diff --git a/bindings/js/native/lib.rs b/bindings/js/native/lib.rs
index 3693b045..c06e53d8 100644
--- a/bindings/js/native/lib.rs
+++ b/bindings/js/native/lib.rs
@@ -483,6 +483,7 @@ fn open_options(value: Option<OpenOptions>) -> std::result::Result<CoreOpenOptio
         value.profile_colors.as_deref().unwrap_or_default(),
     )?;
     Ok(CoreOpenOptions {
+        backend: Default::default(),
         profile,
         shell: value.shell.map(Into::into),
         cols: match value.cols {
@@ -509,6 +510,7 @@ fn run_options(value: RunOptions) -> std::result::Result<CoreRunOptions, TuiTest
         value.profile_colors.as_deref().unwrap_or_default(),
     )?;
     Ok(CoreRunOptions {
+        backend: Default::default(),
         profile,
         program: value.program,
         args: value.args.unwrap_or_default(),
diff --git a/bindings/python/native/src/lib.rs b/bindings/python/native/src/lib.rs
index bce23500..2eb1711d 100644
--- a/bindings/python/native/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bindings/python/native/src/lib.rs
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ impl NativeSession {
                 execute_open(
                     &name,
                     Operation::Open(OpenOptions {
+                        backend: Default::default(),
                         profile: profile_from_parts(profile_scrollback.as_ref(), &profile_colors)?,
                         shell: parse_shell(shell.as_deref())?,
                         cols: integer_u16(&cols, "cols")?,
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ impl NativeSession {
                 execute_open(
                     &name,
                     Operation::Run(RunOptions {
+                        backend: Default::default(),
                         profile: profile_from_parts(profile_scrollback.as_ref(), &profile_colors)?,
                         program,
                         args,
diff --git a/crates/tui-test-cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/tui-test-cli/Cargo.toml
index a9d016d8..6f594663 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/tui-test-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ interprocess.workspace = true
 serde.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
 sha2.workspace = true
-tui-test.workspace = true
+tui-test = { workspace = true, features = ["ghostty"] }
diff --git a/crates/tui-test-cli/src/cli.rs b/crates/tui-test-cli/src/cli.rs
index de11597d..e8257390 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test-cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test-cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,23 @@ use clap::{Args, Parser, Subcommand};
 
 use tui_test::config::{DEFAULT_COLS, DEFAULT_ROWS};
 use tui_test::shell::Shell;
-use tui_test::Timeouts;
+use tui_test::{Backend, Timeouts};
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, clap::ValueEnum)]
+#[clap(rename_all = "lowercase")]
+pub enum BackendArg {
+    Alacritty,
+    Ghostty,
+}
+
+impl From<BackendArg> for Backend {
+    fn from(backend: BackendArg) -> Self {
+        match backend {
+            BackendArg::Alacritty => Backend::Alacritty,
+            BackendArg::Ghostty => Backend::Ghostty,
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, clap::ValueEnum)]
 #[clap(rename_all = "lowercase")]
@@ -116,6 +132,9 @@ pub enum Command {
         /// Shell to launch (defaults to the platform shell).
         #[arg(long, value_enum)]
         shell: Option<ShellArg>,
+        /// Terminal emulator to use (defaults to alacritty).
+        #[arg(long, value_enum)]
+        backend: Option<BackendArg>,
         /// Terminal width in columns.
         #[arg(long, default_value_t = DEFAULT_COLS)]
         cols: u16,
@@ -147,6 +166,9 @@ pub enum Command {
         /// Arguments passed to the program.
         #[arg(trailing_var_arg = true, allow_hyphen_values = true)]
         args: Vec<String>,
+        /// Terminal emulator to use (defaults to alacritty).
+        #[arg(long, value_enum)]
+        backend: Option<BackendArg>,
         /// Terminal width in columns.
         #[arg(long, default_value_t = DEFAULT_COLS)]
         cols: u16,
@@ -400,6 +422,21 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn open_backend_values_map_to_terminal_backends() {
+        let cli = Cli::try_parse_from(["tui-test", "open", "--backend", "ghostty"])
+            .expect("parse backend");
+        let Some(Command::Open {
+            backend: Some(backend),
+            ..
+        }) = cli.command
+        else {
+            panic!("expected Open with a backend");
+        };
+        assert_eq!(Backend::from(backend), Backend::Ghostty);
+        assert!(Cli::try_parse_from(["tui-test", "open", "--backend", "libghostty"]).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn run_accepts_readiness_flags() {
         let cli =
diff --git a/crates/tui-test-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/tui-test-cli/src/main.rs
index b3c98134..13230995 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ fn build_request(command: Command) -> anyhow::Result<Request> {
     let req = match command {
         Command::Open {
             shell,
+            backend,
             cols,
             rows,
             cwd,
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ fn build_request(command: Command) -> anyhow::Result<Request> {
         } => Request::Open {
             shell: shell.map(Into::into),
             program: None,
+            backend: backend.map(Into::into).unwrap_or_default(),
             profile: profile.resolve()?,
             cols,
             rows,
@@ -158,6 +160,7 @@ fn build_request(command: Command) -> anyhow::Result<Request> {
         Command::Run {
             program,
             args,
+            backend,
             cols,
             rows,
             cwd,
@@ -172,6 +175,7 @@ fn build_request(command: Command) -> anyhow::Result<Request> {
             Request::Open {
                 shell: None,
                 program: Some(prog),
+                backend: backend.map(Into::into).unwrap_or_default(),
                 profile: profile.resolve()?,
                 cols,
                 rows,
diff --git a/crates/tui-test-cli/src/protocol.rs b/crates/tui-test-cli/src/protocol.rs
index 4bac1daf..a002b77a 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test-cli/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test-cli/src/protocol.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use serde_json::json;
 
