diff --git a/WORK-RECORDS.md b/WORK-RECORDS.md
index 35ed1a2..179988e 100644
--- a/WORK-RECORDS.md
+++ b/WORK-RECORDS.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 | workplan | SECRETS-WP-0007 | active | — | workplans/SECRETS-WP-0007-production-lifecycle-hardening.md |
 | workplan | SECRETS-WP-0008 | active | — | workplans/SECRETS-WP-0008-layer-model-lifecycle-conformance.md |
 | workplan | SECRETS-WP-0009 | blocked | — | workplans/SECRETS-WP-0009-glas-claude-native-delivery.md |
-| workplan | SECRETS-WP-0010 | blocked | — | workplans/SECRETS-WP-0010-openrouter-native-access.md |
+| workplan | SECRETS-WP-0010 | active | — | workplans/SECRETS-WP-0010-openrouter-native-access.md |
 | task | SECRETS-WP-ADHOC-2026-08-21-T01 | done | — | workplans/ADHOC-2026-08-21.md |
 | task | SECRETS-WP-ADHOC-2026-08-23-T01 | done | — | workplans/ADHOC-2026-08-23.md |
 | task | SECRETS-WP-0001-T01 | done | — | workplans/SECRETS-WP-0001-statehub-bootstrap.md |
diff --git a/docs/approval-consumption.md b/docs/approval-consumption.md
index 687c6f0..849599f 100644
--- a/docs/approval-consumption.md
+++ b/docs/approval-consumption.md
@@ -199,3 +199,11 @@ The catalog CCR reference remains provenance; the native path does not demand a
 second hub decision or local fixture with that CCR identifier. Unserved legacy
 build/test paths retain their existing review gate. Claim, PDP, human-control,
 stance, freshness and consume refusals still prevent backend access.
+
+
+A future `not_before` is now awaited for at most two seconds before full decision
+validation. Larger skew refuses. Expiry and claim freshness are checked afterward;
+the consumer never shifts its validation clock or treats a future decision as
+already valid. Native preflight exposed workstation clock drift; the existing
+NTP service was restarted. All three owner-store/native-PDP diagnostic joins
+passed afterward, without consuming approvals. Full regression suite: 420 passed.
diff --git a/docs/evidence/2026-09-14-t03-join-preflight.json b/docs/evidence/2026-09-14-t03-join-preflight.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76c204d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/evidence/2026-09-14-t03-join-preflight.json
@@ -0,0 +1,557 @@
+[
+  {
+    "action": "apply",
+    "scope": "read-only owner-store claim and native PDP diagnosis; not authenticated claim/consume execution",
+    "claim_valid_now": true,
+    "claim_reason": "ok",
+    "effect": "allow",
+    "reason": "catalog_lane_policy_matched",
+    "binding": {
+      "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+      "subject": {
+        "id": "secrets-engine",
+        "type": "service",
+        "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+        "attributes": {
+          "description": "secrets-engine's own service identity, the single calling identity for the twelve gated catalog-lane actions it sends to POST /v1/check. Because it is the only subject, the package has no action_not_granted branch (FLEX-WP-0021-T02); registering a second identity is the revisit trigger.",
+          "display_name": "secrets-engine service principal",
+          "groups": [
+            "group:secrets-engine-lane-operators"
+          ],
+          "organization_relation": "ServiceProvider",
+          "roles": [
+            "Operator"
+          ]
+        }
+      },
+      "action": "apply",
+      "resource": {
+        "id": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+        "type": "secret-catalog-lane",
+        "system": "secrets-engine",
+        "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+        "attributes": {
+          "auth_targets": [
+            "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+          ],
+          "fields": [],
+          "policy_targets": [
+            "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+          ],
+          "stage": "prod"
+        }
+      },
+      "context": {
+        "approval": {
+          "approval_id": "09592588-ab15-53e7-89b8-c4e9f29aaacf",
+          "binding": {
+            "action": "apply",
+            "actor": "secrets-engine",
+            "digest": "sha256:03cc5b37437f14e86b686ce4054f976556334eff3fa260b03e8014ed3d9217e5",
+            "human_control": true,
+            "pdp_digest": "sha256:933427642c58c54f65dd4781b8e4c8e2f358eb96497ae35870fff4bd593d2b84",
+            "pdp_path": true,
+            "principal": "secrets-engine",
+            "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference",
+            "target": {
+              "attributes": {
+                "auth_targets": [
