diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-batch-command.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-batch-command.ts
index b5f745bf0ee..5712b879ce8 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-batch-command.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-batch-command.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,17 @@ function withoutDaemonLifecycle(envelope: AgentBrowserEnvelope): AgentBrowserEnv
   return { ...envelope, data: rest }
 }
 
-/** "Unknown ref" for a ref never issued; 0.39+ also says "Stale ref for role=…" once its element is gone. */
+/** Every snapshot form (plain, --full, --delta) answers with `snapshot`; annotated screenshots with `annotations`. */
+export function agentBrowserResultMintsRefs(data: unknown): boolean {
+  if (!data || typeof data !== 'object') {
+    return false
+  }
+  return 'snapshot' in data || ('annotations' in data && Array.isArray(data.annotations))
+}
+
+/** "Unknown ref" for a ref never issued; 0.39+ says "Stale ref for role=…" or "Could not locate element with role=…" once its element is gone. */
 export function isAgentBrowserStaleRefError(message: string): boolean {
-  return /unknown ref|stale ref|ref not found|element not found: @e/i.test(message)
+  return /unknown ref|stale ref|ref not found|element not found: @e|could not locate element with role=/i.test(
+    message
+  )
 }
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-command-transport.test.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-command-transport.test.ts
index 3e838bdaf11..565f3f03200 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-command-transport.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-command-transport.test.ts
@@ -210,11 +210,12 @@ describe('AgentBrowserBridge', () => {
     await expect(bridge.click('@e2')).resolves.toEqual({ clicked: '@e2' })
   })
 
-  it('reports a ref whose element is gone as stale', async () => {
-    // agent-browser 0.39.2+ wording when it cannot re-resolve a ref by role and name.
-    failWith(
-      'Stale ref for role=button name=Approve cannot be recovered: several elements now match. Run snapshot again and use a fresh ref.'
-    )
+  // agent-browser 0.39.2+ wording when it cannot re-resolve a ref by role and name.
+  it.each([
+    'Stale ref for role=button name=Approve cannot be recovered: several elements now match. Run snapshot again and use a fresh ref.',
+    'Could not locate element with role=link name=Back to basic'
+  ])('reports a ref whose element is gone as stale: %s', async (message) => {
+    failWith(message)
     await expect(bridge.click('@e2')).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'browser_stale_ref' })
   })
 
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-core-commands.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-core-commands.ts
index 1ae29d05de8..53f3185c1b4 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-core-commands.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-core-commands.ts
@@ -34,9 +34,14 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeCoreCommands extends AgentBrowserBridgeQ
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserClickResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['click', element])) as BrowserClickResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['click', element])) as BrowserClickResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async dblclick(
@@ -44,9 +49,18 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeCoreCommands extends AgentBrowserBridgeQ
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserClickResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['dblclick', element])) as BrowserClickResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: agent-browser's dblclick --json answers the BrowserClickResult shape.
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
+          'dblclick',
+          element
+        ])) as BrowserClickResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async goto(url: string, worktreeId?: string, browserPageId?: string): Promise<BrowserGotoResult> {
@@ -162,7 +176,7 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeCoreCommands extends AgentBrowserBridgeQ
         await this.fillExplicitContentEditable(sessionName, element, value)
         return { filled: element } as BrowserFillResult
       },
-      { requireScopedTarget: true }
+      { requireScopedTarget: true, elements: [element] }
     )
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-execution.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-execution.ts
index e7e5cb22a92..7faee8ef652 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-execution.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-execution.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ import {
   pageUnavailableMessageForSession
 } from './agent-browser-bridge-process'
 import { translateResult } from './agent-browser-bridge-result'
-import { AGENT_BROWSER_BATCH_ARGS, agentBrowserBatchInput } from './agent-browser-batch-command'
+import {
+  AGENT_BROWSER_BATCH_ARGS,
+  agentBrowserBatchInput,
+  agentBrowserResultMintsRefs
+} from './agent-browser-batch-command'
 import { AgentBrowserBridgeTabs } from './agent-browser-bridge-tabs'
 import { assertRemoteCliBrowserAccess } from '../runtime/desktop-browser-bridge/remote-cli-browser-scope'
 import { ORCA_TAB_SESSION_PREFIX } from './agent-browser-orphan-sweep'
@@ -114,6 +118,13 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeExecution extends AgentBrowserBridgeTabs
       )
     }
 
