diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index b1fc206..8b571ef 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -662,6 +662,38 @@ Note `NAME_TAG_THRESHOLD = 0.26` (the hover path, line ~289) is deliberately muc
 was NOT changed — Akara genuinely hovers at ~0.28 (Bug 3). The two thresholds serve different
 paths; don't unify them.
 
+### Bug 31: merc panel check left the CHRONICLE panel open for the whole game (2026-08-27)
+**File:** `src/bot.py` — `on_maintenance()`, merc-alive confirmation
+
+`resurrect_merc` confirms a live merc by pressing `o` and looking for `MercPanelText`. It
+then closed the panel **only when that check passed**:
+
+```python
+keyboard.send("o")
+merc_panel_open = is_visible(ScreenObjects.MercPanelText)
+if merc_panel_open:
+    keyboard.send("o")     # the ONLY path that closed anything
+```
+
+On this client `o` (skill slot 54) opens the **CHRONICLE** collection panel, not the merc
+panel. So `MercPanelText` never matched, the closing keypress was never sent, and Chronicle
+stayed open for the rest of the game — a large centred panel that blanks every subsequent
+template match. The run then died on `click_red_portal` after ~66s of clicking at a covered
+screen.
+
+**Why nothing caught it:** the health manager's panel guard looks for `LeftPanel` /
+`RightPanel`. Chronicle is centred and matches neither, so it was never auto-escaped.
+
+**Fix:** always dismiss whatever appeared. If `MercPanelText` is not found, send `esc`, then
+re-check `LeftPanel`/`RightPanel` and send `esc` again if something is still up.
+
+**The general rule:** *any* keypress that may open a panel must be paired with an
+unconditional dismiss. Closing only on the happy path leaves the UI wedged on every other
+path — and here that cost a whole run each time.
+
+**Symptom to grep for:** `FAIL>` records showing `step=resurrect_merc` followed by
+`run.approach!` with a long duration, or an error screenshot with a UI panel covering the map.
+
 ---
 
 ## The run timeline — `grep "TL>"`
diff --git a/src/bot.py b/src/bot.py
index e9dce12..ab7a74d 100644
--- a/src/bot.py
+++ b/src/bot.py
@@ -974,6 +974,18 @@ class Bot:
                     keyboard.send("o")
                     wait(0.2, 0.3)
                     merc_visible = True
+                else:
+                    # 'o' opened SOMETHING that is not the merc panel and nothing closed it.
+                    # On this client it opens the CHRONICLE collection panel, which covers
+                    # the screen and blanks every later template match — the run then dies
+                    # on click_red_portal after ~66s of flailing at a covered screen
+                    # (g90 2026-08-27). Always dismiss whatever appeared, then confirm.
+                    keyboard.send("esc")
+                    wait(0.25, 0.35)
+                    if is_visible(ScreenObjects.LeftPanel) or is_visible(ScreenObjects.RightPanel):
+                        Logger.warning("Merc check: a panel is still open after esc — sending esc again")
+                        keyboard.send("esc")
+                        wait(0.25, 0.35)
             gs = self._game_stats
             skip_until = getattr(gs, "_merc_resurrect_skip_until", 0)
             if not merc_visible and gs._game_counter < skip_until: