diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.test.ts b/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.test.ts
index 5ba250cd8..bf4521628 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.test.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.test.ts
@@ -214,6 +214,116 @@ describe("attachSessionBridge", () => {
     )
   })
 
+  test("queued item delivers on a tool-less turn (inference.done, no tool calls)", async () => {
+    // Regression for CL-5563: reactor.done only fires once, at agent
+    // shutdown, never between turns — a plain-text reply with no tool calls
+    // must still drain the queue, or a queued message sits forever.
+    await withTestRenderer(
+      async (h) => {
+        const shell = createAppShell(h.renderer, {
+          terminal: { columns: 80, rows: 24 },
+          wireKeys: false,
+          run: "busy",
+        })
+        const port = createRecordingPort()
+        const bridge = attachSessionBridge(shell, port)
+        try {
+          bridge.submit("follow up", "queue")
+          expect(badgeCount(shell.session)).toBe(1)
+          port.clear()
+          bridge.handle({ type: "inference.start" })
+          bridge.handle({
+            type: "inference.text.delta",
+            data: { token: "hi" },
+          })
+          bridge.handle({ type: "inference.done" })
+          expect(badgeCount(shell.session)).toBe(0)
+          const deliver = port.calls.find((c) => c.op === "deliver")
+          expect(deliver).toEqual({
+            op: "deliver",
+            item: expect.objectContaining({
+              text: "follow up",
+              kind: "queue",
+            }),
+          })
+        } finally {
+          bridge.dispose()
+          shell.dispose()
+        }
+      },
+      { width: 80, height: 24 },
+    )
+  })
+
+  test("run and the phase ramp both return to idle after a tool-less inference.done, with no connector.reply", async () => {
+    // Regression: a goal-governor / workflow cycle that keeps self-continuing
+    // may never emit connector.reply, the only other event that clears
+    // `run` and the turn's `isProcessing`. Without this, every future Enter
+    // resolves to "queue" (busy is sticky) and, once the workflow stops
+    // producing cycles, that queued message is never drained — CL-5563's
+    // bug moved one layer over. The ramp indicator has the same failure
+    // mode: it reads `isProcessing`, not `run`, so it can say "working"
+    // forever even once dispatch itself is fixed.
+    await withTestRenderer(
+      async (h) => {
+        const shell = createAppShell(h.renderer, {
+          terminal: { columns: 80, rows: 24 },
+          wireKeys: false,
+          run: "busy",
+        })
+        const port = createRecordingPort()
+        const bridge = attachSessionBridge(shell, port)
+        try {
+          bridge.handle({ type: "inference.start" })
+          bridge.handle({
+            type: "inference.text.delta",
+            data: { token: "hi" },
+          })
+          bridge.handle({ type: "inference.done" })
+          expect(shell.session.run).toBe("idle")
+          expect(shell.turnPhase).toBeNull()
+
+          port.clear()
+          bridge.submit("are you still there", "queue")
+          expect(port.calls).toEqual([
+            { op: "sendImmediate", text: "are you still there" },
+          ])
+        } finally {
+          bridge.dispose()
+          shell.dispose()
+        }
+      },
+      { width: 80, height: 24 },
+    )
+  })
+
+  test("run stays busy after inference.done while a tool call is still outstanding", async () => {
+    await withTestRenderer(
+      async (h) => {
+        const shell = createAppShell(h.renderer, {
+          terminal: { columns: 80, rows: 24 },
+          wireKeys: false,
+          run: "busy",
+        })
+        const port = createRecordingPort()
+        const bridge = attachSessionBridge(shell, port)
+        try {
+          bridge.handle({ type: "inference.start" })
