diff --git a/api/server/middleware/abortMiddleware.js b/api/server/middleware/abortMiddleware.js
index feed002b0e..80e6e37baf 100644
--- a/api/server/middleware/abortMiddleware.js
+++ b/api/server/middleware/abortMiddleware.js
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ async function abortMessage(req, res) {
       interfaceConfig: req?.config?.interfaceConfig,
     },
     { ...responseMessage, user: userId },
-    { context: 'api/server/middleware/abortMiddleware.js' },
+    { context: 'api/server/middleware/abortMiddleware.js', capExpiryToConversation: true },
   );
 
   // Get conversation for title
diff --git a/api/server/routes/messages.js b/api/server/routes/messages.js
index 618043a295..effd4cda29 100644
--- a/api/server/routes/messages.js
+++ b/api/server/routes/messages.js
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ router.post('/branch', configMiddleware, async (req, res) => {
         interfaceConfig: req?.config?.interfaceConfig,
       },
       newMessage,
-      { context: 'POST /api/messages/branch' },
+      { context: 'POST /api/messages/branch', capExpiryToConversation: true },
     );
 
     if (!savedMessage) {
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ router.post('/artifact/:messageId', configMiddleware, async (req, res) => {
         content: message.content,
         user: req.user.id,
       },
-      { context: 'POST /api/messages/artifact/:messageId' },
+      { context: 'POST /api/messages/artifact/:messageId', capExpiryToConversation: true },
     );
 
     res.status(200).json({
diff --git a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.spec.ts b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.spec.ts
index 69c5b811c2..1c98c95f8e 100644
--- a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.spec.ts
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ describe('Message Operations', () => {
       }
     });
 
-    it('caps a message to a sooner parent expiry instead of orphaning it', async () => {
+    it('caps a message-only save to a sooner parent expiry instead of orphaning it', async () => {
       const conversationId = uuidv4();
       const parentExpiry = new Date(Date.now() + 60 * 60 * 1000);
       await Conversation().create({
@@ -917,6 +917,7 @@ describe('Message Operations', () => {
           interfaceConfig: { temporaryChatRetention: 24, retentionMode: RetentionMode.EPHEMERAL },
         },
         { messageId: uuidv4(), conversationId, text: 'branch', user: 'user123' },
+        { context: 'branch', capExpiryToConversation: true },
       );
 
       expect(saved?.expiredAt?.getTime()).toBe(parentExpiry.getTime());
@@ -926,6 +927,29 @@ describe('Message Operations', () => {
       expect(saved?.expiredAt?.getTime()).toBeLessThanOrEqual(convo?.expiredAt?.getTime() ?? 0);
     });
 
+    it('does not cap a normal send save so a following conversation refresh stays aligned', async () => {
+      const conversationId = uuidv4();
+      const parentExpiry = new Date(Date.now() + 60 * 60 * 1000);
+      await Conversation().create({
+        conversationId,
+        user: 'user123',
+        endpoint: 'openAI',
+        title: 'Ephemeral chat expiring soon',
+        isTemporary: true,
+        expiredAt: parentExpiry,
+      });
+
+      const saved = await saveMessage(
+        {
+          userId: 'user123',
+          interfaceConfig: { temporaryChatRetention: 24, retentionMode: RetentionMode.EPHEMERAL },
+        },
+        { messageId: uuidv4(), conversationId, text: 'follow-up', user: 'user123' },
+      );
+
+      expect(saved?.expiredAt?.getTime()).toBeGreaterThan(parentExpiry.getTime());
+    });
+
     it('does not touch the parent conversation outside forced retention', async () => {
       const conversationId = uuidv4();
       await Conversation().create({
diff --git a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.ts b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.ts
index 08da85ac27..01831317f4 100644
--- a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.ts
+++ b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/message.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { RetentionMode, isForcedTemporaryRetention } from 'librechat-data-provid
 import type { DeleteResult, FilterQuery, Model, PipelineStage } from 'mongoose';
 import type { AppConfig, IConversation, IMessage } from '~/types';
 import {
-  conversationNeedsForcedRetention,
   createFallbackRetentionDate,
   forceConversationMessagesTemporary,
   forcedRetentionGapFilter,
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ export interface MessageMethods {
   saveMessage(
     ctx: { userId: string; isTemporary?: boolean; interfaceConfig?: AppConfig['interfaceConfig'] },
     params: Partial<IMessage> & { newMessageId?: string },
-    metadata?: { context?: string },
+    metadata?: { context?: string; capExpiryToConversation?: boolean },
   ): Promise<IMessage | null | undefined>;
   bulkSaveMessages(
     messages: Array<Partial<IMessage>>,
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ export function createMessageMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')): Messa
       interfaceConfig?: AppConfig['interfaceConfig'];
     },
     params: Partial<IMessage> & { newMessageId?: string },
-    metadata?: { context?: string },
+    metadata?: { context?: string; capExpiryToConversation?: boolean },
   ) {
     if (!userId) {
       throw new Error('User not authenticated');
@@ -168,19 +167,28 @@ export function createMessageMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')): Messa
 
       const forcedExpiredAt = update.expiredAt;
       const isForcedRetention = isForcedTemporaryRetention(interfaceConfig?.retentionMode);
-      let parentRetention: { isTemporary?: boolean | null; expiredAt?: Date | null } | null = null;
-      if (isForcedRetention && forcedExpiredAt instanceof Date) {
+      /**
+       * Message-only saves (branch/artifact/abort) never run `saveConvo`, so the new
+       * message must not outlive a parent that already expires sooner. Callers that DO
+       * refresh the conversation afterward must not opt in, otherwise the message keeps
+       * the stale deadline and the TTL index deletes it before the refreshed conversation.
+       */
+      if (
+        isForcedRetention &&
+        forcedExpiredAt instanceof Date &&
+        metadata?.capExpiryToConversation === true
+      ) {
         const Conversation = mongoose.models.Conversation as Model<IConversation>;
-        parentRetention = await Conversation.findOne(
+        const parent = await Conversation.findOne(
           { conversationId, user: userId },
           'isTemporary expiredAt',
         ).lean<{ isTemporary?: boolean | null; expiredAt?: Date | null } | null>();
         if (
-          parentRetention?.isTemporary === true &&
-          parentRetention.expiredAt != null &&
-          parentRetention.expiredAt.getTime() < forcedExpiredAt.getTime()
+          parent?.isTemporary === true &&
+          parent.expiredAt != null &&
+          parent.expiredAt.getTime() < forcedExpiredAt.getTime()
         ) {
-          update.expiredAt = parentRetention.expiredAt;
+          update.expiredAt = parent.expiredAt;
         }
       }
 
@@ -203,11 +211,7 @@ export function createMessageMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')): Messa
         message.isTemporary = false;
       }
 
-      if (
-        isForcedRetention &&
-        forcedExpiredAt instanceof Date &&
-        conversationNeedsForcedRetention(parentRetention, forcedExpiredAt)
-      ) {
+      if (isForcedRetention && forcedExpiredAt instanceof Date) {
         const Conversation = mongoose.models.Conversation as Model<IConversation>;
         const convoResult = await Conversation.updateOne(
           {