diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/assetClickBehavior.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/assetClickBehavior.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e1ae21ac40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/assetClickBehavior.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { findClipForAsset, isPointerClick, DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX } from "./assetClickBehavior";
+import type { TimelineElement } from "../player/store/playerStore";
+
+// Minimal TimelineElement factory — only the fields the function inspects.
+function makeEl(overrides: Partial<TimelineElement> & { id: string }): TimelineElement {
+  return {
+    tag: "div",
+    start: 0,
+    duration: 5,
+    track: 0,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("findClipForAsset", () => {
+  it("returns null when elements array is empty", () => {
+    expect(findClipForAsset([], "assets/foo.mp4")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("returns null when no element matches", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({ id: "el1", src: "assets/other.mp4" });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/foo.mp4")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("matches a bare relative src against the project-relative asset path", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({ id: "el1", src: "assets/clip.mp4", start: 2 });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/clip.mp4")).toBe(el);
+  });
+
+  it("matches a src with a ./ prefix", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({ id: "el1", src: "./assets/logo.png" });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/logo.png")).toBe(el);
+  });
+
+  it("matches a server-relative /api/projects/…/preview/ src", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({ id: "el1", src: "/api/projects/demo/preview/assets/bgm.mp3" });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/bgm.mp3")).toBe(el);
+  });
+
+  it("matches a fully-absolute URL (as produced by the core runtime)", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({
+      id: "el1",
+      src: "http://localhost:3012/api/projects/demo/preview/assets/clip.mp4",
+    });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/clip.mp4")).toBe(el);
+  });
+
+  it("decodes percent-encoded filenames when matching", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({
+      id: "el1",
+      src: "http://localhost:3012/api/projects/p/preview/assets/my%20file%20(1).mp4",
+    });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/my file (1).mp4")).toBe(el);
+  });
+
+  it("strips query strings from src before matching", () => {
+    const el = makeEl({ id: "el1", src: "assets/clip.mp4?v=2" });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([el], "assets/clip.mp4")).toBe(el);
+  });
+
+  it("returns the element with the earliest start when multiple clips match", () => {
+    const later = makeEl({ id: "late", src: "assets/clip.mp4", start: 10 });
+    const earlier = makeEl({ id: "early", src: "assets/clip.mp4", start: 2 });
+    const first = makeEl({ id: "first", src: "assets/clip.mp4", start: 0 });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([later, earlier, first], "assets/clip.mp4")).toBe(first);
+  });
+
+  it("prefers the key over id when the element has both", () => {
+    // findClipForAsset returns the element object itself; callers do `clip.key ?? clip.id`
+    const el = makeEl({ id: "el1", key: "clip-key", src: "assets/img.png" });
+    const found = findClipForAsset([el], "assets/img.png");
+    expect(found?.key).toBe("clip-key");
+  });
+
+  it("skips elements with no src", () => {
+    const noSrc = makeEl({ id: "nosrc" });
+    const withSrc = makeEl({ id: "withsrc", src: "assets/img.png" });
+    expect(findClipForAsset([noSrc, withSrc], "assets/img.png")).toBe(withSrc);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("isPointerClick", () => {
+  it("returns true for zero movement", () => {
+    expect(isPointerClick(0, 0)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true for movement within the threshold", () => {
+    expect(isPointerClick(DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX - 1, 0)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isPointerClick(0, DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX - 1)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isPointerClick(DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX - 1, DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX - 1)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false at or beyond the threshold", () => {
+    expect(isPointerClick(DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX, 0)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isPointerClick(0, DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isPointerClick(DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX + 10, 0)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("handles negative movement (pointer moved left/up)", () => {
+    expect(isPointerClick(-(DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX - 1), 0)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isPointerClick(-DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX, 0)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/assetClickBehavior.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/assetClickBehavior.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d007f1b0f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/assetClickBehavior.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/**
+ * Pure helpers for CapCut-style asset card click behavior.
+ *
+ * Clicking an asset card that is ALREADY ADDED to the timeline selects the
+ * corresponding clip. Clicking one NOT yet in the timeline opens a lightweight
+ * preview overlay. Both behaviors are gated on "this was a click, not a drag".
+ *
+ * Pure — unit-tested.
+ */
+import type { TimelineElement } from "../player/store/playerStore";
+
+/**
+ * Find the TimelineElement that references `assetPath`, returning the one with
+ * the earliest start time when multiple clips share the same source.
+ *
+ * Matching mirrors `deriveUsedPaths` in AssetsTab: an element's `src` may be a
+ * fully-absolute URL, a server-relative `/api/projects/…/preview/…` path, a
+ * `./`-prefixed relative path, or a bare relative path — all normalised to the
+ * project-relative form that `assetPath` carries.
+ *
+ * Returns `null` when no element matches.
+ */
+export function findClipForAsset(
+  elements: TimelineElement[],
+  assetPath: string,
+): TimelineElement | null {
+  let best: TimelineElement | null = null;
+  for (const el of elements) {
+    if (!el.src) continue;
+    if (normalizeSrc(el.src) !== assetPath) continue;
+    if (best === null || el.start < best.start) best = el;
+  }
+  return best;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Normalise a raw element `src` to the bare project-relative path so it can be
+ * compared against the asset-list strings (which have no leading slash, no
+ * origin, no query string).
+ *
+ * Mirrors the logic in `deriveUsedPaths` (AssetsTab.tsx) — keep in sync.
+ */
+function normalizeSrc(src: string): string {
+  let s = src;
+  try {
+    const u = new URL(s);
+    s = u.pathname;
+  } catch {
+    // Not an absolute URL — leave as-is
+  }
+  s = s
+    .replace(/^\/api\/projects\/[^/]+\/preview\//, "")
+    .replace(/^\.?\//, "")
+    .split(/[?#]/)[0];
+  try {
+    s = decodeURIComponent(s);
+  } catch {
+    // Malformed encoding — use as-is
+  }
+  return s;
+}
+
+/** Drag-detection threshold in pixels — movements within this are treated as clicks. */
+export const DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX = 4;
+
+/**
+ * Determine whether a pointer-up event should be treated as a click given the
+ * total pointer displacement since pointer-down.
+ *
+ * @param dx  Horizontal distance moved in pixels.
+ * @param dy  Vertical distance moved in pixels.
+ */
+export function isPointerClick(dx: number, dy: number): boolean {
+  return Math.abs(dx) < DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX && Math.abs(dy) < DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX;
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/canvasNudgeGate.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/canvasNudgeGate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0e70c48ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/canvasNudgeGate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { __resetForTests, acquireCanvasNudgeKeys, canvasNudgeKeysClaimed } from "./canvasNudgeGate";
+
+describe("canvasNudgeGate", () => {
+  // The claim counter is module-level state; reset it so an unbalanced claim in one
+  // test can't leak into the next.
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    __resetForTests();
+  });
+
+  it("reports claimed while at least one claim is held", () => {
+    expect(canvasNudgeKeysClaimed()).toBe(false);
+    const releaseA = acquireCanvasNudgeKeys();
+    const releaseB = acquireCanvasNudgeKeys();
+    expect(canvasNudgeKeysClaimed()).toBe(true);
+    releaseA();
+    expect(canvasNudgeKeysClaimed()).toBe(true);
+    releaseB();
+    expect(canvasNudgeKeysClaimed()).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("makes release idempotent so an effect re-run cannot underflow", () => {
+    const release = acquireCanvasNudgeKeys();
+    release();
+    release();
+    expect(canvasNudgeKeysClaimed()).toBe(false);
+    const releaseNext = acquireCanvasNudgeKeys();
+    expect(canvasNudgeKeysClaimed()).toBe(true);
+    releaseNext();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/canvasNudgeGate.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/canvasNudgeGate.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d3e121c4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/canvasNudgeGate.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+ * Arrow-key ownership gate between the canvas nudge (DomEditOverlay) and the
+ * playback frame-step shortcuts (usePlaybackKeyboard). Both listen for arrow
+ * keys with window capture listeners, and their relative order depends on
+ * mount order (DomEditOverlay remounts when caption edit mode toggles), so
+ * `event.defaultPrevented` alone can't arbitrate. While a nudgeable canvas
+ * selection holds a claim, the playback handler skips ArrowLeft/ArrowRight.
+ */
+
+let claims = 0;
+
+/** Claim the arrow keys for canvas nudging. Returns an idempotent release. */
+export function acquireCanvasNudgeKeys(): () => void {
+  claims += 1;
+  let released = false;
+  return () => {
+    if (released) return;
+    released = true;
+    claims -= 1;
+  };
+}
+
+/** True while a nudgeable canvas selection owns the arrow keys. */
+export function canvasNudgeKeysClaimed(): boolean {
+  return claims > 0;
+}
+
+/** Test-only: reset the module-level claim counter so leaked claims from one test
+ *  can't bleed into the next (call in a `beforeEach`). */
+export function __resetForTests(): void {
+  claims = 0;
+}