aggressive token saving attempts

The tab bar's row-2 summary was painted only for the active tab. Add a
per-child summaryTextFor/summaryRawFor helper (active variants now
delegate to it), carry each tab's childID on its tabRect, and loop over
all visible tabs so each renders its own summary under its column.
Layout is unchanged (still 3 rows); narrow tabs clip as before.

Resolves the per-tab summary TODO item.

.gitignore

@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ spike-report-*.txt
 /bin/
 /spike
 /.worktrees/
+/.claude/worktrees/
 internal/harness/.artifacts/

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,57 @@ loosely follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+- MCP clients can now call `scratchpad_delete` with a scratchpad name
+  to remove a shared project scratchpad.
+
+### Changed
+- The tab bar now shows each visible agent tab's own summary instead
+  of only rendering the focused tab's summary.
+- `get_process_output` now returns aggressively canonical terminal text
+  by default, removing ANSI/control noise, decorative borders, duplicate
+  status churn, and volatile progress/timer fragments; raw PTY bytes are
+  opt-in with `raw:true`.
+- MCP responses now use slimmer defaults: tool-call JSON is no longer
+  duplicated into text content, large output and scratchpad reads are
+  capped with truncation metadata, and `whoami` / `get_project_status`
+  only include full tool lists when `include_tools` is requested.
+
+### Fixed
+- Injected agent input now sends the submit Enter as a separated,
+  settled keystroke so messages reliably submit instead of sometimes
+  sitting unsent in the composer.
+- Codex agents are no longer reported idle while a turn is still
+  running.
+- Slow MCP tool calls such as `wait_for_pattern` no longer block later
+  tool calls on the same MCP connection.
+- Closing an agent now escalates from SIGTERM to SIGKILL when needed,
+  so agents that ignore SIGTERM disappear from the running tab bar
+  after one Close action while keeping their exited pane readable.
+- Sidebar timer indicators now repaint as their visible countdown
+  value changes, so labels progress from minutes to seconds without
+  waiting for unrelated terminal output or focus changes.
+- Raw terminal focused actions now show a single `Close` row instead
+  of separate stop/delete-style lifecycle choices that did the same
+  thing for ephemeral terminal panes.
+- Restarting a process from the palette now restores the focused pane
+  and host chrome before waiting for the old process to exit, so the
+  tab bar and sidebar do not disappear during slow restarts.
+- Deleting the focused scratchpad now moves focus to another
+  scratchpad when one exists, or back to a running terminal/agent
+  instead of dropping into the empty state.
+- Multiline paste into raw terminal and command panes no longer pays
+  the agent-specific per-Enter delay, making large pasted input arrive
+  as one PTY write outside Claude/Codex/OpenCode panes.
+
+## [0.0.7] - 2026-05-18
+
+### Added
+- The top tab bar now prefixes each agent tab's label with its
+  idle-state glyph (✕ error, ? permission, ◐ thinking, ○ idle, ●
+  working), matching the sidebar's vocabulary so the state of every
+  open agent is visible without opening or focusing each tab.
+
 ### Changed
 - Built-in agent presets (`claude`, `codex`, `opencode`) now live in
   memory and user preset files merge over them by name instead of

TODO.md

@@ -1 +1 @@
-- [ ] We should show idle state in the top tab bar as well
+- [ ] Pasting into codex is no longer clean, it sends loads of messages rather than one clean paste.

internal/app/app.go

@@ -326,6 +326,15 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, opts Options) error {
 		}
 	}()
 
+	// Timer sidebar refresher: countdown labels are computed at draw
+	// time, so wake the sidebar when the next visible timer bucket is
+	// due to change even if no child PTY output arrives.
+	wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		st.runTimerSidebarRefresher(ctx)
+	}()
+
 	// Marquee ticker: while a focused sidebar row's name overflows the
 	// rail width, advance the pause-scroll-pause animation by marking
 	// the sidebar dirty every marqueeStep. The chrome ticker above does
@@ -505,7 +514,14 @@ func (st *uiState) dbgf(format string, args ...any) {
 }
 
 func (st *uiState) activeSummaryText(width int) string {
-	text := st.activeSummaryRaw()
+	st.mu.Lock()
+	active := st.activeAgentID
+	st.mu.Unlock()
+	return st.summaryTextFor(active, width)
+}
+
+func (st *uiState) summaryTextFor(childID string, width int) string {
+	text := st.summaryRawFor(childID)
 	if text == "" || width <= 0 {
 		return ""
 	}
@@ -516,7 +532,14 @@ func (st *uiState) activeSummaryText(width int) string {
 }
 
 func (st *uiState) activeSummaryRaw() string {
-	if st.summaries == nil {
+	st.mu.Lock()
+	active := st.activeAgentID
+	st.mu.Unlock()
+	return st.summaryRawFor(active)
+}
+
+func (st *uiState) summaryRawFor(childID string) string {
+	if st.summaries == nil || childID == "" {
 		return ""
 	}
 	st.settingsMu.Lock()
@@ -525,13 +548,7 @@ func (st *uiState) activeSummaryRaw() string {
 	if !enabled {
 		return ""
 	}
-	st.mu.Lock()
+	sum := st.summaries.Summary(childID)
-	active := st.activeAgentID
-	st.mu.Unlock()
-	if active == "" {
-		return ""
-	}
-	sum := st.summaries.Summary(active)
 	text := strings.TrimSpace(sum.Text)
 	if text == "" {
 		return ""
@@ -671,6 +688,20 @@ func (st *uiState) clearViewportArea() {
 	_, _ = os.Stdout.WriteString(b.String())
 }
 
+func (st *uiState) repaintFocusedWithChrome() {
+	st.mu.Lock()
+	padFocused := st.focusedPad != ""
+	st.mu.Unlock()
+	if padFocused {
+		st.repaintFocusedPad()
+	} else {
+		st.repaintFocused()
+	}
+	st.drawTabBar()
+	st.drawSidebar()
+	st.drawStatusLine()
+}
+
 func (st *uiState) restartFocusedCommand(processID string) {
 	c := st.sess.FindChild(processID)
 	if c == nil || c.Kind != KindCommand {
@@ -687,14 +718,18 @@ func (st *uiState) restartFocusedCommand(processID string) {
 	st.repaintNextPTYBudget = 2
 	st.mu.Unlock()
 
-	st.outMu.Lock()
+	st.repaintFocusedWithChrome()
-	_, _ = os.Stdout.Write(renderer.ClearViewport())
-	st.outMu.Unlock()
 
 	if err := st.sess.Restart(c.ID, syscall.SIGTERM, layout.childCols(), layout.childRows()); err != nil {
 		st.flashError(fmt.Sprintf("restart %s: %v", c.DisplayName(), err))
+		st.drawTabBar()
+		st.drawSidebar()
+		st.drawStatusLine()
 		return
 	}
+	st.outMu.Lock()
+	_, _ = os.Stdout.Write(renderer.ClearViewport())
+	st.outMu.Unlock()
 	st.moveToViewportOrigin()
 	st.drawTabBar()
 	st.drawSidebar()
@@ -741,12 +776,7 @@ func (st *uiState) notifyAttention(childID, reason string) {
 }
 
 func (st *uiState) scratchpadsChanged() {
-	st.padsCacheMu.Lock()
+	st.invalidateScratchpadsCache()
-	st.padsCache = nil
-	st.padsCacheMu.Unlock()
-	st.chromeCacheMu.Lock()
-	st.sidebarCache = ""
-	st.chromeCacheMu.Unlock()
 	st.drawSidebar()
 	st.mu.Lock()
 	focusedPad := st.focusedPad
@@ -756,6 +786,15 @@ func (st *uiState) scratchpadsChanged() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (st *uiState) invalidateScratchpadsCache() {
+	st.padsCacheMu.Lock()
+	st.padsCache = nil
+	st.padsCacheMu.Unlock()
+	st.chromeCacheMu.Lock()
+	st.sidebarCache = ""
+	st.chromeCacheMu.Unlock()
+}
+
 // OnChildSpawned auto-focuses the new child when the spawn came from
 // the user (palette, persistence restore, or an external MCP client with
 // no resolved identity). When ParentID is set — meaning a patterm-managed
@@ -829,11 +868,11 @@ func (st *uiState) OnChildSpawned(c *Child) {
 	st.drawStatusLine()
 }
 
-// OnChildStateChanged repaints the sidebar whenever a child's
+// OnChildStateChanged repaints the sidebar and tab bar whenever a
-// idle-state badge flips. Cheap — the badge is the only chrome that
+// child's idle-state badge flips. Cheap — both draws bail when the
-// reflects state today, and drawSidebar bails when the cached frame
+// cached frame hasn't changed.
-// hasn't changed.
 func (st *uiState) OnChildStateChanged(string, IdleState) {
+	st.drawTabBar()
 	st.drawSidebar()
 }
 
@@ -1143,6 +1182,55 @@ func (st *uiState) markSidebarDirty() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (st *uiState) runTimerSidebarRefresher(ctx context.Context) {
+	if st.timers == nil {
+		<-ctx.Done()
+		return
+	}
+	changes := st.timers.changeEvents()
+	var timer *time.Timer
+	var timerC <-chan time.Time
+	stop := func() {
+		if timer == nil {
+			return
+		}
+		if !timer.Stop() {
+			select {
+			case <-timer.C:
+			default:
+			}
+		}
+		timer = nil
+		timerC = nil
+	}
+	arm := func() {
+		stop()
+		wait, ok := st.timers.nextSidebarRefreshAfter(time.Now())
+		if !ok {
+			return
+		}
+		if wait < timerSidebarMinRefresh {
+			wait = timerSidebarMinRefresh
+		}
+		timer = time.NewTimer(wait)
+		timerC = timer.C
+	}
+	defer stop()
+	arm()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-changes:
+			st.markSidebarDirty()
+			arm()
+		case <-timerC:
+			st.markSidebarDirty()
+			arm()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (st *uiState) invalidateChromeCache() {
 	st.chromeCacheMu.Lock()
 	st.tabBarCache = ""
@@ -1433,9 +1521,10 @@ func (st *uiState) processStdin(chunk []byte) {
 		if st.focusedID != "" {
 			if c := st.sess.FindChild(st.focusedID); c != nil && c.Status() == StatusRunning {
 				prev := c.Owner()
-				// InjectAsUser splits Enter bytes onto their own
+				// Agent panes split Enter bytes onto their own writes
-				// writes so claude / codex / opencode don't treat a
+				// so claude / codex / opencode don't treat a
-				// "text\r" batch as a paste.
+				// "text\r" batch as a paste. Raw terminals keep paste
+				// bytes batched.
 				_ = c.InjectAsUser(forward)
 				if st.summaries != nil {
 					st.summaries.ObserveHumanInput(c.ID, forward)
@@ -2131,20 +2220,47 @@ func (st *uiState) handlePadDelete(name string) {
 		st.repaintFocused()
 		return
 	}
+	st.mu.Lock()
+	wasFocused := st.focusedPad == name
+	st.mu.Unlock()
 	if err := st.pads.Delete(name); err != nil {
 		st.flashError(fmt.Sprintf("delete %s: %v", name, err))
 		return
 	}
-	st.mu.Lock()
+	if wasFocused {
-	if st.focusedPad == name {
+		st.invalidateScratchpadsCache()
+		if entries := st.padsList(); len(entries) > 0 {
+			next := entries[0].Name
+			st.mu.Lock()
+			st.focusedPad = next
+			st.focusedID = ""
+			st.focusedName = next
+			if st.padOffsetName != next {
+				st.padOffset = 0
+				st.padOffsetName = next
+			}
+			st.mu.Unlock()
+			st.repaintFocusedWithChrome()
+			return
+		}
+		if next := firstRunningTopLevel(st.sess.Children()); next != nil {
+			st.focusProcess(next.ID)
+			return
+		}
+		st.mu.Lock()
 		st.focusedPad = ""
+		st.focusedName = ""
+		st.padOffset = 0
+		st.padOffsetName = ""
+		st.mu.Unlock()
+		st.renderEmptyState()
+		st.drawTabBar()
+		st.drawSidebar()
+		st.drawStatusLine()
+		return
 	}
-	st.mu.Unlock()
 	st.scratchpadsChanged()
-	st.repaintFocused()
+	st.repaintFocusedWithChrome()
-	st.drawTabBar()
-	st.drawSidebar()
-	st.drawStatusLine()
 }
 
 func (st *uiState) handlePadRename(oldName, newName string) {
@@ -2237,11 +2353,9 @@ func (st *uiState) handleChildRename(childID, newName string) {
 	st.drawStatusLine()
 }
 
-// handleChildClose removes a child entry entirely. For agents this is
+// handleChildClose removes a child entry entirely for process deletes.
-// equivalent to a SIGTERM kill (the entry is ephemeral and disappears
+// For agent Close, it terminates the PTY with escalation but preserves
-// from the session once the PTY exits). For command processes it's
+// the exited pane so the user can still read the corpse.
-// equivalent to the MCP close_process tool: SIGKILL if alive, then
-// drop the entry so it stops appearing in the switch/restart lists.
 func (st *uiState) handleChildClose(childID string, kill bool) {
 	if childID == "" {
 		st.repaintFocused()
@@ -2256,7 +2370,11 @@ func (st *uiState) handleChildClose(childID string, kill bool) {
 	if kill {
 		_ = st.sess.Close(childID, syscall.SIGKILL)
 	} else {
-		_ = st.sess.Kill(childID, syscall.SIGTERM)
+		go func() {
+			if err := st.sess.Terminate(childID, syscall.SIGTERM); err != nil {
+				logf("terminate child %s: %v", childID, err)
+			}
+		}()
 	}
 	st.repaintFocused()
 	st.drawTabBar()
@@ -2293,8 +2411,19 @@ func (st *uiState) handleProcRestart(childID string) {
 		return
 	}
 	layout := st.layoutSnapshot()
+	st.mu.Lock()
+	if c.ID == st.focusedID {
+		st.renderer = newViewportRenderer(layout)
+		st.repaintNextPTY = c.ID
+		st.repaintNextPTYBudget = 2
+	}
+	st.mu.Unlock()
+	st.repaintFocusedWithChrome()
 	if err := st.sess.Restart(childID, syscall.SIGTERM, layout.childCols(), layout.childRows()); err != nil {
 		st.flashError(fmt.Sprintf("restart %s: %v", c.DisplayName(), err))
+		st.drawTabBar()
+		st.drawSidebar()
+		st.drawStatusLine()
 		return
 	}
 	st.repaintFocused()

