diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs
index de2c2b9d..1068acab 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/icons.rs
@@ -641,13 +641,24 @@ pub fn keyframe(
     left: effectcraft_engine::keyframe::KeyHalf,
     right: effectcraft_engine::keyframe::KeyHalf,
     fill: Color32,
-    outline: Color32,
 ) {
+    painter.extend(keyframe_shapes(center, size, left, right, fill));
+}
+
+/// The halves of a [`keyframe`] glyph. Flat, without a dark outline (as in After Effects), so
+/// keys that overlap read as one shape instead of a tangle of borders (#284); the hairline in
+/// the fill colour closes the seam between the halves.
+fn keyframe_shapes(
+    center: Pos2,
+    size: f32,
+    left: effectcraft_engine::keyframe::KeyHalf,
+    right: effectcraft_engine::keyframe::KeyHalf,
+    fill: Color32,
+) -> Vec<egui::Shape> {
     use effectcraft_engine::keyframe::KeyHalf as H;
     let r = size / 2.0;
-    let half = |pts: Vec<Pos2>| {
-        painter.add(PathShape::convex_polygon(pts, fill, Stroke::new(1.0, outline)));
-    };
+    let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(2);
+    let mut half = |pts: Vec<Pos2>| out.push(PathShape::convex_polygon(pts, fill, Stroke::new(0.5, fill)).into());
     let c = center;
     for (side, h) in [(-1.0f32, left), (1.0, right)] {
         match h {
@@ -678,4 +689,26 @@ pub fn keyframe(
             }
         }
     }
+    out
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use effectcraft_engine::keyframe::KeyHalf as H;
+
+    /// #284: keyframes have no dark border (overlapping keys looked messy): each half is filled
+    /// and edged in the key's own colour.
+    #[test]
+    fn keyframes_are_drawn_without_a_dark_outline() {
+        let fill = egui::Color32::from_gray(0xc0);
+        for (l, r) in [(H::Linear, H::Linear), (H::Bezier, H::Hold), (H::Auto, H::Linear)] {
+            let shapes = super::keyframe_shapes(egui::pos2(10.0, 10.0), 11.0, l, r, fill);
+            assert_eq!(shapes.len(), 2);
+            for s in shapes {
+                let egui::Shape::Path(p) = s else { panic!("a path: {s:?}") };
+                assert_eq!(p.fill, fill);
+                assert!(p.stroke.width <= 0.5 && p.stroke.color == egui::epaint::ColorMode::Solid(fill), "{:?}", p.stroke);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
index 457a9396..bdedd202 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/timeline.rs
@@ -2255,7 +2255,7 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, rect: Rect) {
                             // Roving keys: a small dot (their time follows their neighbours).
                             gp.circle_filled(c, 2.5, kcol);
                         } else {
-                            icons::keyframe(&gp, c, 11.0, icon.left, icon.right, kcol, Color32::from_black_alpha(200));
+                            icons::keyframe(&gp, c, 11.0, icon.left, icon.right, kcol);
                         }
                         let kr = Rect::from_center_size(c, vec2(12.0, 14.0));
                         let kresp = ui.interact(kr, egui::Id::new(("key", uid, k.time.0)), Sense::click_and_drag());
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/theme.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/theme.rs
index 1a9e1a1a..bfe4de75 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/theme.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/theme.rs
@@ -187,6 +187,8 @@ impl Tokens {
                 tl_ruler_bg: Color32::from_rgb(0xe2, 0xe2, 0xe2),
                 tl_ruler_text: Color32::from_rgb(0x50, 0x50, 0x50),
                 pasteboard: Color32::from_rgb(0xa8, 0xa8, 0xa8),
+                // Keyframes have no outline: dark enough to stand out on the light time graph.
+                keyframe: Color32::from_rgb(0x6c, 0x6c, 0x6c),
                 ..dark
             },
         }