diff --git a/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.cpp b/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.cpp
index 0b6fb7b717..f20e775c29 100644
--- a/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.cpp
+++ b/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.cpp
@@ -245,10 +245,10 @@ protected:
 
     void openTable( const LIBRARY_TABLE_ROW& aRow ) override
     {
-        wxString uri = LIBRARY_MANAGER::ExpandURI( aRow.URI(), Pgm().GetSettingsManager().Prj() );
-        auto     nestedTable = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( uri, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
+        wxFileName fn( LIBRARY_MANAGER::ExpandURI( aRow.URI(), Pgm().GetSettingsManager().Prj() ) );
+        std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE> child = std::make_shared<LIBRARY_TABLE>( fn, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
 
-        m_panel->AddTable( nestedTable.get(), aRow.Nickname(), true );
+        m_panel->OpenTable( child, aRow.Nickname() );
     }
 
     wxString getTablePreamble() override
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ protected:
 };
 
 
-void PANEL_DESIGN_BLOCK_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* aTable, const wxString& aTitle )
+void PANEL_DESIGN_BLOCK_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( const std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>& aTable, const wxString& aTitle )
 {
     for( int ii = 2; ii < (int) m_notebook->GetPageCount(); ++ii )
     {
@@ -276,7 +276,8 @@ void PANEL_DESIGN_BLOCK_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* aTable, const wxStr
         }
     }
 
-    AddTable( aTable, aTitle, true );
+    m_nestedTables.push_back( aTable );
+    AddTable( aTable.get(), aTitle, true );
 
     // Something is pretty fishy with wxAuiNotebook::ChangeSelection(); on Mac at least it
     // results in a re-entrant call where the second call is one page behind.
diff --git a/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.h b/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.h
index 36ff2054eb..e151c3e48e 100644
--- a/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.h
+++ b/common/dialogs/panel_design_block_lib_table.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public:
     bool TransferDataFromWindow() override;
 
     void AddTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* table, const wxString& aTitle, bool aClosable );
-    void OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* table, const wxString& aTitle );
+    void OpenTable( const std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>& table, const wxString& aTitle );
 
 private:
     /**
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ private:
     wxString                    m_lastProjectLibDir;   //< Transient (unsaved) last browsed folder when adding a
                                                        // project level library.
 
+    std::vector<std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>> m_nestedTables;
+
     std::map<DESIGN_BLOCK_IO_MGR::DESIGN_BLOCK_FILE_T, IO_BASE::IO_FILE_DESC> m_supportedDesignBlockFiles;
 };
 
diff --git a/common/lib_table_grid_tricks.cpp b/common/lib_table_grid_tricks.cpp
index 3078334d57..04026fb2bc 100644
--- a/common/lib_table_grid_tricks.cpp
+++ b/common/lib_table_grid_tricks.cpp
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ void LIB_TABLE_GRID_TRICKS::paste_text( const wxString& cb_text )
     {
         // paste the LIB_TABLE_ROWs of s-expr, starting at column 0 regardless of current cursor column.
 
-        if( LIBRARY_TABLE tempTable( cb_text, tbl->Table().Scope() ); tempTable.IsOk() )
+        if( LIBRARY_TABLE tempTable( true, cb_text, tbl->Table().Scope() ); tempTable.IsOk() )
         {
             std::ranges::copy( tempTable.Rows(),
                                std::inserter( tbl->Table().Rows(), tbl->Table().Rows().begin() ) );
diff --git a/common/lib_table_notebook_panel.cpp b/common/lib_table_notebook_panel.cpp
index 256acf723f..0eda185647 100644
--- a/common/lib_table_notebook_panel.cpp
+++ b/common/lib_table_notebook_panel.cpp
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ void LIB_TABLE_NOTEBOOK_PANEL::AddTable( wxAuiNotebook* aNotebook, const wxStrin
 
 bool LIB_TABLE_NOTEBOOK_PANEL::TableModified()
 {
-    wxFileName                     uri = GetModel()->Table().Path();
-    std::unique_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE> sourceTable = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( uri, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
+    wxFileName                     file( GetModel()->Table().Path() );
+    std::unique_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE> sourceTable = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( file, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
 
     return GetModel()->Table() != *sourceTable;
 }
diff --git a/common/libraries/library_manager.cpp b/common/libraries/library_manager.cpp
index 5a00763a38..b918a9b209 100644
--- a/common/libraries/library_manager.cpp
+++ b/common/libraries/library_manager.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void LIBRARY_MANAGER::loadTables( const wxString& aTablePath, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOP
 
         if( fn.IsFileReadable() )
         {
-            auto table = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( fn, aScope );
+            std::unique_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE> table = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( fn, aScope );
             wxCHECK2( table->Type() == type, continue );
             aTarget[type] = std::move( table );
             loadNestedTables( *aTarget[type] );
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ void LIBRARY_MANAGER::loadNestedTables( LIBRARY_TABLE& aRootTable )
 {
     std::unordered_set<wxString> seenTables;
 
