diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/backend_sessions.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/backend_sessions.rs
index 5112df4530..2795b4824e 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/backend_sessions.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/backend_sessions.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,34 @@ impl BackendSessions {
             .collect()
     }
 
+    #[expect(dead_code, reason = "used by the next stack stage")]
+    pub(super) fn displayed_name(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        let slot = self.displayed.0;
+        self.entries[slot].listening.then(|| match slot {
+            0 => "Local".to_string(),
+            index => format!("Backend {}", index + 1),
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[expect(dead_code, reason = "used by the next stack stage")]
+    pub(super) fn first_listening_backend(&self) -> Option<BackendId> {
+        self.entries
+            .iter()
+            .find(|entry| entry.listening)
+            .map(|entry| entry.session.backend_id())
+    }
+
+    /// Cycle through listening connections in registration order, excluding the current one.
+    #[cfg_attr(not(test), expect(dead_code, reason = "used by the next stack stage"))]
+    pub(super) fn next_listening_backend(&self, current: BackendId) -> Option<BackendId> {
+        let index = self.slot(current)?.0;
+        self.entries[index + 1..]
+            .iter()
+            .chain(&self.entries[..index])
+            .find(|entry| entry.listening)
+            .map(|entry| entry.session.backend_id())
+    }
+
     pub(super) fn session_at_mut(&mut self, slot: SessionSlot) -> &mut AppServerSession {
         &mut self.entries[slot.0].session
     }
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/tests/backend_sessions_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/tests/backend_sessions_tests.rs
index 9dcf00d9a7..23a01e84ab 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/tests/backend_sessions_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/tests/backend_sessions_tests.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ async fn backend_sessions_parked_request_does_not_hide_disconnect() -> Result<()
         )
     });
     let background_id = background.backend_id();
-    let mut backends = BackendSessions::from_initial(displayed, vec![background]);
+    let displayed_id = displayed.backend_id();
+    let mut backends = BackendSessions::new(displayed);
+    assert_eq!(backends.next_listening_backend(displayed_id), None);
+    backends.insert(background);
     let initial = backends.displayed;
     let thread_id = ThreadId::new();
 
@@ -185,6 +188,13 @@ async fn backend_sessions_poll_three_sources_and_isolate_closed_or_paused_stream
     }
     let mut sessions = sessions.into_iter();
     let mut backends = BackendSessions::from_initial(sessions.next().unwrap(), sessions.collect());
+    assert_eq!(
+        owners
+            .iter()
+            .map(|owner| backends.next_listening_backend(*owner))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+        [Some(owners[1]), Some(owners[2]), Some(owners[0])]
+    );
     let mut unpaused = HashSet::new();
     for _ in 0..2 {
         let (owner, event) =
@@ -221,6 +231,8 @@ async fn backend_sessions_poll_three_sources_and_isolate_closed_or_paused_stream
         }
     }
     assert!(!backends.is_listening(owners[0]));
+    assert_eq!(backends.next_listening_backend(owners[2]), Some(owners[1]));
+    assert_eq!(backends.next_listening_backend(owners[0]), Some(owners[1]));
     for index in 1..3 {
         assert!(backends.is_listening(owners[index]));
         let _: ThreadSettingsUpdateResponse = backends