diff --git a/src/ui/leftPanelRail.js b/src/ui/leftPanelRail.js
index 0b3e7ee2f..c5c65378b 100644
--- a/src/ui/leftPanelRail.js
+++ b/src/ui/leftPanelRail.js
@@ -283,13 +283,16 @@ export function layoutLeftPanelRail({
     getComputedStyle(stack)
       .getPropertyValue?.('--panel-stack-top-pinned')
       ?.trim() === '1';
-  const railOffset = `${(topPinned ? 0 : safeTop - layoutTop).toFixed(1)}px`;
+  // The stack itself rises by the lift below, by a different amount for a
+  // tall panel than at rest; the rail takes up the difference.
+  const lift = (top) => Math.min(0, obstacleSafeTop - top);
+  const railOffset = `${(topPinned ? 0 : safeTop + lift(safeTop) - layoutTop - lift(layoutTop)).toFixed(1)}px`;
   if (stack.style.getPropertyValue('--panel-rail-offset') !== railOffset) {
     stack.style.setProperty('--panel-rail-offset', railOffset);
   }
   // How far the column can rise before it meets the HUD readout, so the rail
   // and any open panel sit just under it, whether or not a panel is open.
-  const railLift = `${(topPinned ? 0 : Math.min(0, obstacleSafeTop - layoutTop)).toFixed(1)}px`;
+  const railLift = `${(topPinned ? 0 : lift(layoutTop)).toFixed(1)}px`;
   if (stack.style.getPropertyValue('--panel-rail-lift') !== railLift) {
     stack.style.setProperty('--panel-rail-lift', railLift);
   }
diff --git a/src/ui/panelRails.test.mjs b/src/ui/panelRails.test.mjs
index 40c2be20b..7edbc854a 100644
--- a/src/ui/panelRails.test.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/panelRails.test.mjs
@@ -359,14 +359,23 @@ test('right rail aligns to the left rail buttons while the left stack is offset'
   assert.equal(f.stack.dataset.safeTop, '286.7');
 });
 
-test('left rail buttons hold still while a tall panel moves the stack', () => {
+test('left rail buttons hold still whether the open panel is short or tall', () => {
+  // Where the rail sits: the stack's top, the stack's rise, and the rail's
+  // own offset inside the stack.
+  const railTop = (stack) =>
+    (parseFloat(stack.style.getPropertyValue('--left-stack-safe-top')) * 900) /
+      100 +
+    parseFloat(stack.style.getPropertyValue('--panel-rail-lift')) +
+    parseFloat(stack.style.getPropertyValue('--panel-rail-offset'));
+  const short = fixture('left');
+  short.expand(short.first, 250);
+  short.run();
   const f = fixture('left');
   f.expand(f.first, 900);
   f.run();
   assert.equal(f.stack.dataset.layoutMode, 'focus');
-  assert.ok(
-    parseFloat(f.stack.style.getPropertyValue('--panel-rail-offset')) > 0,
-  );
+  assert.notEqual(short.stack.dataset.layoutMode, 'focus');
+  assert.ok(Math.abs(railTop(f.stack) - railTop(short.stack)) < 0.2);
 
   // A theme that pins the stack's top (Cyber) leaves nothing to offset.
   f.stack.computed.getPropertyValue = (name) =>
diff --git a/src/ui/railEdgeScroll.js b/src/ui/railEdgeScroll.js
index 4dfd56df6..cf46ef02f 100644
--- a/src/ui/railEdgeScroll.js
+++ b/src/ui/railEdgeScroll.js
@@ -62,24 +62,9 @@ export function installRailEdgeScroll(doc = globalThis.document) {
   // highlight is showing is kept here, and the classes are put back each time.
   const gliding = new WeakSet();
 
