diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
index 353d593cea..0514e7d3ec 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
   text: initText,
   imageUris: initImageUris,
   cancelRef,
+  visible,
 }: Props & {
+  visible?: boolean
   cancelRef?: React.RefObject<CancelRef>
 }) {
   const {currentAccount} = useSession()
@@ -155,33 +157,6 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
   const [labels, setLabels] = useState<string[]>([])
   const [threadgate, setThreadgate] = useState<ThreadgateSetting[]>([])
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isAndroid) return
-
-    // optimistic first try to focus keyboard
-    const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
-      textInput.current?.focus()
-    }, 50)
-
-    // however, sometimes that fires too soon, and the keyboard doesn't show
-    // so we try a few more times
-    let numTries = 5
-    const interval = setInterval(() => {
-      if (Keyboard.isVisible() || numTries-- <= 0) {
-        clearInterval(interval)
-      } else {
-        // focusing doesn't open keyboard if it's already focused
-        textInput.current?.blur()
-        textInput.current?.focus()
-      }
-    }, 250)
-
-    return () => {
-      clearTimeout(timeout)
-      clearInterval(interval)
-    }
-  }, [])
-
   const gallery = useMemo(
     () => new GalleryModel(initImageUris),
     [initImageUris],
@@ -543,7 +518,9 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
                 ref={textInput}
                 richtext={richtext}
                 placeholder={selectTextInputPlaceholder}
-                autoFocus={!isAndroid}
+                // fixes autofocus on android
+                key={isAndroid ? (visible ? 'visible' : 'hidden') : 'static'}
+                autoFocus
                 setRichText={setRichText}
                 onPhotoPasted={onPhotoPasted}
                 onPressPublish={onPressPublish}
diff --git a/src/view/shell/Composer.tsx b/src/view/shell/Composer.tsx
index c80d7845b3..5033250972 100644
--- a/src/view/shell/Composer.tsx
+++ b/src/view/shell/Composer.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, {useLayoutEffect} from 'react'
+import React, {useLayoutEffect, useState} from 'react'
 import {Modal, View} from 'react-native'
 import {GestureHandlerRootView} from 'react-native-gesture-handler'
 import {RootSiblingParent} from 'react-native-root-siblings'
@@ -24,9 +24,14 @@ export const Composer = observer(function ComposerImpl({}: {
   const t = useTheme()
   const state = useComposerState()
   const ref = useComposerCancelRef()
+  const [shown, setShown] = useState(false)
 
   const open = !!state
 
+  if (!open && shown) {
+    setShown(false)
+  }
+
   return (
     <Modal
       aria-modal
@@ -34,10 +39,12 @@ export const Composer = observer(function ComposerImpl({}: {
       visible={open}
       presentationStyle="formSheet"
       animationType="slide"
+      onShow={() => setShown(true)}
       onRequestClose={() => ref.current?.onPressCancel()}>
       <View style={[t.atoms.bg, a.flex_1]}>
         <Providers open={open}>
           <ComposePost
+            visible={shown}
             cancelRef={ref}
             replyTo={state?.replyTo}
             onPost={state?.onPost}