diff --git a/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.test.ts b/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.test.ts
index 39184a4..677d94e 100644
--- a/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.test.ts
+++ b/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.test.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,33 @@ const makeDraft = (
   sourceGenerationId: null,
 });
 
+for (const type of ['image', 'video'] as const) {
+  test(`${type} preview and selected thumbnail agree before and after restoring manual selection`, () => {
+    const draft = makeDraft(type, '16:9');
+    const outputs: CanvasOutputCard[] = [0, 1, 2].map((index) => ({
+      ...draft,
+      id: `take-${index}`,
+      kind: 'output',
+      url: index === 2 ? null : `https://example.com/${index}.${type === 'image' ? 'png' : 'mp4'}`,
+      status: index === 2 ? 'processing' : 'succeeded',
+      sourceConfigCardId: draft.id,
+      generationRunId: `run-${index}`,
+      generationSnapshot: {
+        ...draft,
+        capturedAt: `2026-10-18T00:0${index}:00.000Z`,
+      },
+    }));
+    for (const pinnedOutputId of [null, outputs[0].id, 'missing']) {
+      const restored = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify({ ...draft, pinnedOutputId }));
+      const presentation = buildGenerationCardPresentation({ card: restored, outputs });
+      const selected = presentation.takes.find((take) => take.isPinned);
+      assert.equal(selected?.id, pinnedOutputId === outputs[0].id ? outputs[0].id : outputs[1].id);
+      assert.equal(presentation.latestOutputUrl, selected?.url);
+      assert.equal(presentation.status, 'processing');
+    }
+  });
+}
+
 test('draft frame size follows portrait and landscape ratios', () => {
   assert.deepEqual(resolveDraftShapeSize(null, makeDraft('video', '9:16')), {
     w: 236,
diff --git a/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.ts b/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.ts
index 92807ab..3f4e62a 100644
--- a/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.ts
+++ b/src/components/beatcanvas/use-beatcanvas-react-flow-adapter.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ import type {
   CanvasDraftCard,
   CanvasOutputCard,
 } from '@/core/beatcanvas/canvas-types';
-import { buildGenerationTakes } from '@/core/beatcanvas/generation-history';
+import {
+  buildGenerationTakes,
+  resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId,
+} from '@/core/beatcanvas/generation-history';
 import {
   isCanvasDraftCard,
   isCanvasOutputCard,
@@ -186,21 +189,13 @@ export const buildGenerationCardPresentation = ({
         ) || left.id.localeCompare(right.id)
     );
   const latestOutput = orderedOutputs[orderedOutputs.length - 1] ?? null;
-  const pinnedOutput = card.pinnedOutputId
-    ? orderedOutputs.find(
-        (output) =>
-          output.id === card.pinnedOutputId &&
-          output.status === 'succeeded' &&
-          Boolean(output.url || output.resultText)
-      ) ?? null
-    : null;
-  const latestSucceededOutput = [...orderedOutputs]
-    .reverse()
-    .find(
-      (output) =>
-        output.status === 'succeeded' &&
-        Boolean(output.url || output.resultText)
-    );
+  const selectedOutputId = resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({
+    outputs: orderedOutputs,
+    pinnedOutputId: card.pinnedOutputId,
+  });
+  const selectedOutput = orderedOutputs.find(
+    (output) => output.id === selectedOutputId && output.status === 'succeeded'
+  );
   const isAnalysis = card.generationMode === 'analysis';
   const analysisReportCount = isAnalysis
     ? orderedOutputs.filter(
@@ -213,14 +208,10 @@ export const buildGenerationCardPresentation = ({
     isAnalysis,
     latestOutputUrl: isAnalysis
       ? null
-      : pinnedOutput?.url ?? latestSucceededOutput?.url ?? card.url ?? null,
-    latestOutputText:
-      isAnalysis
-        ? null
-        : pinnedOutput?.resultText ??
-          latestSucceededOutput?.resultText ??
-          card.resultText ??
