diff --git a/internal/web/server_test.go b/internal/web/server_test.go
index 07186722..ba171c05 100644
--- a/internal/web/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/web/server_test.go
@@ -1751,6 +1751,17 @@ func TestHandlerIndexServesHTML(t *testing.T) {
 		!strings.Contains(markup, `displayRepos = [openRepo];`) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected index html chat to render closable prompted repository tabs, icon-only repos tab, and isolate active repository chat")
 	}
+	syncChatOpenRepoKeyIndex := strings.Index(markup, `function syncChatOpenRepoKey(pageRepos, selectedTab, restoreFocusKey)`)
+	selectedChatTabIndex := -1
+	focusedChatRepoIndex := -1
+	if syncChatOpenRepoKeyIndex >= 0 {
+		syncChatOpenRepoKeyMarkup := markup[syncChatOpenRepoKeyIndex:]
+		selectedChatTabIndex = strings.Index(syncChatOpenRepoKeyMarkup, `if (selectedTab?.key) {`)
+		focusedChatRepoIndex = strings.Index(syncChatOpenRepoKeyMarkup, `if (restoreFocusKey && visibleKeys.includes(restoreFocusKey)) {`)
+	}
+	if syncChatOpenRepoKeyIndex < 0 || selectedChatTabIndex < 0 || focusedChatRepoIndex < 0 || selectedChatTabIndex > focusedChatRepoIndex {
+		t.Fatalf("expected selected chat repository tab to control the open repo before restoring textarea focus")
+	}
 	if !strings.Contains(markup, `if (viewingRepoChat) {
         chatStatus.textContent = "";`) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected active repository chat to clear repository count status")
diff --git a/internal/web/static/index.html b/internal/web/static/index.html
index cdaf7844..8e1bc447 100644
--- a/internal/web/static/index.html
+++ b/internal/web/static/index.html
@@ -6843,6 +6843,10 @@ <h2 id="hub-setup-title">Connect to Hub</h2>
       const visibleKeys = pageRepos
         .map((repo) => chatRepoKey(chatRepoRunValue(repo)))
         .filter(Boolean);
+      if (selectedTab?.key) {
+        state.chatOpenRepoKey = selectedTab.key;
+        return;
+      }
       if (restoreFocusKey && visibleKeys.includes(restoreFocusKey)) {
         state.chatOpenRepoKey = restoreFocusKey;
         return;
@@ -6850,10 +6854,6 @@ <h2 id="hub-setup-title">Connect to Hub</h2>
       if (state.chatOpenRepoKey && visibleKeys.includes(state.chatOpenRepoKey)) {
         return;
       }
-      if (selectedTab?.key && visibleKeys.includes(selectedTab.key)) {
-        state.chatOpenRepoKey = selectedTab.key;
-        return;
-      }
       state.chatOpenRepoKey = visibleKeys[0] || "";
     }