diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/ContainerElementComponent.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/ContainerElementComponent.tsx
index 4333b5beff..e00b4416c0 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/ContainerElementComponent.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/ContainerElementComponent.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { SystemStyleObject } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
-import { Flex, Text } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
+import { Box, Flex, Text } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
 import { useAppSelector } from 'app/store/storeHooks';
 import {
   ContainerContextProvider,
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   useDepthContext,
 } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/contexts';
 import { DividerElementComponent } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/DividerElementComponent';
-import { useIsRootElement } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks';
+import { useIsRootElement, useRootElementDropTarget } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks';
 import { FormElementEditModeWrapper } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/FormElementEditModeWrapper';
 import { HeadingElementComponent } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/HeadingElementComponent';
 import { NodeFieldElementComponent } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/NodeFieldElementComponent';
@@ -22,33 +22,28 @@ import {
   isNodeFieldElement,
   isTextElement,
 } from 'features/nodes/types/workflow';
-import { memo } from 'react';
+import { memo, useRef } from 'react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import type { Equals } from 'tsafe';
 import { assert } from 'tsafe';
 
-const sx: SystemStyleObject = {
-  gap: 4,
-  flex: '1 1 0',
-  '&[data-depth="0"]': {
-    flex: 1,
-  },
-  '&[data-container-layout="column"]': {
-    flexDir: 'column',
-  },
-  '&[data-container-layout="row"]': {
-    flexDir: 'row',
-  },
-};
-
 const ContainerElementComponent = memo(({ id }: { id: string }) => {
   const el = useElement(id);
   const mode = useAppSelector(selectWorkflowMode);
+  const isRootElement = useIsRootElement(id);
 
   if (!el || !isContainerElement(el)) {
     return null;
   }
 
+  if (isRootElement && mode === 'view') {
+    return <RootContainerElementComponentViewMode el={el} />;
+  }
+
+  if (isRootElement && mode === 'edit') {
+    return <RootContainerElementComponentEditMode el={el} />;
+  }
+
   if (mode === 'view') {
     return <ContainerElementComponentViewMode el={el} />;
   }
@@ -58,6 +53,90 @@ const ContainerElementComponent = memo(({ id }: { id: string }) => {
 });
 ContainerElementComponent.displayName = 'ContainerElementComponent';
 
+const rootViewModeSx: SystemStyleObject = {
+  position: 'relative',
+  alignItems: 'center',
+  borderRadius: 'base',
+  w: 'full',
+  h: 'full',
+  gap: 4,
+  display: 'flex',
+  flex: 1,
+  '&[data-container-layout="column"]': {
+    flexDir: 'column',
+    alignItems: 'flex-start',
+  },
+  '&[data-container-layout="row"]': {
+    flexDir: 'row',
+  },
+};
+
+const RootContainerElementComponentViewMode = memo(({ el }: { el: ContainerElement }) => {
+  const { id, data } = el;
+  const { children, layout } = data;
+
+  return (
+    <DepthContextProvider depth={0}>
+      <ContainerContextProvider id={id} layout={layout}>
+        <Box id={id} className={CONTAINER_CLASS_NAME} sx={rootViewModeSx} data-container-layout={layout} data-depth={0}>
+          {children.map((childId) => (
+            <FormElementComponent key={childId} id={childId} />
+          ))}
+        </Box>
+      </ContainerContextProvider>
+    </DepthContextProvider>
+  );
+});
+RootContainerElementComponentViewMode.displayName = 'RootContainerElementComponentViewMode';
+
+const rootEditModeSx: SystemStyleObject = {
+  ...rootViewModeSx,
+  '&[data-is-dragging-over="true"]': {
+    opacity: 1,
+    bg: 'base.850',
+  },
+};
+
+const RootContainerElementComponentEditMode = memo(({ el }: { el: ContainerElement }) => {
+  const { id, data } = el;
+  const { children, layout } = data;
+  const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const isDraggingOver = useRootElementDropTarget(ref);
+
+  return (
+    <DepthContextProvider depth={0}>
+      <ContainerContextProvider id={id} layout={layout}>
+        <Flex
+          ref={ref}
+          id={id}
+          className={CONTAINER_CLASS_NAME}
+          sx={rootEditModeSx}
+          data-container-layout={layout}
+          data-depth={0}
+          data-is-dragging-over={isDraggingOver}
+        >
+          {children.map((childId) => (
+            <FormElementComponent key={childId} id={childId} />
+          ))}
+          {children.length === 0 && <RootPlaceholder />}
+        </Flex>
+      </ContainerContextProvider>
+    </DepthContextProvider>
+  );
+});
+RootContainerElementComponentEditMode.displayName = 'RootContainerElementComponentEditMode';
+
+const sx: SystemStyleObject = {
+  gap: 4,
+  flex: '1 1 0',
+  '&[data-container-layout="column"]': {
+    flexDir: 'column',
+  },
+  '&[data-container-layout="row"]': {
+    flexDir: 'row',
+  },
+};
+
 const ContainerElementComponentViewMode = memo(({ el }: { el: ContainerElement }) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const depth = useDepthContext();
@@ -87,7 +166,6 @@ const ContainerElementComponentEditMode = memo(({ el }: { el: ContainerElement }
   const depth = useDepthContext();
   const { id, data } = el;
   const { children, layout } = data;
-  const isRootElement = useIsRootElement(id);
 
