diff --git a/packages/base/codemirror-editor.gts b/packages/base/codemirror-editor.gts
index 181a56b205..b368da55a4 100644
--- a/packages/base/codemirror-editor.gts
+++ b/packages/base/codemirror-editor.gts
@@ -1602,17 +1602,6 @@ export default class CodeMirrorEditor extends GlimmerComponent<CodeMirrorEditorS
           color: var(--boxel-400, #666);
         }
 
-        .codemirror-editor :deep(.cm-bfm-card-ref--block) {
-          display: inline-block;
-          font-size: 0.85em;
-          color: var(--boxel-400, #666);
-          padding: 2px 6px;
-        }
-
-        .codemirror-editor :deep(.cm-bfm-card-ref--active) {
-          background-color: var(--boxel-highlight-hover, #e8f0fe);
-        }
-
         /* ── Card widget containers ── */
         .codemirror-editor :deep(.cm-card-widget) {
           user-select: none;
diff --git a/packages/host/app/lib/codemirror-context.ts b/packages/host/app/lib/codemirror-context.ts
index e2c6bbe692..5e92acdf27 100644
--- a/packages/host/app/lib/codemirror-context.ts
+++ b/packages/host/app/lib/codemirror-context.ts
@@ -672,8 +672,7 @@ function buildCardDecorations(
           from,
           to,
           value: Decoration.mark({
-            class:
-              'cm-bfm-card-ref cm-bfm-card-ref--block cm-bfm-card-ref--active',
+            class: 'cm-bfm-card-ref cm-bfm-card-ref--inline',
           }),
         });
       } else if (onCursor) {
@@ -682,8 +681,7 @@ function buildCardDecorations(
           from,
           to,
           value: Decoration.mark({
-            class:
-              'cm-bfm-card-ref cm-bfm-card-ref--block cm-bfm-card-ref--active',
+            class: 'cm-bfm-card-ref cm-bfm-card-ref--inline',
           }),
         });
         let previewWidget = new CardWidget(cardId, 'block', refType);