diff --git a/hive-c0re/assets/app.js b/hive-c0re/assets/app.js
index 6bce65d..2409710 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/assets/app.js
+++ b/hive-c0re/assets/app.js
@@ -574,7 +574,35 @@
 
   // ─── state polling ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   let pollTimer = null;
+  // Sections whose innerHTML gets blown away on each refresh. If the
+  // operator is typing in one of them, skip the refresh — the next
+  // tick (or a manual action) will pick it up after they blur.
+  const MANAGED_SECTION_IDS = [
+    'containers-section',
+    'tombstones-section',
+    'questions-section',
+    'inbox-section',
+    'approvals-section',
+  ];
+  function operatorIsTyping() {
+    const el_ = document.activeElement;
+    if (!el_ || el_ === document.body) return false;
+    const tag = el_.tagName;
+    if (tag !== 'INPUT' && tag !== 'TEXTAREA' && tag !== 'SELECT') return false;
+    return MANAGED_SECTION_IDS.some((id) => {
+      const sect = document.getElementById(id);
+      return sect && sect.contains(el_);
+    });
+  }
   async function refreshState() {
+    // Don't yank the form out from under the operator. Try again
+    // shortly on the next tick; eventually they'll blur and the
+    // refresh lands.
+    if (operatorIsTyping()) {
+      if (pollTimer) clearTimeout(pollTimer);
+      pollTimer = setTimeout(refreshState, 2000);
+      return;
+    }
     try {
       const resp = await fetch('/api/state');
       if (!resp.ok) throw new Error('http ' + resp.status);