diff --git a/crates/format/src/lib.rs b/crates/format/src/lib.rs
index 4273a80c1..aedfa31b9 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/lib.rs
@@ -180,8 +180,9 @@ const MAX_ENTRIES: usize = 100_000;
 
 /// How much a `.designcraft` archive may expand to when read. The sizes an archive claims are
 /// not trusted, so deflated entries are capped; a *stored* entry can't expand (its size is its
-/// bytes in the archive, which is already in memory, and all stored entries read together are held to the archive's own size), so a placed image — stored as is by [`save`] — opens whatever its size
-/// and doesn't count against the budget. Saving has no cap, and this keeps every saved
+/// bytes in the archive, which is already in memory, and all stored entries read together are
+/// held to the archive's own size), so a placed image — stored as is by [`save`] — opens whatever
+/// its size and doesn't count against the budget. Saving has no cap, and this keeps every saved
 /// document openable (#2166).
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
 struct Limits {
@@ -200,11 +201,24 @@ impl Limits {
 /// Read entry `name` of `z`, or `None` when it is missing or unreadable. Refuses a deflated entry
 /// that expands past `limit` bytes or past what is `left` of the archive's budget, without
 /// decompressing more than that: the sizes the archive claims are not trusted. A stored entry
-/// is read at its size in the archive and charged to `stored_left`, the archive's own size.
-fn read_entry(z: &mut zip::ZipArchive<Cursor<&[u8]>>, name: &str, limit: u64, left: &mut u64, stored_left: &mut u64) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>, FormatError> {
+/// is read at its size in the archive and charged to `stored_left`, the archive's own size; only a
+/// stored asset is free of `limit`.
+fn read_entry(
+    z: &mut zip::ZipArchive<Cursor<&[u8]>>,
+    name: &str,
+    limit: u64,
+    left: &mut u64,
+    stored_left: &mut u64,
+) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>, FormatError> {
     let Ok(f) = z.by_name(name) else { return Ok(None) };
     let stored = f.compression() == zip::CompressionMethod::Stored;
-    let limit = if stored { f.compressed_size().min(*stored_left) } else { limit.min(*left) };
+    let limit = if !stored {
+        limit.min(*left)
+    } else if name.starts_with("assets/") {
+        f.compressed_size().min(*stored_left)
+    } else {
+        f.compressed_size().min(*stored_left).min(limit)
+    };
     let too_big = || FormatError::Io(format!("{name} is larger than the {limit}-byte limit (or the archive expands past its {}-byte budget)", *left));
     if f.size() > limit {
         return Err(too_big());
@@ -235,7 +249,8 @@ fn load_zip_within(bytes: &[u8], limits: Limits) -> Result<Document, FormatError
         return Err(FormatError::NotOurs(format!("{} entries (at most {MAX_ENTRIES})", z.len())));
     }
     let mut left = limits.total;
-    // Stored entries can't expand, but a crafted zip can point several at the same bytes: together they get the archive's own size.
+    // Stored entries can't expand, but a crafted zip can point several at the same bytes: together
+    // they get the archive's own size.
     let mut stored_left = bytes.len() as u64;
     let version = read_entry(&mut z, "meta.json", limits.json, &mut left, &mut stored_left)?
         .and_then(|meta| serde_json::from_slice::<Value>(&meta).ok())
@@ -244,7 +259,8 @@ fn load_zip_within(bytes: &[u8], limits: Limits) -> Result<Document, FormatError
     if version > u64::from(VERSION) {
         return Err(FormatError::TooNew(version));
     }
-    let json = read_entry(&mut z, "document.json", limits.json, &mut left, &mut stored_left)?.ok_or_else(|| FormatError::NotOurs("missing document.json".into()))?;
+    let json = read_entry(&mut z, "document.json", limits.json, &mut left, &mut stored_left)?
+        .ok_or_else(|| FormatError::NotOurs("missing document.json".into()))?;
     let mut v: Value = serde_json::from_slice(&json).map_err(|e| FormatError::NotOurs(e.to_string()))?;
     upgrade_json(&mut v);
     let mut doc: Document = serde_json::from_value(v).map_err(|e| FormatError::NotOurs(e.to_string()))?;
@@ -260,7 +276,10 @@ fn load_zip_within(bytes: &[u8], limits: Limits) -> Result<Document, FormatError
         if !doc.assets.contains_key(&AssetId(id)) {
             continue;
         }
-        if let (Some(data), Some(a)) = (read_entry(&mut z, &name, limits.asset, &mut left, &mut stored_left)?, doc.assets.get_mut(&AssetId(id))) {
+        if let (Some(data), Some(a)) = (
+            read_entry(&mut z, &name, limits.asset, &mut left, &mut stored_left)?,
+            doc.assets.get_mut(&AssetId(id)),
+        ) {
             let same = loaded.entry(fingerprint.hash_one(data.as_slice())).or_default();
             let data = match same.iter().find(|d| ***d == data) {
                 Some(d) => d.clone(),