diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
index d9ad998ff..2f9260530 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
@@ -6,11 +6,35 @@ use crate::canvas::{DocView, Fit, PageLayout};
 use crate::theme::{self, ThemePreference, Tokens};
 use crate::{Dialog, Mode, PdfCraftApp, PropsTab, RightPanel, icons, widgets};
 
+/// Height of the tab strip when it doubles as the macOS title bar (#789). AppKit draws the traffic
+/// lights itself, centred in the standard 28 pt title-bar band at the top of the window, and moving
+/// them takes AppKit calls the workspace forbids (`unsafe`). So on macOS the strip is that band:
+/// the lights sit vertically centred in it, and the controls beside them shrink to fit, as in
+/// WordCraft (storytold/wordcraft#255).
+pub const MAC_TITLE_BAR: f32 = 28.0;
+/// The traffic lights as AppKit lays them out: button diameter, centre-to-centre pitch and the
+/// first button's left edge (8–10 pt depending on the macOS version; the larger value keeps the
+/// gap after them from shrinking).
+const MAC_LIGHT: f32 = 12.0;
+const MAC_LIGHT_PITCH: f32 = 20.0;
+const MAC_LIGHTS_LEFT: f32 = 10.0;
+/// Where the strip's content starts to the right of the traffic lights: the end of the three
+/// lights plus the same gap the lights keep from the top of the window.
+pub const MAC_CONTENT_LEFT: f32 = MAC_LIGHTS_LEFT + 2.0 * MAC_LIGHT_PITCH + MAC_LIGHT + (MAC_TITLE_BAR - MAC_LIGHT) / 2.0;
+/// The strip and its controls everywhere else.
+const TAB_STRIP: f32 = 38.0;
+const TAB_HEIGHT: f32 = 30.0;
+const STRIP_BUTTON: f32 = 28.0;
+
 pub fn tab_strip(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
-    let left = if cfg!(target_os = "macos") && app.integrated_titlebar { 80 } else { 8 };
+    // macOS: the strip is the 28 pt title bar, so the traffic lights are centred in it; tabs and
+    // buttons shrink to keep a margin above and below.
+    let mac = cfg!(target_os = "macos") && app.integrated_titlebar;
+    let left = if mac { MAC_CONTENT_LEFT as i8 } else { 8 };
+    let (tab_h, button) = if mac { (MAC_TITLE_BAR - 2.0, 24.0) } else { (TAB_HEIGHT, STRIP_BUTTON) };
     egui::Panel::top("tab_strip")
-        .exact_size(38.0)
+        .exact_size(if mac { MAC_TITLE_BAR } else { TAB_STRIP })
         .frame(egui::Frame::NONE.fill(t.titlebar).inner_margin(egui::Margin { left, right: 10, top: 0, bottom: 0 }))
         .show(ui, |ui| {
             let full = ui.max_rect();
@@ -24,12 +48,12 @@ pub fn tab_strip(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
             }
             ui.horizontal_centered(|ui| {
                 ui.spacing_mut().item_spacing.x = 4.0;
-                if icons::button(ui, "house", 28.0, app.active.is_none() && !app.combine_showing(), tl!("Home")).clicked() {
+                if icons::button(ui, "house", button, app.active.is_none() && !app.combine_showing(), tl!("Home")).clicked() {
                     app.active = None;
                     app.combine_tab.focused = false;
                 }
-                // Keep the two 28-point buttons, Discord's text/padding and three gaps outside the scrolling tabs.
-                let controls_width = ui.fonts_mut(|f| f.layout_no_wrap("Discord".into(), theme::medium(13.0), t.text).size().x) + 106.0;
+                // Keep the two icon buttons, Discord's text/padding and three gaps outside the scrolling tabs.
+                let controls_width = ui.fonts_mut(|f| f.layout_no_wrap("Discord".into(), theme::medium(13.0), t.text).size().x) + 2.0 * button + 50.0;
                 // Open stays in sight after the tabs: its icon, text and padding, and the gaps around it.
