diff --git a/lib/mixins/tab_visibility_aware.dart b/lib/mixins/tab_visibility_aware.dart
index a136ed67..28a4308b 100644
--- a/lib/mixins/tab_visibility_aware.dart
+++ b/lib/mixins/tab_visibility_aware.dart
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 /// Used by MainScreen to pause expensive work (e.g. animation tickers)
 /// when the screen's tab is no longer visible, and resume it when shown again.
 mixin TabVisibilityAware {
-  void onTabShown({bool scrollToTop = true});
+  void onTabShown();
   void onTabHidden();
 }
diff --git a/lib/screens/discover_screen.dart b/lib/screens/discover_screen.dart
index 25330081..e7126118 100644
--- a/lib/screens/discover_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/discover_screen.dart
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class DiscoverScreen extends StatefulWidget {
 }
 
 class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
-    with Refreshable, FullRefreshable, ItemUpdatable, WatchStateAware, TabVisibilityAware, WidgetsBindingObserver {
+    with Refreshable, FullRefreshable, ItemUpdatable, WatchStateAware, TabVisibilityAware, FocusableTab, WidgetsBindingObserver {
   static const Duration _heroAutoScrollDuration = Duration(seconds: 8);
   static const Duration _indicatorUpdateInterval = Duration(milliseconds: 200);
 
@@ -395,13 +395,15 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
   }
 
   @override
-  void onTabShown({bool scrollToTop = true}) {
+  void onTabShown() {
     if (!_isAutoScrollPaused) {
       _startAutoScroll();
     }
-    if (scrollToTop) {
-      _focusTopBoundary();
-    }
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void focusActiveTabIfReady() {
+    _focusTopBoundary();
   }
 
   // Helper method to calculate visible dot range (max 5 dots)
diff --git a/lib/screens/main_screen.dart b/lib/screens/main_screen.dart
index 65001578..d0bb6b2a 100644
--- a/lib/screens/main_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/main_screen.dart
@@ -675,61 +675,15 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen> with RouteAware, WindowListener
   void _focusContent() {
     setState(() => _isSidebarFocused = false);
     _contentFocusScope.requestFocus();
-    // When content regains focus while on Discover, focus the hero section
-    if (_currentIndex == 0 && !_isOffline) {
-      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
-        if (_discoverKey.currentState case final TabVisibilityAware aware) {
-          aware.onTabShown();
-        }
-      });
-    }
-    // When content regains focus while on Libraries, only focus the active tab
-    // if no child already has focus (avoids stale focus requests stealing focus
-    // from the current item when scrolling back to item 0)
-    if (_currentIndex == 1 && !_isOffline) {
-      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
-        if (_contentFocusScope.focusedChild == null) {
-          if (_librariesKey.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
-            focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
-          }
-        }
-      });
-    }
-    // When content regains focus while on Live TV, focus the active guide/whats-on tab
-    final liveTvIndex = NavigationTab.indexFor(NavigationTabId.liveTv, isOffline: _isOffline, hasLiveTv: _hasLiveTv);
-    if (_currentIndex == liveTvIndex && liveTvIndex >= 0) {
-      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
-        if (_liveTvKey.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
+    // Only programmatically focus if the scope didn't auto-restore a child.
+    // This preserves the user's focus position when returning from sidebar.
+    WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+      if (_contentFocusScope.focusedChild == null) {
+        if (_screenKeyForIndex(_currentIndex)?.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
           focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
         }
-      });
-    }
-    // When content regains focus while on Settings, restore focus to last focused setting
-    final settingsIndex = NavigationTab.indexFor(
-      NavigationTabId.settings,
-      isOffline: _isOffline,
-      hasLiveTv: _hasLiveTv,
-    );
-    if (_currentIndex == settingsIndex) {
-      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
-        if (_settingsKey.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
-          focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
-        }
-      });
-    }
-    // When content regains focus while on Search, focus the search input
-    final searchIndex = NavigationTab.indexFor(
-      NavigationTabId.search,
-      isOffline: _isOffline,
-      hasLiveTv: _hasLiveTv,
-    );
-    if (_currentIndex == searchIndex && searchIndex >= 0) {
-      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
-        if (_searchKey.currentState case final SearchInputFocusable searchable) {
-          searchable.focusSearchInput();
-        }
-      });
-    }
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   /// Suppress stray back events after a child route pops.
@@ -834,7 +788,7 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen> with RouteAware, WindowListener
     // Called when returning to this route from a child route (e.g., from video player)
     if (_currentIndex == 0 && !_isOffline) {
       if (_discoverKey.currentState case final TabVisibilityAware aware) {
-        aware.onTabShown(scrollToTop: false);
+        aware.onTabShown();
       }
       _onDiscoverBecameVisible();
     }
@@ -922,56 +876,24 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen> with RouteAware, WindowListener
       }
     });
 