internal/app/canonical.go

@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+	"unicode"
+	"unicode/utf8"
+)
+
+var (
+	statusVolatileRE = regexp.MustCompile(`\b(?:\d+h\s*)?\d+m\s*\d+s\b|\b\d{1,2}:\d{2}(?::\d{2})?\b|\b\d+(?:\.\d+)?s\b`)
+	counterRE        = regexp.MustCompile(`\b\d+\s*/\s*\d+\b|\b\d{1,3}%`)
+	spinnerGlyphRE   = regexp.MustCompile(`^[\s⠁⠂⠄⡀⢀⠠⠐⠈⠋⠙⠹⠸⠼⠴⠦⠧⠇⠏•·∙◐◓◑◒]+`)
+)
+
+func canonicalizeTerminalText(s string, maxLines int) (string, bool, int) {
+	s = string(stripANSIBytes(nil, []byte(s)))
+	s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, "\r\n", "\n")
+	s = carriageReturnToLines(s)
+	s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, "\r", "\n")
+
+	lines := strings.Split(s, "\n")
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(lines))
+	pendingBlank := false
+	for _, raw := range lines {
+		line := strings.TrimRightFunc(stripControlRunes(raw), unicode.IsSpace)
+		if strings.TrimSpace(line) == "" {
+			if len(out) > 0 {
+				pendingBlank = true
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if isBorderOnlyLine(line) {
+			continue
+		}
+		line = canonicalStatusLine(line)
+		if len(out) > 0 && out[len(out)-1] == line {
+			pendingBlank = false
+			continue
+		}
+		if pendingBlank {
+			out = append(out, "")
+			pendingBlank = false
+		}
+		out = append(out, line)
+	}
+
+	if maxLines > 0 && len(out) > maxLines {
+		dropped := strings.Join(out[:len(out)-maxLines], "\n")
+		out = out[len(out)-maxLines:]
+		return strings.Join(out, "\n"), true, len(dropped)
+	}
+	return strings.Join(out, "\n"), false, 0
+}
+
+func carriageReturnToLines(s string) string {
+	var out []string
+	var current strings.Builder
+	flush := func() {
+		out = append(out, current.String())
+		current.Reset()
+	}
+	for len(s) > 0 {
+		r, size := utf8.DecodeRuneInString(s)
+		s = s[size:]
+		switch r {
+		case '\r':
+			current.Reset()
+		case '\n':
+			flush()
+		default:
+			current.WriteRune(r)
+		}
+	}
+	if current.Len() > 0 || len(out) == 0 {
+		flush()
+	}
+	return strings.Join(out, "\n")
+}
+
+func stripControlRunes(s string) string {
+	return strings.Map(func(r rune) rune {
+		if r == '\t' || r == '\n' {
+			return r
+		}
+		if unicode.IsControl(r) {
+			return -1
+		}
+		return r
+	}, s)
+}
+
+func isBorderOnlyLine(s string) bool {
+	trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(s)
+	if trimmed == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	seenBox := false
+	for _, r := range trimmed {
+		if r >= 0x2500 && r <= 0x257f {
+			seenBox = true
+			continue
+		}
+		switch r {
+		case ' ', '\t', '-', '_', '=', '+', '|', ':', '.', '\'', '"', '`', '*':
+			continue
+		default:
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return seenBox
+}
+
+func canonicalStatusLine(s string) string {
+	if !looksStatusLike(s) {
+		return s
+	}
+	leading := len(s) - len(strings.TrimLeftFunc(s, unicode.IsSpace))
+	prefix := s[:leading]
+	body := s[leading:]
+	body = spinnerGlyphRE.ReplaceAllString(body, "")
+	body = statusVolatileRE.ReplaceAllString(body, "[time]")
+	body = counterRE.ReplaceAllString(body, "[count]")
+	return prefix + strings.TrimRightFunc(body, unicode.IsSpace)
+}
+
+func looksStatusLike(s string) bool {
+	lower := strings.ToLower(s)
+	for _, token := range []string{
+		"status", "running", "remaining", "progress", "loading",
+		"building", "installing", "downloading", "waiting", "working",
+	} {
+		if strings.Contains(lower, token) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(s)
+	if trimmed == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	r, _ := utf8.DecodeRuneInString(trimmed)
+	return strings.ContainsRune("⠁⠂⠄⡀⢀⠠⠐⠈⠋⠙⠹⠸⠼⠴⠦⠧⠇⠏•·∙◐◓◑◒", r)
+}

internal/app/canonical_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/mcp"
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/preset"
+)
+
+func TestCanonicalizeTerminalText(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   string
+		want string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "ansi osc and controls",
+			in:   "\x1b]0;title\x07\x1b[31mred\x1b[0m\x00\nok",
+			want: "red\nok",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "noisy harness stream",
+			in:   "\x1b]0;noise\x07\x1b[31mStatus: running 12s\x1b[0m\nStatus: running 13s\n╭────╮\n│    │\nDownloading 10%\rDownloading 100%\nFINAL: deploy ready\n",
+			want: "Status: running [time]\nDownloading [count]\nFINAL: deploy ready",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "repeated blank collapse",
+			in:   "one\n\n\n two\n \n\t\nthree",
+			want: "one\n\n two\n\nthree",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "border only box drawing removal",
+			in:   "╭────────╮\n│        │\nimportant\n╰────────╯",
+			want: "important",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "carriage return progress coalesces final frame",
+			in:   "Downloading 10%\rDownloading 20%\rDownloading 100%\nDone",
+			want: "Downloading [count]\nDone",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "volatile timer duplicate collapse",
+			in:   "Status: running 12s\nStatus: running 13s\nStatus: running 01:23",
+			want: "Status: running [time]",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "duplicate status row collapse",
+			in:   "⠋ Building 1/4\n⠙ Building 2/4\n⠹ Building 3/4\nready",
+			want: "Building [count]\nready",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "preserve meaningful indented code and tables",
+			in:   "  if elapsed == 12s {\n    return value\n  }\n| name | value |\n| a    | 1     |",
+			want: "  if elapsed == 12s {\n    return value\n  }\n| name | value |\n| a    | 1     |",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, truncated, _ := canonicalizeTerminalText(tc.in, 120)
+			if truncated {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected truncation")
+			}
+			if got != tc.want {
+				t.Fatalf("got %q want %q", got, tc.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCanonicalizeTerminalTextMaxLines(t *testing.T) {
+	got, truncated, dropped := canonicalizeTerminalText("one\ntwo\nthree", 2)
+	if !truncated {
+		t.Fatalf("expected truncation")
+	}
+	if dropped == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected dropped bytes")
+	}
+	if got != "two\nthree" {
+		t.Fatalf("got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetProcessOutputStreamCanonicalByDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
+	c := newChildEntry("p1", "proc", KindCommand, nil, nil, "", "", "")
+	addChild(sess, c)
+	c.recordWrite([]byte("\x1b[31mStatus: running 12s\x1b[0m\nStatus: running 13s\nresult\n"))
+	host := newToolHost(sess, nil, nil, preset.Set{}, nil, 80, 24)
+
+	out, err := host.GetProcessOutput("", mcp.ProcessOutputArgs{ProcessID: c.ID, Mode: "stream"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !out.Canonicalized {
+		t.Fatalf("expected canonicalized output")
+	}
+	if out.Content != "Status: running [time]\nresult" {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q", out.Content)
+	}
+	if out.Cursor != nil || out.Rows != 0 || out.Cols != 0 || out.ScreenVersion != 0 || out.IdleMS != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("default output should be metadata-light: %#v", out)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetProcessOutputRawReturnsStreamBytes(t *testing.T) {
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
+	c := newChildEntry("p1", "proc", KindCommand, nil, nil, "", "", "")
+	addChild(sess, c)
+	c.recordWrite([]byte("\x1b[31mred\x1b[0m"))
+	host := newToolHost(sess, nil, nil, preset.Set{}, nil, 80, 24)
+
+	out, err := host.GetProcessOutput("", mcp.ProcessOutputArgs{ProcessID: c.ID, Mode: "grid", Raw: true})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if out.Mode != "stream" {
+		t.Fatalf("raw grid mode should report stream semantics, got %q", out.Mode)
+	}
+	if out.Canonicalized {
+		t.Fatalf("raw output should not be canonicalized")
+	}
+	if out.Content != "\x1b[31mred\x1b[0m" {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q", out.Content)
+	}
+	if out.NewOffset != int64(len(out.Content)) {
+		t.Fatalf("new_offset=%d want %d", out.NewOffset, len(out.Content))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetProcessOutputCanonicalAfterRawRead(t *testing.T) {
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
+	c := newChildEntry("p1", "proc", KindCommand, nil, nil, "", "", "")
+	addChild(sess, c)
+	c.recordWrite([]byte("\x1b[31mStatus: running 12s\x1b[0m\nStatus: running 13s\nDownloading 10%\rDownloading 100%\nFINAL: deploy ready\n"))
+	host := newToolHost(sess, nil, nil, preset.Set{}, nil, 80, 24)
+
+	if _, err := host.GetProcessOutput("", mcp.ProcessOutputArgs{ProcessID: c.ID, Mode: "stream", Raw: true}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	out, err := host.GetProcessOutput("", mcp.ProcessOutputArgs{ProcessID: c.ID, Mode: "stream", MaxLines: 20})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if out.Content != "Status: running [time]\nDownloading [count]\nFINAL: deploy ready" {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q", out.Content)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetProcessOutputIncludeMetaRestoresFields(t *testing.T) {
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
+	c := newChildEntry("p1", "proc", KindCommand, nil, nil, "", "", "")
+	addChild(sess, c)
+	c.recordWrite([]byte("ok"))
+	host := newToolHost(sess, nil, nil, preset.Set{}, nil, 80, 24)
+
+	out, err := host.GetProcessOutput("", mcp.ProcessOutputArgs{ProcessID: c.ID, Mode: "stream", IncludeMeta: true})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if out.ScreenVersion == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("screen_version missing with include_meta: %#v", out)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(out.Content, "ok") {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q", out.Content)
+	}
+}

internal/app/child.go

@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ import (
 // false positives (timestamps, exit codes, etc.).
 var portRegex = regexp.MustCompile(`https?://[^\s:/]+:(\d{2,5})(?:/[^\s]*)?`)
 
+const (
+	agentInterPieceDelay   = 15 * time.Millisecond
+	agentSubmitSettleDelay = 100 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
 type ChildStatus string
 
 const (
@@ -527,6 +532,12 @@ func (c *Child) StreamRead(since int64) ([]byte, int64) {
 	return out, end
 }
 
+func (c *Child) StreamOffset() int64 {
+	c.ringMu.Lock()
+	defer c.ringMu.Unlock()
+	return c.ringWrites
+}
+
 func (c *Child) signal(sig syscall.Signal) error {
 	pty := c.PTY()
 	if pty == nil {
@@ -625,25 +636,25 @@ func (c *Child) InjectAsOrchestrator(b []byte) error {
 }
 
 // writeInput is the shared PTY write path used by both injection
-// flavours. Each Enter byte (CR or LF) is split onto its own write
+// flavours. Agent panes split each Enter byte (CR or LF) onto its own
-// with a brief delay so TUI agents with paste-detection (claude,
+// write with a brief delay so TUI agents with paste-detection (claude,
 // codex, opencode) don't coalesce a trailing CR into the text that
-// preceded it. Without the split, `pty.Write([]byte("hello\r"))`
+// preceded it. Raw terminals and command panes receive the original
-// arrives at the agent as one read() and gets treated as multi-line
+// byte stream in one write; otherwise a multiline paste pays the agent
-// pasted content rather than "key Enter".
+// workaround's delay once per line.
 func (c *Child) writeInput(b []byte) error {
 	pty := c.PTY()
 	if pty == nil {
 		return errors.New("child has no pty")
 	}
-	pieces := splitOnEnter(b)
+	pieces := inputWritePieces(c.Kind, b)
 	if len(pieces) <= 1 {
 		_, err := pty.Write(b)
 		return err
 	}
 	for i, piece := range pieces {
-		if i > 0 {
+		if delay := pieceWriteDelay(i, len(pieces), piece); delay > 0 {
-			time.Sleep(15 * time.Millisecond)
+			time.Sleep(delay)
 		}
 		if _, err := pty.Write(piece); err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -652,6 +663,27 @@ func (c *Child) writeInput(b []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func inputWritePieces(kind ChildKind, b []byte) [][]byte {
+	if kind != KindAgent {
+		return [][]byte{b}
+	}
+	return splitOnEnter(b)
+}
+
+func pieceWriteDelay(index, total int, piece []byte) time.Duration {
+	if index == 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	if index == total-1 && isLoneEnter(piece) {
+		return agentSubmitSettleDelay
+	}
+	return agentInterPieceDelay
+}
+
+func isLoneEnter(piece []byte) bool {
+	return len(piece) == 1 && (piece[0] == '\r' || piece[0] == '\n')
+}
+
 func mintIdentity() string {
 	var buf [12]byte
 	_, _ = rand.Read(buf[:])

internal/app/child_input_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestInputWritePiecesOnlySplitAgentEnters(t *testing.T) {
+	in := []byte("alpha\nbeta\rgamma")
+	for _, kind := range []ChildKind{KindTerminal, KindCommand} {
+		t.Run(string(kind), func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := inputWritePieces(kind, in)
+			if len(got) != 1 || !bytes.Equal(got[0], in) {
+				t.Fatalf("inputWritePieces(%s) = %#v, want one original chunk", kind, got)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	got := inputWritePieces(KindAgent, in)
+	if len(got) != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("agent pieces len = %d, want 5 (%#v)", len(got), got)
+	}
+	want := [][]byte{[]byte("alpha"), []byte("\n"), []byte("beta"), []byte("\r"), []byte("gamma")}
+	for i := range want {
+		if !bytes.Equal(got[i], want[i]) {
+			t.Fatalf("agent piece %d = %q, want %q", i, got[i], want[i])
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPieceWriteDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name  string
+		index int
+		total int
+		piece []byte
+		want  time.Duration
+	}{
+		{
+			name:  "first piece",
+			index: 0,
+			total: 3,
+			piece: []byte("body"),
+			want:  0,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "middle body piece",
+			index: 1,
+			total: 3,
+			piece: []byte("body"),
+			want:  agentInterPieceDelay,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "final carriage return submit",
+			index: 1,
+			total: 2,
+			piece: []byte("\r"),
+			want:  agentSubmitSettleDelay,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "final newline submit",
+			index: 1,
+			total: 2,
+			piece: []byte("\n"),
+			want:  agentSubmitSettleDelay,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "final non-enter piece",
+			index: 2,
+			total: 3,
+			piece: []byte("tail"),
+			want:  agentInterPieceDelay,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "standalone enter fast path",
+			index: 0,
+			total: 1,
+			piece: []byte("\r"),
+			want:  0,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := pieceWriteDelay(tc.index, tc.total, tc.piece); got != tc.want {
+				t.Fatalf("pieceWriteDelay(%d, %d, %q) = %s, want %s", tc.index, tc.total, tc.piece, got, tc.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/app/host.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
+	"unicode"
 
 	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/mcp"
 	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/preset"
@@ -64,6 +65,17 @@ type toolHost struct {
 	timers *timerManager
 }
 
+const (
+	defaultMCPContentBytes     = 12_000
+	maxMCPContentBytes         = 65_536
+	defaultMCPCanonicalLines   = 120
+	maxMCPCanonicalLines       = 500
+	defaultMCPTailBytes        = 8_000
+	defaultScratchpadReadBytes = 12_000
+	defaultSearchLineBytes     = 2_000
+	maxSearchMatches           = 50
+)
+
 func newToolHost(sess *Session, pads *scratchpad.Store, launcher *Launcher, presets preset.Set, tr *trust.Store, cols, rows uint16) *toolHost {
 	h := &toolHost{
 		sess:       sess,
@@ -352,8 +364,8 @@ func (h *toolHost) GetProcessStatus(callerID, processID string) (mcp.ProcessStat
 	return st, nil
 }
 
