diff --git a/src/tui/tui-app.ts b/src/tui/tui-app.ts
index 1222199a..299852ec 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui-app.ts
+++ b/src/tui/tui-app.ts
@@ -508,33 +508,30 @@ export function isSelfSession(sessionId: string, env: { CODEMAN_SESSION_ID?: str
 // Kill confirmation (pure)
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-export type TuiConfirmStep =
-  | { kind: 'typing'; typed: string }
-  | { kind: 'confirm' }
-  | { kind: 'reject' }
-  | { kind: 'cancel' }
-  | { kind: 'ignore' };
-
-/** Does the typed text authorize the kill? The shown name, or the id prefix a mux name carries. */
-export function confirmAccepts(state: TuiConfirmState, typed = state.typed): boolean {
-  const value = typed.trim();
-  if (value === '') return false;
-  return value === state.name || value === state.sessionId.slice(0, 8);
-}
+export type TuiConfirmStep = { kind: 'confirm' } | { kind: 'cancel' } | { kind: 'ignore' };
 
 /**
- * One keystroke of the typed confirmation. Enter on text that does not match is
- * a `reject`, never a silent no-op: a confirmation that appears to do nothing
- * reads as a broken key.
+ * One keystroke of the kill confirmation: `y` kills, anything else does not.
+ *
+ * ⚠️ It used to demand the session's NAME typed out in full. That is the right
+ * ceremony for deleting a production database and the wrong one for closing a
+ * pane you are looking at: the beta tester's verdict was "thats stupid, just
+ * make me type Y to confirm". Kill is already two deliberate keystrokes (`x`
+ * then `y`) on a row the user selected, and the session's work lives in its
+ * transcript, which a kill does not touch.
+ *
+ * Everything that is NOT `y` cancels rather than being ignored, so a stray key
+ * closes the dialog instead of leaving a live kill prompt waiting for whatever
+ * the user types next.
  */
-export function confirmKillStep(state: TuiConfirmState, event: TuiInputEvent): TuiConfirmStep {
+export function confirmKillStep(_state: TuiConfirmState, event: TuiInputEvent): TuiConfirmStep {
   switch (event.type) {
     case 'char':
-      return { kind: 'typing', typed: state.typed + event.value };
-    case 'backspace':
-      return { kind: 'typing', typed: [...state.typed].slice(0, -1).join('') };
+      return event.value === 'y' || event.value === 'Y' ? { kind: 'confirm' } : { kind: 'cancel' };
     case 'enter':
-      return confirmAccepts(state) ? { kind: 'confirm' } : { kind: 'reject' };
+      // Enter alone is NOT a confirmation: it is the key most likely to be
+      // pressed by reflex, and this is the one dialog that destroys something.
+      return { kind: 'cancel' };
     case 'escape':
       return { kind: 'cancel' };
     case 'ctrl':
@@ -576,7 +573,7 @@ export function footerKeysFor(mode: TuiUiMode, glyphs: TuiGlyphSet, context: Tui
     case 'help':
       return ['esc close'];
     case 'confirm-kill':
-      return ['type the name', `${glyphs.enter} confirm`, 'esc cancel'];
+      return ['y kill', 'any other key cancels'];
     case 'message':
       return context.resumeOffer ? ['r resume', 'esc dismiss'] : ['esc dismiss'];
     case 'new-session':
@@ -629,7 +626,7 @@ export function helpKeysFor(glyphs: TuiGlyphSet, context: TuiKeymapContext): Arr
       ['/', 'search sessions, events and files'],
       ['g', 'away digest'],
       ['n', 'new session'],
-      ['x', 'kill (typed confirmation)']
+      ['x', 'kill (y to confirm)']
     );
   }
   keys.push(['?', 'this help'], ['esc', 'close an overlay'], ['q', 'quit']);
@@ -1606,15 +1603,9 @@ class TuiApp {
     }
     const step = confirmKillStep(state, event);
     switch (step.kind) {
-      case 'typing':
-        this.model.setConfirmInput(step.typed);
-        return;
       case 'cancel':
         this.model.closeOverlay();
         return;
-      case 'reject':
-        this.message('warn', `type "${state.name}" exactly, or esc to cancel`);
-        return;
       case 'confirm':
         void this.killSession(state.sessionId, state.name);
         return;
@@ -2134,7 +2125,7 @@ class TuiApp {
       this.message('warn', 'that is the session this TUI is running in');
       return;
     }
-    this.model.beginConfirmKill(row);
+    this.model.beginConfirmKill(row, rowLabel(row.session));
   }
 
