diff --git a/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li.svelte b/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li.svelte
index 3585a246..c1de6083 100644
--- a/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li.svelte
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@
         allow_basic?: boolean;
         allow_moderator?: boolean;
         display_mode?: string; // 'default', 'compact', 'minimal', 'launcher'
+        // WHY: event_file.event_session_type_code is NULL for presenter-linked files because
+        // v_event_file joins event_session only via event_file.event_session_id, which is NULL
+        // when for_type='event_presenter'. The wrapper derives the correct type from the
+        // presenter → presentation → session chain and passes it here as context.
+        context_session_type_code?: string | null;
     }
 
     let {
@@ -45,7 +50,8 @@
         link_to_id,
         allow_basic = false,
         allow_moderator = false,
-        display_mode = 'default'
+        display_mode = 'default',
+        context_session_type_code = null
     }: Props = $props();
 
     // export let show_convert_btn: null|boolean = null;
@@ -239,7 +245,7 @@
                                         />
 
                                         <!-- PDF → webp convert button: only for poster sessions in edit mode -->
-                                        {#if $ae_loc.edit_mode && event_file_obj?.extension === 'pdf' && event_file_obj?.event_session_type_code === 'poster'}
+                                        {#if $ae_loc.edit_mode && event_file_obj?.extension === 'pdf' && (event_file_obj?.event_session_type_code === 'poster' || context_session_type_code === 'poster')}
                                             <div>
                                                 {#if !convert_status_kv[event_file_obj.event_file_id] || convert_status_kv[event_file_obj.event_file_id] === 'idle'}
                                                     <button
@@ -275,6 +281,10 @@
                                                     </button>
                                                 {/if}
                                             </div>
+                                        {:else}
+                                            <!-- this is showing -->
+                                            test test test
+                                            <!-- this is showing -->
                                         {/if}
 
                                         {#if ae_tmp.show__direct_download}
diff --git a/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li_direct.svelte b/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li_direct.svelte
index 91b7f85a..a8c1068e 100644
--- a/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li_direct.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li_direct.svelte
@@ -21,16 +21,13 @@
     }: Props = $props();
 
     import { liveQuery } from 'dexie';
-    import { untrack } from 'svelte';
 
     import type { key_val } from '$lib/stores/ae_stores';
-    import { ae_api } from '$lib/stores/ae_stores';
     // import { ae_util } from '$lib/ae_utils/ae_utils';
     import Element_manage_event_file_li from '$lib/elements/element_manage_event_file_li.svelte';
 
     // import { core_func } from '$lib/ae_core_functions';
     import { db_events } from '$lib/ae_events/db_events';
-    import { events_func } from '$lib/ae_events_functions';
     // import { events_loc, events_sess, events_slct, events_trigger } from '$lib/stores/ae_events_stores';
 
     // export let show_convert_btn: null|boolean = null;
@@ -41,30 +38,26 @@
     ae_tmp.show__direct_download = false;
     // let ae_triggers: key_val = {};
 
-    // WHY: When a parent page loads with try_cache:false (e.g. presenter detail),
-    // the fresh API data (including event_session_type_code) is NOT written to Dexie.
-    // The liveQuery below then sees stale Dexie records missing that field, so
-    // the PDF→image convert button condition silently fails.
+    // WHY: v_event_file joins event_session only via event_file.event_session_id.
+    // Files with for_type='event_presenter' have event_session_id=NULL on the file record
+    // itself, so event_session_type_code is structurally always NULL from the API for these
+    // files — even if the presenter is in a poster session. Refreshing from the API does not
+    // help; the view cannot join session type for presenter-linked files.
     //
-    // Using $effect (not onMount) because link_to_id arrives AFTER mount when the
-    // parent presenter liveQuery resolves — onMount fires too early and misses it.
-    // untrack() prevents the function body's internals from registering as deps.
-    $effect(() => {
-        if (!link_to_id) return;
-        const _id = link_to_id;
-        const _type = link_to_type;
-        const _cfg = $ae_api;
-        untrack(() => {
-            events_func.load_ae_obj_li__event_file({
-                api_cfg: _cfg,
-                for_obj_type: _type,
-                for_obj_id: _id,
-                enabled: 'all',
-                hidden: 'all',
-                try_cache: true
-            });
-        });
-    });
+    // Solution: derive the session type via the Dexie chain:
+    //   presenter.event_presentation_id → presentation.event_session_id → session.type_code
+    // Sessions are guaranteed in Dexie because the pres_mgmt layout loads inc_session_li:true.
+    let lq__context_session_type_code = $derived(
+        liveQuery(async () => {
+            if (link_to_type !== 'event_presenter' || !link_to_id) return null;
+            const presenter = await db_events.presenter.get(link_to_id);
+            if (!presenter?.event_presentation_id) return null;
+            const presentation = await db_events.presentation.get(presenter.event_presentation_id);
+            if (!presentation?.event_session_id) return null;
+            const session = await db_events.session.get(presentation.event_session_id);
+            return session?.type_code ?? null;
+        })
+    );
 
     let dq__where_val: string = `for_type`;
     let dq__where_eq_val = $derived(link_to_type);
@@ -97,6 +90,7 @@
         {allow_moderator}
         {container_class_li}
         {display_mode}
+        context_session_type_code={$lq__context_session_type_code ?? null}
         {log_lvl}
     />
 {:catch error}