diff --git a/backend/prompt_executor.py b/backend/prompt_executor.py
index 3b13100..bb053ee 100644
--- a/backend/prompt_executor.py
+++ b/backend/prompt_executor.py
@@ -50,17 +50,24 @@ def resolve_placeholders(template: str, variables: Dict[str, Any], debug_info: O
                 resolved_value = str(value)
 
             # Apply modifiers
-            if 'd' in modifiers and catalog:
-                # Add description from catalog
-                description = None
-                for cat_items in catalog.values():
-                    matching = [item for item in cat_items if item['key'] == key]
-                    if matching:
-                        description = matching[0].get('description', '')
-                        break
+            if 'd' in modifiers:
+                if catalog:
+                    # Add description from catalog
+                    description = None
+                    for cat_items in catalog.values():
+                        matching = [item for item in cat_items if item['key'] == key]
+                        if matching:
+                            description = matching[0].get('description', '')
+                            break
 
-                if description:
-                    resolved_value = f"{resolved_value} ({description})"
+                    if description:
+                        resolved_value = f"{resolved_value} ({description})"
+                else:
+                    # Catalog not available - log warning in debug
+                    if debug_info is not None:
+                        if 'warnings' not in debug_info:
+                            debug_info['warnings'] = []
+                        debug_info['warnings'].append(f"Modifier |d used but catalog not available for {key}")
 
             # Track resolution for debug
             if debug_info is not None:
@@ -407,9 +414,11 @@ async def execute_prompt_with_data(
     # Load placeholder catalog for |d modifier support
     try:
         catalog = get_placeholder_catalog(profile_id)
-        variables['_catalog'] = catalog  # Will be popped in execute_prompt
-    except Exception:
+    except Exception as e:
         catalog = None
+        print(f"Warning: Could not load placeholder catalog: {e}")
+
+    variables['_catalog'] = catalog  # Will be popped in execute_prompt (can be None)
 
     # Add PROCESSED placeholders (name, weight_trend, caliper_summary, etc.)
     # This makes old-style prompts work with the new executor
diff --git a/backend/routers/prompts.py b/backend/routers/prompts.py
index 139a7a2..44c7ee2 100644
--- a/backend/routers/prompts.py
+++ b/backend/routers/prompts.py
@@ -786,13 +786,14 @@ async def execute_unified_prompt(
         }
 
     # Execute with prompt_executor
+    # Always enable debug when saving to collect metadata for value table
     result = await execute_prompt_with_data(
         prompt_slug=prompt_slug,
         profile_id=profile_id,
         modules=modules,
         timeframes=timeframes,
         openrouter_call_func=call_openrouter,
-        enable_debug=debug
+        enable_debug=debug or save  # Enable debug if saving for metadata collection
     )
 
     # Save to ai_insights if requested
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/UnifiedPromptModal.jsx b/frontend/src/components/UnifiedPromptModal.jsx
index 24badf7..e99bd99 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/UnifiedPromptModal.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/UnifiedPromptModal.jsx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export default function UnifiedPromptModal({ prompt, onSave, onClose }) {
   const [pickerTarget, setPickerTarget] = useState(null) // 'base' or {stage, promptIdx}
   const [cursorPosition, setCursorPosition] = useState(null) // Track cursor position for insertion
   const baseTemplateRef = useRef(null)
+  const stageTemplateRefs = useRef({}) // Map of stage_promptIdx -> ref
 
   // Test functionality
   const [testing, setTesting] = useState(false)
@@ -657,9 +658,18 @@ export default function UnifiedPromptModal({ prompt, onSave, onClose }) {
                       ) : (
                         <div>
                           <textarea
+                            ref={el => stageTemplateRefs.current[`${stage.stage}_${pIdx}`] = el}
                             className="form-input"
                             value={p.template || ''}
                             onChange={e => updateStagePrompt(stage.stage, pIdx, 'template', e.target.value)}
+                            onClick={e => {
+                              setCursorPosition(e.target.selectionStart)
+                              setPickerTarget({ stage: stage.stage, promptIdx: pIdx })
+                            }}
+                            onKeyUp={e => {
+                              setCursorPosition(e.target.selectionStart)
+                              setPickerTarget({ stage: stage.stage, promptIdx: pIdx })
+                            }}
                             rows={3}
                             placeholder="Inline-Template mit {{placeholders}}..."
                             style={{ width: '100%', fontSize: 12, textAlign: 'left', resize: 'vertical', fontFamily: 'monospace' }}
@@ -819,16 +829,32 @@ export default function UnifiedPromptModal({ prompt, onSave, onClose }) {
                 }
               }, 0)
             } else if (pickerTarget && typeof pickerTarget === 'object') {
-              // Insert into pipeline stage template (append at end for now)
+              // Insert into pipeline stage template at cursor position
               const { stage: stageNum, promptIdx } = pickerTarget
               setStages(stages.map(s => {
                 if (s.stage === stageNum) {
                   const newPrompts = [...s.prompts]
                   const currentTemplate = newPrompts[promptIdx].template || ''
+                  const pos = cursorPosition ?? currentTemplate.length
+                  const newTemplate = currentTemplate.slice(0, pos) + placeholder + currentTemplate.slice(pos)
+
                   newPrompts[promptIdx] = {
                     ...newPrompts[promptIdx],
-                    template: currentTemplate + placeholder
+                    template: newTemplate
                   }
+
+                  // Restore focus and cursor position
+                  setTimeout(() => {
+                    const refKey = `${stageNum}_${promptIdx}`
+                    const textarea = stageTemplateRefs.current[refKey]
+                    if (textarea) {
+                      textarea.focus()
+                      const newPos = pos + placeholder.length
+                      textarea.setSelectionRange(newPos, newPos)
+                      setCursorPosition(newPos)
+                    }
+                  }, 0)
+
                   return { ...s, prompts: newPrompts }
                 }
                 return s