+                  "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+                ],
+                "fields": [],
+                "policy_targets": [
+                  "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+                ],
+                "stage": "prod"
+              },
+              "id": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+              "system": "secrets-engine",
+              "type": "secret-catalog-lane"
+            }
+          },
+          "consumed": false,
+          "freshness": {
+            "not_after": "2026-09-14T01:43:41+00:00",
+            "observed_at": "2026-09-14T01:43:11+00:00",
+            "ttl_seconds": 30
+          },
+          "issuer": "approval-engine",
+          "kind": "approval-claim",
+          "reason_code": "ok",
+          "schema_version": "0.1",
+          "state": "valid",
+          "valid_now": true,
+          "validity": {
+            "expires_at": "2026-09-15T00:33:06.559689+00:00",
+            "not_before": "2026-09-14T00:33:06.559689+00:00"
+          },
+          "yields_to": "net-kingdom taxonomy request-claim schema (statute \u00a717; unassigned)"
+        },
+        "catalog_target": {
+          "auth_capability": {},
+          "consumers": [
+            {
+              "auth": "kubernetes",
+              "claim": "serviceaccount:external-secrets/external-secrets",
+              "name": "llm-connect-activity-core",
+              "purpose": "sync llm-connect-provider-secrets for the activity-core deployment"
+            },
+            {
+              "auth": "approle",
+              "claim": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+              "name": "intelligence-radar-key-check",
+              "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference"
+            }
+          ],
+          "delivery_auth": {
+            "management": "engine",
+            "method": "approle",
+            "policy_name": "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect",
+            "role_name": "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect",
+            "secret_id_num_uses": 1,
+            "secret_id_ttl": "15m",
+            "token_max_ttl": "30m",
+            "token_num_uses": 8,
+            "token_ttl": "15m"
+          },
+          "delivery_config": {
+            "exec_owner": {
+              "command": [
+                "/usr/bin/python3.12",
+                "-I",
+                "-B",
+                "/home/worsch/.local/share/secrets-engine/recipients/openrouter-key-check-dc1569f63ef7/openrouter_key_check.py"
+              ],
+              "cwd": "/run/user/1000/secrets-engine-openrouter-check",
+              "environment": {
+                "LANG": "C.UTF-8"
+              },
+              "files": {
+                "/home/worsch/.local/share/secrets-engine/recipients/openrouter-key-check-dc1569f63ef7/openrouter_key_check.py": {
+                  "private": true,
+                  "sha256": "dc1569f63ef74d73f0a735548c0573db2a1493f7ffc86945f52d0be9b27a3253"
+                },
+                "/usr/bin/python3.12": {
+                  "private": false,
+                  "sha256": "e50d468e8b0adfb05733f5b87b3cff34829c4a8c1aea50c865aa8bdfe4bb150f"
+                }
+              },
+              "owner": "intelligence-radar-key-check",
+              "status": "configured"
+            }
+          },
+          "delivery_modes": [
+            "exec-env",
+            "read-check"
+          ],
+          "fields": [
+            "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+          ],
+          "kind": "kv",
+          "mount": "platform",
+          "mount_management": "existing",
+          "org": "coulomb",
+          "path": "workloads/activity-core/llm-connect/llm-connect-provider-secrets",
+          "repo": "llm-connect",
+          "workload_delivery": [
+            {
+              "mode": "external-secrets",
+              "owner": "railiance-platform + llm-connect"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        "human_control": true,
+        "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference"
+      },
+      "request_digest": "sha256:1e2a0b721dca7a8e719a5837fd4e298be11be4c66535a0f40e11f2fa0639f9df",
+      "approval_binding_digest": "sha256:933427642c58c54f65dd4781b8e4c8e2f358eb96497ae35870fff4bd593d2b84",
+      "submitted_request_digest": "sha256:9241fdc373759d67b8db7c356730714e784804465f1a18d7c12a91bd200f3517"
+    },
+    "provenance": {
+      "evaluator": "flex-auth/local",
