diff --git a/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.spec.ts b/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.spec.ts
index 7af2f1377fb..25e08b4f13f 100644
--- a/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.spec.ts
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ describe('jsonPatchOperationsReducer test suite', () => {
   });
 
   describe('dedupeOperationEntries', () => {
-    it('should not remove duplicated keys if operations are not sequential', () => {
+    it('should keep only the latest duplicated key even when operations are not sequential', () => {
       initState = {
         sections: {
           children: {
@@ -407,24 +407,6 @@ describe('jsonPatchOperationsReducer test suite', () => {
       const newState = jsonPatchOperationsReducer(initState, action);
 
       const expectedBody: any =  [
-        {
-          'operation': {
-            'op': 'add',
-            'path': '/sections/publicationStep/dc.date.issued',
-            'value': [
-              {
-                'value': '2024-06',
-                'language': null,
-                'authority': null,
-                'display': '2024-06',
-                'confidence': -1,
-                'place': 0,
-                'otherInformation': null,
-              },
-            ],
-          },
-          'timeCompleted': timestampBeforeStart,
-        },
         {
           'operation': {
             'op': 'replace',
@@ -465,7 +447,7 @@ describe('jsonPatchOperationsReducer test suite', () => {
 
     });
 
-    it('should remove duplicated keys if operations are sequential', () => {
+    it('should keep only the latest duplicated key when operations are sequential', () => {
       initState = {
         sections: {
           children: {
@@ -550,24 +532,6 @@ describe('jsonPatchOperationsReducer test suite', () => {
       const newState = jsonPatchOperationsReducer(initState, action);
 
       const expectedBody: any =  [
-        {
-          'operation': {
-            'op': 'add',
-            'path': '/sections/publicationStep/dc.date.issued',
-            'value': [
-              {
-                'value': '2024-06',
-                'language': null,
-                'authority': null,
-                'display': '2024-06',
-                'confidence': -1,
-                'place': 0,
-                'otherInformation': null,
-              },
-            ],
-          },
-          'timeCompleted': timestampBeforeStart,
-        },
         {
           'operation': {
             'op': 'replace',
diff --git a/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.ts b/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.ts
index 9687bdf21dd..f0e70a344e3 100644
--- a/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/json-patch/json-patch-operations.reducer.ts
@@ -356,27 +356,28 @@ function addOperationToList(body: JsonPatchOperationObject[], actionType, target
 
 /**
  * Dedupe operation entries by op and path. This prevents processing unnecessary patches in a single PATCH request.
+ * For any given op+path combination, only the latest operation is retained (earlier duplicates are discarded).
+ *
+ * Note: this function is only called for submission-form patch operations, which always use numeric-indexed or
+ * bare metadata paths (e.g. /sections/step/dc.title or /sections/step/dc.title/0). The JSON Patch append
+ * notation (path ending in "/-") is intentionally never produced by this pipeline, so collapsing duplicates
+ * by op+path is safe here.
  *
  * @param body JSON patch operation object entries
  * @returns deduped JSON patch operation object entries
  */
 function dedupeOperationEntries(body: JsonPatchOperationObject[]): JsonPatchOperationObject[] {
-  const ops = new Map<string, number>();
-  for (let i = body.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
-    const patch = body[i].operation;
-    const key = `${patch.op}-${patch.path}`;
-    if (!ops.has(key)) {
-      ops.set(key, i);
-    } else {
-      const entry = ops.get(key);
-      if (entry - 1 === i) {
-        body.splice(i, 1);
-        ops.set(key, i);
-      }
-    }
-  }
+  const lastIndexByOpPath = new Map<string, number>();
+
+  body.forEach((entry, index) => {
+    const patch = entry.operation;
+    lastIndexByOpPath.set(`${patch.op}-${patch.path}`, index);
+  });
 
-  return body;
+  return body.filter((entry, index) => {
+    const patch = entry.operation;
+    return lastIndexByOpPath.get(`${patch.op}-${patch.path}`) === index;
+  });
 }
 
 function makeOperationEntry(operation) {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.spec.ts
index e5e86436c20..d78293ca568 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.spec.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   inject,
   TestBed,
 } from '@angular/core/testing';
-import { ReactiveFormsModule } from '@angular/forms';
+import { ReactiveFormsModule, UntypedFormArray, UntypedFormGroup } from '@angular/forms';
 import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {
   DynamicFormLayoutService,
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { UUIDService } from '../../../../../../core/shared/uuid.service';
 import { TranslateLoaderMock } from '../../../../../mocks/translate-loader.mock';
 import { LiveRegionService } from '../../../../../live-region/live-region.service';
 import { getLiveRegionServiceStub } from '../../../../../live-region/live-region.service.stub';
+import { FormBuilderService } from '../../../form-builder.service';
 
 describe('DsDynamicFormArrayComponent', () => {
   const translateServiceStub = {
@@ -48,6 +49,15 @@ describe('DsDynamicFormArrayComponent', () => {
     generate: () => 'fake-id'
   };
 
