diff --git a/crates/compose/src/effects.rs b/crates/compose/src/effects.rs
index d77941847..d0aa8cdb6 100644
--- a/crates/compose/src/effects.rs
+++ b/crates/compose/src/effects.rs
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
 //! of strokes blend onto the backdrop with their own modes, an upper stroke covering the
 //! lower ones. Drop shadows are knocked out only through see-through fill.
 //!
-//! Shapes come from the layer's alpha (after its mask). Strokes and spread / choke measure
-//! distances with a 5 × 5 chamfer metric seeded at sub-pixel edge offsets (as Photoshop does);
-//! precise glows and chiselled bevels use an exact Euclidean distance transform. Soft falloffs
-//! are two box blurs (a tent).
+//! Shapes come from the layer's alpha (after its mask). A stroke's outer edge, and precise glows /
+//! chiselled bevels, use an exact Euclidean transform: a 5 × 5 chamfer's level sets are polygons,
+//! which a wide stroke shows as flat facets (#3646). Inside stroke edges and spread / choke keep the
+//! cheaper chamfer. Soft falloffs are two box blurs (a tent).
 
 use photocraft_color::blend::BlendMode;
 use photocraft_doc::Pattern;
@@ -389,9 +389,9 @@ fn dist_outside(s: &Map) -> Vec<f32> {
 /// Distance metric for effect distance fields.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
 enum Metric {
-    /// Exact Euclidean (precise glows, bevels).
+    /// Exact Euclidean (effect edges).
     Euclidean,
-    /// 5 × 5 chamfer (strokes, spread / choke; see [`chamfer_nearest`]).
+    /// 5 × 5 chamfer (inside strokes, spread / choke; see [`chamfer_nearest`]).
     Chamfer,
 }
 
@@ -1714,10 +1714,14 @@ pub(crate) fn build_maps_prepared(
         .collect();
     let has_stroke = items.iter().any(|e| matches!(e, Effect::Stroke(_)));
     let vector_shape = matches!(layer.content, photocraft_doc::LayerContent::Shape(_));
-    let (din, dout) = if has_stroke { (Some(dist_inside_by(&shape, Metric::Chamfer)), Some(dist_outside_by(&shape, Metric::Chamfer))) } else { (None, None) };
+    // The outer edge uses exact Euclidean distances, not the 5 × 5 chamfer: the chamfer's level
+    // sets are polygons (an ~8-fold octagon here), so a wide stroke's outer boundary shows flat
+    // facets — at 245 px it wanders by ~10 px (#3646). Inside stroke distances keep the chamfer,
+    // whose sub-pixel edge seeding is fitted to Photoshop at small offsets.
+    let (din, dout) = if has_stroke { (Some(dist_inside_by(&shape, Metric::Chamfer)), Some(dist_outside_by(&shape, Metric::Euclidean))) } else { (None, None) };
     // Without an outline (unfilled shapes), estimate the vector outline from local coverage.
     let outline = crate::effect_outline(layer).is_some();
-    let vdout = (has_stroke && vector_shape && !outline).then(|| dist_outside_by(&local_coverage(&shape), Metric::Chamfer));
+    let vdout = (has_stroke && vector_shape && !outline).then(|| dist_outside_by(&local_coverage(&shape), Metric::Euclidean));
     let mut frames: Vec<(u32, Rect)> = Vec::new();
     for e in &items {
         if let Effect::Stroke(st) = e
diff --git a/crates/compose/src/tests.rs b/crates/compose/src/tests.rs
index a141f42ff..2a012de61 100644
--- a/crates/compose/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/compose/src/tests.rs
@@ -1116,17 +1116,48 @@ fn shapeless_effect_maps_cover_only_the_band_being_rendered() {
 // ---------- PSD-fidelity effect semantics (fitted on Photoshop composites) ----------
 
 #[test]
-fn stroke_corners_follow_the_5x5_chamfer_metric() {
-    // Square 10..30, outside stroke 3: pixel (9, 7) is offset (1, 3) from the corner pixel.
-    // Photoshop measures √5 + 1 = 3.236 there (exact distance 3.162): coverage 3 + 1 − 3.236.
+fn stroke_edges_use_the_exact_euclidean_distance() {
+    // #3646: stroke distances are exact Euclidean. The 5 × 5 chamfer is a polygon at scale (see
+    // `a_wide_outside_stroke_is_round_not_a_polygon`), so it can't be the metric here.
+    // Square 10..30, outside stroke 3: (9, 7) is offset (1, 3) from the corner pixel: distance
+    // √10 = 3.162, coverage 3 + 1 − 3.162 = 0.838.
     let d = fx_doc(vec![stroke(3.0, StrokePosition::Outside)]);
     let a = 1.0 - px(&d, 9, 7)[0]; // blue stroke over white: red channel drops by coverage
-    assert!((a - 0.764).abs() < 0.01, "{a}");
-    // (2, 2) stays Euclidean (two diagonal steps).
+    assert!((a - 0.838).abs() < 0.01, "{a}");
+    // (2, 2) is the same in both metrics (two diagonal steps).
     let a = 1.0 - px(&d, 8, 8)[0];
     assert!((a - 1.0).abs() < 0.01, "{a}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn a_wide_outside_stroke_is_round_not_a_polygon() {
+    // A point source dilated by 60 px must stay a circle. The 5 × 5 chamfer's octagonal level set
+    // made the boundary swing ~2.5 px at this radius (~10 px at 245 px) — the "low-poly" #3646.
+    let mut d = doc_white(170, 170);
+    let mut l = solid_layer("dot", Rect::new(85, 85, 86, 86), [1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0]);
+    l.effects.items = vec![stroke(60.0, StrokePosition::Outside)];
+    d.layers.push(l);
+    let buf = render(&d, Rect::new(0, 0, 170, 170));
+    let at = |x: i32, y: i32| buf.px[(y as usize) * 170 + x as usize];
+    let (mut lo, mut hi) = (f64::MAX, 0.0f64);
+    let stroke_at = |x: i32, y: i32| x >= 0 && y >= 0 && x < 170 && y < 170 && at(x, y)[2] > 0.5 && at(x, y)[0] < 0.5;
+    for k in 0..72 {
+        let th = (k as f64) * std::f64::consts::TAU / 72.0;
+        let (dx, dy) = (th.cos(), th.sin());
+        let mut r = 0.0f64;
+        let mut t = 0.0f64;
+        while t < 84.0 {
+            if stroke_at((85.0 + dx * t).round() as i32, (85.0 + dy * t).round() as i32) {
+                r = t;
+            }
+            t += 0.25;
+        }
+        lo = lo.min(r);
+        hi = hi.max(r);
+    }
+    assert!(hi - lo <= 2.0, "the 60 px stroke boundary swings {lo}..{hi} px — a polygon, not a circle (#3646)");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn inside_stroke_respects_partial_edge_coverage() {
     // A 25 %-alpha edge column puts the edge 0.75 px further out: a 3 px inside stroke then