diff --git a/crates/doc/src/notes.rs b/crates/doc/src/notes.rs
index b681542c..694e9108 100644
--- a/crates/doc/src/notes.rs
+++ b/crates/doc/src/notes.rs
@@ -166,15 +166,18 @@ impl Story {
         self.text.match_indices(FOOTNOTE_REF).nth(k).map(|(i, _)| i)
     }
 
-    /// Insert a footnote reference at `pos` with the given footnote text. Returns the footnote id.
-    pub fn insert_note(&mut self, pos: usize, text: &str, para: ParaFormat) -> u64 {
+    /// Insert a footnote reference at `pos` with the given footnote text. Returns the footnote
+    /// id, or `None` if the story has no footnote for the new reference.
+    pub fn insert_note(&mut self, pos: usize, text: &str, para: ParaFormat) -> Option<u64> {
         let pos = crate::story::floor_char_boundary(&self.text, pos.min(self.len()));
         let fmt = self.char_format_at(pos).clone();
         self.insert_with(pos, &FOOTNOTE_REF.to_string(), fmt);
+        // A file may hold fewer footnotes than references; give every reference one.
+        self.fix_notes();
         let k = self.notes_before(pos);
-        let note = Arc::make_mut(&mut self.notes[k]);
+        let note = Arc::make_mut(self.notes.get_mut(k)?);
         note.text = Story::with_text(StoryId(0), text, para);
-        note.id
+        Some(note.id)
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn next_note_id(&self) -> u64 {
@@ -283,8 +286,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn references_own_notes_in_order() {
         let mut s = st("alpha beta gamma");
-        let b = s.insert_note(10, "second", ParaFormat::default());
-        let a = s.insert_note(5, "first", ParaFormat::default());
+        let b = s.insert_note(10, "second", ParaFormat::default()).unwrap();
+        let a = s.insert_note(5, "first", ParaFormat::default()).unwrap();
         s.check().unwrap();
         assert_eq!(s.notes.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(s.notes[0].id, a);
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/editorial.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/editorial.rs
index 3ebce6b0..058068bb 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/editorial.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/editorial.rs
@@ -142,18 +142,21 @@ mod tests {
         s.execute("file.new", &json!({})).unwrap();
         let r = s.execute("frame.create", &json!({"rect": [72, 72, 400, 300], "content": "text", "text": "Draft copy."})).unwrap();
         let sid = designcraft_doc::StoryId(r["story"].as_u64().unwrap());
-        // A damaged file: a note anchor and an endnote reference without payloads.
+        // A damaged file: a note anchor, an endnote and a footnote reference without payloads.
         let st = std::sync::Arc::make_mut(&mut s.doc_mut().unwrap().doc).story_mut(sid).unwrap();
-        st.insert(0, &format!("{}{}", designcraft_doc::NOTE_MARK, designcraft_doc::ENDNOTE_REF));
+        st.insert(0, &format!("{}{}{}", designcraft_doc::NOTE_MARK, designcraft_doc::ENDNOTE_REF, designcraft_doc::FOOTNOTE_REF));
         st.editorial.clear();
         st.endnotes.clear();
+        st.notes.clear();
         let end = st.len();
         s.execute("text.select", &json!({"story": r["story"], "anchor": end, "focus": end})).unwrap();
         s.execute("note.new", &json!({"text": "check this"})).unwrap();
         s.execute("endnote.insert", &json!({"text": "An endnote."})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("footnote.insert", &json!({"text": "A footnote."})).unwrap();
         let st = &s.doc().unwrap().doc.stories[&sid];
         st.check().unwrap();
         assert_eq!(st.editorial[1].text, "check this");
         assert_eq!(st.endnotes[1].text.text, "An endnote.");
+        assert_eq!(st.notes[1].text.text, "A footnote.");
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/notes.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/notes.rs
index 4d7b0f13..8f67d159 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/notes.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/notes.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fn insert(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
         let r = t.range();
         let r = r.start.min(st.len())..r.end.min(st.len());
         st.delete(r.clone());
-        let id = st.insert_note(r.start, &text, para);
+        let id = st.insert_note(r.start, &text, para).ok_or_else(|| bad("footnote.insert", "the story's footnotes don't match their references"))?;
         sel.text = Some(TextSel { story: t.story, anchor: text.len(), focus: text.len(), frame: t.frame, cell: Some(CellAddr::footnote(id)) });
         Ok(json!({"story": t.story.0, "id": id}))
     })
diff --git a/crates/textimport/src/docx.rs b/crates/textimport/src/docx.rs
index 67a2b71a..9db74ecf 100644
--- a/crates/textimport/src/docx.rs
+++ b/crates/textimport/src/docx.rs
@@ -305,9 +305,13 @@ impl Ctx {
                         self.blocks(&note, &mut ns, false);
                         // Word puts the reference mark in the note text: we generate the number.
                         let len = st.len();
-                        let id = st.insert_note(len, "", ParaFormat::default());
-                        if let Some(n) = st.note_mut(id) {
-                            n.text = ns;
+                        match st.insert_note(len, "", ParaFormat::default()) {
+                            Some(id) => {
+                                if let Some(n) = st.note_mut(id) {
+                                    n.text = ns;
+                                }
+                            }
+                            None => self.warnings.push("A footnote in the Word file could not be imported.".into()),
                         }
                     }
                     continue;