diff --git a/docs/TOOLS.md b/docs/TOOLS.md
index b96e9012..5a675611 100644
--- a/docs/TOOLS.md
+++ b/docs/TOOLS.md
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ config problem · `4` usage or a required file missing. Details:
 ## Inbox, decisions and the bus host (`scripts/mosaic`)
 
 ```bash
+scripts/mosaic                                  # no argument: the full-screen app
 scripts/mosaic inbox | tasks | agents [--business <id>] [--json]
 scripts/mosaic decide <decision> <option> [--note <text>] [--yes]
 scripts/mosaic trail <task|decision> [--json]
@@ -226,6 +227,10 @@ sends). `stop` sends SIGTERM to a run's runner after checking it in
 the business; running sessions keep running. `launches list` reads
 `sessions.json` and needs no broker. `talk`, `stop` and `launches off|on`
 refuse inside an agent run.
+With no argument on a terminal, `scripts/mosaic` opens the full-screen app:
+Inbox, Tasks, Agents, Trail and Help, deciding through the same flow and
+strings as `decide`. In an agent run it exits 3; without a terminal on
+stdin and stdout it exits 4 with the usage.
 Exit codes: `0` ok · `1` failed or outcome unknown · `2` invalid input ·
 `3` refused or config problem · `4` usage. Details: `packages/cli/README.md`.
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/README.md b/packages/cli/README.md
index 32977afa..dbb03138 100644
--- a/packages/cli/README.md
+++ b/packages/cli/README.md
@@ -4,12 +4,16 @@ Jason's front door to the bus (slice 1 row S4, #1521): `mosaic inbox`,
 `decide`, `tasks`, `agents` and `trail`, and the bus host `mosaic bus
 start|stop|status` with its Discord notifier (row S4, #1521); the session
 launcher in the host and `mosaic talk`, `stop` and `launches` (row S6,
-#1523). Brief: `docs/plans/2026-10-04_slice-1.md`, rows S4 and S6. Rulings:
-lead decisions 70 and 77 in `docs/plans/2026-09-26_lead-decisions.md`.
+#1523); and `mosaic` with no argument, the full-screen app (queue row 55,
+#1544). Briefs: `docs/plans/2026-10-04_slice-1.md`, rows S4 and S6, and
+`docs/plans/2026-10-10_design-implementation.md`, "Full-screen terminal
+app". Rulings: lead decisions 70 and 77 in
+`docs/plans/2026-09-26_lead-decisions.md`.
 
 Every command reads through the broker. None opens the SQLite file.
 
 ```sh
+scripts/mosaic                         # the app, on a terminal
 scripts/mosaic inbox
 scripts/mosaic decide 3f2a9c1e yes --note "ship it"
 scripts/mosaic trail 3f2a9c1e-…        # then: scripts/mosaic trail vikunja:1/7
@@ -70,6 +74,65 @@ mosaic launches list [--json]
   `launches list` does not, because the file is readable to the same user
   anyway.
 
+## The app
+
+```
+mosaic
+```
+
+With no argument, on a terminal, `mosaic` opens a full-screen app over the
+same broker reads as the verbs: Inbox, Tasks, Agents, Trail and Help.
+`src/app.mjs` handles keys and reads; `src/screens.mjs` draws the frames
+and nothing else.
+
+- In an agent run it exits 3 with the same refusal as the verbs, before
+  anything else. Without a terminal on both stdin and stdout it exits 4
+  and prints the seat usage (`mosaic launch`, `mosaic seat task`) and the
+  verbs above. A script never gets the app.
+- The business is the one of the bus host on this data root. With no
+  host the app says so and `:business <id>` picks one.
+- Keys: `c i t a r` switch views (Talk, Inbox, Tasks, Agents, Trail). `↑↓`
+  or `j k` move, PgUp and PgDn page, Enter opens the selection whole, `v`
+  opens its trail, `:` the command line, `?` help, Esc closes a box, `q`
+  or Ctrl-C quits. On the command line, Esc or Ctrl-C closes it and the
+  arrows type nothing. Commands: `:decide <decision> <option>`, `:trail
+  <task|decision>`, `:business <id>`, `:q`.
+- Deciding: in the Inbox, digit `n` picks the selected decision's `n`th
+  option and runs `resolveDecision` in `src/cli.mjs`, the code `mosaic
+  decide` runs. The box shows the same lines and the same `[y/N]`
+  question. `y` or `Y` resolves; any other key answers No, and so does
+  quitting. Keys that arrive within 200 ms of the question being drawn
+  are type-ahead and are dropped: a paste such as `1 yes`, or keys typed
+  while a read held the screen, never answer it. After `outcome unknown` the app shows the CLI's sentence and
+  offers the trail (`v`) or a re-read (`r`). No key sends the choice
+  again.
+- Reads happen on entering a view, after a decision, and every 30 s while
+  no box is open. A failed read keeps the last list on screen and marks
+  it stale. A refused read (exit 3 codes) says refused. Broker text goes
+  through `visible()` from `packages/conversation/src/terminal.mjs`, so
+  control characters and bidi overrides show as `^[` and `<U+202E>`.
+- Talk (`c`) points to `mosaic talk` for now. The conversation pane and
+  `stop` come in a later row.
+- 16 ANSI colours. Under `NO_COLOR` the only escape codes in a frame are
+  reverse video on the selected row (the design's tokens keep selection
+  visible without colour). Frames fit 80x24; the layout is designed at
+  120x36, and under 100 columns the nav shows keys only and the Inbox
+  drops RAISED BY. Below 40x10 the frame only says the terminal is too
+  small. Widths count terminal cells: CJK and emoji 2, a one-cell emoji
+  base with U+FE0F 2. ZWJ sequences and flags count more than they draw,
+  so such a row can come out short, never too wide.
+- A decide box taller than the screen cuts the question, not the lines
+  after it: the action and target, what the choice authorizes, the task,
+  your choice and the `[y/N]` question stay. The cut line points to
+  `mosaic inbox --json`.
+- The transport is the verbs' `spawnSync` child, so the screen does not
+  redraw while a read is in flight (up to its 30 s timeout).
+- On quit, end of input, SIGTERM, SIGINT, SIGHUP or an error (one in a
+  resize redraw included) the app restores the screen, the cursor and
+  cooked mode. After anything but an error it then prints
+  `(app closed with q; N decisions resolved this session)`; an error
+  goes to stderr instead.
+
 ## Bus host
 
 ```
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/app.mjs b/packages/cli/src/app.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3cb3ab71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/app.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,480 @@
+// The full-screen app: `mosaic` with no argument on a terminal (src/cli.mjs
+// main). Inbox, Tasks, Agents, Trail and Help over the same broker reads as
+// the verbs; src/screens.mjs draws the frames.
+//
+// Reads and the decide flow go through the human transport, like the verbs.
+// A decision resolves only through resolveDecision (src/cli.mjs), the code
+// `mosaic decide` runs: a digit picks an option, the app shows the CLI's
+// lines and its yes/no question. y or Y resolves; any other key, or quitting,
+// answers No. Keys that arrive within ASK_MS of the question being drawn are
+// type-ahead and never answer it. After "outcome unknown" the app offers the
+// trail and a re-read, never a retry.
+//
+// Keys: c i t a r views; ↑↓ or j k move; PgUp PgDn page; Enter opens the
+// selection's detail; v the trail of the selection; 1-9 choose; `:` the
+// command line (Esc or Ctrl-C closes it); ? help; Esc back; q or Ctrl-C
+// quits. Below 40x10 the frame says the terminal is too small. Talk (c) is a
+// pointer to `mosaic talk`; the conversation pane is a later row.
+
+import { resolveDecision } from "./cli.mjs";
+import { CliError } from "./errors.mjs";
+import { formatDecision } from "./format.mjs";
+import { draw } from "./screens.mjs";
+import { busExit } from "./transport.mjs";
+
+export const REFRESH_MS = 30000;
+// How long the decide question is up before a key can answer it.
+export const ASK_MS = 200;
+
+// Terminal input to key names: "up", "down", "pgup", "pgdn", "enter", "esc",
+// "tab", "backspace", "ctrl-c", or the character itself. Other escape
+// sequences are dropped. A lone ESC at the end of a chunk is Escape.
+export function parseKeys(data) {
+  const out = [];
+  let i = 0;
+  while (i < data.length) {
+    if (data[i] === "\x1b") {
+      const seq = /^\x1b(?:\[[0-9;?]*[ -/]*[@-~]|O.|[\s\S])?/.exec(data.slice(i))[0];
+      const name = { "\x1b": "esc", "\x1b[A": "up", "\x1bOA": "up", "\x1b[B": "down", "\x1bOB": "down", "\x1b[5~": "pgup", "\x1b[6~": "pgdn" }[seq];
+      if (name) out.push(name);
+      i += seq.length;
+      continue;
+    }
+    const c = String.fromCodePoint(data.codePointAt(i));
+    i += c.length;
+    if (c === "\r" || c === "\n") out.push("enter");
+    else if (c === "\t") out.push("tab");
+    else if (c === "\x7f" || c === "\b") out.push("backspace");
+    else if (c === "\x03" || c === "\x04") out.push("ctrl-c");
+    else if (c >= " ") out.push(c);
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+const VIEW_KEYS = { c: "talk", i: "inbox", t: "tasks", a: "agents", r: "trail" };
+const LISTS = ["inbox", "tasks", "agents", "trail"];
+
+export class App {
+  // transport(business) returns call(verb, args). business may be null:
+  // the app then says so and waits for :business <id>.
+  constructor({ business = null, transport, write = () => {}, cols = 80, rows = 24, color = true, now = () => Date.now(), onQuit = () => {}, refreshMs = REFRESH_MS, askMs = ASK_MS }) {
+    this.transport = transport;
+    this.write = write;
+    this.cols = cols;
+    this.rows = rows;
+    this.color = color;
+    this.now = now;
+    this.onQuit = onQuit;
+    this.askMs = askMs;
+    this.state = { business, view: "inbox", data: {}, sel: { inbox: 0, tasks: 0, agents: 0, trail: 0 }, overlay: null, command: null, status: "", statusStyle: null };
+    this.call = business ? transport(business) : null;
+    this.resolved = 0;
+    this.frame = [];
+    this.keys = [];
+    this.job = null;
+    this.answer = null;
+    this.cancelAsk = null;
+    this.wake = null;
+    this.idle = [];
+    this.pumping = false;
+    this.closed = false;
+    this.timer = refreshMs > 0 ? setInterval(() => this.input("\0refresh"), refreshMs) : null;
+    this.timer?.unref?.();
+  }
+
+  // The first frame and the first read.
+  start() {
+    this.render();
+    return this.input("\0start");
+  }
+
+  resize(cols, rows) {
+    this.cols = cols;
+    this.rows = rows;
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    if (this.closed) return this.frame;
+    this.frame = draw(this.state, { cols: this.cols, rows: this.rows, color: this.color, now: this.now() });
+    this.write(`\x1b[H\x1b[2J${this.frame.join("\r\n")}`);
+    return this.frame;
+  }
+
+  // Feeds terminal input. Resolves once every key is handled, or when the
+  // app waits for an answer to the decide question.
+  input(data) {
+    if (this.closed) return Promise.resolve();
+    if (data === "\0refresh" || data === "\0start") this.keys.push(data.slice(1));
+    else this.keys.push(...parseKeys(data));
+    const settled = new Promise((r) => this.idle.push(r));
+    if (this.pumping) this.wake?.();
+    else this.#pump();
+    return settled;
+  }
+
+  // One key at a time, in order. A key that starts a read or a decision
+  // runs as a job; later keys wait for it, except the answer to its
+  // question, which goes straight to it.
+  async #pump() {
+    this.pumping = true;
+    for (;;) {
+      if (this.closed) break;
+      if (this.answer && this.keys.length) {
+        // A timer tick is not an answer.
