diff --git a/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantHeader.tsx b/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantHeader.tsx
index 7cc74950a..5f79e954b 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantHeader.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantHeader.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import {
   Trash2,
   X,
 } from 'lucide-react';
-import { type HTMLAttributes, type MouseEvent, useState } from 'react';
+import { type HTMLAttributes, type MouseEvent, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router';
 
 import { useTranslation } from '../../i18n';
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ export default function AssistantHeader({
   const [memoryOpen, setMemoryOpen] = useState(false);
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const menu = useContextMenu();
+  const moreRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
   const [confirming, setConfirming] = useState(false);
   const threads = thread.threads ?? [];
   const history = usePopoverList(threads.findIndex((th) => th.id === thread.threadId) + 1);
@@ -95,6 +96,14 @@ export default function AssistantHeader({
     run();
   };
 
+  // Closed by Escape or a pick while it holds the focus, the menu hands it back to its button, so the keys
+  // go on reaching the window; a click or a scroll elsewhere leaves the focus where it went.
+  const closeMenu = () => {
+    const fromMenu = document.activeElement?.closest('[role="menu"]') != null;
+    menu.close();
+    if (fromMenu) moreRef.current?.focus();
+  };
+
   const openMenu = (e: MouseEvent) =>
     menu.open(
       e,
@@ -187,10 +196,12 @@ export default function AssistantHeader({
         </Tooltip>
         <Tooltip label={t('assistant.window.menu')}>
           <button
+            ref={moreRef}
             type="button"
             onClick={openMenu}
             aria-label={t('assistant.window.menu')}
             aria-haspopup="menu"
+            aria-expanded={menu.menu !== null}
             className={ICON_BUTTON}
           >
             <Ellipsis size={14} aria-hidden="true" />
@@ -218,6 +229,7 @@ export default function AssistantHeader({
               icon={null}
               label={th.title}
               active={th.id === thread.threadId}
+              current={th.id === thread.threadId}
               onClick={() => pick(() => thread.openThread(th.id))}
               trailing={
                 <span className="flex-shrink-0 text-caption text-content-faint">
@@ -234,7 +246,7 @@ export default function AssistantHeader({
         )}
       </PopoverListPanel>
 
-      <ContextMenu menu={menu.menu} onClose={menu.close} />
+      <ContextMenu menu={menu.menu} onClose={closeMenu} />
       {memoryOpen && <AssistantMemoryDialog tripId={tripId} onClose={() => setMemoryOpen(false)} />}
       <ConfirmDialog
         isOpen={confirming}
diff --git a/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantTripPicker.tsx b/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantTripPicker.tsx
index 2e0180569..a76a14af4 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantTripPicker.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantTripPicker.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { ChevronRight, Luggage } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 
 import { useTranslation } from '../../i18n';
 import EmptyState from '../shared/EmptyState';
@@ -8,11 +9,17 @@ import { type PickerTrip, useAssistantTripPicker } from './useAssistantTripPicke
 /**
  * The user's trips to go on with in one trip's own chat, from the home chat's
  * head: that chat, its history and its changes belong to the trip. The
- * running and the next trip lead.
+ * running and the next trip lead. The list opens before the trips are there,
+ * so the focus goes onto the first one once they come.
  */
 export default function AssistantTripPicker({ onPick }: { onPick: (trip: PickerTrip) => void }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const trips = useAssistantTripPicker();
+  const first = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    first.current?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+  }, [trips]);
 
