diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7d7cfc8b6..dff4b9035 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -107,3 +107,6 @@ dmypy.json
 
 # Waku node runtime artifacts
 store.sqlite3*
+
+# SDS / reliable channel manager generated files
+data/
diff --git a/src/node/wrappers_manager.py b/src/node/wrappers_manager.py
index 2a0e84982..8b59bcb4f 100644
--- a/src/node/wrappers_manager.py
+++ b/src/node/wrappers_manager.py
@@ -75,6 +75,22 @@ class WrapperManager:
     def send_message(self, message: dict, *, timeout_s: float = 20.0) -> Result[str, str]:
         return self._node.send_message(message, timeout_s=timeout_s)
 
+    def channel_create(
+        self,
+        channel_id: str,
+        content_topic: str,
+        sender_id: str,
+        *,
+        timeout_s: float = 20.0,
+    ) -> Result[str, str]:
+        return self._node.channel_create(channel_id, content_topic, sender_id, timeout_s=timeout_s)
+
+    def channel_send(self, channel_id: str, message: dict, *, timeout_s: float = 20.0) -> Result[str, str]:
+        return self._node.channel_send(channel_id, message, timeout_s=timeout_s)
+
+    def channel_close(self, channel_id: str, *, timeout_s: float = 20.0) -> Result[int, str]:
+        return self._node.channel_close(channel_id, timeout_s=timeout_s)
+
     def get_available_node_info_ids(self, *, timeout_s: float = 20.0) -> Result[list[str], str]:
         return self._node.get_available_node_info_ids(timeout_s=timeout_s)
 
diff --git a/tests/wrappers_tests/test_channel_lifecycle.py b/tests/wrappers_tests/test_channel_lifecycle.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fe1e3663a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/wrappers_tests/test_channel_lifecycle.py
@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+import uuid
+
+import pytest
+from src.node.wrappers_manager import WrapperManager
+from src.node.wrapper_helpers import EventCollector, create_message_bindings
+from src.libs.common import delay
+
+CHANNEL_ID = "rc01-channel"
+CONTENT_TOPIC = "/test/1/channel/proto"
+SENDER_ID = "rc01-sender"
+
+UNKNOWN_CHANNEL_ID = "rc02-unknown-channel"
+
+RC03_CHANNEL_ID = "rc03-channel"
+
+RC04_CHANNEL_ID = "rc04-channel"
+RC04_EPHEMERAL_CHANNEL_ID = "rc04-ephemeral-channel"
+RC04_DISTINCT_CHANNEL_ID = "rc04-distinct-channel"
+
+# Give the reliable channel manager a moment to settle a freshly-created
+# channel before we act on it.
+CHANNEL_SETTLE_S = 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.smoke
+class TestChannelLifecycle:
+    def test_rc01_create_channel_duplicate_rejected(self, node_config):
+        """RC01: create a channel; a duplicate create with the same id is rejected.
+
+        The reliable channel manager is mounted automatically for a Core-mode
+        node, so no store / --reliability is needed. No events are expected.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        collector = EventCollector()
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config, event_cb=collector.event_callback)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            create_result = node.channel_create(CHANNEL_ID, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert create_result.is_ok(), f"channel_create failed: {create_result.err()}"
+            assert create_result.ok_value == CHANNEL_ID, f"channel_create returned unexpected id: {create_result.ok_value!r}"
+
+            duplicate_result = node.channel_create(CHANNEL_ID, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert duplicate_result.is_err(), f"duplicate channel_create must fail, got Ok({duplicate_result.ok_value!r})"
+            assert f"channel already exists: {CHANNEL_ID}" in duplicate_result.err(), f"unexpected error message: {duplicate_result.err()!r}"
+
+            assert collector.events == [], f"expected no events, got: {collector.events}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
+
+    def test_rc02_send_on_unknown_channel_rejected(self, node_config):
+        """RC02: channel_send() to an id that was never created is rejected.
