diff --git a/crates/re_data_ui/src/editors.rs b/crates/re_data_ui/src/editors.rs
index 62b603e3c516..2886043d7e3c 100644
--- a/crates/re_data_ui/src/editors.rs
+++ b/crates/re_data_ui/src/editors.rs
@@ -260,6 +260,9 @@ fn edit_marker_shape_ui(
         .width(100.0)
         .height(320.0)
         .show_ui(ui, |ui| {
+            // no spacing between list items
+            ui.spacing_mut().item_spacing.y = 0.0;
+
             // Hack needed for ListItem to click its highlight bg rect correctly:
             ui.set_clip_rect(
                 ui.clip_rect()
@@ -272,7 +275,7 @@ fn edit_marker_shape_ui(
                         paint_marker(ui, marker.into(), rect, visuals.text_color());
                     })
                     .selected(edit_marker == marker);
-                if list_item.show(ui).clicked() {
+                if list_item.show_flat(ui).clicked() {
                     edit_marker = marker;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/crates/re_time_panel/src/lib.rs b/crates/re_time_panel/src/lib.rs
index 64a4ffd9d262..ae213a976824 100644
--- a/crates/re_time_panel/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/re_time_panel/src/lib.rs
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ impl TimePanel {
             .width_allocation_mode(WidthAllocationMode::Compact)
             .selected(is_selected)
             .force_hovered(is_item_hovered)
-            .show_collapsing(
+            .show_hierarchical_with_content(
                 ui,
                 CollapseScope::StreamsTree.entity(tree.path.clone()),
                 default_open,
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ impl TimePanel {
                             == HoverHighlight::Hovered,
                     )
                     .with_icon(&re_ui::icons::COMPONENT)
-                    .show(ui);
+                    .show_hierarchical(ui);
 
                 ui.set_clip_rect(clip_rect_save);
 
diff --git a/crates/re_ui/examples/re_ui_example.rs b/crates/re_ui/examples/re_ui_example.rs
index 0075c5babb3d..02c7bc0a4edb 100644
--- a/crates/re_ui/examples/re_ui_example.rs
+++ b/crates/re_ui/examples/re_ui_example.rs
@@ -260,7 +260,8 @@ impl eframe::App for ExampleApp {
                                 || re_ui::modal::Modal::new("Modal window").full_span_content(true),
                                 |_, ui, _| {
                                     for idx in 0..10 {
-                                        ListItem::new(&self.re_ui, format!("Item {idx}")).show(ui);
+                                        ListItem::new(&self.re_ui, format!("Item {idx}"))
+                                            .show_flat(ui);
                                     }
                                 },
                             );
@@ -401,7 +402,7 @@ impl eframe::App for ExampleApp {
                                         item.with_icon(&re_ui::icons::SPACE_VIEW_TEXT)
                                     };
 
-                                    if item.show(ui).clicked() {
+                                    if item.show_flat(ui).clicked() {
                                         self.selected_list_item = Some(i);
                                     }
                                 }
@@ -418,15 +419,31 @@ impl eframe::App for ExampleApp {
                         self.re_ui
                             .list_item("Collapsing list item with icon")
                             .with_icon(&re_ui::icons::SPACE_VIEW_2D)
-                            .show_collapsing(ui, "collapsing example", true, |_re_ui, ui| {
-                                self.re_ui.list_item("Sub-item").show(ui);
-                                self.re_ui.list_item("Sub-item").show(ui);
-                                self.re_ui
-                                    .list_item("Sub-item with icon")
-                                    .with_icon(&re_ui::icons::SPACE_VIEW_TEXT)
-                                    .show(ui);
-                                self.re_ui.list_item("Sub-item").show(ui);
-                            });
+                            .show_hierarchical_with_content(
+                                ui,
+                                "collapsing example",
+                                true,
+                                |_re_ui, ui| {
+                                    self.re_ui.list_item("Sub-item").show_hierarchical(ui);
+                                    self.re_ui.list_item("Sub-item").show_hierarchical(ui);
+                                    self.re_ui
+                                        .list_item("Sub-item with icon")
+                                        .with_icon(&re_ui::icons::SPACE_VIEW_TEXT)
+                                        .show_hierarchical(ui);
+                                    self.re_ui
+                                        .list_item("Sub-item")
+                                        .show_hierarchical_with_content(
+                                            ui,
+                                            "sub-collapsing",
+                                            true,
+                                            |_re_ui, ui| {
+                                                self.re_ui
+                                                    .list_item("Sub-sub-item")
+                                                    .show_hierarchical(ui)
+                                            },
+                                        );
+                                },
+                            );
                     });
                 });
             });
@@ -678,7 +695,7 @@ mod drag_and_drop {
                     .list_item(label.as_str())
                     .selected(self.selected_items.contains(item_id))
                     .draggable(true)
-                    .show(ui);
+                    .show_flat(ui);
 
