diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
index ff9452388..537ef8804 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   declareDefaultTree,
   dismissTreePane,
   dockPaneBeside,
+  markCollapsePane,
   mirrorLayoutTree,
   paneRootSide,
   registerLayoutResetHandler,
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   registerPaneOpener,
   resetLayoutTree,
   revealTreePane,
+  setPaneCollapsed,
   setTreePaneHidden,
   watchContributedPanes
 } from '@/components/pane-shell/tree/store'
@@ -412,6 +414,23 @@ function bindPaneVisibility(
   }
 }
 
+// TOOL PANELS (terminal, logs): like bindPaneVisibility but the toggle COLLAPSES
+// the zone to a persistent rail (tab stays) instead of hiding it — the
+// IntelliJ/VS-Code tool-window model. Restore routes back through `open` (rail
+// click / chevron) so ⌃`/the button stay truthful; the tab's ✕ removes it.
+function bindPaneCollapse(
+  paneId: string,
+  $open: { get(): boolean; listen(fn: (open: boolean) => void): void },
+  close: () => void,
+  open: () => void
+) {
+  markCollapsePane(paneId)
+  setPaneCollapsed(paneId, !$open.get())
+  $open.listen(isOpen => setPaneCollapsed(paneId, !isOpen))
+  registerPaneCloser(paneId, close)
+  registerPaneOpener(paneId, open)
+}
+
 // SIDES have one source of truth: the TREE. The legacy $panesFlipped flag is
 // DERIVED from where the sessions zone actually sits (TitlebarControls maps
 // its left/right buttons through it), so dragging sessions across — or
@@ -467,9 +486,9 @@ bindPaneVisibility(
   computed([$reviewOpen, $hasWorkspace], (open, workspace) => open && workspace),
   closeReview
 )
-// ⌃` / statusbar toggle — the terminal zone follows takeover instead of
-// being forced on (PTYs stay alive while hidden; see PersistentTerminal).
-bindPaneVisibility(
+// ⌃` / statusbar toggle — the terminal COLLAPSES to a rail (tab stays), not
+// hides; PTYs stay alive while collapsed (see PersistentTerminal).
+bindPaneCollapse(
   'terminal',
   $terminalTakeover,
   () => setTerminalTakeover(false),
@@ -489,7 +508,7 @@ bindPaneVisibility('preview', $previewVisible, closeRightRail)
 // Logs are optional chrome: off by default, toggled from ⌘K, persisted.
 const $logsOpen = persistentAtom('hermes.desktop.logsOpen', false, Codecs.bool)
 
-bindPaneVisibility(
+bindPaneCollapse(
   'logs',
   $logsOpen,
   () => $logsOpen.set(false),
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx
index 22dd8f74b..8f146b382 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/renderer/tree-group.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ import {
   $treeDragging,
   activateTreePane,
   closeTreePane,
+  collapseTreePane,
+  dismissTreePane,
+  isCollapsePane,
   moveTreePane,
+  restoreTreePane,
   SESSION_TILE_DRAG,
   setTreeGroupHeaderHidden,
   splitTreeZone,
@@ -254,6 +258,15 @@ export function TreeGroup({
   // MAIN strands the whole app behind a strip.
   const minimizable = !shown.some(id => paneChrome(paneFor(id)).uncloseable)
 
+  // Tab ✕: a tool panel (terminal/logs) is REMOVED from the layout (comes back
+  // via its toggle); everything else routes through its Close (a session tile
+  // closes the session, a store-bound pane collapses).
+  const closeTab = (paneId: string) => (isCollapsePane(paneId) ? dismissTreePane(paneId) : closeTreePane(paneId))
+
+  // Collapse/restore a tool panel (or plain minimize elsewhere) — the header
+  // chevron + tap gesture, routed so ⌃`/the titlebar toggle stay truthful.
+  const toggleCollapse = () => (node.minimized ? restoreTreePane(activeId) : collapseTreePane(activeId))
+
   // Same menu on the header strip and the edit veil — one prop bag.
   const zoneMenu = {
     closable,
@@ -299,7 +312,7 @@ export function TreeGroup({
               // Strip line faces the content the zone collapsed away from.
               railSide === 'right' ? PANE_TAB_STRIP_LINE_LEFT : PANE_TAB_STRIP_LINE_RIGHT
             )}
-            onClick={() => toggleTreeGroupMinimized(node.id, false)}
+            onClick={() => restoreTreePane(activeId)}
             title={t.zones.restore}
           >
             <div
@@ -319,10 +332,9 @@ export function TreeGroup({
                     key={paneId}
                     onClick={event => {
                       event.stopPropagation()
-                      toggleTreeGroupMinimized(node.id, false)
-                      activateTreePane(node.id, paneId)
+                      restoreTreePane(paneId)
                     }}
-                    onClose={closeable ? () => closeTreePane(paneId) : undefined}
+                    onClose={closeable ? () => closeTab(paneId) : undefined}
                     role="tab"
                     side={railSide}
                     vertical
@@ -359,7 +371,7 @@ export function TreeGroup({
               startPaneDrag(
                 activeId,
                 e,
-                () => minimizable && toggleTreeGroupMinimized(node.id, !node.minimized),
+                () => minimizable && toggleCollapse(),
                 undefined,
                 hideHeaderDoubleTap
               )
@@ -383,7 +395,7 @@ export function TreeGroup({
                     aria-selected={isActive}
                     data-tree-tab={paneId}
                     key={paneId}
-                    onClose={closeable ? () => closeTreePane(paneId) : undefined}
+                    onClose={closeable ? () => closeTab(paneId) : undefined}
                     onPointerDown={e =>
                       startPaneDrag(
                         paneId,
@@ -394,7 +406,7 @@ export function TreeGroup({
                           // — overloading the active tab made double-click a
                           // minimize/restore/hide lottery.
                           if (node.minimized) {
-                            toggleTreeGroupMinimized(node.id, false)
+                            restoreTreePane(paneId)
                           }
 