+    if (agentBrowserResultMintsRefs(translated.result)) {
+      const browserPageId = this.resolveTabIdSafe(session.webContentsId)
+      if (browserPageId) {
+        this.recordRefPage(browserPageId)
+      }
+    }
+
     if (needsInit) {
       session.initialized = true
 
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-input-commands.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-input-commands.ts
index 83bbcf9a8fa..242fdbc7b99 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-input-commands.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-input-commands.ts
@@ -37,13 +37,18 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInputCommands extends AgentBrowserBridge
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserSelectResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
-        'select',
-        element,
-        value
-      ])) as BrowserSelectResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
+          'select',
+          element,
+          value
+        ])) as BrowserSelectResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async scroll(
@@ -66,9 +71,14 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInputCommands extends AgentBrowserBridge
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<unknown> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['scrollintoview', element])
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['scrollintoview', element])
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async get(
@@ -77,13 +87,18 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInputCommands extends AgentBrowserBridge
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<unknown> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      const args = ['get', what]
-      if (selector) {
-        args.push(selector)
-      }
-      return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args)
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        const args = ['get', what]
+        if (selector) {
+          args.push(selector)
+        }
+        return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args)
+      },
+      { elements: [selector] }
+    )
   }
 
   async is(
@@ -92,9 +107,14 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInputCommands extends AgentBrowserBridge
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<unknown> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['is', what, selector])
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['is', what, selector])
+      },
+      { elements: [selector] }
+    )
   }
 
   async keyboardInsertText(
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-interaction-commands.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-interaction-commands.ts
index fa35e97ffd8..53c5cf4dc74 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-interaction-commands.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-interaction-commands.ts
@@ -28,9 +28,14 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserHoverResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['hover', element])) as BrowserHoverResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['hover', element])) as BrowserHoverResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async drag(
@@ -39,9 +44,14 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserDragResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['drag', from, to])) as BrowserDragResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['drag', from, to])) as BrowserDragResult
+      },
+      { elements: [from, to] }
+    )
   }
 
   async upload(
@@ -50,13 +60,18 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserUploadResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
-        'upload',
-        element,
-        ...filePaths
-      ])) as BrowserUploadResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
+          'upload',
+          element,
+          ...filePaths
+        ])) as BrowserUploadResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async wait(
@@ -64,22 +79,27 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserWaitResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      const { args, conditionTimeoutMs, processTimeoutMs } = agentBrowserWaitArguments(
-        options ?? {}
-      )
-      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: agent-browser's wait --json answers the BrowserWaitResult shape.
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args, {
-        timeoutMs: processTimeoutMs,
-        timeoutError:
-          conditionTimeoutMs === undefined
-            ? undefined
-            : new BrowserError(
-                'browser_timeout',
-                `Timed out waiting for browser condition after ${conditionTimeoutMs}ms.`
-              )
-      })) as BrowserWaitResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        const { args, conditionTimeoutMs, processTimeoutMs } = agentBrowserWaitArguments(
+          options ?? {}
+        )
+        // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: agent-browser's wait --json answers the BrowserWaitResult shape.
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args, {
+          timeoutMs: processTimeoutMs,
+          timeoutError:
+            conditionTimeoutMs === undefined
+              ? undefined
+              : new BrowserError(
+                  'browser_timeout',
+                  `Timed out waiting for browser condition after ${conditionTimeoutMs}ms.`
+                )
+        })) as BrowserWaitResult
+      },
+      { elements: [options?.selector] }
+    )
   }
 
   async check(
@@ -88,10 +108,15 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserCheckResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      const args = checked ? ['check', element] : ['uncheck', element]
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args)) as BrowserCheckResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        const args = checked ? ['check', element] : ['uncheck', element]
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args)) as BrowserCheckResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async focus(
@@ -99,9 +124,14 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserFocusResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['focus', element])) as BrowserFocusResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['focus', element])) as BrowserFocusResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async clear(
@@ -122,7 +152,7 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
         await this.fillExplicitContentEditable(sessionName, element, '')
         return { cleared: element }
       },
-      { requireScopedTarget: true }
+      { requireScopedTarget: true, elements: [element] }
     )
   }
 
