diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/App.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/App.tsx
index b0d64656..94ca61b2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/App.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   useAnalyticsEnabled,
   useActiveNav,
   useNavigateTo,
+  useSetPendingSettingsSection,
 } from '@/stores';
 import { NAV_ZONES, NAV_SETTINGS } from '@/lib/navigation';
 import { spaceAccentColor } from '@/lib/spaceAccent';
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ function AppContent() {
 
   const activeNav = useActiveNav();
   const navigateTo = useNavigateTo();
+  const setPendingSettingsSection = useSetPendingSettingsSection();
   const [availableUpdate, setAvailableUpdate] = useState<{ version: string } | null>(null);
 
   // Auto-check for updates on startup (silent check after 5 seconds).
@@ -348,6 +350,8 @@ function AppContent() {
               </span>
               <button
                 onClick={() => {
+                  // Land on (and flash) the Updates section, not the top of Settings.
+                  setPendingSettingsSection('updates');
                   navigateTo('settings');
                   setAvailableUpdate(null);
                 }}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/ConnectionCard.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/ConnectionCard.tsx
index 9762526b..a8050d7a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/ConnectionCard.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/ConnectionCard.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   Sliders,
 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Card, Button } from '@mcpmux/ui';
-import { useViewSpace, useNavigateTo } from '@/stores';
+import { useViewSpace, useNavigateTo, useSetPendingSettingsSection } from '@/stores';
 import { useGatewayControl } from '@/features/gateway/useGatewayControl';
 import { useGatewayEvents } from '@/hooks/useDomainEvents';
 import {
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ function extractPort(url: string | null): string {
 export function ConnectionCard() {
   const viewSpace = useViewSpace();
   const navigateTo = useNavigateTo();
+  const setPendingSettingsSection = useSetPendingSettingsSection();
   const gatewayControl = useGatewayControl();
 
   const [status, setStatus] = useState<{ running: boolean; url: string | null }>({
@@ -183,7 +184,11 @@ export function ConnectionCard() {
             </label>
             <button
               type="button"
-              onClick={() => navigateTo('settings')}
+              onClick={() => {
+                // Land on (and flash) the Gateway section where the port lives.
+                setPendingSettingsSection('gateway');
+                navigateTo('settings');
+              }}
               className="group inline-flex items-center gap-1 text-xs text-[rgb(var(--muted))] hover:text-[rgb(var(--foreground))] transition-colors"
               data-testid="connection-port-settings-link"
             >
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/features/settings/SettingsPage.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/features/settings/SettingsPage.tsx
index 21434808..8f1822d9 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/features/settings/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/features/settings/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -68,17 +68,36 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
 
   // Deep-link: when another surface routes here for a specific section, scroll
   // it into view and briefly flash it so the user lands on the right control.
+  // Generic over section keys — any surface can target a section by calling
+  // `setPendingSettingsSection('<key>')` before `navigateTo('settings')`. A
+  // section becomes targetable by wrapping its card with `registerSection` +
+  // `sectionFlashClass` (see `<SECTION_KEYS>` below).
   const pendingSection = usePendingSettingsSection();
   const clearPendingSection = useSetPendingSettingsSection();
-  const securityRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
-  const [flashSecurity, setFlashSecurity] = useState(false);
+  const sectionEls = useRef<Record<string, HTMLDivElement | null>>({});
+  const [flashedSection, setFlashedSection] = useState<string | null>(null);
+
+  const registerSection = (key: string) => (el: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
+    sectionEls.current[key] = el;
+  };
+  const sectionFlashClass = (key: string) =>
+    flashedSection === key
+      ? 'rounded-xl ring-2 ring-primary-500 ring-offset-2 ring-offset-[rgb(var(--background))] transition-shadow duration-500'
+      : 'rounded-xl ring-0 transition-shadow duration-500';
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (pendingSection !== 'security' || !securityRef.current) return;
-    securityRef.current.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'center' });
-    setFlashSecurity(true);
+    if (!pendingSection) return;
+    const el = sectionEls.current[pendingSection];
+    // Unknown or not-yet-mounted section: drop the request so a stale value
+    // doesn't fire the flash on a later, unrelated render.
+    if (!el) {
+      clearPendingSection(null);
+      return;
+    }
+    el.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'center' });
+    setFlashedSection(pendingSection);
     clearPendingSection(null);
-    const t = setTimeout(() => setFlashSecurity(false), 2200);
+    const t = setTimeout(() => setFlashedSection(null), 2200);
     return () => clearTimeout(t);
   }, [pendingSection, clearPendingSection]);
 
@@ -378,7 +397,9 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
         </div>
 
         {/* Updates Section */}
-        <UpdateChecker />
+        <div ref={registerSection('updates')} className={sectionFlashClass('updates')}>
+          <UpdateChecker />
+        </div>
 
         {/* Startup & System Tray Section - always show toggles so e2e and slow backends see the section */}
         <Card data-testid="settings-startup-section">
@@ -474,6 +495,7 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
         </Card>
 
         {/* Gateway Section — port override + reset to default */}
+        <div ref={registerSection('gateway')} className={sectionFlashClass('gateway')}>
         <Card data-testid="settings-gateway-section">
           <CardHeader>
             <CardTitle className="flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -612,8 +634,10 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
             )}
           </CardContent>
         </Card>
+        </div>
 
         {/* Workspaces Section */}
+        <div ref={registerSection('workspaces')} className={sectionFlashClass('workspaces')}>
         <Card data-testid="settings-workspaces-section">
           <CardHeader>
             <CardTitle className="flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -646,16 +670,13 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
             </div>
           </CardContent>
         </Card>
+        </div>
 
         {/* Security Section */}
         <div
-          ref={securityRef}
+          ref={registerSection('security')}
           id="settings-security"
-          className={
-            flashSecurity
-              ? 'rounded-xl ring-2 ring-primary-500 ring-offset-2 ring-offset-[rgb(var(--background))] transition-shadow duration-500'
-              : 'rounded-xl ring-0 transition-shadow duration-500'
-          }
+          className={sectionFlashClass('security')}
         >
         <Card data-testid="settings-security-section">
           <CardHeader>
diff --git a/tests/ts/components/App.test.tsx b/tests/ts/components/App.test.tsx
index 0fd35105..17825dea 100644
--- a/tests/ts/components/App.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/ts/components/App.test.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
 import { render, screen, waitFor, act } from '@testing-library/react';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import { useAppStore } from '@/stores';
 
 // ---------- Hoisted mock functions (available before vi.mock factories run) ----------
 
@@ -400,5 +401,8 @@ describe('App – update banner', () => {
       // Settings page should be rendered
       expect(screen.getByTestId('settings-page')).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
+    // ...and it targets the Updates section so SettingsPage scrolls/flashes
+    // there rather than dumping the user at the top of the page.
+    expect(useAppStore.getState().pendingSettingsSection).toBe('updates');
   });
 });