diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
index eff827f2..a18b4172 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/menus.rs
@@ -251,10 +251,11 @@ fn reveal_targets(app: &EffectcraftApp) -> Vec<u64> {
     }
 }
 
-/// The arrow keys over the Composition panel or the Timeline: move the selected layers 1 pixel
-/// at the viewer's magnification (`up`, `down`, `left`, `right`), 10 with Shift (`up10`…), as
-/// After Effects does, so zoomed in they move by fractions of a comp pixel. Not while typing,
-/// or with mask points selected.
+/// The arrow keys nudge the selected layers 1 pixel at the viewer's magnification (`up`,
+/// `down`, `left`, `right`), 10 with Shift (`up10`…), as After Effects does, so zoomed in
+/// they move by fractions of a comp pixel. From any panel except Project (which owns the
+/// arrow keys for its own keyboard navigation, #961); not while typing, with a dialog or
+/// menu open, or with mask points selected.
 fn nudge(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, dir: &str) -> Result<Value, String> {
     let (side, n) = match dir.strip_suffix("10") {
         Some(side) => (side, 10.0),
@@ -268,8 +269,7 @@ fn nudge(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context, dir: &str) -> Result<Val
         _ => return Err(format!("unknown nudge `{dir}`")),
     };
     let st = &app.session.state;
-    let over = matches!(app.ui.focused, PanelKind::Composition | PanelKind::Viewer(_) | PanelKind::Timeline);
-    if !over || st.selected_layers.is_empty() || st.text_edit.is_some() || !st.selected_vertices.is_empty() {
+    if app.ui.focused == PanelKind::Project || st.selected_layers.is_empty() || st.text_edit.is_some() || !st.selected_vertices.is_empty() {
         return Ok(Value::Null);
     }
     // Screen pixels per comp pixel.
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_frame_step.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_frame_step.rs
index cd3ac329..a57e3529 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_frame_step.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_frame_step.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 use effectcraft_engine::Session;
 use effectcraft_ui_egui::EffectcraftApp;
+use effectcraft_ui_egui::dock::PanelKind;
 use egui::{Event, Key, Modifiers};
 use egui_kittest::Harness;
 use serde_json::json;
@@ -42,3 +43,91 @@ fn cmd_arrows_step_the_current_frame() {
     key(&mut h, Key::ArrowRight, Modifiers::NONE);
     assert_eq!(frame(&h), 1);
 }
+
+/// With a layer selected, the plain arrow keys nudge it (1 screen pixel at the viewer
+/// magnification, 10 with Shift), as After Effects does (#961).
+#[test]
+fn plain_arrows_nudge_the_selected_layer() {
+    use effectcraft_engine::project::LayerId;
+    let mut session = Session::default();
+    session.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "Main", "width": 320, "height": 180, "frameRate": 30.0, "duration": 4.0})).unwrap();
+    let lid = session.execute("layer.newSolid", json!({"name": "Box", "width": 40, "height": 40, "color": "#ff0000"})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    session.execute("layer.select", json!({"layers": [lid]})).unwrap();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1400.0, 900.0)).build_eframe(|_| EffectcraftApp::new(session));
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    let x = |h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>| {
+        h.state().session.active_comp().unwrap().layer(LayerId(lid)).unwrap().props.prop("transform/position").unwrap().value.as_vec3()[0]
+    };
+    let frame = |h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>| {
+        let app = h.state();
+        app.session.time()
+    };
+    let (x0, t0) = (x(&h), frame(&h));
+    key(&mut h, Key::ArrowRight, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(x(&h) > x0, "ArrowRight nudges the layer right (from {x0})");
+    assert_eq!(frame(&h), t0, "nudging does not move the time");
+    let x1 = x(&h);
+    key(&mut h, Key::ArrowRight, Modifiers::SHIFT);
+    let x2 = x(&h);
+    assert!(x2 > x1 + (x1 - x0) * 5.0, "Shift+ArrowRight nudges ten times further (from {x1})");
+    key(&mut h, Key::ArrowLeft, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(x(&h) < x2, "ArrowLeft nudges back (from {x2})");
+}
+
+/// The realistic path: clicking a Timeline row selects the layer, and the arrow keys then
+/// nudge it (#961).
+#[test]
+fn clicking_a_timeline_row_then_arrows_nudge_the_layer() {
+    use effectcraft_engine::project::LayerId;
+    let mut session = Session::default();
+    session.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "Main", "width": 320, "height": 180, "frameRate": 30.0, "duration": 4.0})).unwrap();
+    let lid = session.execute("layer.newSolid", json!({"name": "Box", "width": 40, "height": 40, "color": "#ff0000"})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    session.execute("edit.deselectAll", json!({})).unwrap();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1600.0, 1000.0)).build_eframe(|_| EffectcraftApp::new(session));
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let row = {
+        let e = h.state().auto.find(&format!("timeline.layer.{lid}.row")).expect("timeline row");
+        egui::Rect::from_min_size(egui::pos2(e.rect[0], e.rect[1]), egui::vec2(e.rect[2], e.rect[3]))
+    };
+    let p = egui::pos2(row.min.x + 210.0, row.center().y);
+    h.event(Event::PointerMoved(p));
+    h.step();
+    h.event(Event::PointerButton { pos: p, button: egui::PointerButton::Primary, pressed: true, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+    h.step();
+    h.event(Event::PointerButton { pos: p, button: egui::PointerButton::Primary, pressed: false, modifiers: Modifiers::NONE });
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers, vec![LayerId(lid)]);
+    let x = |h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>| {
+        h.state().session.active_comp().unwrap().layer(LayerId(lid)).unwrap().props.prop("transform/position").unwrap().value.as_vec3()[0]
+    };
+    let x0 = x(&h);
+    key(&mut h, Key::ArrowRight, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(x(&h) > x0, "ArrowRight nudges the clicked layer (from {x0})");
+}
+
+/// The arrows nudge the selected layer from any panel except Project, which owns them for
+/// its own keyboard navigation (#961).
+#[test]
+fn arrows_nudge_from_any_panel_but_project() {
+    use effectcraft_engine::project::LayerId;
+    let mut session = Session::default();
+    session.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "Main", "width": 320, "height": 180, "frameRate": 30.0, "duration": 4.0})).unwrap();
+    let lid = session.execute("layer.newSolid", json!({"name": "Box", "width": 40, "height": 40, "color": "#ff0000"})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    session.execute("layer.select", json!({"layers": [lid]})).unwrap();
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1400.0, 900.0)).build_eframe(|_| EffectcraftApp::new(session));
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    let x = |h: &Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>| {
+        h.state().session.active_comp().unwrap().layer(LayerId(lid)).unwrap().props.prop("transform/position").unwrap().value.as_vec3()[0]
+    };
+    h.state_mut().ui.focused = PanelKind::EffectControls;
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    let x0 = x(&h);
+    key(&mut h, Key::ArrowRight, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(x(&h) > x0, "arrows nudge with Effect Controls focused (from {x0})");
+    // Project owns the arrows for its item navigation: the layer stays put.
+    h.state_mut().ui.focused = PanelKind::Project;
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    let x1 = x(&h);
+    key(&mut h, Key::ArrowRight, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert_eq!(x(&h), x1, "arrows do not nudge with Project focused");
+}