diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/json_model.rs b/src/snapshot_middleware/json_model.rs
index 8b2284fd..064d1ff6 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/json_model.rs
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/json_model.rs
@@ -77,10 +77,12 @@ pub fn syncback_json_model<'sync>(
         // could have a performance cost.
         model.schema = old_inst.metadata().schema.clone();
         model.name = old_inst.metadata().specified_name.clone();
-    } else if snapshot.needs_meta_name {
-        // New instance whose filesystem name differs from the instance name
-        // (due to slugification or deduplication). Store the real name so it
-        // survives a round-trip through the filesystem.
+    }
+    // Filesystem name differs from the instance name (due to slugification
+    // or deduplication). Store the real name so it survives a round-trip.
+    // Checked independently: old_inst may exist but lack a specified_name
+    // (e.g., a previously filesystem-safe name was renamed to need slugification).
+    if model.name.is_none() && snapshot.needs_meta_name {
         model.name = Some(snapshot.new_inst().name.clone());
     }
 
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/meta_file.rs b/src/snapshot_middleware/meta_file.rs
index e23138e0..e9f17708 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/meta_file.rs
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/meta_file.rs
@@ -162,10 +162,10 @@ impl AdjacentMetadata {
             .old_inst()
             .and_then(|inst| inst.metadata().specified_name.clone())
             .or_else(|| {
-                // If this is a new instance and its filesystem name differs from
-                // the instance name (due to slugification or deduplication), we
-                // need to specify the name in meta.json so it can be preserved.
-                if snapshot.old_inst().is_none() && snapshot.needs_meta_name {
+                // Filesystem name differs from the instance name (due to
+                // slugification or deduplication). Store the real name so
+                // it survives a round-trip through the filesystem.
+                if snapshot.needs_meta_name {
                     Some(snapshot.new_inst().name.clone())
                 } else {
                     None
@@ -424,10 +424,10 @@ impl DirectoryMetadata {
             .old_inst()
             .and_then(|inst| inst.metadata().specified_name.clone())
             .or_else(|| {
-                // If this is a new instance and its filesystem name differs from
-                // the instance name (due to slugification or deduplication), we
-                // need to specify the name in meta.json so it can be preserved.
-                if snapshot.old_inst().is_none() && snapshot.needs_meta_name {
+                // Filesystem name differs from the instance name (due to
+                // slugification or deduplication). Store the real name so
+                // it survives a round-trip through the filesystem.
+                if snapshot.needs_meta_name {
                     Some(snapshot.new_inst().name.clone())
                 } else {
                     None