diff --git a/frontend/messages/de.json b/frontend/messages/de.json
index 5d17e947..f1b189ce 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/de.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/de.json
@@ -420,6 +420,12 @@
 	"notification_unread": "ungelesen",
 	"mention_btn_label": "Person erwähnen",
 	"mention_popup_empty": "Keine Nutzer gefunden",
+	"person_mention_open_link": "Zur Person",
+	"person_mention_hover_hint": "Klick öffnet Seite",
+	"person_mention_load_error": "Person konnte nicht geladen werden.",
+	"person_mention_popup_empty": "Keine Personen gefunden",
+	"person_mention_btn_label": "Person verlinken",
+	"person_mention_create_new": "Neue Person anlegen",
 	"page_title_home": "Archiv",
 	"page_title_persons": "Personen",
 	"page_title_admin": "Administration",
diff --git a/frontend/messages/en.json b/frontend/messages/en.json
index 604aa617..02111802 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/en.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/en.json
@@ -420,6 +420,12 @@
 	"notification_unread": "unread",
 	"mention_btn_label": "Mention person",
 	"mention_popup_empty": "No users found",
+	"person_mention_open_link": "Open person",
+	"person_mention_hover_hint": "Click opens the page",
+	"person_mention_load_error": "Could not load person.",
+	"person_mention_popup_empty": "No persons found",
+	"person_mention_btn_label": "Link person",
+	"person_mention_create_new": "Create new person",
 	"page_title_home": "Archive",
 	"page_title_persons": "Persons",
 	"page_title_admin": "Administration",
diff --git a/frontend/messages/es.json b/frontend/messages/es.json
index 9e769d44..5d416017 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/es.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/es.json
@@ -420,6 +420,12 @@
 	"notification_unread": "no leído",
 	"mention_btn_label": "Mencionar persona",
 	"mention_popup_empty": "No se encontraron usuarios",
+	"person_mention_open_link": "Ir a la persona",
+	"person_mention_hover_hint": "Clic abre la página",
+	"person_mention_load_error": "No se pudo cargar la persona.",
+	"person_mention_popup_empty": "No se encontraron personas",
+	"person_mention_btn_label": "Vincular persona",
+	"person_mention_create_new": "Crear nueva persona",
 	"page_title_home": "Archivo",
 	"page_title_persons": "Personas",
 	"page_title_admin": "Administración",
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..df686334
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+import { onDestroy, tick } from 'svelte';
+import { detectPersonMention } from '$lib/utils/personMention';
+import { formatLifeDateRange } from '$lib/utils/personLifeDates';
+import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
+import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
+
+type Person = components['schemas']['Person'];
+type PersonMention = components['schemas']['PersonMention'];
+
+type Props = {
+	value: string;
+	mentionedPersons: PersonMention[];
+	placeholder?: string;
+	rows?: number;
+	disabled?: boolean;
+	onfocus?: () => void;
+	onblur?: () => void;
+	// Optional escape hatch: lets the parent observe the underlying textarea node
+	// (e.g. to read selection bounds for quote-selection features). Returning a
+	// cleanup function from the parent is not required.
+	captureTextarea?: (node: HTMLTextAreaElement) => void | (() => void);
+};
+
+let {
+	value = $bindable(''),
+	mentionedPersons = $bindable([]),
+	placeholder = '',
+	rows = 1,
+	disabled = false,
+	onfocus,
+	onblur,
+	captureTextarea
+}: Props = $props();
+
+let query: string | null = $state(null);
+let results: Person[] = $state([]);
+let highlightedIndex = $state(0);
+let mentionStart = $state(0);
+let loading = $state(false);
+
+let textarea: HTMLTextAreaElement | null = null;
+let debounceTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+
+function attachTextarea(node: HTMLTextAreaElement) {
+	textarea = node;
+	resizeTextarea();
+	const parentCleanup = captureTextarea?.(node);
+	return () => {
+		parentCleanup?.();
+		textarea = null;
+	};
+}
+
+function resizeTextarea() {
+	if (!textarea) return;
+	textarea.style.height = 'auto';
+	textarea.style.height = `${textarea.scrollHeight}px`;
+}
+
+// Autoresize on every value change — read `value` so this $effect
+// re-runs whenever the bound prop is reassigned.
+$effect(() => {
+	void value;
+	resizeTextarea();
+});
+
+function handleInput() {
+	if (!textarea) return;
+	const cursorPos = textarea.selectionStart;
+	const detected = detectPersonMention(value, cursorPos);
+
+	if (detected === null) {
+		closePopup();
+		return;
+	}
+
+	const before = value.slice(0, cursorPos);
+	mentionStart = before.lastIndexOf('@');
+
+	if (query !== detected) {
+		query = detected;
+		highlightedIndex = 0;
+		scheduleSearch(detected);
+	}
+}
+
+function scheduleSearch(q: string) {
+	clearTimeout(debounceTimer);
+	if (!q.trim()) {
+		// Empty query: keep popup open with last results so the user can browse,
+		// but don't fire a backend call until they actually type something.
+		results = [];
+		loading = false;
+		return;
+	}
+	loading = true;
+	debounceTimer = setTimeout(async () => {
+		try {
+			// SECURITY: relies on the SvelteKit Vite proxy injecting the auth_token
+			// cookie as the Authorization header (vite.config.ts) and on the
+			// browser's same-origin policy for the /api/* path. Mounted in
+			// transcribe mode behind WRITE_ALL — never reachable to unauthenticated
+			// users.
+			const res = await fetch(`/api/persons?q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}`);
+			if (res.ok) {
+				const data: Person[] = await res.json();
+				results = data.slice(0, 5);
+			} else {
+				results = [];
+			}
+		} catch {
+			results = [];
+		} finally {
+			loading = false;
+		}
+	}, 200);
+}
+
+async function selectPerson(person: Person) {
+	if (!textarea) return;
+
+	const displayName = person.displayName ?? '';
+	const replacement = `@${displayName} `;
+	const cursorPos = textarea.selectionStart;
+	const before = value.slice(0, mentionStart);
+	const after = value.slice(cursorPos);
+	value = before + replacement + after;
+
+	if (!mentionedPersons.some((existing) => existing.personId === person.id)) {
+		mentionedPersons = [...mentionedPersons, { personId: person.id!, displayName }];
+	}
+
+	closePopup();
+
+	await tick();
+	if (!textarea) return;
+	const pos = mentionStart + replacement.length;
+	textarea.selectionStart = pos;
+	textarea.selectionEnd = pos;
+	textarea.focus();
+}
+
+function closePopup() {
+	query = null;
+	results = [];
+	highlightedIndex = 0;
+	loading = false;
+	clearTimeout(debounceTimer);
+}
+
+function handleBlur() {
+	// Small delay so an option's onmousedown can fire and select before the
+	// popup unmounts. Without this, clicking a result on the way out would
+	// race with blur and lose the selection.
+	setTimeout(() => closePopup(), 150);
+	onblur?.();
+}
+
+function handleKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
+	if (query === null) return;
+
+	if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+		e.preventDefault();
+		closePopup();
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (e.key === 'ArrowDown') {
+		e.preventDefault();
+		if (results.length > 0) {
+			highlightedIndex = (highlightedIndex + 1) % results.length;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (e.key === 'ArrowUp') {
+		e.preventDefault();
+		if (results.length > 0) {
+			highlightedIndex = (highlightedIndex - 1 + results.length) % results.length;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (e.key === 'Enter' && results.length > 0) {
+		e.preventDefault();
+		selectPerson(results[highlightedIndex]);
+		return;
+	}
+}
+
+onDestroy(() => clearTimeout(debounceTimer));
+
+const popupOpen = $derived(query !== null);
+</script>
+
+<div class="relative">
+	<textarea
+		{@attach attachTextarea}
+		class="block min-h-[44px] w-full resize-none rounded-sm border border-transparent bg-transparent px-1 py-2.5 font-serif text-base leading-relaxed text-ink placeholder:text-ink-3 focus-visible:border-brand-mint focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-mint/40 focus-visible:outline-none"
+		rows={rows}
+		placeholder={placeholder}
+		disabled={disabled}
+		bind:value={value}
+		oninput={handleInput}
+		onkeydown={handleKeydown}
+		onfocus={onfocus}
+		onblur={handleBlur}
+	></textarea>
+
+	{#if popupOpen}
+		<div
+			class="absolute z-20 mt-1 w-72 overflow-hidden rounded-sm border border-line bg-surface shadow-lg"
+			role="listbox"
+			aria-label={m.person_mention_btn_label()}
+		>
+			{#if loading}
+				<p class="px-3 py-2 font-sans text-sm text-ink-3">{m.comp_typeahead_loading()}</p>
+			{:else if results.length === 0}
+				<div class="flex flex-col gap-2 px-3 py-2.5">
+					<p class="font-sans text-sm text-ink-3">{m.person_mention_popup_empty()}</p>
+					<a
+						href="/persons/new?name={encodeURIComponent(query ?? '')}"
+						target="_blank"
+						rel="noopener"
+						class="font-sans text-sm font-medium text-brand-navy underline-offset-2 hover:underline"
+					>
+						{m.person_mention_create_new()} →
+					</a>
+				</div>
+			{:else}
+				{#each results as person, i (person.id)}
+					<div
+						class={[
+							'flex min-h-[44px] cursor-pointer flex-col gap-1 px-3 py-2.5 text-left hover:bg-canvas',
+							// Keyboard-highlighted row gets a stronger token than hover so
+							// keyboard users (and tablet stylus users sweeping over rows)
+							// can tell the cursor position apart from a hover (Leonie #5507 §3,
+							// WCAG 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast).
+							i === highlightedIndex &&
+								'bg-brand-mint/20 ring-2 ring-brand-mint ring-inset'
+						]}
+						role="option"
+						aria-selected={i === highlightedIndex}
+						data-test-person-id={person.id}
+						tabindex="-1"
+						onmousedown={(e) => {
+							e.preventDefault();
+							selectPerson(person);
+						}}
+					>
+						<span class="truncate font-serif text-base text-ink">{person.displayName}</span>
+						{#if formatLifeDateRange(person.birthYear, person.deathYear)}
+							<span class="truncate font-sans text-xs text-ink-3">
+								{formatLifeDateRange(person.birthYear, person.deathYear)}
+							</span>
+						{/if}
+					</div>
+				{/each}
+			{/if}
+		</div>
+	{/if}
+</div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.svelte.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea8df7fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,385 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { cleanup, render } from 'vitest-browser-svelte';
+import { page } from 'vitest/browser';
+import PersonMentionEditorHost from './PersonMentionEditor.test-host.svelte';
+import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
+
+type Person = components['schemas']['Person'];
+type PersonMention = components['schemas']['PersonMention'];
+
+// Editor's internal search debounce is 200ms — drive it via fake timers
+// so tests are deterministic and fast (Tester #5506 §1).
+const DEBOUNCE_MS = 200;
+
+async function flushDebounce() {
+	await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(DEBOUNCE_MS);
