diff --git a/lib/src/flow_editor_page.dart b/lib/src/flow_editor_page.dart
index d1e1344..354d4e8 100644
--- a/lib/src/flow_editor_page.dart
+++ b/lib/src/flow_editor_page.dart
@@ -357,17 +357,10 @@ outputs:
             strings: _l,
             activeName: _controller.activeName,
             dirty: _controller.isDirty,
-            saving: _controller.isSaving,
-            running: _controller.isRunning,
             onBack: Navigator.of(context).canPop()
                 ? () => Navigator.of(context).maybePop()
                 : null,
-            onSave: _controller.activeName != null ? _save : null,
-            onAddStep: _controller.activeName != null ? _addStep : null,
             onNew: _newFlow,
-            onRun: _controller.activeName != null
-                ? () => _tabs.animateTo(2)
-                : null,
           ),
           const Divider(height: 1),
           Expanded(
@@ -421,6 +414,17 @@ outputs:
             ],
           ),
         ),
+        _TabActionStrip(
+          strings: _l,
+          tabs: _tabs,
+          saving: _controller.isSaving,
+          running: _controller.isRunning,
+          onAddStep: _controller.activeName != null ? _addStep : null,
+          onSave: _controller.activeName != null ? _save : null,
+          onRun: _controller.activeName != null
+              ? () => _tabs.animateTo(2)
+              : null,
+        ),
         Expanded(
           child: TabBarView(
             controller: _tabs,
@@ -688,24 +692,14 @@ class _Toolbar extends StatelessWidget {
   final FlowEditorStrings strings;
   final String? activeName;
   final bool dirty;
-  final bool saving;
-  final bool running;
   final VoidCallback? onBack;
-  final VoidCallback? onSave;
-  final VoidCallback? onAddStep;
   final VoidCallback onNew;
-  final VoidCallback? onRun;
   const _Toolbar({
     required this.strings,
     required this.activeName,
     required this.dirty,
-    required this.saving,
-    required this.running,
     required this.onBack,
-    required this.onSave,
-    required this.onAddStep,
     required this.onNew,
-    required this.onRun,
   });
 
   @override
@@ -776,43 +770,106 @@ class _Toolbar extends StatelessWidget {
             icon: const Icon(Icons.add, size: 16),
             label: Text(strings.newFlow),
           ),
-          const SizedBox(width: FaiSpace.sm),
-          if (onAddStep != null)
-            FilledButton.tonalIcon(
-              onPressed: onAddStep,
-              icon: const Icon(Icons.add_box_outlined, size: 16),
-              label: Text(strings.addStep),
-            ),
-          const SizedBox(width: FaiSpace.sm),
-          FilledButton.tonalIcon(
-            onPressed: saving ? null : onSave,
-            icon: saving
-                ? const SizedBox(
-                    width: 14,
-                    height: 14,
-                    child: CircularProgressIndicator(strokeWidth: 2),
-                  )
-                : const Icon(Icons.save_outlined, size: 16),
-            label: Text(strings.save),
-          ),
-          const SizedBox(width: FaiSpace.sm),
-          FilledButton.icon(
-            onPressed: onRun,
-            icon: running
-                ? const SizedBox(
-                    width: 14,
-                    height: 14,
-                    child: CircularProgressIndicator(strokeWidth: 2),
-                  )
-                : const Icon(Icons.play_arrow, size: 18),
-            label: Text(strings.run),
-          ),
         ],
       ),
     );
   }
 }
 
+// Tab-aware action strip — lives directly under the TabBar so
+// the operator's eye flows from TabBar → context buttons →
+// canvas. Each tab exposes a different set of actions:
+//
+//   Graph: [+ Step]   [Save]   [Run]
+//   Text:           [Save]   [Run]
+//   Run:    (no buttons — Run tab has its own start button)
+//
+// Rebuilds when the TabController index changes via the
+// passed-in animation.
+class _TabActionStrip extends StatelessWidget {
+  final FlowEditorStrings strings;
+  final TabController tabs;
+  final bool saving;
+  final bool running;
+  final VoidCallback? onAddStep;
+  final VoidCallback? onSave;
+  final VoidCallback? onRun;
+  const _TabActionStrip({
+    required this.strings,
+    required this.tabs,
+    required this.saving,
+    required this.running,
+    required this.onAddStep,
+    required this.onSave,
+    required this.onRun,
+  });
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final theme = Theme.of(context);
+    return AnimatedBuilder(
+      animation: tabs.animation ?? tabs,
+      builder: (context, _) {
+        final idx = tabs.index;
+        final showAddStep = idx == 0;
+        final showSaveRun = idx == 0 || idx == 1;
+        return Container(
+          padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(
+            horizontal: FaiSpace.md,
+            vertical: FaiSpace.sm,
+          ),
+          decoration: BoxDecoration(
+            color: theme.colorScheme.surfaceContainerLow,
+            border: Border(
+              bottom: BorderSide(
+                color: theme.colorScheme.outlineVariant.withValues(alpha: 0.4),
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+          child: Row(
+            children: [
+              if (showAddStep) ...[
+                FilledButton.tonalIcon(
+                  onPressed: onAddStep,
+                  icon: const Icon(Icons.add_box_outlined, size: 16),
+                  label: Text(strings.addStep),
+                ),
+                const SizedBox(width: FaiSpace.sm),
+              ],
+              if (showSaveRun) ...[
+                FilledButton.tonalIcon(
+                  onPressed: saving ? null : onSave,
+                  icon: saving
+                      ? const SizedBox(
+                          width: 14,
+                          height: 14,
+                          child: CircularProgressIndicator(strokeWidth: 2),
+                        )
+                      : const Icon(Icons.save_outlined, size: 16),
+                  label: Text(strings.save),
+                ),
+                const SizedBox(width: FaiSpace.sm),
+                FilledButton.icon(
+                  onPressed: onRun,
+                  icon: running
+                      ? const SizedBox(
+                          width: 14,
+                          height: 14,
+                          child: CircularProgressIndicator(strokeWidth: 2),
+                        )
+                      : const Icon(Icons.play_arrow, size: 18),
+                  label: Text(strings.run),
+                ),
+              ],
+              const Spacer(),
+            ],
+          ),
+        );
+      },
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 // --- file list ---
 
 class _FlowFile {
diff --git a/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart b/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart
index c610cdd..454c86e 100644
--- a/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart
+++ b/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart
@@ -429,26 +429,6 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas>
           : BoxDecoration(color: theme.colorScheme.surface),
       child: Stack(
         children: [
-          // Outer-most tap layer — catches clicks on the
-          // dark area OUTSIDE the canvas grid (when the
-          // operator has panned / zoomed so the grid
-          // doesn't fill the viewport). Translucent so
-          // InteractiveViewer below still handles pan +
-          // zoom; the gesture arena gives the tap to
-          // whichever child claims it first, and on
-          // canvas-empty pointers nobody else does.
-          Positioned.fill(
-            child: GestureDetector(
-              behavior: HitTestBehavior.translucent,
-              onTap: () {
-                // Deselect both step + edge so the
-                // properties panel closes when the operator
-                // clicks the empty backdrop.
-                widget.controller.selectStep(null);
-                widget.controller.selectEdge(null);
-              },
-            ),
-          ),
           InteractiveViewer(
             transformationController: _transform,
             constrained: false,
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 5c2792a..b9ef833 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: fai_studio_flow_editor
 description: Swappable inline YAML editor for F∆I Studio flows.
-version: 0.13.0
+version: 0.14.0
 publish_to: 'none'
 repository: https://git.flemming.ai/fai/studio-flow-editor