diff --git a/docs/federation.md b/docs/federation.md
index b652244..f05a670 100644
--- a/docs/federation.md
+++ b/docs/federation.md
@@ -23,11 +23,16 @@ Each node owns an append-only event log. The log is split into two scopes:
 
 Nodes sync via anti-entropy: each advertises a per-origin version vector, and
 peers send whatever Global entries the other is missing. Delivery is idempotent,
-so a re-sent entry is dropped. Entries are applied strictly **in order per
-origin**; one that arrives ahead of its predecessors (a relay in a 3+-node mesh
-racing the direct path) is not applied out of order — the version vector stays at
-the last contiguous seq, so the digest re-requests the gap in sequence rather
-than losing it.
+so a re-sent entry is dropped, and each account/channel event is an idempotent
+upsert. A peer converges by accepting any entry newer than its version vector
+(including the forward jump a compacted node's log begins at).
+
+> **Known limitation (3+ nodes).** In a relay mesh, an entry can reach a node
+> ahead of its predecessors via a longer path, and the current ingest advances the
+> version vector past that gap. With two nodes (direct delivery) this never
+> happens. Closing it for larger meshes needs a snapshot-epoch marker so a
+> compaction jump is distinguishable from a live gap; until then, prefer 2-node
+> topologies. This is dormant today (no peers).
 
 ## The trust model
 
@@ -75,8 +80,9 @@ Rules:
   all account data are on that wire. Echo warns loudly at startup if TLS is off.
 - **Firewall** the `bind` port to your peer nodes' IPs only.
 - Use a strong random `secret` and rotate it periodically.
-- The 2-node path is the most exercised. 3+ nodes work (out-of-order delivery is
-  buffered), but test your topology before relying on it.
+- **Prefer 2 nodes.** Direct delivery keeps replication in order; a 3+-node relay
+  mesh has a known out-of-order edge (see "Known limitation" above) that isn't
+  closed yet.
 
 ## Tier C — cross-operator federation (per-origin signing)
 
diff --git a/src/engine/db/mod.rs b/src/engine/db/mod.rs
index 341aa7e..7a6b156 100644
--- a/src/engine/db/mod.rs
+++ b/src/engine/db/mod.rs
@@ -894,20 +894,16 @@ impl EventLog {
                 return Ok(None);
             }
         }
-        // Apply strictly in per-origin sequence. The FIRST entry ever seen from an
-        // origin sets the baseline — a peer syncing from a COMPACTED node starts
-        // mid-stream (its seqs restart at next_seq(), not 0), so we can't demand 0.
-        // After that, only the next contiguous seq is accepted; a non-contiguous one
-        // (an older duplicate, or a future entry a relay delivered ahead of the direct
-        // path in a 3+-node mesh) is dropped rather than applied, so it can't advance
-        // the version vector past a gap — the digest then re-requests the gap in order
-        // instead of losing it forever.
-        let expected = match self.versions.get(&entry.origin) {
-            None => entry.seq,
-            Some(&s) => s + 1,
-        };
-        if entry.seq != expected {
-            return Ok(None);
+        // Accept any entry newer than what we hold for this origin. A forward jump is
+        // legitimate here: a peer syncing from a COMPACTED node receives seqs that
+        // start well above 0 (the intermediate ones were folded into the snapshot),
+        // and the fold is an idempotent upsert. NOTE: this cannot detect an out-of-
+        // order relay in a 3+-node mesh (an entry delivered ahead of its predecessors
+        // advances the version past the gap). Fixing that safely needs a snapshot-epoch
+        // marker so a compaction jump is distinguishable from a live gap — deferred;
+        // see docs/federation.md. Not reachable today (no gossip peers).
+        if self.versions.get(&entry.origin).is_some_and(|&s| entry.seq <= s) {
+            return Ok(None); // already have it
         }
         self.persist(&entry)?;
         self.lamport = self.lamport.max(entry.lamport).saturating_add(1); // Lamport receive rule
diff --git a/src/engine/tests.rs b/src/engine/tests.rs
index f226ecb..639a105 100644
--- a/src/engine/tests.rs
+++ b/src/engine/tests.rs
@@ -878,34 +878,6 @@
         assert!(lifted, "gossiped ban lift removes the line from the ircd");
     }
 
-    // A gossiped entry that arrives out of sequence (a relay racing the direct path
-    // in a 3+-node mesh) must NOT advance the version vector past the gap, or the
-    // skipped entries are lost forever; the digest re-requests them in order.
-    #[test]
-    fn gossip_drops_an_out_of_order_entry_until_the_gap_fills() {
-        use echo_nickserv::NickServ;
-        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("echo-gossip-ooo.jsonl");
-        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let mut e = Engine::new(vec![Box::new(NickServ { uid: "42SAAAAAA".into(), guest_nick: "Guest".into(), guest_seq: 0 })], Db::open(&path, "test"));
-        e.set_sid("42S".into());
-        let (tx, _rx) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel();
-        e.set_irc_out(tx);
-        let akill = |seq: u64, mask: &str| LogEntry::for_test("peer", seq, seq + 1, db::Event::AkillAdded {
-            kind: "G".into(), mask: mask.into(), setter: "op".into(), reason: "x".into(), ts: 0, expires: None,
-        });
-
-        e.gossip_ingest(akill(0, "*@a")).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(e.gossip_digest().get("peer"), Some(&0), "first entry applies");
-        // Seq 2 arrives before seq 1: dropped, version stays at 0.
-        e.gossip_ingest(akill(2, "*@c")).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(e.gossip_digest().get("peer"), Some(&0), "an out-of-order entry doesn't advance the version");
-        // Seq 1 fills the gap, then the re-delivered seq 2 is contiguous.
-        e.gossip_ingest(akill(1, "*@b")).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(e.gossip_digest().get("peer"), Some(&1));
-        e.gossip_ingest(akill(2, "*@c")).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(e.gossip_digest().get("peer"), Some(&2), "the gap filled, seq 2 now applies");
-    }
-
     // Losing a registration conflict logs out the local session on that name and
     // notifies them over the services-initiated outbound path.
     #[test]