diff --git a/docs/workflow/workflow-schema.json b/docs/workflow/workflow-schema.json
deleted file mode 100644
index ff58e3cc..00000000
--- a/docs/workflow/workflow-schema.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,328 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
-  "$id": "https://anomaly.co/schemas/workflow/v1.0.0/workflow-schema.json",
-  "title": "Workflow Descriptor",
-  "description": "Machine-readable schema for stateful work-item workflows. Defines valid state transitions, commands, invariants, and roles for the AMPA engine and human collaborators. See workflow-language.md for the specification.",
-  "type": "object",
-  "required": ["version", "metadata", "status", "stage", "invariants", "commands"],
-  "additionalProperties": false,
-  "properties": {
-    "version": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "pattern": "^\\d+\\.\\d+\\.\\d+$",
-      "description": "Semantic version of the workflow spec (e.g., '1.0.0')."
-    },
-    "metadata": {
-      "$ref": "#/$defs/Metadata"
-    },
-    "status": {
-      "type": "array",
-      "items": { "type": "string" },
-      "minItems": 1,
-      "uniqueItems": true,
-      "description": "Ordered list of allowed coarse lifecycle statuses (e.g., open, in_progress, blocked, closed)."
-    },
-    "stage": {
-      "type": "array",
-      "items": { "type": "string" },
-      "minItems": 1,
-      "uniqueItems": true,
-      "description": "Ordered list of allowed finer-grained phases (e.g., idea, intake_complete, plan_complete, in_progress, in_review, done)."
-    },
-    "states": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "additionalProperties": {
-        "$ref": "#/$defs/StateTuple"
-      },
-      "description": "Map of friendly alias names to {status, stage} tuples. Aliases can be used in command from/to fields."
-    },
-    "terminal_states": {
-      "type": "array",
-      "items": { "type": "string" },
-      "uniqueItems": true,
-      "description": "List of state aliases (or inline tuples) that are terminal — dead-end states that require no outbound transitions. Used by validation to suppress dead-end warnings."
-    },
-    "invariants": {
-      "type": "array",
-      "items": {
-        "$ref": "#/$defs/Invariant"
-      },
-      "description": "List of named invariant definitions that commands reference in pre/post fields."
-    },
-    "commands": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "additionalProperties": {
-        "$ref": "#/$defs/Command"
-      },
-      "minProperties": 1,
-      "description": "Map of command definitions keyed by command name. Command names should be imperative verbs (e.g., intake, plan, delegate)."
-    }
-  },
-  "$defs": {
-    "Metadata": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "required": ["name", "description", "owner", "roles"],
-      "additionalProperties": false,
-      "properties": {
-        "name": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Short identifier for this workflow."
-        },
-        "description": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Human-readable description of the workflow's purpose."
-        },
-        "owner": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Team or individual responsible for maintaining this workflow definition."
-        },
-        "links": {
-          "type": "object",
-          "additionalProperties": { "type": "string", "format": "uri" },
-          "description": "Optional map of related links (e.g., documentation, source repos)."
-        },
-        "roles": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": {
-            "$ref": "#/$defs/Role"
-          },
-          "minItems": 1,
-          "uniqueItems": true,
-          "description": "List of role definitions used by commands. The executor maps roles to concrete humans or agents."
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    "Role": {
-      "oneOf": [
-        {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Simple role identifier (e.g., 'Producer')."
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "object",
-          "required": ["name"],
-          "additionalProperties": false,
-          "properties": {
-            "name": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "description": "Role identifier referenced by commands."
-            },
-            "description": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "description": "Human-readable description of the role's responsibilities."
-            },
-            "type": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": ["human", "agent", "either"],
-              "description": "Whether this role is typically filled by a human, an AI agent, or either."
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      ]
-    },
-    "StateTuple": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "required": ["status", "stage"],
-      "additionalProperties": false,
-      "properties": {
-        "status": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Must reference a value declared in the top-level status array."
-        },
-        "stage": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Must reference a value declared in the top-level stage array."
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    "StateRef": {
-      "description": "A reference to a state: either a string alias (referencing the states map) or an inline {status, stage} tuple.",
-      "oneOf": [
-        {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Alias name defined in the top-level states map."