+        const k = this.keys.shift();
+        try {
+          if (k !== "refresh") this.answer(k);
+        } catch (e) {
+          this.crash(e);
+          break;
+        }
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (this.job) {
+        if (this.answer) this.#settle();
+        await new Promise((r) => (this.wake = r));
+        this.wake = null;
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (!this.keys.length) break;
+      let job;
+      try {
+        job = this.#key(this.keys.shift());
+      } catch (e) {
+        this.crash(e);
+        break;
+      }
+      if (job instanceof Promise) {
+        this.job = job.catch((e) => this.crash(e)).finally(() => {
+          this.job = null;
+          this.wake?.();
+        });
+      }
+    }
+    this.pumping = false;
+    this.#settle();
+  }
+
+  #settle() {
+    for (const r of this.idle.splice(0)) r();
+  }
+
+  // Asks the decide flow's question; resolves true on y or Y and false on
+  // any other key. Only a key typed after the question is up can answer:
+  // keys that arrive within askMs of drawing it are type-ahead (a paste, or
+  // keys typed while a read blocked the screen) and are dropped. Quitting
+  // answers no.
+  #ask(question) {
+    this.state.overlay = { ...this.state.overlay, asking: question };
+    this.render();
+    return new Promise((resolve) => {
+      const answer = (yes) => {
+        clearTimeout(arm);
+        this.answer = this.cancelAsk = null;
+        this.state.overlay = { ...this.state.overlay, asking: null };
+        this.render();
+        resolve(yes);
+      };
+      this.cancelAsk = () => answer(false);
+      const arm = setTimeout(() => {
+        this.keys = [];
+        this.answer = (k) => answer(k === "y" || k === "Y");
+        this.wake?.();
+      }, this.askMs);
+    });
+  }
+
+  #status(text, style = null) {
+    this.state.status = text;
+    this.state.statusStyle = style;
+  }
+
+  // Handles one key; returns a promise when it starts a read or a decision.
+  #key(k) {
+    const s = this.state;
+    // A timer tick keeps a "resolved" status; it reads nothing under an
+    // overlay or the command line.
+    if (k === "start") return this.#read(s.view);
+    if (k === "refresh") return s.overlay || s.command !== null ? null : this.#read(s.view, s.statusStyle === "success");
+    if (s.command !== null) return this.#commandKey(k);
+    if (k === "ctrl-c") return this.quit("Ctrl-C");
+    if (s.overlay) return this.#overlayKey(k);
+    if (VIEW_KEYS[k]) {
+      s.view = VIEW_KEYS[k];
+      s.open = false;
+      this.#status(k === "c" ? "Talk is a later row; mosaic talk <role> <text> works from a shell" : "");
+      return s.view === "talk" ? void this.render() : this.#read(s.view);
+    }
+    if (k === "q") return this.quit("q");
+    if (k === "?") return this.#overlay({ kind: "help" });
+    if (k === ":") {
+      s.command = "";
+      return void this.render();
+    }
+    if (k === "j" || k === "down") return this.#move(1);
+    if (k === "k" || k === "up") return this.#move(-1);
+    if (k === "pgdn") return this.#move(Math.max(1, this.rows - 10));
+    if (k === "pgup") return this.#move(-Math.max(1, this.rows - 10));
+    if (k === "enter") return this.#open();
+    if (k === "v") return this.#trailOfSelection();
+    if (/^[1-9]$/.test(k)) return this.#choose(Number(k));
+    if (k === "tab") this.#status("Tab moves to the composer once Talk is in the app");
+    else if (k === "esc") this.#status("");
+    return void this.render();
+  }
+
+  #overlay(o) {
+    this.state.overlay = o;
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  #overlayKey(k) {
+    const o = this.state.overlay;
+    if (o.kind === "unknown") {
+      if (k === "v") {
+        this.state.overlay = null;
+        return this.#trail(o.id);
+      }
+      if (k === "r") {
+        this.state.overlay = null;
+        this.state.view = "inbox";
+        return this.#read("inbox");
+      }
+      if (k === "esc") this.state.overlay = null;
+      return void this.render();
+    }
+    if (k === "esc" || k === "enter" || (o.kind === "help" && (k === "?" || k === "q"))) this.state.overlay = null;
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  #list(view = this.state.view) {
+    return this.state.data[view]?.list ?? [];
+  }
+
+  #selected(view = this.state.view) {
+    const list = this.#list(view);
+    return list.length ? list[Math.min(this.state.sel[view], list.length - 1)] : null;
+  }
+
+  #move(n) {
+    const view = this.state.view;
+    if (LISTS.includes(view)) {
+      const max = this.#list(view).length - 1;
+      this.state.sel[view] = Math.max(0, Math.min(max, this.state.sel[view] + n));
+    }
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  // Enter: the selection's detail in a box, whole, at any width.
+  #open() {
+    const view = this.state.view;
+    const item = this.#selected(view);
+    if (!item) return void this.render();
+    const title = view === "inbox" ? `decision ${item.id.slice(0, 8)}` : view === "tasks" ? item.task_ref : view === "agents" ? item.role : `${item.table}#${item.seq}`;
+    const whole = view === "trail" ? `mosaic trail ${this.state.data.trail.subject} --json` : `mosaic ${view} --json`;
+    return this.#overlay({ kind: "detail", title, lines: detailLines(view, item), whole });
+  }
+
+  #trailOfSelection() {
+    const view = this.state.view;
+    const item = this.#selected(view);
+    const subject = !item ? null : view === "inbox" ? item.id : view === "tasks" ? item.task_ref : view === "trail" ? item.task_ref ?? null : null;
+    if (!subject) {
+      this.#status(view === "agents" ? "a role has no trail here; type :trail <task|decision>" : "nothing selected to follow; type :trail <task|decision>");
+      return void this.render();
+    }
+    return this.#trail(subject);
+  }
+
+  #trail(subject) {
+    this.state.view = "trail";
+    this.state.sel.trail = 0;
+    this.state.data.trail = { subject };
+    return this.#read("trail");
+  }
+
+  // A digit: option n of the selected decision, through the decide flow.
+  #choose(n) {
+    if (this.state.view !== "inbox") {
+      this.#status("digits choose in the Inbox; press i");
+      return void this.render();
+    }
+    const d = this.#selected("inbox");
+    if (!d) return void this.render();
+    const option = d.options[n - 1];
+    if (!option) {
+      this.#status(`decision ${d.id.slice(0, 8)} has ${d.options.length} option(s)`, "warning");
+      return void this.render();
+    }
+    return this.#decide(d.id, option.key);
+  }
+
+  async #decide(ref, choice) {
+    if (!this.call) {
+      this.#status("no business; type :business <id>", "warning");
+      return this.render();
+    }
+    this.state.view = "inbox";
+    this.#overlay({ kind: "decide", lines: [], asking: null });
+    let text = "";
+    const write = (s) => {
+      text += s;
+      this.state.overlay = { ...this.state.overlay, lines: text.trimEnd().split("\n") };
+      this.render();
+    };
+    try {
+      const d = await resolveDecision({ call: this.call, ref, choice, write, ask: (q) => this.#ask(q) });
+      this.resolved += 1;
+      this.state.overlay = null;
+      this.#status(`resolved ${d.id}: ${choice}`, "success");
+      return this.#read("inbox", true);
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof CliError) && !e.code) throw e;
+      const message = e.message;
+      if (message === "not resolved") {
+        this.state.overlay = null;
+        this.#status("not resolved");
+      } else if (/^outcome[ -]unknown/.test(message)) {
+        this.state.overlay = { kind: "unknown", message, id: text.match(/^decision (\S+)/)?.[1] ?? ref };
+      } else this.state.overlay = { kind: "error", title: "decide", message: e.code && message === e.code ? `${(e.exitCode ?? busExit(e.code)) === 3 ? "refused" : "failed"}: ${e.code}` : message };
+      this.render();
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Reads one view. A failed read keeps the last good list and says it is
+  // stale; with no list it shows the failure. `keep` leaves the status line.
+  async #read(view, keep = false) {
+    if (!LISTS.includes(view)) return this.render();
+    if (!this.call) return this.render();
+    const before = this.state.data[view] ?? {};
+    if (view === "trail" && !before.subject) return this.render();
+    this.state.data[view] = { ...before, reading: true };
+    if (!keep) this.#status(`reading ${view}…`);
+    this.render();
+    try {
+      const list = await this.call(view, view === "trail" ? { subject: before.subject } : {});
+      this.state.data[view] = { subject: before.subject, list, at: new Date(this.now()).toISOString() };
+      const n = Math.min(9, this.#selected("inbox")?.options.length ?? 1);
+      if (!keep) this.#status(view === "inbox" && list.length ? `Press ${n === 1 ? "1" : `1-${n}`} to choose. You will see the decision again and confirm with y.` : "");
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (!(e instanceof CliError) && !e.code) throw e;
+      // Exit 3 codes are refusals (src/transport.mjs), not failed reads.
+      const refused = (e.exitCode ?? busExit(e.code)) === 3;
+      this.state.data[view] = { ...before, reading: false, error: e.code ?? e.message, refused };
+      this.#status(`${refused ? "refused" : "read failed"}: ${e.code ?? e.message}`, "danger");
+    }
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  #commandKey(k) {
+    const s = this.state;
+    if (k === "esc" || k === "ctrl-c") s.command = null;
+    else if (k === "backspace") s.command = Array.from(s.command).slice(0, -1).join("");
+    else if (k === "enter") {
+      const text = s.command.trim();
+      s.command = null;
+      return this.#run(text);
+    } else if ([...k].length === 1 && k >= " ") s.command += k;
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  // :decide <decision> <option>, :trail <subject>, :business <id>, :q.
+  #run(text) {
+    const [verb, ...args] = text.split(/\s+/);
+    if (verb === "q" || verb === "quit") return this.quit("q");
+    if (verb === "decide" && args.length === 2) return this.#decide(args[0], args[1]);
+    if (verb === "trail" && args.length === 1) return this.#trail(args[0]);
+    if (verb === "business" && args.length === 1) {
+      this.state.business = args[0];
+      this.call = this.transport(args[0]);
+      this.state.data = {};
+      for (const v of LISTS) this.state.sel[v] = 0;
+      return this.#read(this.state.view === "talk" ? "inbox" : this.state.view);
+    }
+    this.#status(verb ? `unknown command :${text}; ? lists the commands` : "", "warning");
+    this.render();
+  }
+
+  // An error the app has no screen for: quit, and runApp rethrows it.
+  crash(error) {
+    this.error = error;
+    this.quit("an error");
+  }
+
+  quit(how) {
+    if (this.closed) return;
+    this.closed = true;
+    if (this.timer) clearInterval(this.timer);
+    this.cancelAsk?.();
+    this.wake?.();
+    this.onQuit({ how, resolved: this.resolved, error: this.error });
+  }
+}
+
+// Every field of the selection, for the Enter box.
+function detailLines(view, item) {
+  if (view === "inbox") return formatDecision(item).trimEnd().split("\n");
+  if (view === "tasks") return [`snapshot ${item.at ?? "?"}, source ${item.source ?? "?"}${item.read_at ? `, read ${item.read_at}` : ""}`, ...Object.entries(item.fields ?? {}).map(([k, v]) => `${k}: ${typeof v === "string" ? v : JSON.stringify(v)}`)];
+  if (view === "agents") return [`held by ${item.holder_run}`, `harness ${item.harness ?? "-"}`, `since ${item.at}`];
+  return Object.entries(item).map(([k, v]) => `${k}: ${typeof v === "string" ? v : JSON.stringify(v)}`);
+}
+
+// The quit line printed after the app restores the screen.
+export function quitLine({ how, resolved }) {
+  return `(app closed with ${how}; ${resolved} decision${resolved === 1 ? "" : "s"} resolved this session)`;
+}
+
+// Runs the app on a terminal until it quits: raw mode, the alternate screen,
+// no cursor; all three restored on quit, on an error (a render that throws
+// included) and on SIGTERM, SIGINT or SIGHUP. Resolves with { how, resolved }.
