diff --git a/crates/render/src/lib.rs b/crates/render/src/lib.rs
index e86478c3..66ea8203 100644
--- a/crates/render/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/render/src/lib.rs
@@ -695,16 +695,17 @@ impl Renderer {
                 ctx.pop_layer();
             }
             StrokeAlign::Outside if closed => {
-                let outline =
-                    kurbo::stroke(bp.iter(), &kurbo::Stroke { width: st.weight * 2.0, ..stroke }, &kurbo::StrokeOpts::default(), 0.05 * f.px);
-                let mut p = outline;
-                // Remove the interior: even-odd with the path itself.
-                for el in bp.elements() {
-                    p.push(*el);
-                }
-                ctx.set_fill_rule(peniko::Fill::EvenOdd);
-                ctx.fill_path(&p);
-                ctx.set_fill_rule(peniko::Fill::NonZero);
+                // Subtract the filled path from a double-width stroke. Combining a stroked
+                // outline (already hollow) with the path using even-odd would paint its centre.
+                // Isolate the stroke so the subtraction leaves the item's fill/content and
+                // backdrop intact; the same nonzero fill rule also preserves compound holes.
+                ctx.push_layer(None, None, None, None, None);
+                ctx.set_stroke(kurbo::Stroke { width: st.weight * 2.0, ..stroke });
+                ctx.stroke_path(bp);
+                ctx.push_layer(None, Some(BlendMode::new(Mix::Normal, Compose::DestOut)), None, None, None);
+                ctx.fill_path(bp);
+                ctx.pop_layer();
+                ctx.pop_layer();
             }
             _ => {
                 ctx.set_stroke(stroke);
diff --git a/crates/render/tests/stroke_alignment.rs b/crates/render/tests/stroke_alignment.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eee8450a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/render/tests/stroke_alignment.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+//! Synthetic pixel regressions for stroke alignment. No imported artwork is needed.
+use designcraft_color::{Color, swatch::Swatch};
+use designcraft_compose::Cache;
+use designcraft_doc::build::NewDocument;
+use designcraft_doc::{Document, Fill, Item, ItemId, Join, Shape, SpreadRef, Stroke, StrokeAlign, StrokeType};
+use designcraft_geom::{Affine, PathData, Point, Rect, shapes};
+use designcraft_render::{Placed, RenderOptions, Rendered, Renderer};
+
+const WHITE: [u8; 4] = [255, 255, 255, 255];
+const RED: [u8; 4] = [255, 0, 0, 255];
+const BLUE: [u8; 4] = [0, 0, 255, 255];
+
+fn render(path: PathData, fill: bool, stroke: Stroke, xf: Affine, threads: u16) -> Rendered {
+    render_with(path, fill, stroke, xf, threads, 1.0, Some(BLUE))
+}
+
+fn render_with(path: PathData, fill: bool, stroke: Stroke, xf: Affine, threads: u16, opacity: f32, background: Option<[u8; 4]>) -> Rendered {
+    let mut d = Document::new(&NewDocument { width: 96.0, height: 96.0, facing_pages: false, ..Default::default() });
+    d.swatches.push(Swatch::color("Red", Color::rgb8(255, 0, 0)));
+    let id = ItemId(d.alloc());
+    let mut item = Item::new(id, d.default_layer(), Shape::Rectangle, path);
+    item.fill = if fill { Fill::swatch(designcraft_color::swatch::PAPER) } else { Fill::default() };
+    item.stroke = stroke;
+    item.xf = xf;
+    item.opacity = opacity;
+    d.insert_item(SpreadRef::Doc(0), item, None).unwrap();
+    let mut renderer = Renderer::new();
+    renderer.threads = threads;
+    renderer.render(
+        &d,
+        &Cache::new(),
+        &[Placed { spread: SpreadRef::Doc(0), xf: Affine::IDENTITY }],
+        96,
+        96,
+        Affine::IDENTITY,
+        &RenderOptions { paper: false, background, ..Default::default() },
+    )
+}
+
+fn stroke(align: StrokeAlign) -> Stroke {
+    Stroke { swatch: "Red".into(), weight: 6.0, align, ..Default::default() }
+}
+
+fn rectangle() -> PathData {
+    shapes::rectangle(Rect::new(24.0, 24.0, 72.0, 72.0))
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_keeps_white_center_and_does_not_cover_fill() {
+    let img = render(rectangle(), true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), WHITE, "an outside stroke must not paint the center");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(26, 48), WHITE, "the inside half of the doubled stroke is excluded");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), RED, "the full stroke weight is outside the path");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(16, 48), BLUE, "the outside stroke remains bounded");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_preserves_backdrop_without_a_fill() {
+    let img = render(rectangle(), false, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), BLUE);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(26, 48), BLUE, "removing the inner stroke must not erase the backdrop");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), RED);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_preserves_transparency() {
+    let img = render_with(rectangle(), false, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0, 1.0, None);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), [0; 4]);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(26, 48), [0; 4]);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), RED);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(16, 48), [0; 4]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_applies_item_opacity_once() {
+    let img = render_with(rectangle(), true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0, 0.5, None);
+    for (x, expected) in [(48, [255, 255, 255]), (26, [255, 255, 255]), (20, [255, 0, 0])] {
+        let pixel = img.pixel(x, 48);
+        assert_eq!(&pixel[..3], &expected, "colour at {x}");
+        assert!(pixel[3].abs_diff(128) <= 1, "opacity at {x}: {pixel:?}");
+    }
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(16, 48), [0; 4]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_follows_compound_holes_and_nonzero_winding() {
+    // Opposite winding creates a hole. Its boundary strokes toward the hole.
