diff --git a/doc/architecture.md b/doc/architecture.md
index 68bd078..40999d4 100644
--- a/doc/architecture.md
+++ b/doc/architecture.md
@@ -544,6 +544,23 @@ Only the visible byte range is shaped and drawn each frame:
 - The browser renders via `ListView`/`ListItem` elements; rows carry
   `Interaction` handlers that send channel requests (tap) or mutate state
   directly when the handler runs on the owner (scroll).
+- **Live refresh.** While the browser page is on screen, the current directory
+  is re-read on a short timer (≈1 s) so external changes — files added,
+  removed, renamed, or mtime-changed (including inbound syncs) — appear live,
+  re-sorted in the *current* sort mode. Invariant: **a refresh that finds the
+  directory unchanged rebuilds nothing and emits no frame**, so the
+  event-driven emission contract (§2; `TestNoFramesWhileIdle_Browser`) still
+  holds while the browser idles. A landing (re)index is applied in place: the
+  visible+prefetch pages are repopulated synchronously from the fresh index
+  (no async gap / flicker), the scroll offset is preserved then clamped, and an
+  active search is re-filtered without a scroll jump. Bounded to **one read per
+  directory**: a refresh requested while a read of the same directory is in
+  flight coalesces (skips), and a stale result for a directory the user has
+  since left is dropped rather than clobbering the current view. A failed
+  *refresh* keeps the last good view (the next tick retries); a failed
+  *navigation* still recovers to the previous directory. Returning to the
+  browser from the editor triggers one immediate refresh so the list is current
+  on the frame you land back, not one tick later.
 
 ## 8. Render pipeline (`internal/ui`)
 
diff --git a/internal/browser/browser.go b/internal/browser/browser.go
index 4505e26..142d8f3 100644
--- a/internal/browser/browser.go
+++ b/internal/browser/browser.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package browser
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"hash/fnv"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -25,6 +28,51 @@ func LoadInitialPages(s *BrowserState) {
 	}
 }
 
+// directorySignature is a cheap, order-independent fingerprint of a directory's
+// real entries (name, size, mtime, isdir), used to tell a no-op periodic
+// refresh from a real change. The synthetic ".." row is excluded: its mtime is
+// rebuilt on every pass and would otherwise make the signature differ each time.
+func directorySignature(entries []Entry) uint64 {
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(entries))
+	byName := make(map[string]Entry, len(entries))
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.Name == ".." {
+			continue
+		}
+		names = append(names, e.Name)
+		byName[e.Name] = e
+	}
+	sort.Strings(names)
+	h := fnv.New64a()
+	fmt.Fprintf(h, "%d\n", len(names))
+	for _, n := range names {
+		e := byName[n]
+		fmt.Fprintf(h, "%s|%d|%d|%v\n", n, e.Size, e.ModTime.UnixNano(), e.IsDir)
+	}
+	return h.Sum64()
+}
+
+// replaceVisiblePagesFromIndex drops the current pages and synchronously
+// reloads the visible+prefetch pages from the (possibly new) SortIndex, so the
+// frame that carries a fresh index already carries its rows — no async gap and
+// no flicker on a periodic refresh. Distant pages are dropped and reload from
+// the fresh index on scroll. Called from the owner goroutine when a directory
+// (re)index lands (see BrowserManager.handleBuildIndexSuccess).
+func replaceVisiblePagesFromIndex(s *BrowserState) {
+	if s.SortIndex == nil || s.TotalEntries == 0 {
+		s.Pages = make(map[int]*Page)
+		return
+	}
+	minPage, maxPage := computeVisiblePageRange(s)
+	fresh := make(map[int]*Page, maxPage-minPage+1)
+	for i := minPage; i <= maxPage; i++ {
+		if page := loadPageFromIndex(s, i); page != nil {
+			fresh[i] = page
+		}
+	}
+	s.Pages = fresh
+}
+
 // loadPageFromIndex creates a Page from the sorted index at the given page index.
 // Uses position maps to convert sorted indices to raw indices for entry lookup.
 // Returns nil if the page index is out of bounds.
diff --git a/internal/browser/lazy_loading_test.go b/internal/browser/lazy_loading_test.go
index 62500ad..d6cec30 100644
--- a/internal/browser/lazy_loading_test.go
+++ b/internal/browser/lazy_loading_test.go
@@ -45,20 +45,15 @@ func TestLazyLoadingLargeDirectory(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Wait for index build result and process it
+	// Wait for index build result and process it. The visible+prefetch pages
+	// are populated synchronously from the fresh index inside HandleResult (no
+	// separate initial LoadPages result is dispatched).
 	res, ok := getResult(15 * time.Second)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatal("Timeout waiting for BuildIndex result")
 	}
 	bm.HandleResult(res)
 
