diff --git a/containers/libreportal/frontend/css/topbar.css b/containers/libreportal/frontend/css/topbar.css
index 8ca8659..0b510b9 100644
--- a/containers/libreportal/frontend/css/topbar.css
+++ b/containers/libreportal/frontend/css/topbar.css
@@ -2,6 +2,68 @@
 
 /* Topbar layout, nav pills, donate/logout buttons. Extracted from style.css. Theme via var(--*) tokens. */
 
+/* Developer-mode strip — sits flush under the fixed topbar when CFG_DEV_MODE
+   is on. Amber-tinted glass so it reads as "non-default state" without
+   shouting. Body gets .has-dev-banner to bump padding-top by the strip's
+   height; dismissal is local and remembered in localStorage until dev
+   mode is toggled off + on again. */
+.dev-banner {
+  position: fixed;
+  top: 60px;
+  left: 0;
+  right: 0;
+  z-index: 999;
+  height: 36px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  padding: 0 24px;
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  color: var(--text-primary);
+  background: rgba(var(--status-warning-rgb), 0.14);
+  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(var(--status-warning-rgb), 0.35);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(12px) saturate(140%);
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(12px) saturate(140%);
+}
+
+.dev-banner[hidden] { display: none; }
+
+.dev-banner-label {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 8px;
+  color: var(--status-warning);
+}
+
+.dev-banner-close {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: 28px;
+  height: 28px;
+  padding: 0;
+  background: transparent;
+  border: none;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  color: var(--text-primary);
+  opacity: 0.7;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: opacity 0.15s ease, background 0.15s ease;
+}
+
+.dev-banner-close:hover {
+  opacity: 1;
+  background: rgba(var(--text-rgb), 0.1);
+}
+
+body.has-dev-banner { padding-top: 96px; }
+
+@media (max-width: 768px) {
+  .dev-banner { padding: 0 12px; font-size: 0.8rem; }
+  body.has-dev-banner .mobile-drawer { top: 96px; height: calc(100vh - 96px); }
+}
+
 /* Topbar */
 .topbar {
   display: flex;
diff --git a/containers/libreportal/frontend/html/topbar.html b/containers/libreportal/frontend/html/topbar.html
index a5ef5ae..4911e0b 100755
--- a/containers/libreportal/frontend/html/topbar.html
+++ b/containers/libreportal/frontend/html/topbar.html
@@ -1,4 +1,18 @@
 <!-- Topbar -->
+<div class="dev-banner" id="dev-banner" hidden role="status">
+  <span class="dev-banner-label">
+    <svg width="14" height="14" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" aria-hidden="true">
+      <path d="M14.7 6.3a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.4l1.6 1.6a1 1 0 0 0 1.4 0l3.77-3.77a6 6 0 0 1-7.94 7.94l-6.91 6.91a2.12 2.12 0 0 1-3-3l6.91-6.91a6 6 0 0 1 7.94-7.94l-3.76 3.76z"></path>
+    </svg>
+    You are currently running in Developer mode
+  </span>
+  <button type="button" class="dev-banner-close" id="dev-banner-close" aria-label="Dismiss developer mode banner">
+    <svg width="14" height="14" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" aria-hidden="true">
+      <line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"></line>
+      <line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"></line>
+    </svg>
+  </button>
+</div>
 <div class="topbar">
   <button class="mobile-menu-toggle" id="mobile-menu-toggle" aria-label="Toggle navigation menu">
     <svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2">
diff --git a/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/topbar.js b/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/topbar.js
index c6b4967..a3ed49b 100755
--- a/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/topbar.js
+++ b/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/topbar.js
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class TopbarComponent {
     this.setupConfigUpdateLockout();
     this.setupSetupGate();
     this.setupDevModeEasterEgg();
+    this.setupDevBanner();
     this.autoEnableDevModeIfNeeded();
     // Mount the "out of date" badge now that .topbar-controls exists.
     window.updateNotifier?.onTopbarReady();
@@ -126,12 +127,38 @@ class TopbarComponent {
       const onDevInstall = (installMode === 'git' || installMode === 'local');
       const devModeOff   = (devMode !== 'true' && devMode !== true);
       if (onDevInstall && devModeOff) {
-        this._devToast(`Developer mode auto-enabled — you're on a ${installMode} install. Click the LibrePortal logo 10× to disable.`, 'success');
+        this._devToast(`Developer mode auto-enabled — you're on a ${installMode} install.`, 'success');
         await this._setDevMode(true, /*silent*/ true);
+      } else if (devMode === 'true' || devMode === true) {
+        this._updateDevBanner(true);
       }
     } catch { /* missing configs.json, network blip — leave it; easter egg still works */ }
   }
 
+  // Wires the dismiss button on the developer-mode strip. Dismissal is
+  // remembered in localStorage and cleared whenever dev mode is re-enabled
+  // (in _setDevMode), so toggling off + back on brings the banner back.
+  setupDevBanner() {
+    const btn = document.getElementById('dev-banner-close');
+    if (!btn) return;
+    btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      try { localStorage.setItem('lp.devBannerDismissed', 'true'); } catch {}
+      this._updateDevBanner(false);
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Show/hide the banner + body padding offset. visible=true only paints
+  // it when the user hasn't dismissed for this install.
+  _updateDevBanner(visible) {
+    const el = document.getElementById('dev-banner');
+    if (!el) return;
+    let dismissed = false;
+    try { dismissed = localStorage.getItem('lp.devBannerDismissed') === 'true'; } catch {}
+    const shouldShow = visible && !dismissed;
+    el.hidden = !shouldShow;
+    document.body.classList.toggle('has-dev-banner', shouldShow);
+  }
+
   // Toast helper — uses the project's notification system if loaded, else
   // a quiet console echo so dev-mode UX never blocks page render.
   _devToast(message, kind = 'info') {
@@ -163,6 +190,12 @@ class TopbarComponent {
       // a full page refresh.
       if (!window.systemConfigs) window.systemConfigs = {};
       window.systemConfigs.CFG_DEV_MODE = value;
+      if (enabled) {
+        try { localStorage.removeItem('lp.devBannerDismissed'); } catch {}
+        this._updateDevBanner(true);
+      } else {
+        this._updateDevBanner(false);
+      }
       if (!silent) {
         this._devToast(
           enabled