diff --git a/src/carrier-binding.test.ts b/src/carrier-binding.test.ts
index ddd5adc56..a54503912 100644
--- a/src/carrier-binding.test.ts
+++ b/src/carrier-binding.test.ts
@@ -184,6 +184,36 @@ for(const scenario of ["current","expired","close-response","terminal-write","re
     } finally {resumedManager.close();resumedStore.close();}
   } finally {f.close();}
 });
+test("active coordination-bound prepared cutover can terminally reconcile an exact observed replacement",async()=>{
+  const f=fixture();
+  try {
+    const context={clientId:"shared-oauth",sessionId:"active-prepared-replacement-controller"};
+    const pairing=f.store.requestPairing(context);
+    const cutover={stateRoot:f.root,attemptKey:"active-prepared-replacement",
+      currentIdentity:{serverInstanceId:"original",sourceCommit:f.contract.baseRevision,buildId:"old",capabilityManifestSha256:"c".repeat(64)},
+      expectedIdentity:{sourceCommit:"b".repeat(40),buildId:"new",capabilityManifestSha256:"d".repeat(64)},
+      expiresAt:new Date(f.clock()+60000).toISOString(),
+      restart:{buildReady:{verifiedBy:"independent",verifiedAt:new Date(f.clock()).toISOString(),evidence:"exact package digest"},actuator:"launchd-self" as const,serviceLabel:"test.service",launchdTarget:"gui/501/test.service"},
+      finish:{workspaceId:"ws_active",agentId:"agt_active"}};
+    f.store.approveLocal(pairing.pendingId,{...f.contract,scope:[f.root],operations:["cutover_start" as const],cutover});
+    f.store.redeem(context,pairing.credential);
+    const config=loadConfig({DEVSPACE_CONFIG_DIR:join(f.root,"config"),DEVSPACE_ALLOWED_ROOTS:f.workspace,DEVSPACE_WORKTREE_ROOT:join(f.root,"worktrees"),DEVSPACE_STATE_DIR:f.root,DEVSPACE_OAUTH_OWNER_TOKEN:"test-owner-token-long-enough",PORT:"1"});
+    const manager=new DurableOperationManager(config,undefined,undefined,undefined,f.store.readers);
+    try {
+      f.store.prepareEffect(context,planCutoverStart(f.root,cutover).subject);
+      const start=manager.startCutover(cutover,context),id=start.receipt!.cutoverId as string;
+      const replacement={serverInstanceId:"replacement",...cutover.expectedIdentity};
+      const witness={workspaceQueryable:true,agentQueryable:true,agentReconciled:true,witnessWorkspaceId:cutover.finish.workspaceId,witnessAgentId:cutover.finish.agentId};
+      const closed=await manager.finishCutover(id,replacement,cutover.finish,async()=>witness,context);
+      assert.equal(closed.phase,"closed");
+      assert.equal(closed.drainEvidence,undefined);
+      assert.equal(closed.restartRequest,undefined);
+      assert.equal(f.store.ownership.get(closed.coordinationBinding!.leaseId)?.operationHandle,undefined);
+      assert.equal(manager.store.getByOperationId(start.operationId)?.receipt?.lifecycleTerminal,true);
+    } finally {manager.close();}
+  } finally {f.close();}
+});
+
 test("expired coordination-bound prepared cutover can terminally reconcile an exact observed replacement",async()=>{
   const f=fixture();
   try {
@@ -206,7 +236,7 @@ test("expired coordination-bound prepared cutover can terminally reconcile an ex
       const replacement={serverInstanceId:"replacement",...cutover.expectedIdentity};
       const witness={workspaceQueryable:true,agentQueryable:true,agentReconciled:true,witnessWorkspaceId:cutover.finish.workspaceId,witnessAgentId:cutover.finish.agentId};
       let witnessCalls=0;
-      await assert.rejects(manager.finishCutover(id,replacement,cutover.finish,async()=>{witnessCalls++;return witness;},context),/drained generation|prepared recovery/);
+      await assert.rejects(manager.finishCutover(id,{...replacement,serverInstanceId:cutover.currentIdentity.serverInstanceId},cutover.finish,async()=>{witnessCalls++;return witness;},context),/terminal recovery approval|required|runtime identity mismatch/);
       assert.equal(witnessCalls,0);
       assert.equal(new CutoverStateStore(f.root).get()?.phase,"prepared");
       f.advance(70000);
diff --git a/src/durable-operations.ts b/src/durable-operations.ts
index 49107c1ee..fe5f29b6b 100644
--- a/src/durable-operations.ts
+++ b/src/durable-operations.ts
@@ -602,9 +602,10 @@ export class DurableOperationManager {
       const comparison=compareServerIdentity(file,identity);
       if(!Object.values(comparison).every(Boolean)) throw new ControlPlaneOwnershipError("CAS_CONFLICT","finish replacement runtime identity mismatch");
       const expiredPreparedRecovery=recovery&&file.phase==="prepared"&&!file.drainEvidence&&!file.restartRequest;
-      if(file.phase!=="drained"&&file.phase!=="closed"&&!expiredPreparedRecovery) throw new ControlPlaneOwnershipError("CAS_CONFLICT","bound finish requires drained generation unless exact expired prepared recovery applies");
+      const activePreparedReplacement=!recovery&&file.phase==="prepared"&&!file.drainEvidence&&!file.restartRequest&&Object.values(comparison).every(Boolean);
+      if(file.phase!=="drained"&&file.phase!=="closed"&&!expiredPreparedRecovery&&!activePreparedReplacement) throw new ControlPlaneOwnershipError("CAS_CONFLICT","bound finish requires drained generation unless an exact prepared replacement or expired prepared recovery applies");
       if(replay&&(file.phase!=="closed"||intent.receipt?.terminalRecordHash!==digest(file)||!isDeepStrictEqual(intent.receipt?.lifecycleAction,action))) throw new ControlPlaneOwnershipError("CAS_CONFLICT","terminal replay receipt mismatch");
-      return {file,intent,subject,binding,replay,recovery,expiredPreparedRecovery};
+      return {file,intent,subject,binding,replay,recovery,expiredPreparedRecovery,activePreparedReplacement};
     };
     const validWitness=(w:DurableReconciliationWitness|undefined)=>!!w&&w.workspaceQueryable===true&&w.agentQueryable===true&&w.agentReconciled===true&&w.witnessWorkspaceId===pair.workspaceId&&w.witnessAgentId===pair.agentId;
     const initial=this.store.atomic(readBound);
@@ -616,7 +617,7 @@ export class DurableOperationManager {
       if(current.file.phase!=="closed") {
         if(!validWitness(witness)) throw new ControlPlaneOwnershipError("AUTHORITY_REQUIRED","finish requires positive exact workspace/agent witness");
         const controller=new McpCutoverController(cutoverStore,identity);
-        if(current.expiredPreparedRecovery) controller.finishExpiredPreparedRecoveryWithWitness(cutoverId,witness!);
+        if(current.expiredPreparedRecovery||current.activePreparedReplacement) controller.finishExpiredPreparedRecoveryWithWitness(cutoverId,witness!);
         else controller.finishWithWitness(cutoverId,witness!);
       }
       const closed=cutoverStore.get();const receipt=closed?.reconciliationReceipt;