diff --git a/extension.js b/extension.js
index 81d5e0f..839891c 100644
--- a/extension.js
+++ b/extension.js
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
       this,
     );
 
+    this._showSession = {};
+    this._hiding = false;
+    this._visible = false;
+
     this.mainContainer = new SearchLight();
     this.mainContainer._delegate = this;
     this.container = new St.BoxLayout({
@@ -169,9 +173,9 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
     this._animationSpeed = this._settings.get_double('animation-speed');
 
     Main.overview.connectObject(
-      'overview-showing',
+      'showing',
       this._onOverviewShowing.bind(this),
-      'overview-hidden',
+      'hidden',
       this._onOverviewHidden.bind(this),
       this,
     );
@@ -186,7 +190,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
       'window-created',
       (display, win) => {
         if (this._visible) {
-          this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
+          this._deferHide();
         }
       },
       this,
@@ -218,6 +222,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
     this._updateProviders();
     this._updateWindowEffect();
     this._updateBlurredBackground();
+    this._ensureHidden();
   }
 
   disable() {
@@ -264,6 +269,13 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
       this._background = null;
     }
 
+    this._hideClickCatcher();
+
+    if (this._clickCatcher) {
+      this._clickCatcher.destroy();
+      this._clickCatcher = null;
+    }
+
     Main.layoutManager.removeChrome(this.mainContainer);
     this.mainContainer = null;
   }
@@ -281,7 +293,10 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
     this._indicator.set_child(icon);
     this._indicator.connectObject(
       'button-press-event',
-      this._toggle_search_light.bind(this),
+      () => {
+        this._defer(() => this._toggle_search_light());
+        return Clutter.EVENT_STOP;
+      },
       this,
     );
     try {
@@ -410,11 +425,16 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
     let background = new St.Widget({
       name: 'searchLightBlurredBackground',
       layout_manager: new Clutter.BinLayout(),
+      reactive: true,
       x: 0,
       y: 0,
       width: 20,
       height: 20,
     });
+    background.connect('button-press-event', () => {
+      this._deferHide();
+      return Clutter.EVENT_STOP;
+    });
 
     // let image = new St.Widget({
     //   name: 'searchLightBlurredBackgroundImage',
@@ -455,8 +475,10 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
 
     global.compositor.disable_unredirect();
 
+    this._restoreInputCapture();
     this.mainContainer.show();
     this.container.show();
+    this._showClickCatcher();
     this._add_events();
 
     // fixes the background size relative to text - after adjusting font size
@@ -488,35 +510,87 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
   }
 
   hide() {
-    if (this._isDraggingIcon()) {
+    if (this._hiding || this._isDraggingIcon()) {
       return;
     }
 
-    this._release_ui();
+    this._hiding = true;
+    try {
+      if (this._animSeq) {
+        this._hiTimer.cancel(this._animSeq);
+        this._animSeq = null;
+      }
+
+      this._release_ui();
+      this._releaseInputCapture();
+
+      if (this._useAnimations) {
+        this.mainContainer.ease({
+          opacity: 0,
+          scale_x: 0.9,
+          scale_y: 0.9,
+          translation_x: (this.width * 0.1) / 2,
+          translation_y: (this.height * 0.1) / 2,
+          duration: this._animationSpeed,
+          mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT,
+          onComplete: () => {
+            this._finishHide();
+          },
+        });
+      } else {
+        this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
+        this._finishHide();
+      }
+    } finally {
+      this._hiding = false;
+    }
+    // this._hidePopups();
+  }
+
+  _finishHide() {
+    this._visible = false;
+    if (this.mainContainer) {
+      this.mainContainer.hide();
+    }
+    global.compositor.enable_unredirect();
+    this._ensureHidden();
+  }
+
+  _releaseInputCapture() {
+    this._hideClickCatcher();
     this._remove_events();
 
-    if (this._useAnimations) {
-      this.mainContainer.ease({
-        opacity: 0,
-        scale_x: 0.9,
-        scale_y: 0.9,
-        translation_x: (this.width * 0.1) / 2,
-        translation_y: (this.height * 0.1) / 2,
-        duration: this._animationSpeed,
-        mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT,
-        onComplete: () => {
-          this._visible = false;
-          this.mainContainer.hide();
-          global.compositor.enable_unredirect();
-        },
-      });
-    } else {
+    if (this.container) {
+      this.container.reactive = false;
+      this.container.track_hover = false;
+    }
+
+    if (this._background) {
+      this._background.reactive = false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  _restoreInputCapture() {
+    if (this.container) {
+      this.container.reactive = true;
+      this.container.track_hover = true;
+    }
+
+    if (this._background) {
+      this._background.reactive = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  _ensureHidden() {
+    this._visible = false;
+    this._hideClickCatcher();
+    this._remove_events();
+    this._releaseInputCapture();
+
+    if (this.mainContainer) {
       this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
-      this._visible = false;
       this.mainContainer.hide();
-      global.compositor.enable_unredirect();
     }
-    // this._hidePopups();
   }
 
   _isDraggingIcon() {
@@ -691,7 +765,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
       Main.overview._hide = Main.overview.hide;
     }
     Main.overview.hide = () => {
-      this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
+      this._deferHide();
       Main.overview._hide();
     };
 
@@ -714,8 +788,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
         this._searchResults.activateDefault;
     }
     this._searchResults.activateDefault = () => {
-      // hide window immediately when activated
-      this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
+      this._deferHide();
       this._searchResults._activateDefault();
     };
 
@@ -751,6 +824,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
 
   _release_ui() {
     if (this._entry) {
+      this._entry.hide();
       if (this._entry.get_parent()) {
         this._entry.get_parent().remove_child(this._entry);
       }
@@ -909,25 +983,97 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
     this._style.build('custom-search-light', styles);
   }
 
-  _toggle_search_light() {
-    if (this._inOverview) return;
-    if (!this._visible) {
-      this.show();
-      if (this._entry) {
-        global.stage.set_key_focus(this._entry);
+  _defer(callback) {
+    GLib.idle_add(GLib.PRIORITY_DEFAULT_IDLE, () => {
+      if (!this.mainContainer) {
+        return GLib.SOURCE_REMOVE;
       }
-    } else {
-      global.stage.set_key_focus(null);
+      callback();
+      return GLib.SOURCE_REMOVE;
+    });
+  }
+
+  _deferHide() {
+    this._defer(() => this.hide());
+  }
+
+  _setupClickCatcher() {
+    if (this._clickCatcher) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this._clickCatcher = new St.Widget({
+      name: 'searchLightClickCatcher',
+      reactive: true,
+      can_focus: false,
+    });
+    this._clickCatcher.connect('button-press-event', () => {
+      this._deferHide();
+      return Clutter.EVENT_STOP;
+    });
+  }
+
+  _showClickCatcher() {
+    this._setupClickCatcher();
+    this._queryDisplay();
+    if (!this.monitor) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this._clickCatcher.set_position(this.monitor.x, this.monitor.y);
+    this._clickCatcher.set_size(this.monitor.width, this.monitor.height);
+    this._clickCatcher.reactive = true;
+
+    if (!this._clickCatcher.get_parent()) {
+      Main.layoutManager.addChrome(this._clickCatcher, {
+        affectsStruts: false,
+        trackFullscreen: false,
+      });
+      Main.layoutManager.uiGroup.set_child_below_sibling(
+        this._clickCatcher,
+        this.mainContainer,
+      );
+    }
+
+    this._clickCatcher.show();
+  }
+
+  _hideClickCatcher() {
+    if (!this._clickCatcher) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this._clickCatcher.reactive = false;
+    this._clickCatcher.hide();
+
+    if (this._clickCatcher.get_parent()) {
+      Main.layoutManager.removeChrome(this._clickCatcher);
     }
   }
 
+  _toggle_search_light() {
+    this._defer(() => {
+      if (this._inOverview) {
+        return;
+      }
+      if (!this._visible) {
+        this.show();
+        if (this._entry) {
+          global.stage.set_key_focus(this._entry);
+        }
+      } else {
+        global.stage.set_key_focus(null);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   _add_events() {
     global.stage.connectObject(
       'notify::key-focus',
       this._onKeyFocusChanged.bind(this),
       'key-press-event',
       this._onKeyPressed.bind(this),
-      this,
+      this._showSession,
     );
 
     global.display.connectObject(
@@ -935,15 +1081,13 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
       this._onFocusWindow.bind(this),
       'in-fullscreen-changed',
       this._onFullScreen.bind(this),
-      this,
+      this._showSession,
     );
   }
 
   _remove_events() {
-    global.display.disconnectObject(this);
-    global.stage.disconnectObject(this);
-    Main.overview.disconnectObject(this);
-    Shell.AppSystem.get_default().disconnectObject(this);
+    global.display.disconnectObject(this._showSession);
+    global.stage.disconnectObject(this._showSession);
   }
 
   _onOverviewShowing() {
@@ -957,7 +1101,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
   _onAppStateChanged(st) {
     this._lastAppState = st;
     if (this._visible) {
-      this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
+      this._deferHide();
     }
   }
 
@@ -1009,7 +1153,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
         this._hidePopups();
       }
 
-      this.hide();
+      this._deferHide();
     }
 
     // hide window immediately when activated
@@ -1017,7 +1161,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
       if (!focus._activate) {
         focus._activate = focus.activate;
         focus.activate = () => {
-          this.mainContainer.opacity = 0;
+          this._deferHide();
           focus._activate();
         };
       }
@@ -1029,7 +1173,7 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
     let focus = global.stage.get_key_focus();
     if (!focus || !this._entry.contains(focus)) {
       if (evt.get_key_symbol() === Clutter.KEY_Escape) {
-        this.hide();
+        this._deferHide();
         return Clutter.EVENT_STOP;
       }
       this._search._text.get_parent().grab_key_focus();
@@ -1039,6 +1183,6 @@ export default class SearchLightExt extends Extension {
   }
 
   _onFullScreen() {
-    this.hide();
+    this._deferHide();
   }
 }