diff --git a/src/grimoire/services/shape_ledger.py b/src/grimoire/services/shape_ledger.py
index dc34576e..c426c620 100644
--- a/src/grimoire/services/shape_ledger.py
+++ b/src/grimoire/services/shape_ledger.py
@@ -258,6 +258,46 @@ def _event(row: CodeShape, event: str, at: datetime, *, commit: str = "") -> Cod
     )
 
 
+async def provisional_row(
+    session, *, project_id: int, repo_key: str, path: str, symbol: str, kind: str,
+) -> CodeShape:
+    """The row for a shape a caller met before any live row for it existed:
+    a shape being written this turn, or one judged ahead of the sync.
+
+    The identity (project, repo, path, symbol, kind) is unique, so "no live
+    row" does not mean "no row". A VANISHED row under the identity is revived
+    and keeps its standing judgment, as a sync revives a shape that comes
+    back. The next sync then confirms it, or stamps it vanished again until
+    the code reaches the bound ref. With no row at all, a provisional one is
+    inserted inside a savepoint. If a concurrent request inserts the same
+    identity first, the savepoint rolls back and that request's row is used.
+    The caller's transaction survives either way.
+    """
+    from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
+
+    def _same():
+        return select(CodeShape).where(
+            CodeShape.project_id == project_id, CodeShape.repo_key == repo_key,
+            CodeShape.path == path, CodeShape.symbol == symbol, CodeShape.kind == kind,
+        )
+
+    row = (await session.execute(_same())).scalars().first()
+    if row is None:
+        try:
+            async with session.begin_nested():
+                row = CodeShape(project_id=project_id, repo_key=repo_key,
+                                path=path, symbol=symbol, kind=kind)
+                session.add(row)
+                await session.flush()
+            return row
+        except IntegrityError:
+            row = (await session.execute(_same())).scalars().one()
+    if row.vanished_at is not None:
+        row.vanished_at = None
+        session.add(_event(row, "reappeared", datetime.now(timezone.utc)))
+    return row
+
+
 async def _judge(
     session, row: CodeShape, *, status: str, snippet_id: int | None,
     by: str | None, reason: str | None, at: datetime, reason_code: str | None = None,
@@ -726,11 +766,10 @@ async def classify_shapes(
             if not matches and repo_key and item.get("status") != "unclassified":
                 path = (item.get("path") or "").strip()
                 symbol = (item.get("symbol") or "").strip()
-                row = CodeShape(
-                    project_id=project_id, repo_key=repo_key, path=path,
+                row = await provisional_row(
+                    session, project_id=project_id, repo_key=repo_key, path=path,
                     symbol=symbol, kind=kind or snippet_kind(symbol, ""),
                 )
-                session.add(row)
                 by_key.setdefault((path, symbol), []).append(row)
                 matches = [row]
                 provisional += 1
@@ -1655,13 +1694,13 @@ async def suggest_write_path_instances(
             if row is None:
                 if not repo_key:
                     continue
-                row = CodeShape(
-                    project_id=project_id, repo_key=repo_key,
+                # It may be a vanished row coming back, with its judgment.
+                row = await provisional_row(
+                    session, project_id=project_id, repo_key=repo_key,
                     path=path, symbol=name, kind=kind,
                 )
-                session.add(row)
                 by_key[(name, kind)] = row
-            elif not (row.status in _MECHANICAL_TODO or row.classified_by == "hook"):
+            if not (row.status in _MECHANICAL_TODO or row.classified_by == "hook"):
                 continue  # a judgment — or the canon itself — stands
             # A proposal, never a status: the writer decides.
             row.proposed_snippet_id = sid
diff --git a/tests/test_integration_shape_classify.py b/tests/test_integration_shape_classify.py
index 5eabd88b..1dcd6794 100644
--- a/tests/test_integration_shape_classify.py
+++ b/tests/test_integration_shape_classify.py
@@ -1252,6 +1252,81 @@ async def test_a_shape_written_this_turn_is_judged_before_the_sync_sees_it(seede
     assert row.vanished_at is None and row.last_seen_commit == "c2"
 
 
+async def _rows_at(pid: int, path: str) -> list[CodeShape]:
+    """Every row at ``path``, vanished ones included: what the identity
+    constraint sees."""
