diff --git a/e2e/home.test.ts b/e2e/home.test.ts
index da7bc16..f516fa0 100644
--- a/e2e/home.test.ts
+++ b/e2e/home.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,30 @@ async function waitForCardCount(page: Page, expected: number) {
   }).toPass({ timeout: 10000 })
 }
 
+async function expectCardsNotToOverlap(page: Page) {
+  await expect(async () => {
+    const boxes = await page.locator('article.card').evaluateAll(cards =>
+      cards.map(card => {
+        const rect = card.getBoundingClientRect()
+        return { left: rect.left, right: rect.right, top: rect.top, bottom: rect.bottom }
+      })
+    )
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < boxes.length; i += 1) {
+      for (let j = i + 1; j < boxes.length; j += 1) {
+        const a = boxes[i]
+        const b = boxes[j]
+        const overlaps =
+          a.left < b.right &&
+          a.right > b.left &&
+          a.top < b.bottom &&
+          a.bottom > b.top
+        expect(overlaps).toBe(false)
+      }
+    }
+  }).toPass({ timeout: 10000 })
+}
+
 test.describe('home page — with cards', () => {
   test('inline search input filters cards by text', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('.')
@@ -116,6 +140,29 @@ test.describe('home page — with cards', () => {
       expect(chipTexts.some(t => t.trim() === 'Adventure')).toBe(true)
     }
   })
+
+  test('masonry cards do not overlap on a cold uncached load', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.route('**/*', route => {
+      route.continue({ headers: { ...route.request().headers(), 'Cache-Control': 'no-cache' } })
+    })
+
+    await page.goto('.', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' })
+    await waitForCards(page)
+    await page.locator('article.card img').evaluateAll(images =>
+      Promise.all(
+        images.map(image => {
+          const img = image as HTMLImageElement
+          if (img.complete) return Promise.resolve()
+          return new Promise<void>(resolve => {
+            img.addEventListener('load', () => resolve(), { once: true })
+            img.addEventListener('error', () => resolve(), { once: true })
+          })
+        })
+      )
+    )
+
+    await expectCardsNotToOverlap(page)
+  })
 })
 
 test.describe('home page — no cards', () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/CardGrid.svelte b/src/lib/CardGrid.svelte
index e1976f1..03244f0 100644
--- a/src/lib/CardGrid.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/CardGrid.svelte
@@ -23,19 +23,30 @@
     }
   }
 
+  function scheduleMeasure() {
+    requestAnimationFrame(measureSpans)
+  }
+
   // Re-measure after each exhibits update so new cards get correct spans.
   $effect(() => {
     exhibits
     if (config.cardLayout !== 'masonry') return
-    requestAnimationFrame(measureSpans)
+    scheduleMeasure()
   })
 
-  // Re-measure on viewport resize so spans stay accurate as columns reflow.
+  // Re-measure when cards or images change size so cold image loads get correct
+  // masonry spans instead of overflowing into following grid rows.
   $effect(() => {
     if (config.cardLayout !== 'masonry' || !gridEl) return
-    const ro = new ResizeObserver(() => requestAnimationFrame(measureSpans))
-    ro.observe(gridEl)
-    return () => ro.disconnect()
+    const ro = new ResizeObserver(scheduleMeasure)
+    const cards = Array.from(gridEl.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('article.card'))
+    const images = Array.from(gridEl.querySelectorAll<HTMLImageElement>('img'))
+    cards.forEach(card => ro.observe(card))
+    images.forEach(image => image.addEventListener('load', scheduleMeasure, { once: true }))
+    return () => {
+      ro.disconnect()
+      images.forEach(image => image.removeEventListener('load', scheduleMeasure))
+    }
   })
 </script>
 
diff --git a/src/lib/ExhibitCard.svelte b/src/lib/ExhibitCard.svelte
index a058558..c2576e9 100644
--- a/src/lib/ExhibitCard.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/ExhibitCard.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script lang="ts">
     import type { Exhibit } from "./oddments.js";
-    import { asset, resolve } from "$app/paths";
+    import { resolve } from "$app/paths";
+    import { fallbackToRootAsset, resolveAssetPath } from "./assets.js";
     import { config } from "./catalog.js";
 
     let { exhibit }: { exhibit: Exhibit } = $props();
@@ -14,11 +15,7 @@
     const author = $derived(toArray(exhibit.author).join(", "));
     const orientation = $derived(exhibit.imageOrientation ?? config.imageOrientation);
     const hasCover = $derived(Boolean(exhibit["cover-image"]));
-    const coverSrc = $derived(
-        exhibit["cover-image"]?.startsWith("/")
-            ? asset(exhibit["cover-image"])
-            : (exhibit["cover-image"] ?? ""),
-    );
+    const coverSrc = $derived(resolveAssetPath(exhibit["cover-image"]));
     const exhibitHref = $derived(resolve(`/exhibit/${exhibit.slug}/`))
 </script>
 
