diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
index eec43cc4a..26fb7b9cf 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
@@ -267,6 +267,106 @@ fn a_pasted_or_duplicated_placeholder_keeps_its_inherited_look() {
     assert!(s.doc().unwrap().doc.validate().is_empty());
 }
 
+/// The resolved fill, line and effects of shape `id` on the current slide, with their style colours.
+fn resolved_box(s: &Session, id: ShapeId) -> String {
+    use deckcraft_model::resolve;
+    let st = s.doc().unwrap();
+    let ctx = resolve::Ctx::for_slide(&st.doc, st.current_slide().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    let sh = st.shape(id).unwrap();
+    format!("{:?}\n{:?}\n{:?}", resolve::fill(&ctx, sh), resolve::line(&ctx, sh), resolve::effects(&ctx, sh))
+}
+
+/// Edit the title placeholders the current slide's title inherits from: its layout's and its
+/// master's. Returns the slide title's id.
+fn edit_title_parents(
+    s: &mut Session,
+    layout: impl FnOnce(&mut deckcraft_model::Shape),
+    master: impl FnOnce(&mut deckcraft_model::Shape),
+) -> ShapeId {
+    let st = s.doc_mut().unwrap();
+    let slide = st.current_slide().unwrap().clone();
+    let title = slide.shapes.iter().find(|x| x.ph_type().is_some_and(|k| k.is_title())).unwrap().id;
+    let doc = std::sync::Arc::make_mut(&mut st.doc);
+    let m = std::sync::Arc::make_mut(&mut doc.masters[0]);
+    let lay = m.layouts.iter_mut().find(|l| l.id == slide.layout).unwrap();
+    layout(lay.shapes.iter_mut().find(|x| x.ph_type().is_some_and(|k| k.is_title())).unwrap());
+    master(m.shapes.iter_mut().find(|x| x.ph_type().is_some_and(|k| k.is_title())).unwrap());
+    title
+}
+
+/// A copied placeholder takes each of fill, line and effects from where the original does: a
+/// style on the layout's placeholder (or on the slide's own) wins over an explicit value on the
+/// master's, as `resolve::fill`, `resolve::line` and `resolve::effects` decide.
+#[test]
+fn a_pasted_placeholder_keeps_the_style_precedence_of_its_box() {
+    use deckcraft_color::SchemeSlot;
+    use deckcraft_model::{ColorRef, Effects, Fill, Line, ShapeStyle};
+    for style_on_slide in [false, true] {
+        let mut s = session();
+        s.execute("slide.new", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        let style = ShapeStyle {
+            line_ref: (1, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent2)),
+            fill_ref: (1, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent1)),
+            effect_ref: (0, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent3)),
+            font_ref: ("minor".into(), None),
+        };
+        let layout_style = (!style_on_slide).then(|| style.clone());
+        let title = edit_title_parents(
+            &mut s,
+            |l| l.style = layout_style,
+            |m| {
+                m.fill = Some(Fill::solid(ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent4)));
+                m.line = Some(Line::solid(ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent5), 20.0));
+                m.effects = Some(Effects { soft_edge: Some(5.0), ..Default::default() });
+            },
+        );
+        if style_on_slide {
+            s.edit(|doc, sel| {
+                let list = crate::shapes_mut(doc, sel).unwrap();
+                list.iter_mut().find(|x| x.id == title).unwrap().style = Some(style.clone());
+                Ok(())
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+        }
+        s.execute("text.set", &json!({"id": title.0, "text": "Styled title"})).unwrap();
+        let want = (resolved_box(&s, title), resolved_look(&s, title));
+        s.execute("selection.select", &json!({"id": title.0})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("edit.copy", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("edit.paste", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        let copy = s.doc().unwrap().selection.shapes[0];
+        assert_eq!((resolved_box(&s, copy), resolved_look(&s, copy)), want, "style on the slide: {style_on_slide}");
+    }
+}
+
+/// The master's placeholder style never reaches the copy's text: the original's text ignores it
+/// (only the shape's or the layout's font reference counts), so the copy must too.
+#[test]
+fn a_pasted_placeholder_ignores_the_masters_font_reference() {
+    use deckcraft_color::SchemeSlot;
+    use deckcraft_model::{ColorRef, ShapeStyle};
+    let mut s = session();
+    s.execute("slide.new", &json!({})).unwrap();
+    let title = edit_title_parents(
+        &mut s,
+        |l| l.style = None,
+        |m| {
+            m.style = Some(ShapeStyle {
+                line_ref: (0, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent2)),
+                fill_ref: (0, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent1)),
+                effect_ref: (0, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent3)),
+                font_ref: ("minor".into(), Some(ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Accent6))),
+            })
+        },
+    );
+    s.execute("text.set", &json!({"id": title.0, "text": "Title"})).unwrap();
+    let want = (resolved_box(&s, title), resolved_look(&s, title));
+    assert!(want.1.contains("+mj-lt"), "the title draws in the heading font: {}", want.1);
+    s.execute("selection.select", &json!({"id": title.0})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("edit.duplicate", &json!({})).unwrap();
+    let copy = s.doc().unwrap().selection.shapes[0];
+    assert_eq!((resolved_box(&s, copy), resolved_look(&s, copy)), want);
+}
+
 /// The same on every text placeholder of the sample deck (titles, bulleted bodies, subtitles).
 #[test]
 fn sample_placeholders_paste_with_their_look() {
diff --git a/crates/model/src/resolve.rs b/crates/model/src/resolve.rs
index 8cf87582d..5f1651de9 100644
--- a/crates/model/src/resolve.rs
+++ b/crates/model/src/resolve.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 use deckcraft_color::{ColorScheme, Rgba, SchemeSlot};
 use deckcraft_geom::Xfrm;
 
