diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
index 65f3527..bea6bcc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ import { useSuggestionsStore } from '../../stores/suggestions.js'
 import FandomPicker from './FandomPicker.vue'
 
 const emit = defineEmits(['pick-existing', 'pick-new', 'accept-suggestion', 'cancel'])
+// The host surface's applied tags (host.current?.tags). Both dropdown sections
+// filter against this so a just-added tag drops out of the search the moment
+// the chip rail updates, not after the next modal refresh (operator-asked
+// 2026-07-03).
+const props = defineProps({
+  appliedTags: { type: Array, default: () => [] },
+})
 const store = useTagStore()
 // The image's ML (Camie) suggestions, surfaced inline in this dropdown so the
 // operator can pick a suggestion while typing instead of hunting for it in the
@@ -208,6 +215,18 @@ const createLabel = computed(() =>
 
 function scorePct (s) { return `${Math.round(s.score * 100)}%` }
 
+const appliedIds = computed(() => new Set(props.appliedTags.map(t => t.id)))
+const appliedNames = computed(() =>
+  new Set(props.appliedTags.map(t => `${t.kind}:${(t.name || '').toLowerCase()}`)),
+)
+
+// Server matches minus the image's applied tags. allowCreate/sameNameCharExists
+// keep reading the RAW hits — they reason about the tag universe (does this tag
+// exist?), not about this image.
+const visibleHits = computed(() =>
+  hits.value.filter(h => !appliedIds.value.has(h.id)),
+)
+
 // This image's suggestions that match the typed query, minus any the server
 // autocomplete already returned (same name+kind) so a tag never shows twice.
 // Sources the FULL prediction set (allByCategory, down to the store floor) — NOT
@@ -218,7 +237,7 @@ function scorePct (s) { return `${Math.round(s.score * 100)}%` }
 const suggestionHits = computed(() => {
   const q = parsedName.value.toLowerCase()
   if (!q) return []
-  const seen = new Set(hits.value.map(h => `${h.kind}:${h.name.toLowerCase()}`))
+  const seen = new Set(visibleHits.value.map(h => `${h.kind}:${h.name.toLowerCase()}`))
   const out = []
   for (const list of Object.values(suggestions.allByCategory)) {
     for (const s of list || []) {
@@ -226,7 +245,12 @@ const suggestionHits = computed(() => {
       // can show + un-reject them; keep them OUT of the type-to-add dropdown,
       // whose job is finding a tag to ADD (un-reject lives in the panel).
       if (s.rejected) continue
+      // Already on the image (matched by canonical id or name+kind): nothing
+      // to add. Covers the window between an add and the next suggestions
+      // fetch, where the stale row would otherwise still be pickable.
+      if (s.canonical_tag_id != null && appliedIds.value.has(s.canonical_tag_id)) continue
       const key = `${s.category}:${s.display_name.toLowerCase()}`
+      if (appliedNames.value.has(key)) continue
       if (!s.display_name.toLowerCase().includes(q)) continue
       if (seen.has(key)) continue
       seen.add(key)
@@ -242,7 +266,7 @@ const suggestionHits = computed(() => {
 // One ordered list backing both the rendered dropdown and keyboard nav, so the
 // highlight index maps 1:1 to a row regardless of which section it's in.
 const rows = computed(() => {
-  const r = hits.value.map(h => ({ type: 'hit', key: `h${h.id}`, hit: h }))
+  const r = visibleHits.value.map(h => ({ type: 'hit', key: `h${h.id}`, hit: h }))
   for (const s of suggestionHits.value) {
     r.push({ type: 'suggestion', key: `s${s.category}:${s.display_name}`, sugg: s })
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
