diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
index 0fc8eec1..29fd5b19 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
@@ -2086,8 +2086,12 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, rect: Rect) {
                                 continue;
                             }
                             let gresp = ui
-                                .interact(gr, egui::Id::new(("ghost", side, layer.id.0)), Sense::drag())
+                                .interact(gr, egui::Id::new(("ghost", side, layer.id.0)), Sense::click_and_drag())
                                 .on_hover_text(crate::i18n::tr("Drag to slip the source"));
+                            // Outside the bar it is empty track area: a plain click deselects.
+                            if gresp.clicked() && !ui.input(|i| i.modifiers.shift || i.modifiers.command) {
+                                actions.push(("layer.select".into(), json!({"layers": []})));
+                            }
                             app.auto.add(&format!("timeline.layer.{}.source{}", layer.id.0, side), gr, "Slip");
                             if gresp.hovered() || gresp.dragged() {
                                 ctx.set_cursor_icon(egui::CursorIcon::ResizeHorizontal);
@@ -2825,14 +2829,11 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, rect: Rect) {
     if graph_on {
         super::graph::show(app, ui, &gp, &comp, &ectx, tm, Rect::from_min_max(pos2(graph_x0, rows_rect.min.y), rows_rect.max), &mut actions);
     }
-    // Empty-area click in the graph: deselect keys (below the last row, the layers too, as in
-    // After Effects); drag: box-select keys.
-    if empty.clicked() {
-        actions.push(("keys.select".into(), json!({"keys": []})));
-        let below = empty.interact_pointer_pos().is_some_and(|p| hit_rows.iter().all(|(r, _)| p.y > r.max.y));
-        if below && !ui.input(|i| i.modifiers.shift || i.modifiers.command) {
-            actions.push(("layer.select".into(), json!({"layers": []})));
-        }
+    // A plain click on empty track area (beside a layer's bar, on a property row's empty span or
+    // below the last row) deselects the layers and their keys and properties, as in After
+    // Effects; Shift / Cmd keep the selection. Drag: box-select keys.
+    if empty.clicked() && !ui.input(|i| i.modifiers.shift || i.modifiers.command) {
+        actions.push(("layer.select".into(), json!({"layers": []})));
     }
     if let (true, Some(origin), Some(cur)) =
         (empty.dragged(), empty.interact_pointer_pos().and_then(|_| ctx.input(|i| i.pointer.press_origin())), empty.interact_pointer_pos())
@@ -2938,7 +2939,13 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, rect: Rect) {
                 }
             }
         }
-        actions.push(("keys.select".into(), json!({"keys": keys, "add": ui.input(|i| i.modifiers.shift), "selectProperties": true})));
+        let mods = ui.input(|i| i.modifiers);
+        if keys.is_empty() && !(mods.shift || mods.command) {
+            // A marquee that catches nothing leaves nothing selected (layers included).
+            actions.push(("layer.select".into(), json!({"layers": []})));
+        } else {
+            actions.push(("keys.select".into(), json!({"keys": keys, "add": mods.shift, "selectProperties": true})));
+        }
     }
 
     // CTI.
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_workflow_selection.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_workflow_selection.rs
index 697ff2a2..0510fdae 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_workflow_selection.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui_workflow_selection.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,50 @@ fn timeline_empty_outline_marquee_selects_layers() {
     drag(&mut h, pos2(area.min.x + 210.0, last.max.y + 25.0), pos2(area.min.x + 215.0, top.min.y + 2.0), Modifiers::NONE);
     assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers, ids);
 }
+/// A plain click on empty track area (beside a layer's bar or below the last layer) deselects
+/// the layers, as in After Effects; Shift / Cmd keep the selection, a click on a bar selects
+/// its layer and a key marquee that catches nothing leaves nothing selected.
+#[test]
+fn timeline_click_on_empty_track_area_deselects_layers() {
+    let mut h = harness();
+    let ids: Vec<LayerId> = h.state().session.active_comp().unwrap().layers.iter().map(|l| l.id).collect();
+    let select = |h: &mut Harness<'_, EffectcraftApp>, layers: &[LayerId]| {
+        let layers: Vec<u64> = layers.iter().map(|l| l.0).collect();
+        h.state_mut().session.execute("layer.select", json!({"layers": layers})).unwrap();
+        h.run_steps(2);
+    };
+    h.state_mut().session.execute("layer.timing", json!({"layers": [ids[1].0], "in": 1.5, "out": 2.5})).unwrap();
+    select(&mut h, &ids[..2]);
+    let bar = rect(&h, &format!("timeline.layer.{}.bar", ids[1].0));
+    let before = pos2(bar.min.x - 30.0, bar.center().y);
+    let after = pos2(bar.max.x + 30.0, bar.center().y);
+    click(&mut h, before, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers.is_empty(), "a click beside the bar deselects");
+    click(&mut h, bar.center(), Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers, vec![ids[1]], "a click on the bar selects its layer");
+    click(&mut h, after, Modifiers::SHIFT);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers, vec![ids[1]], "Shift-click on empty keeps the selection");
+    click(&mut h, after, Modifiers::COMMAND);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers, vec![ids[1]], "Cmd-click on empty keeps the selection");
+    click(&mut h, after, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers.is_empty());
+    // Below the last layer, in the track area and in the outline.
+    let last = rect(&h, &format!("timeline.layer.{}.bar", ids[3].0));
+    select(&mut h, &ids);
+    click(&mut h, pos2(last.center().x, last.max.y + 30.0), Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers.is_empty(), "a click below the last layer deselects");
+    let outline = rect(&h, "timeline.layerMarquee");
+    select(&mut h, &ids);
+    click(&mut h, pos2(outline.min.x + 210.0, last.max.y + 30.0), Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers.is_empty(), "so does one below the layers in the outline");
+    // A key marquee over empty track area that catches nothing.
+    select(&mut h, &ids[1..2]);
+    drag(&mut h, after, pos2(after.x + 60.0, after.y + 4.0), Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers.is_empty(), "an empty marquee leaves nothing selected");
+    select(&mut h, &ids[1..2]);
+    drag(&mut h, after, pos2(after.x + 60.0, after.y + 4.0), Modifiers::SHIFT);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().session.state.selected_layers, vec![ids[1]], "a Shift marquee keeps the selection");
+}
 #[test]
 fn project_clear_deletes_items_and_undo_restores_them() {
     let mut h = harness();