fix(coding-agent): honest status and prompt eviction for empty sessions

packages/coding-agent/.changes/empty-session-idle-status.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Fixed `prime-agent list` pinning an abandoned empty session at "working" forever; an empty session with nothing in flight now reports "idle".

packages/coding-agent/.changes/evict-empty-session-on-detach.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Evict an empty, unnamed session's worker as soon as its last client disconnects, instead of parking it for the idle sweep; the on-disk draft session is preserved.

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/daemon/daemon-session-list.ts

@@ -110,6 +110,17 @@ export function isSessionSummaryBusy(summary: SessionSummary): boolean {
 	return summary.isSessionActive || summary.hasRunningRlmChildren === true;
 }
 
+/** Naming signals intent to return, so named sessions are exempt even when empty. */
+export function isEvictableEmptySessionSummary(summary: SessionSummary): boolean {
+	return (
+		summary.messageCount === 0 &&
+		!summary.sessionName &&
+		!isSessionSummaryBusy(summary) &&
+		summary.hasRegisteredHeartbeat !== true &&
+		summary.hasRegisteredCronJob !== true
+	);
+}
+
 export function buildSessionList(
 	activeSessions: readonly ActiveSessionState[],
 	savedSessions: readonly SessionInfo[],
@@ -395,6 +406,10 @@ export function activeActivityForSession(activeSession: ActiveSessionState): Ses
 	if (activeSession.runtime.metadata?.kind === "subagent") {
 		return "idle";
 	}
+	// An empty session never gets a summarizer verdict; don't hold it at "working" forever.
+	if (activeSession.runtime.session.messages.length === 0) {
+		return "idle";
+	}
 	// Hold at "working" until the idle verdict is current, so the view never
 	// buckets an unlabeled idle session.
 	return isSummaryCurrent(activeSession) ? "idle" : "working";

packages/coding-agent/src/modes/daemon/daemon-supervisor.ts

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ import { getDaemonRuntimeIdentity } from "./daemon-runtime-identity.js";
 import { matchesSessionIdSuffix } from "./daemon-session-id.js";
 import {
 	classifySessionRosterStatus,
+	isEvictableEmptySessionSummary,
 	isSessionSummaryBusy,
 	type SessionSummary,
 	summaryForInactiveSession,
@@ -914,6 +915,67 @@ export class DaemonSupervisor {
 		}
 	}
 
+	private async evictEmptySessionOnLastDetach(activeSessionId: string): Promise<void> {
+		if (this.shuttingDown || this.updateRestartPhase !== undefined || this.idleEvictionFence) return;
+		const worker = this.matchWorkers(activeSessionId)[0]?.worker;
+		if (
+			!worker ||
+			worker.descriptor.lifecycle !== "ready" ||
+			!worker.client ||
+			worker.descriptor.ownerClientId !== undefined || // owned workers have their own cleanup path
+			this.isWorkerStopping(worker)
+		) {
+			return;
+		}
+		try {
+			await this.refreshWorkerSummaries(worker);
+		} catch {
+			return;
+		}
+		if (!this.isEmptyDetachEvictionCandidate(worker) || this.idleEvictionFence) return;
+		// Idle-sweep coordination: fence new mutations, drain admitted ones, re-read before deciding.
+		let releaseFence: () => void = () => {};
+		const fence = new Promise<void>((resolveFence) => {
+			releaseFence = resolveFence;
+		});
+		this.idleEvictionFence = fence;
+		try {
+			await this.mutationDrain.waitForDrain(
+				0,
+				AbortSignal.timeout(IDLE_EVICTION_DRAIN_TIMEOUT_MS),
+				"Timed out draining daemon mutations for empty-session eviction",
+			);
+			await this.refreshWorkerSummaries(worker);
+			if (!this.isEmptyDetachEvictionCandidate(worker)) return;
+			await this.stopWorker(worker, true);
+			this.log(
+				`Evicted empty session worker ${worker.descriptor.workerId} root=${worker.descriptor.rootSessionId ?? worker.descriptor.rootActiveSessionId} on last client detach`,
+			);
+		} catch (error) {
+			this.log(`Empty-session eviction failed for worker ${worker.descriptor.workerId}: ${String(error)}`);
+		} finally {
+			if (this.idleEvictionFence === fence) this.idleEvictionFence = undefined;
+			releaseFence();
+		}
+	}
+
+	private isEmptyDetachEvictionCandidate(worker: ResidentWorker): boolean {
+		if (
+			this.shuttingDown ||
+			this.updateRestartPhase !== undefined ||
+			this.workers.get(worker.descriptor.workerId) !== worker ||
+			this.isWorkerStopping(worker)
+		) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		const summaries = [...worker.summaries.values()];
+		const hasAttachedClient = summaries.some((summary) => {
+			const summaryActiveSessionId = summary.activeSessionId ?? summary.id;
+			return [...this.clients].some((client) => client.attachedActiveSessionIds.has(summaryActiveSessionId));
+		});
+		return summaries.length > 0 && !hasAttachedClient && summaries.every(isEvictableEmptySessionSummary);
+	}
+
 	private async assertCurrentOwnership(): Promise<void> {
 		const ownership = this.ownership;
 		if (!ownership) {
@@ -1106,6 +1168,7 @@ export class DaemonSupervisor {
 			for (const activeSessionId of [...client.attachedActiveSessionIds]) {
 				client.attachedActiveSessionIds.delete(activeSessionId);
 				void this.syncWorkerExtensionUi(activeSessionId);
+				void this.evictEmptySessionOnLastDetach(activeSessionId);
 			}
 			this.scheduleOwnedWorkerCleanupForClient(this.protocolClientId(client));
 		};
@@ -4174,6 +4237,7 @@ export class DaemonSupervisor {
 			client.catchupPurposes?.delete(resolvedId);
 			this.write(client, { type: "session_detached", activeSessionId: resolvedId });
 			void this.syncWorkerExtensionUi(resolvedId);
+			void this.evictEmptySessionOnLastDetach(resolvedId);
 		}
 	}
 

