sparkus · sparkus · Aug 3, 2026 · Aug 3, 2026
diff --git a/.agents/skills/harness-adapters/SKILL.md b/.agents/skills/harness-adapters/SKILL.md
@@ -301,17 +301,17 @@ The model arms through `fm_watch_arm_pi`, never a foreground bash arm; the watch
 `bin/fm-session-start.sh` reports when the live Pi-family session has not loaded both the turn-end guard and watcher extensions, and points at the selected executable after project trust as the fix, with `-e` as a trust-free fallback.
 When a secondmate is launched on Pi or pi-signed, `fm-spawn.sh --secondmate` launches the selected executable with both `-e .pi/extensions/fm-primary-turnend-guard.ts` and `-e .pi/extensions/fm-primary-pi-watch.ts`, both already present in the secondmate home's git worktree.
 
-## grok (VERIFIED 2026-06-29, grok 0.2.73; slash-submit re-verified 2026-07-03 on 0.2.82; reasoning-effort ceiling re-verified 2026-07-13 on 0.2.99; exit paths re-verified 2026-07-19 on grok 0.2.103)
+## grok (VERIFIED 2026-06-29, grok 0.2.73; slash-submit re-verified 2026-07-03 on 0.2.82; reasoning-effort ceiling re-verified 2026-07-13 on 0.2.99; exit paths re-verified 2026-07-19 on grok 0.2.103; busy-footer and interrupt re-verified 2026-08-02 on Grok 4.5 / Build 0.2.118)
 
 Grok Build TUI (`grok`), a Claude-Code-compatible CLI from xAI.
 Launch with a positional prompt: `grok --always-approve "$(cat <brief>)"`.
 For Grok's supported reasoning-effort values and omission behavior, see the [launch-profile-axes table](#launch-profile-axes).
 
 | Fact | Value |
 |---|---|
-| Busy state | The one remaining rendered-tail fallback, isolated to Grok until its structured lifecycle is live-verified: `Ctrl+c:cancel`, the mid-turn cancel hint shown in grok's keybind bar iff a turn is running. The idle bar shows only `Shift+Tab:mode │ Ctrl+.:shortcuts`. ASCII is matched rather than the braille spinner to avoid locale fragility. |
-| Exit command | `/exit` typed into the composer exits the TUI cleanly and prints `Resume this session with: grok --resume <session-id>`; `Ctrl+Q` double-press within 1000ms remains a fallback; `Ctrl+D` is the quit key in VS Code family terminals; `Ctrl+C` is the interrupt, not the exit. |
-| Interrupt | single `Ctrl+C` (cancels the current turn; the footer shows `Ctrl+c:cancel` mid-turn). `Esc` only moves focus to the scrollback, it does NOT interrupt. |
+| Busy state | The one remaining rendered-tail fallback, isolated to Grok until its structured lifecycle is live-verified. Match the mid-turn cancel keybind in the keybind bar (present only while a turn is running). Verified forms are an alternation in `FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT` (`bin/fm-tmux-lib.sh`, same fallback in `bin/fm-busy-lib.sh`): older `Ctrl+c:cancel`, and Grok 4.5 / Build 0.2.118 `Esc:cancel` (live busy footer `Shift+Tab:mode │ Esc:cancel │ Ctrl+x:shortcuts`). Idle bar has no `:cancel` token (`Shift+Tab:mode │ Ctrl+x:shortcuts` on 0.2.118). ASCII keybind text is matched rather than the braille spinner to avoid locale fragility. Add a new form when the TUI renames the busy footer; do not replace one form with another. |
+| Exit command | `/exit` typed into the composer exits the TUI cleanly and prints `Resume this session with: grok --resume <session-id>`; `Ctrl+Q` double-press within 1000ms remains a fallback; `Ctrl+D` is the quit key in VS Code family terminals; a double `Ctrl+C` while idle is quit (`Ctrl+c:press again to quit`), not the mid-turn cancel. |
+| Interrupt | single Escape cancels the running turn on Grok 4.5 (footer shows `Esc:cancel` mid-turn; verified 2026-08-02 on Build 0.2.118). A single `Ctrl+C` also cancels a running turn on 4.5. Prefer Escape when the live footer shows `Esc:cancel`. Escape is the cancel key mid-turn, not a scrollback-only focus move. |
 | Skill invocation | `/<skill>` (e.g. `/no-mistakes`), same as claude. Opens a slash-autocomplete popup, so a too-fast Enter selects the popup entry instead of sending. For an argument-taking command that first Enter does not submit at all - it expands the selection into an argument-hint placeholder in the composer (e.g. `/compact` -> `/compact compaction instructions`, live-verified), leaving real text still sitting there unsubmitted; a genuine second Enter is required. `fm-send`'s retried Enter lands it on BOTH backends, but only because each backend's own submit-verification correctly recognizes that placeholder-filled text as still-pending - see the incident below. |
 | Autonomy | `--always-approve` (footer shows `· always-approve`); auto-approves every tool execution, verified to run fully unattended. `--permission-mode bypassPermissions` is the stronger equivalent. |
 | Env marker | `GROK_AGENT=1`, set for child/tool processes. grok does NOT set `CLAUDECODE` despite Claude compatibility, so the marker is unambiguous. |