                 //
                 // Handle item selection
@@ -1050,7 +1067,7 @@ mod hierarchical_drag_and_drop {
                 .selected(self.selected(item_id))
                 .draggable(true)
                 .drop_target_style(self.target_container == Some(item_id))
-                .show_collapsing(ui, item_id, true, |re_ui, ui| {
+                .show_hierarchical_with_content(ui, item_id, true, |re_ui, ui| {
                     self.container_children_ui(re_ui, ui, children);
                 });
 
@@ -1087,7 +1104,7 @@ mod hierarchical_drag_and_drop {
                 .list_item(label)
                 .selected(self.selected(item_id))
                 .draggable(true)
-                .show(ui);
+                .show_hierarchical(ui);
 
             self.handle_interaction(ui, item_id, false, &response, None);
         }
diff --git a/crates/re_ui/src/list_item.rs b/crates/re_ui/src/list_item.rs
index 67885f357123..d304cac2735b 100644
--- a/crates/re_ui/src/list_item.rs
+++ b/crates/re_ui/src/list_item.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ struct ListItemResponse {
     collapse_response: Option<Response>,
 }
 
-/// Responses returned by [`ListItem::show_collapsing`].
+/// Responses returned by [`ListItem::show_hierarchical_with_content`].
 pub struct ShowCollapsingResponse<R> {
     /// Response from the item itself.
     pub item_response: Response,
@@ -226,8 +226,8 @@ impl<'a> ListItem<'a> {
     /// Override the hovered state even if the item is not actually hovered.
     ///
     /// Used to highlight items representing things that are hovered elsewhere in the UI. Note that
-    /// the [`egui::Response`] returned by [`Self::show`] and ]`Self::show_collapsing`] will still
-    /// reflect the actual hover state.
+    /// the [`egui::Response`] returned by [`Self::show_flat`], [`Self::show_hierarchical`], and
+    /// [`Self::show_hierarchical_with_content`] will still reflect the actual hover state.
     #[inline]
     pub fn force_hovered(mut self, force_hovered: bool) -> Self {
         self.force_hovered = force_hovered;
@@ -286,14 +286,29 @@ impl<'a> ListItem<'a> {
         self
     }
 
-    /// Draw the item.
-    pub fn show(self, ui: &mut Ui) -> Response {
+    /// Draw the item as part of a flat list.
+    pub fn show_flat(self, ui: &mut Ui) -> Response {
         // Note: the purpose of the scope is to minimise interferences on subsequent items' id
         ui.scope(|ui| self.ui(ui, None)).inner.response
     }
 
-    /// Draw the item as a collapsing header.
-    pub fn show_collapsing<R>(
+    /// Draw the item as a leaf node from a hierarchical list.
+    pub fn show_hierarchical(self, ui: &mut Ui) -> Response {
+        // Note: the purpose of the scope is to minimise interferences on subsequent items' id
+        ui.scope(|ui| {
+            ui.horizontal(|ui| {
+                ui.add_space(ReUi::small_icon_size().x + ReUi::text_to_icon_padding());
+                ui.vertical(|ui| self.ui(ui, None))
+            })
+        })
+        .inner
+        .inner
+        .inner
+        .response
+    }
+
+    /// Draw the item as a non-leaf node from a hierarchical list.
+    pub fn show_hierarchical_with_content<R>(
         mut self,
         ui: &mut Ui,
         id: impl Into<egui::Id>,
diff --git a/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/recordings_panel.rs b/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/recordings_panel.rs
index dd67a18ca10b..cfb16cbeeec1 100644
--- a/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/recordings_panel.rs
+++ b/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/recordings_panel.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ fn loading_receivers_ui(
                     }
                     resp
                 })
-                .show(ui);
+                .show_flat(ui); // never more than one level deep
             if let SmartChannelSource::TcpServer { .. } = source.as_ref() {
                 response.on_hover_text("You can connect to this viewer from a Rerun SDK");
             }
@@ -129,16 +129,19 @@ fn recording_list_ui(ctx: &ViewerContext<'_>, ui: &mut egui::Ui) -> bool {
             let entity_db = entity_dbs[0];
             recording_ui(ctx, ui, entity_db, Some(app_id), active_recording);
         } else {
-            ctx.re_ui.list_item(app_id).active(false).show_collapsing(
-                ui,
-                ui.make_persistent_id(app_id),
-                true,
-                |_, ui| {
-                    for entity_db in entity_dbs {
-                        recording_ui(ctx, ui, entity_db, None, active_recording);
-                    }
-                },
-            );
+            ctx.re_ui
+                .list_item(app_id)
+                .active(false)
+                .show_hierarchical_with_content(
+                    ui,
+                    ui.make_persistent_id(app_id),
+                    true,
+                    |_, ui| {
+                        for entity_db in entity_dbs {
+                            recording_ui(ctx, ui, entity_db, None, active_recording);
+                        }
+                    },
+                );
         }
     }
 
