diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/canvas.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/canvas.rs
index 08c8bc15a3..cd113f10f1 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/canvas.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/canvas.rs
@@ -119,7 +119,11 @@ pub async fn get_canvas_history(
     if before_id.is_some() && until.is_none() {
         return Err("before_id requires until".to_string());
     }
-    let page_size = limit.unwrap_or(100).max(1);
+    // Bound the page size to the relay's read maximum. Beyond 1,000 the relay
+    // silently clamps the returned rows, which would make `events.len() ==
+    // page_size` false and null the cursor even when older revisions remain,
+    // stranding them behind an unreachable page.
+    let page_size = resolve_history_page_size(limit)?;
 
     let mut filter = serde_json::json!({
         "kinds": [40100],
@@ -169,3 +173,40 @@ pub async fn get_canvas_history(
         "next_cursor": next_cursor,
     }))
 }
+
+/// Resolve and validate the history page size against the relay's read
+/// maximum. Defaults to 100 when unset; a value outside `1..=1000` is rejected
+/// so cursor generation is never based on a size the relay would silently
+/// clamp (which strands older revisions behind a falsely-terminated page).
+fn resolve_history_page_size(limit: Option<usize>) -> Result<usize, String> {
+    let page_size = limit.unwrap_or(100);
+    if !(1..=1000).contains(&page_size) {
+        return Err("limit must be between 1 and 1000".to_string());
+    }
+    Ok(page_size)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::resolve_history_page_size;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn defaults_to_100_when_unset() {
+        assert_eq!(resolve_history_page_size(None).unwrap(), 100);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_zero() {
+        assert!(resolve_history_page_size(Some(0)).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn accepts_relay_maximum() {
+        assert_eq!(resolve_history_page_size(Some(1000)).unwrap(), 1000);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_above_relay_maximum() {
+        assert!(resolve_history_page_size(Some(1001)).is_err());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/CanvasHistoryPanel.tsx b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/CanvasHistoryPanel.tsx
index 2d50ac8219..a6220fb5a8 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/CanvasHistoryPanel.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/CanvasHistoryPanel.tsx
@@ -110,9 +110,13 @@ export function CanvasHistoryPanel({
               <button
                 aria-expanded={isSelected}
                 className="flex w-full items-baseline justify-between gap-2 px-3 py-2 text-left"
-                onClick={() =>
-                  setSelectedId(isSelected ? null : revision.eventId)
-                }
+                onClick={() => {
+                  // Clear any prior restore error so it can't render under a
+                  // different row once the selection moves — the mutation state
+                  // is shared across every row.
+                  restoreMutation.reset();
+                  setSelectedId(isSelected ? null : revision.eventId);
+                }}
                 type="button"
               >
                 <span className="truncate text-sm font-medium">
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvas.tsx b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvas.tsx
index e3b928bb0e..e2d44ce8c5 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvas.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvas.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ export function ChannelCanvas({
 
   const canvasContent = canvasQuery.data?.content ?? null;
   const canvasRevision = canvasQuery.data?.eventId ?? null;
+  // A canvas exists whenever a persisted revision is present — an empty-string
+  // revision is a valid kind:40100 write (restore can republish one), so
+  // existence, the Create/Edit label, and History must key off the revision id,
+  // not content truthiness.
+  const canvasExists = canvasRevision !== null;
   // Defer the single large Markdown parse so opening the canvas commits the
   // surrounding chrome immediately and the heavy render reconciles after.
   const deferredCanvasContent = React.useDeferredValue(canvasContent);
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ export function ChannelCanvas({
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-3">
-      {canvasContent ? (
+      {canvasExists ? (
         <div
           className="rounded-2xl border border-border/70 bg-muted/20 px-4 py-3"
           data-testid="channel-canvas-content"
@@ -168,10 +173,10 @@ export function ChannelCanvas({
           variant="outline"
         >
           <Pencil className="h-4 w-4" />
-          {canvasContent ? "Edit canvas" : "Create canvas"}
+          {canvasExists ? "Edit canvas" : "Create canvas"}
         </Button>
       ) : null}
-      {canvasContent ? (
+      {canvasExists ? (
         <>
           <Button
             aria-expanded={showHistory}
@@ -188,7 +193,7 @@ export function ChannelCanvas({
             <CanvasHistoryPanel
               canRestore={canEdit && !isArchived}
               channelId={channelId}
-              currentContent={canvasContent}
+              currentContent={canvasContent ?? ""}
               currentRevision={canvasRevision}
             />
           ) : null}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvasEmptyExistence.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvasEmptyExistence.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..db6f6794cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelCanvasEmptyExistence.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+/**
+ * Empty-canvas existence regression: an empty-string canvas is still a valid
+ * persisted kind:40100 revision (restore can republish one). ChannelCanvas must
+ * key existence — the rendered content block, the Edit-vs-Create label, and the
+ * History toggle — off the presence of a revision id, not content truthiness.
