diff --git a/tests/browser/workspace-review.spec.mjs b/tests/browser/workspace-review.spec.mjs
index d509f57e..6f552b50 100644
--- a/tests/browser/workspace-review.spec.mjs
+++ b/tests/browser/workspace-review.spec.mjs
@@ -642,6 +642,8 @@ test('#536: nothing selectable says why and links through the picker, then the n
     const negative = dialog.getByRole('combobox', { name: 'Negative prompt', exact: true });
     await expect(negative.locator('option')).toHaveText(['Choose a negative…', 'washed out', 'grainy', 'No negative']);
     await expect(submit).toHaveAttribute('aria-disabled', 'true');
+    await expect(submit).toHaveCSS('opacity', '0.55');
+    await expect(harbor).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
     await negative.selectOption({ label: 'grainy' });
     const linked = page.waitForResponse(item => /\/link$/.test(item.url()));
     await submit.click();
diff --git a/tests/test_repair_foreign_links.py b/tests/test_repair_foreign_links.py
index 61a81910..bf1692f1 100644
--- a/tests/test_repair_foreign_links.py
+++ b/tests/test_repair_foreign_links.py
@@ -285,6 +285,51 @@ class DryRunTests(RepairFixture):
         self.assertIn("would lose every link", markdown)
 
 
+class ManualLinkTests(RepairFixture):
+    """A prompt the reviewer named in Needs review (#536) is not ours to undo."""
+
+    def mark_manual(self, key):
+        row = self.rows[key]
+        ((prompt,),) = self.query(
+            "SELECT prompt_id FROM generated_images WHERE id=?", (row,)
+        )
+        self.query_write(
+            "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO prompt_pairs(positive_prompt_id,created_at,"
+            "updated_at) VALUES(?,'2026-10-30T00:00:00Z','2026-10-30T00:00:00Z')",
+            (prompt,),
+        )
+        ((pair,),) = self.query(
+            "SELECT id FROM prompt_pairs WHERE positive_prompt_id=? "
+            "AND negative_prompt_id IS NULL",
+            (prompt,),
+        )
+        self.query_write(
+            "INSERT INTO image_prompt_pairs(pair_id,image_id,provenance,created_at) "
+            "VALUES(?,?,?,'2026-10-30T00:00:00Z')",
+            (pair, row, '{"kind":"manual-link"}'),
+        )
+
+    def test_a_manual_link_is_skipped_in_the_plan(self):
+        self.mark_manual("A")
+        code, out = self.dry_run()
+        self.assertEqual(code, 0, out)
+        items = {item["row_id"]: item for item in self.plan()["rows"]}
+        item = items[self.rows["A"]]
+        self.assertEqual(item["action"], "skip")
+        self.assertEqual(item["reason"], "linked by hand in Needs review")
+        self.assertEqual(items[self.rows["B"]]["action"], "relink")
+
+    def test_a_manual_link_made_after_the_plan_refuses_the_apply(self):
+        code, out = self.dry_run()
+        self.assertEqual(code, 0, out)
+        self.mark_manual("A")
+        before = self.links()
+        code, out = self.apply()
+        self.assertNotEqual(code, 0, out)
+        self.assertIn("action changed", out)
+        self.assertEqual(self.links(), before)
+
+
 class DryRunReviewTests(RepairFixture):
     def test_plan_records_its_library_and_fingerprint(self):
         self.dry_run()
diff --git a/tools/repair_foreign_links.py b/tools/repair_foreign_links.py
index 699faa96..fe75611d 100644
--- a/tools/repair_foreign_links.py
+++ b/tools/repair_foreign_links.py
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ COUNTED = (
 # The ladder steps whose answer is certain enough to keep a link.
 KEEP_SOURCES = ("recorded-run", "inspector")
 # What must be unchanged since the dry run for a row to be written.
+MANUAL_REASON = "linked by hand in Needs review"
 DRIFT_KEYS = (
     "action",
     "file",
@@ -181,6 +182,13 @@ class Judge:
             )
         return self.decisions[path]
 
+    def _manually_linked(self, image_id):
+        """True when the reviewer named this row's prompt in Needs review (#536)."""
+        return any(
+            link["provenance"].get("kind") == "manual-link"
+            for link in self.db.get_image_prompt_pairs(image_id)
+        )
+
     def row(self, row):
         """The plan entry of one ``generated_images`` row."""
