diff --git a/demo/App.module.css b/demo/App.module.css
index 9a68a54..d5d8acd 100644
--- a/demo/App.module.css
+++ b/demo/App.module.css
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@
   left: 0;
   width: 100%;
   cursor: pointer;
+  color: inherit;
+  text-decoration: none;
 }
 
 .rowIndex {
diff --git a/demo/App.tsx b/demo/App.tsx
index 69db5fb..d31b0e6 100644
--- a/demo/App.tsx
+++ b/demo/App.tsx
@@ -147,19 +147,19 @@ export function App(): React.ReactNode {
               }
 
               return (
-                <div
+                <a
                   key={virtualRow.key}
                   data-index={virtualRow.index}
                   className={styles.row}
                   style={{transform: `translateY(${virtualRow.start}px)`}}
                   aria-selected={row.id === permalinkID || undefined}
-                  onClick={() => setHash(row.id === permalinkID ? '' : row.id)}
+                  href={`#${row.id}`}
                 >
                   <span className={styles.rowLabel}>{row.title}</span>
                   <span className={styles.rowValue}>
                     {dateFormatter.format(row[sortField])}
                   </span>
-                </div>
+                </a>
               );
             })}
           </div>
diff --git a/demo/api/index.ts b/demo/api/index.ts
index eb504af..c88ddf6 100644
--- a/demo/api/index.ts
+++ b/demo/api/index.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ const pool = new Pool({
 const dbProvider = zeroNodePg(schema, pool);
 
 app.post('/zero/query', async c => {
+  console.log('handling query', {url: c.req.url, method: c.req.method});
+
   const result = await handleQueryRequest(
     (name, args) => mustGetQuery(queries, name).fn({args, ctx: {}}),
     schema,
diff --git a/demo/seed.ts b/demo/seed.ts
index 254062c..f6a92b9 100644
--- a/demo/seed.ts
+++ b/demo/seed.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ const items = Array.from({length: ITEM_COUNT}, (_, i) => {
     created + faker.number.int({min: 0, max: 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000});
   return {
     id: faker.string.nanoid(10),
-    title: faker.lorem.words({min: 2, max: 6}),
-    description: faker.lorem.sentences({min: 1, max: 4}),
+    title: faker.word.words({count: {min: 2, max: 6}}),
+    description: Array.from({length: faker.number.int({min: 1, max: 4})}, () =>
+      faker.hacker.phrase(),
+    ).join(' '),
     created,
     modified: Math.min(modified, now - i), // ensure unique ordering
   };
diff --git a/demo/use-hash.ts b/demo/use-hash.ts
index af81f72..275ef79 100644
--- a/demo/use-hash.ts
+++ b/demo/use-hash.ts
@@ -1,43 +1,42 @@
 import {useSyncExternalStore} from 'react';
 
-interface NavigationHistoryEntry {
-  url: string | null;
-}
-
-interface NavigationNavigateOptions {
-  state?: unknown;
-  info?: unknown;
-  history?: 'auto' | 'push' | 'replace';
-}
-
-interface NavigationResult {
-  committed: Promise<NavigationHistoryEntry>;
-  finished: Promise<NavigationHistoryEntry>;
-}
-
-interface Navigation extends EventTarget {
-  readonly currentEntry: NavigationHistoryEntry | null;
-  navigate(url: string, options?: NavigationNavigateOptions): NavigationResult;
-}
-
-declare const navigation: Navigation;
+// Module-level cache updated immediately when a currententrychange event fires
+// so that getHash() always returns the correct value when React reads it
+// synchronously after the subscriber notifies it.
+let currentHash = location.hash.slice(1);
 
 function getHash(): string {
-  const url = navigation.currentEntry?.url;
-  return url ? new URL(url).hash.slice(1) : location.hash.slice(1);
+  return currentHash;
 }
 
 function subscribe(callback: () => void): () => void {
-  navigation.addEventListener('currententrychange', callback);
-  return () => {
-    navigation.removeEventListener('currententrychange', callback);
+  const onNavigate = (e: NavigateEvent) => {
+    if (e.canIntercept && navigation.currentEntry?.url) {
+      e.intercept();
+      const currentURL = new URL(navigation.currentEntry.url);
+      const destinationURL = new URL(e.destination.url);
+      if (currentURL.pathname === destinationURL.pathname) {
+        const newHash = destinationURL.hash.slice(1);
+        if (newHash !== currentHash) {
+          currentHash = newHash;
+          callback();
+        }
+      }
+    }
   };
+
+  navigation.addEventListener('navigate', onNavigate);
+  return () => navigation.removeEventListener('navigate', onNavigate);
 }
 
-function setHash(newHash: string) {
+function setHash(newHash: string): void {
   navigation.navigate(location.pathname + location.search + '#' + newHash);
 }
 
