diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/docking.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/docking.rs
index 58fd71a678..4531709046 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/docking.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/docking.rs
@@ -396,12 +396,17 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut crate::PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
         // Availability is a render projection: the saved group, selection and width survive Home.
         let _ = rendered.apply(Action::Close { panel: Panel::Inspector });
     }
+    // Tools docked on its own is drawn bare, without a tab strip, like Acrobat's tool pane. Grouped
+    // with another panel, or floating, it keeps its tab so it can be dragged away again; moving it
+    // to the other side stays a preference and a command.
+    let bare_tools = rendered.location(&Panel::Tools).is_ok_and(|l| l.floating.is_none() && matches!(l.placement, Placement::Split(_)));
+    let render_permissions = move |panel: &Panel| if bare_tools && *panel == Panel::Tools { Permissions::PROTECTED } else { permissions(panel) };
     let output = DockArea::new(egui::Id::new("pdfcraft-docking")).show_with_limits(
         ui,
         &rendered,
         &style,
         |panel| crate::i18n::t(panel.label()).into(),
-        permissions,
+        render_permissions,
         panel_limits,
         |ui, panel| match panel {
             Panel::Canvas => {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/control.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/control.rs
index 20fa4cb230..7de5c59997 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/control.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/control.rs
@@ -1299,19 +1299,13 @@ fn docking_pointer_group_float_close_restore_and_document_commands() {
     let (mut h, c) = harness();
     ok(&mut h, &c, "ui.set", json!({"key":"panel", "value":"bookmarks"}));
     h.run_steps(4);
-    let from = h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Tab, "Inspector").rect().center();
-    let to = h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Tab, "Tools").rect().center();
-    h.event(egui::Event::PointerMoved(from));
-    h.run_steps(2);
-    h.event(egui::Event::PointerButton { pos: from, button: egui::PointerButton::Primary, pressed: true, modifiers: egui::Modifiers::NONE });
-    h.run_steps(2);
-    for step in 1..=8 {
-        h.event(egui::Event::PointerMoved(from.lerp(to, step as f32 / 8.0)));
-        h.run_steps(1);
-    }
-    h.event(egui::Event::PointerButton { pos: to, button: egui::PointerButton::Primary, pressed: false, modifiers: egui::Modifiers::NONE });
+    // Tools docked alone has no tab strip (as Acrobat's tool pane), so it is grouped by command.
+    assert!(h.query_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Tab, "Tools").is_none());
+    ok(&mut h, &c, "ui.dock", json!({"operation":"move", "panel":"inspector", "target":"tools", "zone":"center"}));
     h.run_steps(4);
     assert_eq!(h.state().docking.layout.location(&Panel::Inspector).unwrap().anchor, Some(Panel::Tools));
+    // Grouped, Tools has its tab again.
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Tab, "Tools");
     h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Tab, "Inspector").click_button(egui::PointerButton::Secondary);
     h.run_steps(3);
     h.get_by_label("Float panel").click();