diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/useTreeLayout.ts b/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/useTreeLayout.ts
index c600c70e..eda895de 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/useTreeLayout.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tree-editor/useTreeLayout.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,46 @@ function estimateNodeHeight(node: TreeStructure): number {
   return height
 }
 
+/** Collect all node IDs in the tree. */
+function collectAllIds(root: TreeStructure): Set<string> {
+  const ids = new Set<string>()
+  function walk(node: TreeStructure) {
+    ids.add(node.id)
+    node.children?.forEach(walk)
+  }
+  walk(root)
+  return ids
+}
+
+/** Find all cross-reference edges (next_node_id pointing outside children). */
+function collectCrossRefEdges(root: TreeStructure): Array<{ source: string; target: string; label?: string }> {
+  const refs: Array<{ source: string; target: string; label?: string }> = []
+  const allIds = collectAllIds(root)
+
+  function walk(node: TreeStructure) {
+    const childIds = new Set(node.children?.map(c => c.id) ?? [])
+
+    // Decision options pointing outside children
+    if (node.type === 'decision' && node.options) {
+      for (const opt of node.options) {
+        if (opt.next_node_id && !childIds.has(opt.next_node_id) && allIds.has(opt.next_node_id)) {
+          refs.push({ source: node.id, target: opt.next_node_id, label: opt.label })
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Action next_node_id pointing to non-child (always a cross-ref since actions use next_node_id not children)
+    if (node.type === 'action' && node.next_node_id && allIds.has(node.next_node_id) && !childIds.has(node.next_node_id)) {
+      refs.push({ source: node.id, target: node.next_node_id, label: 'loops back' })
+    }
+
+    node.children?.forEach(walk)
+  }
+
+  walk(root)
+  return refs
+}
+
 interface UseTreeLayoutResult {
   nodes: Node[]
   edges: Edge[]
@@ -128,6 +168,40 @@ export function useTreeLayout(): UseTreeLayoutResult {
 
     walk(treeStructure, null)
 
+    // Add cross-reference edges (dashed, purple)
+    if (treeStructure) {
+      const crossRefs = collectCrossRefEdges(treeStructure)
+      for (const ref of crossRefs) {
+        // Only add if both source and target nodes are visible (not collapsed away)
+        const sourceVisible = nodes.some(n => n.id === ref.source)
+        const targetVisible = nodes.some(n => n.id === ref.target)
+        if (sourceVisible && targetVisible) {
+          edges.push({
+            id: `xref-${ref.source}->${ref.target}`,
+            source: ref.source,
+            target: ref.target,
+            type: 'smoothstep',
+            animated: true,
+            label: ref.label ? truncateLabel(ref.label) : undefined,
+            labelStyle: { fill: 'hsl(var(--primary))', fontSize: 10, fontWeight: 500 },
+            labelBgStyle: { fill: 'hsl(var(--card))', fillOpacity: 0.95 },
+            labelBgPadding: [4, 2] as [number, number],
+            style: {
+              stroke: 'hsl(var(--primary))',
+              strokeWidth: 2,
+              strokeDasharray: '6 3',
+            },
+            markerEnd: {
+              type: 'arrowclosed' as const,
+              color: 'hsl(var(--primary))',
+              width: 16,
+              height: 16,
+            },
+          })
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     return { rawNodes: nodes, rawEdges: edges }
   }, [treeStructure, collapsedNodeIds, validationErrors, measuredHeights])