diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_agent.py b/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_agent.py
index eecc931f..907e2215 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_agent.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_agent.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from backend.apps.agents.browser.browser_loop import (
     card_is_unavailable,
     completion_is_honest,
     deliverable_is_informational,
+    interstitial_dismiss_target,
     replay_recheck_is_safe,
     stagnation_exhausted,
 )
@@ -475,6 +476,7 @@ async def run_browser_agent(
     # auto candidate scan: aux-read results pages so pick-a-candidate happens in
     # the same turn as the landing, not a read-then-decide pair later
     auto_scanned_urls: set[str] = set()
+    dismissed_popup_urls: set[str] = set()  # interstitials auto-closed, once per URL
     auto_scan_count = 0
     llm_ms_total = 0
     out_tokens_total = 0  # sum of per-turn output tokens (the latency driver)
@@ -1435,6 +1437,29 @@ async def run_browser_agent(
                     # later solo re-list is still caught as redundant.
                     fresh_state_pending = True
 
+                # Auto-dismiss a blocking junk popup (cookie wall / upsell /
+                # coachmark) before it costs the model a turn. Mechanical, once
+                # per URL, only on the tight throwaway-dismiss vocabulary that
+                # never sits on a task-needed control, so it can't close anything
+                # required. After closing, re-list so the model sees the page beneath.
+                if tu.name in _AUTO_STATE_TOOLS and "error" not in result:
+                    _pop_url = (result.get("url") or last_seen_url or "").split("#")[0]
+                    if _pop_url and _pop_url not in dismissed_popup_urls:
+                        _close = interstitial_dismiss_target("\n".join(attached_state_seen))
+                        if _close:
+                            dismissed_popup_urls.add(_pop_url)
+                            _dres = await _cancellable(execute_browser_tool(
+                                "BrowserClickByName", {"name": _close}, browser_id, tab_id))
+                            _dok = isinstance(_dres, dict) and "error" not in _dres
+                            logger.info(f"[browser-popup {session_id}] auto-dismissed '{_close}' "
+                                        f"ok={_dok} on {_pop_url[:80]}")
+                            if _dok:
+                                _fresh = await _post_action_state(
+                                    "BrowserClickByName", {}, _dres or {}, browser_id, tab_id,
+                                    _wait_exec, current_next_goal, seen_lines=attached_state_seen)
+                                result["text"] = (f"{result.get('text') or ''}\n\n[auto] Closed a blocking "
+                                                  f"popup ('{_close}'); the page beneath is now active.{_fresh}")
+
                 # Auto candidate scan: landing on a results-shaped page normally
                 # costs a read-then-decide turn pair; the cheap aux model reads it
                 # now so the pick happens on this same turn. Capped, per-URL,
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_loop.py b/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_loop.py
index 9bfbdd4c..987c15fb 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_loop.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/browser/browser_loop.py
@@ -32,6 +32,41 @@ _LOOP_REPEAT_THRESHOLD = 2  # the SECOND identical (tool,input,result) is alread
 _LOOP_HARD_CAP = 5
 
 
+# Universal close-affordance vocabulary for blocking popups (cookie walls,
+# upsells, app-install nags, coachmarks). These phrases sit on a throwaway
+# dismiss and NEVER on a control a real task needs (you never "No thanks" your
+# way through a send), so a mechanical dismiss of one cannot close something the
+# task required. Deliberately omits generic "Close"/"Dismiss"/"Skip", which DO
+# appear on needed dialogs (e.g. "Close your conversation"). Keys on the pattern,
+# not any one site, so it generalizes.
+_DISMISS_NAMES = frozenset({
+    "no thanks", "no, thanks", "maybe later", "not now", "skip for now",
+    "remind me later", "got it", "decline", "no, maybe later", "not interested",
+})
+# never dismiss anything that smells like security or a real decision
+_DANGER_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"verif|confirm|2fa|password|sign|pay|delete|send|post|submit", re.I)
+_ROW_RE = re.compile(r'<\s*([a-z]+)\s+"([^"]*)"', re.I)  # matches a [i]<role "name"> row
+
+
+def interstitial_dismiss_target(interactives_text: str) -> str | None:
+    """The accessible name of an unambiguous junk-popup close control on the
+    page, or None. Conservative by construction: matches only throwaway-dismiss
+    vocabulary that never sits on a task-needed control, on a button/link, and
+    never anything with security/confirm/commit wording, so a mechanical dismiss
+    can never close a dialog the task actually required."""
+    for line in (interactives_text or "").splitlines():
+        m = _ROW_RE.search(line)
+        if not m:
+            continue
+        role, name = m.group(1).lower(), m.group(2).strip()
+        if role not in ("button", "link"):
+            continue
+        norm = re.sub(r"[^a-z, ]", "", name.lower()).strip()
+        if norm in _DISMISS_NAMES and not _DANGER_NAME_RE.search(name):
+            return name
+    return None
+
+
 def _hash_tool_call(tool_name: str, tool_input: dict, result: dict) -> tuple[str, str, str]:
     """Build a stable hash key for a tool call, including its result.
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_browser_agent_loop.py b/backend/tests/test_browser_agent_loop.py
index ccefdd30..bbcce019 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_browser_agent_loop.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_browser_agent_loop.py
@@ -1301,3 +1301,30 @@ def test_informational_gate_strips_outcome_boilerplate_on_tie_break():
     assert not deliverable_is_informational(short_action, "")
     listy = "Found these:\n- a\n- b\n- c"
     assert deliverable_is_informational(listy, "")
+
+
+def test_interstitial_dismiss_target_generalizable_and_safe():
+    from backend.apps.agents.browser.browser_loop import interstitial_dismiss_target
+    # a junk popup with a throwaway-dismiss control gets found (any site)
+    page = '\n'.join([
+        '[3]<button "Try Premium for free">',
+        '[4]<button "No thanks">',
+        '[9]<textbox "Write a message…">',
+    ])
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target(page) == "No thanks"
+    # cookie/upsell variants
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Maybe later">') == "Maybe later"
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Not now">') == "Not now"
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<link "Got it">') == "Got it"
+    # NEVER dismisses task-needed or security/commit controls
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Send">') is None
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Message">') is None
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Close your conversation with Tyler">') is None
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Confirm">') is None
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Verify your identity">') is None
+    # generic "Close"/"Dismiss"/"Skip" are NOT matched (they sit on needed dialogs)
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Close">') is None
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('[1]<button "Skip">') is None
+    # empty / no rows
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('') is None
+    assert interstitial_dismiss_target('just some text') is None