diff --git a/src/components/welcome/WelcomeNostrPanel.vue b/src/components/welcome/WelcomeNostrPanel.vue
index a0ee4a4..ec0d70b 100644
--- a/src/components/welcome/WelcomeNostrPanel.vue
+++ b/src/components/welcome/WelcomeNostrPanel.vue
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ const lookForBackup = async (): Promise<void> => {
     looked.value = true;
     if (parts.notes || parts.mints || parts.settings) {
       found.value = {
-        notes: parts.notes?.length ?? 0,
+        notes: parts.notes?.bearers.length ?? 0,
         mints: parts.mints?.length ?? 0,
         settings: parts.settings !== undefined,
       };
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/nostr/events.ts b/src/lnurlcash/nostr/events.ts
index bffeae5..a45e915 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/nostr/events.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/nostr/events.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,14 @@
 //
 // Three d-tags carry three payloads in separate replaceable slots, so a
 // notes publish never clobbers settings:
-//   notes    - the encrypted bearer records exactly as they sit in
-//              localStorage (each note is already an AES-GCM ciphertext
-//              under the seed-derived bearer key, so the blob goes up
-//              as-is; the linking key itself is NEVER part of a payload -
-//              the seed phrase is its recovery path)
+//   notes    - the funds projection: encrypted bearer records exactly as
+//              they sit in the funds document (each note is already an
+//              AES-GCM ciphertext under the seed-derived bearer key, so the
+//              blob goes up as-is; the linking key itself is NEVER part of a
+//              payload - the seed phrase is its recovery path) plus the
+//              per-host BIP-32 next-unused counters, so a restored device
+//              never reissues a burned index. Pending journal state is
+//              device-local recovery data and is never published.
 //   mints    - the trusted-mint registry
 //   settings - plaintext wallet settings
 
@@ -46,9 +49,16 @@ export const BACKUP_D_TAGS: Record<BackupPart, string> = {
   settings: 'settings',
 }
 
+// the notes payload: bearers plus the counter map, from one consistent
+// funds-document read
+export type NotesBackupPayload = {
+  bearers: EncryptedBearerRecord[]
+  nextByHost: Record<string, number>
+}
+
 // the decrypted payload of each part, without its envelope
 export type BackupPartPayload = {
-  notes: EncryptedBearerRecord[]
+  notes: NotesBackupPayload
   mints: TrustedMint[]
   settings: WalletSettings
 }
@@ -77,10 +87,21 @@ const MAX_BACKUP_CONTENT_CHARS = 16 * 1024 * 1024
 
 export const dTagOf = (event: NostrEvent): string => event.tags.find((t) => t[0] === 'd')?.[1] ?? ''
 
+// per-part envelope versions: the notes part went v2 with the funds
+// document (counters joined the payload - a breaking change); mints and
+// settings envelopes are unchanged
+const PART_ENVELOPE_VERSION: Record<BackupPart, number> = {
+  notes: 2,
+  mints: 1,
+  settings: 1,
+}
+
 const envelopeFor = (part: BackupPart, payload: BackupPartPayload[BackupPart]): string => {
   switch (part) {
-    case 'notes':
-      return JSON.stringify({version: 1, bearers: payload})
+    case 'notes': {
+      const notes = payload as NotesBackupPayload
+      return JSON.stringify({version: 2, bearers: notes.bearers, nextByHost: notes.nextByHost})
+    }
     case 'mints':
       return JSON.stringify({version: 1, trustedMints: payload})
     case 'settings':
@@ -122,18 +143,18 @@ export const buildBackupEvents = (
 }
 
 export type ParsedBackupEvent =
-  | {part: 'notes'; bearers: EncryptedBearerRecord[]}
+  | {part: 'notes'; bearers: EncryptedBearerRecord[]; nextByHost: Record<string, number>}
   | {part: 'mints'; trustedMints: TrustedMint[]}
   | {part: 'settings'; settings: WalletSettings}
 
