diff --git a/src/materials/SnareMaterial.js b/src/materials/SnareMaterial.js
index b799401..7d31f46 100644
--- a/src/materials/SnareMaterial.js
+++ b/src/materials/SnareMaterial.js
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ const CAGE_VERTEX = /* glsl */ `
 
     float halfWidth = uWidth * uWidthScale * widthMul;
     // Every filament is an arc with two loose ends, so it tapers at both.
-    halfWidth *= mix(1.0, pow(sin(clamp(t, 0.0, 1.0) * PI), 0.35), 0.85);
+    halfWidth *= mix(1.0, pow(max(sin(clamp(t, 0.0, 1.0) * PI), 0.0), 0.35), 0.85);
     if (role > 0.5 && role < 1.5) halfWidth *= mix(1.0, uColumnTaper, t);
     halfWidth *= flash * uFade;
 
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ const CAGE_FRAGMENT = /* glsl */ `
 
     // The loose ends fade as well as thin. A ribbon that only narrows leaves a
     // hard dot at each tip, and every filament here has two of them.
-    alpha *= pow(sin(clamp(vT, 0.0, 1.0) * PI), 0.35);
+    alpha *= pow(max(sin(clamp(vT, 0.0, 1.0) * PI), 0.0), 0.35);
     alpha *= flicker * vFlash * vDim * uFade * uPassOpacity * uOpacity;
 
     vec2 screenUV = gl_FragCoord.xy / uResolution;
diff --git a/src/materials/SnareMaterial.pow.test.js b/src/materials/SnareMaterial.pow.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fb8a98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/materials/SnareMaterial.pow.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import test from 'node:test';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+
+test('snare taper uses max(sin, 0) so pow never sees a negative base', () => {
+  const src = readFileSync(fileURLToPath(new URL('./SnareMaterial.js', import.meta.url)), 'utf8');
+  const hits = [...src.matchAll(/pow\(\s*(?:sin|max\(sin)/g)];
+  assert.equal(hits.length, 2);
+  assert.equal([...src.matchAll(/pow\(\s*max\(sin\(/g)].length, 2);
+  assert.equal([...src.matchAll(/pow\(\s*sin\(/g)].length, 0);
+});