diff --git a/documentation/audits/kernel-night-2026-10-07/A/redproof.txt b/documentation/audits/kernel-night-2026-10-07/A/redproof.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d705a71b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/documentation/audits/kernel-night-2026-10-07/A/redproof.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+go: ring 0 back to select pending-kernel -> TestKernel_Ring0ToldNightStagesThenReboots: --- FAIL: TestKernel_Ring0ToldNightStagesThenReboots (0.00s)
+hub: no reply_to in the payload -> TestReplyTo_HouseholdMailRepliesReachTheOperator: --- FAIL: TestReplyTo_HouseholdMailRepliesReachTheOperator (0.00s)
+hub: R7 treated as ended for good -> TestKernel_ToldKernelGoneIsTemporaryAndTheNewerIsOffered: --- FAIL: TestKernel_ToldKernelGoneIsTemporaryAndTheNewerIsOffered (0.04s)
+controller: no driveReady in the capture sweep -> TestDriveReady_RefreshWaitsForTheBindThenCaptures: --- FAIL: TestDriveReady_RefreshWaitsForTheBindThenCaptures (0.00s)
diff --git a/documentation/audits/kernel-night-2026-10-07/demo-hp-inventory-pass.txt b/documentation/audits/kernel-night-2026-10-07/demo-hp-inventory-pass.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7301cf57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/documentation/audits/kernel-night-2026-10-07/demo-hp-inventory-pass.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+      "pve-firmware",
+      "proxmox-kernel-7.0.14-22-pve-signed",
+      "proxmox-kernel-7.0",
+      "proxmox-kernel-helper",
+      "pve-edk2-firmware-aarch64",
+      "pve-edk2-firmware",
+      "zfs-initramfs",
+      "zfsutils-linux",
+      "zfs-zed"
+    ],
+    "outcome": "inventory",
+    "pending": 80,
+    "reboot_needed": false,
+    "refused": null,
+    "release_id": "ring0-20261007T163720Z",
+    "restart_needed": [
+      "kvm"
+    ],
+    "ring": 0,
+    "run_id": "20261007T163720Z",
+    "upgraded": null,
+    "wrapper_seconds": 14.4
+  }
+  docker step: skipped (see the log line above)
+  pass took 30.8s
diff --git a/hub/CHANGELOG.md b/hub/CHANGELOG.md
index 0fb8cb81..7ccc3085 100644
--- a/hub/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/hub/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+## v0.143.1 — a household's reply reaches the operator; a told kernel that is gone is retried (`09` §3 decisions 174, 176; R-898) (2026-10-07)
+
+**Operator action on deploy: none.** Deployed with the operator attending (decision 162).
+
+- **Reply-To** (decision 174): every mail to a HOUSEHOLD carries `reply_to` = the operator's address
+  (`operator_email`, `admin@felhom.eu`). They are sent from `monitoring@felhom.eu`, which nobody reads, and they invite
+  a reply or contact: the kernel notice ("reply to this e-mail"), the event mails' sign-off ("contact your operator"),
+  the setup and link mails. A mail TO the operator carries none. `notify.replyToFor`; test
+  `TestReplyTo_HouseholdMailRepliesReachTheOperator` (red-proved).
+- **R-898 (hub half):** a kernel step refused because the told version can no longer be installed (R7) is temporary,
+  never "ended": the box stays due, and once its report offers a newer kernel the household is told again (inside the
+  3-mail limit). Pinned by `TestKernel_ToldKernelGoneIsTemporaryAndTheNewerIsOffered` (red-proved: R7 as "for good"
+  fails it). No code change was needed — the test pins the behaviour agent v0.153.0 relies on.
+
 ## v0.143.0 — the kernel lane: the day-before household mail, the night instruction, the operator's kernel set (R-836; `09` §3 decision 172; `11` §5.11) (2026-10-07)
 
 **Operator action on deploy: none.** Built and deployed only in a session the operator attends (decision 162). Needs
diff --git a/hub/internal/notify/dispatcher.go b/hub/internal/notify/dispatcher.go
index 5f94e864..bd876156 100644
--- a/hub/internal/notify/dispatcher.go
+++ b/hub/internal/notify/dispatcher.go
@@ -895,6 +895,9 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) sendEmail(to, subject, textBody string, headers map[string]
 	if len(headers) > 0 {
 		payload["headers"] = headers
 	}
+	if rt := d.replyToFor(to); rt != "" {
+		payload["reply_to"] = rt
+	}
 
 	jsonData, err := json.Marshal(payload)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -922,6 +925,18 @@ func (d *Dispatcher) sendEmail(to, subject, textBody string, headers map[string]
 	return nil
 }
 
