts
@@ -1353,6 +1353,15 @@ export const ja: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "ワークスペースを作成中…",
+      creatingLabel: "ワークスペースを作成中",
+      updateHost: "エージェント付きのワークスペースを作成するには、このホストを更新してください。",
+      chooseProjectHost: "プロジェクトとホストを選択してください",
+      projectUnavailable: "選択したホストでプロジェクトを利用できません",
+      workspacePending: "ワークスペースはまだ作成中です。",
+      agentPending: "エージェントはまだ作成中です。",
+    },
     title: "新しいワークスペース",
     create: "作成",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ko.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ko.ts
index 36a27fc84e..750721a56f 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ko.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ko.ts
@@ -1346,6 +1346,15 @@ export const ko: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "워크스페이스 생성 중…",
+      creatingLabel: "워크스페이스 생성 중",
+      updateHost: "에이전트가 있는 워크스페이스를 만들려면 이 호스트를 업데이트하세요.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "프로젝트와 호스트를 선택하세요",
+      projectUnavailable: "선택한 호스트에서 프로젝트를 사용할 수 없습니다",
+      workspacePending: "워크스페이스가 아직 생성 중입니다.",
+      agentPending: "에이전트가 아직 생성 중입니다.",
+    },
     title: "새 워크스페이스",
     create: "생성",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/pt-BR.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/pt-BR.ts
index 5a83b4345c..410ddd8c69 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/pt-BR.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/pt-BR.ts
@@ -1365,6 +1365,15 @@ export const ptBR: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "Criando espaço de trabalho…",
+      creatingLabel: "Criando espaço de trabalho",
+      updateHost: "Atualize este host para criar um espaço de trabalho com um agente.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "Escolha um projeto e um host",
+      projectUnavailable: "O projeto não está disponível no host selecionado",
+      workspacePending: "O espaço de trabalho ainda está sendo criado.",
+      agentPending: "O agente ainda está sendo criado.",
+    },
     title: "Novo workspace",
     create: "Criar",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ru.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ru.ts
index 135d5fe2f9..c3d8e49e3b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ru.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/ru.ts
@@ -1357,6 +1357,15 @@ export const ru: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "Создание рабочей области…",
+      creatingLabel: "Создание рабочей области",
+      updateHost: "Обновите этот хост, чтобы создать рабочую область с агентом.",
+      chooseProjectHost: "Выберите проект и хост",
+      projectUnavailable: "Проект недоступен на выбранном хосте",
+      workspacePending: "Рабочая область ещё создаётся.",
+      agentPending: "Агент ещё создаётся.",
+    },
     title: "Новое рабочее пространство",
     create: "Создать",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/zh-CN.ts b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/zh-CN.ts
index 78b0f06442..aa3bc5e830 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/i18n/resources/zh-CN.ts
@@ -1328,6 +1328,15 @@ export const zhCN: TranslationResources = {
     },
   },
   newWorkspace: {
+    creation: {
+      creatingWorkspace: "正在创建工作区…",
+      creatingLabel: "正在创建工作区",
+      updateHost: "请更新此主机，以创建包含代理的工作区。",
+      chooseProjectHost: "请选择项目和主机",
+      projectUnavailable: "所选主机上没有此项目",
+      workspacePending: "工作区仍在创建中。",
+      agentPending: "代理仍在创建中。",
+    },
     title: "新建 workspace",
     create: "创建",
     isolation: {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/panels/agent-panel.tsx b/packages/app/src/panels/agent-panel.tsx
index 8139459b2b..1dc8a59730 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/panels/agent-panel.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/panels/agent-panel.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { useAgentCreation } from "@/workspace-creation";
+import { pendingCreationAgent } from "@/workspace-creation/presentation";
 import { getHostRuntimeStore } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { LoadingSpinner } from "@/components/ui/loading-spinner";
@@ -472,6 +474,7 @@ function AgentPanelContent({
     );
   });
 
+  const creation = useAgentCreation(serverId, agentId);
   const connectionServerId = resolvedServerId ?? null;
   const daemon = connectionServerId
     ? (daemons.find((entry) => entry.serverId === connectionServerId) ?? null)
@@ -485,7 +488,7 @@ function AgentPanelContent({
       : runtimeConnectionStatus;
   const lastConnectionError = runtimeLastError;
 
-  if (!resolvedServerId || (!runtimeClient && !hasCachedAgent)) {
+  if (!resolvedServerId || (!runtimeClient && !hasCachedAgent && !creation)) {
     return (
       <AgentSessionUnavailableState
         serverLabel={serverLabel}
@@ -548,6 +551,8 @@ function AgentPanelBody({
   const agentState = useSessionStore(
     useShallow((state) => selectChatAgentState(state, serverId, agentId)),
   );
+  // A creating agent is known locally before the host can return it.
+  const isCreating = useAgentCreation(serverId, agentId ?? "") !== null;
   const [lookupState, setLookupState] = useState<AgentLookupState>({ tag: "idle" });
   const lookupAttemptTokenRef = useRef(0);
   const retryAgentLookup = useCallback(() => setLookupState({ tag: "idle" }), []);
@@ -558,7 +563,7 @@ function AgentPanelBody({
   }, [agentId, serverId]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!agentId) {
+    if (!agentId || isCreating) {
       return;
     }
     if (agentState.id) {
@@ -606,7 +611,16 @@ function AgentPanelBody({
         }
         setLookupState({ tag: "error", message });
       });
-  }, [agentId, agentState.id, client, hasSession, isConnected, lookupState.tag, serverId]);
+  }, [
+    agentId,
+    agentState.id,
+    client,
+    hasSession,
+    isConnected,
+    isCreating,
+    lookupState.tag,
+    serverId,
+  ]);
 
   if (lookupState.tag === "not_found") {
     return (
@@ -642,7 +656,7 @@ function AgentPanelBody({
         }
       : null;
 
-  if (!agent) {
+  if (!agent && !isCreating) {
     return (
       <View style={styles.container} testID="agent-loading">
         <View style={styles.errorContainer}>
@@ -755,6 +769,7 @@ function ChatAgentContent({
   const hasActiveCreateHandoff = useCreateFlowStore((state) =>
     findActiveCreateHandoff({ pendingByDraftId: state.pendingByDraftId, serverId, agentId }),
   );
+  const creation = useAgentCreation(serverId, agentId ?? "");
   const hasSession = useSessionStore((state) => Boolean(state.sessions[serverId]));
   const [missingAgentState, setMissingAgentState] = useState<AgentScreenMissingState>({
     kind: "idle",
@@ -812,6 +827,9 @@ function ChatAgentContent({
     [agentState, projectPlacement],
   );
   const continuity = useMemo<AgentScreenContinuity>(() => {
+    if (creation) {
+      return { kind: "optimistic-create", agent: pendingCreationAgent(creation) };
+    }
     if (!hasActiveCreateHandoff || !agentId) {
       return { kind: "none" };
     }
@@ -825,7 +843,7 @@ function ChatAgentContent({
         projectPlacement: agent?.projectPlacement ?? null,
       },
     };
-  }, [agent, agentId, hasActiveCreateHandoff, serverId]);
+  }, [agent, agentId, creation, hasActiveCreateHandoff, serverId]);
 
   const viewState = useAgentScreenStateMachine({
     routeKey: `${serverId}:${agentId ?? ""}`,
@@ -898,7 +916,7 @@ function ChatAgentContent({
   }, [agentId, serverId]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!agentId) {
+    if (!agentId || creation) {
       return;
     }
     if (agentState.archivedAt) {
@@ -979,6 +997,7 @@ function ChatAgentContent({
     agentState.archivedAt,
     hasAppliedAuthoritativeHistory,
     agentId,
+    creation,
     client,
     hasSession,
     isConnected,
@@ -998,8 +1017,8 @@ function ChatAgentContent({
   if (nonReadyView) return nonReadyView;
   invariant(agentId, "agent id is defined when agent content is ready");
   invariant(effectiveAgent, "effectiveAgent is defined when the non-ready view is absent");
-  const agentCwd = agentState.cwd;
-  invariant(agentCwd, "agent cwd is defined when agent content is ready");
+  // Empty while a creating agent waits for the host to choose its directory.
+  const agentCwd = effectiveAgent.cwd;
   const showHistorySyncOverlay =
     viewState.tag === "ready" &&
     viewState.sync.status === "catching_up" &&
diff --git a/packages/app/src/review/feedback/use-feedback.ts b/packages/app/src/review/feedback/use-feedback.ts
index 0596f3c55f..0f67b6b615 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/review/feedback/use-feedback.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/review/feedback/use-feedback.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ import { deriveWorkspaceTabModel } from "@/screens/workspace/workspace-tab-model
 import { useHostRuntimeClient, useHostRuntimeIsConnected } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { useAppSettings } from "@/hooks/use-settings";
 import { dispatchComposerAgentMessage } from "@/composer/actions";
-import { createMessageSubmissionWriter } from "@/composer/submission/writer";
+import { isAgentReadyForPrompts } from "@/workspace-creation";
+import {
+  createAgentMessageQueueWriter,
+  createMessageSubmissionWriter,
+} from "@/composer/submission/writer";
 import { useSessionStore, selectAgentTurnPresentation } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { FLOATING_ACTION_BUTTON_CLEARANCE } from "@/components/ui/floating-action-button";
 import { useIsCompactFormFactor } from "@/constants/layout";
@@ -77,6 +81,8 @@ export function useReviewFeedback(input: {
           await dispatchComposerAgentMessage({
             client: targetClient,
             agentId: recipient.agentId,
+            isAgentReady: isAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId, recipient.agentId),
+            queue: createAgentMessageQueueWriter(serverId),
             text: i18n.t("review.feedback.prompt"),
             attachments: [attachment],
             encodeImages: async () => [],
diff --git a/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.test.ts b/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.test.ts
index 33e4f1a316..85c7917c68 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.test.ts
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@ import { useSessionStore, type Agent } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { normalizeAgentSnapshot } from "@/utils/agent-snapshots";
 import { isAgentArchiving, setAgentArchiving } from "@/hooks/use-archive-agent";
 import { queryClient } from "@/data/query-client";
+import { workspaceCreations } from "@/workspace-creation/runtime";
+import { hasActiveMessageSubmission } from "@/composer/submission/model";
 import {
   HostRuntimeController,
   HostRuntimeStore,
+  getHostRuntimeStore,
   readInitialDaemonConnectionHint,
   type HostRuntimeControllerDeps,
   type HostRuntimeStorage,
@@ -73,6 +76,8 @@ class FakeDaemonClient {
     Awaited<ReturnType<DaemonClient["fetchAgents"]>> | ReturnType<DaemonClient["fetchAgents"]>
   > = [];
   public sentAgentMessages: Array<Parameters<DaemonClient["sendAgentMessage"]>> = [];
+  public createWorkspaceRequests: Array<Parameters<DaemonClient["createWorkspace"]>[0]> = [];
+  public createWorkspaceResponse: ReturnType<DaemonClient["createWorkspace"]> | null = null;
   public sendAgentMessageFailures: Error[] = [];
   public sendAgentMessageResponses: Promise<void>[] = [];
   private agentUpdateListeners = new Set<
@@ -119,6 +124,14 @@ class FakeDaemonClient {
     }
   }
 
+  createWorkspace(
+    request: Parameters<DaemonClient["createWorkspace"]>[0],
+  ): ReturnType<DaemonClient["createWorkspace"]> {
+    this.createWorkspaceRequests.push(request);
+    if (!this.createWorkspaceResponse) throw new Error("Unexpected workspace creation");
+    return this.createWorkspaceResponse;
+  }
+
   async connect(): Promise<void> {
     this.connectCalls += 1;
     this.setConnectionState({ status: "connected" });
@@ -426,6 +439,23 @@ function replicaAgent(snapshot: FetchAgentsEntry["agent"], serverId: string): Ag
   return { ...normalizeAgentSnapshot(snapshot, serverId), projectPlacement: null };
 }
 
+/** Drains only send to an agent the host has published to this client. */
+function publishAgent(serverId: string, agentId: string): void {
+  const entry = makeFetchAgentsEntry({
+    id: agentId,
+    cwd: "/repo",
+    updatedAt: "2026-07-12T10:00:00.000Z",
+  });
+  useSessionStore
+    .getState()
+    .setAgents(serverId, new Map([[agentId, replicaAgent(entry.agent, serverId)]]));
+}
+
+function queuedTexts(serverId: string, agentId: string): string[] {
+  const queued = useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.queuedMessages.get(agentId) ?? [];
+  return queued.map((item) => item.text);
+}
+
 function agentPermission(id: string): AgentPermissionRequest {
   return { id, provider: "codex", name: id, kind: "tool", title: id };
 }
@@ -3168,6 +3198,7 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore", () => {
     });
     const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
     sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    publishAgent(host.serverId, "agent");
     sessionStore.updateSessionServerInfo(host.serverId, {
       serverId: host.serverId,
       hostname: null,
@@ -3233,6 +3264,7 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore", () => {
     });
     const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
     sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    publishAgent(host.serverId, "agent");
     sessionStore.setQueuedMessages(
       host.serverId,
       new Map([
@@ -3279,6 +3311,7 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore", () => {
     });
     const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
     sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    publishAgent(host.serverId, "agent");
     sessionStore.setQueuedMessages(
       host.serverId,
       new Map([["agent", [{ id: "first", text: "send once", attachments: [] }]]]),
@@ -3298,6 +3331,212 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore", () => {
     useSessionStore.getState().clearSession(host.serverId);
   });
 