   return (
     <FormElementEditModeWrapper element={el}>
@@ -97,8 +175,7 @@ const ContainerElementComponentEditMode = memo(({ el }: { el: ContainerElement }
             {children.map((childId) => (
               <FormElementComponent key={childId} id={childId} />
             ))}
-            {children.length === 0 && isRootElement && <RootPlaceholder />}
-            {children.length === 0 && !isRootElement && <NonRootPlaceholder />}
+            {children.length === 0 && <NonRootPlaceholder />}
           </Flex>
         </ContainerContextProvider>
       </DepthContextProvider>
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/FormElementEditModeWrapper.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/FormElementEditModeWrapper.tsx
index 6ee5734872..6be170c8a1 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/FormElementEditModeWrapper.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/FormElementEditModeWrapper.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import type { SystemStyleObject } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
 import { Flex } from '@invoke-ai/ui-library';
-import { getPrefixedId } from 'features/controlLayers/konva/util';
 import { useContainerContext, useDepthContext } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/contexts';
 import { useFormElementDnd } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks';
 import { DndListDropIndicator } from 'features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/DndListDropIndicator';
@@ -10,9 +9,7 @@ import type { FormElement } from 'features/nodes/types/workflow';
 import type { PropsWithChildren } from 'react';
 import { memo, useRef } from 'react';
 
-import { useIsRootElement } from './dnd-hooks';
-
-const EDIT_MODE_WRAPPER_CLASS_NAME = getPrefixedId('edit-mode-wrapper', '-');
+export const EDIT_MODE_WRAPPER_CLASS_NAME = 'edit-mode-wrapper';
 
 const wrapperSx: SystemStyleObject = {
   position: 'relative',
@@ -20,10 +17,6 @@ const wrapperSx: SystemStyleObject = {
   '&[data-element-type="divider"]&[data-layout="row"]': {
     flex: '0 1 0',
   },
-  '&[data-is-root="true"]': {
-    w: 'full',
-    h: 'full',
-  },
   borderRadius: 'base',
 };
 
@@ -71,7 +64,6 @@ export const FormElementEditModeWrapper = memo(({ element, children }: PropsWith
   const [activeDropRegion, isDragging] = useFormElementDnd(element.id, draggableRef, dragHandleRef);
   const containerCtx = useContainerContext();
   const depth = useDepthContext();
-  const isRootElement = useIsRootElement(element.id);
 