 use tui_test::{
-    Engine, OpenOptions, Operation, OperationResult, RunOptions, ScreenshotResult, TuiTestError,
+    Backend, Engine, OpenOptions, Operation, OperationResult, RunOptions, ScreenshotResult,
+    TuiTestError,
 };
 
 pub use tui_test::{ErrorKind, MouseAction, Timeouts};
@@ -14,6 +15,8 @@ pub enum Request {
     Open {
         shell: Option<tui_test::shell::Shell>,
         program: Option<Vec<String>>,
+        #[serde(default)]
+        backend: Backend,
         /// Terminal settings, already resolved from the config file by the
         /// client. The daemon never reads that file: it is long-lived and
         /// shared, so it has no single working directory to resolve a
@@ -154,6 +157,7 @@ impl Request {
             Request::Open {
                 shell,
                 program,
+                backend,
                 profile,
                 cols,
                 rows,
@@ -168,6 +172,7 @@ impl Request {
                         .next()
                         .ok_or_else(|| TuiTestError::usage("empty program"))?;
                     Ok(Operation::Run(RunOptions {
+                        backend,
                         profile,
                         program: executable,
                         args: parts.collect(),
@@ -180,6 +185,7 @@ impl Request {
                     }))
                 } else {
                     Ok(Operation::Open(OpenOptions {
+                        backend,
                         profile,
                         shell,
                         cols,
@@ -393,6 +399,7 @@ mod tests {
         Request::Open {
             shell: None,
             program: None,
+            backend: Backend::default(),
             profile: Default::default(),
             cols: 80,
             rows: 30,
@@ -411,11 +418,13 @@ mod tests {
         match request {
             Request::Open {
                 wait_ready,
+                backend,
                 cols,
                 timeouts,
                 ..
             } => {
                 assert_eq!(wait_ready, None);
+                assert_eq!(backend, Backend::Alacritty);
                 assert_eq!(cols, 80);
                 assert_eq!(timeouts, Timeouts::default());
             }
@@ -423,6 +432,16 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn open_round_trips_a_requested_backend() {
+        let raw = r#"{"kind":"open","shell":null,"program":null,"backend":"ghostty",
+                      "cols":80,"rows":30,"cwd":null,"env":[]}"#;
+        match serde_json::from_str::<Request>(raw).expect("deserialize open") {
+            Request::Open { backend, .. } => assert_eq!(backend, Backend::Ghostty),
+            other => panic!("expected Open, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn waits_accept_a_concrete_timeout_from_older_clients() {
         let raw = r#"{"kind":"wait_idle","timeout_ms":1234}"#;
diff --git a/crates/tui-test-cli/tests/session_lifecycle.rs b/crates/tui-test-cli/tests/session_lifecycle.rs
index cc73e1f9..ed35e9a2 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test-cli/tests/session_lifecycle.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test-cli/tests/session_lifecycle.rs
@@ -615,6 +615,46 @@ fn sleeper() -> Vec<&'static str> {
     }
 }
 
