diff --git a/web/src/reader/reader.ts b/web/src/reader/reader.ts
index 59c2358..aed9b15 100644
--- a/web/src/reader/reader.ts
+++ b/web/src/reader/reader.ts
@@ -744,6 +744,21 @@ document.addEventListener("alpine:init", () => {
             () => setTimeout(checkSelection, 0),
             { passive: true },
           );
+          // Clicks in the book dismiss the popover in ANY mode: iframe
+          // events never bubble to the host document (so the host
+          // outside-click dismiss never sees them), and the collapsed
+          // check above only covers create mode — edit mode had no
+          // outside-click path at all, leaving Esc as the only way out.
+          // Clicking a painted highlight still works: this hides, then
+          // foliate's show-annotation re-opens it in edit mode.
+          doc.addEventListener(
+            "pointerdown",
+            () => {
+              if (this.selectionPopover.open)
+                this.hideSelectionPopover();
+            },
+            { passive: true },
+          );
           doc.addEventListener(
             "keyup",
             (ev: KeyboardEvent) => {