diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/preview/DesktopBrowserHost.ts b/apps/desktop/src/preview/DesktopBrowserHost.ts
index 5a2b5463fc674..7bf1246f9a497 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/preview/DesktopBrowserHost.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/preview/DesktopBrowserHost.ts
@@ -302,9 +302,7 @@ export const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
     if (tab.relay) return tab.relay;
     const { webContents, debugger: debuggee } = tab.debuggee;
     const send = (method: string, params: Record<string, unknown>, sessionId?: string) =>
-      sessionId === undefined
-        ? sendPageCommand(webContents, debuggee, method, params)
-        : debuggee.sendCommand(method, params, sessionId);
+      sendPageCommand(webContents, debuggee, method, params, sessionId);
     const detachedOwners = new Set<string>();
     /** Viewers and recordings stream; the agent's own sessions never do. */
     const streamingOwners = new Set<string>();
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.test.ts
index b531182c92959..579b564f59aa1 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import * as NodeVM from "node:vm";
+
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vite-plus/test";
 
 import { sendPageCommand, toKeyboardInputEvents } from "./GuestInput.ts";
@@ -42,6 +44,149 @@ describe("preview guest input", () => {
     expect(guest.sendCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith("Input.insertText", expect.anything());
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    {
+      sessionId: undefined,
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      type: "mousePressed",
+      outcome: "restore",
+    },
+    {
+      sessionId: "child-frame",
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      type: "mousePressed",
+      outcome: "restore",
+    },
+    {
+      sessionId: undefined,
+      method: "Input.dispatchTouchEvent",
+      type: "touchStart",
+      outcome: "restore",
+    },
+    {
+      sessionId: undefined,
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      type: "mousePressed",
+      outcome: "other-field",
+    },
+    {
+      sessionId: undefined,
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      type: "mousePressed",
+      outcome: "removed",
+    },
+    {
+      sessionId: undefined,
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      type: "mousePressed",
+      outcome: "failure",
+    },
+  ])(
+    "preserves host focus for $method in $sessionId with $outcome",
+    async ({ sessionId, method, type, outcome }) => {
+      const document = { activeElement: {} as object };
+      const composer = {
+        isConnected: true,
+        focus: () => {
+          document.activeElement = composer;
+        },
+      };
+      const preview = { tagName: "WEBVIEW", getWebContentsId: () => 7 };
+      const otherField = { tagName: "INPUT" };
+      document.activeElement = composer;
+      const context = NodeVM.createContext({ document });
+      const host = {
+        isDestroyed: () => false,
+        executeJavaScript: async (script: string) => NodeVM.runInContext(script, context),
+      };
+      const guest = { id: 7, focusedFrame: null, hostWebContents: host };
+      const debuggee = {
+        sendCommand: async () => {
+          document.activeElement = outcome === "other-field" ? otherField : preview;
+          if (outcome === "removed") composer.isConnected = false;
+          if (outcome === "failure") throw new Error("Pointer failed");
+          return {};
+        },
+      };
+      const result = sendPageCommand(
+        guest as unknown as Electron.WebContents,
+        debuggee as unknown as Electron.Debugger,
+        method,
+        { type, x: 10, y: 10, button: "left" },
+        sessionId,
+      );
+      if (outcome === "failure") await expect(result).rejects.toThrow("Pointer failed");
+      else await result;
+      expect(document.activeElement).toBe(
+        outcome === "other-field" ? otherField : outcome === "removed" ? preview : composer,
+      );
+      expect(Object.keys(context)).toEqual(["document"]);
+    },
+  );
+
+  it.each([
+    {
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      press: "mousePressed",
+      release: "mouseReleased",
+      failPress: false,
+    },
+    {
+      method: "Input.dispatchTouchEvent",
+      press: "touchStart",
+      release: "touchEnd",
+      failPress: false,
+    },
+    {
+      method: "Input.dispatchMouseEvent",
+      press: "mousePressed",
+      release: "mouseReleased",
+      failPress: true,
+    },
+  ])(
+    "keeps $method releases behind presses waiting for host focus, failed press: $failPress",
+    async ({ method, press, release, failPress }) => {
+      const captureStarted = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+      const finishCapture = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+      const events: Array<unknown> = [];
