diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 37a6703..066a863 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ jobs:
           pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
           pnpm check
           pnpm test
+          pnpm test:installer
       - name: Build Linux release
         run: pnpm release:build "${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}" ./release
       - name: Create and publish Gitea Release
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9f256fc..a3a9d86 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "tallynote",
-  "version": "1.1.14",
+  "version": "1.1.15",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "packageManager": "pnpm@9.0.6",
diff --git a/scripts/tallynote-update-runner.sh b/scripts/tallynote-update-runner.sh
index 900326e..908f31b 100755
--- a/scripts/tallynote-update-runner.sh
+++ b/scripts/tallynote-update-runner.sh
@@ -32,10 +32,96 @@ if [[ -f "$REQUEST_FILE" && ! -L "$REQUEST_FILE" ]]; then
   [[ "$request_operation" == download || "$request_operation" == apply ]] || request_operation='apply'
 fi
 
+# Capture the request id before any privileged preflight can fail. The
+# request file is an application-owned one-shot marker; removing it on an
+# early runner failure lets the server-side lease reaper release the DB row.
+job_id=''
+if [[ -f "$REQUEST_FILE" && ! -L "$REQUEST_FILE" ]]; then
+  job_id=$(sed -n 's/.*"jobId"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*"\([0-9a-f-]*\)".*/\1/p' "$REQUEST_FILE" | head -n 1)
+fi
+STATE_CREATED=0
+heartbeat_pid=''
+heartbeat_owner=$$
+
+write_recovery_state() {
+  local phase=$1 temporary
+  temporary="$PREFIX/.update-state-$$-${RANDOM}.tmp"
+  [[ ! -e "$temporary" && ! -L "$temporary" ]] || return 1
+  printf 'job_id=%s\nold_target=%s\nphase=%s\n' "$job_id" "$old_target" "$phase" > "$temporary"
+  chmod 600 "$temporary"
+  mv -Tf -- "$temporary" "$STATE_FILE"
+  STATE_CREATED=1
+}
+
+clear_recovery_state() {
+  [[ ! -L "$STATE_FILE" ]] || return 1
+  rm -f -- "$STATE_FILE"
+  STATE_CREATED=0
+}
+
+stop_heartbeat() {
+  if [[ -n "$heartbeat_pid" ]]; then
+    kill "$heartbeat_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+    wait "$heartbeat_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+    heartbeat_pid=''
+  fi
+}
+
+heartbeat() {
+  # Keep the lease fresh during long downloads/backups, but stop on a hard
+  # runner kill so an orphaned child cannot keep the recovery marker alive.
+  while kill -0 "$heartbeat_owner" 2>/dev/null; do
+    sleep 10 || exit 0
+    [[ -f "$STATE_FILE" && ! -L "$STATE_FILE" ]] || exit 0
+    touch "$STATE_FILE" 2>/dev/null || exit 0
+  done
+}
+
+start_heartbeat() {
+  stop_heartbeat
+  heartbeat &
+  heartbeat_pid=$!
+}
+
+# This trap covers failures before the normal apply cleanup trap is installed,
+# including a missing runtime, an invalid current link, and a failed service
+# stop. It deliberately does not remove a pre-existing recovery marker.
+preflight_cleanup() {
+  local result=$?
+  stop_heartbeat
+  if (( result != 0 )); then
+    rm -f -- "$REQUEST_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
+    if (( STATE_CREATED == 1 )); then clear_recovery_state || true; fi
+  fi
+  return "$result"
+}
+trap preflight_cleanup EXIT
+
 # Downloading is intentionally handled while the main service remains up.
 # The CLI persists the validated payload under the root-owned workspace and
 # leaves the job staged for a later apply request.
 if [[ "$request_operation" == download ]]; then
+  # A previous download runner may have been interrupted after creating its
+  # marker. Clear only that download marker and retry the idempotent request.
+  if [[ -f "$STATE_FILE" && ! -L "$STATE_FILE" ]] && grep -q '^phase=download$' "$STATE_FILE"; then
+    clear_recovery_state || die '无法清理上一次下载状态'
+  fi
+  write_recovery_state download || die '无法写入更新恢复状态'
+  cleanup_download() {
+    local result=$?
+    stop_heartbeat
+    if (( result != 0 )); then
+      # The CLI normally records failed itself. If it died before opening the
+      # database, the expired marker/request will be reconciled by the app.
+      rm -f -- "$REQUEST_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+    clear_recovery_state || true
+    return "$result"
+  }
+  trap cleanup_download EXIT
+  trap 'exit 143' TERM
+  trap 'exit 130' INT
+  start_heartbeat
   node_bin="$CURRENT_LINK/runtime/bin/node"
   [[ -x "$node_bin" ]] || node_bin=$(command -v node || true)
   [[ -n "$node_bin" ]] || die 'node runtime not found'
@@ -69,34 +155,21 @@ if systemctl is-active --quiet "$SERVICE_NAME"; then was_active=1; fi
 # shellcheck disable=SC2329 # invoked indirectly by the EXIT trap below
 restore_initial_service() {
   local result=$?
+  stop_heartbeat
+  if (( result != 0 )); then
+    rm -f -- "$REQUEST_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
+    if (( STATE_CREATED == 1 )); then clear_recovery_state || true; fi
+  fi
   if (( was_active )); then systemctl start "$SERVICE_NAME" || true; fi
   return "$result"
 }
 trap restore_initial_service EXIT
-systemctl stop "$SERVICE_NAME"
-
-job_id=''
-if [[ -f "$REQUEST_FILE" && ! -L "$REQUEST_FILE" ]]; then
-  job_id=$(sed -n 's/.*"jobId"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*"\([0-9a-f-]*\)".*/\1/p' "$REQUEST_FILE" | head -n 1)
-fi
 old_node="$CURRENT_LINK/runtime/bin/node"
 [[ -x "$old_node" ]] || old_node=$(command -v node || true)
-switched=0
 handled=0
 
