diff --git a/packages/cli/__tests__/commands/send.test.ts b/packages/cli/__tests__/commands/send.test.ts
index 09f1d043e..f625754e2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/__tests__/commands/send.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/__tests__/commands/send.test.ts
@@ -90,11 +90,12 @@ describe("send command", () => {
 
       await program.parseAsync(["node", "test", "send", "my-session", "hello", "world"]);
 
-      // Should have sent keys
+      // Should have sent keys with -l (literal) flag
       expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tmux", [
         "send-keys",
         "-t",
         "my-session",
+        "-l",
         "hello world",
       ]);
       // Should have sent Enter
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ describe("send command", () => {
         "send-keys",
         "-t",
         "my-session",
+        "-l",
         "fix the bug",
       ]);
     });
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ describe("send command", () => {
       await program.parseAsync(["node", "test", "send", "--no-wait", "my-session", "urgent"]);
 
       // Should have sent the message without waiting
-      expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tmux", ["send-keys", "-t", "my-session", "urgent"]);
+      expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tmux", ["send-keys", "-t", "my-session", "-l", "urgent"]);
     });
 
     it("detects queued message state", async () => {
@@ -219,7 +221,7 @@ describe("send command", () => {
 
       await program.parseAsync(["node", "test", "send", "my-session", "short", "msg"]);
 
-      expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tmux", ["send-keys", "-t", "my-session", "short msg"]);
+      expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tmux", ["send-keys", "-t", "my-session", "-l", "short msg"]);
     });
 
     it("clears partial input before sending", async () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/__tests__/lib/format.test.ts b/packages/cli/__tests__/lib/format.test.ts
index 07279baaa..3a19bb1bb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/__tests__/lib/format.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/__tests__/lib/format.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
-import { formatAge, statusColor, activityIndicator, header, banner } from "../../src/lib/format.js";
+import { formatAge, statusColor, header, banner } from "../../src/lib/format.js";
 
 describe("formatAge", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -57,20 +57,6 @@ describe("statusColor", () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe("activityIndicator", () => {
-  it("returns indicator for each state", () => {
-    expect(activityIndicator("active")).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(activityIndicator("idle")).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(activityIndicator("waiting_input")).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(activityIndicator("blocked")).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(activityIndicator("exited")).toBeTruthy();
-  });
-
-  it("returns fallback for unknown state", () => {
-    expect(activityIndicator("unknown")).toBeTruthy();
-  });
-});
-
 describe("header", () => {
   it("returns multiline box drawing string", () => {
     const result = header("My Project");
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/send.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/send.ts
index 56423223a..0f3574d95 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/send.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/send.ts
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export function registerSend(program: Command): void {
               }
             }
           } else {
-            await exec("tmux", ["send-keys", "-t", session, msg]);
+            await exec("tmux", ["send-keys", "-t", session, "-l", msg]);
           }
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/format.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/format.ts
index 1399f1a53..06a48178a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/format.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/format.ts
@@ -55,20 +55,3 @@ export function statusColor(status: string): string {
       return status;
   }
 }
-
-export function activityIndicator(activity: string): string {
-  switch (activity) {
-    case "active":
-      return chalk.green("●");
-    case "idle":
-      return chalk.yellow("○");
-    case "waiting_input":
-      return chalk.magenta("◉");
-    case "blocked":
-      return chalk.red("✖");
-    case "exited":
-      return chalk.gray("◌");
-    default:
-      return chalk.dim("?");
-  }
-}