diff --git a/movie_editor/backend/builder.py b/movie_editor/backend/builder.py
index 7fb384a3..20f2614a 100644
--- a/movie_editor/backend/builder.py
+++ b/movie_editor/backend/builder.py
@@ -539,6 +539,7 @@ def build(object_info: dict, models_config: dict, params: dict, media: dict | No
         sid = slot_node_id[s["id"]]
         nd_s = slot_def[s["id"]]
         for ci_name, source in (s.get("input_sources") or {}).items():
+            ci_name = _canonical_input(nd_s, ci_name)
             if not source or source == "auto":
                 continue
             if source == "timeline":
@@ -633,6 +634,9 @@ def build(object_info: dict, models_config: dict, params: dict, media: dict | No
                     report["unsatisfied"].append(f"{s.get('node_class')}.{out_name}: wire target '{t}' could not be resolved.")
                     continue
                 dnode, dinput = dst
+                # A wire authored into an autogrow entry names it the same way its own page
+                # does; canonicalise so both directions land on the dotted socket id.
+                dinput = _canonical_input(object_info.get((graph.get(dnode) or {}).get("class_type")), dinput)
                 if dnode not in graph:  # e.g. a core-port target while the built-in pipeline is disabled
                     report["unsatisfied"].append(f"{s.get('node_class')}.{out_name}: target '{t}' node is not in the graph (built-in pipeline disabled?).")
                     continue
@@ -848,6 +852,22 @@ def _resolve_source(source: str, slot_node_id: dict, slot_def: dict, object_info
     return None
 
 
+def _canonical_input(node_def: Optional[dict], name: str) -> str:
+    """The socket id ComfyUI expects for `name` on this node.
+
+    Autogrow entries are addressed by their dotted path ("ref_images.ref_image_0"). An
+    editor config saved before that was known holds the bare template name, and sending
+    that reaches the node as an unexpected keyword argument — so map it back rather than
+    letting an old config keep failing the run.
+    """
+    if not node_def or "." in name:
+        return name
+    for ci in connection_inputs(node_def):
+        if ci.get("autogrow") and ci["name"].rsplit(".", 1)[-1] == name:
+            return ci["name"]
+    return name
+
+
 def _resolve_target(target: str, port_to_core, slot_node_id) -> Optional[tuple[str, str]]:
     if target.startswith("port:"):
         return port_to_core.get(target[5:])
diff --git a/movie_editor/backend/nodes.py b/movie_editor/backend/nodes.py
index 7fcf5307..d51addf6 100644
--- a/movie_editor/backend/nodes.py
+++ b/movie_editor/backend/nodes.py
@@ -141,7 +141,14 @@ def _autogrow_element_type(opts: dict) -> str | None:
 
 def _autogrow_children(name: str, opts: dict) -> list[dict]:
     """Expand an autogrow input into its indexed sockets. Empty when the template can't be
-    read — the caller then falls back to the raw (unwireable) input so nothing regresses."""
+    read — the caller then falls back to the raw (unwireable) input so nothing regresses.
+
+    The socket id ComfyUI expects is the PARENT id, a dot, then the template name
+    ("ref_images.ref_image_0") — that dotted path is what it splits to rebuild the node's
+    list. Sending the bare name is rejected as a missing input, and any that slips past
+    validation reaches execute() as an unexpected keyword argument. `display` carries the
+    short name for the UI, which has no reason to show the plumbing.
+    """
     t = _autogrow_element_type(opts)
     names = _autogrow_names(opts)
     if not t or not names:
@@ -149,7 +156,7 @@ def _autogrow_children(name: str, opts: dict) -> list[dict]:
     return [
         # Always optional: the API graph carries only the indices that are actually wired,
         # and ComfyUI grows the schema to match, so an unwired index must never block.
-        {"name": nm, "type": _normalize_type(t), "required": False,
+        {"name": f"{name}.{nm}", "display": nm, "type": _normalize_type(t), "required": False,
          "autogrow": {"parent": name, "index": i}}
         for i, nm in enumerate(names)
     ]
diff --git a/movie_editor/frontend/models.js b/movie_editor/frontend/models.js
index 51903d87..9c41210e 100644
--- a/movie_editor/frontend/models.js
+++ b/movie_editor/frontend/models.js
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@
       sbox.append(el("div", "wire-title", "Input sources"));
       visibleConnectionInputs(slot, cand.connection_inputs).forEach((ci) => {
         const row = el("div", "wire-row");
-        const lbl = el("span", "wire-out", `${ci.name} (${ci.type})`);
+        const lbl = el("span", "wire-out", `${ci.display || ci.name} (${ci.type})`);
         if (ci.autogrow)
           lbl.title = `Entry ${ci.autogrow.index + 1} of the node's "${ci.autogrow.parent}" list — fill one and the next appears.`;
         row.append(lbl);
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@
     config.slots.filter((s) => s.id !== slot.id).forEach((s2) => {
       const c2 = specFor(s2);
       visibleConnectionInputs(s2, c2?.connection_inputs).filter((ci) => typeAccepts(ci.type, type)).forEach((ci) =>
-        out.push({ value: `node:${s2.id}:${ci.name}`, label: `${slotFullLabel(s2)} · ${ci.name}` }));
+        out.push({ value: `node:${s2.id}:${ci.name}`, label: `${slotFullLabel(s2)} · ${ci.display || ci.name}` }));
       // Widget inputs can also receive a connection (ComfyUI converts a widget to an
       // input when wired) — e.g. EmptyLatentVideo.width/height. Offer them as targets.
       (c2?.inputs || []).filter((w) => _KIND2T[w.kind] === type).forEach((w) =>
@@ -586,9 +586,43 @@
   }
 
   // Autogrow list inputs (MiniMax H3's ref_images, ref_videos, …) reach us already expanded
-  // into one socket per index — ref_image0 … ref_image9. Showing all ten of each list would
-  // bury the node, so the list renders what's filled plus one empty slot and grows as it is
-  // used, the way ComfyUI's own canvas grows it.
+  // into one socket per index, addressed by their dotted path (ref_images.ref_image_0).
+  // Showing all ten of each list would bury the node, so the list renders what's filled plus
+  // one empty slot and grows as it is used, the way ComfyUI's own canvas grows it.
+  // Autogrow entries were first saved under the bare template name (ref_image_0) before the
+  // dotted socket id turned out to be what ComfyUI accepts. Rename them in place on load —
+  // the edge is the same edge, and leaving the old key in a config keeps failing the run.
+  function migrateAutogrowNames() {
+    let changed = false;
+    const canonical = (slot, name) => {
+      if (!name || name.includes(".")) return name;
+      const ci = ((specFor(slot) || {}).connection_inputs || [])
+        .find((c) => c.autogrow && c.display === name);
+      return ci ? ci.name : name;
+    };
+    (config.slots || []).forEach((slot) => {
+      const srcs = slot.input_sources || {};
+      Object.keys(srcs).forEach((k) => {
+        const nu = canonical(slot, k);
+        if (nu !== k) { srcs[nu] = srcs[k]; delete srcs[k]; changed = true; }
+      });
+    });
+    (config.slots || []).forEach((slot) => {
+      Object.entries(slot.wires || {}).forEach(([out, raw]) => {
+        const next = wireTargets(raw).map((t) => {
+          const parsed = _parseNodeTarget(t);
+          if (!parsed) return t;
+          const dest = slotById(parsed.slotId);
+          if (!dest) return t;
+          const nu = canonical(dest, parsed.input);
+          return nu === parsed.input ? t : `node:${parsed.slotId}:${nu}`;
+        });
+        if (next.some((t, i) => t !== wireTargets(raw)[i])) { slot.wires[out] = next; changed = true; }
+      });
+    });
+    return changed;
+  }
+
   function visibleConnectionInputs(slot, cis) {
     const lastFed = {};
     (cis || []).forEach((ci) => {
@@ -863,7 +897,7 @@
         sbox.append(el("div", "wire-title", "Input sources"));
         visibleConnectionInputs(draftSlot, curCand.connection_inputs).forEach((ci) => {
           const row = el("div", "wire-row");
-          row.append(el("span", "wire-out", `${ci.name} (${ci.type})`));
+          row.append(el("span", "wire-out", `${ci.display || ci.name} (${ci.type})`));
           row.append(el("span", "wire-arrow", "←"));
           const sel = el("select", "wire-select");
           const cur = draft.input_sources[ci.name] || "";
@@ -1454,7 +1488,9 @@
     // Backfill numeric bounds/step (and combo choices) onto controls exposed before this
     // metadata was captured, so opening Models once upgrades existing projects. persist()
     // dispatches funpack-models-changed → the store reloads and the inspector re-renders.
-    if (refreshExposedChoices()) { try { await persist(); } catch (_) {} }
+    let dirty = refreshExposedChoices();
+    if (migrateAutogrowNames()) dirty = true;
+    if (dirty) { try { await persist(); } catch (_) {} }
   }
 