+	// Let the awaited fetch resolve and the resulting state assignments flush.
+	await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+}
+
+async function tick() {
+	await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
+}
+
+const AUGUSTE: Person = {
+	id: 'p-aug',
+	firstName: 'Auguste',
+	lastName: 'Raddatz',
+	displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz',
+	birthYear: 1882,
+	deathYear: 1944
+} as unknown as Person;
+
+const ANNA: Person = {
+	id: 'p-anna',
+	firstName: 'Anna',
+	lastName: 'Schmidt',
+	displayName: 'Anna Schmidt',
+	birthYear: 1860
+} as unknown as Person;
+
+function mockFetchWithPersons(persons: Person[] = [AUGUSTE, ANNA]) {
+	const fetchMock = vi
+		.fn()
+		.mockResolvedValue({ ok: true, json: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(persons) });
+	vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchMock);
+	return fetchMock;
+}
+
+function mockFetchEmpty() {
+	const fetchMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ ok: true, json: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]) });
+	vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchMock);
+	return fetchMock;
+}
+
+function mockFetchRejects() {
+	const fetchMock = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new TypeError('Failed to fetch'));
+	vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchMock);
+	return fetchMock;
+}
+
+function getTextarea(): HTMLTextAreaElement {
+	return document.querySelector('textarea')!;
+}
+
+function clickOption(personId: string) {
+	const opt = document.querySelector(
+		`[role="option"][data-test-person-id="${personId}"]`
+	) as HTMLElement;
+	opt.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mousedown', { bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+}
+
+type Snapshot = { value: string; mentionedPersons: PersonMention[] };
+
+function renderHost(initial: { value?: string; mentionedPersons?: PersonMention[] } = {}) {
+	let snapshot: Snapshot = {
+		value: initial.value ?? '',
+		mentionedPersons: initial.mentionedPersons ?? []
+	};
+	render(PersonMentionEditorHost, {
+		initialValue: initial.value ?? '',
+		initialMentions: initial.mentionedPersons ?? [],
+		onChange: (snap: Snapshot) => {
+			snapshot = snap;
+		}
+	});
+	return {
+		get snapshot() {
+			return snapshot;
+		}
+	};
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+	vi.useFakeTimers({ shouldAdvanceTime: true });
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+	cleanup();
+	vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+	vi.useRealTimers();
+});
+
+// ─── Rendering ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('PersonMentionEditor — rendering', () => {
+	it('renders the textarea with placeholder', async () => {
+		render(PersonMentionEditorHost, {
+			initialValue: '',
+			initialMentions: [],
+			placeholder: 'Transkription…',
+			onChange: () => {}
+		});
+		await expect.element(page.getByPlaceholder('Transkription…')).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it('reflects bound initial value', async () => {
+		render(PersonMentionEditorHost, {
+			initialValue: 'Hallo Welt',
+			initialMentions: [],
+			onChange: () => {}
+		});
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole('textbox')).toHaveValue('Hallo Welt');
+	});
+});
+
+// ─── Typeahead opens on @ ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('PersonMentionEditor — typeahead', () => {
+	it('opens the popup when typing @ + query and shows results', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Auguste Raddatz')).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it('hits /api/persons?q= with the typed query', async () => {
+		const fetchMock = mockFetchWithPersons();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		expect(fetchMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining('/api/persons?q=Aug'));
+	});
+
+	it('shows life dates next to the name in the dropdown', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('* 1882 – † 1944')).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it('shows empty state when no persons match', async () => {
+		mockFetchEmpty();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@xyz';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Keine Personen gefunden')).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it('falls back to the empty state when the typeahead fetch rejects (network error)', async () => {
+		mockFetchRejects();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Keine Personen gefunden')).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it('keeps the popup open when the query has a trailing space (multi-word names)', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Auguste ';
+		ta.selectionStart = 9;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 9;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Auguste Raddatz')).toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+});
+
+// ─── Selection writes text + sidecar ─────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('PersonMentionEditor — selecting a person', () => {
+	it('inserts @DisplayName followed by a trailing space into the textarea', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		const host = renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		clickOption('p-aug');
+		await tick();
+
+		expect(host.snapshot.value).toBe('@Auguste Raddatz ');
+	});
+
+	it('pushes {personId, displayName} into the bound mentionedPersons array', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		const host = renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		clickOption('p-aug');
+		await tick();
+
+		expect(host.snapshot.mentionedPersons).toEqual([
+			{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }
+		]);
+	});
+
+	it('does not duplicate the sidecar entry when the same person is selected twice', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		const host = renderHost({
+			value: '@Auguste Raddatz ',
+			mentionedPersons: [{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }]
+		});
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Auguste Raddatz @Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = ta.value.length;
+		ta.selectionEnd = ta.value.length;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		clickOption('p-aug');
+		await tick();
+
+		expect(host.snapshot.mentionedPersons).toHaveLength(1);
+	});
+});
+
+// ─── Keyboard navigation (B11b) ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('PersonMentionEditor — keyboard navigation (B11b)', () => {
+	it('ArrowDown / ArrowUp cycle the highlighted result', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@A';
+		ta.selectionStart = 2;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 2;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		const optAuguste = document.querySelector(
+			'[role="option"][data-test-person-id="p-aug"]'
+		) as HTMLElement;
+		const optAnna = document.querySelector(
+			'[role="option"][data-test-person-id="p-anna"]'
+		) as HTMLElement;
+
+		expect(optAuguste.getAttribute('aria-selected')).toBe('true');
+		expect(optAnna.getAttribute('aria-selected')).toBe('false');
+
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowDown', bubbles: true }));
+		await tick();
+
+		expect(optAuguste.getAttribute('aria-selected')).toBe('false');
+		expect(optAnna.getAttribute('aria-selected')).toBe('true');
+
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowUp', bubbles: true }));
+		await tick();
+
+		expect(optAuguste.getAttribute('aria-selected')).toBe('true');
+		expect(optAnna.getAttribute('aria-selected')).toBe('false');
+	});
+
+	it('Enter selects the currently highlighted result', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		const host = renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@A';
+		ta.selectionStart = 2;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 2;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowDown', bubbles: true }));
+		await tick();
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Enter', bubbles: true }));
+		await tick();
+
+		expect(host.snapshot.mentionedPersons).toEqual([
+			{ personId: 'p-anna', displayName: 'Anna Schmidt' }
+		]);
+	});
+
+	it('Escape closes the popup without inserting anything', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		const host = renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Escape', bubbles: true }));
+		await tick();
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Auguste Raddatz')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(host.snapshot.value).toBe('@Aug');
+		expect(host.snapshot.mentionedPersons).toEqual([]);
+	});
+});
+
+// ─── Touch target (WCAG 2.2 AA) ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('PersonMentionEditor — touch target', () => {
+	it('each result row has min-h-[44px] (WCAG 2.2 AA)', async () => {
+		mockFetchWithPersons();
+		renderHost();
+
+		const ta = getTextarea();
+		ta.focus();
+		ta.value = '@Aug';
+		ta.selectionStart = 4;
+		ta.selectionEnd = 4;
+		ta.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
+		await flushDebounce();
+
+		const option = document.querySelector('[role="option"]') as HTMLElement;
+		expect(option).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(option.className).toContain('min-h-[44px]');
+	});
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.test-host.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.test-host.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e608d694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonMentionEditor.test-host.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+import { untrack } from 'svelte';
+import PersonMentionEditor from './PersonMentionEditor.svelte';
+import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
+
+type PersonMention = components['schemas']['PersonMention'];
+
+type Props = {
+	initialValue?: string;
+	initialMentions?: PersonMention[];
+	placeholder?: string;
+	onChange: (snapshot: { value: string; mentionedPersons: PersonMention[] }) => void;
+};
+
+let { initialValue = '', initialMentions = [], placeholder, onChange }: Props = $props();
+
+// initial* props seed mount-time state; reading them inside untrack signals
+// the intentional one-shot capture and silences state_referenced_locally.
+let value = $state(untrack(() => initialValue));
+let mentionedPersons = $state<PersonMention[]>(untrack(() => [...initialMentions]));
+
+$effect(() => {
+	onChange({ value, mentionedPersons: [...mentionedPersons] });
+});
+</script>
+
+<PersonMentionEditor
+	bind:value={value}
+	bind:mentionedPersons={mentionedPersons}
+	placeholder={placeholder}
+/>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte
index 74598c7e..982b43ff 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.svelte
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import { getConfirmService } from '$lib/services/confirm.svelte.js';
 import CommentThread from './CommentThread.svelte';
+import PersonMentionEditor from './PersonMentionEditor.svelte';
+import type { PersonMention } from '$lib/types';
 
