diff --git a/crates/io/src/lib.rs b/crates/io/src/lib.rs
index a620ddcf33..24b8b3f948 100644
--- a/crates/io/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/io/src/lib.rs
@@ -275,7 +275,11 @@ fn import_stages(name: &str, bytes: &[u8], ctl: &photocraft_raster::Interrupt, m
     }
     if is_psd(bytes) {
         // A merged image the import reads is decoded with the parse: a ZIP one is inflated once.
-        let (file, merged) = PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged(bytes, |f| psd_import::check_group_depth(f).is_ok() && psd_import::merged_needed(f))?;
+        let (file, merged) = PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(
+            bytes,
+            |f| psd_import::check_group_depth(f).is_ok() && psd_import::merged_needed(f),
+            psd_import::can_recover_layers,
+        )?;
         // Nesting past the document model's cap could never be saved; reject the file with the
         // actionable limit.
         psd_import::check_group_depth(&file)?;
diff --git a/crates/io/src/psd_import.rs b/crates/io/src/psd_import.rs
index c20c1b7fe7..12307f32ba 100644
--- a/crates/io/src/psd_import.rs
+++ b/crates/io/src/psd_import.rs
@@ -764,6 +764,12 @@ pub(crate) fn merged_needed(file: &PsdFile) -> bool {
     !layered || file.layers().is_empty() || usize::from(h.channels) > mode.color_channels() + usize::from(file.merged_has_alpha())
 }
 
+/// A damaged merged preview need not prevent opening independently stored layers (#6152).
+/// Other modes are imported flattened, so their merged image cannot be discarded.
+pub(crate) fn can_recover_layers(file: &PsdFile) -> bool {
+    matches!(file.header.color_mode, PsdMode::Grayscale | PsdMode::Rgb | PsdMode::Cmyk | PsdMode::Lab) && file.header.depth != 1 && !file.layers().is_empty()
+}
+
 /// [`psd_to_document_with`] with the merged image already decoded (by
 /// [`PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged`] with [`merged_needed`]), so it is not decoded again.
 pub(crate) fn psd_to_document_decoded(
@@ -901,9 +907,15 @@ pub(crate) fn psd_to_document_decoded(
         ctl.progress(0.1);
         if let Err(e) = &m {
             cx.warn(format!("merged image could not be decoded: {e}"));
+            if can_recover_layers(file) {
+                cx.warn("extra alpha/spot channels in the merged image could not be recovered");
+            }
         }
         Some(m)
     } else {
+        if let Some(Err(e)) = decoded {
+            cx.warn(format!("merged image could not be decoded; opened the available layers instead: {e}"));
+        }
         None
     };
 
diff --git a/crates/io/tests/corpus.rs b/crates/io/tests/corpus.rs
index dd96d96c7f..710b2a8644 100644
--- a/crates/io/tests/corpus.rs
+++ b/crates/io/tests/corpus.rs
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ thread_local! {
 }
 
 /// Files known to be invalid upstream: their parse error is expected.
-const KNOWN_BAD: &[(&str, &str)] = &[("group-divider-blend-mode.psd", "psd-tools fixture stripped to 1906 bytes: merged image data missing")];
+const KNOWN_BAD: &[(&str, &str)] = &[("group-divider-blend-mode.psd", "malformed merged image data; recovery is tested in psd_damaged_merged.rs (#6152)")];
 
 /// One corpus directory with its own floors.
 struct Source {
diff --git a/crates/io/tests/psd_damaged_merged.rs b/crates/io/tests/psd_damaged_merged.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3d0970dd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/io/tests/psd_damaged_merged.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+//! #6152: intact layers can be recovered when only the merged preview is damaged.
