diff --git a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.test.tsx b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.test.tsx
index c95da914201..e4b3856a5d3 100644
--- a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.test.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * @vitest-environment jsdom
  */
 import { act } from 'react'
+import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { OrganizationChat } from '@/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/hooks'
@@ -9,7 +10,16 @@ import type { OrganizationChat } from '@/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organ
 const hoverState = vi.hoisted(() => ({ isOpen: false }))
 
 vi.mock('next/link', () => ({
-  default: ({ href, children, ...props }: { href: string; children: React.ReactNode }) => (
+  default: ({
+    href,
+    children,
+    prefetch: _prefetch,
+    ...props
+  }: {
+    href: string
+    children: React.ReactNode
+    prefetch?: boolean
+  }) => (
     <a href={href} {...props}>
       {children}
     </a>
@@ -36,6 +46,8 @@ const CHATS: OrganizationChat[] = Array.from({ length: 8 }, (_, index) => ({
 
 let container: HTMLDivElement
 let root: Root
+let queryClient: QueryClient
+let prefetchQuery: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   ;(globalThis as { IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT?: boolean }).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true
@@ -48,6 +60,8 @@ beforeEach(() => {
     }
   )
   hoverState.isOpen = false
+  queryClient = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false } } })
+  prefetchQuery = vi.spyOn(queryClient, 'prefetchQuery').mockResolvedValue()
   container = document.createElement('div')
   document.body.appendChild(container)
   root = createRoot(container)
@@ -56,22 +70,25 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 afterEach(async () => {
   await act(async () => root.unmount())
   container.remove()
+  queryClient.clear()
   vi.unstubAllGlobals()
 })
 
 async function render(props: Partial<Parameters<typeof ChatsSection>[0]> = {}) {
   await act(async () => {
     root.render(
-      <ChatsSection
-        chats={CHATS}
-        isLoading={false}
-        isCollapsed={false}
-        pathname={null}
-        menuOpenHref={null}
-        onContextMenu={() => {}}
-        onMoreClick={() => {}}
-        {...props}
-      />
+      <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
+        <ChatsSection
+          chats={CHATS}
+          isLoading={false}
+          isCollapsed={false}
+          pathname={null}
+          menuOpenHref={null}
+          onContextMenu={() => {}}
+          onMoreClick={() => {}}
+          {...props}
+        />
+      </QueryClientProvider>
     )
   })
 }
@@ -103,6 +120,28 @@ describe('ChatsSection', () => {
     await act(async () => button?.click())
 
     expect(onMoreClick).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), '/o/org-1/chat/chat-2')
+    expect(prefetchQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it.each([false, true])(
+    'prefetches focused destination history with collapsed=%s',
+    async (isCollapsed) => {
+      hoverState.isOpen = isCollapsed
+      await render({ isCollapsed })
+      prefetchQuery.mockClear()
+      const link = document.body.querySelector<HTMLAnchorElement>('a[href="/o/org-1/chat/chat-3"]')!
+      await act(async () => link.focus())
+      expect(prefetchQuery).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ queryKey: ['mothership-chats', 'detail', 'chat-3'] })
+      )
+    }
+  )
+
+  it('does not prefetch the active conversation', async () => {
+    await render({ pathname: '/o/org-1/chat/chat-3' })
+    const link = container.querySelector<HTMLAnchorElement>('a[href="/o/org-1/chat/chat-3"]')!
+    await act(async () => link.focus())
+    expect(prefetchQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
   it('shows the empty state when there are no chats', async () => {
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.tsx b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.tsx
index 042bca94ad8..351afadfeae 100644
--- a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.tsx
+++ b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/components/chats-section/chats-section.tsx
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 import { chipVariants, cn, DropdownMenuItem, Loader, OverflowText, Skeleton } from '@sim/emcn'
 import { MoreHorizontal, Pin, Task } from '@sim/emcn/icons'
-import Link from 'next/link'
 import type { OrganizationChat } from '@/app/o/[organizationId]/components/organization-sidebar/hooks'
 import { ConversationListItem } from '@/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/components'
 import {
+  ChatNavigationLink,
   CollapsedSidebarMenu,
   SidebarSection,
 } from '@/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/components/sidebar/components'
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ function ChatRow({ chat, isCurrentRoute, isMenuOpen, onContextMenu, onMoreClick
   const showStatusDot = Boolean(chat.isActive) || (!isCurrentRoute && Boolean(chat.isUnread))
 
   return (
-    <Link
+    <ChatNavigationLink
       href={chat.href}
+      chatId={chat.id}
+      isCurrentRoute={isCurrentRoute}
       className={chipVariants({ active: isCurrentRoute || isMenuOpen, fullWidth: true })}
       onContextMenu={(e) => onContextMenu(e, chat.href)}
     >
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ function ChatRow({ chat, isCurrentRoute, isMenuOpen, onContextMenu, onMoreClick
           <MoreHorizontal className='size-[14px] text-[var(--text-icon)]' />
         </button>
       </div>
-    </Link>
+    </ChatNavigationLink>
   )
 }
 
