diff --git a/modules/cabana/http.go b/modules/cabana/http.go
index 747a578..6d63351 100644
--- a/modules/cabana/http.go
+++ b/modules/cabana/http.go
@@ -656,7 +656,13 @@ func (s *service) relations() (RelationService, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return RelationService{}, err
 	}
-	return RelationService{DB: db, bucket: s.bucket(), tr: s.translator()}, nil
+	svc := RelationService{DB: db, bucket: s.bucket(), tr: s.translator()}
+	if s.app != nil {
+		if w, ok := s.app.Lookup[TranslationWriter](); ok {
+			svc.writer = w
+		}
+	}
+	return svc, nil
 }
 
 // relationsFor is the relation service of one request, carrying its
diff --git a/modules/cabana/ml_smoke_test.go b/modules/cabana/ml_smoke_test.go
index 1a235da..3ae5f0b 100644
--- a/modules/cabana/ml_smoke_test.go
+++ b/modules/cabana/ml_smoke_test.go
@@ -80,11 +80,11 @@ func (w *recordingWriter) EnabledLocales(context.Context, *gorm.DB) ([]string, e
 }
 
 func (w *recordingWriter) WriteTranslated(_ context.Context, _ *gorm.DB, model any, field, locale, value string) error {
-	post, _ := model.(*mlPost)
-	if post == nil || post.ID == 0 {
+	id := pkUint(model)
+	if id == 0 {
 		return &ValidationError{Details: map[string]any{field: []string{"translation writer ran before the host row had an id"}}}
 	}
-	w.ids = append(w.ids, post.ID)
+	w.ids = append(w.ids, id)
 	if w.attrs == nil {
 		w.attrs = map[string]map[string]string{}
 	}
diff --git a/modules/cabana/relation.go b/modules/cabana/relation.go
index a78d3f6..3a5b1d4 100644
--- a/modules/cabana/relation.go
+++ b/modules/cabana/relation.go
@@ -186,9 +186,11 @@ type RelationService struct {
 	SessionKey string
 
 	// bucket deletes the blobs of child files a save removes, after commit;
-	// tr localizes date bound messages. Both may be nil.
+	// tr localizes date bound messages. Both may be nil. writer is the same
+	// optional plugin adapter CRUDService uses for mltext/mlmarkdown.
 	bucket *blob.Bucket
 	tr     *phrasebook.Translator
+	writer TranslationWriter
 }
 
