diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementPreviewModal.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementPreviewModal.tsx
index 65d93edc5..c7d75669c 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementPreviewModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementPreviewModal.tsx
@@ -165,9 +165,12 @@ const ReleaseManagementPreviewModal = ({
     show && !mixMatchSelection,
   );
 
+  // Mix & Match always fetches with includeVariations=true, so a selection may legitimately
+  // include a variation's PlaceID - this must match or the endpoint 400s on an "unknown" ID.
   const mixMatchPreviewQuery = useReleaseMixMatchDeletionPreviewQuery(
     selectedSeries?.[0] ?? 0,
     { selectedPlaceIDs: mixMatchSelection ?? [] },
+    true,
     show && !!mixMatchSelection && !!selectedSeries,
   );
   const mixMatchPreviewData = mixMatchPreviewQuery.data ? [mixMatchPreviewQuery.data] : undefined;
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesDetail.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesDetail.tsx
index 44ba21f5b..2f598dc20 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesDetail.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesDetail.tsx
@@ -95,9 +95,18 @@ const ReleaseManagementSeriesDetail = () => {
   const [mixMatchSelection, setMixMatchSelection] = useImmer<Map<string, number>>(new Map());
   const [mixMatchUnassignedCount, setMixMatchUnassignedCount] = useState(0);
 
+  // Candidates tab passes through the list page's includeVariations toggle, same as the batch
+  // preview. Mix & Match always wants every file - variations included - as a pickable option
+  // regardless of that toggle, so it fetches independently with includeVariations forced true.
   const seriesQuery = useReleaseManagementSeriesDetailQuery(seriesId, includeVariations, seriesId > 0);
   const series = seriesQuery.data;
 
+  const mixMatchSeriesQuery = useReleaseManagementSeriesDetailQuery(
+    seriesId,
+    true,
+    seriesId > 0 && activeTab === 'mixmatch',
+  );
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (seriesQuery.isError) {
       toast.error(`Series ${seriesId} is invalid or does not have multiple releases`);
@@ -219,10 +228,24 @@ const ReleaseManagementSeriesDetail = () => {
           />
         )}
 
-        {series && activeTab === 'mixmatch' && (
+        {activeTab === 'mixmatch' && mixMatchSeriesQuery.isPending && (
+          <div className="flex h-32 items-center justify-center text-panel-text-primary">
+            <Icon path={mdiLoading} size={2} spin />
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {activeTab === 'mixmatch' && mixMatchSeriesQuery.isError && (
+          <div className="flex h-32 items-center justify-center">
+            <span className="text-panel-text-danger">
+              Failed to load Mix &amp; Match options.
+            </span>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {activeTab === 'mixmatch' && mixMatchSeriesQuery.data && (
           <MixAndMatchTab
             selection={mixMatchSelection}
-            series={series}
+            series={mixMatchSeriesQuery.data}
             setSelection={setMixMatchSelection}
             setUnassignedCount={setMixMatchUnassignedCount}
           />
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesList.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesList.tsx
index 4531d6ab1..8537a0b42 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/ReleaseManagementSeriesList.tsx
@@ -150,11 +150,7 @@ const ReleaseManagementSeriesList = ({
   const lastRowIndex = useRef<number>(undefined);
   const handleRowClick = (event: MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>, index: number) => {
     if (!autoDeleteMode) {
-      navigate(
-        `${series[index].SeriesID.toString()}?tab=candidates&includeVariations=${
-          searchParams.get('includeVariations') ?? 'true'
-        }`,
-      );
+      navigate(`${series[index].SeriesID.toString()}?tab=candidates&includeVariations=${includeVariations}`);
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCard.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCard.tsx
index c95a8325e..cb9b3d430 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCard.tsx
@@ -36,8 +36,11 @@ const CandidateCard = ({
   const [markVariationsPending, setMarkVariationsPending] = useState(false);
 
   const coverageString = buildEpisodeCoverageString(candidate.Episodes);
-  const totalSize = candidate.Files.reduce((sum, file) => sum + file.FileSize, 0);
+  const realFiles = candidate.Files.filter(file => !file.IsVariation);
+  const variationFiles = candidate.Files.filter(file => file.IsVariation);
+  const totalSize = realFiles.reduce((sum, file) => sum + file.FileSize, 0);
   const redundantEpisodeStr = buildEpisodeCoverageString(candidate.RedundantEpisodes);
+  const multiFileEpisodeCount = candidate.Episodes.filter(episode => episode.PlaceIDs.length > 1).length;
 
   const isVersion = candidate.DecidingSignal === 'Version';
 