+  const formBuilderServiceStub = {
+    moveFormArrayGroup: (index: number, step: number, formArray: UntypedFormArray, model: DynamicRowArrayModel) => {
+      const movedControl = formArray.at(index);
+      formArray.removeAt(index);
+      formArray.insert(index + step, movedControl);
+      model.moveGroup(index, step);
+    }
+  };
+
   let component: DsDynamicFormArrayComponent;
   let fixture: ComponentFixture<DsDynamicFormArrayComponent>;
 
@@ -76,6 +86,7 @@ describe('DsDynamicFormArrayComponent', () => {
         { provide: APP_CONFIG, useValue: environment },
         { provide: UUIDService, useValue: uuidServiceStub },
         { provide: LiveRegionService, useValue: getLiveRegionServiceStub() },
+        { provide: FormBuilderService, useValue: formBuilderServiceStub },
       ],
     }).overrideComponent(DsDynamicFormArrayComponent, {
       remove: {
@@ -160,13 +171,30 @@ describe('DsDynamicFormArrayComponent', () => {
 
   it('should cancel keyboard drag and drop', () => {
     const dropList = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('[cdkDropList]')).nativeElement;
+    const formArray = component.group.get(component.model.id) as UntypedFormArray;
     component.elementBeingSortedStartingIndex = 2;
     component.elementBeingSorted = dropList.querySelectorAll('[cdkDragHandle]')[2];
-    component.model.moveGroup(2, 1);
+    (component as any).formBuilderService.moveFormArrayGroup(2, 1, formArray, component.model);
     fixture.detectChanges();
     component.cancelKeyboardDragAndDrop(dropList, 1, 3);
     fixture.detectChanges();
     expect(component.elementBeingSorted).toBeNull();
     expect(component.elementBeingSortedStartingIndex).toBeNull();
   });
+
+  it('should move model groups and FormArray controls together on drag and drop reorder', () => {
+    const formArray = component.group.get(component.model.id) as UntypedFormArray;
+    const valueControl = 'testFormRowArrayGroupInput';
+
+    ((formArray.at(0) as UntypedFormGroup).controls[valueControl]).setValue('one');
+    ((formArray.at(4) as UntypedFormGroup).controls[valueControl]).setValue('five');
+    (component.model.groups[0].group[0] as any).value = 'one';
+    (component.model.groups[4].group[0] as any).value = 'five';
+
+    component.moveSelection({ previousIndex: 4, currentIndex: 0 } as any);
+
+    expect((component.model.groups[0].group[0] as any).value).toBe('five');
+    expect(((formArray.at(0) as UntypedFormGroup).controls[valueControl]).value).toBe('five');
+    expect(component.getControlOfGroup(component.model.groups[0] as any)).toBe(formArray.at(0));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.ts
index fb7ee7ac2e8..a9b3427eb96 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/array-group/dynamic-form-array.component.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { CdkDragDrop } from '@angular/cdk/drag-drop';
 import { Component, EventEmitter, Input, Output, QueryList } from '@angular/core';
-import { UntypedFormGroup } from '@angular/forms';
+import { UntypedFormArray, UntypedFormGroup } from '@angular/forms';
 import {
   DynamicFormArrayComponent,
   DynamicFormControlCustomEvent,
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { hasValue } from '../../../../../empty.util';
 import { DynamicRowArrayModel } from '../ds-dynamic-row-array-model';
 import { LiveRegionService } from '../../../../../live-region/live-region.service';
 import { TranslateService } from '@ngx-translate/core';
+import { FormBuilderService } from '../../../form-builder.service';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-dynamic-form-array',
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export class DsDynamicFormArrayComponent extends DynamicFormArrayComponent {
               protected validationService: DynamicFormValidationService,
               protected liveRegionService: LiveRegionService,
               protected translateService: TranslateService,
+              protected formBuilderService: FormBuilderService,
   ) {
     super(layoutService, validationService);
   }
@@ -59,7 +61,12 @@ export class DsDynamicFormArrayComponent extends DynamicFormArrayComponent {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.model.moveGroup(event.previousIndex, event.currentIndex - event.previousIndex);
+    this.formBuilderService.moveFormArrayGroup(
+      event.previousIndex,
+      event.currentIndex - event.previousIndex,
+      this.control as UntypedFormArray,
+      this.model,
+    );
     const prevIndex = event.previousIndex;
     const index = event.currentIndex;
 
