diff --git a/apps/client/src/AppRouter.tsx b/apps/client/src/AppRouter.tsx
index 308a52361..bc25e2649 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/AppRouter.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/AppRouter.tsx
@@ -225,12 +225,19 @@ function PresetView() {
   const Component = PresetViewMap[preset.target as OntimeViewPresettable];
   return (
     <PresetContext value={preset}>
-      <ViewNavigationMenu
-        isNavigationLocked={getIsNavigationLocked()}
-        suppressSettings
-        suppressSpaceHotkey={preset.target === OntimeView.Teleprompter}
-      />
-      {Component ? <Component /> : <NotFound />}
+      {/*
+        Presets render the same views as the direct routes and need the same
+        wrapper: ViewLoader is what injects the project's CSS override
+        stylesheet. Without it a preset silently ignores configured styling.
+      */}
+      <ViewLoader>
+        <ViewNavigationMenu
+          isNavigationLocked={getIsNavigationLocked()}
+          suppressSettings
+          suppressSpaceHotkey={preset.target === OntimeView.Teleprompter}
+        />
+        {Component ? <Component /> : <NotFound />}
+      </ViewLoader>
     </PresetContext>
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/common/components/navigation-menu/ViewNavigationMenu.tsx b/apps/client/src/common/components/navigation-menu/ViewNavigationMenu.tsx
index cdc2c869f..5ea38fc8a 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/common/components/navigation-menu/ViewNavigationMenu.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/common/components/navigation-menu/ViewNavigationMenu.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useDisclosure, useHotkeys } from '@mantine/hooks';
+import { type HotkeyItem, useDisclosure, useHotkeys } from '@mantine/hooks';
 import { memo } from 'react';
 import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router';
 
@@ -24,15 +24,27 @@ function ViewNavigationMenu({ isNavigationLocked, suppressSettings, suppressSpac
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
   const hasSavedChanges = hasCustomParams(searchParams);
 
+  /**
+   * The Space binding is left out entirely rather than made a no-op, because
+   * useHotkeys calls preventDefault before it reaches the handler. A handler
+   * which returns early still swallows the key, which would stop Space
+   * activating whichever button the user has focused.
+   */
+  const spaceHotkey: HotkeyItem[] = suppressSpaceHotkey
+    ? []
+    : [
+        [
+          'Space',
+          () => {
+            if (isNavigationLocked) return;
+            menuHandler.toggle();
+          },
+          { preventDefault: true },
+        ],
+      ];
+
   useHotkeys([
-    [
-      'Space',
-      () => {
-        if (isNavigationLocked || suppressSpaceHotkey) return;
-        menuHandler.toggle();
-      },
-      { preventDefault: true },
-    ],
+    ...spaceHotkey,
     [
       'mod + ,',
       () => {
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.scss b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.scss
index 39c3f8395..35c0fb8d5 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.scss
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.scss
@@ -205,19 +205,30 @@
   color: $viewer-label-color;
 }
 
+/**
+ * The help dialog is portalled to the body, so unlike the other overlays it sits
+ * outside the view root: fixed positioning is correct here, and it is not caught
+ * by the flip, which keeps it readable on a mirrored rig. Being outside also
+ * means it inherits nothing from the view and states its own colours.
+ */
 .teleprompter__help {
-  position: absolute;
+  position: fixed;
   inset: 0;
-  display: grid;
-  place-items: center;
   background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75);
 }
 
 .teleprompter__help-card {
-  max-height: 80%;
+  position: fixed;
+  top: 50%;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+
+  max-height: 80dvh;
   overflow-y: auto;
   padding: clamp(16px, 2vw, 24px);
-  background: $viewer-card-bg-color;
+
+  background: $viewer-background-color;
+  color: $viewer-color;
   border-radius: $element-border-radius;
   font-size: $base-font-size;
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.tsx b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.tsx
index 7e4d537d2..b1beed4c6 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/Teleprompter.tsx
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ function Teleprompter({ rundown, rundownMetadata, customFields }: TeleprompterDa
 
   useTeleprompterControls({
     controller,
+    isHelpOpen: showHelp,
     onFlip: handleFlip,
     onFontSize: handleFontSize,
     onResetFontSize: handleResetFontSize,
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ function Teleprompter({ rundown, rundownMetadata, customFields }: TeleprompterDa
         </>
       )}
 
