diff --git a/app/components/map.gjs b/app/components/map.gjs
index 5b0877b..fcf9995 100644
--- a/app/components/map.gjs
+++ b/app/components/map.gjs
@@ -1144,6 +1144,8 @@ export default class MapComponent extends Component {
         this.mapUi.returnToSearch = true;
       }
       this.mapUi.preventNextZoom = true;
+      this.mapUi.selectPlace(place, { preventZoom: true });
+      this.mapUi.showSidebar();
       this.router.transitionTo('place', place);
     };
 
diff --git a/app/routes/place.js b/app/routes/place.js
index 5742974..d58563b 100644
--- a/app/routes/place.js
+++ b/app/routes/place.js
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ export default class PlaceRoute extends Route {
     if (model) {
       const options = { preventZoom: this.mapUi.preventNextZoom };
       this.mapUi.selectPlace(model, options);
+      this.mapUi.showSidebar();
       this.mapUi.preventNextZoom = false;
     }
     // Stop the pulse animation if it was running (e.g. redirected from search)
diff --git a/app/routes/place/new.js b/app/routes/place/new.js
index 33cfb6a..69727e6 100644
--- a/app/routes/place/new.js
+++ b/app/routes/place/new.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export default class PlaceNewRoute extends Route {
       this.mapUi.updateCreationCoordinates(model.lat, model.lon);
     }
     this.mapUi.startCreating();
+    this.mapUi.showSidebar();
   }
 
   deactivate() {
diff --git a/app/routes/search.js b/app/routes/search.js
index e47eb08..1d9269c 100644
--- a/app/routes/search.js
+++ b/app/routes/search.js
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ export default class SearchRoute extends Route {
     // Ensure pulse is stopped if we reach here
     this.mapUi.stopSearch();
     this.mapUi.setSearchResults(model);
+    this.mapUi.showSidebar();
 
     // Store current search params to allow "Up" navigation from place details
     const { q, category, lat, lon } = this.paramsFor('search');
diff --git a/app/services/map-ui.js b/app/services/map-ui.js
index 63e9603..b5a7823 100644
--- a/app/services/map-ui.js
+++ b/app/services/map-ui.js
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ export default class MapUiService extends Service {
   @tracked searchResults = [];
   @tracked currentSearch = null;
   @tracked loadingState = null;
+  @tracked isSidebarVisible = false;
+
+  showSidebar() {
+    this.isSidebarVisible = true;
+  }
+
+  hideSidebar() {
+    this.isSidebarVisible = false;
+  }
 
   selectPlace(place, options = {}) {
     this.selectedPlace = place;
diff --git a/app/templates/application.gjs b/app/templates/application.gjs
index 8dfd51b..091ae80 100644
--- a/app/templates/application.gjs
+++ b/app/templates/application.gjs
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@ export default class ApplicationComponent extends Component {
   @tracked isAppMenuOpen = false;
 
   get isSidebarOpen() {
-    // We consider the sidebar "open" if we are in search or place routes.
+    // We consider the sidebar "open" if we are in search or place routes AND it's visible.
     // This helps the map know if it should shift the center or adjust view.
     return (
-      this.router.currentRouteName === 'place' ||
-      this.router.currentRouteName === 'place.new' ||
-      this.router.currentRouteName === 'search'
+      this.mapUi.isSidebarVisible &&
+      (this.router.currentRouteName === 'place' ||
+        this.router.currentRouteName === 'place.new' ||
+        this.router.currentRouteName === 'search')
     );
   }
 
@@ -48,13 +49,12 @@ export default class ApplicationComponent extends Component {
   handleOutsideClick() {
     if (this.isAppMenuOpen) {
       this.closeAppMenu();
-    } else if (this.router.currentRouteName === 'search') {
-      this.router.transitionTo('index');
-    } else if (this.router.currentRouteName === 'place') {
-      // If in place route, decide if we want to go back to search or index
-      // For now, let's go to index or maybe back to search if search params exist?
-      // Simplest behavior: clear selection
-      this.router.transitionTo('index');
+    } else if (
+      this.router.currentRouteName === 'search' ||
+      this.router.currentRouteName === 'place'
+    ) {
+      this.mapUi.clearSelection();
+      this.mapUi.hideSidebar();
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/app/templates/place.gjs b/app/templates/place.gjs
index b39c515..e2f20c6 100644
--- a/app/templates/place.gjs
+++ b/app/templates/place.gjs
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ export default class PlaceTemplate extends Component {
     if (place === null) {
       // If we have an active search context, return to it (UP navigation)
       if (this.mapUi.returnToSearch && this.mapUi.currentSearch) {
+        this.mapUi.showSidebar();
         this.router.transitionTo('search', {
           queryParams: this.mapUi.currentSearch,
         });
@@ -88,23 +89,26 @@ export default class PlaceTemplate extends Component {
       }
     } else {
       // If a place is selected (unlikely in this view, but possible if we add related links)
+      this.mapUi.showSidebar();
       this.router.transitionTo('place', place);
     }
   }
 