index a0619f6..d5e5639 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagPanel.vue
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
     <TagAutocomplete
       ref="tagInputRef"
+      :applied-tags="host.current?.tags || []"
       @pick-existing="onPickExisting" @pick-new="onPickNew"
       @accept-suggestion="onAcceptSuggestion"
     />
@@ -107,17 +108,59 @@ defineExpose({ focusTagInput })
 // (operator-asked 2026-06-26; the Explore workspace leans on this hard).
 async function onRemove(tagId) {
   errorMsg.value = null
-  try { await host.removeTag(tagId); focusTagInput() }
+  try {
+    await host.removeTag(tagId)
+    // removeTag also records a per-image dismissal server-side, so reloading
+    // puts a model-suggested tag BACK in the suggestions area (flagged
+    // rejected — visible + one-click reversible) instead of it vanishing
+    // until the next modal open (operator-asked 2026-07-03).
+    if (host.currentImageId != null) {
+      suggestions.load(host.currentImageId)
+      suggestions.loadAll(host.currentImageId)
+    }
+    focusTagInput()
+  }
   catch (e) { errorMsg.value = e.message }
 }
 async function onPickExisting(hit) {
   errorMsg.value = null
-  try { await host.addExistingTag(hit.id); focusTagInput() }
+  try {
+    // Manually picking a tag the model also suggested = accepting the
+    // suggestion: the acceptance is recorded and the row drops from the
+    // panel, instead of silently bypassing the feedback loop
+    // (operator-asked 2026-07-03).
+    const pending = suggestions.findPending(hit.kind, hit.name, hit.id)
+    if (pending) {
+      await suggestions.accept({
+        ...pending,
+        canonical_tag_id: pending.canonical_tag_id ?? hit.id,
+      })
+      await host.reloadTags()
+    } else {
+      await host.addExistingTag(hit.id)
+    }
+    focusTagInput()
+  }
   catch (e) { errorMsg.value = e.message }
 }
 async function onPickNew(payload) {
   errorMsg.value = null
-  try { await host.createAndAdd(payload); focusTagInput() }
+  try {
+    const imageId = host.currentImageId
+    const created = await host.createAndAdd(payload)
+    // The typed name can match a raw (or canonical) suggestion; creating it
+    // by hand still counts as accepting — record it and drop the row. Runs
+    // AFTER createAndAdd so a character's fandom pick is preserved (accept's
+    // own create path knows no fandom); the accept apply is idempotent.
+    // Guard on the image not having changed mid-create (fast prev/next).
+    if (created && host.currentImageId === imageId) {
+      const pending = suggestions.findPending(payload.kind, payload.name, created.id)
+      if (pending) {
+        await suggestions.accept({ ...pending, canonical_tag_id: created.id })
+      }
+    }
+    focusTagInput()
+  }
   catch (e) { errorMsg.value = e.message }
 }
 // A suggestion picked from the autocomplete dropdown runs the SAME path as the
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/explore.js b/frontend/src/stores/explore.js
index 8b5c45f..36ee046 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/explore.js
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/explore.js
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ export const useExploreStore = defineStore('explore', () => {
     }
     if (anchor.value?.id !== id) return  // walked away mid-create
     await addExistingTag(tag.id)
+    // Returned so TagPanel can match the created tag against a pending
+    // suggestion and record the acceptance (manual add == accept, 2026-07-03).
+    return tag
   }
 
