diff --git a/tests/e2e/trip-editor/tripEditorSearchAddPersistence.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/trip-editor/tripEditorSearchAddPersistence.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..81862ac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/trip-editor/tripEditorSearchAddPersistence.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+import { expect, test, type Locator, type Page, type Route } from '@playwright/test';
+import {
+  absoluteUrl,
+  editorApiPath,
+  editorPath,
+  expectMountedWorkspace,
+  loadEditorStateFixture,
+  signIn,
+  uniqueName
+} from './tripEditorTestUtils';
+
+type EditorState = Record<string, any>;
+type SearchTarget = { id: string; name: string };
+
+const geocodePath = /\/api\/trips\/[^/]+\/editor\/geocode\/search/i;
+const resultLatitude = '37.9715';
+const resultLongitude = '23.7257';
+
+test.describe.serial('Trip Editor search-add real place persistence contracts', () => {
+  test.describe.configure({ timeout: 60_000 });
+
+  test('geosearch Add as place defaults to Unassigned Places and persists through real Save Place', async ({ page }) => {
+    await openEditor(page);
+    await cleanupDisposableSearchAddPlaces(page);
+    const targets = await requireSearchAddTargets(page);
+    const placeName = uniqueName('PW search add unassigned');
+
+    try {
+      await routeGeocode(page, placeName);
+      await runSearch(page, placeName);
+      await selectSearchResult(page, placeName);
+      await expect(page.getByLabel('Target region')).toHaveValue(targets.unassigned.id);
+
+      await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Add as place' }).click();
+      await expectSearchResultsCollapsed(page, placeName);
+      await expectSearchAddDraft(page, placeName, targets.unassigned.id);
+
+      const createdPlaceId = await savePlaceThroughRealEndpoint(page, targets.unassigned.id);
+      await expectSaved(page);
+      await expect(placeRowByName(page, targets.unassigned.id, placeName)).toBeVisible();
+      await expectPersistedPlace(page, placeName, targets.unassigned.id, createdPlaceId);
+
+      await page.reload();
+      await expectMountedWorkspace(page);
+      await expect(placeRowByName(page, targets.unassigned.id, placeName)).toBeVisible();
+      await expectPersistedPlace(page, placeName, targets.unassigned.id, createdPlaceId);
+    } finally {
+      await cleanupPlacesByName(page, [placeName]);
+    }
+  });
+
+  test('geosearch Add as place persists in a selected normal region and the next fresh add resets to Unassigned Places', async ({ page }) => {
+    await openEditor(page);
+    await cleanupDisposableSearchAddPlaces(page);
+    const targets = await requireSearchAddTargets(page);
+    const placeName = uniqueName('PW search add region');
+    const resetProbeName = uniqueName('PW search add reset probe');
+
+    try {
+      await routeGeocode(page, placeName);
+      await runSearch(page, placeName);
+      await selectSearchResult(page, placeName);
+      const targetSelect = page.getByLabel('Target region');
+      await expect(targetSelect).toHaveValue(targets.unassigned.id);
+      await targetSelect.selectOption(targets.normal.id);
+
+      await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Add as place' }).click();
+      await expectSearchResultsCollapsed(page, placeName);
+      await expectSearchAddDraft(page, placeName, targets.normal.id);
+
+      const createdPlaceId = await savePlaceThroughRealEndpoint(page, targets.normal.id);
+      await expectSaved(page);
+      await expect(placeRowByName(page, targets.normal.id, placeName)).toBeVisible();
+      await expectPersistedPlace(page, placeName, targets.normal.id, createdPlaceId);
+
+      await page.reload();
+      await expectMountedWorkspace(page);
+      await expect(placeRowByName(page, targets.normal.id, placeName)).toBeVisible();
+      await expectPersistedPlace(page, placeName, targets.normal.id, createdPlaceId);
+
+      await closePlaceFormIfOpen(page);
+      await routeGeocode(page, resetProbeName);
+      await runSearch(page, resetProbeName);
+      await selectSearchResult(page, resetProbeName);
+      await expect(page.getByLabel('Target region')).toHaveValue(targets.unassigned.id);
