diff --git a/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/browser-client-page-queries.ts b/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/browser-client-page-queries.ts
index 07b6c157b09..98509e9c4ca 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/browser-client-page-queries.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/browser-client-page-queries.ts
@@ -158,11 +158,12 @@ export async function yieldClientPageSelection(
   worktree: string | undefined
 ): Promise<void> {
   const pages = host.getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry()
+  if (worktree) {
+    pages.yieldSelection((await host.resolveBrowserWorkspace(worktree)).id)
+    return
+  }
   pages.deactivateGlobal()
-  const workspaceIds = worktree
-    ? [(await host.resolveBrowserWorkspace(worktree)).id]
-    : [...new Set(pages.listPages().map((page) => page.workspaceId))]
-  for (const workspaceId of workspaceIds) {
+  for (const workspaceId of new Set(pages.listPages().map((page) => page.workspaceId))) {
     pages.deactivateWorkspace(workspaceId)
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/orca-runtime-browser.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/orca-runtime-browser.test.ts
index 35465319fc9..57e0e6f0245 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/orca-runtime-browser.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/orca-runtime-browser.test.ts
@@ -191,4 +191,42 @@ describe('RuntimeBrowserCommands browser screencast', () => {
     expect(waitForTabRegistrationMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('page-new')
     expect(bridge.setActiveTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith(101, 'wt-1')
   })
+  // Pageless agent commands prefer an active client page; an agent's new server tab must take that over.
+  it('moves the workspace selection off a client page when a server tab is created', async () => {
+    const { RuntimeBrowserCommands } = await import('../commands/browser-commands')
+    const pages = new RuntimeBrowserPageRegistry()
+    pages.publishClientPage({
+      browserPageId: 'user-page',
+      workspaceId: 'wt-1',
+      browserProfileId: 'default',
+      executionHostKey: 'local',
+      placement: {
+        kind: 'client',
+        browserHostClientId: 'desktop-1',
+        browserHostGeneration: 1,
+        pageHostGeneration: 1
+      },
+      url: 'https://user.example/',
+      loading: false,
+      active: true
+    })
+    const bridge = {
+      getRegisteredTabs: vi.fn(() => new Map([['agent-page', 102]])),
+      setActiveTab: vi.fn()
+    }
+    const offscreen = { createTab: vi.fn(async () => ({ browserPageId: 'agent-page' })) }
+    const host = createHost({
+      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: create reaches only these two bridge methods.
+      getAgentBrowserBridge: () => bridge as unknown as AgentBrowserBridge,
+      getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry: () => pages,
+      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: create reaches only createTab.
+      getOffscreenBrowserBackend: () => offscreen as never
+    })
+    const commands = new RuntimeBrowserCommands(host)
+
+    await commands.browserTabCreate({ worktree: 'id:wt-1', url: 'https://agent.example/' })
+
+    expect(bridge.setActiveTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith(102, 'wt-1')
+    expect(pages.listPages('wt-1').find((page) => page.active)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/runtime-browser-page-registry.ts b/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/runtime-browser-page-registry.ts
index 519ed9d37d9..a7fb5cb373d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/runtime-browser-page-registry.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/browser/client-pages/runtime-browser-page-registry.ts
@@ -199,6 +199,14 @@ export class RuntimeBrowserPageRegistry {
     this.globalActivePageId = null
   }
 
+  /** An engine tab took the selection; unscoped creates and switches move only the global pick. */
+  yieldSelection(workspaceId: string | undefined): void {
+    this.deactivateGlobal()
+    if (workspaceId !== undefined) {
+      this.deactivateWorkspace(workspaceId)
+    }
+  }
+
   deactivateWorkspace(workspaceId: string): void {
     for (const [browserPageId, page] of this.pages) {
       if (page.workspaceId === workspaceId && page.active) {
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-create-publication.ts b/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-create-publication.ts
index 08ba33d6c28..9d6401abb34 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-create-publication.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-create-publication.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { AgentBrowserBridge } from '../../../browser/agent-browser/agent-browser-bridge'
+import type { RuntimeBrowserPageRegistry } from '../client-pages/runtime-browser-page-registry'
 import {
   navigationTargetsHost,
   resolveRuntimeNavigationTarget,
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ type BrowserTabCreatePublicationBridge = Pick<
 
 export type BrowserTabCreatePublicationHost = {
   getAgentBrowserBridge(): BrowserTabCreatePublicationBridge | null
+  getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry(): Pick<RuntimeBrowserPageRegistry, 'yieldSelection'>
   markHeadlessBrowserSessionTabActive?(
     worktreeId: string | undefined,
     browserPageId: string,
@@ -194,6 +196,11 @@ export function publishCreatedBrowserSessionTab(
       ?.getRegisteredTabs(publication.worktreeId)
       .get(publication.browserPageId)
     if (bridge && webContentsId != null) {
+      // Pageless commands prefer an active client page, so the new engine tab must take over from it.
+      // Yield first so the bridge's own tabs-changed publication carries the cleared client row.
+      if (publication.focus.startsActive) {
+        host.getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry().yieldSelection(publication.worktreeId)
+      }
       bridge.setActiveTab(webContentsId, publication.worktreeId)
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-queries.ts b/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-queries.ts
index 51f31bdbe76..5f6deea8b96 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-queries.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/browser/tabs/browser-tab-queries.ts
@@ -166,10 +166,7 @@ export class RuntimeBrowserTabQueries {
           ? (await this.host.resolveBrowserWorkspace(params.worktree)).id
           : undefined
     const result = await bridge.tabSwitch(undefined, worktreeId, selected.browserPageId)
-    this.host.getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry().deactivateGlobal()
-    if (worktreeId) {
-      this.host.getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry().deactivateWorkspace(worktreeId)
-    }
+    this.host.getRuntimeBrowserPageRegistry().yieldSelection(worktreeId)
     // Scope focus to the owning worktree; never switch the user's workspace.
     const focusWorktreeId =
       worktreeId ?? browserManager.getWorktreeIdForTab(result.browserPageId) ?? undefined