diff --git a/packages/commit/extensions/commit/register.ts b/packages/commit/extensions/commit/register.ts
index 996459a..cf1275a 100644
--- a/packages/commit/extensions/commit/register.ts
+++ b/packages/commit/extensions/commit/register.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type {
   ExtensionAPI,
-  ExtensionCommandContext
+  ExtensionCommandContext,
+  InputEvent
 } from '@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent'
 import { getMarkdownTheme } from '@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent'
 import { Container, Markdown, Spacer, Text } from '@earendil-works/pi-tui'
@@ -36,12 +37,19 @@ interface CommitResultDetails {
   status?: CommitDisplayStatus
 }
 
+interface QueuedUserMessage {
+  text: string
+  images: NonNullable<InputEvent['images']>
+}
+
 interface CommitRuntime {
   cachedConfig: ResolvedCommitConfig
   commitCommandPending: boolean
   commitWorkerRunning: boolean
   agentEndWaiter?: (messages: unknown[]) => void
   latestCommitWorkerMessages?: unknown[]
+  queuedUserMessages: QueuedUserMessage[]
+  queuedFollowUpUserMessages: QueuedUserMessage[]
 }
 
 const RUNTIME_REGISTRY_KEY = Symbol.for('pi-commit.runtime.v1')
@@ -65,10 +73,67 @@ export function registerCommit(pi: ExtensionAPI): void {
   const runtime: CommitRuntime = {
     cachedConfig: DEFAULT_COMMIT_CONFIG,
     commitCommandPending: false,
-    commitWorkerRunning: false
+    commitWorkerRunning: false,
+    queuedUserMessages: [],
+    queuedFollowUpUserMessages: []
   }
   registry.set(runtimeKey, runtime)
 
