diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.jsx b/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.jsx
index c6a5750..7c65814 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.jsx
@@ -114,6 +114,15 @@ export default function ArticleLink({ slug, sectionId = null, children, classNam
       setOpen(false)
       return
     }
+    // Already reading in the pane? Then the pane is where this goes, and the
+    // click says so. There is no second pane to offer, and asking "beside what
+    // you are reading, or in a tab?" of somebody who is already beside what
+    // they were reading is a question with one real answer.
+    if (split?.inPane) {
+      setOpen(false)
+      split.open(slug)
+      return
+    }
     reveal()
   }
 
@@ -134,7 +143,7 @@ export default function ArticleLink({ slug, sectionId = null, children, classNam
             {preview.status !== 'published' && ' · draft'}
           </span>
           <span className="al-card-actions">
-            {split && (
+            {split && !split.inPane && (
               <button type="button" className="al-card-action"
                 aria-label={`Open ${preview.title} in split view`}
                 onClick={() => { hideNow(); split.open(slug) }}>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.test.jsx b/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.test.jsx
index f7cfff8..77f503c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.test.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ArticleLink.test.jsx
@@ -175,22 +175,29 @@ describe('reading a cross-reference without leaving the article', () => {
     mountBeside({ open, inPane: true }, 'deeper-topic')
     // ⌘-click, ctrl-click and "open in new tab" are the browser's to handle;
     // this component does not intercept them.
-    await userEvent.keyboard('{Meta>}')
-    await userEvent.click(linkNamed())
-    await userEvent.keyboard('{/Meta}')
+    //
+    // One `userEvent` session, not three calls on the default one: modifier
+    // state lives on the session, so `userEvent.keyboard('{Meta>}')` followed
+    // by `userEvent.click(...)` is an unmodified click, and this test was
+    // passing without ever holding the key.
+    const session = userEvent.setup()
+    await session.keyboard('{Meta>}')
+    await session.click(linkNamed())
+    await session.keyboard('{/Meta}')
     // Not intercepted: the split view is not opened and the page is not
     // changed, leaving the browser to do what it does with a modified click.
     expect(open).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect(screen.queryByText('Whole article')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('goes to the pane from the card, even inside a pane', async () => {
+  it('goes straight to the pane when the reader is already in one', async () => {
+    // No card, no question. Somebody reading in the pane who follows a
+    // reference means "in here" — there is no second pane to offer them, and
+    // the card would only stand between them and the article.
     const open = vi.fn()
     mountBeside({ open, inPane: true }, 'deeper-topic')
     await userEvent.click(linkNamed())
-    const card = await screen.findByRole('tooltip')
-    await userEvent.click(within(card).getByRole('button', { name: /split view/i }))
     expect(open).toHaveBeenCalledWith('deeper-topic')
-    expect(screen.queryByText('Whole article')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('tooltip')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 })
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/ArticleSplitView.test.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/ArticleSplitView.test.jsx
index e1e43ce..289b12b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/ArticleSplitView.test.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/ArticleSplitView.test.jsx
@@ -101,16 +101,30 @@ describe('reading a cross-reference beside the article', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText(/Fever alone rarely explains it/)).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
+  it('offers no split view to somebody already reading in one', async () => {
+    mount()
+    await screen.findByText(/Fever alone rarely explains it/)
+    await openSplit('meningitis')
+    const pane = await screen.findByRole('region', { name: 'Split view: Meningitis' })
+    await userEvent.hover(within(pane).getByRole('link', { name: 'sepsis' }))
+    const card = await screen.findByRole('tooltip')
+    // A tab, and nothing else: "beside what you are reading" is a question with
+    // one answer for somebody who is already beside what they were reading.
+    expect(within(card).getByRole('link', { name: /new tab/i })).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(within(card).queryByRole('button', { name: /split view/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
   it('follows a link inside the pane in the pane, not into a third column', async () => {
     mount()
     await screen.findByText(/Fever alone rarely explains it/)
     await openSplit('meningitis')
     const pane = await screen.findByRole('region', { name: 'Split view: Meningitis' })
 
-    // Clicking the words opens the card; the card's control is what goes.
+    // Inside the pane the click simply goes. There is no second pane to offer
+    // and no question worth asking: somebody reading in the pane who follows a
+    // reference means "in here". Outside the pane the card still asks, which
+    // the test above covers.
     await userEvent.click(within(pane).getByRole('link', { name: 'sepsis' }))
-    const card = await screen.findByRole('tooltip')
-    await userEvent.click(within(card).getByRole('button', { name: /split view/i }))
     await waitFor(() => expect(api.get).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/articles/9'))
     const deeper = await screen.findByRole('region', { name: 'Split view: Sepsis' })
     expect(document.querySelectorAll('.article-split-pane')).toHaveLength(1)