diff --git a/changelog.d/1448-local-adsb-geom-rate.md b/changelog.d/1448-local-adsb-geom-rate.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4a0c54f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/1448-local-adsb-geom-rate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+- Local ADS-B decoder feeds now carry a GNSS-sourced vertical rate
+  (`geom_rate`) when no barometric rate is sent, so the card shows V/S
+  instead of a dash (Aditya, @Rohilalala, #1448).
+- Local ADS-B, military and the adsb.lol flight fallback read the vertical
+  rate through one shared readsb field reader, so all three prefer the
+  barometric rate and fall back to the GNSS rate the same way (#1448).
diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index 030138906..84d42cb7b 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -6322,7 +6322,9 @@ Receivers publish one record shape from `src/sources/adsbRecords.js`
 `lastMessageAt`, `messageCount`, `rssiDbfs`, `band`, `source`). `band` is `1090` or `978`; `source` is
 `webusb` (browser SDR) or `feed` (decoder feed).
 `normalizeDump1090Aircraft(json, nowMs, { band })` maps a dump1090/readsb/
-skyaware978 `aircraft.json` document into the same records. Voice
+skyaware978 `aircraft.json` document into the same records; a row without
+`baro_rate` reads its vertical rate from `geom_rate`, where a GNSS-sourced rate
+is sent. Voice
 `set_layer_visibility` accepts `local-adsb` ("local ADS-B", "my receiver",
 "my antenna").
 
diff --git a/scripts/format-scope.json b/scripts/format-scope.json
index 0cd9edca5..11134114f 100644
--- a/scripts/format-scope.json
+++ b/scripts/format-scope.json
@@ -1183,5 +1183,6 @@
   "src/firstRunLauncherView.test.mjs",
   "src/firstRunCopy.js",
   "src/data/headingDegrees.test.mjs",
-  "src/data/distanceFormat.test.mjs"
+  "src/data/distanceFormat.test.mjs",
+  "src/sources/adsbFields.test.mjs"
 ]
diff --git a/scripts/package-boundaries.json b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
index 96057df6c..303107647 100644
--- a/scripts/package-boundaries.json
+++ b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@
     "runtime": "node",
     "exports": ["./server/providers/live"],
     "modules": [
+      "src/sources/adsbFields.js",
       "server/providers/live.js",
       "server/providers/common/http.js",
       "server/providers/common/query.js",
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@
   },
   "adsb-lol-source": {
     "exports": ["./sources/adsb-lol"],
-    "modules": ["src/data/adsbLolFallback.js"],
+    "modules": ["src/data/adsbLolFallback.js", "src/sources/adsbFields.js"],
     "external": []
   },
   "place-providers": {
@@ -1247,6 +1248,7 @@
   "live-observations": {
     "exports": ["./sources/live"],
     "modules": [
+      "src/sources/adsbFields.js",
       "src/i18n/marker.js",
       "src/data/aircraftEmergency.js",
       "src/sources/live/aircraft.js",
@@ -2203,6 +2205,7 @@
       "./standalone/catalog"
     ],
     "modules": [
+      "src/sources/adsbFields.js",
       "src/data/headingDegrees.js",
       "src/data/distanceFormat.js",
       "src/ui/placeNames.js",
@@ -3179,6 +3182,7 @@
   "application-layer-construction": {
     "exports": ["./application/layers"],
     "modules": [
+      "src/sources/adsbFields.js",
       "src/data/headingDegrees.js",
       "src/data/distanceFormat.js",
       "src/cyberSonar.js",
@@ -4721,6 +4725,7 @@
   "tools-services": {
     "exports": ["./tools/services"],
     "modules": [
+      "src/sources/adsbFields.js",
       "src/tools/services.js",
       "src/layers/bikeshare/registry.js",
       "src/layers/bikeshare/source.js",
diff --git a/src/data/adsbLolFallback.js b/src/data/adsbLolFallback.js
index 40dd2bbc0..61d07387f 100644
--- a/src/data/adsbLolFallback.js
+++ b/src/data/adsbLolFallback.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { readAdsbVerticalRateFpm } from '../sources/adsbFields.js';
+
 const KNOT_TO_MPS = 0.514444;
 const FOOT_TO_M = 0.3048;
 const FPM_TO_MPS = 0.00508;
@@ -61,8 +63,7 @@ export function normalizeAdsbLolAircraftState(aircraft, nowSeconds) {
   const barometricFeet = onGround ? null : finiteNumber(aircraft?.alt_baro);
   const geometricFeet = finiteNumber(aircraft?.alt_geom);
   const groundSpeedKnots = finiteNumber(aircraft?.gs);
-  const verticalRateFpm =
-    finiteNumber(aircraft?.baro_rate) ?? finiteNumber(aircraft?.geom_rate);
+  const verticalRateFpm = readAdsbVerticalRateFpm(aircraft);
   const track = finiteNumber(aircraft?.track);
 