@@ -140,13 +142,18 @@ export function ChatsSection({
                 const isCurrentRoute = pathname === chat.href
                 return (
                   <DropdownMenuItem key={chat.id} asChild active={isCurrentRoute}>
-                    <Link href={chat.href} onContextMenu={(e) => onContextMenu(e, chat.href)}>
+                    <ChatNavigationLink
+                      href={chat.href}
+                      chatId={chat.id}
+                      isCurrentRoute={isCurrentRoute}
+                      onContextMenu={(e) => onContextMenu(e, chat.href)}
+                    >
                       <ConversationListItem
                         title={chat.name}
                         isActive={Boolean(chat.isActive)}
                         isUnread={Boolean(chat.isUnread) && !isCurrentRoute}
                       />
-                    </Link>
+                    </ChatNavigationLink>
                   </DropdownMenuItem>
                 )
               })
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/components/composer/composer.tsx b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/components/composer/composer.tsx
index e0992209015..9189db61670 100644
--- a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/components/composer/composer.tsx
+++ b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/components/composer/composer.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 'use client'
 
+import { useRef } from 'react'
 import { Button, cn } from '@sim/emcn'
 import { ArrowUp } from '@sim/emcn/icons'
 import { useAnimatedPlaceholder } from '@/hooks/use-animated-placeholder'
+import { useChatInputFocus } from '@/hooks/use-chat-input-focus'
 
 const SEND_BUTTON_BASE = 'size-[28px] rounded-full border-0 p-0 transition-colors'
 const SEND_BUTTON_ACTIVE =
@@ -32,6 +34,8 @@ export function Composer({
   onSubmit,
   onStop,
 }: ComposerProps) {
+  const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null)
+  useChatInputFocus({ textareaRef })
   const canSubmit = value.trim().length > 0
   const animatedPlaceholder = useAnimatedPlaceholder(isInitialView)
   const placeholder = isInitialView ? animatedPlaceholder : 'Send message to Sim'
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@ export function Composer({
         )}
       >
         <textarea
+          ref={textareaRef}
           value={value}
           onChange={(event) => onChange(event.target.value)}
           onKeyDown={(event) => {
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.test.tsx b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.test.tsx
index 36dac6131ca..450e0854d97 100644
--- a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /** @vitest-environment jsdom */
-import { act, type ComponentProps } from 'react'
+import { act, type ComponentProps, type ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
@@ -96,6 +96,52 @@ describe('organization home', () => {
     expect(container.textContent).not.toContain('Get started')
     expect(mocks.consume).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
+  it('keeps the composer available when messages exist while history is pending', async () => {
+    mocks.chat.mockReturnValue({
+      messages: [{ id: 'message-a', role: 'user', content: 'A question' }],
+      isChatHistoryPending: true,
+      sendMessage: mocks.send,
+    })
+    await act(async () => root.render(<OrganizationHome chatId='chat-a' />))
+    expect(mocks.renderer).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ isLoading: false }),
+      undefined
+    )
+  })
+  it('isolates conversation state when switching cached chats', async () => {
+    mocks.chat.mockReturnValue({
+      messages: [],
+      isChatHistoryPending: false,
+      sendMessage: mocks.send,
+    })
+    mocks.renderer.mockImplementation(({ composer }: { composer: ReactNode }) => composer)
+    await act(async () => root.render(<OrganizationHome chatId='chat-a' />))
+    await act(async () => composerProps().onChange('A draft for chat A'))
+    await act(async () => root.render(<OrganizationHome chatId='chat-a' />))
+    expect(composerProps().value).toBe('A draft for chat A')
+    await act(async () => root.render(<OrganizationHome chatId='chat-b' />))
+    expect(composerProps().value).toBe('')
+    expect(mocks.chat).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({ organizationId: 'organization-a' }, 'chat-b')
+    expect(mocks.send).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+  it('preserves the conversation when the first send adopts a chat ID', async () => {
+    mocks.renderer.mockImplementation(({ composer }: { composer: ReactNode }) => composer)
+    await act(async () => root.render(<OrganizationHome />))
+    await act(async () => composerProps().onChange('A follow-up draft'))
+    mocks.chat.mockReturnValue({
+      messages: [{ id: 'message-a', role: 'user', content: 'First question' }],
+      resolvedChatId: 'chat-a',
+      isChatHistoryPending: true,
+      isSending: true,
+      sendMessage: mocks.send,
+    })
+    await act(async () => root.render(<OrganizationHome />))
+    expect(composerProps().value).toBe('A follow-up draft')
+    expect(mocks.renderer).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ chatId: 'chat-a', isLoading: false, isSending: true }),
+      undefined
+    )
+  })
   it.each([
     { isAdmin: true, integrationHref: '/o/organization-a/settings/integrations' },
     { isAdmin: false, integrationHref: '/o/organization-a/integrations' },
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.tsx b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.tsx
index aaee012dc96..8d4ae29eb82 100644
--- a/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.tsx
+++ b/apps/sim/app/o/[organizationId]/home/organization-home.tsx
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ interface OrganizationHomeProps {
 