+          bridge.handle({
+            type: "inference.tool_call.start",
+            data: { call: { id: "c1", name: "bash" } },
+          })
+          bridge.handle({ type: "inference.done" })
+          expect(shell.session.run).toBe("busy")
+        } finally {
+          bridge.dispose()
+          shell.dispose()
+        }
+      },
+      { width: 80, height: 24 },
+    )
+  })
+
   test("token-by-token deltas grow one assistant row", async () => {
     await withTestRenderer(
       async (h) => {
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.ts b/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.ts
index 6003797b6..1b4769d16 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/runtime-bridge.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import {
   streamRowAt,
   streamRowCount,
   truncateStreamRows,
+  userRowText,
   type AppShell,
 } from "./shell.js"
 import { rampFor, rampLine } from "./ramp.js"
@@ -55,10 +56,7 @@ import {
   turnStateOnSubmit,
   type TurnState,
 } from "./turn-state.js"
-import {
-  formatAttachmentSummary,
-  type PendingImageAttachment,
-} from "../tui/image-attachments.js"
+import type { PendingImageAttachment } from "../tui/image-attachments.js"
 import { toolCallRow } from "./diff.js"
 import { toolResultRow } from "./mcp-view.js"
 import {
@@ -68,16 +66,6 @@ import {
 } from "./tool-rows.js"
 import type { StreamRow } from "./stream.js"
 import { advanceRevealChars, flattenReasoningText, type Thought } from "./thinking.js"
-
-/** Transcript echo for a user message, annotated with its attachments. */
-function userRowText(
-  text: string,
-  attachments: readonly PendingImageAttachment[],
-): string {
-  const summary = formatAttachmentSummary(attachments)
-  if (summary.length === 0) return text
-  return text.length === 0 ? `[${summary}]` : `${text}\n[${summary}]`
-}
 import {
   PRODUCTION_REACTOR_TYPES,
   createStreamMapContext,
@@ -764,6 +752,13 @@ export function attachSessionBridge(
       )) {
         applyInbound(shell, bag, mapped)
       }
+      // inference.done with tool calls still outstanding doesn't settle the
+      // turn (see turn-state.ts) — the cycle continues, but a boundary still
+      // passed, so a queued message waiting on it should not wait for the
+      // turn's eventual end too.
+      if (event.type === "inference.done" && bag.turn.activeToolCalls.length > 0) {
+        drainAtBoundary(shell, bag)
+      }
       if (settled) settleRun()
       return
     }
@@ -800,10 +795,13 @@ export function attachSessionBridge(
         ? enqueueSteer(shell.session, t, undefined, attachments)
         : enqueue(shell.session, t, "queue", undefined, attachments)
     bag.port.enqueue(t, kind)
+    // Show the message itself, not the internal transition ("queue +1 →
+    // pending N") — the notice row already carries the depth once, in plain
+    // language, so this row's job is making the pending item identifiable.
     appendStreamRow(shell, {
-      role: "system",
-      text: `${kind} +1 → pending ${badgeCount(shell.session)}`,
-      meta: "queue",
+      role: "user",
+      text: userRowText(t, attached),
+      meta: kind === "steer" ? "steer" : "queue",
     })
     paintChrome(shell)
   }
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/shell.ts b/src/tui-opentui/shell.ts
index 75b570e5d..c35fd1eaf 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/shell.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/shell.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import { stringWidth } from "../tui/view/height.js"
 import { listPathSuggestions } from "../tui/components/at-mention/list.js"
 import { parseAtState } from "../tui/components/at-mention/parse.js"
 import {
+  formatAttachmentSummary,
   readClipboardImage,
   type ClipboardImageResult,
   type PendingImageAttachment,
@@ -2761,6 +2762,16 @@ export function setShellRunState(shell: AppShell, run: RunState): void {
   paintChrome(shell)
 }
 