 // Light shape checks so parse returns typed values; the strict bounds
-// (record counts, field lengths, pubkey patterns) are enforced by
-// applyBackup / mergeTrustedMints on the restore path, same as file
+// (record counts, field lengths, counter ranges and caps) are enforced by
+// applyBackup / commitFundsRestore on the restore path, same as file
 // backups.
 const parsePayload = (dTag: BackupPart, data: unknown): ParsedBackupEvent | null => {
   if (typeof data !== 'object' || data === null) return null
   const envelope = data as Record<string, unknown>
-  if (envelope.version !== 1) return null
+  if (envelope.version !== PART_ENVELOPE_VERSION[dTag]) return null
   switch (dTag) {
     case 'notes': {
       if (!Array.isArray(envelope.bearers)) return null
@@ -148,7 +169,14 @@ const parsePayload = (dTag: BackupPart, data: unknown): ParsedBackupEvent | null
       ) {
         return null
       }
-      return {part: 'notes', bearers: bearers as EncryptedBearerRecord[]}
+      if (typeof envelope.nextByHost !== 'object' || envelope.nextByHost === null) return null
+      const counters = envelope.nextByHost as Record<string, unknown>
+      if (!Object.values(counters).every((v) => typeof v === 'number')) return null
+      return {
+        part: 'notes',
+        bearers: bearers as EncryptedBearerRecord[],
+        nextByHost: counters as Record<string, number>,
+      }
     }
     case 'mints': {
       if (!Array.isArray(envelope.trustedMints)) return null
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/nostr/sync.ts b/src/lnurlcash/nostr/sync.ts
index 67515cb..cb34d08 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/nostr/sync.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/nostr/sync.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 //
 // v1 is single-device last-writer-wins at the relay (addressable events
 // replace). Restore merges locally through storage/backup.ts's applyBackup
-// - the SAME entry point as file restore (union by record id, mints merged
-// unconfirmed, settings fill-only) - so the two restore paths can't drift
-// apart. The note-level dedupe (same note under different record ids,
-// spent-wins) happens after decrypt in bearers.ts's mergeBearers, exactly
-// as with a file backup.
+// - the SAME entry point as file restore (union by record id, counters
+// merged upward-only, mints merged unconfirmed, settings fill-only) - so the
+// two restore paths can't drift apart. The note-level dedupe (same note
+// under different record ids, spent-wins) happens after decrypt in
+// bearers.ts's mergeBearers, exactly as with a file backup.
 
 import type {RestoreResult} from '../storage/backup'
 import {applyBackup} from '../storage/backup'
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export const fetchBackup = async (
       if (!parsed) continue
       switch (parsed.part) {
         case 'notes':
-          parts.notes = parsed.bearers
+          parts.notes = {bearers: parsed.bearers, nextByHost: parsed.nextByHost}
           break
         case 'mints':
           parts.mints = parsed.trustedMints
@@ -134,9 +134,10 @@ export const restoreFromNostr = async (
   const result = await applyBackup(
     {
       type: 'sattle-backup',
-      version: 1,
+      version: 2,
       createdAt: Date.now(),
-      bearers: parts.notes ?? [],
+      bearers: parts.notes?.bearers ?? [],
+      nextByHost: parts.notes?.nextByHost ?? {},
       trustedMints: parts.mints,
       settings: parts.settings,
     },
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.codec.cases.ts b/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.codec.cases.ts
index 8d84386..c6c8527 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.codec.cases.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.codec.cases.ts
@@ -103,11 +103,12 @@ describe('buildBackupEvent / parseBackupEvent', () => {
     // assertion below
     {id: 'record-id-plaintext-sentinel-7f3a', iv: '00'.repeat(12), ciphertext: 'ab'.repeat(40)},
   ]
+  const notes = {bearers: records, nextByHost: {'mint.example': 3}}
   const mints = [{server: 'mint.example', mintPubkey: MINT_PUBKEY, addedAt: 1000, locked: true}]
   const settings = {defaultMint: 'mint.example'}
 
