diff --git a/app/controllers/staff/ratings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/staff/ratings_controller.rb
index 5dd39fe08..840e6d1d6 100644
--- a/app/controllers/staff/ratings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/staff/ratings_controller.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ def create
     @rating = Rating.find_or_initialize_by(proposal: @proposal, user: current_user)
     @rating.update!(rating_params)
 
-    render partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_widget', locals: {event: @proposal.event, proposal: @proposal, rating: @rating}
+    # The first rating reveals the internal comments; replace the whole widget.
+    render_rating_widget
   end
 
   def update
@@ -21,16 +22,31 @@ def update
     if rating_params[:score].blank?
       @rating.destroy
       @rating = current_user.ratings.build(proposal: @proposal)
-      render partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_widget', locals: {event: @proposal.event, proposal: @proposal, rating: @rating}
+      # Removing the rating re-hides the internal comments; replace the whole widget.
+      render_rating_widget
       return
     end
 
     @rating.update!(rating_params)
-    render partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_widget', locals: {event: @proposal.event, proposal: @proposal, rating: @rating}
+    # A score change must not touch the internal comments (a draft may be in
+    # progress there); replace only the rating form's own frame.
+    render turbo_stream: turbo_stream.replace(
+      helpers.dom_id(@proposal, :rating_form),
+      partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_form_frame',
+      locals: {event: @proposal.event, proposal: @proposal, rating: @rating}
+    )
   end
 
   private
 
+  def render_rating_widget
+    render turbo_stream: turbo_stream.replace(
+      helpers.dom_id(@proposal, :rating_widget),
+      partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_widget',
+      locals: {event: @proposal.event, proposal: @proposal, rating: @rating}
+    )
+  end
+
   def rating_params
     params.require(:rating).permit(:score).merge(proposal: @proposal, user: current_user)
   end
diff --git a/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_form_frame.html.haml b/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_form_frame.html.haml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d3de8edcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_form_frame.html.haml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+= turbo_frame_tag dom_id(proposal, :rating_form) do
+  .widget-content
+    = render partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_form', locals: {event: event, proposal: proposal, rating: rating}
diff --git a/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_widget.html.haml b/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_widget.html.haml
index 2a1b2c2d6..4bd758b21 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_widget.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/proposals/_rating_widget.html.haml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 = turbo_frame_tag dom_id(proposal, :rating_widget) do
-  .widget-content
-    = render partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_form', locals: {event: event, proposal: proposal, rating: rating}
+  = render partial: 'shared/proposals/rating_form_frame', locals: {event: event, proposal: proposal, rating: rating}
 
   .internal-comments{class: !rating.persisted? ? 'hidden' : nil}
     .widget-header
diff --git a/spec/system/staff/rating_preserves_comment_draft_spec.rb b/spec/system/staff/rating_preserves_comment_draft_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..17c4b2c80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/system/staff/rating_preserves_comment_draft_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+feature 'Rating a proposal with an internal comment draft in progress', type: :system, js: true do
+  let(:event) { create(:event, state: 'open') }
+  let(:reviewer_user) { create(:user) }
+  let(:proposal) { create(:proposal_with_track, event: event) }
+  let!(:teammate) { create(:teammate, :reviewer, user: reviewer_user, event: event) }
+
+  before do
+    reviewer_user.ratings.create!(proposal: proposal, score: 3)
+    login_as(reviewer_user)
+    visit event_staff_proposal_path(event, proposal)
+  end
+
+  it 'changing the star rating preserves typed internal comment text' do
+    fill_in 'internal_comment_body', with: 'Half-typed thought'
+
+    within('#rating-form') do
+      find("input[value='5']", visible: false).set(true)
+    end
+    expect(page).to have_css('.avg-rating', text: '5.0')
+
+    expect(page).to have_field('internal_comment_body', with: 'Half-typed thought')
+  end
+
+  it 'removing the rating hides the internal comments again' do
+    within('#rating-form') do
+      find('input.star-rating-select.delete', visible: false).set(true)
+    end
+
+    expect(page).to_not have_content('Internal Comment')
+  end
+end