Recover unhealthy containers during create and rebuild

agent/ec_agent.py

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import urllib.parse
 import urllib.request
 import uuid
 
-VERSION = "1.8.0"
+VERSION = "1.8.1"
 LABEL = "io.electric-cherry"
 MAX_FILE = 32 * 1024 * 1024
 MANIFEST_MAX_ENTRIES = 10000
@@ -1394,14 +1394,18 @@ class Agent:
                 if line.startswith("PRETTY_NAME="):
                     os_name = line.split("=", 1)[1].strip('"')
         update = self.update_inventory()
-        capabilities = ["library.remove", "plutonium.cache", "instance.cancel-create", "instance.safety-override", "instance.autoscaling-remove", "operations.read-lane", "operations.health-lane", "rcon.status-batch", "instance.heartbeat-state", "files.manifest", "files.blobs"] + (["host.decommission"] if self.can_uninstall() else []) + (["agent.update"] if update["enabled"] else [])
+        capabilities = ["library.remove", "plutonium.cache", "instance.cancel-create", "instance.safety-override", "instance.unhealthy-recovery", "instance.autoscaling-remove", "operations.read-lane", "operations.health-lane", "rcon.status-batch", "instance.heartbeat-state", "files.manifest", "files.blobs"] + (["host.decommission"] if self.can_uninstall() else []) + (["agent.update"] if update["enabled"] else [])
         plutonium_cache = self.plutonium_cache_inventory()
         return {"hostname": socket.gethostname(), "agentVersion": VERSION, "protocolVersion": 1, "capabilities": capabilities, "agentUpdate": update, "agentLanes": self.lane_inventory(), "os": os_name, "osVersion": platform.release(), "architecture": platform.machine(), "cpu": platform.processor() or platform.machine(), "cpuCount": os.cpu_count() or 0, **resources, **({"cpuUsagePercent": cpu_usage} if cpu_usage is not None else {}), "memoryTotal": memory.get("MemTotal", 0), "memoryAvailable": memory.get("MemAvailable", 0), "storageTotal": usage.total, "storageAvailable": usage.free, "dockerVersion": docker_version, "dockerRunning": docker_running, "directoriesWritable": os.access(self.root, os.W_OK), "runtimeImages": sorted(set(images)), **({"plutoniumCache": plutonium_cache} if plutonium_cache else {}), "libraries": libraries, "libraryCaches": caches, "currentOperation": self.current_operation, "portRange": self.config.get("portRange", {"min": 28960, "max": 29060})}
 
-    def safe_to_disrupt(self, instance_id, generation):
+    def safe_to_disrupt(self, instance_id, generation, *, allow_unhealthy=False):
         health = self.inspect(instance_id, generation)
         if health["state"] in ("missing", "stopped", "exited", "created", "dead"):
             return
+        # Provisioning recovery may treat explicitly unhealthy containers as
+        # empty. Reinspect here so recovered containers still require occupancy.
+        if allow_unhealthy and health["state"] == "unhealthy":
+            return
         if not health["running"]:
             raise Held("Container state is unknown; disruption held")
         result = self.rcon(instance_id, generation, "status")
@@ -1857,6 +1861,9 @@ class Agent:
             raise AutoscalingInvalidated("Autoscaling removal authorization expired before mutation")
 
     def lifecycle(self, kind, instance_id, generation, payload):
+        unhealthy_recovery = payload.get("unhealthyRecovery") is True
+        if unhealthy_recovery and (kind not in ("instance.restart", "instance.rebuild") or payload.get("stageId") or "autoscaling" in payload):
+            raise AgentError("Unhealthy recovery only permits restart or rebuild without file activation or autoscaling")
         if kind == "instance.cancel-create":
             return self.cancel_creation(instance_id, generation, payload)
         if kind == "instance.create":
@@ -1891,10 +1898,10 @@ class Agent:
                 next_generation = payload.get("nextGeneration", payload.get("newGeneration"))
                 if isinstance(next_generation, bool) or not isinstance(next_generation, int) or next_generation <= generation:
                     raise AgentError("Rebuild must use a newer immutable generation")
-                spec = payload.get("spec") or {key: value for key, value in payload.items() if key not in ("nextGeneration", "newGeneration")}
+                spec = payload.get("spec") or {key: value for key, value in payload.items() if key not in ("nextGeneration", "newGeneration", "unhealthyRecovery")}
                 self.validate_spec(spec)
             if not override_safety:
-                self.safe_to_disrupt(instance_id, generation)
+                self.safe_to_disrupt(instance_id, generation, allow_unhealthy=unhealthy_recovery)
             if "autoscaling" in payload:
                 self.authorize_autoscaling_removal(instance_id, generation, payload)
             self.checkpoint({"phase": "disrupting", "containerId": health.get("containerId"), "startedAt": health.get("startedAt")})
@@ -1928,29 +1935,46 @@ class Agent:
         Repeating this cleanup after an ambiguous Docker result is safe.
         """
         create_id = identifier(payload.get("createOperationId"))
+        targets = [(generation, create_id)]
+        if "recoveryRebuildOperationId" in payload or "recoveryGeneration" in payload:
+            rebuild_id = identifier(payload.get("recoveryRebuildOperationId"))
+            recovery_generation = payload.get("recoveryGeneration")
+            if isinstance(recovery_generation, bool) or not isinstance(recovery_generation, int) or recovery_generation != generation + 1:
+                raise Rejected("Cancellation recovery must target the next generation")
+            saved = self.journal.db.execute("SELECT request FROM operations WHERE id=?", (rebuild_id,)).fetchone()
+            if saved:
+                rebuild = json.loads(saved["request"])
+                rebuild_payload = rebuild.get("payload", {})
+                if rebuild["kind"] != "instance.rebuild" or rebuild["instanceId"] != instance_id or rebuild["generation"] != generation or rebuild_payload.get("nextGeneration", rebuild_payload.get("newGeneration")) != recovery_generation or rebuild_payload.get("unhealthyRecovery") is not True:
+                    raise Rejected("Cancellation does not match the creation recovery rebuild")
+            targets.append((recovery_generation, rebuild_id))
         marker = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation).parent / "current.json"
-        if marker.exists() and json.loads(marker.read_text())["generation"] > generation:
+        if marker.exists() and json.loads(marker.read_text())["generation"] > targets[-1][0]:
             raise Rejected("Cancelled creation was superseded by a newer generation")
         saved = self.journal.db.execute("SELECT request FROM operations WHERE id=?", (create_id,)).fetchone()
         if saved:
             original = json.loads(saved["request"])
             if original["kind"] != "instance.create" or original["instanceId"] != instance_id or original["generation"] != generation:
                 raise Rejected("Cancellation does not match the original creation")
-        health = self.inspect(instance_id, generation)
+        health_by_generation = {}
-        if health["exists"] and health.get("creationOperation") != create_id:
+        for target_generation, operation_id in targets:
-            raise Rejected("Container belongs to a different creation operation")
+            health = self.inspect(instance_id, target_generation)
+            if health["exists"] and health.get("creationOperation") != operation_id:
+                raise Rejected("Container belongs to a different creation operation")
+            health_by_generation[target_generation] = health
         self.checkpoint({"phase": "cancelling-creation", "createOperationId": create_id})
-        # Fence before deleting: a crash must never permit the old creation to run again.
+        # Fence both generations before deleting: delayed create/rebuild work
-        self.mark_removed(instance_id, generation)
+        # must never recreate either target after cancellation or a crash.
-        if health["exists"]:
+        self.mark_removed(instance_id, targets[-1][0])
-            self.docker.call("container", "rm", "--force", "--volumes", self.container_name(instance_id, generation))
+        for target_generation, _ in targets:
-        after = self.inspect(instance_id, generation)
+            if health_by_generation[target_generation]["exists"]:
-        if after["exists"]:
+                self.docker.call("container", "rm", "--force", "--volumes", self.container_name(instance_id, target_generation))
-            raise AgentError("Cancelled creation container still exists")
+            if self.inspect(instance_id, target_generation)["exists"]:
-        directory = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation)
+                raise AgentError("Cancelled creation container still exists")
-        if directory.exists():
+            directory = self.instance_dir(instance_id, target_generation)
-            shutil.rmtree(directory)
+            if directory.exists():
-        return {**after, "cancelledCreation": create_id}
+                shutil.rmtree(directory)
+        return {**self.inspect(instance_id, generation), "cancelledCreation": create_id}
 
     def stage(self, instance_id, generation, payload, operation_id):
         directory = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation)
@@ -2453,7 +2477,7 @@ class Agent:
         current_marker = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation).parent / "current.json"
         if current_marker.exists():
             current = json.loads(current_marker.read_text())
-            if current["generation"] > generation or current["generation"] == generation and current.get("removed") and kind not in ("instance.inspect", "instance.remove", "instance.cancel-create"):
+            if kind != "instance.cancel-create" and (current["generation"] > generation or current["generation"] == generation and current.get("removed") and kind not in ("instance.inspect", "instance.remove")):
                 raise AgentError("Instance generation has been superseded or removed")
         if kind.startswith("instance."):
             return self.lifecycle(kind, instance_id, generation, payload)

agent/tests/test_agent.py

@@ -1043,6 +1043,112 @@ class AgentTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.stop"))["state"], "accepted")
         self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] == ("container", "stop") for call in self.docker.calls))
 
