--- a/plugins/cube/cube.cpp
+++ b/plugins/cube/cube.cpp
@@ -512,12 +512,6 @@
         }
     }
 
-    int selected_overview_row()
-    {
-        return std::clamp(int(std::floor(float(overview_row) + 0.5f)), 0,
-            output->wset()->get_workspace_grid_size().height - 1);
-    }
-
     void end_mouse_overview()
     {
         if (mouse_overview_active)
@@ -1042,7 +1036,7 @@
             int dvx = calculate_viewport_dx_from_rotation();
             auto cws = output->wset()->get_current_workspace();
             int nvx = (cws.x + (dvx % size) + size) % size;
-            int nvy = mouse_overview_active ? selected_overview_row() : cws.y;
+            int nvy = cws.y;
             output->wset()->set_workspace({nvx, nvy});
         }
 
@@ -1199,7 +1193,7 @@
         int dvx  = calculate_viewport_dx_from_rotation();
         auto cws = output->wset()->get_current_workspace();
         int nvx  = (cws.x + (dvx % size) + size) % size;
-        int nvy = mouse_overview_active ? selected_overview_row() : cws.y;
+        int nvy = cws.y;
         output->wset()->set_workspace({nvx, nvy});
         wf::get_core().seat->focus_output(output);
 
@@ -1297,13 +1291,16 @@
             float fit = 0.8f / std::max(1.0f, extent);
             float scale = 1 + float(overview_mix) * (fit - 1);
             auto frame = glm::scale(glm::mat4(1.0), glm::vec3(scale, scale, 1));
-            return output_transform(dest) * frame * row_translation * animation.projection * animation.view * scale_matrix;
+            // Overview rows share one camera and horizontal axis. Their
+            // spacing belongs to the model, before perspective projection,
+            // so adjoining faces meet along the same edge while rotating.
+            return output_transform(dest) * frame * animation.projection * animation.view * scale_matrix;
         }
         return output_transform(dest) * row_translation * animation.projection * animation.view * scale_matrix;
     }
 
     /* Calculate the base model matrix for the i-th side of the cube */
-    glm::mat4 calculate_model_matrix(int i)
+    glm::mat4 calculate_model_matrix(int i, float row_offset = 0.0f)
     {
         const float angle =
             i * animation.side_angle + animation.cube_animation.rotation;
@@ -1320,7 +1317,7 @@
         }
 
         auto translation = glm::translate(glm::mat4(1.0),
-            glm::vec3(0, 0, identity_z_offset + additional_z));
+            glm::vec3(0, row_offset, identity_z_offset + additional_z));
 
         return rotation * translation;
     }
@@ -1337,8 +1334,8 @@
         const int rows = (vertical_transition || mouse_overview_active) ? (int)buffers.size() / faces : 1;
         for (int row = 0; row < rows; row++)
         {
-            // Move every face of a row together without changing its yaw,
-            // orientation, or perspective, including through the final frame.
+            // Mouse overview stacks faces in the shared model space.
+            // Keyboard row slides retain their projected viewport offsets.
             const float offset = mouse_overview_active ? row - float(overview_row) :
                 vertical_transition ? row - cws.y + float(row_translation) : 0.0f;
             program.uniformMatrix4f("VP", calculate_vp_matrix(target, offset));
@@ -1346,7 +1343,8 @@
             {
                 int index = row * faces + (cws.x + i) % faces;
                 GL_CALL(glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, wf::gles_texture_t::from_aux(buffers[index]).tex_id));
-                program.uniformMatrix4f("model", calculate_model_matrix(i));
+                program.uniformMatrix4f("model", calculate_model_matrix(i,
+                    mouse_overview_active ? offset : 0.0f));
 
                 if (tessellation_support)
                 {
@@ -1491,13 +1489,18 @@
         double xdiff = ev->delta_x;
         double ydiff = ev->delta_y * -1.0;
 
+        // The overview stays level and on its current workspace row. Pure
+        // vertical motion must not restart animations or wake a settled cube.
+        if (mouse_overview_active && (xdiff == 0))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
         animation.cube_animation.zoom.restart_with_end(
             animation.cube_animation.zoom.end);
 
         if (mouse_overview_active)
         {
-            float last = output->wset()->get_workspace_grid_size().height - 1;
-            overview_row.restart_with_end(std::clamp(float(overview_row.end + ydiff * YVelocity), 0.0f, last));
             overview_mix.restart_with_end(1);
             animation.cube_animation.offset_y.set(0, 0);
         } else
--- a/metadata/cube.xml
+++ b/metadata/cube.xml
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 			<_short>Mouse overview</_short>
 			<option name="mouse_overview" type="bool">
 				<_short>Show all workspace rows</_short>
-				<_long>Zoom out to show all workspace rows when rotating with the mouse. Drag horizontally to rotate and vertically to slide between upright rows. Release to enter the selected workspace. Vertical movement stops at the top and bottom. Disable to show and tilt only the current row.</_long>
+				<_long>Zoom out to show all workspace rows as one rigid stack. Drag horizontally to rotate the whole stack together. Vertical mouse movement is ignored. Release to enter the selected column on the current row. Disable to show and tilt only the current row.</_long>
 				<default>false</default>
 			</option>
 		</group>