-write_update_state() {
-  local phase=$1 temporary
-  temporary="$PREFIX/.update-state-$$-${RANDOM}.tmp"
-  [[ ! -e "$temporary" && ! -L "$temporary" ]] || return 1
-  printf 'job_id=%s\nold_target=%s\nphase=%s\n' "$job_id" "$old_target" "$phase" > "$temporary"
-  chmod 600 "$temporary"
-  mv -Tf -- "$temporary" "$STATE_FILE"
-}
-
-clear_update_state() {
-  [[ ! -L "$STATE_FILE" ]] || return 1
-  rm -f -- "$STATE_FILE"
-}
+write_update_state() { write_recovery_state "$1"; }
+clear_update_state() { clear_recovery_state; }
 
 finalize_state_job() {
   local node=$1 status=$2 state_job=$3
@@ -195,13 +268,24 @@ fi
 
 [[ -f "$REQUEST_FILE" && ! -L "$REQUEST_FILE" ]] || exit 0
 
+# Only create the marker for this invocation after any marker from a previous
+# interrupted run has been reconciled. Otherwise the freshly-created `running`
+# marker is indistinguishable from stale recovery state and the runner can
+# finalize its own queued job as failed before the update CLI starts.
+if [[ ! -e "$STATE_FILE" ]]; then
+  write_recovery_state running || die '无法写入更新恢复状态'
+fi
+start_heartbeat
+if ! systemctl stop "$SERVICE_NAME"; then
+  die '无法停止 TallyNote 服务'
+fi
+
 rollback_current() {
   local current_target rollback_link
   current_target=$(readlink -f -- "$CURRENT_LINK" 2>/dev/null || true)
   if [[ "$current_target" == "$old_target" ]]; then
     # An earlier failure branch may already have restored the link. Keep the
     # marker truthful so the EXIT trap can still finalize the job.
-    switched=0
     return 0
   fi
   rollback_link="$PREFIX/.current-rollback-$$-${RANDOM}.tmp"
@@ -211,7 +295,6 @@ rollback_current() {
     rm -f -- "$rollback_link" 2>/dev/null || true
     return 1
   fi
-  switched=0
 }
 
 finalize_failed_job() {
@@ -237,6 +320,7 @@ finalize_completed_job() {
 # shellcheck disable=SC2329 # invoked indirectly by the EXIT trap below
 cleanup_after_update() {
   local result=$? rollback_ok=1
+  stop_heartbeat
   if (( result != 0 && handled == 0 )); then
     if ! rollback_current; then rollback_ok=0; fi
     # Once the old release is active again, always try to close the job. The
@@ -258,7 +342,6 @@ cleanup_after_update() {
 }
 trap cleanup_after_update EXIT
 
