diff --git a/packages/chess/e2e/layouts.spec.ts b/packages/chess/e2e/layouts.spec.ts
index 725ff8c..b1f616b 100644
--- a/packages/chess/e2e/layouts.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/chess/e2e/layouts.spec.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ test.describe('LayoutPicker (lobby)', () => {
   test('selecting Dunsany updates the description', async ({ page }) => {
     const picker = page.getByTestId('layout-picker');
     await picker.selectOption('dunsany');
-    await expect(page.locator('text=/Dunsany/i').first()).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(
+      page.getByTestId('layout-picker-description'),
+    ).toContainText(/pawn tide/i);
   });
 
   test('?layoutId=dunsany query param pre-selects the layout', async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutEditor.tsx b/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutEditor.tsx
index ec567ae..960f232 100644
--- a/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutEditor.tsx
+++ b/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutEditor.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  *     incrementally — simpler and avoids ambiguity about which source
  *     of truth wins).
  */
-import { useMemo, useState, type ReactNode } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useState, type ReactNode } from 'react';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import {
   fromFen,
@@ -92,6 +92,19 @@ export function LayoutEditor({
   const [libraryOpen, setLibraryOpen] = useState(false);
   const [libraryVersion, setLibraryVersion] = useState(0); // bump to force reload
 
+  // Global Esc listener: close the editor regardless of where focus
+  // currently is. We can't rely on the modal div's onKeyDown because
+  // the user might have focused a textarea / button inside a nested
+  // panel, and keyboard events on those don't bubble to the modal
+  // root in a way that works universally.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handler = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === 'Escape') onClose();
+    };
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', handler);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handler);
+  }, [onClose]);
+
   // Derived FEN whenever placements change — keeps the readonly view
   // in sync. The user's in-flight fenDraft is a SEPARATE state so
   // typing doesn't get clobbered by a re-render.
diff --git a/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutPicker.tsx b/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutPicker.tsx
index a1cf49a..1f7aaf1 100644
--- a/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutPicker.tsx
+++ b/packages/chess/src/ui/LayoutPicker.tsx
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@ export function LayoutPicker({
           </svg>
         </div>
       </div>
-      <p className="text-xs text-neutral-500 leading-relaxed">
+      <p
+        data-testid="layout-picker-description"
+        className="text-xs text-neutral-500 leading-relaxed"
+      >
         {isCustom ? 'Custom layout loaded from your editor.' : value.description}
       </p>
       {value.suggestedPresets !== undefined &&