diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/navigation-api-2.test.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/navigation-api-2.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d7730a9ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/navigation-api-2.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,305 @@
+import type { DockviewApi, GridviewApi, IDockviewPanel, IGridviewPanel } from 'dockview';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import type { GenerateTabLayout } from './navigation-api-2';
+import { AppNavigationApi } from './navigation-api-2';
+
+// Mock the logger
+vi.mock('app/logging/logger', () => ({
+  logger: () => ({
+    info: vi.fn(),
+    error: vi.fn(),
+    warn: vi.fn(),
+    debug: vi.fn(),
+  }),
+}));
+
+// Mock panel with setActive method
+const createMockPanel = () =>
+  ({
+    api: {
+      setActive: vi.fn(),
+    },
+    // Add other required properties as needed
+  }) as unknown as IGridviewPanel;
+
+const createMockDockPanel = () =>
+  ({
+    api: {
+      setActive: vi.fn(),
+    },
+    // Add other required properties as needed
+  }) as unknown as IDockviewPanel;
+
+// Create a mock layout for testing
+const createMockGenerateLayout = (): GenerateTabLayout => ({
+  gridviewApi: {} as Readonly<GridviewApi>,
+  panels: {
+    left: {
+      panelApi: {} as Readonly<IGridviewPanel>,
+      gridviewApi: {} as Readonly<GridviewApi>,
+      panels: {
+        settings: createMockPanel(),
+      },
+    },
+    main: {
+      panelApi: {} as Readonly<IGridviewPanel>,
+      dockviewApi: {} as Readonly<DockviewApi>,
+      panels: {
+        launchpad: createMockDockPanel(),
+        viewer: createMockDockPanel(),
+      },
+    },
+    right: {
+      panelApi: {} as Readonly<IGridviewPanel>,
+      gridviewApi: {} as Readonly<GridviewApi>,
+      panels: {
+        boards: createMockPanel(),
+        gallery: createMockPanel(),
+      },
+    },
+  },
+});
+
+describe('AppNavigationApi', () => {
+  let navigationApi: AppNavigationApi;
+  let mockSetAppTab: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+  let mockGetAppTab: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    navigationApi = new AppNavigationApi();
+    mockSetAppTab = vi.fn();
+    mockGetAppTab = vi.fn();
+  });
+
+  describe('Basic Connection', () => {
+    it('should connect to app', () => {
+      navigationApi.connectToApp({ setAppTab: mockSetAppTab, getAppTab: mockGetAppTab });
+
+      expect(navigationApi.setAppTab).toBe(mockSetAppTab);
+      expect(navigationApi.getAppTab).toBe(mockGetAppTab);
+    });
+
+    it('should disconnect from app', () => {
+      navigationApi.connectToApp({ setAppTab: mockSetAppTab, getAppTab: mockGetAppTab });
+      navigationApi.disconnectFromApp();
+
+      expect(navigationApi.setAppTab).toBeNull();
+      expect(navigationApi.getAppTab).toBeNull();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Tab Registration', () => {
+    it('should register and unregister tabs', () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      const unregister = navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+
+      expect(typeof unregister).toBe('function');
+
+      // Check that tab is registered using type assertion to access private property
+      expect(navigationApi.appTabApi.generate).toBe(mockLayout);
+
+      // Unregister
+      unregister();
+      expect(navigationApi.appTabApi.generate).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('should notify waiters when tab is registered', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+
+      // Start waiting for registration
+      const waitPromise = navigationApi.waitForTabRegistration('generate');
+
+      // Register the tab
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+
+      // Wait should resolve
+      await expect(waitPromise).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Panel Focus', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      navigationApi.connectToApp({ setAppTab: mockSetAppTab, getAppTab: mockGetAppTab });
+    });
+
+    it('should focus panel in already registered tab', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('generate');
+
+      const result = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockSetAppTab).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    it('should switch tab before focusing panel', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('canvas'); // Currently on different tab
+
+      const result = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockSetAppTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith('generate');
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    it('should wait for tab registration before focusing', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('generate');
+
+      // Start focus operation before tab is registered
+      const focusPromise = navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+
+      // Register tab after a short delay
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+      }, 100);
+
+      const result = await focusPromise;
+
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    it('should focus different panel types', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('generate');
+
+      // Test gridview panel
+      const result1 = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+      expect(result1).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+
+      // Test dockview panel
+      const result2 = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'main', 'launchpad');
+      expect(result2).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.main.panels.launchpad.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+
+      // Test right panel
+      const result3 = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'right', 'boards');
+      expect(result3).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.right.panels.boards.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    it('should return false on registration timeout', async () => {
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('generate');
+
