diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 538fbfa..d75d4c1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,23 @@ This project follows a Keep a Changelog-style format and uses version tags for r
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **Every single-letter keybinding was dead on startup (`l`, `g`, `c`, `p`, `s`,
+  `t`, `q`).** The hidden `#filter-input` was auto-focused on mount and silently
+  swallowed the keys: pressing `l` typed an `l` into an invisible regex box
+  instead of cycling the layout preset. Textual's default screen `AUTO_FOCUS`
+  (`"*"`) focuses the first focusable widget, and `display = False` does *not*
+  make a widget unfocusable — `visible` tracks the `visibility` style, not
+  `display` — so the invisible input was a legitimate focus candidate and won.
+  `ActopApp` now sets `AUTO_FOCUS = None` and assigns focus explicitly
+  (`_focus_default_widget()`: the process table when shown, else the
+  non-focusable dashboard), so the letter bindings are live from the first frame
+  and the process table gets the arrow keys when it is visible.
+  The TUI tests had been papering over this with `app.set_focus(None)`, blaming
+  the headless harness for what was a real production bug; those workarounds are
+  removed so the tests now fail if focus regresses.
+
 ## [1.9.10] - 2026-08-19
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/actop/tui/app.py b/actop/tui/app.py
index 27e53ed..2865c9d 100644
--- a/actop/tui/app.py
+++ b/actop/tui/app.py
@@ -281,6 +281,9 @@ class ActopApp(App):
         ("c", "toggle_cores", "Cores"),
         ("t", "cycle_theme", "Theme"),
     ]
+    # No auto-focus: see the on_mount comment. Focus is assigned explicitly by
+    # `_focus_default_widget()` so a hidden Input can never claim the keyboard.
+    AUTO_FOCUS = None
     BINDINGS = [
         *_LETTER_BINDINGS,
         Binding("space", "toggle_pause", "Pause"),
@@ -353,11 +356,19 @@ def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
         yield Footer()
 
     def on_mount(self) -> None:
+        # Textual's default screen AUTO_FOCUS ("*") focuses the first focusable
+        # widget, and `display = False` does NOT make a widget unfocusable
+        # (`visible` tracks the `visibility` style, not `display`) — so the
+        # hidden #filter-input won the focus and silently ate every printable
+        # key. `l`, `g`, `c`, `p`, `s`, `t` all went dead: the keystrokes were
+        # typed into an invisible regex box instead of firing their bindings.
+        # AUTO_FOCUS is cleared at class level; focus is placed explicitly here.
         self.query_one("#main-section").display = False
         self.query_one("#status-line").display = False  # hidden behind the splash
         self.query_one("#process-table", DataTable).display = self._show_processes
         self._refresh_process_table()  # initialises columns without advancing sort
         self._splash_timer = self.set_interval(0.1, self._tick_splash)
+        self._focus_default_widget()
         self.poll_metrics()
 
     @work(thread=True, exclusive=True)
@@ -480,16 +491,27 @@ def action_toggle_processes(self) -> None:
             self._processes_pending = True
         table.display = self._show_processes
         self._refresh_process_table()
+        # Follow the table with the focus: a revealed table needs the arrow keys
+        # for its cursor, and a hidden one must not keep them (nor keep focus on
+        # a `display = False` widget). Letter bindings stay live either way —
+        # DataTable claims only navigation keys, never printable ones.
+        self._focus_default_widget()
         # Re-evaluate check_action so the footer shows/hides `/  Filter` at once.
         self.refresh_bindings()
 
-    def _close_filter_input(self, inp) -> None:
-        inp.display = False
+    def _focus_default_widget(self) -> None:
+        """Park focus on a widget that does not consume printable keys, so the
+        single-letter bindings stay live. The process table when it is shown
+        (its cursor wants the arrow keys), else the dashboard."""
         if self._show_processes:
             self.set_focus(self.query_one("#process-table", DataTable))
         else:
             self.set_focus(self.query_one("#hardware-dash", HardwareDashboard))
 
+    def _close_filter_input(self, inp) -> None:
+        inp.display = False
+        self._focus_default_widget()
+
     def action_toggle_filter(self) -> None:
         if not self._show_processes:
             return  # filter applies only to the process table; no-op while hidden
diff --git a/tests/test_per_process_power.py b/tests/test_per_process_power.py
index c95d83f..532d633 100644
--- a/tests/test_per_process_power.py
+++ b/tests/test_per_process_power.py
@@ -345,7 +345,6 @@ def rows():
                     break
                 await asyncio.sleep(0.25)
 
-            app.set_focus(None)  # harness focuses the hidden filter Input
             await pilot.press("p")
             await pilot.pause()
             pending = rows()
diff --git a/tests/test_tui_app.py b/tests/test_tui_app.py
index 386287e..24367c1 100644
--- a/tests/test_tui_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_tui_app.py
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ async def _run():
             from actop.tui.widgets import HardwareDashboard
 
             dash = app.query_one("#hardware-dash", HardwareDashboard)
-            # The headless harness auto-focuses the (hidden) filter Input, which
-            # would swallow the single-letter key; clear focus so `l` routes to
-            # the app binding the way it does when the filter is inactive.
-            app.set_focus(None)
+            # No focus fixup: `l` must reach the app binding on a freshly
+            # mounted app. This test used to call `app.set_focus(None)` first,
+            # blaming the headless harness — but the hidden #filter-input really
+            # was auto-focused and really did swallow the key in production.
             before = dash.layout_preset
             await pilot.press("l")
             await pilot.pause()
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ async def _run():
             from actop.tui.widgets import HardwareDashboard
 
             dash = app.query_one("#hardware-dash", HardwareDashboard)
-            app.set_focus(None)  # as in the lowercase test: unfocus the filter
             state = {}
             for key, read in (
                 ("L", lambda: dash.layout_preset),
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ async def _run():
         app = ActopApp(build_parser().parse_args([]))
         async with app.run_test(size=(160, 50)) as pilot:
             await pilot.pause()
-            app.set_focus(None)
             await pilot.press("Q")
             await pilot.pause()
             return app.is_running
@@ -126,7 +124,6 @@ async def _run():
         app = ActopApp(build_parser().parse_args(["--theme", "nord"]))
         async with app.run_test() as pilot:
             await pilot.pause()
-            app.set_focus(None)
             assert app.theme == "nord"
             await pilot.press("t")
             await pilot.pause()
@@ -162,7 +159,6 @@ async def _run():
         app = ActopApp(build_parser().parse_args([]))
         async with app.run_test() as pilot:
             await pilot.pause()
-            app.set_focus(None)
             from textual.widgets import DataTable
 
             table = app.query_one("#process-table", DataTable)