diff --git a/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/shared_chat_bubble_state.dart b/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/shared_chat_bubble_state.dart
index 825c3ed4..6d18c655 100644
--- a/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/shared_chat_bubble_state.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/shared_chat_bubble_state.dart
@@ -14,8 +14,11 @@ class SharedChatBubbleState {
   /// Channel ids whose messages are filtered out of the feed entirely.
   final hiddenChannelIds = ObservableSet<String>();
 
-  /// Adds/removes [channelId] from the spotlight set.
+  /// Adds/removes [channelId] from the spotlight set. No-ops for a hidden
+  /// channel — its messages are filtered out, so spotlighting it would fade
+  /// every other channel to showcase nothing.
   void toggleFocus(String channelId) {
+    if (hiddenChannelIds.contains(channelId)) return;
     if (!focusedChannelIds.remove(channelId)) {
       focusedChannelIds.add(channelId);
     }
diff --git a/test/screens/channel/chat/shared_chat_bubble_state_test.dart b/test/screens/channel/chat/shared_chat_bubble_state_test.dart
index 7c12a727..65a2b927 100644
--- a/test/screens/channel/chat/shared_chat_bubble_state_test.dart
+++ b/test/screens/channel/chat/shared_chat_bubble_state_test.dart
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ void main() {
     expect(state.isFocused('1'), isFalse);
   });
 
+  test('toggleFocus is a no-op for a hidden channel', () {
+    state.hide('1');
+    state.toggleFocus('1');
+    expect(state.isFocused('1'), isFalse);
+  });
+
   test('show lifts a hide', () {
     state.hide('1');
     state.show('1');