diff --git a/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_page.dart b/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_page.dart
index 02bbcfa..f3564ef 100644
--- a/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_page.dart
+++ b/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_page.dart
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ class _TerminalPageState extends ConsumerState<TerminalPage>
   String? _pendingHistorySeed;
   bool _receivedSocketFrame = false;
   bool _historySeeded = false;
+  bool _shouldReconnectOnResume = false;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -116,12 +117,21 @@ class _TerminalPageState extends ConsumerState<TerminalPage>
 
   @override
   void didChangeAppLifecycleState(AppLifecycleState state) {
-    if (state != AppLifecycleState.resumed) {
+    if (state == AppLifecycleState.resumed) {
+      if (_shouldReconnectOnResume) {
+        _shouldReconnectOnResume = false;
+        _diagnosticLog.add('app.lifecycle.resumed', widget.session.sessionId);
+        unawaited(_coordinator.reconnectNow());
+      }
       return;
     }
 
-    _diagnosticLog.add('app.lifecycle.resumed', widget.session.sessionId);
-    unawaited(_coordinator.reconnectNow());
+    if (state == AppLifecycleState.hidden ||
+        state == AppLifecycleState.paused) {
+      _shouldReconnectOnResume = true;
+      _diagnosticLog.add('app.lifecycle.suspended', state.name);
+      unawaited(_coordinator.suspendForBackground());
+    }
   }
 
   Future<void> _openSiblingTerminal() async {
diff --git a/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator.dart b/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator.dart
index e25b5dd..bb0cfdb 100644
--- a/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator.dart
+++ b/apps/mobile_app/lib/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator.dart
@@ -195,6 +195,20 @@ class TerminalSessionCoordinator extends ChangeNotifier {
     await start(isReconnect: true);
   }
 
+  Future<void> suspendForBackground() async {
+    _cancelPendingReconnect();
+
+    if (_isDisposed) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    controller.markDisconnected();
+    _connectionStatus = 'App inactive. Reconnecting when active...';
+    diagnosticLog?.add('socket.suspend', session.sessionId);
+    notifyListeners();
+    await _closeActiveSession();
+  }
+
   Future<void> close() async {
     _isDisposed = true;
     _cancelPendingReconnect();
diff --git a/apps/mobile_app/test/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator_test.dart b/apps/mobile_app/test/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator_test.dart
index b7245fc..676c710 100644
--- a/apps/mobile_app/test/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator_test.dart
+++ b/apps/mobile_app/test/features/terminal/terminal_session_coordinator_test.dart
@@ -125,6 +125,33 @@ void main() {
     },
   );
 
+  test('suspendForBackground closes the active socket session', () async {
+    final controller = TerminalInteractionController();
+    final apiClient = _FakeAgentApiClient();
+    final sessionFactory = _FakeTerminalSessionFactory();
+    final session = Session(
+      sessionId: 'abc',
+      name: 'codex-main',
+      status: 'idle',
+    );
+    final coordinator = TerminalSessionCoordinator(
+      controller: controller,
+      apiClient: apiClient,
+      session: session,
+      sessionFactory: sessionFactory.create,
+      onFrame: (_) {},
+      viewportProvider: () => const TerminalViewport(columns: 80, rows: 24),
+    );
+
+    await coordinator.start();
+    final socketSession = sessionFactory.createdSessions.single;
+
+    await coordinator.suspendForBackground();
+
+    expect(socketSession.disposeCount, 1);
+    expect(controller.connectionState, TerminalConnectionState.disconnected);
+  });
+
   test(
     'incoming frames while browsing history flag pending live output',
     () async {
@@ -224,6 +251,7 @@ class _FakeTerminalSocketSession extends TerminalSocketSession {
 
   final bool autoConnect;
   final resizeCalls = <List<int>>[];
+  int disposeCount = 0;
   Completer<void> _connectCompleter = Completer<void>();
   void Function(String frame)? _onFrame;
   void Function()? _onDisconnected;
@@ -259,6 +287,11 @@ class _FakeTerminalSocketSession extends TerminalSocketSession {
   void disconnect() {
     _onDisconnected?.call();
   }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> dispose() async {
+    disposeCount += 1;
+  }
 }
 
 class _FakeAgentSocketClient extends AgentSocketClient {
diff --git a/apps/mobile_app/test/widget_test.dart b/apps/mobile_app/test/widget_test.dart
index 552e46c..ddc0fc0 100644
--- a/apps/mobile_app/test/widget_test.dart
+++ b/apps/mobile_app/test/widget_test.dart
@@ -608,6 +608,36 @@ void main() {
     expect(find.text('codex-main'), findsOneWidget);
   });
 
+  testWidgets(
+    'terminal page does not reconnect after an inactive-only interruption',
+    (tester) async {
+      final transportFactory = _QueuedTerminalSocketTransportFactory();
+
+      await _pumpApp(
+        tester,
+        projectRepository: _FakeProjectRepository(),
+        sessionRepository: _FakeSessionRepository(),
+        socketFactory: TerminalSocketSessionFactory(
+          transportFactory: transportFactory.create,
+        ),
+      );
+
+      await _openProjectTerminal(tester);
+
+      expect(transportFactory.createCount, 1);
+
+      tester.binding.handleAppLifecycleStateChanged(AppLifecycleState.inactive);
+      await tester.pump();
+      tester.binding.handleAppLifecycleStateChanged(AppLifecycleState.resumed);
+      await tester.pump();
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 2));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+
+      expect(transportFactory.createCount, 1);
+      expect(find.text('codex-main'), findsOneWidget);
+    },
+  );
+
   testWidgets('terminal page can open another terminal for the same project', (
     tester,
   ) async {