diff --git a/node-graph/graph-craft/src/document/value.rs b/node-graph/graph-craft/src/document/value.rs
index 370391240d..3397fdee92 100644
--- a/node-graph/graph-craft/src/document/value.rs
+++ b/node-graph/graph-craft/src/document/value.rs
@@ -325,7 +325,9 @@ macro_rules! tagged_value {
 						check_level!(List<Graphic>, Graphic);
 						check_level!(List<Artboard>, Artboard);
 						check_level!(List<Raster<CPU>>, Raster<CPU>);
-						check_level!(List<Vector>, Vector);
+						// One default lane rather than an empty level: an unwired path input
+						// starts from a blank vector, as the legacy path modify synthesized itself.
+						if name == std::any::type_name::<List<Vector>>() { return Ok(leveled_record_value_edge(vec![Vector::default()])); }
 						check_level!(List<String>, String);
 						if name == std::any::type_name::<DocumentNode>() { return Ok(record_value_edge(DocumentNode::default())); }
 						if name == std::any::type_name::<Resource>() { return Ok(record_value_edge(Resource::default())); }
diff --git a/node-graph/nodes/vector/src/vector_modification_nodes.rs b/node-graph/nodes/vector/src/vector_modification_nodes.rs
index 4c3d4fd997..6a24315a66 100644
--- a/node-graph/nodes/vector/src/vector_modification_nodes.rs
+++ b/node-graph/nodes/vector/src/vector_modification_nodes.rs
@@ -1,37 +1,42 @@
+use core_types::attribute::{Attr, EditorLayerPath, RemoveAttr};
+use core_types::gpoll::{GraphError, Interrupt};
 use core_types::list::List;
 use core_types::uuid::NodeId;
-use core_types::{ATTR_EDITOR_LAYER_PATH, ATTR_TRANSFORM, Ctx};
+use core_types::{ATTR_TRANSFORM, Ctx, ExtractIndex, InjectIndex};
 use glam::DAffine2;
 use graphic_types::Vector;
-use vector_types::ATTR_EDITOR_CLICK_TARGET;
+use vector_types::markers::EditorClickTarget;
 use vector_types::vector::VectorModification;
 
 /// Applies a differential modification to a vector path, associating changes made by the Pen and Path tools to indices of edited points and segments.
+/// The modification applies to the level's first lane only; an unwired input serves one blank lane through the
+/// `TypeDefault` value form, so a fresh path starts from a default vector.
 #[node_macro::node(category(""))]
-fn path_modify(_ctx: impl Ctx, mut vector: List<Vector>, modification: Box<VectorModification>, node_path: Vec<NodeId>) -> List<Vector> {
-	use core_types::list::Item;
-
-	if vector.is_empty() {
-		vector.push(Item::default());
+fn path_modify<'e>(
+	ctx: impl Ctx + ExtractArena<'e> + ExtractIndex + InjectIndex + Copy,
+	(element, existing): (Vector, Attr<'e, EditorLayerPath>),
+	modification: Box<VectorModification>,
+	node_path: Vec<NodeId>,
+) -> Result<(Vector, Attr<'e, EditorLayerPath>, RemoveAttr<EditorClickTarget>), Interrupt> {
+	let mut element = element;
+	if ctx.innermost_index() == 0 {
+		modification.apply(&mut element);
 	}
-	modification.apply(vector.element_mut(0).expect("push should give one item"));
-
-	// Drop stale click-target override so hit testing uses the geometry the user is now editing
-	vector.remove_attribute(ATTR_EDITOR_CLICK_TARGET);
 
 	// Set the path to the encapsulating subgraph (drop our own trailing entry from `node_path`),
 	// matching the `path_of_subgraph` proto so editor tools can route data back to the parent layer.
-	let subgraph_path: List<NodeId> = {
-		let len = node_path.len();
-		node_path.into_iter().take(len.saturating_sub(1)).map(Item::new_from_element).collect()
+	let path = match existing.is_empty() {
+		false => existing.to_vec(),
+		true => {
+			let len = node_path.len();
+			node_path.into_iter().take(len.saturating_sub(1)).collect()
+		}
 	};
-	let existing: List<NodeId> = vector.attribute_cloned_or_default(ATTR_EDITOR_LAYER_PATH, 0);
-	vector.set_attribute(ATTR_EDITOR_LAYER_PATH, 0, if existing.is_empty() { subgraph_path } else { existing });
-
-	if vector.len() > 1 {
-		warn!("The path modify ran on {} vector items. Only the first can be modified.", vector.len());
-	}
-	vector
+	let (parked, _) = ctx.arena().alloc(path).ok_or(GraphError {
+		kind: core_types::gpoll::ErrorKind::ArenaExhausted,
+		trace: Vec::new(),
+	})?;
+	Ok((element, Attr(parked.as_slice()), RemoveAttr::new()))
 }
 
 /// Applies the vector path's local transformation to its geometry and resets the transform to the identity.