diff --git a/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx b/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
index 85904fde0e..0bde94cfee 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ export function AppShell() {
 
   const [isChannelManagementOpen, setIsChannelManagementOpen] =
     React.useState(false);
+  const [managedChannelId, setManagedChannelId] = React.useState<string | null>(
+    null,
+  );
   const [searchFocusRequest, setSearchFocusRequest] = React.useState(0);
   const [topbarSearchHidden, setTopbarSearchHidden] = React.useState(false);
   const [topbarSearchLoading, setTopbarSearchLoading] = React.useState(false);
@@ -223,6 +226,12 @@ export function AppShell() {
         : null,
     [channels, selectedChannelId],
   );
+  const managedChannel = React.useMemo(() => {
+    const targetChannelId = managedChannelId ?? selectedChannelId;
+    return targetChannelId
+      ? (channels.find((channel) => channel.id === targetChannelId) ?? null)
+      : null;
+  }, [channels, managedChannelId, selectedChannelId]);
 
   const handleThreadReplyDesktopNotification = React.useEffectEvent(
     (channelId: string, event: RelayEvent) => {
@@ -665,7 +674,10 @@ export function AppShell() {
             markChannelRead,
             markChannelUnread,
             openCreateChannel: handleOpenCreateChannel,
-            openChannelManagement: () => {
+            openChannelManagement: (channelId?: string) => {
+              setManagedChannelId(
+                typeof channelId === "string" ? channelId : null,
+              );
               setIsChannelManagementOpen(true);
             },
             getChannelReadAt,
@@ -887,16 +899,22 @@ export function AppShell() {
                   )}
 
                   <AppShellOverlays
-                    activeChannel={activeChannel}
+                    activeChannel={managedChannel}
                     browseDialogType={browseDialogType}
                     channels={channels}
                     currentPubkey={identityQuery.data?.pubkey}
                     isChannelManagementOpen={isChannelManagementOpen}
                     onBrowseChannelJoin={handleBrowseChannelJoin}
                     onBrowseDialogOpenChange={handleBrowseDialogOpenChange}
-                    onChannelManagementOpenChange={setIsChannelManagementOpen}
+                    onChannelManagementOpenChange={(open) => {
+                      setIsChannelManagementOpen(open);
+                      if (!open) {
+                        setManagedChannelId(null);
+                      }
+                    }}
                     onDeleteActiveChannel={() => {
                       setIsChannelManagementOpen(false);
+                      setManagedChannelId(null);
                       void goHome({ replace: true });
                     }}
                     onSelectChannel={(channelId) => {
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/AppShellContext.tsx b/desktop/src/app/AppShellContext.tsx
index bd27e3019f..584931d5f7 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/AppShellContext.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/app/AppShellContext.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ type AppShellContextValue = {
   ) => void;
   markChannelUnread: (channelId: string) => void;
   openCreateChannel: () => void;
-  openChannelManagement: () => void;
+  openChannelManagement: (channelId?: string) => void;
   // NIP-RS read marker for a channel as a unix-seconds timestamp, or null
   // when unknown. Backed by the single AppShell-mounted ReadStateManager so
   // every surface (sidebar, home, badges) projects from the same source.
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/routes/index.tsx b/desktop/src/app/routes/index.tsx
index 0588fe2ab7..480000bb54 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/routes/index.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/app/routes/index.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as React from "react";
 import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 
+import { useAppShell } from "@/app/AppShellContext";
 import { useAppNavigation } from "@/app/navigation/useAppNavigation";
 import { useChannelsQuery } from "@/features/channels/hooks";
 import { HomeScreen } from "@/features/home/ui/HomeScreen";
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ export const Route = createFileRoute("/")({
 
 function HomeRouteComponent() {
   const { goChannel } = useAppNavigation();
+  const { openChannelManagement } = useAppShell();
   const channelsQuery = useChannelsQuery();
   const identityQuery = useIdentityQuery();
   const channels = channelsQuery.data ?? [];
@@ -65,12 +67,7 @@ function HomeRouteComponent() {
     <HomeScreen
       availableChannelIds={availableChannelIds}
       currentPubkey={identityQuery.data?.pubkey}
-      onOpenChannel={(channelId) => {
-        void goChannel(channelId);
-      }}
-      onOpenContext={(channelId, messageId) => {
-        void goChannel(channelId, { messageId });
-      }}
+      onOpenChannel={openChannelManagement}
     />
   );
 }
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx
index 2301b21b1f..add42ab460 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx
@@ -14,14 +14,12 @@ type HomeScreenProps = {
   availableChannelIds: ReadonlySet<string>;
   currentPubkey?: string;
   onOpenChannel: (channelId: string) => void;
-  onOpenContext: (channelId: string, messageId: string) => void;
 };
 
 export function HomeScreen({
   availableChannelIds,
   currentPubkey,
   onOpenChannel,
-  onOpenContext,
 }: HomeScreenProps) {
   const homeFeedQuery = useHomeFeedQuery();
   const { threadActivityItems } = useAppShell();
@@ -73,7 +71,6 @@ export function HomeScreen({
         feed={augmentedFeed}
         isLoading={homeFeedQuery.isLoading}
         onOpenChannel={onOpenChannel}
-        onOpenContext={onOpenContext}
         onRefresh={() => {
           void homeFeedQuery.refetch();
         }}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx
index e8db2a5daf..4325cb5a1f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ type HomeViewProps = {
   currentPubkey?: string;
   availableChannelIds: ReadonlySet<string>;
   onOpenChannel: (channelId: string) => void;
-  onOpenContext: (channelId: string, messageId: string) => void;
   onRefresh: () => void;
 };
 
