diff --git a/web-client/src/App.tsx b/web-client/src/App.tsx
index c5df9cd..4c36d99 100644
--- a/web-client/src/App.tsx
+++ b/web-client/src/App.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { BrowserRouter, Routes, Route, Navigate } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { AuthProvider, useAuth } from './auth'
 import { AppLayout } from './components/AppLayout'
+import { RecipeGenerationProvider } from './recipeGeneration'
 import { GenerateFlow, GeneratePage, GenerateResultsPage } from './pages/GeneratePage'
 import { LibraryPage } from './pages/LibraryPage'
 import { LoginPage } from './pages/LoginPage'
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@ export default function App() {
 					<Route
 						element={
 							<RequireAuth>
-								<AppLayout />
+								<RecipeGenerationProvider>
+									<AppLayout />
+								</RecipeGenerationProvider>
 							</RequireAuth>
 						}
 					>
diff --git a/web-client/src/pages/GeneratePage.tsx b/web-client/src/pages/GeneratePage.tsx
index 8dc5376..c738dce 100644
--- a/web-client/src/pages/GeneratePage.tsx
+++ b/web-client/src/pages/GeneratePage.tsx
@@ -1,34 +1,15 @@
 import {useEffect, useState} from 'react'
-import type {Dispatch, SetStateAction} from 'react'
-import {Outlet, useLocation, useNavigate, useOutletContext} from 'react-router-dom'
+import {Outlet, useLocation, useNavigate} from 'react-router-dom'
 import {useTranslation} from 'react-i18next'
 import {ChevronRightIcon, PencilSquareIcon, XMarkIcon} from '@heroicons/react/24/outline'
-import type {components} from '../api'
 import {Button} from '../components/Button'
 import {RecipeCard} from '../components/RecipeCard'
 import {TagSelector} from '../components/TagSelector'
 import {tagsById} from '../recipeFormat'
 import {localizeTagLabel} from '../locales/recipeTagLabels'
 import {usePressPulse} from '../usePressPulse'
-import {errorMessage} from '../apiError'
-import {SessionExpiredError, useApi} from '../useApi'
-import {currentLanguage} from '../i18n'
-
-// id is stored on the recipe once it is saved
-type Recipe = components['schemas']['RecipeInput'] & { id?: number }
-type RecipeRequest = components['schemas']['RecipeRequest']
-
-export interface RecipeGenerationContext {
-	prompt: string
-	setPrompt: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>
-	selectedTags: string[]
-	setSelectedTags: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string[]>>
-	recipes: Recipe[]
-	setRecipes: Dispatch<SetStateAction<Recipe[]>>
-	status: string | null
-	loading: boolean
-	generate: () => void
-}
+import {useApi} from '../useApi'
+import {useRecipeGeneration} from '../recipeGeneration'
 
 const VIEW_ORDER = {options: 0, results: 1, recipe: 2} as const
 
@@ -39,62 +20,15 @@ function viewName(pathname: string): keyof typeof VIEW_ORDER {
 }
 
 export function GenerateFlow() {
-	const {t} = useTranslation()
 	const apiFetch = useApi()
-	const navigate = useNavigate()
 	const {pathname} = useLocation()
 
-	const [prompt, setPrompt] = useState(() => sessionStorage.getItem('recipe_prompt') ?? '')
-	const [selectedTags, setSelectedTags] = useState<string[]>(() => {
-		const stored = sessionStorage.getItem('recipe_tags')
-		return stored ? (JSON.parse(stored) as string[]) : []
-	})
-	// keep the last results so the list is restored when returning from a recipe page
-	const [recipes, setRecipes] = useState<Recipe[]>(() => {
-		const stored = sessionStorage.getItem('generated_recipes')
-		return stored ? (JSON.parse(stored) as Recipe[]) : []
-	})
-	const [status, setStatus] = useState<string | null>(null)
-	const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false)
-
 	// Confirm the session is still valid
 	useEffect(() => {
 		// on failure, this will automatically redirect to /login
 		apiFetch('/users/profile')
 	}, [apiFetch])
 
