diff --git a/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/nativeinput/NativeInputPlugin.kt b/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/nativeinput/NativeInputPlugin.kt
index 0e2592e678cb..e3cfc71f20c0 100644
--- a/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/nativeinput/NativeInputPlugin.kt
+++ b/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/nativeinput/NativeInputPlugin.kt
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ interface NativeInputHost {
     fun showModelPicker(showing: Boolean)
     fun showReasoningPicker(showing: Boolean)
 
+    /** Return focus and the keyboard to the input field after a plugin handed control to another screen. */
+    fun restoreInputFocus()
+
     fun attachmentChanged(hasAttachments: Boolean, limitExceeded: Boolean, supportsUpload: Boolean)
 
     /**
diff --git a/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/AttachmentView.kt b/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/AttachmentView.kt
index 8872fbddac47..183a9f65195f 100644
--- a/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/AttachmentView.kt
+++ b/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/AttachmentView.kt
@@ -409,11 +409,13 @@ class AttachmentView(
     private fun buildImagePickerCallback(source: AttachmentViewModel.ImageSource): ValueCallback<Array<Uri>> = ValueCallback { uris ->
         val list = uris?.toList()
         if (!list.isNullOrEmpty()) viewModel?.onImagesPicked(list, source)
+        host?.restoreInputFocus()
     }
 
     private fun buildFilePickerCallback(): ValueCallback<Array<Uri>> = ValueCallback { uris ->
         val list = uris?.toList()
         if (!list.isNullOrEmpty()) viewModel?.onFilesPicked(list)
+        host?.restoreInputFocus()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/NativeInputModeWidget.kt b/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/NativeInputModeWidget.kt
index 354cb557042b..6c0c35ac38d7 100644
--- a/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/NativeInputModeWidget.kt
+++ b/duckchat/duckchat-impl/src/main/java/com/duckduckgo/duckchat/impl/ui/nativeinput/views/NativeInputModeWidget.kt
@@ -2044,6 +2044,15 @@ class NativeInputModeWidget @JvmOverloads constructor(
         onAttachmentChooserStateChanged?.invoke(showing)
     }
 
+    override fun restoreInputFocus() {
+        // Picker results are delivered in onActivityResult, before the host activity resumes, and the IME
+        // ignores a show request until then. Posting runs this once that transaction completes.
+        post {
+            requestInputFocus()
+            showKeyboard()
+        }
+    }
+
     override fun attachmentChanged(
         hasAttachments: Boolean,
         limitExceeded: Boolean,