diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/layout/Workbench.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/layout/Workbench.tsx
index 025f990ad7..17a7792682 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/layout/Workbench.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/layout/Workbench.tsx
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ export default function Workbench() {
 
     // Handle exit transition (viewer → fileEditor/pageEditor)
     if ((view === 'fileEditor' || view === 'pageEditor') && currentView === 'viewer') {
-      handleExitTransition();
+      handleExitTransition(view);
     }
 
     navActions.setWorkbench(view);
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/hooks/useViewerTransition.ts b/frontend/src/core/hooks/useViewerTransition.ts
index 367ad7b1b7..09c6cd9279 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/hooks/useViewerTransition.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/core/hooks/useViewerTransition.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback } from 'react';
 import { useNavigationActions } from '@app/contexts/NavigationContext';
 import { useFileState } from '@app/contexts/FileContext';
-import { getThumbnailRect, getCenteredFallbackRect } from '@app/utils/dom';
+import { getThumbnailRect, getCenteredFallbackRect, getContainedImageRect } from '@app/utils/dom';
 import type { WorkbenchType } from '@app/types/workbench';
 import type { FileId } from '@app/types/fileContext';
 
@@ -39,11 +39,15 @@ export function useViewerTransition({
         return;
       }
 
+      // Only capture screenshot for fileEditor transitions
+      // pageEditor doesn't need it since we're animating the thumbnail directly
       let screenshot: string | null = null;
-      try {
-        screenshot = await captureScreenshot();
-      } catch {
-        screenshot = null;
+      if (currentView === 'fileEditor') {
+        try {
+          screenshot = await captureScreenshot();
+        } catch {
+          screenshot = null;
+        }
       }
 
       // Use passed fileId to find the file directly
@@ -69,8 +73,21 @@ export function useViewerTransition({
       // Use passed sourceRect if available, otherwise search DOM
       let rect = sourceRect;
       if (!rect) {
-        const fileCard = document.querySelector(`[data-file-id="${targetFileId}"]`) as HTMLElement | null;
-        rect = fileCard ? getThumbnailRect(fileCard) : getCenteredFallbackRect();
+        if (currentView === 'pageEditor') {
+          // In page editor, find the first page thumbnail image
+          const firstPageThumbnail = document.querySelector('[data-page-number="1"]') as HTMLElement | null;
+          if (firstPageThumbnail) {
+            const img = firstPageThumbnail.querySelector('img') as HTMLImageElement | null;
+            // Calculate the actual rendered image size (accounting for objectFit: contain)
+            rect = img ? getContainedImageRect(img) : firstPageThumbnail.getBoundingClientRect();
+          } else {
+            rect = getCenteredFallbackRect();
+          }
+        } else {
+          // In file editor, find the file card
+          const fileCard = document.querySelector(`[data-file-id="${targetFileId}"]`) as HTMLElement | null;
+          rect = fileCard ? getThumbnailRect(fileCard) : getCenteredFallbackRect();
+        }
       }
 
       navActions.startViewerTransition(
@@ -88,11 +105,16 @@ export function useViewerTransition({
    * Finds PDF page position, finds target thumbnail, starts reverse zoom animation
    */
   const handleExitTransition = useCallback(
-    () => {
+    (targetView: 'fileEditor' | 'pageEditor') => {
       if (currentView !== 'viewer') {
         return;
       }
 
+      // Don't animate when returning to pageEditor
+      if (targetView === 'pageEditor') {
+        return;
+      }
+
       const activeFile = getActiveFile();
       const activeStub = activeFile ? selectors.getStirlingFileStub(activeFile.fileId) : null;
       const thumbnailUrl = activeStub?.thumbnailUrl || '';
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/utils/dom.ts b/frontend/src/core/utils/dom.ts
index 87522599ba..a1a5cef595 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/utils/dom.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/core/utils/dom.ts
@@ -26,3 +26,45 @@ export function getCenteredFallbackRect(): DOMRect {
   const centerY = window.innerHeight / 2;
   return new DOMRect(centerX - width / 2, centerY - height / 2, width, height);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Calculate the actual rendered image rect for an img element with objectFit: contain
+ * Accounts for letterboxing/pillarboxing when aspect ratios don't match
+ *
+ * @param img - The image element with objectFit: contain
+ * @returns The bounding rect of the actual rendered image (excluding empty space)
+ */
+export function getContainedImageRect(img: HTMLImageElement): DOMRect {
+  const imgRect = img.getBoundingClientRect();
+
+  // If image hasn't loaded yet, return the full rect
+  if (!img.naturalWidth || !img.naturalHeight) {
+    return imgRect;
+  }
+
+  const naturalRatio = img.naturalWidth / img.naturalHeight;
+  const displayRatio = imgRect.width / imgRect.height;
+
+  let actualWidth, actualHeight, offsetX, offsetY;
+
+  if (naturalRatio > displayRatio) {
+    // Image is wider - constrained by width (letterboxed top/bottom)
+    actualWidth = imgRect.width;
+    actualHeight = imgRect.width / naturalRatio;
+    offsetX = 0;
+    offsetY = (imgRect.height - actualHeight) / 2;
+  } else {
+    // Image is taller - constrained by height (pillarboxed left/right)
+    actualHeight = imgRect.height;
+    actualWidth = imgRect.height * naturalRatio;
+    offsetX = (imgRect.width - actualWidth) / 2;
+    offsetY = 0;
+  }
+
+  return new DOMRect(
+    imgRect.left + offsetX,
+    imgRect.top + offsetY,
+    actualWidth,
+    actualHeight
+  );
+}