diff --git a/app/checkout/components/CheckoutContent.tsx b/app/checkout/components/CheckoutContent.tsx
index 5a8b610..3f8418c 100644
--- a/app/checkout/components/CheckoutContent.tsx
+++ b/app/checkout/components/CheckoutContent.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { forwardRef, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import Image from "next/image";
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
@@ -69,17 +69,20 @@ function validateVatIdFormat(value: string): string {
   return isValidVatId(normalizeVatId(value)) ? "" : "Ungültiges USt-IdNr.-Format (z. B. DE123456789).";
 }
 
-function FormField({
-  label,
-  wrapperClassName = "flex-1 min-w-0",
-  error,
-  ...props
-}: { label: string; wrapperClassName?: string; error?: string } & React.InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>) {
+// forwardRef so callers can imperatively .focus() a specific field (see
+// the "Andere E-Mail-Adresse verwenden" handler below) — plain props
+// couldn't do that, and every other FormField usage is unaffected since
+// ref is optional.
+const FormField = forwardRef<
+  HTMLInputElement,
+  { label: string; wrapperClassName?: string; error?: string } & React.InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>
+>(function FormField({ label, wrapperClassName = "flex-1 min-w-0", error, ...props }, ref) {
   return (
     <label className={`flex flex-col gap-2 items-start ${wrapperClassName}`}>
       <span className="text-label text-text-muted">{label}</span>
       <input
         {...props}
+        ref={ref}
         aria-invalid={error ? true : undefined}
         className={`w-full border rounded-sm px-4 py-3 text-body-sm text-text-primary outline-none focus:border-brand transition-colors ${
           error ? "border-red-600" : "border-border"
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ function FormField({
       {error && <span className="text-label text-red-600">{error}</span>}
     </label>
   );
-}
+});
 
 export function CheckoutContent({
   shippingMethods,
@@ -150,6 +153,10 @@ export function CheckoutContent({
   // down the page without ever blurring the email field first (e.g.
   // browser autofill).
   const loginGateRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  // Focused after "Andere E-Mail-Adresse verwenden" clears the field below
+  // — the shopper explicitly asked to type a different one, so the cursor
+  // should already be waiting there instead of making them click in.
+  const emailInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const [loginPassword, setLoginPassword] = useState("");
   const [loginError, setLoginError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [loggingIn, setLoggingIn] = useState(false);
@@ -753,6 +760,7 @@ export function CheckoutContent({
                 actual rendered width in the 2-col row above (each half of
                 a gap-4 flex row), instead of stretching full-width. */}
             <FormField
+              ref={emailInputRef}
               label="E-Mail-Adresse"
               name="email"
               type="email"
@@ -812,6 +820,7 @@ export function CheckoutContent({
                       setEmail("");
                       setLoginPassword("");
                       setFieldError("email", "");
+                      emailInputRef.current?.focus();
                     }}
                     className="text-label text-text-muted underline hover:text-text-primary transition-colors"
                   >