+
+use photocraft_color::{ColorMode, SampleType};
+use photocraft_doc::{Document, Layer};
+use photocraft_geom::Size;
+use photocraft_io::{ExportOptions, export, import};
+use photocraft_psd::{Compression, GroupSpec, PsdBuilder, PsdFile};
+
+fn layered(depth: SampleType, extension: &str) -> PsdFile {
+    layered_in_mode(ColorMode::Rgb, depth, extension)
+}
+
+fn layered_in_mode(mode: ColorMode, depth: SampleType, extension: &str) -> PsdFile {
+    let mut doc = Document::new("recovery", Size::new(3, 2), mode, depth);
+    let format = doc.pixel_format();
+    let mut layer = Layer::raster("red pixels", doc.pixel_format());
+    let mut pixel = vec![0.0; format.channels()];
+    photocraft_raster::from_rgba_into(&format, [1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0], &mut pixel);
+    layer.surface_mut().unwrap().fill_rect(doc.bounds(), &pixel);
+    doc.layers.push(layer);
+    PsdFile::from_bytes(&export(&doc, extension, &ExportOptions::default()).unwrap().bytes).unwrap()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn truncated_merged_image_keeps_layer_pixels_at_every_depth_and_compression() {
+    use ColorMode::{Cmyk, Grayscale, Lab, Rgb};
+    use SampleType::{F32, U8, U16};
+    for extension in ["x.psd", "x.psb"] {
+        for (mode, depth) in
+            [(Rgb, U8), (Rgb, U16), (Rgb, F32), (Grayscale, U8), (Grayscale, U16), (Grayscale, F32), (Cmyk, U8), (Cmyk, U16), (Lab, U8), (Lab, U16)]
+        {
+            for compression in Compression::ALL {
+                let mut file = layered_in_mode(mode, depth, extension);
+                let intact = import(extension, &file.to_bytes().unwrap()).unwrap();
+                let expected = photocraft_compose::flatten(&intact.document).px;
+                let pixels = file.decode_merged().unwrap();
+                file.image_data = photocraft_psd::ImageData::encode(compression, &pixels, &file.header).unwrap();
+                file.image_data.data.truncate(file.image_data.data.len() / 2);
+                let bytes = file.to_bytes().unwrap();
+                assert!(PsdFile::from_bytes(&bytes).is_err(), "strict parsing stays strict");
+                let result = import(extension, &bytes).expect("recover the intact layers");
+                assert_eq!(result.document.layer_count(), 1);
+                assert_eq!(result.document.depth, depth);
+                assert!(result.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("merged image")), "{:?}", result.warnings);
+                let rendered = photocraft_compose::flatten(&result.document);
+                assert_eq!(rendered.px, expected, "{extension} {mode:?} {depth:?} {compression:?}");
+                // Saving the recovered document replaces the bad preview with a valid one.
+                let saved = export(&result.document, extension, &ExportOptions::default()).unwrap();
+                assert!(PsdFile::from_bytes(&saved.bytes).unwrap().decode_merged().is_ok());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn corrupt_zip_merged_image_keeps_the_layers() {
+    let mut file = layered(SampleType::U8, "x.psd");
+    file.image_data = photocraft_psd::ImageData::encode(Compression::Zip, &file.decode_merged().unwrap(), &file.header).unwrap();
+    *file.image_data.data.last_mut().unwrap() ^= 0xff;
+    let result = import("x.psd", &file.to_bytes().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(result.document.layer_count(), 1);
+    assert!(result.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("merged image")));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn an_empty_group_survives_a_truncated_preview() {
+    // The reported psd-tools fixture has only the two records of an empty group.
+    let mut builder = PsdBuilder::new(100, 100);
+    builder.begin_group(GroupSpec::new("empty group"));
+    builder.end_group().unwrap();
+    let mut file = builder.build().unwrap();
+    file.image_data.data.truncate(file.image_data.data.len() / 2);
+    let result = import("empty.psd", &file.to_bytes().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(result.document.layer_count(), 1);
+    assert_eq!(result.document.layers[0].name, "empty group");
+    assert!(result.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("merged image")));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_flattened_file_with_no_recoverable_layers_still_fails() {
+    let mut file = layered(SampleType::U8, "x.psd");
+    file.layer_info = None;
+    file.image_data.data.truncate(file.image_data.data.len() / 2);
+    assert!(import("flat.psd", &file.to_bytes().unwrap()).is_err());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn modes_imported_flattened_do_not_recover_from_unusable_layer_records() {
+    for mode in [photocraft_psd::ColorMode::Indexed, photocraft_psd::ColorMode::Multichannel, photocraft_psd::ColorMode::Duotone] {
+        let mut file = layered(SampleType::U8, "x.psd");
+        file.header.color_mode = mode;
+        file.image_data = photocraft_psd::ImageData { compression: Compression::Raw, data: Vec::new() };
+        assert!(import("flat-mode.psd", &file.to_bytes().unwrap()).is_err(), "{mode:?}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn lost_extra_channels_are_reported_while_layers_remain_usable() {
+    let mut file = layered(SampleType::U8, "x.psd");
+    file.header.channels = 5;
+    file.image_data = photocraft_psd::ImageData { compression: Compression::Raw, data: Vec::new() };
+    let result = import("extra-channel.psd", &file.to_bytes().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(result.document.layer_count(), 1);
+    assert!(result.document.channels.is_empty());
+    assert!(result.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("alpha/spot channels")), "{:?}", result.warnings);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn truncated_layer_sections_are_not_recovered() {
+    let file = layered(SampleType::U8, "x.psd");
+    let mut bytes = file.to_bytes().unwrap();
+    bytes.truncate(bytes.len() - file.image_data.data.len() - 3);
+    assert!(import("broken-layers.psd", &bytes).is_err());
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "corpus")]
+#[test]
+fn reported_group_divider_fixture_opens_with_its_group() {
+    let path = std::path::Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR")).join("../../corpus/psd-tools/blend-modes/group-divider-blend-mode.psd");
+    let bytes = std::fs::read(path).expect("run cargo xtask corpus --psd-tools");
+    let result = import("group-divider-blend-mode.psd", &bytes).expect("#6152 opens");
+    assert_eq!(result.document.layer_count(), 1);
+    assert!(matches!(result.document.layers[0].content, photocraft_doc::LayerContent::Group(_)));
+    assert!(result.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("merged image")));
+}
diff --git a/crates/psd/src/file.rs b/crates/psd/src/file.rs
index 5a1ee15c1c..e14bc45aaf 100644
--- a/crates/psd/src/file.rs
+++ b/crates/psd/src/file.rs
@@ -102,6 +102,22 @@ impl PsdFile {
     /// Errors are those of [`Self::from_bytes`]; a merged image that passes the parse's check but
     /// cannot be decoded is the inner `Err`, as [`Self::decode_merged`] would return it.
     pub fn from_bytes_and_merged(data: &[u8], want: impl FnOnce(&PsdFile) -> bool) -> Result<(Self, Option<Result<Vec<u8>>>)> {
+        Self::from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(data, want, |_| false)
+    }
+
+    /// Parses like [`Self::from_bytes_and_merged`], but lets `recover` accept damage confined to
+    /// the merged image after all layer records and channel data have been read successfully.
+    /// Callers should opt in only when they can reconstruct the document from its layers.
+    ///
+    /// The original encoded image bytes are preserved and its parse error is returned as
+    /// `Some(Err(..))`, even when `want` did not request a decode. The caller must report that
+    /// error rather than silently discarding the merged image (which may hold extra channels).
+    /// Header/layer errors, missing compression fields and parse safety-limit errors stay fatal.
