diff --git a/native_bridge/src/FxGuiServer.cpp b/native_bridge/src/FxGuiServer.cpp
index ee8b602..2282769 100644
--- a/native_bridge/src/FxGuiServer.cpp
+++ b/native_bridge/src/FxGuiServer.cpp
@@ -269,6 +269,18 @@ uint64_t frameHash(HWND hwnd) {
     return h;
 }
 
+// Lift the window above the foreground app without making it TOPMOST (the
+// foreground-lock would otherwise swallow real clicks). Attaching to the
+// foreground thread is required to steal foreground from another process.
+static void bringToTop(HWND hwnd) {
+    DWORD fgTid = GetWindowThreadProcessId(GetForegroundWindow(), nullptr);
+    DWORD myTid = GetCurrentThreadId();
+    if (fgTid && fgTid != myTid) AttachThreadInput(fgTid, myTid, TRUE);
+    SetForegroundWindow(hwnd);
+    BringWindowToTop(hwnd);
+    if (fgTid && fgTid != myTid) AttachThreadInput(fgTid, myTid, FALSE);
+}
+
 void danceStart(HWND hwnd, HWND target, int x, int y) {
     // Real-input fallback (only entered when synthetic PostMessage was probed
     // as rejected — iZotope/JUCE editors): hardware input needs the plugin
@@ -291,6 +303,7 @@ void danceStart(HWND hwnd, HWND target, int x, int y) {
         }
         SetWindowPos(hwnd, HWND_TOP, g_embedRect.left, g_embedRect.top,
                      cw, ch, SWP_NOACTIVATE | SWP_SHOWWINDOW);
+        bringToTop(hwnd);  // plugin must sit above the foreground app (e.g. browser) or real clicks land there
         fxGuiRequestResize(hwnd, cw, ch);
         Sleep(60);  // let the compositor repaint so the editor sees itself active
         g_dance = true;
diff --git a/src-tauri/binaries/fx_vst_bridge.exe b/src-tauri/binaries/fx_vst_bridge.exe
index dd8de9e..4bbf749 100644
Binary files a/src-tauri/binaries/fx_vst_bridge.exe and b/src-tauri/binaries/fx_vst_bridge.exe differ