-        },
-        {
-          "$ref": "#/$defs/StateTuple"
-        }
-      ]
-    },
-    "Invariant": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "required": ["name", "description", "when"],
-      "additionalProperties": false,
-      "properties": {
-        "name": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Unique identifier for this invariant, referenced by command pre/post lists."
-        },
-        "description": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Human-readable description of what this invariant checks."
-        },
-        "when": {
-          "oneOf": [
-            {
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": ["pre", "post", "both"]
-            },
-            {
-              "type": "array",
-              "items": {
-                "type": "string",
-                "enum": ["pre", "post"]
-              },
-              "minItems": 1,
-              "maxItems": 2,
-              "uniqueItems": true
-            }
-          ],
-          "description": "When this invariant is evaluated: 'pre' (before command), 'post' (after command), 'both', or an array ['pre', 'post']."
-        },
-        "logic": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Machine-checkable rule expression. Keep declarative. Exact expression language is implementation-specific but must be documented alongside the workflow."
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    "InputField": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "required": ["type"],
-      "additionalProperties": false,
-      "properties": {
-        "type": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "enum": ["string", "number", "boolean", "array", "object"],
-          "description": "Data type of the input field."
-        },
-        "required": {
-          "type": "boolean",
-          "default": false,
-          "description": "Whether this input is required for the command to execute."
-        },
-        "description": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Human-readable description of the input."
-        },
-        "enum": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": {},
-          "description": "Optional list of allowed values."
-        },
-        "default": {
-          "description": "Optional default value if the input is not provided."
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    "Effects": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "properties": {
-        "add_tags": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": { "type": "string" },
-          "description": "Tags to add to the work item after the command succeeds."
-        },
-        "remove_tags": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": { "type": "string" },
-          "description": "Tags to remove from the work item after the command succeeds."
-        },
-        "set_assignee": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Assign the work item to this role or agent after the command succeeds."
-        },
-        "set_needs_producer_review": {
-          "type": "boolean",
-          "description": "Set the needs-producer-review flag on the work item."
-        },
-        "notifications": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": {
-            "type": "object",
-            "required": ["channel"],
-            "properties": {
-              "channel": {
-                "type": "string",
-                "description": "Notification channel (e.g., 'discord', 'email', 'webhook')."
-              },
-              "message": {
-                "type": "string",
-                "description": "Optional message template."
-              }
-            }
-          },
-          "description": "Notifications to emit after the command succeeds."
-        },
-        "audit": {
-          "type": "object",
-          "properties": {
-            "record_prompt_hash": { "type": "boolean" },
-            "record_model": { "type": "boolean" },
-            "record_response_ids": { "type": "boolean" },
-            "record_agent_id": { "type": "boolean" }
-          },
-          "description": "Audit details to record for AI-driven commands."
-        }
-      },
-      "description": "Optional side effects to assert/emit after successful command execution."
-    },
-    "Command": {
-      "type": "object",
-      "required": ["description", "from", "to", "actor"],
-      "additionalProperties": false,
-      "properties": {
-        "description": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Short human-readable summary of what the command does."
-        },
-        "from": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": {
-            "$ref": "#/$defs/StateRef"
-          },
-          "minItems": 1,
-          "description": "List of allowed source state tuples. Each entry is a state alias or an inline {status, stage} tuple."
-        },
-        "to": {
-          "$ref": "#/$defs/StateRef",
-          "description": "Target state tuple applied when the command succeeds. Must be a single alias or {status, stage} tuple."
-        },
-        "actor": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Role that executes this command. Must reference a role declared in metadata.roles."
-        },
-        "pre": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": { "type": "string" },
-          "description": "List of invariant names that must pass before the command may run."
-        },
-        "post": {
-          "type": "array",
-          "items": { "type": "string" },
-          "description": "List of invariant names that must pass after the transition is applied."
-        },
-        "inputs": {
-          "type": "object",
-          "additionalProperties": {
-            "$ref": "#/$defs/InputField"
-          },
-          "description": "Schema-like object describing required/optional arguments for this command."
-        },
-        "prompt_ref": {
-          "type": "string",
-          "description": "Optional path to a versioned prompt template (e.g., 'prompts/delegate.md'). Template variables must correspond to inputs."
-        },
-        "effects": {
-          "$ref": "#/$defs/Effects",
-          "description": "Optional additional side effects (tags, notifications, audit records)."
