diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/persistence_middleware_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/persistence_middleware_test.go
index c7d843ba33..39f782aa12 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/persistence_middleware_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/backendapp/persistence_middleware_test.go
@@ -5,19 +5,95 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"testing"
+	"testing/synctest"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 	"github.com/jmoiron/sqlx"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest/observer"
 
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/auth"
 	authhttpmw "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/auth/httpmw"
 	authstore "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/auth/store"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/config"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/logger"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/db"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/persistence/requiredstores"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/system/maintenance"
 	userstore "github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/user/store"
 )
 
+func TestPersistenceMiddlewareRemainsAvailableDuringManagedMaintenance(t *testing.T) {
+	synctest.Test(t, func(t *testing.T) {
+		gin.SetMode(gin.TestMode)
+		conn, err := sqlx.Open("sqlite3", ":memory:")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("open sqlite: %v", err)
+		}
+		t.Cleanup(func() { _ = conn.Close() })
+		conn.SetMaxOpenConns(1)
+		if _, err := conn.Exec("CREATE TABLE tasks (id TEXT PRIMARY KEY)"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("create tasks table: %v", err)
+		}
+		pool := db.NewPool(conn, conn)
+		tracker, err := requiredstores.NewTracker([]requiredstores.Descriptor{{
+			ID: "task", OwnerPackage: "internal/task", RequiredTables: []string{"tasks"},
+		}})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("NewTracker: %v", err)
+		}
+		if err := tracker.RecordSuccess("task"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess: %v", err)
+		}
+		core, logs := observer.New(zap.DebugLevel)
+		log, err := logger.NewFromZap(zap.New(core))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("NewFromZap: %v", err)
+		}
+		health := requiredstores.NewHealth(tracker, pool, log)
+		if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("initial Check: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		release, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatal("maintenance lease unavailable")
+		}
+		t.Cleanup(release)
+		tx, err := conn.Beginx()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("begin writer transaction: %v", err)
+		}
+		t.Cleanup(func() { _ = tx.Rollback() })
+
+		health.SetInterval(time.Millisecond)
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		t.Cleanup(cancel)
+		stop := health.Start(ctx)
+		t.Cleanup(func() { _ = stop() })
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+		synctest.Wait()
+
+		if !health.Healthy() {
+			t.Fatal("required persistence became unhealthy during managed maintenance")
+		}
+		if count := logs.FilterMessage("required persistence probe deferred during database maintenance").Len(); count == 0 {
+			t.Fatal("periodic health probe did not report maintenance deferral")
+		}
+
+		router := gin.New()
+		router.Use(requiredPersistenceMiddleware(health))
+		router.GET("/api/v1/tasks", func(c *gin.Context) { c.Status(http.StatusOK) })
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		router.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/api/v1/tasks", nil))
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("stateful request status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, http.StatusOK)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestRequiredPersistenceMiddlewareBlocksStatefulTrafficButAllowsDiagnostics(t *testing.T) {
 	gin.SetMode(gin.TestMode)
 	tracker, err := requiredstores.NewTracker([]requiredstores.Descriptor{{
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health.go b/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health.go
index c4325103c5..5f80bcca9b 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health.go
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/logger"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/db"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/db/dialect"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/system/maintenance"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -83,6 +85,38 @@ func (h *Health) Check(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return errors.Join(failures...)
 }
 
+// MarkUnavailable records a destructive database transition before the
+// maintenance owner releases its admission lease. This keeps stateful
+// requests fail-closed while the process waits for the required restart.
+func (h *Health) MarkUnavailable() {
+	if h == nil || h.tracker == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	_ = h.recordUnavailable(errors.New("database maintenance requires restart"))
+}
+
+// checkRuntime runs a periodic probe when the database can be admitted. SQLite
+// maintenance owns the same writer pool, so a busy maintenance lease defers
+// the probe instead of turning bounded writer contention into an unhealthy
+// state. Startup callers continue to use Check, which remains strict.
+func (h *Health) checkRuntime(ctx context.Context) (deferred bool, err error) {
+	if h.isSQLite() {
+		release, ok := maintenance.ForPool(h.pool).TryAcquire()
+		if !ok {
+			if h.log != nil {
+				h.log.Debug("required persistence probe deferred during database maintenance")
+			}
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		defer release()
+	}
+	return false, h.Check(ctx)
+}
+
+func (h *Health) isSQLite() bool {
+	return h.pool != nil && h.pool.Writer() != nil && h.pool.Writer().DriverName() == dialect.SQLite3
+}
+
 func (h *Health) ping(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err := h.pool.Writer().PingContext(ctx); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("writer ping failed: %w", err)
@@ -146,7 +180,8 @@ func (h *Health) run(ctx context.Context, interval time.Duration, done chan stru
 			return
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			checkCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, probeTimeout)
-			if err := h.Check(checkCtx); err != nil && h.log != nil {
+			_, err := h.checkRuntime(checkCtx)
+			if err != nil && h.log != nil {
 				h.log.Warn("required persistence probe failed", zap.Error(err))
 			}
 			cancel()
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health_test.go
index b0d6171042..3d63eafb25 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package requiredstores
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -9,8 +10,214 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
 
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/db"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/system/maintenance"
 )
 
