diff --git a/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/README.md b/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/README.md
index 8179d7d..d4fe9c0 100644
--- a/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/README.md
+++ b/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/README.md
@@ -21,3 +21,36 @@ Rollback is a manual Argo sync of a reviewed revision without the binding
 (with explicit resource-scoped pruning), or attended break-glass deletion of
 the binding followed by Git reconciliation. Removing the binding reopens this
 leak path. The policy does not rotate credentials or isolate agent accounts.
+
+## September 28 rollout and rollback
+
+Policy source `800cbfa` and Application declaration `54885ac` were deployed
+through manual, resource-scoped Argo sync. Native type checking passed. Nine
+synthetic checks passed: clean creation/update/server apply, rejection of
+annotated create/update including empty values, client-side apply rejection,
+and fixture cleanup.
+
+Enforcement was rolled back when ESO v0.16.1 targets stopped refreshing.
+That version copies ExternalSecret metadata when no target template exists;
+31 current ExternalSecrets have no template. Removing annotations from targets
+alone cannot stop the controller adding them back. All 39 ExternalSecrets
+recovered after binding deletion; failed controllers were explicitly refreshed.
+The policy remains installed but UNBOUND. `binding.pending.yaml` is deliberately
+absent from kustomization. No ordinary sync of this revision enables enforcement.
+
+Before enabling: add explicit metadata templates in the 31 owning declarations,
+preserving intended labels/annotations except last-applied; apply through owner
+paths; verify actual ESO refresh with annotation-free target Secrets. Retain
+existing data templates and remote references. Do not waive ESO from the policy
+or upgrade the controller as a shortcut. Rerun cleanup, native admission tests
+and an ESO refresh integration test, then include the binding and update the pin.
+
+The absent `platform-pg-drill` namespace still has an orphan Secret `drill-minio`,
+a Deployment referencing it, a PVC and Service. Metadata patch fails because the
+namespace is absent. No orphan object was deleted or namespace recreated. Its
+disposition stays in CUST-WP-0073-T03; do not report cluster-wide cleanup complete.
+
+Source for the diagnosed behavior:
+https://github.com/external-secrets/external-secrets/blob/v0.16.1/pkg/controllers/externalsecret/externalsecret_controller_template.go
+
+Detailed receipts: the-custodian/docs/evidence/2026-09-28-secret-annotation-*.json.
diff --git a/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/binding.pending.yaml b/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/binding.pending.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2665523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/binding.pending.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# NOT included in kustomization: ESO v0.16.1 propagation must be fixed first.
+apiVersion: admissionregistration.k8s.io/v1
+kind: ValidatingAdmissionPolicyBinding
+metadata:
+  name: reject-secret-last-applied
+spec:
+  policyName: reject-secret-last-applied
+  validationActions: [Deny]
diff --git a/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/policy.yaml b/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/policy.yaml
index 22b8200..fda3fc9 100644
--- a/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/policy.yaml
+++ b/argocd/platform-addons/secret-annotation-guard/policy.yaml
@@ -17,11 +17,3 @@ spec:
   validations:
     - expression: '!has(object.metadata.annotations) || !("kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration" in object.metadata.annotations)'
       message: "Secret last-applied annotations are forbidden; use server-side apply or replace."
----
-apiVersion: admissionregistration.k8s.io/v1
-kind: ValidatingAdmissionPolicyBinding
-metadata:
-  name: reject-secret-last-applied
-spec:
-  policyName: reject-secret-last-applied
-  validationActions: [Deny]
diff --git a/scripts/prove_secret_annotation_guard.py b/scripts/prove_secret_annotation_guard.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..35066bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/prove_secret_annotation_guard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Positive/negative admission proof using only a uniquely named synthetic Secret."""
+import copy
+import json
+import subprocess
+import uuid
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
+KEY = "kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration"
+
+
+def run(args, obj=None):
+    return subprocess.run(["kubectl", "-n", "whitehat", *args],
+                          input=json.dumps(obj) if obj is not None else None,
+                          capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30)
+
+
+def denied(result):
+    # Do not accept connectivity/RBAC failures as admission-policy success.
