diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/daemon-connectivity.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/daemon-connectivity.spec.ts
index cf2526751..66f18c67d 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/daemon-connectivity.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/daemon-connectivity.spec.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ import { test, expect } from './fixtures';
 import { gotoHome, openSettings } from './helpers/app';
 
 test('daemon is connected in settings', async ({ page }) => {
+  const daemonPort = process.env.E2E_DAEMON_PORT ?? '6767';
+
   await gotoHome(page);
   await openSettings(page);
 
   await expect(page.getByText('localhost', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(page.getByText('ws://localhost:6767/ws')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText(`ws://localhost:${daemonPort}/ws`)).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.getByText('Online', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
 });
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/dictation-web.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/dictation-web.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d04e263d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/dictation-web.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+import { test, expect } from './fixtures';
+import { createAgent, ensureHostSelected, gotoHome, setWorkingDirectory } from './helpers/app';
+import { createTempGitRepo } from './helpers/workspace';
+import type { Page } from '@playwright/test';
+
+function addFakeMicrophone(page: Page) {
+  return page.addInitScript(() => {
+    const mic = {
+      active: 0,
+      getUserMediaCalls: 0,
+      stopCalls: 0,
+      lastRecorder: null as null | { state: string },
+    };
+    (window as any).__mic = mic;
+
+    const ensureMediaDevices = () => {
+      const nav = navigator as any;
+      if (!nav.mediaDevices) {
+        nav.mediaDevices = {};
+      }
+      if (typeof nav.mediaDevices.getUserMedia !== 'function') {
+        nav.mediaDevices.getUserMedia = async () => {
+          mic.getUserMediaCalls += 1;
+          mic.active += 1;
+          const track = {
+            stop: () => {
+              mic.stopCalls += 1;
+              mic.active = Math.max(0, mic.active - 1);
+            },
+          };
+          return {
+            getTracks: () => [track],
+          };
+        };
+      }
+    };
+
+    ensureMediaDevices();
+
+    class FakeMediaRecorder extends EventTarget {
+      public static isTypeSupported() {
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      public state: 'inactive' | 'recording' = 'inactive';
+      public mimeType: string;
+      public ondataavailable: ((event: { data: Blob }) => void) | null = null;
+      public onerror: ((event: unknown) => void) | null = null;
+
+      constructor(_stream: unknown, options?: MediaRecorderOptions) {
+        super();
+        this.mimeType = options?.mimeType ?? 'audio/webm';
+        mic.lastRecorder = this;
+      }
+
+      public start() {
+        this.state = 'recording';
+      }
+
+      public stop() {
+        if (this.state !== 'recording') {
+          throw new Error('Not recording');
+        }
+        this.state = 'inactive';
+        try {
+          this.ondataavailable?.({
+            data: new Blob(['paseo-e2e-audio'], { type: this.mimeType }),
+          });
+        } catch (err) {
+          this.onerror?.(err);
+        }
+        this.dispatchEvent(new Event('stop'));
+      }
+    }
+
+    (window as any).MediaRecorder = FakeMediaRecorder;
+  });
+}
+
+test('dictation hotkeys do not trigger on background screens', async ({ page }) => {
+  await addFakeMicrophone(page);
+
+  const repo = await createTempGitRepo();
+  try {
+    await gotoHome(page);
+    await setWorkingDirectory(page, repo.path);
+    await ensureHostSelected(page);
+    await createAgent(page, 'Respond with exactly: Hello');
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/agent\//);
+
+    await page.keyboard.press('Control+d');
+    await page.waitForTimeout(200);
+
+    const calls = await page.evaluate(() => (window as any).__mic.getUserMediaCalls as number);
+    const active = await page.evaluate(() => (window as any).__mic.active as number);
+
+    expect(calls).toBe(1);
+    expect(active).toBe(1);
+
+    await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
+    await expect
+      .poll(async () => page.evaluate(() => (window as any).__mic.active as number))
+      .toBe(0);
+  } finally {
+    await repo.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
+test('cancel stops mic even if recorder is already inactive', async ({ page }) => {
+  await addFakeMicrophone(page);
+
+  const repo = await createTempGitRepo();
+  try {
+    await gotoHome(page);
+    await setWorkingDirectory(page, repo.path);
+    await ensureHostSelected(page);
+    await createAgent(page, 'Respond with exactly: Hello');
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/agent\//);
+
+    await page.keyboard.press('Control+d');
+    await expect
+      .poll(async () => page.evaluate(() => (window as any).__mic.active as number))
+      .toBe(1);
+
+    await page.evaluate(() => {
+      const mic = (window as any).__mic as { lastRecorder: null | { state: string } };
+      if (mic.lastRecorder) {
+        mic.lastRecorder.state = 'inactive';
+      }
+    });
+
+    await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
+    await expect
+      .poll(async () => page.evaluate(() => (window as any).__mic.active as number))
+      .toBe(0);
+  } finally {
+    await repo.cleanup();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/host-selection.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/host-selection.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b9b74eeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/host-selection.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { test, expect } from './fixtures';
+import { ensureHostSelected, gotoHome } from './helpers/app';
+
+test('new agent auto-selects the previous host', async ({ page }) => {
+  await gotoHome(page);
+  await ensureHostSelected(page);
+
+  // Ensure preference is persisted so a full reload can restore it.
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => {
+    const stored = localStorage.getItem('@paseo:create-agent-preferences');
+    if (!stored) return false;
+    try {
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(stored);
+      return parsed?.serverId === 'e2e-test-daemon';
+    } catch {
+      return false;
+    }
+  });
+
+  await gotoHome(page);
+
+  const input = page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Message agent...' });
+  await expect(input).toBeEditable();
+});
+
+test('new agent respects serverId in the URL', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/?serverId=e2e-test-daemon&serverId=e2e-test-daemon');
+  await expect(page.getByText('New Agent', { exact: true }).first()).toBeVisible();
+
+  const input = page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Message agent...' });
+  await expect(input).toBeEditable();
+});
+
diff --git a/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx
index 3ae0c8c91..2a80ae594 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ function getParamValue(value: string | string[] | undefined) {
     const trimmed = value.trim();
     return trimmed.length > 0 ? trimmed : undefined;
   }
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+    for (const entry of value) {
+      const trimmed = entry.trim();
+      if (trimmed.length > 0) {
+        return trimmed;
+      }
+    }
+  }
   return undefined;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.test.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..81478bb70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { __private__ } from "./use-agent-form-state";
+
+describe("useAgentFormState", () => {
+  describe("__private__.combineInitialValues", () => {
+    it("returns undefined when no initial values and no initial server id", () => {
+      expect(__private__.combineInitialValues(undefined, null)).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
+    it("does not inject a null serverId override when initialValues are present but serverId is absent", () => {
+      const combined = __private__.combineInitialValues({}, null);
+      expect(combined).toEqual({});
+      expect(Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(combined, "serverId")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("injects serverId from options when provided", () => {
+      expect(__private__.combineInitialValues({}, "daemon-1")).toEqual({
+        serverId: "daemon-1",
+      });
+    });
+
+    it("keeps other initial values without forcing serverId", () => {
+      const combined = __private__.combineInitialValues({ workingDir: "/repo" }, null);
+      expect(combined).toEqual({ workingDir: "/repo" });
+      expect(Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(combined, "serverId")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("respects an explicit serverId override (including null) over initialServerId", () => {
+      expect(__private__.combineInitialValues({ serverId: null }, "daemon-1")).toEqual({
+        serverId: null,
+      });
+
+      expect(__private__.combineInitialValues({ serverId: "daemon-2" }, "daemon-1")).toEqual({
+        serverId: "daemon-2",
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
+
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.ts
index 88850ea61..3f8a33083 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-agent-form-state.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,29 @@ function resolveFormState(
   return result;
 }
 
