diff --git a/src/client/components/browser.tsx b/src/client/components/browser.tsx
index 52c251d..ad5c878 100644
--- a/src/client/components/browser.tsx
+++ b/src/client/components/browser.tsx
@@ -1170,7 +1170,9 @@ export function makeContextBrowser(
               <div key={c.key} className={'lc-br-cat' + (openable ? '' : ' lc-br-cat-empty')}>
                 <button
                   type="button"
-                  className={'lc-br-cat-row hover:bg-(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover)' + (linked && props.hoverKey === c.key ? ' lc-br-cat-on' : '')}
+                  className={'lc-br-cat-row hover:bg-(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover)'
+                    + (open ? ' lc-br-cat-open' : '')
+                    + (linked && props.hoverKey === c.key ? ' lc-br-cat-on' : '')}
                   /* v8 ignore start -- the handlers exist only when linked,
                      and linked already requires onHoverKey defined (above). */
                   onMouseEnter={linked ? () => { if (props.onHoverKey !== undefined) props.onHoverKey(c.key) } : undefined}
diff --git a/src/client/styles/browser.css b/src/client/styles/browser.css
index aac80a3..8c20f45 100644
--- a/src/client/styles/browser.css
+++ b/src/client/styles/browser.css
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
  */
 .lc-br-cat-on { background: var(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover); }
 .lc-br-cat-on i { box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px var(--dsw-alias-brand-primary); }
+/* Expanded category: the open header holds the hover tint, so the header keeps
+   reading as the raised face over its body — every category card alike. */
+.lc-br-cat-open { background: var(--dsw-alias-interactive-bg-hover); }
 .lc-br-cat-row i { display: inline-block; width: 8px; height: 8px; border-radius: 2px; flex: none; transition: box-shadow var(--ds-transition-duration, 0.2s) var(--ds-ease-in-out, ease-in-out); }
 .lc-br-cat-label { font-weight: 600; }
 .lc-br-cat-count { color: var(--dsw-alias-label-secondary); font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap; }
diff --git a/tests/client/components/browser.spec.ts b/tests/client/components/browser.spec.ts
index 1f79d02..2d64e83 100644
--- a/tests/client/components/browser.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/client/components/browser.spec.ts
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ describe('ContextBrowser header epochs', () => {
     const body = query(m.container, '.lc-br-body')
     assert.ok(text(body).includes('SYS B'), 'the newest epoch’s prompt shows on the live surface')
     assert.ok(text(body).includes('2 lines'), 'line count rides the section head')
+    // The open header holds the hover tint, every category alike.
+    assert.ok(catRow(m, 'system').className.includes('lc-br-cat-open'))
     // The single system row is already expanded.
     assert.equal(queryAll(m.container, '.lc-br-content').length, 1)
     assert.ok(queryAll(m.container, '.lc-ts-desc-md').length >= 1, 'markdown view by default')
@@ -326,6 +328,7 @@ describe('ContextBrowser header epochs', () => {
     assert.ok(queryAll(m.container, '.lc-ts-desc-md').length >= 1, 'markdown restored')
     await click(catRow(m, 'system'))
     assert.equal(queryAll(m.container, '.lc-br-body').length, 0)
+    assert.ok(!catRow(m, 'system').className.includes('lc-br-cat-open'))
     await m.unmount()
   })