 /** Search and private Assistant chats for the routed organization. */
 export function OrganizationHome(props: OrganizationHomeProps) {
-  const { searchAccess } = useOrganizationContext()
+  const { organization, searchAccess } = useOrganizationContext()
   if (!searchAccess.memberScoped) return null
-  return <OrganizationHomeContent {...props} />
+  return <OrganizationHomeContent key={`${organization.id}:${props.chatId ?? 'new'}`} {...props} />
 }
 
 function OrganizationHomeContent({ userName, chatId }: OrganizationHomeProps) {
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ function OrganizationHomeContent({ userName, chatId }: OrganizationHomeProps) {
           messages={chat.messages}
           isSending={chat.isSending}
           isReconnecting={chat.isReconnecting}
-          isLoading={Boolean(chatId) && chat.isChatHistoryPending}
+          isLoading={Boolean(chatId) && !chat.messages.length && chat.isChatHistoryPending}
           onSubmit={send}
           onStopGeneration={() => {
             void chat.stopGeneration()
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/home/components/user-input/user-input.tsx b/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/home/components/user-input/user-input.tsx
index 12cf0cb09ad..a3ddd724773 100644
--- a/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/home/components/user-input/user-input.tsx
+++ b/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/home/components/user-input/user-input.tsx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import type {
 import { useFileAttachments } from '@/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/panel/components/copilot/components/user-input/hooks'
 import type { AttachedFile } from '@/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/panel/components/copilot/components/user-input/hooks/use-file-attachments'
 import { mentionifyIntegrations } from '@/blocks/integration-matcher'
+import { useChatInputFocus } from '@/hooks/use-chat-input-focus'
 import { useSettingsNavigation } from '@/hooks/use-settings-navigation'
 import { type SpeechToTextError, useSpeechToText } from '@/hooks/use-speech-to-text'
 import { type DraftPayload, useMothershipDraftsStore } from '@/stores/mothership-drafts/store'
@@ -50,16 +51,6 @@ export type { FileAttachmentForApi } from '@/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/home/ty
 
 const logger = createLogger('UserInput')
 
-/**
- * Whether the element is somewhere the user could be typing. Focusing the composer on mount
- * must not steal focus from another field, but may take it from a link or button — opening a
- * chat leaves the sidebar link focused, and the composer should win.
- */
-function isTextEntry(element: HTMLElement): boolean {
-  const tag = element.tagName
-  return tag === 'INPUT' || tag === 'TEXTAREA' || tag === 'SELECT' || element.isContentEditable
-}
-
 interface UserInputProps {
   defaultValue?: string
   draftScopeKey?: string
@@ -168,6 +159,7 @@ const UserInputImpl = forwardRef<UserInputHandle, UserInputProps>(function UserI
   const editorRef = useRef(editor)
   editorRef.current = editor
   const textareaRef = editor.textareaRef
+  useChatInputFocus({ textareaRef })
 
