diff --git a/backend/druks/contrib/software_factory/issues/pages.py b/backend/druks/contrib/software_factory/issues/pages.py
index 024b77fe..2e585e50 100644
--- a/backend/druks/contrib/software_factory/issues/pages.py
+++ b/backend/druks/contrib/software_factory/issues/pages.py
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ def _create_actions(projects: list[IssuesProject], accounts: list[Account]) -> l
     ]
 
 
+def _ticket_link(ticket: Ticket, label: str) -> ui.Link:
+    return ui.Link(label, page="ticket", arguments={"identifier": ticket.identifier})
+
+
 def _ticket_card(ticket: Ticket, account_names: dict[str, str]) -> ui.Card:
     description = [ticket.identifier]
     priority = Priority(ticket.priority)
@@ -141,9 +145,7 @@ def _ticket_card(ticket: Ticket, account_names: dict[str, str]) -> ui.Card:
     return ui.Card(
         title=ticket.title,
         description=" · ".join(description),
-        controls=[
-            ui.Link("Open", page="ticket", arguments={"identifier": ticket.identifier}),
-        ],
+        link=_ticket_link(ticket, ticket.title),
     )
 
 
@@ -156,13 +158,9 @@ def _ticket_row(
         [
             ui.TextValue(
                 ticket.identifier,
-                link=ui.Link(
-                    ticket.identifier,
-                    page="ticket",
-                    arguments={"identifier": ticket.identifier},
-                ),
+                link=_ticket_link(ticket, ticket.identifier),
             ),
-            ui.TextValue(ticket.title),
+            ui.TextValue(ticket.title, link=_ticket_link(ticket, ticket.title)),
             ui.TextValue(PRIORITY_LABELS[Priority(ticket.priority)]),
             ui.TextValue(_assignee_name(ticket.assignee_id, account_names)),
             ui.TextValue(project_names.get(ticket.project_id, "")),
diff --git a/backend/druks/ui/blocks.py b/backend/druks/ui/blocks.py
index 6a12f821..87dcfb6c 100644
--- a/backend/druks/ui/blocks.py
+++ b/backend/druks/ui/blocks.py
@@ -588,10 +588,14 @@ def __init__(self, blocks=(), **data):
 
 
 class Card(BlockParent):
+    """A titled panel. ``link`` is its destination. The shell makes the whole
+    panel the control when ``controls`` is empty."""
+
     block: Literal["card"] = "card"
     title: str = ""
     description: str = ""
     controls: list[Action | Link] = Field(default_factory=list)
+    link: Link | None = None
 
     def iter_actions(self) -> "Iterable[Action]":
         yield from super().iter_actions()
@@ -602,6 +606,8 @@ def check_placement(self, *, followed: bool, regions: set[str], region: str = ""
         super().check_placement(followed=followed, regions=regions, region=region)
         for control in self.controls:
             control.check_placement(followed=followed, regions=regions, region=region)
+        if self.link:
+            self.link.check_placement(followed=followed, regions=regions, region=region)
 
 
 class Cards(PageBlock):
diff --git a/backend/tests/software_factory/test_issues_pages.py b/backend/tests/software_factory/test_issues_pages.py
index e349f24d..310bd2a6 100644
--- a/backend/tests/software_factory/test_issues_pages.py
+++ b/backend/tests/software_factory/test_issues_pages.py
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ async def test_created_ticket_lands_in_todo_on_board_and_list(druks_client):
     (card,) = _cards_in(by_title["Todo"])
     assert card["title"] == "Ship the board"
     assert card["description"].startswith("DRU-1")
-    assert card["controls"][0]["arguments"] == {"identifier": ticket["identifier"]}
+    assert card["link"]["arguments"] == {"identifier": ticket["identifier"]}
+    assert card["controls"] == []
     for title in BOARD_COLUMNS:
         if title != "Todo":
             assert _cards_in(by_title[title]) == []
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ async def test_created_ticket_lands_in_todo_on_board_and_list(druks_client):
     (row,) = by_section["Todo"]["rows"]
     assert row["cells"][0]["text"] == "DRU-1"
     assert row["cells"][1]["text"] == "Ship the board"
+    assert row["cells"][1]["link"]["arguments"] == {"identifier": ticket["identifier"]}
     for title in LIST_SECTIONS:
         if title != "Todo":
             assert by_section[title]["rows"] == []
diff --git a/docs/druks-ui.md b/docs/druks-ui.md
index 83fcc5ff..bd1455bb 100644
--- a/docs/druks-ui.md
+++ b/docs/druks-ui.md
@@ -683,6 +683,7 @@ class Card:
     description: str = ""
     blocks: list[Block] = []
     controls: list[Action | Link] = []
+    link: Link | None = None
 ```
 