+  const sendQueuedUserMessage = (
+    message: QueuedUserMessage,
+    deliverAs?: 'steer' | 'followUp'
+  ) => {
+    const content =
+      message.images.length === 0
+        ? message.text
+        : [{ type: 'text' as const, text: message.text }, ...message.images]
+
+    if (deliverAs) {
+      pi.sendUserMessage(content, { deliverAs })
+    } else {
+      pi.sendUserMessage(content)
+    }
+  }
+
+  const releaseQueuedUserMessages = () => {
+    const [firstMessage, ...followUpMessages] =
+      runtime.queuedUserMessages.splice(0)
+    if (!firstMessage) return
+
+    runtime.queuedFollowUpUserMessages.push(...followUpMessages)
+    sendQueuedUserMessage(firstMessage)
+  }
+
+  pi.on('input', (event, ctx) => {
+    if (!runtime.commitWorkerRunning || event.source === 'extension') {
+      return { action: 'continue' }
+    }
+
+    runtime.queuedUserMessages.push({
+      text: event.text,
+      images: event.images ? [...event.images] : []
+    })
+    ctx.ui.notify(
+      `Message queued until the commit worker exits (${runtime.queuedUserMessages.length} pending)`,
+      'info'
+    )
+    return { action: 'handled' }
+  })
+
+  pi.on('agent_start', () => {
+    if (
+      runtime.commitWorkerRunning ||
+      runtime.queuedFollowUpUserMessages.length === 0
+    ) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const followUpMessages = runtime.queuedFollowUpUserMessages.splice(0)
+    for (const message of followUpMessages) {
+      sendQueuedUserMessage(message, 'followUp')
+    }
+  })
+
   pi.on('agent_end', (event) => {
     if (runtime.commitWorkerRunning) {
       runtime.latestCommitWorkerMessages = event.messages
@@ -369,6 +434,22 @@ export function registerCommit(pi: ExtensionAPI): void {
         ctx.ui.setWidget(COMMIT_WORKER_WIDGET_KEY, undefined)
         runtime.commitWorkerRunning = false
         runtime.latestCommitWorkerMessages = undefined
+
+        const returnedToSourceBranch =
+          Boolean(startLeafId) && ctx.sessionManager.getLeafId() === startLeafId
+        if (returnedToSourceBranch && runtime.queuedUserMessages.length > 0) {
+          const queuedMessageCount = runtime.queuedUserMessages.length
+          ctx.ui.notify(
+            `Commit worker exited; releasing ${queuedMessageCount} queued message${queuedMessageCount === 1 ? '' : 's'}`,
+            'info'
+          )
+          releaseQueuedUserMessages()
+        } else if (runtime.queuedUserMessages.length > 0) {
+          ctx.ui.notify(
+            `${runtime.queuedUserMessages.length} message${runtime.queuedUserMessages.length === 1 ? ' remains' : 's remain'} queued because the commit worker branch could not be exited`,
+            'warning'
+          )
+        }
       }
     }
   })
diff --git a/packages/commit/test/commit-flow.test.mjs b/packages/commit/test/commit-flow.test.mjs
index 700ed56..34b56e7 100644
--- a/packages/commit/test/commit-flow.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/commit/test/commit-flow.test.mjs
@@ -166,3 +166,132 @@ test('/commit selects immediately, then waits for the active turn', async () =>
     )
   )
 })
+
+test('/commit queues user input until it returns to the source branch', async () => {
+  const handlers = new Map()
+  const notifications = []
+  const sentUserMessages = []
+  let command
+  let leafId = 'source-leaf'
+  let workerStartedResolve
+  const workerStarted = new Promise((resolve) => {
+    workerStartedResolve = resolve
+  })
+
+  const pi = {
+    on(name, handler) {
+      handlers.set(name, [...(handlers.get(name) ?? []), handler])
+    },
+    registerCommand(name, registered) {
+      if (name === 'commit') command = registered
+    },
+    registerMessageRenderer() {},
+    sendMessage(message) {
+      if (message.customType === PROMPT_MESSAGE_TYPE) {
+        leafId = 'worker-leaf'
+        workerStartedResolve()
+      }
+    },
+    sendUserMessage(content, options) {
+      sentUserMessages.push({ content, options })
+    }
+  }
+
+  const ctx = {
+    mode: 'json',
+    isIdle() {
+      return true
+    },
+    waitForIdle() {
+      return Promise.resolve()
+    },
+    sessionManager: {
+      getLeafId() {
+        return leafId
+      }
+    },
+    async navigateTree(targetLeafId) {
+      leafId = targetLeafId
+      return { cancelled: false }
+    },
+    ui: {
+      async select() {
+        throw new Error('explicit change types should not open the selector')
+      },
+      notify(message, type) {
+        notifications.push({ message, type })
+      },
+      setWidget() {}
+    }
+  }
+
+  piCommitExtension(pi)
+  assert.ok(command, '/commit command should be registered')
+
+  const commandPromise = command.handler('fix queue user input', ctx)
+  await workerStarted
+
+  const image = { type: 'image', data: 'image-data', mimeType: 'image/png' }
+  const firstResult = await handlers.get('input')[0](
+    {
+      text: 'First queued request',
+      images: [image],
+      source: 'interactive',
+      streamingBehavior: 'steer'
+    },
+    ctx
+  )
+  const secondResult = await handlers.get('input')[0](
+    {
+      text: 'Second queued request',
+      source: 'interactive',
+      streamingBehavior: 'followUp'
+    },
+    ctx
+  )
+
+  assert.deepEqual(firstResult, { action: 'handled' })
+  assert.deepEqual(secondResult, { action: 'handled' })
+  assert.deepEqual(sentUserMessages, [])
+  assert.equal(leafId, 'worker-leaf')
+
+  for (const handler of handlers.get('agent_end') ?? []) {
+    await handler({
+      messages: [
+        { customType: PROMPT_MESSAGE_TYPE },
+        {
+          role: 'assistant',
+          content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'status: committed' }]
+        }
+      ]
+    })
+  }
+  await commandPromise
+
+  assert.equal(leafId, 'source-leaf')
+  assert.deepEqual(sentUserMessages, [
+    {
+      content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'First queued request' }, image],
+      options: undefined
+    }
+  ])
+  assert.ok(
+    notifications.some(({ message }) =>
+      message.includes('releasing 2 queued messages')
+    )
+  )
+
+  for (const handler of handlers.get('agent_start') ?? []) {
+    await handler({}, ctx)
+  }
+  assert.deepEqual(sentUserMessages, [
+    {
+      content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'First queued request' }, image],
+      options: undefined
+    },
+    {
+      content: 'Second queued request',
+      options: { deliverAs: 'followUp' }
+    }
+  ])
+})