diff --git a/src/Product.ts b/src/Product.ts
index 1f9d782..deecce6 100644
--- a/src/Product.ts
+++ b/src/Product.ts
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ export class Product {
         "UpdateShopifyProduct: no product matched, this will be a new product"
       )
       newProduct = true
+      // Default to DRAFT for auto-created products
+      if (!this.shopify_status) {
+          this.shopify_status = "DRAFT";
+      }
     }
     console.log("UpdateShopifyProduct: calling productSet")
     let sps = this.ToShopifyProductSet()
diff --git a/src/mediaHandlers.test.ts b/src/mediaHandlers.test.ts
index e8bf26c..19caad4 100644
--- a/src/mediaHandlers.test.ts
+++ b/src/mediaHandlers.test.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ jest.mock("./Product", () => {
                 sku: sku,
                 shopify_id: "shopify_id_123",
                 title: "Test Product Title",
+                shopify_status: "ACTIVE",
                 MatchToShopifyProduct: jest.fn(),
+                UpdateShopifyProduct: jest.fn(),
                 ImportFromInventory: jest.fn()
             }
         })
@@ -395,16 +397,21 @@ describe("mediaHandlers", () => {
              expect(calledInstance.processMediaChanges).toHaveBeenCalledWith("SKU123", finalState, expect.anything(), null)
          })
 
-         test("should throw if product not synced", () => {
-             const MockProduct = Product as unknown as jest.Mock
-             MockProduct.mockImplementationOnce(() => ({
-                 shopify_id: null,
-                 MatchToShopifyProduct: jest.fn(),
-                 ImportFromInventory: jest.fn()
-             }))
+          test("saveMediaChanges should auto-create product if not synced", () => {
+              const MockProduct = Product as unknown as jest.Mock
+              const mockUpdateShopify = jest.fn().mockImplementation(function(this: any) {
+                  this.shopify_id = "NEW_ID"
+              })
+              MockProduct.mockImplementationOnce(() => ({
+                  shopify_id: null,
+                  MatchToShopifyProduct: jest.fn(),
+                  UpdateShopifyProduct: mockUpdateShopify,
+                  ImportFromInventory: jest.fn()
+              }))
 
-             expect(() => saveMediaChanges("SKU123", [])).toThrow("Product must be synced")
-         })
+              saveMediaChanges("SKU123", [])
+              expect(mockUpdateShopify).toHaveBeenCalled()
+          })
 
          test("should update sheet thumbnail with first image", () => {
              // Setup mock MediaService to NOT throw and just return logs
@@ -592,9 +599,11 @@ describe("mediaHandlers", () => {
              (global.SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(mockSheet);
 
              const mockSSInstance = {
-                 setCellValueByColumnName: jest.fn()
+                 setCellValueByColumnName: jest.fn(),
+                 getRowNumberByColumnValue: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(5), // Added for robustness
+                 getHeaders: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(["sku", "title", "product_type", "product_style", "body_html"])
              };
-             (GASSpreadsheetService as unknown as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(mockSSInstance);
+             (GASSpreadsheetService as unknown as jest.Mock).mockReturnValueOnce(mockSSInstance);
 
              (newSku as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue("SKU-123");
 
@@ -608,6 +617,37 @@ describe("mediaHandlers", () => {
              expect(result).toBe("SKU-123");
         })
 
+        test("saveMediaChanges should auto-create product if unsynced", () => {
+             // Mock defaults for this test
+             const mockRange = { getRow: () => 5 };
+             const mockSheet = {
+                 getName: jest.fn().mockReturnValue("product_inventory"),
+                 getActiveRange: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(mockRange),
+                 getLastColumn: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(5),
+                 getRange: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(mockRange)
+             };
+             (global.SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(mockSheet);
+
+             // Setup Unsynced Product
+             const MockProduct = Product as unknown as jest.Mock
+             const mockUpdateShopify = jest.fn().mockImplementation(function(this: any) {
+                 this.shopify_id = "CREATED_ID_123"
+                 this.shopify_status = "DRAFT"
+             })
+
+             MockProduct.mockImplementationOnce(() => ({
+                 shopify_id: "",
+                 MatchToShopifyProduct: jest.fn(),
+                 UpdateShopifyProduct: mockUpdateShopify
+             }))
+
+             // Proceed with save
+             const finalState = [{ id: "1" }]
+             saveMediaChanges("SKU_NEW", finalState)
+
+             expect(mockUpdateShopify).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        })
+
         test("generateSkuForActiveRow should delegate to newSku", () => {
             const mockSheet = {
                 getName: jest.fn().mockReturnValue("product_inventory"),
diff --git a/src/mediaHandlers.ts b/src/mediaHandlers.ts
index 36c7d28..05080cd 100644
--- a/src/mediaHandlers.ts
+++ b/src/mediaHandlers.ts
@@ -141,10 +141,12 @@ export function saveMediaChanges(sku: string, finalState: any[], jobId: string |
   }
 
   if (!product.shopify_id) {
-       // Allow saving Drive-only changes? No, we need Shopify context for "Staging" usually.
-       // But if we just rename drive files, we could?
-       // For now, fail safe.
-       throw new Error("Product must be synced to Shopify before saving media changes.")
+       console.log("saveMediaChanges: Product not synced. Auto-creating Draft Product...");
+       product.UpdateShopifyProduct(shop);
+
+       if (!product.shopify_id) {
+           throw new Error("Failed to auto-create Draft Product. Cannot save media.");
+       }
   }
 
   const logs = mediaService.processMediaChanges(sku, finalState, product.shopify_id, jobId)
@@ -252,10 +254,11 @@ export function getMediaSavePlan(sku: string, finalState: any[]) {
   }
 
   if (!product.shopify_id) {
-       throw new Error("Product must be synced to Shopify before saving media changes.")
+       console.log("getMediaSavePlan: Product not synced. Proceeding with empty Shopify state.");
   }
 
-  return mediaService.calculatePlan(sku, finalState, product.shopify_id);
+  // Pass empty string if no ID, ensure calculatePlan handles it (it expects string)
+  return mediaService.calculatePlan(sku, finalState, product.shopify_id || "");
 }
 
 export function executeSavePhase(sku: string, phase: string, planData: any, jobId: string | null = null) {
@@ -274,7 +277,9 @@ export function executeSavePhase(sku: string, phase: string, planData: any, jobI
   }
 
   if (!product.shopify_id) {
-       throw new Error("Product must be synced to Shopify before saving media changes.")
+       console.log("executeSavePhase: Product not synced. Auto-creating Draft Product...");
+       product.UpdateShopifyProduct(shop);
+       if (!product.shopify_id) throw new Error("Failed to auto-create Draft Product.");
   }
 
   return mediaService.executeSavePhase(sku, phase, planData, product.shopify_id, jobId);
@@ -296,7 +301,9 @@ export function executeFullSavePlan(sku: string, plan: any, jobId: string | null
   }
 
   if (!product.shopify_id) {
-       throw new Error("Product must be synced to Shopify before saving media changes.")
+       console.log("executeFullSavePlan: Product not synced. Auto-creating Draft Product...");
+       product.UpdateShopifyProduct(shop);
+       if (!product.shopify_id) throw new Error("Failed to auto-create Draft Product.");
   }
 
   return mediaService.executeFullSavePlan(sku, plan, product.shopify_id, jobId);