diff --git a/frontend/.gitignore b/frontend/.gitignore
index 06c369c..0684cd7 100644
--- a/frontend/.gitignore
+++ b/frontend/.gitignore
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 /out
 /build
 next-env.d.ts
+*.tsbuildinfo
 .env*.local
diff --git a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx
index d5ce191..ed203fd 100644
--- a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 "use client";
 
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { useParams, useRouter } from "next/navigation";
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import { useParams, useRouter, useSearchParams } from "next/navigation";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
 import { api } from "@/lib/api/client";
 import type { components } from "@/lib/api/schema";
@@ -26,7 +26,11 @@ type AddKind = "parent" | "child" | "partner";
 export default function FamilyViewPage() {
   const router = useRouter();
   const params = useParams<{ id: string }>();
+  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
   const treeId = params.id;
+  // ?focus=… lets another view (or a person page) hand us who to center on.
+  // Read once at mount so the focus→URL sync below doesn't trigger a refetch.
+  const initialFocus = useRef<string | null>(searchParams.get("focus"));
 
   const [people, setPeople] = useState<Person[]>([]);
   const [rels, setRels] = useState<Relationship[]>([]);
@@ -58,10 +62,13 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
     const ppl = p.data ?? [];
     const home = t.data?.home_person_id ?? null;
     const homeId = home && ppl.some((x) => x.id === home) ? home : null;
+    const fromUrl = initialFocus.current && ppl.some((x) => x.id === initialFocus.current)
+      ? initialFocus.current
+      : null;
     setPeople(ppl);
     setRels(r.data ?? []);
     setEvents(e.data ?? []);
-    setFocusId((cur) => cur ?? homeId ?? ppl[0]?.id ?? null);
+    setFocusId((cur) => cur ?? fromUrl ?? homeId ?? ppl[0]?.id ?? null);
     setReady(true);
   }, [router, treeId]);
 
@@ -69,6 +76,16 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
     load();
   }, [load]);
 
+  // Keep the focused person in the URL (?focus=…) so leaving and returning —
+  // e.g. opening a person then coming back — lands on the same person rather
+  // than resetting to the home person. `replace` keeps history clean.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!focusId || searchParams.get("focus") === focusId) return;
+    const sp = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());
+    sp.set("focus", focusId);
+    router.replace(`/trees/${treeId}?${sp.toString()}`, { scroll: false });
+  }, [focusId, searchParams, router, treeId]);
+
   // Debounced server-side fuzzy search (pg_trgm) across the whole tree.
   useEffect(() => {
     const q = search.trim();
@@ -363,7 +380,7 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
             + Add person
           </Button>
           <Link
-            href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${focus.id}`}
+            href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${focus.id}?from=people`}
             className="text-sm text-bronze hover:underline"
           >
             Open {focus.primary_name ?? "person"} →
@@ -432,7 +449,7 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
                 <div key={p.id} className="flex items-center gap-1">
                   <PersonBox id={p.id} muted />
                   <Link
-                    href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${p.id}`}
+                    href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${p.id}?from=people`}
                     className="text-xs text-bronze hover:underline"
                   >
                     open
diff --git a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/persons/[personId]/page.tsx b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/persons/[personId]/page.tsx
index 5e298c3..2278492 100644
--- a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/persons/[personId]/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/persons/[personId]/page.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { useParams, useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { useParams, useRouter, useSearchParams } from "next/navigation";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
 import { api } from "@/lib/api/client";
@@ -104,8 +104,19 @@ function parseDateValue(v: string | null | undefined) {
 export default function PersonDetailPage() {
   const router = useRouter();
   const params = useParams<{ id: string; personId: string }>();
+  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
   const treeId = params.id;
   const personId = params.personId;
+  // Where we were opened from, so "back" returns there (centered on this
+  // person) instead of always dumping onto the People view's home person.
+  const from = searchParams.get("from") === "people" ? "people" : "tree";
+  const backHref =
+    from === "people"
+      ? `/trees/${treeId}?focus=${personId}`
+      : `/trees/${treeId}/tree?focus=${personId}`;
+  const backLabel = from === "people" ? "← Back to People" : "← Back to Tree";
+  // Carry the origin through person→person links so the chain keeps its anchor.
+  const personHref = (id: string) => `/trees/${treeId}/persons/${id}?from=${from}`;
 