 func (s RelationSchema) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
diff --git a/modules/cabana/relation_child.go b/modules/cabana/relation_child.go
index 1a5de2c..b3bf570 100644
--- a/modules/cabana/relation_child.go
+++ b/modules/cabana/relation_child.go
@@ -165,6 +165,10 @@ func (s RelationService) CreateChild(ctx context.Context, cc *CompiledController
 				return lifecycleFailure(cc, err)
 			}
 		}
+		translations, err := liftMLValues(ctx, cr.child, in.Body, "create", s.writer, tx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		if err := s.fillChild(ctx, tx, cr.child, child, in.Body, "create"); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -176,6 +180,9 @@ func (s RelationService) CreateChild(ctx context.Context, cc *CompiledController
 		if err := tx.WithContext(ctx).Create(child).Error; err != nil {
 			return lifecycleFailure(cc, err)
 		}
+		if err := applyMLTranslations(ctx, tx, s.writer, child, translations); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		switch {
 		case parent.unsaved():
 			// The child exists now, unattached; the parent's first save
@@ -198,7 +205,10 @@ func (s RelationService) CreateChild(ctx context.Context, cc *CompiledController
 			}
 		}
 		result, err = projectFullRecord(ctx, tx, cr.child, child)
-		return err
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return hydrateMLRecord(ctx, tx, cr.child, s.writer, child, result.Data, "create")
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return RecordResult{}, err
diff --git a/modules/cabana/relation_child_ml_test.go b/modules/cabana/relation_child_ml_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c185bd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/cabana/relation_child_ml_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+package cabana
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+	"testing/fstest"
+
+	"git.golem15.com/golem15/summercms/modules/pact"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
+)
+
+const mlParentFormConfig = `name: journals
+form: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/journal/fields.yaml
+modelClass: Journal
+`
+
+const mlParentListConfig = `modelClass: Journal
+list: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/journal/columns.yaml
+recordsPerPage: 20
+toolbar:
+    buttons: [create]
+`
+
+const mlParentFields = `fields:
+    entries:
+        type: relation-manager
+        relation: entries
+`
+
+const mlParentColumns = `columns:
+    id:
+        label: ID
+`
+
+const mlParentRelation = `entries:
+    label: Entries
+    view:
+        list:
+            columns:
+                title:
+                    label: Title
+        toolbarButtons: create|update
+    manage:
+        form: $/acme/demo/models/entry/fields.yaml
+`
+
+const mlChildFields = `fields:
+    title:
+        label: Title
+        type: mltext
+        required: true
+`
+
+type mlJournal struct {
+	ID      uint      `gorm:"column:id;primaryKey"`
+	Entries []mlEntry `gorm:"-"`
+}
+
+func (mlJournal) TableName() string        { return "cabana_ml_journals" }
+func (mlJournal) Fillable() []string       { return []string{} }
+func (mlJournal) Rules() map[string]string { return map[string]string{} }
+
+type mlEntry struct {
+	ID        uint   `gorm:"column:id;primaryKey"`
+	JournalID *uint  `gorm:"column:journal_id"`
+	Title     string `gorm:"column:title"`
+}
+
+func (mlEntry) TableName() string        { return "cabana_ml_entries" }
+func (mlEntry) Fillable() []string       { return []string{"title"} }
+func (mlEntry) Rules() map[string]string { return map[string]string{"title": "required"} }
+
+type mlJournalController struct{}
+
+func (mlJournalController) ID() string        { return "acme.demo.journals" }
+func (mlJournalController) ModelName() string { return "Journal" }
+func (mlJournalController) ConfigDir() string { return "controllers/journals" }
+func (mlJournalController) NewRecord() any    { return &mlJournal{} }
+
+func (mlJournalController) FormExtendQuery(_ context.Context, q *gorm.DB) *gorm.DB {
+	return q
+}
+
+func (mlJournalController) AdminRelationContracts() []RelationContract {
+	return []RelationContract{{
+		Name:       "entries",
+		Kind:       RelationHasMany,
+		NewRelated: func() any { return &mlEntry{} },
+		ForeignKey: "journal_id",
+		Columns:    map[string]string{"title": "title"},
+	}}
+}
+
+var (
+	_ pact.AdminController          = mlJournalController{}
+	_ pact.AdminRecordSource        = mlJournalController{}
+	_ pact.FormExtendQuery          = mlJournalController{}
+	_ AdminRelationContractProvider = mlJournalController{}
+)
+
+func mlRelationFS() fstest.MapFS {
+	return fstest.MapFS{
+		"controllers/journals/config_list.yaml":     &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(mlParentListConfig)},
+		"controllers/journals/config_form.yaml":     &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(mlParentFormConfig)},
+		"controllers/journals/config_relation.yaml": &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(mlParentRelation)},
+		"models/journal/columns.yaml":               &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(mlParentColumns)},
+		"models/journal/fields.yaml":                &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(mlParentFields)},
+		"models/entry/fields.yaml":                  &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(mlChildFields)},
+	}
+}
+
+func mlRelationCompiled(t *testing.T) *CompiledController {
+	t.Helper()
+	reg, err := compileRegistry([]controllerRef{{
+		plugin: formPlugin{fsys: mlRelationFS()},
+		ctl:    mlJournalController{},
+	}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("registry: %v", err)
+	}
+	cc, ok := reg.Get("acme.demo.journals")
+	if !ok || cc.Form == nil || cc.Relations["entries"] == nil || cc.Relations["entries"].child == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("compiled journal missing entries form: %+v", cc)
+	}
+	return cc
+}
+
+func TestRelationChildMLNestedSave(t *testing.T) {
+	_, db := newListService(t)
+	if err := db.Migrator().DropTable(&mlEntry{}, &mlJournal{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := db.AutoMigrate(&mlJournal{}, &mlEntry{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	parent := mlJournal{}
+	if err := db.Create(&parent).Error; err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	writer := &recordingWriter{defaultLocale: "en", enabled: []string{"en", "pl"}}
+	svc := RelationService{DB: db, writer: writer}
+	cc := mlRelationCompiled(t)
+	childForm := cc.Relations["entries"].child
+
+	projected := ProjectWritableFields(childForm, map[string]any{
+		"title": map[string]any{"en": "Hello", "pl": "Witaj"},
+		"extra": map[string]any{"nested": true},
+	})
+	if len(projected) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("unlifted nested maps reached projection: %#v", projected)
+	}
+
+	created, err := svc.CreateChild(context.Background(), cc, "entries", parent.ID, RecordInput{Body: map[string]any{
+		"title": map[string]any{"en": "Hello", "pl": "Witaj"},
+		"extra": map[string]any{"nested": true},
+	}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	got, ok := created.Data["title"].(map[string]string)
+	wantTitle := map[string]string{"en": "Hello", "pl": "Witaj"}
+	if !ok || !reflect.DeepEqual(got, wantTitle) {
+		t.Fatalf("create title = %#v", created.Data["title"])
+	}
+
+	var row mlEntry
+	if err := db.First(&row).Error; err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if row.Title != "Hello" {
+		t.Fatalf("host title = %q", row.Title)
+	}
+	if writer.attrs["en"] != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("default locale duplicated: %#v", writer.attrs["en"])
+	}
+	if writer.attrs["pl"]["title"] != "Witaj" {
+		t.Fatalf("Polish attributes = %#v", writer.attrs)
+	}
+
+	before := int64(0)
+	if err := db.Model(&mlEntry{}).Count(&before).Error; err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	_, err = svc.CreateChild(context.Background(), cc, "entries", parent.ID, RecordInput{Body: map[string]any{
+		"title": map[string]any{"en": "Hello", "de": "Hallo"},
+	}})
+	var ve *ValidationError
+	if err == nil || !errors.As(err, &ve) {
+		t.Fatalf("undeclared locale err = %v", err)
+	}
+	after := int64(0)
+	if err := db.Model(&mlEntry{}).Count(&after).Error; err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if after != before {
+		t.Fatalf("undeclared locale inserted a child: before=%d after=%d", before, after)
+	}
+}