+    def assert_unhealthy_recovery(self, kind):
+        spec = self.create()
+        self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+        payload = {"unhealthyRecovery": True}
+        if kind == "instance.rebuild":
+            payload.update({**spec, "nextGeneration": 2})
+        operation = self.operation(kind, payload)
+        with patch.object(self.agent, "rcon", side_effect=AssertionError("Unhealthy recovery queried player status")):
+            result = self.agent.execute(operation)
+            self.assertEqual(result["state"], "completed", result)
+            calls = list(self.docker.calls)
+            self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(operation)["state"], "completed")
+            self.assertEqual(self.docker.calls, calls)
+        target_generation = 2 if kind == "instance.rebuild" else 1
+        self.assertTrue(self.agent.inspect(INSTANCE, target_generation)["healthy"])
+        self.assertNotIn("unhealthyRecovery", self.agent.spec(INSTANCE, target_generation))
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_restarts_without_player_status(self):
+        self.assert_unhealthy_recovery("instance.restart")
+        self.assertIn("instance.unhealthy-recovery", self.agent.inventory()["capabilities"])
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_rebuilds_without_player_status(self):
+        self.assert_unhealthy_recovery("instance.rebuild")
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_keeps_safety_for_other_health_states(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        container = self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]
+        for kind in ("instance.restart", "instance.rebuild"):
+            payload = {"unhealthyRecovery": True}
+            if kind == "instance.rebuild":
+                payload.update({"spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 2})
+            for state in ("healthy", "starting", "restarting", "unknown"):
+                with self.subTest(kind=kind, state=state):
+                    container["State"] = {"Status": "unknown" if state == "unknown" else "running",
+                                          "Running": state != "unknown", "Health": {"Status": state}}
+                    with patch.object(self.agent, "rcon", return_value={"ok": True, "players": 2}) as rcon:
+                        result = self.agent.execute(self.operation(kind, payload, f"{kind.split('.')[-1]}-{state}"))
+                        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "accepted", result)
+                        self.assertEqual(rcon.call_count, 0 if state == "unknown" else 1)
+        self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] in (("container", "restart"), ("container", "stop"), ("container", "rm")) for call in self.docker.calls))
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_rechecks_health_before_disruption(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        container = self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]
+        inspect = self.docker.inspect
+        for kind in ("instance.restart", "instance.rebuild"):
+            container["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+            observations = []
+
+            def recovered(name):
+                observations.append(name)
+                if len(observations) == 2:
+                    container["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "healthy"}
+                return inspect(name)
+
+            payload = {"unhealthyRecovery": True}
+            if kind == "instance.rebuild":
+                payload.update({"spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 2})
+            with patch.object(self.docker, "inspect", side_effect=recovered), patch.object(self.agent, "rcon", return_value={"ok": True, "players": 2}) as rcon:
+                result = self.agent.execute(self.operation(kind, payload, kind.split(".")[-1]))
+                self.assertEqual(result["state"], "accepted", result)
+                rcon.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] in (("container", "restart"), ("container", "stop"), ("container", "rm")) for call in self.docker.calls))
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_requires_boolean_true(self):
+        self.create()
+        self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+        for index, value in enumerate((False, None, "true", 1, {})):
+            with self.subTest(value=value), patch.object(self.agent, "rcon", return_value={"ok": False, "players": None, "reason": "unreachable"}) as rcon:
+                result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.restart", {"unhealthyRecovery": value}, f"attempt-{index}"))
+                self.assertEqual(result["state"], "accepted", result)
+                rcon.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] == ("container", "restart") for call in self.docker.calls))
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_rejects_other_lifecycle_actions_and_activation(self):
+        self.create()
+        self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+        attempts = [(kind, {}) for kind in ("instance.stop", "instance.remove", "instance.start", "instance.create")]
+        attempts.extend([("instance.restart", {"stageId": "campaign"}), ("instance.restart", {"autoscaling": {}})])
+        calls = list(self.docker.calls)
+        for index, (kind, payload) in enumerate(attempts):
+            with self.subTest(kind=kind, payload=payload):
+                result = self.agent.execute(self.operation(kind, {**payload, "unhealthyRecovery": True}, f"attempt-{index}"))
+                self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+                self.assertIn("Unhealthy recovery only permits", result["error"])
+        self.assertEqual(self.docker.calls, calls)
+        with patch.object(self.agent, "rcon", return_value={"ok": True, "players": 2}) as rcon:
+            result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("files.activate", {"stageId": "campaign", "unhealthyRecovery": True}))
+            self.assertEqual(result["state"], "accepted", result)
+            rcon.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_unhealthy_recovery_preserves_ownership_and_generation_checks(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        container = self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]
+        container["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+        labels = container["Config"]["Labels"]
+        container["Config"]["Labels"] = {}
+        result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.restart", {"unhealthyRecovery": True}, "unowned"))
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+        container["Config"]["Labels"] = labels
+        result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.rebuild", {"unhealthyRecovery": True, "spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 1}, "same-generation"))
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+        result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.restart", {"unhealthyRecovery": True}, "stale", generation=0))
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+        self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] in (("container", "restart"), ("container", "stop"), ("container", "rm")) for call in self.docker.calls))
+
     def assert_override_disruption(self, kind):
         spec = self.create()
         payload = {"safetyOverride": True}
@@ -1241,6 +1347,88 @@ class AgentTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed")
         self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] == ("container", "rm") for call in self.docker.calls))
 
+    def test_cancel_creation_removes_completed_recovery_rebuild(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+        rebuild = self.operation("instance.rebuild", {"spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 2, "unhealthyRecovery": True}, "rebuild")
+        self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(rebuild)["state"], "completed")
+        cancel = self.operation("instance.cancel-create", {"createOperationId": "create", "recoveryRebuildOperationId": "rebuild", "recoveryGeneration": 2}, "cancel")
+        with patch.object(self.agent, "rcon", side_effect=AssertionError("Cancellation queried player status")):
+            result = self.agent.execute(cancel)
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "completed", result)
+        self.assertFalse(json.loads(result["result"])["exists"])
+        for generation in (1, 2):
+            self.assertFalse(self.agent.inspect(INSTANCE, generation)["exists"])
+            self.assertFalse(self.agent.instance_dir(INSTANCE, generation).exists())
+        self.assertEqual(json.loads((self.agent.instance_dir(INSTANCE, 1).parent / "current.json").read_text()), {"generation": 2, "removed": True})
+        calls = list(self.docker.calls)
+        self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(cancel)["state"], "completed")
+        self.assertEqual(self.docker.calls, calls)
+
+    def test_cancel_creation_fences_undelivered_recovery_rebuild(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        cancel = self.operation("instance.cancel-create", {"createOperationId": "create", "recoveryRebuildOperationId": "late-rebuild", "recoveryGeneration": 2}, "cancel")
+        self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(cancel)["state"], "completed")
+        rebuild = self.operation("instance.rebuild", {"spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 2, "unhealthyRecovery": True}, "late-rebuild")
+        result = self.agent.execute(rebuild)
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+        self.assertFalse(self.agent.inspect(INSTANCE, 1)["exists"])
+        self.assertFalse(self.agent.inspect(INSTANCE, 2)["exists"])
+        self.assertEqual(sum(call[:2] == ("container", "create") for call in self.docker.calls), 1)
+
+    def test_cancel_creation_reconciles_recovery_rebuild_removal(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]["State"]["Health"] = {"Status": "unhealthy"}
+        self.docker.lose_reply_after = "start"
+        rebuild = self.operation("instance.rebuild", {"spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 2, "unhealthyRecovery": True}, "rebuild")
+        self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(rebuild)["state"], "unknown")
+        self.docker.lose_reply_after = "rm"
+        cancel = self.operation("instance.cancel-create", {"createOperationId": "create", "recoveryRebuildOperationId": "rebuild", "recoveryGeneration": 2}, "cancel")
+        self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(cancel)["state"], "unknown")
+        self.agent.journal.close()
+        self.agent = Agent(self.config, self.docker)
+        self.assertEqual(self.agent.execute(cancel)["state"], "completed")
+        for generation in (1, 2):
+            self.assertFalse(self.agent.inspect(INSTANCE, generation)["exists"])
+            self.assertFalse(self.agent.instance_dir(INSTANCE, generation).exists())
+
+    def test_cancel_creation_rejects_mismatched_recovery_rebuild(self):
+        spec = self.create()
+        for index, (kind, instance_id, generation, changes) in enumerate((
+            ("instance.restart", INSTANCE, 1, {}),
+            ("instance.rebuild", "another-instance", 1, {}),
+            ("instance.rebuild", INSTANCE, 2, {}),
+            ("instance.rebuild", INSTANCE, 1, {"nextGeneration": 3}),
+            ("instance.rebuild", INSTANCE, 1, {"unhealthyRecovery": False}),
+        )):
+            rebuild = self.operation(kind, {"spec": spec, "nextGeneration": 2, "unhealthyRecovery": True, **changes}, f"rebuild-{index}", generation=generation)
+            rebuild["instanceId"] = instance_id
+            self.agent.journal.accept(rebuild)
+            cancel = self.operation("instance.cancel-create", {"createOperationId": "create", "recoveryRebuildOperationId": rebuild["id"], "recoveryGeneration": 2}, f"cancel-{index}")
+            result = self.agent.execute(cancel)
+            self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+            self.assertIn("does not match", result["error"])
+        self.assertTrue(self.agent.inspect(INSTANCE, 1)["exists"])
+        self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] == ("container", "rm") for call in self.docker.calls))
+
+    def test_cancel_creation_rejects_unrelated_recovery_container_or_newer_generation(self):
+        self.create()
+        original = self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]
+        unrelated = json.loads(json.dumps(original))
+        unrelated["Config"]["Labels"].update({module.LABEL + ".generation": "2", module.LABEL + ".operation": "unrelated"})
+        self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 2)] = unrelated
+        payload = {"createOperationId": "create", "recoveryRebuildOperationId": "rebuild", "recoveryGeneration": 2}
+        result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.cancel-create", payload, "unrelated-container"))
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+        self.assertIn("different creation", result["error"])
+        marker = self.agent.instance_dir(INSTANCE, 1).parent / "current.json"
+        module.atomic_json(marker, {"generation": 3})
+        result = self.agent.execute(self.operation("instance.cancel-create", payload, "newer-generation"))
+        self.assertEqual(result["state"], "failed", result)
+        self.assertIn("superseded", result["error"])
+        self.assertFalse(any(call[:2] == ("container", "rm") for call in self.docker.calls))
+        self.assertEqual(json.loads(marker.read_text()), {"generation": 3})
+
     def test_unowned_container_never_mutated(self):
         self.create()
         self.docker.containers[self.agent.container_name(INSTANCE, 1)]["Config"]["Labels"] = {}

docs/guides/provisioning.md

@@ -71,6 +71,14 @@ making another request.
 
 ### Health and runtime checks
 
+If the host agent explicitly reports an unhealthy container during Create or
+Rebuild verification, that operation forces one restart, then forces one rebuild
+if the container remains unhealthy. Recovery preserves the selected launch files,
+credentials, server identity, and port. If both attempts leave it unhealthy, the
+operation fails for inspection instead of repeating recovery. Starting, restarting,
+and unknown container states continue waiting for readiness. This requires host
+agent 1.8.1 or newer.
+
 Create and Rebuild finish only after RCON reports a runtime revision at least as
 new as the current Plutonium production release. The worker checks the production
 manifest and records the runtime revision for fleet and server version status as
@@ -114,6 +122,11 @@ campaign, beta, maintenance, or provisioning work. Duplicate pending requests fo
 the same action return the existing operation; a different action returns a
 conflict. Requests and events survive application restarts.
 
+Rebuild and recovery within Create or Rebuild treat an explicitly unhealthy
+container as empty without requiring a player count. The agent checks health
+again before disruption; if the container has recovered, normal player checks
+apply. This exception does not apply to unknown health or other lifecycle actions.
+
 For a failed container stuck waiting for player status, an administrator can open
 its queued or waiting **Restart**, **Stop**, **Rebuild**, or **Destroy** operation
 and choose **Admin override…**. The confirmation modal explains the interruption

src/lib/server/backends/schema.ts

@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ export function migrateNativeInstances(handle: Database.Database): void {
     if (!(handle.pragma('table_info(ec_host_migrations)') as { name: string }[]).some(column => column.name === 'runtime_password')) {
         handle.exec('ALTER TABLE ec_host_migrations ADD COLUMN runtime_password TEXT');
     }
+    if (!(handle.pragma('table_info(native_provisioning)') as { name: string }[]).some(column => column.name === 'recovery_step')) {
+        handle.exec("ALTER TABLE native_provisioning ADD COLUMN recovery_step TEXT CHECK (recovery_step IN ('restart','rebuild'))");
+    }
     if (!handle.prepare("SELECT 1 FROM settings WHERE key='native_file_plans_v1'").get()) {
         handle.transaction(() => {
             handle.exec(`UPDATE native_provisioning SET files_json=(SELECT json_group_array(json_remove(value,'$.contentBase64'))

src/lib/server/hosts/index.ts

@@ -466,10 +466,13 @@ export function listHostOperationHistory(page = 1, filter: HostOperationFilter =
 
