A method is presented for employing contact over active gate to reduce parasitic capacitance. The method includes forming high-k metal gates (HKMGs) between stacked spacers, the stacked spacers including a low-k dielectric lower portion and a sacrificial upper portion, forming a first dielectric over the HKMGs, forming first contacts to source/drain of a transistor between the HKMGs, and forming a second dielectric over the first contacts. The method further includes selectively removing the first dielectric to form second contacts to the HKMGs, selectively removing the second dielectric to form third contacts on top of the first contacts, removing the sacrificial upper portion of the stacked spacers, and depositing a third dielectric that pinches off the remaining first and second dielectrics to form air-gaps between the first contacts and the HKMGs.