diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TerminalWidget.vue b/frontend/src/components/TerminalWidget.vue
index 8e14932..635da97 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TerminalWidget.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TerminalWidget.vue
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
-<script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, onMounted, onUnmounted } from 'vue'
-import { Terminal } from 'xterm'
-import { AttachAddon } from '@xterm/addon-attach'
-import { FitAddon } from '@xterm/addon-fit'
-import { useAuthStore } from '../stores/auth'
-import 'xterm/css/xterm.css'
-
-const props = defineProps<{
-  connectionId: number
-}>()
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { nextTick, ref, onMounted, onUnmounted, watch } from 'vue'
+import { Terminal } from 'xterm'
+import { AttachAddon } from '@xterm/addon-attach'
+import { FitAddon } from '@xterm/addon-fit'
+import { useAuthStore } from '../stores/auth'
+import 'xterm/css/xterm.css'
+
+const props = defineProps<{
+  connectionId: number
+  active?: boolean
+}>()
 
 const containerRef = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
 const status = ref<'connecting' | 'connected' | 'error'>('connecting')
@@ -16,8 +17,23 @@ const errorMessage = ref('')
 
 let term: Terminal | null = null
 let fitAddon: FitAddon | null = null
-let ws: WebSocket | null = null
-let resizeObserver: ResizeObserver | null = null
+let ws: WebSocket | null = null
+let resizeObserver: ResizeObserver | null = null
+
+function fitTerminal() {
+  fitAddon?.fit()
+}
+
+function focusTerminal() {
+  term?.focus()
+}
+
+function refreshTerminalLayout() {
+  nextTick(() => {
+    fitTerminal()
+    focusTerminal()
+  })
+}
 
 function getWsUrl(): string {
   const authStore = useAuthStore()
@@ -71,8 +87,8 @@ onMounted(() => {
 
   fitAddon = new FitAddon()
   term.loadAddon(fitAddon)
-  term.open(containerRef.value)
-  fitAddon.fit()
+  term.open(containerRef.value)
+  fitTerminal()
 
   try {
     ws = new WebSocket(getWsUrl())
@@ -83,11 +99,11 @@ onMounted(() => {
   }
 
   ws.onopen = () => {
-    status.value = 'connected'
-    const attachAddon = new AttachAddon(ws!)
-    term!.loadAddon(attachAddon)
-    fitAddon?.fit()
-  }
+    status.value = 'connected'
+    const attachAddon = new AttachAddon(ws!)
+    term!.loadAddon(attachAddon)
+    refreshTerminalLayout()
+  }
 
   ws.onerror = () => {
     if (status.value === 'connecting') {
@@ -102,11 +118,21 @@ onMounted(() => {
     }
   }
 
-  resizeObserver = new ResizeObserver(() => {
-    fitAddon?.fit()
-  })
-  resizeObserver.observe(containerRef.value)
-})
+  resizeObserver = new ResizeObserver(() => {
+    fitTerminal()
+  })
+  resizeObserver.observe(containerRef.value)
+
+  if (props.active !== false) {
+    refreshTerminalLayout()
+  }
+})
+
+watch(() => props.active, (active) => {
+  if (active) {
+    refreshTerminalLayout()
+  }
+})
 
 onUnmounted(() => {
   cleanup()
diff --git a/frontend/src/layouts/MainLayout.vue b/frontend/src/layouts/MainLayout.vue
index f6f0d6a..a109075 100644
--- a/frontend/src/layouts/MainLayout.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/layouts/MainLayout.vue
@@ -1,19 +1,22 @@
-<script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed } from 'vue'
-import { RouterLink, useRoute, useRouter } from 'vue-router'
-import { useAuthStore } from '../stores/auth'
-import { useConnectionsStore } from '../stores/connections'
-import { useTerminalTabsStore } from '../stores/terminalTabs'
-import { ArrowLeftRight, Server, LogOut, Menu, X, Terminal } from 'lucide-vue-next'
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { ref, computed } from 'vue'
+import { RouterLink, useRoute, useRouter } from 'vue-router'
+import { useAuthStore } from '../stores/auth'
+import { useConnectionsStore } from '../stores/connections'
+import { useTerminalTabsStore } from '../stores/terminalTabs'
+import TerminalWorkspaceView from '../views/TerminalWorkspaceView.vue'
+import { ArrowLeftRight, Server, LogOut, Menu, X, Terminal } from 'lucide-vue-next'
 
 const route = useRoute()
 const router = useRouter()
 const authStore = useAuthStore()
 const connectionsStore = useConnectionsStore()
 const tabsStore = useTerminalTabsStore()
-const sidebarOpen = ref(false)
-
-const terminalTabs = computed(() => tabsStore.tabs)
+const sidebarOpen = ref(false)
+
+const terminalTabs = computed(() => tabsStore.tabs)
+const showTerminalWorkspace = computed(() => route.path === '/terminal')
+const keepTerminalWorkspaceMounted = computed(() => showTerminalWorkspace.value || terminalTabs.value.length > 0)
 
 connectionsStore.fetchConnections().catch(() => {})
 
@@ -119,8 +122,13 @@ function handleTabClose(tabId: string, event: Event) {
       aria-hidden="true"
       @click="sidebarOpen = false"
     />
-    <main class="flex-1 overflow-auto min-w-0">
-      <RouterView />
-    </main>
-  </div>
-</template>
+    <main class="flex-1 overflow-auto min-w-0">
+      <div v-if="keepTerminalWorkspaceMounted" v-show="showTerminalWorkspace" class="h-full">
+        <TerminalWorkspaceView :visible="showTerminalWorkspace" />
+      </div>
+      <RouterView v-slot="{ Component }">
+        <component :is="Component" v-if="!showTerminalWorkspace" />
+      </RouterView>
+    </main>
+  </div>
+</template>
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/TerminalWorkspaceView.vue b/frontend/src/views/TerminalWorkspaceView.vue
index e9a84a3..eacf28a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/TerminalWorkspaceView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/TerminalWorkspaceView.vue
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import { useTerminalTabsStore } from '../stores/terminalTabs'
 import { useConnectionsStore } from '../stores/connections'
 import TerminalWidget from '../components/TerminalWidget.vue'
 
+const props = defineProps<{
+  visible?: boolean
+}>()
+
 const tabsStore = useTerminalTabsStore()
 const connectionsStore = useConnectionsStore()
 
@@ -34,7 +38,10 @@ onMounted(() => {
           v-show="tab.active"
           class="h-full"
         >
-          <TerminalWidget :connection-id="tab.connectionId" />
+          <TerminalWidget
+            :connection-id="tab.connectionId"
+            :active="tab.active && props.visible !== false"
+          />
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>