+  it("keeps queued messages in order without sending while the agent is unpublished", async () => {
+    const host = makeHost({ serverId: "srv_unpublished_queue_drain" });
+    const fakeClient = new FakeDaemonClient();
+    const store = new HostRuntimeStore({
+      deps: {
+        createClient: () => fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient,
+        connectToDaemon: async () => ({
+          client: fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient,
+          serverId: host.serverId,
+          hostname: null,
+        }),
+        getClientId: async () => "cid_unpublished_queue_drain",
+      },
+    });
+    const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
+    sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    sessionStore.setQueuedMessages(
+      host.serverId,
+      new Map([
+        [
+          "agent",
+          [
+            { id: "first", text: "first follow-up", attachments: [] },
+            { id: "second", text: "second follow-up", attachments: [] },
+          ],
+        ],
+      ]),
+    );
+
+    store.drainQueuedAgentMessage(host.serverId, "agent");
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(queuedTexts(host.serverId, "agent")).toEqual(["first follow-up", "second follow-up"]);
+    });
+    expect(fakeClient.sentAgentMessages).toEqual([]);
+    useSessionStore.getState().clearSession(host.serverId);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps queued messages in place for a published agent whose creation has not completed", async () => {
+    // The host publishes a created agent before it starts the initial prompt.
+    const host = makeHost({ serverId: "srv_creating_queue_drain" });
+    const fakeClient = new FakeDaemonClient();
+    const store = new HostRuntimeStore({
+      deps: {
+        createClient: () => fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient,
+        connectToDaemon: async () => ({
+          client: fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient,
+          serverId: host.serverId,
+          hostname: null,
+        }),
+        getClientId: async () => "cid_creating_queue_drain",
+      },
+    });
+    const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
+    sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    const creation = workspaceCreations.submit({
+      serverId: host.serverId,
+      key: "creating-queue-drain",
+      provider: "codex",
+      config: {},
+      projectId: "project",
+      projectName: "Project",
+      text: "initial prompt",
+      prepare: () => new Promise(() => undefined),
+    });
+    publishAgent(host.serverId, creation.agentId);
+    const queued = [
+      { id: "first", text: "first follow-up", attachments: [] },
+      { id: "second", text: "second follow-up", attachments: [] },
+    ];
+    sessionStore.setQueuedMessages(host.serverId, new Map([[creation.agentId, queued]]));
+
+    store.drainQueuedAgentMessage(host.serverId, creation.agentId);
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(
+      useSessionStore.getState().sessions[host.serverId]?.queuedMessages.get(creation.agentId),
+    ).toBe(queued);
+    expect(fakeClient.sentAgentMessages).toEqual([]);
+    useSessionStore.getState().clearSession(host.serverId);
+  });
+
+  it("drains a follow-up once when creation completes after the initial turn already ended", async () => {
+    const host = makeHost({
+      serverId: "srv_late_creation_adoption",
+      connections: [{ id: "direct:lan:6767", type: "directTcp", endpoint: "lan:6767" }],
+    });
+    const fakeClient = new FakeDaemonClient();
+    fakeClient.setConnectionState({ status: "connected" });
+    fakeClient.fetchAgentsResponses.push(makeFetchAgentsPayload({ entries: [] }));
+    const completion = new Deferred<Awaited<ReturnType<DaemonClient["createWorkspace"]>>>();
+    fakeClient.createWorkspaceResponse = completion.promise;
+    const store = new HostRuntimeStore({
+      deps: {
+        createClient: () => fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient,
+        connectToDaemon: async () => ({
+          client: fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient,
+          serverId: host.serverId,
+          hostname: null,
+        }),
+        getClientId: async () => "cid_late_creation_adoption",
+      },
+    });
+    // Creation and its adoption drain run against the app's runtime.
+    const previousRuntime = Reflect.get(globalThis, "__paseoHostRuntimeStore");
+    Reflect.set(globalThis, "__paseoHostRuntimeStore", store);
+    expect(getHostRuntimeStore()).toBe(store);
+    useSessionStore
+      .getState()
+      .initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    store.syncHosts([host]);
+    await waitForHostOnline(store, host.serverId);
+    await store.refreshAgentDirectory({
+      serverId: host.serverId,
+      subscribe: {},
+      page: { limit: 200 },
+    });
+    // Connecting replaced the server info; the host tracks submitted prompts.
+    useSessionStore.getState().updateSessionServerInfo(host.serverId, {
+      serverId: host.serverId,
+      hostname: null,
+      version: "0.2.6",
+      features: { canonicalSubmittedPrompts: true },
+    });
+
+    const creation = workspaceCreations.submit({
+      serverId: host.serverId,
+      key: "late-creation-adoption",
+      provider: "codex",
+      config: {},
+      projectId: "project",
+      projectName: "Project",
+      text: "initial prompt",
+      prepare: async () => ({
+        source: { kind: "directory", path: "/repo" },
+        agent: { config: { provider: "codex", cwd: "/repo" }, initialPrompt: "initial prompt" },
+      }),
+    });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(fakeClient.createWorkspaceRequests).toHaveLength(1));
+    useSessionStore
+      .getState()
+      .setQueuedMessages(
+        host.serverId,
+        new Map([[creation.agentId, [{ id: "follow-up", text: "follow-up", attachments: [] }]]]),
+      );
+
+    // The host publishes the agent, which runs its initial turn to completion before the
+    // creation response arrives. That turn end finds the agent not ready yet.
+    const published = makeFetchAgentsEntry({
+      id: creation.agentId,
+      cwd: "/repo",
+      updatedAt: "2026-07-12T10:00:00.000Z",
+    });
+    store.acceptWorkspaceSnapshots(host.serverId, [
+      {
+        createdAt: null,
+        lastUserMessageAt: null,
+        id: creation.workspaceId,
+        projectId: "project",
+        projectDisplayName: "Project",
+        projectRootPath: "/repo",
+        workspaceDirectory: "/repo",
+        projectKind: "git",
+        workspaceKind: "checkout",
+        name: "repo",
+        status: "done",
+        archivingAt: null,
+        statusEnteredAt: null,
+        diffStat: null,
+        scripts: [],
+      },
+    ]);
+    fakeClient.agentUpdate({
+      kind: "upsert",
+      agent: { ...published.agent, status: "running" },
+      project: published.project,
+    });
+    fakeClient.agentUpdate({ kind: "upsert", agent: published.agent, project: published.project });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(fakeClient.sentAgentMessages).toEqual([]);
+    expect(queuedTexts(host.serverId, creation.agentId)).toEqual(["follow-up"]);
+    // The initial prompt's local submission has no provider acknowledgement yet.
+    expect(
+      hasActiveMessageSubmission(
+        useSessionStore
+          .getState()
+          .sessions[host.serverId]?.messageSubmissions.get(creation.agentId),
+      ),
+    ).toBe(true);
+
+    completion.resolve({ workspace: null, error: null } as Awaited<
+      ReturnType<DaemonClient["createWorkspace"]>
+    >);
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(fakeClient.sentAgentMessages).toHaveLength(1));
+    await workspaceCreations.settled(creation);
+    expect(fakeClient.sentAgentMessages.map(([agentId, text]) => [agentId, text])).toEqual([
+      [creation.agentId, "follow-up"],
+    ]);
+    expect(queuedTexts(host.serverId, creation.agentId)).toEqual([]);
+
+    store.syncHosts([]);
+    useSessionStore.getState().clearSession(host.serverId);
+    Reflect.set(globalThis, "__paseoHostRuntimeStore", previousRuntime);
+  });
+
   it("drains a queued message as a steer so a turn the agent just started is not interrupted", async () => {
     const host = makeHost({ serverId: "srv_steer_queue_drain" });
     const fakeClient = new FakeDaemonClient();
@@ -3314,6 +3553,7 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore", () => {
     });
     const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
     sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    publishAgent(host.serverId, "agent");
     sessionStore.setQueuedMessages(
       host.serverId,
       new Map([["agent", [{ id: "queued", text: "next task", attachments: [] }]]]),
@@ -3342,6 +3582,7 @@ describe("HostRuntimeStore", () => {
     });
     const sessionStore = useSessionStore.getState();
     sessionStore.initializeSession(host.serverId, fakeClient as unknown as DaemonClient, 1);
+    publishAgent(host.serverId, "agent");
     sessionStore.updateSessionServerInfo(host.serverId, {
       serverId: host.serverId,
       hostname: null,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts b/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts
index bb953220cb..46d4063279 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ import {
 import { mountBrowserAutomationDaemonClientHandler } from "@/desktop/browser/automation/handler";
 import { schedulesQueryBaseKey } from "@/schedules/aggregated-schedules";
 import { dispatchComposerAgentMessage, sendQueuedComposerMessageNow } from "@/composer/actions";
-import { createMessageSubmissionWriter } from "@/composer/submission/writer";
+import { isAgentReadyForPrompts } from "@/workspace-creation";
+import {
+  createAgentMessageQueueWriter,
+  createMessageSubmissionWriter,
+} from "@/composer/submission/writer";
 import { resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat } from "@/composer/attachments/submit";
 import { encodeImages } from "@/utils/encode-images";
 import { DirectorySync, type RefreshAgentDirectoryResult } from "@/runtime/directory-sync";
@@ -2568,20 +2572,20 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     }
     this.queuedAgentDrainInFlight.add(drainKey);
     const next = queue[0];
+    const queueWriter = createAgentMessageQueueWriter(serverId);
     void sendQueuedComposerMessageNow({
       agentId,
+      isAgentReady: isAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId, agentId),
       messageId: next.id,
-      queue: {
-        read: (queuedAgentId) =>
-          useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.queuedMessages.get(queuedAgentId) ?? [],
-        write: (update) => useSessionStore.getState().setQueuedMessages(serverId, update),
-      },
+      queue: queueWriter,
       submitMessage: async ({ text, attachments }) => {
-        const supportsForgeAttachments =
-          useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.serverInfo?.features?.forgeSearch === true;
+        const currentSession = useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId];
+        const supportsForgeAttachments = currentSession?.serverInfo?.features?.forgeSearch === true;
         await dispatchComposerAgentMessage({
           client,
           agentId,
+          isAgentReady: isAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId, agentId),
+          queue: queueWriter,
           text,
           attachments,
           attachmentSubmitFormat: resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat({
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
index 3cb01ae9df..3ba75ac3c4 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/new-workspace-screen.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
-import type {
-  CreateAgentRequestOptions,
-  CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions,
-} from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
-import type { AgentSnapshotPayload, CreationSnapshot } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
-import { encodeImages } from "@/utils/encode-images";
 import { getHostRuntimeStore } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
+import type { CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
+import type { AgentSnapshotPayload, CreationSnapshot } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
+import { submitWorkspaceChat, takeWorkspaceCreationError } from "@/workspace-creation";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useReducer, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import type { ReactNode } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
@@ -17,10 +14,6 @@ import { Composer } from "@/composer";
 import { ComposerDock } from "@/composer/dock";
 import { useComposerEditingSession, useComposerFullscreen } from "@/composer/editing-session";
 import { FileDropZone } from "@/components/file-drop/file-drop-zone";
-import {
-  resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat,
-  splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit,
-} from "@/composer/attachments/submit";
 import { TitlebarDragRegion } from "@/components/desktop/titlebar-drag-region";
 import { MenuHeader } from "@/components/headers/menu-header";
 import { useIsCompactFormFactor } from "@/constants/layout";
@@ -52,7 +45,6 @@ import { normalizeWorkspaceDescriptor, type WorkspaceDescriptor } from "@/stores
 import { useWorkspace } from "@/stores/session-store-hooks";
 import { buildNewWorkspaceDraftKey, generateDraftId } from "@/stores/draft-keys";
 import { useOpenAddProject } from "@/hooks/use-open-add-project";
-import { isActiveCreateFlowForDraft, useCreateFlowStore } from "@/stores/create-flow-store";
 import {
   useWorkspaceDraftSubmissionStore,
   type PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup,
@@ -73,19 +65,12 @@ import {
   type HostProjectListItem,
 } from "@/projects/host-projects";
 import { useProjectIcons } from "@/projects/icons";
-import type { ComposerAttachment } from "@/attachments/types";
 import { useDraftWorkspaceAttachmentScopeKey } from "@/attachments/workspace-attachments-store";
 import type { MessagePayload } from "@/composer/types";
 import type { UserComposerAttachment } from "@/attachments/types";
 import type { AgentAttachment, ForgeSearchItem } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
-import type { DaemonClient } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
-import type { AgentProvider } from "@getpaseo/protocol/agent-types";
-import type { WorkspaceDraftTabSetup, WorkspaceTabTarget } from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
+import type { WorkspaceDraftTabSetup } from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
 import { isEmptyWorkspaceSubmission, runCreateEmptyWorkspace } from "./new-workspace-empty";
-import {
-  getWorkspaceNamingAttachments,
-  remapDraftCwdToWorkspace,
-} from "./new-workspace-fork-context";
 import {
   buildPickerOptionData,
   defaultBasePickerItem,
@@ -116,40 +101,8 @@ import {
   type ListTerminalsPayload,
   upsertCreatedTerminalPayload,
 } from "./workspace/terminals/state";
-import { captureWorkspaceDraftCleanup } from "./new-workspace/background-handoff";
 import { useNewWorkspaceScreenPresence } from "./new-workspace/screen-presence";
 
-function useIsNewWorkspaceDraftHandoffActive(input: {
-  draftId: string | undefined;
-  selectedServerId: string;
-}): boolean {
-  const normalizedDraftId = input.draftId?.trim() ?? "";
-  return useCreateFlowStore((state) =>
-    isActiveCreateFlowForDraft({
-      draftId: normalizedDraftId,
-      serverId: input.selectedServerId,
-      pending: normalizedDraftId ? state.pendingByDraftId[normalizedDraftId] : null,
-    }),
-  );
-}
-
-function resolveVisibleDraftContextScopeKeys(input: {
-  isDraftHandoffActive: boolean;
-  draftContextScopeKey: string;
-}): readonly string[] {
-  if (input.isDraftHandoffActive || !input.draftContextScopeKey) {
-    return [];
-  }
-  return [input.draftContextScopeKey];
-}
-
-function isNewWorkspacePending(input: {
-  pendingAction: "chat" | "empty" | "terminal" | null;
-  isDraftHandoffActive: boolean;
-}): boolean {
-  return input.pendingAction !== null || input.isDraftHandoffActive;
-}
-
 function buildFirstAgentContext(input: {
   prompt: string;
   attachments: AgentAttachment[];
@@ -238,43 +191,6 @@ function normalizeBranchDetails(
  */
 type SubmitOutcome = "navigated" | "background";
 
-interface SubmitDraftInput {
-  clearConsumedDraft: () => void;
-  agentCreation?: {
-    result: Promise<AgentSnapshotPayload>;
-    retry: (input: CreateAgentRequestOptions) => Promise<AgentSnapshotPayload>;
-  };
-  serverId: string;
-  draftKey: string;
-  clearDraft: (lifecycle: "sent" | "abandoned") => void;
-  draftId?: string;
-  draftContextScopeKey: string | null;
-  initialSetup?: WorkspaceDraftTabSetup;
-  workspaceId: string;
-  workspaceDirectory: string;
-  text: string;
-  attachments: ComposerAttachment[];
-  provider: AgentProvider;
-  composerState: NewWorkspaceComposerState;
-  supportsForgeSearch: boolean;
-  resolveClient: () => DaemonClient;
-  isStillOnCreateScreen: () => boolean;
-}
-
-type NewWorkspaceComposerState = NonNullable<
-  ReturnType<typeof useAgentInputDraft>["composerState"]
->;
-
-interface WorkspaceDraftSubmissionConfig {
-  cwd: string;
-  provider: AgentProvider;
-  modeId: string | null;
-  model: string | null;
-  thinkingOptionId: string | null;
-  featureValues: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
-  target: WorkspaceTabTarget;
-}
-
 interface WorkspaceCreationResult {
   workspace: ReturnType<typeof normalizeWorkspaceDescriptor>;
   agent?: AgentSnapshotPayload;
@@ -337,67 +253,6 @@ async function createMultiplicityWorkspace(input: {
   return { workspace: normalizedWorkspace, agent: payload.agent };
 }
 
