diff --git a/src/textual/_compositor.py b/src/textual/_compositor.py
index 3e85996124..e49134edde 100644
--- a/src/textual/_compositor.py
+++ b/src/textual/_compositor.py
@@ -1963,7 +1963,9 @@ def _render_chops(
         chops: list[dict[int, Strip | None]] = [{} for _ in cuts]
         for y, x, _end in ChopsUpdate._span_cuts(spans, cuts, bounds.y):
             chops[y - bounds.y][x] = None
-        remaining = [len(line) for line in chops]
+        remaining = {row: len(line) for row, line in enumerate(chops) if line}
+        if not remaining:
+            return cast("Sequence[Mapping[int, Strip]]", chops)
 
         def render_regions(region: Region) -> Iterable[Region]:
             """Request exposed chop spans, coalesced across adjacent rows.
@@ -1977,7 +1979,7 @@ def render_regions(region: Region) -> Iterable[Region]:
             for y in region.line_range:
                 row = y - bounds.y
                 spans: set[tuple[int, int]] = set()
-                if remaining[row]:
+                if row in remaining:
                     start_x = None
                     row_cuts = cuts[row]
                     for index in range(bisect_left(row_cuts, first), bisect_left(row_cuts, last)):
@@ -2022,7 +2024,16 @@ def render_regions(region: Region) -> Iterable[Region]:
                 for cut, strip in zip(final_cuts, cut_strips):
                     if cut in chops_line and chops_line[cut] is None:
                         chops_line[cut] = strip
-                        remaining[row] -= 1
+                        count = remaining[row] - 1
+                        if count:
+                            remaining[row] = count
+                        else:
+                            del remaining[row]
+            # These are the original pending chop rows, not widget readiness.
+            # Once foreground paint has supplied every requested cut, no lower
+            # widget can contribute. Do not scan its covered exposure again.
+            if not remaining:
+                break
         return cast("Sequence[Mapping[int, Strip]]", chops)
 
     def __rich__(self) -> StripRenderable:
diff --git a/tests/test_compositor_frame_damage.py b/tests/test_compositor_frame_damage.py
index 6e9cddfcc3..dba0f4b48f 100644
--- a/tests/test_compositor_frame_damage.py
+++ b/tests/test_compositor_frame_damage.py
@@ -4,6 +4,43 @@
 from textual.geometry import Size
 from textual.widgets import Static
 
+
+async def test_completed_chops_preserve_partial_and_held_paint():
+    from textual.geometry import Region
+
+    class CoveredApp(App):
+        CSS = """
+        Screen { layers: back front; }
+        #back { layer: back; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
+        #front { layer: front; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
+        """
+
+        def compose(self):
+            yield Static("background", id="back")
+            yield Static("[bold]foreground 界[/bold]", id="front")
+
+    app = CoveredApp()
+    async with app.run_test(size=(24, 8)) as pilot:
+        await pilot.pause()
+        compositor = app.screen._compositor
+        reference = compositor.render_strips()
+        assert "foreground" in reference[0].text
+        assert not any("background" in strip.text for strip in reference)
+        compositor._dirty_regions = {Region(0, 0, 24, 2)}
+        held = Region(3, 0, 5, 1)
+        update = compositor.render_partial_update(excluded_regions=(held,))
+        assert update is not None
+        for y, left, right in update.spans:
+            assert not Region(left, y, right - left, 1).overlaps(held)
+            for x, strip in update._get_line_chops(y, left, right):
+                assert strip == reference[y].crop(x, x + strip.cell_length)
+        assert compositor._dirty_regions == {held}
+        released = compositor.render_partial_update()
+        assert released is not None
+        assert compositor._dirty_regions == set()
+        assert compositor.render_partial_update() is None
+        assert compositor.render_strips() == reference
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('before,after', [(Size(139,40),Size(139,25)),(Size(80,40),Size(30,12)),(Size(30,12),Size(80,40))])
 async def test_partial_damage_uses_current_frame_for_spans_and_chops(before,after):
     class FrameApp(App):