-func (h *toolHost) GetProjectStatus(callerID string) (mcp.ProjectStatus, error) {
+func (h *toolHost) GetProjectStatus(callerID string, includeTools bool) (mcp.ProjectStatus, error) {
-	caller := h.WhoAmI(callerID)
+	caller := h.WhoAmI(callerID, includeTools)
 	processes := h.ListProcesses(callerID, "")
 	pads, _ := h.pads.List()
 	return mcp.ProjectStatus{
@@ -364,27 +376,48 @@ func (h *toolHost) GetProjectStatus(callerID string) (mcp.ProjectStatus, error)
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (h *toolHost) GetProcessOutput(callerID, processID, mode string, sinceOffset int64) (mcp.ProcessOutput, error) {
+func (h *toolHost) GetProcessOutput(callerID string, args mcp.ProcessOutputArgs) (mcp.ProcessOutput, error) {
+	processID, mode, sinceOffset := args.ProcessID, args.Mode, args.SinceOffset
 	c := h.sess.FindChild(processID)
 	if c == nil {
 		return mcp.ProcessOutput{}, mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such process %q", processID)
 	}
+	if mode == "" {
+		mode = "grid"
+	}
+	if args.Raw {
+		b, end := c.StreamRead(sinceOffset)
+		content, contentBytes, truncated, truncatedBytes := capBytesTail(b, capLimit(args.MaxBytes, defaultMCPContentBytes))
+		return mcp.ProcessOutput{
+			Content:        content,
+			Mode:           "stream",
+			NewOffset:      end,
+			Status:         string(c.Status()),
+			ContentBytes:   contentBytes,
+			Truncated:      truncated,
+			TruncatedBytes: truncatedBytes,
+		}, nil
+	}
 	out := mcp.ProcessOutput{
 		Mode:          mode,
-		IdleMS:        c.IdleMS(),
 		Status:        string(c.Status()),
-		ScreenVersion: c.ScreenVersion(),
+		Canonicalized: true,
 	}
-	if em := c.Emulator(); em != nil {
+	if args.IncludeMeta {
-		if sc, err := em.ActiveScreen(); err == nil {
+		out.IdleMS = c.IdleMS()
-			out.ActiveScreen = activeScreenName(sc)
+		out.ScreenVersion = c.ScreenVersion()
+		if em := c.Emulator(); em != nil {
+			if sc, err := em.ActiveScreen(); err == nil {
+				out.ActiveScreen = activeScreenName(sc)
+			}
+			if cur, err := em.Cursor(); err == nil {
+				out.Cursor = &mcp.Cursor{X: int(cur.Col), Y: int(cur.Row)}
+			}
+			cols, rows := em.Size()
+			out.Cols, out.Rows = int(cols), int(rows)
 		}
-		if cur, err := em.Cursor(); err == nil {
-			out.Cursor = mcp.Cursor{X: int(cur.Col), Y: int(cur.Row)}
-		}
-		cols, rows := em.Size()
-		out.Cols, out.Rows = int(cols), int(rows)
 	}
+	maxLines := canonicalLineLimit(args.MaxLines)
 	switch mode {
 	case "grid":
 		em := c.Emulator()
@@ -398,11 +431,21 @@ func (h *toolHost) GetProcessOutput(callerID, processID, mode string, sinceOffse
 		if c.Kind == KindAgent {
 			txt = applyChromeTrim(txt, h.chromeHintsFor(c.PresetRef))
 		}
-		out.Content = txt
+		content, lineTruncated, lineDroppedBytes := canonicalizeTerminalText(txt, maxLines)
+		out.Content, out.ContentBytes, out.Truncated, out.TruncatedBytes = capTextMiddle(content, capLimit(args.MaxBytes, defaultMCPContentBytes))
+		if lineTruncated {
+			out.Truncated = true
+			out.TruncatedBytes += lineDroppedBytes
+		}
 		return out, nil
 	case "stream":
 		b, end := c.StreamRead(sinceOffset)
-		out.Content = string(stripANSIBytes(nil, b))
+		content, lineTruncated, lineDroppedBytes := canonicalizeTerminalText(string(b), maxLines)
+		out.Content, out.ContentBytes, out.Truncated, out.TruncatedBytes = capTextTail(content, capLimit(args.MaxBytes, defaultMCPContentBytes))
+		if lineTruncated {
+			out.Truncated = true
+			out.TruncatedBytes += lineDroppedBytes
+		}
 		out.NewOffset = end
 		return out, nil
 	default:
@@ -410,34 +453,46 @@ func (h *toolHost) GetProcessOutput(callerID, processID, mode string, sinceOffse
 	}
 }
 
-func (h *toolHost) GetProcessRawOutput(callerID, processID string, sinceOffset int64) (mcp.RawOutput, error) {
+func (h *toolHost) GetProcessRawOutput(callerID string, args mcp.RawOutputArgs) (mcp.RawOutput, error) {
-	c := h.sess.FindChild(processID)
+	c := h.sess.FindChild(args.ProcessID)
 	if c == nil {
-		return mcp.RawOutput{}, mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such process %q", processID)
+		return mcp.RawOutput{}, mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such process %q", args.ProcessID)
 	}
-	b, end := c.StreamRead(sinceOffset)
+	b, end := c.StreamRead(args.SinceOffset)
+	content, contentBytes, truncated, truncatedBytes := capBytesTail(b, capLimit(args.MaxBytes, defaultMCPContentBytes))
 	return mcp.RawOutput{
-		Content:   string(b),
+		Content:        content,
-		NewOffset: end,
+		NewOffset:      end,
-		Status:    string(c.Status()),
+		Status:         string(c.Status()),
+		ContentBytes:   contentBytes,
+		Truncated:      truncated,
+		TruncatedBytes: truncatedBytes,
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (h *toolHost) SearchOutput(callerID, processID, pattern, kind string, limit int) (mcp.SearchResult, error) {
+func (h *toolHost) SearchOutput(callerID string, args mcp.SearchOutputArgs) (mcp.SearchResult, error) {
-	c := h.sess.FindChild(processID)
+	c := h.sess.FindChild(args.ProcessID)
 	if c == nil {
-		return mcp.SearchResult{}, mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such process %q", processID)
+		return mcp.SearchResult{}, mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such process %q", args.ProcessID)
 	}
-	re, err := regexp.Compile(pattern)
+	re, err := regexp.Compile(args.Pattern)
 	if err != nil {
 		return mcp.SearchResult{}, mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindInvalidArgs, "regex: %v", err)
 	}
 	b, _ := c.StreamRead(0)
-	if kind == "rendered" {
+	if args.Kind == "rendered" {
 		b = stripANSIBytes(nil, b)
 	}
 	text := string(b)
 	lines := strings.Split(text, "\n")
+	limit := args.Limit
+	if limit <= 0 {
+		limit = 10
+	}
+	if limit > maxSearchMatches {
+		limit = maxSearchMatches
+	}
+	lineLimit := capLimit(args.MaxBytes, defaultSearchLineBytes)
 	matches := make([]mcp.SearchMatch, 0, limit)
 	truncated := false
 	for i, line := range lines {
@@ -446,6 +501,8 @@ func (h *toolHost) SearchOutput(callerID, processID, pattern, kind string, limit
 				truncated = true
 				break
 			}
+			line, _, lineTruncated, _ := capTextTail(line, lineLimit)
+			truncated = truncated || lineTruncated
 			matches = append(matches, mcp.SearchMatch{LineNo: i + 1, Text: line})
 		}
 	}
@@ -587,6 +644,7 @@ func (h *toolHost) SendInput(callerID string, args mcp.SendInputArgs) (mcp.SendI
 	if err != nil {
 		return mcp.SendInputResult{}, err
 	}
+	tailSince := c.StreamOffset()
 	if err := c.InjectAsOrchestrator(payload); err != nil {
 		return mcp.SendInputResult{}, err
 	}
@@ -598,7 +656,12 @@ func (h *toolHost) SendInput(callerID string, args mcp.SendInputArgs) (mcp.SendI
 		}
 		if mode != "none" {
 			time.Sleep(time.Duration(args.WaitMS) * time.Millisecond)
-			tail, err := h.GetProcessOutput(callerID, args.ProcessID, mode, 0)
+			tail, err := h.GetProcessOutput(callerID, mcp.ProcessOutputArgs{
+				ProcessID:   args.ProcessID,
+				Mode:        mode,
+				SinceOffset: tailSince,
+				MaxBytes:    capLimit(args.TailMaxBytes, defaultMCPTailBytes),
+			})
 			if err == nil {
 				res.Tail = &tail
 			}
@@ -812,8 +875,30 @@ func (h *toolHost) TimerList(callerID string) ([]mcp.TimerInfo, error) {
 
 func (h *toolHost) ScratchpadList() ([]scratchpad.Entry, error) { return h.pads.List() }
 
-func (h *toolHost) ScratchpadRead(name string) (string, string, error) {
+func (h *toolHost) ScratchpadRead(args mcp.ScratchpadReadArgs) (mcp.ScratchpadReadResult, error) {
-	return h.pads.Read(name)
+	content, rev, err := h.pads.Read(args.Name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return mcp.ScratchpadReadResult{}, err
+	}
+	offset := args.Offset
+	if offset < 0 {
+		offset = 0
+	}
+	if offset > len(content) {
+		offset = len(content)
+	}
+	limited, contentBytes, truncated, truncatedBytes := capTextHead(content[offset:], capLimit(args.MaxBytes, defaultScratchpadReadBytes))
+	next := offset + contentBytes
+	return mcp.ScratchpadReadResult{
+		Content:        limited,
+		Revision:       rev,
+		Offset:         offset,
+		NextOffset:     next,
+		ContentBytes:   contentBytes,
+		TotalBytes:     len(content),
+		Truncated:      truncated,
+		TruncatedBytes: truncatedBytes,
+	}, nil
 }
 
 func (h *toolHost) ScratchpadWrite(name, content, expectedRevision string) (string, error) {
@@ -832,7 +917,15 @@ func (h *toolHost) ScratchpadAppend(name, content string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (h *toolHost) WhoAmI(callerID string) mcp.WhoAmI {
+func (h *toolHost) ScratchpadDelete(name string) error {
+	err := h.pads.Delete(name)
+	if err == nil && h.scratch != nil {
+		h.scratch.scratchpadsChanged()
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (h *toolHost) WhoAmI(callerID string, includeTools bool) mcp.WhoAmI {
 	w := mcp.WhoAmI{
 		ProcessID: callerID,
 		Role:      h.CallerRole(callerID),
@@ -840,7 +933,9 @@ func (h *toolHost) WhoAmI(callerID string) mcp.WhoAmI {
 			Path: h.sess.projectDir,
 			Key:  h.sess.projectKey,
 		},
-		AvailableTools: availableToolsForRole(h.CallerRole(callerID)),
+	}
+	if includeTools {
+		w.AvailableTools = availableToolsForRole(h.CallerRole(callerID))
 	}
 	if c := h.sess.FindChild(callerID); c != nil {
 		w.Name = c.DisplayName()
@@ -1000,22 +1095,101 @@ func activeScreenName(s pkgvt.Screen) string {
 	}
 }
 
-// ansiRegexp strips CSI escape sequences and common single-character
+// ansiRegexp strips CSI/OSC escape sequences and common single-character
-// controls (BEL, OSC terminators) from the stream. The vt emulator
+// controls from the stream. The vt emulator already handles full
-// already handles full rendering for grid mode; this is only for
+// rendering for grid mode; this is only for stream-mode text output.
-// stream-mode ANSI-stripped output.
+var ansiRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`\x1b\][^\x07\x1b]*(?:\x07|\x1b\\)|\x1b\[[\x30-\x3f]*[\x20-\x2f]*[\x40-\x7e]|\x1b[\x40-\x5f]|\x07`)
-var ansiRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`\x1b\[[\x30-\x3f]*[\x20-\x2f]*[\x40-\x7e]|\x1b[\x40-\x5f]|\x07`)
 
 func stripANSI(s string) string {
 	return ansiRegexp.ReplaceAllString(s, "")
 }
 
+func normalizeGridText(s string) string {
+	s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, "\r\n", "\n")
+	s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, "\r", "\n")
+
+	lines := strings.Split(s, "\n")
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(lines))
+	pendingBlank := false
+	for _, line := range lines {
+		line = strings.TrimRightFunc(line, unicode.IsSpace)
+		if line == "" {
+			if len(out) > 0 {
+				pendingBlank = true
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if pendingBlank {
+			out = append(out, "")
+			pendingBlank = false
+		}
+		out = append(out, line)
+	}
+	return strings.Join(out, "\n")
+}
+
+func capLimit(requested, def int) int {
+	if requested <= 0 {
+		requested = def
+	}
+	if requested > maxMCPContentBytes {
+		requested = maxMCPContentBytes
+	}
+	if requested < 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return requested
+}
+
+func canonicalLineLimit(requested int) int {
+	if requested <= 0 {
+		return defaultMCPCanonicalLines
+	}
+	if requested > maxMCPCanonicalLines {
+		return maxMCPCanonicalLines
+	}
+	return requested
+}
+
+func capBytesTail(b []byte, limit int) (string, int, bool, int) {
+	if limit <= 0 || len(b) <= limit {
+		return string(b), len(b), false, 0
+	}
+	dropped := len(b) - limit
+	return string(b[dropped:]), limit, true, dropped
+}
+
+func capTextTail(s string, limit int) (string, int, bool, int) {
+	return capBytesTail([]byte(s), limit)
+}
+
+func capTextHead(s string, limit int) (string, int, bool, int) {
+	if limit <= 0 || len(s) <= limit {
+		return s, len(s), false, 0
+	}
+	return s[:limit], limit, true, len(s) - limit
+}
+
+func capTextMiddle(s string, limit int) (string, int, bool, int) {
+	if limit <= 0 || len(s) <= limit {
+		return s, len(s), false, 0
+	}
+	const marker = "\n...[truncated]...\n"
+	if limit <= len(marker)+2 {
+		return s[len(s)-limit:], limit, true, len(s) - limit
+	}
+	head := (limit - len(marker)) / 2
+	tail := limit - len(marker) - head
+	return s[:head] + marker + s[len(s)-tail:], limit, true, len(s) - limit
+}
+
 // stripANSIBytes is the byte-slice form of stripANSI. Skips the
 // string conversion and the regex DFA — useful when the caller will
 // itself walk the result line-by-line (SearchOutput) or feed it to a
 // pattern match (WaitForPattern scrollback). Recognises the same
 // shapes the regex did:
 //   - `\x1b[ <params> <intermediate> <final-byte>` (CSI / SGR)
+//   - `\x1b] ... (BEL|ST)` (OSC)
 //   - `\x1b<final-byte>` for `@..._` (one-byte escapes)
 //   - `\x07` (BEL)
 //
@@ -1045,6 +1219,24 @@ func stripANSIBytes(dst, src []byte) []byte {
 			continue
 		}
 		next := src[i+1]
+		if next == ']' {
+			j := i + 2
+			for j < len(src) {
+				if src[j] == 0x07 {
+					i = j + 1
+					break
+				}
+				if src[j] == 0x1b && j+1 < len(src) && src[j+1] == '\\' {
+					i = j + 2
+					break
+				}
+				j++
+			}
+			if j >= len(src) {
+				i = len(src)
+			}
+			continue
+		}
 		if next != '[' {
 			// One-byte ESC sequence (`\x1b<final>` where final is
 			// `@..._` per the regex; we drop anything that follows).
@@ -1091,7 +1283,7 @@ func availableToolsForRole(role mcp.CallerRole) []string {
 		"send_input", "send_message", "request_human_attention",
 		"timer_wait", "timer_set", "timer_fire_when_idle_any", "timer_fire_when_idle_all",
 		"timer_cancel", "timer_pause", "timer_resume", "timer_list",
-		"scratchpad_list", "scratchpad_read", "scratchpad_write", "scratchpad_append",
+		"scratchpad_list", "scratchpad_read", "scratchpad_write", "scratchpad_append", "scratchpad_delete",
 		"whoami", "help",
 	}
 	if role == mcp.RoleOrchestrator {
@@ -1127,7 +1319,7 @@ func helpFor(topic string) mcp.HelpResponse {
 	case "inspection":
 		return mcp.HelpResponse{
 			Topic:        "inspection",
-			Content:      "get_process_output gives you the visible pane (grid mode) or a byte slice from since_offset (stream mode). list_processes is for the whole session. get_project_status batches everything you need to orient yourself.",
+			Content:      "get_process_output gives you canonical terminal text by default: the visible pane (grid mode) or recent stream text from since_offset (stream mode), with ANSI/control noise, borders, duplicate status churn, and volatile timers removed. Use raw:true only when you need diagnostic PTY bytes; include_meta:true restores cursor, geometry, and screen-version fields. list_processes is for the whole session. get_project_status batches everything you need to orient yourself.",
 			RelatedTools: []string{"list_processes", "get_process_status", "get_process_output", "search_output", "wait_for_pattern", "get_project_status"},
 		}
 	case "io":
@@ -1146,8 +1338,8 @@ func helpFor(topic string) mcp.HelpResponse {
 	case "scratchpads":
 		return mcp.HelpResponse{
 			Topic:        "scratchpads",
-			Content:      "Project-scoped markdown files. Read returns content + revision; pass that back as expected_revision on write to get last-write-wins-with-detection. Append is unconditional.",
+			Content:      "Project-scoped markdown files. Read returns content + revision; pass that back as expected_revision on write to get last-write-wins-with-detection. Append is unconditional; delete removes a pad by name.",
-			RelatedTools: []string{"scratchpad_list", "scratchpad_read", "scratchpad_write", "scratchpad_append"},
+			RelatedTools: []string{"scratchpad_list", "scratchpad_read", "scratchpad_write", "scratchpad_append", "scratchpad_delete"},
 		}
 	case "timers":
 		return mcp.HelpResponse{

internal/app/host_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/mcp"
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/scratchpad"
 )
 
