diff --git a/src/client/graphics/layers/SettingsModal.ts b/src/client/graphics/layers/SettingsModal.ts
index c61cab390..a58d21462 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/layers/SettingsModal.ts
+++ b/src/client/graphics/layers/SettingsModal.ts
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ export class SettingsModal extends LitElement implements Layer {
       throw new Error(`Invalid border mode: ${value}`);
 
     this.userSettings.setInt("settings.territoryBorderMode", mode);
-    this.eventBus.emit(new RefreshGraphicsEvent());
     this.requestUpdate();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/client/graphics/layers/TerritoryLayer.ts b/src/client/graphics/layers/TerritoryLayer.ts
index 3a35080cb..2c3159c70 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/layers/TerritoryLayer.ts
+++ b/src/client/graphics/layers/TerritoryLayer.ts
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ export class TerritoryLayer implements Layer {
       this.redraw();
     }
 
+    // Apply user settings even while the game is paused (settings modal).
+    this.refreshBorderModeIfNeeded();
+
     this.ensureTerritoryCanvasAttached(context.canvas);
     this.updateHoverHighlight();
 
diff --git a/src/client/graphics/webgpu/TerritoryRenderer.ts b/src/client/graphics/webgpu/TerritoryRenderer.ts
index 85b1eb3b6..798682e7a 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/webgpu/TerritoryRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/graphics/webgpu/TerritoryRenderer.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export class TerritoryRenderer {
   private resources: GroundTruthData | null = null;
   private ready = false;
   private initPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
+  private borderMode = 1;
 
   // Compute passes
   private computePasses: ComputePass[] = [];
@@ -99,6 +100,8 @@ export class TerritoryRenderer {
       state,
     );
 
+    this.resources.setBorderMode(this.borderMode);
+
     // Upload terrain data and params (terrain colors will be computed on GPU)
     this.resources.uploadTerrainData();
     this.resources.uploadTerrainParams();
@@ -228,6 +231,7 @@ export class TerritoryRenderer {
   }
 
   setBorderMode(mode: number): void {
+    this.borderMode = mode;
     if (!this.resources) {
       return;
     }
diff --git a/src/client/graphics/webgpu/shaders/render/territory.wgsl b/src/client/graphics/webgpu/shaders/render/territory.wgsl
index 5064c0481..9f89903c7 100644
--- a/src/client/graphics/webgpu/shaders/render/territory.wgsl
+++ b/src/client/graphics/webgpu/shaders/render/territory.wgsl
@@ -113,20 +113,26 @@ fn fsMain(@builtin(position) pos: vec4f) -> @location(0) vec4f {
     if (dist < 1e8) {
       let pxPerTile = max(viewScale, 0.001);
       let aaTiles = 1.0 / pxPerTile;
-      let thicknessPx = select(1.0, 2.5, borderMode > 1.5);
+
+      // Mode 1: thin black border.
+      // Mode 2: thicker black border + obvious tinted glow.
+      let isGlow = borderMode > 1.5;
+      let thicknessPx = select(1.0, 3.0, isGlow);
       let thicknessTiles = thicknessPx / pxPerTile;
 
       let line = 1.0 - smoothstep(thicknessTiles, thicknessTiles + aaTiles, dist);
       outColor = vec4f(
-        mix(outColor.rgb, vec3f(0.0, 0.0, 0.0), clamp(line * 0.9, 0.0, 0.9)),
+        mix(outColor.rgb, vec3f(0.0, 0.0, 0.0), clamp(line * 0.95, 0.0, 0.95)),
         outColor.a,
       );
 
-      if (borderMode > 1.5) {
-        let glowTiles = (thicknessPx * 3.0) / pxPerTile;
-        let glow = 1.0 - smoothstep(glowTiles, glowTiles + aaTiles * 2.0, dist);
+      if (isGlow) {
+        let glowTiles = (thicknessPx * 5.0) / pxPerTile;
+        let glow = 1.0 - smoothstep(glowTiles, glowTiles + aaTiles * 3.0, dist);
+        let ownerRgb = textureLoad(paletteTex, vec2i(i32(owner) + 10, 0), 0).rgb;
+        let glowColor = mix(vec3f(1.0, 1.0, 1.0), ownerRgb, 0.85);
         outColor = vec4f(
-          mix(outColor.rgb, vec3f(1.0, 1.0, 1.0), clamp(glow * 0.12, 0.0, 0.12)),
+          mix(outColor.rgb, glowColor, clamp(glow * 0.35, 0.0, 0.35)),
           outColor.a,
         );
       }