diff --git a/components/popout/__tests__/popout-host.test.tsx b/components/popout/__tests__/popout-host.test.tsx
index 239f3045c..dcdb2e036 100644
--- a/components/popout/__tests__/popout-host.test.tsx
+++ b/components/popout/__tests__/popout-host.test.tsx
@@ -122,28 +122,37 @@ describe('PopoutHost', () => {
     expect(JSON.stringify(heard)).not.toContain('Bearer main');
   });
 
-  it('gives no credentials while the app is locked, also to a pop-out that never heard of the lock', async () => {
+  it('gives no credentials while the app is locked, to a pop-out that never heard of the lock', async () => {
     render(<PopoutHost />);
     await settle();
     setLockedHere(true);
-    const channel = openPopoutChannel(() => {});
     const opener = await createSessionOpener();
-    channel?.post({ type: 'session-request', requestId: 'r1', publicKey: opener.publicKey });
+    popout.post({ type: 'session-request', requestId: 'r1', publicKey: opener.publicKey });
     await settle();
-    channel?.close();
     expect(answers()).toEqual([]);
-    await expect(requestWindowSession({}, 100)).resolves.toBeNull();
     setLockedHere(false);
-    await expect(requestWindowSession({}, 2000)).resolves.toMatchObject({ activeAccountId: 'alice' });
+    popout.post({ type: 'session-request', requestId: 'r2', publicKey: opener.publicKey });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(answers()).toHaveLength(1));
   });
 
-  it('a locked pop-out takes no session from the cookies either', async () => {
+  it('a locked pop-out doesn\'t ask for a session', async () => {
+    setLockedHere(true);
+    await expect(requestWindowSession({}, 100)).resolves.toBeNull();
+    setLockedHere(false);
+    expect(heard.filter((message) => message.type === 'session-request')).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('a locked pop-out takes no session from the cookies either, and asks nobody', async () => {
+    const fetched = vi.fn(async () => new Response('{}'));
+    vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetched);
     setLockedHere(true);
     try {
-      await expect(useAuthStore.getState().startSharedSession({})).resolves.toBe('no-session');
+      await expect(useAuthStore.getState().startSharedSession({ accountId: 'alice' })).resolves.toBe('no-session');
     } finally {
       setLockedHere(false);
     }
+    expect(fetched).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(useAuthStore.getState().client).not.toBeNull();
   });
 
   it('says nothing while it has no session to lend, so a pop-out goes on to the cookies', async () => {
diff --git a/lib/app-lock/__tests__/controller.test.ts b/lib/app-lock/__tests__/controller.test.ts
index 1c6a03da4..958875a38 100644
--- a/lib/app-lock/__tests__/controller.test.ts
+++ b/lib/app-lock/__tests__/controller.test.ts
@@ -197,6 +197,14 @@ describe('while locked', () => {
     expect(isAppLockedNow()).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it('a running page isn\'t held back while it saves: composers stay mounted until the reload', async () => {
+    await enableAppLock(PIN);
+    let holdDuringSave: Promise<void> | null | undefined;
+    registerComposeFlush(async () => { holdDuringSave = appLockHold(); });
+    await lockedAndReloaded();
+    expect(holdDuringSave).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it('notifications go by it: the check the OS code asks says locked', async () => {
     await enableAppLock(PIN);
     asNewDocument();
@@ -286,15 +294,23 @@ describe('locking', () => {
 });
 
 describe('the store when a tab inherits it without the key', () => {
-  it('locks everywhere instead of opening or writing an unwrapped key', async () => {
+  it('asks for the lock instead of opening, or writing a key outside the layer', async () => {
     await enableAppLock(PIN);
+    // This tab has no key: the one that had it went.
     resetAppLockForTests();
+    (window.navigator.locks.query as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockResolvedValue({ held: [{ name: 'bulwark-app-lock-holder' }], pending: [] });
+    (window.navigator.locks.request as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => {}));
     bootAppLock();
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(getAppLockPhase()).toBe('locked'));
-    const layers = () => appLockKeyLayers();
-    expect(layers).toThrow(expect.objectContaining({ name: 'StoreKeyLayerMissingError' }));
-    // A new account can't get a key record outside the layer either.
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(getAppLockPhase()).toBe('open'));
+    const onKeyLocked = vi.fn();
+    configureStore({ ...hooks, onKeyLocked });
+    await expect(getStore().ensureOpen('new-account', { apiUrl: 'x' } as never).then(async () => {
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 20));
+      await getStore().ensureOpen('new-account');
+    })).rejects.toMatchObject({ name: 'StoreKeyLayerMissingError' });
+    expect(onKeyLocked).toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(await getAccountRecord('new-account')).toBeNull();
+    expect(lastWorker().posted.some((m) => m.kind === 'open')).toBe(false);
   });
 
   it('a new account after unlock gets its key under the lock', async () => {
diff --git a/lib/app-lock/controller.ts b/lib/app-lock/controller.ts
index 46c71533c..cf1b5fb69 100644
--- a/lib/app-lock/controller.ts
+++ b/lib/app-lock/controller.ts
@@ -366,7 +366,6 @@ async function applyLockHere(): Promise<void> {
   const wasRunning = phase === 'open';
   setLockedHere(true);
   markDocument(true);
-  hold ??= newHold();
   setPhase('locking');
   tellDesktopLocked();
   tellServiceWorker('locked');
@@ -699,7 +698,7 @@ export function startAppLock(): () => void {
     startIdle();
     if (!heldKey) watchHolder();
   }
-  tellServiceWorker(readAppLockFile().on ? (isAppLockedNow() ? 'locked' : 'unlocked') : 'off');
+  if (readAppLockFile().on) tellServiceWorker(isAppLockedNow() ? 'locked' : 'unlocked');
   return () => {
     channel?.close();
     window.removeEventListener('storage', onStorage);