diff --git a/apps/hq-web/src/Layout.tsx b/apps/hq-web/src/Layout.tsx
index 2a9edf9..1bda7d6 100644
--- a/apps/hq-web/src/Layout.tsx
+++ b/apps/hq-web/src/Layout.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import { Navigate, NavLink, Outlet, useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
-import { LogOut, Menu, Search } from 'lucide-react'
+import { LogOut, Menu, Search, UserRound } from 'lucide-react'
 import {
   avatarColors, Badge, CommandPalette, initials, ThemeSwitcher, type PaletteItem,
 } from '@sims/ui'
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ export function Layout() {
   const [queueCounts, setQueueCounts] = useState({ queued: 0, failed: 0 })
   const [healthy, setHealthy] = useState<boolean | undefined>()
   const [menuOpen, setMenuOpen] = useState(false)
+  const [userOpen, setUserOpen] = useState(false)
+  const userRef = useRef<HTMLSpanElement>(null)
   const [paletteOpen, setPaletteOpen] = useState(false)
   const [clientHits, setClientHits] = useState<PaletteItem[]>([])
   const queryTimer = useRef<number | undefined>(undefined)
@@ -40,8 +42,20 @@ export function Layout() {
       .catch(() => { /* badge is best-effort */ })
   }, [location.pathname])
 
-  // Close the mobile drawer when the route changes.
-  useEffect(() => { setMenuOpen(false) }, [location.pathname])
+  // Close the mobile drawer and the user menu when the route changes.
+  useEffect(() => { setMenuOpen(false); setUserOpen(false) }, [location.pathname])
+
+  // User menu dismissal: outside click or Escape.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!userOpen) return
+    const onDown = (e: MouseEvent) => {
+      if (userRef.current !== null && !userRef.current.contains(e.target as Node)) setUserOpen(false)
+    }
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => { if (e.key === 'Escape') setUserOpen(false) }
+    document.addEventListener('mousedown', onDown)
+    document.addEventListener('keydown', onKey)
+    return () => { document.removeEventListener('mousedown', onDown); document.removeEventListener('keydown', onKey) }
+  }, [userOpen])
 
   // Cancel any pending palette query on unmount.
   useEffect(() => () => window.clearTimeout(queryTimer.current), [])
@@ -164,18 +178,28 @@ export function Layout() {
             </span>
           )}
           <ThemeSwitcher />
-          {/* D18 WS-E: the user chip opens the self-service profile. */}
-          <NavLink to="/profile" className="hq-user" title="My profile" style={{ textDecoration: 'none', color: 'inherit' }}>
-            <span className="hq-user-av" style={{ background: av.bg, color: av.fg }}>{initials(name)}</span>
-            <span className="hq-user-name">{name}</span>
-            <Badge>{role()}</Badge>
-          </NavLink>
-          <button
-            type="button" className="wf" title="Logout" aria-label="Logout"
-            onClick={() => { clearSession(); nav('/login') }}
-          >
-            <LogOut size={14} />
-          </button>
+          {/* D18 WS-E: the user chip opens a small menu — Profile / Logout. */}
+          <span className="hq-user-wrap" ref={userRef}>
+            <button
+              type="button" className="hq-user" title="Account"
+              aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded={userOpen}
+              onClick={() => setUserOpen((v) => !v)}
+            >
+              <span className="hq-user-av" style={{ background: av.bg, color: av.fg }}>{initials(name)}</span>
+              <span className="hq-user-name">{name}</span>
+              <Badge>{role()}</Badge>
+            </button>
+            {userOpen && (
+              <div className="hq-user-menu" role="menu">
+                <button type="button" role="menuitem" className="hq-user-item" onClick={() => { setUserOpen(false); nav('/profile') }}>
+                  <UserRound size={14} aria-hidden /> Profile
+                </button>
+                <button type="button" role="menuitem" className="hq-user-item" onClick={() => { setUserOpen(false); clearSession(); nav('/login') }}>
+                  <LogOut size={14} aria-hidden /> Logout
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </span>
         </header>
         <div className="hq-content">
           <Outlet />
diff --git a/apps/hq-web/src/app.css b/apps/hq-web/src/app.css
index adcc68d..4ab0136 100644
--- a/apps/hq-web/src/app.css
+++ b/apps/hq-web/src/app.css
@@ -66,7 +66,27 @@
 }
 .hq-pill.ok { color: var(--ok); background: var(--ok-soft); border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--ok) 25%, transparent); }
 .hq-pill.warn { color: var(--warn); background: var(--warn-soft); border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--warn) 25%, transparent); }
-.hq-user { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; }
+.hq-user-wrap { position: relative; display: inline-flex; }
+.hq-user {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;
+  background: none; border: 1px solid transparent; border-radius: 999px;
+  padding: 3px 8px 3px 4px; cursor: pointer; font: inherit; color: inherit;
+}
+.hq-user:hover, .hq-user[aria-expanded='true'] { background: var(--bg-hover); border-color: var(--border); }
+.hq-user-menu {
+  position: absolute; top: calc(100% + 6px); right: 0; z-index: 60;
+  min-width: 150px; padding: 4px;
+  background: var(--bg-raised); border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: var(--radius); box-shadow: var(--shadow-lg);
+  display: flex; flex-direction: column;
+}
+.hq-user-item {
+  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;
+  background: none; border: none; border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  padding: 7px 10px; font: 500 13px var(--font); color: var(--text);
+  cursor: pointer; text-align: left;
+}
+.hq-user-item:hover { background: var(--bg-hover); }
 .hq-user-av {
   width: 26px; height: 26px; border-radius: 50%;
   display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;