+func newSQLiteHealthFixture(t *testing.T, descriptors []Descriptor) (*sqlx.DB, *db.Pool, *Tracker, *Health) {
+	t.Helper()
+	conn, err := sqlx.Open("sqlite3", ":memory:")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("open sqlite: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = conn.Close() })
+	conn.SetMaxOpenConns(1)
+
+	tracker, err := NewTracker(descriptors)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewTracker: %v", err)
+	}
+	pool := db.NewPool(conn, conn)
+	health := NewHealth(tracker, pool, nil)
+	return conn, pool, tracker, health
+}
+
+func holdWriter(t *testing.T, conn *sqlx.DB) *sqlx.Tx {
+	t.Helper()
+	tx, err := conn.Beginx()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("begin writer transaction: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = tx.Rollback() })
+	return tx
+}
+
+func TestRuntimeHealthDefersDuringMaintenance(t *testing.T) {
+	conn, pool, tracker, health := newSQLiteHealthFixture(t, []Descriptor{{
+		ID: "first", OwnerPackage: "owner/first", RequiredTables: []string{"first"},
+	}})
+	if _, err := conn.Exec("CREATE TABLE first (id TEXT PRIMARY KEY)"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create first table: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tracker.RecordSuccess("first"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial Check: %v", err)
+	}
+	before := tracker.Snapshot()
+
+	release, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("maintenance lease unavailable")
+	}
+	defer release()
+	holdWriter(t, conn)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 25*time.Millisecond)
+	defer cancel()
+	deferred, err := health.checkRuntime(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("checkRuntime error = %v, want nil while maintenance owns the pool", err)
+	}
+	if !deferred {
+		t.Fatal("checkRuntime deferred = false, want true while maintenance owns the pool")
+	}
+	after := tracker.Snapshot()
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(after, before) {
+		t.Fatalf("tracker changed during deferred probe: before=%#v after=%#v", before, after)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRuntimeHealthDeferralPreservesMixedStoreStates(t *testing.T) {
+	conn, pool, tracker, health := newSQLiteHealthFixture(t, []Descriptor{
+		{ID: "healthy", OwnerPackage: "owner/healthy", RequiredTables: []string{"healthy"}},
+		{ID: "unhealthy", OwnerPackage: "owner/unhealthy", RequiredTables: []string{"unhealthy"}},
+	})
+	if _, err := conn.Exec("CREATE TABLE healthy (id TEXT PRIMARY KEY)"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create healthy table: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, id := range []string{"healthy", "unhealthy"} {
+		if err := tracker.RecordSuccess(id); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess(%q): %v", id, err)
+		}
+	}
+	if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("initial Check returned nil with a missing table")
+	}
+	before := tracker.Snapshot()
+
+	release, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("maintenance lease unavailable")
+	}
+	defer release()
+	holdWriter(t, conn)
+
+	deferred, err := health.checkRuntime(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("checkRuntime error = %v, want nil while maintenance owns the pool", err)
+	}
+	if !deferred {
+		t.Fatal("checkRuntime deferred = false, want true while maintenance owns the pool")
+	}
+	after := tracker.Snapshot()
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(after, before) {
+		t.Fatalf("mixed tracker state changed during deferred probe: before=%#v after=%#v", before, after)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStartupHealthDoesNotDefer(t *testing.T) {
+	conn, pool, tracker, health := newSQLiteHealthFixture(t, []Descriptor{{
+		ID: "first", OwnerPackage: "owner/first", RequiredTables: []string{"first"},
+	}})
+	if _, err := conn.Exec("CREATE TABLE first (id TEXT PRIMARY KEY)"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create first table: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tracker.RecordSuccess("first"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial Check: %v", err)
+	}
+	before, ok := tracker.Status("first")
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("missing first status")
+	}
+
+	release, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("maintenance lease unavailable")
+	}
+	defer release()
+	holdWriter(t, conn)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 25*time.Millisecond)
+	defer cancel()
+	if err := health.Check(ctx); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("startup Check returned nil while its writer probe was blocked")
+	}
+	after, ok := tracker.Status("first")
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("missing first status after Check")
+	}
+	if after.State != StateUnhealthy {
+		t.Fatalf("startup Check state = %q, want %q", after.State, StateUnhealthy)
+	}
+	if !after.LastCheckedAt.After(before.LastCheckedAt) {
+		t.Fatalf("startup Check did not record a newer check time: before=%v after=%v", before.LastCheckedAt, after.LastCheckedAt)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRuntimeHealthResumesAfterMaintenance(t *testing.T) {
+	conn, pool, tracker, health := newSQLiteHealthFixture(t, []Descriptor{{
+		ID: "first", OwnerPackage: "owner/first", RequiredTables: []string{"first"},
+	}})
+	if _, err := conn.Exec("CREATE TABLE first (id TEXT PRIMARY KEY)"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create first table: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tracker.RecordSuccess("first"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial Check: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	release, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("maintenance lease unavailable")
+	}
+	deferred, err := health.checkRuntime(context.Background())
+	if err != nil || !deferred {
+		t.Fatalf("checkRuntime during maintenance = deferred %v, err %v; want true, nil", deferred, err)
+	}
+	release()
+
+	if _, err := conn.Exec("DROP TABLE first"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("drop first table: %v", err)
+	}
+	deferred, err = health.checkRuntime(context.Background())
+	if deferred {
+		t.Fatal("checkRuntime deferred after maintenance released")
+	}
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("checkRuntime returned nil with a missing table")
+	}
+	if health.Healthy() {
+		t.Fatal("health remained healthy after a real post-maintenance failure")
+	}
+	probeLease, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("failed probe leaked maintenance admission")
+	}
+	probeLease()
+
+	if _, err := conn.Exec("CREATE TABLE first (id TEXT PRIMARY KEY)"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("recreate first table: %v", err)
+	}
+	deferred, err = health.checkRuntime(context.Background())
+	if deferred || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("recovery check = deferred %v, err %v; want false, nil", deferred, err)
+	}
+	if !health.Healthy() {
+		t.Fatal("health did not recover after the missing table was repaired")
+	}
+	successLease, ok := maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("successful probe leaked maintenance admission")
+	}
+	successLease()
+}
+
 func TestHealthCheckMarksMissingTableUnhealthyAndRecovers(t *testing.T) {
 	conn, err := sqlx.Open("sqlite3", ":memory:")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/system/backups/store.go b/apps/backend/internal/system/backups/store.go
index 660c9dcf3e..2db21c1650 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/system/backups/store.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/system/backups/store.go
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ type Service struct {
 	jobs         *jobs.Tracker
 	log          *logger.Logger
 
+	// PersistenceUnavailable marks required stores unhealthy before restore
+	// closes the pool and leaves the process awaiting restart.
+	PersistenceUnavailable func()
+
 	// RestoreQuiesce stops scheduling, active executions, and database-backed
 	// workers before restore closes the shared database pool. Wired by the
 	// backend composition root; tests may leave it nil.
@@ -210,6 +214,9 @@ func (s *Service) runRestore(ctx context.Context, snapshotPath string) (map[stri
 		_ = os.Remove(stagedPath)
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if s.PersistenceUnavailable != nil {
+		s.PersistenceUnavailable()
+	}
 	if s.RestoreQuiesce != nil {
 		if err := s.RestoreQuiesce(); err != nil {
 			_ = os.Remove(stagedPath)
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/system/database/reset.go b/apps/backend/internal/system/database/reset.go
index 0853ff783b..851188ecd1 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/system/database/reset.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/system/database/reset.go
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ func (s *Service) runFactoryReset(ctx context.Context) (map[string]interface{},
 	if err := s.requireSQLiteMaintenance("factory reset"); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if s.PersistenceUnavailable != nil {
+		s.PersistenceUnavailable()
+	}
 
 	if s.OrchestratorShutdown != nil {
 		s.OrchestratorShutdown()
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/system/database/stats.go b/apps/backend/internal/system/database/stats.go
index 79b510cbb0..dfb7f7de14 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/system/database/stats.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/system/database/stats.go
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ type Service struct {
 	jobs         *jobs.Tracker
 	log          *logger.Logger
 
+	// PersistenceUnavailable marks required stores unhealthy before a
+	// destructive maintenance operation leaves the process awaiting restart.
+	PersistenceUnavailable func()
+
 	// OrchestratorShutdown stops the orchestrator and active executions before
 	// the factory-reset job runs. Wired by cmd/kandev. Tests pass a no-op.
 	OrchestratorShutdown func()
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/system/system.go b/apps/backend/internal/system/system.go
index f917376ea0..eb7aeefcf7 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/system/system.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/system/system.go
@@ -120,9 +120,16 @@ func Provide(cfg *config.Config, log *logger.Logger, pool *db.Pool, eventBus bus
 	}
 	dbSvc := database.NewService(pool, databasePath, resetDirs, tracker, log)
 	dbSvc.OrchestratorShutdown = wiring.OrchestratorShutdown
+	markPersistenceUnavailable := func() {
+		if wiring.PersistenceHealth != nil {
+			wiring.PersistenceHealth.MarkUnavailable()
+		}
+	}
+	dbSvc.PersistenceUnavailable = markPersistenceUnavailable
 
 	backupsSvc := backups.NewService(databasePath, pool, tracker, log)
 	backupsSvc.OrchestratorShutdown = wiring.OrchestratorShutdown
+	backupsSvc.PersistenceUnavailable = markPersistenceUnavailable
 	retentionSvc := provideToolRetention(pool, backupsSvc, eventBus, log, wiring)
 	dbSvc.DatabaseQuiesce = retentionQuiesce(retentionSvc, wiring.DatabaseQuiesce)
 	restoreQuiesce := wiring.RestoreQuiesce
diff --git a/apps/backend/internal/system/system_database_path_test.go b/apps/backend/internal/system/system_database_path_test.go
index 2234006ce1..5a67be3b3b 100644
--- a/apps/backend/internal/system/system_database_path_test.go
+++ b/apps/backend/internal/system/system_database_path_test.go
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 package system
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 	"github.com/jmoiron/sqlx"
@@ -15,6 +17,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/config"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/common/logger"
 	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/db"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/persistence/requiredstores"
+	"github.com/kandev/kandev/internal/system/jobs"
 )
 
