diff --git a/crates/tracedecay-cli/tests/core_cli_suite/cli_non_interactive_test.rs b/crates/tracedecay-cli/tests/core_cli_suite/cli_non_interactive_test.rs
index 3391fe3c5d6..c33f3c452e2 100644
--- a/crates/tracedecay-cli/tests/core_cli_suite/cli_non_interactive_test.rs
+++ b/crates/tracedecay-cli/tests/core_cli_suite/cli_non_interactive_test.rs
@@ -664,12 +664,18 @@ fn git_sync_failure(message: &str, output: &Output) -> String {
     )
 }
 
-fn assert_mounted_git_sync(output: &Output, dry_run: bool) {
+fn assert_mounted_git_sync(output: &Output, dry_run: bool, daemon_log: &Path) {
     let stdout = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout);
     let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
     assert!(
         output.status.success(),
-        "sessions git-sync should succeed\nstdout:\n{stdout}\nstderr:\n{stderr}"
+        "sessions git-sync should succeed\nstdout:\n{stdout}\nstderr:\n{stderr}\ntopology diagnostics:\n{}",
+        std::fs::read_to_string(daemon_log)
+            .expect("read isolated daemon log")
+            .lines()
+            .filter(|line| line.contains("git_topology_publication_unavailable"))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join("\n")
     );
     assert!(
         stdout.starts_with("session git sync completed (session-sync."),
@@ -723,10 +729,13 @@ fn sessions_git_sync_on_a_cold_daemon_waits_for_the_project_mount() {
     let hold = canonical_temp_path(home.path()).join("hold-after-core-publish");
     std::fs::write(&hold, b"hold").unwrap();
     let entered = PathBuf::from(format!("{}.entered", hold.display()));
-    let _daemon = crate::common::spawn_tracedecay_daemon_with(home.path(), {
+    let daemon_log = home.path().join("git-sync-daemon.log");
+    let _daemon = crate::common::spawn_tracedecay_daemon_logged(home.path(), &daemon_log, {
         let hold = hold.clone();
         move |command| {
-            command.env("TRACEDECAY_TEST_HOLD_AFTER_CORE_PUBLISH", &hold);
+            command
+                .env("TRACEDECAY_TEST_HOLD_AFTER_CORE_PUBLISH", &hold)
+                .env("RUST_LOG", "warn");
         }
     });
 
@@ -775,11 +784,16 @@ fn sessions_git_sync_on_a_cold_daemon_waits_for_the_project_mount() {
     assert_mounted_git_sync(
         &wait_for_git_sync(&mut child, &mut stdout, &mut stderr),
         true,
+        &daemon_log,
     );
 
     let mut command = tracedecay_command_without_daemon(home.path(), &project_root);
     command.args(["sessions", "git-sync"]);
-    assert_mounted_git_sync(&run_with_timeout(command, cli_timeout()), false);
+    assert_mounted_git_sync(
+        &run_with_timeout(command, cli_timeout()),
+        false,
+        &daemon_log,
+    );
 }
 
 fn dashboard_session_authority(capabilities_url: &str) -> String {
diff --git a/crates/tracedecay-maintenance/src/retention/footprint.rs b/crates/tracedecay-maintenance/src/retention/footprint.rs
index 7c6d4ead0c0..79396636d2a 100644
--- a/crates/tracedecay-maintenance/src/retention/footprint.rs
+++ b/crates/tracedecay-maintenance/src/retention/footprint.rs
@@ -576,6 +576,26 @@ fn floor_note(unavailable_entry_count: usize, truncated: bool) -> String {
     }
 }
 
+/// Only an enrolled project has a first-party destructive reclaim path.
+/// An unregistered directory or unrelated profile family must never be sent
+/// through `projects forget`; it only accepts registered identities.
