diff --git a/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.test.tsx b/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ac6a53fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react"
+import { fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react"
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest"
+
+const testState = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  scrollRef: { current: null as HTMLDivElement | null },
+}))
+
+vi.mock("use-stick-to-bottom", () => ({
+  useStickToBottomContext: () => ({ scrollRef: testState.scrollRef }),
+}))
+
+vi.mock("virtua", () => ({
+  Virtualizer: ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
+}))
+
+vi.mock("@/components/ai-elements/message-thread", () => ({
+  MessageThreadContent: ({
+    children,
+    scrollClassName,
+  }: {
+    children: ReactNode
+    scrollClassName?: string
+  }) => (
+    <div
+      ref={(element) => {
+        testState.scrollRef.current = element
+      }}
+      className={scrollClassName}
+      data-testid="viewport"
+    >
+      {children}
+    </div>
+  ),
+}))
+
+import { VirtualizedMessageThread } from "@/components/message/virtualized-message-thread"
+
+function renderThread(
+  content: ReactNode = <div data-testid="content">text</div>
+) {
+  return render(
+    <VirtualizedMessageThread
+      items={[{ id: "message-1" }]}
+      getItemKey={(item) => item.id}
+      renderItem={() => content}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+function pointerDown(element: HTMLElement, button: number) {
+  fireEvent(element, new MouseEvent("pointerdown", { bubbles: true, button }))
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  testState.scrollRef.current = null
+})
+
+describe("VirtualizedMessageThread focus origin", () => {
+  it("marks pointer-origin focus and clears it on blur", () => {
+    renderThread()
+    const viewport = screen.getByTestId("viewport")
+
+    pointerDown(screen.getByTestId("content"), 0)
+
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(viewport)
+    expect(viewport).toHaveAttribute("data-focus-origin", "pointer")
+    expect(viewport.className).toContain(
+      "data-[focus-origin=pointer]:focus-visible:ring-0"
+    )
+
+    fireEvent.blur(viewport)
+    expect(viewport).not.toHaveAttribute("data-focus-origin")
+  })
+
+  it("keeps keyboard-origin focus distinguishable", () => {
+    renderThread()
+    const viewport = screen.getByTestId("viewport")
+
+    viewport.focus()
+
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(viewport)
+    expect(viewport).not.toHaveAttribute("data-focus-origin")
+    expect(viewport.className).toContain("focus-visible:ring-2")
+  })
+
+  it("does not mark focus when an interactive control is clicked", () => {
+    renderThread(<button data-testid="action">Action</button>)
+    const viewport = screen.getByTestId("viewport")
+
+    pointerDown(screen.getByTestId("action"), 0)
+
+    expect(viewport).not.toHaveAttribute("data-focus-origin")
+    expect(document.activeElement).not.toBe(viewport)
+  })
+
+  it("does not mark focus for a right click", () => {
+    renderThread()
+    const viewport = screen.getByTestId("viewport")
+
+    pointerDown(screen.getByTestId("content"), 2)
+
+    expect(viewport).not.toHaveAttribute("data-focus-origin")
+    expect(document.activeElement).not.toBe(viewport)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.tsx b/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.tsx
index e1987203f..ced6583ab 100644
--- a/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.tsx
+++ b/src/components/message/virtualized-message-thread.tsx
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ function VirtualizedMessageThreadImpl<T>({
     const el = scrollRef.current
     if (!el) return
     el.tabIndex = 0
+    const clearPointerFocus = () => {
+      el.removeAttribute("data-focus-origin")
+    }
     const onPointerDown = (e: PointerEvent) => {
       // Ignore right-click and macOS ctrl-click (both open the context menu).
       if (e.button !== 0 || e.ctrlKey) return
@@ -117,10 +120,16 @@ function VirtualizedMessageThreadImpl<T>({
         )
       )
         return
+      el.setAttribute("data-focus-origin", "pointer")
       el.focus({ preventScroll: true })
     }
     el.addEventListener("pointerdown", onPointerDown)
-    return () => el.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onPointerDown)
+    el.addEventListener("blur", clearPointerFocus)
+    return () => {
+      el.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onPointerDown)
+      el.removeEventListener("blur", clearPointerFocus)
+      clearPointerFocus()
+    }
   }, [scrollRef])
 
   // Pre-compute the three possible padding styles so every render reuses
@@ -146,7 +155,7 @@ function VirtualizedMessageThreadImpl<T>({
     <MessageScrollProvider value={scrollContextValue}>
       <MessageThreadContent
         className={cn("mx-0 max-w-none p-0", contentClassName)}
-        scrollClassName="scrollbar-thin overscroll-contain [overflow-anchor:none] outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-inset"
+        scrollClassName="scrollbar-thin overscroll-contain [overflow-anchor:none] outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-inset data-[focus-origin=pointer]:focus-visible:ring-0"
         {...contentProps}
       >
         {items.length === 0 ? (