diff --git a/backlog.md b/backlog.md
index 636dec4..aa91401 100644
--- a/backlog.md
+++ b/backlog.md
@@ -6,20 +6,40 @@ the assurance ladder defined in
 [docs/formalisation-roadmap.md](docs/formalisation-roadmap.md); each names its
 rung.
 
-## Cap far-future request timestamps (replay-protection gap)
-
-Surfaced by the Extended Rung 4 `ReplayWindow` TLA+ model. `parse_age`
-(`server.rs:146`) clamps a future-dated timestamp to age 0 with **no upper
-bound**, so a request dated beyond `REPLAY_RETENTION` into the future passes the
-freshness gate indefinitely while its id ages out of `SeenIds` — making it
-replayable every retention window *regardless of how large retention is*. The
-60s↔120s window relationship does not help here. Low severity (needs the request
-onto the channel — SSH pinning guards that — and privileged commands still gate
-the first run on a keypress), but for auto-approved unprivileged commands it is a
-real repeatable replay. Fix: in `check_freshness` / `parse_age`, reject
-timestamps more than a small clock-skew allowance into the future instead of
-clamping to age 0; extend the Rung 2 freshness property and the `ReplayWindow`
-model's `NoFutureReplay` invariant to cover it.
+## Cap far-future request timestamps, then re-climb the ladder to Rung 4
+
+The replay-protection residual surfaced **during PR #35** by the Extended Rung 4
+`ReplayWindow` TLA+ model (its `NoFutureReplay` invariant exhibits a concrete
+trace). `parse_age` (`server.rs:146`) clamps a future-dated timestamp to age 0
+with **no upper bound**, so a request dated beyond `REPLAY_RETENTION` into the
+future passes the freshness gate indefinitely while its id ages out of
+`SeenIds` — making it replayable every retention window *regardless of how large
+retention is*. The 60s↔120s window relationship does not help here. Low severity
+(needs the request onto the channel — SSH pinning guards that — and privileged
+commands still gate the first run on a keypress), but for auto-approved
+unprivileged commands it is a real repeatable replay.
+
+**The fix.** In `check_freshness` / `parse_age`, reject timestamps more than a
+small clock-skew allowance into the future instead of clamping to age 0.
+
+**Re-climb the ladder to the same level (Rung 4).** The fix touches code that
+several already-discharged rungs cover, so re-establish each so assurance
+returns to where PR #35 left it — do *not* leave the proofs trailing the code:
+
+- **Rung 1 (CI):** the existing gate should stay green; add a regression test
+  for the rejected far-future timestamp.
+- **Rung 2 (property):** extend the freshness property in `src/prop.rs` so it
+  asserts a sufficiently-future timestamp is *rejected*, not silently fresh.
+- **Rung 3 (Kani):** re-drive the `ymd_hms_to_epoch` monotonicity/totality
+  proofs against the new gate (the bounded-future rejection must stay
+  panic-free over the full domain).
+- **Rung 4 (TLA+):** flip the `ReplayWindow` model's `NoFutureReplay` from a
+  surfaced-gap witness to a *held* invariant, and re-check the sibling models
+  are unaffected.
+
+Done = the code rejects far-future timestamps **and** every rung above is
+re-discharged against the fixed code (negative controls re-run where they
+exist).
 
 ## Rung 5 — Deductive verification of the trusted core