diff --git a/internal/runner/runner.go b/internal/runner/runner.go
index 950c12c..d429115 100644
--- a/internal/runner/runner.go
+++ b/internal/runner/runner.go
@@ -827,13 +827,16 @@ func confirmFocus(
 
 // otherElementHoldsFocus reports whether the hierarchy shows focus on
 // something outside the selector's subtree, which is the state that sends
-// typed text to the wrong field.
+// typed text to the wrong field. A selector the hierarchy cannot resolve
+// answers false: not knowing where the target is says nothing about where the
+// text would land, and failing on it turns every step the dump has no node for
+// into an apply error, which is an aborted run three steps later.
 func otherElementHoldsFocus(tree *hierarchy.Tree, selector string) bool {
 	if tree == nil || focusedElement(tree) == nil {
 		return false
 	}
 	target := tree.FindNode(selector)
-	return target == nil || !holdsFocus(target)
+	return target != nil && !holdsFocus(target)
 }
 
 func focusedElement(tree *hierarchy.Tree) *hierarchy.Element {
diff --git a/internal/runner/runner_test.go b/internal/runner/runner_test.go
index 1e1cd90..4911ae5 100644
--- a/internal/runner/runner_test.go
+++ b/internal/runner/runner_test.go
@@ -974,6 +974,30 @@ func TestApplyAction_InputTextSkipsFocusCheckWhenNoOtherFieldHoldsFocus(t *testi
 	}
 }
 
+// A selector the hierarchy cannot resolve is the guard saying "I cannot tell",
+// not "another element holds focus". Answering the second manufactures an apply
+// error on every InputText the tree has no node for, and three in a row abort
+// the run.
+func TestApplyAction_InputTextTypesWhenTheTargetIsNotInTheHierarchy(t *testing.T) {
+	fastFocusSettle(t)
+	tree, err := hierarchy.Parse(loginFocusOnEmail)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Parse: %v", err)
+	}
+	driverMock := mockdriver.New()
+	driverMock.HierarchyJSON = loginFocusOnEmail
+	action := verifier.Action{
+		Kind: verifier.ActionKindInputText,
+		On:   "data-testid:LoginPassword",
+		Text: "ledger123",
+	}
+
+	mustDispatch(t, driverMock, action, tree)
+	if !typedText(driverMock.Actions(), "ledger123") {
+		t.Errorf("an unresolvable target must not block typing, got %v", driverMock.Actions())
+	}
+}
+
 func typedText(actions []mockdriver.Action, text string) bool {
 	for _, action := range actions {
 		if action.Kind == mockdriver.ActionInputText && action.Text == text {