diff --git a/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.test.ts b/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.test.ts
index 66c45b6e8f..5ccfacc10f 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 // @vitest-environment happy-dom
 
 import { vi, describe, it, expect, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { type PointerEvent } from "react";
 
 import { waitFor } from "test-utils-rtl";
 import { type PanelImperativeHandle } from "@element-hq/web-shared-components";
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ import SettingsStore from "../../settings/SettingsStore";
 import { SettingLevel } from "../../settings/SettingLevel";
 import { CallStore } from "../../stores/CallStore";
 
+/** The pointer handlers only read where the pointer is, so that is all a test has to give them. */
+const pointerAt = (x: number, y: number) => ({ clientX: x, clientY: y }) as PointerEvent;
+
 describe("LeftPanelResizerViewModel", () => {
     afterEach(() => {
         localStorage.clear();
@@ -67,7 +71,7 @@ describe("LeftPanelResizerViewModel", () => {
         const vm = new ResizerViewModel(CallStore.instance);
         expect(() => {
             // Click
-            vm.onPointerDown();
+            vm.onPointerDown(pointerAt(100, 100));
             vm.onPointerUp();
         }).not.toThrow();
     });
@@ -86,13 +90,49 @@ describe("LeftPanelResizerViewModel", () => {
         vm.setPanelHandle(mockHandle);
 
         // Simulate drag
-        vm.onPointerDown();
-        vm.onPointerMove();
+        vm.onPointerDown(pointerAt(100, 100));
+        vm.onPointerMove(pointerAt(160, 100));
         vm.onPointerUp();
 
         expect(mockHandle.resize).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith("34%");
     });
 
+    it("should expand panel when a click wanders a little", () => {
+        const vm = new ResizerViewModel(CallStore.instance);
+        SettingsStore.setValue("RoomList.panelSize", null, SettingLevel.DEVICE, 34);
+        const mockHandle = {
+            resize: vi.fn(),
+            isCollapsed: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+            getSize: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(0),
+        } as unknown as PanelImperativeHandle;
+        vm.setPanelHandle(mockHandle);
+
+        // A trackpad rarely holds the pointer still between press and release.
+        vm.onPointerDown(pointerAt(100, 100));
+        vm.onPointerMove(pointerAt(101, 102));
+        vm.onPointerUp();
+
+        expect(mockHandle.resize).toHaveBeenCalledWith("34%");
+    });
+
+    it("should expand panel on a click that follows moving across the separator", () => {
+        const vm = new ResizerViewModel(CallStore.instance);
+        SettingsStore.setValue("RoomList.panelSize", null, SettingLevel.DEVICE, 34);
+        const mockHandle = {
+            resize: vi.fn(),
+            isCollapsed: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+            getSize: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(0),
+        } as unknown as PanelImperativeHandle;
+        vm.setPanelHandle(mockHandle);
+
+        // Pointer moves fire on hover too, with no button held.
+        vm.onPointerMove(pointerAt(300, 300));
+        vm.onPointerDown(pointerAt(100, 100));
+        vm.onPointerUp();
+
+        expect(mockHandle.resize).toHaveBeenCalledWith("34%");
+    });
+
     describe("should expand panel on double click when panel is collapsed", () => {
         it("to last non-zero width that the user set", () => {
             const vm = new ResizerViewModel(CallStore.instance);
@@ -104,7 +144,7 @@ describe("LeftPanelResizerViewModel", () => {
             } as unknown as PanelImperativeHandle;
             vm.setPanelHandle(mockHandle);
             // Simulate click
-            vm.onPointerDown();
+            vm.onPointerDown(pointerAt(100, 100));
             vm.onPointerUp();
             expect(mockHandle.resize).toHaveBeenCalledWith("34%");
         });
@@ -118,7 +158,7 @@ describe("LeftPanelResizerViewModel", () => {
             } as unknown as PanelImperativeHandle;
             vm.setPanelHandle(mockHandle);
             // Simulate click
-            vm.onPointerDown();
+            vm.onPointerDown(pointerAt(100, 100));
             vm.onPointerUp();
             expect(mockHandle.resize).toHaveBeenCalledWith("100%");
         });
diff --git a/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.ts b/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.ts
index cd85845003..bf41469236 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/viewmodels/structures/ResizerViewModel.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
     type ResizerViewSnapshot,
 } from "@element-hq/web-shared-components";
 import { debounce } from "lodash";
+import { type PointerEvent } from "react";
 
