diff --git a/cmd/server/neighbor_api.go b/cmd/server/neighbor_api.go
index 40139326..7bde3418 100644
--- a/cmd/server/neighbor_api.go
+++ b/cmd/server/neighbor_api.go
@@ -373,6 +373,26 @@ func (s *Server) buildNodeInfoMap() map[string]nodeInfo {
 	for _, n := range nodes {
 		m[strings.ToLower(n.PublicKey)] = n
 	}
+
+	// Enrich observer-only nodes: if an observer pubkey isn't already in the
+	// map (i.e. it's not also a repeater/companion), add it with role "observer".
+	if s.db != nil {
+		rows, err := s.db.conn.Query("SELECT id, name FROM observers")
+		if err == nil {
+			defer rows.Close()
+			for rows.Next() {
+				var id, name string
+				if rows.Scan(&id, &name) != nil {
+					continue
+				}
+				key := strings.ToLower(id)
+				if _, exists := m[key]; !exists {
+					m[key] = nodeInfo{PublicKey: id, Name: name, Role: "observer"}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return m
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/server/neighbor_api_test.go b/cmd/server/neighbor_api_test.go
index 5b000c51..1510c515 100644
--- a/cmd/server/neighbor_api_test.go
+++ b/cmd/server/neighbor_api_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
+	_ "modernc.org/sqlite"
 )
 
 // ─── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -457,3 +459,69 @@ func TestNeighborGraphAPI_ResponseShape(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// ─── Tests: buildNodeInfoMap observer enrichment (#753) ────────────────────────
+
+func TestBuildNodeInfoMap_ObserverEnrichment(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a temp SQLite DB with nodes and observers tables.
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	dbPath := tmpDir + "/test.db"
+
+	conn, err := sql.Open("sqlite", dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	// Create tables
+	for _, stmt := range []string{
+		"CREATE TABLE nodes (public_key TEXT, name TEXT, role TEXT, lat REAL, lon REAL)",
+		"CREATE TABLE observers (id TEXT, name TEXT)",
+		"INSERT INTO nodes VALUES ('AAAA1111', 'Repeater-1', 'repeater', 0, 0)",
+		"INSERT INTO observers VALUES ('BBBB2222', 'Observer-Alpha')",
+		"INSERT INTO observers VALUES ('AAAA1111', 'Obs-also-repeater')",
+	} {
+		if _, err := conn.Exec(stmt); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("exec %q: %v", stmt, err)
+		}
+	}
+	conn.Close()
+
+	// Open via our DB wrapper
+	db, err := OpenDB(dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer db.conn.Close()
+
+	// Build a PacketStore with this DB (minimal — just need getCachedNodesAndPM)
+	store := NewPacketStore(db, nil)
+	store.Load()
+
+	srv := &Server{
+		db:        db,
+		store:     store,
+		perfStats: NewPerfStats(),
+	}
+
+	m := srv.buildNodeInfoMap()
+
+	// AAAA1111 should be from nodes table (repeater), NOT overwritten by observer
+	if info, ok := m["aaaa1111"]; !ok {
+		t.Error("expected aaaa1111 in map")
+	} else if info.Role != "repeater" {
+		t.Errorf("expected role=repeater for aaaa1111, got %q", info.Role)
+	}
+
+	// BBBB2222 should be enriched from observers table
+	if info, ok := m["bbbb2222"]; !ok {
+		t.Error("expected bbbb2222 in map (observer-only node)")
+	} else {
+		if info.Role != "observer" {
+			t.Errorf("expected role=observer for bbbb2222, got %q", info.Role)
+		}
+		if info.Name != "Observer-Alpha" {
+			t.Errorf("expected name=Observer-Alpha for bbbb2222, got %q", info.Name)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/public/analytics.js b/public/analytics.js
index 127cda12..e48edd0c 100644
--- a/public/analytics.js
+++ b/public/analytics.js
@@ -2045,6 +2045,11 @@ function destroy() { _analyticsData = {}; _channelData = null; if (_ngState && _
       const color = (window.ROLE_COLORS || {})[r] || '#888';
       rcEl.innerHTML += `<label style="font-size:12px;margin-right:8px"><input type="checkbox" data-role="${r}" checked> <span style="color:${esc(color)}">${esc(r)}</span></label>`;
     });
+    // Observer checkbox — unchecked by default (observers create hub-and-spoke noise)
+    {
+      const color = (window.ROLE_COLORS || {}).observer || '#8b5cf6';
+      rcEl.innerHTML += `<label style="font-size:12px;margin-right:8px"><input type="checkbox" data-role="observer"> <span style="color:${esc(color)}">observer</span></label>`;
+    }
 
