diff --git a/client/ui/star_map.gd b/client/ui/star_map.gd
index 41c7ddee5..5bfb96072 100644
--- a/client/ui/star_map.gd
+++ b/client/ui/star_map.gd
@@ -403,57 +403,15 @@ func _draw_info_panel(sz: Vector2) -> void:
 	var font := get_theme_default_font()
 	var panel_w: float = POPUP_WIDTH
 	var pad: float = POPUP_PADDING
+	var sep_h: float = 8.0  # separator line + spacing
 	var inner_w: float = panel_w - pad * 2.0
+	var sep_color := Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.12)
 
-	# Measure GTTR text height first so we can size the panel
-	var gttr: String = node.get("gttr_excerpt", "")
-	# Strip markdown bold markers for display
-	gttr = gttr.replace("**", "")
-	var gttr_block_h: float = 0.0
-	if not gttr.is_empty():
-		var gttr_size: Vector2 = font.get_multiline_string_size(
-			gttr, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, POPUP_GTTR_FONT_SIZE,
-			POPUP_GTTR_MAX_LINES)
-		gttr_block_h = gttr_size.y + 6.0
-
-	# Fixed rows: name, id, star+hop, corridor, bodies+pop, adjacent, separator lines
-	var fixed_h: float = (
-		POPUP_LINE_H * 2.0  # name + id
-		+ 4.0               # separator
-		+ POPUP_LINE_H * 3.0 # star+hop, corridor, bodies+pop
-		+ 4.0               # separator
-		+ gttr_block_h
-		+ 4.0               # separator (before adjacent)
-		+ POPUP_LINE_H      # adjacent systems label
-		+ pad * 2.0
-	)
-	var panel_h: float = fixed_h
-
-	var panel_pos := Vector2(sz.x - panel_w - POPUP_MARGIN, POPUP_MARGIN)
-	var x: float = panel_pos.x + pad
-	var y: float = panel_pos.y + pad + POPUP_LINE_H  # baseline offset
-
-	# Background + border
-	draw_rect(Rect2(panel_pos, Vector2(panel_w, panel_h)), COLOR_INFO_BG)
-	draw_rect(Rect2(panel_pos, Vector2(panel_w, panel_h)),
-			Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.15), false, 1.0)
-
-	# ── System name ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	# ── Prepare all text content before measuring ────────────────────────────
 	var sys_name: String = node.get("proper_name", "")
 	if sys_name.is_empty():
 		sys_name = node.get("system_id", "Unknown")
-	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), sys_name, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 15, COLOR_TEXT)
-	y += POPUP_LINE_H
 
-	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), node.get("system_id", ""), HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 10, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
-	y += POPUP_LINE_H
-
-	# Separator
-	draw_line(Vector2(x, y + 1.0), Vector2(panel_pos.x + panel_w - pad, y + 1.0),
-		Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.12), 1.0)
-	y += 6.0
-
-	# ── Stats block ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	var star_type: String = node.get("star_type", "")
 	var hop: int = int(node.get("hop_distance", 0))
 	var stat_line_1: String
@@ -461,13 +419,9 @@ func _draw_info_panel(sz: Vector2) -> void:
 		stat_line_1 = "Hop %d from Gateway" % hop
 	else:
 		stat_line_1 = "%s star · hop %d" % [star_type, hop]
-	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), stat_line_1, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 11, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
-	y += POPUP_LINE_H
 
 	var sector_str: String = node.get("geographic_sector", "unknown").replace("_", " ").to_upper()
 	var sector_color: Color = SECTOR_COLORS.get(node.get("geographic_sector", ""), COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
-	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), sector_str + " corridor", HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 11, sector_color)
-	y += POPUP_LINE_H
 
 	var bodies: String = node.get("bodies", "")
 	var population: String = node.get("population", "")
@@ -479,39 +433,106 @@ func _draw_info_panel(sz: Vector2) -> void:
 	elif not population.is_empty():
 		stat_line_3 = "Population: " + population
 	else:
-		stat_line_3 = "%d aperture%s · %s" % [
+		stat_line_3 = "%d aperture%s" % [
 			int(node.get("aperture_count", 0)),
-			"s" if int(node.get("aperture_count", 0)) != 1 else "",
-			node.get("gate_topology", "")]
-	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), stat_line_3, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 11, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
-	y += POPUP_LINE_H
+			"s" if int(node.get("aperture_count", 0)) != 1 else ""]
 
-	# ── GTTR excerpt ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-	if not gttr.is_empty():
-		draw_line(Vector2(x, y + 1.0), Vector2(panel_pos.x + panel_w - pad, y + 1.0),
-			Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.12), 1.0)
-		y += 6.0
-		draw_multiline_string(font, Vector2(x, y), gttr, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT,
-			inner_w, POPUP_GTTR_FONT_SIZE, POPUP_GTTR_MAX_LINES,
-			Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.75))
-		y += gttr_block_h
+	var gttr: String = node.get("gttr_excerpt", "").replace("**", "")
 
