diff --git a/apps/web/src/styles/editor-typography.test.mjs b/apps/web/src/styles/editor-typography.test.mjs
index e015399a..08ab3f57 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/styles/editor-typography.test.mjs
+++ b/apps/web/src/styles/editor-typography.test.mjs
@@ -46,12 +46,28 @@ describe("editor typography contract", () => {
     expect(placeholderRules).toMatch(/line-height\s*:\s*inherit/);
   });
 
-  test("keeps bold text visibly distinct across platform font fallbacks", () => {
+  test("keeps bold and italic text visible across platform font fallbacks", () => {
     const globals = readStyle("./globals.css");
+    const mobileEditor = readStyle("./mobile-markdown-editor.css");
     const defaultBoldRules = declarationsForSelector(globals, ".ProseMirror strong");
+    const defaultItalicRules = declarationsForSelector(globals, ".ProseMirror em");
+    const mobileBoldRules = declarationsForSelector(
+      mobileEditor,
+      ".edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content strong",
+    );
+    const mobileItalicRules = declarationsForSelector(
+      mobileEditor,
+      ".edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content em",
+    );
 
-    expect(defaultBoldRules).toMatch(/font-synthesis\s*:\s*weight/);
+    expect(defaultBoldRules).toMatch(/font-synthesis\s*:\s*weight style/);
     expect(defaultBoldRules).toMatch(/font-weight\s*:\s*800/);
+    expect(defaultItalicRules).toMatch(/font-synthesis\s*:\s*weight style/);
+    expect(defaultItalicRules).toMatch(/font-style\s*:\s*italic/);
+    expect(mobileBoldRules).toMatch(/font-synthesis\s*:\s*weight style/);
+    expect(mobileBoldRules).toMatch(/font-weight\s*:\s*800/);
+    expect(mobileItalicRules).toMatch(/font-synthesis\s*:\s*weight style/);
+    expect(mobileItalicRules).toMatch(/font-style\s*:\s*italic/);
 
     for (const filename of PRESET_THEME_FILES) {
       const source = readStyle(`./editor-themes/${filename}`);
diff --git a/apps/web/src/styles/globals.css b/apps/web/src/styles/globals.css
index 1777212d..f3575d85 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/styles/globals.css
+++ b/apps/web/src/styles/globals.css
@@ -601,15 +601,22 @@ textarea {
   padding: 0;
 }
 
-/* Do not rely on the browser's relative `bolder` mapping here. Linux Chrome
- * can render CJK fallback fonts with too little contrast between regular and
- * bold, especially when the installed family has no matching bold face. */
+/* The root deliberately disables synthetic font faces for the application UI,
+ * but rich-text emphasis must remain visible when a platform fallback font has
+ * no matching bold or italic face. Allow both forms here so nested bold-italic
+ * marks work regardless of their DOM order. */
 .ProseMirror strong,
 .ProseMirror b {
-  font-synthesis: weight;
+  font-synthesis: weight style;
   font-weight: 800;
 }
 
+.ProseMirror em,
+.ProseMirror i {
+  font-synthesis: weight style;
+  font-style: italic;
+}
+
 /* External hyperlinks (default theme).
  * Tailwind preflight resets <a> to inherit color/decoration, so without this
  * rule links are indistinguishable from body text. Note/attachment chips below
diff --git a/apps/web/src/styles/mobile-markdown-editor.css b/apps/web/src/styles/mobile-markdown-editor.css
index 727d6f7e..6510ca4f 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/styles/mobile-markdown-editor.css
+++ b/apps/web/src/styles/mobile-markdown-editor.css
@@ -483,6 +483,20 @@ input {
   white-space: pre-wrap;
 }
 
+/* Keep semantic emphasis visible even though the standalone shell disables
+ * synthetic font faces globally. Both values preserve nested bold-italic text. */
+.edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content strong,
+.edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content b {
+  font-synthesis: weight style;
+  font-weight: 800;
+}
+
+.edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content em,
+.edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content i {
+  font-synthesis: weight style;
+  font-style: italic;
+}
+
 /* External hyperlinks — match desktop default ProseMirror link styling. */
 .edgeever-mobile-tiptap-content a {
   color: #00751f;