diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 64b01cbe..3b1654e4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -563,6 +563,12 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 * **Album grids and song rails:** overlay `pointer-events` so the dim layer does not steal hover from the card.
 
 
+### Mainstage album rails — stable New badge on first hover
+
+**By [@cucadmuh](https://github.com/cucadmuh), PR [#986](https://github.com/Psychotoxical/psysonic/pull/986)**
+
+* Horizontal album rails (Home New Releases, Discover, Favorites, Statistics, search rows, …) no longer hide the **New** / offline cover badges during hover zoom — cover stacking is shared with grid pages; rails keep dim-on-`::before` for play controls.
+
 
 ### Album view — bulk add to playlist selection
 
diff --git a/src/styles/components/album-card.css b/src/styles/components/album-card.css
index 82096e31..7c123322 100644
--- a/src/styles/components/album-card.css
+++ b/src/styles/components/album-card.css
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
   height: 100%;
   object-fit: cover;
   transform-origin: center center;
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 0;
   transform: translateZ(0) scale(1);
   transition: opacity 0.15s ease, transform 350ms cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);
 }
diff --git a/src/styles/components/album-row-container.css b/src/styles/components/album-row-container.css
index aa3ff8d2..b04d93f7 100644
--- a/src/styles/components/album-row-container.css
+++ b/src/styles/components/album-row-container.css
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@
    no .card transition, hover pinned to cover, dim via overlay background not opacity. */
 .album-grid .album-card {
   contain: none;
-  transform: none;
   transition: none;
 }
 
@@ -115,42 +114,44 @@
   box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px var(--border-subtle);
 }
 
-.album-grid .album-card-cover {
-  contain: layout style;
-  transform: none;
+/* Dim below badges/play controls (all horizontal rails: Home, Favorites, Statistics, …). */
+.album-grid .album-card-cover::before {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: 1;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  background: transparent;
 }
 
-.album-grid .album-card-cover img {
-  transform-origin: center center;
-  transform: scale(1);
-  transition: opacity 0.15s ease, transform 350ms cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);
-}
-
-.album-grid .album-card-cover:hover img {
-  transform: scale(1.02);
+.album-grid .album-card-cover:hover::before,
+.album-grid .album-card-cover:focus-within::before {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
 }
 
 .album-grid .album-card .album-card-play-overlay {
+  z-index: 4;
+  transform: translateZ(0);
   opacity: 1;
   background-color: transparent;
   transition: none;
+  pointer-events: none;
 }
 
 .album-grid .album-card .album-card-details-btn {
-  visibility: hidden;
   opacity: 0;
+  visibility: visible;
   pointer-events: none;
   transition: none;
 }
 
 .album-grid .album-card-cover:hover .album-card-play-overlay,
 .album-grid .album-card-cover:focus-within .album-card-play-overlay {
-  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
+  background-color: transparent;
 }
 
 .album-grid .album-card-cover:hover .album-card-details-btn,
 .album-grid .album-card-cover:focus-within .album-card-details-btn {
-  visibility: visible;
   opacity: 1;
   pointer-events: auto;
 }
@@ -190,7 +191,8 @@
   flex-direction: column;
   align-items: flex-end;
   gap: 4px;
-  z-index: 2;
+  z-index: 5;
+  transform: translateZ(0);
   pointer-events: none;
 }
 
@@ -221,6 +223,8 @@
 .album-card-play-overlay {
   position: absolute;
   inset: 0;
+  z-index: 2;
+  transform: translateZ(0);
   background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;