-interface CreateChatAgentInput {
-  payload: MessagePayload;
-  composerState: ReturnType<typeof useAgentInputDraft>["composerState"];
-  forkDraftSetup?: PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup | null;
-  ensureWorkspace: (input: {
-    cwd: string;
-    prompt: string;
-    attachments: AgentAttachment[];
-    withInitialAgent: boolean;
-    agent?: CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions["agent"];
-    onEvent?: (snapshot: CreationSnapshot) => void;
-  }) => Promise<WorkspaceCreationResult>;
-  serverId: string;
-  draftKey: string;
-  clearDraft: (lifecycle: "sent" | "abandoned") => void;
-  draftId?: string;
-  draftContextScopeKey: string | null;
-  supportsForgeSearch: boolean;
-  resolveClient: () => DaemonClient;
-  isStillOnCreateScreen: () => boolean;
-  labels: {
-    composerStateRequired: string;
-    selectModel: string;
-  };
-}
-
-function buildWorkspaceDraftSetupFromComposer(input: {
-  cwd: string;
-  provider: AgentProvider;
-  composerState: NewWorkspaceComposerState;
-}): WorkspaceDraftTabSetup {
-  return {
-    provider: input.provider,
-    cwd: input.cwd,
-    modeId: input.composerState.effectiveModeId || null,
-    model: input.composerState.effectiveModelId || null,
-    thinkingOptionId: input.composerState.effectiveThinkingOptionId || null,
-    featureValues: input.composerState.featureValues ?? {},
-  };
-}
-
-function buildWorkspaceDraftSetupForCreatedWorkspace(input: {
-  forkDraftSetup: PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup | null | undefined;
-  workspaceDirectory: string;
-  provider: AgentProvider;
-  composerState: NewWorkspaceComposerState;
-}): WorkspaceDraftTabSetup | undefined {
-  if (!input.forkDraftSetup) {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-  return buildWorkspaceDraftSetupFromComposer({
-    cwd: remapDraftCwdToWorkspace({
-      cwd: input.forkDraftSetup.setup.cwd,
-      sourceDirectory: input.forkDraftSetup.sourceDirectory,
-      workspaceDirectory: input.workspaceDirectory,
-    }),
-    provider: input.provider,
-    composerState: input.composerState,
-  });
-}
-
 function buildComposerInitialValues(input: {
   initialSetup?: WorkspaceDraftTabSetup | null;
 }): CreateAgentInitialValues | undefined {
@@ -412,117 +267,6 @@ function buildComposerInitialValues(input: {
   return undefined;
 }
 
-const pendingWorkspaceSubmissions = new Map<string, Promise<SubmitOutcome>>();
-function runCreateChatAgent(input: CreateChatAgentInput): Promise<SubmitOutcome> {
-  const key = JSON.stringify([input.serverId, input.draftId]);
-  const pending = pendingWorkspaceSubmissions.get(key);
-  if (pending) return pending;
-  const submission = Promise.resolve().then(() => createWorkspaceChatAgent(input));
-  pendingWorkspaceSubmissions.set(key, submission);
-  void submission.finally(() => pendingWorkspaceSubmissions.delete(key)).catch(() => undefined);
-  return submission;
-}
-
-async function createWorkspaceChatAgent(input: CreateChatAgentInput): Promise<SubmitOutcome> {
-  const { payload, composerState, ensureWorkspace, serverId, clearDraft } = input;
-  const clearConsumedDraft = captureWorkspaceDraftCleanup(input);
-  const { text, attachments, cwd } = payload;
-  if (!composerState) {
-    throw new Error(input.labels.composerStateRequired);
-  }
-  const provider = composerState.selectedProvider;
-  if (!provider) {
-    throw new Error(input.labels.selectModel);
-  }
-  const attachmentSubmitFormat = resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat({
-    supportsForgeAttachments: input.supportsForgeSearch,
-  });
-  const { attachments: reviewAttachments } = splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit(attachments, {
-    format: attachmentSubmitFormat,
-  });
-  const workspaceNamingAttachments = getWorkspaceNamingAttachments(reviewAttachments);
-  const wirePayload = splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit(attachments, {
-    format: attachmentSubmitFormat,
-  });
-  const images = await encodeImages(wirePayload.images);
-  let navigated = false;
-  let outcome: SubmitOutcome = "background";
-  const initialAgent: NonNullable<CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions["agent"]> = {
-    config: {
-      provider,
-      cwd,
-      modeId: composerState.effectiveModeId || undefined,
-      model: composerState.effectiveModelId || undefined,
-      thinkingOptionId: composerState.effectiveThinkingOptionId || undefined,
-      featureValues: composerState.featureValues,
-    },
-    initialPrompt: text,
-    clientMessageId: `${input.draftId}:initial-message`,
-    images: images?.length ? images : undefined,
-    attachments: wirePayload.attachments?.length ? wirePayload.attachments : undefined,
-  };
-  const execute = async (requestedAgent = initialAgent): Promise<AgentSnapshotPayload> => {
-    const { agent } = await ensureWorkspace({
-      cwd,
-      prompt: text,
-      attachments: workspaceNamingAttachments,
-      withInitialAgent: true,
-      agent: requestedAgent,
-      onEvent: (snapshot) => {
-        if (!snapshot.workspace || navigated) return;
-        navigated = true;
-        if (!input.isStillOnCreateScreen()) return;
-        const workspace = normalizeWorkspaceDescriptor(snapshot.workspace);
-        getHostRuntimeStore().acceptWorkspaceSnapshots(serverId, [
-          { ...workspace, status: "running" },
-        ]);
-        const initialSetup = buildWorkspaceDraftSetupForCreatedWorkspace({
-          forkDraftSetup: input.forkDraftSetup,
-          workspaceDirectory: workspace.workspaceDirectory,
-          provider,
-          composerState,
-        });
-        outcome = submitWorkspaceDraft({
-          clearConsumedDraft,
-          draftKey: input.draftKey,
-          draftContextScopeKey: input.draftContextScopeKey,
-          resolveClient: input.resolveClient,
-          isStillOnCreateScreen: input.isStillOnCreateScreen,
-          serverId,
-          clearDraft,
-          draftId: input.draftId,
-          initialSetup,
-          workspaceId: workspace.id,
-          workspaceDirectory: workspace.workspaceDirectory,
-          text,
-          attachments,
-          provider,
-          composerState,
-          supportsForgeSearch: input.supportsForgeSearch,
-          agentCreation,
-        });
-      },
-    });
-    if (!agent) throw new Error("Workspace creation returned no agent");
-    return agent;
-  };
-  const agentCreation = {
-    result: Promise.resolve().then(() => execute()),
-    retry: (request: CreateAgentRequestOptions) =>
-      execute({
-        ...initialAgent,
-        config: { ...request.config!, cwd },
-        initialPrompt: request.initialPrompt ?? "",
-        clientMessageId: initialAgent.clientMessageId,
-        images: request.images,
-        attachments: request.attachments,
-      }),
-  };
-  await agentCreation.result;
-  if (outcome === "background") clearConsumedDraft();
-  return outcome;
-}
-
 function buildComposerConfig(input: {
   serverId: string;
   workspaceDirectory: string | null;
@@ -552,102 +296,6 @@ function usePendingWorkspaceDraftSetup(
   });
 }
 
-function resolveWorkspaceDraftSubmissionConfig(input: {
-  draftId: string;
-  workspaceDirectory: string;
-  provider: AgentProvider;
-  composerState: NewWorkspaceComposerState;
-  initialSetup?: WorkspaceDraftTabSetup;
-}): WorkspaceDraftSubmissionConfig {
-  const { draftId, workspaceDirectory, provider, composerState, initialSetup } = input;
-  if (initialSetup) {
-    return {
-      cwd: initialSetup.cwd,
-      provider: initialSetup.provider,
-      modeId: initialSetup.modeId,
-      model: initialSetup.model,
-      thinkingOptionId: initialSetup.thinkingOptionId,
-      featureValues: initialSetup.featureValues,
-      target: { kind: "draft", draftId, setup: initialSetup },
-    };
-  }
-  return {
-    cwd: workspaceDirectory,
-    provider,
-    modeId: composerState.effectiveModeId || null,
-    model: composerState.effectiveModelId || null,
-    thinkingOptionId: composerState.effectiveThinkingOptionId || null,
-    featureValues: composerState.featureValues,
-    target: { kind: "draft", draftId },
-  };
-}
-
-function submitWorkspaceDraft(input: SubmitDraftInput): SubmitOutcome {
-  const {
-    serverId,
-    clearDraft,
-    draftId: draftIdInput,
-    workspaceId,
-    workspaceDirectory,
-    text,
-    attachments,
-    provider,
-    composerState,
-    initialSetup,
-  } = input;
-  const draftId = draftIdInput?.trim() || generateDraftId();
-  const clientMessageId = `${draftId}:initial-message`;
-  const timestamp = Date.now();
-  const wirePayload = splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit(attachments, {
-    format: resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat({
-      supportsForgeAttachments: input.supportsForgeSearch,
-    }),
-  });
-  const submission = resolveWorkspaceDraftSubmissionConfig({
-    draftId,
-    workspaceDirectory,
-    provider,
-    composerState,
-    initialSetup,
-  });
-  const started = useCreateFlowStore.getState().trySetPending({
-    serverId,
-    draftId,
-    workspaceId,
-    agentId: null,
-    clientMessageId,
-    text: text.trim(),
-    timestamp,
-    ...(wirePayload.images.length > 0 ? { images: wirePayload.images } : {}),
-    ...(wirePayload.attachments.length > 0 ? { attachments: wirePayload.attachments } : {}),
-  });
-  if (!started) return "navigated";
-  useWorkspaceDraftSubmissionStore.getState().setPending({
-    serverId,
-    workspaceId,
-    draftId,
-    text: text.trim(),
-    attachments,
-    cwd: submission.cwd,
-    provider: submission.provider,
-    clientMessageId,
-    timestamp,
-    ...(submission.modeId ? { modeId: submission.modeId } : {}),
-    ...(submission.model ? { model: submission.model } : {}),
-    ...(submission.thinkingOptionId ? { thinkingOptionId: submission.thinkingOptionId } : {}),
-    ...(submission.featureValues ? { featureValues: submission.featureValues } : {}),
-    allowEmptyText: true,
-    agentCreation: input.agentCreation,
-  });
-  clearDraft("sent");
-  navigateToWorkspace({
-    serverId,
-    workspaceId,
-    target: submission.target,
-  });
-  return "navigated";
-}
-
 function useNewWorkspaceHostSelector(input: {
   initialServerId: string;
   allServerIds: string[];
@@ -893,7 +541,7 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
   const [creationResult, setCreationResult] = useState<
     WorkspaceCreationResult | { workspace: null }
   >({ workspace: null });
-  const [pendingAction, setPendingAction] = useState<"chat" | "empty" | "terminal" | null>(null);
+  const [pendingAction, setPendingAction] = useState<"empty" | "terminal" | null>(null);
   const [pickerOpen, setPickerOpen] = useState(false);
   const [projectPickerOpen, setProjectPickerOpen] = useState(false);
   const openAddProjectPicker = useOpenAddProject();
@@ -904,7 +552,6 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
   const projectPickerAnchorRef = useRef<View>(null);
   const isolationPickerAnchorRef = useRef<View>(null);
   const hostPickerAnchorRef = useRef<View | null>(null);
-  const isDraftHandoffActive = useIsNewWorkspaceDraftHandoffActive({ draftId, selectedServerId });
   const isStillOnCreateScreen = useNewWorkspaceScreenPresence();
 
   // Launch target: what the composer submits to (chat agent, or a terminal
@@ -984,11 +631,18 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
     projects: projectIconTargets,
   });
   const draftKey = buildNewWorkspaceDraftKey(draftId);
+  // A chat whose workspace could not be created returns here with its draft.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const message = takeWorkspaceCreationError(draftKey);
+    if (!message) return;
+    setErrorMessage(message);
+    toast.error(message);
+  }, [draftKey, toast]);
   const forkDraftSetup = usePendingWorkspaceDraftSetup(draftId);
   const draftContextScopeKey = useDraftWorkspaceAttachmentScopeKey(draftId);
   const visibleDraftContextScopeKeys = useMemo(
-    () => resolveVisibleDraftContextScopeKeys({ isDraftHandoffActive, draftContextScopeKey }),
-    [draftContextScopeKey, isDraftHandoffActive],
+    () => (draftContextScopeKey ? [draftContextScopeKey] : []),
+    [draftContextScopeKey],
   );
   const chatDraft = useAgentInputDraft({
     draftKey,
@@ -1037,7 +691,7 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
   const worktreeSupport = selectedProject
     ? getWorktreeSupportForHostProject({ project: selectedProject, serverId: selectedServerId })
     : "unsupported";
-  const isPending = isNewWorkspacePending({ pendingAction, isDraftHandoffActive });
+  const isPending = pendingAction !== null;
   const { effectiveIsolation, setIsolation, canCreateWorktree, showRefPicker } =
     useWorkspaceIsolation({
       supportsMultiplicity: supportsWorkspaceMultiplicity,
@@ -1290,9 +944,9 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
     async (payload: MessagePayload) => {
       try {
         setErrorMessage(null);
-        await composerState?.persistFormPreferences();
-        await updateFormPreferences({ launchTarget });
         if (isEmptyWorkspaceSubmission(payload)) {
+          await composerState?.persistFormPreferences();
+          await updateFormPreferences({ launchTarget });
           setPendingAction("empty");
           let outcome: SubmitOutcome = "background";
           await runCreateEmptyWorkspace({
@@ -1316,28 +970,36 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
           return;
         }
 
-        setPendingAction("chat");
-        const outcome = await runCreateChatAgent({
+        const attempt = submitWorkspaceChat({
+          serverId: selectedServerId,
+          key: creationIdentity.draftId,
+          returnDraftId: draftId,
+          project: selectedProject,
+          sourceDirectory: selectedSourceDirectory,
+          worktreeSlug: creationIdentity.worktreeSlug,
+          createsWorktree: !supportsWorkspaceMultiplicity || effectiveIsolation === "worktree",
+          selectedItem,
           payload,
           composerState,
-          forkDraftSetup,
-          ensureWorkspace,
-          serverId: selectedServerId,
-          clearDraft: chatDraft.clear,
-          draftKey,
-          draftId: creationIdentity.draftId,
-          draftContextScopeKey,
           supportsForgeSearch,
-          resolveClient: withConnectedClient,
-          isStillOnCreateScreen,
-          labels: {
-            composerStateRequired: t("newWorkspace.errors.composerStateRequired"),
-            selectModel: t("newWorkspace.errors.selectModel"),
+          forkSetup: forkDraftSetup,
+          client: withConnectedClient(),
+          queryClient,
+          draftId: creationIdentity.draftId,
+          draftKey,
+          clearDraft: chatDraft.clear,
+          draftContextScopeKey,
+          persistPreferences: async () => {
+            await composerState?.persistFormPreferences();
+            await updateFormPreferences({ launchTarget });
           },
         });
-        if (outcome === "background") {
-          setPendingAction(null);
-        }
+        leaveFullscreen();
+        navigateToWorkspace({
+          serverId: selectedServerId,
+          workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+          target: { kind: "agent", agentId: attempt.agentId },
+        });
       } catch (error) {
         const message = toErrorMessage(error);
         setPendingAction(null);
@@ -1346,6 +1008,7 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
       }
     },
     [
+      draftId,
       composerState,
       draftContextScopeKey,
       creationIdentity,
@@ -1353,12 +1016,17 @@ export function NewWorkspaceScreen({
       draftKey,
       ensureWorkspace,
       forkDraftSetup,
+      selectedProject,
+      selectedSourceDirectory,
+      selectedItem,
+      supportsWorkspaceMultiplicity,
+      effectiveIsolation,
+      queryClient,
       isStillOnCreateScreen,
       launchTarget,
       leaveFullscreen,
       selectedServerId,
       supportsForgeSearch,
-      t,
       toast,
       updateFormPreferences,
       withConnectedClient,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/compact-workspace-header/tab-switcher.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/compact-workspace-header/tab-switcher.tsx
index 737e92b4c2..d11db64836 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/compact-workspace-header/tab-switcher.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/compact-workspace-header/tab-switcher.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useCreationTabMenuEntries } from "@/workspace-creation/ui";
 import { memo, useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Keyboard, Pressable, Text, View } from "react-native";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ function MobileWorkspaceTabOption({
     [t],
   );
   const menuTestIDBase = `workspace-tab-menu-${tab.tabId}`;
-  const menuEntries = buildWorkspaceTabMenuEntries({
+  const rawMenuEntries = buildWorkspaceTabMenuEntries({
     surface: "mobile",
     tab,
     index: tabIndex,
@@ -221,6 +222,8 @@ function MobileWorkspaceTabOption({
     labels: tabMenuLabels,
   });
 
