diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fdda454..362f1e4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ keyed on the `dsh-slopo` settings namespace the Host registers. Every setting in
 the table below is editable there, overridden fields are marked, and Reset
 returns a field to the deployment default rather than to empty.
 
+The card behaves the way the other plugin cards do: it starts collapsed, its
+header is a button that discloses the controls in place, the header marks it when
+it holds unsaved edits — visible even while collapsed, since staged edits outlive
+being folded away — and a save that lands collapses it again.
+
 The card is the bundle's second half — the browser half. It needs no build step
 and ships as plain ESM in the module-loader wrapper, but the platform snapshots
 client bundles at activation, so **a client half only appears after the profile
diff --git a/client/client.js b/client/client.js
index 06480dc..b223323 100644
--- a/client/client.js
+++ b/client/client.js
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@
  * claims, so a served namespace with no card draws nothing at all, and a card
  * whose namespace is not served is never dispatched.
  *
+ * The chrome follows the framework's `PluginCard`: the root is an `<li>` (the
+ * tab renders every card into a `<ul>`), the header is its own `<button>` that
+ * discloses the controls in place, the card starts collapsed, it marks itself
+ * when it holds unsaved edits, and it collapses again after a successful save.
+ * Nothing about that is imported — `PluginCard` lives in that package's client
+ * bundle and the client purity gate forbids cross-plugin value imports — so the
+ * behaviour is reproduced here rather than borrowed.
+ *
  * Hand-written plain JavaScript inside the module-loader wrapper, with no build
  * step and no bundler. `dsh plugin add git+…` fetches sources rather than build
  * output, so a `prepare` script would make every user allowlist a build before
@@ -14,8 +22,8 @@
  * platform seed table; anything outside that table would have to be bundled
  * into this file or declared in `dsh.client.external`.
  *
- * Styling is inline on purpose. The client bundle purity gate forbids
- * cross-plugin value imports, so there is no stylesheet this file may reach.
+ * Styling is inline on purpose, for the same reason: there is no stylesheet this
+ * file may reach.
  */
 window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
   id: 'dsh-slopo',
@@ -28,6 +36,9 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
     const NS = 'dsh-slopo'
     const h = react.createElement
 
+    const TITLE = 'Slopo'
+    const DESCRIPTION = 'Embedding backend, index scope and the budget that stops a large embed.'
+
     /**
      * The settings this card edits.
      *
@@ -79,11 +90,43 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
       { key: 'timeoutMs', label: 'Foreground timeout (ms)', kind: 'number' },
     ]
 
+    const BORDER = '1px solid var(--dsh-border, #3a3a3a)'
+
     const S = {
-      card: { border: '1px solid var(--dsh-border, #3a3a3a)', borderRadius: '8px', padding: '16px', margin: '8px 0' },
-      head: { display: 'flex', alignItems: 'baseline', justifyContent: 'space-between', gap: '12px', marginBottom: '4px' },
-      title: { fontSize: '14px', fontWeight: 600 },
-      badge: { fontSize: '11px', opacity: 0.7 },
+      // The tab renders into a <ul>, so the root must be an <li> or the list
+      // styling never reaches it.
+      card: { listStyle: 'none', border: BORDER, borderRadius: '8px', margin: '8px 0', overflow: 'hidden' },
+      cardOpen: { background: 'var(--dsh-surface, rgba(255,255,255,0.02))' },
+      header: {
+        display: 'flex',
+        alignItems: 'center',
+        gap: '12px',
+        width: '100%',
+        padding: '12px 16px',
+        border: 'none',
+        background: 'transparent',
+        color: 'inherit',
+        textAlign: 'left',
+        cursor: 'pointer',
+        font: 'inherit',
+      },
+      headText: { display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: '2px', flex: '1 1 auto', minWidth: 0 },
+      name: { fontSize: '14px', fontWeight: 600 },
+      description: { fontSize: '11px', opacity: 0.65, lineHeight: 1.45 },
+      pending: {
+        flex: '0 0 auto',
+        fontSize: '10px',
+        textTransform: 'uppercase',
+        letterSpacing: '0.04em',
+        padding: '2px 6px',
+        borderRadius: '4px',
+        border: BORDER,
+        opacity: 0.8,
+      },
+      chevron: { flex: '0 0 auto', fontSize: '10px', opacity: 0.7, transition: 'transform 120ms ease' },
+      chevronOpen: { transform: 'rotate(180deg)' },
+      body: { padding: '0 16px 16px 16px' },
+      readOnly: { fontSize: '11px', opacity: 0.75, marginTop: 0, marginBottom: '12px' },
       hint: { fontSize: '11px', opacity: 0.65, marginTop: '2px', lineHeight: 1.45 },
       row: { marginTop: '12px' },
       label: { display: 'block', fontSize: '12px', fontWeight: 500, marginBottom: '4px' },
@@ -93,7 +136,7 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
         padding: '6px 8px',
         fontSize: '12px',
         borderRadius: '6px',
-        border: '1px solid var(--dsh-border, #3a3a3a)',
+        border: BORDER,
         background: 'transparent',
         color: 'inherit',
       },
@@ -102,14 +145,13 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
         padding: '6px 12px',
         fontSize: '12px',
         borderRadius: '6px',
-        border: '1px solid var(--dsh-border, #3a3a3a)',
+        border: BORDER,
         background: 'transparent',
         color: 'inherit',
         cursor: 'pointer',
       },
       primary: { fontWeight: 600 },
       note: { fontSize: '11px', opacity: 0.75, marginLeft: 'auto' },
-      dirty: { fontSize: '11px', opacity: 0.8 },
     }
 
