diff --git a/docs/shared-core.md b/docs/shared-core.md
index 87d377a8..9f7b0255 100644
--- a/docs/shared-core.md
+++ b/docs/shared-core.md
@@ -154,7 +154,9 @@ processes against the same store:
 - Every connection sets `busy_timeout=5000` and uses one pooled handle.
 - Every write goes through `withScopeWriteLock`. It nests a cross-process
   lock for each scope (`src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.ts`).
-  That lock checks if the owner PID is alive and takes over stale locks.
+  That lock publishes a complete PID payload through a hard link before
+  entering the write section. It checks if the owner PID is alive and takes
+  over stale locks. See [TDR-039](tdr/039-publish-complete-cross-process-write-locks.md).
 - So shard allocation, vector-count sync, insert, and increment run as one
   critical section for each scope, across processes.
 - Races to create a shard end at the `UNIQUE(scope, scope_hash, shard_index)`
diff --git a/docs/tdr/039-publish-complete-cross-process-write-locks.md b/docs/tdr/039-publish-complete-cross-process-write-locks.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b56824d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/tdr/039-publish-complete-cross-process-write-locks.md
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+# TDR-039: Publish complete cross-process write locks
+
+- **Date:** 2026-10-07
+- **Status:** Proposed
+- **Deciders:** OMMS maintainers
+- **Tags:** storage, concurrency, release, filesystem
+
+## Context
+
+Release 4.13.2 failed on macOS 26 in `tests/two-process-storage.test.ts:258`.
+All 50 memory rows survived, but shard metadata totalled 48 vectors. The other
+five platforms passed. Publishing was skipped.
+
+### Root Cause Analysis
+
+`writeFileSync(path, payload, { flag: "wx" })` creates an empty file before
+writing its process ID (PID). Another process can read that empty file.
+`readLiveLock` then treats it as corrupt, deletes it, and acquires the lock.
+The first process finishes writing through its open handle and also enters.
+Overlapping writes can overwrite the reconciled shard count.
+
+The regression test forces this interleaving through the real filesystem. It
+observed two active writer callbacks on the old code, where one was expected.
+The CI log does not record the exact filesystem interleaving.
+
+## Decision
+
+Write each complete payload to a unique temporary file in `.write-locks`.
+Use `linkSync(candidate, path)` to publish it. The hard link creates the lock
+without replacing an existing one. A contender sees a complete payload or no
+lock. Keep the existing lock path, JSON fields, dead-owner recovery, and
+15-second contention deadline.
+
+Remove the temporary file in `finally`. Remove the lock only after acquisition.
+Report publication errors other than `EEXIST` to the caller. On Windows, retry
+`EPERM`, `EACCES`, and `EBUSY` with the bounded waits from TDR-034: 1, 2, 5, 10,
+20, 50, 100, and 200 milliseconds. Persistent errors still fail.
+
+## Consequences
+
+### Positive
+
+- A contender cannot reclaim a new lock while its payload is being written.
+- Deterministic tests cover exclusivity, error cleanup, Windows retries, and dead-owner recovery.
+
+### Negative
+
+- The storage filesystem must support hard links, as APFS, ext4, and NTFS do.
+- A process killed before cleanup can leave an unused temporary file.
+
+### Neutral
+
+- All hosts receive the fix through the shared storage code. Memory data stays unchanged.
+- This change repairs publication. The existing stale-lock takeover logic stays unchanged.
+
+## Alternatives Considered
+
+| Option                                  | Rejected because                                          |
+| --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Retry the failed smoke test             | Leaves overlapping writers possible.                      |
+| Rename a prepared payload over the lock | Can replace another process's live lock.                  |
+| Delay before removing an empty lock     | Depends on how long the operating system pauses a writer. |
+
+## How to Recognise / Handle This Again
+
+1. Compare readable memory rows with the shard metadata counts.
+2. Run `bash scripts/run-tests-isolated.sh tests/cross-process-write-lock.test.ts tests/two-process-storage.test.ts`.
+3. Run `bun run ci:local` in the fix worktree before pushing.
+4. Run the six-platform smoke on the fix branch before merging, with maintainer approval.
+
+## Revisit Triggers
+
+Reassess if counts still drift, stale-owner takeover permits overlapping writers,
+or storage moves to a filesystem without hard links.
+
+## References
+
+- [Failed release run](https://github.com/cmdaltctr/omms/actions/runs/37684125173)
+- [TDR-034: Windows hard-link retries](034-retry-windows-start-lock-hard-links.md)
+- [Shared-store specification](../../openspec/specs/host-neutral-memory-core/spec.md)
+- [Node filesystem API](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v24.x/api/fs.html#fslinksyncexistingpath-newpath)
+- `src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.ts`
+- `tests/cross-process-write-lock.test.ts`
diff --git a/docs/tdr/README.md b/docs/tdr/README.md
index eebf94ed..e10d59d2 100644
--- a/docs/tdr/README.md
+++ b/docs/tdr/README.md
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ TDRs capture **implementation-level technical decisions** such as platform-speci
 | [036](./036-restart-waits-for-its-own-copy.md)               | Restart waits for its own copy                                          | Proposed              | 2026-10-06 |
 | [037](./037-skip-slow-tests-on-windows.md)                   | Skip slow tests on Windows                                              | Proposed              | 2026-10-07 |
 | [038](./038-resume-release-approval-after-npm.md)            | Resume the release approval after npm shows the version                 | Proposed              | 2026-10-07 |
+| [039](./039-publish-complete-cross-process-write-locks.md)   | Publish complete cross-process write locks                              | Proposed              | 2026-10-07 |
 
