diff --git a/lib/src/widgets/edge_painter.dart b/lib/src/widgets/edge_painter.dart
index c3dc4c3..06cbf3e 100644
--- a/lib/src/widgets/edge_painter.dart
+++ b/lib/src/widgets/edge_painter.dart
@@ -22,12 +22,22 @@ class EdgeSegment {
   final EdgeSide fromSide;
   final EdgeSide toSide;
   final EdgeAccent accent;
+
+  /// When false, the bezier endpoint is NOT shortened by
+  /// `portRadius` on the corresponding side. Used by the
+  /// draft-drag segment so the line actually reaches the
+  /// cursor instead of stopping a port-radius short of it
+  /// (the cursor is a mouse position, not a port socket).
+  final bool shortenFrom;
+  final bool shortenTo;
   const EdgeSegment({
     required this.from,
     required this.to,
     required this.fromSide,
     required this.toSide,
     this.accent = EdgeAccent.normal,
+    this.shortenFrom = true,
+    this.shortenTo = true,
   });
 }
 
@@ -75,15 +85,14 @@ class EdgePainter extends CustomPainter {
       // a left-side port has its outer perimeter to the left
       // of its centre, so we move the endpoint LEFT by
       // radius; right-side port goes the other way.
-      final shortenedFrom = Offset(
-        seg.from.dx +
-            (seg.fromSide == EdgeSide.right ? portRadius : -portRadius),
-        seg.from.dy,
-      );
-      final shortenedTo = Offset(
-        seg.to.dx + (seg.toSide == EdgeSide.right ? portRadius : -portRadius),
-        seg.to.dy,
-      );
+      final fromShift = seg.shortenFrom
+          ? (seg.fromSide == EdgeSide.right ? portRadius : -portRadius)
+          : 0.0;
+      final toShift = seg.shortenTo
+          ? (seg.toSide == EdgeSide.right ? portRadius : -portRadius)
+          : 0.0;
+      final shortenedFrom = Offset(seg.from.dx + fromShift, seg.from.dy);
+      final shortenedTo = Offset(seg.to.dx + toShift, seg.to.dy);
       canvas.drawPath(_bezier(shortenedFrom, shortenedTo), paint);
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart b/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart
index ccac4e3..719c288 100644
--- a/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart
+++ b/lib/src/widgets/flow_canvas.dart
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
   // paints a draft edge from the source port to the cursor
   // and accepts a drop on any input port.
   _ConnectionDraft? _draft;
+  // Currently-hovered port id. Drives the hover halo so the
+  // operator gets a clear "this port is interactive"
+  // affordance before they commit to dragging or clicking.
+  // String key = same shape used by _connectedPorts so we
+  // can pass a single hovered-key into the port widget.
+  String? _hoveredPort;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -201,6 +207,13 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
                                 fromSide: EdgeSide.right,
                                 toSide: EdgeSide.left,
                                 accent: EdgeAccent.draftDrag,
+                                // The draft target IS the
+                                // cursor — not a port socket.
+                                // Don't shorten on that end or
+                                // the line stops short of
+                                // where the operator's mouse
+                                // actually is.
+                                shortenTo: false,
                               ),
                             ],
                             baseColor: theme.colorScheme.primary,
@@ -522,6 +535,7 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
       final p = _outputPortPosition(step.id, layout);
       final key = '${step.id}:__out__';
       yield _portDot(
+        portKey: key,
         center: p,
         isSource: true,
         connected: connectedPorts.contains(key),
@@ -542,6 +556,7 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
       final input = graph.inputs[fieldName]!;
       final key = 'inputs:$fieldName';
       yield _portDot(
+        portKey: key,
         center: p,
         isSource: true,
         connected: connectedPorts.contains(key),
@@ -564,6 +579,7 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
         final value = step.with_[field]?.toString() ?? '';
         final wired = _isWiredExpression(value);
         yield _portDot(
+          portKey: '${step.id}:$field',
           center: p,
           isSource: false,
           connected: wired,
@@ -582,6 +598,7 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
       final expr = graph.outputs[field] ?? '';
       final wired = _isWiredExpression(expr);
       yield _portDot(
+        portKey: 'outputs:$field',
         center: p,
         isSource: false,
         connected: wired,
@@ -717,6 +734,7 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
   }
 
   Widget _portDot({
+    required String portKey,
     required Offset center,
     required bool isSource,
     required bool connected,
@@ -728,11 +746,16 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
     final dragging = _draft != null;
     final isInputDuringDrag = dragging && !isSource;
     final isClosest = isInputDuringDrag && _isClosestDropTarget(center);
-    // Size logic: drop-target halo when a drag is hovering
-    // → 18 px; otherwise the standard 12 px port that
-    // matches NodeGeometry.portDotSize. One single dot per
-    // port — no more separate inline/canvas dots.
-    final size = isClosest ? 18.0 : NodeGeometry.portDotSize;
+    final isHovered = _hoveredPort == portKey;
+    // Size scales with focus level:
+    //   - drop-target halo (drag is over this port) → 18 px
+    //   - hover (mouse-over without dragging)      → 15 px
+    //   - resting                                  → 12 px
+    // The hover bump is the new "this port is interactive"
+    // affordance Stefan asked for.
+    final size = isClosest
+        ? 18.0
+        : (isHovered ? 15.0 : NodeGeometry.portDotSize);
     // Fill rule: filled when this port participates in an
     // edge, OR it's the closest drop target mid-drag. Plain
     // outlined circle when neither — the operator sees at
@@ -745,6 +768,12 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
       height: size,
       child: MouseRegion(
         cursor: isSource ? SystemMouseCursors.grab : SystemMouseCursors.cell,
+        onEnter: (_) => setState(() => _hoveredPort = portKey),
+        onExit: (_) {
+          if (_hoveredPort == portKey) {
+            setState(() => _hoveredPort = null);
+          }
+        },
         child: GestureDetector(
           behavior: HitTestBehavior.opaque,
           onPanStart: !isSource
@@ -785,13 +814,15 @@ class _FlowCanvasState extends State<FlowCanvas> {
                   color: filled ? accent : theme.colorScheme.surface,
                   border: Border.all(
                     color: accent,
-                    width: isClosest ? 2.5 : 1.8,
+                    width: isClosest ? 2.5 : (isHovered ? 2.2 : 1.8),
                   ),
-                  boxShadow: isClosest
+                  boxShadow: (isClosest || isHovered)
                       ? [
                           BoxShadow(
-                            color: accent.withValues(alpha: 0.5),
-                            blurRadius: 10,
+                            color: accent.withValues(
+                              alpha: isClosest ? 0.55 : 0.35,
+                            ),
+                            blurRadius: isClosest ? 10 : 6,
                           ),
                         ]
                       : null,
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 37a4c7d..5a5a5e7 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: fai_studio_flow_editor
 description: Swappable inline YAML editor for F∆I Studio flows.
-version: 0.5.2
+version: 0.5.3
 publish_to: 'none'
 repository: https://git.flemming.ai/fai/studio-flow-editor