diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/ComponentsPage.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/ComponentsPage.tsx
index 0e5536cb..a83a5dd1 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/ComponentsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/ComponentsPage.tsx
@@ -219,6 +219,36 @@ function DialogSample() {
   );
 }
 
+// `plain`: a `Panel`'s own header bar/border is the dialog's
+// only card, not a second one nested inside `Dialog`'s own — pair
+// `plain` with `Panel`'s `onClose` so the close button still exists,
+// just moved into that header instead of floating over the whole thing.
+function PlainDialogSample() {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  return (
+    <>
+      <Button onClick={() => setOpen(true)}>open plain dialog</Button>
+      <Dialog
+        open={open}
+        onClose={() => setOpen(false)}
+        label="sample plain dialog"
+        plain
+      >
+        <Panel
+          title="a form-shaped dialog"
+          icon="🔗"
+          onClose={() => setOpen(false)}
+        >
+          <p>
+            One card, one header bar — the close button lives here instead of
+            floating over a second, purposeless outer one.
+          </p>
+        </Panel>
+      </Dialog>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
 // Own state for the same reason `TextFieldSample` needs it — a
 // controlled sample has to actually respond to interaction.
 function MultiselectFilterSample() {
@@ -458,6 +488,9 @@ export function ComponentsPage() {
         <Sample label="modal, caller-owned content">
           <DialogSample />
         </Sample>
+        <Sample label="plain — content supplies its own card + close">
+          <PlainDialogSample />
+        </Sample>
       </Section>
 
       <Section title="ConfirmDialog">
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/CreateAgentForm.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/CreateAgentForm.tsx
index 768b5513..0f234f70 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/CreateAgentForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/CreateAgentForm.tsx
@@ -72,7 +72,14 @@ type SubmitState =
 // exception report on this page.
 const NAME_PATTERN = "[a-z0-9\\-]{1,63}";
 
-export function CreateAgentForm() {
+export function CreateAgentForm({
+  onClose,
+}: {
+  /** Rendered as the form panel's own close button — this form always
+   * mounts inside a `plain` `Dialog` (see `AgentsPage`), which no longer
+   * floats its own. */
+  onClose?: () => void;
+}) {
   const [name, setName] = useState("");
   const [hive, setHive] = useState("");
   // `null` = still loading, `[]` = loaded but empty (a real, if unusual,
@@ -132,7 +139,7 @@ export function CreateAgentForm() {
   return (
     <div class="create-agent-layout">
       <div class="create-agent-form-col">
-        <Panel title="create agent" icon="🤖">
+        <Panel title="create agent" icon="🤖" onClose={onClose}>
           <p class="create-agent-intro">
             Create a new agent's swarm-level identity. This only queues the job
             — check <Link href="/jobs">jobs</Link> to watch it settle.
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkMatrixAccountForm.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkMatrixAccountForm.tsx
index 081c0b81..de08cdbe 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkMatrixAccountForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkMatrixAccountForm.tsx
@@ -63,9 +63,14 @@ const MODE_OPTIONS = [
 export function LinkMatrixAccountForm({
   hive,
   agent,
+  onClose,
 }: {
   hive: string;
   agent: string;
+  /** Rendered as the panel header's own close button — this form always
+   * mounts inside a `plain` `Dialog` (see `AgentsPage`), which no longer
+   * floats its own. */
+  onClose?: () => void;
 }) {
   const [account, setAccount] = useState("");
   const [mode, setMode] = useState<Mode>("token");
@@ -127,7 +132,11 @@ export function LinkMatrixAccountForm({
   }
 
