fix(cli): prevent Escape from clearing input buffer (#17083) (#26339)

packages/cli/src/ui/AppContainer.tsx

@@ -1127,18 +1127,21 @@ Logging in with Google... Restarting Gemini CLI to continue.
     }
   }, [config, historyManager]);
 
-  const cancelHandlerRef = useRef<(shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean) => void>(
-    () => {},
-  );
+  const cancelHandlerRef = useRef<
+    (shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean, clearBuffer?: boolean) => void
+  >(() => {});
 
-  const onCancelSubmit = useCallback((shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean) => {
-    if (shouldRestorePrompt) {
-      setPendingRestorePrompt(true);
-    } else {
-      setPendingRestorePrompt(false);
-      cancelHandlerRef.current(false);
-    }
-  }, []);
+  const onCancelSubmit = useCallback(
+    (shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean, clearBuffer: boolean = false) => {
+      if (shouldRestorePrompt) {
+        setPendingRestorePrompt(true);
+      } else {
+        setPendingRestorePrompt(false);
+        cancelHandlerRef.current(false, clearBuffer);
+      }
+    },
+    [],
+  );
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (pendingRestorePrompt) {
@@ -1321,18 +1324,18 @@ Logging in with Google... Restarting Gemini CLI to continue.
   });
 
   cancelHandlerRef.current = useCallback(
-    (shouldRestorePrompt: boolean = true) => {
-      if (isToolAwaitingConfirmation(pendingHistoryItems)) {
+    (shouldRestorePrompt: boolean = true, clearBuffer: boolean = false) => {
+      if (!clearBuffer && isToolAwaitingConfirmation(pendingHistoryItems)) {
         return; // Don't clear - user may be composing a follow-up message
       }
-      if (isToolExecuting(pendingHistoryItems)) {
-        buffer.setText(''); // Clear for Ctrl+C cancellation
-        return;
-      }
 
-      // If cancelling (shouldRestorePrompt=false), never modify the buffer
-      // User is in control - preserve whatever text they typed, pasted, or restored
+      // If cancelling (shouldRestorePrompt=false):
       if (!shouldRestorePrompt) {
+        // Clear the buffer if explicitly requested (e.g., Ctrl+C)
+        if (clearBuffer) {
+          buffer.setText('');
+        }
+        // Otherwise (e.g., Escape), user is in control - preserve whatever text they typed
         return;
       }
 

packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useAgentStream.test.tsx

@@ -202,6 +202,6 @@ describe('useAgentStream', () => {
     });
 
     expect(mockLegacyAgentProtocol.abort).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(mockOnCancelSubmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+    expect(mockOnCancelSubmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false, true);
   });
 });

packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useAgentStream.ts

@@ -36,11 +36,15 @@ import type { UseHistoryManagerReturn } from './useHistoryManager.js';
 import { useSessionStats } from '../contexts/SessionContext.js';
 import { useStateAndRef } from './useStateAndRef.js';
 import { type MinimalTrackedToolCall } from './useTurnActivityMonitor.js';
+import { useKeypress } from './useKeypress.js';
 
 export interface UseAgentStreamOptions {
   agent?: AgentProtocol;
   addItem: UseHistoryManagerReturn['addItem'];
-  onCancelSubmit: (shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean) => void;
+  onCancelSubmit: (
+    shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean,
+    clearBuffer?: boolean,
+  ) => void;
   isShellFocused?: boolean;
   logger?: Logger | null;
 }
@@ -120,13 +124,16 @@ export const useAgentStream = ({
     }
   }, [addItem, pendingHistoryItemRef, setPendingHistoryItem]);
 
-  const cancelOngoingRequest = useCallback(async () => {
-    if (agent) {
-      await agent.abort();
-      setStreamingState(StreamingState.Idle);
-      onCancelSubmit(false);
-    }
-  }, [agent, onCancelSubmit]);
+  const cancelOngoingRequest = useCallback(
+    async (clearBuffer: boolean = true) => {
+      if (agent) {
+        await agent.abort();
+        setStreamingState(StreamingState.Idle);
+        onCancelSubmit(false, clearBuffer);
+      }
+    },
+    [agent, onCancelSubmit],
+  );
 
