diff --git a/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/features/project-workspace/ResourceReferenceInput.tsx b/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/features/project-workspace/ResourceReferenceInput.tsx
index b061cf091..033931eb8 100644
--- a/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/features/project-workspace/ResourceReferenceInput.tsx
+++ b/apps/ai-game-creator-shell/src/features/project-workspace/ResourceReferenceInput.tsx
@@ -726,6 +726,20 @@ function ResourceReferenceEditor({
     if (initialDraftAppliedRef.current || !initialContent) {
       return;
     }
+    // Manifest assets can arrive after the initial editor mount. Do not mark the
+    // draft as applied while resource references still have no lookup table;
+    // otherwise the later assetsById update cannot restore those references.
+    const hasUnresolvedResourceReference = initialContent.some(
+      (part) =>
+        part.type === 'agc_resource_reference' &&
+        !assetsById.has(part.resourceId),
+    );
+    if (hasUnresolvedResourceReference && assetsById.size === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+    // TODO: let the Lexical resource node resolve its asset label from the
+    // manifest itself, so unresolved references can remain as nodes while the
+    // manifest loads instead of waiting in this effect.
     initialDraftAppliedRef.current = true;
     editor.update(() => {
       applyContentToRoot(initialContent, assetsById);