diff --git a/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/renderer.ts b/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/renderer.ts
index 42774924a6..32bde42e59 100644
--- a/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/renderer.ts
+++ b/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/renderer.ts
@@ -3951,7 +3951,8 @@ export class DomPainter {
       img.style.marginRight = `${run.distRight}px`;
     }
 
-    // Apply z-index to render above tab leaders
+    // Position and z-index on the image only (not the line) so resize overlay can stack above.
+    img.style.position = 'relative';
     img.style.zIndex = '1';
 
     // Assert PM positions are present for cursor fallback
@@ -4282,6 +4283,9 @@ export class DomPainter {
       throw new Error('DomPainter: document is not available');
     }
 
+    const lineRange = computeLinePmRange(block, line);
+    let runsForLine = sliceRunsForLine(block, line);
+
     const el = this.doc.createElement('div');
     el.classList.add(CLASS_NAMES.line);
     applyStyles(el, lineStyles(line.lineHeight));
@@ -4301,16 +4305,12 @@ export class DomPainter {
       el.style.textAlign = 'left';
     }
 
-    const lineRange = computeLinePmRange(block, line);
-
     if (lineRange.pmStart != null) {
       el.dataset.pmStart = String(lineRange.pmStart);
     }
     if (lineRange.pmEnd != null) {
       el.dataset.pmEnd = String(lineRange.pmEnd);
     }
-
-    let runsForLine = sliceRunsForLine(block, line);
     const trackedConfig = this.resolveTrackedChangesConfig(block);
 
     // Preserve PM positions for DOM caret mapping on empty lines.
diff --git a/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/styles.ts b/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/styles.ts
index b61016001a..e04a6d079a 100644
--- a/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/styles.ts
+++ b/packages/layout-engine/painters/dom/src/styles.ts
@@ -77,13 +77,10 @@ export const fragmentStyles: Partial<CSSStyleDeclaration> = {
 };
 
 /**
- * Z-index for paragraph text lines, ensuring they render above floating
- * OOXML-derived fragments (which typically range 1–10 000). Must stay
- * below browser-UI layers (tooltips, menus, overlays) that may live in the
- * same stacking context.
+ * Line container styles. z-index is intentionally not set on the line so that
+ * the resize overlay (and other UI) can stack above content. Only the image
+ * element itself gets z-index for layering within the line (e.g. above tab leaders).
  */
-const TEXT_LINE_Z_INDEX = '100000';
-
 export const lineStyles = (lineHeight: number): Partial<CSSStyleDeclaration> => ({
   lineHeight: `${lineHeight}px`,
   height: `${lineHeight}px`,
@@ -95,7 +92,6 @@ export const lineStyles = (lineHeight: number): Partial<CSSStyleDeclaration> =>
   // provides defense-in-depth against any remaining sub-pixel rendering
   // differences between measurement and display.
   overflow: 'visible',
-  zIndex: TEXT_LINE_Z_INDEX,
 });
 
 const PRINT_STYLES = `