diff --git a/packages/tui/src/terminal-image.ts b/packages/tui/src/terminal-image.ts
index ec2a2338f..fd7001fdd 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/terminal-image.ts
+++ b/packages/tui/src/terminal-image.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ function detectCapabilitiesFromEnvironment(tmuxForwardsHyperlink: () => boolean)
 		return { images: "kitty", trueColor: hasTrueColorHint, hyperlinks: true };
 	}
 
+	// Rex supports OSC 8 hyperlinks but only partially implements the Kitty graphics protocol
+	// (no Unicode placeholders), so leave images off. Check it before outer-terminal detection.
+	if (termProgram === "rex") {
+		return { images: null, trueColor: true, hyperlinks: true };
+	}
+
 	if (process.env.KITTY_WINDOW_ID || termProgram === "kitty") {
 		return { images: "kitty", trueColor: true, hyperlinks: true };
 	}
diff --git a/packages/tui/test/terminal-image.test.ts b/packages/tui/test/terminal-image.test.ts
index aa28c7537..063ab0862 100644
--- a/packages/tui/test/terminal-image.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tui/test/terminal-image.test.ts
@@ -330,6 +330,19 @@ describe("detectCapabilities", () => {
 		});
 	});
 
+	// #11131
+	it("enables hyperlinks without images for Rex", () => {
+		withEnv({ TERM_PROGRAM: "rex", TERM: "xterm-256color", KITTY_WINDOW_ID: "1" }, () => {
+			const caps = detectCapabilities();
+			assert.strictEqual(caps.hyperlinks, true);
+			assert.strictEqual(caps.images, null);
+			assert.strictEqual(caps.trueColor, true);
+		});
+		withEnv({ TERM_PROGRAM: "rex", PI_HYPERLINKS: "0" }, () => {
+			assert.strictEqual(detectCapabilities().hyperlinks, false);
+		});
+	});
+
 	it("enables hyperlinks for Ghostty", () => {
 		withEnv({ TERM_PROGRAM: "ghostty" }, () => {
 			const caps = detectCapabilities();