diff --git a/src/job.zig b/src/job.zig
index fe35f4f..8164916 100644
--- a/src/job.zig
+++ b/src/job.zig
@@ -21,6 +21,28 @@ pub const Location = struct {
 };
 
 pub fn runRowsAlloc(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, io: std.Io, cwd: []const u8, argv: []const []const u8) ![][]const u8 {
+    try validateArgv(argv);
+    const command_preview = try commandPreviewAlloc(allocator, argv);
+    defer allocator.free(command_preview);
+    return runRowsWithPreviewAlloc(allocator, io, cwd, argv, "job", command_preview);
+}
+
+pub fn shellRowsAlloc(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, io: std.Io, cwd: []const u8, command: []const u8) ![][]const u8 {
+    try validateShellCommand(command);
+    const argv = [_][]const u8{ "sh", "-c", command };
+    const command_preview = try sanitizeLineAlloc(allocator, command);
+    defer allocator.free(command_preview);
+    return runRowsWithPreviewAlloc(allocator, io, cwd, &argv, "terminal", command_preview);
+}
+
+fn runRowsWithPreviewAlloc(
+    allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
+    io: std.Io,
+    cwd: []const u8,
+    argv: []const []const u8,
+    kind: []const u8,
+    command_preview: []const u8,
+) ![][]const u8 {
     try validateCwd(cwd);
     try validateArgv(argv);
 
@@ -30,9 +52,7 @@ pub fn runRowsAlloc(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, io: std.Io, cwd: []const u8, a
         rows.deinit(allocator);
     }
 
-    const command_preview = try commandPreviewAlloc(allocator, argv);
-    defer allocator.free(command_preview);
-    try rows.append(allocator, try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "job:spawned:{s}", .{command_preview}));
+    try rows.append(allocator, try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:spawned:{s}", .{ kind, command_preview }));
 
     const result = std.process.run(allocator, io, .{
         .argv = argv,
@@ -40,16 +60,16 @@ pub fn runRowsAlloc(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, io: std.Io, cwd: []const u8, a
         .stdout_limit = .limited(256 * 1024),
         .stderr_limit = .limited(256 * 1024),
     }) catch |err| {
-        try rows.append(allocator, try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "job:status:spawn_error_{s}", .{@errorName(err)}));
+        try rows.append(allocator, try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:status:spawn_error_{s}", .{ kind, @errorName(err) }));
         return rows.toOwnedSlice(allocator);
     };
     defer allocator.free(result.stdout);
     defer allocator.free(result.stderr);
 
-    try appendTermRow(allocator, &rows, result.term);
+    try appendTermRow(allocator, &rows, kind, result.term);
     try appendOutputRows(allocator, &rows, "stdout", result.stdout);
     try appendOutputRows(allocator, &rows, "stderr", result.stderr);
-    if (rows.items.len == 2) try rows.append(allocator, try allocator.dupe(u8, "job:output_empty"));
+    if (rows.items.len == 2) try rows.append(allocator, try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:output_empty", .{kind}));
     return rows.toOwnedSlice(allocator);
 }
 
@@ -108,6 +128,13 @@ fn validateArgv(argv: []const []const u8) !void {
     }
 }
 
+fn validateShellCommand(command: []const u8) !void {
+    if (command.len == 0 or !std.unicode.utf8ValidateSlice(command)) return Error.InvalidCommand;
+    for (command) |byte| {
+        if (byte == 0 or byte == '\n' or byte == '\r') return Error.InvalidCommand;
+    }
+}
+
 fn validatePath(path: []const u8) !void {
     if (path.len == 0 or !std.unicode.utf8ValidateSlice(path)) return Error.InvalidPath;
     if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, path, "/") or std.mem.indexOf(u8, path, "..") != null) return Error.InvalidPath;
@@ -116,12 +143,12 @@ fn validatePath(path: []const u8) !void {
     }
 }
 
