diff --git a/js/src/features/particles/particle-list-view.tsx b/js/src/features/particles/particle-list-view.tsx
index eb39062..578cb51 100644
--- a/js/src/features/particles/particle-list-view.tsx
+++ b/js/src/features/particles/particle-list-view.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { useMemo, useRef, useEffect, memo } from "react";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import {
   Radio,
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ function getMessagePreview(particle: Particle): string {
   }
 }
 
-function StreamRow({
+const StreamRow = memo(function StreamRow({
   particle,
   networkId,
   onClick,
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ function StreamRow({
       )}
     </div>
   );
-}
+});
 
 interface ParticleListViewProps {
   streams: StreamParticle[];
@@ -248,6 +248,13 @@ interface ParticleListViewProps {
  */
 export function ParticleListView({ streams, networkId, isLoading, selectedIndex }: ParticleListViewProps) {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const rowRefs = useRef<(HTMLDivElement | null)[]>([]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (selectedIndex !== null && selectedIndex !== undefined && selectedIndex >= 0) {
+      rowRefs.current[selectedIndex]?.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest" });
+    }
+  }, [selectedIndex]);
 
   if (isLoading) {
     return <Progress />;
@@ -269,7 +276,7 @@ export function ParticleListView({ streams, networkId, isLoading, selectedIndex
       {streams.map((stream, index) => (
         <StreamContextMenu key={stream.id} particle={stream} networkId={networkId}>
           <div
-            ref={index === selectedIndex ? (el) => el?.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest" }) : undefined}
+            ref={(el) => { rowRefs.current[index] = el; }}
           >
             <StreamRow
               particle={stream}
diff --git a/js/src/hooks/use-stream-keyboard-nav.ts b/js/src/hooks/use-stream-keyboard-nav.ts
index 7725e7c..bced63b 100644
--- a/js/src/hooks/use-stream-keyboard-nav.ts
+++ b/js/src/hooks/use-stream-keyboard-nav.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,14 @@ export function useStreamKeyboardNav({
 }: UseStreamKeyboardNavOptions) {
   const [selectedIndex, setSelectedIndex] = useState<number | null>(null);
 
-  // Reset selection to first item when streams change or view mode switches
+  // Initialize selection when streams first load; clear if streams become empty.
+  // Do NOT reset on every Firestore update — that would scroll the list to the top.
   useEffect(() => {
-    setSelectedIndex(streams.length > 0 ? 0 : null);
+    setSelectedIndex((prev) => {
+      if (streams.length === 0) return null;
+      if (prev === null) return 0;
+      return prev;
+    });
   }, [streams.length]);
 
   useEffect(() => {