diff --git a/web/workspace/src/lib/workspace/console/worker-console.ui.test.ts b/web/workspace/src/lib/workspace/console/worker-console.ui.test.ts
index fb99edd9e..902c3ef29 100644
--- a/web/workspace/src/lib/workspace/console/worker-console.ui.test.ts
+++ b/web/workspace/src/lib/workspace/console/worker-console.ui.test.ts
@@ -957,8 +957,9 @@ Deno.test("Worker Console keeps Notify beside Submit without persistent notices"
       !consolePage.includes("composer-notice") &&
       !consolePage.includes('class="composer-actions"') &&
       !consolePage.includes("Sent through Worker protocol.") &&
-      consolePage.includes('{#if sendError}<p class="error" role="alert">'),
-    "Composer must remove persistent notices and empty action rows but retain send errors",
+      !consolePage.includes("sendError") &&
+      consolePage.includes("reportComposerError(command.message)"),
+    "Composer must not render notices or errors below its input shell; validation uses Workspace alerts",
   );
 });
 
diff --git a/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/+page.svelte b/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/+page.svelte
index d6ce44f7c..66474e15e 100644
--- a/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/+page.svelte
+++ b/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/+page.svelte
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@
     let fileInput: HTMLInputElement | null = null;
     let isDraggingFiles = $state(false);
     let sending = $state(false);
-    let sendError = $state<string | null>(null);
     let rewindTargets = $state<RewindTarget[]>([]);
     let rewindHeadEntries = $state(0);
     let protocolState = $state<"connecting" | "open" | "closed" | "error">(
@@ -765,7 +764,6 @@
             );
         } catch (error) {
             const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
-            sendError = message;
             pushWorkspaceAlert("error", message, {
                 id: controlAlertId,
                 title: "Worker control failed",
@@ -780,7 +778,7 @@
     ): ProtocolMethod | null {
         const state = consoleProjection.workerState;
         if (!state) {
-            sendError = "Worker state snapshot is not available; reconnect before sending control.";
+            reportComposerError("Worker state snapshot is not available; reconnect before sending control.");
             return null;
         }
         const commandId = Math.max(
@@ -1082,21 +1080,28 @@
         if (event.dataTransfer?.files) addAttachmentFiles(event.dataTransfer.files);
     }
 
+    function reportComposerError(message: string) {
+        pushWorkspaceAlert("error", message, {
+            id: controlAlertId,
+            title: "Console input",
+        });
+    }
+
     async function submitDraft(
         value: ComposerDraftSnapshot,
         delivery: ComposerDelivery = "submit",
     ) {
         if (delivery === "notify" && attachments.length > 0) {
-            sendError = "Notify accepts text only; remove attachments or queue a Submit.";
+            reportComposerError("Notify accepts text only; remove attachments or queue a Submit.");
             return;
         }
         const incompleteAttachment = attachments.find((attachment) =>
             attachment.state !== "uploaded" || !attachment.reference
         );
         if (incompleteAttachment) {
-            sendError = incompleteAttachment.state === "uploading"
+            reportComposerError(incompleteAttachment.state === "uploading"
                 ? "Wait for file uploads to finish before sending."
-                : incompleteAttachment.error ?? "Retry or remove the failed attachment.";
+                : incompleteAttachment.error ?? "Retry or remove the failed attachment.");
             return;
         }
         const attachmentSegments: Segment[] = attachments.map((attachment) => ({
@@ -1109,7 +1114,7 @@
             preserveExactText: value.textPastes.length > 0,
         });
         if (!command.ok) {
-            sendError = command.message;
+            reportComposerError(command.message);
             return;
         }
         if (!command.request) {
@@ -1134,18 +1139,17 @@
 
