diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index 49098918..d9dbdb54 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -2160,6 +2160,8 @@ EX void menuitem_sightrange_style(key_type c IS('c')) {
     c
     );
   dialog::add_action_push([] {
+    cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+    emptyscreen();
     dialog::init(XLAT("draw range based on"));
     dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("draw range based on distance"), vid.use_smart_range == 0, 'd');
     dialog::add_action([] () { vid.use_smart_range = 0; popScreen(); edit_sightrange(); });
@@ -3886,6 +3888,8 @@ EX void show_color_dialog() {
 
 #if CAP_CONFIG
 EX void resetConfigMenu() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT("reset all configuration"));
   dialog::addInfo("Are you sure?");
   dialog::addItem("yes, and delete the config file", 'd');
diff --git a/menus.cpp b/menus.cpp
index 099693c5..fef57221 100644
--- a/menus.cpp
+++ b/menus.cpp
@@ -1193,6 +1193,7 @@ EX named_functionality get_o_key() {
   if(isize(res) == 1) return res[0];
   
   return named_dialog(res[0].first + "/...", [res] {
+    cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
     emptyscreen();
     dialog::init();
     char id = 'o';
diff --git a/rogueviz/ads/hiscore.cpp b/rogueviz/ads/hiscore.cpp
index a784c403..45cdf6c8 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ads/hiscore.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ads/hiscore.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ void load_hiscores() {
 int hi_sort_by = 3;
 
 void hiscore_menu() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
   emptyscreen();
   dialog::init("High scores");
   fill_gamedata();
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ void hiscore_menu() {
   for(auto ad: v) {
     dialog::addSelItem(ad->myname + " (" + ad->deathreason + ")", main_rock ? fts(getval(ad)) : its(getval(ad)), dialog::list_fake_key++);
     dialog::add_action_push([ad] {
+      cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
       emptyscreen();
       dialog::init(ad->myname);
       if(!main_rock) {
diff --git a/rogueviz/bringris.cpp b/rogueviz/bringris.cpp
index 1f4ed842..dfc4306b 100644
--- a/rogueviz/bringris.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/bringris.cpp
@@ -1282,6 +1282,8 @@ void create_game();
 
 void geometry_menu() {
   clearMessages();
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init("Bringris geometries");
   dialog::addBreak(100);
   int total_stars = 0;
@@ -1398,6 +1400,7 @@ void visual_menu() {
   }
   
 void settings_menu() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
   emptyscreen();
   dialog::init("Bringris settings");
   dialog::addItem("alternative geometry", 'g');
@@ -1429,6 +1432,7 @@ void settings_menu() {
 bool hi_pro;
 
 void hiscore_menu() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
   emptyscreen();
   dialog::init("High scores");
   string s = bgeoms[bgeom].name;
@@ -1445,6 +1449,7 @@ void hiscore_menu() {
   for(auto ad: v) {
     dialog::addSelItem(ad->myname, hi_pro ? fts(ad->score) : its(ad->completed), dialog::list_fake_key++);
     dialog::add_action_push([ad] {
+      cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
       emptyscreen();
       dialog::init();
       if(hi_pro) dialog::addSelItem("score", fts(ad->score), 's');
diff --git a/rogueviz/nilrider/nilrider.cpp b/rogueviz/nilrider/nilrider.cpp
index bab50345..d1ca1895 100644
--- a/rogueviz/nilrider/nilrider.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/nilrider/nilrider.cpp
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ void toggle_replay() {
 
 void run() {
   cmode = sm::PANNING | sm::NORMAL;
+  emptyscreen();
   clearMessages();
   dialog::init();
   if(view_replay && !paused) {
@@ -333,6 +334,8 @@ string fname = "horizontal.nrl";
 ld total_stars = 0;
 
 void pick_level() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT("select the track"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
   ld cur_stars = 0;
   for(auto l: all_levels) {
@@ -385,6 +388,8 @@ void pick_level() {
 
 void layer_selection_screen() {
   poly_outline = 0xFF;
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT("layer selection"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
   dialog::addBreak(50);
   auto layers = curlev->gen_layer_list();
@@ -399,6 +404,8 @@ void layer_selection_screen() {
 
 void pick_game() {
   clearMessages();
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init();
   poly_outline = 0xFF;
   dialog::addBigItem(curlev->name, 't');
@@ -449,6 +456,8 @@ void nil_set_perspective() {
   }
 
 void nil_projection() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT("projection of Nil"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
   dialog::addBoolItem("geodesics", pmodel == mdGeodesic, 'g');
   dialog::add_action([] { popScreen(); nil_set_geodesic(); });
@@ -463,6 +472,8 @@ void nil_projection() {
   }
 
 void settings() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT("settings"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
   add_edit(aimspeed_key_x);
   add_edit(aimspeed_key_y);
@@ -519,6 +530,8 @@ template<class T, class U, class V> void replays_of_type(vector<T>& v, const U&
     dialog::addItem(r.name, 'a');
     dialog::add_action([&v, i, loader, ghost_loader] {
       pushScreen([&v, i, loader, ghost_loader] {
+        cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+        emptyscreen();
         dialog::init(XLAT(planning_mode ? "saved plan" : "replay"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
         dialog::addInfo(v[i].name);
 
@@ -554,6 +567,8 @@ template<class T, class U, class V> void replays_of_type(vector<T>& v, const U&
 #if CAP_SAVE
 
 void replays() {
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT(planning_mode ? "saved plans" : "replays"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
   if(!planning_mode) replays_of_type(curlev->manual_replays, [] (manual_replay& r) {
     view_replay = false;
@@ -651,7 +666,9 @@ void help_instruments() {
 
 void main_menu() {
   clearMessages();
+  cmode = sm::VR_MENU;
   poly_outline = 0xFF;
+  emptyscreen();
   dialog::init(XLAT("Nil Rider"), 0xC0C0FFFF, 150, 100);
 
   dialog::addItem("continue", 'c');