fix(relay): type a window's message the mod refused

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 - `lich sessions --json`, `lich whoami --json` and the MCP tool `list_sessions` carry the line a session's card shows under its label: `tool` and `detail` while it is busy, the tool it is running and what it acts on, and `reason` while it waits on you. A script or a desktop widget can show what each agent is doing without opening the window.
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Notes from the session browser, and the Pulls screen's Fix CI errors and Resolve conflicts, reach a Claude Code session you stopped with Esc. Claude Code turned the message down until someone typed at the session, and the tray said "its mod refused it"; lich now types the message at the prompt instead.
+
 ## [0.81.0] - 2026-10-28
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]

internal/relay/submit.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package relay
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/lichdotdev/lich/api"
@@ -19,6 +20,10 @@ import (
 // relayed prompt is: it carries text strangers wrote (an issue body, a
 // comment), and an ESC[201~ in it would close the paste and type the rest as
 // keys.
+//
+// A message the mod refuses is typed instead: Claude Code turns a mod's prompt
+// down once the user stopped the session, until someone types at it, and the
+// person at the window is that someone.
 func (s *Service) Submit(ctx context.Context, opts api.SubmitOptions) (api.None, error) {
 	sess, ok := s.sessionOf(opts.SessionID)
 	if !ok {
@@ -34,5 +39,10 @@ func (s *Service) Submit(ctx context.Context, opts api.SubmitOptions) (api.None,
 	if !live {
 		return api.None{}, fmt.Errorf("%q is not running", sess.Label)
 	}
-	return api.None{}, s.deliver(opts.SessionID, sanitize(opts.Message), nil)
+	message := sanitize(opts.Message)
+	err = s.deliver(opts.SessionID, message, nil)
+	if errors.Is(err, errModRefused) {
+		err = s.typeIn(opts.SessionID, message)
+	}
+	return api.None{}, err
 }

internal/relay/submit_test.go

@@ -63,3 +63,20 @@ func TestSubmitRefusesWhatCannotTakeAPrompt(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("typed at shell = %q, want nothing", got)
 	}
 }
+
+// Claude Code's mod refuses a prompt once the user stopped the session, until
+// someone types at it: the window's sender is that someone, so it types.
+func TestSubmitTypesWhatTheModRefused(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	term := newFakeTerminal("modded")
+	term.attachMod("modded", PromptReceipt{State: PromptAcked, Reason: "the session was stopped and nobody has sent input since"})
+	svc := newRelay(merging(), term, nil)
+
+	if _, err := svc.Submit(t.Context(), api.SubmitOptions{SessionID: "modded", Message: "fix the button"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Submit = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+	writes := term.writesTo("modded")
+	if len(writes) != 2 || writes[0] != "\x1b[200~fix the button\x1b[201~" || writes[1] != "\r" {
+		t.Errorf("writes = %q, want the paste and then Enter", writes)
+	}
+}

internal/relay/viamod.go

@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ func (s *Service) takesDelivery(id string) (bool, error) {
 	return ready || s.term.ModAttached(id), nil
 }
 
+// errModRefused is a mod's ack that turned the prompt down, with its reason.
+var errModRefused = errors.New("its mod refused it")
+
 // handToMod hands a message to the session's mod, as a notification when note
 // is not nil, and reports whether it is the mod's to deliver now: false with no
 // error means type it instead, which is what a session with no mod and a prompt
@@ -89,7 +92,7 @@ func (s *Service) handToMod(sessionID, message string, note *Notification) (bool
 		return true, errors.New("the session ended before its mod took it")
 	case PromptAcked:
 		if !receipt.OK {
-			return true, fmt.Errorf("its mod refused it: %s", receipt.Reason)
+			return true, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", errModRefused, receipt.Reason)
 		}
 	}
 	return true, nil