diff --git a/bin/fm-busy-lib.sh b/bin/fm-busy-lib.sh
@@ -247,12 +247,15 @@ fm_busy_record_read() {  # <state-dir> <id>
 }
 
 # fm_busy_grok_tail_busy: the Grok-only temporary rendered-tail fallback.
-# Consumes the tail on stdin; 0 when Grok's verified busy signature matches.
+# Consumes the tail on stdin; 0 when any verified Grok mid-turn cancel
+# keybind form matches. Forms are an ERE alternation owned with
+# FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT in bin/fm-tmux-lib.sh (keep both in sync):
+# Ctrl+c:cancel (older) and Esc:cancel (Grok 4.5 / Build 0.2.118+).
 # FM_BUSY_REGEX still globally overrides the signature, mirroring the
 # historical operator escape hatch.
 fm_busy_grok_tail_busy() {
   grep -v '^[[:space:]]*$' | tail -12 \
-    | grep -qiE "${FM_BUSY_REGEX:-${FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT:-Ctrl\\+c:cancel}}"
+    | grep -qiE "${FM_BUSY_REGEX:-${FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT:-(Ctrl\\+c|Esc):cancel}}"
 }
 
 # fm_busy_classify: semantic classification for a task whose endpoint the

diff --git a/bin/fm-tmux-lib.sh b/bin/fm-tmux-lib.sh
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@
 . "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/fm-composer-lib.sh"
 
 # Delivery-only rendered busy footers per harness. claude/codex: "esc to
-# interrupt"; opencode: "esc interrupt"; pi: "Working..."; grok: "Ctrl+c:cancel".
+# interrupt"; opencode: "esc interrupt"; pi: "Working..."; grok: mid-turn
+# cancel keybind (see FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT).
 # Claude's current spinner has a rotating glyph and word, but every active-turn
 # line has an ellipsis followed by a parenthesized elapsed duration. Keep this
 # signature separate from the shared default because that shape is not generic
@@ -82,12 +83,20 @@
 # busy signals on their own.
 # The full moon-phase set remains locale- and emoji-font-sensitive because Kimi
 # exposes no stable ASCII busy token.
-FM_TMUX_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='esc (to )?interrupt|Working\.\.\.|Ctrl\+c:cancel'
+#
+# Grok mid-turn cancel keybind forms are an ERE alternation, not one literal.
+# Add a new form when the TUI renames the busy footer; keep prior forms so a
+# mixed fleet keeps working. Live-verified 2026-08-02 on Grok Build 0.2.118
+# (Grok 4.5): busy footer is "Shift+Tab:mode | Esc:cancel | Ctrl+x:shortcuts",
+# idle is the same without Esc:cancel. Older verified form: Ctrl+c:cancel.
+# Keep this string identical to the fallback in bin/fm-busy-lib.sh
+# fm_busy_grok_tail_busy (semantic task state uses the same forms).
+FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='(Ctrl\+c|Esc):cancel'
+FM_TMUX_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT="esc (to )?interrupt|Working\\.\\.\\.|${FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT}"
 FM_TMUX_CLAUDE_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='esc to interrupt|…[[:space:]]+\([0-9]+[smh]'
 FM_TMUX_CODEX_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='esc to interrupt'
 FM_TMUX_OPENCODE_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='esc interrupt'
 FM_TMUX_PI_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='Working\.\.\.'
-FM_TMUX_GROK_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='Ctrl\+c:cancel'
 FM_TMUX_KIMI_BUSY_REGEX_DEFAULT='^[[:space:]]*(🌑|🌒|🌓|🌔|🌕|🌖|🌗|🌘)[[:space:]]+·[[:space:]]+'
 