+function getServerSnapshot(): string {
+  return '';
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the current URL hash (without the leading `#`) and a setter function.
  * Uses the Navigation API to reactively track hash changes.
@@ -45,6 +44,6 @@ function setHash(newHash: string) {
  * @returns `[hash, setHash]` – the current hash value and a function to update it.
  */
 export function useHash(): [string, (hash: string) => void] {
-  const hash = useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, getHash);
+  const hash = useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, getHash, getServerSnapshot);
   return [hash, setHash];
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 016ec69..a5efca6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@
     "test": "vitest run",
     "prepack": "rm -rf dist && pnpm run build"
   },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@types/dom-navigation": "^1.0.7"
+  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@rocicorp/zero": "^1.0.0",
     "@tanstack/react-virtual": "^3.13.23",
@@ -60,5 +63,5 @@
     "react": "^19.2.4",
     "react-dom": "^19.2.4"
   },
-  "packageManager": "pnpm@10.30.2"
+  "packageManager": "pnpm@10.33.0"
 }
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 0bff2d8..8c7e59b 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ settings:
 importers:
 
   .:
+    dependencies:
+      '@types/dom-navigation':
+        specifier: ^1.0.7
+        version: 1.0.7
     devDependencies:
       '@rocicorp/zero':
         specifier: ^1.0.0
@@ -1414,6 +1418,9 @@ packages:
   '@types/deep-eql@4.0.2':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-c9h9dVVMigMPc4bwTvC5dxqtqJZwQPePsWjPlpSOnojbor6pGqdk541lfA7AqFQr5pB1BRdq0juY9db81BwyFw==}
 
+  '@types/dom-navigation@1.0.7':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-Di4W+i2faYquHUnyWUg3bBQp5pTNvjDDA7mIYfD/1WlLgan6sKkeVjGbdL78K0CuNEk5Pfc/c0rfelwkz10mnQ==}
+
   '@types/estree@1.0.8':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-dWHzHa2WqEXI/O1E9OjrocMTKJl2mSrEolh1Iomrv6U+JuNwaHXsXx9bLu5gG7BUWFIN0skIQJQ/L1rIex4X6w==}
 
@@ -4216,6 +4223,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@types/deep-eql@4.0.2': {}
 
+  '@types/dom-navigation@1.0.7': {}
+
   '@types/estree@1.0.8': {}
 
   '@types/memcached@2.2.10':
diff --git a/src/react/use-history-scroll-state.ts b/src/react/use-history-scroll-state.ts
index 2b651db..dd7e75c 100644
--- a/src/react/use-history-scroll-state.ts
+++ b/src/react/use-history-scroll-state.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import {useCallback, useSyncExternalStore} from 'react';
+import {useCallback, useMemo} from 'react';
+import {useHistoryState} from './use-history-state.ts';
 import type {ScrollHistoryState} from './use-zero-virtualizer.ts';
 
 const DEFAULT_KEY = 'scrollState';
@@ -32,32 +33,26 @@ export function useHistoryScrollState<TStartRow>(
   key: string = DEFAULT_KEY,
 ): [
   ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow> | null,
-  (state: ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow>) => void,
+  (state: ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow> | null) => void,
 ] {
-  const state = useSyncExternalStore(
-    subscribeToPopState,
-    () => getSnapshot<TStartRow>(key),
-    () => null,
-  );
+  const [state, setState] = useHistoryState();
+
+  const scrollState: ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow> | null = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!state) return null;
+    return (state as Record<string, unknown>)[
+      key
+    ] as ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow> | null;
+  }, [state && JSON.stringify((state as Record<string, unknown>)[key])]);
 
-  const setState = useCallback(
-    (newState: ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow>) => {
-      window.history.replaceState(
-        {...window.history.state, [key]: newState},
-        '',
-      );
+  const setScrollState = useCallback(
+    (newState: ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow> | null) => {
+      setState({
+        ...(state ?? {}),
+        [key]: newState,
+      });
     },
-    [key],
+    [state, key],
   );
 
