diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/agent-input-area.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/agent-input-area.tsx
index 56292bde9..af5fa3688 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/agent-input-area.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/agent-input-area.tsx
@@ -406,12 +406,41 @@ export function AgentInputArea({
     if (!req) return;
     if (req.agentKey !== `${serverId}:${agentId}`) return;
 
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        messageInputRef.current?.focus();
+    let cancelled = false;
+    const deadlineMs = Date.now() + 1500;
+
+    const tryFocus = () => {
+      if (cancelled) return;
+      const ref = messageInputRef.current;
+      ref?.focus();
+
+      const el = ref?.getNativeElement?.() ?? null;
+      const active = typeof document !== "undefined" ? document.activeElement : null;
+      const didFocus = !!el && active === el;
+
+      if (didFocus) {
         clearFocusChatInputRequest();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (Date.now() >= deadlineMs) {
+        // Don't keep stealing focus forever; allow other interactions.
+        clearFocusChatInputRequest();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        requestAnimationFrame(tryFocus);
       });
+    };
+
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      requestAnimationFrame(tryFocus);
     });
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
   }, [agentId, clearFocusChatInputRequest, focusChatInputRequest, serverId]);
 
   // Handle command selection from autocomplete
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/command-center.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/command-center.tsx
index 441c6671d..afa19d242 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/command-center.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/command-center.tsx
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ export function CommandCenter() {
     return filtered;
   }, [agents, query]);
 
+  const agentKeyFromPathname = useMemo(() => {
+    const match = pathname.match(/^\/agent\/([^/]+)\/([^/]+)/);
+    if (!match) return null;
+    return `${match[1]}:${match[2]}`;
+  }, [pathname]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const prevOpen = prevOpenRef.current;
     prevOpenRef.current = open;
@@ -72,18 +78,43 @@ export function CommandCenter() {
 
       if (prevOpen && !didNavigateRef.current) {
         const el = takeFocusRestoreElement();
-        if (el && el.isConnected) {
-          // Modal unmount can steal focus; restore on next tick.
+        const deadlineMs = Date.now() + 1500;
+        const tryRestore = () => {
+          if (el && el.isConnected) {
+            try {
+              el.focus();
+            } catch {
+              // ignore
+            }
+          }
+
+          if (
+            el &&
+            typeof document !== "undefined" &&
+            document.activeElement === el
+          ) {
+            return;
+          }
+
+          if (Date.now() >= deadlineMs) {
+            // If we failed to restore focus to the original element (RN web can
+            // remount textareas), fall back to focusing the chat input for the
+            // current agent route.
+            if (agentKeyFromPathname) {
+              requestFocusChatInput(agentKeyFromPathname);
+            }
+            return;
+          }
+
           requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-            requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-              try {
-                el.focus();
-              } catch {
-                // ignore
-              }
-            });
+            requestAnimationFrame(tryRestore);
           });
-        }
+        };
+
+        // Modal unmount can steal focus; restore on next tick (and retry).
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+          requestAnimationFrame(tryRestore);
+        });
       }
 
       return;
@@ -95,7 +126,7 @@ export function CommandCenter() {
       inputRef.current?.focus();
     }, 0);
     return () => clearTimeout(id);
-  }, [open, takeFocusRestoreElement]);
+  }, [agentKeyFromPathname, open, requestFocusChatInput, takeFocusRestoreElement]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!open) return;
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/message-input.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/message-input.tsx
index c68be2662..4b19e290e 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/message-input.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/message-input.tsx
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ export interface MessageInputProps {
 export interface MessageInputRef {
   focus: () => void;
   blur: () => void;
+  /**
+   * Web-only: return the underlying DOM element for focus assertions/retries.
+   * May return null if not mounted or on native.
+   */
+  getNativeElement?: () => HTMLElement | null;
 }
 
 const MIN_INPUT_HEIGHT = 30;
@@ -134,6 +139,17 @@ export const MessageInput = forwardRef<MessageInputRef, MessageInputProps>(
       blur: () => {
         textInputRef.current?.blur?.();
       },
+      getNativeElement: () => {
+        if (!IS_WEB) return null;
+        const current = textInputRef.current as
+          | (TextInput & { getNativeRef?: () => unknown })
+          | null;
+        const native =
+          typeof current?.getNativeRef === "function"
+            ? current.getNativeRef()
+            : current;
+        return native instanceof HTMLElement ? native : null;
+      },
     }));
     const inputHeightRef = useRef(MIN_INPUT_HEIGHT);
     const baselineInputHeightRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-global-keyboard-nav.ts b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-global-keyboard-nav.ts
index d85cc121f..2c1a06199 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/use-global-keyboard-nav.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/use-global-keyboard-nav.ts
@@ -130,8 +130,16 @@ export function useGlobalKeyboardNav({
         event.preventDefault();
         const s = useKeyboardNavStore.getState();
         if (!s.commandCenterOpen) {
+          const target =
+            event.target instanceof Element ? (event.target as Element) : null;
+          const targetEl =
+            target?.closest?.("textarea, input, [contenteditable='true']") ??
+            (target instanceof HTMLElement ? target : null);
           const active = document.activeElement;
-          s.setFocusRestoreElement(active instanceof HTMLElement ? active : null);
+          const activeEl = active instanceof HTMLElement ? active : null;
+          s.setFocusRestoreElement(
+            (targetEl as HTMLElement | null) ?? activeEl ?? null
+          );
         }
         s.setCommandCenterOpen(!s.commandCenterOpen);
         return;