-	// Wait for initial page load result and process it
-	res, ok = getResult(15 * time.Second)
-	if !ok {
-		t.Fatal("Timeout waiting for initial LoadPages result")
-	}
-	bm.HandleResult(res)
-
 	// 2. Verify only initial pages loaded (visible + prefetch)
 	if len(state.Pages) == 0 {
 		t.Error("Expected pages to be loaded")
@@ -104,8 +99,7 @@ func TestPrefetchOnScroll(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	bm.NavigateTo("/dir")
-	// Process BuildIndex and initial load
-	bm.HandleResult(<-wp.ResultChan())
+	// Process BuildIndex (visible+prefetch pages are populated synchronously).
 	bm.HandleResult(<-wp.ResultChan())
 
 	// Current visible ~page 0. Pages 0, 1, 2 should be loaded.
diff --git a/internal/browser/manager.go b/internal/browser/manager.go
index 7c46438..7955ee2 100644
--- a/internal/browser/manager.go
+++ b/internal/browser/manager.go
@@ -15,6 +15,20 @@ type BrowserManager struct {
 	state      *BrowserState
 	workerPool *pool.WorkerPool
 	fs         pool.FileSystem
+	// indexInFlightPath is the directory whose BuildIndex read is currently
+	// in flight ("" if none); indexInFlightIsNav records whether that read
+	// was a user navigation (recover-on-failure) or a background refresh
+	// (retry-silently). Both are owner-goroutine-only. Together they keep at
+	// most one read in flight per directory and let a stale, late result be
+	// dropped instead of clobbering the directory the user has since moved to.
+	indexInFlightPath  string
+	indexInFlightIsNav bool
+	// lastIndexSignature/lastIndexPath describe the last directory index that
+	// actually changed the view. A refresh whose entries match is a no-op (no
+	// rebuild, no frame), keeping emission event-driven while the browser
+	// idles. Owner-goroutine-only.
+	lastIndexPath      string
+	lastIndexSignature uint64
 }
 
 func NewBrowserManager(state *BrowserState, wp *pool.WorkerPool, fs pool.FileSystem) (*BrowserManager, error) {
@@ -25,6 +39,15 @@ func NewBrowserManager(state *BrowserState, wp *pool.WorkerPool, fs pool.FileSys
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// dispatchIndex records an in-flight directory read and sends its task to the
+// worker pool. isNav marks a user navigation (recover on failure) vs a
+// background refresh (retry silently on the next tick). Owner-goroutine-only.
+func (bm *BrowserManager) dispatchIndex(dirPath string, isNav bool) {
+	bm.indexInFlightPath = dirPath
+	bm.indexInFlightIsNav = isNav
+	bm.workerPool.Dispatch(pool.NewBuildIndexTask(dirPath, bm.fs))
+}
+
 func (bm *BrowserManager) NavigateTo(dirPath string) {
 	// Save the previous path so we can restore it on navigation failure.
 	bm.state.History = append(bm.state.History, bm.state.CurrentPath)
@@ -33,10 +56,38 @@ func (bm *BrowserManager) NavigateTo(dirPath string) {
 	navigateToDirectory(bm.state, dirPath)
 	bm.state.Loading = true
 
