diff --git a/.changeset/terminal-launch-no-raw-command-not-found.md b/.changeset/terminal-launch-no-raw-command-not-found.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e89cd1c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/terminal-launch-no-raw-command-not-found.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@inkeep/open-knowledge-app": patch
+---
+
+Docked terminal: an _Open in terminal_ launch no longer prints a raw `command not found`. The launch gate now writes the `<bin> '<prompt>'` command only when a PATH probe confirms the CLI is present. On a flaky `unknown` probe it re-probes once; a `not-found` verdict, a still-`unknown` re-probe, or an IPC-level probe failure all suppress the write and surface the existing missing-CLI banner instead. This applies to Codex / Cursor / OpenCode (via `cliPreflight`) and to Claude (gated on the fresh `claudePreflight` recheck it already runs). The trade-off is a rare false-negative — an installed CLI whose probe flakes twice won't auto-launch — in exchange for a guaranteed-clean terminal.
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.launch.dom.test.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.launch.dom.test.tsx
index bdd8927d..33209ced 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.launch.dom.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.launch.dom.test.tsx
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ describe('TerminalPanel "Open in terminal" launch', () => {
     expect(terminal.claudePreflight.mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
   });
 
-  test('a launch-time preflight REJECTION falls back to a bare launch (security fail-safe)', async () => {
+  test('a launch-time preflight REJECTION suppresses the write + surfaces the readiness banner (parity with codex/cursor)', async () => {
     const dataSubs: Array<(m: OkPtyData) => void> = [];
     let calls = 0;
     const terminal = {
@@ -285,10 +285,13 @@ describe('TerminalPanel "Open in terminal" launch', () => {
     render(<TerminalPanel bridge={bridge} launch={{ prompt: 'hi', cli: 'claude', nonce: 1 }} />);
     await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
     act(() => pushData({ ptyId: 'pty-1', data: '$ ' }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.claudePreflight).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
 
-    await waitFor(() => expect(launchWrites(terminal.input).length).toBe(1));
-    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input)[0]).toBe("claude 'hi'\r");
-    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input)[0]).not.toContain('--settings');
+    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input).length).toBe(0);
+    await screen.findByText(/Claude Code \(claude\) isn't installed/);
   });
 
   test('a same-nonce effect re-run during the launch preflight window does not drop the launch', async () => {
@@ -397,16 +400,34 @@ describe('TerminalPanel "Open in terminal" launch', () => {
     expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'codex').length).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  test('cursor probe UNKNOWN does not block the launch (parity with claude unknown)', async () => {
+  test('cursor probe UNKNOWN re-probes once; still-unknown suppresses + shows the banner', async () => {
     const { bridge, terminal, pushData } = makeBridge(WIRED, { onPath: 'unknown' });
     render(<TerminalPanel bridge={bridge} launch={{ prompt: 'hi', cli: 'cursor', nonce: 1 }} />);
 
     await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
     act(() => pushData({ ptyId: 'pty-1', data: '$ ' }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.cliPreflight).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
+    await screen.findByText(/Cursor \(cursor-agent\) isn't installed/);
+    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'cursor-agent').length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test('cursor probe UNKNOWN then PRESENT on re-probe: launches with the preserved prompt', async () => {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const { bridge, terminal, pushData } = makeBridge(WIRED);
+    terminal.cliPreflight = mock(async () => {
+      calls += 1;
+      return calls === 1 ? { onPath: 'unknown' as const } : { onPath: 'present' as const };
+    });
+    render(<TerminalPanel bridge={bridge} launch={{ prompt: 'hi', cli: 'cursor', nonce: 1 }} />);
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+    act(() => pushData({ ptyId: 'pty-1', data: '$ ' }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.cliPreflight).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
     await waitFor(() => expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'cursor-agent').length).toBe(1));
+    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'cursor-agent')[0]).toBe("cursor-agent 'hi'\r");
   });
 
