diff --git a/src/engine/engine.test.ts b/src/engine/engine.test.ts
index 3ac0b42..0fa1b2f 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine.test.ts
+++ b/src/engine/engine.test.ts
@@ -396,6 +396,10 @@ describe("cross-sheet references", () => {
     expect(r[0].value).toBeNull();
     expect(r[0].error).toBe('no variable "nope" in "Budget"');
   });
+  it("ordinary successful line leaves LineResult.error undefined", () => {
+    const r = eng.evaluateDocument("$100", resolver);
+    expect(r[0].error).toBeUndefined();
+  });
   it("propagates a resolver-reported circular reference", () => {
     const cyc = (): XRefResolution => ({ ok: false, reason: "circular reference" });
     const r = eng.evaluateDocument("@A.total", cyc);
diff --git a/src/workspace.test.ts b/src/workspace.test.ts
index 8b4255a..31c6fd1 100644
--- a/src/workspace.test.ts
+++ b/src/workspace.test.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,20 @@ describe("Workspace cycle detection", () => {
     expect(r[1].value).toBeNull();
     expect(r[1].error).toBe("circular reference");
   });
+
+  it("a two-sheet cycle reports a stable error across repeated queries (no stale cache poisoning)", () => {
+    const { ws } = makeWorkspace({
+      a: { title: "A", text: "z = @B.total" },
+      b: { title: "B", text: "z = @A.total" },
+    });
+    const first = ws.evaluateSheet("dash", "@A.z");
+    const second = ws.evaluateSheet("dash", "@A.z");
+    expect(first[0].value).toBeNull();
+    expect(second[0].value).toBeNull();
+    expect(first[0].error).toBeDefined();
+    expect(second[0].error).toBeDefined();
+    expect(second[0].error).toBe(first[0].error);
+  });
 });
 
 describe("Workspace.renameSheet", () => {
diff --git a/src/workspace.ts b/src/workspace.ts
index 45c726e..c387051 100644
--- a/src/workspace.ts
+++ b/src/workspace.ts
@@ -138,7 +138,12 @@ export class Workspace {
       }
     }
     const exports: SheetExports = { vars, total: this.engine.totalValueOf(results), last };
-    this.cache.set(sheet.id, exports);
+    // A cycle-interrupted pass produces incomplete/wrong exports (dropped
+    // assignments, missing total) — don't let it poison the cache. Re-evaluate
+    // fresh on every query until the cycle is actually broken by an edit.
+    if (!results.some((r) => r.error === "circular reference")) {
+      this.cache.set(sheet.id, exports);
+    }
     return exports;
   }
 }