diff --git a/static/player/episodes/ui.ts b/static/player/episodes/ui.ts
index 7e442cf..849caad 100644
--- a/static/player/episodes/ui.ts
+++ b/static/player/episodes/ui.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { state } from '../state';
+import { qs } from '../../q';
 
 /**
  * Syncs autoplay checkbox with localStorage on init.
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ export const updateEpisodeHighlight = (num: number): void => {
  * Updates dropdown label and hides/shows episode cards.
  */
 export const switchEpisodeRange = (idx: number): void => {
-  const dropdown = state.container.querySelector('[data-episode-dropdown]') as HTMLElement | null;
+  const dropdown = qs<HTMLElement>('[data-episode-dropdown]');
   if (!dropdown) return;
   const btns = Array.from(dropdown.querySelectorAll('.episode-range-btn')) as HTMLButtonElement[];
   const target = btns[idx];
diff --git a/static/player/main.ts b/static/player/main.ts
index b8b3b78..294d52b 100644
--- a/static/player/main.ts
+++ b/static/player/main.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ import { formatTime } from './controls';
 
 let initialized = false; // prevent double init on htmx swaps
 
+type ClosableDropdown = HTMLElement & { close: () => void };
+const isClosableDropdown = (el: Element | null): el is ClosableDropdown => {
+  if (!el) return false;
+  if (!(el instanceof HTMLElement)) return false;
+  const maybe = el as Partial<{ close: unknown }>;
+  return typeof maybe.close === 'function';
+};
+
 const hidePreviewPopover = (): void => {
   if (!state.previewPopover) return;
   state.previewPopover.classList.add('opacity-0');
@@ -221,7 +229,7 @@ const initPlayer = (): void => {
   state.video.addEventListener('click', showControls);
 
   const searchInput = document.querySelector('[data-episode-search]') as HTMLInputElement | null;
-  const dropdown = container.querySelector('[data-episode-dropdown]') as HTMLElement | null;
+  const dropdown = document.querySelector('[data-episode-dropdown]') as HTMLElement | null;
   let searchDebounce: number | undefined;
 
   if (searchInput) {
@@ -256,6 +264,8 @@ const initPlayer = (): void => {
       btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
         const idx = Number.parseInt((btn as HTMLElement).dataset.rangeIndex ?? '0', 10);
         switchEpisodeRange(idx);
+        const dd = btn.closest('ui-dropdown');
+        if (isClosableDropdown(dd)) dd.close();
       });
     });
   }