diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a583a8562..29a4daf39 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,28 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.32.34] — 2026-07-25
+
+Housekeeping on the interface. Most of it you will not see.
+
+The sections on the insights overview had each been given their own card frame
+by hand, and the copies had drifted apart on the one thing nobody thought to
+write down: how much room to leave between the blocks inside them. Some used 8
+pixels, some 12, one 16, all sitting one under the other in the same column.
+They now share a single frame with a single rhythm, so a few of those cards
+open or tighten very slightly and all of them pick up the same faint shadow
+their neighbours already had.
+
+When a metric page cannot load, the message now reads in the normal text
+colour with a warning glyph beside it, instead of the grey reserved for
+timestamps and units. A failure is what that surface has to say at that moment,
+so it should not look like a footnote.
+
+The rest is invisible from the outside. The sleep composition card uses the
+same title row as every other card, a handful of one-off text sizes and
+paddings went back onto the scale the rest of the app uses, and the spacing
+rule that was already enforced in the build now has nothing left to catch.
+
 ## [1.32.33] — 2026-07-25
 
 The moodLog integration is gone. It bridged mood entries to and from a separate
diff --git a/docs/api/openapi.yaml b/docs/api/openapi.yaml
index 971c22353..289e03009 100644
--- a/docs/api/openapi.yaml
+++ b/docs/api/openapi.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 openapi: 3.1.0
 info:
   title: HealthLog API
-  version: 1.32.33
+  version: 1.32.34
   description: >-
     Self-hosted personal-health-tracking PWA — public API surface for the iOS native client and external ingest.
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 407580a43..e73c58a5f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "healthlog",
-  "version": "1.32.33",
+  "version": "1.32.34",
   "description": "Self-hosted personal-health-tracking PWA with Withings integration, AI insights, and doctor-report PDF export.",
   "license": "PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0",
   "homepage": "https://healthlog.dev",
diff --git a/public/sw.js b/public/sw.js
index 385e4bc2b..c42b23c88 100644
--- a/public/sw.js
+++ b/public/sw.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ try {
 // v1.4.38.4 → v1.4.42. Do not hand-edit; bump `package.json` and rebuild.
 const CACHE_VERSION =
   (typeof self !== "undefined" && self.__APP_VERSION__) ||
-  /* @sw-version-fallback */ "v1.32.33";
+  /* @sw-version-fallback */ "v1.32.34";
 const STATIC_CACHE = `healthlog-static-${CACHE_VERSION}`;
 const PAGE_CACHE = `healthlog-pages-${CACHE_VERSION}`;
 // v1.18.6 — read-only data cache for a curated allowlist of safe GET `/api/*`
diff --git a/src/app/globals.css b/src/app/globals.css
index 441b14be6..3e1e61a6d 100644
--- a/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/src/app/globals.css
@@ -71,6 +71,14 @@
   --color-popover: var(--popover);
   --color-card-foreground: var(--card-foreground);
   --color-card: var(--card);
+  /* The one sanctioned step below `text-xs` (12px). Minted so badges,
+     tag chips, and tabular-nums micro-labels stop hand-rolling
+     `text-[0.6875rem]` / `text-[0.65rem]` arbitrary values that drift by a
+     third of a pixel per site. UI-STANDARDS §5 pins the usage: never for
+     muted body or meta text (the muted floor stays `text-xs`) — only for
+     chips, badges, and tabular micro-labels with verified contrast. */
+  --text-2xs: 0.6875rem;
+  --text-2xs--line-height: 1rem;
   --radius-sm: calc(var(--radius) - 4px);
   --radius-md: calc(var(--radius) - 2px);
   --radius-lg: var(--radius);
diff --git a/src/app/not-found.tsx b/src/app/not-found.tsx
index 368492db0..0413a3f69 100644
--- a/src/app/not-found.tsx
+++ b/src/app/not-found.tsx
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export default async function NotFound() {
       </div>
       <Link
         href="/"
-        className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90 inline-flex min-h-11 items-center justify-center rounded-md px-5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors"
+        className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90 inline-flex min-h-11 items-center justify-center rounded-md px-4 text-sm font-medium transition-colors"
       >
         {t("notFound.backToDashboard")}
       </Link>
diff --git a/src/components/insights/__tests__/insight-section-card.test.tsx b/src/components/insights/__tests__/insight-section-card.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..487e93b63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/insights/__tests__/insight-section-card.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+import { readFileSync, readdirSync } from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "../insight-section-card";
+
+const INSIGHTS_DIR = path.join(process.cwd(), "src/components/insights");
+
+/**
+ * The overview sections that compose the shared shell, by the `data-slot`
+ * each one keeps. A section that drifts back onto a hand-rolled literal — or
+ * a rename that silently drops one off the primitive — fails here instead of
+ * surviving until the next audit.
+ */
+const MIGRATED_SLOTS = [
+  "health-status-card",
+  "breathing-screening-card",
+  "coincident-deviation-card",
+  "rhythm-events-card",
+  "period-narrative-card",
+  "labs-changes-card",
+  "ecg-card",
+  "daily-briefing",
+];
+
+/** The shell literal the primitive replaces. */
+function paintsHandRolledShell(line: string): boolean {
+  return (
+    /className=/.test(line) &&
+    /\bbg-card\b/.test(line) &&
+    /\brounded-xl\b/.test(line) &&
+    /\bborder\b/.test(line) &&
+    /\bp-4 md:p-6\b/.test(line)
+  );
+}
+
+function insightsSources(): { file: string; src: string }[] {
+  return readdirSync(INSIGHTS_DIR)
+    .filter((f) => f.endsWith(".tsx"))
+    .map((f) => ({
+      file: f,
+      src: readFileSync(path.join(INSIGHTS_DIR, f), "utf8"),
+    }));
+}
+
+describe("<InsightSectionCard>", () => {
+  it("composes Card with the pinned overview rhythm", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <InsightSectionCard>
+        <p>body</p>
+      </InsightSectionCard>,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="insight-section-card"');
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="card-content"');
+    // Frame from the Card contract, body inset from CardContent.
+    expect(html).toContain("bg-card");
+    expect(html).toContain("rounded-xl");
+    expect(html).toContain("px-4");
+    expect(html).toContain("md:px-6");
+    // One inner rhythm — not the 8/12/16 px the copies had drifted to.
+    expect(html).toContain("gap-3");
+    expect(html).not.toContain("gap-2");
+    expect(html).not.toContain("space-y-4");
+  });
+
+  it("takes a slot override and merges caller classes onto the frame", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="rhythm-events-card" className="min-h-32">
+        <p>body</p>
+      </InsightSectionCard>,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="rhythm-events-card"');
+    expect(html).toContain("min-h-32");
+    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="insight-section-card"');
+  });
+
+  it("flush drops the body inset for an edge-to-edge divided list", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="labs-changes-card" flush className="divide-y">
+        <div className="px-4 py-3">row</div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="labs-changes-card"');
+    expect(html).toContain("divide-y");
+    // No CardContent wrapper — the rows own their own inset.
