diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/export.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/export.rs
index 48b9099c5..443dcbb23 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/export.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/export.rs
@@ -686,8 +686,9 @@ fn rasterize_layered(d: &designcraft_doc::Document) -> Result<(Option<designcraf
         })
         .collect();
     if choices.is_empty() {
-        // Fail closed: a choice this walk cannot reach must not become the file's defaults.
-        if d.has_pdf_layer_overrides() {
+        // Fail closed, with the same predicate as the walk: a stale choice on an item that is no
+        // longer a placed PDF must not block the export.
+        if super::interchange::has_applicable_pdf_layer_overrides(d) {
             return Err(EngineError::Other("a placed PDF's layer choice sits where this raster export cannot apply it".into()));
         }
         return Ok((None, 0));
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/interchange.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/interchange.rs
index eaf279ebc..24c58df55 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/interchange.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/interchange.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ fn export_idml(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     }
 }
 
+/// Whether a placement still holds an Object Layer Options choice the exports can apply: a
+/// graphic whose asset is a PDF. A choice left on an item that is no longer a placed PDF (its
+/// link was replaced with another format) is not one, and must not block an export.
+pub(crate) fn has_applicable_pdf_layer_overrides(doc: &Document) -> bool {
+    doc.placed_items().into_iter().any(|it| {
+        it.has_pdf_layer_override() && it.graphic().and_then(|g| doc.assets.get(&g.asset)).is_some_and(|a| designcraft_render::is_pdf(&a.data))
+    })
+}
+
 /// Each placement gets its own embedded variant so two frames sharing a PDF can
 /// choose different layers. The live document and original linked bytes stay untouched.
 ///
@@ -56,9 +65,11 @@ fn with_pdf_layer_variants(doc: &Document, embed: bool) -> Result<Option<Documen
         })
         .collect();
     if choices.is_empty() {
-        // A choice this walk cannot reach would silently become the file's defaults (a newer
-        // nesting construct, say), so the copy is refused instead.
-        if doc.has_pdf_layer_overrides() {
+        // A choice the walk cannot reach would silently become the file's defaults (a newer nesting
+        // construct, say), so the copy is refused instead. The predicate matches the walk above:
+        // both ask for a graphic whose asset is a PDF, so stale fields on a relinked image never
+        // block an export.
+        if has_applicable_pdf_layer_overrides(doc) {
             return Err(EngineError::Other("a placed PDF's layer choice sits where this IDML export cannot apply it".into()));
         }
         return Ok(None);
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/package.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/package.rs
index 316d5dedc..3598c3c21 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/package.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/package.rs
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ fn package(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
         let opts = designcraft_idml::ExportOptions { embed_images: false };
         root.write(&path, &designcraft_idml::export_idml_with(&packed, &opts))?;
         files.push(path);
-        if packed.has_pdf_layer_overrides() {
+        if super::interchange::has_applicable_pdf_layer_overrides(&packed) {
             idml_layer_note = "\nPlaced PDF layers\nThe IDML copy links the placed PDFs, so it shows their file defaults. The DesignCraft document keeps each placement's Object Layer Options choice.\n";
         }
     }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/pdflayers.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/pdflayers.rs
index b4c236a39..aaf8841ea 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/pdflayers.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/pdflayers.rs
@@ -588,6 +588,40 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Relinking a placed PDF to an image leaves the item's layer fields behind. They are no longer a
+    /// placed-PDF choice, so they must not block an export: the refusal guard asks for a graphic whose
+    /// asset is a PDF, the same thing the export walks ask for.
+    #[test]
+    fn a_stale_choice_on_a_relinked_image_does_not_block_exports() {
+        let pdf = designcraft_render::pdf_hide_layers(&two_layer_pdf(), &["Red".into()]).unwrap();
+        let mut s = Session::new();
+        s.execute("file.new", &json!({"width": 200, "height": 200})).unwrap();
+        let id = s
+            .execute("file.place", &json!({"base64": super::super::file::base64_encode(&pdf), "name": "art.pdf", "x": 0, "y": 0, "width": 100}))
+            .unwrap()["id"]
+            .clone();
+        s.execute("object.layerOptions", &json!({"ids": [id], "hidden": ["Red"]})).unwrap();
+        let asset = s.doc().unwrap().doc.item(designcraft_doc::ItemId(id.as_u64().unwrap())).unwrap().graphic().unwrap().asset;
+        let png = designcraft_render::Rendered { width: 4, height: 3, pixels: [30, 90, 180, 255].repeat(12) }.to_png();
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "dc-relinked-{}-{}.png",
+            std::process::id(),
+            std::time::SystemTime::now().duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_nanos()
+        ));
+        std::fs::write(&path, &png).unwrap();
+        s.execute("links.relink", &json!({"asset": asset.0, "path": path.to_string_lossy()})).unwrap();
+        let d = &s.doc().unwrap().doc;
+        assert!(!designcraft_render::is_pdf(&d.assets[&asset].data), "the placement is an image now");
+        assert!(d.item(designcraft_doc::ItemId(id.as_u64().unwrap())).unwrap().has_pdf_layer_override(), "the stale field is still on the item");
+        assert!(d.has_pdf_layer_overrides(), "the field is there");
+        assert!(!super::super::interchange::has_applicable_pdf_layer_overrides(d), "but it is not a placed-PDF choice");
+        // Both exports still run: nothing is dropped, and there is no choice to refuse.
+        s.execute("file.exportIdml", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("file.exportPdf", &json!({"standard": "a2b"})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("file.exportPdf", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        std::fs::remove_file(&path).ok();
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn layerless_pdf_rejects_overrides_without_breaking_idml_export() {
         let mut s = Session::new();