diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index d0f17a4e..341f484f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { FullAttemptLogsPage } from '@/pages/FullAttemptLogs';
 import { NormalLayout } from '@/components/layout/NormalLayout';
 import { usePostHog } from 'posthog-js/react';
 import { useAuth } from '@/hooks';
+import { usePreviousPath } from '@/hooks/usePreviousPath';
 
 import {
   AgentSettings,
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ function AppContent() {
   const posthog = usePostHog();
   const { isSignedIn } = useAuth();
 
+  // Track previous path for back navigation
+  usePreviousPath();
+
   // Handle opt-in/opt-out and user identification when config loads
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!posthog || !analyticsUserId) return;
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/usePreviousPath.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/usePreviousPath.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03515cdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/usePreviousPath.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { useCallback, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+
+const globalVisited: string[] = [];
+
+export function usePreviousPath() {
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const location = useLocation();
+
+  // Track pathnames as user navigates
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (globalVisited[globalVisited.length - 1] !== location.pathname) {
+      globalVisited.push(location.pathname);
+      // Keep only last 50 entries to prevent memory bloat
+      if (globalVisited.length > 50) {
+        globalVisited.splice(0, globalVisited.length - 50);
+      }
+    }
+  }, [location]);
+
+  return useCallback(() => {
+    // Find last non-settings route in history
+    const lastNonSettingsPath = [...globalVisited]
+      .reverse()
+      .find((p) => !p.startsWith('/settings'));
+    navigate(lastNonSettingsPath || '/');
+  }, [navigate]);
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx
index e7db80ae..41987487 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/settings/SettingsLayout.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { NavLink, Outlet, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { NavLink, Outlet } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { Settings, Cpu, Server, X, FolderOpen, Building2 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { useEffect } from 'react';
 import { useHotkeysContext } from 'react-hotkeys-hook';
 import { useKeyExit } from '@/keyboard/hooks';
 import { Scope } from '@/keyboard/registry';
+import { usePreviousPath } from '@/hooks/usePreviousPath';
 
 const settingsNavigation = [
   {
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ const settingsNavigation = [
 export function SettingsLayout() {
   const { t } = useTranslation('settings');
   const { enableScope, disableScope } = useHotkeysContext();
+  const goToPreviousPath = usePreviousPath();
 
   // Enable SETTINGS scope when component mounts
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -43,13 +45,8 @@ export function SettingsLayout() {
     };
   }, [enableScope, disableScope]);
 
-  const navigate = useNavigate();
-
-  const handleBack = () => {
-    navigate(-1);
-  };
   // Register ESC keyboard shortcut
-  useKeyExit(handleBack, { scope: Scope.SETTINGS });
+  useKeyExit(goToPreviousPath, { scope: Scope.SETTINGS });
 
   return (
     <div className="h-full overflow-auto">
@@ -61,7 +58,7 @@ export function SettingsLayout() {
           </h1>
           <Button
             variant="ghost"
-            onClick={handleBack}
+            onClick={goToPreviousPath}
             className="h-8 px-2 rounded-none border border-foreground/20 hover:border-foreground/30 transition-all hover:opacity-100 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-ring focus:ring-offset-2 flex items-center gap-1.5"
           >
             <X className="h-4 w-4" />