+
+        The send must Err with "unknown channel: <id>" and emit no events.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        collector = EventCollector()
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config, event_cb=collector.event_callback)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            send_result = node.channel_send(UNKNOWN_CHANNEL_ID, create_message_bindings())
+            assert send_result.is_err(), f"channel_send on unknown channel must fail, got Ok({send_result.ok_value!r})"
+            assert f"unknown channel: {UNKNOWN_CHANNEL_ID}" in send_result.err(), f"unexpected error message: {send_result.err()!r}"
+
+            assert collector.events == [], f"expected no events, got: {collector.events}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
+
+    def test_rc03_close_channel_close_unknown_rejected(self, node_config):
+        """RC03: close an existing channel; closing again / an unknown id is rejected.
+
+        First close succeeds; a second close of the same (now-gone) id and a
+        close of a never-created id both Err with "unknown channel: <id>".
+        Lifecycle teardown + idempotency guard. No events are expected.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        collector = EventCollector()
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config, event_cb=collector.event_callback)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            create_result = node.channel_create(RC03_CHANNEL_ID, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert create_result.is_ok(), f"channel_create failed: {create_result.err()}"
+
+            delay(CHANNEL_SETTLE_S)
+
+            close_result = node.channel_close(RC03_CHANNEL_ID)
+            assert close_result.is_ok(), f"channel_close on an existing channel failed: {close_result.err()}"
+
+            reclose_result = node.channel_close(RC03_CHANNEL_ID)
+            assert reclose_result.is_err(), f"second channel_close must fail, got Ok({reclose_result.ok_value!r})"
+            assert f"unknown channel: {RC03_CHANNEL_ID}" in reclose_result.err(), f"unexpected error message: {reclose_result.err()!r}"
+
+            unknown_close_result = node.channel_close(UNKNOWN_CHANNEL_ID)
+            assert unknown_close_result.is_err(), f"channel_close on unknown channel must fail, got Ok({unknown_close_result.ok_value!r})"
+            assert f"unknown channel: {UNKNOWN_CHANNEL_ID}" in unknown_close_result.err(), f"unexpected error message: {unknown_close_result.err()!r}"
+
+            assert collector.events == [], f"expected no events, got: {collector.events}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
+
+    def test_rc03_close_random_id_leaves_open_channel_intact(self, node_config):
+        """RC03 variant: closing a random unknown id while a real channel is open.
+
+        A genuine channel is created and left open; closing a random id Errs with
+        "unknown channel: <id>" and must not disturb the open channel, which then
+        still closes cleanly. No events are expected.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        channel_id = f"rc03-open-{uuid.uuid4()}"
+        random_id = f"rc03-random-{uuid.uuid4()}"
+
+        collector = EventCollector()
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config, event_cb=collector.event_callback)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            create_result = node.channel_create(channel_id, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert create_result.is_ok(), f"channel_create failed: {create_result.err()}"
+
+            delay(CHANNEL_SETTLE_S)
+
+            random_close_result = node.channel_close(random_id)
+            assert random_close_result.is_err(), f"channel_close on a random id must fail, got Ok({random_close_result.ok_value!r})"
+            assert f"unknown channel: {random_id}" in random_close_result.err(), f"unexpected error message: {random_close_result.err()!r}"
+
+            # The real channel was left untouched and still closes cleanly.
+            close_result = node.channel_close(channel_id)
+            assert close_result.is_ok(), f"open channel_close failed after a bad-id close: {close_result.err()}"
+
+            assert collector.events == [], f"expected no events, got: {collector.events}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
+
+    def test_rc04_empty_payload_rejected_and_send_returns_handle(self, node_config):
+        """RC04: empty payload is rejected; a non-empty send returns a handle synchronously.
+
+        channel_send with an empty payload Errs with "empty payload"; a normal
+        channel_send returns Ok(channelReqId) immediately (delivery is async).
