diff --git a/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.jsx b/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.jsx
index 37fdd2d293..9cc406a58a 100644
--- a/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.jsx
+++ b/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.jsx
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const rowToPatch = ({ targetNodeId, intent, triggersText, description }) => ({
 });
 
 export default function LoomNodeEditor({
-  loom, episode, node, onLoomUpdate, onClearSelection, onMakeStart,
+  loom, episode, node, universe, onLoomUpdate, onClearSelection, onMakeStart,
   mediaJobs = {}, onGenerateImage, onGenerateVideo,
   generationDisabled = false, generationDisabledReason = '',
 }) {
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ export default function LoomNodeEditor({
       imagePrompt: node.imagePrompt || '',
       videoPrompt: node.videoPrompt || '',
       cameraMovement: node.cameraMovement || '',
+      visualCanon: node.visualCanon ? {
+        ...node.visualCanon,
+        characterAppearances: [...(node.visualCanon.characterAppearances || [])],
+        objectIds: [...(node.visualCanon.objectIds || [])],
+      } : null,
       playbackMode: node.playbackMode || 'decision',
       audienceConnection: node.audienceConnection || 'disconnected',
       playbackAssets: node.playbackAssets || null,
@@ -107,6 +112,13 @@ export default function LoomNodeEditor({
     return updated;
   };
 
+  const saveVisualCanon = (next) => {
+    setForm((current) => ({ ...current, visualCanon: next }));
+    patchNode({ visualCanon: next });
+  };
+
+  const updateVisualCanon = (patch) => saveVisualCanon({ ...form.visualCanon, ...patch });
+
   // Blur-save helper: skip the round-trip when the value matches the record
   // (tabbing through the panel shouldn't rewrite the loom).
   const saveField = (key, value) => {
@@ -474,6 +486,187 @@ export default function LoomNodeEditor({
         />
       </div>
 
+      <div className="rounded border border-port-border p-3 space-y-3">
+        <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm" htmlFor="loom-node-visual-canon">
+          <input
+            id="loom-node-visual-canon"
+            aria-label="Bind this shot to Universe canon"
+            type="checkbox"
+            checked={Boolean(form.visualCanon)}
+            onChange={(event) => saveVisualCanon(event.target.checked ? {
+              mode: 'locked', characterAppearances: [], placeId: null, objectIds: [],
+              continuitySourceNodeId: null, shotNotes: '', storyboardImageApproved: false,
+            } : null)}
+          />
+          Bind this shot to Universe canon
+        </label>
+        {form.visualCanon && (
+          <div className="space-y-3">
+            <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs" htmlFor="loom-node-canon-draft">
+              <input
+                id="loom-node-canon-draft"
+                aria-label="Allow degraded canon draft"
+                type="checkbox"
+                checked={form.visualCanon.mode === 'draft'}
+                onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({ mode: event.target.checked ? 'draft' : 'locked' })}
+              />
+              Allow an explicitly degraded draft when this backend cannot preserve canon
+            </label>
+
+            <fieldset className="space-y-2">
+              <legend className={labelClass}>Characters</legend>
+              {(universe?.characters || []).map((character) => {
+                const appearance = form.visualCanon.characterAppearances
+                  .find((item) => item.characterId === character.id);
+                return (
+                  <div key={character.id} className="rounded bg-port-bg-subtle p-2 space-y-2">
+                    <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs" htmlFor={`loom-canon-character-${character.id}`}>
+                      <input
+                        id={`loom-canon-character-${character.id}`}
+                        aria-label={character.name}
+                        type="checkbox"
+                        checked={Boolean(appearance)}
+                        onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({
+                          characterAppearances: event.target.checked
+                            ? [...form.visualCanon.characterAppearances, { characterId: character.id, wardrobeId: null, expression: '', continuityNotes: '' }]
+                            : form.visualCanon.characterAppearances.filter((item) => item.characterId !== character.id),
+                        })}
+                      />
+                      {character.name}
+                    </label>
+                    {appearance && (character.wardrobes || []).length > 0 && (
+                      <select
+                        className={fieldClass}
+                        aria-label={`${character.name} wardrobe`}
+                        value={appearance.wardrobeId || ''}
+                        onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({
+                          characterAppearances: form.visualCanon.characterAppearances.map((item) => (
+                            item.characterId === character.id ? { ...item, wardrobeId: event.target.value || null } : item
+                          )),
+                        })}
+                      >
+                        <option value="">Default wardrobe</option>
+                        {character.wardrobes.map((wardrobe) => (
+                          <option key={wardrobe.id} value={wardrobe.id}>{wardrobe.name || wardrobe.label || 'Wardrobe'}</option>
+                        ))}
+                      </select>
+                    )}
+                    {appearance && (
+                      <div className="grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2">
+                        <input
+                          className={fieldClass}
+                          aria-label={`${character.name} expression`}
+                          placeholder="Expression"
+                          value={appearance.expression || ''}
+                          onChange={(event) => setForm((current) => ({
+                            ...current,
+                            visualCanon: {
+                              ...current.visualCanon,
+                              characterAppearances: current.visualCanon.characterAppearances.map((item) => (
+                                item.characterId === character.id ? { ...item, expression: event.target.value } : item
+                              )),
+                            },
+                          }))}
+                          onBlur={() => patchNode({ visualCanon: form.visualCanon })}
+                        />
+                        <input
+                          className={fieldClass}
+                          aria-label={`${character.name} continuity notes`}
+                          placeholder="Continuity notes"
+                          value={appearance.continuityNotes || ''}
+                          onChange={(event) => setForm((current) => ({
+                            ...current,
+                            visualCanon: {
+                              ...current.visualCanon,
+                              characterAppearances: current.visualCanon.characterAppearances.map((item) => (
+                                item.characterId === character.id ? { ...item, continuityNotes: event.target.value } : item
+                              )),
+                            },
+                          }))}
+                          onBlur={() => patchNode({ visualCanon: form.visualCanon })}
+                        />
+                      </div>
+                    )}
+                  </div>
+                );
+              })}
+            </fieldset>
+
+            <FormField label="Location" labelClassName={labelClass}>
+              <select
+                className={fieldClass}
+                value={form.visualCanon.placeId || ''}
+                onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({ placeId: event.target.value || null })}
+              >
+                <option value="">No bound location</option>
+                {(universe?.places || []).map((place) => (
+                  <option key={place.id} value={place.id}>{place.name || place.slugline}</option>
+                ))}
+              </select>
+            </FormField>
+
+            {(universe?.objects || []).length > 0 && (
+              <fieldset className="space-y-1">
+                <legend className={labelClass}>Props and objects</legend>
+                {universe.objects.map((object) => (
+                  <label key={object.id} className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs" htmlFor={`loom-canon-object-${object.id}`}>
+                    <input
+                      id={`loom-canon-object-${object.id}`}
+                      aria-label={object.name}
+                      type="checkbox"
+                      checked={form.visualCanon.objectIds.includes(object.id)}
+                      onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({
+                        objectIds: event.target.checked
+                          ? [...form.visualCanon.objectIds, object.id]
+                          : form.visualCanon.objectIds.filter((id) => id !== object.id),
+                      })}
+                    />
+                    {object.name}
+                  </label>
+                ))}
+              </fieldset>
+            )}
+
+            <FormField label="Continuity source" labelClassName={labelClass}>
+              <select
+                className={fieldClass}
+                value={form.visualCanon.continuitySourceNodeId || ''}
+                onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({ continuitySourceNodeId: event.target.value || null })}
+              >
+                <option value="">Automatic (only for one incoming scene)</option>
+                {otherNodes.filter((candidate) => candidate.transitions?.some((transition) => transition.targetNodeId === node.id))
+                  .map((candidate) => <option key={candidate.id} value={candidate.id}>{candidate.title || 'Untitled scene'}</option>)}
+              </select>
+            </FormField>
+
+            <FormField label="Shot continuity notes" labelClassName={labelClass}>
+              <textarea
+                rows={2}
+                className={fieldClass}
+                value={form.visualCanon.shotNotes || ''}
+                onChange={(event) => setForm((current) => ({
+                  ...current, visualCanon: { ...current.visualCanon, shotNotes: event.target.value },
+                }))}
+                onBlur={() => patchNode({ visualCanon: form.visualCanon })}
+              />
+            </FormField>
+
+            {node.image && (
+              <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs" htmlFor="loom-node-storyboard-approved">
+                <input
+                  id="loom-node-storyboard-approved"
+                  aria-label="Approve storyboard image for video"
+                  type="checkbox"
+                  checked={form.visualCanon.storyboardImageApproved === true}
+                  onChange={(event) => updateVisualCanon({ storyboardImageApproved: event.target.checked })}
+                />
+                Approve the current storyboard image as this shot's video first frame
+              </label>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </div>
+
       <div>
         <span className="mb-1 block text-xs font-medium text-port-text-muted">Scene image prompt</span>
         <textarea
diff --git a/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.test.jsx b/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.test.jsx
index edd015351d..c68311fd67 100644
--- a/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.test.jsx
+++ b/client/src/components/fableloom/LoomNodeEditor.test.jsx
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ const renderEditor = (transitions = [existingPath]) => {
       loom={loom}
       episode={episode}
       node={nodes[0]}
+      universe={{
+        characters: [{ id: 'char-1', name: 'Aria', wardrobes: [{ id: 'coat', name: 'Travel coat' }] }],
+        places: [{ id: 'place-1', name: 'Atrium' }],
+        objects: [{ id: 'object-1', name: 'Compass' }],
+      }}
       onLoomUpdate={onLoomUpdate}
       onClearSelection={() => {}}
       onGenerateImage={onGenerateImage}
@@ -134,6 +139,29 @@ describe('LoomNodeEditor paths', () => {
 });
 
 describe('LoomNodeEditor scene media', () => {
+  it('persists structured canon bindings and explicit storyboard approval', async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    updateLoomNode.mockResolvedValue({ id: 'loom-1' });
+    renderEditor();
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByLabelText('Bind this shot to Universe canon'));
+    await user.click(screen.getByLabelText('Aria'));
+    await user.selectOptions(screen.getByLabelText('Aria wardrobe'), 'coat');
+    await user.selectOptions(screen.getByLabelText('Location'), 'place-1');
+    await user.click(screen.getByLabelText('Compass'));
+    await user.click(screen.getByLabelText("Approve the current storyboard image as this shot's video first frame"));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(updateLoomNode).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+      'loom-1', 'ep-1', 'n1',
+      { visualCanon: expect.objectContaining({
+        mode: 'locked',
+        characterAppearances: [expect.objectContaining({ characterId: 'char-1', wardrobeId: 'coat' })],
+        placeId: 'place-1', objectIds: ['object-1'], storyboardImageApproved: true,
+      }) },
+      { silent: true },
+    ));
+  });
+
   it('queues a local video from the teleplay scene and rendered still', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     const { onGenerateVideo } = renderEditor();
diff --git a/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.js b/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.js
index ae51d48cd1..5a8f151177 100644
--- a/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.js
+++ b/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.js
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
  * page owner. Keeping request composition here makes their image/video prompts
  * identical: the canonical universe/series style preset leads, the scene owns
  * the subject/action, and loom-local direction remains an explicit suffix.
- * Image generation also conditions on a rendered direct predecessor when one
- * exists, preserving visual continuity across adjacent graph shots.
+ * The server-side visual-canon compiler owns reference allocation and graph
+ * continuity. These builders send authored intent plus the destination tag;
+ * they never pre-flatten canon into an untyped browser reference list.
  */
 
 import { composeStyledPrompt } from '../../lib/composeStyledPrompt';
@@ -17,40 +18,12 @@ const withLoomStyle = (prompt, styleNotes) => {
   return notes ? `${prompt}\n\nStyle: ${notes}` : prompt;
 };
 
-// Keep enough reference influence to carry likeness and environment forward
-// without asking the model to preserve the prior shot's composition.
-export const FABLELOOM_CONTINUITY_STRENGTH = 0.4;
-
-/**
- * Resolve the still from a direct incoming graph neighbor. Storage order is
- * the deterministic tie-break at a convergence because a shared target node
- * has no active reader path while it is being authored. Self-loops never seed
- * themselves, and unrelated adjacent array entries are not "prior" shots.
- */
-export function findFableLoomPriorImage(episode, nodeId) {
-  const nodes = Array.isArray(episode?.nodes) ? episode.nodes : [];
-  if (!nodeId || episode?.startNodeId === nodeId) return null;
-  const predecessor = nodes.find((candidate) => (
-    candidate?.id !== nodeId
-    && typeof candidate?.image === 'string'
-    && candidate.image.trim()
-    && Array.isArray(candidate.transitions)
-    && candidate.transitions.some((transition) => transition?.targetNodeId === nodeId)
-  ));
-  return predecessor?.image.trim() || null;
-}
-
-export function buildFableLoomImageRequest({ loom, episode, episodeId, node, stylePreset = null }) {
+export function buildFableLoomImageRequest({ loom, episodeId, node, stylePreset = null }) {
   const authoredPrompt = withLoomStyle((node?.imagePrompt || '').trim(), loom?.styleNotes);
   const styled = composeStyledPrompt(authoredPrompt, '', stylePreset);
-  const priorImage = findFableLoomPriorImage(episode, node?.id);
   return {
     prompt: styled.prompt,
     ...(styled.negativePrompt ? { negativePrompt: styled.negativePrompt } : {}),
-    ...(priorImage ? {
-      referenceImageFiles: [priorImage],
-      referenceStrengths: [FABLELOOM_CONTINUITY_STRENGTH],
-    } : {}),
     fableLoom: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId, nodeId: node.id },
   };
 }
diff --git a/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.test.js b/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.test.js
index 79afd3ca7e..9d149c1e80 100644
--- a/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.test.js
+++ b/client/src/components/fableloom/sceneMediaRequests.test.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ describe('FableLoom scene media request composition', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('conditions an image on its rendered direct predecessor, not an unrelated adjacent scene', () => {
+  it('leaves typed continuity allocation to the server-side compiler', () => {
     const target = { id: 'node-3', imagePrompt: 'the scout enters a crystal observatory' };
     const episode = {
       nodes: [
@@ -31,11 +31,9 @@ describe('FableLoom scene media request composition', () => {
       ],
     };
 