 /** Bound each cleanup pass so retained history cannot stall monitoring or receipts. */
 export function pruneHostObservations(): number { return pruneHistory('observation'); }
-/** Heartbeats can tell an executing create to stop at its next safe command boundary. */
+/** Heartbeats stop either launch generation at its next safe command boundary. */
 export function pendingCreationCancellations(hostId: string): string[] {
-    return (database().prepare(`SELECT json_extract(payload,'$.createOperationId') AS id FROM ec_host_operations
+    const rows = database().prepare(`SELECT json_extract(payload,'$.createOperationId') AS creation_id,
-        WHERE host_id=? AND kind='instance.cancel-create' AND state IN ('pending','accepted','running','unknown')`).all(hostId) as { id: string }[]).map(row => row.id);
+        json_extract(payload,'$.recoveryRebuildOperationId') AS recovery_id FROM ec_host_operations
+        WHERE host_id=? AND kind='instance.cancel-create' AND state IN ('pending','accepted','running','unknown')`)
+        .all(hostId) as { creation_id: string; recovery_id: string | null }[];
+    return rows.flatMap(row => row.recovery_id ? [row.creation_id, row.recovery_id] : [row.creation_id]);
 }
 type QueueHostOperationOptions = { instanceId?: string; generation?: number; idempotencyKey?: string; id?: string };
 export function queueHostOperation(hostId: string, kind: string, payload: Record<string, unknown>, options: QueueHostOperationOptions = {}): HostOperation {
@@ -537,8 +540,11 @@ export function pendingHostOperationRows(hostId: string, lane: OperationLane = '
     // busy indefinitely. Drain the old batch by withholding ALL further work;
     // heartbeats and receipts still flow, and the new capability releases this hold.
     // This must live in the controller so the fix also works before an agent update.
-    if (!host.inventory.capabilities?.includes('instance.cancel-create') && database().prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_operations
+    if (database().prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_operations
-        WHERE host_id=? AND kind='instance.cancel-create' AND state IN ('pending','accepted','running','unknown') LIMIT 1`).get(hostId)) return [];
+        WHERE host_id=? AND kind='instance.cancel-create' AND state IN ('pending','accepted','running','unknown')
+        AND (NOT ? OR (json_extract(payload,'$.recoveryRebuildOperationId') IS NOT NULL AND NOT ?)) LIMIT 1`)
+        .get(hostId, Number(host.inventory.capabilities?.includes('instance.cancel-create') ?? false),
+            Number(host.inventory.capabilities?.includes('instance.unhealthy-recovery') ?? false))) return [];
     // Accepted/running/unknown commands keep the same immutable ID. The agent
     // consults its durable journal before acknowledging or executing a replay.
     const healthOnly = `(kind IN ('instance.inspect','rcon.status-batch') OR (kind='rcon.execute' AND json_extract(${operationPayloadSql},'$.command') IN ('status','getstatus','version')))`;
@@ -557,6 +563,9 @@ export function pendingHostOperationRows(hostId: string, lane: OperationLane = '
             AND (kind!='instance.cancel-create' OR ?)
             AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_operations cancellation WHERE cancellation.host_id=o.host_id
                 AND cancellation.kind='instance.cancel-create' AND json_extract(cancellation.payload,'$.createOperationId')=o.id)
+            AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_creation_cancellations cancellation
+                JOIN native_provisioning creation ON creation.deployment_id=cancellation.creation_id
+                WHERE creation.operation_id=o.id)
             ${lane === 'health' ? "AND (state NOT IN ('accepted','running') OR MAX(updated_at,COALESCE(last_delivered_at,'')) <= ?)" : ''}
             ORDER BY CASE WHEN kind='instance.cancel-create' THEN 0 WHEN kind='plutonium.prepare' THEN 2 ELSE 1 END,
                 COALESCE(last_delivered_at,''),created_at,rowid LIMIT ${limit}`)

src/lib/server/provisioning/cancel-creation.ts

@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ import { pauseScalingForOperation } from '../autoscaling/ownership.js';
 import { db } from '../db/index.js';
 import { releaseServerKey } from '../fleet/server-keys.js';
 import { nativeInstance } from '../backends/native.js';
-import { queueHostOperation, releaseHostPorts } from '../hosts/index.js';
+import { getHostOperationStatus, queueHostOperation, releaseHostPorts } from '../hosts/index.js';
 import { beginDeployment, cancelRemoval, deploymentStage, finishDeployment } from './history.js';
 import { recordProgress } from './progress.js';
 
 export function canCancelCreation(id: string): boolean {
     return !!db().prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM server_deployments d
         LEFT JOIN native_provisioning n ON n.deployment_id=d.id
-        LEFT JOIN native_instances i ON i.id=n.instance_id AND i.generation=n.generation AND i.retired_at IS NULL
+        LEFT JOIN native_instances i ON i.id=n.instance_id AND i.retired_at IS NULL
+            AND (i.generation=n.generation OR (n.recovery_step='rebuild' AND i.generation=n.generation+1
+                AND n.applied_at IS NOT NULL))
         WHERE d.id=? AND d.action='create' AND d.server_deleted_at IS NULL
         AND (i.id IS NOT NULL OR (n.deployment_id IS NULL
             AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_creation_intents intent WHERE intent.deployment_id=d.id)
@@ -29,9 +31,9 @@ export function cancelCreation(id: string, triggeredBy = 'ui', pausePolicy = tru
         if (prior) return prior.cleanup_id;
         if (!canCancelCreation(id)) return null;
         if (pausePolicy) pauseScalingForOperation(id);
-        const job = db().prepare(`SELECT d.server,n.operation_id,n.stage_operation_id FROM server_deployments d
+        const job = db().prepare(`SELECT d.server,n.operation_id,n.stage_operation_id,n.generation,n.recovery_step FROM server_deployments d
             LEFT JOIN native_provisioning n ON n.deployment_id=d.id WHERE d.id=?`).get(id) as
-            { server: string; operation_id: string | null; stage_operation_id: string | null };
+            { server: string; operation_id: string | null; stage_operation_id: string | null; generation: number | null; recovery_step: 'restart' | 'rebuild' | null };
         const instance = nativeInstance(job.server);
         // Replace a removal still waiting on occupancy, including one whose asynchronous probe is outstanding.
         for (const removal of db().prepare("SELECT id FROM server_deployments WHERE server=? AND action='destroy' AND state='waiting' AND server_deleted_at IS NULL").all(job.server) as { id: string }[]) {
@@ -54,8 +56,30 @@ export function cancelCreation(id: string, triggeredBy = 'ui', pausePolicy = tru
             finishCreationCancellation(cleanupId);
         } else {
             if (!instance) throw new Error('The original native instance is unavailable.');
-            const operation = queueHostOperation(instance.host_id, 'instance.cancel-create', { createOperationId: job.operation_id ?? id },
+            let generation = instance.generation;
-                { instanceId: instance.id, generation: instance.generation, idempotencyKey: cleanupId });
+            const payload: { createOperationId: string; recoveryRebuildOperationId?: string; recoveryGeneration?: number } = { createOperationId: job.operation_id ?? id };
+            if (job.recovery_step) {
+                // Recovery replaces operation_id, but cancellation must retain the
+                // immutable ownership label from the original launch.
+                const original = db().prepare(`SELECT id FROM ec_host_operations WHERE host_id=? AND instance_id=?
+                    AND generation=? AND kind='instance.create' ORDER BY rowid DESC LIMIT 1`)
+                    .get(instance.host_id, instance.id, job.generation) as { id: string } | undefined;
+                if (!original || !job.generation) throw new Error('The original creation command is unavailable.');
+                payload.createOperationId = original.id;
+                generation = job.generation;
+                if (job.recovery_step === 'rebuild') {
+                    const recovery = job.operation_id ? getHostOperationStatus(job.operation_id) : null;
+                    if (!recovery || recovery.kind !== 'instance.rebuild' || recovery.instanceId !== instance.id || recovery.generation !== generation) {
+                        throw new Error('The creation recovery command is unavailable.');
+                    }
+                    // A delivered rebuild may have created the next generation
+                    // before its receipt arrives. Fence and remove both identities.
+                    payload.recoveryRebuildOperationId = recovery.id;
+                    payload.recoveryGeneration = generation + 1;
+                }
+            }
+            const operation = queueHostOperation(instance.host_id, 'instance.cancel-create', payload,
+                { instanceId: instance.id, generation, idempotencyKey: cleanupId });
             db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET operation_id=? WHERE deployment_id=?').run(operation.id, cleanupId);
             db().prepare('UPDATE server_deployments SET submitted_at=? WHERE id=?').run(new Date().toISOString(), cleanupId);
             deploymentStage(cleanupId, 'Waiting for host agent to cancel creation and remove its partial instance', { phase: 'container-action', blocker: null,

src/lib/server/provisioning/concurrency.ts

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export function lifecycleHolders(): Holder[] {
     // Find capacity owners through their active state or outstanding command.
     // A correlated OR over d used to walk every retained job and fetch its agent
     // receipt on every admission, even when all that history was completed.
-    return db().prepare(`SELECT d.id,d.action,i.host_id,m.target_host_id,
+    return db().prepare(`SELECT d.id,CASE WHEN n.recovery_step='rebuild' THEN 'rebuild' ELSE d.action END AS action,i.host_id,m.target_host_id,
         CASE WHEN m.remove_operation_id IS NOT NULL AND m.removed_at IS NULL THEN 1 ELSE 0 END AS removing
         FROM server_deployments d
         LEFT JOIN native_provisioning n ON n.deployment_id=d.id

src/lib/server/provisioning/history.ts

@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ function capacityFor(deployment: ProvisioningDeployment, evaluatedAt: string): P
         pools.push({ kind: 'startup', limit: settings.createConcurrency, used: holders.length, holders,
             requestOrder: order < 0 ? null : order + 1, ownsSlot: holders.some(holder => holder.id === deployment.id) });
     }
-    if (['start', 'restart', 'rebuild'].includes(deployment.action)) {
+    const creationRecovery = deployment.action === 'create' && db().prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM native_provisioning
+        WHERE deployment_id=? AND recovery_step IS NOT NULL`).get(deployment.id);
+    if (['start', 'restart', 'rebuild'].includes(deployment.action) || creationRecovery) {
         const holders = db().prepare(`SELECT operation_id AS id, server FROM restart_rollout WHERE healthy_at IS NULL
             ORDER BY requested_at, server`).all() as { id: string | null; server: string }[];
         pools.push({ kind: 'restart', limit: settings.restartConcurrency, used: holders.length, holders,

src/lib/server/provisioning/launch-preparation.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export interface NativeLaunchInput {
     rconPassword: string;
     rebuild: boolean;
     safetyOverride?: boolean;
+    unhealthyRecovery?: boolean;
     /** Rebalance replays recorded deployed bytes instead of current promoted files. */
     frozenRecipeId?: string;
 }

src/lib/server/provisioning/launch-worker.ts

@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ parentPort!.on('message', (message: { id: number; kind: 'launch'; input: NativeL
                 PLUTO_SERVER_KEY: input.serverKey },
             files: recipe.files.map(file => ({ path: posix.join(relDestForKind(file.kind, recipe.game), file.path),
                 contentSha256: file.sha256, sha256: file.sha256 })),
-            ...(input.rebuild ? { nextGeneration: instance.generation + 1, ...(input.safetyOverride ? { safetyOverride: true } : {}) } : {})
+            ...(input.rebuild ? { nextGeneration: instance.generation + 1,
+                ...(input.safetyOverride ? { safetyOverride: true } : {}),
+                ...(input.unhealthyRecovery ? { unhealthyRecovery: true } : {}) } : {})
         };
         const encode = (value: unknown) => new TextEncoder().encode(JSON.stringify(value));
         const blobs = [...new Map(recipe.files.map(file => [file.sha256,

src/lib/server/provisioning/native.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { assertScalingOwnership } from '../autoscaling/ownership.js';
 import { removalAuthorization } from '../autoscaling/authorization.js';
 import { scalingIntent } from '../autoscaling/admission.js';
 import { putFileBlob, getFileBlob, blobSize } from '../db/file-blobs.js';
-import { concurrencyBlocker, preparingJobs, committedRebalanceStartup } from './concurrency.js';
+import { concurrencyBlocker, preparingJobs, committedRebalanceStartup, lifecycleHolders } from './concurrency.js';
 import { isIP } from 'node:net';
 import { setImmediate as yieldToController } from 'node:timers/promises';
 import { choosePlacement, availableHostPort, type PlacementOptions } from '../hosts/capacity.js';
@@ -39,12 +39,15 @@ import { cancelCreation, finishCreationCancellation } from './cancel-creation.js
 import { reconcileHostDrains } from './host-drain.js';
 import { hostMigration, isRebalanceMigration, processMigrationRemoval } from './migrations.js';
 import { safetyOverride, safetyOverrideCapability } from './safety-override.js';
+import { runtimeLaunchSql } from '../fleet/runtime-config.js';
 
 export type NativeSelection = import('../../hosts.js').NativePlacement;
 type NativeRecipe = LaunchRecipePlan & { native?: NativeSelection };
 interface Job { selection?: string | null; id: string; server: string; action: ProvisioningAction; state: string; submitted_at: string | null; stage: string;
-    instance_id: string; generation: number; stage_operation_id: string | null; operation_id: string | null; applied_at: string | null }
+    instance_id: string; generation: number; stage_operation_id: string | null; operation_id: string | null; applied_at: string | null;
+    recovery_step: 'restart' | 'rebuild' | null }
 interface FilePlan { id: number; path: string; sha256: string | null; checkBefore: boolean; expectedBeforeSha: string | null }
+const unhealthyRecoveryCapability = 'instance.unhealthy-recovery';
 
