diff --git a/src/app/view.rs b/src/app/view.rs
index 867b787..672bd53 100644
--- a/src/app/view.rs
+++ b/src/app/view.rs
@@ -62,6 +62,15 @@ impl App {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Whether a dialog covers the window. Focus moves through the whole widget
+    /// tree, so the layers below have to stay out of the dialog's field order.
+    pub(super) fn modal_open(&self) -> bool {
+        self.preferences_open
+            || self.pending_project_path.is_some()
+            || self.session_rename.is_some()
+            || self.menu_session().is_some()
+    }
+
     fn main_view(&self) -> Element<'_, Message> {
         let mut body = row![].width(Length::Fill).height(Length::Fill);
         if !self.config.interface.sidebar_collapsed {
diff --git a/src/app/view/chat.rs b/src/app/view/chat.rs
index 7bd83fa..d2d83b0 100644
--- a/src/app/view/chat.rs
+++ b/src/app/view/chat.rs
@@ -131,12 +131,32 @@ impl App {
                     );
                 }
             }
-            let composer = text_input("Ask DS4Server anything…", &self.composer)
-                .id(composer_id())
-                .on_input(Message::ComposerChanged)
-                .on_submit(Message::SubmitPrompt)
+            // Tab walks every focusable widget of every window, so a composer
+            // left behind an open dialog would take a turn in that dialog's
+            // field order. Behind a modal it becomes a plain look-alike that
+            // cannot be focused; the modal dims it either way.
+            let composer: Element<'_, Message> = if self.modal_open() {
+                container(
+                    text(if self.composer.is_empty() {
+                        "Ask DS4Server anything…"
+                    } else {
+                        &self.composer
+                    })
+                    .size(14)
+                    .color(muted_text()),
+                )
                 .padding(12)
-                .size(14);
+                .width(Length::Fill)
+                .into()
+            } else {
+                text_input("Ask DS4Server anything…", &self.composer)
+                    .id(composer_id())
+                    .on_input(Message::ComposerChanged)
+                    .on_submit(Message::SubmitPrompt)
+                    .padding(12)
+                    .size(14)
+                    .into()
+            };
             let action = if self.generating {
                 action_button(text("Stop").size(12)).on_press(Message::StopGeneration)
             } else if self.composer.trim().is_empty() {