diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
index 737fdd1c02..6fbe5a7095 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { ChevronsRight, FileText } from "@lucide/vue";
 import { TooltipProvider } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
 import AppToolbar from "@/components/layout/AppToolbar.vue";
 import AppTabBar from "@/components/layout/AppTabBar.vue";
+import { createGroupTabBarPortal, GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL } from "@/components/layout/groupTabBarPortal";
 import AppSidebar from "@/components/layout/AppSidebar.vue";
 import SqlEditorWorkspace from "@/components/layout/SqlEditorWorkspace.vue";
 import { EDITOR_TOOLBAR_ACTIONS } from "@/components/layout/editorToolbarActions";
@@ -790,6 +791,7 @@ const specialPageTabs = computed(() => ({
   driverStoreActive: driverStoreActive.value,
   driverUpdateCount: toolbarAgentDriverUpdateCount.value,
 }));
+provide(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL, createGroupTabBarPortal(computed(() => !isDetachedWindowContext && (driverStoreActive.value || settingsStore.settingsPageActive))));
 provide(EDITOR_TOOLBAR_ACTIONS, {
   explainMode,
   blockDangerousRedisCommands,
@@ -910,19 +912,6 @@ useScheduledDatabaseBackups({ scheduler: true });
 
 const appVersion = ref("");
 const isClassicLayout = computed(() => settingsStore.editorSettings.appLayout === "classic");
-const isVerticalTabPlacement = computed(() => settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "left" || settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "right");
-// AppTabBar only renders the settings/driver special-page strip, and that strip
-// is still a horizontal-only "w-full" bar (see AppTabBar.vue's app-tab-bar class).
-// Placing it inside a flex-row/flex-row-reverse workspace squeezes the sibling
-// content pane (EditorSettingsPage/DriverStorePage) to zero width, so fall back
-// to stacking it above the content instead of adopting the vertical layout here.
-const isSpecialPageStripActive = computed(() => driverStoreActive.value || settingsStore.settingsPageActive);
-const tabWorkspaceLayoutClass = computed(() => {
-  if (settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "bottom") return "flex-col-reverse";
-  if (isVerticalTabPlacement.value && isSpecialPageStripActive.value) return "flex-col";
-  if (settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "right") return "flex-row-reverse";
-  return isVerticalTabPlacement.value ? "flex-row" : "flex-col";
-});
 
 // Every pane's vertical strip writes back to this shared width/collapse state.
 function startTabBarResize(event: MouseEvent) {
@@ -2474,7 +2463,7 @@ async function onOpenObjectSource(table: SqlObjectNavigationTarget, initialEditi
           databaseType: resolvedDatabaseType,
           signature: navigation.signature,
         });
-        const tabId = queryStore.createTab(target.connectionId, target.database, `Source - ${sourceName}`, "query", sourceSchema, editableSource, target.catalog, { forceNew: true });
+        const tabId = queryStore.createTab(target.connectionId, target.database, `Source - ${sourceName}`, "query", sourceSchema, editableSource, target.catalog, { forceNew: true, sourceView: true });
         const sourceIsEditable = raw.editable !== false && !["SEQUENCE", "TRIGGER", "TYPE", "TYPE_BODY"].includes(resolvedType);
         if (sourceIsEditable) {
           queryStore.setObjectSource(tabId, {
@@ -2854,7 +2843,7 @@ async function handleQuickOpenSelect(item: any) {
         databaseType,
         signature: item.signature,
       });
-      const tabId = queryStore.createTab(item.connectionId, item.database, `Source - ${objectName}`);
+      const tabId = queryStore.createTab(item.connectionId, item.database, `Source - ${objectName}`, "query", undefined, undefined, undefined, { sourceView: true });
       queryStore.updateSql(tabId, editableSource);
       if (item.type !== "sequence" && item.type !== "trigger" && item.type !== "event" && item.type !== "type" && item.type !== "type-body") {
         queryStore.setObjectSource(tabId, {
@@ -3453,7 +3442,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
           </div>
 
           <div v-show="!isAiPanelMaximized || isZenMode" :class="isDetachedWindowContext ? 'flex-1 min-w-0 overflow-hidden bg-background' : isClassicLayout ? 'flex-1 min-w-0 overflow-hidden' : 'flex-1 min-w-0 overflow-hidden rounded-md border border-border/80 bg-background'">
-            <div class="h-full flex min-w-0" :class="isDetachedWindowContext ? 'flex-col' : tabWorkspaceLayoutClass">
+            <div class="h-full flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col">
               <AppTabBar
                 v-if="!isDetachedWindowContext"
                 ref="appTabBarRef"
@@ -3464,6 +3453,8 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
                 :agent-driver-update-count="toolbarAgentDriverUpdateCount"
                 :detached-drop-target="detachedDropTargetTabId !== null"
                 :can-detach-tabs="isDesktop"
+                :tab-bar-width="tabBarWidth"
+                :tab-bar-collapsed="tabBarCollapsed"
                 @activate-driver-store="openDriverStorePage"
                 @activate-settings-page="activateSettingsPage"
                 @activate-tab="activateQueryTab"
@@ -3475,7 +3466,26 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
                 @discard-all-tab-close="handleDiscardAllPendingTabClose"
                 @cancel-tab-close="cancelPendingAppClose"
                 @detach-tab="detachTab"
-              />
+              >
+                <DriverStorePage v-if="driverStoreTabOpen" v-show="driverStoreActive" v-model:active-tab="driverStoreActiveTab" class="flex-1 min-h-0" :update-notifications-enabled="updateNotificationsEnabled" :focus-target="driverStoreFocus" @update-count-change="updateAgentDriverUpdateCount" />
+                <EditorSettingsPage
+                  v-if="settingsPageTabOpen"
+                  v-show="settingsStore.settingsPageActive"
+                  variant="page"
+                  :open="settingsPageTabOpen"
+                  :initial-tab="settingsInitialTab"
+                  :initial-section="settingsInitialSection"
+                  :navigation-request-id="settingsNavigationRequestId"
+                  :ai-config-draft="settingsAiConfigDraft"
+                  :ai-config-request-id="settingsAiConfigRequestId"
+                  :app-version="appVersion"
+                  :checking-updates="checkingUpdates"
+                  class="flex-1 min-h-0"
+                  @update:open="(open: boolean) => (open ? activateSettingsPage() : closeSettingsPage())"
+                  @check-updates="checkUpdates()"
+                  @ai-config-deep-link-handled="settingsAiConfigDraft = null"
+                />
+              </AppTabBar>
               <DetachedTabHeader
                 v-else-if="activeTab"
                 :title="activeTab.title"
@@ -3499,33 +3509,16 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
                   </DialogFooter>
                 </DialogContent>
               </Dialog>
-              <div class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
-                <DriverStorePage v-if="driverStoreTabOpen" v-show="driverStoreActive" v-model:active-tab="driverStoreActiveTab" class="flex-1 min-h-0" :update-notifications-enabled="updateNotificationsEnabled" :focus-target="driverStoreFocus" @update-count-change="updateAgentDriverUpdateCount" />
-                <EditorSettingsPage
-                  v-if="settingsPageTabOpen"
-                  v-show="settingsStore.settingsPageActive"
-                  variant="page"
-                  :open="settingsPageTabOpen"
-                  :initial-tab="settingsInitialTab"
-                  :initial-section="settingsInitialSection"
-                  :navigation-request-id="settingsNavigationRequestId"
-                  :ai-config-draft="settingsAiConfigDraft"
-                  :ai-config-request-id="settingsAiConfigRequestId"
-                  :app-version="appVersion"
-                  :checking-updates="checkingUpdates"
-                  class="flex-1 min-h-0"
-                  @update:open="(open: boolean) => (open ? activateSettingsPage() : closeSettingsPage())"
-                  @check-updates="checkUpdates()"
-                  @ai-config-deep-link-handled="settingsAiConfigDraft = null"
-                />
-                <div v-if="queryStore.tabs.length > 0" v-show="!driverStoreActive && !settingsStore.settingsPageActive" class="flex flex-col flex-1 min-h-0">
+              <div v-show="!driverStoreActive && !settingsStore.settingsPageActive" class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
+                <div class="flex flex-col flex-1 min-h-0">
                   <SqlEditorWorkspace
                     ref="contentAreaRef"
                     @locate-tab="locateTabInSidebar"
                     @toggle-zen-mode="toggleZenMode"
                     @start-resize="startTabBarResize"
                     @toggle-collapse="toggleTabBarCollapsed"
-                    :active-tab="activeTab!"
+                    :active-tab="activeTab ?? undefined"
+                    :show-tab-navigation="queryStore.tabs.length > 0 || settingsPageTabOpen || driverStoreTabOpen"
                     :active-connection="activeConnection"
                     :tab-bar-width="tabBarWidth"
                     :tab-bar-collapsed="tabBarCollapsed"
@@ -3624,24 +3617,27 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
                     @structure-editor-close="(tabId: string) => queryStore.closeTab(tabId)"
                     @open-settings="openSettings"
                     @open-connection-settings="openConnectionSettings"
-                  />
+                  >
+                    <template #empty>
+                      <WelcomeScreen
+                        class="h-full min-h-0"
+                        :connection-stats="connectionStats"
+                        :recent-connections="recentConnections"
+                        :saved-sql-history-items="savedSqlHistoryItems"
+                        :app-version="appVersion"
+                        :has-connections="connectionStore.connections.length > 0"
+                        @open-connection-query="openConnectionQuery"
+                        @open-saved-sql="openSavedSqlFromWelcome"
+                        @new-connection="showConnectionDialog = true"
+                        @new-query="newQuery"
+                        @show-history="openRightSidebarPanel('history')"
+                        @import-config="dialogs.onImportClick"
+                        @open-github="openGitHub"
+                        @open-mcp-guide="openMcpGuide"
+                      />
+                    </template>
+                  </SqlEditorWorkspace>
                 </div>
-                <WelcomeScreen
-                  v-else-if="queryStore.tabs.length === 0 && !driverStoreActive && !settingsStore.settingsPageActive"
-                  :connection-stats="connectionStats"
-                  :recent-connections="recentConnections"
-                  :saved-sql-history-items="savedSqlHistoryItems"
-                  :app-version="appVersion"
-                  :has-connections="connectionStore.connections.length > 0"
-                  @open-connection-query="openConnectionQuery"
-                  @open-saved-sql="openSavedSqlFromWelcome"
-                  @new-connection="showConnectionDialog = true"
-                  @new-query="newQuery"
-                  @show-history="openRightSidebarPanel('history')"
-                  @import-config="dialogs.onImportClick"
-                  @open-github="openGitHub"
-                  @open-mcp-guide="openMcpGuide"
-                />
               </div>
             </div>
           </div>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppTabBar.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppTabBar.vue
index 4eaf7abefb..c8d88f29f3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppTabBar.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppTabBar.vue
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { computed, onUnmounted, ref, watch, type CSSProperties } from "vue";
+import { computed, inject, onUnmounted, ref, watch, type CSSProperties } from "vue";
 import { useI18n } from "vue-i18n";
-import { X, Minimize2, Maximize2, Settings, Package, AlertTriangle } from "@lucide/vue";
-import CustomContextMenu, { type ContextMenuItem } from "@/components/ui/CustomContextMenu.vue";
+import { AlertTriangle } from "@lucide/vue";
 import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from "@/components/ui/popover";
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogFooter, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from "@/components/ui/dialog";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
 import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
-import TabModeIcon from "./TabModeIcon.vue";
-import { tabColorStyle, tabDisplayTitle, tabIconClass } from "@/lib/tabs/tabPresentation";
+import { GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL } from "./groupTabBarPortal";
+import { tabDisplayTitle } from "@/lib/tabs/tabPresentation";
 import "./appTabBar.css";
 
 const props = defineProps<{
@@ -20,6 +19,8 @@ const props = defineProps<{
   agentDriverUpdateCount?: number;
   detachedDropTarget?: boolean;
   canDetachTabs?: boolean;
+  tabBarWidth?: number;
+  tabBarCollapsed?: boolean;
 }>();
 
 const emit = defineEmits<{
@@ -38,7 +39,29 @@ const emit = defineEmits<{
 const { t } = useI18n();
 const queryStore = useQueryStore();
 const settingsStore = useSettingsStore();
-const isClassicLayout = computed(() => settingsStore.editorSettings.appLayout === "classic");
+const tabBarPortal = inject(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL, null);
+const isVerticalLayout = computed(() => ["left", "right"].includes(settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement));
+const layoutClass = computed(() => {
+  switch (settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement) {
+    case "bottom":
+      return "flex-col-reverse";
+    case "left":
+      return "flex-row";
+    case "right":
+      return "flex-row-reverse";
+    default:
+      return "flex-col";
+  }
+});
+const navigationStyle = computed<CSSProperties>(() => {
+  if (!isVerticalLayout.value) return { maxHeight: "50%" };
+  const width = props.tabBarCollapsed ? "3.5rem" : `${props.tabBarWidth ?? 240}px`;
+  return { width, flex: `0 0 ${width}` };
+});
+function setTabBarTarget(groupId: string, element: unknown) {
+  if (element instanceof HTMLElement) tabBarPortal?.targets.set(groupId, element);
+  else tabBarPortal?.targets.delete(groupId);
+}
 const closeConfirmDirtyCount = computed(() => queryStore.closeConfirmDirtyTabIds.length);
 const showCloseConfirmBulkActions = computed(() => closeConfirmDirtyCount.value > 1);
 const closeConfirmDirtyTabs = computed(() => queryStore.closeConfirmDirtyTabIds.map((id) => queryStore.tabs.find((tab) => tab.id === id)).filter((tab): tab is NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof queryStore.tabs.find>> => !!tab));
@@ -64,13 +87,6 @@ const closeConfirmMessage = computed(() => {
 });
 const closeConfirmListOpen = ref(false);
 let closeConfirmListCloseTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
-const compactTabTitle = computed({
-  get: () => settingsStore.editorSettings.compactTabTitle,
-  set: (checked: boolean | "indeterminate") => {
-    settingsStore.updateEditorSettings({ compactTabTitle: checked === true });
-  },
-});
-
 function openCloseConfirmList() {
   if (closeConfirmListCloseTimer) {
     clearTimeout(closeConfirmListCloseTimer);
@@ -105,37 +121,6 @@ watch(
   },
 );
 
-function toggleCompactTabTitle() {
-  compactTabTitle.value = !compactTabTitle.value;
-}
-
-// Special-page tabs share the regular tabs' presentation: flat full-height
-// segments with right borders in the classic layout, floating pills in the
-// separated layout (mirrors EditorGroupTabBar's strip classes).
-const specialStripRowClass = computed(() => (isClassicLayout.value ? "h-9 items-stretch" : "h-10 items-center px-2"));
-const specialStripScrollClass = computed(() => (isClassicLayout.value ? "h-full items-center overflow-x-auto" : "h-full items-center gap-1.5 overflow-x-auto py-1.5"));
-const specialStripBarClass = computed(() => (isClassicLayout.value ? "bg-muted" : `bg-background ${settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "bottom" ? "border-t" : "border-b"}`));
-
-function specialTabClass(active: boolean, widthClass = ""): string[] {
-  if (isClassicLayout.value) {
-    return ["h-full border-r border-border/80 font-medium dark:border-border/45", active ? "bg-background text-foreground" : "text-foreground/70 hover:text-foreground/90"];
-  }
-  return [`h-7 ${widthClass} rounded-md border`, active ? "border-ring font-medium text-foreground" : "border-border/60 text-foreground/70 hover:border-border hover:text-foreground/90"];
-}
-
-function specialTabColorStyle(active: boolean): CSSProperties | undefined {
-  // Special pages carry no connection color; mirror tabColorStyle's classic
-  // active underline so they read as selected like every other tab.
-  if (!isClassicLayout.value) return undefined;
-  return active ? { boxShadow: "inset 0 -2px 0 var(--ring)" } : undefined;
-}
-
-// While a special page hides the workspace, the group tab strips disappear
-// with it. Re-render the open tabs here so a click is the way back to the
-// editors (v0.6.2 kept everything in one strip; the split-pane refactor moved
-// regular tabs into the hidden workspace and left no mouse path back).
-const overlayReturnTabs = computed(() => (props.settingsPageActive || props.driverStoreActive ? queryStore.tabs : []));
-
 type SpecialRegularSurface = "driverStore" | "settings";
 
 function closeSpecialRegularSurfaces(keep?: SpecialRegularSurface) {
@@ -173,32 +158,6 @@ function closeOtherActiveTabs() {
 
 defineExpose({ closeOtherActiveTabs });
 