+  const menuEntries = useCreationTabMenuEntries(normalizedServerId, tab.target, rawMenuEntries);
+
   const fallbackLabels = useMemo(
     () => ({
       newTab: t("workspace.tabs.actions.newTab"),
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/use-workspace-tab-rename.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/use-workspace-tab-rename.tsx
index 8141d508f4..f7834c993f 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/use-workspace-tab-rename.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/use-workspace-tab-rename.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isAgentCreationPending } from "@/workspace-creation";
 import { useCallback, useState } from "react";
 import { type QueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import type { DaemonClient } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export function useWorkspaceTabRename(
       }
       if (tab.target.kind === "agent") {
         const { agentId } = tab.target;
+        if (isAgentCreationPending(normalizedServerId, agentId)) return;
         const agent =
           useSessionStore.getState().sessions[normalizedServerId]?.agents?.get(agentId) ?? null;
         const currentTitle = agent?.title ?? "";
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-desktop-tabs-row.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-desktop-tabs-row.tsx
index f7645ac168..f39046bd42 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-desktop-tabs-row.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-desktop-tabs-row.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useCreationTabMenuEntries } from "@/workspace-creation/ui";
 import { LoadingSpinner } from "@/components/ui/loading-spinner";
 import React, {
   Fragment,
@@ -756,7 +757,8 @@ function TabChip({
   onCloseTab: (tabId: string) => Promise<void> | void;
   dragHandleProps: DraggableListDragHandleProps | undefined;
 }) {
-  const { closeButtonTestId, contextMenuTestId, menuEntries } = resolvedTab;
+  const { closeButtonTestId, contextMenuTestId, menuEntries: rawMenuEntries } = resolvedTab;
+  const menuEntries = useCreationTabMenuEntries(serverId, tab.target, rawMenuEntries);
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const openWith = useFilePanelOpenWithMenu(
     { serverId, workspaceId, tabId: tab.tabId },
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.test.ts b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.test.ts
index 1bb74ef4ea..3946f709dc 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.test.ts
@@ -173,3 +173,20 @@ describe("resolveWorkspaceRouteState", () => {
     ).toEqual({ kind: "ready" });
   });
 });
+
+it.each(["online", "offline"] as const)(
+  "keeps a reserved workspace usable while %s and directory snapshots omit it",
+  (connectionStatus) => {
+    expect(
+      resolveWorkspaceRouteState({
+        hostName: "Laptop",
+        connectionStatus,
+        lastError: null,
+        workspace: null,
+        hasHydratedWorkspaces: true,
+        recovery: { kind: "idle" },
+        pendingCreation: true,
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({ kind: "ready" });
+  },
+);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.ts b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.ts
index 7f8137ace1..b572de0223 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-route-state.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ export function resolveWorkspaceRouteState(input: {
   workspace: WorkspaceDescriptor | null;
   hasHydratedWorkspaces: boolean;
   recovery: WorkspaceRecoveryModel;
+  pendingCreation?: boolean;
 }): WorkspaceRouteState {
+  if (input.pendingCreation) return { kind: "ready" };
   if (input.workspace) {
     if (input.connectionStatus === "online") {
       if (input.recovery.kind === "recoverable" && input.recovery.phase === "restoring") {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-screen.tsx
index 3617c074e2..b0b24ae12d 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/screens/workspace/workspace-screen.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+import { i18n } from "@/i18n/i18next";
+import {
+  includeCreatingAgent,
+  workspaceCreationPresentation,
+} from "@/workspace-creation/presentation";
+import { isAgentCreationPending, useWorkspaceCreation } from "@/workspace-creation";
 import { useHostFeature } from "@/runtime/host-features";
 import {
   AssistantFileLinkResolverProvider,
@@ -644,13 +650,16 @@ function buildWorkspaceHeaderCheckoutState(input: {
 function deriveWorkspaceHeaderFields(input: {
   workspace: WorkspaceDescriptor | null;
   checkoutState: WorkspaceHeaderCheckoutState;
+  pendingProjectName?: string;
 }): WorkspaceHeaderFields {
   const renderState = resolveWorkspaceHeaderRenderState(input);
   if (renderState.kind !== "ready") {
     return {
-      isWorkspaceHeaderLoading: true,
-      workspaceHeaderTitle: "",
-      workspaceHeaderSubtitle: "",
+      isWorkspaceHeaderLoading: !input.pendingProjectName,
+      workspaceHeaderTitle: input.pendingProjectName
+        ? i18n.t("newWorkspace.creation.creatingWorkspace")
+        : "",
+      workspaceHeaderSubtitle: input.pendingProjectName ?? "",
       isWorkspaceHeaderSubtitleDistinct: false,
       isGitCheckout: false,
       currentBranchName: null,
@@ -713,6 +722,7 @@ function useResolvedWorkspaceRouteState(input: {
   workspace: WorkspaceDescriptor | null;
   hasHydratedWorkspaces: boolean;
   recovery: WorkspaceRecoveryModel;
+  pendingCreation: boolean;
 }): WorkspaceRouteState {
   const hosts = useHosts();
   const host = useMemo(
@@ -730,6 +740,7 @@ function useResolvedWorkspaceRouteState(input: {
         workspace: input.workspace,
         hasHydratedWorkspaces: input.hasHydratedWorkspaces,
         recovery: input.recovery,
+        pendingCreation: input.pendingCreation,
       }),
     [
       hostName,
@@ -738,6 +749,7 @@ function useResolvedWorkspaceRouteState(input: {
       input.workspace,
       input.hasHydratedWorkspaces,
       input.recovery,
+      input.pendingCreation,
     ],
   );
 }
@@ -746,7 +758,9 @@ function shouldInspectWorkspaceRecovery(
   hasHydratedWorkspaces: boolean,
   workspace: WorkspaceDescriptor | null,
   pendingOpenTarget: WorkspaceTabTarget | null,
+  canInspectCreation: boolean,
 ): boolean {
+  if (!canInspectCreation) return false;
   return pendingOpenTarget?.kind === "agent" && hasHydratedWorkspaces && workspace === null;
 }
 
@@ -1035,12 +1049,23 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
     [workspaceId],
   );
   const workspaceDescriptor = useWorkspace(normalizedServerId, normalizedWorkspaceId);
+  const creation = useWorkspaceCreation(normalizedServerId, normalizedWorkspaceId);
+  const creationPresentation = useMemo(
+    () => workspaceCreationPresentation(workspaceDescriptor, creation),
+    [workspaceDescriptor, creation],
+  );
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!normalizedServerId || !normalizedWorkspaceId || workspaceDescriptor) return;
+    if (
+      !normalizedServerId ||
+      !normalizedWorkspaceId ||
+      workspaceDescriptor ||
+      (creation && !creation.workspaceObserved)
+    )
+      return;
     void getHostRuntimeStore()
       .prepareWorkspaceRoute(normalizedServerId, normalizedWorkspaceId)
       .catch(() => undefined);
-  }, [normalizedServerId, normalizedWorkspaceId, workspaceDescriptor]);
+  }, [normalizedServerId, normalizedWorkspaceId, workspaceDescriptor, creation]);
   // The focused workspace keeps its script status live even when no sidebar or viewed agent
   // timeline demands the directory. Retained, hidden workspaces release it.
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -1142,7 +1167,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
     onOpened: revealWorkspaceTab,
     workspaceKey: persistenceKey,
     hasHydratedWorkspaces,
-    workspaceExists: workspaceDescriptor !== null,
+    workspaceExists: creationPresentation.exists,
   });
   const workspaceRecovery = useWorkspaceRecovery({
     serverId: normalizedServerId,
@@ -1151,6 +1176,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
       hasHydratedWorkspaces,
       workspaceDescriptor,
       pendingOpenTarget,
+      creationPresentation.canInspectRecovery,
     ),
   });
 
@@ -1162,12 +1188,17 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
       }),
     [normalizedServerId, normalizedWorkspaceId],
   );
-  const workspaceAgentVisibility = useStoreWithEqualityFn(
+  const directoryAgentVisibility = useStoreWithEqualityFn(
     useSessionStore,
     selectWorkspaceAgentVisibility,
     workspaceAgentVisibilityEqual,
   );
 
+  const workspaceAgentVisibility = useMemo(
+    () => includeCreatingAgent(directoryAgentVisibility, creation),
+    [directoryAgentVisibility, creation],
+  );
+
   const {
     handleTerminalCreated,
     handleScriptTerminalSelected,
@@ -1233,6 +1264,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
     workspace: workspaceDescriptor,
     hasHydratedWorkspaces,
     recovery: workspaceRecovery.state,
+    pendingCreation: creationPresentation.workspacePending,
   });
   const workspaceHeaderCheckoutState = buildWorkspaceHeaderCheckoutState({
     isCheckoutStatusLoading,
@@ -1249,6 +1281,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
   } = deriveWorkspaceHeaderFields({
     workspace: workspaceDescriptor,
     checkoutState: workspaceHeaderCheckoutState,
+    pendingProjectName: creationPresentation.projectName,
   });
   const showMobileAgent = usePanelStore((state) => state.showMobileAgent);
 
@@ -1412,7 +1445,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
     () => isMobile || isFocusModeEnabled || !supportsDesktopPaneSplits(),
     [isFocusModeEnabled, isMobile],
   );
-  const visibleAgentIds = useVisibleAgentIds({
+  const tabAgentIds = useVisibleAgentIds({
     layout: workspaceLayout,
     tabs: uiTabs,
     sheetTab,
@@ -1421,6 +1454,13 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
     explorerPaneId: explorerSidebarPaneId,
     explorerVisible: isExplorerSidebarShowing,
   });
+  const visibleAgentIds = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      tabAgentIds.filter(
+        (agentId) => !creation || creation.agentId !== agentId || creation.agentObserved,
+      ),
+    [tabAgentIds, creation],
+  );
   useEffect(() => {
     for (const agentId of visibleAgentIds) {
       void getHostRuntimeStore()
@@ -1834,6 +1874,10 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
 
   const launchWorkspaceTab = useCallback(
     (selection: NewTabSelection, destination: WorkspaceTabLaunchDestination) => {
+      if (!workspaceDirectory) {
+        toast.error(t("newWorkspace.creation.workspacePending"));
+        return;
+      }
       if (!persistenceKey) {
         return;
       }
@@ -1865,7 +1909,15 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
       const { browserId } = createWorkspaceBrowser();
       openTarget({ kind: "browser", browserId });
     },
-    [createTerminal, createWorkspaceTab, persistenceKey, replaceWorkspaceTabTarget],
+    [
+      createTerminal,
+      createWorkspaceTab,
+      persistenceKey,
+      replaceWorkspaceTabTarget,
+      workspaceDirectory,
+      t,
+      toast,
+    ],
   );
 
   const handleOpenUrlInBrowserTab = useCallback(
@@ -1951,6 +2003,10 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
   const handleCloseAgentTab = useCallback(
     async (input: { tabId: string; agentId: string }) => {
       const { tabId, agentId } = input;
+      if (isAgentCreationPending(normalizedServerId, agentId)) {
+        closeWorkspaceTabWithCleanup({ tabId, target: { kind: "agent", agentId } });
+        return;
+      }
       await closeTab(tabId, async () => {
         if (!normalizedServerId) {
           return;
@@ -2164,6 +2220,10 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
 
   const handleReloadAgent = useCallback(
     async (agentId: string) => {
+      if (isAgentCreationPending(normalizedServerId, agentId)) {
+        toast.show(t("newWorkspace.creation.agentPending"));
+        return;
+      }
       if (!client || !isConnected) {
         toast.error(t("workspace.terminal.hostDisconnected"));
         return;
@@ -2249,6 +2309,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
       }
 
       const groups = classifyBulkClosableTabs(tabsToClose, (agentId) => {
+        if (isAgentCreationPending(normalizedServerId, agentId)) return "layout-only";
         const agent = useSessionStore.getState().sessions[normalizedServerId]?.agents?.get(agentId);
         return resolveCloseAgentTabPolicy(agent).kind === "layout-only" ? "layout-only" : "archive";
       });
@@ -2280,6 +2341,7 @@ function WorkspaceScreenContent({
         groups,
         closeTab,
         closeLayoutOnlyAgent: async (agentId) => {
+          if (isAgentCreationPending(normalizedServerId, agentId)) return;
           if (!client) {
             throw new Error(t("common.errors.daemonClientUnavailable"));
           }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/stores/session-store.ts b/packages/app/src/stores/session-store.ts
index 911573762f..0d2876ecb4 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/stores/session-store.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/stores/session-store.ts
@@ -352,6 +352,14 @@ export function selectAgentSentMessages(
   return messages;
 }
 
