Queue messages during active CLI turns

.github/workflows/release-cua-cli.yml

@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ on:
         required: true
         default: "ext"
         type: string
+      bundle_workspace_dependencies:
+        description: "Bundle branch builds of cua-ai and cua-agent instead of using their published versions"
+        required: true
+        default: true
+        type: boolean
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -119,7 +124,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: npm run build --workspace @onkernel/cua-agent
 
       - name: Verify published production dependencies
-        if: github.event_name == 'push'
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' || !inputs.bundle_workspace_dependencies
         run: |
           node -p 'require("./packages/cli/package.json").dependencies["@onkernel/cua-ai"]' \
             | xargs -I{} npm view @onkernel/cua-ai@{} version
@@ -140,18 +145,18 @@ jobs:
         run: npm test --workspace @onkernel/cua-cli
 
       - name: Pack production tarball
-        if: github.event_name == 'push'
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' || !inputs.bundle_workspace_dependencies
         run: npm pack --workspace @onkernel/cua-cli --pack-destination "$RUNNER_TEMP"
 
       - name: Pack branch workspace dependencies
-        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.bundle_workspace_dependencies
         run: |
           mkdir -p "$RUNNER_TEMP/workspace-packages"
           npm pack --workspace @onkernel/cua-ai --pack-destination "$RUNNER_TEMP/workspace-packages"
           npm pack --workspace @onkernel/cua-agent --pack-destination "$RUNNER_TEMP/workspace-packages"
 
       - name: Pack bundled CLI prerelease
-        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.bundle_workspace_dependencies
         run: |
           export STAGE_DIR="$RUNNER_TEMP/cua-cli-prerelease"
           mkdir -p "$STAGE_DIR/node_modules/@onkernel"
@@ -194,12 +199,15 @@ jobs:
           npm pack "$STAGE_DIR" --pack-destination "$RUNNER_TEMP"
 
       - name: CLI bin smoke test
+        env:
+          BUNDLE_WORKSPACE_DEPENDENCIES: ${{ inputs.bundle_workspace_dependencies }}
         run: |
+          TARBALL=$(find "$RUNNER_TEMP" -maxdepth 1 -name "onkernel-cua-cli-*.tgz" -print -quit)
           SMOKE_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
           cd "$SMOKE_DIR"
           npm init -y > /dev/null
-          npm install "$RUNNER_TEMP"/onkernel-cua-cli-*.tgz
-          if [[ "$GITHUB_EVENT_NAME" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
+          npm install "$TARBALL"
+          if [[ "$GITHUB_EVENT_NAME" == "workflow_dispatch" && "$BUNDLE_WORKSPACE_DEPENDENCIES" == "true" ]]; then
             test -f node_modules/@onkernel/cua-cli/node_modules/@onkernel/cua-ai/dist/index.js
             test -f node_modules/@onkernel/cua-cli/node_modules/@onkernel/cua-agent/dist/index.js
           fi
@@ -208,6 +216,12 @@ jobs:
           echo "$OUTPUT" | grep -q "Usage:"
           echo "$OUTPUT" | grep -q "cua \[options\] \[prompt\.\.\.\]"
 
+          GLOBAL_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+          npm install --global --prefix "$GLOBAL_DIR" "$TARBALL"
+          MODELS_OUTPUT=$("$GLOBAL_DIR/bin/cua" models -p openrouter)
+          echo "$MODELS_OUTPUT"
+          echo "$MODELS_OUTPUT" | grep -q "openrouter:moonshotai/kimi-k3"
+
       - name: Publish production release
         if: github.event_name == 'push'
         run: npm publish --workspace @onkernel/cua-cli --access public

packages/cli/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.8.0 - 2026-08-03
+
+- Queue messages submitted during an active turn for steering at the next agent
+  step. Pressing `esc` interrupts the active work and immediately starts a new
+  turn with any steering messages that were still queued.
+
 ## 0.7.0 - 2026-08-03
 
 - Add `openrouter:moonshotai/kimi-k3` model selection and

packages/cli/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@onkernel/cua-cli",
-  "version": "0.7.0",
+  "version": "0.8.0",
   "description": "Kernel-cloud-browser computer-use TUI built on @onkernel/cua-agent and pi-tui",
   "license": "MIT",
   "type": "module",

packages/cli/src/tui/main.ts

@@ -182,8 +182,13 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 
 	let assistantBuffer: AssistantBuffer | undefined;
 	let inflight = 0;
+	let promptRunning = 0;
+	let turnRevision = 0;
+	let interruptState: { queued: string[]; cancelled: boolean } | undefined;
 	let lastDisplayedError: string | undefined;
 
