diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index 882b168..62cd479 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -208,14 +208,17 @@ export default function App() {
   }
 
   function setPage(next: Page) {
-    if (next === page) return;
+    // While a channel page is open it overlays the content column, so a nav click must close it
+    // even when the underlying page is unchanged (e.g. "Feed" while a channel opened from the feed).
+    if (next === page && !channelView) return;
     const go = () => {
+      setChannelView(null); // leave any open channel page when navigating via the rail
       setPageState(next);
       localStorage.setItem(PAGE_KEY, next);
       // Push an in-app history entry so the browser/mouse Back button steps through pages
       // instead of leaving the app (e.g. back to the OAuth redirect). The URL stays clean —
       // the page rides in history.state, not the query string (filters never go in the URL).
-      // A fresh { sfPage } (no carried-over _sub/_ov markers) so each page starts at its root.
+      // A fresh { sfPage } (no carried-over _sub/_ov/_chan markers) so each page starts at its root.
       window.history.pushState({ sfPage: next }, "");
     };
     // Guard leaving the Settings page with unsaved preference changes.