 ```json
@@ -691,10 +692,16 @@ class Card:
   "title": "peer-7",
   "description": "Last answered 4 minutes ago.",
   "blocks": [{"block": "text", "text": "Healthy."}],
-  "controls": [{"block": "link", "label": "Open", "page": "peer", "arguments": {"peer_id": "7"}, "url": ""}]
+  "controls": [],
+  "link": {"block": "link", "label": "peer-7", "page": "peer", "arguments": {"peer_id": "7"}, "url": ""}
 }
 ```
 
+`link` is the card's destination. With no `controls`, the shell makes the whole
+panel the control. With `controls`, the title carries the link so a button is
+not nested inside an anchor. A linked card should not hold other links in
+`blocks`.
+
 ### Cards
 
 ```python
@@ -719,7 +726,14 @@ One card for each of a set of things.
 ```python
 ui.Cards(
     title="Peers",
-    cards=[ui.Card(title=peer.name, blocks=[...], controls=[...]) for peer in peers],
+    cards=[
+        ui.Card(
+            title=peer.name,
+            blocks=[...],
+            link=ui.Link(peer.name, page="peer", arguments={"peer_id": str(peer.id)}),
+        )
+        for peer in peers
+    ],
     empty=ui.EmptyState("No peer yet", controls=[ui.Link("Add one", page="new_peer")]),
 )
 ```
@@ -1648,7 +1662,8 @@ action in `blocks` stays with the body content.
 `Page`, `Section`, `Card` and `EmptyState` all take `controls` the same way: a
 list of `Action` and `Link`, in the order the app wants them read. An `Action`
 calls one of the app's operations; a `Link` navigates. Both are things an
-operator presses, so they share the row.
+operator presses, so they share the row. A `Card` can also take `link`. That is
+the card's destination, not a control on the row.
 
 ```python
 return ui.Page(
diff --git a/frontend/src/api/types.ts b/frontend/src/api/types.ts
index c0a76a23..17bb4cd0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api/types.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/api/types.ts
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ export interface CardBlock {
   description: string
   blocks: Block[]
   controls: (Action | Link)[]
+  link?: Link | null
 }
 
 export interface EmptyStateBlock {
diff --git a/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.test.tsx b/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.test.tsx
index 924de480..3538ef8a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.test.tsx
@@ -207,4 +207,64 @@ describe('Cards', () => {
 
     expect(container.textContent).toBe('')
   })
+
+  it('makes a linked card the destination, with no Open control', () => {
+    renderBlocks([
+      {
+        block: 'card',
+        title: 'Ship the board',
+        description: 'DRU-1',
+        blocks: [],
+        controls: [],
+        link: {
+          block: 'link',
+          label: 'Ship the board',
+          page: 'note',
+          arguments: { note_id: '7' },
+          url: '',
+          subject: null,
+        },
+      },
+    ])
+
+    const card = screen.getByText('Ship the board').closest('a')
+    expect(card?.getAttribute('href')).toBe('/field_notes/notes/7')
+    expect(card?.className).toContain('dui-card')
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Open')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('puts the link on the title when the card also has controls', () => {
+    renderBlocks([
+      {
+        block: 'card',
+        title: 'Ship the board',
+        description: 'DRU-1',
+        blocks: [],
+        controls: [
+          {
+            block: 'link',
+            label: 'Archive',
+            page: 'notes',
+            arguments: {},
+            url: '',
+            subject: null,
+          },
+        ],
+        link: {
+          block: 'link',
+          label: 'Ship the board',
+          page: 'note',
+          arguments: { note_id: '7' },
+          url: '',
+          subject: null,
+        },
+      },
+    ])
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('Ship the board').closest('a')?.getAttribute('href')).toBe(
