diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/focus-tab-hijack.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/focus-tab-hijack.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d46eedf1ad95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/focus-tab-hijack.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+// Focus layout packs `workspace` and `files` into one tab group. A reactive
+// unhide of `files` (cwd arrives on the first reply / new session) must NOT
+// steal the active tab away from the workspace/new-session the user is looking
+// at — the "files panel hijacks the tab ~1s after the first reply" bug.
+// frontPaneInGroup only takes the active slot when the current active pane is
+// not itself showable, so it still picks a valid tab when nothing is visible.
+
+describe('reactive unhide in a shared (Focus) group', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    window.localStorage.clear()
+    vi.resetModules()
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.resetModules()
+  })
+
+  async function setupFocusGroup() {
+    const tree = await import('@/components/pane-shell/tree/store')
+    const model = await import('@/components/pane-shell/tree/model')
+    const { registry } = await import('@/contrib/registry')
+
+    for (const id of ['workspace', 'files']) {
+      registry.register({ id, area: 'panes', title: id, data: {}, render: () => null })
+    }
+
+    // Focus layout: sessions | (workspace + files share one group), workspace
+    // fronted — mirrors FOCUS_TREE's single-group packing in controller.tsx.
+    tree.declareDefaultTree(
+      model.split(
+        'row',
+        [
+          model.group(['sessions'], { id: 'grp-sessions' }),
+          model.group(['workspace', 'files'], { active: 'workspace', id: 'grp-focus' })
+        ],
+        [1, 4.6]
+      )
+    )
+
+    const activeOf = (paneId: string) =>
+      model.findGroupOfPane(tree.$layoutTree.get()!, paneId)?.active ?? null
+
+    return { activeOf, tree }
+  }
+
+  it('does not steal the active tab from workspace when files unhides', async () => {
+    const { activeOf, tree } = await setupFocusGroup()
+
+    // Detached chat: no cwd → files hidden, workspace is the active tab.
+    tree.setTreePaneHidden('files', true)
+    expect(activeOf('workspace')).toBe('workspace')
+
+    // First reply adopts a cwd → the workspace wiring unhides files.
+    tree.setTreePaneHidden('files', false)
+
+    expect(tree.$hiddenTreePanes.get().has('files')).toBe(false)
+    // The user stays on the new session; files must not hijack the tab.
+    expect(activeOf('workspace')).toBe('workspace')
+  })
+
+  it('still fronts the unhidden pane when the active tab is not showable', async () => {
+    const { activeOf, tree } = await setupFocusGroup()
+
+    // Nothing valid showing: the active pane is itself hidden.
+    tree.setTreePaneHidden('workspace', true)
+    tree.setTreePaneHidden('files', true)
+
+    tree.setTreePaneHidden('files', false)
+
+    // With no showable active pane, the reactive unhide picks files so the
+    // group fronts a valid tab (preserves the #65375 "visible next time" intent).
+    expect(activeOf('files')).toBe('files')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
index f9289ed212b6..4ead79c098f7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
@@ -149,6 +149,15 @@ function frontPaneInGroup(paneId: string) {
     return
   }
 
+  // Don't steal the active tab from a pane the user is already viewing. In the
+  // Focus layout `files` shares a group with `workspace`, so a reactive unhide
+  // (cwd arrives on the first reply) would otherwise yank the active tab off
+  // the new session onto files. Only take the active slot when the current
+  // active pane isn't itself showable — then fronting picks a valid tab.
+  if (group.active && !$hiddenTreePanes.get().has(group.active)) {
+    return
+  }
+
   const next = setActivePaneOp(tree, group.id, paneId)
 
   if (next !== tree) {