-    std::function<void(LIBRARY_TABLE&)> processOneTable =
+    std::function<void( LIBRARY_TABLE& )> processOneTable =
             [&]( LIBRARY_TABLE& aTable )
             {
                 seenTables.insert( aTable.Path() );
diff --git a/common/libraries/library_table.cpp b/common/libraries/library_table.cpp
index b7387f6a8f..34b4cdd3cd 100644
--- a/common/libraries/library_table.cpp
+++ b/common/libraries/library_table.cpp
@@ -57,15 +57,15 @@ LIBRARY_TABLE::LIBRARY_TABLE( const wxFileName &aPath, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE aScop
 {
     LIBRARY_TABLE_PARSER parser;
 
-    wxFileName file( aPath );
-    WX_FILENAME::ResolvePossibleSymlinks( file );
-    m_path = file.GetAbsolutePath();
+    wxFileName fn( aPath );
+    WX_FILENAME::ResolvePossibleSymlinks( fn );
+    m_path = fn.GetAbsolutePath();
 
-    if( !file.FileExists() )
+    if( !fn.FileExists() )
     {
         m_ok = false;
         m_errorDescription = wxString::Format( _( "The library table path '%s' does not exist" ),
-                                               file.GetFullPath() );
+                                               fn.GetFullPath() );
         return;
     }
 
@@ -83,14 +83,17 @@ LIBRARY_TABLE::LIBRARY_TABLE( const wxFileName &aPath, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE aScop
 }
 
 
-LIBRARY_TABLE::LIBRARY_TABLE( const wxString &aBuffer, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE aScope ) :
+/**
+ * Note: @param aFromClipboard isn't actually used, but might keep people from calling this with a string
+ *                             filepath, which isn't going to do what they expected.
+ */
+LIBRARY_TABLE::LIBRARY_TABLE( bool aFromClipboard, const wxString &aBuffer, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE aScope ) :
         m_path( wxEmptyString ),
         m_scope( aScope )
 {
     LIBRARY_TABLE_PARSER parser;
 
-    tl::expected<LIBRARY_TABLE_IR, LIBRARY_PARSE_ERROR> ir =
-            parser.ParseBuffer( aBuffer.ToStdString() );
+    tl::expected<LIBRARY_TABLE_IR, LIBRARY_PARSE_ERROR> ir = parser.ParseBuffer( aBuffer.ToStdString() );
 
     if( ir.has_value() )
     {
diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.cpp b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.cpp
index 36bcc63b6a..58faa27fbe 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.cpp
@@ -189,10 +189,10 @@ protected:
 
     void openTable( const LIBRARY_TABLE_ROW& aRow ) override
     {
-        wxFileName file( LIBRARY_MANAGER::ExpandURI( aRow.URI(), Pgm().GetSettingsManager().Prj() ) );
-        auto       nestedTable = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( file, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
+        wxFileName fn( LIBRARY_MANAGER::ExpandURI( aRow.URI(), Pgm().GetSettingsManager().Prj() ) );
+        std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE> child = std::make_shared<LIBRARY_TABLE>( fn, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
 
-        m_panel->OpenTable( nestedTable.get(), aRow.Nickname() );
+        m_panel->OpenTable( child, aRow.Nickname() );
     }
 
     wxString getTablePreamble() override
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ protected:
 };
 
 
-void PANEL_SYM_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* aTable, const wxString& aTitle )
+void PANEL_SYM_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( const std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>& aTable, const wxString& aTitle )
 {
     for( int ii = 2; ii < (int) m_notebook->GetPageCount(); ++ii )
     {
@@ -225,7 +225,8 @@ void PANEL_SYM_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* aTable, const wxString& aTit
         }
     }
 
-    AddTable( aTable, aTitle, true );
+    m_nestedTables.push_back( aTable );
+    AddTable( aTable.get(), aTitle, true );
 
     // Something is pretty fishy with wxAuiNotebook::ChangeSelection(); on Mac at least it
     // results in a re-entrant call where the second call is one page behind.
diff --git a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.h b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.h
index dc27a3a497..0614263385 100644
--- a/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.h
+++ b/eeschema/dialogs/panel_sym_lib_table.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
     bool TransferDataFromWindow() override;
 
     void AddTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* table, const wxString& aTitle, bool aClosable );
-    void OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* table, const wxString& aTitle );
+    void OpenTable( const std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>& table, const wxString& aTitle );
 
 private:
     /**
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ private:
     wxString                    m_lastProjectLibDir;   //< Transient (unsaved) last browsed folder when adding a
                                                        // project level library.
 
