diff --git a/client/tests/test_atlas_overlays.gd b/client/tests/test_atlas_overlays.gd
index 0fca3c4eb..8b3f408fc 100644
--- a/client/tests/test_atlas_overlays.gd
+++ b/client/tests/test_atlas_overlays.gd
@@ -510,3 +510,32 @@ func test_legend_panel_shows_active_overlay_and_hides_when_toggled_off() -> void
 	).is_false()
 
 	v.queue_free()
+
+
+## PR #186 regression: the overlay bar spans the full header-adjacent width
+## so rows can wrap (ALIGNMENT_END right-aligns the chips), which leaves a
+## wide EMPTY strip inside the container rect on wide screens. That strip
+## must never eat map input: the container is MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE (chip
+## Buttons STOP their own events) and _is_over_ui() must not treat the bar
+## rect as UI — both are pinned here because no other test exercises them.
+func test_overlay_bar_empty_area_does_not_block_map_input() -> void:
+	var v: AtlasViewer = AtlasViewer.new()
+	add_child(v)
+	v.size = Vector2(1920.0, 1080.0)
+	v._position_overlay_bar()
+	await get_tree().process_frame
+
+	assert_int(v._overlay_bar.mouse_filter).override_failure_message(
+		"overlay bar container must be MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE — STOP turns the"
+		+ " empty flow area into a dead strip that swallows map clicks"
+	).is_equal(Control.MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE)
+
+	# A point just inside the bar's top-left is empty flow area (chips are
+	# right-aligned and occupy well under the full width at 1920px).
+	var strip_point: Vector2 = v._overlay_bar.global_position + Vector2(8.0, 8.0)
+	assert_bool(v._is_over_ui(strip_point)).override_failure_message(
+		"_is_over_ui must not claim the overlay bar's empty strip — map"
+		+ " pan/click near the top edge would silently die there"
+	).is_false()
+
+	v.queue_free()
diff --git a/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_overlay_bar.gd b/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_overlay_bar.gd
index fe7418701..8d14a0537 100644
--- a/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_overlay_bar.gd
+++ b/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_overlay_bar.gd
@@ -34,7 +34,14 @@ func _init(viewer_ref = null) -> void:
 
 
 func _ready() -> void:
-	mouse_filter = Control.MOUSE_FILTER_STOP
+	# IGNORE, not STOP (PR #186 review): the container spans the full
+	# header-adjacent width so rows can wrap, and with ALIGNMENT_END most of
+	# that rect is empty space left of the chips — STOP made it a dead strip
+	# that swallowed map clicks/drags near the top edge. The chip Buttons
+	# STOP their own input (Godot Button default), so toggling and tooltips
+	# are unaffected; empty flow area passes through to the map. Same idiom
+	# as the legend panel / screen header / empty notice.
+	mouse_filter = Control.MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE
 	if _viewer == null:
 		return
 	for def: Dictionary in _viewer.get_overlay_defs():
diff --git a/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_viewer.gd b/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_viewer.gd
index de09f16e4..44cdfc668 100644
--- a/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_viewer.gd
+++ b/client/ui/implant/apps/atlas/atlas_viewer.gd
@@ -707,8 +707,12 @@ static func _dict_str(d: Dictionary, key: String, fallback: String) -> String:
 
 
 func _is_over_ui(pos: Vector2) -> bool:
-	if _overlay_bar and _overlay_bar.get_global_rect().has_point(pos):
-		return true
+	# The overlay bar is deliberately NOT checked here (PR #186 review): its
+	# container spans the full header-adjacent width for row wrapping but is
+	# MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE — chip Buttons STOP their own events (they never
+	# reach this viewer), and the empty flow area left of the right-aligned
+	# chips must stay interactive map surface. Checking the wide bar rect
+	# would re-create the ~700px dead strip the review caught.
 	if _city_panel and _city_panel.visible and _city_panel.get_global_rect().has_point(pos):
 		return true
 	return false