+function combineInitialValues(
+  initialValues: FormInitialValues | undefined,
+  initialServerId: string | null
+): FormInitialValues | undefined {
+  const hasExplicitServerId = initialValues?.serverId !== undefined;
+  const serverIdFromOptions = initialServerId === null ? undefined : initialServerId;
+
+  // If nobody provided initial values or an explicit serverId, let preferences drive defaults.
+  if (!initialValues && !hasExplicitServerId && serverIdFromOptions === undefined) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  if (hasExplicitServerId) {
+    return { ...initialValues, serverId: initialValues?.serverId };
+  }
+
+  if (serverIdFromOptions !== undefined) {
+    return { ...initialValues, serverId: serverIdFromOptions };
+  }
+
+  return initialValues;
+}
+
 export function useAgentFormState(
   options: UseAgentFormStateOptions = {}
 ): UseAgentFormStateResult {
@@ -251,13 +274,7 @@ export function useAgentFormState(
 
   // Combine initialValues with initialServerId for resolution
   const combinedInitialValues = useMemo((): FormInitialValues | undefined => {
-    if (!initialValues && initialServerId === null) {
-      return undefined;
-    }
-    return {
-      ...initialValues,
-      serverId: initialValues?.serverId ?? initialServerId,
-    };
+    return combineInitialValues(initialValues, initialServerId);
   }, [initialValues, initialServerId]);
 
   // Resolve form state when data sources change
@@ -547,3 +564,8 @@ export function useAgentFormState(
 
 // Re-export for backwards compatibility
 export type CreateAgentInitialValues = FormInitialValues;
+
+export const __private__ = {
+  combineInitialValues,
+  resolveFormState,
+};
diff --git a/packages/app/vitest.config.ts b/packages/app/vitest.config.ts
index 942a8ef71..ace6e0ecb 100644
--- a/packages/app/vitest.config.ts
+++ b/packages/app/vitest.config.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";
+import { defineConfig, configDefaults } from "vitest/config";
 import path from "path";
 
 export default defineConfig({
   test: {
     environment: "node",
-    exclude: ["e2e/**"],
+    exclude: [...configDefaults.exclude, "e2e/**"],
     /**
      * Expo pulls in native tooling (xcode, etc.) that executes files relying on `process.send`.
      * Vitest's default worker pool uses worker_threads, which intentionally stub that API and