+      "mode": "standalone",
+      "policy_package": "secrets-engine.catalog-lane.lifecycle",
+      "policy_version": "v2",
+      "policy_package_digest": "sha256:bd11c5fe77ce6439c65fea225ad6b71d2110efc5e7b5bc9b499c59cd0a53b8b4",
+      "registry_snapshot_digest": "sha256:f5a309bc0b36721fd6d9ad7f53eb21222162bc2eac62a0ab0802a9a1d51340bb",
+      "input_claim_digests": {
+        "context": "sha256:eb41f86373ada6e123049610c1722116b1638d597069b460b2d0b3538b868a60"
+      },
+      "decision_time": "2026-09-14T01:43:11Z"
+    },
+    "validated": true
+  },
+  {
+    "action": "verify",
+    "scope": "read-only owner-store claim and native PDP diagnosis; not authenticated claim/consume execution",
+    "claim_valid_now": true,
+    "claim_reason": "ok",
+    "effect": "allow",
+    "reason": "catalog_lane_policy_matched",
+    "binding": {
+      "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+      "subject": {
+        "id": "secrets-engine",
+        "type": "service",
+        "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+        "attributes": {
+          "description": "secrets-engine's own service identity, the single calling identity for the twelve gated catalog-lane actions it sends to POST /v1/check. Because it is the only subject, the package has no action_not_granted branch (FLEX-WP-0021-T02); registering a second identity is the revisit trigger.",
+          "display_name": "secrets-engine service principal",
+          "groups": [
+            "group:secrets-engine-lane-operators"
+          ],
+          "organization_relation": "ServiceProvider",
+          "roles": [
+            "Operator"
+          ]
+        }
+      },
+      "action": "verify",
+      "resource": {
+        "id": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+        "type": "secret-catalog-lane",
+        "system": "secrets-engine",
+        "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+        "attributes": {
+          "auth_targets": [
+            "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+          ],
+          "fields": [
+            "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+          ],
+          "policy_targets": [
+            "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+          ],
+          "stage": "prod"
+        }
+      },
+      "context": {
+        "approval": {
+          "approval_id": "9416fa31-fa9e-5603-8289-f35bc9625409",
+          "binding": {
+            "action": "verify",
+            "actor": "secrets-engine",
+            "digest": "sha256:72d9267d038c17107c880ffc9009793ce9c70defbddfe2219628854b811a04b2",
+            "human_control": true,
+            "pdp_digest": "sha256:9e36cdbf3890cc5a7e550fd57191f9c0f2a6b2180909aac302aa3b999e7e6b25",
+            "pdp_path": true,
+            "principal": "secrets-engine",
+            "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference",
+            "target": {
+              "attributes": {
+                "auth_targets": [
+                  "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+                ],
+                "fields": [
+                  "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+                ],
+                "policy_targets": [
+                  "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+                ],
+                "stage": "prod"
+              },
+              "id": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+              "system": "secrets-engine",
+              "type": "secret-catalog-lane"
+            }
+          },
+          "consumed": false,
+          "freshness": {
+            "not_after": "2026-09-14T01:43:43+00:00",
+            "observed_at": "2026-09-14T01:43:13+00:00",
+            "ttl_seconds": 30
+          },
+          "issuer": "approval-engine",
+          "kind": "approval-claim",
+          "reason_code": "ok",
+          "schema_version": "0.1",
+          "state": "valid",
+          "valid_now": true,
+          "validity": {
+            "expires_at": "2026-09-15T00:33:06.722887+00:00",
+            "not_before": "2026-09-14T00:33:06.722887+00:00"
+          },
+          "yields_to": "net-kingdom taxonomy request-claim schema (statute \u00a717; unassigned)"
+        },
+        "catalog_target": {
+          "auth_capability": {},
+          "consumers": [
+            {
+              "auth": "kubernetes",
+              "claim": "serviceaccount:external-secrets/external-secrets",
+              "name": "llm-connect-activity-core",