   const [person, setPerson] = useState<Person | null>(null);
   const [people, setPeople] = useState<Person[]>([]);
@@ -385,7 +396,7 @@ export default function PersonDetailPage() {
     });
     if (!data) return;
     await linkRelative(data.id);
-    router.push(`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${data.id}`);
+    router.push(personHref(data.id));
   }
   async function removeRel(id: string) {
     await api.DELETE("/api/v1/trees/{tree_id}/relationships/{relationship_id}", {
@@ -624,7 +635,7 @@ export default function PersonDetailPage() {
         <ul className="mt-1 space-y-1">
           {items.map((r) => (
             <li key={r.id} className="flex items-center justify-between text-sm">
-              <Link href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${otherId(r)}`} className="hover:underline">
+              <Link href={personHref(otherId(r))} className="hover:underline">
                 {nameOf(otherId(r))}
                 {r.qualifier ? <span className="text-[var(--muted)]"> · {r.qualifier}</span> : null}
               </Link>
@@ -643,9 +654,17 @@ export default function PersonDetailPage() {
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-6">
-      <Link href={`/trees/${treeId}`} className="text-sm text-[var(--muted)] hover:underline">
-        ← Back to tree
-      </Link>
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
+        <Link href={backHref} className="text-sm text-[var(--muted)] hover:underline">
+          {backLabel}
+        </Link>
+        <Link
+          href={`/trees/${treeId}/tree?focus=${personId}`}
+          className="text-sm text-bronze hover:underline"
+        >
+          View in tree →
+        </Link>
+      </div>
 
       {editingPerson ? (
         <form
diff --git a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/tree/page.tsx b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/tree/page.tsx
index 73dbbc1..ce33b7c 100644
--- a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/tree/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/tree/page.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import "./chart.css";
 
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { useParams, useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { useParams, useRouter, useSearchParams } from "next/navigation";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
 import { api } from "@/lib/api/client";
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ function splitName(name: string | null | undefined): [string, string] {
 export default function TreePage() {
   const router = useRouter();
   const params = useParams<{ id: string }>();
+  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
   const treeId = params.id;
+  // The focused person can arrive in the URL (?focus=…) — e.g. coming back from
+  // a person page. Captured once at mount so syncing focus→URL doesn't refetch.
+  const initialFocus = useRef<string | null>(searchParams.get("focus"));
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
   const chartRef = useRef<any>(null);
@@ -63,8 +67,12 @@ export default function TreePage() {
       setPeople(ppl);
       setRels(r.data ?? []);
       setEvents(e.data ?? []);
-      // Open on the tree's default/home person when set, else the first person.
-      setFocusId((cur) => cur ?? homeId ?? ppl[0]?.id ?? null);
+      // Honor an explicit ?focus first (came from a person page / a shared
+      // link), then the tree's default/home person, then the first person.
+      const fromUrl = initialFocus.current && ppl.some((x) => x.id === initialFocus.current)
+        ? initialFocus.current
+        : null;
+      setFocusId((cur) => cur ?? fromUrl ?? homeId ?? ppl[0]?.id ?? null);
       setStatus(ppl.length ? "ready" : "empty");
     })().catch(() => !cancelled && setStatus("error"));
     return () => {
@@ -221,6 +229,16 @@ export default function TreePage() {
     [mode],
   );
 
+  // Mirror the focused person into the URL (?focus=…) so navigating away and
+  // back — or sharing the link — keeps the tree centered where you left it.
+  // `replace` (not push) so each recenter doesn't pile up in browser history.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!focusId || searchParams.get("focus") === focusId) return;
+    const sp = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());
+    sp.set("focus", focusId);
+    router.replace(`/trees/${treeId}/tree?${sp.toString()}`, { scroll: false });
+  }, [focusId, searchParams, router, treeId]);
+
   const matches = useMemo(() => {
     const q = query.trim().toLowerCase();
     if (!q) return [];
@@ -279,7 +297,7 @@ export default function TreePage() {
           </div>
           {focusId && (
             <Link
-              href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${focusId}`}
+              href={`/trees/${treeId}/persons/${focusId}?from=tree`}
               className="text-sm text-bronze hover:underline"
             >
               Open {nameOf(focusId)} →