diff --git a/src/app/components/CallEmbedProvider.tsx b/src/app/components/CallEmbedProvider.tsx
index 8ee389ccb..c0621e123 100644
--- a/src/app/components/CallEmbedProvider.tsx
+++ b/src/app/components/CallEmbedProvider.tsx
@@ -731,8 +731,24 @@ export function CallEmbedProvider({ children }: CallEmbedProviderProps) {
   // When screenshare ends, release the spotlight we auto-enabled.
   const pipAutoSpotlightRef = React.useRef(false);
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!pipMode || !callEmbed) return;
-    if (pipScreenshare) {
+    if (!callEmbed) {
+      // The embed (and its spotlight) is torn down with the call; drop the latch
+      // so a stale ref can't act on the next call's fresh embed.
+      pipAutoSpotlightRef.current = false;
+      return;
+    }
+    // Spotlight is wanted only while in pip with an active screenshare. Release
+    // it when EITHER ends — including leaving pip (returning to the call room).
+    // The release must not sit behind a `!pipMode` early-return, or a
+    // screenshare→pip→back sequence leaves the auto-enabled spotlight stuck on
+    // with pipAutoSpotlightRef latched true. The ref gates release so we only
+    // ever undo a spotlight we turned on (never one the user set).
+    // NB: `control.spotlight` is read below but deliberately NOT a dependency —
+    // this effect reacts to pip/screenshare *intent*, not to spotlight changes.
+    // Adding it as a dep would re-run on every manual spotlight toggle and fight
+    // the user.
+    const wantSpotlight = pipMode && pipScreenshare;
+    if (wantSpotlight) {
       if (!callEmbed.control.spotlight) {
         callEmbed.control.toggleSpotlight();
         pipAutoSpotlightRef.current = true;