+export function runApp({ io, business, transport, color, refreshMs, askMs, signals = process }) {
+  const { stdin, stdout } = io;
+  const SIGNALS = ["SIGTERM", "SIGINT", "SIGHUP"];
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    let app;
+    const restore = () => {
+      stdin.off("data", onData);
+      stdin.off("end", onEnd);
+      stdout.off?.("resize", onResize);
+      for (const [name, on] of onSignal) signals.off(name, on);
+      stdin.setRawMode?.(false);
+      stdin.pause?.();
+      stdout.write("\x1b[?25h\x1b[?1049l");
+    };
+    const guard = (f) => {
+      try {
+        f();
+      } catch (e) {
+        app.crash(e);
+      }
+    };
+    const onData = (c) => void app.input(c.toString("utf8"));
+    const onEnd = () => app.quit("end of input");
+    const onResize = () => guard(() => app.resize(stdout.columns || 80, stdout.rows || 24));
+    const onSignal = SIGNALS.map((name) => [name, () => app.quit(name)]);
+    app = new App({
+      business,
+      transport,
+      color,
+      refreshMs,
+      askMs,
+      cols: stdout.columns || 80,
+      rows: stdout.rows || 24,
+      write: (s) => stdout.write(s),
+      onQuit: (r) => {
+        restore();
+        if (r.error) reject(r.error);
+        else resolve(r);
+      },
+    });
+    stdout.write("\x1b[?1049h\x1b[?25l");
+    stdin.setRawMode?.(true);
+    stdin.on("data", onData);
+    stdin.on("end", onEnd);
+    stdout.on?.("resize", onResize);
+    for (const [name, on] of onSignal) signals.on(name, on);
+    stdin.resume?.();
+    guard(() => void app.start());
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.mjs b/packages/cli/src/cli.mjs
index 0b48c7a7..8cb07c52 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cli.mjs
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.mjs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { humanTransport, refuseInsideAgent } from "./transport.mjs";
 import { formatAgents, formatDecision, formatInbox, formatTasks, formatTrail, shortId } from "./format.mjs";
 import { hostStatus, readHostState, startHost, stopHost } from "./host.mjs";
 import { createLauncher } from "./launcher.mjs";
+import { quitLine, runApp } from "./app.mjs";
 import { readSessions, stopSession } from "../../seat/src/session.mjs";
 import { SeatError } from "../../seat/src/seat.mjs";
 
@@ -36,6 +37,13 @@ export const USAGE = `usage:
   mosaic bus stop
   mosaic bus status [--json]`;
 
+// packages/seat/src/cli.mjs USAGE, which that module does not export (it runs
+// its main on import). tests/app.test.mjs fails if the two drift.
+export const SEAT_USAGE = [
+  "usage: mosaic launch <seat|seat-dir> [--task TEXT] [--project NAME] [--workspace PATH] [--harness NAME] [--repo PATH] [--config PATH] [-- args...]",
+  "       mosaic seat task <seat> <text> [--by NAME] [--layout repo|fleet|unknown] [--config PATH]",
+].join("\n");
+
 const usage = (why) => new CliError(why ? `${why}\n${USAGE}` : USAGE, 4);
 
 function parse(args, { flags = [], values = [] }) {
@@ -110,18 +118,29 @@ async function confirm(io, question) {
 async function decide(parsed, call, io) {
   if (parsed.positional.length !== 2) throw usage("decide takes a decision and an option");
   const [ref, choice] = parsed.positional;
+  const ask = parsed.flags.has("--yes")
+    ? null
+    : (question) => {
+        if (!io.stdin.isTTY) throw usage("stdin is not a terminal; pass --yes to resolve without the prompt");
+        return confirm(io, question);
+      };
+  await resolveDecision({ call, ref, choice, note: parsed.values["--note"], write: (s) => io.stdout.write(s), ask });
+}
+
+// The decide flow, shared by `mosaic decide` and the app's Inbox (src/app.mjs):
+// re-read the inbox, find the decision and the option, write the decision
+// and what the choice means, ask (null skips the question, as --yes does),
+// then resolve. Returns the decision.
+export async function resolveDecision({ call, ref, choice, note, write, ask }) {
   const d = findDecision(await call("inbox"), ref);
   const option = d.options.find((o) => o.key === choice);
   if (!option) throw new CliError(`decision ${shortId(d.id)} has no option ${JSON.stringify(choice)}; its options are ${d.options.map((o) => o.key).join(", ")}`, 2);
-  io.stdout.write(formatDecision(d));
+  write(formatDecision(d));
   const effect = d.authorization ? (choice === d.authorization.approvalChoice ? "this authorizes the action" : "this declines the action") : null;
-  io.stdout.write(`your choice: ${choice} (${option.text})${effect ? `; ${effect}` : ""}\n`);
-  if (!parsed.flags.has("--yes")) {
-    if (!io.stdin.isTTY) throw usage("stdin is not a terminal; pass --yes to resolve without the prompt");
-    if (!(await confirm(io, `resolve ${shortId(d.id)} with ${choice}? [y/N] `))) throw new CliError("not resolved", 1);
-  }
+  write(`your choice: ${choice} (${option.text})${effect ? `; ${effect}` : ""}\n`);
+  if (ask && !(await ask(`resolve ${shortId(d.id)} with ${choice}? [y/N] `))) throw new CliError("not resolved", 1);
   const args = { id: d.id, choice };
-  if (parsed.values["--note"] !== undefined) args.note = parsed.values["--note"];
+  if (note !== undefined) args.note = note;
   try {
     await call("decision.resolve", args);
   } catch (e) {
@@ -131,7 +150,8 @@ async function decide(parsed, call, io) {
     if (e.code === "decision-closed") throw new CliError(`decision ${shortId(d.id)} was closed before your answer arrived; see mosaic trail ${d.id}`, 2);
     throw e;
   }
-  io.stdout.write(`resolved ${d.id}: ${choice}\n`);
+  write(`resolved ${d.id}: ${choice}\n`);
+  return d;
 }
 
 async function human(verb, rest, io, deps) {
@@ -296,7 +316,23 @@ async function bus(rest, io, deps) {
   throw usage();
 }
 
+// `mosaic` with no argument. In an agent run it refuses (exit 3); without a
+// terminal on both stdin and stdout it prints the usage (exit 4); on a
+// terminal it opens the app (src/app.mjs) and prints one line once it quits.
+async function app(io, deps) {
+  refuseInsideAgent(io.env);
+  if (!io.stdin.isTTY || !io.stdout.isTTY) throw new CliError(`the app needs a terminal on stdin and stdout; from a script, use a verb:\n${SEAT_USAGE}\n${USAGE}`, 4);
+  const system = deps.system ?? loadSystem({ env: io.env });
+  const state = readHostState(system.dataRoot);
+  const business = state?.live ? state.business : null;
+  const transport = deps.transport ?? ((b) => humanTransport({ socket: socketPath(system.dataRoot), business: b, env: io.env }));
+  const run = deps.runApp ?? runApp;
+  const result = await run({ io, business, transport, color: !io.env.NO_COLOR });
+  io.stdout.write(`${quitLine(result)}\n`);
+}
+
 export async function main(argv, io = { env: process.env, stdin: process.stdin, stdout: process.stdout, stderr: process.stderr }, deps = {}) {
+  if (argv.length === 0) return app(io, deps);
   const [verb, ...rest] = argv;
   if (["inbox", "decide", "tasks", "agents", "trail"].includes(verb)) return human(verb, rest, io, deps);
   if (verb === "talk") return talk(rest, io, deps);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/format.mjs b/packages/cli/src/format.mjs
index 381596b4..7bbfe39c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/format.mjs
+++ b/packages/cli/src/format.mjs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export function formatTasks(list) {
     .join("\n")}\n`;
 }
 
-function trailSummary(r) {
+export function trailSummary(r) {
   switch (r.table) {
     case "events":
       return [r.kind, r.actor_role ?? null, r.body?.operation ?? null, r.body?.decision ? `decision ${shortId(r.body.decision)}` : null].filter(Boolean).join("  ");
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/screens.mjs b/packages/cli/src/screens.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c0194cb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/screens.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,405 @@
+// The full-screen app's frames (src/app.mjs). Pure: draw(state, opts) takes
+// the app state and returns exactly `rows` strings, each `cols` cells wide
+// once its escape codes are dropped. Nothing here reads the bus or the
+// terminal.
+//
+// Colour is the terminal's own 16 (docs/design/tokens.json `terminal.ansi`).
+// With colour off (NO_COLOR) a frame carries no SGR code except reverse video
+// on the selected row; every state still reads from its word or mark.
+//
+// Every text from the broker goes through the conversation terminal's
+// visible() (control, bidi and invisible characters shown as text), and a
+// line break shows as ^J, so no broker text can move the cursor or split a
+// row.
+
+import { visible } from "../../conversation/src/terminal.mjs";
+import { formatDecision, shortId, trailSummary } from "./format.mjs";
+
+// Below this width the nav shows keys only and Inbox drops RAISED BY.
+export const NARROW_BELOW = 100;
+// Below this size the frame only says the terminal is too small.
+export const MIN_COLS = 40;
+export const MIN_ROWS = 10;
+
+const SGR = { action: ["34", "39"], accent: ["33", "39"], success: ["32", "39"], warning: ["93", "39"], danger: ["31", "39"], muted: ["90", "39"], bold: ["1", "22"] };
+
+const oneLine = (s) => visible(s ?? "").replace(/\r?\n/g, "^J");
+
+// Terminal cells for one code point after `prev`: 0 for combining marks,
+// joiners and variation selectors, 2 for East Asian wide characters and
+// emoji shown as emoji, else 1. U+FE0F after a one-cell emoji base (🅰️, ❤️)
+// asks for emoji presentation and adds the second cell.
+function cells(c, prev = "") {
+  const n = c.codePointAt(0);
+  if (n === 0xfe0f) return prev && /\p{Emoji}/u.test(prev) && cells(prev) === 1 ? 1 : 0;
+  if (/\p{M}/u.test(c) || n === 0x200d || n === 0x200c || (n >= 0xfe00 && n <= 0xfe0e)) return 0;
+  if (
+    /\p{Emoji_Presentation}/u.test(c) ||
+    (n >= 0x1100 && n <= 0x115f) ||
+    (n >= 0x2e80 && n <= 0xa4cf && n !== 0x303f) ||
+    (n >= 0xac00 && n <= 0xd7a3) ||
+    (n >= 0xf900 && n <= 0xfaff) ||
+    (n >= 0xfe30 && n <= 0xfe4f) ||
+    (n >= 0xff00 && n <= 0xff60) ||
+    (n >= 0xffe0 && n <= 0xffe6) ||
+    (n >= 0x1f200 && n <= 0x1f2ff) ||
+    (n >= 0x20000 && n <= 0x3fffd)
+  )
+    return 2;
+  return 1;
+}
+
+export function width(s) {
+  let w = 0;
+  let prev = "";
+  for (const c of s) {
+    w += cells(c, prev);
+    prev = c;
+  }
+  return w;
+}
+
+// The first `w` cells of `s`, with … for what was cut; then spaces to `w`.
+export function fit(s, w) {
+  if (w <= 0) return "";
+  if (width(s) <= w) return s + " ".repeat(w - width(s));
+  let out = "";
+  let used = 0;
+  let prev = "";
+  for (const c of s) {
+    const n = cells(c, prev);
+    if (used + n > w - 1) break;
+    out += c;
+    used += n;
+    prev = c;
+  }
+  return out + "…" + " ".repeat(w - 1 - used);
+}
+
+// Splits `s` into lines of at most `w` cells, at spaces where it can;
+// later lines start with `indent`.
