diff --git a/client/scripts/autoloads/input_mapper.gd b/client/scripts/autoloads/input_mapper.gd
index f947d61b8..6128d4b4d 100644
--- a/client/scripts/autoloads/input_mapper.gd
+++ b/client/scripts/autoloads/input_mapper.gd
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ func _unhandled_input(event: InputEvent) -> void:
 		if action == Action.SAVE_GAME or action == Action.LOAD_GAME:
 			var game_id := GameState.current_game_id
 			if game_id.is_empty():
+				get_viewport().set_input_as_handled()
 				return  # No active session — ignore save/load
 			entry["action_data"] = {"path": "user://saves/" + game_id + "/quicksave.sav"}
 		input_queue.append(entry)
diff --git a/client/scripts/autoloads/session_manager.gd b/client/scripts/autoloads/session_manager.gd
index 5b719b8ef..87bd3c90d 100644
--- a/client/scripts/autoloads/session_manager.gd
+++ b/client/scripts/autoloads/session_manager.gd
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ func quit_to_menu() -> void:
 func _do_quit_to_menu() -> void:
 	_cleanup_quit_dialog()
 	# #554: Trigger quicksave before navigating to menu.
+	# send_input() buffers the command — defer scene change by one frame so
+	# SimBridge._process() flushes the outbound buffer before teardown.
 	if not GameState.current_game_id.is_empty():
 		var path := "user://saves/" + GameState.current_game_id + "/quicksave.sav"
 		SimBridge.send_input({
@@ -92,7 +94,14 @@ func _do_quit_to_menu() -> void:
 			"timestamp_msec": Time.get_ticks_msec(),
 			"action_data": {"path": path},
 		})
-	GameState.current_game_id = ""
+		GameState.current_game_id = ""
+		_navigate_to_menu.call_deferred()
+	else:
+		GameState.current_game_id = ""
+		get_tree().change_scene_to_file(MENU_SCENE)
+
+
+func _navigate_to_menu() -> void:
 	get_tree().change_scene_to_file(MENU_SCENE)
 
 
diff --git a/client/ui/monologue_display.gd b/client/ui/monologue_display.gd
index 0b9eacba8..37a52844d 100644
--- a/client/ui/monologue_display.gd
+++ b/client/ui/monologue_display.gd
@@ -64,7 +64,10 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 		var now := float(Time.get_ticks_msec())
 		if now >= _next_fade_in_msec:
 			var next: Dictionary = _queue.pop_front()
-			_show_line(next.text, next.duration, next.priority, next.is_urgent, next.lattice_profile)
+			if next.get("is_notification", false):
+				_show_notification_line(next.text)
+			else:
+				_show_line(next.text, next.duration, next.priority, next.is_urgent, next.lattice_profile)
 
 
 # Display a monologue line.
@@ -82,7 +85,15 @@ func show_notification(text: String) -> void:
 	if _visible.size() < MAX_VISIBLE and now >= _next_fade_in_msec:
 		_show_notification_line(text)
 	else:
-		_enqueue(text, _NOTIFICATION_DURATION, 1, false, "")
+		var entry := {text = text, duration = _NOTIFICATION_DURATION, priority = 1, is_urgent = false, lattice_profile = "", is_notification = true}
+		if _queue.size() < MAX_QUEUE:
+			_queue.append(entry)
+			_queue.sort_custom(func(a: Dictionary, b: Dictionary) -> bool: return a.priority > b.priority)
+		else:
+			var lowest := _lowest_priority_idx()
+			if 1 >= _queue[lowest].priority:
+				_queue[lowest] = entry
+				_queue.sort_custom(func(a: Dictionary, b: Dictionary) -> bool: return a.priority > b.priority)
 
 
 func show_monologue(text: String, duration: float, priority: int = 2, is_urgent: bool = false) -> void: