diff --git a/epiphany-core/src/coordinator_launch.rs b/epiphany-core/src/coordinator_launch.rs
index 973f8858..f811fd60 100644
--- a/epiphany-core/src/coordinator_launch.rs
+++ b/epiphany-core/src/coordinator_launch.rs
@@ -2394,6 +2394,15 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         );
         let result = consideration_result(&request, "backend-consideration")?;
         put_runtime_role_worker_result(&store, &result)?;
+        let candidate = result
+            .imagination_consideration_candidate()?
+            .expect("typed consideration candidate");
+        let cache = coordinator_acceptance_cache(&store)?;
+        assert_eq!(
+            cache.get::<ImaginationConsiderationCandidate>(&candidate.candidate_id)?,
+            Some(candidate)
+        );
+        put_runtime_role_worker_result(&store, &result)?;
         let mut cargo = consideration_result(&request, "backend-consideration")?;
         cargo.result_id = "cargo-result".into();
         cargo.state_patch_msgpack = Some(vec![0]);
@@ -2401,6 +2410,45 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn consideration_result_refuses_orphan_candidate_companion() -> Result<()> {
+        let root = tempfile::tempdir()?;
+        let (store, state, launch, request) = consideration_launch_fixture(root.path(), "orphan")?;
+        let plan = plan_coordinator_job_launch(
+            &state,
+            &launch,
+            &store,
+            "launcher-consideration".into(),
+            "backend-consideration".into(),
+        )?;
+        commit_coordinator_job_launch(
+            &store,
+            &request.thread_id,
+            &state,
+            &launch,
+            &plan,
+            "2026-07-18T00:00:01Z".into(),
+        )?;
+        let result = consideration_result(&request, "backend-consideration")?;
+        let candidate = result
+            .imagination_consideration_candidate()?
+            .expect("typed consideration candidate");
+        let mut cache = coordinator_acceptance_cache(&store)?;
+        cache.put(&candidate.candidate_id, &candidate)?;
+        assert!(put_runtime_role_worker_result(&store, &result).is_err());
+        let cache = coordinator_acceptance_cache(&store)?;
+        assert!(
+            cache
+                .get::<EpiphanyRuntimeRoleWorkerResult>(&result.job_id)?
+                .is_none()
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            cache.get::<ImaginationConsiderationCandidate>(&candidate.candidate_id)?,
+            Some(candidate)
+        );
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn consideration_relaunch_requires_exact_terminal_process_and_preserves_attempt_history(
     ) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/epiphany-core/src/resident_self.rs b/epiphany-core/src/resident_self.rs
index 758fbc9e..f3e63f29 100644
--- a/epiphany-core/src/resident_self.rs
+++ b/epiphany-core/src/resident_self.rs
@@ -4315,16 +4315,6 @@ mod tests {
             source_visibility: request.source_visibility.clone(),
             data_classification: request.data_classification.clone(),
         };
-        let (candidate_entry, _) = runtime.prepare_entry(&candidate.candidate_id, &candidate)?;
-        SingleFileMessagePackBackingStore::new(&runtime_store).push(&candidate_entry)?;
-        assert_eq!(
-            verify_resident_self_grant_fulfillment(
-                &resident_store,
-                &runtime_store,
-                &grant.grant_id,
-            )?,
-            ResidentSelfGrantFulfillment::Pending
-        );
         admit_test_imagination_candidate(
             &runtime_store,
             &request,
diff --git a/epiphany-core/src/runtime_spine.rs b/epiphany-core/src/runtime_spine.rs
index d9bf2b21..79515eee 100644
--- a/epiphany-core/src/runtime_spine.rs
+++ b/epiphany-core/src/runtime_spine.rs
@@ -3967,6 +3967,7 @@ pub fn put_runtime_role_worker_result(
         }
         model_direction_companion = Some(direction_result);
     }
+    let mut imagination_candidate_companion = None;
     let has_consideration_echo = result.imagination_consideration_request_id.is_some();
     let has_consideration_candidate = result.imagination_consideration_candidate_msgpack.is_some();
     if has_consideration_echo != has_consideration_candidate {
@@ -4051,6 +4052,7 @@ pub fn put_runtime_role_worker_result(
                 "consideration result substituted request, launch, or context"
             ));
         }
+        imagination_candidate_companion = Some(candidate);
     }
     let has_mind_echo = result.frontier_plan_mind_request_id.is_some();
     let has_mind_decision = result.frontier_plan_mind_decision_msgpack.is_some();
@@ -4154,14 +4156,24 @@ pub fn put_runtime_role_worker_result(
             ));
         }
         if let Some(companion) = model_direction_companion.as_ref() {
-            return match cache
+            match cache
                 .get::<crate::AdmittedModelDirectionConsiderationResult>(&companion.result_id)?
