diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.tsx
index 26fbe0266af..e41e3189286 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/model-pill.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { ModelMenuCloseContext } from '@/app/shell/model-menu-panel'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { GlyphSpinner } from '@/components/ui/glyph-spinner'
+import { releaseTypingFocus } from '@/components/ui/keyboard-first'
 import { Tip } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { ChevronDown } from '@/lib/icons'
@@ -143,8 +144,19 @@ export function ModelPill({
     )
   }
 
+  // Closing the menu ends its claim on the keyboard: Radix restores focus to
+  // this pill (a toolbar button), so without the release the Enter that
+  // committed a model also swallows whatever you type next.
+  const setMenuOpen = (next: boolean) => {
+    setOpen(next)
+
+    if (!next) {
+      releaseTypingFocus()
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
-    <DropdownMenu onOpenChange={setOpen} open={open}>
+    <DropdownMenu onOpenChange={setMenuOpen} open={open}>
       <Tip label={title} side="top">
         <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
           <Button aria-label={title} className={pillClass} disabled={disabled} type="button" variant="ghost">
@@ -153,7 +165,7 @@ export function ModelPill({
         </DropdownMenuTrigger>
       </Tip>
       <DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="w-64 p-0" side="top" sideOffset={8}>
-        <ModelMenuCloseContext.Provider value={() => setOpen(false)}>
+        <ModelMenuCloseContext.Provider value={() => setMenuOpen(false)}>
           {model.modelMenuContent}
         </ModelMenuCloseContext.Provider>
       </DropdownMenuContent>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
index 07ac0384e63..9012cc9c110 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { closeActiveTab } from '@/app/chat/close-tab'
 import { $terminalTakeover, setTerminalTakeover } from '@/app/right-sidebar/store'
 import { closeActiveTerminal, createTerminal, cycleTerminal } from '@/app/right-sidebar/terminal/terminals'
 import { activateTreeTabSlot, cycleTreeTabInFocusedZone, layoutHasRootSide } from '@/components/pane-shell/tree/store'
+import { onReleaseTypingFocus } from '@/components/ui/keyboard-first'
 import { findBarClaimsCombo } from '@/lib/find-in-page'
 import { contributedKeybindHandler, PROFILE_SLOT_COUNT, SESSION_SLOT_COUNT } from '@/lib/keybinds/actions'
 import { comboAllowedInInput, comboFromEvent, isEditableTarget } from '@/lib/keybinds/combo'
@@ -224,6 +225,24 @@ export function useKeybinds(deps: KeybindRuntimeDeps): void {
     'profile.create': requestProfileCreate
   }
 
+  // A keyboard-driven overlay closing hands typing back to the composer: Radix
+  // restores focus to the trigger (a toolbar button for the model pill), so
+  // without this the Enter that committed a model also eats the next keystroke.
+  // Deferred one frame and skipped when something else editable has claimed
+  // focus, because a palette action can legitimately open a dialog or navigate
+  // — the release must never steal focus from the surface it just opened.
+  useEffect(
+    () =>
+      onReleaseTypingFocus(() =>
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+          if (!isEditableTarget(document.activeElement)) {
+            requestComposerFocus('active')
+          }
+        })
+      ),
+    []
+  )
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const onKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
       // Capture mode: the next real key becomes the binding. Swallow everything
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-menu-panel.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-menu-panel.tsx
index 2e1ff2b3911..2fdecbcc580 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-menu-panel.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/shell/model-menu-panel.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   DropdownMenuSubTrigger
 } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
 import { HighlightMatches } from '@/components/ui/highlight-matches'
+import { usePointerQuiet } from '@/components/ui/keyboard-first'
 import { Skeleton } from '@/components/ui/skeleton'
 import type { HermesGateway } from '@/hermes'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
@@ -253,9 +254,10 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, profile = 'default', re
   )
 
   const [kbOverride, setKbOverride] = useState<null | number>(null)
-  // Gates the keyboard highlight: hovering a row moves Radix's focus off the
-  // input, and two live highlights would fight over which row Enter means.
-  const [searchFocused, setSearchFocused] = useState(true)
+  // A parked cursor is not a cursor in use: until the mouse actually moves,
+  // hover can't take rows out from under the keyboard (rows re-flow beneath it
+  // as the filter narrows). One real movement hands hover back.
+  const pointerQuiet = usePointerQuiet()
 
   const currentKey = optionsProvider === 'moa' ? `moa:${optionsModel}` : `${optionsProvider}:${optionsModel}`
 
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, profile = 'default', re
       )
 
   const kbIndex = kbOverride !== null && kbOverride < kbRows.length ? kbOverride : autoIndex
-  const kbActiveKey = searchFocused && kbIndex >= 0 ? kbRows[kbIndex].key : null
+  const kbActiveKey = kbIndex >= 0 ? kbRows[kbIndex].key : null
 
   const stepKb = (delta: -1 | 1) => {
     if (kbRows.length === 0) {
@@ -307,17 +309,25 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, profile = 'default', re
     listRef.current?.querySelector('[data-kb-active]')?.scrollIntoView({ block: 'nearest' })
   }, [kbActiveKey])
 
