diff --git a/assets/deck-formats.json b/assets/deck-formats.json
index e3185d22..452e9a56 100644
--- a/assets/deck-formats.json
+++ b/assets/deck-formats.json
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
         { "part": "Another team's view", "purpose": "the case as nursing or another discipline saw it", "layouts": ["bullets", "compare"], "repeat": false, "guidance": "Their account of the same hours, beside the physician account where they differ." },
         { "part": "Systems analysis", "purpose": "contributing causes across domains", "layouts": ["figure", "table", "flow"], "repeat": true, "guidance": "One slide per domain — communication, protocols, staffing, equipment, cognitive bias — each with three or four guiding questions for the room." },
         { "part": "What I would do differently", "purpose": "the presenter's own safeguards", "layouts": ["bullets"], "repeat": false, "guidance": "Specific and personal, not generic." },
-        { "part": "Commitments", "purpose": "named, owned, dated changes", "layouts": ["table"], "repeat": false, "guidance": "Columns for action, owner and deadline; rows may be left to fill in during discussion." },
+        { "part": "Commitments", "purpose": "named, owned, dated changes", "layouts": ["table"], "repeat": false, "guidance": "Columns for action, owner and deadline; rows may be left blank to fill in by hand." },
         { "part": "Questions for the room", "purpose": "discussion after the presentation, not during", "layouts": ["bullets"], "repeat": false, "guidance": "" },
         { "part": "Previous commitments", "purpose": "closing the loop on the last conference", "layouts": ["table"], "repeat": false, "guidance": "Status of each earlier commitment; put it first if the session opens with it." }
       ],
diff --git a/scripts/render_pptx.py b/scripts/render_pptx.py
index 30de91ef..35b720d0 100644
--- a/scripts/render_pptx.py
+++ b/scripts/render_pptx.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from pptx.chart.data import CategoryChartData
 from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
 from pptx.enum.chart import XL_CHART_TYPE, XL_LEGEND_POSITION
 from pptx.enum.shapes import MSO_SHAPE
+from pptx.enum.dml import MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE
 from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN, MSO_ANCHOR
 
 try:
@@ -212,6 +213,34 @@ def _run(paragraph, text, size, bold=False, color=INK, italic=False):
     return run
 
 
+def _placeholder(slide, left, top, width, height, label):
+    """An empty, labelled frame where a picture belongs. Drawn when a figure
+    was wanted and not made — illustration off, or a picture no model can
+    draw (a real radiograph, a run chart) — so the author sees where to drop
+    their own after downloading, instead of a slide that forgot it wanted one."""
+    box = slide.shapes.add_shape(MSO_SHAPE.ROUNDED_RECTANGLE, Emu(int(left)), Emu(int(top)),
+                                 Emu(int(width)), Emu(int(height)))
+    box.adjustments[0] = 0.04
+    box.fill.background()
+    box.line.color.rgb = MUTED
+    box.line.width = Pt(1.25)
+    box.line.dash_style = MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH
+    box.shadow.inherit = False
+    frame = box.text_frame
+    frame.word_wrap = True
+    frame.vertical_anchor = MSO_ANCHOR.MIDDLE
+    frame.margin_left = frame.margin_right = Emu(182880)
+    para = frame.paragraphs[0]
+    para.alignment = PP_ALIGN.CENTER
+    _run(para, "Add an image here", 14, bold=True, color=MUTED)
+    label = (label or "").strip()
+    if label:
+        detail = frame.add_paragraph()
+        detail.alignment = PP_ALIGN.CENTER
+        _run(detail, label[:220], 11, color=MUTED, italic=True)
+    return box
+
+
 def _heading(slide, text, accent_rule=True):
     style = STYLE.get("heading") or "rule"
     left = MARGIN
@@ -495,6 +524,8 @@ def slide_image(prs, spec):
     left = Emu(int((SLIDE_W - width) / 2))
     if path and os.path.exists(path):
         slide.shapes.add_picture(path, left, Emu(int(top)), Emu(width), Emu(height))
+    elif spec.get("placeholder"):
+        _placeholder(slide, MARGIN, top, BODY_W, avail_h, spec.get("image_prompt") or caption)
 
     if caption:
         frame = _textbox(slide, MARGIN, Emu(int(top) + height + 91440), BODY_W, caption_h)
@@ -671,6 +702,9 @@ def slide_figure(prs, spec):
         left = MARGIN + text_w + gutter + Emu(int((int(img_w) - width) / 2))
         top = BODY_TOP + Emu(int((int(BODY_H) - height) / 2))
         slide.shapes.add_picture(path, left, top, Emu(width), Emu(height))
+    elif spec.get("placeholder"):
+        _placeholder(slide, MARGIN + text_w + gutter, BODY_TOP, img_w, BODY_H,
+                     spec.get("image_prompt") or spec.get("caption"))
     _notes(slide, spec.get("notes"))
     return slide
 