-    expect(buildFableLoomImageRequest({ loom, episode, episodeId: 'ep-1', node: target }))
-      .toMatchObject({
-        referenceImageFiles: ['prior-shot.png'],
-        referenceStrengths: [0.4],
-      });
+    const request = buildFableLoomImageRequest({ loom, episode, episodeId: 'ep-1', node: target });
+    expect(request).not.toHaveProperty('referenceImageFiles');
+    expect(request.fableLoom).toEqual({ loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-3' });
   });
 
   it('keeps an opening scene text-to-image when a loop points back to it', () => {
diff --git a/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.jsx b/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.jsx
index 04569ccee2..138c2ab7af 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.jsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.jsx
@@ -45,12 +45,6 @@ import {
   weaveLoomEpisode,
 } from '../services/api';
 
-const CONTINUITY_FALLBACK_CODES = new Set([
-  'IMAGE_EDIT_UNSUPPORTED_MODE',
-  'REFERENCE_IMAGE_NOT_FOUND',
-  'REFERENCE_IMAGES_FLUX2_ONLY',
-]);
-
 export default function FableLoomStory({ view = 'graph' }) {
   const { loomId, episodeId, nodeId } = useParams();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -192,7 +186,13 @@ export default function FableLoomStory({ view = 'graph' }) {
       ...prev,
       episodes: prev.episodes.map((item) => ({
         ...item,
-        nodes: item.nodes.map((scene) => (scene.id === targetNodeId ? { ...scene, ...patch } : scene)),
+        nodes: item.nodes.map((scene) => (scene.id === targetNodeId ? {
+          ...scene,
+          ...patch,
+          ...(patch.image && scene.visualCanon ? {
+            visualCanon: { ...scene.visualCanon, storyboardImageApproved: false },
+          } : {}),
+        } : scene)),
       })),
     } : prev));
   }, []);
@@ -227,20 +227,13 @@ export default function FableLoomStory({ view = 'graph' }) {
     }
 
     setSceneMediaJob(targetNode.id, 'image', { jobId: null, status: 'submitting', progress: 0 });
-    const imageRequest = (includeContinuity) => buildFableLoomImageRequest({
+    const imageRequest = buildFableLoomImageRequest({
       loom,
-      episode: includeContinuity ? episode : null,
       episodeId,
       node: targetNode,
       stylePreset: sceneStylePreset,
     });
-    let continuityFallbackCode = null;
-    const queued = await generateImage(imageRequest(true), { silent: true })
-      .catch((err) => {
-        if (!CONTINUITY_FALLBACK_CODES.has(err.code)) throw err;
-        continuityFallbackCode = err.code;
-        return generateImage(imageRequest(false), { silent: true });
-      })
+    const queued = await generateImage(imageRequest, { silent: true })
       .catch((err) => {
         setSceneMediaJob(targetNode.id, 'image', {
           jobId: null, status: 'failed', progress: 0, error: err.message || 'Could not start the render',
@@ -249,11 +242,6 @@ export default function FableLoomStory({ view = 'graph' }) {
         return null;
       });
     if (!queued) return null;
-    if (continuityFallbackCode) {
-      toast.warning(continuityFallbackCode === 'REFERENCE_IMAGE_NOT_FOUND'
-        ? 'The prior shot image is missing — rendering this scene without continuity conditioning'
-        : 'The current image backend cannot use the prior shot — rendering this scene without continuity conditioning');
-    }
     // External SD-API renders synchronously: its generationId identifies the
     // completed request, not a media-job record. The server has already filed
     // the image onto the scene, so swap the preview immediately and do not
@@ -585,6 +573,7 @@ export default function FableLoomStory({ view = 'graph' }) {
                 loom={loom}
                 episode={episode}
                 node={node}
+                universe={linkedUniverse}
                 onLoomUpdate={setLoom}
                 onClearSelection={() => navigate(episodePath(episode.id))}
                 mediaJobs={mediaJobs[node.id]}
diff --git a/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.test.jsx b/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.test.jsx
index 4a49bb8809..2e71d0a46c 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.test.jsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/FableLoomStory.test.jsx
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ describe('FableLoomStory scene media lifecycle', () => {
     expect(toastMocks.success).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Scene image ready');
   });
 
-  it('passes the rendered incoming shot into the next scene image request', async () => {
+  it('sends only the scene tag so the server resolves typed graph continuity', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     api.getLoom.mockResolvedValue(loom({
       episodes: [episode({
@@ -292,13 +292,11 @@ describe('FableLoomStory scene media lifecycle', () => {
 
     await waitFor(() => expect(api.generateImage).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       prompt: 'the same scout crosses into the observatory',
-      referenceImageFiles: ['threshold.png'],
-      referenceStrengths: [0.4],
       fableLoom: { loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-2' },
     }, { silent: true }));
   });
 
-  it('retries without continuity when the configured backend cannot accept the prior shot', async () => {
+  it('does not silently retry a rejected canon request without its conditioning', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     api.getLoom.mockResolvedValue(loom({
       episodes: [episode({
@@ -316,23 +314,20 @@ describe('FableLoomStory scene media lifecycle', () => {
         ],
       })],
     }));
-    api.generateImage
-      .mockRejectedValueOnce(Object.assign(new Error('Text-to-image only'), {
-        code: 'IMAGE_EDIT_UNSUPPORTED_MODE',
-      }))
-      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ jobId: 'image-job-fallback', status: 'queued' });
+    api.generateImage.mockRejectedValueOnce(Object.assign(new Error('Canon conditioning unavailable'), {
+      code: 'FABLELOOM_CANON_CONDITIONING_UNAVAILABLE',
+    }));
     renderEditor();
 
     await user.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Canvas generate second image' }));
 
-    await waitFor(() => expect(api.generateImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
-    expect(api.generateImage.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatchObject({ referenceImageFiles: ['threshold.png'] });
-    expect(api.generateImage.mock.calls[1]).toEqual([{
+    await waitFor(() => expect(api.generateImage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+    expect(api.generateImage.mock.calls[0]).toEqual([{
       prompt: 'the scout enters the observatory',
       fableLoom: { loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-2' },
     }, { silent: true }]);
-    expect(toastMocks.warning).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      'The current image backend cannot use the prior shot — rendering this scene without continuity conditioning',
+    expect(toastMocks.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'Could not start scene image: Canon conditioning unavailable',
     );
   });
 });
diff --git a/docs/features/fableloom.md b/docs/features/fableloom.md
index 7e50f0d991..05117f2752 100644
--- a/docs/features/fableloom.md
+++ b/docs/features/fableloom.md
@@ -183,35 +183,39 @@ nodeId }` destination tag. The completion hook
 (`server/services/fableLoomSceneImageHook.js`) files the finished render onto
 the node durably — even if the editor unmounted mid-render — with
 newest-render-wins per node. The loom's `styleNotes` are appended to the
-prompt for a consistent look. When a direct incoming scene already has a
-rendered still, its gallery filename is also sent as the next scene's init
-image at `0.4` strength. Graph edges, not node-array adjacency, define which
-shot is prior; at a convergence the first rendered incoming scene in stable
-episode order is the deterministic authoring-time source because there is no
-active reader path yet. Opening scenes and scenes without a rendered incoming
-neighbor remain text-to-image.
-
-Continuity conditioning is best-effort for the current stopgap: if the active
-backend is text-to-image-only, or the predecessor's gallery file has since been
-removed, the editor warns and retries the scene without the init image rather
-than blocking production. Canon-locked generation will replace that fallback
-with an explicit capability gate in the planned typed-reference workflow.
+prompt for a consistent look. The browser sends no untyped continuity images:
+`visualConditioning.js` resolves the current node, linked Universe, stable
+character/wardrobe/location/object ids, approved identity assets, compatible
+local character LoRAs, and graph predecessor on the server after the effective
+backend/model is known. A locked convergence uses an explicitly selected
+incoming node; without one it reports the ambiguity instead of guessing.
+Openings never inherit a loop-back shot.
+
+The scene editor's **Universe canon** section chooses locked or explicitly
+degraded-draft behavior. Locked image renders fail before enqueue if an
+identity package is incomplete, a required reference is unavailable or over
+budget, or the backend does not declare multi-character preservation. Draft
+renders remain usable but record every omitted input and warning. Each render
+stores a versioned `visualConditioning` manifest with bindings, backend
+capabilities, selected asset basenames, adapter SHA-256/scales, compiler
+version, temporal source, and omissions; machine-local paths never enter the
+loom or Universe record.
 
 **Generate video** prefers the node's dedicated single-clip `videoPrompt`, adds
 the selected movement's production direction from the shared camera registry,
 and falls back to scene text for legacy nodes. The registry includes dolly,
 truck, pan/tilt, crane, orbit, tracking, handheld, drone, focus, roll, parallax,
 body-mounted, bullet-time, hyperlapse, and locked-off setups. If the node has a
-rendered image, it becomes the video's first-frame conditioning image;
-otherwise the render is text-to-video. The completion hook
+rendered image, a locked scene also requires the author to approve that exact
+storyboard as the first-frame contract; replacing the still clears approval.
+Text-to-video and stale/unapproved first frames can render only as explicit
+draft/degraded work. The completion hook
 (`server/services/fableLoomSceneVideoHook.js`) files the finished
 `videoHistoryId` onto the node durably, with newest-render-wins per node.
 Decision videos are authored as seamless loops; automatic-cut videos land on
 a final beat that hands cleanly to the next node.
 
-The broader character/environment canon-reference design, including structured
-scene bindings, provider input budgets, prompt compilation, provenance, and
-branch convergence, is specified in
+The character/environment canon-reference design and rationale is specified in
 [`docs/plans/2026-08-29-fableloom-visual-continuity.md`](../plans/2026-08-29-fableloom-visual-continuity.md).
 The character voice, production provenance, playback-asset, QR join, and
 two-device hosted-mode contracts are specified in
diff --git a/server/lib/apiRouteCatalog.generated.json b/server/lib/apiRouteCatalog.generated.json
index 633b721162..3d928f3c3f 100644
--- a/server/lib/apiRouteCatalog.generated.json
+++ b/server/lib/apiRouteCatalog.generated.json
@@ -10099,7 +10099,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 750
+          "line": 788
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10110,7 +10110,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 774
+          "line": 812
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10121,7 +10121,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 769
+          "line": 807
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10132,7 +10132,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 803
+          "line": 841
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10143,7 +10143,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 788
+          "line": 826
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10154,7 +10154,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 765
+          "line": 803
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10165,7 +10165,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 693
+          "line": 731
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10176,7 +10176,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 335
+          "line": 339
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10187,7 +10187,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 339
+          "line": 343
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10198,7 +10198,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 561
+          "line": 599
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10209,7 +10209,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 699
+          "line": 737
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10220,7 +10220,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 684
+          "line": 722
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10231,7 +10231,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 385
+          "line": 389
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10242,7 +10242,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 680
+          "line": 718
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10253,7 +10253,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 583
+          "line": 621
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10264,7 +10264,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 661
+          "line": 699
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10275,7 +10275,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 642
+          "line": 680
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10286,7 +10286,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 594
+          "line": 632
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10297,7 +10297,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 622
+          "line": 660
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10308,7 +10308,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 352
+          "line": 356
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10418,7 +10418,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 321
+          "line": 325
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10429,7 +10429,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 62
+          "line": 66
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -10440,7 +10440,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/imageGen.js",
-          "line": 577
+          "line": 615
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21853,7 +21853,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 906
+          "line": 909
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21864,7 +21864,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1256
+          "line": 1285
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21875,7 +21875,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1232
+          "line": 1261
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21886,7 +21886,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1261
+          "line": 1290
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21897,7 +21897,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1290
+          "line": 1319
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21908,7 +21908,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1338
+          "line": 1367
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21919,7 +21919,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1310
+          "line": 1339
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21930,7 +21930,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1346
+          "line": 1375
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21941,7 +21941,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1342
+          "line": 1371
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21952,7 +21952,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 785
+          "line": 788
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21963,7 +21963,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 804
+          "line": 807
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21974,7 +21974,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1363
+          "line": 1392
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21985,7 +21985,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 438
+          "line": 441
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -21996,7 +21996,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 442
+          "line": 445
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22007,7 +22007,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 510
+          "line": 513
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22018,7 +22018,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 751
+          "line": 754
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22029,7 +22029,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 736
+          "line": 739
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22040,7 +22040,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 639
+          "line": 642
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22051,7 +22051,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 719
+          "line": 722
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22062,7 +22062,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 480
+          "line": 483
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22073,7 +22073,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 482
+          "line": 485
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22084,7 +22084,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 476
+          "line": 479
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22095,7 +22095,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 388
+          "line": 391
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22106,7 +22106,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1380
+          "line": 1409
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22117,7 +22117,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 893
+          "line": 896
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22128,7 +22128,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 879
+          "line": 882
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22139,7 +22139,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 849
+          "line": 852
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22150,7 +22150,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 859
+          "line": 862
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22161,7 +22161,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1331
+          "line": 1360
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -22172,7 +22172,7 @@
       "sources": [
         {
           "source": "server/routes/videoGen.js",
-          "line": 1369
+          "line": 1398
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -23411,8 +23411,8 @@
   ],
   "stats": {
     "mounts": 145,
-    "operations": 2108,
-    "declarations": 2111,
+    "operations": 2112,
+    "declarations": 2115,
     "sourceFiles": 225
   }
 }
diff --git a/server/lib/fableLoomLimits.js b/server/lib/fableLoomLimits.js
index ba3c59e791..25f93a41c1 100644
--- a/server/lib/fableLoomLimits.js
+++ b/server/lib/fableLoomLimits.js
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ export const LOOM_LIMITS = Object.freeze({
   IMAGE_PROMPT_MAX: 2000,
   VIDEO_PROMPT_MAX: 4000,
   CAMERA_MOVEMENT_MAX: 80,
+  VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX: 12,
+  VISUAL_NOTE_MAX: 500,
+  VISUAL_PROVENANCE_ASSETS_MAX: 24,
+  VISUAL_PROVENANCE_MESSAGES_MAX: 24,
   ENDING_LABEL_MAX: 200,
   TRANSITIONS_MAX: 12,
   INTENT_MAX: 120,
diff --git a/server/lib/fableLoomValidation.js b/server/lib/fableLoomValidation.js
index e959b55bee..644cee87fb 100644
--- a/server/lib/fableLoomValidation.js
+++ b/server/lib/fableLoomValidation.js
@@ -121,6 +121,21 @@ const transitionSchema = z.object({
   ...transitionFields,
 });
 
