diff --git a/packages/obsidian/src/watchlist/build.ts b/packages/obsidian/src/watchlist/build.ts
index e399f7b..bc78de9 100644
--- a/packages/obsidian/src/watchlist/build.ts
+++ b/packages/obsidian/src/watchlist/build.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ function langName(details: TmdbDetail): string {
 	return LANG_FALLBACK[code] ?? code;
 }
 
+function prevCrewList(prev: Record<string, string>, key: string): string[] {
+	return stripQuotes(prev[key])
+		.split(/,\s*/)
+		.map(s => s.trim())
+		.filter(Boolean);
+}
+
 function crewNames(crew: any[], jobs: Set<string>): string[] {
 	const seen = new Set<string>();
 	const out: string[] = [];
@@ -94,9 +101,14 @@ export function buildRecord(details: TmdbDetail, isMovie: boolean, prev: Record<
 		const agg = details.aggregate_credits ?? {};
 		cast = (agg.cast ?? []).slice(0, 12).map((c: any) => c.name);
 		const createdBy: string[] = (details.created_by ?? []).map((c: any) => c.name);
-		director = createdBy; // series: creators (latest-episode director needs extra call — Phase 3)
-		writer = createdBy;
-		producer = [];
+		// series: creators (latest-episode director needs extra call — Phase 3)
+		// prev user-set crew wins over created_by fallback until per-episode enrichment lands
+		const prevDirector = prevCrewList(prev, 'director');
+		const prevWriter = prevCrewList(prev, 'writer');
+		const prevProducer = prevCrewList(prev, 'producer');
+		director = prevDirector.length ? prevDirector : createdBy;
+		writer = prevWriter.length ? prevWriter : createdBy;
+		producer = prevProducer.length ? prevProducer : [];
 		title = details.name ?? '';
 		originalTitle = details.original_name ?? '';
 		mediaType = 'TV Series';
diff --git a/tests/watchlist-build.test.ts b/tests/watchlist-build.test.ts
index 44d3780..3414565 100644
--- a/tests/watchlist-build.test.ts
+++ b/tests/watchlist-build.test.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,31 @@ describe('watch-status rule (TV)', () => {
 	});
 });
 
+describe('TV crew preservation', () => {
+	test('TV + prev crew present → prev wins over created_by', () => {
+		const prev = {
+			director: '"Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson"',
+			writer: 'Eric Martin',
+			producer: '"Rachel Alter, Tommy Turtle"',
+		};
+		const r = buildRecord(tvDetail, false, prev);
+		expect(r.director).toEqual(['Aaron Moorhead', 'Justin Benson']);
+		expect(r.writer).toEqual(['Eric Martin']);
+		expect(r.producer).toEqual(['Rachel Alter', 'Tommy Turtle']);
+	});
+	test('TV + empty prev crew → falls back to created_by', () => {
+		const r = buildRecord(tvDetail, false, EMPTY_PREV);
+		expect(r.director).toEqual(['Michael Waldron']);
+		expect(r.writer).toEqual(['Michael Waldron']);
+		expect(r.producer).toEqual([]);
+	});
+	test('Movie + prev crew present → prev ignored, TMDB credits win', () => {
+		const prev = { director: 'Someone Else' };
+		const r = buildRecord(movieDetail, true, prev);
+		expect(r.director).toEqual(['Denis Villeneuve']);
+	});
+});
+
 describe('eng_name derivation', () => {
 	test('non-Latin original → engName = localized title', () => {
 		const jp = { ...movieDetail, title: 'A Silent Voice: The Movie', original_title: '映画 聲の形' };