diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/layer/timing.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/layer/timing.rs
index 650544d17..15a6628d4 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/layer/timing.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/layer/timing.rs
@@ -201,6 +201,11 @@ pub(super) fn arrange(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     Ok(Value::Null)
 }
 
+/// "Pre-comp N" with the lowest N no item already uses.
+fn unused_precomp_name(proj: &effectcraft_project::Project) -> String {
+    (1u32..).map(|n| format!("Pre-comp {n}")).find(|n| !proj.items.values().any(|i| &i.name == n)).unwrap_or_else(|| "Pre-comp".to_string())
+}
+
 /// Layer ▸ Pre-compose. `mode: move` (default; "Move all attributes into the new composition")
 /// nests the selected layers as they are; `mode: leave` ("Leave all attributes in", one footage,
 /// solid or precomp layer) nests only the layer's source, sized to it, and keeps the layer's
@@ -212,7 +217,10 @@ pub(super) fn precompose(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     if ids.is_empty() {
         return Err(bad(c, "no layers"));
     }
-    let name = str_p(p, "name").unwrap_or("Pre-comp 1").to_string();
+    let name = match str_p(p, "name") {
+        Some(n) => n.to_string(),
+        None => unused_precomp_name(&s.project),
+    };
     let comp = s.project.comp(cid).ok_or(EngineError::NoComp)?.clone();
     let leave = match str_p(p, "mode").unwrap_or("move") {
         "move" => false,
@@ -280,6 +288,15 @@ pub(super) fn precompose(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
         let c = proj.comp_mut(cid).ok_or(EngineError::NoComp)?;
         let at = c.layers.iter().position(|l| ids.contains(&l.id)).unwrap_or(0);
         c.layers.retain(|l| !ids.contains(&l.id));
+        // Layers left behind must not keep pointing at layers that moved into the new comp.
+        for l in &mut c.layers {
+            if l.parent.is_some_and(|p| ids.contains(&p)) {
+                l.parent = None;
+            }
+            if l.track_matte.as_ref().is_some_and(|m| ids.contains(&m.layer)) {
+                l.track_matte = None;
+            }
+        }
         let lid = l.id;
         c.layers.insert(at.min(c.layers.len()), l);
         st.selected_layers = vec![lid];
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests/menu_cmds.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests/menu_cmds.rs
index d30fc156a..6698cbd0b 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests/menu_cmds.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests/menu_cmds.rs
@@ -2035,3 +2035,33 @@ fn pasting_a_mask_onto_its_own_layer_drops_the_source_vertex_selection() {
     s.execute("edit.clear", json!({})).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(layer(&s, a).masks().unwrap().groups().count(), 1, "the pasted mask goes, the source stays");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn precompose_unlinks_layers_left_behind_and_numbers_default_names() {
+    let mut s = Session::default();
+    s.execute("comp.new", json!({"name": "Main", "width": 64, "height": 64, "frameRate": 30, "duration": 4})).unwrap();
+    let mk = |s: &mut Session, name: &str| {
+        s.execute("layer.newSolid", json!({"name": name, "color": "#fff", "width": 64, "height": 64})).unwrap()["layer"].as_u64().unwrap()
+    };
+    let (a, b, c, d) = (mk(&mut s, "A"), mk(&mut s, "B"), mk(&mut s, "C"), mk(&mut s, "D"));
+    s.execute("layer.setParent", json!({"layers": [c], "parent": a})).unwrap();
+    s.execute("layer.setTrackMatte", json!({"layers": [d], "matte": b, "kind": "alpha"})).unwrap();
+    let cid = s.active_comp_id().unwrap();
+    s.execute("layer.precompose", json!({"layers": [a, b]})).unwrap();
+    let comp = s.project.comp(cid).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(comp.layers.len(), 3);
+    for l in &comp.layers {
+        assert!(l.parent.is_none_or(|p| comp.layer(p).is_some()), "{} has a dangling parent", l.name);
+        assert!(l.track_matte.as_ref().is_none_or(|m| comp.layer(m.layer).is_some()), "{} has a dangling matte", l.name);
+    }
+    s.execute("layer.precompose", json!({"layers": [c, d]})).unwrap();
+    let mut names: Vec<String> = s
+        .project
+        .items
+        .values()
+        .filter(|i| matches!(i.kind, effectcraft_project::ItemKind::Comp(_)) && i.name.starts_with("Pre-comp"))
+        .map(|i| i.name.clone())
+        .collect();
+    names.sort();
+    assert_eq!(names, ["Pre-comp 1", "Pre-comp 2"]);
+}