+const visualCanonSchema = z.object({
+  mode: z.enum(['locked', 'draft']).optional(),
+  characterAppearances: z.array(z.object({
+    characterId: refId.unwrap(),
+    wardrobeId: refId.unwrap().nullable().optional(),
+    expression: z.string().max(LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX).optional(),
+    continuityNotes: z.string().max(LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX).optional(),
+  })).max(LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX).optional(),
+  placeId: refId.optional(),
+  objectIds: z.array(refId.unwrap()).max(LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX).optional(),
+  continuitySourceNodeId: nodeIdStr.nullable().optional(),
+  shotNotes: z.string().max(LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX).optional(),
+  storyboardImageApproved: z.boolean().optional(),
+}).nullable();
+
 // Sub-resource POST: no `id` — the server mints it.
 export const transitionCreateSchema = z.object(transitionFields);
 
@@ -174,6 +189,7 @@ const nodeFields = {
   imagePrompt: z.string().max(LOOM_LIMITS.IMAGE_PROMPT_MAX).optional(),
   videoPrompt: z.string().max(LOOM_LIMITS.VIDEO_PROMPT_MAX).optional(),
   cameraMovement: z.string().max(LOOM_LIMITS.CAMERA_MOVEMENT_MAX).optional(),
+  visualCanon: visualCanonSchema.optional(),
   playbackMode: z.enum(FABLELOOM_PLAYBACK_MODES).optional(),
   audienceConnection: z.enum(FABLELOOM_AUDIENCE_CONNECTION_STATES).optional(),
   videoHistoryId: z.string().max(200).nullable().optional(),
diff --git a/server/lib/schemaVersions.js b/server/lib/schemaVersions.js
index 6bf855326f..ca792a641f 100644
--- a/server/lib/schemaVersions.js
+++ b/server/lib/schemaVersions.js
@@ -354,7 +354,10 @@ export const PORTOS_SCHEMA_VERSIONS = Object.freeze({
   // (record kind/category `fableLoom`). A pre-feature receiver has no merge
   // path for the whole-record story graph, so only this category pauses until
   // both peers upgrade; unrelated categories continue syncing.
-  fableLoom: 1,
+  // v2 = scene nodes gained portable `visualCanon` bindings plus the latest
+  // render's path-free `visualConditioning` provenance. A v1 peer would strip
+  // both during whole-record LWW, so newer sends must pause until it upgrades.
+  fableLoom: 2,
   // v1 = Creative Director projects (PostgreSQL `creative_director_projects`)
   // federated via the per-record peer-sync push pipeline (record kind
   // `creativeDirectorProject`, sync category `creativeDirectorProjects`, #1564).
diff --git a/server/lib/socketEventCatalog.generated.json b/server/lib/socketEventCatalog.generated.json
index 9ea0776ee5..4ffe1f1073 100644
--- a/server/lib/socketEventCatalog.generated.json
+++ b/server/lib/socketEventCatalog.generated.json
@@ -2220,7 +2220,7 @@
         {
           "direction": "client-to-server",
           "source": "client/src/pages/FableLoomHostedJoin.jsx",
-          "line": 171
+          "line": 155
         },
         {
           "direction": "client-to-server",
@@ -2238,7 +2238,7 @@
         {
           "direction": "client-to-server",
           "source": "client/src/pages/FableLoomHostedJoin.jsx",
-          "line": 161
+          "line": 145
         },
         {
           "direction": "client-to-server",
@@ -2373,7 +2373,7 @@
         {
           "direction": "client-to-server",
           "source": "client/src/pages/FableLoomHostedJoin.jsx",
-          "line": 189
+          "line": 172
         },
         {
           "direction": "client-to-server",
diff --git a/server/routes/imageGen.js b/server/routes/imageGen.js
index 80a7ecf5d6..77432e4f33 100644
--- a/server/routes/imageGen.js
+++ b/server/routes/imageGen.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { getImageModels, requiredReposForModel } from '../lib/mediaModels.js';
 import { inspectModelCache, verifyModelCache, repairModelCache, aggregateVerifies } from '../lib/hfCache.js';
 import { startHfDownloadStream } from '../services/hfDownloadStream.js';
 import { PATHS, ensureDir, resolveGalleryImage } from '../lib/fileUtils.js';
-import { prepareGenerateParams, resolveLocalImageModel } from '../services/imageGen/prepareParams.js';
+import { prepareGenerateParams, resolveLocalImageModel, selectLocalImageModel } from '../services/imageGen/prepareParams.js';
 import { applyImageClean, applyWatermarkRemoval, applyLightRegenVariant } from '../services/imageGen/variants.js';
 import { join, basename } from 'node:path';
 import { STYLE_PRESETS } from '../lib/writersRoomStylePresets.js';
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ import { prepareRemoteMediaJob } from '../services/federatedMedia/remoteSubmissi
 import { collectRemoteInputAssets } from '../services/federatedMedia/inputAssets.js';
 import { buildFederatedMediaRequest } from '../lib/federatedMediaRequest.js';
 import { attachNodeImage } from '../services/fableLoom/records.js';
+import {
+  compileFableLoomVisualRequest, fableLoomImageCapabilities,
+} from '../services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js';
+import { loraCompatKey } from '../lib/runners.js';
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -390,6 +394,36 @@ router.post('/generate', imageGenUploads, asyncHandler(async (req, res) => {
     referenceImageFields: REFERENCE_IMAGE_FIELDS,
   });
 
+  // FableLoom is compiled server-side after the backend pin resolves. The
+  // browser's prompt/reference fields are hints only: stable scene bindings,
+  // approved assets and deterministic graph continuity own the final request.
+  if (params.fableLoom) {
+    const selected = mode === IMAGE_GEN_MODE.LOCAL ? selectLocalImageModel(params.modelId) : null;
+    const model = selected ? { ...selected, loraCompatKey: loraCompatKey(selected) } : null;
+    const providerMode = params.mediaProviderPeerId ? 'federated' : mode;
+    const compiled = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: params.fableLoom,
+      kind: 'image',
+      capability: fableLoomImageCapabilities({
+        mode: providerMode,
+        model,
+        inputBudget: mode === IMAGE_GEN_MODE.AGY ? 3 : MAX_REFERENCE_IMAGES,
+      }),
+      authoredPrompt: params.prompt,
+      authoredNegativePrompt: params.negativePrompt,
+    });
+    if (compiled) {
+      params.prompt = compiled.prompt;
+      params.negativePrompt = compiled.negativePrompt;
+      params.referenceImagePaths = compiled.referenceImagePaths;
+      params.referenceImageStrengths = compiled.referenceImageStrengths;
+      params.loraFilenames = compiled.loraFilenames;
+      params.loraPaths = [];
+      params.loraScales = compiled.loraScales;
+      params.visualConditioning = compiled.visualConditioning;
+    }
+  }
+
   // Resolve an optional universe-collection target into a job tag the
   // completion hook understands. Done server-side so a base-style probe lands
   // in the same "Universe: <name>" bucket as batch renders without the
@@ -552,7 +586,11 @@ router.post('/generate', imageGenUploads, asyncHandler(async (req, res) => {
       params.fableLoom.loomId,
       params.fableLoom.episodeId,
       params.fableLoom.nodeId,
-      { filename: result.filename, jobId: result.generationId },
+      {
+        filename: result.filename,
+        jobId: result.generationId,
+        visualConditioning: params.visualConditioning,
+      },
     );
   }
   res.json(result);
diff --git a/server/routes/imageGen.test.js b/server/routes/imageGen.test.js
index 243faf8aa2..316c9865d3 100644
--- a/server/routes/imageGen.test.js
+++ b/server/routes/imageGen.test.js
@@ -13,6 +13,23 @@ import { join as pathJoin } from 'path';
 const attachNodeImage = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => ({})));
 vi.mock('../services/fableLoom/records.js', () => ({ attachNodeImage }));
 
+const compiledVisual = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  version: 1, compilerVersion: '1.0.0', status: 'locked', assets: [], adapters: [], omitted: [], warnings: [],
+}));
+const compileFableLoomVisualRequest = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async ({ authoredPrompt, authoredNegativePrompt }) => ({
+  prompt: authoredPrompt,
+  negativePrompt: authoredNegativePrompt || '',
+  referenceImagePaths: [],
+  referenceImageStrengths: [],
+  loraFilenames: [],
+  loraScales: [],
+  visualConditioning: compiledVisual,
+})));
+vi.mock('../services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js', () => ({
+  compileFableLoomVisualRequest,
+  fableLoomImageCapabilities: vi.fn(() => ({ version: 1, kind: 'image' })),
+}));
+
 vi.mock('../services/imageGen/index.js', () => ({
   checkConnection: vi.fn(),
   generateImage: vi.fn(),
@@ -251,8 +268,11 @@ describe('Image Gen Routes', () => {
         'loom-1',
         'ep-1',
         'node-1',
-        { filename: 'scene.png', jobId: 'gen-scene-001' },
+        { filename: 'scene.png', jobId: 'gen-scene-001', visualConditioning: compiledVisual },
       );
+      expect(compileFableLoomVisualRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({
+        tag: { loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-1' }, kind: 'image',
+      }));
     });
 
     it('accepts a missing/empty prompt (i2i / edit / unconditional), defaulting it to empty', async () => {
diff --git a/server/routes/videoGen.js b/server/routes/videoGen.js
index 37ca00589d..bb1c458188 100644
--- a/server/routes/videoGen.js
+++ b/server/routes/videoGen.js
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ import {
   streamVideoRuntimeInstall,
 } from '../services/videoGen/runtimeInstaller.js';
 import { detectSystemCapabilities, withHardwareCompatibility } from '../lib/systemCapabilities.js';
+import {
+  compileFableLoomVisualRequest, fableLoomVideoCapabilities,
+} from '../services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js';
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -1029,6 +1032,31 @@ router.post('/', frameImageUpload, asyncHandler(async (req, res) => {
   });
   const { backend, cleanupStaged } = prepared;
 
+  if (body.fableLoom) {
+    const compiled = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: body.fableLoom,
+      kind: 'video',
+      capability: fableLoomVideoCapabilities({ backend, model: prepared.effectiveModel }),
+      authoredPrompt: body.prompt,
+      authoredNegativePrompt: body.negativePrompt,
+      sourceImagePath: prepared.sourceImagePath,
+    }).catch(async (error) => {
+      await cleanupStaged();
+      throw error;
+    });
+    if (compiled) {
+      body.prompt = compiled.prompt;
+      body.negativePrompt = compiled.negativePrompt;
+      if (prepared.sourceImagePath && !compiled.sourceImagePath) {
+        await prepared.discardSourceImage();
+        prepared.uploadedTempPath = null;
+        prepared.mode = 'text';
+      }
+      prepared.sourceImagePath = compiled.sourceImagePath;
+      body.visualConditioning = compiled.visualConditioning;
+    }
+  }
+
   // #3326 — `enqueueJob` is the last place a throw can strand the durable
   // copies the service staged (the job never exists, so the worker's cleanup
   // never runs). Release them, then rethrow untouched for the error middleware.
@@ -1130,6 +1158,7 @@ router.post('/', frameImageUpload, asyncHandler(async (req, res) => {
     // FableLoom scene attach tag. Rides into persisted job.params so the
     // completion hook can file the clip even if the editor unmounted.
     ...(body.fableLoom ? { fableLoom: body.fableLoom } : {}),
+    ...(body.visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning: body.visualConditioning } : {}),
   });
   // Match the legacy response shape (jobId, generationId, filename, model,
   // mode) so existing client code keeps working; add status+position for
diff --git a/server/routes/videoGen.test.js b/server/routes/videoGen.test.js
index 98ed347989..7d1d0607c9 100644
--- a/server/routes/videoGen.test.js
+++ b/server/routes/videoGen.test.js
@@ -5,6 +5,25 @@ import { request } from '../lib/testHelper.js';
 import { errorMiddleware } from '../lib/errorHandler.js';
 import { DEFAULT_CONTEXT_FRAMES, MAX_CONTEXT_FRAMES } from '../lib/videoContinuity.js';
 
+const compiledVisual = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  version: 1, compilerVersion: '1.0.0', status: 'locked', assets: [], adapters: [], omitted: [], warnings: [],
+}));
+const compileFableLoomVisualRequest = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async ({ authoredPrompt, authoredNegativePrompt, sourceImagePath }) => ({
+  prompt: authoredPrompt,
+  negativePrompt: authoredNegativePrompt || '',
+  referenceImagePaths: [],
+  referenceImageStrengths: [],
+  loraFilenames: [],
+  loraScales: [],
+  sourceImagePath,
+  visualConditioning: compiledVisual,
+})));
+const fableLoomVideoCapabilities = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(() => ({ version: 1, kind: 'video' })));
+vi.mock('../services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js', () => ({
+  compileFableLoomVisualRequest,
+  fableLoomVideoCapabilities,
+}));
+
 const installProcess = vi.hoisted(() => {
   const spawn = vi.fn();
   const makeChild = () => {
@@ -76,7 +95,9 @@ vi.mock('../services/videoGen/local.js', () => ({
   // include it so the a2v happy-path tests don't trip the A2V_REQUIRES_LTX2
   // guard. Tests that need to exercise the legacy runtime override the mock
   // per-test via mockReturnValueOnce.
-  listVideoModels: vi.fn(() => [{ id: 'ltx2_unified', name: 'LTX-2 Unified', runtime: 'ltx2' }]),
+  listVideoModels: vi.fn(() => [{
+    id: 'ltx2_unified', name: 'LTX-2 Unified', runtime: 'ltx2', supportedModes: ['text', 'image', 'fflf'],
+  }]),
   defaultVideoModelId: vi.fn(() => 'ltx2_unified'),
   loadHistory: vi.fn(async () => []),
   getHistoryItem: vi.fn(async () => null),
@@ -493,7 +514,9 @@ describe('videoGen routes', () => {
     it('returns the static catalog', async () => {
       const r = await request(app).get('/api/video-gen/models');
       expect(r.status).toBe(200);
-      expect(r.body).toEqual([{ id: 'ltx2_unified', name: 'LTX-2 Unified', runtime: 'ltx2' }]);
+      expect(r.body).toEqual([{
+        id: 'ltx2_unified', name: 'LTX-2 Unified', runtime: 'ltx2', supportedModes: ['text', 'image', 'fflf'],
+      }]);
     });
   });
 
