diff --git a/.changeset/fast-agent-manager-terminals.md b/.changeset/fast-agent-manager-terminals.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6beace30f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fast-agent-manager-terminals.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"kilo-code": patch
+---
+
+Open Agent Manager terminals faster and avoid delayed shell prompts.
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/AgentManagerProvider.ts b/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/AgentManagerProvider.ts
index bf72af74ab8..7670f9549ff 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/AgentManagerProvider.ts
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/AgentManagerProvider.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ export class AgentManagerProvider implements Disposable {
     )
     this.terminalRouter = new TerminalRouter({
       getClient: () => this.connectionService.getClient(),
+      getClientAsync: () => this.connectionService.getClientAsync(this.getRoot()),
       getServerConfig: () => this.connectionService.getServerConfig() ?? undefined,
       getRoot: () => this.getRoot(),
       getWorktreePath: (id) => this.getStateManager()?.getWorktree(id)?.path,
@@ -906,8 +907,9 @@ export class AgentManagerProvider implements Disposable {
       case "agentManager.toggleSectionCollapsed":
       case "agentManager.moveToSection":
       case "agentManager.moveSection":
-      case "agentManager.terminal.create":
         return true
+      case "agentManager.terminal.create":
+        return m.worktreeId !== null
       default:
         return false
     }
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/terminal-routing.ts b/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/terminal-routing.ts
index 566952f9b21..3fef7352ed0 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/terminal-routing.ts
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/src/agent-manager/terminal-routing.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ interface ServerConfig {
 export interface TerminalRoutingDeps {
   /** Shared SDK client. Throws when the CLI backend is not connected. */
   getClient(): KiloClient
+  /** Shared SDK client, connecting the CLI backend when needed. */
+  getClientAsync(): Promise<KiloClient>
   /** Loopback URL + basic-auth password for the running `kilo serve`. */
   getServerConfig(): ServerConfig | undefined
   /** Workspace root — used as cwd fallback when no worktree is selected (LOCAL). */
@@ -119,6 +121,9 @@ export class TerminalRouter {
     }
     const title = `Terminal ${this.nextOrdinal(worktreeId)}`
     try {
+      // Join the shared backend connection instead of racing its synchronous
+      // client accessor when this is the first Kilo action in the window.
+      await this.deps.getClientAsync()
       const created = await manager.create({ worktreeId, cwd, title })
       if (generation !== this.generation) {
         await manager.close(created.terminalId)
@@ -182,6 +187,9 @@ export class TerminalRouter {
     const token = Buffer.from(`kilo:${config.password}`).toString("base64")
     const dir = encodeURIComponent(cwd)
     const auth = encodeURIComponent(token)
-    return `${base}/pty/${encodeURIComponent(ptyID)}/connect?directory=${dir}&cursor=-1&auth_token=${auth}`
+    // A new terminal has one initial attachment. Replay its retained startup
+    // bytes so xterm can answer shell capability queries emitted before the
+    // WebSocket connected; tailing from -1 can make shells wait for a timeout.
+    return `${base}/pty/${encodeURIComponent(ptyID)}/connect?directory=${dir}&cursor=0&auth_token=${auth}`
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-font.test.ts b/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-font.test.ts
index 64504d2600b..02b7fffe27b 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-font.test.ts
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-font.test.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ describe("Agent Manager terminal font", () => {
     const message = new Promise<AgentManagerOutMessage>((resolve) => {
       const router = new TerminalRouter({
         getClient: () => client,
+        getClientAsync: async () => client,
         getServerConfig: () => ({ baseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:4096", password: "secret" }),
         getRoot: () => "/workspace",
         getWorktreePath: () => undefined,
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ describe("Agent Manager terminal font", () => {
     expect(created.font).toEqual(font)
     expect(created.worktreeId).toBeNull()
     expect(created.wsUrl).toContain("/pty/pty-1/connect")
+    expect(created.wsUrl).toContain("cursor=0")
   })
 
   it("keeps the created font in terminal state", () => {
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-routing.test.ts b/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-routing.test.ts
index bfa243d1fc8..ffa58bd6db6 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-routing.test.ts
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/tests/unit/agent-manager-terminal-routing.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ describe("Agent Manager terminal routing", () => {
     } as unknown as KiloClient
     const router = new TerminalRouter({
       getClient: () => client,
+      getClientAsync: async () => client,
       getServerConfig: () => ({ baseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:4096", password: "secret" }),
       getRoot: () => "/workspace",
       getWorktreePath: (id) => (id === "wt-1" ? "/workspace/wt-1" : undefined),
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ describe("Agent Manager terminal routing", () => {
     } as unknown as KiloClient
     const router = new TerminalRouter({
       getClient: () => client,
+      getClientAsync: async () => client,
       getServerConfig: () => ({ baseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:4096", password: "secret" }),
       getRoot: () => "/workspace",
       getWorktreePath: () => undefined,
@@ -108,4 +110,46 @@ describe("Agent Manager terminal routing", () => {
     await router.dispose()
     expect(removed).toContain("pty-new")
   })
+
+  it("awaits the shared backend connection before creating a terminal", async () => {
+    let connected = false
+    const client = {
+      pty: {
+        create: async () => ({ data: { id: "pty-1", title: "Terminal 1" } }),
+        remove: async () => ({ data: true }),
+        update: async () => ({ data: true }),
+      },
+    } as unknown as KiloClient
+    const router = new TerminalRouter({
+      getClient: () => {
+        if (!connected) throw new Error("Not connected")
+        return client
+      },
+      getClientAsync: async () => {
+        await wait()
+        connected = true
+        return client
+      },
+      getServerConfig: () => ({ baseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:4096", password: "secret" }),
+      getRoot: () => "/workspace",
+      getWorktreePath: () => undefined,
+      log: () => undefined,
+      post: (message) => messages.push(message),
+      getTerminalFont: () => font,
+    })
+
+    const messages: AgentManagerOutMessage[] = []
+    router.handle({
+      type: "agentManager.terminal.create",
+      createId: "real",
+      placement: "tab",
+      worktreeId: null,
+    })
+    expect(messages).toHaveLength(0)
+    await wait()
+    await wait()
+
+    expect(messages[0]).toMatchObject({ type: "agentManager.terminal.created", createId: "real" })
+    await router.dispose()
+  })
 })