   return (
     <Flex
@@ -79,7 +71,6 @@ export const FormElementEditModeWrapper = memo(({ element, children }: PropsWith
       ref={draggableRef}
       className={EDIT_MODE_WRAPPER_CLASS_NAME}
       sx={wrapperSx}
-      data-is-root={isRootElement}
       data-element-type={element.type}
       data-layout={containerCtx?.layout}
     >
@@ -90,21 +81,10 @@ export const FormElementEditModeWrapper = memo(({ element, children }: PropsWith
         data-element-type={element.type}
         data-layout={containerCtx?.layout}
       >
-        {!isRootElement && (
-          // Non-root elements get the header and content wrapper
-          <>
-            <FormElementEditModeHeader ref={dragHandleRef} element={element} />
-            <Flex sx={contentWrapperSx} data-depth={depth}>
-              {children}
-            </Flex>
-          </>
-        )}
-        {isRootElement && (
-          // But the root does not - helps the builder to look less busy
-          <Flex ref={dragHandleRef} w="full" h="full">
-            {children}
-          </Flex>
-        )}
+        <FormElementEditModeHeader ref={dragHandleRef} element={element} />
+        <Flex sx={contentWrapperSx} data-depth={depth}>
+          {children}
+        </Flex>
       </Flex>
       <DndListDropIndicator activeDropRegion={activeDropRegion} gap="var(--invoke-space-4)" />
     </Flex>
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/WorkflowBuilder.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/WorkflowBuilder.tsx
index b336320f37..667ca40983 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/WorkflowBuilder.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/WorkflowBuilder.tsx
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ import { assert } from 'tsafe';
 
 const sx: SystemStyleObject = {
   pt: 3,
+  w: 'full',
+  h: 'full',
   '&[data-is-empty="true"]': {
-    w: 'full',
-    h: 'full',
     pt: 0,
   },
 };
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks.ts
index 63761d2da5..f70061dd93 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks.ts
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/nodes/components/sidePanel/builder/dnd-hooks.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import type { RefObject } from 'react';
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import { flushSync } from 'react-dom';
 import type { Param0 } from 'tsafe';
+import { assert } from 'tsafe';
 
 const log = logger('dnd');
 
@@ -329,6 +330,9 @@ export const useFormElementDnd = (
   const getAllowedDropRegions = useGetAllowedDropRegions();
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (isRootElement) {
+      assert(false, 'Root element should not be draggable');
+    }
     const draggableElement = draggableRef.current;
     const dragHandleElement = dragHandleRef.current;
 
@@ -339,8 +343,6 @@ export const useFormElementDnd = (
     return combine(
       firefoxDndFix(draggableElement),
       draggable({
-        // Don't allow dragging the root element
-        canDrag: () => !isRootElement,
         element: draggableElement,
         dragHandle: dragHandleElement,
         getInitialData: () => {
@@ -356,7 +358,7 @@ export const useFormElementDnd = (
       }),
       dropTargetForElements({
         element: draggableElement,
-        getIsSticky: () => !isRootElement,
+        getIsSticky: () => true,
         canDrop: ({ source }) =>
           isFormElementDndData(source.data) && source.data.element.id !== getElement(elementId).parentId,
         getData: ({ input }) => {
@@ -404,6 +406,52 @@ export const useFormElementDnd = (
   return [activeDropRegion, isDragging] as const;
 };
 
+export const useRootElementDropTarget = (droppableRef: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+  const [isDraggingOver, setIsDraggingOver] = useState(false);
+  const getElement = useGetElement();
+  const getAllowedDropRegions = useGetAllowedDropRegions();
+  const rootElementId = useAppSelector(selectFormRootElementId);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const droppableElement = droppableRef.current;
+
+    if (!droppableElement) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    return combine(
+      dropTargetForElements({
+        element: droppableElement,
+        getIsSticky: () => false,
+        canDrop: ({ source }) =>
+          getElement(rootElementId, isContainerElement).data.children.length === 0 && isFormElementDndData(source.data),
+        getData: ({ input }) => {
+          const element = getElement(rootElementId, isContainerElement);
+
+          const targetData = buildFormElementDndData(element);
+
+          return attachClosestCenterOrEdge(targetData, {
+            element: droppableElement,
+            input,
+            allowedCenterOrEdge: ['center'],
+          });
+        },
+        onDrag: () => {
+          setIsDraggingOver(true);
+        },
+        onDragLeave: () => {
+          setIsDraggingOver(false);
+        },
+        onDrop: () => {
+          setIsDraggingOver(false);
+        },
+      })
+    );
+  }, [droppableRef, getAllowedDropRegions, getElement, rootElementId]);
+
+  return isDraggingOver;
+};
+
 /**
  * Hook that provides dnd functionality for node fields.
  *