diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/place/mod.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/place/mod.rs
index 6719dbedf..4490f57cd 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/place/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/place/mod.rs
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ fn load(p: &Value, cmd: &str, board: Option<Rect>) -> Result<Loaded> {
         // default, as Illustrator places one, it is its art's bounds.
         let framed = matches!(format.id, "svg" | "svgz") && crop && p.get("crop").is_some();
         let frame = doc.artboards.first().map(|a| a.rect).filter(|_| framed);
-        (art_of(layers.iter().filter(|l| placeable(l)).flat_map(|l| l.children().into_iter().flatten())), frame)
+        (art_of(layer_art(&layers)), frame)
     } else {
         // The page placed is a PDF import's only one.
         let index = if pdf { 0 } else { page - 1 };
@@ -240,7 +240,16 @@ fn load(p: &Value, cmd: &str, board: Option<Rect>) -> Result<Loaded> {
 /// The placeable art of `layers` that lies on `board`.
 fn on_artboard(layers: &[Arc<Node>], board: Rect) -> Vec<Node> {
     let on_board = |c: &&Arc<Node>| c.visual_bounds().is_some_and(|b| b.intersect(board).area() > 0.0 || board.contains(b.origin()));
-    art_of(layers.iter().filter(|l| placeable(l)).flat_map(|l| l.children().into_iter().flatten()).filter(on_board))
+    art_of(layer_art(layers).filter(on_board))
+}
+
+/// The objects of the placeable `layers`, a clipping layer as itself: its objects alone would lose
+/// their clip, and its clipping path would come in as a loose path.
+fn layer_art(layers: &[Arc<Node>]) -> impl Iterator<Item = &Arc<Node>> {
+    layers.iter().filter(|l| placeable(l)).flat_map(|l| match &l.kind {
+        NodeKind::Layer { clip: true, .. } => std::slice::from_ref(l),
+        _ => l.children().map_or(&[][..], Vec::as_slice),
+    })
 }
 
 /// A clipping path of rectangle `r`, with id `id`.
@@ -257,14 +266,15 @@ fn placeable(l: &Node) -> bool {
     l.visible && !matches!(l.kind, NodeKind::Layer { template: true, .. })
 }
 
-/// The placeable art among `nodes`: guides left out, visible sublayers as groups.
+/// The placeable art among `nodes`: guides left out, visible sublayers as groups (clip groups for
+/// clipping layers).
 fn art_of<'a>(nodes: impl Iterator<Item = &'a Arc<Node>>) -> Vec<Node> {
     nodes
         .filter_map(|c| match &c.kind {
             NodeKind::Path { guide: true, .. } => None,
-            NodeKind::Layer { children, .. } => placeable(c).then(|| {
+            NodeKind::Layer { children, clip, .. } => placeable(c).then(|| {
                 let mut g = (**c).clone();
-                g.kind = NodeKind::Group { children: art_of(children.iter()).into_iter().map(Arc::new).collect(), clip: false };
+                g.kind = NodeKind::Group { children: art_of(children.iter()).into_iter().map(Arc::new).collect(), clip: *clip };
                 g
             }),
             _ => Some((**c).clone()),
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_place.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_place.rs
index 35cd5f787..16dcf574e 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_place.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_place.rs
@@ -375,3 +375,20 @@ fn an_svg_placed_with_crop_is_framed_by_its_viewbox() {
         assert!(near(path_bounds(&s, &r["ids"][0]), Rect::new(120.0, 100.0, 280.0, 300.0)), "{r}");
     }
 }
+
+/// An SVG whose top-level group is clipped is placed as one clip group: the clip is kept, and its
+/// clipping path is not left behind as a loose path.
+#[test]
+fn a_clipped_top_level_group_stays_clipped() {
+    let svg = br##"<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="200" height="100" viewBox="0 0 200 100">
+  <defs><clipPath id="c"><path d="M0 0 L200 0 L200 100 L0 100 Z"/></clipPath></defs>
+  <g id="Layer_1" clip-path="url(#c)"><path d="M100 -20 L250 -20 L250 40 L100 40 Z" fill="#f00"/></g>
+</svg>"##;
+    let mut s = session();
+    let r = place(&mut s, "c.svg", svg, json!({"link": false}));
+    assert_eq!((r["width"].as_f64().unwrap(), r["height"].as_f64().unwrap()), (200.0, 100.0), "{r}");
+    let placed = node(&s, &r["ids"][0]);
+    let NodeKind::Group { children, clip: false } = &placed.kind else { panic!("{:?}", placed.kind) };
+    let [inner] = children.as_slice() else { panic!("one object: {children:?}") };
+    assert!(matches!(&inner.kind, NodeKind::Group { children, clip: true } if children.len() == 2), "{:?}", inner.kind);
+}