-  // Where a rail lifts its open item out to sit beside the panel's title, the
-  // items left in the rail follow on from it in turn, so the next one in line
-  // is the one directly under it and a step brings that one up. A rail that
-  // keeps its open item in place keeps its own order.
-  function reorder(rail, on) {
-    const slots = [...rail.children].filter((slot) => slot.querySelector?.('.ui-rail__item'));
-    const at = on ? slots.findIndex((slot) => slot.contains(on)) : -1;
-    const lifted = at >= 0 && win.getComputedStyle(slots[at]).position === 'absolute';
-    slots.forEach((slot, index) => {
-      const order = lifted ? String((index - at + slots.length) % slots.length) : '';
-      if (slot.style.order !== order) slot.style.order = order;
-    });
-  }
-
   function glide(rail) {
     rail.classList.toggle('ui-rail--edge-hot', rail === hot);
     const on = rail.querySelector('.ui-rail__item[aria-pressed="true"]');
-    reorder(rail, on);
     if (!on?.offsetWidth) {
       gliding.delete(rail);
       rail.classList.remove('ui-rail--glide');
@@ -263,7 +248,6 @@ export function installRailEdgeScroll(doc = globalThis.document) {
     win.removeEventListener('resize', onResize);
     doc.querySelectorAll('.ui-rail').forEach((rail) => {
       rail.classList.remove('ui-rail--glide', 'ui-rail--glide-jump', 'ui-rail--edge-hot');
-      reorder(rail, null);
     });
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/ui/styles/panel-edge.css b/src/ui/styles/panel-edge.css
index c9cfa4faf..79d19b6d2 100644
--- a/src/ui/styles/panel-edge.css
+++ b/src/ui/styles/panel-edge.css
@@ -71,16 +71,6 @@ body.panels-edge-right:not(.context-docked) .gev-panel-rail--right .ui-rail--col
   gap: 4px;
 }
 
-/* The open panel's icon joins the row instead of floating above it. */
-body.panels-edge-left .gev-panel-rail--left .ui-rail--collapsible:not(.ui-rail--expanded) .ui-tooltip {
-  position: static !important;
-  padding: 0 !important;
-  border: 0 !important;
-  background: none !important;
-  backdrop-filter: none !important;
-  -webkit-backdrop-filter: none !important;
-}
-
 body.panels-edge-left #left-panel-stack > :not(.gev-panel-rail):not(.collapsed) {
   transform: translate(calc(-1 * var(--panel-rail-clearance, 48px)), var(--edge-rail-row));
   max-height: calc(100% - var(--edge-rail-row)) !important;
diff --git a/src/ui/styles/rail-split.css b/src/ui/styles/rail-split.css
index 1f8400dd1..d84940233 100644
--- a/src/ui/styles/rail-split.css
+++ b/src/ui/styles/rail-split.css
@@ -1,37 +1,5 @@
-/* Experiment: with a left panel open, its rail icon leaves the rail and sits
-   level with the panel's title, as the panel's own tab. The other icons stay
-   in the rail underneath it and close the gap. With nothing open the rail keeps its
-   labelled pills. */
-.gev-panel-rail--left:has(.ui-rail--collapsible:not(.ui-rail--expanded) .ui-rail__item--on) {
-  /* The lifted chip (42px) centres on the panel title (26px into the
-     stack); the rail starts 6px below the chip. */
-  top: 53px;
-}
-
-.gev-panel-rail--left .ui-rail--collapsible:not(.ui-rail--expanded) {
-  position: relative;
-}
-
-.gev-panel-rail--left
-  .ui-rail--collapsible:not(.ui-rail--expanded)
-  .ui-tooltip:has(> .ui-rail__item--on) {
-  position: absolute;
-  bottom: calc(100% + 6px);
-  left: -1px;
-  padding: 4px;
-  border: 1px solid var(--glass-border);
-  border-radius: calc(var(--btn-radius) + 4px);
-  background: var(--glass-bg);
-  backdrop-filter: blur(20px);
-  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(20px);
-}
-
-.gev-panel-rail--left
-  .ui-rail--collapsible:not(.ui-rail--expanded)
-  .ui-tooltip:has(> .ui-rail__item--on)
-  .ui-rail__item {
-  width: 32px;
-}
+/* The left rail's icons keep their places whether or not a panel is open;
+   only the highlight moves to the open one. */
 
 /* With nothing open, the icons and their names split into two glass panels
    side by side: the plain icon rail, and a name panel beside it with one row
@@ -179,14 +147,18 @@
   color: #fff;
 }
 
-/* The open item's highlight sits on the button itself, so it shows wherever
-   the button is (the lifted chip, the edge row). */
+/* The open item takes the accent colour; its highlight is the rail's shared
+   one, which slides to it. Without that highlight the button carries its own. */
 :is(.gev-panel-rail--left, .gev-panel-rail--right) .ui-rail__item.ui-rail__item--on {
   color: #00d4ff !important;
-  background: rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15) !important;
-  border-color: rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15) !important;
 }
 
-:is(.gev-panel-rail--left, .gev-panel-rail--right) .ui-rail.ui-rail--glide::before {
-  display: none !important;
+:is(.gev-panel-rail--left, .gev-panel-rail--right) .ui-rail:not(.ui-rail--glide) .ui-rail__item.ui-rail__item--on {
+  background: rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15);
+  border-color: rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15);
+}
+
+:is(.gev-panel-rail--left, .gev-panel-rail--right) .ui-rail::before {
+  background: rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.15);
+  border-color: rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.28);
 }