diff --git a/ltx_director.py b/ltx_director.py
index 392bdac..d206a0f 100644
--- a/ltx_director.py
+++ b/ltx_director.py
@@ -1684,7 +1684,16 @@ def _build_reference_mode_outputs(
             if slot < len(char_slot_images):
                 selected.extend(char_slot_images[slot])
         if not selected:
-            selected = char_images
+            populated_slots = [i for i, images in enumerate(char_slot_images) if images]
+            if len(populated_slots) > 1:
+                selected = list(char_slot_images[populated_slots[0]])
+                log.info(
+                    "[LTXDirector] MSR slideshow subjects: no explicit slot tag, defaulting to first populated slot=%s (%d images).",
+                    populated_slots[0],
+                    len(selected),
+                )
+            else:
+                selected = char_images
         log.info("[LTXDirector] MSR slideshow subjects: referenced slots=%s, images=%d", referenced_slots, len(selected))
 
         identity_images = [prepare_tensor_image(c, latent_w, latent_h) for c in selected]
@@ -2114,6 +2123,15 @@ class LTXDirector(io.ComfyNode):
             image_cache=image_cache,
             input_dir=input_dir,
         )
+
+        # MSR identity should come from images, not stale text descriptions carried in
+        # timeline data or external character payloads.
+        if reference_mode == "Licon MSR (Prefix)":
+            characters = [
+                {**character, "description": ""}
+                for character in characters
+            ]
+
         char_slot_images = [list(character.get("images") or []) for character in characters]
         char_images = [img for slot_images in char_slot_images for img in slot_images]