@@ -1010,8 +1033,33 @@ describe('videoGen routes', () => {
         params: expect.objectContaining({
           sourceImagePath: '/mock/images/scene-image.png',
           fableLoom: { loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-1' },
+          visualConditioning: compiledVisual,
         }),
       }));
+      expect(compileFableLoomVisualRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({
+        tag: { loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-1' }, kind: 'video',
+      }));
+      expect(fableLoomVideoCapabilities).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({
+        backend: 'local',
+        model: expect.objectContaining({ supportedModes: expect.any(Array) }),
+      }));
+    });
+
+    it('converts an explicitly degraded FableLoom render to text mode when its frame is omitted', async () => {
+      compileFableLoomVisualRequest.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        prompt: 'the gate slowly opens', negativePrompt: '', sourceImagePath: null,
+        visualConditioning: { ...compiledVisual, status: 'degraded' },
+      });
+      const r = await request(app).post('/api/video-gen/').send({
+        prompt: 'the gate slowly opens',
+        mode: 'image',
+        sourceImageFile: 'scene-image.png',
+        fableLoom: JSON.stringify({ loomId: 'loom-1', episodeId: 'ep-1', nodeId: 'node-1' }),
+      });
+      expect(r.status).toBe(200);
+      expect(mediaJobQueue.enqueueJob).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({
+        params: expect.objectContaining({ mode: 'text', sourceImagePath: null }),
+      }));
     });
 
     it('rejects a musicVideo i2v render when the reference frame cannot be resolved (no silent t2v)', async () => {
diff --git a/server/services/characterLoraResolver.js b/server/services/characterLoraResolver.js
index a721db11db..1d5dd4d1f1 100644
--- a/server/services/characterLoraResolver.js
+++ b/server/services/characterLoraResolver.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const isCompat = (lora, compatKey) => {
  * user's style LoRAs. Returns
  * `[{ filename, scale, triggerWord, character }]`.
  */
-export async function resolveCharacterLoras(matchedCharacters, { compatKey = null, max = 3 } = {}) {
+export async function resolveCharacterLoras(matchedCharacters, { compatKey = null, max = 3, allPerCharacter = false } = {}) {
   const characters = (matchedCharacters || []).filter(Boolean);
   if (!characters.length) return [];
   const loras = await listLoras();
@@ -53,18 +53,21 @@ export async function resolveCharacterLoras(matchedCharacters, { compatKey = nul
   const usedFilenames = new Set();
   for (const character of characters) {
     if (out.length >= max) break;
-    const match = trained.find((l) =>
+    const matches = trained.filter((l) =>
       !usedFilenames.has(l.filename)
       && matchesCharacter(l.character, { entryId: character.id, ingredientId: character.ingredientId })
       && isCompat(l, compatKey));
-    if (!match) continue;
-    usedFilenames.add(match.filename);
-    out.push({
-      filename: match.filename,
-      scale: Number.isFinite(match.recommendedScale) ? match.recommendedScale : 1.0,
-      triggerWord: match.triggerWords?.[0] || null,
-      character: match.character,
-    });
+    for (const match of matches) {
+      if (out.length >= max) break;
+      usedFilenames.add(match.filename);
+      out.push({
+        filename: match.filename,
+        scale: Number.isFinite(match.recommendedScale) ? match.recommendedScale : 1.0,
+        triggerWord: match.triggerWords?.[0] || null,
+        character: match.character,
+      });
+      if (!allPerCharacter) break;
+    }
   }
   return out;
 }
diff --git a/server/services/characterLoraResolver.test.js b/server/services/characterLoraResolver.test.js
index a859b7cff8..7b74035430 100644
--- a/server/services/characterLoraResolver.test.js
+++ b/server/services/characterLoraResolver.test.js
@@ -68,6 +68,19 @@ describe('resolveCharacterLoras', () => {
     expect(out).toHaveLength(3);
   });
 
+  it('returns every compatible local adapter per bound character when requested', async () => {
+    listLoras.mockResolvedValue([
+      trainedLora({ filename: 'a.safetensors', loraCompatKey: 'flux2-4b' }),
+      trainedLora({ filename: 'b.safetensors', loraCompatKey: 'flux2-4b' }),
+      trainedLora({ filename: 'wrong.safetensors', loraCompatKey: 'mflux' }),
+    ]);
+    const out = await resolveCharacterLoras(
+      [{ id: 'char-1' }],
+      { compatKey: 'flux2-4b', allPerCharacter: true, max: 8 },
+    );
+    expect(out.map((item) => item.filename)).toEqual(['a.safetensors', 'b.safetensors']);
+  });
+
   it('returns [] for empty matches without touching the lora list', async () => {
     expect(await resolveCharacterLoras([])).toEqual([]);
     expect(listLoras).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/README.md b/server/services/fableLoom/README.md
index 02e8abb20f..c7f3f9f26c 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoom/README.md
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/README.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ intent to a transition and moves them through the graph until an ending.
 | Module | Purpose |
 |---|---|
 | `records.js` | Sanitizer + CRUD + peer LWW/tombstone merge for looms/episodes/nodes; transitions are addressable one at a time (`addNodeTransition` / `updateNodeTransition` / `deleteNodeTransition`) as well as replaceable as a whole array via the node patch; `attachNodeImage`, `attachNodeVideo`, and `attachNodePlaybackAsset` for media-job hooks. |
+| `visualConditioning.js` | Compiles stable scene canon bindings into capability-budgeted prompts, typed reference assets, local character adapters, and durable render provenance. |
 | `weave.js` | AI ops via `runStagedLLM`: `generateSeriesPlan` (full arc / plot-point / side-quest scaffold), `weaveEpisode` (single-camera-cut graph with automatic cuts and looping decisions), `branchNode` (grow paths), `feedbackEpisode` (apply a conversational sparse patch to one episode), `reviewEpisode` (critique + deterministic analysis), `playTurn` (reader intent → transition; tapped/automatic paths resolve with NO LLM call), `reformatEpisodeScenes` (rewrite ONE episode's scenes into another format; the loom's format pin lands only once every episode is converted). |
 | `formats.js` | Scene formats (`prose` / `teleplay`) and the prompt contracts each generative stage renders for them. |
 | `hostedSession.js` | Scoped QR-hosted play session lifecycle, HTTPS readiness preflight, token hashing, live voice gate revalidation, and half-duplex turn taking (#5383). |
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/index.js b/server/services/fableLoom/index.js
index a317545ef8..f26c71e127 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoom/index.js
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/index.js
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ export {
   asLoomFormat,
   isLoomFormat,
 } from './formats.js';
+export {
+  FABLELOOM_VISUAL_COMPILER_VERSION,
+  compileFableLoomVisualRequest,
+  fableLoomImageCapabilities,
+  fableLoomVideoCapabilities,
+} from './visualConditioning.js';
 export {
   DEFAULT_SESSION_TTL_MINUTES,
   MAX_SESSION_TTL_MINUTES,
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/records.js b/server/services/fableLoom/records.js
index 701beb7b18..e365294cde 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoom/records.js
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/records.js
@@ -67,6 +67,101 @@ const sanitizePos = (raw) => (raw && typeof raw === 'object'
   ? { x: Math.round(raw.x), y: Math.round(raw.y) }
   : null);
 
+const sanitizeVisualConditioning = (raw) => {
+  if (!raw || typeof raw !== 'object' || raw.version !== 1) return null;
+  const list = (value, max) => (Array.isArray(value) ? value.slice(0, max) : []);
+  const capability = raw.capability && typeof raw.capability === 'object' ? raw.capability : {};
+  const bindings = raw.bindings && typeof raw.bindings === 'object' ? raw.bindings : {};
+  return {
+    version: 1,
+    compilerVersion: trimTo(raw.compilerVersion, 40),
+    status: ['locked', 'draft', 'degraded'].includes(raw.status) ? raw.status : 'degraded',
+    universeId: nullableRef(raw.universeId),
+    capability: {
+      version: Number.isInteger(capability.version) ? capability.version : 1,
+      kind: capability.kind === 'video' ? 'video' : 'image',
+      backend: trimTo(capability.backend, 40),
+      modelId: nullableRef(capability.modelId),
+      referenceRoles: list(capability.referenceRoles, 24)
+        .map((item) => trimTo(item, 64)).filter(Boolean),
+      referenceBudget: Number.isInteger(capability.referenceBudget)
+        ? Math.max(0, Math.min(24, capability.referenceBudget)) : 0,
+      supportsLora: capability.supportsLora === true,
+      loraCompatKey: nullableRef(capability.loraCompatKey),
+      loraBudget: Number.isInteger(capability.loraBudget)
+        ? Math.max(0, Math.min(8, capability.loraBudget)) : 0,
+      multiCharacterPreservation: capability.multiCharacterPreservation === true,
+      ...(capability.kind === 'video' ? {
+        firstFrame: capability.firstFrame === true,
+        lastFrame: capability.lastFrame === true,
+        extension: capability.extension === true,
+      } : {}),
+    },
+    bindings: {
+      inferred: bindings.inferred === true,
+      characterAppearances: list(bindings.characterAppearances, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX)
+        .filter((item) => item && typeof item === 'object' && nullableRef(item.characterId))
+        .map((item) => ({
+          characterId: nullableRef(item.characterId),
+          wardrobeId: nullableRef(item.wardrobeId),
+          expression: trimTo(item.expression, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX),
+          continuityNotes: trimTo(item.continuityNotes, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX),
+        })),
+      placeId: nullableRef(bindings.placeId),
+      objectIds: list(bindings.objectIds, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX)
+        .map(nullableRef).filter(Boolean),
+    },
+    assets: list(raw.assets, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_PROVENANCE_ASSETS_MAX)
+      .filter((item) => item && typeof item === 'object')
+      .map((item) => ({
+        role: trimTo(item.role, 64), bindingId: nullableRef(item.bindingId),
+        required: item.required === true, filename: trimTo(item.filename, 256),
+      })),
+    adapters: list(raw.adapters, 8)
+      .filter((item) => item && typeof item === 'object')
+      .map((item) => ({
+        characterId: nullableRef(item.characterId), filename: trimTo(item.filename, 256),
+        scale: Number.isFinite(item.scale) ? Math.max(0, Math.min(2, item.scale)) : 1,
+        sha256: typeof item.sha256 === 'string' && /^[a-f0-9]{64}$/i.test(item.sha256) ? item.sha256 : null,
+      })),
+    omitted: list(raw.omitted, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_PROVENANCE_MESSAGES_MAX)
+      .filter((item) => item && typeof item === 'object')
+      .map((item) => ({
+        role: trimTo(item.role, 64), bindingId: nullableRef(item.bindingId),
+        reason: trimTo(item.reason, 80),
+        ...(item.filename ? { filename: trimTo(item.filename, 256) } : {}),
+      })),
+    warnings: (Array.isArray(raw.warnings) ? raw.warnings : [])
+      .map((item) => trimTo(item, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX)).filter(Boolean)
+      .slice(0, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_PROVENANCE_MESSAGES_MAX),
+    temporalSourceNodeId: nullableRef(raw.temporalSourceNodeId),
+    compiledAt: isStr(raw.compiledAt) ? raw.compiledAt : null,
+  };
+};
+
+const sanitizeVisualCanon = (raw) => {
+  if (!raw || typeof raw !== 'object') return null;
+  const appearances = (Array.isArray(raw.characterAppearances) ? raw.characterAppearances : [])
+    .filter((item) => item && typeof item === 'object' && nullableRef(item.characterId))
+    .slice(0, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX)
+    .map((item) => ({
+      characterId: nullableRef(item.characterId),
+      wardrobeId: nullableRef(item.wardrobeId),
+      expression: trimTo(item.expression, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX),
+      continuityNotes: trimTo(item.continuityNotes, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX),
+    }));
+  return {
+    mode: raw.mode === 'draft' ? 'draft' : 'locked',
+    characterAppearances: appearances,
+    placeId: nullableRef(raw.placeId),
+    objectIds: (Array.isArray(raw.objectIds) ? raw.objectIds : [])
+      .map(nullableRef).filter(Boolean).slice(0, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_BINDINGS_MAX),
+    continuitySourceNodeId: nullableRef(raw.continuitySourceNodeId),
+    shotNotes: trimTo(raw.shotNotes, LOOM_LIMITS.VISUAL_NOTE_MAX),
+    storyboardImageApproved: raw.storyboardImageApproved === true,
+  };
+};
+
 function sanitizeTransition(raw) {
   if (!raw || typeof raw !== 'object') return null;
   const intent = trimTo(raw.intent, LOOM_LIMITS.INTENT_MAX);
@@ -95,6 +190,8 @@ function sanitizeNode(raw) {
     imageJobId: isStr(raw.imageJobId) && raw.imageJobId ? raw.imageJobId.slice(0, 200) : null,
     videoPrompt: trimTo(raw.videoPrompt, LOOM_LIMITS.VIDEO_PROMPT_MAX),
     cameraMovement: trimTo(normalizeFableLoomCameraMovement(raw.cameraMovement), LOOM_LIMITS.CAMERA_MOVEMENT_MAX),
+    visualCanon: sanitizeVisualCanon(raw.visualCanon),
+    visualConditioning: sanitizeVisualConditioning(raw.visualConditioning),
     playbackMode: asFableLoomPlaybackMode(raw.playbackMode),
     audienceConnection: asFableLoomAudienceConnection(raw.audienceConnection),
     videoHistoryId: isSafeVideoHistoryId(raw.videoHistoryId) ? raw.videoHistoryId : null,
@@ -194,7 +291,7 @@ export function sanitizeLoom(raw) {
     .sort((a, b) => a.number - b.number || a.createdAt.localeCompare(b.createdAt));
   return {
     id: raw.id,
-    schemaVersion: 1,
+    schemaVersion: 2,
     name,
     logline: trimTo(raw.logline, LOOM_LIMITS.LOGLINE_MAX),
     premise: trimTo(raw.premise, LOOM_LIMITS.PREMISE_MAX),
@@ -405,6 +502,32 @@ export async function deleteLoom(id) {
   emitRecordDeleted('fableLoom', id);
 }
 
