diff --git a/cmd/agent/main.go b/cmd/agent/main.go
index 1bd7a65..e5d0f38 100644
--- a/cmd/agent/main.go
+++ b/cmd/agent/main.go
@@ -288,6 +288,14 @@ func (d *dispatcher) runJob(ctx context.Context, p api.CommandRunPayload, tx wsc
 	if creds.Empty() {
 		return fmt.Errorf("repo credentials not configured (waiting for server config.update push)")
 	}
+	// r is the everyday runner — bound to the host's repo
+	// (append-only) credentials. Reused by every kind except
+	// JobPrune, which builds its own runner against the
+	// admin-credentials slot when p.RequiresAdminCreds is set
+	// (admin creds are not loaded for any other kind, so they're
+	// not on r). If you find yourself adding a new JobKind that
+	// needs delete authority, mirror the JobPrune pattern below
+	// — don't try to overload r.
 	r := runner.New(runner.Config{
 		ResticBin:    d.resticBin,
 		RepoURL:      creds.URL,
diff --git a/internal/agent/runner/runner.go b/internal/agent/runner/runner.go
index 9bf5ac6..4d02d9e 100644
--- a/internal/agent/runner/runner.go
+++ b/internal/agent/runner/runner.go
@@ -348,6 +348,8 @@ func (r *Runner) reportStats(ctx context.Context, env restic.Env, patch api.Repo
 			patch.RawSizeBytes = &raw
 			patch.UniqueFiles = &files
 			patch.SnapshotCount = &snaps
+		} else {
+			slog.Debug("runner: stats refresh failed (non-fatal)", "err", err)
 		}
 	}
 	envOut, err := api.Marshal(api.MsgRepoStats, "", patch)
diff --git a/internal/agent/runner/runner_test.go b/internal/agent/runner/runner_test.go
index f32d6ee..51ba294 100644
--- a/internal/agent/runner/runner_test.go
+++ b/internal/agent/runner/runner_test.go
@@ -207,7 +207,9 @@ esac
 	}
 
 	// Assert envelope ordering: job.started → repo.stats → job.finished.
-	// (No log.stream expected here because check exits immediately.)
+	// (No log.stream expected because the fake script produces no
+	// output before exit 1 — a real restic check would emit log lines
+	// before exiting non-zero.)
 	order := envelopeOrder(tx.envs)
 	wantTypes := []api.MessageType{api.MsgJobStarted, api.MsgRepoStats, api.MsgJobFinished}
 	positions := map[api.MessageType]int{}
diff --git a/internal/agent/secrets/secrets.go b/internal/agent/secrets/secrets.go
index a06dcce..ff285e9 100644
--- a/internal/agent/secrets/secrets.go
+++ b/internal/agent/secrets/secrets.go
@@ -161,7 +161,10 @@ func (s *Store) Load() (Repo, error) {
 // Save replaces the repo slot on disk atomically, preserving the
 // admin slot. Mode is 0600. Parent directory must already exist.
 func (s *Store) Save(r Repo) error {
-	b, _ := s.loadBundle() // ignore read errors; we overwrite repo slot
+	b, err := s.loadBundle()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("secrets: load before save: %w", err)
+	}
 	b.Repo = r
 	return s.saveBundle(b)
 }
@@ -182,7 +185,10 @@ func (s *Store) LoadAdmin() (Repo, error) {
 // SaveAdmin replaces the admin slot on disk atomically, preserving
 // the repo slot. Mode is 0600.
 func (s *Store) SaveAdmin(r Repo) error {
-	b, _ := s.loadBundle() // ignore read errors; we overwrite admin slot
+	b, err := s.loadBundle()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("secrets: load before save: %w", err)
+	}
 	b.Admin = &r
 	return s.saveBundle(b)
 }
diff --git a/internal/agent/secrets/secrets_test.go b/internal/agent/secrets/secrets_test.go
index 20856b1..2737cf5 100644
--- a/internal/agent/secrets/secrets_test.go
+++ b/internal/agent/secrets/secrets_test.go
@@ -173,6 +173,78 @@ func TestSecretsAdminSlotIndependent(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSecretsSaveRefusesCorruptFile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "secrets.enc")
+	st, err := New(path, freshKey(t))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("new: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Lay down a valid file first.
+	if err := st.Save(Repo{URL: "rest:https://r/host", Password: "pw"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial save: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Corrupt the file.
+	garbage := []byte("not encrypted")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, garbage, 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write garbage: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Save must refuse to overwrite: decrypt will fail.
+	saveErr := st.Save(Repo{URL: "rest:https://r/host", Password: "new"})
+	if saveErr == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Save over corrupt file must return an error; got nil")
+	}
+
+	// File must NOT have been replaced — still contains the garbage bytes.
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("re-read: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != string(garbage) {
+		t.Errorf("corrupt file was overwritten; file size now %d (was %d)", len(got), len(garbage))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSecretsSaveAdminRefusesCorruptFile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "secrets.enc")
+	st, err := New(path, freshKey(t))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("new: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Lay down a valid file first.
+	if err := st.SaveAdmin(Repo{URL: "rest:https://r/host", Password: "adminpw"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("initial save admin: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Corrupt the file.
+	garbage := []byte("not encrypted admin")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, garbage, 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write garbage: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// SaveAdmin must refuse to overwrite: decrypt will fail.
+	saveErr := st.SaveAdmin(Repo{URL: "rest:https://r/host", Password: "new"})
+	if saveErr == nil {
+		t.Fatal("SaveAdmin over corrupt file must return an error; got nil")
+	}
+
+	// File must NOT have been replaced.
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("re-read: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != string(garbage) {
+		t.Errorf("corrupt file was overwritten; file size now %d (was %d)", len(got), len(garbage))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSecretsLegacyFlatBlobMigrates(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	dir := t.TempDir()