diff --git a/sds.nim b/sds.nim
index 30392e1..75e01a7 100644
--- a/sds.nim
+++ b/sds.nim
@@ -472,7 +472,6 @@ proc resetReliabilityManager*(rm: ReliabilityManager): Result[void, ReliabilityE
     try:
       for channelId, channel in rm.channels:
         rm.dropChannelFromPersistence(channelId, channel)
-        rm.persistence.saveLamport(channelId, 0)
         channel.lamportTimestamp = 0
         channel.messageHistory.clear()
         channel.outgoingBuffer.setLen(0)
diff --git a/sds/sds_utils.nim b/sds/sds_utils.nim
index bf1fc8c..d3b593b 100644
--- a/sds/sds_utils.nim
+++ b/sds/sds_utils.nim
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ proc dropChannelFromPersistence*(
     rm.persistence.removeOutgoingRepair(channelId, msgId)
   for msgId in channel.incomingRepairBuffer.keys:
     rm.persistence.removeIncomingRepair(channelId, msgId)
+  rm.persistence.saveLamport(channelId, 0)
 
 proc cleanup*(rm: ReliabilityManager) {.raises: [].} =
   ## Releases in-memory state. Does NOT wipe persistence — the manager may be
diff --git a/tests/test_persistence.nim b/tests/test_persistence.nim
index 020996e..fc5e36a 100644
--- a/tests/test_persistence.nim
+++ b/tests/test_persistence.nim
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import unittest, results, std/tables
+import unittest, results, std/[tables, sets, times]
 import sds
 import ./in_memory_persistence
 
@@ -98,8 +98,10 @@ suite "Persistence: write → restart → read-back":
     check rm.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
     discard rm.wrapOutgoingMessage(@[1.byte], "msg-r", testChannel)
     check store.outgoing[testChannel].len == 1
+    check store.lamports[testChannel] > 0
     check rm.removeChannel(testChannel).isOk()
     check store.outgoing[testChannel].len == 0
+    check store.lamports[testChannel] == 0
     rm.cleanup()
 