-function getSpecialRegularTabMenuItems(surface: SpecialRegularSurface): ContextMenuItem[] {
-  const keep = surface;
-  const closeCurrent = surface === "driverStore" ? () => emit("close-driver-store") : () => emit("close-settings-page");
-  const specialSurfaceCount = (props.driverStoreOpen ? 1 : 0) + (props.settingsPageOpen ? 1 : 0);
-  const closeOtherDisabled = specialSurfaceCount <= 1;
-
-  return [
-    {
-      label: compactTabTitle.value ? t("contextMenu.fullTabTitle") : t("contextMenu.compactTabTitle"),
-      action: toggleCompactTabTitle,
-      icon: compactTabTitle.value ? Maximize2 : Minimize2,
-    },
-    { label: "", separator: true },
-    { label: t("contextMenu.closeTab"), action: closeCurrent, icon: X },
-    {
-      label: t("contextMenu.closeOtherTabs"),
-      action: () => {
-        closeSpecialRegularSurfaces(keep);
-      },
-      disabled: closeOtherDisabled,
-      icon: X,
-    },
-    { label: t("contextMenu.closeAllTabs"), action: closeCurrent, variant: "destructive" as const, icon: X },
-  ];
-}
-
 function handleSaveAndClose() {
   const id = queryStore.saveAndClosePendingTab();
   if (id) {
@@ -227,87 +186,14 @@ function handleCancelClose() {
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <!-- Renders only while a special page owns the main area (the workspace and
-       its group strips are hidden then); open-but-inactive special pages
-       append to the focused group's tab strip instead of a row of their own. -->
-  <div v-if="driverStoreActive || settingsPageActive" class="app-tab-bar relative flex w-full min-w-0 shrink-0 overflow-hidden" :class="[specialStripBarClass, { 'ring-2 ring-primary ring-inset': detachedDropTarget }]" data-main-tab-bar>
-    <div class="flex w-full min-w-0 shrink-0 overflow-hidden" :class="specialStripRowClass">
-      <div class="app-tab-strip relative h-full min-w-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden">
-        <div class="app-tab-scroll flex h-full w-full min-w-0 flex-1" :class="specialStripScrollClass">
-          <!-- Open tabs as the mouse path back while a special page owns the main area -->
-          <div
-            v-for="tab in overlayReturnTabs"
-            :key="tab.id"
-            data-return-tab
-            class="app-tab-pill group flex cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
-            :class="specialTabClass(false)"
-            :style="tabColorStyle(tab, false, isClassicLayout)"
-            :title="tabDisplayTitle(tab, t)"
-            data-active-tab="false"
-            @click="emit('activate-tab', tab.id)"
-            @mousedown.middle.prevent="queryStore.closeTab(tab.id)"
-          >
-            <span class="shrink-0" :class="tabIconClass(tab)">
-              <TabModeIcon :tab="tab" class="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
-            </span>
-            <span class="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{{ tabDisplayTitle(tab, t) }}</span>
-            <span v-if="queryStore.isTabDirty(tab)" aria-hidden="true" class="dirty-tab-marker">*</span>
-            <button class="shrink-0 rounded p-0.5 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20" :aria-label="t('contextMenu.closeTab')" :title="t('contextMenu.closeTab')" @pointerdown.stop @click.stop="queryStore.closeTab(tab.id)">
-              <X class="h-3 w-3" />
-            </button>
-          </div>
-
-          <!-- Settings Page Tab -->
-          <CustomContextMenu v-if="settingsPageOpen" :items="getSpecialRegularTabMenuItems('settings')" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
-            <div :class="isClassicLayout ? 'h-full' : ''" @contextmenu="onContextMenu">
-              <div
-                data-settings-page-tab
-                class="app-tab-pill group flex cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
-                :class="specialTabClass(!!settingsPageActive, 'min-w-36')"
-                :style="specialTabColorStyle(!!settingsPageActive)"
-                :data-active-tab="settingsPageActive"
-                @click="emit('activate-settings-page')"
-                @mousedown.middle.prevent="emit('close-settings-page')"
-              >
-                <span class="shrink-0 text-sky-600 dark:text-sky-400">
-                  <Settings class="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
-                </span>
-                <span class="min-w-0 truncate flex-1">{{ t("settings.title") }}</span>
-                <button class="rounded hover:bg-muted-foreground/20 p-0.5 shrink-0" @click.stop="emit('close-settings-page')">
-                  <X class="h-3 w-3" />
-                </button>
-              </div>
-            </div>
-          </CustomContextMenu>
-
-          <!-- Driver Store Tab -->
-          <CustomContextMenu v-if="driverStoreOpen" :items="getSpecialRegularTabMenuItems('driverStore')" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
-            <div :class="isClassicLayout ? 'h-full' : ''" @contextmenu="onContextMenu">
-              <div
-                data-driver-store-tab
-                class="app-tab-pill group flex cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
-                :class="specialTabClass(!!driverStoreActive, 'min-w-38')"
-                :style="specialTabColorStyle(!!driverStoreActive)"
-                :data-active-tab="driverStoreActive"
-                @click="emit('activate-driver-store')"
-                @mousedown.middle.prevent="emit('close-driver-store')"
-              >
-                <span class="shrink-0 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400">
-                  <Package class="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
-                </span>
-                <span class="min-w-0 truncate flex-1">{{ t("toolbar.driverManager") }}</span>
-                <span v-if="(agentDriverUpdateCount ?? 0) > 0" class="inline-flex h-4 min-w-4 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-red-500 px-1 text-[10px] font-medium leading-none text-white" :aria-label="t('toolbar.updatableDriverCount')">
-                  {{ (agentDriverUpdateCount ?? 0) > 99 ? "99+" : agentDriverUpdateCount }}
-                </span>
-                <button class="rounded hover:bg-muted-foreground/20 p-0.5 shrink-0" @click.stop="emit('close-driver-store')">
-                  <X class="h-3 w-3" />
-                </button>
-              </div>
-            </div>
-          </CustomContextMenu>
-          <div class="min-w-8 flex-1 self-stretch" data-tauri-drag-region />
-        </div>
-      </div>
+  <!-- Targets remain mounted while inactive so the original group bars can
+       move here without losing their local presentation state. -->
+  <div v-show="driverStoreActive || settingsPageActive" data-special-page-workspace class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden" :class="layoutClass">
+    <div data-special-page-navigation class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 shrink-0 flex-col overflow-auto" :style="navigationStyle">
+      <div v-for="group in queryStore.groups" :key="group.id" :ref="(element) => setTabBarTarget(group.id, element)" :data-special-page-tab-target="group.id" class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0" :class="isVerticalLayout ? 'flex-1' : 'shrink-0'" />
+    </div>
+    <div data-special-page-content class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden">
+      <slot />
     </div>
   </div>
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/ContentArea.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/ContentArea.vue
index 5888f66242..eb7b926471 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/ContentArea.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/ContentArea.vue
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { appendDebugLog, isDebugLoggingEnabled } from "@/lib/backend/debugLog";
 import { canReloadUnavailableDataTab, restoredDataTabReloadFilters } from "@/lib/table/tableDataRefresh";
 import { defaultViewForResult } from "@/lib/query/queryResultDefaultView";
 import { isQueryExecutionErrorResult } from "@/lib/query/queryResultError";
+import { hasQueryOutput as tabHasQueryOutput } from "@/lib/query/queryOutput";
 import { batchSqlRecoveryState, type BatchSqlRecoveryAction } from "@/lib/query/batchSqlRecovery";
 import type { CSSProperties } from "vue";
 import { useI18n } from "vue-i18n";
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ import { canCancelQueryExecution, isActiveResultLoading, queryExecutionLabelKey
 import {
   databaseDisplayNameForTab,
   executionSummaryItems,
+  isPreviewTab,
   queryResultExecutionSql,
   resultGridCacheKey,
   resultGridColumnWidthCacheKey,
@@ -246,14 +248,8 @@ const { toast } = useToast();
 const DEFAULT_QUERY_RESULTS_PANE_SIZE = 68;
 
 onMounted(() => {
-  // Deliberately not preloading DataGrid here for every tab: evaluating that
-  // chunk is expensive (large component graph) and previously ran
-  // unconditionally shortly after any tab mounted, including source-only
-  // tabs (e.g. viewing a large object's DDL) that never need a grid. That
-  // turned a "warm the cache" optimization into a multi-second main-thread
-  // freeze right when the user was trying to read the newly-opened tab (see
-  // issue #8103). The watcher below still preloads it eagerly for tabs that
-  // actually need one.
+  // The watcher below warms the grid for query/data tabs. Keep source-only
+  // tabs out of that path: loading the grid there caused freezes (#8103).
   window.addEventListener("dbx-refresh-active-kv-browser", onRefreshActiveKvBrowser);
   window.addEventListener("resize", updateStandaloneResultToolbarDimensions);
   window.visualViewport?.addEventListener("resize", updateStandaloneResultToolbarDimensions);
@@ -262,9 +258,14 @@ onMounted(() => {
 });
 
 watch(
-  () => [props.activeTab.mode, !!props.activeTab.result] as const,
-  ([mode, hasResult]) => {
-    if (mode === "data" || hasResult) preloadDataGridComponent();
+  () => {
+    const tab = props.activeTab;
+    const gridMode = tab.mode === "query" || tab.mode === "data";
+    // Object source and preview tabs also use query mode, but often never run SQL.
+    return !!tab.result || (gridMode && (tab.isExecuting || tab.isExplaining || (!tab.sourceView && !tab.objectSource && !isPreviewTab(tab))));
+  },
+  (shouldPreload) => {
+    if (shouldPreload) preloadDataGridComponent();
   },
   { immediate: true },
 );
@@ -431,18 +432,7 @@ const activeQueryError = computed(() => {
   if (!result || !isQueryExecutionErrorResult(result)) return "";
   return String(result.rows[0]?.[0] ?? "");
 });
-const hasQueryOutput = computed(
-  () =>
-    !!props.activeTab.result ||
-    !!props.activeTab.resultRuns?.length ||
-    props.activeTab.resultEvicted === true ||
-    !!props.activeTab.explainPlan ||
-    !!props.activeTab.explainError ||
-    !!props.activeTab.explainTableResult ||
-    !!props.activeTab.explainTableError ||
-    props.activeTab.isExecuting === true ||
-    props.activeTab.isExplaining === true,
-);
+const hasQueryOutput = computed(() => tabHasQueryOutput(props.activeTab));
 const visibleResultItems = computed(() => tabularResultItems(props.activeTab.results ?? (props.activeTab.result ? [props.activeTab.result] : undefined)));
 const tabularResults = computed(() => tabularResultItems(props.activeTab.results));
 const allResultExportSheets = computed(() =>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroup.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroup.vue
index d29f6e2768..60d187cba8 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroup.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroup.vue
@@ -13,13 +13,16 @@ import { createContentSurfaceEventForwarders } from "@/lib/tabs/contentSurfaceEv
 import { isPreviewTab } from "@/lib/tabs/tabPresentation";
 import { resolveExecutableSql } from "@/lib/sql/sqlExecutionTarget";
 import { effectiveDatabaseTypeForConnection } from "@/lib/database/jdbcDialect";
+import { GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL } from "./groupTabBarPortal";
 import type { ContentAreaSurfaceEmits, ContentAreaSurfaceProps, QueryEditorSurfaceHandle, StatementRange } from "./querySurfaces";
 import type { QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
 
 defineOptions({ inheritAttrs: false });
 
 const props = defineProps<
-  ContentAreaSurfaceProps & {
+  Omit<ContentAreaSurfaceProps, "activeTab"> & {
+    activeTab?: QueryTab;
+    showTabNavigation?: boolean;
     groupId: string;
     tabIds: string[];
     activeTabId: string | null;
@@ -88,6 +91,8 @@ const connectionStore = useConnectionStore();
 const queryStore = useQueryStore();
 const settingsStore = useSettingsStore();
 const toolbar = inject(EDITOR_TOOLBAR_ACTIONS, createNoopEditorToolbarActions());
+const tabBarPortal = inject(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL, null);
+const tabBarTarget = computed(() => tabBarPortal?.targets.get(props.groupId));
 const groupTabs = computed(() => {
   const byId = new Map(queryStore.tabs.map((tab) => [tab.id, tab]));
   return props.tabIds.map((id) => byId.get(id)).filter((tab): tab is QueryTab => !!tab);
@@ -129,26 +134,28 @@ const groupExecutableSql = computed(() => {
 
 <template>
   <div class="editor-group flex h-full min-h-0 min-w-0 overflow-hidden" :class="[groupClass, groupLayoutClass]" :data-group-id="groupId" @pointerdown.capture="$emit('focus-group', groupId)" @focusin="$emit('focus-group', groupId)">
-    <EditorGroupTabBar
-      :group-id="groupId"
-      :tabs="groupTabs"
-      :active-tab-id="activeTabId"
-      :tab-bar-width="tabBarWidth"
-      :tab-bar-collapsed="tabBarCollapsed"
-      :can-detach-tabs="canDetachTabs"
-      :detached-drop-target="detachedDropTarget"
-      :special-page-tabs="toolbar.specialPageTabs.value"
-      @activate-tab="$emit('activate-tab', $event)"
-      @locate-tab="$emit('locate-tab', $event)"
-      @toggle-zen-mode="$emit('toggle-zen-mode')"
-      @start-resize="$emit('start-resize', $event)"
-      @toggle-collapse="$emit('toggle-collapse')"
-      @detach-tab="$emit('detach-tab', $event)"
-      @activate-settings="toolbar.activateSettingsPage()"
-      @close-settings="toolbar.closeSettingsPage()"
-      @activate-driver-store="toolbar.activateDriverStore()"
-      @close-driver-store="toolbar.closeDriverStore()"
-    />
+    <Teleport defer v-if="showTabNavigation !== false" :to="tabBarTarget" :disabled="!tabBarPortal?.active.value || !tabBarTarget">
+      <EditorGroupTabBar
+        :group-id="groupId"
+        :tabs="groupTabs"
+        :active-tab-id="activeTabId"
+        :tab-bar-width="tabBarWidth"
+        :tab-bar-collapsed="tabBarCollapsed"
+        :can-detach-tabs="canDetachTabs"
+        :detached-drop-target="detachedDropTarget"
+        :special-page-tabs="toolbar.specialPageTabs.value"
+        @activate-tab="$emit('activate-tab', $event)"
+        @locate-tab="$emit('locate-tab', $event)"
+        @toggle-zen-mode="$emit('toggle-zen-mode')"
+        @start-resize="$emit('start-resize', $event)"
+        @toggle-collapse="$emit('toggle-collapse')"
+        @detach-tab="$emit('detach-tab', $event)"
+        @activate-settings="toolbar.activateSettingsPage()"
+        @close-settings="toolbar.closeSettingsPage()"
+        @activate-driver-store="toolbar.activateDriverStore()"
+        @close-driver-store="toolbar.closeDriverStore()"
+      />
+    </Teleport>
     <!-- The toolbar stays at the top of the pane's content column in every
          placement; only the tab bar moves around it. -->
     <div class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
@@ -201,9 +208,11 @@ const groupExecutableSql = computed(() => {
       <div class="relative flex-1 min-h-0">
         <QueryEditorSurface v-if="activeTab?.mode === 'query'" ref="activeSurfaceRef" v-bind="surfaceBindings" :auto-focus="groupId === queryStore.focusedGroupId" class="h-full" />
         <ContentArea v-else-if="activeTab" ref="activeSurfaceRef" v-bind="surfaceBindings" class="h-full" />
-        <div v-else class="flex h-full items-center justify-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-          {{ t("tabs.emptyGroup") }}
-        </div>
+        <slot v-else name="empty">
+          <div class="flex h-full items-center justify-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+            {{ t("tabs.emptyGroup") }}
+          </div>
+        </slot>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroupTabBar.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroupTabBar.vue
index 0af8c6cfa1..61c6b9948a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroupTabBar.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/EditorGroupTabBar.vue
@@ -133,8 +133,16 @@ const isClassicLayout = computed(() => settingsStore.editorSettings.appLayout ==
 // Special pages append to the focused group's strip only: one instance at a
 // time, in the pane the user is working in (v0.6.2 kept them in the single strip).
 const showSpecialPageTabs = computed(() => !!props.specialPageTabs && (props.specialPageTabs.settingsOpen || props.specialPageTabs.driverStoreOpen) && queryStore.focusedGroupId === props.groupId);
+const specialPageActive = computed(() => !!(props.specialPageTabs?.settingsActive || props.specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive));
+
+function isTabActive(tab: QueryTab): boolean {
+  return !specialPageActive.value && tab.id === props.activeTabId;
+}
 
 function specialPageTabClass(active: boolean): string[] {
+  if (isVerticalLayout.value) {
+    return ["h-8 w-full rounded-md border", active ? "border-ring font-medium text-foreground" : "border-transparent text-foreground/70 hover:text-foreground/90"];
+  }
   if (isClassicLayout.value) {
     return ["h-full border-r border-border/80 font-medium dark:border-border/45", active ? "bg-background text-foreground" : "text-foreground/70 hover:text-foreground/90"];
   }
@@ -142,6 +150,7 @@ function specialPageTabClass(active: boolean): string[] {
 }
 
 function specialPageTabStyle(active: boolean) {
+  if (isVerticalLayout.value) return active ? { "--app-tab-background": "var(--accent)" } : undefined;
   if (!isClassicLayout.value) return undefined;
   return active ? { boxShadow: "inset 0 -2px 0 var(--ring)" } : undefined;
 }
@@ -178,6 +187,23 @@ function toggleCompactTabTitle() {
   compactTabTitle.value = !compactTabTitle.value;
 }
 