packages/coding-agent/test/daemon-session-list.test.ts

@@ -230,6 +230,12 @@ describe("buildSessionList", () => {
 
 		expect(summary.sessionActions).toMatchObject({ queuedCount: 0, active: { kind: "turn" } });
 		expect(summary.unfinishedActionCount).toBe(3);
+		expect(summary.activity).toBe("working");
+	});
+
+	it("marks an empty resident session idle instead of holding it at working", () => {
+		const summary = summaryForActiveSession(makeState({ activeSessionId: "empty" }));
+		expect(summary.activity).toBe("idle");
 	});
 
 	it("marks a finished subagent idle instead of holding it at working", () => {

packages/coding-agent/test/daemon-supervisor-eviction.test.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ interface SupervisorInternals {
 	workers: Map<string, WorkerFixture>;
 	clients: Set<{ id: string; attachedActiveSessionIds: Set<string> }>;
 	idleEvictionFence?: Promise<void>;
+	mutationDrain: { begin(): void; end(): void };
 	catalog: { resolve: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>; stop: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn> };
 	createOrReuseWorker: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
 	stopWorker: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
@@ -442,3 +443,125 @@ describe("daemon supervisor whole-tree eviction", () => {
 		expect(supervisor.createOrReuseWorker).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 	});
 });
+
+describe("daemon supervisor empty-session eviction on detach", () => {
+	function makeDetachClient(id: string, attached: string[]) {
+		return { id, attachedActiveSessionIds: new Set(attached), socket: { destroyed: true } };
+	}
+
+	async function settle(): Promise<void> {
+		await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 25));
+	}
+
+	it("evicts only abandoned empty unnamed sessions, and only on the last detach", async () => {
+		const now = Date.parse("2026-08-01T12:00:00.000Z");
+		const supervisor = makeSupervisor();
+		const empty = makeWorker("empty", [makeSummary("empty-root", now, { messageCount: 0 })]);
+		const exempt = [
+			makeWorker("named", [makeSummary("named-root", now, { messageCount: 0, sessionName: "keep me" })]),
+			makeWorker("busy", [makeSummary("busy-root", now, { messageCount: 0, isSessionActive: true })]),
+			makeWorker("one-message", [makeSummary("one-message-root", now)]),
+			makeWorker("heartbeat", [
+				makeSummary("heartbeat-root", now, { messageCount: 0, hasRegisteredHeartbeat: true }),
+			]),
+			makeWorker("cron", [makeSummary("cron-root", now, { messageCount: 0, hasRegisteredCronJob: true })]),
+			makeWorker("owned", [makeSummary("owned-root", now, { messageCount: 0 })]),
+		];
+		exempt[5]!.descriptor.ownerClientId = "owner";
+		for (const worker of [empty, ...exempt]) {
+			supervisor.workers.set(worker.descriptor.workerId, worker);
+		}
+		const first = makeDetachClient("first", ["empty-root"]);
+		const viewer = makeDetachClient("viewer", [
+			"empty-root",
+			"named-root",
+			"busy-root",
+			"one-message-root",
+			"heartbeat-root",
+			"cron-root",
+			"owned-root",
+		]);
+		supervisor.clients.add(first);
+		supervisor.clients.add(viewer);
+
+		await supervisor.handleCommand(first, { id: "detach-1", type: "detach", activeSessionId: "empty-root" });
+		await settle();
+		expect(supervisor.stopWorker).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+		await supervisor.handleCommand(viewer, { id: "detach-all", type: "detach" });
+		await vi.waitFor(() => expect(supervisor.stopWorker).toHaveBeenCalledWith(empty, true));
+		await settle();
+		expect(supervisor.stopWorker).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect([...supervisor.workers.keys()].sort()).toEqual([
+			"busy",
+			"cron",
+			"heartbeat",
+			"named",
+			"one-message",
+			"owned",
+		]);
+		expect(supervisor.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("Evicted empty session worker empty"));
+	});
+
+	it("does not stop a worker that was replaced while its summary refresh was in flight", async () => {
+		const now = Date.parse("2026-08-01T12:00:00.000Z");
+		const supervisor = makeSupervisor();
+		const worker = makeWorker("swap", [makeSummary("swap-root", now, { messageCount: 0 })]);
+		let releaseList!: () => void;
+		worker.client!.request.mockImplementation(
+			() =>
+				new Promise((resolve) => {
+					releaseList = () => resolve(success(undefined, "list", { sessions: [...worker.summaries.values()] }));
+				}),
+		);
+		supervisor.workers.set("swap", worker);
+		const client = makeDetachClient("viewer", ["swap-root"]);
+		supervisor.clients.add(client);
+
+		await supervisor.handleCommand(client, { id: "detach", type: "detach", activeSessionId: "swap-root" });
+		await vi.waitFor(() => expect(worker.client!.request).toHaveBeenCalled());
+		const successor = makeWorker("swap", [makeSummary("swap-root", now, { messageCount: 0 })]);
+		supervisor.workers.set("swap", successor);
+		releaseList();
+		await settle();
+
+		expect(supervisor.stopWorker).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(supervisor.workers.get("swap")).toBe(successor);
+	});
+
+	it("does not evict when a mutation admitted during the refresh registers a schedule", async () => {
+		const now = Date.parse("2026-08-01T12:00:00.000Z");
+		const supervisor = makeSupervisor();
+		const worker = makeWorker("gap", [makeSummary("gap-root", now, { messageCount: 0 })]);
+		let releaseList!: () => void;
+		worker.client!.request.mockImplementationOnce(
+			() =>
+				new Promise((resolve) => {
+					releaseList = () =>
+						resolve(
+							success(undefined, "list", { sessions: [makeSummary("gap-root", now, { messageCount: 0 })] }),
+						);
+				}),
+		);
+		supervisor.workers.set("gap", worker);
+		const client = makeDetachClient("viewer", ["gap-root"]);
+		supervisor.clients.add(client);
+
+		await supervisor.handleCommand(client, { id: "detach", type: "detach", activeSessionId: "gap-root" });
+		await vi.waitFor(() => expect(worker.client!.request).toHaveBeenCalled());
+		// A heartbeat_set admitted mid-refresh registers a schedule before the eviction decision.
+		supervisor.mutationDrain.begin();
+		worker.client!.request.mockImplementation(async () =>
+			success(undefined, "list", {
+				sessions: [makeSummary("gap-root", now, { messageCount: 0, hasRegisteredHeartbeat: true })],
+			}),
+		);
+		releaseList();
+		await settle();
+		supervisor.mutationDrain.end();
+		await settle();
+
+		expect(supervisor.stopWorker).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(supervisor.workers.get("gap")).toBe(worker);
+	});
+});