 /** Validate a launch request without selecting a host or consuming capacity. */
 export function nativeLaunchSelection(input: Record<string, unknown>, game: string): NativeSelection {
@@ -242,7 +245,7 @@ function storedFiles(job: Job): FilePlan[] {
 
 /** Agent receipts are the authoritative before images; do not read a controller mount. */
 function applyReceipt(job: Job, result: Record<string, unknown>) {
-    if (job.applied_at) return;
+    if (job.applied_at || job.recovery_step) return;
     const plans = storedFiles(job);
     if (!plans.length) return;
     const before = result.before as { id?: number; path: string; contentBase64: string | null; contentSha256?: string }[] | undefined;
@@ -276,7 +279,7 @@ function applyReceipt(job: Job, result: Record<string, unknown>) {
 
 /** Retain confirmed file snapshots and instance identity even after observation is cancelled. */
 export function reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt(id: string): void {
-    const job = db().prepare(`SELECT d.*,n.instance_id,n.generation,n.operation_id,n.applied_at
+    const job = db().prepare(`SELECT d.*,n.instance_id,n.generation,n.operation_id,n.applied_at,n.recovery_step
         FROM server_deployments d JOIN native_provisioning n ON n.deployment_id=d.id
         WHERE d.id=? AND d.server_deleted_at IS NULL`).get(id) as Job | undefined;
     if (!job) return;
@@ -309,6 +312,13 @@ export function reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt(id: string): void {
     if (operation?.state !== 'completed') return;
     const instance = nativeInstance(job.server);
     if (!instance || instance.id !== job.instance_id) return;
+    if (job.state === 'cancelled' && job.action === 'create'
+        && db().prepare('SELECT 1 FROM native_creation_cancellations WHERE creation_id=?').get(id)) {
+        // Cleanup owns both generations of a cancelled recovery rebuild. Do not
+        // advance the registry underneath its already-bound removal command.
+        db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET applied_at=COALESCE(applied_at,?) WHERE deployment_id=?').run(operation.updatedAt, id);
+        return;
+    }
     if (job.action === 'destroy') {
         if (instance.generation !== job.generation) return;
         db().prepare('UPDATE native_instances SET retired_at=? WHERE id=?').run(operation.updatedAt, instance.id);
@@ -318,7 +328,7 @@ export function reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt(id: string): void {
         finishCreationCancellation(job.id);
         return;
     }
-    if (job.action === 'rebuild' && !hostMigration(id) && instance.generation === job.generation) {
+    if (operation.kind === 'instance.rebuild' && instance.generation === job.generation) {
         db().prepare('UPDATE native_instances SET generation=generation+1 WHERE id=?').run(instance.id);
         // Replacements queued while the delivered rebuild was settling bound the
         // previous generation. Only untouched, newer jobs may follow this receipt.
@@ -328,7 +338,7 @@ export function reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt(id: string): void {
                 WHERE newer.rowid>(SELECT rowid FROM server_deployments WHERE id=?)
                 AND newer.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND newer.state IN ('queued','waiting'))`)
             .run(job.generation + 1, instance.id, job.generation, id);
-    } else if (instance.generation !== job.generation && !(job.action === 'rebuild' && instance.generation === job.generation + 1)) return;
+    } else if (instance.generation !== job.generation && !(operation.kind === 'instance.rebuild' && instance.generation === job.generation + 1)) return;
     applyReceipt(job, (operation.result ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>);
     db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET applied_at=COALESCE(applied_at,?) WHERE deployment_id=?').run(operation.updatedAt, id);
 }
@@ -342,10 +352,78 @@ function complete(job: Job) {
     db().transaction(() => {
         db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET verified_at=? WHERE deployment_id=?').run(new Date().toISOString(), job.id);
         db().prepare('UPDATE restart_rollout SET healthy_at=?,error=NULL WHERE operation_id=?').run(new Date().toISOString(), job.id);
+        if (job.recovery_step) recordProgress(job.id, { recovery: { state: 'released', operationId: job.id,
+            message: 'Container and game health verified after provisioning recovery.' } });
         finishDeployment(job.id, { ok: true });
     })();
 }
 
+/** Continue the same launch with at most one restart and one replacement. */
+function queueUnhealthyRecovery(job: Job, instance: NativeInstance): void {
+    db().transaction(() => {
+        if (!stillActive(job)) return;
+        const live = nativeInstance(job.server);
+        if (live?.id !== instance.id || live.generation !== instance.generation) return;
+        if (job.recovery_step === 'rebuild') {
+            const message = 'Container is still unhealthy after recovery restart and rebuild. Inspect the server before retrying.';
+            db().prepare('UPDATE restart_rollout SET error=? WHERE operation_id=?').run(message, job.id);
+            finishDeployment(job.id, { ok: false, message });
+            return;
+        }
+        const host = getHost(instance.host_id);
+        if (!host?.connected || host.mode === 'disabled') { hold(job, 'Host is unavailable; waiting for reconnection.'); return; }
+        if (!host.inventory.capabilities?.includes(unhealthyRecoveryCapability)) {
+            hold(job, 'Update this host’s agent to recover unhealthy containers during provisioning.'); return;
+        }
+        const step = job.recovery_step === 'restart' ? 'rebuild' : 'restart';
+        const settings = fleetSettings();
+        const slots = db().prepare(`SELECT i.host_id FROM restart_rollout r LEFT JOIN native_instances i
+            ON i.server=r.server AND i.retired_at IS NULL WHERE r.healthy_at IS NULL AND (r.operation_id IS NULL OR r.operation_id!=?)`)
+            .all(job.id) as { host_id: string | null }[];
+        if (settings.restartConcurrency > 0 && slots.length >= settings.restartConcurrency) {
+            hold(job, 'Waiting for restart recovery capacity.'); return;
+        }
+        if (settings.restartConcurrencyPerHost > 0 && slots.filter(slot => slot.host_id === instance.host_id).length >= settings.restartConcurrencyPerHost) {
+            hold(job, 'Waiting for restart recovery capacity on this host.'); return;
+        }
+        let payload: Record<string, unknown> = { unhealthyRecovery: true };
+        if (step === 'rebuild') {
+            const beta = activeBetaRemovalBlocker(job.server);
+            if (beta) { hold(job, beta); return; }
+            if (job.action !== 'rebuild' && settings.rebuildConcurrency > 0) {
+                if (lifecycleHolders().filter(holder => holder.id !== job.id && holder.action === 'rebuild').length >= settings.rebuildConcurrency) {
+                    hold(job, 'Waiting for rebuild capacity.'); return;
+                }
+            }
+            assertReadyLibrary(instance.host_id, instance.library_id);
+            // Recover the files and credentials selected for this launch, even
+            // if new versions have been promoted while readiness was pending.
+            const launch = db().prepare(`SELECT COALESCE(p.payload,o.payload) AS payload FROM ec_host_operations o
+                JOIN native_instances i ON ${runtimeLaunchSql}
+                LEFT JOIN ec_host_operation_payloads p ON p.operation_id=o.id
+                WHERE i.id=? AND o.state='completed' AND o.history_expired_at IS NULL ORDER BY o.rowid DESC LIMIT 1`)
+                .get(instance.id) as { payload: string } | undefined;
+            if (!launch) { hold(job, 'Waiting for the original launch payload before recovery rebuild.'); return; }
+            payload = { ...JSON.parse(launch.payload), nextGeneration: instance.generation + 1, unhealthyRecovery: true };
+            delete payload.safetyOverride;
+        }
+        const operation = queueHostOperationSerialized(instance.host_id, `instance.${step}`, Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(payload)),
+            { instanceId: instance.id, generation: instance.generation, idempotencyKey: `${job.id}:unhealthy:${step}` },
+            { name: instance.server, unhealthyRecovery: true });
+        const at = new Date().toISOString();
+        db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET operation_id=?,generation=?,recovery_step=?,applied_at=NULL WHERE deployment_id=?')
+            .run(operation.id, instance.generation, step, job.id);
+        db().prepare("UPDATE server_deployments SET state='running',submitted_at=?,error=NULL,finished_at=NULL WHERE id=?").run(at, job.id);
+        db().prepare(`INSERT INTO restart_rollout(server,requested_at,operation_id) VALUES(?,?,?) ON CONFLICT(server)
+            DO UPDATE SET requested_at=excluded.requested_at,operation_id=excluded.operation_id,healthy_at=NULL,error=NULL`).run(job.server, at, job.id);
+        const message = `Container unhealthy; ${step === 'restart' ? 'forcing a restart' : 'forcing a rebuild after restart recovery failed'}.`;
+        deploymentStage(job.id, message, { phase: 'container-action', blocker: null, checks: [],
+            command: { state: 'attempted', message: `Recovery ${step} queued as agent operation ${operation.id}.` },
+            recovery: { state: 'held', operationId: job.id, message: 'Recovery runs within this provisioning operation.' },
+            event: { kind: 'unhealthy-recovery', message, details: { step, operationId: operation.id, generation: instance.generation } } });
+    })();
+}
+
 export async function processNativeProvisioning(eligibility: (operation: { id: string; server: string; action: string; state: string; stage: string }) => string | null,
     options: { wait?: boolean } = {}): Promise<void> {
     ensureHostSchema(db());
@@ -369,7 +447,7 @@ export async function processNativeProvisioning(eligibility: (operation: { id: s
         }
     }
     reconcileHostDrains();
-    const jobs = db().prepare(`SELECT d.*,n.instance_id,n.generation,n.stage_operation_id,n.operation_id,n.applied_at,q.selection
+    const jobs = db().prepare(`SELECT d.*,n.instance_id,n.generation,n.stage_operation_id,n.operation_id,n.applied_at,n.recovery_step,q.selection
         FROM server_deployments d LEFT JOIN native_provisioning n ON n.deployment_id=d.id
         LEFT JOIN native_creation_intents q ON q.deployment_id=d.id
         WHERE (n.deployment_id IS NOT NULL OR q.deployment_id IS NOT NULL) AND d.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND d.state IN ('queued','waiting','running','awaiting-health','interrupted') ORDER BY d.started_at,d.rowid`).all() as Job[];
@@ -485,7 +563,8 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
         job.instance_id = instance.id; job.generation = instance.generation;
     }
     const migration = hostMigration(job.id);
-    if (!instance || instance.id !== job.instance_id || (instance.generation !== job.generation && !(job.action === 'rebuild' && !migration && instance.generation === job.generation + 1))) {
+    const rebuilding = job.recovery_step === 'rebuild' || (!job.recovery_step && job.action === 'rebuild' && !migration);
+    if (!instance || instance.id !== job.instance_id || (instance.generation !== job.generation && !(rebuilding && instance.generation === job.generation + 1))) {
         finishDeployment(job.id, { ok: false, message: 'Original instance was retired or replaced; no command was sent.' }); return;
     }
     if (migration && !migration.removed_at) {
@@ -499,7 +578,10 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
     }
     if (job.operation_id) {
         const operation = getHostOperationStatus(job.operation_id);
-        if (operation?.kind === 'instance.cancel-create' && !['completed', 'failed'].includes(operation.state) && !host.inventory.capabilities?.includes('instance.cancel-create')) {
+        const recoveryCleanup = operation?.kind === 'instance.cancel-create' && !!db().prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_operations
+            WHERE id=? AND json_extract(payload,'$.recoveryRebuildOperationId') IS NOT NULL`).get(operation.id);
+        if (operation?.kind === 'instance.cancel-create' && !['completed', 'failed'].includes(operation.state)
+            && (!host.inventory.capabilities?.includes('instance.cancel-create') || (recoveryCleanup && !host.inventory.capabilities?.includes(unhealthyRecoveryCapability)))) {
             hold(job, hostAgentUpdatesEnabled(host.inventory)
                 ? 'Waiting for the host agent update. New command delivery is paused so its current batch can finish and the automatic updater can run. Cleanup resumes after the updated agent connects.'
                 : 'Update the host agent to support creation cancellation: rerun the current installer on this host. Automatic updates are not enabled. New command delivery is paused; cleanup and port release await the updated agent.'); return;
@@ -514,7 +596,7 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
                 })();
                 return;
             }
-            if (migration) {
+            if (migration && !job.recovery_step) {
                 if (Date.now() - Date.parse(operation.updatedAt) >= 60_000) {
                     db().transaction(() => {
                         db().prepare('DELETE FROM restart_rollout WHERE operation_id=?').run(job.id);
@@ -552,15 +634,17 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
             })();
             return;
         }
-        if (job.action === 'rebuild' && !migration && instance.generation === job.generation) {
+        if (operation.kind === 'instance.rebuild' && instance.generation === job.generation) {
             db().prepare('UPDATE native_instances SET generation=? WHERE id=? AND generation=?').run(job.generation + 1, instance.id, job.generation);
             instance = nativeInstance(job.server)!;
         }
         applyReceipt(job, (operation.result ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>);
+        db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET applied_at=COALESCE(applied_at,?) WHERE deployment_id=?').run(operation.updatedAt, job.id);
         if (job.state !== 'awaiting-health') {
             db().prepare("UPDATE server_deployments SET state='awaiting-health',error=NULL,finished_at=NULL WHERE id=?").run(job.id);
-            recordProgress(job.id, { command: { state: 'accepted', message: `Agent confirmed ${job.action}; verifying the resulting instance.` },
+            const action = job.recovery_step ? `recovery ${job.recovery_step}` : job.action;
-                checkpoint: { key: 'container-action', label: `Agent confirmed ${job.action}`, at: operation.updatedAt } });
+            recordProgress(job.id, { command: { state: 'accepted', message: `Agent confirmed ${action}; verifying the resulting instance.` },
+                checkpoint: { key: job.recovery_step ? `recovery-${job.recovery_step}` : 'container-action', label: `Agent confirmed ${action}`, at: operation.updatedAt } });
         }
         const checks: CheckInput[] = [];
         const check = (value: CheckInput, phase: import('../../provisioning-detail.js').ProvisioningPhase) => {
@@ -580,7 +664,11 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
             complete(job); return;
         }
         check({ key: 'container', label: 'Container readiness verified', source: 'agent', result: health.healthy ? 'pass' : 'waiting', actual: health.state }, 'verify-container');
-        if (!health.healthy) { hold(job, `Waiting for container readiness: ${health.state}`); return; }
+        if (!health.healthy) {
+            if (health.state === 'unhealthy' && (job.action === 'create' || job.action === 'rebuild')) queueUnhealthyRecovery(job, instance);
+            else hold(job, `Waiting for container readiness: ${health.state}`);
+            return;
+        }
         deploymentStage(job.id, 'Checking game status', { phase: 'verify-game', blocker: null });
         const status = await probeServerStatus(job.server, operation.updatedAt);
         if (!stillActive(job)) return;
@@ -669,6 +757,12 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
         deploymentStage(job.id, 'Checking container and player occupancy before submission', { phase: 'eligibility', blocker: null });
         const health = await nativeRequest<{ state: string; healthy?: boolean }>(instance, 'instance.inspect');
         if (!stillActive(job)) return false;
+        if (job.action === 'rebuild' && health.state === 'unhealthy') {
+            if (!getHost(instance.host_id)?.inventory.capabilities?.includes(unhealthyRecoveryCapability)) {
+                hold(job, 'Update this host’s agent to recover unhealthy containers during provisioning.'); return false;
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
         if (!['stopped','exited','created','dead','missing'].includes(health.state)) {
             const occupancy = await probePlayerEvidence(job.server);
             if (!stillActive(job)) return false;
@@ -708,7 +802,8 @@ async function processJob(job: Job, eligibility: (job: Job) => string | null) {
             preparedPassword = config.rcon.password || randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
             prepared = await prepareNativeLaunch({ game: prior.game, mapSlug: prior.mapSlug, native: prior.native,
                 instance, serverKey: preparedKey, rconPassword: preparedPassword,
-                rebuild: job.action === 'rebuild' && !migration, safetyOverride: overrideSafety, frozenRecipeId });
+                rebuild: job.action === 'rebuild' && !migration, safetyOverride: overrideSafety,
+                unhealthyRecovery: host.inventory.capabilities?.includes(unhealthyRecoveryCapability), frozenRecipeId });
             if (job.action === 'rebuild' && !migration && !await checkOccupancy()) return;
         }
         const commit = db().transaction(() => {

