diff --git a/bin/gstack-ship-queue b/bin/gstack-ship-queue
index 3575a29da..30c1c051c 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-ship-queue
+++ b/bin/gstack-ship-queue
@@ -166,8 +166,8 @@ async function main(argv: string[]): Promise<number> {
   if (cmd === 'train') {
     const train = await import('../lib/ship-queue-train-cli');
     if (!args[0] || args[0].startsWith('-')) { process.stdout.write(train.TRAIN_HELP + '\n'); return args.includes('--help') || args.includes('-h') ? EXIT.ok : EXIT.usage; }
-    const loaded = args[0] === 'build' ? loadBasePolicy(ctx) : null;
-    if (loaded && !('message' in loaded) && loaded.policy.merge === 'direct') return finish('train build', { ok: false, lines: [], run: 'none', failure: { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: 'the base policy sets merge: direct, so trains are off', fix: 'land each READY PR with gstack-ship-queue land --pr <n> --pin <sha> (docs/ship-policy.md#land-direct)' } });
+    const loaded = args[0] === 'build' || args[0] === 'land' ? loadBasePolicy(ctx) : null;
+    if (loaded && !('message' in loaded) && loaded.policy.merge === 'direct') return finish(`train ${args[0]}`, { ok: false, lines: [], run: 'none', failure: { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: 'the base policy sets merge: direct, so trains are off', fix: 'land each READY PR with gstack-ship-queue land --pr <n> --pin <sha> (docs/ship-policy.md#land-direct)' } });
     return train.trainMain(ctx, args);
   }
   if (cmd === 'wave') return (await import('../lib/ship-queue-wave')).waveMain(ctx, args);
diff --git a/lib/ship-queue-land-direct.ts b/lib/ship-queue-land-direct.ts
index 4c1b663b1..dcc08dc98 100644
--- a/lib/ship-queue-land-direct.ts
+++ b/lib/ship-queue-land-direct.ts
@@ -35,18 +35,31 @@ export function stampedFiles(root: string, policy: ShipPolicy, mergeBase: string
   const npm = (rev: string) => { const r = git(root, ['show', `${rev}:package.json`]); try { return r.ok ? JSON.parse(r.out).version ?? null : null; } catch { return null; } };
   if (!('rel' in now && now.rel === 'package.json') && npm(mergeBase) !== npm(pin)) out.push('package.json version');
   if (policy.changelog && git(root, ['diff', '--quiet', mergeBase, pin, '--', policy.changelog]).ok === false) out.push(policy.changelog);
+  if (!git(root, ['diff', '--quiet', mergeBase, pin, '--', '.gstack/version-path']).ok) out.push('.gstack/version-path');
   return out;
 }
 
-/** The merge commit's tree is the pin merged onto the merge commit's first parent: GitHub merged exactly the pin. */
+/** The pin's commit is local, fetched from its branch or GitHub's refs/pull/<n>/head (which outlives a deleted branch). */
+function havePin(root: string, pr: string, pin: string, branch?: string): boolean {
+  const have = () => git(root, ['cat-file', '-e', `${pin}^{commit}`]).ok;
+  if (have()) return true;
+  if (branch) git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', `refs/heads/${branch}`]);
+  if (!have()) git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', `refs/pull/${pr}/head`]);
+  return have();
+}
+
+/** The merge commit's tree is the pin merged onto the merge commit's first parent: GitHub merged exactly the pin. A read that fails is "cannot verify", never a mismatch. */
 function verifyMerge(ctx: QueueContext, root: string, pr: string, pin: string, merge: string, lines: string[], run: string, now: Date): StepOutput {
-  git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', ctx.base]);
+  const cannot = (why: string): StepOutput => ({ ok: false, run, lines, failure: { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `#${pr} merged as ${merge.slice(0, 12)}, but land cannot verify it: ${why}`, fix: `fix the read named, then rerun gstack-ship-queue land --pr ${pr} --pin ${pin}; it goes straight to the tree check` } });
+  if (!git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', ctx.base]).ok) return cannot(`git fetch origin ${ctx.base} failed`);
+  if (!havePin(root, pr, pin)) return cannot(`the pin ${pin.slice(0, 12)} is not in this clone and refs/pull/${pr}/head did not fetch it`);
   if (!git(root, ['merge-base', '--is-ancestor', merge, `origin/${ctx.base}`]).ok) return { ok: false, run, lines, failure: { code: 'QUEUE_LAND_UNVERIFIED', message: `the merge commit ${merge.slice(0, 12)} is not on origin/${ctx.base}` } };
   const parent = git(root, ['rev-parse', `${merge}^1`]).out;
   const tree = git(root, ['rev-parse', `${merge}^{tree}`]).out;
   const mt = git(root, ['merge-tree', '--write-tree', parent, pin]);
-  const expected = mt.ok ? mt.out.split('\n')[0] : '';
-  if (!isSha(expected) || tree !== expected) return { ok: false, run, lines: [...lines, `MAIN: ${merge} tree=${tree} parent=${parent} expected=${expected || 'conflict'}`], failure: { code: 'QUEUE_LAND_UNVERIFIED', message: `origin/${ctx.base} ${merge.slice(0, 12)} is not the pin ${pin.slice(0, 12)} merged onto ${parent.slice(0, 12)}`, fix: `compare git diff ${expected || parent} ${merge} and revert what does not belong to #${pr}; report it to the Captain` } };
