diff --git a/changes/fix-macos-overlay-passthrough.md b/changes/fix-macos-overlay-passthrough.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50a81545
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/fix-macos-overlay-passthrough.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+type: fixed
+area: overlay
+
+- Fixed macOS overlay passthrough so mpv controls remain clickable before hovering subtitle bars.
diff --git a/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.test.ts b/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.test.ts
index 7254d687..26f40d10 100644
--- a/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.test.ts
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ test('visible overlay stays hidden while a modal window is active', () => {
   assert.ok(!calls.includes('update-bounds'));
 });
 
-test('macOS tracked visible overlay stays interactive without passively stealing focus', () => {
+test('macOS tracked visible overlay starts click-through without passively stealing focus', () => {
   const { window, calls } = createMainWindowRecorder();
   const tracker: WindowTrackerStub = {
     isTracking: () => true,
@@ -915,12 +915,52 @@ test('macOS tracked visible overlay stays interactive without passively stealing
     isWindowsPlatform: false,
   } as never);
 
-  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:false:plain'));
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:true:forward'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('show'));
   assert.ok(!calls.includes('focus'));
 });
 
-test('macOS keeps active mpv overlay visible and interactive during tracker refresh', () => {
+test('macOS tracked visible overlay remains click-through even if the overlay had focus', () => {
+  const { window, calls, setFocused } = createMainWindowRecorder();
+  const tracker: WindowTrackerStub = {
+    isTracking: () => true,
+    getGeometry: () => ({ x: 0, y: 0, width: 1280, height: 720 }),
+    isTargetWindowFocused: () => true,
+  };
+
+  setFocused(true);
+
+  updateVisibleOverlayVisibility({
+    visibleOverlayVisible: true,
+    mainWindow: window as never,
+    windowTracker: tracker as never,
+    trackerNotReadyWarningShown: false,
+    setTrackerNotReadyWarningShown: () => {},
+    updateVisibleOverlayBounds: () => {
+      calls.push('update-bounds');
+    },
+    ensureOverlayWindowLevel: () => {
+      calls.push('ensure-level');
+    },
+    syncPrimaryOverlayWindowLayer: () => {
+      calls.push('sync-layer');
+    },
+    enforceOverlayLayerOrder: () => {
+      calls.push('enforce-order');
+    },
+    syncOverlayShortcuts: () => {
+      calls.push('sync-shortcuts');
+    },
+    isMacOSPlatform: true,
+    isWindowsPlatform: false,
+  } as never);
+
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:true:forward'));
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('ensure-level'));
+  assert.ok(!calls.includes('focus'));
+});
+
+test('macOS keeps active mpv overlay visible and click-through during tracker refresh', () => {
   const { window, calls } = createMainWindowRecorder();
   const osdMessages: string[] = [];
   const tracker: WindowTrackerStub = {
@@ -961,7 +1001,7 @@ test('macOS keeps active mpv overlay visible and interactive during tracker refr
 
   assert.ok(calls.includes('update-bounds'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-layer'));
-  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:false:plain'));
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:true:forward'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('ensure-level'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('enforce-order'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-shortcuts'));
@@ -1060,7 +1100,7 @@ test('macOS preserves an already visible active mpv overlay while tracker is tem
 
   assert.equal(trackerWarning, false);
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-layer'));
-  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:false:plain'));
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:true:forward'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('ensure-level'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-shortcuts'));
   assert.ok(!calls.includes('hide'));
@@ -1390,7 +1430,7 @@ test('macOS preserves visible overlay during transient tracker loss with retaine
   assert.deepEqual(osdMessages, []);
   assert.ok(calls.includes('update-bounds'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-layer'));
-  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:false:plain'));
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:true:forward'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('ensure-level'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('enforce-order'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-shortcuts'));
@@ -1438,7 +1478,7 @@ test('macOS preserves visible overlay level during non-minimized tracker loss',
   } as never);
 
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-layer'));
-  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:false:plain'));
+  assert.ok(calls.includes('mouse-ignore:true:forward'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('ensure-level'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('enforce-order'));
   assert.ok(calls.includes('sync-shortcuts'));
diff --git a/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.ts b/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.ts
index f9c885d9..e05cd7e5 100644
--- a/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/overlay-visibility.ts
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ export function updateVisibleOverlayVisibility(args: {
     const canReportMacOSTargetMinimized =
       args.isMacOSPlatform && typeof windowTracker?.isTargetWindowMinimized === 'function';
     const isTrackedMacOSTargetMinimized =
-      canReportMacOSTargetMinimized &&
-      windowTracker?.isTargetWindowMinimized() === true;
+      canReportMacOSTargetMinimized && windowTracker?.isTargetWindowMinimized() === true;
     const hasTransientMacOSTrackerLoss =
       args.isMacOSPlatform &&
       canReportMacOSTargetMinimized &&
@@ -117,6 +116,8 @@ export function updateVisibleOverlayVisibility(args: {
       !hasTransientMacOSTrackerLoss &&
       !isVisibleOverlayFocused &&
       !isTrackedMacOSTargetFocused;
+    // Renderer hover tracking temporarily disables this for subtitle and popup interaction.
+    const shouldUseMacOSMousePassthrough = args.isMacOSPlatform;
     const shouldDefaultToPassthrough =
       args.isWindowsPlatform || forceMousePassthrough || shouldReleaseMacOSOverlayLevel;
     const windowsForegroundProcessName =
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ export function updateVisibleOverlayVisibility(args: {
       (args.windowTracker.isTracking() || args.windowTracker.getGeometry() !== null);
     const shouldForcePassiveReshow = args.isWindowsPlatform && !wasVisible;
     const shouldIgnoreMouseEvents =
+      shouldUseMacOSMousePassthrough ||
       forceMousePassthrough ||
       (shouldDefaultToPassthrough && (!isVisibleOverlayFocused || shouldForcePassiveReshow));
     const shouldBindTrackedWindowsOverlay = args.isWindowsPlatform && !!args.windowTracker;
@@ -291,8 +293,7 @@ export function updateVisibleOverlayVisibility(args: {
   const canReportMacOSTargetMinimized =
     args.isMacOSPlatform && typeof args.windowTracker.isTargetWindowMinimized === 'function';
   const isTrackedMacOSTargetMinimized =
-    canReportMacOSTargetMinimized &&
-    args.windowTracker.isTargetWindowMinimized();
+    canReportMacOSTargetMinimized && args.windowTracker.isTargetWindowMinimized();
   const shouldPreserveTransientTrackedOverlay =
     (args.isMacOSPlatform &&
       !isTrackedMacOSTargetMinimized &&
diff --git a/src/renderer/handlers/keyboard.test.ts b/src/renderer/handlers/keyboard.test.ts
index 0147002c..a0b1e1be 100644
--- a/src/renderer/handlers/keyboard.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/handlers/keyboard.test.ts
@@ -822,6 +822,7 @@ test('default keybindings dispatch through overlay keyboard handling', async ()
       testGlobals.sessionActions.map((action) => action.actionId).sort(),
       expectedSessionActions.sort(),
     );
+    testGlobals.dispatchKeydown({ key: 'Escape', code: 'Escape' });
   } finally {
     testGlobals.restore();
   }