diff --git a/templates/gitea/.felhom.yml b/templates/gitea/.felhom.yml
index 3dafe1a..1457671 100644
--- a/templates/gitea/.felhom.yml
+++ b/templates/gitea/.felhom.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ subdomain: "git"
 slug: "gitea"
 # catalog_since: the date THIS repo last changed this app's pinned images. Any commit that
 # changes an image: line must set this to the same day (see CLAUDE.md).
-catalog_since: "2026-07-18"
+catalog_since: "2026-09-30"
 
 # --- Resource hints (displayed on deploy screen) ---
 resources:
@@ -121,3 +121,9 @@ i18n:
       - env_var: SUBDOMAIN
         label: 'Subdomain'
         description: 'The subdomain this app answers on'
+
+# update_ladder — the test record: one tested step per line, oldest first (JSON flow mappings,
+# `09-update-architecture.md` §6.4 part 4). WRITTEN BY scripts/upgrade-test.py, never by hand;
+# gated by scripts/check-test-record.py. An image: move without a proven entry here is refused.
+update_ladder:
+  - {"from": {"gitea": "gitea/gitea:1.27.0"}, "to": {"gitea": "gitea/gitea:1.27.3"}, "digest": {"gitea": "sha256:87a67ee09d3ae0d1df5fda5dcda3e2a1f9236a45b0a59025d6e00e46adc43bef"}, "verdict": "proven", "tested_at": "2026-09-30T15:14:09Z", "harness_version": 4, "evidence": "felhom.eu/documentation/audits/more-night-apps-2026-09-30/bench/apps/gitea/bench/evidence/MV-gitea/verdict.json", "box_evidence": "felhom.eu/documentation/audits/more-night-apps-2026-09-30/box/gitea/step.txt", "memory_peak_pct": 26.6, "marks": {"files_may_change": false, "needs_person": null, "memory_tight": false}, "memory_basis": "anon", "memory_cgroup_peak_pct": 52.9}
diff --git a/templates/gitea/docker-compose.yml b/templates/gitea/docker-compose.yml
index 890087c..4b42dfd 100644
--- a/templates/gitea/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/templates/gitea/docker-compose.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 services:
   gitea:
-    image: gitea/gitea:1.27.0
+    image: gitea/gitea:1.27.3
     container_name: gitea
     restart: unless-stopped
     environment: