diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/gsapKeyframeCacheHelpers.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/gsapKeyframeCacheHelpers.ts
index c2ad14b92..4d41eb1f3 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/gsapKeyframeCacheHelpers.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/gsapKeyframeCacheHelpers.ts
@@ -21,18 +21,23 @@ export function updateKeyframeCacheFromParsed(
 
     // Convert tween-relative percentages to clip-relative so diamonds
     // render at the correct position within the timeline clip.
-    const tweenPos = typeof anim.position === "number" ? anim.position : 0;
+    const tweenPos = anim.resolvedStart ?? (typeof anim.position === "number" ? anim.position : 0);
     const tweenDur = anim.duration ?? 1;
     const timelineEl = elements.find(
       (el) => el.domId === id || (el.key ?? el.id) === `${targetPath}#${id}`,
     );
     const elStart = timelineEl?.start ?? 0;
-    const elDuration = timelineEl?.duration ?? 4;
+    const elDuration = timelineEl?.duration ?? 1;
     const clipKeyframes = anim.keyframes.keyframes.map((kf) => {
       const absTime = tweenPos + (kf.percentage / 100) * tweenDur;
       const clipPct =
         elDuration > 0 ? Math.round(((absTime - elStart) / elDuration) * 1000) / 10 : kf.percentage;
-      return { ...kf, percentage: clipPct };
+      return {
+        ...kf,
+        percentage: clipPct,
+        tweenPercentage: kf.percentage,
+        propertyGroup: anim.propertyGroup,
+      };
     });
 
     const existing = merged.get(id);
@@ -66,7 +71,7 @@ export function updateKeyframeCacheFromParsed(
   }
 }
 
-export function buildCacheKey(sourceFile: string, elementId: string): string {
+function buildCacheKey(sourceFile: string, elementId: string): string {
   return `${sourceFile}#${elementId}`;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapScriptCommits.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapScriptCommits.ts
index 998c2b2cf..f082ef5ee 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapScriptCommits.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapScriptCommits.ts
@@ -449,7 +449,9 @@ export function useGsapScriptCommits({
         apply: () => {
           const prev = readKeyframeSnapshot(sf, elementId);
           if (prev) {
-            const newKeyframes = prev.keyframes.filter((kf) => kf.percentage !== percentage);
+            const newKeyframes = prev.keyframes.filter(
+              (kf) => Math.abs((kf.tweenPercentage ?? kf.percentage) - percentage) > 0.2,
+            );
             writeKeyframeCache(sf, elementId, { ...prev, keyframes: newKeyframes });
           }
           return prev;
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapTweenCache.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapTweenCache.ts
index 1a3c1eeed..17103e622 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapTweenCache.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/useGsapTweenCache.ts
@@ -264,9 +264,11 @@ export function useGsapAnimationsForElement(
       (el) => el.domId === elementId || (el.key ?? el.id) === `${sourceFile}#${elementId}`,
     );
     const elStart = timelineEl?.start ?? 0;
-    const elDuration = timelineEl?.duration ?? 4;
+    const elDuration = timelineEl?.duration ?? 1;
 
-    const allKeyframes: GsapKeyframesData["keyframes"] = [];
+    const allKeyframes: Array<
+      GsapKeyframesData["keyframes"][0] & { tweenPercentage?: number; propertyGroup?: string }
+    > = [];
     let format: GsapKeyframesData["format"] = "percentage";
     let ease: string | undefined;
     let easeEach: string | undefined;
@@ -275,7 +277,8 @@ export function useGsapAnimationsForElement(
       if (!kf) continue;
       // Convert tween-relative percentages to clip-relative so diamonds
       // render at the correct position within the timeline clip.
-      const tweenPos = typeof anim.position === "number" ? anim.position : 0;
+      const tweenPos =
+        anim.resolvedStart ?? (typeof anim.position === "number" ? anim.position : 0);
       const tweenDur = anim.duration ?? elDuration;
       for (const k of kf.keyframes) {
         const absTime = tweenPos + (k.percentage / 100) * tweenDur;
@@ -283,7 +286,12 @@ export function useGsapAnimationsForElement(
           elDuration > 0
             ? Math.round(((absTime - elStart) / elDuration) * 1000) / 10
             : k.percentage;
-        allKeyframes.push({ ...k, percentage: clipPct });
+        allKeyframes.push({
+          ...k,
+          percentage: clipPct,
+          tweenPercentage: k.percentage,
+          propertyGroup: anim.propertyGroup,
+        });
       }
       format = kf.format;
       if (kf.ease) ease = kf.ease;
@@ -305,6 +313,9 @@ export function useGsapAnimationsForElement(
     };
     const { setKeyframeCache } = usePlayerStore.getState();
     setKeyframeCache(`${sourceFile}#${elementId}`, merged);
+    // PropertyPanel reads the cache by bare elementId (without sourceFile prefix),
+    // so write a duplicate entry under the bare key for cross-component lookups.
+    setKeyframeCache(elementId, merged);
   }, [elementId, sourceFile, animations]);
 
