diff --git a/lib/apply/easy_apply.mjs b/lib/apply/easy_apply.mjs
index 11d7676..50b213e 100644
--- a/lib/apply/easy_apply.mjs
+++ b/lib/apply/easy_apply.mjs
@@ -207,7 +207,20 @@ export async function apply(page, job, formFiller) {
       console.log(`    [step ${step}] clicking Submit`);
       await submitBtn.click({ timeout: APPLY_CLICK_TIMEOUT }).catch(() => {});
       await page.waitForTimeout(SUBMIT_WAIT);
-      return { status: 'submitted', meta };
+
+      // Verify modal closed or success message appeared
+      const modalGone = !(await page.$(MODAL));
+      const successVisible = await page.$('[class*="success"], [class*="confirmation"], [aria-label*="applied"]').catch(() => null);
+      if (modalGone || successVisible) {
+        console.log(`    ✅ Submit confirmed — modal closed`);
+        return { status: 'submitted', meta };
+      }
+
+      // Modal still open — submit may have failed
+      console.log(`    [step ${step}] ⚠️  Modal still open after Submit click`);
+      console.log(`    Action: submit may have failed due to validation or network error`);
+      await dismissModal(page, MODAL);
+      return { status: 'incomplete', meta };
     }
 
     // Stuck detection — progress hasn't changed and we've been through a few steps
diff --git a/lib/form_filler.mjs b/lib/form_filler.mjs
index 75e2bf0..a3614cf 100644
--- a/lib/form_filler.mjs
+++ b/lib/form_filler.mjs
@@ -148,12 +148,17 @@ export class FormFiller {
    * Waits for the dropdown to appear, then clicks the first option.
    * Scoped to the input's nearest container to avoid clicking wrong dropdowns.
    */
-  async selectAutocomplete(page, inp) {
-    // Wait for dropdown to appear near the input
-    const option = await page.waitForSelector(
-      '[role="option"], [role="listbox"] li, ul[class*="autocomplete"] li',
-      { timeout: AUTOCOMPLETE_TIMEOUT, state: 'visible' }
-    ).catch(() => null);
+  async selectAutocomplete(page, container) {
+    // Wait for dropdown to appear — scope to container (modal) to avoid clicking wrong dropdowns
+    const selectors = '[role="option"], [role="listbox"] li, ul[class*="autocomplete"] li';
+    const option = await container.waitForSelector(selectors, {
+      timeout: AUTOCOMPLETE_TIMEOUT, state: 'visible',
+    }).catch(() => {
+      // Fallback to page-level if container doesn't support waitForSelector (e.g. ElementHandle)
+      return page.waitForSelector(selectors, {
+        timeout: AUTOCOMPLETE_TIMEOUT, state: 'visible',
+      }).catch(() => null);
+    });
     if (option) {
       await option.click().catch(() => {});
       await page.waitForTimeout(AUTOCOMPLETE_WAIT);
@@ -198,9 +203,10 @@ export class FormFiller {
         // Handle city/location autocomplete dropdowns
         const ll = lbl.toLowerCase();
         if (ll.includes('city') || ll.includes('location') || ll.includes('located')) {
-          await this.selectAutocomplete(page, inp);
+          await this.selectAutocomplete(page, container);
         }
-      } else if (!answer) {
+      } else {
+        // No answer, or answer is cover letter (too long for a text input) — check if required
         if (await this.isRequired(inp)) unknown.push(lbl);
       }
     }