diff --git a/frontend/src/components/DecodesPanel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/DecodesPanel.tsx
index 49585c4..4cac8ee 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/DecodesPanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/DecodesPanel.tsx
@@ -1106,12 +1106,11 @@ export function DecodesPanel({ decodes, txMsgs, txState, txStates, spotStatus, o
                       right edge, shortest first so the eye can scan the column
                       rather than read it. */}
                   <span className={CELL_LAST}>
-                    {/* The two-letter US state, when the log or the licence data
-                        knows it — a WAS chaser reads the column for exactly
-                        this. Plain text, not a badge: it is a fact, not an
-                        action. */}
+                    {/* The two-letter US state, when the log or the licence
+                        data knows it — a WAS chaser reads the column for
+                        exactly this. */}
                     {e?.state && (
-                      <span className="text-[10px] font-bold text-muted-foreground shrink-0" title={t('dec.stateTip')}>{e.state}</span>
+                      <span className="rounded px-1.5 py-px text-[11px] font-bold bg-info/15 text-info border border-info/40 shrink-0" title={t('dec.stateTip')}>{e.state}</span>
                     )}
                     {e?.lotw && (
                       <span className="text-[10px] font-bold text-info-muted-foreground shrink-0" title="LoTW">L</span>