+    std::vector<std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>> m_nestedTables;
+
     std::map<SCH_IO_MGR::SCH_FILE_T, IO_BASE::IO_FILE_DESC> m_supportedSymFiles;
 };
 
diff --git a/eeschema/sheet.cpp b/eeschema/sheet.cpp
index 0cedb1a30e..52a98d9b6f 100644
--- a/eeschema/sheet.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/sheet.cpp
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ bool SCH_EDIT_FRAME::LoadSheetFromFile( SCH_SHEET* aSheet, SCH_SHEET_PATH* aCurr
             }
 
             wxFileName symLibTableFn( fileName.GetPath(), FILEEXT::SymbolLibraryTableFileName );
-            LIBRARY_TABLE table( symLibTableFn.GetFullPath(), LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::PROJECT );
+            LIBRARY_TABLE table( symLibTableFn, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::PROJECT );
 
             // If there are any new or duplicate libraries, check to see if it's possible that
             // there could be any missing libraries that would cause broken symbol library links.
diff --git a/include/libraries/library_table.h b/include/libraries/library_table.h
index 3b942ce4f9..16e3340ace 100644
--- a/include/libraries/library_table.h
+++ b/include/libraries/library_table.h
@@ -140,10 +140,12 @@ public:
 
     /**
      * Creates a library table from parsed text
+     * @param aFromClipboard isn't actually used, but might keep people from calling this with a string
+     *                       filepath, which isn't going to do what they expected.
      * @param aBuffer is a string containing data to parse
      * @param aScope is the scope of this table (is it global or part of a project)
      */
-    LIBRARY_TABLE( const wxString &aBuffer, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE aScope );
+    LIBRARY_TABLE( bool aFromClipboard, const wxString &aBuffer, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE aScope );
 
     ~LIBRARY_TABLE() = default;
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.cpp
index f37e6eed24..b845074297 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.cpp
@@ -179,10 +179,10 @@ protected:
 
     void openTable( const LIBRARY_TABLE_ROW& aRow ) override
     {
-        wxFileName uri = LIBRARY_MANAGER::ExpandURI( aRow.URI(), Pgm().GetSettingsManager().Prj() );
-        auto       nestedTable = std::make_unique<LIBRARY_TABLE>( uri, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
+        wxFileName fn( LIBRARY_MANAGER::ExpandURI( aRow.URI(), Pgm().GetSettingsManager().Prj() ) );
+        std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE> child = std::make_shared<LIBRARY_TABLE>( fn, LIBRARY_TABLE_SCOPE::GLOBAL );
 
-        m_panel->OpenTable( nestedTable.get(), aRow.Nickname() );
+        m_panel->OpenTable( child, aRow.Nickname() );
     }
 
     wxString getTablePreamble() override
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ protected:
 };
 
 
-void PANEL_FP_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* aTable, const wxString& aTitle )
+void PANEL_FP_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( const std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>& aTable, const wxString& aTitle )
 {
     for( int ii = 2; ii < (int) m_notebook->GetPageCount(); ++ii )
     {
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ void PANEL_FP_LIB_TABLE::OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* aTable, const wxString& aTitl
         }
     }
 
-    AddTable( aTable, aTitle, true );
+    m_nestedTables.push_back( aTable );
+    AddTable( aTable.get(), aTitle, true );
 
     // Something is pretty fishy with wxAuiNotebook::ChangeSelection(); on Mac at least it
     // results in a re-entrant call where the second call is one page behind.
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.h b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.h
index fc2dd895b9..844456632a 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.h
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_fp_lib_table.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public:
     bool TransferDataFromWindow() override;
 
     void AddTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* table, const wxString& aTitle, bool aClosable );
-    void OpenTable( LIBRARY_TABLE* table, const wxString& aTitle );
+    void OpenTable( const std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>& table, const wxString& aTitle );
 
 private:
     /**
@@ -87,5 +87,7 @@ private:
     wxString                    m_lastProjectLibDir;   //< Transient (unsaved) last browsed folder when adding a
                                                        // project level library.
 
+    std::vector<std::shared_ptr<LIBRARY_TABLE>> m_nestedTables;
+
     std::map<PCB_IO_MGR::PCB_FILE_T, IO_BASE::IO_FILE_DESC> m_supportedFpFiles;
 };