 const { confirm } = getConfirmService();
 
@@ -12,13 +14,14 @@ type Props = {
 	documentId: string;
 	blockNumber: number;
 	text: string;
+	mentionedPersons: PersonMention[];
 	label: string | null;
 	active: boolean;
 	reviewed: boolean;
 	saveState: SaveState;
 	canComment: boolean;
 	currentUserId: string | null;
-	onTextChange: (text: string) => void;
+	onTextChange: (text: string, mentionedPersons: PersonMention[]) => void;
 	onFocus: () => void;
 	onDeleteClick: () => void;
 	onRetry: () => void;
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ let {
 	documentId,
 	blockNumber,
 	text,
+	mentionedPersons,
 	label = null,
 	active,
 	reviewed,
@@ -54,10 +58,10 @@ let {
 }: Props = $props();
 
 let localText = $state(text);
+let localMentions = $state<PersonMention[]>([...mentionedPersons]);
 let commentOpen = $state(false);
 let commentCount = $state(0);
 let selectedQuote = $state<string | null>(null);
-let textareaEl = $state<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
 
 const hasComments = $derived(commentCount > 0);
 
@@ -66,6 +70,7 @@ let prevBlockId = $state(blockId);
 $effect(() => {
 	if (blockId !== prevBlockId) {
 		localText = text;
+		localMentions = [...mentionedPersons];
 		prevBlockId = blockId;
 	}
 });
@@ -74,29 +79,19 @@ let leftBorderClass = $derived(
 	saveState === 'error' ? 'border-l-2 border-error' : active ? 'border-l-2 border-turquoise' : ''
 );
 
-function autoresize(node: HTMLTextAreaElement) {
+// Single source of truth for the editor's textarea — stored on attach so
+// we can read selection bounds for quote selection without re-querying the DOM.
+let textareaEl: HTMLTextAreaElement | null = null;
+
+function captureTextarea(node: HTMLTextAreaElement) {
 	textareaEl = node;
-	function resize() {
-		node.style.height = 'auto';
-		node.style.height = `${node.scrollHeight}px`;
-	}
-
-	resize();
-
-	return {
-		update() {
-			resize();
-		},
-		destroy() {
-			textareaEl = null;
-		}
+	return () => {
+		textareaEl = null;
 	};
 }
 
-function handleInput(event: Event) {
-	const target = event.target as HTMLTextAreaElement;
-	localText = target.value;
-	onTextChange(target.value);
+function emitChange() {
+	onTextChange(localText, localMentions);
 }
 
 async function handleDelete() {
@@ -181,17 +176,24 @@ function handleTextareaMouseUp() {
 			{/if}
 		</div>
 
-		<!-- Textarea -->
-		<textarea
-			use:autoresize={localText}
-			class="w-full resize-none border-none bg-transparent font-serif text-base leading-relaxed text-ink outline-none placeholder:text-ink-3"
-			placeholder={m.transcription_block_placeholder()}
-			rows={1}
-			value={localText}
-			oninput={handleInput}
-			onfocus={onFocus}
-			onmouseup={handleTextareaMouseUp}
-		></textarea>
+		<!-- Textarea (now powered by PersonMentionEditor for @-mention typeahead) -->
+		<div onmouseup={handleTextareaMouseUp} role="presentation">
+			<PersonMentionEditor
+				bind:value={() => localText,
+					(v) => {
+						localText = v;
+						emitChange();
+					}}
+				bind:mentionedPersons={() => localMentions,
+					(next) => {
+						localMentions = next;
+						emitChange();
+					}}
+				placeholder={m.transcription_block_placeholder()}
+				onfocus={onFocus}
+				captureTextarea={captureTextarea}
+			/>
+		</div>
 
