@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ npx hyperframes media-treatment --selector '#hero' --analyze --json
 npx hyperframes media-treatment --selector '#hero' \
   --grading '{"preset":"skin-soft","intensity":0.6}' --apply
 npx hyperframes media-treatment --file compositions/scene.html --selector 'video' \
-  --grading '{"preset":"warm-daylight"}' --apply --dry-run --json
+  --grading '{"preset":"warm-daylight"}' --dry-run --json
 npx hyperframes media-treatment --selector '#hero' --clear
 ```
 
@@ -455,6 +455,8 @@ npx hyperframes media-treatment --selector '#hero' --clear
 | `--dry-run`            | Validate and report without writing                                   |
 | `--json`               | Agent-readable JSON                                                   |
 
+`--dry-run` accepts `--grading` without `--apply` and writes nothing. JSON includes `attribute`, the exact normalized `value` that apply would write (or `null` to remove it), and `lint`, the color-grading lint verdict and findings for the proposed HTML.
+
 The command writes `data-color-grading` — the same contract Studio, preview, and
 render all read, so the two can never disagree. It does not recognise subjects
 or isolate part of an image; the effect covers the whole media layer.
 
@@ -50,8 +50,10 @@ can tween directly:
 --hf-color-grading-lut-intensity
 ```
 
-Start the value at identity in both the payload and inline style, then animate
-it on the registered timeline:
+Once set, a property overrides the payload's value for that control, whether it
+comes from the element's inline style, a stylesheet or a parent. Set it only on
+media you animate, starting at the value the tween begins from; leave it unset
+for a static grade. Then animate it on the registered timeline:
 
 ```js
 tl.to(
 
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "nod
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { basename, join } from "node:path";
 import { runCommand } from "citty";
+import { parseHTML } from "linkedom";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   HF_COLOR_GRADING_ACTIVE_EFFECT_KEYS,
@@ -116,6 +117,16 @@ describe("applyMediaTreatmentToHtml", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("warns that an animated property overrides the payload, instead of asking for an inline start", () => {
+    const detail = getMediaTreatmentCapabilityDetail("blur");
+    expect(detail).toMatchObject({
+      animation: {
+        rules: expect.arrayContaining([expect.stringContaining("overrides the payload's value")]),
+      },
+    });
+    expect(JSON.stringify(detail)).not.toContain("Author the initial value inline");
+  });
+
   it("rejects unknown capability lookups", () => {
     expect(() => getMediaTreatmentCapabilityDetail("make-it-cinematic")).toThrow(
       /Unknown media-treatment capability/,
@@ -294,6 +305,51 @@ describe("applyMediaTreatmentToHtml", () => {
     expect(repeated.after).toEqual(repeated.before);
   });
 
+  it("applies over a grading an earlier version wrote with empty hue curves, and writes it valid", () => {
+    const broken = JSON.stringify({
+      hueCurves: {
+        hueVsHue: [
+          [0, 0],
+          [120, 20],
+          [240, 0],
+        ],
+        hueVsSaturation: [],
+        hueVsLuma: [],
+      },
+    });
+    const html = VIDEO.replace('id="hero"', `id="hero" data-color-grading='${broken}'`);
+
+    const patched = applyMediaTreatmentToHtml(html, {
+      selector: "#hero",
+      grading: { adjust: { exposure: 0.1 } },
+    });
+
+    expect(patched.after).toMatchObject({
+      adjust: { exposure: 0.1 },
+      hueCurves: {
+        hueVsHue: [
+          [0, 0],
+          [120, 20],
+          [240, 0],
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    expect(patched.after).not.toHaveProperty("hueCurves.hueVsSaturation");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects unknown empty hue curves instead of healing them", () => {
+    const html = VIDEO.replace(
+      'id="hero"',
+      `id="hero" data-color-grading='{"hueCurves":{"bogus":[]}}'`,
+    );
+    expect(() =>
+      applyMediaTreatmentToHtml(html, {
+        selector: "#hero",
+        grading: { adjust: { exposure: 0.1 } },
+      }),
+    ).toThrow(/hueCurves.*unsupported key.*bogus/);
