diff --git a/steward/ansible/routes.py b/steward/ansible/routes.py
index af09e19..28b36a3 100644
--- a/steward/ansible/routes.py
+++ b/steward/ansible/routes.py
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ async def playbook_vars():
     (vars/vars_prompt), loaded when a playbook is chosen from a dropdown."""
     source_name = (request.args.get("source_name", "") or "").strip()
     playbook_path = (request.args.get("playbook_path", "") or "").strip()
+    # Schedule form: schedules can't prompt, so secret vars render disabled.
+    schedule = (request.args.get("schedule", "") or "").strip() == "1"
     source = next((s for s in _get_sources() if s["name"] == source_name), None)
     variables: list = []
     meta: dict = {"description": "", "category": "", "confirm": False}
@@ -182,7 +184,8 @@ async def playbook_vars():
             meta = src_module.discover_playbook_meta(contents)
     return await render_template(
         "ansible/_playbook_vars.html", variables=variables,
-        description=meta["description"], category=meta["category"], confirm=meta["confirm"])
+        description=meta["description"], category=meta["category"],
+        confirm=meta["confirm"], schedule=schedule)
 
 
 @ansible_bp.get("/run-form/<source_name>/<path:playbook_path>")
@@ -383,11 +386,25 @@ async def schedules():
         if editing_id and s.id == editing_id:
             editing = s
 
+    # Edit mode: pre-render the selected playbook's declared variables so their
+    # saved values show (fresh loads fetch these via HTMX from /playbook-vars).
+    edit_variables: list = []
+    edit_meta: dict = {"description": "", "category": "", "confirm": False}
+    if editing:
+        src = next((s for s in _get_sources() if s["name"] == editing.source_name), None)
+        if src:
+            contents = src_module.read_playbook(src["path"], editing.playbook_path)
+            if contents is not None:
+                edit_variables = src_module.discover_playbook_variables(contents)
+                edit_meta = src_module.discover_playbook_meta(contents)
+
     return await render_template(
         "ansible/schedules.html",
         rows=rows, groups=groups, targets=targets,
         source_data=source_data, all_playbooks=all_playbooks,
         editing=editing, interval_presets=INTERVAL_PRESETS,
+        edit_variables=edit_variables, edit_description=edit_meta["description"],
+        edit_category=edit_meta["category"], edit_confirm=edit_meta["confirm"],
     )
 
 
diff --git a/steward/templates/ansible/_playbook_vars.html b/steward/templates/ansible/_playbook_vars.html
index 38d2149..55a4e03 100644
--- a/steward/templates/ansible/_playbook_vars.html
+++ b/steward/templates/ansible/_playbook_vars.html
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 {# Description + discovered variable fields for a selected playbook. Shared by
    the browse run form, host run form, and schedule form. Expects `variables`
-   and `description`. Rendered standalone by /ansible/playbook-vars. #}
+   and `description`. Rendered standalone by /ansible/playbook-vars.
+   Optional: `values` (dict var-name→saved value, prefills fields for edit
+   forms) and `schedule` (True in the schedule form — schedules can't prompt,
+   so secret vars are shown disabled and the confirm gate isn't `required`). #}
+{% set _values = values|default({}) %}
+{% set _schedule = schedule|default(false) %}
 {% if description or category %}
 <div style="background:var(--bg);border-left:3px solid var(--accent);border-radius:3px;
             padding:0.5rem 0.7rem;margin:0.25rem 0 0.6rem;font-size:0.82rem;color:var(--text-muted);">
@@ -13,7 +18,7 @@
 <label style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:0.5rem;background:color-mix(in srgb,var(--red) 10%,var(--bg-elevated));
               border:1px solid color-mix(in srgb,var(--red) 35%,var(--border));border-radius:6px;
               padding:0.6rem 0.8rem;margin:0 0 0.6rem;font-size:0.82rem;font-weight:normal;cursor:pointer;">
-  <input type="checkbox" name="confirmed" required style="margin-top:0.15rem;">
+  <input type="checkbox" name="confirmed" {% if not _schedule %}required{% endif %} style="margin-top:0.15rem;">
   <span><strong style="color:var(--red);">Confirm:</strong> this playbook is marked as making
   significant or destructive changes. Tick to enable running it.</span>
 </label>
@@ -33,13 +38,22 @@
       ({{ v.name }}{% if v.required %}, required{% endif %}{% if v.secret %}, secret{% endif %})
     </span>
   </label>
+  {% if v.secret and _schedule %}
+  {# Scheduled runs can't prompt, so secret vars are dropped downstream — show
+     the field disabled rather than inviting silent data loss. #}
+  <input type="text" disabled
+         placeholder="secrets can't be scheduled — set via inventory / global creds"
+         style="width:100%;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:0.85rem;opacity:0.55;">
+  {% else %}
   {% if v.secret %}<input type="hidden" name="secret__{{ v.name }}" value="1">{% endif %}
   <input type="{{ 'password' if v.secret else 'text' }}"
          name="var__{{ v.name }}"
+         {% if not v.secret %}value="{{ _values.get(v.name, '') }}"{% endif %}
          {% if v.required %}required{% endif %}
          {% if v.secret %}autocomplete="new-password"{% endif %}
          placeholder="{% if v.secret %}(hidden){% elif v.default not in (None, '') %}default: {{ v.default }}{% else %}no default{% endif %}"
          style="width:100%;font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:0.85rem;">
+  {% endif %}
 </div>
 {% endfor %}
 {% else %}
diff --git a/steward/templates/ansible/schedules.html b/steward/templates/ansible/schedules.html
index d54fd86..bc21fe7 100644
--- a/steward/templates/ansible/schedules.html
+++ b/steward/templates/ansible/schedules.html
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@
 