 ## Status values
 
diff --git a/src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.ts b/src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.ts
index c86ab7c2..be07f49c 100644
--- a/src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.ts
+++ b/src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, unlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { existsSync, linkSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, unlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { CONFIG } from "../../config.js";
 
@@ -58,6 +59,28 @@ function lockFilePath(scope: string, hash: string): string {
   return join(CONFIG.storagePath, WRITE_LOCK_DIR, `${scope}_${hash}.lock`);
 }
 
+async function publishLock(candidate: string, path: string): Promise<void> {
+  // Match the bounded Windows hard-link retries used by the web start lock (TDR-034).
+  const waits = [1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200];
+  for (let attempt = 0; ; attempt++) {
+    try {
+      linkSync(candidate, path);
+      return;
+    } catch (error) {
+      const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
+      if (
+        process.platform !== "win32" ||
+        !code ||
+        !["EPERM", "EACCES", "EBUSY"].includes(code) ||
+        waits[attempt] === undefined
+      ) {
+        throw error;
+      }
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, waits[attempt]));
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 export async function withCrossProcessWriteLock<T>(
   scope: "user" | "project",
   hash: string,
@@ -71,30 +94,46 @@ export async function withCrossProcessWriteLock<T>(
   const state: LockState = { pid: process.pid, timestamp: new Date().toISOString() };
   const deadline = Date.now() + LOCK_TIMEOUT_MS;
 
-  for (;;) {
-    try {
-      writeFileSync(path, JSON.stringify(state), { flag: "wx" });
-      break;
-    } catch {
-      const holder = readLiveLock(path);
-      if (!holder) continue;
-      if (Date.now() > deadline) {
-        throw new Error(
-          `Timed out acquiring the cross-process write lock for ${scope}/${hash}: ` +
-            `held by pid ${holder.pid} since ${holder.timestamp}`
-        );
+  const candidate = `${path}.${process.pid}.${randomUUID()}.tmp`;
+  let acquired = false;
+
+  try {
+    // Exclusive open exposes an empty file before its PID is written. Publish
+    // the complete payload with a hard link, which cannot replace a live lock.
+    writeFileSync(candidate, JSON.stringify(state), { flag: "wx" });
+    for (;;) {
+      try {
+        await publishLock(candidate, path);
+        acquired = true;
+        break;
+      } catch (error) {
+        if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== "EEXIST") throw error;
+        const holder = readLiveLock(path);
+        if (!holder) continue;
+        if (Date.now() > deadline) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Timed out acquiring the cross-process write lock for ${scope}/${hash}: ` +
+              `held by pid ${holder.pid} since ${holder.timestamp}`,
+            { cause: error }
+          );
+        }
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, LOCK_POLL_MS + Math.random() * 10));
       }
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, LOCK_POLL_MS + Math.random() * 10));
     }
-  }
 
