diff --git a/src-tauri/src/pty/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/pty/mod.rs
index 7c5509c..b7467a3 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/pty/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/pty/mod.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ impl PtyService {
                     break;
                 }
             }
+            // WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
+            if std::path::Path::new(r"C:\Windows\System32\wsl.exe").exists() {
+                shells.push(ShellInfo { name: "WSL".to_string(), path: r"C:\Windows\System32\wsl.exe".to_string() });
+            }
         }
 
         shells
diff --git a/src/components/session/SessionContainer.vue b/src/components/session/SessionContainer.vue
index 2e5c825..751d501 100644
--- a/src/components/session/SessionContainer.vue
+++ b/src/components/session/SessionContainer.vue
@@ -14,6 +14,19 @@
       />
     </div>
 
+    <!-- Local PTY views — v-show keeps xterm alive across tab switches -->
+    <div
+      v-for="session in localSessions"
+      :key="session.id"
+      v-show="session.id === sessionStore.activeSessionId"
+      class="absolute inset-0"
+    >
+      <LocalTerminalView
+        :session-id="session.id"
+        :is-active="session.id === sessionStore.activeSessionId"
+      />
+    </div>
+
     <!-- RDP views — toolbar + canvas, kept alive via v-show -->
     <div
       v-for="session in rdpSessions"
@@ -60,6 +73,7 @@ import { computed, ref } from "vue";
 import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session.store";
 import TerminalView from "@/components/terminal/TerminalView.vue";
+import LocalTerminalView from "@/components/terminal/LocalTerminalView.vue";
 import RdpView from "@/components/rdp/RdpView.vue";
 import RdpToolbar from "@/components/rdp/RdpToolbar.vue";
 import { ScancodeMap } from "@/composables/useRdp";
@@ -81,6 +95,10 @@ const sshSessions = computed(() =>
   sessionStore.sessions.filter((s) => s.protocol === "ssh"),
 );
 
+const localSessions = computed(() =>
+  sessionStore.sessions.filter((s) => s.protocol === "local"),
+);
+
 const rdpSessions = computed(() =>
   sessionStore.sessions.filter((s) => s.protocol === "rdp"),
 );
diff --git a/src/components/session/TabBadge.vue b/src/components/session/TabBadge.vue
index f1a6158..e491030 100644
--- a/src/components/session/TabBadge.vue
+++ b/src/components/session/TabBadge.vue
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import { computed } from "vue";
 
 const props = defineProps<{
   /** Connection protocol — drives the protocol-dot colour. */
-  protocol: "ssh" | "rdp";
+  protocol: "ssh" | "rdp" | "local";
   /** Username from the active session (if known). */
   username?: string;
   /** Raw tags from the connection record. */
@@ -40,9 +40,10 @@ const props = defineProps<{
   status?: "connected" | "disconnected";
 }>();
 
-/** Green=connected SSH, blue=connected RDP, red=disconnected. */
+/** Green=connected SSH, blue=connected RDP, purple=local, red=disconnected. */
 const protocolDotClass = computed(() => {
   if (props.status === "disconnected") return "bg-[#f85149]";
+  if (props.protocol === "local") return "bg-[#bc8cff]";
   return props.protocol === "ssh" ? "bg-[#3fb950]" : "bg-[#1f6feb]";
 });
 
diff --git a/src/components/session/TabBar.vue b/src/components/session/TabBar.vue
index 937f6e9..a6490e5 100644
--- a/src/components/session/TabBar.vue
+++ b/src/components/session/TabBar.vue
@@ -42,18 +42,39 @@
       </div>
     </div>
 
-    <!-- New tab button -->
-    <button
-      class="flex items-center justify-center w-9 h-9 text-[var(--wraith-text-muted)] hover:text-[var(--wraith-text-primary)] hover:bg-[var(--wraith-bg-tertiary)] transition-colors cursor-pointer shrink-0"
-      title="New session"
-    >
-      +
-    </button>
+    <!-- New tab button with shell dropdown -->
+    <div class="relative shrink-0">
+      <button
+        class="flex items-center justify-center w-9 h-9 text-[var(--wraith-text-muted)] hover:text-[var(--wraith-text-primary)] hover:bg-[var(--wraith-bg-tertiary)] transition-colors cursor-pointer"
+        title="New local terminal"
+        @click="toggleShellMenu"
+        @blur="closeShellMenuDeferred"
+      >
+        +
+      </button>
+      <div
+        v-if="shellMenuOpen"
+        class="absolute top-full right-0 mt-0.5 w-48 bg-[#161b22] border border-[#30363d] rounded-lg shadow-2xl overflow-hidden z-50 py-1"
+      >
+        <button
+          v-for="shell in availableShells"
+          :key="shell.path"
+          class="w-full flex items-center gap-2 px-4 py-2 text-xs text-left text-[var(--wraith-text-secondary)] hover:bg-[#30363d] hover:text-[var(--wraith-text-primary)] transition-colors cursor-pointer"
+          @mousedown.prevent="spawnShell(shell)"
+        >
+          {{ shell.name }}
+        </button>
+        <div v-if="availableShells.length === 0" class="px-4 py-2 text-xs text-[var(--wraith-text-muted)]">
+          No shells found
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref } from "vue";
+import { ref, onMounted } from "vue";
+import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
 import { useSessionStore, type Session } from "@/stores/session.store";
 import { useConnectionStore } from "@/stores/connection.store";
 import TabBadge from "@/components/session/TabBadge.vue";
@@ -61,6 +82,32 @@ import TabBadge from "@/components/session/TabBadge.vue";
 const sessionStore = useSessionStore();
 const connectionStore = useConnectionStore();
 
