diff --git a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts
index 9b6b2d6dd7bdf..44788cb05ee38 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts
@@ -2255,6 +2255,33 @@ it.live("agents read a human's tab with no arguments and act on it only while no
   ).pipe(Effect.provide(layer)),
 );
 
+it.live("preview_open reports a tab it shows as visible once the client attaches", () =>
+  Effect.scoped(
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const browser = yield* ServerBrowser.ServerBrowser;
+      const broker = yield* Broker.PreviewAutomationBroker;
+      const manager = yield* Manager.PreviewManager;
+      const events = yield* manager.subscribeEvents;
+      yield* Effect.yieldNow;
+      // Like a real client, the stream attaches asynchronously after the reveal request arrives.
+      yield* Effect.gen(function* () {
+        let event;
+        do event = yield* PubSub.take(events);
+        while (event.type !== "navigated" || !event.snapshot.revealRequest);
+        yield* browser.attachViewer(viewerInput(event.tabId, false)).pipe(Effect.forkScoped);
+      }).pipe(Effect.forkScoped);
+
+      const opened = yield* broker.invoke<PreviewAutomationStatus>({
+        scope,
+        operation: "open",
+        input: { reuseExistingTab: false, open: true },
+      });
+
+      expect(opened.visible).toBe(true);
+    }),
+  ).pipe(Effect.provide(layer)),
+);
+
 it.live("a session's own tab stays its default while other sessions' tabs are listed", () =>
   Effect.scoped(
     Effect.gen(function* () {
diff --git a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts
index 4b7d9c2805bb1..a1e534aa57731 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts
@@ -106,10 +106,24 @@ const AGENT_CURSOR_MOVE_MS = 160;
 const AGENT_CURSOR_CLICK_LEAD_MS = 40;
 /** A dialog blocks page script, so a desktop size read gives up after this. */
 const DESKTOP_VIEWPORT_READ_TIMEOUT = "1 second";
+// A revealed tab's client opens the panel and attaches its stream a few round trips later, remote ones included.
+const REVEAL_VIEWER_WAIT_MS = 1000;
 
 const sleepUntil = (deadline: number) =>
   new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, Math.max(0, deadline - Date.now())));
 
+const awaitViewer = async (tab: ServerTab, timeoutMs: number) => {
+  const attached = (tab.viewerAttached ??= Promise.withResolvers());
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+  await Promise.race([
+    attached.promise,
+    new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      timer = setTimeout(resolve, Math.max(0, timeoutMs));
+    }),
+  ]);
+  clearTimeout(timer);
+};
+
 const EDITABLE_AT_POINT_SCRIPT = `(x, y) => {
   let element = document.elementFromPoint(x, y);
   while (element && element.shadowRoot) {
@@ -303,6 +317,7 @@ interface ServerTab {
   readonly createdAt: number;
   usedAt: number;
   readonly viewers: Set<ViewerState>;
+  viewerAttached: PromiseWithResolvers<void> | null;
   readonly consoleEntries: Array<PreviewAutomationConsoleEntry>;
   readonly networkEntries: Array<PreviewAutomationNetworkEntry>;
   readonly actionTimeline: Array<PreviewAutomationActionEvent>;
@@ -755,6 +770,7 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
     if (tabs.get(key) !== tab) return;
     tabs.delete(key);
     tab.closing = true;
+    tab.viewerAttached?.resolve();
     clearAbortedNavigation(tab);
     // A desktop page outlives the connection unless its session closed with it.
     const end = tab.desktop && !closeSession && sessionOpen(tab) ? "reconnect" : "gone";
@@ -880,6 +896,7 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
       createdAt: Date.now(),
       usedAt: Date.now(),
       viewers: new Set(),
+      viewerAttached: null,
       consoleEntries: [],
       networkEntries: [],
       actionTimeline: [],
@@ -2135,6 +2152,7 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
                 });
             }
             const reveal = open.open ?? open.show;
+            let shown: Promise<void> | undefined;
             if (reveal !== false) {
               await runPromise(
                 manager.requestReveal({
@@ -2143,7 +2161,14 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
                   force: reveal === true,
                 }),
               );
+              // Only an explicit show is sure to reach a client; desktop tabs are visible without a viewer.
+              if (reveal === true && tab.viewers.size === 0 && tab.desktop === null)
+                shown = awaitViewer(
+                  tab,
+                  Math.min(REVEAL_VIEWER_WAIT_MS, deadlineMs - performance.now()),
+                );
             }
+            await shown;
             return statusWithTitle(tab, request.agentSessionId);
           },
           deadlineMs,
@@ -2668,6 +2693,8 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
     yield* Effect.acquireRelease(
       Effect.sync(() => {
         tab.viewers.add(viewer);
+        tab.viewerAttached?.resolve();
+        tab.viewerAttached = null;
         reportLiveTabs();
       }),
       () =>
diff --git a/packages/contracts/src/previewAutomation.ts b/packages/contracts/src/previewAutomation.ts
index fa2c46717318a..597ae26ca0341 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src/previewAutomation.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src/previewAutomation.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ export const PreviewAutomationProfile = Schema.Struct({
 });
 export type PreviewAutomationProfile = typeof PreviewAutomationProfile.Type;
 
+const VISIBLE_DESCRIPTION =
+  "True while a client shows this tab: a streamed live view, or the desktop app's own browser panel.";
+
 /** Why the tab shows the browser's error page instead of the page it tried to load. */
 export const PreviewAutomationLoadError = Schema.Struct({
   url: Schema.String,
@@ -81,7 +84,7 @@ export type PreviewAutomationLoadError = typeof PreviewAutomationLoadError.Type;
 
 export const PreviewAutomationStatus = Schema.Struct({
   available: Schema.Boolean,
-  visible: Schema.Boolean,
+  visible: Schema.Boolean.annotate({ description: VISIBLE_DESCRIPTION }),
   tabId: Schema.NullOr(PreviewTabId),
   url: Schema.NullOr(Schema.String),
   title: Schema.NullOr(Schema.String),
@@ -128,7 +131,7 @@ export const PreviewAutomationStatus = Schema.Struct({
         openerTabId: Schema.optional(PreviewTabId),
         owner: Schema.optional(PreviewAutomationTabOwner),
         ownedByCaller: Schema.optional(Schema.Boolean),
-        visible: Schema.optional(Schema.Boolean),
+        visible: Schema.optional(Schema.Boolean.annotate({ description: VISIBLE_DESCRIPTION })),
         profileId: Schema.optional(BrowserProfileId),
       }),
     ),