diff --git a/public/plugins/chat/chat.css b/public/plugins/chat/chat.css
index 6fc12f3..96b1d6e 100644
--- a/public/plugins/chat/chat.css
+++ b/public/plugins/chat/chat.css
@@ -129,6 +129,14 @@
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: center;
     padding: 24px;
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+}
+.chat-empty > p {
+    margin: 0;
+}
+#chat-empty-start {
+    margin-top: 20px;
 }
 
 /* ── Thread view ── */
diff --git a/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js b/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js
index 8ab046a..6c2b501 100644
--- a/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js
+++ b/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.js
@@ -424,6 +424,10 @@ function onEdMouseDown(e) {
     e.preventDefault();
     edSelected = -1;
     updateEdDeleteBtn();
+    // Re-render existing rects first so the prior selection clears visually —
+    // doing this AFTER creating the draft would wipe it since renderEdRects
+    // replaces ed.layer.innerHTML.
+    renderEdRects();
     const p = edLayerPct(e);
     const draft = document.createElement('div');
     draft.className = 'ed-rect-draft';
@@ -433,7 +437,6 @@ function onEdMouseDown(e) {
     draft.style.height = '0%';
     ed.layer.appendChild(draft);
     edDrag = { mode: 'create', startX: p.x, startY: p.y, draft };
-    renderEdRects();
 }
 
 function onEdMouseMove(e) {