diff --git a/src/editor/commands.js b/src/editor/commands.js
index bd826e55..5012d902 100644
--- a/src/editor/commands.js
+++ b/src/editor/commands.js
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ const openCreateNewBuffer = (editor) => () => {
     useHeynoteStore().openCreateBuffer("new")
     return true
 }
+const createScratchBuffer = (editor) => () => {
+    useHeynoteStore().createScratchBuffer()
+    return true
+}
 
 const closeCurrentTab = (editor) => () => {
     useHeynoteStore().closeCurrentTab()
@@ -149,6 +153,7 @@ const HEYNOTE_COMMANDS = {
     openCommandPalette: cmd(openCommandPalette, "Editor", "Open command palette…"),
     openMoveToBuffer: cmd(openMoveToBuffer, "Block", "Move block to another buffer…"),
     openCreateNewBuffer: cmd(openCreateNewBuffer, "Buffer", "Create new buffer…"),
+    createScratchBuffer: cmd(createScratchBuffer, "Buffer", "Create new scratch buffer"),
     cut: cmd(cutCommand, "Clipboard", "Cut selection"),
     copy: cmd(copyCommand, "Clipboard", "Copy selection"),
     foldBlock: cmd(foldBlock, "Block", "Fold block"),
diff --git a/src/editor/keymap.js b/src/editor/keymap.js
index 72b78794..de3e7e2f 100644
--- a/src/editor/keymap.js
+++ b/src/editor/keymap.js
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_KEYMAP = [
     cmd("Mod-Shift-p", "openCommandPalette"),
     cmd("Mod-s", "openMoveToBuffer"),
     cmd("Mod-n", "openCreateNewBuffer"),
+    cmd("Mod-Shift-n", "createScratchBuffer"),
 
     cmd("Alt-Shift-f", "formatBlockContent"),
     cmd("Mod-Shift-Space", "toggleCheckbox"),
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ export function getAllKeyBindingsForCommand(command, keymapName, userKeymap, ema
         "nothing", 
         "toggleAlwaysOnTop", 
         "toggleLeftPanel",
-        "openLanguageSelector", "openBufferSelector", "openCreateNewBuffer", "openMoveToBuffer", "openCommandPalette", 
+        "openLanguageSelector", "openBufferSelector", "openCreateNewBuffer", "createScratchBuffer", "openMoveToBuffer", "openCommandPalette",
         "closeCurrentTab", "reopenLastClosedTab", "nextTab", "previousTab", 
         "switchToTab1", "switchToTab2", "switchToTab3", "switchToTab4", "switchToTab5", "switchToTab6", "switchToTab7", "switchToTab8", "switchToTab9", "switchToLastTab"
     ])
diff --git a/src/stores/heynote-store.js b/src/stores/heynote-store.js
index 6774ba3e..91bfcb86 100644
--- a/src/stores/heynote-store.js
+++ b/src/stores/heynote-store.js
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import { toRaw, nextTick, watch } from 'vue';
 import { defineStore } from "pinia"
 import { NoteFormat } from "../common/note-format"
+import { filenameSlug } from "../common/sanitize-filename"
 import { toSafeBrowserLocale } from "../util/locale.js"
 import { useEditorCacheStore } from "./editor-cache"
 import { useSettingsStore } from "./settings-store"
-import { 
-    SCRATCH_FILE_NAME, WINDOW_FULLSCREEN_STATE, WINDOW_FOCUS_STATE, 
-    SAVE_TABS_STATE, LOAD_TABS_STATE, CONTEXT_MENU_CLOSED 
+import {
+    SCRATCH_FILE_NAME, WINDOW_FULLSCREEN_STATE, WINDOW_FOCUS_STATE,
+    SAVE_TABS_STATE, LOAD_TABS_STATE, CONTEXT_MENU_CLOSED
 } from "../common/constants"
 
 
@@ -285,6 +286,21 @@ export const useHeynoteStore = defineStore("heynote", {
             await toRaw(this.currentEditor).createNewBuffer(path, name)
         },
 
+        /**
+         * Create a new buffer with an auto-generated "Scratch N" name (no modal).
+         * N is the highest existing Scratch index + 1, so deletions don't cause collisions.
+         */
+        async createScratchBuffer() {
+            const scratchPathRe = /^scratch-(\d+)\.txt$/
+            const maxN = Object.keys(this.buffers).reduce((max, path) => {
+                const match = path.match(scratchPathRe)
+                return match ? Math.max(max, parseInt(match[1], 10)) : max
+            }, 0)
+            const name = `Scratch ${maxN + 1}`
+            const path = filenameSlug(name) + ".txt"
+            await this.createNewBuffer(path, name)
+        },
+
         /**
          * Create a new note file at path, with name `name`, and content content
          * @param {*} path: File path relative to Heynote root 
diff --git a/tests/playwright/buffer-creation.spec.js b/tests/playwright/buffer-creation.spec.js
index 56bde2ae..ddb050ab 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/buffer-creation.spec.js
+++ b/tests/playwright/buffer-creation.spec.js
@@ -125,6 +125,20 @@ Block C`)
 `))
 })
 
+test("create scratch buffers via Mod+Shift+N without modal", async ({page}) => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+        await page.locator("body").press(heynotePage.agnosticKey("Mod+Shift+N"))
+        await page.waitForTimeout(100)
+        await expect(page.locator(".new-buffer")).toHaveCount(0)
+    }
+    await page.waitForTimeout(AUTO_SAVE_INTERVAL + 50)
+
+    const buffers = Object.keys(await heynotePage.getStoredBufferList())
+    expect(buffers).toContain("scratch-1.txt")
+    expect(buffers).toContain("scratch-2.txt")
+    expect(buffers).toContain("scratch-3.txt")
+})
+
 test("folder selector hides dot-prefixed folders", async ({ page }) => {
     await page.evaluate(async () => {
         await window.heynote.buffer.createDirectory(".secret")