diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
index a9843156..caa53611 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/library.rs
@@ -860,7 +860,22 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
                 let id = album_param(p, "id", "album.setRules")?;
                 let cur = s.catalog.album(id).and_then(|a| a.smart.as_deref().cloned()).ok_or_else(|| bad("album.setRules", "not a smart album"))?;
                 let rules = if bool_or(p, "fromView", false) {
-                    view_rules(s)
+                    // the view is saved as it is, but never as a loop (showing A, which tests this
+                    // album, and saving that view here would make it test itself)
+                    let view = view_rules(s);
+                    let loops: Vec<String> = view
+                        .rule_set
+                        .as_ref()
+                        .map(|r| r.check_for(&s.catalog, Some(id)))
+                        .unwrap_or_default()
+                        .iter()
+                        .filter(|p| p.issue == lightcraft_catalog::rules::Issue::AlbumLoop)
+                        .map(ToString::to_string)
+                        .collect();
+                    if !loops.is_empty() {
+                        return Err(bad("album.setRules", loops.join("; ")));
+                    }
+                    view
                 } else {
                     let replace = bool_or(p, "replace", false);
                     let folder = cur.library_folder.clone();
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs
index 926482b5..4dcf2ba9 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_library.rs
@@ -621,3 +621,19 @@ fn smart_album_excluding_a_smart_album() {
     let travel_json = list.as_array().unwrap().iter().find(|a| a["id"] == travel).cloned().unwrap();
     assert!(travel_json["rulesText"].as_str().unwrap_or("").contains("album isn't “Excluded Photos”"), "{travel_json}");
 }
+
+/// "Update Rules from Current Filter" refuses a loop too: showing A ("Album isn't B") and
+/// updating B from that view would make B test itself.
+#[test]
+fn rules_from_the_view_cant_loop() {
+    let mut s = crate::Session::with_demo();
+    let b = s.execute("album.createSmart", &serde_json::json!({"name": "B", "rules": {"rating": 2}})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    let rules = serde_json::json!({"ruleSet": {"rules": [{"field": "album", "op": "isNot", "value": b}]}});
+    let a = s.execute("album.createSmart", &serde_json::json!({"name": "A", "rules": rules})).unwrap()["id"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    s.execute("library.source", &serde_json::json!({"kind": "album", "id": a})).unwrap();
+    let before = s.catalog.album(lightcraft_catalog::AlbumId(b)).unwrap().smart.clone();
+    let r = s.execute("album.setRules", &serde_json::json!({"id": b, "fromView": true}));
+    assert!(r.is_err_and(|e| e.to_string().contains("would make this album include itself")), "refused");
+    assert_eq!(s.catalog.album(lightcraft_catalog::AlbumId(b)).unwrap().smart, before, "B unchanged");
+    assert!(s.catalog.smart_album_problems(lightcraft_catalog::AlbumId(b)).is_empty());
+}
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/left.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/left.rs
index 8f843d94..5a21b54e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/left.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/left.rs
@@ -1059,7 +1059,10 @@ fn folder_menu(app: &mut LightcraftApp, resp: &egui::Response, a: &Album) {
             let _ = app.run("dialog.smartAlbum", json!({"id": a.id.0}));
         }
         if a.is_smart() && ui.button(crate::i18n::tr("Update Rules from Current Filter")).clicked() {
-            let _ = app.run("album.setRules", json!({"id": a.id.0, "fromView": true}));
+            // refused when the view would make the album test itself: say why
+            if let Err(e) = app.run("album.setRules", json!({"id": a.id.0, "fromView": true})) {
+                app.toast(ui.ctx(), e);
+            }
         }
         if !a.folder {
             // export: show the album, select its photos, then the dialog / a preset