@@ -64,7 +63,6 @@ export function HomeView({
   currentPubkey,
   availableChannelIds,
   onOpenChannel,
-  onOpenContext,
   onRefresh,
 }: HomeViewProps) {
   const [homeInboxRef, homeInboxWidthPx] = useElementWidth<HTMLDivElement>();
@@ -433,7 +431,6 @@ export function HomeView({
                 });
             }}
             onOpenChannel={onOpenChannel}
-            onOpenContext={onOpenContext}
             onSendReply={async ({
               content,
               mediaTags,
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx
index 8b504744fc..b6953eaf58 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ type InboxDetailPaneProps = {
   onBack?: () => void;
   onDelete: () => void;
   onOpenChannel: (channelId: string) => void;
-  onOpenContext?: (channelId: string, messageId: string) => void;
   onSendReply: (input: {
     content: string;
     mediaTags?: string[][];
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
   onBack,
   onDelete,
   onOpenChannel,
-  onOpenContext,
   onSendReply,
   onToggleReaction,
   onToggleDone,
@@ -256,10 +254,10 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
                   </Button>
                 ) : null}
                 <div className="min-w-0">
-                  {canOpenChannel && contextChannelId && onOpenContext ? (
+                  {canOpenChannel && contextChannelId ? (
                     <button
                       className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-[4px] text-left text-sm font-semibold leading-5 tracking-tight text-foreground hover:underline focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2"
-                      onClick={() => onOpenContext(contextChannelId, item.id)}
+                      onClick={() => onOpenChannel(contextChannelId)}
                       title={item.fullTimestampLabel}
                       type="button"
                     >
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts
index e443e6b43c..5dea2e21d5 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,23 @@ import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
 import { KIND_TYPING_INDICATOR } from "../../src/shared/constants/kinds";
 import { TEST_IDENTITIES, installMockBridge } from "../helpers/bridge";
 
+const GENERAL_CHANNEL_ID = "9a1657ac-f7aa-5db0-b632-d8bbeb6dfb50";
 const MOCK_IDENTITY_PUBKEY = "deadbeef".repeat(8);
 
+type MockFeedWindow = Window & {
+  __BUZZ_E2E_PUSH_MOCK_FEED_ITEM__?: (item: {
+    category: "mention" | "needs_action" | "activity" | "agent_activity";
+    channel_id: string | null;
+    channel_name: string;
+    content: string;
+    created_at: number;
+    id: string;
+    kind: number;
+    pubkey: string;
+    tags: string[][];
+  }) => unknown;
+};
+
 async function openChannelManagement(
   page: import("@playwright/test").Page,
   channelName: string,
@@ -1242,6 +1257,64 @@ test("manage channel keeps canvas near the top of the sheet", async ({
   expect(canvasBox?.y).toBeLessThan(nameBox?.y);
 });
 
+test("home inbox channel label opens management without leaving home", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox-list")).toBeVisible();
+  await page.waitForFunction(
+    () =>
+      typeof (window as MockFeedWindow).__BUZZ_E2E_PUSH_MOCK_FEED_ITEM__ ===
+      "function",
+  );
+
+  await page.evaluate(
+    ({ channelId, createdAt, currentPubkey, senderPubkey }) => {
+      const pushFeedItem = (window as MockFeedWindow)
+        .__BUZZ_E2E_PUSH_MOCK_FEED_ITEM__;
+      if (!pushFeedItem) {
+        throw new Error("Mock feed injection helper is not installed.");
+      }
+
+      pushFeedItem({
+        id: "mock-feed-home-channel-panel",
+        kind: 9,
+        pubkey: senderPubkey,
+        content: "Please review the home panel routing.",
+        created_at: createdAt,
+        channel_id: channelId,
+        channel_name: "general",
+        tags: [
+          ["e", channelId],
+          ["p", currentPubkey],
+        ],
+        category: "mention",
+      });
+    },
+    {
+      channelId: GENERAL_CHANNEL_ID,
+      createdAt: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
+      currentPubkey: TEST_IDENTITIES.tyler.pubkey,
+      senderPubkey: TEST_IDENTITIES.alice.pubkey,
+    },
+  );
+
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("home-inbox-item-mock-feed-home-channel-panel")
+    .click();
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("home-inbox-detail")
+    .getByRole("button", { exact: true, name: "general" })
+    .click();
+
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("channel-management-sheet")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("channel-management-name-row")).toContainText(
+    "general",
+  );
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox-list")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page).not.toHaveURL(/#\/channels\//);
+});
+
 test("members sidebar can invite and remove members", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto("/");
   await openMembersSidebar(page, "general");