+      // Set a short timeout for testing
+      const result = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should handle errors gracefully', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+
+      // Make setActive throw an error
+      vi.mocked(mockLayout.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).mockImplementation(() => {
+        throw new Error('Mock error');
+      });
+
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('generate');
+
+      const result = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should work without app connection', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+
+      // Don't connect to app
+      const result = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Registration Waiting', () => {
+    it('should resolve immediately for already registered tabs', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+
+      const waitPromise = navigationApi.waitForTabRegistration('generate');
+
+      await expect(waitPromise).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
+    it('should handle multiple waiters', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+
+      const waitPromise1 = navigationApi.waitForTabRegistration('generate');
+      const waitPromise2 = navigationApi.waitForTabRegistration('generate');
+
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+      }, 50);
+
+      await expect(Promise.all([waitPromise1, waitPromise2])).resolves.toEqual([undefined, undefined]);
+    });
+
+    it('should timeout if tab is not registered', async () => {
+      const waitPromise = navigationApi.waitForTabRegistration('generate', 100);
+
+      await expect(waitPromise).rejects.toThrow('Tab generate registration timed out');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('Integration Tests', () => {
+    it('should handle complete workflow', async () => {
+      const mockLayout = createMockGenerateLayout();
+
+      // Connect to app
+      navigationApi.connectToApp({ setAppTab: mockSetAppTab, getAppTab: mockGetAppTab });
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('canvas');
+
+      // Register tab
+      const unregister = navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout);
+
+      // Focus panel (should switch tab and focus)
+      const result = await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'right', 'gallery');
+
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockSetAppTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith('generate');
+      expect(mockLayout.panels.right.panels.gallery.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+
+      // Cleanup
+      unregister();
+      navigationApi.disconnectFromApp();
+
+      expect(navigationApi.setAppTab).toBeNull();
+      expect(navigationApi.getAppTab).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('should handle multiple tabs sequentially', async () => {
+      const mockLayout1 = createMockGenerateLayout();
+      const mockLayout2 = createMockGenerateLayout();
+
+      navigationApi.connectToApp({ setAppTab: mockSetAppTab, getAppTab: mockGetAppTab });
+      mockGetAppTab.mockReturnValue('generate');
+
+      // Register first tab
+      const unregister1 = navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout1);
+
+      // Focus panel in first tab
+      await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'left', 'settings');
+      expect(mockLayout1.panels.left.panels.settings.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+
+      // Replace with second tab
+      unregister1();
+      navigationApi.registerAppTab('generate', mockLayout2);
+
+      // Focus panel in second tab
+      await navigationApi.focusPanelInTab('generate', 'right', 'boards');
+      expect(mockLayout2.panels.right.panels.boards.api.setActive).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/navigation-api-2.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/navigation-api-2.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..07ac82b6f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/navigation-api-2.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+import { logger } from 'app/logging/logger';
+import type { DockviewApi, GridviewApi, IDockviewPanel, IGridviewPanel } from 'dockview';
+import type { TabName } from 'features/ui/store/uiTypes';
+
+const log = logger('system');
+
+export type GenerateTabLayout = {
+  gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+  panels: {
+    left: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        settings: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    main: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      dockviewApi: Readonly<DockviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        launchpad: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+        viewer: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    right: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        boards: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+        gallery: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+  };
+};
+
+export type CanvasTabLayout = {
+  gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+  panels: {
+    left: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        settings: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    main: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      dockviewApi: Readonly<DockviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        launchpad: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+        workspace: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+        viewer: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    right: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        boards: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+        gallery: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+        layers: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+  };
+};
+
+export type UpscalingTabLayout = {
+  gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+  panels: {
+    left: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        settings: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    main: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      dockviewApi: Readonly<DockviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        launchpad: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+        viewer: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    right: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        boards: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+        gallery: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+  };
+};
+
+export type WorkflowsTabLayout = {
+  gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+  panels: {
+    left: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        settings: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    main: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      dockviewApi: Readonly<DockviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        launchpad: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+        workspace: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+        viewer: Readonly<IDockviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+    right: {
+      panelApi: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      gridviewApi: Readonly<GridviewApi>;
+      panels: {
+        boards: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+        gallery: Readonly<IGridviewPanel>;
+      };
+    };
+  };
+};
+
+type AppTabApi = {
+  generate: GenerateTabLayout | null;
+  canvas: CanvasTabLayout | null;
+  upscaling: UpscalingTabLayout | null;
+  workflows: WorkflowsTabLayout | null;
+};
+
+export class AppNavigationApi {
+  appTabApi: AppTabApi = {
+    generate: null,
+    canvas: null,
+    upscaling: null,
+    workflows: null,
+  };
+
+  setAppTab: ((tab: TabName) => void) | null = null;
+  getAppTab: (() => TabName) | null = null;
+
+  private registrationWaiters: Map<keyof AppTabApi, Array<() => void>> = new Map();
+
+  connectToApp(arg: { setAppTab: (tab: TabName) => void; getAppTab: () => TabName }): void {
+    const { setAppTab, getAppTab } = arg;
+    this.setAppTab = setAppTab;
+    this.getAppTab = getAppTab;
+  }
+
+  disconnectFromApp(): void {
+    this.setAppTab = null;
+    this.getAppTab = null;
+  }
+
+  registerAppTab<T extends keyof AppTabApi>(tab: T, layout: AppTabApi[T]): () => void {
+    this.appTabApi[tab] = layout;
+
+    // Notify any waiting consumers
+    const waiters = this.registrationWaiters.get(tab);
+
+    if (waiters) {
+      waiters.forEach((resolve) => resolve());
+      this.registrationWaiters.delete(tab);
+    }
+
+    return () => {
+      this.appTabApi[tab] = null;
+    };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Focus a specific panel in a specific tab
+   * Automatically switches to the target tab if specified
+   */
+  async focusPanelInTab<
+    T extends keyof AppTabApi,
+    R extends keyof NonNullable<AppTabApi[T]>['panels'],
+    P extends keyof (NonNullable<AppTabApi[T]>['panels'][R] extends { panels: infer Panels } ? Panels : never),
+  >(tabName: T, rootPanelId: R, panelId: P): Promise<boolean> {
+    try {
+      if (this.setAppTab && this.getAppTab && this.getAppTab() !== tabName) {
+        this.setAppTab(tabName);
+      }
+
+      await this.waitForTabRegistration(tabName);
+
+      const tabLayout = this.appTabApi[tabName];
+      if (!tabLayout) {
+        log.error(`Tab ${tabName} failed to register`);
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      const panel = tabLayout.panels[rootPanelId].panels[panelId] as IGridviewPanel | IDockviewPanel;
+
+      panel.api.setActive();
+
+      return true;
+    } catch (error) {
+      log.error(`Failed to focus panel ${String(panelId)} in tab ${tabName}`);
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  waitForTabRegistration<T extends keyof AppTabApi>(tabName: T, timeout = 1000): Promise<void> {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      if (this.appTabApi[tabName]) {
+        resolve();
+        return;
+      }
+      let waiters = this.registrationWaiters.get(tabName);
+      if (!waiters) {
+        waiters = [];
+        this.registrationWaiters.set(tabName, waiters);
+      }
+      waiters.push(resolve);
+      const intervalId = setInterval(() => {
+        if (this.appTabApi[tabName]) {
+          resolve();
+        }
+      }, 100);
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        clearInterval(intervalId);
+        if (this.appTabApi[tabName]) {
+          resolve();
+        } else {
+          reject(new Error(`Tab ${tabName} registration timed out`));
+        }
+      }, timeout);
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+export const navigationApi = new AppNavigationApi();
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/use-navigation-api.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/use-navigation-api.tsx
index 1cbc29e8e2..7bc0cd5e31 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/use-navigation-api.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/ui/layouts/use-navigation-api.tsx
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ import { useAssertSingleton } from 'common/hooks/useAssertSingleton';
 import { selectActiveTab } from 'features/ui/store/uiSelectors';
 import { setActiveTab } from 'features/ui/store/uiSlice';
 import type { TabName } from 'features/ui/store/uiTypes';
-import { useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
 
 import { navigationApi } from './navigation-api';
+import { navigationApi as navigationApi2 } from './navigation-api-2';
 
 /**
  * Hook that initializes the global navigation API with callbacks to access and modify the active tab.
@@ -28,4 +29,17 @@ export const useNavigationApi = () => {
   useEffect(() => {
     navigationApi.setTabApi(tabApi);
   }, [store, tabApi]);
+
+  const getAppTab = useCallback(() => {
+    return selectActiveTab(store.getState());
+  }, [store]);
+  const setAppTab = useCallback(
+    (tab: TabName) => {
+      store.dispatch(setActiveTab(tab));
+    },
+    [store]
+  );
+  useEffect(() => {
+    navigationApi2.connectToApp({ getAppTab, setAppTab });
+  }, [getAppTab, setAppTab, store, tabApi]);
 };