diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index b827d226..7e672815 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ jobs:
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1224-channels-mobile-ux-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1236-map-mobile-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
+          BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1273-qr-overlay-height-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1206-resize-observer-leak-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-nav-drawer-1064-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
 
diff --git a/public/style.css b/public/style.css
index fb302327..7b356b23 100644
--- a/public/style.css
+++ b/public/style.css
@@ -2170,12 +2170,12 @@ button.ch-item.ch-item-encrypted .ch-badge { filter: grayscale(0.6); }
 }
 .observer-selector { display: flex; gap: 4px; margin-bottom: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
 .node-qr { text-align: center; margin-top: 8px; }
-.node-qr svg { max-width: 100px; border-radius: 4px; }
+.node-qr svg { max-width: 100px; height: auto; border-radius: 4px; }
 [data-theme="dark"] .node-qr svg rect[fill="#ffffff"] { fill: var(--card-bg); }
 [data-theme="dark"] .node-qr svg rect[fill="#000000"] { fill: var(--text); }
 .node-map-qr-wrap { position: relative; }
 .node-map-qr-overlay { position: absolute; bottom: 8px; right: 8px; z-index: 400; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.5); border-radius: 4px; padding: 4px; line-height: 0; margin: 0; text-align: center; }
-.node-map-qr-overlay svg { max-width: 56px !important; display: block; margin: 0; }
+.node-map-qr-overlay svg { max-width: 56px !important; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0; }
 [data-theme="dark"] .node-map-qr-overlay { background: rgba(255,255,255,0.4); }
 
 /* Replay on Live Map button in packet detail */
@@ -2462,7 +2462,8 @@ tr[data-hops]:hover { background: rgba(59,130,246,0.1); }
 .node-top-row { display: flex; gap: 16px; margin-bottom: 12px; }
 .node-top-row .node-map-wrap { flex: 3; min-height: 200px; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; }
 .node-top-row .node-map-wrap .node-detail-map { height: 100%; }
-.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap { flex: 1; min-width: 120px; max-width: 160px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: var(--card-bg); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 8px; padding: 12px; }
+.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap { flex: 1; align-self: flex-start; min-width: 120px; max-width: 160px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: var(--card-bg); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 8px; padding: 8px; }
+.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap .node-qr { margin-top: 0; }
 .node-qr-wrap--full { max-width: 240px; margin: 0 auto; }
 .node-stats-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; background: var(--card-bg); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 12px; }
 .node-stats-table td { padding: 6px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border); }
@@ -2500,7 +2501,7 @@ tr[data-hops]:hover { background: rgba(59,130,246,0.1); }
     line-height: 0;
     margin: 0;
   }
-  .node-top-row .node-qr-wrap .node-qr svg { max-width: 72px; }
+  .node-top-row .node-qr-wrap .node-qr svg { max-width: 72px; height: auto; }
   /* Hide the redundant pubkey caption inside the overlay QR — it's already
      shown in the card above and would push the overlay too large. */
   .node-top-row .node-qr-wrap .mono { display: none; }
diff --git a/test-issue-1273-qr-overlay-height-e2e.js b/test-issue-1273-qr-overlay-height-e2e.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d8e237f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-issue-1273-qr-overlay-height-e2e.js
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+/**
+ * #1273 — QR overlay container is 2-3× taller than the QR canvas on the
+ * full node detail page (`#/nodes/<pubkey>`).
+ *
+ * On mobile (<=640px) and desktop, `.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap` (the QR
+ * overlay box) must NOT have meaningful empty translucent space below the
+ * QR canvas. The wrap's bounding-rect height must be ≤ the inner QR
+ * canvas/svg height + 32px (covers padding + caption + minor rounding).
+ *
+ * Asserted on:
+ *   - 375x800  (mobile — overlay style applies)
+ *   - 1280x800 (desktop guard — existing flex layout must not regress)
+ *
+ * RED on master (mobile): the absolute-positioned overlay inherits the
+ * column flex layout with `justify-content: center` and the caption hidden
+ * but still allocates space because the wrap doesn't have a content-fit
+ * height.