     /** The editable string form of one field's value. */
@@ -180,6 +222,8 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
       const [draft, setDraft] = react.useState(null)
       const [busy, setBusy] = react.useState(false)
       const [note, setNote] = react.useState('')
+      // Collapsed on mount, like every other card in the tab.
+      const [open, setOpen] = react.useState(false)
 
       react.useEffect(() => scope.subscribe(() => setSnapshot(scope.getSnapshot())), [scope])
 
@@ -196,6 +240,7 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
 
       const dirtyKeys = FIELDS.filter((field) => current[field.key] !== baseline[field.key]).map((field) => field.key)
       const overriddenKeys = user !== null && typeof user === 'object' ? Object.keys(user) : []
+      const writable = snapshot.writable === true
 
       const save = async () => {
         setBusy(true)
@@ -211,6 +256,9 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
           }
           setDraft(null)
           setNote('Saved.')
+          // A landed save folds the card back up. A failed or blocked one stays
+          // open with the drafts, which is the whole point of staging them.
+          setOpen(false)
         } catch (error) {
           setNote(`Save failed: ${error?.message ?? error}`)
         } finally {
@@ -233,49 +281,59 @@ window.__ModuleLoader__.load({
       }
 
       return h(
-        'div',
-        { style: S.card },
+        'li',
+        { style: open ? { ...S.card, ...S.cardOpen } : S.card },
         h(
-          'div',
-          { style: S.head },
-          h('div', { style: S.title }, 'Slopo'),
+          'button',
+          {
+            type: 'button',
+            style: S.header,
+            'aria-expanded': open,
+            'aria-label': `${open ? 'Collapse' : 'Expand'}: ${TITLE}`,
+            onClick: () => setOpen(!open),
+          },
           h(
-            'div',
-            { style: S.badge },
-            status === 'loading' ? 'loading…' : 'configuration',
-            snapshot.writable === true ? '' : ' · read-only',
+            'span',
+            { style: S.headText },
+            h('span', { style: S.name }, TITLE),
+            h('span', { style: S.description }, DESCRIPTION),
           ),
+          // Marked on the header, so unsaved edits are visible while collapsed.
+          dirtyKeys.length > 0 ? h('span', { style: S.pending }, 'unsaved') : null,
+          h('span', { style: open ? { ...S.chevron, ...S.chevronOpen } : S.chevron }, '▾'),
         ),
-        h(
-          'div',
-          { style: S.hint },
-          'Slopo runs as a separate process. Nothing here is defaulted: it stays unconfigured until you set a model and its dimensions.',
-        ),
-        ...FIELDS.map((field) =>
-          h(Field, {
-            key: field.key,
-            field,
-            value: current[field.key],
-            overridden: overriddenKeys.includes(field.key),
-            disabled: busy || snapshot.writable !== true,
-            onChange: (next) => setDraft({ ...current, [field.key]: next }),
-          }),
-        ),
-        h(
-          'div',
-          { style: S.actions },
-          h(
-            'button',
-            { type: 'button', style: { ...S.button, ...S.primary }, disabled: busy || dirtyKeys.length === 0, onClick: save },
-            dirtyKeys.length === 0 ? 'Save' : `Save ${dirtyKeys.length} change${dirtyKeys.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}`,
-          ),
-          h(
-            'button',
-            { type: 'button', style: S.button, disabled: busy || overriddenKeys.length === 0, onClick: reset },
-            `Reset ${overriddenKeys.length} override${overriddenKeys.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}`,
-          ),
-          note === '' ? null : h('span', { style: S.note }, note),
-        ),
+        open
+          ? h(
+              'div',
+              { style: S.body },
+              writable ? null : h('p', { style: S.readOnly, role: 'status' }, 'This namespace is read-only here.'),
+              ...FIELDS.map((field) =>
+                h(Field, {
+                  key: field.key,
+                  field,
+                  value: current[field.key],
+                  overridden: overriddenKeys.includes(field.key),
+                  disabled: busy || !writable,
+                  onChange: (next) => setDraft({ ...current, [field.key]: next }),
+                }),
+              ),
+              h(
+                'div',
+                { style: S.actions },
+                h(
+                  'button',
+                  { type: 'button', style: { ...S.button, ...S.primary }, disabled: busy || dirtyKeys.length === 0, onClick: save },
+                  dirtyKeys.length === 0 ? 'Save' : `Save ${dirtyKeys.length} change${dirtyKeys.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}`,
+                ),
+                h(
+                  'button',
+                  { type: 'button', style: S.button, disabled: busy || overriddenKeys.length === 0, onClick: reset },
+                  `Reset ${overriddenKeys.length} override${overriddenKeys.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}`,
+                ),
+                note === '' ? null : h('span', { style: S.note }, note),
+              ),
+            )
+          : null,
       )
     }
 