+      const guest = {
+        id: 7,
+        focusedFrame: null,
+        hostWebContents: {
+          isDestroyed: () => false,
+          executeJavaScript: async () => {
+            captureStarted.resolve();
+            await finishCapture.promise;
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      const debuggee = {
+        sendCommand: async (_method: string, params: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+          events.push(params["type"]);
+          if (failPress && params["type"] === press) throw new Error("Press failed");
+          return {};
+        },
+      };
+      const send = (type: string) =>
+        sendPageCommand(
+          guest as unknown as Electron.WebContents,
+          debuggee as unknown as Electron.Debugger,
+          method,
+          { type },
+        );
+      const pressed = send(press);
+      await captureStarted.promise;
+      const released = send(release);
+      finishCapture.resolve();
+      const results = await Promise.allSettled([pressed, released]);
+      expect(results.map((result) => result.status)).toEqual([
+        failPress ? "rejected" : "fulfilled",
+        "fulfilled",
+      ]);
+      expect(events).toEqual([press, release]);
+    },
+  );
+
   it("refuses input when a cross-site frame holds the unfocused page's focus", async () => {
     const guest = makeGuest({ focused: false, focusedDocument: false });
     await expect(guest.send("Input.insertText", { text: "secret" })).rejects.toThrow(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.ts b/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.ts
index 42201b48ed61c..d3ccf29c76ed7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/preview/GuestInput.ts
@@ -92,13 +92,78 @@ const evaluate = async (debuggee: Electron.Debugger, expression: string) => {
   return reply.result?.value;
 };
 
+let focusSequence = 0;
+
+/** A CDP pointer press focuses the guest's native view even with focus emulation enabled. */
+const sendPointerPress = async (
+  webContents: Electron.WebContents,
+  debuggee: Electron.Debugger,
+  method: string,
+  params: Record<string, unknown>,
+  sessionId: string | undefined,
+) => {
+  const host = webContents.hostWebContents;
+  if (!host || host.isDestroyed() || webContents.focusedFrame) {
+    return debuggee.sendCommand(method, params, sessionId);
+  }
+  const key = JSON.stringify(`__t3PreviewFocus${++focusSequence}`);
+  await host.executeJavaScript(`(() => {
+    const active = document.activeElement;
+    if (!active || active === document.body || active.tagName === "WEBVIEW") return;
+    globalThis[${key}] = () => {
+      delete globalThis[${key}];
+      const current = document.activeElement;
+      if (active.isConnected && current?.tagName === "WEBVIEW" &&
+          current.getWebContentsId() === ${webContents.id}) active.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+    };
+  })()`);
+  try {
+    return await debuggee.sendCommand(method, params, sessionId);
+  } finally {
+    if (!host.isDestroyed()) {
+      await host.executeJavaScript(`globalThis[${key}]?.()`);
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+const pointerCommands = new WeakMap<Electron.WebContents, Promise<unknown>>();
+
+/** Focus capture crosses processes; later pointer events must not overtake the press. */
+const sendPointerCommand = async (
+  webContents: Electron.WebContents,
+  debuggee: Electron.Debugger,
+  method: string,
+  params: Record<string, unknown>,
+  sessionId: string | undefined,
+) => {
+  const previous = pointerCommands.get(webContents) ?? Promise.resolve();
+  const current = previous
+    .catch(() => {})
+    .then(() =>
+      params["type"] === "mousePressed" || params["type"] === "touchStart"
+        ? sendPointerPress(webContents, debuggee, method, params, sessionId)
+        : debuggee.sendCommand(method, params, sessionId),
+    );
+  pointerCommands.set(webContents, current);
+  try {
+    return await current;
+  } finally {
+    if (pointerCommands.get(webContents) === current) pointerCommands.delete(webContents);
+  }
+};
+
 /** Sends one command to the guest's page, keeping reloads and input inside it. */
 export const sendPageCommand = async (
   webContents: Electron.WebContents,
   debuggee: Electron.Debugger,
   method: string,
   params: Record<string, unknown>,
+  sessionId?: string,
 ): Promise<unknown> => {
+  if (method === "Input.dispatchMouseEvent" || method === "Input.dispatchTouchEvent") {
+    return sendPointerCommand(webContents, debuggee, method, params, sessionId);
+  }
+  if (sessionId !== undefined) return debuggee.sendCommand(method, params, sessionId);
   // Electron's debugger routes Page.reload on a webview to its embedder window.
   if (method === "Page.reload") {
     if (params["ignoreCache"] === true) webContents.reloadIgnoringCache();