 // mkChild builds a Child without starting a PTY. Use sparingly — the
@@ -134,6 +135,42 @@ func TestWrapSubAgentPromptEmptyStaysEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMCPContentCapsPreferRecentStreamBytes(t *testing.T) {
+	got, gotBytes, truncated, dropped := capBytesTail([]byte("abcdefghijklmnop"), 6)
+	if got != "klmnop" || gotBytes != 6 || !truncated || dropped != 10 {
+		t.Fatalf("capBytesTail = (%q, %d, %v, %d)", got, gotBytes, truncated, dropped)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMCPGridCapKeepsHeadAndTail(t *testing.T) {
+	got, gotBytes, truncated, dropped := capTextMiddle("abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", 24)
+	if gotBytes != 24 || !truncated || dropped != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("capTextMiddle metadata = (%d, %v, %d), content %q", gotBytes, truncated, dropped, got)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(got, "...[truncated]...") {
+		t.Fatalf("capTextMiddle missing marker: %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScratchpadReadPagesLargeContent(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("XDG_DATA_HOME", t.TempDir())
+	store, err := scratchpad.Open("test-project")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scratchpad open: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := store.Write("notes.md", "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scratchpad write: %v", err)
+	}
+	h := &toolHost{pads: store}
+	res, err := h.ScratchpadRead(mcp.ScratchpadReadArgs{Name: "notes.md", Offset: 5, MaxBytes: 7})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ScratchpadRead: %v", err)
+	}
+	if res.Content != "fghijkl" || !res.Truncated || res.NextOffset != 12 || res.TotalBytes != 26 {
+		t.Fatalf("ScratchpadRead result = %+v", res)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHelpLifecycleTopicCoversCleanup(t *testing.T) {
 	resp := helpFor("lifecycle")
 	if resp.Topic != "lifecycle" {

internal/app/idle_test.go

@@ -57,6 +57,21 @@ func TestClassifyTitleStability(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestClassifyTitleStabilityThinkingPatternOverridesIdle(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := &resolvedIdleDetection{
+		strategy:        StrategyOSCTitleStability,
+		idleThresholdMS: 2000,
+		thinkingRegexes: []*regexp.Regexp{mustCompile(t, `(?i)esc to interrupt`)},
+	}
+	screen := []byte("• Working (5s • esc to interrupt)")
+	if got, _ := classify(cfg, false, false, 9999, 5000, "codex", nil, screen); got != StateThinking {
+		t.Fatalf("thinking screen marker: got %q want %q", got, StateThinking)
+	}
+	if got, _ := classify(cfg, false, false, 9999, 5000, "codex", nil, []byte(">_")); got != StateIdle {
+		t.Fatalf("stable title without marker: got %q want %q", got, StateIdle)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestClassifyTitleStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := &resolvedIdleDetection{
 		strategy:        StrategyOSCTitleStatus,

internal/app/palette.go

@@ -267,9 +267,18 @@ func (p *paletteState) buildItems(macro string) []paletteItem {
 				out = append(out,
 					paletteItem{label: "Rename", hint: "rename agent · " + name,
 						action: paletteAction{kind: "agent-rename-form", childID: c.ID}, group: groupFocused},
-					paletteItem{label: "Close", hint: "close agent · " + name + " (SIGTERM)",
+					paletteItem{label: "Close", hint: "close agent · " + name + " (SIGTERM, escalates)",
 						action: paletteAction{kind: "agent-close", childID: c.ID}, group: groupFocused},
 				)
+			case KindTerminal:
+				out = append(out,
+					paletteItem{label: "Rename", hint: "rename terminal · " + name,
+						action: paletteAction{kind: "proc-rename-form", childID: c.ID}, group: groupFocused},
+					paletteItem{label: "Close", hint: "close terminal · " + name + " (SIGTERM)",
+						action: paletteAction{kind: "proc-stop", childID: c.ID}, group: groupFocused},
+					paletteItem{label: "Restart", hint: "restart terminal · " + name,
+						action: paletteAction{kind: "proc-restart", childID: c.ID}, group: groupFocused},
+				)
 			default:
 				out = append(out,
 					paletteItem{label: "Rename", hint: "rename process · " + name,

internal/app/palette_context_test.go

@@ -83,6 +83,25 @@ func TestContextItemsProcess(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestContextItemsTerminalUsesCloseNotStop(t *testing.T) {
+	c := makeFakeChild("tid", "terminal", KindTerminal)
+	p := newPalette([]*Child{c}, "tid", "", preset.Set{})
+	if _, it := findItem(p, "proc-stop"); it == nil || it.label != "Close" {
+		t.Fatalf("terminal close row missing or mislabelled: %+v", it)
+	}
+	if _, it := findItem(p, "proc-restart"); it == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("terminal restart row missing")
+	}
+	if i, _ := findItem(p, "proc-delete"); i != -1 {
+		t.Fatalf("terminal should not show a separate delete/close row, found at %d", i)
+	}
+	for i, it := range p.items {
+		if it.label == "Stop" {
+			t.Fatalf("terminal should not show Stop row, found at %d", i)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestContextItemsAppearAboveSwitch(t *testing.T) {
 	// Two children so there's still a non-focused switch entry to compare
 	// against (the focused child is suppressed from the Open section).

internal/app/ring_test.go

@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ func TestStripANSIBytesEquivalence(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []string{
 		"hello world",
 		"\x1b[31mred\x1b[0m text",
+		"\x1b]0;title\x07after osc",
+		"\x1b]2;title\x1b\\after st",
 		"line1\nline2\r\nline3",
 		"bell\x07ish",
 		"weird \x1bA escape",
@@ -104,3 +106,44 @@ func TestStripANSIBytesEquivalence(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNormalizeGridText(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   string
+		want string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "line endings",
+			in:   "one\r\ntwo\rthree",
+			want: "one\ntwo\nthree",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "trailing whitespace",
+			in:   "one   \ntwo\t\t\nthree",
+			want: "one\ntwo\nthree",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "collapse blank runs",
+			in:   "one\n\n\n two\n \n\t\nthree",
+			want: "one\n\n two\n\nthree",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "trim leading and trailing blanks",
+			in:   "\n \n\t\none\n\n",
+			want: "one",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "already clean",
+			in:   "one\n\ntwo\nthree",
+			want: "one\n\ntwo\nthree",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := normalizeGridText(tc.in); got != tc.want {
+				t.Fatalf("normalizeGridText(%q) = %q, want %q", tc.in, got, tc.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/app/scratchpad_delete_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/preset"
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/scratchpad"
+)
+
+func silenceStdout(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Helper()
+	old := os.Stdout
+	r, w, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pipe stdout: %v", err)
+	}
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		_, _ = io.Copy(io.Discard, r)
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	os.Stdout = w
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		os.Stdout = old
+		_ = w.Close()
+		<-done
+		_ = r.Close()
+	})
+}
+
+func newScratchpadDeleteTestState(t *testing.T) (*uiState, *scratchpad.Store) {
+	t.Helper()
+	t.Setenv("XDG_DATA_HOME", t.TempDir())
+	pads, err := scratchpad.Open("scratchpad-delete-test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scratchpad.Open: %v", err)
+	}
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "scratchpad-delete-test")
+	t.Cleanup(sess.Shutdown)
+	st := &uiState{
+		sess:       sess,
+		pads:       pads,
+		hostCols:   120,
+		hostRows:   40,
+		chromeWake: make(chan struct{}, 1),
+	}
+	return st, pads
+}
+
+func TestDeletingFocusedScratchpadFocusesAnotherPad(t *testing.T) {
+	silenceStdout(t)
+	st, pads := newScratchpadDeleteTestState(t)
+	if _, err := pads.Write("alpha.md", "alpha", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write alpha: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := pads.Write("beta.md", "beta", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write beta: %v", err)
+	}
+	st.focusedPad = "alpha.md"
+	st.focusedName = "alpha.md"
+	st.padOffsetName = "alpha.md"
+	st.padOffset = 3
+
+	st.handlePadDelete("alpha.md")
+
+	if st.focusedPad != "beta.md" {
+		t.Fatalf("focusedPad = %q, want beta.md", st.focusedPad)
+	}
+	if st.focusedID != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("focusedID = %q, want empty while another pad is focused", st.focusedID)
+	}
+	if st.padOffset != 0 || st.padOffsetName != "beta.md" {
+		t.Fatalf("pad offset = (%q,%d), want (beta.md,0)", st.padOffsetName, st.padOffset)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDeletingLastFocusedScratchpadFocusesRunningChild(t *testing.T) {
+	silenceStdout(t)
+	st, pads := newScratchpadDeleteTestState(t)
+	if _, err := pads.Write("only.md", "only", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write only: %v", err)
+	}
+	child := makeFakeChild("pid", "devserver", KindCommand)
+	addChild(st.sess, child)
+	st.focusedPad = "only.md"
+	st.focusedName = "only.md"
+
+	st.handlePadDelete("only.md")
+
+	if st.focusedPad != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("focusedPad = %q, want empty after falling back to child", st.focusedPad)
+	}
+	if st.focusedID != "pid" {
+		t.Fatalf("focusedID = %q, want pid", st.focusedID)
+	}
+}
+
+type scratchpadChangeRecorder struct {
+	count int
+}
+
+func (r *scratchpadChangeRecorder) scratchpadsChanged() {
+	r.count++
+}
+
+func TestToolHostScratchpadDeleteRemovesPadAndRefreshes(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("XDG_DATA_HOME", t.TempDir())
+	pads, err := scratchpad.Open("scratchpad-delete-host-test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scratchpad.Open: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := pads.Write("doomed.md", "content", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write doomed.md: %v", err)
+	}
+	recorder := &scratchpadChangeRecorder{}
+	host := newToolHost(nil, pads, nil, preset.Set{}, nil, 120, 40)
+	host.scratch = recorder
+
+	if err := host.ScratchpadDelete("doomed.md"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ScratchpadDelete: %v", err)
+	}
+	if recorder.count != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("scratchpadsChanged calls = %d, want 1", recorder.count)
+	}
+	if _, _, err := pads.Read("doomed.md"); !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		t.Fatalf("read deleted pad error = %v, want os.ErrNotExist", err)
+	}
+	if err := host.ScratchpadDelete("doomed.md"); !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		t.Fatalf("delete missing error = %v, want os.ErrNotExist", err)
+	}
+	if recorder.count != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("scratchpadsChanged calls after failed delete = %d, want 1", recorder.count)
+	}
+}

internal/app/session.go

@@ -395,6 +395,20 @@ func (s *Session) Close(id string, sig syscall.Signal) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Terminate stops a live child with SIGTERM/SIGKILL escalation but
+// leaves its session entry intact so callers can keep showing the
+// exited pane.
+func (s *Session) Terminate(id string, sig syscall.Signal) error {
+	c := s.FindChild(id)
+	if c == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no such process %q", id)
+	}
+	if c.IsLive() {
+		terminateAndWait(c, sig, childStopTimeout)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // mintUniqueIDLocked mints an opaque process_id (SPEC §7) and retries
 // if it collides with an existing entry. Caller holds s.mu.
 func (s *Session) mintUniqueIDLocked() string {

internal/app/session_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package app
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -101,6 +102,50 @@ func TestSpawnInstallsIdleDetectionBeforePublish(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestTerminateEscalatesWithoutRemovingEntry(t *testing.T) {
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
+	c, err := sess.Spawn(SpawnSpec{
+		Kind: KindAgent,
+		Argv: []string{"sh", "-c", "trap '' TERM; echo ready; while :; do sleep 1; done"},
+	}, 80, 24)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("spawn: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		if c.IsLive() {
+			_ = c.signal(syscall.SIGKILL)
+		}
+	})
+	waitUntilLive(t, c)
+	waitForStreamText(t, c, "ready")
+
+	start := time.Now()
+	if err := sess.Terminate(c.ID, syscall.SIGTERM); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Terminate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if elapsed := time.Since(start); elapsed < childStopTimeout {
+		t.Fatalf("Terminate returned before SIGKILL fallback: elapsed=%s timeout=%s", elapsed, childStopTimeout)
+	}
+	waitUntilNotLive(t, c)
+
+	if got := sess.FindChild(c.ID); got == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Terminate removed child entry %s", c.ID)
+	}
+}
+
+func waitForStreamText(t *testing.T, c *Child, want string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		b, _ := c.StreamRead(0)
+		if strings.Contains(string(b), want) {
+			return
+		}
+		time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("child %s never wrote %q", c.ID, want)
+}
+
 func waitUntilLive(t *testing.T, c *Child) {
 	t.Helper()
 	deadline := time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second)

