diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index b062247..970faba 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "void-server",
-  "version": "2.6.6",
+  "version": "2.7.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "void-server",
-      "version": "2.6.6",
+      "version": "2.7.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk": "^1.29.0",
         "@mozilla/readability": "^0.6.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 17d04c8..e169aaf 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "void-server",
-  "version": "2.6.6",
+  "version": "2.7.0",
   "type": "module",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/public/style.css b/public/style.css
index 1a0c746..7c12ae8 100644
--- a/public/style.css
+++ b/public/style.css
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ ul.plain li:last-child { border-bottom: none; }
   /* reserved for a future agent-output phase — unused now:
      --hue-dross: #ff4f2e; --hue-yerin: #c45a4a; --hue-orthos: #6fa86a; */
 }
-#sv-cards { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(12, 1fr); gap: 16px; align-items: start; }
+#sv-cards { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(12, 1fr); gap: 16px; align-items: start; grid-auto-rows: 8px; grid-auto-flow: row dense; }
 .sv-card { grid-column: span 6; }                /* fallback; svCard sets an inline span (1–12) */
 @media (max-width: 700px) { #sv-cards { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } .sv-card { grid-column: 1 / -1 !important; } }
 .sv-ed-span { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 3px; }
diff --git a/public/views/sacred_valley.js b/public/views/sacred_valley.js
index f91733a..17b80c9 100644
--- a/public/views/sacred_valley.js
+++ b/public/views/sacred_valley.js
@@ -27,6 +27,24 @@ let layout = { card_order: [], hidden: [], sizes: {} };
 
 const grid = () => document.getElementById('sv-cards');
 
+// ---- masonry packing: cards keep their column span (width) but pack vertically by
+// content height (via grid-row span over small auto-rows), so mismatched heights no
+// longer leave gaps / rigid rows. ResizeObserver re-packs as async cards fill in.
+const ROW_UNIT = 8, GRID_GAP = 16;
+function packCard(node) {
+  if (!node || !node.isConnected) return;
+  const h = node.getBoundingClientRect().height;
+  if (h) node.style.gridRowEnd = 'span ' + Math.max(1, Math.ceil((h + GRID_GAP) / (ROW_UNIT + GRID_GAP)));
+}
+const ro = typeof ResizeObserver !== 'undefined'
+  ? new ResizeObserver(entries => entries.forEach(e => packCard(e.target))) : null;
+let repackRaf;
+function repackAll() {
+  cancelAnimationFrame(repackRaf);
+  repackRaf = requestAnimationFrame(() => grid()?.querySelectorAll('.sv-card').forEach(packCard));
+}
+if (typeof window !== 'undefined') window.addEventListener('resize', repackAll);
+
 async function saveLayout() {
   try { await api.put('/api/dashboard/layout', layout); }
   catch (e) { console.error('save layout', e); }
@@ -72,6 +90,7 @@ function mountOne(def) {
   const { root, body } = svCard({ ...def, span });
   root.appendChild(editOverlay(def));
   grid().appendChild(root);
+  ro?.observe(root); packCard(root);
   try { def.mount(body); def.start && def.start(); active.push(def); }
   catch (e) { body.appendChild(el('span', { class: 'muted' }, 'card failed')); console.error(def.id, e); }
 }
@@ -160,7 +179,7 @@ async function resetLayout() {
 export async function render(main) {
   mainEl = main;
   const myGen = ++renderGen;
-  active.forEach(c => c.stop && c.stop()); active = []; stopHealthBand(); stopDevicesBand();
+  active.forEach(c => c.stop && c.stop()); active = []; ro?.disconnect(); stopHealthBand(); stopDevicesBand();
   editing = false;
   mount(main,
     el('h1', { class: 'view-h1' }, 'Sacred Valley'),