diff --git a/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/serving.rs b/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/serving.rs
index cb082cfd60..e5f360fbe6 100644
--- a/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/serving.rs
+++ b/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/serving.rs
@@ -2769,11 +2769,36 @@ impl LatestCodeTextGenerationV1 {
                 self.install_artifact_owners(reader, reader_reservation)?;
                 self.publish_text_progress_snapshot(ready_progress);
                 if needs_clone_successor {
-                    self.text_projection_build.retain_clone_successor_retry()?;
-                    return self
-                        .begin_clone_successor(descriptor, prior, sealed_identity, source, control)
-                        .map(TextHeadOpenOutcomeV1::BuildCloneSuccessor)
-                        .map(Some);
+                    // `begin_clone_successor` copies the whole prior lexical
+                    // artifact with the slot lock released, so this wake's
+                    // head-open claim has to span it. Parking
+                    // `CloneSuccessorPending` before the copy published a
+                    // takeable state mid-claim: `advance_artifact_text_serving`
+                    // leaves its park loop on that state, so a concurrent wake
+                    // took a second `HeadOpening` on top of this open and both
+                    // drove the same staging database. Whichever open resolved
+                    // second then found the slot already reset and failed the
+                    // clone lane closed. A successful begin resolves the claim
+                    // to `BuildingCloneSuccessor` anyway, so only a failed one
+                    // needs the retry marker: the owners installed above would
+                    // otherwise let the next wake short-circuit on a plain
+                    // `Idle` and never owe the successor again.
+                    return match self.begin_clone_successor(
+                        descriptor,
+                        prior,
+                        sealed_identity,
+                        source,
+                        control,
+                    ) {
+                        Ok(build) => Ok(Some(TextHeadOpenOutcomeV1::BuildCloneSuccessor(build))),
+                        Err(error) => {
+                            // The claim still owns `HeadOpening`, so this only
+                            // parks the marker; the begin failure is the one
+                            // worth reporting.
+                            let _ = self.text_projection_build.retain_clone_successor_retry();
+                            Err(error)
+                        }
+                    };
                 }
                 drop(source);
                 Ok(Some(TextHeadOpenOutcomeV1::Served))
diff --git a/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/tests/serving.rs b/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/tests/serving.rs
index 03ebce7c9e..21f8baa73e 100644
--- a/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/tests/serving.rs
+++ b/crates/tracedecay-code-index-runtime/src/code_index_scheduler/tests/serving.rs
@@ -942,6 +942,88 @@ fn lexical_readiness_leaves_the_clone_successor_uncopied() {
     assert_eq!(revision, 16);
 }
 
+/// Only one wake at a time may own a head-open claim.
+///
+/// `open_published_text_artifact` used to park `CloneSuccessorPending`
+/// before `begin_clone_successor` copied the whole prior artifact, and
+/// `advance_artifact_text_serving` leaves its park loop on that state. A
+/// concurrent wake took a second `HeadOpening` on top of the first open,
+/// both drove the same staging database, and whichever open resolved second
+/// found the slot already reset and refused with `clone-successor retry
+/// requires an active head-open claim`. The clone lanes report that refusal
+/// as a non-retryable `search_failed`.
+#[test]
+fn concurrent_wakes_never_overlap_the_clone_successor_head_open() {
+    let sources = (0..24)
+        .map(|index| {
+            (
+                format!("src/module_{index}.rs"),
+                format!(
+                    "pub fn alpha_{index}() {{ one(); two(); three(); four(); five(); six(); seven(); eight(); nine(); ten(); }}\npub fn beta_{index}() {{ one(); two(); three(); four(); five(); six(); seven(); eight(); nine(); ten(); }}\n"
+                ),
+            )
+        })
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    let files = sources
+        .iter()
+        .map(|(path, contents)| (path.as_str(), contents.as_str()))
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    let fixture = GitFixture::new(&files);
+    let store = TempDir::new().expect("store root");
+    let mut scheduler = scheduler(
+        &fixture,
+        store.path().to_path_buf(),
+        Arc::new(SharedCodeIndexBytePoolV1::default()),
+    );
+    published(scheduler.reconcile_now().expect("publish generation"));
+    let latest = scheduler.latest_complete().expect("latest generation");
+    while !latest.query_owners_are_ready() {
+        latest
+            .advance_text_serving(1)
+            .expect("advance lexical build");
+    }
+    assert!(
+        matches!(
+            &*latest.text_projection_build.lock_slot(),
+            super::super::CodeTextProjectionSlotV1::CloneSuccessorPending
+        ),
+        "the successor must still be owed when the wakes start"
+    );
+
+    let workers = (0..4)
+        .map(|_| {
+            let latest = latest.clone();
+            thread::spawn(move || {
+                let mut advances = 0_usize;
+                while latest.text_projection_needs_work() && advances < 400 {
+                    latest.advance_text_serving(1)?;
+                    advances += 1;
+                }
+                Ok(())
+            })
+        })
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    for worker in workers {
+        worker
+            .join()
+            .expect("wake thread joins")
+            .unwrap_or_else(|error: RetrievalPortError| {
+                panic!("a concurrent wake failed the text projection: {error}")
+            });
+    }
+
+    assert!(!latest.text_projection_needs_work());
+    let revision: i64 = rusqlite::Connection::open(active_text_artifact_path(store.path()))
+        .expect("open finished artifact")
+        .query_row(
+            "SELECT format_revision FROM artifact_state WHERE singleton = 1",
+            [],
+            |row| row.get(0),
+        )
+        .expect("read finished revision");
+    assert_eq!(revision, 16, "the clone successor must have sealed");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn clone_status_distinguishes_unavailable_backfill_partial_ready_and_stale() {
     let fixture = GitFixture::new(&[(