internal/app/summarizer_test.go

@@ -52,6 +52,41 @@ func TestWrapSidebarSummaryKeepsWordBoundaries(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSummaryTextForSelectsChildAndClips(t *testing.T) {
+	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
+	cfg := defaultSettings()
+	st := &uiState{
+		sess:     sess,
+		settings: cfg,
+		summaries: newSummaryManager(sess, t.TempDir(), preset.Set{}, func() autoSummarySettings {
+			return cfg.AutoSummary.clone()
+		}, nil, nil),
+	}
+	st.summaries.mu.Lock()
+	st.summaries.entries["a1"] = &summaryEntry{state: summaryState{Text: " alpha summary "}}
+	st.summaries.entries["a2"] = &summaryEntry{state: summaryState{Text: "beta summary"}}
+	st.summaries.entries["empty"] = &summaryEntry{state: summaryState{Text: "   "}}
+	st.summaries.entries["long"] = &summaryEntry{state: summaryState{Text: "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"}}
+	st.summaries.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if got := st.summaryTextFor("a2", 20); got != "beta summary" {
+		t.Fatalf("summaryTextFor(a2) = %q, want beta summary", got)
+	}
+	if got := st.summaryTextFor("empty", 20); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("summaryTextFor(empty) = %q, want empty", got)
+	}
+	if got := st.summaryTextFor("long", 8); got != "abcdefg…" {
+		t.Fatalf("summaryTextFor(long) = %q, want abcdefg…", got)
+	}
+
+	st.settingsMu.Lock()
+	st.settings.AutoSummary.Enabled = false
+	st.settingsMu.Unlock()
+	if got := st.summaryTextFor("a1", 20); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("summaryTextFor disabled = %q, want empty", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSummaryManagerArmsOnlyTrackedTopLevelAgents(t *testing.T) {
 	sess := NewSession(t.TempDir(), "test")
 	c := newChildEntry("a1", "agent", KindAgent, []string{"fake"}, nil, "", "", "")

internal/app/tabbar.go

@@ -59,13 +59,14 @@ func (st *uiState) drawTabBar() {
 	newHintW := utf8.RuneCountInString(newHint) + 2 // " + new " framing
 
 	type tabRect struct {
-		startCol int
+		childID    string
-		width    int
+		startCol   int
-		label    string
+		width      int
-		active   bool
+		label      string
+		glyph      string
+		glyphStyle string
+		active     bool
 	}
-	activeTab := -1
-
 	// Reserve space at the right edge for "+ new". If there are too
 	// many tabs to fit even at minTabWidth, drop tabs from the right
 	// until they do. The current focus stays visible.
@@ -115,9 +116,16 @@ func (st *uiState) drawTabBar() {
 			if i < extra {
 				w++
 			}
+			active := c.ID == focus
+			glyph, glyphStyle := tabIdleGlyph(c.IdleState(), active)
 			label := c.DisplayName()
 			labelW := utf8.RuneCountInString(label)
-			maxLabelW := w - 2 // one pad on each side
+			// Reserve room for the glyph + its trailing space when present
+			// (1 + 1 runes), on top of the one-cell pad on each side.
+			maxLabelW := w - 2
+			if glyph != "" {
+				maxLabelW -= 2
+			}
 			if maxLabelW < 1 {
 				maxLabelW = 1
 			}
@@ -130,14 +138,14 @@ func (st *uiState) drawTabBar() {
 				labelW = utf8.RuneCountInString(label)
 			}
 			tabs = append(tabs, tabRect{
-				startCol: col,
+				childID:    c.ID,
-				width:    w,
+				startCol:   col,
-				label:    label,
+				width:      w,
-				active:   c.ID == focus,
+				label:      label,
+				glyph:      glyph,
+				glyphStyle: glyphStyle,
+				active:     active,
 			})
-			if tabs[len(tabs)-1].active {
-				activeTab = len(tabs) - 1
-			}
 			col += w
 		}
 	}
@@ -155,23 +163,37 @@ func (st *uiState) drawTabBar() {
 	fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\x1b[3;1H\x1b[%dX", width)
 
 	for _, t := range tabs {
-		// Row 1: centre-ish label inside the tab cell.
+		// Row 1: centre-ish glyph+label inside the tab cell.
 		labelW := utf8.RuneCountInString(t.label)
-		leftPad := (t.width - labelW) / 2
+		visibleW := labelW
+		if t.glyph != "" {
+			visibleW += 2 // glyph + separator space
+		}
+		leftPad := (t.width - visibleW) / 2
 		if leftPad < 1 {
 			leftPad = 1
 		}
-		rightPad := t.width - labelW - leftPad
+		rightPad := t.width - visibleW - leftPad
 		if rightPad < 0 {
 			rightPad = 0
 		}
-		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\x1b[1;%dH", t.startCol)
+		cellStyle := styleHint
 		if t.active {
-			b.WriteString(styleActive)
+			cellStyle = styleActive
-		} else {
-			b.WriteString(styleHint)
 		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\x1b[1;%dH", t.startCol)
+		b.WriteString(cellStyle)
 		b.WriteString(strings.Repeat(" ", leftPad))
+		if t.glyph != "" {
+			// Glyph uses its own colour so error/permission states pop
+			// regardless of tab focus, matching the sidebar's vocabulary.
+			b.WriteString(styleReset)
+			b.WriteString(t.glyphStyle)
+			b.WriteString(t.glyph)
+			b.WriteString(styleReset)
+			b.WriteString(cellStyle)
+			b.WriteString(" ")
+		}
 		b.WriteString(t.label)
 		b.WriteString(strings.Repeat(" ", rightPad))
 		b.WriteString(styleReset)
@@ -199,10 +221,9 @@ func (st *uiState) drawTabBar() {
 			hintCol, styleBorder, strings.Repeat("─", newHintW), styleReset)
 	}
 
-	if activeTab >= 0 {
+	for _, tab := range tabs {
-		tab := tabs[activeTab]
 		summaryWidth := tab.width - 2
-		if summary := st.activeSummaryText(summaryWidth); summary != "" {
+		if summary := st.summaryTextFor(tab.childID, summaryWidth); summary != "" {
 			fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\x1b[2;%dH %s%s%s", tab.startCol, styleDim, summary, styleReset)
 		}
 	}
@@ -226,3 +247,29 @@ func (st *uiState) drawTabBar() {
 	defer st.outMu.Unlock()
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "\x1b7%s\x1b8", frame)
 }
+
+// tabIdleGlyph returns the one-rune state indicator (and its SGR style)
+// to render before a tab's label. Mirrors the sidebar's vocabulary so
+// users learn the symbols in one place: ✕ error, ? permission, ◐
+// thinking, ○ idle, ● working. Returns ("", "") for StateUnknown so the
+// first frame after spawn doesn't show a misleading badge.
+func tabIdleGlyph(state IdleState, active bool) (string, string) {
+	base := styleHint
+	if active {
+		base = styleAccent
+	}
+	switch state {
+	case StateError:
+		return "✕", styleError
+	case StatePermission:
+		return "?", styleAccent
+	case StateThinking:
+		return "◐", base
+	case StateIdle:
+		return "○", base
+	case StateWorking:
+		return "●", base
+	default:
+		return "", ""
+	}
+}

internal/app/timers.go

@@ -55,9 +55,10 @@ type pendingTimer struct {
 type timerManager struct {
 	sess *Session
 
-	mu     sync.Mutex
+	mu      sync.Mutex
-	nextID int
+	nextID  int
-	timers map[string]*pendingTimer
+	timers  map[string]*pendingTimer
+	changes chan struct{}
 
 	// fireFn is the callback used to deliver the body to the owning
 	// process. Decoupled so tests can substitute a recorder. Defaults
@@ -67,13 +68,25 @@ type timerManager struct {
 
 func newTimerManager(sess *Session) *timerManager {
 	m := &timerManager{
-		sess:   sess,
+		sess:    sess,
-		timers: make(map[string]*pendingTimer),
+		timers:  make(map[string]*pendingTimer),
+		changes: make(chan struct{}, 1),
 	}
 	m.fireFn = defaultFireFn
 	return m
 }
 
+func (m *timerManager) changeEvents() <-chan struct{} {
+	return m.changes
+}
+
+func (m *timerManager) notifyChanged() {
+	select {
+	case m.changes <- struct{}{}:
+	default:
+	}
+}
+
 func defaultFireFn(owner *Child, body, label string) {
 	if owner == nil || !owner.IsLive() {
 		return
@@ -121,6 +134,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerSet(ownerID string, body, label string, seconds floa
 	m.timers[id] = t
 	m.mu.Unlock()
 	t.rt = time.AfterFunc(d, func() { m.fireDelay(id) })
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	return id, nil
 }
 
@@ -136,6 +150,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) fireDelay(id string) {
 	body, label := t.body, t.label
 	delete(m.timers, id)
 	m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	m.fireFn(owner, body, label)
 }
 
@@ -214,6 +229,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) registerIdleTimer(kind pendingTimerKind, ownerID, body, l
 	}
 	m.timers[id] = t
 	m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	resp.ID = id
 	resp.Status = "pending"
 	return resp, nil
@@ -231,6 +247,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) fireIdleMaxWait(id string) {
 	body, label := t.body, t.label
 	delete(m.timers, id)
 	m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	m.fireFn(owner, body, label)
 }
 
@@ -291,6 +308,9 @@ func (m *timerManager) onChildStateChanged(childID string, state IdleState) {
 		delete(m.timers, id)
 	}
 	m.mu.Unlock()
+	if len(firedIDs) > 0 {
+		m.notifyChanged()
+	}
 	for _, f := range fires {
 		m.fireFn(f.owner, f.body, f.label)
 	}
@@ -320,7 +340,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) onChildStateChanged(childID string, state IdleState) {
 // legitimate fire and leave the parent never notified.
 func (m *timerManager) onChildClosed(childID string) {
 	m.mu.Lock()
-	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	changed := false
 	for id, t := range m.timers {
 		if t.ownerID == childID {
 			if t.rt != nil {
@@ -329,6 +349,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) onChildClosed(childID string) {
 			}
 			t.status = timerStatusCanceled
 			delete(m.timers, id)
+			changed = true
 			continue
 		}
 		if !contains(t.watched, childID) {
@@ -344,6 +365,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) onChildClosed(childID string) {
 		if t.idleBaseline != nil {
 			delete(t.idleBaseline, childID)
 		}
+		changed = true
 		if len(t.watched) == 0 {
 			if t.rt != nil {
 				t.rt.Stop()
@@ -353,6 +375,10 @@ func (m *timerManager) onChildClosed(childID string) {
 			delete(m.timers, id)
 		}
 	}
+	m.mu.Unlock()
+	if changed {
+		m.notifyChanged()
+	}
 }
 
 // allWatchedIdleLocked reports whether every watched child is now
@@ -374,19 +400,21 @@ func (m *timerManager) allWatchedIdleLocked(t *pendingTimer) bool {
 // TimerCancel removes a pending or paused timer owned by ownerID.
 func (m *timerManager) TimerCancel(ownerID, id string) error {
 	m.mu.Lock()
-	defer m.mu.Unlock()
 	t, ok := m.timers[id]
 	if !ok {
+		m.mu.Unlock()
 		return mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such timer %q", id)
 	}
 	// Empty ownerID = top-level orchestrator caller (e.g. a non-agent
 	// MCP client); allow it to manage every timer in the session.
 	// Otherwise the caller's own id must match the timer's owner.
 	if ownerID != "" && t.ownerID != ownerID {
+		m.mu.Unlock()
 		return mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindRoleForbidden, "timer %q is not owned by caller", id)
 	}
 	if t.status == timerStatusFired || t.status == timerStatusCanceled {
 		// Cancelling a fired/cancelled timer is idempotent.
+		m.mu.Unlock()
 		return nil
 	}
 	if t.rt != nil {
@@ -395,6 +423,8 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerCancel(ownerID, id string) error {
 	}
 	t.status = timerStatusCanceled
 	delete(m.timers, id)
+	m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -402,18 +432,20 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerCancel(ownerID, id string) error {
 // keeps the timer in the registry.
 func (m *timerManager) TimerPause(ownerID, id string) error {
 	m.mu.Lock()
-	defer m.mu.Unlock()
 	t, ok := m.timers[id]
 	if !ok {
+		m.mu.Unlock()
 		return mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindNotFound, "no such timer %q", id)
 	}
 	// Empty ownerID = top-level orchestrator caller (e.g. a non-agent
 	// MCP client); allow it to manage every timer in the session.
 	// Otherwise the caller's own id must match the timer's owner.
 	if ownerID != "" && t.ownerID != ownerID {
+		m.mu.Unlock()
 		return mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindRoleForbidden, "timer %q is not owned by caller", id)
 	}
 	if t.status != timerStatusPending {
+		m.mu.Unlock()
 		return mcp.Errorf(mcp.ErrorKindInvalidArgs, "timer %q is not pending", id)
 	}
 	if t.rt != nil {
@@ -429,6 +461,8 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerPause(ownerID, id string) error {
 		t.pausedWasMaxWait = t.kind != timerKindDelay
 	}
 	t.status = timerStatusPaused
+	m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -507,6 +541,7 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerResume(ownerID, id string) error {
 		delete(m.timers, id)
 	}
 	m.mu.Unlock()
+	m.notifyChanged()
 	if fireNow {
 		m.fireFn(owner, body, label)
 	}
@@ -526,14 +561,16 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerList(ownerID string) []mcp.TimerInfo {
 		if t.status != timerStatusPending && t.status != timerStatusPaused {
 			continue
 		}
+		body, bodyTruncated := timerBodyPreview(t.body)
 		info := mcp.TimerInfo{
-			ID:         t.id,
+			ID:            t.id,
-			Label:      t.label,
+			Label:         t.label,
-			Body:       t.body,
+			Body:          body,
-			Kind:       string(t.kind),
+			BodyTruncated: bodyTruncated,
-			Status:     t.status,
+			Kind:          string(t.kind),
-			OwnerID:    t.ownerID,
+			Status:        t.status,
-			WatchedIDs: append([]string(nil), t.watched...),
+			OwnerID:       t.ownerID,
+			WatchedIDs:    append([]string(nil), t.watched...),
 		}
 		if t.status == timerStatusPending && !t.firesAt.IsZero() {
 			info.FiresAtUnixMS = t.firesAt.UnixMilli()
@@ -546,6 +583,14 @@ func (m *timerManager) TimerList(ownerID string) []mcp.TimerInfo {
 	return out
 }
 
+func timerBodyPreview(body string) (string, bool) {
+	const max = 500
+	if len(body) <= max {
+		return body, false
+	}
+	return body[:max], true
+}
+
 // activeForChild returns the nearest pending or paused timer attached
 // to child id (either owned by it or watching it). Used by the sidebar
 // for the "⏱ 12s" indicator. nil when none.
@@ -587,6 +632,56 @@ func (m *timerManager) activeForChild(id string) *mcp.TimerInfo {
 	return &info
 }
 
+const (
+	timerSidebarMinRefresh       = 50 * time.Millisecond
+	timerSidebarSubsecondRefresh = 100 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
+func nextTimerSidebarLabelChange(d time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	if d <= 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	if d < time.Second {
+		if d < timerSidebarSubsecondRefresh {
+			return d
+		}
+		return timerSidebarSubsecondRefresh
+	}
+
+	step := time.Second
+	if d >= time.Hour {
+		step = time.Hour
+	} else if d >= time.Minute {
+		step = time.Minute
+	}
+	wait := d % step
+	if wait <= 0 || wait < timerSidebarMinRefresh {
+		return timerSidebarMinRefresh
+	}
+	return wait
+}
+
+func (m *timerManager) nextSidebarRefreshAfter(now time.Time) (time.Duration, bool) {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	var best time.Duration
+	found := false
+	for _, t := range m.timers {
+		if t.status != timerStatusPending || t.firesAt.IsZero() {
+			continue
+		}
+		wait := nextTimerSidebarLabelChange(t.firesAt.Sub(now))
+		if wait <= 0 {
+			wait = timerSidebarMinRefresh
+		}
+		if !found || wait < best {
+			best = wait
+			found = true
+		}
+	}
+	return best, found
+}
+
 func isIdleState(s IdleState) bool {
 	return s == StateIdle
 }

internal/app/timers_test.go

@@ -65,6 +65,93 @@ func newTestManager(t *testing.T) (*Session, *timerManager, *recorderFire) {
 	return sess, mgr, rec
 }
 
