diff --git a/backend/app/celery_app.py b/backend/app/celery_app.py
index f42db3b..ed6e9a8 100644
--- a/backend/app/celery_app.py
+++ b/backend/app/celery_app.py
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ def make_celery() -> Celery:
                 "task": "backend.app.tasks.ml.scheduled_ccip_auto_apply",
                 "schedule": 86400.0,  # no-op unless ccip_auto_apply_enabled
             },
+            "retract-auto-tags-daily": {
+                "task": "backend.app.tasks.ml.scheduled_retract_auto_tags",
+                "schedule": 86400.0,  # soft auto-apply: drop auto-tags now below
+                # their threshold (m139); no-op unless the auto-apply switch is on
+            },
             "snapshot-head-metrics-daily": {
                 "task": "backend.app.tasks.maintenance.snapshot_head_metrics",
                 "schedule": 86400.0,
diff --git a/backend/app/services/ml/character_prototypes.py b/backend/app/services/ml/character_prototypes.py
index 8f8fb72..602d4ec 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/ml/character_prototypes.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/ml/character_prototypes.py
@@ -31,9 +31,15 @@ from ...models import (
     MLSettings,
     Tag,
     TagKind,
+    TagPositiveConfirmation,
 )
 from ...models.tag import image_tag
-from .ccip import _FIGURE_KINDS, _hygiene_tagged_images, _single_character_images
+from .ccip import (
+    _FIGURE_KINDS,
+    _hygiene_tagged_images,
+    _l2norm,
+    _single_character_images,
+)
 
 # Deterministic per-tag capping so a rebuild of an UNCHANGED reference set
 # resamples identically (stable prototypes, no churn between refreshes).
@@ -173,3 +179,76 @@ def refresh_character_prototypes(
     settings.ccip_ref_signature = sig
     session.commit()
     return {"skipped": False, "rebuilt": rebuilt, "removed": removed}
+
+
+def retract_auto_applied_ccip(session: Session) -> int:
+    """Soft auto-apply for CCIP character tags (milestone 139): re-score every
+    standing source='ccip_auto' character tag against that character's prototypes
+    and REMOVE the ones whose best figure match is now BELOW
+    ccip_auto_apply_threshold. Skips operator-confirmed tags. SILENT — a low score
+    isn't proof the tag was wrong (that's reserved for an operator removal). No-op
+    unless ccip_auto_apply_enabled. A character with no prototypes yet, or an image
+    with no figure vectors, is left alone (can't judge → keep). Returns
+    n_retracted."""
+    import numpy as np
+
+    settings = session.execute(
+        select(MLSettings).where(MLSettings.id == 1)
+    ).scalar_one()
+    if not settings.ccip_auto_apply_enabled:
+        return 0
+    thr = float(settings.ccip_auto_apply_threshold)
+    pairs = session.execute(
+        select(image_tag.c.image_record_id, image_tag.c.tag_id)
+        .where(image_tag.c.source == "ccip_auto")
+    ).all()
+    if not pairs:
+        return 0
+    confirmed = {
+        (iid, tid) for iid, tid in session.execute(
+            select(
+                TagPositiveConfirmation.image_record_id,
+                TagPositiveConfirmation.tag_id,
+            )
+        ).all()
+    }
+    # Each involved character's normalized prototype matrix, loaded once.
