diff --git a/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go b/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go
index 261bfaa..fe0a16f 100644
--- a/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go
+++ b/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
-func TestDeploymentAuditAllowsOnlyKnownRemoteStates(t *testing.T) {
+func TestDeploymentAuditAllowsMutationOnlyFromKnownSafeStates(t *testing.T) {
 	route := &Route{State: "pending"}
 	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("fresh pending Route rejected service-missing state: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"}); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("pending Route rejected verified in-sync state: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("fresh pending Route rejected verified in-sync state: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "undetermined"}); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("pending Route accepted undetermined remote state")
@@ -22,11 +22,56 @@ func TestDeploymentAuditAllowsOnlyKnownRemoteStates(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("retry checkpoint rejected known missing service: %v", err)
 	}
+	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("deploying Route accepted another remote mutation after audit proved the existing deployment is in sync")
+	}
 
 	route.State = "deployed"
 	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"}); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("deployed Route accepted a missing remote service")
 	}
+	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("deployed Route accepted another remote mutation after audit proved the existing deployment is in sync")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAdoptVerifiedRouteRecoversLocalStateWithoutDeployment(t *testing.T) {
+	state, route := healthFixture(t, "direct", false)
+	current := findRoute(state.Inventory, route.ID)
+	current.Enabled = false
+	current.State = "deploying"
+	if err := state.Save(false); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	exit := findServer(state.Inventory, route.ExitServer)
+	if exit == nil {
+		t.Fatal("fixture is missing Route exit Server")
+	}
+	actual := exit.Network.ExpectedEgressIPv4
+	evidence := AuditEvidence{
+		Route:                     route.ID,
+		Status:                    "healthy",
+		Category:                  "in-sync",
+		ActualEgressIPv4:          &actual,
+		EgressMatchesDeclaredExit: true,
+	}
+
+	result, err := adoptVerifiedRoute(state, current, evidence, true, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if result["state"] != "deployed" || result["enabled"] != true {
+		t.Fatalf("verified deployment was not adopted: %#v", result)
+	}
+	reloaded, err := LoadState(state.PrivateDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	recovered := findRoute(reloaded.Inventory, route.ID)
+	if recovered == nil || recovered.State != "deployed" || !recovered.Enabled {
+		t.Fatalf("verified remote state was not committed locally: %#v", recovered)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestMarkRouteDeployingPersistsRetryCheckpoint(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/steward/execution.go b/internal/steward/execution.go
index 91a7460..d17eda6 100644
--- a/internal/steward/execution.go
+++ b/internal/steward/execution.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func deployRouteWithoutRender(ctx context.Context, state *State, routeID string)
 }
 
 func deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route *Route, current AuditEvidence) error {
-	if current.Category == "in-sync" {
+	if current.Category == "in-sync" && route.State == "pending" {
 		return nil
 	}
 	if current.Category == "service-missing" && route.State != "deployed" {
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ func deployRoute(ctx context.Context, state *State, routeID string, skipClientVa
 	}
 
 	current := AuditRoute(ctx, state, routeID)
+	if current.Category == "in-sync" && (route.State == "deploying" || route.State == "deployed") {
+		return adoptVerifiedRoute(state, route, current, skipClientValidation, renderClients)
+	}
 	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, current); err != nil {
 		return nil, &operationStageError{Stage: "remote-preflight-audit", StateChanged: "remote-state-unchanged", Retry: "audit", Err: err}
 	}
diff --git a/version.txt b/version.txt
index b1b25a5..5859406 100644
--- a/version.txt
+++ b/version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.2.2
+2.2.3