diff --git a/frontend/app/components/workspace/CrmWorkspaceApp.vue b/frontend/app/components/workspace/CrmWorkspaceApp.vue
index 35ecd4f..d5d236e 100644
--- a/frontend/app/components/workspace/CrmWorkspaceApp.vue
+++ b/frontend/app/components/workspace/CrmWorkspaceApp.vue
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ const {
   threadInboxes,
   formatInboxLabel,
   refetchContactInboxes,
-} = useContactInboxes({ apolloAuthReady });
+} = useContactInboxes({ apolloAuthReady, onHidden: () => void refetchContacts() });
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // 4. Calendar
diff --git a/frontend/app/composables/useContactInboxes.ts b/frontend/app/composables/useContactInboxes.ts
index 3c71190..21ea0ff 100644
--- a/frontend/app/composables/useContactInboxes.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/composables/useContactInboxes.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export type ContactInbox = {
   updatedAt: string;
 };
 
-export function useContactInboxes(opts: { apolloAuthReady: ComputedRef<boolean> }) {
+export function useContactInboxes(opts: { apolloAuthReady: ComputedRef<boolean>; onHidden?: () => void }) {
   const { result: contactInboxesResult, refetch: refetchContactInboxes } = useQuery(
     ContactInboxesQueryDocument,
     null,
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ export function useContactInboxes(opts: { apolloAuthReady: ComputedRef<boolean>
     inboxToggleLoadingById.value = { ...inboxToggleLoadingById.value, [id]: true };
     try {
       await doSetContactInboxHidden({ inboxId: id, hidden });
+      if (hidden && opts.onHidden) opts.onHidden();
     } catch (e: unknown) {
       console.error("[setInboxHidden] mutation failed:", e);
     } finally {
diff --git a/frontend/app/composables/useContacts.ts b/frontend/app/composables/useContacts.ts
index f6808e6..73a301a 100644
--- a/frontend/app/composables/useContacts.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/composables/useContacts.ts
@@ -111,8 +111,11 @@ export function useContacts(opts: { apolloAuthReady: ComputedRef<boolean> }) {
       return;
     }
     if (!filteredContacts.value.some((item) => item.id === selectedContactId.value)) {
-      const first = filteredContacts.value[0];
-      if (first) selectedContactId.value = first.id;
+      // Always pick the most recently active contact, regardless of current sort mode
+      const mostRecent = [...filteredContacts.value].sort((a, b) =>
+        b.lastContactAt.localeCompare(a.lastContactAt),
+      )[0];
+      if (mostRecent) selectedContactId.value = mostRecent.id;
     }
   });