diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/grid/DataGrid.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/grid/DataGrid.vue
index 269e38c4bd..c0cdf04b5f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/grid/DataGrid.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/grid/DataGrid.vue
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ import { useConnectionStore } from "@/stores/connectionStore";
 import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
 import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
 import { simpleDataGridOrderByMatchesSort, simpleDataGridOrderByReferencesMissingColumn, type DataGridSortDirection, type DataGridSortMode } from "@/lib/dataGrid/dataGridSort";
+import { resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget } from "@/lib/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore";
 import { buildOrderedGridRows, type GridInsertRowPosition, type GridNewRowPlacement } from "@/lib/dataGrid/gridNewRowPlacement";
 import {
   DATA_GRID_CONDITION_TOOLBAR_MIN_WIDTH,
@@ -5414,6 +5415,8 @@ watch(
 function pauseCanvasGridWork() {
   dataGridIsActive = false;
   stopLoadingElapsedTimer();
+  gridFocusActivationToken += 1;
+  gridRef.value?.setAttribute("data-grid-active", "false");
   if (gridSurfaceBusy.value) finishDataGridNativeSelectionBlock(dataGridNativeSelectionBlockOwner);
   canvasRuntime.pause();
   gridScrollbarsRuntime.pause();
@@ -5428,6 +5431,7 @@ function pauseCanvasGridWork() {
 function resumeCanvasGridWork() {
   dataGridIsActive = true;
   startLoadingElapsedTimer();
+  gridRef.value?.setAttribute("data-grid-active", "true");
   if (gridSurfaceBusy.value) beginDataGridNativeSelectionBlock(dataGridNativeSelectionBlockOwner);
   canvasRuntime.resume();
   gridScrollbarsRuntime.resume();
@@ -5443,6 +5447,30 @@ function clearInternalClipboardCopy() {
   clearDataGridClipboardCopy();
 }
 
+// Remember the last element that held focus inside the grid. Switching to
+// another tab moves focus onto the tab strip (or body) and the kept-alive
+// grid never gets it back on its own, which breaks arrow-key cell navigation
+// after returning to the tab.
+let lastFocusedWithinGrid: HTMLElement | null = null;
+let gridFocusActivationToken = 0;
+
+function onGridFocusIn(event: FocusEvent) {
+  if (event.target instanceof HTMLElement) lastFocusedWithinGrid = event.target;
+}
+
+function restoreGridFocusAfterActivation() {
+  if (!lastFocusedWithinGrid) return;
+  const activationToken = ++gridFocusActivationToken;
+  nextTick(() => {
+    if (!dataGridIsActive || activationToken !== gridFocusActivationToken) return;
+    if (editingCell.value) return; // the cell editor restores its own input focus
+    const target = resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(gridRef.value, lastFocusedWithinGrid, document.activeElement);
+    target?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+  });
+}
+
+onActivated(restoreGridFocusAfterActivation);
+
 onMounted(resumeCanvasGridWork);
 onActivated(resumeCanvasGridWork);
 onMounted(() => {
@@ -8426,7 +8454,18 @@ const gridContextMenuItems = computed<ContextMenuItem[]>(() => {
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <div ref="gridRef" data-grid-root class="h-full flex flex-col overflow-hidden outline-none" :class="{ 'data-grid--editing-cell': !!editingCell, 'data-grid--dark': isDark }" :style="gridStyle" tabindex="0" @keydown="onGridKeydown" @paste="onGridPaste">
+  <div
+    ref="gridRef"
+    data-grid-root
+    data-grid-active="true"
+    class="h-full flex flex-col overflow-hidden outline-none"
+    :class="{ 'data-grid--editing-cell': !!editingCell, 'data-grid--dark': isDark }"
+    :style="gridStyle"
+    tabindex="0"
+    @keydown="onGridKeydown"
+    @paste="onGridPaste"
+    @focusin="onGridFocusIn"
+  >
     <CustomContextMenu :items="gridContextMenuItems" v-slot="{ onContextMenu }">
       <div v-if="hasData || canShowWhereSearch" class="flex-1 flex flex-col overflow-hidden" @contextmenu="onContextMenu">
         <!-- Search bar -->
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16300deeb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/__tests__/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget } from "@/lib/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore";
+
+function element(overrides: { connected?: boolean; children?: HTMLElement[]; closest?: Record<string, HTMLElement | null>; ownerDocument?: { body: HTMLElement; documentElement: HTMLElement }; activeGrid?: boolean } = {}) {
+  const children = overrides.children ?? [];
+  const target = {
+    isConnected: overrides.connected ?? true,
+    contains: (other: Element | null) => !!other && (children as Element[]).includes(other),
+    closest: (selector: string) => overrides.closest?.[selector] ?? null,
+    ownerDocument: overrides.ownerDocument,