+ *
+ * Mounts the shipping ChannelCanvas with a canvas whose content is "" but whose
+ * event id is non-null, then asserts the action reads "Edit" and History stays
+ * available.
+ */
+
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { registerHooks } from "node:module";
+import { after, before, test } from "node:test";
+
+import { JSDOM } from "jsdom";
+
+// The real Markdown component pulls in the remark/rehype/emoji stack, which
+// never releases its jsdom handles and hangs the node:test process. This test
+// only exercises existence gating, so serve an inert stub.
+registerHooks({
+  resolve(specifier, context, nextResolve) {
+    if (specifier === "@/shared/ui/markdown") {
+      return { shortCircuit: true, url: "buzz-canvas-stub:markdown" };
+    }
+    return nextResolve(specifier, context);
+  },
+  load(url, context, nextLoad) {
+    if (url === "buzz-canvas-stub:markdown") {
+      return {
+        format: "module",
+        shortCircuit: true,
+        source: "export function Markdown() { return null; }\n",
+      };
+    }
+    return nextLoad(url, context);
+  },
+});
+
+const dom = new JSDOM("<!doctype html><html><body></body></html>", {
+  url: "http://localhost",
+});
+
+const HEAD = "a".repeat(64);
+
+let React;
+let act;
+let createRoot;
+let QueryClient;
+let QueryClientProvider;
+let ChannelNavigationProvider;
+let ChannelCanvas;
+
+before(async () => {
+  Object.assign(globalThis, {
+    document: dom.window.document,
+    HTMLElement: dom.window.HTMLElement,
+    window: dom.window,
+    IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT: true,
+  });
+  Object.defineProperty(globalThis, "navigator", {
+    configurable: true,
+    value: dom.window.navigator,
+    writable: true,
+  });
+  dom.window.matchMedia = () => ({
+    matches: false,
+    addEventListener() {},
+    removeEventListener() {},
+  });
+
+  // A persisted-but-empty canvas: content is "" while the head event id is set.
+  dom.window.__TAURI_INTERNALS__ = {
+    invoke: async (cmd) => {
+      if (cmd === "get_canvas") {
+        return { content: "", event_id: HEAD, updated_at: 1, author: HEAD };
+      }
+      if (cmd === "get_canvas_history") {
+        return { revisions: [], next_cursor: null };
+      }
+      throw new Error(`unexpected command: ${cmd}`);
+    },
+  };
+
+  ({ default: React, act } = await import("react"));
+  ({ createRoot } = await import("react-dom/client"));
+  ({ QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } = await import(
+    "@tanstack/react-query"
+  ));
+  ({ ChannelNavigationProvider } = await import(
+    "@/shared/context/ChannelNavigationContext"
+  ));
+  ({ ChannelCanvas } = await import("./ChannelCanvas.tsx"));
+});
+
+after(() => dom.window.close());
+
+async function settle(iterations = 6) {
+  for (let i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1));
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+test("empty-string canvas with a revision id still exists — Edit label and History remain", async () => {
+  const queryClient = new QueryClient({
+    defaultOptions: {
+      queries: { gcTime: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY, retry: false },
+      mutations: { gcTime: 0 },
+    },
+  });
+  const container = dom.window.document.createElement("div");
+  dom.window.document.body.appendChild(container);
+  const root = createRoot(container);
+
+  await act(async () => {
+    root.render(
+      React.createElement(
+        QueryClientProvider,
+        { client: queryClient },
+        React.createElement(
+          ChannelNavigationProvider,
+          { channels: [] },
+          React.createElement(ChannelCanvas, {
+            channelId: "channel-1",
+            canEdit: true,
+            isArchived: false,
+          }),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+  });
+
+  await act(async () => {
+    await queryClient.refetchQueries({ queryKey: ["channel-canvas"] });
+  });
+  await settle();
+
+  const editButton = container.querySelector(
+    "[data-testid='channel-canvas-edit']",
+  );
+  assert.ok(editButton, "edit button renders for an existing empty canvas");
+  assert.equal(
+    editButton.textContent.trim(),
+    "Edit canvas",
+    "an existing empty canvas labels the action Edit, not Create",
+  );
+  assert.ok(
+    container.querySelector("[data-testid='channel-canvas-history-toggle']"),
+    "History remains available for an existing empty canvas",
+  );
+
+  await settle(12);
+  await act(async () => root.unmount());
+  queryClient.clear();
+  container.remove();
+});