diff --git a/hil/src/commands/cmd.rs b/hil/src/commands/cmd.rs
index 6204e7d0c..aef482de3 100644
--- a/hil/src/commands/cmd.rs
+++ b/hil/src/commands/cmd.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use crate::OrbConfig;
 
 const PATTERN_START: &str = "hil_pattern_start-";
 const PATTERN_END: &str = "-hil_pattern_end";
+const SHELL_PROMPT_PATTERNS: &[&str] = &["worldcoin@id", "root@"];
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, clap::ValueEnum)]
 enum CommandTransport {
@@ -134,13 +135,13 @@ async fn run_inner(
         // Type newline to force a prompt (helps make sure we are in the state we
         // think we are in)
         type_str(&mut serial_writer, "\n").await?;
-        wait_for_str(&mut serial_stream, "worldcoin@id", timeout)
+        wait_for_prompt(&mut serial_stream, timeout)
             .await
             .wrap_err("failed while listening for prompt after newline")?;
 
         // Run cmd
         type_str(&mut serial_writer, &format!("stty -echo; {}\n\n", cmd)).await?;
-        wait_for_str(&mut serial_stream, "worldcoin@id", timeout)
+        wait_for_prompt(&mut serial_stream, timeout)
             .await
             .wrap_err("failed while listening for prompt after command")?;
 
@@ -215,28 +216,73 @@ async fn type_str(mut serial_writer: impl AsyncWrite + Unpin, s: &str) -> Result
         .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to type {s}"))
 }
 
-/// Returns when `pattern` is detected in the `serial_stream`.
+/// Returns when a shell prompt is detected in the `serial_stream`.
 ///
 /// Includes timeouts.
-async fn wait_for_str<E>(
-    serial_stream: impl TryStream<Ok = Bytes, Error = E>,
-    pattern: &str,
+async fn wait_for_prompt<E>(
+    serial_stream: impl TryStream<Ok = Bytes, Error = E> + Unpin,
     timeout: Duration,
 ) -> Result<()>
 where
     E: std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static,
 {
+    let patterns = SHELL_PROMPT_PATTERNS.join(", ");
     tokio::time::timeout(
         timeout,
-        crate::serial::wait_for_pattern(pattern.as_bytes().to_vec(), serial_stream),
+        wait_for_any_pattern(serial_stream, SHELL_PROMPT_PATTERNS),
     )
     .await
-    .wrap_err_with(|| format!("timeout while waiting for {pattern}"))?
-    .wrap_err_with(|| format!("error while waiting for {pattern}"))
+    .wrap_err_with(|| format!("timeout while waiting for one of {patterns}"))?
+    .map(|matched| {
+        debug!("detected shell prompt pattern: {matched:?}");
+    })
+    .wrap_err_with(|| format!("error while waiting for one of {patterns}"))
+}
+
+async fn wait_for_any_pattern<'a, E>(
+    mut serial_stream: impl TryStream<Ok = Bytes, Error = E> + Unpin,
+    patterns: &'a [&'a str],
+) -> Result<&'a str, WaitErr<E>> {
+    let max_pattern_len = patterns
+        .iter()
+        .map(|pattern| pattern.len())
+        .max()
+        .expect("at least one prompt pattern");
+    let mut buf = Vec::with_capacity(max_pattern_len * 2);
+
+    loop {
+        let Some(chunk) = serial_stream.try_next().await? else {
+            break;
+        };
+
+        buf.extend_from_slice(&chunk);
+        if let Some(pattern) = find_matching_pattern(&buf, patterns) {
+            return Ok(pattern);
+        }
+
+        let keep_len = max_pattern_len.saturating_sub(1);
+        if buf.len() > keep_len {
+            buf.drain(..buf.len() - keep_len);
+        }
+    }
+
+    Err(WaitErr::StreamEnded)
+}
+
+fn find_matching_pattern<'a>(buf: &[u8], patterns: &'a [&'a str]) -> Option<&'a str> {
+    patterns
+        .iter()
+        .find(|pattern| {
+            buf.windows(pattern.len())
+                .any(|window| window == pattern.as_bytes())
+        })
+        .copied()
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
+    use std::convert::Infallible;
+
     use super::*;
 
     fn sample_cmd() -> Cmd {
@@ -262,4 +308,53 @@ mod test {
         };
         assert!(cmd.transport.remote_transport().is_none());
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn wait_for_any_pattern_detects_worldcoin_prompt() {
+        let stream = futures::stream::iter(
+            [Bytes::from_static(b"abc worldcoin@id-123:~$")]
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(Ok::<_, Infallible>),
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            wait_for_any_pattern(stream, SHELL_PROMPT_PATTERNS)
+                .await
+                .expect("prompt should be detected"),
+            "worldcoin@id"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn wait_for_any_pattern_detects_root_prompt_split_across_chunks() {
+        let stream = futures::stream::iter(
+            [
+                Bytes::from_static(b"boot noise ro"),
+                Bytes::from_static(b"ot@id-123:~#"),
+            ]
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(Ok::<_, Infallible>),
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            wait_for_any_pattern(stream, SHELL_PROMPT_PATTERNS)
+                .await
+                .expect("prompt should be detected"),
+            "root@"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn wait_for_any_pattern_returns_stream_ended_without_prompt() {
+        let stream = futures::stream::iter(
+            [Bytes::from_static(b"boot noise")]
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(Ok::<_, Infallible>),
+        );
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            wait_for_any_pattern(stream, SHELL_PROMPT_PATTERNS).await,
+            Err(WaitErr::StreamEnded)
+        ));
+    }
 }