diff --git a/assets/css/frontend/homepage-fixed/ajax-tab-error-state.css b/assets/css/frontend/homepage-fixed/ajax-tab-error-state.css
index 86ebd3e8..8065e566 100644
--- a/assets/css/frontend/homepage-fixed/ajax-tab-error-state.css
+++ b/assets/css/frontend/homepage-fixed/ajax-tab-error-state.css
@@ -61,10 +61,6 @@
     display: none;
   }
 
-  /* Card mode: 2 columns */
-  .aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] > .posts-item {
-    width: calc(50% - 16px);
-  }
 }
 
 /* ================================================================
@@ -102,7 +98,11 @@
     display: none;
   }
 
-  /* Card mode: 2 columns (match Zibll) */
+  /* Zibll keeps article cards in two columns throughout the mobile range. */
+  .aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] {
+    margin: -5px;
+  }
+
   .aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] > .posts-item {
     width: calc(50% - 10px);
     margin: 5px;
@@ -196,16 +196,6 @@
     font-size: 12px;
   }
 
-  /* Card mode: single column */
-  .aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] {
-    margin: 0;
-  }
-
-  .aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] > .posts-item {
-    width: 100%;
-    margin: 0 0 10px;
-  }
-
   /* Tab skeleton: adapt */
   .aksrt-homepage__tab-skeleton-thumb {
     width: 96px;
diff --git a/assets/js/homepage-fixed.js b/assets/js/homepage-fixed.js
index 57eaeb32..e7fc03cb 100644
--- a/assets/js/homepage-fixed.js
+++ b/assets/js/homepage-fixed.js
@@ -816,7 +816,27 @@
 				return (activeBtn && activeBtn.getAttribute('data-view-mode')) || getViewMode();
 			}
 
-			applyViewMode(buttons, getPostsContainers(), getViewMode());
+			var initialMode = getViewMode();
+			var activePanel = getActivePanel(stream);
+			var renderedMode = activePanel ? activePanel.getAttribute('data-view') : '';
+			applyViewMode(buttons, getPostsContainers(), initialMode);
+
+			// The persisted preference may differ from the server-rendered mode.
+			// Class toggling alone leaves list-only markup and its `.flex` utility in
+			// place, which forces a supposed card to occupy a full row. Fetch the
+			// matching renderer immediately so DOM and visual mode stay atomic.
+			if (activePanel && renderedMode !== initialMode) {
+				requestHomepagePanel(activePanel, {
+					termId: getPanelTermId(activePanel),
+					page: 1,
+					perPage: getHomepagePerPage(activePanel),
+					sort: getCurrentSort(stream),
+					viewMode: initialMode,
+					panel: activePanel.getAttribute('data-home-tab-panel') || 'latest',
+					source: 'home',
+					tabOrderby: getPanelTabOrderby(activePanel)
+				});
+			}
 
 			buttons.forEach(function (btn) {
 				btn.addEventListener('click', function () {
diff --git a/tests/widget-system/post-visual-contract.test.cjs b/tests/widget-system/post-visual-contract.test.cjs
index a485895f..185c2450 100644
--- a/tests/widget-system/post-visual-contract.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/widget-system/post-visual-contract.test.cjs
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ test('post list DOM follows the Zibll flex and multi-image contract', () => {
 
 test('homepage card mode keeps the Zibll inline-block three-column flow', () => {
   const css = read('assets/css/frontend/homepage-fixed/base-2.css');
+  const responsive = read('assets/css/frontend/homepage-fixed/ajax-tab-error-state.css');
+  const homepageScript = read('assets/js/homepage-fixed.js');
   const scripts = read('src/Core/ScriptsPart1b.php');
   const cardModeStart = css.indexOf('.aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] {');
   const cardItemStart = css.indexOf('.aksrt-homepage__posts[data-view="card"] > .posts-item {');
@@ -41,6 +43,22 @@ test('homepage card mode keeps the Zibll inline-block three-column flow', () =>
   assert.match(scripts, /\$homepage_style_parts\s*=\s*\[/);
   assert.match(scripts, /filemtime\(\$part_path\)/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(scripts, /wp_enqueue_style\(\s*'aksrt-homepage-fixed',\s*\$base_uri\s*\.\s*'\/assets\/css\/frontend\/homepage-fixed\.css'/);
+
+  const tabletStart = responsive.indexOf('@media (max-width: 991.98px)');
+  const mobileStart = responsive.indexOf('@media (max-width: 767px)');
+  const smallMobileStart = responsive.indexOf('@media (max-width: 640px)');
+  const tablet = responsive.slice(tabletStart, mobileStart);
+  const mobile = responsive.slice(mobileStart, smallMobileStart);
+  const smallMobile = responsive.slice(smallMobileStart);
+
+  assert.doesNotMatch(tablet, /data-view="card"/);
+  assert.match(mobile, /data-view="card"[\s\S]*?width:\s*calc\(50% - 10px\)/);
+  assert.match(mobile, /data-view="card"[\s\S]*?margin:\s*-5px/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(smallMobile, /data-view="card"[\s\S]*?width:\s*100%/);
+
+  assert.match(homepageScript, /var initialMode = getViewMode\(\)/);
+  assert.match(homepageScript, /var renderedMode = activePanel \? activePanel\.getAttribute\('data-view'\)/);
+  assert.match(homepageScript, /renderedMode !== initialMode[\s\S]*?requestHomepagePanel\(activePanel/);
 });
 
 test('site shell has one float owner and fluid zones sit outside main', () => {