feat(series): pending staging for add-from-post (#789 Phase 2)

Add-from-post no longer appends straight into the run — it STAGES the post's
pages as pending (per-page status; page_number NULL), grouped by source post,
so the operator drops junk (text-free alts, bumpers) and places the keepers
into the sequence with clean series-global numbering.

- migration 0048: series_page.status ('placed' default | 'pending') + nullable
  page_number.
- series_service: placed/pending split everywhere (list_pages returns the
  placed run + a `pending` section grouped by source post; reorder/cover/
  list_series operate on placed only); add_post stages pending; new
  place_pending(image_ids, before_image_id=None) flips pending→placed spliced
  before a page (or appended) and renumbers; junk removal reuses remove_images.
- api/tags: /add-post now returns staged count; new POST /series/<id>/pending/
  place.
- frontend: PostSeriesMenu navigates to the series after staging; seriesManage
  store surfaces `pending` + placePending; SeriesManageView gains a pending
  tray (per-post groups, place-all / place-one / drop-junk).
- tests: pending staging, place (append + insert-before), ignore-already-
  placed, drop-junk, route guard; updated add_post + match-accept expectations.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

alembic/versions/0048_series_page_pending_status.py

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+"""series_page pending staging: status + nullable page_number (#789 Phase 2)
+
+Pages added from a post no longer append straight into the run — they land
+'pending' with a NULL page_number, staged grouped by their source post so the
+operator can drop junk (text-free alts, bumpers) and place the keepers into the
+sequence. A page only gets a series-global page_number once it's 'placed'.
+
+Revision ID: 0048
+Revises: 0047
+Create Date: 2026-06-11
+
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+from alembic import op
+
+revision: str = "0048"
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = "0047"
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    op.add_column(
+        "series_page",
+        sa.Column(
+            "status", sa.String(length=16), nullable=False,
+            server_default="placed",
+        ),
+    )
+    op.alter_column(
+        "series_page", "page_number",
+        existing_type=sa.Integer(), nullable=True,
+    )
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    # Lossy: pending pages are unsorted staging rows with no order — drop them.
+    op.execute("DELETE FROM series_page WHERE status = 'pending'")
+    op.alter_column(
+        "series_page", "page_number",
+        existing_type=sa.Integer(), nullable=False,
+    )
+    op.drop_column("series_page", "status")

backend/app/api/tags.py

@@ -583,6 +583,28 @@ async def series_add_post(tag_id: int):
     return jsonify(out)
 
 
+@tags_bp.route("/series/<int:tag_id>/pending/place", methods=["POST"])
+async def series_place_pending(tag_id: int):
+    """Move staged (pending) pages into the placed run — before `before_image_id`
+    (a placed page) or appended when omitted (#789 P2)."""
+    body = await request.get_json()
+    ids, err = _parse_bulk_ids(body, max_ids=500)
+    if err:
+        return err
+    before, berr = _opt_int(body, "before_image_id")
+    if berr:
+        return berr
+    async with get_session() as session:
+        try:
+            n = await SeriesService(session).place_pending(
+                tag_id, ids, before_image_id=before
+            )
+        except SeriesError as exc:
+            return _series_err(exc)
+        await session.commit()
+    return jsonify({"placed_count": n})
+
+
 # ---- suggestion queue (FC-6.3) --------------------------------------------
 
 

backend/app/models/series_page.py

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ number parsed from the source post, nullable when unknown.
 
 from datetime import datetime
 
-from sqlalchemy import DateTime, ForeignKey, Integer, func
+from sqlalchemy import DateTime, ForeignKey, Integer, String, func
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Mapped, mapped_column
 
 from .base import Base
@@ -32,7 +32,12 @@ class SeriesPage(Base):
         nullable=False,
         unique=True,
     )
-    page_number: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer, nullable=False)
+    # 'placed' = in the series-global run (page_number set); 'pending' = staged
+    # from a post awaiting the operator's sort (page_number NULL). (#789 P2)
+    status: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(
+        String(16), nullable=False, server_default="placed"
+    )
+    page_number: Mapped[int | None] = mapped_column(Integer, nullable=True)
     stated_page: Mapped[int | None] = mapped_column(Integer, nullable=True)
     created_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(
         DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False, server_default=func.now()

