diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts
index 472cf579..f9fd3e95 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ describe("findDominantRegion", () => {
 		const result = findDominantRegion(regions, 3100, { connectZooms: true });
 		expect(result.transition).toBeNull();
 		expect(result.region?.id).toBe("a");
-		expect(result.strength).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+		expect(result.strength).toBe(1);
 	});
 
 	it("keeps the incoming region at full strength after a connected handoff", () => {
diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts
index 4566455d..7b01130c 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts
@@ -124,8 +124,18 @@ function getActiveRegion(
 	const activeRegions = regions
 		.map((region) => {
 			const outgoingPair = connectedPairs.find((pair) => pair.currentRegion.id === region.id);
-			if (outgoingPair && timeMs >= outgoingPair.transitionStart) {
-				return { region, strength: 0 };
+			if (outgoingPair) {
+				if (timeMs >= outgoingPair.transitionStart) {
+					return { region, strength: 0 };
+				}
+
+				const zoomOutStart =
+					outgoingPair.currentRegion.endMs -
+					ZOOM_OUT_EARLY_START_MS +
+					ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS;
+				if (timeMs >= zoomOutStart) {
+					return { region, strength: 1 };
+				}
 			}
 
 			const incomingPair = connectedPairs.find((pair) => pair.nextRegion.id === region.id);