-	// Dispatch BuildIndexTask to the worker pool.
-	// In a real app, this would be a task that reads and sorts the directory.
-	task := pool.NewBuildIndexTask(dirPath, bm.fs)
-	bm.workerPool.Dispatch(task)
+	// Re-read the directory; the landing result rebuilds the sorted index and
+	// position maps, so the list and its order always reflect disk.
+	bm.dispatchIndex(dirPath, true)
+}
+
+// Load performs the initial directory index for an already-set CurrentPath
+// (startup). Like a navigation it recovers on failure, but without touching
+// History. Owner-goroutine-only.
+func (bm *BrowserManager) Load(dirPath string) {
+	bm.state.CurrentPath = dirPath
+	bm.state.Loading = true
+	bm.dispatchIndex(dirPath, true)
+}
+
+// Refresh re-reads the current directory to pick up external changes — files
+// added, removed, renamed, or mtime-changed (including inbound syncs) — so the
+// list and its sort order stay live while the browser is on screen. Unlike
+// NavigateTo it does not touch History or reset the scroll offset, so the
+// user's position is preserved; the landing result (handleBuildIndexSuccess)
+// rebuilds the index in place and re-sorts. Bounded to one read per directory:
+// a refresh while a read of the same directory is in flight is skipped (its
+// result will refresh the view). Owner-goroutine-only.
+func (bm *BrowserManager) Refresh(dirPath string) {
+	if dirPath == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath == dirPath {
+		return
+	}
+	bm.state.CurrentPath = dirPath
+	bm.state.Loading = true
+	bm.dispatchIndex(dirPath, false)
 }
 
 func (bm *BrowserManager) OnScroll() {
@@ -63,28 +114,45 @@ func (bm *BrowserManager) OnScroll() {
 	bm.state.EvictPages()
 }
 
-func (bm *BrowserManager) HandleResult(result pool.Result) {
+// HandleResult applies a completed browser task result to the state. It returns
+// whether the browser view changed and so a frame should be emitted. A periodic
+// refresh that finds the directory unchanged returns false, keeping emission
+// event-driven even while the browser idles.
+func (bm *BrowserManager) HandleResult(result pool.Result) bool {
 	if !result.IsBrowserResult() {
-		return
+		return false
 	}
 
 	switch result.TaskType {
 	case pool.TypeBuildIndex:
 		if result.Success {
-			bm.handleBuildIndexSuccess(result)
-		} else {
-			bm.handleError(result)
+			return bm.handleBuildIndexSuccess(result)
 		}
+		return bm.handleError(result)
 	case pool.TypeLoadPages:
 		if result.Success {
 			bm.handleLoadPagesSuccess(result)
-		} else {
-			bm.handleError(result)
+			return true
 		}
+		return bm.handleError(result)
 	}
+	return false
 }
 
-func (bm *BrowserManager) handleBuildIndexSuccess(result pool.Result) {
+func (bm *BrowserManager) handleBuildIndexSuccess(result pool.Result) bool {
+	// A read of this directory has landed; clear the in-flight marker.
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath == result.DirPath {
+		bm.indexInFlightPath = ""
+		bm.indexInFlightIsNav = false
+	}
+	// A directory we have since left produced a late result (a navigation
+	// overtook it). Drop it so it cannot clobber the current directory's index
+	// and pages. (Production results always carry DirPath; the empty check
+	// keeps hand-built test results without one applying as before.)
+	if result.DirPath != "" && result.DirPath != bm.state.CurrentPath {
+		return false
+	}
+
 	bm.state.Loading = false
 
 	// In the mock implementation, BuildIndexTask returns []types.DirEntry.
@@ -116,6 +184,18 @@ func (bm *BrowserManager) handleBuildIndexSuccess(result pool.Result) {
 		})
 	}
 