 func TestConfiguredDatabasePath_ProvideListsSiblingBackups(t *testing.T) {
@@ -109,6 +113,128 @@ func TestProvideWiresRestoreQuiesce(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProvideMarksPersistenceUnavailableForFactoryReset(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	databasePath := filepath.Join(root, "custom", "named.db")
+	pool := openSystemDatabasePathPool(t, databasePath)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = pool.Close() })
+	if _, err := pool.Writer().Exec(`CREATE TABLE kandev_meta (key TEXT PRIMARY KEY, value TEXT NOT NULL)`); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create kandev_meta: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	tracker, err := requiredstores.NewTracker([]requiredstores.Descriptor{{
+		ID: "settings", OwnerPackage: "internal/system/settings", RequiredTables: []string{"settings"},
+	}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewTracker: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tracker.RecordSuccess("settings"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess: %v", err)
+	}
+	health := requiredstores.NewHealth(tracker, pool, nil)
+	log, err := logger.NewFromZap(zap.NewNop())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("logger: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = log.Close() })
+
+	service := Provide(&config.Config{
+		HomeDir:  root,
+		Database: config.DatabaseConfig{Driver: "sqlite", Path: databasePath},
+	}, log, pool, nil, BuildInfo{}, Wiring{
+		RequiredStores:    tracker,
+		PersistenceHealth: health,
+	})
+	if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial health check: %v", err)
+	}
+	jobID, err := service.Database.FactoryReset(context.Background(), "RESET")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("FactoryReset: %v", err)
+	}
+	job := waitForSystemJob(t, service.Jobs, jobID)
+	if job.State != jobs.StateSucceeded {
+		t.Fatalf("factory reset state = %s, want succeeded: %s", job.State, job.Message)
+	}
+	if health.Healthy() {
+		t.Fatal("required persistence recovered before the frontend restart")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProvideMarksPersistenceUnavailableForRestore(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	databasePath := filepath.Join(root, "custom", "named.db")
+	pool := openSystemDatabasePathPool(t, databasePath)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = pool.Close() })
+
+	tracker, err := requiredstores.NewTracker([]requiredstores.Descriptor{{
+		ID: "settings", OwnerPackage: "internal/system/settings", RequiredTables: []string{"settings"},
+	}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewTracker: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tracker.RecordSuccess("settings"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RecordSuccess: %v", err)
+	}
+	health := requiredstores.NewHealth(tracker, pool, nil)
+	log, err := logger.NewFromZap(zap.NewNop())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("logger: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = log.Close() })
+
+	service := Provide(&config.Config{
+		HomeDir:  root,
+		Database: config.DatabaseConfig{Driver: "sqlite", Path: databasePath},
+	}, log, pool, nil, BuildInfo{}, Wiring{
+		RequiredStores:    tracker,
+		PersistenceHealth: health,
+	})
+	if err := health.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial health check: %v", err)
+	}
+	snapshotJobID := service.Backups.Create(context.Background())
+	snapshotJob := waitForSystemJob(t, service.Jobs, snapshotJobID)
+	if snapshotJob.State != jobs.StateSucceeded {
+		t.Fatalf("snapshot state = %s, want succeeded: %s", snapshotJob.State, snapshotJob.Message)
+	}
+	snapshots, err := service.Backups.List()
+	if err != nil || len(snapshots) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("List() = %#v, %v; want one snapshot", snapshots, err)
+	}
+
+	restoreJobID, err := service.Backups.Restore(context.Background(), snapshots[0].Name, "RESTORE")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Restore: %v", err)
+	}
+	restoreJob := waitForSystemJob(t, service.Jobs, restoreJobID)
+	if restoreJob.State != jobs.StateSucceeded {
+		t.Fatalf("restore state = %s, want succeeded: %s", restoreJob.State, restoreJob.Message)
+	}
+	if health.Healthy() {
+		t.Fatal("required persistence recovered before the frontend restart")
+	}
+}
+
+func waitForSystemJob(t *testing.T, tracker *jobs.Tracker, id string) *jobs.Job {
+	t.Helper()
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(5 * time.Millisecond)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	deadline := time.NewTimer(5 * time.Second)
+	defer deadline.Stop()
+	for {
+		job := tracker.Get(id)
+		if job != nil && (job.State == jobs.StateSucceeded || job.State == jobs.StateFailed) {
+			return job
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-ticker.C:
+		case <-deadline.C:
+			t.Fatalf("job %q did not finish", id)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func openSystemDatabasePathPool(t *testing.T, databasePath string) *db.Pool {
 	t.Helper()
 	writerRaw, err := db.OpenSQLite(databasePath)
diff --git a/apps/web/components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx b/apps/web/components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx
index a65b2612db..5cda97bbe2 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { SettingsSaveContributor } from "@/components/settings/settings-save-provider";
-import type { ToolPayloadRetentionStatus } from "@/lib/types/tool-payload-retention";
+import type {
+  ToolPayloadOperation,
+  ToolPayloadRetentionStatus,
+} from "@/lib/types/tool-payload-retention";
 import * as api from "@/lib/api/domains/tool-payload-retention-api";
 import { ToolPayloadRetentionCard } from "./tool-payload-retention-card";
 vi.mock("@/lib/api/domains/tool-payload-retention-api");
@@ -15,6 +18,9 @@ vi.mock("@/components/settings/settings-save-provider", () => ({
 }));
 const ENABLED_TEST_ID = "tool-payload-enabled";
 const AGE_TEST_ID = "tool-payload-age";
+const ERROR_TEST_ID = "tool-payload-error";
+const ANALYZE_TEST_ID = "tool-payload-analyze";
+const LAST_RUN_TEST_ID = "tool-payload-last-run";
 
 const baseline: ToolPayloadRetentionStatus = {
   supported: true,
@@ -31,6 +37,79 @@ async function open() {
   render(<ToolPayloadRetentionCard />);
   await screen.findByTestId(ENABLED_TEST_ID);
 }
+
+it("clears a recovered status polling error without manual refresh", async () => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers();
+  try {
+    const readError = new Error("status unavailable");
+    vi.mocked(api.fetchToolPayloadRetention)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(baseline)
+      .mockRejectedValueOnce(readError)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(baseline);
+    render(<ToolPayloadRetentionCard />);
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(screen.getByTestId(ENABLED_TEST_ID)).toBeTruthy();
+    await act(async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(30_000);
+    });
+    expect(screen.getByTestId(ERROR_TEST_ID)).toBeTruthy();
+    await act(async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(30_000);
+    });
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId(ERROR_TEST_ID)).toBeNull();
+  } finally {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  }
+});
+
+it("preserves an action failure after status recovery", async () => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers();
+  try {
+    const actionError = new Error("analysis failed");
+    const failedRun: ToolPayloadOperation = {
+      id: "failed-run",
+      kind: "cleanup",
+      state: "failed",
+      scanned: 0,
+      eligible_tasks: 0,
+      eligible_messages: 0,
+      removed_messages: 0,
+      payload_bytes: 0,
+      skipped: {},
+      cutoff: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+      started_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+      finished_at: "2026-01-01T00:01:00.000Z",
+      error: "cleanup_failed",
+      age: baseline.policy.age,
+    };
+    vi.mocked(api.fetchToolPayloadRetention)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(baseline)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ...baseline, last_run: failedRun });
+    vi.mocked(api.analyzeToolPayloadRetention).mockRejectedValueOnce(actionError);
+    render(<ToolPayloadRetentionCard />);
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(screen.getByTestId(ENABLED_TEST_ID)).toBeTruthy();
+    await act(async () => {
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId(ANALYZE_TEST_ID));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(screen.getByTestId(ERROR_TEST_ID)).toBeTruthy();
+    await act(async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(30_000);
+    });
+    expect(screen.getByTestId(ERROR_TEST_ID)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(screen.getByTestId(LAST_RUN_TEST_ID).textContent).toMatch(/failed/i);
+  } finally {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  }
+});
+
 it("requires an explicit backup choice before saving enablement and displays preparing", async () => {
   await open();
   fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId(ENABLED_TEST_ID));
@@ -58,7 +137,7 @@ it("analyzes a disabled draft without saving or enabling", async () => {
   await open();
   fireEvent.change(screen.getByTestId(AGE_TEST_ID), { target: { value: "4" } });
   vi.mocked(api.analyzeToolPayloadRetention).mockResolvedValue({ operation_id: "analysis-1" });
-  fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("tool-payload-analyze"));
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId(ANALYZE_TEST_ID));
   await waitFor(() =>
     expect(api.analyzeToolPayloadRetention).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ value: 4, unit: "months" }),
   );
@@ -69,14 +148,14 @@ it("keeps member controls read only", async () => {
   admin = false;
   await open();
   expect(screen.getByTestId(ENABLED_TEST_ID).hasAttribute("disabled")).toBe(true);
-  expect(screen.getByTestId("tool-payload-analyze").hasAttribute("disabled")).toBe(true);
+  expect(screen.getByTestId(ANALYZE_TEST_ID).hasAttribute("disabled")).toBe(true);
   expect(api.analyzeToolPayloadRetention).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 });
 it("rejects invalid ages without losing the disabled default", async () => {
   await open();
   fireEvent.change(screen.getByTestId(AGE_TEST_ID), { target: { value: "0" } });
   expect(contributor.canSave).toBe(false);
-  expect(screen.getByTestId("tool-payload-analyze").hasAttribute("disabled")).toBe(true);
+  expect(screen.getByTestId(ANALYZE_TEST_ID).hasAttribute("disabled")).toBe(true);
 });
 
 it("preserves edits made during a pending save against its normalized response", async () => {
diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/helpers/tool-payload-retention.ts b/apps/web/e2e/helpers/tool-payload-retention.ts
index 91c33e19cb..549ea20aa3 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/helpers/tool-payload-retention.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/helpers/tool-payload-retention.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,82 @@ export async function resetRetention(page: Page) {
   expect(response.ok(), await response.text()).toBe(true);
 }
 