+fn registered_project_reclaim_hint(entry: &ProfileFootprintEntryV1) -> Option<String> {
+    if entry.family != ProfileFamilyV1::ProjectStore || entry.bytes <= entry.bound_bytes {
+        return None;
+    }
+    entry.project.as_ref()?.registered_root.as_ref()?;
+    let id = entry.key.strip_prefix("projects/").filter(|id| {
+        id.starts_with("proj_")
+            && id.len() > "proj_".len()
+            && id
+                .bytes()
+                .all(|byte| byte.is_ascii_alphanumeric() || byte == b'_')
+    })?;
+    Some(format!(
+        "; if retention stalls, LAST RESORT (DELETES project data): `tracedecay --dry-run projects forget {id}` then `tracedecay --yes projects forget {id}`"
+    ))
+}
+
 fn entry_statement(entry: &ProfileFootprintEntryV1) -> String {
     let label = match entry.family {
         ProfileFamilyV1::ProjectStore => "project store",
@@ -609,10 +629,46 @@ fn entry_statement(entry: &ProfileFootprintEntryV1) -> String {
                 format_bytes(kinds.graph_replay_pool)
             )
         });
+    let reclaim = registered_project_reclaim_hint(entry).unwrap_or_default();
+    let floor = floor_note(entry.unavailable_entry_count, false);
+    let render = |root: &str, reclaim: &str| {
+        format!("{label} {}{reclaim}{root}{breakdown}{floor}", entry.key)
+    };
+    let fits = |subject: &str| {
+        let statement = footprint_statement(subject, entry.bytes, entry.bound_bytes);
+        super::diagnostics::bounded_statement(&statement) == statement
+    };
+    let detailed = render(&root, &reclaim);
+    if reclaim.is_empty() || fits(&detailed) {
+        return detailed;
+    }
+    // Budget the complete rendered finding, including both commands, the
+    // deletion warning, and the measured overage. A root-length heuristic
+    // does not account for selector length, UTF-8, or the other evidence.
+    let root_state = entry
+        .project
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|project| format!(" ({})", project.state.label()))
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+    let compact = render(
+        &format!(" (registered root omitted from bounded diagnostic){root_state}"),
+        &reclaim,
+    );
+    if fits(&compact) {
+        compact
+    } else {
+        // Never turn a long identity into a truncated destructive command.
+        // Preserve the root's liveness and measured pressure if the complete
+        // recovery command cannot fit within the diagnostic limit.
+        render(&root_state, "")
+    }
+}
+
+fn footprint_statement(subject: &str, bytes: u64, bound_bytes: u64) -> String {
     format!(
-        "{label} {}{root}{breakdown}{}",
-        entry.key,
-        floor_note(entry.unavailable_entry_count, false)
+        "{subject}: {} of {} bound",
+        format_bytes(bytes),
+        format_bytes(bound_bytes)
     )
 }
 
@@ -639,11 +695,7 @@ fn bounded_finding(
             DoctorCoverageCompletenessV1::Complete,
         )
     };
-    let statement = format!(
-        "{subject}: {} of {} bound",
-        format_bytes(bytes),
-        format_bytes(bound_bytes)
-    );
+    let statement = footprint_statement(subject, bytes, bound_bytes);
     let reference = DoctorEvidenceReferenceV1::new(key.to_owned()).ok()?;
     let evidence = DoctorEvidenceRefV1::new(DoctorFindingFamilyV1::Storage, reference);
     let coverage = DoctorCoverageStatementV1::new(
@@ -997,6 +1049,202 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn overbound_project_doctor_names_a_supported_destructive_reclaim_only_for_registered_stores() {
+        let fixture = profile_fixture();
+        let overrides = BTreeMap::from([
+            ("projects/proj_live".to_owned(), 1024),
+            ("projects/proj_stray".to_owned(), 1),
+        ]);
+        let mut over = census_profile_footprint(&fixture.profile, &fixture.registered, &overrides);
+        let over_findings = findings(&over);
+        let live = &over_findings["projects/proj_live"];
+        assert_eq!(live.finding().state(), DoctorEvidenceStateV1::Degraded);
+        let statement = live.finding().coverage().statement();
+        assert!(
+            statement.contains("tracedecay --dry-run projects forget proj_live"),
+            "{statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            statement.contains("tracedecay --yes projects forget proj_live"),
+            "{statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(statement.contains("DELETES project data"), "{statement}");
+
+        let unregistered = &over_findings["projects/proj_stray"];
+        assert_eq!(
+            unregistered.finding().state(),
+            DoctorEvidenceStateV1::Degraded
+        );
+        assert!(
+            !unregistered
+                .finding()
+                .coverage()
+                .statement()
+                .contains("projects forget"),
+            "an unregistered directory has no safe project selector"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            !over_findings["profile"]
+                .finding()
+                .coverage()
+                .statement()