+export function wrap(s, w, indent = "") {
+  const out = [];
+  let cur = "";
+  const push = () => {
+    out.push(cur.trimEnd());
+    cur = indent;
+  };
+  for (const word of s.split(/(?<= )/)) {
+    if (cur.trim() !== "" && width(cur + word.trimEnd()) > w) push();
+    for (const c of word) {
+      if (width(cur + c) > w) push();
+      cur += c;
+    }
+  }
+  if (cur.trim() !== "" || out.length === 0) out.push(cur.trimEnd());
+  return out;
+}
+
+// A line is a list of [text, style] pieces; `sel` reverses the whole row.
+const piece = (text, style = null) => [oneLine(text), style];
+const line = (...pieces) => ({ pieces: pieces.map((p) => (Array.isArray(p) ? piece(...p) : piece(p))) });
+const blank = () => line("");
+const sel = (l) => ({ ...l, sel: true });
+
+// Fits a line to `cols` cells and paints it.
+function paint(l, cols, color) {
+  const out = [];
+  let left = cols;
+  for (const [text, style] of l.pieces) {
+    if (left <= 0) break;
+    let t = text;
+    if (width(t) > left) t = fit(t, left);
+    left -= width(t);
+    out.push(color && style && SGR[style] ? `\x1b[${SGR[style][0]}m${t}\x1b[${SGR[style][1]}m` : t);
+  }
+  const body = out.join("") + " ".repeat(Math.max(0, left));
+  return l.sel ? `\x1b[7m${body}\x1b[27m` : body;
+}
+
+export function strip(s) {
+  return s.replace(/\x1b\[[0-9;]*m/g, "");
+}
+
+const rule = (cols) => line(["─".repeat(cols), "muted"]);
+
+function age(at, now) {
+  const t = Date.parse(at);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(t)) return "?";
+  const s = Math.max(0, Math.round((now - t) / 1000));
+  if (s < 60) return `${s}s`;
+  const m = Math.floor(s / 60);
+  if (m < 60) return `${m}m`;
+  const h = Math.floor(m / 60);
+  if (h < 48) return `${h}h${String(m % 60).padStart(2, "0")}m`;
+  return `${Math.floor(h / 24)}d`;
+}
+
+// Fixed-width columns; the last one takes what is left.
+function columns(cells_, widths) {
+  return cells_.map((c, i) => (i === cells_.length - 1 ? c : fit(oneLine(c), widths[i] - 1) + " "));
+}
+
+const VIEWS = [
+  ["c", "Talk", "talk"],
+  ["i", "Inbox", "inbox"],
+  ["t", "Tasks", "tasks"],
+  ["a", "Agents", "agents"],
+  ["r", "Trail", "trail"],
+];
+
+// The current view shows in brackets as well as bold, so it reads without
+// colour.
+function nav(state, cols, now) {
+  const narrow = cols < NARROW_BELOW;
+  const l = line([" mosaic", "bold"], "  ", [state.business ?? "no business", state.business ? "action" : "warning"], " ");
+  for (const [key, name, view] of VIEWS) {
+    const count = view === "inbox" && state.data.inbox?.list ? ` ${state.data.inbox.list.length}` : "";
+    const label = narrow ? `${key}${count}` : `${key} ${name}${count}`;
+    l.pieces.push(state.view === view ? piece(`[${label}]`, "bold") : piece(` ${label} `), piece(" "));
+  }
+  const d = state.data[state.view];
+  const right = d?.at ? (narrow ? age(d.at, now) : `read ${age(d.at, now)} ago`) : "";
+  const used = l.pieces.reduce((n, [t]) => n + width(t), 0);
+  if (right && used + width(right) + 2 <= cols) l.pieces.push(piece(" ".repeat(cols - used - width(right) - 1)), piece(right, "muted"));
+  return l;
+}
+
+const HINT_WIDE = " c i t a r views  ↑↓ or j k move  Enter open  v trail  1-9 choose  : command  ? help  q quit";
+const HINT_NARROW = " c i t a r views  1-9 choose  : command  ? help  q quit";
+
+// The heading of a view: its name, a count, and what is wrong with the read.
+function heading(name, d, extra = "") {
+  const l = line([` ${name}`, "bold"], extra ? `  ${extra}` : "");
+  if (d?.error && d.list) l.pieces.push(piece(`  stale: ${d.error}; showing the read from ${d.at}`, "warning"));
+  return l;
+}
+
+// The body when a view has nothing to list: the reason, then where it would
+// come from.
+function emptyBody(d, what, from, cols) {
+  const say = (text, style) => wrap(text, cols - 2).map((t) => line([` ${t}`, style]));
+  if (d?.error) return [...say(`${d.refused ? "refused" : "read failed"}: ${d.error}`, "danger"), ...say("Nothing was written. Press the view's key to read again.", "muted")];
+  if (!d || d.reading) return [line([" Reading from the bus…", "muted"])];
+  return [...say(what, "bold"), ...say(from, "muted")];
+}
+
+function noBusiness() {
+  return [
+    line([" No bus host runs here, so the app knows no business.", "warning"]),
+    line([" Start one with mosaic bus start <business>, or type :business <id>.", "muted"]),
+  ];
+}
+
+// A list over a detail block: `head` lines, the column header, the rows,
+// a rule, then `detail`. The detail gets at least four lines when it has
+// them; the list scrolls to keep the selection in view.
+function listOver(head, header, rows, selected, detail, room, cols) {
+  const fixed = head.length + 1;
+  const detailRoom = Math.min(detail.length + 1, Math.max(5, room - fixed - rows.length));
+  const listRoom = Math.max(1, room - fixed - detailRoom);
+  const top = Math.max(0, selected - listRoom + 1);
+  return [...head, header, ...rows.slice(top, top + listRoom), line([` ${"─".repeat(Math.max(0, cols - 2))}`, "muted"]), ...detail];
+}
+
+const marker = (i, selected) => (i === selected ? " ›" : "");
+
+function wrapped(text, cols, style = null, indent = "") {
+  return wrap(oneLine(text), cols - 1, indent).map((t) => line([` ${t}`, style]));
+}
+
+function inboxBody(state, room, cols, now) {
+  const d = state.data.inbox;
+  if (!d?.list?.length) return [heading("Inbox", d), blank(), ...emptyBody(d, "Nothing is waiting on you.", "A decision shows here when an agent raises one routed to you through the bus.", cols)];
+  const narrow = cols < NARROW_BELOW;
+  const list = d.list;
+  const selected = Math.min(state.sel.inbox, list.length - 1);
+  const blocking = list.filter((x) => x.blocking).length;
+  const widths = narrow ? [3, 10, 8, 10, 22, 20, 6] : [3, 10, 8, 10, 26, 24, 22, 6];
+  const names = narrow ? ["", "ID", "CLASS", "FLAGS", "ACTION", "TARGET", "AGE"] : ["", "ID", "CLASS", "FLAGS", "ACTION", "TARGET", "RAISED BY", "AGE"];
+  const header = line([columns(["", ...names.slice(1)], widths).join(""), "muted"]);
+  const rows = list.map((x, i) => {
+    const target = x.authorization?.target ?? x.task_ref ?? "-";
+    const cellsOut = narrow
+      ? [marker(i, selected), shortId(x.id), x.class, x.blocking ? "BLOCKING" : "", x.action, target, age(x.at, now)]
+      : [marker(i, selected), shortId(x.id), x.class, x.blocking ? "BLOCKING" : "", x.action, target, x.raised_by_role, age(x.at, now)];
+    const text = columns(cellsOut, widths);
+    const l = line(text.slice(0, 3).join(""), [text[3], x.blocking ? "danger" : null], text.slice(4).join(""));
+    return i === selected ? sel(l) : l;
+  });
+  const detail = [];
+  for (const t of formatDecision(list[selected]).trimEnd().split("\n")) detail.push(...wrapped(t, cols, null, "    "));
+  const head = [heading("Inbox", d, `${list.length} for you, ${blocking} blocking`), blank()];
+  return listOver(head, header, rows, selected, detail, room, cols);
+}
+
+function taskState(f) {
+  return f.status ?? f.state ?? (f.done === true || f.done === 1 ? "done" : f.done === false || f.done === 0 ? "open" : "");
+}
+
+function tasksBody(state, room, cols) {
+  const d = state.data.tasks;
+  if (!d?.list?.length) return [heading("Tasks", d), blank(), ...emptyBody(d, "No tasks in this business yet.", "Tasks appear after the PM creates them or the poller reads them from the tracker.", cols)];
+  const list = d.list;
+  const selected = Math.min(state.sel.tasks, list.length - 1);
+  const widths = [3, 22, 12, 0];
+  const header = line([columns(["", "REF", "STATE", "TITLE"], widths).join(""), "muted"]);
+  const rows = list.map((t, i) => {
+    const f = t.fields ?? {};
+    const l = line(columns([marker(i, selected), t.task_ref, taskState(f) || "-", f.title ?? f.name ?? ""], widths).join(""));
+    return i === selected ? sel(l) : l;
+  });
+  const t = list[selected];
+  const f = t.fields ?? {};
+  const detail = [line([` ${t.task_ref}`, "bold"], `  ${f.title ?? f.name ?? ""}`)];
+  detail.push(line(["   ", null], [`snapshot ${t.at ?? "?"} · source ${t.source ?? "?"}${t.read_at ? ` · read ${t.read_at}` : ""}`, "muted"]));
+  for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(f)) if (k !== "title" && k !== "name") detail.push(...wrapped(`   ${k}: ${typeof v === "string" ? v : JSON.stringify(v)}`, cols, null, "     "));
+  detail.push(line(["   read-only here; the tracker holds the task", "muted"]));
+  return listOver([heading("Tasks", d, `${list.length} task(s)`), blank()], header, rows, selected, detail, room, cols);
+}
+
+function agentsBody(state, room, cols, now) {
+  const d = state.data.agents;
+  if (!d?.list?.length) return [heading("Agents", d), blank(), ...emptyBody(d, "No role is held right now.", "A role shows here while a run holds its claim on the bus.", cols)];
+  const list = d.list;
+  const selected = Math.min(state.sel.agents, list.length - 1);
+  const widths = [3, 14, 30, 12, 0];
+  const header = line([columns(["", "ROLE", "HOLDER", "HARNESS", "HELD FOR"], widths).join(""), "muted"]);
+  const rows = list.map((c, i) => {
+    const l = line(columns([marker(i, selected), c.role, c.holder_run, c.harness ?? "-", age(c.at, now)], widths).join(""));
+    return i === selected ? sel(l) : l;
+  });
+  const c = list[selected];
+  const detail = [line([` ${c.role}`, "bold"], `  held by ${c.holder_run} since ${c.at}`), line(["   stop a run with mosaic stop <run>; see mosaic launches list", "muted"])];
+  return listOver([heading("Agents", d, `${list.length} role(s) held`), blank()], header, rows, selected, detail, room, cols);
+}
+
+function trailBody(state, room, cols) {
+  const d = state.data.trail;
+  if (!d?.subject) return [line([" Trail", "bold"]), blank(), line([" No subject yet.", "bold"]), line([" Press v on a decision or a task, or type :trail <task|decision>.", "muted"])];
+  if (!d.list?.length) return [heading("Trail", d, d.subject), blank(), ...emptyBody(d, "Nothing in the trail for this subject.", "Every step the stack takes on a subject writes a trail row.", cols)];
+  const narrow = cols < NARROW_BELOW;
+  const list = d.list;
+  const selected = Math.min(state.sel.trail, list.length - 1);
+  const header = line([`   ${narrow ? "TIME    " : "AT                 "}  ROW                   SUMMARY`, "muted"]);
+  const rows = list.map((r, i) => {
+    const at = String(r.at ?? "");
+    const when = narrow ? at.slice(11, 19) : at.slice(0, 19).replace("T", " ");
+    const l = line(fit(marker(i, selected), 2) + " ", [fit(oneLine(when), narrow ? 8 : 19), "muted"], "  ", fit(oneLine(`${r.table}#${r.seq}`), 20), "  ", trailSummary(r));
+    return i === selected ? sel(l) : l;
+  });
+  const r = list[selected];
+  const detail = [line([` ${r.table}#${r.seq}`, "bold"], `  ${r.at}`), ...wrapped(`   ${trailSummary(r)}`, cols, null, "   ")];
+  const follow = r.task_ref && r.task_ref !== d.subject ? r.task_ref : null;
+  if (follow) detail.push(line(["   v follows to ", "muted"], follow));
+  return listOver([heading("Trail", d, `${d.subject} · ${list.length} row(s), oldest first`), blank()], header, rows, selected, detail, room, cols);
+}
+
+function talkBody() {
+  return [
+    line([" Talk", "bold"]),
+    blank(),
+    line([" Talk is not in this version of the app.", "bold"]),
+    line([" From a shell, mosaic talk <role> <text> sends a request and waits for the reply.", "muted"]),
+  ];
+}
+
+// Help: what every key does, and what the app never does.
