diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/launch-orchestrator.py b/cc-ci-plan/launch-orchestrator.py
index 948afc1..3d94b76 100644
--- a/cc-ci-plan/launch-orchestrator.py
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/launch-orchestrator.py
@@ -78,6 +78,21 @@ def session_alive():
         ["tmux", "has-session", "-t", SESSION], capture_output=True
     ).returncode == 0
 
+def _ping(session, msg):
+    """Type a message into the tmux session and submit with Enter."""
+    import time
+    subprocess.run(["tmux", "send-keys", "-t", session, "-l", "--", msg], capture_output=True)
+    time.sleep(0.5)
+    for _ in range(5):
+        subprocess.run(["tmux", "send-keys", "-t", session, "Enter"], capture_output=True)
+        time.sleep(1)
+        r = subprocess.run(["tmux", "capture-pane", "-pt", session],
+                           capture_output=True, text=True)
+        if msg[:28] not in r.stdout.splitlines()[-4:]:
+            return
+        subprocess.run(["tmux", "send-keys", "-t", session, "C-m"], capture_output=True)
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+
 def resume_id():
     sid = os.environ.get("ORCH_SESSION_ID")
     if sid:
@@ -118,16 +133,13 @@ def start(mode="resume"):
     elif BACKEND == "opencode":
         if not Path(OPENCODE_BIN).exists():
             die(f"opencode not found at {OPENCODE_BIN}")
-        # No --resume equivalent in opencode; STARTUP_PROMPT orients the new session.
-        # The session title in the web UI identifies it as the orchestrator.
-        prompt = STARTUP_PROMPT or (
-            "You are the cc-ci orchestrator. Read /srv/cc-ci/AGENTS.md and "
-            "cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md for context, then resume supervising the loops."
-        )
+        # Plain `opencode` TUI stays alive in tmux and auto-connects to the shared server.
+        # (`opencode attach URL` exits without a real TTY; plain TUI works because tmux
+        # allocates a PTY for the pane.)  The startup prompt is sent via ping_session after
+        # the TUI initialises. NO_COLOR=1 skips the first-run theme picker.
         cmd = (
             f"set -a; . /srv/cc-ci/.testenv; set +a; "
-            f"{OPENCODE_BIN} {model_flag} run --attach '{OPENCODE_SERVER}' "
-            f"--title '{SESSION}' '{prompt}'"
+            f"NO_COLOR=1 {OPENCODE_BIN} {model_flag}"
         )
         log(f"starting {SESSION} (backend=opencode, model={LOOP_MODEL or 'default'})")
         log(f"  visible at http://oc.commoninternet.net (tailnet only)")
@@ -139,6 +151,22 @@ def start(mode="resume"):
                     f"cat >> '{LOG_DIR}/{SESSION}.log'"])
     log(f"started. attach: tmux attach -t {SESSION}")
 
+    # opencode: send the startup prompt once the TUI has connected (~8s).
+    if BACKEND == "opencode":
+        import time
+        time.sleep(8)
+        prompt = STARTUP_PROMPT or (
+            "You are the cc-ci orchestrator. Read cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md for full "
+            "context on what's happened and what needs doing, then supervise the loops."
+        )
+        # Send a pointer to the journal rather than the full prompt (avoids length limits).
+        bootstrap = (
+            "You are the cc-ci orchestrator. Start by reading cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md "
+            "(`cat cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md`) for full context, then check loop status "
+            "(`cc-ci-plan/launch.sh status`) and resume supervising."
+        )
+        _ping(SESSION, bootstrap)
+
 # ── main ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 def main():