diff --git a/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.spec.tsx b/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.spec.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f64d6d0449
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.spec.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import nock from 'nock';
+import { render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { QueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import type { NextRouter } from 'next/router';
+import { useRouter } from 'next/router';
+import basePost from '../../../../__tests__/fixture/post';
+import { TestBootProvider } from '../../../../__tests__/helpers/boot';
+import { mockGraphQL } from '../../../../__tests__/helpers/graphql';
+import {
+  FEED_HERO_QUERY,
+  supportedTypesForPrivateSources,
+} from '../../../graphql/feed';
+import { FeedHero } from './FeedHero';
+import { feedHeroShape } from './feedHeroShape';
+import { useFeedHeroAd } from './useFeedHeroAd';
+
+jest.mock('next/router', () => ({
+  useRouter: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+jest.mock('./useFeedHeroAd', () => ({
+  useFeedHeroAd: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+const posts = ['First hero post', 'Second hero post'].map((title, index) => ({
+  ...basePost,
+  id: `hero-post-${index}`,
+  title,
+}));
+
+const highlights = ['First headline', 'Second headline', 'Third headline'].map(
+  (headline, index) => ({
+    id: `hero-highlight-${index}`,
+    channel: 'agents',
+    headline,
+    highlightedAt: '2026-04-05T09:00:00.000Z',
+    post: {
+      id: `hero-post-${index}`,
+      commentsPermalink: `/posts/hero-post-${index}`,
+    },
+  }),
+);
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  jest.clearAllMocks();
+  nock.cleanAll();
+  jest
+    .mocked(useRouter)
+    .mockImplementation(() => ({ pathname: '/' } as unknown as NextRouter));
+  jest.mocked(useFeedHeroAd).mockReturnValue({
+    ad: undefined,
+    placement: 'none',
+    shape: feedHeroShape(3),
+  });
+});
+
+const mockHero = (data: {
+  posts: typeof posts;
+  highlights: typeof highlights;
+}) =>
+  mockGraphQL({
+    request: {
+      query: FEED_HERO_QUERY,
+      variables: {
+        loggedIn: false,
+        supportedTypes: supportedTypesForPrivateSources,
+      },
+    },
+    result: { data: { feedHero: data } },
+  });
+
+const renderComponent = () =>
+  render(
+    <TestBootProvider client={new QueryClient()}>
+      <FeedHero feedName="popular" />
+    </TestBootProvider>,
+  );
+
+describe('FeedHero', () => {
+  it('should render its cards and its rail from the one query', async () => {
+    mockHero({ posts, highlights });
+
+    renderComponent();
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(
+        screen.getByRole('heading', { name: 'First hero post' }),
+      ).toBeInTheDocument(),
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByText('Second headline')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('Third headline')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('should drop only the lead story from a stacked rail', async () => {
+    jest.mocked(useFeedHeroAd).mockReturnValue({
+      ad: undefined,
+      placement: 'none',
+      // Stacked: the lead story is already a card above the list.
+      shape: feedHeroShape(1),
+    });
+    mockHero({ posts, highlights });
+
+    renderComponent();
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(
+        screen.getByRole('heading', { name: 'First hero post' }),
+      ).toBeInTheDocument(),
+    );
+    // Matched on the post behind it, not on its position in the list.
+    expect(screen.queryByText('First headline')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('Second headline')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('Third headline')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('should keep a rail headline whose post is not the lead card', async () => {
+    jest.mocked(useFeedHeroAd).mockReturnValue({
+      ad: undefined,
+      placement: 'none',
+      shape: feedHeroShape(1),
+    });
+    // The cards and the headlines are separate lists, so the lead card need
+    // not be the first headline.
+    mockHero({ posts: [posts[1]], highlights });
+
+    renderComponent();
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(
+        screen.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Second hero post' }),
+      ).toBeInTheDocument(),
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByText('First headline')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Second headline')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('Third headline')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('should render nothing when the query returns no posts', async () => {
+    mockHero({ posts: [], highlights: [] });
+
+    const { container } = renderComponent();
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(nock.isDone()).toBe(true));
+    expect(container).toBeEmptyDOMElement();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.tsx b/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.tsx
index e42306e3cd..48c7de3e88 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.tsx
+++ b/packages/shared/src/components/feeds/hero/FeedHero.tsx
@@ -2,14 +2,13 @@ import type { ReactElement } from 'react';
 import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import type { Post } from '../../../graphql/posts';
-import type { Connection } from '../../../graphql/common';
 import { gqlClient } from '../../../graphql/common';
+import type { FeedHeroData } from '../../../graphql/feed';
 import {
-  FEED_BY_IDS_QUERY,
+  FEED_HERO_QUERY,
   supportedTypesForPrivateSources,
 } from '../../../graphql/feed';
 import type { PostHighlight } from '../../../graphql/highlights';
-import { majorHeadlinesQueryOptions } from '../../../graphql/highlights';
 import type { ViewabilityData } from '../../../features/monetization/viewability';
 import { viewabilityLogExtra } from '../../../features/monetization/viewability';
 import { useAuthContext } from '../../../contexts/AuthContext';
@@ -29,15 +28,14 @@ import { generateQueryKey, RequestKey, StaleTime } from '../../../lib/query';
 import { FeedHeroSection } from './FeedHeroSection';
 import { useFeedHeroAd } from './useFeedHeroAd';
 
-const HIGHLIGHT_COUNT = 6;
-const FEATURED_POST_COUNT = 4;
 // Distinct from `Origin.Feed` so the experiment can tell the hero's clicks and
 // impressions apart from the grid's. Matches the ad events' own origin.
 const HERO_ORIGIN = 'feed hero';
 
 /**
- * The carousel and the Happening Now list are the same headlines: the top few
- * get their full post fetched for a card, the rest stay as rows.
+ * The carousel and the Happening Now list are two lists, not one: `feedHero`
+ * grades the cards across editorial highlights and lifecycle states, while the
+ * rows beside them stay major headlines. A post can be in both, or in one.
  */
 export const FeedHero = ({
   feedName,
@@ -66,51 +64,36 @@ export const FeedHero = ({
 
   const { ad, placement, shape } = useFeedHeroAd();
 
-  const { data: headlines } = useQuery({
-    ...majorHeadlinesQueryOptions({ first: HIGHLIGHT_COUNT }),
-    enabled: tokenRefreshed,
-  });
-  const highlights = useMemo(
-    () => headlines?.majorHeadlines?.edges?.map(({ node }) => node) ?? [],
-    [headlines],
-  );
-
-  const postIds = useMemo(
-    () => highlights.slice(0, FEATURED_POST_COUNT).map(({ post }) => post.id),
-    [highlights],
-  );
-
-  const { data: featured } = useQuery({
-    queryKey: generateQueryKey(RequestKey.FeedByIds, user, 'hero', ...postIds),
+  const { data: hero } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: generateQueryKey(RequestKey.FeedHero, user),
     queryFn: () =>
-      gqlClient.request<{ page: Connection<Post> }>(FEED_BY_IDS_QUERY, {
-        first: postIds.length,
-        postIds,
+      gqlClient.request<FeedHeroData>(FEED_HERO_QUERY, {
         loggedIn: !!user,
         supportedTypes: supportedTypesForPrivateSources,
       }),
-    enabled: tokenRefreshed && postIds.length > 0,
+    enabled: tokenRefreshed,
     staleTime: StaleTime.Default,
   });
 
-  // `feedByIds` answers in its own order, so re-key by id to keep the carousel
-  // in the same order as the headlines beside it.
-  const posts = useMemo(() => {
-    const byId = new Map(
-      featured?.page?.edges?.map(({ node }) => [node.id, node]) ?? [],
-    );
-
-    return postIds.map((id) => byId.get(id)).filter(Boolean) as Post[];
-  }, [featured, postIds]);
+  const highlights = useMemo(() => hero?.feedHero?.highlights ?? [], [hero]);
+  const posts: Post[] = useMemo(() => hero?.feedHero?.posts ?? [], [hero]);
 
   const isRendered = posts.length > 0;
   const adPlacement = isRendered ? placement : 'none';
   const isAdShown = adPlacement !== 'none';
 
   // Stacked, the lead story is already a card above the list, so drop it from
-  // the list rather than showing it twice a few pixels apart.
-  const railHighlights =
-    shape.layout === 'stacked' ? highlights.slice(1) : highlights;
+  // the list rather than showing it twice a few pixels apart. Matched on the
+  // post, not the position: the cards and the headlines are separate lists.
+  const railHighlights = useMemo(() => {
+    const leadPostId = posts[0]?.id;
+
+    if (shape.layout !== 'stacked' || !leadPostId) {
+      return highlights;
+    }
+
+    return highlights.filter(({ post }) => post.id !== leadPostId);
+  }, [highlights, posts, shape.layout]);
 
   const onAdAction = useCallback(
     (action: AdActions, extra?: Record<string, unknown>) => {
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/graphql/feed.ts b/packages/shared/src/graphql/feed.ts
index 3aa7ff3c32..01723af9b2 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/graphql/feed.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/graphql/feed.ts
@@ -412,6 +412,31 @@ export const FEED_V2_QUERY = gql`
   ${POST_HIGHLIGHT_FRAGMENT}
 `;
 
+export interface FeedHeroData {
+  feedHero: {
+    posts: Post[];
+    highlights: PostHighlight[];
+  };
+}
+
+export const FEED_HERO_QUERY = gql`
+  query FeedHero($loggedIn: Boolean! = false, ${SUPPORTED_TYPES}) {
+    feedHero(supportedTypes: $supportedTypes) {
+      posts {
+        ...FeedPost
+        contentHtml
+        ...UserPost @include(if: $loggedIn)
+      }
+      highlights {
+        ...PostHighlightCard
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  ${FEED_POST_FRAGMENT}
+  ${USER_POST_FRAGMENT}
+  ${POST_HIGHLIGHT_FRAGMENT}
+`;
+
 export const MOST_UPVOTED_FEED_QUERY = gql`
   query MostUpvotedFeed(
     $loggedIn: Boolean! = false
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/lib/query.ts b/packages/shared/src/lib/query.ts
index e9f0006a6d..4eeb4e4f15 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/lib/query.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/lib/query.ts
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ export enum RequestKey {
   FeedSettings = 'feedSettings',
   Ads = 'ads',
   FeedByIds = 'feedByIds',
+  FeedHero = 'feedHero',
   SlackChannels = 'slack_channels',
   IntegrationRecentChannels = 'integration_recent_channels',
   UserIntegrations = 'user_integrations',