                 let open_width = ui.fonts_mut(|f| f.layout_no_wrap(tl!("Open").into(), theme::medium(13.0), t.text).size().x) + 38.0 + 12.0;
                 let mut tabs_width = (ui.available_width() - controls_width - open_width).max(0.0);
@@ -90,6 +114,7 @@ pub fn tab_strip(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                                     &mut close,
                                     i,
                                     cap,
+                                    tab_h,
                                 );
                                 if changed && app.active == Some(i) && !app.combine_showing() {
                                     response.scroll_to_me(Some(Align::Center));
@@ -116,6 +141,7 @@ pub fn tab_strip(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                                     &mut close,
                                     usize::MAX,
                                     cap,
+                                    tab_h,
                                 );
                                 if changed && app.combine_showing() {
                                     response.scroll_to_me(Some(Align::Center));
@@ -141,7 +167,7 @@ pub fn tab_strip(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                 }
                 ui.add_space(4.0);
                 let tip = crate::commands::command_tip(ui.ctx(), tl!("Open a PDF ({key})"), "file.open");
-                if widgets::ghost_button(ui, "plus", tl!("Open")).on_hover_text(tip).clicked() {
+                if widgets::ghost_button_sized(ui, "plus", tl!("Open"), tab_h).on_hover_text(tip).clicked() {
                     app.open_dialog();
                 }
                 ui.with_layout(Layout::right_to_left(Align::Center), |ui| {
@@ -151,13 +177,13 @@ pub fn tab_strip(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                         ThemePreference::Dark => ("moon", tl!("Dark gray")),
                     };
                     let tip = format!("{}: {label}", tl!("Display theme"));
-                    let response = icons::button(ui, icon, 28.0, false, &tip);
+                    let response = icons::button(ui, icon, button, false, &tip);
                     egui::Popup::menu(&response).show(|ui| theme_menu(app, ui));
-                    if icons::button(ui, "circle-help", 28.0, false, tl!("Keyboard shortcuts")).clicked() {
+                    if icons::button(ui, "circle-help", button, false, tl!("Keyboard shortcuts")).clicked() {
                         app.dialog = Some(Dialog::Shortcuts);
                     }
                     // One click to the community, from anywhere in the app.
-                    if widgets::ghost_button(ui, "messages-square", "Discord").on_hover_text(pdfcraft_engine::links::DISCORD).clicked() {
+                    if widgets::ghost_button_sized(ui, "messages-square", "Discord", tab_h).on_hover_text(pdfcraft_engine::links::DISCORD).clicked() {
                         app.execute("help.discord");
                     }
                 });
@@ -245,6 +271,7 @@ fn tab(
     close: &mut Option<usize>,
     index: usize,
     cap: Option<f32>,
+    height: f32,
 ) -> egui::Response {
     let font = theme::regular(13.0);
     let mut label = tab_name(name);
@@ -259,7 +286,7 @@ fn tab(
     let label = crate::bidi::visual(&label).into_owned();
     let text_w = ui.fonts_mut(|f| f.layout_no_wrap(label.clone(), font.clone(), t.text).size().x);
     let width = cap.map_or(text_w + TAB_CHROME, |cap| (text_w + TAB_CHROME).min(cap));
-    let (rect, _) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(width, 30.0), Sense::hover());
+    let (rect, _) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(width, height), Sense::hover());
     let a11y = if dirty { format!("{name} (edited)") } else { name.to_string() };
     let resp = craft_ui::tabs::Tab::new(id, &a11y, active).focus_stroke(Stroke::new(1.0, t.accent)).show_at(ui, rect, |ui, resp| {
         let bg = if active {
@@ -270,7 +297,13 @@ fn tab(
             Color32::TRANSPARENT
         };
         ui.painter().rect_filled(rect, CornerRadius { nw: 7, ne: 7, sw: 0, se: 0 }, bg);
-        icons::paint(ui, Rect::from_min_size(rect.min + vec2(6.0, 7.0), vec2(16.0, 16.0)), icon, 15.0, if active { t.accent } else { t.text_muted });
+        icons::paint(
+            ui,
+            Rect::from_min_size(rect.min + vec2(6.0, (height - 16.0) / 2.0), vec2(16.0, 16.0)),
+            icon,
+            15.0,
+            if active { t.accent } else { t.text_muted },
+        );
         ui.painter().text(rect.min + vec2(28.0, rect.height() / 2.0), Align2::LEFT_CENTER, label, font, if active { t.text } else { t.text_muted });
     });
     let x_rect = Rect::from_center_size(rect.right_center() - vec2(16.0, 0.0), vec2(20.0, 20.0));
@@ -592,7 +625,7 @@ fn rail_view_menu(ui: &mut egui::Ui, view: &mut DocView) -> Option<&'static str>
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tab_widths {
-    use super::tab_cap;
+    use super::{MAC_CONTENT_LEFT, MAC_LIGHT, MAC_LIGHT_PITCH, MAC_LIGHTS_LEFT, MAC_TITLE_BAR, tab_cap};
 
     /// Tabs that fit keep their own widths.