+/** Whether the host has published this agent to the client. A creating agent is shown before. */
+export function selectIsAgentPublished(
+  session: SessionState | undefined,
+  agentId: string,
+): boolean {
+  return Boolean(session?.agents.has(agentId) || session?.agentDetails.has(agentId));
+}
+
 export function selectAgentTurnPresentation(
   session: SessionState | undefined,
   agentId: string,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.test.ts b/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.test.ts
index 73e1a40899..317b605767 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.test.ts
@@ -45,27 +45,3 @@ test("the production app consumes a draft once and leaves other drafts pending",
   expect(store.getState().consumePending(submission)).toBeNull();
   expect(Object.keys(store.getState().pendingByDraftId)).toEqual(["draft-2"]);
 });
-
-test("consuming draft presentation retains its running creation through remount and retry", () => {
-  const store = loadProductionStore();
-  const result = new Promise<never>(() => {});
-  const creation = { result, retry: () => result };
-  const submission = {
-    serverId: "server",
-    workspaceId: "workspace",
-    draftId: "draft-one",
-    text: "hello",
-    attachments: [],
-    cwd: "/repo",
-    provider: "codex",
-    clientMessageId: "message",
-    timestamp: 1,
-    agentCreation: creation,
-  };
-  store.getState().setPending(submission);
-  store.getState().consumePending(submission);
-  expect(store.getState().pendingByDraftId[submission.draftId]).toBeUndefined();
-  expect(store.getState().creationByDraftId[submission.draftId]).toBe(creation);
-  store.getState().clearDraftSetup({ draftId: submission.draftId });
-  expect(store.getState().creationByDraftId[submission.draftId]).toBeUndefined();
-});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.ts b/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.ts
index 639701d740..9c978350cd 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
-import type { CreateAgentRequestOptions } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
-import type { AgentSnapshotPayload } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
 import { create } from "zustand";
 import type { ComposerAttachment } from "@/attachments/types";
 import type { AgentProvider } from "@getpaseo/protocol/agent-types";
 import type { WorkspaceDraftTabSetup } from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
 