src/lib/server/retention.ts

@@ -22,12 +22,26 @@ const unsettledDeployment = `d.state NOT IN ${terminal}
         (a.state NOT IN ('completed','failed') OR (a.id=n.operation_id AND a.state='completed' AND (
             (n.applied_at IS NULL AND COALESCE(json_array_length(n.files_json),0)>0)
             OR (d.action='destroy' AND i.retired_at IS NULL)
-            OR (d.action='rebuild' AND i.retired_at IS NULL AND i.generation=n.generation
+            OR (a.kind='instance.rebuild' AND i.retired_at IS NULL AND i.generation=n.generation)))))
-                AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_migrations m WHERE m.deployment_id=d.id))))))
     OR EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_migrations m JOIN ec_host_operations a ON a.id=m.remove_operation_id
         WHERE m.deployment_id=d.id AND (a.state NOT IN ('completed','failed') OR (a.state='completed' AND m.removed_at IS NULL)))`;
+// Recovery replaces operation_id with its latest command. The original launch
+// still supplies rebuild files and the ownership label used by creation cleanup.
+const recoveryLaunch = `EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_provisioning n
+    JOIN server_deployments d ON d.id=n.deployment_id
+    JOIN native_instances i ON i.id=n.instance_id AND i.retired_at IS NULL
+    WHERE n.recovery_step IS NOT NULL AND d.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND o.instance_id=i.id AND o.host_id=i.host_id
+    AND ((o.kind='instance.create' AND o.generation=n.generation)
+        OR (o.kind='instance.rebuild' AND o.generation+1=n.generation))
+    AND ((${unsettledDeployment}) OR (d.action='create' AND d.state IN ('failed','cancelled')
+        AND i.generation BETWEEN n.generation AND n.generation+1
+        AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM server_deployments newer WHERE newer.server=d.server
+            AND newer.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND newer.rowid>d.rowid AND newer.state!='cancelled'
+            AND NOT (newer.action='destroy' AND newer.state='waiting'
+                AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_provisioning p WHERE p.deployment_id=newer.id AND p.operation_id IS NOT NULL))))))`;
 const unreferencedOperation = `NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_provisioning n WHERE o.id IN (n.operation_id,n.stage_operation_id))
     AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_instances i WHERE i.retired_at IS NULL AND ${runtimeLaunchSql})
+    AND NOT (${recoveryLaunch})
     AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_migrations m WHERE m.remove_operation_id=o.id)
     AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ec_host_decommissions d WHERE d.operation_id=o.id)
     AND o.kind NOT IN ('runtime.pull','library.download','library.import','library.remove','host.decommission','host.rotate-credential')
@@ -97,6 +111,7 @@ function policies(): Policy[] {
             failed: "o.state='failed'",
             eligible: `o.state IN ('completed','failed') AND o.kind IN ('instance.create','instance.rebuild','instance.restart','instance.start','files.stage','files.read')
                 AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM retention_controls c WHERE c.category='operation' AND c.record_id=o.id AND c.protected=1)
+                AND NOT (${recoveryLaunch})
                 AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM native_provisioning n JOIN server_deployments d ON d.id=n.deployment_id
                     WHERE o.id IN (n.operation_id,n.stage_operation_id) AND ((${unsettledDeployment}) OR EXISTS (
                         SELECT 1 FROM retention_controls c WHERE c.category IN ('provisioning','workflow-payload') AND c.record_id=d.id AND c.protected=1)))

static/agent/ec-agent.py

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import urllib.parse
 import urllib.request
 import uuid
 
-VERSION = "1.8.0"
+VERSION = "1.8.1"
 LABEL = "io.electric-cherry"
 MAX_FILE = 32 * 1024 * 1024
 MANIFEST_MAX_ENTRIES = 10000
@@ -1394,14 +1394,18 @@ class Agent:
                 if line.startswith("PRETTY_NAME="):
                     os_name = line.split("=", 1)[1].strip('"')
         update = self.update_inventory()
-        capabilities = ["library.remove", "plutonium.cache", "instance.cancel-create", "instance.safety-override", "instance.autoscaling-remove", "operations.read-lane", "operations.health-lane", "rcon.status-batch", "instance.heartbeat-state", "files.manifest", "files.blobs"] + (["host.decommission"] if self.can_uninstall() else []) + (["agent.update"] if update["enabled"] else [])
+        capabilities = ["library.remove", "plutonium.cache", "instance.cancel-create", "instance.safety-override", "instance.unhealthy-recovery", "instance.autoscaling-remove", "operations.read-lane", "operations.health-lane", "rcon.status-batch", "instance.heartbeat-state", "files.manifest", "files.blobs"] + (["host.decommission"] if self.can_uninstall() else []) + (["agent.update"] if update["enabled"] else [])
         plutonium_cache = self.plutonium_cache_inventory()
         return {"hostname": socket.gethostname(), "agentVersion": VERSION, "protocolVersion": 1, "capabilities": capabilities, "agentUpdate": update, "agentLanes": self.lane_inventory(), "os": os_name, "osVersion": platform.release(), "architecture": platform.machine(), "cpu": platform.processor() or platform.machine(), "cpuCount": os.cpu_count() or 0, **resources, **({"cpuUsagePercent": cpu_usage} if cpu_usage is not None else {}), "memoryTotal": memory.get("MemTotal", 0), "memoryAvailable": memory.get("MemAvailable", 0), "storageTotal": usage.total, "storageAvailable": usage.free, "dockerVersion": docker_version, "dockerRunning": docker_running, "directoriesWritable": os.access(self.root, os.W_OK), "runtimeImages": sorted(set(images)), **({"plutoniumCache": plutonium_cache} if plutonium_cache else {}), "libraries": libraries, "libraryCaches": caches, "currentOperation": self.current_operation, "portRange": self.config.get("portRange", {"min": 28960, "max": 29060})}
 
-    def safe_to_disrupt(self, instance_id, generation):
+    def safe_to_disrupt(self, instance_id, generation, *, allow_unhealthy=False):
         health = self.inspect(instance_id, generation)
         if health["state"] in ("missing", "stopped", "exited", "created", "dead"):
             return
+        # Provisioning recovery may treat explicitly unhealthy containers as
+        # empty. Reinspect here so recovered containers still require occupancy.
+        if allow_unhealthy and health["state"] == "unhealthy":
+            return
         if not health["running"]:
             raise Held("Container state is unknown; disruption held")
         result = self.rcon(instance_id, generation, "status")
@@ -1857,6 +1861,9 @@ class Agent:
             raise AutoscalingInvalidated("Autoscaling removal authorization expired before mutation")
 
     def lifecycle(self, kind, instance_id, generation, payload):
+        unhealthy_recovery = payload.get("unhealthyRecovery") is True
+        if unhealthy_recovery and (kind not in ("instance.restart", "instance.rebuild") or payload.get("stageId") or "autoscaling" in payload):
+            raise AgentError("Unhealthy recovery only permits restart or rebuild without file activation or autoscaling")
         if kind == "instance.cancel-create":
             return self.cancel_creation(instance_id, generation, payload)
         if kind == "instance.create":
@@ -1891,10 +1898,10 @@ class Agent:
                 next_generation = payload.get("nextGeneration", payload.get("newGeneration"))
                 if isinstance(next_generation, bool) or not isinstance(next_generation, int) or next_generation <= generation:
                     raise AgentError("Rebuild must use a newer immutable generation")
-                spec = payload.get("spec") or {key: value for key, value in payload.items() if key not in ("nextGeneration", "newGeneration")}
+                spec = payload.get("spec") or {key: value for key, value in payload.items() if key not in ("nextGeneration", "newGeneration", "unhealthyRecovery")}
                 self.validate_spec(spec)
             if not override_safety:
-                self.safe_to_disrupt(instance_id, generation)
+                self.safe_to_disrupt(instance_id, generation, allow_unhealthy=unhealthy_recovery)
             if "autoscaling" in payload:
                 self.authorize_autoscaling_removal(instance_id, generation, payload)
             self.checkpoint({"phase": "disrupting", "containerId": health.get("containerId"), "startedAt": health.get("startedAt")})
@@ -1928,29 +1935,46 @@ class Agent:
         Repeating this cleanup after an ambiguous Docker result is safe.
         """
         create_id = identifier(payload.get("createOperationId"))
+        targets = [(generation, create_id)]
+        if "recoveryRebuildOperationId" in payload or "recoveryGeneration" in payload:
+            rebuild_id = identifier(payload.get("recoveryRebuildOperationId"))
+            recovery_generation = payload.get("recoveryGeneration")
+            if isinstance(recovery_generation, bool) or not isinstance(recovery_generation, int) or recovery_generation != generation + 1:
+                raise Rejected("Cancellation recovery must target the next generation")
+            saved = self.journal.db.execute("SELECT request FROM operations WHERE id=?", (rebuild_id,)).fetchone()
+            if saved:
+                rebuild = json.loads(saved["request"])
+                rebuild_payload = rebuild.get("payload", {})
+                if rebuild["kind"] != "instance.rebuild" or rebuild["instanceId"] != instance_id or rebuild["generation"] != generation or rebuild_payload.get("nextGeneration", rebuild_payload.get("newGeneration")) != recovery_generation or rebuild_payload.get("unhealthyRecovery") is not True:
+                    raise Rejected("Cancellation does not match the creation recovery rebuild")
+            targets.append((recovery_generation, rebuild_id))
         marker = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation).parent / "current.json"
-        if marker.exists() and json.loads(marker.read_text())["generation"] > generation:
+        if marker.exists() and json.loads(marker.read_text())["generation"] > targets[-1][0]:
             raise Rejected("Cancelled creation was superseded by a newer generation")
         saved = self.journal.db.execute("SELECT request FROM operations WHERE id=?", (create_id,)).fetchone()
         if saved:
             original = json.loads(saved["request"])
             if original["kind"] != "instance.create" or original["instanceId"] != instance_id or original["generation"] != generation:
                 raise Rejected("Cancellation does not match the original creation")
-        health = self.inspect(instance_id, generation)
+        health_by_generation = {}
-        if health["exists"] and health.get("creationOperation") != create_id:
+        for target_generation, operation_id in targets:
-            raise Rejected("Container belongs to a different creation operation")
+            health = self.inspect(instance_id, target_generation)
+            if health["exists"] and health.get("creationOperation") != operation_id:
+                raise Rejected("Container belongs to a different creation operation")
+            health_by_generation[target_generation] = health
         self.checkpoint({"phase": "cancelling-creation", "createOperationId": create_id})
-        # Fence before deleting: a crash must never permit the old creation to run again.
+        # Fence both generations before deleting: delayed create/rebuild work
-        self.mark_removed(instance_id, generation)
+        # must never recreate either target after cancellation or a crash.
-        if health["exists"]:
+        self.mark_removed(instance_id, targets[-1][0])
-            self.docker.call("container", "rm", "--force", "--volumes", self.container_name(instance_id, generation))
+        for target_generation, _ in targets:
-        after = self.inspect(instance_id, generation)
+            if health_by_generation[target_generation]["exists"]:
-        if after["exists"]:
+                self.docker.call("container", "rm", "--force", "--volumes", self.container_name(instance_id, target_generation))
-            raise AgentError("Cancelled creation container still exists")
+            if self.inspect(instance_id, target_generation)["exists"]:
-        directory = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation)
+                raise AgentError("Cancelled creation container still exists")
-        if directory.exists():
+            directory = self.instance_dir(instance_id, target_generation)
-            shutil.rmtree(directory)
+            if directory.exists():
-        return {**after, "cancelledCreation": create_id}
+                shutil.rmtree(directory)
+        return {**self.inspect(instance_id, generation), "cancelledCreation": create_id}
 
     def stage(self, instance_id, generation, payload, operation_id):
         directory = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation)
@@ -2453,7 +2477,7 @@ class Agent:
         current_marker = self.instance_dir(instance_id, generation).parent / "current.json"
         if current_marker.exists():
             current = json.loads(current_marker.read_text())
-            if current["generation"] > generation or current["generation"] == generation and current.get("removed") and kind not in ("instance.inspect", "instance.remove", "instance.cancel-create"):
+            if kind != "instance.cancel-create" and (current["generation"] > generation or current["generation"] == generation and current.get("removed") and kind not in ("instance.inspect", "instance.remove")):
                 raise AgentError("Instance generation has been superseded or removed")
         if kind.startswith("instance."):
             return self.lifecycle(kind, instance_id, generation, payload)

static/agent/manifest.json

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
-  "version": "1.8.0",
+  "version": "1.8.1",
   "protocolVersion": 1,
   "platform": "debian-amd64",
-  "sha256": "eb36afb3113b92304da42fc78ac7f3b8218456f33c5bc1c0f57b018bbc2ad65d",
+  "sha256": "09c722864c73ddb76404ea994d9a194892a2226d8d9006de8dcac9a6e2591760",
   "updaterProtocolVersion": 1,
   "updaterSha256": "066bb896726600ece9ce72697ce523c9a707cc9a621505931ba0892dec59d3c8"
 }

tests/unit/concurrency.test.ts

@@ -44,6 +44,20 @@ it('enforces per-host removal and recovery limits independently of other hosts',
     expect(concurrencyBlocker('b','restart','other')).toBeNull();
 });
 
+it('counts a creation recovery rebuild against rebuild capacity without losing its startup reservation', async () => {
+    const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+    const { fleetSettings, saveFleetSettings } = await import('../../src/lib/server/settings.js');
+    const { concurrencyBlocker, lifecycleHolders } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/concurrency.js');
+    db().prepare("INSERT INTO native_instances(id,server,host_id,library_id,image,port,created_at) VALUES('i','t5_test','host','lib','img',1,'2026-01-01')").run();
+    db().prepare("INSERT INTO server_deployments(id,server,action,state,stage,started_at,triggered_by) VALUES('a','t5_test','create','running','recovery','2026-01-01','test')").run();
+    db().prepare("INSERT INTO native_provisioning(deployment_id,instance_id,generation,recovery_step) VALUES('a','i',1,'rebuild')").run();
+    saveFleetSettings({ ...fleetSettings(), rebuildConcurrency: 1, createConcurrencyPerHost: 1 });
+    expect(lifecycleHolders()).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ id: 'a', action: 'rebuild' })]);
+    expect(concurrencyBlocker('b', 'rebuild', 'other')).toContain('rebuild');
+    expect(concurrencyBlocker('b', 'create', 'host')).toContain('startup');
+    expect(concurrencyBlocker('a', 'rebuild', 'host')).toBeNull();
+});
+
 it('retains every capacity owner across failure, cancellation and migration without counting completed history', async () => {
     const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
     const { createHost } = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
@@ -99,7 +113,7 @@ it('seeks capacity owners through active indexes instead of scanning retained jo
     let sql: string;
     try {
         expect(lifecycleHolders()).toEqual([]);
-        sql = prepare.mock.calls.find(([sql])=>sql.startsWith('SELECT d.id,d.action'))![0];
+        sql = prepare.mock.calls.find(([sql])=>sql.startsWith('SELECT d.id,'))![0];
     } finally { prepare.mockRestore(); }
     const plan = h.prepare(`EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN ${sql}`).all('[]') as {detail:string}[];
     const details = plan.map(row=>row.detail).join('\n');

tests/unit/native-provisioning.test.ts

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ vi.mock('../../src/lib/server/rebalancing/admission.js', () => ({
 let queuedKeys = 0;
 let fixture: Fixture; let hostId: string; let libraryId: string;
 const image = 'example.test/plutainer:test';
-const inventory = () => ({ cpuCount: 16, cpuUsagePercent: 10, memoryTotal: 64 * 1024 ** 3, memoryAvailable: 60 * 1024 ** 3, protocolVersion: 1, dockerRunning: true, directoriesWritable: true, storageAvailable: 100_000_000_000, runtimeImages: [image], libraries: libraryId ? [{ id: libraryId, state: 'ready' as const }] : [] });
+const inventory = () => ({ cpuCount: 16, cpuUsagePercent: 10, memoryTotal: 64 * 1024 ** 3, memoryAvailable: 60 * 1024 ** 3, protocolVersion: 1, capabilities: ['instance.unhealthy-recovery'], dockerRunning: true, directoriesWritable: true, storageAvailable: 100_000_000_000, runtimeImages: [image], libraries: libraryId ? [{ id: libraryId, state: 'ready' as const }] : [] });
 beforeEach(async () => {
     vi.resetModules(); vi.clearAllMocks(); remote.state = 'running'; remote.players = 0; remote.map = 'zombie_theater'; libraryId = ''; queuedKeys = 0;
     fixture = await newFixture([]);
@@ -1503,6 +1503,201 @@ describe('automatic capacity admission and placement', () => {
     });
 });
 
