diff --git a/src/brainy.ts b/src/brainy.ts
index 3cf899ce..3b5a1c9a 100644
--- a/src/brainy.ts
+++ b/src/brainy.ts
@@ -1306,10 +1306,18 @@ export class Brainy<T = any> implements BrainyInterface<T> {
         }
         const minted = mapper.getOrAssign(id, undefined)
         const asBigint = typeof minted === 'bigint' ? minted : BigInt(minted)
-        if (asBigint <= 0n) {
+        // THE RESERVED-ROOT EXEMPTION: the VFS root (the all-zeros UUID) is
+        // minted int 0 BY CONSTRUCTION at genesis on existing brains — the
+        // one legitimate zero in the id space. Zero for ANY other id is a
+        // corrupt mint and refuses. (Without this, every existing brain's
+        // adoption oracle false-flagged its own root and refused the flip.)
+        const isReservedRoot =
+          asBigint === 0n && id === '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000'
+        if (asBigint < 0n || (asBigint === 0n && !isReservedRoot)) {
           throw new Error(
             `fact log v2: the id mapper minted ${asBigint} for ${kind} ${id} — ` +
-              `minted ints are positive; refusing to write`
+              `minted ints are positive (int 0 is reserved for the VFS root alone); ` +
+              `refusing to write`
           )
         }
         return asBigint
diff --git a/src/db/factLog.ts b/src/db/factLog.ts
index 9583365a..22fc8aa0 100644
--- a/src/db/factLog.ts
+++ b/src/db/factLog.ts
@@ -1325,10 +1325,16 @@ export class FactLog {
         )
       }
       const minted = this.intMinter(kind, id)
-      if (typeof minted !== 'bigint' || minted <= 0n) {
+      // Reserved-root exemption: int 0 is legitimate for exactly one id —
+      // the all-zeros VFS root, minted 0 by construction at genesis on
+      // existing brains. Zero anywhere else is a corrupt mint.
+      const isReservedRoot =
+        minted === 0n && id === '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000'
+      if (typeof minted !== 'bigint' || minted < 0n || (minted === 0n && !isReservedRoot)) {
         throw new Error(
           `fact log v2: the int minter returned ${String(minted)} for ${kind} ${id} — ` +
-            `minted ints are positive bigints; refusing to write`
+            `minted ints are positive bigints (int 0 reserved for the VFS root alone); ` +
+            `refusing to write`
         )
       }
       return minted
diff --git a/tests/integration/reserved-root-mint.test.ts b/tests/integration/reserved-root-mint.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9577842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/reserved-root-mint.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+/**
+ * @module tests/integration/reserved-root-mint
+ * @description THE RESERVED-ROOT MINT EXEMPTION (the release's final fix):
+ * existing brains mint the VFS root (the all-zeros UUID) as int 0 by
+ * construction at genesis — the one legitimate zero in the id space. The
+ * adoption path must accept it (every real depot brain refused adoption
+ * over this); a zero mint for ANY OTHER id remains a corrupt-mint refusal.
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from 'vitest'
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { Brainy } from '../../src/index.js'
+import { NounType } from '../../src/types/graphTypes.js'
+
+const ROOT = '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000'
+const dirs: string[] = []
+const brains: Brainy[] = []
+afterEach(async () => {
+  for (const b of brains.splice(0)) await b.close().catch(() => {})
+  for (const d of dirs.splice(0)) rmSync(d, { recursive: true, force: true })
+})
+
+type MapperBox = {
+  metadataIndex: {
+    getIdMapper(): {
+      uuidToInt: Map<string, number>
+      intToUuid: Map<number, string>
+      dirty?: boolean
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+describe('reserved-root mint exemption', () => {
+  it('adoption succeeds on a brain whose VFS root carries int 0 (the depot-brain shape)', async () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'brainy-root0-'))
+    dirs.push(dir)
+    // Build the brain in 'defer' so we control the adoption moment.
+    const brain = new Brainy({
+      storage: { type: 'filesystem', path: dir },
+      requireSubtype: false,
+      logAuthority: 'defer'
+    })
+    await brain.init()
+    brains.push(brain)
+    await brain.add({ data: 'depot row', type: NounType.Document, metadata: { k: 1 } })
+
+    // The genesis-era shape: the root's mint is 0 (white-box — real depot
+    // brains carry this in their persisted mapper).
+    const mapper = (brain as unknown as MapperBox).metadataIndex.getIdMapper()
+    const currentInt = mapper.uuidToInt.get(ROOT)
+    if (currentInt !== undefined) mapper.intToUuid.delete(currentInt)
+    mapper.uuidToInt.set(ROOT, 0)
+    mapper.intToUuid.set(0, ROOT)
+
+    // THE PIN: adoption goes green — the backfill re-commits the root with
+    // its legitimate int 0 instead of refusing the whole brain.
+    const report = await brain.adoptLogAuthority()
+    expect(report.verdict).toBe('green')
+    expect(brain.logAuthority().authority).toBe('log')
+    // And the brain keeps serving + writing after the flip.
+    const fresh = await brain.add({ data: 'post-adopt', type: NounType.Document, metadata: { k: 2 } })
+    expect((await brain.get(fresh))!.data).toContain('post-adopt')
+  }, 120000)
+
+  it('a zero mint for a NON-root id still refuses at the mint seam, loudly and typed', async () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'brainy-nonroot0-'))
+    dirs.push(dir)
+    const brain = new Brainy({
+      storage: { type: 'filesystem', path: dir },
+      requireSubtype: false,
+      logAuthority: 'defer'
+    })
+    await brain.init()
+    brains.push(brain)
+    const victim = await brain.add({ data: 'poisoned mint target', type: NounType.Document, metadata: {} })
+
+    // Corrupt shape: some OTHER id maps to 0. (A full update() SELF-HEALS
+    // this — the index cycle re-mints before the fact is written, which is
+    // the correct outcome — so the pin holds the guard at its real seam:
+    // the fact log's minter, which is what stands between a surviving zero
+    // and the wire.)
+    const mapper = (brain as unknown as MapperBox).metadataIndex.getIdMapper()
+    const currentInt = mapper.uuidToInt.get(victim)
+    if (currentInt !== undefined) mapper.intToUuid.delete(currentInt)
+    mapper.uuidToInt.set(victim, 0)
+    mapper.intToUuid.set(0, victim)
+
+    const factLog = (brain as unknown as {
+      generationStore: { getFactLog(): { intMinter(kind: string, id: string): bigint } }
+    }).generationStore.getFactLog()
+    expect(() => factLog.intMinter('noun', victim)).toThrow(
+      /reserved for the VFS root|minted ints are positive/
+    )
+    // And the reserved root itself passes the same seam with 0.
+    mapper.uuidToInt.set(ROOT, 0)
+    mapper.intToUuid.set(0, ROOT)
+    expect(factLog.intMinter('noun', ROOT)).toBe(0n)
+  }, 120000)
+})