backend/app/services/series_service.py

@@ -57,11 +57,18 @@ class SeriesService:
         return out
 
     async def _page_order(self, series_tag_id: int) -> list[int]:
-        """The series' image_ids in reading order (series-global page_number)."""
+        """The series' PLACED image_ids in reading order (series-global
+        page_number). Pending (staged) pages are excluded — they have no order
+        yet."""
         rows = (
             await self.session.execute(
                 select(SeriesPage.image_id)
-                .where(SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id)
+                .where(
+                    and_(
+                        SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                        SeriesPage.status == "placed",
+                    )
+                )
                 .order_by(SeriesPage.page_number.asc(), SeriesPage.id.asc())
             )
         ).scalars().all()
@@ -159,7 +166,12 @@ class SeriesService:
                 .select_from(SeriesPage)
                 .join(ImageRecord, ImageRecord.id == SeriesPage.image_id)
                 .outerjoin(Post, Post.id == ImageRecord.primary_post_id)
-                .where(SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id)
+                .where(
+                    and_(
+                        SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                        SeriesPage.status == "placed",
+                    )
+                )
                 .order_by(SeriesPage.page_number.asc(), SeriesPage.id.asc())
             )
         ).all()
@@ -207,10 +219,66 @@ class SeriesService:
             for r in drows
         ]
 
+        # Pending (staged-from-post) pages, grouped by their source post so the
+        # operator can drop junk and place the keepers into the run.
+        prows = (
+            await self.session.execute(
+                select(
+                    SeriesPage.image_id,
+                    SeriesPage.stated_page,
+                    ImageRecord.sha256,
+                    ImageRecord.mime,
+                    ImageRecord.path,
+                    ImageRecord.thumbnail_path,
+                    ImageRecord.primary_post_id,
+                    Post.post_title,
+                )
+                .select_from(SeriesPage)
+                .join(ImageRecord, ImageRecord.id == SeriesPage.image_id)
+                .outerjoin(Post, Post.id == ImageRecord.primary_post_id)
+                .where(
+                    and_(
+                        SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                        SeriesPage.status == "pending",
+                    )
+                )
+                .order_by(
+                    ImageRecord.primary_post_id.asc().nulls_last(),
+                    SeriesPage.id.asc(),
+                )
+            )
+        ).all()
+        pending_groups: list[dict] = []
+        by_post: dict = {}
+        for r in prows:
+            grp = by_post.get(r.primary_post_id)
+            if grp is None:
+                grp = {
+                    "post": (
+                        {"id": r.primary_post_id, "title": r.post_title}
+                        if r.primary_post_id is not None
+                        else None
+                    ),
+                    "pages": [],
+                }
+                by_post[r.primary_post_id] = grp
+                pending_groups.append(grp)
+            grp["pages"].append(
+                {
+                    "image_id": r.image_id,
+                    "stated_page": r.stated_page,
+                    "thumbnail_url": thumbnail_url(
+                        r.thumbnail_path, r.sha256, r.mime
+                    ),
+                    "image_url": f"/images/{r.path.split('/images/', 1)[-1]}",
+                }
+            )
+
         return {
             "series": {"id": tag.id, "name": tag.name},
             "pages": pages,
             "dividers": dividers,
+            "pending": pending_groups,
             "part_gaps": self._part_gaps(dividers),
         }
 
@@ -243,13 +311,7 @@ class SeriesService:
         await self.session.execute(
             SeriesPage.__table__.delete().where(SeriesPage.image_id.in_(to_add))
         )
-        max_pn = (
+        max_pn = await self._max_placed_page_number(series_tag_id)
-            await self.session.scalar(
-                select(
-                    func.coalesce(func.max(SeriesPage.page_number), 0)
-                ).where(SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id)
-            )
-        ) or 0
         sp = stated_pages or {}
         await self.session.execute(
             pg_insert(SeriesPage).values(
@@ -257,6 +319,7 @@ class SeriesService:
                     {
                         "series_tag_id": series_tag_id,
                         "image_id": iid,
+                        "status": "placed",
                         "page_number": max_pn + offset,
                         "stated_page": sp.get(iid),
                     }
@@ -266,6 +329,20 @@ class SeriesService:
         )
         return len(to_add)
 