+              "purpose": "sync llm-connect-provider-secrets for the activity-core deployment"
+            },
+            {
+              "auth": "approle",
+              "claim": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+              "name": "intelligence-radar-key-check",
+              "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference"
+            }
+          ],
+          "delivery_auth": {
+            "management": "engine",
+            "method": "approle",
+            "policy_name": "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect",
+            "role_name": "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect",
+            "secret_id_num_uses": 1,
+            "secret_id_ttl": "15m",
+            "token_max_ttl": "30m",
+            "token_num_uses": 8,
+            "token_ttl": "15m"
+          },
+          "delivery_config": {
+            "exec_owner": {
+              "command": [
+                "/usr/bin/python3.12",
+                "-I",
+                "-B",
+                "/home/worsch/.local/share/secrets-engine/recipients/openrouter-key-check-dc1569f63ef7/openrouter_key_check.py"
+              ],
+              "cwd": "/run/user/1000/secrets-engine-openrouter-check",
+              "environment": {
+                "LANG": "C.UTF-8"
+              },
+              "files": {
+                "/home/worsch/.local/share/secrets-engine/recipients/openrouter-key-check-dc1569f63ef7/openrouter_key_check.py": {
+                  "private": true,
+                  "sha256": "dc1569f63ef74d73f0a735548c0573db2a1493f7ffc86945f52d0be9b27a3253"
+                },
+                "/usr/bin/python3.12": {
+                  "private": false,
+                  "sha256": "e50d468e8b0adfb05733f5b87b3cff34829c4a8c1aea50c865aa8bdfe4bb150f"
+                }
+              },
+              "owner": "intelligence-radar-key-check",
+              "status": "configured"
+            }
+          },
+          "delivery_modes": [
+            "exec-env",
+            "read-check"
+          ],
+          "fields": [
+            "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+          ],
+          "kind": "kv",
+          "mount": "platform",
+          "mount_management": "existing",
+          "org": "coulomb",
+          "path": "workloads/activity-core/llm-connect/llm-connect-provider-secrets",
+          "repo": "llm-connect",
+          "workload_delivery": [
+            {
+              "mode": "external-secrets",
+              "owner": "railiance-platform + llm-connect"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        "human_control": true,
+        "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference"
+      },
+      "request_digest": "sha256:9e9f8b506b94fb3d0351b2129f6804f09bc8f207230b636da2112ff722005ab9",
+      "approval_binding_digest": "sha256:9e36cdbf3890cc5a7e550fd57191f9c0f2a6b2180909aac302aa3b999e7e6b25",
+      "submitted_request_digest": "sha256:ae7fdd0a04e2d1f131cbe8e384357aa0f994ab325032b8ff2322aba4532111c7"
+    },
+    "provenance": {
+      "evaluator": "flex-auth/local",
+      "mode": "standalone",
+      "policy_package": "secrets-engine.catalog-lane.lifecycle",
+      "policy_version": "v2",
+      "policy_package_digest": "sha256:bd11c5fe77ce6439c65fea225ad6b71d2110efc5e7b5bc9b499c59cd0a53b8b4",
+      "registry_snapshot_digest": "sha256:f5a309bc0b36721fd6d9ad7f53eb21222162bc2eac62a0ab0802a9a1d51340bb",
+      "input_claim_digests": {
+        "context": "sha256:418548cb749db472a28010fdd9dbb2a20a1c6fdd35b3d756fac6c7a7abc306fe"
+      },
+      "decision_time": "2026-09-14T01:43:13Z"
+    },
+    "validated": true
+  },
+  {
+    "action": "exec",
+    "scope": "read-only owner-store claim and native PDP diagnosis; not authenticated claim/consume execution",
+    "claim_valid_now": true,
+    "claim_reason": "ok",
+    "effect": "allow",
+    "reason": "catalog_lane_policy_matched",
+    "binding": {
+      "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+      "subject": {
+        "id": "secrets-engine",
+        "type": "service",
+        "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+        "attributes": {
+          "description": "secrets-engine's own service identity, the single calling identity for the twelve gated catalog-lane actions it sends to POST /v1/check. Because it is the only subject, the package has no action_not_granted branch (FLEX-WP-0021-T02); registering a second identity is the revisit trigger.",
+          "display_name": "secrets-engine service principal",
+          "groups": [
+            "group:secrets-engine-lane-operators"
