diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1103b8e..c5179d4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 CC = clang
 TARGET = clayterm.wasm
 SRC = src/module.c
+CLAY_PATCH = patches/clay-disable-debug-tools.patch
 
 CFLAGS = --target=wasm32 -nostdlib -O2 \
          -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections \
          -mbulk-memory \
          -DCLAY_IMPLEMENTATION -DCLAY_WASM \
+         -DCLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS \
          -Isrc -I.
 
 EXPORTS = \
@@ -46,7 +48,13 @@ all: $(TARGET) wasm.ts
 
 DEPS = $(wildcard src/*.c src/*.h)
 
-$(TARGET): $(DEPS)
+# Gate out Clay's unused debug-tools UI (upstream-compatible #ifndef guards),
+# opted in via -DCLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS. Idempotent (skips if the guard is
+# already present) and verified (fails the build if it didn't apply).
+# Drop once Clay ships the flag upstream.
+$(TARGET): $(DEPS) $(CLAY_PATCH)
+	@grep -q CLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS clay/clay.h || git -C clay apply ../$(CLAY_PATCH)
+	@grep -q CLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS clay/clay.h || { echo "ERROR: failed to apply $(CLAY_PATCH) to clay/clay.h" >&2; exit 1; }
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(SRC)
 
 wasm.ts: $(TARGET)
@@ -54,5 +62,6 @@ wasm.ts: $(TARGET)
 
 clean:
 	rm -f $(TARGET) wasm.ts
+	-git -C clay checkout -- clay.h
 
 .PHONY: all clean
diff --git a/patches/clay-disable-debug-tools.patch b/patches/clay-disable-debug-tools.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d341fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/clay-disable-debug-tools.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+diff --git a/clay.h b/clay.h
+index 80d8393..8bf723b 100644
+--- a/clay.h
++++ b/clay.h
+@@ -3145,6 +3145,7 @@ CLAY_DLL_EXPORT Clay_ElementIdArray Clay_GetPointerOverIds(void) {
+     return Clay_GetCurrentContext()->pointerOverIds;
+ }
+ 
++#ifndef CLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS
+ #pragma region DebugTools
+ Clay_Color CLAY__DEBUGVIEW_COLOR_1 = {58, 56, 52, 255};
+ Clay_Color CLAY__DEBUGVIEW_COLOR_2 = {62, 60, 58, 255};
+@@ -3842,6 +3843,7 @@ void Clay__RenderDebugView(void) {
+     }
+ }
+ #pragma endregion
++#endif // CLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS
+ 
+ uint32_t Clay__debugViewWidth = 400;
+ Clay_Color Clay__debugViewHighlightColor = { 168, 66, 28, 100 };
+@@ -4237,11 +4239,13 @@ Clay_RenderCommandArray Clay_EndLayout(void) {
+     Clay_Context* context = Clay_GetCurrentContext();
+     Clay__CloseElement();
+     bool elementsExceededBeforeDebugView = context->booleanWarnings.maxElementsExceeded;
++#ifndef CLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS
+     if (context->debugModeEnabled && !elementsExceededBeforeDebugView) {
+         context->warningsEnabled = false;
+         Clay__RenderDebugView();
+         context->warningsEnabled = true;
+     }
++#endif // CLAY_DISABLE_DEBUG_TOOLS
+     if (context->booleanWarnings.maxElementsExceeded) {
+         Clay_String message;
+         if (!elementsExceededBeforeDebugView) {