+    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="card-content"');
+    expect(html).toContain("py-0");
+  });
+
+  it("every migrated overview section renders through the primitive", () => {
+    // Collapse whitespace so a prettier reflow onto multiple lines still
+    // matches the `<InsightSectionCard slot="…"` opening.
+    const sources = insightsSources()
+      .map(({ src }) => src.replace(/\s+/g, " "))
+      .join("\n");
+
+    for (const slot of MIGRATED_SLOTS) {
+      expect(
+        sources,
+        `${slot} should be rendered through <InsightSectionCard>`,
+      ).toContain(`<InsightSectionCard slot="${slot}"`);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("no migrated section re-hand-rolls the card-shell literal", () => {
+    const owners = insightsSources().filter(({ src }) =>
+      MIGRATED_SLOTS.some((slot) => src.includes(`slot="${slot}"`)),
+    );
+    // Sanity: the scan actually found the files it means to guard.
+    expect(owners.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(7);
+
+    const offenders = owners.flatMap(({ file, src }) =>
+      src
+        .split("\n")
+        .filter(paintsHandRolledShell)
+        .map((line) => `${file}: ${line.trim()}`),
+    );
+    expect(offenders).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/insights/__tests__/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.test.tsx b/src/components/insights/__tests__/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.test.tsx
index 9aedff7a4..b8e48baf1 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/__tests__/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/__tests__/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.test.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ describe("<SleepStageStackedBar>", () => {
     const html = render(<SleepStageStackedBar breakdown={breakdown} />);
     expect(html).toContain("Stage composition");
     expect(html).toContain("Last 23 nights");
+    // The title routes through the canonical tile header rather than a
+    // hand-rolled title row (UI-STANDARDS §1 / §8).
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="tile-header"');
   });
 
   it("exposes an accessible label that announces the nights covered", () => {
diff --git a/src/components/insights/breathing-screening-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/breathing-screening-card.tsx
index 0da2d22fc..4ef705c67 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/breathing-screening-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/breathing-screening-card.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import type {
   BreathingClassification,
   BreathingTrend,
 } from "@/lib/insights/breathing-screening";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.25 — sleep-breathing screening card.
@@ -83,10 +84,7 @@ export function BreathingScreeningCard({
         title={t("insights.breathingScreening.sectionTitle")}
         subtitle={t("insights.breathingScreening.subtitle")}
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="breathing-screening-card"
-        className="bg-card flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col gap-2 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6"
-      >
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="breathing-screening-card">
         {classificationLabel ? (
           <p
             className="text-foreground text-sm font-medium"
@@ -131,7 +129,7 @@ export function BreathingScreeningCard({
         >
           {t("insights.breathingScreening.disclaimer")}
         </p>
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/coincident-deviation-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/coincident-deviation-card.tsx
index d7ddcbd24..74fc12075 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/coincident-deviation-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/coincident-deviation-card.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { useDerivedMetric } from "@/components/insights/derived/use-derived-metr
 // (the v1.9.0 lesson, mirrored at vitals-dashboard.tsx).
 import type { CoincidentDeviationValue } from "@/lib/insights/derived/coincident-deviation";
 import type { DerivedProvenance } from "@/lib/insights/derived/types";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.10.3 — "Today's signal" headline card.
@@ -113,11 +114,10 @@ function CardShell({
           ) : undefined
         }
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="coincident-deviation-card"
+      <InsightSectionCard
+        slot="coincident-deviation-card"
         data-state={state}
         className={cn(
-          "bg-card flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col gap-2 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6",
           // `min-h` floor only on the tallest state (fired: the named-vitals
           // body + the mandatory factors line). The calmer everyday states
           // (all-clear / watch / insufficient) carry a single short body, so
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function CardShell({
         )}
       >
         {children}
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
@@ -155,14 +155,14 @@ function CardSkeleton({ className }: { className?: string }) {
         icon={Activity}
         title={t("insights.derived.coincident.cardTitle")}
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="coincident-deviation-card-skeleton"
+      <InsightSectionCard
+        slot="coincident-deviation-card-skeleton"
         aria-hidden="true"
-        className="bg-card border-border flex min-h-32 w-full min-w-0 flex-col gap-2 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6"
+        className="border-border min-h-32"
       >
         <div className="bg-muted/40 h-4 w-3/4 rounded" />
         <div className="bg-muted/40 h-3 w-1/2 rounded" />
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/daily-briefing.tsx b/src/components/insights/daily-briefing.tsx
index 04c2aed48..85b586db0 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/daily-briefing.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/daily-briefing.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import {
   Zap,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
-import { Card, CardContent } from "@/components/ui/card";
 import { EmptyState } from "@/components/ui/empty-state";
 import { ListRow } from "@/components/ui/list-row";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@ import type {
   DailyBriefingSignal,
 } from "@/lib/ai/schema";
 import type { BriefingFailureClass } from "@/lib/insights/briefing-failure-marker";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.4.27 MB7 / CF-68 — per-metric routing target for the briefing
@@ -416,223 +416,216 @@ export function DailyBriefing({
           ) : undefined
         }
       />
-      <Card data-slot="daily-briefing" className="overflow-hidden">
-        <CardContent>
-          {loading ? (
-            <>
-              <span className="sr-only" aria-live="polite">
-                {t("insights.dailyBriefing.loadingLabel")}
-              </span>
-              <BriefingSkeleton />
-            </>
-          ) : briefing ? (
-            // v1.18.10 — body block rhythm matches the sibling insights cards
-            // (`correlation-card` uses `space-y-3` between its chart /
-            // interpretation / source blocks). The briefing card carried a
-            // looser `space-y-4`, which read as taller than its neighbours on
-            // the overview. One token, no new spacing scale.
-            <div className="space-y-3">
-              {/* The v1.21.2 recall/forward-look block is gone: the card
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="daily-briefing" className="overflow-hidden">
+        {loading ? (
+          <>
+            <span className="sr-only" aria-live="polite">
+              {t("insights.dailyBriefing.loadingLabel")}
+            </span>
+            <BriefingSkeleton />
+          </>
+        ) : briefing ? (
+          // v1.18.10 — body block rhythm matches the sibling insights cards
+          // (`correlation-card` uses `space-y-3` between its chart /
+          // interpretation / source blocks). The briefing card carried a
+          // looser `space-y-4`, which read as taller than its neighbours on
+          // the overview. One token, no new spacing scale.
