diff --git a/crates/engine/src/lib.rs b/crates/engine/src/lib.rs
index 9d8187052..f24d672be 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/lib.rs
@@ -1717,13 +1717,25 @@ impl Session {
             self.note_depth = 1;
             self.batch_stash = None;
         }
-        // A selection-only command given `ids` selects them first, in the same undo step (#2130).
+        // A selection-only command given `ids` selects them first, in the same undo step (#2130);
+        // when the command then fails, the selection (and the current layer selecting them made
+        // current) goes back to how it was, as when the ids are refused.
         let select_first = SELECTS_GIVEN_IDS.contains(&id).then(|| params.get("ids")).flatten();
+        let selected_before = select_first.and(self.active()).map(|d| (d.uid, d.selection.clone(), d.active_layer));
         let run = |s: &mut Session| {
             if let Some(ids) = select_first {
                 s.execute("select.set", &serde_json::json!({ "ids": ids }))?;
             }
-            (spec.run)(s, params)
+            let r = (spec.run)(s, params);
+            if r.is_err()
+                && let Some((uid, selection, layer)) = selected_before
+                && let Some(st) = s.docs.iter_mut().find(|d| d.uid == uid)
+            {
+                st.selection = selection;
+                st.active_layer = layer;
+                st.revision += 1;
+            }
+            r
         };
         // The entries the command journals belong to the undo groups of the documents it edits, and to
         // the group of the document it starts in when it ends there too.
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_select_ids_first.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_select_ids_first.rs
index fbeb2c867..03d4ebd0b 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_select_ids_first.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_select_ids_first.rs
@@ -143,6 +143,24 @@ fn bad_ids_are_refused_and_change_nothing() {
     }
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn a_command_that_fails_after_selecting_its_ids_puts_the_selection_back() {
+    let (mut s, ids) = doc();
+    let far = s.execute("shape.rectangle", &json!({"x": 300, "y": 200, "width": 20, "height": 20})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    s.execute("select.set", &json!({"ids": [ids[3]]})).unwrap();
+    let (before, layer) = (s.doc().unwrap().doc.clone(), s.doc().unwrap().active_layer);
+    // The ids are fine, so they are selected; the shapes don't overlap, so Intersect then fails.
+    let e = s.execute("object.pathfinder.intersect", &json!({"ids": [ids[0], far]})).unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(e.contains("empty result"), "{e}");
+    assert!(s.doc().unwrap().doc == before);
+    assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects, vec![NodeId(ids[3])], "the selection stays");
+    assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().active_layer, layer);
+    // Without ids the failing command leaves the selection it ran on, as before.
+    s.execute("select.set", &json!({"ids": [ids[0], far]})).unwrap();
+    assert!(s.execute("object.pathfinder.intersect", &json!({})).is_err());
+    assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects, vec![NodeId(ids[0]), NodeId(far)]);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn without_ids_the_selection_is_used_as_before() {
     let (mut s, ids) = doc();
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_trap.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_trap.rs
index fd7619329..87fb92a6f 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_trap.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_trap.rs
@@ -125,6 +125,16 @@ fn no_adjoining_edges_is_a_clear_error_that_changes_nothing() {
     s.execute("select.set", &json!({"ids": [a.0]})).unwrap();
     let e = s.execute("object.pathfinder.trap", &json!({})).unwrap_err().to_string();
     assert!(e.contains("two or more objects"), "{e}");
+    // Given as ids, the objects are selected for the command, and its failure puts the
+    // selection back.
+    s.execute("select.none", &json!({})).unwrap();
+    let e = s.execute("object.pathfinder.trap", &json!({"ids": [a.0, b.0]})).unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(e.contains("no edges of different colours meet"), "{e}");
+    assert!(s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects.is_empty(), "{:?}", s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects);
+    s.execute("select.set", &json!({"ids": [a.0]})).unwrap();
+    assert!(s.execute("object.pathfinder.trap", &json!({"ids": [a.0, b.0]})).is_err());
+    assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects, vec![a]);
+    assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().doc, before);
 }
 
 #[test]