diff --git a/Devices/m5stack-tab5/Source/devices/tab5_keyboard.cpp b/Devices/m5stack-tab5/Source/devices/tab5_keyboard.cpp
index 3de918af2..25ef0d004 100644
--- a/Devices/m5stack-tab5/Source/devices/tab5_keyboard.cpp
+++ b/Devices/m5stack-tab5/Source/devices/tab5_keyboard.cpp
@@ -575,6 +575,7 @@ static error_t tab5_keyboard_read_key(Device* device, KeyboardKeyData* data) {
 
 static const KeyboardApi tab5_keyboard_api = {
     .read_key = tab5_keyboard_read_key,
+    .is_present = tab5_keyboard_is_attached,
 };
 
 // Defined in module.cpp - this driver is registered directly by m5stack-tab5's own module,
diff --git a/Modules/lvgl-module/source/devices/keyboard.cpp b/Modules/lvgl-module/source/devices/keyboard.cpp
index bdc08780a..0774fcece 100644
--- a/Modules/lvgl-module/source/devices/keyboard.cpp
+++ b/Modules/lvgl-module/source/devices/keyboard.cpp
@@ -106,8 +106,11 @@ bool lvgl_hardware_keyboard_is_available() {
         return false;
     }
 
+    // TODO: Refactor the driver subsystem to so it does proper probing/releasing of such devices
+    // This work-around exists for the Tab5 keyboard driver.
+    bool present = keyboard_is_present(keyboard_device);
     device_put(keyboard_device);
-    return true;
+    return present;
 }
 
 void lvgl_hardware_keyboard_add_custom(lv_indev_t* indev) {
@@ -137,9 +140,15 @@ static void textarea_show_keyboard(lv_event_t* event) {
 }
 
 static void textarea_hide_keyboard(lv_event_t* event) {
-    if (last_software_keyboard.object != nullptr) {
-        lvgl_software_keyboard_hide(&last_software_keyboard);
+    if (last_software_keyboard.object == nullptr) {
+        return;
     }
+    // Only hide if the keyboard is actually bound to the textarea that triggered this
+    lv_obj_t* target = lv_event_get_current_target_obj(event);
+    if (lv_keyboard_get_textarea(last_software_keyboard.object) != target) {
+        return;
+    }
+    lvgl_software_keyboard_hide(&last_software_keyboard);
 }
 
 void lvgl_software_keyboard_construct(LvglSoftwareKeyboard* keyboard, lv_obj_t* parent) {
@@ -187,6 +196,7 @@ void lvgl_keyboard_add_textarea(LvglSoftwareKeyboard* keyboard, lv_obj_t* textar
         lv_obj_add_event_cb(textarea, textarea_show_keyboard, LV_EVENT_FOCUSED, nullptr);
         lv_obj_add_event_cb(textarea, textarea_hide_keyboard, LV_EVENT_DEFOCUSED, nullptr);
         lv_obj_add_event_cb(textarea, textarea_hide_keyboard, LV_EVENT_READY, nullptr);
+        lv_obj_add_event_cb(textarea, textarea_hide_keyboard, LV_EVENT_DELETE, nullptr);
     }
 
     // lv_obj_t auto-remove themselves from the group when they are destroyed (last checked in LVGL 8.3)
diff --git a/Tactility/Source/Tactility.cpp b/Tactility/Source/Tactility.cpp
index 024487da6..769cd711c 100644
--- a/Tactility/Source/Tactility.cpp
+++ b/Tactility/Source/Tactility.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include <gps_meshtastic/module.h>
 
 #include <crypt/module.h>
+#include <lvgl/devices/keyboard.h>
 #include <lvgl/devices/pointer.h>
 #include <lvgl/lvgl.h>
 #include <lvgl/module.h>
@@ -361,6 +362,9 @@ static void stopAppFromToolbar(lv_event_t*) {
     app_event_emit(topmost, &event);
 }
 
+// The on-screen keyboard widget itself, constructed during windowManagerScreenInit
+static LvglSoftwareKeyboard softwareKeyboard { .object = nullptr };
+
 static lv_obj_t* windowManagerScreenInit(lv_obj_t* root) {
     lv_obj_t* vertical_container = lv_obj_create(root);
     lv_obj_set_size(vertical_container, LV_PCT(100), LV_PCT(100));
@@ -380,6 +384,11 @@ static lv_obj_t* windowManagerScreenInit(lv_obj_t* root) {
     lv_obj_set_flex_grow(app_container, 1);
     lv_obj_set_flex_flow(app_container, LV_FLEX_FLOW_COLUMN);
 
+    // Parented to root (not app_container/vertical_container) so it overlays on top of
+    // everything, including the statusbar, regardless of which app is showing. Hidden until a
+    // focused textarea shows it (see lvgl_keyboard_add_textarea()/textarea_show_keyboard()).
+    lvgl_software_keyboard_construct(&softwareKeyboard, root);
+
     return app_container;
 }
 
@@ -440,6 +449,10 @@ static void onLvglStarted() {
 }
 
 static void onLvglStopped() {
+    if (softwareKeyboard.object != nullptr) {
+        lvgl_software_keyboard_destruct(&softwareKeyboard);
+    }
+
     module_stop(&lvgl_window_manager_module);
 
     lvgl::stopUsbHidInput();
diff --git a/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/drivers/keyboard.h b/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/drivers/keyboard.h
index f1390f22d..56386ba01 100644
--- a/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/drivers/keyboard.h
+++ b/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/drivers/keyboard.h
@@ -66,6 +66,17 @@ struct KeyboardApi {
      * @retval ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED when this device has no backlight
      */
     error_t (*get_backlight)(struct Device* device, struct Device** backlight_device);
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Optional: reports whether the keyboard is physically present right now. Only
+     * meaningful for hot-pluggable/detachable keyboards (e.g. a removable accessory) whose
+     * kernel device is constructed and started once at boot regardless of physical attachment -
+     * leave NULL for a keyboard that's always physically present whenever its device is active
+     * (the common case; callers must treat NULL the same as "always present").
+     * @param[in] device the keyboard device
+     * @return true if physically attached/present
+     */
+    bool (*is_present)(struct Device* device);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -83,6 +94,14 @@ error_t keyboard_read_key(struct Device* device, struct KeyboardKeyData* data);
  */
 error_t keyboard_get_backlight(struct Device* device, struct Device** backlight_device);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Whether the keyboard device is physically present right now. True when the driver
+ * doesn't implement KeyboardApi::is_present (i.e. it's always physically present whenever its
+ * device is active) - see that field's doc comment.
+ * @param[in] device the keyboard device
+ */
+bool keyboard_is_present(struct Device* device);
+
 extern const struct DeviceType KEYBOARD_TYPE;
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/TactilityKernel/source/drivers/keyboard.cpp b/TactilityKernel/source/drivers/keyboard.cpp
index 8c14bcd28..3bc870259 100644
--- a/TactilityKernel/source/drivers/keyboard.cpp
+++ b/TactilityKernel/source/drivers/keyboard.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,16 @@ error_t keyboard_get_backlight(Device* device, Device** backlight_device) {
     return KEYBOARD_DRIVER_API(driver)->get_backlight(device, backlight_device);
 }
 
+bool keyboard_is_present(Device* device) {
+    const auto* driver = device_get_driver(device);
+
+    if (KEYBOARD_DRIVER_API(driver)->is_present == nullptr) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return KEYBOARD_DRIVER_API(driver)->is_present(device);
+}
+
 const DeviceType KEYBOARD_TYPE {
     .name = "keyboard"
 };