diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bbd3237..7539d09 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ Follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) · versioned wi
 
 ---
 
+## [1.20.45] — 2026-08-19
+
+### Fixed
+- **Temporary upload sources are now removed after conversion.** Audio previews no longer leave the original uploaded file behind in the temporary directory alongside the registered WAV.
+
 ## [1.20.44] — 2026-08-19
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 6a36890..b741e05 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.20.44
+1.20.45
diff --git a/routes/library.py b/routes/library.py
index 5da1d08..003d014 100644
--- a/routes/library.py
+++ b/routes/library.py
@@ -149,12 +149,22 @@ async def upload(file: UploadFile = File(...)):
     if suffix not in _UPLOAD_EXTS:
         raise HTTPException(400, "Unsupported audio/video file type")
     dest = TEMP_DIR / f"{uuid.uuid4().hex}{suffix}"
-    with dest.open("wb") as f:
-        _copy_limited(file.file, f, _MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES)
     try:
+        with dest.open("wb") as f:
+            _copy_limited(file.file, f, _MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES)
         wav = _to_wav_24k(dest)
     except Exception as e:
+        if isinstance(e, HTTPException):
+            raise
         raise HTTPException(400, f"Audio conversion failed: {e}")
+    finally:
+        # The converted WAV is registered below; the original upload is only
+        # an intermediate and must not accumulate in TEMP_DIR after every
+        # preview/upload operation.
+        try:
+            dest.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
     fid = uuid.uuid4().hex
     _registry_put(fid, wav)
     return {"id": fid, "duration": _duration(wav), "filename": file.filename}
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index d68fdac..35a07b2 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no">
   <meta name="color-scheme" content="light dark">
   <meta name="theme-color" content="#2563EB">
-  <meta name="app-version" content="1.20.44">
+  <meta name="app-version" content="1.20.45">
   <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.webmanifest">
   <link rel="icon" href="/static/icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml">
   <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/icon.svg">
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
   <!-- ── Core styles (local — no CDN dependency for first paint) ────────── -->
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/vendor/mdi/materialdesignicons.min.css">
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/style.css?v=1.20.44">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/style.css?v=1.20.45">
 
 
   <!-- ── Flag icons — non-blocking (loaded async, icons appear after JS) ── -->
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ window.toggleNavTree = function(treeId, chevronId) {
 </script>
 
 <!-- loader.js: fetches sections → loads JS modules → removes skeleton -->
-<script src="/static/loader.js?v=1.20.44"></script>
+<script src="/static/loader.js?v=1.20.45"></script>
 
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/tests/smoke.spec.js b/tests/smoke.spec.js
index 7f57925..219a015 100644
--- a/tests/smoke.spec.js
+++ b/tests/smoke.spec.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ test('core sections render', async ({ page }) => {
 test('clone tabs switch and show one panel at a time', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto('/', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
   await navTo(page, 's-clone');
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => typeof window._cloneScheduleAutoSave === 'function', null, { timeout: 15_000 });
   await expect(page.locator('.clone-src-tab[data-src="url"]')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
   // The app uses a fixed bottom status bar; dispatching the real DOM click
   // avoids a viewport-dependent overlap while still exercising the handler.