   return { animations, multipleTimelines, unsupportedTimelinePattern };
@@ -327,13 +338,14 @@ export function usePopulateKeyframeCacheForFile(
   version: number,
   iframeRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLIFrameElement | null>,
 ): void {
+  const elementCount = usePlayerStore((s) => s.elements.length);
   const lastFetchKeyRef = useRef("");
 
   const runtimeScanDoneRef = useRef("");
   const astFetchDoneRef = useRef("");
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const fetchKey = `kf-cache:${projectId}:${sourceFile}:${version}`;
+    const fetchKey = `kf-cache:${projectId}:${sourceFile}:${version}:${elementCount}`;
     if (fetchKey === lastFetchKeyRef.current) return;
     lastFetchKeyRef.current = fetchKey;
     runtimeScanDoneRef.current = "";
@@ -358,21 +370,26 @@ export function usePopulateKeyframeCacheForFile(
         if (!id) continue;
         const kfData = anim.keyframes ?? synthesizeFlatTweenKeyframes(anim);
         if (!kfData) continue;
-        // Convert tween-relative percentages to clip-relative.
-        const tweenPos = typeof anim.position === "number" ? anim.position : 0;
+        const tweenPos =
+          anim.resolvedStart ?? (typeof anim.position === "number" ? anim.position : 0);
         const tweenDur = anim.duration ?? 1;
         const timelineEl = elements.find(
           (el) => el.domId === id || (el.key ?? el.id) === `${sf}#${id}`,
         );
         const elStart = timelineEl?.start ?? 0;
-        const elDuration = timelineEl?.duration ?? 4;
+        const elDuration = timelineEl?.duration ?? 1;
         const clipKeyframes = kfData.keyframes.map((kf) => {
           const absTime = tweenPos + (kf.percentage / 100) * tweenDur;
           const clipPct =
             elDuration > 0
               ? Math.round(((absTime - elStart) / elDuration) * 1000) / 10
               : kf.percentage;
-          return { ...kf, percentage: clipPct };
+          return {
+            ...kf,
+            percentage: clipPct,
+            tweenPercentage: kf.percentage,
+            propertyGroup: anim.propertyGroup,
+          };
         });
         const existing = mergedByElement.get(id);
         if (existing) {
@@ -388,7 +405,10 @@ export function usePopulateKeyframeCacheForFile(
       }
       astFetchDoneRef.current = fetchKey;
     });
-  }, [projectId, sourceFile, version]);
+    // elementCount is in the deps because new timeline elements (e.g. after a
+    // sub-composition expand) need their keyframe cache populated immediately;
+    // without it the effect won't re-run when elements appear/disappear.
+  }, [projectId, sourceFile, version, elementCount]);
 
   // Separate effect for runtime keyframe discovery — polls until the iframe
   // has loaded GSAP timelines, independent of the AST fetch lifecycle.
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/components/KeyframeDiamondContextMenu.tsx b/packages/studio/src/player/components/KeyframeDiamondContextMenu.tsx
index 8f16cceec..29dcd10b9 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/components/KeyframeDiamondContextMenu.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/components/KeyframeDiamondContextMenu.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export interface KeyframeDiamondContextMenuState {
   y: number;
   elementId: string;
   percentage: number;
+  tweenPercentage?: number;
   currentEase?: string;
 }
 
