diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c23d762..6884ed5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -604,3 +604,27 @@ api "$B/ai/runs/$(jq -r '.run_id' <<<"$propagated_run")?after_seq=0&limit=100"
 The live catalog, rather than the isolated verification IDs above, determines
 whether each request can run. A 202 response acknowledges a queued job; use its
 terminal status and authenticated canvas/asset rereads as completion evidence.
+
+
+### Managed image previews
+
+Original asset bytes remain immutable and are used by the ordinary asset URL,
+downloads and AI inputs. Authenticated `GET .../assets/{id}?variant=preview`
+returns one display rendition bounded to 1024 pixels on its longest edge. Opaque previews use JPEG quality 82, transparency stays PNG, GIF preserves
+the original animation, and JPEG EXIF orientation is applied. Small originals
+may be returned unchanged when this is more efficient. No preview URL belongs
+in node `data.src`: persist the original managed URL and optional original
+`assetId`, then select the display variant only in the renderer.
+
+Permissions are checked on every read, including cache hits. Originals are not
+replaced. Generation is serialized and the immutable encoded preview cache is
+bounded to 32 MiB / 128 entries. Current capabilities advertise `assets.previews`
+and `assets.preview_max_edge`. No database migration is needed. Asset reads and
+Canvas GET release their permission transaction before encoding/writing the
+response. Uploads release the initial workspace lock before receiving a large
+multipart body and recheck current write permission before committing.
+
+Legacy inline images must be migrated through an explicit editor action: upload
+unchanged bytes with idempotency keys, then save the same node IDs/geometry with
+managed asset references and the current canvas version. Opening a canvas does
+not migrate it or cause an implicit PATCH.
diff --git a/internal/platform/asset_preview.go b/internal/platform/asset_preview.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46f9636
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/platform/asset_preview.go
@@ -0,0 +1,242 @@
+package platform
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"container/list"
+	"context"
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"image"
+	"image/color"
+	"image/jpeg"
+	"image/png"
+	"sync"
+
+	"golang.org/x/image/draw"
+)
+
+type assetPreviewResult struct {
+	data []byte
+	mime string
+}
+type assetPreviewEntry struct {
+	key   string
+	value assetPreviewResult
+}
+
+var previewMemory = struct {
+	sync.Mutex
+	entries map[string]*list.Element
+	order   *list.List
+	bytes   int
+}{entries: make(map[string]*list.Element), order: list.New()}
+var previewSlots = make(chan struct{}, 1)
+
+func previewWidth(variant, width string) (int, error) {
+	if variant == "" && width == "" {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+	if variant == "preview" && (width == "" || width == "1024") {
+		return 1024, nil
+	}
+	return 0, errors.New("invalid_asset_variant")
+}
+
+// Cache only immutable bytes, after the caller checks current asset permission.
+// Bound both decoded concurrency and retained encoded data.
+func cachedAssetPreview(ctx context.Context, encoded []byte, mime string, width int) (assetPreviewResult, error) {
+	key := fmt.Sprintf("%x:%d", sha256.Sum256(encoded), width)
+	previewMemory.Lock()
+	if entry := previewMemory.entries[key]; entry != nil {
+		previewMemory.order.MoveToFront(entry)
+		result := entry.Value.(assetPreviewEntry).value
+		previewMemory.Unlock()
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	previewMemory.Unlock()
+	select {
+	case previewSlots <- struct{}{}:
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return assetPreviewResult{}, ctx.Err()
+	}
+	defer func() { <-previewSlots }()
+	// Another request may have finished this same preview while we waited.
