diff --git a/internal/tui/keybinding_help.go b/internal/tui/keybinding_help.go
index f12d6a13e..078c09c69 100644
--- a/internal/tui/keybinding_help.go
+++ b/internal/tui/keybinding_help.go
@@ -133,6 +133,18 @@ func (m model) renderKeybindingHelpOverlay(width int, height int) string {
 	return centerRenderedBlock(block, width)
 }
 
+// keybindingHelpOverlay returns the `?` shortcut overlay as a centered block to
+// COMPOSITE over the transcript — the same viewport-overlay path the model
+// picker and suggestions use — or "" when it is not open. Rendering it this way
+// (rather than replacing the whole View) keeps the chat visible behind it, so
+// `?` behaves like every other popup instead of blanking the screen (#419).
+func (m model) keybindingHelpOverlay(width int) string {
+	if !m.helpOverlay {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return m.renderKeybindingHelpOverlay(width, m.height)
+}
+
 // keybindingHelpOverlayWidth picks the overlay width: wide enough that the
 // descriptions don't truncate next to the key column, capped, and never wider
 // than the terminal.
diff --git a/internal/tui/keybinding_help_test.go b/internal/tui/keybinding_help_test.go
index c7d78671f..f749b1185 100644
--- a/internal/tui/keybinding_help_test.go
+++ b/internal/tui/keybinding_help_test.go
@@ -105,3 +105,56 @@ func TestKeybindingGroupsAreWellFormed(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// #419: the `?` help overlay must render ON TOP of the chat (like the model
+// picker), not REPLACE the whole screen. The old full-screen replace produced
+// only the centered shortcut block on a blank canvas — no title bar, no
+// composer. So with the overlay open, the surrounding chat chrome that is NOT
+// covered by the centered box (the model title bar at top, the composer at
+// bottom) must still be present alongside "Keyboard Shortcuts".
+func TestHelpOverlayCompositesOverChatNotReplacingIt(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newModel(context.Background(), Options{ModelName: "gpt-4o"})
+	m.width = 100
+	m.height = 40
+	m.altScreen = true
+
+	base := plainRender(t, m.View()) // no overlay: baseline chrome
+	m.helpOverlay = true
+	over := plainRender(t, m.View())
+
+	if !strings.Contains(over, "Keyboard Shortcuts") {
+		t.Fatalf("help overlay not rendered:\n%s", over)
+	}
+	// Chrome that renders in the baseline (and sits outside the centered overlay
+	// box) must survive behind the overlay. The full-screen replace showed none
+	// of it.
+	for _, marker := range []string{"gpt-4o", "describe a task"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(base, marker) {
+			t.Fatalf("precondition: baseline chat should contain %q:\n%s", marker, base)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(over, marker) {
+			t.Fatalf("#419: help replaced the chat instead of overlaying it; %q is gone:\n%s", marker, over)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// A populated transcript row also survives behind the overlay (peeking out to
+// the left of the centered box), proving the chat body — not just the chrome —
+// is composited under the overlay rather than discarded.
+func TestHelpOverlayKeepsTranscriptBodyBehindIt(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newModel(context.Background(), Options{ModelName: "gpt-4o"})
+	m.width = 120
+	m.height = 40
+	m.altScreen = true
+	m.transcript = appendTranscriptRow(m.transcript, transcriptRow{kind: rowUser, text: "hello there this is a chat line"})
+	m.helpOverlay = true
+
+	view := plainRender(t, m.View())
+	if !strings.Contains(view, "Keyboard Shortcuts") {
+		t.Fatalf("help overlay not rendered:\n%s", view)
+	}
+	// The start of the transcript line peeks to the left of the centered box.
+	if !strings.Contains(view, "hello") {
+		t.Fatalf("#419: transcript body was replaced by the help overlay:\n%s", view)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/tui/model.go b/internal/tui/model.go
index 964fe9b43..eaab3cfb9 100644
--- a/internal/tui/model.go
+++ b/internal/tui/model.go
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ func (m model) updateModel(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			m = m.disarmCancelConfirmation()
 		}
 		// The `?` help overlay is modal: `?`, Esc, q, or Enter close it; every
-		// other key is swallowed so nothing types into the hidden composer.
+		// other key is swallowed so nothing types into the composer behind it.
 		if m.helpOverlay {
 			if keyText(msg) == "?" || keyText(msg) == "q" || keyIs(msg, tea.KeyEsc) || keyIs(msg, tea.KeyEnter) || keyCtrl(msg, 'c') {
 				m.helpOverlay = false
@@ -2118,8 +2118,6 @@ func (m model) View() tea.View {
 	var content string
 	if m.setup.visible {
 		content = m.setupView(chatWidth(m.width))
-	} else if m.helpOverlay {
-		content = m.renderKeybindingHelpOverlay(chatWidth(m.width), m.height)
 	} else if m.transcriptDetailed {
 		content = m.detailedTranscriptView()
 	} else {
@@ -2194,6 +2192,7 @@ func (m model) transcriptView() string {
 		return body + footer
 	}
 
+	helpOverlay := m.keybindingHelpOverlay(width)
 	suggestionOverlay := m.suggestionOverlay(width)
 	providerOverlay := m.providerWizardOverlay(width)
 	mcpAddOverlay := m.mcpAddWizardOverlay(width)
@@ -2201,6 +2200,8 @@ func (m model) transcriptView() string {
 	pickerOverlay := m.pickerOverlay(width)
 	viewportOverlay := ""
 	switch {
+	case helpOverlay != "":
+		viewportOverlay = helpOverlay
 	case providerOverlay != "":
 		viewportOverlay = providerOverlay
 	case mcpAddOverlay != "":
@@ -2262,6 +2263,11 @@ func (m model) twoColumnTranscriptView() string {
 	if m.transcriptEmpty() && !m.pending {
 		overlayForViewport = ""
 	}
+	// The `?` help overlay composites over the chat like the pickers — set it
+	// after the empty-transcript clear so a user-toggled overlay always shows.
+	if helpOverlay := m.keybindingHelpOverlay(width); helpOverlay != "" {
+		overlayForViewport = helpOverlay
+	}
 
 	header := m.pinnedTitleBar(width)
 	chatBlock := viewLines(m.scrollableTranscriptItemsView(header, bodyItems, footer, width, overlayForViewport))