 		{#if selectedQuote}
 			<p class="mt-1 text-xs text-ink-3">{m.transcription_block_quote_hint()}</p>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.test-host.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.test-host.svelte
index 9a03b4bf..d2e2055d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.test-host.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionBlock.test-host.svelte
@@ -1,21 +1,24 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 import { provideConfirmService, type ConfirmService } from '$lib/services/confirm.svelte.js';
 import TranscriptionBlock from './TranscriptionBlock.svelte';
+import type { PersonMention } from '$lib/types';
 
 type BlockProps = {
 	blockId: string;
 	documentId: string;
 	blockNumber: number;
 	text: string;
+	mentionedPersons?: PersonMention[];
 	label: string | null;
 	active: boolean;
 	saveState: 'idle' | 'saving' | 'saved' | 'fading' | 'error';
 	canComment: boolean;
 	currentUserId: string | null;
-	onTextChange: (text: string) => void;
+	onTextChange: (text: string, mentionedPersons: PersonMention[]) => void;
 	onFocus: () => void;
 	onDeleteClick: () => void;
 	onRetry: () => void;
+	onReviewToggle?: () => void;
 	onMoveUp?: () => void;
 	onMoveDown?: () => void;
 	isFirst?: boolean;
@@ -24,13 +27,22 @@ type BlockProps = {
 
 let {
 	onServiceReady,
+	mentionedPersons = [],
+	reviewed = false,
+	onReviewToggle = () => {},
 	...blockProps
 }: BlockProps & {
 	onServiceReady: (s: ConfirmService) => void;
+	reviewed?: boolean;
 } = $props();
 
 const service = provideConfirmService();
 onServiceReady(service);
 </script>
 
-<TranscriptionBlock {...blockProps} />
+<TranscriptionBlock
+	{...blockProps}
+	mentionedPersons={mentionedPersons}
+	reviewed={reviewed}
+	onReviewToggle={onReviewToggle}
+/>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte
index eae2c825..64e97fef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import TranscriptionBlock from './TranscriptionBlock.svelte';
 import OcrTrigger from './OcrTrigger.svelte';
 import TranscribeCoachEmptyState from './TranscribeCoachEmptyState.svelte';
-import type { TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
+import type { PersonMention, TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
 import { createBlockAutoSave } from '$lib/hooks/useBlockAutoSave.svelte';
 import { createBlockDragDrop } from '$lib/hooks/useBlockDragDrop.svelte';
 
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type Props = {
 	storedScriptType?: string;
 	canRunOcr?: boolean;
 	onBlockFocus: (blockId: string) => void;
-	onSaveBlock: (blockId: string, text: string) => Promise<void>;
+	onSaveBlock: (blockId: string, text: string, mentionedPersons: PersonMention[]) => Promise<void>;
 	onDeleteBlock: (blockId: string) => Promise<void>;
 	onReviewToggle: (blockId: string) => Promise<void>;
 	onMarkAllReviewed?: () => Promise<void>;
@@ -245,16 +245,19 @@ async function handleLabelToggle(label: string) {
 							documentId={documentId}
 							blockNumber={i + 1}
 							text={block.text}
+							mentionedPersons={block.mentionedPersons ?? []}
 							label={block.label}
 							active={activeBlockId === block.id}
 							reviewed={block.reviewed ?? false}
 							saveState={autoSave.getSaveState(block.id)}
 							canComment={canComment}
 							currentUserId={currentUserId}
-							onTextChange={(text) => autoSave.handleTextChange(block.id, text)}
+							onTextChange={(text, mentions) =>
+								autoSave.handleTextChange(block.id, text, mentions)}
 							onFocus={() => handleFocus(block.id)}
 							onDeleteClick={() => handleDelete(block.id)}
-							onRetry={() => autoSave.handleRetry(block.id, block.text)}
+							onRetry={() =>
+								autoSave.handleRetry(block.id, block.text, block.mentionedPersons ?? [])}
 							onReviewToggle={() => onReviewToggle(block.id)}
 							onMoveUp={() => handleMoveUp(block.id)}
 							onMoveDown={() => handleMoveDown(block.id)}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte.spec.ts
index beeea901..39bf098c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionEditView.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ const block1 = {
 	sortOrder: 0,
 	version: 0,
 	source: 'MANUAL' as const,
-	reviewed: false
+	reviewed: false,
+	mentionedPersons: []
 };
 const block2 = {
 	id: 'b2',
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@ const block2 = {
 	sortOrder: 1,
 	version: 0,
 	source: 'OCR' as const,
-	reviewed: true
+	reviewed: true,
+	mentionedPersons: []
 };
 
 function renderView(overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}, service = createConfirmService()) {
@@ -141,7 +143,28 @@ describe('TranscriptionEditView — auto-save debounce', () => {
 		vi.advanceTimersByTime(1500);
 		await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
 
-		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Neue Zeile');
+		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Neue Zeile', []);
+		vi.useRealTimers();
+	});
+
+	it('passes the block mentionedPersons array as the 3rd save argument', async () => {
+		vi.useFakeTimers();
+		const onSaveBlock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+		const blockWithMention = {
+			...block1,
+			mentionedPersons: [{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }]
+		};
+		renderView({ blocks: [blockWithMention], onSaveBlock });
+
+		const textarea = page.getByRole('textbox').first();
+		await textarea.fill('Hallo @Auguste Raddatz');
+
+		vi.advanceTimersByTime(1500);
+		await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+
+		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Hallo @Auguste Raddatz', [
+			{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }
+		]);
 		vi.useRealTimers();
 	});
 
@@ -165,7 +188,7 @@ describe('TranscriptionEditView — auto-save debounce', () => {
 
 		// Only one save with the final value
 		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Second');
+		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Second', []);
 		vi.useRealTimers();
 	});
 });
@@ -220,7 +243,7 @@ describe('TranscriptionEditView — flush on blur', () => {
 		el.dispatchEvent(new FocusEvent('blur', { bubbles: true }));
 
 		await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
-		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Blur text');
+		expect(onSaveBlock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('b1', 'Blur text', []);
 		vi.useRealTimers();
 	});
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts
index 70823be2..f49287cc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ const blocks: TranscriptionBlockData[] = [
 		text: 'First paragraph text.',
 		label: null,
 		sortOrder: 1,
-		version: 1
+		version: 1,
+		source: 'MANUAL',
+		reviewed: false,
+		mentionedPersons: []
 	},
 	{
 		id: 'b2',
@@ -21,7 +24,10 @@ const blocks: TranscriptionBlockData[] = [
 		text: 'Second paragraph text.',
 		label: null,
 		sortOrder: 2,
-		version: 1
+		version: 1,
+		source: 'MANUAL',
+		reviewed: false,
+		mentionedPersons: []
 	}
 ];
 
@@ -49,7 +55,10 @@ describe('TranscriptionReadView', () => {
 					text: 'Text before [unleserlich] text after',
 					label: null,
 					sortOrder: 1,
-					version: 1
+					version: 1,
+					source: 'MANUAL',
+					reviewed: false,
+					mentionedPersons: []
 				}
 			],
 			onParagraphClick: () => {}
@@ -71,7 +80,10 @@ describe('TranscriptionReadView', () => {
 					text: 'Some [...] text',
 					label: null,
 					sortOrder: 1,
-					version: 1
+					version: 1,
+					source: 'MANUAL',
+					reviewed: false,
+					mentionedPersons: []
 				}
 			],
 			onParagraphClick: () => {}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.test.ts
index 739fb432..f6a87a8f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach, type Mock } from 'vitest';
+import type { PersonMention } from '$lib/types';
 
-const mockSaveFn = vi.fn<(blockId: string, text: string) => Promise<void>>();
+const mockSaveFn =
+	vi.fn<(blockId: string, text: string, mentionedPersons: PersonMention[]) => Promise<void>>();
+
+const NO_MENTIONS: PersonMention[] = [];
 
 const { createBlockAutoSave } = await import('../useBlockAutoSave.svelte');
 