+          <div className="space-y-3">
+            {/* The v1.21.2 recall/forward-look block is gone: the card
                   opens straight on "signals of the day". The narrative
                   memory read as a second briefing paragraph above the
                   structured list and pulled the card down; the server
                   still resolves `briefingMemory` for other consumers. */}
-              {/* v1.4.27 B1 — the leading narrative paragraph dropped.
+            {/* v1.4.27 B1 — the leading narrative paragraph dropped.
                 The hero strip subtitle on `/insights` already renders
                 the same `briefing.paragraph` text directly above this
                 card, so the user used to read the same string twice
                 within 200 px. The card now opens straight on the
                 structured signals + key-findings list, which is the part
                 the hero subtitle cannot surface. */}
-              {/* v1.18.7 — "Signals of the day": the present-focused lead.
+            {/* v1.18.7 — "Signals of the day": the present-focused lead.
                 Renders above the longer-horizon key-findings list when the
                 briefing carries fresh now-signals. */}
-              {briefing.signalsOfDay && briefing.signalsOfDay.length > 0 && (
-                <div className="space-y-2">
-                  <p
-                    data-slot="daily-briefing-signals-title"
-                    className="text-foreground text-xs font-semibold tracking-wide uppercase"
-                  >
-                    {t("insights.dailyBriefing.signalsTitle")}
-                  </p>
-                  <div data-slot="daily-briefing-signals" className="space-y-2">
-                    {briefing.signalsOfDay.map((signal, index) => (
-                      <SignalRow
-                        key={`${signal.sourceMetric}-${index}`}
-                        signal={signal}
-                      />
-                    ))}
-                  </div>
+            {briefing.signalsOfDay && briefing.signalsOfDay.length > 0 && (
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <p
+                  data-slot="daily-briefing-signals-title"
+                  className="text-foreground text-xs font-semibold tracking-wide uppercase"
+                >
+                  {t("insights.dailyBriefing.signalsTitle")}
+                </p>
+                <div data-slot="daily-briefing-signals" className="space-y-2">
+                  {briefing.signalsOfDay.map((signal, index) => (
+                    <SignalRow
+                      key={`${signal.sourceMetric}-${index}`}
+                      signal={signal}
+                    />
+                  ))}
                 </div>
-              )}
-              {briefing.keyFindings.length > 0 && (
-                <div className="space-y-2">
-                  <p
-                    data-slot="daily-briefing-findings-title"
-                    className="text-foreground text-xs font-semibold tracking-wide uppercase"
-                  >
-                    {t("insights.dailyBriefing.keyFindingsTitle")}
-                  </p>
-                  <div
-                    data-slot="daily-briefing-findings"
-                    className="space-y-2"
-                  >
-                    {briefing.keyFindings.map((finding, index) => (
-                      <KeyFindingRow
-                        key={`${finding.sourceMetric}-${index}`}
-                        finding={finding}
-                      />
-                    ))}
-                  </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
+            {briefing.keyFindings.length > 0 && (
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <p
+                  data-slot="daily-briefing-findings-title"
+                  className="text-foreground text-xs font-semibold tracking-wide uppercase"
+                >
+                  {t("insights.dailyBriefing.keyFindingsTitle")}
+                </p>
+                <div data-slot="daily-briefing-findings" className="space-y-2">
+                  {briefing.keyFindings.map((finding, index) => (
+                    <KeyFindingRow
+                      key={`${finding.sourceMetric}-${index}`}
+                      finding={finding}
+                    />
+                  ))}
                 </div>
-              )}
-              {(updatedAt || noProviderStale || generationFailed) && (
-                <div className="border-border/60 space-y-1.5 border-t pt-3">
-                  {updatedAt && (
-                    <p
-                      data-slot="daily-briefing-updated"
-                      className="text-muted-foreground text-right text-xs"
-                    >
-                      {formatUpdatedLabel(
-                        updatedAt,
-                        t,
-                        fmt.dateShort,
-                        fmt.time,
-                        displayTz,
-                      )}
-                    </p>
-                  )}
-                  {/* v1.18.9 (#4) — a stale briefing that can never refresh
+              </div>
+            )}
+            {(updatedAt || noProviderStale || generationFailed) && (
+              <div className="border-border/60 space-y-1.5 border-t pt-3">
+                {updatedAt && (
+                  <p
+                    data-slot="daily-briefing-updated"
+                    className="text-muted-foreground text-right text-xs"
+                  >
+                    {formatUpdatedLabel(
+                      updatedAt,
+                      t,
+                      fmt.dateShort,
+                      fmt.time,
+                      displayTz,
+                    )}
+                  </p>
+                )}
+                {/* v1.18.9 (#4) — a stale briefing that can never refresh
                       because no AI provider is connected. State that plainly
                       and point at Settings → AI, so the days-old read is
                       understood as held, not presented as current. */}
-                  {noProviderStale && (
-                    <p
-                      data-slot="daily-briefing-stale-no-provider"
-                      className="text-muted-foreground flex flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-x-1.5 gap-y-1 text-right text-xs"
+                {noProviderStale && (
+                  <p
+                    data-slot="daily-briefing-stale-no-provider"
+                    className="text-muted-foreground flex flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-x-1.5 gap-y-1 text-right text-xs"
+                  >
+                    <span>
+                      {t("insights.dailyBriefing.staleNoProviderHint")}
+                    </span>
+                    <Link
+                      href="/settings/ai"
+                      data-slot="daily-briefing-stale-no-provider-link"
+                      className="text-foreground/80 hover:text-foreground underline underline-offset-2"
                     >
-                      <span>
-                        {t("insights.dailyBriefing.staleNoProviderHint")}
-                      </span>
-                      <Link
-                        href="/settings/ai"
-                        data-slot="daily-briefing-stale-no-provider-link"
-                        className="text-foreground/80 hover:text-foreground underline underline-offset-2"
-                      >
-                        {t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderAction")}
-                      </Link>
-                    </p>
-                  )}
-                  {/* v1.25 — the held briefing is shown, but the last refresh
+                      {t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderAction")}
+                    </Link>
+                  </p>
+                )}
+                {/* v1.25 — the held briefing is shown, but the last refresh
                       attempt failed (provider timeout / error). State it plainly
                       and offer a retry so the staleness reads as held, not
                       current. Suppressed when no provider is configured (that
                       hint owns the footer) — a retry would be futile there. */}
-                  {generationFailed && !noProviderStale && (
-                    <p
-                      data-slot="daily-briefing-refresh-failed"
-                      className="text-muted-foreground flex flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-x-1.5 gap-y-1 text-right text-xs"
-                    >
-                      <span>
-                        {t("insights.dailyBriefing.refreshFailedHint")}
-                      </span>
-                      {onRegenerate && (
-                        <button
-                          type="button"
-                          onClick={onRegenerate}
-                          disabled={regenerating}
-                          data-slot="daily-briefing-refresh-failed-retry"
-                          className="text-foreground/80 hover:text-foreground underline underline-offset-2 disabled:opacity-60"
-                        >
-                          {t("insights.dailyBriefing.retryAction")}
-                        </button>
-                      )}
-                    </p>
-                  )}
-                </div>
-              )}
-            </div>
-          ) : noProvider ? (
-            // v1.15.20 — no provider configured anywhere: a regenerate CTA
-            // would 422 forever, so point at Settings → AI instead.
