src/lib/components/InputBar.svelte

@@ -164,6 +164,17 @@
     attachments = storedAttachments;
   });
 
+  // Per-tab draft persistence — restore the draft text whenever the active
+  // conversation changes, and save it back on every keystroke.
+  claudeStore.activeConversationId.subscribe((conversationId) => {
+    if (conversationId) {
+      const conv = get(claudeStore.conversations).get(conversationId);
+      inputValue = conv?.draftText ?? "";
+    } else {
+      inputValue = "";
+    }
+  });
+
   function handleInputChange() {
     // If input is empty, allow history navigation again
     // Otherwise, mark that user has manually typed
@@ -176,6 +187,12 @@
     historyIndex = -1;
     tempInput = "";
 
+    // Save the current draft so it persists if the user switches tabs.
+    const activeId = get(claudeStore.activeConversationId);
+    if (activeId) {
+      claudeStore.setDraftText(activeId, inputValue);
+    }
+
     if (isSlashCommand(inputValue)) {
       matchingCommands = getMatchingCommands(inputValue);
       showCommandMenu = matchingCommands.length > 0;

src/lib/stores/claude.ts

@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ export const claudeStore = {
   markSuccessSoundFired: conversationsStore.markSuccessSoundFired,
   markTaskStartSoundFired: conversationsStore.markTaskStartSoundFired,
 
+  // Draft text (per-tab input persistence)
+  setDraftText: conversationsStore.setDraftText,
+
   // Conversation management
   createConversation: conversationsStore.createConversation,
   deleteConversation: conversationsStore.deleteConversation,

src/lib/stores/conversations.test.ts

@@ -523,3 +523,41 @@ describe("pending retry message", () => {
     expect(pendingRetryMessage).toBeNull();
   });
 });
+
+describe("draft text persistence", () => {
+  it("initialises draft text as empty string", () => {
+    const conversation = { draftText: "" };
+    expect(conversation.draftText).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("stores draft text per conversation", () => {
+    const conversations = new Map([
+      ["conv-1", { draftText: "Hello world" }],
+      ["conv-2", { draftText: "" }],
+    ]);
+
+    expect(conversations.get("conv-1")?.draftText).toBe("Hello world");
+    expect(conversations.get("conv-2")?.draftText).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("updates draft text independently per conversation", () => {
+    const conversations = new Map([
+      ["conv-1", { draftText: "Draft A" }],
+      ["conv-2", { draftText: "Draft B" }],
+    ]);
+
+    const convA = conversations.get("conv-1");
+    if (convA) convA.draftText = "Updated A";
+
+    expect(conversations.get("conv-1")?.draftText).toBe("Updated A");
+    expect(conversations.get("conv-2")?.draftText).toBe("Draft B");
+  });
+
+  it("clears draft text after submission", () => {
+    const conversation = { draftText: "My prompt" };
+
+    conversation.draftText = "";
+
+    expect(conversation.draftText).toBe("");
+  });
+});

src/lib/stores/conversations.ts

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export interface Conversation {
   taskStartTime: number | null;
   successSoundFired: boolean;
   taskStartSoundFired: boolean;
+  draftText: string;
 }
 
 function createConversationsStore() {
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ function createConversationsStore() {
       taskStartTime: null,
       successSoundFired: false,
       taskStartSoundFired: false,
+      draftText: "",
     };
   }
 
@@ -871,6 +873,16 @@ function createConversationsStore() {
       });
     },
 
+    setDraftText: (conversationId: string, text: string) => {
+      conversations.update((convs) => {
+        const conv = convs.get(conversationId);
+        if (conv) {
+          conv.draftText = text;
+        }
+        return convs;
+      });
+    },
+
     // Add initialization helper
     initialize: () => {
       ensureInitialized();