   return (
-    <Panel title={`link a matrix account — ${agent}`} icon="🔗">
+    <Panel
+      title={`link a matrix account — ${agent}`}
+      icon="🔗"
+      onClose={onClose}
+    >
       <p>
         Writes the credential to the swarm secret store and notifies{" "}
         <strong>{hive}</strong> to deliver it. The agent's own matrix daemon
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx
index 6ed2fb62..4370d6bf 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx
@@ -592,13 +592,15 @@ export function AgentsPage() {
         open={createOpen}
         onClose={() => setCreateOpen(false)}
         label="create agent"
+        plain
       >
-        <CreateAgentForm />
+        <CreateAgentForm onClose={() => setCreateOpen(false)} />
       </Dialog>
       <Dialog
         open={matrixTarget !== null}
         onClose={() => setMatrixTarget(null)}
         label="link a matrix account"
+        plain
       >
         {/* `matrixTarget.hive` is non-null here — the trigger badge above
             is disabled without one, so this can only open with a real
@@ -607,6 +609,7 @@ export function AgentsPage() {
           <LinkMatrixAccountForm
             hive={matrixTarget.hive}
             agent={matrixTarget.name}
+            onClose={() => setMatrixTarget(null)}
           />
         ) : null}
       </Dialog>
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.css b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.css
index 49706dca..2c82b413 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.css
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@
 .ui-dialog::backdrop {
   background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
 }
+/* `plain` (see Dialog.tsx's file-top comment): drop this dialog's own
+   card look entirely — sizing/backdrop/scroll behavior above are the
+   only things left that are actually this component's job once the
+   content supplies its own bordered card (a `Panel`). */
+.ui-dialog-plain {
+  border: none;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  background: none;
+  padding: 0;
+}
 .ui-dialog-close {
   position: absolute;
   top: 0.75em;
@@ -60,3 +70,9 @@
      render directly under the button instead of beside it. */
   padding-right: 3.25em;
 }
+/* `plain` has no floating close button of its own to clear — the
+   content's own `Panel` header carries one instead (see `.ui-panel-close`
+   in Panel.css). */
+.ui-dialog-body-plain {
+  padding-right: 0;
+}
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.tsx
index f699a6d2..bf98cb81 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/dialog/Dialog.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,18 @@
 // from its former life as a standalone route — reusing that unchanged
 // is simpler and lower-risk than re-deriving a modal-specific layout
 // for content mara has already reviewed).
+//
+// `plain` (mara, screenshot of the matrix-account dialog: "the outer
+// card does not serve a purpose. move the close btn into the bar and
+// drop one layer"): content that's already a `Panel` — a bordered
+// card with its own header bar — nested inside this dialog's own
+// bordered card produced two concentric boxes in the same `--bg-elev`,
+// one serving no purpose. `plain` drops this dialog's own card chrome
+// (border/background/padding) and its floating close button, so a
+// `Panel` (with its own `onClose` wired into its header) becomes the
+// dialog's sole visible card instead of a second one nested inside it.
+// Escape and backdrop-click still close it either way — those are the
+// native `<dialog>`'s own behavior, not this button's.
 import { useEffect, useRef } from "preact/hooks";
 import type { ComponentChildren } from "preact";
 import "./Dialog.css";
@@ -19,6 +31,7 @@ export function Dialog({
   onClose,
   label,
   children,
+  plain = false,
 }: {
   open: boolean;
   onClose: () => void;
@@ -26,6 +39,10 @@ export function Dialog({
   // why content owns its own heading.
   label: string;
   children: ComponentChildren;
+  /** Drop this dialog's own card chrome + floating close button — see
+   * file-top comment. Pair with a `Panel` (or similar) that renders its
+   * own header + `onClose` button as the dialog's content. */
+  plain?: boolean;
 }) {
   const ref = useRef<HTMLDialogElement>(null);
 