+    async def _max_placed_page_number(self, series_tag_id: int) -> int:
+        return (
+            await self.session.scalar(
+                select(
+                    func.coalesce(func.max(SeriesPage.page_number), 0)
+                ).where(
+                    and_(
+                        SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                        SeriesPage.status == "placed",
+                    )
+                )
+            )
+        ) or 0
+
     async def remove_images(
         self, series_tag_id: int, image_ids: list[int]
     ) -> int:
@@ -454,10 +531,11 @@ class SeriesService:
         }
 
     async def add_post(self, series_tag_id: int, post_id: int) -> dict:
-        """Case 2: append a post's images to the end of an existing series' flat
+        """Case 2: STAGE a post's images as PENDING pages of an existing series
-        run (stated pages parsed from the post when present). No chapter wrapping
+        (#789 P2). They don't enter the ordered run yet — the operator drops junk
-        — the operator orders/labels afterward. (Phase 2 will stage these as
+        (text-free alts, bumpers) and places the keepers via place_pending, so
-        pending instead of appending directly.)"""
+        the series-global numbering stays clean. Stated pages are parsed from the
+        post when present."""
         await self._require_series(series_tag_id)
         post = await self.session.get(Post, post_id)
         if post is None:
@@ -465,13 +543,102 @@ class SeriesService:
         image_ids = await self._post_images_ordered(post_id)
         if not image_ids:
             raise SeriesError("post has no images to add")
-        rng = parse_page_range(f"{post.post_title or ''} {post.description or ''}")
+        # Skip images already in THIS series (placed or pending); move any in
-        start = rng[0] if rng else None
+        # another series here as pending (image_id is UNIQUE).
-        added = await self.add_images(
+        existing = dict(
-            series_tag_id, image_ids,
+            (
-            stated_pages=self._stated_map(image_ids, start),
+                await self.session.execute(
+                    select(SeriesPage.image_id, SeriesPage.series_tag_id)
+                    .where(SeriesPage.image_id.in_(image_ids))
+                )
+            ).all()
         )
-        return {"series_tag_id": series_tag_id, "added": added}
+        to_stage = [i for i in image_ids if existing.get(i) != series_tag_id]
+        if not to_stage:
+            return {"series_tag_id": series_tag_id, "staged": 0}
+        await self.session.execute(
+            SeriesPage.__table__.delete().where(
+                SeriesPage.image_id.in_(to_stage)
+            )
+        )
+        rng = parse_page_range(f"{post.post_title or ''} {post.description or ''}")
+        sp = self._stated_map(image_ids, rng[0] if rng else None) or {}
+        await self.session.execute(
+            pg_insert(SeriesPage).values(
+                [
+                    {
+                        "series_tag_id": series_tag_id,
+                        "image_id": iid,
+                        "status": "pending",
+                        "page_number": None,
+                        "stated_page": sp.get(iid),
+                    }
+                    for iid in to_stage
+                ]
+            )
+        )
+        return {"series_tag_id": series_tag_id, "staged": len(to_stage)}
+
+    async def place_pending(
+        self,
+        series_tag_id: int,
+        image_ids: list[int],
+        before_image_id: int | None = None,
+    ) -> int:
+        """Move staged (pending) pages into the placed run — spliced in just
+        before `before_image_id` (a placed page), or appended at the end when
+        it's None. Page numbers are then rewritten 1..N across the run."""
+        await self._require_series(series_tag_id)
+        ids = self._clean_ids(image_ids)
+        rows = dict(
+            (
+                await self.session.execute(
+                    select(SeriesPage.image_id, SeriesPage.status).where(
+                        and_(
+                            SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                            SeriesPage.image_id.in_(ids),
+                        )
+                    )
+                )
+            ).all()
+        )
+        staged = [i for i in ids if rows.get(i) == "pending"]
+        if not staged:
+            return 0
+        placed = await self._page_order(series_tag_id)
+        if before_image_id is not None and before_image_id not in placed:
+            raise SeriesError(
+                "before_image_id is not a placed page of this series"
+            )
+        new_order: list[int] = []
+        for iid in placed:
+            if iid == before_image_id:
+                new_order.extend(staged)
+            new_order.append(iid)
+        if before_image_id is None:
+            new_order.extend(staged)
+        await self.session.execute(
+            update(SeriesPage)
+            .where(
+                and_(
+                    SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                    SeriesPage.image_id.in_(staged),
+                )
+            )
+            .values(status="placed")
+        )
+        for idx, iid in enumerate(new_order, start=1):
+            await self.session.execute(
+                update(SeriesPage)
+                .where(
+                    and_(
+                        SeriesPage.series_tag_id == series_tag_id,
+                        SeriesPage.image_id == iid,
+                    )
+                )
+                .values(page_number=idx)
+            )
+        return len(staged)
 
     # ---- browse list (FC-6.2) --------------------------------------------
 
@@ -488,7 +655,9 @@ class SeriesService:
                     SeriesPage.series_tag_id,
                     func.count().label("pages"),
                     func.max(SeriesPage.updated_at).label("updated_at"),
-                ).group_by(SeriesPage.series_tag_id)
+                )
+                .where(SeriesPage.status == "placed")
+                .group_by(SeriesPage.series_tag_id)
             )
         ).all()
         page_count = {r.series_tag_id: r.pages for r in page_rows}
@@ -532,6 +701,7 @@ class SeriesService:
                 .label("rn"),
             )
             .join(ImageRecord, ImageRecord.id == SeriesPage.image_id)
+            .where(SeriesPage.status == "placed")
             .subquery()
         )
         cover_rows = (

frontend/src/components/posts/PostSeriesMenu.vue

@@ -123,7 +123,9 @@ async function onAddExisting() {
       body: { post_id: props.post.id }
     })
     pickerOpen.value = false
-    toast({ text: 'Added to series', type: 'success' })
+    toast({ text: 'Staged — sort the new pages into the series', type: 'success' })
+    // Take the operator to the series so they can drop junk + place the pages.
+    router.push({ name: 'series-manage', params: { tagId: picked.value } })
   } catch (e) {
     toast({ text: `Could not add to series: ${e.message}`, type: 'error' })
   } finally {

frontend/src/stores/seriesManage.js

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export const useSeriesManageStore = defineStore('seriesManage', () => {
   const series = ref(null)
   const pages = ref([])              // flat, ordered: [{image_id, page_number, stated_page, thumbnail_url, image_url, source_post}]
   const dividers = ref([])           // [{id, anchor_image_id, page_number, title, stated_part}]
+  const pending = ref([])            // staged-from-post: [{post:{id,title}|null, pages:[{image_id, stated_page, thumbnail_url, image_url}]}]
   const partGaps = ref([])           // [{after_divider_id, start, end}]
   const pageCount = ref(0)
   const picker = ref([])             // gallery scroll results
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ export const useSeriesManageStore = defineStore('seriesManage', () => {
       series.value = body.series
       pages.value = body.pages || []
       dividers.value = body.dividers || []
+      pending.value = body.pending || []
       partGaps.value = body.part_gaps || []
       pageCount.value = pages.value.length
     } finally {
@@ -105,6 +107,15 @@ export const useSeriesManageStore = defineStore('seriesManage', () => {
     toast({ text: 'Chapter divider removed', type: 'success' })
   }
 
+  // ---- pending staging (add-from-post) ----
+  async function placePending(imageIds, beforeImageId = null) {
+    await api.post(`/api/series/${tagId.value}/pending/place`, {
+      body: { image_ids: imageIds, before_image_id: beforeImageId }
+    })
+    await refresh()
+    toast({ text: 'Pages placed into the series', type: 'success' })
+  }
+
   // ---- picker / add pages ----
   async function loadPicker(reset = false) {
     if (reset) { picker.value = []; pickerCursor.value = null }
@@ -132,10 +143,10 @@ export const useSeriesManageStore = defineStore('seriesManage', () => {
   }
 
   return {
-    tagId, series, pages, dividers, partGaps, pageCount,
+    tagId, series, pages, dividers, pending, partGaps, pageCount,
     picker, pickerCursor, pickerSelection, loading,
     load, refresh, dividerAt, partGapAfter,
-    reorder, remove, setCover,
+    reorder, remove, setCover, placePending,
     createDivider, renameDivider, setDividerPart, deleteDivider,
     loadPicker, togglePick, addSelected
   }

frontend/src/views/SeriesManageView.vue

@@ -32,6 +32,51 @@
       be dragged into place.
     </p>
 
+    <!-- Pending tray: pages staged from a post, grouped by source post, for the
+         operator to drop junk and place into the run. -->
+    <div v-if="store.pending.length" class="fc-pending">
+      <div class="fc-pending__head">
+        <v-icon size="small">mdi-tray-arrow-down</v-icon>
+        <span>Pending — sort into the series</span>
+      </div>
+      <p class="fc-pending__hint">
+        New pages from a post land here. Drop the ones that don't belong
+        (text-free alternates, bumpers), then place the rest into the run.
+      </p>
+      <section v-for="(grp, gi) in store.pending" :key="gi" class="fc-pgroup">
+        <header class="fc-pgroup__head">
+          <span class="fc-pgroup__title" :title="grp.post?.title">
+            <v-icon size="x-small">mdi-link-variant</v-icon>
+            {{ grp.post?.title || 'Unknown post' }}
+          </span>
+          <span class="fc-pgroup__count">{{ grp.pages.length }} pending</span>
+          <v-spacer />
+          <v-btn
+            size="small" variant="tonal" color="accent"
+            prepend-icon="mdi-playlist-plus"
+            @click="store.placePending(grp.pages.map(p => p.image_id))"
+          >Place all into series</v-btn>
+        </header>
+        <div class="fc-pgroup__pages">
+          <div v-for="p in grp.pages" :key="p.image_id" class="fc-ppage">
+            <img :src="p.thumbnail_url" alt="" loading="lazy" />
+            <div class="fc-ppage__actions">
+              <v-btn
+                size="x-small" variant="flat" icon="mdi-playlist-plus"
+                title="Place this page into the series"
+                @click="store.placePending([p.image_id])"
+              />
+              <v-btn
+                size="x-small" variant="flat" icon="mdi-close"
+                title="Drop — doesn't belong in the series"
+                @click="store.remove(p.image_id)"
+              />
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </section>
+    </div>
+
     <!-- One continuous page run; chapter dividers render inline before their
          anchor page. -->
     <div v-if="store.pages.length" class="fc-run">
@@ -337,6 +382,57 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   max-width: 1100px;
 }
 
+/* Pending tray */
+.fc-pending {
+  max-width: 1100px; margin-bottom: 18px;
+  border: 1px solid rgb(var(--v-theme-accent), 0.4);
+  border-radius: 10px; padding: 10px 14px;
+  background: rgb(var(--v-theme-accent), 0.06);
+}
+.fc-pending__head {
+  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;
+  font-family: 'Fraunces', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;
+  color: rgb(var(--v-theme-accent));
+}
+.fc-pending__hint {
+  font-size: 12px; color: rgb(var(--v-theme-on-surface-variant));
+  margin: 4px 0 10px;
+}
+.fc-pgroup { margin-bottom: 12px; }
+.fc-pgroup__head {
+  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 6px;
+}
+.fc-pgroup__title {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px; max-width: 360px;
+  overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;
+  font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600;
+}
+.fc-pgroup__count {
+  font-size: 12px; color: rgb(var(--v-theme-on-surface-variant));
+}
+.fc-pgroup__pages {
+  display: grid; gap: 8px;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(110px, 1fr));
+}
+.fc-ppage {
+  position: relative; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;
+  background: rgb(var(--v-theme-surface-light));
+  border: 1px dashed rgb(var(--v-theme-accent), 0.5);
+}
+.fc-ppage img {
+  width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 3 / 4; object-fit: contain; display: block;
+  background: rgb(var(--v-theme-background));
+}
+.fc-ppage__actions {
+  position: absolute; top: 4px; right: 4px; display: flex; gap: 2px;
+  opacity: 0; transition: opacity 0.12s;
+}
+.fc-ppage:hover .fc-ppage__actions,
+.fc-ppage:focus-within .fc-ppage__actions { opacity: 1; }
+.fc-ppage__actions :deep(.v-btn) {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.55); color: #fff;
+}
+
 /* Picker slide-over */
 .fc-picker__head {
   position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 1; padding: 12px 14px;

tests/test_series_from_post.py

@@ -71,30 +71,29 @@ async def test_promote_requires_images(db):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_add_post_appends_pages_to_the_run(db):
+async def test_add_post_stages_pending(db):
     svc = SeriesService(db)
     artist = await _artist(db, "Story Artist")
     sid = (await TagService(db).find_or_create("Story", TagKind.series)).id
-    # Seed the series with two existing pages.
+    # Seed the series with two PLACED pages.
     seed_post = await _post(db, artist, "seed", "pp3a")
     seed = await _post_images(db, seed_post, artist, 2)
     await svc.add_images(sid, seed)
-    # A later post's pages append to the END (operator orders afterward).
+    # A later post is STAGED as pending — not in the placed run yet.
     post = await _post(db, artist, "Story pages 9-11", "pp3b")
     imgs = await _post_images(db, post, artist, 3)
     out = await svc.add_post(sid, post.id)
-    assert out["added"] == 3
+    assert out["staged"] == 3
 
-    rows = (
+    data = await svc.list_pages(sid)
-        await db.execute(
+    # placed run unchanged (just the seed); pending grouped under the post.
-            select(SeriesPage.image_id, SeriesPage.stated_page)
+    assert [p["image_id"] for p in data["pages"]] == seed
-            .where(SeriesPage.series_tag_id == sid)
+    assert len(data["pending"]) == 1
-            .order_by(SeriesPage.page_number)
+    grp = data["pending"][0]
-        )
+    assert grp["post"]["id"] == post.id
-    ).all()
+    assert grp["post"]["title"] == "Story pages 9-11"
-    assert [r.image_id for r in rows] == seed + imgs
+    assert [pg["image_id"] for pg in grp["pages"]] == imgs
-    stated = {r.image_id: r.stated_page for r in rows}
+    assert [pg["stated_page"] for pg in grp["pages"]] == [9, 10, 11]
-    assert [stated[i] for i in imgs] == [9, 10, 11]
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio

tests/test_series_match_service.py

@@ -90,8 +90,10 @@ async def test_accept_appends_pages_and_marks_added(db):
 
     await svc.accept(sug["id"])
     data = await SeriesService(db).list_pages(sid)
-    # b's pages were appended to the series' flat run (3 from a + 3 from b).
+    # b's pages are STAGED pending (3 from a placed + 3 from b pending),
-    assert len(data["pages"]) == 6
+    # awaiting the operator's sort.
+    assert len(data["pages"]) == 3
+    assert sum(len(g["pages"]) for g in data["pending"]) == 3
     status = await db.scalar(
         select(SeriesSuggestion.status).where(SeriesSuggestion.id == sug["id"])
     )

