diff --git a/crates/tui/src/tools/shell.rs b/crates/tui/src/tools/shell.rs
index ee3e134d50..4705361e87 100644
--- a/crates/tui/src/tools/shell.rs
+++ b/crates/tui/src/tools/shell.rs
@@ -2558,7 +2558,10 @@ impl ShellManager {
         } = spawn_context;
         let task_id = format!("shell_{}", &Uuid::new_v4().to_string()[..8]);
         let mut spawn_guard =
-            ShellSpawnIntentGuard::new(work_lifecycle.clone(), &task_id, original_command);
+            ShellSpawnIntentGuard::new(work_lifecycle, &task_id, original_command);
+        // The guard owns the registration outcome: when bookkeeping could not
+        // bind this operation, nothing below may publish to it (#6435).
+        let work_lifecycle = spawn_guard.lifecycle.clone();
         let started = Instant::now();
         let sandbox_type = exec_env.sandbox_type;
         let sandboxed = exec_env.is_sandboxed();
@@ -2801,10 +2804,9 @@ impl ShellManager {
             return Err(err);
         }
 
-        if let Err(err) = bg_shell.publish_lifecycle() {
-            let _ = bg_shell.kill();
-            return Err(err);
-        }
+        // Work-graph publication is bookkeeping: a graph write that fails
+        // now must not kill a command that already started (#6435).
+        bg_shell.publish_lifecycle_best_effort();
 
         self.processes.insert(task_id.clone(), bg_shell);
         spawn_guard.disarm();
@@ -5623,8 +5625,9 @@ impl ToolSpec for BashTool {
                 .map_err(|_| ToolError::execution_failed("shell manager lock poisoned"))?;
             let work_lifecycle = shell_work_lifecycle_from_context(context);
             let task_id = format!("shell_{}", &Uuid::new_v4().to_string()[..8]);
-            let mut spawn_guard =
-                ShellSpawnIntentGuard::new(work_lifecycle.clone(), &task_id, command);
+            let mut spawn_guard = ShellSpawnIntentGuard::new(work_lifecycle, &task_id, command);
+            // Only a registered operation is observed (#6435).
+            let work_lifecycle = spawn_guard.lifecycle.clone();
             let result = manager.execute_interactive_with_policy_env(
                 command,
                 working_dir.as_deref(),
diff --git a/crates/tui/src/tools/shell/tests.rs b/crates/tui/src/tools/shell/tests.rs
index bfbc6f1e8c..c4f2899937 100644
--- a/crates/tui/src/tools/shell/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/tui/src/tools/shell/tests.rs
@@ -4708,6 +4708,63 @@ async fn busy_work_graph_degrades_the_spawn_intent_instead_of_failing_it() {
     );
 }
 
+/// #6435: the guard went unbound, but its sibling handle still published the
+/// spawn to the unregistered operation, killed the child and reported
+/// "operation binding shell:<id> is not registered". A busy Work-graph must
+/// let the command run end to end.
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn busy_work_graph_still_runs_the_command() {
+    use crate::tools::plan::new_shared_plan_state;
+    use crate::tools::todo::new_shared_todo_list;
+    use crate::work_graph::new_shared_work_runtime;
+
+    let workspace = tempdir().expect("workspace");
+    let todos = new_shared_todo_list();
+    let plan = new_shared_plan_state();
+    let lifecycle = ShellWorkLifecycle {
+        work: new_shared_work_runtime(todos.clone(), plan.clone()),
+        session_id: "session-test".to_string(),
+    };
+    let _held = todos.lock().await;
+    let mut manager = ShellManager::new(workspace.path().to_path_buf());
+    for background in [false, true] {
+        let marker = format!("ran-{background}.txt");
+        let result = manager
+            .execute_with_options_env_for_owner_and_work(
+                &format!("echo ran > {marker}"),
+                None,
+                10_000,
+                background,
+                None,
+                false,
+                None,
+                HashMap::new(),
+                None,
+                "session-test".to_string(),
+                None,
+                None,
+                Some(lifecycle.clone()),
+                None,
+                false,
+                (1_000, 60_000),
+            )
+            .unwrap_or_else(|err| panic!("background={background}: {err:#}"));
+        if background {
+            let task_id = result.task_id.expect("background task id");
+            let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(10);
+            while !workspace.path().join(&marker).exists() {
+                assert!(std::time::Instant::now() < deadline, "{task_id} never ran");
+                tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(10)).await;
+            }
+        }
+        assert!(
+            workspace.path().join(&marker).exists(),
+            "background={background}: the command ran"
+        );
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn pty_dimensions_reject_zero_and_unbounded_grid() {
     assert_eq!(