-            <EmptyState
-              data-slot="daily-briefing-no-provider"
-              variant="plain"
-              icon={<Sparkles className="size-5" />}
-              title={t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderTitle")}
-              description={t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderDescription")}
-              action={
+                {generationFailed && !noProviderStale && (
+                  <p
+                    data-slot="daily-briefing-refresh-failed"
+                    className="text-muted-foreground flex flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-x-1.5 gap-y-1 text-right text-xs"
+                  >
+                    <span>{t("insights.dailyBriefing.refreshFailedHint")}</span>
+                    {onRegenerate && (
+                      <button
+                        type="button"
+                        onClick={onRegenerate}
+                        disabled={regenerating}
+                        data-slot="daily-briefing-refresh-failed-retry"
+                        className="text-foreground/80 hover:text-foreground underline underline-offset-2 disabled:opacity-60"
+                      >
+                        {t("insights.dailyBriefing.retryAction")}
+                      </button>
+                    )}
+                  </p>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        ) : noProvider ? (
+          // v1.15.20 — no provider configured anywhere: a regenerate CTA
+          // would 422 forever, so point at Settings → AI instead.
+          <EmptyState
+            data-slot="daily-briefing-no-provider"
+            variant="plain"
+            icon={<Sparkles className="size-5" />}
+            title={t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderTitle")}
+            description={t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderDescription")}
+            action={
+              <Button
+                type="button"
+                size="sm"
+                variant="outline"
+                asChild
+                data-slot="daily-briefing-no-provider-cta"
+              >
+                <Link href="/settings/ai">
+                  {t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderAction")}
+                </Link>
+              </Button>
+            }
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <EmptyState
+            data-slot="daily-briefing-empty"
+            variant="plain"
+            icon={<FileText className="size-5" />}
+            // v1.25 — when the last attempt FAILED and there is no last good
+            // text to fall back on, say so honestly ("couldn't generate")
+            // rather than the generic "no briefing yet". The CTA below is the
+            // same explicit regenerate — it retries the failed generation.
+            // v1.28.28 (#470) — a grounding-gate omission gets its own calm
+            // wording: the generation SUCCEEDED but restated an unverifiable
+            // figure, so the briefing was withheld. Without this the card
+            // read "no briefing yet" and the button looked like a no-op.
+            title={
+              omittedReason === "ungrounded"
+                ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.omittedTitle")
+                : generationFailed
+                  ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.failedTitle")
+                  : t("insights.dailyBriefing.emptyTitle")
+            }
+            description={
+              omittedReason === "ungrounded"
+                ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.omittedUngroundedDescription")
+                : generationFailed
+                  ? t(failedDescriptionKey)
+                  : t("insights.dailyBriefing.emptyDescription")
+            }
+            action={
+              onRegenerate ? (
+                // v1.4.28 BK-M2 — switch the empty-state CTA from
+                // `variant="outline"` to the default (filled) variant
+                // so the briefing card matches the dashboard
+                // empty-state CTA shape. Empty-state actions on a card
+                // surface read as the single primary affordance and
+                // earn the filled chip across surfaces in v1.4.28.
                 <Button
                   type="button"
                   size="sm"
-                  variant="outline"
-                  asChild
-                  data-slot="daily-briefing-no-provider-cta"
+                  onClick={onRegenerate}
+                  disabled={regenerating}
+                  data-slot="daily-briefing-empty-cta"
+                  className="gap-1.5"
                 >
-                  <Link href="/settings/ai">
-                    {t("insights.dailyBriefing.noProviderAction")}
-                  </Link>
+                  <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
+                  <span>
+                    {regenerating
+                      ? t("insights.heroRegenerating")
+                      : generationFailed || omittedReason === "ungrounded"
+                        ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.retryAction")
+                        : t("insights.dailyBriefing.emptyAction")}
+                  </span>
                 </Button>
-              }
-            />
-          ) : (
-            <EmptyState
-              data-slot="daily-briefing-empty"
-              variant="plain"
-              icon={<FileText className="size-5" />}
-              // v1.25 — when the last attempt FAILED and there is no last good
-              // text to fall back on, say so honestly ("couldn't generate")
-              // rather than the generic "no briefing yet". The CTA below is the
-              // same explicit regenerate — it retries the failed generation.
-              // v1.28.28 (#470) — a grounding-gate omission gets its own calm
-              // wording: the generation SUCCEEDED but restated an unverifiable
-              // figure, so the briefing was withheld. Without this the card
-              // read "no briefing yet" and the button looked like a no-op.
-              title={
-                omittedReason === "ungrounded"
-                  ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.omittedTitle")
-                  : generationFailed
-                    ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.failedTitle")
-                    : t("insights.dailyBriefing.emptyTitle")
-              }
-              description={
-                omittedReason === "ungrounded"
-                  ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.omittedUngroundedDescription")
-                  : generationFailed
-                    ? t(failedDescriptionKey)
-                    : t("insights.dailyBriefing.emptyDescription")
-              }
-              action={
-                onRegenerate ? (
-                  // v1.4.28 BK-M2 — switch the empty-state CTA from
-                  // `variant="outline"` to the default (filled) variant
-                  // so the briefing card matches the dashboard
-                  // empty-state CTA shape. Empty-state actions on a card
-                  // surface read as the single primary affordance and
-                  // earn the filled chip across surfaces in v1.4.28.
