diff --git a/app/javascript/sdk/sdk.js b/app/javascript/sdk/sdk.js
index 44473c8c8..82f72b81e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/sdk/sdk.js
+++ b/app/javascript/sdk/sdk.js
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ export const SDK_CSS = `
   overflow: hidden !important;
   position: fixed !important;
   transition: opacity 0.2s linear, transform 0.25s linear,
-    width 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
-    height 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
+    width 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
+    height 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
+    max-height 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
   z-index: 2147483000 !important;
 }
 
@@ -293,7 +294,7 @@ export const SDK_CSS = `
   .woot-widget-holder.has-article-view {
     width: min(640px, max(0px, -20px + 100dvw)) !important;
     height: calc(100% - 125px) !important;
-    max-height: none !important;
+    max-height: calc(100% - 125px) !important;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/widget/App.vue b/app/javascript/widget/App.vue
index c5ed2f9cc..0fc9f12aa 100755
--- a/app/javascript/widget/App.vue
+++ b/app/javascript/widget/App.vue
@@ -16,7 +16,12 @@ import {
   ON_AGENT_MESSAGE_RECEIVED,
   ON_CAMPAIGN_MESSAGE_CLICK,
   ON_UNREAD_MESSAGE_CLICK,
+  ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING,
 } from './constants/widgetBusEvents';
+
+// Keep in sync with the widget holder width/height transition in sdk.js. The
+// article view is masked for this long so the iframe can reflow off-screen.
+const ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZE_DURATION = 200;
 import { useDarkMode } from 'widget/composables/useDarkMode';
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router';
 import { useAvailability } from 'widget/composables/useAvailability';
@@ -44,6 +49,7 @@ export default {
     return {
       isMobile: false,
       campaignsSnoozedTill: undefined,
+      isArticleView: false,
     };
   },
   computed: {
@@ -87,6 +93,7 @@ export default {
       // Here we just collapse when leaving the article view, since the iframe is
       // torn down then and can no longer signal.
       if (this.isIFrame && previousRouteName === 'article-viewer') {
+        this.isArticleView = false;
         IFrameHelper.sendMessage({ event: 'collapseWidget' });
       }
     },
@@ -193,6 +200,23 @@ export default {
         query: { link, v: Date.now() },
       });
     },
+    setArticleView(isArticle) {
+      // Only resize when the page type actually changes, so navigating between
+      // two articles (or two listing pages) doesn't trigger a needless mask.
+      if (!this.isIFrame || isArticle === this.isArticleView) return;
+      this.isArticleView = isArticle;
+
+      // Mask the iframe while the widget resizes so its text reflow happens
+      // off-screen, then reveal it once the size transition has settled.
+      emitter.emit(ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING, true);
+      IFrameHelper.sendMessage({
+        event: isArticle ? 'expandWidget' : 'collapseWidget',
+      });
+      setTimeout(
+        () => emitter.emit(ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING, false),
+        ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZE_DURATION
+      );
+    },
     registerUnreadEvents() {
       emitter.on(ON_AGENT_MESSAGE_RECEIVED, () => {
         const { name: routeName } = this.$route;
@@ -352,9 +376,7 @@ export default {
         } else if (message.event === 'open-article') {
           this.openArticle(message.slug);
         } else if (message.event === 'portalPageLoaded') {
-          IFrameHelper.sendMessage({
-            event: message.isArticle ? 'expandWidget' : 'collapseWidget',
-          });
+          this.setArticleView(message.isArticle);
         } else if (message.event === 'toggle-open') {
           this.$store.dispatch('appConfig/toggleWidgetOpen', message.isOpen);
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/widget/constants/widgetBusEvents.js b/app/javascript/widget/constants/widgetBusEvents.js
index 1ffcd3d51..1f3f573c3 100644
--- a/app/javascript/widget/constants/widgetBusEvents.js
+++ b/app/javascript/widget/constants/widgetBusEvents.js
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ export const ON_AGENT_MESSAGE_RECEIVED = 'ON_AGENT_MESSAGE_RECEIVED';
 export const ON_UNREAD_MESSAGE_CLICK = 'ON_UNREAD_MESSAGE_CLICK';
 export const ON_CAMPAIGN_MESSAGE_CLICK = 'ON_CAMPAIGN_MESSAGE_CLICK';
 export const ON_CONVERSATION_CREATED = 'ON_CONVERSATION_CREATED';
+export const ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING = 'ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING';
diff --git a/app/javascript/widget/views/ArticleViewer.vue b/app/javascript/widget/views/ArticleViewer.vue
index bb04efcc4..b4ce2be2e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/widget/views/ArticleViewer.vue
+++ b/app/javascript/widget/views/ArticleViewer.vue
@@ -1,21 +1,41 @@
-<script>
+<script setup>
+import { ref, onMounted, onBeforeUnmount } from 'vue';
+import { useRoute } from 'vue-router';
+import { emitter } from 'shared/helpers/mitt';
+import { ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING } from 'widget/constants/widgetBusEvents';
 import IframeLoader from 'shared/components/IframeLoader.vue';
 
-export default {
-  name: 'ArticleViewer',
-  components: {
-    IframeLoader,
-  },
+const route = useRoute();
+
+// Masks the article while the widget resizes (see App.vue#setArticleView) so the
+// iframe's text reflow happens off-screen instead of shifting in front of the user.
+const isResizing = ref(false);
+const setResizing = value => {
+  isResizing.value = value;
 };
+
+onMounted(() => emitter.on(ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING, setResizing));
+onBeforeUnmount(() => emitter.off(ON_ARTICLE_VIEW_RESIZING, setResizing));
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <div class="bg-white h-full">
+  <div class="bg-white dark:bg-slate-900 h-full relative">
     <!--
       Key by fullPath (not just the link) so the iframe remounts on every
       navigation here, including re-opening the same article via the SDK after
       the iframe was browsed to another help-center page. See App.vue#openArticle.
     -->
-    <IframeLoader :key="$route.fullPath" :url="$route.query.link" />
+    <IframeLoader :key="route.fullPath" :url="route.query.link" />
+    <!--
+      Cover the article instantly while the widget resizes, then fade it out once
+      the size transition settles. The asymmetric class (no transition on the way
+      in, transition on the way out) keeps the cover from revealing the reflow.
+    -->
+    <div
+      class="absolute inset-0 bg-white dark:bg-slate-900 pointer-events-none"
+      :class="
+        isResizing ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0 transition-opacity duration-200'
+      "
+    />
   </div>
 </template>