diff --git a/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.test.ts b/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.test.ts
index b2eec9579..d542b41b8 100644
--- a/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.test.ts
+++ b/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.test.ts
@@ -156,6 +156,25 @@ describe('renderFlowOverlay', () => {
     expect(svg).toContain('keyPoints="0;1"');
   });
 
+  it('renders badges from the schema description field when summary is absent', () => {
+    const schemaFlow: CalmFlow = {
+      'unique-id': 'schema-flow',
+      name: 'Schema Flow',
+      description: 'Flow using only schema-defined fields',
+      transitions: [
+        {
+          'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1',
+          'sequence-number': 1,
+          description: 'Client sends order request',
+          direction: 'source-to-destination',
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(schemaFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    expect(svg).toContain('Client sends order request');
+    expect(svg).not.toContain('undefined');
+  });
+
   it('Test 4: renders sequence badge with correct number for each transition', () => {
     const svg = renderFlowOverlay(sampleFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
     // Sequence numbers 1 and 2 should appear in badge text elements
@@ -207,6 +226,154 @@ describe('renderFlowOverlay', () => {
     expect(badgeCount).toBe(1);
   });
 
+  it('spreads badges when multiple transitions share a relationship, and all remain visible', () => {
+    const sharedFlow: CalmFlow = {
+      'unique-id': 'shared-flow',
+      name: 'Shared',
+      description: 'Two transitions over one relationship',
+      transitions: [
+        {
+          'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1',
+          'sequence-number': 1,
+          description: 'Request',
+          direction: 'source-to-destination',
+        },
+        {
+          'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1',
+          'sequence-number': 2,
+          description: 'Response',
+          direction: 'destination-to-source',
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(sharedFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    const badges = (svg.match(/class="flow-badge/g) ?? []).length;
+    expect(badges).toBe(2);
+    expect(svg).toContain('>1<');
+    expect(svg).toContain('>2<');
+    // Badge centers must not coincide: collect cx values of badge circles
+    const cxs = [...svg.matchAll(/<circle cx="([\d.-]+)" cy="([\d.-]+)" r="10"/g)].map((m) => m[1] + ',' + m[2]);
+    expect(new Set(cxs).size).toBe(cxs.length);
+  });
+
+  it('separates request/response badges even on a short edge (return-lane offset)', () => {
+    const shortLayouts = new Map([
+      ['rel-s', [{ id: 'rel-s', points: [ { x: 100, y: 100 }, { x: 100, y: 140 } ] }]],
+    ]);
+    const rrFlow: CalmFlow = {
+      'unique-id': 'rr',
+      name: 'RR',
+      description: 'request-response on a 40px edge',
+      transitions: [
+        { 'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-s', 'sequence-number': 1, description: 'req', direction: 'source-to-destination' },
+        { 'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-s', 'sequence-number': 2, description: 'res', direction: 'destination-to-source' },
+      ],
+    };
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(rrFlow, shortLayouts);
+    const centers = [...svg.matchAll(/<circle cx="([\d.-]+)" cy="([\d.-]+)" r="10"/g)].map((m) => [Number(m[1]), Number(m[2])]);
+    expect(centers.length).toBe(2);
+    const [a, b] = centers as [[number, number], [number, number]];
+    const dist = Math.hypot(a[0] - b[0], a[1] - b[1]);
+    expect(dist).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(18);
+  });
+
+  it('renders destination-to-source badges hollow (response convention)', () => {
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(reverseFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    // reverseFlow's single transition is destination-to-source
+    expect(svg).toContain('class="flow-badge flow-badge-reverse"');
+    expect(svg).toContain('fill="#ffffff"');
+  });
+
+  it('forward badges stay solid', () => {
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(sampleFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    expect(svg).not.toContain('flow-badge-reverse');
+  });
+
+  it('labels badges from legacy summary-only transitions (backward compatibility)', () => {
+    const legacyFlow = {
+      'unique-id': 'legacy-flow',
+      name: 'Legacy',
+      description: 'summary-only transition',
+      transitions: [
+        {
+          'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1',
+          'sequence-number': 1,
+          summary: 'Legacy label text',
+          direction: 'source-to-destination',
+        },
+      ],
+    } as unknown as CalmFlow;
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(legacyFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    expect(svg).toContain('Legacy label text');
+    expect(svg).not.toContain('undefined');
+  });
+
+  it('prefers description over summary when both are present', () => {
+    const bothFlow = {
+      'unique-id': 'both-flow',
+      name: 'Both',
+      description: 'both fields',
+      transitions: [
+        {
+          'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1',
+          'sequence-number': 1,
+          description: 'Schema label',
+          summary: 'Legacy label',
+          direction: 'source-to-destination',
+        },
+      ],
+    } as unknown as CalmFlow;
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(bothFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    expect(svg).toContain('Schema label');
+    expect(svg).not.toContain('Legacy label');
+  });
+
+  it('orders badge spread by sequence-number, not document order', () => {
+    const outOfOrder: CalmFlow = {
+      'unique-id': 'ooo',
+      name: 'OOO',
+      description: 'transitions listed out of sequence',
+      transitions: [
+        { 'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1', 'sequence-number': 2, description: 'second', direction: 'source-to-destination' },
+        { 'relationship-unique-id': 'rel-1', 'sequence-number': 1, description: 'first', direction: 'source-to-destination' },
+      ],
+    };
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(outOfOrder, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    // rel-1's path starts at (10,20) and heads toward (200,80): earlier along
+    // the path = smaller x. Badge "1" must sit earlier than badge "2".
+    const badge1 = /<circle cx="([\d.]+)" [^>]*\/>\s*<text[^>]*>1</.exec(svg.replace(/\n/g, ' '));
+    const badge2 = /<circle cx="([\d.]+)" [^>]*\/>\s*<text[^>]*>2</.exec(svg.replace(/\n/g, ' '));
+    expect(badge1).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(badge2).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(Number((badge1 as RegExpExecArray)[1])).toBeLessThan(Number((badge2 as RegExpExecArray)[1]));
+  });
+
+  it('keeps a lone reverse badge on the path (no lateral offset when uncrowded)', () => {
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(reverseFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    // reverseFlow: single destination-to-source transition on rel-1. Midpoint of
+    // rel-1's path by length lies on the segment (10,20)->(100,20)->(200,80);
+    // whatever the exact point, an uncrowded badge must sit ON the polyline.
+    const m = /<circle cx="([\d.]+)" cy="([\d.]+)" r="10"/.exec(svg);
+    expect(m).not.toBeNull();
+    const x = Number((m as RegExpExecArray)[1]);
+    const y = Number((m as RegExpExecArray)[2]);
+    // On-path check: y must be 20 (first segment) or on the second segment line
+    const onFirst = Math.abs(y - 20) < 0.01 && x >= 10 && x <= 100;
+    const onSecond = x >= 100 && x <= 200 && Math.abs((y - 20) / (x - 100) - 60 / 100) < 0.01;
+    expect(onFirst || onSecond).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('emits rounded coordinates (max 2 decimal places)', () => {
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(sampleFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    expect(/\d\.\d{3,}/.test(svg)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('uses data-description on badges', () => {
+    const svg = renderFlowOverlay(sampleFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
+    expect(svg).toContain('data-description=');
+    expect(svg).not.toContain('data-summary=');
+  });
+
   it('Test 7: handles flow with 3+ transitions (multi-edge flow)', () => {
     const svg = renderFlowOverlay(multiEdgeFlow, twoEdgeLayouts);
     // Three transitions, rel-3 exists in layout
diff --git a/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.ts b/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.ts
index 6634728f3..c1fa55e04 100644
--- a/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.ts
+++ b/calm-studio/packages/web-component/src/render/flowOverlay.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,26 @@ export function renderFlowOverlay(
 ): string {
   const parts: string[] = ['<g class="flow-overlay">'];
 