   private async killSession(sessionId: string, name: string): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/src/tui/tui-model.ts b/src/tui/tui-model.ts
index 30f15fbf..d8db248a 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui-model.ts
+++ b/src/tui/tui-model.ts
@@ -442,22 +442,22 @@ export class TuiModelStore implements TuiRenderModel {
    * for every caller: a second copy here answered the same question differently
    * (it refused the id prefix a mux name carries) and nothing consulted it.
    */
-  beginConfirmKill(row: TuiRow): void {
+  beginConfirmKill(row: TuiRow, label: string): void {
     this.confirm = {
       sessionId: row.session.sessionId,
-      name: row.session.name ?? row.session.sessionId.slice(0, 8),
-      typed: '',
+      // ⚠️ Passed in, not derived here. `row.session.name ?? id.slice(0,8)`
+      // used to compute it, and `??` falls back only on null/undefined: a
+      // session whose name is the EMPTY STRING (every session the server did
+      // not name) sailed through it and the dialog read "Kill ?". A destructive
+      // prompt that cannot say what it is about to destroy is worse than no
+      // prompt, and it is now one keystroke. The caller passes the same label
+      // the LIST shows, so the dialog names the row the user is looking at.
+      name: label,
     };
     this.mode = 'confirm-kill';
     this.touch();
   }
 
-  setConfirmInput(typed: string): void {
-    if (!this.confirm) return;
-    this.confirm = { ...this.confirm, typed };
-    this.touch();
-  }
-
   /** Drop whatever overlay owns the keyboard and go back to the list. */
   closeOverlay(): void {
     this.confirm = null;
diff --git a/src/tui/tui-render.ts b/src/tui/tui-render.ts
index c54f27ca..c58c7138 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui-render.ts
+++ b/src/tui/tui-render.ts
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ const FOOTER_KEYS: Record<string, (glyphs: TuiGlyphSet) => string> = {
       'q quit',
     ].join(` ${g.separator} `),
   help: (g) => `esc ${g.separator} ? close`,
-  'confirm-kill': (g) => `type the name ${g.separator} ${g.enter} confirm ${g.separator} esc cancel`,
+  'confirm-kill': (g) => `y kill ${g.separator} any other key cancels`,
   message: () => 'esc dismiss',
   prompt: (g) => `${g.enter} send ${g.separator} esc cancel`,
   search: (g) => `${g.updown} results ${g.separator} ${g.enter} open ${g.separator} esc close`,
@@ -805,10 +805,9 @@ function overlayContent(
     }
     case 'confirm-kill': {
       if (!model.confirm) return null;
-      const { name, typed } = model.confirm;
       return {
         title: 'Kill session',
-        lines: [`Kill ${name}?`, '', 'Type the name to confirm:', `  ${typed}_`],
+        lines: [`Kill ${model.confirm.name}?`, '', 'press y to kill, any other key cancels'],
       };
     }
     case 'message':
diff --git a/src/tui/tui-types.ts b/src/tui/tui-types.ts
index c30232be..50b51ebe 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui-types.ts
+++ b/src/tui/tui-types.ts
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ export interface TuiMessage {
 export interface TuiConfirmState {
   sessionId: string;
   name: string;
-  typed: string;
 }
 
 export interface TuiPickerItem {
diff --git a/test/tui/tui-app.test.ts b/test/tui/tui-app.test.ts
index c220d308..b1a35a05 100644
--- a/test/tui/tui-app.test.ts
+++ b/test/tui/tui-app.test.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
   applyMuxNames,
   buildAttachBanner,
   buildListLines,
-  confirmAccepts,
   confirmKillStep,
   detachChord,
   heldCtrlAlias,
@@ -135,37 +134,25 @@ describe('isSelfSession', () => {
 describe('the kill confirmation', () => {
   const state: TuiConfirmState = { sessionId: 'abcdef01-2345', name: 'w4-api', typed: '' };
 