+    proto: dict[int, object] = {}
+    for tid in {tid for _iid, tid in pairs}:
+        vecs = [
+            v for (v,) in session.execute(
+                select(CharacterPrototype.ccip_embedding)
+                .where(CharacterPrototype.tag_id == tid)
+            )
+        ]
+        if vecs:
+            proto[tid] = _l2norm(
+                np.vstack([np.asarray(v, dtype=np.float32) for v in vecs]), np
+            )
+    retracted = 0
+    for iid, tid in pairs:
+        if (iid, tid) in confirmed or tid not in proto:
+            continue                                   # confirmed / no prototypes
+        qvecs = [
+            v for (v,) in session.execute(
+                select(ImageRegion.ccip_embedding)
+                .where(ImageRegion.image_record_id == iid)
+                .where(ImageRegion.kind.in_(_FIGURE_KINDS))
+                .where(ImageRegion.ccip_embedding.is_not(None))
+            )
+        ]
+        if not qvecs:
+            continue                                   # no figure vectors → keep
+        Q = _l2norm(
+            np.vstack([np.asarray(v, dtype=np.float32) for v in qvecs]), np
+        )
+        if float((Q @ proto[tid].T).max()) < thr:
+            session.execute(
+                image_tag.delete()
+                .where(image_tag.c.image_record_id == iid)
+                .where(image_tag.c.tag_id == tid)
+                .where(image_tag.c.source == "ccip_auto")
+            )
+            retracted += 1
+    session.commit()
+    return retracted
diff --git a/backend/app/services/ml/heads.py b/backend/app/services/ml/heads.py
index 41059cd..c01fd7f 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/ml/heads.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/ml/heads.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from ...models import (
     Tag,
     TagHead,
     TagKind,
+    TagPositiveConfirmation,
     TagSuggestionRejection,
 )
 from ...models.tag import image_tag
@@ -723,3 +724,64 @@ def auto_apply_sweep(
         for h in range(len(rows))
     ]
     return {"n_applied": sum(applied), "concepts": concepts}
+
+
+def retract_auto_applied_heads(session: Session) -> int:
+    """Soft auto-apply (milestone 139): re-score every standing source='head_auto'
+    tag against its CURRENT head and REMOVE the ones now BELOW the head's
+    auto_apply_threshold — i.e. the head sharpened (or the operator raised the bar)
+    and no longer supports them. Skips operator-confirmed tags
+    (TagPositiveConfirmation). SILENT: a low score isn't proof the tag was wrong,
+    so no hard negative is recorded — that's reserved for an operator removal.
+    No-op unless head_auto_apply_enabled. Only re-scores the images that ALREADY
+    carry the auto-tag (bounded), never the whole library. Returns n_retracted."""
+    import numpy as np
+
+    settings = _settings(session)
+    if not settings.head_auto_apply_enabled:
+        return 0
+    heads = session.execute(
+        select(
+            TagHead.tag_id, TagHead.weights, TagHead.bias,
+            TagHead.auto_apply_threshold,
+        )
+        .where(TagHead.embedding_version == settings.embedder_model_version)
+        .where(TagHead.auto_apply_threshold.is_not(None))
+    ).all()
+    retracted = 0
+    for tag_id, weights, bias, thr in heads:
+        auto_ids = [
+            iid for (iid,) in session.execute(
+                select(image_tag.c.image_record_id)
+                .where(image_tag.c.tag_id == tag_id)
+                .where(image_tag.c.source == "head_auto")
+            )
+        ]
+        if not auto_ids:
+            continue
+        confirmed = {
+            iid for (iid,) in session.execute(
+                select(TagPositiveConfirmation.image_record_id)
+                .where(TagPositiveConfirmation.tag_id == tag_id)
+                .where(TagPositiveConfirmation.image_record_id.in_(auto_ids))
+            )
+        }
+        candidates = [i for i in auto_ids if i not in confirmed]
+        emb = _load_embeddings(session, candidates)
+        cids = [i for i in candidates if i in emb]
+        if not cids:
+            continue
+        Xn = _l2norm(np.vstack([emb[i] for i in cids]).astype(np.float32), np)
+        w = np.asarray(weights, dtype=np.float32)
+        probs = 1.0 / (1.0 + np.exp(-(Xn @ w + float(bias))))
+        below = [cids[k] for k in np.where(probs < float(thr))[0]]
+        for iid in below:
+            session.execute(
+                image_tag.delete()
+                .where(image_tag.c.image_record_id == iid)
+                .where(image_tag.c.tag_id == tag_id)
+                .where(image_tag.c.source == "head_auto")
+            )
+            retracted += 1
+        session.commit()
+    return retracted
diff --git a/backend/app/tasks/ml.py b/backend/app/tasks/ml.py
index 4959099..2172e71 100644
--- a/backend/app/tasks/ml.py
+++ b/backend/app/tasks/ml.py
@@ -592,3 +592,23 @@ def scheduled_ccip_auto_apply() -> str:
                     applied += 1
             session.commit()
         return f"applied={applied}"
+
+
+@celery.task(
+    name="backend.app.tasks.ml.scheduled_retract_auto_tags",
+    soft_time_limit=1800, time_limit=2100,
+)
+def scheduled_retract_auto_tags() -> str:
+    """Soft auto-apply (milestone 139): retract standing head_auto/ccip_auto tags
+    the model no longer supports (score now below the auto-apply threshold),
+    skipping operator-confirmed ones. Silent (no hard negative). No-op unless the
+    respective auto-apply switch is on. Returns 'head=N ccip=M'."""
+    from ..services.ml.character_prototypes import retract_auto_applied_ccip
+    from ..services.ml.heads import retract_auto_applied_heads
+
+    SessionLocal = _sync_session_factory()
+    with SessionLocal() as session:
+        n_head = retract_auto_applied_heads(session)
+    with SessionLocal() as session:
+        n_ccip = retract_auto_applied_ccip(session)
+    return f"head={n_head} ccip={n_ccip}"
diff --git a/tests/test_retract_auto_apply.py b/tests/test_retract_auto_apply.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f93a91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_retract_auto_apply.py
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+"""Soft auto-apply (milestone 139): the retraction sweeps drop standing
+head_auto/ccip_auto tags now below their threshold, keep the ones still above,
+and never touch manual or operator-confirmed tags. Sync + sklearn-free (they
+score with STORED weights/vectors), so tested directly via db_sync."""
+import pytest
+from sqlalchemy import select
+
+from backend.app.models import (
+    CharacterPrototype,
+    ImageRecord,
+    ImageRegion,
+    MLSettings,
+    Tag,
+    TagHead,
+    TagKind,
+    TagPositiveConfirmation,
+)
+from backend.app.models.tag import image_tag
+from backend.app.services.ml.character_prototypes import retract_auto_applied_ccip
+from backend.app.services.ml.heads import retract_auto_applied_heads
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.integration
+
+
+def _emb(slot: int) -> list[float]:
+    v = [0.0] * 1152
+    v[slot] = 3.0
+    return v
+
+
+def _ccip(slot: int) -> list[float]:
+    v = [0.0] * 768
+    v[slot] = 1.0
+    return v
+
+
+def _img(db, sha: str, emb=None) -> ImageRecord:
+    img = ImageRecord(
+        path=f"/images/{sha}.jpg", sha256=sha, size_bytes=1, mime="image/jpeg",
+        width=1, height=1, origin="imported_filesystem",
+        integrity_status="unknown", siglip_embedding=emb,
+    )
+    db.add(img)
+    db.flush()
+    return img
+
+
+def _figure(db, image_id: int, ccip) -> None:
+    db.add(ImageRegion(
+        image_record_id=image_id, kind="figure",
+        rx=0.0, ry=0.0, rw=1.0, rh=1.0,
+        ccip_embedding=ccip, embedding_version="ccip-test",
+    ))
+    db.flush()
+
+
+def _tag(db, name: str, kind: TagKind) -> Tag:
+    t = Tag(name=name, kind=kind)
+    db.add(t)
+    db.flush()
+    return t
+
+
+def _apply(db, image_id: int, tag_id: int, source: str) -> None:
+    db.execute(image_tag.insert().values(
+        image_record_id=image_id, tag_id=tag_id, source=source,
+    ))
+
+
+def _version(db) -> str:
+    return db.execute(
+        select(MLSettings.embedder_model_version).where(MLSettings.id == 1)
+    ).scalar_one()
+
+
+def _head(db, tag_id: int, slot: int, threshold: float, version: str) -> None:
+    w = [0.0] * 1152
+    w[slot] = 1.0
+    db.add(TagHead(
+        tag_id=tag_id, embedding_version=version, weights=w, bias=0.0,
+        suggest_threshold=0.5, auto_apply_threshold=threshold,
+        n_pos=60, n_neg=180, ap=0.9, precision_cv=0.98, recall=0.7,
+    ))
+    db.flush()
+
+
+def _has_tag(db, image_id: int, tag_id: int) -> bool:
+    return db.execute(
+        select(image_tag.c.tag_id)
+        .where(image_tag.c.image_record_id == image_id)
+        .where(image_tag.c.tag_id == tag_id)