+/** Transcript echo for a user message, annotated with its attachments. */
+export function userRowText(
+  text: string,
+  attachments: readonly PendingImageAttachment[],
+): string {
+  const summary = formatAttachmentSummary(attachments)
+  if (summary.length === 0) return text
+  return text.length === 0 ? `[${summary}]` : `${text}\n[${summary}]`
+}
+
 /** Submit prompt as queue (busy) or immediate user send (idle). */
 export function submitPrompt(
   shell: AppShell,
@@ -2801,14 +2812,18 @@ export function submitPrompt(
   }
 
   shell.session =
-    kind === "steer" ? enqueueSteer(shell.session, t) : enqueue(shell.session, t)
+    kind === "steer"
+      ? enqueueSteer(shell.session, t, undefined, attachments)
+      : enqueue(shell.session, t, "queue", undefined, attachments)
   shell.prompt.value = ""
   clearPendingAttachments(shell)
-  const tag = kind === "steer" ? "steer" : "queue"
+  // Show the message itself, not the internal transition ("queue +1 →
+  // pending N") — the notice row already carries the depth once, in plain
+  // language, so this row's job is making the pending item identifiable.
   appendStreamRow(shell, {
-    role: "system",
-    text: `${tag} +1 → pending ${badgeCount(shell.session)}`,
-    meta: "queue",
+    role: "user",
+    text: userRowText(t, attachments),
+    meta: kind === "steer" ? "steer" : "queue",
   })
   paintChrome(shell)
 }
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.test.ts b/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.test.ts
index 47b003f55..2cdc813aa 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.test.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.test.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,30 @@ describe("turnStateFromEvent", () => {
     expect(s.isProcessing).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  test("inference.done with no active tool calls settles the turn", () => {
+    // Regression for CL-5563/CL-5570: a workflow/goal-governor cycle that
+    // keeps self-continuing may never emit connector.reply, the usual
+    // terminator. Without settling here too, isProcessing (and the "working"
+    // ramp it drives) stays true forever once nothing else arrives.
+    const s = fold([
+      { type: "inference.start" },
+      { type: "inference.text.delta" },
+      { type: "inference.done" },
+    ])
+    expect(s.status).toBe("done")
+    expect(s.isProcessing).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  test("inference.done with a tool call still outstanding does not settle", () => {
+    const s = fold([
+      { type: "inference.start" },
+      { type: "inference.tool_call.end", data: { name: "bash" } },
+      { type: "inference.done" },
+    ])
+    expect(s.isProcessing).toBe(true)
+    expect(s.status).toBe("running")
+  })
+
   test("activity clock advances with every event", () => {
     const s = fold([{ type: "inference.start" }, { type: "inference.text.delta" }])
     expect(s.lastActivityAt).toBe(2)
diff --git a/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.ts b/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.ts
index abf96e142..2f681d23c 100644
--- a/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.ts
+++ b/src/tui-opentui/turn-state.ts
@@ -285,19 +285,36 @@ export function turnStateFromEvent(
         ),
       }
 
+    /**
+     * A cycle with no active tool calls left is also a turn's real
+     * terminator: `connector.reply` (below) is the usual signal, but a
+     * workflow/goal-governor cycle that keeps self-continuing may never
+     * emit one, and `reactor.done` fires once at shutdown, never between
+     * turns. Without settling here, the phase line stays hot ("working")
+     * forever once nothing more arrives. A cycle that just requested tools
+     * only ends here, not the turn — those calls are already reflected in
+     * `activeToolCalls` (streamed before `inference.done`).
+     */
     case "inference.done":
+      if (state.activeToolCalls.length > 0) {
+        return {
+          ...state,
+          awaitingResponse: false,
+          streamingType: null,
+          lastActivityAt: nowMs,
+        }
+      }
       return {
-        ...state,
-        awaitingResponse: false,
-        streamingType: null,
-        lastActivityAt: nowMs,
+        ...initialTurnState(nowMs),
+        status: "done",
+        quota: state.quota,
       }
 
     /**
-     * The turn's real terminator. `agent.send()` resolves on connector.reply,
-     * and a chat session emits no `reactor.done` until it closes — so without
-     * this the phase line would stay hot for the rest of the session. A reply
-     * with tools still outstanding only ends the cycle, not the turn.
+     * The other turn terminator: `agent.send()` resolves on connector.reply,
+     * and for the ordinary case above `inference.done` already settled the
+     * turn a beat earlier, so this is a harmless idempotent re-settle. A
+     * reply with tools still outstanding only ends the cycle, not the turn.
      */
     case "connector.reply":
       if (state.activeToolCalls.length > 0) {