diff --git a/docs/plugins.md b/docs/plugins.md
index 4a045f29df..eb07576719 100644
--- a/docs/plugins.md
+++ b/docs/plugins.md
@@ -690,8 +690,10 @@ implementations provide it:
   mounted, checked on session changes and when the last holder lets go. The mounted
   `AgentControls` plugs its input in with `attachInput` so `insertText` lands at the cursor.
   Without a live input the model writes the stored prompt with `replaceDraftText`, which also asks
-  a mounted input to show it. A workspace the user left stays mounted, display none, with no
-  input ref: `ComposerInput.isLive()` is how the model tells. Closing a root agent's tab archives
+  a mounted input to show it. A workspace the user left stays mounted, display none. Web
+  drops the input ref there; native keeps the input, with a stale cursor and selection.
+  `ComposerInput.isLive()` is how the model tells: it needs the ref and a retained panel that is
+  showing (`useRetainedPanelActive`). Closing a root agent's tab archives
   it, so a running agent with no mounted composer at all only exists as a subagent whose tab was
   closed. The daemon is the authority for `setModel` and `setThinking`. It validates against the
   catalog of the agent's directory, the one the picker reads, and checks a thinking option against
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx
index bd1533d8af..135da3113b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/index.tsx
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/attachments/service";
 import { resolveAgentControlsMode } from "@/composer/agent-controls/mode";
 import { resolveComposerInputMode, type ComposerInputMode } from "@/composer/input-mode";
+import { useIsInputLive } from "./input/use-input-live";
 import { resolveActiveSendBehavior } from "./input/state";
 import { useKeyboardActionHandler } from "@/hooks/use-keyboard-action-handler";
 import type { KeyboardActionDefinition } from "@/keyboard/keyboard-action-dispatcher";
@@ -1433,13 +1434,14 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
     },
     [onChangeText, textSource],
   );
+  const isInputLive = useIsInputLive(messageInputRef);
   const isComposerLockedRef = useRef(isComposerLocked);
   isComposerLockedRef.current = isComposerLocked;
   const composerInput = useMemo<ComposerInput>(
     () => ({
       locked: isComposerLocked,
       isLocked: () => isComposerLockedRef.current,
-      isLive: () => messageInputRef.current !== null,
+      isLive: isInputLive,
       textSource,
       setText: replaceUserInput,
       insertText: insertUserInput,
@@ -1450,6 +1452,7 @@ function ComposerContentImpl({
       attachments,
       insertUserInput,
       isComposerLocked,
+      isInputLive,
       replaceUserInput,
       setSelectedAttachments,
       textSource,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/input/use-input-live.test.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/input/use-input-live.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92def416d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/input/use-input-live.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/**
+ * @vitest-environment jsdom
+ */
+import React, { act } from "react";
+import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { RetainedPanelActivity } from "@/components/retained-panel";
+import { useIsInputLive } from "./use-input-live";
+
+// App sources compile against the classic JSX runtime, which expects React on the global.
+beforeEach(() => vi.stubGlobal("React", React));
+afterEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals());
+
+function render(
+  active: boolean,
+  input: { current: unknown },
+  publish: (isLive: () => boolean) => void,
+) {
+  function Probe() {
+    publish(useIsInputLive(input));
+    return null;
+  }
+  return (
+    <RetainedPanelActivity active={active}>
+      <Probe />
+    </RetainedPanelActivity>
+  );
+}
+
+it("an input kept mounted in a panel that is not showing is not live", () => {
+  const input: { current: object | null } = { current: {} };
+  let isLive: () => boolean = () => false;
+  const publish = (read: () => boolean) => {
+    isLive = read;
+  };
+  const root = createRoot(document.createElement("div"));
+
+  act(() => root.render(render(true, input, publish)));
+  expect(isLive()).toBe(true);
+
+  act(() => root.render(render(false, input, publish)));
+  expect(isLive()).toBe(false);
+
+  act(() => root.render(render(true, input, publish)));
+  expect(isLive()).toBe(true);
+
+  input.current = null;
+  expect(isLive()).toBe(false);
+  act(() => root.unmount());
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/input/use-input-live.ts b/packages/app/src/composer/input/use-input-live.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cf83ea6735
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/input/use-input-live.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { useCallback, useRef } from "react";
+import { useRetainedPanelActive } from "@/components/retained-panel";
+
+/**
+ * Whether the composer's input is on screen, as a read a saved plugin command can make later. A
+ * retained composer keeps its input mounted and hidden, and its cursor and selection are then
+ * stale, so only an input in a panel that is showing counts.
+ */
+export function useIsInputLive(input: { readonly current: unknown }): () => boolean {
+  const panelActive = useRetainedPanelActive();
+  const panelActiveRef = useRef(panelActive);
+  panelActiveRef.current = panelActive;
+  return useCallback(() => input.current !== null && panelActiveRef.current, [input]);
+}