     // Load data
     const rqs = RegionFilter.regionQueryString();
@@ -2102,7 +2107,7 @@ function destroy() { _analyticsData = {}; _channelData = null; if (_ngState && _
     // Filter nodes by role
     const visibleNodes = _ngState.allNodes.filter(n => {
       const role = (n.role || 'unknown').toLowerCase();
-      return checkedRoles.has(role) || role === 'unknown' || role === 'observer';
+      return checkedRoles.has(role) || role === 'unknown';
     });
     const visiblePKs = new Set(visibleNodes.map(n => n.pubkey));
 
diff --git a/public/style.css b/public/style.css
index 2d0db453..68374c8a 100644
--- a/public/style.css
+++ b/public/style.css
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   --status-red: #ef4444;
   --status-orange: #f97316;
   --status-purple: #a855f7;
+  --role-observer: #8b5cf6;
   --accent-hover: #6db3ff;
   --text: #1a1a2e;
   --text-muted: #5b6370;
diff --git a/test-frontend-helpers.js b/test-frontend-helpers.js
index e7df8576..2d68180d 100644
--- a/test-frontend-helpers.js
+++ b/test-frontend-helpers.js
@@ -5513,6 +5513,57 @@ console.log('\n=== analytics.js: renderCollisionsFromServer collision table ==='
   });
 }
 
+// ===== Observer role support (#753 / PR #774) =====
+{
+  console.log('\n--- Observer role support (PR #774) ---');
+
+  // Test 1: ROLE_COLORS.observer is defined and not empty
+  test('ROLE_COLORS.observer is defined and not empty', () => {
+    const rolesJs = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/public/roles.js', 'utf8');
+    const ctx = makeSandbox();
+    vm.runInNewContext(rolesJs, ctx);
+    assert.ok(ctx.window.ROLE_COLORS.observer, 'ROLE_COLORS.observer should be defined');
+    assert.ok(ctx.window.ROLE_COLORS.observer.length > 0, 'ROLE_COLORS.observer should not be empty');
+  });
+
+  // Test 2: Observer checkbox exists in neighbor graph filter (unchecked by default)
+  test('Observer checkbox exists in neighbor graph filter section', () => {
+    const analyticsJs = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/public/analytics.js', 'utf8');
+    // The observer checkbox is added with data-role="observer" and NO "checked" attribute
+    assert.ok(analyticsJs.includes('data-role="observer"'), 'analytics.js should contain observer checkbox');
+    // Verify it's NOT checked by default (no "checked" attribute on observer checkbox)
+    const observerCheckboxMatch = analyticsJs.match(/data-role="observer"[^>]*>/);
+    assert.ok(observerCheckboxMatch, 'observer checkbox markup must exist');
+    assert.ok(!observerCheckboxMatch[0].includes('checked'), 'observer checkbox should NOT be checked by default');
+  });
+
+  // Test 3: Other role checkboxes ARE checked by default
+  test('Non-observer role checkboxes are checked by default', () => {
+    const analyticsJs = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/public/analytics.js', 'utf8');
+    // The main role loop uses "checked" attribute
+    const mainRoleCheckbox = analyticsJs.match(/data-role="\$\{r\}"[^>]*checked/);
+    assert.ok(mainRoleCheckbox, 'Main role checkboxes should have checked attribute');
+  });
+
+  // Test 4: --role-observer CSS variable exists in style.css
+  test('--role-observer CSS variable exists in style.css', () => {
+    const css = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/public/style.css', 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(css.includes('--role-observer:'), 'style.css should define --role-observer CSS variable');
+  });
+
+  // Test 5: Filter logic does NOT auto-include observer role
+  test('Filter logic excludes observer nodes when checkbox unchecked', () => {
+    const analyticsJs = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/public/analytics.js', 'utf8');
+    // Old code had: return checkedRoles.has(role) || role === 'unknown' || role === 'observer';
+    // New code: return checkedRoles.has(role) || role === 'unknown';
+    // Verify observer is NOT given special pass-through treatment
+    const filterLine = analyticsJs.match(/return checkedRoles\.has\(role\)[^;]+;/);
+    assert.ok(filterLine, 'filter line must exist');
+    assert.ok(!filterLine[0].includes("'observer'"), 'filter should NOT auto-include observer role');
+    assert.ok(filterLine[0].includes("'unknown'"), 'filter should still auto-include unknown role');
+  });
+}
+
 // ===== SUMMARY =====
 Promise.allSettled(pendingTests).then(() => {
   console.log(`\n${'═'.repeat(40)}`);