diff --git a/app/src/test/java/app/closer/ui/questions/ReconcileLocalAnswerTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/app/closer/ui/questions/ReconcileLocalAnswerTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c06c5e9
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+++ b/app/src/test/java/app/closer/ui/questions/ReconcileLocalAnswerTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+package app.closer.ui.questions
+
+import app.closer.data.remote.FirestoreAnswerDataSource
+import app.closer.data.remote.FirestoreAnswerDataSource.DecodedAnswer
+import app.closer.domain.model.ChoiceAnswerConfig
+import app.closer.domain.model.ChoiceAnswerConfigImpl
+import app.closer.domain.model.ChoiceOption
+import app.closer.domain.model.LocalAnswer
+import app.closer.domain.model.Question
+import app.closer.domain.repository.LocalAnswerRepository
+import io.mockk.Runs
+import io.mockk.coEvery
+import io.mockk.coVerify
+import io.mockk.just
+import io.mockk.mockk
+import kotlinx.coroutines.test.runTest
+import org.junit.Assert.assertEquals
+import org.junit.Assert.assertNull
+import org.junit.Assert.assertTrue
+import org.junit.Test
+
+/**
+ * Unit coverage for the R23 data-loss guard: [reconcileLocalAnswerFromFirestore] must heal a
+ * Room/Firestore desync (fresh device / cleared local DB) so the daily question is never offered
+ * for a silently-rejected re-answer.
+ */
+class ReconcileLocalAnswerTest {
+
+    private val coupleId = "couple1"
+    private val date = "2026-06-30"
+    private val userId = "userA"
+
+    private val choiceQ = Question(
+        id = "q1", text = "Snack mission?", category = "fun", type = "single_choice",
+        answerConfig = ChoiceAnswerConfigImpl(
+            config = ChoiceAnswerConfig(
+                options = listOf(ChoiceOption("sweet", "Sweet"), ChoiceOption("salty", "Salty"))
+            )
+        )
+    )
+
+    private fun meta(questionId: String = "q1", revealed: Boolean = false) = LocalAnswer(
+        questionId = questionId,
+        questionText = "",
+        category = "",
+        answerType = "single_choice",
+        isRevealed = revealed,
+        answerDate = date
+    )
+
+    @Test
+    fun `room-first - returns the local answer without touching Firestore`() = runTest {
+        val local = mockk<LocalAnswerRepository>()
+        val firestore = mockk<FirestoreAnswerDataSource>()
+        val existing = meta().copy(selectedOptionIds = listOf("sweet"))
+        coEvery { local.getAnswer("q1") } returns existing
+
+        val result = reconcileLocalAnswerFromFirestore(choiceQ, coupleId, date, userId, firestore, local)
+
+        assertEquals(existing, result)
+        coVerify(exactly = 0) { firestore.getAnswerForUser(any(), any(), any()) }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `room empty but Firestore has it - rebuilds, persists to Room, maps option texts`() = runTest {
+        val local = mockk<LocalAnswerRepository>()
+        val firestore = mockk<FirestoreAnswerDataSource>()
+        coEvery { local.getAnswer("q1") } returns null
+        coEvery { local.saveAnswer(any()) } just Runs
+        coEvery { firestore.getAnswerForUser(coupleId, userId, date) } returns meta(revealed = true)
+        coEvery { firestore.decryptCoupleKeyAnswerFor(coupleId, date, userId) } returns
+            DecodedAnswer(writtenText = null, selectedOptionIds = listOf("sweet"), scaleValue = null)
+
+        val result = reconcileLocalAnswerFromFirestore(choiceQ, coupleId, date, userId, firestore, local)
+
+        assertEquals("q1", result?.questionId)
+        assertEquals(listOf("sweet"), result?.selectedOptionIds)
+        assertEquals(listOf("Sweet"), result?.selectedOptionTexts) // mapped from the question config
+        assertTrue(result?.isRevealed == true)
+        coVerify(exactly = 1) { local.saveAnswer(match { it.selectedOptionIds == listOf("sweet") }) }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `no prior answer anywhere - returns null (the normal first-answer path)`() = runTest {
+        val local = mockk<LocalAnswerRepository>()
+        val firestore = mockk<FirestoreAnswerDataSource>()
+        coEvery { local.getAnswer("q1") } returns null
+        coEvery { firestore.getAnswerForUser(coupleId, userId, date) } returns null
+
+        val result = reconcileLocalAnswerFromFirestore(choiceQ, coupleId, date, userId, firestore, local)
+
+        assertNull(result)
+        coVerify(exactly = 0) { local.saveAnswer(any()) }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `assignment rotated - Firestore answer is for a different question, do not heal`() = runTest {
+        val local = mockk<LocalAnswerRepository>()
+        val firestore = mockk<FirestoreAnswerDataSource>()
+        coEvery { local.getAnswer("q1") } returns null
+        coEvery { firestore.getAnswerForUser(coupleId, userId, date) } returns meta(questionId = "OTHER")
+
+        val result = reconcileLocalAnswerFromFirestore(choiceQ, coupleId, date, userId, firestore, local)
+
+        assertNull(result)
+        coVerify(exactly = 0) { local.saveAnswer(any()) }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `metadata present but content undecryptable - reports answered, does NOT poison Room`() = runTest {
+        val local = mockk<LocalAnswerRepository>()
+        val firestore = mockk<FirestoreAnswerDataSource>()
+        coEvery { local.getAnswer("q1") } returns null
+        coEvery { firestore.getAnswerForUser(coupleId, userId, date) } returns meta()
+        coEvery { firestore.decryptCoupleKeyAnswerFor(coupleId, date, userId) } returns null // key unavailable
+
+        val result = reconcileLocalAnswerFromFirestore(choiceQ, coupleId, date, userId, firestore, local)
+
+        // Still treated as answered (so the screen won't offer a re-answer)...
+        assertEquals("q1", result?.questionId)
+        assertTrue(result?.selectedOptionIds?.isEmpty() == true)
+        // ...but not persisted, so a later load with the key available can recover the real content.
+        coVerify(exactly = 0) { local.saveAnswer(any()) }
+    }
+}