@@ -131,13 +161,18 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeInteractionCommands extends AgentBrowser
     worktreeId?: string,
     browserPageId?: string
   ): Promise<BrowserSelectAllResult> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['focus', element])
-      return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
-        'press',
-        'Control+a'
-      ])) as BrowserSelectAllResult
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['focus', element])
+        return (await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, [
+          'press',
+          'Control+a'
+        ])) as BrowserSelectAllResult
+      },
+      { elements: [element] }
+    )
   }
 
   async keypress(
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-queue.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-queue.ts
index 3617b129c80..f2bc07dec8f 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-queue.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-queue.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeQueue extends AgentBrowserBridgeShutdown
       browserPageId,
       options.requireScopedTarget
     )
+    if (!browserPageId && options.elements) {
+      this.assertRefsFromPage(pageId, options.elements)
+    }
     const sessionName = `${ORCA_TAB_SESSION_PREFIX}${pageId}`
     const agentCommand = this.browserManager.beginAgentCommand(pageId)
 
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state-commands.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state-commands.ts
index 01e12337f17..1eaa0ba4168 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state-commands.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state-commands.ts
@@ -263,10 +263,39 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeStateCommands extends AgentBrowserBridge
   }
 
   async exec(command: string, worktreeId?: string, browserPageId?: string): Promise<unknown> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      // Passthrough arguments must not override Orca's selected page or CDP proxy.
-      const args = stripAgentBrowserTargetArgs(parseShellArgs(command.trim()))
-      return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args, { cliArgv: true })
-    })
+    // Passthrough arguments must not override Orca's selected page or CDP proxy.
+    const args = stripAgentBrowserTargetArgs(parseShellArgs(command.trim()))
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, args, { cliArgv: true }),
+      { elements: passthroughElementArgs(args) }
+    )
   }
 }
+
+// Commands whose first operand is an element, where agent-browser reads a bare `e2` as a ref.
+const ELEMENT_FIRST_COMMANDS = new Set([
+  'click',
+  'dblclick',
+  'hover',
+  'focus',
+  'check',
+  'uncheck',
+  'fill',
+  'type',
+  'select',
+  'scrollintoview',
+  'upload',
+  'highlight',
+  'download',
+  'drag'
+])
+
+// Free text such as `keyboard type e2` is not a ref; explicit `@e2`/`ref=e2` are refs anywhere.
+function passthroughElementArgs([command, ...operands]: string[]): string[] {
+  const explicit = operands.filter((arg) => arg.startsWith('@') || arg.startsWith('ref='))
+  return command && ELEMENT_FIRST_COMMANDS.has(command) && operands[0]
+    ? [operands[0], ...explicit]
+    : explicit
+}
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state.ts
index da3fcdd4079..0d9c8d2cd2f 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-state.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeState {
   protected activeWebContentsId: number | null = null
   // A person's tab pick waiting for the agent's tab to go idle; the undefined key is the global target.
   protected readonly heldPersonSelections = new Map<string | undefined, number>()
+  // Each page has its own ref map; a worktree's unpinned refs belong to the page that last minted refs.
+  protected readonly refPageByWorktree = new Map<string | undefined, string>()
   protected readonly sessions = new Map<string, SessionState>()
   protected readonly commandQueues = new Map<string, QueuedCommand[]>()
   protected readonly processingQueues = new Set<string>()
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tab-routing.test.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tab-routing.test.ts
index 5911889c06e..df9db318fb3 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tab-routing.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tab-routing.test.ts
@@ -339,6 +339,48 @@ describe('AgentBrowserBridge', () => {
     ])
   })
 
