diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/debouncerByKey.ts b/frontend/src/lib/debouncerByKey.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f1b457ce3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/debouncerByKey.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/**
+ * Per-key debouncer with a max-wait ceiling — lodash's
+ * `debounce(fn, { wait, maxWait })` but the dispatch is keyed and each
+ * `schedule` call carries its own replacement task.
+ *
+ * Within a "chain" (the run of pending schedules ending at the next
+ * fire) the latest `fn` wins and the timer is pushed `debounceMs` into
+ * the future. The push is capped so the chain can never sit longer
+ * than `maxDebounceMs` from when it started — a constant trickle of
+ * fast writes can't delay a save forever.
+ *
+ * When the timer fires the chain ends; the next `schedule` starts a
+ * fresh chain with its own `chainStart`. Keys are independent.
+ *
+ * Errors from sync throws and from async rejections are logged and
+ * swallowed so a bad task doesn't break future scheduling.
+ */
+export type DebouncedTask = () => unknown | Promise<unknown>
+
+export type DebouncerByKey = {
+	/** Replace any pending task under `key` with `fn`, set/extend the
+	 * timer to `min(now + debounceMs, chainStart + maxDebounceMs)`. */
+	schedule(key: string, fn: DebouncedTask): void
+}
+
+type Entry = {
+	timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>
+	task: DebouncedTask
+	/** Wall-clock ms when the current chain's first schedule landed.
+	 * The max-wait ceiling is measured from here, not from "now". */
+	chainStart: number
+}
+
+export function createDebouncerByKey(opts: {
+	debounceMs: number
+	maxDebounceMs: number
+}): DebouncerByKey {
+	const { debounceMs, maxDebounceMs } = opts
+	const entries = new Map<string, Entry>()
+
+	function fire(key: string): void {
+		const entry = entries.get(key)
+		if (!entry) return
+		entries.delete(key)
+		try {
+			const result = entry.task()
+			if (result && typeof (result as Promise<unknown>).then === 'function') {
+				;(result as Promise<unknown>).catch((e) =>
+					console.error('debouncerByKey: task rejected', e)
+				)
+			}
+		} catch (e) {
+			console.error('debouncerByKey: task threw', e)
+		}
+	}
+
+	function schedule(key: string, fn: DebouncedTask): void {
+		const now = Date.now()
+		const existing = entries.get(key)
+		const chainStart = existing?.chainStart ?? now
+		const fireAt = Math.min(now + debounceMs, chainStart + maxDebounceMs)
+		const delay = Math.max(0, fireAt - now)
+
+		if (existing) clearTimeout(existing.timer)
+		const timer = setTimeout(() => fire(key), delay)
+		entries.set(key, { timer, task: fn, chainStart })
+	}
+
+	return { schedule }
+}