diff --git a/src/web/public/styles.css b/src/web/public/styles.css
index 25c816bd..2f423cd4 100644
--- a/src/web/public/styles.css
+++ b/src/web/public/styles.css
@@ -20009,12 +20009,19 @@ html[data-session-list='sidebar'][data-sidebar='collapsed'] .session-sidebar .ta
     display: grid;
     grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(176px, 1fr));
     align-content: start;
+    /* The strip's own align-items: flex-start applies to grid items too; a
+       cell must stretch, or the active cell (taller with its actions) breaks
+       its row. */
+    align-items: stretch;
     gap: 4px 6px;
   }
 
   .session-tabs-host > .session-tabs.tabs-ledger > .session-tab {
     --ledger-bar: var(--green);
     min-width: 0;
+    /* Tall enough for the active cell's actions, so every row is one height. */
+    min-height: 30px;
+    box-sizing: border-box;
     gap: 7px;
     padding: 4px 8px 4px 11px;
     border: 1px solid var(--control-border);
@@ -20057,6 +20064,16 @@ html[data-session-list='sidebar'][data-sidebar='collapsed'] .session-sidebar .ta
   .session-tabs-host > .session-tabs.tabs-ledger > .session-tab:is(.tab-agent-exited, .session-tab--web, :has(> .tab-status.stopped)) {
     --ledger-bar: var(--text-muted);
   }
+
+  /* The active cell has to win against a grid of look-alike cells. The skin's
+     active rule (1px accent border, no shadow, both !important) is too quiet
+     here, so an inset second pixel doubles the border without resizing the
+     cell, and the status bar turns accent. */
+  .session-tabs-host > .session-tabs.tabs-ledger > .session-tab.active {
+    background: rgba(var(--accent-rgb), 0.2) !important;
+    box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px var(--accent), inset 4px 0 0 var(--accent) !important;
+    color: var(--text) !important;
+  }
 }
 
 /* ============================================================
@@ -20355,6 +20372,60 @@ html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-plan-usage .pu-win-idle {
   opacity: 0.55;
 }
 
+/* --- Header buttons next to the clustered stats ------------------------ */
+/* Bare 16px glyphs beside 36px tiles read as a different design. In Tiles the
+   header's icon buttons take the tile box (same height, border and fill, a
+   larger icon); in Compact they become round chips the height of the pills.
+   Only the box changes: the marker classes still hide them, and the gear
+   keeps its quarter turn on hover, on the glyph rather than the whole box. */
+html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header,
+html[data-header-stats='compact'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header {
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+  background: var(--control-bg);
+  border: 1px solid var(--control-border);
+  color: var(--text-dim);
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header {
+  width: 36px;
+  height: 36px;
+  border-radius: 7px;
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='compact'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header {
+  width: 26px;
+  height: 26px;
+  border-radius: 13px;
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header > svg {
+  width: 18px;
+  height: 18px;
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='compact'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header > svg {
+  width: 15px;
+  height: 15px;
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header:hover,
+html[data-header-stats='compact'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header:hover {
+  background: var(--control-bg-hover);
+  border-color: var(--control-border-hover);
+  color: var(--text);
+  transform: none;
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header > svg,
+html[data-header-stats='compact'] .header-right > .btn-icon-header > svg {
+  transition: transform var(--transition-smooth);
+}
+
+html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-right > .btn-settings:hover > svg,
+html[data-header-stats='compact'] .header-right > .btn-settings:hover > svg {
+  transform: rotate(45deg);
+}
+
 /* Before the first plan reading the chip holds a bare em dash; give it a tile
    of its own so it does not read as a stray mark between the tiles. */
 html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-plan-usage:not(:has(.pu-row)) {
diff --git a/test/header-stats-style.test.ts b/test/header-stats-style.test.ts
index 6e78f975..180b6c3f 100644
--- a/test/header-stats-style.test.ts
+++ b/test/header-stats-style.test.ts
@@ -205,6 +205,23 @@ describe('header stats wiring (static)', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('lays a tile out as three rows, so its height never depends on the font', () => {
+    // A bar laid over the bottom of a fixed-height tile is what let a taller
+    // system mono (SF Mono) push the value into it.
+    expect(css).toMatch(/grid-template-rows: 9px 14px 2px;\s*row-gap: 2px;/);
+    const tiles = css.slice(css.indexOf('/* --- Tiles: label over value'));
+    const bar = tiles.slice(tiles.indexOf("html[data-header-stats='tiles'] .header-system-stats .stat-bar,"));
+    expect(bar.slice(0, bar.indexOf('}'))).not.toContain('position: absolute');
+    expect(bar.slice(0, bar.indexOf('}'))).toContain('grid-row: 3;');
+  });
+
+  it('gives the header buttons the tile box beside the tiles', () => {
+    expect(css).toMatch(
+      /html\[data-header-stats='tiles'\] \.header-right > \.btn-icon-header \{\s*width: 36px;\s*height: 36px;/
+    );
+    expect(css).toMatch(/html\[data-header-stats='tiles'\] \.header-right > \.btn-icon-header > svg \{\s*width: 18px;/);
+  });
+
   it('stamps data-header-stats before first paint, tiles by default and classic on narrow screens', () => {
     expect(INDEX).toContain(
       "dataset.headerStats=(window.innerWidth<768||solo)?'classic':(H==='classic'||H==='compact')?H:'tiles'"
diff --git a/test/tab-clusters.test.ts b/test/tab-clusters.test.ts
index 59423c15..bf0521aa 100644
--- a/test/tab-clusters.test.ts
+++ b/test/tab-clusters.test.ts
@@ -287,6 +287,15 @@ describe('tab layouts by case and ledger (static)', () => {
     expect(before).not.toContain('.tabs-ledger');
   });
 
+  it('keeps every ledger row one height and makes the active cell stand out', () => {
+    const ledger = css.slice(css.indexOf('@media (min-width: 768px) {\n  .session-tabs-host > .session-tabs.tabs-ledger {'));
+    expect(ledger).toContain('align-items: stretch;');
+    expect(ledger).toContain('min-height: 30px;');
+    expect(ledger).toMatch(
+      /\.tabs-ledger > \.session-tab\.active \{[^}]*box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px var\(--accent\), inset 4px 0 0 var\(--accent\) !important;/
+    );
+  });
+
   it('dissolves the boxes into the one chip row on phones', () => {
     expect(mobileCss).toMatch(
       /:where\(\.header\) \.session-tabs-host > \.session-tabs\.tabs-clusters > \.tab-cluster \{\s*display: contents;/