+// replyToFor is the Reply-To of a mail (`09` §3 decision 174): every HOUSEHOLD mail invites a reply or contact — the
+// kernel notice ("reply to this e-mail"), the event sign-off ("contact your operator"), the setup and link mails — and
+// it is sent from monitoring@, which no person reads. A reply goes to the operator's address. A mail TO the operator
+// gets none (a reply to it is the operator's own). "" when no operator address is configured. Pinned by TestReplyTo_*.
+func (d *Dispatcher) replyToFor(to string) string {
+	op := strings.TrimSpace(d.operatorEmail)
+	if op == "" || strings.EqualFold(strings.TrimSpace(to), op) {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return op
+}
+
 func isEventEnabled(enabledEvents []string, eventType string) bool {
 	for _, e := range enabledEvents {
 		if e == eventType {
diff --git a/hub/internal/notify/reply_to_test.go b/hub/internal/notify/reply_to_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..59e80751
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hub/internal/notify/reply_to_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package notify
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+type captureRT struct{ bodies []map[string]any }
+
+func (c *captureRT) RoundTrip(r *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
+	b, _ := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+	var m map[string]any
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(b, &m)
+	c.bodies = append(c.bodies, m)
+	return &http.Response{StatusCode: 200, Body: io.NopCloser(nil), Header: http.Header{}}, nil
+}
+
+// `09` §3 decision 174: a household mail carries Reply-To = the operator's address (it is sent from monitoring@, and the
+// kernel notice says "reply to this e-mail"); a mail to the operator carries none.
+// COMPANION RED-PROOF (observed): drop the reply_to line in sendEmail → "household mail has no reply_to".
+func TestReplyTo_HouseholdMailRepliesReachTheOperator(t *testing.T) {
+	d := NewDispatcher(nil, "k", "monitoring@felhom.eu", "admin@felhom.eu", true, log.New(os.Stderr, "", 0))
+	c := &captureRT{}
+	d.httpClient = &http.Client{Transport: c}
+	if err := d.sendEmail("household@example.com", "s", "b", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := d.sendEmail("admin@felhom.eu", "s", "b", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := c.bodies[0]["reply_to"]; got != "admin@felhom.eu" {
+		t.Fatalf("household mail has no reply_to to the operator: %v", c.bodies[0])
+	}
+	if _, ok := c.bodies[1]["reply_to"]; ok {
+		t.Fatalf("a mail to the operator must carry no reply_to: %v", c.bodies[1])
+	}
+	none := NewDispatcher(nil, "k", "monitoring@felhom.eu", "", true, log.New(os.Stderr, "", 0))
+	if none.replyToFor("x@y") != "" {
+		t.Fatal("no operator address → no reply_to")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hub/internal/osupdates/kernel_test.go b/hub/internal/osupdates/kernel_test.go
index f58849eb..2d2d2912 100644
--- a/hub/internal/osupdates/kernel_test.go
+++ b/hub/internal/osupdates/kernel_test.go
@@ -282,3 +282,30 @@ func countOf(xs []string, x string) int {
 	}
 	return n
 }
+
+// R-898: a told kernel that can no longer be installed is refused by the box BEFORE any change (R7) — temporary, never
+// "ended for good": the box stays due, and once its report offers the newer kernel the household is told again (inside
+// the 3-mail limit). COMPANION RED-PROOF (observed): add "R7" to kernelRefusedForGood → "an R7 refusal ended the step".
+func TestKernel_ToldKernelGoneIsTemporaryAndTheNewerIsOffered(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFix(t)
+	f.hostWithPendingKernel(t, "hp") // pending: 7.0.14-22
+	f.laneFacts(t, "hp", "c-hp", kOld, "none", "")
+	r := kreport("refused", "night", false)
+	r.Refused = json.RawMessage(`{"code":"R7","reason":"the simulation failed: E: Version '7.0.14-22' for 'proxmox-kernel-7.0' was not found"}`)
+	f.ingest(t, "hp", r)
+	if k, why := f.s.KernelDue("hp"); k != kNew {
+		t.Fatalf("an R7 refusal ended the step: %q %q", k, why)
+	}
+	// the next night's report offers a newer kernel → that one is due, and its household mail is a new one
+	f.ingest(t, "hp", Report{Layer: LayerHost, Trigger: "night", Mode: "apply", Outcome: "nothing", Healthy: true,
+		Pending: []PendingPkg{{Name: "proxmox-kernel-7.0", From: "7.0.2-6", To: "7.0.14-23", Origin: []string{"Proxmox Debian Repository"}}}})
+	if k, _ := f.s.KernelDue("hp"); k != "7.0.14-23-pve" {
+		t.Fatalf("the newer kernel is not offered: %q", k)
+	}
+	var sent []string
+	f.mail(&sent, nil)
+	f.now = budapest(t, 10)
+	if f.s.KernelNotify(); len(sent) != 1 || sent[0] != "c-hp:7.0.14-23-pve" {
+		t.Fatalf("the household must be told again for the newer kernel: %v", sent)
+	}
+}