+// A v1 peer cannot represent the v2 scene production fields. When that older
+// peer wins whole-record LWW after an unrelated edit, retain the local fields
+// on nodes that still exist instead of letting its unaware sanitizer clear
+// them. A v2 sender's present null remains an intentional clear.
+const preserveLegacyVisualProduction = (remote, local, senderVersion) => {
+  if (!local || senderVersion >= 2) return remote;
+  const localEpisodes = new Map(local.episodes.map((episode) => [episode.id, episode]));
+  return {
+    ...remote,
+    episodes: remote.episodes.map((episode) => {
+      const localNodes = new Map((localEpisodes.get(episode.id)?.nodes || []).map((node) => [node.id, node]));
+      return {
+        ...episode,
+        nodes: episode.nodes.map((node) => {
+          const localNode = localNodes.get(node.id);
+          return localNode ? {
+            ...node,
+            visualCanon: localNode.visualCanon,
+            visualConditioning: localNode.visualConditioning,
+          } : node;
+        }),
+      };
+    }),
+  };
+};
+
 /**
  * Merge FableLoom records received from a federated peer. Records are
  * sanitized before persistence, unioned by id, and resolved by whole-record
@@ -412,7 +535,10 @@ export async function deleteLoom(id) {
  */
 export async function mergeLoomsFromSync(
   remoteLooms,
-  { source = { via: 'sync', peerId: null } } = {},
+  {
+    source = { via: 'sync', peerId: null },
+    senderSchemaVersions = { fableLoom: 2 },
+  } = {},
 ) {
   if (!Array.isArray(remoteLooms)) return { applied: false, count: 0 };
   const byId = new Map();
@@ -426,18 +552,23 @@ export async function mergeLoomsFromSync(
     const applied = await queueLoomWrite(remote.id, async () => {
       const local = sanitizeLoom(await readRaw(remote.id));
       if (local && !compareNewerWins(remote.updatedAt, local.updatedAt)) return false;
+      const merged = preserveLegacyVisualProduction(
+        remote,
+        local,
+        Number(senderSchemaVersions?.fableLoom) || 0,
+      );
       if (local) {
         await maybeJournalBeforeOverwrite({
-          kind: 'fableLoom', id: remote.id, local, remote, source,
+          kind: 'fableLoom', id: remote.id, local, remote: merged, source,
         });
       } else {
         await setSyncBaseHash(
           'fableLoom',
-          remote.id,
-          contentHashForRecord('fableLoom', remote),
+          merged.id,
+          contentHashForRecord('fableLoom', merged),
         );
       }
-      await writeRaw(remote.id, remote);
+      await writeRaw(merged.id, merged);
       return true;
     });
     if (applied) changed += 1;
@@ -534,7 +665,7 @@ export function deleteEpisode(loomId, episodeId) {
 
 const NODE_PATCH_FIELDS = [
   'title', 'prose', 'imagePrompt', 'videoPrompt', 'cameraMovement', 'playbackMode',
-  'audienceConnection', 'videoHistoryId', 'playbackAssets', 'interactionWindow',
+  'audienceConnection', 'visualCanon', 'videoHistoryId', 'playbackAssets', 'interactionWindow',
   'isEnding', 'endingLabel', 'pos', 'transitions',
 ];
 
@@ -660,7 +791,7 @@ export function deleteNodeTransition(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, transitionId) {
  * updated node (or null when the loom/episode/node has since been deleted —
  * the hook logs and moves on rather than erroring).
  */
-export async function attachNodeImage(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { filename, jobId }) {
+export async function attachNodeImage(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { filename, jobId, visualConditioning = null }) {
   if (!isValidLoomId(loomId) || !isSafeImageFilename(filename)) return null;
   const updated = await mutateLoom(loomId, (loom) => {
     const episode = loom.episodes.find((e) => e.id === episodeId);
@@ -668,6 +799,8 @@ export async function attachNodeImage(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { filename, job
     if (!node) return null;
     node.image = filename;
     node.imageJobId = isStr(jobId) ? jobId : null;
+    node.visualConditioning = visualConditioning;
+    if (node.visualCanon) node.visualCanon.storyboardImageApproved = false;
     episode.updatedAt = new Date().toISOString();
     return loom;
   }).catch(() => null);
@@ -679,13 +812,14 @@ export async function attachNodeImage(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { filename, job
  * are also the generated filenames under data/videos, but are kept as ids so
  * the node can use the same history/media conventions as other video surfaces.
  */
-export async function attachNodeVideo(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { videoHistoryId }) {
+export async function attachNodeVideo(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { videoHistoryId, visualConditioning = null }) {
   if (!isValidLoomId(loomId) || !isSafeVideoHistoryId(videoHistoryId)) return null;
   const updated = await mutateLoom(loomId, (loom) => {
     const episode = loom.episodes.find((e) => e.id === episodeId);
     const node = episode?.nodes.find((n) => n.id === nodeId);
     if (!node) return null;
     node.videoHistoryId = videoHistoryId;
+    node.visualConditioning = visualConditioning;
     episode.updatedAt = new Date().toISOString();
     return loom;
   }).catch(() => null);
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/records.test.js b/server/services/fableLoom/records.test.js
index 0a5e576edb..b3e587c150 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoom/records.test.js
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/records.test.js
@@ -233,6 +233,38 @@ describe('loom CRUD', () => {
     expect(await getLoom(local.id)).toBeNull();
   });
 
+  it('preserves v2 visual production fields when a v1 peer wins an unrelated LWW edit', async () => {
+    let loom = await makeLoom({ name: 'Local production' });
+    loom = await addEpisode(loom.id, { title: 'Pilot' });
+    loom = await addNode(loom.id, loom.episodes[0].id, {
+      title: 'Bound shot',
+      visualCanon: { mode: 'locked', characterAppearances: [{ characterId: 'char-a' }] },
+    });
+    const node = loom.episodes[0].nodes[0];
+    await attachNodeImage(loom.id, loom.episodes[0].id, node.id, {
+      filename: 'bound-shot.png',
+      jobId: 'job-visual',
+      visualConditioning: {
+        version: 1, compilerVersion: '1.0.0', status: 'locked', universeId: 'uni-1',
+      },
+    });
+    loom = await getLoom(loom.id);
+    const remoteV1 = {
+      ...loom,
+      name: 'Renamed by v1 peer',
+      updatedAt: '2099-01-01T00:00:00.000Z',
+      episodes: loom.episodes.map((episode) => ({
+        ...episode,
+        nodes: episode.nodes.map(({ visualCanon: _canon, visualConditioning: _conditioning, ...rest }) => rest),
+      })),
+    };
+
+    await mergeLoomsFromSync([remoteV1], { senderSchemaVersions: { fableLoom: 1 } });
+    const mergedNode = (await getLoom(loom.id)).episodes[0].nodes[0];
+    expect(mergedNode.visualCanon).toMatchObject({ mode: 'locked', characterAppearances: [{ characterId: 'char-a' }] });
+    expect(mergedNode.visualConditioning).toMatchObject({ version: 1, compilerVersion: '1.0.0' });
+  });
+
   it('journals divergent story edits and can restore the authored snapshot', async () => {
     const local = await makeLoom({ name: 'Local story', premise: 'Local premise' });
     const base = { ...local, name: 'Shared story', premise: 'Shared premise' };
@@ -560,6 +592,31 @@ describe('attachNodeImage', () => {
     expect((await getLoom(loom.id)).episodes[0].nodes[0].image).toBe('job-1.png');
   });
 
