diff --git a/studio/backend/core/data_recipe/service.py b/studio/backend/core/data_recipe/service.py
index dca3e867ce..b04c6bbf00 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/data_recipe/service.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/data_recipe/service.py
@@ -101,13 +101,30 @@ def build_mcp_providers(
 
 def build_config_builder(recipe: dict[str, Any]):
     from data_designer.config import DataDesignerConfigBuilder
+    from data_designer.config.processors import ProcessorType
 
     recipe_core = {
         key: value
         for key, value in recipe.items()
         if key not in {"model_providers", "mcp_providers"}
     }
-    return DataDesignerConfigBuilder.from_config({"data_designer": recipe_core})
+    builder = DataDesignerConfigBuilder.from_config({"data_designer": recipe_core})
+
+    # DataDesignerConfigBuilder.from_config currently skips processors.
+    # Re-attach explicitly so drop_columns/schema_transform survive API payload.
+    for processor in recipe_core.get("processors") or []:
+        if not isinstance(processor, dict):
+            continue
+        processor_type_raw = processor.get("processor_type")
+        if not isinstance(processor_type_raw, str):
+            continue
+        kwargs = {k: v for k, v in processor.items() if k != "processor_type"}
+        builder.add_processor(
+            processor_type=ProcessorType(processor_type_raw),
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+
+    return builder
 
 
 def create_data_designer(
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/config-dialog.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/config-dialog.tsx
index aedb60a5c7..1421ce1ffd 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/config-dialog.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/config-dialog.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ export function ConfigDialog({
   container,
 }: ConfigDialogProps): ReactElement {
   const blockDefinition = getBlockDefinitionForConfig(config);
+  const showDropToggle =
+    config?.kind === "sampler" ||
+    config?.kind === "llm" ||
+    config?.kind === "expression" ||
+    (config?.kind === "seed" &&
+      (config.seed_source_type ?? "hf") === "unstructured");
 
   return (
     <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
@@ -58,10 +64,7 @@ export function ConfigDialog({
         {config && (
           <div className="space-y-4">
             <ValidationBanner config={config} />
-            {(config.kind === "sampler" ||
-              config.kind === "llm" ||
-              config.kind === "expression" ||
-              config.kind === "seed") && (
+            {showDropToggle && (
               <div className="flex items-center corner-squircle justify-between gap-3 rounded-2xl border border-border/60 px-3 py-2">
                 <div>
                   <p className="text-sm font-semibold">Drop from final dataset</p>
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/seed/seed-dialog.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/seed/seed-dialog.tsx
index 2b54e539c5..c60ee4a5db 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/seed/seed-dialog.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/dialogs/seed/seed-dialog.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Checkbox } from "@/components/ui/checkbox";
 import {
   Collapsible,
   CollapsibleContent,
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ import { RecursiveCharacterTextSplitter } from "@langchain/textsplitters";
 import mammoth from "mammoth";
 import { type ReactElement, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { extractText, getDocumentProxy } from "unpdf";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { inspectSeedDataset, inspectSeedUpload } from "../../api";
 import type {
   SeedConfig,
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ const MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES = 50 * 1024 * 1024;
 const DEFAULT_CHUNK_SIZE = 1200;
 const DEFAULT_CHUNK_OVERLAP = 200;
 const MAX_CHUNK_SIZE = 20000;
+const PREVIEW_TRUNCATE_AT = 320;
 
 type SeedDialogProps = {
   config: SeedConfig;
@@ -87,6 +90,17 @@ function stringifyCell(value: unknown): string {
   }
 }
 
+function isExpandablePreviewValue(value: string): boolean {
+  return value.length > PREVIEW_TRUNCATE_AT;
+}
+
+function truncatePreviewValue(value: string): string {
+  if (!isExpandablePreviewValue(value)) {
+    return value;
+  }
+  return `${value.slice(0, PREVIEW_TRUNCATE_AT)}…`;
+}
+
 function parseChunkNumber(
   value: string | undefined,
   fallback: number,
@@ -175,6 +189,7 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
   const [isInspecting, setIsInspecting] = useState(false);
   const [advancedOpen, setAdvancedOpen] = useState(false);
   const [previewRows, setPreviewRows] = useState<Record<string, unknown>[]>([]);
+  const [expandedPreviewRows, setExpandedPreviewRows] = useState<Record<number, boolean>>({});
   const [localFile, setLocalFile] = useState<File | null>(null);
   const [unstructuredFile, setUnstructuredFile] = useState<File | null>(null);
 