+    dataset: overrides.activeGrid === undefined ? {} : { gridActive: String(overrides.activeGrid) },
+  } as unknown as HTMLElement;
+  return target;
+}
+
+describe("resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget", () => {
+  it("returns null when the grid never held focus", () => {
+    const root = element();
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, null, null)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("returns null when focus is already inside the grid", () => {
+    const input = element();
+    const root = element({ children: [input] });
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, input, input)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("restores the last focused inner element when focus was left on the tab strip", () => {
+    const searchInput = element();
+    const root = element({ children: [searchInput] });
+    const tabButton = element({ closest: { ".app-tab-bar, [role='tab'], [role='tablist']": element() } });
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, searchInput, tabButton)).toBe(searchInput);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the grid root when the last focused element was removed", () => {
+    const staleEditor = element({ connected: false });
+    const root = element();
+    const tabButton = element({ closest: { ".app-tab-bar, [role='tab'], [role='tablist']": element() } });
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, staleEditor, tabButton)).toBe(root);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the grid root from body when the last focused element moved", () => {
+    const movedElsewhere = element();
+    const body = element();
+    const documentElement = element();
+    const root = element({ ownerDocument: { body, documentElement } });
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, movedElsewhere, body)).toBe(root);
+  });
+
+  it("does not steal focus from an external dialog or editor", () => {
+    const searchInput = element();
+    const root = element({ children: [searchInput] });
+    const dialogInput = element();
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, searchInput, dialogInput)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("restores from an inactive grid but not from another active grid", () => {
+    const searchInput = element();
+    const root = element({ children: [searchInput] });
+    const inactiveGrid = element({ activeGrid: false });
+    const inactiveGridInput = element({ closest: { "[data-grid-root]": inactiveGrid } });
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, searchInput, inactiveGridInput)).toBe(searchInput);
+
+    const activeGrid = element({ activeGrid: true });
+    const activeGridInput = element({ closest: { "[data-grid-root]": activeGrid } });
+    expect(resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root, searchInput, activeGridInput)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2cce1b8a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/dataGrid/dataGridFocusRestore.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/**
+ * Decide where focus should go when a kept-alive data grid becomes active
+ * again after a tab switch.
+ *
+ * Switching away from a tab moves focus to the tab strip, body, or an element
+ * inside the grid that is being deactivated. Focus is restored only from one
+ * of those states so activation never steals focus from a dialog, editor,
+ * input, menu, or another active grid.
+ *
+ * Returns null when no focus restore should happen: the grid never held
+ * focus, or focus is already inside the grid (e.g. the cell editor restored
+ * its own input focus first).
+ */
+export function resolveGridFocusRestoreTarget(root: HTMLElement | null | undefined, lastFocusedWithinGrid: HTMLElement | null | undefined, activeElement: Element | null): HTMLElement | null {
+  if (!root || !lastFocusedWithinGrid) return null;
+  if (root.contains(activeElement)) return null;
+  if (!gridFocusCanTransferFrom(root, activeElement)) return null;
+  if (lastFocusedWithinGrid.isConnected && root.contains(lastFocusedWithinGrid)) {
+    return lastFocusedWithinGrid;
+  }
+  return root;
+}
+
+function gridFocusCanTransferFrom(root: HTMLElement, activeElement: Element | null): boolean {
+  if (!activeElement || !activeElement.isConnected) return true;
+  const ownerDocument = root.ownerDocument;
+  if (activeElement === ownerDocument?.body || activeElement === ownerDocument?.documentElement) return true;
+
+  const closest = (activeElement as HTMLElement).closest?.bind(activeElement as HTMLElement);
+  if (!closest) return false;
+  const activeGrid = closest("[data-grid-root]") as HTMLElement | null;
+  if (activeGrid && activeGrid !== root) return activeGrid.dataset.gridActive !== "true";
+  return !!closest(".app-tab-bar, [role='tab'], [role='tablist']");
+}