diff --git a/hub/CHANGELOG.md b/hub/CHANGELOG.md
index 9867185d..925cd2e7 100644
--- a/hub/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/hub/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   box's controller). The checker now stands down for that declared state (the wait is the household's, it can take
   days); an undeclared consumed shape alarms as before. `TestR1230_AHeldBoxIsNotStuck`, red-proved.
 - `scripts/wire_contract_gate.py`: `wireguard.last_handshake_age_s` left the unread list (the hub reads it since 0.166.0).
+- **D34 (operator yes 2026-10-23, R-232 G5) — the database snapshot every 6 hours.** The hub writes its `VACUUM INTO` snapshot at 02:00, 08:00, 14:00 and 20:00 Budapest (`dbsnap.Slots`, keep 2 unchanged), and the start-up catch-up fires when the newest is older than 6 h (`dbsnap.CatchUpAge`, was 24 h). DooPlex's push now runs :30 after each slot (`scripts/hub-db-backup`, refuses a newest copy older than 2 h, was 26 h), so the off-site hub copy is at most about 6.5 h old instead of a day. Added the same day as the build, on the operator's word (not soaked). Tests `TestD34_SlotsAreEverySixHours`, `TestR173_MainSchedulesTheDBSnapshot` (now the loop), and the script's `test_schedules` (the timer read against the hub's slots) and `test_d34_a_missed_slot_is_not_pushed_again` — each red-proved.
 
 ## v0.166.0 (unreleased — built 2026-10-22 night, NOT deployed; the deploy is the operator's yes) — the clock-ahead tunnel alarm (R-1204)
 
diff --git a/hub/cmd/hub/main.go b/hub/cmd/hub/main.go
index e8f1375d..7a30aae2 100644
--- a/hub/cmd/hub/main.go
+++ b/hub/cmd/hub/main.go
@@ -944,9 +944,9 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// Nightly DB snapshot (R-173, v0.136.0, `05` §16.3): VACUUM INTO <data>/snapshots/, keep 2. DooPlex's
-	// felhom-hub-db-backup.service picks up the newest at 02:30, checks, encrypts and pushes it to ep0. A start-up
-	// catch-up runs one when the newest is older than 24 h (a pod that was down at 02:00).
+	// DB snapshot every 6 hours (R-173, v0.136.0, `05` §16.3; D34 v0.167.0): VACUUM INTO <data>/snapshots/, keep 2.
+	// DooPlex's felhom-hub-db-backup.service picks up the newest at :30 after each slot, checks, encrypts and pushes it
+	// to ep0. A start-up catch-up runs one when the newest is older than one slot gap (a pod that was down at a slot).
 	snapMaker := &dbsnap.Maker{Store: dataStore, Dir: filepath.Join(cfg.Server.DataDir, "snapshots"), Logger: logger}
 	runSnapshot := func() {
 		sctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 10*time.Minute)
@@ -955,10 +955,12 @@ func main() {
 			logger.Printf("[ERROR] db snapshot failed: %v", err)
 		}
 	}
-	if dbsnap.NeedsCatchUp(snapMaker.Dir, time.Now(), 24*time.Hour) {
+	if dbsnap.NeedsCatchUp(snapMaker.Dir, time.Now(), dbsnap.CatchUpAge) {
 		go runSnapshot()
 	}
-	go scheduleDaily(ctx, "db-snapshot", "02:00", runSnapshot, logger)
+	for _, at := range dbsnap.Slots {
+		go scheduleDaily(ctx, "db-snapshot "+at, at, runSnapshot, logger)
+	}
 
 	// Backup deadline checker — runs daily at 05:00 Budapest
 	go scheduleDaily(ctx, "deadline-check", "05:00", func() {
diff --git a/hub/cmd/hub/r173_wiring_test.go b/hub/cmd/hub/r173_wiring_test.go
index 55d65e1f..41c16119 100644
--- a/hub/cmd/hub/r173_wiring_test.go
+++ b/hub/cmd/hub/r173_wiring_test.go
@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ import (
 	"go/ast"
 	"go/parser"
 	"go/token"
-	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 )
 