-                  <Button
-                    type="button"
-                    size="sm"
-                    onClick={onRegenerate}
-                    disabled={regenerating}
-                    data-slot="daily-briefing-empty-cta"
-                    className="gap-1.5"
-                  >
-                    <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-                    <span>
-                      {regenerating
-                        ? t("insights.heroRegenerating")
-                        : generationFailed || omittedReason === "ungrounded"
-                          ? t("insights.dailyBriefing.retryAction")
-                          : t("insights.dailyBriefing.emptyAction")}
-                    </span>
-                  </Button>
-                ) : null
-              }
-            />
-          )}
-        </CardContent>
-      </Card>
+              ) : null
+            }
+          />
+        )}
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/derived/vitals-dashboard.tsx b/src/components/insights/derived/vitals-dashboard.tsx
index a643b3c67..a1bfb06cd 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/derived/vitals-dashboard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/derived/vitals-dashboard.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useMemo, type ReactNode } from "react";
-import { Footprints, Gauge, HeartPulse, RefreshCw, Scale } from "lucide-react";
+import { Footprints, Gauge, HeartPulse, Scale } from "lucide-react";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
-import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { QueryErrorRow } from "@/components/ui/query-error-row";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { useTranslations, useFormatters } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { getUnitForType } from "@/lib/validations/measurement";
@@ -744,24 +744,12 @@ export function VitalsDashboard({ batch, layout, className }: DashboardProps) {
             title={t("insights.derived.vitals.sectionTitle")}
             subtitle={t("insights.derived.vitals.sectionSubtitle")}
           />
-          <div
-            data-slot="vitals-dashboard-error"
-            role="alert"
-            className="bg-card border-border text-muted-foreground flex flex-col items-start gap-3 rounded-xl border p-4 text-sm sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between"
-          >
-            <span>{t("insights.derived.vitals.loadError")}</span>
-            <Button
-              type="button"
-              size="sm"
-              variant="outline"
-              onClick={() => refetch()}
-              data-slot="vitals-dashboard-retry"
-              className="gap-1.5"
-            >
-              <RefreshCw className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-              <span>{t("common.retry")}</span>
-            </Button>
-          </div>
+          <QueryErrorRow
+            slot="vitals-dashboard-error"
+            retrySlot="vitals-dashboard-retry"
+            message={t("insights.derived.vitals.loadError")}
+            onRetry={() => refetch()}
+          />
         </section>
       </div>
     );
diff --git a/src/components/insights/ecg-section.tsx b/src/components/insights/ecg-section.tsx
index 506d36655..822bf0ede 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/ecg-section.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/ecg-section.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { useTranslations, useFormatters } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { SectionHeading } from "@/components/insights/section-heading";
 import { EcgWaveform } from "@/components/insights/ecg-waveform";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.28.50 — ECG recording surface (list → detail).
@@ -141,10 +142,7 @@ export function EcgSection({
           title={t("insights.ecg.sectionTitle")}
         />
       )}
-      <div
-        data-slot="ecg-card"
-        className="bg-card border-border space-y-4 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6"
-      >
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="ecg-card" className="border-border">
         {selected ? (
           <EcgDetail
             recording={selected}
@@ -214,7 +212,7 @@ export function EcgSection({
             <EcgDisclaimer />
           </>
         )}
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/health-status-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/health-status-card.tsx
index 4318ec413..3d7161432 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/health-status-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/health-status-card.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import type {
   HealthStatusDeviation,
   HealthStatusShift,
 } from "@/lib/insights/health-status";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.25 — baseline-drift card.
@@ -70,10 +71,7 @@ export function HealthStatusCard({
         title={t("insights.healthStatus.sectionTitle")}
         subtitle={t("insights.healthStatus.subtitle")}
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="health-status-card"
-        className="bg-card flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col gap-3 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6"
-      >
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="health-status-card">
         {data.deviations.map((d) => (
           <div
             key={`dev-${d.type}`}
@@ -146,7 +144,7 @@ export function HealthStatusCard({
             </div>
           </div>
         ))}
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/healthkit-metric-page.tsx b/src/components/insights/healthkit-metric-page.tsx
index e551109f1..093cb3129 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/healthkit-metric-page.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/healthkit-metric-page.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import Link from "next/link";
 import type { ComponentProps, ComponentType, ReactNode } from "react";
 
-import { RefreshCw, Sparkles } from "lucide-react";
+import { Sparkles } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { useAuth } from "@/hooks/use-auth";
 import { useUnitDisplay } from "@/hooks/use-unit-display";
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import type { InsightMetric } from "@/lib/insights/metric-availability";
 import type { MetricStatusMetricId } from "@/lib/insights/metric-status-registry";
 import type { ChartOverlayKey } from "@/lib/dashboard-layout";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { QueryErrorRow } from "@/components/ui/query-error-row";
 import { Card, CardContent } from "@/components/ui/card";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { ChartSkeleton } from "@/components/charts/chart-skeleton";
@@ -342,24 +343,12 @@ export function HealthKitMetricPage({
         description={description}
         explainerMetric={explainerMetric}
       >
-        <div
-          data-slot="healthkit-metric-error"
-          role="alert"
-          className="bg-card border-border text-muted-foreground flex flex-col items-start gap-3 rounded-xl border p-4 text-sm sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between"
-        >
-          <span>{t("insights.subPage.loadError")}</span>
-          <Button
-            type="button"
-            size="sm"
-            variant="outline"
-            onClick={() => refetch()}
-            data-slot="healthkit-metric-retry"
-            className="gap-1.5"
-          >
-            <RefreshCw className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-            <span>{t("common.retry")}</span>
-          </Button>
-        </div>
+        <QueryErrorRow
+          slot="healthkit-metric-error"
+          retrySlot="healthkit-metric-retry"
+          message={t("insights.subPage.loadError")}
+          onRetry={() => refetch()}
+        />
       </SubPageShell>
     );
   }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/insight-section-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/insight-section-card.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f9faa3a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/insights/insight-section-card.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+
+import { Card, CardContent } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+/**
+ * The shell every Insights overview section paints its body on.
+ *
+ * Six sections had hand-rolled the same `bg-card … rounded-xl border p-4
+ * md:p-6` literal, and the six copies had already drifted apart on the one
+ * thing the literal did not pin: the inner rhythm. Three used `gap-3`, two
+ * `gap-2`, one `space-y-4` — 8, 12, and 16 px between blocks, one under the
+ * other in the same column. This primitive composes `<Card>` so the frame
+ * comes from the card contract (radius, border, surface, `px-4 md:px-6`
+ * inset, `py-4 md:py-6`) and pins the inner rhythm at one step: `gap-3`.
+ *
+ * Outer geometry is unchanged from the literals it replaces. What changes:
+ * the two `gap-2` bodies open by 4 px, the `space-y-4` body tightens by
+ * 4 px, and all six pick up the card's `shadow-sm` — which their `<Card>`
+ * neighbours in the same column already had.
+ *
+ * Density lives here, never on a slot: `pt-*` on the content or `pb-*` on a
+ * header fights the gap-based Card contract (lint-enforced).
+ *
+ * RSC-safe: no hooks, no browser API.
+ *
+ * @see .planning/audits/2026-07-05-fable/UI-STANDARDS.md §1
+ */
+export function InsightSectionCard({
+  children,
+  slot,
+  flush = false,
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: {
+  children: ReactNode;
+  /** The card's `data-slot` hook. Defaults to `insight-section-card`. */
+  slot?: string;
+  /**
+   * The body is an edge-to-edge list whose rows own their own inset (a
+   * `divide-y` ledger, not a gap stack), so the card drops its own padding
+   * and the caller keeps the row rhythm. The frame is identical either way.
