diff --git a/packages/db/tests/query/load-subset-persisting-deferral.test.ts b/packages/db/tests/query/load-subset-persisting-deferral.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..808803827
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/tests/query/load-subset-persisting-deferral.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { createCollection } from '../../src/collection/index.js'
+import { createLiveQueryCollection, eq } from '../../src/query/index.js'
+import { createTransaction } from '../../src/transactions'
+
+// Reproduction for the on-demand `loadSubset` readiness bug.
+//
+// When any user transaction on a collection is in state `persisting`, a synced
+// transaction committed by `loadSubset` is parked by `commitPendingTransactions`
+// (src/collection/state.ts skips applying while `hasPersistingTransaction`), yet
+// the `loadSubset` promise still resolves and the live query still marks ready.
+// So `toArrayWhenReady()` resolves with an empty/stale result for rows that were
+// actually fetched and committed.
+//
+// The `loadSubset` below begins/writes/commits synchronously and then resolves —
+// exactly like @tanstack/electric-db-collection's subscribe handler does on a
+// `subset-end` control message, before its `requestSnapshot` promise resolves.
+
+interface Row {
+  id: string
+  projectId: string
+  name: string
+}
+
+const row1: Row = { id: `r1`, projectId: `p1`, name: `a` }
+const row2: Row = { id: `r2`, projectId: `p1`, name: `b` }
+
+function createOnDemandCollection() {
+  let loadSubsetCalls = 0
+  const collection = createCollection<Row>({
+    id: `loadsubset-persisting-repro`,
+    getKey: (row) => row.id,
+    syncMode: `on-demand`,
+    sync: {
+      sync: ({ begin, write, commit, markReady }) => {
+        // changes-only stream at offset `now`: ready with an empty store,
+        // before any subset is loaded.
+        markReady()
+        return {
+          loadSubset: () => {
+            loadSubsetCalls++
+            begin()
+            write({ type: `insert`, value: row1 })
+            write({ type: `insert`, value: row2 })
+            commit()
+            return Promise.resolve()
+          },
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  })
+  return { collection, loadSubsetCalls: () => loadSubsetCalls }
+}
+
+// Flush queued microtasks (transaction-settlement plumbing runs on microtasks).
+async function flushMicrotasks(rounds = 10) {
+  for (let i = 0; i < rounds; i++) {
+    await Promise.resolve()
+  }
+}
+
+describe(`on-demand loadSubset readiness vs. a persisting transaction`, () => {
+  it(`returns the loaded rows with no mutation in flight (control — passes)`, async () => {
+    const { collection, loadSubsetCalls } = createOnDemandCollection()
+
+    const lq = createLiveQueryCollection((q) =>
+      q.from({ row: collection }).where(({ row }) => eq(row.projectId, `p1`)),
+    )
+    const rows = await lq.toArrayWhenReady()
+
+    expect(loadSubsetCalls()).toBe(1)
+    expect(rows.map((r) => r.id).sort()).toEqual([`r1`, `r2`])
+  })
+
+  it(`returns the loaded rows even while an unrelated mutation is persisting`, async () => {
+    const { collection, loadSubsetCalls } = createOnDemandCollection()
+
+    // An optimistic mutation whose mutationFn is still in flight => the
+    // transaction is in state `persisting`. It touches a DIFFERENT row that
+    // does not match the query predicate.
+    let resolveMutation: (() => void) | undefined
+    const tx = createTransaction({
+      mutationFn: () =>
+        new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+          resolveMutation = resolve
+        }),
+    })
+    tx.mutate(() =>
+      collection.insert({ id: `other`, projectId: `p2`, name: `x` }),
+    )
+    expect(tx.state).toBe(`persisting`)
+
+    const lq = createLiveQueryCollection((q) =>
+      q.from({ row: collection }).where(({ row }) => eq(row.projectId, `p1`)),
+    )
+    const rows = await lq.toArrayWhenReady()
+
+    // `loadSubset` ran (fetched + committed r1/r2) and the live query resolved
+    // ready — so the read must contain them.
+    expect(loadSubsetCalls()).toBe(1)
+    // vvv FAILS today: receives []. The committed synced transaction is parked
+    //     in `pendingSyncedTransactions` behind the persisting transaction.
+    expect(rows.map((r) => r.id).sort()).toEqual([`r1`, `r2`])
+
+    // The rows are parked, not lost: once the mutation settles they become
+    // readable, with no further `loadSubset` call.
+    resolveMutation?.()
+    await tx.isPersisted.promise
+    await flushMicrotasks()
+    expect(
+      collection.toArray
+        .filter((r) => r.projectId === `p1`)
+        .map((r) => r.id)
+        .sort(),
+    ).toEqual([`r1`, `r2`])
+    expect(loadSubsetCalls()).toBe(1)
+  })
+})