+fn blinking_program() -> Vec<&'static str> {
+    if cfg!(windows) {
+        vec![
+            "pwsh",
+            "-NoLogo",
+            "-NoProfile",
+            "-Command",
+            "[Console]::Write(\"`e[5mX`e[0m\"); Start-Sleep -Seconds 30",
+        ]
+    } else {
+        vec!["sh", "-c", "printf '\\033[5mX\\033[0m'; sleep 30"]
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn ghostty_backend_is_used_end_to_end() {
+    let sandbox = Sandbox::new("ghostty-backend");
+    let mut args = vec![
+        "run",
+        "--backend",
+        "ghostty",
+        "--cols",
+        "10",
+        "--rows",
+        "2",
+        "--",
+    ];
+    args.extend(blinking_program());
+    sandbox.ok(&args);
+    sandbox.ok(&["wait", "text", "X"]);
+
+    let raw = sandbox.ok(&["--json", "cells", "0", "0"]);
+    let payload: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&raw).expect("cells json");
+    assert_eq!(
+        payload["data"]["cells"][0]["blink"],
+        serde_json::Value::Bool(true),
+        "Ghostty preserves SGR blink: {payload}"
+    );
+}
+
 fn interactive_reader() -> &'static str {
     if cfg!(windows) {
         "Write-Output ('reader-'+'ready'); $null = Read-Host"
diff --git a/crates/tui-test/src/api.rs b/crates/tui-test/src/api.rs
index ba295888..142a1c1c 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test/src/api.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test/src/api.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ impl Timeouts {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct OpenOptions {
+    pub backend: crate::terminal::backend::Backend,
     pub shell: Option<Shell>,
     /// Terminal settings, already resolved from the config file by the
     /// client. The daemon never reads that file: it is long-lived and shared,
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ pub struct OpenOptions {
 impl Default for OpenOptions {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
+            backend: crate::terminal::backend::Backend::default(),
             shell: None,
             profile: crate::profile::Profile::default(),
             cols: crate::config::DEFAULT_COLS,
@@ -60,6 +62,7 @@ impl Default for OpenOptions {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct RunOptions {
+    pub backend: crate::terminal::backend::Backend,
     pub program: String,
     pub args: Vec<String>,
     /// Terminal settings, already resolved from the config file by the
diff --git a/crates/tui-test/src/engine.rs b/crates/tui-test/src/engine.rs
index e327359e..694a91d1 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test/src/engine.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test/src/engine.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ pub struct LiveFrame {
 fn operation_summary(operation: &Operation) -> String {
     match operation {
         Operation::Open(options) => format!(
-            "Open {{ shell: {:?}, scrollback: {}, {}x{}, cwd: {:?}, wait_ready: {:?}, timeouts: {:?}, env: <{} vars> }}",
+            "Open {{ backend: {}, shell: {:?}, scrollback: {}, {}x{}, cwd: {:?}, wait_ready: {:?}, timeouts: {:?}, env: <{} vars> }}",
+            options.backend.as_str(),
             options.shell,
             options.profile.scrollback,
             options.cols,
@@ -64,7 +65,8 @@ fn operation_summary(operation: &Operation) -> String {
             options.env.len()
         ),
         Operation::Run(options) => format!(
-            "Run {{ program: {:?}, args: {:?}, scrollback: {}, {}x{}, cwd: {:?}, wait_ready: {:?}, timeouts: {:?}, env: <{} vars> }}",
+            "Run {{ backend: {}, program: {:?}, args: {:?}, scrollback: {}, {}x{}, cwd: {:?}, wait_ready: {:?}, timeouts: {:?}, env: <{} vars> }}",
+            options.backend.as_str(),
             options.program,
             options.args,
             options.profile.scrollback,
@@ -138,6 +140,7 @@ impl Engine {
         self.spawn(
             options.shell,
             None,
+            options.backend,
             options.profile,
             options.cols,
             options.rows,
@@ -155,6 +158,7 @@ impl Engine {
         self.spawn(
             None,
             Some(program),
+            options.backend,
             options.profile,
             options.cols,
             options.rows,
@@ -170,6 +174,7 @@ impl Engine {
         &self,
         shell: Option<crate::shell::Shell>,
         program: Option<Vec<String>>,
+        backend: crate::terminal::backend::Backend,
         profile: crate::profile::Profile,
         cols: u16,
         rows: u16,
@@ -192,6 +197,7 @@ impl Engine {
         let session = TerminalSession::open(
             shell,
             program.clone(),
+            backend,
             profile,
             cols,
             rows,
diff --git a/crates/tui-test/src/lib.rs b/crates/tui-test/src/lib.rs
index 078f6a38..bdfca24b 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,3 +16,4 @@ mod session;
 pub use api::*;
 pub use engine::Engine;
 pub use runtime::{global_registry, Session, SessionHandle, SessionRegistry};
+pub use terminal::backend::Backend;
diff --git a/crates/tui-test/src/session.rs b/crates/tui-test/src/session.rs
index 3565f603..d64ada2e 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test/src/session.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use std::time::Instant;
 use crate::logger::Logger;
 use crate::profile::Profile;
 use crate::shell::{self, Shell};
-use crate::terminal::alacritty::AlacrittyEmu;
+use crate::terminal::backend::Backend;
 use crate::terminal::emu::Emulator;
 use crate::terminal::integration::CommandTracker;
 use crate::terminal::pty::{Pty, SpawnOptions};
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ impl Session {
     pub fn open(
         shell: Option<Shell>,
         program: Option<Vec<String>>,
+        backend: Backend,
         profile: Profile,
         cols: u16,
         rows: u16,
@@ -61,6 +62,8 @@ impl Session {
         logger: Arc<Logger>,
         recording_path: PathBuf,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let emu = backend.build(cols, rows, &profile)?;
+
         let (pty, reader) = if let Some(program) = &program {
             let (target, args) = program
                 .split_first()
@@ -80,7 +83,7 @@ impl Session {
         };
 
