diff --git a/src/components/AppComponent.tsx b/src/components/AppComponent.tsx
index 2306275bc4..be2b3976ba 100644
--- a/src/components/AppComponent.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AppComponent.tsx
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ const useDisableLongPressToSelect = () => {
 }
 
 /** Cancel gesture if there is an active text selection, drag, modal, or sidebar. */
-const shouldCancelGesture = (): boolean =>
-  (selection.isActive() && !selection.isCollapsed()) ||
+const shouldCancelGesture = (x?: number, y?: number): boolean =>
+  (x && y && selection.isNear(x, y)) ||
   store.getState().dragInProgress ||
   !!store.getState().showModal ||
   store.getState().showSidebar
diff --git a/src/components/MultiGesture.tsx b/src/components/MultiGesture.tsx
index b8c0b52df3..ceabd6a738 100644
--- a/src/components/MultiGesture.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MultiGesture.tsx
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ type MultiGestureProps = PropsWithChildren<{
   // related: https://github.com/cybersemics/em/issues/1268
   minDistance?: number
   /** A hook that is called on touchstart if the user is in the gesture zone. If it returns true, the gesture is abandoned. Otherwise scrolling is disabled and a gesture may be entered. */
-  shouldCancelGesture?: () => boolean
+  shouldCancelGesture?: (x?: number, y?: number) => boolean
 }>
 
 const TOOLBAR_HEIGHT = 50
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class MultiGesture extends React.Component<MultiGestureProps> {
         const scrollZoneWidth = viewport.scrollZoneWidth
         const isInGestureZone =
           (this.leftHanded ? x > scrollZoneWidth : x < viewport.innerWidth - scrollZoneWidth) && y > TOOLBAR_HEIGHT
-        if (isInGestureZone && !props.shouldCancelGesture?.()) {
+        if (isInGestureZone && !props.shouldCancelGesture?.(x, y)) {
           this.disableScroll = true
         } else {
           this.abandon = true
diff --git a/src/device/selection.ts b/src/device/selection.ts
index 659fdbbb6e..4e4c672f6b 100644
--- a/src/device/selection.ts
+++ b/src/device/selection.ts
@@ -440,3 +440,29 @@ export const html = () => {
   const currentHtml = div.innerHTML
   return currentHtml
 }
+
+/** Returns the bounding rectangle for the current browser selection. */
+export const getBoundingClientRect = () => {
+  const selection = window.getSelection()
+
+  if (selection && selection.rangeCount) {
+    return selection.getRangeAt(0).getBoundingClientRect()
+  }
+
+  return null
+}
+
+/** Returns true if the point is within 100 pixels of the browser selection. */
+export const isNear = (x: number, y: number): boolean => {
+  if (!isActive() || isCollapsed()) return false
+
+  const rect = getBoundingClientRect()
+  if (!rect) return false
+
+  const left = rect.left - 100
+  const right = rect.right + 100
+  const top = rect.top - 100
+  const bottom = rect.bottom + 100
+
+  return x >= left && y >= top && x <= right && y <= bottom
+}
diff --git a/src/e2e/puppeteer/__tests__/gestures.ts b/src/e2e/puppeteer/__tests__/gestures.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d39936f1e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/e2e/puppeteer/__tests__/gestures.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { KnownDevices } from 'puppeteer'
+import { drawHorizontalLineGesture } from '../helpers/gesture'
+import paste from '../helpers/paste'
+import { page } from '../setup'
+
+vi.setConfig({ testTimeout: 20000, hookTimeout: 20000 })
+const iPhone = KnownDevices['iPhone 15 Pro']
+
+describe('gestures', () => {
+  it.skip('when starting a gesture, the command palette will open', async () => {
+    const cursor = 'Hello'
+    const importText = `
+    - ${cursor}`
+
+    await page.emulate(iPhone)
+    await paste(importText)
+
+    await drawHorizontalLineGesture()
+
+    // the command palette should open
+    const popupValue = await page.$('[data-testid=popup-value]')
+    expect(popupValue).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/e2e/puppeteer/helpers/gesture.ts b/src/e2e/puppeteer/helpers/gesture.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c9c1d362c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/e2e/puppeteer/helpers/gesture.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { page } from '../setup'
+
+/** Draw a gesture on the screen. */
+const gesture = async (points: { x: number; y: number }[], complete: boolean = true) => {
+  const start = points[0]
+
+  await page.touchscreen.touchStart(start.x, start.y)
+
+  for (let i = 1; i < points.length; i++) await page.touchscreen.touchMove(points[i].x, points[i].y)
+
+  if (complete) await page.touchscreen.touchEnd()
+}
+
+export default gesture
+
+/** Draw a horizontal line gesture at a certain y coordinate on the touch screen. */
+export const drawHorizontalLineGesture = (y: number = 100) =>
+  gesture(
+    [
+      { x: 100, y },
+      { x: 110, y },
+      { x: 120, y },
+      { x: 130, y },
+      { x: 140, y },
+      { x: 150, y },
+      { x: 160, y },
+      { x: 170, y },
+      { x: 180, y },
+      { x: 190, y },
+      { x: 200, y },
+      { x: 210, y },
+      { x: 220, y },
+      { x: 230, y },
+      { x: 240, y },
+      { x: 250, y },
+      { x: 260, y },
+      { x: 270, y },
+      { x: 280, y },
+      { x: 290, y },
+      { x: 300, y },
+    ],
+    false,
+  )