+function getSpecialPageTabMenuItems(surface: "settings" | "driverStore"): ContextMenuItem[] {
+  const closeCurrent = surface === "settings" ? () => emit("close-settings") : () => emit("close-driver-store");
+  const otherOpen = surface === "settings" ? props.specialPageTabs?.driverStoreOpen : props.specialPageTabs?.settingsOpen;
+  return [
+    { label: compactTabTitle.value ? t("contextMenu.fullTabTitle") : t("contextMenu.compactTabTitle"), action: toggleCompactTabTitle, icon: compactTabTitle.value ? Maximize2 : Minimize2 },
+    { label: "", separator: true },
+    { label: t("contextMenu.closeTab"), action: closeCurrent, icon: X },
+    {
+      label: t("contextMenu.closeOtherTabs"),
+      action: () => (surface === "settings" ? emit("close-driver-store") : emit("close-settings")),
+      disabled: !otherOpen,
+      icon: X,
+    },
+    { label: t("contextMenu.closeAllTabs"), action: closeCurrent, variant: "destructive", icon: X },
+  ];
+}
+
 const tabBarClass = computed(() => [
   isVerticalLayout.value
     ? `vertical-tab-layout h-full w-60 flex-col bg-background ${settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "right" ? "border-l" : "border-r"}`
@@ -416,7 +442,7 @@ function isTabGroupCollapsed(tab: QueryTab) {
 function isTabGroupActive(tab: QueryTab) {
   const section = tab.pinned ? sortedPinnedTabs.value : sortedRegularTabs.value;
   const groupKey = tabGroupKey(tab);
-  return section.some((item) => tabGroupKey(item) === groupKey && item.id === props.activeTabId);
+  return section.some((item) => tabGroupKey(item) === groupKey && isTabActive(item));
 }
 
 function toggleTabGroup(tab: QueryTab) {
@@ -648,13 +674,13 @@ function tabColorStyle(tab: QueryTab): CSSProperties | undefined {
   // Sidebar tabs carry their group/connection color as a soft active wash;
   // the active indicator itself comes from the vertical CSS rules.
   if (isVerticalLayout.value) {
-    if (tab.id !== props.activeTabId) {
+    if (!isTabActive(tab)) {
       return undefined;
     }
     const color = connectionColor(tab.connectionId);
     return { "--app-tab-background": color ? hexToRgba(color, 0.12) : "var(--accent)" } as CSSProperties;
   }
-  return sharedTabColorStyle(tab, tab.id === props.activeTabId, isClassicLayout.value);
+  return sharedTabColorStyle(tab, isTabActive(tab), isClassicLayout.value);
 }
 
 const tabTooltipSide = computed(() => {
@@ -1125,6 +1151,15 @@ watch(
     nextTick(updateScrollButtons);
   },
 );
+
+watch([() => props.specialPageTabs?.settingsActive, () => props.specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive, () => settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement, () => props.tabBarCollapsed], () => {
+  nextTick(() => {
+    updateScrollButtons();
+    if (showSpecialPageTabs.value && specialPageActive.value) {
+      tabsContainerRef.value?.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[data-active-tab="true"]')?.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest", inline: "nearest" });
+    }
+  });
+});
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -1195,15 +1230,15 @@ watch(
               </button>
             </CustomContextMenu>
             <CustomContextMenu v-else :items="getTabMenuItems(entry.tab)" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
-              <div :class="isClassicLayout ? 'h-full' : ''" @contextmenu="onContextMenu">
+              <div :class="isClassicLayout && !isVerticalLayout ? 'h-full' : ''" @contextmenu="onContextMenu">
                 <Tooltip>
                   <TooltipTrigger as-child>
                     <div
                       class="app-tab-pill group flex cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
                       :class="[
                         isClassicLayout
-                          ? ['h-full border-r border-border/80 font-medium dark:border-border/45', entry.tab.id === activeTabId ? 'bg-background text-foreground' : 'text-foreground/70 hover:text-foreground/90']
-                          : ['h-7 rounded-md border', entry.tab.id === activeTabId ? 'text-foreground font-medium' : 'border-border/60 text-foreground/70 hover:border-border hover:text-foreground/90'],
+                          ? ['h-full border-r border-border/80 font-medium dark:border-border/45', isTabActive(entry.tab) ? 'bg-background text-foreground' : 'text-foreground/70 hover:text-foreground/90']
+                          : ['h-7 rounded-md border', isTabActive(entry.tab) ? 'text-foreground font-medium' : 'border-border/60 text-foreground/70 hover:border-border hover:text-foreground/90'],
                         {
                           'tab-group-tab': entry.grouping,
                           'tab-group-tab--first': entry.grouping && entry.groupFirst,
@@ -1211,7 +1246,7 @@ watch(
                         },
                       ]"
                       :style="[tabColorStyle(entry.tab), entry.grouping ? tabGroupStyle(entry.tab) : undefined, tabDropStyle(entry.tab)]"
-                      :data-active-tab="entry.tab.id === activeTabId"
+                      :data-active-tab="isTabActive(entry.tab)"
                       :data-tab-id="entry.tab.id"
                       @pointerdown="handleTabPointerDown($event, entry.tab)"
                       @click="handleTabClick(entry.tab)"
@@ -1273,46 +1308,60 @@ watch(
               </div>
             </CustomContextMenu>
           </template>
-          <!-- Settings / driver store append to the focused strip like v0.6.2
-               (vertical strips get them with the #8213 column-mode redesign) -->
-          <template v-if="showSpecialPageTabs && !isVerticalLayout">
-            <div
-              v-if="specialPageTabs?.settingsOpen"
-              data-settings-page-tab
-              class="app-tab-pill group flex shrink-0 cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
-              :class="specialPageTabClass(!!specialPageTabs?.settingsActive)"
-              :style="specialPageTabStyle(!!specialPageTabs?.settingsActive)"
-              :data-active-tab="specialPageTabs?.settingsActive"
-              :title="t('settings.title')"
-              @click="emit('activate-settings')"
-              @mousedown.middle.prevent="emit('close-settings')"
-            >
-              <Settings class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-sky-600 dark:text-sky-400" />
-              <span class="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{{ t("settings.title") }}</span>
-              <button class="shrink-0 rounded p-0.5 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20" :aria-label="t('common.close')" :title="t('common.close')" @click.stop="emit('close-settings')">
-                <X class="h-3 w-3" />
-              </button>
-            </div>
-            <div
-              v-if="specialPageTabs?.driverStoreOpen"
-              data-driver-store-tab
-              class="app-tab-pill group flex shrink-0 cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
-              :class="specialPageTabClass(!!specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive)"
-              :style="specialPageTabStyle(!!specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive)"
-              :data-active-tab="specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive"
-              :title="t('toolbar.driverManager')"
-              @click="emit('activate-driver-store')"
-              @mousedown.middle.prevent="emit('close-driver-store')"
-            >
-              <Package class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400" />
-              <span class="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{{ t("toolbar.driverManager") }}</span>
-              <span v-if="(specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount ?? 0) > 0" class="inline-flex h-4 min-w-4 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-red-500 px-1 text-[10px] font-medium leading-none text-white" :aria-label="t('toolbar.updatableDriverCount')">
-                {{ (specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount ?? 0) > 99 ? "99+" : specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount }}
-              </span>
-              <button class="shrink-0 rounded p-0.5 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20" :aria-label="t('common.close')" :title="t('common.close')" @click.stop="emit('close-driver-store')">
-                <X class="h-3 w-3" />
-              </button>
-            </div>
+          <template v-if="showSpecialPageTabs">
+            <CustomContextMenu v-if="specialPageTabs?.settingsOpen" :items="getSpecialPageTabMenuItems('settings')" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
+              <div
+                data-settings-page-tab
+                class="app-tab-pill group flex shrink-0 cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
+                :class="specialPageTabClass(!!specialPageTabs?.settingsActive)"
+                :style="specialPageTabStyle(!!specialPageTabs?.settingsActive)"
+                :data-active-tab="specialPageTabs?.settingsActive"
+                :title="t('settings.title')"
+                :aria-label="t('settings.title')"
+                :aria-pressed="!!specialPageTabs?.settingsActive"
+                role="button"
+                tabindex="0"
+                @click="emit('activate-settings')"
+                @keydown.enter.self.prevent="emit('activate-settings')"
+                @keydown.space.self.prevent="emit('activate-settings')"
+                @contextmenu="onContextMenu"
+                @mousedown.middle.prevent="emit('close-settings')"
+              >
+                <Settings class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-sky-600 dark:text-sky-400" />
+                <span v-if="!isTabBarCollapsed" class="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{{ t("settings.title") }}</span>
+                <button v-if="!isTabBarCollapsed" class="shrink-0 rounded p-0.5 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20" :aria-label="t('common.close')" :title="t('common.close')" @click.stop="emit('close-settings')">
+                  <X class="h-3 w-3" />
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            </CustomContextMenu>
+            <CustomContextMenu v-if="specialPageTabs?.driverStoreOpen" :items="getSpecialPageTabMenuItems('driverStore')" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
+              <div
+                data-driver-store-tab
+                class="app-tab-pill group flex shrink-0 cursor-default items-center gap-1 px-2 text-xs transition-colors whitespace-nowrap select-none"
+                :class="specialPageTabClass(!!specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive)"
+                :style="specialPageTabStyle(!!specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive)"
+                :data-active-tab="specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive"
+                :title="t('toolbar.driverManager')"
+                :aria-label="t('toolbar.driverManager')"
+                :aria-pressed="!!specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive"
+                role="button"
+                tabindex="0"
+                @click="emit('activate-driver-store')"
+                @keydown.enter.self.prevent="emit('activate-driver-store')"
+                @keydown.space.self.prevent="emit('activate-driver-store')"
+                @contextmenu="onContextMenu"
+                @mousedown.middle.prevent="emit('close-driver-store')"
+              >
+                <Package class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400" />
+                <span v-if="!isTabBarCollapsed" class="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{{ t("toolbar.driverManager") }}</span>
+                <span v-if="!isTabBarCollapsed && (specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount ?? 0) > 0" class="inline-flex h-4 min-w-4 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-red-500 px-1 text-[10px] font-medium leading-none text-white" :aria-label="t('toolbar.updatableDriverCount')">
+                  {{ (specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount ?? 0) > 99 ? "99+" : specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount }}
+                </span>
+                <button v-if="!isTabBarCollapsed" class="shrink-0 rounded p-0.5 hover:bg-muted-foreground/20" :aria-label="t('common.close')" :title="t('common.close')" @click.stop="emit('close-driver-store')">
+                  <X class="h-3 w-3" />
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            </CustomContextMenu>
           </template>
           <div :class="tabTailDragRegionClass" data-tauri-drag-region />
         </div>
@@ -1333,7 +1382,7 @@ watch(
               <CustomContextMenu v-for="tab in filteredGroupTabs" :key="tab.id" :items="getTabMenuItems(tab)" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
                 <div
                   class="group flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-1.5 py-1.5 text-left text-sm outline-hidden hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground focus-visible:bg-accent focus-visible:text-accent-foreground"
-                  :class="tab.id === activeTabId ? 'bg-accent/70 text-accent-foreground' : ''"
+                  :class="isTabActive(tab) ? 'bg-accent/70 text-accent-foreground' : ''"
                   :title="tabDisplayTitle(tab, t)"
                   role="menuitem"
                   tabindex="0"
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlEditorWorkspace.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlEditorWorkspace.vue
index 9e63d79765..88432eb359 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlEditorWorkspace.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/SqlEditorWorkspace.vue
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { computed, nextTick, onMounted, ref, useAttrs, watch } from "vue";
+import { computed, inject, nextTick, onMounted, provide, ref, useAttrs, watch } from "vue";
 import { useI18n } from "vue-i18n";
 import { Splitpanes, Pane } from "splitpanes";
 import "splitpanes/dist/splitpanes.css";
 import "./sqlEditorWorkspace.css";
 import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
+import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
+import { createGroupTabBarPortal, GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL } from "./groupTabBarPortal";
+import { hasQueryOutput } from "@/lib/query/queryOutput";
 import { safeLocalStorageGet, safeLocalStorageSet } from "@/lib/backend/safeStorage";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import EditorGroup from "./EditorGroup.vue";
@@ -16,7 +19,9 @@ import type { QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
 defineOptions({ inheritAttrs: false });
 
 const props = defineProps<
-  ContentAreaSurfaceProps & {
+  Omit<ContentAreaSurfaceProps, "activeTab"> & {
+    activeTab?: QueryTab;
+    showTabNavigation?: boolean;
     tabBarWidth?: number;
     tabBarCollapsed?: boolean;
     canDetachTabs?: boolean;
@@ -35,7 +40,7 @@ const emit = defineEmits<
 
 const attrs = useAttrs();
 const workspaceClass = computed(() => (typeof attrs.class === "string" ? attrs.class : undefined));
-const surfaceProps = computed<ContentAreaSurfaceProps>(() => ({
+const surfaceProps = computed(() => ({
   activeTab: props.activeTab,
   activeConnection: props.activeConnection,
   executableSql: props.executableSql,
@@ -49,7 +54,7 @@ const surfaceProps = computed<ContentAreaSurfaceProps>(() => ({
 }));
 const contentEmits = createContentSurfaceEventForwarders(emit);
 const editorGroupBindings = computed(() => ({ ...surfaceProps.value, ...contentEmits }));
-const resultSurfaceBindings = computed(() => ({ ...surfaceProps.value, ...contentEmits }));
+const resultSurfaceBindings = computed(() => ({ ...surfaceProps.value, ...contentEmits, activeTab: activeTab.value! }));
 
 defineExpose({
   focusSearch: (target: Element | null = null) => {
@@ -105,8 +110,29 @@ defineExpose({
 
 const { t } = useI18n();
 const queryStore = useQueryStore();
+const settingsStore = useSettingsStore();
+const isVerticalTabLayout = computed(() => settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "left" || settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "right");
+const globalTabBarPortal = inject(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL, null);
+const workspaceTabBarPortal = createGroupTabBarPortal(isVerticalTabLayout);
+// A special page owns navigation while active. Otherwise side tabs stay
+// outside the editor/result split, and horizontal tabs return to their group.
+provide(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL, {
+  active: computed(() => !!globalTabBarPortal?.active.value || isVerticalTabLayout.value),
+  get targets() {
+    return globalTabBarPortal?.active.value ? globalTabBarPortal.targets : workspaceTabBarPortal.targets;
+  },
+});
+const tabNavigationStyle = computed(() => {
+  const width = props.tabBarCollapsed ? "3.5rem" : `${props.tabBarWidth ?? 240}px`;
+  return { width, flex: `0 0 ${width}` };
+});
+function setTabBarTarget(groupId: string, element: unknown) {
+  if (element instanceof HTMLElement) workspaceTabBarPortal.targets.set(groupId, element);
+  else workspaceTabBarPortal.targets.delete(groupId);
+}
 const activeTab = computed(() => queryStore.tabs.find((tab) => tab.id === queryStore.activeTabId));
 const showSharedResult = computed(() => activeTab.value?.mode === "query");
+const hasSharedOutput = computed(() => showSharedResult.value && hasQueryOutput(activeTab.value));
 
 const SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MIN_SIZE = 12;
 const SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MAX_SIZE = 80;
@@ -115,11 +141,10 @@ const SHARED_RESULT_PANE_STORAGE_KEY = "dbx-shared-results-pane-size";
 const storedResultPaneSize = Number(safeLocalStorageGet(SHARED_RESULT_PANE_STORAGE_KEY));
 const resultPaneSize = ref(Number.isFinite(storedResultPaneSize) && storedResultPaneSize >= SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MIN_SIZE && storedResultPaneSize <= SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MAX_SIZE ? storedResultPaneSize : SHARED_RESULT_PANE_DEFAULT_SIZE);
 const showResultPane = ref(true);
-// The result pane stays mounted and animates its size between the stored
-// split and 0, so collapsing/expanding glides instead of jumping: the pane
-// transition for this outer split is re-enabled in sqlEditorWorkspace.css
-// (globals.css kills it for horizontal splitpanes).
-const resultPaneTargetSize = computed(() => (showSharedResult.value && showResultPane.value ? resultPaneSize.value : 0));
+const isResultPaneVisible = computed(() => hasSharedOutput.value && showResultPane.value);
+// Keep the pane mounted, but apply its target size immediately so available
+// results never wait for an expansion animation before becoming visible.
+const resultPaneTargetSize = computed(() => (isResultPaneVisible.value ? resultPaneSize.value : 0));
 const editorPaneSize = computed(() => 100 - resultPaneTargetSize.value);
 
