diff --git a/ui/src/lib/labsImagePick.ts b/ui/src/lib/labsImagePick.ts
index 522c5d3e..fe5d9604 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/labsImagePick.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/labsImagePick.ts
@@ -30,11 +30,15 @@ export async function fileFromOutput(item: ApiOutput): Promise<File> {
   return new File([blob], item.name, { type: blob.type || 'image/png' })
 }
 
-/** Series import copies from uploads/ only. Catalog picks are copied once into uploads. */
+/**
+ * Copy the pick into uploads/ and return the upload API payload.
+ * Callers (Series import, Character Creator describe, H3 isfile checks)
+ * only share that absolute filesystem path. A synthetic `uploads/${name}`
+ * is not enough: describe resolves relative names under uploads/, so
+ * `uploads/hero.png` becomes `uploads/uploads/hero.png` and the default
+ * empty-prompt Character Creator flow 400s.
+ */
 export async function ensureUploadsPath(item: ApiOutput): Promise<{ path: string; name: string; url: string }> {
-  if (isUploadOutput(item)) {
-    return { path: `uploads/${item.name}`, name: item.name, url: item.url }
-  }
   const uploaded = await uploadImage(await fileFromOutput(item))
   return { path: uploaded.path, name: uploaded.filename, url: uploaded.url }
 }
diff --git a/ui/tests/labsImagePick.test.mjs b/ui/tests/labsImagePick.test.mjs
index 6d8135ed..a4a75dfc 100644
--- a/ui/tests/labsImagePick.test.mjs
+++ b/ui/tests/labsImagePick.test.mjs
@@ -12,8 +12,58 @@ const uploadItem = {
   thumbnail_url: '/api/v1/uploads/hero.png',
 }
 
-test('upload catalog URLs stay in uploads/ without a second POST', async () => {
+const catalogItem = {
+  name: 'shot.png',
+  type: 'image',
+  mode: 'image',
+  size: 20,
+  created_at: 2,
+  url: '/api/v1/file/shot.png?workspace=default',
+  thumbnail_url: '/api/v1/file/shot.png?workspace=default',
+}
+
+function mockUploadFetch(expectedUrl) {
+  const original = globalThis.fetch
+  globalThis.fetch = (async (input, init) => {
+    const url = String(input)
+    if (url.includes(expectedUrl) && !init?.method) {
+      return new Response(new Uint8Array([137, 80, 78, 71]), { headers: { 'content-type': 'image/png' } })
+    }
+    if (url.includes('/api/v1/upload') && init?.method === 'POST') {
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({
+        filename: 'copied.png',
+        path: '/abs/uploads/copied.png',
+        url: '/api/v1/uploads/copied.png',
+      }), { headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' } })
+    }
+    throw new Error(`unexpected fetch ${url}`)
+  })
+  return () => { globalThis.fetch = original }
+}
+
+test('upload catalog URLs still copy through /api/v1/upload so callers get an absolute path', async () => {
   assert.equal(isUploadOutput(uploadItem), true)
-  const ensured = await ensureUploadsPath(uploadItem)
-  assert.deepEqual(ensured, { path: 'uploads/hero.png', name: 'hero.png', url: '/api/v1/uploads/hero.png' })
+  const restore = mockUploadFetch('/api/v1/uploads/hero.png')
+  try {
+    const ensured = await ensureUploadsPath(uploadItem)
+    assert.deepEqual(ensured, {
+      path: '/abs/uploads/copied.png',
+      name: 'copied.png',
+      url: '/api/v1/uploads/copied.png',
+    })
+  } finally {
+    restore()
+  }
+})
+
+test('workspace catalog picks are fetched from their file URL and copied into uploads/', async () => {
+  assert.equal(isUploadOutput(catalogItem), false)
+  const restore = mockUploadFetch('/api/v1/file/shot.png?workspace=default')
+  try {
+    const ensured = await ensureUploadsPath(catalogItem)
+    assert.equal(ensured.path, '/abs/uploads/copied.png')
+    assert.equal(ensured.name, 'copied.png')
+  } finally {
+    restore()
+  }
 })
diff --git a/ui/tests/seriesLabsPicker.test.tsx b/ui/tests/seriesLabsPicker.test.tsx
index a1517107..47edba0b 100644
--- a/ui/tests/seriesLabsPicker.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/tests/seriesLabsPicker.test.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,16 @@ test('Series canon identity can be chosen from HocusPocus without approving the
         total: 1,
       }), { headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' } })
     }
+    if (url.includes('/api/v1/uploads/hero.png') && !init?.method) {
+      return new Response(new Uint8Array([137, 80, 78, 71]), { headers: { 'content-type': 'image/png' } })
+    }
+    if (url.includes('/api/v1/upload') && init?.method === 'POST') {
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({
+        filename: 'copied.png',
+        path: '/abs/uploads/copied.png',
+        url: '/api/v1/uploads/copied.png',
+      }), { headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' } })
+    }
     if (url.includes('/assets/import') && init?.method === 'POST') {
       imported.push(JSON.parse(String(init.body || '{}')))
       return new Response(JSON.stringify({ asset: { id: 'asset_1' }, series }), { headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' } })
@@ -64,7 +74,7 @@ test('Series canon identity can be chosen from HocusPocus without approving the
     fireEvent.click(card)
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Choose' }))
     await waitFor(() => assert.equal(imported.length, 1))
-    assert.equal(imported[0].uploadPath, 'uploads/hero.png')
+    assert.equal(imported[0].uploadPath, '/abs/uploads/copied.png')
     assert.equal(imported[0].ownerType, 'character')
     assert.equal(imported[0].ownerId, character.id)
     assert.equal(imported[0].referenceRole, 'primary_portrait')