diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.spec.ts
index 529cda48d..73161cf1d 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.spec.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,18 @@ describe('title-sources.operations', () => {
             expect(scanQuery.params).toContain('Ça');
         });
 
+        it('pairs raw tokens by meaning, not by position', async () => {
+            // Normalization drops whole words, so "FR: Ça" becomes just "ca".
+            // Pairing positionally would hand "ca" the raw token "FR:" and
+            // send it down the ASCII branch, where it cannot match "Ça".
+            const scan = createDbMock([]);
+            await findTitleSources(scan.db, { title: 'FR: Ça' });
+            const scanQuery = compiledQuery(scan.all);
+
+            expect(scanQuery.sql).toContain('instr');
+            expect(scanQuery.params).toContain('Ça');
+        });
+
         it('keeps the word boundary for ASCII tokens', async () => {
             // The looser substring test must not leak into the ASCII path,
             // where it would let "it" match "Titanic".
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.ts
index 5c9c2f3c6..ceb05258a 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/database/operations/title-sources.operations.ts
@@ -160,10 +160,20 @@ function scanCandidateQuery(
     // multiword titles like "I Am" — matching on "i" alone would return most
     // of the catalog and hand it all to the TypeScript pass to throw away.
     const tokens = base.split(' ').filter(Boolean);
-    const rawTokens = rawTitle.split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+    // Paired by NORMALIZED form, not by position: normalization drops whole
+    // words ("FR: Ça" -> "ca"), so a positional pairing hands "ca" the raw
+    // token "FR:" and picks the wrong branch for it.
+    const rawByBase = new Map<string, string>();
+    for (const raw of rawTitle.split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean)) {
+        const normalized = normalizeTitleKeys(raw).base;
+        if (normalized && !rawByBase.has(normalized)) {
+            rawByBase.set(normalized, raw);
+        }
+    }
+
     const wordMatches = sql.join(
-        tokens.map((token, index) =>
-            tokenPredicate(token, rawTokens[index] ?? token)
+        tokens.map((token) =>
+            tokenPredicate(token, rawByBase.get(token) ?? token)
         ),
         sql` AND `
     );
diff --git a/docs/architecture/playlist-backup-restore.md b/docs/architecture/playlist-backup-restore.md
index f6e60b61e..fc2b39fec 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/playlist-backup-restore.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/playlist-backup-restore.md
@@ -162,7 +162,12 @@ worker IPC boundary in the snake_case wire shape declared by
 `XCategoryFromDb`/`XtreamCategoryFromDb`; the category operations project
 their Drizzle rows explicitly to keep that contract true.
 
-`sourcePins` (VOD multi-source) is the one **optional** collection: archives
+`sourcePins` (VOD multi-source) is the one **optional** collection, and the
+normalizer preserves that: an absent field stays absent rather than becoming
+`[]`, because restore treats a PRESENT collection as authoritative and clears
+the playlist's existing pins before applying it. Materializing an empty array
+would turn "this archive predates pins" into "this archive says there are
+none": archives
 written before multi-source existed simply do not have it, so its absence is
 age rather than damage and only a wrong type is rejected. A pin is carried
 under the playlist it points AT — exporting it anywhere else would restore a
diff --git a/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/playlist-refresh-action.service.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/playlist-refresh-action.service.spec.ts
index e5ebf5ee1..b87054a3d 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/playlist-refresh-action.service.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/playlist-refresh-action.service.spec.ts
@@ -468,8 +468,6 @@ describe('PlaylistRefreshActionService', () => {
                 },
             ],
             playbackPositions: [],
-            // Normalized state always carries every collection, empty or not.
-            sourcePins: [],
         });
         expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             PlaylistActions.updatePlaylistMeta({
diff --git a/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/recent-playlists.component.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/recent-playlists.component.spec.ts
index 8c6b5e251..b9de1ca97 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/recent-playlists.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/recent-playlists.component.spec.ts
@@ -555,8 +555,6 @@ describe('RecentPlaylistsComponent busy state', () => {
                 },
             ],
             playbackPositions: [],
-            // Normalized state always carries every collection, empty or not.
-            sourcePins: [],
         });
         expect(router.navigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
             '/workspace',
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.spec.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.spec.ts
index 10ed9703d..6498e10b9 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.spec.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ describe('VodDetailsPlaybackService — external session ownership', () => {
                     useValue: {
                         currentPlaylist: signal({ id: ROUTE_PLAYLIST }),
                         addRecentItem,
+                        constructVodStreamUrl: jest
+                            .fn()
+                            .mockReturnValue('https://example.com/route.mkv'),
                     },
                 },
                 {
@@ -206,6 +209,39 @@ describe('VodDetailsPlaybackService — external session ownership', () => {
         );
     });
 
