fix(cli): stop the TUI startup freeze when chat recording is disabled (#10293)

packages/cli/src/ui/utils/goal-runtime.test.ts

@@ -37,6 +37,36 @@ describe('waitForGoalRuntime', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('treats a synchronous persistence-unavailable throw as settled', async () => {
+    // Config.getGoalRuntimeReady() THROWS synchronously (rather than
+    // rejecting) when chat recording is disabled, e.g. --no-chat-recording.
+    // The startup gate must swallow that throw exactly like the rejected
+    // promise above; an escaped rejection kills the AppContainer init effect
+    // and freezes the TUI on "Connecting to MCP servers..." forever (#10293).
+    const getGoalRuntimeReady = vi.fn((): Promise<GoalRuntime> => {
+      throw new GoalPersistenceUnavailableError();
+    });
+
+    await expect(waitForGoalRuntime({ getGoalRuntimeReady })).resolves.toBe(
+      true,
+    );
+    await expect(
+      waitForGoalRuntime({ getGoalRuntimeReady }, { timeoutMs: 100 }),
+    ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    expect(getGoalRuntimeReady).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it('does not hide a synchronous throw of any other error', async () => {
+    const failure = new Error('unsupported Goal lifecycle record');
+    const getGoalRuntimeReady = vi.fn((): Promise<GoalRuntime> => {
+      throw failure;
+    });
+
+    await expect(waitForGoalRuntime({ getGoalRuntimeReady })).rejects.toBe(
+      failure,
+    );
+  });
+
   it('resolves true once the runtime settles within the timeout', async () => {
     const getGoalRuntimeReady = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({});
     await expect(

packages/cli/src/ui/utils/goal-runtime.ts

@@ -54,10 +54,14 @@ export async function waitForGoalRuntime(
   config: Pick<Config, 'getGoalRuntimeReady'>,
   options: { timeoutMs?: number } = {},
 ): Promise<boolean> {
-  const ready = config.getGoalRuntimeReady();
   const awaitReady = async (): Promise<void> => {
     try {
-      await ready;
+      // The call itself must stay inside the try: with chat recording
+      // disabled (--no-chat-recording, settings) getGoalRuntimeReady()
+      // THROWS synchronously instead of rejecting, and an escaped throw
+      // rejects the AppContainer startup effect, freezing the TUI on the
+      // init banner forever.
+      await config.getGoalRuntimeReady();
     } catch (error) {
       if (!(error instanceof GoalPersistenceUnavailableError)) throw error;
     }