diff --git a/turnstone/ui/static/app.js b/turnstone/ui/static/app.js
index cb891db4..559c650c 100644
--- a/turnstone/ui/static/app.js
+++ b/turnstone/ui/static/app.js
@@ -1908,8 +1908,6 @@ function closeSettingsPanel() {
   if (inner && inner.style.display !== "none") {
     cancelRevokeMcp();
   }
-  const overlay = document.getElementById("settings-overlay");
-  if (overlay) overlay.style.display = "none";
   if (_settingsTrap) {
     document.removeEventListener("keydown", _settingsTrap);
     _settingsTrap = null;
@@ -2153,7 +2151,6 @@ document.addEventListener("keydown", function (e) {
     "edit-title-overlay",
     "delete-ws-overlay",
     "ws-delete-overlay",
-    "settings-overlay",
     "revoke-mcp-overlay",
   ];
   for (let mi = 0; mi < modalIds.length; mi++) {
diff --git a/turnstone/ui/static/style.css b/turnstone/ui/static/style.css
index dabbf266..5f847654 100644
--- a/turnstone/ui/static/style.css
+++ b/turnstone/ui/static/style.css
@@ -2146,15 +2146,9 @@ audio.media-player {
 /* ==========================================================================
    Settings: MCP server connections
    ========================================================================== */
-#settings-overlay {
-  position: fixed;
-  inset: 0;
-  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  z-index: 1000;
-}
+/* (#settings-overlay — the old settings MODAL backdrop — retired: MCP connections
+   moved to the Manage > Connections pane, which provides its own container; the
+   #settings-mcp-* content rules below are reused live in that pane.) */
 #settings-mcp-loading,
 #settings-mcp-empty {
   color: var(--fg-dim);