diff --git a/Sources/AppDelegate.swift b/Sources/AppDelegate.swift
index 8565f176..3804f6b7 100644
--- a/Sources/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/Sources/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -6691,8 +6691,22 @@ private var cmuxFirstResponderGuardCurrentEventOverride: NSEvent?
 private var cmuxFirstResponderGuardHitViewOverride: NSView?
 #endif
 private var cmuxBrowserReturnForwardingDepth = 0
+private var cmuxWindowFirstResponderBypassDepth = 0
 private var cmuxFieldEditorOwningWebViewAssociationKey: UInt8 = 0
 
+@discardableResult
+func cmuxWithWindowFirstResponderBypass<T>(_ body: () -> T) -> T {
+    cmuxWindowFirstResponderBypassDepth += 1
+    defer {
+        cmuxWindowFirstResponderBypassDepth = max(0, cmuxWindowFirstResponderBypassDepth - 1)
+    }
+    return body()
+}
+
+func cmuxIsWindowFirstResponderBypassActive() -> Bool {
+    cmuxWindowFirstResponderBypassDepth > 0
+}
+
 private final class CmuxFieldEditorOwningWebViewBox: NSObject {
     weak var webView: CmuxWebView?
 
@@ -6703,6 +6717,16 @@ private final class CmuxFieldEditorOwningWebViewBox: NSObject {
 
 private extension NSWindow {
     @objc func cmux_makeFirstResponder(_ responder: NSResponder?) -> Bool {
+        if cmuxIsWindowFirstResponderBypassActive() {
+#if DEBUG
+            dlog(
+                "focus.guard bypassFirstResponder responder=\(String(describing: responder.map { type(of: $0) })) " +
+                "window=\(ObjectIdentifier(self))"
+            )
+#endif
+            return false
+        }
+
         let currentEvent = Self.cmuxCurrentEvent(for: self)
         let responderWebView = responder.flatMap {
             Self.cmuxOwningWebView(for: $0, in: self, event: currentEvent)
diff --git a/Sources/Panels/BrowserPanel.swift b/Sources/Panels/BrowserPanel.swift
index 07f1fd45..9790d93e 100644
--- a/Sources/Panels/BrowserPanel.swift
+++ b/Sources/Panels/BrowserPanel.swift
@@ -2150,7 +2150,12 @@ extension BrowserPanel {
             dlog("browser.devtools refresh.forceShowWhenHidden panel=\(id.uuidString.prefix(5)) \(debugDeveloperToolsStateSummary())")
         }
         #endif
-        inspector.cmuxCallVoid(selector: selector)
+        // WebKit inspector "show" can trigger transient first-responder churn while
+        // panel attachment is still stabilizing. Keep this auto-restore path from
+        // mutating first responder so AppKit doesn't walk tearing-down responder chains.
+        cmuxWithWindowFirstResponderBypass {
+            inspector.cmuxCallVoid(selector: selector)
+        }
         preferredDeveloperToolsVisible = true
         let visibleAfterShow = inspector.cmuxCallBool(selector: NSSelectorFromString("isVisible")) ?? false
         if visibleAfterShow {
diff --git a/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift b/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift
index e792a494..023269d6 100644
--- a/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift
+++ b/cmuxTests/CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests.swift
@@ -500,6 +500,36 @@ final class CmuxWebViewKeyEquivalentTests: XCTestCase {
         )
     }
 
+    @MainActor
+    func testWindowFirstResponderBypassBlocksSwizzledMakeFirstResponder() {
+        _ = NSApplication.shared
+        AppDelegate.installWindowResponderSwizzlesForTesting()
+
+        let window = NSWindow(
+            contentRect: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 640, height: 420),
+            styleMask: [.titled, .closable],
+            backing: .buffered,
+            defer: false
+        )
+        let container = NSView(frame: window.contentRect(forFrameRect: window.frame))
+        window.contentView = container
+
+        let responder = FirstResponderView(frame: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 80, height: 40))
+        container.addSubview(responder)
+
+        window.makeKeyAndOrderFront(nil)
+        defer { window.orderOut(nil) }
+
+        _ = window.makeFirstResponder(nil)
+        cmuxWithWindowFirstResponderBypass {
+            XCTAssertFalse(
+                window.makeFirstResponder(responder),
+                "Bypass scope should block transient first-responder changes during devtools auto-restore"
+            )
+        }
+        XCTAssertTrue(window.makeFirstResponder(responder))
+    }
+
     private func installMenu(spy: ActionSpy, key: String, modifiers: NSEvent.ModifierFlags) {
         let mainMenu = NSMenu()