   it('round-trips all three parts through build and parse', () => {
-    const events = buildBackupEvents(secretKey, {notes: records, mints, settings}, 1000)
+    const events = buildBackupEvents(secretKey, {notes, mints, settings}, 1000)
     expect(events).toHaveLength(3)
     expect(events.map((e) => e.kind)).toEqual([
       BACKUP_EVENT_KIND,
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ describe('buildBackupEvent / parseBackupEvent', () => {
     expect(parseBackupEvent(secretKey, requiredValue(events[0]))).toEqual({
       part: 'notes',
       bearers: records,
+      nextByHost: {'mint.example': 3},
     })
     expect(parseBackupEvent(secretKey, requiredValue(events[1]))).toEqual({
       part: 'mints',
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ describe('buildBackupEvent / parseBackupEvent', () => {
   })
 
   it('leaves no plaintext in the payload', () => {
-    const event = buildBackupEvent(secretKey, 'notes', records)
+    const event = buildBackupEvent(secretKey, 'notes', notes)
     expect(event.content).not.toContain('record-id-plaintext-sentinel-7f3a')
     expect(event.content).not.toContain('ciphertext')
   })
@@ -188,4 +190,25 @@ describe('buildBackupEvent / parseBackupEvent', () => {
     )
     expect(parseBackupEvent(secretKey, event)).toBeNull()
   })
+
+  it('rejects a legacy version-1 notes envelope and a v2 notes envelope without counters', () => {
+    const conversationKey = nip44v2.utils.getConversationKey(secretKey, getPublicKey(secretKey))
+    const build = (payload: unknown): NostrEvent =>
+      finalizeEvent(
+        {
+          kind: BACKUP_EVENT_KIND,
+          created_at: 1000,
+          tags: [['d', 'notes']],
+          content: nip44v2.encrypt(JSON.stringify(payload), conversationKey),
+        },
+        secretKey,
+      )
+    // v1 notes carried bare bearer arrays and no counters - pre-funds-document
+    expect(parseBackupEvent(secretKey, build({version: 1, bearers: records}))).toBeNull()
+    expect(parseBackupEvent(secretKey, build({version: 2, bearers: records}))).toBeNull()
+    // a v2 envelope whose counters are malformed is rejected, not coerced
+    expect(
+      parseBackupEvent(secretKey, build({version: 2, bearers: records, nextByHost: 'junk'})),
+    ).toBeNull()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.restore.cases.ts b/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.restore.cases.ts
index fc394e7..35ea094 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.restore.cases.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.restore.cases.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ import {
   persistBearer,
   persistSettings,
   readEncryptedBearers,
+  readNextByHost,
 } from './storage'
+import {readFundsDocument, writeFundsDocument} from './storage/bearers'
 import type {Bearer} from './types'
 import {addTrustedMint, isMintUnconfirmed, readTrustedMints} from './trustedMints'
 import {requiredValue, stubLocalStorage} from './test-utils'
@@ -108,7 +110,7 @@ describe('restoreFromNostr', () => {
     await publishBackup(
       secretKey,
       {
-        notes: readEncryptedBearers(),
+        notes: {bearers: readEncryptedBearers(), nextByHost: readNextByHost()},
         mints: readTrustedMints(OWNER_ID),
         settings: loadSettings(),
       },
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ describe('restoreFromNostr', () => {
 
     // device A publishes its store holding the spendable note
     await persistBearer(aesKey, bearerFixture({id: 'rec-a'}))
-    await publishBackup(secretKey, {notes: readEncryptedBearers()}, RELAYS, {
+    await publishBackup(secretKey, {notes: {bearers: readEncryptedBearers(), nextByHost: readNextByHost()}}, RELAYS, {
       transport,
       createdAt: 1000,
     })
@@ -155,7 +157,7 @@ describe('restoreFromNostr', () => {
     stubLocalStorage()
     await restoreFromNostr(LINKING_KEY, RELAYS, {transport})
     await persistBearer(aesKey, bearerFixture({id: 'rec-b', spent: true, updatedAt: 2000}))
-    await publishBackup(secretKey, {notes: readEncryptedBearers()}, RELAYS, {
+    await publishBackup(secretKey, {notes: {bearers: readEncryptedBearers(), nextByHost: readNextByHost()}}, RELAYS, {
       transport,
       createdAt: 2000,
     })
@@ -190,7 +192,7 @@ describe('restoreFromNostr', () => {
     persistSettings({defaultMint: 'remote.example'})
     await publishBackup(
       secretKey,
-      {notes: readEncryptedBearers(), settings: loadSettings()},
+      {notes: {bearers: readEncryptedBearers(), nextByHost: readNextByHost()}, settings: loadSettings()},
       RELAYS,
       {transport, createdAt: 1000},
     )
@@ -220,4 +222,50 @@ describe('restoreFromNostr', () => {
     expect(result.found).toEqual([])
     expect(result.added).toBe(0)
   })
+
+  it('merges relayed counters upward-only and never carries pending state', async () => {
+    const aesKey = await deriveBearerAesKey(LINKING_KEY)
+    const secretKey = deriveBackupKey(LINKING_KEY)
+    const {transport} = createRecordingTransport()
+
+    // device A: counter at 5 for mint.example, one note, all published
+    await persistBearer(aesKey, bearerFixture({id: 'note-a'}))
+    writeFundsDocument({
+      version: 2,
+      bearers: readEncryptedBearers(),
+      pending: [
+        {id: 'device-local-pending', kind: 'cash-allocation', phase: 'reserved', iv: '00', ciphertext: '00'},
+      ],
+      nextByHost: {'mint.example': 5},
+      revision: 3,
+    })
+    await publishBackup(
+      secretKey,
+      {notes: {bearers: readEncryptedBearers(), nextByHost: readNextByHost()}},
+      RELAYS,
+      {transport, createdAt: 1000},
+    )
+
+    // device B: same seed, a HIGHER local counter for one host and a lower
+    // incoming one for the other; the pending record must not cross over
+    stubLocalStorage()
+    writeFundsDocument({
+      version: 2,
+      bearers: [],
+      pending: [],
+      nextByHost: {'mint.example': 2, 'local-only.example': 7},
+      revision: 1,
+    })
+
+    const result = await restoreFromNostr(LINKING_KEY, RELAYS, {transport})
+
+    expect(result.found).toEqual(['notes'])
+    expect(result.added).toBe(1)
+    expect(readFundsDocument().nextByHost).toEqual({
+      'mint.example': 5,
+      'local-only.example': 7,
+    })
+    expect(readFundsDocument().pending).toEqual([])
+    expect(await loadBearers(aesKey)).toEqual([bearerFixture({id: 'note-a'})])
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.transport.cases.ts b/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.transport.cases.ts
index ab3873f..dfc3839 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.transport.cases.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/nostrBackup.transport.cases.ts
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ describe('publishBackup / fetchBackup', () => {
   it('publishes every part and fetches them back decrypted', async () => {
     const {transport} = createRecordingTransport()
     const parts = {
-      notes: [{id: 'r1', iv: '00'.repeat(12), ciphertext: 'ab'.repeat(40)}],
+      notes: {
+        bearers: [{id: 'r1', iv: '00'.repeat(12), ciphertext: 'ab'.repeat(40)}],
+        nextByHost: {'mint.example': 2},
+      },
       mints: [{server: 'mint.example', mintPubkey: MINT_PUBKEY, addedAt: 1000, locked: false}],
       settings: {defaultMint: 'mint.example'},
     }
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/storage.backup.test.ts b/src/lnurlcash/storage.backup.test.ts
index 1c10fce..5d7926f 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/storage.backup.test.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/storage.backup.test.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 // Backup restore waits for owner-bound trusted-mint convergence before it
-// reports success, while retaining the hostile-file merge policy.
+// reports success, while retaining the hostile-file merge policy. The v2
+// format also projects the BIP-32 counters: backups carry nextByHost,
+// restore merges upward-only, and pending journal state never leaves the
+// device.
 
