diff --git a/src/instrument_drop_win.cpp b/src/instrument_drop_win.cpp
index 63793e6..a0245c1 100644
--- a/src/instrument_drop_win.cpp
+++ b/src/instrument_drop_win.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #define REAPERAPI_MINIMAL
 #define REAPERAPI_WANT_GetThingFromPoint
 #define REAPERAPI_WANT_TrackFX_AddByName
+#define REAPERAPI_WANT_TrackFX_Delete
 #define REAPERAPI_WANT_TrackFX_SetNamedConfigParm
 #define REAPERAPI_WANT_Undo_BeginBlock2
 #define REAPERAPI_WANT_Undo_EndBlock2
@@ -73,6 +74,12 @@ bool performInstrumentDrop(MediaTrack* track, const std::string& chunkBase64) {
         // (instrument_drop::buildInstrumentDropChunk -> sample_map::serializeComponentState),
         // so these bytes are exactly what ReaSampler 9000's setState accepts.
         ok = TrackFX_SetNamedConfigParm(track, fxIndex, "vst_chunk", chunkBase64.c_str());
+        if (!ok) {
+            // All-or-nothing: if the chunk write fails, remove the empty FX instance we just
+            // added so the track is left exactly as it was. TrackFX_Delete signature (verified
+            // in reaper_plugin_functions.h:7236): bool TrackFX_Delete(MediaTrack*, int fx).
+            TrackFX_Delete(track, fxIndex);
+        }
     }
 
     // The undo label reflects the placement-of-the-player framing (not a capture, not an insert).
diff --git a/src/instrument_drop_win.h b/src/instrument_drop_win.h
index ee40975..fba0cce 100644
--- a/src/instrument_drop_win.h
+++ b/src/instrument_drop_win.h
@@ -47,10 +47,11 @@ FxDropTarget resolveFxDropTarget(int screenX, int screenY);
 // (the instrument_drop::buildInstrumentDropChunk output) as its component state so it plays
 // the dragged capture. `chunkBase64` is the base64 vst_chunk. Wraps the add + inject in one
 // REAPER undo block (mirrors the bank-verb undo discipline). Returns true on success (the FX
-// was added and the chunk written), false on any failure (add returned -1, or the chunk write
-// was rejected). A false return leaves at most the added FX (no partial-state confusion — the
-// caller surfaces nothing; a failed add is visible by nothing happening). NEVER inserts a
-// timeline item; the ONLY mutations are the FX instance + its state, both undoable.
+// was added and the chunk written), false on any failure. All-or-nothing: if the chunk write
+// fails after a successful add, the freshly-added FX instance is removed via TrackFX_Delete
+// before returning false, leaving the track exactly as it was (no orphaned empty-state FX).
+// NEVER inserts a timeline item; the ONLY mutations are the FX instance + its state, both
+// undoable.
 bool performInstrumentDrop(MediaTrack* track, const std::string& chunkBase64);
 
 }  // namespace reasampler