diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
index 149ef514..1903ab77 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
@@ -788,7 +788,13 @@ window.marked = marked;
     if (!countSpan || !namesSpan || !actions) return;
 
     const selected = containers.filter((c) => selectionState.has(c.name));
-    if (!selected.length) {
+    // #596: the bar's actions only make sense on the SW4RM tab — that's
+    // where the agent cards are visible to cross-reference against the
+    // selection. On other tabs the operator just sees a floating bar
+    // with no context, so hide it. Selection state persists in-memory
+    // and the bar reappears on return to SW4RM if still non-empty.
+    const onSwarmTab = (document.body.dataset.activeTab || 'swarm') === 'swarm';
+    if (!selected.length || !onSwarmTab) {
       bar.hidden = true;
       document.body.classList.remove('has-selection');
       return;
@@ -3055,6 +3061,12 @@ window.marked = marked;
       if (tab) tab.classList.toggle('active', t === target);
       if (pane) pane.classList.toggle('tab-pane-active', t === target);
     }
+    // #596: track active tab on the body so renderSelectionBar can
+    // gate visibility (bar only belongs on SW4RM where agent cards
+    // live). Re-render the bar so the toggle takes effect immediately
+    // on hashchange without waiting for the next SSE update.
+    document.body.dataset.activeTab = target;
+    renderSelectionBar(Array.from(containersState.values()));
     // #459: schedules pane has no SSE channel yet (PR C follow-up), so
     // re-fetch on activation so the operator never lands on stale data.
     if (target === 'schedules') refreshSchedules();