diff --git a/ci/Jenkinsfile.hermes-voice-image b/ci/Jenkinsfile.hermes-voice-image
index cad379eb..af30b55f 100644
--- a/ci/Jenkinsfile.hermes-voice-image
+++ b/ci/Jenkinsfile.hermes-voice-image
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ spec:
     fsGroupChangePolicy: OnRootMismatch
   nodeSelector:
     kubernetes.io/arch: arm64
+  tolerations:
+    # Jetson kubelet/network maintenance can briefly outlast Kubernetes' five
+    # minute default. Keep the disposable build workspace intact long enough
+    # for the node to recover instead of restarting a large image expansion.
+    - key: node.kubernetes.io/not-ready
+      operator: Exists
+      effect: NoExecute
+      tolerationSeconds: 600
+    - key: node.kubernetes.io/unreachable
+      operator: Exists
+      effect: NoExecute
+      tolerationSeconds: 600
   affinity:
     nodeAffinity:
       requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
diff --git a/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_hardening.py b/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_hardening.py
index 29af19a8..c729ddff 100644
--- a/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_hardening.py
+++ b/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_hardening.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from node_account_io import (
     assert_unchanged,
     atomic_write,
     backup_once,
+    open_private_temporary,
     read_mounted_secret,
     read_regular,
 )
@@ -247,7 +248,15 @@ def _directory(path: Path, *, mode: int, uid: int, gid: int) -> None:
 def _without_key(value: bytes, identity: tuple[str, bytes]) -> bytes:
     kept = []
     for line in value.splitlines(keepends=True):
-        if _key_identity(line) != identity:
+        try:
+            line_identity = _key_identity(line)
+        except HardeningError:
+            # authorized_keys is shared with human operators on the legacy
+            # accounts.  An unrelated line that this reconciler cannot prove
+            # valid is not authority to delete it or block all reconciliation.
+            kept.append(line)
+            continue
+        if line_identity != identity:
             kept.append(line)
     return b"".join(kept)
 
@@ -408,9 +417,9 @@ def _acl_backup_once(path: Path, value: bytes, backup_name: str | None = None) -
         _validate_acl_backup(existing)
         return
 
-    temporary = root / f".{path.name}.acl.hermes-{os.getpid()}"
-    flags = os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | getattr(os, "O_NOFOLLOW", 0)
-    descriptor = os.open(temporary, flags, 0o600)
+    temporary, descriptor = open_private_temporary(
+        root / f"{path.name}.acl", 0o600
+    )
     try:
         if os.write(descriptor, encoded) != len(encoded):
             raise HardeningError("short sensitive directory ACL backup write")
diff --git a/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_io.py b/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_io.py
index 6421e648..8359326f 100644
--- a/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_io.py
+++ b/services/hermes/scripts/node_account_io.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import fcntl
 import os
+import secrets
 import stat
 import time
 from contextlib import contextmanager
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ MAX_XATTR_NAME = 255
 MAX_XATTR_VALUE = 256 * 1024
 MAX_XATTR_TOTAL = 1024 * 1024
 LOCK_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 15.0
+TEMPORARY_CREATE_ATTEMPTS = 8
 
 
 class HardeningError(RuntimeError):
@@ -141,11 +143,29 @@ def assert_unchanged(path: Path, expected: FileSnapshot, maximum: int) -> None:
         raise HardeningError(f"concurrent host account change detected: {path.name}")
 
 
+def open_private_temporary(path: Path, mode: int) -> tuple[Path, int]:
+    """Create an unpredictable peer temporary without trusting stale files.
+
+    Reconciler containers commonly reuse the same low PID after a restart.  A
+    PID-only name can therefore collide forever with a file left by a killed
+    prior run.  The exclusive random suffix keeps old artifacts inert while
+    preserving the same-directory atomic-replace boundary.
+    """
+    flags = os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | getattr(os, "O_NOFOLLOW", 0)
+    for _attempt in range(TEMPORARY_CREATE_ATTEMPTS):
+        temporary = path.with_name(
+            f".{path.name}.hermes-{os.getpid()}-{secrets.token_hex(16)}"
+        )
+        try:
+            return temporary, os.open(temporary, flags, mode)
+        except FileExistsError:
+            continue
+    raise HardeningError(f"could not allocate private temporary: {path.name}")
+
+
 def atomic_write(path: Path, value: bytes, metadata: FileSnapshot) -> None:
     """Atomically replace a file while retaining ACLs, labels, and xattrs."""
-    temporary = path.with_name(f".{path.name}.hermes-{os.getpid()}")
-    flags = os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | getattr(os, "O_NOFOLLOW", 0)
-    descriptor = os.open(temporary, flags, metadata.mode)
+    temporary, descriptor = open_private_temporary(path, metadata.mode)
     try:
         if os.write(descriptor, value) != len(value):
             raise HardeningError(f"short atomic write: {path.name}")
diff --git a/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_account_io.py b/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_account_io.py
index 674897e4..103d2da9 100644
--- a/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_account_io.py
+++ b/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_account_io.py
@@ -54,6 +54,22 @@ def test_unrelated_modern_human_key_type_is_preserved(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatc
         assert path.read_text() == modern + "\n"
 
 
+def test_malformed_unrelated_authorized_key_lines_are_preserved(
+    tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch
+):
+    module, _originals, key, _other, public_key = _fixture(tmp_path, monkeypatch)
+    malformed = b"ssh-ed25519 YWJj human-key-that-must-survive\noperator-note-\xff\n"
+    for user in module.LEGACY_ACCOUNTS:
+        path = module.HOST_HOME / user / ".ssh/authorized_keys"
+        path.write_bytes(malformed + key.encode("ascii") + b"\n")
+
+    module.reconcile(public_key)
+
+    for user in module.LEGACY_ACCOUNTS:
+        path = module.HOST_HOME / user / ".ssh/authorized_keys"
+        assert path.read_bytes() == malformed
+
+
 def test_crash_during_legacy_key_removal_never_installs_duplicate_key(
     tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch
 ):
diff --git a/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_io_coverage.py b/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_io_coverage.py
index 23131927..6c6949b8 100644
--- a/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_io_coverage.py
+++ b/testing/tests/test_hermes_node_io_coverage.py
@@ -188,6 +188,50 @@ def test_atomic_write_short_write_unlinks_temporary(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert not list(tmp_path.glob(".passwd.hermes-*"))
 
 
+def test_atomic_write_ignores_stale_pid_temporary(tmp_path):
+    module = _io_module()
+    target = tmp_path / "passwd"
+    target.write_bytes(b"old")
+    snapshot = module.read_regular(target, 16)
+    stale = tmp_path / f".passwd.hermes-{os.getpid()}"
+    stale.write_bytes(b"interrupted prior run")
+
+    module.atomic_write(target, b"new", snapshot)
+
+    assert target.read_bytes() == b"new"
+    assert stale.read_bytes() == b"interrupted prior run"
+
+
+def test_private_temporary_retries_untrusted_name_collisions(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    module = _io_module()
+    target = tmp_path / "passwd"
+    tokens = iter(("collision", "unused"))
+    stale = tmp_path / f".passwd.hermes-{os.getpid()}-collision"
+    stale.write_bytes(b"untrusted")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(module.secrets, "token_hex", lambda _size: next(tokens))
+
+    temporary, descriptor = module.open_private_temporary(target, 0o600)
+    os.close(descriptor)
+    try:
+        assert temporary.name.endswith("-unused")
+        assert stale.read_bytes() == b"untrusted"
+    finally:
+        temporary.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+
+def test_private_temporary_fails_closed_after_collision_limit(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    module = _io_module()
+    target = tmp_path / "passwd"
+    stale = tmp_path / f".passwd.hermes-{os.getpid()}-collision"
+    stale.write_bytes(b"untrusted")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(module.secrets, "token_hex", lambda _size: "collision")
+
+    with pytest.raises(module.HardeningError, match="allocate private temporary"):
+        module.open_private_temporary(target, 0o600)
+
+    assert stale.read_bytes() == b"untrusted"
+
+
 def test_backup_existing_is_validated_and_short_write_is_removed(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     module = _io_module()
     source = tmp_path / "passwd"
diff --git a/testing/tests/test_hermes_voice_release.py b/testing/tests/test_hermes_voice_release.py
index 15035f0a..a0c8eb31 100644
--- a/testing/tests/test_hermes_voice_release.py
+++ b/testing/tests/test_hermes_voice_release.py
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ def test_voice_pipeline_binds_component_source_digest_and_release() -> None:
     assert "archiveArtifacts(" in pipeline
     assert '"SETFCAP"' in pipeline
     assert "values: [titan-20]" in pipeline
+    assert "key: node.kubernetes.io/not-ready" in pipeline
+    assert "key: node.kubernetes.io/unreachable" in pipeline
+    assert pipeline.count("tolerationSeconds: 600") == 2
     assert 'node-role.kubernetes.io/worker: "true"' not in pipeline
     assert "ephemeral-storage: 10Gi" in pipeline
     assert "ephemeral-storage: 20Gi" in pipeline