diff --git a/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs b/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs
index d3d2a722821..dd8076579fe 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs
@@ -512,6 +512,8 @@ impl Area {
                     Sense::hover()
                 }
             });
+            
+            let enabled = enabled && interactable;
 
             let move_response = ctx.create_widget(
                 WidgetRect {
@@ -595,7 +597,11 @@ impl Prepared {
             .max_rect(max_rect)
             .layout(self.layout)
             .closable();
-
+        
+        if !self.state.interactable {
+            ui_builder = ui_builder
+                .noninteractive();
+        }
         if !self.enabled {
             ui_builder = ui_builder.disabled();
         }
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/hit_test.rs b/crates/egui/src/hit_test.rs
index d1122350ef9..b55bd1f4726 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/hit_test.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/hit_test.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use ahash::HashMap;
 
 use emath::TSTransform;
 
-use crate::{LayerId, Pos2, Rect, Sense, WidgetRect, WidgetRects, ahash, emath, id::IdSet};
+use crate::{LayerId, Pos2, Rect, WidgetRect, WidgetRects, ahash, emath, id::IdSet};
 
 /// Result of a hit-test against [`WidgetRects`].
 ///
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ pub fn hit_test(
         .filter(|layer| layer.order.allow_interaction())
         .flat_map(|&layer_id| widgets.get_layer(layer_id))
         .filter(|&w| {
+            
+            // Exclude non-interactive, disabled and invisible widgets.
+            // This simplifies the code in `hit_test_on_close` so it doesn't have to check
+            // the `enabled` flag everywhere:
+            if w.interact_rect.is_negative() || w.interact_rect.any_nan() || !w.enabled {
+                return false;
+            }
+            
             if w.interact_rect.is_negative() || w.interact_rect.any_nan() {
                 return false;
             }
@@ -125,16 +133,6 @@ pub fn hit_test(
 
     close.retain(|hit| included_layers.contains(&hit.layer_id));
 
-    // If a widget is disabled, treat it as if it isn't sensing anything.
-    // This simplifies the code in `hit_test_on_close` so it doesn't have to check
-    // the `enabled` flag everywhere:
-    for w in &mut close {
-        if !w.enabled {
-            w.sense -= Sense::CLICK;
-            w.sense -= Sense::DRAG;
-        }
-    }
-
     // Find widgets which are hidden behind another widget and discard them.
     // This is the case when a widget fully contains another widget and is on a different layer.
     // It prevents "hovering through" widgets when there is a clickable widget behind.
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/ui.rs b/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
index 1371f1a7c67..c341ba43108 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ impl Ui {
             layer_id,
             max_rect,
             layout,
+            noninteractive,
             disabled,
             invisible,
             sizing_pass,
@@ -146,6 +147,7 @@ impl Ui {
         let max_rect = max_rect.unwrap_or_else(|| ctx.screen_rect());
         let clip_rect = max_rect;
         let layout = layout.unwrap_or_default();
+        let enabled = !disabled && !invisible && !noninteractive;
         let disabled = disabled || invisible;
         let style = style.unwrap_or_else(|| ctx.style());
         let sense = sense.unwrap_or(Sense::hover());
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ impl Ui {
             painter: Painter::new(ctx, layer_id, clip_rect),
             style,
             placer,
-            enabled: true,
+            enabled,
             sizing_pass,
             menu_state: None,
             stack: Arc::new(ui_stack),
@@ -256,6 +258,7 @@ impl Ui {
             layer_id,
             max_rect,
             layout,
+            noninteractive,
             disabled,
             invisible,
             sizing_pass,
@@ -268,7 +271,7 @@ impl Ui {
         let id_salt = id_salt.unwrap_or_else(|| Id::from("child"));
         let max_rect = max_rect.unwrap_or_else(|| self.available_rect_before_wrap());
         let mut layout = layout.unwrap_or(*self.layout());
-        let enabled = self.enabled && !disabled && !invisible;
+        let enabled = self.enabled && !disabled && !invisible && !noninteractive;
         if let Some(layer_id) = layer_id {
             painter.set_layer_id(layer_id);
         }
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs b/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs
index e83148da6e2..4171ba4433e 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ pub struct UiBuilder {
     pub layer_id: Option<LayerId>,
     pub max_rect: Option<Rect>,
     pub layout: Option<Layout>,
+    pub noninteractive: bool,
     pub disabled: bool,
     pub invisible: bool,
     pub sizing_pass: bool,
@@ -111,13 +112,23 @@ impl UiBuilder {
         self.layout = Some(layout);
         self
     }
-
+    
+    /// Make the new `Ui` non-interactive, i.e. passthrough. no visual changes.
+    ///
+    /// Note that if the parent `Ui` is non-interactive, the child will always be non-interactive.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn noninteractive(mut self) -> Self {
+        self.noninteractive = true;
+        self
+    }
+    
     /// Make the new `Ui` disabled, i.e. grayed-out and non-interactive.
     ///
     /// Note that if the parent `Ui` is disabled, the child will always be disabled.
     #[inline]
     pub fn disabled(mut self) -> Self {
         self.disabled = true;
+        self.noninteractive = true;
         self
     }
 
@@ -130,6 +141,7 @@ impl UiBuilder {
     pub fn invisible(mut self) -> Self {
         self.invisible = true;
         self.disabled = true;
+        self.noninteractive = true;
         self
     }