   // TODO: Support native handleApprovalModeChange for Plan Mode
   const handleApprovalModeChange = useCallback(
@@ -322,6 +329,21 @@ export const useAgentStream = ({
     return () => unsubscribe?.();
   }, [agent, handleEvent]);
 
+  useKeypress(
+    (key) => {
+      if (key.name === 'escape' && !isShellFocused) {
+        void cancelOngoingRequest(false);
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    },
+    {
+      isActive:
+        streamingState === StreamingState.Responding ||
+        streamingState === StreamingState.WaitingForConfirmation,
+    },
+  );
+
   const submitQuery = useCallback(
     async (
       query: Part[] | string,

packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useGeminiStream.test.tsx

@@ -1637,7 +1637,7 @@ describe('useGeminiStream', () => {
 
       simulateEscapeKeyPress();
 
-      expect(cancelSubmitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+      expect(cancelSubmitSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false, false);
     });
 
     it('should call setShellInputFocused(false) when escape is pressed', async () => {

packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useGeminiStream.ts

@@ -227,7 +227,10 @@ export const useGeminiStream = (
   performMemoryRefresh: () => Promise<void>,
   modelSwitchedFromQuotaError: boolean,
   setModelSwitchedFromQuotaError: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>,
-  onCancelSubmit: (shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean) => void,
+  onCancelSubmit: (
+    shouldRestorePrompt?: boolean,
+    clearBuffer?: boolean,
+  ) => void,
   setShellInputFocused: (value: boolean) => void,
   terminalWidth: number,
   terminalHeight: number,
@@ -803,100 +806,129 @@ export const useGeminiStream = (
     [addItem, config, isLowErrorVerbosity],
   );
 
-  const cancelOngoingRequest = useCallback(() => {
-    if (
-      streamingState !== StreamingState.Responding &&
-      streamingState !== StreamingState.WaitingForConfirmation
-    ) {
-      return;
-    }
-    if (turnCancelledRef.current) {
-      return;
-    }
-    turnCancelledRef.current = true;
-    setRetryStatus(null);
-
-    // A full cancellation means no tools have produced a final result yet.
-    // This determines if we show a generic "Request cancelled" message.
-    const isFullCancellation = !toolCalls.some(
-      (tc) => tc.status === 'success' || tc.status === 'error',
-    );
-
-    // Ensure we have an abort controller, creating one if it doesn't exist.
-    if (!abortControllerRef.current) {
-      abortControllerRef.current = new AbortController();
-    }
-
-    // The order is important here.
-    // 1. Fire the signal to interrupt any active async operations.
-    abortControllerRef.current.abort();
-    // 2. Call the imperative cancel to clear the queue of pending tools.
-    cancelAllToolCalls(abortControllerRef.current.signal);
-
-    if (pendingHistoryItemRef.current) {
-      const isShellCommand =
-        pendingHistoryItemRef.current.type === 'tool_group' &&
-        pendingHistoryItemRef.current.tools.some(
-          (t) => t.name === SHELL_COMMAND_NAME,
-        );
-
-      // If it is a shell command, we update the status to Canceled and clear the output
-      // to avoid artifacts, then add it to history immediately.
-      if (isShellCommand) {
-        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-type-assertion
-        const toolGroup = pendingHistoryItemRef.current as HistoryItemToolGroup;
-        const updatedTools = toolGroup.tools.map((tool) => {
-          if (tool.name === SHELL_COMMAND_NAME) {
-            return {
-              ...tool,
-              status: CoreToolCallStatus.Cancelled,
-              resultDisplay: tool.resultDisplay,
-            };
-          }
-          return tool;
-        });
-        addItem({ ...toolGroup, tools: updatedTools } as HistoryItemWithoutId);
-      } else {
-        addItem(pendingHistoryItemRef.current);
+  const cancelOngoingRequest = useCallback(
+    (clearBuffer: boolean = true) => {
+      // If we are already cancelled, do nothing
+      if (turnCancelledRef.current) {
+        if (clearBuffer) {
+          onCancelSubmit(false, true);
+        }
+        return;
       }
-    }
-    setPendingHistoryItem(null);
 
