diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-whitespace.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-whitespace.spec.ts
index ca8704ed25..8e1a527f0f 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-whitespace.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-whitespace.spec.ts
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ test("composer growth keeps a bottom-pinned chat at the bottom", async ({ page }
 async function pausePageClock(page: Page): Promise<void> {
   const now = Date.now();
   await page.clock.install({ time: now });
-  await page.clock.pauseAt(now);
+  // The installed clock advances between protocol calls; pause at a future time.
+  await page.clock.pauseAt(now + 60_000);
 }
 
 /** The send error shares the footer with Send, so whatever keeps Send visible keeps it visible. */
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ test("compact long drafts stop growing before the header", async ({ page }) => {
   }
 });
 
-test("compact fullscreen editing preserves the live draft and selection and stays open after send", async ({
+test("compact fullscreen editing preserves the live draft and selection and returns to chat after send", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
   const agent = await seedMockAgentWorkspace({
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@ test("compact fullscreen editing preserves the live draft and selection and stay
       await sendComposerWithButton(page);
       await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue("");
     });
-    await test.step("sending inside fullscreen clears the editor and keeps fullscreen open", async () => {
+    await test.step("sending inside fullscreen returns to chat and clears the editor", async () => {
       await writeCompactDraft(page, "First line\nSecond line\nThird line");
       await enterComposerFullscreen(page);
       await writeCompactDraft(page, "Short draft");
@@ -274,10 +275,12 @@ test("compact fullscreen editing preserves the live draft and selection and stay
       await resizeComposerViewport(page, "portrait");
       await sendComposerWithButton(page);
       await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue("");
-      await expectComposerFullscreenControls(page);
-      await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send message", exact: true })).toBeDisabled();
+      await expectWorkspaceHeaderVisible(page);
+      await expect(page.getByTestId("composer-fullscreen")).toHaveCount(0);
     });
     await test.step("typing and sending keep working after leaving fullscreen again", async () => {
+      await writeCompactDraft(page, "First line\nSecond line\nThird line");
+      await enterComposerFullscreen(page);
       await writeCompactDraft(page, "Typed inside fullscreen");
       await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send message", exact: true })).toBeEnabled();
       await exitComposerFullscreen(page);
@@ -339,16 +342,16 @@ test("fullscreen submit rejection retains the editable draft and supports retry"
     await writeCompactDraft(page, draft);
     await enterComposerFullscreen(page);
     await sendComposerWithButton(page);
-    await expect(page.getByTestId("composer-fullscreen").getByRole("alert")).toHaveText(
-      "Requested mock prompt rejection",
-    );
+    await expectWorkspaceHeaderVisible(page);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("alert")).toHaveText("Requested mock prompt rejection");
+    await enterComposerFullscreen(page);
     await expectFullscreenErrorAboveSend(page);
     await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue(draft);
     await expect(composerLocator(page)).toBeEditable();
     await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send message", exact: true })).toBeEnabled();
     await sendComposerWithButton(page);
     await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue("");
-    await expectComposerFullscreenControls(page);
+    await expectWorkspaceHeaderVisible(page);
   } finally {
     await agent.cleanup();
   }
@@ -440,8 +443,7 @@ test("fullscreen Send keeps the configured queue behavior while an agent runs",
     await expectComposerFullscreenControls(page);
     await queueComposerWithButton(page);
     await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue("");
-    await expectComposerFullscreenControls(page);
-    await exitComposerFullscreen(page);
+    await expectWorkspaceHeaderVisible(page);
     await expectQueuedMessageButton(page);
   } finally {
     await agent.cleanup();
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/new-workspace-composer-draft.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/new-workspace-composer-draft.spec.ts
index e7dbde3bd9..906efcfb42 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/new-workspace-composer-draft.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/new-workspace-composer-draft.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
+import {
+  composerLocator,
+  enterComposerFullscreen,
+  exitComposerFullscreen,
+  resizeComposerViewport,
+} from "../support/helpers/composer";
 import { expect, test } from "../support/fixtures";
 import { gotoAppShell } from "../support/helpers/app";
 import { getE2EDaemonPort } from "../support/helpers/daemon-port";
 import {
+  delayBrowserWorkspaceCreatedResponse,
   expectNewWorkspaceDraft,
   expectNewWorkspaceProjectSelected,
   fillNewWorkspaceDraft,
@@ -134,3 +141,45 @@ test.describe("New workspace composer draft", () => {
     }
   });
 });
+
+test("fullscreen creation returns inline and keeps submission locked when reopened", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  const project = await seedWorkspace({ repoPrefix: "fullscreen-submit-pending-" });
+  const delay = await delayBrowserWorkspaceCreatedResponse(page);
+  try {
+    await gotoAppShell(page);
+    await waitForSidebarHydration(page);
+    await openNewWorkspaceComposer(page, project);
+    await resizeComposerViewport(page, "portrait");
+    await fillNewWorkspaceDraft(page, DRAFT);
+    await enterComposerFullscreen(page);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create", exact: true }).click();
+    await delay.waitForCreateRequest();
+
+    await test.step("submission returns inline with the original draft and spinner", async () => {
+      await expect(page.getByTestId("composer-fullscreen")).toHaveCount(0);
+      await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue(DRAFT);
+      await expect(composerLocator(page)).not.toBeEditable();
+      await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create", exact: true })).toBeDisabled();
+      await expect(page.getByRole("progressbar")).toBeVisible();
+    });
+    await test.step("fullscreen can reopen while pending without unlocking or duplicating submission", async () => {
+      await enterComposerFullscreen(page);
+      await expect(page.getByTestId("composer-fullscreen")).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue(DRAFT);
+      await expect(composerLocator(page)).not.toBeEditable();
+      await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create", exact: true })).toBeDisabled();
+      await expect(page.getByRole("progressbar")).toBeVisible();
+      await exitComposerFullscreen(page);
+    });
+    delay.release();
+    await page.waitForURL((url) => url.pathname.includes("/workspace/"));
+    await expect(composerLocator(page)).toHaveValue("");
+    await expect(composerLocator(page)).toBeEditable();
+    expect(delay.agentRequests).toHaveLength(1);
+  } finally {
+    delay.release();
+    await project.cleanup();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx
index 01051bd52c..7346095d5b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx
@@ -942,6 +942,7 @@ interface SendMessageContext {
   onSubmit: (payload: MessagePayload) => void;
   onMinimizeHeight: () => void;
   preserveHeightOnSubmit: boolean;
+  exitFullscreen: () => void;
 }
 