-    // Handle screen-specific logic
-    final settingsIndex = NavigationTab.indexFor(
-      NavigationTabId.settings,
-      isOffline: _isOffline,
-      hasLiveTv: _hasLiveTv,
-    );
-
-    // Skip online-only screen logic in offline mode
-    if (!_isOffline) {
-      // Pause/resume discover auto-scroll when switching tabs
-      if (previousIndex == 0 && index != 0) {
-        if (_discoverKey.currentState case final TabVisibilityAware aware) {
-          aware.onTabHidden();
-        }
+    if (previousIndex != index) {
+      // Notify previous screen it's being hidden
+      if (_screenKeyForIndex(previousIndex)?.currentState case final TabVisibilityAware aware) {
+        aware.onTabHidden();
       }
-      // Notify discover screen when it becomes visible via tab switch
-      if (index == 0) {
-        if (previousIndex != 0) {
-          if (_discoverKey.currentState case final TabVisibilityAware aware) {
-            aware.onTabShown();
-          }
-        }
-        _onDiscoverBecameVisible();
+      // Notify and focus new screen
+      final newState = _screenKeyForIndex(index)?.currentState;
+      if (newState case final TabVisibilityAware aware) {
+        aware.onTabShown();
       }
-      // Ensure the libraries screen applies focus when brought into view
-      if (index == 1 && previousIndex != 1) {
-        if (_librariesKey.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
-          focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
-        }
-      }
-      // Ensure the Live TV screen applies focus when brought into view
-      final liveTvIdx = NavigationTab.indexFor(NavigationTabId.liveTv, isOffline: _isOffline, hasLiveTv: _hasLiveTv);
-      if (index == liveTvIdx && liveTvIdx >= 0 && previousIndex != liveTvIdx) {
-        if (_liveTvKey.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
-          focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
-        }
-      }
-      // Focus search input when selecting Search tab
-      if (NavigationTab.isTabAtIndex(NavigationTabId.search, index, isOffline: _isOffline, hasLiveTv: _hasLiveTv)) {
-        if (_searchKey.currentState case final SearchInputFocusable searchable) {
-          searchable.focusSearchInput();
-        }
+      if (newState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
+        focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
       }
     }
 
-    // Restore focus when switching to Settings tab (works in both online and offline mode)
-    if (index == settingsIndex && previousIndex != settingsIndex) {
-      if (_settingsKey.currentState case final FocusableTab focusable) {
-        focusable.focusActiveTabIfReady();
-      }
+    // Discover: always refresh content (even on re-selection)
+    if (!_isOffline && _tabIdForIndex(_isOffline, index) == NavigationTabId.discover) {
+      _onDiscoverBecameVisible();
     }
   }
 
@@ -1011,6 +933,18 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen> with RouteAware, WindowListener
     return tabs[safeIndex].id;
   }
 
+  /// Get the GlobalKey for the screen at the given tab index.
+  GlobalKey? _screenKeyForIndex(int index) {
+    return switch (_tabIdForIndex(_isOffline, index)) {
+      NavigationTabId.discover => _discoverKey,
+      NavigationTabId.libraries => _librariesKey,
+      NavigationTabId.liveTv => _liveTvKey,
+      NavigationTabId.search => _searchKey,
+      NavigationTabId.downloads => _downloadsKey,
+      NavigationTabId.settings => _settingsKey,
+    };
+  }
+
   /// Build navigation destinations for bottom navigation bar.
   List<NavigationDestination> _buildNavDestinations(bool isOffline) {
     return _getVisibleTabs(isOffline).map((tab) => tab.toDestination()).toList();
diff --git a/lib/screens/search_screen.dart b/lib/screens/search_screen.dart
index 0c5b8902..a86d28d5 100644
--- a/lib/screens/search_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/search_screen.dart
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class SearchScreen extends StatefulWidget {
   State<SearchScreen> createState() => _SearchScreenState();
 }
 
-class _SearchScreenState extends State<SearchScreen> with Refreshable, FullRefreshable, SearchInputFocusable {
+class _SearchScreenState extends State<SearchScreen> with Refreshable, FullRefreshable, SearchInputFocusable, FocusableTab {
   final _searchController = TextEditingController();
   final _searchFocusNode = FocusNode(debugLabel: 'SearchInput');
   final _firstResultFocusNode = FocusNode(debugLabel: 'SearchFirstResult');
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ class _SearchScreenState extends State<SearchScreen> with Refreshable, FullRefre
     _searchFocusNode.requestFocus();
   }
 
+  @override
+  void focusActiveTabIfReady() {
+    _searchFocusNode.requestFocus();
+  }
+
   /// Set the search query externally (e.g. from companion remote)
   @override
   void setSearchQuery(String query) {