diff --git a/static/js/note-editor.js b/static/js/note-editor.js
index 4df9df8..9bd44c8 100644
--- a/static/js/note-editor.js
+++ b/static/js/note-editor.js
@@ -63,12 +63,26 @@ function renderGutter() {
     const top = paddingTop - editor.scrollTop;
     ownerLabels.innerHTML = `<span class="owner-label-group" style="top:${top}px"><span class="owner-label" style="--owner:${colorFor(owner)}">${escapeHtml(ownerName(owner))}</span></span>`;
   } else {
+    let previousAuthorSignature = null;
     ownerLabels.innerHTML = lines.map((_, i) => {
       const authors = authorsByLine[i] || [];
       if (!authors.length) return "";
+
       const top = paddingTop + i * lineHeight - editor.scrollTop;
-      const badges = authors.map(owner => `<span class="owner-label" style="--owner:${colorFor(owner)}">${escapeHtml(ownerName(owner))}</span>`).join("");
-      return `<span class="owner-line" style="top:${top}px;--owner:${colorFor(authors[0])}"></span><span class="owner-label-group" style="top:${top}px">${badges}</span>`;
+      const signature = authors
+        .map(owner => ownerName(owner))
+        .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+        .join("\u0000");
+      const startsOwnershipBlock = signature !== previousAuthorSignature;
+      previousAuthorSignature = signature;
+
+      const lineMarker = `<span class="owner-line" style="top:${top}px;--owner:${colorFor(authors[0])}"></span>`;
+      if (!startsOwnershipBlock) return lineMarker;
+
+      const badges = authors
+        .map(owner => `<span class="owner-label" style="--owner:${colorFor(owner)}">${escapeHtml(ownerName(owner))}</span>`)
+        .join("");
+      return `${lineMarker}<span class="owner-label-group" style="top:${top}px">${badges}</span>`;
     }).join("");
   }
   if (showAuthorship) renderAuthorshipLayer(authorshipLayer, editor, authorship, colorFor);