diff --git a/frontend/src/App.vue b/frontend/src/App.vue
index 6537ab1..2d9b637 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/App.vue
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
     <div v-else class="page-slider">
       <div class="page-slider-track" :class="{ 'is-detail-open': isDetailOpen }">
         <!-- Browse/Search page (left panel) -->
-        <main class="main-content page-slider-panel">
+        <main class="main-content page-slider-panel" data-nav-scope="browse">
           <!-- Movies and Series views - both always rendered for smooth transitions -->
           <div v-if="!searchQuery" class="view-container">
             <Transition name="view-zoom" mode="out-in">
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
         </main>
 
         <!-- Detail page (right panel) -->
-        <main class="main-content page-slider-panel page-slider-detail-panel">
+        <main class="main-content page-slider-panel page-slider-detail-panel" data-nav-scope="detail">
           <MediaDetail
             v-if="detailItemForRender"
             v-show="isDetailOpen"
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ import {
   fetchRoots,
 } from "./api"
 import { useSettings } from "./composables/useSettings"
-import { useKeyboardNavigation } from "./composables/useKeyboardNavigation"
+import { useKeyboardNavigation, setActiveNavigationScope } from "./composables/useKeyboardNavigation"
 import { useMediaWebSocket } from "./composables/useMediaWebSocket"
 import Header from "./components/Header.vue"
 import CollageHero from "./components/CollageHero.vue"
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ import MediaDetail from "./components/MediaDetail.vue"
 import type { SearchResultItem, SearchResponseMessage } from "./search-worker"
 
 // Initialize keyboard navigation
-const { getFocusState, restoreFocusState, focusAt, focusElement } = useKeyboardNavigation()
+const { getFocusState, restoreFocusState, focusElement } = useKeyboardNavigation()
 
 const router = useRouter()
 const route = useRoute()
@@ -616,6 +616,7 @@ function handleEscapeKey(event: KeyboardEvent) {
 onMounted(() => {
   void refreshPlayerStatus()
   void refreshResumePositions()
+  setActiveNavigationScope(isDetailOpen.value ? "detail" : "browse")
   document.addEventListener("keydown", handleEscapeKey)
   window.addEventListener("mediahive:gamepad-action", onGamepadAction as EventListener)
 })
@@ -759,6 +760,45 @@ function handleActorSearch(actorName: string) {
   updateSearchQuery(actorName)
 }
 
+function focusDetailEntryTarget(item: MediaItem): boolean {
+  const detailPanel = document.querySelector('[data-nav-scope="detail"]') as HTMLElement | null
+  if (!detailPanel) return false
+
+  let target: HTMLElement | null = null
+
+  if (item.type === "movies") {
+    // Best release is rendered first and mapped to row 2 / col 0.
+    target = detailPanel.querySelector(
+      '[data-nav-release-item="true"][data-nav-row="2"][data-nav-col="0"][data-nav-focusable="true"]',
+    ) as HTMLElement | null
+  } else if (item.type === "series") {
+    // Initial episode tile (first season, first episode) maps to row 2 / col 0.
+    target = detailPanel.querySelector(
+      '.episode-tile[data-nav-row="2"][data-nav-col="0"][data-nav-focusable="true"]',
+    ) as HTMLElement | null
+  }
+
+  if (target) {
+    focusElement(target)
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const navButtons = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".header-nav-item.active"))
+  const detailsNav = navButtons.find((button) => button.textContent?.trim() === "Details")
+  if (detailsNav?.hasAttribute("data-nav-focusable")) {
+    focusElement(detailsNav)
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const firstFocusable = detailPanel.querySelector('[data-nav-focusable="true"]') as HTMLElement | null
+  if (firstFocusable) {
+    focusElement(firstFocusable)
+    return true
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
 // Convert raw data to MediaItem format
 function movieToMediaItem(movie: Movie): MediaItem {
   // Get resolution from first torrent if available
@@ -1058,13 +1098,14 @@ function rehydrateSearchResult(result: SearchResultItem): MediaItem {
 // Watch for detail page entry/exit to manage focus
 watch(selectedItem, (item, oldItem) => {
   if (item && !oldItem) {
-    // Skip auto-focus if we have a specific episode to focus on (from search)
-    if (item.type === "series" && focusEpisode.value) {
-      return
-    }
-    // Entering detail page - focus Play button (row 2, col 0) after transition
-    focusAt(2, 0, 150)
+    // Entering detail page - constrain navigation to detail panel immediately,
+    // then shift focus into it while the slide transition runs.
+    setActiveNavigationScope("detail")
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      focusDetailEntryTarget(item)
+    }, 20)
   } else if (!item && oldItem) {
+    setActiveNavigationScope("browse")
     // Leaving detail page (browser back, Escape, etc.) - restore focus to the item card
     const page = currentView.value === "series" ? "series" : "movies"
     restoreFocusForPage(page)
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/SeriesFullView.vue b/frontend/src/components/SeriesFullView.vue
index 182b1fd..e1aed72 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/SeriesFullView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/SeriesFullView.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <template>
-  <div class="series-fullscreen">
+  <div ref="seriesRootRef" class="series-fullscreen">
     <!-- Hero section with backdrop or season collage -->
     <section class="series-hero">
       <div class="hero-bg">
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@ const emit = defineEmits<{
   openFolder: [string, string | null | undefined]
 }>()
 
+const seriesRootRef = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
+
 // Focus on matched episode when provided
 watch(
   () => props.focusEpisode,
@@ -222,9 +224,9 @@ watch(
           if (episodeIndex >= 0) {
             // Find the episode tile element using nav attributes
             const selector = `[data-nav-row="${seasonIndex + 2}"][data-nav-col="${episodeIndex}"]`
-            const element = document.querySelector(selector) as HTMLElement | null
+            const element = seriesRootRef.value?.querySelector(selector) as HTMLElement | null
             if (element) {
-              element.scrollIntoView({ behavior: "smooth", block: "center" })
+              element.scrollIntoView({ behavior: "smooth", block: "center", inline: "nearest" })
               element.focus()
             }
           }
diff --git a/frontend/src/composables/useKeyboardNavigation.ts b/frontend/src/composables/useKeyboardNavigation.ts
index c51964a..5df8bec 100644
--- a/frontend/src/composables/useKeyboardNavigation.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/composables/useKeyboardNavigation.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export type OutOfBoundsNavigationHandler = (
 // Global focus state
 const focusedElement = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
 const isNavigating = ref(false)
+const activeNavigationScope = ref<string | null>(null)
 // Track the "desired" column when moving vertically (to maintain column position across rows of different lengths)
 const desiredCol = ref<number | null>(null)
 // Track if global handlers are installed
@@ -341,11 +342,26 @@ function handleSyncedRowResize() {
 
 function ensureElementVisibleVertically(element: HTMLElement) {
   if (element.hasAttribute("data-nav-release-item")) {
-    element.scrollIntoView({
-      behavior: "smooth",
-      block: "nearest",
-      inline: "nearest",
-    })
+    const rootStyle = window.getComputedStyle(document.documentElement)
+    const headerHeight = parseFloat(rootStyle.getPropertyValue("--header-height") || "0")
+    const topMargin = headerHeight + 24
+    const bottomMargin = 24
+    const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect()
+
+    if (rect.top < topMargin) {
+      window.scrollBy({
+        top: rect.top - topMargin,
+        behavior: "smooth",
+      })
+      return
+    }
+
+    if (rect.bottom > window.innerHeight - bottomMargin) {
+      window.scrollBy({
+        top: rect.bottom - (window.innerHeight - bottomMargin),
+        behavior: "smooth",
+      })
+    }
     return
   }
 
@@ -388,12 +404,34 @@ function resolveOutOfBoundsNavigation(
 
 const outOfBoundsHandlers = new Set<OutOfBoundsNavigationHandler>()
 
