diff --git a/ltx_director.py b/ltx_director.py
index bc25c1e..392bdac 100644
--- a/ltx_director.py
+++ b/ltx_director.py
@@ -1425,6 +1425,36 @@ def _extract_runtime_character_entries(tdata: dict, character_set, image_cache:
         except Exception as e:
             log.warning("[LTXDirector] Could not process external character_set input: %s", e)
 
+    if entries:
+        return entries
+
+    try:
+        for char_info in tdata.get("characters", []):
+            images_list = char_info.get("images", [])
+            legacy_b64 = char_info.get("imageB64", "")
+            if legacy_b64 and not images_list:
+                images_list = [{"b64": legacy_b64, "name": char_info.get("fileName", "")}]
+
+            loaded_images = []
+            for img_info in images_list:
+                tensor = _load_image_source(
+                    img_info.get("b64", ""),
+                    img_info.get("name", ""),
+                    cache=image_cache,
+                    input_dir=input_dir,
+                )
+                loaded_images.append(tensor)
+
+            entries.append(
+                {
+                    "images": loaded_images,
+                    "description": char_info.get("description", "") or "",
+                    "alias": _normalize_character_alias(char_info.get("alias", "")),
+                }
+            )
+    except Exception as e:
+        log.warning("[LTXDirector] Could not process legacy timeline character slots: %s", e)
+
     return entries