diff --git a/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md b/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md
index 8085bcb53..7ce0031f1 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md
@@ -390,7 +390,9 @@ over a titled segment. mpv's chapter list is not a producer yet.
 
 Boundaries hold 3:1 over any frame. Segments only round the bar's two
 ends, and every gap (2px, `TIMELINE_SEGMENT_GAP_PX`) is filled by a
-separator (`separatorLeft`) in `--pc-timeline-separator` white: 12.5:1 on
+separator (`separatorLeft`, never left of the track's start, where a
+boundary in the bar's first pixels would put it) in
+`--pc-timeline-separator` white: 12.5:1 on
 the opaque `--pc-timeline-track`, 3.2:1 on the `--pc-progress` fill, which
 keeps 4.0:1 on the track. The former translucent track with see-through
 gaps measured 1.3–1.6:1 at its boundaries, and its fill fell to 1.1:1 over
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.spec.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.spec.ts
index 2bc105a59..94805016a 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.spec.ts
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ describe('normalizeTimelineSegments', () => {
         ]);
         // The separator fills the gap, ending where the next segment starts.
         expect(segments.map((s) => s.separatorLeft)).toEqual([
-            'calc(25% - 2px)',
-            'calc(75% - 2px)',
+            'max(0px, calc(25% - 2px))',
+            'max(0px, calc(75% - 2px))',
             null,
         ]);
         expect(normalizeTimelineSegments(null, 600)[0].separatorLeft).toBe(
@@ -94,6 +94,18 @@ describe('normalizeTimelineSegments', () => {
         );
     });
 
+    it('keeps the separator of a boundary in the first pixels on the track', () => {
+        // A 1-second lead-in of an hour: on a 400px bar its boundary sits
+        // at 0.11px, so `calc(… - 2px)` alone would start before the bar.
+        const [leadIn] = normalizeTimelineSegments(
+            [{ startSeconds: 1, endSeconds: 3600, title: 'Programme' }],
+            3600
+        );
+
+        expect(leadIn.title).toBeNull();
+        expect(leadIn.separatorLeft).toMatch(/^max\(0px, calc\(/);
+    });
+
     it('clamps to the duration, cuts overlaps and drops empty segments', () => {
         const segments = normalizeTimelineSegments(
             [
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.ts
index e973ab6f8..4ff922615 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/controls-timeline-segments.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ export interface TimelineSegmentView {
     /**
      * CSS `left` of the separator drawn in the gap after this segment, so a
      * boundary keeps its contrast whatever the frame behind it; null for
-     * the last segment, which has no gap.
+     * the last segment, which has no gap. Never left of the track: a
+     * boundary in its first pixels would otherwise paint before the bar.
      */
     separatorLeft: string | null;
 }
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ export function normalizeTimelineSegments(
                 : `max(0px, calc(${share * 100}% - ${gap}))`,
             separatorLeft: last
                 ? null
-                : `calc(${(segment.endSeconds / durationSeconds) * 100}% - ${gap})`,
+                : `max(0px, calc(${(segment.endSeconds / durationSeconds) * 100}% - ${gap}))`,
         };
     });
 }
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/player-controls.component.dock.spec.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/player-controls.component.dock.spec.ts
index 87da970fc..ad4bb6afb 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/player-controls.component.dock.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/player-controls.component.dock.spec.ts
@@ -340,13 +340,14 @@ describe('PlayerControlsComponent dock', () => {
             ]);
             expect(segments.at(-1)?.style.width).toBe('25%');
             // A separator fills the gap before every following segment.
-            expect(
-                Array.from(
-                    fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll(
-                        '.player-controls__timeline-separator'
-                    ) as NodeListOf<HTMLElement>
-                ).map((separator) => separator.style.left)
-            ).toEqual(['calc(25% - 2px)', 'calc(75% - 2px)']);
+            const separators = Array.from(
+                fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll(
+                    '.player-controls__timeline-separator'
+                ) as NodeListOf<HTMLElement>
+            ).map((separator) => separator.style.left);
+            expect(separators).toHaveLength(2);
+            expect(separators[0]).toContain('calc(25% - 2px)');
+            expect(separators[1]).toContain('calc(75% - 2px)');
             expect(
                 segments.map(
                     (s) =>