 export interface PendingWorkspaceDraftSubmission {
-  /** Already-running creation. Mounting the draft only observes its result. */
-  agentCreation?: {
-    result: Promise<AgentSnapshotPayload>;
-    retry: (input: CreateAgentRequestOptions) => Promise<AgentSnapshotPayload>;
-  };
   serverId: string;
   workspaceId: string;
   draftId: string;
@@ -35,7 +28,6 @@ export interface PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup {
 interface WorkspaceDraftSubmissionState {
   pendingByDraftId: Record<string, PendingWorkspaceDraftSubmission>;
   setupByDraftId: Record<string, PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup>;
-  creationByDraftId: Record<string, NonNullable<PendingWorkspaceDraftSubmission["agentCreation"]>>;
   setPending: (submission: PendingWorkspaceDraftSubmission) => void;
   setDraftSetup: (input: {
     draftId: string;
@@ -69,12 +61,8 @@ export const useWorkspaceDraftSubmissionStore = create<WorkspaceDraftSubmissionS
   (set, get) => ({
     pendingByDraftId: {},
     setupByDraftId: {},
-    creationByDraftId: {},
     setPending: (submission) =>
       set((state) => ({
-        creationByDraftId: submission.agentCreation
-          ? { ...state.creationByDraftId, [submission.draftId]: submission.agentCreation }
-          : state.creationByDraftId,
         pendingByDraftId: {
           ...state.pendingByDraftId,
           [submission.draftId]: submission,
@@ -94,10 +82,8 @@ export const useWorkspaceDraftSubmissionStore = create<WorkspaceDraftSubmissionS
       const normalizedDraftId = normalizeDraftId(draftId);
       if (!normalizedDraftId) return;
       set((state) => {
-        const creationByDraftId = { ...state.creationByDraftId };
-        delete creationByDraftId[normalizedDraftId];
         const { [normalizedDraftId]: _removed, ...setupByDraftId } = state.setupByDraftId;
-        return { setupByDraftId, creationByDraftId };
+        return { setupByDraftId };
       });
     },
     consumePending: (input) => {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/index.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a148421dc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+export {
+  useWorkspaceCreations,
+  useWorkspaceCreation,
+  useAgentCreation,
+  isAgentCreationPending,
+  isAgentReadyForPrompts,
+  useIsAgentReadyForPrompts,
+} from "./runtime";
+export { submitWorkspaceChat, takeWorkspaceCreationError } from "./submit";
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/capture.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/capture.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0efbe3f89d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/capture.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/** Creation input is plain data; copy it without relying on browser-only structuredClone. */
+export function captureCreationInput<T>(value: T): T;
+export function captureCreationInput(value: unknown): unknown {
+  if (value instanceof Date) return new Date(value.getTime());
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) return value.map(captureCreationInput);
+  if (value !== null && typeof value === "object") {
+    return Object.fromEntries(
+      Object.entries(value).map(([key, item]) => [key, captureCreationInput(item)]),
+    );
+  }
+  return value;
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/model.test.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/model.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3a8e73ece
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/model.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,337 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { CreationSnapshot } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
+import { createWorkspaceCreationModel } from "../model";
+
+describe("optimistic workspace creation", () => {
+  it("publishes final identities and immutable input before preparing or receiving anything", async () => {
+    let prepare!: () => void;
+    const held = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      prepare = resolve;
+    });
+    const requests: unknown[] = [];
+    const failures: string[] = [];
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities: () => ({
+        operationKey: "operation",
+        workspaceId: "wks_0123456789abcdef",
+        agentId: "agent",
+        clientMessageId: "message",
+      }),
+      execute: async (request) => {
+        requests.push(request);
+        return { workspace: null, error: "test failure" };
+      },
+    });
+    const input = {
+      serverId: "host",
+      key: "draft",
+      provider: "codex" as const,
+      config: {},
+      projectId: "project",
+      projectName: "Project",
+      text: "My prompt",
+      onWorkspaceFailed: (_attempt: unknown, error: string) => failures.push(error),
+      prepare: async () => {
+        await held;
+        return {
+          source: { kind: "directory" as const, path: "/project" },
+          agent: {
+            config: { provider: "codex" as const, cwd: "/project" },
+            initialPrompt: "My prompt",
+          },
+        };
+      },
+    };
+    const attempt = model.submit(input);
+    expect(attempt.workspaceId).toBe("wks_0123456789abcdef");
+    expect(model.getWorkspace("host", attempt.workspaceId)?.text).toBe("My prompt");
+    expect(model.submit(input)).toBe(attempt);
+    expect(requests).toEqual([]);
+    prepare();
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    expect(requests).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(failures).toEqual(["test failure"]);
+    expect(model.getWorkspace("host", attempt.workspaceId)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+function deferred<T>() {
+  let resolve!: (value: T) => void;
+  const promise = new Promise<T>((done) => {
+    resolve = done;
+  });
+  return { promise, resolve };
+}
+function submission() {
+  return {
+    serverId: "host",
+    key: "draft-version-1",
+    provider: "codex" as const,
+    config: {},
+    projectId: "project",
+    projectName: "Project",
+    text: "Original prompt",
+    prepare: async () => ({
+      source: { kind: "directory" as const, path: "/project" },
+      agent: {
+        config: {
+          provider: "codex" as const,
+          cwd: "/project/nested",
+          featureValues: { option: true },
+        },
+        initialPrompt: "Original prompt",
+        attachments: [
+          {
+            type: "text" as const,
+            mimeType: "text/plain" as const,
+            text: "Attachment content",
+            title: "Context",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    }),
+  };
+}
+function identities() {
+  return {
+    operationKey: "operation",
+    workspaceId: "wks_0123456789abcdef",
+    agentId: "agent",
+    clientMessageId: "message",
+  };
+}
+
+/** A host receipt; the workspace and agent payloads only need to be present. */
+function failedCreation(update: object): CreationSnapshot {
+  return {
+    kind: "workspace",
+    idempotencyKey: "operation",
+    revision: 3,
+    phase: "failed",
+    workspaceId: identities().workspaceId,
+    agentId: "agent",
+    error: "Provider startup failed",
+    ...update,
+  } as CreationSnapshot;
+}
+
+describe("creation lifecycle ownership", () => {
+  it.each([
+    ["the transport closes before any receipt", { throws: "Client closed" }, "workspace"],
+    [
+      "provisioning fails",
+      { creation: { failedStage: "workspace", outcomeUnknown: true } },
+      "workspace",
+    ],
+    ["agent creation fails after provisioning", { creation: { failedStage: "agent" } }, "agent"],
+    [
+      "the transport closes after the workspace was published",
+      { throws: "Client closed", event: { phase: "workspace_ready", workspace: {} } },
+      "agent",
+    ],
+    [
+      "the agent may exist",
+      { creation: { failedStage: "agent", outcomeUnknown: true } },
+      "complete",
+    ],
+    [
+      "the first prompt fails on a created agent",
+      { creation: { failedStage: "prompt", outcomeUnknown: true } },
+      "complete",
+    ],
+  ] as const)("when %s, hands the creation to its %s owner", async (_name, outcome, owner) => {
+    const handled: string[] = [];
+    let executions = 0;
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities,
+      execute: async (request) => {
+        executions++;
+        if ("event" in outcome)
+          request.onEvent?.(failedCreation({ ...outcome.event, revision: 1 }));
+        if ("throws" in outcome) throw new Error(outcome.throws);
+        return { error: "Provider startup failed", creation: failedCreation(outcome.creation) };
+      },
+      onFailed: () => handled.push("prompt rejected"),
+    });
+    const attempt = model.submit({
+      ...submission(),
+      onWorkspaceFailed: () => handled.push("workspace"),
+      onAgentFailed: () => handled.push("agent"),
+      onComplete: () => handled.push("complete"),
+    });
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    expect(handled).toEqual(owner === "complete" ? ["complete"] : ["prompt rejected", owner]);
+    // A kept agent stays presented until the host publishes it; a failure leaves at once.
+    expect(model.getWorkspace("host", attempt.workspaceId)?.phase ?? null).toBe(
+      owner === "complete" ? "complete" : null,
+    );
+    expect(executions).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("returns a preparation failure to New workspace without any host execution", async () => {
+    let executions = 0;
+    const failures: string[] = [];
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities,
+      execute: async () => {
+        executions++;
+        return {};
+      },
+    });
+    const attempt = model.submit({
+      ...submission(),
+      prepare: async () => {
+        throw new Error("Image unavailable");
+      },
+      onWorkspaceFailed: (_attempt, error) => failures.push(error),
+    });
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    expect(failures).toEqual(["Image unavailable"]);
+    expect(executions).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("reports completion and adoption once", async () => {
+    const lifecycle: string[] = [];
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities,
+      execute: async () => ({}),
+      onSubmitted: (attempt) => lifecycle.push(`submitted:${attempt.phase}`),
+      onComplete: (attempt) => lifecycle.push(`complete:${attempt.phase}`),
+      onAdopted: (attempt) => lifecycle.push(`adopted:${attempt.phase}`),
+    });
+    const attempt = model.submit(submission());
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set());
+    expect(lifecycle).toEqual(["submitted:preparing", "complete:complete"]);
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set([attempt.agentId]));
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set([attempt.agentId]));
+    expect(lifecycle).toEqual(["submitted:preparing", "complete:complete", "adopted:complete"]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not regress receipt revisions or release overlays on empty directory snapshots", async () => {
+    const response = deferred<{}>();
+    const observed =
+      deferred<
+        NonNullable<
+          Parameters<Parameters<typeof createWorkspaceCreationModel>[0]["execute"]>[0]["onEvent"]
+        >
+      >();
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities,
+      execute: async (request) => {
+        observed.resolve(request.onEvent!);
+        return response.promise;
+      },
+    });
+    const attempt = model.submit(submission());
+    const onEvent = await observed.promise;
+    const event = {
+      kind: "workspace" as const,
+      idempotencyKey: "operation",
+      workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+      agentId: attempt.agentId,
+      revision: 3,
+      phase: "workspace_ready" as const,
+      error: null,
+    };
+    onEvent(event);
+    onEvent({ ...event, revision: 1, phase: "accepted" });
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set(), new Set());
+    expect(model.getWorkspace("host", attempt.workspaceId)).toMatchObject({
+      revision: 3,
+      workspaceObserved: false,
+      agentObserved: false,
+    });
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set([attempt.agentId]));
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set(), new Set());
+    response.resolve({});
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    expect(model.getWorkspace("host", attempt.workspaceId)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("captures presentation without retaining caller mutation and permits a distinct newer intent", async () => {
+    const response = deferred<{}>();
+    let next = 0;
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities: () => ({ ...identities(), agentId: `agent-${++next}` }),
+      execute: async () => response.promise,
+    });
+    const original = submission();
+    const first = model.submit(original);
+    original.text = "Newer draft";
+    const second = model.submit({ ...original, key: "draft-version-2" });
+    expect(first.text).toBe("Original prompt");
+    expect(second.text).toBe("Newer draft");
+    expect(second.agentId).not.toBe(first.agentId);
+    response.resolve({});
+    await model.settled(first);
+    await model.settled(second);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("settled presentation lifetime", () => {
+  it("retires adopted presentation while repeated submission still returns its original identities", async () => {
+    let executions = 0;
+    const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+      identities,
+      execute: async () => {
+        executions++;
+        return {};
+      },
+    });
+    const input = submission();
+    const attempt = model.submit(input);
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set([attempt.agentId]));
+    expect(model.getSnapshot()).toEqual([]);
+    const repeated = model.submit(input);
+    expect(repeated.workspaceId).toBe(attempt.workspaceId);
+    expect(repeated.agentId).toBe(attempt.agentId);
+    await model.settled(repeated);
+    expect(executions).toBe(1);
+    expect(repeated.text).toBe("");
+    expect(repeated.message).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
+
+it("bounds adopted receipts and keeps in-flight input outside that bound", async () => {
+  let executions = 0;
+  let identity = 0;
+  const held = deferred<{}>();
+  const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+    identities: () => ({
+      ...identities(),
+      workspaceId: `workspace-${++identity}`,
+      agentId: `agent-${identity}`,
+    }),
+    execute: async (request) => {
+      executions++;
+      return request.agent?.initialPrompt === "held" ? held.promise : {};
+    },
+  });
+  const pending = model.submit({
+    ...submission(),
+    key: "pending",
+    prepare: async () => ({
+      source: { kind: "directory", path: "/project" },
+      agent: { provider: "codex", cwd: "/project", initialPrompt: "held" },
+    }),
+  });
+  const first = { ...submission(), key: "settled-0" };
+  let latest = first;
+  for (let n = 0; n < 130; n++) {
+    latest = { ...submission(), key: `settled-${n}` };
+    const attempt = model.submit(latest);
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set([attempt.agentId]));
+  }
+  expect(model.getSnapshot()).toHaveLength(1);
+  expect(model.getSnapshot()[0]?.text).toBe("Original prompt");
+  const before = executions;
+  await model.settled(model.submit(latest));
+  expect(executions).toBe(before);
+  await model.settled(model.submit(first));
+  expect(executions).toBe(before + 1);
+  held.resolve({});
+  await model.settled(pending);
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/presentation.test.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/presentation.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b558f7f87f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/presentation.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { createWorkspaceCreationModel } from "../model";
+import {
+  includeCreatingAgent,
+  pendingCreationAgent,
+  workspaceCreationPresentation,
+} from "../presentation";
+import { addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces } from "../presentation";
+import {
+  buildWorkspaceTabSnapshot,
+  deriveWorkspaceAgentVisibility,
+} from "@/workspace-tabs/agent-visibility";
+import { createWorkspaceLayoutStore } from "@/stores/workspace-layout-store";
+import type { SidebarWorkspacePlacementModel } from "@/hooks/sidebar-workspaces-view-model";
+
+function pendingCreation() {
+  let finish!: () => void;
+  const response = new Promise<{}>((resolve) => {
+    finish = () => resolve({});
+  });
+  const model = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+    identities: () => ({
+      operationKey: "operation",
+      workspaceId: "wks_0123456789abcdef",
+      agentId: "reserved-agent",
+      clientMessageId: "message",
+    }),
+    execute: async () => response,
+  });
+  const attempt = model.submit({
+    serverId: "host",
+    key: "draft",
+    projectId: "project",
+    projectName: "Project",
+    provider: "mock",
+    config: { model: "e2e-fast-stream", modeId: "load-test" },
+    text: "My pending prompt",
+    prepare: async () => ({
+      source: { kind: "directory", path: "/project" },
+      agent: { config: { provider: "mock", cwd: "/project" }, initialPrompt: "My pending prompt" },
+    }),
+  });
+  return { model, attempt, finish };
+}
+
+describe("creation presentation across directory replacement", () => {
+  it("keeps the final agent tab through empty snapshots and releases it to ordinary archive rules after completion", async () => {
+    const { model, attempt, finish } = pendingCreation();
+    let next = 0;
+    const layouts = createWorkspaceLayoutStore({
+      createNodeId: (prefix) => `${prefix}_${++next}`,
+      createFocusRestorationToken: () => `focus-${++next}`,
+    });
+    const workspaceKey = `host:${attempt.workspaceId}`;
+    const tabId = layouts.getState().openTab({
+      workspaceKey,
+      target: { kind: "agent", agentId: attempt.agentId },
+      intent: "reveal",
+    });
+    const reconcileEmptyDirectory = () =>
+      layouts.getState().reconcileTabs(
+        workspaceKey,
+        buildWorkspaceTabSnapshot({
+          agentVisibility: includeCreatingAgent(
+            deriveWorkspaceAgentVisibility({
+              sessionAgents: new Map(),
+              workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+            }),
+            model.getWorkspace("host", attempt.workspaceId),
+          ),
+          agentsHydrated: true,
+          terminalsHydrated: true,
+          knownTerminalIds: [],
+          standaloneTerminalIds: [],
+          hasActivePendingTerminalCreate: false,
+          hasActivePendingDraftCreate: false,
+        }),
+      );
+    reconcileEmptyDirectory();
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set([attempt.agentId]));
+    reconcileEmptyDirectory();
+    expect(
+      layouts
+        .getState()
+        .getWorkspaceTabs(workspaceKey)
+        .filter((tab) => tab.target.kind === "agent")
+        .map((tab) => tab.tabId),
+    ).toEqual([tabId]);
+    finish();
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+    reconcileEmptyDirectory();
+    expect(
+      layouts
+        .getState()
+        .getWorkspaceTabs(workspaceKey)
+        .filter((tab) => tab.target.kind === "agent"),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("offers pending navigation without inventing an operational workspace directory", () => {
+    const { attempt, finish } = pendingCreation();
+    expect(workspaceCreationPresentation(null, attempt)).toEqual({
+      workspacePending: true,
+      exists: true,
+      projectName: "Project",
+      canInspectRecovery: false,
+    });
+    expect(attempt).not.toHaveProperty("workspaceDirectory");
+    expect(attempt).not.toHaveProperty("capabilities");
+    // The submitted config is displayable, but the source directory is not the destination.
+    expect(pendingCreationAgent(attempt)).toMatchObject({
+      id: "reserved-agent",
+      provider: "mock",
+      model: "e2e-fast-stream",
+      currentModeId: "load-test",
+      cwd: "",
+      status: "running",
+    });
+    finish();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps one sidebar entry through refresh and hands it to the authoritative directory", async () => {
+    const { model, attempt, finish } = pendingCreation();
+    const directory: SidebarWorkspacePlacementModel = {
+      projects: [
+        {
+          viewKey: "project",
+          projectName: "Project",
+          projectKind: "git",
+          iconWorkingDir: "/project",
+          hosts: [
+            {
+              serverId: "host",
+              projectId: "project",
+              iconWorkingDir: "/project",
+              worktreeSupport: "supported",
+            },
+          ],
+          workspaces: [],
+        },
+      ],
+      workspaces: [],
+      projectNamesByViewKey: new Map([["project", "Project"]]),
+    };
+    const first = addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces(directory, model.getSnapshot());
+    const refreshed = addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces(
+      { ...directory, workspaces: [] },
+      model.getSnapshot(),
+    );
+    expect(first.workspaces).toEqual(refreshed.workspaces);
+    expect(refreshed.workspaces).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(refreshed.workspaces[0]?.workspaceId).toBe(attempt.workspaceId);
+    expect(refreshed.workspaces[0]?.workspaceDirectory).toBeUndefined();
+    model.observeResources("host", new Set([attempt.workspaceId]), new Set());
+    expect(addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces(first, model.getSnapshot()).workspaces).toHaveLength(1);
+    finish();
+    await model.settled(attempt);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2993ccfa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export { randomUUID } from "expo-crypto";
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.web.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.web.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5b06c8a610
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/internal/random-id.web.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export function randomUUID(): string {
+  return crypto.randomUUID();
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/model/index.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/model/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1dbd6a035a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/model/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,249 @@
+import { sha256 } from "@noble/hashes/sha2.js";
+import { bytesToHex, utf8ToBytes } from "@noble/hashes/utils.js";
+import { captureCreationInput } from "../internal/capture";
+import type { CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
+import type { AgentProvider } from "@getpaseo/protocol/agent-types";
+import type { CreationSnapshot } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
+import type { UserMessageItem } from "@/types/stream";
+
+export interface Submission {
+  serverId: string;
+  key: string;
+  provider: AgentProvider;
+  /** Submitted agent configuration, shown before the host publishes the agent. */
+  config: { modeId?: string; model?: string; thinkingOptionId?: string };
+  projectId: string;
+  projectName: string;
+  text: string;
+  message?: Omit<UserMessageItem, "id" | "clientMessageId">;
+  prepare: () => Promise<CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions>;
+  onComplete?: () => void;
+  /** The host created neither the workspace nor the agent. */
+  onWorkspaceFailed?: (attempt: CreationAttempt, error: string) => void;
+  /** The host created the workspace but not the agent. The receipt's workspace, when it has one. */
+  onAgentFailed?: (
+    attempt: CreationAttempt,
+    error: string,
+    workspace: CreationSnapshot["workspace"],
+  ) => void;
+}
+type SubmissionHandlers = "prepare" | "onComplete" | "onWorkspaceFailed" | "onAgentFailed";
+export interface CreationAttempt extends Omit<Submission, SubmissionHandlers> {
+  operationKey: string;
+  workspaceId: string;
+  agentId: string;
+  clientMessageId: string;
+  phase: "preparing" | "creating" | "complete";
+  revision: number;
+  workspaceObserved: boolean;
+  agentObserved: boolean;
+}
+interface Result {
+  workspace?: unknown;
+  error?: string | null;
+  creation?: CreationSnapshot;
+}
+interface Operation extends Pick<Submission, "onComplete" | "onWorkspaceFailed" | "onAgentFailed"> {
+  attempt: CreationAttempt;
+  prepare: Submission["prepare"] | null;
+  request?: CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions;
+  /** The host's latest account of this creation. */
+  creation?: CreationSnapshot;
+  running?: Promise<void>;
+}
+
+/** What the host is known to have created for a failed creation. */
+function createdResources(
+  attempt: CreationAttempt,
+  creation: CreationSnapshot | undefined,
+): "agent" | "workspace" | "none" {
+  if (
+    attempt.agentObserved ||
+    creation?.agent ||
+    creation?.failedStage === "prompt" ||
+    (creation?.failedStage === "agent" && creation.outcomeUnknown)
+  )
+    return "agent";
+  if (attempt.workspaceObserved || creation?.workspace || creation?.failedStage === "agent")
+    return "workspace";
+  return "none";
+}
+export function createWorkspaceCreationModel(dependencies: {
+  identities: () => Pick<
+    CreationAttempt,
+    "operationKey" | "workspaceId" | "agentId" | "clientMessageId"
+  >;
+  execute: (request: CreateWorkspaceRequestOptions, serverId: string) => Promise<Result>;
+  onSubmitted?: (attempt: CreationAttempt) => void;
+  /** The host did not create the agent; its prompt was never delivered. */
+  onFailed?: (attempt: CreationAttempt) => void;
+  onComplete?: (attempt: CreationAttempt) => void;
+  /** The completed creation's workspace and agent are both published. */
+  onAdopted?: (attempt: CreationAttempt) => void;
+}) {
+  const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+  let snapshot: readonly CreationAttempt[] = [];
+  const operations = new Map<string, Operation>();
+  // Current submissions remain owned until resolved or dismissed. Adopted creations
+  // only need a bounded receipt to absorb duplicate commands from retained forms.
+  const receipts = new Map<string, CreationAttempt>();
+  const intentKey = (serverId: string, key: string) =>
+    bytesToHex(sha256(utf8ToBytes(JSON.stringify([serverId, key]))));
+  const operationFor = (attempt: CreationAttempt) => operations.get(attempt.key);
+  function retire(operation: Operation) {
+    if (
+      operation.attempt.phase !== "complete" ||
+      !operation.attempt.workspaceObserved ||
+      !operation.attempt.agentObserved
+    )
+      return;
+    const receipt = { ...operation.attempt, text: "", message: undefined, projectName: "" };
+    receipts.set(receipt.key, receipt);
+    while (receipts.size > 128) receipts.delete(receipts.keys().next().value!);
+    operations.delete(receipt.key);
+    publish();
+    dependencies.onAdopted?.(operation.attempt);
+  }
+  function publish() {
+    snapshot = [...operations.values()].map(({ attempt }) => attempt);
+    listeners.forEach((listener) => listener());
+  }
+  function patch(
+    operation: NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof operations.get>>,
+    update: Partial<CreationAttempt>,
+  ) {
+    operation.attempt = { ...operation.attempt, ...update };
+    publish();
+  }
+  function complete(operation: Operation) {
+    patch(operation, { phase: "complete" });
+    dependencies.onComplete?.(operation.attempt);
+    const onComplete = operation.onComplete;
+    operation.prepare = null;
+    operation.onComplete = undefined;
+    operation.onWorkspaceFailed = undefined;
+    operation.onAgentFailed = undefined;
+    operation.request = undefined;
+    onComplete?.();
+    retire(operation);
+  }
+  /** Hands a failure to the owner of what the host created: the agent, the workspace or nothing. */
+  function fail(operation: Operation, error: string) {
+    const created = createdResources(operation.attempt, operation.creation);
+    if (created === "agent") {
+      complete(operation);
+      return;
+    }
+    operations.delete(operation.attempt.key);
+    publish();
+    dependencies.onFailed?.(operation.attempt);
+    if (created === "workspace")
+      operation.onAgentFailed?.(operation.attempt, error, operation.creation?.workspace);
+    else operation.onWorkspaceFailed?.(operation.attempt, error);
+  }
+  async function run(operation: NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof operations.get>>) {
+    try {
+      if (!operation.request) {
+        if (!operation.prepare) throw new Error("Completed creation cannot be submitted again");
+        const prepared = await operation.prepare();
+        operation.request = captureCreationInput({
+          ...prepared,
+          workspaceId: operation.attempt.workspaceId,
+          idempotencyKey: operation.attempt.operationKey,
+          agent: {
+            ...prepared.agent,
+            agentId: operation.attempt.agentId,
+            clientMessageId: operation.attempt.clientMessageId,
+          },
+        });
+      }
+      patch(operation, { phase: "creating" });
+      const result = await dependencies.execute(
+        {
+          ...captureCreationInput(operation.request),
+          onEvent: (event) => {
+            if (event.revision <= operation.attempt.revision) return;
+            operation.creation = event;
+            patch(operation, { revision: event.revision });
+          },
+        },
+        operation.attempt.serverId,
+      );
