diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/Canvas.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/Canvas.svelte
index 036eb53..9b2bd83 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/Canvas.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/Canvas.svelte
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 		clampZoom,
 		ZOOM_MIN,
 		ZOOM_MAX,
+		ZOOM_FIT_MIN,
 	} from './types.js';
 
 	/**
@@ -211,21 +212,23 @@
 				return;
 			}
 
-			// Left button on empty space = lasso or deselect
-			if (!spaceHeld) {
-				if (e.shiftKey) {
-					// Start lasso
-					isLassoing = true;
-					lassoStart = { x: sx, y: sy };
-					lassoEnd = { x: sx, y: sy };
-				} else {
-					// Deselect all
-					selectedIds = new Set();
-					onSelectionChange?.([]);
-				}
-				containerEl.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
-				e.preventDefault();
+			// Left button on empty space = pan (or lasso with shift)
+			if (e.shiftKey) {
+				// Shift+drag = lasso selection
+				isLassoing = true;
+				lassoStart = { x: sx, y: sy };
+				lassoEnd = { x: sx, y: sy };
+			} else {
+				// Normal drag on empty space = pan
+				isPanning = true;
+				panStart = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
+				cameraStart = { x: camera.x, y: camera.y };
+				// Deselect all
+				selectedIds = new Set();
+				onSelectionChange?.([]);
 			}
+			containerEl.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
+			e.preventDefault();
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/types.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/types.ts
index f0698f9..7edb1a2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/types.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/canvas/types.ts
@@ -113,8 +113,10 @@ export function visibleObjects<T extends CanvasObject>(
 }
 
 /** Clamp zoom to allowed range */
-export const ZOOM_MIN = 0.1;
+export const ZOOM_MIN = 0.05;
 export const ZOOM_MAX = 3.0;
+/** Lower bound for zoomToFit — allows fitting very spread-out layouts */
+export const ZOOM_FIT_MIN = 0.02;
 
 export function clampZoom(zoom: number): number {
 	return Math.min(ZOOM_MAX, Math.max(ZOOM_MIN, zoom));
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
index 0eea6e5..6142bed 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 	// Canvas + BlockShell
 	import Canvas from '$lib/components/canvas/Canvas.svelte';
-	import type { CanvasObject } from '$lib/components/canvas/types.js';
+	import type { CanvasObject, Camera } from '$lib/components/canvas/types.js';
 	import BlockShell from '$lib/components/blockshell/BlockShell.svelte';
 
 	// Workspace layout
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@
 				// Load theme preferences
 				if (res.metadata) {
 					loadThemeFromMetadata(res.metadata as Record<string, unknown>);
+					// Load saved camera position
+					const cam = (res.metadata as Record<string, unknown>).camera as Camera | undefined;
+					if (cam && typeof cam.x === 'number') {
+						savedCamera = cam;
+					}
 				}
 			})
 			.catch((err) => {
@@ -97,6 +102,7 @@
 
 	let layout = $state<WorkspaceLayout>({ panels: [] });
 	let layoutInitialized = $state(false);
+	let savedCamera = $state<Camera>({ x: 0, y: 0, zoom: 1.0 });
 
 	// When workspace node appears in store (after creation), load its layout
 	$effect(() => {
@@ -141,6 +147,7 @@
 					metadata: {
 						...currentMeta,
 						workspace_layout: layout,
+						camera: savedCamera,
 						preferences: {
 							...(currentMeta.preferences ?? {}),
 							theme: { hueBg: themeHueBg, hueSurface: themeHueSurface, hueAccent: themeHueAccent },
@@ -778,6 +785,8 @@
 				objects={canvasObjects}
 				onObjectMove={handleObjectMove}
 				grid={{ enabled: false, size: 20 }}
+				initialCamera={savedCamera}
+				onCameraChange={(cam) => { savedCamera = cam; persistMetadata(); }}
 			>
 				{#snippet renderObject(obj)}
 					{@const trait = obj.id}