diff --git a/packages/studio/src/App.tsx b/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
index 3b1ad464a1..7c35cd7ae5 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useOwnPreviewIframe, usePreviewIframeStore } from "./player/store/previewIframeStore";
-import { notePreviewReload } from "./player/sceneRemount";
+import { usePreviewReloadKey } from "./player/sceneRemount";
 import { buildProjectApiPath } from "./utils/projectRouting";
 import { useState, useCallback, useRef, useMemo, useLayoutEffect } from "react";
 import { useDismissingTabSetter, useRightPanelIntent } from "./hooks/useRightPanelIntents";
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export function StudioApp({ readOnlyPreview = false, readOnlyPreviewReason }: St
   const [compIdToSrc, setCompIdToSrc] = useState<Map<string, string>>(new Map());
   const previewIframe = useOwnPreviewIframe();
   const [compositionLoading, setCompositionLoading] = useState(true);
-  const [refreshKey, setRefreshKey] = useState(0);
+  const { refreshKey, setRefreshKey, reloadPreview } = usePreviewReloadKey();
   const [previewDocumentVersion, refreshPreviewDocumentVersion] = usePreviewDocumentVersion();
   const [blockPreview, setBlockPreview] = useState<BlockPreviewInfo | null>(null);
   const previewIframeRef = useRef<HTMLIFrameElement | null>(null);
@@ -107,10 +107,6 @@ export function StudioApp({ readOnlyPreview = false, readOnlyPreviewReason }: St
   const handleDomZIndexReorderCommitRef = useRef<TimelineZIndexReorderCommit | null>(null);
   const pendingTimelineEditPathRef = useRef(new Set<string>());
   const isGestureRecordingRef = useRef(false);
-  const reloadPreview = useCallback((changedPaths?: readonly string[]) => {
-    notePreviewReload(Array.isArray(changedPaths) ? changedPaths : undefined);
-    setRefreshKey((k) => k + 1);
-  }, []);
   const fileManager = useFileManager({
     projectId,
     showToast,
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..861e204c3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { act, createElement } from "react";
+import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { notePreviewReload, takePreviewReloadPaths, usePreviewReloadKey } from "./sceneRemount";
+
+globalThis.IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+
+afterEach(() => void takePreviewReloadPaths());
+
+describe("preview reload paths", () => {
+  it("collects the scene files named before the reload runs", () => {
+    notePreviewReload(["compositions/a.html"]);
+    notePreviewReload(["compositions/b.html"]);
+    expect(takePreviewReloadPaths()).toEqual(["compositions/a.html", "compositions/b.html"]);
+    expect(takePreviewReloadPaths()).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("reloads the whole film when any reload in the same batch names no files", () => {
+    notePreviewReload(["compositions/a.html"]);
+    notePreviewReload();
+    notePreviewReload(["compositions/b.html"]);
+    expect(takePreviewReloadPaths()).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("usePreviewReloadKey: a plain setRefreshKey bump in the same batch turns a scene swap into a film reload", () => {
+    let api: ReturnType<typeof usePreviewReloadKey> | null = null;
+    const Probe = () => {
+      api = usePreviewReloadKey();
+      return null;
+    };
+    const root = createRoot(document.createElement("div"));
+    act(() => root.render(createElement(Probe)));
+    act(() => api!.reloadPreview(["compositions/a.html"]));
+    expect(api!.refreshKey).toBe(1);
+    expect(takePreviewReloadPaths()).toEqual(["compositions/a.html"]);
+    act(() => {
+      api!.reloadPreview(["compositions/a.html"]);
+      api!.setRefreshKey((key) => key + 1);
+    });
+    expect(api!.refreshKey).toBe(3);
+    expect(takePreviewReloadPaths()).toBeNull();
+    act(() => root.unmount());
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.ts
index 83ab8abca6..84b4f7513b 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/sceneRemount.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { useCallback, useState, type SetStateAction } from "react";
+
 // Which files the next preview reload is for. A reload with no paths reloads the whole film.
 let pendingPaths: Set<string> | "film" | null = null;
 
@@ -48,3 +50,20 @@ function resolveUrl(path: string, base: string): string | null {
     return null;
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * The preview reload counter. `reloadPreview(paths)` names the scene files that changed; every other
+ * bump, including `setRefreshKey`, reloads the whole film.
+ */
+export function usePreviewReloadKey() {
+  const [refreshKey, setKey] = useState(0);
+  const setRefreshKey = useCallback((update: SetStateAction<number>) => {
+    notePreviewReload();
+    setKey(update);
+  }, []);
+  const reloadPreview = useCallback((changedPaths?: readonly string[]) => {
+    notePreviewReload(Array.isArray(changedPaths) ? changedPaths : undefined);
+    setKey((key) => key + 1);
+  }, []);
+  return { refreshKey, setRefreshKey, reloadPreview };
+}