diff --git a/native-views/react-native-native-list/ios/tests/NativeListMediaVisibilityTests.swift b/native-views/react-native-native-list/ios/tests/NativeListMediaVisibilityTests.swift
index 4eafa897d..171b465f8 100644
--- a/native-views/react-native-native-list/ios/tests/NativeListMediaVisibilityTests.swift
+++ b/native-views/react-native-native-list/ios/tests/NativeListMediaVisibilityTests.swift
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ final class NativeListMediaFrameCaptureTests: XCTestCase {
     rootView.addSubview(container)
     defer { container.removeFromSuperview() }
     let slot = NativeListMediaPreviewSlot()
+    defer { slot.recycle() }
     slot.view.frame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 120, height: 120)
     container.addSubview(slot.view)
     slot.view.layoutIfNeeded()
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ final class NativeListMediaFrameCaptureTests: XCTestCase {
     XCTAssertNotNil(slot.capturedFrame)
     XCTAssertEqual(slot.createdPlayerCount, coldPlayers, "Recycled row reuses the cached still")
     let second = NativeListMediaPreviewSlot()
+    defer { second.recycle() }
     second.view.frame = CGRect(x: 120, y: 0, width: 120, height: 120)
     container.addSubview(second.view)
     second.view.layoutIfNeeded()
@@ -108,7 +110,6 @@ final class NativeListMediaFrameCaptureTests: XCTestCase {
     }
     XCTAssertNotNil(second.capturedFrame)
     XCTAssertEqual(second.createdPlayerCount, 0, "A different cell uses shared cached pixels")
-    second.recycle(); slot.recycle()
   }
 
   /// A 64×48, ten-frame H.264 MP4 (generated with AVAssetWriter on macOS); the simulator
diff --git a/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/docs/SPEC.md b/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/docs/SPEC.md
index 18286f536..4e1090aa8 100644
--- a/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/docs/SPEC.md
+++ b/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/docs/SPEC.md
@@ -347,11 +347,14 @@ not change React ownership. Public APIs, Android/Web, and page scope are unchang
   first responder; passive toast/debug entries do not win solely by level.
   Keyboard restoration may finish after dismissal completion; callers/tests
   requiring keyboard geometry must observe the new keyboard readiness event.
-- Removing an entry while the app window has an interactive UIKit presentation
-  removes that entry from active ordering and restores key ownership immediately,
+- Removing an entry while the app window or an attached contained controller
+  has an interactive UIKit transition removes that entry from active ordering
+  and restores key ownership immediately,
   but retains its exiting window/root/scene until the interaction finishes or
-  cancels. After UIKit reports the interaction change, cleanup runs on the next
-  main turn and rechecks the current transition coordinator before releasing
+  cancels. The search covers presented controllers and child controllers whose
+  loaded views belong to the app window. After UIKit reports the interaction
+  change, cleanup runs on the next main turn and rechecks the current
+  transition coordinator before releasing
   that exact window lifetime. A newly interactive transition keeps it retired
   until its own completion; repeated or late callbacks cannot release a new
   entry for the same owner. Scene disconnect releases active and retired windows
@@ -695,16 +698,19 @@ devices and the broader runtime matrix remain unverified.
 Automated (P0):
 
