diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/features/layout/createWorkspaceStackNavigator.ios.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/features/layout/createWorkspaceStackNavigator.ios.tsx
index e94a5ea9296e..a8e3b7a451df 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/features/layout/createWorkspaceStackNavigator.ios.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/features/layout/createWorkspaceStackNavigator.ios.tsx
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ import {
   collapsedSplitTransition,
   nativeWorkspacePopAction,
   projectWorkspaceStack,
+  workspaceDetailHidesTabs,
   partitionStackPresentations,
   reconcileStackScreens,
   type CollapsedSplitColumn,
@@ -443,9 +444,9 @@ function WorkspaceColumns(
 function WorkspaceStackView(props: ViewProps & { readonly nativeColumns: boolean }) {
   const { layout } = useAdaptiveWorkspaceLayout();
   const workspace = useWorkspaceTabs()!;
-  // Native dismiss commits the route pop after the transition. Restore the dock
-  // when the primary screen starts appearing, including interactive back gestures.
-  const [primaryVisible, setPrimaryVisible] = useState(false);
+  // Native Back reveals Home before the router pops. Scope that exception to its
+  // outgoing route so a new selection hides the dock before native callbacks arrive.
+  const [returningFrom, setReturningFrom] = useState<Route | null>(null);
   const metrics = useNativeLayoutMetrics();
   const projection = projectWorkspaceStack(props.state, (route) => {
     const presentation = props.descriptors[route.key]?.options.presentation;
@@ -469,8 +470,7 @@ function WorkspaceStackView(props: ViewProps & { readonly nativeColumns: boolean
       <WorkspaceNativeTabs
         hidden={
           !workspacePage &&
-          projection.detail.length > 0 &&
-          !primaryVisible &&
+          workspaceDetailHidesTabs(projection.detail, returningFrom) &&
           !layout.usesSplitView &&
           (metrics?.verticalBarEdge ?? "none") === "none"
         }
@@ -485,8 +485,8 @@ function WorkspaceStackView(props: ViewProps & { readonly nativeColumns: boolean
         ) : (
           <V5CardStackView
             {...props}
-            onRootVisibilityChange={setPrimaryVisible}
             onNativePopChange={setNativelyPoppingWorkspaceRoute}
+            onRootReturnChange={setReturningFrom}
             descriptors={descriptors}
             state={{
               ...props.state,
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceNativeTabs.ios.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceNativeTabs.ios.tsx
index 344e787d0447..c6b8759b1cd2 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceNativeTabs.ios.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceNativeTabs.ios.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,15 @@ import {
   NAVIGATION_TAB_ICONS,
   useEnabledNavigationTabs,
 } from "./navigation-tabs";
-import { useCallback, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import {
+  use,
+  useCallback,
+  useLayoutEffect,
+  useMemo,
+  useRef,
+  useState,
+  type ReactNode,
+} from "react";
 import { View, useWindowDimensions, type NativeSyntheticEvent } from "react-native";
 import { Tabs, type TabSelectedEvent, type TabSelectionRejectedEvent } from "react-native-screens";
 
@@ -16,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 } from "./workspace-tabs-state";
 import {
   NativeWorkspaceTabActivityContext,
+  NativeWorkspaceModeContext,
   WorkspaceSlotOptionsContext,
 } from "../../native/v5-workspace-context";
 import { useCompactWorkspaceTabs, useSystemWorkspaceTabBar } from "./useSystemWorkspaceTabBar";
@@ -86,12 +95,18 @@ export function WorkspaceNativeTabs(props: {
   const [provenance, setProvenance] = useState(0);
   const systemTabBar = useSystemWorkspaceTabBar();
   const deviceType = useDeviceType();
+  const nativeColumns = use(NativeWorkspaceModeContext);
   const compactTabs = useCompactWorkspaceTabs();
   const { layout, startNewTask } = useAdaptiveWorkspaceLayout();
   const compactSidebarTabs = deviceType === "phone" || !layout.usesSplitView;
   const { width } = useWindowDimensions();
   const { colors } = useControlTheme();
   const selectedTab = workspace.state.selectedTab;
+  // The primary screen carries its picker through UIKit collapse and Back transitions.
+  const primaryColumnTabs =
+    deviceType === "pad" &&
+    nativeColumns &&
+    workspaceUsesColumns(selectedTab, workspace.settingsOpen);
   const selectedSlot = workspace.settingsOpen ? -1 : primaryTabs.indexOf(selectedTab);
   const request = useMemo(
     () => ({
@@ -157,7 +172,8 @@ export function WorkspaceNativeTabs(props: {
           );
         })}
       </Tabs.Host>
-      {(deviceType === "pad" ||
+      {!primaryColumnTabs &&
+      (deviceType === "pad" ||
         compactTabs ||
         (layout.primarySidebarOverlaysContent &&
           !workspaceUsesColumns(selectedTab, workspace.settingsOpen))) &&
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceRootScreen.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceRootScreen.tsx
index 8778ba2b3644..62a612b76bd5 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceRootScreen.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/features/workspace/WorkspaceRootScreen.tsx
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ function WorkspaceRootContent() {
   const enabled = useEnabledNavigationTabs();
   const sidebarTabs = useSidebarWorkspaceTabs();
   const sidebarPicker = sidebarTabs === "picker" || (deviceType === "pad" && layout.usesSplitView);
+  const primaryColumnTabs = deviceType === "pad" && primaryColumn !== null;
+  const compactPrimaryTabs = primaryColumnTabs && !layout.usesSplitView;
   const sidebarNavigation =
     primaryColumn !== null &&
     (layout.usesSplitView ||
@@ -215,8 +217,16 @@ function WorkspaceRootContent() {
             <WorkspaceExtraTab tab={state.selectedTab} />
           )}
         </SafeAreaInsetsContext>
-        {deviceType !== "pad" && deviceType !== "phone" && sidebarPicker ? (
-          <WorkspaceSidebarTabs />
+        {primaryColumnTabs || (deviceType !== "pad" && deviceType !== "phone" && sidebarPicker) ? (
+          <WorkspaceSidebarTabs
+            compact={compactPrimaryTabs}
+            reserveComposeSpace={compactPrimaryTabs}
+            onNewTask={
+              compactPrimaryTabs && !settingsOpen && state.selectedTab === "threads"
+                ? startNewTask
+                : undefined
+            }
+          />
         ) : null}
         {/* Android's Settings list carries its own search in its app bar. */}
         {enabled.length === 0 && !settingsOpen ? null : (
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/native/createV5StackNavigator.ios.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/native/createV5StackNavigator.ios.tsx
index a9ad443aa4a3..d73864e2e069 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/native/createV5StackNavigator.ios.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/native/createV5StackNavigator.ios.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import {
 } from "./workspace-stack-projection";
 
