diff --git a/scripts/game.gd b/scripts/game.gd
index 76dc0d1..59785fc 100644
--- a/scripts/game.gd
+++ b/scripts/game.gd
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ var _report_modal: Control = null
 var _pause_menu: Control = null
 var _controls_modal: Control = null
 var _controls_pill: Control = null
+var _hud_panel: Control = null
+var _creator_pill: Control = null
 var _hud_layer: CanvasLayer = null
 var _overlay_layer: CanvasLayer = null
 
@@ -245,6 +247,7 @@ func _setup_in_game_hud() -> void:
 	style.content_margin_bottom = 6
 	panel.add_theme_stylebox_override("panel", style)
 	_hud_layer.add_child(panel)
+	_hud_panel = panel
 
 	var bar := HBoxContainer.new()
 	bar.name = "QuickActionBar"
@@ -365,6 +368,20 @@ func _setup_in_game_hud() -> void:
 		creator_lbl.add_theme_color_override("font_color", Color(1.0, 0.9, 0.4))
 		creator_pill.add_child(creator_lbl)
 		_hud_layer.add_child(creator_pill)
+		_creator_pill = creator_pill
+
+	_set_hud_visible(_build_editor == null or not is_instance_valid(_build_editor))
+
+
+func _set_hud_visible(p_visible: bool) -> void:
+	if _hud_layer != null and is_instance_valid(_hud_layer):
+		_hud_layer.visible = p_visible
+	if _hud_panel != null and is_instance_valid(_hud_panel):
+		_hud_panel.visible = p_visible
+	if _controls_pill != null and is_instance_valid(_controls_pill):
+		_controls_pill.visible = p_visible
+	if _creator_pill != null and is_instance_valid(_creator_pill):
+		_creator_pill.visible = p_visible
 
 
 static func _update_hud_sound_button(btn: Button) -> void:
@@ -689,9 +706,12 @@ func _open_build_mode() -> void:
 
 	_build_editor.closed.connect(_close_build_mode)
 	_build_editor.exit_browser_requested.connect(_exit_editor_to_browser)
+	_build_editor.tree_exited.connect(func():
+		if _build_editor == null or not is_instance_valid(_build_editor):
+			_set_hud_visible(true)
+	)
 	add_child(_build_editor)
-	if _controls_pill != null and is_instance_valid(_controls_pill):
-		_controls_pill.visible = false
+	_set_hud_visible(false)
 
 
 ## Shared teardown for both close paths (F2 again, or the editor's own
@@ -702,8 +722,7 @@ func _close_build_mode() -> void:
 	if _build_editor != null and is_instance_valid(_build_editor):
 		_build_editor.queue_free()
 	_build_editor = null
-	if _controls_pill != null and is_instance_valid(_controls_pill):
-		_controls_pill.visible = true
+	_set_hud_visible(true)
 	for child in get_children():
 		if child is ChunkSaveService:
 			child.queue_free()
@@ -766,9 +785,12 @@ func _open_editor_for_world() -> void:
 	_build_editor.setup_persistence(save_service, world_id_str, room_slug, coord, base_revision)
 	_build_editor.closed.connect(_close_build_mode)
 	_build_editor.exit_browser_requested.connect(_exit_editor_to_browser)
+	_build_editor.tree_exited.connect(func():
+		if _build_editor == null or not is_instance_valid(_build_editor):
+			_set_hud_visible(true)
+	)
 	add_child(_build_editor)
-	if _controls_pill != null and is_instance_valid(_controls_pill):
-		_controls_pill.visible = false
+	_set_hud_visible(false)
 
 
 ## Close path for the non-joined editor (ESC, or the editor's own Close
diff --git a/scripts/smoke_test_editor_controls_and_hat.gd b/scripts/smoke_test_editor_controls_and_hat.gd
index 1edac92..c1bf984 100644
--- a/scripts/smoke_test_editor_controls_and_hat.gd
+++ b/scripts/smoke_test_editor_controls_and_hat.gd
@@ -122,18 +122,28 @@ func _run() -> void:
 	await process_frame
 
 	var pill = game.find_child("ControlsPill", true, false) as Control
+	var hud_layer = game.find_child("InGameHUD", true, false) as CanvasLayer
+	var hud_panel = game.find_child("HUDPanel", true, false) as Control
 	_check("ControlsPill exists in game HUD", pill != null)
+	_check("InGameHUD CanvasLayer exists", hud_layer != null)
+	_check("HUDPanel exists in game HUD", hud_panel != null)
 	_check("ControlsPill starts visible during regular play", pill != null and pill.visible)
+	_check("InGameHUD starts visible during regular play", hud_layer != null and hud_layer.visible)
+	_check("HUDPanel starts visible during regular play", hud_panel != null and hud_panel.visible)
 
 	# Open build mode
 	game._open_build_mode()
 	await process_frame
 	_check("ControlsPill is HIDDEN when in build mode", pill != null and not pill.visible)
+	_check("InGameHUD is HIDDEN when in build mode", hud_layer != null and not hud_layer.visible)
+	_check("HUDPanel is HIDDEN when in build mode", hud_panel != null and not hud_panel.visible)
 
 	# Close build mode
 	game._close_build_mode()
 	await process_frame
 	_check("ControlsPill is RESTORED when exiting build mode", pill != null and pill.visible)
+	_check("InGameHUD is RESTORED when exiting build mode", hud_layer != null and hud_layer.visible)
+	_check("HUDPanel is RESTORED when exiting build mode", hud_panel != null and hud_panel.visible)
 
 	game.queue_free()
 	await process_frame