diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 81077c3..3142ada 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Add `noInterruptOnUserMessage` plugin option. When `true`, a new human message steers an active goal — the loop keeps running and the message is included in the next continuation — instead of pausing it with `stopReason: "user intervention"`. The pause-on-intervention default is unchanged.
+- Add `noContinueWhileChildrenActive` plugin option. When `true`, auto-continue is deferred while the session has active child sessions (subagents, background tasks), so the goal loop does not prompt the orchestrator over work a child is already doing; the goal stays running and continues on a later idle once the children finish. Hosts that cannot report children/status fail open.
+
 ## 0.7.0 — 2026-08-02
 
 - Make `/goal status` add explicit `State:` and `Completion audit:` lines without changing its existing `Active goal:` header; make `/goal list` report `active`, `paused`, or `blocked` and preserve the reason for stopped focused goals. Completion audit reporting distinguishes the evidence gate, built-in independent verifier, and custom completion auditor.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a56f6e9..14a1f0b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -329,6 +329,8 @@ Additional plugin-level options:
 - `maxRecentMessages` — how many recent session messages to scan when looking for the latest assistant turn before auto-continuing. Higher values make long, tool-heavy sessions less likely to lose the most recent assistant response.
 - `noProgressTurnsBeforePause` — grace window for low-output stalls. The plugin pauses only after this many consecutive stalled low-output turns rather than on the first one.
 - `noToolCallTurnsBeforePause` — grace window for tool-free continuation turns. The plugin pauses after this many consecutive continuation turns that produced no tool calls (anti self-chat loop). Default `2`; set the plugin option to `0` for legitimate tool-free writing/research workflows.
+- `noInterruptOnUserMessage` — when `true`, a new human message no longer pauses an active goal ("user intervention"); the goal loop keeps running and the message steers the next continuation. Default `false`, which pauses for `/goal resume` as before.
+- `noContinueWhileChildrenActive` — when `true`, auto-continue is deferred while the session has active child sessions (subagents, background tasks): the goal stays running but does not prompt the orchestrator until the children finish. Default `false`. Hosts that cannot report children/status fail open (continuation proceeds).
 - `warnTurnsRemaining` / `warnDurationMsRemaining` / `warnTokensRemaining` — thresholds at which the auto-continue prompt appends a "limits are near" warning (default `3` turns, `60000` ms, `25000` context tokens). Lower them to warn closer to the limit, or raise them to warn earlier.
 - `commandName` — the slash command the plugin owns (default `goal`). Set it to e.g. `objective` to drive the workflow with `/objective` instead of `/goal`; a leading slash is tolerated. Remember to register the matching command name in your OpenCode `command` config. User-facing hints (`/goal status`, `/goal resume`, …) follow the configured name.
 - `registerCommand` — whether the plugin installs its `command.execute.before` hook at all (default `true`). Set it to `false` if you only want the auto-continue/persistence behavior driven programmatically and don't want the plugin to own a slash command.
diff --git a/index.d.ts b/index.d.ts
index c15bfb7..6d0141f 100644
--- a/index.d.ts
+++ b/index.d.ts
@@ -174,6 +174,25 @@ export interface GoalPluginOptions {
    */
   noToolCallTurnsBeforePause?: number
 
