diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/ThreadNavigationSidebar.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/ThreadNavigationSidebar.tsx
index 7975097f6a931..d57fb7cee9ab0 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/ThreadNavigationSidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/ThreadNavigationSidebar.tsx
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ import {
 } from "./thread-list-v2-items";
 import { useThreadRowProviderInstanceResolver } from "./thread-provider-instance";
 import type { ThreadPrPresentation } from "../../state/thread-pr-presentation";
+import { ThreadPrDemandProvider } from "../../state/thread-pr-demand";
 import {
   isThreadListV2ListItem,
   threadListV2ListItemsAreEqual,
@@ -115,10 +116,15 @@ interface ThreadNavigationSidebarProps {
 }
 
 export function ThreadNavigationSidebar(props: ThreadNavigationSidebarProps) {
-  if (Platform.OS !== "ios") {
-    return <ThreadNavigationSidebarPane {...props} nativeChrome={false} />;
-  }
-  return <NativeSidebarContainer {...props} />;
+  return (
+    <ThreadPrDemandProvider visible={props.visible}>
+      {Platform.OS !== "ios" ? (
+        <ThreadNavigationSidebarPane {...props} nativeChrome={false} />
+      ) : (
+        <NativeSidebarContainer {...props} />
+      )}
+    </ThreadPrDemandProvider>
+  );
 }
 
 function NativeSidebarContainer(props: ThreadNavigationSidebarProps) {
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/state/thread-pr-demand.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/state/thread-pr-demand.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d6e507bd33727
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/state/thread-pr-demand.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { createContext, type ReactNode } from "react";
+
+import { useAppActive } from "../lib/appState";
+
+export const ThreadPrDemandContext = createContext(true);
+
+export function ThreadPrDemandProvider(props: {
+  readonly visible: boolean;
+  readonly children: ReactNode;
+}) {
+  const active = useAppActive();
+  // A sidebar can stay visible beside a focused detail route, so route focus cannot gate its reads.
+  return (
+    <ThreadPrDemandContext value={props.visible && active}>{props.children}</ThreadPrDemandContext>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.demand.test.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.demand.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b3e6965531f63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.demand.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,345 @@
+import { RegistryContext } from "@effect/atom-react";
+import {
+  EnvironmentId,
+  ProjectId,
+  ThreadId,
+  WS_METHODS,
+  type PullRequestRef,
+} from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import type { EnvironmentThreadShell } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/shell";
+import {
+  EnvironmentRegistry,
+  EnvironmentSupervisor,
+  AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_STATE,
+  PrimaryConnectionTarget,
+  type SupervisorConnectionState,
+  type PreparedConnection,
+  type ConnectionCatalogEntry,
+} from "@t3tools/client-runtime/connection";
+import type { RpcSession } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/rpc";
+import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
+import * as Latch from "effect/Latch";
+import * as Option from "effect/Option";
+import * as Stream from "effect/Stream";
+import * as SubscriptionRef from "effect/SubscriptionRef";
+import { AtomRegistry } from "effect/reactivity";
+import { Activity, act, useState } from "react";
+import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { expect, it } from "@effect/vitest";
+import { vi } from "vite-plus/test";
+
+const fixture = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  environment: undefined as EnvironmentRegistry.EnvironmentRegistry["Service"] | undefined,
+  active: "active",
+  listeners: new Set<() => void>(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("react-native", () => ({
+  AppState: {
+    get currentState() {
+      return fixture.active;
+    },
+    addEventListener: (_event: string, listener: () => void) => {
+      fixture.listeners.add(listener);
+      return { remove: () => fixture.listeners.delete(listener) };
+    },
+  },
+}));