-write_update_state running || exit 1
 node_bin="$CURRENT_LINK/runtime/bin/node"
 [[ -x "$node_bin" ]] || node_bin=$(command -v node || true)
 [[ -n "$node_bin" ]] || die 'node runtime not found'
@@ -273,9 +356,6 @@ if (( update_result != 0 )); then
   exit "$update_result"
 fi
 
-if [[ "$(readlink -f -- "$CURRENT_LINK" 2>/dev/null || true)" != "$old_target" ]]; then
-  switched=1
-fi
 write_update_state health-check || exit 1
 
 systemctl start "$SERVICE_NAME"
diff --git a/scripts/test-installer.sh b/scripts/test-installer.sh
index 92271a5..78806ff 100755
--- a/scripts/test-installer.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-installer.sh
@@ -160,6 +160,35 @@ bash -c '
   wait_for_service_health 0.0.0.0 3011
 ' _ "$installer_lib"
 
+# Exercise the privileged runner's normal apply hand-off with portable command
+# shims. In particular, the freshly-created running marker must not be treated
+# as stale state before the update CLI gets a chance to process the request.
+runner_root="$tmp/runner"
+runner_prefix="$runner_root/prefix"
+runner_data="$runner_root/data"
+runner_tools="$runner_root/tools"
+mkdir -p "$runner_prefix/releases/1.0.0/runtime/bin" "$runner_prefix/releases/1.0.0/dist/server/cli" "$runner_data" "$runner_tools"
+ln -s "$runner_prefix/releases/1.0.0" "$runner_prefix/current"
+printf '%s\n' '{"jobId":"00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001","operation":"apply"}' > "$runner_data/update-request.json"
+printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'printf "%s\\n" "$*" >> "$TALLYNOTE_NODE_TRACE"' 'exit 0' > "$runner_prefix/releases/1.0.0/runtime/bin/node"
+printf '%s\n' cli > "$runner_prefix/releases/1.0.0/dist/server/cli/update.js"
+printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'case "${1:-}" in is-active) exit 0;; *) exit 0;; esac' > "$runner_tools/systemctl"
+printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'if [[ "${1:-}" == "-f" ]]; then shift; [[ "${1:-}" == "--" ]] && shift; /bin/realpath "$1"; else /usr/bin/readlink "$@"; fi' > "$runner_tools/readlink"
+printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'if [[ "${1:-}" == "-Tf" ]]; then shift; /bin/mv -f "$@"; else /bin/mv "$@"; fi' > "$runner_tools/mv"
+printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'exit 0' > "$runner_tools/curl"
+chmod 755 "$runner_prefix/releases/1.0.0/runtime/bin/node" "$runner_tools/systemctl" "$runner_tools/readlink" "$runner_tools/mv" "$runner_tools/curl"
+runner_script="$runner_root/runner.sh"
+runner_path="$runner_tools:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"
+sed "s#PATH=/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin#PATH=$runner_path#" "$root/scripts/tallynote-update-runner.sh" > "$runner_script"
+chmod 755 "$runner_script"
+runner_prefix_physical=$(cd "$runner_prefix" && pwd -P)
+runner_data_physical=$(cd "$runner_data" && pwd -P)
+env EUID=0 TALLYNOTE_INSTALL_PREFIX="$runner_prefix_physical" TALLYNOTE_DATA_DIR="$runner_data_physical" TALLYNOTE_NODE_TRACE="$runner_root/node.log" bash "$runner_script"
+grep -q -- '--request-file' "$runner_root/node.log"
+grep -q -- '--finalize-job' "$runner_root/node.log"
+[[ ! -e "$runner_data/update-request.json" ]]
+[[ ! -e "$runner_prefix/.update-state" ]]
+
 # A RETURN trap installed by install_release must be cleared while its local
 # temporary variables still exist; otherwise set -u fails at the end of main.
 release_fixture="$tmp/release-fixture"
diff --git a/server/index.ts b/server/index.ts
index 71dde82..d495983 100644
--- a/server/index.ts
+++ b/server/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { loadConfig, prepareDataDirectories, acquireInstanceLock } from "./confi
 import { openDatabase } from "./db/index.js";
 import { buildApp } from "./app.js";
 import { cleanupOrphanedExports, expireExports, resumeExports } from "./exporter.js";
+import { reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs } from "./update-service.js";
 
