diff --git a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift
index 51d6a263d..d4b0ac080 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift
+++ b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift
@@ -1239,9 +1239,11 @@ class BaseTerminalController: NSWindowController,
             }
         }
 
-        // Becoming/losing key means we have to notify our surface(s) that we have focus
-        // so things like cursors blink, pty events are sent, etc.
-        self.syncFocusToSurfaceTree()
+        // Becoming key can race with responder updates when activating a window.
+        // Sync on the next runloop so split focus has settled first.
+        DispatchQueue.main.async {
+            self.syncFocusToSurfaceTree()
+        }
     }
 
     func windowDidResignKey(_ notification: Notification) {
diff --git a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift
index 581691ca9..060b7990b 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift	
+++ b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift	
@@ -221,6 +221,10 @@ extension Ghostty {
         // This is set to non-null during keyDown to accumulate insertText contents
         private var keyTextAccumulator: [String]?
 
+        // True when we've consumed a left mouse-down only to move focus and
+        // should suppress the matching mouse-up from being reported.
+        private var suppressNextLeftMouseUp: Bool = false
+
         // A small delay that is introduced before a title change to avoid flickers
         private var titleChangeTimer: Timer?
 
@@ -644,12 +648,18 @@ extension Ghostty {
             let location = convert(event.locationInWindow, from: nil)
             guard hitTest(location) == self else { return event }
 
-            // We only want to grab focus if either our app or window was
-            // not focused.
-            guard !NSApp.isActive || !window.isKeyWindow else { return event }
+            // If we're already the first responder then no focus transfer is
+            // happening, so the click should continue as normal.
+            guard window.firstResponder !== self else { return event }
 
-            // If we're already focused we do nothing
-            guard !focused else { return event }
+            // If our window/app is already focused, then this click is only
+            // being used to transfer split focus. Consume it so it does not
+            // get forwarded to the terminal as a mouse click.
+            if NSApp.isActive && window.isKeyWindow {
+                window.makeFirstResponder(self)
+                suppressNextLeftMouseUp = true
+                return nil
+            }
 
             // Make ourselves the first responder
             window.makeFirstResponder(self)
@@ -854,6 +864,13 @@ extension Ghostty {
         }
 
         override func mouseUp(with event: NSEvent) {
+            // If this mouse-up corresponds to a focus-only click transfer,
+            // suppress it so we don't emit a release without a press.
+            if suppressNextLeftMouseUp {
+                suppressNextLeftMouseUp = false
+                return
+            }
+
             // Always reset our pressure when the mouse goes up
             prevPressureStage = 0
 
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
index 2f4a13a32..b76ddba7e 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
@@ -693,6 +693,10 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         /// Whether primary paste (middle-click paste) is enabled.
         gtk_enable_primary_paste: bool = true,
 
+        /// True when a left mouse down was consumed purely for a focus change,
+        /// and the matching left mouse release should also be suppressed.
+        suppress_left_mouse_release: bool = false,
+
         /// How much pending horizontal scroll do we have?
         pending_horizontal_scroll: f64 = 0.0,
 
@@ -2733,13 +2737,21 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
 
         // If we don't have focus, grab it.
         const gl_area_widget = priv.gl_area.as(gtk.Widget);
-        if (gl_area_widget.hasFocus() == 0) {
+        const had_focus = gl_area_widget.hasFocus() != 0;
+        if (!had_focus) {
             _ = gl_area_widget.grabFocus();
         }
 
         // Report the event
         const button = translateMouseButton(gesture.as(gtk.GestureSingle).getCurrentButton());
 
+        // If this click is only transitioning split focus, suppress it so
+        // it doesn't get forwarded to the terminal as a mouse event.
+        if (!had_focus and button == .left) {
+            priv.suppress_left_mouse_release = true;
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (button == .middle and !priv.gtk_enable_primary_paste) {
             return;
         }
@@ -2795,6 +2807,11 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         const gtk_mods = event.getModifierState();
         const button = translateMouseButton(gesture.as(gtk.GestureSingle).getCurrentButton());
 
+        if (button == .left and priv.suppress_left_mouse_release) {
+            priv.suppress_left_mouse_release = false;
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (button == .middle and !priv.gtk_enable_primary_paste) {
             return;
         }