diff --git a/src/scribe/services/backup.py b/src/scribe/services/backup.py
index cf7573e..735b559 100644
--- a/src/scribe/services/backup.py
+++ b/src/scribe/services/backup.py
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ def _usage_event_rows(rows) -> list[dict]:
     return [
         {
             "user_id": r.user_id, "note_id": r.note_id, "event": r.event,
-            "source": r.source,
+            "source": r.source, "project_id": r.project_id,
             "created_at": r.created_at.isoformat() if r.created_at else None,
         }
         for r in rows
@@ -1548,6 +1548,12 @@ async def _restore_v2(data: dict) -> dict:
                 note_id=mapped_nid,
                 event=ev.get("event", ""),
                 source=ev.get("source", ""),
+                # Degrades to None rather than dropping the row: unlike a shape
+                # event, a usage event without a project is still a real pull,
+                # and discarding it would deflate the pull-through this table
+                # exists to report. Null already means "not reported".
+                project_id=(project_id_map.get(ev["project_id"])
+                            if ev.get("project_id") else None),
                 created_at=_dt(ev.get("created_at")),
             ))
             stats["note_usage_events"] += 1
diff --git a/tests/test_note_usage.py b/tests/test_note_usage.py
index 5ab69cf..26ba708 100644
--- a/tests/test_note_usage.py
+++ b/tests/test_note_usage.py
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ async def test_record_pulled_writes_a_single_row():
         record_pulled(user_id=7, note_id=11, source="mcp_get_snippet")
     rows = sched.call_args[0][0]
     assert rows == [
-        {"user_id": 7, "note_id": 11, "event": "pulled", "source": "mcp_get_snippet"}
+        {"user_id": 7, "note_id": 11, "event": "pulled",
+         "source": "mcp_get_snippet", "project_id": None}
     ]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_services_backup.py b/tests/test_services_backup.py
index 40ed6f2..33e63e9 100644
--- a/tests/test_services_backup.py
+++ b/tests/test_services_backup.py
@@ -245,6 +245,42 @@ def test_every_column_is_exported_or_declared_excluded(table):
     )
 
 
+def test_the_usage_importer_restores_the_reading_project():
+    """The column guard above checks the EXPORT side only.
+
+    A column can be exported faithfully and then dropped on the way back in,
+    which restores a backup that reports success and has quietly lost a
+    dimension — #3182's failure mode, one direction over. There is no general
+    import-side guard yet; this covers the column #4196 added, by source
+    inspection, because the behavioural path needs Postgres.
+
+    It also pins the DEGRADE. `code_shape_events` skips a row whose project
+    will not map, because a shape event without its project says nothing. A
+    usage event is not like that: the project is optional by design and null
+    already means "not reported", so an unmappable one must restore as
+    unreported rather than vanish — dropping it would lose a real pull and
+    deflate the very pull-through this table exists to report.
+    """
+    import inspect
+
+    src = inspect.getsource(backup._restore_v2)
+    marker = 'for ev in data.get("note_usage_events", []):'
+    assert marker in src, "the usage import loop moved; this guard is blind"
+    block = src[src.index(marker):][:1200]
+
+    assert 'ev.get("project_id")' in block, (
+        "the usage importer drops project_id — a restore would report success "
+        "and come back without the reading project"
+    )
+    assert "project_id_map" in block, (
+        "project_id must be re-mapped; a raw id points at whatever project "
+        "happens to hold that number in the destination install"
+    )
+    assert "continue" not in block.split('project_id=')[1][:200], (
+        "an unmappable project must degrade to None, not skip the row"
+    )
+
+
 def test_the_column_guard_covers_every_table_with_a_row_helper():
     """The guard is only as good as its registry — a table added to _BACKED_UP
     with a new helper, and not to the registry, would be unguarded and look