diff --git a/packages/tui/src/terminal.ts b/packages/tui/src/terminal.ts
index 7e1d2368c..d5204fe9c 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/terminal.ts
+++ b/packages/tui/src/terminal.ts
@@ -1100,9 +1100,9 @@ export class ProcessTerminal implements Terminal {
 				const reportedFlags = parseInt(match[1]!, 10);
 				this.#kittyProtocolActive = true;
 				setKittyProtocolActive(true);
-				if (reportedFlags >= 3) {
-					// Already enriched (Ghostty/foot may keep flags from a parent app).
-					// Push level-2 to lock in event reporting.
+				if ((reportedFlags & 2) !== 0) {
+					// Preserve event-type reporting already enabled by a parent app.
+					// Push level-2 to keep its shortcuts reporting consistently.
 					this.#kittyEnableSeq = "\x1b[>7u";
 					this.#safeWrite(this.#kittyEnableSeq);
 				} else {
diff --git a/packages/tui/test/kitty-keyboard-da1-ordering.test.ts b/packages/tui/test/kitty-keyboard-da1-ordering.test.ts
index c3a654a8b..2b83b2097 100644
--- a/packages/tui/test/kitty-keyboard-da1-ordering.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tui/test/kitty-keyboard-da1-ordering.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,28 @@ describe("ProcessTerminal kitty keyboard progressive-enhancement ordering", () =
 		expect(out).not.toContain("\x1b[>4;2m");
 	});
 
+	it("keeps alternate-key reporting without enabling event types after a previous session", async () => {
+		harness = createProcessTerminalRenderHarness(100, 30);
+		await harness.settle();
+		harness.writes.length = 0;
+
+		await harness.feed("\x1b[?5u");
+
+		const out = harness.writes.join("");
+		expect(out).toContain("\x1b[>5u");
+		expect(out).not.toContain("\x1b[>7u");
+	});
+
+	it("preserves event-type reporting enabled by a parent app", async () => {
+		harness = createProcessTerminalRenderHarness(100, 30);
+		await harness.settle();
+		harness.writes.length = 0;
+
+		await harness.feed("\x1b[?3u");
+
+		expect(harness.writes.join("")).toContain("\x1b[>7u");
+	});
+
 	it("enables kitty when the DA1 sentinel arrives before the kitty reply (#2042)", async () => {
 		harness = createProcessTerminalRenderHarness(100, 30);
 		await harness.settle();