diff --git a/src/cli/tui/hooks/__tests__/useListNavigation.test.tsx b/src/cli/tui/hooks/__tests__/useListNavigation.test.tsx
index 8650ba62f..a8624e0e1 100644
--- a/src/cli/tui/hooks/__tests__/useListNavigation.test.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/tui/hooks/__tests__/useListNavigation.test.tsx
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ function ListNav({
   isDisabled,
   getHotkeys,
   onHotkeySelect,
+  initialSelectedIndex,
+  resetKey,
 }: {
   items: string[];
   onSelect?: (item: string, index: number) => void;
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ function ListNav({
   isDisabled?: (item: string) => boolean;
   getHotkeys?: (item: string) => string[] | undefined;
   onHotkeySelect?: (item: string, index: number) => void;
+  initialSelectedIndex?: number;
+  resetKey?: string | number;
 }) {
   const { selectedIndex } = useListNavigation({
     items,
@@ -98,6 +102,8 @@ function ListNav({
     isDisabled,
     getHotkeys,
     onHotkeySelect,
+    initialSelectedIndex,
+    resetKey,
   });
   return <Text>idx:{selectedIndex}</Text>;
 }
@@ -233,4 +239,43 @@ describe('useListNavigation hook', () => {
 
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:0');
   });
+
+  describe('initialSelectedIndex', () => {
+    it('honors initialSelectedIndex on mount', () => {
+      const { lastFrame } = render(<ListNav items={items} initialSelectedIndex={2} />);
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:2');
+    });
+
+    it('still defaults to 0 when initialSelectedIndex is unset', () => {
+      const { lastFrame } = render(<ListNav items={items} />);
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:0');
+    });
+
+    it('ignores an out-of-range initialSelectedIndex and falls back to first enabled', () => {
+      const { lastFrame } = render(<ListNav items={items} initialSelectedIndex={99} />);
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:0');
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to first enabled when initialSelectedIndex points to a disabled item', () => {
+      const isDisabled = (item: string) => item === 'alpha';
+      const { lastFrame } = render(<ListNav items={items} initialSelectedIndex={0} isDisabled={isDisabled} />);
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:1');
+    });
+
+    it('re-applies initialSelectedIndex when resetKey changes', async () => {
+      const { lastFrame, stdin, rerender } = render(
+        <ListNav items={items} initialSelectedIndex={2} resetKey="step-a" />
+      );
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:2');
+
+      stdin.write(UP_ARROW); // move off the seeded index
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:1');
+
+      rerender(<ListNav items={items} initialSelectedIndex={2} resetKey="step-b" />);
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('idx:2');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/cli/tui/hooks/useListNavigation.ts b/src/cli/tui/hooks/useListNavigation.ts
index 6e39bbdee..b4555b8cc 100644
--- a/src/cli/tui/hooks/useListNavigation.ts
+++ b/src/cli/tui/hooks/useListNavigation.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ interface UseListNavigationOptions<T> {
   isDisabled?: (item: T) => boolean;
   /** Optional key to reset selection when changed */
   resetKey?: string | number;
+  /** Optional index to start the cursor on (default: first enabled). Honored on mount and on resetKey change. */
+  initialSelectedIndex?: number;
 }
 
 interface UseListNavigationResult {
@@ -85,20 +87,32 @@ export function useListNavigation<T>({
   onHotkeySelect,
   isDisabled,
   resetKey,
+  initialSelectedIndex,
 }: UseListNavigationOptions<T>): UseListNavigationResult {
-  // Initialize with first enabled index (parent should ensure data is loaded before mounting)
-  const [selectedIndex, setSelectedIndex] = useState(() => {
+  // Resolve the starting index: honor initialSelectedIndex when it points to a valid,
+  // non-disabled item; otherwise fall back to the first enabled index (default: 0).
+  const resolveInitialIndex = (): number => {
+    if (
+      initialSelectedIndex !== undefined &&
+      initialSelectedIndex >= 0 &&
+      initialSelectedIndex < items.length &&
+      !isDisabled?.(items[initialSelectedIndex] as T)
+    ) {
+      return initialSelectedIndex;
+    }
     if (!isDisabled) return 0;
     const idx = items.findIndex(item => !isDisabled(item));
     return idx >= 0 ? idx : 0;
-  });
+  };
+
+  // Initialize with the resolved index (parent should ensure data is loaded before mounting)
+  const [selectedIndex, setSelectedIndex] = useState(resolveInitialIndex);
 
