diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 0302f25..b004a70 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ version = 4
 
 [[package]]
 name = "aho-corasick"
-version = "1.1.4"
+version = "1.1.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ddd31a130427c27518df266943a5308ed92d4b226cc639f5a8f1002816174301"
+checksum = "c982642fa9e8606056828ee9a8505737230110bb1099153c79efe865c59d12ba"
 dependencies = [
  "memchr",
 ]
@@ -243,9 +243,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "futures-io"
-version = "0.3.33"
+version = "0.3.34"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4577ecaa3c4f96589d473f679a71b596316f6641bc350038b962a5daf0085d7a"
+checksum = "53c0fa8157de1303bfffdaa1cc2a673bfffb60102f76b0ef4441659124373fed"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "getrandom"
@@ -293,9 +293,9 @@ checksum = "3eaf3ede3fee6db1a4c2ee091bf8a8b4dccdc6d17f656fb07896ee72867612f2"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "libredox"
-version = "0.1.18"
+version = "0.1.20"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c943259e342f1e06ff2da7a83eabdfe7f92ce10262688dbf1895ff0b3e6e4652"
+checksum = "28d0a00925a9f930d679b6789b721e3a7f9ed110f41b86d2497caa780c3a070a"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
@@ -482,14 +482,14 @@ checksum = "a4e608c6638b9c18977b00b475ac1f28d14e84b27d8d42f70e0bf1e3dec127ac"
 dependencies = [
  "getrandom",
  "libredox",
- "thiserror 2.0.19",
+ "thiserror 2.0.20",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "regex-automata"
-version = "0.4.16"
+version = "0.4.18"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8fcfdb36bda0c880c5931cdc7a2bcdc8ba4556847b9d912bca70bc94708711ad"
+checksum = "ad8553b9b26413251cbf30e620595c7a41b3887f03da04579c0e6b0d6a06b4b2"
 dependencies = [
  "aho-corasick",
  "memchr",
@@ -549,9 +549,9 @@ checksum = "8a7852d02fc848982e0c167ef163aaff9cd91dc640ba85e263cb1ce46fae51cd"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serial2"
-version = "0.2.37"
+version = "0.2.38"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9eb6ea5562eeaed6936b8b54e086aa0f88b9e5b1bef45beb038e2519fa1185b1"
+checksum = "b16809bc35793b19ce4e0c53924bc0dce3937f15487997cfdaed936004180730"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "libc",
@@ -654,11 +654,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "thiserror"
-version = "2.0.19"
+version = "2.0.20"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "09a43598840e33d5b0331f38c5e30d13bb11c11210a4b58f0d9b18a5a5eefcd9"
+checksum = "ec86235f5fcc2a73650310756d2ac5b138a5780bbbdfae3eeccec992c435ba4f"
 dependencies = [
- "thiserror-impl 2.0.19",
+ "thiserror-impl 2.0.20",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -674,9 +674,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "thiserror-impl"
-version = "2.0.19"
+version = "2.0.20"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "43cbfe0cf76104d42a574802844187e84a305e531ed54455f11fbde0f10541cd"
+checksum = "bc04cd3e1236dd4a98afca4569f2deb3f120e5422a4023be2cb683f8486292af"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 7885930..6927a01 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ pub struct App {
     /// Id of the attached task, if any: by id (not index) so it survives the
     /// task list changing underneath it.
     pub focused_id: Option<u64>,
+    /// Whether the host terminal window has focus
+    /// While unfocused, highlight rows mute to a bright-black background
+    pub terminal_focused: bool,
     pub rows: u16,
     pub cols: u16,
     /// Bytes of the last painted frame; the renderer skips the write when the
@@ -424,6 +427,7 @@ impl App {
             spawn_cwd: invocation_dir.clone(),
             spawn_group: None,
             focused_id: None,
+            terminal_focused: true,
             rows,
             cols,
             last_frame: Vec::new(),
@@ -881,6 +885,8 @@ impl App {
                     CtEvent::Resize(cols, rows) => self.on_resize(rows, cols),
                     CtEvent::Paste(s) => self.on_paste(&s),
                     CtEvent::Mouse(m) => self.on_mouse(m),
+                    CtEvent::FocusGained => self.terminal_focused = true,
+                    CtEvent::FocusLost => self.terminal_focused = false,
                     _ => {}
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/app_tests.rs b/src/app_tests.rs
index 1bcabb7..fabd46d 100644
--- a/src/app_tests.rs
+++ b/src/app_tests.rs
@@ -2436,6 +2436,42 @@ fn painted(app: &mut App) -> String {
     String::from_utf8_lossy(&out).into_owned()
 }
 
