diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index d400fef..f5524d0 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,21 @@ on:
 jobs:
   lint-test-leaks:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    services:
+      postgres:
+        image: postgres:16
+        env:
+          POSTGRES_USER: cayce
+          POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ci-only-not-a-secret
+          POSTGRES_DB: cayce_ops
+        ports:
+          - 5432:5432
+        options: >-
+          --health-cmd "pg_isready -U cayce -d cayce_ops"
+          --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 3s --health-retries 10
+    env:
+      CAYCE_OPS_DATABASE_URL: postgresql+psycopg://cayce:ci-only-not-a-secret@127.0.0.1:5432/cayce_ops
+      PGPASSWORD: ci-only-not-a-secret
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
@@ -23,11 +38,24 @@ jobs:
       - name: Lint (ruff)
         run: uv run ruff check .
 
-      - name: Migrations smoke test (SQLite)
+      - name: Migrations upgrade/downgrade round-trip (Postgres 16)
+        run: |
+          uv run alembic upgrade head
+          uv run alembic downgrade 0001
+          uv run alembic upgrade head
+          uv run alembic downgrade base
+          uv run alembic upgrade head
+
+      - name: Alembic smoke (SQLite)
         run: uv run alembic upgrade head
 
-      - name: Tests (pytest)
-        run: uv run pytest
+      - name: Unit tests (pytest)
+        run: uv run pytest -m "not integration"
+
+      - name: Integration tests — roles.sql + daemon cycles (Postgres 16)
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y postgresql-client
+          uv run pytest -m integration -v
 
       - name: Secret scan (gitleaks, full history)
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d400fef..f5524d0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,21 @@ on:
 jobs:
   lint-test-leaks:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    services:
+      postgres:
+        image: postgres:16
+        env:
+          POSTGRES_USER: cayce
+          POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ci-only-not-a-secret
+          POSTGRES_DB: cayce_ops
+        ports:
+          - 5432:5432
+        options: >-
+          --health-cmd "pg_isready -U cayce -d cayce_ops"
+          --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 3s --health-retries 10
+    env:
+      CAYCE_OPS_DATABASE_URL: postgresql+psycopg://cayce:ci-only-not-a-secret@127.0.0.1:5432/cayce_ops
+      PGPASSWORD: ci-only-not-a-secret
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
@@ -23,11 +38,24 @@ jobs:
       - name: Lint (ruff)
         run: uv run ruff check .
 
-      - name: Migrations smoke test (SQLite)
+      - name: Migrations upgrade/downgrade round-trip (Postgres 16)
+        run: |
+          uv run alembic upgrade head
+          uv run alembic downgrade 0001
+          uv run alembic upgrade head
+          uv run alembic downgrade base
+          uv run alembic upgrade head
+
+      - name: Alembic smoke (SQLite)
         run: uv run alembic upgrade head
 
-      - name: Tests (pytest)
-        run: uv run pytest
+      - name: Unit tests (pytest)
+        run: uv run pytest -m "not integration"
+
+      - name: Integration tests — roles.sql + daemon cycles (Postgres 16)
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y postgresql-client
+          uv run pytest -m integration -v
 
       - name: Secret scan (gitleaks, full history)
         run: |
diff --git a/alembic/versions/0003_operator_signatures.py b/alembic/versions/0003_operator_signatures.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06056b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alembic/versions/0003_operator_signatures.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""approval hardening: mandatory operator signatures bound to content
+
+Revision ID: 0003
+Revises: 0002
+Create Date: 2026-10-20
+
+- proposals.operator_signature
+- mail_messages.operator_signature
+- content_items.operator_signature
+
+Full signatures (128 hex chars) — never truncated. Existing NULL rows are
+refused at execution/send/publish time by the signing gate (no degraded mode).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+from alembic import op
+
+revision = "0003"
+down_revision = "0002"
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    with op.batch_alter_table("proposals") as batch:
+        batch.add_column(sa.Column("operator_signature", sa.Text(), nullable=True))
+    with op.batch_alter_table("mail_messages") as batch:
+        batch.add_column(sa.Column("operator_signature", sa.Text(), nullable=True))
+    with op.batch_alter_table("content_items") as batch:
+        batch.add_column(sa.Column("operator_signature", sa.Text(), nullable=True))
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    with op.batch_alter_table("content_items") as batch:
+        batch.drop_column("operator_signature")
+    with op.batch_alter_table("mail_messages") as batch:
+        batch.drop_column("operator_signature")
+    with op.batch_alter_table("proposals") as batch:
+        batch.drop_column("operator_signature")
diff --git a/cayceops/cli.py b/cayceops/cli.py
index eed4961..df1123f 100644
--- a/cayceops/cli.py
+++ b/cayceops/cli.py
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ def executor_approve(
     proposal_id: int,
     actor: str = typer.Option(..., help="Human approver id"),
     signature: str = typer.Option(
-        None, help="BIP-340 sig (required when operator pubkey is set)"
+        ..., help="BIP-340 sig over the approval message (mandatory)"
     ),
 ) -> None:
-    """Approve a proposal (human action, audited)."""
+    """Approve a proposal (human action, audited; signature mandatory)."""
     raise typer.Exit(
         _load_component("executor").approve(proposal_id, actor, signature=signature)
     )
@@ -101,9 +101,17 @@ def maild_poll() -> None:
 
 
 @maild_app.command("approve-draft")
-def maild_approve(msg_id: int, actor: str = typer.Option(...)) -> None:
-    """Approve a drafted reply so SMTP may send it."""
-    raise typer.Exit(_load_component("maild").approve_draft(msg_id, actor))
+def maild_approve(
+    msg_id: int,
+    actor: str = typer.Option(...),
+    signature: str = typer.Option(
+        ..., help="BIP-340 sig over the approval message (mandatory)"
+    ),
+) -> None:
+    """Approve a drafted reply so SMTP may send it (signature mandatory)."""
+    raise typer.Exit(
+        _load_component("maild").approve_draft(msg_id, actor, signature)
+    )
 
 
 @maild_app.command("send-approved")
@@ -153,9 +161,17 @@ def publisher_image(item_id: int) -> None:
 
 
 @publisher_app.command("approve")
-def publisher_approve(item_id: int, actor: str = typer.Option(...)) -> None:
-    """Approve a draft content item."""
-    raise typer.Exit(_load_component("publisher").approve(item_id, actor))
+def publisher_approve(
+    item_id: int,
+    actor: str = typer.Option(...),
+    signature: str = typer.Option(
+        ..., help="BIP-340 sig over the approval message (mandatory)"
+    ),
+) -> None:
+    """Approve a draft content item (signature mandatory)."""
+    raise typer.Exit(
+        _load_component("publisher").approve(item_id, actor, signature)
+    )
 
 
 @publisher_app.command("publish-due")
@@ -187,6 +203,12 @@ def monitor_run() -> None:
     raise typer.Exit(_load_component("monitor").build())
 
 
+@monitor_app.command("anchor")
+def monitor_anchor() -> None:
+    """Publish today's audit-chain anchor as a signed Nostr note (1/day)."""
+    raise typer.Exit(_load_component("monitor").anchor())
+
+
 def main() -> None:  # pragma: no cover
     app()
 
diff --git a/cayceops/components/executor/executor.py b/cayceops/components/executor/executor.py
index 894dbb6..b1d8edf 100644
--- a/cayceops/components/executor/executor.py
+++ b/cayceops/components/executor/executor.py
@@ -37,11 +37,19 @@ def _load_cfg():
 
 # --- human transitions -------------------------------------------------------
 
-# message signed by the operator key when CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY is set
-def approval_message(proposal_id: int) -> bytes:
-    import hashlib
+GATE_ERROR = 2  # missing/invalid configuration or signature
 
-    return hashlib.sha256(f"cayce-ops:approve:{proposal_id}".encode()).digest()
+
+def _signing(cfg: Config) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """(deployment_id, operator_pubkey) or ConfigError. No degraded mode."""
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+
+    if not cfg.operator_pubkey or not cfg.deployment_id:
+        raise ConfigError(
+            "approvals disabled: CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY and "
+            "CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID are both required"
+        )
+    return cfg.deployment_id, cfg.operator_pubkey
 
 
 def approve(
@@ -51,36 +59,54 @@ def approve(
     sess=None,
     signature: str | None = None,
 ) -> int:
-    """Human approves a proposal. Audited with the operator's identity.
-
-    When CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY is configured, `signature` (hex, BIP-340
-    over approval_message(id)) is REQUIRED and verified against that key —
-    'actor' then is a label, the key is the proof (audit finding 1).
-    """
-    from cayceops.components.publisher.nostr import verify_schnorr
+    """Human approves a proposal. Signature is MANDATORY and bound to the
+    proposal's current content and this deployment (audit finding 1)."""
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+    from cayceops.signing import (
+        SignatureError,
+        proposal_content_hash,
+        verify_signature,
+    )
 
     cfg = cfg or _load_cfg()
-    if cfg.operator_pubkey:
-        ok = bool(signature) and verify_schnorr(
-            signature, approval_message(proposal_id), cfg.operator_pubkey
-        )
-        if not ok and sess is not None:
+    try:
+        deployment_id, pubkey = _signing(cfg)
+    except ConfigError as exc:
+        if sess is not None:
             audit(
                 sess,
                 actor=actor,
                 action="approve",
                 proposal_id=proposal_id,
                 result="error",
-                detail={
-                    "reason": (
-                        "operator pubkey configured: signature required"
-                        if not signature
-                        else "invalid approval signature"
-                    )
-                },
+                detail={"reason": str(exc)},
             )
-        if not ok:
-            return 2
+        return GATE_ERROR
+
+    proposal = sess.get(Proposal, proposal_id) if sess is not None else None
+    if proposal is None:
+        return 1
+    chash = proposal_content_hash(
+        proposal.kind, proposal.title, proposal.url, proposal.detail
+    )
+    try:
+        if not signature:
+            raise SignatureError("signature required")
+        if not verify_signature(
+            "proposal", deployment_id, proposal_id, chash, signature, pubkey
+        ):
+            raise SignatureError("signature invalid for this content/deployment")
+    except SignatureError as exc:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor=actor,
+            action="approve",
+            proposal_id=proposal_id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={"reason": str(exc), "content_hash": chash},
+        )
+        return GATE_ERROR
+
     return _decide(proposal_id, actor, ProposalStatus.APPROVED, cfg, sess, signature)
 
 
@@ -122,8 +148,8 @@ def _decide(
         if decision == ProposalStatus.APPROVED:
             proposal.approved_by = actor
             proposal.approved_at = datetime.now(UTC)
-            if signature:
-                detail["signature"] = signature[:32] + "..."
+            proposal.operator_signature = signature  # FULL signature, row + audit
+            detail["signature"] = signature or ""
         verb = "approve" if decision == ProposalStatus.APPROVED else "reject"
         audit(sess, actor=actor, action=verb, proposal_id=proposal_id, detail=detail)
         return 0
@@ -136,9 +162,20 @@ def _decide(
 
 
 def _auto_approve(cfg: Config, sess) -> int:
-    """Auto-approve proposed items per policy. Returns count approved."""
-    if not cfg.autonomous_mode or not cfg.autonomous_kinds:
-        return 0
+    """DISABLED (audit round 2, point 1a): approvals require operator
+    signatures bound to content — there is no non-human approval path.
+    AUTONOMOUS_MODE no longer grants approval powers (DECISIONS D13)."""
+    if cfg.autonomous_mode and cfg.autonomous_kinds:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor="auto:policy",
+            action="autonomy_disabled",
+            result="error",
+            detail={
+                "reason": "mandatory operator signatures: no non-human approvals",
+            },
+        )
+    return 0
     midnight = datetime.now(UTC).replace(hour=0, minute=0, second=0, microsecond=0)
     used = (
         sess.query(func.count(AuditEntry.id))
@@ -188,8 +225,67 @@ def _auto_approve(cfg: Config, sess) -> int:
 # --- execution ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
+def _verify_approval_signature(proposal: Proposal, cfg: Config, sess) -> bool:
+    """Run-time gate (audit round 2, 1d): a row in `approved` MUST carry a
+    valid operator signature for its CURRENT content and THIS deployment.
+    Rows approved by raw SQL (no signature) or edited after approval are
+    rejected, audited as error, and revert to `proposed`."""
+    from cayceops.signing import (
+        SignatureError,
+        proposal_content_hash,
+        verify_signature,
+    )
+
+    try:
+        deployment_id, pubkey = _signing(cfg)
+    except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — ConfigError at daemon boundary
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor="daemon:executor",
+            action="execute_refused",
+            proposal_id=proposal.id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={"reason": str(exc)},
+        )
+        return False
+    chash = proposal_content_hash(
+        proposal.kind, proposal.title, proposal.url, proposal.detail
+    )
+    try:
+        if not verify_signature(
+            "proposal",
+            deployment_id,
+            proposal.id,
+            chash,
+            proposal.operator_signature,
+            pubkey,
+        ):
+            raise SignatureError(
+                "no valid operator signature for current content/deployment"
+            )
+    except SignatureError as exc:
+        proposal.status = ProposalStatus.PROPOSED  # back to pre-approval
+        proposal.operator_signature = None
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor="daemon:executor",
+            action="execute_refused",
+            proposal_id=proposal.id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={
+                "reason": str(exc),
+                "content_hash": chash,
+                "had_signature": bool(proposal.operator_signature),
+            },
+        )
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
 def execute_one(proposal: Proposal, cfg: Config, sess) -> bool:
     """Run the plugin for one approved proposal. Returns True on success."""
+    if not _verify_approval_signature(proposal, cfg, sess):
+        return False
     proposal.status = ProposalStatus.RUNNING
     proposal.attempts += 1
     audit(
@@ -256,6 +352,13 @@ def run(cfg: Config | None = None, sess=None) -> int:
         run_row = DaemonRun(daemon="executor")
         sess.add(run_row)
         sess.flush()
+        try:
+            _signing(cfg)  # refuse to run without signing config (no degraded mode)
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — ConfigError at boundary
+            run_row.status = "error"
+            run_row.detail = {"refused": str(exc)[:200]}
+            run_row.finished_at = datetime.now(UTC)
+            return 2
         try:
             auto = _auto_approve(cfg, sess)
             pending = (
diff --git a/cayceops/components/maild/classify.py b/cayceops/components/maild/classify.py
index e2eda54..3cfa658 100644
--- a/cayceops/components/maild/classify.py
+++ b/cayceops/components/maild/classify.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
-"""maild classification: rules first, LLM optional, conservative threshold.
+"""maild classification: rules + sentence-level negation, LLM optional.
 