   // Reset selection when resetKey changes (using state sync pattern to avoid setState in effect)
   const [prevResetKey, setPrevResetKey] = useState(resetKey);
   if (resetKey !== undefined && resetKey !== prevResetKey) {
     setPrevResetKey(resetKey);
-    const idx = isDisabled ? items.findIndex(item => !isDisabled(item)) : 0;
-    setSelectedIndex(idx >= 0 ? idx : 0);
+    setSelectedIndex(resolveInitialIndex());
   }
 
   // Find next non-disabled index in given direction (delegates to standalone function)
diff --git a/src/cli/tui/screens/agent/AddAgentScreen.tsx b/src/cli/tui/screens/agent/AddAgentScreen.tsx
index ad52b60f1..2d66217de 100644
--- a/src/cli/tui/screens/agent/AddAgentScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/tui/screens/agent/AddAgentScreen.tsx
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ export function AddAgentScreen({ existingAgentNames, onComplete, onExit }: AddAg
         <Panel>
           <TextInput
             prompt="Agent name"
-            initialValue={generateUniqueName('MyAgent', existingAgentNames)}
+            initialValue={name || generateUniqueName('MyAgent', existingAgentNames)}
             onSubmit={handleSetName}
             onCancel={onExit}
             schema={AgentNameSchema}
diff --git a/src/cli/tui/screens/generate/GenerateWizardUI.tsx b/src/cli/tui/screens/generate/GenerateWizardUI.tsx
index aef8f914b..cb36dee9c 100644
--- a/src/cli/tui/screens/generate/GenerateWizardUI.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/tui/screens/generate/GenerateWizardUI.tsx
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ export function GenerateWizardUI({
     }
   };
 
+  // On (re)entry to a select step, seed the cursor from the previously chosen value
+  // so back-navigation lands on the user's prior selection rather than the first option.
+  const selectedValueForStep = (wizard.config as unknown as Record<string, unknown>)[wizard.step];
+  const initialSelectedIndex = items.findIndex(item => item.id === selectedValueForStep);
+
   const { selectedIndex } = useListNavigation({
     items,
     onSelect: handleSelect,
@@ -168,6 +173,7 @@ export function GenerateWizardUI({
     isActive: isActive && isSelectStep && !isAdvancedStep,
     isDisabled: item => item.disabled ?? false,
     resetKey: wizard.step,
+    initialSelectedIndex: initialSelectedIndex >= 0 ? initialSelectedIndex : undefined,
   });
 
   const advancedNav = useMultiSelectNavigation({
@@ -390,7 +396,7 @@ export function GenerateWizardUI({
       {isIdleTimeoutStep && (
         <TextInput
           prompt={`Idle session timeout in seconds (${LIFECYCLE_TIMEOUT_MIN}-${LIFECYCLE_TIMEOUT_MAX}, or press Enter to skip)`}
-          initialValue=""
+          initialValue={wizard.config.idleRuntimeSessionTimeout?.toString() ?? ''}
           allowEmpty
           customValidation={value => {
             if (!value) return true;
@@ -413,7 +419,7 @@ export function GenerateWizardUI({
       {isMaxLifetimeStep && (
         <TextInput
           prompt={`Max instance lifetime in seconds (${LIFECYCLE_TIMEOUT_MIN}-${LIFECYCLE_TIMEOUT_MAX}, or press Enter to skip)`}
-          initialValue=""
+          initialValue={wizard.config.maxLifetime?.toString() ?? ''}
           allowEmpty
           customValidation={value => {
             if (!value) return true;