diff --git a/src/claude_code_api/backend.py b/src/claude_code_api/backend.py
index 878e454..c66d902 100644
--- a/src/claude_code_api/backend.py
+++ b/src/claude_code_api/backend.py
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ class ClaudeCodeBackend:
         self._opts = options
         self._on_parse_error = on_parse_error
         self._sessions: dict[str, _LiveSession] = {}
+        self._active: dict[str, _LiveSession] = {}
         self._mcp_config_path: Path | None = None
         self._session_factory = _session_factory
         self._closed = False
@@ -158,8 +159,15 @@ class ClaudeCodeBackend:
         ``_sessions`` (which is keyed by history fingerprint, not
         ``session_id``). Intended for debug surfaces (e.g. admin
         terminal viewer) that need to look up a session by id.
+
+        Covers both idle pooled sessions (``_sessions``) and the turn(s)
+        currently running (``_active``) — so a live terminal is visible
+        *during* its turn, not only after it's repooled. ``_active`` wins
+        on key collision, but a session is never in both at once.
         """
-        return {s.session_id: s.pty for s in self._sessions.values()}
+        out = {s.session_id: s.pty for s in self._sessions.values()}
+        out.update({sid: s.pty for sid, s in self._active.items()})
+        return out
 
     async def complete(self, messages: list[Mapping[str, Any]]) -> AsyncIterator[Event]:
         """Run one turn against the matching session (or spawn one).
@@ -223,6 +231,7 @@ class ClaudeCodeBackend:
             n_assistant = 0
             n_user = 0
             n_system = 0
+            self._active[session.session_id] = session
             try:
                 _log.info(
                     "complete: sending user msg to session_id=%s (text_len=%d)",
@@ -250,6 +259,8 @@ class ClaudeCodeBackend:
                 with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
                     await session.aclose()
                 raise
+            finally:
+                self._active.pop(session.session_id, None)
 
             synthesized_cycle = synthesize_turn_messages(events)
             new_history = [*list(messages), *synthesized_cycle]
diff --git a/tests/test_backend.py b/tests/test_backend.py
index 89073c7..fed8ee9 100644
--- a/tests/test_backend.py
+++ b/tests/test_backend.py
@@ -234,6 +234,48 @@ async def test_complete_fresh_session_yields_events(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert harness.seed_files == []
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_live_sessions_visible_during_turn_and_after(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """A session must appear in ``live_sessions`` *while* its turn runs — so
+    the admin terminal viewer can attach mid-flight, not only once the turn
+    is done — and must stay visible as an idle pooled session afterwards so
+    snapshots / interaction with a quiet terminal keep working.
+
+    Regression guard: the session is popped from the fingerprint pool (or
+    not yet pooled, on a fresh spawn) for the duration of the turn, so
+    without the in-flight ``_active`` registry an active session is
+    invisible to ``live_sessions``.
+    """
+    scripts_per_session = [
+        [
+            [_user_rec("hi", "S0"), _assistant_rec("hello there", "S0")],
+        ],
+    ]
+    harness = FakeFactoryHarness(scripts_per_session)
+    backend = ClaudeCodeBackend(
+        BackendOptions(cwd=str(tmp_path)),
+        _session_factory=harness,
+    )
+
+    seen_live_mid = False
+    async for _event in backend.complete([{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]):
+        live = backend.live_sessions
+        if live:
+            seen_live_mid = True
+            # The only live pty is the one the harness spawned for this turn.
+            assert list(live.values()) == [harness.spawned[0]]
+
+    # The regression we're guarding against: visible *during* the turn.
+    assert seen_live_mid
+    # Still visible once the turn finishes — repooled idle session, so the
+    # viewer can snapshot / interact exactly as before.
+    assert list(backend.live_sessions.values()) == [harness.spawned[0]]
+
+    await backend.aclose()
+    # Teardown clears the pool.
+    assert backend.live_sessions == {}
+
+
 # --- multi-turn fingerprint reuse ----------------------------------------