docs(dsh): clarify observation subscription and snapshot contracts

test(extension): return tab id from navigation recovery mock
Merge main for navigation recovery test compatibility
2026-09-10 13:01:23 +08:00 · 2026-09-07 17:38:35 +08:00 · 2026-09-07 17:26:01 +08:00 · 2026-09-07 17:25:22 +08:00 · 2026-09-07 16:24:04 +08:00 · 2026-09-07 16:05:46 +08:00
69 changed files with 4519 additions and 366 deletions
@@ -254,6 +254,69 @@ describe("ChromiumCdp", () => {
    expect(cdp.isAttached(7)).toBe(false);
  });

+  it.each([
+    false,
+    true,
+  ])("waits for detach before reconnecting a returned tab (detach rejects: %s)", async (rejectDetach) => {
+    const { api } = fakeApi();
+    const attached = new Set<number>();
+    let finishDetach!: () => void;
+    vi.mocked(api.attach).mockImplementation(async ({ tabId }) => {
+      if (attached.has(tabId!)) throw new Error("Another debugger is already attached");
+      attached.add(tabId!);
+    });
+    vi.mocked(api.detach).mockImplementation(async ({ tabId }) => {
+      attached.delete(tabId!);
+    });
+    vi.mocked(api.detach).mockImplementationOnce(
+      ({ tabId }) =>
+        new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+          finishDetach = () => {
+            attached.delete(tabId!);
+            if (rejectDetach) reject(new Error("tab already detached"));
+            else resolve();
+          };
+        }),
+    );
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api);
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("aa11", 7);
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(7);
+    const returning = cdp.releaseSessionTab("aa11", 7);
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(api.detach).toHaveBeenCalledOnce());
+    let duplicateDetachFinished = false;
+    const duplicateDetach = cdp.detach(7).then(() => {
+      duplicateDetachFinished = true;
+    });
+
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("bb22", 7);
+    // Register rejection handlers immediately; the pre-fix driver rejects
+    // both commands while the browser still has the previous attachment.
+    const pending = Promise.allSettled([
+      cdp.send(7, "Runtime.evaluate", { expression: "document.title" }),
+      cdp.send(7, "DOM.getDocument"),
+    ]);
+    await cdp.send(8, "DOM.getDocument");
+    const finishedEarly = duplicateDetachFinished;
+    finishDetach();
+    await Promise.all([returning, duplicateDetach]);
+
+    expect(await pending).toEqual([
+      { status: "fulfilled", value: { ok: true } },
+      { status: "fulfilled", value: { ok: true } },
+    ]);
+    expect(finishedEarly).toBe(false);
+    expect(vi.mocked(api.attach).mock.calls.filter(([target]) => target.tabId === 7)).toHaveLength(
+      2,
+    );
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(7)).toBe(true);
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(8)).toBe(true);
+    await cdp.detachSession("bb22");
+    expect(api.detach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(7)).toBe(false);
+    expect(attached.has(7)).toBe(false);
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(8)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
  it("detachAll() iterates every cached tab", async () => {
    const { api } = fakeApi();
    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api);
@@ -651,6 +714,155 @@ describe("ChromiumCdp", () => {
    expect(cdp.networkEntriesSince(33, 0, 50, 1000).entries[0].url).toBeUndefined();
  });

+  it("releases only the returning session's claim on a tab", async () => {
+    const { api } = fakeApi();
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api);
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(1);
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(2);
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("aa11", 1);
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("bb22", 1);
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("aa11", 2);
+
+    await cdp.releaseSessionTab("unknown", 1);
+    await cdp.releaseSessionTab("aa11", 1);
+    expect(api.detach).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    await cdp.releaseSessionTab("bb22", 1);
+    await cdp.releaseSessionTab("bb22", 1);
+    expect(api.detach).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith({ tabId: 1 });
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(2)).toBe(true);
+
+    await cdp.detachSession("aa11");
+    expect(api.detach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(api.detach).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({ tabId: 2 });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    false,
+    true,
+  ])("releases a tab with an attachment in flight (new owner: %s)", async (newOwner) => {
+    const { api } = fakeApi();
+    let finishAttach!: () => void;
+    vi.mocked(api.attach).mockImplementationOnce(
+      () =>
+        new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+          finishAttach = resolve;
+        }),
+    );
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api);
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("aa11", 1);
+    const attaching = cdp.ensureAttached(1);
+    const releasing = cdp.releaseSessionTab("aa11", 1);
+    if (newOwner) cdp.trackSessionTab("bb22", 1);
+    finishAttach();
+    await Promise.all([attaching, releasing]);
+
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(1)).toBe(newOwner);
+    expect(api.detach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(newOwner ? 0 : 1);
+  });
+
+  it("stops accepting dialogs on a returned tab even when another session keeps CDP attached", async () => {
+    const { api, onEvent } = fakeApi();
+    let controlled = true;
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api, { shouldAutoAcceptDialog: () => controlled });
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("aa11", 1);
+    cdp.trackSessionTab("bb22", 1);
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(1);
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", {
+      type: "confirm",
+      message: "before return",
+    });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(cdp.dialogsSince(1, 0)).toHaveLength(1));
+    vi.mocked(api.sendCommand).mockClear();
+
+    controlled = false;
+    await cdp.releaseSessionTab("aa11", 1);
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(1)).toBe(true);
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", {
+      type: "confirm",
+      message: "after return",
+    });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(api.sendCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(cdp.dialogsSince(1, 0)).toHaveLength(1);
+
+    controlled = true;
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", {
+      type: "alert",
+      message: "borrowed again",
+    });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(cdp.dialogsSince(1, 0)).toHaveLength(2));
+    expect(api.sendCommand).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(
+      { tabId: 1 },
+      "Page.handleJavaScriptDialog",
+      { accept: true },
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("ignores dialog events after detach, including a pending eligibility check", async () => {
+    const { api, onEvent } = fakeApi();
+    let resolveEligibility!: (value: boolean) => void;
+    const shouldAutoAcceptDialog = vi.fn(
+      () =>
+        new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
+          resolveEligibility = resolve;
+        }),
+    );
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api, { shouldAutoAcceptDialog });
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(1);
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", { type: "alert" });
+    await cdp.detach(1);
+    resolveEligibility(true);
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", { type: "alert" });
+
+    expect(shouldAutoAcceptDialog).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(api.sendCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.anything(),
+      "Page.handleJavaScriptDialog",
+      expect.anything(),
+    );
+    expect(cdp.dialogsSince(1, 0)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not accept dialogs when the tab's current scope cannot be determined", async () => {
+    const { api, onEvent } = fakeApi();
+    const shouldAutoAcceptDialog = vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error("tab is gone");
+    });
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api, { shouldAutoAcceptDialog });
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(1);
+    vi.mocked(api.sendCommand).mockClear();
+
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", { type: "confirm" });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(shouldAutoAcceptDialog).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    expect(api.sendCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(cdp.dialogsSince(1, 0)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not restore dialog state when an acceptance completes after detach", async () => {
+    const { api, onEvent } = fakeApi();
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api);
+    await cdp.ensureAttached(1);
+    let finishAccept!: () => void;
+    vi.mocked(api.sendCommand).mockImplementationOnce(
+      () =>
+        new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+          finishAccept = resolve;
+        }),
+    );
+
+    onEvent.fire({ tabId: 1 }, "Page.javascriptDialogOpening", { type: "alert" });
+    await cdp.detach(1);
+    finishAccept();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(cdp.dialogsSince(1, 0)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(cdp.dialogCursor(1)).toBe(0);
+  });
+
  it("detachSession only detaches tabs no other session owns", async () => {
    const { api } = fakeApi();
    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(api);
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {
  private readonly api: CdpDebuggerApi;
  private readonly attachedTabs = new Set<number>();
  private readonly attachInFlight = new Map<number, Promise<void>>();
+  private readonly detachInFlight = new Map<number, Promise<void>>();
  private readonly tabOwners = new Map<number, Set<string>>();
  private readonly dialogBuffers = new Map<number, JavaScriptDialogInfo[]>();
  private readonly dialogSequences = new Map<number, number>();
@@ -182,7 +183,13 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {
  private networkSubscription: { dispose(): void } | null = null;
  private frameTargetSubscription: { dispose(): void } | null = null;

-  constructor(api: CdpDebuggerApi = chromeDebuggerApi) {
+  constructor(
+    api: CdpDebuggerApi = chromeDebuggerApi,
+    private readonly options: {
+      /** CDP observation alone does not authorize dismissing user dialogs. */
+      shouldAutoAcceptDialog?: (tabId: number) => boolean | Promise<boolean>;
+    } = {},
+  ) {
    this.api = api;
    this.bindAutoDetach();
    this.bindDialogHandler();
@@ -193,6 +200,10 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {

  /** Attach to `tabId` if we haven't already in this driver. */
  async ensureAttached(tabId: number): Promise<void> {
+    // Returning a tab clears the cache before Chrome finishes detaching.
+    // New observers must wait before opening the next connection to that tab.
+    const detaching = this.detachInFlight.get(tabId);
+    if (detaching) await detaching;
    if (this.attachedTabs.has(tabId)) return;
    const existing = this.attachInFlight.get(tabId);
    if (existing) {
@@ -425,6 +436,11 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {

  /** Detach if attached; never throws. */
  async detach(tabId: number): Promise<void> {
+    const existing = this.detachInFlight.get(tabId);
+    if (existing) {
+      await existing;
+      return;
+    }
    this.attachInFlight.delete(tabId);
    if (!this.attachedTabs.has(tabId)) return;
    this.attachedTabs.delete(tabId);
@@ -432,13 +448,19 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {
    this.clearConsoleState(tabId);
    this.clearNetworkState(tabId);
    this.clearFrameState(tabId);
-    try {
-      await this.api.detach({ tabId });
-    } catch (err) {
-      // Tab may already be gone — Chrome auto-detaches on close. Log
-      // at debug so production builds aren't noisy.
-      console.debug("[bsk cdp] detach failed (likely tab already closed)", err);
-    }
+    const detach = (async () => {
+      try {
+        await this.api.detach({ tabId });
+      } catch (err) {
+        // Tab may already be gone — Chrome auto-detaches on close. Log
+        // at debug so production builds aren't noisy.
+        console.debug("[bsk cdp] detach failed (likely tab already closed)", err);
+      }
+    })().finally(() => {
+      this.detachInFlight.delete(tabId);
+    });
+    this.detachInFlight.set(tabId, detach);
+    await detach;
  }

  /** True iff `ensureAttached(tabId)` has succeeded since the last detach. */
@@ -453,6 +475,17 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {
    this.tabOwners.set(tabId, owners);
  }

+  /** Release one session's claim, preserving attachments still used by another. */
+  async releaseSessionTab(sessionId: string, tabId: number): Promise<void> {
+    const owners = this.tabOwners.get(tabId);
+    if (!owners?.delete(sessionId) || owners.size > 0) return;
+    this.tabOwners.delete(tabId);
+    // An observation may still be attaching when the tab is returned. Wait
+    // for it so detach cannot miss the attachment or remove a new owner's claim.
+    await this.attachInFlight.get(tabId)?.catch(() => {});
+    if (!this.tabOwners.has(tabId)) await this.detach(tabId);
+  }
+
  /** Subscribe to all CDP events. Returned disposable removes the listener. */
  onEvent(handler: (source: CdpDebuggee, method: string, params: unknown) => void): {
    dispose(): void;
@@ -639,13 +672,23 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {
  }

  private async onJavaScriptDialogOpening(tabId: number, params: unknown): Promise<void> {
+    if (!this.attachedTabs.has(tabId) && !this.attachInFlight.has(tabId)) return;
    const parsed = parseDialogOpeningParams(params);
    try {
+      if (
+        this.options.shouldAutoAcceptDialog &&
+        !(await this.options.shouldAutoAcceptDialog(tabId))
+      ) {
+        return;
+      }
+      // The tab may have been returned while its current scope was checked.
+      if (!this.attachedTabs.has(tabId) && !this.attachInFlight.has(tabId)) return;
      const handleParams: { accept: boolean; promptText?: string } = { accept: true };
      if (parsed.type === "prompt") {
        handleParams.promptText = parsed.defaultPrompt ?? "";
      }
      await this.api.sendCommand({ tabId }, "Page.handleJavaScriptDialog", handleParams);
+      if (!this.attachedTabs.has(tabId) && !this.attachInFlight.has(tabId)) return;
      const sequence = (this.dialogSequences.get(tabId) ?? 0) + 1;
      this.dialogSequences.set(tabId, sequence);
      this.appendDialog(tabId, {
@@ -835,15 +878,9 @@ export class ChromiumCdp {

  /** Detach tabs only when no other live session has claimed them. */
  async detachSession(sessionId: string): Promise<void> {
-    const tabsToDetach: number[] = [];
-    for (const [tabId, owners] of this.tabOwners) {
-      owners.delete(sessionId);
-      if (owners.size === 0) {
-        this.tabOwners.delete(tabId);
-        tabsToDetach.push(tabId);
-      }
-    }
-    await Promise.all(tabsToDetach.map((tabId) => this.detach(tabId)));
+    await Promise.all(
+      Array.from(this.tabOwners.keys(), (tabId) => this.releaseSessionTab(sessionId, tabId)),
+    );
  }
 }

@@ -45,10 +45,32 @@ function portHarness() {

 describe("RecordFrameAgent", () => {
  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
    document.documentElement.removeAttribute(RECORD_DOCUMENT_ATTRIBUTE);
    document.body.replaceChildren();
  });

+  it("starts when crypto.randomUUID is unavailable", async () => {
+    const harness = portHarness();
+    const getRandomValues = vi.fn((bytes: Uint8Array) => {
+      bytes.fill(0x11);
+      return bytes;
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("crypto", { getRandomValues });
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
+      runtime: {
+        connect: vi.fn(() => harness.port),
+        sendMessage: vi.fn(),
+      },
+    });
+    const agent = new RecordFrameAgent();
+
+    await expect(
+      agent.start({ type: RECORD_FRAME_START, requestId: "rec-http", startedAtMs: 10 }),
+    ).resolves.toEqual({ ok: true });
+    expect(getRandomValues).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
  it("keeps a failed stop retryable and flushes the final dirty fill", async () => {
    const harness = portHarness();
    const sendMessage = vi
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createRandomUuid } from "@/lib/random-uuid";
 import {
  isAcceptedRecordStepAck,
  RECORD_STEP,
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ export class RecordStepDelivery {
  constructor(
    requestId: string,
    send: SendRecordStepMessage = (message) => chrome.runtime.sendMessage(message),
-    producerId: string = crypto.randomUUID(),
+    producerId: string = createRandomUuid(),
  ) {
    this.#requestId = requestId;
    this.#producerId = producerId;
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createRandomUuid } from "@/lib/random-uuid";
 import {
  markRecordingDocument,
  type RecordingDocumentMarker,
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ export class RecordFrameAgent {
  async #start(
    message: RecordFrameStartMessage,
  ): Promise<{ ok: true } | { ok: false; error: string }> {
-    const producerId = crypto.randomUUID();
+    const producerId = createRandomUuid();
    const root = await waitForDocumentElement();
    if (this.#disposed) return { ok: false, error: "recording document is disposed" };
    const marker = markRecordingDocument(producerId, root);
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import { recordFrameCoordinator } from "@/lib/recording/frame-coordinator";
 import { attachSessionsLiveFlag } from "@/lib/sessions-live-flag";
 import { createDisconnectCleanup } from "@/session-manager/disconnect-cleanup";
 import { attachSessionEventHandler } from "@/session-manager/event-handler";
-import { SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
+import { isAgentControlledTab, SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
 import {
  attachBorrowNotificationButtonHandler,
  attachBorrowNotificationClickHandler,
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ import {
  attachRecordStepListener,
  type RecordRuntimeDeps,
 } from "@/tools/record";
+import { chromeTabsApi } from "@/tools/shared";
+import { chromeTabMutationApi } from "@/tools/tabs";
 import { detectBrowserMeta } from "@/transport/handshake";
 import type { Transport } from "@/transport/transport";
 import { WSTransport } from "@/transport/ws-transport";
@@ -49,7 +51,12 @@ export default defineBackground(() => {
  const controller = new ConnectionController();
  const transport = new WSTransport({ url: __BSK_DAEMON_WS_URL__ });
  const sessions = new SessionManager();
-  const cdp = new ChromiumCdp();
+  const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(undefined, {
+    shouldAutoAcceptDialog: async (tabId) => {
+      const tab = await chrome.tabs.get(tabId);
+      return sessions.findByWindowId(tab.windowId) !== null;
+    },
+  });
  const sessionsLive = attachSessionsLiveFlag({ manager: sessions });
  let overlayGeneration = 0;
  const controlModes = new Map<string, OverlayMode>();
@@ -80,6 +87,24 @@ export default defineBackground(() => {
    };
  }

+  /**
+   * Authoritative overlay state for a specific tab. Agent Window tabs are
+   * free by default; only tabs explicitly claimed through session startup,
+   * `tab_create`, or `tab_borrow` receive the control overlay.
+   */
+  function overlayStateForTab(tabId?: number, windowId?: number): OverlayAgentStateMessage {
+    if (typeof tabId === "number" && typeof windowId === "number") {
+      const ctx = sessions.findByWindowId(windowId);
+      if (ctx && isAgentControlledTab(ctx, tabId)) return overlayStateForWindow(windowId);
+    }
+    return {
+      type: OVERLAY_AGENT_STATE,
+      sessionId: null,
+      mode: "hidden",
+      generation: overlayGeneration,
+    };
+  }
+
  async function pushOverlayStateToTab(
    tabId: number,
    state: OverlayAgentStateMessage,
@@ -91,13 +116,18 @@ export default defineBackground(() => {
    }
  }

+  async function pushOverlayStateForTab(tabId: number, windowId?: number): Promise<void> {
+    const state = overlayStateForTab(tabId, windowId);
+    await pushOverlayStateToTab(tabId, state);
+  }
+
  async function pushOverlayStateForWindow(windowId: number): Promise<void> {
-    const state = overlayStateForWindow(windowId);
    const tabs = await chrome.tabs.query({ windowId });
    await Promise.all(
-      tabs.map((tab) =>
-        typeof tab.id === "number" ? pushOverlayStateToTab(tab.id, state) : Promise.resolve(),
-      ),
+      tabs.map((tab) => {
+        if (typeof tab.id !== "number") return Promise.resolve();
+        return pushOverlayStateForTab(tab.id, windowId);
+      }),
    );
  }

@@ -136,13 +166,30 @@ export default defineBackground(() => {
    if (typeof tab.windowId !== "number") return;
    pushOverlayStateForAgentWindow(tab.windowId);
  });
+  // Newly observed tabs are free unless the agent's own creation path has
+  // already claimed their concrete id. This listener only renders that
+  // state; it never infers or mutates ownership from event ordering.
+  chrome.tabs.onCreated.addListener((tab) => {
+    if (typeof tab.windowId !== "number" || typeof tab.id !== "number") return;
+    if (!sessions.findByWindowId(tab.windowId)) return;
+    void pushOverlayStateForTab(tab.id, tab.windowId);
+  });
+  chrome.tabs.onRemoved.addListener((tabId, removeInfo) => {
+    sessions.forgetClosedTab(tabId, { isWindowClosing: removeInfo.isWindowClosing });
+  });
  // Re-sync the storage.session flag on SW startup so a previous SW's
  // stale `true` does not keep waking us on every page load until the
  // first mutation (review M4/M5 round 3 m-R3-1).
  void sessionsLive.refresh();
  const cleanupAfterDisconnect = createDisconnectCleanup({
    manager: sessions,
-    sessionStopDeps: { cdp },
+    // Same contract as the dispatcher's `tool.session_stop`: without these
+    // deps the agent-tab cleanup and the window-release path are dead code.
+    sessionStopDeps: {
+      cdp,
+      tabManagement: { tabs: chromeTabMutationApi },
+      tabsQuery: chromeTabsApi,
+    },
    onSessionsChanged: () => {
      void sessionsLive.syncFromManager();
    },
@@ -176,6 +223,9 @@ export default defineBackground(() => {
    recording: recordDeps,
    onSessionsChanged: onOverlaySessionStateChanged,
    onBrowserControlResumed,
+    onAgentTabClaimed: (tabId, windowId) => {
+      void pushOverlayStateForTab(tabId, windowId);
+    },
    approveBorrow: (ctx) =>
      requestBorrowConfirmation(ctx.tabId, {
        ...(ctx.signal !== undefined ? { signal: ctx.signal } : {}),
@@ -309,7 +359,11 @@ export default defineBackground(() => {
    }

    if (msg.kind === OVERLAY_MSG_READY) {
-      sendResponse(overlayStateForWindow(sender.tab?.windowId));
+      // Resolve from explicit tab ownership before sending so free tabs never
+      // flash the control mask.
+      if (typeof sender.tab?.id === "number") {
+        void pushOverlayStateForTab(sender.tab.id, sender.tab.windowId);
+      }
      return false;
    }

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { createRandomUuid } from "../random-uuid";
+
+describe("createRandomUuid", () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  });
+
+  it("uses crypto.randomUUID when it is available", () => {
+    const randomUUID = vi.fn(() => "00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000000");
+    vi.stubGlobal("crypto", { randomUUID, getRandomValues: vi.fn() });
+
+    expect(createRandomUuid()).toBe("00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000000");
+    expect(randomUUID).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to getRandomValues and sets UUID v4 bits", () => {
+    const bytes = new Uint8Array(16).fill(0xff);
+    const getRandomValues = vi.fn((target: Uint8Array) => {
+      target.set(bytes);
+      return target;
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("crypto", { getRandomValues });
+
+    const uuid = createRandomUuid();
+
+    expect(uuid).toBe("ffffffff-ffff-4fff-bfff-ffffffffffff");
+    expect(getRandomValues).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+});
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 * between the content-script control overlay and the background SW.
 *
 * Content script → background:
- *  - `{ kind: "overlay.ready" }` → background replies with the authoritative
- *      overlay state for the sender's window.
+ *  - `{ kind: "overlay.ready" }` → background decides the per-tab state first
+ *      (see overlayStateForTab) and pushes the authoritative overlay state for
+ *      that tab. It also proactively pushes on tab create and control-mode
+ *      change, so a tab usually receives state before it ever sends ready.
 *  - `{ kind: "overlay.interrupt", sessionId }` → background asks the
 *      daemon (via a `session.user_interrupt` WS event) to cancel
 *      every inflight + queued tool call for that session with
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/**
+ * Generate a UUID v4 in browser contexts where randomUUID() is unavailable.
+ *
+ * Crypto.randomUUID() is restricted to secure contexts, while
+ * crypto.getRandomValues() is available to content scripts on ordinary HTTP
+ * origins. BrowserSkill records many intranet pages served over HTTP, so the
+ * fallback is required for recording to work on those pages.
+ */
+export function createRandomUuid(): string {
+  const cryptoApi = globalThis.crypto;
+  if (typeof cryptoApi.randomUUID === "function") return cryptoApi.randomUUID();
+
+  const bytes = new Uint8Array(16);
+  cryptoApi.getRandomValues(bytes);
+  bytes[6] = (bytes[6]! & 0x0f) | 0x40;
+  bytes[8] = (bytes[8]! & 0x3f) | 0x80;
+
+  const hex = Array.from(bytes, (byte) => byte.toString(16).padStart(2, "0")).join("");
+  return [
+    hex.slice(0, 8),
+    hex.slice(8, 12),
+    hex.slice(12, 16),
+    hex.slice(16, 20),
+    hex.slice(20),
+  ].join("-");
+}
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createRandomUuid } from "../random-uuid";
 import {
  isRecordFrameQueryMessage,
  RECORD_FRAME_PORT,
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ export class RecordFrameCoordinator {
    const recording = this.#recordings.get(requestId);
    if (!recording) return true;
    recording.finishing = true;
-    const commandId = crypto.randomUUID();
+    const commandId = createRandomUuid();
    const results = await Promise.all(
      [...recording.agents.values()].map((agent) => this.#stopAgent(agent, requestId, commandId)),
    );
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe("disconnect session cleanup", () => {
    const manager = new SessionManager({
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => nextWindowId++),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove,
      },
    });
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ describe("disconnect session cleanup", () => {
    const manager = new SessionManager({
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 100),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(() => removeGate),
      },
    });
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ describe("attachSessionEventHandler", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await manager.start("aa11");
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ describe("attachSessionEventHandler", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const ctx = await manager.start("aa11");
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ describe("attachSessionEventHandler", () => {
      windowEvents: events.api,
    });

+    manager.forgetClosedTab(7, { isWindowClosing: true });
    events.emit(4242);
    for (let i = 0; i < 4; i += 1) await Promise.resolve();

@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ describe("attachSessionEventHandler", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const transport = fakeTransport();
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ describe("attachSessionEventHandler", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const transport = fakeTransport();
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { AgentWindowApi, AgentWindowCreateOptions } from "../agent-window";
-import { SessionManager } from "../manager";
+import { isAgentControlledTab, SessionManager } from "../manager";

 function fakeAgentWindow(): AgentWindowApi & {
  createMock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(): AgentWindowApi & {
    return id;
  });
  const removeMock = vi.fn(async (_id: number) => {});
-  const ensureActiveTabMock = vi.fn(async (_windowId: number, _url: string) => {});
+  const ensureActiveTabMock = vi.fn(async (_windowId: number, _url: string) => 0);
  return {
    create: createMock,
    remove: removeMock,
@@ -151,6 +151,76 @@ describe("SessionManager", () => {
    expect(sm.list()).toEqual([]);
  });

+  describe("explicit tab claims", () => {
+    it("claims the exact home tab returned by AgentWindowApi", async () => {
+      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
+      const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+      expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs).toEqual(new Set([0]));
+      expect(isAgentControlledTab(ctx, 0)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("keeps every other tab free without classification state", async () => {
+      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
+      const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+      expect(isAgentControlledTab(ctx, 99)).toBe(false);
+      expect(ctx).not.toHaveProperty("userTabs");
+      expect(ctx).not.toHaveProperty("pendingAgentTabCount");
+    });
+
+    it("treats a committed borrow as an explicit claim", async () => {
+      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
+      const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+      const reservation = sm.tryReserveBorrow(42, ctx.sessionId);
+      if ("borrowedBy" in reservation) throw new Error("unexpected borrow conflict");
+      reservation.commit({ tabId: 42, originalWindowId: 7, originalIndex: 3 });
+      expect(isAgentControlledTab(ctx, 42)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("forgets an agent-created tab after Chrome removes it", async () => {
+      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
+      const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+      ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(42);
+      sm.forgetClosedTab(42);
+      expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(42)).toBe(false);
+      expect(isAgentControlledTab(ctx, 0)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("forgets closed borrows idempotently without affecting other tabs or sessions", async () => {
+      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
+      const a = await sm.start("aa11");
+      const b = await sm.start("bb22");
+      a.borrowedTabs.set(42, { tabId: 42, originalWindowId: 7, originalIndex: 0 });
+      a.borrowedTabs.set(43, { tabId: 43, originalWindowId: 7, originalIndex: 1 });
+      b.borrowedTabs.set(44, { tabId: 44, originalWindowId: 8, originalIndex: 0 });
+
+      sm.forgetClosedTab(42);
+      sm.forgetClosedTab(42);
+      sm.forgetClosedTab(999);
+
+      expect(isAgentControlledTab(a, 42)).toBe(false);
+      expect(sm.findBorrowingSession(42, null)).toBeNull();
+      expect([...a.borrowedTabs.keys()]).toEqual([43]);
+      expect([...b.borrowedTabs.keys()]).toEqual([44]);
+      expect(sm.list()).toHaveLength(2);
+    });
+
+    it("prevents an in-flight borrow from reclaiming a closed tab", async () => {
+      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
+      const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+      const reservation = sm.tryReserveBorrow(42, ctx.sessionId);
+      if ("borrowedBy" in reservation) throw new Error("unexpected borrow conflict");
+
+      sm.forgetClosedTab(42);
+
+      expect(() =>
+        reservation.commit({ tabId: 42, originalWindowId: 7, originalIndex: 0 }),
+      ).toThrow(/reservation disappeared/);
+      reservation.release();
+      expect(sm.findBorrowingSession(42, null)).toBeNull();
+      expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.has(42)).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
  describe("findBorrowingSession", () => {
    it("returns null when no session has borrowed the tab", async () => {
      const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow() });
@@ -14,8 +14,11 @@ export interface AgentWindowApi {
   * Guarantee the Agent Window has an active, CDP-navigable tab.
   * `chrome://` pages (including the New Tab page) reject `Page.navigate`,
   * so sessions bootstrap with `about:blank` instead.
+   *
+   * Resolves with the id of the activated (or newly created) tab, so callers
+   * can track the session's home tab without re-querying Chrome.
   */
-  ensureActiveTab(windowId: number, url: string): Promise<void>;
+  ensureActiveTab(windowId: number, url: string): Promise<number>;
 }