-  it('accepts the shown name or the id prefix a mux name carries, and nothing else', () => {
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, 'w4-api')).toBe(true);
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, '  w4-api  ')).toBe(true);
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, 'abcdef01')).toBe(true);
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, 'w4')).toBe(false);
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, 'W4-API')).toBe(false);
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, '')).toBe(false);
-    expect(confirmAccepts(state, '   ')).toBe(false);
+  it('kills on y, upper or lower', () => {
+    // Was: type the session's full name. The tester's verdict on that was
+    // "thats stupid, just make me type Y to confirm", and they were right —
+    // `x` then `y` is already two deliberate keystrokes on a selected row.
+    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'char', value: 'y' })).toEqual({ kind: 'confirm' });
+    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'char', value: 'Y' })).toEqual({ kind: 'confirm' });
   });
 
-  it('types, backspaces and cancels', () => {
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: 'w4' }, { type: 'char', value: '-' })).toEqual({
-      kind: 'typing',
-      typed: 'w4-',
-    });
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: 'w4-' }, { type: 'backspace' })).toEqual({ kind: 'typing', typed: 'w4' });
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: '' }, { type: 'backspace' })).toEqual({ kind: 'typing', typed: '' });
+  it('cancels on every other key, rather than leaving the prompt armed', () => {
+    // A dialog that ignores unknown keys sits there consuming whatever the
+    // user types next, which for a destructive prompt is the wrong default.
+    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'char', value: 'n' })).toEqual({ kind: 'cancel' });
+    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'char', value: 'x' })).toEqual({ kind: 'cancel' });
     expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'escape' })).toEqual({ kind: 'cancel' });
     expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'ctrl', key: 'c' })).toEqual({ kind: 'cancel' });
-    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'ctrl', key: 'a' })).toEqual({ kind: 'ignore' });
-    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'tab' })).toEqual({ kind: 'ignore' });
   });
 
-  it('confirms only on a match, and says so rather than doing nothing otherwise', () => {
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: 'w4-api' }, { type: 'enter' })).toEqual({ kind: 'confirm' });
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: 'w4' }, { type: 'enter' })).toEqual({ kind: 'reject' });
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: '' }, { type: 'enter' })).toEqual({ kind: 'reject' });
-  });
-
-  it('backspaces one whole character, not one code unit', () => {
-    expect(confirmKillStep({ ...state, typed: 'a🙂' }, { type: 'backspace' })).toEqual({ kind: 'typing', typed: 'a' });
+  it('does NOT kill on Enter, the key most likely to be hit by reflex', () => {
+    expect(confirmKillStep(state, { type: 'enter' })).toEqual({ kind: 'cancel' });
   });
 });
 
@@ -215,7 +202,7 @@ describe('footerKeysFor', () => {
       expect.arrayContaining([
         'attach — on a RECENT row, resume that conversation',
         'new session',
-        'kill (typed confirmation)',
+        'kill (y to confirm)',
         'quit',
       ])
     );
@@ -227,7 +214,7 @@ describe('footerKeysFor', () => {
 
   it('follows the overlay that owns the keyboard', () => {
     expect(footerKeysFor('help', GLYPHS, { server: true })).toEqual(['esc close']);
-    expect(footerKeysFor('confirm-kill', GLYPHS, { server: true }).join(' ')).toContain('type the name');
+    expect(footerKeysFor('confirm-kill', GLYPHS, { server: true }).join(' ')).toContain('y kill');
     expect(footerKeysFor('message', GLYPHS, { server: true })).toEqual(['esc dismiss']);
     expect(footerKeysFor('new-session', GLYPHS, { server: true }).join(' ')).toContain('type to filter');
     expect(footerKeysFor('prompt', GLYPHS, { server: true }).join(' ')).toContain('send');
diff --git a/test/tui/tui-e2e.test.ts b/test/tui/tui-e2e.test.ts
index 0191f599..9163e366 100644
--- a/test/tui/tui-e2e.test.ts
+++ b/test/tui/tui-e2e.test.ts
@@ -556,23 +556,32 @@ describe('codeman tui (under a pty)', () => {
   it('opens and closes the help overlay', async () => {
     term.write('?');
     await waitFor(() => frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('Keys')), 'the help overlay');
-    expect(frameLines(output).join('\n')).toContain('kill (typed confirmation)');
+    expect(frameLines(output).join('\n')).toContain('kill (y to confirm)');
 
     term.write('\u001b');
     await waitFor(() => !frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('Keys')), 'escape to close the overlay');
   });
 
