diff --git a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx
index b38d04c0..1ff869c5 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.test.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@ import { act, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import '@testing-library/jest-dom'
 
+const startDraggingMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve()))
+const getCurrentWindowMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(() => ({
+  startDragging: startDraggingMock,
+})))
+
+vi.mock('@tauri-apps/api/window', () => ({
+  getCurrentWindow: getCurrentWindowMock,
+}))
+
 vi.mock('../../i18n', () => ({
   useTranslation: () => (key: string) => {
     const translations: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -42,6 +51,13 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
       value: ResizeObserverMock,
     })
 
+    Object.defineProperty(window, '__TAURI__', {
+      configurable: true,
+      value: {},
+    })
+
+    startDraggingMock.mockClear()
+    getCurrentWindowMock.mockClear()
     vi.resetModules()
   })
 
@@ -53,6 +69,8 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
     useChatStore.setState({
       sessions: {},
     } as Partial<ReturnType<typeof useChatStore.getState>>)
+
+    delete (window as typeof window & { __TAURI__?: unknown }).__TAURI__
   })
 
   it('keeps the overflow button flush against window controls on Windows', async () => {
@@ -133,4 +151,67 @@ describe('TabBar', () => {
 
     expect(screen.getByTestId('tab-bar')).toHaveAttribute('data-tauri-drag-region')
   })
+
+  it('starts dragging when clicking the empty tab-bar gutter', async () => {
+    const { TabBar } = await import('./TabBar')
+    const { useTabStore } = await import('../../stores/tabStore')
+    const { useChatStore } = await import('../../stores/chatStore')
+
+    useTabStore.setState({
+      tabs: [
+        { sessionId: 'tab-1', title: 'Untitled Session', type: 'session', status: 'idle' },
+      ],
+      activeTabId: 'tab-1',
+    })
+    useChatStore.setState({
+      sessions: {},
+      disconnectSession: vi.fn(),
+    } as Partial<ReturnType<typeof useChatStore.getState>>)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      render(<TabBar />)
+    })
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(getCurrentWindowMock).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    const scrollRegion = screen.getByTestId('tab-bar').querySelector('.overflow-x-hidden')
+    expect(scrollRegion).toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    fireEvent.mouseDown(scrollRegion!)
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(startDraggingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('does not start dragging when clicking a tab', async () => {
+    const { TabBar } = await import('./TabBar')
+    const { useTabStore } = await import('../../stores/tabStore')
+    const { useChatStore } = await import('../../stores/chatStore')
+
+    useTabStore.setState({
+      tabs: [
+        { sessionId: 'tab-1', title: 'Untitled Session', type: 'session', status: 'idle' },
+      ],
+      activeTabId: 'tab-1',
+    })
+    useChatStore.setState({
+      sessions: {},
+      disconnectSession: vi.fn(),
+    } as Partial<ReturnType<typeof useChatStore.getState>>)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      render(<TabBar />)
+    })
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(getCurrentWindowMock).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByText('Untitled Session'))
+
+    expect(startDraggingMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx
index 54fb2b68..b4089000 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/layout/TabBar.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { useTranslation } from '../../i18n'
 import { WindowControls, showWindowControls } from './WindowControls'
 
 const TAB_WIDTH = 180
+const isTauri = typeof window !== 'undefined' && ('__TAURI_INTERNALS__' in window || '__TAURI__' in window)
 
 export function TabBar() {
   const tabs = useTabStore((s) => s.tabs)
@@ -21,8 +22,19 @@ export function TabBar() {
   const [closingTabId, setClosingTabId] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [dragOverIndex, setDragOverIndex] = useState<number | null>(null)
   const dragIndexRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
+  const startDraggingRef = useRef<(() => Promise<void>) | null>(null)
   const t = useTranslation()
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isTauri) return
+    import(/* @vite-ignore */ '@tauri-apps/api/window')
+      .then(({ getCurrentWindow }) => {
+        const win = getCurrentWindow()
+        startDraggingRef.current = () => win.startDragging()
+      })
+      .catch(() => {})
+  }, [])
+
   const updateScrollState = useCallback(() => {
     const el = scrollRef.current
     if (!el) return
@@ -145,6 +157,13 @@ export function TabBar() {
     setDragOverIndex(null)
   }
 
+  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(() => {})
+  }, [])
+
   if (tabs.length === 0 && !showWindowControls) return null
 
   return (
@@ -160,7 +179,12 @@ export function TabBar() {
         </button>
       )}
 
-      <div ref={scrollRef} className="flex-1 flex items-stretch overflow-x-hidden" onDragOver={(e) => e.preventDefault()}>
+      <div
+        ref={scrollRef}
+        className="flex-1 flex items-stretch overflow-x-hidden"
+        onDragOver={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+        onMouseDown={handleScrollRegionMouseDown}
+      >
         {tabs.map((tab, index) => (
           <TabItem
             key={tab.sessionId}