fix(agents): skip Codex's startup update prompt on Orca-driven launches

src/main/automations/headless-automation-agent-launch.test.ts

@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ function harness(options: { startupTerminal?: Record<string, unknown> | null } =
       paneKey: 'tab-1:leaf-1',
       ptyId: 'pty-1',
       worktreeId: 'wt-1',
-      title: 'Nightly'
+      title: 'Nightly',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true
     })),
     showManagedWorktree: vi.fn(async () => ({ displayName: 'repo' })),
     getAgentStatusRowsForPane: vi.fn((_paneKey: string) => [
@@ -124,7 +125,8 @@ describe('headless automation agent launch', () => {
     expect(runtime.launchAgentTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('id:wt-1', {
       agent: 'hermes',
       prompt: 'fix the flaky test',
-      title: 'Nightly'
+      title: 'Nightly',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true
     })
     expect(runtime.deliverStartupFollowup).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect(launched.terminalHandle).toBe('term_existing')
@@ -139,6 +141,7 @@ describe('headless automation agent launch', () => {
       agent: 'claude',
       prompt: 'fix the flaky test',
       title: 'Nightly',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
       extraAgentArgs: '--model opus'
     })
     expect(runtime.deliverStartupFollowup).not.toHaveBeenCalled()

src/main/automations/headless-automation-agent-launch.ts

@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ export async function launchHeadlessAutomationAgent(
           agent,
           prompt: startupPrompt ?? '',
           title: run.title,
+          suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
           ...(automation.extraAgentArgs ? { extraAgentArgs: automation.extraAgentArgs } : {})
         })
         terminal = launched

src/main/automations/headless-workspace-create.ts

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export function buildHeadlessAutomationWorktreeCreateArgs({
     createdWithAgent: automation.agentId,
     startupAgent: automation.agentId,
     startupPrompt: automation.prompt,
+    startupSuppressUpdatePrompt: true,
     ...(automation.extraAgentArgs ? { startupExtraAgentArgs: automation.extraAgentArgs } : {}),
     telemetrySource: 'unknown',
     automationProvenance: buildAutomationWorkspaceProvenance(automation, run, repo, createdAt)

src/main/automations/runtime-automation-service.test.ts

@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ describe('headless automation dispatch', () => {
     expect(runtime.launchAgentTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('id:wt-1', {
       agent: 'goose',
       prompt: '',
-      title: 'Nightly'
+      title: 'Nightly',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true
     })
     expect(runtime.waitForTerminal).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: captured from the mocked constructor above.
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ describe('headless automation dispatch with extra agent args', () => {
       agent: 'claude',
       prompt: 'go',
       title: 'Nightly',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
       extraAgentArgs: '--model opus'
     })
   })

src/main/ipc/pty-agent-pane-launch.test.ts

@@ -145,6 +145,18 @@ describe('a pane that starts its own agent launch', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  // Why: the window submits a handoff into this pane, and Enter picks Codex's "Update now" (#18153).
+  it('plans a pane whose prompt the window submits without the startup update prompt', async () => {
+    const runtime = register(vi.fn(async () => ({ id: 'pty-agent' })))
+
+    await spawnPane({ ...AI_BUTTON, suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true })
+
+    expect(runtime.planAgentPaneLaunch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      worktreeId,
+      expect.objectContaining({ startupAgent: 'claude', suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true })
+    )
+  })
+
   // Planned command quoting requires the planner's runtime shell; an inferred tab shell can reject WSL-share repos.
   it("runs the plan's runtime shell, not the tab's, as a host launch does", async () => {
     const providerSpawn = vi.fn(async (_options: { shellOverride?: string }) => ({

src/main/ipc/pty/ipc/spawn-agent-launch.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ export async function planPaneAgentLaunch(ctx: PtyIpcSpawnState): Promise<void>
       ? request.launch
       : undefined
   const params = AgentLaunch.safeParse({ ...launch, paneKey })
+  const suppressStartupUpdatePrompt =
+    request !== null &&
+    'suppressStartupUpdatePrompt' in request &&
+    request.suppressStartupUpdatePrompt === true
   if (
     !runtime ||
     !paneKey ||
@@ -115,7 +119,8 @@ export async function planPaneAgentLaunch(ctx: PtyIpcSpawnState): Promise<void>
     ...(intent.agentArgs !== undefined ? { agentArgs: intent.agentArgs } : {}),
     ...(launchPreferences ? { launchPreferences } : {}),
     ...(intent.launchSource ? { launchSource: intent.launchSource } : {}),
-    ...(intent.cwd ? { cwd: intent.cwd } : {})
+    ...(intent.cwd ? { cwd: intent.cwd } : {}),
+    ...(suppressStartupUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt } : {})
   })
   ctx.paneAgentLaunch.launchRuntime = planned.launchRuntime
   ctx.args = withPlannedLaunch(args, planned)

src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-tests/terminal-creation-and-readiness-part-02.spec.ts

