diff --git a/pkg/tui/external_editor_test.go b/pkg/tui/external_editor_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf58c03e59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tui/external_editor_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+package tui
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/components/notification"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/messages"
+)
+
+// valueRecordingEditor records SetValue calls so tests can assert what the
+// external-editor callback wrote back into the input editor.
+type valueRecordingEditor struct {
+	mockEditor
+
+	value string
+}
+
+func (e *valueRecordingEditor) SetValue(v string) { e.value = v }
+func (e *valueRecordingEditor) Value() string     { return e.value }
+
+func writeTempPromptFile(t *testing.T, content string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "prompt.md")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o600))
+	return path
+}
+
+// TestExternalEditorCallback_RefocusesEditor pins the fix for the "edited a
+// question in vi with ctrl+g but Enter did nothing" bug: ctrl+g works from
+// any panel, so after the external editor exits the callback must request
+// focus back on the input editor. Otherwise, when the content panel was
+// focused (e.g. while watching a running turn), Enter is routed to the
+// transcript and the edited question is never sent or queued.
+func TestExternalEditorCallback_RefocusesEditor(t *testing.T) {
+	ed := &valueRecordingEditor{}
+	path := writeTempPromptFile(t, "What is 2+2?\n")
+
+	msg := externalEditorCallback(ed, path)(nil)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "What is 2+2?", ed.value, "edited content must land in the editor, without the trailing newline")
+	assert.Equal(t, messages.RequestFocusMsg{Target: messages.PanelEditor}, msg,
+		"the callback must refocus the editor so Enter sends the edited content")
+
+	_, err := os.Stat(path)
+	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "the temp file must be removed")
+}
+
+func TestExternalEditorCallback_EmptyContentClearsEditor(t *testing.T) {
+	ed := &valueRecordingEditor{value: "old content"}
+	path := writeTempPromptFile(t, "  \n\n")
+
+	msg := externalEditorCallback(ed, path)(nil)
+
+	assert.Empty(t, ed.value, "blank-only content must clear the editor")
+	assert.Equal(t, messages.RequestFocusMsg{Target: messages.PanelEditor}, msg)
+}
+
+func TestExternalEditorCallback_EditorError(t *testing.T) {
+	ed := &valueRecordingEditor{value: "untouched"}
+	path := writeTempPromptFile(t, "ignored")
+
+	msg := externalEditorCallback(ed, path)(errors.New("exit status 1"))
+
+	show, ok := msg.(notification.ShowMsg)
+	require.True(t, ok, "an editor error must surface as an error notification")
+	assert.Equal(t, notification.TypeError, show.Type)
+	assert.Equal(t, "untouched", ed.value, "the editor content must not change on error")
+
+	_, err := os.Stat(path)
+	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "the temp file must be removed on error")
+}
+
+func TestExternalEditorCallback_ReadError(t *testing.T) {
+	ed := &valueRecordingEditor{value: "untouched"}
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "missing.md")
+
+	msg := externalEditorCallback(ed, path)(nil)
+
+	show, ok := msg.(notification.ShowMsg)
+	require.True(t, ok, "a read failure must surface as an error notification")
+	assert.Equal(t, notification.TypeError, show.Type)
+	assert.Equal(t, "untouched", ed.value, "the editor content must not change when the temp file cannot be read")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tui/tui.go b/pkg/tui/tui.go
index ae07e3f29e..1d68071997 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/tui.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/tui.go
@@ -3006,7 +3006,13 @@ func (m *appModel) openExternalEditor() (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	cmd := exec.Command(parts[0], args...) //nolint:noctx // owned by tea.ExecProcess
 
 	ed := m.editor
-	return m, tea.ExecProcess(cmd, func(err error) tea.Msg {
+	return m, tea.ExecProcess(cmd, externalEditorCallback(ed, tmpPath))
+}
+
+// externalEditorCallback builds the tea.ExecProcess callback that reads the
+// edited temp file back into the editor once the external editor exits.
+func externalEditorCallback(ed editor.Editor, tmpPath string) func(error) tea.Msg {
+	return func(err error) tea.Msg {
 		if err != nil {
 			os.Remove(tmpPath)
 			return notification.ShowMsg{Text: fmt.Sprintf("Editor error: %v", err), Type: notification.TypeError}
@@ -3028,8 +3034,11 @@ func (m *appModel) openExternalEditor() (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			ed.SetValue(c)
 		}
 
-		return nil
-	})
+		// Ctrl+g works from any panel, so make sure the editor has focus:
+		// otherwise Enter goes to the content panel and the edited text is
+		// never sent (or queued while the agent is working).
+		return messages.RequestFocusMsg{Target: messages.PanelEditor}
+	}
 }
 
 func toFullscreenView(content, windowTitle string, working, leanMode bool) tea.View {