 /**
@@ -133,6 +158,7 @@ function toggleSharedResultsPane(): boolean {
   if (!showSharedResult.value) {
     return activeEditorGroup()?.toggleResultsPane() ?? false;
   }
+  if (!hasSharedOutput.value) return false;
   showResultPane.value = !showResultPane.value;
   return true;
 }
@@ -141,9 +167,9 @@ function toggleSharedResultsPane(): boolean {
 // behavior (see issue #6193): a collapsed shared pane comes back when the
 // active tab starts executing.
 watch(
-  () => activeTab.value?.isExecuting,
-  (isExecuting) => {
-    if (isExecuting) showResultPane.value = true;
+  () => [activeTab.value?.id, activeTab.value?.isExecuting, activeTab.value?.isExplaining] as const,
+  ([, isExecuting, isExplaining]) => {
+    if (isExecuting || isExplaining) showResultPane.value = true;
   },
 );
 // Entrance choreography is hydration-gated: groups present at first render
@@ -217,44 +243,50 @@ function handleFocusStatement(tabId: string, range: StatementRange | null): bool
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <div class="sql-editor-workspace relative flex h-full min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden" :class="workspaceClass">
-    <Splitpanes horizontal class="sql-editor-workspace-split flex-1 min-h-0" :class="{ 'result-pane-collapsed': resultPaneTargetSize === 0 }" @resized="onSharedResultResized">
-      <Pane class="min-h-0 min-w-0" :size="editorPaneSize" :min-size="100 - SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MAX_SIZE">
-        <Splitpanes
-          :horizontal="queryStore.orientation === 'horizontal'"
-          class="sql-editor-groups h-full min-h-0"
-          @resized="
-            (event: { panes: Array<{ size: number }> }) => {
-              queryStore.sizes = event.panes.map((pane) => pane.size);
-            }
-          "
-        >
-          <Pane v-for="group in queryStore.groups" :key="group.id" :size="queryStore.sizes[queryStore.groups.indexOf(group)] ?? undefined" :min-size="10" class="min-h-0 min-w-0" :class="paneEnterClass(group.id)">
-            <EditorGroup
-              :ref="(el: unknown) => setGroupRef(group.id, el)"
-              :group-id="group.id"
-              :tab-ids="group.tabIds"
-              :active-tab-id="group.activeTabId"
-              :tab-bar-width="tabBarWidth"
-              :tab-bar-collapsed="tabBarCollapsed"
-              :can-detach-tabs="canDetachTabs"
-              :detached-drop-target="detachedDropTarget"
-              class="h-full"
-              v-bind="editorGroupBindings"
-              @focus-group="queryStore.focusGroup($event)"
-              @activate-tab="queryStore.activateTabInGroup(group.id, $event)"
-              @locate-tab="emit('locate-tab', $event)"
-              @toggle-zen-mode="emit('toggle-zen-mode')"
-              @start-resize="emit('start-resize', $event)"
-              @toggle-collapse="emit('toggle-collapse')"
-              @detach-tab="emit('detach-tab', $event)"
-            />
-          </Pane>
-        </Splitpanes>
-      </Pane>
-      <Pane class="min-h-0" :size="resultPaneTargetSize" :min-size="resultPaneTargetSize > 0 ? SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MIN_SIZE : 0" :max-size="SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MAX_SIZE">
-        <Transition name="result-surface">
-          <div v-if="showSharedResult && showResultPane" data-shared-result-surface class="h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
+  <div class="sql-editor-workspace relative flex h-full min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden" :class="[workspaceClass, settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === 'right' ? 'flex-row-reverse' : 'flex-row']">
+    <div v-show="isVerticalTabLayout && showTabNavigation !== false" data-workspace-tab-navigation class="flex min-h-0 shrink-0 flex-col overflow-hidden" :style="tabNavigationStyle">
+      <div v-for="group in queryStore.groups" :key="group.id" :ref="(element) => setTabBarTarget(group.id, element)" :data-workspace-tab-target="group.id" class="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1" @pointerdown.capture="queryStore.focusGroup(group.id)" @focusin="queryStore.focusGroup(group.id)" />
+    </div>
+    <div data-workspace-content class="relative flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden">
+      <Splitpanes horizontal class="sql-editor-workspace-split flex-1 min-h-0" :class="{ 'result-pane-collapsed': resultPaneTargetSize === 0 }" @resized="onSharedResultResized">
+        <Pane class="min-h-0 min-w-0" :size="editorPaneSize" :min-size="100 - SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MAX_SIZE">
+          <Splitpanes
+            :horizontal="queryStore.orientation === 'horizontal'"
+            class="sql-editor-groups h-full min-h-0"
+            @resized="
+              (event: { panes: Array<{ size: number }> }) => {
+                queryStore.sizes = event.panes.map((pane) => pane.size);
+              }
+            "
+          >
+            <Pane v-for="group in queryStore.groups" :key="group.id" :size="queryStore.sizes[queryStore.groups.indexOf(group)] ?? undefined" :min-size="10" class="min-h-0 min-w-0" :class="paneEnterClass(group.id)">
+              <EditorGroup
+                :ref="(el: unknown) => setGroupRef(group.id, el)"
+                :group-id="group.id"
+                :tab-ids="group.tabIds"
+                :active-tab-id="group.activeTabId"
+                :show-tab-navigation="showTabNavigation"
+                :tab-bar-width="tabBarWidth"
+                :tab-bar-collapsed="tabBarCollapsed"
+                :can-detach-tabs="canDetachTabs"
+                :detached-drop-target="detachedDropTarget"
+                class="h-full"
+                v-bind="editorGroupBindings"
+                @focus-group="queryStore.focusGroup($event)"
+                @activate-tab="queryStore.activateTabInGroup(group.id, $event)"
+                @locate-tab="emit('locate-tab', $event)"
+                @toggle-zen-mode="emit('toggle-zen-mode')"
+                @start-resize="emit('start-resize', $event)"
+                @toggle-collapse="emit('toggle-collapse')"
+                @detach-tab="emit('detach-tab', $event)"
+              >
+                <template #empty><slot name="empty" /></template>
+              </EditorGroup>
+            </Pane>
+          </Splitpanes>
+        </Pane>
+        <Pane class="min-h-0" :size="resultPaneTargetSize" :min-size="resultPaneTargetSize > 0 ? SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MIN_SIZE : 0" :max-size="SHARED_RESULT_PANE_MAX_SIZE">
+          <div v-if="isResultPaneVisible" data-shared-result-surface class="h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
             <QueryResultSurface
               ref="resultSurfaceRef"
               v-bind="resultSurfaceBindings"
@@ -272,22 +304,22 @@ function handleFocusStatement(tabId: string, range: StatementRange | null): bool
               "
             />
           </div>
-        </Transition>
-      </Pane>
-    </Splitpanes>
-    <!-- The shared surface unmounts when collapsed, so the mouse re-show
+        </Pane>
+      </Splitpanes>
+      <!-- The shared surface unmounts when collapsed, so the mouse re-show
          affordance lives here, outside the collapsible pane. -->
-    <Button
-      v-if="showSharedResult && !showResultPane"
-      type="button"
-      variant="secondary"
-      size="sm"
-      class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 z-20 h-7 gap-1.5 rounded-full border bg-background/95 px-3 text-xs shadow-lg hover:bg-accent"
-      :title="t('editor.showResultsPane')"
-      :aria-label="t('editor.showResultsPane')"
-      @click="showResultPane = true"
-    >
-      {{ t("editor.showResultsPane") }}
-    </Button>
+      <Button
+        v-if="hasSharedOutput && !showResultPane"
+        type="button"
+        variant="secondary"
+        size="sm"
+        class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 z-20 h-7 gap-1.5 rounded-full border bg-background/95 px-3 text-xs shadow-lg hover:bg-accent"
+        :title="t('editor.showResultsPane')"
+        :aria-label="t('editor.showResultsPane')"
+        @click="showResultPane = true"
+      >
+        {{ t("editor.showResultsPane") }}
+      </Button>
+    </div>
   </div>
 </template>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.portal.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.portal.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9985c27f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.portal.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,378 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { computed, createApp, defineComponent, nextTick, reactive, ref } from "vue";
+import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from "pinia";
+import { createI18n } from "vue-i18n";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+vi.mock("splitpanes", () => ({
+  Splitpanes: { template: "<div><slot /></div>" },
+  Pane: { template: "<div><slot /></div>" },
+}));
+vi.mock("@/components/layout/EditorToolbar.vue", () => ({ default: { template: '<div data-test="toolbar" />' } }));
+vi.mock("@/components/layout/QueryEditorSurface.vue", () => ({ default: { template: '<div data-test="query-editor" />' } }));
+vi.mock("@/components/layout/QueryResultSurface.vue", () => ({ default: { template: '<div data-test="query-result" />' } }));
+vi.mock("@/components/layout/ContentArea.vue", () => ({ default: { template: '<div data-test="content-area" />' } }));
+vi.mock("@/lib/backend/api", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("@/lib/backend/api")>()),
+  closeClientConnectionSession: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+}));
+vi.mock("@/lib/tabs/tabResultCache", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("@/lib/tabs/tabResultCache")>()),
+  deleteTabResultSnapshot: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+}));
+
+import AppTabBar from "../AppTabBar.vue";
+import SqlEditorWorkspace from "../SqlEditorWorkspace.vue";
+import { TooltipProvider } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
+import { createGroupTabBarPortal, GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL } from "../groupTabBarPortal";
+import { createNoopEditorToolbarActions, EDITOR_TOOLBAR_ACTIONS } from "../editorToolbarActions";
+import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
+import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
+import type { QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
+
+function queryTab(id: string, connectionId = "mysql-local"): QueryTab {
+  return { id, title: id, sql: "SELECT 1", mode: "query", connectionId, database: "app", isExecuting: false };
+}
+
+const cleanups: Array<() => void> = [];
+
+async function settle() {
+  await nextTick();
+  await nextTick();
+  await nextTick();
+}
+
+function mountNavigation(placement: "top" | "bottom" | "left" | "right", empty = false) {
+  const pinia = createPinia();
+  setActivePinia(pinia);
+  const store = useQueryStore();
+  const settings = useSettingsStore();
+  settings.editorSettings.tabPlacement = placement;
+  settings.editorSettings.tabGroupMode = "connection";
+  store.tabs = empty ? [] : [queryTab("Query alpha"), queryTab("Query beta")];
+  store.groups = [{ id: "main", tabIds: store.tabs.map((tab) => tab.id), activeTabId: store.tabs[0]?.id ?? null }];
+  store.activeTabId = store.tabs[0]?.id ?? null;
+  store.focusedGroupId = "main";
+  store.sizes = [100];
+  const pages = reactive({ settingsOpen: true, driverOpen: true, driverActive: false, draft: "initial" });
+  const navigation = reactive({ width: 260, collapsed: false });
+  const workspace = ref<{ toggleResultsPane: () => boolean } | null>(null);
+  const active = computed(() => settings.settingsPageActive || pages.driverActive);
+  const portal = createGroupTabBarPortal(active);
+  const actions = {
+    ...createNoopEditorToolbarActions(),
+    specialPageTabs: computed(() => ({ settingsOpen: pages.settingsOpen, settingsActive: settings.settingsPageActive, driverStoreOpen: pages.driverOpen, driverStoreActive: pages.driverActive, driverUpdateCount: 2 })),
+    activateSettingsPage: () => {
+      pages.settingsOpen = true;
+      pages.driverActive = false;
+      settings.settingsPageActive = true;
+    },
+    closeSettingsPage: () => {
+      pages.settingsOpen = false;
+      settings.settingsPageActive = false;
+    },
+    activateDriverStore: () => {
+      pages.driverOpen = true;
+      settings.settingsPageActive = false;
+      pages.driverActive = true;
+    },
+    closeDriverStore: () => {
+      pages.driverOpen = false;
+      pages.driverActive = false;
+    },
+  };
+  const onQuerySurface = () => {
+    pages.driverActive = false;
+    settings.settingsPageActive = false;
+  };
+  window.addEventListener("dbx:activate-query-surface", onQuerySurface);
+  const host = document.createElement("div");
+  document.body.appendChild(host);
+  const root = defineComponent({
+    components: { AppTabBar, SqlEditorWorkspace, TooltipProvider },
+    setup: () => ({ store, settings, pages, active, navigation, workspace }),
+    template: `
+      <TooltipProvider>
+        <AppTabBar :settings-page-open="pages.settingsOpen" :settings-page-active="settings.settingsPageActive" :driver-store-open="pages.driverOpen" :driver-store-active="pages.driverActive" :tab-bar-width="navigation.width" :tab-bar-collapsed="navigation.collapsed">
+          <div v-show="settings.settingsPageActive" data-test="settings-page"><input v-model="pages.draft" data-test="settings-input" /></div>
+          <div v-show="pages.driverActive" data-test="driver-page">Drivers</div>
+        </AppTabBar>
+        <div v-show="!active" data-test="editor-workspace-wrapper">
+          <SqlEditorWorkspace ref="workspace" :active-tab="store.tabs.find(tab => tab.id === store.activeTabId)" :show-tab-navigation="store.tabs.length > 0 || pages.settingsOpen || pages.driverOpen" active-output-view="result" executable-sql="SELECT 1" :format-sql-request="null" :compress-sql-request="null" selected-sql="" :cursor-pos="0" :block-dangerous-redis-commands="false" :tab-bar-width="navigation.width" :tab-bar-collapsed="navigation.collapsed">
+            <template #empty><div data-test="welcome"><button @click="store.createTab('mysql-local', 'app', 'New query', 'query')">New query</button></div></template>
+          </SqlEditorWorkspace>
+        </div>
+      </TooltipProvider>`,
+  });
+  const app = createApp(root);
+  const warnings: string[] = [];
+  app.config.warnHandler = (message) => warnings.push(message);
+  app.use(pinia);
+  app.use(createI18n({ legacy: false, locale: "en", messages: { en: {} }, missingWarn: false, fallbackWarn: false }));
+  app.provide(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL, portal);
+  app.provide(EDITOR_TOOLBAR_ACTIONS, actions);
+  app.mount(host);
+  cleanups.push(() => {
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+    window.removeEventListener("dbx:activate-query-surface", onQuerySurface);
+  });
+  return { host, store, settings, pages, portal, actions, warnings, navigation, workspace };
+}
+
+function element(host: HTMLElement, selector: string): HTMLElement {
+  const result = host.querySelector<HTMLElement>(selector);
+  expect(result, selector).not.toBeNull();
+  return result!;
+}
+
+describe("AppTabBar group navigation portal", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+  });
+  afterEach(() => {
+    for (const cleanup of cleanups.splice(0)) cleanup();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["top", "bottom", "left", "right"] as const)("moves the same %s bar between query, settings and driver surfaces", async (placement) => {
+    const { host, pages, warnings } = mountNavigation(placement);
+    await settle();
+    const bar = element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]");
+    expect(bar.dataset.placement).toBe(placement);
+    element(bar, "[data-settings-page-tab]").click();
+    await settle();
+
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-tab-target='main']").contains(bar)).toBe(true);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-test='editor-workspace-wrapper']").style.display).toBe("none");
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-workspace]").style.display).not.toBe("none");
+    expect(element(bar, "[data-settings-page-tab]").dataset.activeTab).toBe("true");
+    expect(bar.querySelectorAll("[data-tab-id][data-active-tab='true']")).toHaveLength(0);
+    const input = element(host, "[data-test='settings-input']") as HTMLInputElement;
+    input.value = "edited setting";
+    input.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+    expect(pages.draft).toBe("edited setting");
+
+    element(bar, "[data-driver-store-tab]").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(element(bar, "[data-driver-store-tab]").dataset.activeTab).toBe("true");
+    expect(element(bar, "[data-settings-page-tab]").dataset.activeTab).toBe("false");
+
+    element(bar, "[data-tab-id='Query alpha']").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-test='editor-workspace-wrapper']").contains(bar)).toBe(true);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-workspace]").style.display).toBe("none");
+    expect(element(bar, "[data-tab-id='Query alpha']").dataset.activeTab).toBe("true");
+    expect(element(host, "[data-test='settings-input']")).toBe(input);
+    expect(input.value).toBe("edited setting");
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("preserves the side bar search and collapsed connection group across portal moves", async () => {
+    const { host, actions, warnings } = mountNavigation("left");
+    await settle();
+    const bar = element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]");
+    element(bar, ".tab-group-header").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(bar, ".tab-group-header").getAttribute("aria-expanded")).toBe("false");
+    const search = element(bar, "input[type='search']") as HTMLInputElement;
+    search.value = "alpha";
+    search.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+    await settle();
+    expect(bar.querySelector("[data-tab-id='Query beta']")).toBeNull();
+    actions.activateSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(element(bar, "input[type='search']")).toBe(search);
+    expect(search.value).toBe("alpha");
+    actions.closeSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(search.value).toBe("alpha");
+    search.value = "";
+    search.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(bar, ".tab-group-header").getAttribute("aria-expanded")).toBe("false");
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps special navigation usable with no ordinary tabs", async () => {
+    const { host, actions, warnings } = mountNavigation("left", true);
+    actions.activateSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-tab-id]")).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-tab-target='main'] [data-settings-page-tab]").dataset.activeTab).toBe("true");
+    element(host, "[data-driver-store-tab]").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-driver-store-tab]").dataset.activeTab).toBe("true");
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it.each(["top", "bottom", "left", "right"] as const)("shows welcome after the last query closes while retaining %s special tabs", async (placement) => {
+    const { host, store, pages, actions, warnings } = mountNavigation(placement);
+    await settle();
+    actions.activateSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    element(host, "[data-tab-id='Query alpha']").click();
+    await settle();
+    const tabIds = store.tabs.map((tab) => tab.id);
+    for (const id of tabIds) store.closeTab(id, { force: true });
+    await settle();
+    const wrapper = element(host, "[data-test='editor-workspace-wrapper']");
+    expect(wrapper.style.display).not.toBe("none");
+    expect(wrapper.querySelectorAll("[data-test='welcome']")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(wrapper.querySelectorAll("[data-settings-page-tab]")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(wrapper.querySelectorAll("[data-driver-store-tab]")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(wrapper.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+
+    element(wrapper, "[data-settings-page-tab]").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(wrapper.style.display).toBe("none");
+    actions.closeSettingsPage();
+    actions.closeDriverStore();
+    await settle();
+    expect(wrapper.style.display).not.toBe("none");
+    expect(wrapper.querySelectorAll("[data-test='welcome']")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-navigation]").style.display).toBe("none");
+    expect(pages.settingsOpen || pages.driverOpen).toBe(false);
+
+    element(wrapper, "[data-test='welcome'] button").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(store.tabs).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(wrapper.querySelector("[data-test='welcome']")).toBeNull();
+    expect(wrapper.querySelector("[data-test='query-editor']")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("registers and removes portal targets as editor groups change while settings is open", async () => {
+    const { host, store, portal, actions, warnings } = mountNavigation("left");
+    actions.activateSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    store.tabs.push(queryTab("Query gamma", "postgres-local"));
+    store.groups.push({ id: "secondary", tabIds: ["Query gamma"], activeTabId: "Query gamma" });
+    store.sizes = [50, 50];
+    await settle();
+    expect(portal.targets.size).toBe(2);
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-tab-target='secondary'] [data-main-tab-bar]").dataset.groupId).toBe("secondary");
+    store.groups = store.groups.filter((group) => group.id !== "secondary");
+    store.tabs = store.tabs.filter((tab) => tab.id !== "Query gamma");
+    store.sizes = [100];
+    await settle();
+    expect(portal.targets.has("secondary")).toBe(false);
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it.each(["left", "right"] as const)("keeps the same %s navigation outside the results split throughout query execution", async (placement) => {
+    const { host, store, workspace, actions, warnings } = mountNavigation(placement);
+    await settle();
+    const bar = element(host, "[data-main-tab-bar]");
+    const rail = element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-navigation]");
+    const target = element(rail, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main']");
+    const content = element(host, "[data-workspace-content]");
+    expect(target.contains(bar)).toBe(true);
+    expect(rail.parentElement).toBe(content.parentElement);
+    expect(content.contains(rail)).toBe(false);
+    expect(content.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+
+    store.tabs[0]!.isExecuting = true;
+    await settle();
+    expect(content.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).not.toBeNull();
+    store.tabs[0]!.result = { columns: ["id"], rows: [[1]], affected_rows: 0, execution_time_ms: 1 };
+    store.tabs[0]!.isExecuting = false;
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main']")).toBe(target);
+    expect(element(target, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(rail.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+
+    expect(workspace.value!.toggleResultsPane()).toBe(true);
+    await settle();
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(content.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull());
+    expect(element(target, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(workspace.value!.toggleResultsPane()).toBe(true);
+    await settle();
+    expect(content.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main']")).toBe(target);
+    expect(element(target, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+
+    actions.activateSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-tab-target='main']").contains(bar)).toBe(true);
+    element(bar, "[data-tab-id='Query alpha']").click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(target, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    expect(content.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it.each(["left", "right"] as const)("returns the %s rail bar to its original editor group for horizontal placements", async (placement) => {
+    const { host, settings, warnings } = mountNavigation(placement);
+    await settle();
+    const bar = element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main'] [data-main-tab-bar]");
+    for (const horizontal of ["top", "bottom"] as const) {
+      settings.editorSettings.tabPlacement = horizontal;
+      await settle();
+      expect(element(host, ".editor-group[data-group-id='main']").contains(bar)).toBe(true);
+      expect(bar.dataset.placement).toBe(horizontal);
+      expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(1);
+      settings.editorSettings.tabPlacement = placement;
+      await settle();
+      expect(element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main']").contains(bar)).toBe(true);
+    }
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it.each(["left", "right"] as const)("synchronizes %s rail width and collapse with the persistent bar", async (placement) => {
+    const { host, navigation, warnings } = mountNavigation(placement);
+    await settle();
+    const rail = element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-navigation]");
+    const bar = element(rail, "[data-main-tab-bar]");
+    expect(rail.style.width).toBe("260px");
+    expect(bar.style.width).toBe("260px");
+    navigation.width = 320;
+    await settle();
+    expect(rail.style.width).toBe("320px");
+    expect(bar.style.width).toBe("320px");
+    navigation.collapsed = true;
+    await settle();
+    expect(rail.style.width).toBe("3.5rem");
+    expect(bar.style.width).toBe("3.5rem");
+    expect(element(rail, "[data-main-tab-bar]")).toBe(bar);
+    navigation.collapsed = false;
+    await settle();
+    expect(rail.style.width).toBe("320px");
+    expect(bar.style.width).toBe("320px");
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("preserves each group's bar and tab ownership across workspace and special-page rails", async () => {
+    const { host, store, actions, warnings } = mountNavigation("left");
+    store.tabs.push(queryTab("Query gamma", "postgres-local"));
+    store.groups.push({ id: "secondary", tabIds: ["Query gamma"], activeTabId: "Query gamma" });
+    store.sizes = [50, 50];
+    await settle();
+    const main = element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main'] [data-main-tab-bar]");
+    const secondary = element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='secondary'] [data-main-tab-bar]");
+    const originalGroups = store.groups.map((group) => ({ id: group.id, tabIds: [...group.tabIds], activeTabId: group.activeTabId }));
+    actions.activateSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-tab-target='main']").contains(main)).toBe(true);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-special-page-tab-target='secondary']").contains(secondary)).toBe(true);
+    actions.closeSettingsPage();
+    await settle();
+    expect(element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='main']").contains(main)).toBe(true);
+    expect(element(host, "[data-workspace-tab-target='secondary']").contains(secondary)).toBe(true);
+    expect(main.querySelector("[data-tab-id='Query gamma']")).toBeNull();
+    expect(secondary.querySelector("[data-tab-id='Query alpha']")).toBeNull();
+    expect(store.groups).toEqual(originalGroups);
+    expect(store.focusedGroupId).toBe("main");
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-main-tab-bar]")).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(warnings).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.spec.ts
index 065bc40ff3..6a043a83b3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/AppTabBar.spec.ts
@@ -3,29 +3,30 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
 const tabBarSource = readFileSync(new URL("../AppTabBar.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
 const groupTabBarSource = readFileSync(new URL("../EditorGroupTabBar.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const groupSource = readFileSync(new URL("../EditorGroup.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
 
