diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/dock.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/dock.rs
index bd6e73a2..5ccff4e6 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/dock.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/dock.rs
@@ -581,7 +581,9 @@ pub fn draw_group_chrome(
     t: &Tokens,
     reg: &mut crate::automation::Registry,
 ) -> Vec<DockAction> {
-    draw_group_chrome_details(ui, g, focused, seqs, t, reg).actions
+    let chrome = draw_group_chrome_details(ui, g, seqs, t, reg);
+    paint_group_focus(ui, g, focused, t);
+    chrome.actions
 }
 
 #[derive(Default)]
@@ -590,14 +592,7 @@ pub struct Chrome {
     pub tabs: Vec<(PanelKind, Rect)>,
 }
 
-pub fn draw_group_chrome_details(
-    ui: &mut egui::Ui,
-    g: &Group,
-    focused: PanelKind,
-    seqs: &SeqTabs,
-    t: &Tokens,
-    reg: &mut crate::automation::Registry,
-) -> Chrome {
+pub fn draw_group_chrome_details(ui: &mut egui::Ui, g: &Group, seqs: &SeqTabs, t: &Tokens, reg: &mut crate::automation::Registry) -> Chrome {
     let mut actions = Vec::new();
     let mut tab_rects: Vec<(PanelKind, Rect)> = Vec::new();
     let painter = ui.painter().clone();
@@ -852,10 +847,6 @@ pub fn draw_group_chrome_details(
             ui.ctx().data_mut(|d| d.remove::<bool>(list_id));
         }
     }
-    // focus outline
-    if active_panel == Some(focused) {
-        painter.rect_stroke(g.rect, 0.0, Stroke::new(1.0, t.focus), StrokeKind::Inside);
-    }
     // clicking anywhere in the panel focuses it
     if let Some(p) = active_panel
         && ui.rect_contains_pointer(g.rect)
@@ -866,6 +857,13 @@ pub fn draw_group_chrome_details(
     Chrome { actions, tabs: tab_rects }
 }
 