+describe('unhealthy recovery within native create and rebuild operations', () => {
+    async function launch(action: 'create' | 'rebuild') {
+        const job = await queue(); await advance();
+        if (action === 'create') return job;
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const { queueNativeRebuild } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/native.js');
+        const rebuild = queueNativeRebuild(job.name, 'test');
+        if (!rebuild.ok) throw new Error(rebuild.message);
+        await advance();
+        return rebuild;
+    }
+
+    it.each(['create', 'rebuild'] as const)('recovers an unhealthy %s with one restart then a rebuild using the original launch payload', async action => {
+        const { config } = await import('../../src/lib/server/config.js');
+        Object.assign(config.rcon, { password: '' });
+        const job = await launch(action);
+        const original = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        const currentGeneration = action === 'rebuild' ? 2 : 1;
+        const { nativeInstance } = await import('../../src/lib/server/backends/native.js');
+        const { db, closeDb } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+        const { rconStatusResult } = await import('../../src/lib/server/integrations/rcon.js');
+        vi.mocked(rconStatusResult).mockClear();
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy'; remote.players = 4;
+        Object.assign(config.rcon, { password: 'changed-after-original-launch' });
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const restart = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        const { getDeployment } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/history.js');
+        expect(restart).toMatchObject({ kind: 'instance.restart', state: 'pending', generation: currentGeneration,
+            instanceId: original.instanceId, payload: { unhealthyRecovery: true } });
+        expect(getDeployment(job.deploymentId)!.capacity.pools).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([
+            expect.objectContaining({ kind: 'startup', ownsSlot: true }),
+            expect.objectContaining({ kind: 'restart', ownsSlot: true })
+        ]));
+        expect(restart.id).not.toBe(original.id);
+        expect(nativeInstance(job.name)?.generation).toBe(currentGeneration);
+        expect(db().prepare('SELECT recovery_step,generation FROM native_provisioning WHERE deployment_id=?').get(job.deploymentId))
+            .toEqual({ recovery_step: 'restart', generation: currentGeneration });
+        expect(rconStatusResult).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+        // Restarting the controller must preserve the current recovery command.
+        closeDb(); await advance();
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(restart.id);
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const rebuild = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        expect(rebuild).toMatchObject({ kind: 'instance.rebuild', state: 'pending', generation: currentGeneration,
+            instanceId: original.instanceId, payload: { unhealthyRecovery: true, nextGeneration: currentGeneration + 1,
+                files: original.payload.files, env: original.payload.env, rconPassword: original.payload.rconPassword,
+                libraryId: original.payload.libraryId, image: original.payload.image } });
+        expect(rebuild.id).not.toBe(restart.id);
+        expect(nativeInstance(job.name)?.generation).toBe(currentGeneration);
+        expect(rconStatusResult).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(db().prepare('SELECT recovery_step,generation FROM native_provisioning WHERE deployment_id=?').get(job.deploymentId))
+            .toEqual({ recovery_step: 'rebuild', generation: currentGeneration });
+        remote.state = 'running'; remote.players = 0;
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        expect(nativeInstance(job.name)?.generation).toBe(currentGeneration + 1);
+        expect(await detail(job.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ action, state: 'done' });
+        expect(getDeployment(job.deploymentId)!.progress?.recovery?.state).toBe('released');
+        expect(getDeployment(job.deploymentId)!.capacity.pools.every(pool => !pool.ownsSlot)).toBe(true);
+        await advance();
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(rebuild.id);
+        expect(nativeInstance(job.name)?.generation).toBe(currentGeneration + 1);
+    });
+
+    it.each(['create', 'rebuild'] as const)('finishes %s after a successful recovery restart without another rebuild', async action => {
+        const job = await launch(action);
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy'; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const restart = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        expect(restart.kind).toBe('instance.restart');
+        remote.state = 'running'; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId); await advance();
+        expect(await detail(job.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ action, state: 'done' });
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(restart.id);
+        const { nativeInstance } = await import('../../src/lib/server/backends/native.js');
+        expect(nativeInstance(job.name)?.generation).toBe(action === 'rebuild' ? 2 : 1);
+        const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+        expect(db().prepare("SELECT COUNT(*) AS count FROM ec_host_operations WHERE kind='instance.rebuild'").get())
+            .toEqual({ count: action === 'rebuild' ? 1 : 0 });
+    });
+
+    it.each(['restart', 'rebuild'] as const)('retains an unknown recovery %s receipt without replaying or advancing recovery', async step => {
+        const job = await launch('create');
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy'; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        if (step === 'rebuild') await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const operation = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        expect(operation.kind).toBe(`instance.${step}`);
+        const { reportHostOperation } = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+        reportHostOperation(hostId, operation.id, { state: 'unknown', error: 'Reply lost during recovery' });
+        const { closeDb, db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js'); closeDb();
+        const { interruptDeployments } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/history.js'); interruptDeployments();
+        await advance(); await advance();
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(operation.id);
+        expect(db().prepare("SELECT COUNT(*) AS count FROM ec_host_operations WHERE kind IN ('instance.create','instance.restart','instance.rebuild')").get())
+            .toEqual({ count: step === 'restart' ? 2 : 3 });
+        expect((await detail(job.deploymentId)).state).not.toBe('failed');
+        remote.state = 'running'; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        expect((await detail(job.deploymentId)).state).toBe('done');
+    });
+
+    it.each(['starting', 'restarting', 'unknown'])('waits for %s container readiness without forcing recovery', async state => {
+        const job = await launch('create');
+        const original = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        remote.state = state; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId); await advance();
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(original.id);
+        expect(await detail(job.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ state: 'awaiting-health', stage: `Waiting for container readiness: ${state}` });
+        const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+        expect(db().prepare('SELECT recovery_step FROM native_provisioning WHERE deployment_id=?').get(job.deploymentId))
+            .toEqual({ recovery_step: null });
+    });
+
+    it.each(['create', 'rebuild'] as const)('does not submit recovery if %s is cancelled during its health probe', async action => {
+        const job = await launch(action);
+        const original = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        const { reportHostOperation } = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+        reportHostOperation(hostId, original.id, { state: 'completed' });
+        const { nativeRequest } = await import('../../src/lib/server/backends/native.js');
+        const { cancelProvisioningJob } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/cancellation.js');
+        let release!: (value: never) => void;
+        vi.mocked(nativeRequest).mockImplementationOnce(() => new Promise(resolve => { release = resolve; }));
+        const pending = advance();
+        await vi.waitFor(() => expect(release).toBeTypeOf('function'));
+        expect(cancelProvisioningJob(job.deploymentId)).toBe(true);
+        release({ healthy: false, state: 'unhealthy' } as never);
+        await pending; await advance();
+        expect((await detail(job.deploymentId)).state).toBe('cancelled');
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(original.id);
+        const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+        expect(db().prepare("SELECT id FROM ec_host_operations WHERE kind='instance.restart'").all()).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it.each(['create', 'rebuild'] as const)('reconciles a delivered recovery rebuild after its %s flow is cancelled', async action => {
+        const job = await launch(action);
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy'; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId); await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const rebuild = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        expect(rebuild.kind).toBe('instance.rebuild');
+        const { pendingHostOperations, reportHostOperation } = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+        const { cancelProvisioningJob } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/cancellation.js');
+        pendingHostOperations(hostId);
+        expect(cancelProvisioningJob(job.deploymentId)).toBe(true);
+        reportHostOperation(hostId, rebuild.id, { state: 'completed' });
+        await advance(); await advance();
+        const { nativeInstance } = await import('../../src/lib/server/backends/native.js');
+        expect(nativeInstance(job.name)?.generation).toBe(action === 'rebuild' ? 3 : 2);
+        expect((await detail(job.deploymentId)).state).toBe('cancelled');
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(rebuild.id);
+    });
+
+    it('fails clearly after an unhealthy recovery rebuild instead of looping', async () => {
+        const job = await launch('create');
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy';
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);
+        const rebuild = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        expect(rebuild.kind).toBe('instance.rebuild');
+        await acknowledge(job.deploymentId); await advance();
+        expect(await detail(job.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ state: 'failed', error: expect.stringMatching(/unhealthy.*restart.*rebuild/i) });
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(rebuild.id);
+        const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+        expect(db().prepare("SELECT COUNT(*) AS count FROM ec_host_operations WHERE kind IN ('instance.create','instance.restart','instance.rebuild')").get())
+            .toEqual({ count: 3 });
+    });
+
+    it.each(['create', 'rebuild'] as const)('holds unhealthy %s verification until the agent supports recovery', async action => {
+        const job = await launch(action);
+        const original = (await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!;
+        const { heartbeat } = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+        heartbeat(hostId, { ...inventory(), capabilities: [] });
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy'; await acknowledge(job.deploymentId); await advance();
+        expect((await operationFor(job.deploymentId))!.id).toBe(original.id);
+        expect(await detail(job.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ state: 'awaiting-health', stage: expect.stringMatching(/agent/i) });
+        heartbeat(hostId, inventory()); await advance();
+        expect(await operationFor(job.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ kind: 'instance.restart', payload: { unhealthyRecovery: true } });
+    });
+
+    it.each([false, true])('rebuilds an already unhealthy container without requiring RCON emptiness once supported (supported=%s)', async supported => {
+        const created = await launch('create'); await acknowledge(created.deploymentId);
+        const { heartbeat } = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+        if (!supported) heartbeat(hostId, { ...inventory(), capabilities: [] });
+        const { queueNativeRebuild } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/native.js');
+        const rebuild = queueNativeRebuild(created.name, 'test');
+        if (!rebuild.ok) throw new Error(rebuild.message);
+        const { rconStatusResult } = await import('../../src/lib/server/integrations/rcon.js');
+        vi.mocked(rconStatusResult).mockClear();
+        remote.state = 'unhealthy'; remote.players = 3;
+        await advance();
+        if (!supported) {
+            expect(await operationFor(rebuild.deploymentId)).toBeNull();
+            expect((await detail(rebuild.deploymentId)).stage).toMatch(/agent/i);
+            heartbeat(hostId, inventory()); await advance();
+        }
+        expect(await operationFor(rebuild.deploymentId)).toMatchObject({ kind: 'instance.rebuild', generation: 1,
+            payload: { unhealthyRecovery: true, nextGeneration: 2 } });
+        expect(rconStatusResult).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+});
+
 describe('native provisioning cancellation and rollback', () => {
     it('cancels an unhealthy restart and prevents a late health response from reviving it', async () => {
         const job = await queue(); await advance(); await acknowledge(job.deploymentId);

