diff --git a/EbayListingTool/Views/SingleItemView.xaml.cs b/EbayListingTool/Views/SingleItemView.xaml.cs
index 164f089..e7911e2 100644
--- a/EbayListingTool/Views/SingleItemView.xaml.cs
+++ b/EbayListingTool/Views/SingleItemView.xaml.cs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public partial class SingleItemView : UserControl
     private EbayAuthService? _auth;
     private EbayAspectsService? _aspectsService;
     private List<CategoryAspect> _currentAspects = new();
+    private string _lastAspectsCategoryId = "";
 
     private ListingDraft _draft = new();
     private System.Threading.CancellationTokenSource? _categoryCts;
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ public partial class SingleItemView : UserControl
         // is unexpected when arriving here automatically from the Photo Analysis tab.
         _draft = new ListingDraft { Postcode = PostcodeBox.Text };
         _currentAspects = new();
+        _lastAspectsCategoryId = "";
         AspectsPanel.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
         TitleBox.Text       = "";
         DescriptionBox.Text = "";
@@ -639,6 +641,7 @@ public partial class SingleItemView : UserControl
 
         _draft = new ListingDraft { Postcode = PostcodeBox.Text };
         _currentAspects = new();
+        _lastAspectsCategoryId = "";
         AspectsPanel.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
         TitleBox.Text = "";
         DescriptionBox.Text = "";
@@ -775,13 +778,24 @@ public partial class SingleItemView : UserControl
         try
         {
             _currentAspects = await _aspectsService.GetAspectsAsync(categoryId);
-            _draft.Aspects.Clear();
+
+            if (_lastAspectsCategoryId != categoryId)
+            {
+                _draft.Aspects.Clear();
+                _lastAspectsCategoryId = categoryId;
+            }
 
             AspectsRequiredNote.Visibility = _currentAspects.Any(a => a.IsRequired)
                 ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed;
 
             RebuildAspectFields();
         }
+        catch
+        {
+            // Non-critical — aspects are optional for the UI flow; hide panel on failure
+            _currentAspects = new();
+            AspectsPanel.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
+        }
         finally
         {
             AspectsSpinner.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;