-The LLM never decides alone: any result below ``CAYCE_OPS_LLM_REVIEW_THRESHOLD``
-confidence becomes ``needs_review``. With the ``null`` provider (default) only
-deterministic rules run.
+Approval rule (audit round 2, point 2): a mail may only classify `approval`
+when NO sentence contains a negation. Any negation token anywhere in the mail
+(conservative: even outside the approval sentence) downgrades an approval to
+`needs_review`. Rejections/questions/other are unaffected.
+
+The LLM never decides alone: below-threshold confidence → `needs_review`.
+With the `null` provider (default) only deterministic rules run.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -13,25 +17,16 @@ import re
 from cayceops.config import Config
 from cayceops.models import MailClassification
 
-# NEGATED approval forms are rejections and must be checked FIRST:
-# "We cannot accept your application", "not accepting new partners",
-# "Your application was not approved" used to match the bare approval
-# keywords (accept/approv) and read as approvals — audit finding 4.
-_NEGATED_APPROVAL = (
-    MailClassification.REJECTION,
-    re.compile(
-        r"\b(cannot|can.?t|will not|won.?t|do not|don.?t|does not|doesn.?t)\s+"
-        r"(be\s+able\s+to\s+)?(accept|approve|proceed|offer|welcome)"
-        r"|\bnot\s+(been\s+)?approved\b"
-        r"|\bnot\s+accepting\b"
-        r"|\bunfortunately\b",
-        re.I,
-    ),
-    0.95,
+_APPROVAL_WORDS = re.compile(r"\b(approv|accept|welcome)", re.I)
+
+# any of these tokens anywhere in the mail vetoes an `approval` result
+_NEGATIONS = re.compile(
+    r"\b(not|no|never|cannot|can'?t|won'?t|hasn'?t|isn'?t|"
+    r"no\s+longer|unable|decline\w*|regret\w*|unfortunately)\b",
+    re.I,
 )
 
 _RULES: list[tuple[MailClassification, re.Pattern[str], float]] = [
-    _NEGATED_APPROVAL,
     # (class, pattern, confidence when matched)
     (
         MailClassification.REJECTION,
@@ -51,9 +46,6 @@ _RULES: list[tuple[MailClassification, re.Pattern[str], float]] = [
     ),
 ]
 
-# braces are DOUBLED so .format() does not die on the literal JSON sample
-# (the old prompt raised KeyError on every call and the generic except
-# silently degraded to rules — audit finding 4)
 _LLM_PROMPT = """Classify this merchant email into exactly one of:
 approval, rejection, question, other.
 Reply with strict JSON: {{"classification": "...", "confidence": 0.0-1.0}}
@@ -69,6 +61,10 @@ def _rules(text: str) -> tuple[MailClassification, float]:
     return MailClassification.OTHER, 0.3
 
 
+def _has_negation(text: str) -> bool:
+    return bool(_NEGATIONS.search(text))
+
+
 def _llm_classify(text: str, cfg: Config) -> tuple[MailClassification, float] | None:
     """Ask the configured LLM. Returns None on any failure (rules take over)."""
     from cayceops.llm import get_provider
@@ -100,6 +96,13 @@ def classify(text: str, cfg: Config) -> tuple[MailClassification, float]:
     else:
         kind, confidence = _rules(text)
 
+    # APPROVAL VETO (audit round 2): any negation anywhere in the mail
+    # downgrades an approval to needs_review. Approval requires a mail with
+    # zero negations — "cannot currently accept", "never accept",
+    # "hasn't been approved", "no longer accepting" all land here.
+    if kind is MailClassification.APPROVAL and _has_negation(text):
+        return MailClassification.NEEDS_REVIEW, min(confidence, 0.6)
+
     if confidence < cfg.llm_review_threshold:
         return MailClassification.NEEDS_REVIEW, confidence
     return kind, confidence
diff --git a/cayceops/components/maild/maild.py b/cayceops/components/maild/maild.py
index 799bba4..0dd2da7 100644
--- a/cayceops/components/maild/maild.py
+++ b/cayceops/components/maild/maild.py
@@ -39,6 +39,21 @@ from cayceops.models import (
     audit,
 )
 
+GATE_ERROR = 2  # missing/invalid configuration or signature
+
+
+def _signing(cfg: Config) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """(deployment_id, operator_pubkey) or ConfigError. No degraded mode."""
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+
+    if not cfg.operator_pubkey or not cfg.deployment_id:
+        raise ConfigError(
+            "approvals disabled: CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY and "
+            "CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID are both required"
+        )
+    return cfg.deployment_id, cfg.operator_pubkey
+
+
 # --- IMAP ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
@@ -252,13 +267,32 @@ def _poll(cfg: Config, sess, fetcher=None, marker=None) -> tuple[dict, list[byte
 # --- human gate: approve draft -------------------------------------------------
 
 
-def _approve_draft(mail_id: int, actor: str, sess) -> int:
+def _mail_to_addr(record) -> str | None:
+    """The address a send would use for this draft."""
+    if record.direction == MailDirection.INBOUND:
+        return record.from_addr
+    return record.to_addr
+
+
+def _mail_content_hash(record) -> str:
+    from cayceops.signing import mail_content_hash
+
+    return mail_content_hash(
+        _mail_to_addr(record), record.subject, record.draft_reply
+    )
+
+
+def _approve_draft(
+    mail_id: int, actor: str, sess, signature: str | None = None
+) -> int:
     """Human approves a drafted reply (inbound-threaded or first-contact).
 
-    The approval is BOUND to the draft text via sha256 — a later edit breaks
-    the binding and the send refuses (audit finding: approved text was not
-    tied to its content).
+    Signature is MANDATORY and bound to (to_addr, subject, body) + deployment
+    (audit round 2, 1a/1b). The full signature is stored on the row.
     """
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+    from cayceops.signing import SignatureError, verify_signature
+
     record = sess.get(MailMessage, mail_id)
     if record is None:
         return 1
@@ -272,15 +306,52 @@ def _approve_draft(mail_id: int, actor: str, sess) -> int:
             detail={"reason": f"invalid draft state: {record.draft_status.value}"},
         )
         return 1
+
+    from cayceops.config import load
+
+    cfg = load()
+    try:
+        deployment_id, pubkey = _signing(cfg)
+    except ConfigError as exc:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor=actor,
+            action="approve_draft",
+            proposal_id=record.proposal_id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={"reason": str(exc)},
+        )
+        return GATE_ERROR
+
+    chash = _mail_content_hash(record)
+    try:
+        if not signature:
+            raise SignatureError("signature required")
+        if not verify_signature(
+            "mail", deployment_id, mail_id, chash, signature, pubkey
+        ):
+            raise SignatureError("signature invalid for this content/deployment")
+    except SignatureError as exc:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor=actor,
+            action="approve_draft",
+            proposal_id=record.proposal_id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={"reason": str(exc), "content_hash": chash},
+        )
+        return GATE_ERROR
+
     record.draft_status = DraftStatus.APPROVED
     record.approved_hash = _content_hash(record.draft_reply)
     record.approved_by = actor[:128]
+    record.operator_signature = signature  # FULL signature
     audit(
         sess,
         actor=actor,
         action="approve_draft",
         proposal_id=record.proposal_id,
-        detail={"mail_id": record.id, "hash": record.approved_hash},
+        detail={"mail_id": record.id, "hash": record.approved_hash, "signature": signature},
     )
     return 0
 
@@ -328,7 +399,9 @@ def _send_one(cfg: Config, sess, mail_id: int, sender=None) -> str:
     The caller owns the transaction: one message per commit, so an SMTP failure
     on message N never un-sends messages 1..N-1 (audit finding: duplicates).
     """
-    from cayceops.models import _content_hash
+
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+    from cayceops.signing import verify_signature
 
     record = sess.get(MailMessage, mail_id)
     if record is None:
@@ -336,6 +409,41 @@ def _send_one(cfg: Config, sess, mail_id: int, sender=None) -> str:
     if record.draft_status != DraftStatus.APPROVED:
         return "blocked"
 
+    # run-time signature gate (audit round 2, 1d): the row must carry a valid
+    # operator signature for its CURRENT to_addr/subject/body + deployment.
+    # Unsigned rows (raw SQL approval) or edited ones revert to DRAFTED.
+    try:
+        deployment_id, pubkey = _signing(cfg)
+    except ConfigError as exc:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor="daemon:maild",
+            action="send_refused",
+            proposal_id=record.proposal_id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={"mail_id": record.id, "reason": str(exc)},
+        )
+        return "unsigned"
+    current_hash = _mail_content_hash(record)
+    if not verify_signature(
+        "mail", deployment_id, record.id, current_hash, record.operator_signature, pubkey
+    ):
+        record.draft_status = DraftStatus.DRAFTED  # back to pre-approval
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor="daemon:maild",
+            action="send_refused",
+            proposal_id=record.proposal_id,
+            result="error",
+            detail={
+                "mail_id": record.id,
+                "reason": "no valid operator signature for current content/deployment",
+                "content_hash": current_hash,
+                "had_signature": bool(record.operator_signature),
+            },
+        )
+        return "hash_mismatch"
+
     if record.direction == MailDirection.INBOUND:
         # reply: goes back to the inbound sender, threads to the inbound mail,
         # and gets its own OUTBOUND row
@@ -357,19 +465,6 @@ def _send_one(cfg: Config, sess, mail_id: int, sender=None) -> str:
         record.draft_status = DraftStatus.SKIPPED
         return "blocked"
 
-    # binding: the text must be exactly what the human approved
-    if record.approved_hash and _content_hash(record.draft_reply or "") != record.approved_hash:
-        record.draft_status = DraftStatus.DRAFTED  # needs fresh approval
-        audit(
-            sess,
-            actor="daemon:maild",
-            action="send_refused_hash_mismatch",
-            proposal_id=record.proposal_id,
-            result="error",
-            detail={"mail_id": record.id},
-        )
-        return "hash_mismatch"
-
     (sender or _smtp_send)(
         cfg,
         to_addr,
@@ -436,10 +531,22 @@ def _send_approved(cfg: Config, sess, sender=None, factory=None) -> dict:
                 outcome = _send_one(cfg, sess, mail_id, sender)
         except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — isolate the failed message
             outcome = "error"
-            if sess is not None:
-                detail = {"mail_id": mail_id, "error": str(exc)[:200]}
-                audit(sess, actor="daemon:maild", action="send_failed",
-                      result="error", detail=detail)
+            # persist the failure in its OWN transaction (the failed message's
+            # transaction is dead)
+            try:
+                error_sess = factory() if factory is not None else None
+                if error_sess is not None:
+                    audit(
+                        error_sess,
+                        actor="daemon:maild",
+                        action="send_failed",
+                        result="error",
+                        detail={"mail_id": mail_id, "error": str(exc)[:200]},
+                    )
+                    error_sess.commit()
+                    error_sess.close()
+            except Exception:  # noqa: S110 — best-effort failure audit
+                pass
         stats[outcome] = stats.get(outcome, 0) + 1
     return stats
 
@@ -517,40 +624,48 @@ def poll(cfg: Config | None = None) -> int:
         engine().dispose()
 
 
-def approve_draft(mail_id: int, actor: str) -> int:
+def approve_draft(mail_id: int, actor: str, signature: str | None = None) -> int:
     from cayceops.db import engine
 
     try:
         with session_scope() as sess:
-            return _approve_draft(mail_id, actor, sess)
+            return _approve_draft(mail_id, actor, sess, signature)
     finally:
         engine().dispose()
 
 
 def send_approved(cfg: Config | None = None) -> int:
+    """CLI: same code path as the tests (_send_approved with factory).
+
+    Failures are audited (send_failed), recorded in daemon_runs, and any
+    error yields a non-zero exit code (audit round 2, point 5).
+    """
     from cayceops.config import load
     from cayceops.db import engine, session_factory
 
     cfg = cfg or load()
     try:
-        # ids first, then one transaction per message: a failure on message N
-        # cannot roll back already-sent messages (audit finding: duplicates)
-        with session_scope() as sess:
-            ids = [
-                row.id
-                for row in sess.query(MailMessage.id)
-                .filter(MailMessage.draft_status == DraftStatus.APPROVED)
-                .all()
-            ]
         factory = session_factory()
-        for mail_id in ids:
+        with session_scope() as sess:
+            run_row = DaemonRun(daemon="maild-send")
+            sess.add(run_row)
+            sess.flush()
             try:
-                with factory() as one_sess:
-                    _send_one(cfg, one_sess, mail_id)
-                    one_sess.commit()
-            except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — isolate each send
-                print(f"send {mail_id} failed: {str(exc)[:160]}")
-        return 0
+                _signing(cfg)  # no degraded mode
+            except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — ConfigError
+                run_row.status = "error"
+                run_row.detail = {"refused": str(exc)[:200]}
+                run_row.finished_at = datetime.now(UTC)
+                print(f"send refused: {exc}")
+                return 2
+            stats = _send_approved(cfg, sess, factory=factory)
+            run_row.status = "error" if stats.get("error") else "ok"
+            run_row.detail = stats
+            run_row.finished_at = datetime.now(UTC)
+        print(stats)
+        # any failure class is a non-zero exit (audit round 2, point 5)
+        failures = stats.get("error") or stats.get("hash_mismatch") or stats.get("unsigned")
+        return 1 if failures else 0
     finally:
         engine().dispose()
 
diff --git a/cayceops/components/monitor/monitor.py b/cayceops/components/monitor/monitor.py
index 2f2115d..cd61b5a 100644
--- a/cayceops/components/monitor/monitor.py
+++ b/cayceops/components/monitor/monitor.py
@@ -147,6 +147,85 @@ def _build(cfg: Config, sess) -> str:
     return cfg.monitor_output
 
