diff --git a/static/js/cookbookServe.js b/static/js/cookbookServe.js
index 981e70f4c..dcb7cc854 100644
--- a/static/js/cookbookServe.js
+++ b/static/js/cookbookServe.js
@@ -1233,11 +1233,13 @@ function _rerenderCachedModels() {
       if (_replaceTaskId) {
         panelHtml += `<input type="hidden" class="hwfit-sf" data-field="_replaceTaskId" value="${esc(_replaceTaskId)}" />`;
       }
-      // Runtime-readiness note pinned at the top of the serve area so the
-      // user sees "vLLM ready on …" before scrolling into the configure
-      // form. Hidden until the readiness probe returns. The × button
-      // dismisses it for this panel only (re-shows on re-expand).
-      panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-runtime-note" style="display:none;font-size:11px;line-height:1.35;color:var(--fg-muted);margin:0 0 8px;padding:6px 28px 6px 10px;border-radius:5px;background:color-mix(in srgb, var(--fg) 4%, transparent);border:1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--border) 60%, transparent);position:relative;"><span class="hwfit-serve-runtime-text"></span><button type="button" class="hwfit-serve-runtime-close" title="Dismiss" aria-label="Dismiss" style="position:absolute;top:-8px;right:5px;background:none;border:0;color:inherit;cursor:pointer;padding:2px 4px;line-height:1;font-size:13px;opacity:0.6;"><svg width="11" height="11" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" aria-hidden="true"><line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"/><line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"/></svg></button></div>`;
+      // Runtime-readiness note shares the top line with the preset controls
+      // so "vLLM ready on …" reads as panel status instead of a separate
+      // block pushing the form down. Hidden until the readiness probe returns.
+      panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-topline">`;
+      panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-runtime-note" style="display:none;font-size:11px;line-height:1.35;color:var(--fg-muted);margin:0;padding:6px 28px 6px 10px;border-radius:5px;background:color-mix(in srgb, var(--fg) 4%, transparent);border:1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--border) 60%, transparent);position:relative;"><span class="hwfit-serve-runtime-text"></span><button type="button" class="hwfit-serve-runtime-close" title="Dismiss" aria-label="Dismiss" style="position:absolute;top:-8px;right:5px;background:none;border:0;color:inherit;cursor:pointer;padding:2px 4px;line-height:1;font-size:13px;opacity:0.6;"><svg width="11" height="11" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" aria-hidden="true"><line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"/><line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"/></svg></button></div>`;
+      panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-preset-row">${_slotsHtml}</div>`;
+      panelHtml += `</div>`;
       // Warn when serving a model whose download hasn't fully completed —
       // the user CAN still hit Launch (vLLM/llama-server will start, then
       // crash trying to read missing shards), but they should know.
@@ -1247,7 +1249,6 @@ function _rerenderCachedModels() {
           : `This model's download isn't complete yet (${esc(m.size || 'partial')}). The serve will start but is likely to crash on a missing shard. Wait for the download to finish, or relaunch after it's done.`;
         panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-warn" style="margin:0 0 8px;padding:6px 10px;border-radius:5px;font-size:11px;background:color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-warning, #f0ad4e) 14%, transparent);border:1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-warning, #f0ad4e) 40%, transparent);color:var(--color-warning, #f0ad4e);display:flex;gap:6px;align-items:flex-start;line-height:1.4;"><span aria-hidden="true">⚠</span><span>${_warnText}</span></div>`;
       }
-      panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-preset-row">${_slotsHtml}</div>`;
       // Row 1: Engine + Server + Env
       panelHtml += `<div class="hwfit-serve-row">`;
       const backendOpts = _backendChoices.map(([v,l]) => `<option value="${v}"${defaultBackend===v?' selected':''}>${l}</option>`).join('');
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index f433016fd..eb5ab47fb 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -20066,10 +20066,28 @@ body.gallery-selecting .gallery-dl-btn,
   position: relative;
   left: -33px;
 }
+.hwfit-serve-topline {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: flex-start;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 8px;
+  margin: 0 0 6px;
+}
+.hwfit-serve-topline .hwfit-serve-runtime-note {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+  min-width: 0;
+}
+.hwfit-serve-topline .hwfit-serve-runtime-text {
+  display: block;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
 .hwfit-serve-preset-row {
   display: flex;
   justify-content: flex-end;
-  margin: 0 0 6px;
+  margin: 0;
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
 }
 /* Expanded serve panel — make sure it can be scrolled past when it
    grows taller than the visible viewport. Caps panel height to viewport
@@ -20086,7 +20104,16 @@ body.gallery-selecting .gallery-dl-btn,
   }
   .hwfit-serve-preset-row {
     justify-content: flex-end;
-    margin: -2px 0 6px;
+    margin: -2px 0 0;
+  }
+  .hwfit-serve-topline {
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
+  }
+  .hwfit-serve-topline .hwfit-serve-runtime-note {
+    flex-basis: 100%;
+  }
+  .hwfit-serve-topline .hwfit-serve-runtime-text {
+    white-space: normal;
   }
 }
 .hwfit-serve-row label {