+  /**
+   * When `true`, a new human message does not pause an active goal: the goal
+   * loop keeps running and the message steers the next continuation instead of
+   * stopping with `stopReason: "user intervention"`. Plugin-owned command and
+   * continuation messages are never treated as interventions either way.
+   * @default false
+   */
+  noInterruptOnUserMessage?: boolean
+
+  /**
+   * When `true`, auto-continue is deferred while the session has active child
+   * sessions (subagents or background tasks), so the goal loop does not prompt
+   * the orchestrator over work a child is already doing. The goal stays
+   * running and the next idle event continues once the children are done.
+   * Hosts that cannot report children/status fail open (continuation proceeds).
+   * @default false
+   */
+  noContinueWhileChildrenActive?: boolean
+
   /**
    * Fraction (between 0 and 1, exclusive) of any budget (turns, duration,
    * or tokens) at which the plugin sends a one-time "wrap up" prompt
diff --git a/scripts/mutation-contract.mjs b/scripts/mutation-contract.mjs
index 290dfed..92bbfed 100644
--- a/scripts/mutation-contract.mjs
+++ b/scripts/mutation-contract.mjs
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ const mutants = [
   {
     name: "mutating SDK calls are never replayed",
     file: "src/opencode-session-api.js",
-    from: 'new Set([\"messages\", \"get\"])',
-    to: 'new Set([\"messages\", \"get\", \"prompt\"])',
+    from: 'new Set([\"messages\", \"get\", \"children\", \"status\"])',
+    to: 'new Set([\"messages\", \"get\", \"children\", \"status\", \"prompt\"])',
     test: "test/opencode-session-api.test.js",
   },
   {
diff --git a/src/goal-plugin.js b/src/goal-plugin.js
index d8d3f6b..c4ea63a 100644
--- a/src/goal-plugin.js
+++ b/src/goal-plugin.js
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ const DEFAULT_OPTIONS = {
   noProgressTokenThreshold: 50,
   noProgressTurnsBeforePause: 2,
   noToolCallTurnsBeforePause: 2,
+  noInterruptOnUserMessage: false,
+  noContinueWhileChildrenActive: false,
   budgetWrapupRatio: 0.8,
   warnTurnsRemaining: 3,
   warnDurationMsRemaining: 60 * 1000,
@@ -1176,6 +1178,8 @@ function normalizeOptions(options = {}) {
       Number.isSafeInteger(options.noToolCallTurnsBeforePause) && options.noToolCallTurnsBeforePause >= 0
         ? options.noToolCallTurnsBeforePause
         : DEFAULT_OPTIONS.noToolCallTurnsBeforePause,
+    noInterruptOnUserMessage: options.noInterruptOnUserMessage === true,
+    noContinueWhileChildrenActive: options.noContinueWhileChildrenActive === true,
     budgetWrapupRatio:
       Number(options.budgetWrapupRatio) > 0 && Number(options.budgetWrapupRatio) < 1
         ? Number(options.budgetWrapupRatio)
@@ -4212,6 +4216,34 @@ async function createGoalPlugin({ client, directory } = {}, pluginOptions = {})
     return true
   }
 
+  // With noContinueWhileChildrenActive, auto-continue is deferred while any
+  // child session (subagent, background task) is still active, so the goal
+  // loop does not prompt the orchestrator over work a child is already doing.
+  // Fail open: if the host cannot report children/status, continue as before.
+  const sessionHasActiveChildren = async (sessionID) => {
+    try {
+      const [children, status] = await Promise.all([
+        sessionApi.children(sessionID),
+        sessionApi.status(),
+      ])
+      const statusMap = isPlainObject(status) ? status : {}
+      const childrenList = Array.isArray(children) ? children : []
+      return childrenList.some(
+        (child) =>
+          isPlainObject(child) &&
+          typeof child.id === "string" &&
+          Object.hasOwn(statusMap, child.id),
+      )
+    } catch (error) {
+      await logPluginError(
+        client,
+        "Failed to check child session activity; continuing without the active-children gate",
+        error,
+      )
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+
   const claimContinuationSource = async (
     sessionID,
     goalID,
@@ -4246,10 +4278,17 @@ async function createGoalPlugin({ client, directory } = {}, pluginOptions = {})
       return null
     }
 
+    if (goal.options.noContinueWhileChildrenActive) {
+      if (await sessionHasActiveChildren(sessionID)) return null
+    }
+
     const newHumanMessage =
       refreshed.latestRealUserMessageID &&
       refreshed.latestRealUserMessageID !== baseline.latestRealUserMessageID
-    if (newHumanMessage || userInterventionDetected(messages, goal)) {
+    if (
+      !goal.options.noInterruptOnUserMessage &&
+      (newHumanMessage || userInterventionDetected(messages, goal))
+    ) {
       await pauseActiveGoal(sessionID, {
         stopReason: "user intervention",
         status: "Auto-continue paused because a new human message arrived; the latest instruction wins.",
@@ -4422,6 +4461,9 @@ async function createGoalPlugin({ client, directory } = {}, pluginOptions = {})
 
       const goal = goalStates.get(sessionID)
       if (!goal || goal.stopped) return
+      // With noInterruptOnUserMessage, a human message steers the running loop
+      // instead of pausing the goal for /goal resume.
+      if (goal.options.noInterruptOnUserMessage) return
       await pauseActiveGoal(sessionID, {
         stopReason: "user intervention",
         status: "Auto-continue paused because a new human message arrived; the latest instruction wins.",
@@ -5229,7 +5271,10 @@ async function createGoalPlugin({ client, directory } = {}, pluginOptions = {})
         // Latest instruction wins: if a real (non-plugin) user message arrived
         // since the last auto-continue, stop driving the loop and defer to the
         // human. They can /goal resume to hand control back to the plugin.
-        if (userInterventionDetected(messages, activeGoalAfterMessages)) {
+        if (
+          !activeGoalAfterMessages.options.noInterruptOnUserMessage &&
+          userInterventionDetected(messages, activeGoalAfterMessages)
+        ) {
           await pauseActiveGoal(sessionID, {
             stopReason: "user intervention",
             status: "Auto-continue paused because a new human message arrived; the latest instruction wins.",
diff --git a/src/opencode-session-api.js b/src/opencode-session-api.js
index 4ab93c3..c8c8b1f 100644
--- a/src/opencode-session-api.js
+++ b/src/opencode-session-api.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const SHAPE_ERROR_PATTERNS = [
 // Only read-only operations may be retried with another argument shape. A
 // TypeError can be raised after a mutating SDK call has already reached the
 // host, so replaying create/prompt/update/delete/abort could duplicate side effects.
-const REPLAY_SAFE_OPERATIONS = new Set(["messages", "get"])
+const REPLAY_SAFE_OPERATIONS = new Set(["messages", "get", "children", "status"])
 
