diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
index 5d6c8e01..a48f51b8 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
@@ -1613,6 +1613,11 @@ window.marked = marked;
   // live by `question_added` / `question_resolved` dashboard events.
   const QUESTION_HISTORY_LIMIT = 20;
   const questionsState = { pending: [], history: [] };
+  // Keyed row cache: question id → {el, fingerprint}. Allows renderQuestions
+  // to reuse <li> elements whose state hasn't changed. The main benefit is
+  // preserving textarea draft text and radio/checkbox selections when an
+  // unrelated question arrives while the operator is composing a reply.
+  const questionRowCache = new Map();
   function syncQuestionsFromSnapshot(s) {
     questionsState.pending = (s.questions || []).slice();
     questionsState.history = (s.question_history || []).slice();
@@ -1685,20 +1690,140 @@ window.marked = marked;
     }
     return true;
   }
+  // Serialise the fields that determine a pending-question <li>'s DOM
+  // structure. Used by questionRowCache to skip rebuilds when nothing
+  // visible has changed. deadline_at controls whether the TTL chip node
+  // exists at all (its text is kept current by the global 1s ticker).
+  function questionRowFingerprint(q) {
+    return JSON.stringify({
+      asker: q.asker, target: q.target, asked_at: q.asked_at,
+      deadline_at: q.deadline_at, question: q.question,
+      question_refs: q.question_refs, options: q.options, multi: q.multi,
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Build a single pending-question <li>. Extracted from renderQuestions so
+  // questionRowCache can reuse unchanged nodes without re-running this body.
+  // Event listeners attached here (keydown on textarea, submit on form) are
+  // preserved in the reused node — no re-attachment needed.
+  function buildQuestionLi(q) {
+    const fmt = (n) => new Date(n * 1000).toISOString().replace('T', ' ').slice(0, 19);
+    const targetLabel = q.target || 'operator';
+    const li = el('li', { class: 'question' + (q.target ? ' question-peer' : '') });
+    const head = el('div', { class: 'q-head' },
+      el('span', { class: 'msg-ts' }, fmt(q.asked_at)), ' ',
+      el('span', { class: 'msg-from' }, q.asker), ' ',
+      el('span', { class: 'msg-sep' }, '→'), ' ',
+      el('span', { class: q.target ? 'msg-to msg-to-peer' : 'msg-to' }, targetLabel), ' ',
+      el('span', { class: 'msg-sep' }, 'asks:'),
+    );
+    if (q.deadline_at) {
+      // Tag the chip with its deadline so the global 1s ticker
+      // can refresh the text without re-rendering the questions section.
+      const ttlEl = el('span', {
+        class: 'q-ttl', 'data-deadline': String(q.deadline_at),
+      });
+      ttlEl.textContent = formatTtl(
+        q.deadline_at - Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
+      );
+      head.append(' ', ttlEl);
+    }
+    const qBody = el('div', { class: 'q-body' });
+    appendLinkified(qBody, q.question, q.question_refs);
+    li.append(head, qBody);
+    const f = el('form', {
+      method: 'POST', action: '/answer-question/' + q.id,
+      class: 'qform', 'data-async': '', 'data-no-refresh': '',
+    });
+    const hasOptions = q.options && q.options.length;
+    const isMulti = !!q.multi && hasOptions;
+    const freeText = el('textarea', {
+      name: 'answer-free', rows: '2', autocomplete: 'off',
+      placeholder: (hasOptions ? 'or type your own…' : 'your answer')
+        + '  (shift+enter for newline)',
+    });
+    // Enter submits; shift+enter inserts a newline (textarea default).
+    freeText.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
+      if (e.key === 'Enter' && !e.shiftKey) {
+        e.preventDefault();
+        f.requestSubmit();
+      }
+    });
+    const optionGroup = el('div', { class: 'q-options' });
+    if (hasOptions) {
+      for (const opt of q.options) {
+        const inputType = isMulti ? 'checkbox' : 'radio';
+        const id = 'q' + q.id + '-' + Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 8);
+        const input = el('input', { type: inputType, name: 'choice', value: opt, id });
+        const label = el('label', { for: id }, ' ' + opt);
+        optionGroup.append(el('div', { class: 'q-option' }, input, label));
+      }
+    }
+    // On submit, build the final `answer` field from selected
+    // options + free-text, joined by ', '. This lets the operator
+    // pick options AND add free text in the same form.
+    f.addEventListener('submit', (ev) => {
+      const parts = [];
+      for (const cb of f.querySelectorAll('input[name="choice"]:checked')) {
+        parts.push(cb.value);
+      }
+      const ft = (freeText.value || '').trim();
+      if (ft) parts.push(ft);
+      const merged = parts.join(', ');
+      // Replace the existing hidden `answer` (if any) with the merged value.
+      const existing = f.querySelector('input[name="answer"]');
+      if (existing) existing.remove();
+      f.append(el('input', { type: 'hidden', name: 'answer', value: merged }));
+      if (!merged) { ev.preventDefault(); alert('pick an option or type an answer'); }
+    }, true);
+    if (hasOptions) f.append(optionGroup);
+    const buttons = el('div', { class: 'q-buttons' });
+    // On peer threads the operator's answer is an override —
+    // mark the button so it's clear what the click does (the
+    // backend permits it via OperatorQuestions::answer's
+    // answerer-auth rule).