   function mount(body, ctx) {
diff --git a/movie_editor/tests/test_builder.py b/movie_editor/tests/test_builder.py
index 919bf58a..9c22ad8b 100644
--- a/movie_editor/tests/test_builder.py
+++ b/movie_editor/tests/test_builder.py
@@ -572,15 +572,16 @@ def test_autogrow_entries_are_wired_by_their_expanded_names():
     models = {"slots": [
         {"id": "li", "node_class": "LoadImage", "inputs": {}, "wires": {}},
         {"id": "r", "node_class": "MiniMaxH3ReferenceToVideo", "inputs": {"prompt": "hi"},
-         "wires": {}, "input_sources": {"ref_image0": "out:li:IMAGE", "ref_image1": "timeline"}},
+         "wires": {},
+         "input_sources": {"ref_images.ref_image0": "out:li:IMAGE", "ref_images.ref_image1": "timeline"}},
     ]}
     graph, report = builder.build(REF_OI, models, PARAMS, media={"filename": "scene.png"})
     ins = graph["slot_r"]["inputs"]
-    assert ins["ref_image0"] == ["slot_li", 0]
-    assert ins["ref_image1"] == ["media_load", 0]
-    assert "ref_images" not in ins                 # the template name is never sent
+    assert ins["ref_images.ref_image0"] == ["slot_li", 0]
+    assert ins["ref_images.ref_image1"] == ["media_load", 0]
+    assert "ref_images" not in ins                 # the template name itself is never sent
     # an unwired entry is simply absent — never blocking, never an empty placeholder
-    assert "ref_image2" not in ins and "ref_image3" not in ins
+    assert "ref_images.ref_image2" not in ins and "ref_images.ref_image3" not in ins
     assert not any("ref_image" in m for m in report["blocking"])
 
 
@@ -622,3 +623,19 @@ def test_a_core_combo_value_missing_on_this_machine_falls_back_instead_of_blocki
     graph, report = builder.build(oi, {"slots": []}, params)
     assert graph["sampler"]["inputs"]["identity_projector"] == "None"
     assert any("identity_projector" in m and "not installed" in m for m in report["unsatisfied"])
+
+
+def test_an_autogrow_entry_saved_under_its_bare_name_still_wires():
+    """Configs written before the dotted socket id was known hold "ref_image0". Sending that
+    is what produced "execute() got an unexpected keyword argument" — map it back instead of
+    letting an old config keep failing every run."""
+    models = {"slots": [
+        {"id": "li", "node_class": "LoadImage", "inputs": {}, "wires": {"IMAGE": "node:r:ref_image1"}},
+        {"id": "r", "node_class": "MiniMaxH3ReferenceToVideo", "inputs": {}, "wires": {},
+         "input_sources": {"ref_image0": "out:li:IMAGE"}},
+    ]}
+    graph, _ = builder.build(REF_OI, models, PARAMS)
+    ins = graph["slot_r"]["inputs"]
+    assert ins["ref_images.ref_image0"] == ["slot_li", 0]   # via input_sources
+    assert ins["ref_images.ref_image1"] == ["slot_li", 0]   # via the mirrored wire
+    assert "ref_image0" not in ins and "ref_image1" not in ins
diff --git a/movie_editor/tests/test_nodes.py b/movie_editor/tests/test_nodes.py
index eab1307d..b6b44b9c 100644
--- a/movie_editor/tests/test_nodes.py
+++ b/movie_editor/tests/test_nodes.py
@@ -223,11 +223,15 @@ def test_autogrow_list_input_expands_into_wireable_sockets():
     desc = nodes.describe_node(_autogrow_oi(), "MiniMaxH3ReferenceToVideo")
     ci = {c["name"]: c for c in desc["connection_inputs"]}
     assert "ref_images" not in ci and "ref_audios" not in ci
-    assert [ci[n]["type"] for n in ("ref_image0", "ref_image1", "ref_image2")] == ["IMAGE"] * 3
-    assert ci["ref_image0"]["autogrow"] == {"parent": "ref_images", "index": 0}
+    # the socket id is the dotted path ComfyUI splits to rebuild the list — the bare name
+    # is rejected as missing, and reaches execute() as an unexpected keyword argument
+    names = ("ref_images.ref_image0", "ref_images.ref_image1", "ref_images.ref_image2")
+    assert [ci[n]["type"] for n in names] == ["IMAGE"] * 3
+    assert ci["ref_images.ref_image0"]["autogrow"] == {"parent": "ref_images", "index": 0}
+    assert ci["ref_images.ref_image0"]["display"] == "ref_image0"   # UI shows the short name
     # explicit-name templates keep their own names, in order
-    assert ci["ref_audio_a"]["type"] == "AUDIO"
-    assert ci["ref_audio_b"]["autogrow"] == {"parent": "ref_audios", "index": 1}
+    assert ci["ref_audios.ref_audio_a"]["type"] == "AUDIO"
+    assert ci["ref_audios.ref_audio_b"]["autogrow"] == {"parent": "ref_audios", "index": 1}
     # never required: only the wired indices are sent, so an empty one must not block
     assert not any(ci[n]["required"] for n in ci if n.startswith("ref_"))
     # the list wrapper is not a user widget either