diff --git a/lib/screens/channel_chat_screen.dart b/lib/screens/channel_chat_screen.dart
index 0a54cb4..78dfdf2 100644
--- a/lib/screens/channel_chat_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/channel_chat_screen.dart
@@ -309,9 +309,7 @@ class _ChannelChatScreenState extends State<ChannelChatScreen> {
     navigator.pop();
     navigator.pushReplacement(
       buildQuickSwitchRoute(
-        index == 0
-            ? const ContactsScreen(hideBackButton: true)
-            : const MapScreen(hideBackButton: true),
+        index == 0 ? const ContactsScreen() : const MapScreen(),
       ),
     );
   }
diff --git a/lib/screens/channels_screen.dart b/lib/screens/channels_screen.dart
index 3268e1c..2b4584a 100644
--- a/lib/screens/channels_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/channels_screen.dart
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ import 'map_screen.dart';
 import 'settings_screen.dart';
 
 class ChannelsScreen extends StatefulWidget {
-  final bool hideBackButton;
-
-  const ChannelsScreen({super.key, this.hideBackButton = false});
+  const ChannelsScreen({super.key});
 
   @override
   State<ChannelsScreen> createState() => _ChannelsScreenState();
@@ -110,7 +108,11 @@ class _ChannelsScreenState extends State<ChannelsScreen>
         context,
         MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => const SettingsScreen()),
       ),
-      appBar: AppBar(
+      appBarBuilder: (context, pinned) => AppBar(
+        // Top-level tab: no auto back-arrow. Hamburger when the panel is not
+        // pinned; nothing when it is (panel is docked), so no dead arrow (#390).
+        automaticallyImplyLeading: false,
+        leading: pinned ? null : AppShell.drawerMenuButton(),
         title: AppBarTitle(context.l10n.channels_title),
         centerTitle: true,
         bottom: const SyncProgressAppBarBottom(),
@@ -570,13 +572,13 @@ class _ChannelsScreenState extends State<ChannelsScreen>
       case 0:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ContactsScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ContactsScreen()),
         );
         break;
       case 2:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const MapScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const MapScreen()),
         );
         break;
     }
diff --git a/lib/screens/contacts_screen.dart b/lib/screens/contacts_screen.dart
index 9ffbae6..d9ad000 100644
--- a/lib/screens/contacts_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/contacts_screen.dart
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ enum RoomLoginDestination { chat, management }
 enum ContactOperationType { import, export, zeroHopShare }
 
 class ContactsScreen extends StatefulWidget {
-  final bool hideBackButton;
-
-  const ContactsScreen({super.key, this.hideBackButton = false});
+  const ContactsScreen({super.key});
 
   @override
   State<ContactsScreen> createState() => _ContactsScreenState();
@@ -329,7 +327,11 @@ class _ContactsScreenState extends State<ContactsScreen>
         context,
         MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => const SettingsScreen()),
       ),
-      appBar: AppBar(
+      appBarBuilder: (context, pinned) => AppBar(
+        // Top-level tab: no auto back-arrow. Hamburger when the panel is not
+        // pinned; nothing when it is (panel is docked), so no dead arrow (#390).
+        automaticallyImplyLeading: false,
+        leading: pinned ? null : AppShell.drawerMenuButton(),
         title: AppBarTitle(context.l10n.contacts_title),
         bottom: const SyncProgressAppBarBottom(),
         actions: [
@@ -949,13 +951,13 @@ class _ContactsScreenState extends State<ContactsScreen>
       case 1:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ChannelsScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ChannelsScreen()),
         );
         break;
       case 2:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const MapScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const MapScreen()),
         );
         break;
     }
diff --git a/lib/screens/line_of_sight_map_screen.dart b/lib/screens/line_of_sight_map_screen.dart
index 2e83150..49e35f5 100644
--- a/lib/screens/line_of_sight_map_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/line_of_sight_map_screen.dart
@@ -1362,13 +1362,13 @@ class _LineOfSightMapScreenState extends State<LineOfSightMapScreen> {
       case 0:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ContactsScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ContactsScreen()),
         );
         break;
       case 1:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ChannelsScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ChannelsScreen()),
         );
         break;
     }
diff --git a/lib/screens/map_screen.dart b/lib/screens/map_screen.dart
index 2b9ade1..7c5752d 100644
--- a/lib/screens/map_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/map_screen.dart
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ class MapScreen extends StatefulWidget {
   final String? highlightLabel;
   final String? highlightMarkerKey;
   final double highlightZoom;
-  final bool hideBackButton;
 
   const MapScreen({
     super.key,
@@ -50,7 +49,6 @@ class MapScreen extends StatefulWidget {
     this.highlightLabel,
     this.highlightMarkerKey,
     this.highlightZoom = 15.0,
-    this.hideBackButton = false,
   });
 
   @override
@@ -421,7 +419,12 @@ class _MapScreenState extends State<MapScreen> {
             context,
             MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => const SettingsScreen()),
           ),
-          appBar: AppBar(
+          appBarBuilder: (context, pinned) => AppBar(
+            // Top-level tab: no auto back-arrow. Hamburger when the panel is
+            // not pinned; nothing when pinned (panel docked), so no dead
+            // arrow (#390).
+            automaticallyImplyLeading: false,
+            leading: pinned ? null : AppShell.drawerMenuButton(),
             title: AppBarTitle(context.l10n.map_title),
             centerTitle: true,
             bottom: const SyncProgressAppBarBottom(),
@@ -1636,13 +1639,13 @@ class _MapScreenState extends State<MapScreen> {
       case 0:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ContactsScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ContactsScreen()),
         );
         break;
       case 1:
         Navigator.pushReplacement(
           context,
-          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ChannelsScreen(hideBackButton: true)),
+          buildQuickSwitchRoute(const ChannelsScreen()),
         );
         break;
     }
diff --git a/lib/widgets/app_shell.dart b/lib/widgets/app_shell.dart
index 106255f..1225393 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/app_shell.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/app_shell.dart
@@ -89,6 +89,20 @@ class AppShell extends StatefulWidget {
     return AppShellBackAction.background;
   }
 
+  /// Hamburger for a top-level tab's app-bar leading, used when the nav panel
+  /// is NOT pinned (transient drawer). Top-level tabs must set
+  /// `automaticallyImplyLeading: false` and use this instead, so the pinned
+  /// desktop layout shows no leading at all rather than a dead back-arrow that
+  /// only backgrounds (a no-op on desktop): the #390 eyesore. A [Builder] so
+  /// `openDrawer` resolves a context beneath the Scaffold.
+  static Widget drawerMenuButton() => Builder(
+    builder: (context) => IconButton(
+      icon: const Icon(Icons.menu),
+      tooltip: MaterialLocalizations.of(context).openAppDrawerTooltip,
+      onPressed: () => Scaffold.of(context).openDrawer(),
+    ),
+  );
+
   @override
   State<AppShell> createState() => _AppShellState();
 }