         let request: WorkerConsoleInputRequest = command.request;
         if (delivery === "queue" && request.kind !== "user") {
-            sendError = "Queue accepts ordinary input, not a Composer command.";
+            reportComposerError("Queue accepts ordinary input, not a Composer command.");
             return;
         }
         if (delivery === "notify") {
             if (request.kind !== "user") {
-                sendError = "Notify accepts ordinary text, not a Composer command.";
+                reportComposerError("Notify accepts ordinary text, not a Composer command.");
                 return;
             }
             request = { kind: "notify", content: request.content };
         }
         sending = true;
-        sendError = null;
         try {
             const method = composerRequestToProtocolMethod(request);
             if (isCommand) {
@@ -1160,7 +1164,7 @@
                 liveWorkerState = "running";
             }
         } catch (error) {
-            sendError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+            reportComposerError(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error));
         } finally {
             sending = false;
         }
@@ -2065,7 +2069,6 @@
                 </div>
             </div>
         </div>
-        {#if sendError}<p class="error" role="alert">{sendError}</p>{/if}
     </form>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/console-display.browser.spec.ts b/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/console-display.browser.spec.ts
index f652275cc..44e61f63a 100644
--- a/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/console-display.browser.spec.ts
+++ b/web/workspace/src/routes/w/[workspaceId]/workers/[workerRef]/console/console-display.browser.spec.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import type {
 } from "$lib/generated/protocol";
 import type { Worker } from "$lib/workspace/sidebar/types";
 import { EditorView } from "@codemirror/view";
+import * as alerts from "$lib/workspace/alerts/store";
 import ConsolePage from "./+page.svelte";
 
 const multiplexer = vi.hoisted(() => {
@@ -263,6 +264,38 @@ test.each(["live_protocol", "retained_snapshot"] as const)("overlapping history
   expect(view.container.querySelectorAll(".activity-summary")).toHaveLength(1);
 });
 
+test.each([
+  { text: ":peer", message: "Invalid arguments. Usage: :peer <worker-name>", transportFailure: false },
+  { text: "keep this draft", message: "test transport failure", transportFailure: true },
+])("Composer keeps $text on failure without adding any footer message", async ({ text, message, transportFailure }) => {
+  const alert = vi.spyOn(alerts, "pushWorkspaceAlert");
+  vi.stubGlobal("fetch", vi.fn(async () => Response.json({ availability: "live_protocol" })));
+  const view = render(ConsolePage, { data: pageData() });
+  await waitFor(() => expect(multiplexer.subscribe).toHaveBeenCalledOnce());
+  latestListener().onFrame(subscribedFrame(emptySession()));
+  await screen.findByText("No conversation to display");
+  const cm = EditorView.findFromDOM(view.container.querySelector(".cm-editor") as HTMLElement)!;
+  const form = view.container.querySelector(".console-composer") as HTMLFormElement;
+  cm.dispatch({ changes: { from: 0, insert: text }, selection: { anchor: text.length } });
+  if (transportFailure) multiplexer.sendWorkerMethod.mockImplementationOnce(() => { throw new Error(message); });
+  await fireEvent.submit(form);
+  await waitFor(() => expect(alert).toHaveBeenCalledWith("error", message, expect.any(Object)));
+  expect(cm.state.doc.toString()).toBe(text);
+  expect(multiplexer.sendWorkerMethod).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(transportFailure ? 1 : 0);
+  expect(form.children).toHaveLength(1);
+  expect(form.firstElementChild?.classList.contains("composer-input-shell")).toBe(true);
+  expect(form.querySelector('[role="alert"]')).toBeNull();
+  expect(form.textContent).not.toContain(message);
+
+  cm.dispatch({ changes: { from: 0, to: cm.state.doc.length, insert: ":peer teammate" } });
+  await fireEvent.submit(form);
+  await waitFor(() => expect(multiplexer.sendWorkerMethod).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({
+    method: "register_peer", params: { name: "teammate" },
+  }));
+  expect(cm.state.doc.toString()).toBe("");
+  expect(form.children).toHaveLength(1);
+});
+
 test("pending inputs show literal previews above Composer with revision-fenced icon actions", async () => {
   vi.stubGlobal("fetch", vi.fn(async () => Response.json({ availability: "live_protocol" })));
   const view = render(ConsolePage, { data: pageData() });