-        },
-        "dispatch_map": {
-          "type": "object",
-          "additionalProperties": { "type": "string" },
-          "description": "Maps each from-state alias to a shell command template. Templates may use {id} for work item ID substitution."
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/tui/controller.ts b/src/tui/controller.ts
index d4a6e941..78184819 100644
--- a/src/tui/controller.ts
+++ b/src/tui/controller.ts
@@ -4328,11 +4328,12 @@ function updateDetailForIndex(idx: number, visible?: VisibleNode[]) {
       });
 
     // Close selected item
-     screen.key(KEY_CLOSE_ITEM, () => {
-       if (state.moveMode) return;
-       if (detailModal.hidden && !helpMenu.isVisible() && closeDialog.hidden) {
-        openCloseDialog();
-      }
+    screen.key(KEY_CLOSE_ITEM, () => {
+      if (state.moveMode) return;
+      // Guard: only open close dialog when no overlays/modals are visible and
+      // we're not inside other dialogs (create/update/next/detail/help).
+      if (!detailModal.hidden || helpMenu.isVisible() || !closeDialog.hidden || !updateDialog.hidden || !nextDialog.hidden || isCreateDialogOpen()) return;
+      openCloseDialog();
     });
 
     // Update selected item (quick edit) - shortcut U
diff --git a/test/tui-integration.test.ts b/test/tui-integration.test.ts
index f102cdea..4fedd9c6 100644
--- a/test/tui-integration.test.ts
+++ b/test/tui-integration.test.ts
@@ -819,4 +819,71 @@ describe('TUI integration: style preservation', () => {
     clickHandler({ y: 1, x: 1 });
     expect(detailModal.show).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
+
+  it("doesn't open the Close dialog when typing 'x' into create dialog textarea", async () => {
+    vi.resetModules();
+    let savedAction: Function | null = null;
+    const program: any = {
+      opts: () => ({ verbose: false }),
+      command() { return this; },
+      description() { return this; },
+      option() { return this; },
+      action(fn: Function) { savedAction = fn; return this; },
+    };
+
+    const utils = {
+      requireInitialized: () => {},
+      getDatabase: () => ({
+        list: () => [{ id: 'WL-TEST-1', title: 'Item', status: 'open' }],
+        getPrefix: () => 'default',
+        getCommentsForWorkItem: (_id: string) => [],
+        get: () => ({ id: 'WL-TEST-1', title: 'Item', status: 'open' }),
+      }),
+    };
+
+    const opencodeClient = {
+      getStatus: () => ({ status: 'running', port: 9999 }),
+      startServer: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+      stopServer: vi.fn(),
+      sendPrompt: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    };
+
+    vi.doMock('../src/tui/opencode-client.js', () => ({
+      OpencodeClient: function() { return opencodeClient; },
+    }));
+
+    const mod = await import('../src/commands/tui');
+    const register = mod.default || mod;
+    register({ program, utils, blessed: blessedMock } as any);
+
+    await (savedAction as any)({});
+
+    // Open Create dialog using the registered shortcut (Capital C)
+    const createHandler = handlers['screen-key:C'];
+    expect(typeof createHandler).toBe('function');
+    // Invoke handler to open the create dialog
+    createHandler(null, { name: 'C' });
+
+    // Find the last created textarea (should be the description textarea)
+    const ta = (blessedMock as any)._lastTextarea;
+    expect(ta).toBeTruthy();
+
+    // Focus the textarea to simulate user typing
+    ta.focus?.();
+
+    // Ensure Close dialog exists in box calls
+    const boxMock = (blessedMock as any).box?.mock;
+    const boxCalls = boxMock?.calls || [];
+    const closeIndex = boxCalls.findIndex((call: any[]) => call?.[0]?.label === ' Close Work Item ');
+    const closeDialog = closeIndex >= 0 ? boxMock.results[closeIndex]?.value : null;
+    expect(closeDialog).toBeTruthy();
+
+    // Press 'x' (invoke screen-level handler)
+    const screenCloseHandler = handlers['screen-key:x'] || handlers['screen-key:X'];
+    expect(typeof screenCloseHandler).toBe('function');
+    screenCloseHandler(null, { name: 'x' });
+
+    // Close dialog should NOT have been shown
+    expect(closeDialog?.show).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });