diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/alloc.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/alloc.ts
index ee409a790..92ca91809 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/alloc.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/alloc.ts
@@ -266,11 +266,22 @@ function freeLines(host: AllocHost, cyc: boolean): string[] {
   ];
   if (cyc) {
     host.declare(`@scr_cyc_live = external global i64`);
+    host.declare(`@scr_cyc_old_freed = external global i64`);
     lines.push(
       `  %sf.live = load i64, ptr @scr_cyc_live`,
       `  %sf.live1 = sub i64 %sf.live, 1`,
       `  store i64 %sf.live1, ptr @scr_cyc_live`,
       `  %sf.blk = getelementptr inbounds i8, ptr %o, i64 -${CYC_HDR}`,
+      `  %sf.genp = getelementptr inbounds i8, ptr %sf.blk, i64 22`,
+      `  %sf.gen = load i16, ptr %sf.genp`,
+      `  %sf.old = icmp eq i16 %sf.gen, 2`,
+      `  br i1 %sf.old, label %sf.oldcount, label %sf.accounted`,
+      `sf.oldcount:`,
+      `  %sf.freed = load i64, ptr @scr_cyc_old_freed`,
+      `  %sf.freed1 = add i64 %sf.freed, 1`,
+      `  store i64 %sf.freed1, ptr @scr_cyc_old_freed`,
+      `  br label %sf.accounted`,
+      `sf.accounted:`,
     );
   }
   const blk = cyc ? "%sf.blk" : "%o";
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/call-lifetimes.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/call-lifetimes.test.ts
index 780a25932..d20f6763b 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/call-lifetimes.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/call-lifetimes.test.ts
@@ -473,6 +473,50 @@ test("unchanged let bindings can own call inputs but subsequent writes and captu
   expect(analyze(fn).bindings.get(fn.name)?.size).toBe(0);
 });
 
+test("strict union equality projects both operands without escaping either box", () => {
+  const equal = (left: IrExpr, right: IrExpr): IrExpr => ({
+    kind: "unionEq",
+    unionId: "optional",
+    negated: false,
+    sameValue: false,
+    left,
+    right,
+    type: BOOL,
+    loc,
+  });
+  const fn = helper("same", ["value", "other"]);
+  fn.body = [ret(equal(ref("value"), ref("other")))];
+  expect(analyze(fn).parameters.get("same")).toEqual(new Set([0, 1]));
+  // A nested consumer inside an operand is still visited.
+  fn.body = [ret(equal(ref("value"), call("escape", [ref("other")])))];
+  expect(analyze(fn).parameters.get("same")).toEqual(new Set([0]));
+});
+
+test("environment bodies prove their own locals but never their parameters", () => {
+  const leaf = helper("leaf");
+  const fn = helper("lifted");
+  fn.captures = [{ localId: "box", name: "box", type: optional }];
+  fn.locals.push({ ...local("box"), boxed: true }, local("item"));
+  fn.body = [
+    {
+      kind: "varDecl",
+      localId: "item",
+      init: { kind: "unionWrap", value: num(), unionId: "optional", tag: 0, type: optional, loc },
+      loc,
+    },
+    ret(call("leaf", [ref("item")])),
+    ret(call("leaf", [ref("box")])),
+    ret(call("leaf", [ref("value")])),
+  ];
+  const facts = analyze(fn, leaf);
+  expect(facts.locals.get("lifted")).toEqual(new Set(["item"]));
+  expect(facts.bindings.get("lifted")).toEqual(new Set(["item"]));
+  expect(facts.parameters.has("lifted")).toBe(false);
+  expect(facts.borrowed.has("lifted")).toBe(false);
+  fn.async = true;
+  expect(analyze(fn, leaf).locals.has("lifted")).toBe(false);
+});
+
 test("strict union equality is a borrowing use of a local operand", () => {
   const fn = helper("same", ["left", "right"]);
   fn.returnType = BOOL;
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.test.ts
index 3b752a791..e5553171c 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.test.ts
@@ -261,7 +261,26 @@ function work(expr: IrExpr, parameter: IrType, boxed = false, tdz = false): stri
             ...(tdz ? { tdz: true } : {}),
           },
         ],
-        body: [{ kind: "return", value: expr, loc: receiverLoc }],
+        body: [
+          { kind: "return", value: expr, loc: receiverLoc },
+          // An unreachable rebinding keeps a boxed parameter in its shared
+          // box; a captured parameter that is never rebound uses a plain slot.
+          ...(boxed
+            ? [
+                {
+                  kind: "assign" as const,
+                  localId: "value",
+                  value: {
+                    kind: "varRef" as const,
+                    localId: "value",
+                    type: parameter,
+                    loc: receiverLoc,
+                  },
+                  loc: receiverLoc,
+                },
+              ]
+            : []),
+        ],
         loc: receiverLoc,
       },
     ],
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.ts
index 44f63fe1d..cbc3da015 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/emitter.ts
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ import {
 import { BlockBuilder } from "./blocks.js";
 import { NullableRefFields, type NullableRefField } from "./nullable-fields.js";
 import {
-  emitCallArrayRead,
   emitLocalArrayRead,
+  emitProjectedArrayRead,
   emitBorrowedArrayRead,
   findLocalArrayReads,
   findCallArrayReads,
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ import {
   emitStringSliceSnapshot,
   type StringSliceSnapshot,
 } from "./string-slices.js";
+import { LazyCaptures } from "./lazy-captures.js";
 import { StackCaptures } from "./stack-captures.js";
 import {
   ABSENT_FIELD_PAYLOAD,
@@ -519,6 +520,11 @@ export class LlEmitter {
   readonly stackCallbacks: StackCallbacks;
   readonly receiverReaders: AmbientReceiverReaders;
   private readonly stackCaptures: StackCaptures;
+  private readonly lazyCaptures: LazyCaptures;
+  /** Unchanged captured parameters of the current function: each maps to
+   * the slot caching its box, NULL until the first closure needs it. */
+  private readonly lazyCaptureBoxes = new Map<string, string>();
+  private readonly lazyStackBoxes = new Map<string, string>();
   private borrowedParameters = new Set<string>();
   /** Parameters proven projection-only: callers may pass stack boxes. */
   private projectedParameters = new Set<string>();
@@ -737,6 +743,7 @@ export class LlEmitter {
     this.stackCallbacks = new StackCallbacks(this.fnByName);
     this.receiverReaders = new AmbientReceiverReaders(this.fnByName);
     this.stackCaptures = new StackCaptures(this.fnByName, this.callLifetimes, this.stackCallbacks);
+    this.lazyCaptures = new LazyCaptures(this.fnByName);
     for (const r of mod.records ?? []) this.recordsById.set(r.id, r);
     const traced = computeTraced(mod);
     this.tracedShapes = traced.shapes;
@@ -4029,6 +4036,33 @@ export class LlEmitter {
     }
   }
 
+  /** The box a new environment captures for `localId` (borrowed). An
+   * unchanged parameter gets one box on first capture, holding its own
+   * reference to the value; the function scope releases the cached box. */
+  captureBox(localId: string): string {
+    const cache = this.lazyCaptureBoxes.get(localId);
+    if (cache === undefined) return this.loadBox(`%${mangleLocal(localId)}`);
+    const B = this.B;
+    const type = this.currentLocals.get(localId)!.type;
+    const current = this.loadBox(cache);
+    const missing = B.tmp();
+    B.line(`${missing} = icmp eq ptr ${current}, null`);
+    const create = B.newLabel("lazy.box"),
+      join = B.newLabel("lazy.box.j");
+    B.condBr(missing, create, join);
+    B.startBlock(create);
+    const stack = this.lazyStackBoxes.get(localId);
+    const box = stack ?? B.tmp();
+    if (!stack) B.line(`${box} = ${boxNewCall(this.shapeHost, type)}`);
+    const value = B.tmp();
+    B.line(`${value} = load ${this.llType(type)}, ptr %${mangleLocal(localId)}`);
+    this.boxSet(box, type, isRefCounted(type) ? this.retainValue(value, type) : value);
+    B.line(`store ptr ${box}, ptr ${cache}`);
+    B.br(join);
+    B.startBlock(join);
+    return this.loadBox(cache);
+  }
+
   retainBox(box: string): string {
     this.needsRetainBox = true;
     const t = this.B.tmp();
@@ -4076,6 +4110,13 @@ export class LlEmitter {
     this.throwIfUninitialized(empty, name);
   }
 
+  /** Throws the TDZ ReferenceError for `name` unless the i1 `flag` is set. */
+  checkInitializedFlag(flag: string, name: string): void {
+    const empty = this.B.tmp();
+    this.B.line(`${empty} = xor i1 ${flag}, true`);
+    this.throwIfUninitialized(empty, name);
+  }
+
   private throwIfUninitialized(empty: string, name: string): void {
     const B = this.B;
     const lt = B.newLabel("tdz.t");
@@ -4269,13 +4310,23 @@ export class LlEmitter {
     this.unwindCleanups.clear();
     this.jumpTargets = [];
     this.currentLocals = new Map(fn.locals.map((l) => [l.id, l]));
+    this.lazyCaptureBoxes.clear();
+    this.lazyStackBoxes.clear();
+    // An unchanged captured parameter keeps its value in a plain slot; the
+    // binding is boxed only for closures (captureBox).
+    const lazyParameters = this.lazyCaptures.parameters(fn);
+    for (const id of lazyParameters) {
+      const { boxed: _boxed, ...plain } = this.currentLocals.get(id)!;
+      this.currentLocals.set(id, plain);
+      this.lazyCaptureBoxes.set(id, "");
+    }
     this.currentConstantCallbacks =
       this.debug === null ? (this.constantCallbacks.get(fn.name) ?? new Map()) : new Map();
     // Preserve concrete source bindings for debugger inspection. Suspended
     // functions keep the established array lifetime across continuations.
     this.streamingSplitsEnabled = this.debug === null && !fn.async && !fn.generator;
     this.stackCallbacks.reset(this.streamingSplitsEnabled);
-    this.stackCaptures.reset(fn, this.streamingSplitsEnabled);
+    this.stackCaptures.reset(fn, this.streamingSplitsEnabled, lazyParameters);
     this.privateSplitLocals = this.streamingSplitsEnabled ? findPrivateSplitLocals(fn) : new Map();
     this.storedSplits.clear();
     this.splitSpans.clear();
@@ -4403,7 +4454,7 @@ export class LlEmitter {
       B.line(`${value} = load double, ptr @${mangleGlobal(global.id)}`);
       this.storeIntegerView(global.id, { name: value, type: global.type });
     }
-    for (const local of fn.locals) {
+    for (const local of this.currentLocals.values()) {
       // Boxed locals' slots hold their capture BOX (a ptr); captured
       // (env-borrowed) locals bind the incoming box below. A caught-typed
       // local is a catch binding: its slot holds the ScrCaught snapshot
@@ -4459,6 +4510,20 @@ export class LlEmitter {
     // params (callees own their params — callers passed +1). Boxed params
     // allocate the shared binding and move the raw value in.
     const fnScope: LlScopeEntry[] = [];
+    for (const id of this.lazyCaptureBoxes.keys()) {
+      const cache = B.slot();
+      B.entryAllocas.push(`${cache} = alloca ptr ; lazy box ${this.currentLocals.get(id)!.name}`);
+      B.line(`store ptr null, ptr ${cache}`);
+      fnScope.push({ slot: cache, type: this.currentLocals.get(id)!.type, boxed: true });
+      this.lazyCaptureBoxes.set(id, cache);
+      // Environments that finish during the call can share an immortal
+      // frame box. Its payload owner is released with the function scope.
+      const stack = this.stackCaptures.emit(this, id, this.currentLocals.get(id)!.type);
+      if (stack) {
+        this.lazyStackBoxes.set(id, stack.box);
+        if (stack.owner) fnScope.push(stack.owner);
+      }
+    }
     const borrowed = this.callLifetimes.borrowed.get(fn.name);
     for (const [index, p] of fn.params.entries()) {
       const local = this.currentLocals.get(p.localId)!;
@@ -6149,11 +6214,9 @@ export class LlEmitter {
       if (result.owner) this.ownSlot(result.owner.slot, result.owner.type);
       return result.value;
     }
+    const arrayRead = this.optionalArrayReads.get(e);
+    if (arrayRead) return emitProjectedArrayRead(this, arrayRead);
     if (canStackUnion(e, this.unionsById)) return emitStackUnion(this, e).value;
-    // An optional array read consumed by a projection needs no heap box:
-    // a private stack box owns the payload until the statement frame ends.
-    const arrayRead = e.type.kind === "union" ? this.optionalArrayReads.get(e) : null;
-    if (arrayRead) return emitCallArrayRead(this, arrayRead, true);
     if (e.kind === "unionNarrow") {
       const union = this.emitUnionProjection(e.value);
       return { name: this.unionPeek(union.name), type: e.type };
@@ -6200,6 +6263,11 @@ export class LlEmitter {
     return this.emitExpr(e);
   }
 
+  /** A private stack union source with an independently owned payload. */
+  canStackReceiver(e: IrExpr): boolean {
+    return this.isStackUnionSource(e);
+  }
+
   /** True for union sources that emitReadReceiver can produce as a private
    * stack box with an independently owned payload (no heap union). */
   isStackUnionSource(e: IrExpr): boolean {
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-async.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-async.ts
index d962ab007..6ece26f22 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-async.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-async.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ export function emitIntrinsicExpr(host: LlvmEmitterContext, e: ExprOf<"intrinsic
   const B = host.B;
   switch (e.kind) {
     case "intrinsic": {
+      if (e.name === "module.tdzCheck") {
+        // An import-cycle binding's initialization flag: false is the
+        // temporal dead zone (Node's catchable ReferenceError).
+        const flag = host.emitExpr(e.args[0]!);
+        const name = e.args[1]!;
+        if (name.kind !== "strLit")
+          throw new InternalCompilerError("llvm emitter bug: module.tdzCheck name");
+        host.checkInitializedFlag(flag.name, name.value);
+        return { name: "", type: e.type };
+      }
       if (e.name === "module.await") {
         // Internal ESM dependency wait: pending promises park the module
         // fiber, while settled ones continue synchronously.
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-calls.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-calls.ts
index b1591749d..860f2af7c 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-calls.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-calls.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
   mangleClassStruct,
   mangleFnClosure,
   mangleFunction,
-  mangleLocal,
   mangleWrapper,
   mangleVtStruct,
 } from "../mangle.js";
@@ -587,7 +586,7 @@ export function emitCallExpr(
         B.line(`store i32 ${functionKind}, ptr ${kindPtr}`);
       }
       e.captures.forEach((localId, i) => {
-        const box = host.loadBox(`%${mangleLocal(localId)}`);
+        const box = host.captureBox(localId);
         const retained = host.retainBox(box);
         const caps = B.tmp();
         const capp = B.tmp();
@@ -786,7 +785,7 @@ export function emitCallExpr(
           `${value} = call ptr @scr_classobj_new(ptr @${sym}, ${host.sizeType} ${e.captures.length})`,
         );
         e.captures.forEach((id, index) => {
-          const box = host.loadBox(`%${mangleLocal(id)}`);
+          const box = host.captureBox(id);
           const owned = host.retainBox(box);
           const caps = B.tmp();
           const slot = B.tmp();
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-control.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-control.ts
index 4cb88cb51..88b437393 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-control.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-control.ts
@@ -279,7 +279,12 @@ export function emitControlExpr(
         throw new InternalCompilerError("llvm emitter bug: optChain union arms");
       const multiple = def.arms.length - unitTags.length > 1;
       const narrowed = multiple ? e.receiver.type : def.arms[narrowIdx]!;
-      const r = host.emitExpr(e.receiver);
+      // A single present arm is only tested and extracted (+1) before the
+      // body runs, so a fresh receiver box can stay on the stack.
+      const r =
+        !multiple && host.canStackReceiver(e.receiver)
+          ? host.emitReadReceiver(e.receiver)
+          : host.emitExpr(e.receiver);
       const bind = B.slot();
       B.entryAllocas.push(`${bind} = alloca ${host.llType(narrowed)}`);
       B.line(
@@ -481,6 +486,8 @@ export function emitControlExpr(
       const unitTags = def.arms.flatMap((a, i) => (isUnitType(a) ? [i] : []));
       if (unitTags.length === 0)
         throw new InternalCompilerError("llvm emitter bug: nullish union lacks unit arms");
+      const fused = emitNullishOptionalChain(host, e);
+      if (fused) return fused;
       if (
         !typeEquals(e.type, e.left.type) &&
         (e.left.kind === "varRef" ||
@@ -547,3 +554,62 @@ export function emitControlExpr(
     }
   }
 }
+
+/** `a?.b ?? d` narrowed to the chain body's present arm. The body wraps a
+ * value of the result type in a non-unit arm, so the default runs exactly
+ * when the receiver is nullish and the intermediate result box is never
+ * built. Receiver, body and default keep their evaluation order. */
+function emitNullishOptionalChain(host: LlvmEmitterContext, e: ExprOf<"nullish">): LlValue | null {
+  const chain = e.left;
+  if (
+    chain.kind !== "optChain" ||
+    chain.receiver.type.kind !== "union" ||
+    chain.type.kind !== "union" ||
+    chain.body.kind !== "unionWrap" ||
+    chain.body.unionId !== chain.type.unionId ||
+    !typeEquals(chain.body.value.type, e.type) ||
+    isUnitType(e.type) ||
+    e.type.kind === "void"
+  )
+    return null;
+  const resultArm = host.unionsById.get(chain.type.unionId)?.arms[chain.body.tag];
+  const receiverDef = host.unionsById.get(chain.receiver.type.unionId);
+  if (!resultArm || isUnitType(resultArm) || !typeEquals(resultArm, e.type) || !receiverDef)
+    return null;
+  const unitTags = receiverDef.arms.flatMap((a, i) => (isUnitType(a) ? [i] : []));
+  const present = receiverDef.arms.flatMap((a, i) => (isUnitType(a) ? [] : [i]));
+  if (unitTags.length === 0 || present.length !== 1) return null;
+  const B = host.B;
+  const narrowed = receiverDef.arms[present[0]!]!;
+  const r = host.canStackReceiver(chain.receiver)
+    ? host.emitReadReceiver(chain.receiver)
+    : host.emitExpr(chain.receiver);
+  const bindTy = host.llType(narrowed);
+  const bind = B.slot();
+  B.entryAllocas.push(`${bind} = alloca ${bindTy}`);
+  B.line(
+    `store ${bindTy} ${bindTy === "ptr" ? "null" : bindTy === "double" ? f64Lit(0) : "false"}, ptr ${bind}`,
+  );
+  host.ownSlot(bind, narrowed);
+  const isUnit = host.tagInSet(r.name, unitTags);
+  const ty = host.llType(e.type);
+  const slot = B.slot();
+  B.entryAllocas.push(`${slot} = alloca ${ty}`);
+  const lu = B.newLabel("nulc.u"),
+    lb = B.newLabel("nulc.b"),
+    lj = B.newLabel("nulc.j");
+  B.condBr(isUnit, lu, lb);
+  B.startBlock(lu);
+  host.emitBranchInto(slot, e.right);
+  B.br(lj);
+  B.startBlock(lb);
+  B.line(`store ${bindTy} ${host.unionExtract(r.name, narrowed)}, ptr ${bind}`);
+  host.chainSlots.set(chain.id, { name: bind, type: narrowed, slot: true });
+  host.emitBranchInto(slot, chain.body.value);
+  host.chainSlots.delete(chain.id);
+  B.br(lj);
+  B.startBlock(lj);
+  const t = B.tmp();
+  B.line(`${t} = load ${ty}, ptr ${slot}`);
+  return host.own({ name: t, type: e.type });
+}
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-dynamic.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-dynamic.ts
index 70e01cbd4..cef201286 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-dynamic.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-dynamic.ts
@@ -1089,12 +1089,14 @@ function emitUnionEqWrappedScalar(
   const arm = def.arms[wrap.tag]!;
   let union: LlValue;
   let plain: LlValue | null = null;
+  const unionInput = (value: IrExpr): LlValue =>
+    host.canStackReceiver(value) ? host.emitReadReceiver(value) : emitBorrowedInput(host, value);
   if (rightWrap) {
-    union = emitBorrowedInput(host, e.left);
+    union = unionInput(e.left);
     if (!isUnitType(arm)) plain = host.emitExpr(wrap.value);
   } else {
     if (!isUnitType(arm)) plain = host.emitExpr(wrap.value);
-    union = emitBorrowedInput(host, e.right);
+    union = unionInput(e.right);
   }
   const tag = host.unionTag(union.name);
   const tagMatch = B.tmp();
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lazy-captures.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lazy-captures.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a39104dfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lazy-captures.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import {
+  F64,
+  funcOf,
+  type IrExpr,
+  type IrFunction,
+  type IrStmt,
+  type IrType,
+} from "../../ir/ir.js";
+import { LazyCaptures } from "./lazy-captures.js";
+
+const loc = { file: "captures.ts", start: 0, end: 0 };
+const record: IrType = { kind: "record", shapeId: "options" };
+const ref = (localId: string): IrExpr => ({ kind: "varRef", localId, type: record, loc });
+const closure = (fnName: string, captures: string[]): IrStmt => ({
+  kind: "exprStmt",
+  expr: { kind: "closure", fnName, captures, type: funcOf([], F64), loc },
+  loc,
+});
+const assign = (localId: string): IrStmt => ({ kind: "assign", localId, value: ref(localId), loc });
+
+function outer(body: IrStmt[], extra: Partial<IrFunction> = {}): IrFunction {
+  return {
+    name: "outer",
+    params: [
+      { localId: "options", name: "options", type: record },
+      { localId: "plain", name: "plain", type: record },
+    ],
+    returnType: F64,
+    locals: [
+      { id: "options", name: "options", type: record, mutable: true, boxed: true },
+      { id: "plain", name: "plain", type: record, mutable: true },
+    ],
+    body,
+    loc,
+    ...extra,
+  };
+}
+function lifted(name: string, body: IrStmt[], captured = "options"): IrFunction {
+  return {
+    name,
+    params: [],
+    returnType: F64,
+    captures: [{ localId: captured, name: captured, type: record }],
+    locals: [{ id: captured, name: captured, type: record, mutable: true, boxed: true }],
+    body,
+    loc,
+  };
+}
+function lazy(...functions: IrFunction[]): Set<string> {
+  const map = new Map(functions.map((fn) => [fn.name, fn]));
+  return new LazyCaptures(map).parameters(functions[0]!);
+}
+
+test("captured parameters that nothing rebinds are boxed lazily", () => {
+  const reader = lifted("reader", [{ kind: "return", value: ref("options"), loc }]);
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("reader", ["options"])]), reader)).toEqual(new Set(["options"]));
+});
+
+test("rebinding in the body or in any nested function keeps the eager box", () => {
+  const reader = lifted("reader", []);
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("reader", ["options"]), assign("options")]), reader).size).toBe(0);
+  const writer = lifted("writer", [assign("options")]);
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("writer", ["options"])]), writer).size).toBe(0);
+  // A write two closures deep reaches the same binding.
+  const inner = lifted("inner", [{ kind: "return", value: ref("x"), loc }], "x");
+  const middle = lifted("middle", [closure("inner", ["mid"])], "mid");
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("middle", ["options"])]), middle, inner).size).toBe(1);
+  const deep = lifted("inner", [assign("x")], "x");
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("middle", ["options"])]), middle, deep).size).toBe(0);
+});
+
+test("class environments, async bodies and unknown targets keep the eager box", () => {
+  const classRef: IrStmt = {
+    kind: "exprStmt",
+    expr: {
+      kind: "classRef",
+      className: "Local",
+      captures: ["options"],
+      type: { kind: "classval", className: "Local" },
+      loc,
+    },
+    loc,
+  };
+  expect(lazy(outer([classRef])).size).toBe(0);
+  const reader = lifted("reader", []);
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("reader", ["options"])], { async: true }), reader).size).toBe(0);
+  expect(lazy(outer([closure("missing", ["options"])])).size).toBe(0);
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lazy-captures.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lazy-captures.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb384e72d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lazy-captures.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import type { IrExpr, IrFunction, IrStmt } from "../../ir/ir.js";
+import { everyStmtList } from "../../ir/traverse.js";
+
+/** The local a node rebinds. Writes through the bound reference, such as a
+ * field store or an array push, leave the binding unchanged. Catch bindings
+ * and rethrow targets are conservatively treated as rebinding. */
+function rebound(node: IrStmt | IrExpr): string | null {
+  switch (node.kind) {
+    case "varDecl":
+    case "assign":
+    case "forOf":
+    case "rethrow":
+    case "assignExpr":
+    case "incDec":
+      return node.localId;
+    case "tryCatch":
+      return node.catchLocalId;
+    default:
+      return null;
+  }
+}
+
+/** A captured parameter that no code rebinds holds its entry value for the
+ * whole call, so every environment may observe a box created when the first
+ * closure is built instead of on function entry. Paths that never create a
+ * closure then allocate no box. The proof follows each capture into nested
+ * function bodies; class environments keep the eager box. */
+export class LazyCaptures {
+  private readonly unchanged = new Map<string, boolean>();
+
+  constructor(private readonly functions: ReadonlyMap<string, IrFunction>) {}
+
+  parameters(fn: IrFunction): Set<string> {
+    const result = new Set<string>();
+    if (fn.async || fn.generator) return result;
+    const locals = new Map(fn.locals.map((local) => [local.id, local]));
+    for (const param of fn.params) {
+      const local = locals.get(param.localId);
+      if (local?.boxed && !local.tdz) result.add(param.localId);
+    }
+    if (result.size === 0) return result;
+    for (const id of this.rebindings(fn, result)) result.delete(id);
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /** The subset of `ids` rebound in `fn` or in any function that captures
+   * one of them, directly or through further nesting. */
+  private rebindings(fn: IrFunction, ids: ReadonlySet<string>): Set<string> {
+    const changed = new Set<string>();
+    const nested: { target: string; local: string; source: string }[] = [];
+    const visit = (node: IrStmt | IrExpr): boolean => {
+      const target = rebound(node);
+      if (target !== null && ids.has(target)) changed.add(target);
+      if (node.kind === "classRef") {
+        for (const id of node.captures ?? []) if (ids.has(id)) changed.add(id);
+      } else if (node.kind === "closure") {
+        const callee = this.functions.get(node.fnName);
+        node.captures.forEach((id, index) => {
+          if (!ids.has(id)) return;
+          const capture = callee?.captures?.[index];
+          if (!capture) changed.add(id);
+          else nested.push({ target: node.fnName, local: capture.localId, source: id });
+        });
+      }
+      return true;
+    };
+    everyStmtList(fn.body, { stmt: visit, expr: visit });
+    for (const edge of nested) {
+      if (!changed.has(edge.source) && !this.isUnchanged(edge.target, edge.local))
+        changed.add(edge.source);
+    }
+    return changed;
+  }
+
+  private isUnchanged(fnName: string, localId: string): boolean {
+    const key = `${fnName}\0${localId}`;
+    const known = this.unchanged.get(key);
+    if (known !== undefined) return known;
+    // Capture chains follow lexical nesting and cannot cycle; the
+    // provisional entry only bounds work on malformed input.
+    this.unchanged.set(key, false);
+    const fn = this.functions.get(fnName);
+    const result = fn !== undefined && this.rebindings(fn, new Set([localId])).size === 0;
+    this.unchanged.set(key, result);
+    return result;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/local-array-reads.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/local-array-reads.ts
index 77dc8271e..08cb21258 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/local-array-reads.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/local-array-reads.ts
@@ -272,6 +272,19 @@ export function emitCallArrayRead(
   return { name: value, type: read.type };
 }
 
+/** A tag or payload projection consumes the box before its frame ends. The
+ * payload owns one reference, so later operands may mutate the array without
+ * invalidating the snapshot; the box itself never reaches runtime code. */
+export function emitProjectedArrayRead(host: LlvmEmitterContext, read: LocalArrayRead): LlValue {
+  const slot = host.B.slot();
+  host.B.entryAllocas.push(`${slot} = alloca ptr`);
+  const owner = emitLocalArrayRead(host, { ...read, borrow: false }, slot);
+  if (owner) host.ownSlot(owner.slot, owner.type);
+  const value = host.B.tmp();
+  host.B.line(`${value} = load ptr, ptr ${slot}`);
+  return { name: value, type: read.type };
+}
+
 /** Share the checked dense lookup between optional stack boxes and strict
  * borrowed reads. Capacity, length, and presence guards precede every load;
  * sparse and noncanonical indices keep their runtime lookup semantics. */
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-callbacks.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-callbacks.ts
index 221e06276..5c404896a 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-callbacks.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-callbacks.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import type { IrExpr, IrFunction } from "../../ir/ir.js";
 import { everyStmtList } from "../../ir/traverse.js";
-import { mangleLocal } from "../mangle.js";
 import type { LlValue, LlvmEmitterContext } from "./expr-context.js";
 
