5 files changed, 84 insertions, 12 deletions
diff --git a/test/snapshots/leader.golden b/test/snapshots/leader.golden
index 8b7a76a3..8966eeb4 100644
--- a/test/snapshots/leader.golden
+++ b/test/snapshots/leader.golden
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@
 |
 |
 |
-== snap esc-del grid=100x40 cursor=7,2
+== snap del-output grid=100x40 cursor=7,2
 |Kill Newcol Tutor Debug NextColor Dump Find Grep Help
 |  /tmp/pardes-snap/leader/cwd/cmds.txt Save Del     /tmp/pardes-snap/leader/cwd Del
 |     1 Help
diff --git a/test/snapshots/leader.snap b/test/snapshots/leader.snap
index 7cd0b98d..94276bbe 100644
--- a/test/snapshots/leader.snap
+++ b/test/snapshots/leader.snap
@@ -94,10 +94,9 @@ key ?
 wait 10000 WsDiagnostics
 stable 700 15000
 snap help-language
-# Esc in the BODY of an output buffer IS Del: +Help has no file behind it and
-# nothing worth keeping, so the key that elsewhere only drops a selection
-# dismisses the whole pane and hands its height back to the pane above.
-key esc
+# Output buffers close through the same explicit Del builtin as every other
+# pane. Body-normal Esc is now Toggleterm and deliberately keeps +Help alive.
+key space d
 settle 100
 stable 700 15000
-snap esc-del
+snap del-output
diff --git a/test/snapshots/themesel.snap b/test/snapshots/themesel.snap
index fa53612c..56d81494 100644
--- a/test/snapshots/themesel.snap
+++ b/test/snapshots/themesel.snap
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ key N
 stable 700 15000
 snap step-back
 snapstyle step-back
-# PICKING is just stopping. Walk down into the list and Esc it away (an output
-# buffer has no file behind it, so Esc IS Del there): the theme the last step
-# left behind is still on.
+# PICKING is just stopping. Walk down into the list and explicitly Del it: the
+# theme the last step left behind is still on. Body-normal Esc is Toggleterm,
+# so it deliberately leaves this document-like output buffer open.
 key space w j
 stable 400 5000
 # ...and the WHOLE ring is in there, all 228 rows: `ge` to the last line, which
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ stable 400 5000
 key g e
 stable 700 15000
 snap tail
-key esc
+key space d
 settle 100
 stable 700 15000
 snap picked
diff --git a/test/snapshots/windownav.golden b/test/snapshots/windownav.golden
index d61f9620..2358654b 100644
--- a/test/snapshots/windownav.golden
+++ b/test/snapshots/windownav.golden
@@ -91,6 +91,68 @@
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 |
 |
+== snap esc-to-term grid=100x30 cursor=54,4
+|Kill Newcol Tutor Debug NextColor Dump Find Grep Help
+|  /tmp/pardes-snap/windownav/cwd/w.txt Save Del     /tmp/pardes-snap/windownav/cwd Del
+|     1 alpha
+|     2 beta                                         w.txt
+|     3 gamma
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+== snap esc-back-to-file grid=100x30 cursor=7,2
+|Kill Newcol Tutor Debug NextColor Dump Find Grep Help
+|  /tmp/pardes-snap/windownav/cwd/w.txt Save Del     /tmp/pardes-snap/windownav/cwd Del
+|     1 alpha
+|     2 beta                                         w.txt
+|     3 gamma
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 == snap altn grid=100x30 cursor=4,19
 |Kill Newcol Tutor Debug NextColor Dump Find Grep Help
 |  /tmp/pardes-snap/windownav/cwd/w.txt Save Del     /tmp/pardes-snap/windownav/cwd Del
diff --git a/test/snapshots/windownav.snap b/test/snapshots/windownav.snap
index 0e57fc1e..cbb5490b 100644
--- a/test/snapshots/windownav.snap
+++ b/test/snapshots/windownav.snap
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 # RULE: moving focus is a BUILTIN like any other, so there is ONE
 # implementation and every route reaches it. SPC w h/j/k/l run Left/Down/Up/
 # Right — the geometric focusDir the Ctrl-w prefix also runs — and SPC w t
-# runs Toggleterm, the hop between the most recently focused DOCUMENT (a file,
-# an image, a +Search/+Help output buffer: things you READ) and the most
+# plus body-normal Esc run Toggleterm, the hop between the most recently
+# focused DOCUMENT (a file, an image, a +Search/+Help output buffer: things
+# you READ) and the most
 # recently focused TERMINAL. "Most recent" is the focus history the core
 # already keeps to hand focus back when a pane closes, so the hop back is the
 # same key. Focus shows up in the golden's `cursor=` header: that is the
@@ -23,6 +24,16 @@ snap to-term
 key space w t
 stable 400 5000
 snap back-to-file
+# A bare Esc from a body in normal mode dispatches that SAME builtin: file to
+# terminal, then the same key on the normal-mode terminal returns to the file.
+key esc
+settle 100
+stable 400 5000
+snap esc-to-term
+key esc
+settle 100
+stable 400 5000
+snap esc-back-to-file
 # Alt-n: a second shell, below the file — the left column now has two rows
 key a-n
 stable 700 15000