 fm_busy_lines_match() {  # [harness]

diff --git a/tests/fm-busy-adapter-wiring.test.sh b/tests/fm-busy-adapter-wiring.test.sh
@@ -334,7 +334,11 @@ test_kimi_and_grok_install_no_unverified_wiring() {
   out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux fake:w kimi gate-k "$state" '🌒 · thinking')
   [ "$out" = "unknown kimi-unverified" ] || fail "kimi must classify unknown, not from its spinner, got '$out'"
   out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux fake:w grok gate-g "$state" 'Ctrl+c:cancel')
-  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "grok must classify through its isolated fallback, got '$out'"
+  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "grok older footer must classify through its isolated fallback, got '$out'"
+  out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux fake:w grok gate-g45 "$state" 'Esc:cancel')
+  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "grok 4.5 Esc:cancel must classify through its isolated fallback, got '$out'"
+  out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux fake:w grok gate-idle "$state" 'Shift+Tab:mode  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts')
+  [ "$out" = "idle grok-regex" ] || fail "grok idle footer without :cancel must be idle, got '$out'"
   pass "kimi and grok install no unverified semantic wiring and classify through their own gates"
 }
 

diff --git a/tests/fm-busy-state.test.sh b/tests/fm-busy-state.test.sh
@@ -234,16 +234,26 @@ Ctrl+c:cancel'
 test_grok_regex_isolated() {
   local state out
   state=$(new_state_dir grok-arm)
+  # Older footer form still classifies busy (mixed-fleet compatibility).
   out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux w1 grok t1 "$state" 'thinking hard
 Ctrl+c:cancel')
-  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "grok busy tail must classify 'busy grok-regex', got '$out'"
+  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "older Ctrl+c:cancel busy tail must classify 'busy grok-regex', got '$out'"
+  # Grok 4.5 / Build 0.2.118 live busy footer (2026-08-02): Esc:cancel.
+  out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux w1 grok t1 "$state" 'Shift+Tab:mode  │  Esc:cancel  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts')
+  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "Grok 4.5 Esc:cancel busy footer must classify 'busy grok-regex', got '$out'"
+  out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux w1 grok t1 "$state" 'Waiting for response…
+Esc:cancel')
+  [ "$out" = "busy grok-regex" ] || fail "bare Esc:cancel busy token must classify 'busy grok-regex', got '$out'"
+  # Idle directions: bare prompt, and the live 4.5 idle keybind bar (no :cancel).
   out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux w1 grok t1 "$state" 'done.
 > ')
   [ "$out" = "idle grok-regex" ] || fail "grok idle tail must classify 'idle grok-regex', got '$out'"
+  out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux w1 grok t1 "$state" 'Shift+Tab:mode  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts')
+  [ "$out" = "idle grok-regex" ] || fail "Grok 4.5 idle footer without :cancel must classify 'idle grok-regex', got '$out'"
   # Another adapter's footer never makes grok busy either.
   out=$(fm_busy_classify tmux w1 grok t1 "$state" '• Working (6s • esc to interrupt)')
   [ "$out" = "idle grok-regex" ] || fail "a claude footer must not classify grok busy, got '$out'"
-  pass "the grok fallback is regex-scoped to grok and classifies only grok tasks"
+  pass "the grok fallback matches both cancel-footer forms and classifies idle without them"
 }
 
