diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh
index 3baa13f7..08ab316f 100755
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh
@@ -525,6 +525,11 @@ get_gitea_token() {
         _ident="$(git config --get mosaic.gitIdentity 2>/dev/null || true)"
         _ident_src="git config mosaic.gitIdentity"
     fi
+    if [[ -n "$_ident" && ! "$_ident" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]*$ ]]; then
+        printf 'MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_REFUSAL outcome=refused reason=invalid-identity identity=<invalid> host=%s shared_path_entered=false source=%s\n' \
+            "$host" "$_ident_src" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
     if [[ -n "${MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME:-}" && -n "$_ident" && "$_ident" != "$MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME" ]]; then
         printf 'MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_REFUSAL outcome=refused reason=provider-identity-mismatch identity=%s fleet_identity=%s host=%s shared_path_entered=false source=%s\n' \
             "$_ident" "$MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME" "$host" "$_ident_src" >&2
@@ -542,7 +547,7 @@ get_gitea_token() {
             if [[ -e "$_idcred" || -L "$_idcred" ]]; then
                 local _resolved_token
                 _resolved_token=$(python3 "$script_dir/resolve-credential-envelope.py" \
-                    "$_idcred" "$_ident" "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_ESTATE:-}" "$host") || return 1
+                    "$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$_idcred" "$_ident" "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_ESTATE:-}" "$host") || return 1
                 _resolution_path=identity
                 _trace_credential_resolution credential-resolved "$_ident" "$host" "$_ident_src"
                 printf '%s\n' "$_resolved_token"
@@ -550,7 +555,8 @@ get_gitea_token() {
             fi
             if [[ -e "$_idtok" || -L "$_idtok" ]]; then
                 local _resolved_token
-                _resolved_token=$(python3 "$script_dir/resolve-legacy-token.py" "$_idtok") || return 1
+                _resolved_token=$(python3 "$script_dir/resolve-legacy-token.py" \
+                    "$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$_idtok") || return 1
                 _resolution_path=identity
                 _trace_credential_resolution credential-resolved "$_ident" "$host" "$_ident_src"
                 printf '%s\n' "$_resolved_token"
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/git-credential-mosaic b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/git-credential-mosaic
index ec87df2b..3056f50f 100755
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/git-credential-mosaic
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/git-credential-mosaic
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ esac
 ident="$MOSAIC_GIT_IDENTITY"
 [ -z "$ident" ] && ident=$(git config --get mosaic.gitIdentity 2>/dev/null)
 [ -z "$ident" ] && ident="$username_in"
+if [[ -n "$ident" && ! "$ident" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]*$ ]]; then
+  echo "quit=true"
+  printf 'MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_REFUSAL outcome=refused reason=invalid-identity identity=<invalid> host=%s shared_path_entered=false source=git-credential-mosaic\n' "$host" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 if [ -n "$idpfx" ] && [ -n "${MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME:-}" ] && [ -n "$ident" ] && [ "$ident" != "$MOSAIC_AGENT_NAME" ]; then
   echo "quit=true"
   printf 'MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_REFUSAL outcome=refused reason=provider-identity-mismatch identity=%s fleet_identity=%s host=%s shared_path_entered=false source=git-credential-mosaic\n' \
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ if [ -n "$ident" ]; then
     idcred="$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens/${idpfx}-${ident}.credential.json"
     if [ -e "$idcred" ] || [ -L "$idcred" ]; then
       token=$(python3 "$script_dir/resolve-credential-envelope.py" \
-        "$idcred" "$ident" "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_ESTATE:-}" "$host") || exit 1
+        "$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$idcred" "$ident" "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIAL_ESTATE:-}" "$host") || exit 1
       resolution_path=identity
       trace_resolution credential-resolved "$ident" "$host" git-credential-mosaic
       echo "username=${ident}"
@@ -67,7 +72,8 @@ if [ -n "$ident" ]; then
       exit 0
     fi
     if [ -e "$idtok" ] || [ -L "$idtok" ]; then
-      token=$(python3 "$script_dir/resolve-legacy-token.py" "$idtok") || exit 1
+      token=$(python3 "$script_dir/resolve-legacy-token.py" \
+        "$HOME/.config/mosaic/secrets/gitea-tokens" "$idtok") || exit 1
       resolution_path=identity
       trace_resolution credential-resolved "$ident" "$host" git-credential-mosaic
       echo "username=${ident}"
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-credential-envelope.py b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-credential-envelope.py
index 50a5e4c9..c3313a80 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-credential-envelope.py
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-credential-envelope.py
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ def refuse(message: str) -> None:
     raise SystemExit(1)
 