+	previewMemory.Lock()
+	if entry := previewMemory.entries[key]; entry != nil {
+		result := entry.Value.(assetPreviewEntry).value
+		previewMemory.order.MoveToFront(entry)
+		previewMemory.Unlock()
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	previewMemory.Unlock()
+	result, err := makeAssetPreview(encoded, mime, width)
+	if err != nil {
+		return result, err
+	}
+	if len(result.data) > 8<<20 {
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	previewMemory.Lock()
+	defer previewMemory.Unlock()
+	for previewMemory.bytes+len(result.data) > 32<<20 || previewMemory.order.Len() >= 128 {
+		tail := previewMemory.order.Back()
+		if tail == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		old := tail.Value.(assetPreviewEntry)
+		previewMemory.bytes -= len(old.value.data)
+		delete(previewMemory.entries, old.key)
+		previewMemory.order.Remove(tail)
+	}
+	previewMemory.entries[key] = previewMemory.order.PushFront(assetPreviewEntry{key, result})
+	previewMemory.bytes += len(result.data)
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+func makeAssetPreview(encoded []byte, mime string, width int) (assetPreviewResult, error) {
+	original := assetPreviewResult{encoded, mime}
+	// Keep animation intact. Original bytes remain the canonical AI/download input.
+	if mime == "image/gif" {
+		return original, nil
+	}
+	config, _, err := image.DecodeConfig(bytes.NewReader(encoded))
+	if err != nil {
+		return original, err
+	}
+	if config.Width <= 0 || config.Height <= 0 || int64(config.Width)*int64(config.Height) > assetPixelLimit {
+		return original, errors.New("invalid_image_dimensions")
+	}
+	if config.Width <= width && config.Height <= width && len(encoded) <= 64<<10 {
+		return original, nil
+	}
+	source, _, err := image.Decode(bytes.NewReader(encoded))
+	if err != nil {
+		return original, err
+	}
+	orientation := jpegOrientation(encoded)
+	if orientation != 1 {
+		source = orientedAsset{source, orientation}
+	}
+	bounds := source.Bounds()
+	w, h := bounds.Dx(), bounds.Dy()
+	if w > width || h > width {
+		if w >= h {
+			h = max(1, h*width/w)
+			w = width
+		} else {
+			w = max(1, w*width/h)
+			h = width
+		}
+	}
+	resized := image.NewNRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, w, h))
+	draw.CatmullRom.Scale(resized, resized.Bounds(), source, source.Bounds(), draw.Src, nil)
+	var output bytes.Buffer
+	outputMime := "image/png"
+	if resized.Opaque() {
+		err = jpeg.Encode(&output, resized, &jpeg.Options{Quality: 82})
+		outputMime = "image/jpeg"
+	} else {
+		err = png.Encode(&output, resized)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return original, err
+	}
+	if output.Len() >= len(encoded) && orientation == 1 {
+		return original, nil
+	}
+	return assetPreviewResult{output.Bytes(), outputMime}, nil
+}
+
+// JPEG EXIF orientation is applied to previews instead of silently rotating a
+// phone photograph after its EXIF metadata is removed by the image encoder.
+func jpegOrientation(data []byte) int {
+	if len(data) < 4 || data[0] != 0xff || data[1] != 0xd8 {
+		return 1
+	}
+	for at := 2; at+4 <= len(data); {
+		if data[at] != 0xff {
+			return 1
+		}
+		marker := data[at+1]
+		if marker == 0xda || marker == 0xd9 {
+			return 1
+		}
+		length := int(binary.BigEndian.Uint16(data[at+2 : at+4]))
+		if length < 2 || at+2+length > len(data) {
+			return 1
+		}
+		part := data[at+4 : at+2+length]
+		if marker == 0xe1 && len(part) >= 14 && string(part[:6]) == "Exif\x00\x00" {
+			tiff := part[6:]
+			var order binary.ByteOrder
+			switch string(tiff[:2]) {
+			case "II":
+				order = binary.LittleEndian
+			case "MM":
+				order = binary.BigEndian
+			default:
+				return 1
+			}
+			if order.Uint16(tiff[2:4]) != 42 {
+				return 1
+			}
+			offset := int(order.Uint32(tiff[4:8]))
+			if offset < 8 || offset+2 > len(tiff) {
+				return 1
+			}
+			count := int(order.Uint16(tiff[offset : offset+2]))
+			for i := 0; i < count; i++ {
+				entry := offset + 2 + i*12
+				if entry+12 > len(tiff) {
+					return 1
+				}
+				if order.Uint16(tiff[entry:entry+2]) == 0x112 && order.Uint16(tiff[entry+2:entry+4]) == 3 && order.Uint32(tiff[entry+4:entry+8]) == 1 {
+					value := int(order.Uint16(tiff[entry+8 : entry+10]))
+					if value >= 1 && value <= 8 {
+						return value
+					}
+					return 1
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		at += 2 + length
+	}
+	return 1
+}
+
+type orientedAsset struct {
+	image.Image
+	orientation int
+}
+
+func (im orientedAsset) Bounds() image.Rectangle {
+	b := im.Image.Bounds()
+	if im.orientation >= 5 {
+		return image.Rect(0, 0, b.Dy(), b.Dx())
+	}
+	return image.Rect(0, 0, b.Dx(), b.Dy())
+}
+func (im orientedAsset) ColorModel() color.Model { return im.Image.ColorModel() }
+func (im orientedAsset) At(x, y int) color.Color {
+	b := im.Image.Bounds()
+	w, h := b.Dx(), b.Dy()
+	switch im.orientation {
+	case 2:
+		x = w - 1 - x
+	case 3:
+		x, y = w-1-x, h-1-y
+	case 4:
+		y = h - 1 - y
+	case 5:
+		x, y = y, x
+	case 6:
+		x, y = y, h-1-x
+	case 7:
+		x, y = w-1-y, h-1-x
+	case 8:
+		x, y = w-1-y, x
+	}
+	return im.Image.At(b.Min.X+x, b.Min.Y+y)
+}
diff --git a/internal/platform/asset_preview_test.go b/internal/platform/asset_preview_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd213fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/platform/asset_preview_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+package platform
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"image"
+	"image/color"
+	"image/jpeg"
+	"image/png"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestAssetPreviewDownscalesWithoutChangingOriginal(t *testing.T) {
+	source := image.NewNRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, 1600, 900))
+	for y := 0; y < 900; y++ {
+		for x := 0; x < 1600; x++ {
+			source.SetNRGBA(x, y, color.NRGBA{uint8(x), uint8(y), uint8(x * y), 255})
+		}
+	}
+	var encoded bytes.Buffer
+	if err := png.Encode(&encoded, source); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	original := append([]byte(nil), encoded.Bytes()...)
+	preview, err := makeAssetPreview(encoded.Bytes(), "image/png", 512)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	config, format, err := image.DecodeConfig(bytes.NewReader(preview.data))
+	if err != nil || config.Width != 512 || config.Height != 288 || format != "jpeg" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad preview %s %dx%d %v", format, config.Width, config.Height, err)
+	}
+	if len(preview.data) >= len(original) || !bytes.Equal(original, encoded.Bytes()) {
+		t.Fatal("preview must shrink without changing original")
+	}
+	cached, err := cachedAssetPreview(context.Background(), original, "image/png", 512)
+	if err != nil || !bytes.Equal(cached.data, preview.data) {
+		t.Fatal("cache result mismatch")
+	}
+}
+func TestAssetPreviewPreservesTransparencyAndAnimation(t *testing.T) {
+	source := image.NewNRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, 800, 400))
+	source.SetNRGBA(1, 1, color.NRGBA{255, 0, 0, 255})
+	var encoded bytes.Buffer
+	_ = png.Encode(&encoded, source)
+	preview, err := makeAssetPreview(encoded.Bytes(), "image/png", 256)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	decoded, format, err := image.Decode(bytes.NewReader(preview.data))
+	if err != nil || format != "png" {
+		t.Fatal("transparent image must stay PNG")
+	}
+	_, _, _, alpha := decoded.At(200, 100).RGBA()
+	if alpha != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("transparent background was lost")
+	}
+	original := []byte("GIF original animation bytes")
+	gif, err := makeAssetPreview(original, "image/gif", 512)
+	if err != nil || !bytes.Equal(gif.data, original) {
+		t.Fatal("GIF animation changed")
+	}
+}
+func TestAssetPreviewRejectsUnboundedWidths(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, value := range []string{"0", "1", "256", "512", "2048", "999999", "-1", "abc"} {
+		if _, err := previewWidth("preview", value); err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("accepted width %s", value)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, value := range []string{"", "1024"} {
+		if _, err := previewWidth("preview", value); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if n, err := previewWidth("", ""); err != nil || n != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("original request changed")
+	}
+	if _, err := previewWidth("other", ""); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("unknown variant accepted")
+	}
+	if _, err := makeAssetPreview([]byte("invalid"), "image/png", 512); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("malformed image accepted")