   /**
    * Attaches context chips pushed from elsewhere in the app (browser/terminal
@@ -549,16 +541,6 @@ const UserInputImpl = forwardRef<UserInputHandle, UserInputProps>(function UserI
     wasSendingRef.current = isSending
   }, [isSending, textareaRef])
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const raf = window.requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      if (!document.hasFocus()) return
-      const active = document.activeElement
-      if (active instanceof HTMLElement && isTextEntry(active)) return
-      textareaRef.current?.focus()
-    })
-    return () => window.cancelAnimationFrame(raf)
-  }, [textareaRef])
-
   /**
    * Menu rows are excluded alongside buttons: the mode switcher's items are
    * portaled, so their clicks still bubble here through the React tree.
diff --git a/apps/sim/hooks/use-chat-input-focus.test.tsx b/apps/sim/hooks/use-chat-input-focus.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..162944f05e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/sim/hooks/use-chat-input-focus.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+/** @vitest-environment jsdom */
+import { act, useRef } from 'react'
+import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { useChatInputFocus } from '@/hooks/use-chat-input-focus'
+
+function ChatInput() {
+  const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null)
+  useChatInputFocus({ textareaRef })
+  return <textarea ref={textareaRef} />
+}
+
+describe('useChatInputFocus', () => {
+  let container: HTMLDivElement
+  let root: Root
+  let activeWindow: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true)
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    activeWindow = vi.spyOn(document, 'hasFocus').mockReturnValue(true)
+    container = document.createElement('div')
+    document.body.appendChild(container)
+    root = createRoot(container)
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    act(() => root.unmount())
+    container.remove()
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals()
+  })
+
+  function flushFocus() {
+    act(() => vi.advanceTimersToNextFrame())
+  }
+
+  it('focuses the newly mounted composer after navigation from the sidebar', () => {
+    const link = document.createElement('a')
+    link.href = '#chat'
+    container.appendChild(link)
+    link.focus()
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput />))
+    flushFocus()
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(container.querySelector('textarea'))
+  })
+
+  it.each(['input', 'textarea', 'select', 'contenteditable'])(
+    'preserves focus in another %s',
+    (kind) => {
+      const field = document.createElement(kind === 'contenteditable' ? 'div' : kind)
+      if (kind === 'contenteditable') {
+        field.setAttribute('contenteditable', 'true')
+        field.tabIndex = 0
+        Object.defineProperty(field, 'isContentEditable', { value: true })
+      }
+      document.body.appendChild(field)
+      try {
+        act(() => root.render(<ChatInput />))
+        field.focus()
+        flushFocus()
+        expect(document.activeElement).toBe(field)
+      } finally {
+        field.remove()
+      }
+    }
+  )
+
+  it('does not focus a composer in an inactive window', () => {
+    activeWindow.mockReturnValue(false)
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput />))
+    flushFocus()
+    expect(document.activeElement).not.toBe(container.querySelector('textarea'))
+  })
+
+  it('does not refocus or move the caret on ordinary rerenders', () => {
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput />))
+    flushFocus()
+    const textarea = container.querySelector('textarea')!
+    textarea.value = 'Draft question'
+    textarea.setSelectionRange(2, 5)
+    const focus = vi.spyOn(textarea, 'focus')
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput />))
+    flushFocus()
+    expect(focus).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect([textarea.selectionStart, textarea.selectionEnd]).toEqual([2, 5])
+  })
+
+  it('cancels the previous composer focus during rapid chat switches', () => {
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput key='chat-a' />))
+    const previous = container.querySelector('textarea')!
+    const focus = vi.spyOn(previous, 'focus')
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput key='chat-b' />))
+    flushFocus()
+    expect(focus).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(container.querySelector('textarea'))
+    expect(document.activeElement).not.toBe(previous)
+  })
+
+  it('cancels focus when the composer unmounts before the frame', () => {
+    act(() => root.render(<ChatInput />))
+    const focus = vi.spyOn(container.querySelector('textarea')!, 'focus')
+    act(() => root.render(null))
+    flushFocus()
+    expect(focus).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/sim/hooks/use-chat-input-focus.ts b/apps/sim/hooks/use-chat-input-focus.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2fa06500b68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/sim/hooks/use-chat-input-focus.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { type RefObject, useEffect } from 'react'
+
+interface UseChatInputFocusProps {
+  textareaRef: RefObject<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>
+}
+
+/** Focuses a newly opened chat without interrupting typing elsewhere or an inactive window. */
+export function useChatInputFocus({ textareaRef }: UseChatInputFocusProps) {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const frame = window.requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      if (!document.hasFocus()) return
+      const active = document.activeElement
+      if (
+        active instanceof HTMLElement &&
+        (['INPUT', 'TEXTAREA', 'SELECT'].includes(active.tagName) || active.isContentEditable)
+      ) {
+        return
+      }
+      textareaRef.current?.focus()
+    })
+    return () => window.cancelAnimationFrame(frame)
+  }, [textareaRef])
+}