+  // Rank transitions within each relationship by sequence-number (not document
+  // order) so badges on a shared edge spread along the path in flow order.
+  const perRelationshipCount = new Map<string, number>();
+  const rankInRelationship = new Map<unknown, number>();
+  {
+    const groups = new Map<string, typeof flow.transitions>();
+    for (const t of flow.transitions) {
+      const id = t['relationship-unique-id'];
+      const g = groups.get(id) ?? [];
+      g.push(t);
+      groups.set(id, g);
+    }
+    for (const [id, g] of groups) {
+      perRelationshipCount.set(id, g.length);
+      [...g]
+        .sort((a, b) => a['sequence-number'] - b['sequence-number'])
+        .forEach((t, rank) => rankInRelationship.set(t, rank));
+    }
+  }
+
   for (const transition of flow.transitions) {
     const layouts = (edgeLayoutsByRelationship.get(transition['relationship-unique-id']) ?? []).filter(
       (l) => l.points.length >= 2
@@ -70,18 +90,46 @@ export function renderFlowOverlay(
       );
     }
 
-    // One sequence badge per transition, placed at the first edge's midpoint
-    const midIdx = Math.floor(badgeEdge.points.length / 2);
-    const midPoint = badgeEdge.points[midIdx] ?? badgeEdge.points[0];
-    if (midPoint === undefined) continue;
-    const midX = midPoint.x;
-    const midY = midPoint.y;
+    // One sequence badge per transition. Transitions sharing a relationship
+    // spread along the first edge's path (rank k of n sits at (k+1)/(n+1),
+    // ranked by sequence-number) so request/response pairs never stack.
+    const relId = transition['relationship-unique-id'];
+    const rank = rankInRelationship.get(transition) ?? 0;
+    const count = perRelationshipCount.get(relId) ?? 1;
+    const fraction = (rank + 1) / (count + 1);
+    const walk = walkPolyline(badgeEdge.points);
+    const badgePoint = pointOnWalk(walk, fraction);
+    if (badgePoint === undefined) continue;
+    // Reverse (response) badges shift perpendicular to the path — a "return
+    // lane" — but only when the edge is crowded: multiple transitions whose
+    // along-path spacing is below a badge diameter. A lone reverse badge
+    // stays on its edge. Which side the lane lands on follows the layout
+    // engine's point ordering; it can in principle overlap a neighbouring
+    // element — biasing away from the diagram centroid would be the fuller
+    // fix if that shows up in practice.
+    const isReverse = direction === 'destination-to-source';
+    const crowded = count > 1 && walk.total / (count + 1) < 20;
+    const normal = crowded ? normalOnWalk(walk, fraction) : undefined;
+    const laneOffset = isReverse && normal !== undefined ? 22 : 0;
+    const midX = round2(badgePoint.x + (normal?.x ?? 0) * laneOffset);
+    const midY = round2(badgePoint.y + (normal?.y ?? 0) * laneOffset);
 