+	}
+}
+func TestAssetPreviewAppliesJPEGOrientation(t *testing.T) {
+	source := image.NewNRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, 800, 400))
+	for y := 0; y < 400; y++ {
+		for x := 0; x < 800; x++ {
+			source.SetNRGBA(x, y, color.NRGBA{255, 0, 0, 255})
+		}
+	}
+	var original bytes.Buffer
+	_ = jpeg.Encode(&original, source, nil)
+	tiff := make([]byte, 26)
+	copy(tiff, "II")
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint16(tiff[2:], 42)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(tiff[4:], 8)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint16(tiff[8:], 1)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint16(tiff[10:], 0x112)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint16(tiff[12:], 3)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(tiff[14:], 1)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint16(tiff[18:], 6)
+	exif := append([]byte("Exif\x00\x00"), tiff...)
+	segment := append([]byte{0xff, 0xe1, 0, byte(len(exif) + 2)}, exif...)
+	encoded := append(append(append([]byte{}, original.Bytes()[:2]...), segment...), original.Bytes()[2:]...)
+	if jpegOrientation(encoded) != 6 {
+		t.Fatal("EXIF orientation not decoded")
+	}
+	preview, err := makeAssetPreview(encoded, "image/jpeg", 256)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	config, _, err := image.DecodeConfig(bytes.NewReader(preview.data))
+	if err != nil || config.Width != 128 || config.Height != 256 {
+		t.Fatalf("rotated dimensions %dx%d %v", config.Width, config.Height, err)
+	}
+}
+func TestAllAssetOrientationMappings(t *testing.T) {
+	source := image.NewNRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, 3, 2))
+	source.SetNRGBA(0, 0, color.NRGBA{255, 0, 0, 255})
+	for orientation := 1; orientation <= 8; orientation++ {
+		oriented := orientedAsset{source, orientation}
+		red := 0
+		for y := 0; y < oriented.Bounds().Dy(); y++ {
+			for x := 0; x < oriented.Bounds().Dx(); x++ {
+				r, _, _, _ := oriented.At(x, y).RGBA()
+				if r > 0 {
+					red++
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if red != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("orientation %d loses/repeats pixels", orientation)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/platform/assets.go b/internal/platform/assets.go
index 0a3c933..27cbbfa 100644
--- a/internal/platform/assets.go
+++ b/internal/platform/assets.go
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ func (s *service) uploadAsset(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, project, a
 		reject(w, 403, "forbidden")
 		return nil
 	}
+	// Do not hold a workspace lock during a slow multipart upload. Recheck below.
+	if err = tx.Rollback(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	r.Body = http.MaxBytesReader(w, r.Body, assetLimit+(64<<10))
 	reader, err := r.MultipartReader()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -123,6 +127,19 @@ func (s *service) uploadAsset(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, project, a
 		reject(w, 400, "invalid_asset")
 		return nil
 	}
+	tx, err = s.db.BeginTx(r.Context(), nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer tx.Rollback()
+	_, role, err = lockWorkspace(r.Context(), tx, project, workspace, account)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if role == "viewer" {
+		reject(w, 403, "forbidden")
+		return nil
+	}
 	digest := sha256.Sum256(encoded)
 	hash := hex.EncodeToString(digest[:])
 	info := assetInfo{MIME: mime, Bytes: len(encoded), Width: width, Height: height}
@@ -204,6 +221,11 @@ func (s *service) getAsset(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, project, acco
 		reject(w, 405, "method_not_allowed")
 		return nil
 	}
+	width, variantErr := previewWidth(r.URL.Query().Get("variant"), r.URL.Query().Get("width"))
+	if variantErr != nil {
+		reject(w, 400, "invalid_asset_variant")
+		return nil
+	}
 	id := r.PathValue("asset")
 	if !uuidSlugPattern.MatchString(id) {
 		reject(w, 404, "not_found")
@@ -235,6 +257,21 @@ func (s *service) getAsset(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, project, acco
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	// Permission and immutable bytes are now read consistently. Release locks
+	// before resizing or waiting for a slow public client to consume the body.
