diff --git a/stacks/android-emulator/docker/Dockerfile b/stacks/android-emulator/docker/Dockerfile
index 762026c3..e4879329 100644
--- a/stacks/android-emulator/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/stacks/android-emulator/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 # cmdline-tools and the native libraries the emulator needs at runtime.
 #
 # Rebuild + push (rare — only when tool/library versions bump):
-#   docker build -t forgejo.viktorbarzin.me/viktor/android-emulator:api36-v7 .
-#   docker push forgejo.viktorbarzin.me/viktor/android-emulator:api36-v7
+#   docker build -t forgejo.viktorbarzin.me/viktor/android-emulator:api36-v8 .
+#   docker push forgejo.viktorbarzin.me/viktor/android-emulator:api36-v8
 FROM eclipse-temurin:17-jdk-jammy
 
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     libegl1 libgles2 \
     libxkbfile1 libsm6 libice6 libdbus-1-3 \
     # virtual display + browser viewing
-    xvfb x11vnc novnc websockify openbox \
+    xvfb x11vnc novnc websockify openbox wmctrl xdotool \
     # adb TCP forwarding + fetch tooling
     socat wget unzip ca-certificates \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
diff --git a/stacks/android-emulator/docker/entrypoint.sh b/stacks/android-emulator/docker/entrypoint.sh
index c9390407..0c59e17a 100644
--- a/stacks/android-emulator/docker/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/stacks/android-emulator/docker/entrypoint.sh
@@ -133,6 +133,34 @@ until [ "$(adb shell getprop sys.boot_completed 2>/dev/null | tr -d '\r')" = "1"
 done
 echo "Boot completed."
 
+# --- fit the emulator window to the whole virtual display ---------------------
+# The emulator's Qt window opens small (it picks a conservative scale for a
+# headless display) and floats inside the 1080x2280 Xvfb, so noVNC's
+# resize=scale was scaling mostly black space. Background fitter: dismiss the
+# one-shot "nested virtualization" warning dialog, undecorate + fill the phone
+# window, and park the control strip off the right edge. Re-runs for a while to
+# catch the window/dialog appearing, then periodically in case they recreate.
+( export DISPLAY=:0
+  fit_once() {
+    # auto-OK the nested-virt warning if it is up
+    for w in $(xdotool search --name "Nested Virtualization" 2>/dev/null); do
+      xdotool windowactivate --sync "$w" key --clearmodifiers Return 2>/dev/null || true
+    done
+    emu=$(wmctrl -l 2>/dev/null | awk "/Android Emulator - /{print \$1; exit}")
+    [ -z "$emu" ] && return 1
+    # fill the display minus a sliver for the control strip
+    xdotool windowmove "$emu" 0 0 2>/dev/null
+    xdotool windowsize "$emu" 1010 2280 2>/dev/null
+    for t in $(wmctrl -l 2>/dev/null | awk "{ if (\$4 == \"Emulator\") print \$1 }"); do
+      xdotool windowmove "$t" 1015 0 2>/dev/null || true
+    done
+    return 0
+  }
+  # aggressive for the first ~2 min (window + dialog timing), then keep tidy
+  for _ in $(seq 1 60); do fit_once && break; sleep 2; done
+  while true; do fit_once; sleep 30; done
+) &
+
 # Expose the emulator's adbd (localhost:5555) to the pod network. Plain TCP,
 # no auth — reachable only inside the LAN via the MetalLB IP. Bind to the pod
 # IP only: the emulator itself already listens on 127.0.0.1:5555, so a
diff --git a/stacks/android-emulator/variables.tf b/stacks/android-emulator/variables.tf
index 70ffca04..71a6bedd 100644
--- a/stacks/android-emulator/variables.tf
+++ b/stacks/android-emulator/variables.tf
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ variable "tls_secret_name" {
 
 variable "image_tag" {
   type        = string
-  default     = "api36-v7"
+  default     = "api36-v8"
   description = "android-emulator image tag at forgejo.viktorbarzin.me/viktor/android-emulator. Built + pushed manually from stacks/android-emulator/docker/ (see README.md) — bump this when the image is rebuilt."
 }