 /** Creation hints for a new Agent Window. */
@@ -49,15 +52,19 @@ export const chromeAgentWindowApi: AgentWindowApi = {
    // cancellation success while the Agent Window remains open.
    await chrome.windows.remove(windowId);
  },
-  async ensureActiveTab(windowId: number, url: string): Promise<void> {
+  async ensureActiveTab(windowId: number, url: string): Promise<number> {
    const tabs = await chrome.tabs.query({ windowId });
    const first = tabs.find((t) => typeof t.id === "number");
-    if (first?.id) {
+    if (first?.id !== undefined) {
      if (!first.active) {
        await chrome.tabs.update(first.id, { active: true });
      }
-      return;
+      return first.id;
    }
-    await chrome.tabs.create({ windowId, url, active: true });
+    const created = await chrome.tabs.create({ windowId, url, active: true });
+    if (typeof created?.id !== "number") {
+      throw new Error("[bh] chrome.tabs.create returned no tab id");
+    }
+    return created.id;
  },
 };
@@ -6,9 +6,20 @@ export interface SessionContext {
  agentWindowId: number;
  refStore: RefStore;
  borrowedTabs: Map<number, BorrowedTab>;
+  /**
+   * Tabs explicitly claimed by the agent because it created them. This
+   * includes the Agent Window's home tab and tabs created by `tool.tab_create`.
+   * Tabs opened through Chrome UI never enter this set.
+   */
+  agentCreatedTabs: Set<number>;
  createdAtMs: number;
 }

+/** Whether this session has explicitly claimed control of `tabId`. */
+export function isAgentControlledTab(ctx: SessionContext, tabId: number): boolean {
+  return ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(tabId) || ctx.borrowedTabs.has(tabId);
+}
+
 export interface BorrowedTab {
  tabId: number;
  originalWindowId: number;
@@ -106,6 +117,19 @@ export class SessionManager {
    return Array.from(this.sessions.values());
  }

+  /**
+   * Forget a tab Chrome has removed, including any uncommitted borrow.
+   * Whole-window closures keep committed borrows until the window-removed
+   * handler reports which user tabs could not be returned.
+   */
+  forgetClosedTab(tabId: number, { isWindowClosing = false } = {}): void {
+    this.borrowReservations.delete(tabId);
+    for (const ctx of this.sessions.values()) {
+      ctx.agentCreatedTabs.delete(tabId);
+      if (!isWindowClosing) ctx.borrowedTabs.delete(tabId);
+    }
+  }
+
  /**
   * Look up whether `tabId` is currently borrowed by some *other*
   * session than the one calling. Used by M8 `tab_borrow` to refuse
@@ -179,7 +203,7 @@ export class SessionManager {
      const { signal: _signal, ...createOptions } = opts;
      windowId = await this.agentWindow.create(AGENT_WINDOW_HOME, createOptions);
      throwIfSessionStartAborted(opts.signal);
-      await this.agentWindow.ensureActiveTab(windowId, AGENT_WINDOW_HOME);
+      const homeTabId = await this.agentWindow.ensureActiveTab(windowId, AGENT_WINDOW_HOME);
      throwIfSessionStartAborted(opts.signal);

      const ctx: SessionContext = {
@@ -187,6 +211,10 @@ export class SessionManager {
        agentWindowId: windowId,
        refStore: new RefStore(),
        borrowedTabs: new Map(),
+        // The home tab is the session's first explicit claim. Every other
+        // tab remains free until `tab_create` or `tab_borrow` identifies it
+        // by its concrete Chrome tab id.
+        agentCreatedTabs: new Set([homeTabId]),
        createdAtMs: this.now(),
      };
      this.sessions.set(sessionId, ctx);
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -49,13 +49,54 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
  });

+  it.each([
+    "tool.snapshot",
+    "tool.evaluate",
+    "tool.get_html",
+    "tool.console",
+  ])("annotates Chrome extension-access failures from %s", async (method) => {
+    const tab = { id: 7, windowId: 4242, active: true, url: "https://example.test" };
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
+      tabs: {
+        get: vi.fn(async () => tab),
+        query: vi.fn(async () => [tab]),
+      },
+    });
+    const { transport, sent, deliver } = fakeTransport();
+    const sessions = new SessionManager({
+      agentWindow: {
+        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
+        remove: vi.fn(),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(),
+      },
+    });
+    await sessions.start("test");
+    const error = new Error("Cannot access a chrome-extension:// URL of different extension");
+    const cdp = {
+      send: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(error),
+      ensureConsoleCapture: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(error),
+      consoleEntriesSince: vi.fn(),
+    } as unknown as TestDispatcherCdp;
+    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions, cdp });
+    dispatcher.start();
+    deliver(makeRequest(method, { session_id: "test", expression: "document.title" }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(sent).toHaveLength(1));
+    expect(sent[0]).toMatchObject({
+      error: {
+        code: "cdp_failed",
+        data: { reason: "cdp_extension_access_denied" },
+      },
+    });
+    dispatcher.stop();
+  });
+
  it("uses the configured recording runtime for start and stop", async () => {
    const { transport, sent, deliver } = fakeTransport();
    const sessions = new SessionManager({
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -117,7 +158,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -140,7 +181,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create,
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -158,7 +199,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -172,6 +213,47 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
    expect(sent[0]).toEqual({ id: "r-1", result: {} });
  });

+  it("wires the production tab APIs into tool.session_stop so a surviving user tab releases the window", async () => {
+    // Regression guard for the deps that session_stop reads directly: when
+    // `tabManagement.tabs` / `tabsQuery` are not injected by the dispatcher,
+    // the agent-tab cleanup and the release decision silently no-op and the
+    // Agent Window is closed even though a user tab is still open (issue #57).
+    const removeTab = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    const closeWindow = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    // After cleanup the window still holds one tab (id 99) that is neither
+    // the home tab nor an agent-created tab — i.e. a genuine user tab.
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
+      tabs: {
+        remove: removeTab,
+        query: vi.fn(async () => [{ id: 99, windowId: 4242, active: true }]),
+      },
+    });
+    const { transport, sent, deliver } = fakeTransport();
+    const sessions = new SessionManager({
+      agentWindow: {
+        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
+        remove: closeWindow,
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
+      },
+    });
+    await sessions.start("aa11");
+    // Register the exact tab id returned by the agent's creation path.
+    sessions.get("aa11")?.agentCreatedTabs.add(7);
+
+    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
+    dispatcher.start();
+
+    deliver(makeRequest("tool.session_stop", { session_id: "aa11" }));
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    // The agent tab is closed through the real chrome.tabs surface...
+    expect(removeTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7);
+    // ...and the window is released rather than closed, so the user's tab survives.
+    expect(closeWindow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(sessions.has("aa11")).toBe(false);
+    expect(sent[0]).toEqual({ id: "r-1", result: { window_released: true } });
+  });
+
  it("routes tool.console through the CDP console buffer", async () => {
    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
      tabs: {
@@ -183,7 +265,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -246,7 +328,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const ctx = await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -339,7 +421,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -375,7 +457,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove,
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -423,7 +505,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -443,7 +525,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -467,7 +549,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -484,7 +566,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -501,7 +583,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const onSessionsChanged = vi.fn();
@@ -518,16 +600,32 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
  });

  it("invokes onBrowserControlResumed for browser-control tools but not passive reads", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
+      tabs: {
+        create: vi.fn(async (props: chrome.tabs.CreateProperties) => ({
+          id: 7,
+          windowId: props.windowId,
+          url: props.url,
+          active: props.active,
+        })),
+      },
+    });
    const { transport, sent, deliver } = fakeTransport();
    const sessions = new SessionManager({
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const onBrowserControlResumed = vi.fn();
-    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions, onBrowserControlResumed });
+    const onAgentTabClaimed = vi.fn();
+    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({
+      transport,
+      sessions,
+      onBrowserControlResumed,
+      onAgentTabClaimed,
+    });
    dispatcher.start();

    deliver(makeRequest("tool.session_start", { session_id: "aa11" }));
@@ -544,6 +642,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
    });
    await flushMicrotasks();
    expect(onBrowserControlResumed).toHaveBeenCalledWith("aa11");
+    expect(onAgentTabClaimed).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, 1);
  });

  it("reasserts remembered hover before follow-up work and releases only after actions", async () => {
@@ -557,7 +656,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const order: string[] = [];
@@ -639,7 +738,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const cdp = {
@@ -689,6 +788,135 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
    );
  });

+  it.each([
+    { tab_id: 7, code: "not_found" },
+    { tab_id: undefined, code: "invalid_params" },
+  ])("keeps hover when tab_return is rejected with $code", async ({ tab_id, code }) => {
+    const sendMessage = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
+      tabs: {
+        sendMessage,
+        get: vi.fn(async () => ({ id: 7, windowId: 100, active: true })),
+        query: vi.fn(async () => [{ id: 7, windowId: 100, active: true }]),
+      },
+    });
+    const { transport, sent, deliver } = fakeTransport();
+    const sessions = new SessionManager({
+      agentWindow: {
+        create: vi.fn(async () => 100),
+        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
+      },
+    });
+    await sessions.start("aa11");
+    const cdp = {
+      send: vi.fn(async <T>() => ({}) as T),
+      detachSession: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      releaseSessionTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    };
+    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({
+      transport,
+      sessions,
+      cdp: cdp as unknown as TestDispatcherCdp,
+    });
+    const helpers = dispatcher as unknown as {
+      rememberHover: (sessionId: string, result: unknown) => unknown;
+      setHoverBypass: (sessionId: string, tabId: number, enabled: boolean) => Promise<void>;
+      withHoverReassert: <T>(
+        params: { session_id: string; tab_id?: number },
+        work: () => Promise<T>,
+      ) => Promise<T>;
+    };
+    helpers.rememberHover("aa11", { tab_id: 7, x: 10, y: 20 });
+    await helpers.setHoverBypass("aa11", 7, true);
+    dispatcher.start();
+    deliver(makeRequest("tool.tab_return", { session_id: "aa11", tab_id }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(sent).toHaveLength(1));
+
+    expect(sent[0]).toMatchObject({ error: { code } });
+    expect(cdp.releaseSessionTab).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(sendMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, expect.objectContaining({ enabled: false }));
+    await helpers.withHoverReassert({ session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7 }, async () => ({}));
+    expect(cdp.send).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(7, "Input.dispatchMouseEvent", {
+      type: "mouseMoved",
+      x: 10,
+      y: 20,
+    });
+    dispatcher.stop();
+  });
+
+  it("releases the returned tab's hover before moving it and leaves other tabs alone", async () => {
+    const sendMessage = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
+    const move = vi.fn(async () => {
+      expect(sendMessage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, expect.objectContaining({ enabled: false }));
+      return { id: 7, windowId: 200, index: 4 };
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
+      tabs: { sendMessage, move },
+      windows: { get: vi.fn(async () => ({ id: 200 })) },
+    });
+    const { transport, sent, deliver } = fakeTransport();
+    const sessions = new SessionManager({
+      agentWindow: {
+        create: vi.fn(async () => 100),
+        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
+      },
+    });
+    const ctx = await sessions.start("aa11");
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.set(7, { tabId: 7, originalWindowId: 200, originalIndex: 4 });
+    const cdp = {
+      send: vi.fn(async <T>() => ({}) as T),
+      detachSession: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      releaseSessionTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    };
+    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({
+      transport,
+      sessions,
+      cdp: cdp as unknown as TestDispatcherCdp,
+    });
+    const helpers = dispatcher as unknown as {
+      rememberHover: (sessionId: string, result: unknown) => unknown;
+      setHoverBypass: (sessionId: string, tabId: number, enabled: boolean) => Promise<void>;
+      withHoverReassert: <T>(
+        params: { session_id: string; tab_id?: number },
+        work: () => Promise<T>,
+      ) => Promise<T>;
+    };
+    for (const [sessionId, tabId] of [
+      ["aa11", 7],
+      ["aa11", 8],
+      ["bb22", 9],
+    ] as const) {
+      helpers.rememberHover(sessionId, { tab_id: tabId, x: 10, y: 20 });
+      await helpers.setHoverBypass(sessionId, tabId, true);
+    }
+    dispatcher.start();
+    deliver(makeRequest("tool.tab_return", { session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7 }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(sent).toHaveLength(1));
+
+    expect(sent[0]).toMatchObject({ result: { tab_id: 7, returned_to_window_id: 200 } });
+    expect(cdp.releaseSessionTab).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith("aa11", 7);
+    await helpers.withHoverReassert({ session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7 }, async () => ({}));
+    expect(cdp.send).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    for (const [sessionId, tabId] of [
+      ["aa11", 8],
+      ["bb22", 9],
+    ] as const) {
+      expect(sendMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        tabId,
+        expect.objectContaining({ enabled: false }),
+      );
+      await helpers.withHoverReassert({ session_id: sessionId, tab_id: tabId }, async () => ({}));
+      expect(cdp.send).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(tabId, "Input.dispatchMouseEvent", {
+        type: "mouseMoved",
+        x: 10,
+        y: 20,
+      });
+    }
+    dispatcher.stop();
+  });
+
  it("transfers hover overlay bypass ownership between sessions", async () => {
    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
      tabs: {
@@ -700,7 +928,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -737,7 +965,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    await sessions.start("aa11");
@@ -789,7 +1017,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -823,7 +1051,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 4242),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    transport.send = () => {
@@ -845,7 +1073,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 5555),
        remove,
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    transport.send = () => {
@@ -873,7 +1101,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(() => createPromise),
        remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -924,7 +1152,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(async () => 1),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -945,7 +1173,7 @@ describe("ToolDispatcher", () => {
      agentWindow: {
        create: vi.fn(() => createPromise),
        remove: vi.fn(),
-        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+        ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
      },
    });
    const dispatcher = new ToolDispatcher({ transport, sessions });
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { RpcError } from "@/transport/types";
+import { cdpError, classifyCdpError } from "../errors";
+
+const denied = "Cannot access a chrome-extension:// URL of different extension";
+
+describe("CDP extension access errors", () => {
+  it("classifies both Chrome Error instances and string failures", () => {
+    for (const error of [new Error(denied), denied]) {
+      expect(cdpError(error)).toEqual({
+        code: "cdp_failed",
+        message: denied,
+        data: { reason: "cdp_extension_access_denied" },
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("preserves transfer outcome and cleanup instructions when CDP was denied", () => {
+    const error: RpcError = {
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      message: denied,
+      data: {
+        reason: "transfer_outcome_unknown",
+        effect_state: "unknown",
+        cleanup_state: "failed",
+      },
+    };
+    expect(classifyCdpError(error)).toBe(error);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves other error codes and unrelated debugger failures unchanged", () => {
+    for (const error of [
+      { code: "permission_denied", message: denied },
+      { code: "cdp_failed", message: "Another debugger is already attached" },
+    ] satisfies RpcError[]) {
+      expect(classifyCdpError(error)).toBe(error);
+    }
+  });
+});
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function sessions() {
    agentWindow: {
      create: vi.fn(async () => 100),
      remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-      ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
    },
  });
 }
@@ -0,0 +1,573 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
+import type { CdpRunner } from "@/tools/shared";
+import { handleFill } from "../interaction";
+
+interface ScriptParams {
+  functionDeclaration: string;
+  arguments?: Array<{ value: unknown }>;
+}
+
+async function setup(markup = '<input value="old">') {
+  document.body.innerHTML = markup;
+  const element = document.body.firstElementChild as HTMLInputElement;
+  const manager = new SessionManager({
+    agentWindow: {
+      create: async () => 100,
+      remove: async () => {},
+      ensureActiveTab: async () => 4,
+    },
+  });
+  const ctx = await manager.start("aa11");
+  ctx.refStore.set("e1", 12, { tabId: 4 });
+  const script = vi.fn(async (params: ScriptParams): Promise<unknown> => {
+    try {
+      const fn = new Function(`return (${params.functionDeclaration})`)();
+      return {
+        result: {
+          value: await fn.apply(
+            element,
+            (params.arguments ?? []).map((arg) => arg.value),
+          ),
+        },
+      };
+    } catch {
+      return { exceptionDetails: { text: "test page script failed" } };
+    }
+  });
+  // Number/email controls have a browser caret even though their selection
+  // getters return null. Model that caret instead of assuming it is at the end.
+  const hiddenCaret = { start: 0, end: 0 };
+  const moveToEnd = vi.fn(async () => {
+    if (typeof element.selectionStart === "number") {
+      element.setSelectionRange(element.value.length, element.value.length);
+    } else {
+      hiddenCaret.start = hiddenCaret.end = element.value.length;
+    }
+  });
+  const insert = vi.fn(async (text: string) => {
+    const focused = document.activeElement as HTMLInputElement;
+    if (focused.readOnly || focused.disabled) return;
+    const start = focused.selectionStart ?? hiddenCaret.start;
+    const end = focused.selectionEnd ?? hiddenCaret.end;
+    const value = focused.value.slice(0, start) + text + focused.value.slice(end);
+    focused.value = focused.maxLength >= 0 ? value.slice(0, focused.maxLength) : value;
+    hiddenCaret.start = hiddenCaret.end = Math.min(start + text.length, focused.value.length);
+    focused.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+  });
+  const release = vi.fn(async () => ({}));
+  const send = vi.fn(async (_tabId: number, method: string, params?: object) => {
+    switch (method) {
+      case "DOM.describeNode":
+        return {
+          node: {
+            nodeName: element.tagName,
+            attributes: Array.from(element.attributes).flatMap((attr) => [attr.name, attr.value]),
+          },
+        };
+      case "DOM.scrollIntoViewIfNeeded":
+        return {};
+      case "DOM.focus":
+        element.focus();
+        return {};
+      case "DOM.resolveNode":
+        return { object: { objectId: "fill-target" } };
+      case "Runtime.callFunctionOn":
+        return script(params as ScriptParams);
+      case "Input.insertText":
+        await insert((params as { text: string }).text);
+        return {};
+      case "Input.dispatchKeyEvent":
+        if ((params as { commands?: string[] }).commands?.includes("moveToEndOfDocument")) {
+          await moveToEnd();
+        }
+        return {};
+      case "Runtime.releaseObject":
+        return release();
+      default:
+        throw new Error(`unexpected ${method}`);
+    }
+  });
+  return {
+    element,
+    hiddenCaret,
+    moveToEnd,
+    script,
+    insert,
+    release,
+    send,
+    fill: (value = "hello", clearBefore = true, signal?: AbortSignal) =>
+      handleFill(
+        manager,
+        { session_id: "aa11", ref: "e1", value, clear_before: clearBefore },
+        {
+          cdp: { send: send as CdpRunner["send"] },
+          tabsApi: {
+            get: async (id) => ({ id, windowId: 100, active: true }) as chrome.tabs.Tab,
+            query: async () => [{ id: 4, windowId: 100, active: true } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+          },
+          signal,
+        },
+      ),
+  };
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  document.body.innerHTML = "";
+});
+
+describe("fill result verification", () => {
+  it.each([
+    "readonly",
+    "disabled",
+  ])("preserves a %s field before rejecting it", async (attribute) => {
+    const h = await setup(`<input ${attribute} value="old">`);
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "invalid_params",
+      data: { reason: "target_not_fillable" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("old");
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "checkbox",
+    "radio",
+    "range",
+    "date",
+    "file",
+  ])("rejects an unsupported %s input before clearing", async (type) => {
+    const h = await setup(`<input type="${type}">`);
+    const before = h.element.value;
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "invalid_params",
+      data: { reason: "target_not_fillable" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe(before);
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects an overlong value before clearing", async () => {
+    const h = await setup('<input maxlength="3" value="old">');
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "invalid_params",
+      message: /maxlength/,
+      data: { reason: "fill_value_invalid" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("old");
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    true,
+    false,
+  ])("classifies a DOM.focus rejection on a disabled=%s target", async (disabled) => {
+    const h = await setup(`<input ${disabled ? "disabled" : ""} value="old">`);
+    const send = h.send.getMockImplementation()!;
+    h.send.mockImplementation(async (tabId, method, params) => {
+      if (method === "DOM.focus") throw new Error("Element is not focusable");
+      return send(tabId, method, params);
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: disabled ? "invalid_params" : "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: disabled ? "target_not_fillable" : "fill_failed" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("old");
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("fills a background document without requiring foreground browser focus", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    vi.spyOn(document, "hasFocus").mockReturnValue(false);
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({ value_length: 5 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("hello");
+  });
+
+  it("restores focus once after clearing without typing into another field", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    const other = document.createElement("input");
+    document.body.append(other);
+    h.element.addEventListener("input", () => other.focus());
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({ value_length: 5 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("hello");
+    expect(other.value).toBe("");
+    expect(h.send.mock.calls.filter(([, method]) => method === "DOM.focus")).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "focus",
+    "value",
+  ])("rechecks %s after restoring focus, without retrying again", async (action) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    const other = document.createElement("input");
+    document.body.append(other);
+    h.element.addEventListener(
+      "input",
+      () => {
+        other.focus();
+        h.element.addEventListener("focus", () => {
+          if (action === "focus") queueMicrotask(() => other.focus());
+          else h.element.value = "changed";
+        });
+      },
+      { once: true },
+    );
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: action === "focus" ? "fill_focus_lost" : "fill_target_changed" },
+    });
+    expect(other.value).toBe("");
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(h.send.mock.calls.filter(([, method]) => method === "DOM.focus")).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "remove",
+    "readonly",
+    "restore",
+    "microtask-restore",
+  ])("stops when clearing causes the page to %s the target", async (action) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.addEventListener("input", () => {
+      if (action === "remove") h.element.remove();
+      if (action === "readonly") h.element.readOnly = true;
+      if (action === "restore") h.element.value = "restored";
+      if (action === "microtask-restore")
+        queueMicrotask(() => {
+          h.element.value = "restored";
+        });
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "fill_target_changed" },
+    });
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("fails when insertText is acknowledged without changing the value", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.insert.mockImplementation(async () => {});
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "fill_value_mismatch" },
+    });
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("detects truncation when maxlength changes after preparation", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.addEventListener(
+      "input",
+      () => {
+        h.element.maxLength = 3;
+      },
+      { once: true },
+    );
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "fill_value_mismatch" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("hel");
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "input",
+    "change",
+    "microtask-change",
+  ])("detects a value reverted by the %s handler", async (event) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.addEventListener(event === "microtask-change" ? "change" : event, () => {
+      if (event === "microtask-change")
+        queueMicrotask(() => {
+          h.element.value = "";
+        });
+      else h.element.value = "";
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({ code: "cdp_failed", message: /expected value/ });
+  });
+
+  it("compares content rather than length without including field values in the error", async () => {
+    const h = await setup('<input type="password">');
+    h.element.addEventListener("change", () => {
+      h.element.value = "other-secret";
+    });
+    const result = await h.fill("given-secret");
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "cdp_failed", message: /expected value/ });
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toMatch(/given-secret|other-secret/);
+  });
+
+  it("does not report success for a target replaced by a change handler", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.addEventListener("change", () => h.element.replaceWith(h.element.cloneNode()));
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "fill_target_changed" },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
+  ])("rejects script exceptions at phase %s and releases the target", async (phase) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    vi.spyOn(document, "hasFocus").mockReturnValue(false);
+    const run = h.script.getMockImplementation()!;
+    let count = 0;
+    h.script.mockImplementation(async (params) =>
+      ++count === phase ? { exceptionDetails: { text: "page secret" } } : run(params),
+    );
+    const result = await h.fill();
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "cdp_failed", data: { reason: "fill_failed" } });
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain("page secret");
+    if (phase <= 3) expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it.each([1, 2, 3, 5])("rejects missing results at phase %s", async (phase) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    vi.spyOn(document, "hasFocus").mockReturnValue(false);
+    const run = h.script.getMockImplementation()!;
+    let count = 0;
+    h.script.mockImplementation(async (params) =>
+      ++count === phase ? { result: { type: "undefined" } } : run(params),
+    );
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({ code: "cdp_failed" });
+    if (phase <= 3) expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["input", "change"])("checks state after nested microtasks from %s", async (event) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.addEventListener(event, () => {
+      queueMicrotask(() =>
+        queueMicrotask(() => {
+          h.element.value = "reverted";
+        }),
+      );
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({ code: "cdp_failed" });
+    if (event === "input") expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "<input>",
+    '<input type="password">',
+    "<textarea></textarea>",
+  ])("verifies successful text in %s", async (markup) => {
+    const h = await setup(markup);
+    expect(await h.fill("你好🙂")).toMatchObject({ value_length: 4 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("你好🙂");
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("verifies append against the old value plus the requested text", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.focus();
+    h.element.setSelectionRange(3, 3);
+    expect(await h.fill("!", false)).toMatchObject({ value_length: 4 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("old!");
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["<textarea></textarea>", "a\r\nb", "a\nb"],
+    ["<input>", "a\nb", "a b"],
+    ["<input>", "a\r\nb", "a b"],
+    [
+      '<input type="email" multiple>',
+      " a@example.com , b@example.com ",
+      "a@example.com,b@example.com",
+    ],
+  ])("accepts native normalization for %s", async (markup, requested, normalized) => {
+    if (markup.startsWith("<textarea")) {
+      // Happy DOM does not implement Chrome's textarea line-ending normalization.
+      const setter = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(HTMLTextAreaElement.prototype, "value")!.set!;
+      vi.spyOn(HTMLTextAreaElement.prototype, "value", "set").mockImplementation(function (
+        this: HTMLTextAreaElement,
+        value,
+      ) {
+        setter.call(this, value.replace(/\r\n?/g, "\n"));
+      });
+    }
+    const h = await setup(markup);
+    h.insert.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      h.element.value = normalized;
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill(requested)).toMatchObject({ value_length: normalized.length });
+  });
+
+  it("does not count an editable padding break as an extra typed character", async () => {
+    const h = await setup('<div contenteditable="true" tabindex="0"></div>');
+    // These two layout/editability properties are missing in Happy DOM.
+    let innerText = "";
+    Object.defineProperty(h.element, "isContentEditable", { get: () => true });
+    Object.defineProperty(h.element, "innerText", { get: () => innerText });
+    h.insert.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      h.element.innerHTML = "one<div><br></div>";
+      innerText = "one\n\n";
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill("one\n")).toMatchObject({ value_length: 4 });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    [0, 0],
+    [1, 1],
+    [0, 3],
+  ])("appends after moving selection %s:%s to the end", async (start, end) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.focus();
+    h.element.setSelectionRange(start, end);
+    expect(await h.fill("🙂", false)).toMatchObject({ value_length: 5 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("old🙂");
+  });
+
+  it.each(
+    ["number", "email"].flatMap((type) =>
+      [
+        [0, 0],
+        [1, 1],
+        [0, 2],
+      ].map(([start, end]) => ({ type, start, end })),
+    ),
+  )("appends to $type from selection $start:$end without using its unsupported API", async ({
+    type,
+    start,
+    end,
+  }) => {
+    const h = await setup(`<input type="${type}" value="12">`);
+    Object.assign(h.hiddenCaret, { start, end });
+    vi.spyOn(h.element, "selectionStart", "get").mockReturnValue(null);
+    vi.spyOn(h.element, "selectionEnd", "get").mockReturnValue(null);
+    const selection = vi.spyOn(h.element, "setSelectionRange").mockImplementation(() => {
+      throw new DOMException("unsupported", "InvalidStateError");
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill("3", false)).toMatchObject({ value_length: 3 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("123");
+    expect(selection).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "number",
+    "email",
+  ])("does not report successful %s append when the caret command is ignored", async (type) => {
+    const h = await setup(`<input type="${type}" value="12">`);
+    vi.spyOn(h.element, "selectionStart", "get").mockReturnValue(null);
+    vi.spyOn(h.element, "selectionEnd", "get").mockReturnValue(null);
+    h.moveToEnd.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+    expect(await h.fill("3", false)).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "fill_value_mismatch" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("312");
+    expect(h.insert).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects invalid number text before clearing", async () => {
+    const h = await setup('<input type="number" value="12">');
+    expect(await h.fill("abc")).toMatchObject({
+      code: "invalid_params",
+      data: { reason: "fill_value_invalid" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("12");
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("reports page formatting as unconfirmed without retrying the write", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.element.addEventListener("change", () => {
+      h.element.value = h.element.value.toUpperCase();
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "fill_value_mismatch" },
+    });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("HELLO");
+    expect(h.insert).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["focus", false],
+    ["focus", true],
+    ["value", false],
+    ["value", true],
+    ["cancel", false],
+    ["cancel", true],
+    ["throw", false],
+    ["throw", true],
+  ] as const)("stops when positioning triggers %s (clear=%s) and releases the key", async (action, clearBefore) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    vi.spyOn(document, "hasFocus").mockReturnValue(false);
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const other = document.createElement("input");
+    document.body.append(other);
+    const send = h.send.getMockImplementation()!;
+    h.send.mockImplementation(async (tabId, method, params) => {
+      const reply = await send(tabId, method, params);
+      if (
+        method === "Input.dispatchKeyEvent" &&
+        (params as { type: string }).type === "rawKeyDown"
+      ) {
+        if (action === "focus") other.focus();
+        if (action === "value") h.element.value = "changed";
+        if (action === "cancel") controller.abort();
+        if (action === "throw") throw new Error("dispatch failed");
+      }
+      return reply;
+    });
+    const result = await h.fill("!", clearBefore, controller.signal);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: action === "cancel" ? "cancelled" : "cdp_failed" });
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(other.value).toBe("");
+    expect(h.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      4,
+      "Input.dispatchKeyEvent",
+      expect.objectContaining({ type: "keyUp" }),
+    );
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it.each([true, false])("verifies an empty request with clear_before=%s", async (clearBefore) => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    expect(await h.fill("", clearBefore)).toMatchObject({ value_length: clearBefore ? 0 : 3 });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe(clearBefore ? "" : "old");
+    expect(h.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("cancels after insertion without sending change events", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    h.insert.mockImplementation(async () => controller.abort());
+    expect(await h.fill("hello", true, controller.signal)).toMatchObject({ code: "cancelled" });
+    expect(h.script).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("cancels after resolving the remote object without clearing the field", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const send = h.send.getMockImplementation()!;
+    h.send.mockImplementation(async (tabId, method, params) => {
+      const result = await send(tabId, method, params);
+      if (method === "DOM.resolveNode") controller.abort();
+      return result;
+    });
+    expect(await h.fill("hello", true, controller.signal)).toMatchObject({ code: "cancelled" });
+    expect(h.element.value).toBe("old");
+    expect(h.script).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("honors cancellation during verification", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    h.element.addEventListener("change", () => controller.abort());
+    expect(await h.fill("hello", true, controller.signal)).toMatchObject({ code: "cancelled" });
+    expect(h.release).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the verified outcome when releasing the remote object fails", async () => {
+    const h = await setup();
+    h.release.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("target closed"));
+    expect(await h.fill()).toMatchObject({ value_length: 5 });
+  });
+});
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -540,6 +540,21 @@ describe("handleHover", () => {
  });
 });

