diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue
index 0ea01bc..84cb495 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/ImageViewer.vue
@@ -92,7 +92,16 @@ let prevBodyOverflow = null
 // own keystrokes.
 function onKeyDown(ev) {
   if (ev.key === 'Escape') {
-    if (isTextEntry(ev.target)) return
+    // Escape closes the modal even from inside a text input — that's
+    // the universal "get me out of here" expectation, and the
+    // autofocused tag-entry field would otherwise trap focus with no
+    // visible escape (operator-flagged 2026-06-01). EXCEPTION: when a
+    // nested Vuetify overlay is open (v-menu autocomplete dropdown,
+    // FandomPicker v-dialog, per-suggestion 3-dot menu), let that
+    // overlay's own Esc handling fire instead of closing the whole
+    // modal mid-interaction. Vuetify marks open overlays with
+    // `.v-overlay--active`.
+    if (document.querySelector('.v-overlay--active')) return
     ev.preventDefault()
     emit('close')
   } else if (ev.key === 'ArrowLeft') {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/ProvenancePanel.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/ProvenancePanel.vue
index 1d8e5ee..5c36fd4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/ProvenancePanel.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/ProvenancePanel.vue
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@
       density="compact"
     >{{ state.error }}</v-alert>
 
-    <template v-else>
+    <!-- Cards scroll independently of the section title + attachments
+         below them. Cap at ~2.5 cards visible (operator-asked 2026-06-01:
+         keeps the Tags section anchored below at a consistent position;
+         the half-visible third card hints there's more). -->
+    <div v-else class="fc-prov__cards">
       <article
         v-for="e in state.entries" :key="e.provenance_id" class="fc-prov__card"
       >
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@
           </RouterLink>
         </div>
       </article>
-    </template>
+    </div>
 
     <div v-if="attachments.length" class="fc-prov__attach">
       <h4 class="fc-prov__attach-title">Attachments</h4>
@@ -159,6 +163,18 @@ function openPost(postId, artistId) {
   color: rgb(var(--v-theme-on-surface));
   margin-bottom: 12px;
 }
+.fc-prov__cards {
+  /* 2.5 cards-worth at the typical collapsed card height (~108px each
+     incl. 10px gap). Slightly under to ensure the third card's bottom
+     edge is clipped — the visual cue that there's more below. */
+  max-height: 270px;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  /* Hairline scrollbar that doesn't compete with content. */
+  scrollbar-width: thin;
+  scrollbar-color: rgb(var(--v-theme-surface-light)) transparent;
+  /* Pad-right so the scrollbar gutter doesn't squeeze card borders. */
+  padding-right: 4px;
+}
 .fc-prov__card {
   border: 1px solid rgb(var(--v-theme-surface-light));
   border-radius: 6px; padding: 10px 12px; margin-bottom: 10px;