diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte
index 785fbe9a..45b4ec1a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte
@@ -31,24 +31,28 @@ const { persons }: Props = $props();
 	{#if persons.length === 0}
 		<p class="font-sans text-sm text-ink-3">{m.dashboard_reader_no_persons()}</p>
 	{/if}
-	<div class="grid grid-cols-2 gap-1.5 sm:grid-cols-4">
+	<div class="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-4">
 		{#each persons as p (p.id)}
 			<a
 				href="/persons/{p.id}"
-				class="flex min-h-[44px] flex-col items-center gap-1.5 rounded-sm border border-line bg-surface p-2.5 text-center no-underline transition-colors hover:border-brand-mint focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-navy focus-visible:outline-none"
+				class="group flex min-h-[44px] flex-col items-center gap-2 rounded border border-line bg-surface px-4 py-6 text-center no-underline shadow-sm transition-all duration-200 hover:border-l-4 hover:border-accent hover:shadow-md focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-navy focus-visible:outline-none"
 			>
 				<span
-					class="flex h-[22px] w-[22px] shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-[11px] font-black text-white shadow-sm sm:h-9 sm:w-9 dark:shadow-none dark:ring-1 dark:ring-white/10"
+					class="flex h-12 w-12 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-base font-bold text-white shadow-sm dark:shadow-none dark:ring-1 dark:ring-white/10"
 					style="background-color: {personAvatarColor(p.id ?? '')}"
 				>
 					{getInitials(p.displayName ?? p.lastName ?? '')}
 				</span>
-				<span class="truncate font-serif text-sm text-ink">{p.displayName ?? p.lastName}</span>
-				<span
-					class="rounded-full bg-mint-soft px-1.5 py-px text-[11px] font-bold text-ink dark:bg-mint-soft"
+				<span class="truncate font-serif text-sm font-bold text-ink group-hover:underline"
+					>{p.displayName ?? p.lastName}</span
 				>
-					{p.documentCount ?? 0}
-				</span>
+				{#if (p.documentCount ?? 0) > 0}
+					<span
+						class="mt-1 inline-flex items-center rounded-full border border-line bg-muted px-2.5 py-0.5 font-sans text-[11px] font-semibold text-ink-2"
+					>
+						{p.documentCount}
+					</span>
+				{/if}
 			</a>
 		{/each}
 	</div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte.spec.ts
index 0ae40474..03c3e1f9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ReaderPersonChips.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -51,21 +51,23 @@ describe('ReaderPersonChips', () => {
 		expect(cls).toMatch(/min-h-\[44px\]/);
 	});
 
-	it('doc count renders as mint pill with bg-mint-soft', async () => {
+	it('doc count renders as neutral chip with bg-muted', async () => {
 		render(ReaderPersonChips, { persons: [person1] });
 		const link = page.getByRole('link', { name: /Anna Müller/ });
 		const el = (await link.element()) as HTMLElement;
-		const pill = el.querySelector('[class*="bg-mint-soft"]');
-		expect(pill).not.toBeNull();
-		expect(pill!.textContent).toContain('23');
+		const chip = el.querySelector('[class*="bg-muted"]');
+		expect(chip).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(chip!.textContent).toContain('23');
 	});
 
-	it('doc count pill has rounded-full class', async () => {
+	it('doc count chip has rounded-full and border-line classes', async () => {
 		render(ReaderPersonChips, { persons: [person1] });
 		const link = page.getByRole('link', { name: /Anna Müller/ });
 		const el = (await link.element()) as HTMLElement;
-		const pill = el.querySelector('[class*="rounded-full"]');
-		expect(pill).not.toBeNull();
+		const chip = el.querySelector('[class*="bg-muted"]');
+		expect(chip).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(chip!.className).toMatch(/rounded-full/);
+		expect(chip!.className).toMatch(/border-line/);
 	});
 
 	it('person grid uses grid layout', async () => {