diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index e7a94e9..cb20dbb 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -384,10 +384,15 @@ end
 ---   1. Context-menu (if open) always wins.
 ---   2. Iterate reverse z_tier (top → normal → hud), within tier
 ---      reverse-open-order. For each open window:
+---      - If input_block="all" AND click is OUTSIDE its bounds: swallow
+---        the event IMMEDIATELY (modal owns the screen — do not let
+---        lower-tier widgets claim outside-clicks behind it).
 ---      - input_block="none": skip hit-test entirely (HUD passes through).
 ---      - else: hit-test bounds; on hit route to widget.
+---      - chromeless=true suppresses the close-button hit-test (the
+---        widget owns its full bounds, including the top-right area).
 ---   3. If no window claimed the event AND any open window has
----      input_block="all": swallow (modal block).
+---        input_block="all": swallow (modal block).
 ---   4. Else drop (no game-routing — module handles its own input).
 local function _dispatch_event(event)
     -- Context-menu always wins if open (consumes the next click).
@@ -407,6 +412,17 @@ local function _dispatch_event(event)
             if win and win.open and win.opts.z_tier == tier_name then
                 if win.opts.input_block == "all" then
                     saw_modal = true
+                    -- Modal swallow: if the click is outside this modal's
+                    -- bounds, swallow immediately so lower-tier widgets
+                    -- behind it cannot claim it. Inside-bounds clicks fall
+                    -- through to normal routing below.
+                    if event.kind == "click" and event.x and event.y then
+                        local mb = resolve_bounds(win.opts.layout, sw, sh)
+                        if not (event.x >= mb.x and event.x < mb.x + mb.w
+                                and event.y >= mb.y and event.y < mb.y + mb.h) then
+                            return
+                        end
+                    end
                 end
                 if win.opts.input_block ~= "none" then
                     local b = resolve_bounds(win.opts.layout, sw, sh)
@@ -416,7 +432,10 @@ local function _dispatch_event(event)
                         and event.y >= b.y and event.y < b.y + b.h then
                             -- Close-button intercept (top-right X): left-click
                             -- closes the window before forwarding to the widget.
-                            if event.button == "left" then
+                            -- Chromeless widgets have no chrome (no X), so we
+                            -- must NOT hit-test the phantom close-zone — the
+                            -- widget owns its full bounds.
+                            if event.button == "left" and not win.opts.chromeless then
                                 local cb = win._close_button_rect
                                 if not cb then
                                     cb = close_button_rect(b.x, b.y, b.w,
@@ -518,6 +537,12 @@ end
 ---                no-op when it's focused (modder must close(id) explicit).
 ---   input_block = "none" | "self" | "all" — defaults per tier:
 ---                   hud → "none", normal → "self", top → "all".
+---   chromeless  = false (default) | true — when true, suppresses the
+---                 panel-lib chrome (title-bar, border, X close-button).
+---                 Widget's render(ctx) draws into the full bounds
+---                 without panel-lib decoration. Useful for HUD-style
+---                 widgets that have their own visual design (status
+---                 bars, toolbars with their own theme).
 function M.register(widget_id, widget_def, opts)
     if type(widget_id) ~= "string" then
         error("panel.register: widget_id must be a string, got " .. type(widget_id))