diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/components/kanban-card/kanban-card.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/components/kanban-card/kanban-card.tsx
index dd21f286..1226d9b3 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/components/kanban-card/kanban-card.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/components/kanban-card/kanban-card.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { memo } from 'react';
+import React, { memo, useLayoutEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { useSortable } from '@dnd-kit/sortable';
 import { CSS } from '@dnd-kit/utilities';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
@@ -10,6 +10,25 @@ import { CardContentSections } from './card-content-sections';
 import { AgentInfoPanel } from './agent-info-panel';
 import { CardActions } from './card-actions';
 
+function getCardBorderStyle(enabled: boolean, opacity: number): React.CSSProperties {
+  if (!enabled) {
+    return { borderWidth: '0px', borderColor: 'transparent' };
+  }
+  if (opacity !== 100) {
+    return {
+      borderWidth: '1px',
+      borderColor: `color-mix(in oklch, var(--border) ${opacity}%, transparent)`,
+    };
+  }
+  return {};
+}
+
+function getCursorClass(isOverlay: boolean | undefined, isDraggable: boolean): string {
+  if (isOverlay) return 'cursor-grabbing';
+  if (isDraggable) return 'cursor-grab active:cursor-grabbing';
+  return 'cursor-default';
+}
+
 interface KanbanCardProps {
   feature: Feature;
   onEdit: () => void;
@@ -35,6 +54,7 @@ interface KanbanCardProps {
   glassmorphism?: boolean;
   cardBorderEnabled?: boolean;
   cardBorderOpacity?: number;
+  isOverlay?: boolean;
 }
 
 export const KanbanCard = memo(function KanbanCard({
@@ -62,8 +82,18 @@ export const KanbanCard = memo(function KanbanCard({
   glassmorphism = true,
   cardBorderEnabled = true,
   cardBorderOpacity = 100,
+  isOverlay,
 }: KanbanCardProps) {
   const { useWorktrees } = useAppStore();
+  const [isLifted, setIsLifted] = useState(false);
+
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    if (isOverlay) {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        setIsLifted(true);
+      });
+    }
+  }, [isOverlay]);
 
   const isDraggable =
     feature.status === 'backlog' ||
@@ -72,54 +102,45 @@ export const KanbanCard = memo(function KanbanCard({
     (feature.status === 'in_progress' && !isCurrentAutoTask);
   const { attributes, listeners, setNodeRef, transform, transition, isDragging } = useSortable({
     id: feature.id,
-    disabled: !isDraggable,
+    disabled: !isDraggable || isOverlay,
   });
 
-  const style = {
+  const dndStyle = {
     transform: CSS.Transform.toString(transform),
     transition,
     opacity: isDragging ? 0.5 : undefined,
   };
 
-  const borderStyle: React.CSSProperties = { ...style };
-  if (!cardBorderEnabled) {
-    (borderStyle as Record<string, string>).borderWidth = '0px';
-    (borderStyle as Record<string, string>).borderColor = 'transparent';
-  } else if (cardBorderOpacity !== 100) {
-    (borderStyle as Record<string, string>).borderWidth = '1px';
-    (borderStyle as Record<string, string>).borderColor =
-      `color-mix(in oklch, var(--border) ${cardBorderOpacity}%, transparent)`;
-  }
+  const cardStyle = getCardBorderStyle(cardBorderEnabled, cardBorderOpacity);
 
