diff --git a/src/ui/panelDock.test.mjs b/src/ui/panelDock.test.mjs
index ea4f8f0a9..ee9858a95 100644
--- a/src/ui/panelDock.test.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/panelDock.test.mjs
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ function fixture() {
     const classes = new Set();
     const style = {
       removeProperty(name) {
+        // Like CSSStyleDeclaration: 'z-index' also clears style.zIndex.
         delete this[name];
+        delete this[name.replace(/-([a-z])/g, (_, c) => c.toUpperCase())];
       },
       getPropertyValue: () => '',
     };
@@ -191,3 +193,55 @@ test('two quick header presses snap a floating panel back; slow or distant ones
     f.restore();
   }
 });
+
+test('a restored floating window stacks above the docked DISPLAY panel (z 110)', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  try {
+    const panel = f.element();
+    panel.id = 'street-level-panel';
+    f.owner._portablePanels.set('street-level-panel', {
+      panel,
+      min: { width: 320, height: 280 },
+      dockOnCollapse: true,
+    });
+    f.store.set(
+      'godsEyeView.v8.panelPos.street-level-panel',
+      JSON.stringify({
+        left: 900,
+        top: 200,
+        width: 420,
+        height: 600,
+        floating: true,
+      }),
+    );
+    f.owner._restorePanelPosition('street-level-panel', panel);
+    assert.equal(panel.classList.contains('panel-floating'), true);
+    assert.ok(Number(panel.style.zIndex) > 110, `z ${panel.style.zIndex}`);
+    f.owner.dockPanel('street-level-panel');
+    assert.equal(panel.style.zIndex, undefined, 'docking drops the promotion');
+  } finally {
+    f.restore();
+  }
+});
+
+test('renumbering the z ladder never drops a window below the docked panels', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  try {
+    const windows = [f.element(), f.element(), f.element()];
+    windows.forEach((node, index) => {
+      node.classList.add('panel-draggable');
+      node.style.zIndex = String(130 + index);
+    });
+    globalThis.document.querySelectorAll = (selector) =>
+      selector === '.panel-draggable' ? windows : [];
+    f.owner._panelZCounter = 139;
+    const top = f.element();
+    top.classList.add('panel-draggable');
+    f.owner._promotePanelZ(top);
+    for (const node of [...windows, top])
+      assert.ok(Number(node.style.zIndex) > 110, `z ${node.style.zIndex}`);
+    assert.ok(Number(top.style.zIndex) > Number(windows[2].style.zIndex));
+  } finally {
+    f.restore();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/ui/panelPositionControls.js b/src/ui/panelPositionControls.js
index 7ce0651cb..97ecf634a 100644
--- a/src/ui/panelPositionControls.js
+++ b/src/ui/panelPositionControls.js
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ const PANEL_POSITION_STORAGE_VERSION = 'v8';
 /** Z ladder: panels promote within [100, 139]; voice pill 150, toast 200, clean-view-exit 300. */
 const PANEL_Z_BASE = 100;
 const PANEL_Z_MAX = 139;
+/**
+ * Lowest z a promoted (dragged or floating) panel may take: above every panel
+ * docked in a rail, the highest of which is #pp-toggles at 110 (controls.css).
+ * Renumbering restarts here, so a floating window never slips under DISPLAY.
+ * Keep in step with `#right-context-rail > .panel-floating` in controls.css.
+ */
+const PANEL_Z_FLOATING_FLOOR = PANEL_Z_BASE + 11;
 /** Pointer travel before a header press becomes a drag that lifts a portable panel out. */
 const DRAG_THRESHOLD_PX = 4;
 /**
@@ -37,6 +44,8 @@ const FLOATING_STYLE_PROPERTIES = [
   'bottom',
   'width',
   'height',
+  // A docked panel takes the rail's stacking, not a floating window's.
+  'z-index',
 ];
 
 function clamp(value, min, max) {
@@ -264,6 +273,9 @@ export class PanelPositionControls {
       if (Boolean(pos.floating) !== Boolean(portable)) return;
       if (portable) {
         panelEl.classList.add('panel-floating', 'panel-draggable');
+        // A restored window must stack above the docked rail panels too, not
+        // only one that was lifted or clicked this session.
+        this._promotePanelZ(panelEl);
         if (Number.isFinite(pos.width)) {
           panelEl.style.width = `${clamp(
             Math.round(pos.width),
@@ -337,7 +349,7 @@ export class PanelPositionControls {
       const promoted = [...document.querySelectorAll('.panel-draggable')]
         .filter((el) => el.style.zIndex)
         .sort((a, b) => Number(a.style.zIndex) - Number(b.style.zIndex));
-      let z = PANEL_Z_BASE + 1;
+      let z = PANEL_Z_FLOATING_FLOOR;
       for (const el of promoted) {
         el.style.zIndex = String(z);
         z += 1;
diff --git a/src/ui/styles/controls.css b/src/ui/styles/controls.css
index 98a9f10d3..323b59ef6 100644
--- a/src/ui/styles/controls.css
+++ b/src/ui/styles/controls.css
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@
 #right-context-rail > .panel-floating {
   position: fixed;
   inset: auto;
+  /* Above every docked rail panel (#pp-toggles is 110). PanelPositionControls
+     promotes floating windows from this floor (PANEL_Z_FLOATING_FLOOR). */
+  z-index: 111;
   max-height: calc(100vh - 12px);
   margin: 0;
   flex: none;