-// R-173 seam wiring: main() must schedule the nightly db snapshot — a scheduleDaily call named "db-snapshot" at
-// "02:00", before DooPlex's 02:30 push — and must run the start-up catch-up (dbsnap.NeedsCatchUp). Without them the
-// dbsnap package exists and DooPlex pushes nothing new. RED-PROOF: delete either call → this test fails.
+// R-173 seam wiring, D34: main() must schedule a db snapshot at every dbsnap.Slots time — a `for _, at := range
+// dbsnap.Slots` loop calling scheduleDaily(ctx, <name>, at, …) — and must run the start-up catch-up
+// (dbsnap.NeedsCatchUp with dbsnap.CatchUpAge). Without them the dbsnap package exists and DooPlex pushes nothing
+// new. RED-PROOF: delete the loop, schedule a literal time instead, or pass 24*time.Hour → this test fails.
 func TestR173_MainSchedulesTheDBSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 	f, err := parser.ParseFile(token.NewFileSet(), "main.go", nil, 0)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -18,30 +18,39 @@ func TestR173_MainSchedulesTheDBSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	scheduled, catchUp := false, false
 	ast.Inspect(f, func(n ast.Node) bool {
+		if r, ok := n.(*ast.RangeStmt); ok {
+			sel, ok := r.X.(*ast.SelectorExpr)
+			v, vok := r.Value.(*ast.Ident)
+			if ok && vok && sel.Sel.Name == "Slots" {
+				ast.Inspect(r.Body, func(m ast.Node) bool {
+					c, ok := m.(*ast.CallExpr)
+					if !ok {
+						return true
+					}
+					if id, ok := c.Fun.(*ast.Ident); ok && id.Name == "scheduleDaily" && len(c.Args) >= 3 {
+						if a, ok := c.Args[2].(*ast.Ident); ok && a.Name == v.Name {
+							scheduled = true
+						}
+					}
+					return true
+				})
+			}
+		}
 		c, ok := n.(*ast.CallExpr)
 		if !ok {
 			return true
 		}
-		if id, ok := c.Fun.(*ast.Ident); ok && id.Name == "scheduleDaily" && len(c.Args) >= 3 {
-			name, _ := c.Args[1].(*ast.BasicLit)
-			at, _ := c.Args[2].(*ast.BasicLit)
-			if name != nil && at != nil {
-				n, _ := strconv.Unquote(name.Value)
-				a, _ := strconv.Unquote(at.Value)
-				if n == "db-snapshot" && a == "02:00" {
-					scheduled = true
-				}
+		if sel, ok := c.Fun.(*ast.SelectorExpr); ok && sel.Sel.Name == "NeedsCatchUp" && len(c.Args) == 3 {
+			if a, ok := c.Args[2].(*ast.SelectorExpr); ok && a.Sel.Name == "CatchUpAge" {
+				catchUp = true
 			}
 		}
-		if sel, ok := c.Fun.(*ast.SelectorExpr); ok && sel.Sel.Name == "NeedsCatchUp" {
-			catchUp = true
-		}
 		return true
 	})
 	if !scheduled {
-		t.Error(`cmd/hub/main.go never calls scheduleDaily(ctx, "db-snapshot", "02:00", …) — no nightly snapshot`)
+		t.Error("cmd/hub/main.go never schedules a snapshot at each dbsnap.Slots time — no 6-hourly snapshot (D34)")
 	}
 	if !catchUp {
-		t.Error("cmd/hub/main.go never calls dbsnap.NeedsCatchUp — a pod down at 02:00 leaves a stale snapshot")
+		t.Error("cmd/hub/main.go never calls dbsnap.NeedsCatchUp(…, dbsnap.CatchUpAge) — a pod down at a slot leaves a stale snapshot")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap.go b/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap.go
index 238be62d..cbc2a317 100644
--- a/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap.go
+++ b/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap.go
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ import (
 // grown to 2 GiB for it, operator choice 2026-10-05).
 const Keep = 2
 
