diff --git a/showcase/registry/I9kModal.ts b/showcase/registry/I9kModal.ts
index b531e0e..187c9a8 100644
--- a/showcase/registry/I9kModal.ts
+++ b/showcase/registry/I9kModal.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Emits:
 Slots:
 - default — the dialog body; it scrolls when taller than the viewport.
 - footer — actions such as Cancel and Save, aligned to the end.
+- after — under the dialog's card, on the backdrop, centred: a way out of the dialog's task, such as "Forgot your password?" under a sign-in form. It is inside the <dialog>, so it is reachable by keyboard while the modal is open.
 
 Behavior: the parent owns \`open\`. The close button and Escape only request a close by emitting update:open(false); the modal closes when the parent sets \`open\` to false, and focus returns to the element that was focused when it opened.
 
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ Usage:
     'Set `dismissible` to false while saving; Escape is then ignored and the close button is disabled.',
     'The body and footer render only while open, so a form inside remounts on every opening; put `autofocus` on its first field.',
     'The footer renders outside the body, so a submit button there needs `form="<id>"` pointing at the form in the body.',
+    'The `after` slot sits on the backdrop, not on the card: keep it to a short link, which reads on the dimmed page.',
   ],
   demos: [
     {
diff --git a/src/components/I9kModal.vue b/src/components/I9kModal.vue
index 405a0e4..86b3dce 100644
--- a/src/components/I9kModal.vue
+++ b/src/components/I9kModal.vue
@@ -145,25 +145,36 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
            the page's toaster does, above the backdrop. -->
       <I9kToaster v-if="toaster" />
     </div>
+    <!-- Under the box, still inside the <dialog>: in the top layer and the
+         focus order, and above the backdrop, but not part of the dialog's
+         own card. For a way out of the dialog's task, such as "Forgot your
+         password?" under a sign-in form. -->
+    <div v-if="open && $slots.after" class="i9k-modal__after"><slot name="after" /></div>
   </dialog>
 </template>
 
 <style scoped>
+/* The <dialog> is only the frame: the card is .i9k-modal__surface, so the
+   `after` slot can sit under the card, on the backdrop. */
 .i9k-modal {
   --i9k-modal-width: 40rem;
 
   width: min(100% - 2 * var(--spacing-8), var(--i9k-modal-width));
   max-height: calc(100dvh - 2 * var(--spacing-8));
-  /* Borders sit outside max-height, so .i9k-modal__surface can inherit it and still fit. */
-  box-sizing: content-box;
+  overflow: visible;
   padding: 0;
-  border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
-  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
-  background: var(--surface-raised-color);
-  box-shadow: var(--shadow-sm);
+  border: 0;
+  background: transparent;
   color: var(--text-color);
 }
 
+/* A column, so the card shrinks (and its body scrolls) to leave room for the
+   `after` slot. Only while open: a closed <dialog> must stay display: none. */
+.i9k-modal[open] {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+}
+
 .i9k-modal--sm {
   --i9k-modal-width: 28rem;
 }
@@ -173,13 +184,26 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
 }
 
 .i9k-modal::backdrop {
-  background: hsl(0 0% 0% / 0.5);
+  background: hsl(0 0% 0% / 0.75);
 }
 
 .i9k-modal__surface {
   display: grid;
   grid-template-rows: auto minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
-  max-height: inherit;
+  min-height: 0;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+  background: var(--surface-raised-color);
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-sm);
+}
+
+.i9k-modal__after {
+  flex: none;
+  margin-block-start: var(--spacing-6);
+  /* On the backdrop, which is dark in both themes, so always light text
+     (links inherit it). */
+  color: var(--white-color);
+  text-align: center;
 }
 
 .i9k-modal__header {
diff --git a/stories/I9kModal.stories.ts b/stories/I9kModal.stories.ts
index 80953c9..8a8dfd4 100644
--- a/stories/I9kModal.stories.ts
+++ b/stories/I9kModal.stories.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,26 @@ export const WithFooter: Story = {
   }),
 };
 
+export const WithAfter: Story = {
+  args: { title: 'Sign in', size: 'sm' },
+  render: (args) => ({
+    components: { I9kButton, I9kModal },
+    setup: () => {
+      const open = ref(false);
+      return { args, open };
+    },
+    template: `<div>
+      <I9kButton @click="open = true">Sign in</I9kButton>
+      <I9kModal v-bind="args" v-model:open="open">
+        <label>Email <input name="email" type="email" autofocus /></label>
+        <template #after>
+          <a href="#forgot">Forgot your password?</a>
+        </template>
+      </I9kModal>
+    </div>`,
+  }),
+};
+
 export const NotDismissible: Story = {
   args: {
     title: 'Saving module',
diff --git a/tests/I9kModal.test.ts b/tests/I9kModal.test.ts
index 2306751..04d822c 100644
--- a/tests/I9kModal.test.ts
+++ b/tests/I9kModal.test.ts
@@ -316,4 +316,22 @@ describe('I9kModal toaster host', () => {
       expect(pageAlert()).toBe('');
     });
   });
+
+  it('renders the after slot inside the dialog, outside its card, only while open', async () => {
+    const wrapper = mountModal({}, { after: '<a href="#forgot">Forgot your password?</a>' });
+    expect(wrapper.find('a[href="#forgot"]').exists()).toBe(false);
+
+    await wrapper.setProps({ open: true });
+    await nextTick();
+    const link = wrapper.get('a[href="#forgot"]');
+    expect(link.element.closest('dialog')).toBe(wrapper.get('dialog').element);
+    expect(link.element.closest('.i9k-modal__surface')).toBeNull();
+    expect(link.element.closest('.i9k-modal__after')).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('renders no after wrapper without the slot', async () => {
+    const wrapper = mountModal({ open: true });
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(wrapper.find('.i9k-modal__after').exists()).toBe(false);
+  });
 });