-	# ── Adjacent systems ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-	draw_line(Vector2(x, y + 1.0), Vector2(panel_pos.x + panel_w - pad, y + 1.0),
-		Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.12), 1.0)
-	y += 6.0
 	var adj: Array = node.get("adjacent_systems", [])
-	if adj.is_empty():
-		draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), "No gate connections", HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 10, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
-	else:
+	var adj_line: String = ""
+	if not adj.is_empty():
 		var adj_names: Array = []
 		for neighbor_id: String in adj:
 			var neighbor: Dictionary = _node_lookup.get(neighbor_id, {})
 			var n_name: String = neighbor.get("proper_name", "")
 			adj_names.append(n_name if not n_name.is_empty() else neighbor_id)
-		var adj_line: String = " · ".join(adj_names)
-		draw_multiline_string(font, Vector2(x, y), adj_line, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT,
-			inner_w, 10, 2, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
+		adj_line = " · ".join(adj_names)
+
+	# ── Measure variable-height blocks ───────────────────────────────────────
+	var gttr_h: float = 0.0
+	if not gttr.is_empty():
+		gttr_h = font.get_multiline_string_size(
+			gttr, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w,
+			POPUP_GTTR_FONT_SIZE, POPUP_GTTR_MAX_LINES).y
+
+	var adj_h: float = POPUP_LINE_H  # minimum one line
+	if not adj_line.is_empty():
+		adj_h = font.get_multiline_string_size(
+			adj_line, HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 10, 3).y
+
+	# ── Calculate total panel height ─────────────────────────────────────────
+	var panel_h: float = pad  # top padding
+	panel_h += POPUP_LINE_H  # system name (15px font)
+	panel_h += POPUP_LINE_H  # system id (10px font)
+	panel_h += sep_h          # separator
+	panel_h += POPUP_LINE_H  # star type + hop
+	panel_h += POPUP_LINE_H  # corridor
+	panel_h += POPUP_LINE_H  # bodies + pop
+	if not gttr.is_empty():
+		panel_h += sep_h + gttr_h
+	panel_h += sep_h + adj_h  # adjacent systems
+	panel_h += pad            # bottom padding
+
+	# ── Draw background ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	var panel_pos := Vector2(sz.x - panel_w - POPUP_MARGIN, POPUP_MARGIN)
+	var x: float = panel_pos.x + pad
+	var x_right: float = panel_pos.x + panel_w - pad
+	var y: float = panel_pos.y + pad + POPUP_LINE_H  # baseline offset
+
+	draw_rect(Rect2(panel_pos, Vector2(panel_w, panel_h)), COLOR_INFO_BG)
+	draw_rect(Rect2(panel_pos, Vector2(panel_w, panel_h)), sep_color, false, 1.0)
+
+	# ── Draw content ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	# System name
+	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), sys_name,
+		HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 15, COLOR_TEXT)
+	y += POPUP_LINE_H
+
+	# System ID
+	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), node.get("system_id", ""),
+		HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 10, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
+	y += POPUP_LINE_H
+
+	# Separator
+	draw_line(Vector2(x, y + 2.0), Vector2(x_right, y + 2.0), sep_color, 1.0)
+	y += sep_h
+
+	# Star type + hop
+	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), stat_line_1,
+		HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 11, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
+	y += POPUP_LINE_H
+
+	# Corridor
+	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), sector_str + " corridor",
+		HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 11, sector_color)
+	y += POPUP_LINE_H
+
+	# Bodies + population
+	draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), stat_line_3,
+		HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 11, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
+	y += POPUP_LINE_H
+
+	# GTTR excerpt
+	if not gttr.is_empty():
+		draw_line(Vector2(x, y + 2.0), Vector2(x_right, y + 2.0), sep_color, 1.0)
+		y += sep_h
+		draw_multiline_string(font, Vector2(x, y), gttr,
+			HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, POPUP_GTTR_FONT_SIZE,
+			POPUP_GTTR_MAX_LINES,
+			Color(COLOR_TEXT.r, COLOR_TEXT.g, COLOR_TEXT.b, 0.75))
+		y += gttr_h
+
+	# Adjacent systems
+	draw_line(Vector2(x, y + 2.0), Vector2(x_right, y + 2.0), sep_color, 1.0)
+	y += sep_h
+	if adj_line.is_empty():
+		draw_string(font, Vector2(x, y), "No gate connections",
+			HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 10, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
+	else:
+		draw_multiline_string(font, Vector2(x, y), adj_line,
+			HORIZONTAL_ALIGNMENT_LEFT, inner_w, 10, 3, COLOR_TEXT_DIM)
 
 
 func _draw_title() -> void: