diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-bar-surface.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-bar-surface.tsx
index 6e1c49ddc94..c37597e2932 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-bar-surface.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-bar-surface.tsx
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ export function renderTabBarSurface({
               .join(' ')}
           >
             {renderedItems}
+            {/* Why: a short end inset keeps a last tab's close control off the chevron and fade. */}
+            <div data-tab-strip-end-pad="" aria-hidden className="pointer-events-none shrink-0" />
           </div>
           <TabStripScrollIndicator metrics={tabStripOverflowState} />
         </div>
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-active-tab-scroll.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-active-tab-scroll.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..28745773ad6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-active-tab-scroll.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  computeTabStripEndInset,
+  computeTabStripScrollLeft,
+  findLastTabStripTab,
+  isLastTabStripTab,
+  syncTabStripEndPad,
+  TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX
+} from './tab-strip-active-tab-scroll'
+
+function mockBox(
+  el: HTMLElement,
+  box: {
+    offsetLeft?: number
+    offsetWidth?: number
+    clientWidth?: number
+    scrollWidth?: number
+  }
+): void {
+  Object.defineProperties(el, {
+    offsetLeft: { configurable: true, value: box.offsetLeft ?? 0 },
+    offsetWidth: { configurable: true, value: box.offsetWidth ?? 0 },
+    clientWidth: { configurable: true, value: box.clientWidth ?? 0 },
+    scrollWidth: { configurable: true, value: box.scrollWidth ?? 0 }
+  })
+}
+
+describe('computeTabStripEndInset', () => {
+  it('is zero when tabs already fit', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripEndInset({
+        stripClientWidth: 400,
+        lastTabWidth: 180,
+        contentWidth: 360
+      })
+    ).toBe(0)
+  })
+
+  it('uses the fade-sized inset when the last tab overflows', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripEndInset({
+        stripClientWidth: 400,
+        lastTabWidth: 180,
+        contentWidth: 900
+      })
+    ).toBe(TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX)
+  })
+
+  it('shrinks the inset when the last tab almost fills the strip', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripEndInset({
+        stripClientWidth: 200,
+        lastTabWidth: 190,
+        contentWidth: 400
+      })
+    ).toBe(10)
+  })
+
+  it('is zero when the last tab is at least as wide as the strip', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripEndInset({
+        stripClientWidth: 180,
+        lastTabWidth: 180,
+        contentWidth: 400
+      })
+    ).toBe(0)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('computeTabStripScrollLeft', () => {
+  it('centers a last tab when trailing pad makes that scroll reachable', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripScrollLeft({
+        stripScrollWidth: 1010,
+        stripClientWidth: 400,
+        stripScrollLeft: 0,
+        tabOffsetLeft: 720,
+        tabWidth: 180,
+        inline: 'center'
+      })
+    ).toBe(610)
+  })
+
+  it('clamps a last-tab center to the end when there is no trailing pad', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripScrollLeft({
+        stripScrollWidth: 900,
+        stripClientWidth: 400,
+        stripScrollLeft: 0,
+        tabOffsetLeft: 720,
+        tabWidth: 180,
+        inline: 'center'
+      })
+    ).toBe(500)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a fully visible middle tab in place', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripScrollLeft({
+        stripScrollWidth: 900,
+        stripClientWidth: 400,
+        stripScrollLeft: 200,
+        tabOffsetLeft: 280,
+        tabWidth: 120,
+        inline: 'nearest'
+      })
+    ).toBe(200)
+  })
+
+  it('scrolls far enough that a clipped trailing tab clears the fade inset', () => {
+    expect(
+      computeTabStripScrollLeft({
+        stripScrollWidth: 900,
+        stripClientWidth: 400,
+        stripScrollLeft: 0,
+        tabOffsetLeft: 320,
+        tabWidth: 180,
+        inline: 'nearest'
+      })
+    ).toBe(320 + 180 - 400 + TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('tab strip last-tab helpers', () => {
+  it('treats the last data-tab-id node as the last tab and ignores the end pad', () => {
+    const strip = document.createElement('div')
+    const first = document.createElement('div')
+    first.setAttribute('data-tab-id', 'one')
