diff --git a/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.test.tsx
index db050d2461e..9ead4a135c4 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.test.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { TooltipProvider } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
 import {
   taskPanelAgentTasksTab,
   taskPanelArtifactsTab,
+  taskPanelComputerTab,
   taskPanelDocumentTab,
   taskPanelPropertiesTab,
   writeTaskSidePanelState,
@@ -26,8 +27,12 @@ class ResizeObserverStub {
 (globalThis as { ResizeObserver?: typeof ResizeObserver }).ResizeObserver = ResizeObserverStub as unknown as typeof ResizeObserver;
 
 const browserFixture = vi.hoisted(() => ({ data: [] as import("@paperclipai/shared").TaskBrowser[], viewer: vi.fn(async () => ({ url: "https://live.browser-use.com/test-viewer" })), control: vi.fn(async () => ({})) }));
-const computerFixture = vi.hoisted(() => ({ get: vi.fn<() => Promise<import("@paperclipai/shared").TaskComputer | null>>() }));
-vi.mock("@/api/computers", () => ({ computersApi: { get: computerFixture.get } }));
+const computerFixture = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  get: vi.fn<() => Promise<import("@paperclipai/shared").TaskComputer | null>>(),
+  connect: vi.fn(),
+  disconnect: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+}));
+vi.mock("@/api/computers", () => ({ computersApi: computerFixture }));
 vi.mock("@/hooks/useTaskBrowsers", () => ({ useTaskBrowsers: () => ({ data: browserFixture.data, isError: false }) }));
 vi.mock("@/api/browser-use", () => ({ browserUseApi: { viewer: browserFixture.viewer, control: browserFixture.control, presence: vi.fn(async () => ({ accepted: true })) } }));
 const fixture = vi.hoisted(() => ({
@@ -135,6 +140,8 @@ describe("TaskSidePanel", () => {
     browserFixture.data = [];
     browserFixture.control.mockClear();
     computerFixture.get.mockReset().mockResolvedValue(null);
+    computerFixture.connect.mockReset();
+    computerFixture.disconnect.mockClear();
     fixture.documents = [];
     fixture.plan = null;
     routeFixture.location.search = "";
@@ -212,6 +219,36 @@ describe("TaskSidePanel", () => {
       .some((item) => item.textContent === "Retry")).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("releases a saved computer viewer after reassignment and opens the current computer", async () => {
+    const owner = { computerId: "computer-a", ownerId: "viewer-a", generation: 1 };
+    computerFixture.get.mockResolvedValue({ environmentId: "aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa", name: "First Boat" });
+    computerFixture.connect.mockResolvedValue({
+      viewerUrl: "https://desktop.example.test/viewer",
+      expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + 60_000).toISOString(), owner,
+    });
+    writeTaskSidePanelState("user-1", "company-1", "task-1", {
+      state: { tabs: [taskPanelComputerTab("aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa")], activeTabId: "computer:aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa" },
+      launcherOpen: false, userInteracted: true, autoPlanHandled: false, updatedAt: 1,
+    });
+    await render(panel());
+    await act(async () => Array.from(container.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>("button"))
+      .find(button => button.textContent === "Connect")?.click());
+    expect(container.querySelector("iframe")).not.toBeNull();
+    await act(async () => queryClient.setQueryData(["task-computer", "task-1"], {
+      environmentId: "bbbbbbbb-bbbb-4bbb-8bbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb", name: "Second Boat",
+    }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(container.textContent).toContain("This task now uses a different computer."));
+    expect(container.querySelector("iframe")).toBeNull();
+    expect(computerFixture.disconnect).toHaveBeenCalledWith("task-1", "aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa", owner);
+    await act(async () => Array.from(container.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>("button"))
+      .find(button => button.textContent === "Open current computer")?.click());
+    expect(container.querySelector('[data-side-panel-tab-target="computer:aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa"]')).toBeNull();
+    expect(container.querySelector('[data-side-panel-tab-target="computer:bbbbbbbb-bbbb-4bbb-8bbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb"][aria-selected="true"]')).not.toBeNull();
+    await act(async () => Array.from(container.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>("button"))
+      .find(button => button.textContent === "Connect")?.click());
+    expect(computerFixture.connect).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith("task-1", "bbbbbbbb-bbbb-4bbb-8bbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb");
+  });
+
   it("lets an attachment request take focus from a workspace-file route", async () => {
     routeFixture.location.search = "?file=README.md&workspace=project";
     window.history.replaceState(null, "", `${routeFixture.location.pathname}${routeFixture.location.search}`);
diff --git a/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.tsx b/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.tsx
index de855d26029..1b393255f24 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/task-side-panel/TaskSidePanel.tsx
@@ -868,7 +868,21 @@ export function TaskSidePanel({
       >
         {controller.tabs.map(tab => tab.payload.kind === "computer" ? (
           <div key={tab.id} hidden={tab.id !== controller.activeTabId} className={cn("h-full min-h-0", tab.id !== controller.activeTabId && "hidden")}>
-            <TaskComputerPanel active={tab.id === controller.activeTabId} issueId={issue.id} environmentId={tab.payload.environmentId} />
+            {computerQuery.data !== undefined && computerQuery.data?.environmentId !== tab.payload.environmentId ? (
+              <div className="flex h-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-4 p-6 text-center">
+                <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                  {computerQuery.data ? "This task now uses a different computer." : "This task no longer has a computer."}
+                </p>
+                {computerQuery.data && (
+                  <Button onClick={() => {
+                    controller.closeTab(tab.id);
+                    controller.openTab(taskPanelComputerTab(computerQuery.data!.environmentId));
+                  }}>Open current computer</Button>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            ) : (
+              <TaskComputerPanel active={tab.id === controller.activeTabId} issueId={issue.id} environmentId={tab.payload.environmentId} />
+            )}
           </div>
         ) : null)}
         {controller.tabs.map(tab => tab.payload.kind === "browser" ? (