diff --git a/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/cards.css b/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/cards.css
index 050c1ff..6f296f3 100644
--- a/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/cards.css
+++ b/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/cards.css
@@ -147,7 +147,13 @@ section {
     overflow: hidden;
 }
 
-/* Channel stripe on left edge — color coded by entity type via --ch override */
+/* Channel stripe on left edge — opt-in only:
+ *   [data-has-color="1"] → user picked a personal color via the picker
+ *   .card-running        → "patched and live" indicator
+ * Idle cards without a personal color stay clean (no stripe), matching
+ * the pre-redesign behavior where the left border meant "I marked this".
+ * The dashboard module rows keep their always-on stripe (at 0.6 opacity)
+ * because the dashboard was approved as-is. */
 .card::before {
     content: '';
     position: absolute;
@@ -157,6 +163,12 @@ section {
     box-shadow: 0 0 10px color-mix(in srgb, var(--ch) 40%, transparent);
     pointer-events: none;
     z-index: 1;
+    display: none;
+}
+
+.card[data-has-color="1"]::before,
+.card.card-running::before {
+    display: block;
 }
 
 /* Corner bracket — silkscreened panel feel in the top-right */
diff --git a/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/streams.css b/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/streams.css
index cf867d5..b2b86ed 100644
--- a/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/streams.css
+++ b/server/src/ledgrab/static/css/streams.css
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
     overflow: hidden;
 }
 
-/* Channel stripe on left edge — colour-coded per entity type via --ch override */
+/* Channel stripe on left edge — opt-in only (mirrors .card::before in
+ * cards.css). Idle template-cards without a custom color stay clean.
+ * The Add card never gets a stripe (it's not an entity). */
 .template-card::before {
     content: '';
     position: absolute;
@@ -32,8 +34,16 @@
     pointer-events: none;
     z-index: 1;
     transition: width 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;
+    display: none;
 }
 
+.template-card[data-has-color="1"]::before,
+.template-card.card-running::before {
+    display: block;
+}
+
+.add-template-card::before { display: none !important; }
+
 /* Corner bracket — silkscreened panel feel in the top-right */
 .template-card::after {
     content: '';