+export async function failNextRetentionStatusRead(page: Page) {
+  const pattern = `**${RETENTION_API}`;
+  let reads = 0;
+  await page.route(pattern, async (route) => {
+    if (route.request().method() !== "GET") {
+      await route.continue();
+      return;
+    }
+    reads += 1;
+    if (reads === 1) {
+      await route.fulfill({
+        status: 503,
+        contentType: "application/json",
+        body: JSON.stringify({ code: "persistence_unavailable" }),
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+    await route.continue();
+  });
+  return async () => page.unroute(pattern);
+}
+
+export async function reloadRetentionWithFakeClock(page: Page) {
+  await page.clock.install();
+  await page.reload();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("tool-payload-enabled")).toBeVisible();
+}
+
+export async function recoverRetentionStatusPolling(page: Page, preserveError = false) {
+  const failed = page.waitForResponse(
+    (response) =>
+      new URL(response.url()).pathname === RETENTION_API &&
+      response.request().method() === "GET" &&
+      response.status() === 503,
+  );
+  await page.clock.runFor(30_000);
+  await failed;
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("tool-payload-error")).toBeVisible();
+
+  const recovered = page.waitForResponse(
+    (response) =>
+      new URL(response.url()).pathname === RETENTION_API &&
+      response.request().method() === "GET" &&
+      response.status() === 200,
+  );
+  await page.clock.runFor(30_000);
+  await recovered;
+  if (preserveError) await expect(page.getByTestId("tool-payload-error")).toBeVisible();
+  else await expect(page.getByTestId("tool-payload-error")).toHaveCount(0);
+}
+
+export async function failRetentionAnalysis(page: Page, touch = false) {
+  const pattern = `**${RETENTION_API}/analyze`;
+  await page.route(pattern, async (route) => {
+    if (route.request().method() === "POST") {
+      await route.fulfill({
+        status: 503,
+        contentType: "application/json",
+        body: JSON.stringify({ code: "persistence_unavailable" }),
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+    await route.continue();
+  });
+  const failed = page.waitForResponse(
+    (response) =>
+      new URL(response.url()).pathname === `${RETENTION_API}/analyze` &&
+      response.request().method() === "POST" &&
+      response.status() === 503,
+  );
+  await press(page.getByTestId("tool-payload-analyze"), touch);
+  await failed;
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("tool-payload-error")).toBeVisible();
+  return async () => page.unroute(pattern);
+}
+
 export async function press(locator: Locator, touch = false) {
   if (touch) await locator.tap();
   else await locator.click();
diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts
index 3aac9ef792..022253bc39 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ import {
   activateRetention,
   analyzeRetention,
   expectTouchTarget,
+  failNextRetentionStatusRead,
+  failRetentionAnalysis,
   readRetentionMessage,
+  recoverRetentionStatusPolling,
+  reloadRetentionWithFakeClock,
   resetRetention,
   RETENTION_ROUTE,
   runRetention,
@@ -12,6 +16,38 @@ import {
 } from "../../helpers/tool-payload-retention";
 
 test.describe("Tool payload retention on phones", () => {
+  test("recovers a status polling error without manual refresh on a phone", async ({
+    testPage: page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
+    await resetRetention(page);
+    await page.goto(RETENTION_ROUTE);
+    await reloadRetentionWithFakeClock(page);
+    const removeStatusRoute = await failNextRetentionStatusRead(page);
+    try {
+      await recoverRetentionStatusPolling(page);
+    } finally {
+      await removeStatusRoute();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("preserves an action failure after status recovery on a phone", async ({
+    testPage: page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
+    await resetRetention(page);
+    await page.goto(RETENTION_ROUTE);
+    await reloadRetentionWithFakeClock(page);
+    const removeStatusRoute = await failNextRetentionStatusRead(page);
+    const removeActionRoute = await failRetentionAnalysis(page, true);
+    try {
+      await recoverRetentionStatusPolling(page, true);
+    } finally {
+      await removeActionRoute();
+      await removeStatusRoute();
+    }
+  });
+
   for (const width of [320, 390]) {
     test(`completes cleanup by touch at ${width}px without clipping`, async ({
       testPage: page,
diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts
index bf96f7be55..72097bbe38 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ import {
   activateRetention,
   analyzeRetention,
   PAYLOAD_TEXT,
+  failNextRetentionStatusRead,
+  failRetentionAnalysis,
   readRetentionMessage,
+  recoverRetentionStatusPolling,
+  reloadRetentionWithFakeClock,
   resetRetention,
   retentionStatus,
   RETENTION_ROUTE,
@@ -15,6 +19,32 @@ import {
 } from "../../helpers/tool-payload-retention";
 
 test.describe("Tool payload retention", () => {
+  test("recovers a status polling error without manual refresh", async ({ testPage: page }) => {
+    await resetRetention(page);
+    await page.goto(RETENTION_ROUTE);
+    await reloadRetentionWithFakeClock(page);
+    const removeStatusRoute = await failNextRetentionStatusRead(page);
+    try {
+      await recoverRetentionStatusPolling(page);
+    } finally {
+      await removeStatusRoute();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("preserves an action failure after status recovery", async ({ testPage: page }) => {
+    await resetRetention(page);
+    await page.goto(RETENTION_ROUTE);
+    await reloadRetentionWithFakeClock(page);
+    const removeStatusRoute = await failNextRetentionStatusRead(page);
+    const removeActionRoute = await failRetentionAnalysis(page);
+    try {
+      await recoverRetentionStatusPolling(page, true);
+    } finally {
+      await removeActionRoute();
+      await removeStatusRoute();
+    }
+  });
+
   for (const choice of ["backup", "skip"] as const) {
     test(`analyzes while disabled and cleans old payloads after explicit ${choice}`, async ({
       testPage: page,
diff --git a/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts b/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts
index 4065872c35..1338757ecc 100644
--- a/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ const status: ToolPayloadRetentionStatus = {
 };
 function deferred<T>() {
   let resolve!: (v: T) => void;
-  const promise = new Promise<T>((r) => {
+  let reject!: (cause: unknown) => void;
+  const promise = new Promise<T>((r, j) => {
     resolve = r;
+    reject = j;
   });
-  return { promise, resolve };
+  return { promise, resolve, reject };
 }
 beforeEach(() => {
   vi.resetAllMocks();
@@ -91,6 +93,77 @@ it("keeps saved policy on failure and releases the mutation lock for retry", asy
   });
   expect(result.current.error).toBeNull();
 });
+
+it("clears a recovered status error on background polling", async () => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers();
+  let unmount: (() => void) | undefined;
+  try {
+    const readError = new Error("status unavailable");
+    vi.mocked(api.fetchToolPayloadRetention)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(status)
+      .mockRejectedValueOnce(readError)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(status);
+    const rendered = renderHook(useToolPayloadRetention);
+    unmount = rendered.unmount;
+    await act(async () => {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    await act(async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(30_000);
+    });
+    expect(rendered.result.current.error).toBe(readError);
+    await act(async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(30_000);
+    });
+    expect(rendered.result.current.error).toBeNull();
+  } finally {
+    unmount?.();
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  }
+});
+
+it("keeps action failures when a status read succeeds", async () => {
+  const { result } = renderHook(useToolPayloadRetention);
+  await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.status).toEqual(status));
+  const actionError = new Error("analysis failed");
+  vi.mocked(api.analyzeToolPayloadRetention).mockRejectedValueOnce(actionError);
+  await act(async () => {
+    await expect(result.current.analyze(status.policy.age)).rejects.toBe(actionError);
+  });
+  expect(result.current.error).toBe(actionError);
+  vi.mocked(api.fetchToolPayloadRetention).mockResolvedValueOnce(status);
+  await act(async () => {
+    await result.current.reload();
+  });
+  expect(result.current.error).toBe(actionError);
+});
+
+it("does not let a stale status failure replace a mutation result", async () => {
+  const { result } = renderHook(useToolPayloadRetention);
+  await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.status).toEqual(status));
+  const old = deferred<ToolPayloadRetentionStatus>();
+  vi.mocked(api.fetchToolPayloadRetention).mockReturnValueOnce(old.promise);
+  let reload!: Promise<void>;
+  act(() => {
+    reload = result.current.reload();
+  });
+  const saved = {
+    ...status,
+    policy: { ...status.policy, revision: 1, age: { value: 4, unit: "months" as const } },
+  };
+  vi.mocked(api.saveToolPayloadRetention).mockResolvedValue(saved);
+  await act(async () => {
+    await result.current.save(saved.policy);
+  });
+  const staleError = new Error("stale read failed");
+  await act(async () => {
+    old.reject(staleError);
+    await reload;
+  });
+  expect(result.current.status).toEqual(saved);
+  expect(result.current.error).toBeNull();
+});
 it("cancels the accepted operation and applies the returned status", async () => {
   const { result } = renderHook(useToolPayloadRetention);
   await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.status).toEqual(status));
diff --git a/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.ts b/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.ts
index 82a54f9e51..8f089ee49d 100644
--- a/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.ts
+++ b/apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ type Lifetime = {
   generation: number;
 };
 type AcceptedOperation = { id: string; kind: "analysis" | "cleanup" };
-type Updates = { pending: (value: boolean) => void; error: (cause: unknown) => void };
+type Updates = {
+  pending: (value: boolean) => void;
+  actionError: (cause: unknown) => void;
+  clearErrors: () => void;
+};
 