 /** A synchronous, invocation-only consumer cannot retain the environment.
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ export class StackCallbacks {
       B.line(`store i32 4, ptr ${kind}`);
     }
     value.captures.forEach((localId, index) => {
-      const box = host.retainBox(host.loadBox(`%${mangleLocal(localId)}`));
+      const box = host.retainBox(host.captureBox(localId));
       const caps = B.tmp();
       const slot = B.tmp();
       B.line(`${caps} = getelementptr inbounds %ScrClosure, ptr ${closure}, i32 1`);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-captures.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-captures.ts
index dcf9f4f61..f0812b7b0 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-captures.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/stack-captures.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ export class StackCaptures {
     private readonly callbacks: StackCallbacks,
   ) {}
 
-  reset(fn: IrFunction, enabled: boolean): void {
+  /** `parameters` are unchanged captured parameters (LazyCaptures). Their
+   * scope is the whole call, so they need no single declaration. */
+  reset(fn: IrFunction, enabled: boolean, parameters: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set()): void {
     this.locals = new Set();
     this.remaining = enabled ? 2048 : 0;
     if (!enabled) return;
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ export class StackCaptures {
     );
     if (possible.size === 0) return;
     const invalid = new Set([
-      ...fn.params.map((param) => param.localId),
+      ...fn.params.map((param) => param.localId).filter((id) => !parameters.has(id)),
       ...(fn.captures ?? []).map((capture) => capture.localId),
       ...(fn.classCaptures ?? []).map((capture) => capture.localId),
     ]);
@@ -89,7 +91,8 @@ export class StackCaptures {
     };
     if (!fn.body.every(stmt)) return;
     for (const id of possible) {
-      if (!invalid.has(id) && declarations.get(id) === 1) this.locals.add(id);
+      if (!invalid.has(id) && (declarations.get(id) === 1 || parameters.has(id)))
+        this.locals.add(id);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/may-throw.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/may-throw.ts
index 6a419b78b..317fe05f0 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/may-throw.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/may-throw.ts
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ export function computeMayThrow(mod: IrModule): { fns: Set<string>; indirect: bo
           // Module dependency evaluation has await's rejection behavior,
           // while deliberately avoiding await's extra settled-promise turn.
           if (rec.name === "module.await") f.throws = true;
+          // A cycle binding read before its declaration ran (TDZ).
+          if (rec.name === "module.tdzCheck") f.throws = true;
           break;
         case "yieldExpr":
           // A consumer .throw() surfaces at the yield (and .return()'s
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/diagnostics/diagnostic.ts b/packages/compiler/src/diagnostics/diagnostic.ts
index 6597ae471..13b38f954 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/diagnostics/diagnostic.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/diagnostics/diagnostic.ts
@@ -197,17 +197,19 @@ export const UNSUPPORTED: Record<string, UnsupportedEntry> = {
     hint: "export declarations directly: export function f() {}",
   },
   SC1015: { feature: "dynamic import()", milestone: "M4" },
-  // Benign cycles are ADMITTED (Node runs them as cache hits): cycles of
-  // ES modules whose top levels are declaration-only and whose
-  // cycle-crossing bindings are used only inside function bodies (mutual
-  // recursion, cross-module class references), plus closing edges that
-  // bind nothing readable. SC1016 remains for exactly the cycles where
-  // Node's partial initialization is observable — the message names the
-  // offending binding or top-level statement.
+  // ES-module cycles are ADMITTED and evaluate in Node's order: module
+  // bodies run depth-first, function declarations are callable from the
+  // start, and let/const bindings that can be read before their
+  // declaration carry an initialization check (Node's TDZ ReferenceError).
+  // SC1016 remains for the shapes without an exact representation —
+  // CommonJS members, top-level await, default-export expressions,
+  // namespace imports or re-exports of cycle members, and var or class
+  // bindings reachable before their declaration ran. The message names
+  // the offending construct.
   SC1016: {
     feature: "circular imports",
     milestone: "later",
-    hint: "cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window",
+    hint: "ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge",
   },
   // Class DECLARATIONS shipped; SC1020's remaining use is class expressions.
   SC1020: { feature: "class expressions", milestone: "later" },
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-construction.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-construction.ts
index 833c68acf..921e05fe1 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-construction.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-construction.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { generatorDrain } from "../iterator-adapters.js";
 import { identityPreservingWidening } from "../coercions/identity.js";
 import { InternalCompilerError } from "../../../errors.js";
 import {
@@ -987,6 +988,12 @@ export function lowerArrayFromCall(
     if (src.type.kind === "dyn" && args.length === 1) {
       return lowerCheckedArrayFrom(lowerer, src, loc);
     }
+    // A generator (or an iterator adapted into one) drains in order.
+    if (src.type.kind === "generator" && args.length === 1) {
+      const arrT = lowerer.mapTypeOf(lowerer.typeOf(call));
+      const drained = arrT?.kind === "array" ? generatorDrain(lowerer, src, arrT.elem, loc) : null;
+      if (drained) return drained;
+    }
     lowerer.noLowering(
       "Array.from with this argument shape",
       call,
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-methods.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-methods.ts
index 94c83e4e1..d8716e1db 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-methods.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/containers/array-methods.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { lowerArrayIteratorValue } from "../iterator-adapters.js";
 import { identityPreservingWidening } from "../coercions/identity.js";
 import { arrayConcatHelper } from "./array-concat.js";
 import { boolLit, countedFor, numLit, strLit, varRef } from "../../../ir/build.js";
@@ -158,7 +159,15 @@ export function lowerArrayMethodCall(
 ): IrExpr | null {
   if (lowerer.chainBlocked(access, call)) return null;
   const name = access.name.text;
-  if (!ARRAY_METHODS.has(name) && name !== "sort" && name !== "shift" && name !== "splice")
+  const iteratorMethod =
+    (name === "values" || name === "keys" || name === "entries") && call.arguments.length === 0;
+  if (
+    !ARRAY_METHODS.has(name) &&
+    name !== "sort" &&
+    name !== "shift" &&
+    name !== "splice" &&
+    !iteratorMethod
+  )
     return null;
   let receiverIr = lowerer.mapTypeOf(lowerer.typeOf(access.expression));
   const checkerReceiver = lowerer.checker.getTypeAtLocation(access.expression);
@@ -201,6 +210,18 @@ export function lowerArrayMethodCall(
   if (!probedUntyped && !lowerer.isStdlibMember(access)) return null;
   let elem = receiverIr.elem;
   const loc = locOf(call);
+  if (iteratorMethod) {
+    const type = lowerer.mapTypeOf(lowerer.typeOf(call));
+    const receiver = lowerer.lowerExpr(access.expression);
+    // Only a static array resolves to a generator here; other lowered
+    // receivers (island arrays, narrowed unions, checked dynamic values)
+    // continue to their dedicated handling below.
+    if (receiver.type.kind === "array") {
+      const value = type ? lowerArrayIteratorValue(lowerer, receiver, name, type, loc) : null;
+      if (value) return value;
+      lowerer.unsupported("SC1090", call, `'${name}()' iterators over this array element type`);
+    }
+  }
   // An island handle behind an array-typed .d.ts surface
   // (`parts().join("-")` — arrays never exit eagerly, so the value
   // stays jsval): the ENGINE's own Array.prototype method runs on the
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/cycle-initialization.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/cycle-initialization.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..834ee50d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/cycle-initialization.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,316 @@
+/* Import-cycle initialization state: module bindings of a cycle that some
+ * read or write can reach before their declarations ran
+ * (cycleEarlyBindings) get a BOOL initialization flag. The declaring
+ * module's %init sets the flag right after the declaration's store, and
+ * every access from code that can run earlier checks it first — Node's
+ * temporal-dead-zone ReferenceError, with the same message. */
+import * as ts from "../ts7/adapter.js";
+import type { Lowerer } from "./lowerer.js";
+import { cycleEarlyBindings, locOf } from "../program.js";
+import { unsupportedDiag } from "../../diagnostics/diagnostic.js";
+import {
+  BOOL,
+  STRING,
+  VOID,
+  type IrExpr,
+  type IrFunction,
+  type IrGlobal,
+  type IrModule,
+  type IrStmt,
+  type IrType,
+  type SrcLoc,
+} from "../../ir/ir.js";
+import { everyStmt, transformStmtList } from "../../ir/traverse.js";
+
+/** One flagged binding: its storage, its flag, and the module bodies whose
+ * top-level code only runs after the declaration (no check needed). */
+export interface CycleInitFlag {
+  global: IrGlobal;
+  flagId: string;
+  name: string;
+  /** The declaring module. */
+  module: ts.SourceFile;
+  settled: ReadonlySet<ts.SourceFile>;
+}
+
+/** Registers the initialization flags after global collection. Bindings
+ * whose early access has no exact representation are refused: a `var`
+ * (Node reads `undefined` there, but module storage only starts when the
+ * declaring module's body starts), a class (its references are static), a
+ * binding without module storage, or one with a use the lowering resolves
+ * from the binding's type (a property key, a `typeof` operand). */
+export function markCycleEarlyBindings(lowerer: Lowerer): void {
+  const early = cycleEarlyBindings(
+    lowerer.program,
+    lowerer.entry,
+    lowerer.moduleOrder,
+    lowerer.forkTargets.length === 0 && lowerer.workerTargets.length === 0,
+  );
+  const refuse = (node: ts.Node, reason: string): void => {
+    if (lowerer.remainder) return;
+    lowerer.pushDiag(unsupportedDiag("SC1016", locOf(node), `circular imports (${reason})`));
+  };
+  for (const binding of early) {
+    const where = `'${binding.name.text}' declared in ${binding.module.fileName} can be accessed before its declaration runs`;
+    if (binding.kind === "var") {
+      refuse(binding.reference, `the var binding ${where}, where Node reads undefined`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (binding.kind === "class") {
+      refuse(binding.reference, `the class ${where}`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const global = lowerer.globalsBySymbol.get(binding.symbol);
+    if (global === undefined) {
+      refuse(binding.reference, `the binding ${where}, and it has no module storage to check`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (binding.folded !== undefined) {
+      refuse(
+        binding.folded,
+        `the binding ${where}, and this use is resolved from its type rather than its storage`,
+      );
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (lowerer.cycleInitFlags.has(global.id)) continue;
+    const flagId = `${global.id}%initialized`;
+    lowerer.globalsList.push({ id: flagId, name: "%initialized", type: BOOL, mutable: true });
+    global.initFlag = flagId;
+    const flag: CycleInitFlag = {
+      global,
+      flagId,
+      name: binding.name.text,
+      module: binding.module,
+      settled: binding.settled,
+    };
+    lowerer.cycleInitFlags.set(global.id, flag);
+    const stmt = declaringStatement(binding.name);
+    if (stmt !== null) {
+      const list = lowerer.cycleInitDeclarations.get(stmt) ?? [];
+      list.push(flag);
+      lowerer.cycleInitDeclarations.set(stmt, list);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function declaringStatement(name: ts.Node): ts.Statement | null {
+  for (let p: ts.Node | undefined = name.parent; p !== undefined; p = p.parent) {
+    if (ts.isVariableStatement(p)) return p;
+    if (ts.isSourceFile(p)) return null;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+function setFlag(flag: CycleInitFlag, loc: SrcLoc): IrStmt {
+  return {
+    kind: "assign",
+    localId: flag.flagId,
+    value: { kind: "boolLit", value: true, type: BOOL, loc },
+    loc,
+  };
+}
+
+/** The declaring statement's IR with each flagged binding's flag set right
+ * after the binding's first store (or after the whole statement when the
+ * declaration stores nothing, as `let x;` can). */
+export function withCycleInitFlags(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  stmt: ts.Statement,
+  lowered: IrStmt[],
+): IrStmt[] {
+  const flags = lowerer.cycleInitDeclarations.get(stmt);
+  if (flags === undefined) return lowered;
+  const pending = new Map(flags.map((f) => [f.global.id, f] as const));
+  const place = (list: IrStmt[]): IrStmt[] => {
+    const out: IrStmt[] = [];
+    for (const s of list) {
+      if (pending.size === 0) {
+        out.push(s);
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (s.kind === "assign" && pending.has(s.localId)) {
+        out.push({ ...s, initializes: true }, setFlag(pending.get(s.localId)!, s.loc));
+        pending.delete(s.localId);
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (s.kind === "block") {
+        out.push({ ...s, body: place(s.body) });
+        continue;
+      }
+      out.push(s);
+      // A store nested in another construct: the flag follows the construct.
+      for (const [id, flag] of [...pending]) {
+        let stores = false;
+        let nested = false;
+        everyStmt(s, {
+          expr: (e) => {
+            if (e.kind === "assignExpr" && e.localId === id) nested = true;
+            return true;
+          },
+          stmt: (inner) => {
+            if (inner.kind === "assign" && inner.localId === id) {
+              (inner as { initializes?: true }).initializes = true;
+              stores = true;
+            }
+            return true;
+          },
+        });
+        if (nested && !lowerer.remainder) {
+          lowerer.pushDiag(
+            unsupportedDiag(
+              "SC1016",
+              locOf(stmt),
+              `circular imports (the declaration of '${flag.name}' stores it inside an expression, where its initialization cannot be marked)`,
+            ),
+          );
+        }
+        if (stores || nested) {
+          out.push(setFlag(flag, s.loc));
+          pending.delete(id);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return out;
+  };
+  const out = place(lowered);
+  const loc = locOf(stmt);
+  for (const flag of pending.values()) out.push(setFlag(flag, loc));
+  return out;
+}
+
+/** Inserts the initialization checks into every function that can access a
+ * flagged binding before its declaration ran: every function except the
+ * %init bodies of settled modules, and in the declaring module's own %init
+ * only the statements up to the one that sets the flag (earlier reads
+ * there come from inlined callback bodies; tsc rejects direct ones). Reads
+ * check before reading; writes check after evaluating the assigned value,
+ * as PutValue does. The declaration's own store is never checked. */
+export function checkCycleBindingAccesses(lowerer: Lowerer, mod: IrModule): void {
+  if (lowerer.cycleInitFlags.size === 0) return;
+  const fileOfInit = new Map<string, ts.SourceFile>();
+  for (const [sf, name] of lowerer.initNameOf) fileOfInit.set(name, sf);
+  for (const fn of mod.functions) rewriteFunction(lowerer, fn, fileOfInit.get(fn.name));
+}
+
+function rewriteFunction(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  fn: IrFunction,
+  initOf: ts.SourceFile | undefined,
+): void {
+  const active = new Map<string, CycleInitFlag>();
+  for (const [id, flag] of lowerer.cycleInitFlags) {
+    if (initOf === undefined || initOf === flag.module || !flag.settled.has(initOf)) {
+      active.set(id, flag);
+    }
+  }
+  if (active.size === 0) return;
+  const produced = new WeakSet<object>();
+  let temps = 0;
+  const check = (flag: CycleInitFlag, loc: SrcLoc): IrStmt => {
+    const expr: IrExpr = {
+      kind: "intrinsic",
+      name: "module.tdzCheck",
+      args: [
+        { kind: "varRef", localId: flag.flagId, type: BOOL, loc },
+        { kind: "strLit", value: flag.name, type: STRING, loc },
+      ],
+      type: VOID,
+      loc,
+    };
+    return { kind: "exprStmt", expr, loc };
+  };
+  const temp = (type: IrType): string => {
+    const id = `%cycleInit.${temps++}`;
+    fn.locals.push({ id, name: "%cycleInit", type, mutable: false });
+    return id;
+  };
+  const transform = {
+    expr: (e: IrExpr): IrExpr => {
+      if (produced.has(e)) return e;
+      if (e.kind !== "varRef" && e.kind !== "incDec" && e.kind !== "assignExpr") return e;
+      const flag = active.get(e.localId);
+      if (flag === undefined) return e;
+      if (e.kind === "assignExpr") {
+        const t = temp(e.value.type);
+        const value: IrExpr = { kind: "varRef", localId: t, type: e.value.type, loc: e.loc };
+        const write: IrExpr = { ...e, value };
+        produced.add(write);
+        return {
+          kind: "seqExpr",
+          stmts: [{ kind: "varDecl", localId: t, init: e.value, loc: e.loc }, check(flag, e.loc)],
+          result: write,
+          type: e.type,
+          loc: e.loc,
+        };
+      }
+      produced.add(e);
+      return { kind: "seqExpr", stmts: [check(flag, e.loc)], result: e, type: e.type, loc: e.loc };
+    },
+    stmt: (s: IrStmt): IrStmt => {
+      if (produced.has(s) || s.kind !== "assign" || s.initializes) return s;
+      const flag = active.get(s.localId);
+      if (flag === undefined) return s;
+      const t = temp(s.value.type);
+      const write: IrStmt = {
+        kind: "assign",
+        localId: s.localId,
+        value: { kind: "varRef", localId: t, type: s.value.type, loc: s.loc },
+        loc: s.loc,
+      };
+      produced.add(write);
+      return {
+        kind: "block",
+        body: [
+          { kind: "varDecl", localId: t, init: s.value, loc: s.loc },
+          check(flag, s.loc),
+          write,
+        ],
+        loc: s.loc,
+      };
+    },
+  };
+  if (initOf === undefined) {
+    fn.body = transformStmtList(fn.body, transform);
+    return;
+  }
+  // A module %init: its own bindings stop needing checks once the
+  // top-level statement setting their flag completed.
+  fn.body = fn.body.map((s) => {
+    if (active.size === 0) return s;
+    const out = transformStmtList([s], transform)[0]!;
+    for (const [id, flag] of [...active]) {
+      if (flag.module !== initOf) continue;
+      const sets = !everyStmt(out, {
+        expr: () => true,
+        stmt: (inner) => !(inner.kind === "assign" && inner.localId === flag.flagId),
+      });
+      if (sets) active.delete(id);
+    }
+    return out;
+  });
+}
+
+/** Class layouts that read module storage directly (an evaluated heritage
+ * value, a symbol-keyed field) bypass the checks: refuse when that storage
+ * is a flagged binding. */
+export function refuseUncheckedCycleReads(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  classes: readonly { baseValueGlobal?: string; symbolFields?: { globalId: string }[] }[],
+): void {
+  if (lowerer.cycleInitFlags.size === 0 || lowerer.remainder) return;
+  for (const cls of classes) {
+    const ids = [cls.baseValueGlobal, ...(cls.symbolFields ?? []).map((f) => f.globalId)];
+    for (const id of ids) {
+      const flag = id === undefined ? undefined : lowerer.cycleInitFlags.get(id);
+      if (flag === undefined) continue;
+      const loc = flag.global.source?.loc ?? { file: lowerer.entry.fileName, start: 0, end: 0 };
+      lowerer.pushDiag(
+        unsupportedDiag(
+          "SC1016",
+          loc,
+          `circular imports (the class layout reads '${flag.name}' directly, before an initialization check can run)`,
+        ),
+      );
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/iterator-adapters.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/iterator-adapters.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..50272efd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/iterator-adapters.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,651 @@
+import { dynUndefinedExpr, varRef } from "../../ir/build.js";
+import {
+  BOOL,
+  DYN,
+  F64,
+  STRING,
+  type IrExpr,
+  type IrLocal,
+  type IrStmt,
+  type IrType,
+  type SrcLoc,
+  typeEquals,
+  UNDEFINED_T,
+  VOID,
+} from "../../ir/ir.js";
+import { streamTypedRefEligible } from "../../ir/analysis.js";
+import { typeKey, genResultRecord } from "../type-mapper.js";
+import type { Lowerer } from "./lowerer.js";
+import { extractIteratorValue } from "./lower-generators.js";
+import { lowerSafeIndexRead } from "./array-values.js";
+
+/** The conversion into an iterator-typed slot (a generator type): a
+ * checked-dynamic iterator or a generator with other channel types steps
+ * through an interned adapter generator. Null when neither applies. */
+export function iteratorSlotAdapter(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  expr: IrExpr,
+  expected: IrType & { kind: "generator" },
+): IrExpr | null {
+  if (expr.type.kind === "dyn") return dynIteratorAdapter(lowerer, expr, expected);
+  if (expr.type.kind === "generator") return generatorRetypeAdapter(lowerer, expr, expected);
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** `resumed.0 = value` — the adapters' early-exit marker around a yield. */
+function setResumed(value: boolean, loc: SrcLoc): IrStmt {
+  return {
+    kind: "assign",
+    localId: "resumed.0",
+    value: { kind: "boolLit", value, type: BOOL, loc },
+    loc,
+  };
+}
+
+/** A yield expression's type: a valueless next channel resumes with void. */
+function resumeType(nextT: IrType): IrType {
+  return nextT.kind === "undefinedT" ? VOID : nextT;
+}
+
+/** Convert a stepped value into a channel type. Records and arrays box into
+ * checked values by reference, so consumers observe the same objects. */
+function intoChannel(lowerer: Lowerer, value: IrExpr, target: IrType): IrExpr | null {
+  const coerced = lowerer.coerceToExpected(value, target);
+  if (!typeEquals(coerced.type, target)) return null;
+  if (
+    coerced.kind === "dynFrom" &&
+    streamTypedRefEligible(coerced.value.type) &&
+    coerced.value.type.kind !== "bytes"
+  )
+    coerced.liveRef = true;
+  return coerced;
+}
+
+/** A checked-dynamic iterator (a Map, Set or array iterator, or any other
+ * object following the iterator protocol) flowing into a generator-typed
+ * slot (`IterableIterator<T>`, `Iterator<T>`, `Generator<T>`). The interned
+ * adapter is a generator over the source: each `next()` steps the source
+ * once and forwards its value, so iteration stays lazy and observes the
+ * collection live, exactly like the source iterator. Values convert into
+ * the slot's channel types with the usual checked extraction. Null when
+ * the slot is not a synchronous generator with a yielding channel. */
+function dynIteratorAdapter(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  expr: IrExpr,
+  expected: IrType & { kind: "generator" },
+): IrExpr | null {
+  if (expected.async || expected.yieldT.kind === "void") return null;
+  const resultType = genResultRecord(
+    expected.yieldT,
+    expected.retT,
+    lowerer.shapes,
+    lowerer.unions,
+  );
+  if (!resultType) return null;
+  const loc = expr.loc;
+  const key = `iterAdapt:${typeKey(expected)}`;
+  let name = lowerer.valueHelpers.get(key);
+  if (!name) {
+    name = `%iter.adapt.${lowerer.valueHelpers.size}`;
+    lowerer.valueHelpers.set(key, name);
+    const locals: IrLocal[] = [];
+    const local = (id: string, type: IrType, mutable = false): IrExpr => {
+      locals.push({ id, name: id.slice(0, id.indexOf(".")), type, mutable });
+      return varRef(id, type, loc);
+    };
+    const source = local("source.0", DYN);
+    const iterator = local("iterator.0", DYN);
+    const next = local("next.0", DYN);
+    const step = local("step.0", DYN, true);
+    const forwards = expected.nextT.kind === "dyn";
+    const sent = forwards ? local("sent.0", DYN, true) : null;
+    const get = (value: IrExpr, field: string): IrExpr => ({
+      kind: "dynKeyGet",
+      value,
+      key: { kind: "strLit", value: field, type: STRING, loc },
+      type: DYN,
+      loc,
+    });
+    const advance = (args: IrExpr[]): IrExpr => ({
+      kind: "libCall",
+      fn: "dyn.iteratorResult",
+      args: [
+        {
+          kind: "dynCall",
+          callee: next,
+          receiver: iterator,
+          calleeName: "iterator.next",
+          args,
+          type: DYN,
+          loc,
+        },
+      ],
+      type: DYN,
+      loc,
+    });
+    const returned =
+      expected.retT.kind === "void"
+        ? null
+        : intoChannel(lowerer, get(step, "value"), expected.retT);
+    const yielded = (): IrExpr | null => intoChannel(lowerer, get(step, "value"), expected.yieldT);
+    if ((expected.retT.kind !== "void" && !returned) || !yielded()) {
+      lowerer.valueHelpers.delete(key);
+      return null;
+    }
+    const finish: IrStmt = { kind: "return", value: returned, loc };
+    // One suspension: yield the current value and take the resume value.
+    const suspend = (): IrStmt => {
+      const resumed: IrExpr = {
+        kind: "yieldExpr",
+        value: yielded()!,
+        type: resumeType(expected.nextT),
+        loc,
+      };
+      return sent
+        ? { kind: "assign", localId: "sent.0", value: resumed, loc }
+        : { kind: "exprStmt", expr: resumed, loc };
+    };
+    const resumedFlag = local("resumed.0", BOOL, true);
+    const closer = local("closer.0", DYN);
+    const stepOnce = (): IrStmt => ({
+      kind: "assign",
+      localId: "step.0",
+      value: advance(sent ? [sent] : []),
+      loc,
+    });
+    // An early exit from a consumer's loop closes the adapter. JS calls the
+    // source's own return() then; a source without one (the native Map, Set
+    // and array iterators) stays open, so the adapter suspends again on the
+    // same value instead of completing, and later steps resume the source.
+    const closeOrPark: IrStmt = {
+      kind: "if",
+      cond: { kind: "unary", op: "!", operand: resumedFlag, type: BOOL, loc },
+      then: [
+        { kind: "varDecl", localId: "closer.0", init: get(iterator, "return"), loc },
+        {
+          kind: "if",
+          cond: { kind: "dynTest", test: "nullish", value: closer, type: BOOL, loc },
+          then: [suspend(), stepOnce(), { kind: "continue", loc }],
+          else_: [
+            {
+              kind: "exprStmt",
+              expr: {
+                kind: "libCall",
+                fn: "dyn.iteratorResult",
+                args: [
+                  {
+                    kind: "dynCall",
+                    callee: closer,
+                    receiver: iterator,
+                    calleeName: "iterator.return",
+                    args: [],
+                    type: DYN,
+                    loc,
+                  },
+                ],
+                type: DYN,
+                loc,
+              },
+              loc,
+            },
+          ],
+          loc,
+        },
+      ],
+      else_: null,
+      loc,
+    };
+    const body: IrStmt[] = [
+      {
+        kind: "varDecl",
+        localId: "iterator.0",
+        init: {
+          kind: "libCall",
+          fn: "dyn.iteratorResult",
+          args: [
+            {
+              kind: "libCall",
+              fn: "dyn.iterator",
+              args: [source, { kind: "strLit", value: "value is not iterable", type: STRING, loc }],
+              type: DYN,
+              loc,
+            },
+          ],
+          type: DYN,
+          loc,
+        },
+        loc,
+      },
+      { kind: "varDecl", localId: "next.0", init: get(iterator, "next"), loc },
+      { kind: "varDecl", localId: "step.0", init: advance([]), loc },
+      ...(sent
+        ? [{ kind: "varDecl" as const, localId: "sent.0", init: dynUndefinedExpr(loc), loc }]
+        : []),
+      {
+        kind: "varDecl",
+        localId: "resumed.0",
+        init: { kind: "boolLit", value: false, type: BOOL, loc },
+        loc,
+      },
+      {
+        kind: "while",
+        cond: { kind: "boolLit", value: true, type: BOOL, loc },
+        body: [
+          {
+            kind: "if",
+            cond: { kind: "dynTest", test: "truthy", value: get(step, "done"), type: BOOL, loc },
+            then: [finish],
+            else_: null,
+            loc,
+          },
+          setResumed(false, loc),
+          {
+            kind: "tryCatch",
+            tryBody: [suspend(), setResumed(true, loc)],
+            catchBody: null,
+            catchLocalId: null,
+            finallyBody: [closeOrPark],
+            loc,
+          },
+          stepOnce(),
+        ],
+        loc,
+      },
+    ];
+    lowerer.liftedFns.push({
+      name,
+      params: [{ localId: "source.0", name: "source", type: DYN }],
+      returnType: expected.retT,
+      locals,
+      body,
+      generator: { yieldT: expected.yieldT, nextT: expected.nextT, resultType },
+      loc,
+    });
+  }
+  return { kind: "call", callee: name, args: [expr], type: expected, loc };
+}
+
+/** A generator flowing into a slot with other channel types (a
+ * `Generator<number, void, undefined>` returned through an
+ * `IterableIterator<number>` annotation). The interned adapter generator
+ * resumes the source once per step and converts each value between the
+ * channel types, so iteration stays lazy. Null when a channel has no
+ * conversion. */
+function generatorRetypeAdapter(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  expr: IrExpr,
+  expected: IrType & { kind: "generator" },
+): IrExpr | null {
+  const from = expr.type;
+  if (from.kind !== "generator" || from.async || expected.async) return null;
+  if (from.yieldT.kind === "void" || expected.yieldT.kind === "void") return null;
+  const fromResult = genResultRecord(from.yieldT, from.retT, lowerer.shapes, lowerer.unions);
+  const toResult = genResultRecord(expected.yieldT, expected.retT, lowerer.shapes, lowerer.unions);
+  const fromShape = fromResult ? lowerer.shapes.get(fromResult.shapeId) : undefined;
+  const valueT = fromShape?.fields.find((field) => field.name === "value")?.type;
+  if (!fromResult || !toResult || !valueT) return null;
+  const loc = expr.loc;
+  const key = `genRetype:${typeKey(from)}:${typeKey(expected)}`;
+  let name = lowerer.valueHelpers.get(key);
+  if (!name) {
+    const source = varRef("source.0", from, loc);
+    const step = varRef("step.0", fromResult, loc);
+    const field = (f: "value" | "done", type: IrType): IrExpr => ({
+      kind: "recordGet",
+      obj: step,
+      shapeId: fromResult.shapeId,
+      field: f,
+      type,
+      loc,
+    });
+    const extracted = extractIteratorValue(
+      lowerer,
+      from.yieldT,
+      valueT,
+      field("value", valueT),
+      loc,
+    );
+    const yielded = extracted ? intoChannel(lowerer, extracted, expected.yieldT) : null;
+    if (!yielded) return null;
+    // The completion value: the source's return value, or undefined.
+    let returned: IrExpr | null = null;
+    if (expected.retT.kind !== "void") {
+      returned =
+        from.retT.kind === "void"
+          ? intoChannel(
+              lowerer,
+              { kind: "unitLit", unit: "undefined", type: UNDEFINED_T, loc },
+              expected.retT,
+            )
+          : intoChannel(lowerer, field("value", valueT), expected.retT);
+      if (!returned) return null;
+    }
+    // The resume value: forwarded when both sides carry one.
+    const forwards = expected.nextT.kind !== "undefinedT" && from.nextT.kind !== "undefinedT";
+    const sentRef = varRef("sent.0", expected.nextT, loc);
+    const sent = forwards ? intoChannel(lowerer, sentRef, from.nextT) : null;
+    if (forwards && !sent) return null;
+    if (!forwards && from.nextT.kind !== "undefinedT" && from.nextT.kind !== "dyn") return null;
+    const resume = (arg: IrExpr | null): IrExpr => ({
+      kind: "genResume",
+      mode: "next",
+      gen: source,
+      arg,
+      type: fromResult,
+      loc,
+    });
+    const resumed: IrExpr = {
+      kind: "yieldExpr",
+      value: yielded,
+      type: resumeType(expected.nextT),
+      loc,
+    };
+    name = `%gen.retype.${lowerer.valueHelpers.size}`;
+    lowerer.valueHelpers.set(key, name);
+    lowerer.liftedFns.push({
+      name,
+      params: [{ localId: "source.0", name: "source", type: from }],
+      returnType: expected.retT,
+      locals: [
+        { id: "source.0", name: "source", type: from, mutable: false },
+        { id: "step.0", name: "step", type: fromResult, mutable: true },
+        ...(forwards ? [{ id: "sent.0", name: "sent", type: expected.nextT, mutable: true }] : []),
+        { id: "resumed.0", name: "resumed", type: BOOL, mutable: true },
+      ],
+      body: [
+        { kind: "varDecl", localId: "step.0", init: resume(null), loc },
+        ...(forwards ? [{ kind: "varDecl" as const, localId: "sent.0", init: null, loc }] : []),
+        {
+          kind: "varDecl",
+          localId: "resumed.0",
+          init: { kind: "boolLit", value: false, type: BOOL, loc },
+          loc,
+        },
+        {
+          kind: "while",
+          cond: { kind: "boolLit", value: true, type: BOOL, loc },
+          body: [
+            {
+              kind: "if",
+              cond: field("done", BOOL),
+              then: [{ kind: "return", value: returned, loc }],
+              else_: null,
+              loc,
+            },
+            setResumed(false, loc),
+            {
+              kind: "tryCatch",
+              tryBody: [
+                forwards
+                  ? { kind: "assign", localId: "sent.0", value: resumed, loc }
+                  : { kind: "exprStmt", expr: resumed, loc },
+                setResumed(true, loc),
+              ],
+              catchBody: null,
+              catchLocalId: null,
+              // Closing the adapter early closes the source generator too.
+              finallyBody: [
+                {
+                  kind: "if",
+                  cond: {
+                    kind: "unary",
+                    op: "!",
+                    operand: varRef("resumed.0", BOOL, loc),
+                    type: BOOL,
+                    loc,
+                  },
+                  then: [
+                    {
+                      kind: "exprStmt",
+                      expr: {
+                        kind: "genResume",
+                        mode: "return",
+                        gen: source,
+                        arg: null,
+                        type: fromResult,
+                        loc,
+                      },
+                      loc,
+                    },
+                  ],
+                  else_: null,
+                  loc,
+                },
+              ],
+              loc,
+            },
+            { kind: "assign", localId: "step.0", value: resume(sent), loc },
+          ],
+          loc,
+        },
+      ],
+      generator: { yieldT: expected.yieldT, nextT: expected.nextT, resultType: toResult },
+      loc,
+    });
+  }
+  return { kind: "call", callee: name, args: [expr], type: expected, loc };
+}
+
+/** Drain a synchronous generator into a fresh `elem[]` — the eager
+ * consumers of an iterator (`[...it]`, `Array.from(it)`). Each step resumes
+ * the generator once and appends its value; completion stops the drain
+ * without appending the return value, as in JS. Null when the yielded
+ * values cannot be extracted into the element type. */
+export function generatorDrain(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  source: IrExpr,
+  elem: IrType,
+  loc: SrcLoc,
+): IrExpr | null {
+  const gen = source.type;
+  if (gen.kind !== "generator" || gen.async || gen.yieldT.kind === "void") return null;
+  const resultType = genResultRecord(gen.yieldT, gen.retT, lowerer.shapes, lowerer.unions);
+  const shape = resultType ? lowerer.shapes.get(resultType.shapeId) : undefined;
+  const valueT = shape?.fields.find((field) => field.name === "value")?.type;
+  if (!resultType || !valueT) return null;
+  const arrT: IrType = { kind: "array", elem };
+  const key = `genDrain:${typeKey(gen)}:${typeKey(elem)}`;
+  let name = lowerer.valueHelpers.get(key);
+  if (!name) {
+    const genRef = varRef("gen.0", gen, loc);
+    const outRef = varRef("out.0", arrT, loc);
+    const stepRef = varRef("step.0", resultType, loc);
+    const raw = extractIteratorValue(
+      lowerer,
+      gen.yieldT,
+      valueT,
+      {
+        kind: "recordGet",
+        obj: stepRef,
+        shapeId: resultType.shapeId,
+        field: "value",
+        type: valueT,
+        loc,
+      },
+      loc,
+    );
+    if (!raw) return null;
+    const value = lowerer.coerceToExpected(raw, elem);
+    if (!typeEquals(value.type, elem)) return null;
+    name = `%gen.drain.${lowerer.valueHelpers.size}`;
+    lowerer.valueHelpers.set(key, name);
+    lowerer.liftedFns.push({
+      name,
+      params: [{ localId: "gen.0", name: "gen", type: gen }],
+      returnType: arrT,
+      locals: [
+        { id: "gen.0", name: "gen", type: gen, mutable: false },
+        { id: "out.0", name: "out", type: arrT, mutable: false },
+        { id: "step.0", name: "step", type: resultType, mutable: false },
+      ],
+      body: [
+        {
+          kind: "varDecl",
+          localId: "out.0",
+          init: { kind: "arrayLit", elems: [], type: arrT, loc },
+          loc,
+        },
+        {
+          kind: "while",
+          cond: { kind: "boolLit", value: true, type: BOOL, loc },
+          body: [
+            {
+              kind: "varDecl",
+              localId: "step.0",
+              init: {
+                kind: "genResume",
+                mode: "next",
+                gen: genRef,
+                arg: null,
+                type: resultType,
+                loc,
+              },
+              loc,
+            },
+            {
+              kind: "if",
+              cond: {
+                kind: "recordGet",
+                obj: stepRef,
+                shapeId: resultType.shapeId,
+                field: "done",
+                type: BOOL,
+                loc,
+              },
+              then: [{ kind: "break", loc }],
+              else_: null,
+              loc,
+            },
+            {
+              kind: "exprStmt",
+              expr: {
+                kind: "arrIntrinsic",
+                method: "push",
+                receiver: outRef,
+                args: [value],
+                type: F64,
+                loc,
+              },
+              loc,
+            },
+          ],
+          loc,
+        },
+        { kind: "return", value: outRef, loc },
+      ],
+      loc,
+    });
+  }
+  return { kind: "call", callee: name, args: [source], type: arrT, loc };
+}
+
+/** `list.values()`, `list.keys()` and `list.entries()` as values: a
+ * generator over the live array. Each step compares the index with the
+ * current length and reads the current element, so elements appended
+ * during iteration are visited and completion is final, as with the
+ * native array iterator. `type` is the call's generator type. */
+export function lowerArrayIteratorValue(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  receiver: IrExpr,
+  method: "values" | "keys" | "entries",
+  type: IrType,
+  loc: SrcLoc,
+): IrExpr | null {
+  const arrT = receiver.type;
+  if (arrT.kind !== "array" || type.kind !== "generator") return null;
+  const resultType = genResultRecord(type.yieldT, type.retT, lowerer.shapes, lowerer.unions);
+  if (!resultType || type.retT.kind !== "void" || type.nextT.kind !== "undefinedT") return null;
+  const tuple = type.yieldT.kind === "record" ? lowerer.shapes.get(type.yieldT.shapeId) : undefined;
+  if (method === "entries" && (!tuple?.tuple || tuple.fields.length !== 2)) return null;
+  const key = `arrIter:${method}:${typeKey(arrT)}:${typeKey(type)}`;
+  let name = lowerer.valueHelpers.get(key);
+  if (!name) {
+    const list = varRef("list.0", arrT, loc);
+    const index = varRef("index.0", F64, loc);
+    const element = (): IrExpr | null => {
+      const read = lowerSafeIndexRead(lowerer, list, index, loc);
+      if (!read) return null;
+      const target =
+        method === "values" ? type.yieldT : tuple!.fields.find((f) => f.name === "1")!.type;
+      const value = lowerer.coerceToExpected(read, target);
+      return typeEquals(value.type, target) ? value : null;
+    };
+    let yielded: IrExpr | null;
+    if (method === "keys") yielded = index;
+    else if (method === "values") yielded = element();
+    else {
+      const value = element();
+      yielded =
+        value === null
+          ? null
+          : {
+              kind: "recordLit",
+              fields: [
+                { name: "0", value: index },
+                { name: "1", value },
+              ],
+              type: type.yieldT,
+              loc,
+            };
+    }
+    if (!yielded || !typeEquals(yielded.type, type.yieldT)) return null;
+    name = `%arr.iter.${lowerer.valueHelpers.size}`;
+    lowerer.valueHelpers.set(key, name);
+    lowerer.liftedFns.push({
+      name,
+      params: [{ localId: "list.0", name: "list", type: arrT }],
+      returnType: VOID,
+      locals: [
+        { id: "list.0", name: "list", type: arrT, mutable: false },
+        { id: "index.0", name: "index", type: F64, mutable: true },
+      ],
+      body: [
+        {
+          kind: "varDecl",
+          localId: "index.0",
+          init: { kind: "numLit", value: 0, type: F64, loc },
+          loc,
+        },
+        {
+          kind: "while",
+          cond: {
+            kind: "bin",
+            op: "<",
+            left: index,
+            right: {
+              kind: "arrIntrinsic",
+              method: "length",
+              receiver: list,
+              args: [],
+              type: F64,
+              loc,
+            },
+            type: BOOL,
+            loc,
+          },
+          body: [
+            { kind: "exprStmt", expr: { kind: "yieldExpr", value: yielded, type: VOID, loc }, loc },
+            {
+              kind: "assign",
+              localId: "index.0",
+              value: {
+                kind: "bin",
+                op: "+",
+                left: index,
+                right: { kind: "numLit", value: 1, type: F64, loc },
+                type: F64,
+                loc,
+              },
+              loc,
+            },
+          ],
+          loc,
+        },
+        { kind: "return", value: null, loc },
+      ],
+      generator: { yieldT: type.yieldT, nextT: UNDEFINED_T, resultType },
+      loc,
+    });
+  }
+  return { kind: "call", callee: name, args: [receiver], type, loc };
+}
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-exprs.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-exprs.ts
index 6044a55bf..e79133d40 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-exprs.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-exprs.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { generatorDrain } from "./iterator-adapters.js";
 import { lowerUnionEquality, tagEqualityMayMissAlias } from "./strict-equality.js";
 import { isOptionalProcessStreamProperty } from "./builtins/process.js";
 import { lowerWorkerMetadata } from "./builtins/workers.js";
@@ -359,7 +360,10 @@ export function lowerExpr(lowerer: Lowerer, expr: ts.Expression): IrExpr {
   }
   lowerExprDepth++;
   try {
-    return lowerExprInner(lowerer, expr);
+    const lowered = lowerExprInner(lowerer, expr);
+    if (lowered.type.kind === "void" && (lowerer.typeOf(expr).flags & ts.TypeFlags.Never) !== 0)
+      lowerer.neverValued.add(lowered);
+    return lowered;
   } finally {
     lowerExprDepth--;
   }
@@ -4344,6 +4348,37 @@ export function lowerNullishCoalesce(
   return result;
 }
 
