diff --git a/tests/browser/workspace-tagging.spec.mjs b/tests/browser/workspace-tagging.spec.mjs
index aaee7195..e9ad4a8b 100644
--- a/tests/browser/workspace-tagging.spec.mjs
+++ b/tests/browser/workspace-tagging.spec.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import { startCoverage, saveCoverage } from '../../tools/vendor/browser-coverage.mjs';
 import { test, expect } from './fixtures.mjs';
 import { saveImageTags } from './concept-inventory.mjs';
-import { taggingInventory } from './tagging-canonical-comparison.mjs';
+import { FIXTURE_INSTRUCTIONS_ID, taggingInventory } from './tagging-canonical-comparison.mjs';
 
 const images = '/prompt_manager/workspace#/images';
 const MODULE = '/prompt_manager/js/workspace/image-tagging.mjs';
@@ -878,9 +878,13 @@ test('the saved instructions picker fills, edits one-off and resets per engine (
     await expect(pick).toHaveAttribute('id', 'image-tag-instructions-pick');
     await expect(text).toHaveValue('Describe the image');
     await expect(note).toBeHidden();
+    // A keyboard pick (the select focused) keeps focus on the select the fields are re-rendered with.
+    await pick.focus();
     await pick.selectOption('builtin');
     await expect(text).toHaveValue(builtin);
+    await expect(pick).toBeFocused();
     await text.fill('Only the sky.');
+    await expect(text).toHaveAttribute('aria-describedby', 'image-tag-instructions-pick-note');
     await expect(pick.locator('option:checked')).toHaveText('Edited for this run');
     await expect(pick.locator('option[value="edited"]')).toBeDisabled();
     await expect(note).toHaveText('Edits apply to this run only. Manage saved instructions in System › Auto-tagging.');
@@ -896,7 +900,7 @@ test('the saved instructions picker fills, edits one-off and resets per engine (
     await text.fill('Edited again.');
     await model(page).selectOption('hf');
     await expect(text).toHaveValue('Describe the image');
-    await expect(pick).toHaveValue('d35c71be0a1e');
+    await expect(pick).toHaveValue(FIXTURE_INSTRUCTIONS_ID);
     await model(page).selectOption('wd14-vit');
     await expect(pick).toHaveCount(0);
     await expect(text).toHaveCount(0);
diff --git a/web/js/workspace/image-tagging-state.mjs b/web/js/workspace/image-tagging-state.mjs
index 97331d51..c6474e1e 100644
--- a/web/js/workspace/image-tagging-state.mjs
+++ b/web/js/workspace/image-tagging-state.mjs
@@ -243,8 +243,6 @@ async function readDefaults(api, signal) {
             defaults: {
                 general_threshold: unit(value.wd14_general_threshold) ? value.wd14_general_threshold : DEFAULTS.general_threshold,
                 character_threshold: unit(value.wd14_character_threshold) ? value.wd14_character_threshold : DEFAULTS.character_threshold,
-                // #431: the instructions come from the saved entries (`choices`), not `default_prompt`.
-                instructions: DEFAULTS.instructions,
                 suggestion_limit: limit(value.suggestion_limit) ? value.suggestion_limit : DEFAULTS.suggestion_limit,
             },
             models: object(value.models) ? value.models : null,
diff --git a/web/js/workspace/image-tagging.mjs b/web/js/workspace/image-tagging.mjs
index e3ec1e46..6b77ce77 100644
--- a/web/js/workspace/image-tagging.mjs
+++ b/web/js/workspace/image-tagging.mjs
@@ -150,6 +150,10 @@ export function renderModelPanel({scope, controller, heading = 'Auto-tag this im
         }
         pick.value = state.instructionsEdited ? EDITED_VALUE : state.instructionId;
         editedNote.hidden = !state.instructionsEdited;
+        // The note describes the textarea while it shows.
+        const area = inputs.get('instructions');
+        if (state.instructionsEdited) area?.setAttribute('aria-describedby', editedNote.id);
+        else area?.removeAttribute('aria-describedby');
     }
 
     function renderOptions(state) {
@@ -174,6 +178,7 @@ export function renderModelPanel({scope, controller, heading = 'Auto-tag this im
             inputs.set('instructions', area);
             rows.push(field('Tagging instructions', area, OPTION_IDS.instructions));
             editedNote = el('p', EDITED_NOTE, 'small instructions-edited');
+            editedNote.id = `${pickId}-note`;
             rows.push(editedNote);
             fillPick(state);
         }
@@ -195,7 +200,10 @@ export function renderModelPanel({scope, controller, heading = 'Auto-tag this im
             shownModel = state.model;
             shownOptions = state.optionsRevision;
             select.value = state.model;
+            // A pick re-renders the fields; keyboard focus stays on the select it was made with.
+            const picking = pick !== null && document.activeElement === pick;
             renderOptions(state);
+            if (picking) pick?.focus();
         } else if (pick && state.instructionsEdited !== shownEdited) {
             // Typing never re-renders the fields (I1): only the select and the note follow an edit.
             fillPick(state);