diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/core/agent-session.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/core/agent-session.ts
index 0f5aa1105..e4f53004b 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/core/agent-session.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/core/agent-session.ts
@@ -1141,19 +1141,17 @@ export class AgentSession {
 		if (event.type === "message_start" && event.message.role === "user") {
 			this._overflowRecoveryAttempted = false;
 			const messageText = contentText(event.message.content, "");
-			if (messageText) {
-				// Check steering queue first
-				const steeringIndex = this._steeringMessages.indexOf(messageText);
-				if (steeringIndex !== -1) {
-					this._steeringMessages.splice(steeringIndex, 1);
+			// Check steering queue first
+			const steeringIndex = this._steeringMessages.indexOf(messageText);
+			if (steeringIndex !== -1) {
+				this._steeringMessages.splice(steeringIndex, 1);
+				this._emitQueueUpdate();
+			} else {
+				// Check follow-up queue
+				const followUpIndex = this._followUpMessages.indexOf(messageText);
+				if (followUpIndex !== -1) {
+					this._followUpMessages.splice(followUpIndex, 1);
 					this._emitQueueUpdate();
-				} else {
-					// Check follow-up queue
-					const followUpIndex = this._followUpMessages.indexOf(messageText);
-					if (followUpIndex !== -1) {
-						this._followUpMessages.splice(followUpIndex, 1);
-						this._emitQueueUpdate();
-					}
 				}
 			}
 			// Normalize queued images at delivery, before events and persistence see the message,
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/test/suite/agent-session-queue.test.ts b/packages/coding-agent/test/suite/agent-session-queue.test.ts
index d198cbd2d..39a4470d2 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/test/suite/agent-session-queue.test.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/test/suite/agent-session-queue.test.ts
@@ -437,6 +437,35 @@ describe("AgentSession queue characterization", () => {
 		expect(harness.session.pendingMessageCount).toBe(0);
 	});
 
+	it("removes an image-only steering message after delivery", async () => {
+		const waiting = await createWaitingHarness();
+		const { harness, waitForToolStart, promptPromise, releaseToolExecution } = waiting;
+		harnesses.push(harness);
+		let sawImage = false;
+
+		harness.setResponses([
+			fauxAssistantMessage(fauxToolCall("wait", {}), { stopReason: "toolUse" }),
+			(context) => {
+				const user = [...context.messages].reverse().find((message) => message.role === "user");
+				sawImage =
+					user?.role === "user" &&
+					typeof user.content !== "string" &&
+					user.content.some((part) => part.type === "image");
+				return fauxAssistantMessage("done");
+			},
+		]);
+
+		await waitForToolStart;
+		await harness.session.steer("", [{ type: "image", mimeType: "image/png", data: "ZmFrZQ==" }]);
+		expect(harness.session.pendingMessageCount).toBe(1);
+		releaseToolExecution();
+		await promptPromise;
+
+		expect(sawImage).toBe(true);
+		expect(harness.session.agent.hasQueuedMessages()).toBe(false);
+		expect(harness.session.pendingMessageCount).toBe(0);
+	});
+
 	it("throws when queueing an extension command with steer", async () => {
 		const harness = await createHarness({
 			extensionFactories: [