diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
index 8d368fc..7888bba 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
@@ -127,7 +127,16 @@ const suggestions = useSuggestionsStore()
 const inputRef = ref(null)
 function focusInput () {
   if (window.matchMedia?.('(max-width: 900px)')?.matches) return
-  nextTick(() => inputRef.value?.focus?.())
+  // Focus the inner <input> with preventScroll: handing focus back after an
+  // accept/reject must NOT yank the rail's scroll up to this field, which sits
+  // above the suggestions list (operator-flagged 2026-07-06 — "I have to scroll
+  // back down every time I apply/reject"). Vuetify's own .focus() forwards no
+  // options, so reach the element directly; fall back to it if it's not there.
+  nextTick(() => {
+    const el = inputRef.value?.$el?.querySelector?.('input')
+    if (el) el.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+    else inputRef.value?.focus?.()
+  })
 }
 onMounted(focusInput)
 // Exposed so the parent (TagPanel) can hand focus back to this field after an
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue b/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue
index 17ea79b..bb893d5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue
@@ -350,10 +350,14 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 }
 .fc-ex__artist { padding: 10px 16px 0; font-weight: 600; }
 
-/* Right rail = the modal's tag panel, hosted on the anchor. */
+/* Right rail = the modal's tag panel, hosted on the anchor. The bottom padding
+   keeps the scrollable content from reaching the viewport floor, so the
+   bottom-right snackbar floats over empty space instead of covering the last
+   suggestions / their accept-reject controls (operator-flagged 2026-07-06). */
 .fc-ex__rail {
   background: rgb(var(--v-theme-surface));
   overflow-y: auto;
+  padding-bottom: 88px;
 }
 
 .fc-ex__spinner {