diff --git a/ui/e2e/file-upload.spec.ts b/ui/e2e/file-upload.spec.ts
index 2f72f578a811b4287ba2c3b64dbc14b868a8a8da..4464a35e6a3e7178a66f8e09af7228a01dec4b97 100644
--- a/ui/e2e/file-upload.spec.ts
+++ b/ui/e2e/file-upload.spec.ts
@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ test.describe('File Upload via Paste and Drag', () => {
     // Both are acceptable as we're testing the UI flow
     expect(inputValue).toBeTruthy();
   });
-});
 
   test('focus is retained in input after pasting image', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
@@ -246,3 +245,4 @@ test.describe('File Upload via Paste and Drag', () => {
     const inputValue = await messageInput.inputValue();
     expect(inputValue).toContain('Testing paste focus:');
   });
+});
diff --git a/ui/src/components/MessageInput.tsx b/ui/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
index 0fbb97b918fa72461f680d83086b16069973fa59..a414beccd5be8dbf0ddd33586b061a9ae6f272ae 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/MessageInput.tsx
@@ -237,12 +237,6 @@ function MessageInput({
             event.preventDefault();
             // Fire and forget - uploadFile handles state updates internally.
             uploadFile(file);
-            // Restore focus after React updates. We use setTimeout(0) to ensure
-            // the focus happens after React's state update commits to the DOM.
-            // The timeout must be longer than 0 to reliably work across browsers.
-            setTimeout(() => {
-              textareaRef.current?.focus();
-            }, 10);
             return;
           }
         }
@@ -411,8 +405,8 @@ function MessageInput({
     };
   }, []);
 
-  const isDisabled = disabled || uploadsInProgress > 0;
-  const canSubmit = message.trim() && !isDisabled && !submitting;
+  const isDisabled = disabled;
+  const canSubmit = message.trim() && !isDisabled && !submitting && uploadsInProgress === 0;
 
   const isDraggingOver = dragCounter > 0;
   // Check if user is typing a shell command (starts with !)