-  it('asks for the session name before killing anything', async () => {
+  it('asks for a y before killing anything, and names what it would kill', async () => {
     term.write('x');
     await waitFor(() => frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('Kill session')), 'the kill confirmation');
     const overlay = frameLines(output).join('\n');
-    expect(overlay).toContain('Type the name to confirm');
+    expect(overlay).toContain('press y to kill');
     expect(overlay).toContain('w2-beta');
 
     term.write('\u001b');
     await waitFor(() => !frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('Kill session')), 'escape to cancel the kill');
   });
 
+  it('cancels the kill on any key that is not y, and kills nothing', async () => {
+    term.write('x');
+    await waitFor(() => frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('Kill session')), 'the kill confirmation');
+    term.write('n');
+    await waitFor(() => !frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('Kill session')), 'the dialog to close');
+    // The session is still listed: `n` cancelled rather than killed.
+    await waitFor(() => frameLines(output).some((line) => line.includes('w2-beta')), 'w2-beta to still be listed');
+  });
+
   it('sends a one-line prompt with p', async () => {
     term.write('p');
     await waitFor(() => frameLines(output)[ROWS - 1].startsWith(' >'), 'the composer to open');
diff --git a/test/tui/tui-model.test.ts b/test/tui/tui-model.test.ts
index 3a490831..2c3b34ef 100644
--- a/test/tui/tui-model.test.ts
+++ b/test/tui/tui-model.test.ts
@@ -267,11 +267,17 @@ describe('the store', () => {
   it('tracks the confirm-kill overlay, keyed to the name it showed', () => {
     const model = createTuiModel();
     model.replaceSessions([session({ sessionId: 'a', name: 'w4-api' })]);
-    model.beginConfirmKill(model.rows()[0]);
+    model.beginConfirmKill(model.rows()[0], 'w4-api');
     expect(model.mode).toBe('confirm-kill');
-    expect(model.confirm).toEqual({ sessionId: 'a', name: 'w4-api', typed: '' });
-    model.setConfirmInput('w4-ap');
-    expect(model.confirm?.typed).toBe('w4-ap');
+    // The name is the whole payload: it is what the dialog shows so the user
+    // knows WHICH session a `y` is about to destroy.
+    expect(model.confirm).toEqual({ sessionId: 'a', name: 'w4-api' });
+
+    // Regression: the label is supplied by the caller. Deriving it here with
+    // `name ?? id` let an EMPTY name through, and the dialog read "Kill ?".
+    model.replaceSessions([session({ sessionId: 'b', name: '' })]);
+    model.beginConfirmKill(model.rows()[0], 'mirofish');
+    expect(model.confirm?.name).toBe('mirofish');
     model.closeOverlay();
     expect(model.mode).toBe('list');
     expect(model.confirm).toBeNull();
diff --git a/test/tui/tui-render.test.ts b/test/tui/tui-render.test.ts
index 2fa113a7..fc64e5e8 100644
--- a/test/tui/tui-render.test.ts
+++ b/test/tui/tui-render.test.ts
@@ -300,15 +300,15 @@ describe('overlays', () => {
     expect(lines[lines.length - 1]).toContain('close');
   });
 
-  it('draws the typed confirmation for a kill', () => {
+  it('names what a kill would destroy, and asks for one key', () => {
     const model = fixture();
-    model.beginConfirmKill(model.rows()[0]);
-    model.setConfirmInput('w6-d');
+    model.beginConfirmKill(model.rows()[0], 'w6-docs');
     const text = frameLines(render(model, 100, 30)).join('\n');
     expect(text).toContain('Kill w6-docs?');
-    expect(text).toContain('Type the name to confirm:');
-    expect(text).toContain('w6-d_');
-    expect(text).toContain('esc cancel');
+    expect(text).toContain('press y to kill, any other key cancels');
+    // The name is the point of the dialog: it is what tells the user WHICH
+    // session a keystroke is about to destroy.
+    expect(text).not.toContain('Type the name to confirm');
   });
 
   it('draws a message box', () => {