@@ -22,25 +26,25 @@ describe('createBlockAutoSave', () => {
 
 	it('debounce coalesces multiple changes — saves once after 1500ms', async () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text 1');
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text 2');
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text 3');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text 1', NO_MENTIONS);
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text 2', NO_MENTIONS);
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text 3', NO_MENTIONS);
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1500);
 		expect(mockSaveFn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-		expect(mockSaveFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('block-1', 'text 3');
+		expect(mockSaveFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('block-1', 'text 3', NO_MENTIONS);
 	});
 
 	it('handles concurrent blocks independently', async () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'hello');
-		as.handleTextChange('block-2', 'world');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'hello', NO_MENTIONS);
+		as.handleTextChange('block-2', 'world', NO_MENTIONS);
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1500);
 		expect(mockSaveFn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
 	});
 
 	it('sets save state to saving then saved on success', async () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		vi.advanceTimersByTime(1500);
 		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('saving');
 		await Promise.resolve();
@@ -50,7 +54,7 @@ describe('createBlockAutoSave', () => {
 	it('sets save state to error on save failure', async () => {
 		mockSaveFn.mockRejectedValue(new Error('save failed'));
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1500);
 		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('error');
 	});
@@ -59,24 +63,49 @@ describe('createBlockAutoSave', () => {
 		mockSaveFn.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('first fails'));
 		mockSaveFn.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'original');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'original', NO_MENTIONS);
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1500);
 		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('error');
-		await as.handleRetry('block-1', 'original');
+		await as.handleRetry('block-1', 'original', NO_MENTIONS);
 		expect(mockSaveFn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
 		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('saved');
 	});
 
+	it('preserves the in-flight text + mentionedPersons across a save failure (B12)', async () => {
+		// Hold the second saveFn so we can observe the saving→saved transition
+		// (Tester #5506 §5).
+		let resolveSecond!: () => void;
+		mockSaveFn.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('boom'));
+		mockSaveFn.mockReturnValueOnce(new Promise<void>((r) => (resolveSecond = r)));
+		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
+
+		const mentions: PersonMention[] = [{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }];
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', '@Auguste Raddatz hi', mentions);
+		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1500);
+		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('error');
+
+		// Retry without re-passing the data — the hook resends the preserved payload.
+		const retryPromise = as.handleRetry('block-1', 'should-not-be-used', []);
+		// Yield once so executeSave runs synchronously up to the saveFn await.
+		await Promise.resolve();
+		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('saving');
+		expect(mockSaveFn).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith('block-1', '@Auguste Raddatz hi', mentions);
+
+		resolveSecond();
+		await retryPromise;
+		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('saved');
+	});
+
 	it('clearBlock removes all state for a block', () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		as.clearBlock('block-1');
 		expect(as.getSaveState('block-1')).toBe('idle');
 	});
 
 	it('destroy clears all pending timers so no save occurs', async () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		as.destroy();
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2000);
 		expect(mockSaveFn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -101,8 +130,8 @@ describe('flushOnUnload', () => {
 
 	it('sends a PUT request with keepalive:true for each pending block', () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'hello');
-		as.handleTextChange('block-2', 'world');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'hello', NO_MENTIONS);
+		as.handleTextChange('block-2', 'world', NO_MENTIONS);
 		as.flushOnUnload();
 
 		expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
@@ -111,7 +140,7 @@ describe('flushOnUnload', () => {
 			expect.objectContaining({
 				method: 'PUT',
 				keepalive: true,
-				body: JSON.stringify({ text: 'hello' })
+				body: JSON.stringify({ text: 'hello', mentionedPersons: [] })
 			})
 		);
 		expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
@@ -119,7 +148,7 @@ describe('flushOnUnload', () => {
 			expect.objectContaining({
 				method: 'PUT',
 				keepalive: true,
-				body: JSON.stringify({ text: 'world' })
+				body: JSON.stringify({ text: 'world', mentionedPersons: [] })
 			})
 		);
 	});
@@ -127,7 +156,7 @@ describe('flushOnUnload', () => {
 	it('does not call navigator.sendBeacon', () => {
 		const sendBeaconSpy = vi.spyOn(navigator, 'sendBeacon').mockReturnValue(true);
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		as.flushOnUnload();
 
 		expect(sendBeaconSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -142,7 +171,7 @@ describe('flushOnUnload', () => {
 
 	it('cancels the debounce timer so saveFn is not also called', async () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		as.flushOnUnload();
 
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2000);
@@ -151,13 +180,26 @@ describe('flushOnUnload', () => {
 
 	it('does not send fetch if debounce already fired and pendingTexts is empty', async () => {
 		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
-		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text');
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', 'text', NO_MENTIONS);
 		await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1500);
-		// debounce has fired; pendingTexts should be empty now
 		mockFetch.mockClear();
 
 		as.flushOnUnload();
 
 		expect(mockFetch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 	});
+
+	it('flushes the pending mentionedPersons sidecar alongside text', () => {
+		const as = createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn: mockSaveFn, documentId: 'doc-1' });
+		const mentions: PersonMention[] = [{ personId: 'p-1', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }];
+		as.handleTextChange('block-1', '@Auguste Raddatz', mentions);
+		as.flushOnUnload();
+
+		expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			'/api/documents/doc-1/transcription-blocks/block-1',
+			expect.objectContaining({
+				body: JSON.stringify({ text: '@Auguste Raddatz', mentionedPersons: mentions })
+			})
+		);
+	});
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockDragDrop.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockDragDrop.svelte.test.ts
index a0c541f3..3e4adaa2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockDragDrop.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/__tests__/useBlockDragDrop.svelte.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ function makeBlock(id: string, sortOrder: number): TranscriptionBlockData {
 		sortOrder,
 		version: 1,
 		source: 'MANUAL',
-		reviewed: false
+		reviewed: false,
+		mentionedPersons: []
 	};
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.ts b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.ts
index 07dc5692..21de5442 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useBlockAutoSave.svelte.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { SvelteMap } from 'svelte/reactivity';
+import type { PersonMention } from '$lib/types';
 
 export type SaveState = 'idle' | 'saving' | 'saved' | 'fading' | 'error';
 
 type Options = {
-	saveFn: (blockId: string, text: string) => Promise<void>;
+	saveFn: (blockId: string, text: string, mentionedPersons: PersonMention[]) => Promise<void>;
 	documentId: string;
 };
 
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ export function createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn, documentId }: Options) {
 	const saveStates = new SvelteMap<string, SaveState>();
 	const debounceTimers = new SvelteMap<string, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>();
 	const pendingTexts = new SvelteMap<string, string>();
+	const pendingMentions = new SvelteMap<string, PersonMention[]>();
 	const fadeTimers: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>[] = [];
 
 	function getSaveState(blockId: string): SaveState {
@@ -25,14 +27,19 @@ export function createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn, documentId }: Options) {
 		const text = pendingTexts.get(blockId);
 		if (text === undefined) return;
 
+		const mentions = pendingMentions.get(blockId) ?? [];
 		pendingTexts.delete(blockId);
+		pendingMentions.delete(blockId);
 		setSaveState(blockId, 'saving');
 
 		try {
-			await saveFn(blockId, text);
+			await saveFn(blockId, text, mentions);
 			setSaveState(blockId, 'saved');
 			scheduleSavedFade(blockId);
 		} catch {
+			// Preserve in-flight payload so the user can retry without re-typing.
+			pendingTexts.set(blockId, text);
+			pendingMentions.set(blockId, mentions);
 			setSaveState(blockId, 'error');
 		}
 	}
@@ -69,8 +76,13 @@ export function createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn, documentId }: Options) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	function handleTextChange(blockId: string, text: string): void {
+	function handleTextChange(
+		blockId: string,
+		text: string,
+		mentionedPersons: PersonMention[]
+	): void {
 		pendingTexts.set(blockId, text);
+		pendingMentions.set(blockId, mentionedPersons);
 		scheduleDebounce(blockId);
 	}
 