+/// Highlight rows swap reverse video for a bright-black background while the
+/// host terminal is unfocused
+#[test]
+fn unfocused_terminal_mutes_the_highlight_rows() {
+    use crossterm::style::{Attribute, Color, SetAttribute, SetBackgroundColor};
+
+    fn sgr(cmd: impl crossterm::Command) -> String {
+        let mut s = String::new();
+        cmd.write_ansi(&mut s).unwrap();
+        s
+    }
+    let reverse = sgr(SetAttribute(Attribute::Reverse));
+    let muted = sgr(SetBackgroundColor(Color::DarkGrey));
+
+    let mut app = App::new_local(30, 100);
+    let inv = app.invocation_dir.clone();
+    app.spawn_in("sleep 5", inv);
+    app.pump();
+    app.selected_id = Some(1);
+
+    // The dashboard's only reverse-video line is the selected row, so its
+    // presence tracks `rev` exactly.
+    let focused = painted(&mut app);
+    assert!(focused.contains(&reverse), "{focused:?}");
+    assert!(!focused.contains(&muted), "{focused:?}");
+
+    app.terminal_focused = false;
+    let away = painted(&mut app);
+    assert!(away.contains(&muted), "{away:?}");
+    assert!(!away.contains(&reverse), "{away:?}");
+
+    // Regaining focus restores the live highlight.
+    app.terminal_focused = true;
+    assert!(painted(&mut app).contains(&reverse));
+}
+
 /// `?` opens the overlay; `?`, `Esc`, and `q` each close it.
 #[test]
 fn controls_overlay_opens_on_question_and_closes_on_peeks_key_set() {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index fa3572d..1fac505 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -242,8 +242,8 @@ fn run() -> io::Result<()> {
     // Keyboard enhancement distinguishes modified Enter; bracketed paste
     // delivers the clipboard as one event. Keyboard flags are screen-specific,
     // so enable them after entering the alternate screen. Mouse capture is
-    // managed by `App::sync_input_modes`. Save and enable alternate scroll;
-    // restoration occurs in `restore_terminal`.
+    // managed by `App::sync_input_modes`. Save and enable alternate scroll
+    // and focus reporting; restoration occurs in `restore_terminal`.
     if kitty {
         execute!(
             out,
@@ -253,7 +253,11 @@ fn run() -> io::Result<()> {
         // setup actually did, not what it attempted.
         KITTY_PUSHED.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
     }
-    execute!(out, EnableBracketedPaste, Print("\x1b[?1007s\x1b[?1007h"))?;
+    execute!(
+        out,
+        EnableBracketedPaste,
+        Print("\x1b[?1007s\x1b[?1007h\x1b[?1004s\x1b[?1004h")
+    )?;
     // `fleetcom [--foreground] <session>` loads that session at startup; the
     // result shows in the status line.
     if let Some(name) = &session {
@@ -303,7 +307,7 @@ fn emit_restore_sequences(out: &mut impl io::Write, kitty_pushed: bool) -> io::R
         out,
         DisableMouseCapture,
         DisableBracketedPaste,
-        Print("\x1b[?1007r"),
+        Print("\x1b[?1007r\x1b[?1004r"),
         Show,
         LeaveAlternateScreen
     )
@@ -484,8 +488,10 @@ mod tests {
         for out in [&pushed, &unpushed] {
             assert!(contains(out, &leave));
             assert!(contains(out, &show));
-            // Alternate-scroll restore is a raw Print, not a crossterm command.
+            // Alternate-scroll and focus-reporting restores are raw Prints,
+            // not crossterm commands.
             assert!(contains(out, b"\x1b[?1007r"));
+            assert!(contains(out, b"\x1b[?1004r"));
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index 52eaa67..f0003c1 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use std::{
 use crossterm::{
     cursor::{Hide, MoveTo, Show},
     queue,
-    style::{Attribute, Print, SetAttribute},
+    style::{Attribute, Color, Print, SetAttribute, SetBackgroundColor},
     terminal::{BeginSynchronizedUpdate, EndSynchronizedUpdate},
 };
 