+    } finally {
+      await cleanupPlacesByName(page, [placeName, resetProbeName]);
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+async function openEditor(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await signIn(page);
+  await page.goto(absoluteUrl(editorPath));
+  await expectMountedWorkspace(page);
+}
+
+async function routeGeocode(page: Page, name: string): Promise<void> {
+  await page.unroute(geocodePath).catch(() => undefined);
+  await page.route(geocodePath, async route => fulfillGeocode(route, name));
+}
+
+async function fulfillGeocode(route: Route, name: string): Promise<void> {
+  const query = new URL(route.request().url()).searchParams.get('q') ?? '';
+  await route.fulfill({
+    status: 200,
+    contentType: 'application/json',
+    body: JSON.stringify({
+      query,
+      attribution: 'Mocked geocode provider for search-add persistence test',
+      results: [{
+        id: `batch4:${name}`,
+        provider: 'batch4',
+        name,
+        displayName: `${name}, Athens, Greece`,
+        address: 'Athens, Greece',
+        category: 'tourism',
+        type: 'attraction',
+        latitude: Number(resultLatitude),
+        longitude: Number(resultLongitude)
+      }]
+    })
+  });
+}
+
+async function runSearch(page: Page, query: string): Promise<void> {
+  await page.getByRole('searchbox', { name: 'Map search' }).fill(query);
+  await page.getByRole('region', { name: 'Map search' }).getByRole('button', { name: 'Search' }).click();
+}
+
+async function selectSearchResult(page: Page, name: string): Promise<void> {
+  const mapSearch = page.getByRole('region', { name: 'Map search' });
+  await expect(mapSearch.getByRole('button', { name })).toBeVisible();
+  await mapSearch.getByRole('button', { name }).click();
+}
+
+async function expectSearchResultsCollapsed(page: Page, name: string): Promise<void> {
+  const mapSearch = page.getByRole('region', { name: 'Map search' });
+  await expect(mapSearch.getByRole('button', { name })).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.locator('.trip-editor-map-search__results')).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.getByRole('searchbox', { name: 'Map search' })).toHaveValue('');
+}
+
+async function expectSearchAddDraft(page: Page, name: string, regionId: string): Promise<void> {
+  const form = page.locator('#trip-editor-place-form');
+  await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Add Place' })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(form.getByLabel('Region')).toHaveValue(regionId);
+  await expect(form.getByLabel('Name')).toHaveValue(name);
+  await expect(form.getByLabel('Address')).toHaveValue('Athens, Greece');
+  await expect(form.getByLabel('Latitude')).toHaveValue(resultLatitude);
+  await expect(form.getByLabel('Longitude')).toHaveValue(resultLongitude);
+  await expect(form.getByLabel('Reverse geocode this location on save')).not.toBeChecked();
+  await expect(form.locator('[data-selector-kind="icon"] [data-icon-selector-selected-name]')).toHaveText('marker');
+  await expect(form.locator('[data-selector-kind="color"] [data-icon-selector-selected-name]')).toHaveText('Blue');
+  await expect(page.locator(`img[alt="Pending place location: ${name}"]`)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('[data-place-draft-preview-marker]')).toHaveAttribute('src', /\/icons\/wayfarer-map-icons\/dist\/png\/marker\/bg-blue\/marker\.png$/);
+}
+
+async function savePlaceThroughRealEndpoint(page: Page, regionId: string): Promise<string> {
+  const endpoint = new RegExp(`${editorApiPath.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&')}/regions/${regionId}/places/?$`, 'i');
+  const responsePromise = page.waitForResponse(response => response.request().method() === 'POST' && endpoint.test(new URL(response.url()).pathname));
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save Place' }).click();
+  const response = await responsePromise;
+  if (!response.ok()) {
+    throw new Error(`POST create-place endpoint returned ${response.status()}: ${await response.text()}`);
+  }
+
+  const body = await response.json();
+  expect(body.data?.id, 'Create-place endpoint should return the persisted place id.').toBeTruthy();
