diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx
index 42bcef4e820a..e86bd2415e39 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/command-palette/index.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ import {
   COMMAND_CENTER_ROUTE,
   CRON_ROUTE,
   MESSAGING_ROUTE,
+  navigateToWorkspacePage,
   NEW_CHAT_ROUTE,
   PROFILES_ROUTE,
   sessionRoute,
@@ -351,7 +352,7 @@ export function CommandPalette() {
     }
   }, [open, pendingPage])
 
-  const go = useCallback((path: string) => () => navigate(path), [navigate])
+  const go = useCallback((path: string) => () => navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, path), [navigate])
 
   // Step up one nested page (or back to the root list), clearing the filter so
   // the parent page doesn't reopen mid-search.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts
index ed22e2cc7ebe..5e6c75dee23a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/hooks/use-desktop-integrations.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { openUpdatesWindow, startUpdatePoller, stopUpdatePoller } from '@/store/
 import { isSecondaryWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 
 import { requestComposerFocus, requestComposerInsert } from '../../chat/composer/focus'
-import { appViewForPath, isOverlayView, NEW_CHAT_ROUTE, sessionRoute } from '../../routes'
+import { appViewForPath, isOverlayView, navigateToWorkspacePage, NEW_CHAT_ROUTE, sessionRoute } from '../../routes'
 
 interface DesktopIntegrationsParams {
   chatOpen: boolean
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export function useDesktopIntegrations({
     const route = getRememberedRoute()
 
     if (route && route !== NEW_CHAT_ROUTE && !isOverlayView(appViewForPath(route))) {
-      navigate(route, { replace: true })
+      navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, route, { replace: true })
 
       return
     }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/wiring.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/wiring.tsx
index de2e0becffdb..8e02554b67f5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/wiring.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/wiring.tsx
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ import { closeAllTerminals } from '../right-sidebar/terminal/terminals'
 import {
   $workspaceIsPage,
   CRON_ROUTE,
+  navigateToWorkspacePage,
   routeSessionId,
   sessionRoute,
   SETTINGS_ROUTE,
@@ -1015,7 +1016,7 @@ export function ContribWiring({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
             initialSection={commandCenterInitialSection}
             onClose={closeOverlayToPreviousRoute}
             onDeleteSession={removeSession}
-            onNavigateRoute={path => navigate(path)}
+            onNavigateRoute={path => navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, path)}
             onOpenSession={sessionId => navigate(sessionRoute(sessionId))}
           />
         </Suspense>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
index 8a1fe275478e..7e49029d1cea 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import {
   ARTIFACTS_ROUTE,
   CRON_ROUTE,
   MESSAGING_ROUTE,
+  navigateToWorkspacePage,
   PROFILES_ROUTE,
   sessionRoute,
   SETTINGS_ROUTE,
@@ -138,9 +139,9 @@ export function useKeybinds(deps: KeybindRuntimeDeps): void {
     'nav.commandCenter': deps.toggleCommandCenter,
     'nav.settings': () => navigate(SETTINGS_ROUTE),
     'nav.profiles': () => navigate(PROFILES_ROUTE),
-    'nav.skills': () => navigate(SKILLS_ROUTE),
-    'nav.messaging': () => navigate(MESSAGING_ROUTE),
-    'nav.artifacts': () => navigate(ARTIFACTS_ROUTE),
+    'nav.skills': () => navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, SKILLS_ROUTE),
+    'nav.messaging': () => navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, MESSAGING_ROUTE),
+    'nav.artifacts': () => navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, ARTIFACTS_ROUTE),
     'nav.cron': () => navigate(CRON_ROUTE),
     'nav.agents': () => navigate(AGENTS_ROUTE),
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/routes.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/routes.ts
index b3c28a0ae017..e834d26b1907 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/routes.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/routes.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 import { atom } from 'nanostores'
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 
+import { noteActiveTreeGroup, revealTreePane } from '@/components/pane-shell/tree/store'
 import { registry } from '@/contrib/registry'
 
+type NavigateLike = (to: string, options?: { replace?: boolean }) => void
+
 export const SESSION_ROUTE_PREFIX = '/'
 export const NEW_CHAT_ROUTE = '/'
 export const SETTINGS_ROUTE = '/settings'
@@ -195,3 +198,25 @@ export function syncWorkspaceIsPage(pathname: string): void {
     $workspaceIsPage.set(isPage)
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Navigate to `path`, and if it lands on a full page rendered inside the
+ * `workspace` pane (skills/messaging/artifacts/contributed routes) also
+ * front the `workspace` pane in the pane tree.
+ *
+ * Without this, `navigate()` alone updates the route and the content inside
+ * `workspace` correctly, but if a session tile is currently focused in the
+ * same tab group, `workspace` stays behind it (issue #72602). This mirrors
+ * what `$selectedStoredSessionId.listen` already does for session switches
+ * in `store/session-states.ts`.
+ */
+export function navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate: NavigateLike, path: string, options?: { replace?: boolean }): void {
+  navigate(path, options)
+
+  const view = appViewForPath(path)
+
+  if (view !== 'chat' && !isOverlayView(view)) {
+    noteActiveTreeGroup(null)
+    revealTreePane('workspace')
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/index.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/index.ts
index fd490666d126..5d293c012b21 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/index.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-actions/index.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ import { broadcastSessionsChanged } from '@/store/session-sync'
 import { isWatchWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 import type { SessionCreateResponse, SessionMessage, SessionResumeResponse, UsageStats } from '@/types/hermes'
 
-import { NEW_CHAT_ROUTE, sessionRoute, SETTINGS_ROUTE } from '../../../routes'
+import { navigateToWorkspacePage, NEW_CHAT_ROUTE, sessionRoute, SETTINGS_ROUTE } from '../../../routes'
 import type { ClientSessionState, SidebarNavItem } from '../../../types'
 import { sessionContextDrift } from '../session-context-drift'
 
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ export function useSessionActions({
       }
 
       if (item.route) {
-        navigate(item.route)
+        navigateToWorkspacePage(navigate, item.route)
       }
     },
     [navigate, startFreshSessionDraft]