diff --git a/backend/app/services/qemu_manager.py b/backend/app/services/qemu_manager.py
index d0dddfae..9b9f7e00 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/qemu_manager.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/qemu_manager.py
@@ -118,12 +118,18 @@ class QemuManager:
 
     async def send_serial_bytes(self, client_id: str, data: bytes) -> None:
         inst = self._instances.get(client_id)
-        if inst and inst._serial_writer:
-            inst._serial_writer.write(data)
-            try:
-                await inst._serial_writer.drain()
-            except Exception as e:
-                logger.warning('send_serial_bytes drain: %s', e)
+        if not inst:
+            logger.warning('send_serial_bytes: no instance for client_id=%s', client_id)
+            return
+        if not inst._serial_writer:
+            logger.warning('send_serial_bytes: %s has no serial writer (qemu not connected yet?)', client_id)
+            return
+        logger.info('send_serial_bytes: %s sending %d bytes: %r', client_id, len(data), bytes(data[:32]))
+        inst._serial_writer.write(data)
+        try:
+            await inst._serial_writer.drain()
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning('send_serial_bytes drain: %s', e)
 
     # ── Boot sequence ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/raspberry-pi/PiTerminal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/raspberry-pi/PiTerminal.tsx
index eb7968c0..08f8e400 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/raspberry-pi/PiTerminal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/raspberry-pi/PiTerminal.tsx
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ export const PiTerminal: React.FC<PiTerminalProps> = ({ boardId }) => {
       } catch (_) {
         /* ignore if dimensions not ready */
       }
+      // Without an explicit focus call xterm.js stays passive — onData
+      // only fires when the DOM element has focus, so users staring at
+      // a working prompt see no echo because their keystrokes go to
+      // whatever element had focus at mount time (canvas, code editor).
+      try { term.focus(); } catch (_) { /* container may not be visible */ }
     });
 
     termRef.current = term;