diff --git a/web/src/app.tsx b/web/src/app.tsx
index 5f227b1..388e12d 100644
--- a/web/src/app.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app.tsx
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ const router = createBrowserRouter(
           <Route path="/authorities" element={<Navigate to="/authorities/person" replace />} />
           <Route path="/authorities/:kind" element={<AuthoritiesPage />} />
           <Route
-            path="/fields"
+            path="/fields/:key?"
             element={
               <Suspense fallback={<ListSkeleton />}>
                 <FieldsPage />
diff --git a/web/src/fields/fields-page.tsx b/web/src/fields/fields-page.tsx
index 3da3f6c..1f62de7 100644
--- a/web/src/fields/fields-page.tsx
+++ b/web/src/fields/fields-page.tsx
@@ -1,18 +1,23 @@
-import { useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useNavigate, useParams } from "react-router-dom";
 
-import type { components } from "../api/schema";
+import { useFieldDefinitions } from "../api/queries";
 import { FieldList } from "./field-list";
 import { FieldForm } from "./field-form";
 import { useDocumentTitle } from "../lib/use-document-title";
 import { useBreadcrumb } from "../shell/use-breadcrumb";
 import { PageTitle } from "@/components/ui/page-title";
 
-type FieldDefinitionView = components["schemas"]["FieldDefinitionView"];
-
 export function FieldsPage() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
-  const [selected, setSelected] = useState<FieldDefinitionView | null>(null);
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const { key } = useParams();
+  const { data } = useFieldDefinitions();
+
+  // Selection lives in the URL (/fields/:key) so it survives reload and can be
+  // shared, matching /vocabularies/:id. An unknown or absent key falls back to
+  // the create form. Same cached query as FieldList, so no extra fetch.
+  const selected = (key && data?.find((def) => def.key === key)) || null;
 
   useDocumentTitle(t("fields.title"));
   useBreadcrumb([{ label: t("nav.fields") }]);
@@ -22,13 +27,16 @@ export function FieldsPage() {
       <PageTitle className="px-4 pt-4 pb-2">{t("fields.title")}</PageTitle>
       <div className="grid flex-1 grid-cols-1 overflow-auto lg:grid-cols-[20rem_1fr] lg:overflow-hidden">
         <div className="overflow-hidden border-b lg:border-r lg:border-b-0">
-          <FieldList selectedKey={selected?.key ?? null} onSelect={setSelected} />
+          <FieldList
+            selectedKey={selected?.key ?? null}
+            onSelect={(def) => navigate(`/fields/${encodeURIComponent(def.key)}`)}
+          />
         </div>
         <div className="overflow-hidden">
           <FieldForm
             key={selected?.key ?? "create"}
             editing={selected}
-            onDone={() => setSelected(null)}
+            onDone={() => navigate("/fields")}
           />
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/web/src/fields/fields.test.tsx b/web/src/fields/fields.test.tsx
index 1b399e4..6ee065d 100644
--- a/web/src/fields/fields.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/fields/fields.test.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { FieldsPage } from "./fields-page";
 function tree() {
   return (
     <Routes>
-      <Route path="/fields" element={<FieldsPage />} />
+      <Route path="/fields/:key?" element={<FieldsPage />} />
     </Routes>
   );
 }
@@ -87,6 +87,40 @@ test("filter narrows the visible fields", async () => {
   expect(await screen.findByText(/no matches/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
 });
 
+test("deep link /fields/:key opens the edit form for that field", async () => {
+  renderApp(tree(), { route: "/fields/inscription" });
+
+  // edit mode: the key input is locked and prefilled from the URL. The form
+  // remounts when the defs query resolves, so re-query inside waitFor.
+  await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i)).toHaveValue("inscription"));
+  expect(screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i)).toBeDisabled();
+  expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /cancel/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+});
+
+test("selecting a field switches to its edit form; cancel returns to create", async () => {
+  renderApp(tree(), { route: "/fields" });
+
+  await userEvent.click(await screen.findByRole("button", { name: /inscription/i }));
+
+  await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i)).toHaveValue("inscription"));
+  expect(screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i)).toBeDisabled();
+
+  await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /cancel/i }));
+
+  await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i)).toHaveValue(""));
+  expect(screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i)).toBeEnabled();
+});
+
+test("an unknown key falls back to the create form", async () => {
+  renderApp(tree(), { route: "/fields/zzz-does-not-exist" });
+
+  await screen.findByText("Inscription");
+
+  const key = screen.getByLabelText(/^key$/i);
+  expect(key).toHaveValue("");
+  expect(key).toBeEnabled();
+});
+
 test("creates a text field — posts the body and clears the key input", async () => {
   let body: { key: string; data_type: string } | undefined;