+   */
+  flush?: boolean;
+  className?: string;
+} & Omit<React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<"div">, "children">) {
+  return (
+    <Card
+      data-slot={slot ?? "insight-section-card"}
+      className={cn(
+        "w-full min-w-0",
+        flush ? "gap-0 py-0" : "gap-3 py-4 md:py-6",
+        className,
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      {flush ? (
+        children
+      ) : (
+        <CardContent className="flex min-w-0 flex-col gap-3">
+          {children}
+        </CardContent>
+      )}
+    </Card>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/insights/labs-changes-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/labs-changes-card.tsx
index 386924758..8e93781f9 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/labs-changes-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/labs-changes-card.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { apiGet } from "@/lib/api/api-fetch";
 import { queryKeys } from "@/lib/query-keys";
 import { SectionHeading } from "@/components/insights/section-heading";
 import type { LabChange } from "@/lib/insights/labs-changes";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.25 — "what changed since your last panel" card.
@@ -74,10 +75,7 @@ export function LabsChangesCard({
         title={t("insights.labsChanges.sectionTitle")}
         subtitle={t("insights.labsChanges.subtitle")}
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="labs-changes-card"
-        className="bg-card flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col divide-y rounded-xl border"
-      >
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="labs-changes-card" flush className="divide-y">
         {data.changes.map((c) => {
           const labelKey = statusLabelKey(c.status);
           const signedDelta =
@@ -108,7 +106,7 @@ export function LabsChangesCard({
             </div>
           );
         })}
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/metric-target-summary.tsx b/src/components/insights/metric-target-summary.tsx
index 2718c3b1b..199711035 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/metric-target-summary.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/metric-target-summary.tsx
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ function TargetReferencePanel({
           }
         />
         {heading ? (
-          <p className="text-muted-foreground text-[0.6875rem] font-medium tracking-[0.06em] uppercase">
+          <p className="text-muted-foreground text-xs font-medium tracking-[0.06em] uppercase">
             {heading}
           </p>
         ) : null}
diff --git a/src/components/insights/period-narrative-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/period-narrative-card.tsx
index dfed6d196..19264f724 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/period-narrative-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/period-narrative-card.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { SectionHeading } from "@/components/insights/section-heading";
 import { AskCoachIconButton } from "@/components/insights/ask-coach-action";
 import { ProseBlocks } from "@/components/insights/prose-blocks";
 import { apiGet } from "@/lib/api/api-fetch";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.11.0 W3 — period-narrative card (Pillar P1).
@@ -66,13 +67,11 @@ async function fetchNarrative(
   return apiGet<NarrativeResponse>(`/api/insights/narrative?period=${period}`);
 }
 
-const SHELL =
-  "bg-card border-border flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col gap-3 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6";
 // The in-flight skeleton keeps a `min-h` floor so the initial paint reserves the
 // row (CLS-safe). The resolved card drops the floor and sizes to its content —
 // a short narrative used to leave a large empty tail under the prose, widened by
 // the footer's `mt-auto` pinning it to the bottom of the floored height.
-const SKELETON_SHELL = `${SHELL} min-h-40`;
+const SKELETON_FLOOR = "border-border min-h-40";
 
 export function PeriodNarrativeCard({
   enabled = true,
@@ -109,15 +108,15 @@ export function PeriodNarrativeCard({
           icon={CalendarRange}
           title={t("insights.narrativeTitle")}
         />
-        <div
-          data-slot="period-narrative-card-skeleton"
+        <InsightSectionCard
+          slot="period-narrative-card-skeleton"
           aria-hidden="true"
-          className={SKELETON_SHELL}
+          className={SKELETON_FLOOR}
         >
           <Skeleton className="h-4 w-full" />
           <Skeleton className="h-4 w-5/6" />
           <Skeleton className="h-4 w-2/3" />
-        </div>
+        </InsightSectionCard>
       </section>
     );
   }
@@ -142,10 +141,10 @@ export function PeriodNarrativeCard({
         icon={CalendarRange}
         title={t("insights.narrativeTitle")}
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="period-narrative-card"
+      <InsightSectionCard
+        slot="period-narrative-card"
         data-period={period}
-        className={SHELL}
+        className="border-border"
       >
         {/* Header row: week / month toggle on the left, the icon-only Coach
             hand-off pinned top-right. Matches the assessment cards, which carry
@@ -205,7 +204,7 @@ export function PeriodNarrativeCard({
                 displayTz,
               )}
         </p>
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/recommendation-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/recommendation-card.tsx
index 59d5cd911..83467c75c 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/recommendation-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/recommendation-card.tsx
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ function RationaleCard({
   return (
     <div
       data-slot="rec-rationale-card"
-      className="bg-muted/30 mt-3 space-y-3 rounded-md px-3 py-2.5"
+      className="bg-muted/30 mt-3 space-y-3 rounded-md p-3"
     >
       <div className="space-y-1.5">
         <RationaleRow
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ export function RecommendationCard({
     <div
       data-slot="rec-card"
       data-index={index}
-      className="border-border/40 bg-card/20 rounded-lg border px-3 py-2.5"
+      className="border-border/40 bg-card/20 rounded-lg border p-3"
     >
       <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2">
         <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 items-start gap-2">
diff --git a/src/components/insights/rhythm-events-card.tsx b/src/components/insights/rhythm-events-card.tsx
index 078354999..9d45ca7fb 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/rhythm-events-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/rhythm-events-card.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { apiGet } from "@/lib/api/api-fetch";
 import { useTranslations, useFormatters } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { SectionHeading } from "@/components/insights/section-heading";
+import { InsightSectionCard } from "./insight-section-card";
 
 /**
  * v1.10.0 — device-flagged event awareness surface (categorical events,
@@ -115,10 +116,7 @@ export function RhythmEventsCard({
         icon={Activity}
         title={t("insights.rhythmEvents.sectionTitle")}
       />
-      <div
-        data-slot="rhythm-events-card"
-        className="bg-card border-border space-y-4 rounded-xl border p-4 md:p-6"
-      >
+      <InsightSectionCard slot="rhythm-events-card">
         <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm">
           {t("insights.rhythmEvents.sectionIntro")}
         </p>
@@ -171,7 +169,7 @@ export function RhythmEventsCard({
           <Info className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0" aria-hidden="true" />
           <p>{t("insights.rhythmEvents.disclaimer")}</p>
         </div>
-      </div>
+      </InsightSectionCard>
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/insights/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.tsx b/src/components/insights/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.tsx
index 84f32fe75..0203dc2d8 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/sleep-stage-stacked-bar.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ import {
 } from "recharts";
 
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
-import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { TileHeader } from "@/components/insights/tile-header";
