mostlydev · mostlydev · Sep 15, 2026 · Sep 15, 2026 · Sep 15, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ changes will be called out under **Breaking changes**.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+## [0.18.1] — 2026-09-15
+
+Full notes: [`docs/releases/0.18.1.md`](docs/releases/0.18.1.md).
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Native text selection in chat.** Mouse capture is off by default, restoring terminal drag selection, double-click word selection, and normal copying. Use `--mouse` to opt into chat wheel scrolling; `--no-mouse` retains native selection.
+
 ## [0.18.0] — 2026-09-15
 
 Full notes: [`docs/releases/0.18.0.md`](docs/releases/0.18.0.md).
@@ -554,6 +562,7 @@ Initial alpha. Core room protocol, SQLite-backed persistence, multi-process
 contention coverage, MCP smoke coverage, human guardian flow, harness
 installers, and the portable `talking-stick` skill.
 
+[0.18.1]: https://github.com/mostlydev/talking-stick/releases/tag/v0.18.1
 [0.18.0]: https://github.com/mostlydev/talking-stick/releases/tag/v0.18.0
 [0.17.0]: https://github.com/mostlydev/talking-stick/releases/tag/v0.17.0
 [0.16.0]: https://github.com/mostlydev/talking-stick/releases/tag/v0.16.0

