diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/FandomPicker.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/FandomPicker.vue
index 31189ab..e9ed4a8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/FandomPicker.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/FandomPicker.vue
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
       </div>
     </v-card-text>
     <v-card-actions>
+      <!-- Not every character belongs to a fandom (original characters,
+           unsorted, etc.). "No fandom" creates the character unassigned;
+           a fandom can still be set later from the chip's kebab menu. -->
+      <v-btn variant="text" @click="onNoFandom">No fandom</v-btn>
       <v-spacer />
       <v-btn @click="$emit('cancel')">Cancel</v-btn>
       <v-btn :disabled="!selectedId" color="primary" rounded="pill" @click="onConfirm">Use this fandom</v-btn>
@@ -45,4 +49,9 @@ function onConfirm() {
   const f = store.fandomCache.find(x => x.id === selectedId.value)
   if (f) emit('confirm', f)
 }
+// Create the character with no fandom. Emits null so the caller knows this
+// was a deliberate "unassigned", not a cancel.
+function onNoFandom() {
+  emit('confirm', null)
+}
 </script>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/SuggestionItem.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/SuggestionItem.vue
index 1a0c541..16e55cc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/SuggestionItem.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/SuggestionItem.vue
@@ -19,24 +19,25 @@
     >
       Accept
     </v-btn>
-    <!-- Operator-flagged 2026-06-02: the kebab menu wasn't opening.
-         Wrapping in a <span @click.stop> matches the TagPanel chip
-         fix — even though there's no parent click capture here today,
-         the wrap is harmless and keeps both kebabs on the same
-         pattern. Click bubbles from the v-btn → opens menu via
-         activator props → bubble continues to span → stopPropagation
-         halts it. -->
-    <span class="fc-suggestion__menu-wrap" @click.stop>
-      <v-menu>
-        <template #activator="{ props }">
-          <v-btn
-            class="fc-suggestion__menu"
-            icon="mdi-dots-vertical" size="small"
-            variant="outlined" density="compact"
-            :aria-label="`More actions for ${suggestion.display_name}`"
-            v-bind="props"
-          />
-        </template>
+    <!-- Operator-flagged 2026-06-04: the kebab still wasn't opening. The
+         prior `#activator` + `v-bind="props"` path never toggled the menu
+         inside this teleported modal, while v-model-driven overlays (the
+         dialogs in this modal) work fine. So drive the menu explicitly:
+         the button toggles `menuOpen` with @click.stop (also shields any
+         parent), and `activator="parent"` anchors the menu for positioning
+         only — `:open-on-click="false"` keeps Vuetify's activator-click out
+         of it, so there's a single, reliable opener. -->
+    <span class="fc-suggestion__menu-wrap">
+      <v-btn
+        class="fc-suggestion__menu"
+        icon="mdi-dots-vertical" size="small"
+        variant="outlined" density="compact"
+        :aria-label="`More actions for ${suggestion.display_name}`"
+        @click.stop="menuOpen = !menuOpen"
+      />
+      <v-menu
+        v-model="menuOpen" activator="parent" :open-on-click="false"
+      >
         <v-list density="compact">
           <v-list-item @click="$emit('alias', suggestion)">
             <v-list-item-title>Treat as alias for…</v-list-item-title>
@@ -51,11 +52,12 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup>
-import { computed } from 'vue'
+import { computed, ref } from 'vue'
 
 const props = defineProps({ suggestion: { type: Object, required: true } })
 defineEmits(['accept', 'alias', 'dismiss'])
 
+const menuOpen = ref(false)
 const scorePct = computed(() => `${Math.round(props.suggestion.score * 100)}%`)
 </script>
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
index 9767af2..5131688 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
@@ -147,10 +147,14 @@ function onCreate () {
   reset()
 }
 
+// fandom is null when the user picked "No fandom" — characters don't all
+// belong to a fandom. The backend already accepts fandom_id: null for the
+// character kind (tag.kind check + nullable fandom_id), and a fandom can be
+// assigned later from the chip kebab's "Set fandom…".
 function onFandomChosen (fandom) {
   fandomDialog.value = false
   emit('pick-new', {
-    name: pendingNewName, kind: 'character', fandom_id: fandom.id,
+    name: pendingNewName, kind: 'character', fandom_id: fandom ? fandom.id : null,
   })
   pendingNewName = null
   reset()
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
index f1f83dd..319b0b9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
@@ -10,20 +10,24 @@
       >
         <v-icon start size="x-small">{{ iconFor(tag.kind) }}</v-icon>
         {{ tag.name }}<span v-if="tag.fandom_id">→</span>
-        <!-- Operator-flagged 2026-06-02: the previous activator had
-             `@click.stop` directly on the v-icon, which silently
-             overrode Vuetify's onClick from `v-bind="mp"` — the menu
-             never opened. Now the v-icon receives the activator
-             onClick cleanly, and the wrapping span absorbs the
-             bubbled click so the chip's close button isn't tripped. -->
-        <span class="kebab-wrap" @click.stop>
-          <v-menu>
-            <template #activator="{ props: mp }">
-              <v-icon
-                v-bind="mp" size="x-small" class="ml-1"
-                icon="mdi-dots-vertical"
-              />
-            </template>
+        <!-- Operator-flagged 2026-06-04: the `#activator` + `v-bind` menu
+             never opened inside this teleported modal. Drive it explicitly
+             instead (same mechanism as the dialogs below, which work): the
+             icon toggles `openTagId` with @click.stop (shielding the chip's
+             close button), and `activator="parent"` + `:open-on-click=false`
+             anchors the menu for positioning only. One tag's menu open at a
+             time, so a single id is enough. -->
+        <span class="kebab-wrap">
+          <v-icon
+            size="x-small" class="ml-1 kebab-icon"
+            icon="mdi-dots-vertical"
+            @click.stop="openTagId = openTagId === tag.id ? null : tag.id"
+          />
+          <v-menu
+            :model-value="openTagId === tag.id"
+            activator="parent" :open-on-click="false"
+            @update:model-value="v => { if (!v) openTagId = null }"
+          >
             <v-list density="compact">
               <v-list-item @click="openRename(tag)">
                 <v-list-item-title>Rename…</v-list-item-title>
@@ -84,6 +88,9 @@ import FandomSetDialog from './FandomSetDialog.vue'
 const modal = useModalStore()
 const store = useTagStore()
 const errorMsg = ref(null)
+// Which tag chip's kebab menu is open (only one at a time). Drives each
+// chip menu's v-model so opening never depends on Vuetify's activator click.
+const openTagId = ref(null)
 
 const KIND_ICONS = {
   general: 'mdi-tag', character: 'mdi-account-circle',
@@ -147,4 +154,5 @@ async function onFandomUpdated() {
 }
 .fc-tag-panel__chips { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 6px; }
 .kebab-wrap { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; }
+.kebab-icon { cursor: pointer; }
 </style>