   test "noOpPersistence keeps existing manager working":
@@ -109,3 +111,227 @@ suite "Persistence: write → restart → read-back":
     check wrapped.isOk()
     check rm.getOutgoingBuffer(testChannel).len == 1
     rm.cleanup()
+
+  test "continue operating after restart: lamport stays monotonic":
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    let p1 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm1 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p1).get()
+    check rm1.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    discard rm1.wrapOutgoingMessage(@[1.byte], "m1", testChannel)
+    let lamportAfterSession1 = store.lamports[testChannel]
+    check lamportAfterSession1 > 0
+    rm1.cleanup()
+
+    # Restart and send another message — lamport must not regress.
+    let p2 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm2 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p2).get()
+    check rm2.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    check rm2.channels[testChannel].lamportTimestamp == lamportAfterSession1
+    discard rm2.wrapOutgoingMessage(@[2.byte], "m2", testChannel)
+    check store.lamports[testChannel] > lamportAfterSession1
+    check rm2.getOutgoingBuffer(testChannel).len == 2
+    rm2.cleanup()
+
+  test "multiple restart cycles preserve state":
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    for i in 1 .. 3:
+      let p = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+      let rm = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p).get()
+      check rm.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+      discard rm.wrapOutgoingMessage(@[byte(i)], "m" & $i, testChannel)
+      rm.cleanup()
+
+    # Final session: all three messages must be in the buffer.
+    let pFinal = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rmFinal = newReliabilityManager(persistence = pFinal).get()
+    check rmFinal.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    let buf = rmFinal.getOutgoingBuffer(testChannel)
+    check buf.len == 3
+    var ids = newSeq[string]()
+    for unack in buf:
+      ids.add(unack.message.messageId.string)
+    check "m1" in ids
+    check "m2" in ids
+    check "m3" in ids
+    rmFinal.cleanup()
+
+  test "incoming dep-waiting buffer survives restart with missingDeps intact":
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    let p1 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm1 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p1).get()
+    check rm1.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+
+    # Receive a message whose causal-history references an unknown predecessor.
+    let depMsg = SdsMessage.init(
+      messageId = "msg-with-deps",
+      lamportTimestamp = 10,
+      causalHistory = @[HistoryEntry.init("missing-dep", @[])],
+      channelId = testChannel,
+      content = @[7.byte],
+      bloomFilter = @[],
+      senderId = "carol",
+    )
+    let serialized = serializeMessage(depMsg).get()
+    discard rm1.unwrapReceivedMessage(serialized)
+    check "msg-with-deps" in store.incoming[testChannel]
+    rm1.cleanup()
+
+    # Restart — buffered message and its missing-deps set must be back.
+    let p2 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm2 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p2).get()
+    check rm2.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    let inbuf = rm2.getIncomingBuffer(testChannel)
+    check "msg-with-deps" in inbuf
+    check "missing-dep" in inbuf["msg-with-deps"].missingDeps
+    rm2.cleanup()
+
+  test "removeChannel + recreate does not inherit stale lamport":
+    # Regression: dropChannelFromPersistence used to skip saveLamport(0),
+    # so the channels row survived removeChannel and a recreate inherited it.
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    let p1 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm1 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p1).get()
+    check rm1.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    discard rm1.wrapOutgoingMessage(@[1.byte], "m-old", testChannel)
+    check store.lamports[testChannel] > 0
+    check rm1.removeChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    check store.lamports[testChannel] == 0
+    rm1.cleanup()
+
+    # Recreate the same channelId after a restart — must start fresh.
+    let p2 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm2 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p2).get()
+    check rm2.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    check rm2.channels[testChannel].lamportTimestamp == 0
+    check rm2.getOutgoingBuffer(testChannel).len == 0
+    rm2.cleanup()
+
+  test "SDS-R outgoing repair buffer survives restart with absolute t_req_at":
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    let p1 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm1 = newReliabilityManager(
+      participantId = "alice", persistence = p1
+    ).get()
+    check rm1.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+
+    # Receive a message that references an unknown dep — triggers SDS-R repair.
+    let depMsg = SdsMessage.init(
+      messageId = "msg-needs-repair",
+      lamportTimestamp = 5,
+      causalHistory = @[HistoryEntry.init("missing-dep", @[])],
+      channelId = testChannel,
+      content = @[1.byte],
+      bloomFilter = @[],
+      senderId = "bob",
+    )
+    discard rm1.unwrapReceivedMessage(serializeMessage(depMsg).get())
+    check "missing-dep" in store.outgoingRepair[testChannel]
+    let originalTReqAt = store.outgoingRepair[testChannel]["missing-dep"].minTimeRepairReq
+    check originalTReqAt.toUnix > 0
+    rm1.cleanup()
+
+    # Restart — repair entry must be back with the SAME absolute time, not "now".
+    let p2 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm2 = newReliabilityManager(
+      participantId = "alice", persistence = p2
+    ).get()
+    check rm2.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    let buf = rm2.channels[testChannel].outgoingRepairBuffer
+    check "missing-dep" in buf
+    check buf["missing-dep"].minTimeRepairReq == originalTReqAt
+    rm2.cleanup()
+
+  test "FIFO eviction state survives restart":
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    var smallCfg = defaultConfig()
+    smallCfg.maxMessageHistory = 3
+    smallCfg.bloomFilterCapacity = 3
+
+    let p1 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm1 = newReliabilityManager(config = smallCfg, persistence = p1).get()
+    check rm1.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    # Add 5 delivered messages — first 2 should be evicted by FIFO.
+    for i in 1 .. 5:
+      let m = SdsMessage.init(
+        messageId = "m" & $i,
+        lamportTimestamp = int64(i),
+        causalHistory = @[],
+        channelId = testChannel,
+        content = @[byte(i)],
+        bloomFilter = @[],
+        senderId = "alice",
+      )
+      rm1.addToHistory(m, testChannel)
+    check store.log[testChannel].len == 3
+    check "m1" notin store.log[testChannel]
+    check "m2" notin store.log[testChannel]
+    rm1.cleanup()
+
+    # Restart — evicted entries must NOT come back; survivors keep order.
+    let p2 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm2 = newReliabilityManager(config = smallCfg, persistence = p2).get()
+    check rm2.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    let history = rm2.channels[testChannel].messageHistory
+    check history.len == 3
+    check "m1" notin history
+    check "m2" notin history
+    check "m3" in history
+    check "m5" in history
+    # FIFO continues correctly after restart: adding m6 evicts m3, not a stale entry.
+    let m6 = SdsMessage.init(
+      messageId = "m6", lamportTimestamp = 6, causalHistory = @[],
+      channelId = testChannel, content = @[6.byte],
+      bloomFilter = @[], senderId = "alice",
+    )
+    rm2.addToHistory(m6, testChannel)
+    check "m3" notin store.log[testChannel]
+    check "m6" in store.log[testChannel]
+    rm2.cleanup()
+
+  test "dep-clear cascade resumes correctly across a restart":
+    let store = newInMemoryStore()
+    let p1 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm1 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p1).get()
+    check rm1.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+
+    # Receive c (deps on b), then b (deps on a). Both must buffer.
+    let msgC = SdsMessage.init(
+      messageId = "c", lamportTimestamp = 30,
+      causalHistory = @[HistoryEntry.init("b", @[])],
+      channelId = testChannel, content = @[3.byte],
+      bloomFilter = @[], senderId = "carol",
+    )
+    let msgB = SdsMessage.init(
+      messageId = "b", lamportTimestamp = 20,
+      causalHistory = @[HistoryEntry.init("a", @[])],
+      channelId = testChannel, content = @[2.byte],
+      bloomFilter = @[], senderId = "bob",
+    )
+    discard rm1.unwrapReceivedMessage(serializeMessage(msgC).get())
+    discard rm1.unwrapReceivedMessage(serializeMessage(msgB).get())
+    check "c" in store.incoming[testChannel]
+    check "b" in store.incoming[testChannel]
+    rm1.cleanup()
+
+    # Restart — both still buffered, with intact missingDeps.
+    let p2 = newInMemoryPersistence(store)
+    let rm2 = newReliabilityManager(persistence = p2).get()
+    check rm2.ensureChannel(testChannel).isOk()
+    let inbuf = rm2.getIncomingBuffer(testChannel)
+    check "c" in inbuf
+    check "b" in inbuf
+
+    # Now receive a (root) — should cascade-deliver a, b, c.
+    let msgA = SdsMessage.init(
+      messageId = "a", lamportTimestamp = 10, causalHistory = @[],
+      channelId = testChannel, content = @[1.byte],
+      bloomFilter = @[], senderId = "alice",
+    )
+    discard rm2.unwrapReceivedMessage(serializeMessage(msgA).get())
+    let history = rm2.channels[testChannel].messageHistory
+    check "a" in history
+    check "b" in history
+    check "c" in history
+    # Buffer should be drained.
+    check rm2.getIncomingBuffer(testChannel).len == 0
+    rm2.cleanup()