-fn appendTermRow(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, rows: *std.ArrayList([]const u8), term: std.process.Child.Term) !void {
+fn appendTermRow(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, rows: *std.ArrayList([]const u8), kind: []const u8, term: std.process.Child.Term) !void {
     const row = switch (term) {
-        .exited => |code| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "job:status:exit_{d}", .{code}),
-        .signal => |sig| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "job:status:signal_{d}", .{@intFromEnum(sig)}),
-        .stopped => |sig| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "job:status:stopped_{d}", .{@intFromEnum(sig)}),
-        .unknown => |code| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "job:status:unknown_{d}", .{code}),
+        .exited => |code| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:status:exit_{d}", .{ kind, code }),
+        .signal => |sig| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:status:signal_{d}", .{ kind, @intFromEnum(sig) }),
+        .stopped => |sig| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:status:stopped_{d}", .{ kind, @intFromEnum(sig) }),
+        .unknown => |code| try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "{s}:status:unknown_{d}", .{ kind, code }),
     };
     try rows.append(allocator, row);
 }
@@ -196,3 +223,22 @@ test "adversarial: invalid commands rows and unparseable output are rejected" {
     try std.testing.expectError(Error.InvalidJobRow, locationFromRow("job:status:exit_1"));
     try std.testing.expectError(Error.InvalidPath, locationFromRow("stderr:../secret:1:1:nope"));
 }
+
+test "regular: shell terminal rows capture command output and exit status" {
+    const rows = try shellRowsAlloc(std.testing.allocator, std.testing.io, ".", "printf terminal_ok");
+    defer freeOwnedRows(std.testing.allocator, rows);
+    try std.testing.expect(rows.len >= 3);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("terminal:spawned:printf_terminal_ok", rows[0]);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("terminal:status:exit_0", rows[1]);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("stdout:terminal_ok", rows[2]);
+}
+
+test "adversarial: shell terminal rejects invalid command and reports shell failures" {
+    try std.testing.expectError(Error.InvalidCommand, shellRowsAlloc(std.testing.allocator, std.testing.io, ".", ""));
+    try std.testing.expectError(Error.InvalidCommand, shellRowsAlloc(std.testing.allocator, std.testing.io, ".", "echo bad\n"));
+
+    const rows = try shellRowsAlloc(std.testing.allocator, std.testing.io, ".", "definitely-not-a-mim-command");
+    defer freeOwnedRows(std.testing.allocator, rows);
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("terminal:status:exit_127", rows[1]);
+    try std.testing.expect(std.mem.startsWith(u8, rows[2], "stderr:"));
+}
diff --git a/src/tui.zig b/src/tui.zig
index 4d33dbb..eb95ac9 100644
--- a/src/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui.zig
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ pub const Client = struct {
         if (std.mem.eql(u8, line, "job_status")) return self.openStaticJobRow("job-status", "job_status:idle");
         if (std.mem.eql(u8, line, "job_cancel")) return self.openStaticJobRow("job-status", "job_cancel:no_running_job");
         if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, line, "job_open_selected ")) return self.openSelectedJobLocation(line[18..]);
+        if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, line, "terminal_run ")) return self.openTerminalRun(line[13..]);
+        if (std.mem.eql(u8, line, "terminal_status")) return self.openStaticJobRow("terminal-status", "terminal_status:idle");
+        if (std.mem.eql(u8, line, "terminal_cancel")) return self.openStaticJobRow("terminal-status", "terminal_cancel:no_running_terminal");
+        if (std.mem.eql(u8, line, "terminal_exit")) return self.closeTerminalPanel();
         if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, line, "panel_open ")) return self.applyProtocolCommand(line);
         if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, line, "list_open ")) return self.applyProtocolCommand(line);
         if (std.mem.startsWith(u8, line, "list_filter ")) return self.applyProtocolCommand(line);
@@ -374,23 +378,34 @@ pub const Client = struct {
 
     fn openJobRun(self: *Client, cwd_and_command: []const u8) !void {
         const io = self.io orelse return Error.ProtocolRejected;
-        const first_space = std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, cwd_and_command, ' ') orelse return Error.ProtocolRejected;
-        const cwd = cwd_and_command[0..first_space];
-        const command_line = std.mem.trim(u8, cwd_and_command[first_space + 1 ..], " ");
-        if (command_line.len == 0) return Error.ProtocolRejected;
+        const split = splitCwdAndCommand(cwd_and_command) orelse return Error.ProtocolRejected;
         var argv = std.ArrayList([]const u8).empty;
         defer argv.deinit(self.allocator);
-        var parts = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, command_line, ' ');
+        var parts = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, split.command, ' ');
         while (parts.next()) |part| {
             if (part.len == 0) continue;
             try argv.append(self.allocator, part);
         }
-        const rows = job_mod.runRowsAlloc(self.allocator, io, cwd, argv.items) catch return Error.ProtocolRejected;
+        const rows = job_mod.runRowsAlloc(self.allocator, io, split.cwd, argv.items) catch return Error.ProtocolRejected;
         defer freeOwnedRows(self.allocator, rows);
         try self.session.openListPanel("job-output", rows);
         self.message = null;
     }
 
