diff --git a/src/framework/components/scrollbar/component.js b/src/framework/components/scrollbar/component.js
index 406008f24f6..863d051268f 100644
--- a/src/framework/components/scrollbar/component.js
+++ b/src/framework/components/scrollbar/component.js
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
      */
     _evtHandleEntityChanges = [];
 
+    /**
+     * @type {ElementDragHelper|null}
+     * @private
+     */
+    _handleDragHelper = null;
+
     /**
      * Sets whether the scrollbar moves horizontally or vertically. Can be:
      *
@@ -112,8 +118,12 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
 
         this._orientation = arg;
 
+        // ElementDragHelper captures its axis at construction, so an existing helper
+        // must be rebuilt to keep dragging in sync with the new orientation
         if (this._handleEntity?.element) {
             this._handleEntity.element[this._getOppositeDimension()] = 0;
+            this._rebuildDragHelper();
+            this._updateHandlePositionAndSize();
         }
     }
 
@@ -172,18 +182,22 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Sets the entity to be used as the scrollbar handle. This entity must have a
-     * {@link ScrollbarComponent}.
+     * Sets the entity to be used as the scrollbar handle. This entity must have an
+     * {@link ElementComponent} (with `useInput: true` for the handle to be draggable).
      *
      * @type {Entity|string|null}
      */
     set handleEntity(arg) {
-        if (this._handleEntity === arg) {
-            return;
+        let newEntity;
+        if (arg instanceof GraphNode) {
+            newEntity = arg;
+        } else if (typeof arg === 'string') {
+            newEntity = this.system.app.getEntityFromIndex(arg) ?? null;
+        } else {
+            newEntity = null;
         }
 
-        const isString = typeof arg === 'string';
-        if (this._handleEntity && isString && this._handleEntity.getGuid() === arg) {
+        if (this._handleEntity === newEntity) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -191,15 +205,9 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
             this._handleEntityUnsubscribe();
         }
 
-        if (arg instanceof GraphNode) {
-            this._handleEntity = arg;
-        } else if (isString) {
-            this._handleEntity = this.system.app.getEntityFromIndex(arg) || null;
-        } else {
-            this._handleEntity = null;
-        }
+        this._handleEntity = newEntity;
 
-        if (this._handleEntity) {
+        if (newEntity) {
             this._handleEntitySubscribe();
         }
     }
@@ -235,9 +243,9 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
 
         const handles = this._evtHandleEntityChanges;
         handles.push(element.once('beforeremove', this._onHandleElementLose, this));
-        handles.push(element.on('set:anchor', this._onSetHandleAlignment, this));
-        handles.push(element.on('set:margin', this._onSetHandleAlignment, this));
-        handles.push(element.on('set:pivot', this._onSetHandleAlignment, this));
+        handles.push(element.on('set:anchor', this._updateHandlePositionAndSize, this));
+        handles.push(element.on('set:margin', this._updateHandlePositionAndSize, this));
+        handles.push(element.on('set:pivot', this._updateHandlePositionAndSize, this));
     }
 
     _handleEntityElementUnsubscribe() {
@@ -249,11 +257,17 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
 
     _onHandleElementGain() {
         this._handleEntityElementSubscribe();
+        this._rebuildDragHelper();
+        this._updateHandlePositionAndSize();
+    }
+
+    _rebuildDragHelper() {
         this._destroyDragHelper();
         this._handleDragHelper = new ElementDragHelper(this._handleEntity.element, this._getAxis());
+        // ElementDragHelper defaults to enabled; mirror the component's current state so a helper
+        // built while the scrollbar is disabled does not start out draggable
+        this._handleDragHelper.enabled = this.enabled && this.entity.enabled;
         this._handleDragHelper.on('drag:move', this._onHandleDrag, this);
-
-        this._updateHandlePositionAndSize();
     }
 
     _onHandleElementLose() {
@@ -267,22 +281,16 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
         }
     }
 
-    _onSetHandleAlignment() {
-        this._updateHandlePositionAndSize();
-    }
-
     _updateHandlePositionAndSize() {
         const handleEntity = this._handleEntity;
-        const handleElement = handleEntity?.element;
+        if (!handleEntity) return;
 
