diff --git a/src/client/InputHandler.ts b/src/client/InputHandler.ts
index 694e0e493..91a719dbe 100644
--- a/src/client/InputHandler.ts
+++ b/src/client/InputHandler.ts
@@ -451,10 +451,6 @@ export class InputHandler {
   }
 
   private onPointerDown(event: PointerEvent) {
-    if (this.uiState.overGhostControls) {
-      return;
-    }
-
     if (event.button === 1) {
       event.preventDefault();
       this.eventBus.emit(new AutoUpgradeEvent(event.clientX, event.clientY));
@@ -482,12 +478,6 @@ export class InputHandler {
   }
 
   onPointerUp(event: PointerEvent) {
-    if (this.uiState.overGhostControls) {
-      this.pointerDown = false;
-      this.pointers.clear();
-      return;
-    }
-
     if (event.button === 1) {
       event.preventDefault();
       return;
diff --git a/src/client/graphics/GameRenderer.ts b/src/client/graphics/GameRenderer.ts
index 3263251fd..cd6b1d31e 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/GameRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/graphics/GameRenderer.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ export function createRenderer(
     ghostStructure: null,
     rocketDirectionUp: true,
     lockedGhostTile: null,
-    overGhostControls: false,
   } as UIState;
 
   //hide when the game renders
diff --git a/src/client/graphics/UIState.ts b/src/client/graphics/UIState.ts
index 4350a7b1b..292532466 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/UIState.ts
+++ b/src/client/graphics/UIState.ts
@@ -6,5 +6,4 @@ export interface UIState {
   ghostStructure: UnitType | null;
   rocketDirectionUp: boolean;
   lockedGhostTile: TileRef | null;
-  overGhostControls: boolean;
 }
diff --git a/src/client/graphics/layers/StructureIconsLayer.ts b/src/client/graphics/layers/StructureIconsLayer.ts
index 7d7ae9503..441c86274 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/layers/StructureIconsLayer.ts
+++ b/src/client/graphics/layers/StructureIconsLayer.ts
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ export class StructureIconsLayer implements Layer {
   private renderSprites = true;
   private factory: SpriteFactory;
   private ghostControls: {
-    container: PIXI.Container;
-    confirm: PIXI.Graphics;
-    cancel: PIXI.Graphics;
-    flip: PIXI.Graphics;
+    container: HTMLDivElement;
+    confirm: HTMLButtonElement;
+    cancel: HTMLButtonElement;
+    flip: HTMLButtonElement;
   } | null = null;
   private readonly structures: Map<UnitType, { visible: boolean }> = new Map([
     [UnitType.City, { visible: true }],
@@ -603,91 +603,63 @@ export class StructureIconsLayer implements Layer {
   private ensureGhostControls() {
     if (this.ghostControls) return;
 
-    const container = new PIXI.Container();
-    this.ghostStage.addChild(container);
-
-    const buttonSize = 48;
-    const gap = 8;
-    const buttonRadius = 6;
+    const container = document.createElement("div");
+    // Fixed positioning keeps controls anchored to the viewport even if the page scrolls
+    container.style.position = "fixed";
+    container.style.display = "flex";
+    container.style.gap = "8px";
+    container.style.transform = "translate(-50%, 0)";
+    container.style.pointerEvents = "auto";
+    container.style.zIndex = "5";
 