+  const expected = mt.out.split('\n')[0] ?? '';
+  if (!isSha(expected)) return cannot(`git merge-tree ${parent.slice(0, 12)} ${pin.slice(0, 12)} failed: ${mt.err.split('\n')[0]}`);
+  if (!mt.ok || tree !== expected) return { ok: false, run, lines: [...lines, `MAIN: ${merge} tree=${tree} parent=${parent} expected=${expected || 'conflict'}`], failure: { code: 'QUEUE_LAND_UNVERIFIED', message: `origin/${ctx.base} ${merge.slice(0, 12)} is not the pin ${pin.slice(0, 12)} merged onto ${parent.slice(0, 12)}`, fix: `compare git diff ${expected || parent} ${merge} and revert what does not belong to #${pr}; report it to the Captain` } };
   const keys = repoIdentity(root);
   const at = now.toISOString();
   const note = persist(root, [{ schema: 1, kind: 'land', repo_key: keys.key, pr, pin, base_sha: parent, merge_sha: merge, tree, landed_at: at, updated_at: at }], { remote: ctx.remote });
@@ -59,6 +72,7 @@ export function landDirect(ctx: QueueContext, o: DirectOptions): StepOutput {
   const run = 'none';
   const now = o.now ?? (() => new Date());
   const fail = (lines: string[], failure: QueueFailure): StepOutput => ({ ok: false, lines, failure, run });
+  if (!git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', ctx.base]).ok) return fail([], { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `cannot fetch origin/${ctx.base}; land reads the policy and the required checks from the current base`, fix: 'fix the fetch, then rerun land' });
   const loaded = loadBasePolicy(ctx);
   if ('message' in loaded) return fail([], loaded);
   const policy = loaded.policy;
@@ -76,8 +90,7 @@ export function landDirect(ctx: QueueContext, o: DirectOptions): StepOutput {
   if (info.state !== 'OPEN') return fail(lines, { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `#${o.pr} is ${info.state}` });
   if (info.headRefOid !== o.pin) return fail(lines, { code: 'QUEUE_LAND_PIN_MOVED', message: `#${o.pr}'s head is ${info.headRefOid.slice(0, 12)}, not the pin ${o.pin.slice(0, 12)}`, fix: `the lane runs /ship and gstack-ship-queue ready --pr ${o.pr} at the new head and reports READY with it` });
 
-  git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', ctx.base]);
-  if (!git(root, ['cat-file', '-e', `${o.pin}^{commit}`]).ok && !git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', `refs/heads/${info.headRefName}`]).ok) git(root, ['fetch', '-q', 'origin', `refs/pull/${o.pr}/head`]);
+  if (!havePin(root, o.pr, o.pin, info.headRefName)) return fail(lines, { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `cannot fetch the pin ${o.pin.slice(0, 12)} from ${info.headRefName} or refs/pull/${o.pr}/head`, fix: 'fix the fetch, then rerun land' });
   const receipt = bindShippedReceipt(root, `origin/${ctx.base}`, info.body ?? '', o.pr, [o.pin]);
   lines.push(receipt.line, ...(receipt.depthLine ? [receipt.depthLine] : []), ...(receipt.targetedLine ? [receipt.targetedLine] : []));
   if (!receipt.ok) return fail(lines, { code: receipt.code, message: receipt.message, fix: `run /ship at the pin, then gstack-ship-queue ready --pr ${o.pr}` });
@@ -111,8 +124,13 @@ export function landDirect(ctx: QueueContext, o: DirectOptions): StepOutput {
 
   const method = policy.history === 'merge-only' ? '--merge' : '--squash';
   const m = ctx.gh(['pr', 'merge', o.pr, method, '--match-head-commit', o.pin]);
-  const after = view(ctx, o.pr);
-  const merge = 'code' in after ? undefined : after.state === 'MERGED' ? after.mergeCommit?.oid : undefined;
+  let merge: string | undefined;
+  for (let i = 0; i < (m.ok ? 4 : 1) && !isSha(merge); i++) {
+    if (i) Atomics.wait(new Int32Array(new SharedArrayBuffer(4)), 0, 0, 3_000);
+    const after = view(ctx, o.pr);
+    merge = 'code' in after || after.state !== 'MERGED' ? undefined : after.mergeCommit?.oid;
+  }
+  if (!isSha(merge) && m.ok) return fail(lines, { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `gh pr merge accepted #${o.pr}, but GitHub does not show it merged yet; nothing is verified`, fix: `rerun gstack-ship-queue land --pr ${o.pr} --pin ${o.pin} in a minute; once GitHub shows the merge it goes straight to the tree check` });
   if (!isSha(merge)) return fail(lines, { code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `gh pr merge refused: ${(m.err ?? m.out).trim().slice(0, 200) || 'the PR is not merged'}`, fix: `read the refusal; rerun land --pr ${o.pr} --pin ${o.pin} once it is fixed` });
   return verifyMerge(ctx, root, o.pr, o.pin, merge!, lines, run, now());
 }
diff --git a/test/ship-queue-land-direct.test.ts b/test/ship-queue-land-direct.test.ts
index bae403c9c..787a75dbd 100644
--- a/test/ship-queue-land-direct.test.ts
+++ b/test/ship-queue-land-direct.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  * check, the land note, train build under merge: direct, and the policy key's validation.
  */
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import * as fs from 'node:fs';
 import * as path from 'node:path';
 import { EXIT } from '../lib/headless-artifacts';
@@ -95,6 +96,8 @@ const landNotes = (fx: Fx) => {
   try { list = notes('list'); } catch { return []; }
   return list.split('\n').filter(Boolean).map(l => JSON.parse(notes('show', l.split(' ')[1]!))).filter(r => r.kind === 'land');
 };
+/** Whether a clone holds a commit. */
+const spawnCheck = (dir: string, sha: string) => spawnSync('git', ['-C', dir, 'cat-file', '-e', `${sha}^{commit}`], { timeout: 30_000 }).status === 0;
 /** Commit a file straight onto origin/main (another PR that landed first). */
 function moveMain(fx: Fx, file: string, text: string): string {
   const { repo } = fx;
@@ -316,6 +319,45 @@ describe('land --pin: fail closed and merge methods', () => {
     expect(fx.read().mergeArgs).toEqual(['25', '--merge', '--match-head-commit', pin]);
   }, 90_000);
 
+  test('land reads the policy after fetching the base: a required check main added since the last fetch is enforced', () => {
+    const fx = setup();
+    const pin = openPr(fx, '27');
+    const other = fx.repo.root + '/other';
+    fx.repo.git('clone', '-q', fx.repo.origin, other);
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(other, '.gstack', 'ship-policy.json'), JSON.stringify({ ...POLICY, changelog_fragments: { dir: 'changelog.d', required_checks: [...REQUIRED, 'security-scan'] } }, null, 2) + '\n');
+    fx.repo.git('-C', other, 'commit', '-qam', 'require security-scan');
+    fx.repo.git('-C', other, 'push', '-q', 'origin', 'HEAD:refs/heads/main');
+    const r = land(fx, '27', pin, ['--dry-run']);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('security-scan');
+    expect(r.err).toContain('(QUEUE_LAND_CHECKS)');
+  }, 90_000);
+
+  test('a rerun from a fresh clone after the branch was deleted fetches the pin from refs/pull/<n>/head and lands', () => {
+    const fx = setup();
+    const pin = openPr(fx, '28');
+    expect(land(fx, '28', pin).status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    const g = (...a: string[]) => fx.repo.git('--git-dir', fx.repo.origin, ...a);
+    g('update-ref', 'refs/pull/28/head', pin);
+    fx.write(d => { d.prs['28'].headRefOid = pin; });
+    g('update-ref', '-d', 'refs/heads/pr-28');
+    const fresh = fx.repo.root + '/fresh';
+    fx.repo.git('clone', '-q', '--no-local', '--single-branch', '--branch', 'main', fx.repo.origin, fresh);
+    expect(spawnCheck(fresh, pin)).toBe(false);
+    const r = runBin(fx.repo, 'gstack-ship-queue', ['land', '--pr', '28', '--pin', pin, '--base', 'main'], fx.env, fresh);
+    expect(r.err).toBe('');
+    expect(r.status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(r.out).toMatch(/^LANDED: /m);
+  }, 90_000);
+
+  test('QUEUE_LAND_STAMPED: a head that repoints .gstack/version-path', () => {
+    const fx = setup();
+    const pin = openPr(fx, '29', { edit: w => { fs.mkdirSync(path.join(w, '.gstack'), { recursive: true }); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(w, 'OTHER_VERSION'), fs.readFileSync(path.join(w, 'VERSION'))); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(w, '.gstack', 'version-path'), 'OTHER_VERSION\n'); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(w, 'VERSION'), '9.9.9.9\n'); } });
+    const r = land(fx, '29', pin);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('(QUEUE_LAND_STAMPED)');
+    expect(r.err).toContain('.gstack/version-path');
+    expect(fx.read().mergeArgs).toBeUndefined();
+  }, 90_000);
+
   test('merge: direct without changelog_fragments refuses with the key to add', () => {
     const fx = setup({ ...POLICY, changelog_fragments: null });
     const pin = openPr(fx, '26');