+	// A refresh of an unchanged directory is a no-op: skip the rebuild and
+	// report "no change" so no frame is emitted (keeps emission event-driven
+	// while the browser idles). The signature covers the real entries only —
+	// name, size, mtime, isdir — and excludes the synthetic ".." row, whose
+	// mtime is rebuilt on every pass and would otherwise always differ.
+	sig := directorySignature(browserEntries)
+	if bm.lastIndexPath == bm.state.CurrentPath && bm.lastIndexSignature == sig {
+		return false
+	}
+	bm.lastIndexPath = bm.state.CurrentPath
+	bm.lastIndexSignature = sig
+
 	// Build the sorted index with position maps
 	bm.state.SortIndex = &DirectoryIndex{
 		Path:       bm.state.CurrentPath,
@@ -134,8 +214,21 @@ func (bm *BrowserManager) handleBuildIndexSuccess(result pool.Result) {
 
 	bm.state.TotalEntries = len(browserEntries)
 
-	// Trigger initial page load
+	// Refresh the visible rows synchronously from the fresh index so the frame
+	// that carries the new index already carries its rows — no async gap and no
+	// flicker on a periodic refresh. The scroll offset is preserved (a refresh,
+	// not a jump to top) then clamped in case the list shrank; an active search
+	// is re-filtered against the new order without yanking the scroll. Distant
+	// pages are dropped and reload on scroll from the fresh index.
+	replaceVisiblePagesFromIndex(bm.state)
+	if bm.state.Query != "" {
+		prev := bm.state.ScrollOffset
+		recomputeSearchResults(bm.state)
+		bm.state.ScrollOffset = prev
+	}
+	clampScrollOffset(bm.state)
 	bm.OnScroll()
+	return true
 }
 
 func (bm *BrowserManager) handleLoadPagesSuccess(result pool.Result) {
@@ -152,25 +245,36 @@ func (bm *BrowserManager) handleLoadPagesSuccess(result pool.Result) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (bm *BrowserManager) handleError(result pool.Result) {
+func (bm *BrowserManager) handleError(result pool.Result) bool {
 	fmt.Printf("handleError: TaskType=%d, Error=%v\n", result.TaskType, result.Error)
+
+	// A read of this directory has (failed) landed; clear the in-flight marker.
+	wasNav := bm.indexInFlightIsNav
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath == result.DirPath {
+		bm.indexInFlightPath = ""
+		bm.indexInFlightIsNav = false
+	}
 	bm.state.Loading = false
 
-	// If the failed task was a BuildIndex (directory navigation), restore
-	// the previous path so the user is sent back to where they were.
+	// A failed BACKGROUND REFRESH: keep the current (last good) view and let
+	// the refresh loop retry on its next tick. Do NOT teleport the user or
+	// reset the list over a transient read error. No visible change, no frame.
+	if result.TaskType == pool.TypeBuildIndex && !wasNav {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// A failed NAVIGATION: restore the previous path so the user is sent back
+	// to where they were.
 	if result.TaskType == pool.TypeBuildIndex && len(bm.state.History) > 0 {
 		prevPath := bm.state.History[len(bm.state.History)-1]
 		bm.state.History = bm.state.History[:len(bm.state.History)-1]
 		bm.state.CurrentPath = prevPath
 		navigateToDirectory(bm.state, prevPath)
-		// Re-dispatch the build index for the previous directory so the
-		// browser renders the old contents again.
-		task := pool.NewBuildIndexTask(prevPath, bm.fs)
-		bm.workerPool.Dispatch(task)
-		return
+		bm.dispatchIndex(prevPath, true)
+		return true
 	}
 
-	// For other errors, just reset the state or log the error.
-	// In production, we'd show a toast or error message.
+	// Anything else: reset the state (or, in production, show a toast).
 	bm.state.Reset()
+	return true
 }
diff --git a/internal/browser/manager_test.go b/internal/browser/manager_test.go
index c220a11..4936380 100644
--- a/internal/browser/manager_test.go
+++ b/internal/browser/manager_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package browser
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -9,6 +10,30 @@ import (
 	"pad/internal/io/pool/types"
 )
 