+	const isTurnRunning = (): boolean => inflight > 0 || promptRunning > 0;
+
 	// Ref of the live model, kept in sync by switchModel so the picker can mark
 	// it with a ✓. Undefined when opts.modelRef is not a catalog ref.
 	let currentModelRef: CuaModelRef | undefined = tryResolveModelRef(opts.modelRef);
@@ -229,7 +234,7 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 	 * protection, so it refuses up front rather than failing on apply.
 	 */
 	const refuseWhileBusy = (command: string): boolean => {
-		if (inflight === 0) return false;
+		if (!isTurnRunning() && !interruptState) return false;
 		messages.addError(`${command} is unavailable while a turn is running`);
 		requestRender("selector_busy", false, { command });
 		return true;
@@ -496,10 +501,20 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 		});
 	};
 
+	const promptAgent = async (text: string): Promise<void> => {
+		promptRunning += 1;
+		try {
+			await opts.harness.prompt(text);
+		} finally {
+			promptRunning -= 1;
+		}
+	};
+
 	const runPrompt = async (text: string): Promise<void> => {
 		debug?.log("run_prompt_start", { length: text.length });
 		try {
 			const parsed = parseSlashCommand(text);
+			if (parsed && refuseWhileBusy(`/${parsed.command}`)) return;
 			if (parsed?.command === "model") {
 				const argument = parsed.argument.trim();
 				if (!argument) {
@@ -548,7 +563,21 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 				await opts.harness.skill(skill.name, skillRemainder);
 				return;
 			}
-			await opts.harness.prompt(text);
+			if (interruptState) {
+				interruptState.queued.push(text);
+				messages.addNotice(interruptState.cancelled ? "queued for after abort" : "queued for the interrupted turn");
+				requestRender("prompt_queued_during_interrupt");
+				return;
+			}
+			if (isTurnRunning()) {
+				const revision = turnRevision;
+				await opts.harness.steer(text);
+				if (revision !== turnRevision) return;
+				messages.addNotice("queued for the next available turn");
+				requestRender("prompt_queued_for_steer");
+				return;
+			}
+			await promptAgent(text);
 		} catch (err) {
 			messages.addError((err as Error).message);
 			debug?.log("run_prompt_error", { message: (err as Error).message });
@@ -568,13 +597,74 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 		void runPrompt(trimmed);
 	};
 
