diff --git a/app/src/tab.rs b/app/src/tab.rs
index 7fdeb9b8..855764a3 100644
--- a/app/src/tab.rs
+++ b/app/src/tab.rs
@@ -1414,7 +1414,9 @@ impl<'a> TabComponent<'a> {
                 Fill::None
             };
 
-            let border = if is_active {
+            // Brighten the border on hover (matching the active treatment) so an
+            // inactive tab gives clear feedback under the cursor.
+            let border = if is_active || is_hovered {
                 internal_colors::fg_overlay_2(theme)
             } else {
                 internal_colors::fg_overlay_1(theme)
@@ -1470,7 +1472,11 @@ impl<'a> TabComponent<'a> {
                 .finish(),
             );
             Container::new(flex_row.finish())
-                .with_horizontal_padding(8.)
+                .with_horizontal_padding(if FeatureFlag::NewTabStyling.is_enabled() {
+                    10.
+                } else {
+                    8.
+                })
                 .finish()
         };
 
@@ -1612,22 +1618,56 @@ impl<'a> TabComponent<'a> {
             .with_vertical_padding(2.)
             .with_background(background_color);
         if FeatureFlag::NewTabStyling.is_enabled() {
-            let is_first_tab = self.tab_index == 0;
-            tab = tab.with_border(
-                Border::all(1.)
-                    // We only include a left border on the very first tab to avoid double borders.
-                    .with_sides(false, is_first_tab, false, true)
-                    .with_border_fill(border_fill),
-            );
+            // Floating browser-style card: rounded top corners with a flat bottom
+            // that merges into the content area below. The active tab's accent
+            // underline (added below) sits along that flat edge. Tabs are spaced
+            // by a small gap (added in `build`) rather than abutting separators.
+            tab = tab.with_corner_radius(CornerRadius::with_top(Radius::Pixels(6.0)));
+            // Only the active/hovered card draws a subtle outline (top + sides,
+            // open bottom); idle tabs stay borderless for a calm, uncluttered
+            // strip.
+            if is_active || is_hovered {
+                tab = tab.with_border(
+                    Border::all(1.)
+                        .with_sides(true, true, false, true)
+                        .with_border_fill(border_fill),
+                );
+            }
         } else {
             tab = tab
                 .with_corner_radius(CornerRadius::with_all(Radius::Pixels(4.0)))
                 .with_border(Border::all(1.).with_border_fill(border_fill));
         }
 
+        // Mark the active tab with a full-width accent underline pinned to its
+        // bottom edge, visually connecting it to the content area below. The bar
+        // is a pure overlay (`ParentBySize` stretches it to the tab width) so it
+        // adds no height and never reflows the strip.
+        let tab_element: Box<dyn Element> = if FeatureFlag::NewTabStyling.is_enabled() && is_active
+        {
+            let accent_underline =
+                ConstrainedBox::new(Rect::new().with_background(theme.accent()).finish())
+                    .with_height(2.)
+                    .finish();
+
+            let mut accented = Stack::new().with_child(tab.finish());
+            accented.add_positioned_overlay_child(
+                accent_underline,
+                OffsetPositioning::offset_from_parent(
+                    vec2f(0., 0.),
+                    ParentOffsetBounds::ParentBySize,
+                    ParentAnchor::BottomLeft,
+                    ChildAnchor::BottomLeft,
+                ),
+            );
+            accented.finish()
+        } else {
+            tab.finish()
+        };
+
         // If the tab is being dragged, add an opaque background behind it
         if is_tab_dragging {
-            Container::new(tab.finish())
+            Container::new(tab_element)
                 .with_background_color(
                     self.ui_builder
                         .warp_theme()
@@ -1641,10 +1681,10 @@ impl<'a> TabComponent<'a> {
             // semantically meaningful for an element that follows the cursor,
             // and because the inner `DropTarget`'s position is unrelated to
             // any real tab in the target window.
-            tab.finish()
+            tab_element
         } else {
             DropTarget::new(
-                tab.finish(),
+                tab_element,
                 TabBarDropTargetData {
                     tab_bar_location: TabBarLocation::TabIndex(self.tab_index),
                 },
@@ -1858,6 +1898,16 @@ impl UiComponent for TabComponent<'_> {
                 .finish()
         };
 
+        // Separate the floating cards with a small gap instead of abutting
+        // separators (new styling only). The first tab keeps a tight left edge.
+        let constrained_tab = if FeatureFlag::NewTabStyling.is_enabled() && tab_index > 0 {
+            Container::new(constrained_tab)
+                .with_margin_left(2.)
+                .finish()
+        } else {
+            constrained_tab
+        };
+
         // Skip the `Draggable` and `SavePosition` wrappers when rendering
         // the tab inside the cross-window drag chip overlay. Wrapping the
         // chip in another `Draggable` would interfere with the in-flight