+  it('stores render provenance and clears storyboard approval when a new image lands', async () => {
+    const loom = await makeLoom();
+    let updated = await addEpisode(loom.id, {});
+    const episodeId = updated.episodes[0].id;
+    updated = await addNode(loom.id, episodeId, {
+      title: 'A', visualCanon: { mode: 'locked', storyboardImageApproved: true },
+    });
+    const node = updated.episodes[0].nodes[0];
+    const visualConditioning = {
+      version: 1, compilerVersion: '1.0.0', status: 'locked',
+      capability: { kind: 'image', backend: 'local', referenceRoles: ['character-neutral'], injected: 'x'.repeat(1000) },
+      bindings: { inferred: false, characterAppearances: [{ characterId: 'char-a' }], injected: 'x'.repeat(1000) },
+      assets: [{ role: 'character-neutral', bindingId: 'char-a', filename: 'identity.png', path: '/private/identity.png' }],
+      adapters: [], omitted: [], warnings: [],
+    };
+    const attached = await attachNodeImage(loom.id, episodeId, node.id, {
+      filename: 'job-2.png', jobId: 'job-2', visualConditioning,
+    });
+    expect(attached.visualCanon.storyboardImageApproved).toBe(false);
+    expect(attached.visualConditioning).toMatchObject({ version: 1, status: 'locked' });
+    expect(JSON.stringify(attached.visualConditioning)).not.toContain('/private/');
+    expect(attached.visualConditioning.capability.injected).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(attached.visualConditioning.bindings.injected).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it('returns null (no throw) when the target is gone or the filename is unsafe', async () => {
     const loom = await makeLoom();
     const updated = await addEpisode(loom.id, {});
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js b/server/services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60ee01489b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.js
@@ -0,0 +1,369 @@
+/**
+ * FableLoom visual-canon compiler.
+ *
+ * Turns stable scene bindings into the exact prompt, typed input images and
+ * local character adapters a render can actually consume. The returned v1
+ * manifest is durable provenance: unsupported/over-budget inputs are named,
+ * never silently discarded, and a locked scene fails before enqueue.
+ */
+
+import { basename, join } from 'node:path';
+import { stat } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { ServerError } from '../../lib/errorHandler.js';
+import { PATHS, resolveImageInputPath, sha256File } from '../../lib/fileUtils.js';
+import { characterIdentityPackReadiness } from '../../lib/storyBible.js';
+import {
+  matchCharactersInText, matchObjectsInText, matchPlacesInText,
+} from '../../lib/scenePrompt.js';
+import { getUniverse } from '../universeBuilder.js';
+import { resolveCharacterLoras } from '../characterLoraResolver.js';
+import { getSeries } from '../pipeline/series.js';
+import { getLoom } from './records.js';
+
+export const FABLELOOM_VISUAL_COMPILER_VERSION = '1.0.0';
+
+const byId = (list) => new Map((Array.isArray(list) ? list : []).filter((item) => item?.id).map((item) => [item.id, item]));
+const text = (value) => (typeof value === 'string' ? value.trim() : '');
+const compact = (values) => values.map(text).filter(Boolean);
+const unique = (values) => [...new Set(values.filter(Boolean))];
+const publicAsset = (path, role, bindingId, required = false) => ({
+  role, bindingId, required, filename: basename(path), path,
+});
+const adapterDigestCache = new Map();
+
+const adapterDigest = async (path, hashFile) => {
+  if (hashFile !== sha256File) return hashFile(path);
+  const info = await stat(path);
+  const key = `${info.size}:${info.mtimeMs}`;
+  const cached = adapterDigestCache.get(path);
+  if (cached?.key === key) return cached.sha256;
+  const sha256 = await hashFile(path);
+  adapterDigestCache.set(path, { key, sha256 });
+  if (adapterDigestCache.size > 64) adapterDigestCache.delete(adapterDigestCache.keys().next().value);
+  return sha256;
+};
+
+const visualPromptForCharacter = (character, appearance, triggerWords) => {
+  const wardrobe = character.wardrobes?.find((item) => item.id === appearance?.wardrobeId);
+  return compact([
+    `Character: ${character.name}`,
+    character.physicalDescription || character.visualIdentity || character.visualNotes,
+    wardrobe && `Wardrobe: ${wardrobe.name || wardrobe.label || ''} ${wardrobe.description || wardrobe.prompt || ''}`,
+    appearance?.expression && `Expression: ${appearance.expression}`,
+    appearance?.continuityNotes && `Continuity: ${appearance.continuityNotes}`,
+    triggerWords.length && `Identity adapter triggers: ${triggerWords.join(', ')}`,
+  ]).join('. ');
+};
+
+const resolveTemporalNode = (episode, node, explicitId) => {
+  if (episode.startNodeId === node.id) return { node: null, reason: 'opening-scene' };
+  const incoming = episode.nodes.filter((candidate) => candidate.id !== node.id
+    && candidate.transitions?.some((transition) => transition.targetNodeId === node.id));
+  if (explicitId) {
+    const explicit = incoming.find((candidate) => candidate.id === explicitId);
+    return explicit ? { node: explicit, reason: 'explicit' } : { node: null, reason: 'invalid-explicit-source' };
+  }
+  if (incoming.length === 1) return { node: incoming[0], reason: 'single-predecessor' };
+  return { node: null, reason: incoming.length > 1 ? 'ambiguous-convergence' : 'no-predecessor' };
+};
+
+const bindScene = ({ node, episode, universe }) => {
+  const declared = node.visualCanon;
+  const characters = Array.isArray(universe.characters) ? universe.characters : [];
+  const places = Array.isArray(universe.places) ? universe.places : [];
+  const objects = Array.isArray(universe.objects) ? universe.objects : [];
+  const sourceText = compact([node.title, node.prose, node.imagePrompt, node.videoPrompt]).join('\n');
+  const characterMap = byId(characters);
+  const placeMap = byId(places);
+  const objectMap = byId(objects);
+  const appearances = declared
+    ? declared.characterAppearances || []
+    : matchCharactersInText(sourceText, characters).map((character) => ({ characterId: character.id }));
+  const boundCharacters = appearances.map((appearance) => ({ appearance, character: characterMap.get(appearance.characterId) }))
+    .filter((item) => item.character);
+  const boundPlace = declared
+    ? placeMap.get(declared.placeId) || null
+    : matchPlacesInText(sourceText, places)[0] || null;
+  const boundObjects = declared
+    ? (declared.objectIds || []).map((id) => objectMap.get(id)).filter(Boolean)
+    : matchObjectsInText(sourceText, objects);
+  const missing = declared ? [
+    ...appearances.filter((item) => !characterMap.has(item.characterId)).map((item) => ({ role: 'character', bindingId: item.characterId, reason: 'binding-not-found' })),
+    ...appearances.filter((item) => {
+      const character = characterMap.get(item.characterId);
+      return item.wardrobeId && character && !character.wardrobes?.some((wardrobe) => wardrobe.id === item.wardrobeId);
+    }).map((item) => ({ role: 'wardrobe', bindingId: item.wardrobeId, reason: 'binding-not-found' })),
+    ...(declared.placeId && !boundPlace ? [{ role: 'environment', bindingId: declared.placeId, reason: 'binding-not-found' }] : []),
+    ...(declared.objectIds || []).filter((id) => !objectMap.has(id)).map((id) => ({ role: 'object', bindingId: id, reason: 'binding-not-found' })),
+  ] : [];
+  return { declared: Boolean(declared), appearances, boundCharacters, boundPlace, boundObjects, missing };
+};
+
+const imageAssetsForCharacter = (character, locked, resolveAsset) => {
+  const readiness = characterIdentityPackReadiness(character);
+  const roleRank = new Map(['neutral', 'profile', 'full-body', 'expression-gesture', 'wardrobe', 'prop-scale', 'negative-identity']
+    .map((role, index) => [role, index]));
+  const unavailable = [];
+  const approved = [...readiness.assets].sort((left, right) => (
+    (roleRank.get(left.role) ?? 99) - (roleRank.get(right.role) ?? 99)
+  )).map((asset) => {
+    const path = resolveAsset(asset.imageRef);
+    if (!path) unavailable.push({
+      role: `character-${asset.role}`, bindingId: character.id, reason: 'asset-unavailable',
+    });
+    return path ? publicAsset(path, `character-${asset.role}`, character.id) : null;
+  }).filter(Boolean);
+  if (approved.length) return {
+    primary: [{ ...approved[0], required: true }], supplemental: approved.slice(1), readiness, unavailable,
+  };
+  if (locked) return { primary: [], supplemental: [], readiness, unavailable };
+  const fallback = resolveAsset(character.primaryImageRef || character.referenceSheetImageRef);
+  return {
+    primary: fallback ? [publicAsset(fallback, 'character-draft-reference', character.id)] : [],
+    supplemental: [], readiness, unavailable,
+  };
+};
+
+const allocateAssets = (candidates, capability) => {
+  const supported = new Set(capability.referenceRoles || []);
+  const accepted = [];
+  const omitted = [];
+  for (const candidate of candidates) {
+    if (!supported.has(candidate.role) && !supported.has(candidate.role.split('-').slice(0, 2).join('-'))) {
+      omitted.push({ role: candidate.role, bindingId: candidate.bindingId, reason: 'capability-unsupported' });
+    } else if (accepted.length >= capability.referenceBudget) {
+      omitted.push({ role: candidate.role, bindingId: candidate.bindingId, reason: 'reference-budget' });
+    } else {
+      accepted.push(candidate);
+    }
+  }
+  return { accepted, omitted };
+};
+
+const blockedError = (messages, manifest) => new ServerError(
+  `Canon-locked render cannot preserve the declared scene: ${messages.join('; ')}`,
+  {
+    status: 409,
+    code: 'FABLELOOM_CANON_CONDITIONING_UNAVAILABLE',
+    context: { details: { visualConditioning: manifest } },
+  },
+);
+
+/**
+ * Compile one tagged render. Dependencies are injectable so tests exercise
+ * the real public compiler contract without touching the live universe store.
+ */
+export async function compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+  tag, kind, capability, authoredPrompt = '', authoredNegativePrompt = '', sourceImagePath = null,
+  loadLoom = getLoom, loadUniverse = getUniverse, loadSeries = getSeries,
+  resolveLoras = resolveCharacterLoras,
+  hashFile = sha256File, resolveAsset = resolveImageInputPath,
+  now = () => new Date().toISOString(),
+}) {
+  if (!tag?.loomId || !tag.episodeId || !tag.nodeId) return null;
+  const loom = await loadLoom(tag.loomId);
+  const episode = loom?.episodes?.find((item) => item.id === tag.episodeId);
+  const node = episode?.nodes?.find((item) => item.id === tag.nodeId);
+  if (!loom || !episode || !node) throw new ServerError('FableLoom scene not found', { status: 404, code: 'NOT_FOUND' });
+  const series = !loom.universeId && loom.seriesId ? await loadSeries(loom.seriesId).catch(() => null) : null;
+  const universeId = loom.universeId || series?.universeId || null;
+  const universe = universeId ? await loadUniverse(universeId) : null;
+  // Legacy/unlinked scenes keep their pre-compiler prompt-only behavior. A
+  // scene carrying explicit canon bindings must resolve the canon it names.
+  if (!universe && !node.visualCanon) return null;
+  if (!universe) throw new ServerError('FableLoom linked universe not found', { status: 409, code: 'FABLELOOM_UNIVERSE_UNAVAILABLE' });
+
+  const bindings = bindScene({ node, episode, universe });
+  const locked = bindings.declared && node.visualCanon.mode !== 'draft';
+  const warnings = bindings.declared ? [] : ['Bindings inferred from scene text; render is draft-only'];
+  const failures = [];
+  const omitted = [...bindings.missing];
+  if (locked && bindings.missing.length) failures.push('one or more stable bindings no longer resolve');
+  if (locked && bindings.boundCharacters.length > 1 && !capability.multiCharacterPreservation) {
+    failures.push(`backend does not declare multi-character preservation for ${bindings.boundCharacters.length} characters`);
+  }
+
+  const loraMatches = capability.supportsLora
+    ? await resolveLoras(bindings.boundCharacters.map(({ character }) => character), {
+      compatKey: capability.loraCompatKey || null, max: Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER, allPerCharacter: true,
+    })
+    : [];
+  const acceptedLoras = loraMatches.slice(0, capability.loraBudget || 0);
+  const omittedLoras = loraMatches.slice(acceptedLoras.length);
+  omitted.push(...omittedLoras.map((lora) => ({
+    role: 'character-adapter',
+    bindingId: lora.character?.entryId || lora.character?.ingredientId || null,
+    filename: basename(lora.filename),
+    reason: 'adapter-budget',
+  })));
+  if (locked && omittedLoras.length) failures.push('compatible character adapters exceed the backend adapter budget');
+  const adapterTriggerWords = new Map();
+  const adapters = [];
+  for (const lora of acceptedLoras) {
+    const path = join(PATHS.loras, basename(lora.filename));
+    const sha256 = await adapterDigest(path, hashFile).catch(() => null);
+    adapters.push({
+      characterId: lora.character?.entryId || null,
+      filename: basename(lora.filename), scale: lora.scale, sha256,
+    });
+    if (locked && !sha256) failures.push(`adapter ${basename(lora.filename)} could not be fingerprinted`);
+    if (lora.triggerWord) {
+      const id = lora.character?.entryId;
+      adapterTriggerWords.set(id, [...(adapterTriggerWords.get(id) || []), lora.triggerWord]);
+    }
+  }
+  if (!capability.supportsLora && bindings.boundCharacters.length) {
+    omitted.push(...bindings.boundCharacters.map(({ character }) => ({ role: 'character-adapter', bindingId: character.id, reason: 'capability-unsupported' })));
+  }
+
+  const temporal = resolveTemporalNode(episode, node, node.visualCanon?.continuitySourceNodeId);
+  const candidates = [];
+  if (kind === 'video') {
+    const approvedStoryboardPath = resolveAsset(node.image);
+    const requestedCurrentStoryboard = approvedStoryboardPath && sourceImagePath
+      && basename(approvedStoryboardPath) === basename(sourceImagePath);
+    if (requestedCurrentStoryboard && node.visualCanon?.storyboardImageApproved) {
+      candidates.push(publicAsset(approvedStoryboardPath, 'storyboard-first-frame', node.id, locked));
+    } else {
+      omitted.push({ role: 'storyboard-first-frame', bindingId: node.id, reason: 'missing-stale-or-unapproved' });
+      if (locked) failures.push('storyboard first frame is missing, stale, or not author-approved');
+    }
+  } else {
+    if (temporal.node) {
+      const path = temporal.node.image ? resolveAsset(temporal.node.image) : null;
+      if (path) candidates.push(publicAsset(path, 'temporal-predecessor', temporal.node.id, locked));
+      else {
+        omitted.push({ role: 'temporal-predecessor', bindingId: temporal.node.id, reason: 'asset-unavailable' });
+        if (locked) failures.push('temporal predecessor image is unavailable');
+      }
+    } else if (temporal.reason === 'invalid-explicit-source' || temporal.reason === 'ambiguous-convergence') {
+      omitted.push({ role: 'temporal-predecessor', bindingId: null, reason: temporal.reason });
+      if (locked) failures.push(temporal.reason === 'invalid-explicit-source'
+        ? 'explicit temporal source is not an incoming graph predecessor'
+        : 'convergent scene needs an explicit incoming temporal source');
+    }
+    const characterAssets = [];
+    for (const { character } of bindings.boundCharacters) {
+      const resolved = imageAssetsForCharacter(character, locked, resolveAsset);
+      if (locked && resolved.readiness.status !== 'ready') failures.push(`${character.name} identity package is ${resolved.readiness.status}`);
+      if (locked && resolved.primary.length === 0) failures.push(`${character.name} approved identity assets are unavailable`);
+      omitted.push(...resolved.unavailable);
+      characterAssets.push(resolved);
+    }
+    // Guarantee each cast member's primary approved identity anchor is
+    // considered before supplemental profile/body sheets consume the budget.
+    candidates.push(...characterAssets.flatMap((item) => item.primary));
+    candidates.push(...characterAssets.flatMap((item) => item.supplemental));
+    if (bindings.boundPlace?.primaryImageRef) {
+      const path = resolveAsset(bindings.boundPlace.primaryImageRef);
+      if (path) candidates.push(publicAsset(path, 'environment', bindings.boundPlace.id));
+      else omitted.push({ role: 'environment', bindingId: bindings.boundPlace.id, reason: 'asset-unavailable' });
+    } else if (bindings.boundPlace) {
+      omitted.push({ role: 'environment', bindingId: bindings.boundPlace.id, reason: 'reference-not-configured' });
+    }
+    for (const object of bindings.boundObjects) {
+      const path = resolveAsset(object.primaryImageRef);
+      if (path) candidates.push(publicAsset(path, 'object', object.id));
+      else omitted.push({
+        role: 'object', bindingId: object.id,
+        reason: object.primaryImageRef ? 'asset-unavailable' : 'reference-not-configured',
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  const allocation = allocateAssets(candidates, capability);
+  omitted.push(...allocation.omitted);
+  if (locked && allocation.omitted.some((item) => candidates.find((asset) => asset.role === item.role && asset.bindingId === item.bindingId)?.required)) {
+    failures.push('required canon assets exceed or are unsupported by the backend capability manifest');
+  }
+
+  const characterPrompts = bindings.boundCharacters.map(({ character, appearance }) => visualPromptForCharacter(
+    character, appearance, adapterTriggerWords.get(character.id) || [],
+  ));
+  const placePrompt = bindings.boundPlace && compact([
+    `Environment: ${bindings.boundPlace.name || bindings.boundPlace.slugline}`,
+    bindings.boundPlace.description, bindings.boundPlace.recurringDetails,
+  ]).join('. ');
+  const objectPrompts = bindings.boundObjects.map((object) => compact([
+    `Object: ${object.name}`, object.description, object.significance,
+  ]).join('. '));
+  const universeStyle = compact([
+    universe.influences?.embrace?.length && universe.influences.embrace.join(', '),
+    universe.styleNotes,
+  ]);
+  const positive = compact([
+    universeStyle.length && `Universe style: ${universeStyle.join('. ')}`,
+    placePrompt, ...characterPrompts, ...objectPrompts,
+    authoredPrompt || (kind === 'video' ? node.videoPrompt || node.prose : node.imagePrompt),
+    node.visualCanon?.shotNotes && `Shot continuity: ${node.visualCanon.shotNotes}`,
+  ]).join('\n\n').slice(0, 8000);
+  const identityAvoid = bindings.boundCharacters.flatMap(({ character }) => character.identityPack?.avoid || []);
+  const negativePrompt = unique(compact([
+    authoredNegativePrompt, ...(universe.influences?.avoid || []), ...identityAvoid,
+  ])).join(', ').slice(0, 8000);
+  const manifest = {
+    version: 1,
+    compilerVersion: FABLELOOM_VISUAL_COMPILER_VERSION,
+    status: locked ? 'locked' : (omitted.length || warnings.length ? 'degraded' : 'draft'),
+    universeId: universe.id,
+    capability,
+    bindings: {
+      inferred: !bindings.declared,
+      characterAppearances: bindings.boundCharacters.map(({ character, appearance }) => ({
+        characterId: character.id, wardrobeId: appearance.wardrobeId || null,
+        expression: appearance.expression || '', continuityNotes: appearance.continuityNotes || '',
+      })),
+      placeId: bindings.boundPlace?.id || null,
+      objectIds: bindings.boundObjects.map((object) => object.id),
+    },
+    assets: allocation.accepted.map(({ path: _path, ...asset }) => asset),
+    adapters,
+    omitted,
+    warnings,
+    temporalSourceNodeId: temporal.node?.id || null,
+    compiledAt: now(),
+  };
+  if (locked && failures.length) throw blockedError(unique(failures), { ...manifest, status: 'degraded', warnings: unique([...warnings, ...failures]) });
+  return {
+    prompt: positive,
+    negativePrompt,
+    referenceImagePaths: allocation.accepted.map((asset) => asset.path),
+    referenceImageStrengths: allocation.accepted.map((asset) => asset.role === 'temporal-predecessor' ? 0.4 : 1),
+    loraFilenames: adapters.map((adapter) => adapter.filename),
+    loraScales: adapters.map((adapter) => adapter.scale),
+    sourceImagePath: kind === 'video' ? allocation.accepted[0]?.path || null : null,
+    visualConditioning: manifest,
+  };
+}
+
+export function fableLoomImageCapabilities({ mode, model = null, inputBudget = 4 }) {
+  const localFlux2 = mode === 'local' && model?.runner === 'flux2';
+  const cloudEdit = ['codex', 'grok', 'agy'].includes(mode);
+  return Object.freeze({
+    version: 1, kind: 'image', backend: mode, modelId: model?.id || null,
+    referenceRoles: localFlux2 || cloudEdit
+      ? ['temporal-predecessor', 'character-neutral', 'character-profile', 'character-full-body', 'character-expression-gesture', 'character-wardrobe', 'character-prop-scale', 'character-negative-identity', 'character-draft-reference', 'environment', 'object']
+      : [],
+    referenceBudget: localFlux2 || cloudEdit ? inputBudget : 0,
+    supportsLora: localFlux2 || (mode === 'local' && model?.runner === 'mflux'),
+    loraCompatKey: model?.loraCompatKey || null,
+    loraBudget: 8,
+    multiCharacterPreservation: localFlux2,
+  });
+}
+
+export function fableLoomVideoCapabilities({ backend, model = null }) {
+  const supportedModes = Array.isArray(model?.supportedModes) ? model.supportedModes : [];
+  return Object.freeze({
+    version: 1, kind: 'video', backend, modelId: model?.id || null,
+    referenceRoles: supportedModes.includes('image') ? ['storyboard-first-frame'] : [],
+    referenceBudget: supportedModes.includes('image') ? 1 : 0,
+    supportsLora: false,
+    loraCompatKey: null,
+    loraBudget: 0,
+    multiCharacterPreservation: model?.fableLoomMultiCharacterPreservation === true,
+    firstFrame: supportedModes.includes('image'),
+    lastFrame: supportedModes.includes('fflf'),
+    extension: supportedModes.includes('extend'),
+  });
+}
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.test.js b/server/services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8f7ad2a1e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/visualConditioning.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { ServerError } from '../../lib/errorHandler.js';
+import {
+  compileFableLoomVisualRequest,
+  fableLoomImageCapabilities,
+  fableLoomVideoCapabilities,
+} from './visualConditioning.js';
+
+const identityPack = (prefix) => ({
+  assets: [
+    { role: 'neutral', imageRef: `${prefix}-neutral.png`, approved: true },
+    { role: 'profile', imageRef: `${prefix}-profile.png`, approved: true },
+    { role: 'full-body', imageRef: `${prefix}-body.png`, approved: true },
+  ],
+  avoid: [`wrong ${prefix} face`],
+});
+
+const universe = {
+  id: 'universe-1',
+  styleNotes: 'painted cinematic realism',
+  characters: [{
+    id: 'char-a', name: 'Aria', physicalDescription: 'silver braid',
+    imageRefs: ['aria-neutral.png', 'aria-profile.png', 'aria-body.png'],
+    identityPack: identityPack('aria'),
+    wardrobes: [{ id: 'wardrobe-red', name: 'Red coat', description: 'weathered wool' }],
+  }, {
+    id: 'char-b', name: 'Bex', physicalDescription: 'round glasses',
+    imageRefs: ['bex-neutral.png', 'bex-profile.png', 'bex-body.png'],
+    identityPack: identityPack('bex'),
+  }],
+  places: [{ id: 'place-1', name: 'Atrium', description: 'glass roof', primaryImageRef: 'atrium.png' }],
+  objects: [{ id: 'object-1', name: 'Compass', description: 'brass', primaryImageRef: 'compass.png' }],
+};
+
+const loomWith = (visualCanon, { convergence = false } = {}) => ({
+  id: 'loom-1', universeId: universe.id,
+  episodes: [{
+    id: 'episode-1', startNodeId: 'opening',
+    nodes: [
+      { id: 'opening', image: 'opening.png', transitions: [{ targetNodeId: 'shot' }] },
+      ...(convergence ? [{ id: 'alternate', image: 'alternate.png', transitions: [{ targetNodeId: 'shot' }] }] : []),
+      {
+        id: 'shot', title: 'Aria enters the Atrium with the Compass', imagePrompt: 'A cautious arrival',
+        visualCanon, transitions: [], image: 'storyboard.png',
+      },
+    ],
+  }],
+});
+
+const deps = (loom) => ({
+  loadLoom: vi.fn(async () => loom),
+  loadUniverse: vi.fn(async () => universe),
+  resolveAsset: (filename) => filename ? `/approved/${filename}` : null,
+  resolveLoras: vi.fn(async () => [{
+    filename: 'aria-v2.safetensors', scale: 0.75, triggerWord: 'ARIA_V2',
+    character: { entryId: 'char-a' },
+  }]),
+  hashFile: vi.fn(async () => 'a'.repeat(64)),
+  now: () => '2026-08-29T00:00:00.000Z',
+});
+
+const lockedBinding = {
+  mode: 'locked',
+  characterAppearances: [{
+    characterId: 'char-a', wardrobeId: 'wardrobe-red', expression: 'alert', continuityNotes: 'coat stays wet',
+  }],
+  placeId: 'place-1', objectIds: ['object-1'], storyboardImageApproved: true,
+};
+
+describe('FableLoom visual conditioning compiler', () => {
+  it('compiles stable bindings, approved identity assets, adapters, graph continuity and provenance', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith(lockedBinding);
+    const result = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' },
+      kind: 'image',
+      capability: fableLoomImageCapabilities({
+        mode: 'local', model: { id: 'flux2-klein', runner: 'flux2', loraCompatKey: 'flux2-4b' }, inputBudget: 6,
+      }),
+      authoredPrompt: 'A cautious arrival',
+      ...deps(loom),
+    });
+
+    expect(result.prompt).toContain('Character: Aria');
+    expect(result.prompt).toContain('Wardrobe: Red coat');
+    expect(result.prompt).toContain('ARIA_V2');
+    expect(result.negativePrompt).toContain('wrong aria face');
+    expect(result.visualConditioning).toMatchObject({
+      status: 'locked', compilerVersion: '1.0.0', universeId: universe.id,
+      temporalSourceNodeId: 'opening',
+      bindings: { inferred: false, placeId: 'place-1', objectIds: ['object-1'] },
+      adapters: [{ filename: 'aria-v2.safetensors', scale: 0.75, sha256: 'a'.repeat(64) }],
+    });
+    expect(result.visualConditioning.assets[0]).toMatchObject({ role: 'temporal-predecessor', filename: 'opening.png' });
+    expect(result.referenceImagePaths.every((path) => path.startsWith('/approved/'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result.visualConditioning)).not.toContain('/approved/');
+  });
+
+  it('fails a locked render when a backend cannot preserve the bound cast', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith({
+      ...lockedBinding,
+      characterAppearances: [{ characterId: 'char-a' }, { characterId: 'char-b' }],
+    });
+    const run = compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' },
+      kind: 'image',
+      capability: fableLoomImageCapabilities({ mode: 'codex', inputBudget: 4 }),
+      ...deps(loom),
+    });
+    await expect(run).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'FABLELOOM_CANON_CONDITIONING_UNAVAILABLE' });
+  });
+
+  it('requires an approved storyboard first frame for locked video and records capability degradation', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith({ ...lockedBinding, storyboardImageApproved: false });
+    const capability = fableLoomVideoCapabilities({
+      backend: 'local', model: { id: 'ltx-example', supportedModes: ['text', 'image', 'fflf'] },
+    });
+    await expect(compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' },
+      kind: 'video', capability, sourceImagePath: '/approved/storyboard.png', ...deps(loom),
+    })).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ServerError);
+
+    loom.episodes[0].nodes.at(-1).visualCanon.mode = 'draft';
+    const draft = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' },
+      kind: 'video', capability, sourceImagePath: '/approved/storyboard.png', ...deps(loom),
+    });
+    expect(draft.visualConditioning.status).toBe('degraded');
+    expect(draft.referenceImagePaths).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('uses an explicit incoming source at convergence and rejects a non-incoming override', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith({ ...lockedBinding, continuitySourceNodeId: 'alternate' }, { convergence: true });
+    const capability = fableLoomImageCapabilities({
+      mode: 'local', model: { id: 'flux2-klein', runner: 'flux2' }, inputBudget: 8,
+    });
+    const valid = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image', capability, ...deps(loom),
+    });
+    expect(valid.visualConditioning.temporalSourceNodeId).toBe('alternate');
+
+    loom.episodes[0].nodes.at(-1).visualCanon.continuitySourceNodeId = 'missing';
+    await expect(compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image', capability, ...deps(loom),
+    })).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'FABLELOOM_CANON_CONDITIONING_UNAVAILABLE' });
+
+    delete loom.episodes[0].nodes.at(-1).visualCanon.continuitySourceNodeId;
+    await expect(compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image', capability, ...deps(loom),
+    })).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'FABLELOOM_CANON_CONDITIONING_UNAVAILABLE' });
+  });
+
+  it('records every compatible adapter that exceeds the backend budget and blocks locked output', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith(lockedBinding);
+    const injected = deps(loom);
+    injected.resolveLoras.mockResolvedValue([
+      { filename: 'aria-a.safetensors', scale: 0.7, character: { entryId: 'char-a' } },
+      { filename: 'aria-b.safetensors', scale: 0.8, character: { entryId: 'char-a' } },
+    ]);
+    const capability = {
+      ...fableLoomImageCapabilities({
+        mode: 'local', model: { id: 'flux2-klein', runner: 'flux2' }, inputBudget: 8,
+      }),
+      loraBudget: 1,
+    };
+
+    const run = compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image', capability, ...injected,
+    });
+    await expect(run).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      code: 'FABLELOOM_CANON_CONDITIONING_UNAVAILABLE',
+      context: { details: { visualConditioning: { omitted: [expect.objectContaining({
+        role: 'character-adapter', filename: 'aria-b.safetensors', reason: 'adapter-budget',
+      })] } } },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('keeps legacy inferred bindings explicitly draft/degraded', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith(null);
+    const result = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image',
+      capability: fableLoomImageCapabilities({ mode: 'external' }), ...deps(loom),
+    });
+    expect(result.visualConditioning).toMatchObject({ status: 'degraded', bindings: { inferred: true } });
+    expect(result.visualConditioning.omitted.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('resolves an older loom through its linked series and leaves unlinked legacy scenes unchanged', async () => {
+    const loom = loomWith(lockedBinding);
+    loom.universeId = null;
+    loom.seriesId = 'series-1';
+    const injected = deps(loom);
+    const result = await compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image',
+      capability: fableLoomImageCapabilities({
+        mode: 'local', model: { id: 'flux2-klein', runner: 'flux2' }, inputBudget: 8,
+      }),
+      loadSeries: vi.fn(async () => ({ id: 'series-1', universeId: universe.id })),
+      ...injected,
+    });
+    expect(result.visualConditioning.universeId).toBe(universe.id);
+
+    loom.seriesId = null;
+    loom.episodes[0].nodes.at(-1).visualCanon = null;
+    await expect(compileFableLoomVisualRequest({
+      tag: { loomId: loom.id, episodeId: 'episode-1', nodeId: 'shot' }, kind: 'image',
+      capability: fableLoomImageCapabilities({ mode: 'external' }),
+      ...injected,
+    })).resolves.toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoom/weave.js b/server/services/fableLoom/weave.js
index 1ffb9b2c90..6ae592571c 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoom/weave.js
+++ b/server/services/fableLoom/weave.js
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ const generatedNodeFields = (raw) => ({
   imagePrompt: raw.imagePrompt,
   videoPrompt: raw.videoPrompt,
   cameraMovement: raw.cameraMovement,
+  visualCanon: raw.visualCanon,
   playbackMode: raw.playbackMode,
   audienceConnection: raw.audienceConnection,
   isEnding: raw.isEnding === true,
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoomSceneImageHook.js b/server/services/fableLoomSceneImageHook.js
index 84528bb57c..186ac4e3bc 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoomSceneImageHook.js
+++ b/server/services/fableLoomSceneImageHook.js
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ const hook = createMediaJobImageHook({
   sceneKey: ({ loomId, episodeId, nodeId }) => `${loomId}:${episodeId}:${nodeId}`,
   describe: ({ loomId, nodeId }) => `${loomId.slice(0, 13)}/${nodeId.slice(0, 13)}`,
   attach: ({ loomId, episodeId, nodeId, filename, job }) =>
-    attachNodeImage(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { filename, jobId: deriveRenderJobId(job, filename) }),
+    attachNodeImage(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, {
+      filename,
+      jobId: deriveRenderJobId(job, filename),
+      ...(job.params?.visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning: job.params.visualConditioning } : {}),
+    }),
   onAttached: ({ loomId, nodeId, filename }, result) => {
     if (!result) return;
     console.log(`🧶 fableloom scene image ${loomId.slice(0, 13)}/${nodeId.slice(0, 13)} ← ${filename}`);
diff --git a/server/services/fableLoomSceneVideoHook.js b/server/services/fableLoomSceneVideoHook.js
index c52fc2261b..e388bb14cd 100644
--- a/server/services/fableLoomSceneVideoHook.js
+++ b/server/services/fableLoomSceneVideoHook.js
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ const hook = createMediaJobImageHook({
   serializeKey: ({ loomId }) => loomId,
   sceneKey: ({ loomId, episodeId, nodeId }) => `${loomId}:${episodeId}:${nodeId}`,
   describe: ({ loomId, nodeId }) => `${loomId.slice(0, 13)}/${nodeId.slice(0, 13)}`,
-  attach: ({ loomId, episodeId, nodeId, videoHistoryId }) =>
-    attachNodeVideo(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, { videoHistoryId }),
+  attach: ({ loomId, episodeId, nodeId, videoHistoryId, job }) =>
+    attachNodeVideo(loomId, episodeId, nodeId, {
+      videoHistoryId,
+      ...(job.params?.visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning: job.params.visualConditioning } : {}),
+    }),
   onAttached: ({ loomId, nodeId, videoHistoryId }, result) => {
     if (!result) return;
     console.log(`🎬 fableloom scene video ${loomId.slice(0, 13)}/${nodeId.slice(0, 13)} ← ${videoHistoryId}`);
diff --git a/server/services/imageGen/agy.js b/server/services/imageGen/agy.js
index dd153ccac6..fa02adfcf6 100644
--- a/server/services/imageGen/agy.js
+++ b/server/services/imageGen/agy.js
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ export async function generateImage({
   initImagePath,
   initImageStrength,
   referenceImagePaths = [],
+  visualConditioning = null,
   jobId: providedJobId = null,
   cleanC2PA = false,
   denoise = false,
@@ -259,6 +260,7 @@ export async function generateImage({
     // renders on Antigravity's fixed server-side backend — record it so
     // provenance names the model that actually produced the pixels (#3231).
     imageModel: AGY_IMAGEGEN_IMAGE_MODEL,
+    ...(visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning } : {}),
     createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
   };
   const job = { ...meta, clients: [], status: 'running' };
diff --git a/server/services/imageGen/codex.js b/server/services/imageGen/codex.js
index 3f9962e6b7..1d4c5c31c8 100644
--- a/server/services/imageGen/codex.js
+++ b/server/services/imageGen/codex.js
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ export function buildCodexAttachmentPrefix({ initPath, referenceCount, initImage
 export async function generateImage({
   codexPath, model, effort, prompt = '', width, height, negativePrompt,
   initImagePath, initImageStrength, referenceImagePaths = [],
+  visualConditioning = null,
   jobId: providedJobId = null,
   cleanC2PA = false,
   denoise = false,
@@ -259,6 +260,7 @@ export async function generateImage({
     id: jobId, prompt: prompt.trim(), negativePrompt: negativePrompt || '',
     width: width ? Number(width) : null, height: height ? Number(height) : null,
     filename, mode: IMAGE_GEN_MODE.CODEX, model: effectiveModel,
+    ...(visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning } : {}),
     createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
   };
   const job = { ...meta, clients: [], status: 'running' };
diff --git a/server/services/imageGen/grok.js b/server/services/imageGen/grok.js
index 816060a0ab..6c001b9eb2 100644
--- a/server/services/imageGen/grok.js
+++ b/server/services/imageGen/grok.js
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ export function buildGrokPrompt({
 export async function generateImage({
   grokPath, aspectRatio, prompt = '', width, height, negativePrompt,
   initImagePath, initImageStrength, referenceImagePaths = [],
+  visualConditioning = null,
   jobId: providedJobId = null,
   cleanC2PA = false,
   denoise = false,
@@ -268,6 +269,7 @@ export async function generateImage({
     id: jobId, prompt: prompt.trim(), negativePrompt: negativePrompt || '',
     width: width ? Number(width) : null, height: height ? Number(height) : null,
     filename, mode: IMAGE_GEN_MODE.GROK,
+    ...(visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning } : {}),
     ...(effectiveRatio ? { aspectRatio: effectiveRatio } : {}),
     createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
   };
diff --git a/server/services/imageGen/local.js b/server/services/imageGen/local.js
index b2c6cbde05..88d7ff5bda 100644
--- a/server/services/imageGen/local.js
+++ b/server/services/imageGen/local.js
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ export function buildSidecarMeta({
   initImageStrength = null,
   referenceImagePaths = [],
   referenceImageStrengths = [],
+  visualConditioning = null,
   // SynthID-defeat regen lineage. When `regenOf` is set, this render is a
   // post-hoc round-trip of an existing gallery image through local FLUX
   // img2img (issue #912) — stamp the source filename as `cleanedFrom` (so the
@@ -413,7 +414,7 @@ export function buildSidecarMeta({
   // a Flux2KVLayerCache.store + _flux2_kv_causal_attention patch that scales
   // each reference's V slice by the corresponding strength (1.0 = upstream
   // baseline, 0.0 = ignored). Mirrors the Python sidecar's `referenceStrengths`.
-  const meta = { id: jobId, prompt, negativePrompt, modelId, seed: actualSeed, width: Number(width), height: Number(height), steps: actualSteps, guidance: actualGuidance, quantize, filename, loraFilenames: validLoraFilenames, loraPaths: validLoras, loraScales, initImageFilename: validInitImagePath ? basename(validInitImagePath) : null, initImageStrength: validInitImageStrength, referenceImageFilenames: validReferenceImagePaths.map((p) => basename(p)), referenceImageStrengths: validReferenceImageStrengths, createdAt: now() };
+  const meta = { id: jobId, prompt, negativePrompt, modelId, seed: actualSeed, width: Number(width), height: Number(height), steps: actualSteps, guidance: actualGuidance, quantize, filename, loraFilenames: validLoraFilenames, loraPaths: validLoras, loraScales, initImageFilename: validInitImagePath ? basename(validInitImagePath) : null, initImageStrength: validInitImageStrength, referenceImageFilenames: validReferenceImagePaths.map((p) => basename(p)), referenceImageStrengths: validReferenceImageStrengths, ...(visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning } : {}), createdAt: now() };
   // Regen lineage (issue #912). `regenOf` is the source gallery filename this
   // render was generated from. We reuse the existing `cleanedFrom` field so the
   // lightbox's `computeImageVariantGroup` groups the regen under its source with
@@ -530,7 +531,7 @@ export function parseImageExecutionMarker(line) {
   };
 }
 
