diff --git a/components/email/__tests__/email-hover-actions-placement.test.tsx b/components/email/__tests__/email-hover-actions-placement.test.tsx
index 6a7b0ba13..4130b8c55 100644
--- a/components/email/__tests__/email-hover-actions-placement.test.tsx
+++ b/components/email/__tests__/email-hover-actions-placement.test.tsx
@@ -37,3 +37,15 @@ describe('row quick action placement', () => {
     expect(el.className).not.toContain('h-10');
   });
 });
+
+// Clicking a row focuses the row, so group-focus-within kept the actions on
+// the open message after the pointer left it. Only keyboard focus on a control
+// inside the row may show them.
+describe('row quick action visibility', () => {
+  it.each(['inline', 'floating'])('shows the %s actions on hover and keyboard focus only', (mode) => {
+    useSettingsStore.setState({ hoverActionsMode: mode } as never);
+    const classes = toolbar().className.split(/\s+/);
+    expect(classes).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(['hidden', 'group-hover:flex', 'group-has-[:focus-visible]:flex']));
+    expect(classes).not.toContain('group-focus-within:flex');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/components/email/__tests__/thread-list-item.test.tsx b/components/email/__tests__/thread-list-item.test.tsx
index 089fc98dd..64210cc04 100644
--- a/components/email/__tests__/thread-list-item.test.tsx
+++ b/components/email/__tests__/thread-list-item.test.tsx
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ describe('ThreadListItem hover actions', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTestId('hover-action-delete')).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
-  // Tabbing to a row's checkbox shows them too (group-focus-within), so they
+  // Tabbing to a row's checkbox shows them too (group-has-[:focus-visible]), so they
   // have to be there without a pointer.
   it.each([
     ['a single message', () => groupEmailsByThread([makeEmail()])[0]],
diff --git a/components/email/email-hover-actions.tsx b/components/email/email-hover-actions.tsx
index 7aef1a4a4..53628952a 100644
--- a/components/email/email-hover-actions.tsx
+++ b/components/email/email-hover-actions.tsx
@@ -318,8 +318,10 @@ export function EmailHoverActions({
 
   // While the picker is open the row is no longer hovered, so the toolbar has to
   // stay mounted and visible or the picker would close under its own anchor.
-  // Shown on keyboard focus too (R7), not only on hover.
-  const visibilityClass = tagPickerPos ? "flex" : "hidden group-hover:flex group-focus-within:flex";
+  // Shown on keyboard focus too (R7), not only on hover. Only a control inside
+  // the row counts, and only from the keyboard: a click focuses the row itself
+  // (or the button clicked), and focus-within kept the toolbar on the open row.
+  const visibilityClass = tagPickerPos ? "flex" : "hidden group-hover:flex group-has-[:focus-visible]:flex";
 
   if (hoverActionsMode === 'floating') {
     return (