+function successfulFillScript(params: unknown) {
+  const script = params as { arguments?: Array<{ value: unknown }>; functionDeclaration: string };
+  const args = script.arguments ?? [];
+  return {
+    result: {
+      value:
+        args.length === 2
+          ? { before: "", expected: args[0].value }
+          : script.functionDeclaration.startsWith("function(expected)")
+            ? { connected: true, matches: true, valueLength: String(args[0].value).length }
+            : "ready",
+    },
+  };
+}
+
 describe("handleFill", () => {
  it("returns not_found for unknown ref", async () => {
    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
@@ -586,7 +601,8 @@ describe("handleFill", () => {
      "DOM.scrollIntoViewIfNeeded": () => ({}),
      "DOM.focus": () => ({}),
      "DOM.resolveNode": () => ({ object: { objectId: "obj-1" } }),
-      "Runtime.callFunctionOn": () => ({ result: { type: "undefined" } }),
+      "Runtime.callFunctionOn": successfulFillScript,
+      "Runtime.releaseObject": () => ({}),
      "Input.insertText": () => ({}),
    });
    const res = await handleFill(
@@ -600,13 +616,12 @@ describe("handleFill", () => {
    expect(res.used_ref).toBe("e1");
    const insert = fake.sent.find((c) => c.method === "Input.insertText");
    expect(insert?.params).toEqual({ text: "hello" });
-    // clear_before defaults to true → callFunctionOn invoked once to
-    // clear, once to fire input/change after typing.
+    // Foreground replacement needs no extra caret-positioning round trip.
    const callFns = fake.sent.filter((c) => c.method === "Runtime.callFunctionOn");
-    expect(callFns.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+    expect(callFns).toHaveLength(4);
  });

-  it("clear_before=false skips the wipe call", async () => {
+  it("passes clear_before=false to preparation and verifies the result", async () => {
    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
    ctx.refStore.set("e1", 1, { tabId: 4 });
@@ -618,12 +633,12 @@ describe("handleFill", () => {
      "DOM.focus": () => ({}),
      "DOM.resolveNode": () => ({ object: { objectId: "obj-2" } }),
      "Runtime.callFunctionOn": (p) => {
-        const fn = (p as { functionDeclaration?: string }).functionDeclaration ?? "";
-        // No "this.value = ''" clearing on a no-clear path; only the
-        // post-input dispatchEvent.
-        expect(fn).not.toMatch(/this\.value\s*=\s*''/);
-        return { result: { type: "undefined" } };
+        const args = (p as { arguments?: Array<{ value: unknown }> }).arguments ?? [];
+        if (args.length === 2) expect(args[1].value).toBe(false);
+        return successfulFillScript(p);
      },
+      "Input.dispatchKeyEvent": () => ({}),
+      "Runtime.releaseObject": () => ({}),
      "Input.insertText": () => ({}),
    });
    const res = await handleFill(
@@ -650,7 +665,8 @@ describe("handleFill", () => {
      "DOM.scrollIntoViewIfNeeded": () => ({}),
      "DOM.focus": () => ({}),
      "DOM.resolveNode": () => ({ object: { objectId: "obj-3" } }),
-      "Runtime.callFunctionOn": () => ({ result: { type: "undefined" } }),
+      "Runtime.callFunctionOn": successfulFillScript,
+      "Runtime.releaseObject": () => ({}),
      "Input.insertText": () => ({}),
    });
    const res = await handleFill(
@@ -0,0 +1,266 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
+import type { BrowserNavigationApi } from "../browser-navigation";
+import { handleNavigate, handleReload } from "../navigation";
+import type { CdpRunner } from "../shared";
+
+const denied = "Cannot access a chrome-extension:// URL of different extension";
+const url = "https://example.test/recovered";
+
+function event<T extends (...args: never[]) => void>() {
+  const listeners = new Set<T>();
+  return {
+    listeners,
+    addListener: (listener: T) => listeners.add(listener),
+    removeListener: (listener: T) => listeners.delete(listener),
+    fire: (...args: Parameters<T>) => {
+      for (const listener of [...listeners]) listener(...args);
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+async function fixture() {
+  const manager = new SessionManager({
+    agentWindow: {
+      create: vi.fn(async () => 100),
+      remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 4),
+    },
+  });
+  await manager.start("test");
+  type Listener = Parameters<BrowserNavigationApi["onCommitted"]["addListener"]>[0];
+  const events = {
+    onCommitted: event<Listener>(),
+    onDOMContentLoaded: event<Listener>(),
+    onCompleted: event<Listener>(),
+    onErrorOccurred: event<Listener>(),
+  };
+  const cdpEvents = event<Parameters<NonNullable<CdpRunner["onEvent"]>>[0]>();
+  const state = { blocked: true, destinationBlocked: false, emitIdle: true };
+  const send = vi.fn(async (_tabId: number, method: string) => {
+    if (state.blocked) throw new Error(denied);
+    if (method === "Page.getFrameTree") {
+      return { frameTree: { frame: { id: "main", loaderId: "new-loader" } } };
+    }
+    if (method === "Runtime.evaluate") return { result: { value: "complete" } };
+    if (method === "Page.setLifecycleEventsEnabled" && state.emitIdle) {
+      cdpEvents.fire({ tabId: 4 }, "Page.lifecycleEvent", {
+        frameId: "main",
+        loaderId: "new-loader",
+        name: "networkIdle",
+      });
+    }
+    if (method === "Page.navigate") return { frameId: "main", loaderId: "new-loader" };
+    return {};
+  });
+  const cdp: CdpRunner = {
+    send: send as CdpRunner["send"],
+    onEvent: (listener) => {
+      cdpEvents.addListener(listener);
+      return { dispose: () => cdpEvents.removeListener(listener) };
+    },
+  };
+  const main = { tabId: 4, frameId: 0, documentId: "new-document" };
+  const navigate = async () => {
+    state.blocked = state.destinationBlocked;
+    events.onCommitted.fire(main);
+    events.onDOMContentLoaded.fire(main);
+    events.onCompleted.fire(main);
+  };
+  const browserNavigation = { ...events, update: vi.fn(navigate), reload: vi.fn(navigate) };
+  const tab = { id: 4, windowId: 100, active: true, url } as chrome.tabs.Tab;
+  const tabsApi = { get: vi.fn(async () => tab), query: vi.fn(async () => [tab]) };
+  const deps = { cdp, tabsApi, browserNavigation, defaultTimeoutMs: 1000 };
+  const expectCleanedUp = () => {
+    for (const entry of Object.values(events)) expect(entry.listeners.size).toBe(0);
+    expect(cdpEvents.listeners.size).toBe(0);
+  };
+  return { manager, deps, state, send, events, main, cdpEvents, expectCleanedUp };
+}
+
+describe("navigation after Chrome denies extension-frame access", () => {
+  it.each([
+    "load",
+    "commit",
+    "domcontentloaded",
+    "networkidle",
+  ] as const)("recovers the same tab with the requested %s checkpoint", async (waitUntil) => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    const result = await handleNavigate(
+      f.manager,
+      {
+        session_id: "test",
+        url,
+        wait_until: waitUntil,
+      },
+      f.deps,
+    );
+
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ tab_id: 4, final_url: url, reached: waitUntil });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(4, { url });
+    expect(f.send.mock.calls.some(([, method]) => method === "Page.navigate")).toBe(false);
+    expect(f.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(4, "Page.enable", {});
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("recovers reload through tabs.reload and preserves hard reload", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    const result = await handleReload(f.manager, { session_id: "test", hard: true }, f.deps);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ tab_id: 4, reached: "load" });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.reload).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(4, {
+      bypassCache: true,
+    });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("reports the restriction when reload leaves the conflicting frame present", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.state.destinationBlocked = true;
+    const result = await handleReload(f.manager, { session_id: "test" }, f.deps);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "cdp_extension_access_denied" },
+    });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.reload).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("does not fall back for unrelated debugger failures", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.send.mockRejectedValue(new Error("Another debugger is already attached"));
+    const result = await handleNavigate(f.manager, { session_id: "test", url }, f.deps);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      message: "Another debugger is already attached",
+    });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("does not replay navigation when a dispatched CDP command fails", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.state.blocked = false;
+    const send = f.send.getMockImplementation()!;
+    f.send.mockImplementation(async (tabId, method) => {
+      if (method === "Page.navigate") throw new Error(denied);
+      return send(tabId, method);
+    });
+    const result = await handleNavigate(f.manager, { session_id: "test", url }, f.deps);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({
+      code: "cdp_failed",
+      data: { reason: "cdp_extension_access_denied" },
+    });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the Agent Window guard in front of the recovery", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.deps.tabsApi.get.mockResolvedValue({
+      id: 4,
+      windowId: 200,
+      active: true,
+      url,
+    } as chrome.tabs.Tab);
+    const result = await handleNavigate(f.manager, { session_id: "test", tab_id: 4, url }, f.deps);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "permission_denied" });
+    expect(f.send).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("ignores old-document, subframe, and other-tab completion events", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.deps.browserNavigation.update.mockImplementation(async () => {});
+    let settled = false;
+    const work = handleNavigate(f.manager, { session_id: "test", url }, f.deps).then((result) => {
+      settled = true;
+      return result;
+    });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).toHaveBeenCalledOnce());
+    f.events.onCompleted.fire(f.main);
+    f.events.onCommitted.fire({ ...f.main, tabId: 9 });
+    f.events.onCommitted.fire({ ...f.main, frameId: 1 });
+    f.events.onCompleted.fire(f.main);
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(settled).toBe(false);
+    f.events.onCommitted.fire(f.main);
+    f.events.onCompleted.fire({ ...f.main, documentId: "old-document" });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(settled).toBe(false);
+    f.state.blocked = false;
+    f.events.onCompleted.fire(f.main);
+    expect(await work).toMatchObject({ reached: "load" });
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("does not infer network idle from a browser load event", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.state.emitIdle = false;
+    const result = await handleNavigate(
+      f.manager,
+      {
+        session_id: "test",
+        url,
+        wait_until: "networkidle",
+        timeout_ms: 10,
+      },
+      f.deps,
+    );
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ reached: "timeout" });
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("cleans up browser listeners on timeout", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.deps.browserNavigation.update.mockImplementation(async () => {});
+    const result = await handleNavigate(
+      f.manager,
+      { session_id: "test", url, timeout_ms: 10 },
+      f.deps,
+    );
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ reached: "timeout" });
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("does not navigate an already-cancelled request", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    const result = await handleNavigate(
+      f.manager,
+      { session_id: "test", url },
+      {
+        ...f.deps,
+        signal: AbortSignal.abort(),
+      },
+    );
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "cancelled" });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("cleans up browser listeners when cancelled after dispatch", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    const ac = new AbortController();
+    f.deps.browserNavigation.update.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      ac.abort();
+    });
+    const result = await handleNavigate(
+      f.manager,
+      { session_id: "test", url },
+      { ...f.deps, signal: ac.signal },
+    );
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "cancelled" });
+    expect(f.deps.browserNavigation.update).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+
+  it("reports browser navigation errors and releases listeners", async () => {
+    const f = await fixture();
+    f.deps.browserNavigation.update.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      f.events.onErrorOccurred.fire({ ...f.main, error: "net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED" });
+    });
+    const result = await handleNavigate(f.manager, { session_id: "test", url }, f.deps);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "cdp_failed", message: "net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED" });
+    f.expectCleanedUp();
+  });
+});
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -1,8 +1,26 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
 import { handleSessionStop } from "../session";
+import type { ChromeTabsApi } from "../shared";
 import { type AgentOverlayResetApi, type ChromeWindowsApi, type TabMutationApi } from "../tabs";

+/** Build a read-only query api over a FakeState. */
+function makeQuery(state: FakeState): ChromeTabsApi {
+  return {
+    get: vi.fn(async (id) => {
+      const t = state.tabs.get(id);
+      if (!t) throw new Error(`tab ${id} not found`);
+      return t;
+    }),
+    query: vi.fn(async (q: chrome.tabs.QueryInfo) => {
+      const w = q.windowId;
+      return Array.from(state.tabs.values()).filter(
+        (t) => typeof w !== "number" || t.windowId === w,
+      );
+    }),
+  };
+}
+
 function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
  let i = 0;
  const create = vi.fn(async () => {
@@ -11,7 +29,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
    return id;
  });
  const remove = vi.fn(async () => {});
-  const ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => {});
+  const ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 0);
  return { create, remove, ensureActiveTab };
 }

@@ -30,7 +48,9 @@ function makeApis(
 } {
  const tabs: TabMutationApi = {
    create: vi.fn(),
-    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    remove: vi.fn(async (id: number) => {
+      state.tabs.delete(id);
+    }),
    update: vi.fn(async (_id, _p) => undefined),
    get: vi.fn(async (id) => {
      const t = state.tabs.get(id);
@@ -237,11 +257,15 @@ describe("handleSessionStop with auto-return", () => {
      moves: [],
    };
    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state, { moveThrowsFor: new Set([1]) });
+    const cdp = {
+      detachSession: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      releaseSessionTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    };

    const res = await handleSessionStop(
      sm,
      { session_id: "aa11" },
-      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows } },
+      { cdp, tabManagement: { tabs, windows } },
    );
    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
    expect(res.return_failures?.map((f) => f.tab_id)).toEqual([1]);
@@ -249,6 +273,8 @@ describe("handleSessionStop with auto-return", () => {
    expect(sm.has("aa11")).toBe(true);
    expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.has(1)).toBe(true);
    expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.has(2)).toBe(false);
+    expect(cdp.releaseSessionTab).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith("aa11", 2);
+    expect(cdp.detachSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
    expect(aw.remove).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
  });

@@ -267,4 +293,275 @@ describe("handleSessionStop with auto-return", () => {
    await handleSessionStop(sm, { session_id: "aa11" }, { tabManagement: { tabs, windows } });
    expect(ctx.refStore.isEmpty()).toBe(true);
  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "before teardown",
+    "during its return",
+    "after its return failed",
+    "before its turn in the return loop",
+  ])("finishes stopping when a borrowed tab closes %s", async (timing) => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([100]);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.set(1, { tabId: 1, originalWindowId: 200, originalIndex: 0 });
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.set(2, { tabId: 2, originalWindowId: 200, originalIndex: 1 });
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([
+        [1, { id: 1, windowId: 100 } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [2, { id: 2, windowId: 100 } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+      ]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+    const cdp = { detachSession: vi.fn(async () => {}) };
+    const closeTab = (tabId: number) => {
+      state.tabs.delete(tabId);
+      sm.forgetClosedTab(tabId);
+    };
+    const baseMove = tabs.move;
+    tabs.move = vi.fn(async (tabId, props) => {
+      if (tabId === 1 && timing === "during its return") closeTab(1);
+      if (tabId === 1 && timing === "after its return failed") {
+        throw new Error("simulated move failure");
+      }
+      if (tabId === 2 && timing === "after its return failed") closeTab(1);
+      if (tabId === 1 && timing === "before its turn in the return loop") closeTab(2);
+      if (!state.tabs.has(tabId)) throw new Error(`tab ${tabId} not found`);
+      return baseMove(tabId, props);
+    });
+    if (timing === "before teardown") closeTab(1);
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      {
+        cdp,
+        tabManagement: {
+          tabs,
+          windows,
+          agentOverlayReset: { resetAgentOverlays: vi.fn(async () => {}) },
+        },
+        tabsQuery: makeQuery(state),
+      },
+    );
+
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    const closedTabId = timing === "before its turn in the return loop" ? 2 : 1;
+    expect(res.returned_tab_ids).toEqual([closedTabId === 1 ? 2 : 1]);
+    expect(res.return_failures).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.size).toBe(0);
+    expect(sm.has("aa11")).toBe(false);
+    expect(cdp.detachSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith("aa11");
+    expect(aw.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith(100);
+    if (timing === "before teardown" || timing === "before its turn in the return loop") {
+      expect(tabs.move).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(closedTabId, expect.anything());
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe("handleSessionStop window release (issue #57)", () => {
+  const agentWindowId = 100;
+
+  it("releases the window when user-created tabs remain", async () => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    // ensureActiveTab returns the home tab id (10). We override the fake to
+    // return a known id.
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11);
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(12);
+    // user tab 99 (created via Chrome UI, NOT in agentCreatedTabs)
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([
+        [10, { id: 10, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [11, { id: 11, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [12, { id: 12, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [99, { id: 99, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+      ]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+    const query = makeQuery(state);
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows }, tabsQuery: query },
+    );
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    expect(res.window_released).toBe(true);
+    // agent tabs + home removed, user tab 99 kept
+    expect((tabs.remove as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mock.calls.map((c) => c[0]).sort()).toEqual([
+      10, 11, 12,
+    ]);
+    expect(state.tabs.has(99)).toBe(true);
+    // window released (dropOnly), not closed
+    expect(aw.remove).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(sm.has("aa11")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("closes the window (not release) when no user tabs remain", async () => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11);
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([
+        [10, { id: 10, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [11, { id: 11, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+      ]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+    const query = makeQuery(state);
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows }, tabsQuery: query },
+    );
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    expect(res.window_released).toBeFalsy();
+    expect(aw.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith(agentWindowId);
+    expect(sm.has("aa11")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("is non-fatal when an agent tab is already gone", async () => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11); // no longer in state → remove throws
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([[10, { id: 10, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab]]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+    (tabs.remove as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(async (id: number) => {
+      if (id === 11) throw new Error("tab 11 already closed");
+      state.tabs.delete(id); // home (10) removed normally
+    });
+    const query = makeQuery(state);
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows }, tabsQuery: query },
+    );
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    // user tab 10? no — 10 is home, removed. window would be empty → close.
+    expect(res.window_released).toBeFalsy();
+    expect(aw.remove).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("degrades to close-window when tabsQuery is missing", async () => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11);
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([
+        [10, { id: 10, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [11, { id: 11, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+      ]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows } }, // no tabsQuery
+    );
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    // No query available → conservatively close the window.
+    expect(res.window_released).toBeFalsy();
+    expect(aw.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith(agentWindowId);
+  });
+
+  it("degrades to close-window when tabsQuery.query throws", async () => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11);
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([[11, { id: 11, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab]]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+    const query = makeQuery(state);
+    (query.query as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(async () => {
+      throw new Error("query failed");
+    });
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows }, tabsQuery: query },
+    );
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    expect(res.window_released).toBeFalsy();
+    expect(aw.remove).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("tracks agentCreatedTabs across tab_create / tab_close", async () => {
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    // Simulate handleTabCreate adding, then handleTabClose removing.
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11);
+    expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(11)).toBe(true);
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.delete(11); // as handleTabClose does on success
+    expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(11)).toBe(false);
+    // Unknown id delete is a safe no-op (user-closed tab).
+    expect(() => ctx.agentCreatedTabs.delete(999)).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it("closes the window (not release) when an agent tab fails to close", async () => {
+    // Regression: a leaked agent tab (still in agentCreatedTabs, but
+    // still present because Step 4 remove() threw) must NOT be mistaken
+    // for a user tab. Otherwise the window would be released (dropOnly)
+    // and the agent tab would leak (issue #57 regression).
+    const aw = fakeAgentWindow([agentWindowId]);
+    aw.ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 10);
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: aw });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(11); // Step 4 remove() will throw for this tab
+    const state: FakeState = {
+      tabs: new Map([
+        [10, { id: 10, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+        [11, { id: 11, windowId: agentWindowId } as chrome.tabs.Tab],
+      ]),
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+      moves: [],
+    };
+    const { tabs, windows } = makeApis(state);
+    (tabs.remove as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(async (id: number) => {
+      if (id === 11) throw new Error("tab 11 failed to close");
+      state.tabs.delete(id); // home (10) removed normally; 11 lingers
+    });
+    const query = makeQuery(state);
+
+    const res = await handleSessionStop(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11" },
+      { tabManagement: { tabs, windows }, tabsQuery: query },
+    );
+    if ("code" in res) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${JSON.stringify(res)}`);
+    // The leaked agent tab must NOT keep the window open.
+    expect(res.window_released).toBeFalsy();
+    expect(aw.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith(agentWindowId);
+    expect(sm.has("aa11")).toBe(false);
+  });
 });
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow() {
  return {
    create: vi.fn(async () => 100),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    },
    remove: async () => {},
-    ensureActiveTab: async () => {},
+    ensureActiveTab: async () => 1,
  };
 }

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { type CdpDebuggerApi, ChromiumCdp } from "@/browser-driver/chromium-cdp";
 import { SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
+import { handleHover } from "../interaction";
 import {
  type AgentOverlayResetApi,
  type ChromeWindowsApi,
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -221,6 +223,7 @@ describe("handleTabCreate", () => {
      active: true,
    });
    expect(res).toMatchObject({ tab_id: 10, window_id: 100 });
+    expect(sm.get("aa11")?.agentCreatedTabs.has(10)).toBe(true);
  });

  it("forwards explicit url + index + active=false", async () => {
@@ -256,6 +259,41 @@ describe("handleTabCreate", () => {
    const res = await handleTabCreate(sm, { session_id: "aa11", index: -1 }, { tabs: api });
    expect(res).toMatchObject({ code: "invalid_params" });
  });
+
+  it("does not claim any tab when chrome.tabs.create fails", async () => {
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
+    await sm.start("aa11");
+    const state: FakeTabState = { tabs: new Map(), nextTabId: 10, windowsClosed: new Set() };
+    const { api, spies } = makeTabMutationApi(state);
+    spies.create.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("chrome.tabs.create failed"));
+
+    const res = await handleTabCreate(sm, { session_id: "aa11" }, { tabs: api });
+    expect(res).toMatchObject({ code: "protocol_error" });
+
+    expect(sm.get("aa11")?.agentCreatedTabs).toEqual(new Set([1]));
+  });
+
+  it("claims the returned id even when a user tab appears during tab creation", async () => {
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    const state: FakeTabState = { tabs: new Map(), nextTabId: 10, windowsClosed: new Set() };
+    const { api, spies } = makeTabMutationApi(state);
+    let resolveCreate!: (tab: chrome.tabs.Tab) => void;
+    const createResult = new Promise<chrome.tabs.Tab>((resolve) => {
+      resolveCreate = resolve;
+    });
+    spies.create.mockImplementationOnce(() => createResult);
+
+    const pending = handleTabCreate(sm, { session_id: "aa11" }, { tabs: api });
+    // A user can create an unrelated same-window tab while Chrome is still
+    // resolving the agent request. There is no pending slot for it to steal.
+    expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(99)).toBe(false);
+    resolveCreate({ id: 10, windowId: 100, active: true } as chrome.tabs.Tab);
+
+    await expect(pending).resolves.toMatchObject({ tab_id: 10 });
+    expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(10)).toBe(true);
+    expect(ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(99)).toBe(false);
+  });
 });

 describe("handleTabClose", () => {
@@ -511,6 +549,148 @@ describe("handleTabBorrow", () => {
 });

 describe("handleTabReturn", () => {
+  it.each([
+    "not_found",
+    "cdp_failed",
+  ])("detaches after selector resolution fails with %s", async (code) => {
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.set(7, { tabId: 7, originalWindowId: 200, originalIndex: 4 });
+    const state: FakeTabState = {
+      tabs: new Map([[7, { id: 7, windowId: 100 } as chrome.tabs.Tab]]),
+      nextTabId: 50,
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+    };
+    const { api } = makeTabMutationApi(state);
+    const { api: windows } = makeWindowsApi(state);
+    const debuggerApi = {
+      attach: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      detach: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+      sendCommand: vi.fn(async (_target: unknown, method: string) => {
+        if (method === "DOM.getDocument") return { root: { nodeId: 1 } };
+        if (method === "DOM.querySelector") {
+          if (code === "cdp_failed") throw new Error("selector query failed");
+          return { nodeId: 0 };
+        }
+        return {};
+      }),
+      onEvent: { addListener: vi.fn(), removeListener: vi.fn() },
+      onDetach: { addListener: vi.fn(), removeListener: vi.fn() },
+    };
+    const cdp = new ChromiumCdp(debuggerApi as unknown as CdpDebuggerApi);
+
+    const hover = await handleHover(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7, selector: "#missing" },
+      {
+        cdp,
+        tabsApi: { get: api.get, query: vi.fn(async () => []) },
+      },
+    );
+    expect(hover).toMatchObject({ code });
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(7)).toBe(true);
+
+    const returned = await handleTabReturn(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7 },
+      {
+        tabs: api,
+        windows,
+        cdp,
+        agentOverlayReset: { resetAgentOverlays: vi.fn(async () => {}) },
+      },
+    );
+    expect(returned).toMatchObject({ returned_to_window_id: 200 });
+    expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.has(7)).toBe(false);
+    expect(cdp.isAttached(7)).toBe(false);
+    expect(debuggerApi.detach).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith({ tabId: 7 });
+    cdp.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("honours cancellation while preparing a validated return", async () => {
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.set(7, { tabId: 7, originalWindowId: 200, originalIndex: 4 });
+    const state: FakeTabState = {
+      tabs: new Map([[7, { id: 7, windowId: 100 } as chrome.tabs.Tab]]),
+      nextTabId: 50,
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+    };
+    const { api, spies } = makeTabMutationApi(state);
+    const { api: windows } = makeWindowsApi(state);
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const beforeReturn = vi.fn(async () => {
+      controller.abort();
+    });
+    const result = await handleTabReturn(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7 },
+      {
+        tabs: api,
+        windows,
+        signal: controller.signal,
+        beforeReturn,
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ code: "cancelled" });
+    expect(beforeReturn).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith("aa11", 7);
+    expect(spies.move).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.has(7)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "original",
+    "fallback",
+    "cleanup_failed",
+    "failed",
+    "cancelled",
+  ])("releases CDP only after a successful return (%s)", async (mode) => {
+    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
+    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.set(7, { tabId: 7, originalWindowId: 200, originalIndex: 4 });
+    const state: FakeTabState = {
+      tabs: new Map([[7, { id: 7, windowId: 100 } as chrome.tabs.Tab]]),
+      nextTabId: 50,
+      windowsClosed: new Set(),
+    };
+    const { api, spies } = makeTabMutationApi(state);
+    const { api: windowsApi } = makeWindowsApi(state, { lastFocused: 500 });
+    const success = mode !== "failed" && mode !== "cancelled";
+    if (mode === "fallback") spies.move.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("original move failed"));
+    if (mode === "failed") spies.move.mockRejectedValue(new Error("move failed"));
+    let windowAtRelease: number | undefined;
+    const cdp = {
+      releaseSessionTab: vi.fn(async () => {
+        windowAtRelease = state.tabs.get(7)?.windowId;
+        if (mode === "cleanup_failed") throw new Error("debugger release failed");
+      }),
+    };
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    if (mode === "cancelled") controller.abort();
+
+    const result = await handleTabReturn(
+      sm,
+      { session_id: "aa11", tab_id: 7 },
+      {
+        tabs: api,
+        windows: windowsApi,
+        cdp,
+        signal: controller.signal,
+        agentOverlayReset: { resetAgentOverlays: vi.fn(async () => {}) },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect("code" in result).toBe(!success);
+    expect(ctx.borrowedTabs.has(7)).toBe(!success);
+    expect(cdp.releaseSessionTab).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(success ? 1 : 0);
+    if (success) {
+      expect(cdp.releaseSessionTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith("aa11", 7);
+      expect(windowAtRelease).toBe(mode === "fallback" ? 500 : 200);
+      expect(spies.move).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(mode === "fallback" ? 2 : 1);
+    }
+  });
+
  it("returns the tab to its original window/index and clears borrowedTabs", async () => {
    const sm = new SessionManager({ agentWindow: fakeAgentWindow([100]) });
    const ctx = await sm.start("aa11");
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
      return id;
    }),
    remove: vi.fn(async () => {}),
-    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ensureActiveTab: vi.fn(async () => 1),
  };
 }

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ function fakeAgentWindow(ids: number[]) {
    return id;
  });
  const remove = vi.fn(async () => {});
-  const ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => {});
+  const ensureActiveTab = vi.fn(async () => 1);
  return { create, remove, ensureActiveTab };
 }

@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import type { RpcError, WaitUntil } from "@/transport/types";
+import { cdpError } from "./errors";
+
+interface NavigationEvent {
+  tabId: number;
+  frameId: number;
+  documentId?: string;
+  error?: string;
+}
+
+interface NavigationEvents {
+  addListener(listener: (details: NavigationEvent) => void): void;
+  removeListener(listener: (details: NavigationEvent) => void): void;
+}
+
+/** Normal browser navigation remains available when chrome.debugger is denied. */
+export interface BrowserNavigationApi {
+  update(tabId: number, props: { url: string }): Promise<unknown>;
+  reload(tabId: number, props: { bypassCache: boolean }): Promise<void>;
+  onCommitted: NavigationEvents;
+  onDOMContentLoaded: NavigationEvents;
+  onCompleted: NavigationEvents;
+  onErrorOccurred: NavigationEvents;
+}
+
+export const chromeBrowserNavigationApi: BrowserNavigationApi = {
+  update: (tabId, props) => chrome.tabs.update(tabId, props),
+  reload: (tabId, props) => chrome.tabs.reload(tabId, props),
+  get onCommitted() {
+    return chrome.webNavigation.onCommitted;
+  },
+  get onDOMContentLoaded() {
+    return chrome.webNavigation.onDOMContentLoaded;
+  },
+  get onCompleted() {
+    return chrome.webNavigation.onCompleted;
+  },
+  get onErrorOccurred() {
+    return chrome.webNavigation.onErrorOccurred;
+  },
+};
+
+export type NavigationOutcome =
+  | { reached: "match" | "timeout" | "cancelled"; lastLifecycle?: string }
+  | { reached: "failed"; error: RpcError };
+
+/** Subscribe before dispatch and ignore the departing document's load events. */
+export async function navigateWithBrowserApi(
+  api: BrowserNavigationApi,
+  tabId: number,
+  action: () => Promise<unknown>,
+  waitUntil: Exclude<WaitUntil, "networkidle">,
+  timeoutMs: number,
+  signal?: AbortSignal,
+): Promise<NavigationOutcome> {
+  if (signal?.aborted) return { reached: "cancelled" };
+  if (timeoutMs <= 0) return { reached: "timeout" };
+  let committed = false;
+  let documentId: string | undefined;
+  let lastLifecycle: string | undefined;
+  let finish!: (outcome: NavigationOutcome) => void;
+  const outcome = new Promise<NavigationOutcome>((resolve) => {
+    finish = resolve;
+  });
+  const isMainFrame = (details: NavigationEvent) =>
+    details.tabId === tabId && details.frameId === 0;
+  const onCommitted = (details: NavigationEvent) => {
+    if (!isMainFrame(details)) return;
+    committed = true;
+    documentId = details.documentId;
+    lastLifecycle = "commit";
+    if (waitUntil === "commit") finish({ reached: "match", lastLifecycle });
+  };
+  const onDOMContentLoaded = (details: NavigationEvent) => {
+    if (!isMainFrame(details) || !committed || (documentId && details.documentId !== documentId))
+      return;
+    lastLifecycle = "DOMContentLoaded";
+    if (waitUntil === "domcontentloaded") finish({ reached: "match", lastLifecycle });
+  };
+  const onCompleted = (details: NavigationEvent) => {
+    if (!isMainFrame(details) || !committed || (documentId && details.documentId !== documentId))
+      return;
+    finish({ reached: "match", lastLifecycle: "load" });
+  };
+  const onError = (details: NavigationEvent) => {
+    if (!isMainFrame(details)) return;
+    finish({ reached: "failed", error: cdpError(details.error ?? "browser navigation failed") });
+  };
+  const onAbort = () => finish({ reached: "cancelled", lastLifecycle });
+  const subscriptions = [
+    [api.onCommitted, onCommitted],
+    [api.onDOMContentLoaded, onDOMContentLoaded],
+    [api.onCompleted, onCompleted],
+    [api.onErrorOccurred, onError],
+  ] as const;
+  for (const [event, listener] of subscriptions) event.addListener(listener);
+  signal?.addEventListener("abort", onAbort, { once: true });
+  const timer = setTimeout(() => finish({ reached: "timeout", lastLifecycle }), timeoutMs);
+  try {
+    if (signal?.aborted) return { reached: "cancelled" };
+    await action();
+    return await outcome;
+  } catch (error) {
+    return { reached: "failed", error: cdpError(error) };
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timer);
+    signal?.removeEventListener("abort", onAbort);
+    for (const [event, listener] of subscriptions) event.removeListener(listener);
+  }
+}
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import { isRequestFrame } from "@/transport/types";
 import { handleConsole } from "./console";
 import { handleDownload } from "./download";
 import { type EmulateCdpRunner, handleEmulate } from "./emulate";
+import { classifyCdpError } from "./errors";
 import { handleEvaluate } from "./evaluate";
 import { handleRequestHelp } from "./human-loop";
 import { handleClick, handleFill, handleHover, handlePress, handleSelect } from "./interaction";
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ import {
 import { chromeTabsApi, lookupSession, resolveTargetTab } from "./shared";
 import {
  type BorrowConfirmationApprover,
+  chromeTabMutationApi,
  handleTabBorrow,
  handleTabClose,
  handleTabCreate,
@@ -118,6 +120,8 @@ export interface DispatcherDeps {
  onSessionsChanged?: () => void;
  /** Invoked before a tool that dispatches page input or mutates browser state is forwarded. */
  onBrowserControlResumed?: (sessionId: string) => void;
+  /** Invoked after a tab is explicitly claimed so its overlay can be refreshed immediately. */
+  onAgentTabClaimed?: (tabId: number, windowId: number) => void;
  /** User approval for `tool.tab_borrow` (overlay in content script). */
  approveBorrow?: BorrowConfirmationApprover;
  /** i18n notification copy for `tool.request_help` (resolved per-call). */
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ export class ToolDispatcher {
  private readonly recording?: RecordRuntimeDeps;
  private readonly onSessionsChanged?: () => void;
  private readonly onBrowserControlResumed?: (sessionId: string) => void;
+  private readonly onAgentTabClaimed?: (tabId: number, windowId: number) => void;
  private readonly approveBorrow?: BorrowConfirmationApprover;
  private readonly helpNotificationCopy?: () => { title: string; body: string };
  private subscription: { dispose(): void } | null = null;
@@ -167,6 +172,7 @@ export class ToolDispatcher {
    this.recording = deps.recording;
    this.onSessionsChanged = deps.onSessionsChanged;
    this.onBrowserControlResumed = deps.onBrowserControlResumed;
+    this.onAgentTabClaimed = deps.onAgentTabClaimed;
    this.approveBorrow = deps.approveBorrow;
    this.helpNotificationCopy = deps.helpNotificationCopy;
  }
@@ -234,7 +240,7 @@ export class ToolDispatcher {
      if (sessionId) this.onBrowserControlResumed?.(sessionId);
      const result = await this.invoke(req, ac.signal);
      if (isRpcError(result)) {
-        body = { id: req.id, error: result };
+        body = { id: req.id, error: classifyCdpError(result) };
      } else {
        body = { id: req.id, result };
        if (req.method === "tool.session_start") {
@@ -302,13 +308,25 @@ export class ToolDispatcher {
        await this.releaseHoverLatch((req.params as SessionStopParams).session_id);
        return handleSessionStop(this.sessions, req.params as SessionStopParams, {
          cdp: this.cdp,
+          // Must be wired in production: the agent-tab cleanup and the
+          // window-release decision (issue #57) read these deps directly
+          // and silently no-op when they are absent.
+          tabManagement: { tabs: chromeTabMutationApi },
+          tabsQuery: chromeTabsApi,
          signal,
        });
      }
      case "tool.tab_list":
        return handleTabList(this.sessions, req.params as TabListParams, chromeTabsApi, signal);
-      case "tool.tab_create":
-        return handleTabCreate(this.sessions, req.params as TabCreateParams, { signal });
+      case "tool.tab_create": {
+        const result = await handleTabCreate(this.sessions, req.params as TabCreateParams, {
+          signal,
+        });
+        if (!isRpcError(result)) {
+          this.onAgentTabClaimed?.(result.tab_id, result.window_id);
+        }
+        return result;
+      }
      case "tool.tab_close":
        return this.withHoverReleaseForRequest(
          req.params as TabCloseParams,
@@ -317,13 +335,22 @@ export class ToolDispatcher {
        );
      case "tool.tab_select":
        return handleTabSelect(this.sessions, req.params as TabSelectParams, { signal });
-      case "tool.tab_borrow":
-        return handleTabBorrow(this.sessions, req.params as TabBorrowParams, {
+      case "tool.tab_borrow": {
+        const result = await handleTabBorrow(this.sessions, req.params as TabBorrowParams, {
          signal,
          approveBorrow: this.approveBorrow,
        });
+        if (!isRpcError(result)) {
+          this.onAgentTabClaimed?.(result.tab_id, result.agent_window_id);
+        }
+        return result;
+      }
      case "tool.tab_return":
-        return handleTabReturn(this.sessions, req.params as TabReturnParams, { signal });
+        return handleTabReturn(this.sessions, req.params as TabReturnParams, {
+          signal,
+          cdp: this.cdp,
+          beforeReturn: (sessionId, tabId) => this.releaseHoverLatch(sessionId, tabId),
+        });
      case "tool.window_resize":
        return handleWindowResize(
          this.sessions,
@@ -13,6 +13,34 @@ import type {

 export type { RpcErrorData, RpcErrorReason };

+/** Chrome checks the whole tab's frame tree, including other extensions' frames. */
+export function isCdpExtensionAccessDenied(error: unknown): boolean {
+  const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+  return message.includes("Cannot access a chrome-extension:// URL of different extension");
+}
+
+/** Preserve more specific reasons, especially file-transfer outcome/cleanup details. */
+export function classifyCdpError(error: RpcError): RpcError {
+  if (
+    error.code !== "cdp_failed" ||
+    error.data?.reason ||
+    !isCdpExtensionAccessDenied(error.message)
+  ) {
+    return error;
+  }
+  return {
+    ...error,
+    data: { ...error.data, reason: "cdp_extension_access_denied" },
+  };
+}
+
+export function cdpError(error: unknown): RpcError {
+  return classifyCdpError({
+    code: "cdp_failed",
+    message: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+  });
+}
+
 export interface TransferErrorOptions {
  effectState: TransferEffectState;
  phase: string;
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ export async function resolveBackendNode(
  }
  // selector path
  try {
+    // Selector lookup itself attaches CDP, even when no element is found.
+    cdp.trackSessionTab?.(ctx.sessionId, target.tabId);
    const doc = await cdp.send<{ root?: { nodeId?: number } }>(target.tabId, "DOM.getDocument", {
      depth: 0,
    });
@@ -607,6 +609,53 @@ type SelectMutationResult =
 // tool.fill
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

+type FillFailureReason =
+  | "target_not_fillable"
+  | "fill_value_invalid"
+  | "fill_target_changed"
+  | "fill_focus_lost"
+  | "fill_value_mismatch"
+  | "fill_failed";
+
+type FillPreparation =
+  | { before: string; expected: string }
+  | { reason: FillFailureReason; error: string };
+
+type FillReadiness = "ready" | "background" | "fill_target_changed" | "fill_focus_lost";
+
+function fillError(reason: FillFailureReason, message: string): RpcError {
+  return rpcError(
+    reason === "target_not_fillable" || reason === "fill_value_invalid"
+      ? "invalid_params"
+      : "cdp_failed",
+    reason,
+    message,
+  );
+}
+
+interface FillScriptReply<T> {
+  result?: { value?: T };
+  exceptionDetails?: unknown;
+}
+
+const FILL_EDITABLE_FUNCTION = `function() {
+  const tag = this.tagName.toLowerCase();
+  const supported = tag === 'input'
+    ? ['text', 'search', 'tel', 'url', 'email', 'password', 'number'].includes(this.type)
+    : tag === 'textarea' || this.isContentEditable;
+  return this.isConnected && supported && !this.readOnly && !this.matches(':disabled');
+}`;
+
+// Chrome renders a trailing editable newline with an empty <div><br></div>.
+// innerText includes the padding break; it is not an extra typed character.
+const FILL_VALUE_FUNCTION = `function() {
+  if (!this.isContentEditable) return this.value;
+  const value = this.innerText;
+  const tail = this.lastChild;
+  const padding = tail && tail.nodeName === 'DIV' && tail.childNodes.length === 1 && tail.firstChild.nodeName === 'BR';
+  return padding && value.endsWith('\\n\\n') ? value.slice(0, -1) : value;
+}`;
+
 export async function handleFill(
  manager: SessionManager,
  params: FillParams,
@@ -658,12 +707,8 @@ export async function handleFill(
    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
    }
-    await nodeCdp.send(target.tabId, "DOM.focus", { backendNodeId: node.backendNodeId });
  } catch (err) {
-    return {
-      code: "cdp_failed",
-      message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
-    };
+    return fillError("fill_failed", err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
  }

  if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
@@ -676,57 +721,252 @@ export async function handleFill(
  const clearBefore = params.clear_before ?? true;

  try {
-    if (clearBefore) {
-      // Clear input/textarea value or wipe contenteditable innerText,
-      // then fire `input` so frameworks observe the empty state.
-      await nodeCdp.send(target.tabId, "Runtime.callFunctionOn", {
-        objectId,
-        functionDeclaration: `function() {
-          if (this.isContentEditable) { this.textContent = ''; }
-          else {
-            const proto = this instanceof HTMLTextAreaElement
-              ? HTMLTextAreaElement.prototype
-              : HTMLInputElement.prototype;
-            const descriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(proto, 'value');
-            if (descriptor && descriptor.set) descriptor.set.call(this, '');
-            else this.value = '';
-          }
-          this.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
-        }`,
-        returnByValue: true,
-      });
+    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+    }
+    try {
+      await nodeCdp.send(target.tabId, "DOM.focus", { backendNodeId: node.backendNodeId });
+    } catch (error) {
+      // Chrome rejects DOM.focus for disabled controls, including inherited
+      // fieldset state. Classify the live target before treating this as a
+      // browser failure; the normal path needs no extra round trip.
+      const editable = await nodeCdp.send<FillScriptReply<boolean>>(
+        target.tabId,
+        "Runtime.callFunctionOn",
+        { objectId, functionDeclaration: FILL_EDITABLE_FUNCTION, returnByValue: true },
+      );
+      if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+        return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+      }
+      if (!editable.exceptionDetails && editable.result?.value === false) {
+        return fillError(
+          "target_not_fillable",
+          "fill target is not editable or its input type is unsupported",
+        );
+      }
+      throw error;
    }
    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
    }
+    // Check editability before clearing. Keep the expected result tied to
+    // this object, including the existing value on the append path.
+    const prepared = await nodeCdp.send<FillScriptReply<FillPreparation>>(
+      target.tabId,
+      "Runtime.callFunctionOn",
+      {
+        objectId,
+        functionDeclaration: `function(value, clearBefore) {
+          const tag = this.tagName.toLowerCase();
+          const native = tag === 'input' || tag === 'textarea';
+          if (!(${FILL_EDITABLE_FUNCTION}).call(this)) return { reason: 'target_not_fillable', error: 'fill target is not editable or its input type is unsupported' };
+          if (this.getRootNode().activeElement !== this) return { reason: 'fill_focus_lost', error: 'fill target does not have focus' };
+          const before = clearBefore ? '' : (${FILL_VALUE_FUNCTION}).call(this);
+          let expected = before + value;
+          if (native) {
+            // Use the browser's own value sanitization (e.g. textarea
+            // line endings) without changing the live control.
+            const normalizer = this.ownerDocument.createElement(tag);
+            if (tag === 'input') {
+              normalizer.type = this.type;
+              normalizer.multiple = this.multiple;
+            }
+            // insertText treats line breaks in a single-line input as spaces.
+            if (tag === 'input') expected = expected.replace(/\\r\\n|\\r|\\n/g, ' ');
+            normalizer.value = expected;
+            if (expected !== '' && normalizer.value === '' && this.type === 'number') {
+              return { reason: 'fill_value_invalid', error: 'fill value is not valid for a number input' };
+            }
+            expected = normalizer.value;
+            if (this.type !== 'number' && this.maxLength >= 0 && expected.length > this.maxLength) {
+              return { reason: 'fill_value_invalid', error: 'fill value exceeds the target maxlength' };
+            }
+          } else {
+            expected = expected.replace(/\\r\\n?/g, '\\n');
+          }
+          if (clearBefore) {
+            if (native) {
+              const proto = tag === 'textarea' ? HTMLTextAreaElement.prototype : HTMLInputElement.prototype;
+              Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(proto, 'value').set.call(this, '');
+            } else {
+              this.textContent = '';
+            }
+            this.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+          }
+          return { before, expected };
+        }`,
+        arguments: [{ value: params.value }, { value: clearBefore }],
+        returnByValue: true,
+      },
+    );
+    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+    }
+    if (prepared.exceptionDetails) {
+      return fillError("fill_failed", "fill preparation script failed");
+    }
+    const preparation = prepared.result?.value;
+    if (preparation && "error" in preparation) {
+      return fillError(preparation.reason, preparation.error);
+    }
+    if (typeof preparation?.before !== "string" || typeof preparation?.expected !== "string") {
+      return fillError("fill_failed", "fill preparation returned an unexpected result");
+    }
+    // A separate call runs after the clearing event's microtasks drain.
+    // DOM focus works in background tabs. Use document.hasFocus() only to
+    // detect deferred focus events, never to reject background input.
+    const checkReady = async (): Promise<FillReadiness | RpcError> => {
+      const reply = await nodeCdp.send<FillScriptReply<FillReadiness>>(
+        target.tabId,
+        "Runtime.callFunctionOn",
+        {
+          objectId,
+          functionDeclaration: `function(before) {
+            if (!(${FILL_EDITABLE_FUNCTION}).call(this) ||
+                (${FILL_VALUE_FUNCTION}).call(this) !== before) return 'fill_target_changed';
+            if (this.getRootNode().activeElement !== this) return 'fill_focus_lost';
+            return this.ownerDocument.hasFocus() ? 'ready' : 'background';
+          }`,
+          arguments: [{ value: preparation.before }],
+          returnByValue: true,
+        },
+      );
+      const state = reply.result?.value;
+      if (
+        reply.exceptionDetails ||
+        (state !== "ready" &&
+          state !== "background" &&
+          state !== "fill_target_changed" &&
+          state !== "fill_focus_lost")
+      ) {
+        return fillError(
+          "fill_failed",
+          "fill readiness script failed or returned an unexpected result",
+        );
+      }
+      return state;
+    };
+    let ready = await checkReady();
+    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+    }
+    // Restore focus once only if clearing left this same target editable
+    // and unchanged. Recheck after focus handlers have run.
+    if (clearBefore && ready === "fill_focus_lost") {
+      await nodeCdp.send(target.tabId, "DOM.focus", { backendNodeId: node.backendNodeId });
+      if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+        return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+      }
+      ready = await checkReady();
+    }
+    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+    }
+    if (typeof ready !== "string") return ready;
+    if (ready !== "ready" && ready !== "background") {
+      return fillError(ready, "fill target changed or lost focus before typing");
+    }
+    if (params.value !== "" && (!clearBefore || ready === "background")) {
+      // Native editing commands also support number/email inputs, whose
+      // selection APIs cannot set a caret, and multiline contenteditables.
+      // Also do this for background replacement: CDP input focuses the
+      // renderer, delivering deferred focus events before it inserts text.
+      // Use a command-only event so this does not invoke an End shortcut.
+      try {
+        await deps.cdp.send(target.tabId, "Input.dispatchKeyEvent", {
+          type: "rawKeyDown",
+          commands: ["moveToEndOfDocument"],
+        });
+      } finally {
+        await deps.cdp.send(target.tabId, "Input.dispatchKeyEvent", { type: "keyUp" });
+      }
+      if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+        return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+      }
+      // Focus and key handlers can change the target or move focus too.
+      ready = await checkReady();
+      if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+        return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+      }
+      if (typeof ready !== "string") return ready;
+      if (ready !== "ready" && ready !== "background") {
+        return fillError(ready, "fill target changed or lost focus while positioning the caret");
+      }
+    }
    // CDP `Input.insertText` handles IME / multi-byte input out of the
    // box, much more reliably than per-key `dispatchKeyEvent`.
-    await deps.cdp.send(target.tabId, "Input.insertText", { text: params.value });
+    if (params.value !== "") {
+      await deps.cdp.send(target.tabId, "Input.insertText", { text: params.value });
+    }
    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
    }
-    // Fire `input` + `change` so React / Vue controlled inputs commit.
-    await nodeCdp.send(target.tabId, "Runtime.callFunctionOn", {
+    // Keep the existing notifications, then read in a separate call so
+    // nested microtasks queued by the page cannot race the verification.
+    const notified = await nodeCdp.send<FillScriptReply<unknown>>(
+      target.tabId,
+      "Runtime.callFunctionOn",
+      {
+        objectId,
+        functionDeclaration: `function() {
+          this.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+          this.dispatchEvent(new Event('change', { bubbles: true }));
+        }`,
+        returnByValue: true,
+      },
+    );
+    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+    }
+    if (notified.exceptionDetails) {
+      return fillError("fill_failed", "fill notification script failed");
+    }
+    const verified = await nodeCdp.send<
+      FillScriptReply<{ connected: boolean; matches: boolean; valueLength: number }>
+    >(target.tabId, "Runtime.callFunctionOn", {
      objectId,
-      functionDeclaration: `function() {
-        this.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
-        this.dispatchEvent(new Event('change', { bubbles: true }));
-      }`,
+      functionDeclaration: `function(expected) {
+          const value = (${FILL_VALUE_FUNCTION}).call(this);
+          return { connected: this.isConnected, matches: value === expected, valueLength: value.length };
+        }`,
+      arguments: [{ value: preparation.expected }],
      returnByValue: true,
    });
+    if (throwIfAborted(deps.signal)) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "fill aborted" };
+    }
+    const verification = verified.result?.value;
+    if (
+      verified.exceptionDetails ||
+      typeof verification?.connected !== "boolean" ||
+      typeof verification?.matches !== "boolean" ||
+      typeof verification?.valueLength !== "number"
+    ) {
+      return fillError(
+        "fill_failed",
+        "fill verification script failed or returned an unexpected result",
+      );
+    }
+    if (!verification.connected) {
+      return fillError("fill_target_changed", "fill target was removed or replaced during input");
+    }
+    if (!verification.matches) {
+      return fillError(
+        "fill_value_mismatch",
+        "fill could not verify the expected value; observe the page before deciding whether to retry",
+      );
+    }
+    return attachDialogs(deps.cdp, target.tabId, dialogCursor, {
+      tab_id: target.tabId,
+      used_ref: node.usedRef,
+      used_selector: node.usedSelector,
+      value_length: verification.valueLength,
+    });
  } catch (err) {
-    return {
-      code: "cdp_failed",
-      message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
-    };
+    return fillError("fill_failed", err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
+  } finally {
+    await nodeCdp.send(target.tabId, "Runtime.releaseObject", { objectId }).catch(() => undefined);
  }
-
-  return attachDialogs(deps.cdp, target.tabId, dialogCursor, {
-    tab_id: target.tabId,
-    used_ref: node.usedRef,
-    used_selector: node.usedSelector,
-    value_length: params.value.length,
-  });
 }

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ import type {
  RpcError,
  WaitUntil,
 } from "@/transport/types";
+import {
+  type BrowserNavigationApi,
+  chromeBrowserNavigationApi,
+  navigateWithBrowserApi,
+} from "./browser-navigation";
 import { attachDialogs, markDialogCursor } from "./dialogs";
+import { cdpError, isCdpExtensionAccessDenied } from "./errors";
 import {
  type CdpRunner,
  type ChromeTabsApi,
@@ -42,6 +48,7 @@ import {
 export interface NavigationDeps {
  cdp: CdpRunner;
  tabsApi: ChromeTabsApi;
+  browserNavigation?: BrowserNavigationApi;
  /** Optional AbortSignal — M7 abort hook (M10.2 will wire the full chain). */
  signal?: AbortSignal;
  /** Override default timeout when the caller omits `timeout_ms`. */
@@ -479,6 +486,81 @@ async function readTabUrl(api: ChromeTabsApi, tabId: number): Promise<string | u
  }
 }

+/** Recover only a failed preflight; never replay an already-dispatched navigation. */
+async function recoverBrowserNavigation(
+  deps: NavigationDeps,
+  tabId: number,
+  action: (api: BrowserNavigationApi) => Promise<unknown>,
+  waitUntil: WaitUntil,
+  timeoutMs: number,
+): Promise<ReloadResult | RpcError> {
+  const abort = linkedAbortSignal(deps.signal);
+  const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+  const api = deps.browserNavigation ?? chromeBrowserNavigationApi;
+  try {
+    let outcome = await navigateWithBrowserApi(
+      api,
+      tabId,
+      () => action(api),
+      waitUntil === "networkidle" ? "commit" : waitUntil,
+      timeoutMs,
+      abort.signal,
+    );
+    if (outcome.reached === "failed") return outcome.error;
+    if (outcome.reached === "cancelled" || abort.signal.aborted) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "navigation recovery aborted" };
+    }
+    if (outcome.reached === "match") {
+      // A completed reload is not a recovery if the restricted frame remains.
+      await deps.cdp.send(tabId, "Page.enable", {});
+      if (abort.signal.aborted)
+        return { code: "cancelled", message: "navigation recovery aborted" };
+      if (waitUntil === "networkidle") {
+        // webNavigation cannot prove network idle. Subscribe on the new
+        // document before enabling CDP lifecycle events after its commit.
+        const frame = await readMainFrameInfo(deps.cdp, tabId);
+        if (!frame.frameId) return cdpError("no main frame after navigation");
+        const remaining = deadline - Date.now();
+        if (remaining <= 0) {
+          outcome = { reached: "timeout", lastLifecycle: "commit" };
+        } else {
+          const wait = startLifecycleWait(
+            deps.cdp,
+            tabId,
+            frame.frameId,
+            "networkIdle",
+            remaining,
+            abort.signal,
+            { loaderId: frame.loaderId ?? undefined },
+          );
+          await deps.cdp.send(tabId, "Page.setLifecycleEventsEnabled", { enabled: true });
+          outcome = await wait.promise;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    if (outcome.reached === "cancelled" || abort.signal.aborted) {
+      return { code: "cancelled", message: "navigation recovery aborted" };
+    }
+    return {
+      tab_id: tabId,
+      final_url: await readTabUrl(deps.tabsApi, tabId),
+      reached: outcome.reached === "match" ? waitUntil : "timeout",
+      ...(outcome.reached === "timeout"
+        ? {
+            error_text: `timed out waiting for ${waitUntil} during navigation recovery after ${timeoutMs}ms`,
+          }
+        : {}),
+    };
+  } catch (error) {
+    return abort.signal.aborted
+      ? { code: "cancelled", message: "navigation recovery aborted" }
+      : cdpError(error);
+  } finally {
+    abort.abort();
+    abort.cleanup();
+  }
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // tool.navigate
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -505,7 +587,20 @@ export async function handleNavigate(

  try {
    deps.cdp.trackSessionTab?.(ctx.sessionId, target.tabId);
-    await ensureCdpReady(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
+    try {
+      await ensureCdpReady(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isCdpExtensionAccessDenied(error)) throw error;
+      const recovered = await recoverBrowserNavigation(
+        deps,
+        target.tabId,
+        (api) => api.update(target.tabId, { url: params.url }),
+        waitUntil,
+        timeoutMs,
+      );
+      if (isRpcError(recovered)) return recovered;
+      return attachDialogs(deps.cdp, target.tabId, dialogCursor, { ...recovered, url: params.url });
+    }
    const expected = cdpLifecycleName(waitUntil);
    const beforeReadyState = await probeMainFrameReadyState(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
    const beforeFrame = await readMainFrameInfo(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
@@ -574,10 +669,7 @@ export async function handleNavigate(
      }`,
    });
  } catch (err) {
-    return {
-      code: "cdp_failed",
-      message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
-    };
+    return cdpError(err);
  }
 }

@@ -727,7 +819,24 @@ export async function handleReload(

  try {
    deps.cdp.trackSessionTab?.(ctx.sessionId, target.tabId);
-    await ensureCdpReady(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
+    try {
+      await ensureCdpReady(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isCdpExtensionAccessDenied(error)) throw error;
+      const previousUrl = await readTabUrl(deps.tabsApi, target.tabId);
+      const recovered = await recoverBrowserNavigation(
+        deps,
+        target.tabId,
+        (api) => api.reload(target.tabId, { bypassCache: ignoreCache }),
+        waitUntil,
+        timeoutMs,
+      );
+      if (isRpcError(recovered)) return recovered;
+      return attachDialogs(deps.cdp, target.tabId, dialogCursor, {
+        ...recovered,
+        previous_url: previousUrl,
+      });
+    }
    const previousUrl = await readTabUrl(deps.tabsApi, target.tabId);
    const beforeFrame = await readMainFrameInfo(deps.cdp, target.tabId);
    const expected = cdpLifecycleName(waitUntil);
@@ -776,10 +885,7 @@ export async function handleReload(
      }`,
    });
  } catch (err) {
-    return {
-      code: "cdp_failed",
-      message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
-    };
+    return cdpError(err);
  }
 }

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { type SessionManager, SessionStartCleanupError } from "@/session-manager
 import type { RpcError } from "@/transport/types";
 import { rpcError } from "./errors";
 import { clearRecordingForSession } from "./record";
+import type { CdpRunner, ChromeTabsApi } from "./shared";
 import { isRpcError } from "./shared";
 import { returnBorrowedTab, type TabManagementDeps } from "./tabs";