   if (trips === null) {
     return (
@@ -32,9 +39,10 @@ export default function AssistantTripPicker({ onPick }: { onPick: (trip: PickerT
   return (
     <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-y-auto p-2">
       <ul className="trek-stagger m-0 flex list-none flex-col gap-1 p-0">
-        {trips.map((trip) => (
+        {trips.map((trip, i) => (
           <li key={trip.id}>
             <button
+              ref={i === 0 ? first : undefined}
               type="button"
               onClick={() => onPick(trip)}
               className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-2.5 py-2 text-start transition-colors hover:bg-surface-hover"
diff --git a/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantWindow.test.tsx b/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantWindow.test.tsx
index aef656774..9f20302f8 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantWindow.test.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Assistant/AssistantWindow.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /**
- * FE-AI-WIN-001 to FE-AI-WIN-014
+ * FE-AI-WIN-001 to FE-AI-WIN-016
  *
  * The desktop window around the chat: when it shows at all, the button it
  * opens from, the home chat outside a trip with its way into one trip's chat
@@ -238,6 +238,34 @@ describe('AssistantWindow', () => {
     expect(useAssistantStore.getState().window.open).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("FE-AI-WIN-015: the header's menu says whether it is open, and Escape hands the focus back to its button", async () => {
+    seed({ open: true, minimized: false });
+    render(<AssistantWindow trip={TRIP} />);
+    const more = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'More options' });
+    expect(more).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
+    fireEvent.click(more);
+    expect(more).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
+    fireEvent.keyDown(await screen.findByRole('menu'), { key: 'Escape' });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByRole('menu')).not.toBeInTheDocument());
+    expect(more).toHaveFocus();
+    expect(more).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
+    // From the button the next Escape is the window's again.
+    fireEvent.keyDown(more, { key: 'Escape' });
+    expect(useAssistantStore.getState().window.open).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("FE-AI-WIN-016: the home chat's trip list takes the focus onto the first trip once the trips are there", async () => {
+    seed({ open: true, minimized: false });
+    render(<AssistantWindow trip={null} />);
+    const button = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Chat about one trip' });
+    fireEvent.click(button);
+    // The list's own row, not the chat's "go on in Lisbon" beside it.
+    const lisbon = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: /^Lisbon/ });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(lisbon).toHaveFocus());
+    fireEvent.keyDown(lisbon, { key: 'Escape' });
+    expect(button).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
   it('FE-AI-WIN-010: tells the map where it sits, is compact at 400 px wide, and picks days on screen', () => {
     seed({ open: true, minimized: false });
     const onFocusDay = vi.fn();
diff --git a/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.test.tsx b/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.test.tsx
index 696108e3e..77b070a77 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.test.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// FE-PACKPOP-001 to FE-PACKPOP-008
+// FE-PACKPOP-001 to FE-PACKPOP-009
 import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { useRef } from 'react'
 import { render, screen, fireEvent } from '../../../tests/helpers/render'
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ describe('PopoverItem', () => {
     expect(danger.style.background).toBe('none')
   })
 
+  it('FE-PACKPOP-009: the entry open now is said to be the current one, not only tinted', () => {
+    render(<>
+      <PopoverItem icon={null} label="Temples" active current onClick={() => {}} />
+      <PopoverItem icon={null} label="Food" onClick={() => {}} />
+    </>)
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Temples' })).toHaveAttribute('aria-current', 'true')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Food' })).not.toHaveAttribute('aria-current')
+  })
+
   it('FE-PACKPOP-004: the composer button fades while there is nothing to add', () => {
     expect(composerConfirm(false)).toMatchObject({ opacity: 0.35, cursor: 'default' })
     expect(composerConfirm(true)).toMatchObject({ opacity: 1, cursor: 'pointer' })
diff --git a/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.tsx b/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.tsx
index c64396b3d..3b4290a1c 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Packing/PackingPopover.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ interface PopoverItemProps {
   label: string
   onClick: () => void
   active?: boolean
+  /** The entry is the one open now (a chat in a history list), said so to a screen reader too. */
+  current?: boolean
   danger?: boolean
   /** A secondary line, such as Add bag, in the faint text colour. */
   muted?: boolean
@@ -14,11 +16,12 @@ interface PopoverItemProps {
   trailing?: ReactNode
 }
 
-export function PopoverItem({ icon, label, onClick, active = false, danger = false, muted = false, trailing }: PopoverItemProps) {
+export function PopoverItem({ icon, label, onClick, active = false, current = false, danger = false, muted = false, trailing }: PopoverItemProps) {
   const tone = danger ? '#ef4444' : muted ? 'var(--text-faint)' : 'var(--text-primary)'
   return (
     <button type="button"
       onClick={onClick}
+      aria-current={current || undefined}
       style={{
         display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 9, width: '100%',
         padding: '8px 10px', borderRadius: 9, border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer',