diff --git a/cmd-join-pane.c b/cmd-join-pane.c
index 8790db297..8f4033855 100644
--- a/cmd-join-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-join-pane.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: cmd-join-pane.c,v 1.74 2026/08/03 20:29:52 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: cmd-join-pane.c,v 1.75 2026/09/21 10:33:16 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2011 George Nachman <tmux@georgester.com>
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ cmd_join_pane_place(struct cmdq_item *item, struct winlink *wl,
 	} else if (strcmp(position, "back") == 0) {
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(owp, &w->z_index, zentry) {
-			if (!window_pane_is_floating(owp))
+			if (!window_pane_is_floating_with_hidden(owp))
 				break;
 		}
 		if (owp != NULL)
@@ -143,24 +143,30 @@ cmd_join_pane_place(struct cmdq_item *item, struct winlink *wl,
 			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 	} else if (strcmp(position, "forward") == 0) {
 		owp = TAILQ_PREV(wp, window_panes_zindex, zentry);
+		while (owp != NULL && owp->layout_cell == NULL)
+			owp = TAILQ_PREV(owp, window_panes_zindex, zentry);
 		if (owp != NULL) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 			TAILQ_INSERT_BEFORE(owp, wp, zentry);
 		}
 	} else if (strcmp(position, "backward") == 0) {
 		owp = TAILQ_NEXT(wp, zentry);
+		while (owp != NULL && owp->layout_cell == NULL)
+			owp = TAILQ_NEXT(owp, zentry);
 		if (owp != NULL && window_pane_is_floating(owp)) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 			TAILQ_INSERT_AFTER(&w->z_index, owp, wp, zentry);
 		}
 	} else if (strcmp(position, "forward-loop") == 0) {
 		owp = TAILQ_PREV(wp, window_panes_zindex, zentry);
+		while (owp != NULL && owp->layout_cell == NULL)
+			owp = TAILQ_PREV(owp, window_panes_zindex, zentry);
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 		if (owp != NULL)
 			TAILQ_INSERT_BEFORE(owp, wp, zentry);
 		else {
 			TAILQ_FOREACH(owp, &w->z_index, zentry) {
-				if (!window_pane_is_floating(owp))
+				if (!window_pane_is_floating_with_hidden(owp))
 					break;
 			}
 			if (owp != NULL)
@@ -170,6 +176,8 @@ cmd_join_pane_place(struct cmdq_item *item, struct winlink *wl,
 		}
 	} else if (strcmp(position, "backward-loop") == 0) {
 		owp = TAILQ_NEXT(wp, zentry);
+		while (owp != NULL && owp->layout_cell == NULL)
+			owp = TAILQ_NEXT(owp, zentry);
 		if (owp != NULL && window_pane_is_floating(owp)) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 			TAILQ_INSERT_AFTER(&w->z_index, owp, wp, zentry);
@@ -348,8 +356,10 @@ cmd_join_pane_zindex(struct cmdq_item *item, struct winlink *wl,
 
 	n = 0;
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(owp, &w->z_index, zentry) {
-		if (!window_pane_is_floating(owp))
+		if (!window_pane_is_floating_with_hidden(owp))
 			break;
+		if (owp->layout_cell == NULL)
+			continue;
 		if (n >= z)
 			break;
 		n++;
@@ -444,7 +454,6 @@ cmd_join_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 				cmdq_error(item, "pane is not floating");
 				return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 			}
-			server_unzoom_window(dst_w);
 			if ((s = args_get(args, 'P')) != NULL)
 				return (cmd_join_pane_place(item, dst_wl, dst_wp, s));
 			if ((s = args_get(args, 'z')) != NULL)
diff --git a/cmd-resize-pane.c b/cmd-resize-pane.c
index fc5062ab4..c644dd783 100644
--- a/cmd-resize-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-resize-pane.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: cmd-resize-pane.c,v 1.68 2026/08/31 07:44:39 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: cmd-resize-pane.c,v 1.69 2026/09/21 10:33:16 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ cmd_resize_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		server_redraw_window(w);
 		return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 	}
-	server_unzoom_window(w);
+	if (!window_pane_is_floating(wp))
+		server_unzoom_window(w);
 	lc = wp->layout_cell; /* may have been replaced by unzoom */
 
 	if (args_has(args, 'x')) {
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 1ca23d83f..eb25fb80d 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1442 2026/09/21 10:22:31 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1443 2026/09/21 10:33:16 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -3754,6 +3754,7 @@ int		 window_pane_get_pane_status(struct window_pane *);
 struct style_range *window_pane_status_get_range(struct window_pane *, u_int,
 		     u_int);
 int		 window_pane_is_floating(struct window_pane *);
+int		 window_pane_is_floating_with_hidden(struct window_pane *);
 
 /* window-border.c */
 void		 window_set_fill_cells(struct window *);
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 2b97b186a..afb841267 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: window.c,v 1.376 2026/09/21 10:22:31 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: window.c,v 1.377 2026/09/21 10:33:16 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -2902,3 +2902,15 @@ window_pane_is_floating(struct window_pane *wp)
 		return (0);
 	return (1);
 }
+
+int
+window_pane_is_floating_with_hidden(struct window_pane *wp)
+{
+	struct layout_cell	*lc = wp->layout_cell;
+
+	if (lc == NULL)
+		lc = wp->saved_layout_cell;
+	if (lc == NULL || (lc->flags & LAYOUT_CELL_FLOATING) == 0)
+		return (0);
+	return (1);
+}