diff --git a/docs/changelog.txt b/docs/changelog.txt
index 8c2bca09b0..eb53d96b9f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog.txt
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ Template for new versions:
 - Fixed out-of-bounds color table access in ``Screen`` module when Lua pens use ``COLOR_RESET``
 - ``Units::teleport``: update unit occupancy on the full 3x3 footprint of EQUIPMENT units (e.g. wagons) instead of only their center tile
 - ``Units::teleport``: only clear tile unit occupancy flags when no other unit of the same kind remains on the tile
+- ``Units::isCitizen`` and ``Units::isResident`` now exclude dead units even when ``include_insane`` is set; the flag previously skipped the sanity check that also happened to exclude the dead
 - `3dveins`: fix crash when a tile's biome cannot be resolved
 - `3dveins`: fix failure on embarks that cross midmap tiles
 - `aquifer`: make ``--skip-top`` and top-relative ``--levels`` take effect for the ``drain``, ``convert``, and ``add`` actions instead of being silently ignored
@@ -93,6 +94,8 @@ Template for new versions:
 - `export-world-map`: fix crash exporting site data for a site whose owner has an undefined race
 - `gui/quickfort`: show smoothing designations immediately after applying a blueprint
 - `overlay`: overlay hotkeys no longer steal typed characters while the game is capturing text input, e.g. when renaming a building
+- `preserve-rooms`: no longer assigns zones to dead units who still hold a noble position
+- `sort`: the clickable stress icon citizen lists no longer include dead or missing units (issue #5975)
 - `sort`: fix the Places/Workshops and task searches missing workshops by their current display names (e.g. "Stoneworker's Workshop", "Screw Press")
 - `stocks`: overlay now resets scroll position when collapsing categories so the item list is no longer left blank and unscrollable
 - `strangemood`: updated to match behavior of current DF version
diff --git a/docs/dev/Lua API.rst b/docs/dev/Lua API.rst
index 6cd947099b..4951063ed6 100644
--- a/docs/dev/Lua API.rst	
+++ b/docs/dev/Lua API.rst	
@@ -1565,12 +1565,14 @@ Units module
   same checks the game uses to decide game-over by extinction,
   with an additional sanity check. You can identify citizens,
   regardless of their sanity, by passing ``true`` as the optional
-  second parameter.
+  second parameter. Dead units are never considered citizens, even
+  when ``include_insane`` is set (though animate intelligent
+  undead citizens still count).
 
 * ``dfhack.units.isResident(unit[,include_insane])``
 
-  The unit is a resident of the fortress. Same ``include_insane`` semantics as
-  ``isCitizen``.
+  The unit is a non-dead resident of the fortress. Same
+  ``include_insane`` semantics as ``isCitizen``.
 
 * ``dfhack.units.isFortControlled(unit)``
 
diff --git a/library/include/modules/Units.h b/library/include/modules/Units.h
index f7bd2ca88f..569471d9f0 100644
--- a/library/include/modules/Units.h
+++ b/library/include/modules/Units.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ DFHACK_EXPORT bool isActive(df::unit *unit);
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool isVisible(df::unit *unit);
 // Unit is a non-dead (optionally sane) citizen of fort.
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool isCitizen(df::unit *unit, bool include_insane = false);
-// Long-term resident, not the hostile type.
+// Long-term (non-dead) resident, not the hostile type.
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool isResident(df::unit *unit, bool include_insane = false);
 // Similar to isCitizen, but includes tame animals. Will reveal ambushers for the fort, etc.
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool isFortControlled(df::unit *unit);
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@ DFHACK_EXPORT df::unit *getUnitByNobleRole(std::string noble);
 
 inline auto citizensRange(std::vector<df::unit *> &vec, bool exclude_residents = false, bool include_insane = false) {
     return vec | std::views::filter([=](df::unit *unit) {
-        if (isDead(unit) || !isActive(unit))
-            return false;
-        return isCitizen(unit, include_insane) ||
-            (!exclude_residents && isResident(unit, include_insane));
+        // isCitizen and isResident both reject dead units
+        return isActive(unit) &&
+            (isCitizen(unit, include_insane) ||
+                (!exclude_residents && isResident(unit, include_insane)));
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/library/modules/Units.cpp b/library/modules/Units.cpp
index 975202d629..d44a8a0c81 100644
--- a/library/modules/Units.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/Units.cpp
@@ -148,7 +148,10 @@ bool Units::isCitizen(df::unit *unit, bool include_insane) {
     // Copied from the conditions used to decide game over,
     // except that the game appears to let melancholy/raving
     // dwarves count as citizens.
-    if (unit->flags1.whole & exclude_flags1 ||
+    // include_insane relaxes only the sanity check; the dead are
+    // never citizens (intelligent undead are animate, not dead)
+    if (isDead(unit) ||
+        unit->flags1.whole & exclude_flags1 ||
         unit->flags2.whole & exclude_flags2 ||
         (!include_insane && !isSane(unit)))
         return false;
@@ -157,7 +160,7 @@ bool Units::isCitizen(df::unit *unit, bool include_insane) {
 
