diff --git a/steward/templates/base.html b/steward/templates/base.html
index dbe5a82..4bd46e5 100644
--- a/steward/templates/base.html
+++ b/steward/templates/base.html
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ code { font-family: ui-monospace, monospace; font-size: 0.875em; background: var
   width: 220px; flex-shrink: 0; background: var(--bg-card);
   border-right: 1px solid var(--border-mid);
   display: flex; flex-direction: column;
-  position: sticky; top: 0; height: 100vh; overflow-y: auto; z-index: 20;
+  position: sticky; top: 0; height: 100vh; z-index: 20;
 }
 .sidebar .brand {
   font-family: var(--font-serif); font-weight: 700; font-size: 1.15rem;
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ code { font-family: ui-monospace, monospace; font-size: 0.875em; background: var
   padding: 0.85rem 1.25rem; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
 }
 .sidebar .brand svg { flex-shrink: 0; }
-.side-nav { flex: 1; padding: 0.75rem 0; }
+/* Only the nav list scrolls when long — the brand and user/logout stay pinned. */
+.side-nav { flex: 1; min-height: 0; overflow-y: auto; padding: 0.75rem 0; }
 .nav-group { margin-bottom: 0.9rem; }
 .nav-group-label {
   font-size: 0.66rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.09em;
@@ -89,6 +90,12 @@ code { font-family: ui-monospace, monospace; font-size: 0.875em; background: var
   display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.4rem;
 }
 .side-user a:hover { color: var(--text); }
+/* Keyboard focus: a clear inset ring on every interactive sidebar element. */
+.sidebar .brand:focus-visible,
+.side-nav a:focus-visible,
+.side-user a:focus-visible {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--accent); outline-offset: -2px; color: var(--text);
+}
 .app-main { flex: 1; min-width: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; }
 .topbar { display: none; }   /* slim mobile bar; shown only under 900px */
 .nav-scrim { display: none; }
@@ -111,8 +118,10 @@ main { padding: 1.5rem 2rem; max-width: 1400px; margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; box
   }
   .sidebar-toggle {
     background: none; border: none; color: var(--text-muted); font-size: 1.3rem;
-    cursor: pointer; line-height: 1; padding: 0.25rem;
+    cursor: pointer; line-height: 1; padding: 0.25rem; border-radius: 4px;
   }
+  .sidebar-toggle:hover { color: var(--text); }
+  .sidebar-toggle:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid var(--accent); outline-offset: 2px; }
   .topbar .brand-sm {
     font-family: var(--font-serif); color: var(--gold); font-weight: 700;
     font-size: 1.05rem; text-decoration: none;
@@ -122,6 +131,11 @@ main { padding: 1.5rem 2rem; max-width: 1400px; margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; box
   }
 }
 
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .sidebar { transition: none; }
+  .side-nav a { transition: none; }
+}
+
 /* Alerts */
 .alert { padding: 0.75rem 1rem; border-radius: 6px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-size: 0.9rem; }
 .alert-error { background: var(--red-dim); border: 1px solid #6a1820; color: #ffb0b8; }
@@ -266,7 +280,7 @@ body.dash-editing .widget-drawer { transform:translateY(0); }
 {% set _p = request.path %}
 <div class="app-shell">
 {% if session.user_id is defined %}
-  <aside class="sidebar">
+  <aside class="sidebar" id="sidebar">
     <a href="/" class="brand">
       <svg width="22" height="22" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true">
         <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10.5" fill="none" stroke="#c8a840" stroke-width="1.5"/>
@@ -316,7 +330,8 @@ body.dash-editing .widget-drawer { transform:translateY(0); }
   <div class="app-main">
 {% if session.user_id is defined %}
     <div class="topbar">
-      <button class="sidebar-toggle" onclick="document.body.classList.toggle('nav-open')" aria-label="Toggle navigation">☰</button>
+      <button class="sidebar-toggle" type="button" aria-label="Toggle navigation"
+              aria-controls="sidebar" aria-expanded="false" onclick="toggleNav(this)">☰</button>
       <a href="/" class="brand-sm">Steward</a>
     </div>
 {% endif %}
@@ -333,6 +348,16 @@ function setTimeRange(val) {
   history.replaceState({}, '', url);
   document.body.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('rangeChange'));
 }
+// Mobile sidebar (off-canvas). Keep aria-expanded in sync; Escape closes it.
+function setNavOpen(open) {
+  document.body.classList.toggle('nav-open', open);
+  var btn = document.querySelector('.sidebar-toggle');
+  if (btn) btn.setAttribute('aria-expanded', open ? 'true' : 'false');
+}
+function toggleNav(btn) { setNavOpen(!document.body.classList.contains('nav-open')); }
+document.addEventListener('keydown', function (e) {
+  if (e.key === 'Escape' && document.body.classList.contains('nav-open')) setNavOpen(false);
+});
 </script>
 
     <main>
@@ -387,7 +412,7 @@ function setTimeRange(val) {
   </div>{# .app-main #}
 </div>{# .app-shell #}
 {% if session.user_id is defined %}
-<div class="nav-scrim" onclick="document.body.classList.remove('nav-open')"></div>
+<div class="nav-scrim" onclick="setNavOpen(false)"></div>
 {% endif %}
 
 {% block extra_scripts %}{% endblock %}