diff --git a/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue b/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue
index e7547e1..e955bbf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue
@@ -770,13 +770,16 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 
     <section class="block">
       <div class="block-head msg-head">
-        <LangSelect
-          v-model="lang"
-          :options="contactLangOptions"
-          title="Language of the label/topic strings (auto translators fill these too; this edits the manual override)"
-        />
+        <div v-if="contactLangOptions.length > 1" class="field msg-flag">
+          <span class="field-label" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+          <LangSelect
+            v-model="lang"
+            :options="contactLangOptions"
+            title="Language of the label/subject strings (auto translators fill these too; this edits the manual override)"
+          />
+        </div>
         <label class="field">
-          <span class="field-label">button label</span>
+          <span class="field-label">contact button label</span>
           <input
             v-model="contactLabel"
             class="text-input"
@@ -792,12 +795,12 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
           />
         </label>
         <label class="field">
-          <span class="field-label">topic</span>
+          <span class="field-label">email subject</span>
           <input
             v-model="contactSubject"
             class="text-input"
             :placeholder="translating ? contactSubjectOrig : ''"
-            title="Topic for the mailto link (empty = the label)"
+            title="Subject line for the mailto link (empty = the button label)"
             :readonly="pmGuard"
             data-1p-ignore
             data-lpignore="true"
@@ -808,7 +811,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
           />
         </label>
         <label class="field">
-          <span class="field-label">email</span>
+          <span class="field-label">our email</span>
           <input
             v-model="contactEmail"
             class="text-input"
@@ -958,16 +961,16 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 }
 
 /* The messaging block: one line — the article editor's flag selector,
-   then the labeled boxes (button label = the enable switch, topic; the
-   mailto email last, where the planned SMTP address joins it). Labels
-   sit directly above their own box so there is no doubt what they
-   describe, and the row bottom-aligns so the flag lines up with the
-   boxes, not the labels. The boxes are readonly until first
-   interaction (+ vendor ignore attributes, and the mailto subject is
-   labeled "topic"): password managers offer credential autofill on
-   them no matter the autocomplete setting. */
+   then the labeled boxes (contact button label = the enable switch,
+   email subject; the mailto "our email" last, where the planned SMTP
+   address joins it). Labels sit directly above their own box; the row
+   stretches so all columns share one height and the flag, in its own
+   column under an empty label spacer, centers against the boxes. The
+   boxes are readonly until first interaction (+ vendor ignore
+   attributes): password managers offer credential autofill on them no
+   matter the autocomplete setting. */
 .msg-head {
-  align-items: end;
+  align-items: stretch;
   flex-wrap: wrap;
 }
 
@@ -979,6 +982,18 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   min-width: 7rem;
 }
 
+.msg-head .msg-flag {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+}
+
+/* The flag fills its column below the label spacer, so centering inside
+   it centers against the input row exactly. */
+.msg-flag .lang-select {
+  flex: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+}
+
 /* The shared 5rem label track is for side-by-side labels; stacked
    labels size to their text. */
 .msg-head .field > .field-label {