diff --git a/src/window.rs b/src/window.rs
index 5bd23d0f..47597057 100644
--- a/src/window.rs
+++ b/src/window.rs
@@ -2265,7 +2265,13 @@ unsafe extern "system" fn mirror_wnd_proc(
 ) -> LRESULT {
     match msg {
         WM_NCHITTEST => LRESULT(HTCLIENT as isize),
-        WM_SETCURSOR if set_surface_cursor(hwnd) => LRESULT(1),
+        // See the primary surface: DefWindowProc forwards both to the parent.
+        WM_MOUSEACTIVATE => LRESULT(MA_NOACTIVATE as isize),
+        WM_MOUSEWHEEL | WM_MOUSEHWHEEL | WM_APPCOMMAND | WM_CONTEXTMENU => LRESULT(0),
+        WM_SETCURSOR => {
+            set_surface_cursor(hwnd);
+            LRESULT(1)
+        }
         WM_MOUSEMOVE => {
             update_mouse_hover(hwnd, lparam);
             LRESULT(0)
diff --git a/src/window/message_loop.rs b/src/window/message_loop.rs
index 4c8cf953..d054d506 100644
--- a/src/window/message_loop.rs
+++ b/src/window/message_loop.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ pub(super) unsafe extern "system" fn wnd_proc(
             LRESULT(0)
         }
         WM_NCHITTEST => LRESULT(HTCLIENT as isize),
+        // DefWindowProc sends WM_MOUSEACTIVATE to a child's parent first. For a
+        // taskbar-hosted surface that is a synchronous call into Shell_TrayWnd
+        // on every button press; a hang dump caught Explorer's taskbar thread
+        // stuck in UI Automation while handling exactly that message (from a
+        // right-button press), with this thread waiting on it. The surface is
+        // never activated anyway, so answer here and keep Explorer out of it.
+        WM_MOUSEACTIVATE => LRESULT(MA_NOACTIVATE as isize),
+        // Same parent forwarding: the surface has no use for them either.
+        WM_MOUSEWHEEL | WM_MOUSEHWHEEL | WM_APPCOMMAND | WM_CONTEXTMENU => LRESULT(0),
         WM_PAINT => {
             let mut ps = PAINTSTRUCT::default();
             let _ = BeginPaint(hwnd, &mut ps);
@@ -187,8 +196,10 @@ pub(super) unsafe extern "system" fn wnd_proc(
             schedule_auto_update_check(hwnd);
             LRESULT(0)
         }
-        WM_SETCURSOR if set_surface_cursor(hwnd) => LRESULT(1),
-        WM_SETCURSOR => DefWindowProcW(hwnd, msg, wparam, lparam),
+        WM_SETCURSOR => {
+            set_surface_cursor(hwnd);
+            LRESULT(1)
+        }
         WM_LBUTTONDOWN => {
             widget_tooltip::hide();
             unsafe {
@@ -1082,4 +1093,90 @@ mod tests {
         worker.join().expect("tray callback test thread");
         result.expect("tray callbacks must return without waiting for STATE");
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hosted_surface_never_forwards_mouse_messages_to_its_parent() {
+        // Stands in for Shell_TrayWnd: DefWindowProc of a child forwards these
+        // to the parent synchronously, which in production is Explorer.
+        static FORWARDED: AtomicU32 = AtomicU32::new(0);
+        unsafe extern "system" fn parent_proc(
+            hwnd: HWND,
+            msg: u32,
+            wparam: WPARAM,
+            lparam: LPARAM,
+        ) -> LRESULT {
+            if matches!(
+                msg,
+                WM_MOUSEACTIVATE | WM_SETCURSOR | WM_MOUSEWHEEL | WM_MOUSEHWHEEL | WM_APPCOMMAND
+            ) {
+                FORWARDED.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+            }
+            DefWindowProcW(hwnd, msg, wparam, lparam)
+        }
+
+        unsafe {
+            let class = native_interop::wide_str("ClaudeCodeUsageForwardingParentTest");
+            RegisterClassW(&WNDCLASSW {
+                lpfnWndProc: Some(parent_proc),
+                hInstance: GetModuleHandleW(PCWSTR::null()).unwrap().into(),
+                lpszClassName: PCWSTR(class.as_ptr()),
+                ..Default::default()
+            });
+            let parent = CreateWindowExW(
+                WINDOW_EX_STYLE::default(),
+                PCWSTR(class.as_ptr()),
+                PCWSTR::null(),
+                WS_POPUP,
+                0,
+                0,
+                10,
+                10,
+                None,
+                None,
+                None,
+                None,
+            )
+            .unwrap();
+            let child = CreateWindowExW(
+                WINDOW_EX_STYLE::default(),
+                windows::core::w!("STATIC"),
+                PCWSTR::null(),
+                WS_CHILD,
+                0,
+                0,
+                10,
+                10,
+                Some(parent),
+                None,
+                None,
+                None,
+            )
+            .unwrap();
+
+            // The harness observes forwarding when DefWindowProc handles it.
