diff --git a/extension/sidepanel-terminal.js b/extension/sidepanel-terminal.js
index 5beff000..e301d085 100644
--- a/extension/sidepanel-terminal.js
+++ b/extension/sidepanel-terminal.js
@@ -166,8 +166,25 @@
       fitAddon = new FitAddonModule.FitAddon();
       term.loadAddon(fitAddon);
     }
+    // CRITICAL: caller must make els.mount visible BEFORE invoking
+    // ensureXterm. xterm.js measures the container synchronously inside
+    // term.open() — if the mount is display:none, xterm caches a 0-size
+    // viewport and never auto-grows even after the container goes
+    // visible. The visible-first pattern is enforced by connect()
+    // calling setState(STATE.LIVE) before us.
     term.open(els.mount);
-    fitAddon && fitAddon.fit();
+    // First fit waits for the next paint frame so the browser has
+    // applied the .active class transition. Otherwise term.cols/rows
+    // can come back as the minimum (2x2) when the mount's clientHeight
+    // is still being computed.
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      try {
+        fitAddon && fitAddon.fit();
+        if (ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+          ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'resize', cols: term.cols, rows: term.rows }));
+        }
+      } catch {}
+    });
 
     const ro = new ResizeObserver(() => {
       try {
@@ -224,9 +241,13 @@
       return;
     }
 
-    ensureXterm();
+    // setState(LIVE) flips terminal-mount from display:none to display:flex.
+    // We MUST do that BEFORE ensureXterm() — xterm.js measures the container
+    // synchronously inside term.open() and a hidden container yields a 0x0
+    // terminal that never recovers. ensureXterm + the requestAnimationFrame
+    // fit() inside it run after the browser has applied the layout.
     setState(STATE.LIVE);
-    fitAddon && fitAddon.fit();
+    ensureXterm();
 
     // Token rides on Sec-WebSocket-Protocol — the only auth header the
     // browser WebSocket API lets us set. Cross-port HttpOnly cookies with
diff --git a/extension/sidepanel.css b/extension/sidepanel.css
index c28201ac..8813a0d0 100644
--- a/extension/sidepanel.css
+++ b/extension/sidepanel.css
@@ -676,9 +676,19 @@ body::after {
 .tab-content.active { display: flex; flex-direction: column; }
 
 /* ─── Terminal Tab ────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+/* The Terminal pane manages its own scrolling (xterm has a viewport with
+   scrollback). The default .tab-content rules above set overflow-y: auto,
+   which collapses min-height for nested flex children — that's why
+   .terminal-mount couldn't grow to fill available space. Override here. */
 #tab-terminal {
   background: #0a0a0a;
   padding: 0;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  min-height: 0;
+}
+#tab-terminal.active {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
 }
 .terminal-toolbar {
   display: flex;
@@ -746,11 +756,21 @@ body::after {
 }
 .install-retry-btn:hover { opacity: 0.9; }
 .terminal-mount {
-  flex: 1;
+  /* min-height: 0 is the standard flex-overflow fix — without it, a flex
+     item with overflowing content can't shrink below its content size,
+     so flex:1 refuses to expand into available space and xterm renders
+     into whatever the content happens to be (i.e. its own initial 2x2
+     measurement). With min-height:0 the item respects the flex parent's
+     remaining space and xterm grows to fill it. */
+  flex: 1 1 0;
+  min-height: 0;
   width: 100%;
   background: #0a0a0a;
   padding: 8px;
   box-sizing: border-box;
+  /* position: relative so xterm's absolutely-positioned helpers (the
+     hidden textarea for input) anchor inside us, not on body. */
+  position: relative;
 }
 .terminal-mount .xterm,
 .terminal-mount .xterm .xterm-viewport,