@@ -81,29 +93,37 @@ export function createBlockAutoSave({ saveFn, documentId }: Options) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	async function handleRetry(blockId: string, currentText: string): Promise<void> {
-		const pending = pendingTexts.get(blockId);
-		const text = pending ?? currentText;
+	async function handleRetry(
+		blockId: string,
+		currentText: string,
+		currentMentions: PersonMention[]
+	): Promise<void> {
+		const text = pendingTexts.get(blockId) ?? currentText;
+		const mentions = pendingMentions.get(blockId) ?? currentMentions;
 		pendingTexts.set(blockId, text);
+		pendingMentions.set(blockId, mentions);
 		await executeSave(blockId);
 	}
 
 	function clearBlock(blockId: string): void {
 		clearDebounce(blockId);
 		pendingTexts.delete(blockId);
+		pendingMentions.delete(blockId);
 		saveStates.delete(blockId);
 	}
 
 	function flushOnUnload(): void {
 		for (const [blockId, text] of pendingTexts) {
+			const mentions = pendingMentions.get(blockId) ?? [];
 			clearDebounce(blockId);
 			void fetch(`/api/documents/${documentId}/transcription-blocks/${blockId}`, {
 				method: 'PUT',
 				headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-				body: JSON.stringify({ text }),
+				body: JSON.stringify({ text, mentionedPersons: mentions }),
 				keepalive: true
 			});
 			pendingTexts.delete(blockId);
+			pendingMentions.delete(blockId);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/types.ts b/frontend/src/lib/types.ts
index 2458d35a..f9f810e7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ export type Comment = {
 
 export type DocumentPanelTab = 'metadata' | 'transcription' | 'discussion' | 'history';
 
+export type PersonMention = {
+	personId: string;
+	displayName: string;
+};
+
 export type TranscriptionBlockData = {
 	id: string;
 	annotationId: string;
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ export type TranscriptionBlockData = {
 	version: number;
 	source: 'MANUAL' | 'OCR';
 	reviewed: boolean;
+	mentionedPersons: PersonMention[];
 	updatedAt?: string | null;
 };
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/blockConflictMerge.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/blockConflictMerge.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e10b245d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/blockConflictMerge.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { BlockConflictResolvedError, mergeBlockOnConflict } from './blockConflictMerge';
+import type { PersonMention, TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
+
+const baseBlock: TranscriptionBlockData = {
+	id: 'b1',
+	annotationId: 'a1',
+	documentId: 'd1',
+	text: 'old text from server',
+	label: null,
+	sortOrder: 0,
+	version: 7,
+	source: 'MANUAL',
+	reviewed: false,
+	mentionedPersons: []
+};
+
+describe('mergeBlockOnConflict', () => {
+	it('keeps the local unsaved text — never overwritten by server text (B12b)', () => {
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: { ...baseBlock, text: 'server-side text' },
+			localText: 'transcriber unsaved input',
+			localMentions: []
+		});
+		expect(merged.text).toBe('transcriber unsaved input');
+	});
+
+	it('takes server-side displayName for personIds present on both sides (rename win)', () => {
+		const localMentions: PersonMention[] = [
+			{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' } // stale: server renamed her
+		];
+		const serverMentions: PersonMention[] = [
+			{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz' } // post-rename
+		];
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: { ...baseBlock, mentionedPersons: serverMentions },
+			localText: '@Augusta Raddatz',
+			localMentions
+		});
+		expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toEqual([
+			{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz' }
+		]);
+	});
+
+	it('keeps local-only mentions added since last save', () => {
+		const localMentions: PersonMention[] = [
+			{ personId: 'p-anna', displayName: 'Anna Schmidt' } // typed since last save
+		];
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: { ...baseBlock, mentionedPersons: [] },
+			localText: '@Anna Schmidt',
+			localMentions
+		});
+		expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toContainEqual({
+			personId: 'p-anna',
+			displayName: 'Anna Schmidt'
+		});
+	});
+
+	it('returns a union of personIds when local and server diverge', () => {
+		const localMentions: PersonMention[] = [{ personId: 'p-anna', displayName: 'Anna Schmidt' }];
+		const serverMentions: PersonMention[] = [{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz' }];
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: { ...baseBlock, mentionedPersons: serverMentions },
+			localText: '@Augusta Raddatz und @Anna Schmidt',
+			localMentions
+		});
+		expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toHaveLength(2);
+		expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toContainEqual({
+			personId: 'p-aug',
+			displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz'
+		});
+		expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toContainEqual({
+			personId: 'p-anna',
+			displayName: 'Anna Schmidt'
+		});
+	});
+
+	it('carries server version forward so the next save sends the latest revision', () => {
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: { ...baseBlock, version: 42 },
+			localText: 'x',
+			localMentions: []
+		});
+		expect(merged.version).toBe(42);
+	});
+
+	it('carries server-only mention array through when local has none', () => {
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: {
+				...baseBlock,
+				mentionedPersons: [
+					{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz' },
+					{ personId: 'p-anna', displayName: 'Anna Schmidt' }
+				]
+			},
+			localText: 'x',
+			localMentions: []
+		});
+		expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toHaveLength(2);
+	});
+
+	it('carries other server fields (sortOrder, reviewed, updatedAt) forward', () => {
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock: {
+				...baseBlock,
+				sortOrder: 9,
+				reviewed: true,
+				updatedAt: '2026-04-29T10:00:00Z'
+			},
+			localText: 'x',
+			localMentions: []
+		});
+		expect(merged.sortOrder).toBe(9);
+		expect(merged.reviewed).toBe(true);
+		expect(merged.updatedAt).toBe('2026-04-29T10:00:00Z');
+	});
+});
+
+describe('BlockConflictResolvedError', () => {
+	it('is an Error with code = CONFLICT_RESOLVED', () => {
+		const err = new BlockConflictResolvedError('block-1');
+		expect(err).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
+		expect(err.code).toBe('CONFLICT_RESOLVED');
+		expect(err.name).toBe('BlockConflictResolvedError');
+		expect(err.message).toContain('block-1');
+	});
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/blockConflictMerge.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/blockConflictMerge.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7077d6c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/blockConflictMerge.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import type { PersonMention, TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
+
+/**
+ * Sentinel thrown by saveBlockWithConflictRetry after a 409 rename-mid-edit
+ * has been merged into local state. Surfaces to the autosave hook as an
+ * error (so the UI shows the retry indicator), but distinguishable from a
+ * genuine network failure via the code. Carries the merged block snapshot
+ * on its `merged` property so the caller can update local state without
+ * a second roundtrip.
+ */
+export class BlockConflictResolvedError extends Error {
+	readonly code = 'CONFLICT_RESOLVED' as const;
+	merged?: TranscriptionBlockData;
+	constructor(blockId: string) {
+		super(
+			`Block ${blockId} was rebased onto the latest server snapshot — retry to save the merged result`
+		);
+		this.name = 'BlockConflictResolvedError';
+	}
+}
+
+type MergeArgs = {
+	serverBlock: TranscriptionBlockData;
+	localText: string;
+	localMentions: PersonMention[];
+};
+
+/**
+ * Resolves a 409-Conflict from the server by combining the latest server
+ * snapshot with the transcriber's unsaved local edits (B12b).
+ *
+ * Rules:
+ * - The transcriber's typed text always wins — never overwrite their input.
+ * - Server is the source of truth for the displayName of any person it
+ *   knows about; renames that just landed on the server replace stale local
+ *   names by personId.
+ * - Local-only mentions added since the last save are preserved.
+ * - All non-mention fields (version, sortOrder, reviewed, updatedAt, ...)
+ *   come from the server snapshot so the next save sends the current
+ *   revision and matches the latest persisted state.
+ */
+export function mergeBlockOnConflict(args: MergeArgs): TranscriptionBlockData {
+	const serverIds = new Set(args.serverBlock.mentionedPersons.map((m) => m.personId));
+	const localOnly = args.localMentions.filter((m) => !serverIds.has(m.personId));
+	return {
+		...args.serverBlock,
+		text: args.localText,
+		mentionedPersons: [...args.serverBlock.mentionedPersons, ...localOnly]
+	};
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.spec.ts
index 5a7982be..04b659b1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,42 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { detectMention, extractContent, renderBody } from './mention';
+import { detectMention, escapeHtml, extractContent, renderBody } from './mention';
 import type { MentionDTO } from '$lib/types';
 