-function sourceBetween(start: string, end: string): string {
-  const startIndex = tabBarSource.indexOf(start);
-  const endIndex = tabBarSource.indexOf(end, startIndex + start.length);
-  expect(startIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
-  expect(endIndex).toBeGreaterThan(startIndex);
-  return tabBarSource.slice(startIndex, endIndex);
-}
-
-describe("AppTabBar single production path", () => {
-  it("no longer renders the regular or pinned tab strip", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("hideRegularTabs");
-    expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("regularTabs");
-    expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("fixedTabsContainerRef");
-    expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("useTabDrag");
+describe("AppTabBar shared group navigation", () => {
+  it("hosts existing group bars without rendering a second tab strip", () => {
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('v-for="group in queryStore.groups"');
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':data-special-page-tab-target="group.id"');
+    expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("overlayReturnTabs");
+    expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("data-return-tab");
     expect(tabBarSource).not.toContain("createRenameDuplicateTabItems");
-    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("createRenameDuplicateTabItems");
+    expect(groupSource).toContain("<Teleport defer");
+    expect(groupSource).toContain(':disabled="!tabBarPortal?.active.value || !tabBarTarget"');
   });
 
-  it("keeps special pages and the close-confirm dialog as its only surfaces", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("getSpecialRegularTabMenuItems('settings')");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("getSpecialRegularTabMenuItems('driverStore')");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':open="queryStore.showCloseConfirm"');
+  it("retains targets while hiding inactive special content and follows all placements", () => {
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('v-show="driverStoreActive || settingsPageActive"');
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-special-page-navigation");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-special-page-content");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("<slot />");
+    for (const layout of ["flex-col", "flex-col-reverse", "flex-row", "flex-row-reverse"]) {
+      expect(tabBarSource).toContain(layout);
+    }
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("props.tabBarCollapsed");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("props.tabBarWidth");
   });
 
   it("scopes the close-other shortcut to the active tab's owner group", () => {
@@ -49,123 +50,43 @@ describe("AppTabBar close confirmation layout", () => {
   });
 
   it("shows the dirty tab list using the shared tab title presentation", () => {
-    const listBlock = sourceBetween('v-for="tab in closeConfirmDirtyTabs"', "</PopoverContent>");
-    expect(listBlock).toContain("tabDisplayTitle(tab, t)");
-  });
-});
-
-describe("AppTabBar special page selection", () => {
-  it("renders settings and driver store as app-level pills outside the editor groups", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-settings-page-tab");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-driver-store-tab");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("@click=\"emit('activate-settings-page')\"");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("@click=\"emit('activate-driver-store')\"");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('t("toolbar.driverManager")');
-  });
-
-  it("keeps the driver update badge on the driver store pill", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("agentDriverUpdateCount");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("aria-label=\"t('toolbar.updatableDriverCount')\"");
-  });
-});
-
-describe("AppTabBar layout-aware special tabs", () => {
-  it("mirrors the classic flat tab presentation instead of pills in the classic layout", () => {
-    // 经典布局下普通标签是全高 + 右边框分隔的扁平段；特殊标签必须跟随同一呈现，
-    // 不能永远是分离布局的圆角 pill（v0.6.3 分栏重构后的样式漂移）。
-    expect(tabBarSource).toMatch(/isClassicLayout = computed\(\(\) => settingsStore\.editorSettings\.appLayout === "classic"\)/);
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('isClassicLayout.value ? "h-9 items-stretch" : "h-10 items-center px-2"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('isClassicLayout.value ? "h-full items-center overflow-x-auto" : "h-full items-center gap-1.5 overflow-x-auto py-1.5"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('isClassicLayout.value ? "bg-muted" : `bg-background ${settingsStore.editorSettings.tabPlacement === "bottom" ? "border-t" : "border-b"}`');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('["h-full border-r border-border/80 font-medium dark:border-border/45", active ? "bg-background text-foreground" : "text-foreground/70 hover:text-foreground/90"]');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toMatch(/h-7 \$\{widthClass\} rounded-md border/);
-  });
-
-  it("keeps both special tabs on the shared presentation helper", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("specialTabClass(!!settingsPageActive, 'min-w-36')");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("specialTabClass(!!driverStoreActive, 'min-w-38')");
-    // 经典布局激活的特殊标签与普通标签一样显示 inset 下划线指示条。
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('return active ? { boxShadow: "inset 0 -2px 0 var(--ring)" } : undefined;');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':style="specialTabColorStyle(!!settingsPageActive)"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':style="specialTabColorStyle(!!driverStoreActive)"');
-  });
-});
-
-describe("AppTabBar return tabs while a special page is active", () => {
-  // 特殊页激活时工作区被整体隐藏，分组标签条随之消失；必须在特殊条里重渲
-  // 染打开的标签，否则用户没有任何鼠标路径切回编辑器（v0.6.4 回归）。
-  // 未激活的特殊页不再渲染独立条，由分组标签条末尾承载（见 EditorGroupTabBar）。
-  it("renders the app-level strip only while a special page is active", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('v-if="driverStoreActive || settingsPageActive"');
-  });
-
-  it("re-renders the open tabs only while settings or the driver store is active", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("(props.settingsPageActive || props.driverStoreActive ? queryStore.tabs : [])");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('v-for="tab in overlayReturnTabs"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-return-tab");
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("@click=\"emit('activate-tab', tab.id)\"");
-    // 普通标签在前，设置/驱动管理追加在末尾（v0.6.2 的顺序；新开的特殊页
-    // 不应插到最前面）。
-    const indices = ['v-for="tab in overlayReturnTabs"', "data-settings-page-tab", "data-driver-store-tab"].map((marker) => tabBarSource.indexOf(marker));
-    expect(indices.every((index) => index >= 0)).toBe(true);
-    expect([...indices].sort((a, b) => a - b)).toEqual(indices);
-  });
-
-  it("keeps return tabs inactive while the special page owns the surface", () => {
-    // 特殊页激活期间只有一个激活面：返回标签不得保留上一个标签的高亮。
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':class="specialTabClass(false)"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':style="tabColorStyle(tab, false, isClassicLayout)"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('data-active-tab="false"');
-  });
-
-  it("gives return tabs the native mode icon", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':class="tabIconClass(tab)"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('<TabModeIcon :tab="tab" class="h-3.5 w-3.5" />');
-  });
-
-  it("keeps return tabs closable with the shared dirty-confirm flow", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('@mousedown.middle.prevent="queryStore.closeTab(tab.id)"');
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('@click.stop="queryStore.closeTab(tab.id)"');
-  });
-
-  it("wires the return-tab click to the query-surface activation in App", () => {
-    const appSource = readFileSync(new URL("../../../App.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
-    expect(appSource).toContain('@activate-tab="activateQueryTab"');
-    // activateQueryTab flips the special surfaces off and switches to the tab.
-    expect(appSource).toMatch(/function activateQueryTab\(tabId: string\): boolean \{[\s\S]*?activateQuerySurface\(\);/);
+    const start = tabBarSource.indexOf('v-for="tab in closeConfirmDirtyTabs"');
+    const end = tabBarSource.indexOf("</PopoverContent>", start);
+    expect(start).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+    expect(end).toBeGreaterThan(start);
+    expect(tabBarSource.slice(start, end)).toContain("tabDisplayTitle(tab, t)");
   });
 });
 
 describe("Group strip special page tabs", () => {
-  it("appends open special pages to the focused group strip like v0.6.2", () => {
+  it("keeps special page tabs and their update badge in the focused group", () => {
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("queryStore.focusedGroupId === props.groupId");
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("data-settings-page-tab");
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("data-driver-store-tab");
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("@click=\"emit('activate-settings')\"");
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("@click=\"emit('activate-driver-store')\"");
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain('t("toolbar.driverManager")');
-    // 经典布局下的激活下划线与普通标签一致。
-    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain('return active ? { boxShadow: "inset 0 -2px 0 var(--ring)" } : undefined;');
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("aria-label=\"t('toolbar.updatableDriverCount')\"");
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("specialPageTabs?.driverUpdateCount");
   });
 