+// Shell menu for + button
+interface ShellInfo { name: string; path: string; }
+const availableShells = ref<ShellInfo[]>([]);
+const shellMenuOpen = ref(false);
+
+function toggleShellMenu(): void {
+  shellMenuOpen.value = !shellMenuOpen.value;
+}
+
+function closeShellMenuDeferred(): void {
+  setTimeout(() => { shellMenuOpen.value = false; }, 150);
+}
+
+async function spawnShell(shell: ShellInfo): Promise<void> {
+  shellMenuOpen.value = false;
+  await sessionStore.spawnLocalTab(shell.name, shell.path);
+}
+
+onMounted(async () => {
+  try {
+    availableShells.value = await invoke<ShellInfo[]>("list_available_shells");
+  } catch {
+    availableShells.value = [];
+  }
+});
+
 // Drag-and-drop tab reordering
 const draggedIndex = ref(-1);
 const dragOverIndex = ref(-1);
diff --git a/src/components/terminal/LocalTerminalView.vue b/src/components/terminal/LocalTerminalView.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d8d0c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/terminal/LocalTerminalView.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+<template>
+  <div class="flex flex-col h-full">
+    <div
+      ref="containerRef"
+      class="terminal-container flex-1"
+      @click="terminal.focus()"
+    />
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { ref, onMounted, watch } from "vue";
+import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
+import { useTerminal } from "@/composables/useTerminal";
+import "@/assets/css/terminal.css";
+
+const props = defineProps<{
+  sessionId: string;
+  isActive: boolean;
+}>();
+
+const containerRef = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null);
+const { terminal, mount, fit } = useTerminal(props.sessionId, "pty");
+
+onMounted(() => {
+  if (containerRef.value) {
+    mount(containerRef.value);
+  }
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    fit();
+    terminal.focus();
+    invoke("pty_resize", {
+      sessionId: props.sessionId,
+      cols: terminal.cols,
+      rows: terminal.rows,
+    }).catch(() => {});
+  }, 50);
+});
+
+watch(
+  () => props.isActive,
+  (active) => {
+    if (active) {
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        fit();
+        terminal.focus();
+      }, 0);
+    }
+  },
+);
+</script>
diff --git a/src/stores/session.store.ts b/src/stores/session.store.ts
index b2c8dba..7b471c0 100644
--- a/src/stores/session.store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/session.store.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export interface Session {
   id: string;
   connectionId: number;
   name: string;
-  protocol: "ssh" | "rdp";
+  protocol: "ssh" | "rdp" | "local";
   active: boolean;
   username?: string;
   status: "connected" | "disconnected";
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ export const useSessionStore = defineStore("session", () => {
 
     // Disconnect the backend session using the protocol-appropriate command
     try {
-      if (session.protocol === "rdp") {
+      if (session.protocol === "local") {
+        await invoke("disconnect_pty", { sessionId: session.id });
+      } else if (session.protocol === "rdp") {
         await invoke("disconnect_rdp", { sessionId: session.id });
       } else {
         await invoke("disconnect_session", { sessionId: session.id });
@@ -315,6 +317,34 @@ export const useSessionStore = defineStore("session", () => {
     }
   }
 
+  /** Spawn a local shell as a full-size tab. */
+  async function spawnLocalTab(shellName: string, shellPath: string): Promise<void> {
+    try {
+      const sessionId = await invoke<string>("spawn_local_shell", {
+        shellPath,
+        cols: 120,
+        rows: 40,
+      });
+
+      sessions.value.push({
+        id: sessionId,
+        connectionId: 0,
+        name: shellName,
+        protocol: "local",
+        active: true,
+        status: "connected",
+      });
+
+      // Listen for PTY close
+      listen(`pty:close:${sessionId}`, () => markDisconnected(sessionId));
+
+      activeSessionId.value = sessionId;
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+      alert(`Failed to spawn local shell: ${msg}`);
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Apply a theme to all active terminal instances. */
   function setTheme(theme: ThemeDefinition): void {
     activeTheme.value = theme;
@@ -344,6 +374,7 @@ export const useSessionStore = defineStore("session", () => {
     activateSession,
     closeSession,
     connect,
+    spawnLocalTab,
     moveSession,
     setTheme,
     setTerminalDimensions,