diff --git a/src/agent/tools.ts b/src/agent/tools.ts
index 22a98521d..9b1b10097 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools.ts
+++ b/src/agent/tools.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
 import { manageTasksDefinition } from "./tasks.js";
 import { validateView } from "../tui/view/validate.js";
 import { SETTINGS_DIR_NAME } from "../branding.js";
+import { startBoundMcpHandshake } from "../exec/mcp-handshake.js";
 import {
   advertiseShellGuardTimeout,
   type ShellTimeoutConfig,
@@ -312,6 +313,10 @@ export interface MCPConnectCallbacks {
   // Headless hosts must not advertise an auth callback they cannot complete;
   // its presence marks the OAuth flow as interactive.
   interactiveAuth: boolean;
+  // The TUI sets this so a dial abort (the 15s handshake cap) is dropped once
+  // the browser auth URL is showing. The browser-auth budget and a real
+  // cancel still bound that wait. Headless leaves it unset.
+  browserAuthOutlivesDialAbort?: boolean;
   // Fired whenever a server's connection state changes.
   onStatus: (state: MCPServerState) => void;
   // Fired after a server connects and its tools register, with the full
@@ -1269,6 +1274,7 @@ export async function createAgentToolset(
           return;
         }
       }
+      startBoundMcpHandshake(signal);
       if (staleOrDisabled()) return;
       callbacks.onStatus({ name: config.name, state: "connecting" });
       let result: MCPConnectResult;
@@ -1279,6 +1285,12 @@ export async function createAgentToolset(
           ...(callbacks.interactiveAuth
             ? {
                 onAuthURL: (name: string, url: string) => {
+                  // The parent signal is the dial cap plus exit. Once the
+                  // operator has an auth URL, that cap must not close the
+                  // redirect or burn the single browser attempt. Dispose and
+                  // per-server cancel stay on connectionSignal.
+                  if (callbacks.browserAuthOutlivesDialAbort === true)
+                    forwarded?.disarm();
                   if (!disposed && !staleOrDisabled()) {
                     callbacks.onStatus({ name, state: "needs-auth", url });
                   }
diff --git a/src/exec/mcp-handshake.ts b/src/exec/mcp-handshake.ts
index 7f561de43..1dd730c40 100644
--- a/src/exec/mcp-handshake.ts
+++ b/src/exec/mcp-handshake.ts
@@ -25,26 +25,56 @@ export async function awaitExecMcpConnect(
   }
 }
 
+const deferredHandshakeStarts = new WeakMap<AbortSignal, () => void>();
+
+export function bindDeferredMcpHandshake(
+  signal: AbortSignal,
+  start: () => void,
+): void {
+  deferredHandshakeStarts.set(signal, start);
+}
+
+// First post-trust dial starts a deferred cap. Later servers in the same
+// batch share that window. Unbound signals (headless) are already armed.
+export function startBoundMcpHandshake(signal: AbortSignal | undefined): void {
+  if (signal === undefined) return;
+  const start = deferredHandshakeStarts.get(signal);
+  if (start === undefined) return;
+  deferredHandshakeStarts.delete(signal);
+  start();
+}
+
 // Connect-only abort. The MCP client ties `signal` to the transport lifecycle,
 // so AbortSignal.timeout would kill a handshake that already succeeded. The
 // toolset forwards this signal per server and detaches on settle, so abort
 // only reaches handshakes still in flight. Disarm only when the batch
 // fulfills — a rejected Promise.all still leaves sibling forwards armed.
-export function armExecMcpHandshakeAbort(timeoutMs: number): {
+// `when` "later" does not start the timer until `start` (TUI trust gate).