+	if err = tx.Rollback(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	variant := "original"
+	if width > 0 {
+		preview, e := cachedAssetPreview(r.Context(), encoded, mime, width)
+		if e != nil {
+			return e
+		}
+		encoded, mime = preview.data, preview.mime
+		variant = "preview"
+	}
+	w.Header().Set("X-Asset-Variant", variant)
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", mime)
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Length", strconv.Itoa(len(encoded)))
 	w.Header().Set("X-Content-Type-Options", "nosniff")
diff --git a/internal/platform/canvas.go b/internal/platform/canvas.go
index 76f7f40..6122529 100644
--- a/internal/platform/canvas.go
+++ b/internal/platform/canvas.go
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ func (s *service) canvas(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, project, accoun
 		return nil
 	}
 	if r.Method == http.MethodGet {
+		if err = tx.Rollback(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		w.Header().Set("X-Canvas-Schema-Version", strconv.Itoa(canvasSchema(document)))
 		setVersion(w, version)
 		reply(w, 200, response{"version": version, "document": document})
diff --git a/internal/platform/canvas_capabilities.go b/internal/platform/canvas_capabilities.go
index 30391a2..9a5e33e 100644
--- a/internal/platform/canvas_capabilities.go
+++ b/internal/platform/canvas_capabilities.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ func (s *service) canvasCapabilities(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, pro
 		reject(w, 400, "invalid_material")
 		return nil
 	}
+	if err = tx.Rollback(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(r.Context(), 5*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 	models, modelErr := s.canvasAI.Models(ctx)
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ func (s *service) canvasCapabilities(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, pro
 		"edge_features":             response{"appearance": true, "markers": true, "bezier_chain": true, "animation_configuration": true, "execution_events": true},
 		"subgraphs":                 response{"create": true, "migrate": true, "undo": true, "members": true, "dissolve": true, "connections": true},
 		"ai":                        ai,
+		"assets":                    response{"previews": true, "preview_max_edge": 1024, "originals_preserved": true},
 		"limits":                    response{"max_depth": 8, "max_nodes": 500, "max_edges": 2000, "max_frame_ports": 4000, "max_curve_knots": 64, "max_snapshot_bytes": canvasLimit, "max_active_tasks": 128, "max_run_steps": 64, "max_execution_depth": 32, "max_input_images": 4, "max_input_image_bytes": 20 << 20, "max_coordinate": 1000000},
 		"retention":                 response{"idempotency_min_seconds": 86400, "undo_receipt_seconds": 604800},
 	})
diff --git a/internal/platform/integration_test.go b/internal/platform/integration_test.go
index 3286501..d786eff 100644
--- a/internal/platform/integration_test.go
+++ b/internal/platform/integration_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.entroia.com/Zayden-Jung/foundry-core/internal/auth"
 	"image"
 	"image/png"
+	"io"
 	"mime/multipart"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -19,7 +20,9 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	_ "github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/stdlib"
 )
@@ -530,6 +533,96 @@ func TestOnboardingAndSharing(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal("asset bytes changed")
 		}
 	}
+	// Warm the immutable preview cache, then verify it never bypasses permission.
