diff --git a/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/view/ui-editor/components/InputSidebar.tsx b/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/view/ui-editor/components/InputSidebar.tsx
index 1734f1085..a6a28fafd 100644
--- a/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/view/ui-editor/components/InputSidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/view/ui-editor/components/InputSidebar.tsx
@@ -91,7 +91,10 @@ export function InputSidebar({ input }: { input: UiEditorInputProjection }) {
             // the highlight before it can be painted. Only mutate selection
             // state when the target actually differs from the current one.
             const sameNode = input.selectedNodeId === nodeId;
-            if (!sameNode) input.selectNode(nodeId);
+            if (!sameNode) {
+              input.selectDesignImage(_treeId);
+              input.selectNode(nodeId);
+            }
           }}
           onToggleNodeVisibility={(nodeId) =>
             input.toggleNodePreviewVisibility(nodeId)