@@ -87,15 +87,16 @@ fn dim(out: &mut impl Write, y: u16, s: &str, cols: usize) -> io::Result<()> {
     )
 }
 
-/// Paint a full-width reverse-video line: selection and focused-field styling.
-fn rev(out: &mut impl Write, y: u16, s: &str, cols: usize) -> io::Result<()> {
-    queue!(
-        out,
-        MoveTo(0, y),
-        SetAttribute(Attribute::Reverse),
-        Print(pad(s, cols)),
-        SetAttribute(Attribute::Reset)
-    )
+/// Paint a full-width highlight line: selection and focused-field styling.
+fn rev(out: &mut impl Write, y: u16, s: &str, cols: usize, focused: bool) -> io::Result<()> {
+    queue!(out, MoveTo(0, y))?;
+    // When the host terminal is unfocused, the highlight is muted to a dark-grey
+    if focused {
+        queue!(out, SetAttribute(Attribute::Reverse))?;
+    } else {
+        queue!(out, SetBackgroundColor(Color::DarkGrey))?;
+    }
+    queue!(out, Print(pad(s, cols)), SetAttribute(Attribute::Reset))
 }
 
 fn render_dashboard(out: &mut impl Write, app: &App) -> io::Result<()> {
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ fn render_dashboard(out: &mut impl Write, app: &App) -> io::Result<()> {
             Row::Task(ti) => {
                 let v = &app.views[*ti];
                 if app.selected_id == Some(v.id) {
-                    rev(out, y, &task_row(v, cols), cols)?;
+                    rev(out, y, &task_row(v, cols), cols, app.terminal_focused)?;
                 } else if v.preview.source == PreviewSource::Marker {
                     // The marker is a placeholder, not output: dim the
                     // preview cell so it reads as metadata.
@@ -666,7 +667,7 @@ fn render_panel(out: &mut impl Write, app: &App, p: &Panel) -> io::Result<()> {
     let panel_h = (body + 2) as u16;
     let top = rows.saturating_sub(panel_h).max(2);
 
-    rev(out, top, &p.header, cols)?;
+    rev(out, top, &p.header, cols, app.terminal_focused)?;
 
     if total == 0 {
         if let Some(msg) = p.empty {
@@ -679,7 +680,7 @@ fn render_panel(out: &mut impl Write, app: &App, p: &Panel) -> io::Result<()> {
             let marker = if idx == p.sel { "▸ " } else { "  " };
             let line = format!("    {marker}{}", p.labels[idx]);
             if idx == p.sel {
-                rev(out, y, &line, cols)?;
+                rev(out, y, &line, cols, app.terminal_focused)?;
             } else {
                 put(out, y, &line, cols)?;
             }
@@ -929,7 +930,13 @@ fn render_attached(out: &mut impl Write, app: &App) -> io::Result<()> {
     let cols = app.cols as usize;
     let title = attached_title(v);
     let bar = attached_bar(&title, screen.map_or(0, |s| s.scrollback), app.notice());
-    rev(out, app.rows.saturating_sub(1), &bar, cols)?;
+    rev(
+        out,
+        app.rows.saturating_sub(1),
+        &bar,
+        cols,
+        app.terminal_focused,
+    )?;
 
     // Place the real cursor where the child's is, so typing feels native.
     match screen {