diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aeff922..c0d8b3b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ frames containing images are full-repainted (no differential diff) to prevent st
 
 you can keep typing while the agent is working. pressing enter during a turn queues the message instead of interrupting: it shows up above the status bar as `▸ sliding in: <text>` and is delivered as the next user turn the moment the current one finishes. queue as many as you want; they run in order. esc / ctrl+c cancels the active turn and drops the queue so a runaway turn doesn't flood you with stale follow-ups.
 
-slash commands still require an idle state — typing `/something` during a turn prints `cancel the current turn (esc) before running a slash command`.
+slash commands also work while the agent is busy. read-only ones (`/help`, `/jump`, `/sessions`, `/lock`, `/unlock`, `/exit`) take effect immediately. destructive ones (`/clear`, `/compact`, `/login`, `/logout`, `/model`) cancel the active turn first and then run.
 
 ## keys (interactive mode)
 
diff --git a/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go b/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go
index 71b0c09..707a8da 100644
--- a/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go
+++ b/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go
@@ -739,17 +739,19 @@ func (i *Interactive) handleKey(ctx context.Context, k tui.Key) (done bool) {
 				i.mu.Unlock()
 				return false
 			}
-			// Slash commands need a quiet state (they may swap models,
-			// compact the transcript, open dialogs, etc). Refuse while
-			// a turn is in flight — esc / ctrl+c cancels first.
-			i.mu.Lock()
-			busy := i.busy
-			i.mu.Unlock()
-			if busy {
-				i.mu.Lock()
-				i.statusErr = "cancel the current turn (esc) before running a slash command"
-				i.mu.Unlock()
-				return false
+			// Slash commands run regardless of busy state. Commands that
+			// would mutate the transcript or replace the agent (/clear,
+			// /compact, /logout, /login, /model) cancel the active turn
+			// first and wait for the goroutine to wind down so they don't
+			// race with a streaming response. Safe commands (/help,
+			// /jump, /sessions, /lock, /unlock, /exit) run immediately
+			// without disturbing the active turn.
+			head := text
+			if idx := strings.IndexAny(text, " \t"); idx >= 0 {
+				head = text[:idx]
+			}
+			if slashCancelsTurn(head) {
+				i.cancelAndWaitForIdle()
 			}
 			return i.runSlash(ctx, text)
 		}
@@ -943,6 +945,38 @@ func (i *Interactive) startOAuthFlow(provider string) {
 // applyModelSelection switches the active model (and provider, if the
 // new model belongs to a different one). It rebuilds the underlying
 // client when needed so the provider wire-protocol matches.
+// cancelAndWaitForIdle cancels the active turn (if any) and blocks
+// briefly until the turn goroutine has updated i.busy = false. Used
+// before destructive slash commands so transcript-mutating work
+// (/clear, /compact, /logout, /login completion, cross-provider
+// /model swap) doesn't race with the still-running stream.
+//
+// The wait is bounded; if the turn doesn't release within the timeout
+// we proceed anyway. Worst case is a brief overlap that the agent's
+// own mutex protects against.
+func (i *Interactive) cancelAndWaitForIdle() {
+	i.mu.Lock()
+	busy := i.busy
+	cancel := i.cancelTurn
+	i.mu.Unlock()
+	if !busy {
+		return
+	}
+	if cancel != nil {
+		cancel()
+	}
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		i.mu.Lock()
+		done := !i.busy
+		i.mu.Unlock()
+		if done {
+			return
+		}
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+}
+
 // openJumpDialog builds a /jump picker from the current transcript.
 // If the user typed "/jump foo" with a filter and it matches exactly
 // one turn, jump there directly without showing the dialog.
diff --git a/internal/agent/modes/slash_suggest.go b/internal/agent/modes/slash_suggest.go
index 83da217..79114b7 100644
--- a/internal/agent/modes/slash_suggest.go
+++ b/internal/agent/modes/slash_suggest.go
@@ -12,6 +12,19 @@ type slashCommand struct {
 	Desc string
 }
 
+// slashCancelsTurn reports whether the named slash command, when run
+// while a turn is in flight, requires the active turn to be cancelled
+// first. The destructive commands (those that mutate the transcript
+// or rebuild the agent) need a quiet state; the rest run alongside
+// the streaming response without trouble.
+func slashCancelsTurn(head string) bool {
+	switch head {
+	case "/clear", "/compact", "/logout", "/login", "/model":
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // slashCatalog lists every slash command the interactive mode handles.
 // Keep in sync with runSlash().
 var slashCatalog = []slashCommand{