 
-if len(sys.argv) != 5:
-    refuse("expected path, identity, estate, and host")
-path, identity, estate, host = sys.argv[1:]
+if len(sys.argv) != 6:
+    refuse("expected governed root, path, identity, estate, and host")
+root, path, identity, estate, host = sys.argv[1:]
+if os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(path)) != os.path.abspath(root):
+    refuse("credential is not a direct child of the governed root")
 if not estate:
     refuse("explicit estate is required")
 parent = os.path.dirname(path)
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-legacy-token.py b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-legacy-token.py
index 2f445d5a..c861950f 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-legacy-token.py
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/resolve-legacy-token.py
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ def refuse(message: str) -> None:
     raise SystemExit(1)
 
 
-if len(sys.argv) != 2:
-    refuse("expected token path")
-path = sys.argv[1]
+if len(sys.argv) != 3:
+    refuse("expected governed root and token path")
+root, path = sys.argv[1:]
+if os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(path)) != os.path.abspath(root):
+    refuse("credential is not a direct child of the governed root")
 parent = os.path.dirname(path)
 try:
     parent_stat = os.stat(parent, follow_symlinks=False)
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/credential-validate-service.ts b/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/credential-validate-service.ts
index b7fb62a0..ebead0e8 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/credential-validate-service.ts
+++ b/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/credential-validate-service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { CredentialAuditJournal } from './audit-journal.js';
+import { CredentialAuditJournal, CredentialJournalError } from './audit-journal.js';
 import type {
   CredentialValidationDependencies,
   GiteaReadValidationRequestDto,
@@ -66,17 +66,61 @@ async function recordAndSealValidation(
   };
 }
 
+function journalFailureResult(
+  request: GiteaReadValidationRequestDto,
+  journal: CredentialAuditJournal,
+  error: CredentialJournalError,
+  operation: 'validate' | 'whoami',
+): CredentialValidationResultDto {
+  return {
+    schemaVersion: 1,
+    operation,
+    outcome: 'error',
+    exitCode: 20,
+    retryable: false,
+    subject: {
+      identity: request.identity,
+      estate: request.estate,
+      host: request.host,
+      repo: request.repo,
+    },
+    mutation: 'none',
+    reason: {
+      code: error.code,
+      message: 'Validation audit persistence failed; inspect the durable open journal.',
+    },
+    evidence: {
+      providerIdentity: null,
+      tokenCapabilities: {
+        state: 'not-measured',
+        scopes: [],
+        source: 'runtime-not-authorized',
+      },
+      repositoryPermission: null,
+      writeDifferential: null,
+    },
+    audit: { journalId: journal.journalId(), state: 'open' },
+  };
+}
+
 export async function runCredentialReadValidation(
   request: GiteaReadValidationRequestDto,
   dependencies: CredentialValidationDependencies,
   options: CredentialValidationServiceOptions,
 ): Promise<CredentialValidationResultDto> {
   const journal = await openValidationJournal(request, options);
-  const validation = await evaluateGiteaReadValidation(request, dependencies);
-  return recordAndSealValidation(journal, {
-    ...validation,
-    operation: options.operation ?? 'validate',
-  });
+  try {
+    const validation = await evaluateGiteaReadValidation(request, dependencies);
+    return await recordAndSealValidation(journal, {
+      ...validation,
+      operation: options.operation ?? 'validate',
+    });
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    if (error instanceof CredentialJournalError) {
+      return journalFailureResult(request, journal, error, options.operation ?? 'validate');
+    }
+    throw error;
+  }
 }
 