-      {showHelp && <HelpOverlay onClose={handleToggleHelp} />}
+      <HelpOverlay isOpen={showHelp} onClose={handleToggleHelp} />
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/help-overlay/HelpOverlay.tsx b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/help-overlay/HelpOverlay.tsx
index aa2b786d0..a2a6c03b2 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/help-overlay/HelpOverlay.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/help-overlay/HelpOverlay.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+import { Dialog } from '@base-ui/react/dialog';
+
 import Button from '../../../common/components/buttons/Button';
 
 interface HelpOverlayProps {
+  isOpen: boolean;
   onClose: () => void;
 }
 
@@ -22,27 +25,42 @@ const shortcuts: { keys: string; action: string }[] = [
 /**
  * Most prompter foot pedals and hand controllers are USB HID devices which send
  * these same keystrokes, so this list doubles as the hardware reference.
+ *
+ * Built on the shared Dialog rather than a bare overlay so it behaves as a
+ * modal: focus moves into it, stays inside it, and returns to where it came
+ * from. Escape closes the dialog instead of rewinding the script, and the
+ * prompter keymap stands down for as long as it is open.
  */
-export default function HelpOverlay({ onClose }: HelpOverlayProps) {
+export default function HelpOverlay({ isOpen, onClose }: HelpOverlayProps) {
   return (
-    <div className='teleprompter__help' role='dialog' aria-label='Keyboard shortcuts'>
-      <div className='teleprompter__help-card'>
-        <div className='teleprompter__help-title'>Controls</div>
-        <dl className='teleprompter__help-list'>
-          {shortcuts.map(({ keys, action }) => (
-            <div key={keys} className='teleprompter__help-row'>
-              <dt className='teleprompter__help-keys'>{keys}</dt>
-              <dd className='teleprompter__help-action'>{action}</dd>
-            </div>
-          ))}
-        </dl>
-        <div className='teleprompter__help-note'>
-          Foot pedals and hand controllers which emit these keys work without any setup.
-        </div>
-        <Button variant='subtle-white' onClick={onClose} className='teleprompter__help-close'>
-          Close
-        </Button>
-      </div>
-    </div>
+    <Dialog.Root
+      open={isOpen}
+      onOpenChange={(open) => {
+        if (!open) {
+          onClose();
+        }
+      }}
+    >
+      <Dialog.Portal>
+        <Dialog.Backdrop className='teleprompter__help' />
+        <Dialog.Popup className='teleprompter__help-card'>
+          <Dialog.Title className='teleprompter__help-title'>Controls</Dialog.Title>
+          <dl className='teleprompter__help-list'>
+            {shortcuts.map(({ keys, action }) => (
+              <div key={keys} className='teleprompter__help-row'>
+                <dt className='teleprompter__help-keys'>{keys}</dt>
+                <dd className='teleprompter__help-action'>{action}</dd>
+              </div>
+            ))}
+          </dl>
+          <div className='teleprompter__help-note'>
+            Foot pedals and hand controllers which emit these keys work without any setup.
+          </div>
+          <Button variant='subtle-white' onClick={onClose} className='teleprompter__help-close'>
+            Close
+          </Button>
+        </Dialog.Popup>
+      </Dialog.Portal>
+    </Dialog.Root>
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterControls.ts b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterControls.ts
index a6a1f51d4..23b9ad0ac 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterControls.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterControls.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import type { TeleprompterAction, TeleprompterController } from './teleprompter.
 
 interface UseTeleprompterControlsArgs {
   controller: TeleprompterController;
+  /** the help dialog is modal, so the keymap stands down while it is open */
+  isHelpOpen: boolean;
   onFlip: (axis: 'h' | 'v') => void;
   onFontSize: (delta: number) => void;
   onResetFontSize: () => void;
@@ -67,8 +69,18 @@ export function useTeleprompterControls(args: UseTeleprompterControlsArgs) {
       if (target && (ignoredTags.has(target.tagName) || target.isContentEditable)) {
         return;
       }
-      // the params editor is a form, it owns the keyboard while it is open
-      if (useViewParamsEditorStore.getState().isOpen) {
+      // the params editor and the help dialog are modal, they own the keyboard
+      if (useViewParamsEditorStore.getState().isOpen || argsRef.current.isHelpOpen) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * A focused button is activated by Space and Enter. Resolving those into
+       * prompter actions here, and calling preventDefault, would stop the button
+       * doing its own job: tabbing to the help control and pressing Space would
+       * start the script rather than open the help.
+       */
+      if ((event.code === 'Space' || event.key === 'Enter') && target?.closest('button, a, [role="button"]')) {
         return;
       }
 
