diff --git a/frontend/js/palette.js b/frontend/js/palette.js
index 487b81d..3772a56 100644
--- a/frontend/js/palette.js
+++ b/frontend/js/palette.js
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ function createDOM() {
   _overlay.addEventListener('click', (e) => { if (e.target === _overlay) close(); });
   _input.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown);
   _input.addEventListener('input', onInput);
+  // Also listen on overlay for browse modes (input is hidden)
+  _overlay.addEventListener('keydown', onOverlayKeyDown);
   document.body.appendChild(_overlay);
 }
 
@@ -304,6 +306,12 @@ function onKeyDown(e) {
 function updSel(items) { items.forEach((el,i)=>el.classList.toggle('cp-selected',i===_sel)); scroll(); }
 function scroll() { const s = _results.querySelector('.cp-selected'); if (s) s.scrollIntoView({block:'nearest'}); }
 
+// ── Overlay keydown handler (for browse modes where input is hidden) ──
+function onOverlayKeyDown(e) {
+  if (_mode !== 'browse' && _mode !== 'browse-vault') return;
+  onKeyDown(e);
+}
+
 function exec(idx) {
   const it = _items[idx]; if (!it) return;
   if (it.type === 'file') { close(); openFile(it.vault, it.path); }