diff --git a/webui/src/components/PageExitGuard/index.jsx b/webui/src/components/PageExitGuard/index.jsx
index f9450d54..957db4de 100644
--- a/webui/src/components/PageExitGuard/index.jsx
+++ b/webui/src/components/PageExitGuard/index.jsx
@@ -24,8 +24,34 @@ export default function PageExitGuard() {
       event.preventDefault();
       event.returnValue = true;
     }
+    function blockNavigation(event) {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+      setWarning({ blocked: true, visible: true });
+    }
+    function handleLinkClick(event) {
+      if (event.button !== 0 || event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey || event.shiftKey || event.altKey) return;
+      const link = event.target instanceof Element ? event.target.closest('a[href]') : null;
+      if (!link || link.hasAttribute('download')) return;
+      const target = (link.getAttribute('target') || document.querySelector('base[target]')?.getAttribute('target') || '_self').toLowerCase();
+      if (target !== '_self') return;
+      const destination = new URL(link.href, window.location.href);
+      if (destination.protocol !== 'http:' && destination.protocol !== 'https:') return;
+      // Hash links stay in this document and do not abandon the rover.
+      if (destination.origin === window.location.origin
+        && destination.pathname === window.location.pathname
+        && destination.search === window.location.search
+        && link.getAttribute('href').includes('#')) return;
+      blockNavigation(event);
+    }
     window.addEventListener('beforeunload', handleBeforeUnload);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener('beforeunload', handleBeforeUnload);
+    document.addEventListener('click', handleLinkClick, true);
+    window.addEventListener('page:navigate', blockNavigation);
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener('beforeunload', handleBeforeUnload);
+      document.removeEventListener('click', handleLinkClick, true);
+      window.removeEventListener('page:navigate', blockNavigation);
+    };
   }, [shouldBlock]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -46,18 +72,21 @@ export default function PageExitGuard() {
       role="dialog"
       aria-modal="true"
       aria-labelledby="page-exit-warning"
-      className="fixed inset-0 z-[2147483647] flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-10 bg-neutral-950 p-6 text-center text-white"
+      className="fixed inset-0 z-[2147483647] flex flex-col items-center justify-between gap-4 bg-black p-6 text-center text-white"
       onKeyDown={(event) => {
         event.stopPropagation();
         if (event.key === 'Escape') dismiss();
       }}
     >
       <p id="page-exit-warning" className="text-[clamp(3rem,10vw,10rem)] font-bold leading-tight">
-        Please dock your rover
+        Please dock your rover!
       </p>
       <button type="button" autoFocus className="button-dark px-8 py-4 text-3xl" onClick={dismiss}>
         Okay
       </button>
+      <p aria-hidden="true" className="text-[clamp(3rem,10vw,10rem)] font-bold leading-tight">
+        Please dock your rover!
+      </p>
     </div>,
     document.body,
   );
diff --git a/webui/src/components/PtzCamera/index.jsx b/webui/src/components/PtzCamera/index.jsx
index f0dc0435..35fe6f3b 100644
--- a/webui/src/components/PtzCamera/index.jsx
+++ b/webui/src/components/PtzCamera/index.jsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export default function PtzQueueCard() {
   const featureEnabled = useSessionSelector((state) => isFeatureEnabled(state, 'ptzCamera'));
   const ptz = useSessionSelector((state) => state.session?.ptzCamera || null);
   const selfId = useSessionSelector((state) => state.session?.socketId || null);
+  const canLeaveRover = useSessionSelector((state) => state.session?.canLeaveRover !== false);
   const { setOperatingMode } = useSessionActions();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const now = useSharedClock(1000, Boolean(ptz?.turn?.deadline));
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ export default function PtzQueueCard() {
   if (!featureEnabled) return null;
 
   const handleRequest = async () => {
-    if (!canUse || pending) return;
+    if (!canUse || !canLeaveRover || pending) return;
     if (isParticipant) {
       navigate('/ptz');
       return;
@@ -76,14 +77,14 @@ export default function PtzQueueCard() {
             }}
             turn={ptz?.turn}
             selfId={selfId}
-            canClick={canUse && !pending}
+            canClick={canUse && canLeaveRover && !pending}
             pending={pending}
             buttonLabel={actionLabel}
             batteryLabel={ptz?.turn?.ownsControl ? 'LIVE' : ptz?.turn?.turnsAhead ? `#${ptz.turn.turnsAhead}` : '--'}
             batteryClassName={ptz?.turn?.ownsControl ? 'text-emerald-300' : ptz?.turn?.turnsAhead ? 'text-sky-300' : 'text-slate-400'}
             timerLabel={timerLabel}
             onRequest={handleRequest}
-            showAction={canUse}
+            showAction={canUse && canLeaveRover}
           />
         </ul>
         {isParticipant ? (
diff --git a/webui/src/components/RoverQueuesPanel/index.jsx b/webui/src/components/RoverQueuesPanel/index.jsx
index bfb9f632..69d5afd1 100644
--- a/webui/src/components/RoverQueuesPanel/index.jsx
+++ b/webui/src/components/RoverQueuesPanel/index.jsx
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export default function RoverQueuesPanel({
   fillHeight = false,
 }) {
   const role = useSessionSelector((state) => state.session?.role || null);
+  const canLeaveRover = useSessionSelector((state) => state.session?.canLeaveRover !== false);
   const localRoster = useSessionSelector((state) => state.session?.roster ?? []);
   const interInstanceEnabled = useSessionSelector((state) => isFeatureEnabled(state, 'interInstance'));
   const { value: pageSettings } = useSettingsNamespace('page', { interInstanceTransferSettings: true });
@@ -122,8 +123,8 @@ export default function RoverQueuesPanel({
   const roster = Array.isArray(rosterOverride) ? rosterOverride : localRoster;
 
   const canRequest = useMemo(
-    () => (externalMode ? !externalBlocked : role && role !== 'spectator'),
-    [externalBlocked, externalMode, role],
+    () => canLeaveRover && (externalMode ? !externalBlocked : role && role !== 'spectator'),
+    [canLeaveRover, externalBlocked, externalMode, role],
   );
   const adminCapable = useMemo(
     () => role === 'admin' || role === 'lockdown',
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ export default function RoverQueuesPanel({
 
   async function handleRequest(targetRoverId) {
     if (!targetRoverId) return;
-    if (externalBlocked) return;
+    if (!canRequest) return;
     if (externalMode) {
       /*
         External queue cards deliberately reuse the local row layout, but their
diff --git a/webui/src/lib/interInstanceTransfer.js b/webui/src/lib/interInstanceTransfer.js
index 08973826..1f645dbe 100644
--- a/webui/src/lib/interInstanceTransfer.js
+++ b/webui/src/lib/interInstanceTransfer.js
@@ -40,5 +40,8 @@ export function buildExternalRoverUrl(instance, roverId, { includeSettings = fal
 export function openExternalRover(instance, roverId, { includeSettings = true } = {}) {
   const targetUrl = buildExternalRoverUrl(instance, roverId, { includeSettings });
   if (!targetUrl) return;
+  // These queue actions are buttons, so let the page guard veto navigation
+  // before beforeunload would pause painting behind the native browser dialog.
+  if (!window.dispatchEvent(new Event('page:navigate', { cancelable: true }))) return;
   window.location.href = targetUrl;
 }