+func waitTimerChange(t *testing.T, mgr *timerManager) {
+	t.Helper()
+	select {
+	case <-mgr.changeEvents():
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for timer change signal")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNextTimerSidebarLabelChange(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		d    time.Duration
+		want time.Duration
+	}{
+		{name: "minutes", d: 2*time.Minute + 10*time.Second, want: 10 * time.Second},
+		{name: "minute_to_seconds", d: time.Minute + 500*time.Millisecond, want: 500 * time.Millisecond},
+		{name: "seconds", d: 59*time.Second + 500*time.Millisecond, want: 500 * time.Millisecond},
+		{name: "subsecond", d: 500 * time.Millisecond, want: timerSidebarSubsecondRefresh},
+		{name: "nearly_done", d: 30 * time.Millisecond, want: 30 * time.Millisecond},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := nextTimerSidebarLabelChange(tt.d); got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("nextTimerSidebarLabelChange(%s) = %s, want %s", tt.d, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTimerSidebarRefreshAfterUsesSoonestActiveBoundary(t *testing.T) {
+	_, mgr, _ := newTestManager(t)
+	now := time.Unix(123, 0)
+	mgr.mu.Lock()
+	mgr.timers["slow"] = &pendingTimer{
+		id:      "slow",
+		status:  timerStatusPending,
+		firesAt: now.Add(2*time.Minute + 10*time.Second),
+	}
+	mgr.timers["fast"] = &pendingTimer{
+		id:      "fast",
+		status:  timerStatusPending,
+		firesAt: now.Add(59*time.Second + 500*time.Millisecond),
+	}
+	mgr.timers["paused"] = &pendingTimer{
+		id:      "paused",
+		status:  timerStatusPaused,
+		firesAt: now.Add(100 * time.Millisecond),
+	}
+	mgr.mu.Unlock()
+
+	got, ok := mgr.nextSidebarRefreshAfter(now)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("nextSidebarRefreshAfter did not find active timers")
+	}
+	if got != 500*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Fatalf("nextSidebarRefreshAfter = %s, want 500ms", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTimerManagerSignalsChangesForSidebar(t *testing.T) {
+	sess, mgr, _ := newTestManager(t)
+	owner := fakeChild("p_owner")
+	addChild(sess, owner)
+
+	id, err := mgr.TimerSet("p_owner", "x", "", 60)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("TimerSet: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitTimerChange(t, mgr)
+
+	if err := mgr.TimerPause("p_owner", id); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("TimerPause: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitTimerChange(t, mgr)
+
+	if err := mgr.TimerResume("p_owner", id); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("TimerResume: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitTimerChange(t, mgr)
+
+	if err := mgr.TimerCancel("p_owner", id); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("TimerCancel: %v", err)
+	}
+	waitTimerChange(t, mgr)
+}
+
 func TestTimerSetDelivers(t *testing.T) {
 	sess, mgr, rec := newTestManager(t)
 	c := fakeChild("p_owner")

internal/harness/scenarios/canonical_output_noise.json

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+{
+  "name": "canonical_output_noise",
+  "steps": [
+    {
+      "type": "mcp_call",
+      "method": "spawn_process",
+      "params": {
+        "kind": "command",
+        "argv": [
+          "sh",
+          "-lc",
+          "printf '\\033[31mStatus: running 12s\\033[0m\\nStatus: running 13s\\n╭────╮\\n│    │\\nDownloading 10%%\\rDownloading 100%%\\nFINAL: deploy ready\\n'; sleep 5"
+        ],
+        "name": "noisy"
+      },
+      "save_as": "proc"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "wait_until_mcp",
+      "method": "get_process_output",
+      "params": {
+        "process_id": "{{proc.process_id}}",
+        "mode": "stream",
+        "raw": true,
+        "max_lines": 20
+      },
+      "path": "content",
+      "contains": "FINAL: deploy ready",
+      "timeout_ms": 5000,
+      "save_as": "raw"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "assert_saved",
+      "from": "raw",
+      "path": "content",
+      "contains": "FINAL: deploy ready"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "mcp_call",
+      "method": "get_process_output",
+      "params": {
+        "process_id": "{{proc.process_id}}",
+        "mode": "stream",
+        "since_offset": 0,
+        "max_lines": 20
+      },
+      "save_as": "canonical"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "assert_saved",
+      "from": "canonical",
+      "path": "content",
+      "equals": "Status: running [time]\nDownloading [count]\nFINAL: deploy ready"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "assert_saved",
+      "from": "canonical",
+      "path": "canonicalized",
+      "equals": true
+    }
+  ]
+}

internal/harness/scenarios/restart_process_keeps_chrome.json

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+{
+  "name": "restart_process_keeps_chrome",
+  "cols": 120,
+  "rows": 40,
+  "scripts": [
+    {
+      "name": "slow-restart",
+      "body": "#!/bin/sh\ncount_file=\"$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/slow-restart-count\"\nif [ -f \"$count_file\" ]; then\n  n=$(cat \"$count_file\")\nelse\n  n=0\nfi\nn=$((n + 1))\nprintf '%s\\n' \"$n\" > \"$count_file\"\nprintf 'SLOW READY %s\\n' \"$n\"\ntrap 'sleep 3; exit 0' TERM\nwhile true; do sleep 1; done\n"
+    }
+  ],
+  "steps": [
+    {
+      "type": "mcp_call",
+      "method": "spawn_process",
+      "params": { "kind": "command", "argv": ["slow-restart"], "name": "slow-restart" },
+      "save_as": "spawned"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "mcp_call",
+      "method": "select_process",
+      "params": { "process_id": "{{spawned.process_id}}" }
+    },
+    { "type": "wait_text", "contains": "SLOW READY 1", "timeout_ms": 5000 },
+    { "type": "wait_stable", "timeout_ms": 2000 },
+    { "type": "assert_contains", "contains": "Processes" },
+    { "type": "send_text", "text": "\u000brestart\r" },
+    { "type": "wait_stable", "timeout_ms": 2000 },
+    { "type": "assert_contains", "contains": "Processes" },
+    { "type": "assert_contains", "contains": "slow-restart" },
+    { "type": "wait_text", "contains": "SLOW READY 2", "timeout_ms": 7000 }
+  ]
+}

internal/mcp/mcp.go

@@ -96,10 +96,34 @@ func (s *Server) acceptLoop() {
 // identity token (SPEC §10); we resolve it to a child id and stash that
 // as the caller for every subsequent tool call.
 func (s *Server) handleConn(conn net.Conn) {
-	defer conn.Close()
+	var writeMu sync.Mutex
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	defer func() {
+		wg.Wait()
+		_ = conn.Close()
+	}()
 	r := bufio.NewReader(conn)
 
 	var callerID string
+	writeResp := func(resp []byte) bool {
+		if resp == nil {
+			return true
+		}
+		resp = append(resp, '\n')
+		writeMu.Lock()
+		defer writeMu.Unlock()
+		for len(resp) > 0 {
+			n, err := conn.Write(resp)
+			if err != nil {
+				return false
+			}
+			if n == 0 {
+				return false
+			}
+			resp = resp[n:]
+		}
+		return true
+	}
 
 	greeting, err := r.ReadBytes('\n')
 	if err != nil {
@@ -115,24 +139,21 @@ func (s *Server) handleConn(conn net.Conn) {
 	} else {
 		// Treat as a real request from an unknown caller.
 		resp := s.dispatch("", greeting)
-		if resp != nil {
+		if !writeResp(resp) {
-			resp = append(resp, '\n')
+			return
-			if _, werr := conn.Write(resp); werr != nil {
-				return
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	for {
 		line, err := r.ReadBytes('\n')
 		if len(line) > 0 {
-			resp := s.dispatch(callerID, line)
+			req := append([]byte(nil), line...)
-			if resp != nil {
+			wg.Add(1)
-				resp = append(resp, '\n')
+			go func() {
-				if _, werr := conn.Write(resp); werr != nil {
+				defer wg.Done()
-					return
+				resp := s.dispatch(callerID, req)
-				}
+				_ = writeResp(resp)
-			}
+			}()
 		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return

internal/mcp/mcp_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+package mcp
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"sync"
+	"syscall"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/scratchpad"
+)
+
+func TestHandleConnDispatchesRequestsConcurrently(t *testing.T) {
+	serverConn, clientConn := net.Pipe()
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = clientConn.Close() })
+
+	host := &blockingToolHost{
+		waitEntered: make(chan struct{}),
+		waitRelease: make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+	s := &Server{}
+	s.SetHost(host)
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		s.handleConn(serverConn)
+		close(done)
+	}()
+
+	reader := bufio.NewReader(clientConn)
+	writeLine(t, clientConn, `{"patterm_identity":"ident"}`)
+	writeLine(t, clientConn, `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"wait_for_pattern","params":{"process_id":"p_slow","pattern":"never","timeout_seconds":300}}`)
+	select {
+	case <-host.waitEntered:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("wait_for_pattern did not enter fake host")
+	}
+
+	writeLine(t, clientConn, `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2,"method":"get_process_status","params":{"process_id":"p_fast"}}`)
+	fast := readJSONRPCResponse(t, clientConn, reader, time.Second)
+	if got := string(fast.ID); got != "2" {
+		t.Fatalf("first response id = %s, want 2; response=%s", got, fast.Raw)
+	}
+	if fast.Error != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("fast response returned error: %+v", fast.Error)
+	}
+
+	_ = clientConn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(50 * time.Millisecond))
+	if line, err := reader.ReadBytes('\n'); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("slow response arrived before release: %s", line)
+	}
+
+	close(host.waitRelease)
+	slow := readJSONRPCResponse(t, clientConn, reader, time.Second)
+	if got := string(slow.ID); got != "1" {
+		t.Fatalf("second response id = %s, want 1; response=%s", got, slow.Raw)
+	}
+	if slow.Error != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("slow response returned error: %+v", slow.Error)
+	}
+
+	_ = clientConn.Close()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("handleConn did not exit after client close")
+	}
+}
+
+type jsonRPCResponse struct {
+	Raw    string
+	ID     json.RawMessage    `json:"id"`
+	Result map[string]any     `json:"result"`
+	Error  *jsonRPCErrorShape `json:"error"`
+}
+
+type jsonRPCErrorShape struct {
+	Code    int    `json:"code"`
+	Message string `json:"message"`
+}
+
+func writeLine(t *testing.T, conn net.Conn, line string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	_ = conn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(time.Second))
+	if _, err := fmt.Fprintln(conn, line); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write %s: %v", line, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func readJSONRPCResponse(t *testing.T, conn net.Conn, reader *bufio.Reader, timeout time.Duration) jsonRPCResponse {
+	t.Helper()
+	_ = conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(timeout))
+	line, err := reader.ReadBytes('\n')
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read response: %v", err)
+	}
+	var resp jsonRPCResponse
+	resp.Raw = string(line)
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(line, &resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse response %s: %v", line, err)
+	}
+	return resp
+}
+
+type blockingToolHost struct {
+	waitEntered chan struct{}
+	waitRelease chan struct{}
+	waitOnce    sync.Once
+}
+
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ResolveCallerIdentity(identity string) string { return "caller-" + identity }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) CallerRole(string) CallerRole                 { return RoleOrchestrator }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) SpawnAgent(string, SpawnAgentArgs) (ProcessInfo, error) {
+	return ProcessInfo{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) SpawnProcess(string, SpawnProcessArgs) (ProcessInfo, error) {
+	return ProcessInfo{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) StartProcess(string, string) (ProcessInfo, error) {
+	return ProcessInfo{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) RestartProcess(string, string, syscall.Signal) (ProcessInfo, error) {
+	return ProcessInfo{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) StopProcess(string, string, syscall.Signal) (ProcessInfo, error) {
+	return ProcessInfo{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) CloseProcess(string, string) error          { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) RenameProcess(string, string, string) error { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) SelectProcess(string, string) error         { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ListProcesses(string, string) []ProcessInfo { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) GetProcessStatus(string, string) (ProcessStatus, error) {
+	return ProcessStatus{ProcessInfo: ProcessInfo{ID: "p_fast", Status: "running"}}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) GetProjectStatus(string, bool) (ProjectStatus, error) {
+	return ProjectStatus{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) GetProcessOutput(string, ProcessOutputArgs) (ProcessOutput, error) {
+	return ProcessOutput{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) GetProcessRawOutput(string, RawOutputArgs) (RawOutput, error) {
+	return RawOutput{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) SearchOutput(string, SearchOutputArgs) (SearchResult, error) {
+	return SearchResult{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) WaitForPattern(string, string, string, float64, string) (bool, string, error) {
+	h.waitOnce.Do(func() { close(h.waitEntered) })
+	<-h.waitRelease
+	return true, "matched", nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) GetProcessPorts(string, string) ([]PortSighting, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) SendInput(string, SendInputArgs) (SendInputResult, error) {
+	return SendInputResult{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) SendMessage(string, string, string) error           { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) RequestHumanAttention(string, string, string) error { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerWait(string, float64, string) (string, error) {
+	return "", nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerSet(string, TimerSetArgs) (TimerHandle, error) {
+	return TimerHandle{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerFireWhenIdleAny(string, TimerFireWhenIdleArgs) (TimerFireWhenIdleResponse, error) {
+	return TimerFireWhenIdleResponse{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerFireWhenIdleAll(string, TimerFireWhenIdleArgs) (TimerFireWhenIdleResponse, error) {
+	return TimerFireWhenIdleResponse{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerCancel(string, string) error { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerPause(string, string) error  { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerResume(string, string) error { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) TimerList(string) ([]TimerInfo, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ScratchpadList() ([]scratchpad.Entry, error) { return nil, nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ScratchpadRead(ScratchpadReadArgs) (ScratchpadReadResult, error) {
+	return ScratchpadReadResult{}, nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ScratchpadWrite(string, string, string) (string, error) {
+	return "", nil
+}
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ScratchpadAppend(string, string) error { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) ScratchpadDelete(string) error         { return nil }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) WhoAmI(string, bool) WhoAmI            { return WhoAmI{} }
+func (h *blockingToolHost) Help(string, string) HelpResponse      { return HelpResponse{} }

internal/mcp/protocol.go

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package mcp
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/hjbdev/patterm/internal/scratchpad"
 )
 
 // MCP protocol surface. The patterm server originally exposed each
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ var serverInfo = map[string]any{
 //     up as sub-agents and won't be tied into the patterm lifecycle.
 //
 // Keep this short — clients vary in how much they surface to the LLM.
-const serverInstructions = "You are already running INSIDE patterm; the `patterm` MCP server is connected over the same stdio MCP transport you use for any other MCP server. Use the MCP tools you see in tools/list — do NOT (a) try to launch `patterm` or `patterm mcp-stdio` yourself, (b) poke the Unix socket through perl / nc / socat / curl, or (c) shell out to `claude` / `codex` / `opencode` to start a peer. Any of those bypasses caller-identity and the new agent will land as a stray top-level tab instead of a child under you. Start with `whoami` for your role and the full tool list, then `help('topics')` for orientation. `spawn_agent` is the only correct way to start a sub-agent; `spawn_process` is for non-LLM commands; `list_processes` / `get_process_output` inspect them; `send_input` / `send_message` drive them. Whatever you spawn is yours to `close_process` when done. When you `send_message` a sub-agent, its reply comes back into YOUR pane as `[sub-agent:<name>] …`, not into the sub-agent's output — to wait for it, use `timer_fire_when_idle_any([sub_agent])` and then read your own pane; do NOT `wait_for_pattern` on the sub-agent, that will deadlock until timeout."
+const serverInstructions = "You are inside patterm. Use these MCP tools; do not launch patterm or poke its Unix socket yourself. Use spawn_agent for sub-agents, close spawned panes when done, and use timer_fire_when_idle_* instead of wait_for_pattern to wait for send_message replies."
 
