diff --git a/FuelBoard/FuelBoardApp.swift b/FuelBoard/FuelBoardApp.swift
index 4513dd7..bd508f7 100644
--- a/FuelBoard/FuelBoardApp.swift
+++ b/FuelBoard/FuelBoardApp.swift
@@ -1,7 +1,22 @@
+import ActivityKit
 import SwiftUI
 
 @main
 struct FuelBoardApp: App {
+    init() {
+        #if DEBUG
+        // QA hook (Debug builds only): `-qaLiveActivity e10|e5|diesel` starts a
+        // Live Activity with a long station name so the Lock Screen / island
+        // layout can be rendered in the Simulator for visual QA.
+        let args = ProcessInfo.processInfo.arguments
+        if let idx = args.firstIndex(of: "-qaLiveActivity"),
+           args.indices.contains(idx + 1),
+           let fuel = FuelType(rawValue: args[idx + 1]) {
+            startQALiveActivity(fuel: fuel)
+        }
+        #endif
+    }
+
     var body: some Scene {
         WindowGroup {
             ContentView()
@@ -9,6 +24,34 @@ struct FuelBoardApp: App {
         }
     }
 
+    #if DEBUG
+    private func startQALiveActivity(fuel: FuelType) {
+        let state = FuelBoardLiveActivityAttributes.ContentState(
+            fuel: fuel,
+            stationID: "qa-phoenix",
+            stationName: "Phoenix Filling Stations",
+            brand: "Phoenix",
+            pricePence: 1499,
+            priceDisplayStyle: FuelStore.loadPriceDisplayStyle(),
+            distanceKM: 8.0,
+            lat: 51.5,
+            lng: -0.12,
+            updatedAt: Date()
+        )
+        let attrs = FuelBoardLiveActivityAttributes()
+        do {
+            let activity = try Activity.request(
+                attributes: attrs,
+                content: .init(state: state, staleDate: nil),
+                pushType: nil
+            )
+            print("QA-LIVE-ACTIVITY STARTED id=\(activity.id)")
+        } catch {
+            print("QA-LIVE-ACTIVITY FAILED: \(error)")
+        }
+    }
+    #endif
+
     /// Handles deep links that end up in the app. Widget taps arrive here in
     /// two cases:
     ///   - legacy/cached widget timelines using the `fuelboard://` relay, or
diff --git a/FuelBoardWidgets/FuelBoardLiveActivityView.swift b/FuelBoardWidgets/FuelBoardLiveActivityView.swift
index 5fb58f6..d667180 100644
--- a/FuelBoardWidgets/FuelBoardLiveActivityView.swift
+++ b/FuelBoardWidgets/FuelBoardLiveActivityView.swift
@@ -73,12 +73,13 @@ private struct FuelBoardLiveActivityView: View {
     /// "ideal" width past the iPhone Lock Screen and collapses the full card).
     private let compactWidthThreshold: CGFloat = 280
 
-    /// Slightly darkened fuel tint for the pump circle so the white pump
-    /// symbol keeps contrast against the bright Lock Screen / card background
-    /// (the raw palette colours like yellow #FFD60A are too light to sit under
-    /// a white glyph).
-    private var pumpCircleColor: Color {
-        context.state.fuel.tintColor.mix(with: .black, by: 0.18)
+    /// The badge circle behind the pump. The user calls this "the white
+    /// circle" and wants it slightly darkened for contrast against the bright
+    /// fuel pump. Built as an explicit grey disc (the light-grey "white circle
+    /// darker") — NOT part of the SF Symbol glyph, so it can never swallow the
+    /// darkened colour the way `fuelpump.circle.fill` did.
+    private var badgeCircleColor: Color {
+        Color(white: 0.86)
     }
 
     var body: some View {
@@ -107,11 +108,20 @@ private struct FuelBoardLiveActivityView: View {
     /// Full three-column design (unchanged): brand glyph · fuel+station · price.
     private var richBody: some View {
         HStack(spacing: 12) {
-            // LEFT — station brand glyph
-            Image(systemName: "fuelpump.circle.fill")
-                .font(.system(size: 32))
-                .foregroundStyle(pumpCircleColor, .white)
-                .frame(width: 40, height: 40)
+            // LEFT — station brand badge: an explicit darkened circle with a
+            // bright fuel-tinted pump. Built from two shapes so the circle
+            // colour and pump colour are unambiguous (the myth that
+            // fuelpump.circle.fill's first style is the circle is what put the
+            // darkened colour on the pump).
+            ZStack {
+                Circle()
+                    .fill(badgeCircleColor)
+                    .frame(width: 40, height: 40)
+                Image(systemName: "fuelpump.fill")
+                    .font(.system(size: 19, weight: .semibold))
+                    .foregroundStyle(context.state.fuel.tintColor)
+            }
+            .frame(width: 40, height: 40)
 
             // MIDDLE — fuel + station
             VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {