diff --git a/bun.lock b/bun.lock
index 837f2967..1e72c531 100644
--- a/bun.lock
+++ b/bun.lock
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@
     },
     "packages/ui": {
       "name": "@wrnexus/ui",
-      "version": "0.8.43",
+      "version": "0.8.44",
       "dependencies": {
         "@wrnexus/core": "workspace:*",
       },
diff --git a/packages/ui/components/Navbar.wrn b/packages/ui/components/Navbar.wrn
index 4d3f4ba0..1aedfc7e 100644
--- a/packages/ui/components/Navbar.wrn
+++ b/packages/ui/components/Navbar.wrn
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ size: string = "default"
       </div>
 
       <div class="wrn-navbar__main">
-        <slot name="brand">
         {#if brand.logo || brand.icon || brand.label || brand.description}
         <a class="wrn-navbar__brand" href="{brand.href || '/'}" aria-label="{brand.ariaLabel || brand.label || label}">
           {#if brand.logo}
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ size: string = "default"
           {/if}
         </a>
         {/if}
-        </slot>
+        <slot name="brand" />
 
         <div class="wrn-navbar__collapse {mobileOpen ? 'is-open' : ''}">
           <nav class="wrn-navbar__menus" aria-label="{label}" data-wrn-roving="horizontal">
diff --git a/packages/ui/package.json b/packages/ui/package.json
index 7f2d7b49..d8d20db9 100644
--- a/packages/ui/package.json
+++ b/packages/ui/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@wrnexus/ui",
-  "version": "0.8.43",
+  "version": "0.8.44",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
diff --git a/packages/ui/test/ui-redesign-contract.test.ts b/packages/ui/test/ui-redesign-contract.test.ts
index 203d9341..85ce023d 100644
--- a/packages/ui/test/ui-redesign-contract.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/test/ui-redesign-contract.test.ts
@@ -126,11 +126,14 @@ describe("@wrnexus/ui redesign component pack", () => {
     expect(source).not.toContain(".wrn-navbar__topbar:not(:empty)");
   });
 
-  test("Navbar exposes a brand slot while retaining the brand prop fallback", async () => {
+  test("Navbar renders its brand prop independently from the optional brand slot", async () => {
     const source = await readFile(join(componentsDir, "Navbar.wrn"), "utf8");
 
-    expect(source).toContain('<slot name="brand">');
+    expect(source).toContain('<slot name="brand" />');
     expect(source).toContain("brand.logo || brand.icon || brand.label || brand.description");
+    expect(source.indexOf("brand.logo || brand.icon || brand.label || brand.description")).toBeLessThan(
+      source.indexOf('<slot name="brand" />'),
+    );
   });
 
   test("Navbar renders slotted utilities before its built-in actions", async () => {