diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-focus.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-focus.spec.ts
index c81624ff7d..5557e9e9ac 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-focus.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/composer-focus.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { expect, test, type Page } from "../support/fixtures";
 import {
   blurComposerInput,
+  roundTripComposerTabBeforePaint,
   composerLocator,
   enterComposerFullscreen,
   exitComposerFullscreen,
@@ -17,7 +18,6 @@ import {
 import { openAgentRoute, seedMockAgentWorkspace } from "../support/helpers/mock-agent";
 import { createMockIdleAgent, openWorkspaceWithAgents } from "../support/helpers/archive-tab";
 import { seedWorkspace } from "../support/helpers/seed-client";
-import { switchComposerTabWithKeyboard } from "../support/helpers/composer";
 import {
   closeMobileAgentSidebar,
   closeMobileExplorer,
@@ -205,19 +205,21 @@ test.describe("touch screen wide enough for the desktop layout", () => {
         title: "Second touch chat",
       });
       await openWorkspaceWithAgents(page, [first, second]);
-      await composerLocator(page).fill("Keep this touch draft");
-      await expectComposerFocused(page);
-      // An external keyboard changes tabs without a pointer click blurring the
-      // editor first. The device still has a touch-primary focus policy.
-      await switchComposerTabWithKeyboard(page, "previous");
-      await expectComposerDraft(page, "");
-      await switchComposerTabWithKeyboard(page, "next");
-      await expectComposerDraft(page, "Keep this touch draft");
-      await expectComposerNotFocused(page);
-      await composerLocator(page).tap();
-      await expectComposerFocused(page);
-      await typeIntoFocusedComposer(page, " after return");
-      await expectComposerDraft(page, "Keep this touch draft after return");
+      // Repeat after an explicit edit so retained focus from an earlier visit is
+      // also dismissed when the same mounted editor becomes inactive again.
+      for (const draft of ["Keep this touch draft", "Edit this touch draft again"]) {
+        await composerLocator(page).fill(draft);
+        await expectComposerFocused(page);
+        // An external keyboard changes tabs without a pointer click blurring the
+        // editor first. The device still has a touch-primary focus policy.
+        await roundTripComposerTabBeforePaint(page, "Second touch chat");
+        await expectComposerDraft(page, draft);
+        await expectComposerNotFocused(page);
+        await composerLocator(page).tap();
+        await expectComposerFocused(page);
+        await typeIntoFocusedComposer(page, " after return");
+        await expectComposerDraft(page, `${draft} after return`);
+      }
     } finally {
       await workspace.cleanup();
     }
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/composer.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/composer.ts
index d4ef8fc2f4..971b1ad1b9 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/composer.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/composer.ts
@@ -501,3 +501,59 @@ export async function expectNoCollapsedVisibleComposer(page: Page): Promise<void
   expect(frames.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
   expect(frames.filter((frame) => frame.root < 42 || frame.input < 42)).toEqual([]);
 }
+
+/** Exercise the quick-return race before a hidden pane gets a rendering frame. */
+export async function roundTripComposerTabBeforePaint(
+  page: Page,
+  activeChatTitle: string,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const activeTab = page.getByRole("button", { name: activeChatTitle, exact: true });
+  await expect(activeTab).toHaveAttribute("aria-selected", "true");
+  const result = await activeTab.evaluate((tab) => {
+    const editor = document.activeElement;
+    return new Promise<{ returnedBeforePaint: boolean; focused: boolean }>((resolve) => {
+      let switchedAway = false;
+      let painted = false;
+      let frame = 0;
+      const shortcut = (code: "BracketLeft" | "BracketRight") => {
+        document.dispatchEvent(
+          new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
+            key: code === "BracketLeft" ? "{" : "}",
+            code,
+            altKey: true,
+            shiftKey: true,
+            bubbles: true,
+            cancelable: true,
+          }),
+        );
+      };
+      // Watch selection commits without reading layout: a layout read could make
+      // Chromium blur the hidden editor and erase the condition under test.
+      const observer = new MutationObserver(() => {
+        if (!switchedAway && tab.getAttribute("aria-selected") === "false") {
+          switchedAway = true;
+          frame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+            painted = true;
+          });
+          // Deliver the return shortcut before rendering, without a Playwright
+          // round trip allowing the browser to paint the inactive tab first.
+          shortcut("BracketRight");
+        } else if (switchedAway && tab.getAttribute("aria-selected") === "true") {
+          observer.disconnect();
+          cancelAnimationFrame(frame);
+          return resolve({
+            returnedBeforePaint: !painted,
+            focused: document.activeElement === editor,
+          });
+        }
+      });
+      observer.observe(tab, { attributes: true, attributeFilter: ["aria-selected"] });
+      shortcut("BracketLeft");
+    });
+  });
+  expect(
+    result.returnedBeforePaint,
+    "tab round trip must finish before rendering the hidden pane",
+  ).toBe(true);
+  expect(result.focused, "returning on touch must leave the composer unfocused").toBe(false);
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx b/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx
index 9fdab3fa28..2c104924cc 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/composer/input/input.tsx
@@ -1295,7 +1295,12 @@ export const MessageInput = forwardRef<MessageInputRef, MessageInputProps>(
     // Read pointer capability when restoring, without making a pointer change itself
     // a focus trigger.
     useLayoutEffect(() => {
-      if (isPaneFocused && focusIntentRef.current && hasFinePointer()) {
+      const finePointer = hasFinePointer();
+      if (!isPaneFocused && isWeb && !finePointer) {
+        // Hiding a retained tab only blurs its editor after the browser renders.
+        // A quick return before that frame would otherwise keep touch focus.
+        textInputRef.current?.blur();
+      } else if (isPaneFocused && focusIntentRef.current && finePointer) {
         textInputRef.current?.focus();
       }
     }, [isPaneFocused]);