diff --git a/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx b/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx
index 26c4045..bee99d4 100755
--- a/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/admin/Admin.tsx
@@ -85,11 +85,15 @@ function Inventory() {
     return fetchAdminItems(active)
       .then(rows => {
         if (seq === latestRequest.current) setItems(rows);
+        // Handed back so a caller that needs one fresh row (handleBackgrounds)
+        // can pick it out of this filtered fetch instead of issuing its own
+        // second, unfiltered one.
+        return rows;
       })
       // Without this the table simply keeps showing whatever it had, so a
       // failed refetch after a save looks identical to a save that did not
       // change anything.
-      .catch(() => message.error('Could not load items'));
+      .catch(() => { message.error('Could not load items'); return undefined; });
   }, [filters]);
 
   // The item form needs the current category tree and tag list; both change
@@ -213,6 +217,7 @@ function Inventory() {
    * showing the previous files and the button looks like it did nothing.
    */
   async function handleBackgrounds(itemId: number, action: 'remove-backgrounds' | 'restore-originals') {
+    const label = action === 'remove-backgrounds' ? 'remove backgrounds' : 'restore originals';
     setBusyBackgrounds(true);
     try {
       const res = await fetch(`/api/admin/items/${itemId}/${action}`, { method: 'POST' });
@@ -231,14 +236,16 @@ function Inventory() {
         message.success('Done.');
       }
 
-      // Re-read the item so the thumbnails match what is now on the server.
-      const fresh = await fetch('/api/admin/items');
-      if (fresh.ok) {
-        const all: Item[] = await fresh.json();
-        const updated = all.find((candidate) => candidate.id === itemId);
-        if (updated) setEditingItem(prev => (prev && prev.id === itemId ? updated : prev));
-        setItems(all);
-      }
+      // Re-read the list through load() — same as every other mutation here —
+      // so a filtered view survives this, then pick this item's fresh images
+      // back out of it for the open modal. The item's own filtered fields
+      // (category, tags, status, search) are untouched by a background swap,
+      // so it stays in the result whenever it was in it before.
+      const rows = await load();
+      const updated = rows?.find(candidate => candidate.id === itemId);
+      if (updated) setEditingItem(prev => (prev && prev.id === itemId ? updated : prev));
+    } catch (err) {
+      message.error(`Couldn't ${label} — ${(err as Error).message}`);
     } finally {
       setBusyBackgrounds(false);
     }