+    ).first() is not None
+
+
+def test_retract_head_auto(db_sync):
+    ver = _version(db_sync)
+    tag = _tag(db_sync, "glasses", TagKind.general)
+    _head(db_sync, tag.id, slot=0, threshold=0.7, version=ver)
+    hi = _img(db_sync, "a" * 64, _emb(0))     # aligned → ~0.73 ≥ 0.7 → keep
+    lo = _img(db_sync, "b" * 64, _emb(5))     # orthogonal → 0.5 < 0.7 → retract
+    man = _img(db_sync, "c" * 64, _emb(5))    # low score but manual → keep
+    conf = _img(db_sync, "d" * 64, _emb(5))   # low score, head_auto, CONFIRMED → keep
+    _apply(db_sync, hi.id, tag.id, "head_auto")
+    _apply(db_sync, lo.id, tag.id, "head_auto")
+    _apply(db_sync, man.id, tag.id, "manual")
+    _apply(db_sync, conf.id, tag.id, "head_auto")
+    db_sync.add(TagPositiveConfirmation(image_record_id=conf.id, tag_id=tag.id))
+    db_sync.commit()
+
+    assert retract_auto_applied_heads(db_sync) == 1
+    assert not _has_tag(db_sync, lo.id, tag.id)     # retracted (below threshold)
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, hi.id, tag.id)         # kept (still above)
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, man.id, tag.id)        # kept (manual, not auto)
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, conf.id, tag.id)       # kept (operator-confirmed)
+
+
+def test_retract_head_auto_noop_when_disabled(db_sync):
+    s = db_sync.execute(select(MLSettings).where(MLSettings.id == 1)).scalar_one()
+    s.head_auto_apply_enabled = False
+    ver = _version(db_sync)
+    tag = _tag(db_sync, "glasses", TagKind.general)
+    _head(db_sync, tag.id, slot=0, threshold=0.7, version=ver)
+    lo = _img(db_sync, "e" * 64, _emb(5))     # would be below threshold
+    _apply(db_sync, lo.id, tag.id, "head_auto")
+    db_sync.commit()
+
+    assert retract_auto_applied_heads(db_sync) == 0
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, lo.id, tag.id)         # switch off → nothing retracted
+
+
+def test_retract_ccip_auto(db_sync):
+    char = _tag(db_sync, "Raven", TagKind.character)
+    db_sync.add(CharacterPrototype(tag_id=char.id, ccip_embedding=_ccip(0)))
+    hi = _img(db_sync, "f" * 64)              # figure matches prototype → keep
+    lo = _img(db_sync, "g" * 64)             # figure orthogonal → retract
+    conf = _img(db_sync, "h" * 64)           # orthogonal, CONFIRMED → keep
+    man = _img(db_sync, "i" * 64)            # orthogonal, manual → keep
+    _figure(db_sync, hi.id, _ccip(0))
+    _figure(db_sync, lo.id, _ccip(5))
+    _figure(db_sync, conf.id, _ccip(5))
+    _figure(db_sync, man.id, _ccip(5))
+    _apply(db_sync, hi.id, char.id, "ccip_auto")
+    _apply(db_sync, lo.id, char.id, "ccip_auto")
+    _apply(db_sync, conf.id, char.id, "ccip_auto")
+    _apply(db_sync, man.id, char.id, "manual")
+    db_sync.add(TagPositiveConfirmation(image_record_id=conf.id, tag_id=char.id))
+    db_sync.commit()
+
+    assert retract_auto_applied_ccip(db_sync) == 1
+    assert not _has_tag(db_sync, lo.id, char.id)    # retracted (below threshold)
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, hi.id, char.id)        # kept (match ≥ threshold)
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, conf.id, char.id)      # kept (operator-confirmed)
+    assert _has_tag(db_sync, man.id, char.id)       # kept (manual, not auto)