diff --git a/.changeset/close-menu-on-story-select.md b/.changeset/close-menu-on-story-select.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9dcb4ac371
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/close-menu-on-story-select.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@storybook/react-native-ui': patch
+'@storybook/react-native-ui-lite': patch
+---
+
+The mobile story list now closes once you pick a story from it, as it does in Storybook for the web, so the selected story is visible straight away. Expanding or collapsing a group still leaves the list open.
diff --git a/packages/react-native-ui-lite/src/Layout.tsx b/packages/react-native-ui-lite/src/Layout.tsx
index af6128aea5..209eaa713d 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-ui-lite/src/Layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-native-ui-lite/src/Layout.tsx
@@ -260,6 +260,10 @@ export const Layout = ({
     const channel = addons.getChannel();
 
     channel.emit(SET_CURRENT_STORY, { storyId: newStoryId });
+
+    // As on Storybook for the web, the mobile story list closes once a story is chosen from it.
+    // The drawer isn't rendered on desktop, where the ref stays empty.
+    mobileMenuDrawerRef.current?.setMobileMenuOpen(false);
   }, []);
 
   return (
diff --git a/packages/react-native-ui/jest.config.js b/packages/react-native-ui/jest.config.js
index c226d1506b..c9e77be656 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-ui/jest.config.js
+++ b/packages/react-native-ui/jest.config.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const config = {
   resolver: 'react-native-reanimated/jest/resolver',
   ...(process.env.JEST_CACHE_DIRECTORY && { cacheDirectory: process.env.JEST_CACHE_DIRECTORY }),
   transformIgnorePatterns: [
-    'node_modules/(?!((jest-)?react-native|@react-native(-community)?|@gorhom|@storybook))',
+    'node_modules/(?!((jest-)?react-native|@react-native(-community)?|@gorhom|@storybook|storybook))',
   ],
 };
 module.exports = config;
diff --git a/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.test.tsx b/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0b5876aff6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { theme, ThemeProvider } from '@storybook/react-native-theming';
+import { LayoutProvider, StorageProvider } from '@storybook/react-native-ui-common';
+import { fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react-native';
+import { Text } from 'react-native';
+import { SET_CURRENT_STORY } from 'storybook/internal/core-events';
+import type { API_IndexHash } from 'storybook/internal/types';
+import { Layout } from './Layout';
+import { mockDataset } from './mockdata';
+
+const mockEmit = jest.fn();
+
+jest.mock('storybook/manager-api', () => ({
+  addons: {
+    getChannel: () => ({ emit: mockEmit }),
+    getElements: () => ({}),
+  },
+}));
+
+const mockSetMobileMenuOpen = jest.fn();
+
+// Record what the layout asks of the drawer. Like the real one, which keeps its content mounted
+// while closed, this renders the story list straight away.
+jest.mock('./MobileMenuDrawer', () => {
+  const React = require('react');
+
+  return {
+    MobileMenuDrawer: React.forwardRef(function MobileMenuDrawer({ children }, ref) {
+      React.useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({ setMobileMenuOpen: mockSetMobileMenuOpen }));
+
+      return children;
+    }),
+  };
+});
+
+const storage = {
+  getItem: async () => null,
+  setItem: async () => {},
+};
+
+const renderUI = async () => {
+  await render(
+    <ThemeProvider theme={theme}>
+      <StorageProvider storage={storage}>
+        <LayoutProvider>
+          <Layout storyHash={mockDataset.withRoot as API_IndexHash}>
+            <Text>Story content</Text>
+          </Layout>
+        </LayoutProvider>
+      </StorageProvider>
+    </ThemeProvider>
+  );
+};
+
+describe('Layout', () => {
+  it('closes the mobile story list once a story is selected, but not when a group is toggled', async () => {
+    await renderUI();
+
+    await fireEvent.press(screen.getByText('Group 1'), { preventDefault: jest.fn() });
+
+    expect(mockEmit).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockSetMobileMenuOpen).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    await fireEvent.press(screen.getByText('Child B1'));
+
+    expect(mockEmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(SET_CURRENT_STORY, { storyId: 'group-1--child-b1' });
+    expect(mockSetMobileMenuOpen).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockSetMobileMenuOpen).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.tsx b/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.tsx
index 56fbc7ac70..affe3ee98c 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-native-ui/src/Layout.tsx
@@ -234,6 +234,10 @@ export const Layout = ({
     const channel = addons.getChannel();
 
     channel.emit(SET_CURRENT_STORY, { storyId: newStoryId });
+
+    // As on Storybook for the web, the mobile story list closes once a story is chosen from it.
+    // The drawer isn't rendered on desktop, where the ref stays empty.
+    mobileMenuDrawerRef.current?.setMobileMenuOpen(false);
   }, []);
 
   return (