diff --git a/cloud/attempt_ledger.py b/cloud/attempt_ledger.py
index 24765fe..6930b7a 100644
--- a/cloud/attempt_ledger.py
+++ b/cloud/attempt_ledger.py
@@ -133,11 +133,12 @@ Persistence notes:
   three legacy shapes migrated in place, both writers, PK,
   idempotent ensure; see
   ``verification/codex-task-attempts-pg-proof-20261106.md``).
-  One gap-3-only step is Postgres-only by nature: a gap-3
-  table's ``outcome`` was created NOT NULL, and ``ensure``
-  relaxes it with ``ALTER COLUMN outcome DROP NOT NULL``
-  (see ``ensure_task_attempts_table``); on SQLite that
-  statement is not valid and the column stays NOT NULL.
+  One gap-3-only step relaxes a gap-3 table's ``outcome``
+  from NOT NULL with ``ALTER COLUMN outcome DROP NOT NULL``
+  (see ``ensure_task_attempts_table``); the statement works
+  on Postgres and on SQLite 3.53.0+, and is swallowed by
+  ``try/except`` on older SQLite, where the column stays
+  NOT NULL.
 - The read path (``GET /metrics-report``) never creates the table:
   a read-only endpoint must not mutate schema. Table creation
   happens only on the write path, inside ``record_attempt`` /
@@ -310,8 +311,9 @@ def ensure_task_attempts_table(conn):
     nullable or defaulted, so existing rows are never blocked,
     and no row is dropped or rewritten. A gap-3 table's
     ``outcome`` was created NOT NULL; ensure also relaxes it to
-    nullable on Postgres (``ALTER COLUMN outcome DROP NOT
-    NULL``), because the resume writer inserts outcome NULL --
+    nullable (``ALTER COLUMN outcome DROP NOT NULL`` -- works
+    on Postgres and on SQLite 3.53.0+, swallowed on older
+    SQLite), because the resume writer inserts outcome NULL --
     without the relax every resume write on such a table fails.
     This replaces the
     rehearsal-era runtime column-completion workaround: the
@@ -332,10 +334,11 @@ def ensure_task_attempts_table(conn):
     # gap-3 形态的 outcome 是 NOT NULL，而统一 DDL 要求它可空
     # （恢复写路不报 outcome，NOT NULL 会使它在 PG 上每次写
     # 行都报 NotNullViolation）。只在探针报 NOT NULL 时放宽：
-    # Postgres 上是 ALTER COLUMN DROP NOT NULL（已是可空时
-    # 不会走到这里）；SQLite 上该语句不合法，try/except 吞
-    # 掉——SQLite 的 gap-3 表仍保留 NOT NULL（放宽需重建表，
-    # 与“迁移不做重建式类型收紧”的边界一致，本批只修 PG 路径）。
+    # ALTER COLUMN outcome DROP NOT NULL 在 Postgres 上生效；
+    # SQLite 3.53.0 起也支持该语法，在此之前不合法、被
+    # try/except 吞掉，gap-3 表仍保留 NOT NULL（恢复写路
+    # 会被 INSERT OR IGNORE 静默丢弃——版本相关边界，见
+    # test_column_notnull_probe_sees_gap3_outcome）。
     if _column_notnull(conn, "task_attempts").get("outcome"):
         try:
             conn.execute(
diff --git a/cloud/tests/test_task_attempts_unified_schema.py b/cloud/tests/test_task_attempts_unified_schema.py
index 78dba25..cb8721b 100644
--- a/cloud/tests/test_task_attempts_unified_schema.py
+++ b/cloud/tests/test_task_attempts_unified_schema.py
@@ -150,14 +150,31 @@ class TestFreshAndMigrations(unittest.TestCase):
         self.conn.execute(GAP3_DDL)
         flags = _column_notnull(self.conn, "task_attempts")
         self.assertTrue(flags["outcome"])
-        # SQLite 上放宽语句不合法、被 ensure 吞掉：迁移本身
-        # 不抛错、列集仍齐，但 outcome 保持 NOT NULL（需重建
-        # 表才能改，见批总结诚实边界；本批只修 PG 路径）。
+        # 迁移本身不抛错、列集仍齐；真正的不变量是 ensure
+        # 之后恢复写路与实际的 schema 状态一致，而不是
+        # outcome 的 NOT NULL 位：outcome 放宽了（PG 上
+        # ALTER 生效；SQLite 3.53.0 起也支持 ALTER COLUMN
+        # DROP NOT NULL），resume 风格写行必须能写入并读回
+        # outcome 为 NULL 的行；outcome 仍 NOT NULL 时（更
+        # 早的 SQLite：ALTER 不合法、被 try/except 吞掉），
+        # 该行会被 INSERT OR IGNORE 静默丢弃——版本相关
+        # 边界，不是迁移失败。
         ensure_task_attempts_table(self.conn)
         self.assertEqual(set(_columns(self.conn)),
                          set(UNIFIED_COLUMNS))
-        self.assertTrue(
-            _column_notnull(self.conn, "task_attempts")["outcome"])
+        relaxed = not _column_notnull(
+            self.conn, "task_attempts")["outcome"]
+        resume_record(self.conn, "t-gap", 2, "platform_fresh",
+                      "worker_shutdown", -1, "second", None)
+        self.conn.commit()
+        row = _row_by_key(self.conn, "t-gap", 2)
+        if relaxed:
+            self.assertIsNotNone(row)
+            self.assertIsNone(row["outcome"])
+            latest = latest_attempt(self.conn, "t-gap")
+            self.assertEqual(latest["attempt_no"], 2)
+        else:
+            self.assertIsNone(row)
 
     def test_old_shape_migrates_with_rows_intact(self):
         self.conn.execute(OLD_DDL)