diff --git a/machine-docs/BUILDER-INBOX.md b/machine-docs/BUILDER-INBOX.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 5bdb033..0000000
--- a/machine-docs/BUILDER-INBOX.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-# Builder inbox (from Adversary)
-
-2026-06-17T00:30Z — Two non-gate heads-ups from my M1 pre-review (code only; I did NOT read JOURNAL):
-
-1. **Pre-existing red unit test (NOT prevb, but scope your "unit green" claim).** The FULL `tests/unit/` suite
-   is 283 pass / **1 FAIL**: `test_warm_reconcile.py::test_traefik_spec_is_stateless_with_setup` →
-   `KeyError: 'health_domain'`. It fails identically at gtea-DONE (778720c) and the prevb feat never touched
-   warm_reconcile (the `pxgate-M1` traefik-probe change 0e9fd38 refactored the spec without updating the test).
-   I will NOT block M1 on it. But when you CLAIM M1, please state which test set "green" refers to (prevb surface
-   vs full suite) so the claim is honest. Fixing it is optional/out-of-scope for prevb.
-
-2. **(nit)** the rewrite of `test_upgrade_base.py` dropped `test_expected_na_other_rung_does_not_suppress`. The
-   behavior is still correct (`.get("upgrade")`), just no longer has a dedicated test — consider re-adding one line.
-
-My M1 code pre-review otherwise looks sound (dynamic base + previous/ + discourse migration + teeth in
-test_upgrade.py; 63 prevb-relevant unit tests pass cold). The formal M1 PASS still needs your e2e claim with
-proof the head ran real `discourse/discourse:3.5.3` (not bitnamilegacy) + sidekiq gone, plus my own cold
-acceptance + a deliberately-broken-head break-it probe. Put the WHAT/HOW/EXPECTED/WHERE in STATUS when you claim.
-
-(Delete this file once read — that's the "consumed" signal.)
diff --git a/runner/harness/generic.py b/runner/harness/generic.py
index 700ae5c..d548bff 100644
--- a/runner/harness/generic.py
+++ b/runner/harness/generic.py
@@ -303,6 +303,11 @@ def perform_upgrade(
         http_timeout=int(meta.HTTP_TIMEOUT),
     )
     lifecycle.wait_ready_probes(meta, domain, timeout=int(meta.DEPLOY_TIMEOUT), op="upgrade")
+    # Reconcile the live stack to the head compose's service set: `docker stack deploy` doesn't prune
+    # services the head dropped (e.g. discourse PR#4 deletes sidekiq), leaving them orphaned on the
+    # base's old image. Remove them so the deployed stack faithfully reflects the head under test
+    # (phase prevb). No-op when service sets match / compose can't be resolved.
+    lifecycle.prune_orphan_services(domain, recipe)
     after = lifecycle.deployed_identity(domain)
     # Evidence (HC1): the chaos-version label = the deployed recipe commit; it should match the
     # PR-head we checked out — proving the upgrade deployed the code under test, not a published tag.
diff --git a/runner/harness/lifecycle.py b/runner/harness/lifecycle.py
index e063e5e..583e4bf 100644
--- a/runner/harness/lifecycle.py
+++ b/runner/harness/lifecycle.py
@@ -513,6 +513,63 @@ def stack_service_names(domain: str) -> list[str]:
     return names
 
 
+def compose_services(recipe: str, domain: str) -> set[str]:
+    """Service names defined by the app's CURRENT COMPOSE_FILE (resolved the way abra/prepull do —
+    `docker compose --env-file <.env> -f <each> config --services`). Empty set on any resolution
+    failure, which callers treat as 'unknown' (→ never prune)."""
+    recipe_dir = abra.recipe_dir(recipe)
+    env_path = os.path.expanduser(f"~/.abra/servers/default/{domain}.env")
+    if not os.path.isdir(recipe_dir) or not os.path.isfile(env_path):
+        return set()
+    cf = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", "-c", f'set -a; . "{env_path}"; printf "%s" "${{COMPOSE_FILE:-compose.yml}}"'],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+    ).stdout.strip()
+    files = [f for f in cf.split(":") if f] or ["compose.yml"]
+    args = ["docker", "compose", "--env-file", env_path]
+    for f in files:
+        args += ["-f", f]
+    args += ["config", "--services"]
+    proc = subprocess.run(args, cwd=recipe_dir, capture_output=True, text=True)
+    if proc.returncode != 0:
+        return set()
+    return {ln.strip() for ln in proc.stdout.splitlines() if ln.strip()}
+
+
+def prune_orphan_services(domain: str, recipe: str) -> list[str]:
+    """After an upgrade redeploy, reconcile the live swarm stack to the head compose's service set.
+
+    `docker stack deploy` (what `abra app deploy` runs) does NOT remove services the NEW compose
+    dropped — it only adds/updates — so a service removed by the PR head (e.g. discourse PR#4 deletes
+    `sidekiq` when switching from the multi-service bitnamilegacy image to the single-container
+    official image) is left ORPHANED, still running the base's old image. Remove any live stack
+    service not defined by the head's COMPOSE_FILE so the deployed stack faithfully reflects the head
+    under test. No-op when the service sets already match (the common case), or when the head compose
+    can't be resolved (safe — removes nothing). Returns the short names removed."""
+    defined = compose_services(recipe, domain)
+    if not defined:
+        print(
+            "  prune-orphans: head compose services unresolved — skipping (removes nothing)",
+            flush=True,
+        )
+        return []
+    stack = _stack_name(domain)
+    removed = []
+    for s in stack_service_names(domain):
+        if s not in defined:
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["docker", "service", "rm", f"{stack}_{s}"], capture_output=True, text=True
+            )
+            removed.append(s)
+            print(
+                f"  prune-orphans: removed '{s}' — dropped by the head compose (was an orphan left "
+                "by `docker stack deploy` no-prune)",
+                flush=True,
+            )
+    return removed
+
+
 def services_converged(domain: str) -> bool:
     """True when every service in the stack reports replicas N/N (N>0) AND no service is
     mid-rolling-update (swarm UpdateStatus settled)."""
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_upgrade_base.py b/tests/unit/test_upgrade_base.py
index 43dcb1f..501ed10 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_upgrade_base.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_upgrade_base.py
@@ -103,3 +103,13 @@ def test_no_canonical_no_main_skip(monkeypatch):
     _no_main(monkeypatch)
     plan = run_recipe_ci.resolve_upgrade_base(ALL, _meta(), "brandnew", head_ref=HEAD)
     assert plan.kind == "skip" and "no predecessor" in plan.reason
+
+
+def test_expected_na_other_rung_does_not_suppress_upgrade(monkeypatch):
+    # an EXPECTED_NA for a DIFFERENT rung (backup_restore) must NOT short-circuit the upgrade base —
+    # resolution proceeds to last-green/main-tip (custom-html-tiny shape).
+    _no_canonical(monkeypatch)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(lifecycle, "recipe_branch_commit", lambda r, b="main": MAIN)
+    meta = _meta(expected_na={"backup_restore": "stateless"})
+    plan = run_recipe_ci.resolve_upgrade_base(ALL, meta, "custom-html-tiny", head_ref=HEAD)
+    assert plan.kind == "ref" and plan.ref == MAIN