diff --git a/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.test.ts b/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.test.ts
index 33dccaeb2..a561771b6 100644
--- a/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.test.ts
@@ -197,6 +197,21 @@ describe("team-layout-tmux", () => {
     expect(titleSetters).toContain("m2")
   })
 
+  test("#given caller inside tmux #when createTeamLayout runs #then it restores keyboard focus and avoids border status mutation", async () => {
+    // given
+    const { createTeamLayout } = await loadLayoutModule()
+    const members = [{ name: "m1", sessionId: "s-m1", worktreePath: "/tmp/m1" }]
+
+    // when
+    await createTeamLayout("run-options", members, tmuxMgr as never)
+
+    // then
+    const commands = getCommands()
+    const focusRestores = commands.filter((args) => args[0] === "select-pane" && args[1] === "-t" && args[2] === "%42")
+    expect(focusRestores.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(commands.some((args) => args[0] === "set-option" && args.includes("pane-border-status"))).toBe(false)
+  })
+
   test("#given ownedSession=false, focusWindowId=@10, gridWindowId=@11 #when removeTeamLayout runs #then tmux kill-window is called twice with -t @10 and -t @11 and kill-session is NEVER called", async () => {
     // given
     const { removeTeamLayout } = await loadLayoutModule()
diff --git a/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.ts b/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.ts
index 2b76b06e3..d43941cbd 100644
--- a/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.ts
+++ b/src/features/team-mode/team-layout-tmux/layout.ts
@@ -38,12 +38,13 @@ const PANE_SHELL_INIT_DELAY_MS = 200
 
 let paneCreationLock: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve()
 
-function acquirePaneCreationLock(): Promise<() => void> {
+async function acquirePaneCreationLock(): Promise<() => void> {
   let release: () => void
   const newLock = new Promise<void>((resolve) => { release = resolve })
   const previousLock = paneCreationLock
   paneCreationLock = newLock
-  return previousLock.then(() => release!)
+  await previousLock
+  return release!
 }
 
 async function resolveCurrentWindowTarget(tmuxPath: string, leaderPaneId: string): Promise<string | null> {
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ async function createTeammatePaneInCurrentWindow(
     const paneId = splitResult.output.trim()
 
     await runTmuxCommand(tmuxPath, ["select-pane", "-t", paneId, "-T", member.name])
+    await runTmuxCommand(tmuxPath, ["select-pane", "-t", leaderPaneId])
     await runTmuxCommand(tmuxPath, ["set-option", "-p", "-t", paneId, "pane-border-style", "fg=cyan"])
     await runTmuxCommand(tmuxPath, ["set-option", "-p", "-t", paneId, "pane-active-border-style", "fg=cyan"])
     await runTmuxCommand(tmuxPath, ["set-option", "-p", "-t", paneId, "pane-border-format", "#[fg=cyan,bold] #{pane_title} #[default]"])
@@ -159,8 +161,6 @@ export async function createTeamLayout(teamRunId: string, members: Array<TeamLay
     const windowId = await resolveCurrentWindowId(tmuxPath, leaderPaneId)
     if (!windowTarget || !windowId) return null
 
-    await runTmuxCommand(tmuxPath, ["set-option", "-w", "-t", windowTarget, "pane-border-status", "top"])
-
     const panesByMember: Record<string, string> = {}
 
     for (const member of members) {