diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/forge/users.rs b/hive-c0re/src/forge/users.rs
index 4bbdc059..cd511bb5 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/forge/users.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/forge/users.rs
@@ -147,14 +147,9 @@ async fn mint_token(name: &str, scopes: &str) -> Result<String> {
 /// by hive-c0re itself (under `/var/lib/hyperhive/`), so a direct
 /// write is both correct and necessary (no priv round-trip).
 async fn mint_and_persist_core_token(path: &Path) -> Result<()> {
-    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
     let token = mint_token("core", CORE_TOKEN_SCOPES).await?;
-    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
-        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).ok();
-    }
-    std::fs::write(path, format!("{token}\n"))
+    crate::secret_file::write_secret_0600(path, format!("{token}\n").as_bytes())
         .with_context(|| format!("write core token to {}", path.display()))?;
-    let _ = std::fs::set_permissions(path, std::fs::Permissions::from_mode(0o600));
     tracing::info!(path = %path.display(), "forge: persisted core access token");
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/agent_identity.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/agent_identity.rs
index 604b59b8..5a2aa079 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/agent_identity.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/agent_identity.rs
@@ -121,13 +121,12 @@ async fn collect(agent: &str, dir: &Path) -> Result<(), Skipped> {
 
 /// Write the two private files, replacing whatever was there.
 ///
-/// `0600` from the moment each file exists rather than after a `chmod`: the
-/// key is written through a handle opened with that mode, so there is no
-/// instant where it sits on disk world-readable.
+/// `0600` from the moment each file exists rather than after a `chmod`
+/// ([`crate::secret_file::write_secret_0600`]), so there is no instant where
+/// the key sits on disk world-readable.
 fn write_identity(dir: &Path, credential: &mtls::Credential) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     use anyhow::Context as _;
-    use std::io::Write as _;
-    use std::os::unix::fs::{OpenOptionsExt as _, PermissionsExt as _};
+    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt as _;
 
     std::fs::create_dir_all(dir).with_context(|| format!("create {}", dir.display()))?;
     // The directory too: its own mode is what stops anything but `hive-core`
@@ -139,19 +138,7 @@ fn write_identity(dir: &Path, credential: &mtls::Credential) -> anyhow::Result<(
         (CERT_CREDENTIAL, credential.cert.as_bytes()),
         (KEY_CREDENTIAL, credential.key.as_bytes()),
     ] {
-        let file = dir.join(name);
-        let mut handle = std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
-            .write(true)
-            .create(true)
-            .truncate(true)
-            .mode(0o600)
-            .open(&file)
-            .with_context(|| format!("open {}", file.display()))?;
-        // The error carries the path and never the bytes — the one line in
-        // this function where a value could otherwise be interpolated.
-        handle
-            .write_all(bytes)
-            .with_context(|| format!("write {}", file.display()))?;
+        crate::secret_file::write_secret_0600(&dir.join(name), bytes)?;
     }
 
     // Public material, and `0644` says so — it is the same bundle every host
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/main.rs b/hive-c0re/src/main.rs
index 51dbc06d..06eb05eb 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/main.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/main.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ mod meta;
 mod migrate;
 mod paths;
 mod priv_client;
+mod secret_file;
 mod server;
 mod snapshot_push;
 mod socket_server;
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
index 020306d7..143aaeda 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
@@ -194,14 +194,8 @@ fn sender_source<'a>(stored: Option<&'a str>, on_disk: Option<&str>) -> SenderSo
 /// directory if it is not there. The file's mode is the only thing keeping an
 /// unprivileged reader off the hive's matrix credential.
 fn persist_sender_token(path: &std::path::Path, access_token: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
-
-    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
-        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).ok();
-    }
-    std::fs::write(path, format!("{access_token}\n"))
+    crate::secret_file::write_secret_0600(path, format!("{access_token}\n").as_bytes())
         .with_context(|| format!("matrix: write the sender token to {}", path.display()))?;
-    let _ = std::fs::set_permissions(path, std::fs::Permissions::from_mode(0o600));
     tracing::info!(path = %path.display(), "matrix: provisioned the sender token");
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -308,15 +302,9 @@ pub fn read_sender_token() -> Result<String> {
 
