diff --git a/lua/git/status_view.lua b/lua/git/status_view.lua
index 1ff093b..6e81d9f 100644
--- a/lua/git/status_view.lua
+++ b/lua/git/status_view.lua
@@ -602,10 +602,6 @@ local function action_help(placement)
     print(table.concat(lines, "\n"))
 end
 
----Place an existing or new gitstatus buffer in a window per `placement`.
----Sidebar uses a left split with fixed width and winfixwidth; split uses
----the default split direction (above/below per `splitbelow`); current
----swaps into the current window.
 ---@param bufnr integer
 ---@param placement ow.Git.StatusView.Placement
 ---@return integer win
@@ -651,11 +647,6 @@ local function setup_buffer(bufnr, r, placement, win, invocation_win)
             { buffer = bufnr, silent = true, desc = desc }
         )
     end
-    k("<Tab>", function()
-        if state[bufnr].placement == "sidebar" then
-            preview_or_open(false)
-        end
-    end, "Preview diff (sidebar)")
     k("<CR>", function()
         preview_or_open(true)
     end, "Open")
@@ -685,56 +676,16 @@ local function setup_buffer(bufnr, r, placement, win, invocation_win)
     })
 end
 
----Update an existing status view's state and re-place its buffer.
 ---@param bufnr integer
 ---@param placement ow.Git.StatusView.Placement
----@param invocation_win integer
-local function reuse(bufnr, placement, invocation_win)
-    local win = place(bufnr, placement)
-    local s = state[bufnr]
-    if s then
-        s.win = win
-        s.invocation_win = invocation_win
-        s.placement = placement
-    end
+local function set_keymaps(bufnr, placement)
     if placement == "sidebar" then
-        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(invocation_win)
+        vim.keymap.set("n", "<Tab>", function()
+            preview_or_open(false)
+        end, { buffer = bufnr, silent = true, desc = "Preview diff" })
+    else
+        pcall(vim.keymap.del, "n", "<Tab>", { buffer = bufnr })
     end
-    refresh(bufnr)
-end
-
----@param r ow.Git.Repo
----@param placement ow.Git.StatusView.Placement
-local function open(r, placement)
-    local previous_win = vim.api.nvim_get_current_win()
-    local name = M.URI_PREFIX .. r.worktree
-    local existing_buf = find_buf(name)
-
-    if existing_buf then
-        local visible = vim.fn.bufwinid(existing_buf)
-        if visible ~= -1 then
-            vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(visible)
-            return
-        end
-        reuse(existing_buf, placement, previous_win)
-        return
-    end
-
-    local bufnr = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
-    vim.bo[bufnr].buftype = "nofile"
-    vim.bo[bufnr].swapfile = false
-    vim.bo[bufnr].modifiable = false
-    vim.bo[bufnr].bufhidden = placement == "sidebar" and "wipe" or "hide"
-    vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(bufnr, name)
-    vim.bo[bufnr].filetype = "gitstatus"
-
-    local win = place(bufnr, placement)
-    setup_buffer(bufnr, r, placement, win, previous_win)
-
-    if placement == "sidebar" then
-        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(previous_win)
-    end
-    refresh(bufnr)
 end
 
 ---@param opts? { placement: ow.Git.StatusView.Placement? }
@@ -746,12 +697,36 @@ function M.open(opts)
         util.error("not in a git repository")
         return
     end
-    open(r, placement)
+    local previous_win = vim.api.nvim_get_current_win()
+    local buf = vim.fn.bufadd(M.URI_PREFIX .. r.worktree)
+
+    local visible = vim.fn.bufwinid(buf)
+    if visible ~= -1 then
+        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(visible)
+        return
+    end
+
+    local was_loaded = vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(buf)
+    local win = place(buf, placement)
+
+    vim.bo[buf].bufhidden = placement == "sidebar" and "wipe" or "hide"
+    local s = state[buf]
+    if s then
+        s.win = win
+        s.invocation_win = previous_win
+        s.placement = placement
+    end
+    set_keymaps(buf, placement)
+
+    if placement == "sidebar" then
+        vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(previous_win)
+    end
+
+    if was_loaded then
+        refresh(buf)
+    end
 end
 
----Set up an existing buffer (created by `:e gitstatus://<worktree>`) as a
----status view. Treated as `current` placement. Relative URIs are made
----absolute against the cwd.
 ---@param buf integer
 function M.read_uri(buf)
     local name = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(buf)
@@ -777,7 +752,12 @@ function M.read_uri(buf)
                 vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(win, existing)
             end
             vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(buf, { force = true })
-            reuse(existing, "current", win)
+            local s = state[existing]
+            if s then
+                s.win = win
+                s.placement = "current"
+            end
+            refresh(existing)
             return
         end
         pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name, buf, canonical)