+// Slots are the Budapest times the hub writes a snapshot — every 6 hours (D34, operator yes 2026-10-23, R-232 G5).
+// DooPlex's felhom-hub-db-backup.timer pushes the newest at :30 after each slot, so the off-site copy is at most
+// about 6.5 h old instead of a day. Pinned by TestD34_SlotsAreEverySixHours and cmd/hub TestR173_MainSchedulesTheDBSnapshot.
+var Slots = []string{"02:00", "08:00", "14:00", "20:00"}
+
+// CatchUpAge is the start-up catch-up limit: a pod that was down at a slot writes one at start when the newest is
+// older than one slot gap. Pinned by TestD34_SlotsAreEverySixHours.
+const CatchUpAge = 6 * time.Hour
+
 // Prefix and Suffix make a snapshot's file name: hub-20261005T020000Z.db.
 const (
 	Prefix = "hub-"
diff --git a/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap_test.go b/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap_test.go
index 96411ec5..ad3d442f 100644
--- a/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap_test.go
+++ b/hub/internal/dbsnap/dbsnap_test.go
@@ -206,3 +206,43 @@ func TestNeedsCatchUp(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("25 h old: want catch-up")
 	}
 }
+
+// D34 (operator yes 2026-10-23): a snapshot every 6 hours. The consequence pinned: no gap between two slots — the
+// wrap past midnight included — is longer than CatchUpAge, so the off-site copy (pushed :30 after each slot) is never
+// more than one slot gap behind; 02:00 stays a slot (the nightly restore test and the runbook read it); the start-up
+// catch-up fires for a pod that missed exactly one slot. RED-PROOF: drop a slot, or set CatchUpAge to 24 h → fails.
+func TestD34_SlotsAreEverySixHours(t *testing.T) {
+	if len(Slots) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("Slots = %v, want 4 (every 6 h)", Slots)
+	}
+	var mins []int
+	has0200 := false
+	for _, s := range Slots {
+		tm, err := time.Parse("15:04", s)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("slot %q: %v", s, err)
+		}
+		mins = append(mins, tm.Hour()*60+tm.Minute())
+		has0200 = has0200 || s == "02:00"
+	}
+	if !has0200 {
+		t.Error("02:00 is not a slot")
+	}
+	for i := range mins {
+		next := mins[(i+1)%len(mins)]
+		if i == len(mins)-1 {
+			next += 24 * 60
+		}
+		if gap := time.Duration(next-mins[i]) * time.Minute; gap <= 0 || gap > CatchUpAge {
+			t.Errorf("gap after %s is %s (want 0 < gap <= %s)", Slots[i], gap, CatchUpAge)
+		}
+	}
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	_ = os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "hub-20261023T000000Z.db"), nil, 0o600) // 02:00 Budapest (CEST)
+	if !NeedsCatchUp(dir, time.Date(2026, 10, 23, 7, 0, 1, 0, time.UTC), CatchUpAge) {
+		t.Error("a pod up at 09:00 CEST that missed the 08:00 slot (newest 7 h old): want catch-up")
+	}
+	if NeedsCatchUp(dir, time.Date(2026, 10, 23, 5, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC), CatchUpAge) {
+		t.Error("newest 5 h old: want no catch-up")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup b/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup
index db051eaf..177a5968 100755
--- a/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup
+++ b/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# felhom-hub-db-backup — push the hub's newest nightly snapshot to ep0's PBS, encrypted (R-173, decision A).
-# Runs on DooPlex as root from felhom-hub-db-backup.timer (02:30; the hub writes the snapshot at 02:00).
+# felhom-hub-db-backup — push the hub's newest snapshot to ep0's PBS, encrypted (R-173, decision A).
+# Runs on DooPlex as root from felhom-hub-db-backup.timer (02:30, 08:30, 14:30, 20:30; the hub writes a snapshot at
+# 02:00, 08:00, 14:00 and 20:00 since hub 0.167.0 — D34).
 # Runbook: documentation/runbooks/RUNBOOK-hub-db-offsite-backup.md Step 4. Pinned by test_hub_db_backup.py.
 #
 # Refuses to push — and so never writes the success signal — when: no snapshot exists; the newest is older than
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ set -eu
 CONF=${FELHOM_HUBBK_CONF:-/etc/felhom-hub-backup}
 STATE=${FELHOM_HUBBK_STATE:-/var/lib/felhom-hub-backup}
 TEXTFILE_DIR=${FELHOM_HUBBK_TEXTFILE_DIR:-/var/lib/node_exporter/textfile_collector}
-MAX_AGE_H=${FELHOM_HUBBK_MAX_AGE_H:-26}
+MAX_AGE_H=${FELHOM_HUBBK_MAX_AGE_H:-2}   # D34: the newest is ~30 min old at each push; 2 h refuses a missed slot
 NOW=${FELHOM_HUBBK_NOW:-$(date +%s)}
 . "$CONF/env"   # PBS_REPOSITORY_PUSH, PBS_FINGERPRINT (no secrets in this file)
 