+    let mut path = rectangle();
+    let mut hole = shapes::rectangle(Rect::new(36.0, 36.0, 60.0, 60.0));
+    for subpath in &mut hole.subpaths {
+        subpath.reverse();
+    }
+    path.subpaths.extend(hole.subpaths);
+    let img = render(path, true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(30, 48), WHITE, "stroke must stay out of the filled area");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(38, 48), RED, "the hole is outside the compound shape");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), BLUE, "the hole center remains unpainted");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), RED);
+
+    // Same-winding nested paths do not make a hole under the renderer's nonzero fill rule.
+    let mut path = rectangle();
+    path.subpaths.extend(shapes::rectangle(Rect::new(36.0, 36.0, 60.0, 60.0)).subpaths);
+    let img = render(path, true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(38, 48), WHITE, "nested filled contours must not acquire interior ink");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), WHITE);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), RED);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn stroke_alignment_preserves_widths_and_open_path_behavior() {
+    for (align, exterior, interior) in [(StrokeAlign::Outside, RED, WHITE), (StrokeAlign::Inside, BLUE, RED), (StrokeAlign::Center, BLUE, WHITE)] {
+        let img = render(rectangle(), true, stroke(align), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+        assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), exterior, "{align:?} exterior");
+        assert_eq!(img.pixel(28, 48), interior, "{align:?} interior");
+        assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), WHITE);
+    }
+    let line = shapes::line(Point::new(24.0, 48.0), Point::new(72.0, 48.0));
+    let centered = render(line.clone(), false, stroke(StrokeAlign::Center), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    for align in [StrokeAlign::Inside, StrokeAlign::Outside] {
+        let img = render(line.clone(), false, stroke(align), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+        assert_eq!(img.pixels, centered.pixels, "open paths always use centered strokes");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_retains_joins_dashes_and_transforms() {
+    for join in [Join::Miter, Join::Round, Join::Bevel] {
+        let mut st = stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside);
+        st.join = join;
+        let img = render(rectangle(), true, st, Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+        assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), WHITE);
+        assert_eq!(img.pixel(20, 48), RED);
+        assert_eq!(img.pixel(18, 18), if join == Join::Miter { RED } else { BLUE }, "{join:?} corner");
+    }
+    let mut dashed = stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside);
+    dashed.kind = StrokeType::Dashed { pattern: vec![12.0, 12.0] };
+    let img = render(rectangle(), true, dashed, Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(30, 20), RED, "dash stays outside");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(42, 20), BLUE, "dash gap stays empty");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(30, 26), WHITE, "dash stays out of the fill");
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), WHITE);
+
+    let xf = Affine::translate((48.0, 48.0)) * Affine::rotate(std::f64::consts::FRAC_PI_4) * Affine::translate((-48.0, -48.0));
+    let img = render(rectangle(), true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), xf, 0);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(48, 48), WHITE);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(28, 28), RED);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(34, 34), WHITE);
+    assert_eq!(img.pixel(22, 22), BLUE);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn outside_stroke_is_identical_with_multiple_render_threads() {
+    let single = render(rectangle(), true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 0);
+    let multi = render(rectangle(), true, stroke(StrokeAlign::Outside), Affine::IDENTITY, 2);
+    assert_eq!(single.pixels, multi.pixels);
+}