diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/emptyBlock.test.tsx b/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/emptyBlock.test.tsx
index d7d5b2c8..fb53a33d 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/emptyBlock.test.tsx
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/components/__test__/emptyBlock.test.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import { observeParentAndFocusNewInstance } from "../../utils/multipleElementAdd
 import { CslpData } from "../../../cslp/types/cslp.types";
 import { ISchemaFieldMap } from "../../utils/types/index.types";
 import { VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents } from "../../utils/types/postMessage.types";
+import { getDOMEditStack } from "../../utils/getCsDataOfElement";
+import { getPeerLockForField } from "../../utils/fieldLockIndicator";
 
 vi.mock("../../utils/visualBuilderPostMessage", () => ({
     default: {
@@ -17,20 +19,32 @@ vi.mock("../../utils/multipleElementAddButton", () => ({
     observeParentAndFocusNewInstance: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
+vi.mock("../../utils/fieldLockIndicator", () => ({
+    getPeerLockForField: vi.fn(() => null),
+}));
+
 describe("EmptyBlock", () => {
     const mockDetails = {
         fieldMetadata: {
-            cslpValue: "parent.cslp.value",
+            cslpValue: "ct.entry.en-us.blocks_field",
         } as CslpData,
         fieldSchema: {
             display_name: "Test Block",
         } as ISchemaFieldMap,
     };
 
-    afterEach(() => {
+    let host: HTMLElement | null = null;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
         vi.clearAllMocks();
     });
 
+    afterEach(() => {
+        // RTL only removes containers it created, so this one would outlive the test
+        host?.remove();
+        host = null;
+    });
+
     test("should render correctly", () => {
         const { getByText, getByTestId } = render(
             <EmptyBlock details={mockDetails} />
@@ -70,4 +84,61 @@ describe("EmptyBlock", () => {
             index: 0,
         });
     });
+
+    test("claims the field lock before adding, so a peer sees it", async () => {
+        host = document.createElement("div");
+        host.setAttribute("data-cslp", mockDetails.fieldMetadata.cslpValue);
+        document.body.appendChild(host);
+
+        const { getByTestId } = render(<EmptyBlock details={mockDetails} />, {
+            container: host as HTMLElement,
+        });
+        fireEvent.click(getByTestId("visual-builder__empty-block-add-button"));
+
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect((visualBuilderPostMessage as any).send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.FOCUS_FIELD,
+                { DOMEditStack: getDOMEditStack(host as HTMLElement) }
+            );
+        });
+
+        // the lock must be claimed first, or the parent applies the add with no lock
+        const events = (visualBuilderPostMessage as any).send.mock.calls.map(
+            (call: unknown[]) => call[0]
+        );
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.FOCUS_FIELD,
+            VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE,
+        ]);
+    });
+
+    test("does not send an empty edit stack, which the parent reads as a deselect", async () => {
+        // no ancestor carries data-cslp, so the stack comes back empty
+        const { getByTestId } = render(<EmptyBlock details={mockDetails} />);
+        fireEvent.click(getByTestId("visual-builder__empty-block-add-button"));
+
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect((visualBuilderPostMessage as any).send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE,
+                { fieldMetadata: mockDetails.fieldMetadata, index: 0 }
+            );
+        });
+        expect((visualBuilderPostMessage as any).send).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.FOCUS_FIELD,
+            expect.anything()
+        );
+    });
+
+    test("adds nothing when a peer holds the field", async () => {
+        (getPeerLockForField as any).mockReturnValueOnce({
+            user: { uid: "peer" },
+        });
+
+        const { getByTestId } = render(<EmptyBlock details={mockDetails} />);
+        fireEvent.click(getByTestId("visual-builder__empty-block-add-button"));
+
+        await waitFor(() => expect(getPeerLockForField).toHaveBeenCalled());
+        expect((visualBuilderPostMessage as any).send).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(observeParentAndFocusNewInstance).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
 });
diff --git a/src/visualBuilder/components/emptyBlock.tsx b/src/visualBuilder/components/emptyBlock.tsx
index ad932e70..4ca4a818 100644
--- a/src/visualBuilder/components/emptyBlock.tsx
+++ b/src/visualBuilder/components/emptyBlock.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import { ISchemaFieldMap } from "../utils/types/index.types";
 import { VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents } from "../utils/types/postMessage.types";
 import React from "preact/compat";
 import { startCase, toLower } from "lodash-es";
+import { getDOMEditStack } from "../utils/getCsDataOfElement";
+import { getPeerLockForField } from "../utils/fieldLockIndicator";
+import { DATA_CSLP_ATTR_SELECTOR } from "../utils/constants";
 
 interface EmptyBlockProps {
     details: {
@@ -20,14 +23,44 @@ export function EmptyBlock(props: EmptyBlockProps): JSX.Element {
 
     const blockParentName = details.fieldSchema.display_name;
 
-    async function sendAddInstanceEvent() {
-        await visualBuilderPostMessage?.send(
-            VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE,
-            {
-                fieldMetadata: details.fieldMetadata,
-                index: 0,
-            }
-        );
+    async function sendAddInstanceEvent(
+        event: JSX.TargetedMouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>
+    ) {
+        // A peer holds this field: adding would edit through their lock, the same
+        // no-op a click on a peer-locked field gets in the click listener.
+        if (getPeerLockForField(details.fieldMetadata)) return;
+
+        // Resolve the field by its cslp, not the button's DOM position: a portal
+        // render would yield an empty stack and silently skip the lock claim.
+        const fieldElement =
+            document.querySelector(
+                `[${DATA_CSLP_ATTR_SELECTOR}="${details.fieldMetadata.cslpValue}"]`
+            ) ?? event.currentTarget;
+
+        // The empty-state add never selects the field, so nothing else claims the
+        // lock. Fire and forget: the parent does not await the claim either.
+        const DOMEditStack = getDOMEditStack(fieldElement);
+        // An empty stack reads as a deselect on the parent and would RELEASE the lock.
+        if (DOMEditStack.length) {
+            visualBuilderPostMessage?.send(
+                VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.FOCUS_FIELD,
+                { DOMEditStack }
+            );
+        }
+
+        try {
+            await visualBuilderPostMessage?.send(
+                VisualBuilderPostMessageEvents.ADD_INSTANCE,
+                {
+                    fieldMetadata: details.fieldMetadata,
+                    index: 0,
+                }
+            );
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error("Visual Builder: Failed to add instance", error);
+            return;
+        }
+
         observeParentAndFocusNewInstance({
             parentCslp: details.fieldMetadata.cslpValue,
             index: 0,
@@ -67,7 +100,7 @@ export function EmptyBlock(props: EmptyBlockProps): JSX.Element {
                         "visual-builder__empty-block-add-button"
                     ]
                 )}
-                onClick={() => sendAddInstanceEvent()}
+                onClick={sendAddInstanceEvent}
                 type="button"
                 data-testid="visual-builder__empty-block-add-button"
             >