diff --git a/platform/web/melange/shell/lui_web_apply.ml b/platform/web/melange/shell/lui_web_apply.ml
index 812b570..fecfc4a 100644
--- a/platform/web/melange/shell/lui_web_apply.ml
+++ b/platform/web/melange/shell/lui_web_apply.ml
@@ -66,16 +66,16 @@ let cleanup_node renderer node =
       Hashtbl.remove renderer.web_cleanups node
   | None -> ()
 
-let child_hidden_in_parent renderer child =
-  match Store.node renderer.web_store child with
-  | Some child_node -> (
-      match Store.standard_kind child_node with
-      | Some (ContextMenu | DropdownMenu | Toast) -> true
-      | Some kind -> modal_surface kind
-      | None -> Store.anchored_tooltip child_node)
-  | None -> true
+(* a retained child only advances the DOM insertion index when its
+   platform node is a DOM child of the container right now — portal
+   children (menus, modals, toasts), never-mounted segments and nodes
+   dropped inside the same batch all sit outside it and must be skipped *)
+let child_counted_in_container child container =
+  match child.platform_node |> W.Element.parentElement with
+  | Some actual -> actual == container
+  | None -> false
 
-let visible_child_index renderer parent index =
+let visible_child_index renderer ~container parent index =
   match Store.node renderer.web_store parent with
   | None -> index
   | Some current ->
@@ -85,9 +85,14 @@ let visible_child_index renderer parent index =
           match children with
           | [] -> result
           | child :: rest ->
+              let counted =
+                match Store.node renderer.web_store child with
+                | Some child_node ->
+                    child_counted_in_container child_node container
+                | None -> false
+              in
               loop rest (source_index + 1)
-                (if child_hidden_in_parent renderer child then result
-                 else result + 1)
+                (if counted then result + 1 else result)
       in
       loop current.retained_children 0 0
 
@@ -184,11 +189,14 @@ let mount_inserted_child renderer child current =
       Lui_web_overlay.mount_toast renderer child current.platform_node
   | _ -> ()
 
-let insert_child_dom renderer parent child index =
-  let parent_dom = Nodes.dom_node renderer parent in
-  let child_dom = Nodes.dom_node renderer child in
+let insert_child_dom renderer previous_nodes parent child index =
+  let parent_dom = Nodes.dom_node_before renderer previous_nodes parent in
+  let child_dom = Nodes.dom_node_before renderer previous_nodes child in
   match Store.node renderer.web_store child with
-  | None -> invalid_arg "unknown DOM child"
+  | None ->
+      (* dropped again inside this batch — insert anyway so the later
+         remove op finds the element where the op stream put it *)
+      Util.insert_dom_child parent_dom child_dom index
   | Some current -> (
       match Store.standard_kind current with
       | Some BottomTab -> (
@@ -202,9 +210,11 @@ let insert_child_dom renderer parent child index =
                    child index);
               Lui_web_widgets.refresh_bottom_tabs renderer parent
           | _ ->
-              Util.insert_dom_child
-                (dom_child_container renderer parent parent_dom) child_dom
-                (visible_child_index renderer parent index))
+              let container =
+                dom_child_container renderer parent parent_dom
+              in
+              Util.insert_dom_child container child_dom
+                (visible_child_index renderer ~container parent index))
       | Some Toast ->
           W.Element.appendChild (W.Element.asNode child_dom)
             renderer.web_toast_viewport
@@ -222,12 +232,14 @@ let insert_child_dom renderer parent child index =
           W.Element.appendChild (W.Element.asNode child_dom)
             (Util.document_body renderer)
       | _ ->
-          Util.insert_dom_child
-            (dom_child_container renderer parent parent_dom) child_dom
-            (visible_child_index renderer parent index))
+          let container =
+            dom_child_container renderer parent parent_dom
+          in
+          Util.insert_dom_child container child_dom
+            (visible_child_index renderer ~container parent index))
 
-let apply_insert_child renderer parent child index =
-  insert_child_dom renderer parent child index;
+let apply_insert_child renderer previous_nodes parent child index =
+  insert_child_dom renderer previous_nodes parent child index;
   Lui_web_split.update_split renderer parent;
   Lui_web_focus.refresh_button_context renderer child;
   Lui_web_split.update_split renderer parent;
@@ -362,7 +374,7 @@ let apply_move_child renderer previous_nodes parent child index =
       W.Element.appendChild (W.Element.asNode child_node) parent_node
     else
       Util.insert_dom_child parent_node child_node
-        (visible_child_index renderer parent index)
+        (visible_child_index renderer ~container:parent_node parent index)
   end;
   Lui_web_split.update_split renderer parent;
   refresh_structured_children renderer parent;
@@ -396,12 +408,25 @@ let apply_remove_prop renderer node property =
        | None -> invalid_arg "standard property targets extension node")
    | None -> ())
 