     #[test]
@@ -628,4 +661,14 @@ mod tab_widths {
         assert_eq!(tab_cap(&[250.0; 12], 600.0, 4.0, 110.0), Some(110.0));
         assert_eq!(tab_cap(&[250.0; 3], 0.0, 4.0, 110.0), Some(110.0));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_mac_title_bar_centres_and_clears_the_traffic_lights() {
+        // The lights are centred in the bar, and content keeps the same gap after them (#789).
+        let margin = (MAC_TITLE_BAR - MAC_LIGHT) / 2.0;
+        let lights_end = MAC_LIGHTS_LEFT + 2.0 * MAC_LIGHT_PITCH + MAC_LIGHT;
+        assert_eq!(MAC_CONTENT_LEFT - lights_end, margin);
+        // `egui::Margin` is in `i8`.
+        assert!(MAC_CONTENT_LEFT <= f32::from(i8::MAX));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs
index 21448bdc8..203427ead 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/widgets.rs
@@ -42,15 +42,20 @@ pub fn pill_button(ui: &mut egui::Ui, label: &str, primary: bool) -> Response {
 
 /// Icon + label, transparent until hovered.
 pub fn ghost_button(ui: &mut egui::Ui, icon: &str, label: &str) -> Response {
+    ghost_button_sized(ui, icon, label, 30.0)
+}
+
+/// [`ghost_button`] at a given height (the macOS title bar is shorter than the tab strip elsewhere).
+pub fn ghost_button_sized(ui: &mut egui::Ui, icon: &str, label: &str, height: f32) -> Response {
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
     let font = theme::medium(13.0);
     let w = ui.fonts_mut(|f| f.layout_no_wrap(label.to_owned(), font.clone(), t.text).size().x);
-    let (rect, resp) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(w + 38.0, 30.0), Sense::click());
+    let (rect, resp) = ui.allocate_exact_size(vec2(w + 38.0, height), Sense::click());
     resp.widget_info(|| egui::WidgetInfo::labeled(egui::WidgetType::Button, ui.is_enabled(), label));
     if resp.hovered() {
         ui.painter().rect_filled(rect, CornerRadius::same(6), t.hover);
     }
-    icons::paint(ui, Rect::from_min_size(rect.min + vec2(6.0, 6.0), vec2(18.0, 18.0)), icon, 17.0, t.icon);
+    icons::paint(ui, Rect::from_min_size(rect.min + vec2(6.0, (height - 18.0) / 2.0), vec2(18.0, 18.0)), icon, 17.0, t.icon);
     ui.painter().text(rect.left_center() + vec2(30.0, 0.0), Align2::LEFT_CENTER, label, font, t.text);
     resp
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
index a10ad230f..2a94e78d0 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
@@ -225,6 +225,26 @@ fn tabs_shrink_to_fit_then_arrows_step_through_them_and_open_stays_in_sight() {
     assert!(open.left() > 0.0 && open.right() <= discord.left(), "Open {open:?} stays in sight left of Discord {discord:?}");
 }
 
+/// macOS (#789): with the integrated title bar, the strip is the 28 pt band AppKit centres the
+/// traffic lights in, and everything in it fits that band and clears the lights.
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+#[test]
+fn the_integrated_title_bar_is_the_traffic_light_band() {
+    let h = harness(|app| {
+        app.integrated_titlebar = true;
+        app.open_bytes("band.pdf", None, FIXTURE.to_vec()).unwrap();
+    });
+    let band = 28.0;
+    for label in ["Home", "band.pdf", "Open", "Discord", "Keyboard shortcuts"] {
+        let r = h.get_by_label(label).rect();
+        assert!(r.top() >= 0.0 && r.bottom() <= band, "{label}: {r:?} inside the {band} pt title bar");
+        assert!(r.height() >= 24.0, "{label}: {r:?} stays clickable");
+    }
+    // Content starts after the three lights (the last one ends 62 pt in) with a gap.
+    let home = h.get_by_label("Home").rect();
+    assert!(home.left() >= 62.0 + 4.0, "Home {home:?} clears the traffic lights");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn narrow_tab_strips_accept_vertical_wheel_scrolling() {
     for width in [600.0, 900.0] {