diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd.rs
index 77fbb1d7a..1148a6b6e 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd.rs
@@ -459,8 +459,11 @@ pub(crate) const TOUCH_LOG_LIMIT: usize = 1_000_000;
 pub(crate) const PROTECTED: &str = "The cell or chart you're trying to change is on a protected sheet.";
 
 /// Refuses an edit that changed what a locked cell on a protected sheet holds (its value or
-/// formula), whichever command made it. Sheets are matched by name, so moving, renaming or
-/// deleting a sheet isn't an edit of its cells.
+/// formula), or that unlocked it, whichever command made it. Sheets are matched by name, so
+/// moving, renaming or deleting a sheet isn't an edit of its cells. A sort or duplicate removal
+/// that moves an unlocked cell with equal content onto a locked one changes no content but would
+/// leave the cell editable, so the effective lock (row and column formats included) is compared
+/// as well.
 fn check_protection(old: &Workbook, new: &Workbook, unlocked: &[(String, String)]) -> Result<()> {
     for sh in &old.sheets {
         if !sh.is_protected() {
@@ -471,7 +474,8 @@ fn check_protection(old: &Workbook, new: &Workbook, unlocked: &[(String, String)
             continue;
         }
         for c in sh.cells.diff(&after.cells) {
-            if !same_content(sh.cell(c), after.cell(c))
+            let unlocked_now = !new.styles.get(after.style_id(c)).protection.locked;
+            if (unlocked_now || !same_content(sh.cell(c), after.cell(c)))
                 && old.styles.get(sh.style_id(c)).protection.locked
                 && let Some(m) = locked_cell_error(sh, c, unlocked)
             {
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
index 69e04dae6..95a0c93f5 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
@@ -398,10 +398,10 @@ fn move_columns(s: &mut Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
     {
         return Err(EngineError::Other("To prevent possible loss of data, columns cannot be shifted off of the worksheet.".into()));
     }
-    // The checks must authorize the sheet this command modifies (`target_sheet`), not whatever
-    // sheet is active: both carry the command's own `sheet` parameter on.
-    check_lines_protection(s, &json!({"cols": RangeRef::cols(before, before).a1(), "sheet": p.get("sheet")}), Axis::Cols, before, count, true)?;
-    check_lines_protection(s, &json!({"cols": RangeRef::cols(from, end - 1).a1(), "sheet": p.get("sheet")}), Axis::Cols, from, count, false)?;
+    // The checks must authorize the sheet this command modifies, not whatever sheet is active:
+    // both get the index `target_sheet` resolved (from `sheet`, or a `Sheet!` range or cell).
+    check_lines_protection(s, &json!({"cols": RangeRef::cols(before, before).a1(), "sheet": sheet}), Axis::Cols, before, count, true)?;
+    check_lines_protection(s, &json!({"cols": RangeRef::cols(from, end - 1).a1(), "sheet": sheet}), Axis::Cols, from, count, false)?;
 
     let moved_from = if before <= from { from + count } else { from };
     if moved_from.checked_add(count).is_none_or(|end| end > MAX_COLS) {
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
index 94a80f824..5f92718ba 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
@@ -5297,6 +5297,42 @@ fn move_columns_checks_the_protection_of_the_named_sheet() {
     assert_eq!(v(&s, "A1"), Value::text("A"));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn move_columns_checks_the_protection_of_a_sheet_named_by_its_range() {
+    // A `Sheet!` range or cell picks the sheet the move modifies; the protection checks must
+    // authorize that sheet too, not the active one.
+    let mut s = s();
+    s.execute("home.insertSheet", json!({"name": "P"})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("range.setValues", json!({"range": "A1", "values": [[1, 2, 3, 4]]})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("review.protectSheet", json!({})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("sheet.activate", json!({"sheet": 0})).unwrap();
+    for key in ["range", "cell"] {
+        let err = s.execute("sheet.moveColumns", json!({key: "P!A1", "cols": "B:C", "before": 4})).expect_err("moving columns on a protected sheet");
+        assert!(err.to_string().contains("protected"), "{err}");
+    }
+    let d = s.doc().unwrap();
+    let sh = &d.wb.sheets[d.wb.sheet_index("P").unwrap()];
+    let pv: Vec<Value> = (0..4).map(|c| sh.value(CellRef::new(0, c))).collect();
+    assert_eq!(pv, vec![Value::number(1.0), Value::number(2.0), Value::number(3.0), Value::number(4.0)]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn sorting_cannot_unlock_a_locked_cell_by_moving_equal_content_onto_it() {
+    // An unlocked 2 sorted onto a locked 2 leaves the content as it was, but would make the cell
+    // editable; the sort is refused instead.
+    let mut s = s();
+    s.execute("range.setValues", json!({"range": "A1", "values": [[2], [2], [1]]})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("home.lockCell", json!({"range": "A1", "on": false})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("home.lockCell", json!({"range": "A3", "on": false})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("review.protectSheet", json!({"sort": true})).unwrap();
+    let before = s.doc().unwrap().wb.clone();
+    let err =
+        s.execute("data.sort", json!({"range": "A1:A3", "header": false, "keys": [{"column": "A", "order": "asc"}]})).expect_err("sort unlocking A2");
+    assert!(err.to_string().contains("protected sheet"), "{err}");
+    assert_eq!(*s.doc().unwrap().wb, *before);
+    assert!(s.execute("cell.set", json!({"cell": "A2", "input": "9"})).is_err(), "A2 stays locked");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn a_script_cannot_switch_windows() {
     // Stored scripts are scoped to their workbook: a step that activates another window would