diff --git a/bin/fm-fleet-snapshot.sh b/bin/fm-fleet-snapshot.sh
index 4f67b9be00f..90423d7a6ee 100755
--- a/bin/fm-fleet-snapshot.sh
+++ b/bin/fm-fleet-snapshot.sh
@@ -23,8 +23,12 @@
 #     normalized current_role, requires_child_metadata, blocked_by_ids,
 #     unresolved_blocker_ids, captain_actionable, hold_set, hold_age_days,
 #     and hold_bucket fields.
-#     Repeated blocker tokens remain ordered; a blocker resolves only when its
-#     structured record is Done, and missing ids stay open.
+#     Repeated blocker tokens remain ordered; a blocker resolves when its
+#     structured record is Done, or when no record for that id exists at all
+#     in this snapshot (already torn down or aged out of retention) - it
+#     stays open only when a record for it exists and is not Done, matching
+#     tasks-axi's own dependency resolution so the two readers of one backlog
+#     cannot disagree on whether a since-archived blocker still blocks.
 #     There is no separate decision type: any captain-held task is the same
 #     primitive, whatever kind its row carries.
 #     hold_bucket is the single classification for every captain hold, decided
@@ -528,7 +532,7 @@ backlog_json() {  # [<backlog-path>] - defaults to this home's $BACKLOG
           . as $record
           | .unresolved_blocker_ids = [
               $record.blocked_by_ids[] as $blocker
-              | select($resolved_ids[$blocker] != true)
+              | select(($resolved_ids | has($blocker)) and ($resolved_ids[$blocker] != true))
               | $blocker
             ]
           | .current_role =
diff --git a/tests/fm-bearings-snapshot.test.sh b/tests/fm-bearings-snapshot.test.sh
index aae68b78510..9c39241ecde 100755
--- a/tests/fm-bearings-snapshot.test.sh
+++ b/tests/fm-bearings-snapshot.test.sh
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ write_domain_alpha_fixture() {  # <parent-home> <secondmate-home>
 
 ## Queued
 - [ ] legal-release - Release approval blocked-by: external-legal - external legal dependency (repo: sample) (kind: ship)
+- [ ] external-legal - External legal review (repo: sample) (kind: ship) (since 2026-07-13)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -803,6 +804,7 @@ test_parent_evidence_reconciles_by_verb_and_key() {
 
 ## Queued
 - [ ] legal-release - Legal release blocked-by: external-legal - legal review (repo: sample) (kind: ship)
+- [ ] external-legal - External legal review (repo: sample) (kind: ship) (since 2026-07-11)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -811,6 +813,7 @@ EOF
 
 ## Queued
 - [ ] vendor-release - Vendor release blocked-by: external-vendor - vendor review (repo: sample) (kind: ship)
+- [ ] external-vendor - External vendor review (repo: sample) (kind: ship) (since 2026-07-11)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -1228,6 +1231,7 @@ test_undated_hold_phrasing_and_aging_projection() {
   NOT REQUIRED - the remote decision is moot.
 - [ ] mate-aged - Remote aged call (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (since 2026-06-01) (hold: choose a remote route) (hold-kind: captain)
   Captain hold set: 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z
+- [ ] missing-remote-blocker - Real still-open remote blocker (repo: firstmate) (kind: ship)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -1237,6 +1241,7 @@ EOF
 ## Queued
 - [ ] parked-hold - Parked style call (repo: firstmate) (kind: ship) (since 2026-07-10) (hold: not urgent) (hold-kind: captain)
 - [ ] blocked-parked - Blocked parked call blocked-by: missing-blocker (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (hold: parked) (hold-kind: captain)
+- [ ] missing-blocker - Real still-open blocker (repo: firstmate) (kind: ship)
 - [ ] future-parked - Parked style call for later (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (hold: parked) (hold-kind: captain) (hold-until: 2026-08-01)
 - [ ] due-parked - Parked style call now due (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (hold: parked) (hold-kind: captain) (hold-until: 2026-07-11)
 - [ ] due-superseded - Superseded call now due (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (hold: SUPERSEDED) (hold-kind: captain) (hold-until: 2026-07-11)
@@ -1358,6 +1363,7 @@ test_blocked_deferred_hold_has_concrete_disclosure() {
 
 ## Queued
 - [ ] only-blocked-parked - Blocked parked call blocked-by: missing-blocker (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (hold: parked) (hold-kind: captain) (hold-until: 2026-07-11)
+- [ ] missing-blocker - Real still-open blocker (repo: firstmate) (kind: ship)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -1388,6 +1394,7 @@ test_revealed_deferred_holds_show_their_deferral_reason() {
 - [ ] reveal-aged - Aged undated call (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (since 2026-06-01) (hold: choose a route) (hold-kind: captain)
   Captain hold set: 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z
 - [ ] reveal-live - 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 (repo: firstmate) (kind: captain) (hold: choose A) (hold-kind: captain)
+- [ ] missing-blocker-1234567890123456789012345678901234567890 - Real still-open blocker (repo: firstmate) (kind: ship)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -2317,6 +2324,8 @@ test_working_captain_holds_keep_their_bucket_surfaces() {
   Captain hold set: 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z
 
 ## Queued
+- [ ] blocker-alpha-123456789012345678901234567890 - Real still-open blocker alpha (repo: sample) (kind: ship)
+- [ ] blocker-beta-123456789012345678901234567890 - Real still-open blocker beta (repo: sample) (kind: ship)
 
 ## Done
 EOF
@@ -2830,9 +2839,9 @@ EOF
   mv "$ha/data/backlog.next" "$ha/data/backlog.md"
   json=$(run "$home" "$fakebin" --json)
   printf '%s' "$json" | jq -e '
-    (.decisions_open | any(.id == "home-assistant/captain-run") | not)
-      and (.gates | any(.id == "captain-run" and .owner == "home-assistant" and .blocked_by == "missing"))
-  ' >/dev/null || fail "a missing Home Assistant blocker was treated as Done: $json"
+    ([.decisions_open[] | select(.id == "home-assistant/captain-run")] | length) == 1
+      and (.gates | any(.id == "captain-run" and .owner == "home-assistant") | not)
+  ' >/dev/null || fail "a blocker id with no backlog row (already torn down) was not treated as resolved: $json"
 
   sed 's/(kind: program)/(kind: mystery)/' "$hibit/data/backlog.md" > "$hibit/data/backlog.next"
   mv "$hibit/data/backlog.next" "$hibit/data/backlog.md"
diff --git a/tests/fm-fleet-snapshot-view.test.sh b/tests/fm-fleet-snapshot-view.test.sh
index 71b2acbdc18..623a75d9d6b 100755
--- a/tests/fm-fleet-snapshot-view.test.sh
+++ b/tests/fm-fleet-snapshot-view.test.sh
@@ -406,9 +406,9 @@ EOF
   printf '%s' "$out" | jq -e '
     .backlog.records[] | select(.id == "captain-run")
     | .blocked_by_ids == ["worker", "missing"]
-      and .unresolved_blocker_ids == ["missing"]
-      and .captain_actionable == false
-  ' >/dev/null || fail "a missing blocker was incorrectly treated as resolved: $out"
+      and .unresolved_blocker_ids == []
+      and .captain_actionable == true
+  ' >/dev/null || fail "a blocker id with no backlog row (already torn down) was not treated as resolved: $out"
   pass "backlog normalization preserves strict roles and resolves every blocker compatibly"
 }