+// ─── escapeHtml ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('escapeHtml', () => {
+	it('escapes ampersand', () => {
+		expect(escapeHtml('AT&T')).toBe('AT&amp;T');
+	});
+
+	it('escapes less-than and greater-than', () => {
+		expect(escapeHtml('<script>')).toBe('&lt;script&gt;');
+	});
+
+	it('escapes double quote', () => {
+		expect(escapeHtml('say "hi"')).toBe('say &quot;hi&quot;');
+	});
+
+	it('returns empty string unchanged', () => {
+		expect(escapeHtml('')).toBe('');
+	});
+
+	it('escapes ampersand before other entities to avoid double-encoding', () => {
+		expect(escapeHtml('a&<b')).toBe('a&amp;&lt;b');
+	});
+
+	it('escapes apostrophe to &#39;', () => {
+		expect(escapeHtml("d'Artagnan")).toBe('d&#39;Artagnan');
+	});
+
+	it('does not collapse already-encoded entities (re-escapes the &)', () => {
+		// escapeHtml is idempotent by composition: the second pass re-escapes
+		// the & that was added by the first. Pin the property so the helper
+		// can't be "cleverly" optimised to skip it.
+		expect(escapeHtml('&amp;')).toBe('&amp;amp;');
+	});
+});
+
 // ─── detectMention ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 describe('detectMention', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.ts
index 27e7b29d..8b91bc1c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/mention.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,24 @@ export function extractContent(
 	return { content: text, mentionedUserIds: [...seen] };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Escapes the five HTML-special characters that can break out of text content
+ * or attribute values. & must be escaped first to avoid double-encoding.
+ *
+ * Includes the apostrophe so the helper is safe in single-quoted attribute
+ * values too — the renderTranscriptionBody anchor template in PR-B2 uses
+ * double quotes today, but a future template change shouldn't open a
+ * stored-XSS hole (Sina #5505 action item).
+ */
+export function escapeHtml(str: string): string {
+	return str
+		.replaceAll('&', '&amp;')
+		.replaceAll('<', '&lt;')
+		.replaceAll('>', '&gt;')
+		.replaceAll('"', '&quot;')
+		.replaceAll("'", '&#39;');
+}
+
 /**
  * Renders a comment body as safe HTML:
  * 1. Escapes all HTML-special characters in the raw content
@@ -51,19 +69,11 @@ export function extractContent(
  * 3. Converts newlines to <br>
  */
 export function renderBody(content: string, mentions: MentionDTO[]): string {
-	let escaped = content
-		.replaceAll('&', '&amp;')
-		.replaceAll('<', '&lt;')
-		.replaceAll('>', '&gt;')
-		.replaceAll('"', '&quot;');
+	let escaped = escapeHtml(content);
 