+vi.mock("../connection/runtime", async () => {
+  const { Atom } = await import("effect/reactivity");
+  const Layer = await import("effect/Layer");
+  const { EnvironmentRegistry } = await import("@t3tools/client-runtime/connection");
+  return {
+    connectionAtomRuntime: Atom.runtime(
+      Layer.suspend(() =>
+        Layer.succeed(EnvironmentRegistry.EnvironmentRegistry, fixture.environment!),
+      ),
+    ),
+  };
+});
+vi.mock("./server", async () => {
+  const { Atom } = await import("effect/reactivity");
+  const config = Atom.make({ environment: { capabilities: { threadPullRequests: true } } });
+  return { serverEnvironment: { configValueAtom: () => config } };
+});
+
+import { ThreadPrDemandProvider } from "./thread-pr-demand";
+import { useThreadPr } from "./use-thread-pr";
+
+const environmentId = EnvironmentId.make("sidebar-environment");
+const reference = {
+  projectId: ProjectId.make("project"),
+  repository: "acme/app",
+  number: 12,
+  url: "https://github.com/acme/app/pull/12",
+};
+function thread(overrides: Partial<EnvironmentThreadShell> = {}): EnvironmentThreadShell {
+  return {
+    environmentId,
+    id: ThreadId.make("thread"),
+    pullRequests: [],
+    linkedPullRequest: null,
+    branchPullRequest: reference,
+    ...overrides,
+  } as EnvironmentThreadShell;
+}
+
+const setup = Effect.fn("TestThreadPr.setup")(function* () {
+  (globalThis as { IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT?: boolean }).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+  vi.useFakeTimers({
+    toFake: ["Date", "setTimeout", "clearTimeout", "setInterval", "clearInterval"],
+  });
+  vi.setSystemTime(0);
+  fixture.active = "active";
+  fixture.listeners.clear();
+  const requests: Array<{ environmentId: EnvironmentId; input: PullRequestRef }> = [];
+  let state = "open";
+  let replyGate: Latch.Latch | null = null;
+  const target = new PrimaryConnectionTarget({
+    environmentId,
+    label: "Sidebar environment",
+    httpBaseUrl: "https://sidebar.test",
+    wsBaseUrl: "wss://sidebar.test",
+  });
+  const supervisor = yield* Effect.gen(function* () {
+    return EnvironmentSupervisor.EnvironmentSupervisor.of({
+      target,
+      state: yield* SubscriptionRef.make<SupervisorConnectionState>({
+        ...AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_STATE,
+        phase: "connected" as const,
+        desired: true,
+        network: "online" as const,
+        attempt: 1,
+        generation: 1,
+      }),
+      session: yield* SubscriptionRef.make(
+        Option.some({
+          client: {
+            [WS_METHODS.pullRequestsSummary]: (input: PullRequestRef) =>
+              Effect.gen(function* () {
+                requests.push({ environmentId: currentEnvironment, input });
+                if (replyGate !== null) yield* replyGate.await;
+                return {
+                  ...input,
+                  provider: "github",
+                  state,
+                  title: `Change ${input.number}`,
+                  url: `https://github.com/${input.repository}/pull/${input.number}`,
+                  baseBranch: "main",
+                  headBranch: "feature",
+                  isDraft: false,
+                  updatedAt: null,
+                };
+              }),
+            [WS_METHODS.pullRequestsSubscribeRefreshes]: () => Stream.never,
+          },
+          ready: Effect.void,
+        } as unknown as RpcSession),
+      ),
+      prepared: yield* SubscriptionRef.make(Option.none<PreparedConnection>()),
+      connect: Effect.void,
+      disconnect: Effect.void,
+      retryNow: Effect.void,
+    });
+  });
+  let currentEnvironment = environmentId;
+  const environment = {
+    entries: yield* SubscriptionRef.make<ReadonlyMap<EnvironmentId, ConnectionCatalogEntry>>(
+      new Map(),
+    ),
+    run: (id, effect) => {
+      currentEnvironment = id;
+      return Effect.provideService(effect, EnvironmentSupervisor.EnvironmentSupervisor, supervisor);
+    },
+    followStream: (_id, stream) =>
+      Stream.provideService(stream, EnvironmentSupervisor.EnvironmentSupervisor, supervisor),
+    stateChanges: () => SubscriptionRef.changes(supervisor.state),
+  } satisfies Pick<
+    EnvironmentRegistry.EnvironmentRegistry["Service"],
+    "entries" | "run" | "followStream" | "stateChanges"
+  >;
+  fixture.environment =