+// testDirEntry / testFileInfo are minimal types.DirEntry implementations so a
+// browser BuildIndex result can be constructed directly (no worker-pool round
+// trip, which avoids the follow-up LoadPages tasks that a real landing result
+// triggers via OnScroll).
+type testDirEntry struct {
+	name  string
+	isDir bool
+	size  int64
+	mod   time.Time
+}
+
+func (e testDirEntry) Name() string               { return e.name }
+func (e testDirEntry) IsDir() bool                { return e.isDir }
+func (e testDirEntry) Info() (os.FileInfo, error) { return testFileInfo{e}, nil }
+
+type testFileInfo struct{ e testDirEntry }
+
+func (f testFileInfo) Name() string        { return f.e.name }
+func (f testFileInfo) Size() int64         { return f.e.size }
+func (f testFileInfo) Mode() os.FileMode   { return 0o644 }
+func (f testFileInfo) ModTime() time.Time  { return f.e.mod }
+func (f testFileInfo) IsDir() bool         { return f.e.isDir }
+func (f testFileInfo) Sys() any            { return nil }
+
 // TestNewBrowserManager verifies that a BrowserManager can be constructed
 // with valid parameters and has correct initial state.
 func TestNewBrowserManager(t *testing.T) {
@@ -121,9 +146,153 @@ func TestHandleResult_BuildIndexSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestHandleResult_BuildIndexFailure verifies that a failed BuildIndex
-// result is handled gracefully.
-func TestHandleResult_BuildIndexFailure(t *testing.T) {
+// TestHandleResult_BuildIndexRefreshFailure verifies that a failed BACKGROUND
+// REFRESH keeps the current (last good) view rather than teleporting the user
+// or resetting the list over a transient read error.
+func TestHandleResult_BuildIndexRefreshFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	state := NewBrowserState()
+	state.CurrentPath = "/dir"
+	state.TotalEntries = 5
+	state.Pages[0] = NewPage(0, []Entry{{Name: "a.txt"}})
+	fs := mock.NewFileSystem()
+	wp := pool.NewWorkerPool(1)
+
+	bm, err := NewBrowserManager(state, wp, fs)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewBrowserManager failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Model an in-flight background refresh of the current directory (as
+	// BrowserManager.Refresh would), then feed it a failed result.
+	bm.indexInFlightPath = "/dir"
+	bm.indexInFlightIsNav = false
+	result := pool.Result{
+		TaskType: pool.TypeBuildIndex,
+		Success:  false,
+		Error:    ErrDirNotFound,
+		DirPath:  "/dir",
+	}
+
+	bm.HandleResult(result)
+
+	// The view must be preserved: same directory, same pages, no reset.
+	if state.CurrentPath != "/dir" {
+		t.Errorf("CurrentPath = %q after refresh failure, want /dir (view must be kept)", state.CurrentPath)
+	}
+	if len(state.Pages) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("Pages = %d after refresh failure, want 1 (view must be kept)", len(state.Pages))
+	}
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath != "" {
+		t.Errorf("indexInFlightPath = %q after refresh failure, want cleared", bm.indexInFlightPath)
+	}
+}
+
+// waitBrowserResult is a test helper: read one result from the pool's channel
+// with a deadline, fatal on timeout.
+func waitBrowserResult(t *testing.T, wp *pool.WorkerPool) pool.Result {
+	t.Helper()
+	select {
+	case res := <-wp.ResultChan():
+		return res
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("timeout waiting for browser result")
+		return pool.Result{}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRefresh_PicksUpExternalChanges verifies the periodic-refresh contract:
+// the initial load reports a change; an unchanged refresh reports NO change
+// (so no frame is emitted while idle) and preserves the scroll offset; and a
+// refresh after an external add picks up the new file and re-sorts.
+func TestRefresh_PicksUpExternalChanges(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	fs := mock.NewFileSystem()
+	fs.AddDir("/Notes", time.Now()) // only used by the OnScroll LoadPages, harmless
+	wp := pool.NewWorkerPool(2)
+	wp.Start()
+	defer wp.Stop()
+
+	state := NewBrowserState()
+	state.CurrentPath = "/Notes"
+	bm, err := NewBrowserManager(state, wp, fs)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewBrowserManager failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	mod := time.Date(2026, 5, 1, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	buildIndex := func(dirPath string, files ...string) pool.Result {
+		entries := make([]types.DirEntry, 0, len(files))
+		for _, f := range files {
+			entries = append(entries, testDirEntry{name: f, size: 1, mod: mod})
+		}
+		return pool.Result{TaskType: pool.TypeBuildIndex, Success: true, Data: entries, DirPath: dirPath}
+	}
+
+	// Initial load: reports a change.
+	if !bm.HandleResult(buildIndex("/Notes", "a.txt")) {
+		t.Fatal("initial load should report a change")
+	}
+	if state.TotalEntries != 2 { // ".." + a.txt
+		t.Fatalf("TotalEntries = %d after load, want 2", state.TotalEntries)
+	}
+
+	// Unchanged refresh: reports NO change and preserves the scroll offset.
+	state.ScrollOffset = 123
+	if bm.HandleResult(buildIndex("/Notes", "a.txt")) {
+		t.Fatal("unchanged refresh should report no change")
+	}
+	if state.ScrollOffset != 123 {
+		t.Errorf("ScrollOffset = %v after no-op refresh, want 123 (preserved)", state.ScrollOffset)
+	}
+
+	// An external add: the next refresh picks it up and re-sorts.
+	if !bm.HandleResult(buildIndex("/Notes", "a.txt", "b.txt")) {
+		t.Fatal("refresh after external add should report a change")
+	}
+	if state.TotalEntries != 3 { // ".." + a.txt + b.txt
+		t.Fatalf("TotalEntries = %d after add, want 3", state.TotalEntries)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRefresh_CoalescesInFlight verifies that a refresh requested while a read
+// of the same directory is in flight does not dispatch a second read.
+func TestRefresh_CoalescesInFlight(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	fs := mock.NewFileSystem()
+	fs.AddDir("/Notes", time.Now())
+	fs.SetDelay(300 * time.Millisecond) // slow the read so we can observe it
+	wp := pool.NewWorkerPool(2)
+	wp.Start()
+	defer wp.Stop()
+
+	state := NewBrowserState()
+	state.CurrentPath = "/Notes"
+	bm, err := NewBrowserManager(state, wp, fs)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewBrowserManager failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	bm.Load("/Notes") // dispatches one read; it is in flight for ~300ms
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath != "/Notes" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected an in-flight read of /Notes, got %q", bm.indexInFlightPath)
+	}
+	// A refresh while that read is in flight must coalesce (no second read).
+	bm.Refresh("/Notes")
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath != "/Notes" {
+		t.Fatalf("refresh should not replace the in-flight path, got %q", bm.indexInFlightPath)
+	}
+	// Only ONE result should arrive for the coalesced reads.
+	res := waitBrowserResult(t, wp)
+	bm.HandleResult(res)
+	if bm.indexInFlightPath != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("in-flight marker should be cleared after the result, got %q", bm.indexInFlightPath)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestHandleResult_BuildIndexNavFailureRestoresPrevious verifies that a failed
+// NAVIGATION restores the previous directory (the existing recovery behavior)
+// instead of leaving the user on a directory that could not be read.
+func TestHandleResult_BuildIndexNavFailureRestoresPrevious(t *testing.T) {
 	state := NewBrowserState()
 	fs := mock.NewFileSystem()
 	wp := pool.NewWorkerPool(1)
@@ -133,18 +302,23 @@ func TestHandleResult_BuildIndexFailure(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("NewBrowserManager failed: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// Simulate a failed BuildIndex result
+	// Model a navigation from "/" to a directory that then fails to read.
+	state.History = append(state.History, "/")
+	state.CurrentPath = "/missing"
+	bm.indexInFlightPath = "/missing"
+	bm.indexInFlightIsNav = true
+
 	result := pool.Result{
 		TaskType: pool.TypeBuildIndex,
 		Success:  false,
 		Error:    ErrDirNotFound,
+		DirPath:  "/missing",
 	}
-
 	bm.HandleResult(result)
 
