diff --git a/apps/extension/src/content/__tests__/record-capture.test.ts b/apps/extension/src/content/__tests__/record-capture.test.ts
index 26280f5..16059d0 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/content/__tests__/record-capture.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/content/__tests__/record-capture.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,44 @@ vi.stubGlobal("chrome", {
   },
 });
 
+function mockRect(
+  el: Element,
+  rect: { left: number; top: number; width: number; height: number },
+): void {
+  vi.spyOn(el, "getBoundingClientRect").mockReturnValue({
+    x: rect.left,
+    y: rect.top,
+    top: rect.top,
+    left: rect.left,
+    right: rect.left + rect.width,
+    bottom: rect.top + rect.height,
+    width: rect.width,
+    height: rect.height,
+    toJSON: () => ({}),
+  });
+}
+
+function mockHoverStyle(pointerElements: Element[]): void {
+  vi.spyOn(window, "getComputedStyle").mockImplementation((el) => {
+    const style = {
+      cursor: pointerElements.includes(el) ? "pointer" : "",
+      display: "block",
+      pointerEvents: "auto",
+      position: "static",
+      visibility: "visible",
+    } as CSSStyleDeclaration;
+    return style;
+  });
+}
+
+function mouseOver(el: Element): void {
+  el.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mouseover", { bubbles: true }));
+}
+
+function click(el: Element): void {
+  el.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("click", { bubbles: true, button: 0, detail: 1 }));
+}
+
 describe("handleRecordContentMessage stop/cancel", () => {
   it("ignores STOP when no recording is active", () => {
     const dispose = vi.fn();
@@ -381,6 +419,205 @@ describe("record-capture semantic", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("keeps the menu opener hover when moving over an accepted menu item", () => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <button type="button" aria-label="新建" aria-haspopup="menu">新建</button>
+      <ul class="create-menu dropdown-menu">
+        <li class="dropdown-item" tabindex="0">文档C+D</li>
+      </ul>
+    `;
+    const capture = startRecordCapture("rec-hover-menu-opener", (step) => steps.push(step));
+    const trigger = document.querySelector("button")!;
+    const item = document.querySelector("li")!;
+    mockRect(trigger, { left: 900, top: 8, width: 60, height: 32 });
+    mockRect(item, { left: 820, top: 48, width: 160, height: 32 });
+    mockHoverStyle([item]);
+
+    mouseOver(trigger);
+    mouseOver(item);
+    click(item);
+    capture.dispose();
+
+    expect(steps.map((s) => s.op)).toEqual(["hover", "click"]);
+    expect(steps[0]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: { role: "button", name: "新建" },
+    });
+    expect(steps[1]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "click",
+      target: { tag: "li", name: "文档C+D" },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not latch a plain div action item inside a hover surface", () => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <button type="button" aria-label="新建" aria-haspopup="menu">新建</button>
+      <div class="create-menu dropdown-menu">
+        <div class="tg-menu-item" tabindex="0">文档C+D</div>
+      </div>
+    `;
+    const capture = startRecordCapture("rec-hover-menu-div-action", (step) => steps.push(step));
+    const trigger = document.querySelector("button")!;
+    const item = document.querySelector(".tg-menu-item")!;
+    mockRect(trigger, { left: 900, top: 8, width: 60, height: 32 });
+    mockRect(item, { left: 820, top: 48, width: 160, height: 32 });
+    mockHoverStyle([item]);
+
+    mouseOver(trigger);
+    mouseOver(item);
+    click(item);
+    capture.dispose();
+
+    expect(steps.map((s) => s.op)).toEqual(["hover", "click"]);
+    expect(steps[0]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: { role: "button", name: "新建" },
+    });
+    expect(steps[1]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "click",
+      target: { tag: "div", name: "文档C+D" },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the opener hover when a surface action is clicked after the short latch window", () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-08-07T03:43:36.000Z"));
+    try {
+      document.body.innerHTML = `
+        <button type="button" aria-label="新建" aria-haspopup="menu">新建</button>
+        <div class="create-menu dropdown-menu">
+          <div class="tg-menu-item" tabindex="0">文档C+D</div>
+        </div>
+      `;
+      const capture = startRecordCapture("rec-hover-menu-div-action-slow", (step) =>
+        steps.push(step),
+      );
+      const trigger = document.querySelector("button")!;
+      const item = document.querySelector(".tg-menu-item")!;
+      mockRect(trigger, { left: 900, top: 8, width: 60, height: 32 });
+      mockRect(item, { left: 820, top: 48, width: 160, height: 32 });
+      mockHoverStyle([item]);
+
+      mouseOver(trigger);
+      vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-08-07T03:43:47.000Z"));
+      mouseOver(item);
+      click(item);
+      capture.dispose();
+
+      expect(steps.map((s) => s.op)).toEqual(["hover", "click"]);
+      expect(steps[0]).toMatchObject({
+        op: "hover",
+        target: { role: "button", name: "新建" },
