diff --git a/apps/web/src/motion.e2e.test.ts b/apps/web/src/motion.e2e.test.ts
index 4e37173..ff37c10 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/motion.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/motion.e2e.test.ts
@@ -224,4 +224,29 @@ run("navigation motion (headless Chrome)", () => {
     await until(() => chrome.eval<boolean>(`document.querySelector(".stage canvas[data-front]").dataset.page === "3"`), "slide 3 drawn");
     expect(await text(".deckbar .count")).toBe("3 / 3");
   }, 30_000);
+
+  test("progress fills, the toast and the course menu answer with motion; Escape still closes at once", async () => {
+    await open("/c/sample/m1-intro", ".lr-main .lr-lesson h1.title");
+    const status = await chrome.eval<number>(`fetch("/api/auth/sign-up/email", { method: "POST", credentials: "same-origin", headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ email: "motion@example.org", name: "Motion", password: "correct horse battery" }) }).then((r) => r.status)`);
+    expect(status).toBe(200);
+    await open("/c/sample/m1-intro", ".stc-dock button[aria-pressed]:not([disabled])");
+    await click(".stc-dock button[aria-pressed]");
+    await until(async () => (await m()).trans.includes("width@i"), "progress fill transition");
+
+    // The toast rises in, then fades out before it is removed.
+    await open("/c/sample/m2-ex-add", ".stc-seg button");
+    await chrome.eval(`[...document.querySelectorAll(".stc-seg button")].find((b) => b.textContent === "Reading").click(), true`);
+    await until(async () => (await m()).anims.includes("stc-enter@lr lr-toast"), "toast enter");
+    await until(async () => (await m()).anims.includes("stc-fade-out@lr lr-toast is-leaving"), "toast leave", 5000);
+    await until(async () => !(await exists(".lr-toast")), "toast removed", 2000);
+
+    // The course menu drops in; Escape closes it in the same task.
+    await reset();
+    await click(".lr-switch-btn");
+    await until(async () => (await m()).anims.includes("stc-drop@lr-menu"), "menu enter");
+    await chrome.send("Input.dispatchKeyEvent", { type: "keyDown", key: "Escape", code: "Escape", windowsVirtualKeyCode: 27 });
+    await chrome.send("Input.dispatchKeyEvent", { type: "keyUp", key: "Escape", code: "Escape", windowsVirtualKeyCode: 27 });
+    expect(await exists(".lr-menu")).toBe(false);
+  }, 40_000);
 });
diff --git a/packages/feature-learner/src/web/api.ts b/packages/feature-learner/src/web/api.ts
index 034b514..1b5dc13 100644
--- a/packages/feature-learner/src/web/api.ts
+++ b/packages/feature-learner/src/web/api.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 import type { AuthUser } from "@stc/contracts";
+import { reducedMotion } from "@stc/ui";
 import type { CoursePayload, LibraryPayload } from "../shared/types";
 import { learnerCss } from "./styles";
 
@@ -154,14 +155,22 @@ export function clearCourseCache(): void { courseCache.clear(); courseVersion.se
 
 /* ---------- toast ---------- */
 
-const toastStore = store<string | null>(null);
+export interface ToastState { text: string; leaving: boolean }
+const toastStore = store<ToastState | null>(null);
 let toastTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+/** How long the toast takes to fade out (--t-exit). */
+const TOAST_EXIT_MS = 120;
 export function toast(msg: string): void {
-  toastStore.set(msg);
+  toastStore.set({ text: msg, leaving: false });
   clearTimeout(toastTimer);
-  toastTimer = setTimeout(() => toastStore.set(null), 2600);
+  toastTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+    const t = toastStore.get();
+    if (!t || reducedMotion()) { toastStore.set(null); return; }
+    toastStore.set({ ...t, leaving: true });
+    toastTimer = setTimeout(() => toastStore.set(null), TOAST_EXIT_MS);
+  }, 2600);
 }
-export function useToast(): string | null { return useStore(toastStore); }
+export function useToast(): ToastState | null { return useStore(toastStore); }
 
 /* ---------- formatting ---------- */
 
diff --git a/packages/feature-learner/src/web/shell/HeaderExtras.tsx b/packages/feature-learner/src/web/shell/HeaderExtras.tsx
index f0cdc9a..b90e7e6 100644
--- a/packages/feature-learner/src/web/shell/HeaderExtras.tsx
+++ b/packages/feature-learner/src/web/shell/HeaderExtras.tsx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export function HeaderExtras({ course, lookMode, outline }: {
         </div>,
         host,
       )}
-      {msg ? <div className="lr lr-toast" role="status">{msg}</div> : null}
+      {msg ? <div className={msg.leaving ? "lr lr-toast is-leaving" : "lr lr-toast"} role="status">{msg.text}</div> : null}
     </>
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/feature-learner/src/web/styles.ts b/packages/feature-learner/src/web/styles.ts
index 6eadd37..d1861ca 100644
--- a/packages/feature-learner/src/web/styles.ts
+++ b/packages/feature-learner/src/web/styles.ts
@@ -342,6 +342,11 @@ export const learnerCss = String.raw`
 .lr .stage canvas[data-front][data-dir="next"] { animation: stc-slide-next var(--t-enter) var(--ease-out) backwards; }
 .lr .stage canvas[data-front][data-dir="prev"] { animation: stc-slide-prev var(--t-enter) var(--ease-out) backwards; }
 .lr .stage canvas[data-leaving] { animation: stc-hold-out var(--t-enter) linear both; }
+/* overlays answer the action that opened them; closing is instant except for the toast's short fade */
+.lr-menu { animation: stc-drop var(--t-fast) var(--ease-out) backwards; }
+.lr-shell.side-open .lr-scrim { animation: stc-fade-in var(--t-fast) var(--ease-out) backwards; }
+.lr-toast { animation: stc-enter var(--t-enter) var(--ease-out) backwards; }
+.lr-toast.is-leaving { animation: stc-fade-out var(--t-exit) var(--ease-out) both; }
 /* a module list the user opens */
 .lr-lessons[data-enter] { animation: stc-enter var(--t-enter) var(--ease-out) backwards; }
 /* folds and hint tiers grow to their height where the browser can animate it, and open instantly elsewhere */