@@ -38,6 +35,7 @@
                 alt={exhibit.name}
                 class="w-full h-auto"
                 loading="lazy"
+                onerror={fallbackToRootAsset}
             />
         </a>
     {/if}
diff --git a/src/lib/assets.test.ts b/src/lib/assets.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..416e8fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/assets.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { fallbackToRootAsset, resolveAssetPath } from './assets.js'
+import { resetAssetBase, setAssetBase } from '../test/mocks/app-paths.js'
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  resetAssetBase()
+})
+
+test('resolveAssetPath prefixes root-relative paths with the configured asset base', () => {
+  setAssetBase('/oddments')
+  expect(resolveAssetPath('/covers/game.webp')).toBe('/oddments/covers/game.webp')
+})
+
+test('resolveAssetPath leaves external and relative paths unchanged', () => {
+  setAssetBase('/oddments')
+  expect(resolveAssetPath('https://example.com/cover.webp')).toBe('https://example.com/cover.webp')
+  expect(resolveAssetPath('covers/game.webp')).toBe('covers/game.webp')
+})
+
+test('fallbackToRootAsset strips the configured asset base from failed images', () => {
+  setAssetBase('/oddments')
+  const img = document.createElement('img')
+  img.setAttribute('src', '/oddments/covers/game.webp')
+  const event = new Event('error')
+  Object.defineProperty(event, 'currentTarget', { value: img })
+
+  fallbackToRootAsset(event)
+
+  expect(img.getAttribute('src')).toBe('/covers/game.webp')
+})
diff --git a/src/lib/assets.ts b/src/lib/assets.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..66a321c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/assets.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { asset } from '$app/paths'
+
+export function resolveAssetPath(path: string | null | undefined): string {
+  if (!path) return ''
+  return path.startsWith('/') ? asset(path) : path
+}
+
+export function fallbackToRootAsset(event: Event) {
+  const element = event.currentTarget
+  if (!(element instanceof HTMLImageElement)) return
+
+  const src = element.getAttribute('src') ?? ''
+  const assetBase = asset('/').replace(/\/$/, '')
+  if (!assetBase || !src.startsWith(`${assetBase}/`)) return
+
+  element.src = src.slice(assetBase.length)
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/exhibit/[slug]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/exhibit/[slug]/+page.svelte
index feb0441..b8fc669 100644
--- a/src/routes/exhibit/[slug]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/exhibit/[slug]/+page.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { asset, resolve } from '$app/paths'
+  import { resolve } from '$app/paths'
+  import { fallbackToRootAsset, resolveAssetPath } from '$lib/assets.js'
   import Icon from '$lib/Icon.svelte'
   const { data } = $props()
   const exhibit = $derived(data.exhibit)
@@ -20,9 +21,7 @@
   }
 
   const hasCover = $derived(Boolean(exhibit['cover-image']))
-  const coverSrc = $derived(
-    exhibit['cover-image']?.startsWith('/') ? asset(exhibit['cover-image']) : (exhibit['cover-image'] ?? '')
-  )
+  const coverSrc = $derived(resolveAssetPath(exhibit['cover-image']))
   const coverStyle = $derived(hasCover ? '' : `background: ${placeholderGradient(exhibit.name ?? exhibit.slug)};`)
   const hasMetadataChips = $derived(
     exhibit.category.length > 0 || Boolean(exhibit.genre) || Boolean(exhibit.license) || exhibit.tags.length > 0
@@ -79,6 +78,7 @@
       src={coverSrc}
       alt={exhibit.name ?? ''}
       class="w-full rounded-container-token object-cover {classes}"
+      onerror={fallbackToRootAsset}
     />
   {:else}
     <div
diff --git a/src/test/mocks/app-paths.ts b/src/test/mocks/app-paths.ts
index 559869b..71bcaa3 100644
--- a/src/test/mocks/app-paths.ts
+++ b/src/test/mocks/app-paths.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,20 @@
 export const base = ''
 export const assets = ''
+
+let assetBase = ''
+
+export function setAssetBase(path: string) {
+  assetBase = path
+}
+
+export function resetAssetBase() {
+  assetBase = ''
+}
+
 export function resolve(path: string) {
   return path
 }
 
 export function asset(file: string) {
-  return file
+  return `${assetBase}${file}`
 }