diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index d45a9270..a56505fd 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -3022,18 +3022,19 @@ function layout() {
     quickPanel.setBounds({ x: leftW, y: chromeH, width: quickW, height: bodyH });
     try { quickPanel.setVisible(quickW > 0); } catch {}
   }
-  // An add-on's left panel; widened, it leaves the tabs a strip, like the
-  // right sidebar maximized.
-  const addonLeftW = (leftPanel && leftPanelId && !fsTab)
-    ? (leftPanelMax ? Math.max(LEFT_PANEL_W, width - leftW - 120) : LEFT_PANEL_W) : 0;
-  if (leftPanel) {
-    leftPanel.setBounds({ x: leftW, y: chromeH, width: addonLeftW, height: bodyH });
-    try { leftPanel.setVisible(addonLeftW > 0); } catch {}
-  }
-  const panelW = quickW || addonLeftW;
   // Sidebar (when visible) claims a fixed slice on the right; the tab views
   // shrink to fit alongside it. When hidden, tabs get the full width.
   const sideW = sidebarVisible && !fsTab ? sidebarW : 0;
+  // An add-on's left panel. Widened, it covers the tab area like a page of
+  // its own, up to the right sidebar, which keeps its width: the tabs keep
+  // their narrow-panel bounds underneath instead of being squeezed aside.
+  const addonLeftW = (leftPanel && leftPanelId && !fsTab) ? LEFT_PANEL_W : 0;
+  const addonLeftShownW = addonLeftW && leftPanelMax ? Math.max(LEFT_PANEL_W, width - leftW - sideW) : addonLeftW;
+  if (leftPanel) {
+    leftPanel.setBounds({ x: leftW, y: chromeH, width: addonLeftShownW, height: bodyH });
+    try { leftPanel.setVisible(addonLeftShownW > 0); } catch {}
+  }
+  const panelW = quickW || addonLeftW;
   const tabX = leftW + panelW;
   const tabW = Math.max(0, width - tabX - sideW);
   for (const t of tabs) t.view.setBounds({ x: tabX, y: chromeH, width: tabW, height: bodyH });
@@ -3569,6 +3570,9 @@ function setActive(id) {
   // sidebar to its pre-max width so the tab is actually visible; the
   // user can re-maximize when they're done.
   if (switching && sidebarMaximized) setSidebarMaximized(false);
+  // A widened left panel covers the tabs; bringing any tab forward (a tab
+  // click, Settings, a new tab) narrows it back to a bar beside the page.
+  if (leftPanelMax) setLeftPanelMax(false);
   // Show the NEW active tab first, THEN hide the others. Reversing this
   // order eliminates the "no tab is visible" frame on switch that made the
   // tab strip flash — the compositor always has at least one tab view up.
@@ -4583,12 +4587,16 @@ async function loadBns(t, id, host, rest, tld) {
 // The toolbar and our own home page only — home-preload is in every tab, and a
 // web page must not steer the active tab (or a Settings tab) from the background.
 ipcMain.handle("navigate", (e, input) => {
-  if (chrome && e.sender === chrome.webContents) return navigateTab(activeId, input);
+  if (chrome && e.sender === chrome.webContents) {
+    // Address-bar navigation is for the page, so a widened left panel steps aside.
+    if (leftPanelMax) setLeftPanelMax(false);
+    return navigateTab(activeId, input);
+  }
   if (!isHomePageSender(e.sender)) return;
   const t = tabs.find((x) => x.view.webContents === e.sender);
   return navigateTab(t ? t.id : activeId, input);
 });
-ipcMain.handle("search", (_e, q) => navigateTab(activeId, SEARCH(q)));
+ipcMain.handle("search", (_e, q) => { if (leftPanelMax) setLeftPanelMax(false); return navigateTab(activeId, SEARCH(q)); });
 ipcMain.handle("new-tab", () => createTab());
 ipcMain.handle("close-tab", (_e, id) => closeTab(id));
 ipcMain.handle("switch-tab", (_e, id) => setActive(id));
@@ -5130,13 +5138,21 @@ function setSidebarMaximized(next) {
     sidebarW = Math.max(SIDEBAR_W_MIN, Math.min(SIDEBAR_W_MAX, sidebarPreMaxW || SIDEBAR_W_DEFAULT));
   }
   sidebarMaximized = wanted;
+  if (wanted && leftPanelMax) setLeftPanelMax(false);
   layout();
   try { sidebar?.webContents.send("sidebar-max-change", sidebarMaximized); } catch {}
   return sidebarMaximized;
 }
 const isLeftSender = (e) => !!leftPanel && e.sender === leftPanel.webContents;
 function setLeftPanelMax(next) {
+  if (!!next === leftPanelMax) return leftPanelMax;
   leftPanelMax = !!next;
+  if (leftPanelMax) {
+    // One wide view at a time: a maximized right sidebar steps back, and the
+    // panel goes on top of tab views created since it opened.
+    if (sidebarMaximized) setSidebarMaximized(false);
+    try { win.contentView.removeChildView(leftPanel); win.contentView.addChildView(leftPanel); } catch {}
+  }
   layout();
   try { leftPanel?.webContents.send("sidebar-max-change", leftPanelMax); } catch {}
   return leftPanelMax;