diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/ConnectionTree.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/ConnectionTree.vue
index 258b4bcc1c..b71868c523 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/ConnectionTree.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/sidebar/ConnectionTree.vue
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
 import type { TreeNode, TreeNodeType } from "@/types/database";
 import { filterSidebarTree } from "@/lib/sidebarSearchTree";
 import { isCancelSearchShortcut } from "@/lib/keyboardShortcuts";
-import { findSidebarNodeForActiveTab, scrollTopForSidebarNode } from "@/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget";
+import {
+  findSidebarNodeForActiveTab,
+  scrollTopForSidebarNode,
+  shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection,
+} from "@/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget";
 import {
   SIDEBAR_TREE_ROW_HEIGHT,
   SIDEBAR_TREE_PRERENDER_COUNT,
@@ -173,12 +177,14 @@ function currentTreeScroller(): HTMLElement | null {
   );
 }
 
-async function selectActiveTabSidebarNode() {
+async function selectActiveTabSidebarNode(options: { scroll: boolean }) {
   if (!settingsStore.editorSettings.autoSelectActiveSidebarNode) return;
   const match = findSidebarNodeForActiveTab(activeTab.value, flatNodes.value);
   if (!match) return;
 
   store.selectedTreeNodeId = match.id;
+  if (!options.scroll) return;
+
   await nextTick();
 
   const index = flatNodes.value.findIndex((item) => item.id === match.id);
@@ -196,9 +202,16 @@ async function selectActiveTabSidebarNode() {
 }
 
 watch(
-  [activeTab, flatNodes, () => settingsStore.editorSettings.autoSelectActiveSidebarNode],
-  () => {
-    void selectActiveTabSidebarNode();
+  [() => activeTab.value?.id ?? null, flatNodes, () => settingsStore.editorSettings.autoSelectActiveSidebarNode],
+  ([activeTabId, _nodes, autoSelectEnabled], [previousActiveTabId, _previousNodes, previousAutoSelectEnabled]) => {
+    void selectActiveTabSidebarNode({
+      scroll: shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection({
+        activeTabId,
+        previousActiveTabId,
+        autoSelectEnabled,
+        previousAutoSelectEnabled,
+      }),
+    });
   },
   { flush: "post" },
 );
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget.ts
index 73df63b26d..49c074955d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,19 @@ export function findSidebarNodeForActiveTab(
   return flatNodes.find((item) => matchesTarget(item.node, target)) ?? null;
 }
 
+export function shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection(options: {
+  activeTabId: string | null | undefined;
+  previousActiveTabId: string | null | undefined;
+  autoSelectEnabled: boolean;
+  previousAutoSelectEnabled: boolean | undefined;
+}): boolean {
+  if (!options.autoSelectEnabled) return false;
+  return (
+    options.activeTabId !== options.previousActiveTabId ||
+    (options.autoSelectEnabled && options.previousAutoSelectEnabled === false)
+  );
+}
+
 export function scrollTopForSidebarNode(options: {
   index: number;
   currentScrollTop: number;
diff --git a/packages/app-tests/sidebarActiveTabTarget.test.ts b/packages/app-tests/sidebarActiveTabTarget.test.ts
index d62e8419f9..979151c5d4 100644
--- a/packages/app-tests/sidebarActiveTabTarget.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app-tests/sidebarActiveTabTarget.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   activeTabSidebarTarget,
   findSidebarNodeForActiveTab,
   scrollTopForSidebarNode,
+  shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection,
 } from "../../apps/desktop/src/lib/sidebarActiveTabTarget.ts";
 import type { FlatTreeNode } from "../../apps/desktop/src/composables/useFlatTree.ts";
 import type { QueryTab, TreeNode } from "../../apps/desktop/src/types/database.ts";
@@ -122,3 +123,33 @@ test("sidebar node scrolling keeps visible rows in place and reveals hidden rows
   assert.equal(scrollTopForSidebarNode({ index: 20, currentScrollTop: 0, viewportHeight: 140 }), 448);
   assert.equal(scrollTopForSidebarNode({ index: 1, currentScrollTop: 280, viewportHeight: 140 }), 28);
 });
+
+test("active sidebar selection only scrolls on tab or setting changes", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection({
+      activeTabId: "tab-1",
+      previousActiveTabId: "tab-1",
+      autoSelectEnabled: true,
+      previousAutoSelectEnabled: true,
+    }),
+    false,
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection({
+      activeTabId: "tab-2",
+      previousActiveTabId: "tab-1",
+      autoSelectEnabled: true,
+      previousAutoSelectEnabled: true,
+    }),
+    true,
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldScrollActiveSidebarSelection({
+      activeTabId: "tab-1",
+      previousActiveTabId: "tab-1",
+      autoSelectEnabled: true,
+      previousAutoSelectEnabled: false,
+    }),
+    true,
+  );
+});