@@ -838,6 +872,8 @@ def draw_image(slide, shape):
     left, top, width, height = box(shape)
     path = shape.get("image")
     if not path or not os.path.exists(path):
+        if shape.get("placeholder"):
+            _placeholder(slide, left, top, width, height, shape.get("image_prompt"))
         return
     if shape.get("fit") == "fill":
         slide.shapes.add_picture(path, left, top, width, height)
diff --git a/src/routes/myResources.js b/src/routes/myResources.js
index 4b7c8592..b6b49f6e 100644
--- a/src/routes/myResources.js
+++ b/src/routes/myResources.js
@@ -1067,6 +1067,10 @@ router.post('/my-resources/:id/refine', async function (req, res) {
           owner: req.user.id, body: req.body, subject: subject, imageModel: sources.imageModel
         });
         ai = Object.assign({}, ai, { imageJobs: drawn.jobs, imageFailures: drawn.failures });
+      } else {
+        // Illustration off: a figure the revision newly asks for keeps its
+        // place as an empty labelled frame; figures already drawn are kept.
+        await deckBuild.drawFigures(revisedDeck, { imageModel: '' });
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/deckBuild.js b/src/utils/deckBuild.js
index 6955a23b..86e69b41 100644
--- a/src/utils/deckBuild.js
+++ b/src/utils/deckBuild.js
@@ -76,21 +76,26 @@ async function drawFigures(deck, opts) {
     if (request.shape === undefined) return slide;
     return (slide.shapes || [])[request.shape] || null;
   }
+  // A figure that will not be drawn keeps its place as an empty, labelled
+  // frame: the slide is still a figure slide, and the prompt becomes the label
+  // saying what belongs there, so the author can drop in their own picture — a
+  // real radiograph, a run chart, a photo — after downloading. It used to
+  // degrade to a slide of text, which lost the fact that a picture was wanted.
   function giveUp(request) {
     var slide = deck.slides[request.index];
     if (request.shape !== undefined) {
-      // Drop the empty frame; the rest of the slide still stands.
-      if (slide.shapes) slide.shapes.splice(request.shape, 1);
-      if (!(slide.shapes || []).length) { slide.type = 'bullets'; slide.bullets = slide.bullets || []; }
+      var shape = (slide.shapes || [])[request.shape];
+      // A shape that already has its picture (a revision that kept it) is not
+      // a frame to fill.
+      if (shape && !shape.image_job) shape.placeholder = true;
       return;
     }
-    slide.type = slide.type === 'image' ? 'section' : 'bullets';
-    delete slide.image_prompt;
+    if (!slide.image_job) slide.placeholder = true;
   }
 
   if (!wanted.length || !opts.imageModel) {
-    // Asked for pictures with no image model configured: the slides degrade to
-    // text rather than keeping an empty frame.
+    // Asked for pictures with illustration off or no image model configured:
+    // every requested figure becomes a frame to fill by hand.
     wanted.slice().reverse().forEach(giveUp);
     return { jobs: jobs, failures: failures };
   }
diff --git a/src/utils/deckSchema.js b/src/utils/deckSchema.js
index 84779746..0699fa7a 100644
--- a/src/utils/deckSchema.js
+++ b/src/utils/deckSchema.js
@@ -77,8 +77,10 @@ function instructions(slideCount, figureCount) {
     '',
     'Vary the layouts: a deck of nothing but "bullets" is the thing to avoid.',
     'Never write an image placeholder into any text. If a slide should carry a',
-    'figure, say so with "image_prompt"; if that is not offered above, write the',
-    'slide without one rather than describing the picture you would have drawn.',
+    'picture, say so with "image_prompt": when illustration is on it is drawn;',
+    'when it is off, or the picture is one that cannot be drawn (a real',
+    'radiograph, a run chart, a photograph), the slide keeps an empty labelled',
+    'frame for the author to fill by hand after downloading.',
     'Put a References slide last if you used sources, as a "table" with one column',
     'or a "bullets" slide. "notes" is optional speaker notes.'
   ].join('\n');
@@ -212,6 +214,8 @@ function normalise(raw, gaps) {
       out.image_prompt = text(slide.image_prompt || slide.imagePrompt, 1200);
       out.caption = text(slide.caption, 200);
       if (!out.image_prompt) out.type = type === 'image' ? 'section' : 'bullets';
+      // A frame left empty on purpose, for a picture the author adds by hand.
+      if (slide.placeholder === true) out.placeholder = true;
     }
     slides.push(out);
   });
diff --git a/src/utils/docSpec.js b/src/utils/docSpec.js
index 8db7f5f1..e818efce 100644
--- a/src/utils/docSpec.js
+++ b/src/utils/docSpec.js
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ function fromDeck(deck, images) {
           blocks.push({ type: 'table', header: shape.header || [], rows: shape.rows });
         } else if (shape.kind === 'image' && shape.image_job && byJob[shape.image_job]) {
           blocks.push({ type: 'image', path: byJob[shape.image_job], caption: '' });
+        } else if (shape.kind === 'image' && shape.placeholder) {
+          blocks.push({ type: 'para', text: '[Add an image here' + (shape.image_prompt ? ': ' + text(shape.image_prompt, 300) : '') + ']', muted: true });
         } else if ((shape.runs || []).length) {
           var lines = shape.runs.map(function (r) { return { text: text(r.text, 1200), level: r.level || 0 }; });
           blocks.push(shape.runs.some(function (r) { return r.bullet; })
@@ -80,6 +82,10 @@ function fromDeck(deck, images) {
 
     if (slide.image_job && byJob[slide.image_job]) {
       blocks.push({ type: 'image', path: byJob[slide.image_job], caption: text(slide.caption, 300) });
+    } else if (slide.placeholder && (slide.type === 'image' || slide.type === 'figure')) {
+      // The frame the deck keeps for a picture added by hand, as a line that
+      // says what belongs there.
+      blocks.push({ type: 'para', text: '[Add an image here' + (slide.image_prompt ? ': ' + text(slide.image_prompt, 300) : '') + ']', muted: true });
     }
     if (slide.notes) blocks.push({ type: 'para', text: text(slide.notes, 2000), muted: true });
   });
diff --git a/src/utils/documentExport.js b/src/utils/documentExport.js
index ed2b9467..af93c601 100644
--- a/src/utils/documentExport.js
+++ b/src/utils/documentExport.js
@@ -240,8 +240,10 @@ function attachFigures(deck, files, figureIds) {
     // renderer are the figures just fetched for this export.
     delete copy.image;
     if (copy.image_job && byJob[copy.image_job]) copy.image = byJob[copy.image_job];
-    // A figure slide whose picture never arrived is still a slide of text.
-    if (!copy.image && (copy.type === 'image' || copy.type === 'figure')) {
+    // A figure slide whose picture never arrived: an empty labelled frame when
+    // that was the intent (illustration off, or a picture that cannot be
+    // drawn), otherwise still a slide of text.
+    if (!copy.image && (copy.type === 'image' || copy.type === 'figure') && !copy.placeholder) {
       copy.type = copy.type === 'image' ? 'section' : 'bullets';
     }
     return copy;
diff --git a/src/utils/slideShapes.js b/src/utils/slideShapes.js
index c947b493..fa802534 100644
--- a/src/utils/slideShapes.js
+++ b/src/utils/slideShapes.js
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ function normalise(list, gaps) {
       shape.image_prompt = text(raw.image_prompt || raw.imagePrompt, 1200);
       shape.image_job = text(raw.image_job, 200) || null;
       shape.fit = raw.fit === 'fill' ? 'fill' : 'contain';
+      if (raw.placeholder === true) shape.placeholder = true;
       if (!shape.image_prompt && !shape.image_job) return;
     } else {
       shape.runs = runs(raw.runs !== undefined ? raw.runs : raw.text);
diff --git a/test/deck-image-placeholders.test.js b/test/deck-image-placeholders.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d89a53e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/deck-image-placeholders.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+// A picture the deck wanted and did not get keeps its place: an empty frame
+// labelled with what belongs there, for the author to fill after downloading
+// — a real radiograph, a run chart, a photograph no model should draw. It
+// used to become a slide of text, which forgot that a picture was wanted.
+const test = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const deckBuild = require('../src/utils/deckBuild');
+const deckSchema = require('../src/utils/deckSchema');
+const docSpec = require('../src/utils/docSpec');
+const read = f => fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '..', f), 'utf8');
+
+function deck() {
+  return deckSchema.normalise({ title: 'T', slides: [
+    { type: 'figure', heading: 'The film', bullets: ['a'], image_prompt: 'the admission chest radiograph' },
+    { type: 'image', heading: 'Run chart', image_prompt: 'the run chart of hand-hygiene compliance', caption: 'Weekly' },
+    { type: 'custom', heading: 'Layout', shapes: [
+      { kind: 'text', x: 5, y: 20, w: 40, h: 20, text: 'beside it' },
+      { kind: 'image', x: 50, y: 20, w: 45, h: 50, image_prompt: 'a fishbone diagram' }
+    ] },
+    { type: 'bullets', heading: 'Plain', bullets: ['b'] }
+  ] });
+}
+
