diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py b/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py
index 9699de1..54f63ce 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py
@@ -254,10 +254,14 @@ async def main():
                 for ev in chunk:
                     rel = ((getattr(ev, "source", None) or {}).get("content", {}) or {}).get("m.relates_to") or {}
                     in_reply = (rel.get("m.in_reply_to") or {}).get("event_id")
-                    # A thread child carries event_id==root; the un-threaded nudge carries only
-                    # m.in_reply_to.event_id==root. Catch both so the thread AND its main-timeline
-                    # pointer clear together.
-                    if rel.get("event_id") == root or in_reply == root:
+                    # A thread child carries rel_type=m.thread + event_id==root (the cards/acks +
+                    # the human's yes/no replies — any sender). The un-threaded nudge is the BOT's
+                    # own plain reply to root (only m.in_reply_to==root, no rel_type); gate that
+                    # clause to our sender so we don't also redact an unrelated human plain-reply
+                    # to the same root (root itself is already redacted above).
+                    is_thread_child = rel.get("rel_type") == "m.thread" and rel.get("event_id") == root
+                    is_own_nudge = in_reply == root and getattr(ev, "sender", None) == mx["user_id"]
+                    if is_thread_child or is_own_nudge:
                         await redact_card(room_id, ev.event_id)
                 token = getattr(resp, "end", None)
                 scanned += len(chunk)
diff --git a/backend/test_grid_email_heal.py b/backend/test_grid_email_heal.py
index a59923a..5e952fb 100644
--- a/backend/test_grid_email_heal.py
+++ b/backend/test_grid_email_heal.py
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ GRID = {
                       {"name": "Jose Briones", "email": "", "title": ""}]},
         {"id": "rowA", "investor_name": "Acme Capital", "notes": "",
          "contacts": [{"name": "Jane Doe", "email": "keep@acme.com", "title": ""}]},
+        {"id": "rowO", "investor_name": "Orphan LP", "notes": "",
+         "contacts": [{"name": "No Link", "email": "", "title": ""}]},
     ],
 }
 
@@ -79,11 +81,13 @@ def seed():
               "('c-jane','Jane','Doe','other@acme.com')")  # differs from the blob's keep@acme.com
     # Relational mirror (what sync_fundraising_relational would build): blank fc.email, linked contact_id.
     c.execute("INSERT INTO fundraising_investors (id,investor_name,source_row_id,total_invested) VALUES "
-              "('inv-w','Wyoming','rowW',0),('inv-a','Acme Capital','rowA',0)")
+              "('inv-w','Wyoming','rowW',0),('inv-a','Acme Capital','rowA',0),('inv-o','Orphan LP','rowO',0)")
+    # fc-orphan has contact_id NULL (pre-0004 orphan) and blank email — nothing to heal from.
     c.execute("INSERT INTO fundraising_contacts (id,investor_id,full_name,email,sort_order,contact_id) VALUES "
               "('fc-phil','inv-w','Philip Treick','',0,'c-phil'),"
               "('fc-jose','inv-w','Jose Briones','',1,'c-jose'),"
-              "('fc-jane','inv-a','Jane Doe','',0,'c-jane')")
+              "('fc-jane','inv-a','Jane Doe','',0,'c-jane'),"
+              "('fc-orphan','inv-o','No Link','',0,NULL)")
     c.commit()
     c.close()
 
@@ -119,6 +123,12 @@ def main():
         jane = next((c for c in ac if c.get("name") == "Jane Doe"), {})
         check(jane.get("email") == "keep@acme.com",
               f"Jane pill keeps its blob email, not the contact's (got {jane.get('email')!r})")
+
+        print("\n[heal: a pill whose fundraising_contacts row has contact_id NULL stays blank (orphan)]")
+        o = by_id.get("rowO", {})
+        orphan = next((c for c in o.get("contacts", []) if c.get("name") == "No Link"), {})
+        check(orphan.get("email", "") == "",
+              f"orphan pill (no contact_id, no email source) stays blank (got {orphan.get('email')!r})")
     finally:
         httpd.shutdown()
 
diff --git a/backend/test_intake_endpoints.py b/backend/test_intake_endpoints.py
index 8d0bcf6..c07a1eb 100644
--- a/backend/test_intake_endpoints.py
+++ b/backend/test_intake_endpoints.py
@@ -103,6 +103,21 @@ def main():
     seed()
     token = server.create_token("u1", "grant", "admin")
 
+    # Unit: the distinctive-token similarity edges (the all-generic fallback path the endpoint
+    # seed can't naturally reach — no real investor is named purely with generic descriptors).
+    print("\n[unit: _name_similarity distinctive-token edges]")
+    sim = server._name_similarity
+    check(sim("Fortitude Investment Group", "Aether Investment Group") < 0.62,
+          f"generic-only overlap stays below threshold (got {sim('Fortitude Investment Group', 'Aether Investment Group'):.2f})")
+    check(sim("Aether Capital", "Aether Capital Partners") == 1.0,
+          f"distinctive 'aether' (generic descriptors stripped) scores 1.0 (got {sim('Aether Capital', 'Aether Capital Partners'):.2f})")
+    # Both sides all-generic → fallback compares full tokens on BOTH sides; shared generic word
+    # alone must not clear the bar.
+    check(sim("Capital Group", "Global Capital") < 0.62,
+          f"all-generic both sides stays below threshold (got {sim('Capital Group', 'Global Capital'):.2f})")
+    check(sim("Family Office", "Family Office") == 1.0,
+          "identical all-generic names still score 1.0 (early-out)")
+
     httpd = ThreadingHTTPServer(("127.0.0.1", 0), _Quiet)
     port = httpd.server_address[1]
     threading.Thread(target=httpd.serve_forever, daemon=True).start()