diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/plugin-composers-by-reference.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/plugin-composers-by-reference.spec.ts
index 520d355655..1138fab09a 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/plugin-composers-by-reference.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/plugin-composers-by-reference.spec.ts
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ test("focus opens a compact subagent as a tab with its composer", async ({ page
   test.setTimeout(120_000);
   await withPluginFocusingASubagent(page, async (author) => {
     await author.openParentAgent();
+    await author.openExplorer();
     await author.focusSubagent();
     await author.expectSubagentTabReadyToType();
   });
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/plugin-composers-by-reference.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/plugin-composers-by-reference.ts
index 91fe96a381..70f9b3f531 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/plugin-composers-by-reference.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/plugin-composers-by-reference.ts
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ export async function withPluginFocusingASubagent(
   page: Page,
   run: (author: {
     openParentAgent(): Promise<void>;
+    openExplorer(): Promise<void>;
     focusSubagent(): Promise<void>;
     expectSubagentTabReadyToType(): Promise<void>;
   }) => Promise<void>,
@@ -514,6 +515,10 @@ export async function withPluginFocusingASubagent(
           await expectOpenTabCount(page, 1);
           await page.waitForFunction(() => (globalThis as FocusAgentGlobal).focusAgent);
         }),
+      openExplorer: () =>
+        test.step("open the Explorer over the parent's composer", async () => {
+          await expect(await ensureExplorerSidebar(page)).toBeVisible();
+        }),
       focusSubagent: () =>
         test.step("focus the subagent, which has no tab", async () => {
           const result = await page.evaluate(
diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/index.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/index.ts
index fddcc4ea3f..5a22ca361c 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/index.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/navigate-to-agent/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { useWorkspaceLayoutStore } from "@/stores/workspace-layout-store";
 import { normalizeWorkspaceOpaqueId } from "@/utils/workspace-identity";
 import { buildWorkspaceTabPersistenceKey } from "@/workspace-tabs/model";
+import { revealWorkspaceTab } from "@/workspace-tabs/navigation";
 import { resolveNavigateToAgent, type NavigateToAgentInput } from "./resolve";
 
 export type { NavigateToAgentInput } from "./resolve";
@@ -43,5 +44,5 @@ export function navigateToAgentComposer(input: NavigateToAgentInput): void {
   const sheet = layout.sheetsByWorkspace[workspaceKey]?.find(
     ({ tab }) => tab.target.kind === "agent" && tab.target.agentId === input.agentId,
   );
-  if (sheet) layout.openTabInFront(workspaceKey, sheet);
+  if (sheet) revealWorkspaceTab(workspaceKey, layout.openTabInFront(workspaceKey, sheet));
 }