diff --git a/backend/src/lib/booking-flow.js b/backend/src/lib/booking-flow.js
index afec45e..030ad12 100644
--- a/backend/src/lib/booking-flow.js
+++ b/backend/src/lib/booking-flow.js
@@ -52,7 +52,10 @@ export function departingBookingForSite(bookings, siteId, viewDate) {
 
 // Classify a site's booking state for a given view date.
 // Returns a rich descriptor used to build the room card.
-export function classifyRoom(site, allBookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow) {
+// opts.future: viewDate is after the real today. A day-card represents that
+// night, so a morning-only departure doesn't occupy it — 'depart' is a live
+// operational state (checkout tracking) that only applies to today/past.
+export function classifyRoom(site, allBookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow, opts = {}) {
   const siteId = String(site.site_id)
 
   // Primary: booking that occupies the room on viewDate (arrival <= viewDate < departure)
@@ -100,7 +103,7 @@ export function classifyRoom(site, allBookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow) {
         flowType = 'stopover'
       }
     }
-  } else if (effectiveDeparting) {
+  } else if (effectiveDeparting && !opts.future) {
     primaryBooking = effectiveDeparting
     flowType = 'depart'
   }
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/rooms.js b/backend/src/routes/rooms.js
index b62c29f..3b5f79d 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/rooms.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/rooms.js
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ export async function roomRoutes(app) {
 
     const siteBookings = bookings.filter(matchFn)
 
-    const classified = classifyRoom(site, bookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow)
+    const future = viewDate > new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)
+    const classified = classifyRoom(site, bookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow, { future })
 
     return {
       view_date: viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow,
@@ -198,13 +199,14 @@ export async function roomRoutes(app) {
     }
 
     // Classify each site
+    const future = viewDate > new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)
     const rooms = []
     for (const site of sites) {
       const catId = String(site.site_category_id ?? site.category_id ?? site.category?.id ?? '')
       const isExcluded = excludedCategories.includes(catId)
       if (isExcluded && hideExcluded) continue
 
-      const classified = classifyRoom(site, bookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow)
+      const classified = classifyRoom(site, bookings, viewDate, yesterday, tomorrow, { future })
 
       // Override category_order with settings value if available
       const catOrderOverride = settingsCatOrder[catId]