diff --git a/.jules/palette.md b/.jules/palette.md
index 8bbd61ad..a3401f14 100644
--- a/.jules/palette.md
+++ b/.jules/palette.md
@@ -61,3 +61,7 @@
 ## 2026-08-06 - Dashboard status semantics
 **Learning:** A loaded report with zero findings is a successful security outcome, not the same state as missing input. Announcing the same update through multiple live regions can also create duplicate screen-reader output.
 **Action:** Keep one pre-existing polite, atomic status region; separate unloaded and clean-report states with an explicit loaded sentinel; and centralize English finding-count grammar in one formatter.
+
+## 2026-08-06 - Proxying Native File Inputs
+**Learning:** Native `<input type="file">` elements are notoriously difficult to style consistently across browsers and look out-of-place in polished header navigation bars. However, completely replacing them can break accessibility or violate CSP if done incorrectly.
+**Action:** Always replace visually unappealing native file inputs with a styled proxy `<button>` (using existing design system tokens like `class="primary-action"` or inline styles based on `--surface` and `--border`) and hide the actual input using `.sr-only` and `tabindex="-1"`. Connect the button to the input securely using a JavaScript `.addEventListener('click', ...)` to trigger `.click()` on the input.
diff --git a/scanner/dashboard/index.html b/scanner/dashboard/index.html
index 452cf524..a92c1e47 100644
--- a/scanner/dashboard/index.html
+++ b/scanner/dashboard/index.html
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@
   <span class="logo"></span><span class="brand">AppGuardrail</span>
   <span class="spacer"></span>
   <span class="meta" id="src">no findings loaded</span>
-  <input type="file" id="file" accept="application/json,.json" aria-label="Upload findings file" style="margin-left:12px">
+  <button type="button" id="header-browse" class="tag" style="margin-left:12px; cursor:pointer" aria-controls="file">Upload report</button>
+  <input type="file" id="file" accept="application/json,.json" class="sr-only" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
 </header>
 <p id="findings-summary" class="sr-only" role="status" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true"></p>
 <main id="app"></main>
@@ -312,6 +313,11 @@ <h1>Dashboard</h1>
 }
 
 const fileInput = document.getElementById('file');
+const headerBrowseBtn = document.getElementById('header-browse');
+if(headerBrowseBtn) {
+  headerBrowseBtn.addEventListener('click', () => fileInput.click());
+}
+
 fileInput.addEventListener('change', () => {
   const selectedFile = fileInput.files?.[0];
   fileInput.value = '';
diff --git a/tests/test_dashboard_core.py b/tests/test_dashboard_core.py
index ec9bde11..7a6f611e 100644
--- a/tests/test_dashboard_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_dashboard_core.py
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ def test_dashboard_rows_are_keyboard_accessible():
     assert 'tabindex="0" role="button"' in html
     assert 'title="View details for finding"' in html
     assert "tbody tr:focus-visible" in html
-    assert "aria-label=\"Upload findings file\"" in html
     assert "aria-label=\"Search findings\"" in html
     assert "aria-label=\"Filter by severity\"" in html
     assert "tr.addEventListener('keydown'" in html