diff --git a/CHANGELOG/pages/proto-home-v5.md b/CHANGELOG/pages/proto-home-v5.md
index 50b9edb2d..f12100250 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG/pages/proto-home-v5.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG/pages/proto-home-v5.md
@@ -2,6 +2,19 @@
 
 Append-only lane for the ScratchNode live-event prototype and production static surface.
 
+## 2026-06-02 — Fix counter count-up flashing "more live than total"
+Live-DOM Tier-B check on production caught the live counter momentarily rendering
+`6 live · 4 total` during first load — impossible in steady state (live rooms are a
+subset of total). Root cause: the **total** animated up from 0 over 750ms while
+**liveNow** was set instantly, so mid-count-up the animating total was briefly less
+than the instant live count — reading as a broken/fake number on the one stat that has
+to be trustworthy. Fix: `animatePair()` eases both numbers from the same prior values
+with identical easing, so total ≥ live at every frame (`Math.round` is monotonic, and
+`roomsCreated ≥ liveNow` always). Guarded by a new e2e case that samples both numbers
+14× across the animation and asserts `live ≤ total` at every frame. 14/14 suite green.
+
+**Commit**: `this commit`. **Author**: Homen Shum + Claude.
+
 ## 2026-06-02 — Rewrite the landing headline for a viral hook
 Replaced the feature-describing hero line "A disposable sidecar room for live event
 memory" (jargon: "disposable", "sidecar"; no emotional/temporal hook — nobody screenshots
diff --git a/public/proto/home-v5.html b/public/proto/home-v5.html
index 479fe5ceb..466bde79c 100644
--- a/public/proto/home-v5.html
+++ b/public/proto/home-v5.html
@@ -2189,21 +2189,36 @@
     if (!wrap || !numEl || !liveEl) return;
     var reduce = !!(window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches);
     var shownRooms = 0;
+    var shownLive = 0;
     var raf = null;
 
-    function animateTo(target) {
+    // Animate rooms AND liveNow together with identical easing. Live rooms are
+    // always a subset of total rooms (liveNow <= roomsCreated), but if only the
+    // rooms count animated up from 0 while liveNow was set instantly, the first
+    // ~750ms could show "6 live · 4 total" — which reads as a broken/fake number
+    // on the one stat that must be trustworthy. Easing both from the same prior
+    // values keeps rooms >= live at every frame.
+    function animatePair(roomsTarget, liveTarget) {
       if (raf) { cancelAnimationFrame(raf); raf = null; }
-      if (reduce || shownRooms === target) { numEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(target); shownRooms = target; return; }
-      var from = shownRooms;
+      if (reduce || (shownRooms === roomsTarget && shownLive === liveTarget)) {
+        numEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(roomsTarget);
+        liveEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(liveTarget);
+        shownRooms = roomsTarget;
+        shownLive = liveTarget;
+        return;
+      }
+      var fromR = shownRooms;
+      var fromL = shownLive;
       var start = null;
       var dur = 750;
       function step(ts) {
         if (start === null) start = ts;
         var p = Math.min(1, (ts - start) / dur);
         var eased = 1 - Math.pow(1 - p, 3);
-        numEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(Math.round(from + (target - from) * eased));
+        numEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(Math.round(fromR + (roomsTarget - fromR) * eased));
+        liveEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(Math.round(fromL + (liveTarget - fromL) * eased));
         if (p < 1) { raf = requestAnimationFrame(step); }
-        else { raf = null; shownRooms = target; }
+        else { raf = null; shownRooms = roomsTarget; shownLive = liveTarget; }
       }
       raf = requestAnimationFrame(step);
     }
@@ -2214,8 +2229,7 @@
       if (rooms < 1) { wrap.hidden = true; return; }  // honest: hide empty, never fake
       wrap.hidden = false;
       if (sufEl) sufEl.textContent = stats.capped ? '+' : '';
-      liveEl.textContent = _snFmtStat(Math.max(0, stats.liveNow || 0));
-      animateTo(rooms);
+      animatePair(rooms, Math.max(0, stats.liveNow || 0));
     }
 
     function connect() {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/scratchnode-live-route-honesty.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/scratchnode-live-route-honesty.spec.ts
index 2dd5ac6e3..b80640eb1 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/scratchnode-live-route-honesty.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/scratchnode-live-route-honesty.spec.ts
@@ -424,4 +424,35 @@ test.describe("ScratchNode live route honesty", () => {
     // The landing still works — Join + Create remain available.
     await expect(page.locator("#landing-create-btn")).toBeVisible();
   });
+
+  test("landing counter never shows more 'live' than 'total' during the count-up", async ({ page }) => {
+    await fulfillScratchNodePage(page);
+    await page.addInitScript(() => {
+      // liveNow close to (but <=) total — the regression flashed "6 live · 4 total"
+      // because rooms animated from 0 while liveNow was set instantly.
+      (window as any).__snLandingStats = { roomsCreated: 8, liveNow: 6, capped: false };
+    });
+
+    await page.goto("https://scratchnode.live/", { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+    await expect(page.locator("#landing-pulse")).toBeVisible({ timeout: 6_000 });
+
+    // Sample both numbers repeatedly across the ~750ms count-up. Live rooms are a
+    // subset of total rooms, so the displayed live count must NEVER exceed the
+    // displayed total at any frame.
+    const parse = (s: string | null) => parseInt((s || "0").replace(/,/g, ""), 10);
+    for (let i = 0; i < 14; i++) {
+      const { rooms, live } = await page.evaluate(() => ({
+        rooms: document.getElementById("landing-pulse-num")?.textContent ?? "0",
+        live: document.getElementById("landing-pulse-live")?.textContent ?? "0",
+      }));
+      expect(parse(live), `live(${live}) must never exceed total(${rooms})`).toBeLessThanOrEqual(
+        parse(rooms),
+      );
+      await page.waitForTimeout(70);
+    }
+
+    // …and it settles on the exact real values.
+    await expect.poll(() => page.locator("#landing-pulse-num").textContent()).toBe("8");
+    await expect(page.locator("#landing-pulse-live")).toHaveText("6");
+  });
 });