+    it('drops a switch that a plain Play overtook', async () => {
+        activeSession.set(sessionFor(ROUTE_PLAYLIST, ROUTE_VOD_ID));
+        let releaseClose: (() => void) | undefined;
+        const closing = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+            releaseClose = () => resolve();
+        });
+        closeSession.mockReturnValue(closing);
+        openResolvedPlayback.mockClear();
+
+        const switching = service.startResolvedPlayback({
+            streamUrl: 'https://example.com/alt.mkv',
+            title: 'Example Movie',
+        });
+
+        // The user presses Play on the route copy while that close is pending.
+        service.playVod({
+            movie_data: { stream_id: ROUTE_VOD_ID, name: 'Example Movie' },
+        } as never);
+        releaseClose?.();
+        await switching;
+
+        // Only the route copy may be playing; the switch was overtaken.
+        expect(openResolvedPlayback).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(openResolvedPlayback).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                streamUrl: 'https://example.com/alt.mkv',
+            }),
+            true
+        );
+
+        closeSession.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    });
+
     it('launches only the newest source when two switches overlap', async () => {
         activeSession.set(sessionFor(ROUTE_PLAYLIST, ROUTE_VOD_ID));
         // One shared promise: both calls see the same running session, so
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.ts
index a5e0e655a..b1343e3d3 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-playback.service.ts
@@ -376,6 +376,11 @@ export class VodDetailsPlaybackService {
 
 
     private startPlayback(playback: ResolvedPortalPlayback): void {
+        // EVERY start claims the generation, not just the switch path. Play,
+        // Resume and Restart reach here directly, and a switch still waiting
+        // on its `closeSession` would otherwise pass the check afterwards and
+        // launch on top of what the user just chose.
+        this.startGeneration++;
         this.positionWriter.reset();
         if (this.portalPlayer.isEmbeddedPlayer()) {
             this.inlinePlayback.set(playback);
diff --git a/libs/services/src/lib/playlist-backup.service.pins.spec.ts b/libs/services/src/lib/playlist-backup.service.pins.spec.ts
index 3492a32e5..c1f7b2a76 100644
--- a/libs/services/src/lib/playlist-backup.service.pins.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/services/src/lib/playlist-backup.service.pins.spec.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ describe('PlaylistBackupService Xtream source pins', () => {
         localStorage.clear();
     });
 
-
     it('exports the pins that point at this playlist', async () => {
         const collaborators = createRestoreCollaborators();
         const service = createPlaylistBackupService({
@@ -147,7 +146,16 @@ describe('PlaylistBackupService Xtream source pins', () => {
         const service = createPlaylistBackupService({
             ...collaborators,
             vodSourcePinService: {
-                listForPlaylist: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+                // A pin EXISTS, or an empty list would make this pass whether
+                // or not the clear was skipped.
+                listForPlaylist: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([
+                    {
+                        matchKey: 'tmdb:999',
+                        playlistId: 'xtream-1',
+                        contentId: 7,
+                        portalType: 'xtream',
+                    },
+                ]),
                 set: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(true),
                 clear: clearPins,
             },
diff --git a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.spec.ts b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.spec.ts
index 800787371..ff7da2d11 100644
--- a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.spec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {
     buildVodSourceMatchKey,
     buildVodSourceMatchKeyCandidates,
     isTmdbMatchKey,
+    buildVodSourceMatchKeyWriteKeys,
 } from './vod-source-match-key.util';
 
 const MOVIE = { title: 'The Matrix', year: 1999, tmdbId: 603 };
@@ -57,3 +58,34 @@ describe('buildVodSourceMatchKeyCandidates', () => {
         expect(buildVodSourceMatchKeyCandidates({ title: '' })).toEqual([]);
     });
 });
+
+describe('buildVodSourceMatchKeyWriteKeys — the ambiguous alias', () => {
+    it('is not written beside a precise key', () => {
+        // `title:dune:` names every remake. Retiring it while storing the
+        // tmdb pin could delete another film's pre-enrichment preference.
+        expect(
+            buildVodSourceMatchKeyWriteKeys({
+                tmdbId: 603,
+                title: 'Dune',
+                year: null,
+            })
+        ).toEqual(['tmdb:603']);
+    });
+
+    it('is still used when it is the only key there is', () => {
+        // Refusing to pin at all would be worse than an imprecise pin.
+        expect(
+            buildVodSourceMatchKeyWriteKeys({ title: 'Dune', year: null })
+        ).toEqual(['title:dune:']);
+    });
+
+    it('is unnecessary once a year disambiguates the title', () => {
+        expect(
+            buildVodSourceMatchKeyWriteKeys({
+                tmdbId: 603,
+                title: 'Dune',
+                year: 2021,
+            })
+        ).toEqual(['tmdb:603', 'title:dune:2021']);
+    });
+});
diff --git a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.ts b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.ts
index 6cf96e44d..637a2d4b0 100644
--- a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.ts
+++ b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/vod-source-match-key.util.ts
@@ -99,7 +99,19 @@ export function buildVodSourceMatchKeyWriteKeys(input: {
     }
 
     const titleKey = buildVodSourceMatchKey({ ...input, tmdbId: null });
-    if (titleKey && !keys.includes(titleKey)) {
+    // The yearless form (`title:dune:`) names every remake at once, so once a
+    // precise key exists it must not be written OR retired alongside it — the
+    // row may hold a different film's pre-enrichment preference. When it is
+    // the ONLY key we have, it is still better than refusing to pin at all,
+    // and `retirablePinKeys` re-adds it whenever this session actually read
+    // it.
+    const isAmbiguous = titleKey?.endsWith(':') === true;
+    const hasPreciseKey = keys.length > 0;
+    if (
+        titleKey &&
+        !keys.includes(titleKey) &&
+        !(isAmbiguous && hasPreciseKey)
+    ) {
         keys.push(titleKey);
     }
 
diff --git a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.spec.ts b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.spec.ts
index 6c117b995..e7e13040a 100644
--- a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.spec.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import { normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState } from './xtream-restore-state.util';
 
 describe('normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState', () => {
+    // No `sourcePins`: absent has to stay absent, or an older archive would
+    // read as "there are no pins" and restore would clear the user's.
     const emptyState = {
         hiddenCategories: [],
         favorites: [],
         recentlyViewed: [],
         playbackPositions: [],
-        sourcePins: [],
     };
 
     it.each([null, undefined, 'text', 42, []])(
@@ -19,6 +20,18 @@ describe('normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState', () => {
     );
 
     describe('source pins', () => {
+        it('leaves the field absent when the input has none', () => {
+            expect(
+                normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState({ favorites: [] })
+            ).not.toHaveProperty('sourcePins');
+        });
+
+        it('keeps a present-but-empty collection, which is an answer', () => {
+            expect(
+                normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState({ sourcePins: [] })
+            ).toHaveProperty('sourcePins', []);
+        });
+
         it('keeps usable pins and drops the rest', () => {
             const state = normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState({
                 sourcePins: [
diff --git a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.ts b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.ts
index 5b99a207a..6f17b039b 100644
--- a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.ts
+++ b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-restore-state.util.ts
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ export function normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState(
             favorites: [],
             recentlyViewed: [],
             playbackPositions: [],
-            sourcePins: [],
         };
     }
 
@@ -144,7 +143,12 @@ export function normalizeXtreamPendingRestoreState(
         playbackPositions: toArray(candidate.playbackPositions).filter(
             (item): item is PlaybackPositionData => isRecord(item)
         ),
-        sourcePins: normalizeSourcePins(candidate.sourcePins),
+        // Absent stays ABSENT. Materializing `[]` here would make an older
+        // archive — which says nothing about pins — look like one that says
+        // "there are none", and restore would clear the user's pins.
+        ...(candidate.sourcePins === undefined
+            ? {}
+            : { sourcePins: normalizeSourcePins(candidate.sourcePins) }),
     };
 }