@@ -550,6 +550,33 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
     expect(spawnCall?.env).toMatchObject({ CURSOR_PROFILE: 'captured' })
   })
 
+  // Why: workers and host-launched handoffs build their Codex command here (#15814, #18153).
+  it('skips the startup update prompt on the spawned command only when the launch asks', async () => {
+    const spawn = vi.fn(async (_options: { command?: string }) => ({ id: 'pty-bg' }))
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService({
+      ...store,
+      getSettings: () => ({ ...store.getSettings(), disabledTuiAgents: [], agentCmdOverrides: {} })
+    })
+    runtime.setPtyController({
+      spawn,
+      write: () => true,
+      kill: () => true,
+      getForegroundProcess: async () => null
+    })
+
+    await runtime.createTerminal(`path:${TEST_WORKTREE_PATH}`, {
+      startupAgent: 'codex',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true
+    })
+    await runtime.createTerminal(`path:${TEST_WORKTREE_PATH}`, { startupAgent: 'codex' })
+
+    const [suppressed, ordinary] = spawn.mock.calls.map(([options]) => options.command)
+    expect(ordinary).not.toContain('check_for_update_on_startup')
+    expect(suppressed).toBe(
+      ordinary?.replace(/^codex/, "codex '-c' 'check_for_update_on_startup=false'")
+    )
+  })
+
   it('resolves a startupAgent to the CLI binary on Windows, where `cursor` is the IDE', async () => {
     setPlatform('win32')
     const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-bg' })

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-agent-launch.test.ts

@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ describe('a federated worker through the launch executor', () => {
       createdWithAgent: 'claude',
       startupAgent: 'claude',
       startupLaunchSource: 'orchestration',
+      startupSuppressUpdatePrompt: true,
       startupLaunchPreferences: { model: 'opus' },
       activate: false,
       lineage: { noParent: true }
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ describe('a federated worker through the launch executor', () => {
     expect(f.runtime.createTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('id:folder:remote', {
       startupAgent: 'claude',
       launchSource: 'orchestration',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
       launchPreferences: { model: 'opus' },
       title: 'worker-task_remote',
       presentation: 'background'

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-agent-launch.ts

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ export async function launchFederatedWorkerAgent(args: {
           createdWithAgent: agent,
           startupAgent: agent,
           startupLaunchSource: 'orchestration',
+          startupSuppressUpdatePrompt: true,
           ...(args.launchPreferences ? { startupLaunchPreferences: args.launchPreferences } : {}),
           activate: false,
           lineage: { noParent: true }
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ export async function launchFederatedWorkerAgent(args: {
           // its CLI is `cursor-agent`); resolve through the TUI agent config.
           startupAgent: agent,
           launchSource: 'orchestration',
+          suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
           ...(args.launchPreferences ? { launchPreferences: args.launchPreferences } : {}),
           title: `worker-${params.taskId}`,
           presentation: 'background'

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/worker/composed-workers.test.ts

@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ describe('orchestration RPC methods', () => {
       expect(runtime.createTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('id:repo::worktree', {
         startupAgent: 'codex',
         launchSource: 'orchestration',
+        suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
         title: `worker-${task.id}`,
         surfaceOwner: false
       })

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/worker/worker-start-launch-executor-parity.test.ts

@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ describe('a fresh worker through the launch executor', () => {
     expect(f.runtime.createTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('id:wt_new', {
       startupAgent: 'claude',
       launchSource: 'orchestration',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
       title: 'worker-task_1',
       surfaceOwner: false
     })
@@ -258,6 +259,7 @@ describe('a fresh worker through the launch executor', () => {
     expect(f.runtime.createTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledWith('id:wt_existing', {
       startupAgent: 'claude',
       launchSource: 'orchestration',
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
       title: 'worker-task_1',
       surfaceOwner: false
     })

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/worker/worker-topology.ts

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ export async function createExistingWorktreeWorkerTerminal(args: {
     // configured launcher instead of executing the raw id.
     startupAgent: args.agent,
     launchSource: 'orchestration',
+    suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true,
     ...(args.launchPreferences ? { launchPreferences: args.launchPreferences } : {}),
     title: `worker-${args.taskId}`,
     // Why: dispatching a worker is background work; it must not pull the sidebar

src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/worker/worker-worktree-creation.ts