+      '/field_notes/notes/7',
+    )
+    expect(screen.getByText('Ship the board').closest('.dui-card')?.tagName).toBe('DIV')
+    expect(screen.getByText('Archive').getAttribute('href')).toBe('/field_notes')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.tsx b/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.tsx
index 570deea0..2ece3951 100644
--- a/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/druksui/Blocks.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import { useContext } from 'react'
+import { Link as RouteLink } from 'wouter'
 
-import type { Action, Block, Link } from '../api/types'
+import type { Action, Block, CardBlock, Link } from '../api/types'
 import { Markdown } from '../components/Markdown'
 import { GateControls } from './GateControls'
 import { Chart, Facts, ImageGallery, LinkControl, List, Metrics, Table } from './DataBlocks'
 import { ActionButton, Form } from './Form'
 import { Files, Image, Progress, Timeline } from './RunBlocks'
-import { PagesContext, RegionContext } from './pages'
+import { hrefForLink, PagesContext, RegionContext } from './pages'
 
 export function Blocks({ blocks }: { blocks: Block[] }) {
   return (
@@ -126,14 +127,7 @@ function BlockContent({ block }: { block: Block }) {
         </div>
       )
     case 'card':
-      return (
-        <div className="dui-card">
-          {block.title && <div className="dui-card-title">{block.title}</div>}
-          {block.description && <div className="dui-card-desc dim">{block.description}</div>}
-          <Blocks blocks={block.blocks} />
-          <Controls controls={block.controls} />
-        </div>
-      )
+      return <CardPanel block={block} />
     case 'cards': {
       const inside = block.cards.length ? (
         <ul className="dui-cards">
@@ -184,6 +178,43 @@ function BlockContent({ block }: { block: Block }) {
   }
 }
 
+function CardPanel({ block }: { block: CardBlock }) {
+  const { app, pages } = useContext(PagesContext)
+  const wrapHref = block.link && !block.controls.length ? hrefForLink(block.link, app, pages) : ''
+  const title = block.title && (
+    block.link && !wrapHref ? (
+      <div className="dui-card-title">
+        <LinkControl link={block.link} label={block.title} />
+      </div>
+    ) : (
+      <div className="dui-card-title">{block.title}</div>
+    )
+  )
+  const inner = (
+    <>
+      {title}
+      {block.description && <div className="dui-card-desc dim">{block.description}</div>}
+      <Blocks blocks={block.blocks} />
+      <Controls controls={block.controls} />
+    </>
+  )
+  if (wrapHref && block.link) {
+    if (block.link.url) {
+      return (
+        <a className="dui-card" href={wrapHref} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
+          {inner}
+        </a>
+      )
+    }
+    return (
+      <RouteLink href={wrapHref} className="dui-card">
+        {inner}
+      </RouteLink>
+    )
+  }
+  return <div className="dui-card">{inner}</div>
+}
+
 export function Controls({ controls }: { controls: (Action | Link)[] }) {
   if (controls.length === 0) return null
   return (
diff --git a/frontend/src/druksui/DataBlocks.tsx b/frontend/src/druksui/DataBlocks.tsx
index fcc2db22..7740a5be 100644
--- a/frontend/src/druksui/DataBlocks.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/druksui/DataBlocks.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import type {
 } from '../api/types'
 import { RelTime } from '../components/RelTime'
 import { Image, Status } from './RunBlocks'
-import { fillPath, PagesContext } from './pages'
+import { hrefForLink, PagesContext } from './pages'
 
 // The plot's own coordinates; CSS gives it its real size.
 const PLOT_WIDTH = 300
@@ -76,26 +76,14 @@ function TextDatum({
     which shows the value's own text. */
 export function LinkControl({ link, label = link.label }: { link: Link; label?: string }) {
   const { app, pages } = useContext(PagesContext)
+  const href = hrefForLink(link, app, pages)
   if (link.url) {
     return (
-      <a className="dui-link" href={link.url} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
+      <a className="dui-link" href={href} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
         {label}
       </a>
     )
   }
-  if (link.subject) {
-    // The subject's own platform page — the full story of what druks did.
-    return (
-      <RouteLink
-        href={`/${app}/${link.subject.subjectType}/${link.subject.subjectId}`}
-        className="dui-link"
-      >
-        {label}
-      </RouteLink>
-    )
-  }
-  const target = pages.find((entry) => entry.name === link.page)
-  const href = target ? fillPath(target.path, link.arguments) : ''
   if (href) {
     return (
       <RouteLink href={href} className="dui-link">
diff --git a/frontend/src/druksui/pages.ts b/frontend/src/druksui/pages.ts
index 74772328..8f3ad07b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/druksui/pages.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/druksui/pages.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createContext } from 'react'
 import type { SubjectTarget } from '../apps/registry'
 
-import type { Block, Follows, Operation, PageEntry, PageSnapshot } from '../api/types'
+import type { Block, Follows, Link, Operation, PageEntry, PageSnapshot } from '../api/types'
 
 // Which app's pages a block tree belongs to. A Link carries a page name, and
 // only this table turns that name into a URL — so the renderer reads it here
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ export function fillPath(path: string, args: Record<string, string>): string {
   return missing ? '' : filled
 }
 
+/** Empty when the page name or an argument is missing. */
+export function hrefForLink(link: Link, app: string, pages: PageEntry[]): string {
+  if (link.url) return link.url
+  if (link.subject) return `/${app}/${link.subject.subjectType}/${link.subject.subjectId}`
+  const target = pages.find((entry) => entry.name === link.page)
+  return target ? fillPath(target.path, link.arguments) : ''
+}
+
 /** The tab strip a page belongs to: its family root first, then the root's
  * static children in declaration order. A child is static when the path it
  * adds to its parent carries no route parameter. No family, no tabs. */
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles.css b/frontend/src/styles.css
index 304a24ee..9c944bb6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles.css
@@ -2035,6 +2035,11 @@ body[data-palette="mono"] .dui-page {
 .dui-card { border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: var(--dui-radius-surface); background: var(--surface); padding: 20px; margin: 12px 0; }
 .dui-card-title { font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; font-weight: 600; color: var(--text); }
 .dui-card-desc { font-size: 13px; margin-top: 4px; line-height: 18px; }
+.dui-card-title .dui-link { font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-weight: inherit; color: inherit; min-height: 0; }
+.dui-card-title .dui-link:hover { color: inherit; }
+a.dui-card { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
+a.dui-card:hover { border-color: var(--text-mid); }
+a.dui-card:hover .dui-card-title { text-decoration: underline; text-underline-offset: 3px; }
 
 .dui-callout { border: 1px solid var(--border-loud); border-radius: var(--dui-radius-surface); padding: 14px 16px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; max-width: 76ch; }
 .dui-callout-title { font-weight: 600; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 3px; }
@@ -2304,7 +2309,7 @@ body[data-palette="mono"] .dui-page {
 
 :is(.dui-action, .dui-link, .dui-tab, .dui-retry, .dui-parent, .dui-checkbox,
     .dui-choice input, .dui-input, .dui-gallery-item, .dui-dialog-close,
-    .dui-decision .review-btn):focus-visible {
+    .dui-decision .review-btn, a.dui-card):focus-visible {
   outline: 2px solid var(--accent-violet);
   outline-offset: 2px;
 }