 function isArgumentShapeError(error) {
   if (!(error instanceof TypeError)) return false
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ export function createOpenCodeSessionApi(client, options = {}) {
         { path: { id: sessionID }, query: options },
       )
     },
+    children(sessionID) {
+      return invoke("children", { sessionID }, { path: { id: sessionID } })
+    },
+    status() {
+      return invoke("status", {}, { path: {} })
+    },
     promptAsync(sessionID, input = {}) {
       return invoke(
         "promptAsync",
diff --git a/test/goal-plugin.test.js b/test/goal-plugin.test.js
index 2824534..347d733 100644
--- a/test/goal-plugin.test.js
+++ b/test/goal-plugin.test.js
@@ -1398,6 +1398,137 @@ test("a real user message during the loop pauses auto-continue (latest instructi
   assert.equal(currentGoal("session-1").stopReason, "user intervention")
 })
 
+test("noInterruptOnUserMessage:true keeps the goal running and steers the loop", async () => {
+  const calls = []
+  const client = {
+    app: { log: async () => {} },
+    session: {
+      messages: async () => ({
+        data: [
+          pluginContinuationMessage(),
+          message("did a step"),
+          userMessage("stop, do Y instead"),
+          message("sure"),
+        ],
+      }),
+      promptAsync: async (input) => {
+        calls.push(input)
+        return {}
+      },
+    },
+  }
+  const hooks = await GoalPlugin(
+    { client },
+    { persistState: false, minDelayMs: 1, noInterruptOnUserMessage: true },
+  )
+  await hooks["command.execute.before"](
+    { command: "goal", sessionID: "session-1", arguments: "ship it" },
+    { parts: [] },
+  )
+  // Simulate that the loop is already running.
+  const goal = currentGoal("session-1")
+  goal.turnCount = 1
+  goal.lastContinueAt = Date.now() - 10
+
+  await hooks["chat.message"](
+    { sessionID: "session-1", messageID: "msg-steer", agent: "build" },
+    {
+      message: { id: "msg-steer", role: "user", sessionID: "session-1" },
+      parts: [textPart("stop, do Y instead")],
+    },
+  )
+  assert.equal(currentGoal("session-1").stopped, false)
+
+  await hooks.event({
+    event: { type: "session.status", properties: { sessionID: "session-1", status: { type: "idle" } } },
+  })
+
+  assert.equal(currentGoal("session-1").stopped, false)
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 1)
+})
+
+test("noContinueWhileChildrenActive:true defers continuation while a child is active", async () => {
+  const calls = []
+  const client = {
+    app: { log: async () => {} },
+    session: {
+      messages: async () => ({
+        data: [pluginContinuationMessage(), message("did a step")],
+      }),
+      children: async () => ({ data: [{ id: "child-1", agent: "fixer" }] }),
+      status: async () => ({ data: { "child-1": { type: "busy" } } }),
+      promptAsync: async (input) => {
+        calls.push(input)
+        return {}
+      },
+    },
+  }
+  const hooks = await GoalPlugin(
+    { client },
+    {
+      persistState: false,
+      minDelayMs: 1,
+      noContinueWhileChildrenActive: true,
+      // Keep the test focused on the children gate: a repeated tool-less
+      // assistant message would otherwise trip the no-tool-call pause.
+      noToolCallTurnsBeforePause: 0,
+    },
+  )
+  await hooks["command.execute.before"](
+    { command: "goal", sessionID: "session-1", arguments: "ship it" },
+    { parts: [] },
+  )
+  // Simulate that the loop is already running.
+  const goal = currentGoal("session-1")
+  goal.turnCount = 1
+  goal.lastContinueAt = Date.now() - 10
+
+  await hooks.event({
+    event: { type: "session.status", properties: { sessionID: "session-1", status: { type: "idle" } } },
+  })
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(currentGoal("session-1").stopped, false)
+
+  // Once no child is active, the next idle continues normally.
+  client.session.status = async () => ({ data: {} })
+  await hooks.event({
+    event: { type: "session.status", properties: { sessionID: "session-1", status: { type: "idle" } } },
+  })
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 1)
+  assert.equal(currentGoal("session-1").stopped, false)
+})
+
+test("active children do not block auto-continue by default", async () => {
+  const calls = []
+  const client = {
+    app: { log: async () => {} },
+    session: {
+      messages: async () => ({
+        data: [pluginContinuationMessage(), message("did a step")],
+      }),
+      children: async () => ({ data: [{ id: "child-1", agent: "fixer" }] }),
+      status: async () => ({ data: { "child-1": { type: "busy" } } }),
+      promptAsync: async (input) => {
+        calls.push(input)
+        return {}
+      },
+    },
+  }
+  const hooks = await GoalPlugin({ client }, { persistState: false, minDelayMs: 1 })
+  await hooks["command.execute.before"](
+    { command: "goal", sessionID: "session-1", arguments: "ship it" },
+    { parts: [] },
+  )
+  const goal = currentGoal("session-1")
+  goal.turnCount = 1
+  goal.lastContinueAt = Date.now() - 10
+
+  await hooks.event({
+    event: { type: "session.status", properties: { sessionID: "session-1", status: { type: "idle" } } },
+  })
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 1)
+})
+
 test("the plugin's own continuation messages do not count as user intervention", async () => {
   const calls = []
   const client = {
@@ -4955,6 +5086,24 @@ test("normalizeOptions falls back to defaults for zero, negative, and non-numeri
   assert.equal(result.maxRecentMessages, defaults.maxRecentMessages)
 })
 
