diff --git a/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs b/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs
index f4c880e30..41ef96ccc 100644
--- a/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs
+++ b/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs
@@ -341,7 +341,8 @@ pub fn remove_hidden(doc: &mut Document, which: &[Hidden]) -> Result<Vec<(Hidden
     // Every annotation the pages list now: whatever is no longer listed at the end (flattened
     // widgets included) leaves the structure tree too.
     let listed_before = listed_annotations(doc);
-    if which.contains(&Hidden::FormFields) && count(Hidden::FormFields) > 0 {
+    let fields = which.contains(&Hidden::FormFields) && count(Hidden::FormFields) > 0;
+    if fields {
         // Fields without appearances get one first, so their values stay visible.
         for f in pdfcraft_forms::fields(doc) {
             if f.widgets.iter().any(|w| !doc.get(w.obj).as_dict().is_some_and(|d| d.contains(b"AP"))) {
@@ -354,10 +355,12 @@ pub fn remove_hidden(doc: &mut Document, which: &[Hidden]) -> Result<Vec<(Hidden
             d.remove(b"AcroForm");
         })?;
     }
-    // Annotations: comments, attachments, links, actions.
+    // Annotations: comments, attachments, links, actions, and the widgets flattening kept (hidden
+    // ones, and ones with nothing to draw), which still hold their field's value and parent.
     let drop_annot = |a: &Dict| -> bool {
         let s = a.name(b"Subtype").unwrap_or(b"");
         (which.contains(&Hidden::Comments) && is_comment(s))
+            || (fields && s == b"Widget")
             || (which.contains(&Hidden::Attachments) && s == b"FileAttachment")
             || (which.contains(&Hidden::LinksActionsScripts) && s == b"Link")
     };
@@ -374,7 +377,9 @@ pub fn remove_hidden(doc: &mut Document, which: &[Hidden]) -> Result<Vec<(Hidden
         let mut kept = Vec::new();
         for a in list {
             let Some(r) = a.as_ref() else {
-                kept.push(a);
+                if !doc.resolve(&a).as_dict().is_some_and(drop_annot) {
+                    kept.push(a);
+                }
                 continue;
             };
             let d = doc.get(r).as_dict().cloned().unwrap_or_default();
diff --git a/crates/redact/src/tests.rs b/crates/redact/src/tests.rs
index a0d68af2d..4d2cc7601 100644
--- a/crates/redact/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/redact/src/tests.rs
@@ -2514,3 +2514,38 @@ fn hidden_text_in_content_that_stops_decoding_is_refused() {
     let out = sanitize(&mut doc);
     assert!(matches!(out, Err(RedactError::Unreadable(1))), "{out:?}");
 }
+
+/// An array of references to objects `nums` (generation 0).
+fn ref_array(nums: &[u32]) -> Object {
+    Object::Array(nums.iter().map(|&n| Object::Ref(ObjRef::new(n, 0))).collect())
+}
+
+/// An interactive form dictionary listing fields `nums`.
+fn fields_dict(nums: &[u32]) -> Object {
+    let mut d = Dict::new();
+    d.set(b"Fields".to_vec(), ref_array(nums));
+    Object::Dict(d)
+}
+
+/// Flattening keeps hidden widgets (they draw nothing); removing form fields must still take them
+/// and their values, and their parent field's value, out of the file.
+#[test]
+fn removing_form_fields_takes_hidden_widgets_and_their_values_out_of_the_file() {
+    use crate::sanitize::{Hidden, remove_hidden};
+    let mut doc = one_page(
+        b"BT /F1 10 Tf 10 100 Td (Visible) Tj ET",
+        "",
+        vec![
+            // 7 a hidden terminal field merged with its widget, 8 a parent field, 9 its hidden widget
+            b"<< /Type /Annot /Subtype /Widget /FT /Tx /T (own) /V (LEAK_WIDGET_VALUE) /F 2 /Rect [10 200 150 220] /AP << /N 10 0 R >> >>".to_vec(),
+            b"<< /FT /Tx /T (parent) /V (LEAK_PARENT_VALUE) /Kids [9 0 R] >>".to_vec(),
+            b"<< /Type /Annot /Subtype /Widget /Parent 8 0 R /F 32 /Rect [10 230 150 250] /AP << /N 10 0 R >> >>".to_vec(),
+            stream("/Type /XObject /Subtype /Form /BBox [0 0 140 20]", b"0 g"),
+        ],
+    );
+    doc.update_dict(doc.root().unwrap(), |d| d.set(b"AcroForm".to_vec(), fields_dict(&[7, 8]))).unwrap();
+    doc.update_dict(ObjRef::new(3, 0), |d| d.set(b"Annots".to_vec(), ref_array(&[7, 9]))).unwrap();
+    remove_hidden(&mut doc, &[Hidden::FormFields]).unwrap();
+    assert_no_secret(&doc, b"LEAK_");
+    assert!(annots_of(&doc, &pdfcraft_model::pages(&doc).swap_remove(0).dict).is_empty());
+}