+      });
+      expect(steps[1]).toMatchObject({
+        op: "click",
+        target: { tag: "div", name: "文档C+D" },
+      });
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("infers a non-policy opener hover from the later surface action", () => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <button type="button">新建</button>
+      <div class="create-menu dropdown-menu">
+        <div class="tg-menu-item" tabindex="0">文档C+D</div>
+      </div>
+    `;
+    const capture = startRecordCapture("rec-hover-infer-opener", (step) => steps.push(step));
+    const trigger = document.querySelector("button")!;
+    const item = document.querySelector(".tg-menu-item")!;
+    mockRect(trigger, { left: 900, top: 8, width: 60, height: 32 });
+    mockRect(item, { left: 820, top: 48, width: 160, height: 32 });
+    mockHoverStyle([trigger, item]);
+
+    mouseOver(trigger);
+    mouseOver(item);
+    click(item);
+    capture.dispose();
+
+    expect(steps.map((s) => s.op)).toEqual(["hover", "click"]);
+    expect(steps[0]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: { role: "button", name: "新建" },
+    });
+    expect(steps[1]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "click",
+      target: { tag: "div", name: "文档C+D" },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not record a strong-looking surface item when clicking that item itself", () => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <button type="button" aria-label="新建" aria-haspopup="menu">新建</button>
+      <div class="create-menu dropdown-menu">
+        <li tabindex="0" aria-expanded="false"><div>文档C+D</div></li>
+      </div>
+    `;
+    const capture = startRecordCapture("rec-hover-false-submenu", (step) => steps.push(step));
+    const trigger = document.querySelector("button")!;
+    const item = document.querySelector("li")!;
+    const itemInner = document.querySelector("li div")!;
+    mockRect(trigger, { left: 900, top: 8, width: 60, height: 32 });
+    mockRect(item, { left: 820, top: 48, width: 160, height: 32 });
+    mockHoverStyle([item, itemInner]);
+
+    mouseOver(trigger);
+    mouseOver(item);
+    click(itemInner);
+    capture.dispose();
+
+    expect(steps.map((s) => s.op)).toEqual(["hover", "click"]);
+    expect(steps[0]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: { role: "button", name: "新建" },
+    });
+    expect(steps[1]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "click",
+      target: { tag: "div", name: "文档C+D" },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("records cascaded hover triggers before clicking inside the final surface", () => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <button type="button" aria-label="新建" aria-haspopup="menu">新建</button>
+      <ul class="create-menu dropdown-menu">
+        <li class="dropdown-item" tabindex="0" aria-haspopup="menu">更多模板</li>
+      </ul>
+      <div role="menu" class="template-submenu">
+        <button type="button">Blank doc</button>
+      </div>
+    `;
+    const capture = startRecordCapture("rec-hover-cascade", (step) => steps.push(step));
+    const trigger = document.querySelector("button[aria-label]")!;
+    const nestedTrigger = document.querySelector("li")!;
+    const finalAction = document.querySelector(".template-submenu button")!;
+    mockRect(trigger, { left: 900, top: 8, width: 60, height: 32 });
+    mockRect(nestedTrigger, { left: 820, top: 48, width: 160, height: 32 });
+    mockRect(finalAction, { left: 984, top: 48, width: 136, height: 32 });
+    mockHoverStyle([nestedTrigger, finalAction]);
+
+    mouseOver(trigger);
+    mouseOver(nestedTrigger);
+    click(finalAction);
+    capture.dispose();
+
+    expect(steps.map((s) => s.op)).toEqual(["hover", "hover", "click"]);
+    expect(steps[0]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: { role: "button", name: "新建" },
+    });
+    expect(steps[1]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: { tag: "li", name: "更多模板" },
+    });
+    expect(steps[2]).toMatchObject({
+      op: "click",
+      target: { role: "button", name: "Blank doc" },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("records avatar div hover with a semantic image target", () => {
     document.body.innerHTML = `
       <div class="tg-avatar tg-avatar--img tg-avatar--shape-hexagon">
diff --git a/apps/extension/src/content/record-capture.ts b/apps/extension/src/content/record-capture.ts
index 77123d6..530085b 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/content/record-capture.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/content/record-capture.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import {
   evaluateHoverTrigger,
   type HoverTriggerDecision,
   type HoverTriggerRect,
+  hasDirectHoverInteractiveSignal,
+  hasStrongHoverExpansionSignal,
 } from "@/lib/hover-trigger-policy";
 import {
   isRecordCancelMessage,
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ import {
   type RecordStopMessage,
 } from "@/lib/record-bridge";
 import { shouldRecordPress } from "@/lib/trace-reducer";
-import { decideHoverSurfaceRelation } from "./record-hover-surface";
+import { closestRecognizedHoverSurface, decideHoverSurfaceRelation } from "./record-hover-surface";
 