-        if (handleEntity) {
-            const position = handleEntity.getLocalPosition();
-            position[this._getAxis()] = this._getHandlePosition();
-            handleEntity.setLocalPosition(position);
-        }
+        const position = handleEntity.getLocalPosition();
+        position[this._getAxis()] = this._getHandlePosition();
+        handleEntity.setLocalPosition(position);
 
-        if (handleElement) {
-            handleElement[this._getDimension()] = this._getHandleLength();
+        if (handleEntity.element) {
+            handleEntity.element[this._getDimension()] = this._getHandleLength();
         }
     }
 
@@ -331,23 +339,20 @@ class ScrollbarComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     _destroyDragHelper() {
-        if (this._handleDragHelper) {
-            this._handleDragHelper.destroy();
-        }
+        this._handleDragHelper?.destroy();
+        this._handleDragHelper = null;
     }
 
-    _setHandleDraggingEnabled(enabled) {
+    onEnable() {
         if (this._handleDragHelper) {
-            this._handleDragHelper.enabled = enabled;
+            this._handleDragHelper.enabled = true;
         }
     }
 
-    onEnable() {
-        this._setHandleDraggingEnabled(true);
-    }
-
     onDisable() {
-        this._setHandleDraggingEnabled(false);
+        if (this._handleDragHelper) {
+            this._handleDragHelper.enabled = false;
+        }
     }
 
     onRemove() {
diff --git a/test/framework/components/scrollbar/component.test.mjs b/test/framework/components/scrollbar/component.test.mjs
index 52ca1378372..a50fa5d8b06 100644
--- a/test/framework/components/scrollbar/component.test.mjs
+++ b/test/framework/components/scrollbar/component.test.mjs
@@ -169,6 +169,26 @@ describe('ScrollbarComponent', function () {
             expect(handle.element.height).to.equal(heightBefore);
         });
 
+        it('rebuilds the drag helper for the new axis when orientation changes at runtime', function () {
+            const handle = new Entity();
+            handle.addComponent('element', { type: ELEMENTTYPE_IMAGE });
+
+            const e = new Entity();
+            e.addChild(handle);
+            e.addComponent('element', { type: ELEMENTTYPE_IMAGE });
+            e.addComponent('scrollbar', { handleEntity: handle, orientation: ORIENTATION_HORIZONTAL });
+            app.root.addChild(e);
+
+            // ElementDragHelper captures its axis at construction, so the helper must be
+            // rebuilt for the new axis when orientation flips - otherwise drags stay on the
+            // old axis and value updates can stop working
+            expect(e.scrollbar._handleDragHelper._axis).to.equal('x');
+
+            e.scrollbar.orientation = ORIENTATION_VERTICAL;
+
+            expect(e.scrollbar._handleDragHelper._axis).to.equal('y');
+        });
+
     });
 
     describe('#handleEntity', function () {
@@ -210,6 +230,23 @@ describe('ScrollbarComponent', function () {
             expect(e.scrollbar.handleEntity).to.equal(null);
         });
 
+        it('does not leave a newly-built drag helper enabled when the scrollbar is disabled', function () {
+            const handle = new Entity();
+            // intentionally no element yet — adding it later triggers _onHandleElementGain and
+            // builds a fresh ElementDragHelper, which defaults to enabled = true
+
+            const e = new Entity();
+            e.addComponent('element', { type: ELEMENTTYPE_IMAGE });
+            e.addComponent('scrollbar', { enabled: false, handleEntity: handle });
+            app.root.addChild(e);
+
+            handle.addComponent('element', { type: ELEMENTTYPE_IMAGE });
+
+            // helper must mirror the component's disabled state, not its own default
+            expect(e.scrollbar._handleDragHelper).to.exist;
+            expect(e.scrollbar._handleDragHelper.enabled).to.equal(false);
+        });
+
         it('unsubscribes from the previous handle entity when reassigned', function () {
             const handle1 = new Entity();
             handle1.addComponent('element', { type: ELEMENTTYPE_IMAGE });