   @action
   close() {
-    // Clear search results so we don't fall back to the list
-    this.router.transitionTo('index');
+    this.mapUi.clearSelection();
+    this.mapUi.hideSidebar();
   }
 
   <template>
-    <PlacesSidebar
-      @selectedPlace={{this.place}}
-      @onClose={{this.close}}
-      @onSelect={{this.navigateBack}}
-      @onBookmarkChange={{this.refreshMap}}
-      @onUpdate={{this.handleUpdate}}
-    />
+    {{#if this.mapUi.isSidebarVisible}}
+      <PlacesSidebar
+        @selectedPlace={{this.place}}
+        @onClose={{this.close}}
+        @onSelect={{this.navigateBack}}
+        @onBookmarkChange={{this.refreshMap}}
+        @onUpdate={{this.handleUpdate}}
+      />
+    {{/if}}
   </template>
 }
diff --git a/app/templates/place/new.gjs b/app/templates/place/new.gjs
index 6dcbf8f..1993924 100644
--- a/app/templates/place/new.gjs
+++ b/app/templates/place/new.gjs
@@ -56,28 +56,30 @@ export default class PlaceNewTemplate extends Component {
   }
 
   <template>
-    <div class="sidebar">
-      <div class="sidebar-header">
-        <h2><Icon @name="plus-circle" @size={{20}} @color="#ea4335" />
-          New Place</h2>
-        <button type="button" class="close-btn" {{on "click" this.close}}><Icon
-            @name="x"
-            @size={{20}}
-            @color="#333"
-          /></button>
-      </div>
+    {{#if this.mapUi.isSidebarVisible}}
+      <div class="sidebar">
+        <div class="sidebar-header">
+          <h2><Icon @name="plus-circle" @size={{20}} @color="#ea4335" />
+            New Place</h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            class="close-btn"
+            {{on "click" this.close}}
+          ><Icon @name="x" @size={{20}} @color="#333" /></button>
+        </div>
 
-      <div class="sidebar-content">
-        <p class="helper-text">
-          Drag the map to position the crosshair.
-        </p>
+        <div class="sidebar-content">
+          <p class="helper-text">
+            Drag the map to position the crosshair.
+          </p>
 
-        <PlaceEditForm
-          @place={{this.initialPlace}}
-          @onSave={{this.savePlace}}
-          @onCancel={{this.close}}
-        />
+          <PlaceEditForm
+            @place={{this.initialPlace}}
+            @onSave={{this.savePlace}}
+            @onCancel={{this.close}}
+          />
+        </div>
       </div>
-    </div>
+    {{/if}}
   </template>
 }
diff --git a/app/templates/search.gjs b/app/templates/search.gjs
index 854f60a..26b52da 100644
--- a/app/templates/search.gjs
+++ b/app/templates/search.gjs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export default class SearchTemplate extends Component {
   selectPlace(place) {
     if (place) {
       this.mapUi.returnToSearch = true;
+      this.mapUi.showSidebar();
       // We don't need to manually set currentSearch here because
       // it was already set in the route's setupController
       this.router.transitionTo('place', place);
@@ -19,14 +20,16 @@ export default class SearchTemplate extends Component {
 
   @action
   close() {
-    this.router.transitionTo('index');
+    this.mapUi.hideSidebar();
   }
 
   <template>
-    <PlacesSidebar
-      @places={{@model}}
-      @onSelect={{this.selectPlace}}
-      @onClose={{this.close}}
-    />
+    {{#if this.mapUi.isSidebarVisible}}
+      <PlacesSidebar
+        @places={{@model}}
+        @onSelect={{this.selectPlace}}
+        @onClose={{this.close}}
+      />
+    {{/if}}
   </template>
 }