 // toolDescriptor is the shape returned by `tools/list`. inputSchema is
 // a JSON Schema object — we provide a minimal `{type: "object"}` schema
@@ -76,37 +78,41 @@ func objectSchema(properties map[string]any, required []string) map[string]any {
 }
 
 func stringProp(desc string) map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"type": "string", "description": desc}
+	_ = desc
+	return map[string]any{"type": "string"}
 }
 
 func numberProp(desc string) map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"type": "number", "description": desc}
+	_ = desc
+	return map[string]any{"type": "number"}
 }
 
 func integerProp(desc string) map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"type": "integer", "description": desc}
+	_ = desc
+	return map[string]any{"type": "integer"}
 }
 
 func booleanProp(desc string) map[string]any {
-	return map[string]any{"type": "boolean", "description": desc}
+	_ = desc
+	return map[string]any{"type": "boolean"}
 }
 
 func arrayOfStringsProp(desc string) map[string]any {
+	_ = desc
 	return map[string]any{
-		"type":        "array",
+		"type":  "array",
-		"description": desc,
+		"items": map[string]any{"type": "string"},
-		"items":       map[string]any{"type": "string"},
 	}
 }
 
 // toolCatalog is the full list advertised via tools/list. Descriptions
 // are intentionally short — clients are expected to fetch help() for
 // detail. Schemas mirror the param structs in tools.go.
-func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
+func toolCatalog(role CallerRole) []toolDescriptor {
-	return []toolDescriptor{
+	tools := []toolDescriptor{
 		{
 			Name:        "spawn_agent",
-			Description: "Spawn a sub-agent from an agent preset and optionally seed it with initial instructions. This is the ONLY correct way to start a sub-agent under you — do not shell out to `claude` / `codex` / `opencode` and do not poke patterm's Unix socket via perl / nc / socat. Either bypasses caller identity and the new agent lands as a stray top-level tab instead of your child. Caller owns lifecycle: when the sub-agent's work is done (it reports back via send_message, or you no longer need it), call close_process on its process_id to free the pane and tear down the PTY. See help('spawning') and help('lifecycle').",
+			Description: "Spawn a sub-agent from an agent preset.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"agent":              stringProp("Preset name (e.g. \"claude\", \"codex\")."),
 				"agent_instructions": stringProp("Initial prompt typed into the agent after it's ready."),
@@ -115,14 +121,14 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "spawn_process",
-			Description: "Spawn a process: a terminal, a process preset, or a freeform argv command. Caller owns lifecycle: when the process is no longer needed, call close_process to remove its entry (live children are SIGKILL'd first). See help('lifecycle').",
+			Description: "Spawn a terminal, process preset, or argv command.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"kind":        stringProp("\"terminal\" or \"command\"."),
 				"preset":      stringProp("Process preset name (mutually exclusive with argv)."),
-				"argv":        map[string]any{"type": "array", "items": map[string]any{"type": "string"}, "description": "Argv vector for freeform commands."},
+				"argv":        map[string]any{"type": "array", "items": map[string]any{"type": "string"}},
 				"name":        stringProp("Display name for the pane."),
 				"working_dir": stringProp("Working directory for the spawned process."),
-				"env":         map[string]any{"type": "object", "additionalProperties": map[string]any{"type": "string"}, "description": "Extra environment variables."},
+				"env":         map[string]any{"type": "object", "additionalProperties": map[string]any{"type": "string"}},
 				"shell":       booleanProp("Run argv through sh -lc."),
 			}, nil),
 		},
@@ -188,23 +194,30 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 		{
 			Name:        "get_project_status",
 			Description: "One-shot orientation: project, caller, processes, scratchpads.",
-			InputSchema: objectSchema(nil, nil),
+			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
+				"include_tools": booleanProp("Include available_tools in caller metadata."),
+			}, nil),
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "get_process_output",
-			Description: "Read rendered grid (\"grid\") or ANSI-stripped stream (\"stream\") output, with screen-version watermark.",
+			Description: "Read canonical terminal text by default: visible grid (\"grid\") or recent stream (\"stream\") with ANSI/control noise, borders, duplicate status churn, and volatile timers removed. Set raw=true only for diagnostic ANSI-preserved PTY bytes.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"process_id":   stringProp("Target process id."),
 				"mode":         stringProp("\"grid\" (default) or \"stream\"."),
 				"since_offset": integerProp("Watermark offset from a previous call."),
+				"max_bytes":    integerProp("Maximum content bytes to return."),
+				"max_lines":    integerProp("Maximum canonical lines to return (default 120, max 500)."),
+				"raw":          booleanProp("Return raw ANSI-preserved stream bytes instead of canonical text."),
+				"include_meta": booleanProp("Include verbose cursor, geometry, active screen, idle, and screen-version metadata."),
 			}, []string{"process_id"}),
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "get_process_raw_output",
-			Description: "Read the raw ANSI byte stream since since_offset.",
+			Description: "Compatibility alias for raw=true get_process_output: read the raw ANSI byte stream since since_offset.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"process_id":   stringProp("Target process id."),
 				"since_offset": integerProp("Byte offset from a previous call."),
+				"max_bytes":    integerProp("Maximum content bytes to return."),
 			}, []string{"process_id"}),
 		},
 		{
@@ -214,12 +227,13 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 				"process_id": stringProp("Target process id."),
 				"pattern":    stringProp("Regex pattern."),
 				"kind":       stringProp("\"rendered\" (default) or \"raw\"."),
-				"limit":      integerProp("Max matches (default 20)."),
+				"limit":      integerProp("Max matches (default 10)."),
+				"max_bytes":  integerProp("Max bytes per returned match line."),
 			}, []string{"process_id", "pattern"}),
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "wait_for_pattern",
-			Description: "Block until pattern appears in the TARGET process's own output, or timeout elapses. Use this for waiting on text the target itself will emit (a shell prompt, a build's \"tests passed\" line, etc.). Anti-pattern: do NOT use this to wait for a sub-agent's reply to send_message — replies are routed into the CALLER's pane tagged `[sub-agent:<name>]`, not into the sub-agent's output, so this call will spin to timeout. For sub-agent coordination use `timer_fire_when_idle_any` and then read your own pane.",
+			Description: "Block until pattern appears in the target process output.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"process_id":      stringProp("Target process id."),
 				"pattern":         stringProp("Regex pattern."),
@@ -238,18 +252,19 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 			Name:        "send_input",
 			Description: "Type text, paste a block, or fire a named key into a process. Optional tail-after-send.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
-				"process_id": stringProp("Target process id."),
+				"process_id":     stringProp("Target process id."),
-				"kind":       stringProp("\"text\", \"paste\", or \"key\"."),
+				"kind":           stringProp("\"text\", \"paste\", or \"key\"."),
-				"text":       stringProp("Text payload for kind=text/paste."),
+				"text":           stringProp("Text payload for kind=text/paste."),
-				"key":        stringProp("Named key for kind=key (e.g. \"enter\", \"escape\")."),
+				"key":            stringProp("Named key for kind=key (e.g. \"enter\", \"escape\")."),
-				"submit":     booleanProp("Whether to append a submit keystroke."),
+				"submit":         booleanProp("Whether to append a submit keystroke."),
-				"wait_ms":    integerProp("After sending, wait this many ms before tailing."),
+				"wait_ms":        integerProp("After sending, wait this many ms before tailing."),
-				"tail_mode":  stringProp("\"none\" (default), \"stream\", or \"grid\"."),
+				"tail_mode":      stringProp("\"none\" (default), \"stream\", or \"grid\"."),
+				"tail_max_bytes": integerProp("Maximum bytes in returned tail."),
 			}, []string{"process_id", "kind"}),
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "send_message",
-			Description: "Deliver a text message to another process as orchestrator-owned input. Fire-and-forget: returns immediately, without waiting for the recipient to read or act. If the recipient replies via send_message, that reply arrives in YOUR pane tagged `[sub-agent:<name>]` (child→parent) or `[orchestrator]` (parent→child) — NOT in the recipient's output. To wait for a sub-agent's reply, schedule `timer_fire_when_idle_any([sub_agent_id], body=…)` and then read your own pane when the timer fires. Do not `wait_for_pattern` on the recipient for a reply; it will deadlock.",
+			Description: "Send a tagged message to a parent or child process.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"target_process_id": stringProp("Recipient process id."),
 				"message":           stringProp("Message body."),
@@ -283,7 +298,7 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "timer_fire_when_idle_any",
-			Description: "Canonical way to wait for a sub-agent to finish working: send_message the sub-agent, then schedule this with watched=[sub_agent_id]; when it fires, the reply is already sitting in your own pane tagged `[sub-agent:<name>]`. Schedules a timer that fires when any watched process enters idle (already-idle entries excluded), or when max_wait_seconds elapses.",
+			Description: "Fire when any watched process becomes idle.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"watched":          arrayOfStringsProp("Process ids to watch."),
 				"body":             stringProp("Message delivered verbatim to the owning agent when the timer fires."),
@@ -294,7 +309,7 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "timer_fire_when_idle_all",
-			Description: "Canonical way to wait for several sub-agents to finish working in parallel: send_message each one, then schedule this with watched=[…ids]; when it fires, each reply is in your own pane tagged `[sub-agent:<name>]`. Schedules a timer that fires when all watched processes are idle (already-idle entries count as satisfied), or when max_wait_seconds elapses.",
+			Description: "Fire when all watched processes are idle.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
 				"watched":          arrayOfStringsProp("Process ids to watch."),
 				"body":             stringProp("Message delivered verbatim to the owning agent when the timer fires."),
@@ -338,7 +353,9 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 			Name:        "scratchpad_read",
 			Description: "Read a scratchpad entry, returning content and revision.",
 			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
-				"name": stringProp("Scratchpad name."),
+				"name":      stringProp("Scratchpad name."),
+				"offset":    integerProp("Byte offset to start reading."),
+				"max_bytes": integerProp("Maximum content bytes to return."),
 			}, []string{"name"}),
 		},
 		{
@@ -358,10 +375,19 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 				"content": stringProp("Text to append."),
 			}, []string{"name", "content"}),
 		},
+		{
+			Name:        "scratchpad_delete",
+			Description: "Delete a scratchpad entry.",
+			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
+				"name": stringProp("Scratchpad name."),
+			}, []string{"name"}),
+		},
 		{
 			Name:        "whoami",
-			Description: "Return the caller's identity, role, parent, project metadata, and available tools.",
+			Description: "Return caller identity, role, parent, and project metadata.",
-			InputSchema: objectSchema(nil, nil),
+			InputSchema: objectSchema(map[string]any{
+				"include_tools": booleanProp("Include full available tool list."),
+			}, nil),
 		},
 		{
 			Name:        "help",
@@ -371,6 +397,16 @@ func toolCatalog() []toolDescriptor {
 			}, nil),
 		},
 	}
+	if role != RoleSubAgent {
+		return tools
+	}
+	filtered := tools[:0]
+	for _, tool := range tools {
+		if tool.Name != "spawn_agent" {
+			filtered = append(filtered, tool)
+		}
+	}
+	return filtered
 }
 
 // handleProtocolMethod handles MCP protocol-level methods. Returns
@@ -409,7 +445,14 @@ func (s *Server) handleProtocolMethod(callerID, method string, params json.RawMe
 		return map[string]any{}, true, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "tools/list":
-		return map[string]any{"tools": toolCatalog()}, true, 0, "", nil
+		role := RoleOrchestrator
+		s.mu.Lock()
+		host := s.host
+		s.mu.Unlock()
+		if host != nil {
+			role = host.CallerRole(callerID)
+		}
+		return map[string]any{"tools": toolCatalog(role)}, true, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "tools/call":
 		var p struct {
@@ -465,25 +508,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleProtocolMethod(callerID, method string, params json.RawMe
 	return nil, false, 0, "", nil
 }
 
-// wrapToolResult turns a structured tool result into an MCP tools/call
+// wrapToolResult turns a tool result into an MCP tools/call response.
-// response. Plain strings (e.g. "ok") become text content; structured
+// Structured values are exposed once under structuredContent; content
-// values are JSON-encoded into a single text block and also exposed
+// carries only a short model-readable summary to avoid duplicating
-// under structuredContent so capable clients can read the shape.
+// large JSON payloads into the transcript.
 func wrapToolResult(result any) map[string]any {
-	var text string
+	text := summarizeToolResult(result)
-	switch v := result.(type) {
-	case nil:
-		text = "ok"
-	case string:
-		text = v
-	default:
-		b, err := json.Marshal(v)
-		if err != nil {
-			text = fmt.Sprintf("%v", v)
-		} else {
-			text = string(b)
-		}
-	}
 	out := map[string]any{
 		"content": []map[string]any{{"type": "text", "text": text}},
 		"isError": false,
@@ -498,3 +528,70 @@ func wrapToolResult(result any) map[string]any {
 	}
 	return out
 }
+
+func summarizeToolResult(result any) string {
+	switch v := result.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		return "ok"
+	case string:
+		return v
+	case ProcessInfo:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s %s", v.ID, v.Kind, v.Status)
+	case []ProcessInfo:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d processes", len(v))
+	case ProcessStatus:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s %s", v.ID, v.Kind, v.Status)
+	case ProjectStatus:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d processes, %d scratchpads", len(v.Processes), len(v.Scratchpads))
+	case ProcessOutput:
+		return outputSummary(v.Mode, v.ContentBytes, v.Truncated, v.NewOffset)
+	case RawOutput:
+		return outputSummary("raw", v.ContentBytes, v.Truncated, v.NewOffset)
+	case SearchResult:
+		if v.Truncated {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%d matches (truncated)", len(v.Matches))
+		}
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d matches", len(v.Matches))
+	case SendInputResult:
+		if v.Tail != nil {
+			return "ok; tail included"
+		}
+		return "ok"
+	case TimerHandle:
+		return "timer " + v.ID
+	case TimerFireWhenIdleResponse:
+		if v.ID != "" {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%s timer %s", v.Status, v.ID)
+		}
+		return v.Status
+	case []TimerInfo:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d timers", len(v))
+	case []scratchpad.Entry:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d scratchpads", len(v))
+	case ScratchpadReadResult:
+		if v.Truncated {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%d/%d bytes from offset %d", v.ContentBytes, v.TotalBytes, v.Offset)
+		}
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d bytes", v.ContentBytes)
+	case WhoAmI:
+		if v.ProcessID == "" {
+			return string(v.Role)
+		}
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", v.ProcessID, v.Role)
+	case HelpResponse:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("help: %s", v.Topic)
+	default:
+		return "ok"
+	}
+}
+
+func outputSummary(mode string, bytes int, truncated bool, offset int64) string {
+	s := fmt.Sprintf("%s output: %d bytes", mode, bytes)
+	if offset > 0 {
+		s += fmt.Sprintf(", offset %d", offset)
+	}
+	if truncated {
+		s += " (truncated)"
+	}
+	return s
+}