-  const cardElement = (
+  const wrapperClasses = cn(
+    'relative select-none outline-none touch-none',
+    getCursorClass(isOverlay, isDraggable),
+    isOverlay && isLifted && 'scale-105 rotate-1 z-50'
+  );
+
+  const isInteractive = !isDragging && !isOverlay;
+  const hasError = feature.error && !isCurrentAutoTask;
+
+  const innerCardClasses = cn(
+    'kanban-card-content h-full relative shadow-sm',
+    'transition-all duration-200 ease-out',
+    isInteractive && 'hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-md hover:shadow-black/10 bg-transparent',
+    !glassmorphism && 'backdrop-blur-[0px]!',
+    !isCurrentAutoTask &&
+      cardBorderEnabled &&
+      (cardBorderOpacity === 100 ? 'border-border/50' : 'border'),
+    hasError && 'border-[var(--status-error)] border-2 shadow-[var(--status-error-bg)] shadow-lg'
+  );
+
+  const renderCardContent = () => (
     <Card
-      ref={setNodeRef}
-      style={isCurrentAutoTask ? style : borderStyle}
-      className={cn(
-        'cursor-grab active:cursor-grabbing relative kanban-card-content select-none',
-        'transition-all duration-200 ease-out',
-        // Premium shadow system
-        'shadow-sm hover:shadow-md hover:shadow-black/10',
-        // Subtle lift on hover
-        'hover:-translate-y-0.5',
-        !isCurrentAutoTask && cardBorderEnabled && cardBorderOpacity === 100 && 'border-border/50',
-        !isCurrentAutoTask && cardBorderEnabled && cardBorderOpacity !== 100 && 'border',
-        !isDragging && 'bg-transparent',
-        !glassmorphism && 'backdrop-blur-[0px]!',
-        isDragging && 'scale-105 shadow-xl shadow-black/20 rotate-1',
-        // Error state - using CSS variable
-        feature.error &&
-          !isCurrentAutoTask &&
-          'border-[var(--status-error)] border-2 shadow-[var(--status-error-bg)] shadow-lg',
-        !isDraggable && 'cursor-default'
-      )}
-      data-testid={`kanban-card-${feature.id}`}
+      style={isCurrentAutoTask ? undefined : cardStyle}
+      className={innerCardClasses}
       onDoubleClick={onEdit}
-      {...attributes}
-      {...(isDraggable ? listeners : {})}
     >
       {/* Background overlay with opacity */}
-      {!isDragging && (
+      {(!isDragging || isOverlay) && (
         <div
           className={cn(
             'absolute inset-0 rounded-xl bg-card -z-10',
@@ -185,10 +206,20 @@ export const KanbanCard = memo(function KanbanCard({
     </Card>
   );
 
-  // Wrap with animated border when in progress
-  if (isCurrentAutoTask) {
-    return <div className="animated-border-wrapper">{cardElement}</div>;
-  }
-
-  return cardElement;
+  return (
+    <div
+      ref={setNodeRef}
+      style={dndStyle}
+      {...attributes}
+      {...(isDraggable ? listeners : {})}
+      className={wrapperClasses}
+      data-testid={`kanban-card-${feature.id}`}
+    >
+      {isCurrentAutoTask ? (
+        <div className="animated-border-wrapper">{renderCardContent()}</div>
+      ) : (
+        renderCardContent()
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
 });
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/kanban-board.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/kanban-board.tsx
index db3270ea..eecadc61 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/kanban-board.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/kanban-board.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { useMemo } from 'react';
 import { DndContext, DragOverlay } from '@dnd-kit/core';
 import { SortableContext, verticalListSortingStrategy } from '@dnd-kit/sortable';
-import { Card, CardHeader, CardTitle, CardDescription } from '@/components/ui/card';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { HotkeyButton } from '@/components/ui/hotkey-button';
 import { KanbanColumn, KanbanCard } from './components';
@@ -241,19 +240,32 @@ export function KanbanBoard({
           }}
         >
           {activeFeature && (
-            <Card
-              className="rotate-2 shadow-2xl shadow-black/25 border-primary/50 bg-card/95 backdrop-blur-sm transition-transform"
-              style={{ width: `${columnWidth}px` }}
-            >
-              <CardHeader className="p-3">
-                <CardTitle className="text-sm font-medium line-clamp-2">
-                  {activeFeature.description}
-                </CardTitle>
-                <CardDescription className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                  {activeFeature.category}
-                </CardDescription>
-              </CardHeader>
-            </Card>
+            <div style={{ width: `${columnWidth}px` }}>
+              <KanbanCard
+                feature={activeFeature}
+                isOverlay
+                onEdit={() => {}}
+                onDelete={() => {}}
+                onViewOutput={() => {}}
+                onVerify={() => {}}
+                onResume={() => {}}
+                onForceStop={() => {}}
+                onManualVerify={() => {}}
+                onMoveBackToInProgress={() => {}}
+                onFollowUp={() => {}}
+                onImplement={() => {}}
+                onComplete={() => {}}
+                onViewPlan={() => {}}
+                onApprovePlan={() => {}}
+                onSpawnTask={() => {}}
+                hasContext={featuresWithContext.has(activeFeature.id)}
+                isCurrentAutoTask={runningAutoTasks.includes(activeFeature.id)}
+                opacity={backgroundSettings.cardOpacity}
+                glassmorphism={backgroundSettings.cardGlassmorphism}
+                cardBorderEnabled={backgroundSettings.cardBorderEnabled}
+                cardBorderOpacity={backgroundSettings.cardBorderOpacity}
+              />
+            </div>
           )}
         </DragOverlay>
       </DndContext>