diff --git a/crates/egui/src/containers/scroll_area.rs b/crates/egui/src/containers/scroll_area.rs
index b99bcf5da..648c83ee6 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/containers/scroll_area.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/containers/scroll_area.rs
@@ -1006,6 +1006,7 @@ impl ScrollArea {
         let margin = self
             .content_margin
             .unwrap_or_else(|| ui.spacing().scroll.content_margin);
+        let direction_enabled = self.direction_enabled;
 
         let mut prepared = self.begin(ui);
         let id = prepared.id;
@@ -1027,7 +1028,7 @@ impl ScrollArea {
             inner_rect,
         };
 
-        paint_fade_areas(ui, &output);
+        paint_fade_areas(ui, &output, direction_enabled);
 
         output
     }
@@ -1509,9 +1510,13 @@ impl Prepared {
     }
 }
 
-/// Paint fade-out gradients at the top and/or bottom of a scroll area to
+/// Paint fade-out gradients at the edges of a scroll area to
 /// indicate that more content is available beyond the visible region.
-fn paint_fade_areas<R>(ui: &Ui, scroll_output: &ScrollAreaOutput<R>) {
+///
+/// Only fades for axes where scrolling is enabled — otherwise stray overflow
+/// in a non-scrollable axis would draw a permanent fade with nothing to scroll
+/// away to.
+fn paint_fade_areas<R>(ui: &Ui, scroll_output: &ScrollAreaOutput<R>, direction_enabled: Vec2b) {
     let crate::style::ScrollFadeStyle {
         strength,
         size: fade_size,
@@ -1531,65 +1536,69 @@ fn paint_fade_areas<R>(ui: &Ui, scroll_output: &ScrollAreaOutput<R>) {
         .intersect(ui.min_rect())
         .expand(ui.visuals().clip_rect_margin);
 
-    // Top fade: animate opacity based on how far we've scrolled down.
-    if 0.0 < offset.y {
-        let t = (offset.y / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
-        let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
-        let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
-            paint_rect.left_top(),
-            pos2(paint_rect.right(), paint_rect.top() + fade_size),
-        );
-        ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
-            rect,
-            Direction::TopDown,
-            [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
-        ));
+    if direction_enabled.y {
+        // Top fade: animate opacity based on how far we've scrolled down.
+        if 0.0 < offset.y {
+            let t = (offset.y / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
+            let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
+            let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
+                paint_rect.left_top(),
+                pos2(paint_rect.right(), paint_rect.top() + fade_size),
+            );
+            ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
+                rect,
+                Direction::TopDown,
+                [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
+            ));
+        }
+
+        // Bottom fade: animate opacity based on distance from the bottom.
+        let distance_from_bottom = overflow.y - offset.y;
+        if 0.0 < distance_from_bottom {
+            let t = (distance_from_bottom / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
+            let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
+            let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
+                pos2(paint_rect.left(), paint_rect.bottom() - fade_size),
+                paint_rect.right_bottom(),
+            );
+            ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
+                rect,
+                Direction::BottomUp,
+                [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
+            ));
+        }
     }
 
-    // Bottom fade: animate opacity based on distance from the bottom.
-    let distance_from_bottom = overflow.y - offset.y;
-    if 0.0 < distance_from_bottom {
-        let t = (distance_from_bottom / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
-        let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
-        let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
-            pos2(paint_rect.left(), paint_rect.bottom() - fade_size),
-            paint_rect.right_bottom(),
-        );
-        ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
-            rect,
-            Direction::BottomUp,
-            [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
-        ));
-    }
+    if direction_enabled.x {
+        // Left fade: animate opacity based on how far we've scrolled right.
+        if 0.0 < offset.x {
+            let t = (offset.x / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
+            let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
+            let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
+                paint_rect.left_top(),
+                pos2(paint_rect.left() + fade_size, paint_rect.bottom()),
+            );
+            ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
+                rect,
+                Direction::LeftToRight,
+                [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
+            ));
+        }
 
-    // Left fade: animate opacity based on how far we've scrolled right.
-    if 0.0 < offset.x {
-        let t = (offset.x / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
-        let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
-        let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
-            paint_rect.left_top(),
-            pos2(paint_rect.left() + fade_size, paint_rect.bottom()),
-        );
-        ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
-            rect,
-            Direction::LeftToRight,
-            [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
-        ));
-    }
-
-    // Right fade: animate opacity based on distance from the right edge.
-    let distance_from_right = overflow.x - offset.x;
-    if 0.0 < distance_from_right {
-        let t = (distance_from_right / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
-        let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
-        let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
-            pos2(paint_rect.right() - fade_size, paint_rect.top()),
-            paint_rect.right_bottom(),
-        );
-        ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
-            rect,
-            Direction::RightToLeft,
-            [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
-        ));
+        // Right fade: animate opacity based on distance from the right edge.
+        let distance_from_right = overflow.x - offset.x;
+        if 0.0 < distance_from_right {
+            let t = (distance_from_right / fade_size).clamp(0.0, 1.0) * strength;
+            let bg_faded = bg.gamma_multiply(t);
+            let rect = Rect::from_min_max(
+                pos2(paint_rect.right() - fade_size, paint_rect.top()),
+                paint_rect.right_bottom(),
+            );
+            ui.painter().add(Shape::gradient_rect(
+                rect,
+                Direction::RightToLeft,
+                [bg_faded, Color32::TRANSPARENT],
+            ));
+        }
     }
 }