-export async function generateImage({ pythonPath, prompt = '', negativePrompt = '', modelId = LOCAL_IMAGEGEN_DEFAULT_MODEL, width = 1024, height = 1024, steps, guidance, seed, quantize = '8', loraFilenames = [], loraPaths = [], loraScales = [], initImagePath = null, initImageStrength = null, referenceImagePaths = [], referenceImageStrengths = [], jobId: providedJobId = null, cleanC2PA = false, denoise = false, regenOf = null, upscaleTo = null, outputTarget = null }) {
+export async function generateImage({ pythonPath, prompt = '', negativePrompt = '', modelId = LOCAL_IMAGEGEN_DEFAULT_MODEL, width = 1024, height = 1024, steps, guidance, seed, quantize = '8', loraFilenames = [], loraPaths = [], loraScales = [], initImagePath = null, initImageStrength = null, referenceImagePaths = [], referenceImageStrengths = [], visualConditioning = null, jobId: providedJobId = null, cleanC2PA = false, denoise = false, regenOf = null, upscaleTo = null, outputTarget = null }) {
   // Empty prompt is allowed: img2img / edit / unconditional renders are driven
   // by the init image (or run unconditionally), so text isn't required. The
   // mflux/diffusers runners accept an empty `--prompt` — the regen pass (#912)
@@ -618,6 +619,7 @@ export async function generateImage({ pythonPath, prompt = '', negativePrompt =
     initImageStrength,
     referenceImagePaths,
     referenceImageStrengths,
+    visualConditioning,
     regenOf,
     loraTriggerWords,
     resolveInputPath: resolveImageInputPath,
diff --git a/server/services/imageGen/local.test.js b/server/services/imageGen/local.test.js
index 4944ac2207..f83ab0509b 100644
--- a/server/services/imageGen/local.test.js
+++ b/server/services/imageGen/local.test.js
@@ -645,6 +645,14 @@ describe('imageGen local.buildSidecarMeta', () => {
     expect(meta.referenceImageStrengths).toEqual([0.85, 0.5]);
   });
 
