diff --git a/app/Livewire/Project/Shared/ExecuteContainerCommand.php b/app/Livewire/Project/Shared/ExecuteContainerCommand.php
index ce6314d63..9891808b3 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Project/Shared/ExecuteContainerCommand.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Project/Shared/ExecuteContainerCommand.php
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
 
     public bool $hasShell = true;
 
+    public bool $containersLoaded = false;
+
+    public bool $autoConnectAttempted = false;
+
+    public bool $isConnecting = false;
+
+    public bool $isConnected = false;
+
+    public string $connectionStatus = 'Loading containers...';
+
     protected $rules = [
         'server' => 'required',
         'container' => 'required',
@@ -87,6 +97,8 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
             $this->type = 'server';
             $this->resource = Server::ownedByCurrentTeam()->whereUuid($this->parameters['server_uuid'])->firstOrFail();
             $this->server = $this->resource;
+            $this->containersLoaded = true; // Server doesn't need container loading
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Waiting for terminal to be ready...';
         }
     }
 
@@ -151,6 +163,49 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
         if ($this->containers->count() === 1) {
             $this->selected_container = data_get($this->containers->first(), 'container.Names');
         }
+
+        $this->containersLoaded = true;
+        $this->connectionStatus = 'Waiting for terminal to be ready...';
+    }
+
+    #[On('initializeTerminalConnection')]
+    public function initializeTerminalConnection()
+    {
+        // Only auto-connect if containers are loaded and we haven't attempted before
+        if (! $this->containersLoaded || $this->autoConnectAttempted) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $this->autoConnectAttempted = true;
+        $this->isConnecting = true;
+
+        if ($this->type === 'server') {
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Establishing connection to server terminal...';
+            $this->connectToServer();
+        } elseif ($this->containers->count() === 1) {
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Establishing connection to container terminal...';
+            $this->connectToContainer();
+        } else {
+            $this->isConnecting = false;
+            $this->connectionStatus = '';
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[On('terminalConnected')]
+    public function terminalConnected()
+    {
+        $this->isConnected = true;
+        $this->isConnecting = false;
+        $this->connectionStatus = '';
+    }
+
+    #[On('terminalDisconnected')]
+    public function terminalDisconnected()
+    {
+        $this->isConnected = false;
+        $this->isConnecting = false;
+        $this->autoConnectAttempted = false;
+        $this->connectionStatus = 'Connection lost. Click Reconnect to try again.';
     }
 
     private function checkShellAvailability(Server $server, string $container): bool
@@ -179,6 +234,8 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
                 throw new \RuntimeException('Terminal access is disabled on this server.');
             }
             $this->hasShell = true;
+            $this->isConnecting = true;
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Establishing connection to server terminal...';
             $this->dispatch(
                 'send-terminal-command',
                 false,
@@ -186,6 +243,9 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
                 data_get($this->server, 'uuid')
             );
         } catch (\Throwable $e) {
+            $this->isConnecting = false;
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Connection failed.';
+
             return handleError($e, $this);
         }
     }
@@ -234,9 +294,14 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
 
             $this->hasShell = $this->checkShellAvailability($server, data_get($container, 'container.Names'));
             if (! $this->hasShell) {
+                $this->isConnecting = false;
+                $this->connectionStatus = 'Shell not available in container.';
+
                 return;
             }
 
+            $this->isConnecting = true;
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Establishing connection to container terminal...';
             $this->dispatch(
                 'send-terminal-command',
                 true,
@@ -244,6 +309,9 @@ class ExecuteContainerCommand extends Component
                 data_get($container, 'server.uuid')
             );
         } catch (\Throwable $e) {
+            $this->isConnecting = false;
+            $this->connectionStatus = 'Connection failed.';
+
             return handleError($e, $this);
         }
     }
diff --git a/resources/js/terminal.js b/resources/js/terminal.js
index 3161a0f32..1c7c7af1d 100644
--- a/resources/js/terminal.js
+++ b/resources/js/terminal.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export function initializeTerminalComponent() {
                 this.setupTerminalEventListeners();
 
                 this.$wire.on('send-back-command', (command) => {
-                    this.sendMessage({ command: command });
+                    this.sendCommandWhenReady({ command: command });
                 });
 
                 this.keepAliveInterval = setInterval(this.keepAlive.bind(this), 30000);
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ export function initializeTerminalComponent() {
                     this.paused = false;
                     this.commandBuffer = '';
 
