diff --git a/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go b/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go
index 261bfaa..a00dc60 100644
--- a/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go
+++ b/internal/steward/deployment_recovery_test.go
@@ -6,26 +6,72 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
-func TestDeploymentAuditAllowsOnlyKnownRemoteStates(t *testing.T) {
+func TestDeploymentAuditDecisionUsesVerifiedRemoteState(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)
+
+	decision, err := deploymentAuditDecision(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"})
+	if err != nil || decision != "deploy" {
+		t.Fatalf("fresh pending Route should still perform its initial deployment: decision=%q err=%v", decision, err)
 	}
-	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"}); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("pending Route rejected verified in-sync state: %v", err)
+
+	route.State = "deploying"
+	decision, err = deploymentAuditDecision(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"})
+	if err != nil || decision != "adopt" {
+		t.Fatalf("verified in-sync retry should be adopted without remote mutation: decision=%q err=%v", decision, err)
 	}
-	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "undetermined"}); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("pending Route accepted undetermined remote state")
+
+	route.State = "deployed"
+	decision, err = deploymentAuditDecision(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "in-sync"})
+	if err != nil || decision != "adopt" {
+		t.Fatalf("already deployed in-sync Route should be adopted without remote mutation: decision=%q err=%v", decision, err)
 	}
 
-	route.State = "deploying"
-	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"}); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("retry checkpoint rejected known missing service: %v", err)
+	route.State = "pending"
+	decision, err = deploymentAuditDecision(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"})
+	if err != nil || decision != "deploy" {
+		t.Fatalf("known missing service should allow deployment: decision=%q err=%v", decision, err)
+	}
+
+	if decision, err = deploymentAuditDecision(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "undetermined"}); err == nil || decision != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("undetermined remote state should block mutation: decision=%q err=%v", decision, err)
 	}
 
 	route.State = "deployed"
-	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"}); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("deployed Route accepted a missing remote service")
+	if decision, err = deploymentAuditDecision(route, AuditEvidence{Category: "service-missing"}); err == nil || decision != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("deployed Route with missing service should block mutation: decision=%q err=%v", decision, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAdoptVerifiedRouteRestoresLocalState(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)
+	}
+
+	evidence := AuditEvidence{
+		Route:                     route.ID,
+		Status:                    "healthy",
+		Category:                  "in-sync",
+		ActualEgressIPv4:          stringPointer(findServer(state.Inventory, route.ExitServer).Network.ExpectedEgressIPv4),
+		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 Route was not adopted: %#v", result)
+	}
+	reloaded, err := LoadState(state.PrivateDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	adopted := findRoute(reloaded.Inventory, route.ID)
+	if adopted == nil || adopted.State != "deployed" || !adopted.Enabled {
+		t.Fatalf("verified Route was not persisted locally: %#v", adopted)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/steward/execution.go b/internal/steward/execution.go
index 91a7460..691d7f5 100644
--- a/internal/steward/execution.go
+++ b/internal/steward/execution.go
@@ -58,14 +58,17 @@ func deployRouteWithoutRender(ctx context.Context, state *State, routeID string)
 	return deployRoute(ctx, state, routeID, true, false)
 }
 
-func deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route *Route, current AuditEvidence) error {
+func deploymentAuditDecision(route *Route, current AuditEvidence) (string, error) {
 	if current.Category == "in-sync" {
-		return nil
+		if route.State == "deploying" || route.State == "deployed" {
+			return "adopt", nil
+		}
+		return "deploy", nil
 	}
 	if current.Category == "service-missing" && route.State != "deployed" {
-		return nil
+		return "deploy", nil
 	}
-	return errors.New("remote Route state is not safe to overwrite")
+	return "", errors.New("remote Route state is not safe to overwrite")
 }
 
 func markRouteDeploying(state *State, routeID string) error {
@@ -85,9 +88,13 @@ func deployRoute(ctx context.Context, state *State, routeID string, skipClientVa
 	}
 
 	current := AuditRoute(ctx, state, routeID)
-	if err := deploymentAuditAllowsMutation(route, current); err != nil {
+	decision, err := deploymentAuditDecision(route, current)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, &operationStageError{Stage: "remote-preflight-audit", StateChanged: "remote-state-unchanged", Retry: "audit", Err: err}
 	}
+	if decision == "adopt" {
+		return adoptVerifiedRoute(state, route, current, skipClientValidation, renderClients)
+	}
 	if err := markRouteDeploying(state, routeID); err != nil {
 		return nil, &operationStageError{Stage: "deployment-intent", StateChanged: "remote-state-unchanged", Retry: "deploy-route", 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