 /// Persist the hive Space room id to [`hive_space_room_id_path()`] (0600).
 fn persist_space_room_id(room_id: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
     let path = hive_space_room_id_path();
-    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
-        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).ok();
-    }
-    std::fs::write(&path, format!("{room_id}\n"))
-        .with_context(|| format!("matrix: write space room_id to {}", path.display()))?;
-    let _ = std::fs::set_permissions(&path, std::fs::Permissions::from_mode(0o600));
-    Ok(())
+    crate::secret_file::write_secret_0600(&path, format!("{room_id}\n").as_bytes())
+        .with_context(|| format!("matrix: write space room_id to {}", path.display()))
 }
 
 /// Scan the admin account's joined rooms for the canonical hive Space: the
@@ -449,15 +437,9 @@ pub async fn ensure_hive_space(client: &reqwest::Client, sender_token: &str) ->
 
 /// Persist the hive chat room id to [`hive_chat_room_id_path()`] (0600).
 fn persist_chat_room_id(room_id: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
     let path = hive_chat_room_id_path();
-    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
-        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).ok();
-    }
-    std::fs::write(&path, format!("{room_id}\n"))
-        .with_context(|| format!("matrix: write chat room_id to {}", path.display()))?;
-    let _ = std::fs::set_permissions(&path, std::fs::Permissions::from_mode(0o600));
-    Ok(())
+    crate::secret_file::write_secret_0600(&path, format!("{room_id}\n").as_bytes())
+        .with_context(|| format!("matrix: write chat room_id to {}", path.display()))
 }
 