+/** A plain value read that may be runtime-optional: an unchecked element
+ * read, or a binding, member or call that carries one. Lowering these
+ * without a destination type is the same as lowering them into one. */
+function isPlainValueRead(node: ts.Expression): boolean {
+  while (ts.isParenthesizedExpression(node)) node = node.expression;
+  return (
+    ts.isElementAccessExpression(node) ||
+    ts.isIdentifier(node) ||
+    ts.isPropertyAccessExpression(node) ||
+    ts.isCallExpression(node)
+  );
+}
+
+/** A member access or call receiver needs the present value itself (JS
+ * throws a TypeError reading a member of undefined). */
+function isMemberReceiver(node: ts.Expression): boolean {
+  let child: ts.Node = node;
+  let parent = node.parent;
+  while (ts.isParenthesizedExpression(parent)) {
+    child = parent;
+    parent = parent.parent;
+  }
+  return (
+    ((ts.isPropertyAccessExpression(parent) ||
+      ts.isElementAccessExpression(parent) ||
+      ts.isCallExpression(parent)) &&
+      parent.expression === child) ||
+    (ts.isTaggedTemplateExpression(parent) && parent.tag === child)
+  );
+}
+
 function lowerNullishPair(
   lowerer: Lowerer,
   expr: ts.BinaryExpression,
@@ -4414,6 +4449,29 @@ function lowerNullishPair(
       loc,
     };
   }
+  // A runtime-optional default (`name ?? names[0]`): the checker types an
+  // unchecked element read as the bare element type, but an out-of-range
+  // read is undefined at runtime. When the default shares the left's
+  // optional union, that union is the result, so the undefined state
+  // reaches the consumer (an optional return or parameter takes it as its
+  // undefined arm; a plain slot still extracts the element with its
+  // checked narrow).
+  if (
+    rest.length === 1 &&
+    typeEquals(type, rest[0]!) &&
+    isPlainValueRead(expr.right) &&
+    !isMemberReceiver(expr)
+  ) {
+    const raw = lowerer.lowerExpr(expr.right);
+    if (typeEquals(raw.type, left.type))
+      return { kind: "nullish", left, right: raw, type: left.type, loc };
+    // `names[0] ?? undefined`: an explicit unit default stays the left's arm.
+    if (isUnitType(raw.type) && lowerer.armTag(left.type.unionId, raw.type) >= 0) {
+      const right = lowerer.coerceInto(expr.right, raw, left.type);
+      return { kind: "nullish", left, right, type: left.type, loc };
+    }
+    return { kind: "nullish", left, right: lowerer.coerceInto(expr.right, raw, type), type, loc };
+  }
   if (typeEquals(type, left.type) || (rest.length === 1 && typeEquals(type, rest[0]!))) {
     const right = lowerer.lowerExprExpecting(expr.right, type);
     return { kind: "nullish", left, right, type, loc };
@@ -5927,6 +5985,12 @@ export function lowerArrayLiteral(
           loc: locOf(el),
         };
       }
+      // `[...it]` over a generator (or an iterator adapted into one):
+      // drain it once, in order, into a fresh element array.
+      if (src.type.kind === "generator") {
+        const drained = generatorDrain(lowerer, src, type.elem, locOf(el));
+        if (drained) src = drained;
+      }
       // A native checked iterable can supply scalar elements even when
       // the checker inferred a typed array from its producer. Drain once
       // and validate the elements before the ordinary spread copy.
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-modules.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-modules.ts
index 25ab5aaa1..946cb00b0 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-modules.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-modules.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import {
   resolveNpmImport,
 } from "../program.js";
 import type { CycleEdge } from "../program.js";
+import { markCycleEarlyBindings, withCycleInitFlags } from "./cycle-initialization.js";
 import {
   invalidJsonModuleDiag,
   npmEmbedFailedDiag,
@@ -507,6 +508,7 @@ export function collectProgram(lowerer: Lowerer, parts: FileParts[]): void {
     }
     lowerer.collecting = wasCollecting;
   }
+  markCycleEarlyBindings(lowerer);
 }
 
 /** The npm-import chokepoint, run once per pass during collection (so
@@ -3088,8 +3090,16 @@ export function lowerFileInit(
         body.push(...lowerer.lowerStaticFieldInits(statics[at]!.info));
         at++;
       }
-      const deferred = lowerer.deferredModuleInitializers?.defer(lowerer, stmt);
-      const stmtIr = deferred ? [deferred] : lowerer.lowerStmts([stmt]);
+      // A cycle binding's declaration stays at its position: its
+      // initialization flag must be set where the declaration runs.
+      const deferred = lowerer.cycleInitDeclarations.has(stmt)
+        ? null
+        : lowerer.deferredModuleInitializers?.defer(lowerer, stmt);
+      const stmtIr = withCycleInitFlags(
+        lowerer,
+        stmt,
+        deferred ? [deferred] : lowerer.lowerStmts([stmt]),
+      );
       // Class EXPRESSIONS inside this statement queued their static
       // inits while it lowered: they land immediately before it — JS's
       // order for the supported whole-initializer positions.
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-stmts.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-stmts.ts
index 829163b07..dba8ccdd6 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-stmts.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-stmts.ts
@@ -4242,11 +4242,15 @@ export function bindPatternTarget(
     // through later locals, templates, operators, and narrowing instead
     // of being extracted with a checked arm read.
     let runtimeOptional = false;
+    // The optional-read pre-pass may already have widened the binding to
+    // that union; its reads still need the runtime-optional treatment.
     if (
       !dynStays &&
       value.type.kind === "union" &&
       lowerer.armTag(value.type.unionId, UNDEFINED_T) >= 0 &&
-      typeEquals(lowerer.stripUndefinedArm(value.type), type)
+      (typeEquals(lowerer.stripUndefinedArm(value.type), type) ||
+        (typeEquals(value.type, type) &&
+          typeEquals(lowerer.stripUndefinedArm(value.type), lowerer.irTypeOf(name))))
     ) {
       type = value.type;
       runtimeOptional = true;
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lowerer.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lowerer.ts
index eb29e8771..455da4a90 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lowerer.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lowerer.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+import {
+  checkCycleBindingAccesses,
+  refuseUncheckedCycleReads,
+  type CycleInitFlag,
+} from "./cycle-initialization.js";
 import { identityPreservingWidening } from "./coercions/identity.js";
 import { checkedClassAssertion } from "./class-assertions.js";
 import { narrowStoredClassValue, narrowGenericClassValue } from "./class-unions.js";
@@ -5,6 +10,7 @@ import { isOptionalProcessStreamProperty } from "./builtins/process.js";
 import { concreteCollectionNarrow } from "./collection-narrowing.js";
 import { lowerWorkerMetadata } from "./builtins/workers.js";
 import { dynUndefinedExpr, nodeThrowExpr, numLit, varRef } from "../../ir/build.js";
+import { iteratorSlotAdapter } from "./iterator-adapters.js";
 import type { FieldLift } from "./coercions/structural-plans.js";
 import { lowerBuiltinCall } from "./builtin-calls.js";
 import { CoercionState } from "./coercions/state.js";
@@ -60,6 +66,7 @@ import {
   utilTypesModuleValue,
 } from "./lower-builtin-values.js";
 import { everyExprChild, everyStmtChild, transformStmtList } from "../../ir/traverse.js";
+import { RuntimeOptionalProvenance } from "./runtime-optional-provenance.js";
 import { RuntimeOptionalLocals } from "./runtime-optional-locals.js";
 import { sanitizeUnregisteredClassTypes } from "./sanitize-class-types.js";
 import { UnregisteredClassTypes } from "./unregistered-class-types.js";
@@ -2220,6 +2227,10 @@ export class Lowerer {
    * node carrying the ?. token is marked handled so the receiver-typed
    * lowerings stop declining it (chainBlocked). */
   readonly chainRecvByNode = new Map<ts.Node, IrExpr>();
+  /** Lowered void calls whose checked type is `never` (they throw or exit).
+   * TypeScript lets such a call stand where any value is expected;
+   * coerceToExpected turns them into diverging sequences. */
+  readonly neverValued = new Set<IrExpr>();
   readonly chainNarrowedType = new Map<ts.Node, ts.Type>();
   readonly chainHandled = new Set<ts.Node>();
   /** for-of-over-matchAll bindings whose `.index` reads the companion-index
@@ -2463,6 +2474,10 @@ export class Lowerer {
    * function called above the declaration statement reads that, never a
    * NULL slot. Filled by collectGlobals. */
   readonly varGlobalEntryInits = new Map<ts.SourceFile, IrGlobal[]>();
+  /** Import-cycle bindings with an initialization flag, by global id, and
+   * the top-level statements declaring them (cycle-initialization.ts). */
+  readonly cycleInitFlags = new Map<string, CycleInitFlag>();
+  readonly cycleInitDeclarations = new Map<ts.Statement, CycleInitFlag[]>();
 
   get ctx(): FnCtx {
     const top = this.fnStack[this.fnStack.length - 1];
@@ -3641,6 +3656,9 @@ export class Lowerer {
    * but it is not a runtime proof; promoting only the affected slots keeps
    * the rest of the dense ABI unchanged. */
   analyzeRuntimeOptionalArrayReads(parts: FileParts[]): void {
+    const provenance = RuntimeOptionalProvenance.fromEnvironment();
+    // The site whose value the current promotion follows (debug only).
+    let provenanceSite: ts.Node | undefined;
     const optionalSymbols = new Set<ts.Symbol>();
     const optionalReturns = new Set<ts.Symbol>();
     const arithmeticReturns = new Map<ts.Symbol, IrType>();
@@ -3943,6 +3961,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
           const symbol = symbolOf(el.name);
           if (symbol && !el.initializer && !optionalSymbols.has(symbol)) {
             optionalSymbols.add(symbol);
+            provenance?.note("pattern-binding", el.name, init);
             // Indexed flow facts can survive a mutating method call in the
             // checker. The array's element ABI describes every value a
             // position may hold after that call, so bind from that type.
@@ -4089,6 +4108,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
             const widened = this.runtimeOptionalType(current);
             const previous = this.runtimeOptionalBindingTypes.get(symbol);
             this.runtimeOptionalBindingTypes.set(symbol, widened);
+            provenance?.note("callback-parameter", parameter.name, provenanceSite);
             if (!previous || !typeEquals(previous, widened)) changed = true;
             if (!optionalSymbols.has(symbol)) {
               optionalSymbols.add(symbol);
@@ -4099,6 +4119,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
         const fnType = this.mapTypeOf(this.typeOf(fn));
         if (fnType?.kind === "func" && bodyReturnsOptional(fn)) {
           const widenedReturn = this.runtimeOptionalType(fnType.ret);
+          provenance?.note("callback-return", fn, provenanceSite);
           const previousReturn = this.runtimeOptionalFunctionReturnType(fn, fnType.ret);
           this.runtimeOptionalFunctionReturns.set(fn, widenedReturn);
           if (!typeEquals(previousReturn, widenedReturn)) changed = true;
@@ -4248,6 +4269,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
               const symbol = symbolOf(node.name);
               if (symbol && !optionalSymbols.has(symbol)) {
                 optionalSymbols.add(symbol);
+                provenance?.note("binding", node.name, node.initializer);
                 changed = true;
               }
             }
@@ -4270,6 +4292,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
               if (symbol && valueSymbol && sourceOptional) {
                 const aliasNew = !optionalReturns.has(symbol);
                 if (aliasNew) optionalReturns.add(symbol);
+                if (aliasNew) provenance?.note("function-alias", node.name, node.initializer);
                 if (aliasNew) changed = true;
                 const valueType = this.mapTypeOf(this.typeOf(node.name));
                 if (valueType?.kind === "func" && sourceSig) {
@@ -4306,7 +4329,10 @@ export class Lowerer {
                 const value = ts.isPropertyAssignment(prop)
                   ? prop.initializer
                   : (prop.name as ts.Expression);
-                if (mayBeOptional(value) && noteField(node, name.text)) changed = true;
+                if (mayBeOptional(value) && noteField(node, name.text)) {
+                  provenance?.note("literal-field", name, value);
+                  changed = true;
+                }
               }
             }
           }
@@ -4323,16 +4349,21 @@ export class Lowerer {
             const symbol = symbolOf(node.left);
             if (symbol && !optionalSymbols.has(symbol)) {
               optionalSymbols.add(symbol);
+              provenance?.note("assigned-binding", node.left, node.right);
               changed = true;
             }
           } else if (ts.isPropertyAccessExpression(node.left)) {
             const field = symbolOf(node.left.name);
             if (field && staticFieldsBySymbol.has(field) && !optionalSymbols.has(field)) {
               optionalSymbols.add(field);
+              provenance?.note("static-field", node.left, node.right);
               changed = true;
             } else if (ts.isIdentifier(node.left.expression)) {
               const symbol = symbolOf(node.left.expression);
-              if (symbol && noteFieldSymbol(symbol, node.left.name.text)) changed = true;
+              if (symbol && noteFieldSymbol(symbol, node.left.name.text)) {
+                provenance?.note("assigned-field", node.left, node.right);
+                changed = true;
+              }
             }
           }
         }
@@ -4384,6 +4415,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
               }
             }
             if (nativeArrayReceiver) {
+              provenanceSite = node;
               if (promoteHofCallback(callback, callbackIndices)) changed = true;
               const method = node.expression.name.text;
               if (
@@ -4435,6 +4467,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
                 if (typeEquals(shape.type, widened)) continue;
                 shape.type = widened;
                 const parameter = functionDeclBySymbol.get(target)?.parameters[i];
+                provenance?.note("parameter", parameter, node, "(omitted or undefined argument)");
                 if (parameter) {
                   for (const bound of boundIdentifiersOf(parameter.name)) {
                     const boundSymbol = symbolOf(bound);
@@ -4464,6 +4497,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
               const optionalCallbackParams = callbackSlot.params.flatMap((type, index) =>
                 type.kind === "union" && this.armTag(type.unionId, UNDEFINED_T) >= 0 ? [index] : [],
               );
+              provenanceSite = node;
               if (
                 optionalCallbackParams.length > 0 &&
                 promoteHofCallback(arg, optionalCallbackParams)
@@ -4483,6 +4517,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
                 if (typeEquals(rest.type, widened)) continue;
                 rest.type = widened;
                 const parameter = functionDeclBySymbol.get(target)?.parameters[i];
+                provenance?.note("rest-parameter", parameter, arg);
                 if (parameter && ts.isIdentifier(parameter.name)) {
                   const bound = symbolOf(parameter.name);
                   if (bound) this.runtimeOptionalBindingTypes.set(bound, widened);
@@ -4508,6 +4543,12 @@ export class Lowerer {
               if (set.size !== before) {
                 changed = true;
                 const parameter = functionDeclBySymbol.get(target)?.parameters[i];
+                provenance?.note(
+                  "parameter",
+                  parameter,
+                  arg,
+                  target === symbol ? "" : "(override)",
+                );
                 if (parameter) {
                   for (const bound of boundIdentifiersOf(parameter.name)) {
                     const boundSymbol = symbolOf(bound);
@@ -4530,6 +4571,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
       for (const expression of returnsOf(decl)) {
         if (mayBeOptional(expression) && !optionalReturns.has(symbol)) {
           optionalReturns.add(symbol);
+          provenance?.note("return", decl.name ?? decl, expression);
           changed = true;
         }
         const arithmetic = optionalPrimitiveResultType(expression);
@@ -4546,6 +4588,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
       for (const [symbol, field] of staticFieldsBySymbol) {
         if (!optionalSymbols.has(symbol) && mayBeOptional(field.initializer)) {
           optionalSymbols.add(symbol);
+          provenance?.note("static-field", field.initializer.parent, field.initializer);
           changed = true;
         }
       }
@@ -4574,6 +4617,12 @@ export class Lowerer {
         for (const symbol of family) {
           if (!optionalReturns.has(symbol)) {
             optionalReturns.add(symbol);
+            provenance?.note(
+              "return",
+              functionDeclBySymbol.get(symbol),
+              undefined,
+              "(override family)",
+            );
             changed = true;
           }
         }
@@ -4717,6 +4766,8 @@ export class Lowerer {
         }
       });
     }
+
+    provenance?.flush();
   }
 
   run(): LowerResult {
@@ -4952,6 +5003,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
     // the emitted program references, flushing deferred class diagnostics
     // that a reached type makes relevant.
     const artifacts = this.moduleArtifacts(functions);
+    refuseUncheckedCycleReads(this, artifacts.classes ?? []);
     // Types still naming a class that never REGISTERED after retention's
     // flush (JS graphs whose class fences deferred to runtime — the
     // sentence-walker's path params, printer tables whose func-typed
@@ -4980,6 +5032,7 @@ export class Lowerer {
             ...(this.ffiImports.length > 0 ? { ffiImports: [...this.ffiImports] } : {}),
           };
     if (module) sanitizeUnregisteredClassTypes(module, (name) => this.classes.has(name));
+    if (module) checkCycleBindingAccesses(this, module);
     return {
       module,
       diagnostics: this.diags,
@@ -6432,6 +6485,15 @@ export class Lowerer {
       );
       throw new PoisonError();
     }
+    // Iterator-typed slots hold generators and built-in collection
+    // iterators; any other iterator object (a user class) stays fenced.
+    if (expected.kind === "generator" && actual.kind !== "generator") {
+      this.unsupported(
+        "SC1090",
+        node,
+        `'${this.fmt(actual)}' values in an iterator-typed slot (Iterator and IterableIterator slots hold generators and built-in collection iterators)`,
+      );
+    }
     // Everything else — a plain-kind mismatch like a string flowing into a
     // class-instance slot — is tsc-rejected in the lowering world and only
     // reaches here through preflight's project-world second chance (e.g. a
@@ -6523,6 +6585,14 @@ export class Lowerer {
    * else (including a DIFFERENT union) is left for requireExactShape, which
    * rejects union mismatches with SC2003. */
   coerceToExpected(expr: IrExpr, expected: IrType): IrExpr {
+    if (expr.type.kind === "void" && expected.kind !== "void" && this.neverValued.has(expr))
+      return this.divergentValue(expr, expected);
+    // Iterator-typed slots: native iterators and differently typed
+    // generators step through an adapter generator.
+    if (expected.kind === "generator" && !typeEquals(expr.type, expected)) {
+      const adapted = iteratorSlotAdapter(this, expr, expected);
+      if (adapted) return adapted;
+    }
     // Island boundary, both directions. IN: any static value flowing into
     // an any-typed slot marshals implicitly (tsc allows the assignment;
     // the marshal is where its semantics live). OUT: an 'any' value
@@ -8598,6 +8668,33 @@ export class Lowerer {
     );
   }
 