         conn = self.db.model.get_connection()
@@ -200,6 +208,8 @@ class Judge:
         except OSError:
             return {**item, "action": "skip", "reason": "file gone"}
         item.update(file_size=stat.st_size, file_mtime_ns=stat.st_mtime_ns)
+        if self._manually_linked(row["id"]):
+            return {**item, "action": "skip", "reason": MANUAL_REASON}
         decision = self.decide(path, stat.st_size)
         action = action_of(decision, prompt_hash)
         if action == "skip":
diff --git a/tools/vendor/frontend-coverage-baseline.json b/tools/vendor/frontend-coverage-baseline.json
index 583e3160..6d15c317 100644
--- a/tools/vendor/frontend-coverage-baseline.json
+++ b/tools/vendor/frontend-coverage-baseline.json
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@
   },
   "gallery-settings.js": {
     "lines": 98,
-    "branches": 94,
+    "branches": 95,
     "functions": 98,
     "statements": 98
   },
   "gallery.js": {
     "lines": 54,
     "branches": 72,
-    "functions": 57,
+    "functions": 58,
     "statements": 54
   },
   "html-escape.js": {
@@ -210,10 +210,10 @@
     "statements": 98
   },
   "workspace/file-inspector.mjs": {
-    "lines": 96,
+    "lines": 97,
     "branches": 93,
     "functions": 93,
-    "statements": 96
+    "statements": 97
   },
   "workspace/heading.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
@@ -282,16 +282,10 @@
     "statements": 98
   },
   "workspace/images-delete.mjs": {
-    "lines": 80,
-    "branches": 70,
-    "functions": 80,
-    "statements": 80
-  },
-  "workspace/images-return.mjs": {
-    "lines": 80,
-    "branches": 70,
-    "functions": 80,
-    "statements": 80
+    "lines": 95,
+    "branches": 81,
+    "functions": 92,
+    "statements": 95
   },
   "workspace/images-export.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
@@ -311,6 +305,12 @@
     "functions": 98,
     "statements": 98
   },
+  "workspace/images-return.mjs": {
+    "lines": 93,
+    "branches": 86,
+    "functions": 98,
+    "statements": 93
+  },
   "workspace/images-selection.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
     "branches": 93,
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@
   },
   "workspace/images.mjs": {
     "lines": 97,
-    "branches": 89,
+    "branches": 90,
     "functions": 98,
     "statements": 97
   },
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@
   "workspace/inspect.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
     "branches": 92,
-    "functions": 93,
+    "functions": 94,
     "statements": 98
   },
   "workspace/inspection-state.mjs": {
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@
   },
   "workspace/inspector-collections.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
-    "branches": 92,
+    "branches": 93,
     "functions": 98,
     "statements": 98
   },
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@
   },
   "workspace/library-editor.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
-    "branches": 93,
+    "branches": 94,
     "functions": 92,
     "statements": 98
   },
@@ -492,10 +492,10 @@
     "statements": 98
   },
   "workspace/more-menu.mjs": {
-    "lines": 80,
-    "branches": 70,
-    "functions": 80,
-    "statements": 80
+    "lines": 98,
+    "branches": 86,
+    "functions": 98,
+    "statements": 98
   },
   "workspace/plural.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
@@ -540,14 +540,14 @@
     "statements": 95
   },
   "workspace/review-link.mjs": {
-    "lines": 80,
-    "branches": 50,
-    "functions": 70,
-    "statements": 80
+    "lines": 95,
+    "branches": 70,
+    "functions": 91,
+    "statements": 95
   },
   "workspace/review-state.mjs": {
     "lines": 96,
-    "branches": 84,
+    "branches": 85,
     "functions": 98,
     "statements": 96
   },
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@
   },
   "workspace/system-sources.mjs": {
     "lines": 98,
-    "branches": 88,
+    "branches": 89,
     "functions": 95,
     "statements": 98
   },
diff --git a/web/js/workspace/review-link.mjs b/web/js/workspace/review-link.mjs
index a5f76946..c0eff877 100644
--- a/web/js/workspace/review-link.mjs
+++ b/web/js/workspace/review-link.mjs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export function openPromptLink({ api, scope, controller, filename, trigger }) {
     const warning = el('p', '', 'warning-note');
     warning.setAttribute('role', 'status');
     warning.hidden = true;
-    const actions = el('div', undefined, 'dialog-actions');
+    const actions = el('div', undefined, 'dialog-actions review-link-actions');
     const cancel = createButton(LINK_COPY.cancel);
     const submit = createButton(LINK_COPY.action, 'ca-primary');
     actions.append(cancel, submit);
diff --git a/web/js/workspace/workspace.css b/web/js/workspace/workspace.css
index fbc3908e..022e6fde 100644
--- a/web/js/workspace/workspace.css
+++ b/web/js/workspace/workspace.css
@@ -438,7 +438,8 @@ pre.prompt-text { font: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.75; margin-bloc
 .review-unreadable { display: grid; gap: 6px; margin-block: 12px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; }
 .review-link-results { display: grid; gap: 6px; max-block-size: 40vh; overflow-y: auto; }
 .review-link-results > button { justify-content: flex-start; inline-size: 100%; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; }
-.review-link-results > button[aria-pressed="true"] { border-color: var(--ca-accent); }
+.review-link-results > button[aria-pressed="true"] { border-color: var(--ca-accent); background: var(--soft-blue); }
+.review-panel button[aria-disabled="true"], .review-link-actions button[aria-disabled="true"] { opacity: .55; cursor: not-allowed; }
 /* Auto-tag selected images (#249 PR D, D85/D90): the Tag image dialog's model panel, then How to apply, a radio group
    in the concept's `.field` row whose radios keep their own size (the concept's `.field input` is a full-width text
    field) beside their label, as the concept's own radio rows (s1160 `.compare-item label`). */