diff --git a/test_tui.c b/test_tui.c
index 8b04f21..6b27d40 100644
--- a/test_tui.c
+++ b/test_tui.c
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ void test_paste_clips(void) {
     assert(row_offset == 2);
     assert(col_offset == 2);
     
-    // Simulate paste: trigger clip at new position
+    // Simulate paste: trigger clip twice to go empty -> recording -> stopped
     int new_row = first_yanked_row + row_offset;
     int new_col = first_yanked_col + col_offset;
     int new_clip_idx = new_row * 8 + new_col;
@@ -880,9 +880,10 @@ void test_paste_clips(void) {
     assert(new_col == 3);
     assert(new_clip_idx == 27);
     
+    engine_trigger_clip(engine, new_clip_idx);
     engine_trigger_clip(engine, new_clip_idx);
     engine_process_commands(engine);
-    assert(engine->clips[27].state == CLIP_RECORDING);
+    assert(engine->clips[27].state == CLIP_STOPPED);
     
     destroy_test_engine(engine);
     printf("PASSED\n");
diff --git a/tui.c b/tui.c
index 99411d0..2036558 100644
--- a/tui.c
+++ b/tui.c
@@ -165,6 +165,8 @@ static void paste_clips(void) {
         // Bounds check
         if (new_row >= 0 && new_row < GRID_ROWS && new_col >= 0 && new_col < GRID_COLS) {
             int new_clip_idx = grid_to_clip_index(new_row, new_col);
+            // Trigger twice to go from empty -> recording -> stopped
+            engine_trigger_clip(g_engine, new_clip_idx);
             engine_trigger_clip(g_engine, new_clip_idx);
         }
     }