diff --git a/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/policy.rs b/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/policy.rs
index ddc1a23..1237ebd 100644
--- a/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/policy.rs
+++ b/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/policy.rs
@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ use nostr_relay_builder::prelude::{
     WritePolicyResult,
 };
 
+use super::service::{request_is_served_with_config, UNSERVED_REPLAY_MESSAGE};
 use super::DeletionContext;
 use crate::nostr::lifecycle::RequestClassification;
-use crate::nostr::policy::{reject_error, reject_invalid};
+use crate::nostr::policy::{duplicate, reject_error, reject_invalid};
 
 const MAX_DELETION_TARGET_TAGS: usize = 2048;
 /// Policy for handling NIP-09 event deletion requests
@@ -92,12 +93,37 @@ impl DeletionPolicy {
         } else {
             RequestClassification::LocallyActionable
         };
-        if let Err(e) = self
-            .ctx
-            .tombstones
-            .record_request(event, Timestamp::now(), classification)
-            .await
-        {
+        // Hold the lifecycle lock through the admission decision so cleanup
+        // cannot race an exact replay back into Main after its served deadline.
+        let tombstones = &self.ctx.tombstones;
+        let record_result = {
+            let _lifecycle_guard = tombstones.lock_lifecycle().await;
+            let existing = match tombstones.lifecycle_for_request_result(&event.id).await {
+                Ok(record) => record,
+                Err(error) => {
+                    tracing::error!(event_id = %event.id.to_hex(), error = %error, "Failed to read NIP-09 deletion lifecycle");
+                    return reject_error(format!(
+                        "internal error reading deletion lifecycle: {error}"
+                    ));
+                }
+            };
+            if let Some(record) = existing {
+                match request_is_served_with_config(&self.ctx, &record, Timestamp::now()) {
+                    Ok(false) => return duplicate(UNSERVED_REPLAY_MESSAGE),
+                    Ok(true) => {}
+                    Err(error) => {
+                        tracing::error!(event_id = %event.id.to_hex(), error = %error, "Failed to evaluate NIP-09 deletion lifecycle retention");
+                        return reject_error(format!(
+                            "internal error evaluating deletion lifecycle retention: {error}"
+                        ));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            tombstones
+                .record_request_locked(event, Timestamp::now(), classification)
+                .await
+        };
+        if let Err(e) = record_result {
             tracing::error!(event_id = %event.id.to_hex(), error = %e, "Failed to record NIP-09 deletion lifecycle");
             return reject_error(format!("internal error recording deletion lifecycle: {e}"));
         }
diff --git a/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/service.rs b/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/service.rs
index 77bb8ca..f2e13c2 100644
--- a/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/service.rs
+++ b/src/nostr/lifecycle/deletion/service.rs
@@ -6,10 +6,36 @@ use nostr_relay_builder::prelude::{
 
 use crate::nostr::events::RepositoryAnnouncement;
 use crate::nostr::lifecycle::{RequestClassification, RequestLifecycleRecord};
-use crate::nostr::policy::{reject_error, reject_invalid, AnnouncementResult};
+use crate::nostr::policy::{duplicate, reject_error, reject_invalid, AnnouncementResult};
 
 use super::{DeletionContext, DeletionOutcome, DeletionPolicy};
 
+pub(super) const UNSERVED_REPLAY_MESSAGE: &str =
+    "deletion request is no longer served; it will be re-served when used to reject an in-scope event";
+
+pub(super) fn request_is_served_with_config(
+    ctx: &DeletionContext,
+    record: &RequestLifecycleRecord,
+    now: Timestamp,
+) -> Result<bool> {
+    let (anchor, duration) = match record.last_used_at {
+        Some(used) => (
+            used,
+            ctx.config
+                .deletion_request_retention_used_served_after_last_used(),
+        ),
+        None => (
+            record.first_seen_at,
+            ctx.config.deletion_request_retention_unused_served(),
+        ),
+    };
+    let deadline = anchor
+        .as_secs()
+        .checked_add(duration.as_secs())
+        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("deletion-request served retention deadline overflow"))?;
+    Ok(now.as_secs() < deadline)
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct DeletionService {
     pub(super) ctx: DeletionContext,
@@ -267,15 +293,39 @@ impl DeletionService {
             RequestClassification::LocallyActionable
         };
 
