diff --git a/src/talemate/agents/director/plan/nodes.py b/src/talemate/agents/director/plan/nodes.py
index 07502273..0873d223 100644
--- a/src/talemate/agents/director/plan/nodes.py
+++ b/src/talemate/agents/director/plan/nodes.py
@@ -268,9 +268,14 @@ class GetActivePlan(Node):
         beats = []
 
         if plan:
-            perspective = plan.meta.get("perspective", "")
+            perspective = plan.meta.get("perspective") or ""
             beats = [t for t in plan.tasks if isinstance(t, Beat)]
 
+        # Fall back to scene perspective or a sensible default
+        if not perspective:
+            scene = active_scene.get()
+            perspective = getattr(scene, "perspective", "") or "Third person, past tense."
+
         self.set_output_values(
             {
                 "state": input_state,
@@ -364,7 +369,7 @@ class ExpandStoryArc(AgentNode):
         input_state = self.require_input("state")
         plan_id = self.require_input("plan_id")
         beats = self.require_input("beats")
-        perspective = self.require_input("perspective")
+        perspective = self.normalized_input_value("perspective") or "Third person, past tense."
         director_notes = self.normalized_input_value("director_notes") or ""
         chunk_size = self.normalized_input_value("chunk_size") or int(
             self.get_property("chunk_size")