+  it('rejects an unpinned ref from another tab snapshot until the current tab is snapshotted', async () => {
+    const tabs = new Map([
+      ['tab-a', 1],
+      ['tab-b', 2]
+    ])
+    const worktrees = new Map([
+      ['tab-a', 'wt-1'],
+      ['tab-b', 'wt-1']
+    ])
+    const wc1 = mockWebContents(1)
+    const wc2 = mockWebContents(2)
+    webContentsFromIdMock.mockImplementation((id: number) => (id === 1 ? wc1 : wc2))
+    const b = new AgentBrowserBridge(mockBrowserManager(tabs, worktrees))
+    b.setActiveTab(1, 'wt-1')
+    const clickSessions: string[] = []
+    answerAgentBrowserCommands(execFileMock, stdinWrites, (command, cb, args) => {
+      if (command[0] === 'click') {
+        clickSessions.push(args[args.indexOf('--session') + 1])
+      }
+      const data = command[0] === 'snapshot' ? { snapshot: '' } : {}
+      cb(null, JSON.stringify({ success: true, data }), '')
+    })
+
+    await b.snapshot('wt-1')
+    await b.tabSwitch(undefined, 'wt-1', 'tab-b')
+
+    await expect(b.click('@e2', 'wt-1')).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      code: 'browser_stale_ref',
+      message: expect.stringContaining(
+        'Run snapshot to get refs for page tab-b, or pass --page tab-a'
+      )
+    })
+    await expect(b.exec('click e2', 'wt-1')).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'browser_stale_ref' })
+    await b.exec('keyboard type e2', 'wt-1')
+    expect(clickSessions).toEqual([])
+
+    await b.click('@e2', undefined, 'tab-a')
+    await b.exec('snapshot -i', 'wt-1')
+    await b.click('@e2', 'wt-1')
+    expect(clickSessions).toEqual(['orca-tab-tab-a', 'orca-tab-tab-b'])
+  })
+
   it('queues tabSwitch behind in-flight commands on the current session', async () => {
     const tabs = new Map([
       ['tab-a', 1],
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tabs.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tabs.ts
index 047b7fd978b..61881d32abe 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tabs.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-tabs.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,38 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeTabs extends AgentBrowserBridgeState {
     }
   }
 
+  protected recordRefPage(browserPageId: string): void {
+    this.refPageByWorktree.set(
+      this.browserManager.getWorktreeIdForTab(browserPageId),
+      browserPageId
+    )
+  }
+
+  // Refs are numbered per page, so another page's ref would silently match an element here.
+  protected assertRefsFromPage(
+    browserPageId: string,
+    elements: readonly (string | undefined)[]
+  ): void {
+    const ref = elements.find((element) => element !== undefined && isSnapshotRef(element))
+    if (!ref) {
+      return
+    }
+    const snapshotPageId = this.refPageByWorktree.get(
+      this.browserManager.getWorktreeIdForTab(browserPageId)
+    )
+    if (!snapshotPageId || snapshotPageId === browserPageId) {
+      return
+    }
+    // The latest snapshot may have been a pinned look elsewhere, so the snapshot hint comes first.
+    const pinnedRetry = this.browserManager.getWebContentsIdByTabId().has(snapshotPageId)
+      ? `, or pass --page ${snapshotPageId} if ${ref} came from that page's snapshot`
+      : ''
+    throw new BrowserError(
+      'browser_stale_ref',
+      `The latest snapshot was of page ${snapshotPageId}, not the current tab (page ${browserPageId}), so ${ref} may point at the wrong element. Run snapshot to get refs for page ${browserPageId}${pinnedRetry}.`
+    )
+  }
+
   private isAgentUsingTab(webContentsId: number): boolean {
     const browserPageId = this.resolveTabIdSafe(webContentsId)
     return browserPageId !== null && this.browserManager.isAgentUsingPage(browserPageId)
@@ -296,3 +328,8 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeTabs extends AgentBrowserBridgeState {
 function routingKeys(worktreeId: string | undefined): (string | undefined)[] {
   return worktreeId ? [undefined, worktreeId] : [undefined]
 }
+
+// agent-browser reads `@e3`, `ref=e3` and bare `e3` as snapshot refs.
+function isSnapshotRef(element: string): boolean {
+  return /^(?:@|ref=)?e\d+$/.test(element)
+}
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-types.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-types.ts
index 0c77be5831d..f2834e34857 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-types.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-types.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ export type EnqueueTargetedCommandOptions = {
   ensureSession?: boolean
   // Text mutations must not fall back to a global tab from another worktree.
   requireScopedTarget?: boolean
+  // Element arguments that may be snapshot refs.
+  elements?: readonly (string | undefined)[]
 }
 
