diff --git a/lib/components/base-components/NormalComponent/NormalComponent.ts b/lib/components/base-components/NormalComponent/NormalComponent.ts
index 9cbc5d770..92b756dd0 100644
--- a/lib/components/base-components/NormalComponent/NormalComponent.ts
+++ b/lib/components/base-components/NormalComponent/NormalComponent.ts
@@ -799,8 +799,7 @@ export class NormalComponent<
         ? { kicad_footprint: props.kicadFootprintMetadata }
         : undefined,
     })
-
-    const footprint = props.footprint ?? this._getImpliedFootprintString()
+    const footprint = this.getFootprinterString()
 
     // Check if we have a Footprint child (e.g., from inflated circuit JSON)
     const hasFootprintChild = this.children.some(
@@ -1389,8 +1388,11 @@ export class NormalComponent<
   }
 
   getFootprinterString(): string | null {
-    if (typeof this._parsedProps.footprint === "string") {
-      return this._parsedProps.footprint
+    const footprint =
+      this._parsedProps.footprint ?? this._getImpliedFootprintString?.()
+    if (typeof footprint === "string") {
+      const libRef = parseLibraryFootprintRef(footprint)
+      return libRef ? libRef.footprintName : footprint
     }
     return null
   }
@@ -1403,8 +1405,7 @@ export class NormalComponent<
     const cadModelProp = this._parsedProps.cadModel
     const cadModel =
       cadModelProp === undefined ? this._asyncFootprintCadModel : cadModelProp
-    const footprint =
-      this.getFootprinterString() ?? this._getImpliedFootprintString()
+    const footprint = this.getFootprinterString()
 
     if (!this.pcb_component_id) return
     if (!cadModel && !footprint) return
@@ -1622,10 +1623,8 @@ export class NormalComponent<
     if (!source_component) return
     if (source_component.supplier_part_numbers) return
 
-    let footprinterString: string | undefined
-    if (this.props.footprint && typeof this.props.footprint === "string") {
-      footprinterString = this.props.footprint
-    }
+    let footprinterString: string | undefined =
+      this.getFootprinterString() ?? undefined
 
     const supplierPartNumbersMaybePromise = this._getSupplierPartNumbers(
       partsEngine,
diff --git a/lib/components/normal-components/Chip.ts b/lib/components/normal-components/Chip.ts
index 182bddfe0..6ff32b352 100644
--- a/lib/components/normal-components/Chip.ts
+++ b/lib/components/normal-components/Chip.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export class Chip<PinLabels extends string = never> extends NormalComponent<
     const { _parsedProps: props } = this
     const { pcbX, pcbY } = this.getResolvedPcbPositionProp()
 
-    const footprint = props.footprint ?? this._getImpliedFootprintString()
+    const footprint = this.getFootprinterString()
     const hasFootprintChild = this.children.some(
       (c) => c.componentName === "Footprint",
     )
diff --git a/tests/features/kicad-prefix-stripping.test.tsx b/tests/features/kicad-prefix-stripping.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..afbe7e22a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/features/kicad-prefix-stripping.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { getTestFixture } from "tests/fixtures/get-test-fixture"
+
+test("kicad: prefix is stripped in cad_component but preserved in pcb_component metadata", async () => {
+  const { circuit } = getTestFixture({
+    platform: {
+      footprintLibraryMap: {
+        kicad: async (footprintName: string) => {
+          // Return a minimal footprint
+          return {
+            footprintCircuitJson: [
+              {
+                type: "pcb_smtpad",
+                shape: "rect",
+                x: 0,
+                y: 0,
+                width: 1,
+                height: 1,
+                layer: "top",
+                port_hints: ["1"],
+              },
+            ],
+          }
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  })
+
+  const footprintName =
+    "Connector_JST/JST_PH_B2B-PH-SM4-TB_1x02-1MP_P2.00mm_Vertical"
+  const fullFootprintPath = `kicad:${footprintName}`
+
+  circuit.add(
+    <board>
+      <chip name="U1" footprint={fullFootprintPath} pcbX={0} pcbY={0} />
+    </board>,
+  )
+
+  await circuit.renderUntilSettled()
+
+  const circuitJson = circuit.getCircuitJson()
+
+  // 1. Verify no "Invalid footprint function" errors occurred (which would be reported as unknown errors or crashes)
+  // If it rendered at all, it likely didn't crash on fp.string()
+
+  // 2. Check pcb_component
+  const pcbComponent = circuitJson.find(
+    (el) => el.type === "pcb_component",
+  ) as any
+  expect(pcbComponent).toBeDefined()
+  // Metadata should still have the prefix if it was passed via props (or however it's handled)
+  // Actually, let's check what we implemented. We didn't change metadata insertion.
+
+  // 3. Check cad_component - THIS IS THE CRITICAL PART
+  const cadComponent = circuitJson.find(
+    (el) => el.type === "cad_component",
+  ) as any
+  expect(cadComponent).toBeDefined()
+  expect(cadComponent.footprinter_string).toBe(footprintName)
+  expect(cadComponent.footprinter_string).not.toContain("kicad:")
+
+  // 4. Check for any load errors
+  const loadErrors = circuitJson.filter(
+    (el) => el.type === "external_footprint_load_error",
+  )
+  expect(loadErrors).toHaveLength(0)
+})