diff --git a/web/src/main.ts b/web/src/main.ts
index 607716e..4cc30b2 100644
--- a/web/src/main.ts
+++ b/web/src/main.ts
@@ -114,8 +114,9 @@ let previewTimer: number | undefined;
 function schedulePreview(sessionId: string | null, source: "key" | "hover"): void {
   clearTimeout(previewTimer);
   previewTimer = window.setTimeout(() => {
-    showMultiView();
+    ensureMultiView();
     mv?.previewSession(sessionId);
+    updateShellRoute();
   }, PREVIEW_DELAY[source]);
 }
 
@@ -262,11 +263,18 @@ mv = createMultiView({
   onLayoutChange: scheduleSave,
 });
 let contentShowsMv = false;
-function showMultiView(): void {
+/** Put the multi-view in the content pane, without rendering it. A preview
+ *  renders once, on its own terms (`docs/PREVIEW.md`); a render here would
+ *  first re-mount the pane it is about to replace, and that mount takes the
+ *  keyboard away from the list being walked. */
+function ensureMultiView(): void {
   if (!contentShowsMv) {
     content.replaceChildren(mv.el);
     contentShowsMv = true;
   }
+}
+function showMultiView(): void {
+  ensureMultiView();
   mv.render();
   updateShellRoute();
 }
diff --git a/web/src/multiview.ts b/web/src/multiview.ts
index 165ced7..bc26b34 100644
--- a/web/src/multiview.ts
+++ b/web/src/multiview.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,20 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
     tempTabId: string | null;
   }
   let preview: Preview | null = null;
+  /// Set while a preview-driven render runs: ending a preview re-mounts the
+  /// pane that was there, and that mount must not pull the keyboard out of the
+  /// sidebar the operator is still walking.
+  let quietRender = false;
+
+  /** Render without any mount taking the keyboard. */
+  function renderQuietly(): void {
+    quietRender = true;
+    try {
+      render();
+    } finally {
+      quietRender = false;
+    }
+  }
 
   const isTempTab = (tabId: string) => preview?.tempTabId === tabId;
 
@@ -152,7 +166,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
   function previewSession(sessionId: string | null): void {
     if (preview?.sessionId === sessionId) return;
     if (sessionId === null) {
-      if (restorePreview()) render();
+      if (restorePreview()) renderQuietly();
       return;
     }
     restorePreview();
@@ -176,7 +190,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
       layout.activeTabId = tab.id;
       preview = { sessionId, prevActiveTabId, prevFocus: null, tempTabId: tab.id };
     }
-    render();
+    renderQuietly();
   }
 
   /** Any user action that changes the layout for real ends the preview first,
@@ -385,7 +399,8 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
         }
         render();
       });
-      if (layout.tabs.length > 1) {
+      // A preview tab is not the operator's to close: it goes on its own.
+      if (layout.tabs.length > 1 && !isTempTab(t.id)) {
         const close = document.createElement("span");
         close.className = "mv-tab-close";
         close.textContent = "✕";
@@ -555,7 +570,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
     // terminal, or j/k would stop walking the list after the first step.
     pool.setVisible(
       hosts.map((h) => ({ id: h.id, pane: h.host, info: h.info })),
-      { focus: !preview },
+      { focus: !preview && !quietRender },
     );
     syncFocus();
     persist();
@@ -579,7 +594,7 @@ export function createMultiView(opts: MultiViewOptions): MultiView {
     // Only the focused leaf's session is live on mobile; the rest park.
     pool.setVisible(
       focused.sessionId ? [{ id: focused.sessionId, pane: pane.host, info: infoFor(focused.sessionId) }] : [],
-      { focus: !preview },
+      { focus: !preview && !quietRender },
     );
     if (!preview) pool.setFocus(focused.sessionId ?? null);
     sidebar.setHighlights({ open: realOpenSessions(), focused: focused.sessionId ?? null });
diff --git a/web/src/styles.css b/web/src/styles.css
index c33ae9e..9b7a9b7 100644
--- a/web/src/styles.css
+++ b/web/src/styles.css
@@ -2890,6 +2890,21 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   border-style: dashed;
   font-style: italic;
 }
+.mv.mv-previewing .mv-canvas::before {
+  content: "preview";
+  position: absolute;
+  top: var(--sp-2);
+  right: var(--sp-3);
+  z-index: var(--z-sticky);
+  padding: 1px var(--sp-2);
+  border-radius: var(--r-1);
+  font: 500 var(--fs-11) / 1.5 var(--font-mono);
+  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+  color: var(--accent-ink);
+  background: var(--accent);
+  opacity: 0.85;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
 .mv.mv-previewing .mv-canvas::after {
   content: "";
   position: absolute;