@@ -57,7 +74,7 @@ export function Dialog({
   return (
     <dialog
       ref={ref}
-      class="ui-dialog"
+      class={plain ? "ui-dialog ui-dialog-plain" : "ui-dialog"}
       aria-label={label}
       // A click lands on the `<dialog>` element itself (not any child)
       // exactly when it's outside the rendered content box — inside
@@ -67,15 +84,21 @@ export function Dialog({
         if (e.target === ref.current) onClose();
       }}
     >
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        class="ui-dialog-close"
-        aria-label="close"
-        onClick={onClose}
+      {plain ? null : (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          class="ui-dialog-close"
+          aria-label="close"
+          onClick={onClose}
+        >
+          ✕
+        </button>
+      )}
+      <div
+        class={plain ? "ui-dialog-body ui-dialog-body-plain" : "ui-dialog-body"}
       >
-        ✕
-      </button>
-      <div class="ui-dialog-body">{children}</div>
+        {children}
+      </div>
     </dialog>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.css b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.css
index 6b4b9f10..ebd739be 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.css
@@ -20,14 +20,43 @@
   line-height: 1;
 }
 /* `margin-left: auto` (not `justify-content: space-between` on the
-   header) so actions still land at the right edge even on the rare
-   panel that has actions but no title. */
-.ui-panel-actions {
+   header) so this cluster still lands at the right edge even on the
+   rare panel that has actions/onClose but no title. `actions` and the
+   close button (`onClose`) share this one wrapper rather than each
+   getting their own `margin-left: auto` slot — see Panel.tsx's file-top
+   comment. */
+.ui-panel-end {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.5em;
   margin-left: auto;
 }
+.ui-panel-actions {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5em;
+}
+/* Same interactive treatment as `Dialog`'s own `.ui-dialog-close`
+   (border/background on hover), scaled down to fit a header row instead
+   of floating absolutely over the whole card. */
+.ui-panel-close {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: 1.8em;
+  height: 1.8em;
+  border: 1px solid transparent;
+  border-radius: 0.4em;
+  background: none;
+  color: var(--fg);
+  font-size: 1em;
+  line-height: 1;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.ui-panel-close:hover {
+  border-color: var(--border);
+  background: var(--bg);
+}
 .ui-panel-body {
   padding: 1em;
 }
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.tsx
index 56afdd7b..b1aa05fd 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/ui/panel/Panel.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 // content either). `HivesPage`'s refresh-interval picker is the
 // motivating caller.
 //
+// `onClose`: end-of-header close (✕) for `Dialog`'s `plain` mode.
+//
 // `icon` is a small header glyph, left of the title — the swarm-ui
 // design guide's own whimsy reference (before this, the guide only
 // pointed at the dashboard's matrix-rain background). Grew out of
@@ -33,12 +35,16 @@ export function Panel({
   title,
   icon,
   actions,
+  onClose,
   children,
   class: extraClass,
 }: {
   title?: string;
   icon?: string;
   actions?: ComponentChildren;
+  /** Renders a close (✕) button at the end of the header — see file-top
+   * comment. Omit for a panel that isn't a dialog's own content. */
+  onClose?: () => void;
   children: ComponentChildren;
   /** Extra class on the outer `<section>` — e.g. flex-sizing a panel
    * that's one of several sharing a row (`AgentsPage`'s list/detail
@@ -47,7 +53,7 @@ export function Panel({
 }) {
   return (
     <section class={extraClass ? `ui-panel ${extraClass}` : "ui-panel"}>
-      {title || icon || actions ? (
+      {title || icon || actions || onClose ? (
         <div class="ui-panel-header">
           {icon ? (
             <span class="ui-panel-icon" aria-hidden="true">
@@ -55,7 +61,21 @@ export function Panel({
             </span>
           ) : null}
           {title ? <h2 class="ui-panel-title">{title}</h2> : null}
-          {actions ? <div class="ui-panel-actions">{actions}</div> : null}
+          {actions || onClose ? (
+            <div class="ui-panel-end">
+              {actions ? <div class="ui-panel-actions">{actions}</div> : null}
+              {onClose ? (
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  class="ui-panel-close"
+                  aria-label="close"
+                  onClick={onClose}
+                >
+                  ✕
+                </button>
+              ) : null}
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
         </div>
       ) : null}
       <div class="ui-panel-body">{children}</div>