-  const kbRowProps = (key: string) =>
-    kbActiveKey === key
-      ? { className: cn(dropdownMenuRow, 'bg-(--ui-control-active-background) text-foreground'), 'data-kb-active': '' }
-      : { className: dropdownMenuRow }
+  // The keyboard-selected row, styled + tagged for scrollIntoView. Pointer
+  // suppression is NOT here — it belongs on the containers (below), so one
+  // class covers every row inside them.
+  const kbRowProps = (key: string) => {
+    const active = kbActiveKey === key
+
+    return {
+      className: cn(dropdownMenuRow, active && 'bg-(--ui-control-active-background) text-foreground'),
+      ...(active ? { 'data-kb-active': '' } : {})
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Rows are hover-selectable, so they go inert with the pointer (usePointerQuiet).
+  const quietRows = pointerQuiet && 'pointer-events-none'
 
   return (
     <>
       <DropdownMenuSearch
         aria-label={copy.search}
-        onBlur={() => setSearchFocused(false)}
-        onFocus={() => setSearchFocused(true)}
         onKeyDown={event => {
           // Claim arrows and Enter from Radix so DOM focus stays in the input
           // and Enter commits the highlighted row without a DownArrow first
@@ -364,7 +374,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, profile = 'default', re
           {copy.noModels}
         </DropdownMenuItem>
       ) : (
-        <div className="max-h-[max(150px,30dvh)] overflow-y-auto py-0.5" ref={listRef}>
+        <div className={cn('max-h-[max(150px,30dvh)] overflow-y-auto py-0.5', quietRows)} ref={listRef}>
           {groups.map(group => {
             const slug = group.provider.slug
 
@@ -487,7 +497,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, profile = 'default', re
       <DropdownMenuSeparator className="mx-0" />
 
       {shownMoaPresets.length > 0 ? (
-        <>
+        <div className={cn(quietRows)}>
           <DropdownMenuLabel className={dropdownMenuSectionLabel}>MoA presets</DropdownMenuLabel>
           {shownMoaPresets.map(preset => {
             const isCurrentMoa = optionsProvider === 'moa' && optionsModel === preset
@@ -509,7 +519,7 @@ export function ModelMenuPanel({ gateway, onSelectModel, profile = 'default', re
             )
           })}
           <DropdownMenuSeparator className="mx-0" />
-        </>
+        </div>
       ) : null}
 
       <DropdownMenuItem
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/command.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/command.tsx
index 4324c8e8e68..760bb1452a3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/command.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/ui/command.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Command as CommandPrimitive } from 'cmdk'
 import * as React from 'react'
 
+import { usePointerQuiet } from '@/components/ui/keyboard-first'
 import { SearchIcon } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
@@ -40,9 +41,15 @@ function CommandInput({ className, right, ...props }: CommandInputProps) {
 }
 
 function CommandList({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<typeof CommandPrimitive.List>) {
+  // cmdk selects on pointer-enter, so a list that opens under a parked cursor —
+  // or re-flows under one as the query narrows — hands the selection to
+  // whatever row slid beneath the mouse, and Enter commits THAT. Inert until
+  // the pointer actually moves (see usePointerQuiet).
+  const pointerQuiet = usePointerQuiet()
+
   return (
     <CommandPrimitive.List
-      className={cn('max-h-100 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden', className)}
+      className={cn('max-h-100 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden', pointerQuiet && 'pointer-events-none', className)}
       data-slot="command-list"
       {...props}
     />
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/command-palette.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/command-palette.ts
index 490e3ee1eac..9b0a427f920 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/command-palette.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/command-palette.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { atom } from 'nanostores'
 
+import { releaseTypingFocus } from '@/components/ui/keyboard-first'
+
 /** Whether the global command palette (Cmd/Ctrl+K) is currently open. */
 export const $commandPaletteOpen = atom(false)
 
@@ -16,19 +18,32 @@ export function openCommandPalettePage(page: string): void {
   $commandPaletteOpen.set(true)
 }
 
-export function closeCommandPalette(): void {
-  $commandPaletteOpen.set(false)
-  $commandPalettePage.set(null)
-}
+// Closing hands the keyboard back to the composer — a hotkey-opened overlay
+// owes typing focus to whatever the user was writing, not to its trigger.
+// Skipped when the palette action itself moved focus (navigating to a route,
+// opening a dialog): those surfaces claim focus after this runs.
+function setOpen(open: boolean): void {
+  const wasOpen = $commandPaletteOpen.get()
 
-export function setCommandPaletteOpen(open: boolean): void {
   $commandPaletteOpen.set(open)
 
   if (!open) {
     $commandPalettePage.set(null)
+
+    if (wasOpen) {
+      releaseTypingFocus()
+    }
   }
 }
 
-export function toggleCommandPalette(): void {
-  $commandPaletteOpen.set(!$commandPaletteOpen.get())
+export function closeCommandPalette(): void {
+  setOpen(false)
+}
+
+export function setCommandPaletteOpen(open: boolean): void {
+  setOpen(open)
+}
+
+export function toggleCommandPalette(): void {
+  setOpen(!$commandPaletteOpen.get())
 }