-        // Persist every accepted NIP-62 request before accepting it or doing
-        // destructive work. `record_request` preserves receipt time and
-        // classification on an exact replay.
-        if let Err(error) = self
-            .ctx
-            .tombstones()
-            .record_request(event, Timestamp::now(), classification)
-            .await
-        {
+        // Keep the retention decision and lifecycle write atomic with cleanup.
+        // An exact replay during the unserved-but-gating interval must receive
+        // an OK duplicate response, not Accept: relay-builder persists Accept
+        // results back into Main and would make the request queryable again.
+        let tombstones = self.ctx.tombstones();
+        let record_result = {
+            let _lifecycle_guard = tombstones.lock_lifecycle().await;
+            let existing = match tombstones.lifecycle_for_request_result(&event.id).await {
+                Ok(record) => record,
+                Err(error) => {
+                    tracing::error!(event_id = %event.id.to_hex(), error = %error, "Failed to read NIP-62 vanish lifecycle");
+                    return reject_error(format!(
+                        "internal error reading vanish lifecycle: {error}"
+                    ));
+                }
+            };
+            if let Some(record) = existing {
+                match self.request_is_served(&record, Timestamp::now()) {
+                    Ok(false) => return duplicate(UNSERVED_REPLAY_MESSAGE),
+                    Ok(true) => {}
+                    Err(error) => {
+                        tracing::error!(event_id = %event.id.to_hex(), error = %error, "Failed to evaluate NIP-62 vanish lifecycle retention");
+                        return reject_error(format!(
+                            "internal error evaluating vanish lifecycle retention: {error}"
+                        ));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            tombstones
+                .record_request_locked(event, Timestamp::now(), classification)
+                .await
+        };
+        if let Err(error) = record_result {
             tracing::error!(event_id = %event.id.to_hex(), error = %error, "Failed to record NIP-62 vanish lifecycle");
             return reject_error(format!(
                 "internal error recording vanish lifecycle: {error}"
diff --git a/tests/lifecycle/deletion_request_retention.rs b/tests/lifecycle/deletion_request_retention.rs
index e0bc3ee..3e094bc 100644
--- a/tests/lifecycle/deletion_request_retention.rs
+++ b/tests/lifecycle/deletion_request_retention.rs
@@ -429,26 +429,57 @@ async fn nip62_targeting_gates_while_non_targeting_request_never_does() {
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
-async fn normal_mode_nip62_replay_from_unserved_gate_does_not_make_a_noop_request_used() {
+async fn nip09_replay_from_unserved_gate_does_not_restore_its_served_copy() {
     let relay = TestRelay::start_with_deletion_lifecycle(lifecycle_options()).await;
     let client = AuditClient::new(relay.url(), AuditConfig::isolated())
         .await
         .expect("create client");
-    let request = build_vanish(&client, None);
+    let request = build_deletion(&client, &[], &[]);
 
     client
         .send_event(request.clone())
         .await
-        .expect("accept initial no-op vanish request");
+        .expect("accept initial deletion request");
+    wait_until("deletion request moves to its unserved gate", || async {
+        !is_served(&client, request.id).await
+    })
+    .await;
+    client
+        .send_event(request.clone())
+        .await
+        .expect("exact replay receives the duplicate acknowledgement");
+    assert!(
+        !is_served(&client, request.id).await,
+        "duplicate replay must not restore an unserved deletion request to Main"
+    );
+    relay.stop().await;
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn non_targeting_nip62_replay_from_unserved_gate_does_not_restore_its_served_copy() {
+    let relay = TestRelay::start_with_deletion_lifecycle(lifecycle_options()).await;
+    let client = AuditClient::new(relay.url(), AuditConfig::isolated())
+        .await
+        .expect("create client");
+    let request = build_vanish(&client, Some("wss://other.example"));
+
+    client
+        .send_event(request.clone())
+        .await
+        .expect("accept initial non-targeting vanish request");
     wait_until(
-        "no-op vanish request moves to its unserved gate",
+        "non-targeting vanish request moves to its unserved gate",
         || async { !is_served(&client, request.id).await },
     )
     .await;
     client
         .send_event(request.clone())
         .await
-        .expect("accept exact no-op vanish replay from its unserved gate");
+        .expect("exact replay receives the duplicate acknowledgement");
+    assert!(
+        !is_served(&client, request.id).await,
+        "duplicate replay must not restore an unserved non-targeting vanish request to Main"
+    );
 
     let record = open_tombstones(relay.relay_data_path().clone())
         .await
@@ -458,7 +489,7 @@ async fn normal_mode_nip62_replay_from_unserved_gate_does_not_make_a_noop_reques
         .expect("retain request lifecycle");
     assert_eq!(
         record.last_used_at, None,
-        "replaying a no-op vanish must not let it delete itself or count as use"
+        "replaying a non-targeting vanish must not count as use"
     );
     relay.stop().await;
 }