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterScroll.ts b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterScroll.ts
index b8d5bf0ab..eff2a93c6 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterScroll.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/teleprompter/useTeleprompterScroll.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,23 @@ export function useTeleprompterScroll({
   const contentRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const blockRefs = useRef(new Map<string, HTMLElement>());
 
+  /**
+   * The view renders an empty state instead of the scroller until a script is
+   * chosen, so these elements can arrive long after mount. Tracking that in
+   * state is what lets the measuring effect run when they do: keyed only on the
+   * refs it would have run once, against nothing, and playback would sit dead
+   * until the page was reloaded.
+   */
+  const [isScrollerMounted, setIsScrollerMounted] = useState(false);
+  const attachScroller = useCallback((element: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
+    scrollerRef.current = element;
+    setIsScrollerMounted(Boolean(element && contentRef.current));
+  }, []);
+  const attachContent = useCallback((element: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
+    contentRef.current = element;
+    setIsScrollerMounted(Boolean(element && scrollerRef.current));
+  }, []);
+
   // authoritative, sub-pixel scroll position
   const posRef = useRef(0);
   const lastTsRef = useRef(0);
@@ -206,7 +223,7 @@ export function useTeleprompterScroll({
     observer.observe(scroller);
     observer.observe(content);
     return () => observer.disconnect();
-  }, [measure]);
+  }, [measure, isScrollerMounted]);
 
   // webfonts land after first paint and reflow the whole document
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -319,14 +336,20 @@ export function useTeleprompterScroll({
       },
       jumpToEnd: () => {
         catchUpTargetRef.current = Math.max(maxScrollRef.current, 0);
+        // the eased branch never reports the end, only the playing one does
+        if (maxScrollRef.current > 0) {
+          runningRef.current = false;
+          setIsRunning(false);
+          setAtEnd(true);
+        }
       },
       reengageFollow: () => setFollowLocked(false),
     };
   }, []);
 
   return {
-    scrollerRef,
-    contentRef,
+    scrollerRef: attachScroller,
+    contentRef: attachContent,
     registerBlock,
     handleUserScroll,
     controller,
diff --git a/e2e/tests/features/215-teleprompter.spec.ts b/e2e/tests/features/215-teleprompter.spec.ts
index 71f851cc7..d6f68aa40 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/features/215-teleprompter.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/tests/features/215-teleprompter.spec.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 import { type Page, expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
 
 /**
- * The note field is used as the script source throughout: every event in the
- * test fixture has one, which keeps these tests independent of how custom field
- * keys happen to be spelled in the fixture.
+ * The note field is the script source throughout, so that these tests do not
+ * depend on how custom field keys happen to be spelled.
  */
 const teleprompterUrl = '/teleprompter?script=note';
 
+const scriptMarker = 'E2E prompter script';
+/** long enough that the document scrolls well past a screen */
+const scriptText = `${scriptMarker}. `.repeat(40);
+
 function scroller(page: Page) {
   return page.getByTestId('teleprompter-scroller');
 }
@@ -15,14 +18,36 @@ function scrollTop(page: Page) {
   return scroller(page).evaluate((element) => element.scrollTop);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Puts a known script into whichever rundown happens to be loaded.
+ *
+ * These tests used to read the notes of the uploaded fixture, which made them
+ * depend on every spec that runs before them: 214 creates a fresh rundown and
+ * leaves it loaded, so by the time this file ran there were no notes anywhere
+ * and the view was showing its empty state. Seeding is idempotent, so the
+ * rundown gains one event no matter how many tests run.
+ */
+async function seedScript(page: Page) {
+  const rundown = await (await page.request.get('/data/rundowns/current')).json();
+  const alreadySeeded = rundown.flatOrder.some((id: string) => rundown.entries[id]?.note?.startsWith(scriptMarker));
+  if (alreadySeeded) return;
+
+  await page.request.post(`/data/rundowns/${rundown.id}/entry`, {
+    data: { type: 'event', title: 'Teleprompter e2e', note: scriptText },
+  });
+}
+
 test.describe('teleprompter', () => {
+  test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+    await seedScript(page);
+  });
+
   test('shows the script from the selected source', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto(teleprompterUrl);
 
     await expect(page.getByTestId('teleprompter-view')).toBeVisible();
     await expect(scroller(page)).toBeVisible();
-    // the fixture uses cue style notes, the first event is Albania
-    await expect(page.getByText('SF1.01', { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText(scriptMarker).first()).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('asks for a script source when none is selected', async ({ page }) => {