 import SettingsStore from "../../settings/SettingsStore";
 import { SettingLevel } from "../../settings/SettingLevel";
@@ -133,15 +134,22 @@ export class ResizerViewModel
         this.mouseClickHandler.onPointerUp();
     };
 
-    public onPointerMove = (): void => {
-        this.mouseClickHandler.onPointerMove();
+    public onPointerMove = (event: PointerEvent): void => {
+        this.mouseClickHandler.onPointerMove(event.clientX, event.clientY);
     };
 
-    public onPointerDown = (): void => {
-        this.mouseClickHandler.onPointerDown();
+    public onPointerDown = (event: PointerEvent): void => {
+        this.mouseClickHandler.onPointerDown(event.clientX, event.clientY);
     };
 }
 
+/**
+ * How far the pointer may travel between going down and coming up and still count as a click rather
+ * than a drag. A trackpad rarely holds a pointer perfectly still, and a separator that only opens on
+ * a pixel-perfect click reads as one that ignores clicks.
+ */
+const CLICK_TOLERANCE_PX = 5;
+
 /**
  * Dragging the separator will emit a click event.
  * This class uses pointer event handlers to distinguish between a drag and a click
@@ -150,17 +158,27 @@ export class ResizerViewModel
 class MouseClickHandler {
     public constructor(private readonly onClick: () => void) {}
 
+    /** Where the pointer went down, for as long as it is down. */
+    private origin: { x: number; y: number } | null = null;
     private isResize = false;
 
     public onPointerUp = (): void => {
+        this.origin = null;
         if (!this.isResize) this.onClick();
     };
 
-    public onPointerDown = (): void => {
+    public onPointerDown = (x: number, y: number): void => {
+        this.origin = { x, y };
         this.isResize = false;
     };
 
-    public onPointerMove = (): void => {
-        this.isResize = true;
+    public onPointerMove = (x: number, y: number): void => {
+        // Moving across the separator with no button held is not a drag, and must not be allowed to
+        // spend the next click.
+        if (!this.origin) return;
+
+        if (Math.abs(x - this.origin.x) > CLICK_TOLERANCE_PX || Math.abs(y - this.origin.y) > CLICK_TOLERANCE_PX) {
+            this.isResize = true;
+        }
     };
 }
diff --git a/packages/shared-components/src/resize/separator/SeparatorView.tsx b/packages/shared-components/src/resize/separator/SeparatorView.tsx
index 6f3169d1eb..ae45c58e90 100644
--- a/packages/shared-components/src/resize/separator/SeparatorView.tsx
+++ b/packages/shared-components/src/resize/separator/SeparatorView.tsx
@@ -23,14 +23,16 @@ export interface SeparatorViewActions {
     onPointerUp: () => void;
 
     /**
-     * onPointerMove handler for separator.
+     * onPointerMove handler for separator. Takes the event so that how far the pointer has travelled
+     * since it went down can be measured.
      */
-    onPointerMove: () => void;
+    onPointerMove: (event: React.PointerEvent) => void;
 
     /**
-     * onPointerDown handler for separator.
+     * onPointerDown handler for separator. Takes the event so that where the pointer went down can be
+     * measured from.
      */
-    onPointerDown: () => void;
+    onPointerDown: (event: React.PointerEvent) => void;
 
     /**
      * onDoubleClick handler for the separator.