diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayGestures.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayGestures.ts
index de41251004..a69f07a794 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayGestures.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayGestures.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import type {
   StudioRotationSnapshot,
 } from "./manualEdits";
 import type { ManualOffsetDragMember } from "./manualOffsetDrag";
+import type { CssRotationTarget } from "./rotationDraft";
 import type { GroupOverlayItem, OverlayRect } from "./domEditOverlayGeometry";
 import type { SnapContext } from "./snapTargetCollection";
 import type { SnapGuidesState } from "./SnapGuideOverlay";
@@ -63,8 +64,8 @@ export interface GestureState {
   actualWidth: number;
   actualHeight: number;
   actualRotation: number;
-  /** Null when GSAP owns the rotate; else what the element's scale and transform turn, read at press. */
-  plainRotationShare: number | null;
+  /** Null when GSAP owns the rotate; else where its CSS turn is drawn and saved, read at press. */
+  plainRotation: CssRotationTarget | null;
   editScaleX: number;
   editScaleY: number;
   // Rendered px per CSS px of the element at gesture start (> 1 under a GSAP scale()); the resize
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.test.ts
index d155119fe1..a85d609fd5 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.test.ts
@@ -106,7 +106,11 @@ describe("a rotate on a page that loads GSAP", () => {
 
     const handlers = createDomEditOverlayGestureHandlers(opts as never);
     expect(handlers.startGesture("rotate", pointer(25, -20) as never)).toBe(true);
-    expect(opts.gestureRef.current?.plainRotationShare).toBe(0);
+    expect(opts.gestureRef.current?.plainRotation).toEqual({
+      property: "rotate",
+      prefix: "",
+      share: 0,
+    });
     expect(opts.gestureRef.current?.actualRotation).toBeCloseTo(30);
     handlers.onPointerMove(pointer(60, 20) as never);
 
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.ts
index a614ca983b..6df8ff6e0c 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/domEditOverlayStartGesture.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   restoreManualOffsetDragMembers,
   type ManualOffsetDragMember,
 } from "./manualOffsetDrag";
-import { readRotationBase } from "./rotationDraft";
+import { readCssRotationTarget, readRotationBase } from "./rotationDraft";
 import {
   beginStudioManualEditGesture,
   captureStudioBoxSize,
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import {
 } from "./domEditOverlayGestures";
 import { collectSnapContext, buildExcludeElements } from "./snapTargetCollection";
 import { gsapWritesRotation } from "../../hooks/gsapRuntimeKeyframes";
-import { readCssRotation } from "../../hooks/draggedGsapPosition";
 import { logResize, resetResizeMoveLog } from "../../utils/resizeDebug";
 import { logDrag, readDragPositions, resetDragMoveLog } from "../../utils/dragDebug";
 
@@ -234,8 +233,7 @@ export function startGesture(
   // Rotation base: the angle the element shows. An element GSAP does not turn, or a plain-translate
   // move, never asks GSAP: reading a property makes it bake the CSS into its transform.
   const plain = !!pathOffsetMember?.plainTranslate || !gsapWritesRotation(sel.element);
-  const plainRotationShare =
-    plain && kind === "rotate" ? readCssRotation(sel.element, false) : null;
+  const plainRotation = plain && kind === "rotate" ? readCssRotationTarget(sel.element) : null;
   const rotation = { angle: readRotationBase(sel.element, plain) };
   const overlayBounds = overlayEl?.getBoundingClientRect();
   const centerX = (overlayBounds?.left ?? 0) + rect.left + rect.width / 2;
@@ -284,7 +282,7 @@ export function startGesture(
     actualWidth,
     actualHeight,
     actualRotation: rotation.angle,
-    plainRotationShare,
+    plainRotation,
     editScaleX: rect.editScaleX,
     editScaleY: rect.editScaleY,
     contentScaleX,
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsSnapshot.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsSnapshot.ts
index 1fb3569869..e2cf99966d 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsSnapshot.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsSnapshot.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ export function captureStudioBoxSize(element: HTMLElement): StudioBoxSizeSnapsho
 export function captureStudioRotation(element: HTMLElement): StudioRotationSnapshot {
   return {
     rotate: element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate"),
+    transform: element.style.getPropertyValue("transform"),
     transformOrigin: element.style.getPropertyValue("transform-origin"),
     studioRotation: element.style.getPropertyValue(STUDIO_ROTATION_PROP),
     marker: element.getAttribute(STUDIO_ROTATION_ATTR),
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsTypes.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsTypes.ts
index d39c9df0e5..4c8dbf0fc6 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsTypes.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/manualEditsTypes.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ export interface StudioBoxSizeSnapshot {
 
