diff --git a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt
index 6e5e2c6a3e..896fa9a5bc 100644
--- a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt
+++ b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt
@@ -1380,56 +1380,68 @@ fun MainContent(
                                 }
                             }
 
-                        MainSidebar(
-                            activeNpub = accountManager.currentAccount()?.npub,
-                            allAccounts = allAccountsState,
-                            localCache = localCache,
-                            onSwitchAccount = { npub ->
-                                scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
-                                    accountManager.switchAccount(npub)
-                                }
-                            },
-                            onAddAccount = { showAddAccountDialog = true },
-                            onRemoveAccount = { npub ->
-                                scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
-                                    accountManager.removeAccountFromStorage(npub)
-                                }
-                            },
-                            onAddColumn = onShowAppDrawer,
-                            onOpenSettings = {
-                                when (layoutMode) {
-                                    LayoutMode.DECK -> {
-                                        if (deckState.hasColumnOfType(DeckColumnType.Settings)) {
-                                            deckState.focusExistingColumn(DeckColumnType.Settings)
-                                        } else {
-                                            deckState.addColumn(DeckColumnType.Settings)
+                        Box {
+                            MainSidebar(
+                                activeNpub = accountManager.currentAccount()?.npub,
+                                allAccounts = allAccountsState,
+                                localCache = localCache,
+                                onSwitchAccount = { npub ->
+                                    scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
+                                        accountManager.switchAccount(npub)
+                                    }
+                                },
+                                onAddAccount = { showAddAccountDialog = true },
+                                onRemoveAccount = { npub ->
+                                    scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
+                                        accountManager.removeAccountFromStorage(npub)
+                                    }
+                                },
+                                onAddColumn = onShowAppDrawer,
+                                onOpenSettings = {
+                                    when (layoutMode) {
+                                        LayoutMode.DECK -> {
+                                            if (deckState.hasColumnOfType(DeckColumnType.Settings)) {
+                                                deckState.focusExistingColumn(DeckColumnType.Settings)
+                                            } else {
+                                                deckState.addColumn(DeckColumnType.Settings)
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                        LayoutMode.SINGLE_PANE -> {
+                                            singlePaneState.navigate(DeckColumnType.Settings)
                                         }
                                     }
-                                    LayoutMode.SINGLE_PANE -> {
-                                        singlePaneState.navigate(DeckColumnType.Settings)
-                                    }
-                                }
-                            },
-                            onNavigate = { type ->
-                                when (layoutMode) {
-                                    LayoutMode.DECK -> {
-                                        if (deckState.hasColumnOfType(type)) {
-                                            deckState.focusExistingColumn(type)
-                                        } else {
-                                            deckState.addColumn(type)
+                                },
+                                onNavigate = { type ->
+                                    when (layoutMode) {
+                                        LayoutMode.DECK -> {
+                                            if (deckState.hasColumnOfType(type)) {
+                                                deckState.focusExistingColumn(type)
+                                            } else {
+                                                deckState.addColumn(type)
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                        LayoutMode.SINGLE_PANE -> {
+                                            singlePaneState.navigate(type)
                                         }
                                     }
-                                    LayoutMode.SINGLE_PANE -> {
-                                        singlePaneState.navigate(type)
-                                    }
-                                }
-                            },
-                            activeColumnType = activeColumnType,
-                            onShowImportFollowListDialog = onShowImportFollowListDialog,
-                            signerConnectionState = signerConnectionState,
-                            lastPingTimeSec = lastPingTimeSec,
-                            torStatus = torStatus,
-                        )
+                                },
+                                activeColumnType = activeColumnType,
+                                onShowImportFollowListDialog = onShowImportFollowListDialog,
+                                signerConnectionState = signerConnectionState,
+                                lastPingTimeSec = lastPingTimeSec,
+                                torStatus = torStatus,
+                            )
+
+                            // Dim sidebar when feed search is active
+                            if (com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.desktop.ui.theme.LocalFeedSearchActive.current.value) {
+                                Box(
+                                    modifier =
+                                        Modifier
+                                            .matchParentSize()
+                                            .background(Color.Black.copy(alpha = 0.3f)),
+                                )
+                            }
+                        }
 
                         VerticalDivider()
 
diff --git a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/FeedScreen.kt b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/FeedScreen.kt
index 35e5e16c84..0f4afae494 100644
--- a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/FeedScreen.kt
+++ b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/FeedScreen.kt
@@ -581,35 +581,10 @@ fun FeedScreen(
     }
 
     Box(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+        // Layer 1: Feed content (scrollable, behind scrim)
         ReadingColumn {
-            // Header: pinned feed tabs + search pill (or expanded search card)
-            FeedTabsHeader(
-                feedMode = feedMode,
-                activeFeedId = activeFeedId,
-                searchExpanded = searchActive,
-                onSearchExpandedChange = onSearchActiveChange,
-                onFeedModeChange = { mode ->
-                    feedMode = mode
-                    activeFeedId = null
-                    activeFeedSource = null
-                    if (mode != FeedMode.CUSTOM) {
-                        DesktopPreferences.feedMode = mode
-                    }
-                },
-                onNavigateToFeed = { feed ->
-                    val source = feed.source
-                    if (source is com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.feeds.custom.FeedSource.Filter) {
-                        activeFeedId = feed.id
-                        activeFeedSource = source
-                        feedMode = FeedMode.CUSTOM
-                    }
-                },
-                onOpenFeedsDrawer = onOpenFeedsDrawer,
-                onCompose = onCompose,
-                onSearchClick = onSearchClick,
-            )
-
-            Spacer(Modifier.height(8.dp))
+            // Reserve space for the header card that floats above
+            Spacer(Modifier.height(60.dp))
 
             // Feed content based on FeedState
             when (val state = feedState) {
@@ -748,7 +723,7 @@ fun FeedScreen(
             )
         }
 
-        // Search scrim — dims feed content when search is expanded
+        // Layer 2: Search scrim — dims feed content when search is expanded
         if (searchActive) {
             Box(
                 modifier =
@@ -764,6 +739,33 @@ fun FeedScreen(
             )
         }
 
+        // Layer 3: Header card — rendered AFTER scrim so it floats above it
+        FeedTabsHeader(
+            feedMode = feedMode,
+            activeFeedId = activeFeedId,
+            searchExpanded = searchActive,
+            onSearchExpandedChange = onSearchActiveChange,
+            onFeedModeChange = { mode ->
+                feedMode = mode
+                activeFeedId = null
+                activeFeedSource = null
+                if (mode != FeedMode.CUSTOM) {
+                    DesktopPreferences.feedMode = mode
+                }
+            },
+            onNavigateToFeed = { feed ->
+                val source = feed.source
+                if (source is com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.feeds.custom.FeedSource.Filter) {
+                    activeFeedId = feed.id
+                    activeFeedSource = source
+                    feedMode = FeedMode.CUSTOM
+                }
+            },
+            onOpenFeedsDrawer = onOpenFeedsDrawer,
+            onCompose = onCompose,
+            onSearchClick = onSearchClick,
+        )
+
         // Lightbox overlay
         lightboxState?.let { state ->
             LightboxOverlay(