+	for _, sample := range []struct {
+		token  string
+		status int
+	}{{tokens[0], 200}, {tokens[1], 404}, {tokens[2], 404}} {
+		request := httptest.NewRequest("GET", workspacePath+"/assets/"+uploaded["id"].(string)+"?variant=preview", nil)
+		request.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+sample.token)
+		result := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		mux.ServeHTTP(result, request)
+		if result.Code != sample.status {
+			t.Fatalf("preview permission got %d want %d", result.Code, sample.status)
+		}
+		if result.Code == 200 && (!bytes.Equal(result.Body.Bytes(), assetPNG.Bytes()) || result.Header().Get("Cache-Control") != "private, no-store") {
+			t.Fatal("preview changed small original or privacy headers")
+		}
+	}
+	// Neither a snapshot nor an asset response may keep the workspace locked
+	// while a slow downstream consumer is accepting its body.
+	for _, path := range []string{canvasPath, workspacePath + "/assets/" + uploaded["id"].(string)} {
+		var probeErr error
+		writer := &readLockProbe{ResponseRecorder: httptest.NewRecorder(), probe: func() {
+			lockTx, e := db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
+			if e != nil {
+				probeErr = e
+				return
+			}
+			defer lockTx.Rollback()
+			_, probeErr = lockTx.ExecContext(ctx, "SELECT id FROM workspaces WHERE project=$1 AND id=$2 FOR UPDATE NOWAIT", project, workspace)
+		}}
+		request := httptest.NewRequest("GET", path, nil)
+		request.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+tokens[0])
+		request.Header.Set("Accept", accept)
+		mux.ServeHTTP(writer, request)
+		if writer.Code != 200 || probeErr != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("read held workspace lock during response: status=%d error=%v", writer.Code, probeErr)
+		}
+	}
+	// A slow multipart body must not hold the workspace lock either.
+	func() {
+		reader, pipe := io.Pipe()
+		defer reader.Close()
+		defer pipe.Close()
+		form := multipart.NewWriter(pipe)
+		headers := make(chan struct{})
+		release := make(chan struct{})
+		done := make(chan struct{})
+		var once sync.Once
+		unblock := func() { once.Do(func() { close(release) }) }
+		defer unblock()
+		request := httptest.NewRequest("POST", workspacePath+"/assets", reader)
+		request.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+tokens[0])
+		request.Header.Set("Content-Type", form.FormDataContentType())
+		request.Header.Set("Idempotency-Key", "99999999-9999-4999-8999-999999999998")
+		result := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		go func() { mux.ServeHTTP(result, request); close(done) }()
+		go func() {
+			part, e := form.CreateFormFile("image", "slow.png")
+			close(headers)
+			if e != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			<-release
+			_, _ = part.Write(assetPNG.Bytes())
+			_ = form.Close()
+			_ = pipe.Close()
+		}()
+		select {
+		case <-headers:
+		case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+			t.Fatal("upload did not consume headers")
+		}
+		lockTx, e := db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
+		if e != nil {
+			t.Fatal(e)
+		}
+		_, e = lockTx.ExecContext(ctx, "SELECT id FROM workspaces WHERE project=$1 AND id=$2 FOR UPDATE NOWAIT", project, workspace)
+		_ = lockTx.Rollback()
+		unblock()
+		if e != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("upload held workspace lock while receiving body: %v", e)
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-done:
+		case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+			t.Fatal("upload did not finish")
+		}
+		if result.Code != 201 {
+			t.Fatalf("slow upload failed: %d", result.Code)
+		}
+	}()
 	download(tokens[0], 200)
 	download(tokens[1], 404)
 	download(tokens[2], 404)
@@ -668,3 +761,19 @@ func TestOnboardingAndSharing(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("click accounting incorrect %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// A real SQL NOWAIT probe at the response-write boundary catches locks that
+// would otherwise remain invisible in a buffered httptest recorder.
+type readLockProbe struct {
+	*httptest.ResponseRecorder
+	probe func()
+}
+
+func (w *readLockProbe) Write(body []byte) (int, error) {
+	if w.probe != nil {
+		probe := w.probe
+		w.probe = nil
+		probe()
+	}
+	return w.ResponseRecorder.Write(body)
+}