diff --git a/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup.timer b/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup.timer
index 004726bd..76d29916 100644
--- a/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup.timer
+++ b/scripts/hub-db-backup/felhom-hub-db-backup.timer
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 # Versioned in felhom.eu/scripts/hub-db-backup/ (R-231); installed by install.sh.
 [Unit]
-Description=Felhom: push the hub DB snapshot to ep0 (R-173) — schedule
+Description=Felhom: push the hub DB snapshot to ep0 (R-173, D34) — every 6 hours
 
 [Timer]
+# D34 (operator yes 2026-10-23): every 6 h, :30 after each hub snapshot slot (hub dbsnap.Slots 02/08/14/20:00).
 OnCalendar=*-*-* 02:30:00
+OnCalendar=*-*-* 08:30:00
+OnCalendar=*-*-* 14:30:00
+OnCalendar=*-*-* 20:30:00
 Persistent=true
 RandomizedDelaySec=2min
 
diff --git a/scripts/hub-db-backup/test_hub_db_backup.py b/scripts/hub-db-backup/test_hub_db_backup.py
index fdbabf33..78070693 100644
--- a/scripts/hub-db-backup/test_hub_db_backup.py
+++ b/scripts/hub-db-backup/test_hub_db_backup.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ was written. Run: python3 scripts/hub-db-backup/test_hub_db_backup.py
 """
 import json
 import os
+import re
 import shutil
 import sqlite3
 import stat
@@ -184,6 +185,15 @@ class Push(Base):
         self.assertEqual(self.pushed(), [])
         self.assertFalse(self.signal("felhom_hub_db_backup.prom"))
 
+    def test_d34_a_missed_slot_is_not_pushed_again(self):
+        # D34: snapshots every 6 h, so a newest copy 3 h old means the hub missed a slot — refuse, as for a day
+        self.snapshot(age_s=3 * 3600)
+        r = self.run_script(PUSH)
+        self.assertNotEqual(r.returncode, 0)
+        self.assertIn("stopped snapshotting", r.stderr)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pushed(), [])
+        self.assertFalse(self.signal("felhom_hub_db_backup.prom"))
+
     def test_truncated_copy_is_not_pushed(self):
         self.snapshot()
         r = self.run_script(PUSH, FAKE_TRUNCATE="1")
@@ -268,7 +278,14 @@ class Units(unittest.TestCase):
         return open(os.path.join(HERE, n)).read()
 
     def test_schedules(self):
-        self.assertIn("OnCalendar=*-*-* 02:30:00", self.read("felhom-hub-db-backup.timer"))
+        # D34: the push runs :30 after EVERY hub snapshot slot — read from the hub's own source, so a slot moved on
+        # one side only fails here (RED-PROOF: drop one OnCalendar line, or change a hub slot → fails).
+        src = open(os.path.join(HERE, "..", "..", "hub", "internal", "dbsnap", "dbsnap.go")).read()
+        slots = re.findall(r'"(\d\d):(\d\d)"', re.search(r"var Slots = \[\]string\{([^}]*)\}", src).group(1))
+        self.assertEqual(len(slots), 4)
+        want = sorted("OnCalendar=*-*-* %02d:%02d:00" % (int(h), int(m) + 30) for h, m in slots)
+        got = sorted(l.strip() for l in self.read("felhom-hub-db-backup.timer").splitlines() if l.startswith("OnCalendar="))
+        self.assertEqual(got, want)
         self.assertIn("OnCalendar=Sun *-*-* 04:30:00", self.read("felhom-hub-db-restore-test.timer"))
 
     def test_units_run_the_installed_scripts(self):