diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/addon/routes/admin.js b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/addon/routes/admin.js
index ae278472ac2..ac00eb31107 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/addon/routes/admin.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/addon/routes/admin.js
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
+import { tracked } from "@glimmer/tracking";
 import { inject as service } from "@ember/service";
-import { ADMIN_PANEL, MAIN_PANEL } from "discourse/lib/sidebar/panels";
+import {
+  ADMIN_PANEL,
+  COMBINED_MODE,
+  MAIN_PANEL,
+  SEPARATED_MODE,
+} from "discourse/lib/sidebar/panels";
 import DiscourseRoute from "discourse/routes/discourse";
 import I18n from "discourse-i18n";
 
@@ -7,6 +13,7 @@ export default class AdminRoute extends DiscourseRoute {
   @service sidebarState;
   @service siteSettings;
   @service currentUser;
+  @tracked initialSidebarState;
 
   titleToken() {
     return I18n.t("admin_title");
@@ -14,6 +21,11 @@ export default class AdminRoute extends DiscourseRoute {
 
   activate() {
     if (this.currentUser.use_admin_sidebar) {
+      this.initialSidebarState = {
+        mode: this.sidebarState.mode,
+        displaySwitchPanelButtons: this.sidebarState.displaySwitchPanelButtons,
+      };
+
       this.sidebarState.setPanel(ADMIN_PANEL);
       this.sidebarState.setSeparatedMode();
       this.sidebarState.hideSwitchPanelButtons();
@@ -29,6 +41,18 @@ export default class AdminRoute extends DiscourseRoute {
 
     if (this.currentUser.use_admin_sidebar) {
       if (!transition?.to.name.startsWith("admin")) {
+        if (this.initialSidebarState.mode === SEPARATED_MODE) {
+          this.sidebarState.setSeparatedMode();
+        } else if (this.initialSidebarState.mode === COMBINED_MODE) {
+          this.sidebarState.setCombinedMode();
+        }
+
+        if (this.initialSidebarState.displaySwitchPanelButtons) {
+          this.sidebarState.showSwitchPanelButtons();
+        } else {
+          this.sidebarState.hideSwitchPanelButtons();
+        }
+
         this.sidebarState.setPanel(MAIN_PANEL);
       }
     }
diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/init-sidebar-state.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/init-sidebar-state.js
index 2e8116a857d..c6655c01783 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/init-sidebar-state.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/init-sidebar-state.js
@@ -4,12 +4,6 @@ import { getUserChatSeparateSidebarMode } from "discourse/plugins/chat/discourse
 export const CHAT_PANEL = "chat";
 
 export function initSidebarState(api, user) {
-  if (api.getSidebarPanel()?.key === ADMIN_PANEL) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  api.setSidebarPanel(MAIN_PANEL);
-
   const chatSeparateSidebarMode = getUserChatSeparateSidebarMode(user);
   if (chatSeparateSidebarMode.fullscreen) {
     api.setCombinedSidebarMode();
@@ -20,4 +14,10 @@ export function initSidebarState(api, user) {
     api.setCombinedSidebarMode();
     api.hideSidebarSwitchPanelButtons();
   }
+
+  if (api.getSidebarPanel()?.key === ADMIN_PANEL) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  api.setSidebarPanel(MAIN_PANEL);
 }
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/system/admin_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/system/admin_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb
index 4cbe806a2f7..ccdccf1d752 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/spec/system/admin_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/system/admin_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb
@@ -22,4 +22,31 @@ describe "Admin Revamp | Sidebar Navigation | Plugin Links", type: :system do
     find(".header-sidebar-toggle").click
     expect(sidebar).to have_section_link("Chat", href: "/admin/plugins/chat", count: 1)
   end
+
+  describe "admin sidebar respects separated and combined sidebar modes" do
+    it "reverts to always (separated) mode after entering and leaving admin section" do
+      admin.user_option.update!(
+        chat_separate_sidebar_mode: UserOption.chat_separate_sidebar_modes[:always],
+      )
+      visit("/")
+      expect(sidebar).to have_switch_button("chat")
+      sidebar.click_link_in_section("community", "admin")
+      expect(sidebar).to have_no_switch_button("chat")
+      find("#site-logo").click
+      expect(sidebar).to have_switch_button("chat")
+    end
+
+    it "reverts to the never (combined) mode after entering and leaving admin section" do
+      admin.user_option.update!(
+        chat_separate_sidebar_mode: UserOption.chat_separate_sidebar_modes[:never],
+      )
+      visit("/")
+      expect(sidebar).to have_section("chat-channels")
+      expect(sidebar).to have_no_switch_button("chat")
+      sidebar.click_link_in_section("community", "admin")
+      expect(sidebar).to have_no_section("chat-channels")
+      find("#site-logo").click
+      expect(sidebar).to have_section("chat-channels")
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/system/admin_revamp_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb b/spec/system/admin_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb
similarity index 100%
rename from spec/system/admin_revamp_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb
rename to spec/system/admin_sidebar_navigation_spec.rb