@@ -188,6 +203,7 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setPreviewRows(config.seed_preview_rows ?? []);
+    setExpandedPreviewRows({});
   }, [config.seed_preview_rows]);
 
   const samplingId = `${config.id}-sampling`;
@@ -246,6 +262,9 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
         onUpdate({
           hf_path: response.resolved_path,
           seed_columns: response.columns,
+          seed_drop_columns: (config.seed_drop_columns ?? []).filter((name) =>
+            response.columns.includes(name),
+          ),
           seed_preview_rows: response.preview_rows ?? [],
           hf_split: response.split ?? config.hf_split ?? "",
           hf_subset: response.subset ?? config.hf_subset ?? "",
@@ -273,6 +292,9 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
         onUpdate({
           hf_path: response.resolved_path,
           seed_columns: response.columns,
+          seed_drop_columns: (config.seed_drop_columns ?? []).filter((name) =>
+            response.columns.includes(name),
+          ),
           seed_preview_rows: response.preview_rows ?? [],
           hf_repo_id: "",
           hf_subset: "",
@@ -317,6 +339,9 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
       onUpdate({
         hf_path: response.resolved_path,
         seed_columns: response.columns,
+        seed_drop_columns: (config.seed_drop_columns ?? []).filter((name) =>
+          response.columns.includes(name),
+        ),
         seed_preview_rows: response.preview_rows ?? [],
         hf_repo_id: "",
         hf_subset: "",
@@ -364,6 +389,14 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
     if (previewRows[0]) return Object.keys(previewRows[0]);
     return [];
   }, [config.seed_columns, previewRows]);
+  const selectedSeedDropColumns = useMemo(
+    () => (config.seed_drop_columns ?? []).filter((name) => name.trim().length > 0),
+    [config.seed_drop_columns],
+  );
+  const selectedSeedDropSet = useMemo(
+    () => new Set(selectedSeedDropColumns),
+    [selectedSeedDropColumns],
+  );
 
   return (
     <Tabs defaultValue="config" className="w-full">
@@ -393,6 +426,7 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
                         hf_repo_id: event.target.value,
                         hf_path: "",
                         seed_columns: [],
+                        seed_drop_columns: [],
                         seed_preview_rows: [],
                       })
                     }
@@ -474,6 +508,7 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
                     onUpdate({
                       hf_path: "",
                       seed_columns: [],
+                      seed_drop_columns: [],
                       seed_preview_rows: [],
                       local_file_name: file?.name ?? "",
                     });
@@ -517,6 +552,7 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
                     onUpdate({
                       hf_path: "",
                       seed_columns: [],
+                      seed_drop_columns: [],
                       seed_preview_rows: [],
                       unstructured_file_name: file?.name ?? "",
                     });
@@ -547,6 +583,44 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
 
           {inspectError && <p className="text-xs text-red-600">{inspectError}</p>}
 
+          {mode !== "unstructured" && (
+            <div className="space-y-2 rounded-xl corner-squircle border border-border/60 p-3">
+              <FieldLabel
+                label="Drop specific seed columns"
+                hint="Dropped columns stay usable in prompts/expressions but are omitted from final dataset."
+              />
+              {previewColumns.length === 0 ? (
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  Load columns to select which seed fields to drop.
+                </p>
+              ) : (
+                <div className="grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2">
+                  {previewColumns.map((columnName) => {
+                    const checked = selectedSeedDropSet.has(columnName);
+                    return (
+                      <label
+                        key={columnName}
+                        className="flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-2 rounded-md border border-border/60 px-2 py-1.5 text-xs"
+                      >
+                        <Checkbox
+                          checked={checked}
+                          onCheckedChange={(value) => {
+                            const isChecked = value === true;
+                            const next = isChecked
+                              ? Array.from(new Set([...selectedSeedDropColumns, columnName]))
+                              : selectedSeedDropColumns.filter((name) => name !== columnName);
+                            onUpdate({ seed_drop_columns: next });
+                          }}
+                        />
+                        <span className="truncate">{columnName}</span>
+                      </label>
+                    );
+                  })}
+                </div>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          )}
+
           <Collapsible open={advancedOpen} onOpenChange={setAdvancedOpen}>
             <CollapsibleTrigger asChild={true}>
               <button
@@ -732,13 +806,42 @@ export function SeedDialog({ config, onUpdate, open }: SeedDialogProps): ReactEl
                   </TableHeader>
                   <TableBody>
                     {previewRows.map((row, rowIdx) => (
-                      <TableRow key={`row-${rowIdx}`}>
+                      <TableRow
+                        key={`row-${rowIdx}`}
+                        className={cn(
+                          previewColumns.some((col) =>
+                            isExpandablePreviewValue(stringifyCell(row[col])),
+                          ) && "cursor-pointer hover:bg-primary/[0.06]",
+                          expandedPreviewRows[rowIdx] && "bg-primary/[0.05]",
+                        )}
+                        onClick={() => {
+                          const canExpand = previewColumns.some((col) =>
+                            isExpandablePreviewValue(stringifyCell(row[col])),
+                          );
+                          if (!canExpand) {
+                            return;
+                          }
+                          setExpandedPreviewRows((current) => ({
+                            ...current,
+                            [rowIdx]: !current[rowIdx],
+                          }));
+                        }}
+                      >
                         {previewColumns.map((col) => (
                           <TableCell
                             key={`${rowIdx}-${col}`}
                             className="max-w-[260px] whitespace-pre-wrap break-words text-xs"
                           >
-                            {stringifyCell(row[col])}
+                            {(() => {
+                              const value = stringifyCell(row[col]);
+                              const rowHasExpandableCell = previewColumns.some((columnName) =>
+                                isExpandablePreviewValue(stringifyCell(row[columnName])),
+                              );
+                              const rowExpanded = Boolean(expandedPreviewRows[rowIdx]);
+                              return rowHasExpandableCell && !rowExpanded
+                                ? truncatePreviewValue(value)
+                                : value;
+                            })()}
                           </TableCell>
                         ))}
                       </TableRow>
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/stores/recipe-studio.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/stores/recipe-studio.ts
index 6ed63abd4b..4d854a82dc 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/stores/recipe-studio.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/stores/recipe-studio.ts
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ export const useRecipeStudioStore = create<RecipeStudioState>((set, get) => ({
         local_file_name: "",
         unstructured_file_name: "",
         seed_columns: [],
+        seed_drop_columns: [],
         seed_preview_rows: [],
         unstructured_chunk_size: "1200",
         unstructured_chunk_overlap: "200",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/types/index.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/types/index.ts
index e349e7e59e..e435d3c62a 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/types/index.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/types/index.ts
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ export type SeedConfig = {
   kind: "seed";
   name: string;
   drop?: boolean;
+  // ui-only: explicit per-column drop for structured seed sources (hf/local)
+  seed_drop_columns?: string[];
   seed_source_type: SeedSourceType;
   // ui-only (serialized in seed_config)
   hf_repo_id: string;
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/config-factories.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/config-factories.ts
index b39199af86..70f83dc39a 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/config-factories.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/config-factories.ts
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ export function makeSeedConfig(
     kind: "seed",
     name: nextName(existing, "seed"),
     drop: false,
+    seed_drop_columns: [],
     seed_source_type: seedSourceType,
     hf_repo_id: "",
     hf_subset: "",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/importer.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/importer.ts
index c47d2bd715..81caed7e03 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/importer.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/importer.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type UiInput = {
   edges?: unknown;
   seed_source_type?: unknown;
   seed_columns?: unknown;
+  seed_drop_columns?: unknown;
   seed_preview_rows?: unknown;
   local_file_name?: unknown;
   unstructured_file_name?: unknown;
@@ -83,6 +84,39 @@ function parseProcessors(input: unknown): RecipeProcessorConfig[] {
   return processors;
 }
 
+function parseSeedDropColumns(input: unknown): string[] {
+  if (!Array.isArray(input)) {
+    return [];
+  }
+  const values = new Set<string>();
+  for (const item of input) {
+    if (!isRecord(item)) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const type = readString(item.processor_type);
+    if (type !== "drop_columns") {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const name = readString(item.name);
+    if (name !== "drop_seed_columns") {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const columnNames = Array.isArray(item.column_names)
+      ? item.column_names
+      : [];
+    for (const columnName of columnNames) {
+      if (typeof columnName !== "string") {
+        continue;
+      }
+      const next = columnName.trim();
+      if (next) {
+        values.add(next);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return Array.from(values);
+}
+
 function parseMcpProviders(
   input: unknown,
 ): Map<string, LlmMcpProviderConfig> {
@@ -249,6 +283,12 @@ export function importRecipePayload(input: string): ImportResult {
         .map((value) => (typeof value === "string" ? value.trim() : ""))
         .filter(Boolean)
     : undefined;
+  const uiSeedDropColumns = Array.isArray(ui?.seed_drop_columns)
+    ? ui.seed_drop_columns
+        .map((value) => (typeof value === "string" ? value.trim() : ""))
+        .filter(Boolean)
+    : undefined;
+  const payloadSeedDropColumns = parseSeedDropColumns(recipe.processors);
   const uiSeedPreviewRows = Array.isArray(ui?.seed_preview_rows)
     ? ui.seed_preview_rows
         .filter((row): row is Record<string, unknown> => isRecord(row))
@@ -268,6 +308,8 @@ export function importRecipePayload(input: string): ImportResult {
     const seedConfig = parseSeedConfig(recipe.seed_config, id, {
       preferredSourceType: uiSeedSourceType,
       seed_columns: uiSeedColumns,
+      seed_drop_columns:
+        uiSeedDropColumns ?? payloadSeedDropColumns,
       seed_preview_rows: uiSeedPreviewRows,
       local_file_name: uiLocalFileName,
       unstructured_file_name: uiUnstructuredFileName,
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/parsers/seed-config-parser.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/parsers/seed-config-parser.ts
index 351070ba98..5cdf5b61bd 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/parsers/seed-config-parser.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/import/parsers/seed-config-parser.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ function makeDefaultSeedConfig(id: string): SeedConfig {
     kind: "seed",
     name: "seed",
     drop: false,
+    seed_drop_columns: [],
     seed_source_type: "hf",
     hf_repo_id: "",
     hf_subset: "",
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ export function parseSeedConfig(
   options?: {
     preferredSourceType?: SeedSourceType;
     seed_columns?: string[];
+    seed_drop_columns?: string[];
     seed_preview_rows?: Record<string, unknown>[];
     local_file_name?: string;
     unstructured_file_name?: string;
@@ -157,6 +159,9 @@ export function parseSeedConfig(
     ...parsed, // payload-only fields override ui defaults
     seed_source_type: sourceType,
     ...(options?.seed_columns ? { seed_columns: options.seed_columns } : {}),
+    ...(options?.seed_drop_columns
+      ? { seed_drop_columns: options.seed_drop_columns }
+      : {}),
     ...(options?.seed_preview_rows
       ? { seed_preview_rows: options.seed_preview_rows }
       : {}),
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/build-payload.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/build-payload.ts
index 446a5461ff..52c70e5316 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/build-payload.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/build-payload.ts
@@ -240,6 +240,9 @@ export function buildRecipePayload(
         edges: uiEdges,
         ...(firstSeed && { seed_source_type: firstSeed.seed_source_type }),
         ...(firstSeed && { seed_columns: firstSeed.seed_columns ?? [] }),
+        ...(firstSeed && {
+          seed_drop_columns: firstSeed.seed_drop_columns ?? [],
+        }),
         ...(firstSeed && {
           seed_preview_rows: firstSeed.seed_preview_rows ?? [],
         }),
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/builders-seed.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/builders-seed.ts
index 0a2c545a2f..464f770a0c 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/builders-seed.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/builders-seed.ts
@@ -80,13 +80,32 @@ export function buildSeedDropProcessor(
   config: SeedConfig,
   errors: string[],
 ): Record<string, unknown> | null {
-  if (!config.drop) {
-    return null;
+  const seedSourceType = config.seed_source_type ?? "hf";
+  const loadedCols = (config.seed_columns ?? []).map((c) => c.trim()).filter(Boolean);
+  let cols: string[] = [];
+
+  if (seedSourceType === "unstructured") {
+    if (!config.drop) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    cols = loadedCols;
+  } else {
+    const selectedDropColumns = (config.seed_drop_columns ?? [])
+      .map((c) => c.trim())
+      .filter(Boolean);
+    if (selectedDropColumns.length === 0) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    const loadedSet = new Set(loadedCols);
+    cols =
+      loadedCols.length > 0
+        ? selectedDropColumns.filter((col) => loadedSet.has(col))
+        : selectedDropColumns;
   }
-  const cols = (config.seed_columns ?? []).map((c) => c.trim()).filter(Boolean);
+
   if (cols.length === 0) {
     errors.push(
-      `Seed ${config.name}: drop enabled but no seed columns loaded.`,
+      `Seed ${config.name}: selected drop columns are unavailable.`,
     );
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/types.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/types.ts
index d02546b7ad..adae858218 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/types.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/payload/types.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export type RecipePayload = {
     seed_source_type?: "hf" | "local" | "unstructured";
     // ui-only, seed metadata cached for refresh/import UX
     seed_columns?: string[];
+    seed_drop_columns?: string[];
     seed_preview_rows?: Record<string, unknown>[];
     local_file_name?: string;
     unstructured_file_name?: string;
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/validation.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/validation.ts
index c95a2eda1a..47322f84a7 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/validation.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/recipe-studio/utils/validation.ts
@@ -194,8 +194,17 @@ export function getConfigErrors(config: NodeConfig | null): string[] {
     ) {
       errors.push("HF endpoint must start with http.");
     }
-    if (config.drop && (config.seed_columns?.length ?? 0) === 0) {
-      errors.push("Seed drop needs loaded columns (open Seed Preview).");
+    if (seedSourceType === "unstructured") {
+      if (config.drop && (config.seed_columns?.length ?? 0) === 0) {
+        errors.push("Seed drop needs loaded columns.");
+      }
+    } else {
+      const selectedDropColumns = (config.seed_drop_columns ?? [])
+        .map((value) => value.trim())
+        .filter(Boolean);
+      if (selectedDropColumns.length > 0 && (config.seed_columns?.length ?? 0) === 0) {
+        errors.push("Seed drop columns need loaded columns.");
+      }
     }
 
     if (config.selection_type === "index_range") {