React spectrum components only interactive while debugger is open

[Ligerx]

Hi, I'm just starting with bolt-cep trying to get a project up and running. I'm using v1.3.0, Macbook Air M3, AfterEffects 2025. I noticed some weird behavior with the React Spectrum button component.

I bootstrapped a new bolt-cep project with react and only after effects, installed react spectrum, and put a button in main.tsx

<div>
  <Button
    variant="accent"
    onPress={() =>
      alert("Hey there!");
    }
  >
  </Button>
</div>

When I try to click the button in the extension, it does not do anything. Oddly enough, it does make the focus ring appear though. But only while the debug page on localhost:8860 is open, I can click the button.

Calling enableSpectrum() right before or after initBolt() doesn't fix the issue. In fact, it just prevents the localhost:8860 workaround from working so now nothing is interactive. I even tried to run a copy-paste of the enableSpectrum() code at the top of index.html and it doesn't change anything.

In both cases, if I just put a normal html <button onClick={() => {alert("Hey there!");}}>Test</button> it works all the time.

And no issues with click events on localhost:3000

Any idea what's wrong?

[Ligerx]

I assume it’s related to this bug adobe/react-spectrum#854

But very weird that the workaround doesn’t work for me

[justintaylor-dev]

It's an issue with Spectrum on Mac, not Bolt. We have a helper function which fixes most instances of this here:

bolt-cep/src/js/lib/utils/bolt.ts

Line 330 in ad5d9ef

export const enableSpectrum = () => {