diff --git a/src/pages/exam/setup/ExamTemplateSetupPage.tsx b/src/pages/exam/setup/ExamTemplateSetupPage.tsx
index 7f020b5..5709f53 100644
--- a/src/pages/exam/setup/ExamTemplateSetupPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/exam/setup/ExamTemplateSetupPage.tsx
@@ -88,10 +88,15 @@ function modelFromTLShape(shape: TLShape): ExamCanvasShapeModel | null {
   }
 }
 
+function bringDomainShapesToFront(editor: Editor) {
+  const ids = editor.getCurrentPageShapes().filter((s) => !!shapeTypeToKind(s.type)).map((s) => s.id)
+  if (ids.length) try { editor.bringToFront(ids as any) } catch { /* */ }
+}
+
 function loadShapes(editor: Editor, models: ExamCanvasShapeModel[]) {
+  if (!models.length) return
   const existing = editor.getCurrentPageShapes().filter((s) => shapeTypeToKind(s.type)).map((s) => s.id)
   if (existing.length) editor.deleteShapes(existing)
-  if (!models.length) return
   editor.createShapes(models.map((m) => ({
     id: createShapeId(m.id),
     type: SHAPE_TYPES[m.kind],
@@ -117,8 +122,7 @@ function syncPdfPages(editor: Editor, pages: PdfPageImage[]) {
       props: { w: geometry.w, h: geometry.h, src: page.src, pageNumber: geometry.pageNumber },
     } as any
   }))
-  const ids = geometries.map((geometry) => createShapeId(PDF_PAGE_IDS_PREFIX + geometry.pageNumber))
-  try { editor.sendToBack(ids as any) } catch { /* tldraw 3 keeps creation order behind later region shapes */ }
+  // z-order is enforced by the caller via bringDomainShapesToFront
 }
 
 function seedGuide(editor: Editor) {
@@ -170,7 +174,7 @@ const ExamTemplateSetupInner: React.FC = () => {
             const shapeId = createShapeId(PDF_PAGE_IDS_PREFIX + newPage.pageNumber)
             if (!ed.getCurrentPageShapes().find((s) => s.id === shapeId)) {
               ed.createShapes([{ id: shapeId, type: PDF_PAGE_SHAPE_TYPE, x: geometry.x, y: geometry.y, isLocked: true, props: { w: geometry.w, h: geometry.h, src: newPage.src, pageNumber: newPage.pageNumber } } as any])
-              try { ed.sendToBack([shapeId as any]) } catch { /* */ }
+              bringDomainShapesToFront(ed)
             }
           }
           setPdfStatus('ready')
@@ -188,6 +192,7 @@ const ExamTemplateSetupInner: React.FC = () => {
       if (editor) {
         syncPdfPages(editor, pages)
         loadShapes(editor, shapesFromTemplate(detail, geometries))
+        bringDomainShapesToFront(editor)
       }
       setDirty(false)
     } catch (e) {
@@ -256,6 +261,7 @@ const ExamTemplateSetupInner: React.FC = () => {
             editor.user.updateUserPreferences({ colorScheme: theme.palette.mode === 'dark' ? 'dark' : 'light' })
             editor.store.listen(() => setDirty(true), { scope: 'document' })
             if (template) loadShapes(editor, shapesFromTemplate(template, pageGeometriesRef.current)); else seedGuide(editor)
+            bringDomainShapesToFront(editor)
           }}
         />
       </Box>