diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageCanvas.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageCanvas.vue
index 7cd986a..a4a4163 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageCanvas.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageCanvas.vue
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 <template>
   <div
+    ref="canvasEl"
     class="fc-canvas"
     :class="{ 'fc-canvas--zoomed': panZoom.state.scale > 1 }"
     @wheel="panZoom.handlers.onWheel"
     @pointerdown="panZoom.handlers.onPointerDown"
     @pointermove="panZoom.handlers.onPointerMove"
     @pointerup="panZoom.handlers.onPointerUp"
-    @click="panZoom.handlers.onClick"
+    @click="onCanvasClick"
   >
     <img
+      ref="imgEl"
       :src="src" :alt="alt"
       :style="{
         transform: `translate(${panZoom.state.x}px, ${panZoom.state.y}px) scale(${panZoom.state.scale})`
@@ -19,14 +21,42 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup>
-import { watch } from 'vue'
+import { ref, watch } from 'vue'
 import { usePanZoom } from '../../composables/usePanZoom.js'
 
 const props = defineProps({ src: String, alt: String })
+const emit = defineEmits(['close-request'])
 const panZoom = usePanZoom()
 
+const canvasEl = ref(null)
+const imgEl = ref(null)
+
 // Reset zoom when the src changes (prev/next nav).
 watch(() => props.src, () => panZoom.reset())
+
+// Click on the image → toggle zoom (IR/expected behavior). Click on
+// the haze area around the image → request close. We use the image's
+// own bounding rect rather than @click.self because the <img> sets
+// pointer-events: none for the pan-drag pathway, so the click always
+// targets the canvas div regardless of where the cursor was.
+function onCanvasClick(ev) {
+  if (panZoom.state.scale > 1) {
+    // When zoomed, any click resets zoom — preserve old behavior.
+    panZoom.handlers.onClick(ev)
+    return
+  }
+  const img = imgEl.value
+  if (!img) return
+  const r = img.getBoundingClientRect()
+  const inside =
+    ev.clientX >= r.left && ev.clientX <= r.right &&
+    ev.clientY >= r.top && ev.clientY <= r.bottom
+  if (inside) {
+    panZoom.handlers.onClick(ev)
+  } else {
+    emit('close-request')
+  }
+}
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue
index 195037f..fe458db 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@
           <template v-else-if="modal.current">
             <ImageCanvas
               v-if="!isVideo" :src="modal.current.image_url" :alt="`Image ${modal.current.id}`"
+              @close-request="$emit('close')"
             />
             <VideoCanvas
               v-else :src="modal.current.image_url" :mime="modal.current.mime"
+              @close-request="$emit('close')"
             />
           </template>
           <v-alert v-else-if="modal.error" type="error" variant="tonal">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/VideoCanvas.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/VideoCanvas.vue
index addc4b1..4fcbc21 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/VideoCanvas.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/VideoCanvas.vue
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 <template>
-  <div class="fc-canvas fc-canvas--video">
+  <div class="fc-canvas fc-canvas--video" @click.self="$emit('close-request')">
     <video
       v-if="playable" :src="src" controls playsinline preload="metadata"
       class="fc-canvas__video"
+      @click.stop
     />
-    <div v-else class="fc-canvas__unsupported">
+    <div v-else class="fc-canvas__unsupported" @click.stop>
       <v-icon size="56" icon="mdi-video-off-outline" />
       <h3 class="fc-canvas__unsupported-title">Format not browser-playable</h3>
       <p>
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
 <script setup>
 import { computed } from 'vue'
 
+defineEmits(['close-request'])
 const props = defineProps({ src: String, mime: String })
 
 const BROWSER_PLAYABLE = new Set([