+      if (result.creation) operation.creation = result.creation;
+      if (result.error) {
+        fail(operation, result.error);
+        return;
+      }
+      complete(operation);
+    } catch (error) {
+      fail(operation, error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
+    } finally {
+      operation.running = undefined;
+    }
+  }
+  function start(operation: NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof operations.get>>) {
+    operation.running = Promise.resolve().then(() => run(operation));
+  }
+  return {
+    subscribe(listener: () => void) {
+      listeners.add(listener);
+      return () => {
+        listeners.delete(listener);
+      };
+    },
+    getSnapshot: () => snapshot,
+    submit(input: Submission): CreationAttempt {
+      const key = intentKey(input.serverId, input.key);
+      const existing = operations.get(key);
+      if (existing) return existing.attempt;
+      const receipt = receipts.get(key);
+      if (receipt) return receipt;
+      const { prepare, onComplete, onWorkspaceFailed, onAgentFailed, ...presentation } = input;
+      const attempt: CreationAttempt = {
+        ...captureCreationInput(presentation),
+        key,
+        ...dependencies.identities(),
+        phase: "preparing",
+        revision: -1,
+        workspaceObserved: false,
+        agentObserved: false,
+      };
+      const operation: Operation = {
+        prepare,
+        onComplete,
+        onWorkspaceFailed,
+        onAgentFailed,
+        attempt,
+      };
+      operations.set(key, operation);
+      dependencies.onSubmitted?.(operation.attempt);
+      publish();
+      start(operation);
+      return operation.attempt;
+    },
+    observeResources(
+      serverId: string,
+      workspaces: ReadonlySet<string>,
+      agents: ReadonlySet<string>,
+    ) {
+      for (const operation of operations.values()) {
+        const attempt = operation.attempt;
+        if (attempt.serverId !== serverId) continue;
+        const workspaceObserved = attempt.workspaceObserved || workspaces.has(attempt.workspaceId);
+        const agentObserved = attempt.agentObserved || agents.has(attempt.agentId);
+        if (
+          workspaceObserved !== attempt.workspaceObserved ||
+          agentObserved !== attempt.agentObserved
+        )
+          patch(operation, { workspaceObserved, agentObserved });
+        retire(operation);
+      }
+    },
+    getWorkspace: (serverId: string, workspaceId: string) =>
+      snapshot.find((item) => item.serverId === serverId && item.workspaceId === workspaceId) ??
+      null,
+    getAgent: (serverId: string, agentId: string) =>
+      snapshot.find((item) => item.serverId === serverId && item.agentId === agentId) ?? null,
+    settled: (attempt: CreationAttempt) => operationFor(attempt)?.running ?? Promise.resolve(),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/presentation/index.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/presentation/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1303830c9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/presentation/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import { i18n } from "@/i18n/i18next";
+import type {
+  SidebarWorkspaceEntry,
+  SidebarWorkspacePlacement,
+  SidebarWorkspacePlacementModel,
+} from "@/hooks/sidebar-workspaces-view-model";
+import type { WorkspaceDescriptor } from "@/stores/session-store";
+import type { WorkspaceAgentVisibility } from "@/workspace-tabs/agent-visibility";
+import type { CreationAttempt } from "../model";
+import type { AgentScreenAgent } from "@/hooks/use-agent-screen-state-machine";
+
+export function workspaceCreationPresentation(
+  workspace: WorkspaceDescriptor | null,
+  attempt: CreationAttempt | null,
+) {
+  const workspacePending = attempt !== null && !attempt.workspaceObserved;
+  return {
+    workspacePending,
+    exists: workspace !== null || attempt !== null,
+    projectName: attempt?.projectName,
+    canInspectRecovery: !workspacePending,
+  };
+}
+
+export function includeCreatingAgent(
+  visibility: WorkspaceAgentVisibility,
+  attempt: CreationAttempt | null,
+): WorkspaceAgentVisibility {
+  if (!attempt) return visibility;
+  if (attempt.phase === "complete" && attempt.agentObserved) return visibility;
+  return {
+    activeAgentIds: new Set([...visibility.activeAgentIds, attempt.agentId]),
+    autoOpenAgentIds: new Set([...visibility.autoOpenAgentIds, attempt.agentId]),
+  };
+}
+
+/** The agent as submitted, until the host publishes it. Its destination cwd is not known yet. */
+export function pendingCreationAgent(attempt: CreationAttempt): AgentScreenAgent {
+  return {
+    serverId: attempt.serverId,
+    id: attempt.agentId,
+    provider: attempt.provider,
+    status: "running",
+    cwd: "",
+    workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+    currentModeId: attempt.config.modeId ?? null,
+    model: attempt.config.model ?? null,
+    thinkingOptionId: attempt.config.thinkingOptionId ?? null,
+    projectPlacement: null,
+  };
+}
+
+export function addCreatingSidebarWorkspaces(
+  model: SidebarWorkspacePlacementModel,
+  attempts: readonly CreationAttempt[],
+  translate = i18n.t,
+): SidebarWorkspacePlacementModel {
+  const pending = attempts.filter((attempt) => !attempt.workspaceObserved);
+  if (!pending.length) return model;
+  const projects = model.projects.map((project) => {
+    const creations = pending.filter((attempt) =>
+      project.hosts.some(
+        (host) => host.serverId === attempt.serverId && host.projectId === attempt.projectId,
+      ),
+    );
+    if (!creations.length) return project;
+    const workspaces = [...project.workspaces];
+    for (const attempt of creations) {
+      if (
+        workspaces.some(
+          (workspace) =>
+            workspace.serverId === attempt.serverId &&
+            workspace.workspaceId === attempt.workspaceId,
+        )
+      )
+        continue;
+      workspaces.push({
+        workspaceKey: `${attempt.serverId}:${attempt.workspaceId}`,
+        serverId: attempt.serverId,
+        workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+        projectViewKey: project.viewKey,
+        projectName: project.projectName,
+        projectKind: project.projectKind,
+        workspaceKind: "checkout",
+        name: translate("newWorkspace.creation.creatingWorkspace"),
+      });
+    }
+    return { ...project, workspaces };
+  });
+  return { ...model, projects, workspaces: projects.flatMap((project) => project.workspaces) };
+}
+export function creatingSidebarEntry(
+  placement: SidebarWorkspacePlacement,
+  translate = i18n.t,
+): SidebarWorkspaceEntry {
+  return {
+    ...placement,
+    name: translate("newWorkspace.creation.creatingWorkspace"),
+    workspaceDirectory: "",
+    workspaceDirectoryLabel: "",
+    title: null,
+    currentBranch: null,
+    archivingAt: null,
+    diffStat: null,
+    prHint: null,
+    archiveHasUncommittedChanges: null,
+    archiveUnpushedCommitCount: null,
+    scripts: [],
+    hasRunningScripts: false,
+    statusBucket: "running",
+    statusEnteredAt: null,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/runtime.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/runtime.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6acb8b1e4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/runtime.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+import { i18n } from "@/i18n/i18next";
+import { selectIsAgentPublished, useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
+import { randomUUID } from "./internal/random-id";
+import { useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
+import { createWorkspaceCreationModel, type CreationAttempt } from "./model";
+import { createMessageSubmissionWriter } from "@/composer/submission/writer";
+import { createUserMessage } from "@/types/stream";
+
+export const workspaceCreations = createWorkspaceCreationModel({
+  identities: () => ({
+    operationKey: randomUUID(),
+    workspaceId: `wks_${randomUUID().replaceAll("-", "").slice(0, 16)}`,
+    agentId: randomUUID(),
+    clientMessageId: randomUUID(),
+  }),
+  execute: async (request, serverId) => {
+    const { getHostRuntimeStore } = await import("@/runtime/host-runtime");
+    const runtime = getHostRuntimeStore();
+    const client = runtime.getClient(serverId);
+    if (!client) throw new Error(i18n.t("newWorkspace.errors.hostDisconnected"));
+    const workspaceId = request.workspaceId;
+    if (!workspaceId) throw new Error("Workspace creation requires a reserved identity");
+    const releaseDirectory = runtime.acquireDirectoryDemand(serverId);
+    // Failed and adopted creations both leave the model.
+    const stop = workspaceCreations.subscribe(() => {
+      if (workspaceCreations.getWorkspace(serverId, workspaceId)) return;
+      stop();
+      releaseDirectory();
+    });
+    return client.createWorkspace(request);
+  },
+  onSubmitted: (attempt) => {
+    createMessageSubmissionWriter(attempt.serverId).begin(
+      attempt.agentId,
+      createUserMessage({
+        ...attempt.message,
+        text: attempt.text,
+        timestamp: attempt.message?.timestamp ?? new Date(),
+        id: attempt.clientMessageId,
+        clientMessageId: attempt.clientMessageId,
+      }),
+    );
+  },
+  onFailed: (attempt) => {
+    createMessageSubmissionWriter(attempt.serverId).reject(
+      attempt.agentId,
+      attempt.clientMessageId,
+    );
+  },
+  onAdopted: (attempt) => {
+    // Prompts queued during creation waited for this. A running agent drains them when it stops.
+    // The host started the initial prompt before completing, so its local submission is not
+    // evidence of a running turn; only the host's turn state is.
+    const session = useSessionStore.getState().sessions[attempt.serverId];
+    const agent =
+      session?.agents.get(attempt.agentId) ?? session?.agentDetails.get(attempt.agentId);
+    if (agent?.turn.phase !== "idle") return;
+    void import("@/runtime/host-runtime").then(({ getHostRuntimeStore }) =>
+      getHostRuntimeStore().drainQueuedAgentMessage(attempt.serverId, attempt.agentId),
+    );
+  },
+  onComplete: (attempt) => {
+    createMessageSubmissionWriter(attempt.serverId).accept(
+      attempt.agentId,
+      attempt.clientMessageId,
+    );
+  },
+});
+export function useWorkspaceCreations() {
+  return useSyncExternalStore(
+    workspaceCreations.subscribe,
+    workspaceCreations.getSnapshot,
+    workspaceCreations.getSnapshot,
+  );
+}
+export function useWorkspaceCreation(
+  serverId: string,
+  workspaceId: string,
+): CreationAttempt | null {
+  return (
+    useWorkspaceCreations().find(
+      (attempt) =>
+        attempt.serverId === serverId &&
+        attempt.workspaceId === workspaceId &&
+        (attempt.phase !== "complete" || !attempt.workspaceObserved || !attempt.agentObserved),
+    ) ?? null
+  );
+}
+export function useAgentCreation(serverId: string, agentId: string): CreationAttempt | null {
+  return (
+    useWorkspaceCreations().find(
+      (attempt) =>
+        attempt.serverId === serverId &&
+        attempt.agentId === agentId &&
+        (attempt.phase !== "complete" || !attempt.agentObserved),
+    ) ?? null
+  );
+}
+
+useSessionStore.subscribe((state, previous) => {
+  for (const serverId of new Set(
+    workspaceCreations
+      .getSnapshot()
+      .filter((attempt) => !attempt.workspaceObserved || !attempt.agentObserved)
+      .map((attempt) => attempt.serverId),
+  )) {
+    const session = state.sessions[serverId];
+    const prior = previous.sessions[serverId];
+    if (
+      !session ||
+      (session.workspaces === prior?.workspaces &&
+        session.agents === prior?.agents &&
+        session.agentDetails === prior?.agentDetails)
+    )
+      continue;
+    workspaceCreations.observeResources(
+      serverId,
+      new Set([...session.workspaces.values()].map((workspace) => workspace.id)),
+      new Set([...session.agents.keys(), ...session.agentDetails.keys()]),
+    );
+  }
+});
+
+export function isAgentCreationPending(serverId: string, agentId: string): boolean {
+  const attempt = workspaceCreations.getAgent(serverId, agentId);
+  return attempt !== null && (attempt.phase !== "complete" || !attempt.agentObserved);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether prompts may be sent to the agent now. The host publishes a created agent before it
+ * starts the initial prompt, so a creating agent is ready only once its creation completes.
+ */
+export function isAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId: string, agentId: string): boolean {
+  return (
+    selectIsAgentPublished(useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId], agentId) &&
+    !isAgentCreationPending(serverId, agentId)
+  );
+}
+
+export function useIsAgentReadyForPrompts(serverId: string, agentId: string): boolean {
+  const isPublished = useSessionStore((state) =>
+    selectIsAgentPublished(state.sessions[serverId], agentId),
+  );
+  const creation = useAgentCreation(serverId, agentId);
+  return isPublished && creation === null;
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/submit.ts b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/submit.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..50c4599fc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/submit.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+import { i18n } from "@/i18n/i18next";
+import { router } from "expo-router";
+import { buildNewWorkspaceRoute } from "@/utils/host-routes";
+import type { PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup } from "@/stores/workspace-draft-submission-store";
+import { remapDraftCwdToWorkspace } from "@/screens/new-workspace-fork-context";
+import { captureCreationInput } from "./internal/capture";
+import { useDraftStore } from "@/stores/draft-store";
+import {
+  buildDraftWorkspaceAttachmentScopeKey,
+  useWorkspaceAttachmentsStore,
+} from "@/attachments/workspace-attachments-store";
+import {
+  isWorkspaceAttachment,
+  userAttachmentsOnly,
+} from "@/attachments/workspace-attachment-utils";
+import type { QueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import type { DaemonClient } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
+import type { MessagePayload } from "@/composer/types";
+import type { useAgentInputDraft } from "@/composer/draft/input-draft";
+import {
+  splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit,
+  resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat,
+} from "@/composer/attachments/submit";
+import { ensureCheckoutStatus } from "@/git/checkout-status-cache";
+import { getHostProjectId, type HostProjectListItem } from "@/projects/host-projects";
+import { captureWorkspaceDraftCleanup } from "@/screens/new-workspace/background-handoff";
+import { getAttachmentKey } from "@/composer/attachments/workspace-cleanup";
+import {
+  defaultBasePickerItem,
+  pickerItemToCheckoutRequest,
+  type PickerItem,
+} from "@/screens/new-workspace-picker-item";
+import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
+import { transferComposerFollowUps } from "@/composer/submission/writer";
+import { useCreateFlowStore } from "@/stores/create-flow-store";
+import { buildDraftStoreKey, generateDraftId } from "@/stores/draft-keys";
+import { useWorkspaceLayoutStore } from "@/stores/workspace-layout-store";
+import {
+  buildWorkspaceTabPersistenceKey,
+  type WorkspaceDraftTabSetup,
+} from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
+import type { CreationSnapshot } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
+import { encodeImages } from "@/utils/encode-images";
+import type { CreationAttempt } from "./model";
+import { workspaceCreations } from "./runtime";
+
+type ComposerState = NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof useAgentInputDraft>["composerState"]>;
+type DraftCleanupInput = Parameters<typeof captureWorkspaceDraftCleanup>[0];
+interface SubmitWorkspaceChatInput extends DraftCleanupInput {
+  serverId: string;
+  key: string;
+  returnDraftId?: string;
+  project: HostProjectListItem | null;
+  sourceDirectory: string | null;
+  worktreeSlug: string;
+  createsWorktree: boolean;
+  selectedItem: PickerItem | null;
+  payload: MessagePayload;
+  forkSetup: PendingWorkspaceDraftSetup | null;
+  composerState: ComposerState | null;
+  supportsForgeSearch: boolean;
+  client: DaemonClient;
+  queryClient: QueryClient;
+  persistPreferences: () => Promise<unknown>;
+}
+
+// Failed creations return to New workspace, whose error lives in screen state.
+const workspaceErrors = new Map<string, string>();
+
+/** The error of a creation that returned to the New workspace draft with this key, once. */
+export function takeWorkspaceCreationError(draftKey: string): string | null {
+  const error = workspaceErrors.get(draftKey) ?? null;
+  workspaceErrors.delete(draftKey);
+  return error;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The composer released the submitted context when it submitted; the draft that takes the
+ * submission back owns it again. Context added to the draft since then stays as it is.
+ */
+function restoreSubmittedContext(draftId: string, payload: MessagePayload) {
+  const scopeKey = buildDraftWorkspaceAttachmentScopeKey(draftId);
+  const attachments = useWorkspaceAttachmentsStore.getState();
+  const present = new Set((attachments.attachmentsByScope[scopeKey] ?? []).map(getAttachmentKey));
+  for (const attachment of payload.attachments.filter(isWorkspaceAttachment)) {
+    if (!present.has(getAttachmentKey(attachment)))
+      attachments.addWorkspaceAttachment({ scopeKey, attachment });
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * The workspace exists without its agent, so the input continues as that workspace's agent draft,
+ * failed exactly as a draft whose own agent creation failed, holding the submitted input, context
+ * and setup.
+ */
+function continueAsFailedAgentDraft(input: {
+  attempt: CreationAttempt;
+  draftId: string;
+  payload: MessagePayload;
+  setup: WorkspaceDraftTabSetup;
+  sourceDirectory: string;
+  workspace: CreationSnapshot["workspace"];
+  error: string;
+}) {
+  const { attempt, draftId } = input;
+  const workspaceDirectory =
+    input.workspace?.workspaceDirectory ??
+    useSessionStore.getState().sessions[attempt.serverId]?.workspaces.get(attempt.workspaceId)
+      ?.workspaceDirectory ??
+    input.sourceDirectory;
+  useDraftStore.getState().saveDraftInput({
+    draftKey: buildDraftStoreKey({ serverId: attempt.serverId, agentId: "", draftId }),
+    draft: {
+      text: input.payload.text,
+      attachments: userAttachmentsOnly(input.payload.attachments),
+    },
+  });
+  restoreSubmittedContext(draftId, input.payload);
+  const createFlow = useCreateFlowStore.getState();
+  createFlow.setPending({
+    draftId,
+    serverId: attempt.serverId,
+    workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+    agentId: null,
+    clientMessageId: `${draftId}:initial-message`,
+    text: attempt.text,
+    timestamp: Date.now(),
+  });
+  createFlow.markLifecycle({ draftId, lifecycle: "abandoned", errorMessage: input.error });
+  const layouts = useWorkspaceLayoutStore.getState();
+  const workspaceKey = buildWorkspaceTabPersistenceKey({
+    serverId: attempt.serverId,
+    workspaceId: attempt.workspaceId,
+  });
+  if (!workspaceKey) return;
+  // The submitted cwd is relative to the source checkout; the draft runs in the created workspace.
+  const setup = {
+    ...input.setup,
+    cwd: remapDraftCwdToWorkspace({
+      cwd: input.setup.cwd,
+      sourceDirectory: input.sourceDirectory,
+      workspaceDirectory,
+    }),
+  };
+  const target = { kind: "draft", draftId, setup } as const;
+  const agentTabs = layouts
+    .getWorkspaceTabs(workspaceKey)
+    .filter((tab) => tab.target.kind === "agent" && tab.target.agentId === attempt.agentId);
+  const draftTabIds = agentTabs.length
+    ? agentTabs.map((tab) => layouts.replaceTab(workspaceKey, tab.tabId, target))
+    : [layouts.openTab({ workspaceKey, target, intent: "background" })];
+  // The draft composer owns the follow-ups until its own agent creation hands them on.
+  const draftTabId = draftTabIds.find((tabId) => tabId !== null);
+  if (draftTabId) transferComposerFollowUps(attempt.serverId, attempt.agentId, draftTabId);
+}
+
+/** Captures one intent. All preparation continues under the app owner after navigation. */
+export function submitWorkspaceChat(input: SubmitWorkspaceChatInput) {
+  const { serverId, project, sourceDirectory, composerState } = input;
+  if (!useSessionStore.getState().sessions[serverId]?.serverInfo?.features?.creationLifecycle) {
+    throw new Error(i18n.t("newWorkspace.creation.updateHost"));
+  }
+  if (!project || !sourceDirectory)
+    throw new Error(i18n.t("newWorkspace.creation.chooseProjectHost"));
+  if (!composerState?.selectedProvider) throw new Error(i18n.t("newWorkspace.errors.selectModel"));
+  const projectId = getHostProjectId(project, serverId);
+  if (!projectId) throw new Error(i18n.t("newWorkspace.creation.projectUnavailable"));
+  const payload = captureCreationInput(input.payload);
+  const provider = composerState.selectedProvider;
+  const cwd = input.forkSetup
+    ? remapDraftCwdToWorkspace({
+        cwd: input.forkSetup.setup.cwd,
+        sourceDirectory,
+        workspaceDirectory: sourceDirectory,
+      })
+    : payload.cwd;
+  const config = captureCreationInput({
+    provider,
+    cwd,
+    modeId: composerState.effectiveModeId || undefined,
+    model: composerState.effectiveModelId || undefined,
+    thinkingOptionId: composerState.effectiveThinkingOptionId || undefined,
+    featureValues: composerState.featureValues,
+  });
+  const wire = splitComposerAttachmentsForSubmit(payload.attachments, {
+    format: resolveComposerAttachmentSubmitFormat({
+      supportsForgeAttachments: input.supportsForgeSearch,
+    }),
+  });
+  const selectedItem = captureCreationInput(input.selectedItem);
+  const clearConsumedDraft = captureWorkspaceDraftCleanup(input);
+  const draftVersion = useDraftStore.getState().drafts[input.draftKey]?.version;
+  const intent = JSON.stringify([
+    input.key,
+    draftVersion,
+    projectId,
+    sourceDirectory,
+    input.createsWorktree,
+    selectedItem,
+    config,
+    payload,
+  ]);
+  const submitted = workspaceCreations.submit({
+    serverId,
+    key: intent,
+    provider,
+    config: {
+      modeId: config.modeId,
+      model: config.model,
+      thinkingOptionId: config.thinkingOptionId,
+    },
+    projectId,
+    projectName: project.projectName,
+    text: payload.text,
+    onWorkspaceFailed: (attempt, error) => {
+      workspaceErrors.set(input.draftKey, error);
+      if (input.returnDraftId) restoreSubmittedContext(input.returnDraftId, payload);
+      // The New workspace composer owns the follow-ups until the form is submitted again.
+      transferComposerFollowUps(serverId, attempt.agentId, input.draftKey);
+      router.replace(
+        buildNewWorkspaceRoute({
+          serverId,
+          sourceDirectory,
+          projectId,
+          draftId: input.returnDraftId,
+        }) as never,
+      );
+    },
+    onAgentFailed: (attempt, error, workspace) => {
+      // Release the form first; the draft then takes the submitted input and its context.
+      clearConsumedDraft();
+      continueAsFailedAgentDraft({
+        attempt,
+        draftId: input.draftId?.trim() || generateDraftId(),
+        payload,
+        setup: {
+          provider,
+          cwd,
+          modeId: config.modeId ?? null,
+          model: config.model ?? null,
+          thinkingOptionId: config.thinkingOptionId ?? null,
+          featureValues: config.featureValues ?? {},
+        },
+        sourceDirectory,
+        workspace,
+        error,
+      });
+    },
+    message: {
+      kind: "user_message",
+      text: payload.text,
+      timestamp: new Date(),
+      images: wire.images,
+      attachments: wire.attachments,
+    },
+    prepare: async () => {
+      await input.persistPreferences();
+      const images = await encodeImages(wire.images);
+      const status = input.createsWorktree
+        ? await ensureCheckoutStatus({
+            queryClient: input.queryClient,
+            client: input.client,
+            serverId,
+            cwd: sourceDirectory,
+          })
+        : null;
+      const checkout = status
+        ? pickerItemToCheckoutRequest(selectedItem ?? defaultBasePickerItem(status))
+        : undefined;
+      return {
+        source: input.createsWorktree
+          ? {
+              kind: "worktree",
+              cwd: sourceDirectory,
+              projectId,
+              worktreeSlug: input.worktreeSlug,
+              ...checkout,
+            }
+          : { kind: "directory", path: sourceDirectory, projectId },
+        agent: { config, initialPrompt: payload.text, images, attachments: wire.attachments },
+      };
+    },
+    onComplete: clearConsumedDraft,
+  });
+  // Follow-ups kept by a returned form continue behind this submission's initial prompt.
+  transferComposerFollowUps(serverId, input.draftKey, submitted.agentId);
+  return submitted;
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/ui/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/ui/index.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..774e4384e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/workspace-creation/ui/index.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import type { WorkspaceTabTarget } from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
+import type { WorkspaceTabMenuEntry } from "@/screens/workspace/workspace-tab-menu";
+import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { PressHighlight } from "@/components/ui/press-highlight";
+import { Text } from "react-native";
+import { StyleSheet } from "react-native-unistyles";
+import { useAgentCreation } from "../runtime";
+import type { CreationAttempt } from "../model";
+
+export function CreatingWorkspaceRow({
+  attempt,
+  selected,
+  onPress,
+}: {
+  attempt: CreationAttempt;
+  selected: boolean;
+  onPress: () => void;
+}) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const accessibilityState = useMemo(() => ({ selected }), [selected]);
+  return (
+    <PressHighlight
+      accessibilityRole="button"
+      accessibilityLabel={t("newWorkspace.creation.creatingLabel")}
+      accessibilityState={accessibilityState}
+      testID={`sidebar-workspace-row-${attempt.serverId}:${attempt.workspaceId}`}
+      onPress={onPress}
+      style={styles.pendingRow}
+    >
+      <Text style={styles.status}>{t("newWorkspace.creation.creatingWorkspace")}</Text>
+    </PressHighlight>
+  );
+}
+const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
+  pendingRow: { paddingHorizontal: theme.spacing[4], paddingVertical: theme.spacing[2] },
+  status: { color: theme.colors.foregroundMuted, fontSize: theme.fontSize.base },
+}));
+
+const RESOURCE_ACTIONS = new Set(["rename", "reload-agent", "copy-resume-command"]);
+export function useCreationTabMenuEntries(
+  serverId: string,
+  target: WorkspaceTabTarget,
+  entries: WorkspaceTabMenuEntry[],
+): WorkspaceTabMenuEntry[] {
+  const agentId = target.kind === "agent" ? target.agentId : "";
+  const creation = useAgentCreation(serverId, agentId);
+  return useMemo(() => {
+    if (!creation) return entries;
+    return entries.map((entry) =>
+      entry.kind === "item" && RESOURCE_ACTIONS.has(entry.key)
+        ? { ...entry, disabled: true }
+        : entry,
+    );
+  }, [creation, entries]);
+}
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.test.ts b/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.test.ts
index 38f390d3f8..f666206ea2 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.test.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,38 @@ describe("resolveCreateAgentIntent", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("places a combined creation inside its selected workspace and keeps parentage", async () => {
+    const intent = await resolveCreateAgentIntent({
+      explicitWorkspaceId: "workspace-new",
+      workspaceRelativeCwd: "packages/app",
+      caller: { id: "parent", cwd: "/source", workspaceId: "workspace-source" },
+      resolveWorkspace: async (workspaceId) => ({ workspaceId, cwd: "/new" }),
+      createWorkspace: async () => {
+        throw new Error("Unexpected workspace creation");
+      },
+    });
+    expect(intent.cwd).toBe("/new/packages/app");
+    expect(intent.workspaceId).toBe("workspace-new");
+    expect(intent.parentAgentId).toBe("parent");
+  });
+
+  it.each(["../outside", "/outside"])(
+    "rejects an invalid relative placement: %s",
+    async (workspaceRelativeCwd) => {
+      await expect(
+        resolveCreateAgentIntent({
+          explicitWorkspaceId: "workspace-new",
+          workspaceRelativeCwd,
+          caller: null,
+          resolveWorkspace: async (workspaceId) => ({ workspaceId, cwd: "/new" }),
+          createWorkspace: async () => {
+            throw new Error("Unexpected workspace creation");
+          },
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrow("inside the selected workspace");
+    },
+  );
+
   it("defaults an agent caller to its workspace without creating one", async () => {
     let createCount = 0;
     const intent = await resolveCreateAgentIntent({
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.ts b/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.ts
index c811144b74..f61456a525 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/agent/create-agent/intent.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isAbsolute, relative, resolve, sep } from "node:path";
 import { PARENT_AGENT_ID_LABEL } from "@getpaseo/protocol/agent-labels";
 