 export interface StudioRotationSnapshot {
   rotate: string;
+  transform: string;
   transformOrigin: string;
   studioRotation: string;
   marker: string | null;
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.test.ts
index 86ee1a24db..f03b6619a5 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { Window } from "happy-dom";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
-import { readCssRotation } from "../../hooks/draggedGsapPosition";
-import { applyRotationDraft, readRotationBase } from "./rotationDraft";
+import { applyRotationDraft, readCssRotationTarget, readRotationBase } from "./rotationDraft";
 
 describe("rotate in a composition without GSAP", () => {
   it("starts from the authored CSS rotation and drafts the absolute angle the commit writes", () => {
@@ -12,7 +11,7 @@ describe("rotate in a composition without GSAP", () => {
     window.document.body.append(element);
     const base = readRotationBase(element, true);
     expect(base).toBeCloseTo(30);
-    applyRotationDraft(element, 55, readCssRotation(element, false));
+    applyRotationDraft(element, 55, readCssRotationTarget(element));
     expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate")).toBe("55deg");
   });
 
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ describe("rotate in a composition without GSAP", () => {
         css,
         base: expect.closeTo(base),
       });
-      applyRotationDraft(element, base + 25, readCssRotation(element, false));
+      applyRotationDraft(element, base + 25, readCssRotationTarget(element));
       const rotate = Number.parseFloat(element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate"));
       expect({ css, rotate }).toEqual({ css, rotate: expect.closeTo(drafted) });
     }
@@ -48,9 +47,9 @@ describe("rotate in a composition without GSAP", () => {
     element.id = "title";
     window.document.body.append(element);
     expect(readRotationBase(element, true)).toBeCloseTo(30);
-    const share = readCssRotation(element, false);
+    const target = readCssRotationTarget(element);
     const styleReads = vi.spyOn(window, "getComputedStyle");
-    applyRotationDraft(element, 55, share);
+    applyRotationDraft(element, 55, target);
     expect(styleReads).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate")).toBe("55deg");
     expect(gsap.set).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -59,4 +58,29 @@ describe("rotate in a composition without GSAP", () => {
     expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate")).toBe("none");
     expect(gsap.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(element, { rotation: 55 });
   });
+
+  it("turns a transform-centred element inside its transform, after the translate, so it stays put", () => {
+    const window = new Window();
+    window.document.head.innerHTML =
+      "<style>#title { rotate: 30deg; transform: translate(-120px, -80px); }</style>";
+    const element = window.document.createElement("h1");
+    element.id = "title";
+    window.document.body.append(element);
+    const target = readCssRotationTarget(element);
+    expect(target).toEqual({
+      property: "transform",
+      prefix: "translate(-120px, -80px)",
+      share: expect.closeTo(30),
+    });
+    applyRotationDraft(element, 55, target);
+    expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("transform")).toBe(
+      "translate(-120px, -80px) rotate(25deg)",
+    );
+    expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate")).toBe("");
+    // The next rotate replaces its own trailing turn instead of stacking a second one.
+    applyRotationDraft(element, 70, readCssRotationTarget(element));
+    expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("transform")).toBe(
+      "translate(-120px, -80px) rotate(40deg)",
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.ts
index f945e0135b..be2efc7759 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/rotationDraft.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { readCssRotation } from "../../hooks/draggedGsapPosition";
 import { roundTo3 } from "../../utils/rounding";
+import type { PatchOperation } from "../../utils/sourcePatcher";
 import {
   readStudioRotation,
   restoreStudioRotation,
@@ -7,24 +8,78 @@ import {
 } from "./manualEdits";
 import { getOffsetDragGsap } from "./manualOffsetDrag";
 
