diff --git a/ankihub/gui/overlay_dialog.py b/ankihub/gui/overlay_dialog.py
index 5bc4c1a5a..219c2a9c6 100644
--- a/ankihub/gui/overlay_dialog.py
+++ b/ankihub/gui/overlay_dialog.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 
 class OverlayTarget:
-    def __init__(self, parent: QWidget, element: Union[QWidget, QRect]) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, parent: QWidget, element: Optional[Union[QWidget, QRect]]) -> None:
         self.parent = parent
         self.element = element
 
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ def window(self) -> Optional[QWidget]:
             return self.element.window()
         return None
 
-    def rect(self) -> QRect:
+    def rect(self) -> Optional[QRect]:
+        if self.element is None:
+            return None
         if isinstance(self.element, QWidget):
             geom = self.element.rect()
             top_left = self.element.mapToGlobal(geom.topLeft())
diff --git a/ankihub/gui/tutorial.py b/ankihub/gui/tutorial.py
index bce16d96f..bff5fd263 100644
--- a/ankihub/gui/tutorial.py
+++ b/ankihub/gui/tutorial.py
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ def on_position(self) -> None:
             return
 
         rect = self.target.rect()
+        if rect is None:
+            return
         webview_top_left = self.web.mapFromGlobal(rect.topLeft())
         webview_bottom_right = self.web.mapFromGlobal(rect.bottomRight())
         top = webview_top_left.y()
@@ -403,7 +405,7 @@ def __post_init__(self):
 @dataclass
 class QtTutorialStep(TutorialStep):
     parent_widget: Optional[Union[QWidget, Callable[[], QWidget]]] = None
-    qt_target: Optional[Union[OverlayTarget, Callable[[], OverlayTarget]]] = None
+    qt_target: Optional[Union[OverlayTarget, Callable[[], Optional[OverlayTarget]]]] = None
     target_outline: bool = True
     apply_backdrop: bool = False
 
@@ -534,7 +536,10 @@ def show_current(self) -> None:
             overlay.show()
             step.tooltip_context = overlay
             step.target_context = overlay
-            step.target = "#target"
+            # When the Qt target is unavailable (e.g. transient Browser/widget lifecycle race),
+            # render this step as tooltip-only instead of anchoring to a missing target.
+            step.target = "#target" if target is not None else ""
+            step.click_target = step.click_target if target is not None else ""
 
             def close_overlay() -> None:
                 overlay.close()
@@ -1434,6 +1439,21 @@ def _close_browser_and_move_to_next_step(self, on_done: Callable[[], None]) -> N
             browser.close()
         self.next()
 
+    def _get_smart_search_button_target(self) -> Optional[OverlayTarget]:
+        browser = self._get_live_browser()
+        if not browser:
+            return None
+
+        smart_search_button = browser.findChild(QToolButton, "AnkiHubSmartSearchButton")
+        if smart_search_button is None:
+            LOGGER.debug("Smart Search tutorial target unavailable: button not found")
+            return None
+        if sip.isdeleted(smart_search_button):
+            LOGGER.debug("Smart Search tutorial target unavailable: button deleted")
+            return None
+
+        return OverlayTarget(browser.sidebar, smart_search_button)
+
     def _steps(self) -> list[TutorialStep]:
         steps = []
 
@@ -1484,10 +1504,8 @@ def _steps(self) -> list[TutorialStep]:
         steps.append(
             QtTutorialStep(
                 body=body,
-                qt_target=lambda: OverlayTarget(
-                    self._browser.sidebar, self._browser.findChild(QToolButton, "AnkiHubSmartSearchButton")
-                ),
-                parent_widget=lambda: self._browser,
+                qt_target=self._get_smart_search_button_target,
+                parent_widget=lambda: self._get_live_browser(),
             )
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/addon/test_integration.py b/tests/addon/test_integration.py
index c89c20275..9a7a23aad 100644
--- a/tests/addon/test_integration.py
+++ b/tests/addon/test_integration.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     overview_will_render_bottom,
 )
 from aqt.importing import AnkiPackageImporter
-from aqt.qt import QAction, QDialog, QEvent, QLabel, Qt, QUrl, QWebEnginePage, QWidget, sip
+from aqt.qt import QAction, QDialog, QEvent, QLabel, Qt, QToolButton, QUrl, QWebEnginePage, QWidget, sip
 from aqt.theme import theme_manager
 from aqt.webview import AnkiWebView
 from pytest import fixture
@@ -12972,6 +12972,46 @@ def test_init_raises_when_anking_deck_not_installed(
             with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
                 StepDeckTutorial()
 
+    def test_get_smart_search_button_target_returns_none_when_button_missing(
+        self,
+        anki_session_with_addon_data: AnkiSession,
+    ):
+        """Regression: tutorial target helper should handle missing Smart Search button."""
+        from ankihub.gui.tutorial import StepDeckTutorial
+
+        with anki_session_with_addon_data.profile_loaded():
+            tutorial = StepDeckTutorial.__new__(StepDeckTutorial)
+            browser = Mock(sidebar=Mock())
+            browser.findChild.return_value = None
+            tutorial._browser = browser
+
+            assert tutorial._get_smart_search_button_target() is None
+
+    def test_get_smart_search_button_target_uses_live_browser(
+        self,
+        anki_session_with_addon_data: AnkiSession,
+        mocker: MockerFixture,
+    ):
+        """Regression: target helper should resolve from the live Browser reference."""
+        from ankihub.gui import tutorial as tutorial_module
+        from ankihub.gui.overlay_dialog import OverlayTarget
+        from ankihub.gui.tutorial import StepDeckTutorial
+
+        with anki_session_with_addon_data.profile_loaded():
+            tutorial = StepDeckTutorial.__new__(StepDeckTutorial)
+            live_browser = Mock(sidebar=Mock())
+            smart_search_button = Mock(spec=QToolButton)
+            live_browser.findChild.return_value = smart_search_button
+            tutorial._browser = None
+            mocker.patch.object(tutorial, "_get_live_browser", return_value=live_browser)
+            mocker.patch.object(tutorial_module.sip, "isdeleted", return_value=False)
+
+            target = tutorial._get_smart_search_button_target()
+
+            assert isinstance(target, OverlayTarget)
+            assert target.parent is live_browser.sidebar
+            assert target.element is smart_search_button
+
     def test_hook_browser_startup_does_not_crash_when_browser_missing(
         self,
         anki_session_with_addon_data: AnkiSession,