@@ -53,9 +56,9 @@ const CandidateCard = ({
   const handleMarkAllAsVariations = async () => {
     try {
       setMarkVariationsPending(true);
-      await Promise.all(candidate.Files.map(file => markVariation({ fileId: file.VideoLocalID, variation: true })));
+      await Promise.all(realFiles.map(file => markVariation({ fileId: file.VideoLocalID, variation: true })));
       resetQueries(['release-management']);
-      toast.success(`Marked ${candidate.Files.length} file${candidate.Files.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''} as variations`);
+      toast.success(`Marked ${realFiles.length} file${realFiles.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''} as variations`);
     } catch (_error) {
       toast.error('Failed to mark files as variations');
     }
@@ -171,10 +174,23 @@ const CandidateCard = ({
       <div className="border-t border-panel-border pt-3 text-sm">
         Coverage:&nbsp;
         <span className="font-semibold">{coverageString !== '' ? coverageString : 'None'}</span>
+        {multiFileEpisodeCount > 0 && (
+          <span
+            className="ml-2 text-panel-text-warning"
+            data-tooltip-id="tooltip"
+            data-tooltip-content="Multiple files legitimately cover the same episode - a multi-part release, or files with no detectable difference"
+          >
+            (
+            {multiFileEpisodeCount}
+            &nbsp;
+            {multiFileEpisodeCount === 1 ? 'episode has' : 'episodes have'}
+            &nbsp;multiple files)
+          </span>
+        )}
 
         <div className="mt-1">
           Files:&nbsp;
-          <span className="font-semibold">{candidate.Files.length}</span>
+          <span className="font-semibold">{realFiles.length}</span>
           {candidate.RedundantFileCount > 0 && (
             <>
               &nbsp;(
@@ -185,6 +201,14 @@ const CandidateCard = ({
               )
             </>
           )}
+          {variationFiles.length > 0 && (
+            <>
+              &nbsp;(+
+              {variationFiles.length}
+              &nbsp;
+              {variationFiles.length === 1 ? 'variation' : 'variations'})
+            </>
+          )}
           &nbsp;,&nbsp;
           <span className="font-semibold">{prettyBytes(totalSize, { binary: true })}</span>
         </div>
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCardFileList.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCardFileList.tsx
index a8452ee77..fc929a5fa 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCardFileList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidateCardFileList.tsx
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ const CandidateCardFileList = ({ candidate, isAiring, isPrimary, primaryEpisodes
         const fileCoverage = buildEpisodeCoverageString(file.Episodes);
         const fileStreamSummary = buildFileStreamSummary(file);
 
-        let fileState: 'redundant' | 'kept' | 'also-delete' | 'required' | 'unknown';
-        if (isPrimary) {
+        let fileState: 'redundant' | 'kept' | 'also-delete' | 'required' | 'unknown' | 'variation';
+        if (file.IsVariation) {
+          fileState = 'variation';
+        } else if (isPrimary) {
           fileState = 'kept';
         } else if (isAiring) {
           fileState = file.IsRedundant ? 'redundant' : 'kept';
@@ -86,6 +88,7 @@ const CandidateCardFileList = ({ candidate, isAiring, isPrimary, primaryEpisodes
                 {fileState === 'also-delete' && <span className="opacity-65">Could also delete</span>}
                 {fileState === 'kept' && <span className="opacity-65">Kept</span>}
                 {fileState === 'required' && <span className="text-panel-text-warning">Required - no other copy</span>}
+                {fileState === 'variation' && <span className="opacity-65">Variation - shown for reference</span>}
                 {fileState === 'unknown' && (
                   <span
                     className="flex items-center gap-1 text-panel-text-warning"
@@ -120,6 +123,8 @@ const CandidateCardFileList = ({ candidate, isAiring, isPrimary, primaryEpisodes
             )}
 
             <div className="mt-1 flex flex-wrap gap-x-2 gap-y-1">
+              {file.IsVariation && <Badge className="bg-panel-input">Variation</Badge>}
+
               {file.IsChaptered != null && (file.IsChaptered || isChapteredAnomaly) && (
                 <Badge
                   className={cx(
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidatesTab.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidatesTab.tsx
index 895b076bc..645ff84a7 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidatesTab.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/CandidatesTab.tsx
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ const CandidatesTab = ({ primaryCandidate, series, setPrimaryCandidate }: Props)
     const candidateRedundant = isSubsetOf(candidate.Episodes, primaryEpisodeSet);
 
     const deletedFiles = candidate.Files.filter((fileEntry) => {
+      if (fileEntry.IsVariation) return false;
       if (primaryPlaceIds.has(fileEntry.PlaceID)) return false;
       if (candidateRedundant) return true;
       return series.IsAiring
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchEpisode.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchEpisode.tsx
index a1969d9f7..f774d1625 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchEpisode.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchEpisode.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import cx from 'classnames';
 import prettyBytes from 'pretty-bytes';
 import { useToggle } from 'usehooks-ts';
 
