diff --git a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.test.ts b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.test.ts
index d3653d30035d78603e05ff914a9e87672600e04b..cd8ba0e383adc2a95018d729a415bbe0fc943275 100644
--- a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.test.ts
+++ b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   EnvironmentId,
   ProjectId,
+  RuntimeRequestId,
   ThreadId,
   type OrchestrationV2ShellSnapshot,
 } from "@t3tools/contracts";
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import { Atom, AtomRegistry } from "effect/reactivity";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
 
 import { PrimaryConnectionTarget } from "../connection/model.ts";
-import { v2ShellSnapshot, v2ThreadShell } from "./orchestrationV2TestFixtures.ts";
+import { v2Now, v2ShellSnapshot, v2ThreadShell } from "./orchestrationV2TestFixtures.ts";
 import { applyShellStreamEvent } from "./shellReducer.ts";
 import { createEnvironmentThreadShellAtoms } from "./threadShell.ts";
 
@@ -103,6 +104,53 @@ describe("v2 thread shell lists", () => {
     registry.dispose();
   });
 
+  it("counts a subagent question on its parent only while the subagent runs", () => {
+    const { registry, threads, snapshotAtom } = makeHarness();
+    const root = v2ThreadShell;
+    const child = {
+      ...root,
+      id: ThreadId.make("child"),
+      creationSource: "mcp" as const,
+      status: "running" as const,
+      activityRunStatus: "running" as const,
+      lineage: {
+        ...root.lineage,
+        parentThreadId: root.id,
+        relationshipToParent: "subagent" as const,
+      },
+      pendingRuntimeRequest: {
+        id: RuntimeRequestId.make("question"),
+        kind: "user_input" as const,
+        createdAt: v2Now,
+      },
+    };
+    const inputs = threads.childThreadInputsAtom({ environmentId, threadId: root.id });
+    const dispose = registry.mount(inputs);
+    registry.set(snapshotAtom(environmentId), { ...v2ShellSnapshot, threads: [root, child] });
+    expect(registry.get(inputs).map((thread) => thread.id)).toEqual([child.id]);
+    // A follow-up queued behind the blocked run leaves the question live.
+    registry.set(snapshotAtom(environmentId), {
+      ...v2ShellSnapshot,
+      threads: [root, { ...child, status: "queued" as const }],
+    });
+    expect(registry.get(inputs).map((thread) => thread.id)).toEqual([child.id]);
+    // An async question stays pending after the run that asked it completes.
+    registry.set(snapshotAtom(environmentId), {
+      ...v2ShellSnapshot,
+      threads: [root, { ...child, status: "completed" as const, activityRunStatus: null }],
+    });
+    expect(registry.get(inputs)).toEqual([]);
+    // Older servers omit the activity run, so the latest run's status decides.
+    const { activityRunStatus: _omitted, ...legacyChild } = child;
+    registry.set(snapshotAtom(environmentId), {
+      ...v2ShellSnapshot,
+      threads: [root, { ...legacyChild, status: "completed" as const }],
+    });
+    expect(registry.get(inputs)).toEqual([]);
+    dispose();
+    registry.dispose();
+  });
+
   it("leaves switched-off environments out of navigation", () => {
     const { registry, threads, catalogValueAtom } = makeHarness([
       environmentId,
diff --git a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.ts b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.ts
index 3cb54087ac14d233c9f8f66ae5d9e2eedf07c09f..20d47aadba0715736367d1ee621c0749ee4ff688 100644
--- a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.ts
+++ b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadShell.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,20 @@ const EMPTY_THREAD_REFS_BY_PROJECT: ReadonlyMap<
   ReadonlyArray<ScopedThreadRef>
 > = new Map();
 
+// An async question outlives the subagent's run, but once that run ends the
+// parent is no longer waiting on the answer, so it stops counting as input.
+// The activity run stays set when a follow-up is queued behind a blocked run;
+// older servers omit it, so fall back to the latest run's status.
+const isChildRunLive = (
+  thread: Pick<OrchestrationV2ThreadShell, "activityRunStatus" | "status">,
+) =>
+  thread.activityRunStatus !== undefined
+    ? thread.activityRunStatus !== null
+    : thread.status === "preparing" ||
+      thread.status === "starting" ||
+      thread.status === "running" ||
+      thread.status === "waiting";
+
 export function createEnvironmentThreadShellAtoms(input: {
   readonly catalogValueAtom: Atom.Atom<EnvironmentCatalogState>;
   readonly snapshotAtom: (
@@ -163,6 +177,7 @@ export function createEnvironmentThreadShellAtoms(input: {
           pending.push(child.id);
           if (
             child.pendingRuntimeRequest?.kind === "user_input" &&
+            isChildRunLive(child) &&
             !isProviderNativeSubagentThread(child)
           ) {
             next.push(scopedThread(ref.environmentId, child));