diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/ForkWorkspaceBanner.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/ForkWorkspaceBanner.svelte
index c37370bcb0..9ab0dfa744 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/ForkWorkspaceBanner.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/ForkWorkspaceBanner.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-	import { workspaceStore, userWorkspaces } from '$lib/stores'
+	import { workspaceStore, userWorkspaces, userStore, type UserExt } from '$lib/stores'
 	import { ScriptService } from '$lib/gen'
 	import type { WorkspaceComparison } from '$lib/gen'
 	import { fetchWorkspaceComparison } from '$lib/workspaceComparison'
@@ -26,12 +26,25 @@
 	// prefix) also avoids a parentless "Fork of ()" banner when the linkage is dropped.
 	let isFork = $derived(parentWorkspaceId != null)
 	let isDevWorkspace = $derived(currentWorkspaceData?.is_dev_workspace ?? false)
+	// Operators run scripts and flows, they never deploy a fork, so the banner and
+	// its CTA are noise for them. Gates the fetches too, not just the markup: the
+	// fork/parent comparison is an expensive tally no operator can act on.
+	//
+	// Only a role fetched for the workspace we are on answers this. `$workspaceStore`
+	// flips synchronously on a switch while `$userStore` still holds the workspace we
+	// left, so trusting it unqualified would flash the banner at (and start the tally
+	// for) an operator entering a fork from a workspace where they are not one.
+	function isConfirmedNonOperator(user: UserExt | undefined, ws: string | undefined): boolean {
+		return !!user && !!ws && user.workspace_id === ws && !user.operator
+	}
+	let isNotOperator = $derived(isConfirmedNonOperator($userStore, $workspaceStore))
+	let showBanner = $derived(isFork && isNotOperator)
 
 	// Drafts in this fork. When the fork is otherwise in sync with its parent, a
 	// user with only pending drafts should still get the draft CTA (mirrors the
-	// non-fork WorkspaceDraftsBanner). Pass undefined when not a fork so it doesn't
-	// fetch.
-	const drafts = useWorkspaceDrafts(() => (isFork ? ($workspaceStore ?? undefined) : undefined))
+	// non-fork WorkspaceDraftsBanner). Pass undefined when the banner is hidden so
+	// it doesn't fetch.
+	const drafts = useWorkspaceDrafts(() => (showBanner ? ($workspaceStore ?? undefined) : undefined))
 	const draftCount = $derived(drafts.count)
 
 	// Every read of `comparison` that decides what the banner says or where its button
@@ -63,10 +76,12 @@
 		resetCiTestSummary()
 	}
 
+	// `isNotOperator` is a dependency of its own: it only turns true once this
+	// workspace's role has landed, which is after the switch that triggered it.
 	$effect(() => {
-		;[$workspaceStore, parentWorkspaceId]
+		;[$workspaceStore, parentWorkspaceId, isNotOperator]
 		untrack(() => {
-			if (isFork && $workspaceStore) {
+			if (showBanner && $workspaceStore) {
 				checkForChanges()
 			} else {
 				dropComparison()
@@ -75,7 +90,7 @@
 	})
 
 	onMount(() => {
-		if (isFork && $workspaceStore) {
+		if (showBanner && $workspaceStore) {
 			checkForChanges()
 		} else {
 			dropComparison()
@@ -229,7 +244,7 @@
 	}
 </script>
 
-{#if isFork}
+{#if showBanner}
 	<!-- Side padding mirrors the page content container below, so the banner
 	     stays aligned with it instead of bleeding to the viewport edges. -->
 	<div class="w-full text-xs max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-8 pt-2">
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/stores.ts b/frontend/src/lib/stores.ts
index 3761e291dd..0058cc8dd0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/stores.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/stores.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ import { DEFAULT_HUB_BASE_URL } from './hub'
 import type { DbManagerUriState } from './components/dbManagerDrawerModel.svelte'
 
 export interface UserExt {
+	// Workspace this membership was fetched for. `$workspaceStore` flips
+	// synchronously on a switch while the new `whoami` is still in flight, so a
+	// consumer whose behavior depends on the role must compare this against the
+	// active workspace rather than read a role that still describes the previous one.
+	workspace_id: string
 	email: string
 	name?: string
 	username: string
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/user.ts b/frontend/src/lib/user.ts
index aaca893636..cbeb0ccccf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/user.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/user.ts
@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@ import type { UserExt } from './stores.js'
 export async function getUserExt(workspace: string): Promise<UserExt | undefined> {
 	try {
 		const user = await UserService.whoami({ workspace })
-		return mapUserToUserExt(user)
+		return mapUserToUserExt(user, workspace)
 	} catch (error) {
 		return undefined
 	}
 }
 
-function mapUserToUserExt(user: User): UserExt {
+function mapUserToUserExt(user: User, workspace: string): UserExt {
 	const ext: UserExt = {
 		...user,
+		workspace_id: workspace,
 		groups: user.groups!,
 		pgroups: user.groups!.map((x) => `g/${x}`)
 	}
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/+layout.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/+layout.svelte
index a88184ed62..ecb7b6c39b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/+layout.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/+layout.svelte
@@ -307,6 +307,13 @@
 				}
 			}
 			const user = await getUserExt(workspace)
+			// Every workspace change starts a fetch without cancelling the one before it,
+			// so a slow response can land after a faster one for the workspace the user
+			// has since moved to. The store must describe the active workspace: letting a
+			// superseded response write would leave every role gate reading the one we left.
+			if ($workspaceStore !== workspace) {
+				return
+			}
 			if (!deepEqual(user, $userStore)) {
 				userStore.set(user)
 			}
@@ -628,8 +635,15 @@
 			timeout = undefined
 		} else if (!u) {
 			timeout = setTimeout(async () => {
-				if (!$userStore && $workspaceStore) {
-					$userStore = await getUserExt($workspaceStore)
+				const ws = $workspaceStore
+				if (!$userStore && ws) {
+					const user = await getUserExt(ws)
+					// Recovers the workspace that was left without a role. A switch
+					// mid-flight has already started the fetch for the new one, so this
+					// answer describes the workspace we left.
+					if ($workspaceStore === ws) {
+						$userStore = user
+					}
 				}
 			}, 5000)
 		}
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/(root)/+layout.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/(root)/+layout.svelte
index 6fbffda21d..1f7a813eac 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/(root)/+layout.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/(root)/+layout.svelte
@@ -130,10 +130,18 @@
 				if ($userStore) {
 					console.log(`Welcome back ${$userStore.username} to ${$workspaceStore}`)
 				} else {
-					$userStore = await getUserExt($workspaceStore)
-					if (!$userStore) {
+					const ws = $workspaceStore
+					const user = await getUserExt(ws)
+					// A switch mid-flight means this answers for the workspace we left, and
+					// that switch has already started the fetch answering for the active
+					// one: neither this role nor its failure describes where we are now.
+					if ($workspaceStore !== ws) {
+						return
+					}
+					if (!user) {
 						throw Error('Not logged in')
 					}
+					$userStore = user
 				}
 			} else {
 				if (
@@ -240,7 +248,11 @@
 
 					if (workspace && user) {
 						const newUser = await getUserExt(workspace)
-						if (!deepEqual(newUser, $userStore)) {
+						// Refreshes the workspace that was active when the tick started; a
+						// switch mid-flight makes this answer describe the one we left.
+						if ($workspaceStore !== workspace) {
+							console.debug('workspace changed during user refresh, dropping')
+						} else if (!deepEqual(newUser, $userStore)) {
 							userStore.set(newUser)
 							console.info('refreshed user')
 						} else {