 	for (const mention of mentions) {
 		const displayName = `${mention.firstName} ${mention.lastName}`.trim();
-		const escapedDisplayName = displayName
-			.replaceAll('&', '&amp;')
-			.replaceAll('<', '&lt;')
-			.replaceAll('>', '&gt;')
-			.replaceAll('"', '&quot;');
+		const escapedDisplayName = escapeHtml(displayName);
 		const span = `<span class="mention" data-user-id="${mention.id}">@${escapedDisplayName}</span>`;
 		escaped = escaped.replaceAll(`@${escapedDisplayName}`, span);
 	}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/personMention.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/personMention.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7101c27c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/personMention.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { detectPersonMention } from './personMention';
+
+describe('detectPersonMention', () => {
+	it('returns null when text has no @', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('hello world', 11)).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('returns null when @ is preceded by a non-whitespace character (email pattern)', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('user@example', 12)).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('returns query for @ at the very start of string', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@Aug', 4)).toBe('Aug');
+	});
+
+	it('returns empty string immediately after @', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@', 1)).toBe('');
+	});
+
+	it('returns single-word query', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('hi @Auguste', 11)).toBe('Auguste');
+	});
+
+	it('keeps the trigger active when the query has a trailing space', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('hi @Auguste ', 12)).toBe('Auguste ');
+	});
+
+	it('returns multi-word query (spaces allowed)', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('hi @Auguste Raddatz', 19)).toBe('Auguste Raddatz');
+	});
+
+	it('returns single-character query', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@M', 2)).toBe('M');
+	});
+
+	it('returns null when the query crosses a newline', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@Aug\nfoo', 8)).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('returns null when a second @ appears in the query (next mention starts)', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@Aug@bar', 8)).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('uses the most recent @ when separated by whitespace', () => {
+		// '@Aug @Bert' with cursor at end — the second @ is the trigger.
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@Aug @Bert', 10)).toBe('Bert');
+	});
+
+	it('returns the query when the cursor sits exactly at a newline boundary', () => {
+		// '@Aug\nfoo' with cursor at index 4 — right at the newline before it
+		// is consumed. The query is still 'Aug' because nothing past the cursor
+		// counts.
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@Aug\nfoo', 4)).toBe('Aug');
+	});
+
+	it('returns null when cursor is before the @', () => {
+		expect(detectPersonMention('@Hans', 0)).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('uses the most recent @ in the text', () => {
+		// cursor is just after the second @ + a few chars
+		expect(detectPersonMention('hi @Anna and @Bert', 18)).toBe('Bert');
+	});
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/personMention.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/personMention.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7611c89f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/personMention.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/**
+ * Given the current textarea value and cursor position, returns the
+ * @-person-mention query being typed (the text after the last triggering @),
+ * or null if no person-mention is active.
+ *
+ * Rules — distinct from comment-mentions in `mention.ts`:
+ * - @ must be at the start of the string or preceded by whitespace
+ * - The query may contain spaces (historical persons commonly have multi-word
+ *   display names — "Auguste Raddatz", "Maria von Müller-Schultz")
+ * - The query stops at a newline or at a second @ (the next mention starts)
+ */
+export function detectPersonMention(text: string, cursorPos: number): string | null {
+	const before = text.slice(0, cursorPos);
+	const atIndex = before.lastIndexOf('@');
+	if (atIndex === -1) return null;
+
+	if (atIndex > 0 && !/\s/.test(before[atIndex - 1])) return null;
+
+	const query = before.slice(atIndex + 1);
+	if (query.includes('\n') || query.includes('@')) return null;
+
+	return query;
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc808c7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { saveBlockWithConflictRetry } from './saveBlockWithConflictRetry';
+import { BlockConflictResolvedError } from './blockConflictMerge';
+import type { PersonMention } from '$lib/types';
+
+const DOC = 'aaaaaaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa';
+const BLK = 'bbbbbbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb';
+
+const SERVER_BLOCK_AFTER_RENAME = {
+	id: BLK,
+	annotationId: 'cccccccc-cccc-cccc-cccc-cccccccccccc',
+	documentId: DOC,
+	text: 'old text from server',
+	label: null,
+	sortOrder: 0,
+	version: 7,
+	source: 'MANUAL' as const,
+	reviewed: false,
+	mentionedPersons: [{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz' }]
+};
+
+function mkResponse(status: number, body?: unknown): Response {
+	return new Response(body === undefined ? null : JSON.stringify(body), {
+		status,
+		headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }
+	});
+}
+
+describe('saveBlockWithConflictRetry', () => {
+	it('returns the server-saved block on a successful PUT', async () => {
+		const updated = { ...SERVER_BLOCK_AFTER_RENAME, text: 'persisted text' };
+		const fetchImpl = vi.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(200, updated));
+
+		const result = await saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+			fetchImpl: fetchImpl as unknown as typeof fetch,
+			documentId: DOC,
+			blockId: BLK,
+			text: 'persisted text',
+			mentionedPersons: []
+		});
+
+		expect(result).toEqual(updated);
+		expect(fetchImpl).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(fetchImpl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			`/api/documents/${DOC}/transcription-blocks/${BLK}`,
+			expect.objectContaining({
+				method: 'PUT',
+				body: JSON.stringify({ text: 'persisted text', mentionedPersons: [] })
+			})
+		);
+	});
+
+	it('throws BlockConflictResolvedError carrying the merged block on 409', async () => {
+		const fetchImpl = vi
+			.fn()
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(409))
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(200, SERVER_BLOCK_AFTER_RENAME));
+
+		const localMentions: PersonMention[] = [{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }];
+
+		await expect(
+			saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+				fetchImpl: fetchImpl as unknown as typeof fetch,
+				documentId: DOC,
+				blockId: BLK,
+				text: 'transcriber unsaved input',
+				mentionedPersons: localMentions
+			})
+		).rejects.toThrow(BlockConflictResolvedError);
+
+		expect(fetchImpl).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+		// First call PUT, second is the GET refetch.
+		expect(fetchImpl.mock.calls[0]?.[1]?.method).toBe('PUT');
+		expect(fetchImpl.mock.calls[1]?.[1]).toBeUndefined();
+	});
+
+	it('attaches the merged block to err.merged so callers can update local state', async () => {
+		const fetchImpl = vi
+			.fn()
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(409))
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(200, SERVER_BLOCK_AFTER_RENAME));
+
+		const localMentions: PersonMention[] = [
+			{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' } // stale displayName
+		];
+		try {
+			await saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+				fetchImpl: fetchImpl as unknown as typeof fetch,
+				documentId: DOC,
+				blockId: BLK,
+				text: 'transcriber unsaved input',
+				mentionedPersons: localMentions
+			});
+			throw new Error('expected throw');
+		} catch (err) {
+			expect(err).toBeInstanceOf(BlockConflictResolvedError);
+			const merged = (err as BlockConflictResolvedError).merged!;
+			// Local text wins.
+			expect(merged.text).toBe('transcriber unsaved input');
+			// Server displayName wins for shared personId.
+			expect(merged.mentionedPersons).toEqual([
+				{ personId: 'p-aug', displayName: 'Augusta Raddatz' }
+			]);
+			// Server version carried forward.
+			expect(merged.version).toBe(7);
+		}
+	});
+
+	it('throws BlockConflictResolvedError without merged when refetch fails', async () => {
+		const fetchImpl = vi
+			.fn()
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(409))
+			.mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(500));
+
+		await expect(
+			saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+				fetchImpl: fetchImpl as unknown as typeof fetch,
+				documentId: DOC,
+				blockId: BLK,
+				text: 'x',
+				mentionedPersons: []
+			})
+		).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'CONFLICT_RESOLVED', merged: undefined });
+	});
+
+	it('throws Save failed for any other non-OK response', async () => {
+		const fetchImpl = vi.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(mkResponse(500));
+		await expect(
+			saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+				fetchImpl: fetchImpl as unknown as typeof fetch,
+				documentId: DOC,
+				blockId: BLK,
+				text: 'x',
+				mentionedPersons: []
+			})
+		).rejects.toThrow('Save failed');
+	});
+
+	it('rejects ids that are not UUIDs (path-injection guard)', async () => {
+		const fetchImpl = vi.fn();
+		await expect(
+			saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+				fetchImpl: fetchImpl as unknown as typeof fetch,
+				documentId: DOC,
+				blockId: '../../etc/passwd',
+				text: 'x',
+				mentionedPersons: []
+			})
+		).rejects.toThrow(/Invalid id/);
+		expect(fetchImpl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	});
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4daeca50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import type { PersonMention, TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
+import { BlockConflictResolvedError, mergeBlockOnConflict } from '$lib/utils/blockConflictMerge';
+
+const UUID_RE = /^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$/i;
+
+type Args = {
+	fetchImpl: typeof fetch;
+	documentId: string;
+	blockId: string;
+	text: string;
+	mentionedPersons: PersonMention[];
+};
+
+/**
+ * Persists a transcription block edit, with built-in handling for the
+ * rename-mid-edit conflict (B12b).
+ *
+ * - 200/204 → resolves with the server's updated block.
+ * - 409     → refetches the latest server block, merges it with the
+ *             transcriber's unsaved input via mergeBlockOnConflict, and
+ *             throws BlockConflictResolvedError carrying the merged
+ *             snapshot. The caller is responsible for updating local
+ *             state with `err.merged` before surfacing the error.
+ * - other   → throws Error('Save failed').
+ *
+ * Validates both ids against the UUID pattern before any fetch fires
+ * (Sina #5505 — defence-in-depth path-injection guard).
+ */
+export async function saveBlockWithConflictRetry(args: Args): Promise<TranscriptionBlockData> {
+	const { fetchImpl, documentId, blockId, text, mentionedPersons } = args;
+	if (!UUID_RE.test(documentId) || !UUID_RE.test(blockId)) {
+		throw new Error(`Invalid id for save: doc=${documentId} block=${blockId}`);
+	}
+
+	const url = `/api/documents/${documentId}/transcription-blocks/${blockId}`;
+	const res = await fetchImpl(url, {
+		method: 'PUT',
+		headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+		body: JSON.stringify({ text, mentionedPersons })
+	});
+
+	if (res.status === 409) {
+		const fresh = await fetchImpl(url);
+		if (!fresh.ok) {
+			throw new BlockConflictResolvedError(blockId);
+		}
+		const serverBlock = (await fresh.json()) as TranscriptionBlockData;
+		const merged = mergeBlockOnConflict({
+			serverBlock,
+			localText: text,
+			localMentions: mentionedPersons
+		});
+		const err = new BlockConflictResolvedError(blockId);
+		(err as BlockConflictResolvedError & { merged: TranscriptionBlockData }).merged = merged;
+		throw err;
+	}
+
+	if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Save failed');
+	return (await res.json()) as TranscriptionBlockData;
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte
index 5c780a54..a62fb70c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -88,15 +88,28 @@ async function loadTranscriptionBlocks() {
 	}
 }
 
-async function saveBlock(blockId: string, text: string) {
-	const res = await fetch(`/api/documents/${doc.id}/transcription-blocks/${blockId}`, {
-		method: 'PUT',
-		headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-		body: JSON.stringify({ text })
-	});
-	if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Save failed');
-	const updated = await res.json();
-	transcriptionBlocks = transcriptionBlocks.map((b) => (b.id === blockId ? updated : b));
+async function saveBlock(
+	blockId: string,
+	text: string,
+	mentionedPersons: import('$lib/types').PersonMention[]
+) {
+	const { saveBlockWithConflictRetry } = await import('$lib/utils/saveBlockWithConflictRetry');
+	const { BlockConflictResolvedError } = await import('$lib/utils/blockConflictMerge');
+	try {
+		const updated = await saveBlockWithConflictRetry({
+			fetchImpl: fetch,
+			documentId: doc.id,
+			blockId,
+			text,
+			mentionedPersons
+		});
+		transcriptionBlocks = transcriptionBlocks.map((b) => (b.id === blockId ? updated : b));
+	} catch (err) {
+		if (err instanceof BlockConflictResolvedError && err.merged) {
+			transcriptionBlocks = transcriptionBlocks.map((b) => (b.id === blockId ? err.merged! : b));
+		}
+		throw err;
+	}
 }
 
 async function deleteBlock(blockId: string) {