@@ -73,11 +74,17 @@ export interface SessionStopResult {
  /** Tab ids whose return path failed; those entries remain borrowed so
   *  shutdown can be retried without closing the Agent Window. */
  return_failures?: Array<{ tab_id: number; code: string; message: string }>;
+  /**
+   * True when the Agent Window was *released* to the user (instead of being
+   * closed) because it still contained user-created tabs after the agent's own
+   * tabs were closed. Single-session scope.
+   */
+  window_released?: boolean;
 }

 export interface SessionStopDeps {
  signal?: AbortSignal;
-  cdp?: {
+  cdp?: Pick<CdpRunner, "releaseSessionTab"> & {
    detachSession(sessionId: string): Promise<void>;
  };
  /**
@@ -87,6 +94,13 @@ export interface SessionStopDeps {
   * without a real browser.
   */
  tabManagement?: TabManagementDeps;
+  /**
+   * Read-only Chrome tabs API used to *query* remaining tabs before deciding
+   * whether to release the window. Kept separate from `tabManagement.tabs`
+   * (a `TabMutationApi` that has no `query`) so the mutation interface stays
+   * pure. Tests can inject a fake `ChromeTabsApi` too.
+   */
+  tabsQuery?: ChromeTabsApi;
 }

 /**
@@ -152,8 +166,10 @@ export async function handleSessionStart(
 *      cleanly (review parity with M6).
 *   3. Detach CDP sessions the extension still holds for this
 *      session (no-op if M6/M7 didn't attach to any tab).
- *   4. Close the Agent Window. SessionManager.stop() removes the
- *      Chrome window and forgets the context.
+ *   4. Close the agent-created tabs and the home tab (design §3.2).
+ *   5. If any tab remains — those are user-created tabs — release the
+ *      window to the user (dropOnly) instead of closing it, so user
+ *      tabs survive. Otherwise close the window as before.
 *
 * Failures in step 1 keep the Agent Window open: a failed borrowed tab
 * may still be there, so closing the window would risk losing user
@@ -188,15 +204,19 @@ export async function handleSessionStop(
  const returnFailures: SessionStopResult["return_failures"] = [];
  const borrowedIds = Array.from(ctx.borrowedTabs.keys());
  for (const tabId of borrowedIds) {
+    // A close event may have removed this borrow while another tab returned.
+    if (!ctx.borrowedTabs.has(tabId)) continue;
    try {
      const tabManagement = {
        ...(deps.tabManagement ?? {}),
+        cdp: deps.cdp ?? deps.tabManagement?.cdp,
        signal: deps.signal,
        isAgentWindowId:
          deps.tabManagement?.isAgentWindowId ??
          ((windowId: number) => manager.findByWindowId(windowId) !== null),
      };
      const outcome = await returnBorrowedTab(ctx, tabId, tabManagement);
+      if (!ctx.borrowedTabs.has(tabId)) continue;
      if (typeof outcome === "object" && "code" in outcome) {
        console.warn(`[bsk session_stop] auto-return failed for tab ${tabId}`, outcome);
        returnFailures?.push({
@@ -209,6 +229,7 @@ export async function handleSessionStop(
        ctx.borrowedTabs.delete(tabId);
      }
    } catch (err) {
+      if (!ctx.borrowedTabs.has(tabId)) continue;
      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
      console.warn(`[bsk session_stop] auto-return threw for tab ${tabId}: ${message}`);
      returnFailures?.push({
@@ -219,8 +240,15 @@ export async function handleSessionStop(
    }
  }

+  // A previously failed tab may have closed during a later return. Only
+  // confirmed close events remove borrows; ordinary move failures stay retryable.
+  const pendingReturnFailures = returnFailures.filter((failure) =>
+    ctx.borrowedTabs.has(failure.tab_id),
+  );
  if (deps.signal?.aborted) {
-    const nonCancelFailures = returnFailures?.filter((failure) => failure.code !== "cancelled");
+    const nonCancelFailures = pendingReturnFailures.filter(
+      (failure) => failure.code !== "cancelled",
+    );
    if (nonCancelFailures && nonCancelFailures.length > 0) {
      return {
        ...(returnedTabIds.length > 0 ? { returned_tab_ids: returnedTabIds } : {}),
@@ -232,8 +260,8 @@ export async function handleSessionStop(

  const result: SessionStopResult = {};
  if (returnedTabIds.length > 0) result.returned_tab_ids = returnedTabIds;
-  if (returnFailures && returnFailures.length > 0) {
-    result.return_failures = returnFailures;
+  if (pendingReturnFailures.length > 0) {
+    result.return_failures = pendingReturnFailures;
    // A failed return means at least one borrowed user tab may still be
    // inside the Agent Window. Keep the session/window alive so the user
    // can retry `bsk session stop` or explicitly `bsk tab return` after the
@@ -253,8 +281,66 @@ export async function handleSessionStop(
    return { code: "cancelled", message: "session_stop aborted before window close" };
  }

-  // Step 4: close the Agent Window and drop the context.
-  await manager.stop(params.session_id);
+  // Step 4: close every tab explicitly created by the agent, including the
+  // home tab. `tabsApi` is a
+  // TabMutationApi (remove only); `queryApi` is a separate read-only
+  // ChromeTabsApi. If neither is injected, we conservatively fall back to
+  // closing the window (see Step 5).
+  const tabsApi = deps.tabManagement?.tabs;
+  const queryApi = deps.tabsQuery;
+
+  if (tabsApi) {
+    // Close each agent-created tab that still exists.
+    const agentCreatedTabIds = Array.from(ctx.agentCreatedTabs);
+    for (const tabId of agentCreatedTabIds) {
+      try {
+        await tabsApi.remove(tabId);
+        ctx.agentCreatedTabs.delete(tabId);
+      } catch (err) {
+        // Tab may already be gone (closed by the user). Non-fatal.
+        console.warn(`[bsk session_stop] failed to close agent tab ${tabId}`, err);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Step 5: decide whether to release (keep) the window or close it.
+  let shouldRelease = false;
+  if (queryApi) {
+    try {
+      const liveWindowTabs = await queryApi.query({ windowId: ctx.agentWindowId });
+      // Only genuine *user* tabs count toward keeping the window open.
+      // An agent tab that failed to close in Step 4 may still be present
+      // here; if we counted it as a reason to release (dropOnly), the
+      // window would be kept and that agent tab would leak (issue #57
+      // regression). Exclude any id still tracked in agentCreatedTabs.
+      const userTabs = liveWindowTabs.filter((t) => {
+        if (t.id === undefined) return false;
+        return !ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(t.id);
+      });
+      const leakedAgentTabs = liveWindowTabs.filter(
+        (t) => t.id !== undefined && ctx.agentCreatedTabs.has(t.id),
+      );
+      if (leakedAgentTabs.length > 0) {
+        console.warn(
+          `[bsk session_stop] ${leakedAgentTabs.length} agent tab(s) failed to close; forcing window close instead of release`,
+          leakedAgentTabs.map((t) => t.id),
+        );
+      }
+      shouldRelease = userTabs.length > 0;
+    } catch {
+      // Query failed (e.g. window already gone) — conservatively close it.
+      shouldRelease = false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (shouldRelease) {
+    // Keep the window + its user tabs; only drop the session binding.
+    await manager.stop(params.session_id, { dropOnly: true });
+    result.window_released = true;
+  } else {
+    // Window is empty (or we couldn't verify state) — close it.
+    await manager.stop(params.session_id);
+  }

  return result;
 }
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export interface CdpRunner {
  getFrameGraph?(tabId: number): Promise<CdpFrameGraph>;
  ensureAttachedToUrl?(tabId: number, expectedUrl: string | undefined): Promise<void>;
  trackSessionTab?(sessionId: string, tabId: number): void;
+  releaseSessionTab?(sessionId: string, tabId: number): Promise<void>;
  onEvent?(handler: (source: CdpDebuggee, method: string, params: unknown) => void): {
    dispose(): void;
  };
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
 import type { SessionContext, SessionManager } from "@/session-manager/manager";
 import type { RpcError } from "@/transport/types";
 import { rpcError } from "./errors";
-import { isRpcError, lookupSession } from "./shared";
+import { type CdpRunner, isRpcError, lookupSession } from "./shared";

 export type TabScope = "user" | "agent" | "all";

@@ -287,6 +287,10 @@ export interface TabManagementDeps {
  approveBorrow?: BorrowConfirmationApprover;
  /** Clears Agent-scoped overlays after a borrowed tab is returned. */
  agentOverlayReset?: AgentOverlayResetApi;
+  /** Releases this session's CDP claim after a borrowed tab is returned. */
+  cdp?: Pick<CdpRunner, "releaseSessionTab">;
+  /** Runs after tab_return validation, before moving the borrowed tab. */
+  beforeReturn?: (sessionId: string, tabId: number) => Promise<void>;
  /**
   * Reports whether `windowId` is any live session's Agent Window.
   * `tab_return`'s fallback window picker uses this to avoid moving a
@@ -369,6 +373,7 @@ function buildCreateProps(
 * Returns the created tab on success, or an `RpcError` on failure.
 */
 async function createTabAndCleanup(
+  ctx: SessionContext,
  deps: TabManagementDeps,
  createProps: chrome.tabs.CreateProperties,
 ): Promise<CreatedChromeTab | RpcError> {
@@ -381,25 +386,28 @@ async function createTabAndCleanup(
      message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
    };
  }
-  if (aborted(deps.signal, "tab_create")) {
-    // We already opened the tab; close it on abort so we don't leak.
-    if (typeof tab.id === "number") {
-      try {
-        await getTabsApi(deps).remove(tab.id);
-      } catch (cleanupErr) {
-        return rpcError(
-          "protocol_error",
-          "cleanup_failed",
-          `tab_create aborted but cleanup of tab ${tab.id} failed: ${describeError(cleanupErr)}`,
-          { resource_type: "tab", resource_id: tab.id },
-        );
-      }
-    }
-    return { code: "cancelled", message: "tab_create aborted" };
-  }
  if (typeof tab.id !== "number") {
    return { code: "protocol_error", message: "chrome.tabs.create returned no tab id" };
  }
+  // Claim the concrete id returned by Chrome. Ownership never depends on
+  // matching this request to an asynchronous onCreated event.
+  ctx.agentCreatedTabs.add(tab.id);
+  if (aborted(deps.signal, "tab_create")) {
+    try {
+      await getTabsApi(deps).remove(tab.id);
+      ctx.agentCreatedTabs.delete(tab.id);
+    } catch (cleanupErr) {
+      // Keep the claim when cleanup fails so session_stop can retry instead
+      // of releasing an agent-owned tab to the user.
+      return rpcError(
+        "protocol_error",
+        "cleanup_failed",
+        `tab_create aborted but cleanup of tab ${tab.id} failed: ${describeError(cleanupErr)}`,
+        { resource_type: "tab", resource_id: tab.id },
+      );
+    }
+    return { code: "cancelled", message: "tab_create aborted" };
+  }
  return { ...tab, id: tab.id };
 }

@@ -426,7 +434,7 @@ export async function handleTabCreate(
  const paramErr = validateTabCreateParams(params);
  if (paramErr) return paramErr;

-  const tab = await createTabAndCleanup(deps, buildCreateProps(ctx, params));
+  const tab = await createTabAndCleanup(ctx, deps, buildCreateProps(ctx, params));
  if (isRpcError(tab)) return tab;

  return {
@@ -526,6 +534,9 @@ export async function handleTabClose(
  }
  try {
    await getTabsApi(deps).remove(params.tab_id);
+    // Keep the tracking set accurate so session_stop won't try to close a
+    // tab that's already gone (design §3.1).
+    ctx.agentCreatedTabs.delete(params.tab_id);
  } catch (err) {
    return {
      code: "protocol_error",
@@ -753,13 +764,6 @@ async function executeBorrowCore(
  );
  if (moveErr) return moveErr;

-  // Best-effort activation — failure is non-fatal.
-  try {
-    await p.tabsApi.update(p.tabId, { active: true });
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.debug("[bsk tab_borrow] activate after move failed", err);
-  }
-
  return { originalWindowId, originalIndex };
 }

@@ -823,6 +827,12 @@ export async function handleTabBorrow(
        message: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
      };
    }
+    // Activate after commit so overlay/event observers see the tab as claimed.
+    try {
+      await tabsApi.update(params.tab_id, { active: true });
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.debug("[bsk tab_borrow] activate after move failed", err);
+    }
    return {
      tab_id: params.tab_id,
      original_window_id: coreResult.originalWindowId,
@@ -939,16 +949,22 @@ async function cleanupUnusedFallbackWindow(
  }
 }

-function resetAgentOverlaysInReturnedTab(
+async function releaseReturnedTabState(
  ctx: SessionContext,
  tabId: number,
  deps: TabManagementDeps,
-): void {
+): Promise<void> {
  void getAgentOverlayResetApi(deps)
    .resetAgentOverlays(tabId, ctx.sessionId)
    .catch((err) => {
      console.debug("[bsk tab_return] agent overlay reset failed", err);
    });
+  try {
+    await deps.cdp?.releaseSessionTab?.(ctx.sessionId, tabId);
+  } catch (err) {
+    // A successful move must not be retried because debugger cleanup failed.
+    console.debug("[bsk tab_return] CDP release failed", err);
+  }
 }

 /**
@@ -1022,7 +1038,7 @@ export async function returnBorrowedTab(
    });
    const movedTab = Array.isArray(moved) ? moved[0] : moved;
    const finalIndex = typeof movedTab?.index === "number" ? movedTab.index : targetIndex;
-    resetAgentOverlaysInReturnedTab(ctx, tabId, deps);
+    await releaseReturnedTabState(ctx, tabId, deps);
    return {
      tabId,
      toWindowId: targetWindowId,
@@ -1064,7 +1080,7 @@ export async function returnBorrowedTab(
        });
        const movedTab = Array.isArray(moved) ? moved[0] : moved;
        const finalIndex = typeof movedTab?.index === "number" ? movedTab.index : target.index;
-        resetAgentOverlaysInReturnedTab(ctx, tabId, deps);
+        await releaseReturnedTabState(ctx, tabId, deps);
        return {
          tabId,
          toWindowId: target.windowId,
@@ -1110,6 +1126,7 @@ export async function handleTabReturn(
      message: `tab_return: tab ${params.tab_id} is not borrowed by this session`,
    };
  }
+  await deps.beforeReturn?.(ctx.sessionId, params.tab_id);
  const outcome = await returnBorrowedTab(ctx, params.tab_id, {
    ...deps,
    isAgentWindowId:
@@ -215,21 +215,29 @@ function makeCdp(snapshot: unknown) {
      if (method === "Runtime.evaluate") {
        return {
          result: {
-            value: {
-              controls: [
+            deepSerializedValue: {
+              type: "array",
+              value: [
                {
-                  state: "filled",
-                  sensitive: true,
-                  defaultValue: "hunter2",
-                  value: "hunter2",
-                  placeholder: "secret",
+                  type: "array",
+                  value: [
+                    { type: "node", value: { backendNodeId: 13 } },
+                    {
+                      type: "string",
+                      value: JSON.stringify({
+                        state: "filled",
+                        sensitive: true,
+                        placeholder: "secret",
+                      }),
+                    },
+                  ],
                },
              ],
-              childFrames: [],
            },
          },
        };
      }
+      if (method === "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup") return {};
      throw new Error(`unexpected ${method}`);
    }) as unknown as <T>(tabId: number, method: string, params?: object) => Promise<T>,
  };
@@ -273,8 +281,11 @@ describe("captureViewModel", () => {
    expect(cdp.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
      4,
      "Runtime.evaluate",
-      expect.objectContaining({ returnByValue: true }),
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        serializationOptions: expect.objectContaining({ serialization: "deep" }),
+      }),
    );
+    expect(cdp.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(4, "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup", expect.anything());
    expect(cdp.send).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(4, "DOM.resolveNode", expect.anything());
    expect(cdp.send).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(4, "Runtime.callFunctionOn", expect.anything());
  });
@@ -0,0 +1,270 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { type CdpRunner, cdpRunnerForTarget } from "../../shared";
+import { captureViewModel } from "../capture";
+
+interface Control {
+  id: number;
+  value: string;
+  type?: string;
+}
+
+function snapshot(groups: Control[][]) {
+  const strings: string[] = [];
+  const str = (value: string) => {
+    let index = strings.indexOf(value);
+    if (index < 0) index = strings.push(value) - 1;
+    return index;
+  };
+  const documents = groups.map((controls, groupIndex) => ({
+    frameId: `frame-${groupIndex}`,
+    nodes: {
+      parentIndex: [-1, 0, ...controls.map(() => 1)],
+      nodeName: [str("html"), str("body"), ...controls.map(() => str("input"))],
+      backendNodeId: [8000 + groupIndex * 2, 8001 + groupIndex * 2, ...controls.map((c) => c.id)],
+      attributes: [
+        [],
+        [],
+        ...controls.map((c) => [
+          str("type"),
+          str(c.type ?? "text"),
+          str("placeholder"),
+          str("snapshot placeholder"),
+        ]),
+      ],
+      inputValue: {
+        index: controls.map((_, i) => i + 2),
+        value: controls.map((c) => str(c.value)),
+      },
+      contentDocumentIndex: { index: [] as number[], value: [] as number[] },
+    },
+  }));
+  const root = documents[0].nodes;
+  for (let i = 1; i < documents.length; i++) {
+    root.contentDocumentIndex.index.push(root.backendNodeId.length);
+    root.contentDocumentIndex.value.push(i);
+    root.parentIndex.push(1);
+    root.nodeName.push(str("iframe"));
+    root.backendNodeId.push(9000 + i);
+    root.attributes.push([]);
+  }
+  return { strings, documents };
+}
+
+function state(value: string) {
+  return {
+    value,
+    defaultValue: "",
+    placeholder: "live placeholder",
+    state: value ? "filled" : "empty",
+    sensitive: false,
+  };
+}
+
+function reply(entries: Array<[number, unknown]>) {
+  return {
+    result: {
+      deepSerializedValue: {
+        type: "array",
+        value: entries.map(([backendNodeId, fields]) => ({
+          type: "array",
+          value: [
+            { type: "node", value: { backendNodeId } },
+            { type: "string", value: JSON.stringify(fields) },
+          ],
+        })),
+      },
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+function fakeCdp(groups: Control[][], evaluate: (params: Record<string, unknown>) => unknown) {
+  const snap = snapshot(groups);
+  const send = vi.fn(async (_tabId: number, method: string, params?: object) => {
+    if (method === "DOMSnapshot.captureSnapshot") return snap;
+    if (method === "Runtime.evaluate") return evaluate(params as Record<string, unknown>);
+    return {};
+  });
+  return { send, cdp: { send: send as CdpRunner["send"] } };
+}
+
+describe("form state identity", () => {
+  it("matches reordered controls by identity and preserves controls missing from the batch", async () => {
+    // The snapshot includes a shadow input. The runtime query skips it,
+    // encounters a new input, and sees the remaining inputs in a new order.
+    const { cdp } = fakeCdp(
+      [
+        [
+          { id: 10, value: "" },
+          { id: 11, value: "old email" },
+          { id: 12, value: "old city" },
+        ],
+      ],
+      () =>
+        reply([
+          [99, state("new control")],
+          [12, state("上海")],
+          [11, state("alice@example.com")],
+        ]),
+    );
+    const captured = await captureViewModel(cdp, 7);
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 10)).toMatchObject({
+      formValue: "",
+      formState: "empty",
+      formPlaceholder: "snapshot placeholder",
+    });
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 11)).toMatchObject({
+      formValue: "alice@example.com",
+    });
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 12)).toMatchObject({ formValue: "上海" });
+    expect(captured.nodes.some((n) => n.backendNodeId === 99)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("does not shift state between frames when one frame is absent from the runtime batch", async () => {
+    const { cdp } = fakeCdp(
+      [
+        [],
+        [{ id: 11, value: "inaccessible frame" }],
+        [{ id: 21, value: "old second" }],
+        [{ id: 31, value: "old third" }],
+      ],
+      () =>
+        reply([
+          [31, state("third frame")],
+          [21, state("second frame")],
+        ]),
+    );
+    const captured = await captureViewModel(cdp, 7);
+    const controls = [...captured.iframeNodes.values()].flat();
+    expect(controls.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 11)?.formValue).toBe("inaccessible frame");
+    expect(controls.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 21)?.formValue).toBe("second frame");
+    expect(controls.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 31)?.formValue).toBe("third frame");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps identical backend ids in different OOPIF targets separate", async () => {
+    const sendToTarget = vi.fn(async (target, method) => {
+      if (method === "DOMSnapshot.captureSnapshot") return snapshot([[{ id: 11, value: "old" }]]);
+      if (method === "Runtime.evaluate") return reply([[11, state(target.sessionId)]]);
+      return {};
+    });
+    const send = vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error("unexpected top-level target");
+    });
+    const cdp = { send, sendToTarget } as unknown as CdpRunner;
+    for (const sessionId of ["left-frame", "right-frame"]) {
+      const captured = await captureViewModel(cdpRunnerForTarget(cdp, { tabId: 7, sessionId }), 7);
+      expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 11)?.formValue).toBe(sessionId);
+      expect(sendToTarget).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { tabId: 7, sessionId },
+        "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup",
+        expect.anything(),
+      );
+    }
+    expect(send).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "unsupported",
+    "legacy",
+    "malformed",
+    "invalid-state",
+  ])("preserves snapshot data when enrichment is %s", async (mode) => {
+    const { cdp, send } = fakeCdp([[{ id: 11, value: "snapshot value" }]], () => {
+      if (mode === "unsupported") throw new Error("serialization unsupported");
+      if (mode === "legacy") return { result: { value: { controls: [state("wrong value")] } } };
+      const result = reply([
+        [11, mode === "invalid-state" ? { value: "wrong value" } : state("wrong value")],
+      ]);
+      if (mode === "malformed")
+        result.result.deepSerializedValue.value[0].value[1].value = "not json";
+      return result;
+    });
+    const captured = await captureViewModel(cdp, 7);
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 11)).toMatchObject({
+      formValue: "snapshot value",
+      formPlaceholder: "snapshot placeholder",
+    });
+    expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup", expect.anything());
+  });
+
+  it("releases the batch's remote objects when capture is cancelled", async () => {
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const { cdp, send } = fakeCdp([[{ id: 11, value: "old" }]], () => {
+      controller.abort();
+      return reply([[11, state("new")]]);
+    });
+    await expect(captureViewModel(cdp, 7, { signal: controller.signal })).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      name: "AbortError",
+    });
+    expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup", expect.anything());
+  });
+
+  it("skips entries without node identity while still applying valid entries", async () => {
+    const { cdp } = fakeCdp(
+      [
+        [
+          { id: 11, value: "snapshot value" },
+          { id: 12, value: "old value" },
+        ],
+      ],
+      () => {
+        const result = reply([
+          [11, state("wrong value")],
+          [12, state("live value")],
+        ]);
+        const element = result.result.deepSerializedValue.value[0].value[0];
+        delete (element.value as { backendNodeId?: number }).backendNodeId;
+        return result;
+      },
+    );
+    const captured = await captureViewModel(cdp, 7);
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 11)?.formValue).toBe("snapshot value");
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 12)?.formValue).toBe("live value");
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "password",
+    "text",
+  ])("redacts a sensitive %s control after identity matching", async (type) => {
+    const { cdp } = fakeCdp([[{ id: 11, value: "secret", type }]], () =>
+      reply([[11, { ...state("secret"), sensitive: true }]]),
+    );
+    const captured = await captureViewModel(cdp, 7);
+    const control = captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 11);
+    expect(control?.formState).toBe("filled");
+    expect(control?.formValue).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(control?.formDefaultValue).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(control?.attrs.value).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps one bounded batch without per-control CDP queries", async () => {
+    const controls = Array.from({ length: 251 }, (_, i) => ({ id: i + 1, value: "old" }));
+    const elements = controls.map((c) => ({
+      backendNodeId: c.id,
+      tagName: "INPUT",
+      type: "text",
+      value: `live ${c.id}`,
+      defaultValue: "",
+      placeholder: "",
+    }));
+    const { cdp, send } = fakeCdp([controls], (params) => {
+      const doc = {
+        querySelectorAll: (selector: string) =>
+          selector === "input,textarea,select" ? elements : [],
+      };
+      const entries = new Function("document", `return ${params.expression}`)(doc) as Array<
+        [{ backendNodeId: number }, string]
+      >;
+      expect(entries).toHaveLength(250);
+      return reply(entries.map(([element, json]) => [element.backendNodeId, JSON.parse(json)]));
+    });
+    const captured = await captureViewModel(cdp, 7);
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 250)?.formValue).toBe("live 250");
+    expect(captured.nodes.find((n) => n.backendNodeId === 251)?.formValue).toBe("old");
+    expect(send.mock.calls.filter(([, method]) => method === "Runtime.evaluate")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(
+      send.mock.calls.filter(([, method]) => method === "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup"),
+    ).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(send).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, "DOM.resolveNode", expect.anything());
+    expect(send).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(7, "Runtime.callFunctionOn", expect.anything());
+  });
+});
@@ -190,9 +190,9 @@ interface CapturedFormState {
  sensitive?: boolean;
 }

-interface CapturedFrameFormState {
-  controls: CapturedFormState[];
-  childFrames: CapturedFrameFormState[];
+interface DeepSerializedValue {
+  type: string;
+  value?: unknown;
 }

 function formStateBatchExpression(maxControls: number): string {
@@ -215,43 +215,63 @@ function formStateBatchExpression(maxControls: number): string {
        ...(sensitive ? {} : { value: rawValue, defaultValue }),
      };
    };
+    const controls = [];
    const collect = (doc) => {
-      const controls = [];
      for (const el of Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll(controlSelector))) {
        if (remaining <= 0) break;
-        controls.push(controlState(el));
+        // Deep serialization supplies the node's backend id. Keep the
+        // state as JSON so decoding needs no general-purpose V8 deserializer.
+        controls.push([el, JSON.stringify(controlState(el))]);
        remaining -= 1;
      }
-      const childFrames = [];
      for (const frame of Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll("iframe"))) {
+        if (remaining <= 0) break;
        let childDoc = null;
        try { childDoc = frame.contentDocument; } catch { childDoc = null; }
-        childFrames.push(childDoc && remaining > 0 ? collect(childDoc) : { controls: [], childFrames: [] });
+        if (childDoc) collect(childDoc);
      }
-      return { controls, childFrames };
    };
-    return collect(document);
+    collect(document);
+    return controls;
  })()`;
 }

-function flattenFrameFormStates(
-  frame: CapturedFrameFormState | undefined,
-  out: CapturedFormState[][] = [],
-): CapturedFormState[][] {
-  if (!frame) return out;
-  out.push(Array.isArray(frame.controls) ? frame.controls : []);
-  for (const child of Array.isArray(frame.childFrames) ? frame.childFrames : []) {
-    flattenFrameFormStates(child, out);
+function formStatesByBackendId(result: RuntimeEvaluateReply): Map<number, CapturedFormState> {
+  const states = new Map<number, CapturedFormState>();
+  const serialized = result.result?.deepSerializedValue;
+  if (serialized?.type !== "array" || !Array.isArray(serialized.value)) return states;
+  for (const entry of serialized.value as DeepSerializedValue[]) {
+    if (entry?.type !== "array" || !Array.isArray(entry.value)) continue;
+    const [element, json] = entry.value as DeepSerializedValue[];
+    if (element?.type !== "node" || json?.type !== "string" || typeof json.value !== "string") {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const backendNodeId = (element.value as { backendNodeId?: number } | undefined)?.backendNodeId;
+    if (typeof backendNodeId !== "number" || !Number.isSafeInteger(backendNodeId)) continue;
+    try {
+      const state = JSON.parse(json.value) as CapturedFormState | null;
+      if (
+        !state ||
+        !["empty", "filled", "default"].includes(state.state ?? "") ||
+        typeof state.sensitive !== "boolean" ||
+        typeof state.placeholder !== "string" ||
+        (!state.sensitive &&
+          (typeof state.value !== "string" || typeof state.defaultValue !== "string"))
+      ) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      states.set(backendNodeId, state);
+    } catch {
+      // A malformed entry must not overwrite the snapshot's own state.
+    }
  }
-  return out;
+  return states;
 }

-function applyFormStates(nodes: CapturedNode[], states: CapturedFormState[]): void {
-  let index = 0;
+function applyFormStates(nodes: CapturedNode[], states: Map<number, CapturedFormState>): void {
  for (const node of nodes) {
    if (!isFormControlTag(node.tag)) continue;
-    const state = states[index];
-    index += 1;
+    const state = states.get(node.backendNodeId);
    if (!state) continue;
    node.formState = state.state;
    node.formPlaceholder = state.placeholder ?? "";
@@ -276,26 +296,37 @@ async function enrichFormControlStates(
    nodes.some((node) => isFormControlTag(node.tag)),
  );
  if (!hasControls) return;
+  const objectGroup = `bsk-vom-forms-${crypto.randomUUID()}`;
  try {
    throwIfAborted(signal);
    const result = await cdp.send<RuntimeEvaluateReply>(tabId, "Runtime.evaluate", {
      expression: formStateBatchExpression(MAX_FORM_ENRICH_CONTROLS),
-      returnByValue: true,
+      objectGroup,
+      serializationOptions: {
+        serialization: "deep",
+        maxDepth: 3,
+        additionalParameters: { maxNodeDepth: 0, includeShadowTree: "none" },
+      },
    });
    throwIfAborted(signal);
-    const frameStates = flattenFrameFormStates(runtimeValue<CapturedFrameFormState>(result));
-    for (let i = 0; i < frameNodeGroups.length; i += 1) {
-      applyFormStates(frameNodeGroups[i], frameStates[i] ?? []);
+    // Backend ids are scoped to this capture's CDP target. OOPIF targets
+    // use their own captureViewModel call and never share this lookup.
+    const states = formStatesByBackendId(result);
+    for (const nodes of frameNodeGroups) {
+      applyFormStates(nodes, states);
    }
  } catch (error) {
    if (isAbortError(error)) throw error;
    // Best-effort enrichment. DOMSnapshot/AX data still carries the nodes.
+  } finally {
+    await cdp.send(tabId, "Runtime.releaseObjectGroup", { objectGroup }).catch(() => undefined);
  }
 }

 interface RuntimeEvaluateReply {
  result?: {
    value?: unknown;
+    deepSerializedValue?: DeepSerializedValue;
  };
 }

