diff --git a/.claude/skills/panama/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/panama/SKILL.md
index 904f09d..0288896 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/panama/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/panama/SKILL.md
@@ -92,4 +92,17 @@ it against the real system.
 
 ## Root work
 
-Never bare `sudo` — load the `panama-sudo` skill. Migrations already follow the rule.
+Never bare `sudo`. Load the `panama-sudo` skill first. Migrations already follow the rule.
+
+`boot --server` is the one exception where a new Fedora VPS may begin as root.
+Before it offers SSH hardening, it copies a safe root key when possible or
+verifies the target key. The target user's `.ssh` must be owned by that user at
+`0700`, and `authorized_keys` must be owned by that user at `0600`. Without a
+verified target key, SSH hardening is unavailable and the bootstrap continues.
+
+Accepted hardening uses an atomic same-directory `sshd_config.d` drop-in,
+runs `sshd -t`, then reloads the detected SSH unit. Validation or reload
+failure restores the previous drop-in before it retries validation and reload;
+failed recovery stops the handoff with manual recovery instructions. The
+fixture contracts exercise those branches. `panama test --safe` never reloads
+a live daemon, so it is not live-host proof.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index af73cee..d7b2544 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,9 +41,22 @@ question entirely:
 bash <(curl -fsSL https://git.gbrown.org/gib/Panama/raw/branch/main/boot) --server
 ```
 
-That command also works from a brand-new VPS's **root** login: it creates
-your user with sudo, moves the SSH key over, offers to harden sshd, and hands
-off to a normal install as that user.
+That command also works from a brand-new VPS's **root** login. It creates or
+reuses your sudo-enabled user, then copies a safe root key when it can or
+verifies the target key before offering SSH hardening. A verified target key
+means the target user owns `.ssh` with mode `0700` and `authorized_keys` with
+mode `0600`. SSH hardening is unavailable without a verified target key, and
+the install continues without it.
+
+When you accept hardening, Panama makes an atomic same-directory drop-in,
+validates the complete SSH configuration with `sshd -t`, then reloads the
+detected SSH unit. If validation or reload fails, it restores the previous
+drop-in and validates and reloads that restored configuration; recovery that
+cannot complete stops the handoff and prints the manual recovery command. The
+fixture contracts exercise these branches. No real daemon reload runs under
+`panama test --safe`, so that suite is not live-host proof.
+
+After that, it hands off to a normal install as the new user.
 
 `install` asks its questions first and then runs the stages in `setup/scripts/`
 in order, without stopping again:
@@ -198,7 +211,7 @@ docs/           Settings reference, and the design specs behind the work
 
 ## Tests
 
-186 of them, under `tests/`. `tests/contracts.manifest` classifies every
+187 of them, under `tests/`. `tests/contracts.manifest` classifies every
 contract by the capabilities it needs. Run the hermetic set, or grant a
 specific external capability when automation needs it:
 
diff --git a/tests/setup/readme-contract b/tests/setup/readme-contract
index cb31538..9630956 100755
--- a/tests/setup/readme-contract
+++ b/tests/setup/readme-contract
@@ -36,6 +36,42 @@ elif (( claimed != actual )); then
     note "the README says $claimed contracts; there are $actual"
 fi
 
+# ── Root server bootstrap ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+#
+# This path runs before the repository exists on a fresh VPS. Its safety
+# properties need to be stated beside the public `boot --server` example, not
+# inferred from the shell implementation or buried in a fixture.
+
+bootstrap_doc="$(sed -n '/^That command also works from a brand-new VPS/,/^`install` asks/p' "$readme" | tr '\n' ' ')"
+
+require_bootstrap_doc() {
+    local pattern="$1" explanation="$2"
+    grep -qiE "$pattern" <<<"$bootstrap_doc" || note "$explanation"
+}
+
+require_bootstrap_doc 'verified target key' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not require a verified target key'
+require_bootstrap_doc '700.*600|600.*700' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not state the exact SSH ownership and modes'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'hardening (is )?unavailable.*(without|until).*key' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not say hardening is unavailable without a key'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'sshd -t' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not name sshd -t validation'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'atomic.*same.directory|same.directory.*atomic' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not describe the atomic same-directory drop-in'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'detected (SSH )?unit.*reload|reload.*detected (SSH )?unit' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not describe reloading the detected SSH unit'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'restores? (the )?previous drop-in.*(validation|reload)|(validation|reload).*restores? (the )?previous drop-in' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not promise rollback on validation or reload failure'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'fixture contracts.*(these|this) (path|branch)|fixture contracts.*test' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs do not limit proof to fixture contracts'
+require_bootstrap_doc 'no real daemon reload.*panama test --safe|panama test --safe.*no real daemon reload' \
+    'the root bootstrap docs imply a live daemon reload under the safe suite'
+
+if grep -qiE 'merely writes? (the )?(SSH )?(drop-in|file)|reload failure.*ignored|ignores? .*reload failure' <<<"$bootstrap_doc"; then
+    note 'the root bootstrap docs weaken the transaction by treating the write or reload failure as harmless'
+fi
+
 # ── Documented subcommands exist ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 #
 # A README listing a command the dispatcher does not have sends somebody to a