@@ -203,15 +206,17 @@ fn recording_ui(
         list_item = list_item.force_hovered(true);
     }
 
-    let response = list_item.show(ui).on_hover_ui(|ui| {
-        entity_db.data_ui(
-            ctx,
-            ui,
-            re_viewer_context::UiVerbosity::Full,
-            &ctx.current_query(),
-            entity_db.store(),
-        );
-    });
+    let response = list_item
+        .show_flat(ui) // never more than one level deep
+        .on_hover_ui(|ui| {
+            entity_db.data_ui(
+                ctx,
+                ui,
+                re_viewer_context::UiVerbosity::Full,
+                &ctx.current_query(),
+                entity_db.store(),
+            );
+        });
 
     if response.hovered() {
         ctx.selection_state().set_hovered(item.clone());
diff --git a/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/selection_panel.rs b/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/selection_panel.rs
index 342cd2218a96..a93857e4c027 100644
--- a/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/selection_panel.rs
+++ b/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/selection_panel.rs
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ fn container_children(
                 .weak(true)
                 .italics(true)
                 .active(false)
-                .show(ui);
+                .show_flat(ui);
         }
     };
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ fn what_is_selected_ui(
                     .with_icon(space_view.class(ctx.space_view_class_registry).icon())
                     .with_height(ReUi::title_bar_height())
                     .selected(true)
-                    .show(ui)
+                    .show_flat(ui)
                     .on_hover_text(hover_text);
             }
         }
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ fn item_title_ui(
         list_item = list_item.with_icon(icon);
     }
 
-    list_item.show(ui).on_hover_text(hover)
+    list_item.show_flat(ui).on_hover_text(hover)
 }
 
 /// Display a list of all the space views an entity appears in.
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ fn show_list_item_for_container_child(
         list_item = list_item.force_hovered(true);
     }
 
-    let response = list_item.show(ui);
+    let response = list_item.show_flat(ui);
 
     context_menu_ui_for_item(
         ctx,
diff --git a/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/space_view_space_origin_ui.rs b/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/space_view_space_origin_ui.rs
index fd3b55de8b4a..7da6db8d4ac3 100644
--- a/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/space_view_space_origin_ui.rs
+++ b/crates/re_viewer/src/ui/space_view_space_origin_ui.rs
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ fn space_view_space_origin_widget_editing_ui(
                     .syntax_highlighted(ui.style()),
             )
             .force_hovered(*selected_suggestion == Some(idx))
-            .show(ui);
+            .show_flat(ui);
 
             if response.hovered() {
                 *selected_suggestion = None;
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ fn space_view_space_origin_widget_editing_ui(
             .weak(true)
             .italics(true)
             .active(false)
-            .show(ui);
+            .show_flat(ui);
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/crates/re_viewport/src/viewport_blueprint_ui.rs b/crates/re_viewport/src/viewport_blueprint_ui.rs
index 382e62c8880e..b12fc0c8f2d0 100644
--- a/crates/re_viewport/src/viewport_blueprint_ui.rs
+++ b/crates/re_viewport/src/viewport_blueprint_ui.rs
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ impl Viewport<'_, '_> {
         .with_icon(crate::icon_for_container_kind(
             &container_blueprint.container_kind,
         ))
-        .show(ui);
+        .show_flat(ui);
 
         for child in &container_blueprint.contents {
             self.contents_ui(ctx, ui, child, true);
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ impl Viewport<'_, '_> {
 
             remove_response | vis_response
         })
-        .show_collapsing(
+        .show_hierarchical_with_content(
             ui,
             CollapseScope::BlueprintTree.container(*container_id),
             default_open,
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ impl Viewport<'_, '_> {
 
                 response | vis_response
             })
-            .show_collapsing(
+            .show_hierarchical_with_content(
                 ui,
                 CollapseScope::BlueprintTree.space_view(*space_view_id),
                 default_open,
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ impl Viewport<'_, '_> {
                 .subdued(true)
                 .italics(true)
                 .with_icon(&re_ui::icons::LINK)
-                .show(ui)
+                .show_hierarchical(ui)
                 .on_hover_text(
                     "This subtree corresponds to the Space View's origin, and is displayed above \
                     the 'Projections' section. Click to select it.",
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ impl Viewport<'_, '_> {
                 && Self::default_open_for_data_result(node);
 
             list_item
-                .show_collapsing(
+                .show_hierarchical_with_content(
                     ui,
                     CollapseScope::BlueprintTree.data_result(space_view.id, entity_path.clone()),
                     default_open,
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ impl Viewport<'_, '_> {
                 )
                 .item_response
         } else {
-            list_item.show(ui)
+            list_item.show_hierarchical(ui)
         };
 
         let response = response.on_hover_ui(|ui| {