diff --git a/mdl-examples/bug-tests/free-annotation-roundtrip.mdl b/mdl-examples/bug-tests/free-annotation-roundtrip.mdl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ddd81525
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdl-examples/bug-tests/free-annotation-roundtrip.mdl
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+-- ============================================================================
+-- Regression: free microflow annotations remain free after roundtrip
+-- ============================================================================
+--
+-- Symptom:
+--   Free-floating @annotation lines that appear before activity-binding
+--   metadata can be attached to the next activity if the AST/builder loses the
+--   distinction between free and attached annotations.
+--
+-- After fix:
+--   Free annotations are represented only by ActivityAnnotations.FreeAnnotations
+--   and are emitted as standalone Annotation objects before the activity.
+--
+-- Usage:
+--   mxcli exec mdl-examples/bug-tests/free-annotation-roundtrip.mdl -p app.mpr
+--   mxcli -p app.mpr -c "describe microflow SyntheticFreeAnnotation.MF_FreeAnnotationRoundtrip"
+--   The two header annotations should appear before @position and must not be
+--   emitted as attached annotations on the log activity.
+-- ============================================================================
+
+create module SyntheticFreeAnnotation;
+
+create microflow SyntheticFreeAnnotation.MF_FreeAnnotationRoundtrip ()
+begin
+  @annotation 'header note one'
+  @annotation 'header note two'
+  @position(100, 200)
+  @annotation 'attached activity note'
+  log info node 'Synthetic' 'message';
+end;
+/
diff --git a/mdl/ast/ast_microflow.go b/mdl/ast/ast_microflow.go
index b611216d..6e0fe3c2 100644
--- a/mdl/ast/ast_microflow.go
+++ b/mdl/ast/ast_microflow.go
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ type ActivityAnnotations struct {
 	Caption         string       // @caption 'text'
 	Color           string       // @color Green
 	AnnotationText  string       // @annotation 'text'
-	FreeAnnotation  string       // @annotation 'text' before @position/@anchor, kept free-floating
 	FreeAnnotations []string     // Multiple free-floating @annotation lines in source order
 	Excluded        bool         // @excluded
 	Anchor          *FlowAnchors // @anchor(from: X, to: Y) — anchors of the flow leaving this statement
diff --git a/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations.go b/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations.go
index 9e53aeae..e812ad70 100644
--- a/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations.go
+++ b/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations.go
@@ -119,11 +119,8 @@ func (fb *flowBuilder) mergeStatementAnnotations(stmt ast.MicroflowStatement) {
 	if ann.AnnotationText != "" {
 		fb.pendingAnnotations.AnnotationText = ann.AnnotationText
 	}
-	if texts := freeAnnotationTexts(ann); len(texts) > 0 {
-		fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations = append(fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations, texts...)
-		if fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotation == "" {
-			fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotation = texts[0]
-		}
+	if len(ann.FreeAnnotations) > 0 {
+		fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations = append(fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations, ann.FreeAnnotations...)
 	}
 	if ann.Anchor != nil {
 		fb.pendingAnnotations.Anchor = ann.Anchor
@@ -289,19 +286,3 @@ func (fb *flowBuilder) attachFreeAnnotation(text string) {
 	}
 	fb.objects = append(fb.objects, annotation)
 }
-
-func freeAnnotationTexts(ann *ast.ActivityAnnotations) []string {
-	if ann == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	texts := append([]string(nil), ann.FreeAnnotations...)
-	if ann.FreeAnnotation != "" {
-		for _, text := range texts {
-			if text == ann.FreeAnnotation {
-				return texts
-			}
-		}
-		texts = append(texts, ann.FreeAnnotation)
-	}
-	return texts
-}
diff --git a/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations_test.go b/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations_test.go
index e6391bde..66589fa9 100644
--- a/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations_test.go
+++ b/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_annotations_test.go
@@ -318,8 +318,8 @@ func TestFreeAnnotationBeforePositionStaysUnattached(t *testing.T) {
 			Level:   ast.LogInfo,
 			Message: &ast.LiteralExpr{Kind: ast.LiteralString, Value: "message"},
 			Annotations: &ast.ActivityAnnotations{
-				FreeAnnotation: "free synthetic note",
-				Position:       &ast.Position{X: 120, Y: 240},
+				FreeAnnotations: []string{"free synthetic note"},
+				Position:        &ast.Position{X: 120, Y: 240},
 			},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_graph.go b/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_graph.go
index f2c421c7..03e406ca 100644
--- a/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_graph.go
+++ b/mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_graph.go
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@ func (fb *flowBuilder) buildFlowGraph(stmts []ast.MicroflowStatement, returns *a
 
 	// Handle leftover pending annotations (free-floating annotation text)
 	if fb.pendingAnnotations != nil {
-		for _, text := range freeAnnotationTexts(fb.pendingAnnotations) {
+		// Free annotations are standalone Annotation objects. Flush them before
+		// creating the activity so they do not get attached to it; buildFlowGraph
+		// has a final leftover flush for annotations with no following activity.
+		for _, text := range fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations {
 			fb.attachFreeAnnotation(text)
 		}
 		if fb.pendingAnnotations.AnnotationText != "" {
@@ -428,10 +431,9 @@ func (fb *flowBuilder) addStatement(stmt ast.MicroflowStatement) model.ID {
 		fb.posY = fb.pendingAnnotations.Position.Y
 	}
 	if fb.pendingAnnotations != nil {
-		for _, text := range freeAnnotationTexts(fb.pendingAnnotations) {
+		for _, text := range fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations {
 			fb.attachFreeAnnotation(text)
 		}
-		fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotation = ""
 		fb.pendingAnnotations.FreeAnnotations = nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/mdl/visitor/visitor_microflow_statements.go b/mdl/visitor/visitor_microflow_statements.go
index ca788eea..eb5981cd 100644
--- a/mdl/visitor/visitor_microflow_statements.go
+++ b/mdl/visitor/visitor_microflow_statements.go
@@ -209,9 +209,6 @@ func extractMicroflowAnnotations(annotations []parser.IAnnotationContext) *ast.A
 				if text != "" {
 					if !seenActivityMetadata && hasLaterActivityAnnotation(annotations, i+1) {
 						result.FreeAnnotations = append(result.FreeAnnotations, text)
-						if result.FreeAnnotation == "" {
-							result.FreeAnnotation = text
-						}
 					} else {
 						result.AnnotationText = text
 					}
diff --git a/mdl/visitor/visitor_test.go b/mdl/visitor/visitor_test.go
index 4012678c..28e396b9 100644
--- a/mdl/visitor/visitor_test.go
+++ b/mdl/visitor/visitor_test.go
@@ -1613,8 +1613,8 @@ END;`
 	if logStmt.Annotations == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected annotations")
 	}
-	if logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotation != "free note" {
-		t.Fatalf("free annotation = %q, want free note", logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotation)
+	if got := logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotations; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "free note" {
+		t.Fatalf("free annotations = %#v, want [free note]", got)
 	}
 	if logStmt.Annotations.AnnotationText != "" {
 		t.Fatalf("attached annotation = %q, want empty", logStmt.Annotations.AnnotationText)
@@ -1681,8 +1681,8 @@ END;`
 	if logStmt.Annotations.AnnotationText != "attached note" {
 		t.Fatalf("attached annotation = %q, want attached note", logStmt.Annotations.AnnotationText)
 	}
-	if logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotation != "" {
-		t.Fatalf("free annotation = %q, want empty", logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotation)
+	if len(logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotations) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("free annotations = %#v, want empty", logStmt.Annotations.FreeAnnotations)
 	}
 }