diff --git a/crates/engine/src/assets/library/tests.rs b/crates/engine/src/assets/library/tests.rs
index e9b6009ca..733c3ba8c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/assets/library/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/assets/library/tests.rs
@@ -458,6 +458,11 @@ fn going_to_a_library_main_opens_the_library_file() {
     let e = s.execute("component.goToMain", &json!({"id": card})).unwrap_err();
     assert!(e.to_string().contains("isn't at"), "{e}");
     assert_eq!(s.docs.len(), 1);
+
+    let NodeKind::Instance { component: copy, .. } = node(&s, card).kind else { panic!("not an instance") };
+    s.doc_mut().unwrap().libraries_mut().components.retain(|r| r.root != copy);
+    let e = s.execute("component.goToMain", &json!({"id": card})).unwrap_err();
+    assert!(e.to_string().contains("no link to its library"), "an imported copy without its record: {e}");
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&d);
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/component.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/component.rs
index 7288045ad..e0b2e02f4 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/component.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/component.rs
@@ -207,6 +207,13 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
                     let library = library.to_string();
                     return go_to_library_main(s, &library, &name, key);
                 }
+                if doc.is_remote(component) {
+                    return Err(EngineError::Disabled(
+                        cmd.into(),
+                        "the main component is a library copy with no link to its library (it came with an imported file): enable that library to reach it"
+                            .into(),
+                    ));
+                }
                 super::edit::select_and_page(s, vec![component])?;
                 let ds = s.ds_mut()?;
                 if let Some(b) = ds.doc.world_bounds(component) {