diff --git a/web/src/at_record_web/view.gleam b/web/src/at_record_web/view.gleam
index b246236..6b72e2a 100644
--- a/web/src/at_record_web/view.gleam
+++ b/web/src/at_record_web/view.gleam
@@ -68,7 +68,23 @@ fn authed_view(model: Model) -> Element(Msg) {
 /// underneath is public network data regardless of who (if anyone) is
 /// signed in on this browser.
 fn public_view(model: Model) -> Element(Msg) {
-  html.div([attr.class("shell")], [public_app_bar(model), public_page(model)])
+  case model.route {
+    // The record page is a back-bar drill-down: wrap it in `.sub-page` so the
+    // app-bar stays fixed-height chrome and only the body flexes, instead of
+    // both splitting the shell height (which left a tall empty band on top).
+    PublicRecord(_, _) ->
+      html.div([attr.class("shell")], [
+        html.div([attr.class("sub-page")], [
+          public_app_bar(model),
+          public_page(model),
+        ]),
+      ])
+    _ ->
+      html.div([attr.class("shell")], [
+        public_app_bar(model),
+        public_page(model),
+      ])
+  }
 }
 
 fn public_app_bar(model: Model) -> Element(Msg) {