 import { useTranslations } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { formatDurationMinutes } from "@/lib/i18n/duration";
 import { resolveIntlLocale } from "@/lib/format-locale";
@@ -205,10 +206,14 @@ export function SleepStageStackedBar({ breakdown }: SleepStageStackedBarProps) {
     <Card data-slot="sleep-stage-stacked-bar">
       <CardHeader>
         <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between">
-          <div className="flex flex-col gap-0.5">
-            <CardTitle className="text-base font-semibold">
-              {t("insights.sleep.compositionTitle")}
-            </CardTitle>
+          <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-col gap-0.5">
+            {/* The canonical tile header — the title used to be a bare
+                `CardTitle` in a hand-rolled row. The window toggles stay a
+                sibling of the title+subtitle pair rather than riding the
+                header's `right` slot: the subtitle belongs under the title,
+                and the toggles need to drop to their own row below `sm`
+                (the sanctioned inline-action-row shape). */}
+            <TileHeader title={t("insights.sleep.compositionTitle")} />
             <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
               {t("insights.sleep.compositionSubtitle", {
                 nights: breakdown.nights,
diff --git a/src/components/medications/dose-history-ledger.tsx b/src/components/medications/dose-history-ledger.tsx
index 9b3724a91..ef6567479 100644
--- a/src/components/medications/dose-history-ledger.tsx
+++ b/src/components/medications/dose-history-ledger.tsx
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ function LedgerRowItem({
             {t(`medications.detail.verlauf.status.${row.status}`)}
           </span>
           {row.kind === "ad_hoc" && (
-            <Badge variant="outline" className="text-[0.65rem]">
+            <Badge variant="outline" className="text-2xs">
               {t("medications.detail.verlauf.adHocTag")}
             </Badge>
           )}
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ function LedgerRowItem({
           {row.kind === "slot" && row.pinned && (
             <Badge
               variant="outline"
-              className="text-[0.65rem]"
+              className="text-2xs"
               data-slot="ledger-pinned-badge"
             >
               {t("medications.detail.verlauf.pin.pinnedTag")}
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ function LedgerSummaryChart({
           style={{ width: `${pct(missed)}%` }}
         />
       </div>
-      <div className="text-muted-foreground flex flex-wrap gap-x-3 gap-y-0.5 text-[0.7rem]">
+      <div className="text-muted-foreground flex flex-wrap gap-x-3 gap-y-0.5 text-xs">
         <span className="text-success">
           {t("medications.detail.verlauf.status.taken_on_time")}: {takenOnTime}
         </span>
diff --git a/src/components/medications/wizard/wizard-stepper.tsx b/src/components/medications/wizard/wizard-stepper.tsx
index 765453fbc..b2477320e 100644
--- a/src/components/medications/wizard/wizard-stepper.tsx
+++ b/src/components/medications/wizard/wizard-stepper.tsx
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ export function WizardStepper({
                   />
                   <span
                     className={cn(
-                      "max-w-[6rem] truncate text-[0.6875rem] leading-none",
+                      "text-2xs max-w-[6rem] truncate leading-none",
                       isActive
                         ? "text-foreground font-medium"
                         : "text-muted-foreground",
diff --git a/src/components/settings/integrations/fitbit-card.tsx b/src/components/settings/integrations/fitbit-card.tsx
index dcb244b1e..e6f30f8a8 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/integrations/fitbit-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/integrations/fitbit-card.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { PasswordInput } from "@/components/ui/password-input";
+import { TagChip } from "@/components/ui/tag-chip";
 import { SettingsCard } from "@/components/settings/settings-card";
 import { SettingsCardHeader } from "@/components/settings/_card-header";
 import { IntegrationStatusPill } from "@/components/settings/integration-status-pill";
@@ -204,9 +205,7 @@ export function FitbitCard({
         title={t("settings.fitbit")}
         titleAccessory={
           <>
-            <span className="bg-muted text-foreground rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.6875rem] font-medium">
-              {t("settings.fitbitTag")}
-            </span>
+            <TagChip>{t("settings.fitbitTag")}</TagChip>
             <Badge
               variant="outline"
               data-testid="fitbit-experimental-badge"
diff --git a/src/components/settings/integrations/google-health-card.tsx b/src/components/settings/integrations/google-health-card.tsx
index 86a784c2d..f88d2f591 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/integrations/google-health-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/integrations/google-health-card.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { PasswordInput } from "@/components/ui/password-input";
+import { TagChip } from "@/components/ui/tag-chip";
 import { SettingsCard } from "@/components/settings/settings-card";
 import { SettingsCardHeader } from "@/components/settings/_card-header";
 import { IntegrationStatusPill } from "@/components/settings/integration-status-pill";
@@ -212,9 +213,7 @@ export function GoogleHealthCard({
         title={t("settings.googleHealth")}
         titleAccessory={
           <>
-            <span className="bg-muted text-foreground rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.6875rem] font-medium">
-              {t("settings.googleHealthTag")}
-            </span>
+            <TagChip>{t("settings.googleHealthTag")}</TagChip>
             <Badge
               variant="outline"
               data-testid="google-health-beta-badge"
diff --git a/src/components/settings/integrations/nightscout-card.tsx b/src/components/settings/integrations/nightscout-card.tsx
index 007fdcd52..afd9a98b2 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/integrations/nightscout-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/integrations/nightscout-card.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { PasswordInput } from "@/components/ui/password-input";
 import { Switch } from "@/components/ui/switch";
+import { TagChip } from "@/components/ui/tag-chip";
 import { SettingsCard } from "@/components/settings/settings-card";
 import { SettingsCardHeader } from "@/components/settings/_card-header";
 import { IntegrationStatusPill } from "@/components/settings/integration-status-pill";
@@ -186,11 +187,7 @@ export function NightscoutCard({
       <SettingsCardHeader
         icon={Droplet}
         title={t("settings.nightscout")}
-        titleAccessory={
-          <span className="bg-muted text-foreground rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.6875rem] font-medium">
-            {t("settings.nightscoutTag")}
-          </span>
-        }
+        titleAccessory={<TagChip>{t("settings.nightscoutTag")}</TagChip>}
         description={
           <IntegrationCardDescription
             i18nPrefix="settings.nightscout"
diff --git a/src/components/ui/__tests__/query-error-row.test.tsx b/src/components/ui/__tests__/query-error-row.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e30b88dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/__tests__/query-error-row.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+
+import { I18nProvider } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
+import { QueryErrorRow } from "../query-error-row";
+
+function ssr(node: React.ReactNode) {
+  return renderToStaticMarkup(
+    <I18nProvider initialLocale="en">{node}</I18nProvider>,
+  );
+}
+
+describe("<QueryErrorRow>", () => {
+  it("renders the compact alert row with foreground message text", () => {
+    const html = ssr(<QueryErrorRow message="Could not load vitals" />);
+    expect(html).toContain('role="alert"');
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="query-error-row"');
+    expect(html).toContain("Could not load vitals");
+    // §3 — an alert IS the surface's content, so it is foreground. Both
+    // hand-rolled copies this primitive replaces put it in the muted tier.