+    const last = document.createElement('div')
+    last.setAttribute('data-tab-id', 'two')
+    const pad = document.createElement('div')
+    pad.setAttribute('data-tab-strip-end-pad', '')
+    strip.append(first, last, pad)
+
+    expect(findLastTabStripTab(strip)).toBe(last)
+    expect(isLastTabStripTab(strip, last)).toBe(true)
+    expect(isLastTabStripTab(strip, first)).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('sizes the end pad to the fade inset when the last tab overflows', () => {
+    const strip = document.createElement('div')
+    const last = document.createElement('div')
+    last.setAttribute('data-tab-id', 'end')
+    const pad = document.createElement('div')
+    pad.setAttribute('data-tab-strip-end-pad', '')
+    strip.append(last, pad)
+    mockBox(strip, { clientWidth: 400 })
+    mockBox(last, { offsetLeft: 720, offsetWidth: 180 })
+
+    expect(syncTabStripEndPad(strip)).toBe(TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX)
+    expect(pad.style.width).toBe(`${TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX}px`)
+  })
+
+  it('clears the end pad when every tab already fits', () => {
+    const strip = document.createElement('div')
+    const last = document.createElement('div')
+    last.setAttribute('data-tab-id', 'end')
+    const pad = document.createElement('div')
+    pad.setAttribute('data-tab-strip-end-pad', '')
+    pad.style.width = '110px'
+    strip.append(last, pad)
+    mockBox(strip, { clientWidth: 400 })
+    mockBox(last, { offsetLeft: 0, offsetWidth: 180 })
+
+    expect(syncTabStripEndPad(strip)).toBe(0)
+    expect(pad.style.width).toBe('0px')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-active-tab-scroll.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-active-tab-scroll.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e19012ff962
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-active-tab-scroll.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+export const TAB_STRIP_TAB_ID_SELECTOR = '[data-tab-id]'
+export const TAB_STRIP_END_PAD_ATTR = 'data-tab-strip-end-pad'
+
+// Why: matches the 1.5rem fade mask so nearest-reveal keeps the close control out of the fade.
+export const TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX = 24
+
+export function findLastTabStripTab(strip: ParentNode): HTMLElement | null {
+  const tabs = strip.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(TAB_STRIP_TAB_ID_SELECTOR)
+  return [...tabs].at(-1) ?? null
+}
+
+export function isLastTabStripTab(strip: ParentNode, tab: Element): boolean {
+  return findLastTabStripTab(strip) === tab
+}
+
+export function computeTabStripEndInset({
+  stripClientWidth,
+  lastTabWidth,
+  contentWidth
+}: {
+  stripClientWidth: number
+  lastTabWidth: number
+  contentWidth: number
+}): number {
+  if (stripClientWidth <= 0 || lastTabWidth <= 0 || contentWidth <= stripClientWidth) {
+    return 0
+  }
+  // Why: a half-viewport pad centered the last tab but hid earlier tabs and
+  // created a drop dead-zone; a fade-sized inset keeps the close control clear.
+  return Math.min(TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX, Math.max(0, stripClientWidth - lastTabWidth))
+}
+
+export function computeTabStripScrollLeft({
+  stripScrollWidth,
+  stripClientWidth,
+  stripScrollLeft,
+  tabOffsetLeft,
+  tabWidth,
+  inline
+}: {
+  stripScrollWidth: number
+  stripClientWidth: number
+  stripScrollLeft: number
+  tabOffsetLeft: number
+  tabWidth: number
+  inline: 'nearest' | 'center'
+}): number {
+  const maxScrollLeft = Math.max(0, stripScrollWidth - stripClientWidth)
+  if (inline === 'center') {
+    return clamp(tabOffsetLeft + tabWidth / 2 - stripClientWidth / 2, 0, maxScrollLeft)
+  }
+
+  const tabStart = tabOffsetLeft
+  const tabEnd = tabOffsetLeft + tabWidth
+  const viewStart = stripScrollLeft + TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX
+  const viewEnd = stripScrollLeft + stripClientWidth - TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX
+  if (tabStart >= viewStart && tabEnd <= viewEnd) {
+    return stripScrollLeft
+  }
+  if (tabEnd > viewEnd) {
+    return clamp(tabEnd - stripClientWidth + TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX, 0, maxScrollLeft)
+  }
+  return clamp(tabStart - TAB_STRIP_REVEAL_INSET_PX, 0, maxScrollLeft)
+}
+
+export function syncTabStripEndPad(strip: HTMLElement): number {
+  const lastTab = findLastTabStripTab(strip)
+  const pad = computeTabStripEndInset({
+    stripClientWidth: strip.clientWidth,
+    lastTabWidth: lastTab?.offsetWidth ?? 0,
+    contentWidth: lastTab ? lastTab.offsetLeft + lastTab.offsetWidth : 0
+  })
+  const spacer = strip.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`[${TAB_STRIP_END_PAD_ATTR}]`)
