diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
index 5a47aa0..fa5307d 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
@@ -1042,6 +1042,63 @@ class MySeaViewTest(TestCase):
         response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
         self.assertIn("location.href='/gameboard/'", response.content.decode())
 
+    def test_sea_btn_is_inactive_on_landing_phase(self):
+        """Sea sub-btn flips ACTIVE only when the user is in the picker
+        phase w. cards still to draw. Landing phase = inactive (default)."""
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertContains(
+            response,
+            '<button id="id_sea_btn" type="button" class="burger-fan-btn" aria-label="Sea">',
+        )
+
+    def test_sea_btn_is_active_on_picker_phase_with_partial_hand(self):
+        from apps.epic.models import personal_sig_cards, TarotCard
+        from apps.gameboard.models import MySeaDraw
+        sig = personal_sig_cards(self.user)[0]
+        self.user.significator = sig
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["significator"])
+        card = TarotCard.objects.exclude(pk=sig.pk).first()
+        MySeaDraw.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, spread="situation-action-outcome",
+            significator_id=sig.id,
+            hand=[{"position": "lay", "card_id": card.id,
+                   "reversed": False, "polarity": "gravity"}],
+        )
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertContains(
+            response,
+            'id="id_sea_btn" type="button" class="burger-fan-btn active"',
+        )
+
+    def test_sea_btn_returns_to_inactive_when_hand_complete(self):
+        """3-card spread w. all 3 positions drawn → hand_complete True →
+        sea_btn returns to inactive (the AUTO DRAW btn becomes GATE VIEW
+        + the deck FLIP gets .btn-disabled at this moment)."""
+        from apps.epic.models import personal_sig_cards, TarotCard
+        from apps.gameboard.models import MySeaDraw
+        sig = personal_sig_cards(self.user)[0]
+        self.user.significator = sig
+        self.user.save(update_fields=["significator"])
+        cards = list(TarotCard.objects.exclude(pk=sig.pk)[:3])
+        MySeaDraw.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, spread="situation-action-outcome",
+            significator_id=sig.id,
+            hand=[
+                {"position": "lay", "card_id": cards[0].id,
+                 "reversed": False, "polarity": "gravity"},
+                {"position": "cross", "card_id": cards[1].id,
+                 "reversed": False, "polarity": "gravity"},
+                {"position": "crown", "card_id": cards[2].id,
+                 "reversed": False, "polarity": "gravity"},
+            ],
+        )
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        # active class absent
+        self.assertContains(
+            response,
+            '<button id="id_sea_btn" type="button" class="burger-fan-btn" aria-label="Sea">',
+        )
+
     def test_gear_nvm_navs_to_my_sea_landing_on_picker_phase(self):
         """Picker-phase NVM = "back out of the spread to the table hex" →
         /gameboard/my-sea/ (the landing). User-spec'd 2026-05-26 so the
diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/views.py b/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
index ea04656..9ff87eb 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
@@ -348,6 +348,11 @@ def my_sea(request):
         "next_free_draw_at": next_free_draw_at,
         "hand_complete": hand_complete,
         "show_picker": show_picker,
+        # Sub-btn .active flag for the burger fan — Sea sub-btn lights up
+        # when the user is in the picker phase w. cards still to draw.
+        # As soon as hand_complete flips True (AUTO DRAW → GATE VIEW + the
+        # deck FLIP gets .btn-disabled) the Sea sub-btn returns to inactive.
+        "sea_btn_active": show_picker and not hand_complete,
         "show_paid_draw": show_paid_draw,
         "show_gate_view": show_gate_view,
         "deposit_reserved": deposit_reserved,
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_burger.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_burger.html
index a1d6ef2..56eea95 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_burger.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_burger.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
         <i class="fa-solid fa-earth-americas burger-fan-icon--on"></i>
         <i class="fa-solid fa-ban burger-fan-icon--off"></i>
     </button>
-    <button id="id_sea_btn" type="button" class="burger-fan-btn" aria-label="Sea">
+    <button id="id_sea_btn" type="button" class="burger-fan-btn{% if sea_btn_active %} active{% endif %}" aria-label="Sea">
         <i class="fa-solid fa-bridge-water burger-fan-icon--on"></i>
         <i class="fa-solid fa-ban burger-fan-icon--off"></i>
     </button>