diff --git a/crates/engine/src/log/file.rs b/crates/engine/src/log/file.rs
index cde2fcb..d238f82 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/log/file.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/log/file.rs
@@ -250,6 +250,57 @@ pub fn reclaim_tmp_filename(file_id: u32) -> String {
     format!("data-{:010}.log.tmp", file_id)
 }
 
+pub fn replaces_filename(file_id: u32) -> String {
+    format!("data-{:010}.log.replaces", file_id)
+}
+
+/// File ids a compact said it superseded. Open skips those even if the
+/// unlinked `data-*.log` reappears (crash between rename and unlink).
+pub fn load_replaced_ids(dir: &Path) -> std::collections::HashSet<u32> {
+    let mut skip = std::collections::HashSet::new();
+    let Ok(rd) = std::fs::read_dir(dir) else {
+        return skip;
+    };
+    for entry in rd.flatten() {
+        let name = entry.file_name();
+        let name = name.to_string_lossy();
+        if !name.ends_with(".log.replaces") {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let Ok(body) = std::fs::read_to_string(entry.path()) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        for line in body.lines() {
+            if let Ok(id) = line.parse::<u32>() {
+                skip.insert(id);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    skip
+}
+
+pub fn write_replaces(dir: &Path, new_id: u32, replaced: &[u32]) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+    let mut ids: Vec<u32> = replaced.to_vec();
+    for &id in replaced {
+        let p = dir.join(replaces_filename(id));
+        if let Ok(body) = std::fs::read_to_string(p) {
+            for line in body.lines() {
+                if let Ok(x) = line.parse::<u32>() {
+                    ids.push(x);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    ids.sort_unstable();
+    ids.dedup();
+    let body = ids
+        .iter()
+        .map(u32::to_string)
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        .join("\n");
+    std::fs::write(dir.join(replaces_filename(new_id)), body)
+}
+
 /// An open log file. Used for both active (writable) and sealed (read-only)
 /// files; the only difference is whether `append` is called.
 ///
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/log/mod.rs b/crates/engine/src/log/mod.rs
index 4a73c8d..da77c8b 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/log/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/log/mod.rs
@@ -3012,6 +3012,68 @@ mod enospc_recovery_tests {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod reclaim_leak_tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::log::config::LogConfig;
+    use crate::log::file::data_filename;
+    use bytes::Bytes;
+    use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+    fn run<F: std::future::Future>(f: F) -> F::Output {
+        monoio::RuntimeBuilder::<monoio::FusionDriver>::new()
+            .enable_timer()
+            .build()
+            .expect("monoio runtime")
+            .block_on(f)
+    }
+
+    /// Reclaim unlinks old sealed files best-effort. If one leaks back onto
+    /// disk, apply_footer_entries insert-only resurrects deletes.
+    #[test]
+    fn leaked_old_sealed_file_must_not_resurrect_deleted_key() {
+        run(async {
+            let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+            let path = dir.path().to_path_buf();
+            let cfg = LogConfig {
+                rotate_threshold: 1 << 40,
+                fanout: 2,
+                value_sep_threshold: 1 << 20,
+            };
+            {
+                let log = NamespaceLog::open(path.clone(), cfg).await.unwrap();
+                log.put_full(Bytes::from_static(b"keep"), b"one", &[], None)
+                    .await
+                    .unwrap();
+                log.put_full(Bytes::from_static(b"deleted"), b"gone", &[], None)
+                    .await
+                    .unwrap();
+                log.seal_active_for_shutdown().await.unwrap();
+            }
+            let leaked = path.join("leaked-data-0.log");
+            std::fs::copy(path.join(data_filename(0)), &leaked).unwrap();
+
+            {
+                let log = NamespaceLog::open(path.clone(), cfg).await.unwrap();
+                log.tombstone(b"deleted").await.unwrap();
+                log.reclaim().await.unwrap();
+            }
+
+            std::fs::copy(&leaked, path.join(data_filename(0))).unwrap();
+
+            let log = NamespaceLog::open(path, cfg).await.unwrap();
+            assert!(
+                log.index.borrow().get(b"keep").is_some(),
+                "live key must survive"
+            );
+            assert!(
+                log.index.borrow().get(b"deleted").is_none(),
+                "tombstoned key must not come back from a leaked pre-delete sealed file"
+            );
+        });
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod fd_footprint_tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/log/reclaim.rs b/crates/engine/src/log/reclaim.rs
index e80c254..00250f1 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/log/reclaim.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/log/reclaim.rs
@@ -129,6 +129,15 @@ pub async fn reclaim_namespace(
     // already unlinked below — losing the compacted data.
     crate::log::file::sync_dir(&dir).await;
 
+    // Durable "these ids are dead" before unlink. Open ignores them even
+    // if unlink fails or a crash leaves the old data-*.log behind.
+    let replaced: Vec<u32> = sealed_files.iter().map(|f| f.file_id).collect();
+    if let Err(e) = crate::log::file::write_replaces(&dir, next_file_id, &replaced) {
+        warn!(error = %e, "failed to write replaces sidecar; leaked inputs may resurrect deletes");
+    } else {
+        crate::log::file::sync_dir(&dir).await;
+    }
+
     let live_keys = new_entries.len() as u64;
 
     // Unlink all old sealed files concurrently via io_uring.
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/log/recover.rs b/crates/engine/src/log/recover.rs
index 11a4e75..e59093b 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/log/recover.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/log/recover.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ pub struct OpenedFiles {
 pub async fn open_namespace(dir: PathBuf) -> Result<OpenedFiles> {
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir)?;
     let mut data_files = list_data_files(&dir)?;
+    let replaced = crate::log::file::load_replaced_ids(&dir);
+    data_files.retain(|(id, _)| !replaced.contains(id));
 
     let mut index = NsIndex::new();
     let mut sealed: Vec<LogFile> = Vec::new();