+  /** A never-returning call in a value position of type `expected`: the
+   * call runs for its effects (it throws or exits), and the expression ends
+   * in an unreachable trap instead of producing a value. The result reads an
+   * uninitialized hidden local that control never reaches. */
+  divergentValue(call: IrExpr, expected: IrType): IrExpr {
+    const loc = call.loc;
+    const slot = this.declareHiddenLocal("%never", expected);
+    slot.mutable = true;
+    return {
+      kind: "seqExpr",
+      stmts: [
+        { kind: "exprStmt", expr: call, loc },
+        { kind: "varDecl", localId: slot.id, init: null, loc },
+        {
+          kind: "runtimeFence",
+          code: "SC9002",
+          message: "unreachable: a 'never' call returned — please report this",
+          loc,
+        },
+      ],
+      result: varRef(slot.id, expected, loc),
+      diverges: true,
+      type: expected,
+      loc,
+    };
+  }
+
   /** A function-scope local bound to NO ts.Symbol — the hidden ABI slot of a
    * defaulted parameter (the parameter's symbol binds to the separately-
    * declared body local; nothing in the source can name this one). */
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/runtime-optional-provenance.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/runtime-optional-provenance.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfac8ce0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/runtime-optional-provenance.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import * as ts from "../ts7/adapter.js";
+
+/** Debug-only record of why the indexed-read analysis widened a binding,
+ * parameter, return, or field to a runtime-optional representation. It is
+ * enabled by SCRIPTC_DEBUG_RUNTIME_OPTIONAL=1 and writes one line per
+ * widening to stderr; the disabled path records nothing. Not a public API:
+ * the output format may change at any time. */
+export class RuntimeOptionalProvenance {
+  private readonly lines: string[] = [];
+  private readonly seen = new Set<string>();
+
+  static fromEnvironment(): RuntimeOptionalProvenance | null {
+    return process.env["SCRIPTC_DEBUG_RUNTIME_OPTIONAL"] === "1"
+      ? new RuntimeOptionalProvenance()
+      : null;
+  }
+
+  /** `target` names the widened slot; `cause` is the expression or site
+   * whose value made it optional. */
+  note(kind: string, target: ts.Node | undefined, cause: ts.Node | undefined, detail = ""): void {
+    const line = `${kind} ${describe(target)}${detail ? ` ${detail}` : ""} <- ${describe(cause)}`;
+    if (this.seen.has(line)) return;
+    this.seen.add(line);
+    this.lines.push(line);
+  }
+
+  flush(): void {
+    for (const line of this.lines) process.stderr.write(`scriptc runtime-optional ${line}\n`);
+    this.lines.length = 0;
+  }
+}
+
+function describe(node: ts.Node | undefined): string {
+  if (!node) return "?";
+  const sf = node.getSourceFile();
+  const start = node.getStart();
+  const pos = ts.getLineAndCharacterOfPosition(sf, start);
+  const text = sf.text.slice(start, node.end).replace(/\s+/g, " ");
+  const short = text.length > 60 ? `${text.slice(0, 57)}...` : text;
+  return `${sf.fileName}:${pos.line + 1}:${pos.character + 1} \`${short}\``;
+}
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.test.ts
index 09eb245da..5d689ab3a 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 import { expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   checkPreflight,
+  cycleEarlyBindings,
   isNodeEsmFile,
   loadProgram,
   makeCycleAdmission,
@@ -198,9 +199,17 @@ test.for([
   ["export { first, alias }; export function read() { return 1; }", null],
   ["type Value = typeof alias; export function read(first: number = 1) { return first; }", null],
   ["class Box { value = alias; } export function read(value = first) { return value; }", null],
-  ["const value = alias; export function read() { return value; }", "alias"],
-  ["class Box { static value = first; } export function read() { return 1; }", "first"],
-  ["class Box { [alias] = 1; } export function read() { return 1; }", "alias"],
+  // Top-level reads during the cycle are admitted by the exact
+  // initialization rule (the lowering checks them); shapes without an
+  // initialization state keep the fence.
+  ["const value = alias; export function read() { return value; }", null],
+  ["class Box { static value = first; } export function read() { return 1; }", null],
+  ["class Box { [alias] = 1; } export function read() { return 1; }", null],
+  [
+    'import * as whole from "./main.ts"; const value = whole.first; export function read() { return value; }',
+    "the namespace import 'whole'",
+  ],
+  ["export default first + 1; export function read() { return 1; }", "default export expression"],
 ])("cycle binding indexes preserve initialization safety: %s", ([body, refused]) => {
   const directory = mkdtempSync(
     join(process.platform === "win32" ? tmpdir() : "/tmp", "scriptc-cycle-bindings-"),
@@ -219,8 +228,8 @@ test.for([
     const cycles = checkPreflight(load).filter((diagnostic) => diagnostic.code === "SC1016");
     if (refused === null) expect(cycles).toEqual([]);
     else {
-      expect(cycles).toHaveLength(1);
-      expect(cycles[0]!.message).toContain(`binding '${refused}' is read`);
+      expect(cycles.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      for (const cycle of cycles) expect(cycle.message).toContain(refused);
     }
   } finally {
     load.dispose();
@@ -269,3 +278,51 @@ test("repeated cycle edges reuse a file's binding index", () => {
     rmSync(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
   }
 });
+
+test.for([
+  [
+    // A shared instance built by a user constructor: the reads of it in
+    // the partner's function can run early; the class cannot.
+    {
+      "main.ts": 'import { shared } from "./a.ts"; console.log(shared.n);',
+      "a.ts":
+        'import { f } from "./b.ts"; export class C { n = 1; } export const shared = new C(); console.log(f());',
+      "b.ts": 'import { shared } from "./a.ts"; export function f(): number { return shared.n; }',
+    },
+    ["shared"],
+  ],
+  [
+    // The partner's top level reads the importer's const before it ran.
+    {
+      "main.ts": 'import { a } from "./a.ts"; console.log(a);',
+      "a.ts": 'import { b } from "./b.ts"; export const a: number = b + 1;',
+      "b.ts": 'import { a } from "./a.ts"; export const b: number = a + 1;',
+    },
+    ["a"],
+  ],
+  [
+    // Declarations complete before any user code runs: nothing to check.
+    {
+      "main.ts": 'import { start } from "./a.ts"; console.log(start());',
+      "a.ts":
+        'import { hop } from "./b.ts"; export const limit = 3; export function start(): number { return hop(limit); } console.log(start());',
+      "b.ts":
+        'import { limit } from "./a.ts"; export function hop(n: number): number { return n + limit; }',
+    },
+    [],
+  ],
+] as const)("cycle bindings read before initialization: %j", ([files, early]) => {
+  const directory = mkdtempSync(
+    join(process.platform === "win32" ? tmpdir() : "/tmp", "scriptc-cycle-early-"),
+  );
+  for (const [name, text] of Object.entries(files)) writeFileSync(join(directory, name), text);
+  const load = loadProgram(join(directory, "main.ts"));
+  try {
+    expect(checkPreflight(load)).toEqual([]);
+    const found = cycleEarlyBindings(load.program, load.entry, load.moduleOrder, true);
+    expect(found.map((binding) => binding.name.text).sort()).toEqual([...early]);
+  } finally {
+    load.dispose();
+    rmSync(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.ts
index f2ce119a9..fe32d67a6 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program.ts
@@ -1812,10 +1812,11 @@ function nsBindingUsesAreBareStatements7(
  * Node runs legal ESM cycles all over the ecosystem: the revisited module
  * is a cache hit, and the only hazard is a READ of a binding before its
  * declaration executed (TDZ ReferenceError for let/const/class, a stale
- * `undefined` for var) — runtime evaluation-order semantics the static
- * story does not model, so cycles where such a read is REACHABLE keep the
- * SC1016 fence. A cycle is admitted when partial initialization is
- * provably unobservable — the DECLARATION-ONLY INIT WINDOW rule:
+ * `undefined` for var). Cycles where such a read is REACHABLE are admitted
+ * by the exact initialization rule (exactCycleRefusal7 below), which
+ * models the TDZ with initialization checks. A cycle needs no checks when
+ * partial initialization is provably unobservable — the DECLARATION-ONLY
+ * INIT WINDOW rule:
  *
  *  1. Every module of the cycle cluster (the strongly-connected component
  *     — any member may be mid-initialization while another's top level
@@ -1906,6 +1907,18 @@ function inTypePosition7(node: ts.Node): boolean {
  * callback-invoking builtin, a getter, an iterator, or an implicit
  * coercion of a user object) disqualifies the module's cycles. */
 function nonInertTopLevel7(program: ts.Program, sf: ts.SourceFile): ts.Node | null {
+  const nonInert = topLevelInertness7(program);
+  for (const stmt of sf.statements) {
+    const offence = nonInert(stmt);
+    if (offence !== null) return offence;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** The per-statement form of nonInertTopLevel7: answers, for one
+ * top-level statement, the first construct that could execute user code
+ * while the statement runs, or null when the statement is inert. */
+function topLevelInertness7(program: ts.Program): (stmt: ts.Statement) => ts.Node | null {
   const checker = program.getTypeChecker();
   const PRIM =
     ts.TypeFlags.StringLike |
@@ -2070,7 +2083,7 @@ function nonInertTopLevel7(program: ts.Program, sf: ts.SourceFile): ts.Node | nu
     }
     return false;
   };
-  for (const stmt of sf.statements) {
+  return (stmt: ts.Statement): ts.Node | null => {
     if (
       ts.isImportDeclaration(stmt) ||
       ts.isExportDeclaration(stmt) ||
@@ -2083,36 +2096,25 @@ function nonInertTopLevel7(program: ts.Program, sf: ts.SourceFile): ts.Node | nu
         ts.ModifierFlags.Ambient) !==
         0
     ) {
-      continue;
+      return null;
     }
     if (ts.isEnumDeclaration(stmt)) {
-      const bad = stmt.members.find((m) => m.initializer !== undefined && !inert(m.initializer));
-      if (bad !== undefined) return bad;
-      continue;
-    }
-    if (ts.isClassDeclaration(stmt)) {
-      const bad = inertClass(stmt);
-      if (bad !== null) return bad;
-      continue;
+      return stmt.members.find((m) => m.initializer !== undefined && !inert(m.initializer)) ?? null;
     }
+    if (ts.isClassDeclaration(stmt)) return inertClass(stmt);
     if (ts.isVariableStatement(stmt)) {
       for (const d of stmt.declarationList.declarations) {
         if (!ts.isIdentifier(d.name)) return d.name; // patterns can invoke getters/iterators
         if (d.initializer !== undefined && !inert(d.initializer)) return d.initializer;
       }
-      continue;
-    }
-    if (ts.isExpressionStatement(stmt)) {
-      if (!inert(stmt.expression)) return stmt;
-      continue;
+      return null;
     }
+    if (ts.isExpressionStatement(stmt)) return inert(stmt.expression) ? null : stmt;
     if (ts.isExportAssignment(stmt) && !stmt.isExportEquals) {
-      if (!inert(stmt.expression)) return stmt;
-      continue;
+      return inert(stmt.expression) ? null : stmt;
     }
     return stmt;
-  }
-  return null;
+  };
 }
 
 /** The head of a property/element-access chain. */
@@ -2182,13 +2184,16 @@ function backEdgeUseOffence7(
  * e.dep already mid-initialization in a depth-first walk), answers null
  * to ADMIT the cycle — the guarded %init calls reproduce Node's cache-hit
  * order and nothing can observe the partial initialization — or the
- * human-readable reason it keeps the SC1016 fence. Two admission chances:
+ * human-readable reason it keeps the SC1016 fence. Three admission chances:
  *  - the CHEAP PER-EDGE rule: the closing statement binds nothing (a
  *    side-effect import) or binds only namespace objects whose every use
  *    is a bare expression statement — no read crosses the edge at all;
  *  - the DECLARATION-ONLY INIT WINDOW rule (the admission block above):
  *    every cluster member is an ES module with an inert top level, and
- *    the closing edge's bindings are used only in deferred positions.
+ *    the closing edge's bindings are used only in deferred positions;
+ *  - the EXACT INITIALIZATION rule (exactCycleRefusal7): partial
+ *    initialization is observable, but every observation is modeled —
+ *    the lowering checks each binding cycleEarlyBindings reports.
  * Tarjan SCCs (lazy, rooted at each queried importer) and cluster
  * verdicts are memoized across calls, so `edgesOf` must answer the same
  * edges for the same file every time. */
@@ -2238,10 +2243,11 @@ export function makeCycleAdmission(
     const nsf = node.getSourceFile();
     return `${nsf.fileName}:${ts.getLineAndCharacterOfPosition(nsf, node.getStart(nsf)).line + 1}`;
   };
-  // Cluster verdict memo (keyed by the component array identity): the
-  // reason the cluster's cycles stay fenced, or null when its every
-  // member passes the inert-top-level bar.
-  const sccVerdict = new Map<ts.SourceFile[], string | null>();
+  // Cluster verdict memo (keyed by the component array identity): true
+  // when every member is an ES module passing the inert-top-level bar.
+  const sccVerdict = new Map<ts.SourceFile[], boolean>();
+  // The exact-initialization verdict, same keying (exactCycleRefusal7).
+  const exactVerdict = new Map<ts.SourceFile[], string | null>();
   // A module can close many cycle edges, each importing many bindings.
   // Index its identifiers once for this admission pass. ASTs are immutable;
   // the pass owns the index so it cannot retain a disposed program.
@@ -2283,29 +2289,455 @@ export function makeCycleAdmission(
       return "the cycle's module cluster could not be analyzed";
     }
     if (!sccVerdict.has(comp)) {
-      let reason: string | null = null;
-      for (const m of comp) {
-        if (isCjsJsFile7(m, program)) {
-          reason = `${m.fileName} is a CommonJS module — admission covers ES-module cycles only`;
-          break;
+      sccVerdict.set(
+        comp,
+        comp.every((m) => !isCjsJsFile7(m, program) && nonInertTopLevel7(program, m) === null),
+      );
+    }
+    if (
+      sccVerdict.get(comp) === true &&
+      backEdgeUseOffence7(program, e.stmt, usesOf(importer)) === null
+    ) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    // The EXACT INITIALIZATION rule: the cycle runs in Node's evaluation
+    // order and every binding that can be observed before its declaration
+    // runs carries an initialization check (cycleEarlyBindings).
+    if (!exactVerdict.has(comp)) {
+      const reason = exactCycleRefusal7(program, comp, lineOf);
+      exactVerdict.set(comp, reason);
+      if (reason === null) {
+        let members = exactCycleMembers7.get(program);
+        if (members === undefined) {
+          members = new Set();
+          exactCycleMembers7.set(program, members);
         }
-        const off = nonInertTopLevel7(program, m);
-        if (off !== null) {
-          reason = `top-level code at ${lineOf(off)} can run user code during the cycle's init window — only declaration-only module bodies are admitted`;
-          break;
+        for (const m of comp) members.add(m);
+      }
+    }
+    return exactVerdict.get(comp) ?? null;
+  };
+}
+
+/* ── exact cyclic initialization ─────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Cycles that fail the declaration-only rule still evaluate exactly like
+ * Node when their shape is representable: the guarded %init calls already
+ * run every module body in ES evaluation order (depth-first postorder,
+ * a module mid-evaluation answered from the cache), function declarations
+ * are callable from the start, and live bindings are shared globals. What
+ * remains is the temporal dead zone: a let/const binding read before its
+ * declaration ran throws ReferenceError. cycleEarlyBindings finds every
+ * such binding whose read CAN run early; the lowering gives each one an
+ * initialization flag and checks it at every read or write that can run
+ * before the declaration. The shapes below have no such representation
+ * and keep the SC1016 fence. */
+
+/** Program → the modules of every cycle the exact rule admitted. */
+const exactCycleMembers7 = new WeakMap<ts.Program, Set<ts.SourceFile>>();
+
+/** The modules of `program` whose import cycles were admitted by the
+ * exact initialization rule (not the declaration-only rule). */
+export function exactCycleMembers(program: ts.Program): ReadonlySet<ts.SourceFile> {
+  return exactCycleMembers7.get(program) ?? new Set();
+}
+
+/** True when the module's top level (outside every function-like body)
+ * contains `await` or `for await`. */
+function hasTopLevelAwait7(sf: ts.SourceFile): boolean {
+  let found = false;
+  ts.walkPreorder(sf, (node) => {
+    if (found) return "stop";
+    if (node !== sf && ts.isFunctionLike(node)) return "skip";
+    if (
+      ts.isAwaitExpression(node) ||
+      (ts.isForOfStatement(node) && node.awaitModifier !== undefined)
+    ) {
+      found = true;
+      return "stop";
+    }
+    return undefined;
+  });
+  return found;
+}
+
+/** The reason a strongly-connected module cluster cannot be initialized
+ * exactly, or null when it can. */
+function exactCycleRefusal7(
+  program: ts.Program,
+  comp: readonly ts.SourceFile[],
+  lineOf: (node: ts.Node) => string,
+): string | null {
+  const members = new Set(comp);
+  const targetOf = (stmt: ts.ImportDeclaration | ts.ExportDeclaration): ts.SourceFile | null => {
+    const spec = stmt.moduleSpecifier;
+    if (spec === undefined || !ts.isStringLiteral(spec)) return null;
+    const sf = stmt.getSourceFile();
+    return resolveImport7(program, sf, spec.text) ?? npmStaticDepSf7(program, sf, spec.text);
+  };
+  for (const m of comp) {
+    if (isCjsJsFile7(m, program) || /\.c[jt]s$/.test(m.fileName)) {
+      return `${m.fileName} is a CommonJS module — cyclic initialization covers ES modules only`;
+    }
+    if (hasTopLevelAwait7(m)) {
+      return `${m.fileName} uses top-level await inside the cycle`;
+    }
+    for (const stmt of m.statements) {
+      if (ts.isExportAssignment(stmt) && !stmt.isExportEquals) {
+        return `the default export expression at ${lineOf(stmt)} has no initialization state inside the cycle`;
+      }
+      if (
+        ts.isExportDeclaration(stmt) &&
+        !stmt.isTypeOnly &&
+        (stmt.exportClause === undefined || ts.isNamespaceExport(stmt.exportClause))
+      ) {
+        const dep = targetOf(stmt);
+        if (dep !== null && members.has(dep)) {
+          return `the namespace re-export at ${lineOf(stmt)} names a module of the cycle`;
         }
       }
-      sccVerdict.set(comp, reason);
+      if (
+        ts.isImportDeclaration(stmt) &&
+        stmt.importClause !== undefined &&
+        !stmt.importClause.isTypeOnly &&
+        stmt.importClause.namedBindings !== undefined &&
+        ts.isNamespaceImport(stmt.importClause.namedBindings)
+      ) {
+        const dep = targetOf(stmt);
+        const nsName = stmt.importClause.namedBindings.name;
+        if (
+          dep !== null &&
+          members.has(dep) &&
+          !nsBindingUsesAreBareStatements7(program, m, nsName)
+        ) {
+          return `the namespace import '${nsName.text}' at ${lineOf(stmt)} names a module of the cycle`;
+        }
+      }
+      if (ts.isClassDeclaration(stmt) && stmt.name === undefined) {
+        return `the anonymous default class at ${lineOf(stmt)} has no initialization state inside the cycle`;
+      }
+      const ambient =
+        (ts.getCombinedModifierFlags(stmt as unknown as ts.Declaration) &
+          ts.ModifierFlags.Ambient) !==
+        0;
+      if (ambient) continue;
+      if (
+        ts.isEnumDeclaration(stmt) &&
+        (ts.getCombinedModifierFlags(stmt) & ts.ModifierFlags.Const) === 0
+      ) {
+        return `the enum '${stmt.name.text}' at ${lineOf(stmt)} has no initialization state inside the cycle`;
+      }
+      if (ts.isModuleDeclaration(stmt) && !typeOnlyNamespace7(stmt)) {
+        return `the namespace at ${lineOf(stmt)} has no initialization state inside the cycle`;
+      }
     }
-    const clusterReason = sccVerdict.get(comp);
-    if (clusterReason === undefined) throw new Error("missing module-cycle verdict");
-    if (clusterReason !== null) return clusterReason;
-    const use = backEdgeUseOffence7(program, e.stmt, usesOf(importer));
-    if (use !== null) {
-      return `the cycle-crossing binding '${use.name}' is read at ${lineOf(use.node)}, outside any function body — a read during the init window observes the partially-initialized module (Node's TDZ ReferenceError / stale var), which is not modeled`;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** A module-scope binding of an exactly-initialized cycle that some read
+ * or write can reach before its declaration ran. */
+export interface CycleEarlyBinding {
+  symbol: ts.Symbol;
+  /** The declaration's name. */
+  name: ts.Identifier;
+  kind: "lexical" | "var" | "class";
+  module: ts.SourceFile;
+  /** One reference that can run before the declaration. */
+  reference: ts.Identifier;
+  /** A reference in a position the lowering may resolve at compile time
+   * from the binding's type (a property key, a `typeof` operand). */
+  folded?: ts.Identifier;
+  /** Modules whose TOP-LEVEL code runs only after the declaration ran:
+   * modules outside the cycle and cycle members evaluated later. */
+  settled: ReadonlySet<ts.SourceFile>;
+}
+
+/** Every binding of the program's exactly-initialized cycles that can be
+ * observed before its declaration executes. `order` is the compiled module
+ * order; `singleRoot` is false when more than one module graph root runs
+ * (fork or worker entries), so a cycle can be entered at different
+ * members. With one root and a purely ES-module graph the evaluation order
+ * is static and the analysis is precise up to "user code may run": a
+ * binding needs its check when its declaration completes after some
+ * top-level code that can call user functions and a deferred position
+ * (function body, parameter default, instance field) references it, or
+ * when the top level of a cycle member evaluated before it reads it.
+ * Otherwise every deferred reference and every top-level reference from
+ * another member counts. */
+export function cycleEarlyBindings(
+  program: ts.Program,
+  entry: ts.SourceFile,
+  order: readonly ts.SourceFile[],
+  singleRoot: boolean,
+): CycleEarlyBinding[] {
+  const exact = exactCycleMembers7.get(program);
+  if (exact === undefined || exact.size === 0) return [];
+  // Every lowering pass of one compile asks with the same inputs.
+  const key = `${entry.fileName}\0${order.map((sf) => sf.fileName).join("\0")}\0${singleRoot}`;
+  const memo = earlyBindingsMemo7.get(program);
+  if (memo !== undefined && memo.key === key) return memo.bindings;
+  const bindings = computeCycleEarlyBindings7(program, entry, order, singleRoot, exact);
+  earlyBindingsMemo7.set(program, { key, bindings });
+  return bindings;
+}
+
+const earlyBindingsMemo7 = new WeakMap<
+  ts.Program,
+  { key: string; bindings: CycleEarlyBinding[] }
+>();
+
+function computeCycleEarlyBindings7(
+  program: ts.Program,
+  entry: ts.SourceFile,
+  order: readonly ts.SourceFile[],
+  singleRoot: boolean,
+  exact: ReadonlySet<ts.SourceFile>,
+): CycleEarlyBinding[] {
+  const inOrder = new Set(order);
+  const members = [...exact].filter((m) => inOrder.has(m));
+  if (members.length === 0) return [];
+  const memberSet = new Set(members);
+  const depsOf = (sf: ts.SourceFile): ts.SourceFile[] =>
+    orderedImportsOf(program, sf).flatMap(({ dep }) =>
+      dep !== null && dep !== sf && inOrder.has(dep) ? [dep] : [],
+    );
+  // Strongly-connected components among the exactly-initialized members.
+  const comps: ts.SourceFile[][] = [];
+  {
+    const index = new Map<ts.SourceFile, number>();
+    const low = new Map<ts.SourceFile, number>();
+    const onStack = new Set<ts.SourceFile>();
+    const stack: ts.SourceFile[] = [];
+    let next = 0;
+    const connect = (v: ts.SourceFile): void => {
+      index.set(v, next);
+      low.set(v, next);
+      next++;
+      stack.push(v);
+      onStack.add(v);
+      for (const w of depsOf(v)) {
+        if (!memberSet.has(w)) continue;
+        if (!index.has(w)) {
+          connect(w);
+          low.set(v, Math.min(low.get(v)!, low.get(w)!));
+        } else if (onStack.has(w)) {
+          low.set(v, Math.min(low.get(v)!, index.get(w)!));
+        }
+      }
+      if (low.get(v) === index.get(v)) {
+        const comp: ts.SourceFile[] = [];
+        for (;;) {
+          const w = stack.pop()!;
+          onStack.delete(w);
+          comp.push(w);
+          if (w === v) break;
+        }
+        if (comp.length > 1) comps.push(comp);
+      }
+    };
+    for (const m of members) if (!index.has(m)) connect(m);
+  }
+  if (comps.length === 0) return [];
+  // The static evaluation order: Node's depth-first postorder from the
+  // entry over ES import edges. Known only for one root and a graph with
+  // no CommonJS module (a require() evaluates its target mid-body).
+  const position = new Map<ts.SourceFile, number>();
+  if (
+    singleRoot &&
+    !order.some((sf) => isCjsJsFile7(sf, program) || /\.c[jt]s$/.test(sf.fileName))
+  ) {
+    const seen = new Set<ts.SourceFile>();
+    const visit = (sf: ts.SourceFile): void => {
+      seen.add(sf);
+      for (const dep of depsOf(sf)) if (!seen.has(dep)) visit(dep);
+      position.set(sf, position.size);
+    };
+    visit(entry);
+  }
+  const checker = program.getTypeChecker();
+  const nonInert = topLevelInertness7(program);
+  const out: CycleEarlyBinding[] = [];
+  for (const comp of comps) {
+    const known = comp.every((m) => position.has(m));
+    const evaluation = known
+      ? comp.slice().sort((a, b) => position.get(a)! - position.get(b)!)
+      : comp.slice();
+    interface Candidate {
+      symbol: ts.Symbol;
+      name: ts.Identifier;
+      kind: CycleEarlyBinding["kind"];
+      module: ts.SourceFile;
+      /** User code can run between the cycle's start and the end of the
+       * declaration (always true when the order is unknown). */
+      exposed: boolean;
+      rank: number;
+      start: number;
+      end: number;
+      reference: ts.Identifier | null;
+      folded: ts.Identifier | null;
     }
-    return null;
-  };
+    const candidates = new Map<ts.Symbol, Candidate>();
+    const names = new Set<string>();
+    let dirty = !known;
+    evaluation.forEach((m, rank) => {
+      for (const stmt of m.statements) {
+        const offence = nonInert(stmt);
+        const exposed = dirty || offence !== null;
+        const declared: { name: ts.Identifier; kind: CycleEarlyBinding["kind"] }[] = [];
+        if (
+          ts.isVariableStatement(stmt) &&
+          (ts.getCombinedModifierFlags(stmt as unknown as ts.Declaration) &
+            ts.ModifierFlags.Ambient) ===
+            0
+        ) {
+          const lexical =
+            (stmt.declarationList.flags & (ts.NodeFlags.Let | ts.NodeFlags.Const)) !== 0;
+          for (const d of stmt.declarationList.declarations) {
+            for (const name of boundNames7(d.name)) {
+              declared.push({ name, kind: lexical ? "lexical" : "var" });
+            }
+          }
+        } else if (ts.isClassDeclaration(stmt) && stmt.name !== undefined) {
+          declared.push({ name: stmt.name, kind: "class" });
+        }
+        for (const { name, kind } of declared) {
+          const symbol = checker.getSymbolAtLocation(name);
+          if (symbol === undefined) continue;
+          candidates.set(symbol, {
+            symbol,
+            name,
+            kind,
+            module: m,
+            exposed,
+            rank,
+            start: stmt.getStart(m),
+            end: stmt.getEnd(),
+            reference: null,
+            folded: null,
+          });
+          names.add(name.text);
+        }
+        if (offence !== null) dirty = true;
+      }
+    });
+    if (candidates.size === 0) continue;
+    const rankOf = new Map(evaluation.map((m, i) => [m, i] as const));
+    // References: every identifier spelled like a candidate, resolved
+    // through import aliases to the declaration's symbol.
+    for (const sf of order) {
+      const refs: ts.Identifier[] = [];
+      ts.walkPreorder(sf, (node) => {
+        if (ts.isImportDeclaration(node)) return "skip";
+        if (ts.isIdentifier(node) && names.has(node.text)) refs.push(node);
+        return undefined;
+      });
+      if (refs.length === 0) continue;
+      checker.prefetchSymbolNodesExact(refs);
+      for (const ref of refs) {
+        const parent = ref.parent;
+        if (parent !== undefined && ts.isExportSpecifier(parent)) continue;
+        if (inTypePosition7(ref)) continue;
+        let symbol = checker.getSymbolAtLocation(ref);
+        if (
+          parent !== undefined &&
+          ts.isShorthandPropertyAssignment(parent) &&
+          parent.name === ref
+        ) {
+          symbol = checker.getShorthandAssignmentValueSymbol(parent) ?? symbol;
+        }
+        if (symbol !== undefined && symbol.flags & ts.SymbolFlags.Alias) {
+          symbol = checker.getAliasedSymbol(symbol);
+        }
+        const c = symbol === undefined ? undefined : candidates.get(symbol);
+        if (c === undefined || ref === c.name) continue;
+        if (c.folded === null && foldablePosition7(ref)) c.folded = ref;
+        if (c.reference !== null) continue;
+        // A class body names its own inner binding, initialized throughout.
+        if (
+          c.kind === "class" &&
+          sf === c.module &&
+          ref.getStart(sf) >= c.start &&
+          ref.getEnd() <= c.end
+        )
+          continue;
+        let early: boolean;
+        if (inDeferredPosition7(ref)) early = c.exposed;
+        else if (sf === c.module) early = ref.getStart(sf) < c.start;
+        else if (!memberSet.has(sf) || !rankOf.has(sf)) early = false;
+        else early = !known || rankOf.get(sf)! < c.rank;
+        if (early) c.reference = ref;
+      }
+    }
+    for (const c of candidates.values()) {
+      if (c.reference === null) continue;
+      const settled = new Set<ts.SourceFile>(order.filter((sf) => !rankOf.has(sf)));
+      if (known) for (const m of evaluation.slice(c.rank + 1)) settled.add(m);
+      out.push({
+        symbol: c.symbol,
+        name: c.name,
+        kind: c.kind,
+        module: c.module,
+        reference: c.reference,
+        ...(c.folded !== null ? { folded: c.folded } : {}),
+        settled,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+/** True for a reference whose value the lowering can take from the
+ * binding's checker type instead of its storage: a property key (element
+ * access argument, computed name, `in` operand, through parentheses,
+ * casts and template spans) or a `typeof` operand. */
+function foldablePosition7(ref: ts.Identifier): boolean {
+  let child: ts.Node = ref;
+  for (let p: ts.Node | undefined = ref.parent; p !== undefined; p = p.parent) {
+    if (
+      ts.isParenthesizedExpression(p) ||
+      ts.isAsExpression(p) ||
+      ts.isSatisfiesExpression(p) ||
+      ts.isNonNullExpression(p) ||
+      ts.isTemplateSpan(p) ||
+      ts.isTemplateExpression(p)
+    ) {
+      child = p;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (ts.isTypeOfExpression(p)) return true;
+    if (ts.isElementAccessExpression(p)) return p.argumentExpression === child;
+    if (ts.isComputedPropertyName(p)) return true;
+    if (ts.isBinaryExpression(p))
+      return p.operatorToken.kind === ts.SyntaxKind.InKeyword && p.left === child;
+    return false;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+/** The identifiers a binding name (identifier or destructuring pattern)
+ * declares. */
+function boundNames7(name: ts.BindingName): ts.Identifier[] {
+  if (ts.isIdentifier(name)) return [name];
+  const out: ts.Identifier[] = [];
+  for (const el of name.elements) {
+    if (ts.isOmittedExpression(el) || el.name === undefined) continue;
+    out.push(...boundNames7(el.name));
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+/** A namespace declaration whose body holds only types (interfaces, type
+ * aliases, nested type-only namespaces) — no runtime object exists. */
+function typeOnlyNamespace7(decl: ts.ModuleDeclaration): boolean {
+  let body = decl.body;
+  while (body !== undefined && ts.isModuleDeclaration(body)) body = body.body;
+  if (body === undefined || !ts.isModuleBlock(body)) return true;
+  return body.statements.every(
+    (s) =>
+      ts.isInterfaceDeclaration(s) ||
+      ts.isTypeAliasDeclaration(s) ||
+      (ts.isModuleDeclaration(s) && typeOnlyNamespace7(s)),
+  );
 }
 
