diff --git a/src/node/dataplane/dispatch.rs b/src/node/dataplane/dispatch.rs
index 2655e81..76f1c60 100644
--- a/src/node/dataplane/dispatch.rs
+++ b/src/node/dataplane/dispatch.rs
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ impl Node {
 
         // Remove link and address mapping
         self.remove_link(&link_id);
+        // Finding A: drop this peer's inert machine, keyed by the link_id
+        // derived above (a peer's link_id is immutable, so the key never
+        // moved). Keeps peers <-> peer_machines in exact correspondence on
+        // teardown. NEUTRAL — nothing reads peer_machines yet.
+        self.peer_machines.remove(&link_id);
         if let Some(transport_id) = transport_id {
             self.cleanup_bootstrap_transport_if_unused(transport_id);
         }
diff --git a/src/node/handlers/handshake.rs b/src/node/handlers/handshake.rs
index ebffb1f..fbf1762 100644
--- a/src/node/handlers/handshake.rs
+++ b/src/node/handlers/handshake.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use crate::PeerIdentity;
 use crate::node::acl::PeerAclContext;
 use crate::node::reject::{HandshakeReject, RejectReason};
 use crate::node::{Node, NodeError};
+use crate::peer::machine::PeerMachine;
 use crate::peer::{ActivePeer, PeerConnection};
 use crate::proto::fmp::wire::{Msg1Header, Msg2Header, Msg3Header, build_msg2, build_msg3};
 use crate::proto::fmp::{
@@ -1538,6 +1539,13 @@ impl Node {
                 };
                 let loser_link_id = old_peer.link_id();
 
+                // Finding A: the replaced (losing) peer was established and so
+                // carried a machine keyed by its OWN link_id (loser_link_id);
+                // drop it so no machine orphans when its ActivePeer is removed.
+                // The winning connection's machine is inserted below keyed by
+                // the winner link_id. NEUTRAL — nothing reads peer_machines yet.
+                self.peer_machines.remove(&loser_link_id);
+
                 // Clean up old peer's index from peers_by_index
                 if let (Some(old_tid), Some(old_idx)) =
                     (old_peer.transport_id(), old_peer.our_index())
@@ -1595,6 +1603,20 @@ impl Node {
                 );
 
                 self.peers.insert(peer_node_addr, new_peer);
+                // Finding A: populate the inert per-peer machine so every
+                // established peer has exactly one machine, keyed by its
+                // link_id (the winner link here). Nothing drives it yet.
+                self.peer_machines.insert(
+                    link_id,
+                    PeerMachine::established(
+                        link_id,
+                        verified_identity,
+                        our_index,
+                        is_outbound,
+                        remote_epoch,
+                        current_time_ms,
+                    ),
+                );
                 self.peers_by_index
                     .insert((transport_id, our_index.as_u32()), peer_node_addr);
                 self.peering
@@ -1712,6 +1734,20 @@ impl Node {
             }
 
             self.peers.insert(peer_node_addr, new_peer);
+            // Finding A: populate the inert per-peer machine so every
+            // established peer has exactly one machine, keyed by its link_id.
+            // Nothing drives it yet.
+            self.peer_machines.insert(
+                link_id,
+                PeerMachine::established(
+                    link_id,
+                    verified_identity,
+                    our_index,
+                    is_outbound,
+                    remote_epoch,
+                    current_time_ms,
+                ),
+            );
             self.peers_by_index
                 .insert((transport_id, our_index.as_u32()), peer_node_addr);
             self.peering
diff --git a/src/node/mod.rs b/src/node/mod.rs
index 6d52dbb..7fe26af 100644
--- a/src/node/mod.rs
+++ b/src/node/mod.rs
@@ -2388,6 +2388,14 @@ impl Node {
     }
 
     /// Remove a peer.
+    ///
+    /// Raw `pub` accessor with ZERO callers in the crate (production or test) —
+    /// the production teardown path is [`remove_active_peer`](Self::remove_active_peer),
+    /// which drops the peer's `peer_machines` entry. This helper deliberately
+    /// does NOT touch `peer_machines`: it never runs against an established peer
+    /// in production, so it cannot orphan a machine (Finding A). If it is ever
+    /// wired to remove established peers, mirror the `remove_active_peer` cleanup
+    /// (`self.peer_machines.remove(&peer.link_id())`) here.
     pub fn remove_peer(&mut self, node_addr: &NodeAddr) -> Option<ActivePeer> {
         self.peers.remove(node_addr)
     }
diff --git a/src/peer/machine.rs b/src/peer/machine.rs
index 7aece04..da1f383 100644
--- a/src/peer/machine.rs
+++ b/src/peer/machine.rs
@@ -448,6 +448,53 @@ impl PeerMachine {
         }
     }
 
+    /// New machine for an ALREADY-established peer: the post-handshake state a
+    /// promoted peer occupies before any rekey. M3 inserts one of these into
+    /// `Node.peer_machines` at each `promote_connection` establishment site so
+    /// every established peer has exactly one machine keyed by its `LinkId`
+    /// (Finding A). The machine is **inert** — nothing drives it yet — and is
+    /// parked at [`PeerState::Established`] so a later reap sees
+    /// [`is_established_context`](Self::is_established_context) true and a later
+    /// rekey step finds it. `our_index` is the peer's msg1-allocated session
+    /// index; `remote_epoch` is the crystallized peer's startup epoch.
+    pub(crate) fn established(
+        link: LinkId,
+        identity: PeerIdentity,
+        our_index: SessionIndex,
+        is_outbound: bool,
+        remote_epoch: Option<[u8; 8]>,
+        now: u64,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let addr = *identity.node_addr();
+        let mut conn = if is_outbound {
+            ConnectionState::outbound(link, identity, now)
+        } else {
+            ConnectionState::inbound(link, now)
+        };
+        conn.set_our_index(our_index);
+        conn.set_remote_epoch(remote_epoch);
+        Self {
+            state: PeerState::Established { addr },
+            link,
+            identity: Some(identity),
+            node_addr: Some(addr),
+            conn,
+            remote_epoch,
+            rekey_in_progress: false,
+            rekey_our_index: None,
+            rekey_msg1: None,
+            rekey_resend_count: 0,
+            last_peer_rekey_ms: 0,
+            rekey_msg3_pending: false,
+            session_established_at_ms: now,
+            authenticated_at_ms: now,
+            rekey_jitter_secs: 0,
+            last_heartbeat_sent_ms: 0,
+            our_index: Some(our_index),
+            draining_index: None,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Current lifecycle state.
     pub(crate) fn state(&self) -> PeerState {
         self.state
@@ -1267,6 +1314,30 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    // ---- Test 0: established constructor (Finding A populate) --------------
+    #[test]
+    fn established_constructor_yields_established_context() {
+        let id = peer_identity();
+        let addr = *id.node_addr();
+        let idx = SessionIndex::new(0x4242);
+        let m = PeerMachine::established(
+            LinkId::new(7),
+            id,
+            idx,
+            /* is_outbound */ true,
+            None,
+            1_234,
+        );
+
+        // Parked at Established with the crystallized address + index visible,
+        // so a later reap's `is_established_context` and a later rekey both
+        // find it.
+        assert_eq!(m.state(), PeerState::Established { addr });
+        assert!(m.is_established_context());
+        assert_eq!(m.addr(), Some(addr));
+        assert_eq!(m.our_index(), Some(idx));
+    }
+
     // ---- Test 1: rekey initiator cutover ----------------------------------
     #[test]
     fn rekey_initiator_cutover() {