diff --git a/scripts/felhom-host-install.sh b/scripts/felhom-host-install.sh
index 554c76d..f538d98 100644
--- a/scripts/felhom-host-install.sh
+++ b/scripts/felhom-host-install.sh
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@
 #                           (default: secure no-echo prompt)
 #   --preserve-from PATH    merge non-Day-0 sections (privileged/storage/backup/
 #                           local_api/authz/lan_resolver) from an existing config
+#   --preserve-state-from PATH  carry the prior agent leaf+key+token-store (local-api.crt/key,
+#                           local-tokens.log) over so the pinned fingerprint STAYS STABLE across a
+#                           reinstall (no controller re-bootstrap). Use an aside copy of the old
+#                           /var/lib/felhom-agent.
+#   --allow-new-leaf        opt in to REGENERATE the agent leaf on a host that already has guests
+#                           (the populated-host guard otherwise refuses; every guest must then be
+#                           re-bootstrapped — only use intentionally).
 #   --force                 allow provisioning over an EXISTING vmid (destructive)
 #   --skip-provision        install + configure + verify the agent, but do NOT
 #                           provision a guest (re-install/upgrade an agent on a host
@@ -99,6 +106,8 @@ DATAVOL_GROW=""
 SYSDATA_GROW=""
 PASSPHRASE_FILE=""
 PRESERVE_FROM=""
+PRESERVE_STATE_FROM=""   # dir holding a prior local-api.{crt,key} + local-tokens.log to carry over (keeps the pin stable across a reinstall)
+ALLOW_NEW_LEAF=false     # opt-in to intentionally regenerate the agent leaf on a populated host (else the guard refuses)
 FORCE=false
 FORCE_GITEA_GOLDEN=false
 SKIP_PROVISION=false
@@ -242,6 +251,8 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
         --sysdata-grow)    SYSDATA_GROW="$2"; shift 2 ;;
         --passphrase-file) PASSPHRASE_FILE="$2"; shift 2 ;;
         --preserve-from)   PRESERVE_FROM="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+        --preserve-state-from) PRESERVE_STATE_FROM="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+        --allow-new-leaf)  ALLOW_NEW_LEAF=true; shift ;;
         --force)           FORCE=true; shift ;;
         --force-gitea-golden) FORCE_GITEA_GOLDEN=true; shift ;;
         --skip-provision)  SKIP_PROVISION=true; shift ;;
@@ -571,6 +582,44 @@ step_agent_install() {
     run chown -R "${AGENT_USER}:${AGENT_USER}" "$AGENT_STATE_DIR"
     run chmod 0750 "$AGENT_STATE_DIR"
 
+    # ── Agent local-API leaf lifecycle (B.2) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    # The leaf's SHA-256 is pinned into EVERY guest's bootstrap. A reinstall that REGENERATES the leaf
+    # invalidates every controller's pin (the 2026-06-28 root→non-root incident → controller↔agent dead
+    # for days). Two protections:
+    #   (a) --preserve-state-from DIR: carry the prior leaf+key+token-store over → the fp stays STABLE,
+    #       no re-bootstrap needed. (Distinct from --preserve-from, which merges config sections only.)
+    #   (b) populated-host guard: REFUSE to proceed leaf-less on a host that already has guests, unless
+    #       --preserve-state-from or an explicit --allow-new-leaf is given. Converts the silent footgun
+    #       into a hard stop.
+    local _have_leaf=false
+    [[ -f "$AGENT_STATE_DIR/local-api.crt" && -f "$AGENT_STATE_DIR/local-api.key" ]] && _have_leaf=true
+
+    if [[ -n "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM" ]]; then
+        [[ -f "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-api.crt" && -f "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-api.key" ]] \
+            || die "--preserve-state-from $PRESERVE_STATE_FROM: local-api.crt/key not found there"
+        openssl x509 -in "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-api.crt" -noout >/dev/null 2>&1 \
+            || die "--preserve-state-from: $PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-api.crt does not parse as an X.509 cert — refusing"
+        if $DRY_RUN; then
+            log_dry "preserve agent state: copy local-api.{crt,key}+local-tokens.log from $PRESERVE_STATE_FROM -> $AGENT_STATE_DIR (chown $AGENT_USER; 644/600/600)"
+        else
+            install -o "$AGENT_USER" -g "$AGENT_USER" -m 0644 "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-api.crt"   "$AGENT_STATE_DIR/local-api.crt"
+            install -o "$AGENT_USER" -g "$AGENT_USER" -m 0600 "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-api.key"   "$AGENT_STATE_DIR/local-api.key"
+            [[ -f "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-tokens.log" ]] && \
+                install -o "$AGENT_USER" -g "$AGENT_USER" -m 0600 "$PRESERVE_STATE_FROM/local-tokens.log" "$AGENT_STATE_DIR/local-tokens.log"
+            log_success "  preserved agent leaf+token store from $PRESERVE_STATE_FROM (pin stays stable — no re-bootstrap)"
+        fi
+        _have_leaf=true
+    fi
+
+    if ! $_have_leaf && ! $ALLOW_NEW_LEAF; then
+        if pct list 2>/dev/null | tail -n +2 | grep -q .; then
+            die "this host already has guests but $AGENT_STATE_DIR has no agent leaf to preserve.
+  Re-running here will REGENERATE the leaf and invalidate every controller's pin (the 2026-06-28 incident).
+  Pass --preserve-state-from <old state dir> to keep the pin stable, or --allow-new-leaf to regenerate
+  intentionally (every guest must then be re-bootstrapped)."
+        fi
+    fi
+
     # Sudoers — fetch the canonical file, validate with visudo -cf BEFORE installing (0440 root:root).
     if $DRY_RUN; then
         log_dry "fetch configs/felhom-agent.sudoers ; visudo -cf ; install 0440 -> $AGENT_SUDOERS"