-/** The element's own `rotate` that shows `angle`, less `share`, what its `scale` and `transform` turn. */
+const TRAILING_TURN = /\s*rotate\(\s*-?[\d.]+(?:e[+-]?\d+)?deg\s*\)\s*$/;
+
+// ponytail: the authored transform if it moves the box, from the last matching rule in sheet order;
+// specificity, !important and @media are not weighed. Weigh them when a film's rule is missed.
+function translatingTransform(element: HTMLElement): string {
+  const view = element.ownerDocument.defaultView;
+  const computed = view?.getComputedStyle(element).transform ?? "none";
+  const m = computed === "none" ? null : new view!.DOMMatrix(computed);
+  if (!m || (m.m41 === 0 && m.m42 === 0)) return "";
+  let value = element.style.getPropertyValue("transform");
+  for (const sheet of value ? [] : Array.from(element.ownerDocument.styleSheets)) {
+    let rules: CSSRule[];
+    try {
+      rules = Array.from(sheet.cssRules);
+    } catch {
+      continue; // a cross-origin sheet
+    }
+    for (const rule of rules as CSSStyleRule[]) {
+      const declared = rule.style?.getPropertyValue("transform");
+      if (declared && element.matches(rule.selectorText)) value = declared;
+    }
+  }
+  return value === "none" ? "" : value;
+}
+
+/** Where a plain rotate draws its turn, read once at press: the element's own `rotate`, or, when its
+ *  transform translates it (often the translate(-50%, -50%) centring), a trailing rotate() in that
+ *  transform, so the translate is not turned with the box. `share` is what the rest already turns. */
+export interface CssRotationTarget {
+  property: "rotate" | "transform";
+  prefix: string;
+  share: number;
+}
+
+export function readCssRotationTarget(element: HTMLElement): CssRotationTarget {
+  const transform = translatingTransform(element);
+  if (!transform) return { property: "rotate", prefix: "", share: readCssRotation(element, false) };
+  const prefix = transform.replace(TRAILING_TURN, "");
+  const style = element.style;
+  const inline = [style.getPropertyValue("transform"), style.getPropertyPriority("transform")];
+  style.setProperty("transform", prefix || "none");
+  const share = readCssRotation(element);
+  style.setProperty("transform", inline[0] ?? "", inline[1] ?? "");
+  return { property: "transform", prefix, share };
+}
+
+/** Draws `angle` where `target` says, and returns the source patch that saves it as drawn. */
 export function applyCssRotation(
   element: HTMLElement,
   angle: number,
-  share = readCssRotation(element, false),
-): void {
-  element.style.setProperty("rotate", `${roundTo3(angle - share)}deg`);
+  target = readCssRotationTarget(element),
+): PatchOperation & { value: string } {
+  const turn = `${roundTo3(angle - target.share)}deg`;
+  const value = target.property === "rotate" ? turn : `${target.prefix} rotate(${turn})`.trim();
+  element.style.setProperty(target.property, value);
+  return { type: "inline-style", property: target.property, value };
+}
+
+/** Back to the press: the rotation snapshot and, for a plain rotate, the inline transform it drew in. */
+export function restorePlainRotation(element: HTMLElement, snapshot: StudioRotationSnapshot): void {
+  restoreStudioRotation(element, snapshot);
+  element.style.setProperty("transform", snapshot.transform);
 }
 
-// `plainShare` is decided once, at gesture start: a number when GSAP turns nothing on the element (the
-// rotate draws its own CSS `rotate`), null for GSAP's rotation, as the commit writes it.
+// `plain`, read at press: where a turn GSAP does not own draws; null for GSAP's rotation.
 export function applyRotationDraft(
   element: HTMLElement,
   angle: number,
-  plainShare: number | null,
+  plain: CssRotationTarget | null,
 ): void {
-  const gsap = plainShare === null ? getOffsetDragGsap(element) : null;
-  if (!gsap) return applyCssRotation(element, angle, plainShare ?? undefined);
+  const gsap = plain ? null : getOffsetDragGsap(element);
+  if (!gsap) return void applyCssRotation(element, angle, plain ?? undefined);
   element.style.setProperty("rotate", "none");
   gsap.set(element, { rotation: angle });
 }
@@ -39,7 +94,8 @@ export function restoreRotationDraft(
   snapshot: StudioRotationSnapshot,
   plain: boolean,
 ): void {
-  rotationGsap(element, plain)?.set(element, {
+  if (plain) return restorePlainRotation(element, snapshot);
+  getOffsetDragGsap(element)?.set(element, {
     rotation: angle - (Number.parseFloat(snapshot.studioRotation) || 0),
   });
   restoreStudioRotation(element, snapshot);
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/useDomEditOverlayGestures.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/useDomEditOverlayGestures.ts
index fcc9e1351c..69dcf75c63 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/useDomEditOverlayGestures.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/useDomEditOverlayGestures.ts
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ export function createDomEditOverlayGestureHandlers(opts: UseDomEditOverlayGestu
         actualAngle: g.actualRotation,
         snap: e.shiftKey,
       });
-      applyRotationDraft(sel.element, rotated.angle, g.plainRotationShare);
+      applyRotationDraft(sel.element, rotated.angle, g.plainRotation);
       return;
     }
 