 - `tests/ios/run.sh` compiles the production WindowManager, SheetController and
-  Animation into an isolated UIKit test app. Its eleven checks cover bounded/live
+  Animation into an isolated UIKit test app. Its thirteen checks cover bounded/live
   ordering, key restoration eligibility, owning-entry release, injected scene
   disconnect/reuse with original-window identity and reentrant-registration
   rejection, conditional original-input focus restoration (including
   higher/foreign/new-input guards), and a native sheet surviving another
-  entry's dismissal. Four focused checks cover interactive retirement after
+  entry's dismissal. Six focused checks cover interactive retirement after
   finish and cancellation, reopening the same owner while the old window is
-  retired, and disconnecting a scene with only a retired window. They use a
-  controlled transition coordinator to test manager lifecycle; the real
-  gesture check is the iOS 27.0 simulator run above.
+  retired, and disconnecting a scene with only a retired window. Four use a
+  controlled transition coordinator to test manager lifecycle; one uses a
+  real contained `UINavigationController` interactive pop to verify retention
+  until cancellation; one ensures unloaded and unattached children do not
+  retain the window or load their views. The App gesture check above covers
+  the main-window handoff, not this contained-navigation path.
   Sheet checks use `animated: false`; they do not compile the React/Fabric
   Container or replace Gallery coverage of animated reversal/generation races,
   real multi-scene/disconnect, keyboard geometry or accessibility.
diff --git a/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/ios/NativeOverlayWindowManager.swift b/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/ios/NativeOverlayWindowManager.swift
index 0c3584b3b..3e4fcbc7a 100644
--- a/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/ios/NativeOverlayWindowManager.swift
+++ b/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/ios/NativeOverlayWindowManager.swift
@@ -352,12 +352,16 @@ final class NativeOverlayWindowManager: NSObject {
   }
 
   private static func interactiveCoordinator(in appWindow: UIWindow?) -> UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator? {
-    var controller = appWindow?.rootViewController
-    while let current = controller {
+    guard let appWindow, let root = appWindow.rootViewController else { return nil }
+    var stack = [root]
+    var visited = Set<ObjectIdentifier>()
+    while let current = stack.popLast() {
+      guard visited.insert(ObjectIdentifier(current)).inserted else { continue }
       if let coordinator = current.transitionCoordinator, coordinator.isInteractive {
         return coordinator
       }
-      controller = current.presentedViewController
+      stack.append(contentsOf: current.children.filter { $0.viewIfLoaded?.window === appWindow })
+      if let presented = current.presentedViewController { stack.append(presented) }
     }
     return nil
   }
diff --git a/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/tests/ios/WindowManagerTests.swift b/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/tests/ios/WindowManagerTests.swift
index 5e1c05d54..9626ca15a 100644
--- a/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/tests/ios/WindowManagerTests.swift
+++ b/native-views/react-native-native-overlay/tests/ios/WindowManagerTests.swift
@@ -60,6 +60,40 @@ private final class TestTransitionCoordinator: NSObject, UIViewControllerTransit
   }
 }
 
+private final class TestPopAnimator: NSObject, UIViewControllerAnimatedTransitioning {
+  func transitionDuration(using context: UIViewControllerContextTransitioning?) -> TimeInterval { 0.2 }
+
+  func animateTransition(using context: UIViewControllerContextTransitioning) {
+    guard let from = context.view(forKey: .from), let to = context.view(forKey: .to) else {
+      context.completeTransition(false)
+      return
+    }
+    if to.superview == nil { context.containerView.insertSubview(to, belowSubview: from) }
+    UIView.animate(withDuration: transitionDuration(using: context), animations: {
+      from.transform = CGAffineTransform(translationX: context.containerView.bounds.width, y: 0)
+    }, completion: { _ in
+      from.transform = .identity
+      context.completeTransition(!context.transitionWasCancelled)
+    })
+  }
+}
+
+private final class TestPopDelegate: NSObject, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
+  let animator = TestPopAnimator()
+  var interaction: UIPercentDrivenInteractiveTransition?
+
+  func navigationController(_ navigationController: UINavigationController,
+                            animationControllerFor operation: UINavigationController.Operation,
+                            from fromVC: UIViewController, to toVC: UIViewController) -> UIViewControllerAnimatedTransitioning? {
+    operation == .pop ? animator : nil
+  }
+
+  func navigationController(_ navigationController: UINavigationController,
+                            interactionControllerFor animationController: UIViewControllerAnimatedTransitioning) -> UIViewControllerInteractiveTransitioning? {
+    interaction
+  }
+}
+
 private struct Failure: Error { let name: String }
 private func require(_ condition: @autoclosure () -> Bool, _ name: String) throws {
   if !condition() { throw Failure(name: name) }
@@ -238,6 +272,68 @@ private func require(_ condition: @autoclosure () -> Bool, _ name: String) throw
   transitionManager.entryRemoved(from: newWindow)
   passed.append("interactive-window-retirement-owner-reuse")
 