 import {beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi} from 'vitest'
 
 import {linkingPubKeyHex, saveLinkingKey} from './keys'
-import {applyBackup, buildBackup} from './storage'
+import {applyBackup, buildBackup, parseBackupFile} from './storage'
+import {readFundsDocument, writeFundsDocument} from './storage/bearers'
 import {addTrustedMint, readTrustedMints} from './trustedMints'
-import {stubLocalStorage} from './test-utils'
+import {requiredValue, stubLocalStorage} from './test-utils'
 
 const LINKING_KEY = new Uint8Array(32).fill(7)
 const OWNER_ID = linkingPubKeyHex(LINKING_KEY)
@@ -40,9 +44,10 @@ class DeferredLocks {
 
 const backup = (server: string, mintPubkey: string) => ({
   type: 'sattle-backup' as const,
-  version: 1 as const,
+  version: 2 as const,
   createdAt: 1,
   bearers: [],
+  nextByHost: {},
   trustedMints: [
     {
       server,
@@ -153,3 +158,101 @@ describe('owner-bound backup restore', () => {
     ])
   })
 })
+
+describe('backup counter projection', () => {
+  const fundsDoc = (nextByHost: Record<string, number>) => ({
+    version: 2 as const,
+    bearers: [] as {id: string; iv: string; ciphertext: string}[],
+    pending: [] as {id: string; kind: string; phase: string; iv: string; ciphertext: string}[],
+    nextByHost,
+    revision: 1,
+  })
+
+  it('exports the counters and never the pending journal', () => {
+    const doc = fundsDoc({'mint.example': 5})
+    doc.pending.push({
+      id: 'pending-sentinel-never-exported',
+      kind: 'cash-allocation',
+      phase: 'reserved',
+      iv: '00',
+      ciphertext: '00',
+    })
+    writeFundsDocument(doc)
+
+    const built = buildBackup(OWNER_ID)
+
+    expect(built.version).toBe(2)
+    expect(built.nextByHost).toEqual({'mint.example': 5})
+    expect('pending' in built).toBe(false)
+    expect(JSON.stringify(built)).not.toContain('pending-sentinel-never-exported')
+  })
+
+  it('round-trips counters through a restore and merges upward-only', async () => {
+    writeFundsDocument(fundsDoc({'mint.example': 5, 'other.example': 2}))
+
+    const result = await applyBackup({
+      type: 'sattle-backup',
+      version: 2,
+      createdAt: 1,
+      bearers: [],
+      nextByHost: {'mint.example': 3, 'other.example': 9, 'new.example': 4},
+    })
+
+    expect(result.added).toBe(0)
+    // lower incoming values never rewind a counter; higher ones advance it;
+    // unknown hosts adopt the backup's value
+    expect(readFundsDocument().nextByHost).toEqual({
+      'mint.example': 5,
+      'other.example': 9,
+      'new.example': 4,
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('skips out-of-bounds counter entries instead of rejecting the restore', async () => {
+    writeFundsDocument(fundsDoc({'mint.example': 5}))
+
+    await applyBackup({
+      type: 'sattle-backup',
+      version: 2,
+      createdAt: 1,
+      bearers: [],
+      nextByHost: {
+        [`${'h'.repeat(254)}`]: 9,
+        'overflow.example': 2 ** 31,
+        'negative.example': -1,
+        'fractional.example': 1.5,
+        'valid.example': 7,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(readFundsDocument().nextByHost).toEqual({'mint.example': 5, 'valid.example': 7})
+  })
+
+  it('never grows the counter map beyond ten hosts on restore', async () => {
+    const incoming: Record<string, number> = {}
+    for (let i = 0; i < 12; i += 1) incoming[`mint-${i}.example`] = i + 1
+
+    await applyBackup({
+      type: 'sattle-backup',
+      version: 2,
+      createdAt: 1,
+      bearers: [],
+      nextByHost: incoming,
+    })
+
+    const merged = readFundsDocument().nextByHost
+    expect(Object.keys(merged)).toHaveLength(10)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects a legacy version-1 backup file', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      parseBackupFile({type: 'sattle-backup', version: 1, createdAt: 1, bearers: []}),
+    ).toThrow('Not a valid sattle backup file.')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects a v2 file without a counter map', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      parseBackupFile({type: 'sattle-backup', version: 2, createdAt: 1, bearers: []}),
+    ).toThrow('Not a valid sattle backup file.')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/storage/backup.ts b/src/lnurlcash/storage/backup.ts
index c277264..f768ff4 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/storage/backup.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/storage/backup.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 // Backup files: everything exactly as it sits in localStorage - bearer
-// ciphertexts always, the linking-key record only when it is itself
-// password-encrypted. A plaintext linking key never leaves the device in a
-// backup; the seed phrase is the recovery path for it instead. Trusted
-// mints are plain (not secret - a mintPubkey is public), included as-is.
+// ciphertexts and the BIP-32 counter map always, the linking-key record only
+// when it is itself password-encrypted. A plaintext linking key never leaves
+// the device in a backup; the seed phrase is the recovery path for it
+// instead. Trusted mints are plain (not secret - a mintPubkey is public),
+// included as-is. The pending-mutation journal is device-local recovery
+// state and is deliberately NOT part of any backup.
+//
+// Format v2 (breaking): the funds document made bearers + counters one
+// atomic unit, so the backup projects both from the same single read -
+// they can never disagree about which generation they came from.
 
