diff --git a/app/[locale]/(site)/layout.tsx b/app/[locale]/(site)/layout.tsx
index 1e27e7a..8edc347 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/(site)/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/(site)/layout.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { getLocale } from "next-intl/server";
 import { redirect } from "next/navigation";
 
 import { SiteAmbientBackdrop } from "@/components/layout/site-ambient-backdrop";
+import { PageTransition } from "@/components/layout/page-transition";
 import { SiteDock } from "@/components/layout/site-dock";
 import { SiteFooter } from "@/components/layout/site-footer";
 import { ScrollSmootherProvider } from "@/components/scroll-smoother-provider";
@@ -47,7 +48,9 @@ export default async function SiteLayout({ children, params }: SiteLayoutProps)
       <div id="smooth-wrapper">
         <div id="smooth-content">
           <div className="site-content-frame flex min-h-screen flex-col">
-            <main className="flex-1">{children}</main>
+            <main className="flex-1">
+              <PageTransition>{children}</PageTransition>
+            </main>
             <SiteFooter defaultLocale={siteSettings.defaultLocale} />
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/app/[locale]/(site)/template.tsx b/components/layout/page-transition.tsx
similarity index 54%
rename from app/[locale]/(site)/template.tsx
rename to components/layout/page-transition.tsx
index c699126..41a28e2 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/(site)/template.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/page-transition.tsx
@@ -6,15 +6,12 @@ import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";
 import { useContext, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
 
 /**
- * App Router swaps in the new page's content as soon as you navigate, so the
- * outgoing page would normally vanish before it can animate out. `FrozenRouter`
- * pins the layout-router context to the value it had when this instance
- * mounted, keeping the *old* subtree rendered while its exit animation plays.
+ * Pins the layout-router context captured when this instance mounted. Each
+ * keyed page gets its own FrozenRouter, so the *outgoing* page keeps rendering
+ * its old route data while it animates out.
  */
 function FrozenRouter({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const context = useContext(LayoutRouterContext);
-  // Freeze the context captured at mount so the outgoing subtree keeps
-  // rendering (with its old route data) while its exit animation plays.
   const [frozen] = useState(context);
 
   if (!frozen) {
@@ -25,21 +22,23 @@ function FrozenRouter({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 }
 
 /**
- * One unified page transition on every navigation: the old page animates out
- * (blur + rise up) before the new page animates in (blur + rise from below).
+ * One unified page transition on every navigation. Lives in the (persistent)
+ * site layout — NOT in a `template.tsx`, which Next re-creates on each
+ * navigation and would reset AnimatePresence so nothing animates. The old page
+ * animates out (rise + blur), then the new page animates in from below.
  */
-export default function SiteTemplate({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+export function PageTransition({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const reducedMotion = useReducedMotion();
   const pathname = usePathname();
 
   return (
-    <AnimatePresence mode="wait" initial={false}>
+    <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
       <motion.div
         key={pathname}
-        initial={reducedMotion ? false : { opacity: 0, y: 18, filter: "blur(10px)" }}
+        initial={reducedMotion ? false : { opacity: 0, y: 20, filter: "blur(10px)" }}
         animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0, filter: "blur(0px)" }}
-        exit={reducedMotion ? { opacity: 0 } : { opacity: 0, y: -18, filter: "blur(10px)" }}
-        transition={reducedMotion ? { duration: 0 } : { duration: 0.4, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
+        exit={reducedMotion ? { opacity: 0 } : { opacity: 0, y: -20, filter: "blur(10px)" }}
+        transition={reducedMotion ? { duration: 0 } : { duration: 0.45, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
       >
         <FrozenRouter>{children}</FrozenRouter>
       </motion.div>