+    expect(html).toContain("text-foreground");
+    // The compact row shape, not the tall centred `<QueryErrorCard>`.
+    expect(html).toContain("p-4");
+    expect(html).not.toContain("py-10");
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the generic load-failed copy", () => {
+    expect(ssr(<QueryErrorRow />)).toContain("Could not load");
+  });
+
+  it("only renders the retry affordance when a handler is wired", () => {
+    expect(ssr(<QueryErrorRow message="boom" />)).not.toContain("<button");
+
+    const withRetry = ssr(<QueryErrorRow message="boom" onRetry={() => {}} />);
+    expect(withRetry).toContain("<button");
+    expect(withRetry).toContain("Retry");
+    expect(withRetry).toContain('data-slot="query-error-row-retry"');
+  });
+
+  it("honours the slot overrides the converted surfaces depend on", () => {
+    const html = ssr(
+      <QueryErrorRow
+        message="boom"
+        onRetry={() => {}}
+        slot="healthkit-metric-error"
+        retrySlot="healthkit-metric-retry"
+      />,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="healthkit-metric-error"');
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="healthkit-metric-retry"');
+    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="query-error-row"');
+  });
+
+  it("takes a custom retry label", () => {
+    expect(
+      ssr(
+        <QueryErrorRow message="boom" onRetry={() => {}} retryLabel="Again" />,
+      ),
+    ).toContain("Again");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/ui/__tests__/tag-chip.test.tsx b/src/components/ui/__tests__/tag-chip.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..63e850329
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/__tests__/tag-chip.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+
+import { TagChip } from "../tag-chip";
+
+describe("<TagChip>", () => {
+  it("renders the neutral chip shape on the text-2xs token", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(<TagChip>Glucose</TagChip>);
+    expect(html).toContain("Glucose");
+    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="tag-chip"');
+    expect(html).toContain("bg-muted");
+    expect(html).toContain("text-foreground");
+    expect(html).toContain("rounded-full");
+    expect(html).toContain("text-2xs");
+    // The arbitrary value the three hand-copied sites carried is gone.
+    expect(html).not.toContain("text-[0.6875rem]");
+  });
+
+  it("merges caller classes and forwards span props", () => {
+    const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <TagChip className="ml-2" title="source label">
+        Steps
+      </TagChip>,
+    );
+    expect(html).toContain("ml-2");
+    expect(html).toContain('title="source label"');
+    // The base shape survives the merge.
+    expect(html).toContain("rounded-full");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/ui/query-error-row.tsx b/src/components/ui/query-error-row.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d278c6c25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/query-error-row.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+"use client";
+
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { AlertTriangle, RotateCw } from "lucide-react";
+
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { useTranslations } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+/**
+ * Read-failure row — the compact sibling of `<QueryErrorCard>`.
+ *
+ * Two dense metric surfaces (the HealthKit metric sub-pages and the vitals
+ * dashboard) had each hand-rolled the identical row: a one-line message with
+ * a Retry button on the same baseline. The tall centred card is the right
+ * shape for a primary list surface, but on a strip of tiles it dominates the
+ * geometry and pushes everything the user came for below the fold — so this
+ * shape stays, promoted to a primitive instead of being copied a third time.
+ *
+ * Pick by surface (UI-STANDARDS §6):
+ *  - primary / list surface → `QueryErrorCard`
+ *  - dense metric strip or tile where the tall card would dominate →
+ *    `QueryErrorRow`
+ *  - chart body → `ChartErrorState`
+ *
+ * One deliberate change from the copies it replaces: the message renders in
+ * `text-foreground`. An alert IS the content of a failed surface, and §3
+ * reserves muted for meta — both copies had it muted.
+ */
+export function QueryErrorRow({
+  message,
+  onRetry,
+  retryLabel,
+  slot,
+  retrySlot,
+  className,
+}: {
+  /** The failure line. Defaults to the generic `common.loadFailed`. */
+  message?: ReactNode;
+  onRetry?: () => void;
+  retryLabel?: string;
+  /**
+   * Overrides the row's `data-slot`. The two converted surfaces keep their
+   * shipped hooks (`healthkit-metric-error`, `vitals-dashboard-error`) so
+   * their tests and any e2e selector stay stable.
+   */
+  slot?: string;
+  /** Same, for the Retry button's own `data-slot`. */
+  retrySlot?: string;
+  className?: string;
+}) {
+  const { t } = useTranslations();
+  return (
+    <div
+      data-slot={slot ?? "query-error-row"}
+      role="alert"
+      className={cn(
+        "bg-card border-border text-foreground flex flex-col items-start gap-3 rounded-xl border p-4 text-sm sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between",
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
+      <span className="flex items-start gap-2 sm:items-center">
+        <AlertTriangle
+          className="text-muted-foreground mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0 sm:mt-0"
+          aria-hidden="true"
+        />
+        <span>{message ?? t("common.loadFailed")}</span>
+      </span>
+      {onRetry ? (
+        <Button
+          type="button"
+          size="sm"
+          variant="outline"
+          onClick={onRetry}
+          data-slot={retrySlot ?? "query-error-row-retry"}
+          className="gap-1.5"
+        >
+          <RotateCw className="size-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
+          <span>{retryLabel ?? t("common.retry")}</span>
+        </Button>
+      ) : null}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ui/tag-chip.tsx b/src/components/ui/tag-chip.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cd8676330
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/tag-chip.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+/**
+ * The small neutral tag chip that labels a card's subject line.
+ *
+ * Three Settings integration cards carried the same hand-copied literal
+ * (`bg-muted text-foreground rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[0.6875rem]
+ * font-medium`) in `SettingsCardHeader`'s `titleAccessory` slot, each free to
+ * drift on the next touch. This is that literal, named — on the `text-2xs`
+ * token rather than an arbitrary value.
+ *
+ * It is deliberately NOT a `Badge`: `Badge` carries status meaning (variant →
+ * semantic colour), while a tag chip is a neutral noun ("Glucose", "Steps").
+ * Keeping them apart is what stops a neutral label from creeping into the
+ * status vocabulary. A chip that means a state is a `Badge`.
+ *
+ * RSC-safe: no hooks, no browser API.
+ */
+export function TagChip({
+  children,
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: {
+  children: ReactNode;
+  className?: string;
+} & Omit<React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<"span">, "children">) {
+  return (
+    <span
+      data-slot="tag-chip"
+      className={cn(
+        "bg-muted text-foreground text-2xs rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 font-medium",
+        className,
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    >
+      {children}
+    </span>
+  );
+}