 import type {StoredSecret} from '../keys'
 import {
@@ -16,39 +22,45 @@ import type {TrustedMint} from '../trustedMints'
 import {readTrustedMints, mergeTrustedMints} from '../trustedMints'
 import {isWalletOwnerId} from './walletOwner'
 import type {EncryptedBearerRecord} from './bearers'
-import {readEncryptedBearers, writeEncryptedBearers} from './bearers'
+import {commitFundsRestore, readFundsDocument} from './bearers'
 import type {WalletSettings} from './settings'
 import {loadSettings, persistSettings} from './settings'
 import {isJsonObject} from '../jsonParsing'
 
 export type BackupFile = {
   type: 'sattle-backup'
-  version: 1
+  version: 2
   createdAt: number
   ownerId?: unknown
   linkingKey?: StoredSecret
   bearers: EncryptedBearerRecord[]
+  nextByHost: Record<string, number>
   trustedMints?: TrustedMint[]
   settings?: WalletSettings
 }
 
 type ParsedBackupFile = {
   type: 'sattle-backup'
-  version: 1
+  version: 2
   createdAt?: unknown
   ownerId?: unknown
   linkingKey?: unknown
   bearers: unknown[]
+  nextByHost: Record<string, unknown>
   trustedMints?: unknown
   settings?: unknown
 }
 
 export const buildBackup = (ownerId?: string): BackupFile => {
+  // one document, one getItem: bearers and counters are snapshot-consistent
+  // by construction; pending journal records are never read here
+  const funds = readFundsDocument()
   const backup: BackupFile = {
     type: 'sattle-backup',
-    version: 1,
+    version: 2,
     createdAt: Date.now(),
-    bearers: readEncryptedBearers(),
+    bearers: funds.bearers,
+    nextByHost: funds.nextByHost,
     trustedMints: readTrustedMints(ownerId),
     settings: loadSettings(),
   }
@@ -91,8 +103,9 @@ const MAX_BACKUP_FIELD_LENGTH = 64 * 1024
 const isBackupFile = (data: unknown): data is ParsedBackupFile =>
   isJsonObject(data) &&
   data.type === 'sattle-backup' &&
-  data.version === 1 &&
-  Array.isArray(data.bearers)
+  data.version === 2 &&
+  Array.isArray(data.bearers) &&
+  isJsonObject(data.nextByHost)
 
 export const parseBackupFile = (data: unknown): ParsedBackupFile => {
   if (!isBackupFile(data)) {
@@ -102,7 +115,10 @@ export const parseBackupFile = (data: unknown): ParsedBackupFile => {
 }
 