+    fn openTerminalRun(self: *Client, cwd_and_command: []const u8) !void {
+        const io = self.io orelse return Error.ProtocolRejected;
+        const split = splitCwdAndCommand(cwd_and_command) orelse return Error.ProtocolRejected;
+        const rows = job_mod.shellRowsAlloc(self.allocator, io, split.cwd, split.command) catch return Error.ProtocolRejected;
+        defer freeOwnedRows(self.allocator, rows);
+        try self.session.openListPanel("terminal-output", rows);
+        self.message = null;
+    }
+
+    fn closeTerminalPanel(self: *Client) !void {
+        try self.session.closePanel();
+        self.message = null;
+    }
+
     fn openStaticJobRow(self: *Client, title: []const u8, row: []const u8) !void {
         try self.session.openListPanel(title, &.{row});
         self.message = null;
@@ -636,6 +651,14 @@ fn freeOwnedRows(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, rows: []const []const u8) void {
     allocator.free(rows);
 }
 
+fn splitCwdAndCommand(cwd_and_command: []const u8) ?struct { cwd: []const u8, command: []const u8 } {
+    const first_space = std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, cwd_and_command, ' ') orelse return null;
+    const cwd = cwd_and_command[0..first_space];
+    const command = std.mem.trim(u8, cwd_and_command[first_space + 1 ..], " ");
+    if (cwd.len == 0 or command.len == 0) return null;
+    return .{ .cwd = cwd, .command = command };
+}
+
 test "regular: scripted narrow terminal trace edits saves exits and replays saved bytes" {
     const trace =
         \\open abc
@@ -1379,3 +1402,60 @@ test "adversarial: bad job command is visible and failed job open does not corru
     const snap = try client.session.snapshot();
     try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("safe", snap.bytes);
 }
+
+test "regular: terminal escape hatch runs shell command exits and returns editor" {
+    var client = try Client.initWithIo(std.testing.allocator, .{ .width = 72, .height = 6 }, std.testing.io);
+    defer client.deinit();
+
+    try client.handleTraceLine("open safe_editor");
+    try client.handleTraceLine("terminal_run . printf terminal_ok");
+    {
+        const frame = try client.render(std.testing.allocator);
+        defer std.testing.allocator.free(frame);
+        try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal-output") != null);
+        try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal:status:exit_0") != null);
+        try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "stdout:terminal_ok") != null);
+    }
+
+    try client.handleTraceLine("terminal_exit");
+    const frame = try client.render(std.testing.allocator);
+    defer std.testing.allocator.free(frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal-output") == null);
+    try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "safe_editor") != null);
+}
+
+test "regular: terminal status and cancel are honest foreground lifecycle rows" {
+    var client = try Client.initWithIo(std.testing.allocator, .{ .width = 64, .height = 5 }, std.testing.io);
+    defer client.deinit();
+
+    try client.handleTraceLine("terminal_status");
+    {
+        const frame = try client.render(std.testing.allocator);
+        defer std.testing.allocator.free(frame);
+        try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal-status") != null);
+        try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal_status:idle") != null);
+    }
+
+    try client.handleTraceLine("terminal_cancel");
+    {
+        const frame = try client.render(std.testing.allocator);
+        defer std.testing.allocator.free(frame);
+        try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal_cancel:no_running_terminal") != null);
+    }
+}
+
+test "adversarial: terminal command rejection does not corrupt editor" {
+    var client = try Client.initWithIo(std.testing.allocator, .{ .width = 72, .height = 5 }, std.testing.io);
+    defer client.deinit();
+
+    try client.handleTraceLine("open safe");
+    try std.testing.expectError(Error.ProtocolRejected, client.handleTraceLine("terminal_run . "));
+    const snap = try client.session.snapshot();
+    try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("safe", snap.bytes);
+
+    try client.handleTraceLine("terminal_run . definitely-not-a-mim-command");
+    const frame = try client.render(std.testing.allocator);
+    defer std.testing.allocator.free(frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "terminal:status:exit_127") != null);
+    try std.testing.expect(std.mem.indexOf(u8, frame, "stderr:") != null);
+}