+    async with async_session() as s:
+        return list((await s.execute(select(CodeShape).where(
+            CodeShape.project_id == pid, CodeShape.path == path,
+        ))).scalars().all())
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+async def test_judging_a_vanished_shape_revives_its_row(seeded):
+    """A verdict with `repo` on a shape whose row has vanished lands on that
+    row and brings it back. It does not insert a second row under the same
+    identity, which the database refuses, taking the whole batch with it."""
+    from grimoire.services import repo_bindings as repo_bindings_svc
+
+    owner, pid, sid = seeded["owner"], seeded["pid"], seeded["snippet"]
+    await repo_bindings_svc.set_binding(owner, REPO, pid)
+    await sync_repo_shapes(
+        pid, REPO, [s for s in SHAPES if s[0] != "src/util.py"], seen_marker="c1",
+    )
+    [gone] = await _rows_at(pid, "src/util.py")
+    assert gone.vanished_at is not None
+
+    out = await classify_shapes(owner, pid, [
+        {"path": "src/util.py", "symbol": "helper", "kind": "sym", "status": "exempt",
+         "reason": "the module's own parse step", "reason_code": "pure-helper"},
+        {"path": "src/app.py", "symbol": "make_app", "status": "instance", "snippet_id": sid},
+    ], repo=REPO)
+    assert out["classified"] == 2 and out["unmatched"] == []
+
+    [row] = await _rows_at(pid, "src/util.py")
+    assert row.id == gone.id and row.vanished_at is None
+    assert (row.status, row.reason_code) == ("exempt", "pure-helper")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+async def test_a_write_path_stamp_on_a_vanished_shape_revives_its_row(seeded):
+    """The write-path hook meets a shape being written again after a sync
+    stamped it vanished. Its suggestion lands on the existing row, with no
+    second insert, and a standing verdict on that row still stands."""
+    from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
+    from grimoire.services.shape_ledger import suggest_write_path_instances
+
+    owner, pid, sid = seeded["owner"], seeded["pid"], seeded["snippet"]
+    pulled = {sid: datetime.now(timezone.utc)}
+    code = "def helper():\n    return factory()\n"
+    await sync_repo_shapes(
+        pid, REPO, [s for s in SHAPES if s[0] != "src/util.py"], seen_marker="c1",
+    )
+
+    suggested = await suggest_write_path_instances(
+        owner, pid, path="src/util.py", shapes=[("sym", "helper")],
+        code=code, pulled=pulled, repo_key=REPO,
+    )
+    assert [s["symbol"] for s in suggested] == ["helper"]
+    [row] = await _rows_at(pid, "src/util.py")
+    assert row.vanished_at is None and row.proposed_snippet_id == sid
+
+    # A verdict on the row, then another vanish: the next stamp leaves it be.
+    await classify_shapes(owner, pid, [
+        {"path": "src/util.py", "symbol": "helper", "status": "exempt", "reason": "local"},
+    ])
+    await sync_repo_shapes(
+        pid, REPO, [s for s in SHAPES if s[0] != "src/util.py"], seen_marker="c2",
+    )
+    assert await suggest_write_path_instances(
+        owner, pid, path="src/util.py", shapes=[("sym", "helper")],
+        code=code, pulled=pulled, repo_key=REPO,
+    ) == []
+    [row] = await _rows_at(pid, "src/util.py")
+    assert row.status == "exempt" and row.classified_by == "agent"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.integration
 async def test_unjudged_is_what_nobody_read(seeded):
     """The end-of-turn question: a shape with no row, an unclassified one, a