diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs
index 511447e65..1083454ca 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/swatches.rs
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ fn body(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui, salt: &'static str) {
     widgets::subheader(ui, tl!("Swatch Tiles"));
     let query = if pstate(ui.ctx(), "swatch-show-find") { widgets::search_field(ui, find_id(), tl!("Find")) } else { String::new() };
     let items = entries(app, kind, &query);
-    let active_swatch = active_swatch(app);
+    let active_swatch = kept_swatch(app, ui, active_swatch(app));
     let focus = focus_swatch(app, ui, active_swatch.as_deref());
     let selected = selection(app, ui);
     // Without a selection the swatch of the active paint is highlighted.
@@ -773,6 +773,29 @@ fn body(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui, salt: &'static str) {
 /// The document and the objects selected in it.
 type SelectedArt = (u64, Vec<u64>);
 
+/// The swatch highlighted for the active paint (`active`): with art selected, its swatch; once the
+/// art is deselected, still that swatch, until another document shows or the paints for new art
+/// change (a swatch or colour picked with nothing selected). Deselecting doesn't jump to the
+/// swatch of the paint new art gets (White).
+fn kept_swatch(app: &VectorcraftApp, ui: &Ui, active: Option<String>) -> Option<String> {
+    let Some(st) = app.session.active() else { return active };
+    let p = &app.session.paint;
+    // The document, and the paints new art gets, which picking with nothing selected changes.
+    let defaults = format!("{}|{:?}|{:?}|{}", st.uid, p.fill, p.stroke, app.session.fill_active);
+    if !st.selection.objects.is_empty() {
+        set_pstate(ui.ctx(), "swatch-kept", Some((defaults, active.clone())));
+        return active;
+    }
+    match pstate::<Option<(String, Option<String>)>>(ui.ctx(), "swatch-kept") {
+        Some((d, kept)) if d == defaults => kept,
+        Some(_) => {
+            set_pstate(ui.ctx(), "swatch-kept", None::<(String, Option<String>)>);
+            active
+        }
+        None => active,
+    }
+}
+
 /// The swatch the tiles scroll to this frame, once: the active paint's swatch when it changed, or
 /// when other art was selected. Selecting other art also clears the panel's own selection, so its
 /// swatch is the one highlighted.
@@ -1905,6 +1928,38 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(focus_swatch(&app, &egui::Ui::new(ctx.clone(), egui::Id::new("t"), egui::UiBuilder::new()), Some("Last Ink")), None);
     }
 
+    /// Deselecting art keeps its swatch highlighted (not the White new art gets) until the paints for
+    /// new art change; selecting other art highlights its swatch.
+    #[test]
+    fn deselecting_keeps_the_arts_swatch_highlighted() {
+        let mut app = app();
+        app.run("swatch.new", json!({"name": "Ink 185", "color": "#e4002b", "spot": true})).unwrap();
+        let id = app.run("shape.rectangle", json!({"x": 0, "y": 0, "width": 50, "height": 50})).unwrap()["id"].clone();
+        app.run("paint.setFill", json!({"ids": [id], "swatch": "Ink 185"})).unwrap();
+        app.run("select.none", json!({})).unwrap();
+        // New art's paints back to the defaults, as for art that came in with a file.
+        app.run("paint.default", json!({})).unwrap();
+        let ctx = context();
+        let ui = egui::Ui::new(ctx.clone(), egui::Id::new("t"), egui::UiBuilder::new());
+        let shown = |app: &VectorcraftApp| kept_swatch(app, &ui, active_swatch(app));
+        assert_ne!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("Ink 185"), "nothing selected yet: new art's paint");
+        app.run("select.set", json!({"ids": [id]})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("Ink 185"));
+        app.run("select.none", json!({})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("Ink 185"), "kept after deselecting");
+        assert_eq!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("Ink 185"), "and on later frames");
+        // A colour picked with nothing selected is new art's: its swatch shows.
+        app.run("paint.setFill", json!({"swatch": "Black"})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("Black"));
+        // Other art selected (a white one) shows its swatch, and keeps it once deselected.
+        let white = app.run("shape.rectangle", json!({"x": 60, "y": 0, "width": 50, "height": 50})).unwrap()["id"].clone();
+        app.run("paint.setFill", json!({"ids": [white.clone()], "swatch": "White"})).unwrap();
+        app.run("select.set", json!({"ids": [white]})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("White"));
+        app.run("select.none", json!({})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(shown(&app).as_deref(), Some("White"));
+    }
+
     /// A selected image, or text in a colour no swatch has, highlights no swatch (not None); text in
     /// a swatch's colour highlights that swatch.
     #[test]