+	const startQueuedPrompt = (queued: string[], notice: string): void => {
+		messages.addNotice(`${notice}; sending ${queued.length} queued message${queued.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}`);
+		requestRender("queued_prompt_start", false, { queued: queued.length });
+		void promptAgent(queued.join("\n\n")).catch((err: unknown) => {
+			messages.addError((err as Error).message);
+			debug?.log("queued_prompt_error", { message: (err as Error).message });
+			requestRender("queued_prompt_error");
+		});
+	};
+
+	const interruptTurn = async (): Promise<void> => {
+		if (interruptState) return;
+		const state: { queued: string[]; cancelled: boolean } = { queued: [], cancelled: false };
+		interruptState = state;
+		turnRevision += 1;
+		messages.addNotice("interrupting…");
+		requestRender("input_interrupt_start", false, { key: "escape" });
+		try {
+			const { clearedSteer, clearedFollowUp } = await opts.harness.abort();
+			if (state.cancelled) {
+				const queued = state.queued;
+				state.queued = [];
+				if (queued.length > 0) {
+					interruptState = undefined;
+					startQueuedPrompt(queued, "abort complete");
+				}
+				return;
+			}
+			const queued = [
+				...clearedSteer.map(userMessageText).filter((text): text is string => !!text),
+				...clearedFollowUp.map(userMessageText).filter((text): text is string => !!text),
+				...state.queued,
+			];
+			state.queued = [];
+			if (queued.length === 0) {
+				messages.addNotice("turn aborted");
+				requestRender("input_abort_stream", false, { key: "escape" });
+				return;
+			}
+
+			interruptState = undefined;
+			startQueuedPrompt(queued, "turn interrupted");
+		} catch (err) {
+			state.queued = [];
+			messages.addError((err as Error).message);
+			debug?.log("input_interrupt_error", { message: (err as Error).message });
+			requestRender("input_interrupt_error");
+		} finally {
+			if (interruptState === state) interruptState = undefined;
+		}
+	};
+
 	const removeListener = tui.addInputListener((data) => {
 		// Input listeners run before the focused component, so an open picker has
 		// to own every key: otherwise ctrl+c / ctrl+d here would quit the app
 		// instead of cancelling the picker.
 		if (activeSelector) return undefined;
 		if (matchesKey(data, "ctrl+c")) {
-			if (inflight > 0) {
+			if (interruptState) {
+				interruptState.cancelled = true;
+				interruptState.queued = [];
+				messages.addNotice("aborted");
+				debug?.log("input_cancel_interrupt_replay", { key: "ctrl+c" });
+				requestRender("input_cancel_interrupt_replay", false, { key: "ctrl+c" });
+				return { consume: true };
+			}
+			if (isTurnRunning()) {
+				turnRevision += 1;
 				void opts.harness.abort();
 				messages.addNotice("aborted");
 				debug?.log("input_abort_stream", { key: "ctrl+c" });
@@ -591,11 +681,9 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 			debug?.log("input_exit_request", { key: "ctrl+d" });
 			return { consume: true };
 		}
-		if (matchesKey(data, "escape") && inflight > 0) {
-			void opts.harness.abort();
-			messages.addNotice("turn aborted");
-			debug?.log("input_abort_stream", { key: "escape" });
-			requestRender("input_abort_stream", false, { key: "escape" });
+		if (matchesKey(data, "escape") && (isTurnRunning() || interruptState)) {
+			void interruptTurn();
+			debug?.log("input_interrupt_stream", { key: "escape" });
 			return { consume: true };
 		}
 		return undefined;
@@ -616,7 +704,7 @@ export async function runInteractive(opts: InteractiveOptions): Promise<number>
 
 		await waitForExit(
 			() => exitRequested,
-			() => inflight > 0,
+			() => isTurnRunning() || !!interruptState,
 		);
 
 		return 0;
@@ -644,6 +732,16 @@ function modelLabel(model: Model<any> | undefined): string {
 	return model.id;
 }
 
+function userMessageText(message: AgentMessage): string | undefined {
+	if (message.role !== "user") return undefined;
+	if (typeof message.content === "string") return message.content.trim() || undefined;
+	const text = message.content
+		.filter((content) => content.type === "text")
+		.map((content) => content.text)
+		.join("");
+	return text.trim() || undefined;
+}
+
 function lastErrorMessage(messages: AgentMessage[]): string | undefined {
 	for (let i = messages.length - 1; i >= 0; i -= 1) {
 		const m = messages[i];

packages/cli/test/fixtures/scripted-provider.ts

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 export type ScriptedStep =
 	| { type: "text"; text: string; chunkSize?: number; chunkMs?: number }
 	| { type: "tool_call"; toolName: string; args: Record<string, unknown>; id?: string }
-	| { type: "wait_abort" }
+	| { type: "wait_abort"; settleMs?: number }
 	| { type: "error"; message: string };
 
 export interface ScriptedTurn {
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ function buildStream(model: Model<Api>, turn: ScriptedTurn | undefined, signal?:
 				contentIndex += 1;
 			} else if (step.type === "wait_abort") {
 				await waitForAbort(signal);
+				if (step.settleMs) await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, step.settleMs));
 				aborted = true;
 				break;
 			} else if (step.type === "error") {

packages/cli/test/fixtures/tui-fixtures/interrupt-cancel.json

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{
+  "modelRef": "openai:gpt-5.5",
+  "turns": [
+    {
+      "steps": [
+        {
+          "type": "text",
+          "text": "working..."
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "wait_abort",
+          "settleMs": 3000
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "steps": [
+        {
+          "type": "text",
+          "text": "fixture response"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}

packages/cli/test/fixtures/tui-fixtures/steer.json

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "modelRef": "openai:gpt-5.5",
+  "turns": [
+    {
+      "steps": [
+        {
+          "type": "text",
+          "text": "working...",
+          "chunkSize": 5,
+          "chunkMs": 500
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "steps": [
+        {
+          "type": "text",
+          "text": "queued response"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}