 const pendingStepSends = new Map<string, Set<Promise<boolean>>>();
 const failedStepDeliveries = new Set<string>();
@@ -61,18 +63,21 @@ interface FillSession {
   lastValue: string;
 }
 
-interface PendingHover {
+interface HoverCandidate {
   element: Element;
   target: TargetDescriptor;
   recordedAt: number;
   score: number;
-  reasons: string[];
+  hasExpansionSignal: boolean;
+  eligible: boolean;
 }
 
 type FillableElement = HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement | HTMLElement;
 
 const HOVER_BEFORE_CLICK_MAX_MS = 10_000;
+const HOVER_SURFACE_CONTEXT_MAX_MS = 30_000;
 const HOVER_REPLACE_SCORE_MARGIN = 50;
+const HOVER_CANDIDATE_LIMIT = 24;
 
 function eventTarget(event: Event): EventTarget | null {
   return event.composedPath()[0] ?? event.target;
@@ -213,13 +218,10 @@ function normalizeHoverTarget(
   return desc;
 }
 
-function evaluateHoverTriggerElement(
-  el: Element,
-  desc: TargetDescriptor,
-): HoverTriggerDecision | null {
+function hoverTriggerSignals(el: Element, desc: TargetDescriptor) {
   if (!(el instanceof HTMLElement)) return null;
   const style = hoverTriggerStyle(el);
-  return evaluateHoverTrigger({
+  return {
     tag: el.tagName.toLowerCase(),
     role: desc.role,
     label: desc.name,
@@ -228,29 +230,35 @@ function evaluateHoverTriggerElement(
     cursor: style.cursor,
     pointerEvents: style.pointerEvents,
     hasGraphicDescendant: hasHoverGraphicDescendant(el),
-  });
+  };
 }
 
-function hoverTargetFromEvent(target: EventTarget | null): PendingHover | null {
+function hoverCandidateFromEvent(target: EventTarget | null): HoverCandidate | null {
   if (!(target instanceof Element)) return null;
   const element = resolveHoverElement(target);
   if (!element) return null;
   const desc = describeTarget(element);
-  const decision = evaluateHoverTriggerElement(element, desc);
-  if (!decision?.eligible) return null;
+  const signals = hoverTriggerSignals(element, desc);
+  if (!signals) return null;
+  const decision = evaluateHoverTrigger(signals);
+  const hasExpansionSignal = hasStrongHoverExpansionSignal(signals);
+  const hasDirectSignal = hasDirectHoverInteractiveSignal(signals);
+  if (!decision.eligible && !hasExpansionSignal && !hasDirectSignal) return null;
+  if (!decision.eligible && !desc.name && !desc.role) return null;
   const normalizedTarget = normalizeHoverTarget(element, desc, decision);
   return {
     element,
     target: normalizedTarget,
     recordedAt: Date.now(),
     score: decision.score,
-    reasons: decision.reasons,
+    hasExpansionSignal,
+    eligible: decision.eligible,
   };
 }
 