+    pub fn from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(
+        data: &[u8],
+        want: impl FnOnce(&PsdFile) -> bool,
+        recover: impl FnOnce(&PsdFile) -> bool,
+    ) -> Result<(Self, Option<Result<Vec<u8>>>)> {
         let mut r = Reader::new(data);
         let header = Header::read(&mut r)?;
         let psb = header.version.is_psb();
@@ -161,10 +177,30 @@ impl PsdFile {
         let image_data = ImageData { compression: Compression::Raw, data: Vec::new() };
         let mut file =
             PsdFile { header, color_mode_data, resources, layer_info, layer_info_placement, global_layer_mask, global_blocks, layer_mask_trailing, image_data };
-        let merged = if want(&file) { Some(file.read_merged_decoded(&mut r)?) } else { None };
-        if merged.is_none() {
-            file.image_data = ImageData::read(&mut r, &file.header)?;
-        }
+        let mut encoded = r.clone();
+        let merged = if want(&file) {
+            file.read_merged_decoded(&mut r).map(Some)
+        } else {
+            ImageData::read(&mut r, &file.header).map(|image| {
+                file.image_data = image;
+                None
+            })
+        };
+        let merged = match merged {
+            Ok(merged) => merged,
+            Err(error) => {
+                if matches!(error, PsdError::LimitExceeded(_)) || !recover(&file) {
+                    return Err(error);
+                }
+                let compression = Compression::from_u16(encoded.u16()?);
+                let source = encoded.peek_rest();
+                let mut data = Vec::new();
+                data.try_reserve_exact(source.len()).map_err(|_| PsdError::LimitExceeded("not enough memory to retain the damaged merged image"))?;
+                data.extend_from_slice(source);
+                file.image_data = ImageData { compression, data };
+                Some(Err(error))
+            }
+        };
         Ok((file, merged))
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/psd/tests/corpus.rs b/crates/psd/tests/corpus.rs
index 19b1e56600..90abb4fefd 100644
--- a/crates/psd/tests/corpus.rs
+++ b/crates/psd/tests/corpus.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ fn collect(dir: &Path, out: &mut Vec<PathBuf>) {
 
 /// Files known to be invalid upstream, with the reason. They are reported but
 /// do not fail the test.
-const KNOWN_BAD: &[(&str, &str)] = &[("group-divider-blend-mode.psd", "psd-tools fixture stripped to 1906 bytes: merged image data missing")];
+const KNOWN_BAD: &[(&str, &str)] =
+    &[("group-divider-blend-mode.psd", "malformed merged image data; strict parsing rejects it, but the importer recovers its group (#6152)")];
 
 #[test]
 fn corpus_parse_and_byte_stable() {
diff --git a/crates/psd/tests/merged_recovery.rs b/crates/psd/tests/merged_recovery.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..40e310d8a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/psd/tests/merged_recovery.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+//! Opt-in merged-image recovery must not weaken strict parsing or lose encoded bytes.
+
+use photocraft_psd::{Compression, PsdError, PsdFile, Version, compression, testgen};
+
+#[test]
+fn recovery_is_explicit_and_preserves_the_original_file() {
+    for version in [Version::Psd, Version::Psb] {
+        for compression in Compression::ALL {
+            let mut original = testgen::small(version, compression);
+            original.image_data.data.pop();
+            let bytes = original.to_bytes().unwrap();
+            let strict_error = PsdFile::from_bytes(&bytes).unwrap_err();
+            for want in [false, true] {
+                let rejected = PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(&bytes, |_| want, |_| false).unwrap_err();
+                assert_eq!(rejected, strict_error);
+                let (file, merged) = PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(&bytes, |_| want, |_| true).unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(merged.unwrap().unwrap_err(), strict_error);
+                assert_eq!(file, original);
+                assert_eq!(file.to_bytes().unwrap(), bytes, "{version:?} {compression:?}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn recovery_does_not_accept_missing_compression_or_incomplete_layers() {
+    let original = testgen::small(Version::Psd, Compression::Raw);
+    let bytes = original.to_bytes().unwrap();
+    let merged_offset = bytes.len() - original.image_data.data.len() - 2;
+    for cut in [merged_offset - 1, merged_offset, merged_offset + 1] {
+        assert!(PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(&bytes[..cut], |_| true, |_| true).is_err(), "cut {cut}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn recovery_never_suppresses_a_merged_stream_limit_error() {
+    let mut original = testgen::small(Version::Psd, Compression::Zip);
+    original.image_data.data = compression::zip_compress(&vec![0; (1 << 20) + 4096]);
+    let bytes = original.to_bytes().unwrap();
+    for want in [false, true] {
+        assert!(matches!(PsdFile::from_bytes_and_merged_recovering(&bytes, |_| want, |_| true), Err(PsdError::LimitExceeded(_))));
+    }
+}