-	useEffect(() => {
-		sessionStorage.setItem('generated_recipes', JSON.stringify(recipes))
-	}, [recipes])
-
-	async function generate() {
-		setLoading(true)
-		setStatus(t('generate.generatingStatus'))
-		setRecipes([])
-		sessionStorage.setItem('recipe_prompt', prompt)
-		sessionStorage.setItem('recipe_tags', JSON.stringify(selectedTags))
-		navigate('/generate/results')
-		try {
-			const tagLabels = selectedTags.map((id) => tagsById.get(id)?.label).filter(Boolean)
-			const fullPrompt = tagLabels.length > 0 ? `${prompt}\n\nPreferences: ${tagLabels.join(', ')}` : prompt
-			const body: RecipeRequest = {prompt: fullPrompt, language: currentLanguage()}
-			const response = await apiFetch('/ai/recipes', {
-				method: 'POST',
-				headers: {'content-type': 'application/json'},
-				body: JSON.stringify(body),
-			})
-			if (!response.ok) throw new Error(await errorMessage(response))
-			const data = (await response.json()) as Recipe[]
-			setRecipes(data)
-			setStatus(data.length === 0 ? t('generate.noRecipes') : null)
-		} catch (e) {
-			if (e instanceof SessionExpiredError) return
-			setStatus(t('common.error', {message: e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}))
-		} finally {
-			setLoading(false)
-		}
-	}
-
 	const view = viewName(pathname)
 	const [prevView, setPrevView] = useState(view)
 	const [slideDirectionBack, setSlideDirectionBack] = useState(false)
@@ -103,16 +37,12 @@ export function GenerateFlow() {
 		setPrevView(view)
 	}
 
-	const context: RecipeGenerationContext = {
-		prompt, setPrompt, selectedTags, setSelectedTags, recipes, setRecipes, status, loading, generate,
-	}
-
 	return (
 		<div
 			key={view}
 			className={`flex flex-col gap-4 ${slideDirectionBack ? 'animate-slide-from-left' : 'animate-slide-from-right'}`}
 		>
-			<Outlet context={context}/>
+			<Outlet/>
 		</div>
 	)
 }
@@ -128,7 +58,7 @@ export function GeneratePage() {
 		recipes,
 		loading,
 		generate
-	} = useOutletContext<RecipeGenerationContext>()
+	} = useRecipeGeneration()
 	const [generateBtnRef, pulseGenerate] = usePressPulse<HTMLButtonElement>()
 
 	return (
@@ -198,7 +128,7 @@ export function GeneratePage() {
 export function GenerateResultsPage() {
 	const {t, i18n} = useTranslation()
 	const navigate = useNavigate()
-	const {recipes, status, setRecipes} = useOutletContext<RecipeGenerationContext>()
+	const {recipes, status, setRecipes} = useRecipeGeneration()
 
 	// read from sessionStorage instead of context so unsaved edits are not shown the results header
 	const lastPrompt = sessionStorage.getItem('recipe_prompt') ?? ''
diff --git a/web-client/src/pages/RecipePage.tsx b/web-client/src/pages/RecipePage.tsx
index 3c63cb3..4c6f86e 100644
--- a/web-client/src/pages/RecipePage.tsx
+++ b/web-client/src/pages/RecipePage.tsx
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ import {
 	PlusIcon,
 } from '@heroicons/react/24/outline'
 import Markdown from 'react-markdown'
-import { Link, Navigate, useLocation, useNavigate, useOutletContext, useParams } from 'react-router-dom'
+import { Link, Navigate, useLocation, useNavigate, useParams } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
 import type { components } from '../api'
-import type { RecipeGenerationContext } from './GeneratePage'
+import { useRecipeGeneration } from '../recipeGeneration'
 import { RecipeSaveButton } from '../components/RecipeSaveButton.tsx'
 import { formatQuantity } from '../recipeFormat'
 import { usePressPulse } from '../usePressPulse'
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ export function RecipePage() {
 	return pathname.startsWith('/library/') ? <LibraryRecipePage key={pathname} /> : <GeneratedRecipePage />
 }
 
