diff --git a/frontend/src/viewer/PdfViewer.tsx b/frontend/src/viewer/PdfViewer.tsx
index 3ce3b73..c8be8d3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/viewer/PdfViewer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/viewer/PdfViewer.tsx
@@ -258,6 +258,34 @@ const PdfViewer = ({ src, title, className, viewportRef }: PdfViewerProps): JSX.
     focusTargetRef.current = null;
   }, [viewMode, viewportRef]);
 
+  // Auto-detect scrollbar contrast requirement
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const viewportElement = viewportRef?.current || containerRef.current?.closest('.document-viewer__viewport');
+    if (!viewportElement || pages.length === 0 || viewportWidth <= 0 || viewportHeight <= 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const page = pages[0];
+    const pageAspect = page.width / page.height;
+    const viewportAspect = viewportWidth / viewportHeight;
+
+    // If we are in 'fit-width' mode, the page usually covers the full width (white background).
+    // If we are in 'contain' mode, we check if the page is narrower than the viewport (gray background).
+    const hasHorizontalMargin = viewMode === 'contain' && pageAspect < viewportAspect;
+
+    // If there is no margin (white page), we need the light scheme (dark scrollbar).
+    // If there is a margin (gray background), we use the default scheme (light scrollbar).
+    if (!hasHorizontalMargin) {
+      viewportElement.classList.add('document-viewer__viewport--light-scheme');
+    } else {
+      viewportElement.classList.remove('document-viewer__viewport--light-scheme');
+    }
+
+    return () => {
+      viewportElement.classList.remove('document-viewer__viewport--light-scheme');
+    };
+  }, [viewMode, viewportRef, pages, viewportWidth, viewportHeight]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!src || renderWidth <= 0) {
       return undefined;
diff --git a/frontend/src/viewer/logic/useDetailWorkspace.ts b/frontend/src/viewer/logic/useDetailWorkspace.ts
index fdffd6d..ecac2ae 100644
--- a/frontend/src/viewer/logic/useDetailWorkspace.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/viewer/logic/useDetailWorkspace.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,12 @@ const useDetailWorkspace = ({
     };
   }, [detailPanelControlRef, openDetailPanel, closeDetailPanel]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (detailPanelOpen && activePreviewId) {
+      openDetailPanel(activePreviewId);
+    }
+  }, [detailPanelOpen, activePreviewId, openDetailPanel]);
+
   // Prefetch folder ancestors for breadcrumb display
   useEffect(() => {
     const folderId = detailPanelDocument?.folder_id;
diff --git a/frontend/src/viewer/styles/viewer.css b/frontend/src/viewer/styles/viewer.css
index b44feda..68dc38f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/viewer/styles/viewer.css
+++ b/frontend/src/viewer/styles/viewer.css
@@ -381,12 +381,15 @@
   justify-content: flex-start;
   max-height: 100%;
   grid-area: viewport;
-  background: var(--surface-subtle);
-  padding: 1.5vmin;
   box-sizing: border-box;
   --pdf-viewer-stack-padding: 1.5vmin;
 }
 
+.document-viewer__viewport--light-scheme {
+  /* Force light theme scrollbars (dark handle) for visibility on white content */
+  color-scheme: light;
+}
+
 .document-viewer__object {
   width: 100%;
   border: none;