diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index cd566720d498..a854376bfce9 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -5177,7 +5177,7 @@ fn hover(cx: &mut Context) {
                 // skip if contents empty
 
                 let contents = ui::Markdown::new(contents, editor.syn_loader.clone());
-                let popup = Popup::new("documentation", contents);
+                let popup = Popup::new("documentation", contents).auto_close(true);
                 if let Some(doc_popup) = compositor.find_id("documentation") {
                     *doc_popup = popup;
                 } else {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs
index 0183918ea84a..1174eae085b0 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ pub struct Popup<T: Component> {
     size: (u16, u16),
     child_size: (u16, u16),
     scroll: usize,
+    auto_close: bool,
     id: &'static str,
 }
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ impl<T: Component> Popup<T> {
             size: (0, 0),
             child_size: (0, 0),
             scroll: 0,
+            auto_close: false,
             id,
         }
     }
@@ -36,6 +38,11 @@ impl<T: Component> Popup<T> {
         self.position = pos;
     }
 
+    pub fn auto_close(mut self, auto_close: bool) -> Self {
+        self.auto_close = auto_close;
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn get_rel_position(&mut self, viewport: Rect, cx: &Context) -> (u16, u16) {
         let position = self
             .position
@@ -119,11 +126,13 @@ impl<T: Component> Component for Popup<T> {
             _ => {
                 let contents_event_result = self.contents.handle_event(event, cx);
 
-                if let EventResult::Ignored(None) = contents_event_result {
-                    EventResult::Ignored(Some(close_fn))
-                } else {
-                    contents_event_result
+                if self.auto_close {
+                    if let EventResult::Ignored(None) = contents_event_result {
+                        return EventResult::Ignored(Some(close_fn));
+                    }
                 }
+
+                contents_event_result
             }
         }
         // for some events, we want to process them but send ignore, specifically all input except