-	// Should not panic, state should be recoverable
-	if state.CurrentPath != "" {
-		t.Errorf("Expected empty CurrentPath on error, got %q", state.CurrentPath)
+	// The user is sent back to the previous directory.
+	if state.CurrentPath != "/" {
+		t.Errorf("CurrentPath = %q after nav failure, want / (previous dir restored)", state.CurrentPath)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/editor/logic.go b/internal/editor/logic.go
index 2387d07..186708f 100644
--- a/internal/editor/logic.go
+++ b/internal/editor/logic.go
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ type Logic struct {
 	done           chan struct{}
 	exitWg         sync.WaitGroup
 	saveTimer      *time.Timer // auto-save debounce timer; non-nil while pending
+	// browserRefresh* keep the visible browser directory fresh while the
+	// browser page is on screen (external adds/removes/renames/mtime changes,
+	// incl. inbound syncs). The timer goroutine only sends a token; the owner
+	// does the re-read. All touched only on the owner goroutine.
+	browserRefreshChan  chan struct{} // periodic browser re-read (timer -> owner)
+	browserRefreshTimer *time.Timer   // browser refresh timer; non-nil while pending
 	lastEmit       time.Time   // time of the last frame emission (profiler cadence)
 	debugCmdC      chan string // one-shot debug commands from the cmd-file poller; nil = disabled
 
