diff --git a/Sources/BrowserWindowPortal.swift b/Sources/BrowserWindowPortal.swift
index 42e6c3c0..915467e2 100644
--- a/Sources/BrowserWindowPortal.swift
+++ b/Sources/BrowserWindowPortal.swift
@@ -2752,7 +2752,18 @@ final class WindowBrowserPortal: NSObject {
             hostView.addSubview(containerView, positioned: .above, relativeTo: nil)
             refreshReasons.append("syncAttachContainer")
         }
-        if webView.superview !== containerView {
+        let shouldPreserveExternalHostForHiddenEntry =
+            !entry.visibleInUI &&
+            webView.superview !== containerView
+        if shouldPreserveExternalHostForHiddenEntry {
+#if DEBUG
+            dlog(
+                "browser.portal.reparent.skip web=\(browserPortalDebugToken(webView)) " +
+                "reason=hiddenEntryExternalHost super=\(browserPortalDebugToken(webView.superview)) " +
+                "container=\(browserPortalDebugToken(containerView))"
+            )
+#endif
+        } else if webView.superview !== containerView {
 #if DEBUG
             dlog(
                 "browser.portal.reparent web=\(browserPortalDebugToken(webView)) " +
@@ -2943,15 +2954,16 @@ final class WindowBrowserPortal: NSObject {
             refreshReasons.append("bounds")
         }
 
+        let containerOwnsWebView = webView.superview === containerView
         let containerBounds = containerView.bounds
-        let preNormalizeWebFrame = webView.frame
+        let preNormalizeWebFrame = containerOwnsWebView ? webView.frame : .zero
         let inspectorHeightFromInsets = max(0, containerBounds.height - preNormalizeWebFrame.height)
         let inspectorHeightFromOverflow = max(0, preNormalizeWebFrame.maxY - containerBounds.maxY)
         let inspectorHeightApprox = max(inspectorHeightFromInsets, inspectorHeightFromOverflow)
 #if DEBUG
         let inspectorSubviews = Self.inspectorSubviewCount(in: containerView)
 #endif
-        if Self.frameExtendsOutsideBounds(preNormalizeWebFrame, bounds: containerBounds) {
+        if containerOwnsWebView && Self.frameExtendsOutsideBounds(preNormalizeWebFrame, bounds: containerBounds) {
             let oldWebFrame = preNormalizeWebFrame
             CATransaction.begin()
             CATransaction.setDisableActions(true)
@@ -3010,14 +3022,16 @@ final class WindowBrowserPortal: NSObject {
         if transientRecoveryReason == nil {
             resetTransientRecoveryRetryIfNeeded(forWebViewId: webViewId, entry: &entry)
         }
-        if !shouldHide, !refreshReasons.isEmpty {
+        if !shouldHide, containerOwnsWebView, !refreshReasons.isEmpty {
             refreshHostedWebViewPresentation(
                 webView,
                 in: containerView,
                 reason: "\(source):" + refreshReasons.joined(separator: ",")
             )
         }
-        hostView.reapplyHostedInspectorDividerIfNeeded(in: containerView, reason: "portal.sync")
+        if containerOwnsWebView {
+            hostView.reapplyHostedInspectorDividerIfNeeded(in: containerView, reason: "portal.sync")
+        }
 #if DEBUG
         dlog(
             "browser.portal.sync.result web=\(browserPortalDebugToken(webView)) source=\(source) " +
@@ -3027,6 +3041,7 @@ final class WindowBrowserPortal: NSObject {
             "old=\(browserPortalDebugFrame(oldFrame)) raw=\(browserPortalDebugFrame(frameInHost)) " +
             "target=\(browserPortalDebugFrame(targetFrame)) hide=\(shouldHide ? 1 : 0) " +
             "entryVisible=\(entry.visibleInUI ? 1 : 0) " +
+            "containerOwnsWeb=\(containerOwnsWebView ? 1 : 0) " +
             "containerHidden=\(containerView.isHidden ? 1 : 0) webHidden=\(webView.isHidden ? 1 : 0) " +
             "containerBounds=\(browserPortalDebugFrame(containerView.bounds)) " +
             "preWebFrame=\(browserPortalDebugFrame(preNormalizeWebFrame)) " +