diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/thread_goal_actions.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/thread_goal_actions.rs
index 591180175..b1a1bd367 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/thread_goal_actions.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/thread_goal_actions.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::bottom_pane::SelectionAction;
 use crate::bottom_pane::SelectionItem;
 use crate::bottom_pane::SelectionViewParams;
 use crate::bottom_pane::popup_consts::standard_popup_hint_line;
+use crate::goal_display::GOAL_USAGE;
 use crate::goal_display::goal_status_label;
 use crate::goal_display::goal_usage_summary;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadGoal;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ impl App {
 
         let Some(goal) = response.goal else {
             self.chat_widget.add_info_message(
-                "Usage: /goal <objective>".to_string(),
+                GOAL_USAGE.to_string(),
                 Some("No goal is currently set.".to_string()),
             );
             return;
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ impl App {
         self.chat_widget
             .add_error_message("No goal is currently set.".to_string());
         self.chat_widget.add_info_message(
-            "Usage: /goal <objective>".to_string(),
+            GOAL_USAGE.to_string(),
             Some("Create a goal before editing it.".to_string()),
         );
     }
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/slash_dispatch.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/slash_dispatch.rs
index 08c6db56d..48caf8f54 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/slash_dispatch.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/slash_dispatch.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::bottom_pane::slash_commands::BuiltinCommandFlags;
 use crate::bottom_pane::slash_commands::ServiceTierCommand;
 use crate::bottom_pane::slash_commands::SlashCommandItem;
 use crate::bottom_pane::slash_commands::find_slash_command;
+use crate::goal_display::GOAL_USAGE;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 enum SlashCommandDispatchSource {
@@ -32,7 +33,6 @@ struct PreparedSlashCommandArgs {
 const SIDE_STARTING_CONTEXT_LABEL: &str = "Side starting...";
 const SIDE_SLASH_COMMAND_UNAVAILABLE_HINT: &str =
     "Press Ctrl+C to return to the main thread first.";
-const GOAL_USAGE: &str = "Usage: /goal <objective>";
 const GOAL_USAGE_HINT: &str = "Example: /goal improve benchmark coverage";
 const RAW_USAGE: &str = "Usage: /raw [on|off]";
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs
index 099ae1d76..9c2802fb6 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs
@@ -784,6 +784,21 @@ async fn goal_control_slash_commands_emit_goal_events() {
     }
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn goal_control_slash_command_without_thread_shows_full_usage() {
+    let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
+    chat.set_feature_enabled(Feature::Goals, /*enabled*/ true);
+
+    submit_composer_text(&mut chat, "/goal pause");
+
+    let cells = drain_insert_history(&mut rx);
+    assert_eq!(cells.len(), 1, "expected goal usage message");
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(
+        lines_to_single_string(&cells[0]),
+        @"• Usage: /goal [<objective>|clear|edit|pause|resume] The session must start before you can change a goal."
+    );
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn goal_edit_slash_command_opens_goal_editor() {
     for thread_id in [Some(ThreadId::new()), None] {
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/goal_display.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/goal_display.rs
index 961b87f16..210bac107 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/goal_display.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/goal_display.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ use crate::status::format_tokens_compact;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadGoal;
 use codex_app_server_protocol::ThreadGoalStatus;
 
+pub(crate) const GOAL_USAGE: &str = "Usage: /goal [<objective>|clear|edit|pause|resume]";
+
 pub(crate) fn format_goal_elapsed_seconds(seconds: i64) -> String {
     let seconds = seconds.max(0) as u64;
     if seconds < 60 {