+                .contains("projects forget"),
+            "a profile total does not identify a reclaimable project"
+        );
+
+        let long_root = "nested-repository/".repeat(70);
+        let registered = over
+            .entries
+            .iter_mut()
+            .find(|entry| entry.key == "projects/proj_live")
+            .expect("registered footprint");
+        registered
+            .project
+            .as_mut()
+            .expect("registered project")
+            .registered_root = Some(long_root);
+        let bounded = findings(&over);
+        let bounded_statement = bounded["projects/proj_live"]
+            .finding()
+            .coverage()
+            .statement();
+        assert!(
+            bounded_statement.contains("tracedecay --dry-run projects forget proj_live"),
+            "{bounded_statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            bounded_statement.contains(" of 1.0 KB bound"),
+            "over-budget bytes and limit must survive a long repository path: {bounded_statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(bounded_statement.contains("registered root omitted"));
+
+        over.entries
+            .iter_mut()
+            .find(|entry| entry.key == "projects/proj_live")
+            .expect("registered footprint")
+            .project
+            .as_mut()
+            .expect("registered project")
+            .state = ProjectRootStateV1::Missing;
+        let missing_statement = findings(&over)["projects/proj_live"]
+            .finding()
+            .coverage()
+            .statement()
+            .to_owned();
+        assert!(
+            missing_statement.contains("(root missing on disk)"),
+            "a compact finding must retain a missing root: {missing_statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            missing_statement.contains("tracedecay --dry-run projects forget proj_live"),
+            "the bounded recovery command must remain intact: {missing_statement}"
+        );
+        over.entries
+            .iter_mut()
+            .find(|entry| entry.key == "projects/proj_live")
+            .expect("registered footprint")
+            .project
+            .as_mut()
+            .expect("registered project")
+            .state = ProjectRootStateV1::Unverifiable;
+        let unverifiable_statement = findings(&over)["projects/proj_live"]
+            .finding()
+            .coverage()
+            .statement()
+            .to_owned();
+        assert!(
+            unverifiable_statement.contains("(root unverifiable)"),
+            "a compact finding must retain an unverifiable root: {unverifiable_statement}"
+        );
+
+        let normal =
+            census_profile_footprint(&fixture.profile, &fixture.registered, &BTreeMap::new());
+        let healthy = findings(&normal);
+        assert_eq!(
+            healthy["projects/proj_live"].finding().state(),
+            DoctorEvidenceStateV1::HealthyCompleteCoverage
+        );
+        assert!(
+            !healthy["projects/proj_live"]
+                .finding()
+                .coverage()
+                .statement()
+                .contains("projects forget"),
+            "within-budget stores must not be offered destructive recovery"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn reclaim_guidance_omits_unusable_project_selectors() {
+        let fixture = profile_fixture();
+        for id in [
+            "proj_".to_owned(),
+            "proj_bad;echo".to_owned(),
+            "proj_bad`id".to_owned(),
+            format!("proj_{}", "a".repeat(160)),
+        ] {
+            let key = format!("projects/{id}");
+            let store = fixture.profile.join(&key).join("tracedecay.db");
+            sized(&store, 2048);
+            let registered = BTreeMap::from([(id, fixture.live_root.clone())]);
+            let overrides = BTreeMap::from([(key.clone(), 1)]);
+            let footprint = census_profile_footprint(&fixture.profile, &registered, &overrides);
+            let observed = findings(&footprint);
+            let finding = &observed[&key];
+            assert_eq!(finding.finding().state(), DoctorEvidenceStateV1::Degraded);
+            let statement = finding.finding().coverage().statement();
+            assert!(
+                !statement.contains("projects forget"),
+                "unsafe or incomplete actions must be omitted: {statement}"
+            );
+            assert!(statement.contains(" of 1 B bound"), "{statement}");
+            assert_eq!(
+                std::fs::metadata(&store).expect("unchanged store").len(),
+                2048
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn reclaim_guidance_preserves_real_identity_commands_and_large_store_evidence() {
+        let temporary = tempfile::tempdir().expect("large footprint fixture");
+        let profile = temporary.path().join("profile");
+        let id = "proj_0123456789abcdef";
+        let key = format!("projects/{id}");
+        let store = profile.join(&key).join("tracedecay.db");
+        // Sparse metadata-only input: no allocation or read of the 15 GiB body.