-  return [state, setState];
-}
-
-function subscribeToPopState(onStoreChange: () => void) {
-  window.addEventListener('popstate', onStoreChange);
-  return () => window.removeEventListener('popstate', onStoreChange);
-}
-
-function getSnapshot<TStartRow>(key: string) {
-  return (window.history.state?.[key] as ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow>) ?? null;
+  return [scrollState, setScrollState];
 }
diff --git a/src/react/use-history-state.ts b/src/react/use-history-state.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4889646
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/react/use-history-state.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import {useSyncExternalStore} from 'react';
+
+/**
+ * A React hook that provides access to the Navigation API's current entry state,
+ * synchronized with React's rendering cycle via `useSyncExternalStore`.
+ *
+ * Returns a tuple of the current history state and a setter function that calls
+ * `navigation.updateCurrentEntry` to update it.
+ */
+export function useHistoryState(): [
+  state: unknown,
+  setState: (state: unknown) => void,
+] {
+  const state = useSyncExternalStore(
+    subscribeState,
+    getSnapshot,
+    getServerSnapshot,
+  );
+
+  return [state, updateCurrentEntryState];
+}
+
+let currentSnapshot: unknown = null;
+let currentSnapshotString = 'null';
+
+function getSnapshot(): unknown {
+  const newSnapshot = navigation.currentEntry?.getState();
+  const newSnapshotString = JSON.stringify(newSnapshot);
+  if (newSnapshotString !== currentSnapshotString) {
+    currentSnapshot = newSnapshot;
+    currentSnapshotString = newSnapshotString;
+  }
+  return currentSnapshot;
+}
+
+function getServerSnapshot() {
+  return null;
+}
+
+function updateCurrentEntryState(state: unknown) {
+  navigation.updateCurrentEntry({state});
+}
+
+function subscribeState(onStoreChange: () => void) {
+  navigation.addEventListener('currententrychange', onStoreChange);
+  return () =>
+    navigation.removeEventListener('currententrychange', onStoreChange);
+}
diff --git a/src/react/use-zero-virtualizer.ts b/src/react/use-zero-virtualizer.ts
index e572674..788932d 100644
--- a/src/react/use-zero-virtualizer.ts
+++ b/src/react/use-zero-virtualizer.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,13 @@ export type UseZeroVirtualizerOptions<
    * like URL query parameters.
    */
   onSettled?: (() => void) | undefined;
+
+  // new temporary API
+
+  // Before we navigate away we will save the current scroll state
+  saveScrollState?:
+    | ((state: ScrollHistoryState<TStartRow>) => void)
+    | undefined;
 };
 
 const createPermalinkAnchor = (id: string) =>
@@ -519,9 +526,19 @@ export function useZeroVirtualizer<
     // virtualizer - omitted to avoid infinite render loops from scroll events
   ]);
 
-  // Use layoutEffect to restore scroll position synchronously to avoid visual jumps
+  // Track the last applied scroll state so we can detect when it changes due
+  // to a real navigation (back/forward/push) as opposed to a re-render.
+  const appliedScrollStateRef = useRef(effectiveScrollState);
+
+  // Use layoutEffect to restore scroll position synchronously to avoid visual jumps.
+  // Triggers when listContextParams changes OR when effectiveScrollState
+  // changes (e.g. browser back/forward within the same list context).
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
-    if (!isListContextCurrent) {
+    const scrollStateChanged =
+      effectiveScrollState !== appliedScrollStateRef.current;
+    appliedScrollStateRef.current = effectiveScrollState;
+
+    if (!isListContextCurrent || scrollStateChanged) {
       if (effectiveScrollState) {
         virtualizer.scrollToOffset(effectiveScrollState.scrollTop);
         dispatch({
@@ -533,19 +550,36 @@ export function useZeroVirtualizer<
           listContextParams,
         });
       } else if (permalinkID) {
-        virtualizer.scrollToOffset(
-          NUM_ROWS_FOR_LOADING_SKELETON *
-            // TODO: Support dynamic item sizes
-            estimateSize(0),
-        );
-        dispatch({
-          type: 'RESET_STATE',
-          estimatedTotal: NUM_ROWS_FOR_LOADING_SKELETON,
-          hasReachedStart: false,
-          hasReachedEnd: false,
-          anchor: createPermalinkAnchor(permalinkID),
-          listContextParams,
-        });
+        // Check if the permalink item is already in the current virtual items.
+        // If so, scroll directly to it instead of resetting to the loading skeleton.
+        const permalinkVirtualItem = getRowKey
+          ? virtualizer.getVirtualItems().find(item => {
+              const row = rowAt(item.index);
+              return row !== undefined && getRowKey(row) === permalinkID;
+            })
+          : undefined;
+
+        if (permalinkVirtualItem) {
+          virtualizer.scrollToIndex(permalinkVirtualItem.index, {
+            align: 'auto',
+          });
+        } else {
+          // TODO(arv): Figure out if we should scroll to top or bottom.
+
+          virtualizer.scrollToOffset(
+            NUM_ROWS_FOR_LOADING_SKELETON *
+              // TODO: Support dynamic item sizes
+              estimateSize(0),
+          );
+          dispatch({
+            type: 'RESET_STATE',
+            estimatedTotal: NUM_ROWS_FOR_LOADING_SKELETON,
+            hasReachedStart: false,
+            hasReachedEnd: false,
+            anchor: createPermalinkAnchor(permalinkID),
+            listContextParams,
+          });
+        }
       } else {
         virtualizer.scrollToOffset(0);
         dispatch({