   // No overlay to dismiss in the Explore workspace — the chip-body "show me
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/modal.js b/frontend/src/stores/modal.js
index 3859b61..567f867 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/modal.js
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/modal.js
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ export const useModalStore = defineStore('modal', () => {
     }
     if (currentImageId.value !== imageId) return  // navigated away
     await addExistingTag(tag.id)
+    // Returned so TagPanel can match the created tag against a pending
+    // suggestion and record the acceptance (manual add == accept, 2026-07-03).
+    return tag
   }
 
   const isOpen = computed(() => currentImageId.value !== null)
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/suggestions.js b/frontend/src/stores/suggestions.js
index 6a1198d..6271825 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/suggestions.js
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/suggestions.js
@@ -169,6 +169,29 @@ export const useSuggestionsStore = defineStore('suggestions', () => {
     toast({ text: `Alias removed: ${suggestion.display_name}`, type: 'success' })
   }
 
+  // Find a live (non-rejected) pending suggestion matching a manually-picked
+  // tag — by canonical id when known, else by (kind, name). Manually adding a
+  // tag the model also suggested must be indistinguishable from accepting the
+  // suggestion (recorded + dropped from the panel), so TagPanel routes matches
+  // through accept() (operator-asked 2026-07-03). Searches the full dropdown
+  // set first, then the panel list (loadAll is best-effort and can be empty).
+  function findPending(kind, name, tagId = null) {
+    const lname = (name || '').toLowerCase()
+    for (const map of [allByCategory.value, byCategory.value]) {
+      for (const list of Object.values(map)) {
+        for (const s of list || []) {
+          if (s.rejected) continue
+          if (tagId != null && s.canonical_tag_id === tagId) return s
+          if (
+            s.category === kind &&
+            (s.display_name || '').toLowerCase() === lname
+          ) return s
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return null
+  }
+
   async function dismiss(suggestion) {
     const imageId = currentImageId
     if (imageId == null) return
@@ -202,6 +225,7 @@ export const useSuggestionsStore = defineStore('suggestions', () => {
 
   return {
     byCategory, allByCategory, loading, error,
-    load, loadAll, accept, aliasAccept, removeAlias, dismiss, undismiss
+    load, loadAll, accept, aliasAccept, removeAlias, dismiss, undismiss,
+    findPending
   }
 })
diff --git a/frontend/test/suggestions.spec.js b/frontend/test/suggestions.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0473db9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/test/suggestions.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { setActivePinia, createPinia } from 'pinia'
+import { useSuggestionsStore } from '../src/stores/suggestions.js'
+
+vi.mock('../src/utils/toast.js', () => ({ toast: vi.fn() }))
+
+function stubFetch(handler) {
+  globalThis.fetch = vi.fn(async (url, init) => {
+    const { status, body } = handler(url, init)
+    return {
+      ok: status >= 200 && status < 300,
+      status,
+      statusText: String(status),
+      text: async () => (body == null ? '' : JSON.stringify(body)),
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+const sugg = (over = {}) => ({
+  canonical_tag_id: 7,
+  display_name: 'Ichigo',
+  category: 'character',
+  score: 0.9,
+  source: 'head',
+  creates_new_tag: false,
+  rejected: false,
+  ...over,
+})
+
+// Seed the store through its own load/loadAll so currentImageId is set the
+// way the panel sets it (accept() derives the image from it).
+async function seed(store, byCategory) {
+  stubFetch(() => ({ status: 200, body: { by_category: byCategory } }))
+  await store.load(1)
+  await store.loadAll(1)
+}
+
+describe('suggestions store: findPending (manual add == accept, 2026-07-03)', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => setActivePinia(createPinia()))
+  afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks())
+
+  it('matches by canonical tag id', async () => {
+    const s = useSuggestionsStore()
+    await seed(s, { character: [sugg()] })
+    expect(s.findPending('general', 'unrelated', 7)?.display_name).toBe('Ichigo')
+  })
+
+  it('matches raw suggestions by kind + name, case-insensitively', async () => {
+    const s = useSuggestionsStore()
+    await seed(s, {
+      general: [sugg({
+        canonical_tag_id: null, display_name: 'Holding Sword',
+        category: 'general', creates_new_tag: true,
+      })],
+    })
+    expect(s.findPending('general', 'holding sword')).toBeTruthy()
+    // Kind must match: same name under another kind is a different tag.
+    expect(s.findPending('character', 'holding sword')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('skips rejected rows and returns null when nothing matches', async () => {
+    const s = useSuggestionsStore()
+    await seed(s, { character: [sugg({ rejected: true })] })
+    expect(s.findPending('character', 'Ichigo', 7)).toBeNull()
+    expect(s.findPending('character', 'Rukia')).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
+
+describe('suggestions store: accept with a known tag id', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => setActivePinia(createPinia()))
+  afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks())
+
+  it('POSTs only the accept endpoint (no tag create) and drops the row', async () => {
+    const s = useSuggestionsStore()
+    await seed(s, { character: [sugg()] })
+    const calls = []
+    stubFetch((url, init) => {
+      calls.push({ url, method: init?.method })
+      return { status: 200, body: { accepted: true, tag_id: 7 } }
+    })
+    // TagPanel routes a manual pick that matches a pending suggestion through
+    // accept, filling canonical_tag_id from the picked hit when the
+    // suggestion is raw — no /api/tags create must fire in that case.
+    await s.accept({ ...s.byCategory.character[0], canonical_tag_id: 7 })
+    expect(calls).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(calls[0].url).toContain('/api/images/1/suggestions/accept')
+    expect(s.byCategory.character).toHaveLength(0)
+    expect(s.allByCategory.character).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+})