[Android] /goal is missing from the slash command picker until the first remote chat interaction

What issue are you seeing?

Description

On Codex Mobile in the ChatGPT Android app, /goal is not initially shown in the slash command picker immediately after connecting to a Codex host.

I originally thought manually invoking /goal was what caused it to appear, but further testing shows that /goal also becomes available after sending any normal chat message (for example, Hello) in another Codex session.

The behavior appears to be:

• Connect to Codex Remote from Android.
• Before any chat interaction, /goal is missing from the slash command picker.
• Send a normal message in any Codex session, or manually invoke /goal.
• /goal then appears in the slash command picker, including in other sessions.

This suggests the issue may be related to remote-session capability/slash-command initialization rather than /goal itself being disabled.

Screen recording

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bb9f9602-5e24-4786-b2fe-4c640574ea6c

The attached recording demonstrates one way to trigger the state change:

1. /goal is missing from the slash command picker in a new chat.
2. /goal can still be entered and invoked manually.
3. Immediately afterward, /goal appears in the slash command picker.

Further testing shows that invoking /goal specifically is not required; sending a normal chat message in another session also causes /goal to become visible.

Environment

Android device

• Platform: Android
• OS: Android 17
• App: ChatGPT for Android
• App version: Latest available version as of August 11, 2026
• Codex: Codex Mobile / Remote
• Issue reproduced: Yes

Host / PC

• Device: MacBook Air with Apple M2
• OS: macOS 26.5.2

Additional context

Because /goal can be invoked manually before it appears in the picker, Goal mode itself appears to be enabled.

The additional cross-session behavior suggests that the slash-command list or remote capabilities may only be fully initialized/synchronized after the first chat interaction with the connected host.

If this initialization behavior is intentional, the current UX is still confusing because /goal cannot be discovered from the slash command picker before sending an unrelated chat message.

Potentially related issue:

• #23978 — /goal slash command is missing even though Goal mode is available

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the latest ChatGPT Android app.
2. Open Codex Mobile and connect to a Codex host.
3. Before sending any normal chat message after connecting, open a Codex session.
4. Type / to open the slash command picker.
5. Observe that /goal is not listed.
6. Open another Codex session and send a normal message, for example Hello.
7. Return to the original session and type / again.
8. Observe that /goal is now listed in the slash command picker.

The same state change can also be triggered by manually entering /goal while it is missing from the picker.

What is the expected behavior?

Expected behavior

When Goal mode is available on the connected Codex host, /goal should appear in the slash command picker immediately after connecting, without requiring a prior chat interaction.

Actual behavior

/goal is initially missing from the slash command picker after connecting from Android.

After sending a normal chat message in any Codex session (or manually invoking /goal), /goal becomes visible in the slash command picker.

Reproduce the Codex Mobile flow from the slash command picker: connect to a host, inspect the picker before any message, then compare it after a message in another session or a manual /goal invocation. Trace the remote-session capability and slash-command initialization entry points, and consider the issue done when /goal appears immediately after connection whenever Goal mode is available.