diff --git a/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js b/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js
index 1dd08662..d4e99947 100644
--- a/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js
+++ b/tests/js/workspace-media-viewer.test.js
@@ -164,18 +164,22 @@ test('an inline Viewer still loading its image is destroyed only after it has vi
     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.options = options; this.destroyed = 0; this.viewed = false; instances.push(this); }
+    f.win.Viewer = class { constructor(node,options) { this.node = node; this.options = options; this.destroyed = 0; 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;
+        const [loading] = instances, image = loading.node, removed = [];
+        image.removeAttribute = key => removed.push(key);
         f.walk(f.container,n => n.attributes['aria-label'] === 'Close preview')[0].fire('click');
         assert.equal(loading.destroyed, 0, 'not destroyed while its image view is pending');
+        // Viewer.js lists only images that still have a src; the pending view needs it.
+        assert.deepEqual(removed, [], 'the image keeps its src while the view is pending');
         loading.viewed = true; loading.options.viewed.call(loading);
         assert.equal(loading.destroyed, 1, 'destroyed once its pending view settles');
+        assert.deepEqual(removed, ['src'], 'the src is released after the viewer');
         loading.options.viewed.call(loading);
         assert.equal(loading.destroyed, 1, 'never destroyed twice');
 
diff --git a/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs b/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs
index db43be31..5f10bf02 100644
--- a/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs
+++ b/web/js/workspace/media-viewer.mjs
@@ -129,13 +129,19 @@ export function createMediaViewer({container,parentScope,inspectionController,se
             } else {
                 node.alt = selected.filename;node.decoding = 'async';
                 node.hidden = !!window.Viewer;
-                if (!window.Viewer) mediaLocal.listen(node,'load',() => {if (current()) session.ready(key);});
-                mediaLocal.cleanup(() => node.removeAttribute('src'));
+                // With Viewer.js the src is released after the viewer (see release below).
+                if (!window.Viewer) {
+                    mediaLocal.listen(node,'load',() => {if (current()) session.ready(key);});
+                    mediaLocal.cleanup(() => node.removeAttribute('src'));
+                }
             }
             node.src = url.href;media.append(node);
             if (!selected.is_video && window.Viewer) {
                 let fitFrame = 0, fitWidth, fitHeight, viewSettled = false, released = false, fallback = 0;
-                const release = () => { if (released) return; released = true; clearTimeout(fallback); instance.destroy(); };
+                const release = () => {
+                    if (released) return;
+                    released = true;clearTimeout(fallback);instance.destroy();node.removeAttribute('src');
+                };
                 const scheduleFit = () => {
                     if (!current() || fitFrame) return;
                     fitFrame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
@@ -157,7 +163,8 @@ export function createMediaViewer({container,parentScope,inspectionController,se
                 viewer = instance;mediaLocal.cleanup(() => {
                     observer.disconnect();cancelAnimationFrame(fitFrame);
                     // Inline Viewer.js keeps viewing a still-loading image after destroy(), and that view
-                    // then reads the destroyed list; destroy once the view settles, fails or times out.
+                    // rebuilds its list from images that still have a src; keep both until the view
+                    // settles, fails or times out.
                     if (viewSettled) { release(); return; }
                     node.addEventListener('error',release,{once:true});
                     fallback = setTimeout(release,PENDING_VIEW_DESTROY_MS);