diff --git a/make-pdf/src/print-css.ts b/make-pdf/src/print-css.ts
index bf6f862bdc..9edd7d2f3f 100644
--- a/make-pdf/src/print-css.ts
+++ b/make-pdf/src/print-css.ts
@@ -273,9 +273,14 @@ function tocRules(enabled: boolean): string {
     `  padding: 3pt 0;`,
     `}`,
     `.toc li .toc-title { flex: 0 0 auto; }`,
-    `.toc li .toc-dots { flex: 1 1 auto; border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; margin: 0 6pt; transform: translateY(-4pt); }`,
-    `.toc li .toc-page { flex: 0 0 auto; color: #666; font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums; }`,
+    // v1 ships without Paged.js, so target-counter never resolves and
+    // .toc-page stays empty — leader dots would trail into blank space.
+    // Hide both until page numbers actually exist; screenCss() already does
+    // the same for HTML output. Restore these two rules the day Paged.js
+    // lands and the spans get filled.
+    `.toc li .toc-dots, .toc li .toc-page { display: none; }`,
     `.toc li.level-2 { padding-left: 0.35in; font-size: 11pt; }`,
+    `.toc li.level-3 { padding-left: 0.7in; font-size: 10.5pt; color: #555; }`,
     `.toc li a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }`,
   ].join("\n");
 }
diff --git a/make-pdf/src/render.ts b/make-pdf/src/render.ts
index 514fbbc89e..4c07c97b96 100644
--- a/make-pdf/src/render.ts
+++ b/make-pdf/src/render.ts
@@ -285,7 +285,9 @@ function buildTocBlock(html: string, ids: string[] = []): string {
   if (headings.length === 0) return "";
 
   const items = headings.map((h, i) => {
-    const level = h.level >= 2 ? "level-2" : "level-1";
+    // H3 gets its own class so sub-sections nest under their H2 instead of
+    // sitting at the same indent and reading as top-level peers.
+    const level = h.level >= 3 ? "level-3" : h.level === 2 ? "level-2" : "level-1";
     const id = ids[i] ?? `toc-${i}`;
     return [
       `  <li class="${level}">`,