tests/test_series_pending.py

@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+"""FC-6.x Phase 2 — pending staging for add-from-post."""
+
+import pytest
+from sqlalchemy import select
+
+from backend.app.models import Artist, ImageRecord, Post, TagKind
+from backend.app.models.series_page import SeriesPage
+from backend.app.services.series_service import SeriesService
+from backend.app.services.tag_service import TagService
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.integration
+
+_SEQ = 0
+
+
+async def _artist(db, name):
+    a = Artist(name=name, slug=name.lower().replace(" ", "-"))
+    db.add(a)
+    await db.flush()
+    return a
+
+
+async def _post(db, artist, title, ext):
+    p = Post(artist_id=artist.id, external_post_id=ext, post_title=title)
+    db.add(p)
+    await db.flush()
+    return p
+
+
+async def _post_images(db, post, artist, n):
+    global _SEQ
+    ids = []
+    for _ in range(n):
+        _SEQ += 1
+        rec = ImageRecord(
+            path=f"/tmp/fc_pend_{_SEQ}.png", sha256=f"{_SEQ:064d}",
+            size_bytes=1, mime="image/png", origin="downloaded",
+            primary_post_id=post.id, artist_id=artist.id,
+        )
+        db.add(rec)
+        await db.flush()
+        ids.append(rec.id)
+    return ids
+
+
+async def _placed_order(db, sid):
+    rows = (
+        await db.execute(
+            select(SeriesPage.image_id)
+            .where(
+                SeriesPage.series_tag_id == sid,
+                SeriesPage.status == "placed",
+            )
+            .order_by(SeriesPage.page_number)
+        )
+    ).scalars().all()
+    return list(rows)
+
+
+async def _setup(db, name, seed_n=2):
+    svc = SeriesService(db)
+    artist = await _artist(db, name + " Artist")
+    sid = (await TagService(db).find_or_create(name, TagKind.series)).id
+    seed = []
+    if seed_n:
+        seed_post = await _post(db, artist, name + " seed", name + "-s")
+        seed = await _post_images(db, seed_post, artist, seed_n)
+        await svc.add_images(sid, seed)
+    return svc, artist, sid, seed
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_place_pending_appends_and_flips_status(db):
+    svc, artist, sid, seed = await _setup(db, "PA")
+    post = await _post(db, artist, "PA pages", "pa-p")
+    imgs = await _post_images(db, post, artist, 3)
+    await svc.add_post(sid, post.id)
+
+    placed = await svc.place_pending(sid, imgs)
+    assert placed == 3
+    assert await _placed_order(db, sid) == seed + imgs
+    # nothing left pending; page numbers compact 1..5
+    data = await svc.list_pages(sid)
+    assert data["pending"] == []
+    assert [p["page_number"] for p in data["pages"]] == [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_place_pending_before_a_placed_page(db):
+    svc, artist, sid, seed = await _setup(db, "PB")
+    a, b = seed
+    post = await _post(db, artist, "PB pages", "pb-p")
+    x, y = await _post_images(db, post, artist, 2)
+    await svc.add_post(sid, post.id)
+
+    await svc.place_pending(sid, [x, y], before_image_id=b)
+    assert await _placed_order(db, sid) == [a, x, y, b]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_place_pending_ignores_already_placed(db):
+    svc, artist, sid, seed = await _setup(db, "PC", seed_n=1)
+    # the seed page is already placed — place_pending is a no-op for it.
+    assert await svc.place_pending(sid, [seed[0]]) == 0
+    assert await _placed_order(db, sid) == seed
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_remove_drops_a_pending_junk_page(db):
+    svc, artist, sid, _ = await _setup(db, "PD", seed_n=0)
+    post = await _post(db, artist, "PD pages", "pd-p")
+    x, y, z = await _post_images(db, post, artist, 3)
+    await svc.add_post(sid, post.id)
+    # y is junk (a text-free alt) — drop it before placing.
+    await svc.remove_images(sid, [y])
+    data = await svc.list_pages(sid)
+    assert [pg["image_id"] for pg in data["pending"][0]["pages"]] == [x, z]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_place_pending_route_requires_ids(client):
+    r = await client.post(
+        "/api/tags", json={"name": "PReq", "kind": "series"}
+    )
+    sid = (await r.get_json())["id"]
+    resp = await client.post(f"/api/series/{sid}/pending/place", json={})
+    assert resp.status_code == 400