diff --git a/test/client.test.js b/test/client.test.js
index e6d016c..433cfb8 100644
--- a/test/client.test.js
+++ b/test/client.test.js
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
  * The card is then rendered by calling the registered component and expanding
  * the elements it returns, and its handlers are driven directly. That is not a
  * substitute for looking at it in a browser, but it does check the wiring the
- * card cannot work without.
+ * card cannot work without — including the disclosure chrome, which is what
+ * makes it look like the other cards in the tab.
  */
 
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
@@ -19,9 +20,14 @@ import { test } from 'node:test'
 
 const SOURCE = readFileSync(new URL('../client/client.js', import.meta.url), 'utf8')
 
-/** Minimal React: enough for createElement plus the three hooks the card uses. */
+/**
+ * Minimal React: createElement, the three hooks the card uses, and an effect
+ * runner that actually invokes its callback rather than ignoring it.
+ *
+ * `useState` consumes one ordered slot per call, as real hooks do.
+ */
 function makeFakeReact() {
-  const states = []
+  const slots = []
   let cursor = 0
   return {
     reset() {
@@ -32,15 +38,17 @@ function makeFakeReact() {
       useState(initial) {
         const index = cursor
         cursor += 1
-        if (!(index in states)) states[index] = typeof initial === 'function' ? initial() : initial
+        if (!(index in slots)) slots[index] = typeof initial === 'function' ? initial() : initial
         return [
-          states[index],
+          slots[index],
           (next) => {
-            states[index] = typeof next === 'function' ? next(states[index]) : next
+            slots[index] = typeof next === 'function' ? next(slots[index]) : next
           },
         ]
       },
-      useEffect() {},
+      useEffect(effect) {
+        effect()
+      },
       useMemo(factory) {
         return factory()
       },
@@ -62,12 +70,7 @@ function loadBundle() {
   return { id: loaded.id, exported, react }
 }
 
-/**
- * Resolve function components by calling them, until a host element or null.
- *
- * This is the whole "renderer": the slot hands back an element whose type is the
- * card component, and function-typed children are expanded the same way.
- */
+/** Resolve function components by calling them, until a host element or null. */
 function expand(node, depth = 0) {
   if (depth > 50) throw new Error('the component tree did not settle')
   if (node === null || node === undefined) return null
@@ -150,10 +153,22 @@ function registered() {
     },
   }
   exported.apply(ctx)
-  const draw = (scope) => expand(render({ scope }))
-  return { id, exported, react, registration, render, draw }
+  const draw = (scope) => {
+    react.reset()
+    return expand(render({ scope }))
+  }
+  /** Render, click the header, and render again the way a state update would. */
+  const drawOpen = (scope) => {
+    const header = headerOf(draw(scope))
+    header.props.onClick()
+    return draw(scope)
+  }
+  return { id, exported, react, registration, draw, drawOpen }
 }
 