-use crate::style::{ColorRef, Effects, Fill, Line};
+use crate::style::{ColorRef, Effects, Fill, Line, ShapeStyle};
 use crate::text::{Anchor, AutoFit, BodyProps, LevelStyle, ListStyle, ParaProps, RunProps};
 use crate::{Background, Layout, Master, PhType, Presentation, Shape, Slide};
 
@@ -229,30 +229,53 @@ pub fn detach_placeholder(ctx: &Ctx, shape: &mut Shape) {
     if shape.ph.is_none() {
         return;
     }
-    let (lp, mp) = parents(ctx, shape);
-    let parents = [lp, mp].into_iter().flatten();
-    shape.xfrm = Some(xfrm(ctx, shape));
-    if shape.fill.is_none() && shape.style.is_none() {
-        shape.fill = parents.clone().find_map(|s| s.fill.clone());
-    }
-    if shape.style.is_none() {
-        shape.style = parents.clone().find_map(|s| s.style.clone());
-    }
-    if shape.effects.is_none() {
-        shape.effects = parents.clone().find_map(|s| s.effects.clone());
-    }
-    let mut line = shape.line.clone();
-    for p in parents.filter_map(|s| s.line.as_ref()) {
-        line.get_or_insert_with(Line::default).inherit(p);
-    }
-    shape.line = line;
-    if shape.text.is_some() {
-        let body = body(ctx, shape);
-        let levels: Vec<Option<LevelStyle>> = (0..9).map(|l| Some(level_style(ctx, shape, l))).collect();
-        if let Some(t) = shape.text.as_mut() {
-            t.body = body;
-            t.list_style = ListStyle { levels };
+    // The text first: `level_style` reads the shape's own style, which changes below.
+    let text = shape.text.as_ref().map(|_| (body(ctx, shape), (0..9).map(|l| Some(level_style(ctx, shape, l))).collect::<Vec<_>>()));
+    let own = shape.clone();
+    let (lp, mp) = parents(ctx, &own);
+    let chain = [Some(&own), lp, mp].into_iter().flatten();
+
+    // Each property comes from where `fill`, `line` and `effects` take it: the first shape in the
+    // chain with an explicit value or a style. Lines merge explicit values up to the first styled
+    // shape, whose style line fills the rest.
+    let fill_src = chain.clone().find(|s| s.fill.is_some() || s.style.is_some());
+    let effects_src = chain.clone().find(|s| s.effects.is_some() || s.style.is_some());
+    let mut line = None;
+    let mut line_src = None;
+    for s in chain.clone() {
+        if let Some(l) = &s.line {
+            line.get_or_insert_with(Line::default).inherit(l);
         }
+        if s.style.is_some() {
+            line_src = Some(s);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    // Text takes its font reference from the shape's style or its layout placeholder's (a table's
+    // from its own only), never the master's.
+    let table = matches!(own.kind, crate::ShapeKind::Table(_));
+    let font_src = own.style.as_ref().or(lp.filter(|_| !table).and_then(|s| s.style.as_ref()));
+
+    // One style for the copy, each reference taken from the shape that supplied that property. A
+    // property with an explicit value ignores its reference, except a gradient without stops,
+    // which takes them from its own shape's style; a neutral reference (index 0) adds nothing.
+    let style_of = |s: Option<&Shape>| s.and_then(|s| s.style.clone());
+    let neutral = (0, ColorRef::scheme(SchemeSlot::Tx1));
+    let style = chain.clone().any(|s| s.style.is_some()).then(|| ShapeStyle {
+        fill_ref: style_of(fill_src).map_or_else(|| neutral.clone(), |st| st.fill_ref),
+        line_ref: style_of(line_src).map_or_else(|| neutral.clone(), |st| st.line_ref),
+        effect_ref: style_of(effects_src).map_or_else(|| neutral.clone(), |st| st.effect_ref),
+        font_ref: font_src.map_or_else(|| ("none".into(), None), |st| st.font_ref.clone()),
+    });
+
+    shape.xfrm = Some(xfrm(ctx, &own));
+    shape.fill = fill_src.and_then(|s| s.fill.clone());
+    shape.effects = effects_src.and_then(|s| s.effects.clone());
+    shape.line = line;
+    shape.style = style;
+    if let (Some(t), Some((body, levels))) = (shape.text.as_mut(), text) {
+        t.body = body;
+        t.list_style = ListStyle { levels };
     }
     shape.ph = None;
 }