+          ],
+          "organization_relation": "ServiceProvider",
+          "roles": [
+            "Operator"
+          ]
+        }
+      },
+      "action": "exec",
+      "resource": {
+        "id": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+        "type": "secret-catalog-lane",
+        "system": "secrets-engine",
+        "tenant": "tenant:platform",
+        "attributes": {
+          "auth_targets": [
+            "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+          ],
+          "fields": [
+            "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+          ],
+          "policy_targets": [
+            "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+          ],
+          "stage": "prod"
+        }
+      },
+      "context": {
+        "approval": {
+          "approval_id": "da678b61-35be-598e-8d95-a7aefa2fdc73",
+          "binding": {
+            "action": "exec",
+            "actor": "secrets-engine",
+            "digest": "sha256:f2cf0fb53b740900756ccde5587c3578fcff44beef2f1edab17b9a198a4033d8",
+            "human_control": true,
+            "pdp_digest": "sha256:9f17812750fc8962b0fc58fc09df136850c9935a864fafa998a1c030dfb75bd9",
+            "pdp_path": true,
+            "principal": "secrets-engine",
+            "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference",
+            "target": {
+              "attributes": {
+                "auth_targets": [
+                  "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+                ],
+                "fields": [
+                  "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+                ],
+                "policy_targets": [
+                  "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect"
+                ],
+                "stage": "prod"
+              },
+              "id": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+              "system": "secrets-engine",
+              "type": "secret-catalog-lane"
+            }
+          },
+          "consumed": false,
+          "freshness": {
+            "not_after": "2026-09-14T01:43:46+00:00",
+            "observed_at": "2026-09-14T01:43:16+00:00",
+            "ttl_seconds": 30
+          },
+          "issuer": "approval-engine",
+          "kind": "approval-claim",
+          "reason_code": "ok",
+          "schema_version": "0.1",
+          "state": "valid",
+          "valid_now": true,
+          "validity": {
+            "expires_at": "2026-09-15T00:33:06.955168+00:00",
+            "not_before": "2026-09-14T00:33:06.955168+00:00"
+          },
+          "yields_to": "net-kingdom taxonomy request-claim schema (statute \u00a717; unassigned)"
+        },
+        "catalog_target": {
+          "auth_capability": {},
+          "consumers": [
+            {
+              "auth": "kubernetes",
+              "claim": "serviceaccount:external-secrets/external-secrets",
+              "name": "llm-connect-activity-core",
+              "purpose": "sync llm-connect-provider-secrets for the activity-core deployment"
+            },
+            {
+              "auth": "approle",
+              "claim": "catalog:openrouter-llm-connect",
+              "name": "intelligence-radar-key-check",
+              "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference"
+            }
+          ],
+          "delivery_auth": {
+            "management": "engine",
+            "method": "approle",
+            "policy_name": "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect",
+            "role_name": "se-prod-openrouter-llm-connect",
+            "secret_id_num_uses": 1,
+            "secret_id_ttl": "15m",
+            "token_max_ttl": "30m",
+            "token_num_uses": 8,
+            "token_ttl": "15m"
+          },
+          "delivery_config": {
+            "exec_owner": {
+              "command": [
+                "/usr/bin/python3.12",
+                "-I",
+                "-B",
+                "/home/worsch/.local/share/secrets-engine/recipients/openrouter-key-check-dc1569f63ef7/openrouter_key_check.py"
+              ],
+              "cwd": "/run/user/1000/secrets-engine-openrouter-check",
+              "environment": {
+                "LANG": "C.UTF-8"
+              },
+              "files": {
+                "/home/worsch/.local/share/secrets-engine/recipients/openrouter-key-check-dc1569f63ef7/openrouter_key_check.py": {
+                  "private": true,
+                  "sha256": "dc1569f63ef74d73f0a735548c0573db2a1493f7ffc86945f52d0be9b27a3253"
+                },
+                "/usr/bin/python3.12": {
+                  "private": false,
+                  "sha256": "e50d468e8b0adfb05733f5b87b3cff34829c4a8c1aea50c865aa8bdfe4bb150f"
+                }
+              },
+              "owner": "intelligence-radar-key-check",
+              "status": "configured"
+            }
+          },
+          "delivery_modes": [
+            "exec-env",
+            "read-check"
+          ],
+          "fields": [
+            "OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
+          ],
+          "kind": "kv",
+          "mount": "platform",
+          "mount_management": "existing",
+          "org": "coulomb",
+          "path": "workloads/activity-core/llm-connect/llm-connect-provider-secrets",
+          "repo": "llm-connect",
+          "workload_delivery": [
+            {
+              "mode": "external-secrets",
+              "owner": "railiance-platform + llm-connect"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        "exec_owner_sha256": "22393c7e751e458fa64bb24305ee66a26bbe3993c5aba03ae1fc1a488e777b42",
+        "human_control": true,
+        "purpose": "IR-WP-0004 read-only OpenRouter key authentication check; no inference"
+      },
+      "request_digest": "sha256:0d18ec993f609e9fcaa0d0b18314d1cbfd10e5e16176748f0c21abbd3bf27c51",
+      "approval_binding_digest": "sha256:9f17812750fc8962b0fc58fc09df136850c9935a864fafa998a1c030dfb75bd9",
+      "submitted_request_digest": "sha256:1da3ba876912a80bf0df729ab58325d4ec8da2ff3b77f25bd4157a874f6faa06"
+    },
+    "provenance": {
+      "evaluator": "flex-auth/local",
+      "mode": "standalone",
+      "policy_package": "secrets-engine.catalog-lane.lifecycle",
+      "policy_version": "v2",
+      "policy_package_digest": "sha256:bd11c5fe77ce6439c65fea225ad6b71d2110efc5e7b5bc9b499c59cd0a53b8b4",
+      "registry_snapshot_digest": "sha256:f5a309bc0b36721fd6d9ad7f53eb21222162bc2eac62a0ab0802a9a1d51340bb",
+      "input_claim_digests": {
+        "context": "sha256:da1e2a9704eb5aae6a6cc2d24154246221668d2bd293c0e204f5d0c9d4fb8047"
+      },
+      "decision_time": "2026-09-14T01:43:16Z"
+    },
+    "validated": true
+  }
+]
diff --git a/docs/evidence/2026-09-14-t03-native-execution-attempt-01.json b/docs/evidence/2026-09-14-t03-native-execution-attempt-01.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71319f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/evidence/2026-09-14-t03-native-execution-attempt-01.json
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+{
+  "status": "failed",
+  "phase": "preflight",
+  "observed_at": "2026-09-14T01:32:29.742409+00:00",
+  "actions": [],
+  "health_before": {
+    "deployment": [
+      {
+        "namespace": "activity-core",
+        "name": "llm-connect",
+        "ready": 1
+      }
+    ],
+    "externalsecret": [
+      {
+        "namespace": "activity-core",
+        "name": "llm-connect-provider-secrets",
+        "ready": true
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "failure_type": "DecisionError",
+  "owner_forwards_closed": true
+}
diff --git a/src/secrets_engine/approval_consume.py b/src/secrets_engine/approval_consume.py
index 47407ba..8258146 100644
--- a/src/secrets_engine/approval_consume.py
+++ b/src/secrets_engine/approval_consume.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from secrets_engine.decision_check import check_decision
 from secrets_engine.authorization import (
     build_action_request,
     validate_decision_envelope,
+    wait_for_decision_start,
 )
 from secrets_engine.errors import DecisionError
 from secrets_engine.openbao import read_strict_token_file
@@ -312,6 +313,7 @@ def authorize_action(
         request=expected_request,
         opener=pdp_opener or urlopen,
     )
+    wait_for_decision_start(envelope)
     validated = validate_decision_envelope(
         envelope,
         expected_request,
diff --git a/src/secrets_engine/authorization.py b/src/secrets_engine/authorization.py
index 664f942..f96e1ca 100644
--- a/src/secrets_engine/authorization.py
+++ b/src/secrets_engine/authorization.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import copy
 import hashlib
 import json
 import re
+import time
 import uuid
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
@@ -399,3 +400,24 @@ def validate_decision_envelope(
         request_digest=evaluated,
         submitted_request_digest=submitted,
     )
+
+
+def wait_for_decision_start(envelope: object, *, clock=None, sleeper=None) -> None:
+    """Wait at most two seconds for an owner's future start, never waive it.
