diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialog.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialog.tsx
index ade12730dee..0608a41fff7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialog.tsx
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ export default React.memo(function AddRepoDialog({
       isOpen={isOpen}
       step={step}
       isAdding={isAdding}
+      isCloning={isCloning}
       onBack={handleBack}
       onCloseAutoFocus={hosted?.onCloseAutoFocus}
       onOpenChange={handleOpenChange}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..81ad68756ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+
+import { cleanup, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { DialogDescription, DialogTitle } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
+import { AddRepoDialogChrome } from './AddRepoDialogChrome'
+
+afterEach(cleanup)
+
+function CloneDialog({
+  isCloning,
+  onOpenChange
+}: {
+  isCloning: boolean
+  onOpenChange: (open: boolean) => void
+}) {
+  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(true)
+  return (
+    <AddRepoDialogChrome
+      isCloning={isCloning}
+      isAdding={false}
+      isOpen={isOpen}
+      step="clone"
+      onBack={() => {}}
+      onOpenChange={(open) => {
+        onOpenChange(open)
+        setIsOpen(open)
+      }}
+    >
+      <DialogTitle>Clone from URL</DialogTitle>
+      <DialogDescription>Clone progress</DialogDescription>
+    </AddRepoDialogChrome>
+  )
+}
+
+function backdrop(): Element {
+  const overlay = document.querySelector('[data-slot="dialog-overlay"]')
+  if (!overlay) {
+    throw new Error('Missing dialog backdrop')
+  }
+  return overlay
+}
+
+describe('AddRepoDialogChrome dismissal', () => {
+  it('keeps an in-flight clone open after a backdrop click', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const onOpenChange = vi.fn()
+    render(<CloneDialog isCloning onOpenChange={onOpenChange} />)
+
+    await user.click(backdrop())
+
+    expect(onOpenChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('dialog', { name: 'Clone from URL' })).not.toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('allows backdrop dismissal when no clone is running', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const onOpenChange = vi.fn()
+    render(<CloneDialog isCloning={false} onOpenChange={onOpenChange} />)
+
+    await user.click(backdrop())
+
+    expect(onOpenChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false)
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('dialog', { name: 'Clone from URL' })).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('allows backdrop dismissal after the clone settles', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup()
+    const onOpenChange = vi.fn()
+    const view = render(<CloneDialog isCloning onOpenChange={onOpenChange} />)
+    await user.click(backdrop())
+    expect(onOpenChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    view.rerender(<CloneDialog isCloning={false} onOpenChange={onOpenChange} />)
+    await user.click(backdrop())
+
+    expect(onOpenChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false)
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('dialog', { name: 'Clone from URL' })).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it.each(['Escape', 'Close'])(
+    'keeps explicit %s dismissal available during a clone',
+    async (action) => {
+      const user = userEvent.setup()
+      const onOpenChange = vi.fn()
+      render(<CloneDialog isCloning onOpenChange={onOpenChange} />)
+
+      await (action === 'Escape'
+        ? user.keyboard('{Escape}')
+        : user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Close' })))
+
+      expect(onOpenChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false)
+      expect(screen.queryByRole('dialog', { name: 'Clone from URL' })).toBeNull()
+    }
+  )
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.tsx
index 8a4a1893b4d..4876cd7a981 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/AddRepoDialogChrome.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { Dialog, DialogContent } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
+import { preventOutsideDismissWhenDirty } from '@/lib/outside-dismiss-guard'
 import type { AddRepoDialogStep } from './add-repo-dialog-types'
 import { AddRepoStepIndicator } from './AddRepoStepIndicator'
 
 export function AddRepoDialogChrome({
   children,
   isAdding,
+  isCloning,
   isOpen,
   onBack,
   onCloseAutoFocus,
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@ export function AddRepoDialogChrome({
 }: {
   children: ReactNode
   isAdding: boolean
+  isCloning: boolean
   isOpen: boolean
   onBack: () => void
   onCloseAutoFocus?: (event: Event) => void
@@ -24,6 +27,8 @@ export function AddRepoDialogChrome({
     <Dialog open={isOpen} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
       <DialogContent
         onCloseAutoFocus={onCloseAutoFocus}
+        // Closing the dialog aborts the clone; require an explicit close while it runs.
+        onInteractOutside={preventOutsideDismissWhenDirty(() => isCloning)}
         className={`min-w-0 overflow-hidden sm:max-w-lg [&>*]:min-w-0 ${
           step === 'nested' ? 'max-h-[calc(100vh-2rem)] grid-rows-[auto_auto_minmax(0,1fr)]' : ''
         }`}