diff --git a/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_train_common.py b/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_train_common.py
index e0936a1dd4..bdbedbf5a0 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_train_common.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_train_common.py
@@ -651,6 +651,17 @@ def _config_from_dict(config: dict) -> DiffusionLoraConfig:
     for k, v in config.items():
         if k in valid:
             kwargs[k] = v
+    # Epoch-mode payloads from the generic Studio UI carry max_steps: 0 as the "use epochs"
+    # sentinel, which the max_steps -> train_steps alias copies as train_steps: 0. Since
+    # normalized() rejects train_steps < 1 before resolve_train_steps() can apply num_epochs,
+    # drop a falsy/0 train_steps when num_epochs > 0 so the dataclass default stands in until
+    # epoch resolution replaces it.
+    try:
+        _num_epochs = int(kwargs.get("num_epochs") or 0)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        _num_epochs = 0
+    if _num_epochs > 0 and not kwargs.get("train_steps"):
+        kwargs.pop("train_steps", None)
     if kwargs.get("lora_target_modules"):
         kwargs["lora_target_modules"] = tuple(kwargs["lora_target_modules"])
     if "gradient_checkpointing" in kwargs:
diff --git a/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_training_service.py b/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_training_service.py
index 67f64f14ad..23c0cd2bbd 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_training_service.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/training/diffusion_training_service.py
@@ -102,6 +102,14 @@ def list_diffusion_runs(limit: int = 20) -> list[dict]:
             rec = json.loads(p.read_text())
         except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 -- a corrupt record never breaks the listing
             continue
+        # A valid-JSON file with the wrong shape (an old or hand-edited record that is not a
+        # dict, or is missing the required string job_id / status) would later blow up the
+        # route's DiffusionTrainingRunSummary(**r); skip it here so one bad record can never
+        # take down the whole Previous runs panel.
+        if not isinstance(rec, dict):
+            continue
+        if not (isinstance(rec.get("job_id"), str) and isinstance(rec.get("status"), str)):
+            continue
         rec.pop("metric_history", None)
         rec.pop("config", None)
         out.append(rec)
diff --git a/studio/backend/routes/training.py b/studio/backend/routes/training.py
index 1a85089439..f6f2a0509a 100644
--- a/studio/backend/routes/training.py
+++ b/studio/backend/routes/training.py
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ from models.training import (
 )
 from models.responses import TrainingStopResponse, TrainingMetricsResponse
 from pydantic import BaseModel as PydanticBaseModel
+from pydantic import ValidationError
 
 
 class TrainingStopRequest(PydanticBaseModel):
@@ -1285,9 +1286,17 @@ async def list_diffusion_training_runs(
     """Previous diffusion training runs (terminal), newest first, from the persisted
     per-run records. Summaries only; fetch one run for its config + metric logs."""
     from core.training.diffusion_training_service import list_diffusion_runs
-    return DiffusionTrainingRunsResponse(
-        runs = [DiffusionTrainingRunSummary(**r) for r in list_diffusion_runs(limit = limit)]
-    )
+
+    summaries: list[DiffusionTrainingRunSummary] = []
+    for r in list_diffusion_runs(limit = limit):
+        # list_diffusion_runs already skips non-dict / missing-id records, but a record with
+        # a wrong-typed field (e.g. a non-numeric avg_loss) would still raise here; catch it
+        # per record so one bad file never breaks the whole Previous runs panel.
+        try:
+            summaries.append(DiffusionTrainingRunSummary(**r))
+        except ValidationError:
+            continue
+    return DiffusionTrainingRunsResponse(runs = summaries)
 
 
 @router.get("/diffusion/runs/{job_id}", response_model = DiffusionTrainingRunDetail)
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_training.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_training.py
index e4bd456f09..84446cc15c 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_training.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_training.py
@@ -381,6 +381,44 @@ def test_request_model_num_epochs_bounds():
             DiffusionTrainingStartRequest(**base, num_epochs = bad)
 
 
+def test_config_from_dict_epoch_mode_drops_max_steps_sentinel():
+    # The generic Studio epoch-mode payload sends max_steps: 0 as the "use epochs" sentinel.
+    # The max_steps -> train_steps alias would copy that 0 and normalized() would reject
+    # train_steps < 1 before epochs are resolved; _config_from_dict must drop the falsy
+    # value so the default train_steps stands in until resolve_train_steps applies num_epochs.
+    from core.training.diffusion_train_common import DiffusionLoraConfig, _config_from_dict
+
+    cfg = _config_from_dict(
+        {
+            "base_model": "stabilityai/stable-diffusion-xl-base-1.0",
+            "data_dir": "d",
+            "output_dir": "o",
+            "max_steps": 0,
+            "num_epochs": 2,
+        }
+    )
+    # 0 was dropped: the dataclass default train_steps stands in and num_epochs carries over.
+    assert cfg.train_steps == DiffusionLoraConfig.train_steps
+    assert cfg.num_epochs == 2
+    # normalized() no longer raises on the epoch-mode payload.
+    norm = cfg.normalized()
+    assert norm.num_epochs == 2
+
+    # An explicit non-zero max_steps in epochs mode is still honored (only the 0 sentinel is
+    # dropped), and a plain steps payload (no num_epochs) keeps max_steps: 0 -> train_steps 0
+    # so normalized() surfaces the invalid value as before.
+    cfg_explicit = _config_from_dict(
+        {
+            "base_model": "stabilityai/stable-diffusion-xl-base-1.0",
+            "data_dir": "d",
+            "output_dir": "o",
+            "max_steps": 25,
+            "num_epochs": 2,
+        }
+    )
+    assert cfg_explicit.train_steps == 25
+
+
 def test_route_start_rejects_uncontained_paths(client):
     # An absolute path outside the Studio dataset roots is a 400, not silently accepted.
     r = client.post("/api/train/diffusion/start", json = {**_BODY, "data_dir": "/etc"})
@@ -804,3 +842,49 @@ def test_runs_endpoints_list_and_detail(client, _isolated_runs_dir):
     # Unknown and malformed ids 404 (malformed also covers path traversal).
     assert client.get(f"/api/train/diffusion/runs/{'c' * 32}").status_code == 404
     assert client.get("/api/train/diffusion/runs/not-a-job-id").status_code == 404
+
+
+def test_list_diffusion_runs_skips_wrong_shape_records(_isolated_runs_dir):
+    # A valid-JSON file with the wrong shape (non-dict, or missing the required string
+    # job_id / status) must be skipped by list_diffusion_runs so it never reaches the route's
+    # DiffusionTrainingRunSummary(**r) and takes down the whole Previous runs panel.
+    import json
+
+    from core.training.diffusion_training_service import list_diffusion_runs
+
+    good = {"job_id": "a" * 32, "status": "completed", "adapter": "good", "saved": True}
+    (_isolated_runs_dir / "good.json").write_text(json.dumps(good))
+    # A JSON list (not a dict).
+    (_isolated_runs_dir / "not_a_dict.json").write_text(json.dumps([1, 2, 3]))
+    # A dict missing the required job_id / status.
+    (_isolated_runs_dir / "no_ids.json").write_text(json.dumps({"adapter": "orphan"}))
+    # A dict whose job_id / status are the wrong type.
+    (_isolated_runs_dir / "bad_types.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps({"job_id": 123, "status": None, "adapter": "typed"})
+    )
+
+    runs = list_diffusion_runs()
+    adapters = [r.get("adapter") for r in runs]
+    assert adapters == ["good"]  # only the well-shaped record survives
+
+
+def test_runs_route_tolerates_bad_field_record(client, _isolated_runs_dir):
+    # A record that passes the service's shape check but has a wrong-typed field (a
+    # non-numeric avg_loss) would raise pydantic ValidationError in the route; the route must
+    # catch it per record so one bad file never breaks the panel and the good runs still list.
+    import json
+
+    good = {"job_id": "a" * 32, "status": "completed", "adapter": "good", "saved": True}
+    bad = {
+        "job_id": "b" * 32,
+        "status": "completed",
+        "adapter": "bad",
+        "avg_loss": "not-a-number",  # str where the summary expects Optional[float]
+    }
+    (_isolated_runs_dir / f"{good['job_id']}.json").write_text(json.dumps(good))
+    (_isolated_runs_dir / f"{bad['job_id']}.json").write_text(json.dumps(bad))
+
+    r = client.get("/api/train/diffusion/runs")
+    assert r.status_code == 200, r.text
+    adapters = [x["adapter"] for x in r.json()["runs"]]
+    assert adapters == ["good"]  # the bad-field record was skipped, the good one remained
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/images/train/diffusion-train-panel.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/images/train/diffusion-train-panel.tsx
index 813a6c1fd2..463ca86dc4 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/images/train/diffusion-train-panel.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/images/train/diffusion-train-panel.tsx
@@ -520,13 +520,25 @@ export function DiffusionTrainPanel({
     if (!active) return;
     if (status?.status === "running") return;
     let cancelled = false;
-    listDiffusionTrainingRuns()
-      .then((r) => {
-        if (!cancelled) setPrevRuns(r.runs);
-      })
-      .catch(() => {});
+    const refetch = () => {
+      listDiffusionTrainingRuns()
+        .then((r) => {
+          if (!cancelled) setPrevRuns(r.runs);
+        })
+        .catch(() => {});
+    };
+    refetch();
+    // The service exposes a terminal status before the pump has necessarily finished
+    // writing the run's JSON record, so the one-shot refetch above can win that race and
+    // miss the just-finished run. A short delayed second refetch after a terminal
+    // transition lets the record land so the newest run reliably appears.
+    let delayed: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+    if (status?.status === "completed" || status?.status === "stopped" || status?.status === "error") {
+      delayed = setTimeout(refetch, 1500);
+    }
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
+      if (delayed !== undefined) clearTimeout(delayed);
     };
   }, [active, status?.status]);
 
@@ -745,7 +757,10 @@ export function DiffusionTrainPanel({
         value={value}
         onChange={(e) => {
           settingsDirty.current = true;
-          set(Number(e.target.value) || fallback);
+          // Only fall back when the input parses to NaN (empty/invalid); a real 0 is a
+          // legal value for zero-legal fields (Seed, LR warmup steps) and must be kept.
+          const parsed = Number(e.target.value);
+          set(Number.isNaN(parsed) ? fallback : parsed);
         }}
         className="h-8 text-xs"
       />