 export async function runCredentialValidation(
@@ -85,6 +129,13 @@ export async function runCredentialValidation(
   options: CredentialValidationServiceOptions,
 ): Promise<CredentialValidationResultDto> {
   const journal = await openValidationJournal(request, options);
-  const validation = await evaluateGiteaWriteValidation(request, dependencies);
-  return recordAndSealValidation(journal, validation);
+  try {
+    const validation = await evaluateGiteaWriteValidation(request, dependencies);
+    return await recordAndSealValidation(journal, validation);
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    if (error instanceof CredentialJournalError) {
+      return journalFailureResult(request, journal, error, 'validate');
+    }
+    throw error;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/lifecycle.ts b/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/lifecycle.ts
index 4ca8ebcb..4314d928 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/lifecycle.ts
+++ b/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/lifecycle.ts
@@ -292,6 +292,24 @@ export async function revokeCredential(
         auditState: 'sealed',
       });
     }
+    const identity = await provider.readBasicIdentity(authority);
+    if (identity.login !== request.identity || authority.identity !== request.identity) {
+      await journal.seal('refused', 'provider-identity-mismatch');
+      return lifecycleResult('revoke', request, {
+        outcome: 'refused',
+        mutation: 'none',
+        code: 'provider-identity-mismatch',
+        message: 'Delegated Basic authority did not bind the requested principal.',
+        journalId: journal.journalId(),
+        auditState: 'sealed',
+        providerIdentity: identity.login,
+      });
+    }
+    await journal.recordProviderEvidence({
+      endpoint: identity.endpoint,
+      contentType: identity.contentType,
+      decision: 'identity-verified',
+    });
     mutation = 'unknown';
     await provider.revokeToken(authority, request.identity, binding.tokenName);
     mutation = 'applied';
@@ -323,7 +341,16 @@ export async function revokeCredential(
       auditState: 'sealed',
     });
   } catch (error: unknown) {
-    if (error instanceof CredentialJournalError) throw error;
+    if (error instanceof CredentialJournalError) {
+      return lifecycleResult('revoke', request, {
+        outcome: 'indeterminate',
+        mutation,
+        code: error.code,
+        message: 'Audit persistence failed; inspect the durable open journal before recovery.',
+        journalId: journal.journalId(),
+        auditState: 'open',
+      });
+    }
     await journal.seal('indeterminate', 'mutation-state-unknown');
     return lifecycleResult('revoke', request, {
       outcome: 'indeterminate',
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/tea-login-store.ts b/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/tea-login-store.ts
index 1b302d41..2eb4b109 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/tea-login-store.ts
+++ b/packages/mosaic/src/credentials/tea-login-store.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ const loginSchema = z
   .passthrough();
 const configSchema = z.object({ logins: z.array(loginSchema).default([]) }).passthrough();
 
+async function syncDirectory(path: string): Promise<void> {
+  const handle = await open(path, 'r');
+  try {
+    await handle.sync();
+  } finally {
+    await handle.close();
+  }
+}
+
 async function acquireLock(path: string): Promise<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof open>>> {
   for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 500; attempt += 1) {
     try {
@@ -122,6 +131,7 @@ export class TeaLoginStore {
         await handle.close();
       }
       await rename(temp, this.configPath);
+      await syncDirectory(directory);
     } finally {
       await lock.close();
       await unlink(lockPath).catch((): void => undefined);
@@ -192,6 +202,7 @@ export class TeaLoginStore {
         await handle.close();
       }
       await rename(temp, this.configPath);
+      await syncDirectory(directory);
     } finally {
       await lock.close();
       await unlink(lockPath).catch((): void => undefined);