diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/components/checkbox/checkbox.css b/src/uix/eidos/components/checkbox/checkbox.css
index 1d28f25e6..3441dfd56 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/components/checkbox/checkbox.css
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/components/checkbox/checkbox.css
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@
 	padding: 0;
 	border: var(--checkbox-border-width) solid var(--checkbox-border-off);
 	border-radius: var(--checkbox-radius);
-	background: var(--checkbox-bg-off);
+	/* LONGHAND on purpose: `background:` would reset `background-image`, and
+	 * this rule (0,1,0) outweighs the `:where()` (0,0,0) of `archetypes.css`,
+	 * so the state-layer veil would never paint — not on hover, not ever. */
+	background-color: var(--checkbox-bg-off);
 	box-shadow: none;
 	cursor: pointer;
 	outline: none;
@@ -67,8 +70,14 @@
 
 /* ── Hover / focus ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
+/* The neutral hover veil is the system's (§38): the root carries
+ * `archetype: 'trigger'`, so `archetypes.css` already paints
+ * `background-image: linear-gradient(var(--state-hover), var(--state-hover))`.
+ * This rule used to declare `background:` — the SHORTHAND, which resets
+ * `background-image` and so cancelled that veil, replacing it with a
+ * hand-rolled `color-mix` of the surface. Measured: the root computed
+ * `background-image: none` while hovered. */
 [data-checkbox]:hover:not([data-disabled]):not([data-readonly]) {
-	background: var(--checkbox-bg-off-hover);
 	border-color: var(--checkbox-hover-border-off);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/generated/base.css b/src/uix/eidos/generated/base.css
index f852c5625..9d602c938 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/generated/base.css
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/generated/base.css
@@ -1073,7 +1073,6 @@
 	--checkbox-stroke-duration: var(--duration-fast);
 	--checkbox-stroke-ease: cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
 	--checkbox-bg-off: var(--color-surface-default);
-	--checkbox-bg-off-hover: color-mix( in srgb, var(--color-surface-default) 82%, var(--color-surface-overlay) );
 	--checkbox-border-off: var(--color-border-default);
 	--checkbox-hover-border-off: var(--color-border-strong);
 	--checkbox-disabled-bg: color-mix( in srgb, var(--color-surface-overlay) 78%, var(--color-surface-default) );
diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/lib/recipes/base.ts b/src/uix/eidos/lib/recipes/base.ts
index 50e721b6a..9d5ad4ddb 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/lib/recipes/base.ts
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/lib/recipes/base.ts
@@ -995,8 +995,6 @@ export const THEME_BASE_RECIPE_TOKENS = defineRecipes({
 		'stroke-duration': 'var(--duration-fast)',
 		'stroke-ease': 'cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1)',
 		'bg-off': 'var(--color-surface-default)',
-		'bg-off-hover':
-			'color-mix( in srgb, var(--color-surface-default) 82%, var(--color-surface-overlay) )',
 		'border-off': 'var(--color-border-default)',
 		'hover-border-off': 'var(--color-border-strong)',
 		'disabled-bg':