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ export const KeyframeDiamondContextMenu = memo(function KeyframeDiamondContextMe
         type="button"
         className="w-full flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs text-red-400 hover:bg-neutral-800 cursor-pointer text-left"
         onClick={() => {
-          onDelete(state.elementId, state.percentage);
+          onDelete(state.elementId, state.tweenPercentage ?? state.percentage);
           onClose();
         }}
       >
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/components/Timeline.tsx b/packages/studio/src/player/components/Timeline.tsx
index 6df0d41bd..699ebd4d3 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/components/Timeline.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/components/Timeline.tsx
@@ -448,6 +448,9 @@ export const Timeline = memo(function Timeline({
             onSelectElement?.(el);
             const absTime = el.start + (pct / 100) * el.duration;
             onSeek?.(absTime);
+            const kfData = keyframeCache?.get(elKey);
+            const kf = kfData?.keyframes.find((k) => Math.abs(k.percentage - pct) < 0.5);
+            usePlayerStore.getState().setActiveKeyframePct(kf?.tweenPercentage ?? null);
           }}
           onShiftClickKeyframe={(elId, pct) => {
             toggleSelectedKeyframe(`${elId}:${pct}`);
@@ -464,12 +467,13 @@ export const Timeline = memo(function Timeline({
               onSeek?.(absTime);
             }
             const kfData = keyframeCache.get(elId);
-            const kf = kfData?.keyframes.find((k) => k.percentage === pct);
+            const kf = kfData?.keyframes.find((k) => Math.abs(k.percentage - pct) < 0.2);
             setKfContextMenu({
-              x: e.clientX,
-              y: e.clientY,
+              x: e.clientX + 4,
+              y: e.clientY + 2,
               elementId: elId,
               percentage: pct,
+              tweenPercentage: kf?.tweenPercentage,
               currentEase: kf?.ease ?? kfData?.ease,
             });
           }}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/components/TimelineClipDiamonds.tsx b/packages/studio/src/player/components/TimelineClipDiamonds.tsx
index acad691e1..bbe8b0ac9 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/components/TimelineClipDiamonds.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/components/TimelineClipDiamonds.tsx
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ export const TimelineClipDiamonds = memo(function TimelineClipDiamonds({
         const kfKey = `${elementId}:${kf.percentage}`;
         const isKfSelected = selectedKeyframes.has(kfKey);
         const atPlayhead = isSelected && Math.abs(kf.percentage - currentPercentage) < 0.5;
-        const color = isKfSelected || atPlayhead ? accentColor : "#a3a3a3";
+        const isHighlighted = isKfSelected || atPlayhead;
+        const color = isHighlighted ? accentColor : "#a3a3a3";
         return (
           <button
             key={`${i}-${kf.percentage}`}
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ export const TimelineClipDiamonds = memo(function TimelineClipDiamonds({
               transform: "translateY(-50%)",
               width: diamondSize,
               height: diamondSize,
+              zIndex: isHighlighted ? 2 : 1,
               pointerEvents: "auto",
               background: "none",
               border: "none",
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.test.ts
index a2adb196d..6f6c4515a 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.test.ts
@@ -28,10 +28,26 @@ function buildMockIframe(overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}) {
     ...overrides,
   };
 
+  // Intercept appendChild: when a <script> is appended, simulate execution by
+  // repopulating __timelines (mimicking what the real GSAP script would do).
+  const realAppendChild = container.appendChild.bind(container);
+  container.appendChild = <T extends Node>(node: T): T => {
+    const result = realAppendChild(node);
+    if (node instanceof HTMLScriptElement && node.textContent?.includes("gsap.timeline")) {
+      // Simulate the script populating __timelines
+      const cw = contentWindow as { __timelines?: Record<string, unknown> };
+      if (cw.__timelines) {
+        cw.__timelines.root = { kill: vi.fn(), pause: vi.fn() };
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  };
+
   const contentDocument = {
     querySelectorAll: (sel: string) => (sel === "script:not([src])" ? [scriptEl] : []),
     createElement: (tag: string) => document.createElement(tag),
     body: container,
+    head: document.createElement("div"),
   };
 
   return {
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.ts b/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.ts
index 659faa1ec..584658a76 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/utils/gsapSoftReload.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ type IframeWindow = Window & {
   gsap?: {
     timeline?: (...args: unknown[]) => unknown;
     registerPlugin?: (...plugins: unknown[]) => unknown;
+    set?: (targets: Element | Element[], vars: Record<string, unknown>) => void;
+    globalTimeline?: { getChildren?: (deep: boolean) => Array<{ kill?: () => void }> };
   };
   MotionPathPlugin?: unknown;
 };
@@ -29,6 +31,14 @@ function findGsapScriptElements(doc: Document): HTMLScriptElement[] {
   return results;
 }
 