+export const HELP = [
+  "Views                 Anywhere              Inbox",
+  "c  Talk (not yet)     ↑↓ or j k  move       1-9  choose an option,",
+  "i  Inbox              Enter      open            then y resolves",
+  "t  Tasks              v          trail      v    trail of the decision",
+  "a  Agents             :          command",
+  "r  Trail              ?          this help  Command line",
+  "                      q          quit       :decide <decision> <option>",
+  "                                            :trail <task|decision>",
+  "                                            :business <id>",
+  "                                            :q  quit",
+  "",
+  "Decisions resolve only here or with mosaic decide, from a shell you started",
+  "yourself. Inside an agent run, mosaic refuses with exit 3. Esc closes this help.",
+];
+
+// A box over the body: `lines` are [text, style] or a string.
+function box(title, lines, w) {
+  const inner = w - 4;
+  const out = [line([`┌─ ${title} ${"─".repeat(Math.max(0, w - 5 - width(title)))}┐`, "accent"])];
+  for (const l of lines) {
+    const [text, style] = Array.isArray(l) ? l : [l, null];
+    for (const t of wrap(oneLine(text), inner, "  ")) out.push(line(["│ ", "accent"], [fit(t, inner), style], [" │", "accent"]));
+  }
+  out.push(line([`└${"─".repeat(Math.max(0, w - 2))}┘`, "accent"]));
+  return out;
+}
+
+const cutLine = (what, inner) => line(["│ ", "accent"], fit(`… (${what} cut to fit; the whole text is in mosaic inbox --json)`, inner), [" │", "accent"]);
+
+// `room` is the body's height. A decide box taller than that loses the end
+// of the question, never the decision line, the options, the
+// recommendation, the authorization lines, the task, the choice, the
+// question to answer or its keys.
+function overlayBox(o, cols, room) {
+  if (o.kind === "help") return box("help", HELP, Math.min(84, cols - 2));
+  const w = Math.min(84, cols - 2);
+  if (o.kind === "decide") {
+    const lines = o.lines.map((t) => (t.startsWith("your choice: ") ? [t, "bold"] : t));
+    if (o.asking) lines.push("", [o.asking, "bold"], "", ["y resolves · any other key cancels (the default is No)", "muted"]);
+    else lines.push("", ["resolving…", "muted"]);
+    const b = box("decide", lines, w);
+    const q = o.lines.findIndex((t) => t.startsWith("  question: "));
+    const end = o.lines.findIndex((t, i) => i > q && t.startsWith("  options: "));
+    if (b.length <= room || q < 0 || end < 0) return b;
+    const head = box("decide", lines.slice(0, q), w).slice(0, -1);
+    const question = box("decide", lines.slice(q, end), w).slice(1, -1);
+    const tail = box("decide", lines.slice(end), w).slice(1);
+    const keep = room - head.length - tail.length - 1;
+    return keep >= 1 ? [...head, ...question.slice(0, keep), cutLine("question", w - 4), ...tail] : b;
+  }
+  if (o.kind === "unknown") {
+    return box("outcome unknown", [[o.message, "warning"], "", "Nothing was retried, and the choice was not sent twice.", "", "v open the trail   r re-read the inbox   Esc back"], w);
+  }
+  if (o.kind === "detail") return box(o.title, [...o.lines, "", ["Esc back", "muted"]], w);
+  return box(o.title ?? "error", [[o.message, "danger"], "", "Esc back"], w);
+}
+
+// Draws the frame. opts: cols, rows, color (false under NO_COLOR), now (ms).
+export function draw(state, { cols, rows, color = true, now = Date.now() }) {
+  if (cols < MIN_COLS || rows < MIN_ROWS) return tooSmall(cols, rows, color);
+  const room = rows - 5;
+  let body;
+  if (!state.business && state.view !== "talk") body = [line([` ${VIEWS.find((v) => v[2] === state.view)[1]}`, "bold"]), blank(), ...noBusiness()];
+  else if (state.view === "inbox") body = inboxBody(state, room, cols, now);
+  else if (state.view === "tasks") body = tasksBody(state, room, cols);
+  else if (state.view === "agents") body = agentsBody(state, room, cols, now);
+  else if (state.view === "trail") body = trailBody(state, room, cols);
+  else body = talkBody();
+  body = body.slice(0, room);
+  while (body.length < room) body.push(blank());
+  if (state.overlay) {
+    let b = overlayBox(state.overlay, cols, room);
+    // Still too tall (a small screen, or a box with no question): keep the
+    // top and, for decide, everything from the choice on; past that, the
+    // bottom wins, so the question to answer and its keys stay.
+    if (b.length > room) {
+      const at = b.findIndex((l) => l.pieces.some(([t]) => t.startsWith("your choice: ")));
+      const tail = b.slice(at > 0 ? at : -2);
+      const inner = Math.min(84, cols - 2) - 4;
+      b = [...b.slice(0, Math.max(1, room - tail.length - 1)), line(["│ ", "accent"], fit(`… (cut to fit; the whole text is in ${state.overlay.whole ?? "mosaic inbox --json"})`, inner), [" │", "accent"]), ...tail].slice(-room);
+    }
+    const left = Math.max(0, Math.floor((cols - width(b[0].pieces.map(([t]) => t).join(""))) / 2));
+    const top = Math.max(0, Math.min(2, room - b.length));
+    b.forEach((l, j) => (body[top + j] = line(" ".repeat(left), ...l.pieces)));
+  }
+  const status = state.command !== null && state.command !== undefined ? line(":", state.command, ["█", "muted"]) : line([` ${state.status ?? ""}`, state.statusStyle ?? "muted"]);
+  const frame = [nav(state, cols, now), rule(cols), ...body, rule(cols), status, line([cols < NARROW_BELOW ? HINT_NARROW : HINT_WIDE, "muted"])];
+  return frame.map((l) => paint(l, cols, color));
+}
+
+// The whole frame below MIN_COLS x MIN_ROWS: what is wrong, and how to quit.
+function tooSmall(cols, rows, color) {
+  const say = wrap(`The terminal is ${cols}x${rows}; the app needs at least ${MIN_COLS}x${MIN_ROWS}. Make it bigger. Esc closes what is open; q quits.`, Math.max(1, cols));
+  const body = say.slice(0, Math.max(0, rows)).map((t) => line([t, "warning"]));
+  while (body.length < rows) body.push(blank());
+  return body.map((l) => paint(l, Math.max(0, cols), color));
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/tests/app.test.mjs b/packages/cli/tests/app.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b01abcb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/tests/app.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,719 @@
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { EventEmitter } from "node:events";
+import { mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { App, parseKeys, quitLine, runApp } from "../src/app.mjs";
+import { main, resolveDecision, SEAT_USAGE, USAGE } from "../src/cli.mjs";
+import { CliError } from "../src/errors.mjs";
+import { hostDir, hostFile, startTimeOf } from "../src/host.mjs";
+import { draw, strip, width } from "../src/screens.mjs";
+import { broker, humanEnv, io, tmp } from "./helpers.mjs";
+
+const here = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const REPO = join(here, "..", "..", "..");
+const NOW = Date.parse("2026-10-11T18:00:00.000Z");
+const SIZES = [
+  [120, 36],
+  [80, 24],
+  [100, 30],
+  [99, 24],
+  [40, 10],
+];
+// Below 40x10 the frame says the terminal is too small.
+const TOO_SMALL = [
+  [39, 10],
+  [40, 9],
+  [3, 3],
+  [1, 1],
+];
+
+const exitOf = async (p) => {
+  try {
+    await p;
+    return 0;
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!(e instanceof CliError)) throw e;
+    return e.exitCode;
+  }
+};
+
+// An app on the in-process broker. `wrap` may replace verbs of the transport.
+function app(t, { wrap = (call) => call, business = "demo", ...opts } = {}) {
+  const bus = broker(t);
+  const out = { text: "", quit: null };
+  const a = new App({
+    business,
+    transport: (b) => wrap(bus.transport(b)),
+    write: (s) => (out.text = s),
+    now: () => NOW,
+    refreshMs: 0,
+    askMs: 0,
+    onQuit: (r) => (out.quit = r),
+    ...opts,
+  });
+  return { ...bus, a, out, screen: () => a.frame.map(strip).join("\n") };
+}
+
+// Text a hostile or careless agent could put in a decision: control
+// characters, a bidi override, a newline, wide characters and a long word.
+const HOSTILE = "Push \x1b[31mred\x1b[0m \u202eevil\u202c to 発行 now?\nSecond line " + "x".repeat(150);
+
+// A transport with one of everything, in the broker's shapes, for the
+// screens the broker cannot seed (task snapshots need the tracker adapter).
+function fake(extra = {}) {
+  const decision = (n, more = {}) => ({
+    id: `${String(n).repeat(8)}-aaaa-4bbb-8ccc-${"d".repeat(12)}`,
+    action: "git.push.protected",
+    class: "gated",
+    blocking: n === 1,
+    at: "2026-10-11T17:00:00.000Z",
+    raised_by_role: "coder",
+    raised_by_run: "coder-run-with-a-long-name-0123456789",
+    question: n === 1 ? HOSTILE : "Push the release?",
+    options: [
+      { key: "yes", text: "Allow" },
+      { key: "no", text: "Decline" },
+    ],
+    recommendation: "no",
+    authorization: { action: "git.push.protected", target: "refactor-with-a-very-long-branch-name-indeed", approvalChoice: "yes" },
+    task_ref: "vikunja:1/7",
+    ...more,
+  });
+  const data = {
+    // Emoji and CJK that are two cells wide (P3b in the round 1 review).
+    inbox: [
+      decision(1),
+      decision(2, { action: "✅✅ ship", authorization: { action: "git.push.protected", target: "⚡ main", approvalChoice: "yes" } }),
+      decision(3, { authorization: { action: "git.push.protected", target: "🅰️ branch", approvalChoice: "yes" } }),
+    ],
+    tasks: [
+      { seq: 1, at: "2026-10-11T16:00:00.000Z", business: "demo", task_ref: "vikunja:1/7", updated: "x", digest: "d", fields: { title: HOSTILE, status: "in progress" }, source: "poll", via: "board", read_at: "2026-10-11T16:00:00.000Z" },
+      { seq: 2, at: "2026-10-11T16:00:00.000Z", business: "demo", task_ref: "vikunja:1/8", updated: "x", digest: "d", fields: { title: "発行 ✅", done: true }, source: "self", via: null, read_at: null },
+    ],
+    agents: [{ role: "coder", holder_run: "coder-run-with-a-long-name-0123456789", harness: "pi", at: "2026-10-11T15:00:00.000Z" }],
+    trail: [
+      { at: "2026-10-11T17:00:00.000Z", table: "decisions", seq: 4, id: "x", task_ref: "vikunja:1/7", question: HOSTILE },
+      { at: "2026-10-11T17:05:00.000Z", table: "events", seq: 9, kind: "task.changed.external", body: { changed: ["bucket"] } },
+    ],
+    ...extra,
+  };
+  return () => async (verb) => structuredClone(data[verb] ?? []);
+}
+
+function fits(frame, cols, rows, label) {
+  assert.equal(frame.length, rows, `${label}: ${frame.length} rows`);
+  frame.forEach((l, i) => assert.equal(width(strip(l)), cols, `${label}, row ${i}: ${JSON.stringify(strip(l))}`));
+}
+
+// Every view and overlay, drawn at the given size.
