diff --git a/data/structures/section.yml b/data/structures/section.yml
index 14736fe..1939575 100644
--- a/data/structures/section.yml
+++ b/data/structures/section.yml
@@ -29,9 +29,12 @@ arguments:
     optional: true
     default:
     comment: >-
-      Overrides the section's vertical padding, replacing the site-wide `y`
-      value from the `padding` configuration. Accepts 0 through 5. Horizontal
-      padding is unaffected: it is the page gutter, shared by every section.
+      Overrides the section's padding on both axes, replacing the site-wide
+      `x` and `y` values from the `padding` configuration. Accepts 0 through 5.
+      Applies at every breakpoint: the site-level mobile overrides are dropped
+      along with the values they refine. Scoped to the inner content container;
+      the outer container keeps the site padding, so an overridden section still
+      aligns with its neighbours.
       Falls back to the site setting when omitted. The empty `default:` above is
       load-bearing: it overrides the `default: 3` this argument would otherwise
       inherit from the shared definition in mod-utils, which would make an
diff --git a/layouts/partials/utilities/section.html b/layouts/partials/utilities/section.html
index c399be2..1fda345 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/utilities/section.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/utilities/section.html
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 {{- $padding := partial "utilities/GetPadding.html" -}}
 
-{{/* Optional per-section vertical padding override.
+{{/* Optional per-section padding override, applied to both axes.
 
      The `padding` argument inherits the shared definition in mod-utils
      `data/structures/_arguments.yml`, which carries `default: 3`. That default
@@ -32,17 +32,18 @@
      Compared against nil rather than tested for truthiness: 0 is a legitimate
      value that `with` or `| default` would silently discard.
 
-     The override replaces the y axis only. x is the page gutter — letting one
-     block change it would misalign that section against every other section on
-     the page, and it also feeds the outer container. Any mobile y override is
-     dropped along with it, since that value was derived from the site setting
-     the author is replacing; the override then applies at every width. */}}
+     `padding: N` means N on both axes, at every breakpoint. The site-level
+     mobile overrides are dropped with the values they refine: they exist to
+     taper the *site* defaults, and an author naming one number for this section
+     is not asking for a taper.
+
+     The override reaches the inner content container only. The outer container
+     keeps the site padding, so a section with an override still lines its edge
+     up with every other section on the page -- the author is repadding their
+     content, not moving the section out of the page grid. */}}
+{{- $sitePadding := $padding -}}
 {{- if ne $args.padding nil -}}
-    {{- $revised := dict "x" $padding.x "y" (int $args.padding) -}}
-    {{- if isset $padding "mobileX" -}}
-        {{- $revised = merge $revised (dict "mobileX" (index $padding "mobileX")) -}}
-    {{- end -}}
-    {{- $padding = $revised -}}
+    {{- $padding = dict "x" (int $args.padding) "y" (int $args.padding) -}}
 {{- end -}}
 
 {{- $page := or $args.page page -}}
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@
     {{- $pxClasses := partial "utilities/PaddingClasses.html" (dict "padding" $padding "axis" "x") -}}
     {{- $pyClasses := partial "utilities/PaddingClasses.html" (dict "padding" $padding "axis" "y" "prefix" (cond $paddingTop "pb" "py")) -}}
     {{- $containerPadding := printf "%s %s%s" $pxClasses (cond $args.fluid "px-xxl-0 " "") $pyClasses -}}
-    {{- $paddingOuter := printf "px-xxl-0 %s py-0" $pxClasses -}}
+    {{- $pxOuter := partial "utilities/PaddingClasses.html" (dict "padding" $sitePadding "axis" "x") -}}
+    {{- $paddingOuter := printf "px-xxl-0 %s py-0" $pxOuter -}}
     {{ if $embed }}
         {{- $containerPadding = printf "px-0 %s" $pyClasses -}}
     {{ end }}