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ export function createDomEditOverlayGestureHandlers(opts: UseDomEditOverlayGestu
           sel.element,
           g.actualRotation,
           g.initialRotation,
-          g.plainRotationShare !== null,
+          g.plainRotation !== null,
         );
       if (!hasDomEditRotationChanged(g.actualRotation, finalRotation.angle)) {
         restoreRotation();
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ export function createDomEditOverlayGestureHandlers(opts: UseDomEditOverlayGestu
         return;
       }
       // Hold the final angle while the commit lands.
-      applyRotationDraft(sel.element, finalRotation.angle, g.plainRotationShare);
+      applyRotationDraft(sel.element, finalRotation.angle, g.plainRotation);
       void Promise.resolve(opts.onRotationCommitRef.current(sel, finalRotation))
         .catch((error) => {
           logGestureCommitFailure("rotate commit failed", error);
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ export function createDomEditOverlayGestureHandlers(opts: UseDomEditOverlayGestu
         sel.element,
         g.actualRotation,
         g.initialRotation,
-        g.plainRotationShare !== null,
+        g.plainRotation !== null,
       );
       endStudioManualEditGesture(sel.element, g.manualEditDragToken);
     }
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.test.ts
index 4671892be3..19c5da12f3 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.test.ts
@@ -75,4 +75,21 @@ describe("savePlainRotation", () => {
     expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate")).toBe("");
     expect(commitPositionPatchToHtml).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
+
+  it("saves a transform-centred element's turn in its transform and puts it back on a failed save", async () => {
+    const element = document.createElement("div");
+    element.style.transform = "translate(-120px, -80px)";
+    const { saved, commitPositionPatchToHtml } = rotate(element, 25, {
+      save: () => Promise.reject(new Error("offline")),
+    });
+    expect(commitPositionPatchToHtml.mock.calls[0]![1]).toEqual([
+      {
+        type: "inline-style",
+        property: "transform",
+        value: "translate(-120px, -80px) rotate(25deg)",
+      },
+    ]);
+    await expect(saved).rejects.toThrow("offline");
+    expect(element.style.getPropertyValue("transform")).toBe("translate(-120px, -80px)");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.ts b/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.ts
index df983d33d5..3ab76ef31a 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/hooks/plainRotation.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,14 @@
 import type { DomEditSelection } from "../components/editor/domEditing";
-import {
-  captureStudioRotation,
-  clearStudioRotation,
-  restoreStudioRotation,
-} from "../components/editor/manualEdits";
+import { captureStudioRotation, clearStudioRotation } from "../components/editor/manualEdits";
 import { buildClearRotationPatches } from "../components/editor/manualEditsDomPatches";
 import { STUDIO_ROTATION_ATTR } from "../components/editor/manualEditsTypes";
-import { applyCssRotation } from "../components/editor/rotationDraft";
+import { applyCssRotation, restorePlainRotation } from "../components/editor/rotationDraft";
 import type { PatchOperation } from "../utils/sourcePatcher";
 import type { ElementOffsetStagerDeps } from "./elementOffsetStager";
 
 let plainRotateCounter = 0;
 
-/** GSAP does not turn the element: `next` is its whole angle, drawn and saved as its own `rotate`. */
+/** GSAP does not turn the element: `next` is its whole angle, drawn and saved as its CSS turn. */
 export function savePlainRotation(
   { commitPositionPatchToHtml, readOnlyPreview }: Omit<ElementOffsetStagerDeps, "showToast">,
   selection: DomEditSelection,
@@ -26,15 +22,16 @@ export function savePlainRotation(
     ? buildClearRotationPatches(element)
     : [];
   if (patches.length) clearStudioRotation(element);
-  applyCssRotation(element, next.angle);
-  const value = element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate");
-  patches.push({ type: "inline-style", property: "rotate", value });
+  const drawn = applyCssRotation(element, next.angle);
+  patches.push(drawn);
   return commitPositionPatchToHtml(selection, patches, {
     label: "Rotate layer",
     coalesceKey: `rotate:${++plainRotateCounter}`,
     coalesceMs: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY,
   }).catch((error) => {
-    if (element.style.getPropertyValue("rotate") === value) restoreStudioRotation(element, before);
+    if (element.style.getPropertyValue(drawn.property) === drawn.value) {
+      restorePlainRotation(element, before);
+    }
     throw error;
   });
 }