+const headerOf = (tree) =>
+  findAll(tree, (node) => node.type === 'button' && node.props['aria-expanded'] !== undefined)[0]
+
 const inputFor = (tree, label) =>
   findAll(tree, (node) => node.type === 'input' && node.props['aria-label'] === label)[0]
 
@@ -179,9 +194,25 @@ test('applying registers exactly one settings.plugin.item card, keyed on the nam
   assert.equal(registration.key, 'dsh-slopo')
 })
 
-test('the card renders a control for every setting the Host accepts', () => {
+test('the root is an <li>, because the tab renders every card into a <ul>', () => {
+  const { draw } = registered()
+  assert.equal(draw(fakeScope(READY)).type, 'li')
+})
+
+test('the card starts collapsed, with a header that says so', () => {
   const { draw } = registered()
   const tree = draw(fakeScope(READY))
+  assert.equal(headerOf(tree).props['aria-expanded'], false)
+  assert.match(headerOf(tree).props['aria-label'], /^Expand: /)
+  // Nothing is disclosed yet.
+  assert.equal(findAll(tree, (node) => node.type === 'input').length, 0)
+})
+
+test('clicking the header discloses every setting the Host accepts', () => {
+  const { drawOpen } = registered()
+  const tree = drawOpen(fakeScope(READY))
+  assert.equal(headerOf(tree).props['aria-expanded'], true)
+  assert.match(headerOf(tree).props['aria-label'], /^Collapse: /)
   const labels = findAll(tree, (node) => node.type === 'label').map(textOf)
   for (const expected of [
     'Embedding model',
@@ -204,8 +235,8 @@ test('the card renders a control for every setting the Host accepts', () => {
 })
 
 test('the API key is rendered as a password field', () => {
-  const { draw } = registered()
-  const tree = draw(fakeScope(READY))
+  const { drawOpen } = registered()
+  const tree = drawOpen(fakeScope(READY))
   assert.equal(inputFor(tree, 'Embedding API key').props.type, 'password')
 })
 
@@ -214,72 +245,98 @@ test('the card renders nothing when the namespace is unavailable', () => {
   assert.equal(draw(fakeScope({ ...READY, status: 'unavailable' })), null)
 })
 
-test('editing a field marks the card dirty and saving writes it through set()', async () => {
-  const { draw, react } = registered()
+test('editing a field marks the header unsaved, and saving writes it through set()', async () => {
+  const { draw, drawOpen, react } = registered()
   const scope = fakeScope(READY)
 
-  inputFor(draw(scope), 'Embedding model').props.onChange({ target: { value: 'ollama/example:latest' } })
+  const open = drawOpen(scope)
+  inputFor(open, 'Embedding model').props.onChange({ target: { value: 'ollama/example:latest' } })
 
-  // Re-render the way a state update would.
-  react.reset()
   const tree = draw(scope)
+  // Marked on the header, so it is visible while collapsed.
+  assert.match(textOf(headerOf(tree)), /unsaved/)
   const save = buttonStartingWith(tree, 'Save')
   assert.equal(save.props.disabled, false, 'a changed field must enable Save')
   await save.props.onClick()
 
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.set, [['embeddingModel', 'ollama/example:latest']])
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.unset, [])
+  assert.equal(react !== undefined, true)
+})
+
+test('a successful save collapses the card again', async () => {
+  const { draw, drawOpen } = registered()
+  const scope = fakeScope(READY)
+  inputFor(drawOpen(scope), 'Embedding model').props.onChange({ target: { value: 'ollama/x:latest' } })
+  await buttonStartingWith(draw(scope), 'Save').props.onClick()
+
+  // The save sets busy=false and note='Saved.', the effect collapses on the
+  // next render, and the one after that is the collapsed card.
+  draw(scope)
+  const settled = draw(scope)
+  assert.equal(headerOf(settled).props['aria-expanded'], false, 'a landed save closes the card')
+  assert.equal(findAll(settled, (node) => node.type === 'input').length, 0)
+})
+
+test('staged edits survive collapsing', () => {
+  const { draw, drawOpen } = registered()
+  const scope = fakeScope(READY)
+  inputFor(drawOpen(scope), 'Embedding model').props.onChange({ target: { value: 'ollama/kept:latest' } })
+  // Collapse it by hand.
+  headerOf(draw(scope)).props.onClick()
+  const collapsed = draw(scope)
+  assert.equal(headerOf(collapsed).props['aria-expanded'], false)
+  assert.match(textOf(headerOf(collapsed)), /unsaved/)
+  // Re-open: the draft is still there.
+  headerOf(collapsed).props.onClick()
+  assert.equal(inputFor(draw(scope), 'Embedding model').props.value, 'ollama/kept:latest')
 })
 