-  try {
     return await fn();
   } finally {
+    if (acquired) {
+      try {
+        unlinkSync(path);
+      } catch {
+        // Best effort: a stale file is cleaned up by the next acquirer.
+      }
+    }
     try {
-      unlinkSync(path);
+      unlinkSync(candidate);
     } catch {
-      // Best effort: a stale file is cleaned up by the next acquirer.
+      // A failed publication must not leave its temporary payload behind.
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/cross-process-write-lock.test.ts b/tests/cross-process-write-lock.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6cce6b97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cross-process-write-lock.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, mock } from "bun:test";
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+
+const realFs = { ...fs };
+let duringExclusiveCreate: (() => void) | undefined;
+let linkErrors: NodeJS.ErrnoException[] = [];
+const platformDescriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, "platform")!;
+
+function linkSync(from: fs.PathLike, to: fs.PathLike): void {
+  const error = linkErrors.shift();
+  if (error) throw error;
+  realFs.linkSync(from, to);
+}
+
+function writeFileSync(...args: Parameters<typeof fs.writeFileSync>): void {
+  const options = args[2];
+  if (duringExclusiveCreate && typeof options === "object" && options?.flag === "wx") {
+    // Pause after open, before writing the PID, as another process can do.
+    const fd = realFs.openSync(args[0], "wx");
+    const contender = duringExclusiveCreate;
+    duringExclusiveCreate = undefined;
+    try {
+      contender();
+      realFs.writeFileSync(fd, args[1], options);
+    } finally {
+      realFs.closeSync(fd);
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+  realFs.writeFileSync(...args);
+}
+
+mock.module("node:fs", () => ({
+  ...realFs,
+  default: { ...realFs, writeFileSync, linkSync },
+  writeFileSync,
+  linkSync,
+}));
+
+const { CONFIG } = await import("../src/config.js");
+const { withCrossProcessWriteLock } =
+  await import("../src/services/turso/cross-process-write-lock.js");
+const previousStorage = CONFIG.storagePath;
+const directories: string[] = [];
+const hash = "a1b2c3d4e5f60718";
+
+function storage(): string {
+  const dir = realFs.mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "omms-write-lock-"));
+  directories.push(dir);
+  CONFIG.storagePath = dir;
+  return dir;
+}
+
+function lockPath(dir: string): string {
+  return join(dir, ".write-locks", `project_${hash}.lock`);
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  duringExclusiveCreate = undefined;
+  linkErrors = [];
+  Object.defineProperty(process, "platform", platformDescriptor);
+  CONFIG.storagePath = previousStorage;
+  for (const dir of directories.splice(0)) realFs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+describe("cross-process write lock", () => {
+  it("keeps writers exclusive when a contender arrives before the PID is written", async () => {
+    const dir = storage();
+    let active = 0;
+    let maximumActive = 0;
+    let release!: () => void;
+    const held = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      release = resolve;
+    });
+    let contender: Promise<void> | undefined;
+
+    duringExclusiveCreate = () => {
+      contender = withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => {
+        active++;
+        maximumActive = Math.max(maximumActive, active);
+        await held;
+        active--;
+      });
+    };
+    const first = withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => {
+      active++;
+      maximumActive = Math.max(maximumActive, active);
+      active--;
+    });
+    try {
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    } finally {
+      release();
+      await Promise.all([first, contender]);
+    }
+
+    expect(contender).toBeDefined();
+    expect(maximumActive).toBe(1);
+    expect(realFs.existsSync(lockPath(dir))).toBe(false);
+    expect(realFs.readdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"))).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("releases the lock after the writer throws", async () => {
+    const dir = storage();
+    await expect(
+      withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => {
+        throw new Error("write failed");
+      })
+    ).rejects.toThrow("write failed");
+    expect(realFs.existsSync(lockPath(dir))).toBe(false);
+    await expect(withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => "next")).resolves.toBe(
+      "next"
+    );
+    expect(realFs.readdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"))).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("reports a publication error without entering the writer or leaving files", async () => {
+    const dir = storage();
+    const error = Object.assign(new Error("disk error"), { code: "EIO" });
+    linkErrors = [error];
+    let entered = false;
+    await expect(
+      withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => {
+        entered = true;
+      })
+    ).rejects.toThrow("disk error");
+    expect(entered).toBe(false);
+    expect(realFs.readdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"))).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("retries temporary Windows refusals while publishing the complete lock", async () => {
+    const dir = storage();
+    Object.defineProperty(process, "platform", { value: "win32" });
+    linkErrors = ["EPERM", "EACCES", "EBUSY"].map((code) =>
+      Object.assign(new Error("busy"), { code })
+    );
+    await expect(withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => "written")).resolves.toBe(
+      "written"
+    );
+    expect(linkErrors).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(realFs.readdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"))).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("bounds persistent Windows publication refusals and cleans up", async () => {
+    const dir = storage();
+    Object.defineProperty(process, "platform", { value: "win32" });
+    linkErrors = Array.from({ length: 9 }, () =>
+      Object.assign(new Error("permission refused"), { code: "EPERM" })
+    );
+    await expect(
+      withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => "unreachable")
+    ).rejects.toThrow("permission refused");
+    expect(linkErrors).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(realFs.readdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"))).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("reclaims a lock whose owner process is dead", async () => {
+    const dir = storage();
+    realFs.mkdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"));
+    realFs.writeFileSync(
+      lockPath(dir),
+      JSON.stringify({ pid: 2147483647, timestamp: new Date().toISOString() })
+    );
+    await expect(withCrossProcessWriteLock("project", hash, async () => "recovered")).resolves.toBe(
+      "recovered"
+    );
+    expect(realFs.readdirSync(join(dir, ".write-locks"))).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});