diff --git a/ts/components/LeftPane.tsx b/ts/components/LeftPane.tsx
index 07e73ec9b6f..2c04f6ce1c2 100644
--- a/ts/components/LeftPane.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/LeftPane.tsx
@@ -546,6 +546,29 @@ export function LeftPane({
     [showConversation]
   );
 
+  const handleLeftPaneClick = useCallback(
+    (event: React.MouseEvent) => {
+      const target = event.target as HTMLElement;
+
+      // Only deselect if clicking on empty areas, not on interactive elements
+      if (
+        selectedConversationId &&
+        !target.closest(
+          'button, input, [role="button"], .module-conversation-list-item, .module-search-results, .module-left-pane-dialog'
+        )
+      ) {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+
+        showConversation({
+          conversationId: undefined,
+          messageId: undefined,
+        });
+      }
+    },
+    [selectedConversationId, showConversation]
+  );
+
   // We ensure that the listKey differs between some modes (e.g. inbox/archived), ensuring
   //   that AutoSizer properly detects the new size of its slot in the flexbox. The
   //   archive explainer text at the top of the archive view causes problems otherwise.
@@ -833,6 +856,7 @@ export function LeftPane({
         {preRowsNode && <React.Fragment key={0}>{preRowsNode}</React.Fragment>}
         <div className="module-left-pane__list--measure" ref={measureRef}>
           <div className="module-left-pane__list--wrapper">
+            {/* eslint-disable-next-line jsx-a11y/click-events-have-key-events, jsx-a11y/no-static-element-interactions */}
             <div
               aria-live="polite"
               className="module-left-pane__list"
@@ -840,6 +864,7 @@ export function LeftPane({
               key={listKey}
               role="presentation"
               tabIndex={-1}
+              onClick={handleLeftPaneClick}
             >
               <ConversationList
                 key={modeSpecificProps.mode}
diff --git a/ts/test-electron/components/LeftPane_test.ts b/ts/test-electron/components/LeftPane_test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..14775b109dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ts/test-electron/components/LeftPane_test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+// Copyright 2024 Signal Messenger, LLC
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+
+import { assert } from 'chai';
+import * as sinon from 'sinon';
+import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid';
+
+describe('LeftPane click-to-deselect functionality', () => {
+  let sandbox: sinon.SinonSandbox;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    sandbox = sinon.createSandbox();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    sandbox.restore();
+  });
+
+  describe('click handler logic', () => {
+    it('should identify empty areas correctly', () => {
+      // Create empty area elements
+      const emptyDiv = document.createElement('div');
+      emptyDiv.className = 'module-left-pane__list';
+      document.body.appendChild(emptyDiv);
+
+      // Test empty area detection
+      const isInteractive = emptyDiv.closest(
+        'button, input, [role="button"], .module-conversation-list-item, .module-search-results, .module-left-pane-dialog'
+      );
+
+      assert.isNull(
+        isInteractive,
+        'Empty areas should not be detected as interactive'
+      );
+
+      document.body.removeChild(emptyDiv);
+    });
+
+    it('should identify interactive elements correctly', () => {
+      // Create interactive element
+      const button = document.createElement('button');
+      const spanInsideButton = document.createElement('span');
+      button.appendChild(spanInsideButton);
+      document.body.appendChild(button);
+
+      // Test interactive element detection
+      const isInteractive = spanInsideButton.closest(
+        'button, input, [role="button"], .module-conversation-list-item, .module-search-results, .module-left-pane-dialog'
+      );
+
+      assert.isNotNull(
+        isInteractive,
+        'Elements inside buttons should be detected as interactive'
+      );
+
+      document.body.removeChild(button);
+    });
+
+    it('should identify conversation list items as interactive', () => {
+      // Create conversation list item
+      const listItem = document.createElement('div');
+      listItem.className = 'module-conversation-list-item';
+      const childElement = document.createElement('span');
+      listItem.appendChild(childElement);
+      document.body.appendChild(listItem);
+
+      // Test conversation list item detection
+      const isInteractive = childElement.closest(
+        'button, input, [role="button"], .module-conversation-list-item, .module-search-results, .module-left-pane-dialog'
+      );
+
+      assert.isNotNull(
+        isInteractive,
+        'Elements inside conversation list items should be detected as interactive'
+      );
+
+      document.body.removeChild(listItem);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('deselection conditions', () => {
+    it('should require both selected conversation and empty area for deselection', () => {
+      const conversationId = uuid();
+
+      // Test case 1: Has conversation, empty area - should deselect
+      const hasConversation = !!conversationId;
+      const isEmptyArea = true;
+      const shouldDeselect1 = hasConversation && isEmptyArea;
+      assert.isTrue(
+        shouldDeselect1,
+        'Should deselect when conversation selected and clicking empty area'
+      );
+
+      // Test case 2: Has conversation, interactive area - should NOT deselect
+      const isInteractiveArea = true;
+      const shouldDeselect2 = hasConversation && !isInteractiveArea;
+      assert.isFalse(
+        shouldDeselect2,
+        'Should NOT deselect when clicking interactive area'
+      );
+
+      // Test case 3: No conversation, empty area - should NOT deselect
+      const noConversation = false;
+      const shouldDeselect3 = noConversation && isEmptyArea;
+      assert.isFalse(
+        shouldDeselect3,
+        'Should NOT deselect when no conversation is selected'
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('showConversation call format', () => {
+    it('should call showConversation with correct parameters for deselection', () => {
+      const mockShowConversation = sandbox.spy();
+
+      // Simulate the deselection call
+      mockShowConversation({
+        conversationId: undefined,
+        messageId: undefined,
+      });
+
+      assert.isTrue(
+        mockShowConversation.calledOnce,
+        'showConversation should be called once'
+      );
+      assert.isTrue(
+        mockShowConversation.calledWithExactly({
+          conversationId: undefined,
+          messageId: undefined,
+        }),
+        'showConversation should be called with undefined conversationId and messageId'
+      );
+    });
+  });
+});