+
+    Full decision/claim validation still runs afterward against the real clock.
+    Longer skew refuses rather than holding an approval claim until it is stale.
+    """
+    current_time = clock or (lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc))
+    sleep = sleeper or time.sleep
+    if not isinstance(envelope, dict):
+        return
+    lifetime = _required_dict(envelope, "lifetime")
+    if lifetime.get("not_before") is None:
+        return
+    start = _parse_time(lifetime["not_before"], "not_before")
+    delay = (start - current_time()).total_seconds()
+    if delay > 2:
+        raise DecisionError("flex-auth decision start exceeds bounded wait")
+    if delay > 0:
+        sleep(delay)
diff --git a/tests/test_decision_start_wait.py b/tests/test_decision_start_wait.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c61ba55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_decision_start_wait.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+import pytest
+from secrets_engine.authorization import wait_for_decision_start
+from secrets_engine.errors import DecisionError
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("offset,expected", [(-1, []), (0, []), (0.25, [0.25]), (2, [2])])
+def test_waits_until_start_without_changing_the_envelope(offset, expected):
+    now = datetime(2026, 9, 14, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    envelope = {"lifetime": {"not_before": (now + timedelta(seconds=offset)).isoformat()}}
+    calls = []
+    wait_for_decision_start(envelope, clock=lambda: now, sleeper=calls.append)
+    assert calls == expected
+    assert envelope["lifetime"]["not_before"] == (now + timedelta(seconds=offset)).isoformat()
+
+def test_large_skew_refuses_without_sleep():
+    now = datetime(2026, 9, 14, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    with pytest.raises(DecisionError, match="bounded wait"):
+        wait_for_decision_start({"lifetime": {"not_before": (now + timedelta(seconds=3)).isoformat()}},
+            clock=lambda: now, sleeper=lambda _: pytest.fail("must not sleep"))
+
+def test_wait_does_not_waive_expiration_or_start_validation():
+    from secrets_engine.authorization import validate_decision_envelope
+    from tests.test_action_authorization import _envelope, _request
+    request = _request()
+    envelope = _envelope(request)
+    now = datetime(2026, 9, 14, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    envelope["lifetime"] = {"not_before": (now + timedelta(seconds=1)).isoformat(),
+        "expires_at": (now + timedelta(seconds=2)).isoformat()}
+    wait_for_decision_start(envelope, clock=lambda: now, sleeper=lambda _: None)
+    with pytest.raises(DecisionError, match="has not started"):
+        validate_decision_envelope(envelope, request, accepted_policy_packages={"secrets-engine.catalog-lane.lifecycle"}, accepted_policy_versions={"v2"}, now=now)
+    with pytest.raises(DecisionError, match="expired"):
+        validate_decision_envelope(envelope, request, accepted_policy_packages={"secrets-engine.catalog-lane.lifecycle"}, accepted_policy_versions={"v2"}, now=now + timedelta(seconds=3))