diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ticker/RecommendationPanel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ticker/RecommendationPanel.tsx
index 646934c..a6d1283 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ticker/RecommendationPanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ticker/RecommendationPanel.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 import type { TradeSetup } from '../../lib/types';
 import { formatPrice, formatPercent } from '../../lib/format';
 import { useCreatePaperTrade } from '../../hooks/usePaperTrades';
@@ -220,6 +221,16 @@ function SetupCard({ setup, action, currentPrice, risk, regime, selectedPrice, o
   const activeRR = selected?.rr_ratio ?? setup.rr_ratio;
   const activeProb = selected?.probability ?? prob;
 
+  // Close the take dialog on Escape.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!taking) return;
+    const onKey = (e: globalThis.KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === 'Escape') setTaking(false);
+    };
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', onKey);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKey);
+  }, [taking]);
+
   const confirmTake = () => {
     createTrade.mutate(
       {
@@ -343,66 +354,85 @@ function SetupCard({ setup, action, currentPrice, risk, regime, selectedPrice, o
         scaleTo={(setup.targets ?? []).map((t) => t.price)}
       />
 
-      {taking && (
-        <div className="mt-3 rounded-lg border border-white/[0.08] p-3 space-y-2.5">
-          <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">
-            <label className="block space-y-1">
-              <span className="num text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">Shares</span>
-              <input
-                type="number"
-                min={0}
-                value={takeShares}
-                onChange={(e) => setTakeShares(Number(e.target.value))}
-                className="w-full input-glass px-2 py-1 text-sm num"
-              />
-            </label>
-            <label className="block space-y-1">
-              <span className="num text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">Entry</span>
-              <input
-                type="number"
-                min={0}
-                step="0.01"
-                value={takeEntry}
-                onChange={(e) => setTakeEntry(Number(e.target.value))}
-                className="w-full input-glass px-2 py-1 text-sm num"
-              />
-            </label>
-          </div>
-          {setup.targets && setup.targets.length > 1 ? (
-            <label className="block space-y-1">
-              <span className="num text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">Target</span>
-              <select
-                value={takeTarget}
-                onChange={(e) => setTakeTarget(Number(e.target.value))}
-                className="input-glass w-full px-2 py-1.5 text-sm num"
+      {/* Take dialog — portaled overlay so the panel structure stays put */}
+      {taking && createPortal(
+        <div
+          className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center p-4 animate-fade-in"
+          role="dialog"
+          aria-modal="true"
+          aria-label={`Mark ${setup.symbol} ${setup.direction} as taken`}
+        >
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-black/60 backdrop-blur-sm" onClick={() => setTaking(false)} />
+          <div className="glass relative z-10 w-full max-w-md p-6 shadow-2xl animate-slide-up">
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+              <h3 className="font-display text-xl font-bold tracking-tight text-gray-100">{setup.symbol}</h3>
+              <DirTag direction={setup.direction} />
+              <span className="num ml-auto text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.16em] text-gray-500">paper trade</span>
+            </div>
+            <p className="num mt-1.5 text-[11px] text-gray-500">
+              stop {formatPrice(setup.stop_loss)} · target {formatPrice(takeTarget)}
+              {sizing && <> · suggested {sizing.shares} sh, max loss {formatPrice(sizing.dollarRisk)}</>}
+            </p>
+
+            <div className="mt-4 grid grid-cols-2 gap-3">
+              <label className="block space-y-1">
+                <span className="num text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">Shares</span>
+                <input
+                  type="number"
+                  min={0}
+                  autoFocus
+                  value={takeShares}
+                  onChange={(e) => setTakeShares(Number(e.target.value))}
+                  className="w-full input-glass px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm num"
+                />
+              </label>
+              <label className="block space-y-1">
+                <span className="num text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">Entry</span>
+                <input
+                  type="number"
+                  min={0}
+                  step="0.01"
+                  value={takeEntry}
+                  onChange={(e) => setTakeEntry(Number(e.target.value))}
+                  className="w-full input-glass px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm num"
+                />
+              </label>
+            </div>
+            {setup.targets && setup.targets.length > 1 ? (
+              <label className="mt-3 block space-y-1">
+                <span className="num text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500">Target</span>
+                <select
+                  value={takeTarget}
+                  onChange={(e) => setTakeTarget(Number(e.target.value))}
+                  className="input-glass w-full px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm num"
+                >
+                  {setup.targets.map((t) => (
+                    <option key={`${t.sr_level_id}-${t.price}`} value={t.price} className="bg-[#14161f]">
+                      {formatPrice(t.price)} · {t.probability.toFixed(0)}% · {t.classification}{t.is_primary ? ' · primary' : ''}
+                    </option>
+                  ))}
+                </select>
+              </label>
+            ) : null}
+
+            <div className="mt-5 flex gap-2">
+              <button
+                onClick={confirmTake}
+                disabled={createTrade.isPending || !(takeShares > 0) || !(takeEntry > 0)}
+                className="flex-1 rounded-lg border border-blue-500/35 bg-blue-500/15 px-3 py-2 text-sm font-semibold text-blue-300 transition-colors hover:bg-blue-500/25 disabled:opacity-50"
               >
-                {setup.targets.map((t) => (
-                  <option key={`${t.sr_level_id}-${t.price}`} value={t.price} className="bg-[#14161f]">
-                    {formatPrice(t.price)} · {t.probability.toFixed(0)}% · {t.classification}{t.is_primary ? ' · primary' : ''}
-                  </option>
-                ))}
-              </select>
-            </label>
-          ) : null}
-          <p className="num text-[10px] text-gray-500">
-            Stop {formatPrice(setup.stop_loss)} · Target {formatPrice(takeTarget)} · {setup.direction.toUpperCase()} paper trade
-          </p>
-          <div className="flex gap-2">
-            <button
-              onClick={confirmTake}
-              disabled={createTrade.isPending || !(takeShares > 0) || !(takeEntry > 0)}
-              className="flex-1 rounded-lg border border-blue-500/35 bg-blue-500/15 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-blue-300 transition-colors hover:bg-blue-500/25 disabled:opacity-50"
-            >
-              {createTrade.isPending ? 'Taking…' : 'Confirm'}
-            </button>
-            <button
-              onClick={() => setTaking(false)}
-              className="rounded-lg border border-white/[0.08] px-3 py-1.5 text-xs text-gray-400 transition-colors hover:text-gray-200"
-            >
-              Cancel
-            </button>
+                {createTrade.isPending ? 'Taking…' : 'Confirm trade'}
+              </button>
+              <button
+                onClick={() => setTaking(false)}
+                className="rounded-lg border border-white/[0.08] px-4 py-2 text-sm text-gray-400 transition-colors hover:text-gray-200"
+              >
+                Cancel
+              </button>
+            </div>
           </div>
-        </div>
+        </div>,
+        document.body,
       )}
 
       {/* Target ladder — open by default; clicking a row previews it on the rail */}