-          null,
+      : (selectedOutput?.url ?? card.url ?? null),
+    latestOutputText: isAnalysis
+      ? null
+      : (selectedOutput?.resultText ?? card.resultText ?? null),
     analysisReportCount,
     takes: buildGenerationTakes({
       outputs: orderedOutputs,
@@ -1224,6 +1215,7 @@ export function useBeatCanvasReactFlowAdapter({
       setCanvasCard(completedOutputCard);
       setCanvasCard({
         ...draftCard,
+        pinnedOutputId: outputCardId,
         url: isAnalysisOutput ? null : (url ?? null),
         resultText: isAnalysisOutput ? null : resultText,
       });
diff --git a/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.test.ts b/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.test.ts
index 028242a..db12546 100644
--- a/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.test.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,42 @@ const makeOutput = (
   },
 });
 
+for (const type of ['image', 'video'] as const) {
+  test(`${type} defaults to the newest usable take regardless of input order`, () => {
+    const older = { ...makeOutput('old', '2026-10-18T00:00:00.000Z'), type };
+    const newer = { ...makeOutput('new', '2026-10-18T00:01:00.000Z'), type };
+    const pending = { ...makeOutput('pending', '2026-10-18T00:02:00.000Z', 'processing'), type };
+    const empty = { ...makeOutput('empty', '2026-10-18T00:03:00.000Z'), type, url: null };
+    const failed = { ...makeOutput('failed', '2026-10-18T00:04:00.000Z', 'failed'), type };
+    for (const outputs of [[older, pending, newer, empty, failed], [failed, empty, newer, pending, older]]) {
+      const originalOrder = outputs.map((output) => output.id);
+      for (const pinnedOutputId of [null, 'missing', failed.id, empty.id, pending.id]) {
+        assert.equal(resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({ outputs, pinnedOutputId }), newer.id);
+        const takes = buildGenerationTakes({ outputs, pinnedOutputId });
+        assert.equal(takes.find((take) => take.isPinned)?.id, newer.id);
+        assert.equal(takes.find((take) => take.id === newer.id)?.takeNumber, 2);
+      }
+      assert.equal(resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({ outputs, pinnedOutputId: older.id }), older.id);
+      assert.deepEqual(outputs.map((output) => output.id), originalOrder);
+    }
+    const draft = { ...older, id: 'draft-1', kind: 'generation' as const, pinnedOutputId: null };
+    const cards = Object.fromEntries([draft, older, newer, pending, failed].map((card) => [card.id, card]));
+    assert.equal(resolveConcreteCanvasMediaCard({ cards, card: draft })?.id, newer.id);
+  });
+}
+
+test('fallback handles empty histories, only failed outputs and equal timestamps deterministically', () => {
+  const time = '2026-10-18T00:00:00.000Z';
+  assert.equal(resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({ outputs: [] }), null);
+  assert.equal(resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({ outputs: [makeOutput('failed', time, 'failed')] }), null);
+  for (const status of ['succeeded', 'pending'] as const) {
+    const a = makeOutput('a', time, status);
+    const b = makeOutput('b', time, status);
+    assert.equal(resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({ outputs: [a, b] }), 'b');
+    assert.equal(resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId({ outputs: [b, a] }), 'b');
+  }
+});
+
 test('resolves a generation node to its pinned concrete output asset', () => {
   const older = makeOutput('output-old', '2026-08-16T00:00:00.000Z');
   const newer = makeOutput('output-new', '2026-08-16T00:02:00.000Z');
diff --git a/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.ts b/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.ts
index 6cc7fbd..cbdca54 100644
--- a/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.ts
+++ b/src/core/beatcanvas/generation-history.ts
@@ -40,21 +40,26 @@ export const resolvePinnedGenerationOutputId = ({
   outputs: CanvasOutputCard[];
   pinnedOutputId?: string | null;
 }) => {
+  const newestFirst = [...outputs]
+    .filter((output) => output.status !== 'failed')
+    .sort(
+      (left, right) =>
+        right.generationSnapshot.capturedAt.localeCompare(
+          left.generationSnapshot.capturedAt
+        ) || right.id.localeCompare(left.id)
+    );
+  const hasResult = (output: CanvasOutputCard) =>
+    output.status === 'succeeded' && Boolean(output.url || output.resultText);
   if (
     pinnedOutputId &&
-    outputs.some((output) => output.id === pinnedOutputId)
+    newestFirst.some((output) => output.id === pinnedOutputId && hasResult(output))
   ) {
     return pinnedOutputId;
   }
 
   return (
-    outputs.find(
-      (output) =>
-        output.status === 'succeeded' &&
-        Boolean(output.url || output.resultText)
-    )
-      ?.id ??
-    outputs[0]?.id ??
+    newestFirst.find(hasResult)?.id ??