+        sized(&store, 15 * GIB);
+        let registered = BTreeMap::from([(id.to_owned(), "界/".repeat(100))]);
+        let footprint = census_profile_footprint(&profile, &registered, &BTreeMap::new());
+        let observed = findings(&footprint);
+        let finding = &observed[&key];
+        assert_eq!(finding.finding().state(), DoctorEvidenceStateV1::Degraded);
+        let statement = finding.finding().coverage().statement();
+        assert!(
+            statement.contains(&format!("`tracedecay --dry-run projects forget {id}`")),
+            "{statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            statement.contains(&format!("`tracedecay --yes projects forget {id}`")),
+            "{statement}"
+        );
+        assert!(statement.contains("DELETES project data"), "{statement}");
+        assert!(statement.contains("registered root omitted"), "{statement}");
+        assert!(
+            statement.ends_with(&format!(
+                "{} of {} bound",
+                format_bytes(15 * GIB),
+                format_bytes(default_bound_bytes(ProfileFamilyV1::ProjectStore))
+            )),
+            "{statement}"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            std::fs::metadata(&store).expect("unchanged store").len(),
+            15 * GIB
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn an_owner_override_replaces_the_default_bound() {
         let fixture = profile_fixture();
diff --git a/crates/tracedecay-session-runtime/src/session_sync/git_topology.rs b/crates/tracedecay-session-runtime/src/session_sync/git_topology.rs
index 27ec0dd156a..dbf53305d3b 100644
--- a/crates/tracedecay-session-runtime/src/session_sync/git_topology.rs
+++ b/crates/tracedecay-session-runtime/src/session_sync/git_topology.rs
@@ -57,8 +57,10 @@ impl SessionSyncProjectContext {
             &self.project_id,
         ) {
             Ok(scope) => scope,
-            Err(_) => {
-                return GitTopologySyncOutcome::Finished(Err(GitTopologySyncFailure::Unavailable));
+            Err(error) => {
+                return GitTopologySyncOutcome::Finished(Err(
+                    unavailable("resolve project scope")(error),
+                ));
             }
         };
         let Some(runtime) = project_sessions.project_graph_runtime() else {
@@ -72,8 +74,10 @@ impl SessionSyncProjectContext {
         let runtime: Arc<dyn VerifiedGraphRuntimePortV1> = Arc::new(runtime.clone());
         let scope_sets = match project_sessions.authorized_scope_set_storage() {
             Ok(scope_sets) => scope_sets,
-            Err(_) => {
-                return GitTopologySyncOutcome::Finished(Err(GitTopologySyncFailure::Unavailable));
+            Err(error) => {
+                return GitTopologySyncOutcome::Finished(Err(unavailable(
+                    "open scope-set storage",
+                )(error)));
             }
         };
         let project_root = self.project_root.clone();
@@ -97,7 +101,7 @@ impl SessionSyncProjectContext {
             result = &mut worker => {
                 GitTopologySyncOutcome::Finished(match result {
                     Ok(result) => result,
-                    Err(_) => Err(GitTopologySyncFailure::Unavailable),
+                    Err(error) => Err(unavailable("join topology publisher")(error)),
                 })
             }
             interruption = service.wait_for_interruption(request) => {