+test('with illustration off every requested figure stays a figure, marked as a frame to fill', async () => {
+  const d = deck();
+  const result = await deckBuild.drawFigures(d, { imageModel: '' });
+  assert.deepEqual(result.jobs, []);
+  assert.equal(d.slides[0].type, 'figure');
+  assert.equal(d.slides[0].placeholder, true);
+  assert.equal(d.slides[0].image_prompt, 'the admission chest radiograph', 'the prompt is the label');
+  assert.equal(d.slides[1].type, 'image');
+  assert.equal(d.slides[1].placeholder, true);
+  assert.equal(d.slides[2].shapes.length, 2, 'the empty image shape is kept, not dropped');
+  assert.equal(d.slides[2].shapes[1].placeholder, true);
+  assert.equal(d.slides[3].placeholder, undefined);
+});
+
+test('the frame survives normalisation on both slides and shapes, and only as a boolean', () => {
+  const d = deck();
+  d.slides[0].placeholder = true; d.slides[2].shapes[1].placeholder = true;
+  const again = deckSchema.normalise(d);
+  assert.equal(again.slides[0].placeholder, true);
+  assert.equal(again.slides[2].shapes[1].placeholder, true);
+  const forged = deckSchema.normalise({ slides: [{ type: 'image', image_prompt: 'x', placeholder: 'yes' }] });
+  assert.equal(forged.slides[0].placeholder, undefined);
+});
+
+test('the Word export says what belongs in the frame', () => {
+  const d = deck();
+  d.slides[0].placeholder = true; d.slides[2].shapes[1].placeholder = true;
+  const blocks = docSpec.fromDeck ? docSpec.fromDeck(d, {}) : docSpec.build(d, {});
+  const text = JSON.stringify(blocks);
+  assert.match(text, /\[Add an image here: the admission chest radiograph\]/);
+  assert.match(text, /\[Add an image here: a fishbone diagram\]/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(text, /hand-hygiene/, 'a slide not marked as a frame gets no placeholder line');
+});
+
+test('the renderer draws the frame on figure, image and custom image shapes', () => {
+  const py = read('scripts/render_pptx.py');
+  assert.match(py, /def _placeholder\(slide, left, top, width, height, label\)/);
+  assert.match(py, /MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE\.DASH/);
+  assert.equal((py.match(/\n\s+_placeholder\(slide, /g) || []).length, 3, 'figure, image and draw_image each draw it');
+  assert.match(py, /"Add an image here"/);
+});
+
+test('the model is told a picture it names is drawn or left as a frame, never described in prose', () => {
+  const brief = deckSchema.instructions(8, 0);
+  assert.match(brief, /keeps an empty labelled/);
+  assert.match(brief, /Never write an image placeholder into any text/);
+});
diff --git a/test/slide-spec.test.js b/test/slide-spec.test.js
index 8b66221e..91846581 100644
--- a/test/slide-spec.test.js
+++ b/test/slide-spec.test.js
@@ -164,11 +164,11 @@ test('the deck still serialises to markdown, because Word and text edits need it
   assert.match(md, /\*\*Do not examine the throat\.\*\*/);
 });
 
-test('a figure that never arrives leaves a slide of text, not an empty frame', () => {
+test('a figure that never arrives is an empty labelled frame when that was the intent, text otherwise', () => {
   const exporter = read('src/utils/documentExport.js');
   assert.match(exporter, /function attachFigures\(deck, files, figureIds\)/);
   assert.match(exporter, /if \(copy\.image_job && byJob\[copy\.image_job\]\) copy\.image = byJob\[copy\.image_job\];/);
-  assert.match(exporter, /copy\.type = copy\.type === 'image' \? 'section' : 'bullets';/);
+  assert.match(exporter, /&& !copy\.placeholder\) \{\s*\n\s*copy\.type = copy\.type === 'image' \? 'section' : 'bullets';/);
   // And a deck the model designed is rendered as designed; only older resources
   // fall back to inferring a layout from their markdown.
   assert.match(exporter, /options\.deck\s*\n?\s*\? attachFigures/);