+  return body.data.id;
+}
+
+async function expectSaved(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await expect(page.locator('.trip-editor-save-state').filter({ hasText: /Place saved|saved/i }).first()).toBeVisible();
+}
+
+async function expectPersistedPlace(page: Page, name: string, regionId: string, expectedId: string): Promise<void> {
+  const place = placeByName(await loadEditorStateFixture(page), name);
+  expect(place, `Expected ${name} to exist in the editor API reread.`).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(place.id).toBe(expectedId);
+  expect(place.regionId).toBe(regionId);
+  expect(place.address).toBe('Athens, Greece');
+  expect(String(place.location?.latitude)).toBe(resultLatitude);
+  expect(String(place.location?.longitude)).toBe(resultLongitude);
+  expect(place.iconName).toBe('marker');
+  expect(place.markerColor).toBe('bg-blue');
+}
+
+async function requireSearchAddTargets(page: Page): Promise<{ unassigned: SearchTarget; normal: SearchTarget }> {
+  const state = await loadEditorStateFixture(page);
+  const eligible = state.regionOrder
+    .map((id: string) => state.regionsById[id])
+    .filter((region: any) => region?.capabilities?.canTargetForSearchAdd);
+  const unassigned = eligible.find((region: any) => region.isShadow && region.name === 'Unassigned Places');
+  const normal = eligible.find((region: any) => !region.isShadow);
+  expect(unassigned, 'Batch 4 requires Unassigned Places to be an eligible search-add target.').toBeTruthy();
+  expect(normal, 'Batch 4 requires at least one normal region eligible for search-add.').toBeTruthy();
+  return {
+    unassigned: { id: unassigned.id, name: unassigned.name },
+    normal: { id: normal.id, name: normal.name }
+  };
+}
+
+async function closePlaceFormIfOpen(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  const form = page.locator('#trip-editor-place-form');
+  if ((await form.count()) === 0) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  await page.locator('.trip-editor-surface--docked').filter({ has: form }).getByRole('button', { name: 'Cancel' }).click();
+  await expect(form).toHaveCount(0);
+}
+
+async function cleanupPlacesByName(page: Page, names: string[]): Promise<void> {
+  if (page.isClosed()) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  await page.goto(absoluteUrl(editorPath));
+  await expectMountedWorkspace(page);
+  for (const name of names) {
+    const state = await loadEditorStateFixture(page);
+    const place = placeByName(state, name);
+    if (!place) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    await deletePlaceViaEndpoint(page, place.id);
+  }
+}
+
+async function cleanupDisposableSearchAddPlaces(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await cleanupPlacesByPredicate(page, place => place.name.startsWith('PW search add unassigned ') || place.name.startsWith('PW search add region '));
+}
+
+async function cleanupPlacesByPredicate(page: Page, predicate: (place: any) => boolean): Promise<void> {
+  const state = await loadEditorStateFixture(page);
+  const places = Object.values<any>(state.placesById).filter(predicate);
+  for (const place of places) {
+    await deletePlaceViaEndpoint(page, place.id);
+  }
+}
+
+async function deletePlaceViaEndpoint(page: Page, placeId: string): Promise<void> {
+  const response = await page.request.delete(absoluteUrl(`${editorApiPath}/places/${placeId}`), {
+    headers: { RequestVerificationToken: await antiforgeryToken(page) }
+  });
+  if (!response.ok()) {
+    throw new Error(`DELETE place cleanup returned ${response.status()}: ${await response.text()}`);
+  }
+}
+
+async function antiforgeryToken(page: Page): Promise<string> {
+  return await page.locator('#trip-editor-antiforgery input[name="__RequestVerificationToken"]').inputValue();
+}
+
+function placeByName(state: EditorState, name: string): any | null {
+  return Object.values<any>(state.placesById).find(place => place.name === name) ?? null;
+}
+
+function placeRowByName(page: Page, regionId: string, name: string): Locator {
+  return page.locator(`[data-place-list-region-id="${regionId}"] [data-place-id]`).filter({ has: page.getByText(name, { exact: true }) });
+}