diff --git a/server/src/wled_controller/static/css/cards.css b/server/src/wled_controller/static/css/cards.css
index ce7a1a5..624fc2b 100644
--- a/server/src/wled_controller/static/css/cards.css
+++ b/server/src/wled_controller/static/css/cards.css
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ section {
 }
 
 .card-enter {
-    animation: cardEnter 0.25s ease-out both;
+    animation: cardEnter 0.25s ease-out backwards;
 }
 
 /* ── Card drag-and-drop reordering ── */
@@ -135,14 +135,22 @@ section {
     transition: none;
 }
 
-/* Suppress hover effects during drag */
-.cs-dragging .card,
-.cs-dragging .template-card {
+/* Suppress hover effects globally during drag */
+body.cs-drag-active .card,
+body.cs-drag-active .template-card,
+body.cs-drag-active .add-template-card {
     transition: none !important;
     transform: none !important;
 }
 
-.cs-dragging .card-drag-handle {
+body.cs-drag-active .add-template-card {
+    pointer-events: none;
+    border-color: var(--border-color) !important;
+    background: transparent !important;
+    box-shadow: none !important;
+}
+
+body.cs-drag-active .card-drag-handle {
     opacity: 0 !important;
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/wled_controller/static/js/core/card-sections.js b/server/src/wled_controller/static/js/core/card-sections.js
index 591ffb1..bb639f8 100644
--- a/server/src/wled_controller/static/js/core/card-sections.js
+++ b/server/src/wled_controller/static/js/core/card-sections.js
@@ -178,6 +178,12 @@ export class CardSection {
      * @returns {{added: Set<string>, replaced: Set<string>, removed: Set<string>}}
      */
     reconcile(items) {
+        // Skip DOM mutations while a drag is in progress — would destroy drag state
+        if (this._dragState) {
+            this._pendingReconcile = items;
+            return { added: new Set(), replaced: new Set(), removed: new Set() };
+        }
+
         const content = document.querySelector(`[data-cs-content="${this.sectionKey}"]`);
         if (!content) return { added: new Set(), replaced: new Set(), removed: new Set() };
 
@@ -240,6 +246,7 @@ export class CardSection {
                 if (card) {
                     card.style.animationDelay = `${delay}ms`;
                     card.classList.add('card-enter');
+                    card.addEventListener('animationend', () => card.classList.remove('card-enter'), { once: true });
                     delay += 30;
                 }
             }
@@ -347,6 +354,7 @@ export class CardSection {
         cards.forEach((card, i) => {
             card.style.animationDelay = `${i * 30}ms`;
             card.classList.add('card-enter');
+            card.addEventListener('animationend', () => card.classList.remove('card-enter'), { once: true });
         });
     }
 
@@ -502,19 +510,16 @@ export class CardSection {
         ds.clone.style.left = (e.clientX - ds.offsetX) + 'px';
         ds.clone.style.top = (e.clientY - ds.offsetY) + 'px';
 
-        // Find drop target
-        const target = this._getDropTarget(e.clientX, e.clientY, ds.content);
-        if (target && target !== ds.placeholder) {
-            const rect = target.getBoundingClientRect();
-            const midX = rect.left + rect.width / 2;
-            const midY = rect.top + rect.height / 2;
-            // For grid: use combined horizontal+vertical check
-            const insertBefore = (e.clientY < midY) || (e.clientY < midY + rect.height * 0.3 && e.clientX < midX);
-            if (insertBefore) {
-                ds.content.insertBefore(ds.placeholder, target);
-            } else {
-                ds.content.insertBefore(ds.placeholder, target.nextSibling);
-            }
+        // Only move placeholder when cursor enters a card's rect
+        const { card: target, before } = this._getDropTarget(e.clientX, e.clientY, ds.content);
+        if (!target) return; // cursor is in a gap — keep placeholder where it is
+        if (target === ds.lastTarget && before === ds.lastBefore) return; // same position
+        ds.lastTarget = target;
+        ds.lastBefore = before;
+        if (before) {
+            ds.content.insertBefore(ds.placeholder, target);
+        } else {
+            ds.content.insertBefore(ds.placeholder, target.nextSibling);
         }
 
         // Auto-scroll near viewport edges
@@ -548,6 +553,7 @@ export class CardSection {
         // Hide original
         ds.card.style.display = 'none';
         ds.content.classList.add('cs-dragging');
+        document.body.classList.add('cs-drag-active');
     }
 
     _onDragEnd() {
@@ -564,21 +570,30 @@ export class CardSection {
         ds.placeholder.remove();
         ds.clone.remove();
         ds.content.classList.remove('cs-dragging');
+        document.body.classList.remove('cs-drag-active');
 
         // Save new order from DOM
         const keys = this._readDomOrder(ds.content);
         this._saveOrder(keys);
+
+        // Flush any reconcile that was deferred during drag
+        if (this._pendingReconcile) {
+            const items = this._pendingReconcile;
+            this._pendingReconcile = null;
+            this.reconcile(items);
+        }
     }
 
     _getDropTarget(x, y, content) {
-        // Temporarily show all cards for hit testing
-        const els = document.elementsFromPoint(x, y);
-        for (const el of els) {
-            if (el === content) break;
-            const card = el.closest(`[${this.keyAttr}]`);
-            if (card && card.style.display !== 'none' && content.contains(card)) return card;
+        const cards = content.querySelectorAll(`[${this.keyAttr}]`);
+        for (const card of cards) {
+            if (card.style.display === 'none') continue;
+            const r = card.getBoundingClientRect();
+            if (x >= r.left && x <= r.right && y >= r.top && y <= r.bottom) {
+                return { card, before: x < r.left + r.width / 2 };
+            }
         }
-        return null;
+        return { card: null, before: false };
     }
 
     _readDomOrder(content) {