-// Generated recipes are shared with the GenerateFlow layout (which persists them to sessionStorage)
+// Generated recipes are shared via the RecipeGeneration provider (which persists them to sessionStorage)
 // and are paged through by list index in router state.
 function GeneratedRecipePage() {
 	const location = useLocation()
 	const navigate = useNavigate()
 	const index = (location.state as { index?: number } | null)?.index ?? 0
-	const { recipes, setRecipes } = useOutletContext<RecipeGenerationContext>()
+	const { recipes, setRecipes } = useRecipeGeneration()
 	const [helpAnswers, setHelpAnswers] = useState<Record<number, HelpEntry[]>>({})
 	const recipe = recipes[index]
 
diff --git a/web-client/src/recipeGeneration.tsx b/web-client/src/recipeGeneration.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6c96bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web-client/src/recipeGeneration.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import type {Dispatch, ReactNode, SetStateAction} from 'react';
+import {createContext, useCallback, useContext, useEffect, useState} from 'react';
+import {useNavigate} from 'react-router-dom';
+import {useTranslation} from 'react-i18next';
+import type {components} from './api';
+import {tagsById} from './recipeFormat';
+import {errorMessage} from './apiError';
+import {SessionExpiredError, useApi} from './useApi';
+import {currentLanguage} from './i18n';
+
+// id is stored on the recipe once it is saved
+type Recipe = components['schemas']['RecipeInput'] & { id?: number }
+type RecipeRequest = components['schemas']['RecipeRequest']
+
+export interface RecipeGenerationContextValue {
+	prompt: string;
+	setPrompt: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
+	selectedTags: string[];
+	setSelectedTags: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string[]>>;
+	recipes: Recipe[];
+	setRecipes: Dispatch<SetStateAction<Recipe[]>>;
+	status: string | null;
+	loading: boolean;
+	generate: () => void;
+}
+
+const RecipeGenerationContext = createContext<RecipeGenerationContextValue | null>(null);
+
+function safeGetArrayFromStorage(key: string) {
+	try {
+		const stored = sessionStorage.getItem(key);
+		return stored ? (JSON.parse(stored)) : [];
+	} catch {
+		return [];
+	}
+}
+
+// Lives above the tab layout so an ongoing generation survives navigating to another tab
+export function RecipeGenerationProvider({children}: { children: ReactNode }) {
+	const {t} = useTranslation();
+	const apiFetch = useApi();
+	const navigate = useNavigate();
+
+	const [prompt, setPrompt] = useState(() => sessionStorage.getItem('recipe_prompt') ?? '');
+	const [selectedTags, setSelectedTags] = useState<string[]>(() => safeGetArrayFromStorage('recipe_tags'));
+	const [recipes, setRecipes] = useState<Recipe[]>(() => safeGetArrayFromStorage('generated_recipes'));
+	const [status, setStatus] = useState<string | null>(null);
+	const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
+
+	useEffect(() => {
+		sessionStorage.setItem('generated_recipes', JSON.stringify(recipes));
+	}, [recipes]);
+
+	const generate = useCallback(() => {
+		setLoading(true);
+		setStatus(t('generate.generatingStatus'));
+		setRecipes([]);
+		sessionStorage.setItem('recipe_prompt', prompt);
+		sessionStorage.setItem('recipe_tags', JSON.stringify(selectedTags));
+		navigate('/generate/results');
+
+		void (async () => {
+			try {
+				const tagLabels = selectedTags.map((id) => tagsById.get(id)?.label).filter(Boolean);
+				const fullPrompt = tagLabels.length > 0 ? `${prompt}\n\nPreferences: ${tagLabels.join(', ')}` : prompt;
+				const body: RecipeRequest = {prompt: fullPrompt, language: currentLanguage()};
+				const response = await apiFetch('/ai/recipes', {
+					method: 'POST',
+					headers: {'content-type': 'application/json'},
+					body: JSON.stringify(body),
+				});
+				if (!response.ok) throw new Error(await errorMessage(response));
+				const data = (await response.json()) as Recipe[];
+				setRecipes(data);
+				setStatus(data.length === 0 ? t('generate.noRecipes') : null);
+			} catch (e) {
+				if (e instanceof SessionExpiredError) return;
+				setStatus(t('common.error', {message: e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}));
+			} finally {
+				setLoading(false);
+			}
+		})();
+	}, [apiFetch, navigate, prompt, selectedTags, t]);
+
+	const value: RecipeGenerationContextValue = {
+		prompt, setPrompt, selectedTags, setSelectedTags, recipes, setRecipes, status, loading, generate,
+	};
+	return <RecipeGenerationContext.Provider value={value}>{children}</RecipeGenerationContext.Provider>;
+}
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line react-refresh/only-export-components
+export function useRecipeGeneration(): RecipeGenerationContextValue {
+	const ctx = useContext(RecipeGenerationContext);
+	if (!ctx) throw new Error('useRecipeGeneration must be used within a RecipeGenerationProvider');
+	return ctx;
+}
+
+export type {Recipe};
diff --git a/web-client/tests/pages/GeneratePage.test.tsx b/web-client/tests/pages/GeneratePage.test.tsx
index 7e4ea7d..623e551 100644
--- a/web-client/tests/pages/GeneratePage.test.tsx
+++ b/web-client/tests/pages/GeneratePage.test.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { components } from '../../src/api'
 import { GenerateFlow, GeneratePage, GenerateResultsPage } from '../../src/pages/GeneratePage'
+import { RecipeGenerationProvider } from '../../src/recipeGeneration'
 import { jsonResponse, renderWithProviders } from '../utils'
 