 {# ── Create / edit form ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── #}
 {% set p = (editing.params or {}) if editing else {} %}
+{% set saved_vars = p.get('extra_vars_map') or {} %}
+{% set declared_names = (edit_variables or []) | map(attribute='name') | list %}
 <div class="card" id="form">
   <h2 class="section-title" style="margin-bottom:1rem;">{{ "Edit schedule" if editing else "New schedule" }}</h2>
   <form method="post" action="{{ '/ansible/schedules/' ~ editing.id if editing else '/ansible/schedules' }}">
@@ -96,7 +98,9 @@
       </div>
       <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom:0;">
         <label>Playbook</label>
-        <select name="playbook_path" id="sch-playbook" required>
+        <select name="playbook_path" id="sch-playbook" required
+                hx-get="/ansible/playbook-vars?schedule=1" hx-trigger="change"
+                hx-target="#sch-playbook-vars" hx-swap="innerHTML" hx-include="closest form">
           <option value="">— choose playbook —</option>
           {% for pb in all_playbooks %}
           <option value="{{ pb }}" {% if editing and editing.playbook_path == pb %}selected{% endif %}>{{ pb }}</option>
@@ -132,11 +136,29 @@
         <input type="text" name="tags" value="{{ p.get('tags', '') }}" placeholder="tag1,tag2">
       </div>
     </div>
-    <div class="form-group" style="margin-top:1rem;">
-      <label>Extra vars (one key=value per line)</label>
-      <textarea name="extra_vars" rows="3" placeholder="prune_volumes=false">{% for k, v in (p.get('extra_vars_map') or {}).items() %}{{ k }}={{ v }}
-{% endfor %}</textarea>
+
+    {# Declared playbook variables (vars:/vars_prompt:) — loaded via HTMX on
+       playbook change; pre-rendered here in edit mode so saved values show. #}
+    <div id="sch-playbook-vars" style="margin-top:1rem;">
+      {% if editing %}
+      {% set variables = edit_variables %}
+      {% set description = edit_description %}
+      {% set category = edit_category %}
+      {% set confirm = edit_confirm %}
+      {% set values = saved_vars %}
+      {% set schedule = true %}
+      {% include "ansible/_playbook_vars.html" %}
+      {% endif %}
     </div>
+
+    <details style="margin-top:0.75rem;">
+      <summary style="cursor:pointer;font-size:0.82rem;color:var(--text-muted);">Extra vars</summary>
+      <div class="form-group" style="margin-top:0.6rem;">
+        <label>Extra vars <span style="color:var(--text-muted);font-weight:normal;">(one key=value per line — for vars not listed above)</span></label>
+        <textarea name="extra_vars" rows="3" placeholder="prune_volumes=false">{% for k, v in saved_vars.items() if k not in declared_names %}{{ k }}={{ v }}
+{% endfor %}</textarea>
+      </div>
+    </details>
     <div class="form-group" style="display:flex;align-items:center;gap:0.5rem;">
       <input type="checkbox" name="check" id="check" style="width:auto;" {% if p.get('check') %}checked{% endif %}>
       <label for="check" style="margin-bottom:0;">Dry run (--check --diff)</label>