+(* A node created and dropped inside the same batch never reaches the DOM:
+   the store already reflects the batch's final state, so ops that mention it
+   have no element to act on and are skipped. *)
+let known_node renderer previous_nodes node =
+  match Store.node renderer.web_store node with
+  | Some _ -> true
+  | None -> prev_node previous_nodes node <> None
+
 let apply_dom_op renderer previous_nodes operation =
   match operation with
-  | CreateNode (node, kind) -> apply_create renderer node kind
-  | CreateExtension (node, _identifier, _fingerprint) ->
-      W.Element.setAttribute "id" (Util.node_dom_id node)
-        (Nodes.dom_node renderer node)
+  | CreateNode (node, kind) ->
+      if Store.node renderer.web_store node <> None then
+        apply_create renderer node kind
+  | CreateExtension (node, _identifier, _fingerprint) -> (
+      match Store.node renderer.web_store node with
+      | Some current ->
+          W.Element.setAttribute "id" (Util.node_dom_id node)
+            current.platform_node
+      | None -> ())
   | DropNode node ->
       Ext.cleanup_extension_node renderer previous_nodes node;
       cleanup_node renderer node
@@ -413,16 +438,33 @@ let apply_dom_op renderer previous_nodes operation =
   | RemoveExtensionProp (node, property) ->
       Ext.remove_extension_property renderer node property
   | InsertChild (parent, child, index) ->
-      apply_insert_child renderer parent child index
+      if
+        known_node renderer previous_nodes parent
+        && known_node renderer previous_nodes child
+      then apply_insert_child renderer previous_nodes parent child index
   | RemoveChild (parent, child) ->
-      apply_remove_child renderer previous_nodes parent child
+      if
+        known_node renderer previous_nodes parent
+        && known_node renderer previous_nodes child
+      then apply_remove_child renderer previous_nodes parent child
   | MoveChild (parent, child, index) ->
-      apply_move_child renderer previous_nodes parent child index
+      if
+        known_node renderer previous_nodes parent
+        && known_node renderer previous_nodes child
+      then apply_move_child renderer previous_nodes parent child index
 
 let apply_dom_batch renderer previous_nodes batch =
   List.iter
-    (fun operation -> apply_dom_op renderer previous_nodes operation)
+    (fun operation ->
+       try apply_dom_op renderer previous_nodes operation
+       with Invalid_argument msg ->
+         invalid_arg
+           (Printf.sprintf "op %s: %s" (Lui_wire.encode_op operation) msg))
     batch.ops;
-  ignore (Lui_web_focus.update_all_horizontal_group_roving renderer);
-  ignore (Lui_web_focus.update_all_tree_roving renderer);
-  ignore (Lui_web_focus.update_all_toolbar_roving renderer)
+  let label_roving label f =
+    try ignore (f renderer)
+    with Invalid_argument msg -> invalid_arg (label ^ ": " ^ msg)
+  in
+  label_roving "hgroup-roving" Lui_web_focus.update_all_horizontal_group_roving;
+  label_roving "tree-roving" Lui_web_focus.update_all_tree_roving;
+  label_roving "toolbar-roving" Lui_web_focus.update_all_toolbar_roving
diff --git a/src/lui_runtime.ml b/src/lui_runtime.ml
index 6a1f42f..07a5b13 100644
--- a/src/lui_runtime.ml
+++ b/src/lui_runtime.ml
@@ -456,6 +456,55 @@ let emit_extension_property_diff application node old_values desired_values =
          enqueue application (set_extension_prop_op node property value))
     desired_values
 
+(* Ops are replayed post-commit: by then a node dropped in the same
+   batch no longer resolves through the store or the pre-batch mirror,
+   so any queued op mentioning it can never apply. A node created and
+   dropped within one batch therefore cancels out entirely — its whole
+   op group (including structural detach ops) is pruned and no drop op
+   is emitted. Nodes dropped across batches keep their ops: pre-existing
+   records resolve through the pre-batch mirror, and the store still
+   needs the remove-child op that precedes a drop. *)
+let operation_mentions_node node operation =
+  let subject =
+    match operation with
+    | CreateNode (subject, _)
+    | CreateExtension (subject, _, _)
+    | DropNode subject
+    | SetProp (subject, _, _)
+    | RemoveProp (subject, _)
+    | SetExtensionProp (subject, _, _)
+    | RemoveExtensionProp (subject, _)
+    | InsertChild (subject, _, _)
+    | RemoveChild (subject, _)
+    | MoveChild (subject, _, _) ->
+        Some subject
+  in
+  let child =
+    match operation with
+    | InsertChild (_, child, _)
+    | RemoveChild (_, child)
+    | MoveChild (_, child, _) ->
+        Some child
+    | _ -> None
+  in
+  subject = Some node || child = Some node
+
+let pending_create_exists application node =
+  List.exists
+    (function
+      | CreateNode (candidate, _) | CreateExtension (candidate, _, _) ->
+          candidate = node
+      | _ -> false)
+    !(application.pending_ops)
+
+let enqueue_drop application node =
+  if pending_create_exists application node then
+    application.pending_ops :=
+      List.filter
+        (fun operation -> not (operation_mentions_node node operation))
+        !(application.pending_ops)
+  else enqueue application (drop_node_op node)
+
 let rec emit_dropped_subtree application saved removed_set node =
   let children =
     match Hashtbl.find_opt saved.checkpoint_children node with
@@ -469,7 +518,7 @@ let rec emit_dropped_subtree application saved removed_set node =
          emit_dropped_subtree application saved removed_set child
        end)
     children;
-  enqueue application (drop_node_op node)
+  enqueue_drop application node
 
 let reconcile_subtree application saved parent old_root candidate_root =
   let parent = canonical_node application parent in
@@ -851,7 +900,7 @@ and drop_node application node =
   Hashtbl.remove application.runtime_parents node;
   Hashtbl.remove application.runtime_reload_keys node;
   application.runtime_extension_dirty := true;
-  enqueue application (drop_node_op node)
+  enqueue_drop application node
 
 and remove_child application parent child =
   let parent = canonical_node application parent in
@@ -1153,10 +1202,7 @@ let event_is_value_echo properties event =
 
 let dispatch application event =
   let node = canonical_node application (event_node event) in
-  if
-    (not (Hashtbl.mem application.mounted_nodes node))
-    && not (Hashtbl.mem application.runtime_extension_nodes node)
-  then
+  if not (node_live application node) then
     (* a DOM element can receive an in-flight event after being unmounted
        mid-dispatch (e.g. a capture-phase handler re-renders); ignore it *)
     false