diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/colorcmds.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/colorcmds.rs
index 3b0c3f788..a7e42899a 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/colorcmds.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/colorcmds.rs
@@ -228,19 +228,31 @@ impl<'a> Recolor<'a> {
     }
 
     /// The patterns this pass has copied whose copy differs from the original only by swatch
-    /// links: the copy's name → the original's.
+    /// links: the copy's name → the original's. A copy whose tile uses other copies counts when
+    /// those copies do.
     fn link_only_copies(&self, d: &Document) -> HashMap<String, String> {
-        let none = HashMap::new();
-        let art = |v: &[Arc<Node>]| v.iter().map(|n| without_links((**n).clone(), &none)).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        let art = |v: &[Arc<Node>], same: &HashMap<String, String>| v.iter().map(|n| without_links((**n).clone(), same)).collect::<Vec<_>>();
         let copies: HashMap<&str, &PatternDef> = self.new_patterns.iter().map(|p| (p.name.as_str(), p)).collect();
-        self.patterns
+        let pairs: Vec<(&String, &String, &PatternDef, &PatternDef)> = self
+            .patterns
             .iter()
             .filter_map(|(old, new)| {
                 let new = new.as_ref()?;
-                let copy = copies.get(new.as_str())?;
-                (art(&d.pattern(old)?.art) == art(&copy.art)).then(|| (new.clone(), old.clone()))
+                Some((new, old, d.pattern(old)?, *copies.get(new.as_str())?))
             })
-            .collect()
+            .collect();
+        let mut same = HashMap::new();
+        loop {
+            let found: Vec<(String, String)> = pairs
+                .iter()
+                .filter(|(new, _, original, copy)| !same.contains_key(*new) && art(&original.art, &same) == art(&copy.art, &same))
+                .map(|(new, old, _, _)| ((*new).clone(), (*old).clone()))
+                .collect();
+            if found.is_empty() {
+                return same;
+            }
+            same.extend(found);
+        }
     }
 
     /// Recolour the objects `ids` and everything inside them (each once), add the new images and
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests/recolor.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests/recolor.rs
index 72f8f2f64..b4b22d151 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests/recolor.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests/recolor.rs
@@ -720,6 +720,31 @@ fn recolor_of_everything_does_not_count_locked_art_that_would_only_take_a_swatch
     assert!(r.get("warning").is_none(), "{r}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn recolor_of_everything_does_not_count_locked_art_whose_nested_pattern_would_only_take_a_swatch_link() {
+    let mut s = session();
+    run(&mut s, "swatch.new", json!({"name": "Red", "color": "#ff0000", "global": true}));
+    // "Dots": an unlinked red tile; "Rings": a tile filled with "Dots".
+    let tile = rect(&mut s, json!("#ff0000"));
+    run(&mut s, "select.set", json!({"ids": [tile.0]}));
+    run(&mut s, "object.pattern.make", json!({"name": "Dots", "width": 20, "height": 20}));
+    run(&mut s, "object.pattern.done", json!({}));
+    let outer = rect(&mut s, json!("#000000"));
+    run(&mut s, "paint.setFill", json!({"ids": [outer.0], "swatch": "Dots"}));
+    run(&mut s, "select.set", json!({"ids": [outer.0]}));
+    run(&mut s, "object.pattern.make", json!({"name": "Rings", "width": 40, "height": 40}));
+    run(&mut s, "object.pattern.done", json!({}));
+    rect(&mut s, json!("#ff0000"));
+    let rings = rect(&mut s, json!("#000000"));
+    run(&mut s, "paint.setFill", json!({"ids": [rings.0], "swatch": "Rings"}));
+    set_props(&mut s, &[rings], json!({"locked": true}));
+    select_all(&mut s);
+    // The inner tile would only take the link to the document's red swatch.
+    let r = run(&mut s, "recolor.apply", json!({"map": {"#ff0000": "#ff0000"}, "limitTo": "document"}));
+    assert_eq!(r["notChanged"], json!({"locked": 0, "hidden": 0}), "{r}");
+    assert!(r.get("warning").is_none(), "{r}");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn locked_and_hidden_members_of_a_selected_group_are_recolored_and_not_counted() {
     let mut s = session();