diff --git a/app/services/director_pipeline.py b/app/services/director_pipeline.py
index bfb6e209..c47b1928 100644
--- a/app/services/director_pipeline.py
+++ b/app/services/director_pipeline.py
@@ -2192,8 +2192,10 @@ def _backfill_clip_video_attempts(state: dict, state_dir: str) -> dict:
             selected = ""
         clip["selected_video_filename"] = selected or None
         if selected:
+            # A Studio selection is the playback authority, but it does not
+            # refresh inputs. Image reruns keep video_stale so Rejoin/export
+            # cannot assemble a take that no longer matches the start frame.
             clip["video_filename"] = selected
-            clip["video_stale"] = False
         clip["video_attempts"] = sorted(
             attempts_by_clip[index].values(),
             key=lambda item: (float(item.get("created_at") or 0), item["filename"]),
diff --git a/tests/test_director_cancellation.py b/tests/test_director_cancellation.py
index 65fef171..088cda30 100644
--- a/tests/test_director_cancellation.py
+++ b/tests/test_director_cancellation.py
@@ -1153,6 +1153,46 @@ def test_rejoin_rejects_stale_video_instead_of_omitting_clip(self):
 
         concatenate.assert_not_called()
 
+    def test_rejoin_rejects_stale_video_even_when_a_take_is_selected(self):
+        pid = "pipe-stale-selected-rejoin"
+        record = self._add_pipeline(pid, "completed")
+        record["clip_plans"] = [
+            {"image_prompt": "one", "video_prompt": "one"},
+            {"image_prompt": "two", "video_prompt": "two"},
+        ]
+        record["_clip_video_files"] = ["one.mp4", "two.mp4"]
+        for filename in record["_clip_video_files"]:
+            self._write_media(filename, b"video")
+        self.assertTrue(pipeline._save_pipeline_state(pid))
+
+        def mark_selected_stale(state):
+            clip = state["clips"][0]
+            clip["selected_video_filename"] = clip["video_filename"]
+            clip["video_stale"] = True
+
+        pipeline._update_saved_pipeline(self.temp_dir.name, pid, mark_selected_stale)
+        loaded = pipeline.load_pipeline_state(self.temp_dir.name, pid)
+        self.assertTrue(loaded["clips"][0]["video_stale"])
+        self.assertEqual(loaded["clips"][0]["selected_video_filename"], "one.mp4")
+
+        def keep_notes(state):
+            state["clips"][0]["review_notes"] = "keep stale"
+
+        pipeline._update_saved_pipeline(self.temp_dir.name, pid, keep_notes)
+        raw_path = pipeline._find_pipeline_file(self.temp_dir.name, pid)
+        with open(raw_path, encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+            saved = json.load(handle)
+        self.assertTrue(saved["clips"][0]["video_stale"])
+        self.assertEqual(saved["clips"][0]["review_notes"], "keep stale")
+
+        concatenate = Mock(return_value=True)
+        pipeline._wgp.concatenate_multi_clip_videos = concatenate
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+            ValueError, "stale video clip.*1.*before rejoining",
+        ):
+            pipeline.rejoin_clips(self.temp_dir.name, pid)
+        concatenate.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_rejoin_rejects_clip_whose_start_image_is_missing(self):
         pid = "pipe-missing-rejoin-start"
         record = self._add_pipeline(pid, "completed")
diff --git a/tests/test_director_review.py b/tests/test_director_review.py
index 3b08f2c1..b94fdffb 100644
--- a/tests/test_director_review.py
+++ b/tests/test_director_review.py
@@ -75,3 +75,25 @@ def test_switching_an_approved_take_updates_h3_selection_without_approving_it(tm
     assert saved['clips'][0]['h3_segments'][0]['filename'] == 'old.mp4'
     assert saved['clips'][0]['h3_segments'][0]['stale'] is False
     assert 'old.mp4' in saved['output_files']
+
+
+def test_review_notes_keep_a_stale_selected_take_stale(tmp_path):
+    path, state = fixture(tmp_path)
+    state['clips'][0].update(
+        selected_video_filename='old.mp4',
+        video_filename='old.mp4',
+        video_stale=True,
+        tag='good',
+    )
+    path.write_text(json.dumps(state))
+    loaded = pipeline.load_pipeline_state(str(tmp_path), 'review-test')
+    assert loaded['clips'][0]['video_stale'] is True
+    assert loaded['clips'][0]['selected_video_filename'] == 'old.mp4'
+    save_review(str(tmp_path), 'review-test', [
+        {'type': 'note_clip', 'pipelineId': 'review-test', 'clipIndex': 0, 'notes': 'keep stale'},
+    ])
+    saved = json.loads(path.read_text())
+    assert saved['clips'][0]['video_stale'] is True
+    assert saved['clips'][0]['selected_video_filename'] == 'old.mp4'
+    assert saved['clips'][0]['review_notes'] == 'keep stale'
+    assert saved['clips'][0]['tag'] == 'good'