-  it("wires the group strip through the injected special page actions", () => {
-    const groupSource = readFileSync(new URL("../EditorGroup.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+  it("routes special-page actions and preserves ordinary-tab dirty closing", () => {
     expect(groupSource).toContain(':special-page-tabs="toolbar.specialPageTabs.value"');
     expect(groupSource).toContain('@activate-settings="toolbar.activateSettingsPage()"');
     expect(groupSource).toContain('@close-driver-store="toolbar.closeDriverStore()"');
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain('@mousedown.middle.prevent="closeTab(entry.tab)"');
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain('@click.stop="closeTab(entry.tab)"');
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("queryStore.closeTab(tab.id)");
   });
-});
 
-describe("Group tabbar inherited presentation", () => {
-  it("imports the shared tab bar stylesheet so pills, scrollbar, and wrap styles apply", () => {
+  it("uses one presentation path for active special pages and inactive ordinary tabs", () => {
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("return !specialPageActive.value && tab.id === props.activeTabId;");
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("specialPageTabClass(!!specialPageTabs?.settingsActive)");
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("specialPageTabClass(!!specialPageTabs?.driverStoreActive)");
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain('return active ? { boxShadow: "inset 0 -2px 0 var(--ring)" } : undefined;');
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain('import "./appTabBar.css"');
-    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("app-tab-pill");
-    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("app-tab-scrollbar");
-    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("app-tab-bar");
-  });
-
-  it("keeps the dirty marker and dirty title styling", () => {
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("dirty-tab-marker");
     expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("dirtyTabTitleStyle");
+    expect(groupTabBarSource).toContain("createRenameDuplicateTabItems");
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/ContentArea.preload.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/ContentArea.preload.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4648db87b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/ContentArea.preload.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { createApp, defineComponent, h, nextTick, reactive } from "vue";
+import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from "pinia";
+import { createI18n } from "vue-i18n";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+vi.mock("@/components/editor/QueryEditor.vue", () => ({ default: { render: () => null } }));
+vi.mock("@/components/grid/DataGrid.vue", () => ({ default: { render: () => null } }));
+vi.mock("@/lib/backend/debugLog", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("@/lib/backend/debugLog")>()),
+  isDebugLoggingEnabled: () => true,
+  appendDebugLog: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import ContentArea from "../ContentArea.vue";
+import { appendDebugLog } from "@/lib/backend/debugLog";
+import { useConnectionStore } from "@/stores/connectionStore";
+import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
+import type { ConnectionConfig, QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
+
+// Keep the real setup/watch lifecycle and props, without mounting editor/grid UI.
+const PreloadSurface = { ...ContentArea, render: () => null };
+const cleanups: Array<() => void> = [];
+const result = { columns: ["id"], rows: [], affected_rows: 0, execution_time_ms: 1 };
+
+function queryTab(overrides: Partial<QueryTab> = {}): QueryTab {
+  return { id: "query", title: "Query", connectionId: "mysql", database: "app", mode: "query", sql: "", isExecuting: false, ...overrides };
+}
+
+function sourceTab(): QueryTab {
+  return queryTab({ id: "source", objectSource: { name: "view_users", objectType: "VIEW" }, sql: "CREATE VIEW view_users AS SELECT 1" });
+}
+
+function readOnlySourceTab(): QueryTab {
+  return queryTab({ id: "readonly-source", sourceView: true, sql: "CREATE SEQUENCE seq_users" });
+}
+
+function previewTab(): QueryTab {
+  return queryTab({ id: "preview", connectionId: "preview-connection" });
+}
+
+function connection(id: string, name: string): ConnectionConfig {
+  return { id, name, db_type: "mysql", host: "localhost", port: 3306, username: "", password: "" };
+}
+
+function mountSurface(initialTab: QueryTab | (() => QueryTab)) {
+  const pinia = createPinia();
+  setActivePinia(pinia);
+  const connectionStore = useConnectionStore();
+  connectionStore.connections = [connection("mysql", "Local MySQL"), connection("preview-connection", "[Preview] Imported SQL")];
+  const state = reactive({ activeTab: typeof initialTab === "function" ? initialTab() : initialTab });
+  const root = defineComponent({
+    setup: () => () =>
+      h(PreloadSurface, {
+        activeTab: state.activeTab,
+        activeConnection: connectionStore.getConfig(state.activeTab.connectionId),
+        activeOutputView: "result",
+        executableSql: "",
+        formatSqlRequest: null,
+        compressSqlRequest: null,
+        selectedSql: "",
+        cursorPos: 0,
+        blockDangerousRedisCommands: false,
+        editorOnly: true,
+      }),
+  });
+  const host = document.createElement("div");
+  document.body.appendChild(host);
+  const app = createApp(root);
+  app.use(pinia);
+  app.use(createI18n({ legacy: false, locale: "en", messages: { en: {} }, missingWarn: false, fallbackWarn: false }));
+  app.mount(host);
+  cleanups.push(() => {
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+  });
+  return { state, connectionStore };
+}
+
+function loadStarts(): number {
+  return vi.mocked(appendDebugLog).mock.calls.filter((call) => call[1] === "[DBX][DataGrid:load:start]").length;
+}
+
+describe("ContentArea grid preload behavior", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    localStorage.clear();
+  });
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    for (const cleanup of cleanups.splice(0)) cleanup();
+    await nextTick();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["query", "data"] as const)("preloads for an ordinary empty %s tab", async (mode) => {
+    mountSurface(queryTab({ mode }));
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["object source", sourceTab],
+    ["read-only source", readOnlySourceTab],
+    ["Preview", previewTab],
+  ] as const)("does not preload an idle %s query tab", async (_, createTab) => {
+    mountSurface(createTab());
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  for (const [label, createTab] of [
+    ["object source", sourceTab],
+    ["read-only source", readOnlySourceTab],
+    ["Preview", previewTab],
+  ] as const) {
+    it.each(["isExecuting", "isExplaining"] as const)(`preloads when an idle ${label} tab starts %s`, async (flag) => {
+      const { state } = mountSurface(createTab());
+      expect(loadStarts()).toBe(0);
+      state.activeTab[flag] = true;
+      await nextTick();
+      expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+      state.activeTab[flag] = false;
+      state.activeTab.result = result;
+      await nextTick();
+      expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+    });
+
+    it(`preloads an existing result on an otherwise idle ${label} tab`, async () => {
+      mountSurface({ ...createTab(), result });
+      await nextTick();
+      expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+    });
+
+    it(`re-evaluates when a ${label} tab is replaced with an ordinary query of the same mode`, async () => {
+      const { state } = mountSurface(createTab());
+      expect(loadStarts()).toBe(0);
+      state.activeTab = queryTab();
+      await nextTick();
+      expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+    });
+  }
+
+  it("does not preload a read-only source created by the store or enable source saving", async () => {
+    const { state } = mountSurface(() => {
+      const store = useQueryStore();
+      const id = store.createTab("mysql", "app", "Source - seq_users", "query", "app", "CREATE SEQUENCE seq_users", undefined, { forceNew: true, sourceView: true });
+      return store.tabs.find((tab) => tab.id === id)!;
+    });
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(state.activeTab.objectSource).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(0);
+    state.activeTab.isExecuting = true;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("re-evaluates source metadata changes without changing the tab mode or id", async () => {
+    const { state } = mountSurface(sourceTab());
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(0);
+    state.activeTab.objectSource = undefined;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("uses the canonical Preview connection name and reacts when it becomes an ordinary connection", async () => {
+    const { connectionStore } = mountSurface(previewTab());
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(0);
+    connectionStore.connections[1]!.name = "Local MySQL";
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(loadStarts()).toBe(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/EditorGroupTabBar.groups.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/EditorGroupTabBar.groups.spec.ts
index 8d18ab66a1..74ad30edaa 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/EditorGroupTabBar.groups.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/EditorGroupTabBar.groups.spec.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from "pinia";
 import { createI18n } from "vue-i18n";
-import { createApp, nextTick } from "vue";
+import { createApp, nextTick, reactive } from "vue";
 import EditorGroupTabBar from "../EditorGroupTabBar.vue";
 import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
 import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
@@ -460,3 +460,131 @@ describe("EditorGroupTabBar group behavior", () => {
     host.remove();
   });
 });
+
+describe("EditorGroupTabBar special page navigation", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = "";
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    setActivePinia(createPinia());
+  });
+
+  function mountSpecialBar(extraProps: Record<string, unknown> = {}) {
+    const pinia = createPinia();
+    setActivePinia(pinia);
+    const store = useQueryStore();
+    const settings = useSettingsStore();
+    settings.editorSettings.tabGroupMode = "connection";
+    const tabId = store.createTab("pg-1", "app", "Query", "query");
+    const specialPageTabs = reactive({ settingsOpen: true, settingsActive: true, driverStoreOpen: true, driverStoreActive: false, driverUpdateCount: 105 });
+    const events: string[] = [];
+    const mounted = mountBar(store.focusedGroupId, store.tabs.slice(), tabId, pinia, {
+      specialPageTabs,
+      "onActivate-settings": () => events.push("activate-settings"),
+      "onActivate-driver-store": () => events.push("activate-driver-store"),
+      "onClose-settings": () => events.push("close-settings"),
+      "onClose-driver-store": () => events.push("close-driver-store"),
+      ...extraProps,
+    });
+    return { ...mounted, store, settings, tabId, specialPageTabs, events };
+  }
+
+  it.each(["classic", "separated"] as const)("keeps grouped tabs and both special pages at every placement in %s layout", async (layout) => {
+    const { app, host, settings, store, tabId } = mountSpecialBar();
+    settings.editorSettings.appLayout = layout;
+    for (const placement of ["top", "bottom", "left", "right"] as const) {
+      settings.editorSettings.tabPlacement = placement;
+      await settle();
+      expect(host.querySelectorAll(".tab-group-header")).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-settings-page-tab]")).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(host.querySelectorAll("[data-driver-store-tab]")).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(host.querySelector(`[data-tab-id="${tabId}"]`)?.getAttribute("data-active-tab")).toBe("false");
+      expect(host.querySelector(".tab-group-header--active")).toBeNull();
+      expect(store.activeTabId).toBe(tabId);
+      const vertical = placement === "left" || placement === "right";
+      expect(host.querySelector(".app-tab-bar")?.classList.contains("vertical-tab-layout")).toBe(vertical);
+      const special = host.querySelector<HTMLElement>("[data-settings-page-tab]")!;
+      expect(special.classList.contains("h-8")).toBe(vertical);
+      expect(special.style.boxShadow).toBe(vertical ? "" : layout === "classic" ? "inset 0 -2px 0 var(--ring)" : "");
+    }
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["left", "right"] as const)("keeps collapsed %s special tabs accessible and closable without labels or badges", async (placement) => {
+    const { app, host, settings, events } = mountSpecialBar({ tabBarCollapsed: true });
+    settings.editorSettings.tabPlacement = placement;
+    await settle();
+    for (const [selector, action] of [
+      ["[data-settings-page-tab]", "settings"],
+      ["[data-driver-store-tab]", "driver-store"],
+    ]) {
+      const tab = host.querySelector<HTMLElement>(selector!)!;
+      expect(tab.getAttribute("aria-label")).toBe(tab.title);
+      expect(tab.getAttribute("tabindex")).toBe("0");
+      expect(tab.textContent?.trim()).toBe("");
+      expect(tab.querySelector("button")).toBeNull();
+      tab.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "Enter", bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+      tab.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: " ", bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+      tab.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mousedown", { button: 1, bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+      expect(events).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([`activate-${action}`, `close-${action}`]));
+      expect(events.filter((event) => event === `activate-${action}`)).toHaveLength(2);
+    }
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["classic", "separated"] as const)("lets side-tab wrappers size to their rows while preserving the %s horizontal layout", async (layout) => {
+    const { app, host, settings, tabId } = mountSpecialBar();
+    settings.editorSettings.appLayout = layout;
+    for (const placement of ["top", "left", "bottom", "right", "top"] as const) {
+      settings.editorSettings.tabPlacement = placement;
+      await settle();
+      const tab = host.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`[data-tab-id="${tabId}"]`)!;
+      const wrapper = tab.closest<HTMLElement>(".app-tab-scroll > div")!;
+      expect(wrapper).not.toBeNull();
+      expect(wrapper).not.toBe(tab);
+      const horizontal = placement === "top" || placement === "bottom";
+      expect(wrapper.classList.contains("h-full")).toBe(layout === "classic" && horizontal);
+    }
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+  });
+
+  it("restores normal activation without resetting a collapsed semantic group", async () => {
+    const { app, host, specialPageTabs, tabId, store } = mountSpecialBar();
+    await settle();
+    const header = host.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".tab-group-header")!;
+    header.click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(header.getAttribute("aria-expanded")).toBe("false");
+    specialPageTabs.settingsActive = false;
+    await settle();
+    expect(header.getAttribute("aria-expanded")).toBe("false");
+    expect(store.activeTabId).toBe(tabId);
+    header.click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(host.querySelector(`[data-tab-id="${tabId}"]`)?.getAttribute("data-active-tab")).toBe("true");
+    expect(host.querySelector(".tab-group-header--active")).not.toBeNull();
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+  });
+
+  it("preserves special-tab context menu close scope and prevents close-button activation", async () => {
+    const { app, host, events, store, tabId } = mountSpecialBar();
+    await settle();
+    const tab = host.querySelector<HTMLElement>("[data-settings-page-tab]")!;
+    tab.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>("button")!.click();
+    expect(events).toEqual(["close-settings"]);
+    tab.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("contextmenu", { bubbles: true, cancelable: true, clientX: 10, clientY: 10 }));
+    await settle();
+    const menu = document.body.querySelector<HTMLElement>("[data-dbx-context-menu]")!;
+    const closeOther = Array.from(menu.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>("button")).find((button) => button.textContent?.includes("Close other tabs"))!;
+    expect(closeOther).toBeDefined();
+    closeOther.click();
+    await settle();
+    expect(events).toEqual(["close-settings", "close-driver-store"]);
+    expect(store.tabs.map((item) => item.id)).toEqual([tabId]);
+    app.unmount();
+    host.remove();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.mount.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.mount.spec.ts
index 8fb7286468..47c2fac06b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.mount.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.mount.spec.ts
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ vi.mock("@/components/layout/QueryResultSurface.vue", () => ({
 
 import SqlEditorWorkspace from "../SqlEditorWorkspace.vue";
 import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
+import type { QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
 
-function tab(id: string) {
+function tab(id: string): QueryTab {
   return {
     id,
     title: id,
@@ -87,10 +88,12 @@ function tab(id: string) {
     database: "db",
     sql: "SELECT 1",
     mode: "query",
-  } as const;
+    isExecuting: false,
+    result: { columns: ["id"], rows: [], affected_rows: 0, execution_time_ms: 1 },
+  };
 }
 