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export async function createWorkerWorktree(args: {
       ? {
           startupAgent: args.agent,
           startupLaunchSource: 'orchestration',
+          startupSuppressUpdatePrompt: true,
           ...(args.launchPreferences ? { startupLaunchPreferences: args.launchPreferences } : {})
         }
       : {}),

src/main/runtime/runtime-agent-terminal-startup.ts

@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ async function buildRuntimeAgentTerminalStartupOptions(
       isRemote,
       ...(opts.agentArgs !== undefined ? { agentArgs: opts.agentArgs } : {}),
       shell: agentLaunchQuotingShell(runtime),
-      sessionOptions: host.toSessionOptions(opts.launchPreferences)
+      sessionOptions: host.toSessionOptions(opts.launchPreferences),
+      ...(opts.suppressStartupUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {})
     }),
     prompt: opts.startupPrompt ?? '',
     cwd: resolveTerminalStartupCwd(workspace.path, opts.cwd) ?? workspace.path,

src/main/runtime/runtime-managed-worktree-create-types.ts

@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ export type RuntimeManagedWorktreeCreateArgs = {
   startupAgentArgs?: string | null
   /** Main-internal: an automation's saved extras, merged over the startup agent's arguments. */
   startupExtraAgentArgs?: string
+  /** Main-internal: Orca, not a user, types into the startup agent once it starts. */
+  startupSuppressUpdatePrompt?: boolean
   startupCwd?: string
   /** The surface behind a host-built startup agent (`startupAgent` or `startupDraft`). */
   startupLaunchSource?: string

src/main/runtime/runtime-terminal-contracts.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ export type TerminalCreateOptions = {
    * the runtime still builds, so overriding them does not take the launch away from it.
    */
   agentArgs?: string | null
+  /** Main-internal: Orca, not a user, types into this `startupAgent` once it starts. */
+  suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
   /** Main-internal: the runtime fact this agent's command was quoted for; its spawn takes the PTY
    *  shell from it. Set by the host planner or a host caller that quoted with it, never a client. */
   launchRuntime?: AgentLaunchRuntime

src/main/runtime/runtime-worktree-agent-startup.ts

@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ type StartupEnvironment = {
   agentArgs?: string | null
   /** An automation's saved extras, merged over the launch's arguments. */
   extraAgentArgs?: string
+  /** Orca, not a user, types into this agent once it starts. */
+  suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
   /** Caller-supplied telemetry attribution, validated leniently at the host boundary. */
   launchSource?: string
 }
@@ -170,6 +172,7 @@ export function buildWorktreeStartupForAgent(
     isRemote: repoIsRemote(repo),
     ...(environment.agentArgs !== undefined ? { agentArgs: environment.agentArgs } : {}),
     ...(environment.extraAgentArgs ? { extraAgentArgs: environment.extraAgentArgs } : {}),
+    ...(environment.suppressStartupUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {}),
     sessionOptions: environment.toSessionOptions(environment.launchPreferences)
   })
   const prompt = environment.prompt ?? ''
@@ -229,6 +232,7 @@ export function resolveWorktreeCreateAgentStartup(
     inputs: {
       agentArgs?: string | null
       extraAgentArgs?: string
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
       launchSource?: string
       onPromptCarry?: (carried: boolean) => void
     }
@@ -245,6 +249,7 @@ export function resolveWorktreeCreateAgentStartup(
   const built = build(args.startupAgent, args.startupPrompt, args.startupLaunchPreferences, {
     ...(args.startupAgentArgs !== undefined ? { agentArgs: args.startupAgentArgs } : {}),
     ...(args.startupExtraAgentArgs ? { extraAgentArgs: args.startupExtraAgentArgs } : {}),
+    ...(args.startupSuppressUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {}),
     ...(args.startupLaunchSource ? { launchSource: args.startupLaunchSource } : {}),
     ...(args.onStartupPromptCarry ? { onPromptCarry: args.onStartupPromptCarry } : {})
   })

src/main/runtime/terminal/launch/terminal-create-deduplication.ts

@@ -153,7 +153,13 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithTerminalCreateDeduplication extends OrcaRun
 
   async launchAgentTerminal(
     worktreeSelector: string,
-    opts: { agent: TuiAgent; prompt: string; title?: string; extraAgentArgs?: string }
+    opts: {
+      agent: TuiAgent
+      prompt: string
+      title?: string
+      extraAgentArgs?: string
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
+    }
   ): Promise<RuntimeTerminalCreate> {
     const worktree = await this.resolveWorktreeSelector(worktreeSelector)
     // Why: `getRepo(id)` is host-blind; the same repo id on two hosts must build the launch for the
@@ -168,6 +174,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithTerminalCreateDeduplication extends OrcaRun
     }
     const startup = this.buildStartupForAgent(repo, opts.agent, opts.prompt, undefined, {
       ...(opts.extraAgentArgs ? { extraAgentArgs: opts.extraAgentArgs } : {}),
+      ...(opts.suppressStartupUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {}),
       launchScope: await this.resolveTerminalWorkspaceLaunchScope(`id:${worktree.id}`)
     })
     if (startup.launchRuntime instanceof Error) {

