diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 884ec99a8..5e54dfb3f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -262,6 +262,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - Linux: Workaround bug in Nvidia drivers that caused color corruption when resuming after suspend (:iss:`9844`)
 
+- choose-files kitten: Output a trailing newline when writing to a tty in text format (:iss:`9982`)
+
 
 0.46.2 [2026-03-21]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/main.go b/kittens/choose_files/main.go
index a1240ab1b..7ef92ba3e 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/main.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/main.go
@@ -903,6 +903,10 @@ func main(_ *cli.Command, opts *Options, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
 				m = string(b)
 			}
 			os.Stdout.Write(utils.UnsafeStringToBytes(m))
+			if tty.IsTerminal(os.Stdout.Fd()) && opts.OutputFormat == "text" {
+				// Avoid zsh's silly no trailing newline marker
+				os.Stdout.WriteString("\n")
+			}
 			if opts.WriteOutputTo != "" {
 				os.WriteFile(opts.WriteOutputTo, utils.UnsafeStringToBytes(m), 0600)
 			}
diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/main.py b/kittens/choose_files/main.py
index d0812eeda..89ffb79f9 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/main.py
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/main.py
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def handle_result(args: list[str], data: dict[str, Any], target_window_id: int,
 usage = '[directory to start choosing files in]'
 
 
-OPTIONS = '''
+OPTIONS = """
 --mode
 type=choices
 choices=file,files,save-file,dir,save-dir,dirs,save-files
@@ -266,11 +266,12 @@ Path to a file to which the output is written in addition to STDOUT.
 --output-format
 choices=text,json,shell,shell-relative
 default=text
-The format in which to write the output. The :code:`text` format is absolute paths separated by newlines.
-The :code:`shell` format is quoted absolute paths separated by spaces, quoting is done only if needed. The
-:code:`shell-relative` format is the same as :code:`shell` except it returns paths relative to the starting
-directory. Note that when invoked from a mapping, this option is ignored,
-and either text or shell format is used automatically based on whether the cursor is at a shell prompt or not.
+The format in which to write the output. The :code:`text` format is absolute paths separated by newlines,
+with a trailing newline. The :code:`shell` format is quoted absolute paths separated by spaces,
+quoting is done only if needed. The :code:`shell-relative` format is the same as :code:`shell` except that
+it returns paths relative to the starting directory. Note that when invoked from a mapping,
+this option is ignored, and either text or shell format is used automatically based on whether
+the cursor is at a shell prompt or not.
 
 
 --write-pid-to
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ Path to a file to which to write the process ID (PID) of this process to.
 --clear-cache
 type=bool-set
 Clear the caches used by this kitten.
-'''.format(config_help=CONFIG_HELP.format(conf_name='choose-files', appname=appname)).format
+""".format(config_help=CONFIG_HELP.format(conf_name='choose-files', appname=appname)).format
 
 
 help_text = '''\