+export function armExecMcpHandshakeAbort(
+  timeoutMs: number,
+  when: "now" | "later" = "now",
+): {
   signal: AbortSignal;
   disarm: () => void;
+  start: () => void;
 } {
   const controller = new AbortController();
-  const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-    controller.abort();
-  }, timeoutMs);
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
   let disarmed = false;
+  const start = (): void => {
+    if (disarmed || timer !== undefined) return;
+    timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      controller.abort();
+    }, timeoutMs);
+  };
+  if (when === "now") start();
   return {
     signal: controller.signal,
+    start,
     disarm: () => {
       if (disarmed) return;
       disarmed = true;
-      clearTimeout(timer);
+      if (timer !== undefined) clearTimeout(timer);
     },
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/tui/runner/mcp-connect.test.ts b/src/tui/runner/mcp-connect.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b5af79b2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tui/runner/mcp-connect.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import {
+  installMcpConnectMock,
+  mcpTestPermissionGate,
+} from "../../../testkit/mcp-connect-mock.js";
+import type { MCPServerState } from "../../agent/tools.js";
+import { runTuiMcpDial } from "./mcp-connect.js";
+
+const dirs: string[] = [];
+
+function tempCwd(): string {
+  const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "corbits-tui-mcp-dial-"));
+  dirs.push(dir);
+  return dir;
+}
+
+const mock = await installMcpConnectMock(
+  import.meta.resolve("../../mcp/client.js"),
+  {
+    initialTools: [{ name: "list", description: "List", inputSchema: {} }],
+    abortableDeferred: true,
+    teardownOnAbort: true,
+  },
+);
+
+const { createAgentToolset } = await import("../../agent/tools.js");
+
+const acme = {
+  name: "acme",
+  type: "http" as const,
+  url: "https://mcp.acme.test/mcp",
+};
+const lin = {
+  name: "lin",
+  type: "http" as const,
+  url: "https://mcp.lin.test/mcp",
+};
+const stuck = {
+  name: "stuck",
+  type: "stdio" as const,
+  command: "stuck-mcp",
+};
+
+function callbacks(
+  states: MCPServerState[],
+  browserAuthOutlivesDialAbort = false,
+) {
+  return {
+    interactiveAuth: true,
+    ...(browserAuthOutlivesDialAbort
+      ? { browserAuthOutlivesDialAbort: true as const }
+      : {}),
+    onStatus: (state: MCPServerState) => {
+      states.push(state);
+    },
+    onToolsChanged: () => undefined,
+  };
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  for (const dir of dirs.splice(0)) {
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  mock.reset();
+});
+
+describe("TUI MCP dial timeout", () => {
+  test("a hung dial fails, the live sibling stays connected, and resume runs", async () => {
+    mock.hangNames.add("lin");
+    const toolset = await createAgentToolset({
+      cwd: tempCwd(),
+      permissionGate: mcpTestPermissionGate(),
+      onOperatorGate: async () => ({ kind: "cancel" }),
+      mcpServers: [acme, lin],
+    });
+    const states: MCPServerState[] = [];
+    const exit = new AbortController();
+    let resumed = false;
+    try {
+      const started = Date.now();
+      await runTuiMcpDial(
+        (signal) => toolset.connectMCP(callbacks(states), signal),
+        exit.signal,
+        40,
+      ).then(async () => {
+        resumed = true;
+      });
+      expect(Date.now() - started).toBeLessThan(500);
+      expect(resumed).toBe(true);
+      expect(states.some((s) => s.name === "lin" && s.state === "failed")).toBe(
+        true,
+      );
+      expect(
+        states.some((s) => s.name === "acme" && s.state === "connected"),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(toolset.hasMCPServer("acme")).toBe(true);
+      expect(toolset.hasMCPServer("lin")).toBe(false);
+      expect(mock.closedClients).not.toContain("acme");
+      expect(
+        toolset.dynamicRunner.currentDefinitions().map((d) => d.name),
+      ).toContain("mcp__acme__list");
+    } finally {
+      await toolset.dispose();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("unfinished browser auth survives the handshake cap and the live sibling stays mounted", async () => {
+    mock.browserAuthNames.add("lin");
+    mock.hangNames.add("stuck");
+    const toolset = await createAgentToolset({
+      cwd: tempCwd(),
+      permissionGate: mcpTestPermissionGate(),
+      onOperatorGate: async () => ({ kind: "cancel" }),
+      mcpServers: [acme, lin, stuck],
+    });
+    const states: MCPServerState[] = [];
+    const exit = new AbortController();
+    let resumed = false;
+    const dial = runTuiMcpDial(
+      (signal) =>
+        toolset.connectMCP(callbacks(states, true), signal).then(async () => {
+          resumed = true;
+        }),
+      exit.signal,
+      40,
+    );
+    try {
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 80));
+      expect(resumed).toBe(false);
+      expect(states.some((s) => s.name === "lin" && s.state === "failed")).toBe(
+        false,
+      );
+      expect(
+        states.some((s) => s.name === "lin" && s.state === "needs-auth"),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(
+        states.some((s) => s.name === "stuck" && s.state === "failed"),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(