+ *
+ * Usage: BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1273-qr-overlay-height-e2e.js
+ */
+'use strict';
+const { chromium } = require('playwright');
+
+const BASE = process.env.BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:13581';
+
+let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+async function step(name, fn) {
+  try { await fn(); passed++; console.log('  \u2713 ' + name); }
+  catch (e) { failed++; console.error('  \u2717 ' + name + ': ' + e.message); }
+}
+function assert(c, m) { if (!c) throw new Error(m || 'assertion failed'); }
+
+async function pickPubkey(page) {
+  await page.goto(BASE + '/', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  return await page.evaluate(async () => {
+    const r = await fetch('/api/nodes?limit=20');
+    const d = await r.json();
+    return (d.nodes || [])[0] && (d.nodes || [])[0].public_key;
+  });
+}
+
+async function measureOverlay(page, pubkey) {
+  await page.goto(BASE + '/#/nodes/' + encodeURIComponent(pubkey),
+    { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  await page.waitForSelector('.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap', { timeout: 10000 });
+  // Wait until the QR svg is actually painted inside the wrap.
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => {
+    const wrap = document.querySelector('.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap');
+    return wrap && wrap.querySelector('.node-qr svg');
+  }, { timeout: 10000 });
+  await page.waitForTimeout(150); // allow layout to settle
+  return await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const wrap = document.querySelector('.node-top-row .node-qr-wrap');
+    const svg  = wrap.querySelector('.node-qr svg');
+    const wr = wrap.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const sr = svg.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const cap = wrap.querySelector('.mono');
+    const capH = cap && getComputedStyle(cap).display !== 'none'
+      ? Math.round(cap.getBoundingClientRect().height) : 0;
+    // QR is always square — the visible/intended QR height is the SMALLER
+    // of svg width vs svg height. Any "extra" svg height beyond that is
+    // wasted intrinsic-sizing space that bloats the wrap.
+    const qrVisibleH = Math.min(Math.round(sr.width), Math.round(sr.height));
+    return {
+      wrapH: Math.round(wr.height),
+      wrapW: Math.round(wr.width),
+      svgH:  Math.round(sr.height),
+      svgW:  Math.round(sr.width),
+      qrVisibleH,
+      capH,
+      position: getComputedStyle(wrap).position,
+      top: Math.round(wr.top),
+      right: Math.round(window.innerWidth - wr.right),
+    };
+  });
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  const launchOpts = { headless: true, args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-gpu', '--disable-dev-shm-usage'] };
+  if (process.env.CHROMIUM_PATH) launchOpts.executablePath = process.env.CHROMIUM_PATH;
+  const browser = await chromium.launch(launchOpts);
+
+  console.log(`\n=== #1273 QR overlay height E2E against ${BASE} ===`);
+
+  // ── pick a real pubkey from the API ──
+  const ctxBoot = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1280, height: 800 } });
+  const probe = await ctxBoot.newPage();
+  const pubkey = await pickPubkey(probe);
+  await ctxBoot.close();
+  assert(pubkey, 'No pubkey returned from /api/nodes');
+  console.log('  → probe pubkey: ' + pubkey.slice(0, 12) + '…');
+
+  // ── Mobile 375x800 ──
+  const m = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 375, height: 800 } });
+  const mp = await m.newPage();
+  await step('mobile 375x800: .node-qr-wrap height \u2264 visible QR + 32px', async () => {
+    const d = await measureOverlay(mp, pubkey);
+    console.log('    mobile measurements: ' + JSON.stringify(d));
+    assert(d.qrVisibleH > 0, 'QR svg has zero visible square (not rendered)');
+    assert(d.position === 'absolute',
+      'mobile overlay must remain position:absolute, got ' + d.position);
+    assert(d.wrapH <= d.qrVisibleH + d.capH + 32,
+      `wrap height ${d.wrapH}px must be \u2264 visible QR ${d.qrVisibleH}px + caption ${d.capH}px + 32px (delta ${d.wrapH - d.qrVisibleH - d.capH}px)`);
+  });
+  await m.close();
+
+  // ── Desktop 1280x800 (regression guard) ──
+  const dctx = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1280, height: 800 } });
+  const dp = await dctx.newPage();
+  await step('desktop 1280x800: .node-qr-wrap height \u2264 visible QR + caption + 32px', async () => {
+    const d = await measureOverlay(dp, pubkey);
+    console.log('    desktop measurements: ' + JSON.stringify(d));
+    assert(d.qrVisibleH > 0, 'QR svg has zero visible square (not rendered)');
+    assert(d.wrapH <= d.qrVisibleH + d.capH + 32,
+      `wrap height ${d.wrapH}px must be \u2264 visible QR ${d.qrVisibleH}px + caption ${d.capH}px + 32px (delta ${d.wrapH - d.qrVisibleH - d.capH}px)`);
+  });
+  await dctx.close();
+
+  await browser.close();
+
+  console.log('\n' + passed + '/' + (passed + failed) + ' tests passed' +
+              (failed ? ', ' + failed + ' failed' : ''));
+  process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+}
+)().catch(err => { console.error('Fatal:', err); process.exit(1); });