+                    // Notify parent component that terminal disconnected
+                    this.$wire.dispatch('terminalDisconnected');
+
                     // Force a refresh
                     this.$nextTick(() => {
                         this.resizeTerminal();
@@ -205,6 +208,9 @@ export function initializeTerminalComponent() {
 
                 // Start ping timeout monitoring
                 this.resetPingTimeout();
+
+                // Notify that WebSocket is ready for auto-connection
+                this.dispatchEvent('terminal-websocket-ready');
             },
 
             handleSocketError(error) {
@@ -277,6 +283,12 @@ export function initializeTerminalComponent() {
                 }
             },
 
+            sendCommandWhenReady(message) {
+                if (this.isWebSocketReady()) {
+                    this.sendMessage(message);
+                }
+            },
+
             handleSocketMessage(event) {
                 // Handle pong responses
                 if (event.data === 'pong') {
@@ -297,14 +309,23 @@ export function initializeTerminalComponent() {
                     this.term.focus();
                     document.querySelector('.xterm-viewport').classList.add('scrollbar', 'rounded-sm');
                     this.resizeTerminal();
+
+                    // Notify parent component that terminal is connected
+                    this.$wire.dispatch('terminalConnected');
                 } else if (event.data === 'unprocessable') {
                     if (this.term) this.term.reset();
                     this.terminalActive = false;
                     this.message = '(sorry, something went wrong, please try again)';
+
+                    // Notify parent component that terminal connection failed
+                    this.$wire.dispatch('terminalDisconnected');
                 } else if (event.data === 'pty-exited') {
                     this.terminalActive = false;
                     this.term.reset();
                     this.commandBuffer = '';
+
+                    // Notify parent component that terminal disconnected
+                    this.$wire.dispatch('terminalDisconnected');
                 } else {
                     try {
                         this.pendingWrites++;
@@ -441,6 +462,22 @@ export function initializeTerminalComponent() {
                     lastPingTime: this.lastPingTime,
                     heartbeatMissed: this.heartbeatMissed
                 };
+            },
+
+            // Helper method to dispatch custom events
+            dispatchEvent(eventName, detail = null) {
+                const event = new CustomEvent(eventName, {
+                    detail: detail,
+                    bubbles: true
+                });
+                this.$el.dispatchEvent(event);
+            },
+
+            // Check if WebSocket is ready for commands
+            isWebSocketReady() {
+                return this.connectionState === 'connected' &&
+                    this.socket &&
+                    this.socket.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN;
             }
         };
     }
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/project/shared/execute-container-command.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/project/shared/execute-container-command.blade.php
index 16b6ac015..f40a1c82f 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/project/shared/execute-container-command.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/project/shared/execute-container-command.blade.php
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
         <livewire:server.navbar :server="$server" :parameters="$parameters" />
     @endif
 