   return [
diff --git a/src/sources/adsbFields.js b/src/sources/adsbFields.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d4822e2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sources/adsbFields.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/** A readsb rate field: a finite JSON number, else null. */
+function rateField(value) {
+  return typeof value === 'number' && Number.isFinite(value) ? value : null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Vertical rate in ft/min from a readsb-style aircraft row (readsb, tar1090,
+ * adsb.lol): the barometric `baro_rate`, else the GNSS-sourced `geom_rate`
+ * readsb sends instead when it has no barometric rate. A barometric 0 is kept.
+ * Only a finite number counts; null when neither field has one.
+ * @param {object|null|undefined} row
+ * @returns {number|null}
+ */
+export function readAdsbVerticalRateFpm(row) {
+  return rateField(row?.baro_rate) ?? rateField(row?.geom_rate);
+}
diff --git a/src/sources/adsbFields.test.mjs b/src/sources/adsbFields.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68fc52f79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sources/adsbFields.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import test from 'node:test';
+import { readAdsbVerticalRateFpm } from './adsbFields.js';
+
+test('the barometric rate wins, a barometric 0 included', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    readAdsbVerticalRateFpm({ baro_rate: -640, geom_rate: -832 }),
+    -640,
+  );
+  assert.equal(readAdsbVerticalRateFpm({ baro_rate: 0, geom_rate: 600 }), 0);
+});
+
+test('a GNSS rate stands in when no barometric rate is usable', () => {
+  for (const baro_rate of [
+    undefined,
+    null,
+    Number.NaN,
+    Infinity,
+    '300',
+    false,
+  ]) {
+    assert.equal(readAdsbVerticalRateFpm({ baro_rate, geom_rate: -832 }), -832);
+  }
+});
+
+test('no usable rate reads as null', () => {
+  assert.equal(readAdsbVerticalRateFpm({}), null);
+  assert.equal(readAdsbVerticalRateFpm(null), null);
+  assert.equal(
+    readAdsbVerticalRateFpm({ baro_rate: '300', geom_rate: true }),
+    null,
+  );
+});
diff --git a/src/sources/adsbRecords.js b/src/sources/adsbRecords.js
index 814da60b2..afa952503 100644
--- a/src/sources/adsbRecords.js
+++ b/src/sources/adsbRecords.js
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
  * This module is portable: no Cesium, DOM, network or storage access.
  */
 
+import { readAdsbVerticalRateFpm } from './adsbFields.js';
+
 /** A marker is dropped once its newest position is this old. */
 export const LOCAL_ADSB_POSITION_STALE_MS = 60_000;
 /** An aircraft is forgotten once no message has arrived for this long. */
@@ -247,7 +249,7 @@ export function normalizeDump1090Aircraft(json, nowMs, { band = '1090' } = {}) {
       altitudeFt: altitude,
       groundSpeedKt: finiteOrNull(entry.gs),
       trackDeg: normalizeTrack(entry.track),
-      verticalRateFpm: finiteOrNull(entry.baro_rate),
+      verticalRateFpm: readAdsbVerticalRateFpm(entry),
       lastPositionAt: hasPosition
         ? receivedAt - Math.max(0, seenPosS) * 1000
         : null,
diff --git a/src/sources/adsbRecords.test.mjs b/src/sources/adsbRecords.test.mjs
index 12070d47b..aa14133b6 100644
--- a/src/sources/adsbRecords.test.mjs
+++ b/src/sources/adsbRecords.test.mjs
@@ -169,6 +169,20 @@ test('a feed document names its band on every record', () => {
   assert.ok(uat.every((record) => record.source === 'feed'));
 });
 
+test('a decoder feed reads a GNSS-sourced vertical rate when no baro rate is sent', () => {
+  // dump1090-fa and readsb file a velocity message's rate under geom_rate
+  // instead of baro_rate when its source bit says GNSS.
+  const rate = (fields) =>
+    normalizeDump1090Aircraft(
+      { aircraft: [{ hex: 'abc123', seen: 1, ...fields }] },
+      10_000,
+    )[0].verticalRateFpm;
+  assert.equal(rate({ geom_rate: -832 }), -832);
+  assert.equal(rate({ baro_rate: -768, geom_rate: -832 }), -768);
+  assert.equal(rate({ baro_rate: 0, geom_rate: -832 }), 0);
+  assert.equal(rate({}), null);
+});
+
 function heard(overrides = {}) {
   return {
     icao: 'abc123',
diff --git a/src/sources/live/aircraft.js b/src/sources/live/aircraft.js
index 9da4f7a5f..19472a92a 100644
--- a/src/sources/live/aircraft.js
+++ b/src/sources/live/aircraft.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   epoch,
   finite,
 } from './contract.js';
+import { readAdsbVerticalRateFpm } from '../adsbFields.js';
 
 const openSkyId = (row) =>
   Array.isArray(row) ? cleanText(row[0]).toLowerCase() : '';
@@ -48,8 +49,7 @@ export function normalizeReadsbAircraft(row, snapshotTimeMs) {
   const baroFt = finite(row.alt_baro),
     geoFt = finite(row.alt_geom);
   const speedKts = finite(row.gs),
-    // readsb sends a GNSS-sourced rate as geom_rate instead of baro_rate.
-    rateFtMin = finite(row.baro_rate) ?? finite(row.geom_rate);
+    rateFtMin = readAdsbVerticalRateFpm(row);
   const seen = finite(row.seen),
     seenPos = finite(row.seen_pos);
   return {