diff --git a/src/ClaudeDev.ts b/src/ClaudeDev.ts
index b4c9b5f..193cbc2 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDev.ts
+++ b/src/ClaudeDev.ts
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ export class ClaudeDev {
 					})
 					.join("")
 
-				const { response } = await this.ask(
+				const { response, text } = await this.ask(
 					"tool",
 					JSON.stringify({
 						tool: "editedExistingFile",
@@ -343,18 +343,26 @@ export class ClaudeDev {
 					} as ClaudeSayTool)
 				)
 				if (response !== "yesButtonTapped") {
-					return "This operation was not approved by the user."
+					if (response === "textResponse" && text) {
+						await this.say("user_feedback", text)
+						return `The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n\"${text}\"`
+					}
+					return "The user denied this operation."
 				}
 
 				await fs.writeFile(filePath, newContent)
 				return `Changes applied to ${filePath}:\n${diffResult}`
 			} else {
-				const { response } = await this.ask(
+				const { response, text } = await this.ask(
 					"tool",
 					JSON.stringify({ tool: "newFileCreated", path: filePath, content: newContent } as ClaudeSayTool)
 				)
 				if (response !== "yesButtonTapped") {
-					return "This operation was not approved by the user."
+					if (response === "textResponse" && text) {
+						await this.say("user_feedback", text)
+						return `The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n\"${text}\"`
+					}
+					return "The user denied this operation."
 				}
 				await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(filePath), { recursive: true })
 				await fs.writeFile(filePath, newContent)
@@ -370,12 +378,16 @@ export class ClaudeDev {
 	async readFile(filePath: string): Promise<string> {
 		try {
 			const content = await fs.readFile(filePath, "utf-8")
-			const { response } = await this.ask(
+			const { response, text } = await this.ask(
 				"tool",
 				JSON.stringify({ tool: "readFile", path: filePath, content } as ClaudeSayTool)
 			)
 			if (response !== "yesButtonTapped") {
-				return "This operation was not approved by the user."
+				if (response === "textResponse" && text) {
+					await this.say("user_feedback", text)
+					return `The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n\"${text}\"`
+				}
+				return "The user denied this operation."
 			}
 			return content
 		} catch (error) {
@@ -391,12 +403,16 @@ export class ClaudeDev {
 		const isRoot = absolutePath === root
 		if (isRoot) {
 			if (shouldLog) {
-				const { response } = await this.ask(
+				const { response, text } = await this.ask(
 					"tool",
 					JSON.stringify({ tool: "listFiles", path: dirPath, content: root } as ClaudeSayTool)
 				)
 				if (response !== "yesButtonTapped") {
-					return "This operation was not approved by the user."
+					if (response === "textResponse" && text) {
+						await this.say("user_feedback", text)
+						return `The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n\"${text}\"`
+					}
+					return "The user denied this operation."
 				}
 			}
 			return root
@@ -412,12 +428,16 @@ export class ClaudeDev {
 			const entries = await glob("*", options)
 			const result = entries.slice(0, 500).join("\n") // truncate to 500 entries
 			if (shouldLog) {
-				const { response } = await this.ask(
+				const { response, text } = await this.ask(
 					"tool",
 					JSON.stringify({ tool: "listFiles", path: dirPath, content: result } as ClaudeSayTool)
 				)
 				if (response !== "yesButtonTapped") {
-					return "This operation was not approved by the user."
+					if (response === "textResponse" && text) {
+						await this.say("user_feedback", text)
+						return `The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n\"${text}\"`
+					}
+					return "The user denied this operation."
 				}
 			}
 			return result
@@ -434,9 +454,13 @@ export class ClaudeDev {
 	}
 
 	async executeCommand(command: string): Promise<string> {
-		const { response } = await this.ask("command", command)
+		const { response, text } = await this.ask("command", command)
 		if (response !== "yesButtonTapped") {
-			return "Command execution was not approved by the user."
+			if (response === "textResponse" && text) {
+				await this.say("user_feedback", text)
+				return `The user denied this operation and provided the following feedback:\n\"${text}\"`
+			}
+			return "The user denied this operation."
 		}
 		try {
 			let result = ""
diff --git a/webview-ui/src/components/ChatView.tsx b/webview-ui/src/components/ChatView.tsx
index 1ba0865..630df97 100644
--- a/webview-ui/src/components/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/webview-ui/src/components/ChatView.tsx
@@ -99,18 +99,18 @@ const ChatView = ({ messages, isHidden, vscodeThemeName }: ChatViewProps) => {
 							// setSecondaryButtonText(undefined)
 							break
 						case "tool":
-							setTextAreaDisabled(true)
+							setTextAreaDisabled(false)
 							setClaudeAsk("tool")
 							setEnableButtons(true)
 							setPrimaryButtonText("Approve")
-							setSecondaryButtonText("Cancel")
+							setSecondaryButtonText("Reject")
 							break
 						case "command":
-							setTextAreaDisabled(true)
+							setTextAreaDisabled(false)
 							setClaudeAsk("command")
 							setEnableButtons(true)
 							setPrimaryButtonText("Run Command")
-							setSecondaryButtonText("Cancel")
+							setSecondaryButtonText("Reject")
 							break
 						case "completion_result":
 							// extension waiting for feedback. but we can just present a new task button
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@ const ChatView = ({ messages, isHidden, vscodeThemeName }: ChatViewProps) => {
 			} else if (claudeAsk) {
 				switch (claudeAsk) {
 					case "followup":
+					case "tool":
+					case "command": // user can provide feedback to a tool or command use
 					case "completion_result": // if this happens then the user has feedback for the completion result
 						vscode.postMessage({ type: "askResponse", askResponse: "textResponse", text })
 						break
@@ -210,10 +212,11 @@ const ChatView = ({ messages, isHidden, vscodeThemeName }: ChatViewProps) => {
 	const handleSecondaryButtonClick = () => {
 		switch (claudeAsk) {
 			case "request_limit_reached":
-			case "tool": // TODO: for now when a user cancels, it starts a new task. But we could easily just respond to the API with a "This operation failed" and let it try again.
 				startNewTask()
 				break
 			case "command":
+			case "tool":
+				// responds to the API with a "This operation failed" and lets it try again
 				vscode.postMessage({ type: "askResponse", askResponse: "noButtonTapped" })
 				break
 		}
@@ -272,7 +275,7 @@ const ChatView = ({ messages, isHidden, vscodeThemeName }: ChatViewProps) => {
 	}, [textAreaRef.current])
 
 	useEffect(() => {
-		if (!isHidden && !textAreaDisabled) {
+		if (!isHidden && !textAreaDisabled && !enableButtons) {
 			textAreaRef.current?.focus()
 		}
 		// eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
@@ -280,13 +283,14 @@ const ChatView = ({ messages, isHidden, vscodeThemeName }: ChatViewProps) => {
 
 	useEffect(() => {
 		const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-			if (!textAreaDisabled) {
+			if (!textAreaDisabled && !enableButtons) {
 				textAreaRef.current?.focus()
 			}
 		}, 50)
 		return () => {
 			clearTimeout(timer)
 		}
+		// eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
 	}, [textAreaDisabled])
 
 	return (