 function operationObserved(status: ToolPayloadRetentionStatus, accepted: AcceptedOperation) {
   if (status.operation?.id === accepted.id) return true;
@@ -26,7 +30,8 @@ function operationObserved(status: ToolPayloadRetentionStatus, accepted: Accepte
 function loadStatus(
   owner: Lifetime,
   accept: (value: ToolPayloadRetentionStatus) => void,
-  fail: Updates["error"],
+  recover: () => void,
+  fail: (cause: unknown) => void,
 ) {
   if (owner.mutating) return Promise.resolve();
   if (owner.reading) return owner.reading;
@@ -35,7 +40,10 @@ function loadStatus(
   const request = api
     .fetchToolPayloadRetention()
     .then((next) => {
-      if (current()) accept(next);
+      if (current()) {
+        accept(next);
+        recover();
+      }
     })
     .catch((cause: unknown) => {
       if (current()) fail(cause);
@@ -60,13 +68,13 @@ async function performMutation<T>(
   const { epoch } = owner;
   const current = () => owner.mounted && owner.epoch === epoch;
   updates.pending(true);
-  updates.error(null);
+  updates.clearErrors();
   try {
     const result = await request();
     if (current()) accept(result);
     return result;
   } catch (cause) {
-    if (current()) updates.error(cause);
+    if (current()) updates.actionError(cause);
     throw cause;
   } finally {
     owner.mutating = false;
@@ -113,9 +121,29 @@ function useRetentionLifetime(owner: { current: Lifetime }, reload: () => Promis
     };
   }, [owner, reload]);
 }
+function useRetentionMutation(
+  owner: { current: Lifetime },
+  setPending: (value: boolean) => void,
+  setStatusError: (value: unknown) => void,
+  setActionError: (value: unknown) => void,
+) {
+  return useCallback(
+    <T>(request: () => Promise<T>, accept: (value: T) => void) =>
+      performMutation(owner.current, request, accept, {
+        pending: setPending,
+        actionError: setActionError,
+        clearErrors: () => {
+          setStatusError(null);
+          setActionError(null);
+        },
+      }),
+    [owner, setActionError, setPending, setStatusError],
+  );
+}
 export function useToolPayloadRetention() {
   const [status, setStatus] = useState<ToolPayloadRetentionStatus | null>(null);
-  const [error, setError] = useState<unknown>(null);
+  const [statusError, setStatusError] = useState<unknown>(null);
+  const [actionError, setActionError] = useState<unknown>(null);
   const [pending, setPending] = useState(false);
   const [acceptedId, setAcceptedId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const acceptedOperation = useRef<AcceptedOperation | null>(null);
@@ -138,12 +166,14 @@ export function useToolPayloadRetention() {
             setAcceptedId(null);
           }
         },
-        setError,
+        () => setStatusError(null),
+        setStatusError,
       ),
     [],
   );
   const refresh = useCallback(() => {
-    setError(null);
+    setStatusError(null);
+    setActionError(null);
     return reload();
   }, [reload]);
   useAcceptedOperationRefresh(acceptedId, reload);
@@ -152,11 +182,7 @@ export function useToolPayloadRetention() {
     status?.preparation.state === "pending" || status?.preparation.state === "running";
   const active = Boolean(acceptedId || preparing || status?.operation?.state === "running");
   useStatusPolling(reload, active, preparing);
-  const perform = useCallback(
-    <T>(request: () => Promise<T>, accept: (value: T) => void) =>
-      performMutation(owner.current, request, accept, { pending: setPending, error: setError }),
-    [],
-  );
+  const perform = useRetentionMutation(owner, setPending, setStatusError, setActionError);
   const acceptStatus = useCallback((next: ToolPayloadRetentionStatus) => {
     acceptedOperation.current = null;
     setStatus(next);
@@ -196,7 +222,7 @@ export function useToolPayloadRetention() {
   );
   return {
     status,
-    error,
+    error: actionError ?? statusError,
     pending,
     active,
     preparing,
diff --git a/docs/decisions/2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination.md b/docs/decisions/2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..900d93098d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/decisions/2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination.md
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# ADR-2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination: Coordinate runtime health probes with maintenance
+
+**Status:** accepted
+**Date:** 2026-09-17
+**Area:** backend
+
+## Context
+
+SQLite has one writer connection. Vacuum holds that connection while runtime
+health probes need it for pings and schema checks. Probe deadlines therefore
+mark every required store unhealthy during successful maintenance.
+
+The shared pool already has a maintenance admission guard. Required persistence
+must still fail startup and retain known runtime failures.
+
+## Decision
+
+Periodic SQLite probes participate in the existing maintenance guard. They try
+admission without waiting and retain the lease throughout the bounded probe.
+A busy guard defers the probe without changing store states or check timestamps.
+Startup checks remain strict. PostgreSQL probes remain unchanged.
+
+The next scheduled tick resumes full probing after maintenance releases its lease.
+Deferred probes emit a bounded debug event. They never manufacture healthy state.
+Destructive SQLite restore and factory-reset operations use the existing
+unhealthy state to fail closed before quiescing or replacing data. Their
+restart-required result keeps database-backed work disabled until a fresh
+process initializes the database again.
+
+## Consequences
+
+Managed maintenance no longer causes false global persistence failures.
+The guard prevents a race between checking maintenance state and taking the writer.
+Actual faults that arise during maintenance can remain undetected until lease release.
+Diagnostics retain the last completed check time, and previous failures remain visible.
+This does not guarantee that writes complete promptly during vacuum.
+
+The [required persistence decision](2026-09-05-required-internal-persistence.md)
+still governs startup and actual runtime failures.
+
+## Alternatives Considered
+
+- Longer timeouts cannot bound vacuum duration and retain the false-failure race.
+- Reader-only checks lose the existing writer-health guarantee.
+- Skipping every probe while any job runs confuses job tracking with database ownership.
+- Bypassing HTTP health middleware hides actual failures and does not repair readiness.
+- A separate maintenance flag duplicates the existing admission state.
diff --git a/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/plan.md b/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/plan.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48be2d8ae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/plan.md
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+---
+created: 2026-09-17
+status: done
+requirements:
+  - REQ-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007
+  - REQ-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003
+system_design:
+  - ../../specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
+  - ../../specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md
+legacy_specs: []
+---
+
+# Implementation Plan: Vacuum and compaction status recovery
+
+## Overview
+
+Prevent false persistence failures during managed SQLite maintenance. Clear a
+recovered compaction status error without hiding a failed user action.
+Implement the runtime guard first, then the independent status recovery path.
+Both work orders require TDD. Implementation is complete.
+
+## Evidence and requirement conformance
+
+On September 17, the retained backend log recorded these local times:
+
+| Time (UTC+01:00) | Observation |
+| --- | --- |
+| 11:00:30 | Vacuum accepted with HTTP 202 |
+| 11:00:44 | Writer ping exceeded its deadline and persistence became unhealthy |
+| 11:00:51 | Compaction status GET returned HTTP 503 |
+| 11:02:09 | A second vacuum was accepted |
+| 11:02:36 through 11:05:07 | Status GETs returned HTTP 503 |
+| 11:05:38 | Status GET recovered to HTTP 200 |
+
+Source: `/root/.kandev/logs/backend-logs-2026-09-17-000011.log` on the
+investigated host. This path is evidence, not an implementation dependency.
+
+`database.Service.runVacuum` owns the shared maintenance lease and SQLite's
+single writer. `requiredstores.Health` independently pings that writer with
+a two-second deadline. `requiredPersistenceMiddleware` then blocks stateful
+requests with `persistence_unavailable`. The card maps that response to its
+generic error. `loadStatus` records GET errors but never clears them on success.
+
+The existing requirements describe health recovery and visible operation states.
+They omit maintenance contention and read-error dismissal. This package adds
+criteria to those existing capabilities and amends their technical designs.
+Platform owns shared persistence health. System-page owns compaction status
+recovery because it owns the policy and its action lifecycle.
+
+The assumption check found no unresolved product choice. Scope follows the
+diagnosed failure and preserves strict startup checks, real errors, and policy.
+
+## Scope
+
+### In scope
+
+- Runtime probe admission through the existing SQLite maintenance guard.
+- State and timestamp preservation when a periodic probe defers.
+- Automatic read-error recovery with separate action-error ownership.
+- Deterministic backend, hook, component, and desktop/phone browser regressions.
+
+### Out of scope
+
+- Database migrations, vacuum optimization, automatic vacuum, or payload changes.
+- New public APIs, timeouts, feature flags, settings, or translated copy.
+- General HTTP retry behavior or a new maintenance banner.
+- Production database operations, push, or PR creation in this turn.
+
+## Technical approach
+
+The [platform design](../../specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md#sqlite-maintenance-coordination)
+and [decision](../../decisions/2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination.md)
+define runtime admission. Add a narrow periodic-check boundary in `health.go`.
+Use `maintenance.ForPool` and `TryAcquire` only for SQLite runtime checks.
+Keep `Health.Check` strict for startup. Hold the lease for the whole check.