@@ -183,6 +189,7 @@ func NewLogic(mfs pool.FileSystem, path string, openfunc func(string)) *Logic {
 		openFileChan:    make(chan string),
 		retryChan:       make(chan string, 1), // Buffered channel
 		autosaveChan:    make(chan struct{}),
+		browserRefreshChan: make(chan struct{}),
 		flushSession:    make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		inspectChan:     make(chan *inspectReq),
 		writeInFlight:   make(map[string]int),
@@ -260,8 +267,10 @@ func (l *Logic) Run() {
 	l.exitWg.Add(1)
 	defer l.exitWg.Done()
 
-	// Dispatch initial directory index build on startup
-	l.workerPool.Dispatch(pool.NewBuildIndexTask(l.state.Browser.CurrentPath, l.mockFS))
+	// Dispatch the initial directory index build on startup, routed through the
+	// manager so the in-flight marker is set (a later refresh of the same
+	// directory coalesces, and a late result is dropped once we navigate).
+	l.browserManager.Load(l.state.Browser.CurrentPath)
 
 	// Relaunch restoration (spec §7): re-open the last file if a session
 	// was handed in before Run (BeginRestore). The browser index is still
@@ -362,6 +371,11 @@ func (l *Logic) Run() {
 			// the owner snapshots content and dispatches the write.
 			l.saveTimer = nil
 			l.requestSave(l.state.Editor.Filename)
+		case <-l.browserRefreshChan:
+			// Periodic browser-refresh tick. The timer goroutine only sent a
+			// token; the owner re-reads the current directory (bounded) and
+			// re-arms. No-op while the editor is on screen.
+			l.doBrowserRefresh()
 		case p := <-l.state.pasteChan:
 			// Clipboard content arrived from the main goroutine: insert it
 			// (replacing any live selection, per the selection-aware edit rule).
@@ -411,6 +425,14 @@ func (l *Logic) emitFrame() {
 	// Relaunch snapshot (spec §7): persist when the state has changed and
 	// the rate limit elapsed (tiny JSON file, see session.go).
 	l.saveSessionIfChanged()
+	// While the browser is on screen, keep its directory fresh so external
+	// adds/removes/renames/mtime changes (incl. inbound syncs) appear live, in
+	// the current sort order. Arming here covers every entry onto the browser
+	// page (startup, back from the editor, sort toggle) and re-arms after each
+	// refresh tick; the timer goroutine only sends a token.
+	if l.state.page == BrowserPage {
+		l.armBrowserRefresh()
+	}
 	elems := l.state.layout(l.browserManager)
 	// Relaunch restore (spec §7): land the armed restore scroll AFTER the
 	// layout pass above (it refreshed MaxScroll for the current viewport and
@@ -655,10 +677,52 @@ func (l *Logic) markDirty() {
 	})
 }
 