+            let press = LPARAM(((WM_RBUTTONDOWN as isize) << 16) | HTCLIENT as isize);
+            DefWindowProcW(child, WM_MOUSEACTIVATE, WPARAM(parent.0 as usize), press);
+            assert_eq!(FORWARDED.swap(0, Ordering::SeqCst), 1);
+
+            assert_eq!(
+                wnd_proc(child, WM_MOUSEACTIVATE, WPARAM(parent.0 as usize), press).0,
+                MA_NOACTIVATE as isize
+            );
+            let hover = LPARAM(((WM_MOUSEMOVE as isize) << 16) | HTCLIENT as isize);
+            assert_eq!(
+                wnd_proc(child, WM_SETCURSOR, WPARAM(child.0 as usize), hover).0,
+                1
+            );
+            for msg in [WM_MOUSEWHEEL, WM_MOUSEHWHEEL, WM_APPCOMMAND] {
+                assert_eq!(wnd_proc(child, msg, WPARAM(0), LPARAM(0)).0, 0);
+            }
+            let forwarded = FORWARDED.load(Ordering::SeqCst);
+            let _ = DestroyWindow(child);
+            let _ = DestroyWindow(parent);
+            assert_eq!(
+                forwarded, 0,
+                "surface forwarded a mouse message to its host"
+            );
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/window/mouse.rs b/src/window/mouse.rs
index d9c70c03..acc7bb88 100644
--- a/src/window/mouse.rs
+++ b/src/window/mouse.rs
@@ -348,7 +348,19 @@ pub(super) fn clear_tray_mouse_hover_if_left(hwnd: HWND) {
     }
 }
 
-pub(super) unsafe fn set_surface_cursor(hwnd: HWND) -> bool {
+/// Answer WM_SETCURSOR without DefWindowProc. For a child surface it first
+/// sends WM_SETCURSOR to the parent, which for a taskbar-hosted surface is a
+/// synchronous call into Explorer on every mouse move.
+pub(super) unsafe fn set_surface_cursor(hwnd: HWND) {
+    let cursor = if surface_cursor_is_clickable(hwnd) {
+        IDC_HAND
+    } else {
+        IDC_ARROW
+    };
+    SetCursor(Some(LoadCursorW(None, cursor).unwrap_or_default()));
+}
+
+unsafe fn surface_cursor_is_clickable(hwnd: HWND) -> bool {
     let mut point = POINT::default();
     if GetCursorPos(&mut point).is_err() {
         return false;
@@ -359,18 +371,13 @@ pub(super) unsafe fn set_surface_cursor(hwnd: HWND) -> bool {
     let Some((surface, object)) = mouse_target_at(hwnd, LPARAM(packed as isize)) else {
         return false;
     };
-    let clickable = [
+    [
         MouseEventKind::Click,
         MouseEventKind::DoubleClick,
         MouseEventKind::RightClick,
     ]
     .into_iter()
-    .any(|event| mouse_handler_exists(surface, &object, event));
-    if clickable {
-        let cursor = LoadCursorW(None, IDC_HAND).unwrap_or_default();
-        SetCursor(Some(cursor));
-    }
-    clickable
+    .any(|event| mouse_handler_exists(surface, &object, event))
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/window/widget_tooltip.rs b/src/window/widget_tooltip.rs
index ace7aef4..6b5d0390 100644
--- a/src/window/widget_tooltip.rs
+++ b/src/window/widget_tooltip.rs
@@ -138,7 +138,10 @@ pub(super) fn show(owner: HWND) {
         return;
     };
     unsafe {
-        let Ok(window) = create_window(owner) else {
+        // Owned by the controller, never the surface: a popup owned by a child
+        // is owned by its top-level ancestor, which for a taskbar-hosted
+        // surface would put this window in Explorer's Shell_TrayWnd owner chain.
+        let Ok(window) = create_window(controller) else {
             diagnose::log("unable to create widget tooltip");
             return;
         };