 export interface CreateAgentCaller {
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@ export interface CreateAgentIntent {
 
 export async function resolveCreateAgentIntent(input: {
   explicitWorkspaceId?: string;
+  // Combined creation remaps a source-relative directory into the selected workspace.
+  // Ordinary explicit-workspace requests continue to use the workspace's root.
+  workspaceRelativeCwd?: string;
   caller: CreateAgentCaller | null;
   labels?: Record<string, string>;
   childAgentDefaultLabels?: Record<string, string>;
@@ -47,12 +51,27 @@ export async function resolveCreateAgentIntent(input: {
 
 async function resolvePlacement(input: {
   explicitWorkspaceId?: string;
+  workspaceRelativeCwd?: string;
   caller: CreateAgentCaller | null;
   resolveWorkspace: (workspaceId: string) => Promise<CreateAgentPlacement>;
   createWorkspace: () => Promise<CreateAgentPlacement>;
 }): Promise<CreateAgentPlacement> {
   if (input.explicitWorkspaceId) {
-    return input.resolveWorkspace(input.explicitWorkspaceId);
+    const placement = await input.resolveWorkspace(input.explicitWorkspaceId);
+    if (input.workspaceRelativeCwd === undefined) return placement;
+    const cwd = resolve(placement.cwd, input.workspaceRelativeCwd);
+    const relativeCwd = relative(resolve(placement.cwd), cwd);
+    if (
+      isAbsolute(input.workspaceRelativeCwd) ||
+      relativeCwd === ".." ||
+      relativeCwd.startsWith(`..${sep}`)
+    ) {
+      throw new Error("Agent directory must be inside the selected workspace");
+    }
+    return { ...placement, cwd };
+  }
+  if (input.workspaceRelativeCwd !== undefined) {
+    throw new Error("A relative agent directory requires an explicit workspace");
   }
   if (input.caller) {
     if (!input.caller.workspaceId) {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/session.ts b/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
index f573b1dd95..8135dccb8a 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/session.ts
@@ -4253,14 +4253,12 @@ export class Session {
                     ...agentInput,
                     type: "create_agent_request",
                     requestId,
-                    config: {
-                      ...agentInput.config,
-                      cwd: resolve(workspace.workspaceDirectory, relativeCwd),
-                    },
+                    config: agentInput.config,
                     workspaceId: workspace.id,
                   },
                   id,
                   onReady,
+                  relativeCwd,
                 );
               }
             : undefined,
@@ -4381,6 +4379,7 @@ export class Session {
     msg: CreateAgentRequestMessage,
     agentId?: string,
     onAgentReady?: (agent: AgentSnapshotPayload) => Promise<void>,
+    workspaceRelativeCwd?: string,
   ): Promise<CreatedAgent> {
     const {
       config,
@@ -4433,6 +4432,7 @@ export class Session {
         request: msg,
         createdWorktree,
         workspacePromptTitle,
+        workspaceRelativeCwd,
       });
       const resolvedCwd = resolve(resolvedIntent.config.cwd);
       if (!(await this.filesystem.isDirectory(resolvedCwd))) {
@@ -4506,6 +4506,7 @@ export class Session {
     request: CreateAgentRequestMessage;
     createdWorktree: CreatePaseoWorktreeWorkflowResult | null;
     workspacePromptTitle: string | null;
+    workspaceRelativeCwd?: string;
   }): Promise<ResolvedSessionCreateAgentIntent> {
     const { request, createdWorktree } = input;
     const callerAgent = request.callerAgentId
@@ -4519,6 +4520,7 @@ export class Session {
 
     const intent = await resolveCreateAgentIntent({
       explicitWorkspaceId: createdWorktree?.workspace.workspaceId ?? request.workspaceId,
+      workspaceRelativeCwd: input.workspaceRelativeCwd,
       caller: callerAgent
         ? { id: callerAgent.id, cwd: callerAgent.cwd, workspaceId: callerAgent.workspaceId }
         : null,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts b/packages/server/src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts
index fc9efe1684..5f2885e23f 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/workspace-create-worktree-source.e2e.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
-import { existsSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { rm } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
@@ -928,3 +928,55 @@ test("agent creation rejects legacy worktree intent without provisioning or exec
     await rm(tempRoot, { recursive: true, force: true });
   }
 });
+
+test.each(["local", "worktree"] as const)(
+  "combined %s creation preserves nested agent placement and rejects invalid source directories",
+  async (isolation) => {
+    const daemon = await createTestPaseoDaemon();
+    const { repoDir, tempRoot } = createGitRepoWithBranch();
+    mkdirSync(path.join(repoDir, "nested"));
+    writeFileSync(path.join(repoDir, "nested", "context.txt"), "nested directory");
+    execFileSync("git", ["add", "."], { cwd: repoDir });
+    execFileSync("git", ["-c", "commit.gpgsign=false", "commit", "-m", "nested directory"], {
+      cwd: repoDir,
+    });
+    const client = new SocketDaemonClient({
+      url: `ws://127.0.0.1:${daemon.port}/ws`,
+      clientId: "nested-placement-test",
+      webSocketFactory: (url) => new WebSocket(url) as unknown as WebSocketLike,
+    });
+    try {
+      await client.connect();
+      for (const subdirectory of ["nested", "", "missing", "../outside"]) {
+        const result = await client.createWorkspace({
+          source:
+            isolation === "local"
+              ? { kind: "directory", path: repoDir }
+              : { kind: "worktree", cwd: repoDir },
+          agent: { config: { provider: "codex", cwd: path.resolve(repoDir, subdirectory) } },
+        });
+        expect(result.workspace).toBeTruthy();
+        if (subdirectory === "missing" || subdirectory === "../outside") {
+          expect(result.error).toContain(
+            subdirectory === "missing"
+              ? "Working directory does not exist"
+              : "inside the workspace source",
+          );
+          expect(result.agent).toBeUndefined();
+        } else {
+          expect(result.error).toBeNull();
+          expect(result.agent?.workspaceId).toBe(result.workspace!.id);
+          const actual = await client.fetchAgent({ agentId: result.agent!.id });
+          expect(actual.agent.cwd).toBe(
+            path.join(result.workspace!.workspaceDirectory!, subdirectory),
+          );
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      await client.close();
+      await daemon.close();
+      await rm(tempRoot, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 10, retryDelay: 100 });
+    }
+  },
+  180000,
+);