-    // If it was a full cancellation, add the info message now.
-    // Otherwise, we let handleCompletedTools figure out the next step,
-    // which might involve sending partial results back to the model.
-    if (isFullCancellation) {
-      // If shell is active, we delay this message to ensure correct ordering
-      // (Shell item first, then Info message).
-      if (!activeShellPtyId) {
-        addItem({
-          type: MessageType.INFO,
-          text: 'Request cancelled.',
-        });
-        setIsResponding(false);
+      const hasActiveTools = toolCalls.some(
+        (tc) =>
+          tc.status === CoreToolCallStatus.Executing ||
+          tc.status === CoreToolCallStatus.Scheduled ||
+          tc.status === CoreToolCallStatus.Validating,
+      );
+
+      // If we are not responding, not waiting for confirmation, and have no active tools,
+      // there is nothing to abort.
+      if (
+        streamingState === StreamingState.Idle &&
+        !isRespondingRef.current &&
+        !hasActiveTools
+      ) {
+        // Even if we are "idle", if we are called with clearBuffer=true (Ctrl+C),
+        // we still want to clear the buffer.
+        if (clearBuffer) {
+          onCancelSubmit(false, true);
+        }
+        return;
       }
-    }
 
-    onCancelSubmit(false);
-    setShellInputFocused(false);
-  }, [
-    streamingState,
-    addItem,
-    setPendingHistoryItem,
-    onCancelSubmit,
-    pendingHistoryItemRef,
-    setShellInputFocused,
-    cancelAllToolCalls,
-    toolCalls,
-    activeShellPtyId,
-    setIsResponding,
-  ]);
+      turnCancelledRef.current = true;
+      setRetryStatus(null);
+
+      // A full cancellation means no tools have produced a final result yet.
+      // This determines if we show a generic "Request cancelled" message.
+      const isFullCancellation = !toolCalls.some(
+        (tc) => tc.status === 'success' || tc.status === 'error',
+      );
+
+      // Ensure we have an abort controller, creating one if it doesn't exist.
+      if (!abortControllerRef.current) {
+        abortControllerRef.current = new AbortController();
+      }
+
+      // The order is important here.
+      // 1. Fire the signal to interrupt any active async operations.
+      abortControllerRef.current.abort();
+      // 2. Call the imperative cancel to clear the queue of pending tools.
+      cancelAllToolCalls(abortControllerRef.current.signal);
+
+      if (pendingHistoryItemRef.current) {
+        // If it is a shell command, we update the status to Canceled and clear the output
+        // to avoid artifacts, then add it to history immediately.
+        if (
+          pendingHistoryItemRef.current.type === 'tool_group' &&
+          pendingHistoryItemRef.current.tools.some(
+            (t) => t.name === SHELL_COMMAND_NAME,
+          )
+        ) {
+          const toolGroup = pendingHistoryItemRef.current;
+          const updatedTools = toolGroup.tools.map((tool) => {
+            if (tool.name === SHELL_COMMAND_NAME) {
+              return {
+                ...tool,
+                status: CoreToolCallStatus.Cancelled,
+                resultDisplay: tool.resultDisplay,
+              };
+            }
+            return tool;
+          });
+          const newToolGroup: HistoryItemToolGroup = {
+            ...toolGroup,
+            tools: updatedTools,
+          };
+          addItem(newToolGroup);
+        } else {
+          addItem(pendingHistoryItemRef.current);
+        }
+      }
+      setPendingHistoryItem(null);
+
+      // If it was a full cancellation, add the info message now.
+      // Otherwise, we let handleCompletedTools figure out the next step,
+      // which might involve sending partial results back to the model.
+      if (isFullCancellation) {
+        // If shell is active, we delay this message to ensure correct ordering
+        // (Shell item first, then Info message).
+        if (!activeShellPtyId) {
+          addItem({
+            type: MessageType.INFO,
+            text: 'Request cancelled.',
+          });
+          setIsResponding(false);
+        }
+      }
+
+      onCancelSubmit(false, clearBuffer);
+      setShellInputFocused(false);
+    },
+    [
+      streamingState,
+      addItem,
+      setPendingHistoryItem,
+      onCancelSubmit,
+      pendingHistoryItemRef,
+      isRespondingRef,
+      setShellInputFocused,
+      cancelAllToolCalls,
+      toolCalls,
+      activeShellPtyId,
+      setIsResponding,
+    ],
+  );
 
   useKeypress(
     (key) => {
       if (key.name === 'escape' && !isShellFocused) {
-        cancelOngoingRequest();
+        cancelOngoingRequest(false);
+        return true;
       }
+      return false;
     },
     {
       isActive: