diff --git a/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease.go b/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease.go
index f01afab..8ba8a5f 100644
--- a/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease.go
+++ b/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease.go
@@ -144,8 +144,10 @@ func (o *Orchestrator) enforceRecoveryCordonLeases(ctx context.Context) (int, er
 			cordonTime := nodeUnschedulableSince(node)
 			if !cordonTime.IsZero() && now.Sub(cordonTime) > maxAge {
 				message := fmt.Sprintf("manual action required: node %s has an unowned cordon older than %s; Ananke will not silently leave resources stranded or override a non-Ananke cordon", name, maxAge)
-				o.markManualActionRequired(ctx, name, message)
-				errs = append(errs, message)
+				if !manualActionAlreadyMarked(ann, message) {
+					o.markManualActionRequired(ctx, name, message)
+					errs = append(errs, message)
+				}
 			}
 			continue
 		}
@@ -161,8 +163,10 @@ func (o *Orchestrator) enforceRecoveryCordonLeases(ctx context.Context) (int, er
 		expired, deadlineText := cordonLeaseExpired(ann, now)
 		if expired {
 			message := fmt.Sprintf("manual action required: node %s remains cordoned after Ananke repair lease expired at %s: %v", name, deadlineText, recoverErr)
-			o.markManualActionRequired(ctx, name, message)
-			errs = append(errs, message)
+			if !manualActionAlreadyMarked(ann, message) {
+				o.markManualActionRequired(ctx, name, message)
+				errs = append(errs, message)
+			}
 		} else {
 			o.log.Printf("leased cordon on %s still pending repair before %s: %v", name, deadlineText, recoverErr)
 		}
@@ -286,6 +290,17 @@ func (o *Orchestrator) markManualActionRequired(ctx context.Context, node string
 	}
 }
 
+// manualActionAlreadyMarked reports whether a node already carries this action.
+// Signature: manualActionAlreadyMarked(annotations map[string]string, message string) bool.
+// Why: repeated recovery scans should not keep rewriting the same node annotation
+// or turning an already-visible manual task into fresh log noise.
+func manualActionAlreadyMarked(annotations map[string]string, message string) bool {
+	if annotations == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return annotations[anankeCordonManualActionAnnotation] == sanitizeCordonAnnotationValue(message)
+}
+
 // recoveryCordonMaxDuration returns the maximum allowed automatic cordon lease.
 // Signature: (o *Orchestrator) recoveryCordonMaxDuration() time.Duration.
 // Why: all recovery cordon decisions should share the same operator promise.
diff --git a/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease_test.go b/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease_test.go
index 81d2795..51a966e 100644
--- a/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease_test.go
+++ b/internal/cluster/orchestrator_cordon_lease_test.go
@@ -90,6 +90,38 @@ func TestEnforceRecoveryCordonLeasesReportsStaleUnownedCordon(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestEnforceRecoveryCordonLeasesDoesNotRepeatExistingManualAction runs one orchestration or CLI step.
+// Signature: TestEnforceRecoveryCordonLeasesDoesNotRepeatExistingManualAction(t *testing.T).
+// Why: once a manual action is visible on the node, later scans should not keep
+// rewriting the same annotation or producing fresh alert noise.
+func TestEnforceRecoveryCordonLeasesDoesNotRepeatExistingManualAction(t *testing.T) {
+	old := time.Now().UTC().Add(-2 * time.Hour).Format(time.RFC3339)
+	message := "manual action required: node titan-18 has an unowned cordon older than 1h0m0s; Ananke will not silently leave resources stranded or override a non-Ananke cordon"
+	nodeJSON := `{"items":[{"metadata":{"name":"titan-18","annotations":{"` +
+		anankeCordonManualActionAnnotation + `":"` + message + `","` +
+		anankeCordonManualAtAnnotation + `":"` + old + `"}},"spec":{"unschedulable":true,"taints":[{"key":"node.kubernetes.io/unschedulable","timeAdded":"` +
+		old + `"}]},"status":{"conditions":[{"type":"Ready","status":"True"}]}}]}`
+	orch := buildOrchestratorWithStubs(t, config.Config{
+		Startup: config.Startup{RecoveryCordonMaxSeconds: 3600},
+	}, []commandStub{
+		{match: matchContains("kubectl", "get", "nodes", "-o", "json"), out: nodeJSON},
+		{
+			match: func(name string, args []string) bool {
+				if !matchContains("kubectl", "annotate", "node", "titan-18")(name, args) {
+					return false
+				}
+				t.Fatalf("manual-action annotation should not be rewritten")
+				return true
+			},
+		},
+	})
+
+	released, err := orch.enforceRecoveryCordonLeases(context.Background())
+	if released != 0 || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected quiet existing manual action, released=%d err=%v", released, err)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestEnforceRecoveryCordonLeasesEscalatesExpiredCryptsetupRepair runs one orchestration or CLI step.
 // Signature: TestEnforceRecoveryCordonLeasesEscalatesExpiredCryptsetupRepair(t *testing.T).
 // Why: after the lease expires, a failed automatic repair must become a clear