internal/mcp/protocol_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package mcp
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -43,6 +44,9 @@ func TestInitializeReturnsCapabilities(t *testing.T) {
 	if !ok || instructions == "" {
 		t.Fatalf("instructions missing or wrong type: %+v", parsed.Result)
 	}
+	if len(instructions) > 320 {
+		t.Fatalf("instructions too verbose: %d chars", len(instructions))
+	}
 }
 
 func TestInitializedNotificationSuppressesResponse(t *testing.T) {
@@ -74,6 +78,9 @@ func TestToolsListReturnsConcreteSchemas(t *testing.T) {
 	if parsed.Error != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("tools/list returned error: %+v", parsed.Error)
 	}
+	if len(resp) > 12000 {
+		t.Fatalf("tools/list response too large: %d bytes", len(resp))
+	}
 	tools, ok := parsed.Result["tools"].([]interface{})
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("tools not array: %+v", parsed.Result)
@@ -112,6 +119,27 @@ func TestToolsListReturnsConcreteSchemas(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWrapToolResultDoesNotDuplicateStructuredJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	result := ProcessOutput{
+		Content:      strings.Repeat("x", 1024),
+		Mode:         "stream",
+		NewOffset:    2048,
+		ContentBytes: 1024,
+	}
+	wrapped := wrapToolResult(result)
+	if wrapped["structuredContent"] == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("structuredContent missing: %#v", wrapped)
+	}
+	content := wrapped["content"].([]map[string]any)
+	text := content[0]["text"].(string)
+	if strings.Contains(text, result.Content) {
+		t.Fatalf("content duplicated structured payload: %q", text)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(text, "stream output") {
+		t.Fatalf("summary text should identify output, got %q", text)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPingReturnsEmptyObject(t *testing.T) {
 	s := &Server{}
 	req := []byte(`{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":3,"method":"ping"}`)

internal/mcp/tools.go

@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ type ToolHost interface {
 	// Inspection.
 	ListProcesses(callerID, kindFilter string) []ProcessInfo
 	GetProcessStatus(callerID, processID string) (ProcessStatus, error)
-	GetProjectStatus(callerID string) (ProjectStatus, error)
+	GetProjectStatus(callerID string, includeTools bool) (ProjectStatus, error)
-	GetProcessOutput(callerID, processID, mode string, sinceOffset int64) (ProcessOutput, error)
+	GetProcessOutput(callerID string, args ProcessOutputArgs) (ProcessOutput, error)
-	GetProcessRawOutput(callerID, processID string, sinceOffset int64) (RawOutput, error)
+	GetProcessRawOutput(callerID string, args RawOutputArgs) (RawOutput, error)
-	SearchOutput(callerID, processID, pattern, kind string, limit int) (SearchResult, error)
+	SearchOutput(callerID string, args SearchOutputArgs) (SearchResult, error)
 	WaitForPattern(callerID, processID, pattern string, timeoutSeconds float64, scope string) (matched bool, snippet string, err error)
 	GetProcessPorts(callerID, processID string) ([]PortSighting, error)
 
@@ -98,12 +98,13 @@ type ToolHost interface {
 
 	// Scratchpads.
 	ScratchpadList() ([]scratchpad.Entry, error)
-	ScratchpadRead(name string) (content string, revision string, err error)
+	ScratchpadRead(args ScratchpadReadArgs) (ScratchpadReadResult, error)
 	ScratchpadWrite(name, content, expectedRevision string) (revision string, err error)
 	ScratchpadAppend(name, content string) error
+	ScratchpadDelete(name string) error
 
 	// Meta.
-	WhoAmI(callerID string) WhoAmI
+	WhoAmI(callerID string, includeTools bool) WhoAmI
 	Help(callerID, topic string) HelpResponse
 }
 
@@ -156,32 +157,60 @@ type ProjectStatus struct {
 	Scratchpads []scratchpad.Entry `json:"scratchpads"`
 }
 
+type ProjectStatusArgs struct {
+	IncludeTools bool `json:"include_tools"`
+}
+
 // ProjectMeta is the project root info echoed in many payloads.
 type ProjectMeta struct {
 	Path string `json:"path"`
 	Key  string `json:"key"`
 }
 
-// ProcessOutput is the get_process_output payload. SPEC §7 enriches
+// ProcessOutput is the get_process_output payload. By default it is
-// the old read_output result with screen geometry + version.
+// canonical text with light metadata; include_meta restores screen
+// geometry + version, and raw requests return stream bytes.
 type ProcessOutput struct {
-	Content       string `json:"content"`
+	Content        string  `json:"content"`
-	Mode          string `json:"mode"`
+	Mode           string  `json:"mode"`
-	NewOffset     int64  `json:"new_offset,omitempty"`
+	NewOffset      int64   `json:"new_offset,omitempty"`
-	ActiveScreen  string `json:"active_screen,omitempty"`
+	ActiveScreen   string  `json:"active_screen,omitempty"`
-	Rows          int    `json:"rows,omitempty"`
+	Rows           int     `json:"rows,omitempty"`
-	Cols          int    `json:"cols,omitempty"`
+	Cols           int     `json:"cols,omitempty"`
-	Cursor        Cursor `json:"cursor"`
+	Cursor         *Cursor `json:"cursor,omitempty"`
-	IdleMS        int64  `json:"idle_ms,omitempty"`
+	IdleMS         int64   `json:"idle_ms,omitempty"`
-	Status        string `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	Status         string  `json:"status,omitempty"`
-	ScreenVersion int64  `json:"screen_version,omitempty"`
+	ScreenVersion  int64   `json:"screen_version,omitempty"`
+	ContentBytes   int     `json:"content_bytes,omitempty"`
+	Truncated      bool    `json:"truncated,omitempty"`
+	TruncatedBytes int     `json:"truncated_bytes,omitempty"`
+	Canonicalized  bool    `json:"canonicalized,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type ProcessOutputArgs struct {
+	ProcessID   string `json:"process_id"`
+	Mode        string `json:"mode"`
+	SinceOffset int64  `json:"since_offset"`
+	MaxBytes    int    `json:"max_bytes"`
+	MaxLines    int    `json:"max_lines"`
+	Raw         bool   `json:"raw"`
+	IncludeMeta bool   `json:"include_meta"`
 }
 
 // RawOutput is the get_process_raw_output payload — ANSI preserved.
 type RawOutput struct {
-	Content   string `json:"content"`
+	Content        string `json:"content"`
-	NewOffset int64  `json:"new_offset"`
+	NewOffset      int64  `json:"new_offset"`
-	Status    string `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	Status         string `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	ContentBytes   int    `json:"content_bytes,omitempty"`
+	Truncated      bool   `json:"truncated,omitempty"`
+	TruncatedBytes int    `json:"truncated_bytes,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type RawOutputArgs struct {
+	ProcessID   string `json:"process_id"`
+	SinceOffset int64  `json:"since_offset"`
+	MaxBytes    int    `json:"max_bytes"`
 }
 
 // SearchResult is search_output's payload.
@@ -190,6 +219,14 @@ type SearchResult struct {
 	Truncated bool          `json:"truncated"`
 }
 
+type SearchOutputArgs struct {
+	ProcessID string `json:"process_id"`
+	Pattern   string `json:"pattern"`
+	Kind      string `json:"kind"`
+	Limit     int    `json:"limit"`
+	MaxBytes  int    `json:"max_bytes"`
+}
+
 type SearchMatch struct {
 	LineNo int    `json:"line_no"`
 	Text   string `json:"text"`
@@ -244,8 +281,9 @@ type TimerInfo struct {
 	ID                string   `json:"timer_id"`
 	Label             string   `json:"label,omitempty"`
 	Body              string   `json:"body,omitempty"`
-	Kind              string   `json:"kind"`             // "delay" | "idle_any" | "idle_all"
+	BodyTruncated     bool     `json:"body_truncated,omitempty"`
-	Status            string   `json:"status"`           // "pending" | "paused"
+	Kind              string   `json:"kind"`   // "delay" | "idle_any" | "idle_all"
+	Status            string   `json:"status"` // "pending" | "paused"
 	OwnerID           string   `json:"owner_process_id"`
 	WatchedIDs        []string `json:"watched,omitempty"`
 	FiresAtUnixMS     int64    `json:"fires_at_unix_ms,omitempty"`
@@ -280,13 +318,14 @@ type SpawnProcessArgs struct {
 // SendInputArgs is the input shape for send_input — covers text /
 // paste / key with the optional wait+tail tail-after-send.
 type SendInputArgs struct {
-	ProcessID string `json:"process_id"`
+	ProcessID    string `json:"process_id"`
-	Kind      string `json:"kind"` // "text" | "paste" | "key"
+	Kind         string `json:"kind"` // "text" | "paste" | "key"
-	Text      string `json:"text"`
+	Text         string `json:"text"`
-	Key       string `json:"key"`
+	Key          string `json:"key"`
-	Submit    *bool  `json:"submit"`
+	Submit       *bool  `json:"submit"`
-	WaitMS    int    `json:"wait_ms"`
+	WaitMS       int    `json:"wait_ms"`
-	TailMode  string `json:"tail_mode"` // "none" | "stream" | "grid"
+	TailMode     string `json:"tail_mode"` // "none" | "stream" | "grid"
+	TailMaxBytes int    `json:"tail_max_bytes"`
 }
 
 // SendInputResult is the return shape of send_input.
@@ -305,6 +344,27 @@ type WhoAmI struct {
 	AvailableTools  []string    `json:"available_tools"`
 }
 
+type WhoAmIArgs struct {
+	IncludeTools bool `json:"include_tools"`
+}
+
+type ScratchpadReadArgs struct {
+	Name     string `json:"name"`
+	Offset   int    `json:"offset"`
+	MaxBytes int    `json:"max_bytes"`
+}
+
+type ScratchpadReadResult struct {
+	Content        string `json:"content"`
+	Revision       string `json:"revision"`
+	Offset         int    `json:"offset,omitempty"`
+	NextOffset     int    `json:"next_offset,omitempty"`
+	ContentBytes   int    `json:"content_bytes,omitempty"`
+	TotalBytes     int    `json:"total_bytes,omitempty"`
+	Truncated      bool   `json:"truncated,omitempty"`
+	TruncatedBytes int    `json:"truncated_bytes,omitempty"`
+}
+
 // HelpResponse is the help return shape.
 type HelpResponse struct {
 	Topic        string   `json:"topic"`
@@ -506,61 +566,51 @@ func callTool(h ToolHost, callerID, method string, params json.RawMessage) (any,
 		return st, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "get_project_status":
-		ps, err := h.GetProjectStatus(callerID)
+		var p ProjectStatusArgs
+		_ = unmarshalParamsOptional(params, &p)
+		ps, err := h.GetProjectStatus(callerID, p.IncludeTools)
 		if err != nil {
 			return mapToolError(err)
 		}
 		return ps, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "get_process_output":
-		var p struct {
+		var p ProcessOutputArgs
-			ProcessID   string `json:"process_id"`
-			Mode        string `json:"mode"`
-			SinceOffset int64  `json:"since_offset"`
-		}
 		if err := unmarshalParams(params, &p); err != nil {
 			return nil, codeInvalidParams, err.Error(), nil
 		}
 		if p.Mode == "" {
 			p.Mode = "grid"
 		}
-		out, err := h.GetProcessOutput(callerID, p.ProcessID, p.Mode, p.SinceOffset)
+		out, err := h.GetProcessOutput(callerID, p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return mapToolError(err)
 		}
 		return out, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "get_process_raw_output":
-		var p struct {
+		var p RawOutputArgs
-			ProcessID   string `json:"process_id"`
-			SinceOffset int64  `json:"since_offset"`
-		}
 		if err := unmarshalParams(params, &p); err != nil {
 			return nil, codeInvalidParams, err.Error(), nil
 		}
-		out, err := h.GetProcessRawOutput(callerID, p.ProcessID, p.SinceOffset)
+		out, err := h.GetProcessRawOutput(callerID, p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return mapToolError(err)
 		}
 		return out, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "search_output":
-		var p struct {
+		var p SearchOutputArgs
-			ProcessID string `json:"process_id"`
-			Pattern   string `json:"pattern"`
-			Kind      string `json:"kind"`
-			Limit     int    `json:"limit"`
-		}
 		if err := unmarshalParams(params, &p); err != nil {
 			return nil, codeInvalidParams, err.Error(), nil
 		}
 		if p.Limit <= 0 {
-			p.Limit = 20
+			p.Limit = 10
 		}
 		if p.Kind == "" {
 			p.Kind = "rendered"
 		}
-		res, err := h.SearchOutput(callerID, p.ProcessID, p.Pattern, p.Kind, p.Limit)
+		res, err := h.SearchOutput(callerID, p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return mapToolError(err)
 		}
@@ -730,17 +780,15 @@ func callTool(h ToolHost, callerID, method string, params json.RawMessage) (any,
 		return entries, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "scratchpad_read":
-		var p struct {
+		var p ScratchpadReadArgs
-			Name string `json:"name"`
-		}
 		if err := unmarshalParams(params, &p); err != nil {
 			return nil, codeInvalidParams, err.Error(), nil
 		}
-		content, rev, err := h.ScratchpadRead(p.Name)
+		res, err := h.ScratchpadRead(p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, codeInternal, err.Error(), nil
 		}
-		return map[string]any{"content": content, "revision": rev}, 0, "", nil
+		return res, 0, "", nil
 
 	case "scratchpad_write":
 		var p struct {
@@ -776,8 +824,22 @@ func callTool(h ToolHost, callerID, method string, params json.RawMessage) (any,
 		}
 		return map[string]any{"ok": true}, 0, "", nil
 
+	case "scratchpad_delete":
+		var p struct {
+			Name string `json:"name"`
+		}
+		if err := unmarshalParams(params, &p); err != nil {
+			return nil, codeInvalidParams, err.Error(), nil
+		}
+		if err := h.ScratchpadDelete(p.Name); err != nil {
+			return nil, codeInternal, err.Error(), nil
+		}
+		return map[string]any{"ok": true}, 0, "", nil
+
 	case "whoami":
-		return h.WhoAmI(callerID), 0, "", nil
+		var p WhoAmIArgs
+		_ = unmarshalParamsOptional(params, &p)
+		return h.WhoAmI(callerID, p.IncludeTools), 0, "", nil
 
 	case "help":
 		var p struct {

internal/preset/preset.go

@@ -352,7 +352,10 @@ func defaultAgentPresets() []*Preset {
   "ready_signal": { "idle_ms": 1000 },
   "idle_detection": {
     "strategy": "osc_title_stability",
-    "idle_threshold_ms": 2000
+    "idle_threshold_ms": 2000,
+    "thinking_patterns": [
+      "(?i)esc to interrupt"
+    ]
   },
   "chrome_trim_hints": [
     "^OpenAI Codex",

internal/preset/preset_test.go

@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ func TestLoadUsesBuiltInDefaultsWithoutWritingConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	if claude.IdleDetection == nil || len(claude.IdleDetection.PermissionPatterns) == 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("built-in claude missing permission patterns: %+v", claude.IdleDetection)
 	}
+	codex := presetByName(set.Agents, "codex")
+	if codex == nil {
+		t.Fatal("missing built-in codex preset")
+	}
+	if codex.IdleDetection == nil || len(codex.IdleDetection.ThinkingPatterns) == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("built-in codex missing thinking patterns: %+v", codex.IdleDetection)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestLoadMergesUserOverlayIntoBuiltInPreset(t *testing.T) {