diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
index acbe8ac97..2b5b58509 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
@@ -529,6 +529,15 @@ pub fn invoke(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, id: &str, params: V
                 }
                 return r;
             }
+            // An effect added to a layer (Effect menu, Last Effect, dropped on a layer) brings
+            // up Effect Controls on that layer, as in After Effects.
+            if matches!(id, "effect.apply" | "effect.applyLast") {
+                let r = run_engine(app, ctx, id, params.clone());
+                if r.is_ok() {
+                    crate::panels::effect_controls::reveal_applied(app, &params);
+                }
+                return r;
+            }
             if id == "layer.rename" && params.get("name").is_none() {
                 crate::panels::timeline::begin_rename(app, ctx);
                 return Ok(Value::Null);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/effect_controls.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/effect_controls.rs
index 780fdf380..0432d6c34 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/effect_controls.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/effect_controls.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,27 @@ fn selected_layer(app: &EffectcraftApp) -> Option<Layer> {
     comp.layer(*id).cloned()
 }
 
+/// An effect was just applied (`effect.apply` / `effect.applyLast` with `params`): Effect
+/// Controls comes up (opened if closed, brought to the front, the focus left where it is) on the
+/// layer the effect went to, with the new effect selected, as in After Effects.
+pub fn reveal_applied(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, params: &serde_json::Value) {
+    // `effect.apply` selects the new effect on (the last of) the layers it went to.
+    let target = app.session.state.selected_props.last().map(|(l, _)| *l);
+    if let Some(l) = target
+        && !app.session.state.selected_layers.contains(&l)
+        && params.get("comp").is_none()
+        && app.session.active_comp().is_some_and(|c| c.layer(l).is_some())
+    {
+        // Show that layer (dropped on an unselected one), keeping the new effect selected.
+        let props = app.session.state.selected_props.clone();
+        match app.session.execute("layer.select", json!({"layers": [l.0]})) {
+            Ok(_) => app.session.state.selected_props = props,
+            Err(e) => app.ui.status = e.to_string(),
+        }
+    }
+    app.raise_panel(crate::dock::PanelKind::EffectControls);
+}
+
 /// An undo-merge key for one gesture on `id`: a new key each time a drag starts, so separate
 /// drags are separate undo steps while one drag is one step.
 pub(super) fn gesture_key(ui: &egui::Ui, id: egui::Id, started: bool) -> String {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
index c8315c97b..0f7b49b1e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
@@ -1669,7 +1669,14 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, rect: Rect) {
                     actions.push(("prop.select".into(), json!({"layer": layer.id.0, "prop": uid, "selectKeys": false})));
                 }
                 if gr.double_clicked() {
-                    ui_actions.push(UiAct::ToggleGroup(*uid));
+                    if fx.is_some() {
+                        // An effect's name: open it in Effect Controls (as in After Effects).
+                        actions.push(("layer.select".into(), json!({"layers": [layer.id.0]})));
+                        actions.push(("prop.select".into(), json!({"layer": layer.id.0, "prop": uid, "selectKeys": false})));
+                        actions.push(("window.panel".into(), json!({"panel": "EffectControls"})));
+                    } else {
+                        ui_actions.push(UiAct::ToggleGroup(*uid));
+                    }
                 }
             }
             RowKind::Waveform { item } => {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_panel_focus.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_panel_focus.rs
index d82f11cf8..f87c3dddc 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_panel_focus.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_panel_focus.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Panels that come up on their own (egui_kittest), as in After Effects: opening a comp brings up
-//! its Composition panel even when it was closed (#90).
+//! its Composition panel even when it was closed (#90); adding an effect, or double-clicking one
+//! in the Timeline, brings up Effect Controls (#87).
 
 use effectcraft_engine::Session;
 use effectcraft_engine::project::ItemId;
@@ -108,3 +109,81 @@ fn opening_a_comp_in_the_minimal_workspace_docks_the_viewer_above_the_timeline()
         other => panic!("expected the viewer above the Timeline, got {other:?}"),
     }
 }
+
+/// The id of layer `name` in the active comp.