@@ -90,16 +97,13 @@ export class DsDynamicFormArrayComponent extends DynamicFormArrayComponent {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Gets the control of the specified group model. It adds the startingIndex property to the group model if it does not
-   * already have it. This ensures that the controls are always linked to the correct group model.
+   * Gets the control of the specified group model.
+   * The control index now stays aligned with group index because reorder operations move both model and controls.
    * @param groupModel The group model to get the control for.
    * @returns The form control of the specified group model.
    */
   getControlOfGroup(groupModel: any) {
-    if (!groupModel.hasOwnProperty('startingIndex')) {
-      groupModel.startingIndex = groupModel.index;
-    }
-    return this.control.get([groupModel.startingIndex]);
+    return this.control.get([groupModel.index]);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -163,7 +167,12 @@ export class DsDynamicFormArrayComponent extends DynamicFormArrayComponent {
     }
 
     if (this.elementBeingSorted) {
-      this.model.moveGroup(idx, newIndex - idx);
+      this.formBuilderService.moveFormArrayGroup(
+        idx,
+        newIndex - idx,
+        this.control as UntypedFormArray,
+        this.model,
+      );
       if (hasValue(this.model.groups[newIndex]) && hasValue((this.control as any).controls[newIndex])) {
         this.onCustomEvent({
           previousIndex: idx,
@@ -191,7 +200,12 @@ export class DsDynamicFormArrayComponent extends DynamicFormArrayComponent {
   }
 
   cancelKeyboardDragAndDrop(sortableElement: HTMLDivElement, index: number, length: number) {
-    this.model.moveGroup(index, this.elementBeingSortedStartingIndex - index);
+    this.formBuilderService.moveFormArrayGroup(
+      index,
+      this.elementBeingSortedStartingIndex - index,
+      this.control as UntypedFormArray,
+      this.model,
+    );
     if (hasValue(this.model.groups[this.elementBeingSortedStartingIndex]) && hasValue((this.control as any).controls[this.elementBeingSortedStartingIndex])) {
       this.onCustomEvent({
         previousIndex: index,
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.spec.ts
index 9b67c467498..74bd07c1ad1 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.spec.ts
@@ -535,6 +535,36 @@ describe('FormBuilderService test suite', () => {
     expect(service.getValueFromModel(formModel)).toEqual(value);
   });
 
+  it('should preserve place 0 for object-valued fields in arrays', () => {
+    const arrayModel = new DynamicRowArrayModel({
+      id: 'testObjectArray',
+      initialCount: 1,
+      notRepeatable: false,
+      relationshipConfig: undefined,
+      submissionId,
+      isDraggable: true,
+      groupFactory: () => [
+        new DynamicInputModel({ id: 'dc_title' }),
+      ],
+      required: false,
+      metadataKey: 'dc.title',
+      metadataFields: ['dc.title'],
+      hasSelectableMetadata: true,
+      showButtons: true,
+      typeBindRelations: [],
+    });
+
+    (arrayModel.groups[0].group[0] as any).name = 'dc.title';
+    (arrayModel.groups[0].group[0] as any).value = {
+      value: 'Title with stale place',
+      place: 4,
+    };
+
+    const value = service.getValueFromModel([arrayModel]);
+
+    expect(value['dc.title'][0].place).toBe(0);
+  });
+
   it('should clear all form\'s fields value', () => {
     const formModel = service.modelFromConfiguration(submissionId, testFormConfiguration, 'testScopeUUID');
     const value = {} as any;
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts
index 8755d774f57..4329607334b 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/form-builder.service.ts
@@ -244,7 +244,8 @@ export class FormBuilderService extends DynamicFormService {
         return new FormFieldMetadataValueObject(dateToString(controlValue));
       } else if (isObject(controlValue)) {
         const authority = (controlValue as any).authority || (controlValue as any).id || null;
-        const place = controlModelIndex || (controlValue as any).place;
+        const hasArrayIndex = controlModelIndex !== null;
+        const place = hasArrayIndex ? controlModelIndex : (controlValue as any).place;
         if (isNgbDateStruct(controlValue)) {
           return new FormFieldMetadataValueObject(controlValue, controlLanguage, authority, controlValue as any, place);
         } else {