diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/edit.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/edit.rs
index 35930cb7..1d7cb88e 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/edit.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/edit.rs
@@ -496,10 +496,15 @@ fn bump_name(n: &str) -> String {
 }
 
 /// The copied form of the selection.
-pub fn copy_to_clipboard(s: &mut Session, ids: &[NodeId]) -> Result<()> {
+pub fn copy_to_clipboard(s: &mut Session, cmd: &str, ids: &[NodeId]) -> Result<()> {
     let ds = s.ds()?;
     let doc = &ds.doc;
-    let ids = z_sorted(doc, &roots(doc, ids));
+    // Pages are not layers: they can't be pasted anywhere.
+    let layers: Vec<NodeId> = ids.iter().copied().filter(|i| !doc.node(*i).is_some_and(Node::is_page)).collect();
+    if layers.is_empty() && !ids.is_empty() {
+        return Err(EngineError::Disabled(cmd.into(), "pages can't be copied; use page.duplicate".into()));
+    }
+    let ids = z_sorted(doc, &roots(doc, &layers));
     let mut nodes = Vec::new();
     let mut images = BTreeMap::new();
     for i in &ids {
@@ -535,14 +540,16 @@ pub fn copy_to_clipboard(s: &mut Session, ids: &[NodeId]) -> Result<()> {
 
 fn copy(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     let ids = req_targets("edit.copy", s, p)?;
-    copy_to_clipboard(s, &ids)?;
+    copy_to_clipboard(s, "edit.copy", &ids)?;
     Ok(json!({"copied": s.clipboard.nodes.len()}))
 }
 
 fn cut(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     let ids = req_targets("edit.cut", s, p)?;
-    copy_to_clipboard(s, &ids)?;
-    delete(s, &json!({"ids": ids}))
+    copy_to_clipboard(s, "edit.cut", &ids)?;
+    let doc = s.doc()?;
+    let layers: Vec<NodeId> = ids.into_iter().filter(|i| !doc.node(*i).is_some_and(Node::is_page)).collect();
+    delete(s, &json!({"ids": layers}))
 }
 
 /// Paste the clipboard under `parent` with the copied top-left moved to `at` (page coords).
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/lib.rs b/crates/engine/src/lib.rs
index b3513ef1..a9074024 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/lib.rs
@@ -1611,6 +1611,8 @@ mod open_issues_tests;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod outline_options_tests;
 #[cfg(test)]
+mod page_clipboard_tests;
+#[cfg(test)]
 mod page_copy_navigation_tests;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod page_target_tests;
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/page_clipboard_tests.rs b/crates/engine/src/page_clipboard_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..79ff7419
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/engine/src/page_clipboard_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+//! `edit.copy` / `edit.cut` skip pages (they aren't layers and can't be pasted), and refuse a
+//! selection of only pages under their own command id.
+
+use serde_json::json;
+
+use crate::{EngineError, Session};
+
+#[test]
+fn copy_and_cut_ignore_pages_so_paste_keeps_the_document_valid() {
+    for cmd in ["edit.copy", "edit.cut"] {
+        let mut s = Session::new();
+        let page = s.page().unwrap();
+        s.execute("shape.rectangle", &json!({"x": 0, "y": 0, "width": 10, "height": 10})).unwrap();
+        match s.execute(cmd, &json!({"ids": [page.0]})) {
+            Err(EngineError::Disabled(id, _)) => assert_eq!(id, cmd),
+            r => panic!("{cmd} on a page: {r:?}"),
+        }
+        let _ = s.execute("edit.paste", &json!({}));
+        let doc = s.doc().unwrap();
+        assert!(doc.validate().is_empty(), "{cmd}: {:?}", doc.validate());
+        assert!(doc.node(page).is_some(), "{cmd} removed the page");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn cut_of_a_page_and_a_layer_moves_only_the_layer() {
+    let mut s = Session::new();
+    let page = s.page().unwrap();
+    let r = s.execute("shape.rectangle", &json!({"x": 0, "y": 0, "width": 10, "height": 10})).unwrap();
+    let rect = crate::params::id_of(&r["id"]).unwrap();
+    s.execute("edit.cut", &json!({"ids": [page.0, rect.0]})).unwrap();
+    assert!(s.doc().unwrap().node(page).is_some());
+    assert!(s.doc().unwrap().node(rect).is_none());
+    s.execute("edit.paste", &json!({})).unwrap();
+    assert!(s.doc().unwrap().validate().is_empty());
+}