diff --git a/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py b/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py
index 81adc15..212029a 100644
--- a/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py
+++ b/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py
@@ -714,6 +714,22 @@ class PositionTooltipRenderTest(TestCase):
         self.assertNotIn(self.gamers[1].email, content)  # g2@test.io
         self.assertNotIn(self.viewer.email, content)     # disco@test.io
 
+    def test_gate_view_circles_never_fade_when_roles_assigned(self):
+        # The gatekeeper's GATE VIEW is the canonical "who holds which
+        # position" surface: it must ALWAYS show all six circles, even after
+        # gamers get seated and the main table-hex has faded their circles away
+        # one-by-one (the role-assigned animation). So when every role is
+        # assigned — the moment SCAN SIGS appears on the hex — the gate view
+        # keeps all six circles solid, with NO role-assigned (fade-out) class.
+        roles = ["PC", "NC", "EC", "SC", "AC", "BC"]
+        for i, gamer in enumerate(self.gamers, start=1):
+            TableSeat.objects.create(
+                room=self.room, gamer=gamer, slot_number=i, role=roles[i - 1],
+            )
+        content = self._gate_content()
+        self.assertEqual(content.count('class="gate-slot'), 6)
+        self.assertNotIn("role-assigned", content)
+
 
 class PositionTooltipCarteRenderTest(TestCase):
     """CARTE-solo render contract: a single gamer owns all six slots — their
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_table_positions.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_table_positions.html
index 989bd2c..7395d52 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_table_positions.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_table_positions.html
@@ -6,9 +6,13 @@
 {# appended AFTER `role-assigned` so the `gate-slot filled role-assigned`     #}
 {# substring (RoleSelectRenderingTest) stays intact, and `class` stays first  #}
 {# (before data-slot) for the class-attr regex IT.                            #}
+{# `persist_circles` (passed True by room_gate.html) suppresses the           #}
+{# role-assigned fade-out so the GATE VIEW always keeps all six circles —     #}
+{# the disappear-as-seated animation is a table-hex-only cue. Undefined       #}
+{# (→ falsy) on the room.html include, which keeps the animation.             #}
 <div class="position-strip">
     {% for pos in gate_positions %}
-        <div class="gate-slot{% if pos.slot.status == 'EMPTY' %} empty{% elif pos.slot.status == 'FILLED' %} filled{% elif pos.slot.status == 'RESERVED' %} reserved{% endif %}{% if pos.role_assigned %} role-assigned{% endif %}{% if pos.state_class %} {{ pos.state_class }}{% endif %}"
+        <div class="gate-slot{% if pos.slot.status == 'EMPTY' %} empty{% elif pos.slot.status == 'FILLED' %} filled{% elif pos.slot.status == 'RESERVED' %} reserved{% endif %}{% if pos.role_assigned and not persist_circles %} role-assigned{% endif %}{% if pos.state_class %} {{ pos.state_class }}{% endif %}"
              data-slot="{{ pos.slot.slot_number }}"{% if pos.slot.gamer %} data-user-id="{{ pos.slot.gamer.id }}" data-tt-title="{{ pos.slot.gamer|at_handle }}" data-tt-description="the {{ pos.slot.gamer.active_title_display }}" data-tt-shoptalk="{{ pos.shoptalk }}" data-tt-tokens="{{ pos.tokens }}" data-tt-token-types="{{ pos.token_types|join:'|' }}"{% if pos.expiry %} data-tt-expiry="expires {{ pos.expiry|relative_ts }}"{% endif %}{% if pos.sign_rank %} data-tt-sign-rank="{{ pos.sign_rank }}" data-tt-sign-suit="{{ pos.sign_suit_icon }}"{% endif %}{% endif %}>
             <span class="slot-number">{{ pos.slot.slot_number }}</span>
             <span class="slot-gamer">{% if pos.slot.gamer %}{{ pos.slot.gamer|at_handle }}{% else %}empty{% endif %}</span>
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room_gate.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room_gate.html
index 7640a6b..f74ec58 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room_gate.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room_gate.html
@@ -83,7 +83,11 @@
     {# Position circles + their hover tooltips — the gate-view rendered no   #}
     {# circles before this sprint (the headline gap). Reuses the shared      #}
     {# _table_positions partial fed by the merged _gate_context.             #}
-    {% include "apps/gameboard/_partials/_table_positions.html" %}
+    {# persist_circles=True keeps ALL six circles solid here: the gatekeeper #}
+    {# is the canonical "who holds which position" surface, so it must never #}
+    {# fade a circle away as roles get assigned (the role-assigned animation #}
+    {# is the TABLE-HEX cue only). They stay up to + including SCAN SIGS.    #}
+    {% include "apps/gameboard/_partials/_table_positions.html" with persist_circles=True %}
     {% include "apps/gameboard/_partials/_position_tooltip.html" %}
 
     {# NVM nav-backs one step to the table hex (not out to /gameboard/). #}