-function dataTab(id: string) {
+function dataTab(id: string): QueryTab {
   return { ...tab(id), mode: "data" };
 }
 
@@ -104,8 +107,42 @@ describe("SqlEditorWorkspace mount contract", () => {
   let pinia: ReturnType<typeof createPinia>;
   let i18n: ReturnType<typeof createI18n>;
 
+  function mountOutputWorkspace(tabs: QueryTab[]) {
+    const store = useQueryStore();
+    store.tabs = tabs;
+    store.activeTabId = tabs[0]!.id;
+    store.groups = [{ id: "g1", tabIds: tabs.map((item) => item.id), activeTabId: tabs[0]!.id }];
+    store.focusedGroupId = "g1";
+    store.sizes = [100];
+    const host = createHost();
+    const app = createApp(SqlEditorWorkspace, {
+      activeTab: tabs[0]!,
+      activeConnection: undefined,
+      executableSql: "SELECT 1",
+      activeOutputView: "result",
+      formatSqlRequest: null,
+      compressSqlRequest: null,
+      selectedSql: "",
+      cursorPos: 0,
+      blockDangerousRedisCommands: false,
+    });
+    app.use(pinia);
+    app.use(i18n);
+    const vm = app.mount(host) as unknown as { toggleResultsPane: () => boolean };
+    return {
+      store,
+      host,
+      vm,
+      cleanup: () => {
+        app.unmount();
+        host.remove();
+      },
+    };
+  }
+
   beforeEach(() => {
     document.body.innerHTML = "";
+    localStorage.removeItem("dbx-shared-results-pane-size");
     editorPreviewCalls.length = 0;
     editorFocusCalls.length = 0;
     groupHandleModRCalls.length = 0;
@@ -121,6 +158,89 @@ describe("SqlEditorWorkspace mount contract", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("gives an idle query the full editor pane without a result surface or re-show button", async () => {
+    const { host, vm, cleanup } = mountOutputWorkspace([{ ...tab("idle"), result: undefined }]);
+    await nextTick();
+
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="editor.showResultsPane"]')).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".result-pane-collapsed")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("100");
+    expect(vm.toggleResultsPane()).toBe(false);
+    cleanup();
+  });
+
+  it("shows arriving results and hides or restores them within a single render tick", async () => {
+    const { store, host, vm, cleanup } = mountOutputWorkspace([{ ...tab("idle"), result: undefined }]);
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+
+    store.tabs[0]!.result = tab("result").result;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector('[data-test="result-surface"]')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("68");
+    expect(host.querySelector('[class*="result-surface-enter"]')).toBeNull();
+
+    expect(vm.toggleResultsPane()).toBe(true);
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("100");
+
+    expect(vm.toggleResultsPane()).toBe(true);
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector('[data-test="result-surface"]')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("68");
+    expect(host.querySelector('[class*="result-surface-enter"]')).toBeNull();
+    cleanup();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["isExecuting", "isExplaining"] as const)("opens and reopens output on %s and removes it after the last output is cleared", async (runningKey) => {
+    const { store, host, vm, cleanup } = mountOutputWorkspace([{ ...tab("idle"), result: undefined }]);
+    const active = store.tabs[0]!;
+    active[runningKey] = true;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("68");
+
+    active.result = tab("result").result;
+    active[runningKey] = false;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(vm.toggleResultsPane()).toBe(true);
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="editor.showResultsPane"]')).not.toBeNull();
+
+    active[runningKey] = true;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).not.toBeNull();
+
+    active[runningKey] = false;
+    active.result = undefined;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="editor.showResultsPane"]')).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("100");
+    cleanup();
+  });
+
+  it("preserves the saved result height across result and idle query tabs", async () => {
+    localStorage.setItem("dbx-shared-results-pane-size", "45");
+    const { store, host, cleanup } = mountOutputWorkspace([tab("result"), { ...tab("idle"), result: undefined }]);
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("55");
+
+    store.activeTabId = "idle";
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("100");
+
+    store.activeTabId = "result";
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector(".pane-stub")?.getAttribute("size")).toBe("55");
+    cleanup();
+  });
+
   it("renders one editor group per store group and binds the shared result to the global active tab", async () => {
     const store = useQueryStore();
     store.tabs = [tab("tab-a"), tab("tab-b")];
@@ -232,9 +352,6 @@ describe("SqlEditorWorkspace mount contract", () => {
 
     vm.toggleResultsPane();
     await nextTick();
-    // Wait out the leave transition frame before asserting the unmount.
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 30));
-
     expect(host.querySelector('[data-test="result-surface"]')).toBeNull();
 
     app.unmount();
@@ -341,10 +458,6 @@ describe("SqlEditorWorkspace mount contract", () => {
 
     store.activeTabId = "tab-data";
     await nextTick();
-    // The leave transition keeps the surface in the DOM for one more frame
-    // before unmounting it (CSS durations collapse to zero in the test env).
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 30));
-
     expect(host.querySelector("[data-shared-result-surface]")).toBeNull();
     // Outer editor pane + always-mounted result pane (collapsed to size 0)
     // + one pane per group.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.spec.ts
index 2780245514..0c62a102c7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/SqlEditorWorkspace.spec.ts
@@ -97,12 +97,12 @@ describe("SQL editor workspace single-group tracer bullet", () => {
     // Collapsing unmounts the shared surface, so the mouse re-show affordance
     // must live at the workspace level, not inside the collapsible pane.
     expect(workspaceSource).toContain("editor.showResultsPane");
-    expect(workspaceSource).toContain("showSharedResult && !showResultPane");
+    expect(workspaceSource).toContain("hasSharedOutput && !showResultPane");
     // Running a query re-expands a collapsed pane (issue #6193 promise).
-    expect(workspaceSource).toContain("if (isExecuting) showResultPane.value = true;");
+    expect(workspaceSource).toContain("if (isExecuting || isExplaining) showResultPane.value = true;");
   });
 
-  it("animates layout transitions for split groups and the shared result surface", () => {
+  it("shows results without transitions while retaining new editor-group animation", () => {
     const workspaceCssSource = readFileSync(new URL("../sqlEditorWorkspace.css", import.meta.url), "utf8");
     expect(workspaceSource).toContain('import "./sqlEditorWorkspace.css"');
     // Split-created group panes emerge from the divider side; hydration-gated
@@ -110,14 +110,15 @@ describe("SQL editor workspace single-group tracer bullet", () => {
     expect(workspaceSource).toContain("paneEnterClass");
     expect(workspaceSource).toContain("workspace-pane-enter");
     expect(workspaceCssSource).toContain("@keyframes dbx-workspace-pane-in");
-    // The result pane stays mounted and collapses via its size; the surface
-    // fades through a Vue transition while the splitter hides.
+    // A completed response must not wait for a fade or pane-size transition.
     expect(workspaceSource).toContain("resultPaneTargetSize");
-    expect(workspaceSource).toContain('name="result-surface"');
+    expect(workspaceSource).not.toContain("<Transition");
     expect(workspaceSource).toContain("result-pane-collapsed");
-    expect(workspaceCssSource).toContain(".result-surface-enter-active");
-    expect(workspaceCssSource).toContain(".result-surface-leave-active");
-    // Motion degrades to instant under prefers-reduced-motion.
+    expect(workspaceCssSource).not.toContain(".result-surface-enter-active");
+    expect(workspaceCssSource).not.toContain(".result-surface-leave-active");
+    expect(workspaceCssSource).toMatch(/\.sql-editor-workspace-split\.splitpanes--ready\s*>\s*\.splitpanes__pane\s*\{\s*transition:\s*none !important;/);
+    expect(workspaceCssSource).toMatch(/\.sql-editor-workspace-split\s*>\s*\.splitpanes__splitter\s*\{\s*transition:\s*none;/);
+    // Group animation still respects reduced motion.
     expect(workspaceCssSource).toContain("@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)");
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/appContentSurfaces.contract.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/appContentSurfaces.contract.spec.ts
index a23ad34681..2d42342bc0 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/appContentSurfaces.contract.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/appContentSurfaces.contract.spec.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ const appSource = readFileSync(new URL("../../../App.vue", import.meta.url), "ut
 describe("App main content surface structure", () => {
   it("hides only the editor workspace via the surface guard, never the special pages", () => {
     const guard = 'v-show="!driverStoreActive && !settingsStore.settingsPageActive"';
-    // One guarded wrapper; the welcome screen's v-else-if reuses the flags in
-    // its own condition and must not be mistaken for a second guard.
+    // The empty-state slot shares the query surface's visibility guard.
     expect(appSource.split(guard).length - 1).toBe(1);
 
     // Source order: special surfaces first, then the guarded editor wrapper.
@@ -22,9 +21,11 @@ describe("App main content surface structure", () => {
     expect([...indices].sort((a, b) => a - b)).toEqual(indices);
   });
 
-  it("guards the editor wrapper with the open-tab count and chains the welcome screen to it", () => {
-    expect(appSource).toContain('<div v-if="queryStore.tabs.length > 0" v-show="!driverStoreActive && !settingsStore.settingsPageActive"');
-    expect(appSource).toContain('v-else-if="queryStore.tabs.length === 0 && !driverStoreActive && !settingsStore.settingsPageActive"');
+  it("keeps navigation independent from the workspace welcome content", () => {
+    expect(appSource).toContain(':show-tab-navigation="queryStore.tabs.length > 0 || settingsPageTabOpen || driverStoreTabOpen"');
+    expect(appSource).toContain(':active-tab="activeTab ?? undefined"');
+    expect(appSource).toMatch(/<template #empty>\s*<WelcomeScreen/);
+    expect(appSource).not.toContain('v-if="queryStore.tabs.length > 0 || settingsPageTabOpen || driverStoreTabOpen"');
   });
 
   it("anchors the drag-back hit test on every pane strip and the special-surfaces bar", () => {
@@ -32,8 +33,8 @@ describe("App main content surface structure", () => {
     const slimBarSource = readFileSync(new URL("../AppTabBar.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
     expect(groupBarSource).toContain("data-main-tab-bar");
     expect(groupBarSource).toContain("'ring-2 ring-primary ring-inset': detachedDropTarget");
-    expect(slimBarSource).toContain("data-main-tab-bar");
-    expect(slimBarSource).toContain("'ring-2 ring-primary ring-inset': detachedDropTarget");
+    expect(slimBarSource).toContain("data-special-page-tab-target");
+    expect(slimBarSource).not.toContain("data-return-tab");
     // The split workspace renders several bars; the hit test must union their rects.
     expect(appSource).toContain('querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>("[data-main-tab-bar]")');
   });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/tabWorkspaceLayout.column-mode-special-pages.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/tabWorkspaceLayout.column-mode-special-pages.spec.ts
index f335e16d4b..bfe3773ecb 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/tabWorkspaceLayout.column-mode-special-pages.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/__tests__/tabWorkspaceLayout.column-mode-special-pages.spec.ts
@@ -4,38 +4,19 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 const appSource = readFileSync(new URL("../../../App.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
 const tabBarSource = readFileSync(new URL("../AppTabBar.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
 
-function sourceBetween(source: string, start: string, end: string): string {
-  const startIndex = source.indexOf(start);
-  const endIndex = source.indexOf(end, startIndex + start.length);
-  expect(startIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
-  expect(endIndex).toBeGreaterThan(startIndex);
-  return source.slice(startIndex, endIndex);
-}
-
-// Regression test for #8213: AppTabBar's settings/driver special-page strip is
-// still a horizontal-only "w-full" bar. Placing it inside a flex-row /
-// flex-row-reverse workspace (left/right column tab placement) squeezes the
-// sibling content pane (EditorSettingsPage/DriverStorePage) to zero width,
-// making the settings/driver page invisible after it's reopened. The fix
-// falls back to a flex-col workspace while either special page is active.
-describe("tabWorkspaceLayoutClass column-mode special-page fallback", () => {
-  const computedBlock = sourceBetween(appSource, "const tabWorkspaceLayoutClass = computed(() => {", "});");
-
-  it("falls back to flex-col while the settings/driver strip is active, before the vertical branch", () => {
-    const specialPageGuardIndex = computedBlock.indexOf("isSpecialPageStripActive.value");
-    const verticalRowIndex = computedBlock.indexOf('isVerticalTabPlacement.value ? "flex-row" : "flex-col"');
-    expect(specialPageGuardIndex).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
-    expect(verticalRowIndex).toBeGreaterThan(specialPageGuardIndex);
-    expect(computedBlock).toMatch(/isVerticalTabPlacement\.value\s*&&\s*isSpecialPageStripActive\.value\)\s*return\s*"flex-col"/);
+// Special pages use the global tab-bar portal so their navigation remains
+// separate from the editor groups in every tab-placement mode.
+describe("special-page workspace portal layout", () => {
+  it("provides the portal from App and renders the special-page workspace", () => {
+    expect(appSource).toContain("provide(GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('v-show="driverStoreActive || settingsPageActive"');
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-special-page-workspace");
   });
 
-  it("derives isSpecialPageStripActive from the same flags AppTabBar uses to render", () => {
-    expect(appSource).toContain("const isSpecialPageStripActive = computed(() => driverStoreActive.value || settingsStore.settingsPageActive);");
-    // AppTabBar itself only renders while one of these is true - keep the guard in sync with it.
-    expect(tabBarSource).toContain('v-if="driverStoreActive || settingsPageActive"');
-  });
-
-  it("still stretches the special-page strip full width (the part the flex-col fallback protects against)", () => {
-    expect(tabBarSource).toMatch(/class="app-tab-bar[^"]*\bw-full\b/);
+  it("keeps the special-page navigation and content panes independently sized", () => {
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-special-page-navigation");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("data-special-page-content");
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain(':class="layoutClass"');
+    expect(tabBarSource).toContain("flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden");
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/appTabBar.css b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/appTabBar.css
index f92b4497a7..c352113d10 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/appTabBar.css
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/appTabBar.css
@@ -360,11 +360,17 @@
 }
 
 .vertical-tab-layout .app-tab-strip {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
   height: auto;
   min-height: 0;
   width: 100%;
 }
 
+.vertical-tab-layout .app-tab-scroll {
+  min-height: 0;
+}
+
 .vertical-tab-layout .app-tab-pill {
   width: 100%;
   min-width: 0 !important;
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/groupTabBarPortal.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/groupTabBarPortal.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fe9e7c8aeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/groupTabBarPortal.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { shallowReactive, type InjectionKey, type Ref } from "vue";
+
+export interface GroupTabBarPortal {
+  active: Readonly<Ref<boolean>>;
+  targets: Map<string, HTMLElement>;
+}
+
+export const GROUP_TAB_BAR_PORTAL: InjectionKey<GroupTabBarPortal> = Symbol("dbx:group-tab-bar-portal");
+
+// Moving the existing bars preserves their grouping, search and scroll state.
+export function createGroupTabBarPortal(active: Readonly<Ref<boolean>>): GroupTabBarPortal {
+  return { active, targets: shallowReactive(new Map<string, HTMLElement>()) };
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/sqlEditorWorkspace.css b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/sqlEditorWorkspace.css
index 3c3a4283b4..a6d2d52e4e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/sqlEditorWorkspace.css
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/sqlEditorWorkspace.css
@@ -1,30 +1,15 @@
 /*
- * Motion for layout transitions inside the SQL editor workspace.
- *
- * Pane SIZE changes (split, result-pane collapse/expand) are smoothed by
- * splitpanes' stock pane transition, which globals.css kills for horizontal
- * splitpanes — re-enabled here for this workspace only (drag still disables
- * it via the higher-specificity rule below). The entrance effects cover the
- * content that would otherwise pop in: groups created by a split, and the
- * shared result surface re-mounting on a query tab.
- *
- * Product motion rules: transform/opacity only, ease-out-quart, 150-250ms,
- * no load choreography (groups present at first render never animate), and
- * everything degrades to instant under prefers-reduced-motion.
+ * New editor groups animate when split. Query results and their pane sizes
+ * update immediately, including when restoring a collapsed result pane.
  */
 
 .sql-editor-workspace {
   --sql-workspace-ease-out: cubic-bezier(0.25, 1, 0.5, 1);
 }
 