 const config = loadConfig();
 prepareDataDirectories(config);
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ async function start() {
   await expireExports(database.sqlite, config);
   await cleanupOrphanedExports(database.sqlite, config);
   await resumeExports(database.sqlite, config);
+  reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database.sqlite, config);
   const app = await buildApp(database, config);
   const janitor = setInterval(() => {
     void cleanupStaging(config);
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ async function start() {
     void processFileDeletions(database.sqlite, config);
     void expireExports(database.sqlite, config);
     void cleanupOrphanedExports(database.sqlite, config);
+    reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database.sqlite, config);
   }, 60_000);
   const shutdown = async () => {
     clearInterval(janitor);
diff --git a/server/update-service.ts b/server/update-service.ts
index 4850ef9..703f800 100644
--- a/server/update-service.ts
+++ b/server/update-service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { lstatSync, realpathSync } from "node:fs";
+import { lstatSync, realpathSync, unlinkSync } from "node:fs";
 import { chmod, mkdir, rename, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { createPublicKey, randomUUID, verify as verifySignature } from "node:crypto";
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ export const ACTIVE_UPDATE_STATUSES: readonly UpdateJobStatus[] = [
 ];
 
 // A queued job normally starts within seconds and an applying job completes
-// after the service health check. This grace period only applies when both
-// hand-off markers are gone, so an active runner is never reclaimed midway
-// through a download, backup, or switch.
+// after the service health check. The runner refreshes its recovery marker as
+// a lease while doing long downloads/backups; only an expired lease permits
+// the server to reclaim an active row.
 export const ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
 
 export type CachedRelease = {
@@ -364,12 +364,24 @@ export function publicUpdateJob(row: Record<string, unknown> | undefined): Recor
   };
 }
 
-function markerExists(filePath: string): boolean {
+function markerMtime(filePath: string): number | null {
   try {
     const info = lstatSync(filePath);
-    return info.isFile() || info.isSymbolicLink();
+    return info.isFile() ? info.mtimeMs : null;
   } catch {
-    return false;
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function removeExpiredRequest(filePath: string, now: number): void {
+  try {
+    const info = lstatSync(filePath);
+    if (!info.isFile() && !info.isSymbolicLink()) return;
+    if (now - info.mtimeMs < ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS) return;
+    unlinkSync(filePath);
+  } catch {
+    // The root runner may own the marker during a recovery race. The DB
+    // transition below is still enough to release the browser queue.
   }
 }
 
@@ -385,28 +397,64 @@ function currentReleaseVersion(config: AppConfig): string | null {
 }
 
