diff --git a/scripts/record_release_demo.mjs b/scripts/record_release_demo.mjs
index ac9fb6f..0d61312 100644
--- a/scripts/record_release_demo.mjs
+++ b/scripts/record_release_demo.mjs
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ const panelOk = await page.evaluate(rows => {
   panel.id = 'corpus-audit';
   Object.assign(panel.style, {
     position: 'fixed', inset: '96px 14px 40px 14px', zIndex: '15000',
-    background: 'rgba(24,20,18,.97)', color: '#f6f1e6', borderRadius: '18px',
+    background: '#181412', color: '#f6f1e6', borderRadius: '18px',
     border: '1px solid rgba(245,201,91,.45)', padding: '13px 13px 11px',
     font: '600 10.5px/1.5 ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, monospace',
     display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: '1px', overflow: 'hidden',
@@ -689,11 +689,16 @@ const panelProof = await page.evaluate(() => {
   if (!panel) return { ok: false, reason: 'panel missing' };
   const rect = panel.getBoundingClientRect();
   const topmost = document.elementFromPoint(Math.round(rect.left + rect.width / 2), Math.round(rect.top + rect.height / 2));
+  const background = getComputedStyle(panel).backgroundColor;
+  // A translucent card lets the nav bar and body copy ghost through its empty rows, which reads as a
+  // sloppy overlay on the thinnest part of the frame. The card must be fully opaque.
+  const opaque = !/^rgba\(.*,\s*(0?\.\d+|0)\)$/.test(background);
   return {
-    ok: rect.top >= 60 && rect.bottom <= window.innerHeight && rect.width > 300 && rect.height > 300
+    ok: opaque && rect.top >= 60 && rect.bottom <= window.innerHeight && rect.width > 300 && rect.height > 300
       && (topmost === panel || panel.contains(topmost)) && panel.scrollHeight <= panel.clientHeight + 1,
     top: Math.round(rect.top), height: Math.round(rect.height), width: Math.round(rect.width),
-    scroll: panel.scrollHeight, client: panel.clientHeight, covered: topmost === panel || panel.contains(topmost),
+    scroll: panel.scrollHeight, client: panel.clientHeight, background, opaque,
+    covered: topmost === panel || panel.contains(topmost),
   };
 });
 if (!panelProof.ok) throw new Error(`Corpus audit card is not fully readable on screen: ${JSON.stringify(panelProof)}`);