     const makeButton = (
       label: string,
-      color: number,
-      x: number,
+      background: string,
       onClick: () => void,
-    ): PIXI.Graphics => {
-      const button = new PIXI.Graphics();
-      button.beginFill(color);
-      button.drawRoundedRect(0, 0, buttonSize, buttonSize, buttonRadius);
-      button.endFill();
-      button.x = x;
-      button.y = 0;
-      button.eventMode = "static";
-      button.cursor = "pointer";
-
-      // Add text label
-      const text = new PIXI.Text(label, {
-        fontFamily: "Arial",
-        fontSize: 24,
-        fontWeight: "bold",
-        fill: 0xffffff,
-      });
-      text.anchor.set(0.5);
-      text.x = buttonSize / 2;
-      text.y = buttonSize / 2;
-      button.addChild(text);
-
-      // Hover effects
-      button.on("pointerover", () => {
-        this.uiState.overGhostControls = true;
-        button.tint = 0xdddddd;
-      });
-      button.on("pointerout", () => {
-        this.uiState.overGhostControls = false;
-        button.tint = 0xffffff;
-      });
-      button.on("pointerdown", () => {
-        this.uiState.overGhostControls = true;
-        button.tint = 0xaaaaaa;
-      });
-      button.on("pointerup", () => {
-        this.uiState.overGhostControls = false;
-        button.tint = 0xffffff;
-      });
-
-      button.on("pointertap", (e) => {
-        e.stopPropagation();
-        this.uiState.overGhostControls = false;
-        onClick();
-      });
-
+    ): HTMLButtonElement => {
+      const button = document.createElement("button");
+      button.type = "button";
+      button.textContent = label;
+      button.style.minHeight = "48px";
+      button.style.minWidth = "48px";
+      button.style.padding = "8px 16px";
+      button.style.borderRadius = "6px";
+      button.style.border = "none";
+      button.style.fontWeight = "700";
+      button.style.fontSize = "13px";
+      button.style.color = "#ffffff";
+      button.style.background = background;
+      button.style.cursor = "pointer";
+      button.style.boxShadow = "0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.25)";
+      button.style.whiteSpace = "nowrap";
+      button.addEventListener("click", onClick);
       return button;
     };
 
-    const confirm = makeButton("✓", 0x2e7d32, 0, () => {
+    const confirm = makeButton("✓", "#2e7d32", () => {
       if (this.uiState.lockedGhostTile) {
         this.emitBuildIntent(this.uiState.lockedGhostTile);
       }
     });
 
-    const flip = makeButton("↕", 0x1565c0, buttonSize + gap, () => {
+    const flip = makeButton("↕", "#1565c0", () => {
       const next = !this.uiState.rocketDirectionUp;
       this.eventBus.emit(new SwapRocketDirectionEvent(next));
     });
 
-    const cancel = makeButton("✕", 0xb71c1c, (buttonSize + gap) * 2, () =>
+    const cancel = makeButton("✕", "#b71c1c", () =>
       this.removeGhostStructure(),
     );
 
-    container.addChild(confirm, flip, cancel);
+    container.append(confirm, flip, cancel);
+    document.body.appendChild(container);
 
     this.ghostControls = { container, confirm, cancel, flip };
   }
 
   private destroyGhostControls() {
     if (!this.ghostControls) return;
-    this.uiState.overGhostControls = false;
-    this.ghostControls.container.destroy({ children: true });
+    this.ghostControls.container.remove();
     this.ghostControls = null;
   }
 
@@ -713,13 +685,9 @@ export class StructureIconsLayer implements Layer {
       0.75,
       Math.min(1.4, this.transformHandler.scale / 2),
     );
-
-    // Position PIXI container in world coordinates
-    const buttonWidth = 48;
-    const totalWidth = buttonWidth * 3 + 8 * 2; // 3 buttons + 2 gaps
-    this.ghostControls!.container.x = localX - totalWidth / 2;
-    this.ghostControls!.container.y = localY + offsetY;
-    this.ghostControls!.container.scale.set(scale);
+    this.ghostControls!.container.style.left = `${rect.left + localX}px`;
+    this.ghostControls!.container.style.top = `${rect.top + localY + offsetY}px`;
+    this.ghostControls!.container.style.transform = `translate(-50%, 0) scale(${scale})`;
   }
 
   private resolveGhostRangeLevel(
diff --git a/tests/InputHandler.test.ts b/tests/InputHandler.test.ts
index 779634a73..27ea31878 100644
--- a/tests/InputHandler.test.ts
+++ b/tests/InputHandler.test.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ describe("InputHandler AutoUpgrade", () => {
         ghostStructure: null,
         rocketDirectionUp: true,
         lockedGhostTile: null,
-        overGhostControls: false,
       },
       mockCanvas,
       eventBus,