--- master.js	2026-11-09 14:51:03.930696542 +0000
+++ patched.js	2026-11-09 14:51:04.010697259 +0000
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     this.$blocker = null;
     if (this.options.closeExisting)
       while ($.modal.isActive())
-        $.modal.close(); // Close any open modals.
+        getCurrent().close(true); // Close any open modals, ignoring cancellations.
     modals.push(this);
     if (el.is('a')) {
       target = el.attr('href');
@@ -104,7 +104,14 @@
         });
     },
 
-    close: function() {
+    close: function(force) {
+      // Give listeners a chance to cancel the close before anything is torn
+      // down. A handler can return false or call event.preventDefault().
+      if (!force) {
+        var ev = $.Event($.modal.BEFORE_CLOSE);
+        this.$elm.trigger(ev, [this._ctx()]);
+        if (ev.isDefaultPrevented()) return false;
+      }
       modals.pop();
       this.unblock();
       this.hide();
@@ -152,7 +159,6 @@
     },
 
     hide: function() {
-      this.$elm.trigger($.modal.BEFORE_CLOSE, [this._ctx()]);
       if (this.closeButton) this.closeButton.remove();
       var _this = this;
       if(this.options.doFade) {
@@ -165,6 +171,7 @@
         });
       }
       this.$elm.trigger($.modal.CLOSE, [this._ctx()]);
+      return true;
     },
 
     showSpinner: function() {
@@ -189,7 +196,8 @@
     if (!$.modal.isActive()) return;
     if (event) event.preventDefault();
     var current = getCurrent();
-    current.close();
+    // A cancelled close returns null; the modal is still open and current.
+    if (current.close() === false) return null;
     return current.$elm;
   };