diff --git a/src/components/purchase-orders/send-po-modal.tsx b/src/components/purchase-orders/send-po-modal.tsx
index 14d817e..593f373 100644
--- a/src/components/purchase-orders/send-po-modal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/purchase-orders/send-po-modal.tsx
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@ export function SendPoModal({ open, purchaseOrder, onClose, onSent }: Props) {
       setSubject(`Purchase Order ${po.po_number}`);
       setMessage("");
     }
-    // Phase 2: async default-body seed. SKIPPED on the resend flow — the
-    // operator's previous bodyText is already prefilled in phase 1 above
-    // and we mustn't clobber it with the generic template once the fetch
-    // resolves. Phase 2 also gates messageLoading so the textarea doesn't
-    // grey out mid-edit on resend.
-    if (!isResendFlow) {
+    // Phase 2: async default-body seed. Skip only when the resend flow has a
+    // previous body to preserve so the generic template doesn't clobber it.
+    // If there is nothing to preserve (for example, a legacy sent PO without
+    // email_payload), fall back to the default body. Phase 2 also gates
+    // messageLoading so the textarea doesn't grey out mid-edit on resend.
+    if (!isResendFlow || !previous) {
       setMessageLoading(true);
       (async () => {
         try {