diff --git a/internal/felhomsshd/belt.go b/internal/felhomsshd/belt.go
index c61f945..49a17c1 100644
--- a/internal/felhomsshd/belt.go
+++ b/internal/felhomsshd/belt.go
@@ -32,12 +32,21 @@ func NewBelt(runner proxmox.Runner, logger *slog.Logger) *Belt {
 	return &Belt{runner: runner, logger: logger, table: "felhom_oob"}
 }
 
-// Sync converges @operator_ips + @ssh_port on the desired values. operatorIP "" empties @operator_ips
-// (belt drops all tunnel SSH — OOB off). port 0 empties @ssh_port. Every value is validated before it
-// reaches nft (netip for the IP, int range for the port), so the coarse sudoers wildcard can never be
-// abused. A missing table (host-install not run / pre-H1 box) degrades to a single logged warning.
-func (b *Belt) Sync(ctx context.Context, port int, operatorIP string) {
-	// desired sets
+// SyncPort converges @ssh_port on the claimed port (0 empties it). Always safe to call — the port
+// comes from the agent's own claim, not the hub desired-state.
+func (b *Belt) SyncPort(ctx context.Context, port int) {
+	wantPorts := []string{}
+	if port > 0 && port <= 65535 {
+		wantPorts = []string{strconv.Itoa(port)}
+	}
+	b.syncSet(ctx, "ssh_port", wantPorts)
+}
+
+// SyncOperator converges @operator_ips on the operator /32 (operatorIP "" = OOB explicitly off →
+// empty the set). Call ONLY when the desired-state has actually been FETCHED — a nil/unfetched block
+// must NOT empty the set (that would lock the operator out until the next fetch, the wgtunnel
+// fetched=false-is-never-a-teardown rule). Every value is netip-validated before it reaches nft.
+func (b *Belt) SyncOperator(ctx context.Context, operatorIP string) {
 	wantOps := []string{}
 	if operatorIP != "" {
 		ip, err := netip.ParseAddr(operatorIP)
@@ -47,13 +56,7 @@ func (b *Belt) Sync(ctx context.Context, port int, operatorIP string) {
 		}
 		wantOps = []string{ip.String()}
 	}
-	wantPorts := []string{}
-	if port > 0 && port <= 65535 {
-		wantPorts = []string{strconv.Itoa(port)}
-	}
-
 	b.syncSet(ctx, "operator_ips", wantOps)
-	b.syncSet(ctx, "ssh_port", wantPorts)
 }
 
 var nftElemRe = regexp.MustCompile(`elements\s*=\s*\{([^}]*)\}`)
diff --git a/internal/felhomsshd/belt_health_test.go b/internal/felhomsshd/belt_health_test.go
index 031b17d..0d8c22e 100644
--- a/internal/felhomsshd/belt_health_test.go
+++ b/internal/felhomsshd/belt_health_test.go
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ func TestBelt_SyncMutatesThenIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
 	r.stdout["nft list operator_ips"] = "set operator_ips {\n\ttype ipv4_addr\n}"
 	r.stdout["nft list ssh_port"] = "set ssh_port {\n\ttype inet_service\n}"
 	b := NewBelt(r, nil)
-	b.Sync(context.Background(), 8822, "10.77.0.250")
+	b.SyncPort(context.Background(), 8822)
+	b.SyncOperator(context.Background(), "10.77.0.250")
 
