diff --git a/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py b/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py
index 03454282..04705f8b 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ from aare.gui.styles import (
     THEME_SUNSET,
     TOOLTIP_TEXT,
     WHITE,
+    font_scale,
     qcolor,
 )
 from aare.gui.widgets.busy_overlay import (
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ class SampleCameraImageLabel(QGraphicsView):
         self._tell_state = None
         self._auto_centering = False
         self._busy_overlay_style: BusyOverlayStyle | None = None
+        self._mounted_sample_name: str | None = None
 
         self._geom = geom
         self._bookmarks: SmargonBookmarkList = SmargonBookmarkList()
@@ -459,6 +461,7 @@ class SampleCameraImageLabel(QGraphicsView):
         self._draw_detections(painter, rect)
         self._draw_target_point(painter)
         self._draw_overlay_legend(painter)
+        self._draw_mounted_sample(painter)
         self._draw_hover_hud(painter)
         self._draw_help_overlay(painter)
 
@@ -803,6 +806,11 @@ class SampleCameraImageLabel(QGraphicsView):
         self._bounding_box = s.box
         self._tell_state = s.tell_state
 
+        new_name = s.sample.sample_name if s.sample is not None else None
+        if new_name != self._mounted_sample_name:
+            self._mounted_sample_name = new_name
+            self.viewport().update()
+
         new_session_state = s.session.session if hasattr(s, "session") else None
         if new_session_state != self._session_state:
             self._session_state = new_session_state
@@ -1269,6 +1277,32 @@ class SampleCameraImageLabel(QGraphicsView):
         label = f"{bar_um / 1000.0:g} mm" if bar_um >= 1000.0 else f"{bar_um:g} µm"
         return bar_um, label
 
+    def _draw_mounted_sample(self, painter: QPainter):
+        # Top-left HUD line (legend sits bottom-left, scale bar bottom-right):
+        # which sample is on the gonio, readable without leaving the camera.
+        if not self._mounted_sample_name:
+            return
+
+        painter.save()
+        painter.resetTransform()
+        painter.setRenderHint(QPainter.RenderHint.Antialiasing, True)
+
+        font = QFont()
+        # Follows the Ctrl+plus/minus text zoom — painted HUDs bypass QSS.
+        font.setPointSize(round(10 * font_scale()))
+        font.setBold(True)
+        painter.setFont(font)
+        fm = QFontMetrics(font)
+
+        margin = 18
+        text = f"Currently mounted: {self._mounted_sample_name}"
+        baseline = margin + fm.ascent()
+        painter.setPen(QPen(qcolor(SHADOW, 200)))
+        painter.drawText(QPointF(margin + 1, baseline + 1), text)
+        painter.setPen(QPen(qcolor(WHITE)))
+        painter.drawText(QPointF(margin, baseline), text)
+        painter.restore()
+
     def _draw_hover_hud(self, painter: QPainter):
         # Bottom-right HUD: grey scale bar over the hovered pixel coordinates.
         if self._hover_pos is None or self.pixmap_item is None:
diff --git a/tests/unit/gui/test_camera_image.py b/tests/unit/gui/test_camera_image.py
index be91b41a..bf28c75e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/gui/test_camera_image.py
+++ b/tests/unit/gui/test_camera_image.py
@@ -297,3 +297,30 @@ def test_unknown_session_paints_the_viewing_mode_badge(camera):
     assert camera._busy_overlay_style is None
     camera.grab()
     assert camera._session_badge_rect is not None
+
+
+def test_mounted_sample_hud_follows_status(camera):
+    from aarecommon.models.models import DewarAddress, SampleShortInfo
+
+    # No sample in the status -> no HUD line, draw path skips cleanly.
+    assert camera._mounted_sample_name is None
+    camera.grab()
+
+    sample = SampleShortInfo(
+        db_id=7,
+        puck_name="puck1",
+        dewar_name="dewar",
+        sample_name="lyso_007",
+        run_number=1,
+        user="p123",
+        pin=1,
+        location=DewarAddress(segment="A", pos=1),
+    )
+    status = _status(busy=False, session=SessionsStateEnum.OwnedByYou)
+    camera.update_daq_status(status.model_copy(update={"sample": sample}))
+    assert camera._mounted_sample_name == "lyso_007"
+    camera.grab()  # paints the top-left "Currently mounted:" line
+
+    # Unmount (sample gone from the status) clears the line again.
+    camera.update_daq_status(status)
+    assert camera._mounted_sample_name is None