diff --git a/pageindex/tree_optimize.py b/pageindex/tree_optimize.py
index e607d5f00..384429ce2 100644
--- a/pageindex/tree_optimize.py
+++ b/pageindex/tree_optimize.py
@@ -749,6 +749,13 @@ async def process(node):
         # strict: at cost == span the next round's merge (span <= cost) would
         # fold the node right back, touching children already marked final
         keep = cost < span and ratio >= args.min_gain_ratio
+        if keep and args.do_merge:
+            # the lookahead misses the intro and same-page fusions attach adds; merge
+            # judges the node as attached, so judge it the same way here
+            trial = copy.deepcopy(node)
+            attach_children(trial, best["children"], lines)
+            merge_same_page([trial], [])
+            keep = tree_cost(trial, args.routing) < span
 
         note(args.progress,
              f"           -> {len(best['children'])} children from {best['source']}, "
diff --git a/tests/test_expand_refold.py b/tests/test_expand_refold.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f5e63f6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_expand_refold.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"""An expanded node must survive the next round's merge: its children were already marked final."""
+import asyncio
+
+import pageindex.tree_optimize as tree_optimize
+
+
+def _run(subsections, mid_page=()):
+    body = "body " * 250
+    pages = [body] * 12
+    for title, page in subsections:
+        pages[page - 1] = (f"{body}\n{title}\n" if title in mid_page else f"{title}\n") + body
+    lines = [[l for l in p.splitlines() if l.strip()] for p in pages]
+    tree = [{"title": "R", "start_index": 1, "end_index": 12, "node_id": "0000", "nodes": [
+        {"title": "A", "start_index": 1, "end_index": 3, "node_id": "0001"},
+        {"title": "X", "start_index": 4, "end_index": 9, "node_id": "0002"},
+        {"title": "B", "start_index": 10, "end_index": 12, "node_id": "0003"}]}]
+
+    async def ask(model, prompt):
+        return {"subsections": [{"title": t, "page": p} for t, p in subsections]}
+    finals = {}
+
+    def on_final(nodes):
+        for node in nodes:
+            finals.setdefault(id(node), (node, tuple(id(c) for c in node.get("nodes") or [])))
+    saved, tree_optimize.ask_model = tree_optimize.ask_model, ask
+    try:
+        asyncio.run(tree_optimize.optimize(tree, pages, lines, model="m", on_final=on_final,
+                                           do_relabel=False))
+    finally:
+        tree_optimize.ask_model = saved
+    live = {id(n) for n, _ in tree_optimize.flatten(tree)}
+    broken = [n["title"] for n, kids in finals.values()
+              if id(n) not in live or tuple(id(c) for c in n.get("nodes") or []) != kids]
+    return broken, tree[0]["nodes"][1]
+
+
+def test_a_node_whose_intro_runs_onto_the_first_child_page_stays_collapsed():
+    # X spans 6 pages; the first heading sits mid-page 8, so X's intro covers pages 4-8
+    # and the expanded X is no cheaper than a scan: the next merge would fold it back
+    broken, x = _run([("Deep Recursion", 8), ("Final Step", 9)], mid_page={"Deep Recursion"})
+    assert broken == [] and "nodes" not in x
+
+
+def test_a_node_that_pays_off_is_still_expanded():
+    broken, x = _run([("Cost", 4), ("Depth", 6), ("Error", 8)])
+    assert broken == [] and [c["title"] for c in x["nodes"]] == ["Cost", "Depth", "Error"]