+    newestFirst[0]?.id ??
     null
   );
 };
diff --git a/tests/e2e/workspace.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/workspace.spec.ts
index 648ddc9..bedf5a9 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/workspace.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/workspace.spec.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,71 @@ async function project(request: APIRequestContext, name: string) {
   return (await response.json()).id as string;
 }
 
+for (const type of ['image', 'video'] as const) {
+  test(`Canvas ${type} defaults to latest take and persists manual history selection`, async ({ page, request }) => {
+    const projectId = await project(request, `Latest ${type} take QA`);
+    const fixture = await readFile(type === 'image' ? 'public/logo.png' : 'tests/fixtures/tiny-black.mp4');
+    const urls: string[] = [];
+    const assetIds: string[] = [];
+    for (const index of [1, 2]) {
+      const uploaded = await request.post(`/api/app/projects/${projectId}/assets`, {
+        headers,
+        multipart: { file: {
+          name: `take-${index}.${type === 'image' ? 'png' : 'mp4'}`,
+          mimeType: type === 'image' ? 'image/png' : 'video/mp4',
+          buffer: Buffer.concat([fixture, Buffer.from(`take-${index}`)]),
+        } },
+      });
+      expect(uploaded.ok()).toBeTruthy();
+      const { asset } = await uploaded.json();
+      urls.push(asset.publicUrl);
+      assetIds.push(asset.id);
+    }
+    const draft = {
+      id: 'qa-latest-draft', kind: 'generation', type, name: 'Latest take QA', url: null,
+      prompt: 'Local version selection test', referenceCardIds: [], workflowTemplateId: null,
+      status: 'idle', error: null, modelId: type === 'image' ? 'gpt-image-2.5-flare' : 'seedance-2.0',
+      aspectRatio: '16:9', outputQuality: '720p', duration: '8s', mode: 'quality',
+      variant: 'standard', quality: 'standard', sourceGenerationId: null,
+    };
+    const outputs = [0, 1, 2].map((index) => ({
+      ...draft, id: `qa-take-${index}`, kind: 'output',
+      assetId: assetIds[index] ?? null,
+      status: index === 2 ? 'processing' : 'succeeded', url: urls[index] ?? null,
+      sourceConfigCardId: draft.id, generationRunId: `qa-run-${index}`,
+      generationSnapshot: { ...draft, capturedAt: `2026-10-18T00:0${index}:00.000Z` },
+    }));
+    const applied = await mcp(request, 'bdesign_canvas_apply', { projectId, operations: [draft, ...outputs].map((card) => ({
+      type: 'upsert_card', card, frame: { x: 200, y: 160, w: 420, h: 236 },
+    })) });
+    expect(applied.structuredContent.result.ok, JSON.stringify(applied)).toBe(true);
+    const snapshot = await (await request.get(`/api/app/projects/${projectId}/snapshot`)).json();
+    expect(snapshot.document.cards).toHaveLength(4);
+    await page.goto(`/canvas/${projectId}`);
+    const node = page.locator(`[data-card-id="${draft.id}"]`);
+    await expect(node).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(node.getByRole('button', { name: 'Take 2', exact: true })).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
+    await expect(node.getByRole('button', { name: 'Take 1', exact: true })).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'false');
+    if (type === 'image') {
+      await expect(node.locator('img').first()).toHaveAttribute('src', urls[1]);
+    } else {
+      await node.getByRole('button', { name: /^View result:/ }).click();
+      await expect(page.locator('video').first()).toHaveAttribute('src', urls[1]);
+      await page.getByRole('dialog').getByRole('button').click();
+    }
+    await node.getByRole('button', { name: 'Take 1', exact: true }).click();
+    await expect(node.getByRole('button', { name: 'Take 1', exact: true })).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
+    await page.getByRole('dialog').getByRole('button').click();
+    await expect.poll(async () => {
+      const state = await (await request.get(`/api/app/projects/${projectId}/snapshot`)).json();
+      return state.document.cards.find((card: { id: string }) => card.id === draft.id)?.pinnedOutputId;
+    }).toBe(outputs[0].id);
+    await page.reload();
+    await expect(node.getByRole('button', { name: 'Take 1', exact: true })).toHaveAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
+    await page.screenshot({ path: `test-results/latest-${type}-take.png` });
+  });
+}
+
 test('Canvas UI commands and MCP edits share durable state; unchanged polling is lightweight', async ({ page, request }) => {
   const id = await project(request, 'Canvas concurrency QA');
   const initial = { id: 'qa-draft', kind: 'generation', type: 'image', name: 'QA draft', prompt: 'Original prompt', modelId: 'gpt-image-2.5-flare' };
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/tiny-black.mp4 b/tests/fixtures/tiny-black.mp4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a20c060
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/fixtures/tiny-black.mp4 differ