diff --git a/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.html b/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.html
index e34e544..0632c13 100644
--- a/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.html
+++ b/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.html
@@ -353,6 +353,29 @@ <h2 style="margin-top:18px;">Adapts when reused</h2>
         return "";
       }
 
+      // Locking a layer's stated purpose is "so it cannot move by accident" (see the summary
+      // note above the list). That promise covers two paths: the locked layer's own up/down
+      // controls, and an unlocked neighbour's move that would swap positions with it. A single
+      // up/down step only ever swaps with the adjacent layer, so checking that one neighbour is
+      // enough to decide whether a move is allowed.
+      function canMoveLayer(list, index, delta) {
+        const target = index + delta;
+        if (target < 0 || target >= list.length) { return false; }
+        const layer = list[index];
+        const neighbor = list[target];
+        if (!layer || !neighbor) { return false; }
+        return !layer.locked && !neighbor.locked;
+      }
+
+      function reorderLayers(list, index, delta) {
+        if (!canMoveLayer(list, index, delta)) { return list; }
+        const target = index + delta;
+        const copy = list.slice();
+        const item = copy.splice(index, 1)[0];
+        copy.splice(target, 0, item);
+        return copy;
+      }
+
       function renderLayer(layer, index) {
         const type = LAYER_TYPES[layer.type];
 
@@ -368,10 +391,10 @@ <h2 style="margin-top:18px;">Adapts when reused</h2>
         const main = el("div", { class: "layer-main" }, [nameRow, meta]);
 
         const up = el("button", { type: "button", class: "tiny secondary", "aria-label": "Move " + type.label + " up", text: "▲" }, []);
-        if (index === 0) { up.disabled = true; }
+        if (!canMoveLayer(layers, index, -1)) { up.disabled = true; }
         up.addEventListener("click", function () { move(index, -1); });
         const down = el("button", { type: "button", class: "tiny secondary", "aria-label": "Move " + type.label + " down", text: "▼" }, []);
-        if (index === layers.length - 1) { down.disabled = true; }
+        if (!canMoveLayer(layers, index, 1)) { down.disabled = true; }
         down.addEventListener("click", function () { move(index, 1); });
 
         const vis = el("button", { type: "button", class: "tiny secondary", text: layer.visible ? "Hide" : "Show" }, []);
@@ -403,17 +426,20 @@ <h2 style="margin-top:18px;">Adapts when reused</h2>
       }
 
       function move(index, delta) {
-        const target = index + delta;
-        if (target < 0 || target >= layers.length) { return; }
-        const copy = layers.slice();
-        const item = copy.splice(index, 1)[0];
-        copy.splice(target, 0, item);
-        layers = copy;
+        const next = reorderLayers(layers, index, delta);
+        if (next === layers) { return; }
+        layers = next;
         render();
       }
 
       if (typeof module !== "undefined" && module.exports) {
-        module.exports = { evaluate: evaluate, LAYER_TYPES: LAYER_TYPES, layoutSignature: layoutSignature };
+        module.exports = {
+          evaluate: evaluate,
+          LAYER_TYPES: LAYER_TYPES,
+          layoutSignature: layoutSignature,
+          canMoveLayer: canMoveLayer,
+          reorderLayers: reorderLayers,
+        };
       }
 
       render();
diff --git a/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.test.js b/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.test.js
index 6b69e3e..d0d373c 100644
--- a/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.test.js
+++ b/prototype/canvas-layer-controls.test.js
@@ -122,4 +122,44 @@ if (typeof M.layoutSignature === "function") {
   );
 }
 
-console.log("canvas layer controls: stack guardrails (cover, lock, hidden speaker) verified");
+// Locking a layer's stated purpose is "so it cannot move by accident" (see the lede /
+// summary-note copy). That must hold both when the locked layer's own controls are used and
+// when an unlocked neighbour's move would swap positions with it.
+assert.ok(typeof M.canMoveLayer === "function", "prototype exports canMoveLayer()");
+assert.ok(typeof M.reorderLayers === "function", "prototype exports reorderLayers()");
+
+const lockedStack = [
+  { id: "captions", type: "captions", visible: true, locked: false },
+  { id: "brand", type: "brand", visible: true, locked: false },
+  { id: "background", type: "background", visible: true, locked: true },
+];
+
+assert.strictEqual(M.canMoveLayer(lockedStack, 2, -1), false, "the locked layer itself cannot move up");
+assert.strictEqual(M.canMoveLayer(lockedStack, 1, 1), false, "an unlocked neighbour cannot displace the locked layer by moving down");
+assert.strictEqual(M.canMoveLayer(lockedStack, 0, 1), true, "two unlocked layers may still swap with each other");
+
+assert.strictEqual(
+  M.reorderLayers(lockedStack, 2, -1),
+  lockedStack,
+  "moving a locked layer is refused and returns the same list reference",
+);
+assert.strictEqual(
+  M.reorderLayers(lockedStack, 1, 1),
+  lockedStack,
+  "moving an unlocked layer into a locked neighbour is refused",
+);
+
+const reordered = M.reorderLayers(lockedStack, 0, 1);
+assert.notStrictEqual(reordered, lockedStack, "an allowed reorder returns a new list");
+assert.deepStrictEqual(
+  reordered.map((layer) => layer.id),
+  ["brand", "captions", "background"],
+  "an allowed reorder swaps the requested neighbour",
+);
+assert.deepStrictEqual(
+  lockedStack.map((layer) => layer.id),
+  ["captions", "brand", "background"],
+  "reorderLayers does not mutate its input list",
+);
+
+console.log("canvas layer controls: stack guardrails (cover, lock, hidden speaker, locked reorder) verified");