diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/create.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/create.rs
index 71a9b822..934bac5e 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/create.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/create.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
         spec!(
             "image.place",
             "Place image",
-            "{data (base64) | path, x?, y?, width?, height?, parent?, target? (an existing shape to fill instead of making a layer), mode? (fill|fit|crop|tile)} → {id, image, width, height, imageProfile (its embedded colour profile; null: taken as sRGB)}",
+            "{data (base64) | path, x?, y?, width?, height?, parent?, target? (an existing layer: the image is added on top of its fills instead of making a layer), mode? (fill|fit|crop|tile)} → {id, image, width, height, imageProfile (its embedded colour profile; null: taken as sRGB)}",
             true,
             place_image
         ),
@@ -378,10 +378,10 @@ pub fn accepts_image_fill(kind: &NodeKind) -> bool {
     kind.is_shape() || kind.is_frame_like() || matches!(kind, NodeKind::Text(_) | NodeKind::BooleanOp { .. })
 }
 
-/// Replace the fill list and detach variable bindings on paints that the image replaces.
-pub(crate) fn replace_with_image_fill(node: &mut Node, image: String, mode: ImageScaleMode) {
-    node.fills = vec![Paint::image(image, mode)];
-    node.bound.retain(|key, _| !matches!(super::lists::list_binding(key), Some((super::lists::BoundList::Fills, _, _))));
+/// Add an image fill on top of the layer's fills: the others keep their place and variable
+/// bindings; a linked fill style no longer describes the list, so the link goes.
+fn add_image_fill(node: &mut Node, image: String, mode: ImageScaleMode) {
+    node.fills.push(Paint::image(image, mode));
     node.styles.fill = None;
 }
 
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ pub fn place_image(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
         let (hash, _, _) = figcraft_format::add_image(doc, bytes).map_err(|e| bad(cmd, e.to_string()))?;
         let profile = figcraft_render::images::profile_name(&hash, doc.images.get(&hash));
         let node = doc.get_mut(id)?;
-        replace_with_image_fill(node, hash.clone(), mode);
+        add_image_fill(node, hash.clone(), mode);
         return Ok(json!({"id": id, "image": hash, "width": node.width, "height": node.height, "imageProfile": profile}));
     }
     let page = s.page()?;
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/paste_image_tests.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/paste_image_tests.rs
index c659569c..a76eae79 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/paste_image_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/paste_image_tests.rs
@@ -196,7 +196,10 @@ fn cmd_v_fills_a_selected_oval_without_adding_a_layer() {
     let node = doc.node(oval).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(doc.node_count(), before);
     assert!(matches!(node.kind, figcraft_doc::NodeKind::Ellipse { .. }));
-    assert!(matches!(node.fills[0].kind, figcraft_color::PaintKind::Image(_)));
+    // Added on top: the oval's own fill stays under it.
+    assert_eq!(node.fills.len(), original_fill.len() + 1);
+    assert_eq!(node.fills[..original_fill.len()], original_fill[..]);
+    assert!(matches!(node.fills.last().unwrap().kind, figcraft_color::PaintKind::Image(_)));
     assert_eq!((node.width, node.height), (120.0, 80.0));
     assert_eq!(w.app.session.selection(), vec![oval]);
     let png = figcraft_engine::cmd::file::export_bytes(doc, &[oval], figcraft_doc::ExportFormat::Png, 1.0).unwrap();
@@ -209,7 +212,7 @@ fn cmd_v_fills_a_selected_oval_without_adding_a_layer() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn pasting_an_image_detaches_the_replaced_fill_variable() {
+fn pasting_an_image_keeps_the_other_fills_variables() {
     let mut w = Win::new();
     let oval =
         NodeId(w.app.session.execute("shape.ellipse", &json!({"x": 200, "y": 100, "width": 120, "height": 80})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap());
@@ -221,12 +224,14 @@ fn pasting_an_image_detaches_the_replaced_fill_variable() {
     w.copy_image_elsewhere();
     w.cmd_v(CMD);
     let node = w.app.session.doc().unwrap().node(oval).unwrap();
-    assert!(matches!(node.fills[0].kind, figcraft_color::PaintKind::Image(_)));
-    assert!(node.bound.is_empty(), "the old colour variable must not remain on the image fill");
+    assert!(matches!(node.fills.last().unwrap().kind, figcraft_color::PaintKind::Image(_)));
+    assert!(matches!(node.fills[0].kind, figcraft_color::PaintKind::Solid { .. }));
+    assert!(!node.bound.is_empty(), "the colour fill under the image keeps its variable");
 }
 
+/// An image layer copied in FigCraft pastes as a layer, a selected shape or not.
 #[test]
-fn cmd_v_fills_a_selected_oval_with_an_image_copied_in_figcraft() {
+fn an_image_layer_copied_in_figcraft_pastes_as_a_layer() {
     let mut w = Win::new();
     w.copy_image_elsewhere();
     w.cmd_v(CMD);
@@ -235,14 +240,15 @@ fn cmd_v_fills_a_selected_oval_with_an_image_copied_in_figcraft() {
 
     let oval =
         NodeId(w.app.session.execute("shape.ellipse", &json!({"x": 200, "y": 100, "width": 120, "height": 80})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap());
+    let fills = w.app.session.doc().unwrap().node(oval).unwrap().fills.clone();
     let before = w.app.session.doc().unwrap().node_count();
     w.cmd_v(CMD);
 
     let doc = w.app.session.doc().unwrap();
-    assert_eq!(doc.node_count(), before);
+    assert_eq!(doc.node_count(), before + 1);
     assert!(doc.contains(source));
-    assert!(matches!(doc.node(oval).unwrap().fills[0].kind, figcraft_color::PaintKind::Image(_)));
-    assert_eq!(w.app.session.selection(), vec![oval]);
+    assert_eq!(doc.node(oval).unwrap().fills, fills);
+    assert_ne!(w.app.session.selection(), vec![oval]);
 }
 
 #[test]