-/* Pane size transitions: only the outer editor/result split animates pane
-   sizes (the result-pane collapse/expand glide). Group panes never animate
-   their sizes — splits use the entrance keyframes below — so they stay on
-   stock splitpanes behavior (transition, disabled while dragging). */
+/* Override splitpanes' stock transition so ready results are not clipped
+   while the result pane expands. */
 .sql-editor-workspace .sql-editor-workspace-split.splitpanes--ready > .splitpanes__pane {
-  transition: width 0.2s ease-out, height 0.2s ease-out !important;
-}
-.sql-editor-workspace .sql-editor-workspace-split.splitpanes--ready.splitpanes--dragging > .splitpanes__pane {
   transition: none !important;
 }
 
@@ -47,28 +32,12 @@
   }
 }
 
-/* Shared result surface: rises into place while its pane expands, and fades
-   out faster than the pane collapses. */
-.sql-editor-workspace .result-surface-enter-active {
-  transition: opacity 180ms var(--sql-workspace-ease-out), transform 180ms var(--sql-workspace-ease-out);
-}
-.sql-editor-workspace .result-surface-enter-from {
-  opacity: 0;
-  transform: translateY(10px);
-}
-.sql-editor-workspace .result-surface-leave-active {
-  transition: opacity 120ms var(--sql-workspace-ease-out);
-}
-.sql-editor-workspace .result-surface-leave-to {
-  opacity: 0;
-}
-
 /* The splitter between the editor and result panes stays in the splitpanes
-   flow even when the result pane is collapsed; fade it out and disable it so
+   flow even when the result pane is collapsed; hide it and disable it so
    the closed state is visually clean and cannot be dragged open into an
    empty pane. */
 .sql-editor-workspace-split > .splitpanes__splitter {
-  transition: opacity 150ms var(--sql-workspace-ease-out);
+  transition: none;
 }
 .sql-editor-workspace-split.result-pane-collapsed > .splitpanes__splitter {
   opacity: 0;
@@ -79,11 +48,4 @@
   .sql-editor-workspace .workspace-pane-enter {
     animation: none;
   }
-  .sql-editor-workspace .result-surface-enter-active,
-  .sql-editor-workspace .result-surface-leave-active {
-    transition: none;
-  }
-  .sql-editor-workspace .sql-editor-workspace-split.splitpanes--ready > .splitpanes__pane {
-    transition: none !important;
-  }
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/SidebarTreeRuntimeHost.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/SidebarTreeRuntimeHost.vue
index 8a514a2d22..c7171b9075 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/SidebarTreeRuntimeHost.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/SidebarTreeRuntimeHost.vue
@@ -2458,7 +2458,7 @@ function openObjectSourceDialog(initialEditing: boolean, viewPackageBody = false
             },
           });
         } else {
-          queryStore.createTab(connectionId, database, `Source - ${node.label}`, "query", schema, editableSource, node.catalog, { forceNew: true });
+          queryStore.createTab(connectionId, database, `Source - ${node.label}`, "query", schema, editableSource, node.catalog, { forceNew: true, sourceView: true });
         }
       })
       .catch((e: any) => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/app/openTabsPersistence.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/app/openTabsPersistence.spec.ts
index 1b13cb619e..319dfbf84e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/app/openTabsPersistence.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/app/openTabsPersistence.spec.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,17 @@ function roundTrip(tabs: QueryTab[]) {
 }
 
 describe("openTabsPersistence originalSql round-trip", () => {
+  it("preserves read-only source intent without adding editable source metadata", () => {
+    const [restored] = roundTrip([queryTab({ sourceView: true, sql: "CREATE SEQUENCE seq_users" })]);
+    expect(restored.sourceView).toBe(true);
+    expect(restored.objectSource).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps legacy query tabs without source intent compatible", () => {
+    const [restored] = roundTrip([queryTab({ sql: "SELECT 1" })]);
+    expect(restored.sourceView).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it("restores a clean prefilled query tab as clean (sql === originalSql)", () => {
     const sql = 'SELECT * FROM "public"."users"';
     const [restored] = roundTrip([queryTab({ sql, originalSql: sql })]);
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/openTabsPersistence.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/openTabsPersistence.ts
index 9dd76776b2..c03df61548 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/openTabsPersistence.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/openTabsPersistence.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export interface SavedOpenTab {
   structureTableName?: string;
   objectBrowser?: QueryTab["objectBrowser"];
   objectSource?: QueryTab["objectSource"];
+  sourceView?: boolean;
   tableMeta?: QueryTab["tableMeta"];
   mongoEditTarget?: QueryTab["mongoEditTarget"];
   resultEvicted?: boolean;
@@ -146,6 +147,7 @@ export function serializeOpenTabs(tabs: QueryTab[]): SavedOpenTab[] {
     ...(tab.structureTableName !== undefined ? { structureTableName: tab.structureTableName } : {}),
     objectBrowser: tab.objectBrowser,
     objectSource: tab.objectSource,
+    ...(tab.sourceView ? { sourceView: true } : {}),
     tableMeta: tab.tableMeta,
     ...(tab.mongoEditTarget !== undefined ? { mongoEditTarget: tab.mongoEditTarget } : {}),
     ...(tab.mode !== "data" && tab.resultEvicted ? { resultEvicted: true } : {}),
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/query/__tests__/queryOutput.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/query/__tests__/queryOutput.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..50244f0cac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/query/__tests__/queryOutput.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { QueryResult, QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
+import { hasQueryOutput } from "../queryOutput";
+
+const emptyResult: QueryResult = { columns: ["id"], rows: [], affected_rows: 0, execution_time_ms: 1 };
+
+describe("hasQueryOutput", () => {
+  it("does not reserve output space for an idle query", () => {
+    expect(hasQueryOutput(undefined)).toBe(false);
+    expect(hasQueryOutput({ isExecuting: false, results: [], resultRuns: [] })).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it.each<[string, Partial<QueryTab>]>([
+    ["running query", { isExecuting: true }],
+    ["running EXPLAIN", { isExplaining: true }],
+    ["zero-row SELECT", { result: emptyResult }],
+    ["DML summary", { result: { ...emptyResult, columns: [], affected_rows: 3 } }],
+    ["DDL summary", { result: { ...emptyResult, columns: [] } }],
+    ["query error", { result: { ...emptyResult, columns: ["Error"], rows: [["syntax error"]] } }],
+    ["multiple results", { results: [emptyResult] }],
+    ["retained result run", { resultRuns: [{ id: "run-1", title: "Result 1", sequence: 1, sql: "SELECT 1", createdAt: 1 }] }],
+    ["EXPLAIN plan", { explainPlan: { databaseType: "mysql", raw: {}, nodes: [] } }],
+    ["EXPLAIN table", { explainTableResult: emptyResult }],
+    ["EXPLAIN error", { explainError: "syntax error" }],
+    ["EXPLAIN table error", { explainTableError: "unsupported" }],
+    ["cached result", { resultEvicted: true, resultCacheState: "disk" }],
+    ["missing cached result", { resultEvicted: true, resultCacheState: "missing" }],
+  ])("retains output space for %s", (_, state) => {
+    expect(hasQueryOutput({ isExecuting: false, ...state })).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/query/queryOutput.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/query/queryOutput.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e903747fcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/query/queryOutput.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import type { QueryTab } from "@/types/database";
+
+type QueryOutputState = Pick<QueryTab, "result" | "results" | "resultRuns" | "resultEvicted" | "explainPlan" | "explainError" | "explainTableResult" | "explainTableError" | "isExecuting" | "isExplaining">;
+
+export function hasQueryOutput(tab: QueryOutputState | null | undefined): boolean {
+  return !!tab && (!!tab.result || !!tab.results?.length || !!tab.resultRuns?.length || tab.resultEvicted === true || !!tab.explainPlan || !!tab.explainError || !!tab.explainTableResult || !!tab.explainTableError || tab.isExecuting === true || tab.isExplaining === true);
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.detached.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.detached.spec.ts
index cb25f1e402..4b89af8616 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.detached.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.detached.spec.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,19 @@ describe("queryStore detached-tab handoff", () => {
     expect(freshStore.focusedGroupId).toBe(freshStore.groups[0]?.id);
   });
 
+  it("keeps read-only source intent across detached-window handoff", async () => {
+    const { useQueryStore } = await import("@/stores/queryStore");
+    const store = useQueryStore();
+    const id = store.createTab("pg-1", "app", "Source - seq_users", "query", "public", "CREATE SEQUENCE seq_users", undefined, { sourceView: true });
+    const handoff = await store.prepareDetachedTab(id);
+    expect(handoff.tab.sourceView).toBe(true);
+    setActivePinia(createPinia());
+    const detachedStore = useQueryStore();
+    await detachedStore.adoptDetachedTab(handoff);
+    expect(detachedStore.tabs[0]?.sourceView).toBe(true);
+    expect(detachedStore.tabs[0]?.objectSource).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it("removeTabAfterDetachedReady clears the owning pane and prunes it when emptied", async () => {
     const { useQueryStore } = await import("@/stores/queryStore");
     const store = useQueryStore();
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.sourceView.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.sourceView.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e8bda7fe7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/queryStore.sourceView.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from "pinia";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+describe("queryStore source-view intent", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("localStorage", { getItem: vi.fn(() => null), setItem: vi.fn(), removeItem: vi.fn() });
+    setActivePinia(createPinia());
+  });
+
+  it("preserves read-only source intent when duplicating a tab", async () => {
+    const { useQueryStore } = await import("@/stores/queryStore");
+    const store = useQueryStore();
+    const id = store.createTab("pg-1", "app", "Source - seq_users", "query", "public", "CREATE SEQUENCE seq_users", undefined, { sourceView: true });
+    store.duplicateTab(id);
+    expect(store.tabs).toHaveLength(2);
+    for (const tab of store.tabs) {
+      expect(tab.sourceView).toBe(true);
+      expect(tab.objectSource).toBeUndefined();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("marks a reused legacy source tab without relying on its title to detect intent", async () => {
+    const { useQueryStore } = await import("@/stores/queryStore");
+    const store = useQueryStore();
+    const id = store.createTab("pg-1", "app", "Source - seq_users");
+    expect(store.tabs[0]?.sourceView).toBeUndefined();
+    const reused = store.createTab("pg-1", "app", "Source - seq_users", "query", undefined, undefined, undefined, { sourceView: true });
+    expect(reused).toBe(id);
+    expect(store.tabs).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(store.tabs[0]?.sourceView).toBe(true);
+    expect(store.tabs[0]?.objectSource).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("marks new and reused editable object-source tabs", async () => {
+    const { useQueryStore } = await import("@/stores/queryStore");
+    const store = useQueryStore();
+    const options = { connectionId: "pg-1", database: "app", title: "Source - users", sql: "CREATE VIEW users AS SELECT 1", objectSource: { name: "users", objectType: "VIEW" as const } };
+    const id = store.openObjectSourceTab(options);
+    expect(store.tabs[0]?.sourceView).toBe(true);
+    store.tabs[0]!.sourceView = undefined;
+    expect(store.openObjectSourceTab(options)).toBe(id);
+    expect(store.tabs[0]?.sourceView).toBe(true);
+    expect(store.tabs[0]?.objectSource).toEqual(options.objectSource);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/stores/queryStore.ts b/apps/desktop/src/stores/queryStore.ts
index ddd473a5d1..6662c5b1a5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/stores/queryStore.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/stores/queryStore.ts
@@ -2244,6 +2244,7 @@ export const useQueryStore = defineStore("query", () => {
       structureTableName: t.structureTableName,
       objectBrowser: t.objectBrowser,
       objectSource: t.objectSource,
+      sourceView: t.sourceView,
       tableMeta: t.tableMeta,
       mongoEditTarget: t.mongoEditTarget,
       resultEvicted: t.resultEvicted,
@@ -2430,10 +2431,20 @@ export const useQueryStore = defineStore("query", () => {
     return tabs.value.find((tab) => tab.connectionId === connectionId && tab.database === database && tab.title === title && tab.mode === mode && (tab.schema || "") === (schema || "") && (tab.catalog || "") === (catalog || ""));
   }
 
-  function createTab(connectionId: string, database: string, title?: string, mode: QueryTab["mode"] = "query", schema?: string, initialSql?: string, catalog?: string, options: { forceNew?: boolean; activate?: boolean; forceWordWrap?: boolean; insertAfterActive?: boolean } = {}) {
+  function createTab(
+    connectionId: string,
+    database: string,
+    title?: string,
+    mode: QueryTab["mode"] = "query",
+    schema?: string,
+    initialSql?: string,
+    catalog?: string,
+    options: { forceNew?: boolean; activate?: boolean; forceWordWrap?: boolean; insertAfterActive?: boolean; sourceView?: boolean } = {},
+  ) {
     if (title && !options.forceNew) {
       const existing = findTabByIdentity(connectionId, database, title, mode, schema, catalog);
       if (existing) {
+        if (options.sourceView) existing.sourceView = true;
         switchTab(existing.id);
         return existing.id;
       }
@@ -2446,6 +2457,7 @@ export const useQueryStore = defineStore("query", () => {
       title: title || `query_${tabs.value.length + 1}`,
       customTitle: mode === "query" && title ? true : undefined,
       forceWordWrap: options.forceWordWrap,
+      sourceView: options.sourceView,
       connectionId,
       database,
       schema,
@@ -2478,6 +2490,7 @@ export const useQueryStore = defineStore("query", () => {
         (tab.objectSource.signature || "") === (options.objectSource.signature || ""),
     );
     if (existing) {
+      existing.sourceView = true;
       switchTab(existing.id);
       if (!isTabDirty(existing)) {
         updateSql(existing.id, options.sql);
@@ -2486,7 +2499,7 @@ export const useQueryStore = defineStore("query", () => {
       return existing.id;
     }
 
-    const id = createTab(options.connectionId, options.database, options.title, "query", options.schema, options.sql, options.catalog, { forceNew: true });
+    const id = createTab(options.connectionId, options.database, options.title, "query", options.schema, options.sql, options.catalog, { forceNew: true, sourceView: true });
     setObjectSource(id, options.objectSource);
     return id;
   }
@@ -3682,6 +3695,7 @@ export const useQueryStore = defineStore("query", () => {
       structureDraft: original.structureDraft ? cloneTabDraft(original.structureDraft) : undefined,
       objectBrowser: original.objectBrowser ? { ...original.objectBrowser } : undefined,
       objectSource: original.objectSource ? { ...original.objectSource } : undefined,
+      sourceView: original.sourceView,
       tableMeta: original.tableMeta ? { ...original.tableMeta, columns: [...original.tableMeta.columns], primaryKeys: [...original.tableMeta.primaryKeys] } : undefined,
       queryAnalysis: original.queryAnalysis ? { ...original.queryAnalysis, sources: original.queryAnalysis.sources?.map((source) => ({ ...source })), columns: original.queryAnalysis.columns.map((c) => ({ ...c })) } : undefined,
       querySourceColumns: original.querySourceColumns ? [...original.querySourceColumns] : undefined,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/types/database.ts b/apps/desktop/src/types/database.ts
index 92bd048d56..e2483c042a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/types/database.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/types/database.ts
@@ -1295,6 +1295,8 @@ export interface QueryTab {
     searchQuery?: string;
     viewport?: ObjectBrowserViewport;
   };
+  /** Opened to view object source, including objects without editable source metadata. */
+  sourceView?: boolean;
   objectSource?: {
     schema?: string;
     name: string;
diff --git a/packages/app-tests/sidebarContextMenuHost.test.ts b/packages/app-tests/sidebarContextMenuHost.test.ts
index 2f1cbe02c3..5e5e99ebd9 100644
--- a/packages/app-tests/sidebarContextMenuHost.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app-tests/sidebarContextMenuHost.test.ts
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ test("query-tab object source uses canonical identity and honors backend editabi
   assert.match(openObjectSourceBody, /!\["SEQUENCE", "TRIGGER", "TYPE", "TYPE_BODY", "JOB"\]\.includes\(resolvedType\)/);
   assert.match(openObjectSourceBody, /objectType: resolvedType/);
   assert.match(openObjectSourceBody, /signature: node\.signature/);
-  assert.match(openObjectSourceBody, /createTab\(connectionId, database, `Source - \$\{node\.label\}`, "query", schema, editableSource, node\.catalog, \{ forceNew: true \}\)/);
+  assert.match(openObjectSourceBody, /createTab\(connectionId, database, `Source - \$\{node\.label\}`, "query", schema, editableSource, node\.catalog, \{ forceNew: true, sourceView: true \}\)/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(openObjectSourceBody, /queryStore\.updateSql/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(openObjectSourceBody, /queryStore\.markTabClean/);
 });