diff --git a/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.dom.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.dom.test.tsx
index 05c7dc29..d2b0e067 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.dom.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.dom.test.tsx
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ describe("the command palette's visible entry", () => {
     const cap = screen.getByRole("button", { name: /^palette\.open \((Ctrl|⌘) K\)$/ });
     // Label in Name: the name carries what the cap shows, so "click Ctrl K" finds it.
     expect(cap.getAttribute("aria-label")).toContain(cap.textContent);
+    // …and a tooltip equal to that name, so a screen reader does not read it again as a description.
+    expect(cap.getAttribute("title")).toBe(cap.getAttribute("aria-label"));
     expect(screen.getByRole("textbox")).toBeTruthy();
     fireEvent.click(cap);
     expect(isOpen()).toBe(true);
@@ -66,8 +68,8 @@ describe("the command palette's visible entry", () => {
     page = "home";
     const isOpen = mount();
     expect(screen.queryByRole("textbox")).toBeNull();
-    // Named by what it shows ("Jump to…"), not by a label that replaced it.
-    const pill = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "palette.title" });
+    // Named by what it shows ("Jump to…" and its key cap), not by a label that replaced it.
+    const pill = screen.getByRole("button", { name: /^palette\.title ?(Ctrl|⌘) K$/ });
     expect(pill.getAttribute("title")).toBe("palette.open");
     fireEvent.click(pill);
     expect(isOpen()).toBe(true);
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.tsx b/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.tsx
index ce4cefbd..b1f1a206 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/PaletteLauncher.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function PaletteKeycap() {
       type="button"
       onClick={openPalette}
       aria-label={`${t("palette.open")} (${cap})`}
-      title={t("palette.open")}
+      title={`${t("palette.open")} (${cap})`}
       className="shrink-0 rounded-md border border-border px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-3xs text-muted transition hover:border-accent/50 hover:text-fg @max-[640px]/appmain:hidden"
     >
       {cap}
@@ -55,10 +55,7 @@ export function PaletteLauncher() {
     >
       <Command className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0" aria-hidden="true" />
       <span>{t("palette.title")}</span>
-      <span
-        aria-hidden="true"
-        className="rounded-md border border-border px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-3xs @max-[640px]/appmain:hidden"
-      >
+      <span className="rounded-md border border-border px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-3xs @max-[640px]/appmain:hidden">
         {cap}
       </span>
     </button>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/listNav.ts b/frontend/src/lib/listNav.ts
index d9e4a53e..cac5c29a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/listNav.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/listNav.ts
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ function itemAt(list: NavList, index: number): HTMLElement | null {
 function ordered(): NavList[] {
   return (
     [...lists.values()]
-      // Only lists on screen: a responsive table renders its rows twice — a table and a card list, one
-      // of them display:none at any width (ui/DataTable) — and `j` must not walk into the hidden copy.
+      // Only lists on screen: a list can be mounted yet hidden (display:none in a collapsed panel or
+      // an inactive tab), and `j` must not walk into rows nobody can see.
       .filter((l) => l.el.isConnected && l.el.checkVisibility?.() !== false)
       .sort((a, b) =>
         a.el.compareDocumentPosition(b.el) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_FOLLOWING ? -1 : 1,
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.restore.dom.test.tsx b/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.restore.dom.test.tsx
index 3476c4af..e9fef60d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.restore.dom.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.restore.dom.test.tsx
@@ -61,4 +61,26 @@ describe("Back from a sub-view whose held control the swap removed", () => {
       document.activeElement?.closest("[data-nav-index]")?.getAttribute("data-nav-index"),
     ).toBe("2");
   });
+
+  it("leaves the focus alone once the reader has used the stand-in", async () => {
+    render(<Page />);
+    button("c").focus();
+    const pos = navPosition()!;
+    act(() => show("detail"));
+    button("Back to library").focus();
+
+    act(() => show("grid"));
+    await act(() => Promise.resolve()); // the keeper places its stand-in
+    const standIn = document.activeElement;
+    expect(standIn?.textContent).toBe("a");
+    // A key typed into it fires no focusin — but it is the reader's focus now.
+    act(() => {
+      standIn!.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "x", bubbles: true }));
+    });
+    const cancel = restoreNavPosition(pos);
+    await wait(120);
+    cancel();
+
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(standIn);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.ts b/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.ts
index bf4b9ec8..4a08de02 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/useFocusKeeper.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ export function useFocusKeeper(ref: RefObject<HTMLElement | null>): void {
       if (t !== standIn) standIn = null;
       held = t && root.contains(t) && !t.closest("[data-nav-index]") ? t : null;
     };
+    // Using the stand-in makes it the reader's own focus: a click on it or a key typed into it fires
+    // no focusin, and a restore still polling for its list would otherwise take the focus from
+    // under the reader's hands.
+    const onUse = () => {
+      standIn = null;
+    };
     const watch = new MutationObserver((records) => {
       const lost = held;
       if (!lost || lost.isConnected) return;
@@ -86,9 +92,13 @@ export function useFocusKeeper(ref: RefObject<HTMLElement | null>): void {
       }
     });
     document.addEventListener("focusin", onFocusIn);
+    document.addEventListener("pointerdown", onUse, true);
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", onUse, true);
     watch.observe(root, { childList: true, subtree: true });
     return () => {
       document.removeEventListener("focusin", onFocusIn);
+      document.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onUse, true);
+      document.removeEventListener("keydown", onUse, true);
       watch.disconnect();
     };
   }, [ref]);