 // merges a backup into localStorage: bearer records are added by id
-// (already present ids are left as-is - union, never overwrite), the
+// (already present ids are left as-is - union, never overwrite) and counter
+// entries merge upward-only (max per host - a stale backup must never rewind
+// a BIP-32 counter and reopen burned indices), both inside ONE locked funds
+// document write (commitFundsRestore enforces the counter bounds). The
 // backup's linking key is only installed when this device has none yet -
 // never overwriting an existing wallet. That guard is deliberate (a
 // stale/wrong backup must never clobber a wallet already holding funds),
@@ -114,14 +130,12 @@ export const parseBackupFile = (data: unknown): ParsedBackupFile => {
 // decrypt, in bearers.ts's mergeBearers.
 export const applyBackup = async (data: unknown, ownerId?: string): Promise<RestoreResult> => {
   const backup = parseBackupFile(data)
-  const existing = readEncryptedBearers()
-  const existingIds = new Set(existing.map((r) => r.id))
   if (backup.bearers.length > MAX_BACKUP_RECORDS) {
     throw new Error(
       `Backup holds ${backup.bearers.length} records - more than the ${MAX_BACKUP_RECORDS} a real wallet could produce.`,
     )
   }
-  let added = 0
+  const incomingBearers: EncryptedBearerRecord[] = []
   let skipped = 0
   for (const record of backup.bearers) {
     if (
@@ -136,20 +150,30 @@ export const applyBackup = async (data: unknown, ownerId?: string): Promise<Rest
       skipped++
       continue
     }
-    if (existingIds.has(record.id)) {
-      skipped++
-      continue
-    }
-    existing.push({id: record.id, iv: record.iv, ciphertext: record.ciphertext})
-    existingIds.add(record.id)
-    added++
+    incomingBearers.push({id: record.id, iv: record.iv, ciphertext: record.ciphertext})
   }
+  // candidate counters: validity (host length, safe range, host cap) is
+  // enforced by commitFundsRestore; here we only keep the raw shape honest
+  const incomingCounters: Record<string, number> = {}
+  for (const [host, next] of Object.entries(backup.nextByHost)) {
+    if (typeof next === 'number') incomingCounters[host] = next
+  }
+
+  let added: number
   try {
-    writeEncryptedBearers(existing)
-  } catch {
-    throw new Error(
-      'Local storage is full - the backup could not be written. Free up space (or forget unused wallets) and try again.',
-    )
+    const merged = await commitFundsRestore(incomingBearers, incomingCounters)
+    added = merged.added
+    skipped += merged.skipped
+  } catch (error) {
+    const name = error instanceof Error ? error.name : ''
+    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : ''
+    if (name === 'QuotaExceededError' || /quota|full/i.test(message)) {
+      throw new Error(
+        'Local storage is full - the backup could not be written. Free up space (or forget unused wallets) and try again.',
+        {cause: error},
+      )
+    }
+    throw error
   }
 
   let linkingKeyRestored = false
diff --git a/src/lnurlcash/storage/bearers.ts b/src/lnurlcash/storage/bearers.ts
index 4c1ee6e..a26c33d 100644
--- a/src/lnurlcash/storage/bearers.ts
+++ b/src/lnurlcash/storage/bearers.ts
@@ -174,16 +174,6 @@ export const writeFundsDocument = (doc: StoredFundsV2): void => {
   localStorage.setItem(FUNDS_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(doc))
 }
 
-// COMPAT shim for the pre-counter backup path (storage/backup.ts before the
-// backup-projection commit): replaces the document's bearer array wholesale,
-// preserving pending journal and counters. Deleted together with that path's
-// last call site; new code writes through the locked commit primitives only.
-export const writeEncryptedBearers = (records: EncryptedBearerRecord[]): void => {
-  const doc = readFundsDocument()
-  doc.bearers = records
-  writeFundsDocument(doc)
-}
-
 export const readEncryptedBearers = (): EncryptedBearerRecord[] => readFundsDocument().bearers
 
