diff --git a/docs/public-launch-checklist.md b/docs/public-launch-checklist.md
index 582da6d..04189c4 100644
--- a/docs/public-launch-checklist.md
+++ b/docs/public-launch-checklist.md
@@ -198,7 +198,11 @@ as forward-only rather than receiving an invented database rollback.
       production message was inspected in Gmail on 2026-08-25: Gmail's detected
       link targeted `https://whoneedhelp.com` directly, no Brevo or UniSender
       tracking host appeared, and the one-time link completed the explicit
-      production reauthentication flow.
+      production reauthentication flow. The follow-up app-only release at
+      `305bdeb` preserved the authenticated account context after an invalid or
+      already-consumed link. A headed Chromium replay confirmed the link once,
+      reopened the same link, and observed the invalid/expired notice together
+      with the signed-in account email in the replacement-link form.
 - [x] The Web Push provider accepts a production notification for a real active
       browser subscription without disabling the device.
 - [ ] A person has observed the resulting operating-system browser notification
diff --git a/docs/verification.md b/docs/verification.md
index d63d5bd..055bc63 100644
--- a/docs/verification.md
+++ b/docs/verification.md
@@ -1,8 +1,46 @@
 # Who Need Help — implementation verification
 
-Observed through 2026-08-14 in the local workspace. This report separates observed
+Observed through 2026-08-25 in the local workspace. This report separates observed
 results from product limits and unknown production properties.
 
+## Production authentication-email and invalid-link verification on 2026-08-25
+
+- Local application candidate `305bdebdd1912384e9774ef577b8e56c89713bee`
+  passed the complete isolated `scripts/quality.sh` pipeline in user-systemd
+  unit `codex-heavy-wnh-invalid-link-quality-r2-20260825-231311-462995.service`.
+  ExUnit reported 488 passing tests and every configured quality and security
+  gate passed.
+- The application-only production release completed successfully in
+  `codex-heavy-wnh-production-release-305bdeb-20260825-232244-738813.service`.
+  It retained the catalog-verified pre-release database backup
+  `/srv/who_need_help-production/output/backups/production/pre-20260825T202252Z-305bdebdd191.dump`
+  and rollback manifest
+  `/srv/who_need_help-production/output/releases/20260825T202322098849599Z-305bdebdd191/rollback-manifest.txt`.
+  No migration was pending or applied.
+- Post-release inspection observed the healthy production application image
+  `who-need-help:production-305bdebdd191`. The frozen hackathon-test application
+  remained on `who-need-help:test-cf7bacdf61ff`, and the shared edge remained on
+  `who-need-help:caddy-production-a7412c65b51a`; both were healthy. The production
+  and frozen-test readiness endpoints returned their expected `ready` payloads.
+- A newly generated production authentication message arrived in Gmail Inbox.
+  Its detected action target used `https://whoneedhelp.com` directly; no Brevo
+  or UniSender tracking host appeared. The message's one-time link opened the
+  explicit reauthentication confirmation rather than consuming the token on
+  the first GET.
+- A headed Chromium replay in the user's existing authenticated browser
+  confirmed the link once and then reopened the same link. The second attempt
+  displayed `The link is invalid or it has expired.` while retaining the
+  signed-in account email `simpletestxxx@gmail.com` in the replacement-link
+  form. A current-run screenshot was inspected at
+  `.playwright-cli/page-2026-08-25T20-33-24-283Z.png`; that directory is ignored
+  and the screenshot is local operational evidence rather than a repository
+  artifact.
+- Both authentication messages opened for this verification were returned to
+  Gmail's unread state. The task-owned verification tab was closed; the user's
+  pre-existing Chrome process and tabs remained open.
+- The frozen test, shared Caddy, Google Play Console, and the public remote
+  repository were not changed by this work.
+
 ## Current local candidate and production operations recheck on 2026-08-14
 
 - The later production-E2E harness candidate `23776e2` passed the complete