diff --git a/crates/compose/src/tests.rs b/crates/compose/src/tests.rs
index 2779769bd..68fb5670b 100644
--- a/crates/compose/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/compose/src/tests.rs
@@ -1439,6 +1439,35 @@ fn vertical_frames_keep_the_ascent_first_baseline() {
     assert!((b - 20.0).abs() < 0.01, "{b}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn a_visible_frame_stroke_insets_the_text() {
+    use designcraft_doc::{Stroke, StrokeAlign};
+    let line = |stroke: Option<(StrokeAlign, &str)>| {
+        let (mut d, sid, fid) = doc_with("Hxg", Rect::new(36.0, 36.0, 300.0, 300.0), ParaAttrs::default());
+        let it = d.item_mut(fid).unwrap();
+        if let Some((align, swatch)) = stroke {
+            it.stroke = Stroke { weight: 4.0, align, swatch: swatch.into(), ..Stroke::default() };
+        }
+        it.text_frame_mut().unwrap().options.inset = [4.0; 4];
+        let l = &compose_story(&d, sid, &ComposeOptions::default()).frames[0].lines[0];
+        (l.baseline, l.x0, l.x1)
+    };
+    let black = designcraft_color::swatch::BLACK;
+    let (b, x0, x1) = line(None);
+    // The part of the 4 pt stroke inside the frame: half of it centred, all of it inside, none
+    // outside or without a colour; on the left and right as on the top.
+    for (stroke, d) in [
+        ((StrokeAlign::Center, black), 2.0),
+        ((StrokeAlign::Inside, black), 4.0),
+        ((StrokeAlign::Outside, black), 0.0),
+        ((StrokeAlign::Inside, designcraft_color::swatch::NONE), 0.0),
+    ] {
+        let (sb, sx0, sx1) = line(Some(stroke));
+        assert!((sb - (b + d)).abs() < 1e-6, "{stroke:?}: baseline {sb} vs {b}");
+        assert!((sx0 - (x0 + d)).abs() < 1e-6 && (sx1 - (x1 - d)).abs() < 1e-6, "{stroke:?}: {sx0}..{sx1} vs {x0}..{x1}");
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn vertical_scale_does_not_move_the_ascent_first_baseline() {
     let db = designcraft_fonts::FontDb::global();
diff --git a/crates/doc/src/item.rs b/crates/doc/src/item.rs
index b06f4fe6f..dd690b093 100644
--- a/crates/doc/src/item.rs
+++ b/crates/doc/src/item.rs
@@ -1141,13 +1141,29 @@ impl Item {
         b.inflate(w, w)
     }
 
-    /// The frame's text area (inner space) after inset.
+    /// The text frame's text area (inner space): inside the part of a visible stroke that lies
+    /// within the frame, then the inset, on each edge.
     pub fn text_area(&self) -> Rect {
         let r = self.inner_bounds();
-        let inset = self.text_frame().map(|t| t.options.inset).unwrap_or([0.0; 4]);
+        let s = self.stroke_inside();
+        let inset = self.text_frame().map(|t| t.options.inset).unwrap_or([0.0; 4]).map(|v| v + s);
         Rect::new(r.x0 + inset[1], r.y0 + inset[0], (r.x1 - inset[3]).max(r.x0 + inset[1]), (r.y1 - inset[2]).max(r.y0 + inset[0]))
     }
 
+    /// How far a visible stroke reaches inside the path: half its weight centred, all of it inside,
+    /// none outside.
+    fn stroke_inside(&self) -> f64 {
+        let w = self.stroke.weight;
+        if self.stroke.is_none() || !w.is_finite() {
+            return 0.0;
+        }
+        match self.stroke.align {
+            StrokeAlign::Center => w / 2.0,
+            StrokeAlign::Inside => w,
+            StrokeAlign::Outside => 0.0,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Spread-space centre.
     pub fn center(&self) -> Point {
         self.bounds().center()
@@ -1192,6 +1208,32 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(it.visible_bounds(), Rect::new(8.0, 18.0, 112.0, 72.0));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn text_area_starts_inside_the_stroke() {
+        let mut it = Item::new(ItemId(1), LayerId(1), Shape::Rectangle, shapes::rectangle(Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 100.0, 50.0)));
+        it.content = Content::Text(TextFrame { story: StoryId(2), options: TextFrameOptions { inset: [5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0], ..Default::default() } });
+        let unstroked = Rect::new(6.0, 5.0, 92.0, 43.0);
+        let stroked = |align: StrokeAlign, swatch: &str| {
+            let mut it = it.clone();
+            it.stroke = Stroke { weight: 4.0, align, swatch: swatch.into(), ..Stroke::default() };
+            it.text_area()
+        };
+        let black = designcraft_color::swatch::BLACK;
+        // The part of the stroke inside the frame, on every edge, then the inset.
+        assert_eq!(stroked(StrokeAlign::Center, black), Rect::new(8.0, 7.0, 90.0, 41.0));
+        assert_eq!(stroked(StrokeAlign::Inside, black), Rect::new(10.0, 9.0, 88.0, 39.0));
+        assert_eq!(stroked(StrokeAlign::Outside, black), unstroked);
+        // A stroke without a colour doesn't count.
+        assert_eq!(stroked(StrokeAlign::Inside, designcraft_color::swatch::NONE), unstroked);
+        // Nor does a weight that isn't a number.
+        it.stroke = Stroke { weight: f64::NAN, ..Stroke::default() };
+        assert_eq!(it.text_area(), unstroked);
+        // A stroke wider than the frame leaves no room for text.
+        it.stroke = Stroke { weight: 200.0, align: StrokeAlign::Inside, ..Stroke::default() };
+        let a = it.text_area();
+        assert!(a.width() == 0.0 && a.height() == 0.0, "{a:?}");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn group_bounds_union_children() {
         let a = Item::new(ItemId(1), LayerId(1), Shape::Rectangle, shapes::rectangle(Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 10.0, 10.0)));