         let state = Arc::new(Mutex::new(TermState {
-            emu: Box::new(AlacrittyEmu::new(cols, rows, &profile)),
+            emu,
             tracker: CommandTracker::new(),
             last_change: Instant::now(),
             awaiting_start: None,
@@ -145,8 +148,12 @@ impl Session {
         });
 
         logger.event(&format!(
-            "session open shell={:?} program={:?} {}x{}",
-            shell, program, cols, rows
+            "session open shell={:?} program={:?} backend={} {}x{}",
+            shell,
+            program,
+            backend.as_str(),
+            cols,
+            rows
         ));
 
         Ok(Session {
diff --git a/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/backend.rs b/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/backend.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..133dd7ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/backend.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+//! Terminal emulator selection and construction.
+
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+use crate::profile::Profile;
+use crate::terminal::alacritty::AlacrittyEmu;
+use crate::terminal::emu::Emulator;
+
+#[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+use crate::terminal::ghostty::GhosttyEmu;
+
+/// The terminal emulator a session uses.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
+pub enum Backend {
+    #[default]
+    Alacritty,
+    #[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+    Ghostty,
+}
+
+impl Backend {
+    #[cfg(not(feature = "ghostty"))]
+    pub const ALL: [Self; 1] = [Self::Alacritty];
+    #[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+    pub const ALL: [Self; 2] = [Self::Alacritty, Self::Ghostty];
+
+    pub const fn as_str(self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            Self::Alacritty => "alacritty",
+            #[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+            Self::Ghostty => "ghostty",
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn build(
+        self,
+        cols: u16,
+        rows: u16,
+        profile: &Profile,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<Box<dyn Emulator>> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Alacritty => Ok(Box::new(AlacrittyEmu::new(cols, rows, profile))),
+            #[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+            Self::Ghostty => Ok(Box::new(GhosttyEmu::new(cols, rows, profile)?)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    const fn expected() -> &'static str {
+        if cfg!(feature = "ghostty") {
+            "alacritty, ghostty"
+        } else {
+            "alacritty"
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::str::FromStr for Backend {
+    type Err = String;
+
+    fn from_str(value: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        match value.trim().to_ascii_lowercase().as_str() {
+            "alacritty" => Ok(Self::Alacritty),
+            #[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+            "ghostty" => Ok(Self::Ghostty),
+            other => Err(format!(
+                "unknown terminal backend {other:?}; expected one of: {}",
+                Self::expected()
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn names_round_trip() {
+        for backend in Backend::ALL {
+            assert_eq!(backend.as_str().parse(), Ok(backend));
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn alacritty_remains_the_default() {
+        assert_eq!(Backend::default(), Backend::Alacritty);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "ghostty")]
+    #[test]
+    fn legacy_backend_spelling_is_rejected() {
+        assert!("libghostty".parse::<Backend>().is_err());
+        assert!(serde_json::from_str::<Backend>("\"libghostty\"").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn every_enabled_backend_constructs() {
+        for backend in Backend::ALL {
+            let mut emulator = backend
+                .build(10, 2, &Profile::default())
+                .unwrap_or_else(|error| panic!("{}: {error:#}", backend.as_str()));
+            emulator.process(b"ok");
+            assert_eq!(emulator.viewable_rows()[0][0].ch, "o");
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/mod.rs b/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/mod.rs
index 9a8fdbc0..211e0e13 100644
--- a/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/tui-test/src/terminal/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 pub mod alacritty;
+pub mod backend;
 pub mod cell;
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub mod conformance;