+    // The flow schema defines `description` on transitions; `summary` was a
+    // legacy CalmStudio field. Prefer the schema field, fall back for older files.
+    const transitionLabel =
+      transition.description ?? (transition as { summary?: string }).summary ?? '';
+    // Static-render convention: forward (request) badges are solid; reverse
+    // destination-to-source (response) badges render hollow, so direction is
+    // legible without the animation.
+    const badgeClass = isReverse ? 'flow-badge flow-badge-reverse' : 'flow-badge';
+    const circleFill = isReverse ? '#ffffff' : '#3b82f6';
+    const circleExtra = isReverse ? ' stroke="#3b82f6" stroke-width="2"' : '';
+    const numberFill = isReverse ? '#3b82f6' : 'white';
     parts.push(
-      `<g class="flow-badge" data-summary="${escapeAttr(transition.summary)}">`,
-      `  <circle cx="${midX}" cy="${midY}" r="10" fill="#3b82f6"/>`,
-      `  <text x="${midX}" y="${midY}" fill="white" font-size="9" font-weight="bold" text-anchor="middle" dominant-baseline="central">${transition['sequence-number']}</text>`,
-      `  <title>${escapeAttr(transition.summary)}</title>`,
+      `<g class="${badgeClass}" data-description="${escapeAttr(transitionLabel)}">`,
+      `  <circle cx="${midX}" cy="${midY}" r="10" fill="${circleFill}"${circleExtra}/>`,
+      `  <text x="${midX}" y="${midY}" fill="${numberFill}" font-size="9" font-weight="bold" text-anchor="middle" dominant-baseline="central">${transition['sequence-number']}</text>`,
+      `  <title>${escapeAttr(transitionLabel)}</title>`,
       `</g>`
     );
   }
@@ -158,6 +206,62 @@ function getReferencedNodeIdsWithFlatFallback(rel: CalmRelationship): string[] {
 // Helpers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+/** Precomputed polyline segments and total length, shared by point/normal lookups. */
+interface PolylineWalk {
+  segments: Array<{ a: { x: number; y: number }; b: { x: number; y: number }; len: number }>;
+  total: number;
+  first: { x: number; y: number } | undefined;
+  last: { x: number; y: number } | undefined;
+}
+
+function walkPolyline(points: Array<{ x: number; y: number }>): PolylineWalk {
+  const segments: PolylineWalk['segments'] = [];
+  let total = 0;
+  for (let i = 1; i < points.length; i++) {
+    const a = points[i - 1];
+    const b = points[i];
+    if (a === undefined || b === undefined) continue;
+    const len = Math.hypot(b.x - a.x, b.y - a.y);
+    segments.push({ a, b, len });
+    total += len;
+  }
+  return { segments, total, first: points[0], last: points[points.length - 1] };
+}
+
+/** Point at a given fraction (0..1) of the walk; falls back to the first point. */
+function pointOnWalk(walk: PolylineWalk, fraction: number): { x: number; y: number } | undefined {
+  if (walk.total === 0) return walk.first;
+  let target = Math.min(Math.max(fraction, 0), 1) * walk.total;
+  for (const seg of walk.segments) {
+    if (target <= seg.len) {
+      const t = seg.len === 0 ? 0 : target / seg.len;
+      return { x: round2(seg.a.x + (seg.b.x - seg.a.x) * t), y: round2(seg.a.y + (seg.b.y - seg.a.y) * t) };
+    }
+    target -= seg.len;
+  }
+  return walk.last;
+}
+
+/** Unit normal of the segment containing the fraction point; undefined for degenerate walks. */
+function normalOnWalk(walk: PolylineWalk, fraction: number): { x: number; y: number } | undefined {
+  if (walk.total === 0) return undefined;
+  let target = Math.min(Math.max(fraction, 0), 1) * walk.total;
+  for (const seg of walk.segments) {
+    if (target <= seg.len) {
+      if (seg.len === 0) return undefined;
+      const tx = (seg.b.x - seg.a.x) / seg.len;
+      const ty = (seg.b.y - seg.a.y) / seg.len;
+      return { x: -ty, y: tx };
+    }
+    target -= seg.len;
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+function round2(n: number): number {
+  return Math.round(n * 100) / 100;
+}
+
 function escapeAttr(str: string): string {
   return str
     .replace(/&/g, '&amp;')