+async function everyScreen(t, cols, rows, color) {
+  const shots = [];
+  const a = new App({ business: "demo", transport: fake(), cols, rows, color, now: () => NOW, refreshMs: 0 });
+  const shot = (label) => shots.push([label, [...a.render()]]);
+  await a.start();
+  shot("inbox");
+  for (const [key, label] of [["t", "tasks"], ["a", "agents"], ["c", "talk"]]) {
+    await a.input(key);
+    shot(label);
+  }
+  await a.input("i");
+  await a.input("v");
+  shot("trail");
+  await a.input("\r");
+  shot("trail detail");
+  await a.input("\x1b");
+  for (const [key, label] of [["t", "tasks detail"], ["a", "agents detail"], ["i", "inbox detail"]]) {
+    await a.input(key);
+    await a.input("\r");
+    shot(label);
+    await a.input("\x1b");
+  }
+  await a.input("?");
+  shot("help");
+  await a.input("\x1b");
+  await a.input(":trail vikunja:1/7");
+  shot("command line");
+  await a.input("\x1b");
+  for (const o of [
+    { kind: "decide", lines: ["decision 11111111", `  question: ${HOSTILE}`, "your choice: yes (Allow); this authorizes the action"], asking: "resolve 11111111 with yes? [y/N] " },
+    { kind: "decide", lines: Array.from({ length: 40 }, (_, i) => `line ${i}`).concat("your choice: yes (Allow)"), asking: "resolve 11111111 with yes? [y/N] " },
+    { kind: "unknown", message: "outcome unknown: the broker may have recorded it. Check mosaic inbox or mosaic trail 11111111-aaaa-4bbb-8ccc-dddddddddddd before trying again", id: "x" },
+    { kind: "error", title: "decide", message: `failed: ${HOSTILE}` },
+  ]) {
+    a.state.overlay = o;
+    shot(`overlay ${o.kind}${o.lines?.length > 10 ? " long" : ""}`);
+  }
+  a.state.overlay = null;
+  // Empty, failed-with-stale-data, refused and no-business states.
+  a.state.data.inbox = { list: [], at: new Date(NOW).toISOString() };
+  shot("inbox empty");
+  a.state.data.inbox = { list: await fake()()("inbox"), at: "2026-10-11T17:59:00.000Z", error: "invalid-response" };
+  shot("inbox stale");
+  a.state.data.inbox = { error: "human-required", refused: true };
+  shot("inbox refused");
+  a.state.business = null;
+  shot("no business");
+  assert.equal(a.closed, false, `${cols}x${rows}: ${a.error?.stack}`);
+  a.quit("q");
+  return shots;
+}
+
+test("every screen and overlay fits 120x36, 80x24 and the narrow layout, row for row", async (t) => {
+  for (const [cols, rows] of SIZES) {
+    for (const color of [true, false]) {
+      for (const [label, frame] of await everyScreen(t, cols, rows, color)) fits(frame, cols, rows, `${cols}x${rows} ${color ? "colour" : "NO_COLOR"} ${label}`);
+    }
+    // A decide box taller than the screen keeps its question and keys.
+    const long = (await everyScreen(t, cols, rows, false)).find(([l]) => l === "overlay decide long")[1].join("\n");
+    assert.match(long, /resolve 11111111 with yes\?/, `${cols}x${rows}`);
+    assert.match(long, /y resolves/, `${cols}x${rows}`);
+    if (rows >= 24) assert.match(long, /cut to fit[\s\S]*your choice: yes \(Allow\)/, `${cols}x${rows}`);
+  }
+  // Too small: every screen still fits, and says why.
+  for (const [cols, rows] of TOO_SMALL) {
+    for (const [label, frame] of await everyScreen(t, cols, rows, true)) fits(frame, cols, rows, `${cols}x${rows} ${label}`);
+  }
+  assert.match((await everyScreen(t, 39, 10, false))[0][1].join(""), /The terminal is 39x10; the app needs at least 40x10/);
+  // Designed at 120x36: the inbox shows the raiser; under 100 columns the nav shows keys only.
+  const [wide] = await everyScreen(t, 120, 36, false);
+  assert.match(strip(wide[1][0]), /\[i Inbox 3\]/);
+  assert.match(wide[1].map(strip).join("\n"), /RAISED BY/);
+  const [narrow] = await everyScreen(t, 99, 24, false);
+  assert.match(strip(narrow[1][0]), /\[i 3\]  t   a /);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(narrow[1].map(strip).join("\n"), /RAISED BY/);
+});
+
+test("width counts terminal cells: wide CJK and emoji 2, U+FE0F after a one-cell base 1, marks 0", async (t) => {
+  for (const [s, cells] of [["a", 1], ["発行", 4], ["✅", 2], ["⚡", 2], ["❌", 2], ["⭐", 2], ["😀", 2], ["🅰", 1], ["🅰\uFE0F", 2], ["❤\uFE0F", 2], ["😀\uFE0F", 2], ["e\u0301", 1], ["✓", 1], ["›", 1]]) {
+    assert.equal(width(s), cells, JSON.stringify(s));
+  }
+  // On screen, independent of width(): each wide character takes two cells
+  // for one UTF-16 unit, so a row of `cols` cells is that much shorter in
+  // units. 🅰️ is three units for two cells.
+  const frames = Object.fromEntries(await everyScreen(t, 80, 24, false));
+  const row = (label, text) => strip(frames[label].find((l) => l.includes(text)));
+  assert.equal(row("inbox", "✅✅ ship").length, 80 - 3, "two ✅ and one ⚡");
+  assert.equal(row("inbox", "🅰️ branch").length, 80 + 1, "🅰️");
+  assert.equal(row("tasks", "発行 ✅").length, 80 - 3, "発行 and ✅, not cut");
+});
+
+test("broker text is shown, never interpreted: no raw control character or bidi override reaches the terminal", async (t) => {
+  for (const [label, frame] of await everyScreen(t, 120, 36, true)) {
+    for (const l of frame) {
+      const bare = l.replace(/\x1b\[[0-9;]*m/g, "");
+      assert.doesNotMatch(bare, /[\x00-\x1f\x7f-\x9f\u202a-\u202e\u2066-\u2069]/u, label);
+    }
+  }
+  const shots = await everyScreen(t, 120, 36, true);
+  assert.match(shots.find(([l]) => l === "inbox detail")[1].join("\n"), /\^\[\[31mred\^\[\[0m <U\+202E>evil/);
+});
+
+test("NO_COLOR: no escape codes, except reverse video on the selected row", async (t) => {
+  for (const [label, frame] of await everyScreen(t, 120, 36, false)) {
+    for (const l of frame) assert.doesNotMatch(l.replace(/\x1b\[(7|27)m/g, ""), /\x1b/, label);
+  }
+  // With nothing to select, nothing at all.
+  const a = new App({ business: "demo", transport: fake({ inbox: [], tasks: [], agents: [] }), color: false, now: () => NOW, refreshMs: 0 });
+  await a.start();
+  for (const key of ["t", "a", "c", "r", "?"]) {
+    await a.input(key);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(a.render().join("\n"), /\x1b/, key);
+  }
+  a.quit("q");
+  // The selected row is reversed, with colour and without.
+  const [[, plain]] = await everyScreen(t, 120, 36, false);
+  assert.equal(plain.filter((l) => l.startsWith("\x1b[7m") && l.endsWith("\x1b[27m")).length, 1);
+  // The colour build does use colour.
+  const [[, coloured]] = await everyScreen(t, 120, 36, true);
+  assert.equal(coloured.filter((l) => l.startsWith("\x1b[7m") && l.endsWith("\x1b[27m")).length, 1);
+  assert.match(coloured.join("\n"), /\x1b\[3[0-9]m/);
+});
+
+test("1-9 shows the decide flow's own lines and question; only y resolves", async (t) => {
+  const s = app(t);
+  const d = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor", blocking: true, task_ref: "vikunja:1/7" });
+  await s.a.start();
+  assert.match(s.screen(), new RegExp(d.id.slice(0, 8)));
+  assert.match(s.a.state.status, /Press 1-2 to choose/);
+  await s.a.input("1");
+  const box = s.screen();
+  assert.match(box, /your choice: yes \(Allow\); this authorizes the action/);
+  assert.match(box, new RegExp(`resolve ${d.id.slice(0, 8)} with yes\\? \\[y/N\\]`));
+  assert.match(box, /y resolves · any other key cancels \(the default is No\)/);
+  assert.ok(!s.calls.some((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve"), "nothing is sent before y");
+  await s.a.input("y");
+  assert.deepEqual(s.calls.filter((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve"), [{ business: "demo", verb: "decision.resolve", args: { id: d.id, choice: "yes" } }]);
+  assert.deepEqual(s.read("inbox"), []);
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, `resolved ${d.id}: yes`);
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.overlay, null);
+  assert.equal(s.a.resolved, 1);
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /Nothing is waiting on you\./);
+  // The second option declines.
+  const e = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "next" });
+  await s.a.input("i");
+  await s.a.input("2");
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /your choice: no \(Decline\); this declines the action/);
+  await s.a.input("Y");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, `resolved ${e.id}: no`);
+  s.a.input("q");
+  assert.deepEqual(s.out.quit, { how: "q", resolved: 2, error: undefined });
+  assert.equal(quitLine(s.out.quit), "(app closed with q; 2 decisions resolved this session)");
+  assert.equal(quitLine({ how: "Ctrl-C", resolved: 1 }), "(app closed with Ctrl-C; 1 decision resolved this session)");
+});
+
+test("the app shows the same decide text as mosaic decide", async (t) => {
+  const s = app(t);
+  const d = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor", blocking: true, task_ref: "vikunja:1/7" });
+  // Without --yes and off a terminal, mosaic decide prints the decision and
+  // the choice, then refuses to ask: the lines before its question.
+  const x = io();
+  assert.equal(await exitOf(main(["decide", d.id, "no", "--business", "demo"], x, { system: { dataRoot: tmp(t) }, transport: s.transport })), 4);
+  await s.a.start();
+  await s.a.input("2");
+  assert.deepEqual(s.a.state.overlay.lines, x.out.text.trimEnd().split("\n"));
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.overlay.asking, `resolve ${d.id.slice(0, 8)} with no? [y/N] `);
+  await s.a.input("n");
+});
+
+test("any key but y or Y at the question answers No; nothing is sent", async (t) => {
+  for (const key of ["n", "N", "\x1b", "\r", "q", "x", " ", "2", "\x03", "\x1b[A"]) {
+    const s = app(t);
+    s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+    await s.a.start();
+    await s.a.input("1");
+    assert.ok(s.a.state.overlay?.asking, JSON.stringify(key));
+    await s.a.input(key);
+    assert.equal(s.a.state.overlay, null, JSON.stringify(key));
+    assert.equal(s.a.state.status, "not resolved");
+    assert.equal(s.read("inbox").length, 1);
+    assert.ok(!s.calls.some((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve"));
+    assert.equal(s.out.quit, null, "q and Ctrl-C at the question answer No; they do not quit");
+  }
+});
+
+test("type-ahead never answers the question: a paste, keys typed before it is drawn, keys inside askMs", async (t) => {
+  const asking = (s) => Boolean(s.a.state.overlay?.asking);
+  const sent = (s) => s.calls.filter((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve").length;
+  // P2a: "1 yes" pasted on the Inbox.
+  const a = app(t);
+  a.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await a.a.start();
+  await a.a.input("1 yes");
+  assert.ok(asking(a), "P2a");
+  assert.equal(sent(a), 0, "P2a");
+  // P2b: "decide 1a2b yes" typed without the colon.
