diff --git a/crates/obscura-render/src/inline.rs b/crates/obscura-render/src/inline.rs
index 7db3384..e83fbc8 100644
--- a/crates/obscura-render/src/inline.rs
+++ b/crates/obscura-render/src/inline.rs
@@ -1845,7 +1845,11 @@ impl TextEngine {
                 let glyph_color = glyph.color_opt.unwrap_or(default);
                 let fill_index = metadata_fill(glyph.metadata);
                 let mut draw_pixel = |x, y, color: Color| {
-                    let a = color.a() as u32;
+                    // cosmic-text's mask rasterizer replaces the authored
+                    // alpha with glyph coverage (see its `blend base alpha?`
+                    // TODO). Reapply the span alpha here so transparent and
+                    // translucent CSS text do not become opaque at paint.
+                    let a = color.a() as u32 * glyph_color.a() as u32 / 255;
                     if a == 0 {
                         return;
                     }
@@ -1924,8 +1928,12 @@ impl TextEngine {
             }
         }
 
-        // Stroke the underline segments (opaque; text is already drawn above).
+        // Stroke underline segments with the same authored alpha as their
+        // glyphs. Transparent text decorations are transparent too.
         for (x0, x1, y, thick, col) in underlines {
+            if col[3] == 0 {
+                continue;
+            }
             let t = thick.max(1.0).round() as i32;
             for dt in 0..t {
                 let py = oy as i32 + y as i32 + dt;
@@ -1947,7 +1955,23 @@ impl TextEngine {
                         }
                     }
                     let i = (py * pw + px) as usize;
-                    pixels[i] = tiny_skia::PremultipliedColorU8::from_rgba(col[0], col[1], col[2], 255).unwrap_or(pixels[i]);
+                    let dst = pixels[i];
+                    let sa = col[3] as u32;
+                    let inv = 255 - sa;
+                    let out_a = sa + dst.alpha() as u32 * inv / 255;
+                    let out_r = col[0] as u32 * sa / 255
+                        + dst.red() as u32 * inv / 255;
+                    let out_g = col[1] as u32 * sa / 255
+                        + dst.green() as u32 * inv / 255;
+                    let out_b = col[2] as u32 * sa / 255
+                        + dst.blue() as u32 * inv / 255;
+                    pixels[i] = tiny_skia::PremultipliedColorU8::from_rgba(
+                        out_r as u8,
+                        out_g as u8,
+                        out_b as u8,
+                        out_a as u8,
+                    )
+                    .unwrap_or(dst);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -2590,6 +2614,44 @@ mod tests {
         (geometry, ink, cached_weights)
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn shaped_text_preserves_authored_alpha_through_mask_rasterization() {
+        let render_alpha = |alpha: u8, underline: bool| {
+            let tree = obscura_dom::parse_html("<p id='copy'>Alpha</p>");
+            let copy = tree.get_element_by_id("copy").unwrap();
+            let mut style = LayoutStyle::default();
+            style.display = Display::Block;
+            style.font_size = Some(32.0);
+            style.line_height = Some(crate::LineHeight::Px(40.0));
+            style.color = Some([0, 0, 0, alpha]);
+            style.underline = Some(underline);
+            let styles = HashMap::from([(copy, style)]);
+            let mut engine = TextEngine::new();
+            let item = engine.try_build(&tree, copy, &styles).unwrap();
+            engine.finalize(item, (0.0, 0.0), 160.0, None);
+            let mut pixmap = tiny_skia::Pixmap::new(160, 48).unwrap();
+            engine.paint_item(item, &mut pixmap, (0.0, 0.0));
+            pixmap
+                .pixels()
+                .iter()
+                .map(|pixel| u64::from(pixel.alpha()))
+                .sum::<u64>()
+        };
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            render_alpha(0, true),
+            0,
+            "transparent glyphs and decorations must not paint"
+        );
+        let half = render_alpha(128, false);
+        let opaque = render_alpha(255, false);
+        let ratio = half * 100 / opaque;
+        assert!(
+            (48..=52).contains(&ratio),
+            "50% CSS alpha must retain half the opaque coverage: half={half}, opaque={opaque}"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn variable_wght_changes_shape_and_true_outline() {
         let (regular_geometry, regular_ink, regular_cache) = render_variable_weight(400);
diff --git a/crates/obscura-render/src/paint.rs b/crates/obscura-render/src/paint.rs
index 535c5c9..b3f4f61 100644
--- a/crates/obscura-render/src/paint.rs
+++ b/crates/obscura-render/src/paint.rs
@@ -5667,6 +5667,70 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(red_pixels, 0, "::before must not bleed through ::after");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn angular_absolute_primary_button_paints_one_generated_label() {
+        let tree = parse_html(
+            r#"<html><head><style>
+               :root {
+                 --orange-red:#f00; --vivid-pink:#f0f; --electric-violet:#70f;
+                 --page-bg-radial-gradient:radial-gradient(circle,#fff 0%,#fff 100%);
+                 --page-background:#fff; --primary-contrast:#111;
+               }
+               html, body { margin:0 }
+               .section { position:relative; width:500px; height:300px }
+               .content button { position:absolute; bottom:48px }
+               .docs-primary-btn {
+                 cursor:pointer; border:none; outline:none; position:relative;
+                 border-radius:4px; padding:12px 24px; width:max-content;
+                 color:transparent; font-size:14px; font-weight:600;
+                 background:linear-gradient(90deg,var(--orange-red) 0%,
+                   var(--vivid-pink) 50%,var(--electric-violet) 100%);
+               }
+               .docs-primary-btn::before {
+                 content:attr(text); position:absolute; inset:1px;
+                 background:var(--page-bg-radial-gradient); border-radius:3px;
+                 display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center;
+                 color:var(--primary-contrast);
+               }
+               .docs-primary-btn::after {
+                 content:attr(text); position:absolute; inset:1px;
+                 background:var(--page-background); border-radius:3px;
+                 display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center;
+                 color:var(--primary-contrast);
+               }
+               </style></head><body>
+                 <section class="section"><div class="content">
+                   <button id="cta" class="docs-primary-btn" text="Learn more">Learn more</button>
+                 </div></section>
+               </body></html>"#,
+        );
+        let laid = crate::layout_dom(&tree, (500.0, 300.0));
+        let cta = tree.get_element_by_id("cta").unwrap();
+        let rect = laid.rects[&cta];
+        let style = &laid.styles[&cta];
+        assert_eq!(style.color, Some([0, 0, 0, 0]));
+        let pixmap = paint_dom(&tree, (500.0, 300.0), None).expect("pixmap");
+        let rows = (rect.y.floor() as u32..(rect.y + rect.height).ceil() as u32)
+            .map(|y| {
+                (rect.x.floor() as u32..(rect.x + rect.width).ceil() as u32)
+                    .filter(|&x| {
+                        let pixel = pixmap.pixel(x, y).unwrap();
+                        pixel.red() < 100 && pixel.green() < 100 && pixel.blue() < 100
+                    })
+                    .count()
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        let ink_rows = rows
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .filter_map(|(row, &ink)| (ink > 0).then_some(row))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        assert!(
+            ink_rows.last().unwrap() - ink_rows.first().unwrap() <= 14,
+            "only the generated label may paint; transparent host text leaked across rows {rows:?}"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn native_select_paints_only_the_selected_label_and_arrow() {
         let tree = parse_html(