diff --git a/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.test.tsx b/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.test.tsx
index 7fd8f0fcf..573c11277 100644
--- a/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.test.tsx
@@ -146,6 +146,56 @@ it('finds and closes existing panels from the layout root, but opens in the pare
   });
 });
 
+it('re-attaches a detached parent to the root before opening the panel', () => {
+  const onOpen = jest.fn();
+  const onClose = jest.fn();
+  // A parent that is detached from the root (parent.parent === null)
+  const parent = TestUtils.createMockProxy<ContentItem>({ parent: null });
+
+  render(
+    <ParentItemContext.Provider value={parent}>
+      {makeTestComponent({ onOpen, onClose })}
+    </ParentItemContext.Provider>
+  );
+
+  const { root } = (useLayoutManager as jest.Mock).mock.results[0].value;
+
+  // parent is the topmost detached ancestor; root has no children so addChild is called on root
+  expect(root.addChild).toHaveBeenCalledWith(parent);
+  // Panel should still open in the parent stack after re-attachment
+  expect(LayoutUtils.openComponent).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(LayoutUtils.openComponent).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+    expect.objectContaining({ root: parent })
+  );
+});
+
+it('re-attaches the topmost detached ancestor to the root before opening the panel', () => {
+  const onOpen = jest.fn();
+  const onClose = jest.fn();
+  // parent is a stack inside a detached row (grandparent.parent === null)
+  const grandparent = TestUtils.createMockProxy<ContentItem>({ parent: null });
+  const parent = TestUtils.createMockProxy<ContentItem>({
+    parent: grandparent,
+  });
+
+  render(
+    <ParentItemContext.Provider value={parent}>
+      {makeTestComponent({ onOpen, onClose })}
+    </ParentItemContext.Provider>
+  );
+
+  const { root } = (useLayoutManager as jest.Mock).mock.results[0].value;
+
+  // The topmost detached ancestor (grandparent) should be re-added, not just parent
+  expect(root.addChild).toHaveBeenCalledWith(grandparent);
+  expect(root.addChild).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(parent);
+  // Panel should still open in the original parent (not grandparent)
+  expect(LayoutUtils.openComponent).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(LayoutUtils.openComponent).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+    expect.objectContaining({ root: parent })
+  );
+});
+
 it('only calls open once if the panel has not closed and only children change', () => {
   const onOpen = jest.fn();
   const onClose = jest.fn();
diff --git a/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.tsx b/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.tsx
index c81e94589..d9442e54f 100644
--- a/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.tsx
+++ b/plugins/ui/src/js/src/layout/ReactPanel.tsx
@@ -192,7 +192,23 @@ function ReactPanel({
           isClosable,
         };
 
-        // If we didn't find it, we still want to open it in the same place in the layout as before (parent stack) instead of opening at the root
+        // If we didn't find it, we still want to open it in the same place in the layout as before (parent stack) instead of opening at the root.
+        // Walk up from parent, tracking the topmost item seen, to determine in one pass whether the parent
+        // is detached and, if so, which ancestor to re-add. Re-adding the topmost detached ancestor (e.g. a
+        // row containing multiple stacks) better preserves the layout and ensures stack headers are rendered.
+        let topDetached: typeof parent = parent;
+        let currentParent: typeof parent | null = parent.parent;
+        while (currentParent != null && currentParent !== root) {
+          topDetached = currentParent;
+          currentParent = currentParent.parent;
+        }
+        if (currentParent === null) {
+          // currentParent reached null without hitting root, so the parent is detached.
+          // Root can only have one direct child (a row/column container), so add to that instead.
+          const rootChild =
+            root.contentItems.length > 0 ? root.contentItems[0] : root;
+          rootChild.addChild(topDetached);
+        }
         LayoutUtils.openComponent({ root: parent, config });
         log.debug('Opened panel', panelId, config);
       } else if (openedMetadataRef.current !== metadata) {