+test("normalizeOptions defaults noInterruptOnUserMessage to false and keeps it boolean", () => {
+  assert.equal(normalizeOptions().noInterruptOnUserMessage, false)
+  assert.equal(normalizeOptions({ noInterruptOnUserMessage: true }).noInterruptOnUserMessage, true)
+  assert.equal(normalizeOptions({ noInterruptOnUserMessage: "yes" }).noInterruptOnUserMessage, false)
+})
+
+test("normalizeOptions defaults noContinueWhileChildrenActive to false and keeps it boolean", () => {
+  assert.equal(normalizeOptions().noContinueWhileChildrenActive, false)
+  assert.equal(
+    normalizeOptions({ noContinueWhileChildrenActive: true }).noContinueWhileChildrenActive,
+    true,
+  )
+  assert.equal(
+    normalizeOptions({ noContinueWhileChildrenActive: "yes" }).noContinueWhileChildrenActive,
+    false,
+  )
+})
+
 test("normalizeOptions rejects budgetWrapupRatio at boundary values 0 and 1", () => {
   const defaults = normalizeOptions()
   assert.equal(normalizeOptions({ budgetWrapupRatio: 0 }).budgetWrapupRatio, defaults.budgetWrapupRatio)
diff --git a/test/opencode-session-api.test.js b/test/opencode-session-api.test.js
index 8b25e29..02bdf91 100644
--- a/test/opencode-session-api.test.js
+++ b/test/opencode-session-api.test.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import assert from "node:assert/strict"
 import test from "node:test"
 import { createOpenCodeSessionApi } from "../src/opencode-session-api.js"
 
-const operations = ["messages", "promptAsync", "prompt", "update", "get", "create", "delete", "abort"]
+const operations = ["messages", "promptAsync", "prompt", "update", "get", "create", "delete", "abort", "children", "status"]
 
 function recordingClient(handler) {
   const calls = []
@@ -140,3 +140,27 @@ test("supports an explicit legacy preference without probing", async () => {
   await api.get("known")
   assert.deepEqual(host.calls[0].input, { path: { id: "known" } })
 })
+
+test("children and status use the shape adapter and are replay-safe", async () => {
+  const host = recordingClient((_operation, input) => ({ data: input }))
+  const api = createOpenCodeSessionApi(host.client)
+  assert.deepEqual(await api.children("s1"), { sessionID: "s1" })
+  assert.deepEqual(await api.status(), {})
+
+  const legacy = recordingClient((_operation, input) => {
+    if (!("path" in input)) throw new TypeError("validation failed: required path")
+    return { data: input }
+  })
+  const apiLegacy = createOpenCodeSessionApi(legacy.client)
+  await apiLegacy.children("s2")
+  await apiLegacy.status()
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    legacy.calls.map(({ input }) => input),
+    [
+      { sessionID: "s2" },
+      { path: { id: "s2" } },
+      {},
+      { path: {} },
+    ],
+  )
+})