diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
index fd43c036dc..8be6926502 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
@@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ impl App {
         {
             if self.overlay.is_none()
                 && self.chat_widget.no_modal_or_popup_active()
-                && self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+                && self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
                 && (crate::key_hint::plain(KeyCode::Esc).is_press(*key)
                     || (crate::key_hint::plain(KeyCode::Left).is_press(*key)
                         && self.chat_widget.agents_navigation_key_available()))
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview.rs
index 8ca06f0463..974f1a2ad9 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/agents_overview.rs
@@ -562,8 +562,7 @@ impl App {
         }
         let is_new_session = started.is_some();
         if self.current_displayed_thread_id() == Some(root_thread_id)
-            && (!self.thread_unavailable(root_thread_id)
-                || self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view())
+            && (!self.thread_unavailable(root_thread_id) || self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view())
         {
             // Keep the displayed read-only snapshot frozen; R explicitly retries attachment.
             if let Ok(mut state) = self.agents_overview.view_state.lock() {
@@ -1003,8 +1002,7 @@ impl App {
         }
 
         if self.current_displayed_thread_id() != Some(root_thread_id)
-            || (self.thread_unavailable(root_thread_id)
-                && !self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view())
+            || (self.thread_unavailable(root_thread_id) && !self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view())
         {
             self.select_agent_thread(tui, app_server, root_thread_id)
                 .await?;
@@ -1012,7 +1010,7 @@ impl App {
         if self.current_displayed_thread_id() == Some(root_thread_id) {
             self.remember_attached_host_project(app_server);
         }
-        let read_only = self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view();
+        let read_only = self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view();
         if !read_only {
             self.replay_agents_overview_requests(app_server, root_thread_id)
                 .await;
@@ -1049,7 +1047,7 @@ impl App {
         mut input: ThreadInputState,
         pending_settings: Option<codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadSettingsUpdatedNotification>,
     ) {
-        let preserve_in_flight_turn = !self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+        let preserve_in_flight_turn = !self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
             && self.active_turn_id_for_thread(thread_id).await.is_some();
         self.reconcile_saved_session_input(thread_id, &mut input)
             .await;
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/input.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/input.rs
index 6968ef6e2c..3456d1f119 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/input.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/input.rs
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ impl App {
                 _ => {}
             }
         }
-        if self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+        if self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
             && self.overlay.is_none()
             && self.chat_widget.no_modal_or_popup_active()
             && key_event.kind == KeyEventKind::Press
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ impl App {
             return;
         }
 
-        if self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+        if self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
             && self.overlay.is_none()
             && self.chat_widget.no_modal_or_popup_active()
         {
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ impl App {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn should_handle_backtrack_esc(&self, key_event: KeyEvent) -> bool {
-        !self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+        !self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
             && !self.chat_widget.has_provider_error()
             && !self.chat_widget.side_conversation_active()
             && !self.chat_widget.shortcut_overlay_visible()
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/owned_transcript.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/owned_transcript.rs
index ea97361ad0..a4c54fb1d6 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/owned_transcript.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/owned_transcript.rs
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ impl App {
             None => (None, None),
         };
         let mut composer_gap = (!self.chat_widget.has_active_view()
-            && !self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view())
+            && !self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view())
         .then(crate::bottom_pane::ComposerGap::default);
         let prompt_footer = if self.pane_resize.is_some() {
             Some(crate::bottom_pane::TranscriptFooter {
@@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ impl App {
         // Search and selection still consume Escape first to dismiss their interaction.
