diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 8da7847..15c04a1 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 PROJECT_NAME=jama
 
 # Image version to run (set by build.sh, or use 'latest')
-JAMA_VERSION=0.9.12
+JAMA_VERSION=0.9.14
 
 # App port — the host port Docker maps to the container
 PORT=3000
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index f930b8a..8fd063f 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "jama-backend",
-  "version": "0.9.12",
+  "version": "0.9.14",
   "description": "TeamChat backend server",
   "main": "src/index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index f490be0..bc90722 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 set -euo pipefail
 
-VERSION="${1:-0.9.12}"
+VERSION="${1:-0.9.14}"
 ACTION="${2:-}"
 REGISTRY="${REGISTRY:-}"
 IMAGE_NAME="jama"
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index bebed99..9165d47 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "jama-frontend",
-  "version": "0.9.12",
+  "version": "0.9.14",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ImageLightbox.jsx b/frontend/src/components/ImageLightbox.jsx
index de843f0..24b63c1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ImageLightbox.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ImageLightbox.jsx
@@ -1,22 +1,27 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 
 export default function ImageLightbox({ src, onClose }) {
   const overlayRef = useRef(null);
-  const imgRef = useRef(null);
 
   // Close on Escape
   useEffect(() => {
     const handler = (e) => { if (e.key === 'Escape') onClose(); };
     window.addEventListener('keydown', handler);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handler);
+    // Prevent body scroll while open
+    document.body.style.overflow = 'hidden';
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener('keydown', handler);
+      document.body.style.overflow = '';
+    };
   }, [onClose]);
 
-  return (
+  return createPortal(
     <div
       ref={overlayRef}
       onClick={(e) => e.target === overlayRef.current && onClose()}
       style={{
-        position: 'fixed', inset: 0, zIndex: 2000,
+        position: 'fixed', inset: 0, zIndex: 9999,
         background: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.92)',
         display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
         touchAction: 'pinch-zoom',
@@ -30,8 +35,9 @@ export default function ImageLightbox({ src, onClose }) {
           background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.15)', border: 'none',
           borderRadius: '50%', width: 40, height: 40,
           display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
-          cursor: 'pointer', color: 'white', zIndex: 2001,
+          cursor: 'pointer', color: 'white', zIndex: 10000,
         }}
+        title="Close"
       >
         <svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2.5">
           <line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"/><line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"/>
@@ -47,7 +53,7 @@ export default function ImageLightbox({ src, onClose }) {
           background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.15)', border: 'none',
           borderRadius: '50%', width: 40, height: 40,
           display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
-          cursor: 'pointer', color: 'white', zIndex: 2001, textDecoration: 'none',
+          cursor: 'pointer', color: 'white', zIndex: 10000, textDecoration: 'none',
         }}
         title="Download"
       >
@@ -60,19 +66,20 @@ export default function ImageLightbox({ src, onClose }) {
 
       {/* Image — fit to screen, browser handles pinch-zoom natively */}
       <img
-        ref={imgRef}
         src={src}
         alt="Full size"
         style={{
-          maxWidth: '95vw',
-          maxHeight: '95vh',
+          maxWidth: '92vw',
+          maxHeight: '92vh',
           objectFit: 'contain',
           borderRadius: 8,
           userSelect: 'none',
           touchAction: 'pinch-zoom',
+          boxShadow: '0 8px 40px rgba(0,0,0,0.6)',
         }}
         onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
       />
-    </div>
+    </div>,
+    document.body
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Message.css b/frontend/src/components/Message.css
index 02654d9..aa59c8a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Message.css
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Message.css
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@
 .msg-bubble.emoji-only::after { display: none; }
 
 .msg-text.emoji-msg {
-  font-size: 48px;
+  font-size: 3em;
   line-height: 1.1;
   margin: 0;
   user-select: text;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/MessageInput.jsx b/frontend/src/components/MessageInput.jsx
index f43c00a..53e6637 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/MessageInput.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/MessageInput.jsx
@@ -166,10 +166,33 @@ export default function MessageInput({ group, replyTo, onCancelReply, onSend, on
     await onSend({ content: trimmed || null, imageFile, linkPreview: lp, emojiOnly });
   };
 
-  // Send a single emoji directly (from picker)
-  const handleEmojiSend = async (emoji) => {
+  // Insert emoji at cursor position in the textarea
+  const handleEmojiSelect = (emoji) => {
     setShowEmojiPicker(false);
-    await onSend({ content: emoji.native, imageFile: null, linkPreview: null, emojiOnly: true });
+    const el = inputRef.current;
+    const native = emoji.native;
+
+    if (el) {
+      const start = el.selectionStart ?? 0;
+      const end = el.selectionEnd ?? 0;
+      const newText = text.slice(0, start) + native + text.slice(end);
+      setText(newText);
+      // Restore focus and move cursor after the inserted emoji
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        el.focus();
+        const pos = start + native.length;
+        el.setSelectionRange(pos, pos);
+        // Resize textarea
+        el.style.height = 'auto';
+        const lineHeight = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(el).lineHeight);
+        const maxHeight = lineHeight * 5 + 20;
+        el.style.height = Math.min(el.scrollHeight, maxHeight) + 'px';
+        el.style.overflowY = el.scrollHeight > maxHeight ? 'auto' : 'hidden';
+      });
+    } else {
+      // No ref yet — just append
+      setText(prev => prev + native);
+    }
   };
 
   const compressImage = (file) => new Promise((resolve) => {
@@ -326,7 +349,7 @@ export default function MessageInput({ group, replyTo, onCancelReply, onSend, on
           <div className="emoji-input-picker" ref={emojiPickerRef}>
             <Picker
               data={data}
-              onEmojiSelect={handleEmojiSend}
+              onEmojiSelect={handleEmojiSelect}
               theme="light"
               previewPosition="none"
               skinTonePosition="none"