diff --git a/docs/channels.md b/docs/channels.md
index ad30fe0ebc..c8a4d68d07 100644
--- a/docs/channels.md
+++ b/docs/channels.md
@@ -1709,7 +1709,8 @@ Escape and Option+Arrow for the shell.
   conversation is not among the rows, next starts from the top and previous from the
   bottom. A conversation listed in two sections is stepped over once. The shortcuts
   are unavailable, leaving the key alone, while the sidebar renders no rows (for
-  example behind another page's own sidebar). Stepping activates the row's own
+  example behind another page's own sidebar) or focus is in a text field outside the
+  composer, which keeps Option+Arrow for editing. Stepping activates the row's own
   button, so it takes the exact path of a click: the saved selection, navigation
   intent, session staleness guard and Solo's immediate activation. The list scrolls
   just far enough to show the row, and nothing above it moves.
diff --git a/src/bundled/channels/index.test.tsx b/src/bundled/channels/index.test.tsx
index 051314835a..2bd29be279 100644
--- a/src/bundled/channels/index.test.tsx
+++ b/src/bundled/channels/index.test.tsx
@@ -72,6 +72,20 @@ it("steps only while the sidebar renders rows, and not from a terminal", () => {
   expect(next.when()).toBe(false);
 });
 
+it("stays available in the message composer but not in other text fields", () => {
+  const next = registered().get("next-conversation");
+  sidebar("a", "*b", "c");
+  document.body.insertAdjacentHTML(
+    "beforeend",
+    `<textarea aria-label="Canvas Markdown"></textarea>
+    <form data-composer-surface=""><div role="textbox" tabindex="0"></div></form>`,
+  );
+  document.querySelector<HTMLElement>("textarea")?.focus();
+  expect(next.when()).toBe(false);
+  document.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[role="textbox"]')?.focus();
+  expect(next.when()).toBe(true);
+});
+
 it("registers a plain Escape that waits for an open conversation to mark read", () => {
   const shortcut = registered().get("mark-read");
   expect(shortcut).toMatchObject({
diff --git a/src/bundled/channels/index.tsx b/src/bundled/channels/index.tsx
index ae54b251ed..449d20246e 100644
--- a/src/bundled/channels/index.tsx
+++ b/src/bundled/channels/index.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { isApplePlatform } from "../../features/shortcuts/format";
 import type { ArchiveShortcut, ReadShortcut } from "./ChannelsPage";
 import {
   conversationRows,
+  inFieldOutsideComposer,
   inTerminal,
   stepConversation,
 } from "./conversation-rows";
@@ -72,8 +73,9 @@ export const apply: PluginModule["apply"] = (ctx) => {
     when: () => !!archive.current?.available(),
     run: () => archive.current?.run(),
   });
-  // Slack's sidebar stepping. Terminals keep Option+Arrow, and stepping is
-  // unavailable (the key is left alone) while the sidebar renders no rows.
+  // Slack's sidebar stepping. Terminals and text fields outside the composer
+  // keep Option+Arrow, and stepping is unavailable (the key is left alone)
+  // while the sidebar renders no rows.
   const stepping = [
     ["previous-conversation", "Previous conversation", "ArrowUp", false, 30],
     ["next-conversation", "Next conversation", "ArrowDown", false, 31],
@@ -99,7 +101,10 @@ export const apply: PluginModule["apply"] = (ctx) => {
       binding: { key, alt: true, shift: unreadOnly },
       order,
       allowInEditable: true,
-      when: () => !inTerminal() && conversationRows().length > 0,
+      when: () =>
+        !inTerminal() &&
+        !inFieldOutsideComposer() &&
+        conversationRows().length > 0,
       run: () =>
         stepConversation(key === "ArrowUp" ? "previous" : "next", unreadOnly),
     });