diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs
index 4030d7c6e4..065d01fe21 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs
@@ -2001,7 +2001,11 @@ pub fn document_area(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, index: usize, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let field_props = field_props.then(|| view.prepare.selected.clone()).flatten();
     match canvas_action {
         Some(comments::CanvasAction::Edit(e)) => view.pending_edit = Some(*e),
-        Some(comments::CanvasAction::OpenComments) => app.right = Some(RightPanel::Comments),
+        // `choose_right_panel` would borrow all of `app` while `view` is held; same effect.
+        Some(comments::CanvasAction::OpenComments) => {
+            app.right = Some(RightPanel::Comments);
+            app.comments_panel_closed = false;
+        }
         Some(comments::CanvasAction::Properties(p, i)) => open_props = Some((p, i)),
         None => {}
     }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
index 41df36e7c1..bc4a717a42 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ fn main_menu(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                     (RightPanel::Compare, tl!("Compare")),
                 ] {
                     if ui.radio(app.right == Some(p), tl!(label)).clicked() {
-                        app.right = Some(p);
+                        app.choose_right_panel(Some(p));
                     }
                 }
             });
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ pub fn right_rail(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                     ui.painter().circle_filled(c, 3.0, t.accent);
                 }
                 if r.clicked() {
-                    app.right = if selected { None } else { Some(panel) };
+                    app.choose_right_panel(if selected { None } else { Some(panel) });
                 }
             };
             rail_button(ui, RightPanel::Comments, "message-square-text", "Comments", has_comments);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
index 6d3f97f9bd..126b7f319c 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
@@ -180,13 +180,13 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             "view.theme.system" => self.set_theme_preference(ThemePreference::System),
             "view.theme.light" => self.set_theme_preference(ThemePreference::Light),
             "view.theme.dark" => self.set_theme_preference(ThemePreference::Dark),
-            "comment.list" => self.right = Some(RightPanel::Comments),
+            "comment.list" => self.choose_right_panel(Some(RightPanel::Comments)),
             tool if crate::comments::CommentTool::from_command(tool).is_some() => {
                 let Some(tool) = crate::comments::CommentTool::from_command(tool) else { return false };
                 self.comment_prefs.group_tool[tool.group()] = tool;
                 self.quick_tool = crate::QuickTool::Comment(tool);
-                // Acrobat opens the Comments panel with the commenting tools.
-                if self.right.is_none() {
+                // Acrobat opens the Comments panel with the commenting tools, unless the user closed it.
+                if self.right.is_none() && !self.comments_panel_closed {
                     self.right = Some(RightPanel::Comments);
                 }
                 // A text selection made before picking a markup tool is marked right away.
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
index db6137b4e0..91f2edd884 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
@@ -356,6 +356,9 @@ pub struct PdfCraftApp {
     pub left: LeftPanel,
     pub left_open: bool,
     pub right: Option<RightPanel>,
+    /// The user closed the Comments panel, so picking a comment tool leaves it closed until they
+    /// open it again (#225). Remembered across restarts.
+    pub comments_panel_closed: bool,
     pub quick_tool: QuickTool,
     /// The tool to go back to when Space, held for a temporary Hand, is released.
     space_hand: Option<QuickTool>,
@@ -602,6 +605,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             left: LeftPanel::AllTools,
             left_open: true,
             right: None,
+            comments_panel_closed: false,
             quick_tool: QuickTool::Select,
             space_hand: None,
             comment_prefs: Default::default(),
@@ -1165,6 +1169,17 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
         };
     }
 
+    /// Opens a right panel, or closes it with `None`, because the user chose to. Closing Comments
+    /// keeps comment tools from reopening it; opening it again lets them (#225).
+    pub fn choose_right_panel(&mut self, panel: Option<RightPanel>) {
+        if panel == Some(RightPanel::Comments) {
+            self.comments_panel_closed = false;
+        } else if panel.is_none() && self.right == Some(RightPanel::Comments) {
+            self.comments_panel_closed = true;
+        }
+        self.right = panel;
+    }
+
     /// Serialize the user's persistent state (recent files, theme). Local only.
     pub fn persist(&self) -> String {
         let trusted: Vec<String> = self.session.trusted_certificates().iter().map(pdfcraft_engine::sign::x509::to_pem).collect();
@@ -1190,6 +1205,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             "javascript": self.session.javascript(),
             "actions": actions_ui::encode(&self.custom_actions),
             "combine_columns": self.combine_columns.to_json(),
+            "comments_panel_closed": self.comments_panel_closed,
         })
         .to_string()
     }
@@ -1217,6 +1233,9 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
         if let Some(on) = v["highlight_fields"].as_bool() {
             self.view_defaults.highlight_fields = on;
         }
+        if let Some(closed) = v["comments_panel_closed"].as_bool() {
+            self.comments_panel_closed = closed;
+        }
         if let Some(defaults) = v["default_zoom"].as_str().and_then(|zoom| self.view_defaults.with_zoom(zoom)) {
             self.view_defaults = defaults;
         }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
index 5475947703..27ac404e8e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels.rs
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ pub fn right_panel(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
             });
     }
     if close {
-        app.right = None;
+        app.choose_right_panel(None);
     }
     if let Some(e) = panel_edit {
         app.apply_edit(e);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/comments.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/comments.rs
index 688a962ede..e596e74fcf 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/comments.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/comments.rs
@@ -600,3 +600,43 @@ fn the_opacity_set_for_a_tool_goes_into_its_new_comments() {
     h.run_steps(2);
     h.get_by_label("Opacity");
 }
+
+/// #225: comment tools open the Comments panel until the user closes it; then it stays closed,
+/// across restarts, until they open it again.
+#[test]
+fn a_closed_comments_panel_stays_closed_when_picking_comment_tools() {
+    use pdfcraft_ui_egui::RightPanel;
+    let mut h = harness(|_| {});
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    assert!(h.state_mut().execute("comment.highlight"));
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments), "Acrobat opens Comments with the tools");
+    h.get_by_label("Close").click();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    for tool in ["select", "comment.underline", "comment.note", "comment.highlight"] {
+        if tool == "select" {
+            h.state_mut().quick_tool = QuickTool::Select;
+        } else {
+            assert!(h.state_mut().execute(tool));
+        }
+        h.run_steps(2);
+        assert_eq!(h.state().right, None, "{tool} reopened the closed Comments panel");
+    }
+    let mut again = PdfCraftApp::new();
+    again.restore(&h.state().persist());
+    assert!(again.comments_panel_closed, "the choice survives a restart");
+    // Opening it again from the rail lets the tools open it once more.
+    h.get_by_label("Comments").click();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    assert!(!h.state().comments_panel_closed);
+    // What the rail and View menu call; "Bookmarks" labels two controls on screen.
+    h.state_mut().choose_right_panel(Some(RightPanel::Bookmarks));
+    h.state_mut().choose_right_panel(None);
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert!(!h.state().comments_panel_closed, "switching to and closing another panel isn't closing Comments");
+    assert!(h.state_mut().execute("comment.strikeout"));
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+}