 /** Resolves an import specifier from `from` to a source file of the
@@ -2774,10 +3206,9 @@ function preflight7(load: LoadResult): {
   // benign-cycle admission block above). Node evaluates such cycles
   // benignly (the revisited module is a cache hit, and no binding read
   // can hit TDZ or a stale slot), so the guarded %init calls reproduce
-  // its order exactly. Cycles that fail both keep the SC1016 fence,
-  // because a read through them mid-cycle observes TDZ (let/const) or
-  // undefined (var) in Node — runtime evaluation-order semantics the
-  // static story does not model.
+  // its order exactly. Cycles that fail both are judged by the exact
+  // initialization rule: admitted when every early read is modeled by an
+  // initialization check, fenced with SC1016 otherwise.
   const edges = new Map<ts.SourceFile, CycleEdge[]>();
   // Import edges Node's RESOLUTION refuses before any module evaluates —
   // recorded in source order per file (interleaved with the resolved deps
@@ -3334,9 +3765,10 @@ function preflight7(load: LoadResult): {
   // Node's evaluation order: depth-first postorder from the entry, each
   // module once, back-edges answered from the cache (a module already
   // evaluating is skipped) — which the guarded %init calls reproduce
-  // exactly. Cycles are admitted only where Node's partially-initialized
-  // semantics are UNOBSERVABLE (JS's partial-initialization is otherwise a
-  // silent-misbehavior trap, so SC1016 stays for the rest):
+  // exactly. Cycles are admitted where Node's partially-initialized
+  // semantics are UNOBSERVABLE or exactly modeled (JS's partial
+  // initialization is otherwise a silent-misbehavior trap, so SC1016
+  // stays for the rest):
   //  - a DIRECT SELF-IMPORT (the package self-name reference resolving to
   //    the importing module itself — Node's self-reference rule): the
   //    imported bindings alias the module's OWN top-level bindings with
@@ -3348,7 +3780,11 @@ function preflight7(load: LoadResult): {
   //    benign-cycle admission block: every module of the cycle's
   //    strongly-connected component has an inert top level and the
   //    closing edge's bindings are used only in deferred positions, so no
-  //    read can execute before every member initialized).
+  //    read can execute before every member initialized);
+  //  - the EXACT INITIALIZATION rule: an ES-module cluster whose early
+  //    reads are all let/const bindings with module storage — the
+  //    lowering checks each one (cycleEarlyBindings) and throws Node's
+  //    ReferenceError on a read before the declaration ran.
   const cycleAdmissionReason = makeCycleAdmission(program, (sf) => edges.get(sf) ?? []);
   const order: ts.SourceFile[] = [];
   const state = new Map<ts.SourceFile, "visiting" | "done">();
@@ -3362,9 +3798,9 @@ function preflight7(load: LoadResult): {
       if (s === "done") continue;
       if (s === "visiting") {
         // A back-edge: Node answers it from the cache (the module is
-        // already evaluating) — benign exactly when nothing can observe
-        // the partial initialization through this edge's bindings, by the
-        // cheap per-edge rule or the declaration-only init window rule.
+        // already evaluating) — admitted by the cheap per-edge rule, the
+        // declaration-only init window rule, or the exact initialization
+        // rule.
         const reason = cycleAdmissionReason(sf, e);
         if (reason !== null) {
           const cycleStart = stack.indexOf(e.dep.fileName);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/type-mapper.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/type-mapper.ts
index aef7f2b5d..028f0f2be 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/type-mapper.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/type-mapper.ts
@@ -2735,6 +2735,15 @@ function mapTypeInner(type: ts.Type, ctx: TypeMapperCtx): IrType | null {
   }
   // Native collection iterators use checked runtime iterator objects.
   if (isStdlibInterface("MapIterator") || isStdlibInterface("SetIterator")) return DYN;
+  // Array iterators (`list.values()` and friends) are generators over the
+  // live array: each step reads the current length and element.
+  if (isStdlibInterface("ArrayIterator")) {
+    const arg = checker.getTypeArguments(widened as ts.TypeReference)[0];
+    const yieldT = arg ? mapType(arg, ctx) : null;
+    if (!yieldT || yieldT.kind === "void" || isUnitType(yieldT)) return null;
+    if (!genResultRecord(yieldT, VOID, ctx.shapes, unions)) return null;
+    return { kind: "generator", yieldT, retT: VOID, nextT: UNDEFINED_T };
+  }
   // Generator<T, TReturn, TNext>, AsyncGenerator<T, TReturn, TNext> (and
   // the lib's IterableIterator<T, ...>, the older sync annotation spelling):
   // the generator kind. Channel normalization keeps the runtime honest:
@@ -2756,7 +2765,10 @@ function mapTypeInner(type: ts.Type, ctx: TypeMapperCtx): IrType | null {
   if (
     isStdlibInterface("Generator") ||
     isStdlibInterface("AsyncGenerator") ||
-    isStdlibInterface("IterableIterator")
+    isStdlibInterface("IterableIterator") ||
+    // An Iterator<T> annotation holds a single-pass iterator object: a
+    // generator, or a native iterator adapted into one.
+    isStdlibInterface("Iterator")
   ) {
     const args = checker.getTypeArguments(widened as ts.TypeReference);
     const channels = genChannels(args[0], args[1], args[2], ctx);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/ir/ir.ts b/packages/compiler/src/ir/ir.ts
index 991dbd64e..d4c05f6d6 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/ir/ir.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/ir/ir.ts
@@ -1551,6 +1551,11 @@ export interface IrGlobal {
   /** Lexical record/function/checked-value bindings use their initially-null
    * pointer as a TDZ sentinel. Reads and later writes throw until initializing assign. */
   tdz?: true;
+  /** An import-cycle binding whose initialization state lives in this BOOL
+   * global instead: the declaration's store is the `assign` marked
+   * `initializes`, followed by the flag's set; accesses that can run
+   * earlier test it with the module.tdzCheck intrinsic. */
+  initFlag?: string;
   /** Original declaration and lexical scope, when this is a source binding. */
   source?: IrBindingSource;
 }
@@ -3028,6 +3033,11 @@ export type IrExpr =
       stmts: IrStmt[];
       result: IrExpr;
       generatorDelegate?: true;
+      /** The statements end in a `runtimeFence` that control never reaches:
+       * the value of a call whose checked type is `never` (it throws or exits)
+       * flowing into a typed slot. `result` is a placeholder read of an
+       * uninitialized hidden local and is never evaluated. */
+      diverges?: true;
       type: IrType;
       loc: SrcLoc;
     }
@@ -3261,7 +3271,11 @@ export type IrExpr =
    * result's inner type (promise arguments never reach here — the
    * frontend returns them as-is, the spec's native-promise identity;
    * thenables and promise-armed unions fence); the backend mints a fresh
-   * promise and fulfills it immediately per the inner kind. */
+   * promise and fulfills it immediately per the inner kind.
+   * module.tdzCheck: two args, a BOOL initialization flag and the binding's
+   * source name as a strLit; void. Throws the catchable ReferenceError
+   * "Cannot access 'name' before initialization" while the flag is false
+   * (a module binding of an import cycle read before its declaration). */
   | {
       kind: "intrinsic";
       name:
@@ -3271,7 +3285,8 @@ export type IrExpr =
         | "promise.all"
         | "promise.reject"
         | "promise.resolve"
-        | "module.await";
+        | "module.await"
+        | "module.tdzCheck";
       args: IrExpr[];
       type: IrType;
       loc: SrcLoc;
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/ir/validate.ts b/packages/compiler/src/ir/validate.ts
index 35f0c2c4e..cb876db45 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/ir/validate.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/ir/validate.ts
@@ -1639,6 +1639,12 @@ function validateFunction(
           allowed.add("throw");
           allowed.add("runtimeFence");
         }
+        if (e.diverges) {
+          const last = e.stmts[e.stmts.length - 1];
+          if (last?.kind !== "runtimeFence")
+            err("diverging seqExpr must end in a runtimeFence", e.loc);
+          allowed.add("runtimeFence");
+        }
         const flat = (ss: IrStmt[]): void => {
           for (const s of ss) {
             if (!allowed.has(s.kind)) {
@@ -3717,6 +3723,17 @@ function validateFunction(
   }
 
   function checkIntrinsicExpr(e: IrExpr & { kind: "intrinsic" }): void {
+    if (e.name === "module.tdzCheck") {
+      const [flag, name] = e.args;
+      if (e.args.length !== 2 || flag === undefined || name?.kind !== "strLit") {
+        err("module.tdzCheck takes a flag and a binding-name literal", e.loc);
+        return;
+      }
+      checkExpr(flag);
+      if (flag.type.kind !== "bool") err("module.tdzCheck flag must be bool", e.loc);
+      if (e.type.kind !== "void") err("module.tdzCheck must be void", e.loc);
+      return;
+    }
     if (e.name === "module.await") {
       if (e.args.length !== 1) err("module.await takes exactly one argument", e.loc);
       for (const a of e.args) {
@@ -5860,7 +5877,7 @@ function validateFunction(
       }
       case "assign": {
         const binding = locals.get(s.localId) ?? globals.get(s.localId);
-        if (s.initializes && !binding?.tdz) {
+        if (s.initializes && !binding?.tdz && globals.get(s.localId)?.initFlag === undefined) {
           err(`initializing assign requires a TDZ binding "${s.localId}"`, s.loc);
         }
         if (!binding) err(`assign to undeclared local/global "${s.localId}"`, s.loc);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/surface-manifest.json b/packages/compiler/surface-manifest.json
index 75645d769..4b1bfe59f 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/surface-manifest.json
+++ b/packages/compiler/surface-manifest.json
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
       "name": "circular imports",
       "status": "unsupported",
       "code": "SC1016",
-      "note": "cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window"
+      "note": "ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge"
     },
     {
       "id": "diagnostic.sc1020",
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/call-lifetimes.test.ts b/packages/compiler/test/call-lifetimes.test.ts
index 782737468..f2e193ced 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/call-lifetimes.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/call-lifetimes.test.ts
@@ -318,3 +318,37 @@ console.log(alias(new Item()).value, snapshot(new Item()).value);
   expect(snapshot).toContain("@sc_bf__x25_Item_constructor");
   expect(snapshot).toContain("@sc_release_Item");
 });
+
+test("unchanged captured parameters are boxed when a closure first needs them", async () => {
+  const mod = await lower(`
+function invoke(fn: (value: number) => number, value: number): number { return fn(value); }
+function framed(seed: number, label: string): number {
+  return invoke((value) => value + seed + label.length, 3);
+}
+function deferred(options: { limit: number }, skip: boolean): () => number {
+  if (skip) return () => -1;
+  return () => options.limit;
+}
+function rebound(count: number): () => number {
+  const read = () => count;
+  count++;
+  return read;
+}
+console.log(framed(1, "ab"), deferred({ limit: 4 }, false)(), deferred({ limit: 4 }, true)(), rebound(5)());
+`);
+  const llvm = emitLlvmModule(mod);
+  // The entry block runs on every call; the lazy box is created later.
+  const entry = (text: string): string => {
+    const labels = [...text.matchAll(/^[\w.]+:$/gm)];
+    return labels.length > 1 ? text.slice(0, labels[1]!.index) : text;
+  };
+  const framed = body(llvm, "sc_f_framed");
+  expect(framed).toContain("alloca %ScrBox");
+  expect(framed).not.toContain("@scr_box_new");
+  expect(framed).not.toContain("@scr_closure_new");
+  const deferred = body(llvm, "sc_f_deferred");
+  expect(deferred).toContain("lazy.box");
+  expect(entry(deferred)).not.toContain("@scr_box_new");
+  expect(deferred).toContain("@scr_box_new");
+  expect(entry(body(llvm, "sc_f_rebound"))).toContain("@scr_box_new");
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/string-and-array-lifetimes.test.ts b/packages/compiler/test/string-and-array-lifetimes.test.ts
index de5a85d13..92902341f 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/string-and-array-lifetimes.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/string-and-array-lifetimes.test.ts
@@ -247,17 +247,57 @@ console.log(work(["first"]));
   expect(work).not.toContain("@scr_union_release");
 });
 
-test("whole-union string comparisons borrow a caller's stack box", async () => {
+test("whole-union string comparisons only project their operands", async () => {
   const module = await lower(`
 function size(text: string): number { return text.length + (text === "" ? 1 : 0); }
 function work(words: string[], index: number): number { return size(words[index]); }
 console.log(work([""], 0));
 `);
   const facts = analyzeCallLifetimes(new Map(module.functions.map((fn) => [fn.name, fn])));
-  // Strict union equality only reads the tag and payload of both boxes.
-  expect(facts.parameters.has("size")).toBe(true);
+  expect(facts.parameters.get("size")?.has(0)).toBe(true);
   const work = body(emitLlvmModule(module), "sc_bf_work");
   expect(work).toContain("alloca %ScrUnion");
-  expect(work).not.toMatch(/@scr_union_new/);
+  expect(work).not.toContain("@scr_union_new");
   expect(work).toContain("@sc_bf_size");
 });
+
+test("class element comparisons, tests and optional chains read through stack tags", async () => {
+  const module = await lower(`
+class Part { weight = 1; }
+function same(parts: Part[], index: number, probe: Part): boolean { return parts[index] === probe; }
+function missing(parts: Part[], index: number): boolean { return parts[index] === undefined; }
+function weight(parts: Part[], index: number): number { return parts[index]?.weight ?? 0; }
+function count(parts: Part[], probe: Part): number {
+  let hits = 0;
+  for (let i = 0; i < parts.length; i++) {
+    const part = parts[i];
+    if (part === probe) hits++;
+  }
+  return hits;
+}
+const parts = [new Part()];
+console.log(same(parts, 0, parts[0]), missing(parts, 3), weight(parts, 2), count(parts, parts[0]));
+`);
+  const llvm = emitLlvmModule(module);
+  for (const name of ["same", "missing", "weight", "count"]) {
+    const work = body(llvm, `sc_bf_${name}`);
+    expect(work, name).toContain("alloca %ScrUnion");
+    expect(work, name).not.toContain("@scr_union_new");
+    expect(work, name).not.toMatch(/call ptr @sc_bf__x25_arr_idxOr/);
+  }
+});
+
+test("an element read stored beyond its comparison keeps a heap union", async () => {
+  const module = await lower(`
+class Part { weight = 1; }
+const kept: (Part | undefined)[] = [];
+function keep(parts: Part[], index: number, probe: Part): boolean {
+  const part = parts[index];
+  kept.push(part);
+  return part === probe;
+}
+console.log(keep([new Part()], 4, new Part()), kept.length);
+`);
+  const work = body(emitLlvmModule(module), "sc_bf_keep");
+  expect(work).toMatch(/@scr_union_new|@sc_bf__x25_arr_idxOr/);
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity.json b/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity.json
index f42e5d65f..cd5b15ebc 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity.json
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity.json
@@ -11677,7 +11677,7 @@
       "end": 0
      },
      "milestone": "later",
-     "hint": "cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window"
+     "hint": "ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge"
     }
    ]
   },
@@ -11771,66 +11771,6 @@
    ],
    "diags": []
   },
-  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts": {
-   "order": [
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/b.ts",
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts",
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts"
-   ],
-   "diags": [
-    {
-     "code": "SC1016",
-     "message": "circular imports (<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/b.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts; the cycle-crossing binding 'a' is read at <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/b.ts:2, outside any function body — a read during the init window observes the partially-initialized module (Node's TDZ ReferenceError / stale var), which is not modeled) are not supported yet",
-     "loc": {
-      "file": "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts",
-      "start": 0,
-      "end": 0
-     },
-     "milestone": "later",
-     "hint": "cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window"
-    }
-   ]
-  },
-  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/main.ts": {
-   "order": [
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/b.ts",
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts",
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/main.ts"
-   ],
-   "diags": [
-    {
-     "code": "SC1016",
-     "message": "circular imports (<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/b.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts; top-level code at <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts:5 can run user code during the cycle's init window — only declaration-only module bodies are admitted) are not supported yet",
-     "loc": {
-      "file": "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts",
-      "start": 0,
-      "end": 0
-     },
-     "milestone": "later",
-     "hint": "cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window"
-    }
-   ]
-  },
-  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/main.ts": {
-   "order": [
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/b.ts",
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts",
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/main.ts"
-   ],
-   "diags": [
-    {
-     "code": "SC1016",
-     "message": "circular imports (<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/b.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts; the cycle-crossing binding 'a' is read at <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/b.ts:2, outside any function body — a read during the init window observes the partially-initialized module (Node's TDZ ReferenceError / stale var), which is not modeled) are not supported yet",
-     "loc": {
-      "file": "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts",
-      "start": 0,
-      "end": 0
-     },
-     "milestone": "later",
-     "hint": "cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window"
-    }
-   ]
-  },
   "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/dataview.ts": {
    "order": [
     "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/dataview.ts"
@@ -11900,12 +11840,6 @@
    ],
    "diags": []
   },
-  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts": {
-   "order": [
-    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts"
-   ],
-   "diags": []
-  },
   "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/dynamic-import-static.ts": {
    "order": [
     "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/dynamic-import-static.ts"
@@ -14825,6 +14759,173 @@
    ],
    "diags": []
   },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/iterator-typed-returns.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/iterator-typed-returns.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/never-returning-calls.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/never-returning-calls.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/optional-element-defaults.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/optional-element-defaults.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/iterator-slot-fences.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/iterator-slot-fences.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/report.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/inventory.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/south.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/east.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/north.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/probe.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/limits.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/odd.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/even.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/item.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/shelf.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/rules.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/ledger.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/margin.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/frame.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/dogs.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/pets.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/b.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": [
+    {
+     "code": "SC1016",
+     "message": "circular imports (<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/b.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts; the default export expression at <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts:2 has no initialization state inside the cycle) are not supported yet",
+     "loc": {
+      "file": "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts",
+      "start": 0,
+      "end": 0
+     },
+     "milestone": "later",
+     "hint": "ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge"
+    }
+   ]
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/b.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": [
+    {
+     "code": "SC1016",
+     "message": "circular imports (<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/b.ts → <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts; the namespace import 'helpers' at <repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts:1 names a module of the cycle) are not supported yet",
+     "loc": {
+      "file": "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts",
+      "start": 0,
+      "end": 0
+     },
+     "milestone": "later",
+     "hint": "ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge"
+    }
+   ]
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/main.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/b.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/a.ts",
+    "<repo>/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/main.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/cycle-generations-long-lived.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/cycle-generations-long-lived.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4045-optional-element-projections.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4045-optional-element-projections.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4046-captured-parameter-values.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4046-captured-parameter-values.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/4047-captured-parameter-rebinding.ts": {
+   "order": [
+    "<repo>/tests/corpus/4047-captured-parameter-rebinding.ts"
+   ],
+   "diags": []
+  },
   "<repo>/tests/corpus/3138-array-large-storage.ts": {
    "order": [
     "<repo>/tests/corpus/3138-array-large-storage.ts"
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_cycle.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_cycle.c
index 1618d7c00..f524a8b7a 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_cycle.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_cycle.c
@@ -39,12 +39,17 @@
  * from it drags in every node below, and none of it is ever garbage.
  *
  * So the collector is generational, in the shape CPython uses for this
- * same algorithm. Each header carries a `gen`; a pass names the oldest
- * generation it will walk and SKIPS every object above it, exactly as it
- * skips NULL and immortals. Objects that survive a pass are promoted, so
- * the next nursery pass never walks them again: the cost of a nursery pass
- * is proportional to what has been allocated since the last one, not to
- * the live heap.
+ * same algorithm: nursery, mature and old. Each header carries a `gen`; a
+ * pass names the oldest generation it will walk and SKIPS every object above
+ * it, exactly as it skips NULL and immortals. Objects that survive a pass are
+ * promoted one generation, so the next pass at a lower level never walks
+ * them again: the cost of a nursery pass is proportional to what has been
+ * allocated since the last one, and the cost of a mature pass to what has
+ * survived a nursery pass since the last mature one — not to the live heap.
+ * The third generation is what keeps a long-lived structure out of the walk
+ * that reclaims medium-lived garbage: objects that die after surviving one
+ * pass (scratch structures built for a phase of work, say) are reclaimed by
+ * mature passes that never touch the data that has been live for a while.
  *
  * Restricting the walk stays sound because trial deletion is already
  * conservative in the right direction. An edge from a skipped (older)
@@ -53,41 +58,57 @@
  * answer the collector gives for a reference held by the stack. Edges the
  * other way are simply not followed; the older object was not a candidate
  * for freeing in this pass. What this gives up is cycles that SPAN
- * generations: those are invisible to a nursery pass and are found by the
- * full pass, which walks every generation and so is exactly the old
- * algorithm.
+ * generations: those are invisible to a restricted pass and are found by
+ * the full pass, which walks every generation and so is exactly the
+ * single-generation algorithm.
  *
  * Scheduling. One counter drives the release path: candidates buffered
- * since the last pass. When it trips, the pass runs at the nursery level
- * unless either full-pass condition holds:
- *   heap growth    the live cycle-headered heap is a fraction past its size
- *                  after the last full pass — the standard mature-generation
- *                  rule, which catches garbage made from fresh allocation;
- *   mature backlog the mature candidate buffer has reached a fraction of the
+ * since the last pass. When it trips, the pass runs at the highest level
+ * whose condition holds:
+ *   full, growth   the live cycle-headered heap is a fraction past its size
+ *                  after the last full pass. The fraction starts at 1/4 and
+ *                  ADAPTS to what full passes find: a growth-triggered full
+ *                  pass that reclaims few OLD objects relative to the growth
+ *                  that triggered it, twice in a row, doubles the fraction
+ *                  (up to 1/2), and one that does reclaim them restores 1/4.
+ *                  Garbage younger than the old generation does not count:
+ *                  the mature level reclaims it without walking the old heap.
+ *                  This is what stops a large retained structure from being
+ *                  re-walked at every quarter of growth while it is building
+ *                  or while the garbage is all young.
+ *   full, backlog  the old candidate buffer has reached a fraction of the
  *                  live heap. This one is not redundant: live data that is
  *                  unlinked INTO a dead cycle grows no counter at all (it
  *                  was tallied when it was allocated) and is invisible to a
- *                  nursery pass, so without it a program that churns its
+ *                  restricted pass, so without it a program that churns its
  *                  long-lived structures would never collect anything. But
- *                  a mature object is also buffered whenever a temporary
+ *                  an old object is also buffered whenever a temporary
  *                  reference to it is dropped, so merely READING a live
  *                  structure (walking a tree, say) refills the buffer with
- *                  objects that are not garbage. A full pass that frees
- *                  almost nothing therefore doubles this fraction, and a
- *                  productive one restores it.
- *   scheduled age  a mature candidate has waited through a nursery's worth
- *                  of event-loop checkpoints. Candidate COUNT cannot bound
- *                  the garbage behind one root, and an idle heap does not
- *                  trip growth, so this keeps a sparse mature backlog from
+ *                  objects that are not garbage. A pass that frees almost
+ *                  nothing therefore doubles this fraction, and a productive
+ *                  one restores it.
+ *   mature         the same two rules one level down, with a fixed 1/4
+ *                  growth fraction measured from the last mature-or-full
+ *                  pass and a backlog rule over the mature buffer.
+ *   scheduled age  a mature or old candidate has waited through a nursery's
+ *                  worth of event-loop checkpoints. Candidate COUNT cannot
+ *                  bound the garbage behind one root, and an idle heap does
+ *                  not trip growth, so this keeps a sparse backlog from
  *                  floating forever without putting a full walk on every
  *                  turn.
- * The first two bound collection work to a constant factor of mutator work —
- * one heap-sized walk per live/N candidates — while the scheduled age is the
- * liveness backstop, limiting its forced full walks to one per nursery's worth
- * of checkpoints while mature roots wait. That is the trade: a fixed root
- * threshold bounds floating garbage tightly and pays unbounded time for it;
- * this bounds ordinary mutator-triggered work and lets garbage float in
- * proportion, but not forever.
+ * The growth and backlog rules bound collection work to a constant factor of
+ * mutator work — one heap-sized walk per live/N candidates or per growth of
+ * live/N — while the scheduled age is the liveness backstop, limiting its
+ * forced full walks to one per nursery's worth of checkpoints while older
+ * roots wait. That is the trade: a fixed root threshold bounds floating
+ * garbage tightly and pays unbounded time for it; this bounds ordinary
+ * mutator-triggered work and lets garbage float in proportion, but not
+ * forever. Peak memory stays bounded the same way: young garbage floats by
+ * at most a quarter of the heap before a mature pass, and old garbage by at
+ * most half the heap's size after the last full pass, and by more than a
+ * quarter only once two full passes in a row have shown that little of the
+ * growth was old garbage.
  */
 #include "scr_runtime.h"
 
@@ -154,10 +175,11 @@ void scr_rc_destroy(void *obj, void (*destroy)(void *)) {
   }
 }
 
-/* Live cycle-headered objects — what the full-pass trigger watches.
- * Exported: the inline allocation paths (scr_runtime.h, llvm/alloc.ts)
- * maintain it too. */
+/* Live cycle-headered objects and the running count of OLD objects freed.
+ * The inline allocation/free paths (scr_runtime.h, llvm/alloc.ts) maintain
+ * both counters so full passes can measure old-generation reclamation. */
 SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_live = 0;
+SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_old_freed = 0;
 
 void *scr_cyc_alloc(size_t size, ScrTraceFn trace, ScrCycFreeFn free_fn) {
   return scr_cyc_alloc_inline(size, trace, free_fn);
@@ -213,23 +235,46 @@ static SCR_TL ScrVec scr_white;
 static SCR_TL ScrVec scr_xgen;
 
 /* Objects above this generation are invisible to the pass in flight. */
-static SCR_TL unsigned scr_gen_limit = SCR_CYC_MATURE;
+static SCR_TL unsigned scr_gen_limit = SCR_CYC_OLD;
 
 static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit);
 
 /* ── when to collect ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
 #define SCR_CYC_NURSERY_CANDIDATES 256 /* nursery trigger */
-#define SCR_CYC_FULL_GROWTH_DIV 4      /* full pass per +1/4 of live heap */
-#define SCR_CYC_FULL_FLOOR 4096        /* ...but not below this many objects */
 
-/* Live count as of the end of the last full pass. */
+/* Scheduling decisions run once per pass, never per object, so they are
+ * kept out of line and built for size: every executable that can release a
+ * cycle-capable value links them, including ones that never form a cycle. */
+#define SCR_CYC_SCHEDULING __attribute__((cold, noinline, minsize))
+
+/* Per-pass and cross-generation bookkeeping: work that is proportional to
+ * candidates, dead objects or skipped edges and dominated by the calls it
+ * makes, never the per-edge graph walk. Built for size for the same reason. */
+#define SCR_CYC_COMPACT __attribute__((noinline, minsize))
+#define SCR_CYC_GROWTH_DIV 4           /* growth pass per +1/4 of live heap */
+#define SCR_CYC_GROWTH_FLOOR 4096      /* ...but not below this many objects */
+
+/* Live count as of the end of the last full pass, and of the last pass that
+ * walked the mature generation (mature or full). */
 static SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_live_after_full = 0;
+static SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_live_after_mature = 0;
 
-/* Doublings of the mature-backlog threshold earned by consecutive full passes
- * that found almost nothing to free (see scr_cyc_mature_threshold). */
+/* Doublings of the full-pass growth fraction earned by consecutive
+ * growth-triggered full passes that reclaimed little of the old generation
+ * (see scr_cyc_scheduled_pass). Capped at a fraction of 1/2: the heap may grow
+ * at most by half past its size after the last full pass before the next.
+ * The streak counts those unproductive passes since the last productive one;
+ * the fraction only grows once two have run in a row. */
+#define SCR_CYC_GROWTH_MAX_SHIFT 1
+static SCR_TL unsigned scr_cyc_growth_shift = 0;
+static SCR_TL unsigned scr_cyc_growth_streak = 0;
+
+/* Doublings of each generation's backlog threshold earned by consecutive
+ * passes that found almost nothing to free (see scr_cyc_backlog_threshold).
+ * Only the mature and old entries are used. */
 #define SCR_CYC_BACKLOG_MAX_SHIFT 8
-static SCR_TL unsigned scr_cyc_backlog_shift = 0;
+static SCR_TL unsigned scr_cyc_backlog_shift[SCR_CYC_NGENS];
 
 static size_t scr_cyc_nursery_threshold(void) {
   static SCR_TL size_t cached = 0;
@@ -241,81 +286,128 @@ static size_t scr_cyc_nursery_threshold(void) {
   return cached;
 }
 
-/* Buffered candidates across both generations, and the count at which the
+/* Buffered candidates across every generation, and the count at which the
  * release path next collects. Keeping a running total (rather than summing
  * the buffers) is what holds the hot path to one load and one compare, as
  * it was when there was a single buffer. The trigger is re-armed at the end
  * of every pass to "whatever survived, plus a nursery's worth": without that
- * hysteresis a large mature buffer — which a nursery pass cannot drain —
+ * hysteresis a large older buffer — which a nursery pass cannot drain —
  * would re-arm on every single release. Both start at zero, so the first
  * release runs one trivial pass that arms them properly. */
 static SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_nbuffered = 0;
 static SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_trigger = 0;
 
-/* Scheduled nursery passes for which at least one mature root was waiting.
- * A full pass resets the age; with no mature backlog there is nothing to age. */
+/* Scheduled nursery passes for which at least one mature or old root was
+ * waiting. A full pass resets the age; with no such backlog there is nothing
+ * to age. */
 static SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_scheduled_mature_age = 0;
 
 static size_t scr_cyc_buffered(void) {
-  return scr_roots[SCR_CYC_NURSERY].n + scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n;
+  return scr_roots[SCR_CYC_NURSERY].n + scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n
+         + scr_roots[SCR_CYC_OLD].n;
 }
 
-/* A full pass is due once the live heap has grown a fraction past what it
- * was when the last one finished. Since a pass resets the baseline to the
- * live count it leaves behind, an unproductive full pass cannot re-trigger
- * itself — the next one waits for another fraction of growth. */
-static bool scr_cyc_full_due(void) {
-  size_t base = scr_cyc_live_after_full;
-  if (base < SCR_CYC_FULL_FLOOR) base = SCR_CYC_FULL_FLOOR;
-  return scr_cyc_live > base + base / SCR_CYC_FULL_GROWTH_DIV;
+static bool scr_cyc_older_backlog(void) {
+  return scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n != 0 || scr_roots[SCR_CYC_OLD].n != 0;
 }
 
-/* Cold half of the release path: pick the generation and collect.
+static size_t scr_cyc_growth_base(size_t live_after) {
+  return live_after < SCR_CYC_GROWTH_FLOOR ? SCR_CYC_GROWTH_FLOOR : live_after;
+}
+
+/* A pass is due once the live heap has grown a fraction past what it was
+ * when the last pass at that level finished. Since a pass resets its
+ * baseline to the live count it leaves behind, an unproductive pass cannot
+ * re-trigger itself — the next one waits for another fraction of growth. */
+static bool scr_cyc_grown(size_t live_after, unsigned shift) {
+  size_t base = scr_cyc_growth_base(live_after);
+  return scr_cyc_live > base + ((base / SCR_CYC_GROWTH_DIV) << shift);
+}
+
+/* The backlog rule for one generation's candidate buffer.
  *
- * Heap growth is not the only thing that owes a full pass. Live data that
- * TURNS INTO garbage — a mature structure unlinked into a dead cycle —
- * grows no counter at all: those objects were already tallied in
- * scr_cyc_live when they were allocated, so scr_cyc_full_due stays false
- * forever, and a nursery pass cannot see them because they are mature. Left
- * at that, a program that churns its long-lived structures without
- * allocating would never collect anything. So the mature buffer's own size
- * is the second full-pass trigger, at a fraction of the live heap: that
- * bounds uncollected mature candidates proportionally and keeps the
- * amortized cost linear (one heap-sized walk per live/N candidates).
+ * Heap growth is not the only thing that owes a pass. Live data that TURNS
+ * INTO garbage — an older structure unlinked into a dead cycle — grows no
+ * counter at all: those objects were already tallied in scr_cyc_live when
+ * they were allocated, so the growth rules stay false forever, and a
+ * restricted pass cannot see them because they sit above its level. Left at
+ * that, a program that churns its long-lived structures without allocating
+ * would never collect anything. So a buffer's own size is the second trigger
+ * for its level, at a fraction of the live heap: that bounds uncollected
+ * candidates proportionally and keeps the amortized cost linear (one walk
+ * per live/N candidates).
  *
  * Re-buffered live objects cannot be told apart from new garbage until a
  * pass walks them, and a program that keeps traversing one live structure
- * buffers it again after every pass. Each full pass that frees almost none
- * of its candidates doubles the threshold, so repeated unproductive walks
- * thin out geometrically; once it exceeds the mature population this
- * trigger rests, leaving heap growth, the scheduled age and exit to collect.
- * That only delays garbage made from existing data: replacing it requires
- * allocation, which grows the heap and trips the growth trigger. The first
- * productive full pass restores the original fraction. */
-static size_t scr_cyc_mature_threshold(void) {
-  size_t t = scr_cyc_live / SCR_CYC_FULL_GROWTH_DIV;
+ * buffers it again after every pass. Each backlog-level pass that frees
+ * almost none of its candidates doubles the threshold, so repeated
+ * unproductive walks thin out geometrically; once it exceeds the population
+ * this trigger rests, leaving heap growth, the scheduled age and exit to
+ * collect. That only delays garbage made from existing data: replacing it
+ * requires allocation, which grows the heap and trips a growth trigger. The
+ * first productive pass at that level restores the original fraction. */
+static size_t scr_cyc_backlog_threshold(unsigned gen) {
+  size_t t = scr_cyc_live / SCR_CYC_GROWTH_DIV;
   if (t < SCR_CYC_NURSERY_CANDIDATES) t = SCR_CYC_NURSERY_CANDIDATES;
-  return t > (SIZE_MAX >> scr_cyc_backlog_shift) ? SIZE_MAX : t << scr_cyc_backlog_shift;
+  unsigned shift = scr_cyc_backlog_shift[gen];
+  return t > (SIZE_MAX >> shift) ? SIZE_MAX : t << shift;
 }
 
-/* A scheduled full pass, adapting the backlog threshold to its yield. The
- * explicit sweep (scr_collect_cycles) is not a scheduling decision and
- * leaves the threshold alone. Productive means at least one object freed
- * per FULL_GROWTH_DIV candidates; a pass with no candidates says nothing. */
-static void scr_cyc_full_pass(void) {
-  size_t freed = scr_cyc_pass(SCR_CYC_MATURE);
-  if (scr_cands.n == 0) return;
-  if (freed * SCR_CYC_FULL_GROWTH_DIV >= scr_cands.n)
-    scr_cyc_backlog_shift = 0;
-  else if (scr_cyc_backlog_shift < SCR_CYC_BACKLOG_MAX_SHIFT)
-    scr_cyc_backlog_shift++;
+/* One scheduled pass at `gen`. A mature or old pass adapts that level's
+ * backlog threshold to its yield; the explicit sweep (scr_collect_cycles) is
+ * not a scheduling decision and leaves the thresholds alone. Productive means
+ * at least one object freed per GROWTH_DIV candidates; a pass with no
+ * candidates says nothing.
+ *
+ * A full pass that heap growth triggered also adapts the growth fraction to
+ * what it reclaimed from the OLD generation — the one part of its work no
+ * restricted pass could have done. Weighing that against the growth since the
+ * last full pass keeps full passes frequent while old structures are being
+ * discarded (their garbage is what floats until the next full pass) and
+ * spaces them out while the heap is growing with live or young data, where
+ * each walk of the retained heap buys almost nothing. Backing off only after
+ * two unproductive passes in a row keeps a program that discards old
+ * structures at a steady rate on the base schedule: its passes alternate
+ * between finding the garbage just aged into the old generation and finding
+ * it still younger, and a single miss says little.
+ *
+ * Every level shares this one body, so a program that links the collector
+ * carries a single copy of the scheduling logic. */
+static SCR_CYC_SCHEDULING void scr_cyc_scheduled_pass(unsigned gen, bool by_growth) {
+  size_t base = scr_cyc_growth_base(scr_cyc_live_after_full);
+  size_t growth = scr_cyc_live > base ? scr_cyc_live - base : 0;
+  size_t old_freed_before = scr_cyc_old_freed;
+  size_t freed = scr_cyc_pass(gen);
+  if (gen == SCR_CYC_NURSERY) return;
+  if (scr_cands.n != 0) {
+    if (freed * SCR_CYC_GROWTH_DIV >= scr_cands.n)
+      scr_cyc_backlog_shift[gen] = 0;
+    else if (scr_cyc_backlog_shift[gen] < SCR_CYC_BACKLOG_MAX_SHIFT)
+      scr_cyc_backlog_shift[gen]++;
+  }
+  if (!by_growth) return;
+  size_t reclaimed = scr_cyc_old_freed - old_freed_before;
+  if (reclaimed * SCR_CYC_GROWTH_DIV >= growth) {
+    scr_cyc_growth_shift = 0;
+    scr_cyc_growth_streak = 0;
+  } else if (++scr_cyc_growth_streak >= 2
+             && scr_cyc_growth_shift < SCR_CYC_GROWTH_MAX_SHIFT) {
+    scr_cyc_growth_shift++;
+  }
 }
 
-static void scr_cyc_collect_due(void) {
-  if (scr_cyc_full_due() || scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n >= scr_cyc_mature_threshold())
-    scr_cyc_full_pass();
-  else
-    scr_cyc_pass(SCR_CYC_NURSERY);
+/* Cold half of the release path: pick the level and collect. It runs once
+ * per pass, so it is kept out of line and built for size, which leaves the
+ * hot buffering path in scr_cyc_on_release small. */
+static SCR_CYC_SCHEDULING void scr_cyc_collect_due(void) {
+  unsigned gen = SCR_CYC_NURSERY;
+  bool by_growth = scr_cyc_grown(scr_cyc_live_after_full, scr_cyc_growth_shift);
+  if (by_growth || scr_roots[SCR_CYC_OLD].n >= scr_cyc_backlog_threshold(SCR_CYC_OLD))
+    gen = SCR_CYC_OLD;
+  else if (scr_cyc_grown(scr_cyc_live_after_mature, 0)
+           || scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n >= scr_cyc_backlog_threshold(SCR_CYC_MATURE))
+    gen = SCR_CYC_MATURE;
+  scr_cyc_scheduled_pass(gen, by_growth);
 }
 
 /* One scheduled pass, for callers that reach a natural collection point
@@ -328,11 +420,11 @@ void scr_cyc_collect_scheduled(void) {
     scr_cyc_scheduled_mature_age = 0;
     return;
   }
-  if (scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n == 0) {
+  if (!scr_cyc_older_backlog()) {
     scr_cyc_scheduled_mature_age = 0;
   } else if (++scr_cyc_scheduled_mature_age
              >= scr_cyc_nursery_threshold()) {
-    scr_cyc_full_pass();
+    scr_cyc_scheduled_pass(SCR_CYC_OLD, false);
     return;
   }
   scr_cyc_collect_due();
@@ -353,7 +445,7 @@ void scr_cyc_on_dead(void *obj) {
   scr_cyc_nbuffered--;
   /* A death must not consume room reserved for a future candidate. */
   scr_cyc_trigger--;
-  if (h->gen == SCR_CYC_MATURE && b->n == 0)
+  if (h->gen != SCR_CYC_NURSERY && !scr_cyc_older_backlog())
     scr_cyc_scheduled_mature_age = 0;
 }
 
@@ -417,7 +509,7 @@ static void scr_sb_visit(void *child, void *ctx) {
 static void scr_scan_black(void *obj, uintptr_t depth) {
   ScrCycHdr *h = scr_cyc_hdr(obj);
   h->color = SCR_CYC_BLACK;
-  if (h->gen < SCR_CYC_MATURE) scr_cyc_push(&scr_promote, obj);
+  if (h->gen < SCR_CYC_OLD) scr_cyc_push(&scr_promote, obj);
   if (depth == SCR_CYC_WALK_DEPTH) {
     scr_cyc_push(&scr_restore_pending, obj);
     return;
@@ -483,7 +575,7 @@ static void scr_scan(void *obj, uintptr_t depth) {
  * edges were never trial-deleted, so anything it references kept that count
  * and was scan-blacked rather than whitened — the same conservatism that
  * makes restricting the walk sound in the first place. */
-static void scr_xg_pin_visit(void *child, void *ctx) {
+static SCR_CYC_COMPACT void scr_xg_pin_visit(void *child, void *ctx) {
   (void)ctx;
   if (child == NULL || SCR_RC(child) == SIZE_MAX) return;
   if (scr_cyc_hdr(child)->gen <= scr_gen_limit) return; /* markGray had it */
@@ -509,7 +601,7 @@ static void scr_xg_destroy(void *obj) {
   scr_xg_freed++;
 }
 
-static void scr_xg_release(void *obj) {
+static SCR_CYC_COMPACT void scr_xg_release(void *obj) {
   if (SCR_RC(obj) > 1) {
     SCR_RC(obj) -= 1;
     scr_cyc_on_release(obj); /* lost a reference: a possible cycle root */
@@ -522,43 +614,12 @@ static void scr_xg_release(void *obj) {
 
 /* One pass over every candidate at or below `gen_limit`; returns how many
  * objects it freed. */
-static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
-  if (scr_collecting) return 0;
-  scr_collecting = true;
-  scr_gen_limit = gen_limit;
-
-  /* markRoots: keep live candidates (still purple), drop the rest — an
-   * object re-retained since buffering is black. Drain the buffers before
-   * walking: tracing only adjusts counts and worklists, so nothing can
-   * re-buffer underneath us. Candidates ABOVE the limit keep their slots
-   * and wait for a full pass. */
-  scr_cands.n = 0;
-  for (unsigned g = 0; g <= gen_limit; g++) {
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_roots[g].n; i++) {
-      void *obj = scr_roots[g].v[i];
-      ScrCycHdr *h = scr_cyc_hdr(obj);
-      h->buffered = 0;
-      if (h->color == SCR_CYC_PURPLE)
-        scr_cyc_push(&scr_cands, obj);
-    }
-    scr_roots[g].n = 0;
-  }
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_cands.n; i++) scr_mark_gray(scr_cands.v[i], 0);
-  while (scr_pending.n) {
-    void *obj = scr_pending.v[--scr_pending.n];
-    scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->trace(obj, scr_mg_visit, NULL);
-  }
-
-  scr_white.n = 0;
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_cands.n; i++) scr_scan(scr_cands.v[i], 0);
-  while (scr_pending.n) {
-    void *obj = scr_pending.v[--scr_pending.n];
-    /* A later outside root may have restored this deferred white node and
-     * its descendants already. Never scan a black node's edges again. */
-    if (scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->color == SCR_CYC_WHITE)
-      scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->trace(obj, scr_scan_visit, NULL);
-  }
-
+/* The second half of a pass: settle the white set, promote, re-buffer,
+ * tear down and re-arm. Its loops run once per candidate or dead object and
+ * spend their time in the trace and teardown calls they make, so this half is
+ * built for size; the graph walk above it stays fully optimized. Returns how
+ * many objects the pass freed. */
+static SCR_CYC_COMPACT size_t scr_cyc_settle(unsigned gen_limit) {
   size_t dead = 0;
   for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_white.n; i++) {
     void *obj = scr_white.v[i];
@@ -573,7 +634,7 @@ static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
    * `gen` still holds the values the walk filtered on (promotion below is
    * what changes them). A full pass skips no edge, so it pins nothing. */
   scr_xgen.n = 0;
-  if (gen_limit < SCR_CYC_MATURE) {
+  if (gen_limit < SCR_CYC_OLD) {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_white.n; i++) {
       void *obj = scr_white.v[i];
       scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->trace(obj, scr_xg_pin_visit, NULL);
@@ -581,10 +642,12 @@ static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
   }
 
   /* Every phase that consults SCR_CYC_SKIP has run, so the recorded
-   * survivors can graduate now. They are externally referenced, so none of
-   * them is in the white set about to be freed. */
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_promote.n; i++)
-    scr_cyc_hdr(scr_promote.v[i])->gen = SCR_CYC_MATURE;
+   * survivors can graduate now, one generation each. They are externally
+   * referenced, so none of them is in the white set about to be freed. */
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_promote.n; i++) {
+    ScrCycHdr *h = scr_cyc_hdr(scr_promote.v[i]);
+    if (h->gen < SCR_CYC_OLD) h->gen++;
+  }
   scr_promote.n = 0;
 
   /* A restricted pass may have spared a candidate only because the edge
@@ -595,13 +658,14 @@ static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
    * root, and a dead cycle whose members all got spared that way would
    * never be walked again by any pass, full ones included. So a restricted
    * pass hands its survivors back as candidates in the generation they were
-   * just promoted into, where a full pass — which skips nothing, and so
-   * judges them on real reference counts — will settle them. A full pass
+   * just promoted into, where a later pass at that level — and in the end a
+   * full pass, which skips nothing and so judges them on real reference
+   * counts — will settle them. A full pass
    * needs none of this: it walked every edge, so rc > 0 there means a
    * genuine outside reference and Bacon-Rajan's own reasoning retires the
    * candidate. Re-buffering costs a walk, never correctness: an object that
    * is truly live gets re-blackened by the next retain and dropped then. */
-  if (gen_limit < SCR_CYC_MATURE) {
+  if (gen_limit < SCR_CYC_OLD) {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_cands.n; i++) {
       void *obj = scr_cands.v[i];
       ScrCycHdr *h = scr_cyc_hdr(obj);
@@ -640,7 +704,8 @@ static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
   scr_xgen.n = 0;
   freed += scr_xg_freed;
 
-  if (gen_limit >= SCR_CYC_MATURE) {
+  if (gen_limit >= SCR_CYC_MATURE) scr_cyc_live_after_mature = scr_cyc_live;
+  if (gen_limit >= SCR_CYC_OLD) {
     scr_cyc_live_after_full = scr_cyc_live;
     scr_cyc_scheduled_mature_age = 0;
   }
@@ -652,6 +717,46 @@ static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
   return freed;
 }
 
+static size_t scr_cyc_pass(unsigned gen_limit) {
+  if (scr_collecting) return 0;
+  scr_collecting = true;
+  scr_gen_limit = gen_limit;
+
+  /* markRoots: keep live candidates (still purple), drop the rest — an
+   * object re-retained since buffering is black. Drain the buffers before
+   * walking: tracing only adjusts counts and worklists, so nothing can
+   * re-buffer underneath us. Candidates ABOVE the limit keep their slots
+   * and wait for a pass at their own level. */
+  scr_cands.n = 0;
+  for (unsigned g = 0; g <= gen_limit; g++) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_roots[g].n; i++) {
+      void *obj = scr_roots[g].v[i];
+      ScrCycHdr *h = scr_cyc_hdr(obj);
+      h->buffered = 0;
+      if (h->color == SCR_CYC_PURPLE)
+        scr_cyc_push(&scr_cands, obj);
+    }
+    scr_roots[g].n = 0;
+  }
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_cands.n; i++) scr_mark_gray(scr_cands.v[i], 0);
+  while (scr_pending.n) {
+    void *obj = scr_pending.v[--scr_pending.n];
+    scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->trace(obj, scr_mg_visit, NULL);
+  }
+
+  scr_white.n = 0;
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_cands.n; i++) scr_scan(scr_cands.v[i], 0);
+  while (scr_pending.n) {
+    void *obj = scr_pending.v[--scr_pending.n];
+    /* A later outside root may have restored this deferred white node and
+     * its descendants already. Never scan a black node's edges again. */
+    if (scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->color == SCR_CYC_WHITE)
+      scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->trace(obj, scr_scan_visit, NULL);
+  }
+
+  return scr_cyc_settle(gen_limit);
+}
+
 void scr_collect_cycles(void) {
   /* The full pass, run to a fixpoint. A teardown's releases can drop the
    * last reference to a further cycle, so one pass does not always drain
@@ -661,8 +766,7 @@ void scr_collect_cycles(void) {
    * can have buffered anything new, so a pass that comes up empty ends
    * this; and since each repeat needs a strictly smaller live heap to
    * continue, it terminates. */
-  while (scr_cyc_pass(SCR_CYC_MATURE)
-         && (scr_roots[SCR_CYC_NURSERY].n || scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE].n)) {
+  while (scr_cyc_pass(SCR_CYC_OLD) && scr_cyc_buffered()) {
   }
 }
 
