diff --git a/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/rsvp-overlay-context.test.tsx b/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/rsvp-overlay-context.test.tsx
index e4eac9ae..b745d781 100644
--- a/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/rsvp-overlay-context.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/rsvp-overlay-context.test.tsx
@@ -480,6 +480,35 @@ describe('RSVPOverlay — dictionary lookup (#4475)', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('RSVPOverlay — audio toggle layout (#3235 mobile follow-up)', () => {
+  afterEach(() => cleanup());
+
+  const wordsState = () =>
+    buildState({ words: [{ text: 'a', orpIndex: 0, pauseMultiplier: 1 }], currentIndex: 0 });
+
+  test('the audio toggle and settings flank the transport in flow, not an overlapping absolute cluster', () => {
+    const { container } = renderOverlay(wordsState());
+    const audioBtn = container.querySelector('[aria-label="Play audio"]') as HTMLElement;
+    const settingsBtn = container.querySelector('[aria-label="Settings"]') as HTMLElement;
+    const playBtn = container.querySelector('[aria-label="Play"]') as HTMLElement;
+    expect(audioBtn).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(settingsBtn).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(playBtn).not.toBeNull();
+
+    // The audio toggle and settings gear must be siblings of the play button in
+    // the same flex row so the cluster never overlaps the centered transport on
+    // a narrow (mobile) viewport.
+    expect(audioBtn.parentElement).toBe(playBtn.parentElement);
+    expect(settingsBtn.parentElement).toBe(playBtn.parentElement);
+
+    // No control may live inside an absolutely-positioned wrapper (the prior
+    // `absolute end-0` cluster that overlapped the transport on mobile).
+    expect(audioBtn.closest('.absolute')).toBeNull();
+    expect(settingsBtn.closest('.absolute')).toBeNull();
+    expect((playBtn.parentElement as HTMLElement).className).not.toContain('absolute');
+  });
+});
+
 describe('RSVPOverlay — start delay setting (#4478)', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
     cleanup();
diff --git a/apps/readest-app/src/app/reader/components/rsvp/RSVPOverlay.tsx b/apps/readest-app/src/app/reader/components/rsvp/RSVPOverlay.tsx
index 328276ed..91b6ffc0 100644
--- a/apps/readest-app/src/app/reader/components/rsvp/RSVPOverlay.tsx
+++ b/apps/readest-app/src/app/reader/components/rsvp/RSVPOverlay.tsx
@@ -1070,11 +1070,41 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
           </div>
         </div>
 
-        {/* Playback controls */}
-        <div className='relative flex items-center justify-center gap-1 md:gap-2'>
+        {/* Playback controls — a single full-width flex row on mobile so the
+            audio toggle (far left) and settings gear (far right) flank the
+            centered transport in normal flow instead of overlapping it from an
+            absolute corner; a centered cluster on md+ where there is room. */}
+        <div className='flex items-center justify-between md:justify-center md:gap-2'>
+          {/* Audio (TTS) read-along toggle — starts TTS from the displayed word,
+              or stops it when engaged (decision 5, #3235). Far-left peer of the
+              transport so the centered play button stays centered and nothing
+              overlaps on mobile. Active state uses a filled glyph + eink-bordered
+              surface so it reads in e-ink without relying on color. */}
+          <button
+            aria-label={ttsActive ? _('Pause audio') : _('Play audio')}
+            className={clsx(
+              'touch-target flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none transition-colors active:scale-95 md:h-9 md:w-9',
+              ttsActive
+                ? 'eink-bordered bg-[color-mix(in_srgb,var(--rsvp-accent)_18%,transparent)]'
+                : 'bg-transparent hover:bg-gray-500/20',
+            )}
+            onClick={() => onToggleTtsAudio?.()}
+            title={ttsActive ? _('Pause audio') : _('Play audio')}
+          >
+            {ttsActive ? (
+              <IoVolumeHigh
+                className='h-4 w-4 md:h-5 md:w-5'
+                style={{ color: accentColor }}
+                aria-hidden='true'
+              />
+            ) : (
+              <IoVolumeMediumOutline className='h-4 w-4 md:h-5 md:w-5' aria-hidden='true' />
+            )}
+          </button>
+
           <button
             aria-label={_('Skip back 15 words')}
-            className='flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-0.5 rounded-full border-none bg-transparent px-2 py-1.5 transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95'
+            className='flex shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center gap-0.5 rounded-full border-none bg-transparent px-1.5 py-1.5 transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:px-2'
             onClick={() => controller.skipBackward(15)}
             title={_('Back 15 words (Shift+Left)')}
           >
@@ -1084,7 +1114,7 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
 