+  it('persists FableLoom visual-conditioning provenance without rewriting it', () => {
+    const visualConditioning = {
+      version: 1, compilerVersion: '1.0.0', status: 'locked', assets: [{ role: 'character-neutral', filename: 'aria.png' }],
+    };
+    const { meta } = buildSidecarMeta({ ...baseMetaInput, visualConditioning });
+    expect(meta.visualConditioning).toBe(visualConditioning);
+  });
+
   it('stamps regen lineage (cleanedFrom + regen* fields) when regenOf is set', () => {
     const { meta } = buildSidecarMeta({
       ...baseMetaInput,
diff --git a/server/services/sharing/peerSync.test.js b/server/services/sharing/peerSync.test.js
index aae3f72f7e..eba9c2012b 100644
--- a/server/services/sharing/peerSync.test.js
+++ b/server/services/sharing/peerSync.test.js
@@ -2882,7 +2882,7 @@ describe('peerSync', () => {
       });
       expect(mergeLoomsFromSync).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         [expect.objectContaining({ id: 'loom-1' })],
-        { source: { via: 'peer-push', peerId: 'peer-a' } },
+        { source: { via: 'peer-push', peerId: 'peer-a' }, senderSchemaVersions: {} },
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/server/services/sharing/peerSyncReceive.js b/server/services/sharing/peerSyncReceive.js
index 3537e8be3b..95cbc0737c 100644
--- a/server/services/sharing/peerSyncReceive.js
+++ b/server/services/sharing/peerSyncReceive.js
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ export async function applyIncomingPush(payload) {
   } else if (kind === 'moodBoard') {
     await mergeBoardsFromSync([record], { source });
   } else if (kind === 'fableLoom') {
-    await mergeLoomsFromSync([record], { source });
+    await mergeLoomsFromSync([record], { source, senderSchemaVersions });
   } else if (kind === 'writersRoomWork') {
     const mergeResult = await mergeWorksFromSync([record], { source });
     // Did the receiver accept the remote work (insert / remote-won LWW)? This
diff --git a/server/services/videoGen/generateVideo.js b/server/services/videoGen/generateVideo.js
index 25e7a98e2c..c033f39ed9 100644
--- a/server/services/videoGen/generateVideo.js
+++ b/server/services/videoGen/generateVideo.js
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ export const listVideoModels = () => getVideoModels().map(decorateVideoModel);
 
 export const defaultVideoModelId = (capabilities) => getDefaultVideoModelId(capabilities);
 
-export async function generateVideo({ pythonPath, prompt, negativePrompt = '', modelId, width = null, height = null, numFrames = null, fps = 24, steps, guidanceScale, seed, tiling = 'auto', disableAudio = false, sourceImagePath = null, uploadedTempPath = null, uploadedTempPaths = [], lastImagePath = null, keyframes = null, extendFromVideoPath = null, audioFilePath = null, audioStartSec = null, mode = null, imageStrength = null, i2vReferenceMode = null, loras = null, icReferencePaths = null, icStrength = null, icAttentionStrength = null, icSkipStage2 = false, textEncoderId = null, speedProfileId = null, hidden = false, jobId: providedJobId = null }) {
+export async function generateVideo({ pythonPath, prompt, negativePrompt = '', modelId, width = null, height = null, numFrames = null, fps = 24, steps, guidanceScale, seed, tiling = 'auto', disableAudio = false, sourceImagePath = null, uploadedTempPath = null, uploadedTempPaths = [], lastImagePath = null, keyframes = null, extendFromVideoPath = null, audioFilePath = null, audioStartSec = null, mode = null, imageStrength = null, i2vReferenceMode = null, loras = null, icReferencePaths = null, icStrength = null, icAttentionStrength = null, icSkipStage2 = false, textEncoderId = null, speedProfileId = null, visualConditioning = null, hidden = false, jobId: providedJobId = null }) {
   uploadedTempPaths = Array.isArray(uploadedTempPaths) ? uploadedTempPaths : [];
   if (!prompt?.trim()) throw new ServerError('Prompt is required', { status: 400, code: 'VALIDATION_ERROR' });
   // Single-flight is now enforced by the mediaJobQueue worker upstream — only
@@ -681,6 +681,7 @@ export async function generateVideo({ pythonPath, prompt, negativePrompt = '', m
       audioFilePath,
       icReferencePaths: resolvedIcReferencePaths,
     }),
+    ...(visualConditioning ? { visualConditioning } : {}),
     // Stamp the experimental fast-path so A/B analysis can tell a two-stage
     // render apart from a user who happened to pick 8 steps — comparing it
     // against the default Standard render is the whole point of the knob.
diff --git a/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.js b/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.js
index 7ec1a3dfa2..b3a2f03362 100644
--- a/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.js
+++ b/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.js
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ export const withStagedRollback = async (cleanupStaged, fn) => {
  *   from the route (which owns their Zod schemas) so this module never has to
  *   import back into `routes/`.
  * @returns {Promise<object>} On the grok lane:
- *   `{ backend, grok, sourceImagePath, uploadedTempPath, cleanupStaged }`.
+ *   `{ backend, grok, effectiveModel, sourceImagePath, uploadedTempPath,
+ *   discardSourceImage, cleanupStaged }`.
  *   On the local lane, additionally `{ pythonPath, effectiveModelId, mode,
  *   lastImagePath, audioFilePath, icReferencePaths, resolvedKeyframes,
  *   extendFromVideoPath, uploadedTempPaths, loras, effectiveChunks,
@@ -708,6 +709,14 @@ async function resolvePreparedParams({
       { status: 400, code: 'MUSIC_VIDEO_SOURCE_REQUIRED' },
     );
   }
+  const discardSourceImage = async () => {
+    if (uploadedTempPath) {
+      await unlink(uploadedTempPath).catch(() => {});
+      const index = stagedDurablePaths.indexOf(uploadedTempPath);
+      if (index >= 0) stagedDurablePaths.splice(index, 1);
+    }
+    if (uploads.sourceImage?.path) await unlink(uploads.sourceImage.path).catch(() => {});
+  };
   // Grok backend short-circuit (#2859 phase 2): everything past this point —
   // last-frame/keyframe staging, extend resolution, LoRA gating — is
   // local-runtime machinery grok doesn't use. sourceImagePath (upload or
@@ -724,7 +733,15 @@ async function resolvePreparedParams({
         { status: 400, code: 'GROK_IMAGEGEN_DISABLED' },
       );
     }
-    return { backend, grok, sourceImagePath, uploadedTempPath, cleanupStaged };
+    return {
+      backend,
+      grok,
+      effectiveModel: { id: 'grok', supportedModes: ['text', 'image'] },
+      sourceImagePath,
+      uploadedTempPath,
+      discardSourceImage,
+      cleanupStaged,
+    };
   }
 
   if (uploads.lastImage) {
@@ -1013,6 +1030,7 @@ async function resolvePreparedParams({
   return {
     backend,
     pythonPath,
+    effectiveModel,
     effectiveModelId,
     mode: body.mode,
     sourceImagePath,
@@ -1027,6 +1045,7 @@ async function resolvePreparedParams({
     effectiveChunks,
     effectiveChunkPrompts,
     effectiveContextFrames,
+    discardSourceImage,
     cleanupStaged,
   };
 }
diff --git a/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.test.js b/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.test.js
index e2bc5b5bcf..11053439ce 100644
--- a/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.test.js
+++ b/server/services/videoGen/prepareParams.test.js
@@ -134,7 +134,9 @@ describe('cleanupMultipartTemp', () => {
 describe('prepareVideoGenParams', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
-    listVideoModels.mockReturnValue([{ id: 'ltx2_unified', name: 'LTX-2 Unified', runtime: 'ltx2' }]);
+    listVideoModels.mockReturnValue([{
+      id: 'ltx2_unified', name: 'LTX-2 Unified', runtime: 'ltx2', supportedModes: ['text', 'image', 'fflf'],
+    }]);
     loadHistory.mockResolvedValue([]);
   });
 
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ describe('prepareVideoGenParams', () => {
       const prepared = await prepare({ mode: 'image', chunks: 2 }, { sourceImage: upload('sourceImage') });
       expect(prepared.backend).toBe('local');
       expect(prepared.effectiveModelId).toBe('ltx2_unified');
+      expect(prepared.effectiveModel.supportedModes).toEqual(['text', 'image', 'fflf']);
       expect(prepared.effectiveChunks).toBe(2);
       expect(posix(prepared.sourceImagePath)).toMatch(/^\/mock\/uploads\/video-source-.*\.png$/);
       // The start-frame upload rides the legacy single field so already-persisted
@@ -150,6 +153,10 @@ describe('prepareVideoGenParams', () => {
       expect(prepared.uploadedTempPath).toBe(prepared.sourceImagePath);
       expect(prepared.uploadedTempPaths).toEqual([]);
       expect(unlinkedDurablePaths()).toEqual([]);
+
+      await prepared.discardSourceImage();
+      expect(unlinkedDurablePaths()).toEqual([posix(prepared.uploadedTempPath)]);
+      expect(unlink).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/tmp/multipart-sourceImage-frame.png');
     });
 
     it('short-circuits for grok without staging local-only inputs', async () => {
@@ -157,6 +164,7 @@ describe('prepareVideoGenParams', () => {
       expect(prepared.backend).toBe('grok');
       expect(prepared.grok.grokPath).toBe('/usr/bin/grok');
       expect(prepared.sourceImagePath).toBe('/mock/images/still.png');
+      expect(prepared.effectiveModel).toMatchObject({ id: 'grok', supportedModes: ['text', 'image'] });
       // The local-only fields are absent entirely — the route must not read them.
       expect(prepared.effectiveChunks).toBeUndefined();
       expect(prepared.loras).toBeUndefined();