diff --git a/runtime/src/mod_runtime.cpp b/runtime/src/mod_runtime.cpp
index 867fbb07..56a1847e 100644
--- a/runtime/src/mod_runtime.cpp
+++ b/runtime/src/mod_runtime.cpp
@@ -2874,9 +2874,16 @@ extern "C" int psx_mod_set_option_live(const char* package_id, const char* featu
     for (const ModResolution::Plugin& plugin : s.plan.plugins)
         if (plugin.package_id == package_id && plugin.feature_id == feature_id) in_plan = true;
     if (!in_plan || !psx_mod_option_live_capable(package_id, feature_id)) return 0;
-    /* Only a feature whose plugin re-reads options live sees the new value;
-     * anything else keeps its committed value until the next start. */
-    live_option_values()[live_option_key(package_id, feature_id, option_id)] = value;
+    /* The value is visible to the callbacks while they run (a plugin may
+     * re-read it through psx_mod_current_option_value), but it is kept only
+     * if one of them accepts. Refused by all = nothing changes this session:
+     * the previous value (live or committed) is restored. */
+    auto& values = live_option_values();
+    const std::string key = live_option_key(package_id, feature_id, option_id);
+    auto prev_it = values.find(key);
+    const bool had_prev = prev_it != values.end();
+    const std::string prev = had_prev ? prev_it->second : std::string();
+    values[key] = value;
     int live = 0;
     for (const ModResolution::Plugin& plugin : s.plan.plugins) {
         if (plugin.package_id != package_id || plugin.feature_id != feature_id) continue;
@@ -2885,6 +2892,10 @@ extern "C" int psx_mod_set_option_live(const char* package_id, const char* featu
         PluginCallbackScope scope(s, &plugin);
         if (it->second(option_id, value)) live = 1;
     }
+    if (!live) {
+        if (had_prev) values[key] = prev;
+        else values.erase(key);
+    }
     return live;
 }
 
diff --git a/runtime/tests/test_mod_runtime.cpp b/runtime/tests/test_mod_runtime.cpp
index 27d7aff6..dab9619c 100644
--- a/runtime/tests/test_mod_runtime.cpp
+++ b/runtime/tests/test_mod_runtime.cpp
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ int iso_read_cdda_sector(void*,uint32_t,uint8_t*,int);
 static int big_ram_activations;
 static int option_changed_hits = 0;
 static std::string option_changed_value;
+static int option_changed_refuse = 0;  /* 1 = the plugin answers "next start" */
 static int test_option_changed(const char* option_id, const char* value) {
     char cur[32];
     option_changed_hits++;
@@ -326,7 +327,7 @@ static int test_option_changed(const char* option_id, const char* value) {
         psx_mod_current_option_value("size", cur, sizeof(cur)) == 1)
         option_changed_value = cur;
     (void)value;
-    return 1;
+    return option_changed_refuse ? 0 : 1;
 }
 static void test_big_ram_activation(void) {
     big_ram_activations++;
@@ -1111,6 +1112,16 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         check(psx_mod_option_value("runtime.ram", "big-ram", "size", value, sizeof(value)) == 1 &&
                   std::string(value) == "four",
               "a live override must answer later reads");
+        /* A callback that refuses ("nothing changes until next start") must
+         * leave the value the session runs with untouched. */
+        option_changed_refuse = 1;
+        check(psx_mod_set_option_live("runtime.ram", "big-ram", "size", "two") == 0 &&
+                  option_changed_hits == 2,
+              "a refused live set reports refused after asking the plugin");
+        check(psx_mod_option_value("runtime.ram", "big-ram", "size", value, sizeof(value)) == 1 &&
+                  std::string(value) == "four",
+              "a refused live set must not change the value later reads see");
+        option_changed_refuse = 0;
         check(psx_mod_set_option_live("runtime.ram", "no-such-feature", "size", "x") == 0,
               "features outside the plan are not live-settable");
         check(psx_mod_save_selection() == 1, "saving the selection mid-session must succeed");