diff --git a/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreak.kt b/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreak.kt
index 061d3739..0c700a14 100644
--- a/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreak.kt
+++ b/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreak.kt
@@ -26,8 +26,16 @@ import com.correx.core.transitions.graph.WorkflowGraph
 internal data class FileRepairOutcome(
     val path: String,
     val writeCount: Int,
-    /** True when the diagnostic run following the LAST write for this path reported no errors. */
+    /**
+     * True when the diagnostic run following the LAST write for this path reported no errors. False
+     * when it reported errors OR when no run has happened since that write — see [unchecked], which
+     * separates the two. "Not yet checked" must never read as "clean": telling the model to leave a
+     * file alone on the strength of a run that never happened is the exact mis-signal this ledger exists
+     * to prevent.
+     */
     val resolved: Boolean,
+    /** True when NO diagnostic run has been recorded since the last write for this path. */
+    val unchecked: Boolean,
     /** Diagnostic codes present after EVERY write (only meaningful when [resolved] is false). */
     val persistentCodes: Set<String>,
     /** 1-based write index at which the diagnostic first went clean (only set when [resolved]). */
@@ -50,21 +58,28 @@ internal fun fileRepairOutcomes(events: List<StoredEvent>, stageId: StageId): Li
     val paths = writes.map { (it.payload as FileWrittenEvent).path }.distinct()
     return paths.map { path ->
         val pathWrites = writes.filter { (it.payload as FileWrittenEvent).path == path }
-        val codesPerWrite = pathWrites.map { w ->
+        // null = no diagnostic run recorded after that write, which is NOT the same as a clean run.
+        val codesPerWrite: List<Set<String>?> = pathWrites.map { w ->
             diagRuns.firstOrNull { it.sequence > w.sequence }
                 ?.let { (it.payload as LspDiagnosticsCompletedEvent).diagnostics }
                 ?.filter { d -> d.path == path && d.severity.equals("error", ignoreCase = true) && !d.isLint }
                 ?.mapNotNull { it.code }
                 ?.toSet()
-                ?: emptySet()
         }
-        val resolved = codesPerWrite.last().isEmpty()
+        val checked = codesPerWrite.filterNotNull()
+        val unchecked = codesPerWrite.last() == null
+        val resolved = !unchecked && codesPerWrite.last()!!.isEmpty()
         FileRepairOutcome(
             path = path,
             writeCount = pathWrites.size,
             resolved = resolved,
-            persistentCodes = if (resolved) emptySet() else codesPerWrite.reduce { a, b -> a intersect b },
-            clearedAtWrite = if (resolved) codesPerWrite.indexOfFirst { it.isEmpty() } + 1 else null,
+            unchecked = unchecked,
+            persistentCodes = if (resolved || checked.isEmpty()) {
+                emptySet()
+            } else {
+                checked.reduce { a, b -> a intersect b }
+            },
+            clearedAtWrite = if (resolved) codesPerWrite.indexOfFirst { it?.isEmpty() == true } + 1 else null,
         )
     }
 }
@@ -72,6 +87,7 @@ internal fun fileRepairOutcomes(events: List<StoredEvent>, stageId: StageId): Li
 internal fun describeFileRepairOutcome(o: FileRepairOutcome): String {
     val header = "${o.path} — written ${o.writeCount}x."
     return when {
+        o.unchecked -> "$header not re-checked since the last write — outcome unknown."
         o.resolved && o.writeCount > 1 -> "$header cleared after write ${o.clearedAtWrite}. done, leave it."
         o.resolved -> "$header done, leave it."
         o.persistentCodes.isNotEmpty() -> "$header ${o.persistentCodes.joinToString(", ")}: present before " +
@@ -101,7 +117,9 @@ internal fun DefaultSessionOrchestrator.recoveryFileLoopBreak(
     limit: Int,
 ): String? {
     val stuck = fileRepairOutcomes(repositories.eventStore.read(sessionId), stageId)
-        .firstOrNull { !it.resolved && it.writeCount >= limit }
+        // `unchecked` is excluded deliberately: killing a run terminally demands recorded proof the
+        // rewrites aren't working, not the absence of proof that they are.
+        .firstOrNull { !it.resolved && !it.unchecked && it.writeCount >= limit }
         ?: return null
     val codes = stuck.persistentCodes.takeIf { it.isNotEmpty() }?.joinToString(", ") ?: "its diagnostic"
     return "recovery stage ${stageId.value} rewrote '${stuck.path}' ${stuck.writeCount}x without " +
diff --git a/core/kernel/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreakTest.kt b/core/kernel/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreakTest.kt
index 8dc4b62c..08d2a978 100644
--- a/core/kernel/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreakTest.kt
+++ b/core/kernel/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/RecoveryFileLoopBreakTest.kt
@@ -74,11 +74,26 @@ class RecoveryFileLoopBreakTest {
         assertTrue(describeFileRepairOutcome(fixed).let { it.contains("cleared after write 2") })
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `a write with no diagnostic run after it reads as unchecked, never as resolved`() {
+        val events = buildList {
+            repeat(3) { addAll(writeThenDiagnose("SessionsList.tsx", cleared = false, code = "TS6133")) }
+            addAll(writeOnly("SessionsList.tsx"))
+        }
+        val outcome = fileRepairOutcomes(events, stage).single()
+        assertTrue(outcome.unchecked)
+        assertEquals(false, outcome.resolved, "an unverified write must not read as clean")
+        assertTrue(describeFileRepairOutcome(outcome).contains("not re-checked"))
+        // and it must not terminally kill the run on the absence of evidence
+        assertNull(recoveryFileLoopBreakPure(events, stage, limit = 3))
+    }
+
     // recoveryFileLoopBreak is an extension on DefaultSessionOrchestrator that reads the event store;
     // its pure core is fileRepairOutcomes, exercised directly here for the same result without needing
     // to stand up an orchestrator instance.
     private fun recoveryFileLoopBreakPure(events: List<StoredEvent>, stageId: StageId, limit: Int): String? {
-        val stuck = fileRepairOutcomes(events, stageId).firstOrNull { !it.resolved && it.writeCount >= limit }
+        val stuck = fileRepairOutcomes(events, stageId)
+            .firstOrNull { !it.resolved && !it.unchecked && it.writeCount >= limit }
             ?: return null
         val codes = stuck.persistentCodes.takeIf { it.isNotEmpty() }?.joinToString(", ") ?: "its diagnostic"
         return "recovery stage ${stageId.value} rewrote '${stuck.path}' ${stuck.writeCount}x without " +
@@ -100,6 +115,8 @@ class RecoveryFileLoopBreakTest {
         payload = payload,
     )
 
+    private fun writeOnly(path: String): List<StoredEvent> = writeThenDiagnose(path, cleared = true).dropLast(1)
+
     private fun writeThenDiagnose(path: String, cleared: Boolean, code: String? = null): List<StoredEvent> {
         val inv = ToolInvocationId("inv-${seq}")
         val req = ev(