 export type V5StackViewProps = ComponentProps<typeof NativeStackView>;
+type Route = V5StackViewProps["state"]["routes"][number];
 
 export function modalEnvelopeOptions(options: NativeStackNavigationOptions) {
   return {
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ export function modalEnvelopeOptions(options: NativeStackNavigationOptions) {
 /** Keep outgoing screens until UIKit completes its pop, as required by v5. */
 export function V5CardStackView(
   props: V5StackViewProps & {
-    readonly onRootVisibilityChange?: (visible: boolean) => void;
+    readonly onRootReturnChange?: (source: Route | null) => void;
     /** The card native Back is popping, which the router still shows until the pop finishes. */
     readonly onNativePopChange?: (key: string | null) => void;
   },
@@ -179,7 +180,12 @@ export function V5CardStackView(
                 if (preventedRoutes[route.key]?.preventRemove) descriptor.navigation.goBack();
               }}
               onWillAppear={() => {
-                if (index === 0) props.onRootVisibilityChange?.(true);
+                if (index === 0) {
+                  const source = props.navigation
+                    .getState()
+                    .routes.find((current) => current.key === nativePopSource.current);
+                  props.onRootReturnChange?.(source ?? null);
+                }
                 props.navigation.emit({
                   type: "transitionStart",
                   target: route.key,
@@ -217,7 +223,7 @@ export function V5CardStackView(
                 });
               }}
               onWillDisappear={() => {
-                if (index === 0) props.onRootVisibilityChange?.(false);
+                if (index === 0) props.onRootReturnChange?.(null);
                 const state = props.navigation.getState();
                 // Only native Back leaves the disappearing card active; JS navigation already changed history.
                 if (state.index > 0 && state.routes[state.index]?.key === route.key) {
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.test.ts b/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.test.ts
index a3c44d16fb75..ee68134d5ee4 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.test.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   nativeWorkspacePopAction,
   nativeWorkspacePopCount,
   projectWorkspaceStack,
+  workspaceDetailHidesTabs,
   partitionStackPresentations,
   reconcileStackScreens,
   type CollapsedSplitColumn,
@@ -85,6 +86,49 @@ describe("workspace router projection", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("compact workspace tab visibility", () => {
+  it("hides tabs on thread entry before Home's native disappearance arrives", () => {
+    const primaryVisibleRoute = home;
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([], primaryVisibleRoute)).toBe(false);
+    const opened = projectWorkspaceStack(history([home, thread]), () => false);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs(opened.detail, primaryVisibleRoute)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("shows tabs during native Back to Home and hides them when the swipe cancels", () => {
+    const state = history([home, thread]);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread], thread)).toBe(false);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread], null)).toBe(true);
+    expect(nativeStackPopAction(state, thread.key, thread.key)).toBeNull();
+    expect(state.routes).toEqual([home, thread]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not carry native Back visibility into a new route or a same-key selection", () => {
+    const reopened = { ...thread, key: "reopened-thread" };
+    const reselected = { ...thread, params: { threadId: "another-thread" } };
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread, reopened], thread)).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([reopened], thread)).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([reselected], thread)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps detail pages hidden and returns tabs after the native pop commits", () => {
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread, files], null)).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread, files], thread)).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread], null)).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([], thread)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("uses the workspace below a modal and hides tabs on a cold-linked detail", () => {
+    const modal = { key: "connect", name: "ConnectOnboarding" };
+    const projected = projectWorkspaceStack(
+      history([home, thread, modal]),
+      (route) => route.name === modal.name,
+    );
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs(projected.detail, null)).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs(projected.detail, thread)).toBe(false);
+    expect(workspaceDetailHidesTabs([thread], null)).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("native workspace dismissal", () => {
   it("dismisses a sheet and its pushed pages without removing the underlying draft", () => {
     const state = history([home, thread, settings, legal]);
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.ts b/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.ts
index 341a432b66b3..c9dfb2c0ea1f 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/native/workspace-stack-projection.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ export function projectWorkspaceStack(
   return { primary, detail, overlays };
 }
 
+export function workspaceDetailHidesTabs(detail: readonly Route[], returningFrom: Route | null) {
+  // Params can select another thread without changing its route key.
+  return detail.length > 0 && detail.at(-1) !== returningFrom;
+}
+
 /** Native callbacks can arrive after a JS pop or replace; those must not pop the next screen. */
 export function nativeWorkspacePopCount(
   state: Pick<NavigationState, "index" | "routes">,