diff --git a/assets/js/main.js b/assets/js/main.js
index f2c4c75..f65e304 100644
--- a/assets/js/main.js
+++ b/assets/js/main.js
@@ -187,6 +187,33 @@
             const paperDiv = document.createElement("div");
             paperDiv.className = "featured-paper";
             paperDiv.style.cursor = "pointer";
+            let sectionHasStaticImage = false;
+
+            const hasNonBadgeImage = (element) => {
+              const images = element.matches("img")
+                ? [element]
+                : Array.from(element.querySelectorAll("img"));
+
+              return images.some((image) => {
+                const src = image.getAttribute("src") || "";
+                return !src.includes("img.shields.io");
+              });
+            };
+
+            for (
+              let cursor = section.nextElementSibling;
+              cursor;
+              cursor = cursor.nextElementSibling
+            ) {
+              if (cursor.matches("h3")) {
+                break;
+              }
+
+              if (hasNonBadgeImage(cursor)) {
+                sectionHasStaticImage = true;
+                break;
+              }
+            }
 
             // Get all content until the next h3 or end
             let content = [section.cloneNode(true)];
@@ -223,8 +250,14 @@
                 continue;
               }
 
-              // Keep homepage cards lightweight: skip embedded media.
+              // Skip embedded media when the paper already has a static image.
+              // Otherwise keep the iframe so cards do not lose their only media.
               if (nextEl.matches("iframe")) {
+                if (!sectionHasStaticImage) {
+                  const iframeClone = nextEl.cloneNode(true);
+                  iframeClone.setAttribute("loading", "lazy");
+                  content.push(iframeClone);
+                }
                 nextEl = nextEl.nextElementSibling;
                 continue;
               }
diff --git a/tests/featured-papers-regression.test.js b/tests/featured-papers-regression.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2f2655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/featured-papers-regression.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+describe("featured papers homepage media handling", () => {
+  const researchHtml = `
+    <h3 id="1">[1] Iframe-only featured paper</h3>
+    <div class="tags"><span>Featured</span></div>
+    <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/abc123"></iframe>
+
+    <h3 id="2">[2] Featured paper with static image</h3>
+    <div class="tags"><span>Featured</span></div>
+    <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/def456"></iframe>
+    <div><img src="/assets/images/covers/example.webp" alt="cover" /></div>
+  `;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.resetModules();
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+      <div id="preloader"></div>
+      <div class="featured-item__image"></div>
+      <div id="about-content"></div>
+      <div id="news-content"></div>
+    `;
+    window.history.pushState({}, "", "/");
+
+    global.marked = {
+      parse: jest.fn((value) => value),
+    };
+    global.DOMPurify = {
+      sanitize: jest.fn((value) => value),
+    };
+
+    fetch.mockReset();
+    fetch.mockImplementation((url) => {
+      if (url === "/research/") {
+        return Promise.resolve({
+          ok: true,
+          text: () => Promise.resolve(researchHtml),
+        });
+      }
+
+      return Promise.resolve({
+        ok: true,
+        text: () => Promise.resolve(""),
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = "";
+    delete global.marked;
+    delete global.DOMPurify;
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it(
+    "keeps iframe-only featured cards from losing their only media",
+    async () => {
+      require("../assets/js/main.js");
+
+      window.dispatchEvent(new Event("load"));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+
+    const cards = document.querySelectorAll(".featured-paper");
+    const firstIframe = cards[0].querySelector("iframe");
+
+    expect(cards).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(firstIframe).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(firstIframe.getAttribute("loading")).toBe("lazy");
+    expect(cards[1].querySelector("iframe")).toBeNull();
+      expect(cards[1].querySelector("img")).not.toBeNull();
+    }
+  );
+});