diff --git a/desktop/playwright.config.ts b/desktop/playwright.config.ts
index bb26f558802..4de46c9c86f 100644
--- a/desktop/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/desktop/playwright.config.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
         "**/channel-shared-header-backdrop.spec.ts",
         "**/auxiliary-pane-close-visibility.spec.ts",
         "**/channel-composer-overflow.spec.ts",
+        "**/channel-autocomplete.spec.ts",
         "**/badge.spec.ts",
         "**/channel-browser.spec.ts",
         "**/channel-add-screenshots.spec.ts",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useChannelLinks.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useChannelLinks.ts
index 4b703f53cd6..c366d0935a7 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useChannelLinks.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useChannelLinks.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,16 @@ export function useChannelLinks() {
         clearTimeout(debounceTimerRef.current);
       }
 
+      // A cleared edit must release Enter immediately for delete confirmation.
+      // Keep nonempty queries debounced: Enter can split a valid query's block
+      // before the composer's autocomplete handler accepts the suggestion.
+      if (value.length === 0) {
+        debounceTimerRef.current = null;
+        setChannelQuery(null);
+        setChannelSelectedIndex(0);
+        return;
+      }
+
       debounceTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
         debounceTimerRef.current = null;
         const channel = detectPrefixQuery(
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-autocomplete.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-autocomplete.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..47e9977bb22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/channel-autocomplete.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+import { expect, test, type Page } from "@playwright/test";
+
+import { installMockBridge } from "../helpers/bridge";
+
+// Keep the real-editor counterexamples from #7874 covered alongside #6733.
+async function openComposer(
+  page: Page,
+  surface: "channel" | "thread" | "forum",
+) {
+  await installMockBridge(page);
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await page.getByTestId("channel-general").click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("general");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("message-input")).toBeFocused();
+  if (surface === "thread") {
+    await page.locator('[data-message-id="mock-general-alice"]').hover();
+    await page.getByTestId("reply-message-mock-general-alice").click();
+    return page
+      .getByTestId("message-thread-panel")
+      .getByTestId("message-input");
+  }
+  if (surface === "forum") {
+    await page.getByTestId("channel-watercooler").click();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Start a new post..." }).click();
+  }
+  return page.getByTestId("message-input");
+}
+
+function channelSuggestion(page: Page) {
+  return page.getByRole("button", { name: "#general stream", exact: true });
+}
+
+for (const surface of ["channel", "thread", "forum"] as const) {
+  test(`Enter selects a channel in the ${surface} composer before submitting`, async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    const input = await openComposer(page, surface);
+    await input.pressSequentially("#gener");
+    await expect(channelSuggestion(page)).toBeVisible();
+    await input.press("Enter");
+
+    await expect.poll(() => input.textContent()).toBe("#general ");
+    await expect(input.locator("p")).toHaveCount(1);
+    await expect(input.locator("br")).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(input).toBeFocused();
+    await expect(channelSuggestion(page)).toBeHidden();
+
+    // The next Enter submits exactly once through the mock IPC boundary.
+    await page.keyboard.type("selected channel");
+    await input.press("Enter");
+    await expect
+      .poll(() =>
+        page.evaluate(() => {
+          const content = "#general selected channel";
+          const signed = (window.__BUZZ_E2E_SIGNED_EVENTS__ ?? []).filter(
+            (event) => event.content === content,
+          );
+          if (signed.length) return signed.length;
+          return (window.__BUZZ_E2E_COMMAND_LOG__ ?? []).filter(
+            (call) =>
+              call.command === "send_channel_message" &&
+              (call.payload as { content?: string }).content === content,
+          ).length;
+        }),
+      )
+      .toBe(1);
+  });
+}
+
+for (const key of ["Tab", "Escape", "Shift+Enter"] as const) {
+  test(`channel autocomplete preserves ${key} behavior`, async ({ page }) => {
+    const input = await openComposer(page, "channel");
+    await input.fill("#gener");
+    await expect(channelSuggestion(page)).toBeVisible();
+    await input.press(key);
+    await expect
+      .poll(() => input.textContent())
+      .toBe(key === "Tab" ? "#general " : "#gener");
+    await expect(channelSuggestion(page)).toBeHidden();
+    await expect(input.locator("p")).toHaveCount(1);
+    if (key === "Shift+Enter") {
+      await page.keyboard.type("next line");
+      await expect(input).toHaveText("#genernext line");
+      await expect(input.locator("br")).toHaveCount(1);
+    } else {
+      await expect(input.locator("br")).toHaveCount(0);
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+for (const [prefix, expected] of [
+  ["@ali", "@alice "],
+  [":joy", "😂 "],
+] as const) {
+  test(`Enter still selects ${prefix} autocomplete without splitting`, async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    const input = await openComposer(page, "channel");
+    const dropdown = page.getByTestId(
+      prefix === "@ali" ? "mention-autocomplete" : "emoji-autocomplete",
+    );
+    await input.fill(prefix);
+    await expect(dropdown).toBeVisible();
+    await input.press("Enter");
+    await expect(dropdown).toBeHidden();
+    await expect.poll(() => input.textContent()).toBe(expected);
+    await expect(input.locator("p")).toHaveCount(1);
+    await expect(input.locator("br")).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(input).toBeFocused();
+  });
+}
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/empty-edit-delete.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/empty-edit-delete.spec.ts
index b492b40ee2a..c1607bbf1ba 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/empty-edit-delete.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/empty-edit-delete.spec.ts
@@ -38,17 +38,32 @@ async function submitEmptyEdit(
   const input = page.getByTestId("message-input");
   await expect(input).not.toBeEmpty({ timeout: 5_000 });
   await input.click();
-  await page.keyboard.press("ControlOrMeta+A");
-  await page.keyboard.press("Backspace");
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("button", { name: "#general stream", exact: true }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+  // Keep clear -> Enter inside the channel picker's dismissal debounce,
+  // regardless of the runner's speed. Drive the real editor, not its hooks.
+  await page.clock.pauseAt(await page.evaluate(() => Date.now() + 1_000));
+  try {
+    await page.keyboard.press("ControlOrMeta+A");
+    await page.keyboard.press("Backspace");
+    await expect(input).toBeEmpty();
+    await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
+  } finally {
+    await page.clock.resume();
+  }
+  await expect(page.getByRole("alertdialog")).toHaveCount(1);
   await expect(input).toBeEmpty();
-  await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
 }
 
 test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.clock.install();
   await installMockBridge(page);
   await page.goto("/");
   await page.getByTestId("channel-general").click();
   await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("general");
+  // Let the composer's initial autofocus settle before opening a row menu.
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("message-input")).toBeFocused();
   await expect
     .poll(() =>
       page.evaluate(