+        states.some((s) => s.name === "acme" && s.state === "connected"),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(toolset.hasMCPServer("acme")).toBe(true);
+      expect(toolset.hasMCPServer("stuck")).toBe(false);
+      expect(mock.closedClients).not.toContain("acme");
+      expect(
+        toolset.dynamicRunner.currentDefinitions().map((d) => d.name),
+      ).toContain("mcp__acme__list");
+      expect(mock.authWaitAborts).toBe(0);
+    } finally {
+      await toolset.dispose();
+      await dial;
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("a trust prompt longer than the dial cap still connects on a live signal", async () => {
+    const toolset = await createAgentToolset({
+      cwd: tempCwd(),
+      permissionGate: mcpTestPermissionGate(),
+      onOperatorGate: async () => ({ kind: "cancel" }),
+      mcpServers: [acme],
+      mcpServersSource: "local",
+      projectTrust: {
+        trustedPluginPaths: [],
+        trustedMcpFingerprints: [],
+        trustedGrantFingerprints: [],
+      },
+      requestMcpTrust: async () => {
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 80));
+        return true;
+      },
+    });
+    const exit = new AbortController();
+    try {
+      await runTuiMcpDial(
+        (signal) => toolset.connectMCP(callbacks([]), signal),
+        exit.signal,
+        40,
+      );
+      expect(mock.connectOptions).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(mock.connectOptions[0]?.signal?.aborted).toBe(false);
+      expect(toolset.hasMCPServer("acme")).toBe(true);
+    } finally {
+      await toolset.dispose();
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/tui/runner/mcp-connect.ts b/src/tui/runner/mcp-connect.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c9c8f906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tui/runner/mcp-connect.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import {
+  armExecMcpHandshakeAbort,
+  bindDeferredMcpHandshake,
+  EXEC_MCP_HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_MS,
+  followExecMcpHandshake,
+} from "../../exec/mcp-handshake.js";
+
+/**
+ * Bound one TUI MCP dial (or the startup batch) the same way headless does.
+ * The timer starts on the first dial after trust filtering, then aborts
+ * handshakes still in flight. A server that reaches interactive browser auth
+ * drops this abort and keeps the browser-auth budget; a dial that never gets
+ * that far still fails closed. The toolset detaches each server's forward on
+ * settle, and this disarms the timer when the dial fulfills, so a live sibling
+ * is not torn down.
+ */
+export function runTuiMcpDial(
+  dial: (signal: AbortSignal) => Promise<void>,
+  exitSignal: AbortSignal,
+  timeoutMs: number = EXEC_MCP_HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_MS,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const handshake = armExecMcpHandshakeAbort(timeoutMs, "later");
+  const signal = AbortSignal.any([exitSignal, handshake.signal]);
+  bindDeferredMcpHandshake(signal, handshake.start);
+  return followExecMcpHandshake(dial(signal), handshake);
+}
diff --git a/src/tui/runner/mcp.ts b/src/tui/runner/mcp.ts
index 326433b52..06370d508 100644
--- a/src/tui/runner/mcp.ts
+++ b/src/tui/runner/mcp.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import {
 import { mergeMcpSurfaceEntries, isBuiltinRow } from "../mcp-list.js";
 import { nextMcpCatalog } from "../mcp-catalog.js";
 import type { MCPConnectCallbacks } from "../../agent/tools.js";
+import { runTuiMcpDial } from "./mcp-connect.js";
 import { type RunnerServices, type RunnerState } from "./state.js";
 import { SETTINGS_DIR_NAME, LOG_NAMESPACE_ROOT } from "../../branding.js";
 
@@ -46,6 +47,9 @@ export function wireMcp(
 ): McpWiring {
   const mcpConnectCallbacks: MCPConnectCallbacks = {
     interactiveAuth: true,
+    // Browser auth has its own wait. The startup dial cap must not fail that
+    // row or close the redirect once the auth URL is up.
+    browserAuthOutlivesDialAbort: true,
     onStatus: (status) => {
       services.mcpStates.set(status.name, status);
       services.emitter.emit("mcp.status", status);
@@ -66,19 +70,17 @@ export function wireMcp(
   };
 
   const connectLateMCPServer = (server: MCPServerConfig): void => {
-    void services.toolset
-      .connectMCPServer(
-        server,
-        mcpConnectCallbacks,
-        services.mcpConnectController.signal,
-      )
-      .catch((err: unknown) => {
-        if (err instanceof Error && err.name === "AbortError") return;
-        tuiLogger.warn("Late MCP connect failed for {server}: {error}", {
-          server: server.name,
-          error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
-        });
+    void runTuiMcpDial(
+      (signal) =>
+        services.toolset.connectMCPServer(server, mcpConnectCallbacks, signal),
+      services.mcpConnectController.signal,
+    ).catch((err: unknown) => {
+      if (err instanceof Error && err.name === "AbortError") return;
+      tuiLogger.warn("Late MCP connect failed for {server}: {error}", {
+        server: server.name,
+        error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
       });
+    });
   };
   state.connectLateMCPServer = connectLateMCPServer;
 
@@ -239,18 +241,16 @@ function createMcpSurface(
         };
       }
       // Manual retry: cancel any backoff loop first so exactly one dial runs.
