diff --git a/projects/js-packages/base-styles/admin-page-layout.scss b/projects/js-packages/base-styles/admin-page-layout.scss
index b14d2b26845b..5effd6e6bcce 100644
--- a/projects/js-packages/base-styles/admin-page-layout.scss
+++ b/projects/js-packages/base-styles/admin-page-layout.scss
@@ -310,6 +310,23 @@ $jp-breakpoint-mobile: 782px;
 		padding-inline: var(--wpds-dimension-padding-sm, 8px);
 	}
 
+	// Opt-in modifier for hosts that render `<Tabs.List variant="minimal">`.
+	// Minimal tabs ship with `padding-inline: 0`, so the wrapper has to
+	// provide the full 2xl itself to keep the first tab flush with the
+	// header start.
+	.jp-admin-page-tabs--minimal {
+		padding-inline: var(--wpds-dimension-padding-2xl, 24px);
+	}
+
+	// Re-apply `--wpds-typography-font-size-md` from an unlayered selector.
+	// `@wordpress/ui` declares the token inside `@layer wp-ui-components`,
+	// but wp-admin core ships an unlayered `button { font-size: inherit }`
+	// reset that always wins layered rules. Remove once upstream wires
+	// `Tabs.Tab` into `@wordpress/ui`'s `global-css-defense` module.
+	.jp-admin-page-tabs [role="tab"] {
+		font-size: var(--wpds-typography-font-size-md, 13px);
+	}
+
 	// ── Mobile: admin bar grows to 46px; sidebar goes off-canvas ─────
 	// Match `.folded` and `.auto-fold` explicitly: both outrank the bare
 	// `#wpbody-content` selector on specificity, so the media query needs
diff --git a/projects/js-packages/base-styles/changelog/update-admin-page-tabs-minimal-modifier b/projects/js-packages/base-styles/changelog/update-admin-page-tabs-minimal-modifier
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..33156754e6cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/js-packages/base-styles/changelog/update-admin-page-tabs-minimal-modifier
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+
+Admin page mixin: add `.jp-admin-page-tabs--minimal` modifier for hosts that render `<Tabs.List variant="minimal">`, and re-apply the tab font-size design token from an unlayered selector to defeat wp-admin's `button { font-size: inherit }` reset.
diff --git a/projects/packages/podcast/changelog/update-podcast-tabs-padding-and-font-size b/projects/packages/podcast/changelog/update-podcast-tabs-padding-and-font-size
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c95f6c65b122
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/packages/podcast/changelog/update-podcast-tabs-padding-and-font-size
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+
+Podcast dashboard: opt into the shared `jp-admin-page-tabs--minimal` modifier so the tab strip aligns with the page header and labels use the design-system font size.
diff --git a/projects/packages/podcast/src/dashboard/index.tsx b/projects/packages/podcast/src/dashboard/index.tsx
index 815e9a87bf7a..e5308993aee6 100644
--- a/projects/packages/podcast/src/dashboard/index.tsx
+++ b/projects/packages/podcast/src/dashboard/index.tsx
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ const App = () => {
 	return (
 		<AdminPage title={ PAGE_TITLE } subTitle={ PAGE_SUBTITLE }>
 			<Tabs.Root value={ activeTab } onValueChange={ handleTabChange }>
-				<div className="jp-admin-page-tabs" ref={ tablistRef }>
+				<div className="jp-admin-page-tabs jp-admin-page-tabs--minimal" ref={ tablistRef }>
 					<Tabs.List variant="minimal">
 						<Tabs.Tab value="stats" disabled={ ! isSetUp }>
 							{ __( 'Stats', 'jetpack-podcast' ) }