+  if (spacer) {
+    const nextWidth = `${pad}px`
+    if (spacer.style.width !== nextWidth) {
+      spacer.style.width = nextWidth
+    }
+  }
+  return pad
+}
+
+export function scrollTabStripTabIntoView(
+  strip: HTMLElement,
+  tab: HTMLElement,
+  inline: 'nearest' | 'center'
+): void {
+  strip.scrollLeft = computeTabStripScrollLeft({
+    stripScrollWidth: strip.scrollWidth,
+    stripClientWidth: strip.clientWidth,
+    stripScrollLeft: strip.scrollLeft,
+    tabOffsetLeft: tab.offsetLeft,
+    tabWidth: tab.offsetWidth,
+    inline
+  })
+}
+
+function clamp(value: number, min: number, max: number): number {
+  return Math.min(max, Math.max(min, value))
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-overflow-navigation.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-overflow-navigation.ts
index 77af550b748..682b8434d04 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-overflow-navigation.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/tab-bar/tab-strip-overflow-navigation.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ import {
   type TabStripScrollMetrics
 } from './tab-strip-scroll-metrics'
 import { isTabStripPointerGestureActive } from './tab-strip-pointer-gesture'
+import {
+  findLastTabStripTab,
+  scrollTabStripTabIntoView,
+  syncTabStripEndPad
+} from './tab-strip-active-tab-scroll'
 
 const TAB_STRIP_SCROLL_FRACTION = 0.75
 const TAB_STRIP_MIN_SCROLL_STEP_PX = 120
@@ -51,6 +56,8 @@ export function useTabStripOverflowNavigation({
   const tabStripRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const prevStripLenRef = useRef<{ worktreeId: string; len: number } | null>(null)
   const stickToEndRef = useRef(false)
+  const activeVisibleTabIdRef = useRef(activeVisibleTabId)
+  activeVisibleTabIdRef.current = activeVisibleTabId
   const [tabStripOverflowState, setTabStripOverflowState] = useState<TabStripScrollMetrics>(
     EMPTY_TAB_STRIP_OVERFLOW_STATE
   )
@@ -109,6 +116,7 @@ export function useTabStripOverflowNavigation({
     onScroll()
 
     const handleStripResize = (): void => {
+      syncTabStripEndPad(el)
       updateTabStripOverflowState()
       // If the user is pinned to the right edge, keep it pinned even as tab
       // labels (e.g. "Terminal 5" -> branch name) expand and change scrollWidth.
@@ -138,6 +146,7 @@ export function useTabStripOverflowNavigation({
     }
     if (!prev || prev.worktreeId !== worktreeId) {
       prevStripLenRef.current = { worktreeId, len: tabCount }
+      syncTabStripEndPad(strip)
       updateTabStripOverflowState()
       return
     }
@@ -148,6 +157,7 @@ export function useTabStripOverflowNavigation({
         if (!el) {
           return
         }
+        syncTabStripEndPad(el)
         el.scrollLeft = Math.max(0, el.scrollWidth - el.clientWidth)
         updateTabStripOverflowState()
       }
@@ -155,17 +165,28 @@ export function useTabStripOverflowNavigation({
       requestAnimationFrame(scrollToEnd)
     }
     if (tabCount > prev.len && !pointerGestureActive) {
-      const scrollToEnd = (): void => {
+      const revealNewEndTab = (): void => {
         const el = tabStripRef.current
         if (!el) {
           return
         }
-        el.scrollLeft = Math.max(0, el.scrollWidth - el.clientWidth)
-        stickToEndRef.current = true
+        syncTabStripEndPad(el)
+        const lastTab = findLastTabStripTab(el)
+        const activeId = activeVisibleTabIdRef.current
+        const activeTab =
+          activeId == null
+            ? null
+            : el.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`[data-tab-id="${CSS.escape(activeId)}"]`)
+        // Why: only a newly opened last tab should pin to the end; a restored
+        // mid-strip tab must not yank the viewport to the last tab.
+        if (lastTab && (activeTab == null || lastTab === activeTab)) {
+          scrollTabStripTabIntoView(el, lastTab, 'center')
+          stickToEndRef.current = true
+        }
         updateTabStripOverflowState()
       }
-      scrollToEnd()
-      requestAnimationFrame(scrollToEnd)
+      revealNewEndTab()
+      requestAnimationFrame(revealNewEndTab)
     }
     prevStripLenRef.current = { worktreeId, len: tabCount }
     updateTabStripOverflowState()
@@ -189,7 +210,8 @@ export function useTabStripOverflowNavigation({
       requestAnimationFrame(updateTabStripOverflowState)
       return
     }
-    activeTab.scrollIntoView({ block: 'nearest', inline: 'nearest' })
+    syncTabStripEndPad(strip)
+    scrollTabStripTabIntoView(strip, activeTab, 'nearest')
     requestAnimationFrame(updateTabStripOverflowState)
   }, [activeVisibleTabId, updateTabStripOverflowState])