diff --git a/scripts/test-apply.mjs b/scripts/test-apply.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb86734
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-apply.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import crypto from "node:crypto";
+const GW = "http://172.28.144.1:8088";
+const SECRET = "p9Xv7Lm2Qq8Nz4TfKc1Hs6YwRe3Ud0BafwefWEFw324234QEWF";
+const PID = "90571220-e6b2-44f3-b5a2-ed65999bf525";
+const b64 = (b) => Buffer.from(b).toString("base64url");
+const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+const h = b64(JSON.stringify({ alg: "HS256", typ: "JWT" }));
+const p = b64(JSON.stringify({ sub: "00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000aa", tenant_id: "00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000bb", tenant_slug: "flatrender", is_admin: "true", role: "Admin", iss: "flatrender-identity", aud: "flatrender", exp: now + 3600, iat: now }));
+const sig = crypto.createHmac("sha256", SECRET).update(`${h}.${p}`).digest("base64url");
+const H = { "Content-Type": "application/json", Authorization: `Bearer ${h}.${p}.${sig}` };
+
+const scan = { source: "ae-jsx", scenes: [{ key: "c1", title: "Scene 1", scene_type: "Normal", elements: [{ key: "frl_c1t1", title: "frl_c1t1", type: "Text", default_value: "hello" }], colors: [] }], shared_colors: [] };
+
+const res = await fetch(`${GW}/v1/projects/${PID}/scan/apply`, { method: "POST", headers: H, body: JSON.stringify({ scan, options: { overwrite_existing: true } }) });
+console.log("apply status:", res.status);
+console.log("body:", (await res.text()).slice(0, 400));
diff --git a/services/content/FlatRender.ContentSvc/Application/Services/AepImportService.cs b/services/content/FlatRender.ContentSvc/Application/Services/AepImportService.cs
index b440d4f..f36645c 100644
--- a/services/content/FlatRender.ContentSvc/Application/Services/AepImportService.cs
+++ b/services/content/FlatRender.ContentSvc/Application/Services/AepImportService.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ public class AepImportService(ContentDbContext db)
         // Load ALL scenes incl. soft-deleted: the UNIQUE(project_id,key) constraint
         // covers deleted rows too, so a re-scan must REVIVE a soft-deleted match
         // rather than insert a duplicate (which would violate the constraint).
+        // IgnoreQueryFilters() is REQUIRED — Scene has a global DeletedAt==null filter
+        // that would otherwise hide the soft-deleted rows we need to revive.
         var existing = await db.Scenes
+            .IgnoreQueryFilters()
             .Where(s => s.ProjectId == projectId)
             .Include(s => s.ContentElements)
             .Include(s => s.ColorElements)
diff --git a/services/node-agent/internal/runner/aecrash.go b/services/node-agent/internal/runner/aecrash.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a7feaed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/node-agent/internal/runner/aecrash.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package runner
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+// ClearAECrashState removes After Effects' session crash-recovery marker
+// (SCRPriorState.json) from every AE prefs version dir. AE checks this file at
+// startup; if it indicates an unclean prior session it shows the blocking
+// "Crash Repair Options" dialog — which would hang a headless afterfx/aerender
+// launch. Deleting it (vs. wiping all prefs) keeps the node's prefs intact.
+//
+// Safe no-op when APPDATA is unset (non-Windows / dev).
+func ClearAECrashState() {
+	appData := os.Getenv("APPDATA")
+	if appData == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	base := filepath.Join(appData, "Adobe", "After Effects")
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(base)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.IsDir() {
+			_ = os.Remove(filepath.Join(base, e.Name(), "SCRPriorState.json"))
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/services/node-agent/internal/runner/scan.go b/services/node-agent/internal/runner/scan.go
index b6c923e..150e376 100644
--- a/services/node-agent/internal/runner/scan.go
+++ b/services/node-agent/internal/runner/scan.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ func WriteScanScript(workDir string) (string, error) {
 // afterfx -r runs the script and the script calls app.quit(); we still poll for the
 // output file because afterfx can return before the file is flushed.
 func RunScan(ctx context.Context, afterfxPath, aepPath, workDir, outPath, mode string) ([]byte, error) {
+	ClearAECrashState() // avoid the "Crash Repair Options" dialog hanging a headless launch
 	scriptPath, err := WriteScanScript(workDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("write scan script: %w", err)