+Keep existing middleware and readiness behavior for actual failures.
+
+The [compaction design](../../specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md#status-error-recovery)
+defines error ownership. Split read and action errors inside the existing hook.
+Keep the outward `error` field and existing component error translation.
+Honor lifetime and generation checks before accepting or clearing any result.
+
+## ASCII UI preview
+
+### UI-01: Compaction error recovery
+
+Entry: Settings > System > Data & Logs > Database.
+The preview shows only the affected region. Spacing is illustrative.
+
+```text
+Current, after a GET recovers:
+Messages compaction
+[The operation could not complete. Refresh status and retry.]
+[Refresh status]
+Tasks inactive for [3] [Months v] [Analyze savings]
+
+Proposed, after a GET recovers:
+Messages compaction
+Tasks inactive for [3] [Months v] [Analyze savings]
+...
+
+Proposed, unresolved action failure:
+Messages compaction
+[Existing translated action error]
+[Refresh status]
+Tasks inactive for [3] [Months v] [Analyze savings]
+```
+
+On phones, the number and unit remain adjacent. Analyze savings stays on its
+own full-width row. The existing page owns scrolling and touch targets remain
+44px. Error visibility follows the same hook on both viewports. No overlay,
+navigation, focus, breakpoint, or layout change is planned.
+The shipped `ToolPayloadRetentionCard` and its mobile E2E are the local exemplar.
+The mobile guide's shared-state rule applies. A separate phone component is unnecessary.
+
+Required structure: remove only recovered read errors. Keep failed actions and
+persisted failures visible. This maps to `AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.7`
+and `.8`, with existing phone parity criterion `.5`.
+
+## Tests
+
+| Criteria | Planned evidence |
+| --- | --- |
+| Platform 007.6 | `TestRuntimeHealthDefersDuringMaintenance` in `health_test.go` |
+| Platform 007.7 | `TestRuntimeHealthDeferralPreservesMixedStoreStates` and `TestStartupHealthDoesNotDefer` |
+| Platform 007.8, existing 007.1/.3/.4 | `TestRuntimeHealthResumesAfterMaintenance`, existing missing-table recovery, and middleware regression |
+| System-page 003.7 | Hook test `clears a recovered status error on background polling` and rendered card recovery |
+| System-page 003.8 | Hook tests for action-error precedence, stale GET rejection, and persisted failure preservation |
+| System-page 003.5/.7/.8 | Desktop and mobile recovery scenarios in the existing retention specs |
+
+At planning time, the full prefixes are in the work-order frontmatter. New test names were planned,
+not existing evidence. Use a held real writer connection and guard for a
+deterministic backend reproduction. Do not depend on a large database making
+vacuum slow. The guard fixture reproduces the proven resource conflict.
+
+## E2E tests
+
+Extend `apps/web/e2e/tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts` (`chromium`)
+and `mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts` (`mobile-chrome`). Add status GET
+failure followed by success without Refresh status, and action failure followed
+by a successful GET. Keep real route rendering and existing mutation scenarios.
+Use controlled route responses and browser clock advancement for polling.
+Await the specific HTTP responses before DOM assertions. No fixed sleeps.
+This browser evidence covers presentation recovery. Backend tests cover the
+maintenance cause without exposing production test controls.
+
+## Work orders
+
+- [x] [Task 01: Coordinate runtime health with maintenance](task-01-runtime-health.md)
+- [x] [Task 02: Recover compaction status errors](task-02-status-recovery.md)
+
+Execute sequentially. Task 02 does not technically depend on Task 01, but both
+must pass before delivery. No delegation is authorized.
+
+## Documentation and companion packages
+
+The completed [retention package](../tool-payload-retention/plan.md) and
+[store parity package](../postgres-domain-store-parity/plan.md) retain their
+historical results. This follow-up owns only the new criteria and regressions.
+Public docs need no change for this implementation. Existing health/recovery
+guidance was checked for claims affected by probe deferral. No labels change.
+
+## Verification results
+
+Implementation completed on 2026-09-17. Artifact validation on 2026-09-17:
+
+- `python3 scripts/list-docs.py validate`: passed (286 decisions, 986 specifications).
+- `python3 scripts/lint-spec-files.test.py`: passed (36 tests).
+- `python3 scripts/lint-spec-files.py --all`: passed.
+- `git diff --check -- docs/specs docs/decisions docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status`: passed.
+- Backend focused race tests passed for required-store health, maintenance,
+  database, and persistence middleware.
+- Frontend focused tests passed: 23 tests across the hook and card files.
+- `pnpm run typecheck`: passed.
+- Desktop retention E2E passed: 4 tests on `chromium`.
+- Phone retention E2E passed: 4 tests on `mobile-chrome`, including the
+  existing focused phone screenshot capture at 390px.
+- `git diff --check`: passed.
+
+Product tests and browser checks from both work orders passed. The worktree
+contains the implementation and its permanent regression coverage; no push or
+PR was created.
+
+## Risks
+
+- Faults that arise during a maintenance lease remain undetected until its release.
+  Prior unhealthy state and completed-check timestamps remain unchanged.
+- Restore/reset quiescence must continue to govern process teardown and readiness.
+- Clearing the shared error unconditionally would hide failed mutations.
+- A guard acquired only around the ping leaves schema checks exposed to the same race.
diff --git a/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/task-01-runtime-health.md b/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/task-01-runtime-health.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..495aed76bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/task-01-runtime-health.md
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+---
+id: "01-runtime-health"
+title: "Coordinate runtime health with maintenance"
+status: done
+wave: 1
+depends_on: []
+plan: "plan.md"
+requirements:
+  - REQ-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007
+acceptance_criteria:
+  - AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.1
+  - AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.3
+  - AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.4
+  - AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.6
+  - AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.7
+  - AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.8
+system_design:
+  - ../../specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
+---
+
+# Task 01: Coordinate runtime health with maintenance
+
+## Summary
+
+Prevent managed SQLite maintenance from causing a false unhealthy transition.
+Keep startup strict and preserve actual runtime failure detection.
+
+## In scope
+
+- Add a periodic-probe boundary that obtains the existing maintenance lease.
+- Defer busy SQLite probes without changing tracker state or timestamps.
+- Preserve the two-second check budget, 15-second interval, and PostgreSQL path.
+- Emit a debug deferral event and release acquired leases on every exit.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- HTTP allowlist changes, writer-pool sizing, schema changes, and UI changes.
+- Suppression of ordinary database failures outside managed maintenance.
+
+## Acceptance
+
+1. A held maintenance lease and writer do not change health or check timestamps.
+2. A mixed healthy/unhealthy catalog retains every state during deferral. Startup never skips its check.
+3. After release, full checks resume. Missing tables still cause HTTP 503 and recover after repair.
+
+## TDD and test design
+
+First add `TestRuntimeHealthDefersDuringMaintenance` in `health_test.go`.
+Use a real SQLite pool, initialized tracker, maintenance lease, and held writer.
+Drive the periodic-check boundary with a short test context. Before the fix,
+the probe times out and records unhealthy state. Assert that failure first.
+
+Add `TestRuntimeHealthDeferralPreservesMixedStoreStates` with one healthy and
+one unhealthy store. Compare complete snapshots, including check timestamps.
+Add `TestStartupHealthDoesNotDefer` against strict `Health.Check`.
+Add `TestRuntimeHealthResumesAfterMaintenance` for release, fault detection,
+and repair. Assert lease release after successful and failed probes, and stop
+cancellation. Keep `TestProbeTablesHonorsContextDeadline` unchanged in meaning.
+
+Extend `persistence_middleware_test.go` with
+`TestPersistenceMiddlewareRemainsAvailableDuringManagedMaintenance`.
+Exercise the periodic boundary, middleware, and real health tracker together.
+Use the existing middleware harness, not a synthetic always-healthy stub.
+Do not export an API solely for tests. An external-package integration test
+can drive `Start` with `SetInterval` and synchronize on observable probe events.
+Retain the existing unhealthy response and recovery tests.
+
+## Verification
+
+Run from the repository root:
+
+```bash
+(cd apps/backend && go test -race ./internal/persistence/requiredstores ./internal/system/maintenance ./internal/system/database)
+(cd apps/backend && go test -race ./internal/backendapp -run 'Test.*(Persistence|RequiredStore|Health|Ready)')
+git diff --check
+```
+
+The backend Makefile's generic test target is broader than this repair.
+Use these focused package commands and verify that the new test names run.
+
+## Files likely touched
+
+- `apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health.go`
+- `apps/backend/internal/persistence/requiredstores/health_test.go`
+- `apps/backend/internal/backendapp/persistence_middleware_test.go`
+- `apps/backend/internal/system/maintenance/guard_test.go` if lease assertions need extension
+
+## Dependencies
+
+None. Existing maintenance owners already use the shared pool guard.
+
+## Risks
+
+Do not reverse lock order. The probe takes maintenance admission before database
+connections and releases it after all database work. Never hold a writer while
+waiting for maintenance admission. Preserve restore/reset shutdown behavior.
+The lease defers fault detection only while managed maintenance owns the pool.
