diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeInputView.kt b/lib/src/main/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeInputView.kt
index 555562a..4c03ac3 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeInputView.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeInputView.kt
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package org.connectbot.terminal
 
 import android.content.Context
+import android.content.res.Configuration
 import android.view.KeyEvent
 import android.view.View
 import android.view.inputmethod.BaseInputConnection
@@ -68,9 +69,11 @@ internal class ImeInputView(
      * Show the IME forcefully. This is more reliable than SoftwareKeyboardController.
      */
     @Suppress("DEPRECATION")
+    private fun showImeFlags(): Int = imeShowFlags(resources.configuration.keyboard, resources.configuration.hardKeyboardHidden)
+
     fun showIme() {
         if (requestFocus()) {
-            inputMethodManager.showSoftInput(this, InputMethodManager.SHOW_FORCED)
+            inputMethodManager.showSoftInput(this, showImeFlags())
         }
     }
 
@@ -377,3 +380,29 @@ internal class ImeInputView(
         private const val MAX_DELETE_SURROUNDING = 4096
     }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Flags for `showSoftInput` given the current [Configuration] keyboard state.
+ *
+ * SHOW_FORCED is documented to hold the IME open "until the user explicitly
+ * closes it", which overrides the platform's own rule that a usable hardware
+ * keyboard suppresses the soft one. On a device with a keyboard attached that
+ * puts the on-screen keyboard over the terminal on every keypress — reported
+ * against a Meta Quest 3 with a Bluetooth keyboard, where it covers the session.
+ *
+ * Passing no flags hands the decision back to the platform, which still honours
+ * the user's "show virtual keyboard" setting for anyone who wants both.
+ *
+ * [hardKeyboardHidden] is part of the test, not just [Configuration.keyboard]: a
+ * folded or undocked device reports KEYBOARD_QWERTY while the keys are
+ * physically unreachable, and there the soft keyboard is the only way to type,
+ * so SHOW_FORCED still earns its keep.
+ *
+ * Top-level and internal so the policy can be tested without a Context.
+ */
+@Suppress("DEPRECATION")
+internal fun imeShowFlags(keyboard: Int, hardKeyboardHidden: Int): Int {
+    val physicalKeyboardAttached = keyboard != Configuration.KEYBOARD_NOKEYS &&
+        hardKeyboardHidden == Configuration.HARDKEYBOARDHIDDEN_NO
+    return if (physicalKeyboardAttached) 0 else InputMethodManager.SHOW_FORCED
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/test/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeShowFlagsTest.kt b/lib/src/test/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeShowFlagsTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65bd910
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/test/java/org/connectbot/terminal/ImeShowFlagsTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+ * ConnectBot Terminal
+ * Copyright 2025 Kenny Root
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.connectbot.terminal
+
+import android.content.res.Configuration
+import android.view.inputmethod.InputMethodManager
+import org.junit.Assert.assertEquals
+import org.junit.Test
+
+/**
+ * Reported on a Meta Quest 3 with a Bluetooth keyboard: the virtual keyboard rose
+ * over the session on every keypress.
+ *
+ * SHOW_FORCED is documented to hold the IME open until the user explicitly closes
+ * it, which overrides the platform rule that a usable hardware keyboard suppresses
+ * the soft one. The policy here is only about which flags to pass; whether the
+ * platform then shows the keyboard is its call, and still respects the user's
+ * "show virtual keyboard" setting.
+ */
+@Suppress("DEPRECATION")
+class ImeShowFlagsTest {
+
+    @Test
+    fun `no physical keyboard keeps SHOW_FORCED`() {
+        assertEquals(
+            "a touch-only device still needs the forced show that made this reliable",
+            InputMethodManager.SHOW_FORCED,
+            imeShowFlags(
+                keyboard = Configuration.KEYBOARD_NOKEYS,
+                hardKeyboardHidden = Configuration.HARDKEYBOARDHIDDEN_YES,
+            ),
+        )
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `an attached usable keyboard drops the forced show`() {
+        assertEquals(
+            "SHOW_FORCED here is what puts the virtual keyboard over the session",
+            0,
+            imeShowFlags(
+                keyboard = Configuration.KEYBOARD_QWERTY,
+                hardKeyboardHidden = Configuration.HARDKEYBOARDHIDDEN_NO,
+            ),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A folded or undocked device reports a keyboard whose keys cannot be
+     * reached. The soft keyboard is the only way to type, so it must still be
+     * forced up.
+     */
+    @Test
+    fun `a hidden physical keyboard keeps SHOW_FORCED`() {
+        assertEquals(
+            InputMethodManager.SHOW_FORCED,
+            imeShowFlags(
+                keyboard = Configuration.KEYBOARD_QWERTY,
+                hardKeyboardHidden = Configuration.HARDKEYBOARDHIDDEN_YES,
+            ),
+        )
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `a 12-key pad counts as physical`() {
+        assertEquals(
+            0,
+            imeShowFlags(
+                keyboard = Configuration.KEYBOARD_12KEY,
+                hardKeyboardHidden = Configuration.HARDKEYBOARDHIDDEN_NO,
+            ),
+        )
+    }
+}