diff --git a/src/scripts/desk.ts b/src/scripts/desk.ts
index 0b2572d..c61ad2b 100644
--- a/src/scripts/desk.ts
+++ b/src/scripts/desk.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const desk = document.getElementById("desk") as HTMLElement;
 const surface = document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(".surface") as HTMLElement;
 const world = document.getElementById("world") as HTMLElement;
 const items = [...world.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".item")];
+const labelEls = items.filter((el) => el.classList.contains("label"));
 const zoomRead = document.querySelector<HTMLOutputElement>(".zoom-read") as HTMLOutputElement;
 const minimap = document.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".minimap") as HTMLButtonElement;
 const modeToggle = document.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>("[data-mode-toggle]") as HTMLButtonElement;
@@ -53,7 +54,9 @@ function unplace() {
   for (const el of items) {
     el.style.translate = "";
     el.style.rotate = "";
+    el.style.scale = "";
   }
+  labelScale = 0;
   world.style.transform = "";
 }
 
@@ -163,7 +166,7 @@ function apply() {
   const tx = vw / 2 - cam.x * cam.z;
   const ty = vh / 2 - cam.y * cam.z;
   world.style.transform = `translate(${tx}px, ${ty}px) scale(${cam.z})`;
-  world.style.setProperty("--z", cam.z.toFixed(4));
+  scaleLabels();
   // The stock is one tile-sized layer that only ever translates, so panning never repaints it.
   const ox = (((tx % TILE) + TILE) % TILE) - TILE;
   const oy = (((ty % TILE) + TILE) % TILE) - TILE;
@@ -172,6 +175,16 @@ function apply() {
   drawViewport();
 }
 
+// Zoomed far out, the pile headings grow so the desk still reads like a map. Set on the few
+// headings directly: an inherited custom property on #world restyled the whole desk every frame.
+let labelScale = 0;
+function scaleLabels() {
+  const s = Math.min(2.2, Math.max(1, 0.4 / cam.z));
+  if (Math.abs(s - labelScale) < 0.005) return;
+  labelScale = s;
+  for (const el of labelEls) el.style.scale = String(s);
+}
+
 function zoomAt(factor: number, sx: number, sy: number, animate = false) {
   const from = animate ? goal : cam;
   const z = clampZ(from.z * factor);
diff --git a/src/styles/desk.css b/src/styles/desk.css
index e3ce15d..ba6edcb 100644
--- a/src/styles/desk.css
+++ b/src/styles/desk.css
@@ -684,10 +684,9 @@
   html.list .hint-desk {
     display: none;
   }
-  /* zoomed far out, the pile headings grow so the desk still reads like a map */
+  /* scaled from the camera (desk.ts) when zoomed far out, growing up from the pile */
   html.desk .label {
     transform-origin: 0 100%;
-    scale: clamp(1, calc(0.4 / var(--z, 1)), 2.2);
     z-index: 3;
   }
   html.desk .sheet.lifted {