diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/actions/sqlLab.js b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/actions/sqlLab.js
index 9a672f594ea7..3ea6781cc2d0 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/actions/sqlLab.js
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/actions/sqlLab.js
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ export function mergeTable(table, query, prepend) {
   return { type: MERGE_TABLE, table, query, prepend };
 }
 
-export function addTable(queryEditor, tableName, catalogName, schemaName) {
+export function addTable(queryEditor, tableName, catalogName, schemaName, expanded = true) {
   return function (dispatch, getState) {
     const { dbId } = getUpToDateQuery(getState(), queryEditor, queryEditor.id);
     const table = {
@@ -964,7 +964,7 @@ export function addTable(queryEditor, tableName, catalogName, schemaName) {
       mergeTable({
         ...table,
         id: nanoid(11),
-        expanded: true,
+        expanded,
       }),
     );
   };
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/components/AceEditorWrapper/useKeywords.ts b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/components/AceEditorWrapper/useKeywords.ts
index 548c74e463d6..1a8eb7b3684e 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/components/AceEditorWrapper/useKeywords.ts
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/components/AceEditorWrapper/useKeywords.ts
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ export function useKeywords(
           data.value,
           catalog,
           schema,
+          false, // Don't auto-expand/switch tabs when adding via autocomplete
         ),
       );
     }
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.js b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.js
index a1e0210d7900..3469036da4db 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.js
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.js
@@ -222,8 +222,10 @@ export default function sqlLabReducer(state = {}, action) {
       }
       // for new table, associate Id of query for data preview
       at.dataPreviewQueryId = null;
-      let newState = addToArr(state, 'tables', at, Boolean(action.prepend));
-      newState.activeSouthPaneTab = at.id;
+      let newState = {
+        ...addToArr(state, 'tables', at, Boolean(action.prepend)),
+        ...(at.expanded && { activeSouthPaneTab: at.id }),
+      };
       if (action.query) {
         newState = alterInArr(newState, 'tables', at, {
           dataPreviewQueryId: action.query.id,
diff --git a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.test.js b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.test.js
index c8fd25faf320..fedca09e391d 100644
--- a/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.test.js
+++ b/superset-frontend/src/SqlLab/reducers/sqlLab.test.js
@@ -370,6 +370,93 @@ describe('sqlLabReducer', () => {
       newState = sqlLabReducer(newState, action);
       expect(newState.tables).toHaveLength(0);
     });
+    test('should set activeSouthPaneTab when adding expanded table', () => {
+      const expandedTable = {
+        ...table,
+        id: 'expanded_table_id',
+        name: 'expanded_table',
+        expanded: true,
+      };
+      const action = {
+        type: actions.MERGE_TABLE,
+        table: expandedTable,
+      };
+      newState = sqlLabReducer(initialState, action);
+      expect(newState.tables).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(newState.activeSouthPaneTab).toBe(expandedTable.id);
+    });
+    test('should not set activeSouthPaneTab when adding collapsed table', () => {
+      const collapsedTable = {
+        ...table,
+        id: 'collapsed_table_id',
+        name: 'collapsed_table',
+        expanded: false,
+      };
+      const action = {
+        type: actions.MERGE_TABLE,
+        table: collapsedTable,
+      };
+      newState = sqlLabReducer(initialState, action);
+      expect(newState.tables).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(newState.activeSouthPaneTab).toBe(initialState.activeSouthPaneTab);
+    });
+    test('should set activeSouthPaneTab when merging existing table with expanded=true', () => {
+      // First add a table with expanded=false
+      const collapsedTable = {
+        ...table,
+        id: 'existing_table_id',
+        name: 'existing_table',
+        expanded: false,
+      };
+      const addAction = {
+        type: actions.MERGE_TABLE,
+        table: collapsedTable,
+      };
+      newState = sqlLabReducer(initialState, addAction);
+      const previousActiveSouthPaneTab = newState.activeSouthPaneTab;
+
+      // Now merge the same table with expanded=true
+      const expandedTable = {
+        ...collapsedTable,
+        expanded: true,
+      };
+      const mergeAction = {
+        type: actions.MERGE_TABLE,
+        table: expandedTable,
+      };
+      newState = sqlLabReducer(newState, mergeAction);
+      expect(newState.tables).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(newState.activeSouthPaneTab).toBe(expandedTable.id);
+      expect(newState.activeSouthPaneTab).not.toBe(previousActiveSouthPaneTab);
+    });
+    test('should not set activeSouthPaneTab when merging existing table with expanded=false', () => {
+      // First add a table with expanded=true
+      const expandedTable = {
+        ...table,
+        id: 'existing_table_id_2',
+        name: 'existing_table_2',
+        expanded: true,
+      };
+      const addAction = {
+        type: actions.MERGE_TABLE,
+        table: expandedTable,
+      };
+      newState = sqlLabReducer(initialState, addAction);
+      expect(newState.activeSouthPaneTab).toBe(expandedTable.id);
+
+      // Now merge the same table with expanded=false
+      const collapsedTable = {
+        ...expandedTable,
+        expanded: false,
+      };
+      const mergeAction = {
+        type: actions.MERGE_TABLE,
+        table: collapsedTable,
+      };
+      newState = sqlLabReducer(newState, mergeAction);
+      expect(newState.tables).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(newState.activeSouthPaneTab).toBe(expandedTable.id);
+    });
   });
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-globals -- TODO: Migrate from describe blocks
   describe('Run Query', () => {