+    environment as unknown as EnvironmentRegistry.EnvironmentRegistry["Service"];
+  const registry = AtomRegistry.make();
+  const container = document.createElement("div");
+  const root = createRoot(container);
+  let mounts = 0;
+  function Row({ value, name }: { value: EnvironmentThreadShell; name: string }) {
+    const [passive] = useState(() => ++mounts);
+    const pr = useThreadPr(value);
+    return (
+      <output data-name={name} data-passive={passive}>
+        {pr?.accessibilityLabel ?? "none"}
+      </output>
+    );
+  }
+  return {
+    requests,
+    get mounts() {
+      return mounts;
+    },
+    setState(next: string) {
+      state = next;
+    },
+    holdReplies() {
+      replyGate = Latch.makeUnsafe();
+    },
+    async releaseReplies() {
+      await act(async () => {
+        replyGate?.openUnsafe();
+        replyGate = null;
+      });
+    },
+    badge(name = "sidebar") {
+      return container.querySelector(`output[data-name="${name}"]`)?.textContent;
+    },
+    passive() {
+      return container.querySelector("output")?.getAttribute("data-passive");
+    },
+    async render({
+      visible = true,
+      value = thread(),
+      shared = false,
+      activity = "visible",
+    }: {
+      visible?: boolean;
+      value?: EnvironmentThreadShell;
+      shared?: boolean;
+      activity?: "visible" | "hidden";
+    } = {}) {
+      await act(async () =>
+        root.render(
+          <RegistryContext value={registry}>
+            <Activity mode={activity}>
+              <div hidden={!visible} style={{ width: 320 }}>
+                <ThreadPrDemandProvider visible={visible}>
+                  <Row value={value} name="sidebar" />
+                </ThreadPrDemandProvider>
+              </div>
+            </Activity>
+            {shared ? <Row value={thread({ id: ThreadId.make("shared") })} name="shared" /> : null}
+          </RegistryContext>,
+        ),
+      );
+    },
+    async advance(ms: number) {
+      await act(async () => vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(ms));
+    },
+    async appState(next: string) {
+      await act(async () => {
+        fixture.active = next;
+        for (const listener of fixture.listeners) listener();
+      });
+    },
+    [Symbol.dispose]() {
+      act(() => root.unmount());
+      registry.dispose();
+      expect(fixture.listeners.size).toBe(0);
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    },
+  };
+});
+
+it.effect(
+  "releases retained hidden sidebar demand and keeps the badge while reveal revalidates",
+  () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      using h = yield* setup();
+      yield* Effect.promise(async () => {
+        await h.render();
+        expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request open");
+        const passive = h.passive();
+        expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(1);
+        await h.render({ visible: false });
+        await h.advance(10_000);
+        const afterGrace = h.requests.length;
+        await h.advance(180_000);
+        expect(h.requests.length - afterGrace).toBe(0);
+        expect(h.passive()).toBe(passive);
+        h.holdReplies();
+        h.setState("closed");
+        await h.render();
+        expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request open");
+        expect(h.requests.length).toBe(afterGrace + 1);
+        expect(h.mounts).toBe(1);
+        await h.releaseReplies();
+        expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request closed");
+      });
+    }),
+);
+
+it.effect("does not start a fallback query for a sidebar first mounted hidden", () =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    using h = yield* setup();
+    yield* Effect.promise(async () => {
+      await h.render({ visible: false });
+      await h.advance(180_000);
+      expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(0);
+      expect(h.badge()).toBe("none");
+      await h.render();
+      expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request open");
+      expect(h.mounts).toBe(1);
+    });
+  }),
+);
+
+it.effect("keeps a shared visible reader polling while its sidebar reader is hidden", () =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    using h = yield* setup();
+    yield* Effect.promise(async () => {