+  const b = app(t);
+  b.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await b.a.start();
+  await b.a.input("decide 1a2b yes");
+  assert.ok(asking(b), "P2b");
+  assert.equal(sent(b), 0, "P2b");
+  // P2c: 1 and y as separate events, before the question is drawn.
+  const c = app(t);
+  c.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await c.a.start();
+  await Promise.all([c.a.input("1"), c.a.input("y")]);
+  assert.ok(asking(c), "P2c");
+  assert.equal(sent(c), 0, "P2c");
+  // A y that arrives after the question is drawn but within askMs, as keys
+  // typed while a read blocked the screen do: one at once, one 10 ms later.
+  let early;
+  let d;
+  d = app(t, {
+    askMs: 300,
+    write: (text) => {
+      if (!early && text.includes("[y/N]")) {
+        void d.a.input("y");
+        early = new Promise((r) => setTimeout(() => d.a.input("y").then(r), 10));
+      }
+    },
+  });
+  d.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await d.a.start();
+  await d.a.input("1");
+  await early;
+  assert.ok(asking(d), "within askMs");
+  assert.equal(sent(d), 0, "within askMs");
+  while (!d.a.answer) await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 10));
+  // After that, y resolves.
+  for (const s of [a, b, c, d]) {
+    await s.a.input("y");
+    assert.equal(sent(s), 1);
+    assert.match(s.a.state.status, /^resolved /);
+  }
+});
+
+test("quitting at the question answers No and sends nothing, armed or not", async (t) => {
+  for (const askMs of [0, 60000]) {
+    const s = app(t, { askMs });
+    s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+    await s.a.start();
+    const pending = s.a.input("1");
+    while (!s.a.state.overlay?.asking) await new Promise((r) => setImmediate(r));
+    s.a.quit("SIGTERM");
+    await pending;
+    while (s.a.job) await new Promise((r) => setImmediate(r));
+    assert.ok(!s.calls.some((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve"), `askMs ${askMs}`);
+    assert.deepEqual(s.out.quit, { how: "SIGTERM", resolved: 0, error: undefined });
+  }
+});
+
+test("a timer tick reads nothing under an overlay, never answers the question, and keeps a resolved status", async (t) => {
+  const s = app(t);
+  const d = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "next" });
+  await s.a.start();
+  const reads = () => s.calls.filter((c) => c.verb === "inbox").length;
+  const before = reads();
+  await s.a.input("?");
+  await s.a.input("\0refresh");
+  assert.equal(reads(), before, "help open");
+  await s.a.input("\x1b:");
+  await s.a.input("\0refresh");
+  assert.equal(reads(), before, "command line open");
+  await s.a.input("\x1b");
+  await s.a.input("\0refresh");
+  assert.equal(reads(), before + 1, "nothing open");
+  await s.a.input("1");
+  const asked = reads();
+  await s.a.input("\0refresh");
+  assert.ok(s.a.state.overlay?.asking, "a tick is not an answer");
+  assert.equal(reads(), asked);
+  await s.a.input("y");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, `resolved ${d.id}: yes`);
+  await s.a.input("\0refresh");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, `resolved ${d.id}: yes`, "N4");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.inbox.list.length, 1);
+});
+
+test("a long question is cut inside the question; the action, target, choice and prompt stay (Dewey B1)", async (t) => {
+  const s = app(t, { cols: 80, rows: 24 });
+  const question = Array.from({ length: 90 }, (_, i) => `word${i}`).join(" ");
+  assert.ok(question.length > 530);
+  const d = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor", blocking: true, task_ref: "vikunja:1/7", question });
+  await s.a.start();
+  await s.a.input("1");
+  const screen = s.screen();
+  for (const want of [`decision ${d.id}`, "  question: word0 word1", "options: yes = Allow; no = Decline", "recommended: no", "action: git.push.protected on refactor", 'choosing "yes" authorizes it; any other choice declines', "task: vikunja:1/7", "your choice: yes (Allow); this authorizes the action", `resolve ${d.id.slice(0, 8)} with yes? [y/N]`, "y resolves", "question cut to fit; the whole text is in mosaic inbox --json"]) {
+    assert.ok(screen.includes(want), `${want}\n${screen}`);
+  }
+  assert.ok(!screen.includes("word89"), "the end of the question is what goes");
+  fits(s.a.frame, 80, 24, "long question");
+});
+
+test("outcome unknown: the CLI's sentence, no retry, then the trail or a re-read", async (t) => {
+  let resolves = 0;
+  const s = app(t, {
+    wrap: (call) => async (verb, args) => {
+      if (verb !== "decision.resolve") return call(verb, args);
+      resolves += 1;
+      const e = new Error("outcome-unknown");
+      e.code = "outcome-unknown";
+      throw e;
+    },
+  });
+  const d = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await s.a.start();
+  await s.a.input("1");
+  await s.a.input("y");
+  assert.equal(resolves, 1);
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.overlay.kind, "unknown");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.overlay.message, `outcome unknown: the broker may have recorded it. Check mosaic inbox or mosaic trail ${d.id} before trying again`);
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /Nothing was retried, and the choice was not sent twice\./);
+  await s.a.input("1y:decide x yes\ry");
+  assert.equal(resolves, 1, "no key sends the choice again");
+  await s.a.input("v");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.view, "trail");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.trail.subject, d.id);
+  assert.ok(s.a.state.data.trail.list.length > 0);
+  // The transport's own "did not finish" error has no code, only the
+  // hyphenated message; it opens the same box, and Esc closes it.
+  const hung = app(t, {
+    wrap: (call) => async (verb, args) => {
+      if (verb === "decision.resolve") throw new CliError("outcome-unknown: the bus transport did not finish", 1);
+      return call(verb, args);
+    },
+  });
+  hung.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await hung.a.start();
+  await hung.a.input("1");
+  await hung.a.input("y");
+  assert.deepEqual([hung.a.state.overlay.kind, hung.a.state.overlay.message], ["unknown", "outcome-unknown: the bus transport did not finish"]);
+  await hung.a.input("\x1b");
+  assert.equal(hung.a.state.overlay, null);
+});
+
+test("refused and failed reads keep the last list, marked stale; a refused decide says refused", async (t) => {
+  let fail = null;
+  const s = app(t, { wrap: (call) => async (verb, args) => {
+    if (fail && verb === "inbox") {
+      const e = new Error(fail);
+      e.code = fail;
+      throw e;
+    }
+    return call(verb, args);
+  } });
+  s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await s.a.start();
+  fail = "invalid-response";
+  await s.a.input("i");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.inbox.list.length, 1);
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /stale: invalid-response/);
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, "read failed: invalid-response");
+  fail = "human-required";
+  await s.a.input("i");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, "refused: human-required");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.inbox.refused, true);
+  fail = null;
+  const decide = app(t, { wrap: (call) => async (verb, args) => {
+    if (verb !== "decision.resolve") return call(verb, args);
+    const e = new Error("unauthenticated");
+    e.code = "unauthenticated";
+    throw e;
+  } });
+  decide.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await decide.a.start();
+  await decide.a.input("1");
+  await decide.a.input("y");
+  assert.deepEqual([decide.a.state.overlay.kind, decide.a.state.overlay.message], ["error", "refused: unauthenticated"]);
+});
+
+test("keys: views, moving, trail of a selection, the command line, help and quit", async (t) => {
+  const s = app(t);
+  const a = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "one" });
+  const b = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "two" });
+  await s.a.start();
+  await s.a.input("j");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.sel.inbox, 1);
+  await s.a.input("\x1b[B\x1b[B");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.sel.inbox, 1, "the selection stops at the last row");
+  await s.a.input("k");
+  await s.a.input("v");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.trail.subject, s.read("inbox")[0].id);
+  await s.a.input("a");
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /coder-run/);
+  await s.a.input(":trail " + b.id + "\r");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.trail.subject, b.id);
+  await s.a.input(":decide " + a.id.slice(0, 8) + " no\r");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.overlay.kind, "decide");
+  await s.a.input("y");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.status, `resolved ${a.id}: no`);
+  await s.a.input(":nope\r");
+  assert.match(s.a.state.status, /unknown command :nope/);
+  await s.a.input(":abc\x7f\x7f\x7fq\r");
+  assert.deepEqual(s.out.quit, { how: "q", resolved: 1, error: undefined });
+  // ? opens help; Esc closes it; Ctrl-C quits.
+  const h = app(t);
+  await h.a.start();
+  await h.a.input("?");
+  assert.match(h.screen(), /Decisions resolve only here or with mosaic decide/);
+  await h.a.input("\x1b");
+  assert.equal(h.a.state.overlay, null);
+  await h.a.input("\x03");
+  assert.equal(h.out.quit.how, "Ctrl-C");
+  assert.deepEqual(parseKeys("a\x1b[A\x1b[5~\x1bOB\x1b[1;5C\r\x1b"), ["a", "up", "pgup", "down", "enter", "esc"]);
+  // Arrows on the command line move nothing and type nothing.
+  await h.a.start();
+  const c = app(t);
+  await c.a.start();
+  await c.a.input(":ab\x1b[A\x1b[Bc");
+  assert.equal(c.a.state.command, "abc");
+  // v on Tasks opens the trail of the task.
+  const f = app(t, { transport: fake() });
+  await f.a.start();
+  await f.a.input("t");
+  await f.a.input("v");
+  assert.equal(f.a.state.data.trail.subject, "vikunja:1/7");
+  assert.match(f.screen(), /Trail {2}vikunja:1\/7 · 2 row\(s\)/);
+  // :business switches: the old business's lists and selections go.
+  await f.a.input("t");
+  await f.a.input("j");
+  assert.equal(f.a.state.sel.tasks, 1);
+  const calls = [];
+  f.a.transport = (b) => async (verb) => (calls.push([b, verb]), []);
+  await f.a.input(":business other\r");
+  assert.equal(f.a.state.business, "other");
+  assert.equal(f.a.state.sel.tasks, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.a.state.data.trail, undefined);
+  assert.deepEqual(f.a.state.data.tasks.list, []);
+  assert.deepEqual(calls, [["other", "tasks"]]);
+});
+
+test("one option: the status line says Press 1, not 1-1", async (t) => {
+  const base = fake();
+  const s = app(t, {
+    transport: () => async (verb) => {
+      const rows = await base()(verb);
+      if (verb === "inbox") rows.forEach((d) => (d.options = d.options.slice(0, 1)));
+      return rows;
+    },
+  });
+  await s.a.start();
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /Press 1 to choose\./);
+  const two = app(t);
+  two.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await two.a.start();
+  assert.match(two.screen(), /Press 1-2 to choose\./);
+});
+
+test("no business: the app says so and :business picks one", async (t) => {
+  const s = app(t, { business: null });
+  s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  await s.a.start();
+  assert.match(s.screen(), /No bus host runs here, so the app knows no business\./);
+  assert.equal(s.calls.length, 0);
+  await s.a.input(":business demo\r");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.business, "demo");
+  assert.equal(s.a.state.data.inbox.list.length, 1);
+});
+
+test("mosaic with no argument: exit 3 in an agent run, exit 4 with the usage off a terminal, the app on one", async (t) => {
+  const dataRoot = tmp(t);
+  const tty = (env = humanEnv()) => {
+    const x = io(env);
+    x.stdin.isTTY = true;
+    x.stdout.isTTY = true;
+    return x;
+  };
+  // An agent run refuses before anything else, terminal or not.
+  for (const marker of ["CLAUDECODE", "MOSAIC_AGENT_RUN", "PI_AGENT_DIR"]) {
+    const x = tty({ ...humanEnv(), [marker]: "1" });
+    const err = await main([], x, { system: { dataRoot }, runApp: () => assert.fail("opened") }).catch((e) => e);
+    assert.equal(err.exitCode, 3);
+    assert.equal(err.message, `refused: this runs only from a human shell, outside any agent run (found ${marker} in the environment)`);
+  }
+  // Not a terminal on stdin, or on stdout: today's usage, exit 4.
+  for (const [inTty, outTty] of [[false, true], [true, false], [false, false]]) {
+    const x = io();
+    x.stdin.isTTY = inTty;
+    x.stdout.isTTY = outTty;
+    const err = await main([], x, { system: { dataRoot }, runApp: () => assert.fail("opened") }).catch((e) => e);
+    assert.equal(err.exitCode, 4);
+    assert.ok(err.message.endsWith(`\n${SEAT_USAGE}\n${USAGE}`), err.message);
+  }
+  // On a terminal: the app, then the quit line.
+  const x = tty(humanEnv({ NO_COLOR: "1" }));
+  let opened;
+  await main([], x, { system: { dataRoot }, transport: () => async () => [], runApp: async (o) => ((opened = o), { how: "q", resolved: 0 }) });
+  assert.equal(opened.business, null, "no host state, no business");
+  assert.equal(opened.color, false);
+  assert.equal(x.out.text, "(app closed with q; 0 decisions resolved this session)\n");
+});
+
+test("scripts/mosaic with no argument reaches the app entry; the seat usage it printed before has not drifted", () => {
+  const env = humanEnv({ MOSAIC_CONFIG: "/nonexistent/config.json" });
+  const app = spawnSync(join(REPO, "scripts", "mosaic"), [], { env, encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] });
+  assert.equal(app.status, 4, app.stderr);
+  assert.ok(app.stderr.startsWith("mosaic: the app needs a terminal on stdin and stdout"), app.stderr);
+  assert.ok(app.stderr.endsWith(`${SEAT_USAGE}\n${USAGE}\n`));
+  const agent = spawnSync(join(REPO, "scripts", "mosaic"), [], { env: { ...env, CLAUDECODE: "1" }, encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] });
+  assert.equal(agent.status, 3);
+  const seat = spawnSync(process.execPath, [join(REPO, "packages", "seat", "src", "cli.mjs")], { env, encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] });
+  assert.equal(seat.status, 4);
+  assert.equal(seat.stderr, `refused: ${SEAT_USAGE}\n`);
+});
+
+test("strings to keep exactly live once, in the decide flow and the transport; the app does not restate them", () => {
+  const src = (f) => readFileSync(join(here, "..", "src", f), "utf8");
+  const cli = src("cli.mjs");
+  for (const s of [
+    "`your choice: ${choice} (${option.text})${effect ? `; ${effect}` : \"\"}\\n`",
+    '"this authorizes the action"',
+    '"this declines the action"',
+    "`resolve ${shortId(d.id)} with ${choice}? [y/N] `",
+    "`resolved ${d.id}: ${choice}\\n`",
+    "`outcome unknown: the broker may have recorded it. Check mosaic inbox or mosaic trail ${d.id} before trying again`",
+  ])
+    assert.ok(cli.includes(s), s);
+  assert.ok(src("transport.mjs").includes("`refused: this runs only from a human shell, outside any agent run (found ${found.join(\", \")} in the environment)`"));
+  for (const f of ["app.mjs", "screens.mjs"]) {
+    for (const s of ["authorizes the action", "declines the action", "[y/N]", "may have recorded it", "runs only from a human shell"]) assert.ok(!src(f).includes(s), `${f} restates ${s}`);
+  }
+});
+
+test("decide with --note still asks; a No sends nothing", async (t) => {
+  const s = broker(t);
+  const d = s.raise("git.push.protected", { target: "refactor" });
+  const call = s.transport("demo");
+  const asked = [];
+  const err = await resolveDecision({ call, ref: d.id, choice: "yes", note: "a reason", write: () => {}, ask: async (q) => (asked.push(q), false) }).catch((e) => e);
+  assert.equal(err.message, "not resolved");
+  assert.equal(asked.length, 1);
+  assert.ok(!s.calls.some((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve"));
+  // Off a terminal, --note without --yes refuses before anything is sent.
+  const x = io(humanEnv());
+  x.stdin.isTTY = false;
+  const off = await main(["decide", d.id, "yes", "--note", "a reason", "--business", "demo"], x, { system: { dataRoot: tmp(t) }, transport: s.transport }).catch((e) => e);
+  assert.equal(off.exitCode, 4);
+  assert.match(off.message, /stdin is not a terminal; pass --yes/);
+  assert.ok(!s.calls.some((c) => c.verb === "decision.resolve"));
+});
+
+test("the app's business comes from a live bus host only", async (t) => {
+  for (const [startTime, want] of [
+    ["not-this-process", null],
+    [startTimeOf(process.pid), "demo"],
+  ]) {
+    const dataRoot = tmp(t);
+    mkdirSync(hostDir(dataRoot), { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+    writeFileSync(hostFile(dataRoot), JSON.stringify({ pid: process.pid, startTime, business: "demo" }), { mode: 0o600 });
+    const x = io(humanEnv());
+    x.stdin.isTTY = true;
+    x.stdout.isTTY = true;
+    let opened;
+    await main([], x, { system: { dataRoot }, transport: () => async () => [], runApp: async (o) => ((opened = o), { how: "q", resolved: 0 }) });
+    assert.equal(opened.business, want, startTime);
+  }
+});
+
+// A terminal for runApp: raw mode and listeners recorded, writes kept.
+function terminal({ throwOnResize = false } = {}) {
+  const stdin = Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), { raw: [], setRawMode: (on) => stdin.raw.push(on), pause: () => {}, resume: () => {} });
+  const stdout = Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), { writes: [], write: (s) => stdout.writes.push(s), rows: 24 });
+  let resized = false;
+  Object.defineProperty(stdout, "columns", {
+    get: () => {
+      if (resized && throwOnResize) throw new Error("columns failed");
+      return 80;
+    },
+  });
+  const signals = new EventEmitter();
+  const resize = () => ((resized = true), stdout.emit("resize"));
+  return { io: { stdin, stdout }, stdin, stdout, signals, resize };
+}
+
+test("runApp leaves the terminal as it found it on q, end of input, SIGTERM, SIGINT, SIGHUP and an error", async () => {
+  const cases = [
+    ["q", (x) => x.stdin.emit("data", Buffer.from("q"))],
+    ["end of input", (x) => x.stdin.emit("end")],
+    ["SIGTERM", (x) => x.signals.emit("SIGTERM")],
+    ["SIGINT", (x) => x.signals.emit("SIGINT")],
+    ["SIGHUP", (x) => x.signals.emit("SIGHUP")],
+    ["an error", (x) => x.resize(), { throwOnResize: true }],
+  ];
+  for (const [how, act, opts] of cases) {
+    const x = terminal(opts);
+    const running = runApp({ io: x.io, business: "demo", transport: () => async () => [], color: false, refreshMs: 0, askMs: 0, signals: x.signals });
+    await new Promise((r) => setImmediate(r));
+    act(x);
+    const result = await running.then(
+      (r) => r,
+      (e) => ({ how: "an error", error: e }),
+    );
+    assert.equal(result.how, how);
+    if (how === "an error") assert.equal(result.error.message, "columns failed");
+    assert.equal(x.stdout.writes[0], "\x1b[?1049h\x1b[?25l", how);
+    assert.equal(x.stdout.writes.at(-1), "\x1b[?25h\x1b[?1049l", how);
+    assert.deepEqual(x.stdin.raw, [true, false], how);
+    for (const name of ["SIGTERM", "SIGINT", "SIGHUP"]) assert.equal(x.signals.listenerCount(name), 0, `${how} ${name}`);
+    assert.equal(x.stdin.listenerCount("data") + x.stdin.listenerCount("end") + x.stdout.listenerCount("resize"), 0, how);
+  }
+});
+
+test("draw is pure: same state, same frame", () => {
+  const state = { business: "demo", view: "inbox", data: { inbox: { list: [], at: new Date(NOW).toISOString() } }, sel: { inbox: 0, tasks: 0, agents: 0, trail: 0 }, overlay: null, command: null, status: "" };
+  assert.deepEqual(draw(state, { cols: 80, rows: 24, color: false, now: NOW }), draw(state, { cols: 80, rows: 24, color: false, now: NOW }));
+});
diff --git a/packages/queue/tests/dispatch.test.mjs b/packages/queue/tests/dispatch.test.mjs
index aa425c0b..2280cdb2 100644
--- a/packages/queue/tests/dispatch.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/queue/tests/dispatch.test.mjs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 // `scripts/mosaic queue` (A2). The dispatch must leave every other call to
 // scripts/mosaic exactly as it was: the seat CLI sees the same argv, working
 // directory, environment and stdin under the new script as under the pre-A2
-// copy in fixtures/mosaic-pre-a2.sh. Both CLIs are fakes that record what
-// they got; nothing here runs a seat or touches a queue.
+// copy in fixtures/mosaic-pre-a2.sh. Row 55 (Sage, 2026-10-11) sends the call
+// with no argument to the app in packages/cli instead. The CLIs are fakes that
+// record what they got; nothing here runs a seat or touches a queue.
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { cpSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, realpathSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
@@ -23,13 +24,13 @@ process.stderr.write("fake err\\n");
 process.exitCode = Number(process.env.EXIT);
 `;
 
-// A root holding `script` as scripts/mosaic and both fake CLIs.
+// A root holding `script` as scripts/mosaic and the fake CLIs.
 function root(t, script) {
   const r = realpathSync(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "mosaic-queue-dispatch-")));
   t.after(() => rmSync(r, { recursive: true, force: true }));
   mkdirSync(join(r, "scripts"));
   cpSync(script, join(r, "scripts/mosaic"));
-  for (const pkg of ["seat", "queue"]) {
+  for (const pkg of ["seat", "queue", "cli"]) {
     mkdirSync(join(r, `packages/${pkg}/src`), { recursive: true });
     writeFileSync(join(r, `packages/${pkg}/src/cli.mjs`), FAKE);
   }
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@ function call(r, args, exit = 7) {
 const SEAT_CALLS = [
   ["launch", "--repo", "/srv/repo", "--harness", "pi", "darkwing"],
   ["seat", "task", "darkwing", "text with  two spaces", ""],
-  [],
   [""],
   ["launch", "queue"],
   ["Queue", "list"],
@@ -73,6 +73,19 @@ test("every call but `queue` reaches the seat CLI exactly as before A2", (t) =>
   }
 });
 
+test("no argument reaches the app entry in packages/cli, and only that call", (t) => {
+  const r = root(t, join(SCRIPTS, "mosaic"));
+  const got = call(r, []);
+  assert.deepEqual([got.status, got.out, got.err], [7, "fake out\n", "fake err\n"]);
+  const c = JSON.parse(got.capture);
+  assert.deepEqual([c.cli, c.argv, c.cwd, c.stdin], ["/packages/cli/src/cli.mjs", [], "<ROOT>/work", "stdin line\nsecond\n"]);
+  // Before row 55 the same call went to the seat CLI, with the same
+  // environment the app now gets.
+  const before = call(root(t, join(HERE, "fixtures", "mosaic-pre-a2.sh")), []);
+  assert.equal(JSON.parse(before.capture).cli, "/packages/seat/src/cli.mjs");
+  assert.deepEqual(c.env, JSON.parse(before.capture).env);
+});
+
 test("`queue` reaches the queue CLI with the rest of the arguments", (t) => {
   const r = root(t, join(SCRIPTS, "mosaic"));
   for (const rest of [["list"], [], ["note", "9", "text with  spaces", "--op", "note-9-000001"], ["queue"], [""]]) {
diff --git a/scripts/mosaic b/scripts/mosaic
index b4e3a614..1f43dcb1 100755
--- a/scripts/mosaic
+++ b/scripts/mosaic
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 # repository-local and only reachable as scripts/mosaic.
 set -euo pipefail
 REPO="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+# No argument: the full-screen app on a terminal (packages/cli/README.md).
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
+  exec node "$REPO/packages/cli/src/cli.mjs"
+fi
 if [ "${1:-}" = queue ]; then
   shift
   exec node "$REPO/packages/queue/src/cli.mjs" "$@"