diff --git a/src/components/admin/admin-shell.tsx b/src/components/admin/admin-shell.tsx
index 1e4bd7ede..1a5ce6196 100644
--- a/src/components/admin/admin-shell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/admin/admin-shell.tsx
@@ -309,51 +309,60 @@ export function AdminShell({ active, children }: AdminShellProps) {
           {headingBlock}
         </div>
 
-        {/* Desktop sticky sidebar — starts at the cards row (row 2). */}
+        {/* Desktop sticky sidebar — starts at the cards row (row 2).
+
+            The sticky lives on the `<aside>` grid item itself, with
+            `self-start` so it shrinks to its content instead of stretching
+            to the full row height. A sticky CHILD inside a stretched grid
+            item resolves its containing block to the stretched item, which
+            in some engines lets the nav scroll away with the content rather
+            than pin. Sticking the grid item directly — sized to content and
+            offset `top-6` to clear the scroll viewport's padding — keeps the
+            nav fixed while only the content column scrolls. `max-h` +
+            `overflow-y-auto` let a long section list scroll within the
+            pinned panel on short viewports. */}
         <aside
           aria-label={t("admin.shell.sectionsNav")}
-          className="hidden md:col-start-1 md:row-start-2 md:block"
+          className="no-scrollbar hidden max-h-[calc(100dvh-5.5rem)] overflow-y-auto md:sticky md:top-6 md:col-start-1 md:row-start-2 md:block md:self-start"
         >
-          <div className="no-scrollbar sticky top-6 max-h-[calc(100dvh-5.5rem)] overflow-y-auto">
-            <ul className="space-y-1">
-              <li>
-                <Link
-                  href="/admin"
-                  aria-current={activeSlug === null ? "page" : undefined}
-                  className={cn(
-                    "flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
-                    activeSlug === null
-                      ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
-                      : "text-foreground hover:bg-accent",
-                  )}
-                >
-                  <ScrollText className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
-                  {t("admin.shell.overview")}
-                </Link>
-              </li>
-              {ADMIN_SECTIONS.map((section) => {
-                const isActive = section.slug === activeSlug;
-                const Icon = section.icon;
-                return (
-                  <li key={section.slug}>
-                    <Link
-                      href={`/admin/${section.slug}`}
-                      aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
-                      className={cn(
-                        "flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
-                        isActive
-                          ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
-                          : "text-foreground hover:bg-accent",
-                      )}
-                    >
-                      <Icon className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
-                      {t(section.titleKey)}
-                    </Link>
-                  </li>
-                );
-              })}
-            </ul>
-          </div>
+          <ul className="space-y-1">
+            <li>
+              <Link
+                href="/admin"
+                aria-current={activeSlug === null ? "page" : undefined}
+                className={cn(
+                  "flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
+                  activeSlug === null
+                    ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
+                    : "text-foreground hover:bg-accent",
+                )}
+              >
+                <ScrollText className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
+                {t("admin.shell.overview")}
+              </Link>
+            </li>
+            {ADMIN_SECTIONS.map((section) => {
+              const isActive = section.slug === activeSlug;
+              const Icon = section.icon;
+              return (
+                <li key={section.slug}>
+                  <Link
+                    href={`/admin/${section.slug}`}
+                    aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
+                    className={cn(
+                      "flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
+                      isActive
+                        ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
+                        : "text-foreground hover:bg-accent",
+                    )}
+                  >
+                    <Icon className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
+                    {t(section.titleKey)}
+                  </Link>
+                </li>
+              );
+            })}
+          </ul>
         </aside>
 
         {/* Main column (cards) — row 2 / col 2. Same
diff --git a/src/components/settings/settings-shell.tsx b/src/components/settings/settings-shell.tsx
index 865b52a57..25d068625 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/settings-shell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/settings-shell.tsx
@@ -496,36 +496,45 @@ export function SettingsShell({
           </div>
         ) : null}
 
-        {/* Desktop sticky sidebar — starts at the cards row (row 2). */}
+        {/* Desktop sticky sidebar — starts at the cards row (row 2).
+
+            The sticky lives on the `<aside>` grid item itself, with
+            `self-start` so it shrinks to its content instead of stretching
+            to the full row height. A sticky CHILD inside a stretched grid
+            item resolves its containing block to the stretched item, which
+            in some engines lets the nav scroll away with the content rather
+            than pin. Sticking the grid item directly — sized to content and
+            offset `top-6` to clear the scroll viewport's padding — keeps the
+            nav fixed while only the content column scrolls. `max-h` +
+            `overflow-y-auto` let a long section list scroll within the
+            pinned panel on short viewports. */}
         <aside
           aria-label={t("settings.shell.sectionsNav")}
-          className="hidden md:col-start-1 md:row-start-2 md:block"
+          className="no-scrollbar hidden max-h-[calc(100dvh-5.5rem)] overflow-y-auto md:sticky md:top-6 md:col-start-1 md:row-start-2 md:block md:self-start"
         >
-          <div className="no-scrollbar sticky top-6 max-h-[calc(100dvh-5.5rem)] overflow-y-auto">
-            <ul className="space-y-1">
-              {visibleSections.map((section) => {
-                const isActive = section.slug === activeSlug;
-                const Icon = section.icon;
-                return (
-                  <li key={section.slug}>
-                    <Link
-                      href={`/settings/${section.slug}`}
-                      aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
-                      className={cn(
-                        "flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
-                        isActive
-                          ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
-                          : "text-foreground hover:bg-accent",
-                      )}
-                    >
-                      <Icon className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
-                      {t(section.titleKey)}
-                    </Link>
-                  </li>
-                );
-              })}
-            </ul>
-          </div>
+          <ul className="space-y-1">
+            {visibleSections.map((section) => {
+              const isActive = section.slug === activeSlug;
+              const Icon = section.icon;
+              return (
+                <li key={section.slug}>
+                  <Link
+                    href={`/settings/${section.slug}`}
+                    aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
+                    className={cn(
+                      "flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
+                      isActive
+                        ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
+                        : "text-foreground hover:bg-accent",
+                    )}
+                  >
+                    <Icon className="h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true" />
+                    {t(section.titleKey)}
+                  </Link>
+                </li>
+              );
+            })}
+          </ul>
         </aside>
 
         {/* Main column — page renders its own h1 + subtitle. The