 /**
- * Release an update row left behind after both privileged hand-off markers
- * disappeared. This is deliberately conservative: staged downloads remain
- * available for an explicit apply, and any visible marker means the runner
- * still owns recovery.
+ * Release an update row left behind after its privileged runner lease expired.
+ * This is deliberately conservative: staged downloads remain available for an
+ * explicit apply, and a fresh request/state marker means the runner still owns
+ * recovery.
  */
 export function reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database: Database.Database, config: AppConfig, now = Date.now()): number {
   const placeholders = ACTIVE_UPDATE_STATUSES.map(() => "?").join(",");
   const rows = database.prepare(`
-    SELECT id, status, version, admin_id AS adminId, request_id AS requestId,
+    SELECT id, status, operation, version, admin_id AS adminId, request_id AS requestId,
       updated_at AS updatedAt
     FROM update_jobs
     WHERE status IN (${placeholders})
     ORDER BY updated_at ASC
-  `).all(...ACTIVE_UPDATE_STATUSES) as Array<{ id: string; status: UpdateJobStatus; version: string; adminId: string | null; requestId: string | null; updatedAt: number | null }>;
+  `).all(...ACTIVE_UPDATE_STATUSES) as Array<{ id: string; status: UpdateJobStatus; operation: "download" | "apply"; version: string; adminId: string | null; requestId: string | null; updatedAt: number | null }>;
   if (rows.length === 0) return 0;
-  const requestPresent = markerExists(config.updateRequestPath);
-  const statePresent = markerExists(path.join(config.installPrefix, ".update-state"));
-  if (requestPresent || statePresent) return 0;
+  const statePath = path.join(config.installPrefix, ".update-state");
+  const requestMtime = markerMtime(config.updateRequestPath);
+  const stateMtime = markerMtime(statePath);
+  const requestPresent = requestMtime !== null;
+  const statePresent = stateMtime !== null;
+  const requestFresh = requestPresent && now - (requestMtime ?? 0) < ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS;
+  const stateFresh = statePresent && now - (stateMtime ?? 0) < ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS;
+  // A staged download is normally kept for an explicit apply. The one
+  // exception is the hand-off window where the API has already changed the
+  // operation to `apply` but crashed before writing the request file. That
+  // row is still safe to retry and must not block the queue forever.
   const releaseVersion = currentReleaseVersion(config);
   let reconciled = 0;
   for (const row of rows) {
-    if (row.status === "staged" || typeof row.updatedAt !== "number" || now - row.updatedAt < ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS) continue;
+    if (typeof row.updatedAt !== "number" || now - row.updatedAt < ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS) continue;
+    // The runner refreshes the state marker while a download is in flight.
+    // A stale request/state marker therefore no longer protects an orphaned
+    // row forever, while a fresh marker remains owned by the runner.
+    if (row.status === "staged") {
+      if (row.operation !== "apply" || requestFresh || stateFresh) continue;
+      const changed = database.transaction(() => {
+        const result = database.prepare(`
+          UPDATE update_jobs
+          SET operation='download', error_message=NULL, updated_at=?
+          WHERE id=? AND status='staged' AND operation='apply' AND updated_at=?
+        `).run(now, row.id, row.updatedAt);
+        if (result.changes !== 1) return false;
+        writeAudit(database, {
+          requestId: row.requestId || randomUUID(),
+          actorAdminId: row.adminId,
+          action: "update.reconciled",
+          targetType: "update",
+          targetId: row.id,
+          outcome: "success",
+          before: { status: row.status, operation: row.operation, version: row.version },
+          after: { status: "staged", operation: "download", version: row.version, reason: "apply_request_missing" },
+        });
+        return true;
+      })();
+      if (changed) reconciled += 1;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (requestFresh || stateFresh) continue;
     const status: "completed" | "failed" = row.status === "applying" && releaseVersion === row.version ? "completed" : "failed";
     const errorMessage = status === "failed" ? "更新任务超时，已释放更新队列" : null;
     const changed = database.transaction(() => {
@@ -430,5 +478,14 @@ export function reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database: Database.Database, config:
     })();
     if (changed) reconciled += 1;
   }
+  // Prevent a stale request from being replayed after its DB row has been
+  // marked failed. The path is fixed by the server configuration and the
+  // operation is safe even when a root runner is racing with this call.
+  // A download runner refreshes the state marker while it is still using the
+  // request. Keep the request until that lease also expires; otherwise a
+  // long download can lose its job id and fail to finalize its row.
+  if (!stateFresh && (!requestPresent || (requestMtime !== null && now - requestMtime >= ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS))) {
+    removeExpiredRequest(config.updateRequestPath, now);
+  }
   return reconciled;
 }
diff --git a/tests/update.test.ts b/tests/update.test.ts