         if let TuiEvent::Key(key) = event
             && !self.transcript_view.has_active_interaction()
-            && (self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view() || self.chat_widget.has_provider_error())
+            && (self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view() || self.chat_widget.has_provider_error())
             && crate::key_hint::plain(KeyCode::Esc).is_press(*key)
         {
             return Ok(false);
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/reconnect.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/reconnect.rs
index fb82daa3fc..e5993062a0 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/reconnect.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/reconnect.rs
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ impl App {
                 return Err(err);
             }
             self.config = self.chat_widget.config_ref().clone();
-            if self.thread_unavailable(id) && !self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view() {
+            if self.thread_unavailable(id) && !self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view() {
                 self.agent_navigation.mark_stopped(id);
                 self.chat_widget.pause_unavailable_thread();
                 self.chat_widget.add_info_message("This conversation is unavailable. Its cached transcript and draft remain here; input is paused. Open the agent picker or return to the parent to continue.".into(), /*hint*/ None);
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/session_lifecycle.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/session_lifecycle.rs
index e6590b5227..bf0c5b991f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/session_lifecycle.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/session_lifecycle.rs
@@ -1825,7 +1825,7 @@ impl App {
             && owned_channel.is_some()
             && (refreshing_history
                 || was_reconnecting
-                || self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+                || self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
                 || self.chat_widget.has_provider_error()))
         .then(|| self.chat_widget.capture_thread_input_state())
         .flatten();
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/turn_tips.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/turn_tips.rs
index caf751a65e..bdc48c4212 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/turn_tips.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/turn_tips.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ impl App {
         if !self.local_settings.tui.show_tooltips
             || !self.chat_widget.no_modal_or_popup_active()
             || !self.chat_widget.composer_is_empty()
-            || self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view()
+            || self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view()
             || self.chat_widget.has_queued_follow_up_messages()
             || self.backtrack.primed
             || self.backtrack.overlay_preview_active
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app_backtrack/legacy_input.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app_backtrack/legacy_input.rs
index 00ad989f76..c70457a9c6 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app_backtrack/legacy_input.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app_backtrack/legacy_input.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ impl App {
                     kind: KeyEventKind::Press,
                     ..
                 }) => {
-                    if self.chat_widget.is_external_writer_view() {
+                    if self.chat_widget.is_read_only_view() {
                         self.close_transcript_overlay(tui);
                     } else {
                         self.begin_overlay_backtrack_preview(tui);
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
index 2e7b7115b6..af37992c19 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
@@ -1899,6 +1899,10 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.external_writer_view
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn is_read_only_view(&self) -> bool {
+        self.is_external_writer_view()
+    }
+
     fn refresh_skills_for_current_cwd(&mut self, force_reload: bool) {
         self.submit_op(AppCommand::list_skills(
             vec![self.config.cwd.to_path_buf()],
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/empty_state_policy.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/empty_state_policy.rs
index 747c9c372b..200044f3f2 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/empty_state_policy.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/empty_state_policy.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         match self.external_editor_state {
             ExternalEditorState::Requested | ExternalEditorState::Active => None,
             ExternalEditorState::Closed
-                if !self.external_writer_view && !self.has_provider_error() =>
+                if !self.is_read_only_view() && !self.has_provider_error() =>
             {
                 self.bottom_pane.empty_state_composer()
             }
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs
index db5d2d8b3c..feda07664d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn can_launch_external_editor(&self) -> bool {
-        !self.external_writer_view && self.bottom_pane.can_launch_external_editor()
+        !self.is_read_only_view() && self.bottom_pane.can_launch_external_editor()
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn can_run_ctrl_l_clear_now(&mut self) -> bool {
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_paste(&mut self, text: String) {
         self.cancel_quick_dial_menu();
-        if (self.external_writer_view || self.has_provider_error())
+        if (self.is_read_only_view() || self.has_provider_error())
             && !self.bottom_pane.has_active_view()
         {
             return;
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/reconnect.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/reconnect.rs
index 262d1ad920..a9b612bdd4 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/reconnect.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/reconnect.rs
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         key: KeyEvent,
         mode: RestrictedInputMode,
     ) -> KeyEventAction {
-        if self.external_writer_view {
+        if self.is_read_only_view() {
             return KeyEventAction::None;
         }
         if mode == RestrictedInputMode::DraftHandoff {