diff --git a/frontend/src/components/viewer/EmbedPdfViewer.tsx b/frontend/src/components/viewer/EmbedPdfViewer.tsx
index f8c6d0e4f..71dbfa90b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/viewer/EmbedPdfViewer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/viewer/EmbedPdfViewer.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { useNavigationGuard, useNavigationState } from '../../contexts/Navigatio
 import { useSignature } from '../../contexts/SignatureContext';
 import { createStirlingFilesAndStubs } from '../../services/fileStubHelpers';
 import NavigationWarningModal from '../shared/NavigationWarningModal';
+import { isStirlingFile } from '../../types/fileContext';
 
 export interface EmbedPdfViewerProps {
   sidebarsVisible: boolean;
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ const EmbedPdfViewerContent = ({
             transition: 'margin-right 0.3s ease'
           }}>
             <LocalEmbedPDF
+              key={currentFile && isStirlingFile(currentFile) ? currentFile.fileId : (effectiveFile.file instanceof File ? effectiveFile.file.name : effectiveFile.url)}
               file={effectiveFile.file}
               url={effectiveFile.url}
               enableAnnotations={shouldEnableAnnotations}
diff --git a/frontend/src/tools/Sign.tsx b/frontend/src/tools/Sign.tsx
index 5b68f9f38..cef8255e2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/tools/Sign.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/tools/Sign.tsx
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@ const Sign = (props: BaseToolProps) => {
       console.log('exportActions:', exportActions);
       console.log('signatureApiRef.current:', signatureApiRef.current);
 
-      // Deactivate signature placement mode immediately
-      handleDeactivateSignature();
-
       // Unregister unsaved changes checker to prevent warning during apply
       unregisterUnsavedChangesChecker();
       setHasUnsavedChanges(false);
@@ -104,29 +101,36 @@ const Sign = (props: BaseToolProps) => {
       console.log('originalFile:', originalFile);
 
       // Use the signature flattening utility
-      const newFileIds = await flattenSignatures({
+      const flattenResult = await flattenSignatures({
         signatureApiRef,
         getImageData,
         exportActions,
         selectors,
-        consumeFiles,
         originalFile,
         getScrollState
       });
 
-      console.log('flattenSignatures result:', newFileIds);
+      console.log('flattenSignatures result:', flattenResult);
 
-      if (newFileIds && newFileIds.length > 0) {
-        console.log('✓ Signature flattening completed successfully');
+      if (flattenResult) {
+        console.log('✓ Signature flattening completed - now consuming files');
+
+        // Now consume the files - this triggers the viewer reload
+        const newFileIds = await consumeFiles(
+          flattenResult.inputFileIds,
+          [flattenResult.outputStirlingFile],
+          [flattenResult.outputStub]
+        );
+
+        console.log('✓ Files consumed successfully. New file IDs:', newFileIds);
 
         // Mark signatures as applied
         setSignaturesApplied(true);
 
-        // Force viewer reload to show flattened PDF
-        setWorkbench('fileEditor');
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          setWorkbench('viewer');
-        }, 50);
+        // Deactivate signature placement mode after everything completes
+        handleDeactivateSignature();
+
+        // File has been consumed - viewer should reload automatically via key prop
       } else {
         console.error('Signature flattening failed');
       }
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/signatureFlattening.ts b/frontend/src/utils/signatureFlattening.ts
index 85b41f769..2ef1f23a1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/signatureFlattening.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/signatureFlattening.ts
@@ -17,13 +17,18 @@ interface SignatureFlatteningOptions {
     saveAsCopy: () => Promise<ArrayBuffer | null>;
   };
   selectors: MinimalFileContextSelectors;
-  consumeFiles: (inputFileIds: FileId[], outputStirlingFiles: StirlingFile[], outputStirlingFileStubs: StirlingFileStub[]) => Promise<FileId[]>;
   originalFile?: StirlingFile;
   getScrollState: () => { currentPage: number; totalPages: number };
 }
 
-export async function flattenSignatures(options: SignatureFlatteningOptions): Promise<FileId[] | null> {
-  const { signatureApiRef, getImageData, exportActions, selectors, consumeFiles, originalFile, getScrollState } = options;
+export interface SignatureFlatteningResult {
+  inputFileIds: FileId[];
+  outputStirlingFile: StirlingFile;
+  outputStub: StirlingFileStub;
+}
+
+export async function flattenSignatures(options: SignatureFlatteningOptions): Promise<SignatureFlatteningResult | null> {
+  const { signatureApiRef, getImageData, exportActions, selectors, originalFile, getScrollState } = options;
 
   try {
     // Step 1: Extract all annotations from EmbedPDF before export
@@ -319,13 +324,14 @@ export async function flattenSignatures(options: SignatureFlatteningOptions): Pr
       const outputStirlingFile = createStirlingFile(signedFile, outputStub.id);
 
       console.log('Output stub version:', outputStub.versionNumber);
-      console.log('Consuming files - replacing:', inputFileIds, 'with:', outputStub.id);
+      console.log('✓ Signature flattening completed successfully');
 
-      // Replace the original file with the signed version
-      const newFileIds = await consumeFiles(inputFileIds, [outputStirlingFile], [outputStub]);
-
-      console.log('✓ Signature flattening completed successfully. New file IDs:', newFileIds);
-      return newFileIds;
+      // Return the flattened file data for consumption by caller
+      return {
+        inputFileIds,
+        outputStirlingFile,
+        outputStub
+      };
     }
 
     return null;