 bool Units::isResident(df::unit *unit, bool include_insane) {
     CHECK_NULL_POINTER(unit);
-    if (!include_insane && !isSane(unit))
+    if (isDead(unit) || (!include_insane && !isSane(unit)))
         return false;
 
     return isOwnCiv(unit) &&
diff --git a/plugins/lua/dwarfmonitor.lua b/plugins/lua/dwarfmonitor.lua
index fd18178a51..40ed1c71df 100644
--- a/plugins/lua/dwarfmonitor.lua
+++ b/plugins/lua/dwarfmonitor.lua
@@ -117,12 +117,10 @@ end
 
 function MiseryWidget:overlay_onupdate()
     local counts, num_colors = {}, #self.colors
-    for _,unit in ipairs(df.global.world.units.active) do
-        if not dfhack.units.isCitizen(unit, true) then goto continue end
+    for _,unit in ipairs(dfhack.units.getCitizens(true, true)) do
         local stress_category = math.min(num_colors,
                                          dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit)+1)
         counts[stress_category] = (counts[stress_category] or 0) + 1
-        ::continue::
     end
 
     local width = 2 + num_colors - 1 -- 'H:' plus the slashes
diff --git a/plugins/lua/sort/stressicons.lua b/plugins/lua/sort/stressicons.lua
index 23baf5b104..1971326e6e 100644
--- a/plugins/lua/sort/stressicons.lua
+++ b/plugins/lua/sort/stressicons.lua
@@ -9,11 +9,17 @@ local STRESS_CATEGORY_NAMES = {
     'Ecstatic',
 }
 
+-- single-unit equivalent of the dfhack.units.getCitizens(true, true) filter
+local function is_listable(unit)
+    return dfhack.units.isCitizen(unit, true) and dfhack.units.isActive(unit)
+end
+
 local function show_stress_units(category)
     local choices = {}
-    for _,unit in ipairs(df.global.world.units.active) do
-        if dfhack.units.isCitizen(unit, true) and
-                dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit) == category then
+    -- living, on-map citizens only (excluding residents), matching the game's
+    -- own stress icon counts
+    for _,unit in ipairs(dfhack.units.getCitizens(true, true)) do
+        if dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit) == category then
             table.insert(choices, {
                 text=dfhack.units.getReadableName(unit),
                 unit_id=unit.id,
@@ -31,9 +37,10 @@ local function show_stress_units(category)
         with_filter=true,
         choices=choices,
         on_select=function(_, choice)
-            -- re-resolve in case the unit died while the list was open
+            -- re-resolve in case the unit died or left the map while the list
+            -- was open; df.unit.find still resolves dead units
             local unit = df.unit.find(choice.unit_id)
-            if not unit then return end
+            if not unit or not is_listable(unit) then return end
             dfhack.gui.revealInDwarfmodeMap(unit.pos.x, unit.pos.y, unit.pos.z, true, true)
         end,
     }:show()
diff --git a/test/plugins/sort.lua b/test/plugins/sort.lua
index b38609b5fe..d417d31960 100644
--- a/test/plugins/sort.lua
+++ b/test/plugins/sort.lua
@@ -10,11 +10,9 @@ end
 
 local function get_citizen_counts()
     local counts = {}
-    for _,unit in ipairs(df.global.world.units.active) do
-        if dfhack.units.isCitizen(unit, true) then
-            local cat = dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit)
-            counts[cat] = (counts[cat] or 0) + 1
-        end
+    for _,unit in ipairs(dfhack.units.getCitizens(true, true)) do
+        local cat = dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit)
+        counts[cat] = (counts[cat] or 0) + 1
     end
     return counts
 end
@@ -153,9 +151,8 @@ function test.selecting_unit_centers_map()
     expect.ne(nil, called_with)
     -- the revealed position must be a real citizen's position in that bucket
     local matched = false
-    for _,unit in ipairs(df.global.world.units.active) do
-        if dfhack.units.isCitizen(unit, true) and
-                dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit) == cat and
+    for _,unit in ipairs(dfhack.units.getCitizens(true, true)) do
+        if dfhack.units.getStressCategory(unit) == cat and
                 unit.pos.x == called_with.x and unit.pos.y == called_with.y and
                 unit.pos.z == called_with.z then
             matched = true