diff --git a/.changeset/scroll-up-while-busy.md b/.changeset/scroll-up-while-busy.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..67073cf95d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/scroll-up-while-busy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"kilo-code": patch
+---
+
+Fix chat scroll jumping back to the bottom while the session is busy — you can now scroll up to read earlier context while a response is streaming or while a question is waiting for your answer.
diff --git a/packages/kilo-ui/src/hooks/create-auto-scroll.tsx b/packages/kilo-ui/src/hooks/create-auto-scroll.tsx
index 81fa4874be0..fcef54cb27c 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-ui/src/hooks/create-auto-scroll.tsx
+++ b/packages/kilo-ui/src/hooks/create-auto-scroll.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ import { createStore } from "solid-js/store"
 import { createResizeObserver } from "@solid-primitives/resize-observer"
 
 const DEBOUNCE_MS = 100
+// Grace window after a real user interaction (wheel/pointer/key/touch) during
+// which a ResizeObserver or non-user scroll event must not snap the view back
+// to the bottom. Long enough to cover a single scroll gesture plus the
+// DEBOUNCE_MS window used by handleScroll to flip userScrolled.
+const USER_INTERACTION_GRACE_MS = 300
 
 export interface AutoScrollOptions {
   working: () => boolean
@@ -18,6 +23,7 @@ export function createAutoScroll(options: AutoScrollOptions) {
   let cleanup: (() => void) | undefined
   let userInitiated = false
   let lastScrollTop: number | undefined
+  let lastInteraction = 0
 
   const threshold = () => options.bottomThreshold ?? 10
 
@@ -43,8 +49,12 @@ export function createAutoScroll(options: AutoScrollOptions) {
       if (scroll && nested && nested !== scroll) return
     }
     userInitiated = true
+    lastInteraction = performance.now()
   }
 
+  const recentlyInteracted = () =>
+    lastInteraction > 0 && performance.now() - lastInteraction < USER_INTERACTION_GRACE_MS
+
   const scrollToBottomNow = (behavior: ScrollBehavior) => {
     const el = scroll
     if (!el) return
@@ -119,7 +129,11 @@ export function createAutoScroll(options: AutoScrollOptions) {
     }
 
     if (!store.userScrolled && !byUser) {
-      if (el.scrollTop < (lastScrollTop ?? el.scrollTop)) {
+      // virtua fires programmatic scroll events as it measures virtualized
+      // items. Don't let those snap the view back to the bottom while the
+      // user is mid-gesture — the wheel event fires before the scroll event,
+      // so `recentlyInteracted()` is reliable here.
+      if (el.scrollTop < (lastScrollTop ?? el.scrollTop) || recentlyInteracted()) {
         stop()
       } else {
         scrollToBottomNow("auto")
@@ -163,6 +177,15 @@ export function createAutoScroll(options: AutoScrollOptions) {
       if (store.userScrolled) {
         return
       }
+      // Virtualized lists (virtua) re-measure items during user scroll, firing
+      // resize events that race ahead of handleScroll's DEBOUNCE_MS window.
+      // If the user just interacted with the scroller and is no longer near
+      // the bottom, treat the resize as a layout reflow on top of their
+      // scroll — pause auto-follow instead of snapping back to the bottom.
+      if (el && recentlyInteracted() && distanceFromBottom(el) > threshold()) {
+        stop()
+        return
+      }
       // ResizeObserver fires after layout, before paint.
       // Keep the bottom locked in the same frame to avoid visible
       // "jump up then catch up" artifacts while streaming content.
diff --git a/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/chat/QuestionDock.tsx b/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/chat/QuestionDock.tsx
index 36c21303b1f..c095328ea69 100644
--- a/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/chat/QuestionDock.tsx
+++ b/packages/kilo-vscode/webview-ui/src/components/chat/QuestionDock.tsx
@@ -247,13 +247,16 @@ export const QuestionDock: Component<{ request: QuestionRequest }> = (props) =>
 
   // Keep keyboard navigation when the webview already has focus, but do not
   // steal focus from the editor, terminal, or other VS Code surfaces.
+  // preventScroll avoids the browser's focus-into-view behavior fighting
+  // createAutoScroll (and yanking the viewport back to the dock while the
+  // user has scrolled up to read earlier context).
   createEffect(() => {
     void store.tab
     if (store.collapsed || store.editing || confirm()) return
     requestAnimationFrame(() => {
       if (!document.hasFocus()) return
       const btn = root?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>("button[data-slot='question-option']:not(:disabled)")
-      btn?.focus()
+      btn?.focus({ preventScroll: true })
     })
   })