diff --git a/src/ui/material/draw_helpers.h b/src/ui/material/draw_helpers.h
index 3524548..dede7ee 100644
--- a/src/ui/material/draw_helpers.h
+++ b/src/ui/material/draw_helpers.h
@@ -545,10 +545,51 @@ inline bool& FullWindowBlurOverlayActiveRef() { static bool v = false; return v;
 inline void SetFullWindowBlurOverlayActive(bool v) { FullWindowBlurOverlayActiveRef() = v; }
 inline bool IsFullWindowBlurOverlayActive() { return FullWindowBlurOverlayActiveRef(); }
 
+// Light-surface themes (Light / Marble) want cards to lift off the pale background with a subtle
+// drop shadow. Cached per theme-generation so the string compare runs once per theme load, not per
+// panel. (Data-driven later if more themes want it.)
+inline bool CardDropShadowWanted()
+{
+    static uint32_t s_gen = ~0u;
+    static bool     s_want = false;
+    uint32_t g = schema::UI().generation();
+    if (g != s_gen) {
+        s_gen = g;
+        const std::string& tn = schema::UI().themeName();
+        s_want = (tn == "Light" || tn == "Marble");
+    }
+    return s_want;
+}
+
+// Soft drop shadow OUTSIDE a rounded rect, offset down. Drawn as fading rounded-rect STROKES (not
+// fills), so it never paints across the card body — only the outer blur remains once the card fill
+// covers the interior. This is the "render then mask out the UI area" result without an FBO.
+inline void DrawCardDropShadow(ImDrawList* dl, const ImVec2& pMin, const ImVec2& pMax, float rounding)
+{
+    const float dp = Layout::dpiScale();
+    const int   kRings = 10;
+    const float spread = 13.0f * dp;   // how far the shadow reaches beyond the card edge
+    const float offY   = 3.0f * dp;    // downward drop offset
+    for (int i = kRings; i >= 1; --i) {
+        float t = (float)i / (float)kRings;          // 1 (outer) .. 0.1 (near the card)
+        float e = spread * t;                        // expansion at this ring
+        int   a = (int)(20.0f * (1.0f - t) + 0.5f);  // alpha: ~0 at the outer edge, strongest by the card
+        if (a < 1) continue;
+        ImVec2 smn(pMin.x - e, pMin.y - e + offY);
+        ImVec2 smx(pMax.x + e, pMax.y + e + offY);
+        dl->AddRect(smn, smx, IM_COL32(0, 0, 0, a), rounding + e, 0, 2.0f * dp);
+    }
+}
+
 inline void DrawGlassPanel(ImDrawList* dl, const ImVec2& pMin,
                            const ImVec2& pMax,
                            const GlassPanelSpec& spec = GlassPanelSpec())
 {
+    // Subtle drop shadow behind the card (light themes only). Drawn first so the card fill below
+    // covers the interior, leaving only the outer soft blur — the card body is never contaminated.
+    if (CardDropShadowWanted())
+        DrawCardDropShadow(dl, pMin, pMax, spec.rounding);
+
     if (IsBackdropActive() && !dragonx::ui::effects::isLowSpecMode() && !IsFullWindowBlurOverlayActive()) {
         // --- Cached color lookups (invalidated on theme change) ---
         // These 3 resolveColor() calls do string parsing + map lookup