 export type AgentBrowserBridgeOptions = {
diff --git a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-utility-commands.ts b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-utility-commands.ts
index e36dd0c76d1..ab4326587cb 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-utility-commands.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/agent-browser-bridge-utility-commands.ts
@@ -113,45 +113,55 @@ export abstract class AgentBrowserBridgeUtilityCommands extends AgentBrowserBrid
       throw new BrowserError('invalid_argument', `--path must be an absolute path: ${savePath}`)
     }
     const replyDeadline = Date.now() + AGENT_DOWNLOAD_REPLY_DEADLINE_MS
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName, target) => {
-      await mkdir(path.dirname(savePath), { recursive: true })
-      const claim = this.browserManager.claimNextDownload(target.webContentsId, savePath)
-      try {
-        await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['click', selector])
-        if (!(await withTimeout(claim.started, AGENT_DOWNLOAD_START_TIMEOUT_MS, false))) {
-          throw new BrowserError(
-            'browser_download_not_started',
-            `Clicking ${selector} did not start a download within ${AGENT_DOWNLOAD_START_TIMEOUT_MS / 1000}s.`
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName, target) => {
+        await mkdir(path.dirname(savePath), { recursive: true })
+        const claim = this.browserManager.claimNextDownload(target.webContentsId, savePath)
+        try {
+          await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['click', selector])
+          if (!(await withTimeout(claim.started, AGENT_DOWNLOAD_START_TIMEOUT_MS, false))) {
+            throw new BrowserError(
+              'browser_download_not_started',
+              `Clicking ${selector} did not start a download within ${AGENT_DOWNLOAD_START_TIMEOUT_MS / 1000}s.`
+            )
+          }
+          const finished = await withTimeout(
+            claim.finished,
+            Math.max(0, replyDeadline - Date.now()),
+            null
           )
+          if (!finished) {
+            throw new BrowserError(
+              'browser_download_in_progress',
+              `The download is still in progress and will be saved to ${savePath}.`
+            )
+          }
+          if (finished.status !== 'completed') {
+            throw new BrowserError(
+              'browser_download_failed',
+              finished.error ?? `The download was ${finished.status}.`
+            )
+          }
+          return { path: savePath }
+        } finally {
+          claim.release()
         }
-        const finished = await withTimeout(
-          claim.finished,
-          Math.max(0, replyDeadline - Date.now()),
-          null
-        )
-        if (!finished) {
-          throw new BrowserError(
-            'browser_download_in_progress',
-            `The download is still in progress and will be saved to ${savePath}.`
-          )
-        }
-        if (finished.status !== 'completed') {
-          throw new BrowserError(
-            'browser_download_failed',
-            finished.error ?? `The download was ${finished.status}.`
-          )
-        }
-        return { path: savePath }
-      } finally {
-        claim.release()
-      }
-    })
+      },
+      { elements: [selector] }
+    )
   }
 
   async highlight(selector: string, worktreeId?: string, browserPageId?: string): Promise<unknown> {
-    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(worktreeId, browserPageId, async (sessionName) => {
-      return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['highlight', selector])
-    })
+    return this.enqueueTargetedCommand(
+      worktreeId,
+      browserPageId,
+      async (sessionName) => {
+        return await this.execAgentBrowser(sessionName, ['highlight', selector])
+      },
+      { elements: [selector] }
+    )
   }
 
   async back(worktreeId?: string, browserPageId?: string): Promise<BrowserBackResult> {