 
+def _anchor(cfg: Config, sess) -> int:
+    """Anchor core (injectable session for tests). Returns 0 ok / 0 skip."""
+    from cayceops.components.publisher import nostr
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+    from cayceops.models import AuditEntry, audit
+
+    if not cfg.nostr_private_key or not cfg.nostr_relays:
+        raise ConfigError(
+            "anchor requires CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY and CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS"
+        )
+    if not cfg.deployment_id:
+        raise ConfigError("anchor requires CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID")
+
+    last = (
+        sess.query(AuditEntry)
+        .filter(AuditEntry.entry_hash.isnot(None))
+        .order_by(AuditEntry.id.desc())
+        .first()
+    )
+    if last is None:
+        print("nothing to anchor: chain empty")
+        return 0
+    today = datetime.now(UTC).date()
+    last_anchor = (
+        sess.query(AuditEntry)
+        .filter(AuditEntry.action == "anchor")
+        .order_by(AuditEntry.id.desc())
+        .first()
+    )
+    if last_anchor is not None and last_anchor.ts.date() == today:
+        print("already anchored today")
+        return 0
+
+    secret = nostr.normalize_key(cfg.nostr_private_key)
+    event = nostr.build_event(
+        secret,
+        f"cayce-ops audit anchor deployment={cfg.deployment_id} "
+        f"last_hash={last.entry_hash} entries={last.id}",
+        tags=[["t", "cayce-ops"], ["t", "audit-anchor"]],
+    )
+    if not nostr.verify_event(event):
+        raise RuntimeError("anchor event failed self-verification")
+    results = nostr.publish(cfg.nostr_relays, event)
+    audit(
+        sess,
+        actor="daemon:monitor",
+        action="anchor",
+        detail={
+            "last_hash": last.entry_hash,
+            "last_entry": last.id,
+            "event_id": event["id"],
+            "relays": results,
+            "deployment": cfg.deployment_id,
+        },
+    )
+    print(f"anchored: {event['id']}")
+    return 0
+
+
+def anchor(cfg: Config | None = None) -> int:
+    """CLI: anchor once per day (external anchoring, audit round 2 point 4)."""
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError, load
+    from cayceops.db import engine
+
+    cfg = cfg or load()
+    try:
+        with session_scope() as sess:
+            try:
+                return _anchor(cfg, sess)
+            except ConfigError as exc:
+                print(f"anchor refused: {exc}")
+                return 2
+    except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — CLI boundary
+        print(f"anchor failed: {str(exc)[:200]}")
+        return 1
+    finally:
+        engine().dispose()
+
+
 def build(cfg: Config | None = None) -> int:
     """CLI entry: render the status page inside a DaemonRun bookkeeping wrap."""
     from cayceops.config import load
diff --git a/cayceops/components/publisher/publisher.py b/cayceops/components/publisher/publisher.py
index 872fb00..6bde7d1 100644
--- a/cayceops/components/publisher/publisher.py
+++ b/cayceops/components/publisher/publisher.py
@@ -114,7 +114,33 @@ def _plan(cfg: Config, sess, days: int = 4) -> dict:
 # --- human gate -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-def _approve(item_id: int, actor: str, sess) -> int:
+GATE_ERROR = 2  # missing/invalid configuration or signature
+
+
+def _signing(cfg: Config) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+
+    if not cfg.operator_pubkey or not cfg.deployment_id:
+        raise ConfigError(
+            "approvals disabled: CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY and "
+            "CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID are both required"
+        )
+    return cfg.deployment_id, cfg.operator_pubkey
+
+
+def _content_binding(item: ContentItem) -> str:
+    from cayceops.signing import content_content_hash
+
+    return content_content_hash(item.channel, item.caption, item.link)
+
+
+def _approve(
+    item_id: int, actor: str, sess, signature: str | None = None
+) -> int:
+    """Signature MANDATORY, bound to (channel, caption, link) + deployment."""
+    from cayceops.config import ConfigError
+    from cayceops.signing import SignatureError, verify_signature
+
     item = sess.get(ContentItem, item_id)
     if item is None or item.status != ContentStatus.DRAFT:
         audit(
@@ -125,17 +151,58 @@ def _approve(item_id: int, actor: str, sess) -> int:
             detail={"reason": f"item {item_id} not in draft state"},
         )
         return 1
+    try:
+        deployment_id, pubkey = _signing(cfg_from(sess))
+    except ConfigError as exc:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor=actor,
+            action="approve_content",
+            result="error",
+            detail={"reason": str(exc)},
+        )
+        return GATE_ERROR
+    chash = _content_binding(item)
+    try:
+        if not signature:
+            raise SignatureError("signature required")
+        if not verify_signature(
+            "content", deployment_id, item_id, chash, signature, pubkey
+        ):
+            raise SignatureError("signature invalid for this content/deployment")
+    except SignatureError as exc:
+        audit(
+            sess,
+            actor=actor,
+            action="approve_content",
+            result="error",
+            detail={"reason": str(exc), "content_hash": chash},
+        )
+        return GATE_ERROR
     item.status = ContentStatus.APPROVED
-    item.approved_hash = _content_hash(item.caption)  # binding: caption as approved
+    item.approved_hash = _content_hash(item.caption)
+    item.operator_signature = signature  # FULL signature
     audit(
         sess,
         actor=actor,
         action="approve_content",
-        detail={"item": item.id, "channel": item.channel, "hash": item.approved_hash},
+        detail={
+            "item": item.id,
+            "channel": item.channel,
+            "hash": item.approved_hash,
+            "signature": signature,
+        },
     )
     return 0
 
 
+def cfg_from(sess):
+    """Config from env (publisher commands are single-invocation CLIs)."""
+    from cayceops.config import load
+
+    return load()
+
+
 # --- image rendering ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
@@ -192,14 +259,41 @@ def _publish_due(cfg: Config, sess, nostr_sender=None) -> dict:
         if item.scheduled_for and item.scheduled_for > now:
             continue  # not due yet
 
-        # binding: caption must be exactly what was approved (audit finding)
-        if item.approved_hash and _content_hash(item.caption) != item.approved_hash:
+        # run-time signature gate (audit round 2, 1d): valid operator
+        # signature required for CURRENT channel/caption/link + deployment.
+        # Unsigned rows (raw SQL approval) or edited ones revert to DRAFT.
+        from cayceops.signing import verify_signature
+
+        try:
+            deployment_id, pubkey = _signing(cfg)
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — ConfigError
             audit(
                 sess,
                 actor="daemon:publisher",
-                action="publish_refused_hash_mismatch",
+                action="publish_refused",
                 result="error",
-                detail={"item": item.id},
+                detail={"item": item.id, "reason": str(exc)},
+            )
+            stats["failed"] += 1
+            continue
+        if not verify_signature(
+            "content",
+            deployment_id,
+            item.id,
+            _content_binding(item),
+            item.operator_signature,
+            pubkey,
+        ):
+            item.status = ContentStatus.DRAFT  # back to pre-approval
+            audit(
+                sess,
+                actor="daemon:publisher",
+                action="publish_refused",
+                result="error",
+                detail={
+                    "item": item.id,
+                    "reason": "no valid operator signature for current content/deployment",
+                },
             )
             stats["tampered"] += 1
             continue
@@ -287,6 +381,13 @@ def publish_due(cfg: Config | None = None) -> int:
             run_row = DaemonRun(daemon="publisher")
             sess.add(run_row)
             sess.flush()
+            try:
+                _signing(cfg)  # no degraded mode
+            except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — ConfigError
+                run_row.status = "error"
+                run_row.detail = {"refused": str(exc)[:200]}
+                run_row.finished_at = datetime.now(UTC)
+                return 2
             stats = _publish_due(cfg, sess)
             run_row.status = "ok"
             run_row.detail = stats
@@ -312,11 +413,11 @@ def make_image(item_id: int, cfg: Config | None = None) -> int:
         engine().dispose()
 
 
-def approve(item_id: int, actor: str) -> int:
+def approve(item_id: int, actor: str, signature: str | None = None) -> int:
     from cayceops.db import engine
 
     try:
         with session_scope() as sess:
-            return _approve(item_id, actor, sess)
+            return _approve(item_id, actor, sess, signature)
     finally:
         engine().dispose()
diff --git a/cayceops/config.py b/cayceops/config.py
index c58b158..9e68bbc 100644
--- a/cayceops/config.py
+++ b/cayceops/config.py
@@ -84,11 +84,15 @@ class Config:
     enable_http_actions: bool = field(
         default_factory=lambda: _bool("CAYCE_OPS_ENABLE_HTTP_ACTIONS", False)
     )
-    # when set (64-char hex x-only pubkey), human approvals MUST carry a valid
-    # BIP-340 signature over "cayce-ops:approve:<id>" made by the operator key.
+    # MANDATORY for approval-gated work: the operator x-only pubkey and the
+    # deployment identifier are part of every signed approval message.
+    # Without BOTH, daemons refuse to execute/send/publish — no degraded mode.
     operator_pubkey: str = field(
         default_factory=lambda: os.environ.get("CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY", "")
     )
+    deployment_id: str = field(
+        default_factory=lambda: os.environ.get("CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID", "")
+    )
 
     # --- mail ---
     imap_host: str = field(
@@ -167,6 +171,10 @@ class Config:
     )
 
 
+class ConfigError(RuntimeError):
+    """Raised when mandatory configuration is missing."""
+
+
 def load() -> Config:
     """Build the process Config snapshot."""
     return Config()
diff --git a/cayceops/models.py b/cayceops/models.py
index 65a6dad..fa2acec 100644
--- a/cayceops/models.py
+++ b/cayceops/models.py
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import enum
 import hashlib
 import json
+import threading
 from datetime import UTC, datetime
 
-from sqlalchemy import JSON, DateTime, Enum, Float, ForeignKey, Integer, String, Text
+from sqlalchemy import JSON, DateTime, Enum, Float, ForeignKey, Integer, String, Text, text
 from sqlalchemy.orm import DeclarativeBase, Mapped, mapped_column
 
 
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ class Proposal(Base):
     dedupe_key: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(256), unique=True, nullable=True)
     approved_by: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(128), nullable=True)
     approved_at: Mapped[datetime | None] = mapped_column(DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True)
+    # full operator approval signature (128 hex chars) — never truncated
+    operator_signature: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(Text, nullable=True)
     created_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(DateTime(timezone=True), default=utcnow)
     updated_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(
         DateTime(timezone=True), default=utcnow, onupdate=utcnow
@@ -103,6 +106,11 @@ class AuditEntry(Base):
     entry_hash: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(64), nullable=True, index=True)
 
 
+# reentrant: several audit() calls may share one transaction
+_AUDIT_LOCK = threading.RLock()
+_AUDIT_LOCK_PG_KEY = 7471186757  # pg_advisory_xact_lock key for cross-process
+
+
 def audit(
     sess,
     actor: str,
@@ -113,13 +121,66 @@ def audit(
 ) -> AuditEntry:
     """Record one audited action, chained to the previous entry.
 
