diff --git a/core/widgets/TreeWidget.zig b/core/widgets/TreeWidget.zig
index 66ddc5531..7f329db0a 100644
--- a/core/widgets/TreeWidget.zig
+++ b/core/widgets/TreeWidget.zig
@@ -426,6 +426,10 @@ pub const Branch = struct {
     /// inside it are carried with it.
     carried_source: bool = false,
     expanded: bool = false,
+    /// Left/Right pressed on this row this frame: `expander()` toggles the branch the way a
+    /// click does (animated, and before the caller reads `expanded` back), so a caller passing
+    /// last frame's open state cannot undo it.
+    key_toggle: bool = false,
     can_expand: bool = false,
     anim: ?*dvui.AnimateWidget = null,
     /// Populated while `expander_vbox` is active: clip children to `anim`'s content (animated height).
@@ -703,13 +707,13 @@ pub const Branch = struct {
                             if (self.expanded) {
                                 dvui.tabIndexNextEx(e.num, self.tree.group.tab_index_prev, self.tree.data().id, false);
                             } else {
-                                self.expanded = true;
+                                self.key_toggle = true;
                             }
                         },
                         .left => {
                             e.handle(@src(), self.button.data());
                             if (self.expanded) {
-                                self.expanded = false;
+                                self.key_toggle = true;
                             } else if (self.parent_focus_id) |pid| {
                                 dvui.focusWidget(pid, null, e.num);
                             } else {
@@ -767,7 +771,7 @@ pub const Branch = struct {
             default_opts.override(opts),
         );
 
-        if (clicked or self.init_options.expanded != self.expanded) {
+        if (clicked or self.key_toggle or self.init_options.expanded != self.expanded) {
             if (self.expanded) {
                 self.anim.?.init_opts.easing = motion.settle;
                 self.anim.?.init_opts.duration = motion.duration(@divTrunc(self.init_options.animation_duration, 2));
diff --git a/tests/integration.zig b/tests/integration.zig
index dc781c089..f1d96f3ef 100644
--- a/tests/integration.zig
+++ b/tests/integration.zig
@@ -7242,6 +7242,60 @@ test "tree: a drag put down is not dropped where the pointer last was" {
     try std.testing.expect(CarriedTree.landed == null);
 }
 
+// A key fold sticks. The caller below keeps its own open state and passes it back each frame, as
+// the settings, file and guides trees do, reading `branch.expanded` after `expander()`: Left must
+// fold the branch (animated, as a click does) and leave it folded, and Right open it again.
+const KeyFoldTree = struct {
+    const TW = fizzy.core.widgets.TreeWidget;
+
+    var focus = false;
+    var open = true;
+    var body_drawn = false;
+
+    fn frame() anyerror!dvui.App.Result {
+        var tree = TW.tree(@src(), .{}, .{ .expand = .both });
+        defer tree.deinit();
+        const branch = tree.branch(@src(), .{ .expanded = open }, .{ .expand = .horizontal });
+        defer branch.deinit();
+        if (focus) {
+            focus = false;
+            dvui.focusWidget(branch.button.data().id, null, null);
+        }
+        dvui.labelNoFmt(@src(), "row", .{}, .{ .min_size_content = .{ .w = 120, .h = 20 } });
+        body_drawn = false;
+        if (branch.expander(@src(), .{}, .{ .expand = .horizontal })) {
+            body_drawn = true;
+            dvui.labelNoFmt(@src(), "child", .{}, .{ .min_size_content = .{ .w = 120, .h = 20 } });
+        }
+        open = branch.expanded;
+        return .ok;
+    }
+};
+
+test "tree: a key fold stays folded when the caller passes its open state back" {
+    var t = try dvui.testing.init(.{ .allocator = std.testing.allocator });
+    defer t.deinit();
+    KeyFoldTree.focus = true;
+    KeyFoldTree.open = true;
+    try dvui.testing.settle(KeyFoldTree.frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(KeyFoldTree.open and KeyFoldTree.body_drawn);
+
+    try dvui.testing.pressKey(.left, .none);
+    // The fold animates: the body is still drawn the frame after the key, closing.
+    _ = try dvui.testing.step(KeyFoldTree.frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(KeyFoldTree.body_drawn);
+    try dvui.testing.settle(KeyFoldTree.frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(!KeyFoldTree.open and !KeyFoldTree.body_drawn);
+    _ = try dvui.testing.step(KeyFoldTree.frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(!KeyFoldTree.open);
+
+    try dvui.testing.pressKey(.right, .none);
+    try dvui.testing.settle(KeyFoldTree.frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(KeyFoldTree.open and KeyFoldTree.body_drawn);
+    _ = try dvui.testing.step(KeyFoldTree.frame);
+    try std.testing.expect(KeyFoldTree.open);
+}
+
 test "a frost never captures more than the picture it reads" {
     const within = fizzy.core.widgets.BlurBackdrop.within;
     const Rect = dvui.Rect.Physical;