diff --git a/core/src/main/java/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter.java b/core/src/main/java/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter.java
index 6b6d9fa214cb5..9c06799d6db44 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter.java
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ public class HistoryPageFilter<T> {
 
     public long newestOnPage = Long.MIN_VALUE; // see updateNewestOldest()
     public long oldestOnPage = Long.MAX_VALUE; // see updateNewestOldest()
+    public boolean activeRuns = false;
 
     /**
      * Create a history page filter instance.
@@ -259,6 +260,7 @@ private void addQueueItem(QueueItem item) {
         HistoryPageEntry<QueueItem> entry = new HistoryPageEntry<>(item);
         queueItems.add(entry);
         updateNewestOldest(entry.getEntryId());
+        updateActiveRuns(true);
     }
 
     private void addRun(Run run) {
@@ -271,6 +273,7 @@ private void addRun(Run run) {
         }
         runs.add(entry);
         updateNewestOldest(entry.getEntryId());
+        updateActiveRuns(run.isBuilding());
     }
 
     private void updateNewestOldest(long entryId) {
@@ -278,6 +281,10 @@ private void updateNewestOldest(long entryId) {
         oldestOnPage = Math.min(oldestOnPage, entryId);
     }
 
+    private void updateActiveRuns(boolean isActive) {
+      activeRuns = activeRuns || isActive;
+    }
+
     private boolean add(Object entry) {
         // Purposely not calling isFull(). May need to add a greater number of entries
         // to the page initially, newerThan then cutting it back down to size using cutLeading()
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/hudson/widgets/HistoryWidget/index.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/hudson/widgets/HistoryWidget/index.jelly
index 8d4663bb00dde..a7fb11d54b512 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/hudson/widgets/HistoryWidget/index.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/hudson/widgets/HistoryWidget/index.jelly
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
        data-page-entry-newest="${page.newestOnPage}"
        data-page-entry-oldest="${page.oldestOnPage}"
        data-page-has-up="${page.hasUpPage}"
-       data-page-has-down="${page.hasDownPage}">
+       data-page-has-down="${page.hasDownPage}"
+       data-active-runs="${page.activeRuns}">
     <l:card id="jenkins-builds" title="Builds" controls="${controls}" expandable="${it.baseUrl}/buildTimeTrend">
       <l:search-bar placeholder="${%find}"
                     clazz="${page.runs.isEmpty() and page.queueItems.isEmpty() ? 'jenkins-hidden' : ''}"/>
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
         <div id="jenkins-build-history" class="app-builds-container__items">
         </div>
 
-        <div class="app-builds-container__controls" id="controls">
+        <div class="app-builds-container__controls jenkins-hidden" id="controls">
           <button class="jenkins-button jenkins-button--tertiary jenkins-card__unveil" id="up">
             <l:icon src="symbol-arrow-left" />
             <span class="jenkins-visually-hidden">${%Newer builds}</span>
diff --git a/core/src/main/resources/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter/ajaxBuildHistory.jelly b/core/src/main/resources/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter/ajaxBuildHistory.jelly
index bb5d5afac359b..fc9c2a1da74d1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/resources/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter/ajaxBuildHistory.jelly
+++ b/core/src/main/resources/jenkins/widgets/HistoryPageFilter/ajaxBuildHistory.jelly
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
       <div data-page-entry-newest="${it.newestOnPage}"
            data-page-entry-oldest="${it.oldestOnPage}"
            data-page-has-up="${it.hasUpPage}"
-           data-page-has-down="${it.hasDownPage}">
+           data-page-has-down="${it.hasDownPage}"
+           data-active-runs="${it.activeRuns}">
         <st:include page="entries.jelly" />
       </div>
     </j:if>
diff --git a/war/src/main/js/pages/project/builds-card.js b/war/src/main/js/pages/project/builds-card.js
index 5f2e5341e98c6..bbd55b4a185c9 100644
--- a/war/src/main/js/pages/project/builds-card.js
+++ b/war/src/main/js/pages/project/builds-card.js
@@ -26,16 +26,39 @@ const updateBuildsRefreshInterval = 5000;
  */
 function load(options = {}) {
   /** @type {QueryParameters} */
+  cancelRefreshTimeout();
+  let newSearch = false;
+  if ("newSearch" in options) {
+    newSearch = true;
+    delete options.newSearch;
+  }
   const params = Object.assign({}, options, { search: pageSearchInput.value });
-
-  // Avoid fetching if the page isn't active
-  if (document.hidden) {
-    if (buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageHasUp === "false") {
-      createRefreshTimeout();
-    }
+  const paginationOrFirst =
+    buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageHasUp === "false" ||
+    "older-than" in params ||
+    "newer-than" in params;
+
+  // Avoid fetching if the page isn't active or we're not on the first page and all
+  // runs are finished
+  if (
+    document.hidden ||
+    (!paginationOrFirst &&
+      !newSearch &&
+      buildHistoryPage.dataset.activeRuns !== "true")
+  ) {
     return;
   }
 
+  createRefreshTimeout();
+
+  // When we're not on the first page and this is not a load due to pagination
+  // we need to set the correct value for older-than so we fetch the same set if runs
+  if (!paginationOrFirst) {
+    params["older-than"] = (
+      BigInt(buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageEntryNewest) + 1n
+    ).toString();
+  }
+
   fetch(ajaxUrl + toQueryString(params)).then((rsp) => {
     if (rsp.ok) {
       rsp.text().then((responseText) => {
@@ -69,6 +92,7 @@ function load(options = {}) {
           pageHasDown: innerChild.dataset.pageHasDown === "true",
           pageEntryNewest: innerChild.dataset.pageEntryNewest,
           pageEntryOldest: innerChild.dataset.pageEntryOldest,
+          activeRuns: innerChild.dataset.activeRuns,
         });
       });
     } else {
@@ -95,16 +119,10 @@ function updateCardControls(parameters) {
     !parameters.pageHasDown,
   );
 
-  // We only want the list to refresh if the user is on the first page of results
-  if (!parameters.pageHasUp) {
-    createRefreshTimeout();
-  } else {
-    cancelRefreshTimeout();
-  }
-
   buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageEntryNewest = parameters.pageEntryNewest;
   buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageEntryOldest = parameters.pageEntryOldest;
   buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageHasUp = parameters.pageHasUp;
+  buildHistoryPage.dataset.activeRuns = parameters.activeRuns;
 }
 
 paginationPrevious.addEventListener("click", () => {
@@ -112,7 +130,6 @@ paginationPrevious.addEventListener("click", () => {
 });
 
 paginationNext.addEventListener("click", () => {
-  cancelRefreshTimeout();
   load({ "older-than": buildHistoryPage.dataset.pageEntryOldest });
 });
 
@@ -132,7 +149,7 @@ function cancelRefreshTimeout() {
 }
 
 const debouncedLoad = debounce(() => {
-  load();
+  load({ newSearch: true });
 }, 150);
 
 document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function () {
@@ -143,4 +160,8 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function () {
   });
 
   load();
+
+  window.addEventListener("focus", function () {
+    load();
+  });
 });