diff --git a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md
index 3e823e4..46053d5 100644
--- a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md
+++ b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ The add-in is deliberately small:
 
 - The manifest adds one ribbon button: **Open PlotDirector Companion**.
 - The task pane opens the PlotDirector-hosted `/word-companion` route.
-- The manifest requests `ReadDocument` so the companion can read Word paragraphs, selection context, and document body content for the manual document-structure scan.
+- The manifest requests `ReadWriteDocument` so the companion can read Word paragraphs and write hidden PlotDirector anchors back into the manuscript after import.
 - The companion does not request document write permissions.
 
 ## Development
diff --git a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml
index 6ec396f..b0cbc7c 100644
--- a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml
+++ b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
   <DefaultSettings>
     <SourceLocation DefaultValue="{{taskpaneUrl}}"/>
   </DefaultSettings>
-  <!-- ReadDocument is required for the companion to read Word paragraphs, selection context,
-       and document body content. It does not grant document write access. -->
-  <Permissions>ReadDocument</Permissions>
+  <!-- ReadWriteDocument is required because the companion writes hidden PlotDirector anchors
+       back into the Word document after a manuscript import. -->
+  <Permissions>ReadWriteDocument</Permissions>
   <VersionOverrides xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/taskpaneappversionoverrides" xsi:type="VersionOverridesV1_0">
     <Hosts>
       <Host xsi:type="Document">
diff --git a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml
index 13f22cb..dc48fd1 100644
--- a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml
+++ b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
   <DefaultSettings>
     <SourceLocation DefaultValue="https://plotdirector.com/word-companion"/>
   </DefaultSettings>
-  <!-- ReadDocument is required for the companion to read Word paragraphs, selection context,
-       and document body content. It does not grant document write access. -->
-  <Permissions>ReadDocument</Permissions>
+  <!-- ReadWriteDocument is required because the companion writes hidden PlotDirector anchors
+       back into the Word document after a manuscript import. -->
+  <Permissions>ReadWriteDocument</Permissions>
   <VersionOverrides xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/taskpaneappversionoverrides" xsi:type="VersionOverridesV1_0">
     <Hosts>
       <Host xsi:type="Document">
diff --git a/PlotLine.Tests/Program.cs b/PlotLine.Tests/Program.cs
index 53e620c..8f8df28 100644
--- a/PlotLine.Tests/Program.cs
+++ b/PlotLine.Tests/Program.cs
@@ -1973,7 +1973,7 @@ static void WordCompanionRuntimeFollowsMultipleImportedSceneAnchors()
     var root = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "../../../../PlotLine");
     var script = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(root, "wwwroot/js/word-companion-host.js"));
 
-    Assert(script.Contains("paragraph.contentControls.load(\"items/tag,title\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Runtime structure reads must load paragraph content controls, not only text/style.");
+    Assert(script.Contains("await loadParagraphAnchors(context, bodyParagraphs, null, \"runtime structure\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Runtime structure reads must load paragraph anchors, not only text/style.");
     Assert(script.Contains("chapterAnchorId: paragraphAnchorId(paragraph, \"PD-CHAPTER\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Runtime paragraph snapshots should carry canonical chapter anchors.");
     Assert(script.Contains("sceneAnchorId: paragraphAnchorId(paragraph, \"PD-SCENE\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Runtime paragraph snapshots should carry canonical scene anchors.");
     Assert(script.Contains("const hasCanonicalSceneAnchors = paragraphSnapshots.some", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Runtime structure should detect imported scene-anchor mode.");
@@ -1984,15 +1984,19 @@ static void WordCompanionRuntimeFollowsMultipleImportedSceneAnchors()
     Assert(script.Contains("const reusable = existing || findAnchorControl(paragraph, prefix)", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Marker insertion should reuse an existing same-prefix marker on the same paragraph before inserting another control.");
     Assert(script.Contains("const rangeLocations = [\"Content\", \"Start\", \"Whole\"]", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Marker insertion should try heading content before progressively smaller Word ranges.");
     Assert(script.Contains("paragraph.getRange(rangeLocation).insertContentControl()", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Marker insertion should retry Word-supported paragraph range locations.");
+    Assert(script.Contains("insertBookmark(bookmarkName)", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Marker insertion should fall back to hidden bookmarks when Word rejects content-control insertion.");
+    Assert(script.Contains("anchorIdFromBookmark(bookmark, prefix)", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Runtime anchor detection should read PlotDirector bookmark markers.");
     Assert(script.Contains("await ensureAnchorControl(context, paragraphs.items[index], title, tag, prefix)", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Bulk marker sync should await each marker insertion so Word range failures are isolated.");
-    Assert(script.Contains("paragraphs.items[index].contentControls.load(\"items/tag,title\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Bulk marker sync should inspect existing paragraph markers before deciding to insert content controls.");
+    Assert(script.Contains("await loadParagraphAnchors(context, paragraphs, markerParagraphIndexes, \"marker sync\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Bulk marker sync should inspect existing paragraph markers before deciding to insert content controls.");
 }
 
 static void WordCompanionExistingProjectBookLinkingRemainsAvailable()
 {
     var root = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "../../../../PlotLine");
+    var companionRoot = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "../../../../PlotDirector.WordCompanion");
     var view = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(root, "Views/WordCompanionHost/Index.cshtml"));
     var script = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(root, "wwwroot/js/word-companion-host.js"));
+    var manifest = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(companionRoot, "manifest.template.xml"));
     var controller = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(root, "Controllers/WordCompanionController.cs"));
     var service = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(root, "Services/WordCompanionService.cs"));
     var repository = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(root, "Data/Repositories.cs"));
@@ -2006,6 +2010,7 @@ static void WordCompanionExistingProjectBookLinkingRemainsAvailable()
     Assert(script.Contains("postJson(\"/api/word-companion/manuscript/link\"", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Existing-book link action should call the link endpoint.");
     Assert(script.Contains("/api/word-companion/projects", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Project selector should load existing Projects.");
     Assert(script.Contains("/api/word-companion/projects/${projectId}/books", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Book selector should load existing Books.");
+    Assert(manifest.Contains("<Permissions>ReadWriteDocument</Permissions>", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Word Companion manifest must request write permission because marker sync writes anchors into the document.");
     Assert(controller.Contains("[HttpPost(\"manuscript/link\")", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Link endpoint is missing.");
     Assert(service.Contains("LinkManuscriptAsync", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Link service method is missing.");
     Assert(service.Contains("manuscriptDocuments.SaveAsync(request.BookId, documentGuid, RequireUserId())", StringComparison.Ordinal), "Existing-book linking should save a document binding directly.");
diff --git a/PlotLine/wwwroot/js/word-companion-host.js b/PlotLine/wwwroot/js/word-companion-host.js
index a66cc14..1e64b35 100644
--- a/PlotLine/wwwroot/js/word-companion-host.js
+++ b/PlotLine/wwwroot/js/word-companion-host.js
@@ -1978,6 +1978,22 @@
         return Number.isInteger(id) && id > 0 ? id : null;
     };
 
+    const markerBookmarkName = (tag) => {
+        const name = `_${String(tag || "").trim().toUpperCase().replace(/[^A-Z0-9]+/g, "_")}`;
+        return name.length <= 40 ? name : name.slice(0, 40);
+    };
+
+    const anchorIdFromBookmark = (bookmark, prefix) => {
+        const expectedPrefix = `_${String(prefix || "").trim().toUpperCase().replace(/[^A-Z0-9]+/g, "_")}_`;
+        const value = String(bookmark || "").trim().toUpperCase();
+        if (!value.startsWith(expectedPrefix)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        const id = Number.parseInt(value.slice(expectedPrefix.length), 10);
+        return Number.isInteger(id) && id > 0 ? id : null;
+    };
+
     const safeContentControlItems = (paragraph) => {
         try {
             return Array.isArray(paragraph?.contentControls?.items) ? paragraph.contentControls.items : [];
@@ -1987,6 +2003,64 @@
         }
     };
 
+    const safeBookmarkItems = (paragraph) => {
+        try {
+            return Array.isArray(paragraph?._plotDirectorBookmarks) ? paragraph._plotDirectorBookmarks : [];
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.warn("Word paragraph bookmarks were not available.", error);
+            return [];
+        }
+    };
+
+    const findAnchorBookmark = (paragraph, prefix) => {
+        const bookmarks = safeBookmarkItems(paragraph);
+        return bookmarks.find((bookmark) => anchorIdFromBookmark(bookmark, prefix)) || "";
+    };
+
+    const findExactAnchorBookmark = (paragraph, tag) => {
+        const expected = markerBookmarkName(tag);
+        const bookmarks = safeBookmarkItems(paragraph);
+        return bookmarks.find((bookmark) => String(bookmark || "").toUpperCase() === expected) || "";
+    };
+
+    const loadParagraphAnchors = async (context, paragraphs, indexes = null, logContext = "document") => {
+        const items = Array.isArray(paragraphs?.items) ? paragraphs.items : paragraphs;
+        if (!Array.isArray(items) || items.length === 0) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const selectedIndexes = indexes
+            ? [...indexes].filter((index) => Number.isInteger(index) && items[index])
+            : items.map((_, index) => index);
+
+        try {
+            for (const index of selectedIndexes) {
+                items[index].contentControls.load("items/tag,title");
+            }
+            await context.sync();
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.warn(`Unable to load Word content controls for PlotDirector ${logContext} anchors.`, error);
+        }
+
+        const bookmarkReads = [];
+        try {
+            for (const index of selectedIndexes) {
+                const range = items[index].getRange("Whole");
+                if (range && typeof range.getBookmarks === "function") {
+                    bookmarkReads.push({ paragraph: items[index], result: range.getBookmarks(true, true) });
+                }
+            }
+            if (bookmarkReads.length > 0) {
+                await context.sync();
+                for (const read of bookmarkReads) {
+                    read.paragraph._plotDirectorBookmarks = Array.isArray(read.result.value) ? read.result.value : [];
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.warn(`Unable to load Word bookmarks for PlotDirector ${logContext} anchors.`, error);
+        }
+    };
+
     const paragraphAnchorId = (paragraph, prefix) => {
         const controls = safeContentControlItems(paragraph);
         for (const control of controls) {
@@ -1996,6 +2070,14 @@
             }
         }
 
+        const bookmarks = safeBookmarkItems(paragraph);
+        for (const bookmark of bookmarks) {
+            const id = anchorIdFromBookmark(bookmark, prefix);
+            if (id) {
+                return id;
+            }
+        }
+
         return null;
     };
 
@@ -2562,12 +2644,13 @@
                 await context.sync();
 
                 await reportOnboardingScanProgress(command, "Detecting chapters", 20);
-                for (const paragraph of bodyParagraphs.items) {
+                const headingIndexes = new Set();
+                bodyParagraphs.items.forEach((paragraph, index) => {
                     if (isBuiltInHeading(paragraph, 1) || isBuiltInHeading(paragraph, 2)) {
-                        paragraph.contentControls.load("items/tag,title");
+                        headingIndexes.add(index);
                     }
-                }
-                await context.sync();
+                });
+                await loadParagraphAnchors(context, bodyParagraphs, headingIndexes, "onboarding scan");
                 return bodyParagraphs.items;
             });
             console.info("[Word Companion Scan] Word extraction completed.", {
@@ -2645,14 +2728,7 @@
                     }
                 }
 
-                try {
-                    for (const index of markerParagraphIndexes) {
-                        paragraphs.items[index].contentControls.load("items/tag,title");
-                    }
-                    await context.sync();
-                } catch (error) {
-                    console.warn("Unable to inspect existing PlotDirector markers before marker sync.", error);
-                }
+                await loadParagraphAnchors(context, paragraphs, markerParagraphIndexes, "marker sync");
 
                 if (chapterInstructions.length > 0 || sceneInstructions.length > 0) {
                     for (const instruction of chapterInstructions) {
@@ -3246,14 +3322,7 @@
         selectionParagraphs.load("text,styleBuiltIn,style");
         await context.sync();
 
-        try {
-            for (const paragraph of bodyParagraphs.items) {
-                paragraph.contentControls.load("items/tag,title");
-            }
-            await context.sync();
-        } catch (error) {
-            console.warn("Unable to load Word content controls. Continuing without PlotDirector anchors.", error);
-        }
+        await loadParagraphAnchors(context, bodyParagraphs, null, "document structure");
 
         const structure = buildDocumentStructure(bodyParagraphs.items, selectionParagraphs.items);
         structure.bodyParagraphs = bodyParagraphs.items;
@@ -3268,14 +3337,7 @@
         selectionParagraphs.load("text,styleBuiltIn,style");
         await context.sync();
 
-        try {
-            for (const paragraph of bodyParagraphs.items) {
-                paragraph.contentControls.load("items/tag,title");
-            }
-            await context.sync();
-        } catch (error) {
-            console.warn("Unable to load Word runtime content controls. Continuing without PlotDirector anchors.", error);
-        }
+        await loadParagraphAnchors(context, bodyParagraphs, null, "runtime structure");
 
         const cache = buildRuntimeDocumentStructure(bodyParagraphs.items, usesExplicitScenes);
         const selectedIndex = findSelectedParagraphIndex(cache, selectionParagraphs.items);
@@ -4657,6 +4719,11 @@
             return true;
         }
 
+        const existingBookmark = findExactAnchorBookmark(paragraph, tag);
+        if (existingBookmark) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         const rangeLocations = ["Content", "Start", "Whole"];
         let lastError = null;
         for (const rangeLocation of rangeLocations) {
@@ -4673,7 +4740,27 @@
             }
         }
 
-        throw lastError || new Error(`Unable to create PlotDirector marker ${tag}.`);
+        try {
+            const bookmarkName = markerBookmarkName(tag);
+            const oldBookmark = findAnchorBookmark(paragraph, prefix);
+            if (oldBookmark && oldBookmark !== bookmarkName && typeof context.document.deleteBookmark === "function") {
+                context.document.deleteBookmark(oldBookmark);
+            }
+            paragraph.getRange("Start").insertBookmark(bookmarkName);
+            paragraph._plotDirectorBookmarks = [
+                ...safeBookmarkItems(paragraph).filter((bookmark) => !anchorIdFromBookmark(bookmark, prefix)),
+                bookmarkName
+            ];
+            await context.sync();
+            console.info(`Created PlotDirector bookmark marker ${bookmarkName} after content-control insertion failed for ${tag}.`);
+            return true;
+        } catch (bookmarkError) {
+            console.error(`Unable to create PlotDirector marker ${tag} as a content control or bookmark.`, {
+                contentControlError: errorText(lastError),
+                bookmarkError: errorText(bookmarkError)
+            });
+            throw lastError || bookmarkError || new Error(`Unable to create PlotDirector marker ${tag}.`);
+        }
     };
 
     const attachResolvedPlotDirectorIds = async (successMessage = "PlotDirector IDs attached successfully.") => {