diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.stories.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.stories.svelte
--- a/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.stories.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.stories.svelte
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 		argTypes: {
 			page: { control: { type: "number" } },
 			total: { control: { type: "number" } },
-			siblings: { control: { type: "number" } },
-			boundaries: { control: { type: "number" } },
 			labels: { control: { type: "boolean" } },
 			disabled: { control: { type: "boolean" } }
 		},
@@ -33,5 +31,3 @@
 <!-- slots are sized from `total`, so a four-digit range keeps one width across the
      whole row instead of widening as the current page gains a digit -->
 <Story name="FourDigitRange" args={{ page: 1234, total: 5000 }} />
-<Story name="WideWindow" args={{ page: 20, total: 40, siblings: 2, boundaries: 2 }} />
-<Story name="NarrowWindow" args={{ page: 20, total: 40, siblings: 0 }} />
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.svelte
--- a/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/ui/Pagination.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,26 @@
 	});
 
 	export type PaginationVariants = VariantProps<typeof pagination>;
+
+	export type PaginationItem = number | "gap-start" | "gap-end";
+
+	const range = (from: number, to: number): number[] =>
+		Array.from({ length: Math.max(to - from + 1, 0) }, (_, i) => from + i);
+
+	// both ends, the current page and its two neighbours, and the two gaps
+	const SLOTS = 7;
+
+	// the row is always SLOTS long once a gap is needed, so both gaps are permanent
+	// residents. that is what lets the plate be placed from an index rather than
+	// measured, and why paging the middle of a long range moves the numbers, not the row
+	export function paginate(page: number, count: number): PaginationItem[] {
+		if (count <= SLOTS) return range(1, count);
+		// near either end a gap would hide fewer pages than the slots it costs, so the
+		// window opens flush against that end and only the far gap is drawn
+		if (page < 4) return [...range(1, 5), "gap-end", count];
+		if (page > count - 3) return [1, "gap-start", ...range(count - 4, count)];
+		return [1, "gap-start", ...range(page - 1, page + 1), "gap-end", count];
+	}
 </script>
 
 <script lang="ts">
@@ -33,13 +53,10 @@
 	import { untrack } from "svelte";
 	import { Spring, prefersReducedMotion } from "svelte/motion";
 	import Button from "./Button.svelte";
-	import { paginate } from "./paginate";
 
 	interface Props {
 		page: number;
 		total: number;
-		siblings?: number;
-		boundaries?: number;
 		onchange?: (page: number) => void;
 		class?: string;
 		labels?: boolean;
@@ -49,8 +66,6 @@
 	let {
 		page = $bindable(1),
 		total,
-		siblings = 1,
-		boundaries = 1,
 		onchange,
 		class: className,
 		labels,
@@ -59,16 +74,19 @@
 
 	const count = $derived(Math.max(total, 1));
 	const current = $derived(Math.min(Math.max(page, 1), count));
-	const items = $derived(paginate(current, count, siblings, boundaries));
+	const items = $derived(paginate(current, count));
 	const index = $derived(items.indexOf(current));
 
 	const digits = $derived(String(count).length);
 
-	const plate = new Spring(index, { stiffness: 0.139, damping: 0.61 });
+	const plate = new Spring(
+		untrack(() => index),
+		{ stiffness: 0.139, damping: 0.61 }
+	);
 
 	let direction = $state(1);
 	let rolled = $state(false);
-	let previous = current;
+	let previous = untrack(() => current);
 	$effect.pre(() => {
 		if (current !== previous) {
 			direction = current > previous ? 1 : -1;