 # --- kimi verification gate -----------------------------------------------------

diff --git a/tests/fm-crew-state.test.sh b/tests/fm-crew-state.test.sh
@@ -827,22 +827,35 @@ test_no_run_footer_text_alone_is_not_working() {
 
 # Grok keeps its isolated temporary rendered-tail fallback until its structured
 # lifecycle is live-verified, so a grok crew still reads working from its own
-# verified signature.
+# verified signature (both older and Grok 4.5 cancel-footer forms).
 test_no_run_grok_uses_isolated_fallback() {
   reset_fakes
-  local d; d=$(new_case busy-grok)
+  local d out
+  d=$(new_case busy-grok)
   make_repo_on_branch "$d/wt" fm/feat-h3
   make_fakebin "$d" >/dev/null
   fm_write_meta "$d/state/feat-h3.meta" "window=fm:fm-feat-h3" "worktree=$d/wt" "kind=ship" "harness=grok"
   FM_FAKE_AXI_STATUS=""
   FM_FAKE_RUNS_LIST=""
   FM_FAKE_BUSY=1
+  # Older form.
   FM_FAKE_BUSY_TEXT='Ctrl+c:cancel'
   export FM_FAKE_BUSY_TEXT
-  local out; out=$(run_crew_state "$d" feat-h3)
-  assert_contains "$out" "state: working" "grok busy tail -> working"
+  out=$(run_crew_state "$d" feat-h3)
+  assert_contains "$out" "state: working" "grok older Ctrl+c:cancel busy tail -> working"
   assert_contains "$out" "grok-regex" "the grok verdict names its isolated fallback source"
-  pass "grok still reads working through its isolated rendered-tail fallback"
+  # Grok 4.5 form (live 2026-08-02).
+  FM_FAKE_BUSY_TEXT='Shift+Tab:mode  │  Esc:cancel  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts'
+  export FM_FAKE_BUSY_TEXT
+  out=$(run_crew_state "$d" feat-h3)
+  assert_contains "$out" "state: working" "grok 4.5 Esc:cancel busy footer -> working"
+  assert_contains "$out" "grok-regex" "the grok 4.5 verdict names its isolated fallback source"
+  # Idle 4.5 footer must not report working from the rendered tail alone.
+  FM_FAKE_BUSY_TEXT='Shift+Tab:mode  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts'
+  export FM_FAKE_BUSY_TEXT
+  out=$(run_crew_state "$d" feat-h3)
+  assert_not_contains "$out" "state: working" "grok 4.5 idle footer must not read working"
+  pass "grok still reads working through both verified cancel-footer forms"
 }
 
 test_no_run_herdr_unknown_uses_backend_capture() {

diff --git a/tests/fm-tmux-submit-busy.test.sh b/tests/fm-tmux-submit-busy.test.sh
@@ -252,8 +252,16 @@ test_claude_busy_signature_uses_real_capture_shapes() {
   printf 'Working...\n' > "$composer"
   pane_busy pi pi || fail "Pi Working footer should be busy"
   pane_busy pi-signed pi-signed || fail "pi-signed should share Pi's exact Working footer"
+  # Grok: both verified mid-turn cancel forms classify busy; idle bar does not.
   printf 'Ctrl+c:cancel\n' > "$composer"
-  pane_busy grok grok || fail "Grok cancel footer should be busy"
+  pane_busy grok-old grok || fail "older Grok Ctrl+c:cancel footer should be busy"
+  printf 'Shift+Tab:mode  │  Esc:cancel  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts\n' > "$composer"
+  pane_busy grok-45 grok || fail "Grok 4.5 Esc:cancel busy footer should be busy"
+  printf 'Shift+Tab:mode  │  Ctrl+x:shortcuts\n' > "$composer"
+  pane_busy grok-idle grok && fail "Grok 4.5 idle footer without :cancel must not be busy"
+  # Shared no-harness fallback still matches both Grok forms.
+  printf 'Esc:cancel\n' > "$composer"
+  pane_busy fallback-esc || fail "no-harness fallback should retain Grok 4.5 Esc:cancel"
   pass "fm_pane_is_busy: Claude spinner is scoped, multi-frame, and backward-compatible"
 }