diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/liveview.py b/backend/app/api/routes/liveview.py
index 6b9bad2..c6cd0f1 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/liveview.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/liveview.py
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ async def liveview_canvas(
     edges = (await db.execute(select(Edge))).scalars().all()
     state = await db.get(CanvasState, 1)
     viewport: dict[str, Any] = state.viewport if state else {"x": 0, "y": 0, "zoom": 1}
+    custom_style: dict[str, Any] | None = state.custom_style if state else None
     return CanvasStateResponse(
         nodes=[NodeResponse.model_validate(n) for n in nodes],
         edges=[EdgeResponse.model_validate(e) for e in edges],
         viewport=viewport,
+        custom_style=custom_style,
     )
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_liveview.py b/backend/tests/test_liveview.py
index bf27b85..835fbe6 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_liveview.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_liveview.py
@@ -112,6 +112,28 @@ async def test_liveview_returns_saved_canvas(client: AsyncClient, auth_headers):
     assert nodes[0]["label"] == "Live Node"
 
 
+# ── custom_style + theme propagation ─────────────────────────────────────────
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_liveview_returns_custom_style_and_theme(client: AsyncClient, auth_headers):
+    """custom_style and viewport.theme_id from a saved canvas surface in liveview."""
+    settings.liveview_key = "test-key"
+    headers = await auth_headers()
+    payload = {
+        "nodes": [],
+        "edges": [],
+        "viewport": {"x": 0, "y": 0, "zoom": 1, "theme_id": "matrix"},
+        "custom_style": {"fontFamily": "Inter", "nodeRadius": 12},
+    }
+    await client.post("/api/v1/canvas/save", json=payload, headers=headers)
+
+    res = await client.get("/api/v1/liveview?key=test-key")
+    assert res.status_code == 200
+    body = res.json()
+    assert body["viewport"].get("theme_id") == "matrix"
+    assert body["custom_style"] == {"fontFamily": "Inter", "nodeRadius": 12}
+
+
 # ── Re-disable after enabling ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/LiveView.tsx b/frontend/src/components/LiveView.tsx
index 930fb5d..87bff74 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/LiveView.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/LiveView.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import { nodeTypes } from '@/components/canvas/nodes/nodeTypes'
 import { edgeTypes } from '@/components/canvas/edges/edgeTypes'
 import { deserializeApiNode, deserializeApiEdge, type ApiNode, type ApiEdge } from '@/utils/canvasSerializer'
 import { liveviewApi } from '@/api/client'
-import type { NodeData } from '@/types'
+import type { NodeData, CustomStyleDef } from '@/types'
 
 const STANDALONE = import.meta.env.VITE_STANDALONE === 'true'
 const STORAGE_KEY = 'homelable_canvas'
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ function LiveViewCanvas() {
   const { nodes, edges, loadCanvas, fitViewPending, clearFitViewPending } = useCanvasStore()
   const { fitView } = useReactFlow()
   const activeTheme = useThemeStore((s) => s.activeTheme)
+  const setTheme = useThemeStore((s) => s.setTheme)
+  const setCustomStyle = useThemeStore((s) => s.setCustomStyle)
   const theme = THEMES[activeTheme]
   // Derive initial view state synchronously (avoids calling setState inside an effect):
   // - standalone → always ready (localStorage, no key required)
@@ -73,9 +75,12 @@ function LiveViewCanvas() {
         const { nodes: apiNodes, edges: apiEdges } = res.data
         const proxmoxMap = new Map<string, boolean>(
           (apiNodes as ApiNode[])
-            .filter((n: ApiNode) => n.type === 'proxmox' || n.type === 'group')
-            .map((n: ApiNode) => [n.id, n.type === 'group' ? true : n.container_mode !== false])
+            .filter((n: ApiNode) => n.type === 'group' || n.container_mode === true)
+            .map((n: ApiNode) => [n.id, true])
         )
+        const savedTheme = res.data.viewport?.theme_id
+        if (savedTheme) setTheme(savedTheme)
+        if (res.data.custom_style) setCustomStyle(res.data.custom_style as CustomStyleDef)
         loadCanvas(
           (apiNodes as ApiNode[]).map((n) => deserializeApiNode(n, proxmoxMap)),
           (apiEdges as ApiEdge[]).map(deserializeApiEdge),
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/__tests__/LiveView.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/__tests__/LiveView.test.tsx
index 603d1fa..89c6b39 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/__tests__/LiveView.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/__tests__/LiveView.test.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest'
 import { render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { useCanvasStore } from '@/stores/canvasStore'
+import { useThemeStore } from '@/stores/themeStore'
 
 // ── Mock heavy dependencies ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -124,6 +125,55 @@ describe('LiveView (non-standalone)', () => {
     expect(nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'n1')).toBeDefined()
   })
 
+  // ── Nested children (docker_container inside docker_host) ────────────────
+
+  it('nests docker_container under docker_host parent (container_mode=true)', async () => {
+    setSearch('?key=valid')
+    const nestedPayload = {
+      data: {
+        nodes: [
+          {
+            id: 'host', type: 'docker', label: 'Docker Host', status: 'online',
+            services: [], pos_x: 0, pos_y: 0, container_mode: true,
+            created_at: '2024-01-01T00:00:00Z', updated_at: '2024-01-01T00:00:00Z',
+          },
+          {
+            id: 'ctr', type: 'docker_container', label: 'nginx', status: 'online',
+            services: [], pos_x: 20, pos_y: 30, parent_id: 'host',
+            created_at: '2024-01-01T00:00:00Z', updated_at: '2024-01-01T00:00:00Z',
+          },
+        ],
+        edges: [],
+        viewport: { x: 0, y: 0, zoom: 1 },
+      },
+    }
+    vi.mocked(liveviewApi.load).mockResolvedValue(nestedPayload as never)
+    render(<LiveView />)
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByTestId('react-flow')).toBeDefined())
+    const ctr = useCanvasStore.getState().nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'ctr')
+    expect(ctr?.parentId).toBe('host')
+    expect(ctr?.extent).toBe('parent')
+  })
+
+  // ── Theme + custom_style applied from payload ────────────────────────────
+
+  it('applies viewport.theme_id and custom_style from the payload', async () => {
+    setSearch('?key=valid')
+    const styledPayload = {
+      data: {
+        nodes: [],
+        edges: [],
+        viewport: { x: 0, y: 0, zoom: 1, theme_id: 'matrix' },
+        custom_style: { fontFamily: 'Inter', nodeRadius: 12 },
+      },
+    }
+    vi.mocked(liveviewApi.load).mockResolvedValue(styledPayload as never)
+    render(<LiveView />)
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByTestId('react-flow')).toBeDefined())
+    expect(useThemeStore.getState().activeTheme).toBe('matrix')
+    expect(useThemeStore.getState().customStyle).toEqual({ fontFamily: 'Inter', nodeRadius: 12 })
+  })
+
   // ── No editing props passed ───────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   it('does not show any Access Denied when key is valid', async () => {