diff --git a/erpnext/manufacturing/doctype/work_order/work_order.py b/erpnext/manufacturing/doctype/work_order/work_order.py
index c28e0054c99..d1bfa8edc0d 100644
--- a/erpnext/manufacturing/doctype/work_order/work_order.py
+++ b/erpnext/manufacturing/doctype/work_order/work_order.py
@@ -1461,7 +1461,13 @@ def get_item_details(item, project=None, skip_bom_info=False, throw=True):
 
 @frappe.whitelist()
 def make_work_order(
-	bom_no, item, qty=0, company=None, project=None, variant_items=None, use_multi_level_bom=None
+	bom_no: str,
+	item: str,
+	qty: float = 0,
+	company: str | None = None,
+	project: str | None = None,
+	variant_items: str | list | None = None,
+	use_multi_level_bom: bool | None = None,
 ):
 	from erpnext import get_default_company
 
@@ -1470,7 +1476,8 @@ def make_work_order(
 
 	item_details = get_item_details(item, project)
 
-	if frappe.db.get_value("Item", item, "variant_of"):
+	# selected BOM already belongs to this variant — keep it
+	if frappe.db.get_value("Item", item, "variant_of") and frappe.db.get_value("BOM", bom_no, "item") != item:
 		if variant_bom := frappe.db.get_value(
 			"BOM",
 			{"item": item, "is_default": 1, "docstatus": 1},