diff --git a/website/src/repl/Repl.jsx b/website/src/repl/Repl.jsx
index 4ff92a80..32765477 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/Repl.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/Repl.jsx
@@ -17,7 +17,15 @@ import { prebake } from './prebake.mjs';
 import * as tunes from './tunes.mjs';
 import PlayCircleIcon from '@heroicons/react/20/solid/PlayCircleIcon';
 import { themes } from './themes.mjs';
-import { settingsMap, useSettings, setLatestCode, updateUserCode, setActivePattern } from '../settings.mjs';
+import {
+  settingsMap,
+  useSettings,
+  setLatestCode,
+  updateUserCode,
+  setActivePattern,
+  getActivePattern,
+  getUserPattern,
+} from '../settings.mjs';
 import Loader from './Loader';
 import { settingPatterns } from '../settings.mjs';
 import { code2hash, hash2code } from './helpers.mjs';
@@ -131,7 +139,6 @@ export function Repl({ embedded = false }) {
     isLineWrappingEnabled,
     panelPosition,
     isZen,
-    activePattern,
   } = useSettings();
 
   const paintOptions = useMemo(() => ({ fontFamily }), [fontFamily]);
@@ -177,7 +184,12 @@ export function Repl({ embedded = false }) {
       let msg;
       if (decoded) {
         setCode(decoded);
-        setActivePattern('');
+        const activePattern = getActivePattern();
+        if (getUserPattern(activePattern)?.code !== decoded) {
+          // code in url is not the last active patterns code => must be something else
+          // deselect last active pattern to not overwrite it on next evaluation
+          setActivePattern('');
+        }
         msg = `I have loaded the code from the URL.`;
       } else if (latestCode) {
         setCode(latestCode);
diff --git a/website/src/repl/panel/PatternsTab.jsx b/website/src/repl/panel/PatternsTab.jsx
index 103eda19..4466b599 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/panel/PatternsTab.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/panel/PatternsTab.jsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   newUserPattern,
   renameActivePattern,
   setActivePattern,
+  useActivePattern,
   useSettings,
 } from '../../settings.mjs';
 import * as tunes from '../tunes.mjs';
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@ function classNames(...classes) {
 }
 
 export function PatternsTab({ context }) {
-  const { userPatterns, activePattern } = useSettings();
+  const { userPatterns } = useSettings();
+  const activePattern = useActivePattern();
   const isExample = useMemo(() => activePattern && !!tunes[activePattern], [activePattern]);
   return (
     <div className="px-4 w-full dark:text-white text-stone-900 space-y-4 pb-4">
diff --git a/website/src/settings.mjs b/website/src/settings.mjs
index 2f76d68c..8a85e4a8 100644
--- a/website/src/settings.mjs
+++ b/website/src/settings.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { persistentMap } from '@nanostores/persistent';
+import { persistentMap, persistentAtom } from '@nanostores/persistent';
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react';
 import { register } from '@strudel.cycles/core';
 import * as tunes from './repl/tunes.mjs';
@@ -20,11 +20,23 @@ export const defaultSettings = {
   soundsFilter: 'all',
   panelPosition: 'bottom',
   userPatterns: '{}',
-  activePattern: '',
 };
 
 export const settingsMap = persistentMap('strudel-settings', defaultSettings);
 
+// active pattern is separate, because it shouldn't sync state across tabs
+// reason: https://github.com/tidalcycles/strudel/issues/857
+const $activePattern = persistentAtom('activePattern', '', { listen: false });
+export function setActivePattern(key) {
+  $activePattern.set(key);
+}
+export function getActivePattern() {
+  return $activePattern.get();
+}
+export function useActivePattern() {
+  return useStore($activePattern);
+}
+
 export function useSettings() {
   const state = useStore(settingsMap);
   return {
@@ -117,7 +129,7 @@ export function getUserPattern(key) {
 }
 
 export function renameActivePattern() {
-  let activePattern = getSetting('activePattern');
+  let activePattern = getActivePattern();
   let userPatterns = getUserPatterns();
   if (!userPatterns[activePattern]) {
     alert('Cannot rename examples');
@@ -140,7 +152,7 @@ export function renameActivePattern() {
 
 export function updateUserCode(code) {
   const userPatterns = getUserPatterns();
-  let activePattern = getSetting('activePattern');
+  let activePattern = getActivePattern();
   // check if code is that of an example tune
   const [example] = Object.entries(tunes).find(([_, tune]) => tune === code) || [];
   if (example && (!activePattern || activePattern === example)) {
@@ -161,7 +173,7 @@ export function updateUserCode(code) {
 }
 
 export function deleteActivePattern() {
-  let activePattern = getSetting('activePattern');
+  let activePattern = getActivePattern();
   if (!activePattern) {
     console.warn('cannot delete: no pattern selected');
     return;
@@ -179,7 +191,7 @@ export function deleteActivePattern() {
 }
 
 export function duplicateActivePattern() {
-  let activePattern = getSetting('activePattern');
+  let activePattern = getActivePattern();
   let latestCode = getSetting('latestCode');
   if (!activePattern) {
     console.warn('cannot duplicate: no pattern selected');
@@ -191,10 +203,6 @@ export function duplicateActivePattern() {
   setActivePattern(activePattern);
 }
 
-export function setActivePattern(key) {
-  settingsMap.setKey('activePattern', key);
-}
-
 export function importUserPatternJSON(jsonString) {}
 
 export async function importPatterns(fileList) {