                           activateTreePane(node.id, paneId)
@@ -419,7 +431,7 @@ export function TreeGroup({
               <button
                 aria-label={node.minimized ? t.zones.restore : t.zones.minimize}
                 className="mx-1 grid size-5 shrink-0 place-items-center self-center rounded-md text-(--ui-text-tertiary) opacity-0 transition-opacity hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background) hover:text-foreground focus-visible:opacity-100 group-hover/pane-header:opacity-100"
-                onClick={() => toggleTreeGroupMinimized(node.id, !node.minimized)}
+                onClick={toggleCollapse}
                 onPointerDown={e => e.stopPropagation()}
                 type="button"
               >
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
index fcde7f596..676d5818b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,20 @@ export function registerPaneOpener(paneId: string, open: () => void) {
   paneOpeners[paneId] = open
 }
 
+// TOOL PANELS (terminal, logs, …): their toggle COLLAPSES the zone to a rail
+// (tab stays) instead of hiding it, and the tab's ✕ REMOVES it (vs a session
+// tile, whose ✕ closes the session). Membership tells the renderer which
+// semantics a tab gets. See bindPaneCollapse in the controller.
+const collapsePanes = new Set<string>()
+
+export function markCollapsePane(paneId: string) {
+  collapsePanes.add(paneId)
+}
+
+export function isCollapsePane(paneId: string): boolean {
+  return collapsePanes.has(paneId)
+}
+
 const resetHandlers = new Set<() => void>()
 
 /** Run during a layout reset, BEFORE generic adoption — lets an owner
@@ -954,6 +968,67 @@ export function toggleTreeGroupMinimized(groupId: string, minimized: boolean) {
   }
 }
 
+/** The group hosting `paneId`, or null. */
+function paneGroup(paneId: string) {
+  const tree = $layoutTree.get()
+
+  return tree ? findGroupOfPane(tree, paneId) : null
+}
+
+/** Collapse/restore a pane's ZONE to a minimized rail — its tab stays visible.
+ *  Store-driven (one-way): a tool panel's $open store mirrors here via
+ *  bindPaneCollapse, so a toggle collapses rather than hides. */
+export function setPaneCollapsed(paneId: string, collapsed: boolean) {
+  const group = paneGroup(paneId)
+
+  if (group && Boolean(group.minimized) !== collapsed) {
+    toggleTreeGroupMinimized(group.id, collapsed)
+
+    if (!collapsed) {
+      revealTreePane(paneId)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/** Restore a minimized tool pane the truthful way — through its store opener
+ *  when bound (keeps ⌃`/titlebar toggles in sync), else just un-minimize +
+ *  front. Used by the rail (tab / whole-rail click) and the header chevron. */
+export function restoreTreePane(paneId: string) {
+  const open = paneOpeners[paneId]
+
+  if (open) {
+    open()
+
+    return
+  }
+
+  const group = paneGroup(paneId)
+
+  if (group) {
+    toggleTreeGroupMinimized(group.id, false)
+    activateTreePane(group.id, paneId)
+  }
+}
+
+/** Collapse a tool pane through its store closer (truthful), else minimize the
+ *  zone directly. Gated on isCollapsePane so a non-tool pane's closer (a tile's
+ *  REMOVES it) is never mistaken for a collapse. */
+export function collapseTreePane(paneId: string) {
+  const close = paneClosers[paneId]
+
+  if (isCollapsePane(paneId) && close) {
+    close()
+
+    return
+  }
+
+  const group = paneGroup(paneId)
+
+  if (group) {
+    toggleTreeGroupMinimized(group.id, true)
+  }
+}
+
 /** Hide/show a zone's header entirely (double-click gesture). */
 export function setTreeGroupHeaderHidden(groupId: string, headerHidden: boolean) {
   const tree = $layoutTree.get()