diff --git a/recorder.luau b/recorder.luau
index fa16102..a492955 100644
--- a/recorder.luau
+++ b/recorder.luau
@@ -107,8 +107,11 @@ local function buildRecordCmd()
   end
   local inner = table.concat(parts, " ")
   -- pty wrapper: `script -e` propagates ostt's exit code, which the wrapper
-  -- persists for the monitor service to report.
-  return "script -qec " .. shq(inner) .. " /dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1; echo $? > " .. shq(exitFile)
+  -- persists for the monitor service to report. SHELL=/bin/sh is REQUIRED:
+  -- script(1) runs the command via $SHELL, and fish probes the terminal on
+  -- startup — those handshake bytes reach ostt's TUI as a phantom Space
+  -- keypress, pausing the recording instantly (zero samples captured).
+  return "SHELL=/bin/sh script -qec " .. shq(inner) .. " /dev/null </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1; echo $? > " .. shq(exitFile)
 end
 
 local function startRecording()