src/main/runtime/workspaces/workspace-activation.ts

@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithActivateManagedWorktree extends OrcaRuntime
     launchInputs?: {
       agentArgs?: string | null
       extraAgentArgs?: string
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
       launchSource?: string
       onPromptCarry?: (carried: boolean) => void
       /** The existing workspace it starts in; absent is a new workspace of `repo`. */
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ export abstract class OrcaRuntimeWithActivateManagedWorktree extends OrcaRuntime
       ...(launchPreferences ? { launchPreferences } : {}),
       ...(launchInputs?.agentArgs !== undefined ? { agentArgs: launchInputs.agentArgs } : {}),
       ...(launchInputs?.extraAgentArgs ? { extraAgentArgs: launchInputs.extraAgentArgs } : {}),
+      ...(launchInputs?.suppressStartupUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {}),
       ...(launchInputs?.launchSource ? { launchSource: launchInputs.launchSource } : {}),
       ...(launchInputs?.onPromptCarry ? { onPromptCarry: launchInputs.onPromptCarry } : {}),
       settings: this.store.getSettings(),

src/renderer/src/lib/agent-launch-through-host.ts

@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export type HostAgentLaunchArgs = {
   pendingActivationSpawn?: boolean
   /** The view the tab opens in, decided as for any new agent tab. */
   viewMode?: Tab['viewMode']
+  suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
 }
 
 function stringSessionOptions(options: Record<string, SessionOptionValue> | undefined): {
@@ -87,7 +88,10 @@ export function launchAgentThroughHost(args: HostAgentLaunchArgs): {
     pendingStartup: {
       command: '',
       launchAgent: args.agent,
-      agentLaunch: { launch: launchParams(args) }
+      agentLaunch: {
+        launch: launchParams(args),
+        ...(args.suppressStartupUpdatePrompt ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {})
+      }
     }
   })
   if (args.cwd?.trim()) {

src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.test.ts

@@ -895,7 +895,8 @@ describe('launchAgentInNewTab', () => {
 
     expect(queuedStartups()).toContainEqual(
       expect.objectContaining({
-        command: "codex '--model' 'gpt-5.5'"
+        // Codex's update prompt would take the Enter that submits the pasted prompt (#18153).
+        command: "codex '-c' 'check_for_update_on_startup=false' '--model' 'gpt-5.5'"
       })
     )
   })

src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-new-tab-host-route.ts

@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ export function launchNewTabPromptThroughHost(
   promptDeliveryResult: Promise<{ delivered: boolean; failureNotified: boolean }>
 } {
   const { pasteContent, submit, onPromptDelivered, onPromptDeliveryUnconfirmed, ...launch } = args
-  const { tabId, started } = launchAgentThroughHost(launch)
+  const { tabId, started } = launchAgentThroughHost({
+    ...launch,
+    suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: submit
+  })
   const pasted = pasteAgentLaunchPromptOnceReady({
     worktreeId: args.worktreeId,
     tabId,

src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-startup-prompt-plan.ts

@@ -30,10 +30,14 @@ export function planLaunchAgentStartupPrompt(args: {
 }): LaunchAgentStartupPromptPlan {
   const { base, prompt, promptDelivery, isFollowupPath } = args
   const hasPrompt = prompt.length > 0
-  const launchEmpty = (): AgentStartupPlan | null =>
-    buildAgentStartupPlan({ ...base, prompt: '', allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true })
   const pasteAfterReady = (submit: boolean): LaunchAgentStartupPromptPlan => ({
-    startupPlan: launchEmpty(),
+    startupPlan: buildAgentStartupPlan({
+      ...base,
+      prompt: '',
+      allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true,
+      // Why: Orca's own Enter must not answer a startup update prompt.
+      suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: submit
+    }),
     pasteDraftAfterLaunch: prompt,
     submitPastedPrompt: submit
   })

src/renderer/src/lib/launch-work-item-direct-agent.ts

@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ export function buildDirectWorkItemAgentStartupPlan(args: {
     isRemote: args.isRemote,
     agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
     agentEnv: effectiveAgentEnv,
-    allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
+    allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true,
+    ...(args.promptDelivery === 'submit-after-ready' ? { suppressStartupUpdatePrompt: true } : {})
   })
   if (startupPlan && args.promptDelivery === 'draft') {
     startupPlan.draftPrompt = args.draftContent

src/shared/agent-pane-launch-request.ts

@@ -4,4 +4,6 @@ import type { AgentLaunch } from './rpc-contract/agent-launch-params'
 /** `agent.launch` params a pane hands its own spawn; main names the pane, and nothing is recorded. */
 export type AgentPaneLaunchRequest = {
   launch: Omit<z.input<typeof AgentLaunch>, 'paneKey' | 'operationId'>
+  /** The window submits a prompt into this agent once it starts, so no startup update may take it. */
+  suppressStartupUpdatePrompt?: boolean
 }