diff --git a/components/social/comment/comment-menu.tsx b/components/social/comment/comment-menu.tsx
index 37ef252d..83657192 100644
--- a/components/social/comment/comment-menu.tsx
+++ b/components/social/comment/comment-menu.tsx
@@ -97,7 +97,10 @@ export function CommentMenu({
               ref={menuRef}
               role="menu"
               style={{ position: "fixed", top: pos.top, right: pos.right }}
-              className="z-[101] min-w-40 rounded-lg border border-border bg-card shadow-lg py-1 animate-in fade-in-0 zoom-in-95"
+              // pointer-events-auto: the comments drawer is modal (vaul sets
+              // body { pointer-events: none } while open); this portaled menu
+              // would be click-through without re-enabling it here.
+              className="pointer-events-auto z-[101] min-w-40 rounded-lg border border-border bg-card shadow-lg py-1 animate-in fade-in-0 zoom-in-95"
             >
               {canPin ? (
                 <MenuItem
diff --git a/components/ui/emoji-picker.tsx b/components/ui/emoji-picker.tsx
index 2d2b5229..ff6b3084 100644
--- a/components/ui/emoji-picker.tsx
+++ b/components/ui/emoji-picker.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * caller decides what to do with each via `onSelect`.
  */
 
-import { useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { Smile } from "lucide-react";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
@@ -71,6 +71,32 @@ export function EmojiPicker({
   const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
   const [pos, setPos] = useState<{ bottom: number; left: number } | null>(null);
   const btnRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
+  const panelRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  // Dismiss on any outside pointer-down or Escape. Deferred a tick so the
+  // opening click doesn't immediately re-close it; capture phase so it fires
+  // wherever the target lives. No close-on-scroll here — the panel scrolls
+  // internally, so a scroll inside it must NOT dismiss.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+    function onDown(e: PointerEvent) {
+      const t = e.target as Node;
+      if (panelRef.current?.contains(t) || btnRef.current?.contains(t)) return;
+      setOpen(false);
+    }
+    function onKey(e: KeyboardEvent) {
+      if (e.key === "Escape") setOpen(false);
+    }
+    const id = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      document.addEventListener("pointerdown", onDown, true);
+      document.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    }, 0);
+    return () => {
+      window.clearTimeout(id);
+      document.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onDown, true);
+      document.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    };
+  }, [open]);
 
   function toggle() {
     if (open) {
@@ -108,59 +134,53 @@ export function EmojiPicker({
       </button>
       {open && pos && typeof document !== "undefined"
         ? createPortal(
-            <>
+            <div
+              ref={panelRef}
+              role="dialog"
+              aria-label="Emoji picker"
+              style={{
+                position: "fixed",
+                bottom: pos.bottom,
+                left: pos.left,
+                width: PANEL_WIDTH,
+                maxWidth: "calc(100vw - 1rem)",
+              }}
+              // pointer-events-auto: vaul makes the drawer modal, setting
+              // body { pointer-events: none } while open — a body-portaled
+              // panel inherits it and would be click-through without this.
+              className="pointer-events-auto z-[101] flex max-h-80 flex-col overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border bg-card shadow-xl animate-in fade-in-0 zoom-in-95"
+            >
               <div
-                className="fixed inset-0 z-[100]"
-                aria-hidden
-                onClick={(e) => {
-                  e.stopPropagation();
-                  setOpen(false);
-                }}
-              />
-              <div
-                role="dialog"
-                aria-label="Emoji picker"
-                style={{
-                  position: "fixed",
-                  bottom: pos.bottom,
-                  left: pos.left,
-                  width: PANEL_WIDTH,
-                  maxWidth: "calc(100vw - 1rem)",
-                }}
-                className="z-[101] flex max-h-[min(60vh,20rem)] flex-col rounded-xl border border-border bg-card shadow-xl animate-in fade-in-0 zoom-in-95"
+                // min-h-0 lets this flex child shrink below its content so it
+                // actually scrolls; stopPropagation keeps the wheel/touch from
+                // reaching the host drawer (vaul) and being hijacked.
+                className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain p-2"
+                style={{ WebkitOverflowScrolling: "touch", touchAction: "pan-y" }}
+                onWheel={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+                onTouchMove={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
               >
-                <div
-                  // min-h-0 lets this flex child shrink below its content so it
-                  // actually scrolls; stopPropagation keeps the wheel/touch from
-                  // reaching the host drawer (vaul) and being hijacked.
-                  className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain p-2"
-                  style={{ WebkitOverflowScrolling: "touch", touchAction: "pan-y" }}
-                  onWheel={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
-                  onTouchMove={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
-                >
-                  {EMOJI_GROUPS.map((g) => (
-                    <div key={g.label} className="mb-1.5">
-                      <p className="px-1 pb-0.5 pt-1 text-[11px] font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">
-                        {g.label}
-                      </p>
-                      <div className="grid grid-cols-8 gap-0.5">
-                        {g.emojis.map((e, i) => (
-                          <button
-                            key={`${e}-${i}`}
-                            type="button"
-                            onClick={() => onSelect(e)}
-                            aria-label={`Emoji ${e}`}
-                            className="flex size-8 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-xl leading-none hover:bg-muted"
-                          >
-                            {e}
-                          </button>
-                        ))}
-                      </div>
+                {EMOJI_GROUPS.map((g) => (
+                  <div key={g.label} className="mb-1.5">
+                    <p className="px-1 pb-0.5 pt-1 text-[11px] font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-muted-foreground">
+                      {g.label}
+                    </p>
+                    <div className="grid grid-cols-8 gap-0.5">
+                      {g.emojis.map((e, i) => (
+                        <button
+                          key={`${e}-${i}`}
+                          type="button"
+                          onClick={() => onSelect(e)}
+                          aria-label={`Emoji ${e}`}
+                          className="flex size-8 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-xl leading-none hover:bg-muted"
+                        >
+                          {e}
+                        </button>
+                      ))}
                     </div>
-                  ))}
-                </div>
+                  </div>
+                ))}
               </div>
-            </>,
+            </div>,
             document.body,
           )
         : null}