+    return result.returncode != 0 and "Secret last-applied annotations are forbidden" in result.stderr
+
+
+def main():
+    name = "cust-0073-proof-" + uuid.uuid4().hex[:12]
+    obj = {"apiVersion": "v1", "kind": "Secret", "metadata": {"name": name},
+           "type": "Opaque", "data": {"fixture": "c3ludGhldGlj"}}
+    report = {"captured_at": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(), "namespace": "whitehat",
+              "fixture": name, "synthetic_only": True, "checks": {}}
+    created = False
+    try:
+        result = run(["create", "--field-manager=cust-0073-proof", "-f", "-"], obj)
+        created = result.returncode == 0
+        report["checks"]["clean_create_allowed"] = created
+        if not created:
+            raise RuntimeError("synthetic create failed")
+        for label, value in [("empty", ""), ("populated", "synthetic")]:
+            annotated = copy.deepcopy(obj)
+            annotated["metadata"]["name"] = name + "-denied"
+            annotated["metadata"]["annotations"] = {KEY: value}
+            report["checks"][label + "_annotated_create_denied"] = denied(run(["create", "--dry-run=server", "-f", "-"], annotated))
+            patch = {"metadata": {"annotations": {KEY: value}}}
+            report["checks"][label + "_annotated_update_denied"] = denied(run(["patch", "secret", name, "--dry-run=server", "--type=merge", "-p", json.dumps(patch)]))
+        report["checks"]["client_apply_denied"] = denied(run(["apply", "--dry-run=server", "-f", "-"], obj))
+        report["checks"]["clean_server_apply_allowed"] = run(["apply", "--server-side", "--field-manager=cust-0073-proof", "-f", "-"], obj).returncode == 0
+        report["checks"]["clean_update_allowed"] = run(["patch", "secret", name, "--type=merge", "-p", json.dumps({"data": {"fixture": "c3ludGhldGljLXVwZGF0ZQ=="}})]).returncode == 0
+    except (RuntimeError, subprocess.SubprocessError, OSError):
+        report["error"] = "proof incomplete; raw output suppressed"
+    finally:
+        if created:
+            try:
+                report["checks"]["fixture_removed"] = run(["delete", "secret", name, "--wait=true"]).returncode == 0
+            except (subprocess.SubprocessError, OSError):
+                report["checks"]["fixture_removed"] = False
+    report["passed"] = "error" not in report and len(report["checks"]) == 9 and all(report["checks"].values())
+    print(json.dumps(report, indent=2))
+    return 0 if report["passed"] else 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/scripts/secret_annotation_maintenance.py b/scripts/secret_annotation_maintenance.py
index 670c6d3..c837e62 100644
--- a/scripts/secret_annotation_maintenance.py
+++ b/scripts/secret_annotation_maintenance.py
@@ -43,11 +43,18 @@ def maintain(clean=False):
         if len(pair) != 2 or not all(NAME.fullmatch(value) for value in pair):
             raise RuntimeError("invalid Secret identity output; suppressed")
         rows.append(pair)
+    namespaces = run(["get", "namespaces", "-o", "name"]).splitlines()
+    if not all(value.startswith("namespace/") and NAME.fullmatch(value.split("/", 1)[1]) for value in namespaces):
+        raise RuntimeError("invalid namespace inventory; suppressed")
+    active_namespaces = {value.split("/", 1)[1] for value in namespaces}
     report = {"captured_at": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
               "mode": "clean" if clean else "inspect", "checked": 0,
-              "annotated": [], "cleaned": [], "complete": False}
+              "annotated": [], "cleaned": [], "orphaned_namespace": [], "complete": False}
     try:
         for namespace, name in rows:
+            if namespace not in active_namespaces:
+                report["orphaned_namespace"].append(namespace + "/" + name)
+                continue
             report["checked"] += 1
             if not inspect(namespace, name):
                 continue
@@ -61,7 +68,8 @@ def maintain(clean=False):
                 if inspect(namespace, name):
                     raise RuntimeError("annotation still present")
                 report["cleaned"].append(identity)
-        report["complete"] = True
+        report["active_namespace_scan_complete"] = True
+        report["complete"] = not report["orphaned_namespace"]
     except (RuntimeError, subprocess.SubprocessError, OSError):
         report["error"] = "maintenance incomplete; raw output suppressed; inspect before retry"
     return report