diff --git a/examples/movies.py b/examples/movies.py
index 0a776c68..9e0bd00b 100644
--- a/examples/movies.py
+++ b/examples/movies.py
@@ -279,11 +279,17 @@ def _rows_filtered() -> nu.Nu:
     )
 
 
+# Seed once, on a store that has never been written. A restart then keeps what
+# the user logged instead of replacing the shelf with the samples again.
+# `selected` stays unconditional: it is a cursor into the detail page, not data.
 init = nu.kv.Transaction(
-    State.total.set(len(_SEED_MOVIES))
-    | State.watched.set(sum(1 for m in _SEED_MOVIES if m["watched"]))
-    | State.latest_title.set(_SEED_MOVIES[-1]["title"])
-    | State.movies.set(_SEED_MOVIES)
+    nu.IfDo(
+        State.total.missing(),
+        State.total.set(len(_SEED_MOVIES))
+        | State.watched.set(sum(1 for m in _SEED_MOVIES if m["watched"]))
+        | State.latest_title.set(_SEED_MOVIES[-1]["title"])
+        | State.movies.set(_SEED_MOVIES),
+    )
     | State.selected.set(0),
 )
 
diff --git a/src/nu/_cli/demos/movies.py b/src/nu/_cli/demos/movies.py
index ba57ce2b..6c8575d5 100644
--- a/src/nu/_cli/demos/movies.py
+++ b/src/nu/_cli/demos/movies.py
@@ -329,11 +329,17 @@ def _rows_filtered() -> nu.Nu:
     )
 
 
+# Seed once, on a store that has never been written. A restart then keeps what
+# the user logged instead of replacing the shelf with the samples again.
+# `selected` stays unconditional: it is a cursor into the detail page, not data.
 init = nu.kv.Transaction(
-    State.total.set(len(_SEED_MOVIES))
-    | State.watched.set(sum(1 for m in _SEED_MOVIES if m["watched"]))
-    | State.latest_title.set(_SEED_MOVIES[-1]["title"])
-    | State.movies.set(_SEED_MOVIES)
+    nu.IfDo(
+        State.total.missing(),
+        State.total.set(len(_SEED_MOVIES))
+        | State.watched.set(sum(1 for m in _SEED_MOVIES if m["watched"]))
+        | State.latest_title.set(_SEED_MOVIES[-1]["title"])
+        | State.movies.set(_SEED_MOVIES),
+    )
     | State.selected.set(0),
 )