diff --git a/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/ChannelsScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/ChannelsScreen.kt
index 57d4fa3..4207968 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/ChannelsScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/net/jeena/jtubetv/ui/screens/ChannelsScreen.kt
@@ -358,6 +358,14 @@ fun ChannelsScreen(
             // as stats stream in the rows re-sort, and re-focusing their first card
             // would steal focus mid-navigation (user: "up jumps to the first row").
             val focusHandedOut = remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
+            // The channel we came back from only wins the focus while it is still
+            // in the rows. When it isn't (renamed, unsubscribed, or the rows simply
+            // never carried it) every row used to ask for no focus at all — "when I
+            // click on Channels, none is selected" (#32 review). Fall back to the
+            // first row in that case, like the video cards do.
+            val focusRowExists = focusHandle != null && viewModel.userRows.any {
+                group -> group.channels.any { it.name + "@" + it.host == focusHandle }
+            }
             LazyColumn(Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
                 viewModel.userRows.forEach { group ->
                     item(key = "hdr-" + group.ownerName) {
@@ -379,7 +387,7 @@ fun ChannelsScreen(
                             onOpenDrawer,
                             drawerPulse = drawerPulse,
                             focused = !focusHandedOut.value && (
-                                if (focusHandle != null) isTargetRow
+                                if (focusRowExists) isTargetRow
                                 else group == viewModel.userRows.firstOrNull()
                             ),
                             focusIndex = if (isTargetRow) target else 0,
@@ -479,6 +487,11 @@ private fun ChannelRow(
                         return@LaunchedEffect
                     }
                 }
+                // The wanted card never became focusable (its row scrolled past it,
+                // or the handle went stale): take the first card instead, so the
+                // screen is never left with nothing selected (#32 review).
+                val first = focusRequesters[0]
+                if (first != null && runCatching { first.requestFocus() }.isSuccess) onFocused()
             }
         }
     }