diff --git a/src/save/db.test.ts b/src/save/db.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b56f461
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/save/db.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest';
+import 'fake-indexeddb/auto'; // happy-dom doesn't ship IDB; fake-indexeddb is the polyfill
+import { openSaveDB, SAVE_DB_NAME } from './db';
+import { wrap } from './envelope';
+import { LocalStorageDBAdapter } from './db-localstorage-adapter';
+
+// Tests for the IndexedDB-primary + localStorage-fallback open path (CORE-04).
+// The IDB path uses `fake-indexeddb` (polyfill is auto-imported above).
+// The fallback path uses `vi.doMock('idb')` to inject an openDB rejection,
+// which forces openSaveDB to return a LocalStorageDBAdapter instead.
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  // Reset IDB and localStorage between tests
+  indexedDB.deleteDatabase(SAVE_DB_NAME);
+  localStorage.clear();
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  vi.resetModules();
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.doUnmock('idb');
+});
+
+describe('openSaveDB (CORE-04 IndexedDB-primary path)', () => {
+  it('opens a DB with saves and save_snapshots object stores', async () => {
+    const db = await openSaveDB();
+    expect(db.objectStoreNames.contains('saves')).toBe(true);
+    expect(db.objectStoreNames.contains('save_snapshots')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('round-trips a SaveEnvelope through saves store', async () => {
+    const db = await openSaveDB();
+    const envelope = wrap({ hello: 'world' }, 1);
+    await db.put('saves', {
+      id: 'main',
+      envelope,
+      savedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    });
+    const retrieved = await db.get('saves', 'main');
+    expect(retrieved?.envelope).toEqual(envelope);
+  });
+
+  it('round-trips through save_snapshots store too', async () => {
+    const db = await openSaveDB();
+    const envelope = wrap({ snap: true }, 1);
+    await db.put('save_snapshots', {
+      id: 's-1',
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      savedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+      envelope,
+    });
+    const retrieved = await db.get('save_snapshots', 's-1');
+    expect(retrieved?.envelope).toEqual(envelope);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('openSaveDB (CORE-04 localStorage fallback path)', () => {
+  it('falls back to LocalStorageDBAdapter when IndexedDB is unavailable', async () => {
+    // Stub the idb module's openDB so it rejects, simulating private mode /
+    // blocked IDB / quota exceeded — anything that makes openDB throw.
+    vi.doMock('idb', async () => ({
+      openDB: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('IDB unavailable (test stub)')),
+    }));
+    // Re-import db.ts after the mock is registered so it picks up the
+    // rejecting openDB.
+    const { openSaveDB: openSaveDBFresh } = await import('./db');
+
+    const db = await openSaveDBFresh();
+    expect(db).toBeInstanceOf(LocalStorageDBAdapter);
+
+    // Round-trip works against localStorage
+    const envelope = wrap({ fallback: true }, 1);
+    await db.put('saves', {
+      id: 'main',
+      envelope,
+      savedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    });
+    const retrieved = await db.get('saves', 'main');
+    expect(retrieved?.envelope).toEqual(envelope);
+
+    // Verify it actually wrote to localStorage (not just memory)
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('tlg.saves.main')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/save/persist.test.ts b/src/save/persist.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5f0a67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/save/persist.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+import { requestPersistence } from './persist';
+
+// Tests for navigator.storage.persist() — must surface granted=false
+// respectfully without spamming the user (CORE-05 + RESEARCH Pitfall 2:
+// iOS Safari often returns false). Each test stubs `navigator` globally
+// to one of the four scenarios.
+
+describe('requestPersistence (CORE-05)', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals());
+
+  it('returns granted=true when navigator.storage.persist resolves true', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('navigator', { storage: { persist: async () => true } });
+    expect(await requestPersistence()).toEqual({
+      granted: true,
+      apiAvailable: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('returns granted=false when navigator.storage.persist resolves false', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('navigator', { storage: { persist: async () => false } });
+    expect(await requestPersistence()).toEqual({
+      granted: false,
+      apiAvailable: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('returns granted=false when persist throws', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('navigator', {
+      storage: {
+        persist: async () => {
+          throw new Error('boom');
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(await requestPersistence()).toEqual({
+      granted: false,
+      apiAvailable: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('returns apiAvailable=false when navigator.storage is missing', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('navigator', {});
+    expect(await requestPersistence()).toEqual({
+      granted: false,
+      apiAvailable: false,
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/save/snapshots.test.ts b/src/save/snapshots.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6f46b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/save/snapshots.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+import 'fake-indexeddb/auto';
+import { snapshot, listSnapshots } from './snapshots';
+import { wrap } from './envelope';
+import { SAVE_DB_NAME } from './db';
+
+// Tests for last-3 pre-migration snapshot retention (CORE-08). The
+// load-bearing test is "after 5 successive snapshot() calls, exactly 3
+// newest entries remain". The 2ms wait between writes ensures savedAt
+// timestamps differ so newest-first ordering is unambiguous.
+
+beforeEach(() => indexedDB.deleteDatabase(SAVE_DB_NAME));
+
+describe('snapshot + listSnapshots', () => {
+  it('returns 1 entry after 1 snapshot call', async () => {
+    await snapshot(wrap({ generation: 0 }, 1));
+    const list = await listSnapshots();
+    expect(list).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it('returns [] from listSnapshots on empty store', async () => {
+    const list = await listSnapshots();
+    expect(list).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('CORE-08: last-3 snapshot retention', () => {
+  it('retains exactly 3 newest entries after 5 successive snapshot calls', async () => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+      await snapshot(wrap({ generation: i }, 1));
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 2)); // ensure savedAt timestamps differ
+    }
+    const list = await listSnapshots();
+    expect(list).toHaveLength(3);
+    // Newest first: payloads should be {generation:4}, {generation:3}, {generation:2}
+    expect(
+      list.map((e) => (e.envelope.payload as { generation: number }).generation),
+    ).toEqual([4, 3, 2]);
+  });
+
+  it('pruned entries are the oldest by savedAt', async () => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+      await snapshot(wrap({ generation: i }, 1));
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 2));
+    }
+    const list = await listSnapshots();
+    // The two oldest (generations 0 and 1) should NOT appear in the retained list.
+    const generations = list.map(
+      (e) => (e.envelope.payload as { generation: number }).generation,
+    );
+    expect(generations).not.toContain(0);
+    expect(generations).not.toContain(1);
+  });
+});