+        Input validation + the immediate-handle contract of send.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            create_result = node.channel_create(RC04_CHANNEL_ID, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert create_result.is_ok(), f"channel_create failed: {create_result.err()}"
+
+            delay(CHANNEL_SETTLE_S)
+
+            empty_result = node.channel_send(RC04_CHANNEL_ID, create_message_bindings(payload=""))
+            assert empty_result.is_err(), f"channel_send with an empty payload must fail, got Ok({empty_result.ok_value!r})"
+            assert "empty payload" in empty_result.err(), f"unexpected error message: {empty_result.err()!r}"
+
+            send_result = node.channel_send(RC04_CHANNEL_ID, create_message_bindings())
+            assert send_result.is_ok(), f"channel_send with a non-empty payload failed: {send_result.err()}"
+            assert send_result.ok_value, f"channel_send must return a non-empty channelReqId handle, got: {send_result.ok_value!r}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
+
+    def test_rc04_ephemeral_send_returns_handle(self, node_config):
+        """RC04 variant: an ephemeral channel_send still returns a handle synchronously.
+
+        The ephemeral flag only affects downstream persistence / terminal events,
+        not the send contract, so channel_send returns Ok(channelReqId) immediately.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            create_result = node.channel_create(RC04_EPHEMERAL_CHANNEL_ID, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert create_result.is_ok(), f"channel_create failed: {create_result.err()}"
+
+            delay(CHANNEL_SETTLE_S)
+
+            send_result = node.channel_send(RC04_EPHEMERAL_CHANNEL_ID, create_message_bindings(ephemeral=True))
+            assert send_result.is_ok(), f"ephemeral channel_send failed: {send_result.err()}"
+            assert send_result.ok_value, f"channel_send must return a non-empty channelReqId handle, got: {send_result.ok_value!r}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
+
+    def test_rc04_sequential_sends_return_distinct_handles(self, node_config):
+        """RC04 variant: back-to-back sends each return a distinct handle.
+
+        Every channel_send is its own request, so two sends on the same channel
+        return two different (non-empty) channelReqId handles.
+        """
+        node_config.update({"mode": "Core"})
+
+        create_node_result = WrapperManager.create_and_start(config=node_config)
+        assert create_node_result.is_ok(), f"Failed to create and start node: {create_node_result.err()}"
+        node = create_node_result.ok_value
+
+        try:
+            create_result = node.channel_create(RC04_DISTINCT_CHANNEL_ID, CONTENT_TOPIC, SENDER_ID)
+            assert create_result.is_ok(), f"channel_create failed: {create_result.err()}"
+
+            delay(CHANNEL_SETTLE_S)
+
+            first_result = node.channel_send(RC04_DISTINCT_CHANNEL_ID, create_message_bindings())
+            assert first_result.is_ok(), f"first channel_send failed: {first_result.err()}"
+            assert first_result.ok_value, f"first channel_send returned an empty handle: {first_result.ok_value!r}"
+
+            second_result = node.channel_send(RC04_DISTINCT_CHANNEL_ID, create_message_bindings())
+            assert second_result.is_ok(), f"second channel_send failed: {second_result.err()}"
+            assert second_result.ok_value, f"second channel_send returned an empty handle: {second_result.ok_value!r}"
+
+            assert (
+                first_result.ok_value != second_result.ok_value
+            ), f"channel_send handles must be distinct, got the same id twice: {first_result.ok_value!r}"
+        finally:
+            node.stop_and_destroy()
diff --git a/vendor/logos-delivery-python-bindings b/vendor/logos-delivery-python-bindings
index 36041dae7..5fb251bd8 160000
--- a/vendor/logos-delivery-python-bindings
+++ b/vendor/logos-delivery-python-bindings
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 36041dae76a53fff91fe53253933d8eb2ab385f9
+Subproject commit 5fb251bd8c6cae40e36a59874d5bc747f52230bd