@@ -26,11 +26,17 @@ export type RpcErrorReason =
  | "ref_not_found"
  | "selector_not_found"
  | "target_not_fillable"
+  | "fill_value_invalid"
+  | "fill_target_changed"
+  | "fill_focus_lost"
+  | "fill_value_mismatch"
+  | "fill_failed"
  | "target_not_select"
  | "option_not_found"
  | "single_select_value_count"
  | "tab_not_active"
  | "restricted_tab_url"
+  | "cdp_extension_access_denied"
  | "borrow_conflict"
  | "screenshot_capture_failed"
  | "file_input_probe_failed"
@@ -172,6 +172,10 @@ intended. Read `bsk upload --help` and `bsk download --help` for all flags and e
 - Stale ref: observe again and retry the intended action once.
 - Unknown tab or session: list current tabs/sessions; never guess identifiers.
 - Timeout: inspect current page state before deciding whether one longer purposeful wait is useful.
+- Fill result unconfirmed (`fill_value_mismatch`): observe the field first; the page may have
+  formatted the value. Continue if the visible result satisfies the user's intent. Otherwise correct
+  the remaining difference; do not blindly repeat fill or immediately request human help. For other
+  fill errors, follow the returned hint and inspect current state before retrying.
 - Unsupported command: continue with available capabilities; suggest updating only when the missing
  command is necessary.
 - Unrecoverable failure: report the blocker and stop the session in a finally-style path.
@@ -43,10 +43,16 @@ pub mod reason {
    pub const REF_NOT_FOUND: &str = "ref_not_found";
    pub const SELECTOR_NOT_FOUND: &str = "selector_not_found";
    pub const TARGET_NOT_FILLABLE: &str = "target_not_fillable";
+    pub const FILL_VALUE_INVALID: &str = "fill_value_invalid";
+    pub const FILL_TARGET_CHANGED: &str = "fill_target_changed";
+    pub const FILL_FOCUS_LOST: &str = "fill_focus_lost";
+    pub const FILL_VALUE_MISMATCH: &str = "fill_value_mismatch";
+    pub const FILL_FAILED: &str = "fill_failed";
    pub const TARGET_NOT_SELECT: &str = "target_not_select";
    pub const OPTION_NOT_FOUND: &str = "option_not_found";
    pub const SINGLE_SELECT_VALUE_COUNT: &str = "single_select_value_count";
    pub const TAB_NOT_ACTIVE: &str = "tab_not_active";
+    pub const CDP_EXTENSION_ACCESS_DENIED: &str = "cdp_extension_access_denied";
    pub const BORROW_CONFLICT: &str = "borrow_conflict";
    pub const SCREENSHOT_CAPTURE_FAILED: &str = "screenshot_capture_failed";
    pub const FILE_INPUT_PROBE_FAILED: &str = "file_input_probe_failed";
@@ -206,6 +212,13 @@ pub fn info_for_error(code: ErrorCode, data: Option<&serde_json::Value>) -> Rend
        return base;
    };
    match (code, reason) {
+        (ErrorCode::CdpFailed, reason::CDP_EXTENSION_ACCESS_DENIED) => RenderInfo {
+            summary: "Chrome blocked CDP access to another extension's content in this tab",
+            hint: Some(
+                "a web page can contain a restricted extension frame; disable the conflicting extension and reload, or use `bsk navigate <url>` to leave this page; reconnecting BrowserSkill alone does not remove the restriction",
+            ),
+            exit_code: base.exit_code,
+        },
        (_, reason::TRANSFER_OUTCOME_UNKNOWN) => RenderInfo {
            summary: "the file transfer outcome could not be confirmed",
            hint: Some(
@@ -247,7 +260,42 @@ pub fn info_for_error(code: ErrorCode, data: Option<&serde_json::Value>) -> Rend
        (ErrorCode::InvalidParams, reason::TARGET_NOT_FILLABLE) => RenderInfo {
            summary: "target element is not fillable",
            hint: Some(
-                "choose an input, textarea, or contenteditable element from the latest snapshot",
+                "observe the page and choose an enabled, editable text input, textarea, or contenteditable; use the appropriate interaction for other control types",
+            ),
+            exit_code: base.exit_code,
+        },
+        (ErrorCode::InvalidParams, reason::FILL_VALUE_INVALID) => RenderInfo {
+            summary: "the requested text does not fit the field constraints",
+            hint: Some(
+                "check the field's input type and maxlength; use a compatible value without silently truncating or changing the user's intended data",
+            ),
+            exit_code: base.exit_code,
+        },
+        (ErrorCode::CdpFailed, reason::FILL_TARGET_CHANGED) => RenderInfo {
+            summary: "the fill target changed during the action",
+            hint: Some(
+                "observe the current page and field value; if the intended result is missing, use a fresh editable target before retrying",
+            ),
+            exit_code: base.exit_code,
+        },
+        (ErrorCode::CdpFailed, reason::FILL_FOCUS_LOST) => RenderInfo {
+            summary: "the page moved focus away from the fill target",
+            hint: Some(
+                "observe the page for a dialog or rerender and resolve it before retrying; fill manages field focus and does not require bringing the browser to the foreground",
+            ),
+            exit_code: base.exit_code,
+        },
+        (ErrorCode::CdpFailed, reason::FILL_VALUE_MISMATCH) => RenderInfo {
+            summary: "the fill result could not be confirmed",
+            hint: Some(
+                "observe the field before retrying; the page may have formatted the value. Continue if the visible result satisfies the user's intent; otherwise correct the remaining difference. Do not blindly repeat fill or immediately request human help",
+            ),
+            exit_code: base.exit_code,
+        },
+        (ErrorCode::CdpFailed, reason::FILL_FAILED) => RenderInfo {
+            summary: "fill encountered a browser or page-script error",
+            hint: Some(
+                "observe the page before retrying because the field may already have changed; retry only if the intended result is missing and the target is still available",
            ),
            exit_code: base.exit_code,
        },
@@ -442,6 +490,56 @@ mod tests {
        ErrorCode::NoBrowserConnected,
    ];

+    #[test]
+    fn fill_reasons_provide_recovery_without_changing_exit_codes() {
+        for (code, reason, hint_fragment) in [
+            (
+                ErrorCode::InvalidParams,
+                reason::TARGET_NOT_FILLABLE,
+                "enabled, editable",
+            ),
+            (
+                ErrorCode::InvalidParams,
+                reason::FILL_VALUE_INVALID,
+                "maxlength",
+            ),
+            (
+                ErrorCode::CdpFailed,
+                reason::FILL_TARGET_CHANGED,
+                "fresh editable target",
+            ),
+            (
+                ErrorCode::CdpFailed,
+                reason::FILL_FOCUS_LOST,
+                "does not require bringing the browser",
+            ),
+            (
+                ErrorCode::CdpFailed,
+                reason::FILL_VALUE_MISMATCH,
+                "Continue if the visible result satisfies",
+            ),
+            (
+                ErrorCode::CdpFailed,
+                reason::FILL_FAILED,
+                "may already have changed",
+            ),
+        ] {
+            let data = serde_json::json!({ "reason": reason });
+            let info = info_for_error(code, Some(&data));
+            assert!(info.hint.unwrap().contains(hint_fragment), "{reason}");
+            assert_eq!(info.exit_code, info_for(code).exit_code);
+        }
+        let mismatch = serde_json::json!({ "reason": reason::FILL_VALUE_MISMATCH });
+        let info = info_for_error(ErrorCode::CdpFailed, Some(&mismatch));
+        assert_eq!(info.summary, "the fill result could not be confirmed");
+        assert!(info.hint.unwrap().contains("Do not blindly repeat fill"));
+        let unknown = serde_json::json!({ "reason": "future_fill_reason" });
+        assert_eq!(
+            info_for_error(ErrorCode::CdpFailed, Some(&unknown)),
+            info_for(ErrorCode::CdpFailed)
+        );
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn element_not_visible_overrides_permission_denied_copy() {
        let data = serde_json::json!({ "reason": reason::ELEMENT_NOT_VISIBLE });
@@ -454,6 +552,18 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(!info.summary.contains("sandbox"));
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn extension_access_denied_explains_the_frame_restriction_and_navigation_recovery() {
+        let data = serde_json::json!({ "reason": reason::CDP_EXTENSION_ACCESS_DENIED });
+        let info = info_for_error(ErrorCode::CdpFailed, Some(&data));
+        assert!(info.summary.contains("another extension"));
+        let hint = info.hint.unwrap();
+        assert!(hint.contains("restricted extension frame"));
+        assert!(hint.contains("bsk navigate <url>"));
+        assert!(hint.contains("disable the conflicting extension"));
+        assert_eq!(info.exit_code, 3);
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn session_busy_overrides_timeout_copy() {
        let data = serde_json::json!({ "reason": reason::SESSION_BUSY });
@@ -761,6 +761,7 @@ fn stage_windows_replacement(
    .with_context(|| format!("write {}", paths.script_path.display()))?;

    const CREATE_NO_WINDOW: u32 = 0x0800_0000;
+    const CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP: u32 = 0x0000_0200;
    let command = format!("\"{}\"", paths.script_path.display());
    if let Err(err) = Command::new("cmd.exe")
        .args(["/D", "/S", "/C"])
@@ -768,7 +769,7 @@ fn stage_windows_replacement(
        .stdin(Stdio::null())
        .stdout(Stdio::null())
        .stderr(Stdio::null())
-        .creation_flags(CREATE_NO_WINDOW)
+        .creation_flags(CREATE_NO_WINDOW | CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP)
        .spawn()
    {
        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&paths.binary_path);
@@ -806,7 +807,7 @@ fn windows_replacement_script(target: &Path, staged_binary: &Path, restart_daemo
         :retry\r\n\
         move /Y \"{staged_binary}\" \"{target}\" >nul 2>nul\r\n\
         if errorlevel 1 (\r\n\
-           timeout /t 1 /nobreak >nul\r\n\
+           ping -n 2 127.0.0.1 >nul\r\n\
           goto retry\r\n\
         )\r\n\
         {restart}\
@@ -1007,6 +1008,8 @@ mod tests {

        assert!(script.contains(":retry"));
        assert!(script.contains("move /Y"));
+        assert!(script.contains("ping -n 2 127.0.0.1"));
+        assert!(!script.contains("timeout"));
        assert!(script.contains(r#"start "" /B "C:\Program Files\bsk.exe" daemon start"#));
        assert!(script.contains(r#"del /F /Q "%~f0""#));
    }
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ shell's theme cannot bleed back in.
 - **Lifecycle**: hidden while the plugin owns no sessions; appears on the first
  `browser_session` start action; disappears when all sessions stop (or the plugin unloads).
 - **Focus view**: status row (green/idle/red dot + session + action + mm:ss), the latest page
-  frame (refreshes every ~1.5s while active, ~8s when idle; the last good frame stays on
+  frame (while viewed, refreshes every ~1.5s while active, ~8s when idle; the last good frame stays on
  stage while the next one loads, and is kept on errors so the card does not flash),
  and a compact icon toolbar (Interrupt + Pop out, hover for the label).
 - **Interrupt**: one click kills the in-flight bsk command of the focus session (same semantics
@@ -129,11 +129,32 @@ shell's theme cannot bleed back in.
 - **Pop out (PiP)**: upgrades the card into a native Document PiP window (requires a user
  gesture, per browser rules), sized from the current card; closing the PiP falls back to the
  in-page card with state intact. Browsers without Document PiP simply hide the button.
- **Wire**: the host serves `GET /bsk-observation/state`, `GET /bsk-observation/events` (SSE),
-  `POST /bsk-observation/interrupt`, and `GET /bsk-observation/thumbnail/<attachmentId>` over
-  the dsh `webServer` route seam (dsh 0.1's Typert Remote pipeline is closed to out-of-tree
-  packages). All commands for one session — tool calls and frame captures alike — run through a
-  per-session FIFO, because the daemon accepts only one unfinished command per session.
+- **Screenshot demand**: the client requests periodic screenshots while an observation view is
+  visible, using the PiP document's visibility when popped out. Hidden or collapsed views can
+  keep subscribing to state without requesting screenshots. The first screenshot subscriber
+  starts capture scheduling; the last one's departure cancels timers and skips queued captures.
+  An already running capture may finish. Demand applies to the service's owned sessions, not just
+  the selected session.
+- **Wire**: `GET /bsk-observation/events` is the live synchronization channel (SSE). Every connection,
+  including reconnects, starts with `{ type: "snapshot", sessions, available }`, followed by
+  `upsert`, `remove`, `reset`, and `availability` events on the same stream. Replace local state
+  with each snapshot before applying subsequent events. Use `?thumbnails=0` for state-only
+  subscriptions or `?thumbnails=1` to request screenshots; omitting the parameter defaults to
+  requesting screenshots for compatibility. Closing the stream releases its screenshot demand.
+  `GET /bsk-observation/state` remains a one-time `{ sessions, available }` read and does not
+  request screenshots. It has no ordering guarantee relative to a separate SSE connection;
+  live clients should initialize and resynchronize from the stream's snapshot instead.
+  The host also serves `POST /bsk-observation/interrupt`, `POST /bsk-observation/stop`, and
+  `GET /bsk-observation/thumbnail/<attachmentId>` through the dsh `webServer` route seam
+  (dsh 0.1's Typert Remote pipeline is closed to out-of-tree packages). All commands for one
+  session — tool calls and frame captures alike — run through a per-session FIFO, because the
+  daemon accepts only one unfinished command per session.
+- **Programmatic subscription**: `ObservationService.subscribe(listener, { thumbnails: false })`
+  subscribes to state without requesting screenshots. On an active service, the listener receives
+  the initial `snapshot` synchronously, before `subscribe` returns, then receives subsequent
+  changes. `thumbnails` defaults to `true`, so callers should choose it explicitly. The returned
+  unsubscribe function is safe to call repeatedly and releases this subscription's screenshot
+  demand. Subscribing after service disposal is a no-op.
 - **Trust model**: these routes expose live screenshots (and an interrupt write), so they
  replicate the browser-trust fence dsh applies to its own `/api` routes: the request Host
  must be a loopback authority (`localhost`, `127.0.0.0/8`, `[::1]`), a present Origin must
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ Continue from returned sequence cursors instead of rereading the same buffer.
 - Unknown tab: list tabs instead of guessing.
 - Unknown session: list owned sessions or start one; never try foreign ids.
 - Timeout: inspect current state before deciding whether one longer purposeful wait is useful.
+- Fill result unconfirmed: observe the field first; the page may have formatted the value. Continue
+  if the visible result satisfies the user's intent. Otherwise correct the remaining difference;
+  do not blindly repeat fill or immediately request human help. For other fill errors, follow the
+  returned hint and inspect current state before retrying.
 - Unrecoverable failure: report the blocker and stop the owned session.

 Arbitrary page-script evaluation and interaction recording are intentionally unsupported. Do not
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@
  right: 6px;
  width: 16px;
  height: 16px;
+  padding: 0;
+  cursor: pointer;
  border-radius: 50%;
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
@@ -48,7 +48,13 @@ import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import type { SessionObservation } from "../observation";
 import css from "./ObservationOverlay.module.css";
 import type { ObservationClientStore } from "./observation-store";
-import { focusOf, statusOf, useObservationView, usePip } from "./observation-view";
+import {
+  focusOf,
+  statusOf,
+  useObservationView,
+  usePip,
+  useThumbnailObservation,
+} from "./observation-view";
 import { getSidebarMode, subscribeSidebarMode } from "./sidebar-mode";

 // The pure view helpers live in observation-view (shared with the sidebar
@@ -341,6 +347,7 @@ export function OverlayBody(props: {
    onHeaderPointerDown,
  } = props;
  const [interrupting, setInterrupting] = useState(false);
+  const viewRef = useThumbnailObservation(store, sessions.length > 0);

  const thumbId = focus?.thumbnailAttachmentId;
  useEffect(() => {
@@ -373,7 +380,12 @@ export function OverlayBody(props: {
  const state = !available ? "error" : focus !== undefined ? statusOf(focus) : "idle";

  return (
-    <div className={cn(css.body, "bsk-obs")} data-state={state} data-in-pip={inPip || undefined}>
+    <div
+      ref={viewRef}
+      className={cn(css.body, "bsk-obs")}
+      data-state={state}
+      data-in-pip={inPip || undefined}
+    >
      <div
        className={css.header}
        data-testid="obs-header"
@@ -421,9 +433,15 @@ export function OverlayBody(props: {
          </div>
        )}
        {thumb?.status === "error" ? (
-          <span className={css.badge} aria-label="thumbnail failed">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className={css.badge}
+            aria-label="Retry thumbnail"
+            title="Frame unavailable — retry"
+            onClick={() => store.retryThumbnail(thumbId)}
+          >
            <IconWarn size={12} />
-          </span>
+          </button>
        ) : null}
      </div>
      {sessions.length >= 2 ? (
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 /**
- * Client-side data layer for the observation overlay: initial state fetch,
- * SSE increment stream (with a state refetch on every (re)open — events that
- * fired while the stream was down are otherwise lost forever), on-demand
- * thumbnail blob loading through the session-authorized readAttachment path,
+ * Client-side data layer for the observation overlay: an ordered SSE snapshot
+ * and increment stream (each reconnect starts with a fresh snapshot), on-demand
+ * thumbnail blob loading through the host's ephemeral-frame route,
 * and the interrupt call. The last ready blob per session is held until its
- * replacement decodes so the overlay can swap frames in place. All I/O is
+ * replacement loads so the overlay can swap frames in place. All I/O is
 * injected so tests never touch a network.
 */

@@ -12,8 +11,6 @@ import type { ObservationEvent, SessionObservation } from "../observation";

 export interface EventSourceLike {
  onmessage: ((event: { data: string }) => void) | null;
-  /** Fires on the initial connect AND on every automatic reconnect. */
-  onopen?: (() => void) | null;
  close(): void;
 }

@@ -50,10 +47,10 @@ export interface OverlaySnapshot {
  readonly available: boolean;
 }

-const STATE_URL = "/bsk-observation/state";
 const EVENTS_URL = "/bsk-observation/events";
 const INTERRUPT_URL = "/bsk-observation/interrupt";
 const STOP_URL = "/bsk-observation/stop";
+const THUMBNAIL_RETRY_DELAYS_MS = [1000, 3000];

 function revoke(url: string | undefined): void {
  if (url !== undefined && typeof URL.revokeObjectURL === "function") {
@@ -66,8 +63,10 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
  private thumbs = new Map<string, ThumbnailState>();
  /** sessionId → the attachment id currently advertised for it. */
  private readonly thumbBySession = new Map<string, string>();
-  /** sessionId → last successfully decoded frame (held across the next load). */
+  /** sessionId → last successfully loaded frame (held across the next load). */
  private readonly lastReady = new Map<string, { attachmentId: string; url: string }>();
+  private readonly retryTimers = new Map<string, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>();
+  private readonly retryCounts = new Map<string, number>();
  private listeners = new Set<() => void>();
  private events: EventSourceLike | undefined;
  private snapshot: OverlaySnapshot = {
@@ -81,6 +80,7 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
  private started = false;
  /** Refcount of mounted consumers (overlay card, sidebar tab, sidebar fiber). */
  private consumers = 0;
+  private thumbnailConsumers = 0;

  constructor(private readonly deps: ObservationClientDeps) {}

@@ -133,37 +133,16 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
    return undefined;
  }

-  /** (Re)pull the full state: initial load and every SSE (re)open. */
-  private refreshState(): void {
-    void this.deps
-      .fetchFn(STATE_URL)
-      .then(async (res) => {
-        if (!res.ok) return;
-        const body = (await res.json()) as {
-          sessions?: SessionObservation[];
-          available?: boolean;
-        };
-        const sessions = body.sessions ?? [];
-        this.sessions = new Map(sessions.map((s) => [s.sessionId, s]));
-        // Prune thumbnails of sessions that vanished while we were away.
-        const alive = new Set(sessions.map((s) => s.sessionId));
-        for (const sessionId of [...this.thumbBySession.keys()]) {
-          if (!alive.has(sessionId)) this.dropThumb(sessionId);
-        }
-        for (const s of sessions) this.trackThumb(s.sessionId, s.thumbnailAttachmentId);
-        if (typeof body.available === "boolean") this.available = body.available;
-        this.publish();
-      })
-      .catch(() => {});
-  }
-
-  /** Initial fetch + SSE subscription. Idempotent. */
-  start(): void {
-    if (this.started) return;
-    this.started = true;
-    this.refreshState();
-    const events = this.deps.eventSourceFactory(EVENTS_URL);
+  private connectEvents(): void {
+    const previous = this.events;
+    this.events = undefined;
+    previous?.close();
+    const events = this.deps.eventSourceFactory(
+      `${EVENTS_URL}?thumbnails=${this.thumbnailConsumers > 0 ? "1" : "0"}`,
+    );
+    this.events = events;
    events.onmessage = (message) => {
+      if (!this.started || this.events !== events) return;
      let event: ObservationEvent;
      try {
        event = JSON.parse(message.data) as ObservationEvent;
@@ -172,23 +151,24 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
      }
      this.apply(event);
    };
-    events.onopen = () => {
-      // Reconnects lose every event fired during the outage — resync.
-      if (this.events === events) this.refreshState();
-    };
-    this.events = events;
+  }
+
+  /** Every initial connection and reconnect starts with the server's snapshot. */
+  start(): void {
+    if (this.started) return;
+    this.started = true;
+    this.connectEvents();
    this.publish();
  }

  stop(): void {
-    this.events?.close();
+    const previous = this.events;
    this.events = undefined;
    this.started = false;
-    for (const thumb of this.thumbs.values()) revoke(thumb.url);
-    this.thumbs.clear();
-    this.thumbBySession.clear();
-    this.lastReady.clear();
+    previous?.close();
+    this.clearThumbnails();
    this.sessions.clear();
+    this.available = true;
    this.publish();
  }

@@ -209,6 +189,33 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
    if (this.consumers === 0) this.stop();
  }

+  /** Only visible image surfaces request screenshots; metadata watchers do not. */
+  watchThumbnails(): () => void {
+    this.thumbnailConsumers += 1;
+    if (this.thumbnailConsumers === 1 && this.started) this.connectEvents();
+    let released = false;
+    return () => {
+      if (released) return;
+      released = true;
+      this.thumbnailConsumers -= 1;
+      if (this.thumbnailConsumers === 0 && this.started) this.connectEvents();
+    };
+  }
+
+  private forgetThumbnail(attachmentId: string): void {
+    clearTimeout(this.retryTimers.get(attachmentId));
+    this.retryTimers.delete(attachmentId);
+    this.retryCounts.delete(attachmentId);
+    revoke(this.thumbs.get(attachmentId)?.url);
+    this.thumbs.delete(attachmentId);
+  }
+
+  private clearThumbnails(): void {
+    for (const attachmentId of this.thumbs.keys()) this.forgetThumbnail(attachmentId);
+    this.thumbBySession.clear();
+    this.lastReady.clear();
+  }
+
  /** Forget one session's tracked + held frames, revoking their blob URLs. */
  private dropThumb(sessionId: string): void {
    const attachmentId = this.thumbBySession.get(sessionId);
@@ -216,39 +223,45 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
    this.thumbBySession.delete(sessionId);
    this.lastReady.delete(sessionId);
    if (attachmentId !== undefined) {
-      revoke(this.thumbs.get(attachmentId)?.url);
-      this.thumbs.delete(attachmentId);
+      this.forgetThumbnail(attachmentId);
    }
    if (held !== undefined && held.attachmentId !== attachmentId) {
-      revoke(held.url);
-      this.thumbs.delete(held.attachmentId);
+      this.forgetThumbnail(held.attachmentId);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Track the frame a session currently advertises. The last *ready* blob is
-   * kept until the replacement decodes — dropping it on the upsert is what
+   * kept until the replacement loads — dropping it on the upsert is what
   * made the overlay flash a placeholder between breaths.
   */
  private trackThumb(sessionId: string, attachmentId: string | undefined): void {
+    if (attachmentId === undefined) {
+      this.dropThumb(sessionId);
+      return;
+    }
    const previous = this.thumbBySession.get(sessionId);
    if (previous === attachmentId) return;
-    if (attachmentId !== undefined) this.thumbBySession.set(sessionId, attachmentId);
-    else this.thumbBySession.delete(sessionId);
+    this.thumbBySession.set(sessionId, attachmentId);
    const heldId = this.lastReady.get(sessionId)?.attachmentId;
    if (previous !== undefined && previous !== heldId) {
-      revoke(this.thumbs.get(previous)?.url);
-      this.thumbs.delete(previous);
+      this.forgetThumbnail(previous);
    }
  }

  private apply(event: ObservationEvent): void {
-    if (event.type === "reset") {
+    if (event.type === "snapshot") {
+      this.sessions = new Map(event.sessions.map((session) => [session.sessionId, session]));
+      for (const sessionId of this.thumbBySession.keys()) {
+        if (!this.sessions.has(sessionId)) this.dropThumb(sessionId);
+      }
+      for (const session of event.sessions) {
+        this.trackThumb(session.sessionId, session.thumbnailAttachmentId);
+      }
+      this.available = event.available;
+    } else if (event.type === "reset") {
      this.sessions.clear();
-      for (const thumb of this.thumbs.values()) revoke(thumb.url);
-      this.thumbs.clear();
-      this.thumbBySession.clear();
-      this.lastReady.clear();
+      this.clearThumbnails();
    } else if (event.type === "remove" && event.session !== undefined) {
      this.sessions.delete(event.session.sessionId);
      this.dropThumb(event.session.sessionId);
@@ -259,44 +272,77 @@ export class ObservationClientStore {
      this.available = event.available;
    }
    this.publish();
+    if (event.type === "snapshot") {
+      for (const session of event.sessions) this.retryThumbnail(session.thumbnailAttachmentId);
+    }
  }

  /**
   * Ensure a thumbnail load is in flight for one attachment reference. New
-   * frames replace the old URL only after they decode; failures keep the last
+   * frames replace the old URL only after they load; failures keep the last
   * good frame (the caller renders `status: 'error'` as a small badge over
   * the old image).
   */
  ensureThumbnail(attachmentId: string | undefined): void {
-    if (attachmentId === undefined || this.thumbs.has(attachmentId)) return;
-    this.thumbs.set(attachmentId, { status: "loading" });
+    if (
+      !this.started ||
+      attachmentId === undefined ||
+      this.sessionOf(attachmentId) === undefined ||
+      this.thumbs.has(attachmentId)
+    )
+      return;
+    const loading: ThumbnailState = { status: "loading" };
+    this.thumbs.set(attachmentId, loading);
    this.publish();
    this.deps.loadImage(attachmentId).then(
      (url) => {
-        if (!this.thumbs.has(attachmentId)) {
+        if (this.thumbs.get(attachmentId) !== loading) {
          // Replaced or removed while loading: never resurrect (or leak) it.
          revoke(url);
          return;
        }
+        this.retryCounts.delete(attachmentId);
        this.thumbs.set(attachmentId, { status: "ready", url });
        const sessionId = this.sessionOf(attachmentId);
        if (sessionId !== undefined) {
          const previous = this.lastReady.get(sessionId);
          if (previous !== undefined && previous.attachmentId !== attachmentId) {
-            revoke(previous.url);
-            this.thumbs.delete(previous.attachmentId);
+            this.forgetThumbnail(previous.attachmentId);
          }
          this.lastReady.set(sessionId, { attachmentId, url });
        }
        this.publish();
      },
      () => {
-        this.thumbs.set(attachmentId, { status: "error" });
+        if (this.thumbs.get(attachmentId) !== loading) return;
+        const failed: ThumbnailState = { status: "error" };
+        this.thumbs.set(attachmentId, failed);
+        const attempts = this.retryCounts.get(attachmentId) ?? 0;
+        const delay = THUMBNAIL_RETRY_DELAYS_MS[attempts];
+        if (delay !== undefined) {
+          this.retryCounts.set(attachmentId, attempts + 1);
+          this.retryTimers.set(
+            attachmentId,
+            setTimeout(() => {
+              this.retryTimers.delete(attachmentId);
+              if (this.thumbs.get(attachmentId) !== failed) return;
+              this.thumbs.delete(attachmentId);
+              this.ensureThumbnail(attachmentId);
+            }, delay),
+          );
+        }
        this.publish();
      },
    );
  }

+  /** Explicit retry (also used on a fresh connection after an outage). */
+  retryThumbnail(attachmentId: string | undefined): void {
+    if (attachmentId === undefined || this.thumbs.get(attachmentId)?.status !== "error") return;
+    this.forgetThumbnail(attachmentId);
+    this.ensureThumbnail(attachmentId);
+  }
+
  /** Interrupt the current or named session's in-flight call. */
  async interrupt(sessionId?: string): Promise<boolean> {
    try {
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 * without duplicating hooks.
 */

-import { useCallback, useEffect, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 import type { SessionObservation } from "../observation";
 import type { ObservationClientStore, OverlaySnapshot } from "./observation-store";

@@ -114,6 +114,49 @@ export function useObservationView(
  };
 }

+/** A mounted metadata watcher is not necessarily a visible screenshot viewer. */
+export function useThumbnailObservation(store: ObservationClientStore, enabled: boolean) {
+  const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const element = ref.current;
+    if (!enabled || element === null) return;
+    // A portal uses its PiP document's visibility, independently of the main tab.
+    const doc = element.ownerDocument;
+    const Observer = doc.defaultView?.IntersectionObserver;
+    let active = true;
+    let intersecting = Observer === undefined;
+    let release: (() => void) | undefined;
+    const update = () => {
+      if (!active) return;
+      const visible = intersecting && doc.visibilityState !== "hidden";
+      if (visible && release === undefined) release = store.watchThumbnails();
+      else if (!visible && release !== undefined) {
+        release();
+        release = undefined;
+      }
+    };
+    const observer =
+      Observer === undefined
+        ? undefined
+        : new Observer((entries) => {
+            intersecting = entries.some(
+              (entry) => entry.target === element && entry.isIntersecting,
+            );
+            update();
+          });
+    observer?.observe(element);
+    doc.addEventListener("visibilitychange", update);
+    update();
+    return () => {
+      active = false;
+      observer?.disconnect();
+      doc.removeEventListener("visibilitychange", update);
+      release?.();
+    };
+  }, [store, enabled]);
+  return ref;
+}
+
 export interface PipHandle {
  /** The open PiP window, or null while the content renders in its carrier. */
  readonly pipWindow: Window | null;
@@ -5,12 +5,19 @@
 * the event allowlist lives in dsh-api-remotes), so the plugin serves its
 * observation channel through the documented `webServer` route seam instead:
 *
- *   GET  /bsk-observation/state      → { sessions, available }
- *   GET  /bsk-observation/events     → SSE stream of ObservationEvent
+ *   GET  /bsk-observation/state      → one-time { sessions, available } read
+ *   GET  /bsk-observation/events     → SSE snapshot, then ObservationEvent increments
+ *                                    (on every connection, including reconnects)
+ *                                    ?thumbnails=0: state only; =1: request screenshots
+ *                                    Omitted parameter defaults to screenshots.
 *   POST /bsk-observation/interrupt  → body {sessionId?} → {interrupted: boolean}
 *   POST /bsk-observation/stop       → body {sessionId} → {stopped: boolean}
 *   GET  /bsk-observation/thumbnail/<attachmentId> → image bytes
 *
+ * Live clients initialize/resynchronize from the SSE snapshot; a separate
+ * /state read has no ordering guarantee relative to the stream and does not
+ * request screenshots. Closing an SSE connection releases its screenshot demand.
+ *
 * Routes exist only when a webServer service is mounted (web composition);
 * headless deployments skip registration entirely.
 */
@@ -99,6 +106,7 @@ export function registerObservationRoutes(
  if (webServer === undefined) {
    return () => {};
  }
+  const streams = new Set<() => void>();
  const disposers = [
    webServer.register({
      kind: "exact",
@@ -129,14 +137,42 @@ export function registerObservationRoutes(
          "cache-control": "no-cache",
          connection: "keep-alive",
        });
-        const unsubscribe = observation.subscribe((event) => {
-          res.write(`data: ${JSON.stringify(event)}\n\n`);
-        });
-        const heartbeat = setInterval(() => res.write(": heartbeat\n\n"), SSE_HEARTBEAT_MS);
-        res.on("close", () => {
+        const thumbnails =
+          new URL(req.url ?? "/", "http://localhost").searchParams.get("thumbnails") !== "0";
+        let unsubscribe: (() => void) | undefined;
+        let heartbeat: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | undefined;
+        let closed = false;
+        const close = () => {
+          if (closed) return;
+          closed = true;
          clearInterval(heartbeat);
-          unsubscribe();
-        });
+          unsubscribe?.();
+          streams.delete(close);
+          res.end();
+        };
+        const write = (data: string) => {
+          if (closed) return;
+          try {
+            res.write(data);
+          } catch {
+            close();
+          }
+        };
+        streams.add(close);
+        res.on("close", close);
+        res.on("error", close);
+        try {
+          unsubscribe = observation.subscribe(
+            (event) => {
+              write(`data: ${JSON.stringify(event)}\n\n`);
+            },
+            { thumbnails },
+          );
+          if (closed) unsubscribe();
+          else heartbeat = setInterval(() => write(": heartbeat\n\n"), SSE_HEARTBEAT_MS);
+        } catch {
+          close();
+        }
      },
    }),
    webServer.register({
@@ -228,6 +264,7 @@ export function registerObservationRoutes(
    }),
  ];
  return () => {
+    for (const close of streams) close();
    for (const dispose of disposers) dispose();
  };
 }
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ export interface SessionObservation {
  dshSessionIds?: string[];
 }

-/** Incremental event carried to subscribers (SSE on the wire). */
+/** Initial snapshot or incremental change carried to subscribers (SSE on the wire). */
 export type ObservationEvent =
+  | { type: "snapshot"; sessions: SessionObservation[]; available: boolean }
  | { type: "upsert" | "remove" | "reset"; session?: SessionObservation }
  | { type: "availability"; available: boolean };

@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ export class ObservationService {
  private readonly scratchNamespace = randomUUID();
  private readonly observations = new Map<string, SessionObservation>();
  private readonly listeners = new Set<(event: ObservationEvent) => void>();
+  private thumbnailViewers = 0;
  private readonly captureTimers = new Map<string, unknown>();
  private readonly captureInFlight = new Set<string>();
  /** Captures intentionally cancelled to make way for foreground work. */
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ export class ObservationService {
    return this.deps.scheduler ?? DEFAULT_SCHEDULER;
  }

-  /** All current entries (client initial/resync snapshot). */
+  /** One-time state read; use subscribe for an ordered snapshot and subsequent changes. */
  getState(): SessionObservation[] {
    return [...this.observations.values()].map((entry) => ({ ...entry }));
  }
@@ -141,10 +143,42 @@ export class ObservationService {
    this.emit({ type: "availability", available });
  }

-  /** Subscribe to incremental changes; returns an unsubscribe function. */
-  subscribe(listener: (event: ObservationEvent) => void): () => void {
-    this.listeners.add(listener);
-    return () => this.listeners.delete(listener);
+  /**
+   * Subscribe to an ordered initial snapshot and subsequent changes. On an
+   * active service, listener receives the snapshot synchronously before this
+   * method returns. Subscribing after disposal is a no-op.
+   *
+   * `thumbnails` defaults to true for compatibility: this subscription counts
+   * as a screenshot viewer for the service's owned sessions. Pass false for
+   * state-only observation. The first viewer starts capture scheduling.
+   *
+   * @returns An idempotent unsubscribe function releasing this subscription's
+   * screenshot demand. When the last viewer leaves, scheduled/queued captures
+   * are cancelled/skipped; an already running capture may finish.
+   */
+  subscribe(
+    listener: (event: ObservationEvent) => void,
+    { thumbnails = true }: { thumbnails?: boolean } = {},
+  ): () => void {
+    if (this.disposed) return () => {};
+    // Each subscription owns its lease, even if a caller reuses a callback.
+    const receive = (event: ObservationEvent) => listener(event);
+    this.listeners.add(receive);
+    try {
+      listener({ type: "snapshot", sessions: this.getState(), available: this.available });
+    } catch (error) {
+      this.listeners.delete(receive);
+      throw error;
+    }
+    if (thumbnails && ++this.thumbnailViewers === 1) {
+      for (const sessionId of this.observations.keys()) this.scheduleCapture(sessionId, 0);
+    }
+    return () => {
+      if (!this.listeners.delete(receive)) return;
+      if (thumbnails && --this.thumbnailViewers === 0) {
+        for (const sessionId of this.captureTimers.keys()) this.cancelCapture(sessionId);
+      }
+    };
  }

  private emit(event: ObservationEvent): void {
@@ -355,6 +389,7 @@ export class ObservationService {
    this.observations.clear();
    this.emit({ type: "reset" });
    this.listeners.clear();
+    this.thumbnailViewers = 0;
  }

  // ------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -369,12 +404,21 @@ export class ObservationService {
    }
  }

+  private canCapture(sessionId: string): boolean {
+    const entry = this.observations.get(sessionId);
+    return (
+      this.deps.options.enabled &&
+      !this.disposed &&
+      this.thumbnailViewers > 0 &&
+      !this.foregroundDepth.has(sessionId) &&
+      entry !== undefined &&
+      entry.dead !== true
+    );
+  }
+
  /** Schedule the next capture for a session; `delayMs` 0 means "as soon as the event loop allows". */
  private scheduleCapture(sessionId: string, delayMs?: number): void {
-    if (!this.deps.options.enabled || this.disposed) return;
-    if (this.foregroundDepth.has(sessionId)) return;
-    const entry = this.observations.get(sessionId);
-    if (entry === undefined || entry.dead === true) return;
+    if (!this.canCapture(sessionId)) return;
    this.cancelCapture(sessionId);
    const now = this.scheduler.now();
    const lastSeen = this.lastActivity.get(sessionId) ?? 0;
@@ -399,9 +443,7 @@ export class ObservationService {
   * Failures keep the previous frame and back off silently.
   */
  private async capture(sessionId: string): Promise<void> {
-    if (this.disposed) return;
-    const current = this.observations.get(sessionId);
-    if (current === undefined || current.dead === true) return;
+    if (!this.canCapture(sessionId)) return;
    if (this.captureInFlight.has(sessionId)) return;
    this.captureInFlight.add(sessionId);
    // Stable within this service, isolated from captures owned by other instances.
@@ -410,8 +452,8 @@ export class ObservationService {
    let writtenPath = outPath;
    try {
      const result = await this.deps.queue.run(sessionId, () => {
-        // A foreground lease may have arrived while this capture was queued.
-        if (this.foregroundDepth.has(sessionId)) return Promise.resolve(undefined);
+        // The last viewer may have left, or foreground work arrived, while queued.
+        if (!this.canCapture(sessionId)) return Promise.resolve(undefined);
        return this.deps.runner.run(["screenshot", "--session", sessionId, "--out", outPath], {
          timeoutMs: 15_000,
          tag: `observation:${sessionId}`,
@@ -445,6 +487,7 @@ export class ObservationService {
      this.setAvailable(true);
      this.publishFrame(sessionId, entry, data);
    } catch {
+      if (this.disposed || !this.observations.has(sessionId)) return;
      // Foreground preemption is healthy scheduling, not browser/daemon
      // unavailability; do not let normal tool traffic trip capture backoff.
      if (!this.capturePreempted.delete(sessionId)) {
@@ -636,7 +636,9 @@ function defineBrowserOperations(deps: ToolDeps, register: DefinitionRegistrar):
        session: SESSION_PARAM,
        noClear: {
          type: "boolean",
-          description: "Skip the default wipe-the-field-first pass (append instead).",
+          description:
+            "Append to the end of the existing value instead of clearing it. " +
+            "The tool moves the caret automatically; no prior click or selection is needed.",
        },
      },
      output: {
@@ -19,10 +19,12 @@ interface Harness {
  emitRaw: (event: unknown) => void;
  fetches: { url: string; init?: { body?: string } }[];
  loadImage: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+  eventUrls: string[];
 }

 function makeHarness(initial: SessionObservation[]): Harness {
  const fetches: Harness["fetches"] = [];
+  const eventUrls: string[] = [];
  let es: EventSourceLike | undefined;
  let current = initial;
  const loadImage = vi.fn(async (id: string) => `blob:${id}`);
@@ -34,9 +36,16 @@ function makeHarness(initial: SessionObservation[]): Harness {
      }
      return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ interrupted: true }) };
    },
-    eventSourceFactory: () => {
-      es = { onmessage: null, close: vi.fn() };
-      return es;
+    eventSourceFactory: (url) => {
+      eventUrls.push(url);
+      const connection = { onmessage: null, close: vi.fn() } as EventSourceLike;
+      es = connection;
+      queueMicrotask(() =>
+        connection.onmessage?.({
+          data: JSON.stringify({ type: "snapshot", sessions: current, available: true }),
+        }),
+      );
+      return connection;
    },
    loadImage,
  });
@@ -58,10 +67,120 @@ function makeHarness(initial: SessionObservation[]): Harness {
    },
    fetches,
    loadImage,
+    eventUrls,
  };
 }

-afterEach(cleanup);
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+});
+
+describe("visible thumbnail demand", () => {
+  function intersections() {
+    const observers: Array<{
+      notify: (visible: boolean) => void;
+      disconnect: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+    }> = [];
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      "IntersectionObserver",
+      class {
+        private target?: Element;
+        disconnect = vi.fn();
+        constructor(private callback: IntersectionObserverCallback) {
+          observers.push(this);
+        }
+        observe(target: Element) {
+          this.target = target;
+        }
+        notify(visible: boolean) {
+          this.callback(
+            [{ target: this.target, isIntersecting: visible } as IntersectionObserverEntry],
+            this as unknown as IntersectionObserver,
+          );
+        }
+      },
+    );
+    return observers;
+  }
+
+  it("pauses screenshots on collapse while keeping the metadata feed", async () => {
+    const observers = intersections();
+    const h = makeHarness([BUSY]);
+    const { unmount } = render(<ObservationOverlay store={h.store} />);
+    await screen.findByTestId("obs-card");
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0");
+    act(() => observers[0].notify(true));
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=1");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Collapse" }));
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0");
+    expect(h.es().close).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(observers[0].disconnect).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    // A callback queued before disconnect must not reclaim screenshot demand.
+    act(() => observers[0].notify(true));
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /Expand browser observation/ }));
+    act(() => observers[1].notify(true));
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=1");
+    unmount();
+    expect(h.es().close).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
+  it("ignores an initial visibility notification delivered after collapse", async () => {
+    const observers = intersections();
+    const h = makeHarness([BUSY]);
+    render(<ObservationOverlay store={h.store} />);
+    await screen.findByTestId("obs-card");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Collapse" }));
+    act(() => observers[0].notify(true));
+    expect(h.eventUrls).toEqual(["/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0"]);
+  });
+
+  it("pauses for a hidden document or hidden panel and resumes when visible", async () => {
+    const observers = intersections();
+    let visibility: DocumentVisibilityState = "visible";
+    vi.spyOn(document, "visibilityState", "get").mockImplementation(() => visibility);
+    const h = makeHarness([BUSY]);
+    render(<ObservationOverlay store={h.store} />);
+    await screen.findByTestId("obs-card");
+    act(() => observers[0].notify(true));
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toContain("thumbnails=1");
+    act(() => {
+      visibility = "hidden";
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"));
+    });
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toContain("thumbnails=0");
+    act(() => {
+      visibility = "visible";
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"));
+    });
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toContain("thumbnails=1");
+    act(() => observers[0].notify(false));
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toContain("thumbnails=0");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a visible PiP watching when the main document is hidden", async () => {
+    // The detached PiP test document has no window/IntersectionObserver.
+    vi.stubGlobal("IntersectionObserver", undefined);
+    let visibility: DocumentVisibilityState = "visible";
+    vi.spyOn(document, "visibilityState", "get").mockImplementation(() => visibility);
+    const pipDoc = document.implementation.createHTMLDocument("pip");
+    Object.defineProperty(pipDoc, "visibilityState", { value: "visible" });
+    (window as unknown as Record<string, unknown>).documentPictureInPicture = {
+      requestWindow: async () => ({ document: pipDoc, addEventListener: () => {}, close: vi.fn() }),
+    };
+    const h = makeHarness([BUSY]);
+    render(<ObservationOverlay store={h.store} />);
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole("button", { name: /Pop out/ }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(pipDoc.body.textContent).toContain("s1"));
+    act(() => {
+      visibility = "hidden";
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"));
+    });
+    expect(h.eventUrls.at(-1)).toContain("thumbnails=1");
+  });
+});

 describe("ObservationOverlay", () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
@@ -92,6 +211,16 @@ describe("ObservationOverlay", () => {
    await screen.findByRole("img", { name: "session s1 view" });
  });

+  it("offers a retry after a thumbnail fails without requiring a new frame id", async () => {
+    const h = makeHarness([{ ...BUSY, thumbnailAttachmentId: "att-9" }]);
+    h.loadImage.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("temporary failure"));
+    render(<ObservationOverlay store={h.store} />);
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole("button", { name: "Retry thumbnail" }));
+    await screen.findByRole("img", { name: "session s1 view" });
+    expect(h.loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Retry thumbnail" })).toBeNull();
+  });
+
  it("keeps the current frame on stage while the next thumbnail loads", async () => {
    let resolveNext: ((url: string) => void) | undefined;
    const h = makeHarness([{ ...BUSY, thumbnailAttachmentId: "att-1" }]);
@@ -53,8 +53,14 @@ function makeHarness(initial: SessionObservation[]): Harness {
      return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ interrupted: true }) };
    },
    eventSourceFactory: () => {
-      es = { onmessage: null, close: vi.fn() };
-      return es;
+      const connection = { onmessage: null, close: vi.fn() } as EventSourceLike;
+      es = connection;
+      queueMicrotask(() =>
+        connection.onmessage?.({
+          data: JSON.stringify({ type: "snapshot", sessions: current, available: true }),
+        }),
+      );
+      return connection;
    },
    loadImage: async (id: string) => `blob:${id}`,
  });
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
-// ObservationClientStore: initial fetch + SSE application, thumbnail loading
+// ObservationClientStore: ordered SSE snapshots/increments, thumbnail loading
 // lifecycle, interrupt wire shape. All I/O faked.

-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { type EventSourceLike, ObservationClientStore } from "../../src/client/observation-store";
 import type { ObservationEvent, SessionObservation } from "../../src/observation";

 const OBS_IDLE: SessionObservation = { sessionId: "s1", action: "idle", since: 1000 };
 const OBS_BUSY: SessionObservation = { sessionId: "s1", action: "clicking", since: 2000 };
+const stores: ObservationClientStore[] = [];
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  for (const store of stores.splice(0)) store.stop();
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+});

 function harness(state: SessionObservation[] = []) {
  const fetches: {
@@ -14,6 +21,7 @@ function harness(state: SessionObservation[] = []) {
    init?: { method?: string; body?: string; headers?: Record<string, string> };
  }[] = [];
  const esInstances: EventSourceLike[] = [];
+  const eventUrls: string[] = [];
  const fetchFn = vi.fn(
    async (
      url: string,
@@ -29,11 +37,14 @@ function harness(state: SessionObservation[] = []) {
  const eventSourceFactory = (url: string) => {
    const es: EventSourceLike = { onmessage: null, close: vi.fn() };
    esInstances.push(es);
+    eventUrls.push(url);
+    queueMicrotask(() => emit(es, { type: "snapshot", sessions: state, available: true }));
    return es;
  };
  const loadImage = vi.fn(async (id: string) => `blob:url-${id}`);
  const store = new ObservationClientStore({ fetchFn, eventSourceFactory, loadImage });
-  return { store, fetches, esInstances, loadImage };
+  stores.push(store);
+  return { store, fetches, esInstances, eventUrls, loadImage };
 }

 function emit(es: EventSourceLike, event: ObservationEvent): void {
@@ -73,7 +84,9 @@ describe("ObservationClientStore", () => {
  });

  it("loads each thumbnail once and reports ready", async () => {
-    const { store, loadImage } = harness();
+    const { store, loadImage } = harness([{ ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "att-1" }]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
    store.ensureThumbnail("att-1");
    store.ensureThumbnail("att-1");
    expect(loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -86,7 +99,9 @@ describe("ObservationClientStore", () => {
  });

  it("marks failed thumbnail loads as error", async () => {
-    const { store, loadImage } = harness();
+    const { store, loadImage } = harness([{ ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "att-bad" }]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
    loadImage.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("nope"));
    store.ensureThumbnail("att-bad");
    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(store.getSnapshot().thumbnails["att-bad"].status).toBe("error"));
@@ -124,9 +139,7 @@ describe("ObservationClientStore", () => {

 describe("thumbnail blob URL lifecycle", () => {
  function withRevokeSpy() {
-    const revoke = vi.fn();
-    (URL as unknown as { revokeObjectURL: unknown }).revokeObjectURL = revoke;
-    return revoke;
+    return vi.spyOn(URL, "revokeObjectURL").mockImplementation(() => {});
  }

  it("holds the last ready frame until the replacement decodes", async () => {
@@ -231,16 +244,216 @@ describe("thumbnail blob URL lifecycle", () => {
  });
 });

-describe("SSE (re)open resync", () => {
-  it("refetches the full state when the stream (re)opens", async () => {
+describe("SSE snapshot ordering", () => {
+  it("ignores events from a stopped connection after a restart", async () => {
+    const { store, esInstances } = harness([OBS_IDLE]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    const old = esInstances[0];
+    store.stop();
+    emit(old, { type: "upsert", session: OBS_BUSY });
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().sessions).toEqual([]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    emit(esInstances[1], { type: "upsert", session: OBS_BUSY });
+    emit(old, { type: "snapshot", sessions: [], available: false });
+    emit(old, { type: "remove", session: OBS_BUSY });
+    expect(store.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject({ sessions: [OBS_BUSY], available: true });
+  });
+
+  it("does not apply a queued initial snapshot after stop", async () => {
+    const { store } = harness([OBS_BUSY]);
+    store.start();
+    store.stop();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject({ sessions: [], thumbnails: {}, subscribed: false });
+  });
+
+  it("replaces state on reconnect before applying subsequent events, without a competing fetch", async () => {
    const { store, fetches, esInstances } = harness([OBS_IDLE]);
    store.start();
    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(store.getSnapshot().sessions).toHaveLength(1));
-    const before = fetches.filter((f) => f.url === "/bsk-observation/state").length;
-    esInstances[0].onopen?.();
-    await vi.waitFor(() =>
-      expect(fetches.filter((f) => f.url === "/bsk-observation/state").length).toBe(before + 1),
-    );
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "snapshot", sessions: [], available: false });
+    expect(store.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject({ sessions: [], available: false });
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "upsert", session: OBS_BUSY });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().sessions).toEqual([OBS_BUSY]);
+    expect(fetches).toEqual([]);
    store.stop();
  });
 });
+
+describe("thumbnail recovery and stale loads", () => {
+  function deferred<T>() {
+    let resolve!: (value: T) => void;
+    let reject!: (reason: Error) => void;
+    const promise = new Promise<T>((yes, no) => {
+      resolve = yes;
+      reject = no;
+    });
+    return { promise, resolve, reject };
+  }
+
+  it("retries a transient failure without needing a different frame id", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ["setTimeout", "clearTimeout"] });
+    const { store, loadImage } = harness([{ ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" }]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    loadImage.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("temporary"));
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().thumbnails.a1.status).toBe("error");
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
+    expect(loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().displayFrames.s1).toEqual({ status: "ready", url: "blob:url-a1" });
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("bounds automatic retries and allows an explicit recovery", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ["setTimeout", "clearTimeout"] });
+    const { store, loadImage } = harness([{ ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" }]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    loadImage.mockRejectedValue(new Error("offline"));
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000);
+    expect(loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    expect(loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    loadImage.mockResolvedValue("blob:recovered");
+    store.retryThumbnail("a1");
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().displayFrames.s1.url).toBe("blob:recovered");
+  });
+
+  it("cancels backoff when a reconnect retries the current frame", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ["setTimeout", "clearTimeout"] });
+    const session = { ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" };
+    const { store, esInstances, loadImage } = harness([session]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    loadImage.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("offline"));
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "snapshot", sessions: [session], available: true });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().thumbnails.a1.status).toBe("ready");
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000);
+    expect(loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "remove",
+    "reset",
+    "stop",
+    "missing-thumbnail",
+    "snapshot-removal",
+  ])("cleans frames and cancels retries on %s", async (action) => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ["setTimeout", "clearTimeout"] });
+    const revoke = vi.spyOn(URL, "revokeObjectURL").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    const { store, esInstances, loadImage } = harness([
+      { ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" },
+    ]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "upsert", session: { ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a2" } });
+    loadImage.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("no frame"));
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a2");
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().displayFrames.s1).toEqual({ status: "error", url: "blob:url-a1" });
+    if (action === "stop") store.stop();
+    else if (action === "remove") emit(esInstances[0], { type: "remove", session: OBS_IDLE });
+    else if (action === "reset") emit(esInstances[0], { type: "reset" });
+    else if (action === "missing-thumbnail")
+      emit(esInstances[0], { type: "upsert", session: OBS_IDLE });
+    else emit(esInstances[0], { type: "snapshot", sessions: [], available: true });
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().thumbnails).toEqual({});
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().displayFrames).toEqual({});
+    expect(revoke).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith("blob:url-a1");
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000);
+    expect(loadImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    "resolve",
+    "reject",
+  ])("ignores a stale load's %s even when the same id is loaded again", async (outcome) => {
+    const revoke = vi.spyOn(URL, "revokeObjectURL").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    const { store, esInstances, loadImage } = harness([
+      { ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" },
+    ]);
+    const old = deferred<string>();
+    loadImage.mockReturnValueOnce(old.promise);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "upsert", session: { ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a2" } });
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "upsert", session: { ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" } });
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    if (outcome === "resolve") old.resolve("blob:stale");
+    else old.reject(new Error("stale error"));
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().displayFrames.s1).toEqual({ status: "ready", url: "blob:url-a1" });
+    expect(revoke).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith("blob:url-a1");
+    if (outcome === "resolve") expect(revoke).toHaveBeenCalledWith("blob:stale");
+  });
+
+  it.each(["resolve", "reject"])("ignores an in-flight load's %s after stop", async (outcome) => {
+    const revoke = vi.spyOn(URL, "revokeObjectURL").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    const { store, loadImage } = harness([{ ...OBS_IDLE, thumbnailAttachmentId: "a1" }]);
+    const pending = deferred<string>();
+    loadImage.mockReturnValueOnce(pending.promise);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    store.ensureThumbnail("a1");
+    store.stop();
+    if (outcome === "resolve") pending.resolve("blob:late");
+    else pending.reject(new Error("late error"));
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject({ sessions: [], thumbnails: {}, displayFrames: {} });
+    if (outcome === "resolve") expect(revoke).toHaveBeenCalledWith("blob:late");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("thumbnail viewer leases", () => {
+  it("keeps metadata subscribed while the last screenshot viewer leaves", async () => {
+    const { store, eventUrls, esInstances } = harness([OBS_IDLE]);
+    store.acquire();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(eventUrls).toEqual(["/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0"]);
+    const first = store.watchThumbnails();
+    expect(eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=1");
+    const second = store.watchThumbnails();
+    expect(eventUrls).toHaveLength(2);
+    first();
+    first();
+    expect(eventUrls).toHaveLength(2);
+    second();
+    expect(eventUrls.at(-1)).toBe("/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0");
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().subscribed).toBe(true);
+    store.release();
+    expect(esInstances.at(-1)?.close).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().subscribed).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("ignores delayed snapshots from a replaced stream without clearing the displayed state", async () => {
+    const { store, esInstances } = harness([OBS_IDLE]);
+    store.start();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "upsert", session: OBS_BUSY });
+    const release = store.watchThumbnails();
+    expect(store.getSnapshot().sessions).toEqual([OBS_BUSY]);
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    emit(esInstances[1], { type: "upsert", session: OBS_BUSY });
+    emit(esInstances[0], { type: "snapshot", sessions: [], available: false });
+    expect(store.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject({ sessions: [OBS_BUSY], available: true });
+    store.stop();
+    release();
+    expect(esInstances).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+});
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { existsSync, mkdtempSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import type { IncomingMessage, ServerResponse } from "node:http";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { basename, dirname } from "node:path";
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
  actionForLabel,
  type ObservationEvent,
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ function setup(opts: {
  runner?: FakeRunner;
  registry?: SessionRegistry;
  scheduler?: ReturnType<typeof fakeScheduler>;
+  thumbnails?: boolean;
+  queue?: KeyedExecutor;
 }) {
  const registry = opts.registry ?? new SessionRegistry(5);
  const runner = opts.runner ?? fakeRunner();
@@ -146,13 +148,18 @@ function setup(opts: {
    ctx: fakeCtx(),
    runner,
    registry,
-    queue: new KeyedExecutor(),
+    queue: opts.queue ?? new KeyedExecutor(),
    options: OPTIONS,
    scheduler,
  });
  const events: ObservationEvent[] = [];
-  service.subscribe((event) => events.push(event));
-  return { service, registry, runner, scheduler, events };
+  const unsubscribe = service.subscribe(
+    (event) => {
+      if (event.type !== "snapshot") events.push(event);
+    },
+    { thumbnails: opts.thumbnails ?? true },
+  );
+  return { service, registry, runner, scheduler, events, unsubscribe };
 }

 /** Drive the registry through a real start so the session is owned. */
@@ -224,6 +231,111 @@ describe("state machine", () => {
 });

 describe("thumbnail cadence", () => {
+  it("keeps metadata current without screenshots and resumes when a viewer arrives", async () => {
+    const { service, scheduler, runner, events } = setup({ thumbnails: false });
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    service.beginAction("s1", "clicking");
+    service.endAction("s1");
+    const releaseForeground = service.acquireForeground("s1");
+    releaseForeground();
+    expect(service.getState()[0].action).toBe("idle");
+    expect(events).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    expect(runner.calls).toEqual([]);
+    const snapshots: ObservationEvent[] = [];
+    const leave = service.subscribe((event) => snapshots.push(event));
+    expect(snapshots[0]).toEqual({
+      type: "snapshot",
+      sessions: service.getState(),
+      available: true,
+    });
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([0]);
+    scheduler.runNext();
+    await waitFor(() => scheduler.pending().length === 1);
+    expect(runner.calls).toHaveLength(1);
+    leave();
+    leave();
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    service.endAction("s1");
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    const resume = service.subscribe(() => {});
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([0]);
+    resume();
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("does not capture in a headless service with no subscribers", () => {
+    const { service, scheduler, unsubscribe } = setup({});
+    unsubscribe();
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    service.endAction("s1");
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    expect(service.getState()).toHaveLength(1);
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps capturing until the last viewer leaves, including reused callbacks", () => {
+    const { service, scheduler } = setup({ thumbnails: false });
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    const listener = () => {};
+    const first = service.subscribe(listener);
+    const second = service.subscribe(listener);
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([0]);
+    first();
+    first();
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([0]);
+    second();
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("skips a queued screenshot if its last viewer leaves before execution", async () => {
+    const queue = new KeyedExecutor();
+    let unblock!: () => void;
+    const gate = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      unblock = resolve;
+    });
+    const busy = queue.run("s1", () => gate);
+    const { service, scheduler, runner, unsubscribe } = setup({ queue });
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    scheduler.runNext();
+    unsubscribe();
+    unblock();
+    await busy;
+    await queue.run("s1", async () => {});
+    expect(runner.calls).toEqual([]);
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("lets an already running capture finish without restarting the loop after the last viewer leaves", async () => {
+    const runner = fakeRunner();
+    const run = runner.run.bind(runner);
+    let finish!: () => void;
+    let started = false;
+    runner.run = async (args, options) => {
+      started = true;
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+        finish = resolve;
+      });
+      return run(args, options);
+    };
+    const { service, scheduler, unsubscribe } = setup({ runner });
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    scheduler.runNext();
+    await waitFor(() => started);
+    unsubscribe();
+    finish();
+    await waitFor(() => service.getState()[0]?.thumbnailAttachmentId !== undefined);
+    const args = runner.calls[0].args;
+    await waitFor(() => !existsSync(args[args.indexOf("--out") + 1]));
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    const leave = service.subscribe(() => {});
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([0]);
+    leave();
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
  it("gives foreground work priority and resumes with one fresh capture", async () => {
    const scheduler = fakeScheduler();
    let finishCapture: ((result: BskRunResult) => void) | undefined;
@@ -540,6 +652,12 @@ describe("HTTP/SSE interface", () => {
    const eventsRes = fakeRes();
    await eventsRoute?.handler(fakeReq(), eventsRes.res as never);
    service.beginAction("s1", "clicking");
+    const streamed = eventsRes.chunks.map((chunk) => JSON.parse(chunk.slice(6)));
+    expect(streamed.map((event) => event.type)).toEqual(["snapshot", "upsert"]);
+    expect(streamed[0]).toMatchObject({
+      sessions: [{ sessionId: "s1", action: "idle" }],
+      available: true,
+    });
    expect(eventsRes.res.body()).toContain('"action":"clicking"');
    eventsRes.res.close();

@@ -566,6 +684,47 @@ describe("HTTP/SSE interface", () => {
    service.dispose();
  });

+  it("state-only SSE does not capture, and route disposal releases every active viewer", async () => {
+    const { service, scheduler } = setup({ thumbnails: false });
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    const { routes, webServer } = routeHarness();
+    const dispose = registerObservationRoutes({ get: () => webServer } as never, service);
+    const route = routes.get("/bsk-observation/events")!;
+    const metadata = fakeRes();
+    await route.handler(fakeReq({ url: "/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=0" }), metadata.res);
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    const viewing = fakeRes();
+    await route.handler(fakeReq({ url: "/bsk-observation/events?thumbnails=1" }), viewing.res);
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([0]);
+    const endMetadata = vi.spyOn(metadata.res, "end");
+    const endViewing = vi.spyOn(viewing.res, "end");
+    dispose();
+    expect(endMetadata).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(endViewing).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    viewing.res.close();
+    metadata.res.close();
+    expect(endViewing).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it("releases a viewer when writing its initial snapshot fails", async () => {
+    const { service, scheduler } = setup({ thumbnails: false });
+    service.addSession("s1");
+    const { routes, webServer } = routeHarness();
+    const dispose = registerObservationRoutes({ get: () => webServer } as never, service);
+    const response = fakeRes();
+    vi.spyOn(response.res, "write").mockImplementation(() => {
+      throw new Error("closed socket");
+    });
+    const end = vi.spyOn(response.res, "end");
+    await routes.get("/bsk-observation/events")!.handler(fakeReq(), response.res);
+    expect(end).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(scheduler.pending()).toEqual([]);
+    dispose();
+    service.dispose();
+  });
+
  it("refuses a stop without a sessionId", async () => {
    const registry = new SessionRegistry(5);
    own(registry, "s1");
@@ -124,6 +124,28 @@ describe("parseBskJson", () => {
    expect(() => parseBskJson({ ...base, code: 1, stderr: "boom" }, "x")).toThrow(/boom/);
  });

+  it("surfaces fill recovery guidance to the model without retrying", async () => {
+    const hint =
+      "observe the field before retrying; the page may have formatted the value. Continue if the visible result satisfies the user's intent";
+    const reply = {
+      ...base,
+      code: 3,
+      stdout: JSON.stringify({
+        code: "cdp_failed",
+        message: "fill could not verify the expected value",
+        data: { reason: "fill_value_mismatch" },
+        hint,
+      }),
+    };
+    let calls = 0;
+    const result = await runWithSessionBusyRetry(async () => {
+      calls++;
+      return reply;
+    });
+    expect(calls).toBe(1);
+    expect(() => parseBskJson(result, "fill")).toThrow(hint);
+  });
+
  it("reports killed-by-interrupt children (null exit code) as interrupted", () => {
    expect(() => parseBskJson({ ...base, code: null }, "navigate")).toThrow(/interrupted/);
  });
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
      "default": "./src/react.tsx"
    }
  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "vitest run",
+    "test:watch": "vitest"
+  },
  "peerDependencies": {
    "react": "^19.0.0"
  },
@@ -20,5 +24,8 @@
    "i18next": "^24.2.2",
    "i18next-browser-languagedetector": "^8.0.2",
    "react-i18next": "^15.3.4"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "vitest": "^4.1.6"
  }
 }
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ declare const chrome:
          ) => void;
        };
      };
+      i18n?: {
+        getUILanguage(): string;
+      };
    }
  | undefined;

@@ -31,14 +34,116 @@ function getChromeLocal(): ChromeStorageLocal | undefined {
  return typeof chrome !== "undefined" ? chrome.storage?.local : undefined;
 }

+/** Regions whose written Chinese defaults to Traditional. */
+const TRADITIONAL_CHINESE_REGIONS = new Set(["tw", "hk", "mo"]);
+
+/**
+ * Group resource keys by primary language subtag, so a bare `ko` can find
+ * `ko-KR` without anyone maintaining a side map by hand.
+ */
+function buildPrimarySubtagIndex(resourceKeys: string[]): Map<string, string[]> {
+  const index = new Map<string, string[]>();
+  for (const key of resourceKeys) {
+    const primary = key.split(/[-_]/)[0].toLowerCase();
+    const bucket = index.get(primary);
+    if (bucket) {
+      bucket.push(key);
+    } else {
+      index.set(primary, [key]);
+    }
+  }
+  return index;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Chinese is the one language where a single primary subtag maps to several
+ * resources, because Simplified and Traditional differ by script rather than
+ * by region. Every other language resolves straight from the index.
+ */
+function resolveChineseVariant(parts: string[], candidates: string[]): string {
+  const byRegion = (region: string): string | undefined =>
+    candidates.find((key) => key.toLowerCase().endsWith(`-${region}`));
+
+  // 1. Script subtag is the most accurate signal (zh-Hans / zh-Hant).
+  if (parts.includes("hans")) {
+    return byRegion("cn") ?? candidates[0];
+  }
+  if (parts.includes("hant")) {
+    return byRegion("tw") ?? candidates[candidates.length - 1];
+  }
+  // 2. Fall back to the region subtag, which is what Chrome actually reports.
+  //    Skip parts[0] — the primary subtag `zh` is also two characters long.
+  const region = parts.slice(1).find((part) => part.length === 2);
+  if (region && TRADITIONAL_CHINESE_REGIONS.has(region)) {
+    return byRegion("tw") ?? candidates[0];
+  }
+  // 3. Bare `zh` and any other region default to Simplified.
+  return byRegion("cn") ?? candidates[0];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build a normalizer driven entirely by the resource keys i18next ships, so
+ * registering a new translation needs no change here.
+ *
+ * For a detected BCP 47 tag, in order:
+ *
+ * 1. it already names a resource (`ko-KR`)               → unchanged
+ * 2. one resource shares its language (`ko` → `ko-KR`)   → that resource
+ * 3. several do (`zh` → `zh-CN` / `zh-TW`)               → script, then region
+ * 4. nothing is shipped for the language                 → unchanged
+ *
+ * Case 4 leaves the tag untouched so i18next applies `fallbackLng`, rather
+ * than silently routing an untranslated language to the wrong bundle.
+ */
+export function createLanguageNormalizer(resourceKeys: string[]): (code: string) => string {
+  const keySet = new Set(resourceKeys);
+  const index = buildPrimarySubtagIndex(resourceKeys);
+
+  return (code: string): string => {
+    if (keySet.has(code)) {
+      return code;
+    }
+    const parts = code.split(/[-_]/).map((part) => part.toLowerCase());
+    const candidates = index.get(parts[0]);
+    if (!candidates?.length) {
+      return code;
+    }
+    if (candidates.length === 1) {
+      return candidates[0];
+    }
+    if (parts[0] === "zh") {
+      return resolveChineseVariant(parts, candidates);
+    }
+    return candidates[0];
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * i18next detector that prefers `chrome.i18n.getUILanguage()`, Chrome's
+ * authoritative source for the extension UI language. The popup runs on a
+ * `chrome-extension://` origin where `navigator.language` can disagree with it.
+ */
+export const chromeUiLanguageDetector = {
+  name: "chromeUILanguage",
+  lookup(): string | undefined {
+    if (typeof chrome !== "undefined" && chrome.i18n?.getUILanguage) {
+      return chrome.i18n.getUILanguage();
+    }
+    return undefined;
+  },
+};
+
 /** Avoid page-origin localStorage; use extension storage + navigator only. */
-export function getLanguageDetectionOptions(): {
+export function getLanguageDetectionOptions(resourceKeys: string[]): {
  order: string[];
  caches: string[];
+  convertDetectedLanguage: (lng: string) => string;
 } {
  return {
-    order: ["navigator"],
+    order: ["chromeUILanguage", "navigator"],
    caches: [],
+    // Normalise the detected tag before i18next resolves it against `resources`.
+    convertDetectedLanguage: createLanguageNormalizer(resourceKeys),
  };
 }

@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ import i18n from "i18next";
 import LanguageDetector from "i18next-browser-languagedetector";
 import { initReactI18next } from "react-i18next";

-import { bindChromeStorageLanguageSync, getLanguageDetectionOptions } from "./chrome-storage-sync";
+import {
+  bindChromeStorageLanguageSync,
+  chromeUiLanguageDetector,
+  getLanguageDetectionOptions,
+} from "./chrome-storage-sync";
 import enUSCommon from "./locales/en-US/common.json";
 import enUSExtension from "./locales/en-US/extension.json";
 import zhCNCommon from "./locales/zh-CN/common.json";
@@ -19,12 +23,21 @@ const resources = {
  },
 } as const;

+const languageDetector = new LanguageDetector();
+languageDetector.addDetector(chromeUiLanguageDetector);
+
+// Drive locale normalisation off the keys we actually ship, so registering a
+// translation is the only step needed to support a new language.
+const resourceKeys = Object.keys(resources);
+
 i18n
-  .use(LanguageDetector)
+  .use(languageDetector)
  .use(initReactI18next)
  .init({
    resources,
-    fallbackLng: "zh-CN",
+    // English is the international default; Chinese users still get Chinese.
+    // `zh` → zh-CN also covers zh-TW/zh-HK until a Traditional resource exists.
+    fallbackLng: { en: ["en-US"], zh: ["zh-CN"], default: ["en-US"] },
    defaultNS: "common",
    ns: ["common", "extension"],

@@ -32,7 +45,7 @@ i18n
      escapeValue: false,
    },

-    detection: getLanguageDetectionOptions(),
+    detection: getLanguageDetectionOptions(resourceKeys),

    react: {
      useSuspense: false,
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  chromeUiLanguageDetector,
+  createLanguageNormalizer,
+  getLanguageDetectionOptions,
+} from "../src/chrome-storage-sync";
+
+/** What `packages/i18n` ships today — kept in sync with `resources` in i18n.ts. */
+const SHIPPED_RESOURCE_KEYS = ["zh-CN", "en-US"];
+
+/**
+ * Locks the locale-resolution table from issue #168: the UI must follow the
+ * browser language instead of falling through to Chinese for every locale
+ * other than `en-US`.
+ */
+describe("createLanguageNormalizer", () => {
+  const normalize = createLanguageNormalizer(SHIPPED_RESOURCE_KEYS);
+
+  const cases: Array<[detected: string, resource: string]> = [
+    // English — every variant maps to the single en-US resource.
+    ["en", "en-US"],
+    ["en-US", "en-US"],
+    ["en-GB", "en-US"],
+    ["en-CN", "en-US"],
+    ["en-AU", "en-US"],
+
+    // Chinese — only `zh-CN` ships today, so every variant resolves to it
+    // directly rather than leaking into the fallback chain. Traditional picks
+    // up `zh-TW` automatically once that bundle is registered (see below).
+    ["zh", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-CN", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-SG", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-Hans", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-Hans-CN", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-Hans-SG", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-TW", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-HK", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-MO", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-Hant", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-Hant-TW", "zh-CN"],
+    ["zh-Hant-HK", "zh-CN"],
+
+    // No translation shipped — returned unchanged so i18next applies the
+    // `default` fallback (en-US) rather than Chinese.
+    ["ja", "ja"],
+    ["ja-JP", "ja-JP"],
+    ["fr-FR", "fr-FR"],
+    ["de-DE", "de-DE"],
+  ];
+
+  it.each(cases)("maps %s to %s", (detected, resource) => {
+    expect(normalize(detected)).toBe(resource);
+  });
+
+  it("is case-insensitive", () => {
+    expect(normalize("EN-us")).toBe("en-US");
+    expect(normalize("zh-hant-tw")).toBe("zh-CN");
+  });
+});
+
+/**
+ * The point of the factory: supporting a new language means registering its
+ * bundle in `resources` — never touching the normalizer.
+ */
+describe("createLanguageNormalizer extensibility", () => {
+  it("auto-resolves a newly registered language", () => {
+    const normalize = createLanguageNormalizer(["en-US", "zh-CN", "ko-KR"]);
+    expect(normalize("ko")).toBe("ko-KR");
+    expect(normalize("ko-KR")).toBe("ko-KR");
+  });
+
+  it("disambiguates zh once a Traditional bundle ships", () => {
+    const normalize = createLanguageNormalizer(["en-US", "zh-CN", "zh-TW"]);
+    expect(normalize("zh-Hant")).toBe("zh-TW");
+    expect(normalize("zh-Hant-TW")).toBe("zh-TW");
+    expect(normalize("zh-TW")).toBe("zh-TW");
+    expect(normalize("zh-HK")).toBe("zh-TW");
+    expect(normalize("zh-MO")).toBe("zh-TW");
+    expect(normalize("zh-Hans")).toBe("zh-CN");
+    expect(normalize("zh-CN")).toBe("zh-CN");
+    expect(normalize("zh")).toBe("zh-CN");
+  });
+
+  it("leaves unregistered languages to fallbackLng", () => {
+    const normalize = createLanguageNormalizer(["en-US", "zh-CN"]);
+    expect(normalize("pt-BR")).toBe("pt-BR");
+    expect(normalize("ru")).toBe("ru");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("chromeUiLanguageDetector", () => {
+  it("prefers chrome.i18n.getUILanguage() when available", () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", { i18n: { getUILanguage: () => "en-GB" } });
+    expect(chromeUiLanguageDetector.lookup()).toBe("en-GB");
+  });
+
+  it("returns undefined outside a Chrome extension context", () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", undefined);
+    expect(chromeUiLanguageDetector.lookup()).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("returns undefined when the i18n API is unavailable", () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {});
+    expect(chromeUiLanguageDetector.lookup()).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("getLanguageDetectionOptions", () => {
+  it("orders the Chrome UI language ahead of navigator", () => {
+    expect(getLanguageDetectionOptions(SHIPPED_RESOURCE_KEYS).order).toEqual([
+      "chromeUILanguage",
+      "navigator",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("normalises whatever the detectors report", () => {
+    const { convertDetectedLanguage } = getLanguageDetectionOptions(SHIPPED_RESOURCE_KEYS);
+    expect(convertDetectedLanguage("en-GB")).toBe("en-US");
+    expect(convertDetectedLanguage("zh-TW")).toBe("zh-CN");
+    expect(convertDetectedLanguage("ja-JP")).toBe("ja-JP");
+  });
+
+  it("does not write to page-origin storage", () => {
+    expect(getLanguageDetectionOptions(SHIPPED_RESOURCE_KEYS).caches).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  test: {
+    environment: "node",
+    include: ["tests/**/*.test.ts"],
+  },
+});
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ importers:
      react-i18next:
        specifier: ^15.3.4
        version: 15.7.4(i18next@24.2.3(typescript@5.9.3))(react@19.2.6)(typescript@5.9.3)
+    devDependencies:
+      vitest:
+        specifier: ^4.1.6
+        version: 4.1.6(@types/node@25.8.0)(happy-dom@15.11.7)(vite@8.0.13(@types/node@25.8.0)(esbuild@0.27.7)(jiti@2.7.0))

  packages/ui:
    dependencies:
@@ -172,6 +172,10 @@ intended. Read `bsk upload --help` and `bsk download --help` for all flags and e
 - Stale ref: observe again and retry the intended action once.
 - Unknown tab or session: list current tabs/sessions; never guess identifiers.
 - Timeout: inspect current page state before deciding whether one longer purposeful wait is useful.
+- Fill result unconfirmed (`fill_value_mismatch`): observe the field first; the page may have
+  formatted the value. Continue if the visible result satisfies the user's intent. Otherwise correct
+  the remaining difference; do not blindly repeat fill or immediately request human help. For other
+  fill errors, follow the returned hint and inspect current state before retrying.
 - Unsupported command: continue with available capabilities; suggest updating only when the missing
  command is necessary.
 - Unrecoverable failure: report the blocker and stop the session in a finally-style path.
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
drakezhang	4992a54864	docs(dsh): clarify observation subscription and snapshot contracts	2026-09-07 17:38:35 +08:00
drakezhang	8b195eb0df	test(extension): return tab id from navigation recovery mock	2026-09-07 17:26:01 +08:00
drakezhang	eae4db1729	Merge main for navigation recovery test compatibility	2026-09-07 17:25:22 +08:00
drakezhang	e961395be9	fix(dsh): synchronize observation state and manage thumbnail capture	2026-09-07 16:24:04 +08:00
Zhang GH	a6d1d02acc	Merge pull request #179 from Tencent/fix/cdp-extension-frame-recovery fix: recover navigation from cross-extension CDP restrictions	2026-09-07 16:05:46 +08:00
Zhang GH	5ebe609c40	Merge pull request #189 from Tencent/fix/verify-fill-before-success fix(extension): verify fill results before reporting success	2026-09-07 15:59:21 +08:00
drakezhang	321494d93f	test(fill): cover caret positioning and clarify append behavior	2026-09-07 15:56:13 +08:00
drakezhang	f2184e74c5	fix(fill): support background input and automatic append	2026-09-07 15:28:21 +08:00
drakezhang	eeb633d68e	fix(extension): verify fill results before reporting success	2026-09-07 13:25:54 +08:00
Zhang GH	6d181105f2	Merge pull request #188 from Tencent/fix/match-form-state-by-element fix(extension): match form state by element identity	2026-09-07 12:57:42 +08:00
drakezhang	ebad0ed1b5	fix(extension): match form state by element identity	2026-09-07 12:21:01 +08:00
Zhang GH	498f8fb4a7	Merge pull request #187 from Tencent/fix/release-automation-state-on-tab-return Fix/release automation state on tab return	2026-09-07 12:12:41 +08:00
drakezhang	cef59137e4	fix(extension): handle tab return cleanup edge cases	2026-09-07 11:44:11 +08:00
drakezhang	f70978bfcf	fix(extension): release automation state when returning borrowed tabs	2026-09-07 11:30:01 +08:00
Zhang GH	1498cd425c	Merge pull request #186 from Tencent/fix/closed-borrowed-tabs-block-session-stop fix(extension): prevent closed borrowed tabs from blocking session stop	2026-09-07 11:19:12 +08:00
drakezhang	e831d65db3	fix(extension): prevent closed borrowed tabs from blocking session stop	2026-09-07 11:12:44 +08:00
Zhang GH	47ac947f18	Merge pull request #174 from iAstro/fix/extension-locale-normalization fix(i18n): match browser locale by language subtag instead of exact code	2026-09-04 17:29:31 +08:00
Zhang GH	69d64c4eb1	Merge pull request #176 from Tencent/fix/windows-update-detach fix(bsk): fix Windows self-update failing to replace binary	2026-09-04 17:11:31 +08:00
Zhang GH	99c997d6d5	Merge pull request #66 from iAstro/fix/issue-57-user-tab-freedom fix(extension): keep user-opened tabs free & fix agent-tab leak on session stop (issue #57)	2026-09-04 17:10:15 +08:00
iAstro	93853ebc65	refactor(i18n): drive locale normalisation from shipped resource keys Per review feedback on #174: the hardcoded if/else in normalizeLanguageCode required touching the function for every new language, so a bare `ko` would miss the `ko-KR` resource #161 is about to add and Korean users would land on English despite the fix. Replace it with createLanguageNormalizer(resourceKeys), a factory that derives its mapping from the resource keys i18next is configured with: 1. exact resource key -> unchanged 2. one resource for the language -> that key (ko -> ko-KR) 3. several (zh-CN / zh-TW) -> script subtag, then region 4. nothing shipped -> unchanged, fallbackLng applies getLanguageDetectionOptions now takes the resource keys and i18n.ts passes Object.keys(resources). Chinese disambiguation stays as the only special case - one language, two scripts; every other mapping derives from the index automatically. Test expectations for the zh-TW family change from "zh-TW" to "zh-CN": only zh-CN ships today and the factory maps to shipped keys only, so Traditional resolves directly to Simplified instead of leaking into the fallback chain. The rendered UI is identical either way, and the new extensibility cases lock in the automatic disambiguation once a zh-TW bundle registers - plus the auto-resolution of a newly registered language like ko-KR. 28 -> 31 tests; extension suite 832/832; tsc, biome and ext:build clean.	2026-09-04 15:42:40 +08:00
drakezhang	248bb90a2d	test(extension): return home tab ids from mocks	2026-09-04 14:37:04 +08:00
drakezhang	6e6c178434	Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into fix/issue-57-explicit-tab-claims	2026-09-04 14:31:48 +08:00
drakezhang	386ef91c24	fix(extension): preserve existing tab scope semantics	2026-09-04 13:14:26 +08:00
drakezhang	0dc11b30ea	fix(extension): claim agent tabs explicitly	2026-09-04 11:17:05 +08:00
iAstro	759eebd4b6	fix(i18n): match browser locale by language subtag instead of exact code The extension ships en-US and zh-CN resources, but only en-US was ever selected: every other browser language fell through to fallbackLng ("zh-CN"), so users on en, en-GB, en-CN, en-AU, ja-JP, fr-FR saw Chinese. Match on the BCP 47 language subtag and normalise it to a resource key: en* -> en-US zh-Hans* / zh-CN / zh-SG / zh -> zh-CN zh-Hant* / zh-TW / zh-HK / zh-MO -> zh-TW anything else -> unchanged (fallbackLng default: en-US) Simplified vs Traditional is decided by the script subtag (Hans/Hant) when present, then by the region subtag, since Chrome reports zh-CN / zh-TW rather than script subtags. The zh-TW branch is written now so adding a Traditional translation later needs no code change. chrome.i18n.getUILanguage() is now preferred over navigator.language, which is unreliable on the chrome-extension:// origin the popup runs on. Adds a locale-resolution regression matrix (28 cases). Closes #168	2026-09-04 10:03:43 +08:00
drakezhang	fd3ce202a1	fix: recover navigation from cross-extension CDP restrictions Classify Chrome extension-frame access failures and provide an actionable CLI hint. Recover navigate and reload only when their initial CDP setup is denied, using browser navigation events and verifying that CDP access returns. Preserve normal navigation, Agent Window checks, transfer error details, and network-idle semantics. Never replay an already-dispatched navigation.	2026-09-03 18:21:21 +08:00
drakezhangandCursor	618bd6a0df	fix(bsk): fix Windows self-update failing to replace binary Two issues prevented the detached update helper from completing: 1. Only CREATE_NO_WINDOW was set — the child cmd.exe process was still attached to the parent console session and got killed when the terminal closed. Add CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP to fully detach it. 2. `timeout /t 1 /nobreak` requires a console and fails silently in a no-window context, causing the retry loop to spin with no delay. Replace with `ping -n 2 127.0.0.1` which works in any environment. Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>	2026-09-03 12:24:53 +08:00
Zhang GH	c455a09fc3	Merge pull request #163 from dayi/fix/recording-http-random-uuid fix(extension): support UUID generation on insecure origins	2026-09-03 10:46:12 +08:00
Dean Wang	b6be356e40	test(extension): cover UUID fallback during recording startup	2026-09-03 07:40:57 +08:00
Zhang GH	945bf1523d	Merge pull request #173 from Tencent/release/0.2.0 Release/0.2.0	2026-09-02 19:00:21 +08:00
iAstro	a77353bce8	fix(extension): classify the home tab by id, not a racy boot flag (issue #57 ) SessionManager.classifyNewTab's `initializing` branch relied on a windowInitializing flag that start() cleared before the home tab's chrome.tabs.onCreated event was dispatched (the event is asynchronous), so the branch never ran in production and the home tab's classification was subject to a timing race. Match the home tab by its tab id instead — the id is already returned by ensureActiveTab and is reliable regardless of event ordering. Also refresh the overlay-bridge docstring: overlay.ready now makes the background push the per-tab overlay state (and the Agent Window also pushes on tab create / control-mode change), rather than a request/reply.	2026-09-01 15:45:36 +08:00
iAstro	91621b2545	fix(extension): release the pending agent-tab slot when tab creation fails tool.tab_create increments pendingAgentTabCount before chrome.tabs.create so the onCreated listener can tell an agent tab from a user-opened tab. When the create failed, no onCreated event arrived and the counter leaked, so the next tab the user opened was misclassified as agent-created — the exact confusion the counter exists to prevent, a variant of issue #57. handleTabCreate now releases the slot on failure via SessionManager.releaseAgentTabPending. An abort (cancelled) is excluded: the tab did open (and was cleaned up), so its onCreated still consumes the slot. Added a regression test asserting that after a failed tab_create, a user-opened tab is still classified as 'user' (not 'agent').	2026-09-01 15:36:44 +08:00
Ljy-0827	a4fed136e3	fix(extension): keep user-opened tabs free & fix agent-tab leak on session stop (issue #57 ) - session_stop: exclude tabs still tracked in agentCreatedTabs from the release decision so a tab that failed to close is no longer mistaken for a user tab (which previously kept the window open and leaked the tab). - Distinguish user-created tabs from agent-created tabs in the Agent Window via a pending-tab counter consumed by chrome.tabs.onCreated, so tabs the user opens themselves (new-tab button / Cmd+T / open in new tab) are never taken over by the BrowserSkill control mask. - background overlay: decide per-tab state BEFORE showing controls (overlayStateForTab + pushOverlayStateForTab) so a user tab receives hidden on its first overlay.ready ping instead of flashing control then hiding. - AgentWindowApi.ensureActiveTab now resolves with the activated/created tab id instead of void, so SessionManager can record homeTabId. This fixes the tsc failure flagged in review (the interface previously returned Promise<void> while callers treated the result as number \| null). - Wire the production tabManagement.tabs / tabsQuery deps into tool.session_stop, both in the dispatcher and in the disconnect cleanup. They were never injected, which left the agent-tab cleanup and the window-release path as dead code outside tests (behaviour identical to main). Added a dispatcher-level integration test that fails without the wiring: a surviving user tab must release the window, not close it.	2026-09-01 11:24:56 +08:00
Dean Wang	3c77ef7b01	fix(extension): support UUID generation on insecure origins	2026-09-01 10:30:40 +08:00