-function shouldReplacePendingHover(
-  current: PendingHover,
-  next: PendingHover,
+function shouldReplaceHoverCandidate(
+  current: HoverCandidate,
+  next: HoverCandidate,
   now: number,
 ): boolean {
   if (next.element === current.element) return false;
@@ -310,7 +318,9 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
   let composing = false;
   let lastUrl = location.href;
   let keyboardActivation: { target: EventTarget | null; recordedAt: number } | undefined;
-  let pendingHover: PendingHover | null = null;
+  let pendingHover: HoverCandidate | null = null;
+  const recentHoverCandidates: HoverCandidate[] = [];
+  const emittedHoverElements = new WeakSet<Element>();
   let generatedControlClick: Element | null = null;
   let navigationActionPending = false;
   let navigationActionVersion = 0;
@@ -376,6 +386,68 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
     });
   };
 
+  const rememberHoverCandidate = (hover: HoverCandidate) => {
+    const duplicate = recentHoverCandidates.findIndex(
+      (candidate) => candidate.element === hover.element,
+    );
+    if (duplicate >= 0) recentHoverCandidates.splice(duplicate, 1);
+    recentHoverCandidates.push(hover);
+    if (recentHoverCandidates.length > HOVER_CANDIDATE_LIMIT) {
+      recentHoverCandidates.splice(0, recentHoverCandidates.length - HOVER_CANDIDATE_LIMIT);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const actionIsOnHoverTriggerItself = (
+    hover: HoverCandidate,
+    actionElement: Element | null,
+    relationTarget: Element,
+  ): boolean => {
+    const target = actionElement ?? relationTarget;
+    if (target === hover.element) return true;
+    if (!hover.element.contains(target)) return false;
+    const surface = closestRecognizedHoverSurface(target);
+    return !surface || surface === hover.element || !hover.element.contains(surface);
+  };
+
+  const hoverRelatedToAction = (
+    hover: HoverCandidate,
+    relationTarget: Element,
+    now: number,
+  ): boolean => {
+    if (now - hover.recordedAt > HOVER_SURFACE_CONTEXT_MAX_MS) return false;
+    return decideHoverSurfaceRelation({ triggerElement: hover.element }, relationTarget).related;
+  };
+
+  const emitHoverStep = (hover: HoverCandidate) => {
+    if (emittedHoverElements.has(hover.element)) return;
+    emitStep({
+      op: "hover",
+      target: hover.target,
+    });
+    emittedHoverElements.add(hover.element);
+  };
+
+  const findHoverForAction = (
+    actionElement: Element | null,
+    relationTarget: Element,
+    now: number,
+  ): HoverCandidate | null => {
+    const candidates = pendingHover
+      ? [
+          ...recentHoverCandidates.filter((hover) => hover.element !== pendingHover?.element),
+          pendingHover,
+        ]
+      : recentHoverCandidates;
+    for (let index = candidates.length - 1; index >= 0; index -= 1) {
+      const hover = candidates[index];
+      if (!hover) continue;
+      if (emittedHoverElements.has(hover.element)) continue;
+      if (actionIsOnHoverTriggerItself(hover, actionElement, relationTarget)) continue;
+      if (hoverRelatedToAction(hover, relationTarget, now)) return hover;
+    }
+    return null;
+  };
+
   const emitClick = (event: MouseEvent) => {
     // Only record clicks an LLM can re-identify (named interactive controls).
     const target = describeEventTarget(eventTarget(event));
@@ -388,51 +460,52 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
     });
   };
 
-  const emitPendingHoverBeforeAction = (actionTarget: EventTarget | null) => {
-    if (!pendingHover || !(actionTarget instanceof Element)) return;
-    if (Date.now() - pendingHover.recordedAt > HOVER_BEFORE_CLICK_MAX_MS) {
-      pendingHover = null;
-      return;
-    }
+  const emitHoverCandidateBeforeAction = (actionTarget: EventTarget | null) => {
+    if (!(actionTarget instanceof Element)) return;
     const actionElement = resolveClickableElement(actionTarget);
-    if (actionElement === pendingHover.element) {
-      return;
-    }
     const relationTarget = actionElement ?? actionTarget;
-    if (!actionElement && pendingHover.element.contains(relationTarget)) {
-      return;
-    }
-    const relation = decideHoverSurfaceRelation(
-      {
-        triggerElement: pendingHover.element,
-      },
-      relationTarget,
-    );
-    if (!relation.related) {
+    const hover = findHoverForAction(actionElement, relationTarget, Date.now());
+    if (!hover) {
       pendingHover = null;
       return;
     }
-    emitStep({
-      op: "hover",
-      target: pendingHover.target,
-    });
+    emitHoverStep(hover);
     pendingHover = null;
   };
 
