diff --git a/includes/class-exelearning-editor.php b/includes/class-exelearning-editor.php
index b52dece..9fa8927 100644
--- a/includes/class-exelearning-editor.php
+++ b/includes/class-exelearning-editor.php
@@ -42,13 +42,8 @@ private function maybe_start_buffer() {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		// Suppress error display for this request to prevent output corruption.
-		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.PHP.NoSilencedErrors.Discouraged, WordPress.PHP.IniSet.display_errors_Disallowed, Squiz.PHP.DiscouragedFunctions.Discouraged -- Required to prevent output corruption in standalone editor page.
-		@ini_set( 'display_errors', '0' );
-		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.PHP.DiscouragedPHPFunctions.runtime_configuration_error_reporting, WordPress.PHP.NoSilencedErrors.Discouraged, WordPress.PHP.DevelopmentFunctions.prevent_path_disclosure_error_reporting
-		@error_reporting( 0 );
-
-		// Start output buffering to capture any warnings/notices.
+		// Buffer stray output (notices, echoes); it is discarded before the editor
+		// document is sent, so the site's error settings are left untouched.
 		ob_start();
 
 		// Register to render the page and discard buffered output (very early priority).
@@ -59,10 +54,6 @@ private function maybe_start_buffer() {
 	 * Render the editor page and exit, discarding any buffered output.
 	 */
 	public function render_editor_page_and_exit() {
-		// Suppress error display for this request to prevent output corruption.
-		// phpcs:ignore WordPress.PHP.NoSilencedErrors.Discouraged, WordPress.PHP.IniSet.display_errors_Disallowed, Squiz.PHP.DiscouragedFunctions.Discouraged -- Required to prevent output corruption in standalone editor page.
-		@ini_set( 'display_errors', '0' );
-
 		// Discard any buffered output (warnings, notices, etc.).
 		while ( ob_get_level() > 0 ) {
 			ob_end_clean();
diff --git a/includes/class-exelearning-rest-api.php b/includes/class-exelearning-rest-api.php
index b24e032..666b834 100644
--- a/includes/class-exelearning-rest-api.php
+++ b/includes/class-exelearning-rest-api.php
@@ -241,11 +241,6 @@ public function create_elp_file( $request ) { // phpcs:ignore Generic.CodeAnalys
 			);
 		}
 
-		// Use WordPress media handling.
-		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/file.php';
-		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/media.php';
-		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/image.php';
-
 		// Sanitize filename and ensure the .elpx extension. The plugin only
 		// registers and edits .elpx files, so any other extension is normalized.
 		$filename = $this->ensure_elpx_extension( sanitize_file_name( $uploaded_file['name'] ) );
@@ -260,6 +255,7 @@ public function create_elp_file( $request ) { // phpcs:ignore Generic.CodeAnalys
 
 		// Handle the upload. Suspend the global upload filter so the file is not
 		// extracted twice (we reprocess it explicitly below).
+		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/file.php'; // wp_handle_upload() is not loaded in REST requests.
 		ExeLearning_Elp_Upload_Handler::suspend_processing( true );
 		$upload = wp_handle_upload( $file, array( 'test_form' => false ) );
 		ExeLearning_Elp_Upload_Handler::suspend_processing( false );
@@ -391,10 +387,6 @@ private function save_elp_file_locked( $attachment_id, $uploaded_file, $old_file
 		 */
 		do_action( 'exelearning_before_elpx_save', $attachment_id, $old_file_path );
 
-		// Route the uploaded file through WordPress so the move (and MIME check)
-		// goes via the wp_handle_upload() wrapper that Plugin Check accepts.
-		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/file.php';
-
 		// The plugin only edits .elpx; normalize the upload filename.
 		$upload_filename = $this->ensure_elpx_extension( sanitize_file_name( $uploaded_file['name'] ) );
 
@@ -408,6 +400,7 @@ private function save_elp_file_locked( $attachment_id, $uploaded_file, $old_file
 		);
 
 		// Suspend the global upload filter; we validate/extract the temp file ourselves.
+		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/file.php'; // wp_handle_upload() is not loaded in REST requests.
 		ExeLearning_Elp_Upload_Handler::suspend_processing( true );
 		$upload = wp_handle_upload( $file_for_upload, array( 'test_form' => false ) );
 		ExeLearning_Elp_Upload_Handler::suspend_processing( false );
diff --git a/tests/unit/EditorPageTest.php b/tests/unit/EditorPageTest.php
index cb65f99..9dbdd0e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/EditorPageTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/EditorPageTest.php
@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ public function test_the_editor_page_is_rendered_ahead_of_admin_init() {
 		$scheduled_at     = has_action( 'admin_init', array( $editor, 'render_editor_page_and_exit' ) );
 
 		ob_end_clean();
-		error_reporting( $reporting ); // phpcs:ignore
-		ini_set( 'display_errors', $display_errors ); // phpcs:ignore
 
+		$this->assertSame( $reporting, error_reporting(), 'The site error_reporting level must be left untouched.' ); // phpcs:ignore
+		$this->assertSame( $display_errors, ini_get( 'display_errors' ), 'display_errors must be left untouched.' );
 		$this->assertSame( $level + 1, $level_after_boot, 'Output must be captured from the very start.' );
 		$this->assertSame( -999, $scheduled_at );
 		$this->assertSame( $level, ob_get_level() );