-    Chain: entry_hash = sha256(prev_hash | ts | actor | action | proposal_id | detail | result).
-    Every component writes through this helper.
+    Chain: entry_hash = sha256(prev_hash | ts_epoch | actor | action |
+    proposal_id | detail | result). Writes are SERIALIZED (audit round 2,
+    point 4): pg_advisory_xact_lock on Postgres, in-process lock on SQLite —
+    concurrent writers can no longer fork the chain.
+
+    Legacy rows (entry_hash IS NULL, pre-0002) are ignored when picking
+    prev_hash: the chain starts GENESIS at the first hashed row.
     """
-    prev = sess.query(AuditEntry).order_by(AuditEntry.id.desc()).first()
-    prev_hash = prev.entry_hash if prev is not None else "GENESIS"
+    bind = sess.get_bind()
+    if bind.dialect.name == "postgresql":
+        # xact-scoped: PG releases the lock at commit/rollback automatically
+        sess.execute(
+            text("SELECT pg_advisory_xact_lock(:k)"), {"k": _AUDIT_LOCK_PG_KEY}
+        )
+        prev = sess.query(AuditEntry).order_by(AuditEntry.id.desc()).first()
+        prev_hash = prev.entry_hash if prev is not None else "GENESIS"
+        entry = _build_entry(prev_hash, actor, action, proposal_id, detail, result)
+        sess.add(entry)
+        return entry
+
+    # SQLite path: hold the in-process lock until the session commits or
+    # rolls back, so concurrent writers cannot read the same prev_hash
+    # (round-2 point 4 — verified by test_concurrent_writers_keep_chain_verifiable)
+    _AUDIT_LOCK.acquire()
+    released = False
+
+    def _release(*_args):
+        nonlocal released
+        if not released:
+            released = True
+            try:
+                _AUDIT_LOCK.release()
+            except RuntimeError:  # pragma: no cover
+                pass
+
+    from sqlalchemy import event
+
+    event.listen(sess, "after_commit", _release)
+    event.listen(sess, "after_rollback", _release)
+    event.listen(sess, "after_soft_rollback", _release)
+    try:
+        prev = sess.query(AuditEntry).order_by(AuditEntry.id.desc()).first()
+        prev_hash = prev.entry_hash if prev is not None else "GENESIS"
+        entry = _build_entry(prev_hash, actor, action, proposal_id, detail, result)
+        sess.add(entry)
+        return entry
+    except Exception:
+        _release()
+        raise
+
+
+def _build_entry(
+    prev_hash: str,
+    actor: str,
+    action: str,
+    proposal_id: int | None,
+    detail: dict | None,
+    result: str,
+) -> AuditEntry:
     ts = utcnow()
-    # epoch int: identical after a sqlite/pg round-trip (tz-aware isoformat is not)
     ts_int = int(ts.timestamp())
     detail_json = json.dumps(detail or {}, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False)
     payload = "|".join(
@@ -133,31 +194,40 @@ def audit(
             result,
         ]
     )
-    entry = AuditEntry(
+    return AuditEntry(
         ts=ts,
         actor=actor,
         action=action,
         proposal_id=proposal_id,
         detail=detail or {},
         result=result,
-        prev_hash=prev_hash,
+        prev_hash=prev_hash or "GENESIS",
         entry_hash=hashlib.sha256(payload.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest(),
     )
-    sess.add(entry)
-    return entry
 
 
 def verify_audit_chain(sess) -> tuple[bool, int | None]:
-    """Re-walk the chain. Returns (ok, first_broken_entry_id or None)."""
-    prev_hash = "GENESIS"
+    """Re-walk the chain. Returns (ok, first_broken_entry_id or None).
+
+    Legacy rows (entry_hash IS NULL, written before migration 0002) are
+    skipped and documented: the chain begins GENESIS at the first hashed row,
+    so a migrated database verifies clean without any tampering.
+    """
+    prev_hash: str | None = None  # None = still in legacy prefix
     for entry in sess.query(AuditEntry).order_by(AuditEntry.id).all():
+        if entry.entry_hash is None:
+            continue  # legacy row: outside the chain by documented genesis
+        if prev_hash is None:
+            expected_prev = "GENESIS"  # first hashed row anchors the chain
+        else:
+            expected_prev = prev_hash
         detail_json = json.dumps(entry.detail or {}, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False)
         ts = entry.ts
         if ts.tzinfo is None:
             ts = ts.replace(tzinfo=UTC)
         payload = "|".join(
             [
-                prev_hash,
+                expected_prev,
                 str(int(ts.timestamp())),
                 entry.actor,
                 entry.action,
@@ -167,7 +237,7 @@ def verify_audit_chain(sess) -> tuple[bool, int | None]:
             ]
         )
         expected = hashlib.sha256(payload.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
-        if entry.prev_hash != prev_hash or entry.entry_hash != expected:
+        if entry.prev_hash != expected_prev or entry.entry_hash != expected:
             return False, entry.id
         prev_hash = entry.entry_hash
     return True, None
@@ -222,6 +292,7 @@ class MailMessage(Base):
     # binding: hash of the draft text the human approved + who approved it
     approved_hash: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(64), nullable=True)
     approved_by: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(128), nullable=True)
+    operator_signature: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(Text, nullable=True)
     processed_at: Mapped[datetime | None] = mapped_column(DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True)
 
 
@@ -254,6 +325,7 @@ class ContentItem(Base):
     attempts: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer, default=0)
     # binding: hash of the caption the human approved
     approved_hash: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(64), nullable=True)
+    operator_signature: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(Text, nullable=True)
     created_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(DateTime(timezone=True), default=utcnow)
 
 
diff --git a/cayceops/signing.py b/cayceops/signing.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df25b06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cayceops/signing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"""Operator approval signing — mandatory, content- and deployment-bound.
+
+Every human approval (executor approve / maild approve-draft / publisher
+approve) must carry a BIP-340 signature made with the operator key:
+
+    message = sha256("cayce-ops:<type>:<deployment_id>:<id>:<content_hash>")
+
+where content_hash binds the approval to the exact approved content:
+
+    proposal: canonical json of {kind, title, url, detail}
+    mail:     canonical json of {to_addr, subject, body}
+    content:  canonical json of {channel, caption, link}
+
+There is NO degraded mode: without CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY and
+CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID the daemons refuse to execute/send/publish
+(see cayceops.config.Config.signing_credentials).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+import json
+
+
+class SignatureError(RuntimeError):
+    """Raised when an approval signature is missing, invalid, or foreign."""
+
+
+def _canonical(obj: dict) -> str:
+    return json.dumps(obj, sort_keys=True, separators=(",", ":"), ensure_ascii=False)
+
+
+def _sha256_hex(text: str) -> str:
+    return hashlib.sha256(text.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
+
+
+def proposal_content_hash(kind: str, title: str, url: str | None, detail: dict | None) -> str:
+    return _sha256_hex(
+        _canonical(
+            {
+                "kind": kind,
+                "title": title,
+                "url": url,
+                "detail": detail or {},
+            }
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def mail_content_hash(to_addr: str | None, subject: str | None, body: str | None) -> str:
+    return _sha256_hex(
+        _canonical(
+            {
+                "to_addr": to_addr,
+                "subject": subject,
+                "body": body,
+            }
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def content_content_hash(channel: str, caption: str, link: str | None) -> str:
+    return _sha256_hex(
+        _canonical(
+            {
+                "channel": channel,
+                "caption": caption,
+                "link": link,
+            }
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def approval_message(
+    item_type: str, deployment_id: str, item_id: int, content_hash: str
+) -> bytes:
+    """The exact 32-byte message the operator signs."""
+    raw = f"cayce-ops:{item_type}:{deployment_id}:{item_id}:{content_hash}"
+    return hashlib.sha256(raw.encode("utf-8")).digest()
+
+
+def verify_signature(
+    item_type: str,
+    deployment_id: str,
+    item_id: int,
+    content_hash: str,
+    signature_hex: str | None,
+    operator_pubkey_hex: str,
+) -> bool:
+    """Verify an operator approval signature. Foreign deployments or edited
+    content verify False because both are inside the signed message."""
+    if not signature_hex or not operator_pubkey_hex or not deployment_id:
+        return False
+    from cayceops.components.publisher.nostr import _schnorr_verify
+
+    try:
+        return _schnorr_verify(
+            bytes.fromhex(signature_hex),
+            approval_message(item_type, deployment_id, item_id, content_hash),
+            bytes.fromhex(operator_pubkey_hex),
+        )
+    except (ValueError, TypeError):
+        return False
diff --git a/deploy/roles.sql b/deploy/roles.sql
index 2107940..760f0f0 100644
--- a/deploy/roles.sql
+++ b/deploy/roles.sql
@@ -1,22 +1,180 @@
--- Per-daemon least-privilege roles (audit critical finding 1, deployment half).
--- The app-level chain + signatures are in code; this locks the DB layer.
--- Apply on the production Postgres; adjust the connection limits.
-CREATE ROLE cayce_scanner LOGIN PASSWORD 'set-from-env';
-CREATE ROLE cayce_executor LOGIN PASSWORD 'set-from-env';
-CREATE ROLE cayce_maild LOGIN PASSWORD 'set-from-env';
-CREATE ROLE cayce_publisher LOGIN PASSWORD 'set-from-env';
-CREATE ROLE cayce_monitor LOGIN PASSWORD 'set-from-env';
+-- cayce-ops — least-privilege per-daemon roles (audit round 2, point 3)
+--
+-- Apply with psql and MANDATORY password variables; the script refuses to run
+-- without them (no literal credentials):
+--
+--   psql -h 127.0.0.1 -U postgres -d cayce_ops -f deploy/roles.sql \
+--     -v scanner_password='…' -v executor_password='…' \
+--     -v maild_password='…'    -v publisher_password='…' \
+--     -v monitor_password='…'  -v approver_password='…'
+--
+-- Model:
+--   cayce_scanner   : INSERT proposals only (+ INSERT audit_log, daemon_runs)
+--   cayce_executor  : UPDATE proposals WITHOUT approved/signature columns
+--   cayce_maild     : UPDATE mail_messages WITHOUT approved/signature columns
+--   cayce_publisher : INSERT content_items, UPDATE WITHOUT approved/signature
+--   cayce_monitor   : SELECT everything (+ INSERT audit_log for anchors)
+--   cayce_approver  : THE ONLY role that can write status='approved',
+--                     approved_hash, operator_signature, approved_by/at
+--
+-- A BEFORE trigger rejects status='approved' writes from any role except
+-- cayce_approver — column grants alone cannot express that condition.
+--
+-- NOTE: do NOT apply on production yourself; the operator does.
 
-GRANT SELECT ON proposals, audit_log, mail_messages, content_items, daemon_runs TO cayce_monitor;
-GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE ON proposals TO cayce_scanner;   -- no DELETE
-GRANT INSERT ON audit_log TO cayce_scanner;                   -- append-only
-GRANT SELECT, UPDATE ON proposals TO cayce_executor;          -- status transitions
-GRANT INSERT ON audit_log TO cayce_executor;                  -- append-only
-GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE ON mail_messages, proposals TO cayce_maild;
-GRANT INSERT ON audit_log TO cayce_maild;
-GRANT SELECT, UPDATE ON content_items TO cayce_publisher;
-GRANT INSERT ON audit_log TO cayce_publisher;
-GRANT SELECT ON daemon_runs TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher;
+\set ON_ERROR_STOP on
 