@@ -671,7 +775,7 @@ void scr_collect_cycles(void) {
 void scr_cyc_context_cleanup(void) {
   scr_collect_cycles();
   ScrVec *vectors[] = {&scr_roots[SCR_CYC_NURSERY], &scr_roots[SCR_CYC_MATURE],
-    &scr_cands, &scr_promote, &scr_pending, &scr_restore_pending, &scr_white, &scr_xgen};
+    &scr_roots[SCR_CYC_OLD], &scr_cands, &scr_promote, &scr_pending, &scr_restore_pending, &scr_white, &scr_xgen};
   for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof vectors / sizeof vectors[0]; i++) {
     free(vectors[i]->v);
     *vectors[i] = (ScrVec){0};
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.test.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.test.c
index 4ac36de62..4887489f3 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.test.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.test.c
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@ static void shared_property_keys(void) {
 static void checked_leaf_cycles(void) {
   /* Object properties omit primitives from trial deletion, while arrays and
    * captured unknown values still trace them. Exercise shared leaves through
-   * both edge kinds, with and without an external owner, in either generation. */
-  for (int old = 0; old < 2; old++) {
+   * both edge kinds, with and without an external owner, in every generation. */
+  for (uint16_t gen = SCR_CYC_NURSERY; gen < SCR_CYC_NGENS; gen++) {
     for (int external = 0; external < 2; external++) {
 #ifdef SCR_RC_AUDIT
       long before_dyns = scr_dyn_live_count();
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ static void checked_leaf_cycles(void) {
       ScrStr *text = scr_str_new("survives either edge", 20);
       ScrDyn *leaf = scr_dyn_new_str(text);
       scr_str_release(text);
-      if (old) scr_cyc_hdr(leaf)->gen = SCR_CYC_MATURE;
+      scr_cyc_hdr(leaf)->gen = gen;
       ScrDyn *first = scr_dyn_new_obj(), *second = scr_dyn_new_obj();
       ScrDyn *array = scr_dyn_new_arr();
       ScrClosure *closure = scr_closure_new(NULL, 1);
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h b/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h
index 789c507be..aa879c10b 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h
@@ -336,12 +336,13 @@ char **scr_worker_argv(void);
  * scan: restore externally-referenced subgraphs; gather: free the
  * dead cycle members, releasing only edges that LEAVE the white set).
  * It is GENERATIONAL: each header carries a generation, a pass names the
- * oldest one it will walk, and objects that survive a pass are promoted out
- * of the nursery so later nursery passes never re-walk them. That is what
- * keeps a pass proportional to recent allocation rather than to the whole
- * live heap — see the generation note in scr_cycle.c for the soundness
- * argument and the schedule. Collection points: program exit (before the RC
- * audit), event-loop quiescence, and the per-generation triggers.
+ * oldest one it will walk, and objects that survive a pass are promoted one
+ * generation (nursery, mature, old) so later restricted passes never re-walk
+ * them. That is what keeps a pass proportional to recent allocation rather
+ * than to the whole live heap — see the generation note in scr_cycle.c for
+ * the soundness argument and the schedule. Collection points: program
+ * exit (before the RC audit), event-loop quiescence, and the per-generation
+ * triggers.
  * SCR_CYCLE_THRESHOLD pins the nursery trigger to a fixed candidate count.
  * There is no concurrent or incremental collection.
  *
@@ -367,8 +368,9 @@ enum {
 };
 
 /* Generations. A candidate sits in the buffer named by its own `gen`, and a
- * pass walks only objects at or below the generation it collects. */
-enum { SCR_CYC_NURSERY = 0, SCR_CYC_MATURE = 1, SCR_CYC_NGENS = 2 };
+ * pass walks only objects at or below the generation it collects; a pass at
+ * SCR_CYC_OLD is a full pass. */
+enum { SCR_CYC_NURSERY = 0, SCR_CYC_MATURE = 1, SCR_CYC_OLD = 2, SCR_CYC_NGENS = 3 };
 
 typedef struct ScrCycHdr {
   ScrTraceFn trace;
@@ -380,7 +382,7 @@ typedef struct ScrCycHdr {
 #endif
   uint32_t color;    /* SCR_CYC_* */
   uint16_t buffered; /* 1 = sitting in its generation's candidate buffer */
-  uint16_t gen;      /* SCR_CYC_NURSERY..SCR_CYC_MATURE (the walk filter) */
+  uint16_t gen;      /* SCR_CYC_NURSERY..SCR_CYC_OLD (the walk filter) */
   size_t buf_index;  /* position there (O(1) removal when rc hits 0) */
 } ScrCycHdr;
 
@@ -400,6 +402,8 @@ typedef struct ScrCycHdr {
 _Static_assert(sizeof(ScrCycHdr) == 32, "LLVM backend expects a 32-byte cycle header");
 _Static_assert(offsetof(ScrCycHdr, color) == 16,
                "LLVM backend's inlined mark-live stores i32 0 at obj-16");
+_Static_assert(offsetof(ScrCycHdr, gen) == 22,
+               "LLVM backend's inline free reads the generation at header+22");
 #elif UINTPTR_MAX == UINT32_MAX
 _Static_assert(sizeof(ScrCycHdr) == 24, "wasm32 cycle payloads require an aligned 24-byte header");
 _Static_assert(offsetof(ScrCycHdr, color) == 12,
@@ -561,6 +565,7 @@ static inline void scr_mem_free(void *p) { free(p); }
  * count, block. Every other header word starts zero (SCR_CYC_BLACK,
  * SCR_CYC_NURSERY, unbuffered). */
 extern SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_live;
+extern SCR_TL size_t scr_cyc_old_freed;
 extern SCR_TL void (*scr_weak_dispose_hook)(void *);
 static inline void *scr_cyc_alloc_inline(size_t size, ScrTraceFn trace, ScrCycFreeFn free_fn) {
   if (size > SIZE_MAX - sizeof(ScrCycHdr)) scr_trap("scriptc: out of memory\n");
@@ -574,9 +579,12 @@ static inline void *scr_cyc_alloc_inline(size_t size, ScrTraceFn trace, ScrCycFr
 static inline void scr_cyc_free_inline(void *obj) {
   if (scr_weak_dispose_hook) scr_weak_dispose_hook(obj);
   scr_cyc_live--;
+  if (scr_cyc_hdr(obj)->gen == SCR_CYC_OLD) scr_cyc_old_freed++;
   scr_mem_free(scr_cyc_hdr(obj));
 }
 _Static_assert(SCR_CYC_NURSERY == 0, "zeroed cycle headers start in the nursery");
+_Static_assert(sizeof(((ScrCycHdr *)0)->gen) == 2 && SCR_CYC_OLD == 2,
+               "LLVM backend's inline free compares an i16 generation against 2");
 
 /* Dispose an object whose reference count already reached zero. The caller
  * removes its cycle candidate first. Nested disposals keep bounded stack
diff --git a/packages/runtime/test/test_cycle.c b/packages/runtime/test/test_cycle.c
index aaa116924..190d79e11 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/test/test_cycle.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/test/test_cycle.c
@@ -244,6 +244,107 @@ static void check_unproductive_backlog_backs_off(void) {
   }
 }
 
+/* Survive two passes: nursery to mature, then mature to old. */
+static void age_to_old(Node *node) {
+  for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+    read_live(node);
+    scr_collect_cycles();
+  }
+  check(scr_cyc_hdr(node)->gen == SCR_CYC_OLD, "survivor did not reach the old generation");
+}
+
+/* Fresh live leaves, each released once so the release path keeps running
+ * its passes, until `target` objects have been freed or `limit` leaves have
+ * been made. Returns how many it made. */
+static size_t grow_until(Node **keep, size_t limit, size_t target) {
+  size_t n = 0;
+  while (freed < target && n < limit) {
+    keep[n] = make_leaf();
+    read_live(keep[n]);
+    n++;
+  }
+  return n;
+}
+
+static void drop_leaves(Node **keep, size_t n) {
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+    keep[i]->rc--;
+    scr_cyc_on_dead(keep[i]);
+    node_free(keep[i]);
+  }
+}
+
+/* A dead cycle that has aged into the old generation is reachable only by a
+ * full pass. While the heap grows with live data, full passes find nothing
+ * and back off, but the dead cycle must still be reclaimed before the heap
+ * has grown by half past its size after the last full pass. Runs first, so
+ * the live heap is below the growth floor and that bound is known. */
+static void check_old_garbage_reclaimed_while_growing(void) {
+  enum { RING = 64, FLOOR = 4096, LIMIT = 4 * FLOOR };
+  static Node *keep[LIMIT];
+  size_t before = freed;
+  Node *ring = make_ring(RING);
+  age_to_old(ring);
+  release_live(ring); /* last outside owner gone: a dead old cycle */
+  size_t grown = grow_until(keep, LIMIT, before + RING);
+  check(freed == before + RING, "dead old cycle was never reclaimed while the heap grew");
+  check(grown <= FLOOR + FLOOR / 2, "dead old cycle outlived the growth bound");
+  drop_leaves(keep, grown);
+  scr_collect_cycles();
+}
+
+/* Dead rings that survived at least one pass, each holding a traced edge
+ * into an old ring: whichever level reclaims them must pay those edges off,
+ * and must do so without an explicit sweep. */
+static void check_older_rings_into_old(void) {
+  enum { OLD_RING = 2048, RING = 8, RINGS = 1024, LIMIT = 4 * (OLD_RING + RING * RINGS) };
+  static Node *keep[LIMIT];
+  Node *old = make_ring(OLD_RING);
+  age_to_old(old);
+  size_t before = freed;
+  Node *rings[RINGS];
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < RINGS; i++) {
+    rings[i] = make_ring(RING);
+    rings[i]->other = old;
+    old->rc++;
+    read_live(rings[i]);
+  }
+  scr_cyc_collect_scheduled(); /* every ring survives at least one pass */
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < RINGS; i++) {
+    check(scr_cyc_hdr(rings[i])->gen != SCR_CYC_NURSERY, "ring was not promoted");
+    release_live(rings[i]);
+  }
+  size_t grown = grow_until(keep, LIMIT, before + RINGS * RING);
+  check(freed == before + RINGS * RING, "dead older rings were never reclaimed");
+  check(old->rc == 2, "edges into the old generation were not paid off");
+  drop_leaves(keep, grown);
+  release_live(old);
+  scr_collect_cycles();
+}
+
+/* A dead cycle spanning the mature and old generations is spared by mature
+ * passes; promotion and re-buffering must still hand it to a full pass. */
+static void check_cycle_spanning_mature_and_old(void) {
+  enum { LIMIT = 4 * 4096 };
+  static Node *keep[LIMIT];
+  Node *old = make_ring(4);
+  age_to_old(old);
+  Node *young = make_ring(4);
+  young->other = old;
+  old->rc++;
+  old->other = young;
+  young->rc++;
+  read_live(young);
+  scr_cyc_collect_scheduled(); /* young survives a pass and is promoted */
+  size_t before = freed;
+  release_live(old);
+  release_live(young); /* only the cycle's own edges remain */
+  size_t grown = grow_until(keep, LIMIT, before + 8);
+  check(freed == before + 8, "cycle spanning generations was never reclaimed");
+  drop_leaves(keep, grown);
+  scr_collect_cycles();
+}
+
 static void check_deep_ring(void) {
   enum { DEPTH = 100000 };
   size_t before = freed;
@@ -415,6 +516,9 @@ static void check_deferred_white_restoration(void) {
 }
 
 int main(void) {
+  check_old_garbage_reclaimed_while_growing();
+  check_older_rings_into_old();
+  check_cycle_spanning_mature_and_old();
   check_unproductive_backlog_backs_off();
   check_sparse_mature_backlog(1);
   check_sparse_mature_backlog(2);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4045-optional-element-projections.ts b/tests/corpus/4045-optional-element-projections.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22740d755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4045-optional-element-projections.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+// Element reads of class arrays compared, tested, and chained directly.
+// Holes, explicit undefined, out-of-range indices, operand order, and
+// mutation during later operands keep JavaScript's results.
+class Part {
+  readonly label: string;
+  weight: number;
+  constructor(label: string, weight: number) {
+    this.label = label;
+    this.weight = weight;
+  }
+  heavier(limit: number): boolean {
+    return this.weight > limit;
+  }
+}
+
+const bolt = new Part("bolt", 2);
+const gear = new Part("gear", 7);
+const nut = new Part("nut", 1);
+const parts: Part[] = [bolt, gear, nut];
+const order = [2, 0, 1, 5, -1, 1.5];
+
+function positions(list: Part[], probe: Part): string {
+  const found: string[] = [];
+  for (let j = 0; j < order.length; j++) {
+    if (list[order[j]] === probe) found.push(`same@${j}`);
+    if (list[order[j]] !== probe) found.push(`diff@${j}`);
+    if (list[order[j]] === undefined) found.push(`missing@${j}`);
+  }
+  return found.join(" ");
+}
+console.log(positions(parts, gear));
+
+function weights(list: Part[]): string {
+  const out: string[] = [];
+  for (let j = 0; j < order.length; j++) {
+    out.push(String(list[order[j]]?.weight ?? "none"));
+    out.push(list[order[j]]?.label ?? "-");
+  }
+  return out.join(",");
+}
+console.log(weights(parts));
+
+function looped(list: Part[], probe: Part): number {
+  let hits = 0;
+  for (let i = 0; i < list.length; i++) {
+    const item = list[i];
+    if (item === probe) hits += 10;
+    if (item !== undefined && item.heavier(1)) hits++;
+    if (!item) hits += 100;
+  }
+  return hits;
+}
+console.log(looped(parts, bolt));
+
+// Holes and explicit undefined values stored behind a bare element type.
+const sparse: Part[] = [bolt];
+sparse[3] = nut;
+const unknownSlot: Part[] = [];
+sparse[2] = unknownSlot[9];
+console.log(sparse.length, looped(sparse, nut), 1 in sparse, 2 in sparse);
+console.log(sparse[1] === sparse[2], sparse[1] === undefined, sparse[2] === undefined);
+console.log(sparse[1]?.label ?? "hole", sparse[2]?.label ?? "explicit");
+
+// The left operand is read before the right operand mutates the array.
+const queue: Part[] = [bolt, gear];
+console.log(queue[0] === queue.shift(), queue.length);
+console.log(queue[0] === (queue[0] = nut), queue[0].label);
+let reads = 0;
+function at(list: Part[], index: number): number {
+  reads++;
+  return index;
+}
+console.log(parts[at(parts, 1)] === parts[at(parts, 1)], reads);
+console.log(parts[at(parts, 9)] === parts[at(parts, 8)], reads);
+
+// Reads inside callbacks and nested functions use the same rules.
+const probes = [bolt, nut, new Part("bolt", 2)];
+const matches = probes.map((probe) => {
+  let count = 0;
+  for (let i = 0; i <= parts.length; i++) {
+    const item = parts[i];
+    if (item === probe) count++;
+    count += item?.weight ?? 0;
+  }
+  return count;
+});
+console.log(matches.join(" "));
+
+// Failed member reads still throw Node's TypeError.
+try {
+  const shelf: Part[] = [bolt];
+  console.log(shelf[order[3]].heavier(0));
+} catch (error) {
+  console.log((error as Error).name, (error as Error).message);
+}
+
+// Identity survives repeated reads, and a mutated element is observed.
+const first = parts[0];
+parts[0].weight = 11;
+console.log(first === parts[0], first.weight, parts[0] === bolt, parts.indexOf(bolt));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4046-captured-parameter-values.ts b/tests/corpus/4046-captured-parameter-values.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d6afe997
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4046-captured-parameter-values.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+// Parameters captured by nested functions but never rebound. Closures see
+// the entry value and later changes to the referenced object, on early
+// returns, escaping callbacks, loops, nesting, and exceptions.
+interface Filter {
+  key: number;
+  skip: boolean;
+  label: string;
+}
+const values = [3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6];
+
+function matching(filter: Filter): number {
+  if (filter.skip) return -1;
+  return values.filter((value) => value % 3 === filter.key).length;
+}
+console.log(matching({ key: 1, skip: false, label: "a" }), matching({ key: 0, skip: true, label: "b" }));
+
+function makeReaders(filter: Filter, scale: number, tag: string, enabled: boolean): (() => string)[] {
+  const readers: (() => string)[] = [];
+  if (!enabled) return readers;
+  for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+    readers.push(() => `${tag}:${filter.label}:${filter.key * scale + i}`);
+  }
+  readers.push(() => (enabled ? tag.toUpperCase() : "off"));
+  return readers;
+}
+const shared: Filter = { key: 2, skip: false, label: "first" };
+const readers = makeReaders(shared, 10, "r", true);
+shared.label = "renamed";
+shared.key = 5;
+console.log(readers.map((read) => read()).join(" "), makeReaders(shared, 1, "x", false).length);
+
+function nested(base: number, word: string): () => () => string {
+  return () => {
+    const inner = () => `${word}${base}`;
+    return inner;
+  };
+}
+const outer = nested(7, "n");
+console.log(outer()(), outer()(), nested(1, "m")()());
+
+function guarded(limit: number, items: number[]): number {
+  if (items.length === 0) throw new Error(`empty for ${limit}`);
+  const picked = items.filter((item) => item < limit);
+  if (picked.length === 0) throw new Error(`none below ${limit}`);
+  return picked.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item + limit, 0);
+}
+for (const input of [[], [8, 9], [1, 2, 9]]) {
+  try {
+    console.log(guarded(5, input));
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.log("caught", (error as Error).message);
+  }
+}
+
+function throwsInside(code: string): string {
+  try {
+    [1, 2].forEach((n) => {
+      if (n === 2) throw new Error(`${code}-${n}`);
+    });
+    return "unreachable";
+  } catch (error) {
+    return `${(error as Error).message} ${code}`;
+  }
+}
+console.log(throwsInside("q"));
+
+// Recursive and repeated creation keeps each call's own value.
+function countdown(n: number): string[] {
+  if (n === 0) return [];
+  const here = () => `step${n}`;
+  return [here(), ...countdown(n - 1), here()];
+}
+console.log(countdown(3).join(","));
+
+class Counter {
+  total = 0;
+  addAll(amount: number, times: number): number {
+    const add = () => {
+      this.total += amount;
+    };
+    for (let i = 0; i < times; i++) add();
+    return this.total;
+  }
+}
+const counter = new Counter();
+console.log(counter.addAll(2, 3), counter.addAll(5, 1));
+
+function delayed(message: string, order: string[]): Promise<void> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      order.push(message);
+      resolve();
+    }, 0);
+  });
+}
+const order: string[] = [];
+Promise.all([delayed("later", order), delayed("last", order)]).then(() => console.log(order.join(" ")));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4047-captured-parameter-rebinding.ts b/tests/corpus/4047-captured-parameter-rebinding.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..529381dc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4047-captured-parameter-rebinding.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+// Captured parameters that are rebound anywhere keep one shared binding:
+// the body, nested closures, compound and destructuring assignments, and
+// loop headers all update the value every closure observes.
+function reassignedAfter(count: number): () => number {
+  const read = () => count;
+  count = count * 2;
+  return read;
+}
+console.log(reassignedAfter(4)());
+
+function reassignedInside(start: number): [() => number, () => void] {
+  return [() => start, () => {
+    start += 10;
+  }];
+}
+const [get, bump] = reassignedInside(1);
+bump();
+bump();
+console.log(get());
+
+function deeplyReassigned(name: string): () => string {
+  const outer = () => {
+    const inner = () => {
+      name = name + "!";
+    };
+    inner();
+    return name;
+  };
+  outer();
+  return () => name;
+}
+console.log(deeplyReassigned("hey")());
+
+function compound(total: number, flag: boolean, text: string): () => string {
+  const show = () => `${total}/${flag}/${text}`;
+  total++;
+  total -= 3;
+  flag = !flag;
+  text ??= "unused";
+  text += "+";
+  return show;
+}
+console.log(compound(10, false, "t")());
+
+function destructured(left: number, right: number): () => string {
+  const show = () => `${left},${right}`;
+  [left, right] = [right, left];
+  ({ value: left } = { value: left * 100 });
+  return show;
+}
+console.log(destructured(1, 2)());
+
+function loopTarget(item: string, list: string[]): () => string {
+  const show = () => item;
+  for (item of list) {
+    if (item === "stop") break;
+  }
+  return show;
+}
+console.log(loopTarget("none", ["a", "stop", "b"])());
+
+function conditional(level: number, raise: boolean): (() => number)[] {
+  const before = () => level;
+  if (raise) level = level + 1;
+  const after = () => level * 10;
+  return [before, after];
+}
+console.log(conditional(1, true).map((f) => f()), conditional(1, false).map((f) => f()));
+
+function defaulted(size = 3, unit = "cm"): () => string {
+  return () => `${size}${unit}`;
+}
+console.log(defaulted()(), defaulted(5)(), defaulted(undefined, "mm")());
+
+function earlyAndLate(value: number, early: boolean): () => number {
+  if (early) return () => value;
+  const read = () => value;
+  value = -value;
+  return read;
+}
+console.log(earlyAndLate(3, true)(), earlyAndLate(3, false)());
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/inventory.ts b/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/inventory.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7f881293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/inventory.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { summary } from "./report.ts";
+
+export class Inventory {
+  items: Map<string, number> = new Map();
+  add(name: string, qty: number): void {
+    this.items.set(name, (this.items.get(name) ?? 0) + qty);
+  }
+  count(): number {
+    let total = 0;
+    for (const qty of this.items.values()) total += qty;
+    return total;
+  }
+}
+
+export const stock = new Inventory();
+stock.add("nut", 10);
+console.log("inventory ready:", summary());
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6bfcbde7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// A shared instance exported from one member of an import cycle and read
+// through a function of the other member. inventory.ts evaluates after
+// report.ts, so report's function only runs once `stock` initialized.
+import { stock } from "./inventory.ts";
+import { summary } from "./report.ts";
+
+stock.add("bolt", 4);
+console.log(summary());
+console.log(stock.count());
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/report.ts b/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/report.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2645ddaaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4060-cycle-shared-instance/report.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import { stock } from "./inventory.ts";
+
+export function summary(): string {
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+  for (const [name, qty] of stock.items) parts.push(`${name}=${qty}`);
+  return parts.join(", ") + ` (total ${stock.count()})`;
+}
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/east.ts b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/east.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6dcb43b5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/east.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import { south } from "./south.ts";
+
+export function east(n: number): string {
+  return n <= 0 ? "E" : "e" + south(n - 1);
+}
+console.log("east body", east(1));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f23a87135
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// Side effects across a three-module cycle run in ES evaluation order:
+// the depth-first walk from main reaches north → east → south, and south's
+// import of north is answered from the module cache, so the bodies run
+// south, east, north, then main. Each body calls into the others.
+import { north, log } from "./north.ts";
+
+log("main body");
+console.log(north(3));
+console.log(log("done"));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/north.ts b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/north.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..70d5e64e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/north.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { east } from "./east.ts";
+
+const lines: string[] = [];
+export function log(line: string): number {
+  lines.push(line);
+  console.log(`[${lines.length}] ${line}`);
+  return lines.length;
+}
+export function north(n: number): string {
+  return n <= 0 ? "N" : "n" + east(n - 1);
+}
+log("north body " + east(2));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/south.ts b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/south.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3cc4bed0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4061-cycle-evaluation-order/south.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import { north } from "./north.ts";
+
+export function south(n: number): string {
+  return n <= 0 ? "S" : "s" + north(n - 1);
+}
+console.log("south body", south(0), typeof north);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/limits.ts b/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/limits.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..058006e64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/limits.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { probe, spend, clear } from "./probe.ts";
+
+console.log("before:", probe());
+console.log("spend before:", spend(1));
+console.log("clear before:", clear());
+export const limit: number = 8;
+export let used = 0;
+export function record(n: number): void {
+  used += n;
+}
+export function reset(): void {
+  used = 0;
+}
+console.log("after:", probe());
+console.log("spend after:", spend(3));
+export { probe };
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d41057700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// Reading or writing a let/const binding of an import cycle before its
+// declaration ran throws ReferenceError, exactly as Node reports it; the
+// same reads succeed once the declaration ran.
+import { limit, used, probe } from "./limits.ts";
+
+console.log("main", limit, used, probe());
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/probe.ts b/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/probe.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58bf50b13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4062-cycle-tdz-read/probe.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { limit, used, record, reset } from "./limits.ts";
+
+export function probe(): string {
+  try {
+    return `${used}/${limit}`;
+  } catch (e) {
+    const err = e as Error;
+    return `${err.name}: ${err.message} (${e instanceof ReferenceError})`;
+  }
+}
+
+export function spend(n: number): string {
+  try {
+    record(n);
+    return "ok " + used;
+  } catch (e) {
+    return (e as Error).message;
+  }
+}
+
+export function clear(): string {
+  try {
+    reset();
+    return "cleared";
+  } catch (e) {
+    return (e as Error).name;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/even.ts b/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/even.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c360f631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/even.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { isOdd } from "./odd.ts";
+
+export function isEven(n: number): boolean {
+  return n === 0 ? true : isOdd(n - 1);
+}
+export function parity(n: number): string {
+  return `${n} is ${labels[isEven(n) ? 0 : 1]}`;
+}
+console.log("even body", isEven(4), isOdd(4));
+const labels = ["even", "odd"];
+console.log("even ready", parity(2));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0665d9ad6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// Function declarations of an import cycle are initialized before any
+// module body runs: each member's top level calls functions of the other
+// member while the cycle is still evaluating, including mutual recursion.
+import { isEven, parity } from "./even.ts";
+import { isOdd } from "./odd.ts";
+
+console.log(isEven(10), isOdd(7), isEven(3));
+console.log(parity(5), parity(8));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/odd.ts b/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/odd.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc6b04f09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4063-cycle-hoisted-calls/odd.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import { isEven } from "./even.ts";
+
+export function isOdd(n: number): boolean {
+  return n === 0 ? false : isEven(n - 1);
+}
+console.log("odd body", typeof isEven, isOdd(1));
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/item.ts b/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/item.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85d513195
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/item.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { Shelf } from "./shelf.ts";
+
+export class Item {
+  static created = 0;
+  readonly name: string;
+  readonly shelf: Shelf | null;
+  constructor(name: string, shelf: Shelf | null) {
+    this.name = name;
+    this.shelf = shelf;
+    Item.created++;
+  }
+  placed(): string {
+    return this.shelf instanceof Shelf ? `${this.name}@${this.shelf.label}` : `${this.name}@none`;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..53ea37c77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// Classes of two cycle members reference each other (construction,
+// instanceof, statics) from method bodies that run after both class
+// declarations evaluated; a shared default instance is built at load.
+import { Shelf, defaultShelf } from "./shelf.ts";
+import { Item } from "./item.ts";
+
+const shelf = new Shelf("garage");
+shelf.add("rake");
+shelf.add("hose");
+console.log(shelf.describe());
+console.log(defaultShelf.describe());
+console.log(new Item("loose", null).placed(), Item.created, Shelf.count);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/shelf.ts b/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/shelf.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9dceeefad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4064-cycle-classes-after-init/shelf.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { Item } from "./item.ts";
+
+export class Shelf {
+  static count = 0;
+  items: Item[] = [];
+  readonly label: string;
+  constructor(label: string) {
+    this.label = label;
+    Shelf.count++;
+  }
+  add(name: string): Item {
+    const item = new Item(name, this);
+    this.items.push(item);
+    return item;
+  }
+  describe(): string {
+    return `${this.label}: ${this.items.map((i) => i.placed()).join(", ")}`;
+  }
+}
+
+export const defaultShelf = new Shelf("default");
+defaultShelf.add("box");
+console.log("shelf ready", Item.created);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/ledger.ts b/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/ledger.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..353991f16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/ledger.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import { validate } from "./rules.ts";
+
+console.log("ledger body");
+export const total: number = validate([3, 4, -1]);
+console.log("ledger never finishes", total);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8a018d78d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// @exit: 1
+// A module body of an import cycle throws during initialization: the
+// error propagates out of the whole graph, so the rest of the throwing
+// body, its importers and main never run (stdout and exit code match).
+import { total } from "./ledger.ts";
+
+console.log("main never runs", total);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/rules.ts b/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/rules.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..35dc3ffdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4065-cycle-init-throws/rules.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { total } from "./ledger.ts";
+
+console.log("rules body");
+export function validate(entries: number[]): number {
+  let sum = 0;
+  for (const e of entries) {
+    if (e < 0) throw new RangeError(`negative entry ${e}`);
+    sum += e;
+  }
+  return sum + total;
+}
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/frame.ts b/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/frame.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9851dc49d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/frame.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import { margin } from "./margin.ts";
+
+console.log("frame body");
+export const width: number = margin * 2;
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..10524674c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// @exit: 1
+// A cycle member's top level reads a const of the module that imported
+// it before that module's body ran: Node throws an uncaught
+// ReferenceError there, after the earlier output.
+import { width } from "./frame.ts";
+
+console.log("main never runs", width);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/margin.ts b/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/margin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..284302865
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4066-cycle-top-level-tdz/margin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import { width } from "./frame.ts";
+
+console.log("margin body");
+export const margin: number = width / 10;
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts b/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts
similarity index 55%
rename from tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts
rename to tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts
index 93bc98ee1..6e666f7bb 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts
+++ b/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@ import { b } from "./b.ts";
 
 export const a: string = "A";
 
-export function useB(): string {
-  return b;
+export function label(): string {
+  return a + b;
 }
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts b/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts
similarity index 73%
rename from tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts
rename to tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts
index 0aac23620..55ff41170 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts
+++ b/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 import { a } from "./a.ts";
 
+console.log("b body");
 export const b: string = a + "B";
diff --git a/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts b/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ba01e112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/4067-dynamic-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// @dynamic
+// import() of a module whose cycle partner reads a const of it at top
+// level: the partner evaluates first, its read throws ReferenceError, and
+// the import() promise rejects with that error.
+async function main(): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    const ns = await import("./a.ts");
+    console.log("loaded", ns.label());
+  } catch (e) {
+    const err = e as Error;
+    console.log("rejected:", err.name, err.message);
+  }
+}
+main();
diff --git a/tests/corpus/cycle-generations-long-lived.ts b/tests/corpus/cycle-generations-long-lived.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08afe7af7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/cycle-generations-long-lived.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+// Long-lived cyclic structures next to garbage of every age.
+//
+// Warehouses keep bins with parent back-pointers and a name index for the
+// whole run. Each restock builds scratch pick lists (doubly linked, pointing
+// into the bins) that live through many collector passes before they are
+// dropped, and every few rounds a whole warehouse is retired after it has
+// been live for a long time. Every dead structure must be reclaimed without
+// touching the live ones: the sanitized lane's RC audit checks that nothing
+// is left over at exit, and the checksums check that nothing live was freed.
+class Bin {
+  label: string;
+  parent: Bin | null = null;
+  children: Bin[] = [];
+  stock: number;
+  constructor(label: string, stock: number) {
+    this.label = label;
+    this.stock = stock;
+  }
+}
+
+class Warehouse {
+  name: string;
+  root: Bin;
+  index: Map<string, Bin> = new Map();
+  constructor(name: string) {
+    this.name = name;
+    this.root = new Bin(`${name}/root`, 0);
+    this.index.set(this.root.label, this.root);
+  }
+  add(parent: Bin, label: string, stock: number): Bin {
+    const bin = new Bin(`${this.name}/${label}`, stock);
+    bin.parent = parent;
+    parent.children.push(bin);
+    this.index.set(bin.label, bin);
+    return bin;
+  }
+}
+
+class Pick {
+  bin: Bin;
+  qty: number;
+  prev: Pick | null = null;
+  next: Pick | null = null;
+  constructor(bin: Bin, qty: number) {
+    this.bin = bin;
+    this.qty = qty;
+  }
+}
+
+function stockWarehouse(name: string, bins: number): Warehouse {
+  const w = new Warehouse(name);
+  const all: Bin[] = [w.root];
+  for (let i = 1; i < bins; i++) all.push(w.add(all[(i - 1) >> 2], `b${i}`, (i * 7) % 13));
+  return w;
+}
+
+function pickList(w: Warehouse, round: number, length: number): Pick | null {
+  let head: Pick | null = null;
+  let tail: Pick | null = null;
+  for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
+    const bin = w.index.get(`${w.name}/b${1 + ((i * 31 + round) % (w.index.size - 1))}`);
+    if (bin === undefined) continue;
+    const p = new Pick(bin, 1 + (i % 3));
+    if (tail === null) head = p;
+    else {
+      tail.next = p;
+      p.prev = tail;
+    }
+    tail = p;
+  }
+  return head;
+}
+
+function depth(bin: Bin): number {
+  let d = 0;
+  for (let b: Bin | null = bin.parent; b !== null; b = b.parent) d++;
+  return d;
+}
+
+const warehouses: Warehouse[] = [];
+for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) warehouses.push(stockWarehouse(`w${i}`, 1500));
+
+let pending: (Pick | null)[] = [];
+let picked = 0;
+let retired = 0;
+for (let round = 0; round < 24; round++) {
+  const w = warehouses[round % warehouses.length];
+  pending.push(pickList(w, round, 400));
+  // Lists wait a few rounds before they are fulfilled and dropped.
+  if (pending.length > 3) {
+    for (const head of pending) {
+      for (let p = head; p !== null; p = p.next) picked += p.qty * (1 + depth(p.bin));
+    }
+    pending = [];
+  }
+  // Retire the oldest warehouse every eight rounds and open a fresh one.
+  if (round % 8 === 7) {
+    const gone = warehouses.shift();
+    if (gone !== undefined) retired += gone.index.size;
+    warehouses.push(stockWarehouse(`w${4 + round}`, 1500));
+  }
+}
+
+let bins = 0;
+let stock = 0;
+for (const w of warehouses) {
+  bins += w.index.size;
+  for (const bin of w.index.values()) {
+    stock += bin.stock;
+    if (bin.parent !== null && !bin.parent.children.includes(bin)) console.log("broken link", bin.label);
+  }
+}
+console.log(`warehouses ${warehouses.map((w) => w.name).join(",")}`);
+console.log(`bins ${bins} stock ${stock} retired ${retired}`);
+console.log(`picked ${picked} pending ${pending.length}`);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/iterator-typed-returns.ts b/tests/corpus/iterator-typed-returns.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ccdd85e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/iterator-typed-returns.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+// Map, Set and array iterators returned through methods annotated
+// IterableIterator<T> or Iterator<T>, forwarded through further methods
+// and functions, and stored in variables. Iteration stays lazy and live:
+// entries added while a loop runs are visited, and an exhausted iterator
+// stays exhausted.
+
+interface Slot {
+  n: number;
+}
+
+class Inventory {
+  private readonly counts = new Map<string, number>();
+  private readonly tags = new Set<string>();
+  readonly slots = new Map<string, Slot>();
+  readonly history: string[] = [];
+  add(name: string, n: number): void {
+    this.counts.set(name, n);
+    this.tags.add(name.toUpperCase());
+    this.history.push(name);
+  }
+  entries(): IterableIterator<[string, number]> {
+    return this.counts.entries();
+  }
+  names(): IterableIterator<string> {
+    return this.counts.keys();
+  }
+  amounts(): Iterator<number> {
+    return this.counts.values();
+  }
+  tagList(): IterableIterator<string> {
+    return this.tags.values();
+  }
+  recent(): IterableIterator<string> {
+    return this.history.values();
+  }
+  positions(): IterableIterator<[number, string]> {
+    return this.history.entries();
+  }
+  slotEntries(): IterableIterator<[string, Slot]> {
+    return this.slots.entries();
+  }
+}
+
+class Store {
+  readonly stock = new Inventory();
+  entries(): IterableIterator<[string, number]> {
+    return this.stock.entries();
+  }
+}
+
+function forward(store: Store): IterableIterator<[string, number]> {
+  return store.entries();
+}
+
+function* steps(): Generator<number, void, undefined> {
+  yield 1;
+  yield 2;
+}
+function stepsAsIterator(): IterableIterator<number> {
+  return steps();
+}
+
+const store = new Store();
+store.stock.add("bolt", 3);
+store.stock.add("nut", 5);
+
+for (const [name, n] of forward(store)) console.log("entry", name, n);
+
+let grew = false;
+for (const name of store.stock.names()) {
+  console.log("name", name);
+  if (!grew) {
+    store.stock.add("washer", 9);
+    grew = true;
+  }
+}
+
+const amounts = store.stock.amounts();
+let step = amounts.next();
+while (!step.done) {
+  console.log("amount", step.value);
+  step = amounts.next();
+}
+console.log("after", amounts.next().done);
+
+const stored: IterableIterator<[string, number]> = store.entries();
+for (const [name] of stored) {
+  console.log("first only", name);
+  break;
+}
+for (const [name] of stored) console.log("rest", name);
+
+console.log("spread", [...store.stock.tagList()]);
+console.log("from", Array.from(store.stock.names()));
+console.log("positions", [...store.stock.positions()]);
+
+let total = 0;
+for (const v of store.stock.recent()) {
+  total += v.length;
+  if (v === "bolt") store.stock.history.push("pin");
+}
+console.log("total", total, store.stock.history.length);
+
+store.stock.slots.set("a", { n: 1 });
+for (const [, slot] of store.stock.slotEntries()) slot.n += 10;
+console.log("slot", store.stock.slots.get("a")!.n);
+
+const counted = stepsAsIterator();
+console.log("generator", counted.next().value, [...counted]);
+
+const empty = new Inventory();
+console.log("empty", [...empty.entries()], empty.amounts().next().done);
+
+// Leaving a loop early closes a generator (its finally block runs) but
+// leaves a native iterator open, so a later loop resumes where it stopped.
+function* guarded(): Generator<number, void, undefined> {
+  try {
+    yield 1;
+    yield 2;
+    yield 3;
+  } finally {
+    console.log("guarded closed");
+  }
+}
+function guardedSteps(): IterableIterator<number> {
+  return guarded();
+}
+const closing = guardedSteps();
+for (const n of closing) {
+  console.log("guarded", n);
+  if (n === 2) break;
+}
+console.log("guarded after", closing.next().done);
+
+const resumable = store.entries();
+for (const [name] of resumable) {
+  console.log("before throw", name);
+  break;
+}
+try {
+  for (const [name] of resumable) {
+    console.log("throwing at", name);
+    throw new Error("stop");
+  }
+} catch (e) {
+  if (e instanceof Error) console.log("caught", e.message);
+}
+for (const [name] of resumable) console.log("resumed", name);
diff --git a/tests/corpus/never-returning-calls.ts b/tests/corpus/never-returning-calls.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2bf90cf92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/never-returning-calls.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// A call to a function returning `never` can stand wherever a value is
+// expected: it still runs (and throws), and the surrounding expression
+// never needs its value. Each case runs both its normal path and its
+// throwing path.
+
+class Point {
+  x: number;
+  constructor(x: number) {
+    this.x = x;
+  }
+}
+
+function fail(message: string): never {
+  throw new Error(message);
+}
+function rangeFail(): never {
+  throw new RangeError("out of range");
+}
+
+function lengthOf(text: string): number {
+  if (text.length > 0) return text.length;
+  return fail("empty input");
+}
+function checked(text: string): number {
+  const n: number = text.length > 0 ? text.length : fail("no length");
+  return n;
+}
+function labelOf(value: string | undefined): string {
+  return value ?? fail("missing label");
+}
+function pointOf(value: Point | undefined): Point {
+  return value ?? fail("missing point");
+}
+const makePoint = (ok: boolean): Point => (ok ? new Point(3) : rangeFail());
+const count: () => number = () => fail("no count");
+function listOf(ok: boolean): string[] {
+  if (ok) return ["a"];
+  const items: string[] = fail("no list");
+  return items;
+}
+function maybe(flag: boolean): number | undefined {
+  if (flag) return 1;
+  return fail("no maybe");
+}
+function twice(n: number): number {
+  return n * 2;
+}
+function same<T>(value: T): T {
+  return value;
+}
+
+class Reader {
+  pos = 0;
+  error(message: string): never {
+    throw new SyntaxError(message + " at " + this.pos);
+  }
+  digit(c: string): number {
+    return c >= "0" && c <= "9" ? c.charCodeAt(0) - 48 : this.error("bad digit " + c);
+  }
+}
+
+function attempt(label: string, run: () => unknown): void {
+  try {
+    console.log(label, run());
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof Error) console.log(label, "caught", e.name, e.message);
+  }
+}
+
+attempt("length", () => lengthOf("abc"));
+attempt("length empty", () => lengthOf(""));
+attempt("checked", () => checked("ab"));
+attempt("checked empty", () => checked(""));
+attempt("label", () => labelOf("tag"));
+attempt("label missing", () => labelOf(undefined));
+attempt("point", () => pointOf(new Point(5)).x);
+attempt("point missing", () => pointOf(undefined).x);
+attempt("arrow", () => makePoint(true).x);
+attempt("arrow fails", () => makePoint(false).x);
+attempt("count", () => count());
+attempt("list", () => listOf(true).length);
+attempt("list fails", () => listOf(false).length);
+attempt("maybe", () => maybe(true));
+attempt("maybe fails", () => maybe(false));
+attempt("argument", () => twice(fail("as argument")));
+let total = 0;
+attempt("generic", () => same<number>(total > 0 ? total : fail("generic")));
+attempt("assigned", () => {
+  total = fail("assigned");
+  return total;
+});
+attempt("digit", () => new Reader().digit("7"));
+attempt("digit fails", () => new Reader().digit("q"));
+
+async function load(ok: boolean): Promise<number> {
+  if (ok) return 7;
+  return fail("async failure");
+}
+load(true).then((v) => console.log("async", v));
+load(false).catch((e) => {
+  if (e instanceof Error) console.log("async caught", e.message);
+});
diff --git a/tests/corpus/optional-element-defaults.ts b/tests/corpus/optional-element-defaults.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b7b45c39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/optional-element-defaults.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+// Unchecked element reads are undefined past the end of an array even
+// though the element type omits undefined. Slots whose types admit
+// undefined receive that value as their undefined state; present
+// elements keep their ordinary values.
+
+function attempt(label: string, run: () => unknown): void {
+  try {
+    console.log(label, run());
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof Error) console.log(label, "threw", e.name);
+  }
+}
+
+const noNames: string[] = [];
+const names = ["ada", "bo"];
+const scores = [7];
+
+function firstName(preferred: string | undefined, list: string[]): string | undefined {
+  return preferred ?? list[0];
+}
+function thirdScore(list: number[]): number | undefined {
+  return list[2];
+}
+function describe(value: string | undefined): string {
+  return value === undefined ? "none" : value;
+}
+function pickOr(flag: boolean, list: string[]): string | undefined {
+  return flag ? list[0] : "fixed";
+}
+function eitherName(list: string[]): string | undefined {
+  return list[1] || list[0];
+}
+function stored(preferred: string | undefined, list: string[]): string | undefined {
+  const chosen = preferred ?? list[0];
+  return chosen;
+}
+function fromPattern(preferred: string | undefined, list: string[]): string | undefined {
+  const [head] = list;
+  return preferred ?? head;
+}
+function laterRead(preferred: string | undefined, list: string[]): () => string | undefined {
+  return () => preferred ?? list[0];
+}
+function orFallback<T>(value: T | undefined, fallback: T): T {
+  return value === undefined ? fallback : value;
+}
+
+class Shelf {
+  items: string[] = [];
+  label: string | undefined;
+  top(): string | undefined {
+    return this.label ?? this.items[this.items.length - 1];
+  }
+}
+
+attempt("first empty", () => firstName(undefined, noNames));
+attempt("first named", () => firstName(undefined, names));
+attempt("first preferred", () => firstName("cy", noNames));
+attempt("third", () => thirdScore(scores));
+attempt("describe", () => describe(noNames[0]));
+attempt("describe present", () => describe(names[1]));
+attempt("ternary", () => pickOr(true, noNames));
+attempt("or", () => eitherName(noNames));
+attempt("or present", () => eitherName(names));
+attempt("stored", () => stored(undefined, noNames));
+attempt("pattern", () => fromPattern(undefined, noNames));
+attempt("pattern present", () => fromPattern(undefined, names));
+attempt("capture", () => laterRead(undefined, noNames)());
+attempt("generic", () => orFallback(noNames[0] ?? undefined, "fallback"));
+attempt("explicit generic", () => orFallback<string | undefined>(noNames[3], "unused"));
+attempt("length", () => (firstName(undefined, names) ?? "").length);
+let missing: string | undefined;
+attempt("concat", () => (missing ?? noNames[0]) + "!");
+attempt("template", () => `${firstName(undefined, noNames)}`);
+
+const shelf = new Shelf();
+attempt("shelf empty", () => shelf.top());
+shelf.items.push("box", "jar");
+attempt("shelf top", () => shelf.top());
+shelf.label = "label";
+attempt("shelf label", () => shelf.top());
+
+// A member read needs the present value: undefined still throws there.
+attempt("member", () => (missing ?? noNames[0]).length);
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/dogs.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/dogs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ca9bf785
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/dogs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import { Pet } from "./pets.ts";
+export class Dog extends Pet {}
+export function makeDog(name: string): Pet {
+  return new Dog(name);
+}
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..29ba03389
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import { first } from "./pets.ts";
+console.log(first.speak());
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/pets.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/pets.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61402d620
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-class-early/pets.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { makeDog } from "./dogs.ts";
+export class Pet {
+  name: string;
+  constructor(name: string) {
+    this.name = name;
+  }
+  speak(): string {
+    return this.name;
+  }
+}
+export const first = makeDog("rex");
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58036e73f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/a.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import { scale } from "./b.ts";
+export default scale(4);
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/b.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/b.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e0f1fcd5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/b.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import size from "./a.ts";
+export function scale(n: number): number {
+  return n * 2;
+}
+export function current(): number {
+  return size;
+}
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c8e0426b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-default-export/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import size from "./a.ts";
+console.log(size);
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0009745ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/a.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import * as helpers from "./b.ts";
+export const base = 2;
+export const total: number = helpers.double(base);
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/b.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/b.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a96d085cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/b.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import * as a from "./a.ts";
+export function double(n: number): number {
+  return n * a.base;
+}
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..351e3cd26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import { total } from "./a.ts";
+console.log(total);
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index b4a07b847..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/a.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-import { b } from "./b.ts";
-export const a: string = "A";
-export function useB(): string {
-  return b;
-}
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/b.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/b.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 38431a367..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/b.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import { a } from "./a.ts";
-export const b: string = a + "B";
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 3411f476a..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import { useB } from "./a.ts";
-console.log(useB());
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/a.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/a.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b58f743fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/a.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import { read } from "./b.ts";
+console.log(read());
+export var level = 3;
+export { read };
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/b.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/b.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cbce31a91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/b.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import { level } from "./a.ts";
+export function read(): number {
+  return level;
+}
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da02ae7b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-var-early/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import { read } from "./a.ts";
+console.log(read());
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 65ceac143..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/a.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-import { bee } from "./b.ts";
-export function aye(n: number): number {
-  return n <= 0 ? 0 : bee(n - 1) + 1;
-}
-console.log("a-init", aye(2));
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/b.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/b.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index ba263cf43..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/b.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-import { aye } from "./a.ts";
-export function bee(n: number): number {
-  return n <= 0 ? 0 : aye(n - 1) + 1;
-}
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/main.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index d88f6d195..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle-window-call/main.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import { aye } from "./a.ts";
-console.log(aye(5));
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2464c3596..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle/a.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import { b } from "./b.ts";
-export const a: number = b + 1;
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle/b.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle/b.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 29732b2f2..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle/b.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import { a } from "./a.ts";
-export const b: number = a + 1;
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/cycle/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/cycle/main.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 631eeb063..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/cycle/main.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-import { a } from "./a.ts";
-console.log(a);
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts b/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 0d6f2d33e..000000000
--- a/tests/diagnostics/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-// @dynamic
-// The REFUSED shape through the --dynamic subgraph: the cycle behind this
-// import() reads a cycle-crossing binding at a module's top level, which
-// in Node observes the partially-initialized exporter (TDZ
-// ReferenceError). The dynamic-subgraph walk fences it with the same
-// narrowed SC1016 preflight's static walk mints, naming the binding and
-// the offending line.
-async function main(): Promise<void> {
-  const ns = await import("./a.ts");
-  console.log(ns.useB());
-}
-main();
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/iterator-slot-fences.ts b/tests/diagnostics/iterator-slot-fences.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..759929615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/iterator-slot-fences.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// Iterator-typed slots hold generators and built-in collection iterators.
+// A class implementing the iterator protocol stays a pointed fence there,
+// and Iterable<T> annotations have no lowering yet.
+
+class Countdown implements Iterator<number> {
+  n = 2;
+  next(): IteratorResult<number> {
+    return this.n > 0 ? { value: this.n--, done: false } : { value: undefined, done: true };
+  }
+}
+function firstOf(it: Iterator<number>): void {
+  console.log(it.next().value);
+}
+firstOf(new Countdown());
+
+function total(values: Iterable<number>): number {
+  let sum = 0;
+  for (const v of values) sum += v;
+  return sum;
+}
+console.log(total([1, 2]));
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/stdlib-fence.ts b/tests/diagnostics/stdlib-fence.ts
index 7293b777e..213a2388d 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/stdlib-fence.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/stdlib-fence.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const sinhMethod = Math.sinh; // fixed-arity Math function values now lower
 // (n-ary Math.min/max LOWER now — the variadic battery lives in the
 // corpus; the mixed spread/positional list is the form that stays fenced.)
 const clamped = Math.min(1, ...[2, 3]);
-const entries = [1, 2].entries();
+const entries = [1, 2].entries(); // array iterators lower now
 const arrAt = [1, 2].at(0);
 const norm = "abc".normalize();
 const limited = "a,b,c".split(Math.random() ? "," : /,/, 2); // union separators stay fenced; limits lower
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cjs-require-cycle/main.js.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cjs-require-cycle/main.js.txt
index d987d603c..ad55be524 100644
--- a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cjs-require-cycle/main.js.txt
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cjs-require-cycle/main.js.txt
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ cjs-require-cycle/a.js:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (cjs-require-cycle/a
     | ^
   2 | 
 
-  hint: cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window
\ No newline at end of file
+  hint: ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-class-early/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-class-early/main.ts.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b6b20927
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-class-early/main.ts.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+cycle-class-early/dogs.ts:2:26 - error SC1016: circular imports (the class 'Pet' declared in cycle-class-early/pets.ts can be accessed before its declaration runs) are not supported yet
+
+  1 | import { Pet } from "./pets.ts";
+  2 | export class Dog extends Pet {}
+    |                          ^~~
+  3 | export function makeDog(name: string): Pet {
+
+  hint: ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-default-export/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-default-export/main.ts.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6cf9d4baf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-default-export/main.ts.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+cycle-default-export/a.ts:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (cycle-default-export/a.ts → cycle-default-export/b.ts → cycle-default-export/a.ts; the default export expression at cycle-default-export/a.ts:2 has no initialization state inside the cycle) are not supported yet
+
+  1 | import { scale } from "./b.ts";
+    | ^
+  2 | export default scale(4);
+
+  hint: ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f81cddf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-namespace-import/main.ts.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+cycle-namespace-import/a.ts:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (cycle-namespace-import/a.ts → cycle-namespace-import/b.ts → cycle-namespace-import/a.ts; the namespace import 'helpers' at cycle-namespace-import/a.ts:1 names a module of the cycle) are not supported yet
+
+  1 | import * as helpers from "./b.ts";
+    | ^
+  2 | export const base = 2;
+
+  hint: ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index eef3a0584..000000000
--- a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-tdz-read/main.ts.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-cycle-tdz-read/a.ts:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (cycle-tdz-read/a.ts → cycle-tdz-read/b.ts → cycle-tdz-read/a.ts; the cycle-crossing binding 'a' is read at cycle-tdz-read/b.ts:2, outside any function body — a read during the init window observes the partially-initialized module (Node's TDZ ReferenceError / stale var), which is not modeled) are not supported yet
-
-  1 | import { b } from "./b.ts";
-    | ^
-  2 | export const a: string = "A";
-
-  hint: cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-var-early/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-var-early/main.ts.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a683dc59f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-var-early/main.ts.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+cycle-var-early/b.ts:3:10 - error SC1016: circular imports (the var binding 'level' declared in cycle-var-early/a.ts can be accessed before its declaration runs, where Node reads undefined) are not supported yet
+
+  2 | export function read(): number {
+  3 |   return level;
+    |          ^~~~~
+  4 | }
+
+  hint: ES-module cycles of let/const/function bindings compile as-is; rewrite the named construct (a named import instead of a namespace, a const instead of a default-export expression or var, a class declared before the code that can reach it) or break the named edge
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-window-call/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-window-call/main.ts.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 1e3ab980b..000000000
--- a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle-window-call/main.ts.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-cycle-window-call/a.ts:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (cycle-window-call/a.ts → cycle-window-call/b.ts → cycle-window-call/a.ts; top-level code at cycle-window-call/a.ts:5 can run user code during the cycle's init window — only declaration-only module bodies are admitted) are not supported yet
-
-  1 | import { bee } from "./b.ts";
-    | ^
-  2 | export function aye(n: number): number {
-
-  hint: cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle/main.ts.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 5917a95e3..000000000
--- a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/cycle/main.ts.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-cycle/a.ts:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (cycle/a.ts → cycle/b.ts → cycle/a.ts; the cycle-crossing binding 'a' is read at cycle/b.ts:2, outside any function body — a read during the init window observes the partially-initialized module (Node's TDZ ReferenceError / stale var), which is not modeled) are not supported yet
-
-  1 | import { b } from "./b.ts";
-    | ^
-  2 | export const a: number = b + 1;
-
-  hint: cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index cac6621a5..000000000
--- a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-dyn-import-cycle-tdz/main.ts:1:1 - error SC1016: circular imports (dyn-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts → dyn-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts → dyn-import-cycle-tdz/a.ts; the cycle-crossing binding 'a' is read at dyn-import-cycle-tdz/b.ts:3, outside any function body — a read during the init window observes the partially-initialized module (Node's TDZ ReferenceError / stale var), which is not modeled) are not supported yet
-
-  1 | // @dynamic
-    | ^
-  2 | // The REFUSED shape through the --dynamic subgraph: the cycle behind this
-
-  hint: cycles of ES modules with declaration-only top levels whose cycle-crossing bindings are only used inside function bodies compile as-is; move the named top-level read or call into a function body (or break the named edge) so nothing runs during the cycle's init window
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/iterator-slot-fences.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/iterator-slot-fences.ts.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd244e8fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/iterator-slot-fences.ts.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+iterator-slot-fences.ts:14:9 - error SC1090: 'Countdown' values in an iterator-typed slot (Iterator and IterableIterator slots hold generators and built-in collection iterators) is not supported yet
+
+  13 | }
+  14 | firstOf(new Countdown());
+     |         ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+  15 | 
+
+iterator-slot-fences.ts:16:16 - error SC2020: 'Iterable<number>' is part of the standard library types but has no scriptc lowering yet
+
+  15 | 
+  16 | function total(values: Iterable<number>): number {
+     |                ^~~~~~
+  17 |   let sum = 0;
+
+  hint: the type checker sees the full standard library, but only the supported surface compiles (https://scriptc.dev/limitations)
+
+iterator-slot-fences.ts:21:13 - error SC2004: uses of 'total' inherit the blocker on its declaration
+
+  20 | }
+  21 | console.log(total([1, 2]));
+     |             ^~~~~
+  22 | 
+
+  hint: the declaration of 'total' did not compile — fix the diagnostic reported there and these sites clear with it
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/stdlib-fence.ts.txt b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/stdlib-fence.ts.txt
index 07d983a61..464c10a5b 100644
--- a/tests/harness/__snapshots__/stdlib-fence.ts.txt
+++ b/tests/harness/__snapshots__/stdlib-fence.ts.txt
@@ -116,28 +116,10 @@ stdlib-fence.ts:40:17 - error SC2020: 'Math.min' is part of the standard library
   39 | // corpus; the mixed spread/positional list is the form that stays fenced.)
   40 | const clamped = Math.min(1, ...[2, 3]);
      |                 ^~~~~~~~
-  41 | const entries = [1, 2].entries();
+  41 | const entries = [1, 2].entries(); // array iterators lower now
 
   hint: Math.min lowers with any number of plain arguments or ONE number[] spread — mixed spread/positional lists don't: spread a single array (Math.min(...xs))
 
-stdlib-fence.ts:41:7 - error SC2020: 'ArrayIterator<[number, number]>' is part of the standard library types but has no scriptc lowering yet
-
-  40 | const clamped = Math.min(1, ...[2, 3]);
-  41 | const entries = [1, 2].entries();
-     |       ^~~~~~~
-  42 | const arrAt = [1, 2].at(0);
-
-  hint: the type checker sees the full standard library, but only the supported surface compiles (https://scriptc.dev/limitations)
-
-stdlib-fence.ts:41:17 - error SC2020: 'number[].entries' is part of the standard library types but has no scriptc lowering yet
-
-  40 | const clamped = Math.min(1, ...[2, 3]);
-  41 | const entries = [1, 2].entries();
-     |                 ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-  42 | const arrAt = [1, 2].at(0);
-
-  hint: the type checker sees the full standard library, but only the supported surface compiles (https://scriptc.dev/limitations)
-
 stdlib-fence.ts:44:31 - error SC1090: '.split()' on a 'RegExp | string' separator (pass a string, or a regex literal) is not supported yet
 
   43 | const norm = "abc".normalize();
diff --git a/tests/harness/self-hosting-frontend-program.test.ts b/tests/harness/self-hosting-frontend-program.test.ts
index ba4e613f0..b3f0a6ce5 100644
--- a/tests/harness/self-hosting-frontend-program.test.ts
+++ b/tests/harness/self-hosting-frontend-program.test.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ function inputs(directory: string): FrontendProgramRequest {
   });
   add("unsafe-cycle", {
     "main.ts": 'import { first } from "./first.js"; console.log(first);',
-    "first.ts": 'import { second } from "./second.js"; export const first: number = second + 1;',
+    "first.ts":
+      'import * as peer from "./second.js"; export const first: number = peer.second + 1;',
     "second.ts": 'import { first } from "./first.js"; export const second: number = first + 1;',
   });
   add(