diff --git a/src/rendering/world_map.cpp b/src/rendering/world_map.cpp
index 138d39db..7ee4f43a 100644
--- a/src/rendering/world_map.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/world_map.cpp
@@ -842,45 +842,47 @@ void WorldMap::render(const glm::vec3& playerRenderPos, int screenWidth, int scr
 
     if (!zones.empty()) updateExploration(playerRenderPos);
 
-    if (open) {
-        if (input.isKeyJustPressed(SDL_SCANCODE_M) ||
-            input.isKeyJustPressed(SDL_SCANCODE_ESCAPE)) {
-            open = false;
-            return;
+    // game_screen owns the open/close toggle (via showWorldMap_ + TOGGLE_WORLD_MAP keybinding).
+    // render() is only called when showWorldMap_ is true, so treat each call as "should be open".
+    if (!open) {
+        // First time shown: load zones and navigate to player's location.
+        open = true;
+        if (zones.empty()) loadZonesFromDBC();
+
+        int bestContinent = findBestContinentForPlayer(playerRenderPos);
+        if (bestContinent >= 0 && bestContinent != continentIdx) {
+            continentIdx = bestContinent;
+            compositedIdx = -1;
         }
 
+        int playerZone = findZoneForPlayer(playerRenderPos);
+        if (playerZone >= 0 && continentIdx >= 0 &&
+            zoneBelongsToContinent(playerZone, continentIdx)) {
+            loadZoneTextures(playerZone);
+            requestComposite(playerZone);
+            currentIdx = playerZone;
+            viewLevel = ViewLevel::ZONE;
+        } else if (continentIdx >= 0) {
+            loadZoneTextures(continentIdx);
+            requestComposite(continentIdx);
+            currentIdx = continentIdx;
+            viewLevel = ViewLevel::CONTINENT;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // ESC closes the map; game_screen will sync showWorldMap_ via wm->isOpen() next frame.
+    if (input.isKeyJustPressed(SDL_SCANCODE_ESCAPE)) {
+        open = false;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    {
         auto& io = ImGui::GetIO();
         float wheelDelta = io.MouseWheel;
         if (std::abs(wheelDelta) < 0.001f)
             wheelDelta = input.getMouseWheelDelta();
         if (wheelDelta > 0.0f) zoomIn(playerRenderPos);
         else if (wheelDelta < 0.0f) zoomOut();
-    } else {
-        auto& io = ImGui::GetIO();
-        if (!io.WantCaptureKeyboard && input.isKeyJustPressed(SDL_SCANCODE_M)) {
-            open = true;
-            if (zones.empty()) loadZonesFromDBC();
-
-            int bestContinent = findBestContinentForPlayer(playerRenderPos);
-            if (bestContinent >= 0 && bestContinent != continentIdx) {
-                continentIdx = bestContinent;
-                compositedIdx = -1;
-            }
-
-            int playerZone = findZoneForPlayer(playerRenderPos);
-            if (playerZone >= 0 && continentIdx >= 0 &&
-                zoneBelongsToContinent(playerZone, continentIdx)) {
-                loadZoneTextures(playerZone);
-                requestComposite(playerZone);
-                currentIdx = playerZone;
-                viewLevel = ViewLevel::ZONE;
-            } else if (continentIdx >= 0) {
-                loadZoneTextures(continentIdx);
-                requestComposite(continentIdx);
-                currentIdx = continentIdx;
-                viewLevel = ViewLevel::CONTINENT;
-            }
-        }
     }
 
     if (!open) return;
diff --git a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
index 3a0194bc..4da386cb 100644
--- a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
@@ -2341,10 +2341,6 @@ void GameScreen::processTargetInput(game::GameHandler& gameHandler) {
             showTitlesWindow_ = !showTitlesWindow_;
         }
 
-        // Toggle Equipment Set Manager with ` (backtick / grave — unused in standard WoW)
-        if (input.isKeyJustPressed(SDL_SCANCODE_GRAVE) && !ImGui::GetIO().WantCaptureKeyboard) {
-            showEquipSetWindow_ = !showEquipSetWindow_;
-        }
 
         // Action bar keys (1-9, 0, -, =)
         static const SDL_Scancode actionBarKeys[] = {
@@ -6387,6 +6383,9 @@ void GameScreen::renderWorldMap(game::GameHandler& gameHandler) {
     int screenW = window ? window->getWidth() : 1280;
     int screenH = window ? window->getHeight() : 720;
     wm->render(playerPos, screenW, screenH);
+
+    // Sync showWorldMap_ if the map closed itself (e.g. ESC key inside the overlay).
+    if (!wm->isOpen()) showWorldMap_ = false;
 }
 
 // ============================================================
diff --git a/src/ui/keybinding_manager.cpp b/src/ui/keybinding_manager.cpp
index 5ac79927..fbe70e33 100644
--- a/src/ui/keybinding_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/keybinding_manager.cpp
@@ -22,15 +22,15 @@ void KeybindingManager::initializeDefaults() {
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_SPELLBOOK)] = ImGuiKey_P;  // WoW standard key
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_TALENTS)] = ImGuiKey_N;     // WoW standard key
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_QUESTS)] = ImGuiKey_L;
-    bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_MINIMAP)] = ImGuiKey_M;
+    bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_MINIMAP)] = ImGuiKey_None;  // minimap is always visible; no default toggle
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_SETTINGS)] = ImGuiKey_Escape;
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_CHAT)] = ImGuiKey_Enter;
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_GUILD_ROSTER)] = ImGuiKey_O;
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_DUNGEON_FINDER)] = ImGuiKey_J;  // Originally I, reassigned to avoid conflict
-    bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_WORLD_MAP)] = ImGuiKey_W;
+    bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_WORLD_MAP)] = ImGuiKey_M;  // WoW standard: M opens world map
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_NAMEPLATES)] = ImGuiKey_V;
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_RAID_FRAMES)] = ImGuiKey_F;  // Reassigned from R (now camera reset)
-    bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_QUEST_LOG)] = ImGuiKey_Q;
+    bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_QUEST_LOG)] = ImGuiKey_None;  // Q conflicts with strafe-left; quest log accessible via TOGGLE_QUESTS (L)
     bindings_[static_cast<int>(Action::TOGGLE_ACHIEVEMENTS)] = ImGuiKey_Y;  // WoW standard key (Shift+Y in retail)
 }