diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Artboard.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Artboard.tsx
index 659ab3d..2e5f3d7 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Artboard.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Artboard.tsx
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ export function Artboard({ id, label, x, y, width, height, renderUrl }: Artboard
   return (
     <div
       style={{ position: 'absolute', top: effectiveY, left: effectiveX }}
+      onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
       onClick={(e) => { e.stopPropagation(); selectArtboard(id); }}
     >
       {/* Label / drag handle */}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Canvas.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Canvas.tsx
index 81ae6b5..0b6da16 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Canvas.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/canvas/Canvas.tsx
@@ -76,8 +76,10 @@ export function Canvas() {
       return;
     }
 
-    // Artboard creation tool: click on canvas to place a new artboard
-    if (activeTool === 'artboard' && e.target === e.currentTarget && workspaceId) {
+    // Artboard creation tool: click on canvas to place a new artboard.
+    // Note: existing artboards stop propagation on mousedown so this path
+    // only fires on empty canvas space.
+    if (activeTool === 'artboard' && workspaceId) {
       const label = `Artboard ${Date.now().toString(36).slice(-4).toUpperCase()}`;
       createArtboardMutation({
         workspace_id: workspaceId,