+fn layer_id(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, name: &str) -> u64 {
+    h.state().session.active_comp().unwrap().layers.iter().find(|l| l.name == name).unwrap().id.0
+}
+
+fn try_invoke(h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, id: &str, params: serde_json::Value) -> serde_json::Value {
+    let ctx = h.ctx.clone();
+    let r = effectcraft_ui_egui::menus::invoke(h.state_mut(), &ctx, id, params).unwrap();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    r
+}
+
+fn ec_up(h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>) -> bool {
+    h.state().ui.dock.is_visible(PanelKind::EffectControls) && h.state().auto.elements.iter().any(|e| e.id == "panel.EffectControls")
+}
+
+/// Issue #87: adding an effect to a layer from the Effect menu (and Last Effect), or dropping one
+/// on a layer in the Timeline (`effect.apply` with its `layers`), brings up Effect Controls, even
+/// when it was closed, on the layer the effect went to; the focus stays where it was.
+#[test]
+fn applying_an_effect_brings_up_effect_controls_on_that_layer() {
+    let (mut h, _, _) = harness();
+    invoke(&mut h, "layer.newSolid", json!({"name": "Blue", "color": [0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0]}));
+    let (red, blue) = (layer_id(&h, "Red"), layer_id(&h, "Blue"));
+    // Effect Controls shares its group with the Project panel, which is in front.
+    invoke(&mut h, "window.panel", json!({"panel": "Project"}));
+    assert!(!h.state().ui.dock.is_visible(PanelKind::EffectControls));
+
+    // Effect ▸ Blur & Sharpen ▸ Gaussian Blur on the selected layer.
+    invoke(&mut h, "layer.select", json!({"layers": [red]}));
+    h.state_mut().ui.focused = PanelKind::Timeline;
+    try_invoke(&mut h, "effect.apply", json!({"effect": "ec.blur.gaussian"}));
+    assert!(ec_up(&h), "Effect Controls came to the front");
+    assert_eq!(h.state().ui.focused, PanelKind::Timeline, "the focus stays");
+
+    // Closed: Effect ▸ Last Effect reopens it.
+    invoke(&mut h, "window.closePanel", json!({"panel": "EffectControls"}));
+    assert!(!h.state().ui.dock.contains(PanelKind::EffectControls));
+    try_invoke(&mut h, "effect.applyLast", json!({}));
+    assert!(ec_up(&h), "Effect Controls reopened");
+
+    // Dropped on the other (unselected) layer in the Timeline: Effect Controls shows that layer,
+    // with the new effect selected.
+    invoke(&mut h, "window.closePanel", json!({"panel": "EffectControls"}));
+    let r = try_invoke(&mut h, "effect.apply", json!({"effect": "ec.blur.gaussian", "layers": [blue]}));
+    let uid = r["effects"][0].as_u64().unwrap();
+    assert!(ec_up(&h));
+    let st = &h.state().session.state;
+    assert_eq!(st.selected_layers.iter().map(|l| l.0).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![blue], "Effect Controls shows the layer it went to");
+    assert_eq!(st.selected_props.iter().map(|(l, u)| (l.0, *u)).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![(blue, uid)], "the new effect is selected");
+}
+
+/// Issue #87: double-clicking an effect's name under its layer in the Timeline opens it in
+/// Effect Controls (instead of twirling it).
+#[test]
+fn double_clicking_an_effect_in_the_timeline_opens_effect_controls() {
+    let (mut h, _, _) = harness();
+    invoke(&mut h, "layer.newSolid", json!({"name": "Blue", "color": [0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0]}));
+    let red = layer_id(&h, "Red");
+    let r = try_invoke(&mut h, "effect.apply", json!({"effect": "ec.blur.gaussian", "layers": [red]}));
+    let uid = r["effects"][0].as_u64().unwrap();
+    // Reveal the layer's effects (E), then close Effect Controls and select the other layer.
+    invoke(&mut h, "layer.select", json!({"layers": [red]}));
+    invoke(&mut h, "timeline.revealAdd.effects", json!({}));
+    invoke(&mut h, "window.closePanel", json!({"panel": "EffectControls"}));
+    let blue = layer_id(&h, "Blue");
+    invoke(&mut h, "layer.select", json!({"layers": [blue]}));
+    assert!(!h.state().ui.dock.contains(PanelKind::EffectControls));
+
+    let name = rect(&h, &format!("timeline.group.{uid}.name"));
+    click_n(&mut h, name.center(), 2);
+    assert!(ec_up(&h), "Effect Controls opened");
+    let st = &h.state().session.state;
+    assert_eq!(st.selected_layers.iter().map(|l| l.0).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![red], "on the effect's layer");
+    assert_eq!(st.selected_props.iter().map(|(l, u)| (l.0, *u)).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![(red, uid)], "with the effect selected");
+    assert!(!h.state().ui.timeline.open_groups.contains(&uid), "the effect did not twirl open");
+}