diff --git a/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.test.ts b/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.test.ts
index 787b430e..76527d5c 100644
--- a/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.test.ts
@@ -92,17 +92,29 @@ describe('refreshPulledVaultState', () => {
     expect(options.closeAllTabs).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
-  it('refreshes the focused active tab when an external watcher update changed that note', async () => {
+  it('keeps the active tab mounted while focused when an external watcher update changed that note', async () => {
     const options = makeOptions({
       shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted: vi.fn(() => true),
     })
 
     await refreshPulledVaultState(options)
 
-    expect(options.shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(options.shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
     expect(options.reloadVault).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
     expect(options.reloadFolders).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
     expect(options.reloadViews).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    expect(options.closeAllTabs).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(options.replaceActiveTab).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('refreshes the active tab when focus is outside the editor', async () => {
+    const options = makeOptions({
+      shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted: vi.fn(() => false),
+    })
+
+    await refreshPulledVaultState(options)
+
+    expect(options.shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
     expect(options.closeAllTabs).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
     expect(options.replaceActiveTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith(makeEntry('/vault/active.md', 'Active'))
   })
diff --git a/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.ts b/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.ts
index 385220bf..79e025bc 100644
--- a/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.ts
+++ b/src/utils/pulledVaultRefresh.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,39 @@ function shouldReplaceActiveEntry(options: {
   return didPullUpdateActiveNote({ updatedFiles, vaultPath, activeTabPath: activePath })
 }
 
+function shouldPreserveFocusedActiveEntry(options: {
+  movedEntry: VaultEntry | null
+  shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted?: () => boolean
+}): boolean {
+  const { movedEntry, shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted } = options
+  if (movedEntry || !shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted) return false
+  return shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted()
+}
+
+async function applyActiveEntryReplacement(options: {
+  closeAllTabs: PulledVaultRefreshOptions['closeAllTabs']
+  movedEntry: VaultEntry | null
+  replaceActiveTab: PulledVaultRefreshOptions['replaceActiveTab']
+  replacementEntry: VaultEntry | null
+  shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted?: PulledVaultRefreshOptions['shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted']
+  shouldReplace: boolean | null
+}): Promise<boolean> {
+  const {
+    closeAllTabs,
+    movedEntry,
+    replaceActiveTab,
+    replacementEntry,
+    shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted,
+    shouldReplace,
+  } = options
+  if (!replacementEntry || !shouldReplace) return false
+  if (shouldPreserveFocusedActiveEntry({ movedEntry, shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted })) return true
+
+  closeAllTabs()
+  await replaceActiveTab(replacementEntry)
+  return true
+}
+
 export function getPulledVaultUpdateOptions(): { preserveFocusedEditor: true } {
   return { preserveFocusedEditor: true }
 }
@@ -100,6 +133,7 @@ export async function refreshPulledVaultState(options: PulledVaultRefreshOptions
     reloadVault,
     reloadViews,
     replaceActiveTab,
+    shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted,
     updatedFiles,
     vaultPath,
   } = options
@@ -123,17 +157,23 @@ export async function refreshPulledVaultState(options: PulledVaultRefreshOptions
   })
   const replacementEntry = refreshedEntry ?? movedEntry
 
-  if (replacementEntry && shouldReplaceActiveEntry({
+  const shouldReplace = replacementEntry && shouldReplaceActiveEntry({
     activePath,
     movedEntry,
     refreshedEntry,
     updatedFiles,
     vaultPath,
-  })) {
-    closeAllTabs()
-    await replaceActiveTab(replacementEntry)
-    return entries
-  }
+  })
+
+  const handledReplacement = await applyActiveEntryReplacement({
+    closeAllTabs,
+    movedEntry,
+    replaceActiveTab,
+    replacementEntry,
+    shouldKeepActiveEditorMounted,
+    shouldReplace,
+  })
+  if (handledReplacement) return entries
 
   if (!replacementEntry) closeAllTabs()
   return entries