+    const answerLabel = q.target
+      ? (isMulti ? '⤿ 0V3RR1D3 · ' + q.options.length + ' opts' : '⤿ 0V3RR1D3')
+      : (isMulti ? '▸ ANSW3R · ' + q.options.length + ' opts' : '▸ ANSW3R');
+    buttons.append(
+      el('button', {
+        type: 'submit',
+        class: 'btn btn-approve' + (q.target ? ' btn-override' : ''),
+        title: q.target ? `override-answer on behalf of operator (target was ${q.target})` : '',
+      }, answerLabel),
+    );
+    f.append(
+      el('div', { class: 'q-free' }, freeText),
+      buttons,
+    );
+    li.append(f);
+    // Separate form so the cancel button doesn't get the answer
+    // merge-on-submit handler attached to the main form.
+    const cancelTargetLabel = q.target ? q.target : 'asker';
+    const cancelForm = el('form', {
+      method: 'POST', action: '/cancel-question/' + q.id,
+      class: 'qform-cancel', 'data-async': '', 'data-no-refresh': '',
+      'data-confirm': `cancel this question? ${cancelTargetLabel} will see `
+        + '"[cancelled]" as the answer.',
+    });
+    cancelForm.append(
+      el('button', { type: 'submit', class: 'btn btn-deny' }, '✗ CANC3L'),
+    );
+    li.append(cancelForm);
+    return li;
+  }
+
   function renderQuestions() {
     const root = $('questions-section');
     // #questions-section only lives on /index.html (Y3R C4LL tab);
     // no-op when the section is missing. `question_added` /
     // `question_resolved` SSE events route through here.
     if (!root) return;
-    // Snapshot open <details> state before wiping the DOM so SSE-triggered
-    // calls (applyQuestionAdded / applyQuestionResolved) preserve it just
-    // as well as the full refreshState path. The double-restore that happens
-    // when renderQuestions is called from inside refreshState is harmless —
-    // restoreOpenDetails is a no-op when the set is empty, and re-opening an
-    // already-open <details> is idempotent.
+    // Snapshot open <details> state so SSE-triggered re-renders restore
+    // any expanded sections. The keyed-cache approach reuses question
+    // <li> nodes (preserving textarea/checkbox state) and only rebuilds
+    // cache-miss rows, so we no longer wipe the DOM at the start.
     const openDetails = snapshotOpenDetails();
-    root.replaceChildren();
     const fmt = (n) => new Date(n * 1000).toISOString().replace('T', ' ').slice(0, 19);
     const allPending = questionsState.pending;
 
@@ -1746,122 +1871,40 @@ window.marked = marked;
     for (const name of Array.from(participants).sort()) {
       filterRow.append(mkChip('agent:' + name, '@' + name));
     }
-    root.append(filterRow);
 
+    // Evict resolved/cancelled questions from the row cache.
+    const allPendingIds = new Set(allPending.map((q) => q.id));
+    for (const id of questionRowCache.keys()) {
+      if (!allPendingIds.has(id)) questionRowCache.delete(id);
+    }
+
+    // Build the ordered list of <li> elements, reusing cached nodes whose
+    // serialised state hasn't changed. This is what preserves textarea
+    // draft text and radio/checkbox selections across re-renders.
+    const orderedLis = pending.map((q) => {
+      const fp = questionRowFingerprint(q);
+      const cached = questionRowCache.get(q.id);
+      if (cached && cached.fingerprint === fp) return cached.el;
+      const li = buildQuestionLi(q);
+      questionRowCache.set(q.id, { el: li, fingerprint: fp });
+      return li;
+    });
+
+    // Save the history <details> open state before the DOM swap so it
+    // isn't collapsed every time a question arrives while it's open.
+    const historyWasOpen = root.querySelector('.q-history')?.open ?? false;
+
+    const children = [filterRow];
     if (!pending.length) {
-      root.append(el('p', { class: 'empty' },
+      children.push(el('p', { class: 'empty' },
         activeFilter === 'all' ? 'no pending questions' : 'no questions match this filter'));
+    } else {
+      const ul = el('ul', { class: 'questions' });
+      for (const li of orderedLis) ul.append(li);
+      children.push(ul);
     }
-    const ul = el('ul', { class: 'questions' });
-    for (const q of pending) {
-      const targetLabel = q.target || 'operator';
-      const li = el('li', { class: 'question' + (q.target ? ' question-peer' : '') });
-      const head = el('div', { class: 'q-head' },
-        el('span', { class: 'msg-ts' }, fmt(q.asked_at)), ' ',
-        el('span', { class: 'msg-from' }, q.asker), ' ',
-        el('span', { class: 'msg-sep' }, '→'), ' ',
-        el('span', { class: q.target ? 'msg-to msg-to-peer' : 'msg-to' }, targetLabel), ' ',
-        el('span', { class: 'msg-sep' }, 'asks:'),
-      );
-      if (q.deadline_at) {
-        // Tag the chip with its deadline so the global 1s ticker
-        // (set up just below this function) can refresh the text
-        // without re-rendering the whole questions section.
-        const ttlEl = el('span', {
-          class: 'q-ttl', 'data-deadline': String(q.deadline_at),
-        });
-        ttlEl.textContent = formatTtl(
-          q.deadline_at - Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
-        );
-        head.append(' ', ttlEl);
-      }
-      const qBody = el('div', { class: 'q-body' });
-      appendLinkified(qBody, q.question, q.question_refs);
-      li.append(head, qBody);
-      const f = el('form', {
-        method: 'POST', action: '/answer-question/' + q.id,
-        class: 'qform', 'data-async': '', 'data-no-refresh': '',
-      });
-      const hasOptions = q.options && q.options.length;
-      const isMulti = !!q.multi && hasOptions;
-      const freeText = el('textarea', {
-        name: 'answer-free', rows: '2', autocomplete: 'off',
-        placeholder: (hasOptions ? 'or type your own…' : 'your answer')
-          + '  (shift+enter for newline)',
-      });
-      // Enter submits; shift+enter inserts a newline (textarea default).
-      freeText.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
-        if (e.key === 'Enter' && !e.shiftKey) {
-          e.preventDefault();
-          f.requestSubmit();
-        }
-      });
-      const optionGroup = el('div', { class: 'q-options' });
-      if (hasOptions) {
-        for (const opt of q.options) {
-          const inputType = isMulti ? 'checkbox' : 'radio';
-          const id = 'q' + q.id + '-' + Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 8);
-          const input = el('input', { type: inputType, name: 'choice', value: opt, id });
-          const label = el('label', { for: id }, ' ' + opt);
-          optionGroup.append(el('div', { class: 'q-option' }, input, label));
-        }
-      }
-      // On submit, build the final `answer` field from selected
-      // options + free-text, joined by ', '. This lets the operator
-      // pick options AND add free text in the same form.
-      f.addEventListener('submit', (ev) => {
-        const parts = [];
-        for (const cb of f.querySelectorAll('input[name="choice"]:checked')) {
-          parts.push(cb.value);
-        }
-        const ft = (freeText.value || '').trim();
-        if (ft) parts.push(ft);
-        const merged = parts.join(', ');
-        // Replace the existing hidden `answer` (if any) with the merged value.
-        const existing = f.querySelector('input[name="answer"]');
-        if (existing) existing.remove();
-        f.append(el('input', { type: 'hidden', name: 'answer', value: merged }));
-        if (!merged) { ev.preventDefault(); alert('pick an option or type an answer'); }
-      }, true);
-      if (hasOptions) f.append(optionGroup);
-      const buttons = el('div', { class: 'q-buttons' });
-      // On peer threads the operator's answer is an override —
-      // mark the button so it's clear what the click does (the
-      // backend permits it via OperatorQuestions::answer's
-      // answerer-auth rule).
-      const answerLabel = q.target
-        ? (isMulti ? '⤿ 0V3RR1D3 · ' + q.options.length + ' opts' : '⤿ 0V3RR1D3')
-        : (isMulti ? '▸ ANSW3R · ' + q.options.length + ' opts' : '▸ ANSW3R');
-      buttons.append(
-        el('button', {
-          type: 'submit',
-          class: 'btn btn-approve' + (q.target ? ' btn-override' : ''),
-          title: q.target ? `override-answer on behalf of operator (target was ${q.target})` : '',
-        }, answerLabel),
-      );
-      f.append(
-        el('div', { class: 'q-free' }, freeText),
-        buttons,
-      );
-      li.append(f);
-      // Separate form so the cancel button doesn't get the answer
-      // merge-on-submit handler attached to the main form.
-      const cancelTargetLabel = q.target ? q.target : 'asker';
-      const cancelForm = el('form', {
-        method: 'POST', action: '/cancel-question/' + q.id,
-        class: 'qform-cancel', 'data-async': '', 'data-no-refresh': '',
-        'data-confirm': `cancel this question? ${cancelTargetLabel} will see `
-          + '"[cancelled]" as the answer.',
-      });
-      cancelForm.append(
-        el('button', { type: 'submit', class: 'btn btn-deny' }, '✗ CANC3L'),
-      );
-      li.append(cancelForm);
-      ul.append(li);
-    }
-    if (pending.length) root.append(ul);
 
-    // Answered question history
+    // Answered question history (read-only, no inputs — built fresh each render).
     const hist = questionsState.history;
     if (hist.length) {
       const details = el('details', { class: 'q-history', 'data-restore-key': 'q-history' });
@@ -1889,7 +1932,14 @@ window.marked = marked;
         hul.append(li);
       }
       details.append(hul);
-      root.append(details);
+      children.push(details);
+    }
+
+    root.replaceChildren(...children);
+    // Restore history open state after the DOM swap.
+    if (historyWasOpen) {
+      const histEl = root.querySelector('.q-history');
+      if (histEl) histEl.open = true;
     }
     restoreOpenDetails(openDetails);
   }