   const onMouseOver = (event: MouseEvent) => {
     const target = eventTarget(event);
     if (isOverlayTarget(target)) return;
+    const now = Date.now();
     if (pendingHover && target instanceof Element && pendingHover.element.contains(target)) {
-      if (Date.now() - pendingHover.recordedAt <= HOVER_BEFORE_CLICK_MAX_MS) return;
+      if (now - pendingHover.recordedAt <= HOVER_BEFORE_CLICK_MAX_MS) return;
       pendingHover = null;
     }
-    const hover = hoverTargetFromEvent(target);
+    const candidate = hoverCandidateFromEvent(target);
+    if (candidate) rememberHoverCandidate(candidate);
+    const hover = candidate?.eligible ? candidate : null;
+    if (pendingHover && target instanceof Element) {
+      const relation = decideHoverSurfaceRelation({ triggerElement: pendingHover.element }, target);
+      if (relation.related && now - pendingHover.recordedAt <= HOVER_BEFORE_CLICK_MAX_MS) {
+        if (!hover || !hover.hasExpansionSignal) return;
+        if (
+          hover.element === pendingHover.element ||
+          pendingHover.element.contains(hover.element)
+        ) {
+          return;
+        }
+        emitHoverStep(pendingHover);
+        pendingHover = hover;
+        rememberHoverCandidate(hover);
+        return;
+      }
+    }
     if (!hover) return;
-    const now = Date.now();
-    if (pendingHover && !shouldReplacePendingHover(pendingHover, hover, now)) {
+    if (pendingHover && !shouldReplaceHoverCandidate(pendingHover, hover, now)) {
       return;
     }
     pendingHover = hover;
+    rememberHoverCandidate(hover);
   };
 
   const onClick = (event: MouseEvent) => {
@@ -464,7 +537,7 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
 
     const fillable = fillableFromTarget(target);
     if (fillable) {
-      emitPendingHoverBeforeAction(fillable);
+      emitHoverCandidateBeforeAction(fillable);
       ensureFillSession(fillable);
       return;
     }
@@ -472,7 +545,7 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
     if (target instanceof Element) {
       const nearbyFillable = nearbyFillableFromSearchChrome(target);
       if (nearbyFillable) {
-        emitPendingHoverBeforeAction(nearbyFillable);
+        emitHoverCandidateBeforeAction(nearbyFillable);
         ensureFillSession(nearbyFillable);
         return;
       }
@@ -492,7 +565,7 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
 
     commitFillSession();
     if (target instanceof Element && target.closest("select")) return;
-    emitPendingHoverBeforeAction(target);
+    emitHoverCandidateBeforeAction(target);
     emitClick(event);
   };
 
@@ -534,7 +607,7 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
     commitFillSession();
     const target = eventTarget(event);
     if (target instanceof HTMLSelectElement) {
-      emitPendingHoverBeforeAction(target);
+      emitHoverCandidateBeforeAction(target);
       const values = Array.from(target.selectedOptions).map((opt) => opt.value);
       const labels = Array.from(target.selectedOptions).map((opt) =>
         (opt.label || opt.textContent || opt.value).trim(),
@@ -588,7 +661,7 @@ export function startRecordCapture(
     }
     const desc = describeEventTarget(target);
     if (!desc && !event.key) return;
-    emitPendingHoverBeforeAction(target);
+    emitHoverCandidateBeforeAction(target);
     emitStep({
       op: "press",
       key: event.key,
diff --git a/apps/extension/src/content/record-hover-surface.ts b/apps/extension/src/content/record-hover-surface.ts
index c00d6fc..c6fbd43 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/content/record-hover-surface.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/content/record-hover-surface.ts
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ function isHoverSurfaceElement(el: Element): boolean {
   return false;
 }
 
-function closestHoverSurface(clickElement: Element): Element | null {
-  let node: Element | null = clickElement;
+export function closestRecognizedHoverSurface(element: Element): Element | null {
+  let node: Element | null = element;
   let depth = 0;
   while (node && node !== document.body && node !== document.documentElement && depth < 10) {
     if (isHoverSurfaceElement(node)) return node;
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ export function decideHoverSurfaceRelation(
   context: HoverSurfaceContext,
   clickElement: Element,
 ): HoverSurfaceDecision {
-  const clickSurface = closestHoverSurface(clickElement);
+  const clickSurface = closestRecognizedHoverSurface(clickElement);
   if (clickSurface && isNearTrigger(clickSurface, context.triggerElement)) {
     return { related: true, reason: "click-inside-hover-surface", surface: clickSurface };
   }
diff --git a/apps/extension/src/lib/__tests__/hover-trigger-policy.test.ts b/apps/extension/src/lib/__tests__/hover-trigger-policy.test.ts
index d3b3dce..dd73c24 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/lib/__tests__/hover-trigger-policy.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/lib/__tests__/hover-trigger-policy.test.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,19 @@ describe("evaluateHoverTrigger", () => {
     expect(decision.eligible).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("rejects labelled dropdown list items as hover triggers", () => {
+    const decision = evaluateHoverTrigger({
+      tag: "li",
+      label: "文档C+D",
+      attrs: { class: "dropdown-item", tabindex: "0" },
+      rect: { x: 820, y: 48, w: 160, h: 32 },
+      cursor: "pointer",
+      pointerEvents: "auto",
+    });
+
+    expect(decision.eligible).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("rejects ordinary controls without hover popup signals", () => {
     const decision = evaluateHoverTrigger({
       tag: "button",
diff --git a/apps/extension/src/lib/hover-trigger-policy.ts b/apps/extension/src/lib/hover-trigger-policy.ts
index 8701c89..23922b4 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/lib/hover-trigger-policy.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/lib/hover-trigger-policy.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export interface HoverTriggerDecision {
 const HOVER_TRIGGER_MIN_SCORE = 45;
 const HOVER_POPUP_SIGNAL_RE =
   /(menu|dropdown|popover|popup|avatar|profile|account|user|more|ellipsis|caret)/;
+const HOVER_TEXT_ITEM_RE = /(^|[\s_-])(dropdown-item|menu-item|context-menu-item|option)($|[\s_-])/;
 
 function attr(signals: HoverTriggerSignals, name: string): string | undefined {
   return signals.attrs?.[name.toLowerCase()];
@@ -59,6 +60,14 @@ export function hasHoverPopupSignal(signals: HoverTriggerSignals): boolean {
   return HOVER_POPUP_SIGNAL_RE.test(haystack);
 }
 
+export function hasStrongHoverExpansionSignal(signals: HoverTriggerSignals): boolean {
+  return (
+    signals.cssHoverMatch === true ||
+    attr(signals, "aria-haspopup") !== undefined ||
+    (attr(signals, "aria-expanded") ?? "").toLowerCase() === "false"
+  );
+}
+
 export function hasDirectHoverInteractiveSignal(signals: HoverTriggerSignals): boolean {
   const tag = signals.tag.toLowerCase();
   const role = (signals.role ?? "").toLowerCase();
@@ -104,7 +113,12 @@ export function evaluateHoverTrigger(signals: HoverTriggerSignals): HoverTrigger
   const directInteractive = hasDirectHoverInteractiveSignal(signals);
   const popupSignal = hasHoverPopupSignal(signals);
   const isTextNavigationItem =
-    (tag === "a" || role === "link" || role.startsWith("menuitem")) &&
+    (tag === "a" ||
+      tag === "li" ||
+      role === "link" ||
+      role === "option" ||
+      role.startsWith("menuitem") ||
+      HOVER_TEXT_ITEM_RE.test(attr(signals, "class") ?? "")) &&
     !graphic &&
     !!label &&
     label.toLowerCase() !== "image";
@@ -118,9 +132,7 @@ export function evaluateHoverTrigger(signals: HoverTriggerSignals): HoverTrigger
   const surfaceTriggerEvidence =
     (popupSignal && !isTextNavigationItem) ||
     compactTopbarIcon ||
-    signals.cssHoverMatch === true ||
-    attr(signals, "aria-haspopup") !== undefined ||
-    (attr(signals, "aria-expanded") ?? "").toLowerCase() === "false";
+    hasStrongHoverExpansionSignal(signals);
   if (!directInteractive || !surfaceTriggerEvidence) {
     return { eligible: false, score: 0, reasons: [] };
   }