tests/unit/native-recovery-cancellation.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { newFixture, type Fixture } from '../helpers/fixture.js';
+import { prepareNativeHost } from '../helpers/native-host.js';
+
+vi.mock('../../src/lib/server/pipeline/worker.js', () => ({ kick: vi.fn(async () => {}), kickProvisioning: vi.fn(async () => {}) }));
+
+let fixture: Fixture;
+const server = 't5_zombie_theater_1';
+beforeEach(async () => {
+    vi.resetModules();
+    fixture = await newFixture([]);
+});
+afterEach(async () => { await fixture.cleanup(); });
+
+async function recovering(step: 'restart' | 'rebuild') {
+    const { host } = await prepareNativeHost([server]);
+    const hosts = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+    const { db } = await import('../../src/lib/server/db/index.js');
+    const { nativeInstance } = await import('../../src/lib/server/backends/native.js');
+    const { beginDeployment, getDeployment } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/history.js');
+    const { cancelCreation, canCancelCreation } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/cancel-creation.js');
+    const { processNativeProvisioning, reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/native.js');
+    hosts.heartbeat(host.id, { ...hosts.getHost(host.id)!.inventory, capabilities: ['instance.cancel-create', 'instance.unhealthy-recovery'] });
+    db().prepare('INSERT INTO servers(name) VALUES(?)').run(server);
+    const instance = nativeInstance(server)!;
+    hosts.reserveHostPort(host.id, instance.id, { port: instance.port, protocol: 'udp' });
+    hosts.reserveHostPort(host.id, instance.id, { port: instance.port, protocol: 'tcp' });
+    const deploymentId = beginDeployment(server, 'create');
+    const original = hosts.queueHostOperation(host.id, 'instance.create', {}, { instanceId: instance.id, generation: 1 });
+    hosts.reportHostOperation(host.id, original.id, { state: 'completed', result: { state: 'unhealthy', healthy: false } });
+    const recovery = hosts.queueHostOperation(host.id, `instance.${step}`, { unhealthyRecovery: true, ...(step === 'rebuild' ? { nextGeneration: 2 } : {}) },
+        { instanceId: instance.id, generation: 1 });
+    db().prepare('UPDATE native_provisioning SET operation_id=?,recovery_step=? WHERE deployment_id=?').run(recovery.id, step, deploymentId);
+    db().prepare("UPDATE server_deployments SET state='awaiting-health' WHERE id=?").run(deploymentId);
+    const commandFor = (id: string) => {
+        const row = db().prepare('SELECT operation_id FROM native_provisioning WHERE deployment_id=?').get(id) as { operation_id: string };
+        return hosts.getHostOperation(row.operation_id)!;
+    };
+    return { host, instance, deploymentId, original, recovery, ...hosts, db, nativeInstance, cancelCreation, canCancelCreation,
+        getDeployment, reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt, commandFor, advance: () => processNativeProvisioning(() => null) };
+}
+
+describe('cancelling creation during unhealthy recovery', () => {
+    it('keeps the original creation identity and suppresses recovery restart replay', async () => {
+        const api = await recovering('restart');
+        expect(api.pendingHostOperations(api.host.id).map(operation => operation.id)).toContain(api.recovery.id);
+        const cleanup = api.cancelCreation(api.deploymentId)!;
+        const removal = api.commandFor(cleanup);
+        expect(removal).toMatchObject({ kind: 'instance.cancel-create', generation: 1, payload: { createOperationId: api.original.id } });
+        expect(removal.payload).toEqual({ createOperationId: api.original.id });
+        expect(api.pendingCreationCancellations(api.host.id)).toEqual([api.original.id]);
+        expect(api.pendingHostOperations(api.host.id).filter(operation => operation.kind.startsWith('instance.')).map(operation => operation.id)).toEqual([removal.id]);
+        api.reportHostOperation(api.host.id, removal.id, { state: 'completed', result: { exists: false } });
+        await api.advance();
+        expect(api.getDeployment(cleanup)?.deployment.state).toBe('done');
+        expect(api.getHostOperation(api.recovery.id)?.state).toBe('failed');
+        expect(api.db().prepare('SELECT * FROM ec_host_ports').all()).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it.each(['pending', 'running', 'unknown', 'completed'] as const)('cleans up both rebuild generations when recovery is %s', async state => {
+        const api = await recovering('rebuild');
+        if (state !== 'pending') {
+            api.pendingHostOperations(api.host.id);
+            api.reportHostOperation(api.host.id, api.recovery.id, { state, result: { state: 'unhealthy', healthy: false } });
+        }
+        if (state === 'completed') api.reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt(api.deploymentId);
+        const registeredGeneration = state === 'completed' ? 2 : 1;
+        expect(api.nativeInstance(server)?.generation).toBe(registeredGeneration);
+        expect(api.canCancelCreation(api.deploymentId)).toBe(true);
+        const cleanup = api.cancelCreation(api.deploymentId)!;
+        const removal = api.commandFor(cleanup);
+        expect(removal).toMatchObject({ kind: 'instance.cancel-create', generation: 1,
+            payload: { createOperationId: api.original.id, recoveryRebuildOperationId: api.recovery.id, recoveryGeneration: 2 } });
+        expect(api.pendingCreationCancellations(api.host.id)).toEqual([api.original.id, api.recovery.id]);
+        expect(api.db().prepare('SELECT generation FROM native_provisioning WHERE deployment_id=?').get(cleanup)).toEqual({ generation: registeredGeneration });
+        expect(api.pendingHostOperations(api.host.id).filter(operation => operation.kind.startsWith('instance.')).map(operation => operation.id)).toEqual([removal.id]);
+        // A delivered rebuild may report success after cancellation, while the
+        // cleanup command already owns deletion of both possible containers.
+        api.reportHostOperation(api.host.id, api.recovery.id, { state: 'completed', result: { state: 'unhealthy', healthy: false } });
+        api.reconcileNativeProvisioningReceipt(api.deploymentId);
+        expect(api.nativeInstance(server)?.generation).toBe(registeredGeneration);
+        expect(api.db().prepare('SELECT * FROM ec_host_ports').all()).toHaveLength(2);
+        api.reportHostOperation(api.host.id, removal.id, { state: 'completed', result: { exists: false } });
+        await api.advance();
+        expect(api.getDeployment(cleanup)?.deployment.state).toBe('done');
+        expect(api.getDeployment(api.deploymentId)?.deployment).toMatchObject({ state: 'cancelled', server_deleted_at: expect.any(String) });
+        expect(api.nativeInstance(server)).toBeNull();
+        expect(api.db().prepare('SELECT * FROM ec_host_ports').all()).toEqual([]);
+        expect(api.db().prepare('SELECT name FROM servers WHERE name=?').get(server)).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(api.pendingCreationCancellations(api.host.id)).toEqual([]);
+        expect(api.cancelCreation(api.deploymentId)).toBe(cleanup);
+    });
+
+    it('does not adopt a changed generation without a completed recovery receipt', async () => {
+        const api = await recovering('rebuild');
+        api.db().prepare('UPDATE native_instances SET generation=2 WHERE id=?').run(api.instance.id);
+        expect(api.canCancelCreation(api.deploymentId)).toBe(false);
+        expect(api.cancelCreation(api.deploymentId)).toBeNull();
+        api.reportHostOperation(api.host.id, api.recovery.id, { state: 'completed' });
+        api.db().prepare('UPDATE native_instances SET generation=3 WHERE id=?').run(api.instance.id);
+        expect(api.cancelCreation(api.deploymentId)).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('holds extended cleanup until the host supports recovery cancellation', async () => {
+        const api = await recovering('rebuild');
+        const cleanup = api.cancelCreation(api.deploymentId)!;
+        api.heartbeat(api.host.id, { ...api.getHost(api.host.id)!.inventory, capabilities: ['instance.cancel-create'] });
+        expect(api.pendingHostOperations(api.host.id)).toEqual([]);
+        await api.advance();
+        expect(api.getDeployment(cleanup)?.deployment.stage).toContain('Update the host agent');
+        expect(api.db().prepare('SELECT * FROM ec_host_ports').all()).toHaveLength(2);
+        api.heartbeat(api.host.id, { ...api.getHost(api.host.id)!.inventory, capabilities: ['instance.cancel-create', 'instance.unhealthy-recovery'] });
+        expect(api.pendingHostOperations(api.host.id).filter(operation => operation.kind.startsWith('instance.')).map(operation => operation.id)).toEqual([api.commandFor(cleanup).id]);
+    });
+});

tests/unit/retention.test.ts

@@ -230,3 +230,83 @@ it('protects cancelled workflows and linked file history through ambiguous and u
     expect(a.pruneHistory('provisioning')).toBe(1);
     expect(a.db.pragma('foreign_key_check')).toEqual([]);
 });
+
+async function recoveryLaunch(action: 'create' | 'rebuild' | 'migration') {
+    const a = await api();
+    const hosts = await import('../../src/lib/server/hosts/index.js');
+    const host = hosts.createHost({ name: 'Recovery host' });
+    const { config } = await import('../../src/lib/server/config.js');
+    hosts.enrollHost(hosts.createEnrollment(host.id).token, { protocolVersion: 1, dockerRunning: true,
+        directoriesWritable: true, storageAvailable: 100_000_000_000, runtimeImages: [config.defaultRuntimeImage],
+        libraries: [{ id: 'lib', state: 'ready' }] });
+    const generation = action === 'create' ? 1 : 2;
+    a.db.prepare("INSERT INTO native_instances(id,server,host_id,generation,library_id,image,port,created_at) VALUES('instance','s',?,?,'lib','image',1,?)")
+        .run(host.id, generation, old);
+    a.db.prepare("INSERT INTO server_deployments(id,server,action,state,stage,started_at,triggered_by) VALUES('recovering','s',?,'awaiting-health','Recovery',?,'test')")
+        .run(action === 'create' ? 'create' : 'rebuild', old);
+    const sha256 = putFileBlob(Buffer.from('original launch files'), a.db);
+    const launch = hosts.queueHostOperation(host.id, action === 'rebuild' ? 'instance.rebuild' : 'instance.create', {
+        name: 's', files: [{ path: 'configs/server.cfg', sha256, contentSha256: sha256 }]
+    }, { instanceId: 'instance', generation: action === 'rebuild' ? 1 : generation,
+        idempotencyKey: action === 'migration' ? 'recovering:migration-create:0' : 'recovering' });
+    hosts.reportHostOperation(host.id, launch.id, { state: 'completed' });
+    const restart = hosts.queueHostOperation(host.id, 'instance.restart', { unhealthyRecovery: true }, { instanceId: 'instance', generation });
+    a.db.prepare("INSERT INTO native_provisioning(deployment_id,instance_id,generation,operation_id,recovery_step) VALUES('recovering','instance',?,?,'restart')")
+        .run(generation, restart.id);
+    a.db.prepare('UPDATE ec_host_operations SET updated_at=?').run(old);
+    a.saveFleetSettings({ ...a.fleetSettings(), actionKeepDays: 1, payloadKeepDays: 1, historyKeepCount: 0 });
+    return { ...a, hosts, host, generation, launch, restart, sha256 };
+}
+
+it.each(['create', 'rebuild', 'migration'] as const)('keeps original %s launch files and ownership through recovery and releases them after success', async action => {
+    const a = await recoveryLaunch(action);
+    expect(a.pruneHistory('operation-payload')).toBe(0);
+    expect(a.hosts.getHostOperation(a.launch.id)?.payload.files).toEqual([
+        { path: 'configs/server.cfg', sha256: a.sha256, contentBase64: Buffer.from('original launch files').toString('base64') }
+    ]);
+    a.hosts.reportHostOperation(a.host.id, a.restart.id, { state: 'completed' });
+    const rebuild = a.hosts.queueHostOperation(a.host.id, 'instance.rebuild', { unhealthyRecovery: true, nextGeneration: a.generation + 1 },
+        { instanceId: 'instance', generation: a.generation });
+    a.hosts.reportHostOperation(a.host.id, rebuild.id, { state: 'completed' });
+    a.db.prepare("UPDATE native_provisioning SET operation_id=?,recovery_step='rebuild',applied_at=? WHERE deployment_id='recovering'")
+        .run(rebuild.id, old);
+    a.db.prepare("UPDATE native_instances SET generation=generation+1 WHERE id='instance'").run();
+    a.db.prepare('UPDATE ec_host_operations SET updated_at=?').run(old);
+    a.pruneHistory('operation-payload');
+    a.pruneHistory('operation');
+    expect(a.db.prepare('SELECT history_expired_at FROM ec_host_operations WHERE id=?').get(a.launch.id))
+        .toEqual({ history_expired_at: null });
+    expect(a.hosts.getHostOperation(a.launch.id)?.payload.files).toEqual([
+        { path: 'configs/server.cfg', sha256: a.sha256, contentBase64: Buffer.from('original launch files').toString('base64') }
+    ]);
+    a.db.prepare("UPDATE server_deployments SET state='done',finished_at=? WHERE id='recovering'").run(old);
+    a.pruneHistory('operation-payload');
+    expect(a.hosts.getHostOperation(a.launch.id)?.payload.files).toEqual([{ path: 'configs/server.cfg', sha256: a.sha256 }]);
+    a.pruneHistory('operation');
+    expect(a.db.prepare('SELECT history_expired_at FROM ec_host_operations WHERE id=?').get(a.launch.id))
+        .toEqual({ history_expired_at: expect.any(String) });
+});
+
+it.each(['cancelled', 'failed'])('keeps original ownership for a %s recovered creation until a later lifecycle operation supersedes cleanup', async state => {
+    const a = await recoveryLaunch('create');
+    a.hosts.reportHostOperation(a.host.id, a.restart.id, { state: 'completed' });
+    const rebuild = a.hosts.queueHostOperation(a.host.id, 'instance.rebuild', { unhealthyRecovery: true, nextGeneration: 2 },
+        { instanceId: 'instance', generation: 1 });
+    a.hosts.reportHostOperation(a.host.id, rebuild.id, { state: 'completed' });
+    a.db.prepare("UPDATE native_provisioning SET operation_id=?,recovery_step='rebuild',applied_at=? WHERE deployment_id='recovering'")
+        .run(rebuild.id, old);
+    a.db.prepare("UPDATE native_instances SET generation=2 WHERE id='instance'").run();
+    a.db.prepare('UPDATE ec_host_operations SET updated_at=?').run(old);
+    a.db.prepare("UPDATE server_deployments SET state=?,finished_at=? WHERE id='recovering'").run(state, old);
+    const { canCancelCreation } = await import('../../src/lib/server/provisioning/cancel-creation.js');
+    expect(canCancelCreation('recovering')).toBe(true);
+    a.pruneHistory('operation');
+    expect(a.db.prepare('SELECT history_expired_at FROM ec_host_operations WHERE id=?').get(a.launch.id))
+        .toEqual({ history_expired_at: null });
+    a.db.prepare("INSERT INTO server_deployments(id,server,action,state,stage,started_at,finished_at,triggered_by) VALUES('replacement','s','restart','done','Done',?,?,'test')")
+        .run(old, old);
+    expect(canCancelCreation('recovering')).toBe(false);
+    a.pruneHistory('operation');
+    expect(a.db.prepare('SELECT history_expired_at FROM ec_host_operations WHERE id=?').get(a.launch.id))
+        .toEqual({ history_expired_at: expect.any(String) });
+});