           <button
             aria-label={_('Decrease speed')}
-            className='flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95'
+            className='flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:h-9 md:w-9'
             onClick={() => controller.decreaseSpeed()}
             title={_('Slower (Left/Down)')}
           >
@@ -1093,7 +1123,7 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
 
           <button
             aria-label={_('Previous word')}
-            className='flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95'
+            className='flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:h-9 md:w-9'
             onClick={() => controller.prevWord()}
             title={_('Previous word (,)')}
           >
@@ -1103,7 +1133,7 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
           <button
             aria-label={transportPlaying ? _('Pause') : _('Play')}
             className={clsx(
-              'flex h-14 w-14 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-gray-500/15 transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/25 active:scale-95 md:h-16 md:w-16',
+              'flex h-14 w-14 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-gray-500/15 transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/25 active:scale-95 md:h-16 md:w-16',
               transportPlaying ? '' : 'ps-1',
             )}
             onClick={() => transportToggleRef.current()}
@@ -1118,7 +1148,7 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
 
           <button
             aria-label={_('Next word')}
-            className='flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95'
+            className='flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:h-9 md:w-9'
             onClick={() => controller.nextWord()}
             title={_('Next word (.)')}
           >
@@ -1127,7 +1157,7 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
 
           <button
             aria-label={_('Increase speed')}
-            className='flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95'
+            className='flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:h-9 md:w-9'
             onClick={() => controller.increaseSpeed()}
             title={_('Faster (Right/Up)')}
           >
@@ -1136,7 +1166,7 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
 
           <button
             aria-label={_('Skip forward 15 words')}
-            className='flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-0.5 rounded-full border-none bg-transparent px-2 py-1.5 transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95'
+            className='flex shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center gap-0.5 rounded-full border-none bg-transparent px-1.5 py-1.5 transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:px-2'
             onClick={() => controller.skipForward(15)}
             title={_('Forward 15 words (Shift+Right)')}
           >
@@ -1144,48 +1174,20 @@ const RSVPOverlay: React.FC<RSVPOverlayProps> = ({
             <span className='text-xs font-semibold opacity-80'>15</span>
           </button>
 
-          {/* Trailing cluster: audio (TTS) toggle + divider + settings gear.
-              The audio toggle starts TTS from the displayed word (or stops it
-              when engaged) — never a second play triangle (decision 5). Active
-              state uses a filled glyph + eink-bordered surface so it reads in
-              e-ink without relying on color. */}
-          <div className='absolute end-0 flex items-center gap-1'>
-            <button
-              aria-label={ttsActive ? _('Pause audio') : _('Play audio')}
-              className={clsx(
-                'touch-target flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none transition-colors active:scale-95',
-                ttsActive
-                  ? 'eink-bordered bg-[color-mix(in_srgb,var(--rsvp-accent)_18%,transparent)]'
-                  : 'bg-transparent hover:bg-gray-500/20',
-              )}
-              onClick={() => onToggleTtsAudio?.()}
-              title={ttsActive ? _('Pause audio') : _('Play audio')}
-            >
-              {ttsActive ? (
-                <IoVolumeHigh
-                  className='h-4 w-4 md:h-5 md:w-5'
-                  style={{ color: accentColor }}
-                  aria-hidden='true'
-                />
-              ) : (
-                <IoVolumeMediumOutline className='h-4 w-4 md:h-5 md:w-5' aria-hidden='true' />
-              )}
-            </button>
-
-            <span className='h-5 w-px bg-gray-500/30' aria-hidden='true' />
-
-            <button
-              aria-label={_('Settings')}
-              className={clsx(
-                'flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95',
-                showSettings && 'bg-gray-500/15',
-              )}
-              onClick={() => setShowSettings((prev) => !prev)}
-              title={_('Settings')}
-            >
-              <IoSettingsSharp className='h-4 w-4 md:h-5 md:w-5' />
-            </button>
-          </div>
+          {/* Settings — far-right peer mirroring the audio toggle on the left,
+              so both flank the centered transport in normal flow (decision 5,
+              #3235) without an absolute cluster overlapping it on mobile. */}
+          <button
+            aria-label={_('Settings')}
+            className={clsx(
+              'flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent transition-colors hover:bg-gray-500/20 active:scale-95 md:h-9 md:w-9',
+              showSettings && 'bg-gray-500/15',
+            )}
+            onClick={() => setShowSettings((prev) => !prev)}
+            title={_('Settings')}
+          >
+            <IoSettingsSharp className='h-4 w-4 md:h-5 md:w-5' />
+          </button>
         </div>
 
         {/* Settings row (collapsible) */}