index d9872f1..001e424 100644
--- a/tests/update.test.ts
+++ b/tests/update.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { mkdir, readlink, symlink, writeFile, readFile, stat, readdir } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { mkdir, readlink, symlink, writeFile, readFile, stat, readdir, utimes } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { mkdtemp, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
@@ -309,14 +309,63 @@ describe("更新安全工具", () => {
       const queuedId = randomUUID();
       const applyingId = randomUUID();
       const stagedId = randomUUID();
+      const stagedApplyId = randomUUID();
       insert.run(queuedId, "apply", "queued", "1.2.0", "linux-x64", "https://updates.example/queued.tar.gz", staleAt, staleAt);
       insert.run(applyingId, "apply", "applying", config.appVersion, "linux-x64", "https://updates.example/applying.tar.gz", staleAt, staleAt);
       insert.run(stagedId, "download", "staged", "1.2.0", "linux-x64", "https://updates.example/staged.tar.gz", staleAt, staleAt);
+      insert.run(stagedApplyId, "apply", "staged", "1.2.0", "linux-x64", "https://updates.example/staged-apply.tar.gz", staleAt, staleAt);
       const now = Date.now();
-      expect(reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database.sqlite, config, now)).toBe(2);
+      expect(reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database.sqlite, config, now)).toBe(3);
       expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(queuedId)).toEqual({ status: "failed" });
       expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(applyingId)).toEqual({ status: "completed" });
-      expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(stagedId)).toEqual({ status: "staged" });
+      expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status, operation FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(stagedId)).toEqual({ status: "staged", operation: "download" });
+      expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status, operation FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(stagedApplyId)).toEqual({ status: "staged", operation: "download" });
+    } finally {
+      if (database) database.sqlite.close();
+      await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("下载心跳有效时不回收任务或删除仍在使用的请求文件", async () => {
+    const root = await mkdtemp(path.join(tmpdir(), "tallynote-update-heartbeat-"));
+    let database: ReturnType<typeof openDatabase> | undefined;
+    try {
+      const dataDir = path.join(root, "data");
+      const installPrefix = path.join(root, "install");
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_DATA_DIR = dataDir;
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_INSTALL_PREFIX = installPrefix;
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_PUBLIC_ORIGIN = "http://127.0.0.1:3998";
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_COOKIE_SECURE = "false";
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_UPDATE_STRATEGY = "systemd";
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_UPDATE_METADATA_URL = "https://updates.example/latest";
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_UPDATE_ALLOWED_HOSTS = "updates.example";
+      process.env.TALLYNOTE_UPDATE_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE = "false";
+      const config = loadConfig();
+      prepareDataDirectories(config);
+      await mkdir(path.join(config.releasesDir, config.appVersion, "dist"), { recursive: true });
+      await symlink(path.join(config.releasesDir, config.appVersion), config.currentLink);
+      database = openDatabase(config);
+      const staleAt = Date.now() - ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS - 1;
+      const jobId = randomUUID();
+      database.sqlite.prepare(`
+        INSERT INTO update_jobs(id, operation, status, version, platform, asset_url, created_at, updated_at)
+        VALUES (?, 'download', 'downloading', '1.2.0', 'linux-x64', ?, ?, ?)
+      `).run(jobId, "https://updates.example/download.tar.gz", staleAt, staleAt);
+      await writeFile(config.updateRequestPath, JSON.stringify({ jobId, operation: "download" }));
+      const statePath = path.join(config.installPrefix, ".update-state");
+      await writeFile(statePath, `job_id=${jobId}\nold_target=${path.join(config.releasesDir, config.appVersion)}\nphase=download\n`);
+      const now = Date.now();
+      await utimes(config.updateRequestPath, new Date(staleAt), new Date(staleAt));
+      await utimes(statePath, new Date(now), new Date(now));
+      expect(reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database.sqlite, config, now)).toBe(0);
+      expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(jobId)).toEqual({ status: "downloading" });
+      expect(await stat(config.updateRequestPath)).toBeTruthy();
+
+      const expiredNow = now + ORPHANED_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_MS + 1;
+      await utimes(statePath, new Date(staleAt), new Date(staleAt));
+      expect(reconcileOrphanedUpdateJobs(database.sqlite, config, expiredNow)).toBe(1);
+      expect(database.sqlite.prepare("SELECT status FROM update_jobs WHERE id=?").get(jobId)).toEqual({ status: "failed" });
+      await expect(stat(config.updateRequestPath)).rejects.toThrow();
     } finally {
       if (database) database.sqlite.close();
       await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true });