diff --git a/packages/pulse/src/bin/workflow-daemon.ts b/packages/pulse/src/bin/workflow-daemon.ts
index 3adfb04..cf0b111 100644
--- a/packages/pulse/src/bin/workflow-daemon.ts
+++ b/packages/pulse/src/bin/workflow-daemon.ts
@@ -170,8 +170,12 @@ const scheduleNext = () => {
   timer = setTimeout(async () => {
     try {
       await logTick();
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error('❌ Tick error:', err);
+    } catch (err: any) {
+      if (err?.name === 'GuardViolationError' || err?.constructor?.name === 'GuardViolationError') {
+        console.warn(`⚠️ Guard violation (non-fatal): ${err.message}`);
+      } else {
+        console.error('❌ Tick error:', err);
+      }
     }
     scheduleNext();
   }, currentTickMs);
diff --git a/packages/pulse/src/guard-projection.ts b/packages/pulse/src/guard-projection.ts
index d455cfc..78d8cb0 100644
--- a/packages/pulse/src/guard-projection.ts
+++ b/packages/pulse/src/guard-projection.ts
@@ -46,14 +46,9 @@ export function initGuardSchema(db: Database): void {
   db.exec(GUARD_SCHEMA);
 }
 
-// ── Memory cache ───────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-const guardDefMemory = new Map<string, GuardProjectionDef>();
-
-/** @internal Clear expression cache and memory cache (for testing) */
+/** @internal Clear expression cache (for testing) */
 export function clearGuardExpressionCache(): void {
   clearCoreCache();
-  guardDefMemory.clear();
 }
 
 // ── DB helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -89,18 +84,11 @@ function listGuardDefs(db: Database): GuardProjectionDef[] {
     initial_value: string;
     sources: string;
   }[];
-  const byName = new Map<string, GuardProjectionDef>();
-  for (const r of rows) {
-    byName.set(r.name, {
-      name: r.name,
-      initial_value: JSON.parse(r.initial_value) as unknown,
-      sources: JSON.parse(r.sources) as GuardSource[],
-    });
-  }
-  for (const [name, def] of guardDefMemory) {
-    byName.set(name, def);
-  }
-  return [...byName.values()];
+  return rows.map(r => ({
+    name: r.name,
+    initial_value: JSON.parse(r.initial_value) as unknown,
+    sources: JSON.parse(r.sources) as GuardSource[],
+  }));
 }
 
 function loadGuardRow(
@@ -133,7 +121,7 @@ export function registerGuard(db: Database, def: GuardProjectionDef): void {
     JSON.stringify(def.sources),
     now,
   );
-  guardDefMemory.set(def.name, def);
+
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.test.ts b/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.test.ts
index f6bf062..775e930 100644
--- a/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.test.ts
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ describe('createWorkflowRule', () => {
 
   // TODO: abort-prevents-restart requires guard state replay on daemon restart
   // Skipping for now — lifecycle detection uses event-based lastRole check
-  it.skip('abort prevents restart of same topic key', async () => {
+  it('abort prevents restart of same topic key', async () => {
     setup();
 
     let callCount = 0;
diff --git a/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.ts b/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.ts
index b19bc10..9c5819a 100644
--- a/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/pulse/src/workflows/workflow-rule-adapter.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  */
 
 import type { PulseStore } from '../store.js';
+import { registerGuard, getGuardState } from '../guard-projection.js';
 import {
   END,
   type ModeratorInput,
@@ -63,8 +64,17 @@ export function createWorkflowRule(
   let prevSnapshotJson = '';
   let checkpoint: WorkflowCheckpoint | null = null;
 
-  // Lifecycle check uses event-based lastRole detection (__end__, __abort__)
-  // No guard registration needed — avoids state replay issues on daemon restart
+  // Register lifecycle guard for state-machine protection
+  const db = store.getDatabase();
+  registerGuard(db, {
+    name: 'workflow-lifecycle',
+    initial_value: { status: 'unknown' },
+    sources: [
+      { kind: '*.__start__', check: "state.status = 'unknown'", transition: "{'status':'active'}" },
+      { kind: '*.__abort__', check: "state.status = 'active'", transition: "{'status':'aborted'}" },
+      { kind: '*.__end__', check: "state.status = 'active'", transition: "{'status':'ended'}" },
+    ],
+  });
 
   return {
     async tick(): Promise<WorkflowTickResult> {