+/// Paint once after the group's contents so child backgrounds cannot hide its focus (#1075).
+pub(crate) fn paint_group_focus(ui: &egui::Ui, group: &Group, focused: PanelKind, tokens: &Tokens) {
+    if group.panels.get(group.active).copied() == Some(focused) {
+        ui.painter().rect_stroke(group.rect, 0.0, Stroke::new(1.0, tokens.focus), StrokeKind::Inside);
+    }
+}
+
 fn paint_widget_focus(painter: &egui::Painter, response: &egui::Response, tokens: &Tokens) {
     if response.has_focus() {
         painter.rect_stroke(response.rect.shrink(2.0), 2.0, Stroke::new(1.5, tokens.focus), StrokeKind::Inside);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/dock_ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/dock_ui.rs
index d90888ab..4849c08d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/dock_ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/dock_ui.rs
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ impl FilmcraftApp {
         let mut actions = vec![];
         let mut targets = vec![];
         for group in &groups {
-            let chrome = dock::draw_group_chrome_details(ui, group, self.ui.focused, &seqs, &t, &mut self.auto);
+            let chrome = dock::draw_group_chrome_details(ui, group, &seqs, &t, &mut self.auto);
             if let Some(target) = target(group, chrome.tabs, true) {
                 targets.push(target);
             }
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ impl FilmcraftApp {
                 self.panel_body(ui, panel, group.content);
             }
         }
+        for group in &groups {
+            dock::paint_group_focus(ui, group, self.ui.focused, &t);
+        }
         let floating_order = self.floating_order(&ctx);
         for index in floating_order.into_iter().filter(|_| maximized.is_none()) {
             if let Some(target) = self.floating_group(&ctx, index, &seqs, &mut actions) {
@@ -279,7 +282,7 @@ impl FilmcraftApp {
                 panels: floating.panels.clone(),
                 active: floating.active,
             };
-            let chrome = dock::draw_group_chrome_details(ui, &group, self.ui.focused, seqs, &t, &mut self.auto);
+            let chrome = dock::draw_group_chrome_details(ui, &group, seqs, &t, &mut self.auto);
             actions.extend(chrome.actions);
             if let Some(active) = group.panels.get(group.active).copied() {
                 self.panel_body(ui, active, group.content);
@@ -307,6 +310,7 @@ impl FilmcraftApp {
             if next != rect {
                 let _ = self.dock_command(ctx, Action::MoveFloating { panel, rect: [next.min.x, next.min.y, next.width(), next.height()] });
             }
+            dock::paint_group_focus(ui, &group, self.ui.focused, &t);
             output = target(&group, chrome.tabs, false);
         });
         output
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/panels_ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/panels_ui.rs
index ed2cf458..504f4f3e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/panels_ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/panels_ui.rs
@@ -520,3 +520,54 @@ fn scopes_of_colour_bars() {
         assert!(angles.iter().any(|x| (x - a).abs() < 1.5), "{} at {a:.1}° not in {angles:?}", t.name);
     }
 }
+
+/// #1075: child backgrounds must not cover the focus outline shared with Program. Check the
+/// rendered primitives, including Media Browser's parent group, in both requested themes.
+#[test]
+fn focused_panel_outline_is_not_covered_by_child_backgrounds() {
+    fn rectangles<'a>(shape: &'a egui::Shape, clip: egui::Rect, out: &mut Vec<(&'a egui::epaint::RectShape, egui::Rect)>) {
+        match shape {
+            egui::Shape::Rect(rect) => out.push((rect, clip)),
+            egui::Shape::Vec(shapes) => shapes.iter().for_each(|shape| rectangles(shape, clip, out)),
+            _ => {}
+        }
+    }
+    let mut d = Driver::demo();
+    for theme in ["dark", "light"] {
+        d.ok("ui.set", json!({"theme": theme}));
+        for panel in ["Program", "Text", "LumetriScopes", "EssentialSound", "Timeline", "TextToSpeech", "MediaBrowser"] {
+            d.ok("ui.panel.show", json!({"panel": panel}));
+            d.ok("ui.set", json!({"focused": panel}));
+            d.frames(3);
+            d.snapshot(&format!("focus-{theme}-{panel}"), None);
+            let mut rects = Vec::new();
+            for shape in &d.harness.output().shapes {
+                rectangles(&shape.shape, shape.clip_rect, &mut rects);
+            }
+            let focus = d.harness.state().tokens.focus;
+            let outlines: Vec<_> = rects
+                .iter()
+                .enumerate()
+                .filter(|(_, (r, _))| r.stroke.color == focus && r.stroke.width == 1.0 && r.rect.width() > 100.0 && r.rect.height() > 80.0)
+                .collect();
+            assert_eq!(outlines.len(), 1, "{theme} {panel}: one focus outline for the whole parent group");
+            let (at, (outline, _)) = outlines[0];
+            let bounds = outline.rect;
+            let strips = [
+                egui::Rect::from_min_max(bounds.min, egui::pos2(bounds.max.x, bounds.min.y + 1.0)),
+                egui::Rect::from_min_max(egui::pos2(bounds.min.x, bounds.max.y - 1.0), bounds.max),
+                egui::Rect::from_min_max(bounds.min, egui::pos2(bounds.min.x + 1.0, bounds.max.y)),
+                egui::Rect::from_min_max(egui::pos2(bounds.max.x - 1.0, bounds.min.y), bounds.max),
+            ];
+            for (child, clip) in &rects[at + 1..] {
+                if child.fill.a() != 0 {
+                    let painted = child.rect.intersect(*clip);
+                    assert!(
+                        strips.iter().all(|edge| !edge.intersect(painted).is_positive()),
+                        "{theme} {panel}: a later child background {painted:?} covers the focus outline {bounds:?}"
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}