-  test('cliPreflight IPC rejection fail-opens: the launch is still written (the .catch path)', async () => {
+  test('cliPreflight IPC rejection suppresses the write (no raw command-not-found)', async () => {
     const { bridge, terminal, pushData } = makeBridge(WIRED);
     terminal.cliPreflight = mock(async () => {
       throw new Error('ipc channel closed');
@@ -416,7 +437,46 @@ describe('TerminalPanel "Open in terminal" launch', () => {
     await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
     act(() => pushData({ ptyId: 'pty-1', data: '$ ' }));
     await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.cliPreflight).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
-    await waitFor(() => expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'codex').length).toBe(1));
-    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'codex')[0]).toBe("codex 'hi'\r");
+    await screen.findByText(/Codex \(codex\) isn't installed/);
+    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input, 'codex').length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test('claude present at mount but not-found on the fresh recheck: suppresses the write', async () => {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const { bridge, terminal, pushData } = makeBridge(WIRED);
+    terminal.claudePreflight = mock(async () => {
+      calls += 1;
+      return calls === 1
+        ? WIRED
+        : { claude: 'not-found' as const, mcp: 'needs-rewire' as const, mcpPreApprovable: false };
+    });
+    render(<TerminalPanel bridge={bridge} launch={{ prompt: 'hi', cli: 'claude', nonce: 1 }} />);
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+    act(() => pushData({ ptyId: 'pty-1', data: '$ ' }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.claudePreflight).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input).length).toBe(0);
+    await screen.findByText(/Claude Code \(claude\) isn't installed/);
+  });
+
+  test('claude present at mount but UNKNOWN on the fresh recheck: suppresses + surfaces the banner', async () => {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const { bridge, terminal, pushData } = makeBridge(WIRED);
+    terminal.claudePreflight = mock(async () => {
+      calls += 1;
+      return calls === 1
+        ? WIRED
+        : { claude: 'unknown' as const, mcp: 'needs-rewire' as const, mcpPreApprovable: false };
+    });
+    render(<TerminalPanel bridge={bridge} launch={{ prompt: 'hi', cli: 'claude', nonce: 1 }} />);
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.onData).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+    act(() => pushData({ ptyId: 'pty-1', data: '$ ' }));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(terminal.claudePreflight).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
+    expect(launchWrites(terminal.input).length).toBe(0);
+    await screen.findByText(/Claude Code \(claude\) isn't installed/);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.tsx
index a1003166..86f9483f 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/TerminalPanel.tsx
@@ -336,10 +336,24 @@ function TerminalSession({
       };
       void bridge.terminal
         .claudePreflight()
-        .then((fresh) => writeClaude(fresh.mcpPreApprovable === true))
+        .then((fresh) => {
+          if (cancelled) return;
+          if (fresh.claude === 'present') {
+            writeClaude(fresh.mcpPreApprovable === true);
+            return;
+          }
+          setReadiness(
+            fresh.claude === 'not-found'
+              ? fresh
+              : { claude: 'not-found', mcp: fresh.mcp, mcpPreApprovable: false },
+          );
+          lastLaunchedNonceRef.current = nonce;
+        })
         .catch((err) => {
-          console.warn('[terminal] claude pre-approval recheck failed', { err });
-          writeClaude(false);
+          if (cancelled) return;
+          console.warn('[terminal] claude pre-approval recheck failed', { nonce, err });
+          setReadiness({ claude: 'not-found', mcp: 'needs-rewire', mcpPreApprovable: false });
+          lastLaunchedNonceRef.current = nonce;
         });
       return () => {
         cancelled = true;
@@ -355,22 +369,27 @@ function TerminalSession({
       bridge.terminal.input(livePtyId, buildCliLaunchCommand(cli, prompt));
       lastLaunchedNonceRef.current = nonce; // commit only after the write lands
     };
-    void bridge.terminal
-      .cliPreflight(cli)
-      .then((res) => {
-        if (cancelled) return;
-        if (res.onPath === 'not-found') {
-          setMissingCli(cli);
-          lastLaunchedNonceRef.current = nonce; // banner handles remediation; consume
-          return;
+    const suppress = () => {
+      if (cancelled) return;
+      setMissingCli(cli);
+      lastLaunchedNonceRef.current = nonce; // banner handles remediation; consume
+    };
+    void (async () => {
+      try {
+        let res = await bridge.terminal.cliPreflight(cli);
+        if (res.onPath === 'unknown') {
+          if (cancelled) return;
+          res = await bridge.terminal.cliPreflight(cli);
         }
-        writeLaunch();
-      })
-      .catch((err) => {
+        if (cancelled) return;
+        if (res.onPath === 'present') writeLaunch();
+        else suppress();
+      } catch (err) {
         if (cancelled) return;
         console.warn('[terminal] cliPreflight failed', { cli, err });
-        writeLaunch();
-      });
+        suppress();
+      }
+    })();
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
     };