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ tt state [path] [--all]                                  # compact room state; -
 tt health [path] [--verbose|--all]                       # concise safety/action check; verbose shows diagnostics
 tt status [path] [--verbose|--all]                       # alias for health
 tt events [path] [--all] [--after N] [--limit N] [--wait|--follow] [--event TYPE[,TYPE]] [--target self|any|agent]  # audit/debug event log; --wait/--follow lower-level streams
-tt chat [path] [--history N] [--events] [--no-mouse]                   # operator chat console for the room
+tt chat [path] [--history N] [--events] [--mouse|--no-mouse]                   # operator chat console for the room
 tt msg send <recipient|room> <body...> [--interrupt] [--stdin] [--path DIR]  # send an OOB message
 tt msg recv [--wait|--follow] [--from agent] [--after N] [--target self|any|agent] [--path DIR]  # receive OOB messages
 tt kick <agent_id> [path] [--reason TEXT] [--force]      # remove a member (live ones need --force)
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ claude → you  12:05
 3 members │ codex holding 12m · claude idle 3m
 ```
 
-Scroll with the mouse wheel, Page Up/Page Down, or Shift+Up/Down. The input stays fixed and editable. New messages do not pull you away from older history; a count appears in the footer. Ctrl+End or `/bottom` returns to live messages. The in-memory buffer retains up to 2,000 message/notice blocks and rewraps on resize. Use `--no-mouse` for keyboard-only scrolling and native text selection; otherwise hold your terminal's selection modifier (usually Shift) when dragging.
+Scroll with Page Up/Page Down or Shift+Up/Down. The input stays fixed and editable. New messages do not pull you away from older history; a count appears in the footer. Ctrl+End or `/bottom` returns to live messages. The in-memory buffer retains up to 2,000 message/notice blocks and rewraps on resize. Mouse capture is off by default: drag to select text, double-click to select a word, and copy using your terminal's usual shortcut or menu. For wheel scrolling inside the conversation, opt in with `tt chat --mouse`; this captures mouse gestures, so native selection then requires your terminal's selection modifier (often Shift). `--no-mouse` explicitly restores the default and wins if both flags are supplied.
 
 Typing `/`, `@`, or `!@` opens a suggestion list drawn over the bottom of the conversation, so nothing moves while you type. Up/Down choose, Tab or Enter accept, and Enter still sends once the word is complete (an exact `/quit` still quits). Escape closes the list first and clears the draft on a second press; Ctrl+C clears the draft. Neither quits. Alt+Enter (or Shift+Enter where the terminal supports it) adds a new line, and with the list closed Up/Down move through a multi-line draft at the same column. Pasted multiline text stays in the draft until Enter. On exit, the console restores the original terminal screen.
 

diff --git a/docs/releases/0.18.1.md b/docs/releases/0.18.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Talking Stick 0.18.1
+
+Date: 2026-09-15
+
+## Fixed
+
+- **Native text selection in chat.** Mouse capture is off by default, restoring terminal drag selection, double-click word selection, and normal copying. Use `--mouse` to opt into chat wheel scrolling; `--no-mouse` retains native selection.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+npm run typecheck
+npm test
+npm run build
+node dist/cli.js --help
+git diff --check
+npm pack --dry-run
+```
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "talking-stick",
-  "version": "0.18.0",
+  "version": "0.18.1",
   "description": "CLI coordination tool for path-scoped agent handoffs.",
   "type": "module",
   "bin": {

diff --git a/src/cli/chat-view.ts b/src/cli/chat-view.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export function formatChatHelp(width: number, color: boolean, keys = false): str
     ["Esc", "Dismiss suggestions; press again to clear"],
     ["Ctrl+C", "Clear the draft"],
     ["PgUp / PgDn", "Scroll the conversation"],
-    ["Shift+↑ / ↓ · wheel", "Scroll a few lines"],
+    ["Shift+↑ / ↓", "Scroll a few lines (wheel with --mouse)"],
     ["Ctrl+End", "Return to the latest messages"],
     ["Ctrl+D", "Quit when the draft is empty"]
   ] : CHAT_COMMANDS.map((command) => [

diff --git a/src/cli/chat.ts b/src/cli/chat.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export async function handleChatCommand(
     color: terminal && !process.env.NO_COLOR,
     history: parseOptionalInteger(parsed, "history") ?? DEFAULT_HISTORY,
     show_turn_events: hasOption(parsed, "events"),
-    mouse: !hasOption(parsed, "no-mouse")
+    mouse: hasOption(parsed, "mouse") && !hasOption(parsed, "no-mouse")
   });
 }
 
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ export async function runChatSession(
       screenActive = true;
       output.write(
         "\u001b[?1049h\u001b[?2004h" +
-          (options.mouse !== false ? "\u001b[?1000h\u001b[?1006h" : "")
+          (options.mouse === true ? "\u001b[?1000h\u001b[?1006h" : "")
       );
       editor = new ChatInputController({
         input: options.input,

diff --git a/src/cli/parser.ts b/src/cli/parser.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ const BOOLEAN_FLAGS = new Set([
   "link",
   "no-guard",
   "no-mouse",
+  "mouse",
   "operator-requested",
   "park",
   "print",

diff --git a/src/cli/registry.ts b/src/cli/registry.ts
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ export const COMMAND_REGISTRY: CommandEntry[] = [
     needsRuntime: true,
     startupMaintenance: true,
     internal: false,
-    usage: "tt chat [path] [--history N] [--events] [--no-mouse]",
+    usage: "tt chat [path] [--history N] [--events] [--mouse|--no-mouse]",
     description: "Open an operator chat console for a room's agents.",
     handler: ({ runtime, parsed }) => handleChatCommand(requireRuntime(runtime), parsed)
   },

diff --git a/tests/chat.test.ts b/tests/chat.test.ts
@@ -1289,3 +1289,18 @@ test("chat kicks a persistently ended member without force and protects live mem
     await until(() => transcript.includes("In the room: codex"));
   } finally { input.write("/quit\n"); await session; }
 });
+
+test.each([undefined, false, true])("chat enables terminal mouse capture only when requested (mouse=%s)", async (mouse) => {
+  const { root, service } = setupService();
+  const input = new PassThrough(); const output = new PassThrough(); let captured = "";
+  output.on("data", (chunk) => { captured += chunk.toString(); });
+  const session = runChatSession({ runtime: { commands: new TalkingStickCommands(service), close() {} },
+    identity: observerIdentity(), context_path: root, input, output, terminal: true, color: false, history: 0,
+    show_turn_events: false, poll_ms: 5, mouse });
+  try {
+    await until(() => captured.includes("Room · "));
+    expect(captured.includes("\u001b[?1000h")).toBe(mouse === true);
+    expect(captured.includes("\u001b[?1006h")).toBe(mouse === true);
+  } finally { input.write("/quit\r"); await session; }
+  expect(captured).toContain("\u001b[?1000l\u001b[?1006l");
+});
diff --git a/tests/parser.test.ts b/tests/parser.test.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {
 } from "../src/cli/parser.js";
 
 describe("parseCommand", () => {
-  test.each(["json", "no-mouse"])(
+  test.each(["json", "no-mouse", "mouse"])(
     "boolean --%s preserves the following path",
     (flag) => {
       const parsed = parseCommand(["chat", `--${flag}`, "/repo"]);