+/** Check that the new script repopulated __timelines with at least one entry. */
+function verifyTimelinesPopulated(win: IframeWindow): boolean {
+  const tlKeys = win.__timelines
+    ? Object.keys(win.__timelines).filter((k) => k !== "__proxied")
+    : [];
+  return tlKeys.length > 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Replace the GSAP script in the live iframe without reloading. This preserves
  * the WebGL context and shader transition cache.
@@ -56,24 +66,30 @@ export function applySoftReload(iframe: HTMLIFrameElement | null, scriptText: st
 
   const currentTime = win.__player?.getTime?.() ?? 0;
 
+  // Track whether the MotionPath async path was taken. When it is, the script
+  // executes inside pluginScript.onload — after applySoftReload has already
+  // returned. We optimistically return true because the script WILL execute
+  // once the plugin loads; the alternative (returning false) would trigger a
+  // full iframe reload that destroys the very WebGL context we're preserving.
+  let deferredToAsync = false;
+
   const doReload = () => {
     const timelines = win.__timelines;
+    const allTargets: Element[] = [];
+
     if (timelines) {
       for (const key of Object.keys(timelines)) {
+        if (key === "__proxied") continue;
         try {
           const tl = timelines[key] as {
             kill?: () => void;
             getChildren?: (deep: boolean) => Array<{ targets?: () => Element[] }>;
           };
-          const allTargets: Element[] = [];
           if (tl?.getChildren) {
             try {
               for (const child of tl.getChildren(true)) {
                 if (typeof child.targets === "function") {
-                  for (const t of child.targets()) {
-                    allTargets.push(t);
-                    delete (t as unknown as Record<string, unknown>)._gsap;
-                  }
+                  for (const t of child.targets()) allTargets.push(t);
                 }
               }
             } catch {}
@@ -84,6 +100,23 @@ export function applySoftReload(iframe: HTMLIFrameElement | null, scriptText: st
       }
     }
 
+    // Kill bare gsap.to/from tweens not registered on __timelines
+    if (win.gsap?.globalTimeline?.getChildren) {
+      try {
+        for (const child of win.gsap.globalTimeline.getChildren(false)) {
+          child.kill?.();
+        }
+      } catch {}
+    }
+
+    // Clear residual inline transforms left by killed tweens so from() tweens
+    // don't read stale end values from the DOM on re-execution
+    if (allTargets.length > 0 && win.gsap?.set) {
+      try {
+        win.gsap.set(allTargets, { clearProps: "all" });
+      } catch {}
+    }
+
     oldScriptEl.remove();
 
     const executeScript = () => {
@@ -98,10 +131,9 @@ export function applySoftReload(iframe: HTMLIFrameElement | null, scriptText: st
       win.__hfStudioManualEditsApply?.();
     };
 
-    // Load MotionPathPlugin on demand if the script uses motionPath.
-    // Uses the same CDN as composition templates (GSAP_CDN in constants.ts).
     const needsMotionPath = /motionPath\s*[:{]/.test(scriptText);
     if (needsMotionPath && !win.MotionPathPlugin && win.gsap) {
+      deferredToAsync = true;
       const pluginScript = doc.createElement("script");
       pluginScript.src = "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.12.5/dist/MotionPathPlugin.min.js";
       pluginScript.onload = () => executeScript();
@@ -119,7 +151,10 @@ export function applySoftReload(iframe: HTMLIFrameElement | null, scriptText: st
     } else {
       doReload();
     }
-    return true;
+    // When MotionPath needs async loading, the script hasn't executed yet —
+    // skip the __timelines check and return true optimistically.
+    if (deferredToAsync) return true;
+    return verifyTimelinesPopulated(win);
   } catch {
     return false;
   }