diff --git a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx
index 1b8ad014..9ce9babe 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx
@@ -307,8 +307,10 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
       render(<TabBar />)
     })
 
-    expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar')).not.toHaveAttribute('data-desktop-drag-region')
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar')).toHaveAttribute('data-desktop-drag-region')
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar-scroll-region')).toHaveAttribute('data-desktop-drag-region')
     expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar-drag-gutter')).toHaveAttribute('data-desktop-drag-region')
+    expect(screen.getByText('Untitled Session').closest('.tab-bar-interactive')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
   it('keeps the desktop tab strip at a roomier titlebar height', async () => {
@@ -332,7 +334,7 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
     })
 
     const tabBar = screen.getByTestId('tab-bar')
-    const tab = screen.getByText('Untitled Session').closest('.tab-bar-hit-area')
+    const tab = screen.getByText('Untitled Session').closest('.tab-bar-interactive')
 
     expect(tabBar).toHaveClass('min-h-11')
     expect(tab).toHaveClass('min-h-11')
@@ -506,7 +508,7 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByTestId('open-project-menu')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('starts dragging when clicking the empty tab-bar gutter', async () => {
+  it('marks the empty tab-bar gutter as a native drag region without runtime dragging', async () => {
     const { TabBar } = await import('./TabBar')
     const { useTabStore } = await import('../../stores/tabStore')
     const { useChatStore } = await import('../../stores/chatStore')
@@ -526,14 +528,13 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
       render(<TabBar />)
     })
 
-    const scrollRegion = screen.getByTestId('tab-bar').querySelector('.overflow-x-hidden')
+    const scrollRegion = screen.getByTestId('tab-bar-scroll-region')
     expect(scrollRegion).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(scrollRegion).toHaveAttribute('data-desktop-drag-region')
 
-    fireEvent.mouseDown(scrollRegion!)
+    fireEvent.mouseDown(scrollRegion)
 
-    await waitFor(() => {
-      expect(startDraggingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
-    })
+    expect(startDraggingMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
   it('does not start dragging when clicking a tab', async () => {
@@ -582,10 +583,10 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
       render(<TabBar />)
     })
 
-    expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar').querySelector('.tab-bar-hit-area')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar').querySelector('.tab-bar-interactive')).toBeInTheDocument()
 
-    const firstTab = screen.getByText('First Session').closest('.tab-bar-hit-area')
-    const secondTab = screen.getByText('Second Session').closest('.tab-bar-hit-area')
+    const firstTab = screen.getByText('First Session').closest('.tab-bar-interactive')
+    const secondTab = screen.getByText('Second Session').closest('.tab-bar-interactive')
 
     expect(firstTab).toBeTruthy()
     expect(secondTab).toBeTruthy()
@@ -630,7 +631,7 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
       render(<TabBar />)
     })
 
-    const firstTab = screen.getByText('First Session').closest('.tab-bar-hit-area')
+    const firstTab = screen.getByText('First Session').closest('.tab-bar-interactive')
     expect(firstTab).toBeTruthy()
 
     fireEvent.mouseDown(firstTab!, { button: 0, clientX: 20, clientY: 10 })
@@ -664,7 +665,7 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
       render(<TabBar />)
     })
 
-    const firstTab = screen.getByText('First Session').closest('.tab-bar-hit-area')
+    const firstTab = screen.getByText('First Session').closest('.tab-bar-interactive')
     const closeButton = screen.getByLabelText('Close First Session')
 
     expect(firstTab).toHaveClass('group')
diff --git a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx
index 90f13ef4..5b2e087e 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ const TAB_WIDTH = 180
 const DRAG_START_THRESHOLD = 4
 const desktopHost = getDesktopHost()
 const isDesktopRuntime = desktopHost.isDesktop
-const canStartWindowDragging = desktopHost.capabilities.windowControls
 
 type PendingCloseRequest = {
   tabs: Tab[]
@@ -92,7 +91,6 @@ export function TabBar() {
   const pendingDragRef = useRef<{ index: number; startX: number; startY: number } | null>(null)
   const suppressClickRef = useRef(false)
   const tabRefs = useRef(new Map<string, HTMLDivElement | null>())
-  const startDraggingRef = useRef<(() => Promise<void>) | null>(null)
   const t = useTranslation()
   const runningSessionIds = useMemo(() => {
     const ids = new Set<string>()
@@ -105,11 +103,6 @@ export function TabBar() {
     return ids
   }, [activeChatSessionIds, tabs])
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!canStartWindowDragging) return
-    startDraggingRef.current = () => getDesktopHost().window.startDragging()
-  }, [])
-
   const updateScrollState = useCallback(() => {
     const el = scrollRef.current
     if (!el) return
@@ -326,16 +319,10 @@ export function TabBar() {
     setActiveTab(sessionId)
   }
 
-  const handleScrollRegionMouseDown = useCallback((event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
-    if (event.button !== 0 || event.target !== scrollRef.current) return
-    const startDragging = startDraggingRef.current
-    if (!startDragging) return
-    void startDragging().catch(() => {})
-  }, [])
-
   return (
     <div
       data-testid="tab-bar"
+      data-desktop-drag-region={isDesktopRuntime ? true : undefined}
       className="flex min-h-11 items-stretch bg-[var(--color-surface-container)] select-none border-b border-[var(--color-border)]"
     >
 
@@ -347,9 +334,10 @@ export function TabBar() {
 
       <div
         ref={scrollRef}
-        className="tab-bar-hit-area flex-1 flex items-stretch overflow-x-hidden"
+        data-testid="tab-bar-scroll-region"
+        data-desktop-drag-region={isDesktopRuntime ? true : undefined}
+        className="flex-1 flex items-stretch overflow-x-hidden"
         onDragOver={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
-        onMouseDown={handleScrollRegionMouseDown}
       >
         {tabs.map((tab, index) => (
           <TabItem
@@ -522,7 +510,7 @@ const TabItem = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, {
       onMouseDown={onMouseDown}
       onContextMenu={onContextMenu}
       className={`
-        tab-bar-hit-area group relative flex min-h-11 flex-shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 px-3
+        tab-bar-interactive group relative flex min-h-11 flex-shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 px-3
         ${isDragging ? 'z-20 cursor-grabbing' : 'cursor-grab'}
         transition-[background-color,box-shadow,opacity,transform] duration-150 ease-out
         ${isActive
diff --git a/desktop/src/theme/globals.css b/desktop/src/theme/globals.css
index d8877974..18b14f9d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/theme/globals.css
+++ b/desktop/src/theme/globals.css
@@ -960,16 +960,20 @@ html, body, #root {
 
 /* Desktop drag region */
 [data-desktop-drag-region] {
+  app-region: drag;
   -webkit-app-region: drag;
 }
 button, input, textarea, select, a, [role="button"] {
+  app-region: no-drag;
   -webkit-app-region: no-drag;
 }
 [draggable="true"] {
+  app-region: no-drag;
   -webkit-app-region: no-drag;
 }
-.tab-bar-hit-area,
-.tab-bar-hit-area * {
+.tab-bar-interactive,
+.tab-bar-interactive * {
+  app-region: no-drag;
   -webkit-app-region: no-drag;
 }