diff --git a/frontend/src/components/drawers/expert/ExpertDrawer.vue b/frontend/src/components/drawers/expert/ExpertDrawer.vue
index 4c2878c6e1..b7ab60d7c4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/drawers/expert/ExpertDrawer.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/drawers/expert/ExpertDrawer.vue
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
                 </button>
             </div>
         </div>
-        <ExpertPanel />
+        <ExpertPanel ref="panel" />
     </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ export default {
         }
     },
     mounted () {
-        // Wait for drawer slide-in animation to complete (300ms) before focusing
+        // Wait for drawer slide-in animation to complete (300ms) before focusing the chat input
         setTimeout(() => {
-            this.$refs.drawer?.focus()
+            this.$refs.panel?.focusInput()
         }, 350)
     },
     methods: {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/expert/Expert.vue b/frontend/src/components/expert/Expert.vue
index e0298b2017..ae82a1b764 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/expert/Expert.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/expert/Expert.vue
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
         <!-- Updates Available Banner -->
         <update-banner v-if="isEditorContext && isInstanceRunning" />
 
-        <expert-chat-input @stop="handleStopGeneration" />
+        <expert-chat-input ref="chatInput" @stop="handleStopGeneration" />
     </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -153,6 +153,9 @@ export default {
         ]),
         ...mapActions(useProductExpertInsightsAgentStore, ['getCapabilities']),
         ...mapActions(useProductAssistantStore, ['reset']),
+        focusInput () {
+            this.$refs.chatInput?.focusInput()
+        },
         handleStopGeneration () {
             if (this.abortController) {
                 this.abortController.abort()
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue b/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue
index 0b4bfc8807..a485e64d76 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue
@@ -242,6 +242,11 @@ export default {
         }
     },
     watch: {
+        isWaitingForResponse (waiting, wasWaiting) {
+            if (wasWaiting && !waiting) {
+                this.$nextTick(() => this.$refs.textarea?.focus())
+            }
+        },
         pendingInput (text) {
             if (text) {
                 this.inputText = text
@@ -282,6 +287,9 @@ export default {
     methods: {
         ...mapActions(useProductAssistantStore, ['resetContextSelection']),
         ...mapActions(useProductExpertStore, ['startOver', 'handleQuery', 'setPendingInput', 'setComposerCommand', 'setQuestionCadence', 'setPlanMode', 'fetchToolCatalog']),
+        focusInput () {
+            this.$refs.textarea?.focus()
+        },
         openSettings () {
             this.$refs.settingsDialog.show()
         },
@@ -295,15 +303,10 @@ export default {
                 this.togglePinWithWidth()
             }
 
-            // handleQuery renders the reply itself (see the store); the composer only needs
-            // to refocus the input once the turn is on its way.
-            this.handleQuery({ query: message })
-                .then(() => {
-                    this.$nextTick(() => {
-                        this.$refs.textarea.focus()
-                    })
-                })
-                .catch(e => e)
+            // handleQuery renders the reply itself (see the store); the isWaitingForResponse
+            // watcher refocuses the input once the response completes (works for both HTTP
+            // and MQTT, where the promise resolves before the actual response arrives).
+            this.handleQuery({ query: message }).catch(e => e)
 
             this.inputText = ''
             this.requestingPlanChange = false