diff --git a/components/ui/dialog.tsx b/components/ui/dialog.tsx
index 531caca5e..266f4f357 100644
--- a/components/ui/dialog.tsx
+++ b/components/ui/dialog.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useEffect, useId, useRef, type ReactNode, type RefObject, type FormEvent } from "react";
+import { useId, useRef, type ReactNode, type RefObject, type FormEvent } from "react";
 import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { useTranslations } from "next-intl";
 import { useFocusTrap } from "@/hooks/use-focus-trap";
@@ -91,23 +91,18 @@ export function Dialog({
   const id = useId();
   const titleId = `${id}-title`;
   const descriptionId = `${id}-description`;
-  const panelRef = useFocusTrap({ isActive: isOpen, onEscape: onClose, restoreFocus: true });
+  // The focus starts on an explicit target, else the first field, else
+  // the first control.
+  const panelRef = useFocusTrap({
+    isActive: isOpen,
+    onEscape: onClose,
+    restoreFocus: true,
+    initialFocus: () => initialFocus?.current ?? panelRef.current?.querySelector<HTMLElement>(FIELD_SELECTOR),
+  });
   // A press that started on the backdrop, so a text selection dragged out of
   // a field and released outside doesn't count as an outside click.
   const pressedOnBackdrop = useRef(false);
 
-  // The focus trap has put the focus on the first control; a field or an
-  // explicit target is the better start.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isOpen) return;
-    const panel = panelRef.current;
-    if (!panel) return;
-    const target = initialFocus?.current ?? panel.querySelector<HTMLElement>(FIELD_SELECTOR);
-    target?.focus();
-    // Only on open: a later render must not pull the focus back.
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [isOpen]);
-
   if (!isOpen || typeof document === "undefined") return null;
 
   const blockOutside = preventOutsideClose || dirty;
diff --git a/hooks/use-focus-trap.ts b/hooks/use-focus-trap.ts
index ae3837178..b6ef9b684 100644
--- a/hooks/use-focus-trap.ts
+++ b/hooks/use-focus-trap.ts
@@ -8,12 +8,15 @@ interface UseFocusTrapOptions {
   isActive: boolean;
   onEscape?: () => void;
   restoreFocus?: boolean;
+  /** Where the focus goes on open, instead of the first focusable element. */
+  initialFocus?: () => HTMLElement | null | undefined;
 }
 
 export function useFocusTrap({
   isActive,
   onEscape,
   restoreFocus = true,
+  initialFocus,
 }: UseFocusTrapOptions) {
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const previousActiveElement = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
@@ -22,8 +25,10 @@ export function useFocusTrap({
   // focus back to the opener and then to the first element, out of the field
   // the user was typing in whenever the page behind rendered again.
   const onEscapeRef = useRef(onEscape);
+  const initialFocusRef = useRef(initialFocus);
   useEffect(() => {
     onEscapeRef.current = onEscape;
+    initialFocusRef.current = initialFocus;
   });
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -57,12 +62,9 @@ export function useFocusTrap({
     };
     container.addEventListener('focusin', handleFocusIn);
 
-    // Focus first element
-    const focusableElements = getFocusableElements();
-    const firstElement = focusableElements[0];
-    if (firstElement) {
-      firstElement.focus();
-    }
+    // Focus the requested element, else the first one
+    const target = initialFocusRef.current?.() ?? getFocusableElements()[0];
+    target?.focus();
 
     // Handle Tab key to trap focus
     const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {