diff --git a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelect.test.ts b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelect.test.ts
index 5aae57b01..8bc674e4c 100644
--- a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelect.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelect.test.ts
@@ -179,6 +179,41 @@ describe('WidgetSelect Value Binding', () => {
       expect(emitted).toBeDefined()
       expect(emitted![0]).toContain('100')
     })
+
+    it('displays value not in options list (deserialized workflow value)', async () => {
+      // Simulate a workflow loaded with a value that's no longer in the options
+      // (e.g., a deleted model file)
+      const currentOptions = ['model1.ckpt', 'model2.safetensors']
+      const deserializedValue = 'old_deleted_model.ckpt'
+      const widget = createMockWidget(deserializedValue, {
+        values: currentOptions
+      })
+      const wrapper = mountComponent(widget, deserializedValue)
+
+      const select = wrapper.findComponent({ name: 'Select' })
+      const options = select.props('options')
+
+      // The current value should be included in the options
+      expect(options).toContain(deserializedValue)
+      // And it should be first
+      expect(options[0]).toBe(deserializedValue)
+      // Original options should still be present
+      expect(options).toContain('model1.ckpt')
+      expect(options).toContain('model2.safetensors')
+    })
+
+    it('does not duplicate value if it exists in options', async () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2', 'option3']
+      const widget = createMockWidget('option2', { values: options })
+      const wrapper = mountComponent(widget, 'option2')
+
+      const select = wrapper.findComponent({ name: 'Select' })
+      const selectOptions = select.props('options')
+
+      // Should not duplicate the value
+      expect(selectOptions).toEqual(options)
+      expect(selectOptions.filter((opt) => opt === 'option2')).toHaveLength(1)
+    })
   })
 
   describe('Spec-aware rendering', () => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDefault.vue b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDefault.vue
index cb69ac7b8..d543a81a1 100644
--- a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDefault.vue
+++ b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDefault.vue
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import {
 
 import { WidgetInputBaseClass } from './layout'
 import WidgetLayoutField from './layout/WidgetLayoutField.vue'
+import { ensureValueInOptions } from '../utils/widgetOptionsUtils'
 
 const props = defineProps<{
   widget: SimplifiedWidget<string | number | undefined>
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ const selectOptions = computed(() => {
   const options = props.widget.options
 
   if (options?.values && Array.isArray(options.values)) {
-    return options.values
+    return ensureValueInOptions(options.values, localValue.value)
   }
 
   return []
diff --git a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDropdown.vue b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDropdown.vue
index bb5accb81..6f609dd7a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDropdown.vue
+++ b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/components/WidgetSelectDropdown.vue
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import type {
   SelectedKey
 } from './form/dropdown/types'
 import WidgetLayoutField from './layout/WidgetLayoutField.vue'
+import { ensureValueInOptions } from '../utils/widgetOptionsUtils'
 
 const props = defineProps<{
   widget: SimplifiedWidget<string | number | undefined>
@@ -74,7 +75,12 @@ const inputItems = computed<DropdownItem[]>(() => {
     return []
   }
 
-  return values.map((value: string, index: number) => ({
+  const valuesWithCurrent = ensureValueInOptions(
+    values,
+    typeof localValue.value === 'string' ? localValue.value : undefined
+  )
+
+  return valuesWithCurrent.map((value: string, index: number) => ({
     id: `input-${index}`,
     mediaSrc: getMediaUrl(value, 'input'),
     name: value,
diff --git a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/utils/widgetOptionsUtils.test.ts b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/utils/widgetOptionsUtils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21fb2aa01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/utils/widgetOptionsUtils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { ensureValueInOptions } from './widgetOptionsUtils'
+
+describe('ensureValueInOptions', () => {
+  describe('when value exists in options', () => {
+    it('returns original options without duplicates', () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2', 'option3']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 'option2')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+      expect(result).toHaveLength(3)
+    })
+
+    it('handles first option', () => {
+      const options = ['first', 'second', 'third']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 'first')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+    })
+
+    it('handles last option', () => {
+      const options = ['first', 'second', 'third']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 'third')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('when value is missing from options', () => {
+    it('prepends missing value to options array', () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2', 'option3']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 'deleted_model.safetensors')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual([
+        'deleted_model.safetensors',
+        'option1',
+        'option2',
+        'option3'
+      ])
+      expect(result).toHaveLength(4)
+    })
+
+    it('preserves deserialized workflow values', () => {
+      const options = ['current_model.ckpt']
+      const oldValue = 'old_model_from_workflow.ckpt'
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, oldValue)
+
+      expect(result[0]).toBe(oldValue)
+      expect(result).toContain('current_model.ckpt')
+    })
+
+    it('handles numeric values', () => {
+      const options = [1, 2, 3]
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 99)
+
+      expect(result).toEqual([99, 1, 2, 3])
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('when value is null or empty', () => {
+    it('returns original options for undefined', () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, undefined)
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+    })
+
+    it('returns original options for null', () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, null)
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+    })
+
+    it('returns original options for empty string', () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, '')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('edge cases', () => {
+    it('handles empty options array', () => {
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions([], 'some_value')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(['some_value'])
+    })
+
+    it('handles options with special characters', () => {
+      const options = ['normal.txt', 'with spaces.png', 'special@#$.jpg']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(
+        options,
+        'another file with spaces.png'
+      )
+
+      expect(result[0]).toBe('another file with spaces.png')
+      expect(result).toHaveLength(4)
+    })
+
+    it('creates new array instance (does not mutate input)', () => {
+      const options = ['option1', 'option2']
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 'option1')
+
+      expect(result).not.toBe(options)
+      expect(result).toEqual(options)
+    })
+
+    it('handles readonly arrays', () => {
+      const options = ['a', 'b', 'c'] as const
+      const result = ensureValueInOptions(options, 'd')
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(['d', 'a', 'b', 'c'])
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/utils/widgetOptionsUtils.ts b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/utils/widgetOptionsUtils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9e1f2ea8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/extensions/vueNodes/widgets/utils/widgetOptionsUtils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * Utility functions for widget option handling
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Ensures the current value is included in the options array.
+ * This preserves legacy behavior where deserialized workflow values
+ * can be shown even if they're not in the current options list
+ * (e.g., deleted models, removed files, etc.)
+ *
+ * @param options - The available options from widget.options.values
+ * @param currentValue - The current widget value
+ * @returns Options array with current value prepended if missing
+ */
+export function ensureValueInOptions<T extends string | number>(
+  options: readonly T[],
+  currentValue: T | undefined | null
+): T[] {
+  // Early return for empty/null values
+  if (currentValue == null || currentValue === '') {
+    return [...options]
+  }
+
+  // If value already exists, return original options
+  if (options.includes(currentValue)) {
+    return [...options]
+  }
+
+  // Prepend missing value to options
+  return [currentValue, ...options]
+}