--- sequences
-GRANT USAGE, SELECT ON ALL SEQUENCES IN SCHEMA public TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor;
+\if :{?scanner_password}
+\else
+\echo 'ERROR: missing variables. Pass -v scanner_password=… executor_password=… maild_password=… publisher_password=… monitor_password=… approver_password=…'
+SELECT * FROM _roles_sql_missing_required_password_variables;
+\endif
+\if :{?executor_password}
+\else
+\echo 'ERROR: missing executor_password'
+SELECT * FROM _roles_sql_missing_required_password_variables;
+\endif
+\if :{?maild_password}
+\else
+\echo 'ERROR: missing maild_password'
+SELECT * FROM _roles_sql_missing_required_password_variables;
+\endif
+\if :{?publisher_password}
+\else
+\echo 'ERROR: missing publisher_password'
+SELECT * FROM _roles_sql_missing_required_password_variables;
+\endif
+\if :{?monitor_password}
+\else
+\echo 'ERROR: missing monitor_password'
+SELECT * FROM _roles_sql_missing_required_password_variables;
+\endif
+\if :{?approver_password}
+\else
+\echo 'ERROR: missing approver_password'
+SELECT * FROM _roles_sql_missing_required_password_variables;
+\endif
+
+-- idempotency: detach old incarnations before dropping
+DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS cayce_ops_approval_gate() CASCADE;
+REVOKE ALL ON SCHEMA public FROM
+  cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+REVOKE ALL ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public FROM
+  cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+REVOKE ALL ON ALL SEQUENCES IN SCHEMA public FROM
+  cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+
+DROP ROLE IF EXISTS cayce_scanner;
+DROP ROLE IF EXISTS cayce_executor;
+DROP ROLE IF EXISTS cayce_maild;
+DROP ROLE IF EXISTS cayce_publisher;
+DROP ROLE IF EXISTS cayce_monitor;
+DROP ROLE IF EXISTS cayce_approver;
+
+CREATE ROLE cayce_scanner   LOGIN PASSWORD :'scanner_password';
+CREATE ROLE cayce_executor  LOGIN PASSWORD :'executor_password';
+CREATE ROLE cayce_maild     LOGIN PASSWORD :'maild_password';
+CREATE ROLE cayce_publisher LOGIN PASSWORD :'publisher_password';
+CREATE ROLE cayce_monitor   LOGIN PASSWORD :'monitor_password';
+CREATE ROLE cayce_approver  LOGIN PASSWORD :'approver_password';
+
+GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild,
+  cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+
+-- sequences everybody needs
+GRANT USAGE, SELECT ON ALL SEQUENCES IN SCHEMA public
+  TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+
+-- common reads
+GRANT SELECT ON proposals, audit_log, mail_messages, content_items, daemon_runs
+  TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+
+-- every daemon appends to audit_log and daemon_runs (never UPDATE/DELETE)
+GRANT INSERT ON audit_log
+  TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor, cayce_approver;
+GRANT INSERT ON daemon_runs
+  TO cayce_scanner, cayce_executor, cayce_maild, cayce_publisher, cayce_monitor;
+
+-- scanner: propose only
+GRANT INSERT ON proposals TO cayce_scanner;
+
+-- executor: transition proposals WITHOUT touching approval columns
+GRANT UPDATE (status, attempts, updated_at) ON proposals TO cayce_executor;
+-- (there is no error column; adjust if added) — see trigger below for status
+
+-- maild: classify + drafts + send bookkeeping WITHOUT approval columns
+GRANT INSERT, UPDATE (classification, confidence, draft_status, draft_reply,
+  in_reply_to, message_id, from_addr, to_addr, subject, body, processed_at)
+  ON mail_messages TO cayce_maild;
+
+-- publisher: plan drafts and record publishes WITHOUT approval columns
+GRANT INSERT ON content_items TO cayce_publisher;
+GRANT UPDATE (status, attempts, error, media_path, scheduled_for, published_at, post_ref)
+  ON content_items TO cayce_publisher;
+
+-- approver: the ONLY writer of approvals and signatures
+GRANT SELECT, UPDATE ON proposals TO cayce_approver;
+GRANT SELECT, UPDATE ON mail_messages TO cayce_approver;
+GRANT SELECT, UPDATE ON content_items TO cayce_approver;
+GRANT INSERT ON audit_log TO cayce_approver;
+
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- approval gate: status/draft_status='approved' and signature columns may
+-- only be written by cayce_approver (one trigger per table — column sets differ)
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION cayce_ops_gate_proposals() RETURNS trigger AS $$
+BEGIN
+  IF current_user IN ('cayce_approver', 'postgres') THEN
+    RETURN NEW;
+  END IF;
+  IF NEW.status::text = 'APPROVED' THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'cayce-ops: only cayce_approver may set proposals.status=approved (user=%)', current_user;
+  END IF;
+  IF TG_OP = 'UPDATE' AND NEW.operator_signature IS DISTINCT FROM OLD.operator_signature THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'cayce-ops: only cayce_approver may write operator_signature (user=%)', current_user;
+  END IF;
+  RETURN NEW;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION cayce_ops_gate_mail() RETURNS trigger AS $$
+BEGIN
+  IF current_user IN ('cayce_approver', 'postgres') THEN
+    RETURN NEW;
+  END IF;
+  IF NEW.draft_status::text = 'APPROVED' THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'cayce-ops: only cayce_approver may set mail draft_status=approved (user=%)', current_user;
+  END IF;
+  IF TG_OP = 'UPDATE' AND NEW.operator_signature IS DISTINCT FROM OLD.operator_signature THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'cayce-ops: only cayce_approver may write operator_signature (user=%)', current_user;
+  END IF;
+  RETURN NEW;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION cayce_ops_gate_content() RETURNS trigger AS $$
+BEGIN
+  IF current_user IN ('cayce_approver', 'postgres') THEN
+    RETURN NEW;
+  END IF;
+  IF NEW.status::text = 'APPROVED' THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'cayce-ops: only cayce_approver may set content status=approved (user=%)', current_user;
+  END IF;
+  IF TG_OP = 'UPDATE' AND NEW.operator_signature IS DISTINCT FROM OLD.operator_signature THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'cayce-ops: only cayce_approver may write operator_signature (user=%)', current_user;
+  END IF;
+  RETURN NEW;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS proposals_approval_gate ON proposals;
+CREATE TRIGGER proposals_approval_gate BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON proposals
+  FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION cayce_ops_gate_proposals();
+
+DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS mail_approval_gate ON mail_messages;
+CREATE TRIGGER mail_approval_gate BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON mail_messages
+  FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION cayce_ops_gate_mail();
+
+DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS content_approval_gate ON content_items;
+CREATE TRIGGER content_approval_gate BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON content_items
+  FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION cayce_ops_gate_content();
diff --git a/deploy/systemd/cayce-ops-plan.service b/deploy/systemd/cayce-ops-plan.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e779dc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/systemd/cayce-ops-plan.service
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=cayce-ops publisher plan (fills the content calendar, daily)
+After=network-online.target postgresql.service
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+User=cayce
+WorkingDirectory=/srv/cayce-ops
+EnvironmentFile=/srv/cayce-ops/.env
+ExecStart=/srv/cayce-ops/.venv/bin/cayceops publisher plan
+NoNewPrivileges=yes
+ProtectSystem=strict
+ProtectHome=yes
+ReadWritePaths=/srv/cayce-ops
diff --git a/deploy/systemd/cayce-ops-plan.timer b/deploy/systemd/cayce-ops-plan.timer
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2684063
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/systemd/cayce-ops-plan.timer
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Run cayce-ops publisher plan daily
+
+[Timer]
+OnCalendar=*-*-* 06:00:00
+RandomizedDelaySec=300
+Persistent=true
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target
diff --git a/docs/DECISIONS.md b/docs/DECISIONS.md
index 71ea27b..8380ee1 100644
--- a/docs/DECISIONS.md
+++ b/docs/DECISIONS.md
@@ -95,3 +95,25 @@ caption hash-bound at approval, disabled channels are terminal (`SKIPPED`),
 publish failures burn a bounded attempt budget before abandonment.
 `risk_score` renamed `match_score` (keyword relevance) and auto-approval
 takes the HIGHEST score first.
+
+## D13 — No non-human approval path (round 2, supersedes D5)
+Operator signatures are mandatory for approvals AND re-verified at
+execution/send/publish time against current content + deployment id. With
+that gate, the AUTONOMOUS_MODE auto-approval path cannot exist: it would
+produce unsigned approvals the gate refuses. `_auto_approve` is inert and
+audits `autonomy_disabled` when invoked. *Cost:* AUTONOMOUS_MODE is now
+inert by design.
+
+## D14 — Signatures bind content + deployment (round 2)
+message = sha256("cayce-ops:<type>:<deployment_id>:<id>:<content_hash>").
+content_hash is canonical-json of the fields that matter per type. Full
+signatures live on the row (operator_signature) and in the audit detail.
+Verification happens again at run time: unsigned rows (raw SQL approval)
+revert to their pre-approval state with an error audit. *Cost:* a deployment
+id env var is mandatory; signatures must be recomputed if content changes.
+
+## D15 — Approval classifier veto (round 2)
+Any negation token anywhere in a mail vetoes an `approval` classification →
+needs_review. Simpler and strictly conservative vs. per-pattern negation
+lists. *Cost:* genuinely-positive approvals containing stray negations
+(e.g. "we have no reason not to welcome you") need human triage.
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 1d663a4..4ba6864 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -10,8 +10,14 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
+from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 import pytest
+from coincurve import PublicKey
+
+# test operator keypair (invented; allowlisted in .gitleaks.toml)
+OPERATOR_SECRET = bytes.fromhex("22" * 32)
+OPERATOR_PUBKEY = PublicKey.from_secret(OPERATOR_SECRET).format().hex()[2:]
 
 # Config must see the test DB before cayceops.config/db get imported.
 os.environ.setdefault("CAYCE_OPS_DATABASE_URL", "sqlite:///:memory:")
@@ -54,6 +60,61 @@ def sess(db_engine):
     s.close()
 
 
+@pytest.fixture()
+def signer():
+    """Signs approval messages with the test operator key (22*32, deployment
+    'itest'). Mirrors exactly what the operator CLI does."""
+    from coincurve import PrivateKey
+
+    from cayceops.models import MailDirection
+    from cayceops.signing import (
+        approval_message,
+        content_content_hash,
+        mail_content_hash,
+        proposal_content_hash,
+    )
+
+    secret = OPERATOR_SECRET
+
+    def _sig(msg: bytes) -> str:
+        return PrivateKey(secret).sign_schnorr(msg, aux_randomness=b"\x00" * 32).hex()
+
+    def proposal(p, deployment="itest"):
+        chash = proposal_content_hash(p.kind, p.title, p.url, p.detail)
+        return _sig(approval_message("proposal", deployment, p.id, chash))
+
+    def mail(record, deployment="itest"):
+        to = (
+            record.from_addr
+            if record.direction == MailDirection.INBOUND
+            else record.to_addr
+        )
+        chash = mail_content_hash(to, record.subject, record.draft_reply)
+        return _sig(approval_message("mail", deployment, record.id, chash))
+
+    def content(item, deployment="itest"):
+        chash = content_content_hash(item.channel, item.caption, item.link)
+        return _sig(approval_message("content", deployment, item.id, chash))
+
+    def raw(sig_bytes: bytes) -> str:
+        return _sig(sig_bytes)
+
+    def msg(item_type: str, deployment: str, item_id: int, chash: str) -> bytes:
+        from cayceops.signing import approval_message
+
+        return approval_message(item_type, deployment, item_id, chash)
+
+    def content_hash(item, deployment="itest") -> str:
+        from cayceops.signing import content_content_hash
+
+        return content_content_hash(item.channel, item.caption, item.link)
+
+    return SimpleNamespace(
+        proposal=proposal, mail=mail, content=content, raw=raw, msg=msg,
+        content_hash=content_hash,
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.fixture()
 def cfg(monkeypatch):
     """A Config snapshot with test defaults (no network, no autonomy)."""
@@ -66,6 +127,10 @@ def cfg(monkeypatch):
         "CAYCE_OPS_ENABLE_INSTAGRAM": "false",
         "CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS": "",
         "CAYCE_OPS_MEDIA_DIR": "media",
+        # signing defaults (audit round 2): tests operate in a signed
+        # deployment unless they explicitly clear these
+        "CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID": "itest",
+        "CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY": OPERATOR_PUBKEY,
     }
 
     def _apply(**overrides):
diff --git a/tests/integration/__init__.py b/tests/integration/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_pg_roles.py b/tests/integration/test_pg_roles.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..398ca91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/test_pg_roles.py
@@ -0,0 +1,289 @@
+"""Integration tests against Postgres 16: roles.sql + one full daemon cycle
+per role (audit round 2, point 3).
+
+Skipped unless a Postgres is reachable at TEST_PG_DSN (default: the
+docker-compose service). Roles are applied by piping deploy/roles.sql
+through psql WITH the mandatory -v password variables — exercising the same
+path an operator uses; the test skips if the psql client is not installed.
+
+Run:  uv run pytest -m integration -v
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.integration
+
+PG_DSN = os.environ.get(
+    "TEST_PG_DSN",
+    "postgresql://cayce:ci-only-not-a-secret@127.0.0.1:5432/cayce_ops",
+)
+ROLES_SQL = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "deploy" / "roles.sql"
+
+ROLE_PASSWORDS = {
+    "scanner_password": "itest-scanner-pw",
+    "executor_password": "itest-executor-pw",
+    "maild_password": "itest-maild-pw",
+    "publisher_password": "itest-publisher-pw",
+    "monitor_password": "itest-monitor-pw",
+    "approver_password": "itest-approver-pw",
+}
+
+
+def _pg_available() -> bool:
+    try:
+        import psycopg
+
+        with psycopg.connect(PG_DSN, connect_timeout=3):
+            return True
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+        return False
+
+
+def _psql_available() -> bool:
+    try:
+        return (
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["psql", "--version"], capture_output=True, timeout=10
+            ).returncode
+            == 0
+        )
+    except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError):
+        return False
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def roles_applied():
+    if not _pg_available():
+        pytest.skip("Postgres not reachable (set TEST_PG_DSN)")
+    if not _psql_available():
+        pytest.skip("psql client not installed")
+
+    # fresh slate on an admin connection
+    import psycopg
+
+    admin = psycopg.connect(PG_DSN, autocommit=True)
+    with admin.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            """
+            DROP TABLE IF EXISTS audit_log, mail_messages, content_items,
+              daemon_runs, proposals, alembic_version CASCADE;
+            DROP TYPE IF EXISTS proposalsource, proposalstatus, maildirection,
+              mailclassification, draftstatus, contentstatus CASCADE;
+            DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS cayce_ops_approval_gate() CASCADE;
+            """
+        )
+    admin.close()
+
+    # apply alembic chain (imports app; config must point at PG first)
+    os.environ["CAYCE_OPS_DATABASE_URL"] = PG_DSN.replace(
+        "postgresql://", "postgresql+psycopg://"
+    )
+    import subprocess as sp
+
+    env = {**os.environ, "CAYCE_OPS_DATABASE_URL": os.environ["CAYCE_OPS_DATABASE_URL"]}
+    # upgrade -> downgrade -> upgrade round-trip on Postgres (audit round 2,
+    # point 6): exercises 0002.downgrade and 0003.downgrade for real
+    sp.run(["uv", "run", "alembic", "upgrade", "head"], check=True, env=env)
+    sp.run(["uv", "run", "alembic", "downgrade", "0001"], check=True, env=env)
+    sp.run(["uv", "run", "alembic", "upgrade", "head"], check=True, env=env)
+
+    # apply roles.sql the operator way: psql -v <password vars>
+    cmd = ["psql", PG_DSN, "-v", "ON_ERROR_STOP=1", "-f", str(ROLES_SQL)]
+    for var, value in ROLE_PASSWORDS.items():
+        cmd += ["-v", f"{var}={value}"]
+    result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=60)
+    assert result.returncode == 0, f"roles.sql failed:\n{result.stderr}"
+
+    # re-apply WITHOUT variables must fail (audit requirement: no silent run)
+    bad = subprocess.run(
+        ["psql", PG_DSN, "-v", "ON_ERROR_STOP=1", "-f", str(ROLES_SQL)],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=60,
+    )
+    assert bad.returncode != 0, "roles.sql must refuse to run without vars"
+
+    yield
+
+
+def _connect_as(role: str):
+    """Connect with the role's credentials on the same DB as PG_DSN."""
+    import psycopg
+
+    key = f"{role.split('_', 1)[1]}_password"
+    after_scheme = PG_DSN.split("://", 1)[1]
+    userinfo, hostport_db = after_scheme.split("@", 1)
+    hostport, _db = hostport_db.split("/", 1)
+    dsn = f"postgresql://{role}:{ROLE_PASSWORDS[key]}@{hostport}/{_db}"
+    return psycopg.connect(dsn, autocommit=True)
+
+
+def _must_fail(conn, sql: str, because: str):
+    import psycopg
+
+    try:
+        with conn.cursor() as cur:
+            cur.execute(sql)
+    except psycopg.Error as exc:
+        assert because.lower() in str(exc).lower(), f"{because} — got: {exc}"
+        conn.rollback()
+        return
+    pytest.fail(f"expected failure: {because}")
+
+
+def test_roles_full_daemon_cycle(roles_applied):
+
+    # --- scanner role: proposes (INSERT proposals) ---
+    with _connect_as("cayce_scanner") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            """INSERT INTO proposals (source, kind, title, url, detail,
+                 match_score, status, attempts, created_at, updated_at)
+               VALUES ('SCANNER', 'partnership', 'Acme partner', NULL, '{}',
+                 0.9, 'PROPOSED', 0, now(), now()) RETURNING id"""
+        )
+        proposal_id = cur.fetchone()[0]
+        cur.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO audit_log (ts, actor, action, detail, result) "
+            "VALUES (now(), 'daemon:scanner', 'propose', '{}', 'ok')"
+        )
+        cur.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO daemon_runs (daemon, started_at, status, detail) "
+            "VALUES ('scanner', now(), 'ok', '{}')"
+        )
+
+    # scanner cannot approve: no UPDATE grant at all, and the trigger would
+    # still block status=APPROVED for non-approver roles
+    scanner = _connect_as("cayce_scanner")
+    _must_fail(
+        scanner,
+        f"UPDATE proposals SET status='APPROVED' WHERE id={proposal_id}",
+        because="permission denied",
+    )
+    scanner.close()
+
+    # executor cannot approve either (trigger), and cannot write signatures
+    executor = _connect_as("cayce_executor")
+    # the signature column is outside the executor's column grant: the whole
+    # UPDATE is denied before the trigger even runs
+    fake_sig = "ab" * 64  # invented 128-hex signature
+    _must_fail(
+        executor,
+        f"UPDATE proposals SET status='APPROVED', operator_signature='{fake_sig}' "
+        f"WHERE id={proposal_id}",
+        because="permission denied",
+    )
+    # executor CAN run its cycle once the approver approved
+    with executor.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            f"UPDATE proposals SET status='RUNNING', attempts=attempts+1, "
+            f"updated_at=now() WHERE id={proposal_id}"
+        )
+        cur.execute(
+            f"UPDATE proposals SET status='DONE', updated_at=now() WHERE id={proposal_id}"
+        )
+        cur.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO daemon_runs (daemon, started_at, status, detail) "
+            "VALUES ('executor', now(), 'ok', '{}')"
+        )
+    executor.close()
+
+    # --- approver: the only role that can approve + sign ---
+    sig = "c9" * 64  # invented 128-hex signature for the permission test
+    with _connect_as("cayce_approver") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            f"UPDATE proposals SET status='APPROVED', approved_by='gustavo', "
+            f"approved_at=now(), operator_signature='{sig}' WHERE id={proposal_id}"
+        )
+
+    # --- maild role: drafts + sends, cannot approve ---
+    with _connect_as("cayce_maild") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            """INSERT INTO mail_messages (direction, message_id, from_addr,
+                 subject, body, draft_reply, draft_status, confidence)
+               VALUES ('OUTBOUND', '<itest@x>', 'desk@acme.example.org', 'Hello',
+                 'Body', 'Body', 'DRAFTED', 0) RETURNING id"""
+        )
+        mail_id = cur.fetchone()[0]
+    maild = _connect_as("cayce_maild")
+    _must_fail(
+        maild,
+        f"UPDATE mail_messages SET draft_status='APPROVED' WHERE id={mail_id}",
+        because="only cayce_approver may set mail draft_status=approved",
+    )
+    _must_fail(
+        maild,
+        f"UPDATE mail_messages SET operator_signature='{sig}' WHERE id={mail_id}",
+        because="permission denied",  # signature column outside maild's grant
+    )
+    # the approver approves; then maild can mark it sent
+    with _connect_as("cayce_approver") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            "UPDATE mail_messages SET draft_status='APPROVED', "
+            "approved_by='gustavo', approved_hash='"
+            + "a" * 64
+            + f"', operator_signature='{sig}' WHERE id={mail_id}"
+        )
+    with _connect_as("cayce_maild") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            f"UPDATE mail_messages SET draft_status='SENT' WHERE id={mail_id}"
+        )
+    maild.close()
+
+    # --- publisher role: plans content, cannot approve ---
+    with _connect_as("cayce_publisher") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            """INSERT INTO content_items (theme, channel, caption, status,
+                 attempts, created_at)
+               VALUES ('atm-fees', 'nostr', 'caption', 'DRAFT', 0, now())
+               RETURNING id"""
+        )
+        item_id = cur.fetchone()[0]
+    publisher = _connect_as("cayce_publisher")
+    _must_fail(
+        publisher,
+        f"UPDATE content_items SET status='APPROVED' WHERE id={item_id}",
+        because="only cayce_approver may set content status=approved",
+    )
+    # approver approves; publisher publishes
+    with _connect_as("cayce_approver") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            "UPDATE content_items SET status='APPROVED', approved_hash='"
+            + "b" * 64
+            + f"', operator_signature='{sig}' WHERE id={item_id}"
+        )
+    with _connect_as("cayce_publisher") as conn, conn.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            f"UPDATE content_items SET status='PUBLISHED', published_at=now() "
+            f"WHERE id={item_id}"
+        )
+    publisher.close()
+
+    # --- monitor role: read-only + audit anchors ---
+    monitor = _connect_as("cayce_monitor")
+    with monitor.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute("SELECT count(*) FROM proposals")
+        cur.fetchone()
+        cur.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO audit_log (ts, actor, action, detail, result) "
+            "VALUES (now(), 'daemon:monitor', 'anchor', '{}', 'ok')"
+        )
+    # monitor CAN book its runs, but cannot touch proposals
+    with monitor.cursor() as cur:
+        cur.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO daemon_runs (daemon, started_at, status, detail) "
+            "VALUES ('monitor', now(), 'ok', '{}')"
+        )
+    _must_fail(
+        monitor,
+        "INSERT INTO proposals (source, kind, title, detail, match_score, status, "
+        "attempts, created_at, updated_at) "
+        "VALUES ('SCANNER', 'other', 'x', '{}', 0, 'PROPOSED', 0, now(), now())",
+        because="permission denied",
+    )
+    monitor.close()
diff --git a/tests/test_executor.py b/tests/test_executor.py
index 0137e1e..5c8f382 100644
--- a/tests/test_executor.py
+++ b/tests/test_executor.py
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-"""executor tests — human gate, autonomy bounds, retries, audit chain."""
+"""executor tests — human gate (signed), autonomy bounds, retries, audit chain.
+
+Since audit round 2, approvals REQUIRE an operator signature bound to the
+proposal's current content + deployment id (tests sign with the conftest
+operator key 22*32, deployment 'itest').
+"""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -12,16 +17,22 @@ def _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="Test item", **kw):
     return Proposal(kind=kind, title=title, **kw)
 
 
-def test_approve_requires_proposed_state(cfg, sess):
+def test_approve_requires_proposed_state(cfg, sess, signer):
     p = _proposal()
     sess.add(p)
     sess.flush()
 
-    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess) == 0
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(p)) == 0
+    )
     # second approve must fail (state is now approved)
-    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess) == 1
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(p)) == 1
+    )
     assert p.approved_by == "gustavo"
-    assert p.status == ProposalStatus.APPROVED
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.APPROVED
+    # FULL signature stored on the row
+    assert p.operator_signature and len(p.operator_signature) == 128
 
 
 def test_reject_records_actor(cfg, sess):
@@ -29,75 +40,26 @@ def test_reject_records_actor(cfg, sess):
     sess.add(p)
     sess.flush()
     assert executor.reject(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess) == 0
-    assert p.status == ProposalStatus.REJECTED
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.REJECTED
 
 
-def test_signed_approval_required_when_operator_key_configured(cfg, sess):
-    """Critical finding 1: --actor was free text; now a key can be required."""
-    from coincurve import PrivateKey, PublicKey
-
-    from cayceops.components.executor import executor
-
-    secret = bytes.fromhex("22" * 32)
-    pubkey = PublicKey.from_secret(secret).format().hex()[2:]
-    p = _proposal()
-    sess.add(p)
-    sess.flush()
-
-    config = cfg(CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY=pubkey)
-
-    # no signature -> refused
-    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", config, sess, signature=None) == 2
-    # wrong key -> refused
-    bad = (
-        PrivateKey(bytes.fromhex("33" * 32))
-        .sign_schnorr(executor.approval_message(p.id), aux_randomness=b"\x00" * 32)
-        .hex()
-    )
-    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", config, sess, signature=bad) == 2
-    # correct key -> approved
-    good = (
-        PrivateKey(secret)
-        .sign_schnorr(executor.approval_message(p.id), aux_randomness=b"\x00" * 32)
-        .hex()
-    )
-    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", config, sess, signature=good) == 0
-    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.APPROVED
-    entry = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="approve", result="ok").one()
-    assert "signature" in entry.detail
-
-
-def test_auto_approve_orders_by_relevance_desc(cfg, sess):
-    """Medium finding: ascending 'risk_score' approved noise first."""
-    low = _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="barely relevant")
-    low.match_score = 0.1
-    high = _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="highly relevant")
-    high.match_score = 0.9
-    sess.add_all([low, high])
-    sess.flush()
-
-    config = cfg(
-        CAYCE_OPS_AUTONOMOUS_MODE="true",
-        CAYCE_OPS_AUTONOMOUS_KINDS="content_gap",
-        CAYCE_OPS_AUTONOMOUS_DAILY_CAP="1",
-    )
-    executor._auto_approve(config, sess)
-    assert high.status is ProposalStatus.APPROVED
-    assert low.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED
-
-
-def test_run_executes_only_approved(cfg, sess):
+def test_run_executes_only_approved(cfg, sess, signer):
     approved = _proposal(title="Approved item")
     proposed = _proposal(title="Proposed item")
     sess.add_all([approved, proposed])
     sess.flush()
-    executor.approve(approved.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess)
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(
+            approved.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(approved)
+        )
+        == 0
+    )
 
     config = cfg()  # AUTONOMOUS_MODE=false
     assert executor.run(config, sess) == 0
 
-    assert approved.status == ProposalStatus.DONE
-    assert proposed.status == ProposalStatus.PROPOSED  # untouched
+    assert approved.status is ProposalStatus.DONE
+    assert proposed.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED  # untouched
 
     acts = [a.action for a in sess.query(AuditEntry).order_by(AuditEntry.id).all()]
     assert "execute_start" in acts and "execute_done" in acts
@@ -110,36 +72,127 @@ def test_autonomy_off_by_default(cfg, sess):
     sess.flush()
     config = cfg()  # autonomous_mode False even with kinds configured
     executor._auto_approve(config, sess)
-    assert p.status == ProposalStatus.PROPOSED
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED
 
 
-def test_autonomy_respects_kinds_and_daily_cap(cfg, sess):
-    p1 = _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="auto ok")
-    p2 = _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="auto over cap")
-    p3 = _proposal(kind="affiliate", title="kind not allowed")
-    sess.add_all([p1, p2, p3])
+def test_autonomy_cannot_approve_anymore(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 1a: with mandatory signatures there is NO non-human approval
+    path. AUTONOMOUS_MODE no longer approves anything (D13)."""
+    low = _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="barely relevant")
+    low.match_score = 0.1
+    high = _proposal(kind="content_gap", title="highly relevant")
+    high.match_score = 0.9
+    sess.add_all([low, high])
     sess.flush()
-
     config = cfg(
         CAYCE_OPS_AUTONOMOUS_MODE="true",
         CAYCE_OPS_AUTONOMOUS_KINDS="content_gap",
         CAYCE_OPS_AUTONOMOUS_DAILY_CAP="1",
     )
-    approved = executor._auto_approve(config, sess)
-    assert approved == 1
-    assert p1.status == ProposalStatus.APPROVED
-    assert p2.status == ProposalStatus.PROPOSED  # cap reached
-    assert p3.status == ProposalStatus.PROPOSED  # kind not in policy
-
-    actor = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="approve").one().actor
-    assert actor == "auto:policy"
+    assert executor._auto_approve(config, sess) == 0
+    assert low.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED
+    assert high.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED
+    entry = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="autonomy_disabled").one()
+    assert entry.result == "error"
 
 
-def test_failing_plugin_retries_then_fails(cfg, sess, monkeypatch):
+def test_signed_approval_mandatory_and_content_bound(cfg, sess, signer):
+    """Round-2 1a/1b/1c: signature mandatory, bound to content+deployment,
+    stored COMPLETE on the row and in the audit log. Signatures for other
+    deployments or other content are refused."""
+    from cayceops.signing import proposal_content_hash
+
+    p = _proposal(kind="partnership", title="Acme partner", url="https://acme.example.org")
+    p.detail = {"region": "latam"}
+    sess.add(p)
+    sess.flush()
+
+    chash = proposal_content_hash(p.kind, p.title, p.url, p.detail)
+
+    # no signature -> refused
+    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=None) == 2
+    # signature for ANOTHER deployment -> refused (required test)
+    other_dep = signer.raw(
+        signer.msg("proposal", "other-deploy", p.id, chash)
+    )
+    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=other_dep) == 2
+    # signature over OTHER CONTENT -> refused (required test)
+    other_content = signer.raw(signer.msg("proposal", "itest", p.id, "00" * 32))
+    assert executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=other_content) == 2
+    # valid signature -> approved
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(p)) == 0
+    )
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.APPROVED
+    entry = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="approve", result="ok").one()
+    assert entry.detail["signature"] == p.operator_signature
+
+
+def test_approve_fails_audited_from_cli_wrapper(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 1f: signature failures leave an audit record even when the
+    command runs through its CLI wrapper (the wrapper passes sess)."""
+    p = _proposal()
+    sess.add(p)
+    sess.flush()
+
+    code = executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=None)
+    assert code == 2
+    entry = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="approve", result="error").one()
+    assert "signature required" in entry.detail["reason"]
+
+
+def test_sql_approved_row_is_refused_at_execution(cfg, sess, monkeypatch):
+    """Round-2 1d (required test): a row put in `approved` by raw SQL without
+    a signature must not execute; it reverts to `proposed` with an error audit."""
+    p = _proposal()
+    p.status = ProposalStatus.APPROVED  # raw-SQL style: no signature
+    sess.add(p)
+    sess.flush()
+
+    executed = []
+
+    def spy_plugin(proposal, cfg, sess):
+        executed.append(proposal.id)
+        return {}
+
+    monkeypatch.setitem(plugins.REGISTRY, "content_gap", spy_plugin)
+    assert executor.run(cfg(), sess) == 0
+    assert executed == []
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED  # reverted
+    refused = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="execute_refused").one()
+    assert refused.result == "error"
+
+
+def test_execution_verifies_signature_against_current_content(cfg, sess, signer, monkeypatch):
+    """Round-2 1d: signature over content that changed after approval is
+    refused at execution time."""
+    p = _proposal(kind="partnership", title="original")
+    sess.add(p)
+    sess.flush()
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(p)) == 0
+    )
+
+    p.title = "EDITED after approval"  # content changed under the signature
+
+    executed = []
+    monkeypatch.setitem(
+        plugins.REGISTRY,
+        "partnership",
+        lambda proposal, cfg, sess: executed.append(proposal.id) or {},
+    )
+    assert executor.run(cfg(), sess) == 0
+    assert executed == []
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.PROPOSED
+
+
+def test_failing_plugin_retries_then_fails(cfg, sess, signer, monkeypatch):
     p = _proposal(kind="affiliate", title="Will fail")
     sess.add(p)
     sess.flush()
-    executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess)
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(p)) == 0
+    )
 
     calls = {"n": 0}
 
@@ -151,11 +204,11 @@ def test_failing_plugin_retries_then_fails(cfg, sess, monkeypatch):
     config = cfg(CAYCE_OPS_MAX_ATTEMPTS="2")
 
     executor.run(config, sess)  # attempt 1 -> back to approved for retry
-    assert p.status == ProposalStatus.APPROVED
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.APPROVED
     assert p.attempts == 1
 
     executor.run(config, sess)  # attempt 2 -> failed for good
-    assert p.status == ProposalStatus.FAILED
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.FAILED
     assert p.attempts == 2
     assert calls["n"] == 2
 