 export const readPendingJournal = (): EncryptedJournalRecord[] => readFundsDocument().pending
diff --git a/src/stores/nostrBackup.test.ts b/src/stores/nostrBackup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db94d1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/stores/nostrBackup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+// The nostr-backup store's scheduling surface: a counter-only funds commit
+// (a BIP-32 reservation that adds no bearer) must still schedule a publish,
+// and the published notes payload carries bearers plus counters - never the
+// device-local pending journal. The engine's publish is mocked; everything
+// below it (debounce, wallet wiring, payload assembly) is real.
+
+import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from 'pinia';
+import { deriveCashRoot } from 'lnurlcash-kit';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import { publishBackup } from '@/lnurlcash/nostrBackup';
+import type * as NostrBackupEngine from '@/lnurlcash/nostrBackup';
+import { readFundsDocument } from '@/lnurlcash/storage';
+import { stubLocalStorage } from '@/lnurlcash/test-utils';
+import { useNostrBackupStore } from './nostrBackup';
+import { useWalletStore } from './wallet';
+
+vi.mock('@/lnurlcash/nostrBackup', async (importOriginal) => {
+  const actual = await importOriginal<typeof NostrBackupEngine>();
+  return { ...actual, publishBackup: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ published: [] }) };
+});
+
+const CASH_ROOT = deriveCashRoot(new Uint8Array(64).fill(1));
+
+const publishCalls = (): { parts: { notes?: { nextByHost: Record<string, number> } } }[] =>
+  vi.mocked(publishBackup).mock.calls.map((call) => ({ parts: call[1] }));
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  vi.mocked(publishBackup).mockResolvedValue({ published: [] });
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  vi.stubGlobal('navigator', {
+    locks: { request: (_name: string, fn: () => unknown) => Promise.resolve().then(fn) },
+  });
+  stubLocalStorage();
+  setActivePinia(createPinia());
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+});
+
+describe('counter-aware backup scheduling', () => {
+  it('schedules a publish for a counter-only reservation and includes the counters', async () => {
+    const wallet = useWalletStore();
+    await wallet.create();
+    const backup = useNostrBackupStore();
+
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    backup.setEnabled(true);
+    // the initial activation publish drains first
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(5000);
+    expect(publishCalls()).toHaveLength(1);
+    vi.mocked(publishBackup).mockClear();
+
+    // a reservation changes no bearer - only the counter map and the pending
+    // journal - yet it must still schedule a publish
+    await wallet.allocateCashSecrets(CASH_ROOT, 'mint.example', 2, wallet.captureOwnerFence());
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(5000);
+
+    const calls = publishCalls();
+    expect(calls).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(calls[0]?.parts.notes?.nextByHost).toEqual({ 'mint.example': 2 });
+    // the pending journal never leaves the device
+    expect(JSON.stringify(calls[0]?.parts)).not.toContain('cash-allocation');
+    expect(readFundsDocument().pending).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/stores/nostrBackup.ts b/src/stores/nostrBackup.ts
index 7f27ebd..7069c05 100644
--- a/src/stores/nostrBackup.ts
+++ b/src/stores/nostrBackup.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   publishBackup,
 } from '@/lnurlcash/nostrBackup';
 import type { NostrRestoreResult } from '@/lnurlcash/nostrBackup';
-import { loadSettings, persistSettings, readEncryptedBearers } from '@/lnurlcash/storage';
+import { loadSettings, persistSettings, readFundsDocument } from '@/lnurlcash/storage';
 import { readTrustedMints } from '@/lnurlcash/trustedMints';
 import { useWalletStore } from './wallet';
 import { useMintsStore } from './mints';
@@ -62,11 +62,17 @@ export const useNostrBackupStore = defineStore('nostrBackup', () => {
     wallet.state === 'unlocked' ? backupPubkey(deriveBackupKey(wallet.requireLinkingKey())) : null,
   );
 
-  const currentPayload = (): BackupPartPayload => ({
-    notes: readEncryptedBearers(),
-    mints: readTrustedMints(wallet.pubkey ?? undefined),
-    settings: loadSettings(),
-  });
+  const currentPayload = (): BackupPartPayload => {
+    // one document, one getItem: bearers and counters come from the same
+    // locked generation by construction; pending journal state is
+    // device-local and never published
+    const funds = readFundsDocument();
+    return {
+      notes: { bearers: funds.bearers, nextByHost: funds.nextByHost },
+      mints: readTrustedMints(wallet.pubkey ?? undefined),
+      settings: loadSettings(),
+    };
+  };
 
   const publishNow = async (): Promise<void> => {
     const secretKey = deriveBackupKey(wallet.requireLinkingKey());
@@ -97,6 +103,10 @@ export const useNostrBackupStore = defineStore('nostrBackup', () => {
     const schedule = () => publisher?.schedule(currentPayload());
     const stops = [
       watch(() => wallet.bearers, schedule),
+      // counter-only commits (reservations) leave the bearer list untouched,
+      // so watch the persisted document revision as well - a restored or
+      // freshly burned counter must still reach the relays
+      watch(() => wallet.fundsRevision, schedule),
       watch(() => mints.mints, schedule),
       watch(() => mints.defaultMint, schedule),
     ];