 /// Scan the admin account's joined rooms for the canonical hive chat room:
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/paths.rs b/hive-c0re/src/paths.rs
index c72e2a88..7660ae26 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/paths.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/paths.rs
@@ -295,8 +295,14 @@ fn move_if_legacy(old: &Path, new: &Path) {
     if !old.exists() || new.exists() {
         return;
     }
-    if let Some(parent) = new.parent() {
-        let _ = std::fs::create_dir_all(parent);
+    if let Some(parent) = new.parent()
+        && let Err(e) = std::fs::create_dir_all(parent)
+    {
+        tracing::warn!(
+            dir = %parent.display(),
+            error = ?e,
+            "relocate: create parent dir failed"
+        );
     }
     match std::fs::rename(old, new) {
         Ok(()) => tracing::info!(
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/secret_file.rs b/hive-c0re/src/secret_file.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f13f51e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/secret_file.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+//! [`write_secret_0600`]: the one way hive-c0re puts a credential on disk.
+
+use std::io::Write as _;
+use std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt as _;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use anyhow::{Context as _, Result};
+
+/// Write `contents` to `path` as a `0600` file, creating the parent directory.
+///
+/// The bytes go to a sibling temp file opened `0600` and are renamed over
+/// `path`, so the file is never readable by anyone else for an instant, and a
+/// reader (or a crash) never sees half of it. Errors carry paths, never
+/// `contents`.
+pub fn write_secret_0600(path: &Path, contents: &[u8]) -> Result<()> {
+    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).with_context(|| format!("create {}", parent.display()))?;
+    }
+    let mut tmp_name = path
+        .file_name()
+        .with_context(|| format!("{} has no file name", path.display()))?
+        .to_owned();
+    tmp_name.push(".tmp");
+    let tmp = path.with_file_name(tmp_name);
+    // A temp file left by a crashed earlier write would fail `create_new`.
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&tmp);
+    let mut f = std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+        .write(true)
+        .create_new(true)
+        .mode(0o600)
+        .open(&tmp)
+        .with_context(|| format!("create {}", tmp.display()))?;
+    f.write_all(contents)
+        .and_then(|()| f.sync_all())
+        .with_context(|| format!("write {}", tmp.display()))?;
+    std::fs::rename(&tmp, path).with_context(|| format!("rename onto {}", path.display()))
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::write_secret_0600;
+    use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt as _;
+
+    fn mode(path: &std::path::Path) -> u32 {
+        std::fs::metadata(path).expect("stat").permissions().mode() & 0o777
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn creates_parent_and_writes_0600() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let path = dir.path().join("sub").join("token");
+        write_secret_0600(&path, b"secret\n").expect("writes");
+        assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&path).expect("read"), b"secret\n");
+        assert_eq!(mode(&path), 0o600);
+        assert!(!dir.path().join("sub").join("token.tmp").exists());
+    }
+
+    /// An existing file at a looser mode is replaced, not rewritten in place:
+    /// the new file is 0600 and holds only the new bytes.
+    #[test]
+    fn replaces_an_existing_looser_file() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let path = dir.path().join("token");
+        std::fs::write(&path, "a much longer old value\n").expect("seed");
+        std::fs::set_permissions(&path, std::fs::Permissions::from_mode(0o644)).expect("chmod");
+        write_secret_0600(&path, b"new\n").expect("writes");
+        assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&path).expect("read"), b"new\n");
+        assert_eq!(mode(&path), 0o600);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_stale_temp_file_does_not_block_the_write() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let path = dir.path().join("token");
+        std::fs::write(dir.path().join("token.tmp"), "stale").expect("seed");
+        write_secret_0600(&path, b"new\n").expect("writes");
+        assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&path).expect("read"), b"new\n");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/workers/auto_update.rs b/hive-c0re/src/workers/auto_update.rs
index 65a474b7..ac31b48f 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/workers/auto_update.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/workers/auto_update.rs
@@ -208,8 +208,10 @@ pub async fn ensure_root_agent(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
     if let Err(e) = coord.power.set(MANAGER_NAME, crate::power::Wanted::Up) {
         tracing::warn!(error = ?e, "agent_power: set manager wanted=up failed");
     }
-    if let Some(rev) = current_rev {
-        let _ = std::fs::write(crate::paths::applied_rev_marker(MANAGER_NAME), &rev);
+    if let Some(rev) = current_rev
+        && let Err(e) = std::fs::write(crate::paths::applied_rev_marker(MANAGER_NAME), &rev)
+    {
+        tracing::warn!(name = MANAGER_NAME, error = ?e, "write rev marker failed");
     }
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/workers/knowledge.rs b/hive-c0re/src/workers/knowledge.rs
index 0edf056a..bdccebe2 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/workers/knowledge.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/workers/knowledge.rs
@@ -109,10 +109,24 @@ pub async fn pull(coord: &Coordinator) -> Result<()> {
     // place this repo stored a token in a named remote. Harmless to repeat
     // once the URL is already clean.
     let plain = crate::forge::forge_git_url(&format!("{ORG}/{REPO}"));
-    let _ = crate::lifecycle::git_command()
+    // Logs the exit status only: git's stderr may echo the old, credentialed URL.
+    match crate::lifecycle::git_command()
         .args(["-C", LOCAL_DIR, "remote", "set-url", "origin", &plain])
         .output()
-        .await;
+        .await
+    {
+        Ok(out) if out.status.success() => {}
+        Ok(out) => tracing::warn!(
+            remote = "origin",
+            status = %out.status,
+            "knowledge: git remote set-url failed; a credentialed origin URL may remain"
+        ),
+        Err(e) => tracing::warn!(
+            remote = "origin",
+            error = ?e,
+            "knowledge: spawning git remote set-url failed"
+        ),
+    }
     // Discard any local drift before pulling — both tracked (`reset --hard`)
     // and untracked (`clean -fd`). Nothing in this codebase writes to
     // `LOCAL_DIR` after the initial clone — this working tree exists to mirror