 test('a whole number field is sent as a number, not the string the input holds', async () => {
-  const { draw, react } = registered()
+  const { draw, drawOpen } = registered()
   const scope = fakeScope(READY)
-  inputFor(draw(scope), 'Embedding dimensions').props.onChange({ target: { value: '768' } })
-  react.reset()
+  inputFor(drawOpen(scope), 'Embedding dimensions').props.onChange({ target: { value: '768' } })
   await buttonStartingWith(draw(scope), 'Save').props.onClick()
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.set, [['embeddingDimensions', 768]])
 })
 
 test('clearing a field is an unset, so it re-inherits rather than becoming empty', async () => {
-  const { draw, react } = registered()
+  const { draw, drawOpen } = registered()
   const scope = fakeScope({ ...READY, value: { embeddingModel: 'ollama/old:latest', embeddingDimensions: 768 } })
-  inputFor(draw(scope), 'Embedding model').props.onChange({ target: { value: '' } })
-  react.reset()
+  inputFor(drawOpen(scope), 'Embedding model').props.onChange({ target: { value: '' } })
   await buttonStartingWith(draw(scope), 'Save').props.onClick()
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.unset, ['embeddingModel'])
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.set, [], 'a cleared field must not be written as an empty string')
 })
 
 test('an exclude list round-trips through comma-separated text', async () => {
-  const { draw, react } = registered()
+  const { draw, drawOpen } = registered()
   const scope = fakeScope({ ...READY, value: { embeddingModel: 'm', embeddingDimensions: 1 } })
-  inputFor(draw(scope), 'Extra exclude patterns').props.onChange({ target: { value: '**/test/**, *.min.js' } })
-  react.reset()
+  inputFor(drawOpen(scope), 'Extra exclude patterns').props.onChange({ target: { value: '**/test/**, *.min.js' } })
   await buttonStartingWith(draw(scope), 'Save').props.onClick()
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.set, [['sourceDirExclude', ['**/test/**', '*.min.js']]])
 })
 
 test('a boolean field writes a real boolean', async () => {
-  const { draw, react } = registered()
+  const { draw, drawOpen } = registered()
   const scope = fakeScope(READY)
   const checkbox = findAll(
-    draw(scope),
+    drawOpen(scope),
     (node) => node.type === 'input' && node.props['aria-label'] === 'Install slopo with uv when missing',
   )[0]
   checkbox.props.onChange({ target: { checked: true } })
-  react.reset()
   await buttonStartingWith(draw(scope), 'Save').props.onClick()
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.set, [['autoInstall', true]])
 })
 
 test('an overridden field is marked, and Reset clears every override', async () => {
-  const { draw } = registered()
+  const { drawOpen } = registered()
   const scope = fakeScope({
     ...READY,
     value: { embeddingModel: 'ollama/x:latest', embeddingDimensions: 768 },
     user: { embeddingModel: 'ollama/x:latest', embeddingDimensions: 768 },
   })
-  const tree = draw(scope)
+  const tree = drawOpen(scope)
   const labels = findAll(tree, (node) => node.type === 'label').map(textOf)
   assert.ok(labels.some((label) => label.includes('overridden')), 'a user-set field must be marked')
 
@@ -289,9 +346,10 @@ test('an overridden field is marked, and Reset clears every override', async ()
   assert.deepEqual(scope.calls.unset.sort(), ['embeddingDimensions', 'embeddingModel'])
 })
 
-test('a read-only namespace disables every control', () => {
-  const { draw } = registered()
-  const tree = draw(fakeScope({ ...READY, writable: false, mode: 'memory' }))
+test('a read-only namespace says so and disables every control', () => {
+  const { drawOpen } = registered()
+  const tree = drawOpen(fakeScope({ ...READY, writable: false, mode: 'memory' }))
+  assert.match(textOf(tree), /read-only/)
   const inputs = findAll(tree, (node) => node.type === 'input')
   assert.ok(inputs.length > 0)
   for (const input of inputs) assert.equal(input.props.disabled, true)