-    <h2 class="pb-4">Terminal</h2>
     @if (!$hasShell)
         <div class="flex items-center justify-center w-full py-4 mx-auto">
             <div class="p-4 w-full rounded-sm border dark:bg-coolgray-100 dark:border-coolgray-300">
@@ -37,10 +36,19 @@
     @else
         @if ($type === 'server')
             @if ($server->isTerminalEnabled())
-                <form class="w-full" wire:submit="$dispatchSelf('connectToServer')"
-                    wire:init="$dispatchSelf('connectToServer')">
-                    <x-forms.button class="w-full" type="submit">Reconnect</x-forms.button>
+                <form class="w-full flex gap-2 items-start justify-start"
+                    wire:submit="$dispatchSelf('connectToServer')">
+                    <h2 class="pb-4">Terminal</h2>
+                    <x-forms.button type="submit" :disabled="$isConnecting">
+                        Reconnect
+                    </x-forms.button>
                 </form>
+
+                {{-- Loading indicator for all connection states --}}
+                @if (!$containersLoaded || $isConnecting || $connectionStatus)
+                    <span class="text-sm">{{ $connectionStatus }}</span>
+                @endif
+
                 <div class="mx-auto w-full">
                     <livewire:project.shared.terminal />
                 </div>
@@ -52,10 +60,18 @@
                 <div class="pt-4">No containers are running on this server or terminal access is disabled.</div>
             @else
                 @if (count($containers) === 1)
-                    <form class="w-full pt-4" wire:submit="$dispatchSelf('connectToContainer')"
-                        wire:init="$dispatchSelf('connectToContainer')">
-                        <x-forms.button class="w-full" type="submit">Reconnect</x-forms.button>
+                    <form class="w-full flex gap-2 items-start justify-start pt-4"
+                        wire:submit="$dispatchSelf('connectToContainer')">
+                        <h2 class="pb-4">Terminal</h2>
+                        <x-forms.button type="submit" :disabled="$isConnecting">
+                            Reconnect
+                        </x-forms.button>
                     </form>
+
+                    {{-- Loading indicator for all connection states --}}
+                    @if (!$containersLoaded || $isConnecting || $connectionStatus)
+                        <span class="text-sm">{{ $connectionStatus }}</span>
+                    @endif
                 @else
                     <form class="w-full pt-4 flex gap-2 flex-col" wire:submit="$dispatchSelf('connectToContainer')">
                         <x-forms.select label="Container" id="container" required wire:model="selected_container">
@@ -69,8 +85,15 @@
                                 </option>
                             @endforeach
                         </x-forms.select>
-                        <x-forms.button class="w-full" type="submit">Connect</x-forms.button>
+                        <x-forms.button class="w-full" type="submit" :disabled="$isConnecting">
+                            {{ $isConnecting ? 'Connecting...' : 'Connect' }}
+                        </x-forms.button>
                     </form>
+
+                    {{-- Loading indicator for manual connection --}}
+                    @if ($isConnecting || $connectionStatus)
+                        <span class="text-sm">{{ $connectionStatus }}</span>
+                    @endif
                 @endif
                 <div class="mx-auto w-full">
                     <livewire:project.shared.terminal />
@@ -78,4 +101,41 @@
             @endif
         @endif
     @endif
+
+    @script
+        <script>
+            let autoConnectionAttempted = false;
+
+            // Wait for terminal WebSocket to be ready before attempting auto-connection
+            function tryAutoConnection() {
+                if (autoConnectionAttempted) return;
+
+                const terminalContainer = document.getElementById('terminal-container');
+                if (!terminalContainer) return;
+
+                // Check if Alpine component is initialized and WebSocket is ready
+                if (terminalContainer._x_dataStack &&
+                    terminalContainer._x_dataStack[0] &&
+                    terminalContainer._x_dataStack[0].isWebSocketReady()) {
+
+                    autoConnectionAttempted = true;
+                    $wire.dispatchSelf('initializeTerminalConnection');
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Listen for terminal WebSocket ready event
+            document.addEventListener('terminal-websocket-ready', tryAutoConnection);
+
+            // Fallback polling in case event is missed
+            function pollForTerminalReady() {
+                if (!autoConnectionAttempted) {
+                    tryAutoConnection();
+                    setTimeout(pollForTerminalReady, 300);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Start polling after a short delay to allow Alpine to initialize
+            setTimeout(pollForTerminalReady, 200);
+        </script>
+    @endscript
 </div>