+  });
+
   it("preserves unresolved variable references for runtime resolution", () => {
     const wholeGrade = applyMediaTreatmentToHtml(VIDEO, {
       selector: "#hero",
@@ -368,6 +424,38 @@ describe("applyMediaTreatmentToHtml", () => {
     ).toThrow(/effects.*dithering/i);
   });
 
+  it("previews the exact grading attribute and lint verdict without --apply or writes", async () => {
+    const project = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "hf-media-dry-run-"));
+    const file = join(project, "index.html");
+    const grading = '{"preset":"warm-daylight","intensity":0.8}';
+    const log = vi.spyOn(console, "log").mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+    writeFileSync(file, VIDEO);
+    const args = ["--project", project, "--selector", "#hero", "--grading", grading, "--json"];
+    try {
+      await runCommand(mediaTreatmentCommand, { rawArgs: [...args, "--dry-run"] });
+      const preview = JSON.parse(String(log.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0]));
+      expect(preview).toMatchObject({
+        ok: true,
+        dryRun: true,
+        changed: true,
+        attribute: "data-color-grading",
+        lint: { ok: true, findings: [] },
+      });
+      expect(readFileSync(file, "utf8")).toBe(VIDEO);
+      await runCommand(mediaTreatmentCommand, { rawArgs: [...args, "--apply"] });
+      const applied = JSON.parse(String(log.mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0]));
+      const written = parseHTML(readFileSync(file, "utf8"))
+        .document.querySelector("#hero")
+        ?.getAttribute("data-color-grading");
+      expect(preview.value).toBe(written);
+      expect(preview.value).toBe(applied.value);
+      expect(preview.lint).toEqual(applied.lint);
+    } finally {
+      log.mockRestore();
+      rmSync(project, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
   it("requires --apply for --grading while keeping --clear explicit", async () => {
     const project = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "hf-media-treatment-"));
     const file = join(project, "index.html");
 
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { existsSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join, relative, resolve } from "node:path";
 import {
   HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR,
+  HF_COLOR_GRADING_HUE_CURVE_KEYS,
   getHfColorGradingCapabilities,
   hasHfColorGradingAuthoredValues,
   isPathInside,
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 import { rewriteAssetPath } from "@hyperframes/parsers/asset-paths";
 import { patchElementInHtml } from "@hyperframes/studio-server/source-mutation";
 import { defineCommand } from "citty";
+import { lintHyperframeHtml } from "@hyperframes/lint";
 import { parseHTML } from "linkedom";
 import type { Example } from "./_examples.js";
 import { c } from "../ui/colors.js";
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ export function getMediaTreatmentCapabilityDetail(id: string): unknown {
       initial: `style="${property.name}: <start>"`,
       tween: `timeline.to("<selector>", { "${property.name}": <end>, duration: <seconds> })`,
       rules: [
-        "Author the initial value inline on the media element.",
+        "Once set (inline, in a stylesheet or on a parent), the property overrides the payload's value for this control: set it only on media you animate, starting at the tween's first value.",
         "Use finite keyframes on a paused timeline registered in window.__timelines.",
         "Do not use a frame-zero set, timers, random values, or onUpdate callbacks.",
       ],
@@ -317,7 +319,7 @@ export const examples: Example[] = [
   ],
   [
     "Preview the exact mutation without writing",
-    `hyperframes media-treatment --file compositions/scene.html --selector 'video' --grading '{"preset":"warm-daylight"}' --apply --dry-run --json`,
+    `hyperframes media-treatment --file compositions/scene.html --selector 'video' --grading '{"preset":"warm-daylight"}' --dry-run --json`,
   ],
   [
     "Measure one local media source before choosing a correction",
@@ -385,13 +387,28 @@ function mergeGradingPatch(current: unknown, patch: unknown): unknown {
   return merged;
 }
 
+function withoutEmptyHueCurves(grading: unknown): unknown {
+  if (!isRecord(grading) || !isRecord(grading.hueCurves)) return grading;
+  const hueCurves = Object.fromEntries(
+    Object.entries(grading.hueCurves).filter(
+      ([key, curve]) =>
+        !HF_COLOR_GRADING_HUE_CURVE_KEYS.some((knownKey) => knownKey === key) ||
+        !Array.isArray(curve) ||
+        curve.length > 0,
+    ),
+  );
+  return { ...grading, hueCurves };
+}
+
 function serializeGradingPatch(before: unknown, patch: unknown): string | null {
   assertKnownGradingShape(patch);
   if (isColorGradingVariableRef(before) && isRecord(patch)) {
     throw new Error("Cannot merge a grading patch into an unresolved whole-grade variable");
   }
   const current =
-    typeof before === "string" && !isColorGradingVariableRef(before) ? { preset: before } : before;
+    typeof before === "string" && !isColorGradingVariableRef(before)
+      ? { preset: before }
+      : withoutEmptyHueCurves(before);
   const grading = mergeGradingPatch(current, patch);
   assertKnownGradingShape(grading);
   if (containsColorGradingVariableRef(grading)) {
@@ -508,15 +525,20 @@ export function resolveMediaTreatmentSource(
   return asset.resolved;
 }
 
-function parseGrading(raw: string | undefined, apply: boolean, clear: boolean): unknown {
+function parseGrading(
+  raw: string | undefined,
+  apply: boolean,
+  clear: boolean,
+  dryRun: boolean,
+): unknown {
   if (clear) {
     if (raw !== undefined || apply) {
       throw new Error("Use either --apply with --grading or --clear, not both");
     }
     return undefined;
   }
-  if (!apply) {
-    if (raw !== undefined) throw new Error("--grading requires --apply");
+  if (!apply && !dryRun) {
+    if (raw !== undefined) throw new Error("--grading requires --apply or --dry-run");
     throw new Error("Use --apply with --grading <json> or --clear");
   }
   if (raw === undefined) throw new Error("--apply requires --grading <json>");
@@ -613,20 +635,23 @@ function analyzeTarget(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs) {
   };
 }
 
-function prepareMutation(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs) {
+async function prepareMutation(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs) {
   const { project, filePath } = resolveMutationFile(args);
   const selector = readOptionalString(args.selector);
   if (!selector) throw new Error("--selector is required");
   const clear = args.clear === true;
   const apply = args.apply === true;
+  const dryRun = args["dry-run"] === true;
   const selectorIndex = parseSelectorIndex(readOptionalString(args["selector-index"]));
   const result = applyMediaTreatmentToHtml(readFileSync(filePath, "utf8"), {
     selector,
     selectorIndex,
-    grading: parseGrading(readOptionalString(args.grading), apply, clear),
+    grading: parseGrading(readOptionalString(args.grading), apply, clear, dryRun),
     clear,
   });
-  const dryRun = args["dry-run"] === true;
+  const lintResult = await lintHyperframeHtml(result.html);
+  const findings = lintResult.findings.filter(({ code }) => code.startsWith("color_grading_"));
+  const lint = { ok: findings.every(({ severity }) => severity !== "error"), findings };
   if (result.changed && !dryRun) writeFileSync(filePath, result.html);
 
   const action: "clear" | "apply" = result.value === null ? "clear" : "apply";
@@ -645,6 +670,9 @@ function prepareMutation(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs) {
       dryRun,
       before: result.before,
       after: result.after,
+      attribute: HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR,
+      value: result.value,
+      lint,
     },
   };
 }
@@ -667,8 +695,8 @@ function printAnalysis(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs): void {
   console.log(`   suggested patch: ${JSON.stringify(result.suggestedPatch)}`);
 }
 
-function printMutation(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs): void {
-  const { action, result, selector, payload } = prepareMutation(args);
+async function printMutation(args: MediaTreatmentCommandArgs): Promise<void> {
+  const { action, result, selector, payload } = await prepareMutation(args);
   if (args.json === true) {
     console.log(JSON.stringify(withMeta(payload), null, 2));
     return;