+function getElementNavigationScope(element: HTMLElement): string | null {
+  const owner = element.closest<HTMLElement>("[data-nav-scope]")
+  return owner?.getAttribute("data-nav-scope") || null
+}
+
+function isElementInActiveScope(element: HTMLElement): boolean {
+  const scope = activeNavigationScope.value
+  if (!scope) return true
+  const elementScope = getElementNavigationScope(element)
+  // Elements without a scope (for example global header controls) stay reachable.
+  if (!elementScope) return true
+  return elementScope === scope
+}
+
+function clearFocusedElement() {
+  if (!focusedElement.value) return
+  focusedElement.value.classList.remove("nav-focused")
+  focusedElement.value.blur()
+  focusedElement.value = null
+}
+
 function getFocusableElements(): FocusableElement[] {
   const elements = document.querySelectorAll(`[${FOCUSABLE_ATTR}]`)
   const result: FocusableElement[] = []
 
   elements.forEach((el) => {
     const htmlEl = el as HTMLElement
+    if (!isElementInActiveScope(htmlEl)) return
     if (htmlEl.offsetParent === null) return
 
     const rect = htmlEl.getBoundingClientRect()
@@ -594,6 +632,7 @@ function findNextElement(
 
 function focusElement(element: HTMLElement | null) {
   if (!element) return
+  if (!isElementInActiveScope(element)) return
 
   if (focusedElement.value && focusedElement.value !== element) {
     focusedElement.value.classList.remove("nav-focused")
@@ -670,10 +709,17 @@ function handleKeyDown(event: KeyboardEvent) {
   isNavigating.value = true
 
   let current = focusedElement.value
+  if (current && !isElementInActiveScope(current)) {
+    current = null
+  }
 
   if (!current) {
     const activeElement = document.activeElement as HTMLElement
-    if (activeElement && activeElement.hasAttribute(FOCUSABLE_ATTR)) {
+    if (
+      activeElement &&
+      activeElement.hasAttribute(FOCUSABLE_ATTR) &&
+      isElementInActiveScope(activeElement)
+    ) {
       current = activeElement
     }
   }
@@ -702,12 +748,23 @@ function handleEnterKey(event: KeyboardEvent) {
     return
   }
 
-  if (focusedElement.value) {
+  if (focusedElement.value && isElementInActiveScope(focusedElement.value)) {
     event.preventDefault()
     focusedElement.value.click()
   }
 }
 
+export function setActiveNavigationScope(scope: string | null) {
+  if (activeNavigationScope.value === scope) return
+  activeNavigationScope.value = scope
+  desiredCol.value = null
+  resetSyncedRows(true)
+
+  if (focusedElement.value && !isElementInActiveScope(focusedElement.value)) {
+    clearFocusedElement()
+  }
+}
+
 export function installKeyboardNavigation() {
   if (handlersInstalled) return
   handlersInstalled = true
@@ -721,7 +778,7 @@ export function installKeyboardNavigation() {
   document.addEventListener("click", (event) => {
     const target = event.target as HTMLElement
     const focusable = target.closest(`[${FOCUSABLE_ATTR}]`) as HTMLElement | null
-    if (focusable) {
+    if (focusable && isElementInActiveScope(focusable)) {
       desiredCol.value = null
       focusElement(focusable)
     }
@@ -731,7 +788,7 @@ export function installKeyboardNavigation() {
     if (event.button !== 1) return
     const target = event.target as HTMLElement
     const focusable = target.closest(`[${FOCUSABLE_ATTR}]`) as HTMLElement | null
-    if (focusable) {
+    if (focusable && isElementInActiveScope(focusable)) {
       desiredCol.value = null
       focusElement(focusable)
     }
@@ -739,7 +796,7 @@ export function installKeyboardNavigation() {
 
   document.addEventListener("focusin", (event) => {
     const target = event.target as HTMLElement
-    if (target.hasAttribute(FOCUSABLE_ATTR)) {
+    if (target.hasAttribute(FOCUSABLE_ATTR) && isElementInActiveScope(target)) {
       if (focusedElement.value && focusedElement.value !== target) {
         focusedElement.value.classList.remove("nav-focused")
       }