diff --git a/client/src/App.jsx b/client/src/App.jsx
index fcb4241..3b2e99a 100644
--- a/client/src/App.jsx
+++ b/client/src/App.jsx
@@ -60,7 +60,12 @@ export default function App() {
     <AuthProvider>
       <SiteProvider>
         <Routes>
-          {/* Public site — gated by maintenance mode (admins preview through it) */}
+          {/* Landing hero — always public, even in maintenance mode. The hero is
+              itself the pre-launch "coming soon" page, so it sits outside the
+              MaintenanceGate and every visitor sees it regardless of auth/site mode. */}
+          <Route path="/" element={<Portal />} />
+
+          {/* Rest of the public site — gated by maintenance mode (admins preview through it) */}
           <Route
             element={
               <MaintenanceGate>
@@ -68,7 +73,6 @@ export default function App() {
               </MaintenanceGate>
             }
           >
-            <Route path="/" element={<Portal />} />
             <Route path="/site" element={<Website />} />
             <Route path="/site/news" element={<News />} />
             <Route path="/site/screenshots" element={<Screenshots />} />
diff --git a/client/src/routes/public/Portal.jsx b/client/src/routes/public/Portal.jsx
index 1851b35..9cf1fd6 100644
--- a/client/src/routes/public/Portal.jsx
+++ b/client/src/routes/public/Portal.jsx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export default function Portal() {
   const elements = [...layout.elements].sort((a, b) => (a.z || 0) - (b.z || 0))
 
   return (
-    <PublicLayout>
+    <PublicLayout header={false}>
       <main style={{ minHeight: '100vh', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column' }}>
         {PREVIEW && draft && (
           <div