@@ -731,19 +759,20 @@ export const mediaTreatmentCommand = defineCommand({
     clear: { type: "boolean", description: "Remove color grading from the target", default: false },
     "dry-run": {
       type: "boolean",
-      description: "Validate and report without writing",
+      description:
+        "Preview the normalized grading attribute and color-grading lint verdict without writing",
       default: false,
     },
     json: { type: "boolean", description: "Output an agent-friendly JSON result", default: false },
   },
-  run({ args }) {
+  async run({ args }) {
     try {
       if (isCapabilityQuery(args)) return runCapabilityQuery(args);
       if (args.analyze === true) {
         printAnalysis(args);
         return;
       }
-      printMutation(args);
+      await printMutation(args);
     } catch (error) {
       printFailure(error, args.json === true);
     }
 
@@ -818,6 +818,36 @@ describe("color grading", () => {
     expect(serialized).toContain('"secondaries"');
   });
 
+  it("writes only the hue curves that were authored, so lint accepts a single hue curve", async () => {
+    const grading = normalizeHfColorGrading({
+      hueCurves: {
+        hueVsHue: [
+          [0, 0],
+          [120, 20],
+          [240, 0],
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    const serialized = serializeHfColorGrading(grading);
+    expect(JSON.parse(serialized).hueCurves).toEqual({
+      hueVsHue: [
+        [0, 0],
+        [120, 20],
+        [240, 0],
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const lint = await lintHyperframeHtml(`
+      <html><body>
+        <div id="root" data-composition-id="c1" data-start="0" data-width="1920" data-height="1080" data-duration="1">
+          <img class="clip" data-start="0" data-duration="1" src="media.jpg" data-color-grading='${serialized}'>
+        </div>
+        <script>window.__timelines = {};</script>
+      </body></html>
+    `);
+    expect(lint.findings.filter((finding) => finding.severity === "error")).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("round-trips advanced grading byte-identically", () => {
     const grading = normalizeHfColorGrading({
       wheels: { shadows: { hue: 205, amount: 0.08 } },
 
@@ -1504,6 +1504,15 @@ export function hasHfColorGradingSecondaryValues(
   );
 }
 
+function authoredHueCurves(curves: NormalizedHfColorGradingHueCurves): HfColorGradingHueCurves {
+  return Object.fromEntries(
+    HF_COLOR_GRADING_HUE_CURVE_KEYS.filter((key) => curves[key].length > 0).map((key) => [
+      key,
+      curves[key],
+    ]),
+  );
+}
+
 export function serializeHfColorGrading(
   grading: NormalizedHfColorGrading | HfColorGrading | null,
 ): string {
@@ -1522,7 +1531,9 @@ export function serializeHfColorGrading(
     ...serializable,
     ...(hasWheelGrade(wheels) ? { wheels } : {}),
     ...(hasHfColorGradingRgbCurveValues(curves) ? { curves } : {}),
-    ...(hasHfColorGradingHueCurveValues(hueCurves) ? { hueCurves } : {}),
+    ...(hasHfColorGradingHueCurveValues(hueCurves)
+      ? { hueCurves: authoredHueCurves(hueCurves) }
+      : {}),
     // Preserve a keyed secondary even before it changes pixels so Studio and
     // CLI can author its qualifier and correction in separate transactions.
     ...(secondaries.length > 0 ? { secondaries } : {}),
 
@@ -586,6 +586,23 @@ describe("createColorGradingRuntime", () => {
     expect(lastUniform1f).toHaveBeenCalledWith("u_exposure", 0.35);
   });
 
+  it("reads a grading property set in a stylesheet, not only inline", () => {
+    const style = document.createElement("style");
+    style.textContent = "#plate { --hf-color-grading-blur: 0.6; }";
+    document.head.appendChild(style);
+    const video = makeDrawableVideo();
+    video.id = "plate";
+    video.setAttribute(
+      HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR,
+      serializeHfColorGrading({ adjust: { saturation: -0.5 } }),
+    );
+    stubCubeLutFetch();
+    startRuntimeWithVideo(video);
+
+    if (!lastUniform1f) throw new Error("Expected WebGL uniform calls");
+    expect(lastUniform1f).toHaveBeenCalledWith("u_blur", 0.6);
+  });
+
   it("samples seek-derived grading values from inline CSS properties on every redraw", () => {
     const video = makeDrawableVideo();
     video.setAttribute(