+import { Badge } from '@/components/Badge';
+
 export type FileOption = {
   placeID: number;
   absolutePath?: string;
@@ -13,6 +15,7 @@ export type FileOption = {
   groupLabel: string;
   version: number;
   isChaptered?: boolean;
+  isVariation: boolean;
   subtitleStreamCount: number;
   source?: string;
   resolution?: string;
@@ -88,6 +91,7 @@ export const MixAndMatchEpisode = ({
           {selectedOption && (
             <>
               <span className="font-semibold">{selectedOption.groupLabel}</span>{' '}
+              {selectedOption.isVariation && <Badge className="bg-panel-input">Variation</Badge>}{' '}
               <span className="opacity-65">
                 - {getOptionSummary(selectedOption)}, {prettyBytes(selectedOption.fileSize, { binary: true })}
               </span>
@@ -106,7 +110,8 @@ export const MixAndMatchEpisode = ({
         {isExpanded && (
           <div className="border-t border-panel-border">
             {episode.options.map((option) => {
-              const { absolutePath, audioLanguages, fileSize, groupLabel, placeID, subtitleLanguages } = option;
+              const { absolutePath, audioLanguages, fileSize, groupLabel, isVariation, placeID, subtitleLanguages } =
+                option;
               const isSelected = selectedPlaceID === placeID;
               const fileName = absolutePath?.split(/[/\\]/).pop() ?? `Place ${placeID}`;
               const summary = getOptionSummary(option);
@@ -130,7 +135,10 @@ export const MixAndMatchEpisode = ({
                   />
 
                   <div className="min-w-0 grow">
-                    <div className="font-semibold">{groupLabel}</div>
+                    <div className="flex items-center gap-x-2">
+                      <div className="font-semibold">{groupLabel}</div>
+                      {isVariation && <Badge className="bg-panel-input">Variation</Badge>}
+                    </div>
                     <div className="text-xs opacity-65">{summary}</div>
                     {(audioLanguages.length > 0 || subtitleLanguages.length > 0) && (
                       <div className="text-xs opacity-65">
diff --git a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchTab.tsx b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchTab.tsx
index c9f5c1ed8..aa0931614 100644
--- a/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchTab.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Utilities/ReleaseManagement/SeriesDetail/MixAndMatchTab.tsx
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ const buildEpisodeMap = (items: ReleaseCandidateType[] | ReleaseOverrideType[])
             groupLabel: item.Name,
             version: file.Version,
             isChaptered: file.IsChaptered,
+            // OverrideFileType (used for partial-coverage groups) has no IsVariation field.
+            isVariation: 'IsVariation' in file && file.IsVariation,
             subtitleStreamCount: item.SubtitleStreamCount,
             source: item.Source,
             resolution: item.Resolution,
diff --git a/src/core/react-query/release-management/queries.ts b/src/core/react-query/release-management/queries.ts
index bf9c44d74..327b7b4e4 100644
--- a/src/core/react-query/release-management/queries.ts
+++ b/src/core/react-query/release-management/queries.ts
@@ -60,10 +60,14 @@ export const useReleaseDeletionPreviewQuery = (
 export const useReleaseMixMatchDeletionPreviewQuery = (
   seriesId: number,
   body: ReleaseMixMatchDeletionPreviewRequestType,
+  includeVariations = false,
   enabled = true,
 ) =>
   useQuery<ReleaseDeletionPreviewType>({
-    queryKey: ['release-management', 'preview', 'mix-match', seriesId, body],
-    queryFn: () => axios.post(`ReleaseManagement/Series/${seriesId}/Override`, body),
+    queryKey: ['release-management', 'preview', 'mix-match', seriesId, body, includeVariations],
+    queryFn: () =>
+      axios.post(`ReleaseManagement/Series/${seriesId}/Override`, body, {
+        params: { includeVariations },
+      }),
     enabled,
   });
diff --git a/src/core/types/api/release-management.ts b/src/core/types/api/release-management.ts
index 7cb1af5a2..1abd3d33f 100644
--- a/src/core/types/api/release-management.ts
+++ b/src/core/types/api/release-management.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ export type EpisodeCoverageType = {
   Type: EpisodeTypeEnum;
   Number: number;
   GroupShortName?: string;
+  /** PlaceIDs of every file covering this episode. Only populated on candidate-level `Episodes`; always empty on a file's own `Episodes`. More than one entry means multiple files legitimately cover this episode. */
+  PlaceIDs: number[];
 };
 
 export type ReleaseCandidateFileType = {
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ export type ReleaseCandidateFileType = {
   AbsolutePath?: string;
   FileSize: number;
   Version: number;
+  IsVariation: boolean;
   IsRedundant: boolean;
   IsChaptered?: boolean;
   IsCensored?: boolean;