 	// mutations happened: flush + add for BOTH sets
 	if r.count("nft", "flush") < 2 || r.count("nft", "add") < 2 {
@@ -103,7 +104,8 @@ func TestBelt_SyncMutatesThenIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
 	r2.stdout["nft list operator_ips"] = "elements = { 10.77.0.250 }"
 	r2.stdout["nft list ssh_port"] = "elements = { 8822 }"
 	b2 := NewBelt(r2, nil)
-	b2.Sync(context.Background(), 8822, "10.77.0.250")
+	b2.SyncPort(context.Background(), 8822)
+	b2.SyncOperator(context.Background(), "10.77.0.250")
 	if r2.count("nft", "flush") != 0 || r2.count("nft", "add") != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("idempotent sync must do ZERO mutations; flushes=%d adds=%d", r2.count("nft", "flush"), r2.count("nft", "add"))
 	}
@@ -114,8 +116,7 @@ func TestBelt_OperatorEmptyEmptiesSet(t *testing.T) {
 	r.stdout["nft list operator_ips"] = "elements = { 10.77.0.250 }" // currently has an operator IP
 	r.stdout["nft list ssh_port"] = "elements = { 8822 }"
 	b := NewBelt(r, nil)
-	b.Sync(context.Background(), 8822, "") // OOB off → operator set must be emptied
-	// operator_ips: current {250} != desired {} → flush, no add. ssh_port: {} vs {8822}...
+	b.SyncOperator(context.Background(), "") // OOB explicitly off → operator set must be emptied
 	if r.count("nft", "flush") < 1 {
 		t.Fatal("emptying the operator set must flush it")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/felhomsshd/loop.go b/internal/felhomsshd/loop.go
index 6ec3bb1..526314c 100644
--- a/internal/felhomsshd/loop.go
+++ b/internal/felhomsshd/loop.go
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ type Loop struct {
 	interval time.Duration
 	logger   *slog.Logger
 
-	mu    sync.Mutex
-	block *hub.WireWireguard
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+	fetched bool // a desired-state document has been delivered (false = never a teardown signal)
+	block   *hub.WireWireguard
 
 	nudge chan struct{}
 }
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ func (l *Loop) OnDesiredState(_ context.Context, resp *hub.DesiredStateResponse)
 		return
 	}
 	l.mu.Lock()
+	l.fetched = true
 	l.block = resp.DesiredState.Wireguard
 	l.mu.Unlock()
 	select {
@@ -50,10 +52,10 @@ func (l *Loop) OnDesiredState(_ context.Context, resp *hub.DesiredStateResponse)
 	}
 }
 
-func (l *Loop) snapshot() *hub.WireWireguard {
+func (l *Loop) snapshot() (bool, *hub.WireWireguard) {
 	l.mu.Lock()
 	defer l.mu.Unlock()
-	return l.block
+	return l.fetched, l.block
 }
 
 // Run reconciles immediately, then on every tick or desired-state nudge, until ctx is cancelled.
@@ -72,15 +74,26 @@ func (l *Loop) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 }
 
-// reconcile runs one full pass: instance apply → belt sync → health/heal.
+// reconcile runs one full pass: instance apply → belt sync → health/heal. The `fetched` gate mirrors
+// wgtunnel: until a desired-state document arrives, the operator inputs (authorized_keys, @operator_ips)
+// are LEFT UNTOUCHED — an unfetched block must never empty the belt (operator lockout) or wipe the key.
 func (l *Loop) reconcile(ctx context.Context) {
-	block := l.snapshot()
-	port, err := l.mgr.Apply(ctx, block)
+	fetched, block := l.snapshot()
+	// Pass the block to Apply only when fetched, so authorized_keys is applied only from real desired
+	// state (a nil block on Apply skips the authorized_keys write, leaving the existing file).
+	applyBlock := block
+	if !fetched {
+		applyBlock = nil
+	}
+	port, err := l.mgr.Apply(ctx, applyBlock)
 	if err != nil {
 		return // Apply logged; a claim/exhaustion or install error — retry next tick
 	}
 	if l.belt != nil {
-		l.belt.Sync(ctx, port, oobPeerIP(block))
+		l.belt.SyncPort(ctx, port) // always — the port is the agent's own claim
+		if fetched {
+			l.belt.SyncOperator(ctx, oobPeerIP(block)) // only from real desired state
+		}
 	}
 	l.mgr.HealAndCheck(ctx, port)
 }
@@ -95,5 +108,6 @@ func oobPeerIP(block *hub.WireWireguard) string {
 
 // OOBStatus implements the hub collector's reporter seam (Part 4).
 func (l *Loop) OOBStatus(ctx context.Context) *hub.OOBStatus {
-	return l.mgr.Status(ctx, l.snapshot())
+	_, block := l.snapshot()
+	return l.mgr.Status(ctx, block)
 }