diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index 75aaa20..71a3cf0 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -701,6 +701,10 @@ class _SidebarState extends State<_Sidebar>
   static const double _channelRowH = 28;
   static const double _rowGap = 8;
   late final AnimationController _ctrl;
+  // True while the channel-switch menu is open — suppresses the
+  // hover-exit collapse so the rail stays expanded and the menu stays
+  // aligned to the pill (otherwise it floats at the pill's old x).
+  bool _menuOpen = false;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -760,7 +764,9 @@ class _SidebarState extends State<_Sidebar>
         widget.activeChannel != null && widget.activeChannel!.isNotEmpty;
     return MouseRegion(
       onEnter: widget.forceExpanded ? null : (_) => _ctrl.forward(),
-      onExit: widget.forceExpanded ? null : (_) => _ctrl.reverse(),
+      onExit: (widget.forceExpanded || _menuOpen)
+          ? null
+          : (_) => _ctrl.reverse(),
       child: AnimatedBuilder(
         animation: _ctrl,
         builder: (context, _) {
@@ -843,7 +849,18 @@ class _SidebarState extends State<_Sidebar>
                                 channel: widget.activeChannel!,
                               ),
                             ),
-                            label: _ChannelPill(channel: widget.activeChannel!),
+                            label: _ChannelPill(
+                              channel: widget.activeChannel!,
+                              onMenuOpen: () {
+                                setState(() => _menuOpen = true);
+                                _ctrl.forward();
+                              },
+                              onMenuClose: () {
+                                if (!mounted) return;
+                                setState(() => _menuOpen = false);
+                                _ctrl.reverse();
+                              },
+                            ),
                             t: t,
                             labelsInteractive: labelsInteractive,
                           )
@@ -1140,7 +1157,17 @@ class _ChannelMenuItem extends StatelessWidget {
 /// unmistakeable.
 class _ChannelPill extends StatelessWidget {
   final String channel;
-  const _ChannelPill({required this.channel});
+
+  /// Fired when the switch menu opens / closes so the parent sidebar can
+  /// stay expanded while it's up — otherwise the hover-exit collapses the
+  /// rail and the menu floats at the pill's old (expanded) position.
+  final VoidCallback? onMenuOpen;
+  final VoidCallback? onMenuClose;
+  const _ChannelPill({
+    required this.channel,
+    this.onMenuOpen,
+    this.onMenuClose,
+  });
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
@@ -1154,7 +1181,11 @@ class _ChannelPill extends StatelessWidget {
         borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(ChainRadius.sm),
         child: InkWell(
           borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(ChainRadius.sm),
-          onTap: () => _showChannelSwitchMenu(context, channel),
+          onTap: () async {
+            onMenuOpen?.call();
+            await _showChannelSwitchMenu(context, channel);
+            onMenuClose?.call();
+          },
           child: Container(
             padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(
               horizontal: ChainSpace.sm,