+  let nestedApp = UIWindow(windowScene: scene)
+  let containerRoot = UIViewController()
+  nestedApp.rootViewController = containerRoot
+  nestedApp.makeKeyAndVisible()
+  let navigation = UINavigationController(rootViewController: UIViewController())
+  containerRoot.addChild(navigation)
+  navigation.view.frame = containerRoot.view.bounds
+  containerRoot.view.addSubview(navigation.view)
+  navigation.didMove(toParent: containerRoot)
+  navigation.pushViewController(UIViewController(), animated: false)
+  let popDelegate = TestPopDelegate()
+  let popInteraction = UIPercentDrivenInteractiveTransition()
+  popDelegate.interaction = popInteraction
+  navigation.delegate = popDelegate
+  let nestedManager = NativeOverlayWindowManager()
+  let nestedOwner = Owner()
+  let nestedWindow = nestedManager.window(for: nestedOwner, level: .modal,
+    stackOrder: 1, blocking: true, appWindow: nestedApp)!
+  nestedWindow.makeKey()
+  _ = navigation.popViewController(animated: true)
+  popInteraction.update(0.25)
+  for _ in 0..<5 where navigation.transitionCoordinator?.isInteractive != true { await nextMainTurn() }
+  try require(containerRoot.transitionCoordinator == nil &&
+    navigation.transitionCoordinator?.isInteractive == true && navigation.viewIfLoaded?.window === nestedApp,
+    "real contained navigation transition is interactive only in the child")
+  nestedManager.entryRemoved(from: nestedWindow)
+  try require(nestedWindow.windowScene === scene && nestedWindow.rootViewController != nil,
+    "attached child navigation transition retains the exiting window")
+  popInteraction.cancel()
+  let nestedDeadline = Date().addingTimeInterval(2)
+  while nestedWindow.windowScene != nil && Date() < nestedDeadline {
+    try await Task.sleep(for: .milliseconds(20))
+  }
+  try require(nestedWindow.windowScene == nil && nestedWindow.rootViewController == nil,
+    "cancelled child navigation transition releases the exiting window")
+  let unloadedChild = TransitionRoot()
+  unloadedChild.activeCoordinator = TestTransitionCoordinator()
+  containerRoot.addChild(unloadedChild)
+  let detachedChild = TransitionRoot()
+  _ = detachedChild.view
+  detachedChild.activeCoordinator = TestTransitionCoordinator()
+  containerRoot.addChild(detachedChild)
+  try require(unloadedChild.viewIfLoaded == nil && detachedChild.viewIfLoaded?.window == nil,
+    "inactive child transition precondition")
+  let inactiveOwner = Owner()
+  let inactiveWindow = nestedManager.window(for: inactiveOwner, level: .modal,
+    stackOrder: 1, blocking: true, appWindow: nestedApp)!
+  nestedManager.entryRemoved(from: inactiveWindow)
+  try require(inactiveWindow.windowScene == nil && inactiveWindow.rootViewController == nil &&
+    unloadedChild.viewIfLoaded == nil, "unattached children do not retain a window or load a view")
+  unloadedChild.removeFromParent()
+  detachedChild.removeFromParent()
+  passed.append("interactive-window-retirement-unattached-children")
+  navigation.willMove(toParent: nil)
+  navigation.view.removeFromSuperview()
+  navigation.removeFromParent()
+  nestedApp.isHidden = true
+  nestedApp.rootViewController = nil
+  nestedApp.windowScene = nil
+  transitionApp.makeKey()
+  passed.append("interactive-window-retirement-contained-navigation")
+
   let disconnectedOwner = Owner()
   let disconnectedWindow = transitionManager.window(for: disconnectedOwner, level: .modal,
     stackOrder: 1, blocking: true, appWindow: transitionApp)!