+
+## Parallelism
+
+`sequential`
+
+## Inputs
+
+- [Platform requirements](../../specs/platform/requirements/postgres-domain-store-parity.md), required-store health.
+- [Platform design](../../specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md), runtime health.
+- [Decision](../../decisions/2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination.md).
+- Existing `health_test.go`, `guard_test.go`, and `persistence_middleware_test.go` patterns.
+
+## Results
+
+Implemented periodic SQLite health-probe admission through the shared
+maintenance guard. A busy guard now defers without changing tracker state or
+timestamps, while startup `Health.Check` remains strict and PostgreSQL keeps
+the existing path. Added real SQLite contention coverage for mixed state
+preservation, recovery, lease release, and middleware availability.
+
+Review follow-up also wires destructive SQLite restore and factory-reset
+operations to mark required persistence unhealthy before quiescence or data
+replacement. Stateful middleware therefore fails closed while the accepted
+operation waits for the required frontend restart.
+
+Verification passed:
+
+- `go test -race ./internal/persistence/requiredstores ./internal/system/maintenance ./internal/system/database`
+- `go test -race ./internal/backendapp -run 'Test.*(Persistence|RequiredStore|Health|Ready)'`
+- `git diff --check`
diff --git a/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/task-02-status-recovery.md b/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/task-02-status-recovery.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..98d6c5f47f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/vacuum-compaction-status/task-02-status-recovery.md
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+---
+id: "02-status-recovery"
+title: "Recover compaction status errors"
+status: done
+wave: 2
+depends_on: []
+plan: "plan.md"
+requirements:
+  - REQ-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003
+acceptance_criteria:
+  - AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.5
+  - AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.7
+  - AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.8
+system_design:
+  - ../../specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md
+---
+
+# Task 02: Recover compaction status errors
+
+## Summary
+
+Clear a recovered status-read error on the next successful background poll.
+Keep action errors independent so a successful GET cannot hide a failed command.
+
+## In scope
+
+- Separate read and action errors in `useToolPayloadRetention`.
+- Preserve its public `error` field, error translation, and manual dismissal behavior.
+- Keep lifetime, generation, pending, accepted-operation, and draft protections.
+- Extend hook, rendered component, desktop, and phone regression coverage.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- New layout, user-facing copy, retry policy, polling cadence, and backend APIs.
+- Automatic retries of save, analysis, cleanup, or cancellation.
+
+## Acceptance
+
+1. Failed GET then successful background GET removes the banner without clicking Refresh status.
+2. Successful GET retains action errors and persisted operation failures. Stale GET results change neither errors nor policy.
+3. Desktop and phone preserve policy edits, existing controls, and error recovery without duplicate mutations.
+
+## ASCII UI preview
+
+### UI-01: Compaction error recovery
+
+Entry: Data & Logs > Database. Full preview: [plan](plan.md#ascii-ui-preview).
+
+```text
+Read failure:  Messages compaction
+               [Existing error] [Refresh status]
+Recovery:     Messages compaction
+               Tasks inactive for [3] [Months v] [Analyze savings]
+Action error: Messages compaction
+               [Existing action error] [Refresh status]
+```
+
+Phones retain adjacent age/unit inputs and a separate full-width Analyze savings
+row. The existing route owns scrolling. Touch targets and focus behavior remain
+unchanged. Banner removal is required only for recovered reads (003.7).
+Action and persisted errors remain visible (003.8). Spacing is illustrative.
+
+## TDD and test design
+
+First add `clears a recovered status error on background polling` to the hook
+test file. Use fake timers: initial success, failed idle poll, successful idle
+poll. Assert that the current implementation leaves the error set.
+
+Add cases for initial GET failure, repeated failures, action-error precedence,
+successful GET after failed save/analyze/run/cancel, and persisted failed status.
+Use deferred responses to cover stale GET success and failure around mutations,
+unmount, and remount. Preserve existing same-tick command serialization tests.
+Assert that recovery creates no mutation request and does not change drafts.
+
+Add a rendered component regression with the real hook and mocked API module.
+Do not prove recovery by directly replacing the mocked hook's error value.
+
+Add `recovers status polling without manual refresh` and
+`preserves action failures after status recovery` to both existing E2E files.
+Extract response scripting into the existing retention helper when shared.
+Intercept only the intended endpoint and HTTP method. Return a real successful
+status response after the injected failure. Advance the browser clock to the
+next poll, then await the specific GET before checking the banner.
+Use `.tap()` for phone actions. Preserve all existing cleanup and geometry cases.
+
+## Verification
+
+Run from the repository root. Install workspace dependencies once when absent.
+
+```bash
+(cd apps && pnpm install --frozen-lockfile)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm exec vitest run hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm run typecheck)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm e2e:run --project chromium tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts)
+(cd apps/web && pnpm e2e:run --project mobile-chrome tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts)
+python3 scripts/list-docs.py validate
+python3 scripts/lint-spec-files.py --all
+git diff --check
+```
+
+Use managed E2E builds and run projects sequentially. Record discovered test
+counts, results, and a focused phone screenshot. Do not use production data.
+
+## Files likely touched
+
+- `apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.ts`
+- `apps/web/hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts`
+- `apps/web/components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx`
+- `apps/web/e2e/tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts`
+- `apps/web/e2e/tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts`
+- `apps/web/e2e/helpers/tool-payload-retention.ts`
+
+## Dependencies
+
+No code dependency on Task 01. Execute after Task 01 as the default package order.
+
+## Risks
+
+A shared unconditional `setError(null)` loses action failures. Keep error origin
+explicit. Apply the existing generation guard before any error update.
+Controlled browser failures prove UI recovery, not backend maintenance admission.
+Task 01 supplies that independent evidence.
+
+## Parallelism
+
+`sequential`
+
+## Inputs
+
+- [Requirements](../../specs/system-page/requirements/tool-payload-retention.md), background operation and access.
+- [Design](../../specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md), status error recovery.
+- Existing hook, component, and retention E2E tests.
+
+## Results
+
+Implemented separate status-read and action error ownership in
+`useToolPayloadRetention`. A successful background status poll now clears only
+the recovered read error. Mutation failures and persisted failed-operation
+states remain visible, while stale status responses continue to obey the
+existing generation and operation guards.
+
+Added hook and rendered-card regressions for read recovery, action-error
+preservation, and stale response ordering. Added controlled desktop and phone
+browser scenarios that fail one status read, recover on the next poll, and
+exercise touch actions on mobile. The existing phone cleanup test continues to
+capture the focused 390px card screenshot.
+
+Verification passed:
+
+- `pnpm exec vitest run hooks/domains/system/use-tool-payload-retention.test.ts components/settings/system/tool-payload-retention-card.test.tsx` (23 tests)
+- `pnpm run typecheck`
+- `pnpm e2e:run --project chromium tests/system/tool-payload-retention.spec.ts` (4 tests)
+- `pnpm e2e:run --project mobile-chrome tests/system/mobile-tool-payload-retention.spec.ts` (4 tests)
+- `python3 scripts/list-docs.py validate`
+- `python3 scripts/lint-spec-files.py --all`
+- `git diff --check`
diff --git a/docs/specs/platform/requirements/postgres-domain-store-parity.md b/docs/specs/platform/requirements/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
index aed5f41b49..baf67d5078 100644
--- a/docs/specs/platform/requirements/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
+++ b/docs/specs/platform/requirements/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ Each required store must initialize before Kandev becomes ready. External provid
 - **AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.3:** When a stateful caller reaches an unhealthy backend, it shall receive `503` with the stable code `persistence_unavailable` and a recovery action.
 - **AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.4:** When runtime database health recovers, readiness and stateful requests shall recover without a process restart.
 - **AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.5:** Required-store health shall not change the liveness contract of `GET /health`.
+- **AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.6:** Managed SQLite maintenance alone shall not change healthy persistence to unhealthy because it occupies the database writer.
+- **AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.7:** A deferred maintenance-time health check shall preserve each store's previous state and last check time. It shall not establish startup readiness or clear an existing failure.
+- **AC-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-007.8:** After maintenance releases the database, periodic health checks shall resume within the normal check interval. Actual database failures shall retain the existing readiness and caller error behavior.
 
 ### REQ-PLATFORM-POSTGRES-DOMAIN-STORE-PARITY-008: Contributor workflow
 
diff --git a/docs/specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md b/docs/specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
index d5da8d5ce5..4e266ed46f 100644
--- a/docs/specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
+++ b/docs/specs/platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md
@@ -106,6 +106,40 @@ One probe error makes aggregate persistence unhealthy. A later successful probe
 
 Initialization errors remain fatal and cannot recover inside the same process. The process exits through the existing startup error path.
 
+### SQLite maintenance coordination
+
+Periodic SQLite checks use `maintenance.ForPool(pool).TryAcquire()` before
+`Health.Check`. The probe holds this lease until all checks finish. This prevents
+maintenance from taking the writer between a guard check and a database probe.
+The existing two-second probe context bounds the lease duration.
+
+When admission fails, the periodic loop defers that check until its next tick.
+It does not call `RecordProbe`, change store states, or advance check timestamps.
+It emits a debug event with reason `maintenance_busy`, without database paths.
+An unhealthy store remains unhealthy, including alongside healthy stores.
+Ordinary writer contention without a maintenance lease retains current behavior.
+
+Destructive SQLite restore and factory-reset operations notify required-store
+health before they quiesce workers or replace/drop data. The notifier records
+the existing `unhealthy` state while the maintenance lease is still held, so
+stateful middleware fails closed before the operation releases admission. The
+operation's `restart_required` result then requires a fresh process before
+database-backed work can resume. This does not add a new health state.
+
+Startup calls to `Health.Check` remain strict and never use the deferral path.
+Missing pools remain failures. PostgreSQL uses its current probe path.
+The shared guard also covers backups, restore/reset, and retention batches.
+Their existing shutdown, quiescence, and error handling remain authoritative.
+There is no HTTP allowlist change or new health state.
+
+After lease release, the next periodic tick performs a full probe within the
+normal 15-second interval. A failed operation cannot leave the lease held.
+Fault detection can be delayed for the duration of managed maintenance.
+Existing diagnostic timestamps expose the age of the last completed check.
+
+See [maintenance probe coordination](../../../decisions/2026-09-17-maintenance-health-probe-coordination.md)
+and the [fix package](../../../plans/vacuum-compaction-status/plan.md).
+
 ## Caller errors
 
 `GET /health` remains a pure liveness endpoint. Persistence state does not change its status or body.
diff --git a/docs/specs/system-page/requirements/tool-payload-retention.md b/docs/specs/system-page/requirements/tool-payload-retention.md
index 8c519bb363..075fb7ca9e 100644
--- a/docs/specs/system-page/requirements/tool-payload-retention.md
+++ b/docs/specs/system-page/requirements/tool-payload-retention.md
@@ -120,6 +120,12 @@ rules, so that I understand the first cleanup and its recovery limits.
 - **AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.6:** The first version shall support
   SQLite. Other database engines shall show an unavailable state and reject
   analysis and mutation requests without side effects.
+- **AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.7:** After a status request fails,
+  the next successful background status request shall clear that request error
+  without a manual refresh. Saved policy and unsaved edits shall remain intact.
+- **AC-SYSTEM-PAGE-TOOL-PAYLOAD-RETENTION-003.8:** A successful status request
+  shall not dismiss an unresolved user-action error or a recorded failed operation.
+  Recovery shall not retry mutations or enable compaction automatically.
 
 ## Out of scope
 
@@ -132,3 +138,4 @@ rules, so that I understand the first cleanup and its recovery limits.
 
 - [System design](../system-design/tool-payload-retention.md)
 - [Implementation plan](../../../plans/tool-payload-retention/plan.md)
+- [Vacuum and status recovery fix](../../../plans/vacuum-compaction-status/plan.md)
diff --git a/docs/specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md b/docs/specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md
index 4dd41c62f1..ae154ed20f 100644
--- a/docs/specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md
+++ b/docs/specs/system-page/system-design/tool-payload-retention.md
@@ -259,6 +259,29 @@ Payload bytes are not a prediction of compacted file bytes or backup duration.
 
 ## Settings surface and security
 
+### Status error recovery
+
+`useToolPayloadRetention` keeps status-read errors separate from action errors.
+A current successful GET clears only the status-read error. An action error
+takes display precedence and survives successful background reads. Explicit
+Refresh status and a new user action retain their existing dismissal behavior.
+Persisted operation failures remain part of the returned status.
+
+The existing lifetime epoch and mutation generation checks apply to both error
+channels. A stale GET cannot clear a newer error or overwrite a mutation result.
+Polling continues at the existing cadence without automatic mutation retries.
+The hook keeps its outward `error` contract for `RetentionError`.
+Draft ownership stays in `useToolPayloadRetentionDraft`.
+
+The [platform health design](../../platform/system-design/postgres-domain-store-parity.md#sqlite-maintenance-coordination)
+owns maintenance admission and readiness. The card does not infer database
+health from a local vacuum button state or suppress all HTTP 503 errors.
+Existing desktop and phone composition, focus behavior, and translated copy
+remain unchanged. The [fix package](../../../plans/vacuum-compaction-status/plan.md)
+defines regression coverage and the recovered-state preview.
+
+### Controls and permissions
+
 Add `ToolPayloadRetentionCard` beside existing retention settings, with its own
 `system:tool-payload-retention` save contributor. Reuse draft/save conflict
 handling, job status, backup list, and `useIsAdmin` conventions.