+// browserRefreshInterval is how often the visible browser directory is re-read
+// while the browser page is on screen, so external changes (files added,
+// removed, renamed, or mtime-changed — including inbound syncs) appear live, in
+// the current sort order. One directory read per interval is a single ReadDir
+// plus a per-entry stat; the manager's in-flight marker keeps it to one read at
+// a time, so a slow read simply coalesces the next tick.
+const browserRefreshInterval = time.Second
+
+// doBrowserRefresh runs on the owner goroutine when the refresh timer fires:
+// re-read the current directory (bounded to one in flight) and re-arm. It is a
+// no-op while the editor is on screen — there is no list to keep fresh there.
+func (l *Logic) doBrowserRefresh() {
+	l.browserRefreshTimer = nil
+	if l.state.page != BrowserPage {
+		return
+	}
+	l.browserManager.Refresh(l.state.Browser.CurrentPath)
+	l.armBrowserRefresh()
+}
+
+// armBrowserRefresh starts (or leaves running) the periodic browser-refresh
+// timer. Idempotent: at most one timer at a time. The timer goroutine only
+// sends a token on browserRefreshChan; the owner does the re-read. The send is
+// non-blocking so the timer goroutine can never block, even after the logic
+// loop has exited (the token is then simply dropped). Owner-goroutine-only.
+func (l *Logic) armBrowserRefresh() {
+	if l.browserRefreshTimer != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	l.browserRefreshTimer = time.AfterFunc(browserRefreshInterval, func() {
+		select {
+		case l.browserRefreshChan <- struct{}{}:
+		default:
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 // handleWorkerResult processes results from the worker pool.
 func (l *Logic) handleWorkerResult(res pool.Result) {
+	// A browser result re-emits only when it actually changed the view; a
+	// periodic refresh of an unchanged directory is dropped here, keeping
+	// emission event-driven while the browser idles. Other results always
+	// re-emit.
+	emit := true
 	if res.IsBrowserResult() {
-		l.browserManager.HandleResult(res)
+		emit = l.browserManager.HandleResult(res)
 	} else if res.TaskType == pool.TypeReadFile {
 		if res.Success {
 			if content, ok := res.Data.([]byte); ok {
@@ -824,7 +888,9 @@ func (l *Logic) handleWorkerResult(res pool.Result) {
 			l.state.Editor.applySearchResult(res)
 		}
 	}
-	l.emitFrame()
+	if emit {
+		l.emitFrame()
+	}
 }
 
 // State returns the current state.
diff --git a/internal/editor/state.go b/internal/editor/state.go
index 1b312f9..b96aacc 100644
--- a/internal/editor/state.go
+++ b/internal/editor/state.go
@@ -686,6 +686,12 @@ func HandleBrowserScroll(data any) {
 func GoToBrowser(data any) {
 	if TheLogic != nil {
 		TheLogic.FlushAll()
+		// Re-read the current directory now (don't wait for the first periodic
+		// tick) so the list is current the moment we land back: files may have
+		// been added/removed/renamed, or an inbound sync may have changed them,
+		// while we were in the editor. The periodic refresh keeps it fresh
+		// afterwards (see Logic.armBrowserRefresh).
+		TheLogic.browserManager.Refresh(TheLogic.state.Browser.CurrentPath)
 	}
 	TheState.Editor.findClose()
 	TheState.page = BrowserPage