 type Recipe = components['schemas']['Recipe']
@@ -28,16 +29,19 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 afterEach(() => {
 	fetchMock.mockReset()
 	vi.unstubAllGlobals()
+	sessionStorage.clear()
 })
 
 function render(route = '/generate') {
 	renderWithProviders(
-		<Routes>
-			<Route path="/generate" element={<GenerateFlow />}>
-				<Route index element={<GeneratePage />} />
-				<Route path="results" element={<GenerateResultsPage />} />
-			</Route>
-		</Routes>,
+		<RecipeGenerationProvider>
+			<Routes>
+				<Route path="/generate" element={<GenerateFlow />}>
+					<Route index element={<GeneratePage />} />
+					<Route path="results" element={<GenerateResultsPage />} />
+				</Route>
+			</Routes>
+		</RecipeGenerationProvider>,
 		{ route, token: { value: 'tkn', username: 'alice' } },
 	)
 }
diff --git a/web-client/tests/pages/RecipePage.test.tsx b/web-client/tests/pages/RecipePage.test.tsx
index 4722909..58ef174 100644
--- a/web-client/tests/pages/RecipePage.test.tsx
+++ b/web-client/tests/pages/RecipePage.test.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import {useState} from 'react'
-import {Outlet, Route, Routes} from 'react-router-dom'
+import {Route, Routes} from 'react-router-dom'
 import {screen} from '@testing-library/react'
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
 import {afterEach, beforeEach, vi} from 'vitest'
 import type {components} from '../../src/api'
 import {RecipePage} from '../../src/pages/RecipePage'
+import {RecipeGenerationProvider} from '../../src/recipeGeneration'
 import {jsonResponse, renderWithProviders} from '../utils'
 
 type Recipe = components['schemas']['Recipe']
@@ -29,21 +29,17 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 afterEach(() => {
 	fetchMock.mockReset()
 	vi.unstubAllGlobals()
+	sessionStorage.clear()
 })
 
-// mirrors the GenerateFlow layout that holds the shared recipe list
-function GenerateContext({recipes}: {recipes: Recipe[]}) {
-	const [list, setList] = useState(recipes)
-	return <Outlet context={{recipes: list, setRecipes: setList}}/>
-}
-
 function renderGeneratedRecipe(index = 0, recipes: Recipe[] = [a, b]) {
+	sessionStorage.setItem('generated_recipes', JSON.stringify(recipes))
 	renderWithProviders(
-		<Routes>
-			<Route path="/generate" element={<GenerateContext recipes={recipes}/>}>
-				<Route path="recipe" element={<RecipePage/>}/>
-			</Route>
-		</Routes>,
+		<RecipeGenerationProvider>
+			<Routes>
+				<Route path="/generate/recipe" element={<RecipePage/>}/>
+			</Routes>
+		</RecipeGenerationProvider>,
 		{
 			route: {pathname: '/generate/recipe', state: {index}},
 			token: {value: 'tkn', username: 'alice'},