diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
index 4f0d335..0e76142 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
@@ -30,7 +30,15 @@
       @accepted="focusTagInput"
     />
 
-    <v-dialog v-model="renameDialog" max-width="420">
+    <!-- @after-leave: when either dialog finishes closing (apply OR cancel),
+         hand focus back to the tag input. Fires after Vuetify's own
+         focus-return to the activator, so ours wins; keeps the keyboard flow on
+         the input (operator-asked 2026-06-26). Mobile guard preserved via
+         focusTagInput → TagAutocomplete. -->
+    <v-dialog
+      v-model="renameDialog" max-width="420"
+      @after-leave="focusTagInput"
+    >
       <TagRenameDialog
         v-if="renameTarget"
         :tag="renameTarget"
@@ -41,6 +49,7 @@
     <v-dialog
       v-model="fandomDialog" max-width="460"
       @after-enter="fandomSetRef?.focusSearch?.()"
+      @after-leave="focusTagInput"
     >
       <FandomSetDialog
         ref="fandomSetRef"
@@ -92,19 +101,22 @@ async function onNavigate(tag) {
 function focusTagInput() { tagInputRef.value?.focus?.() }
 defineExpose({ focusTagInput })
 
+// Every tag mutation hands focus back to the input so the operator can keep
+// typing the next tag without re-clicking — matches the accept-suggestion flow
+// (operator-asked 2026-06-26; the Explore workspace leans on this hard).
 async function onRemove(tagId) {
   errorMsg.value = null
-  try { await host.removeTag(tagId) }
+  try { await host.removeTag(tagId); focusTagInput() }
   catch (e) { errorMsg.value = e.message }
 }
 async function onPickExisting(hit) {
   errorMsg.value = null
-  try { await host.addExistingTag(hit.id) }
+  try { await host.addExistingTag(hit.id); focusTagInput() }
   catch (e) { errorMsg.value = e.message }
 }
 async function onPickNew(payload) {
   errorMsg.value = null
-  try { await host.createAndAdd(payload) }
+  try { await host.createAndAdd(payload); focusTagInput() }
   catch (e) { errorMsg.value = e.message }
 }
 // A suggestion picked from the autocomplete dropdown runs the SAME path as the
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue b/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue
index 34e3630..e7be32f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/ExploreView.vue
@@ -130,14 +130,18 @@ const seeding = ref(false)
 const seedError = ref(null)
 const tagPanelRef = ref(null)
 
-// Auto-focus the tag input whenever the focused image changes (seed + every
-// walk) so tagging needs no extra click — the whole point of the workspace
-// (operator-asked 2026-06-26). Reuses TagPanel/TagAutocomplete's focus, which
-// keeps its own mobile guard (no soft-keyboard pop on touch).
-watch(
-  () => store.currentImageId,
-  (id) => { if (id != null) nextTick(() => tagPanelRef.value?.focusTagInput?.()) },
-)
+// Auto-focus the tag input after any action so tagging needs no extra click —
+// the whole point of the workspace (operator-asked 2026-06-26). nextTick waits
+// for the post-navigation re-render, then rAF lands the focus AFTER paint so a
+// neighbour/breadcrumb click that re-renders the grid can't steal it back.
+// Reuses TagPanel/TagAutocomplete's focus, which keeps its mobile guard (no
+// soft-keyboard pop on touch).
+function refocusTag () {
+  nextTick(() => requestAnimationFrame(() => tagPanelRef.value?.focusTagInput?.()))
+}
+// Every focused-image change (seed + every walk: neighbour click, breadcrumb,
+// Random image).
+watch(() => store.currentImageId, (id) => { if (id != null) refocusTag() })
 
 // The route is the source of truth. With an anchor, walk it; without one (the
 // bare /explore nav entry) seed a RANDOM image so the tab kick-starts a rabbit