-      void services.toolset
-        .retryMCPServer(
-          server,
-          mcpConnectCallbacks,
-          services.mcpConnectController.signal,
-        )
-        .catch((err: unknown) => {
-          tuiLogger.warn("MCP retry failed for {server}: {error}", {
-            server: server.name,
-            error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
-          });
+      void runTuiMcpDial(
+        (signal) =>
+          services.toolset.retryMCPServer(server, mcpConnectCallbacks, signal),
+        services.mcpConnectController.signal,
+      ).catch((err: unknown) => {
+        tuiLogger.warn("MCP retry failed for {server}: {error}", {
+          server: server.name,
+          error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
         });
+      });
       return { ok: true, message: `Retrying ${server.name}; connecting now.` };
     },
     setEnabled: async (name: string, enabled: boolean) => {
diff --git a/src/tui/runner/wiring.ts b/src/tui/runner/wiring.ts
index e818a6335..440f84088 100644
--- a/src/tui/runner/wiring.ts
+++ b/src/tui/runner/wiring.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ import { createRuntimeShutdown } from "./shutdown.js";
 import { ASK_DEADLINE_MS } from "../../subagent/session-store.js";
 import { resumeTranscriptLoadErrorBlock } from "./exit.js";
 import { userInboundMessage } from "./submit.js";
+import { runTuiMcpDial } from "./mcp-connect.js";
 import {
   hostOf,
   liveAgent,
@@ -578,10 +579,14 @@ export function wirePostStartup(
 
   // Connect MCP after the TUI is up so auth surfaces as a copyable link, not
   // a browser pop; each server that mounts tools requests an agent rebuild
-  // through its callbacks. On settle, resume any persisted workflow. Aborted
-  // on exit.
-  void services.toolset
-    .connectMCP(mcpConnectCallbacks, services.mcpConnectController.signal)
+  // through its callbacks. A hung dial that never reaches browser auth aborts
+  // on the same cap as headless and reports failed. A dial already waiting on
+  // the browser keeps that wait, so resume is not stuck behind a sibling that
+  // never settles and auth is not failed by the cap.
+  void runTuiMcpDial(
+    (signal) => services.toolset.connectMCP(mcpConnectCallbacks, signal),
+    services.mcpConnectController.signal,
+  )
     .then(async () => {
       // Capability map reflects connected servers; restore any persisted workflow.
       await services.workflowHost.resume();
diff --git a/testkit/mcp-connect-mock.ts b/testkit/mcp-connect-mock.ts
index 46ba62080..36416cdd8 100644
--- a/testkit/mcp-connect-mock.ts
+++ b/testkit/mcp-connect-mock.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ export interface McpConnectMock {
   authResourceCloses: number;
   /** Server names whose connect never settles until the signal aborts. */
   hangNames: Set<string>;
+  /**
+   * Server names that offer an auth URL and then wait until the connect
+   * signal aborts. Other servers in the same batch are unaffected.
+   */
+  browserAuthNames: Set<string>;
   connectedTools: MCPTool[];
   toolCallResult: string;
   calls: McpToolCall[];
@@ -127,6 +132,7 @@ export async function installMcpConnectMock(
     authWaitAborts: 0,
     authResourceCloses: 0,
     hangNames: new Set<string>(),
+    browserAuthNames: new Set<string>(),
     connectedTools: initialTools,
     toolCallResult,
     calls: [],
@@ -146,6 +152,7 @@ export async function installMcpConnectMock(
       mock.authWaitAborts = 0;
       mock.authResourceCloses = 0;
       mock.hangNames.clear();
+      mock.browserAuthNames.clear();
       mock.connectedTools = initialTools;
       mock.toolCallResult = toolCallResult;
       mock.calls.length = 0;
@@ -165,6 +172,29 @@ export async function installMcpConnectMock(
         const generation = ++mock.connectGeneration;
         const mode = mock.mode;
 
+        if (mock.browserAuthNames.has(config.name)) {
+          connectOptions.onAuthURL?.(
+            config.name,
+            mock.authURL ?? "https://auth.test/authorize",
+          );
+          await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+            const onAbort = (): void => {
+              mock.authWaitAborts += 1;
+              mock.authResourceCloses += 1;
+              resolve();
+            };
+            if (connectOptions.signal?.aborted === true) onAbort();
+            else
+              connectOptions.signal?.addEventListener("abort", onAbort, {
+                once: true,
+              });
+          });
+          return {
+            ok: false as const,
+            serverName: config.name,
+            error: "authorization aborted",
+          };
+        }
         if (mode === "auth" || mock.blockOnAuth || mock.authURL !== null) {
           connectOptions.onAuthURL?.(
             config.name,