 function sendMessageImpl(ctx: SendMessageContext): void {
@@ -954,6 +955,7 @@ function sendMessageImpl(ctx: SendMessageContext): void {
   ) {
     return;
   }
+  ctx.exitFullscreen();
   ctx.onSubmit({
     text: trimmed,
     attachments: ctx.attachments,
@@ -974,12 +976,14 @@ interface QueueMessageContext {
   onQueue: ((payload: MessagePayload) => void) | undefined;
   replaceText: (text: string) => void;
   onMinimizeHeight: () => void;
+  exitFullscreen: () => void;
 }
 
 function queueMessageImpl(ctx: QueueMessageContext): void {
   if (!ctx.onQueue) return;
   const trimmed = ctx.value.trim();
   if (!trimmed && ctx.attachments.length === 0) return;
+  ctx.exitFullscreen();
   ctx.onQueue({ text: trimmed, attachments: ctx.attachments, cwd: ctx.cwd });
   ctx.replaceText("");
   ctx.onMinimizeHeight();
@@ -1640,6 +1644,7 @@ export const MessageInput = forwardRef<MessageInputRef, MessageInputProps>(
         onSubmit,
         onMinimizeHeight: minimizeInputHeight,
         preserveHeightOnSubmit,
+        exitFullscreen,
       });
     }, [
       allowEmptySubmit,
@@ -1651,6 +1656,7 @@ export const MessageInput = forwardRef<MessageInputRef, MessageInputProps>(
       minimizeInputHeight,
       preserveHeightOnSubmit,
       updateLiveTextPresence,
+      exitFullscreen,
     ]);
 
     const handleQueueMessage = useCallback(
@@ -1662,8 +1668,9 @@ export const MessageInput = forwardRef<MessageInputRef, MessageInputProps>(
           onQueue,
           replaceText,
           onMinimizeHeight: minimizeInputHeight,
+          exitFullscreen,
         }),
-      [attachments, cwd, onQueue, replaceText, minimizeInputHeight],
+      [attachments, cwd, onQueue, replaceText, minimizeInputHeight, exitFullscreen],
     );
 
     const handleDefaultSendAction = useCallback(() => {