diff --git a/crates/pdf/src/import_color.rs b/crates/pdf/src/import_color.rs
index ac5b1580e..2362634ed 100644
--- a/crates/pdf/src/import_color.rs
+++ b/crates/pdf/src/import_color.rs
@@ -301,6 +301,9 @@ impl<'p> Colors<'p> {
         let process = cmyk.iter().any(|v| *v > 0.0);
         let (c, t) = match (ink, first_ink) {
             (Some(_), _) if several || process => {
+                // The color can't link to one swatch, but each ink it paints with is still a
+                // spot swatch.
+                self.mark_inks(Space::Inks(space), comps);
                 self.mixed = true;
                 return None;
             }
@@ -320,6 +323,24 @@ impl<'p> Colors<'p> {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Mark each ink that components `comps` of `space` paint with (a tint above 0) as used, so it
+    /// becomes a spot swatch; nothing for a space with a colorant that can't be read.
+    pub fn mark_inks(&mut self, space: Space, comps: &[f32]) {
+        let Space::Inks(i) = space else { return };
+        let Some(s) = self.spaces.get(i) else { return };
+        if s.colorants.iter().any(|c| matches!(c, Colorant::Unknown)) {
+            return;
+        }
+        for (c, t) in s.colorants.iter().zip(comps) {
+            if let Colorant::Ink(k) = *c
+                && round3(t.clamp(0.0, 1.0)) > 0.0
+                && let Some(ink) = self.inks.get_mut(k)
+            {
+                ink.used = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Find the file's Separation and DeviceN colour spaces (once, when a colour first needs them).
     fn scan(&mut self) {
         if self.scanned {
diff --git a/crates/pdf/src/import_shading.rs b/crates/pdf/src/import_shading.rs
index ed169d724..1d2bc9cca 100644
--- a/crates/pdf/src/import_shading.rs
+++ b/crates/pdf/src/import_shading.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ pub(crate) fn shading_gradient(sp: &ShadingPattern, colors: &mut Colors<'_>, ink
     for i in 0..=N {
         let t = i as f32 / N as f32;
         pts.push((t, sample(t)?.to_rgb()));
+        // An ink that paints only at samples dropped below is still a spot swatch.
+        if let Some(v) = at(t) {
+            colors.mark_inks(space, &v);
+        }
     }
     let ts: Vec<f32> = linear_keep(&pts).iter().filter_map(|&k| pts.get(k)).map(|p| p.0).collect();
     let mut stop_at = |t: f32, offset: f32| -> GradientStop {
diff --git a/crates/pdf/src/tests/import_color.rs b/crates/pdf/src/tests/import_color.rs
index 8b98f7703..e26697858 100644
--- a/crates/pdf/src/tests/import_color.rs
+++ b/crates/pdf/src/tests/import_color.rs
@@ -164,6 +164,48 @@ fn device_n_inks_become_spot_swatches_and_process_plates_cmyk() {
     assert_eq!(d.swatches.iter().filter(|s| s.spot).count(), 2);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn a_spot_ink_mixed_with_a_process_plate_keeps_its_swatch() {
+    // Gold and Cyan → CMYK (cyan, 0, gold, 0): a fill, then an axial shading of Gold 0 to 1 over
+    // Cyan at 0.3.
+    let space = format!("[/DeviceN [/Gold /Cyan] /DeviceCMYK {} 0 R]", first_extra(1));
+    let func = "<< /FunctionType 4 /Domain [0 1 0 1] /Range [0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1] /Length 17 >>\nstream\n{ exch 0 exch 0 }\nendstream";
+    let shading = format!(
+        "<< /ShadingType 2 /ColorSpace {space} /Coords [0 0 50 0] /Function << /FunctionType 2 /Domain [0 1] /C0 [0 0.3] /C1 [1 0.3] /N 1 >> /Extend [true true] >>"
+    );
+    let fill = page_with(&format!("/CS0 {space}"), &[("CS0", "0.5 0.3")]);
+    let sh = PdfPage { resources: format!("/Shading << /Sh0 {shading} >>"), ..PdfPage::new(100.0, 50.0, "q 0 0 50 50 re W n /Sh0 sh Q") };
+    for (what, page) in [("fill", fill), ("shading", sh)] {
+        let r = import_with_report(&pdf_with(&[page], &[func], None), &ImportOptions::default()).unwrap();
+        let d = &r.document;
+        assert!(r.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("several inks")), "{what}: {:?}", r.warnings);
+        assert!(links(d).iter().all(Option::is_none), "{what}: the art stays RGB");
+        let gold = d.swatch("Gold").unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("{what}: no Gold swatch"));
+        assert!(gold.spot && gold.global, "{what}: Gold is a spot swatch");
+        assert!(near(gold.paint.color().unwrap(), Color::cmyk(0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0)), "{what}: {gold:?}");
+        assert_eq!(d.swatches.iter().filter(|s| s.spot).count(), 1, "{what}: Cyan is a process plate");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_spot_ink_only_between_a_shadings_stops_keeps_its_swatch() {
+    // Varnish and Cyan → CMYK (cyan, 0, 0, 0): Varnish draws nothing, so the shading's RGB is one
+    // colour and only its ends (Varnish 0) become stops; Varnish rises to 1 at the middle.
+    let space = format!("[/DeviceN [/Varnish /Cyan] /DeviceCMYK {} 0 R]", first_extra(1));
+    let func = "<< /FunctionType 4 /Domain [0 1 0 1] /Range [0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1] /Length 18 >>\nstream\n{ exch pop 0 0 0 }\nendstream";
+    let half = |a: u8, b: u8| format!("<< /FunctionType 2 /Domain [0 1] /C0 [{a} 0.3] /C1 [{b} 0.3] /N 1 >>");
+    let shading = format!(
+        "<< /ShadingType 2 /ColorSpace {space} /Coords [0 0 50 0] /Function << /FunctionType 3 /Domain [0 1] /Functions [{} {}] /Bounds [0.5] /Encode [0 1 0 1] >> /Extend [true true] >>",
+        half(0, 1),
+        half(1, 0)
+    );
+    let page = PdfPage { resources: format!("/Shading << /Sh0 {shading} >>"), ..PdfPage::new(100.0, 50.0, "q 0 0 50 50 re W n /Sh0 sh Q") };
+    let r = import_with_report(&pdf_with(&[page], &[func], None), &ImportOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let d = &r.document;
+    let varnish = d.swatch("Varnish").unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("no Varnish swatch: {:?}", d.swatches));
+    assert!(varnish.spot && varnish.global, "{varnish:?}");
+}
+
 /// The spaces `/CS1` and `/CS2` of two inks (`[/{kind} {a} …]`, `[/{kind} {b} …]`) with the same
 /// alternate and tint transform, blue at 100 %: they look the same to the interpreter.
 fn blues(kind: &str, a: &str, b: &str) -> String {