diff --git a/application/scenarioloadermode.cpp b/application/scenarioloadermode.cpp
index f05c3869..a2293fe5 100644
--- a/application/scenarioloadermode.cpp
+++ b/application/scenarioloadermode.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ bool scenarioloader_mode::update() {
 		ErrorLog( "Bad init: scenario loading failed" );
 		Application.pop_mode();
 	}
+	// the loading state holds the scenario file open, which on some systems keeps the file from being replaced
+	// when the scenery is saved in the editor. it'd also get in the way of another load
+	state.reset();
 
 	WriteLog( "Scenario loading time: " + std::to_string( std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>( std::chrono::system_clock::now() - timestart ).count() ) + " seconds" );
 	// TODO: implement and use next mode cue
diff --git a/editor/editorIncludeInfo.cpp b/editor/editorIncludeInfo.cpp
index f9f09920..720bab29 100644
--- a/editor/editorIncludeInfo.cpp
+++ b/editor/editorIncludeInfo.cpp
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ bool save(std::string const &File, include_info const &Info, std::string &Error)
 	if (error)
 	{
 		Error = "can't replace file \"" + File + "\": " + error.message();
+		std::filesystem::remove(filepath + ".tmp", error);
 		return false;
 	}
 	return true;
diff --git a/scene/scenelayerssave.cpp b/scene/scenelayerssave.cpp
index b76a9f2b..b42c7286 100644
--- a/scene/scenelayerssave.cpp
+++ b/scene/scenelayerssave.cpp
@@ -862,6 +862,7 @@ save_result node_layers::save(std::vector<std::string> const &Rootstatements)
 		}
 		written.emplace_back(output);
 	}
+	std::vector<layer_handle> replaced;
 	for (auto const output : written)
 	{
 		auto const filepath{path(output)};
@@ -873,10 +874,35 @@ save_result node_layers::save(std::vector<std::string> const &Rootstatements)
 		std::filesystem::rename(filepath + ".tmp", filepath, error);
 		if (error)
 		{
-			return fail("can't replace file \"" + layer(output).name + "\": " + error.message());
+			// e.g. the file is held open by another program. take back what was done so far: the scenery files
+			// have to stay in step with each other, and with what we know about them
+			auto const cause{error.message()};
+			for (auto const restored : replaced)
+			{
+				auto const lookup{state.content.find(restored)};
+				if (lookup != state.content.end())
+				{
+					std::ofstream{path(restored), std::ios_base::binary | std::ios_base::trunc} << lookup->second;
+					stat(restored);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					std::filesystem::remove(path(restored), error);
+				}
+			}
+			for (auto const leftover : written)
+			{
+				std::filesystem::remove(path(leftover) + ".tmp", error);
+			}
+			result.files.clear();
+			return fail("can't replace file \"" + layer(output).name + "\": " + cause);
 		}
+		replaced.emplace_back(output);
 		result.files.emplace_back(layer(output).name);
-		WriteLog("Scenery save: file \"" + layer(output).name + "\" updated");
+	}
+	for (auto const &file : result.files)
+	{
+		WriteLog("Scenery save: file \"" + file + "\" updated");
 	}
 
 	// the scenery files now match the scene, update the bookkeeping to reflect it