diff --git a/tests/browser/workspace-images.spec.mjs b/tests/browser/workspace-images.spec.mjs
index 27380a9..ce27f85 100644
--- a/tests/browser/workspace-images.spec.mjs
+++ b/tests/browser/workspace-images.spec.mjs
@@ -463,6 +463,26 @@ test('collection viewer ignores delayed media callbacks and keeps inspection ret
     await page.evaluate(()=>{location.hash='/overview';});await expect(page.locator('.viewer-container,#viewer-dialog')).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
+test('collection viewer leaving an image Viewer.js has not built yet releases it at once',async({page})=>{
+    await page.goto(workspace);await expect(cards(page)).toHaveCount(2);
+    let release,held;const waiting=new Promise(resolve=>{held=resolve;});const pending=new Promise(resolve=>{release=resolve;});
+    await page.route('**/images/serve/shared/same.png?*',async route=>{
+        const url=new URL(route.request().url());
+        if(url.searchParams.get('root')==='0'&&url.searchParams.has('_pm_viewer')) {held();await pending;}
+        await route.continue().catch(()=>{});
+    });
+    await cards(page).first().getByRole('button',{name:'Open same.png',exact:true}).click();await waiting;
+    const preview=page.locator('dialog#viewer-dialog');
+    await page.evaluate(()=>{window.unbuiltImage=document.querySelector('#viewer-stage > img');});
+    await preview.getByRole('button',{name:'Next media',exact:true}).click();
+    await expect(preview.getByRole('button',{name:'Zoom in',exact:true})).toHaveAttribute('aria-disabled','false');
+    // The left image is off the stage. Viewer.js has not built it, so the viewer is destroyed and the src released at
+    // once: its late load must never build Viewer.js into an image without a parent (getComputedStyle(null)).
+    release();
+    await expect.poll(()=>page.evaluate(()=>[window.unbuiltImage.isConnected,window.unbuiltImage.hasAttribute('src'),!!window.unbuiltImage.viewer])).toEqual([false,false,false]);
+    await page.evaluate(()=>{location.hash='/overview';});await expect(page.locator('.viewer-container,#viewer-dialog')).toHaveCount(0);
+});
+
 test('collection viewer describes video transforms and releases native playback on navigation',async({page,request})=>{
     await expect(await request.post('/__test__/reset',{data:{include_video:true}})).toBeOK();await page.goto(workspace);
     await page.locator('article[data-image-key="0:clip.webm"] .image-open').click();
diff --git a/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js b/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js
index 749694a..efa7d2e 100644
--- a/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js
+++ b/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js
@@ -124,12 +124,36 @@ test('real inspection navigation preserves slideshow across two advances and def
     } finally {view.dispose();controller.dispose();parentScope.dispose();globalThis.setTimeout=oldSetTimeout;globalThis.clearTimeout=oldClearTimeout;f.restore();}
 });
 
+test('an inline Viewer not yet built is destroyed and its image released at once', async () => {
+    const {reportedLocationAdapter:adapter} = await import('../../web/js/workspace/history-media.mjs');
+    const f = mountedDom(), parentScope = createScope(), controller = borrowedController(), items = [occurrenceMedia('1',1,'c'),occurrenceMedia('2',0,'d')];
+    const instances = [];
+    // Viewer.js builds an inline viewer only once its image loads; until then `ready` is false and destroy() cancels it.
+    f.win.Viewer = class { constructor(node,options) { this.node = node; this.options = options; this.destroyed = 0; this.ready = false; this.viewed = false; instances.push(this); }
+        destroy() { this.destroyed++; } resize() {} };
+    const globals = {ResizeObserver:globalThis.ResizeObserver, requestAnimationFrame:globalThis.requestAnimationFrame, cancelAnimationFrame:globalThis.cancelAnimationFrame};
+    Object.assign(globalThis, {ResizeObserver:class { observe() {} disconnect() {} }, requestAnimationFrame:() => 1, cancelAnimationFrame() {}});
+    const view = module.createMediaViewer({container:f.container,parentScope,inspectionController:controller,adapter,sender:{open(){}}});
+    try {
+        view.open({items,selectedKey:'c'.repeat(64)});
+        const [loading] = instances, image = loading.node, removed = [];
+        image.removeAttribute = key => removed.push(key);
+        // Next drops the still-loading image from the stage; a deferred destroy would let its late load build there.
+        f.walk(f.container,n => n.attributes['aria-label'] === 'Next media')[0].fire('click');
+        assert.equal(instances.length, 2, 'Next builds the next image');
+        assert.equal(loading.destroyed, 1, 'an unbuilt viewer is destroyed at once');
+        assert.deepEqual(removed, ['src'], 'and its image is released at once');
+        loading.options.viewed.call(loading);
+        assert.equal(loading.destroyed, 1, 'never destroyed twice');
+    } finally { view.dispose(); parentScope.dispose(); f.restore(); Object.assign(globalThis, globals); }
+});
+
 test('an inline Viewer still loading its image is destroyed only after it has viewed it', async () => {
     const {reportedLocationAdapter:adapter} = await import('../../web/js/workspace/history-media.mjs');
     const f = mountedDom(), parentScope = createScope(), controller = borrowedController(), items = [occurrenceMedia('1',1,'c')];
     const instances = [];
-    // Viewer.js's inline destroy() leaves an in-flight view running; its callback then needs a live instance.
-    f.win.Viewer = class { constructor(node,options) { this.node = node; this.options = options; this.destroyed = 0; this.viewed = false; instances.push(this); }
+    // A built (`ready`) inline Viewer.js's destroy() leaves an in-flight view running; its callback then needs a live instance.
+    f.win.Viewer = class { constructor(node,options) { this.node = node; this.options = options; this.destroyed = 0; this.ready = true; this.viewed = false; instances.push(this); }
         destroy() { this.destroyed++; } resize() {} };
     const globals = {ResizeObserver:globalThis.ResizeObserver, requestAnimationFrame:globalThis.requestAnimationFrame, cancelAnimationFrame:globalThis.cancelAnimationFrame};
     Object.assign(globalThis, {ResizeObserver:class { observe() {} disconnect() {} }, requestAnimationFrame:() => 1, cancelAnimationFrame() {}});
diff --git a/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs b/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs
index 4427dd6..4e58f9e 100644
--- a/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs
+++ b/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs
@@ -176,10 +176,12 @@ export function createMediaViewer({api,container,parentScope,inspectionControlle
                 const observer = new ResizeObserver(scheduleFit);observer.observe(stage);
                 viewer = instance;mediaLocal.cleanup(() => {
                     observer.disconnect();cancelAnimationFrame(fitFrame);
-                    // Inline Viewer.js keeps viewing a still-loading image after destroy(), and that view
-                    // rebuilds its list from images that still have a src; keep both until the view
-                    // settles, fails or times out.
-                    if (viewSettled) { release(); return; }
+                    // Before Viewer.js has built (its image still loading), destroy() cancels the pending build;
+                    // deferring it would let the late load build into the image the stage has just dropped.
+                    // Once built, inline Viewer.js keeps viewing a still-loading image after destroy(), and that
+                    // view rebuilds its list from images that still have a src; keep both until the view settles,
+                    // fails or times out.
+                    if (viewSettled || !instance.ready) { release(); return; }
                     node.addEventListener('error',release,{once:true});
                     fallback = setTimeout(release,PENDING_VIEW_DESTROY_MS);
                 });