             {
-                Some(existing) if existing == *companion => Ok(()),
-                _ => Err(anyhow!(
+                Some(existing) if existing == *companion => {}
+                _ => return Err(anyhow!(
                     "model direction worker result lost its exact typed companion"
                 )),
-            };
+            }
+        }
+        if let Some(companion) = imagination_candidate_companion.as_ref() {
+            match cache
+                .get::<crate::ImaginationConsiderationCandidate>(&companion.candidate_id)?
+            {
+                Some(existing) if existing == *companion => {}
+                _ => return Err(anyhow!(
+                    "Imagination worker result lost its exact typed candidate companion"
+                )),
+            }
         }
         return Ok(());
     }
@@ -4196,6 +4208,18 @@ pub fn put_runtime_role_worker_result(
         let (companion_envelope, _) = cache.prepare_entry(&companion.result_id, companion)?;
         writes.push(companion_envelope);
     }
+    if let Some(companion) = imagination_candidate_companion.as_ref() {
+        if cache
+            .get::<crate::ImaginationConsiderationCandidate>(&companion.candidate_id)?
+            .is_some()
+        {
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+                "Imagination candidate identity already exists without its worker result"
+            ));
+        }
+        let (companion_envelope, _) = cache.prepare_entry(&companion.candidate_id, companion)?;
+        writes.push(companion_envelope);
+    }
     let backing = SingleFileMessagePackBackingStore::new(store_path);
     if backing.compare_and_swap_batch(&expected, writes)? {
         return Ok(());
@@ -4205,12 +4229,19 @@ pub fn put_runtime_role_worker_result(
     let worker_matches = reloaded
         .get::<EpiphanyRuntimeRoleWorkerResult>(&result.job_id)?
         .is_some_and(|existing| existing == *result);
-    let companion_matches = match model_direction_companion.as_ref() {
+    let model_direction_companion_matches = match model_direction_companion.as_ref() {
         Some(companion) => reloaded
             .get::<crate::AdmittedModelDirectionConsiderationResult>(&companion.result_id)?
             .is_some_and(|existing| existing == *companion),
         None => true,
     };
+    let imagination_candidate_companion_matches =
+        match imagination_candidate_companion.as_ref() {
+            Some(companion) => reloaded
+                .get::<crate::ImaginationConsiderationCandidate>(&companion.candidate_id)?
+                .is_some_and(|existing| existing == *companion),
+            None => true,
+        };
     let claim_matches = match process_claim.as_ref() {
         Some(_) => reloaded
             .get::<EpiphanyRuntimeWorkerProcessClaim>(&process_claim_id)?
@@ -4220,7 +4251,11 @@ pub fn put_runtime_role_worker_result(
             }),
         None => true,
     };
-    if worker_matches && companion_matches && claim_matches {
+    if worker_matches
+        && model_direction_companion_matches
+        && imagination_candidate_companion_matches
+        && claim_matches
+    {
         Ok(())
     } else {
         Err(anyhow!(