diff --git a/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.html b/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.html
index 6788be6..fd92276 100644
--- a/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.html
+++ b/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.html
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 <mat-form-field [appearance]="appearance()" floatLabel="always">
   <mat-label><ng-content select="pi-label"></ng-content></mat-label>
 
-  <ng-container matPrefix>
-    <ng-content select="pi-prefix"></ng-content>
-  </ng-container>
+  <!--
+    Only when something is actually projected. An empty `matPrefix` container
+    still makes Material treat the field as having an icon prefix, which
+    reserves space and pulls the text 12px left of every other field.
+  -->
+  @if (hasPrefix()) {
+    <ng-container matPrefix>
+      <ng-content select="pi-prefix"></ng-content>
+    </ng-container>
+  }
 
   <ng-container matSuffix>
     <ng-content select="pi-suffix"></ng-content>
diff --git a/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.ts b/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.ts
index 86d67af..4c45154 100644
--- a/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/src/lib/ui/form-field/number-field/number-field.component.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   ChangeDetectionStrategy,
   Component,
+  contentChild,
   HostBinding,
   Injectable,
 } from '@angular/core';
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import {
 import { MatInput } from '@angular/material/input';
 import { PiAutofocusDirective } from '../directives/autofocus.directive';
 import { numericValue } from '../numeric-value';
+import { PiPrefixDirective } from '../../../util/affix/affix.directive';
 
 import { TranslatePipe } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 
@@ -40,4 +42,7 @@ export class PiNumberFieldComponent extends PiBaseFormFieldComponent<
   @HostBinding('class') className = `pi-form-field__number`;
 
   protected readonly rawValue = numericValue(this.value);
+
+  /** Whether a consumer projected a `pi-prefix`; see the template. */
+  protected readonly hasPrefix = contentChild(PiPrefixDirective);
 }