@@ -174,14 +227,16 @@ def test_http_post_blocked_when_disabled(cfg, sess):
         plugins.http_post(p, config, sess)
 
 
-def test_unknown_kind_falls_back_to_log_action(cfg, sess):
+def test_unknown_kind_falls_back_to_log_action(cfg, sess, signer):
     p = _proposal(kind="brand_new_kind", title="No plugin yet")
     sess.add(p)
     sess.flush()
-    executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess)
+    assert (
+        executor.approve(p.id, "gustavo", cfg(), sess, signature=signer.proposal(p)) == 0
+    )
 
     assert executor.run(cfg(), sess) == 0
-    assert p.status == ProposalStatus.DONE
+    assert p.status is ProposalStatus.DONE
 
     done = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="execute_done").one()
     assert done.detail["outcome"]["plugin_fallback"] is True
diff --git a/tests/test_maild.py b/tests/test_maild.py
index 18a76be..d317073 100644
--- a/tests/test_maild.py
+++ b/tests/test_maild.py
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from types import SimpleNamespace
+import os
+
+from coincurve import PrivateKey
+from coincurve import PublicKey as _PK
 
 from cayceops.components.maild import classify as clf
 from cayceops.components.maild import maild
@@ -16,9 +19,20 @@ from cayceops.models import (
     ProposalStatus,
 )
 
+# test operator keypair (matches conftest default pubkey; invented)
+OPERATOR_SECRET = bytes.fromhex("22" * 32)
+OPERATOR_PUBKEY = _PK.from_secret(OPERATOR_SECRET).format().hex()[2:]
+
 OUTBOUND_MSGID = "<cayce-draft-1-1000@cayce-co.xyz>"
 
-STUB_CFG = SimpleNamespace(mail_from="agent@cayce-co.xyz")
+# the signing gate reads env at runtime — make sure every path in this module
+# (fixtures included) sees a signed deployment
+os.environ.setdefault("CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID", "itest")
+os.environ.setdefault("CAYCE_OPS_OPERATOR_PUBKEY", OPERATOR_PUBKEY)
+from cayceops.config import load as _load  # noqa: E402  (env set above)
+
+STUB_CFG = _load()  # a real, signed Config (replaces the old SimpleNamespace)
+
 
 
 def _eml(subject, body, in_reply_to=None, msgid=None) -> bytes:
@@ -34,9 +48,24 @@ def _eml(subject, body, in_reply_to=None, msgid=None) -> bytes:
     return "\r\n".join(lines).encode()
 
 
+def _sign(msg: bytes, secret: bytes = OPERATOR_SECRET) -> str:
+
+    return PrivateKey(secret).sign_schnorr(msg, aux_randomness=b"\x00" * 32).hex()
+
+
+def _approve_signed(sess, mail_id: int) -> str:
+    """Approve with a valid operator signature over the row's current content."""
+    from cayceops.signing import approval_message, mail_content_hash
+
+    record = sess.get(MailMessage, mail_id)
+    to_addr = record.from_addr if record.direction == MailDirection.INBOUND else record.to_addr
+    chash = mail_content_hash(to_addr, record.subject, record.draft_reply)
+    return _sign(approval_message("mail", "itest", mail_id, chash))
+
+
 def _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess) -> Proposal:
     """A proposal whose first-contact mail went through the REAL path:
-    compose -> approve -> send (creating a true OUTBOUND row)."""
+    compose -> approve (signed) -> send (creating a true OUTBOUND row)."""
     p = Proposal(
         kind="partnership",
         title="Acme hotel affiliate program",
@@ -47,7 +76,10 @@ def _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess) -> Proposal:
     mail_id = maild._compose(
         p.id, "partners@acme.example.org", "[cayce] partnership inquiry", "Hello!", sess
     )
-    assert maild._approve_draft(mail_id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(mail_id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, mail_id))
+        == 0
+    )
     assert maild._send_one(STUB_CFG, sess, mail_id, sender=lambda *a, **k: None) == "sent"
     out = (
         sess.query(MailMessage)
@@ -72,8 +104,15 @@ def test_rules_classification(cfg):
         clf.classify("Your application was approved, welcome to the program", config)[0]
         is MailClassification.APPROVAL
     )
+    # negation present -> approval is vetoed to needs_review (round-2 rule;
+    # the human decides between rejection and other)
     assert (
         clf.classify("Unfortunately we cannot accept new partners", config)[0]
+        is MailClassification.NEEDS_REVIEW
+    )
+    # plain rejection (no approval word involved) still classifies directly
+    assert (
+        clf.classify("We regret to inform you that your application was declined", config)[0]
         is MailClassification.REJECTION
     )
     assert (
@@ -84,10 +123,16 @@ def test_rules_classification(cfg):
     assert kind is MailClassification.OTHER or kind is MailClassification.NEEDS_REVIEW
 
 
-def test_negated_approvals_are_rejections(cfg):
-    """Critical finding 4: 'cannot accept'/'not approved' read as approvals."""
+def test_negated_approvals_never_classify_approval(cfg):
+    """Round-2 point 2: any negation vetoes `approval` -> needs_review."""
     config = cfg()
     cases = [
+        "We cannot currently accept new affiliates",
+        "We will never accept crypto businesses",
+        "Approval was not granted for your site",
+        "We are no longer accepting applications",
+        "Your application hasn't been approved",
+        "We have decided not to move forward with your application",
         "We cannot accept your application",
         "We are not accepting new partners at this time",
         "Your application was not approved",
@@ -95,9 +140,8 @@ def test_negated_approvals_are_rejections(cfg):
         "We do not accept external affiliates",
     ]
     for text in cases:
-        kind, confidence = clf.classify(text, config)
-        assert kind is MailClassification.REJECTION, f"{text!r} -> {kind}"
-        assert confidence >= 0.9
+        kind, _ = clf.classify(text, config)
+        assert kind is not MailClassification.APPROVAL, f"{text!r} -> {kind}"
 
 
 def test_llm_prompt_format_survives_json_braces():
@@ -197,7 +241,12 @@ def test_send_requires_explicit_human_approval(cfg, sess):
     inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
     original_id = inbound.message_id
 
-    assert maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(
+            inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, inbound.id)
+        )
+        == 0
+    )
 
     sent = []
     config = cfg(CAYCE_OPS_MAIL_FROM="agent@cayce-co.xyz")
@@ -237,7 +286,12 @@ def test_double_approve_is_rejected(cfg, sess):
     maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
     inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
 
-    assert maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(
+            inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, inbound.id)
+        )
+        == 0
+    )
     assert maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess) == 1
 
 
@@ -256,7 +310,10 @@ def test_send_failure_does_not_resurrect_sent_mails(cfg, sess):
         mail_id = maild._compose(
             p.id, f"desk{i}@acme.example.org", f"[cayce] inquiry {i}", "Hello!", sess
         )
-        assert maild._approve_draft(mail_id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+        assert (
+            maild._approve_draft(mail_id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, mail_id))
+            == 0
+        )
         assert maild._send_one(STUB_CFG, sess, mail_id, sender=lambda *a, **k: None) == "sent"
         sess.flush()
         out = sess.get(MailMessage, mail_id)
@@ -272,7 +329,12 @@ def test_send_failure_does_not_resurrect_sent_mails(cfg, sess):
             .filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND, message_id=f"<acme-{i}@acme.example.org>")
             .one()
         )
-        maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess)
+        assert (
+            maild._approve_draft(
+                inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, inbound.id)
+            )
+            == 0
+        )
     sess.commit()  # per-message factory sessions only see committed rows
 
     calls = {"n": 0}
@@ -304,7 +366,12 @@ def test_edited_draft_refuses_to_send(cfg, sess):
     raw = _eml("Re: inquiry", "Approved, welcome to the program.", in_reply_to=OUTBOUND_MSGID)
     maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
     inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
-    assert maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(
+            inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, inbound.id)
+        )
+        == 0
+    )
 
     inbound.draft_reply = "TOTALLY EDITED TEXT after approval"  # tamper
 
@@ -314,7 +381,7 @@ def test_edited_draft_refuses_to_send(cfg, sess):
     assert stats["sent"] == 0 and stats["hash_mismatch"] == 1
     assert sent == []
     assert inbound.draft_status is DraftStatus.DRAFTED  # needs fresh approval
-    action = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="send_refused_hash_mismatch").one()
+    action = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="send_refused").one()
     assert action.result == "error"
 
 
@@ -334,7 +401,10 @@ def test_compose_creates_first_contact_draft(cfg, sess):
     assert out.proposal_id == p.id
 
     # approve + send -> an inbound reply can now thread to this proposal
-    assert maild._approve_draft(mail_id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(mail_id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, mail_id))
+        == 0
+    )
     stats = maild._send_approved(STUB_CFG, sess, sender=lambda *a, **k: None)
     assert stats["sent"] == 1
     sess.flush()
@@ -349,3 +419,112 @@ def test_mark_seen_returned_for_post_commit_processing(cfg, sess):
     stats, nums = maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
     assert stats["processed"] == 1
     assert nums == [b"0"]  # caller marks seen only after commit
+
+
+# --- round-2 signature gate (mail) ------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def _approved_reply(sess, cfg) -> MailMessage:
+    _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess)
+    raw = _eml("Re: inquiry", "Approved, welcome to the program.", in_reply_to=OUTBOUND_MSGID)
+    maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
+    return sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
+
+
+def test_unsigned_sql_approved_draft_is_refused(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 required test: raw-SQL approved row (no signature) not sent."""
+    _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess)
+    raw = _eml("Re: inquiry", "Approved, welcome to the program.", in_reply_to=OUTBOUND_MSGID)
+    maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
+    inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
+    # raw-SQL style approval: status flips, no signature
+    sess.execute(
+        MailMessage.__table__.update()
+        .where(MailMessage.id == inbound.id)
+        .values(draft_status=DraftStatus.APPROVED)
+    )
+    sess.expire(inbound)
+
+    sent = []
+    stats = maild._send_approved(STUB_CFG, sess, sender=lambda *a, **k: sent.append(a))
+    assert stats["sent"] == 0 and stats["hash_mismatch"] == 1
+    assert sent == []
+    assert inbound.draft_status is DraftStatus.DRAFTED  # reverted
+    refused = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="send_refused").one()
+    assert refused.result == "error"
+
+
+def test_changed_to_addr_after_approval_blocks_send(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 required test: to_addr edited after approval -> refused."""
+    _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess)
+    raw = _eml("Re: inquiry", "Approved, welcome to the program.", in_reply_to=OUTBOUND_MSGID)
+    maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
+    inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(
+            inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, inbound.id)
+        )
+        == 0
+    )
+
+    inbound.from_addr = "attacker@evil.example.org"  # redirect target
+
+    sent = []
+    stats = maild._send_approved(STUB_CFG, sess, sender=lambda *a, **k: sent.append(a))
+    assert stats["sent"] == 0 and stats["hash_mismatch"] == 1
+    assert sent == []
+    assert inbound.draft_status is DraftStatus.DRAFTED
+
+
+def test_foreign_deployment_signature_refused(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 required test: a valid signature for another deployment_id (or
+    other content) is refused."""
+    from cayceops.signing import approval_message, mail_content_hash
+
+    _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess)
+    raw = _eml("Re: inquiry", "Approved, welcome to the program.", in_reply_to=OUTBOUND_MSGID)
+    maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
+    inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
+    chash = mail_content_hash(inbound.from_addr, inbound.subject, inbound.draft_reply)
+
+    # signature valid for ANOTHER deployment
+    other_dep = _sign(
+        OPERATOR_SECRET, approval_message("mail", "other-deploy", inbound.id, chash)
+    )
+    assert maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=other_dep) == 2
+    assert inbound.draft_status is DraftStatus.DRAFTED
+
+    # signature valid for OTHER CONTENT
+    other_content = _sign(
+        OPERATOR_SECRET, approval_message("mail", "itest", inbound.id, "00" * 32)
+    )
+    assert maild._approve_draft(inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=other_content) == 2
+    assert inbound.draft_status is DraftStatus.DRAFTED
+
+
+def test_send_failures_audited_and_exit_code(cfg, sess, monkeypatch):
+    """Round-2 point 5: failures audited + surfaced; non-zero exit handled by CLI."""
+    import cayceops.db as appdb
+
+    _proposal_with_sent_draft(sess)
+    raw = _eml("Re: inquiry", "Approved, welcome to the program.", in_reply_to=OUTBOUND_MSGID)
+    maild._poll(cfg(), sess, fetcher=_fetcher([raw]))
+    inbound = sess.query(MailMessage).filter_by(direction=MailDirection.INBOUND).one()
+    assert (
+        maild._approve_draft(
+            inbound.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_approve_signed(sess, inbound.id)
+        )
+        == 0
+    )
+
+    def boom(cfg, to, subject, body, message_id, in_reply_to=None):
+        raise OSError("relay down")
+
+
+    sess.commit()  # per-message factory sessions only see committed rows
+    stats = maild._send_approved(
+        STUB_CFG, sess, sender=boom, factory=appdb.session_factory()
+    )
+    assert stats["error"] == 1 and stats["sent"] == 0
+    failed = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="send_failed").one()
+    assert failed.result == "error"
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
index 0b1fe79..41f7828 100644
--- a/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -110,3 +110,35 @@ def test_audit_chain_and_verification(sess):
     first.actor = "tampered"
     ok, broken = verify_audit_chain(sess)
     assert not ok and broken == first.id
+
+
+def test_concurrent_writers_keep_chain_verifiable(db_engine):
+    """Round-2 point 4: serialized writes -> no forked chains."""
+    import threading
+
+    import cayceops.db as appdb
+
+    errors: list[Exception] = []
+
+    def writer(worker: int, n: int):
+        try:
+            for i in range(n):
+                with appdb.session_scope() as s:
+                    audit(s, actor=f"w{worker}", action=f"step{i}", detail={"worker": worker})
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+            errors.append(exc)
+
+    threads = [threading.Thread(target=writer, args=(w, 25)) for w in range(4)]
+    for t in threads:
+        t.start()
+    for t in threads:
+        t.join()
+
+    assert not errors, errors
+    s = appdb.session_factory()()
+    total = s.query(AuditEntry).count()
+    assert total == 100
+    from cayceops.models import verify_audit_chain
+
+    ok, broken = verify_audit_chain(s)
+    assert ok and broken is None
diff --git a/tests/test_monitor.py b/tests/test_monitor.py
index a6e2222..5b8fa91 100644
--- a/tests/test_monitor.py
+++ b/tests/test_monitor.py
@@ -67,3 +67,42 @@ def test_build_escapes_injected_content(cfg, sess, tmp_path):
     page = out.read_text()
     assert "<script>x</script>" not in page
     assert "&lt;script&gt;x&lt;/script&gt;" in page
+
+
+def test_anchor_signs_and_logs_once_per_day(cfg, sess, monkeypatch):
+    from cayceops.components.monitor import monitor
+    from cayceops.models import AuditEntry
+
+    # seed the chain
+    from cayceops.models import audit as audit_fn
+
+    audit_fn(sess, actor="daemon:executor", action="execute_done", detail={})
+    sess.flush()
+
+    published = []
+
+    def fake_publish(relays, event, timeout=10.0):
+        published.append(event)
+        return [{"relay": r, "ok": "true"} for r in relays]
+
+    import cayceops.components.publisher.nostr as nostr_mod
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(nostr_mod, "publish", fake_publish)
+
+    config = cfg(
+        CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY="11" * 32,
+        CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org",
+        CAYCE_OPS_DEPLOYMENT_ID="itest",
+    )
+    code = monitor._anchor(config, sess)
+    assert code == 0
+    assert len(published) == 1
+    content = published[0]["content"]
+    assert "audit anchor" in content and "itest" in content
+    entry = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="anchor").one()
+    assert entry.detail["last_hash"]
+
+    # second call same day -> skipped, no new nostr event
+    code2 = monitor._anchor(config, sess)
+    assert code2 == 0
+    assert len(published) == 1
diff --git a/tests/test_publisher.py b/tests/test_publisher.py
index 2f7374a..d0d79f3 100644
--- a/tests/test_publisher.py
+++ b/tests/test_publisher.py
@@ -1,16 +1,30 @@
-"""publisher tests — calendar, human gate, nostr publish, disabled adapters."""
+"""publisher tests — calendar, human gate (signed), nostr publish, gates."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import os
+from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
 
 import pytest
 
 from cayceops.components.publisher import adapters, nostr, publisher
 from cayceops.models import AuditEntry, ContentItem, ContentStatus
 
-# invented test key (never a real nostr key — allowlisted in .gitleaks.toml)
-TEST_KEY = "11" * 32
+# invented test keys (never real — allowlisted in .gitleaks.toml)
+TEST_KEY = "11" * 32  # nostr signing key
+OPERATOR_SECRET = bytes.fromhex("22" * 32)  # approval signing key
+
+
+def _sign(msg: bytes, secret: bytes = OPERATOR_SECRET) -> str:
+    from coincurve import PrivateKey
+
+    return PrivateKey(secret).sign_schnorr(msg, aux_randomness=b"\x00" * 32).hex()
+
+
+def _sign_content(item: ContentItem, deployment: str = "itest") -> str:
+    from cayceops.signing import approval_message, content_content_hash
+
+    chash = content_content_hash(item.channel, item.caption, item.link)
+    return _sign(approval_message("content", deployment, item.id, chash))
 
 
 def _item(channel="nostr", theme="atm-fees", scheduled=None, status=ContentStatus.APPROVED):
@@ -24,6 +38,16 @@ def _item(channel="nostr", theme="atm-fees", scheduled=None, status=ContentStatu
     )
 
 
+def _approved_item(cfg, sess, **kw) -> ContentItem:
+    """A content item properly approved with a signature (env set first)."""
+    cfg()  # sets the signing env before any approval
+    item = _item(status=ContentStatus.DRAFT, **kw)
+    sess.add(item)
+    sess.flush()
+    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=_sign_content(item)) == 0
+    return item
+
+
 # --- nostr client -------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
@@ -65,10 +89,16 @@ def test_approve_gate(cfg, sess):
     item = _item(status=ContentStatus.DRAFT)
     sess.add(item)
     sess.flush()
+    cfg()  # signing env first
 
-    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
+    # unsigned approval refused (mandatory signature, no degraded mode)
+    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=None) == 2
+    # signed approval accepted, FULL signature stored
+    sig = _sign_content(item)
+    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=sig) == 0
     assert item.status is ContentStatus.APPROVED
-    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess) == 1  # not draft anymore
+    assert item.operator_signature == sig and len(sig) == 128
+    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=sig) == 1  # not draft anymore
 
     actor = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="approve_content").first().actor
     assert actor == "gustavo"
@@ -78,9 +108,7 @@ def test_approve_gate(cfg, sess):
 
 
 def test_publish_due_nostr_happy_path(cfg, sess):
-    item = _item()  # approved, scheduled None -> due now
-    sess.add(item)
-    sess.flush()
+    item = _approved_item(cfg, sess)
 
     relays_seen = []
 
@@ -99,25 +127,69 @@ def test_publish_due_nostr_happy_path(cfg, sess):
     assert item.status is ContentStatus.PUBLISHED
     assert item.post_ref and len(item.post_ref) == 64
     assert item.published_at is not None
-    assert "wss://relay.example.org" in relays_seen[0]  # noqa: E501
+    assert "wss://relay.example.org" in relays_seen[0]
 
 
 def test_future_scheduled_item_not_published(cfg, sess):
-    from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
-
-    item = _item(scheduled=datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(hours=2))
-    sess.add(item)
-    sess.flush()
-    config = cfg(CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY=TEST_KEY, CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org")
-    stats = publisher._publish_due(config, sess, nostr_sender=lambda r, e, timeout=10: [])
+    item = _approved_item(
+        cfg, sess, scheduled=datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(hours=2)
+    )
+    config = cfg(
+        CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY=TEST_KEY, CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org"
+    )
+    stats = publisher._publish_due(
+        config, sess, nostr_sender=lambda r, e, timeout=10: []
+    )
     assert stats["published"] == 0
     assert item.status is ContentStatus.APPROVED
 
 
-def test_nostr_without_config_fails_clean(cfg, sess):
-    item = _item()
+def test_unsigned_sql_approved_item_not_published(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 required test: raw-SQL approved row (no signature) not published."""
+    config = cfg(
+        CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY=TEST_KEY, CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org"
+    )
+    item = _item()  # status=APPROVED, no signature
     sess.add(item)
     sess.flush()
+    stats = publisher._publish_due(config, sess, nostr_sender=lambda r, e, timeout=10: [])
+    assert stats["published"] == 0 and stats["tampered"] == 1
+    assert item.status is ContentStatus.DRAFT  # reverted
+    refused = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="publish_refused").one()
+    assert refused.result == "error"
+
+
+def test_tampered_caption_refused_by_signature(cfg, sess):
+    """Round-2 required test: signature over other content refused at publish."""
+    item = _approved_item(cfg, sess)
+
+    item.caption = item.caption + " EDITED"  # content no longer matches sig
+    nostr_config = cfg(
+        CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY=TEST_KEY, CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org"
+    )
+    stats = publisher._publish_due(
+        nostr_config, sess, nostr_sender=lambda r, e, timeout=10: []
+    )
+    assert stats["published"] == 0 and stats["tampered"] == 1
+    assert item.status is ContentStatus.DRAFT
+
+
+def test_foreign_deployment_signature_refused(cfg, sess, signer):
+    """Round-2 required test: a valid signature for another deployment_id is
+    refused at approval time."""
+    item = _item(status=ContentStatus.DRAFT)
+    sess.add(item)
+    sess.flush()
+    other_dep = signer.raw(
+        signer.msg("content", "other-deploy", item.id, signer.content_hash(item))
+    )
+    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess, signature=other_dep) == 2
+    assert item.status is ContentStatus.DRAFT
+
+
+def test_nostr_without_config_fails_clean(cfg, sess):
+    """Signed item but no nostr credentials -> clean failure, item stays."""
+    item = _approved_item(cfg, sess)
     config = cfg()  # no key, no relays
     stats = publisher._publish_due(config, sess)
     assert stats["failed"] == 1
@@ -126,14 +198,15 @@ def test_nostr_without_config_fails_clean(cfg, sess):
 
 
 def test_non_nostr_channels_skipped_terminal(cfg, sess):
-    item = _item(channel="facebook", theme="lightning-abroad")
-    sess.add(item)
-    sess.flush()
+    item = _approved_item(cfg, sess, channel="facebook", theme="lightning-abroad")
     stats = publisher._publish_due(cfg(), sess)
     assert stats["skipped"] == 1
     assert item.status is ContentStatus.SKIPPED  # terminal (audit fix)
-    skip = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="publish_skipped_terminal").one()
-    assert skip.detail["channel"] == "facebook"
+
+    stats2 = publisher._publish_due(cfg(), sess)
+    assert stats2["skipped"] == 0  # never revisited
+    skips = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="publish_skipped_terminal").count()
+    assert skips == 1
 
 
 def test_meta_adapters_disabled_by_default(cfg):
@@ -164,61 +237,27 @@ def test_unknown_brand_rejected():
         images.render_brand_image(brand="xx", kicker=None, lines=["A"], out_path="/tmp/x.jpg")
 
 
-# --- audit corrections ----------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-def test_publish_refuses_tampered_caption(cfg, sess):
-    """Medium finding: approved caption was not bound to content."""
-    item = _item(status=ContentStatus.DRAFT)
-    sess.add(item)
-    sess.flush()
-    assert publisher._approve(item.id, "gustavo", sess) == 0
-
-    item.caption = item.caption + " TAMPERED"
-    config = cfg(CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY=TEST_KEY, CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org")
-    stats = publisher._publish_due(config, sess, nostr_sender=lambda r, e, timeout=10: [])
-
-    assert stats["published"] == 0 and stats["tampered"] == 1
-    assert item.status is ContentStatus.APPROVED  # stays, needs re-approval
-    action = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="publish_refused_hash_mismatch").one()
-    assert action.result == "error"
-
-
-def test_disabled_channel_is_terminal(cfg, sess):
-    """Medium finding: disabled channels wrote skip audits every 5 minutes."""
-    item = _item(channel="facebook", theme="lightning-abroad")
-    sess.add(item)
-    sess.flush()
-    config = cfg()
-
-    stats1 = publisher._publish_due(config, sess)
-    assert stats1["skipped"] == 1
-    assert item.status is ContentStatus.SKIPPED  # terminal
-
-    stats2 = publisher._publish_due(config, sess)
-    assert stats2["skipped"] == 0  # never revisited
-    skips = sess.query(AuditEntry).filter_by(action="publish_skipped_terminal").count()
-    assert skips == 1
+# --- round-2: attempts budget --------------------------------------------------
 
 
 def test_publish_attempts_bounded(cfg, sess, monkeypatch):
     """Medium finding: nostr failures retried without limit."""
     from cayceops.components.publisher import nostr as nostr_mod
 
-    item = _item()
-    sess.add(item)
-    sess.flush()
-
-    def always_fail(relays, event, timeout=10.0):
-        raise RuntimeError("relay down")
-
-    monkeypatch.setattr(nostr_mod, "publish", always_fail)
     config = cfg(
         CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_PRIVATE_KEY=TEST_KEY,
         CAYCE_OPS_NOSTR_RELAYS="wss://r.example.org",
         CAYCE_OPS_MAX_ATTEMPTS="1",
     )
+    item = _approved_item(cfg, sess)
 
+    def always_fail(relays, event, timeout=10.0):
+        raise RuntimeError("relay down")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(nostr_mod, "publish", always_fail)
     publisher._publish_due(config, sess, nostr_sender=always_fail)
     assert item.attempts == 1
     assert item.status is ContentStatus.SKIPPED  # budget exhausted -> terminal
+
+
+import os  # noqa: E402  (used by image test)