diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/CommentThread.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/CommentThread.svelte
index d9b0a8c7..d8decb91 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/CommentThread.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/CommentThread.svelte
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type Props = {
 	canAdmin: boolean;
 	targetCommentId?: string | null;
 	quotedText?: string | null;
+	showCompose?: boolean;
 	onCountChange?: (count: number) => void;
 };
 
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ let {
 	canAdmin,
 	targetCommentId = null,
 	quotedText = null,
+	showCompose = true,
 	onCountChange
 }: Props = $props();
 
@@ -357,7 +359,7 @@ onMount(async () => {
 	{/each}
 
 	<!-- New top-level comment -->
-	{#if canComment}
+	{#if canComment && showCompose}
 		<div class={comments.length > 0 ? 'border-t border-line pt-4' : ''}>
 			<div class="flex flex-col gap-2">
 				<MentionEditor
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte
index 90d7c0bc..dd7caf05 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ type Props = {
 	saveState: SaveState;
 	canComment: boolean;
 	currentUserId: string | null;
-	commentCount: number;
 	onTextChange: (text: string) => void;
 	onFocus: () => void;
 	onDeleteClick: () => void;
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ let {
 	saveState,
 	canComment,
 	currentUserId,
-	commentCount,
 	onTextChange,
 	onFocus,
 	onDeleteClick,
@@ -39,7 +37,7 @@ let {
 }: Props = $props();
 
 let localText = $state(text);
-let commentOpen = $state(commentCount > 0);
+let commentOpen = $state(false);
 let selectedQuote = $state<string | null>(null);
 let textareaEl = $state<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
 
@@ -199,34 +197,18 @@ function captureSelectionAndOpenComments() {
 			</div>
 		</div>
 
-		<!-- Comment thread (expandable) -->
-		{#if commentOpen}
-			<div class="mt-3 border-t border-line pt-3">
-				<div class="mb-2 flex items-center justify-between">
-					<span class="font-sans text-xs font-semibold text-ink-2">
-						{m.comment_section_title()}
-					</span>
-					<button
-						type="button"
-						class="font-sans text-xs text-ink-3 transition-colors hover:text-ink"
-						onclick={() => {
-							commentOpen = false;
-							selectedQuote = null;
-						}}
-					>
-						{m.comment_panel_close()}
-					</button>
-				</div>
-				<CommentThread
-					documentId={documentId}
-					blockId={blockId}
-					loadOnMount={true}
-					canComment={canComment}
-					currentUserId={currentUserId}
-					canAdmin={false}
-					quotedText={selectedQuote}
-				/>
-			</div>
-		{/if}
+		<!-- Comment thread — list always visible, compose toggled by Kommentieren -->
+		<div class="mt-3 border-t border-line pt-3">
+			<CommentThread
+				documentId={documentId}
+				blockId={blockId}
+				loadOnMount={true}
+				canComment={canComment}
+				currentUserId={currentUserId}
+				canAdmin={false}
+				quotedText={selectedQuote}
+				showCompose={commentOpen}
+			/>
+		</div>
 	</div>
 </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte.spec.ts
index bd536d4d..7489ed52 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ function renderBlock(overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}) {
 		saveState: 'idle' as const,
 		canComment: true,
 		currentUserId: 'user-1',
-		commentCount: 0,
 		onTextChange: vi.fn(),
 		onFocus: vi.fn(),
 		onDeleteClick: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte
index 31c40f5f..4bb02688 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte
@@ -30,34 +30,9 @@ let activeBlockId: string | null = $state(null);
 let saveStates = new SvelteMap<string, SaveState>();
 let debounceTimers = new SvelteMap<string, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>();
 let pendingTexts = new SvelteMap<string, string>();
-let commentCounts = new SvelteMap<string, number>();
-
 let sortedBlocks = $derived([...blocks].sort((a, b) => a.sortOrder - b.sortOrder));
 let hasBlocks = $derived(blocks.length > 0);
 
-async function loadCommentCounts() {
-	for (const block of blocks) {
-		try {
-			const res = await fetch(
-				`/api/documents/${documentId}/transcription-blocks/${block.id}/comments`
-			);
-			if (res.ok) {
-				const comments = (await res.json()) as Array<{ replies: unknown[] }>;
-				const total = comments.reduce((s, c) => s + 1 + (c.replies?.length ?? 0), 0);
-				commentCounts.set(block.id, total);
-			}
-		} catch {
-			// ignore
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-$effect(() => {
-	if (blocks.length > 0) {
-		loadCommentCounts();
-	}
-});
-
 function getSaveState(blockId: string): SaveState {
 	return saveStates.get(blockId) ?? 'idle';
 }
@@ -191,7 +166,6 @@ $effect(() => {
 						saveState={getSaveState(block.id)}
 						canComment={canComment}
 						currentUserId={currentUserId}
-						commentCount={commentCounts.get(block.id) ?? 0}
 						onTextChange={(text) => handleTextChange(block.id, text)}
 						onFocus={() => handleFocus(block.id)}
 						onDeleteClick={() => handleDelete(block.id)}