diff --git a/public/css/style.css b/public/css/style.css
index 6aa783f..703bd30 100644
--- a/public/css/style.css
+++ b/public/css/style.css
@@ -30,13 +30,22 @@ body.no-scanlines::after { display: none !important; }
 
 /* Cards: geometry & shadow driven by design tokens */
 .board-card {
+    --card-stack-shadow: 0 0 0 0 transparent;
     border-radius: var(--ui-radius-card);
     border-width: var(--ui-border-card);
     border-style: var(--ui-border-style);
-    box-shadow: var(--ui-shadow-card);
+    box-shadow: var(--ui-shadow-card), var(--card-stack-shadow);
     transition: border-color 0.12s, transform 0.15s, box-shadow 0.2s;
     overflow: hidden; /* clip card-bar (and other inner elements) to the rounded corners */
 }
+.board-card.card-group {
+    --card-stack-shadow:
+        0 3px 0 -2px var(--t-border),
+        0 3px 0 0 var(--t-bg),
+        0 8px 0 -4px color-mix(in srgb, var(--t-border) 70%, transparent),
+        0 6px 0 0 var(--t-bg),
+        0 13px 0 -6px color-mix(in srgb, var(--t-border) 30%, transparent);
+}
 .board-card:hover { transform: translateY(calc(0px - var(--ui-lift-card))); }
 .board-card > .p-4 { padding: var(--ui-pad-card); }
 .board-card .card-tags { flex-shrink: 0; min-height: 18px; }
@@ -321,23 +330,9 @@ body::after {
     z-index: 0;
 }
 
-/* Group stacking effect */
-.card-group {
-    position: relative;
-}
-.card-group::before,
-.card-group::after {
-    content: '';
-    position: absolute;
-    left: 4px; right: 4px;
-    height: 100%;
-    border: 1px solid var(--t-border);
-    background: var(--t-surface);
-    border-radius: inherit;
-    z-index: -1;
-}
-.card-group::before { top: 4px; opacity: 0.6; }
-.card-group::after { top: 8px; opacity: 0.3; left: 8px; right: 8px; }
+/* Group stacking effect — implemented via box-shadow on .board-card.card-group above
+   (pseudo-elements would be clipped by the card's overflow:hidden). */
+.card-group { position: relative; }
 .card-group-badge {
     position: absolute;
     top: 6px;
@@ -389,7 +384,7 @@ body::after {
     box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.4);
     z-index: 10;
 }
-.card-glow:hover { box-shadow: var(--ui-shadow-card), 0 0 16px -3px var(--glow-color, rgba(56, 189, 248, 0.15)); }
+.card-glow:hover { box-shadow: var(--ui-shadow-card), var(--card-stack-shadow), 0 0 16px -3px var(--glow-color, rgba(56, 189, 248, 0.15)); }
 .card-selected { outline: 2px solid var(--t-accent) !important; outline-offset: -2px; }
 .card-select-check {
     position: absolute; top: 6px; left: 6px; width: 18px; height: 18px;
diff --git a/public/plugins/chat/chat.js b/public/plugins/chat/chat.js
index ea29a10..6cef9f0 100644
--- a/public/plugins/chat/chat.js
+++ b/public/plugins/chat/chat.js
@@ -101,13 +101,32 @@ async function toggleFlyout() {
 
 async function openFlyout() {
     $('chat-flyout').classList.remove('hidden');
+    // Capture blink state BEFORE we clear it — it tells us a peer wrote since last close
+    const wasBlinking = $('chat-footer-btn')?.classList.contains('blinking');
     stopBlink();
-    showListView();
     pollIntervalMs = POLL_OPEN_MS;
     restartPoll();
     await loadConversations();
     await pollOnce(); // immediate refresh on open
     await loadConversations();
+
+    // Pick the right initial view:
+    //  1. If blinking → newest peer with unread (= someone wrote to us)
+    //  2. Else → last peer the user opened manually (persisted)
+    //  3. Else → list view
+    let target = null;
+    if (wasBlinking) {
+        const unread = conversations
+            .filter(c => parseInt(c.unread) > 0)
+            .sort((a, b) => String(b.last_at).localeCompare(String(a.last_at)));
+        if (unread.length) target = unread[0].peer;
+    }
+    if (!target) {
+        const lastPeer = localStorage.getItem('chat-last-peer');
+        if (lastPeer && conversations.some(c => c.peer === lastPeer)) target = lastPeer;
+    }
+    if (target) await openConversation(target);
+    else showListView();
 }
 
 function closeFlyout() {
@@ -190,6 +209,7 @@ function renderConversations() {
 
 async function openConversation(peer) {
     showThreadView(peer);
+    localStorage.setItem('chat-last-peer', peer);
     await loadThread(peer);
     // Mark all incoming as read
     await hyprcrd.api('api/chat/read', { method: 'POST', body: { peer } }).catch(() => {});
diff --git a/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.css b/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.css
index da1a6dc..e5d10ef 100644
--- a/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.css
+++ b/public/plugins/slideshow/slideshow.css
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@
     font-size: 10px;
     color: var(--t-muted);
     border: 1px solid var(--t-border);
+    border-radius: var(--ui-radius-button);
     background: transparent;
     cursor: pointer;
     transition: all 0.15s;
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@
     margin-left: 4px;
     color: var(--t-muted);
     border: 1px solid var(--t-border);
+    border-radius: var(--ui-radius-button);
     background: transparent;
     cursor: pointer;
     transition: all 0.15s;