+      await h.render({ shared: true });
+      expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(1);
+      await h.render({ visible: false, shared: true });
+      await h.advance(180_000);
+      expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(4);
+      expect(h.badge("shared")).toBe("#12 pull request open");
+      h.setState("closed");
+      await h.advance(60_000);
+      expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(5);
+      expect(h.badge("shared")).toBe("#12 pull request closed");
+      await h.render({ shared: true });
+      expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request closed");
+    });
+  }),
+);
+
+it.effect.each(["inactive", "background"])("releases sidebar demand while the OS is %s", (state) =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    using h = yield* setup();
+    yield* Effect.promise(async () => {
+      await h.render();
+      await h.appState(state);
+      await h.advance(10_000);
+      const before = h.requests.length;
+      await h.advance(180_000);
+      expect(h.requests.length - before).toBe(0);
+      h.holdReplies();
+      await h.appState("active");
+      expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request open");
+      expect(h.requests.length - before).toBe(1);
+      expect(h.mounts).toBe(1);
+    });
+  }),
+);
+
+it.effect("keeps mounted passive state through an Android-style Activity tab switch", () =>
+  Effect.gen(function* () {
+    using h = yield* setup();
+    yield* Effect.promise(async () => {
+      await h.render();
+      const passive = h.passive();
+      await h.render({ activity: "hidden" });
+      await h.advance(10_000);
+      const before = h.requests.length;
+      await h.advance(180_000);
+      expect(h.requests.length - before).toBe(0);
+      h.holdReplies();
+      await h.render();
+      expect(h.badge()).toBe("#12 pull request open");
+      expect(h.passive()).toBe(passive);
+      expect(h.mounts).toBe(1);
+      expect(h.requests.length - before).toBe(1);
+    });
+  }),
+);
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.ts b/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.ts
index 549bdb5f1a91c..af14ce3827b4e 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/state/use-thread-pr.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@ import {
 import type { EnvironmentId, PullRequestSummary } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
 import { Atom } from "effect/reactivity";
-import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { use, useMemo } from "react";
 
 import { connectionAtomRuntime } from "../connection/runtime";
 import { serverEnvironment } from "./server";
 import { useEnvironmentQuery } from "./query";
+import { ThreadPrDemandContext } from "./thread-pr-demand";
 import {
   rememberBounded,
   resolveThreadPrSource,
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ const pullRequestSummaryAtom = createLinkedPullRequestSummaryAtomFamily(
 export { type ThreadPr, type ThreadPrPresentation } from "./thread-pr-presentation";
 
 export function useThreadPr(thread: EnvironmentThreadShell): ThreadPrPresentation | null {
+  const demand = use(ThreadPrDemandContext);
   const supportsLinks = useAtomValue(
     serverEnvironment.configValueAtom(thread.environmentId),
     (config) => config !== null,
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ export function useThreadPr(thread: EnvironmentThreadShell): ThreadPrPresentatio
     key === null ? undefined : current.get(key),
   );
   const pullRequestSummary = useEnvironmentQuery(
-    pullRequestRef === null
+    pullRequestRef === null || !demand
       ? null
       : pullRequestSummaryAtom({
           environmentId: thread.environmentId,
diff --git a/apps/mobile/vite.config.ts b/apps/mobile/vite.config.ts
index 375cf6a3f7622..9097287717f7b 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/vite.config.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/vite.config.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import "vite-plus/test/config";
 
 const reactTests = [
   "src/features/workspace/workspace-tabs-state.test.ts",
+  "src/state/use-thread-pr.demand.test.tsx",
   "src/features/threads/git/GitBranchesSheet.occupancy.test.tsx",
   "src/features/files/useFileTreeEntries.test.tsx",
   "src/features/projects/AddProjectScreen.test.ts",