diff --git a/backend/src/auth/config.ts b/backend/src/auth/config.ts
index f3c97aa6..47d77a54 100644
--- a/backend/src/auth/config.ts
+++ b/backend/src/auth/config.ts
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ function canonicalRevision(value: AuthenticationConfig): string {
   return createHash("sha256").update(JSON.stringify(canonicalize(value))).digest("hex");
 }
 
-function parseAuthenticationConfig(source: string): AuthenticationConfig {
+export function parseAuthenticationConfigSource(source: string): AuthenticationConfig {
   try {
     const document = parseDocument(source, { uniqueKeys: true });
     if (document.errors.length > 0 || document.warnings.length > 0) throw invalid();
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ function parseAuthenticationConfig(source: string): AuthenticationConfig {
 
 function loadAuthenticationConfigWithIdentity(path: string): { loaded: LoadedAuthConfig; identity: StorageIdentity } {
   const read = readBoundedConfig(path);
-  const value = parseAuthenticationConfig(read.source);
+  const value = parseAuthenticationConfigSource(read.source);
   return { loaded: { value, revision: canonicalRevision(value), sourcePath: path }, identity: read.identity };
 }
 
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ function loadWindowsAuthenticationConfig(
     const contents = bridge.readAuthConfig(path);
     if (!Buffer.isBuffer(contents) || contents.length === 0 || contents.length > MAX_AUTH_CONFIG_BYTES) throw invalid();
     const source = new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true }).decode(contents);
-    const value = parseAuthenticationConfig(source);
+    const value = parseAuthenticationConfigSource(source);
     return { value, revision: canonicalRevision(value), sourcePath: path };
   } catch {
     throw invalid();
diff --git a/backend/src/auth/local-registry.ts b/backend/src/auth/local-registry.ts
index 7d70d99d..36e284a2 100644
--- a/backend/src/auth/local-registry.ts
+++ b/backend/src/auth/local-registry.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { dirname, isAbsolute, join, normalize } from "node:path";
 import { parseDocument } from "yaml";
 import { z } from "zod";
 import { isValidPasswordHash, verifyPassword, verifyWithDummy } from "./password.js";
-import type { LoadedAuthConfig, Role } from "./types.js";
+import type { LoadedAuthConfig, LocalUserRecord, Role } from "./types.js";
 import { createWindowsAuthStorageBridge, type WindowsAuthStorageBridge } from "./windows-auth-storage.js";
 
 const MAX_USERS_YAML_BYTES = 1 << 20;
@@ -28,16 +28,7 @@ function runtimeOwner(): number {
   return owner;
 }
 
-export interface LocalUserRecord {
-  id: string;
-  username: string;
-  normalizedUsername: string;
-  displayName?: string;
-  passwordHash: string;
-  roles: readonly Role[];
-  enabled: boolean;
-  authRevision: number;
-}
+export type { LocalUserRecord } from "./types.js";
 
 export interface LocalUserRegistry {
   /** Safe production diagnostic probe; never returns user records or hashes. */
@@ -193,7 +184,7 @@ function readBounded(path: string, owner: number): { source: string; identity: R
   }
 }
 
-function parseRegistry(source: string): LocalUserRecord[] {
+export function parseLocalUserRegistrySource(source: string): readonly LocalUserRecord[] {
   try {
     const document = parseDocument(source, { uniqueKeys: true });
     if (document.errors.length > 0 || document.warnings.length > 0) throw invalid();
@@ -216,24 +207,24 @@ function parseRegistry(source: string): LocalUserRecord[] {
         authRevision: user.authRevision,
       });
     });
-    return records;
+    return Object.freeze(records);
   } catch {
     throw invalid();
   }
 }
 
-function load(path: string, owner: number): { records: LocalUserRecord[]; identity: RegistryIdentity } {
+function load(path: string, owner: number): { records: readonly LocalUserRecord[]; identity: RegistryIdentity } {
   const read = readBounded(path, owner);
-  return { records: parseRegistry(read.source), identity: read.identity };
+  return { records: parseLocalUserRegistrySource(read.source), identity: read.identity };
 }
 
 export function createLocalUserRegistry(usersPath: string, options: LocalUserRegistryOptions = {}): LocalUserRegistry {
-  let cached: { records: LocalUserRecord[]; identity: RegistryIdentity } | undefined;
+  let cached: { records: readonly LocalUserRecord[]; identity: RegistryIdentity } | undefined;
   const windowsStorage = process.platform === "win32"
     ? options.windowsStorageBridge ?? createWindowsAuthStorageBridge()
     : undefined;
 
-  function currentPosix(): LocalUserRecord[] {
+  function currentPosix(): readonly LocalUserRecord[] {
     try {
       const owner = runtimeOwner();
       const before = registryIdentity(usersPath, owner);
@@ -251,19 +242,19 @@ export function createLocalUserRegistry(usersPath: string, options: LocalUserReg
     throw invalid();
   }
 
-  async function current(): Promise<LocalUserRecord[]> {
+  async function current(): Promise<readonly LocalUserRecord[]> {
     if (process.platform !== "win32") return currentPosix();
     try {
       if (!windowsStorage) throw invalid();
       const contents = await windowsStorage.readLocalUsers(usersPath);
       if (!Buffer.isBuffer(contents) || contents.length === 0 || contents.length > MAX_USERS_YAML_BYTES) throw invalid();
-      return parseRegistry(new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true }).decode(contents));
+      return parseLocalUserRegistrySource(new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true }).decode(contents));
     } catch {
       throw invalid();
     }
   }
 
-  async function operationalRecords(): Promise<LocalUserRecord[]> {
+  async function operationalRecords(): Promise<readonly LocalUserRecord[]> {
     const records = await current();
     if (!records.some((user) => user.enabled && user.roles.includes("admin"))) throw invalid();
     return records;
@@ -291,15 +282,48 @@ export function createLocalUserRegistry(usersPath: string, options: LocalUserReg
 }
 
 export function createCurrentLocalUserRegistryResolver(options: LocalUserRegistryOptions = {}): CurrentLocalUserRegistryResolver {
-  let current: { usersPath: string; registry: LocalUserRegistry } | undefined;
+  let current: { key: object | string; registry: LocalUserRegistry } | undefined;
   return {
     resolve(loaded: LoadedAuthConfig): LocalUserRegistry | undefined {
       if (loaded.value.mode !== "local") return undefined;
+      const runtimeProjection = loaded.runtimeProjection;
+      const projectedUsers = runtimeProjection?.localUsers;
+      if (projectedUsers && runtimeProjection) {
+        if (current && current.key === runtimeProjection) return current.registry;
+        const registry = createInMemoryLocalUserRegistry(projectedUsers);
+        current = { key: runtimeProjection, registry };
+        return registry;
+      }
       const usersPath = join(dirname(loaded.sourcePath), loaded.value.local.usersFile);
-      if (current?.usersPath === usersPath) return current.registry;
+      if (current && current.key === usersPath) return current.registry;
       const registry = createLocalUserRegistry(usersPath, options);
-      current = { usersPath, registry };
+      current = { key: usersPath, registry };
       return registry;
     },
   };
 }
+
+function createInMemoryLocalUserRegistry(records: readonly LocalUserRecord[]): LocalUserRegistry {
+  async function operationalRecords(): Promise<readonly LocalUserRecord[]> {
+    if (!records.some((user) => user.enabled && user.roles.includes("admin"))) throw invalid();
+    return records;
+  }
+  return {
+    async hasEnabledAdmin(): Promise<boolean> {
+      return records.some((user) => user.enabled && user.roles.includes("admin"));
+    },
+    async findByUsername(username: string): Promise<LocalUserRecord | undefined> {
+      return (await operationalRecords()).find((user) => user.normalizedUsername === normalizeUsername(username));
+    },
+    async findBySubject(id: string): Promise<LocalUserRecord | undefined> {
+      return (await operationalRecords()).find((user) => user.id === id);
+    },
+    async verify(user: LocalUserRecord | undefined, password: string): Promise<boolean> {
+      if (!user || !user.enabled) {
+        await verifyWithDummy(password);
+        return false;
+      }
+      return await verifyPassword(password, user.passwordHash);
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/auth/routes.ts b/backend/src/auth/routes.ts
index 71e7ad97..90cabfe4 100644
--- a/backend/src/auth/routes.ts
+++ b/backend/src/auth/routes.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ import { createHash, randomBytes, timingSafeEqual } from "node:crypto";
 import type {
   AuthenticationConfigProvider,
   LoadedAuthConfig,
+  LocalUserRecord,
   OidcAuthenticationConfig,
   OidcStateRecord,
   OidcTransactionTransport,
   Role,
 } from "./types.js";
-import type { LocalUserRecord, LocalUserRegistry } from "./local-registry.js";
+import type { LocalUserRegistry } from "./local-registry.js";
 import { OidcStateCapacityError, type AuthSessionStore } from "./session-store.js";
 import { rolesToPermissions } from "./config.js";
 import { captureAuthConfigSnapshot, getPrincipal, requireExactOrigin, sessionCookieName } from "./auth.js";
diff --git a/backend/src/auth/runtime-projection.ts b/backend/src/auth/runtime-projection.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..782d9a32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/auth/runtime-projection.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,534 @@
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import {
+  closeSync,
+  constants,
+  fstatSync,
+  lstatSync,
+  openSync,
+  readSync,
+  readdirSync,
+} from "node:fs";
+import type { Stats } from "node:fs";
+import { isAbsolute, join, normalize } from "node:path";
+import { parseAuthenticationConfigSource } from "./config.js";
+import { parseLocalUserRegistrySource } from "./local-registry.js";
+import type {
+  AuthenticationConfigProvider,
+  LoadedAuthConfig,
+  LocalUserRecord,
+  RuntimeProjectionSnapshot,
+} from "./types.js";
+
+const MAX_AUTH_BYTES = 1 << 20;
+const MAX_USERS_BYTES = 1 << 20;
+const MAX_SELECTOR_BYTES = 4096;
+const MAX_MANIFEST_BYTES = 4096;
+const DIR_MODE = 0o700;
+const FILE_MODE = 0o600;
+const GENERATION = /^[0-9a-f]{64}$/;
+const TRANSACTION = /^[0-9a-f]{32}$/;
+const invalid = (): Error =>
+  new Error("authentication runtime projection is invalid");
+
+interface Identity {
+  dev: number;
+  ino: number;
+  uid: number;
+  gid: number;
+  mode: number;
+  nlink: number;
+  size: number;
+  mtimeMs: number;
+  ctimeMs: number;
+}
+interface Selector {
+  version: 1;
+  state: "ready" | "blocked";
+  transaction: string;
+  generation?: string;
+  previousGenerations?: readonly string[];
+}
+interface ManifestFile {
+  name: "auth.yaml" | "users.yaml";
+  size: number;
+  sha256: string;
+}
+interface Manifest {
+  version: 1;
+  generation: string;
+  mode: "local" | "oidc";
+  canonicalRevision: string;
+  files: readonly ManifestFile[];
+}
+class CurrentReplaced extends Error {}
+
+function runtimeOwner(): number {
+  if (process.platform === "win32" || typeof process.geteuid !== "function")
+    throw invalid();
+  const uid = process.geteuid();
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(uid) || uid < 0) throw invalid();
+  return uid;
+}
+function meta(info: Stats): Identity {
+  return {
+    dev: info.dev,
+    ino: info.ino,
+    uid: info.uid,
+    gid: info.gid,
+    mode: info.mode & 0o7777,
+    nlink: info.nlink,
+    size: info.size,
+    mtimeMs: info.mtimeMs,
+    ctimeMs: info.ctimeMs,
+  };
+}
+function same(a: Identity, b: Identity): boolean {
+  return (
+    a.dev === b.dev &&
+    a.ino === b.ino &&
+    a.uid === b.uid &&
+    a.gid === b.gid &&
+    a.mode === b.mode &&
+    a.nlink === b.nlink &&
+    a.size === b.size &&
+    a.mtimeMs === b.mtimeMs &&
+    a.ctimeMs === b.ctimeMs
+  );
+}
+function directory(info: Stats, uid: number): Identity {
+  const value = meta(info);
+  if (!info.isDirectory() || value.uid !== uid || value.mode !== DIR_MODE)
+    throw invalid();
+  return value;
+}
+function regular(info: Stats, uid: number, maximum: number): Identity {
+  const value = meta(info);
+  if (
+    !info.isFile() ||
+    value.uid !== uid ||
+    value.mode !== FILE_MODE ||
+    value.nlink !== 1 ||
+    value.size < 0 ||
+    value.size > maximum
+  )
+    throw invalid();
+  return value;
+}
+function checkRoot(root: string): void {
+  if (
+    typeof root !== "string" ||
+    root.length === 0 ||
+    root.includes("\0") ||
+    !isAbsolute(root) ||
+    normalize(root) !== root
+  )
+    throw invalid();
+}
+function openDirectory(
+  path: string,
+  uid: number,
+): { fd: number; identity: Identity } {
+  let fd: number | undefined;
+  try {
+    const before = directory(lstatSync(path) as Stats, uid);
+    fd = openSync(
+      path,
+      constants.O_RDONLY |
+        (constants.O_DIRECTORY ?? 0) |
+        constants.O_NOFOLLOW |
+        constants.O_NONBLOCK,
+    );
+    const opened = directory(fstatSync(fd) as Stats, uid);
+    if (!same(before, opened)) throw invalid();
+    return { fd, identity: opened };
+  } catch {
+    if (fd !== undefined)
+      try {
+        closeSync(fd);
+      } catch {}
+    throw invalid();
+  }
+}
+function stableDirectory(
+  path: string,
+  opened: { fd: number; identity: Identity },
+  uid: number,
+): void {
+  if (
+    !same(opened.identity, directory(fstatSync(opened.fd) as Stats, uid)) ||
+    !same(opened.identity, directory(lstatSync(path) as Stats, uid))
+  )
+    throw invalid();
+}
+function entries(path: string, uid: number, expected: readonly string[]): void {
+  const opened = openDirectory(path, uid);
+  try {
+    const names = readdirSync(path);
+    if (
+      names.length !== expected.length ||
+      new Set(names).size !== names.length ||
+      names.some((name) => !expected.includes(name))
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    stableDirectory(path, opened, uid);
+  } finally {
+    try {
+      closeSync(opened.fd);
+    } catch {}
+  }
+}
+function replaced(before: Identity, after: Identity): boolean {
+  return before.dev !== after.dev || before.ino !== after.ino;
+}
+function readRegular(
+  path: string,
+  parentPath: string,
+  uid: number,
+  maximum: number,
+  retryOnReplacement = false,
+): { bytes: Buffer; identity: Identity } {
+  let fd: number | undefined;
+  let parent: { fd: number; identity: Identity } | undefined;
+  try {
+    parent = openDirectory(parentPath, uid);
+    const before = regular(lstatSync(path) as Stats, uid, maximum);
+    fd = openSync(
+      path,
+      constants.O_RDONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW | constants.O_NONBLOCK,
+    );
+    const opened = regular(fstatSync(fd) as Stats, uid, maximum);
+    if (!same(before, opened)) {
+      if (retryOnReplacement && replaced(before, opened))
+        throw new CurrentReplaced();
+      throw invalid();
+    }
+    const buffer = Buffer.allocUnsafe(maximum + 1);
+    let offset = 0;
+    while (offset < buffer.length) {
+      const count = readSync(fd, buffer, offset, buffer.length - offset, null);
+      if (count === 0) break;
+      offset += count;
+    }
+    if (offset > maximum) throw invalid();
+    const after = regular(fstatSync(fd) as Stats, uid, maximum);
+    const atPath = regular(lstatSync(path) as Stats, uid, maximum);
+    if (!same(opened, after) || !same(after, atPath)) {
+      if (retryOnReplacement && replaced(after, atPath))
+        throw new CurrentReplaced();
+      throw invalid();
+    }
+    stableDirectory(parentPath, parent, uid);
+    return { bytes: buffer.subarray(0, offset), identity: after };
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error instanceof CurrentReplaced) throw error;
+    throw invalid();
+  } finally {
+    if (fd !== undefined)
+      try {
+        closeSync(fd);
+      } catch {}
+    if (parent)
+      try {
+        closeSync(parent.fd);
+      } catch {}
+  }
+}
+function text(bytes: Buffer): string {
+  try {
+    return new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true }).decode(bytes);
+  } catch {
+    throw invalid();
+  }
+}
+function object(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> {
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value))
+    throw invalid();
+  return value as Record<string, unknown>;
+}
+function safeGeneration(value: unknown): string {
+  if (typeof value !== "string" || !GENERATION.test(value)) throw invalid();
+  return value;
+}
+function strictJson<T>(
+  contents: string,
+  normalizeValue: (raw: unknown) => T,
+): T {
+  try {
+    const value = normalizeValue(JSON.parse(contents));
+    if (`${JSON.stringify(value)}\n` !== contents) throw invalid();
+    return value;
+  } catch {
+    throw invalid();
+  }
+}
+function selector(contents: string): Selector {
+  return strictJson(contents, (raw) => {
+    const value = object(raw);
+    if (
+      value.version !== 1 ||
+      typeof value.transaction !== "string" ||
+      !TRANSACTION.test(value.transaction)
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    if (value.state === "blocked" && Object.keys(value).length === 3)
+      return { version: 1, state: "blocked", transaction: value.transaction };
+    if (
+      value.state !== "ready" ||
+      (Object.keys(value).length !== 4 && Object.keys(value).length !== 5)
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    const generation = safeGeneration(value.generation);
+    const previousGenerations =
+      value.previousGenerations === undefined
+        ? []
+        : Array.isArray(value.previousGenerations)
+          ? value.previousGenerations.map(safeGeneration)
+          : (() => {
+              throw invalid();
+            })();
+    if (
+      previousGenerations.length > 2 ||
+      (previousGenerations.length === 0 && Object.keys(value).length !== 4) ||
+      (previousGenerations.length > 0 && Object.keys(value).length !== 5)
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    if (
+      new Set([generation, ...previousGenerations]).size !==
+      previousGenerations.length + 1
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    return {
+      version: 1,
+      state: "ready",
+      transaction: value.transaction,
+      generation,
+      ...(previousGenerations.length > 0 ? { previousGenerations } : {}),
+    };
+  });
+}
+function manifest(contents: string): Manifest {
+  return strictJson(contents, (raw) => {
+    const value = object(raw);
+    if (
+      Object.keys(value).length !== 5 ||
+      value.version !== 1 ||
+      (value.mode !== "local" && value.mode !== "oidc")
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    const mode = value.mode;
+    const generation = safeGeneration(value.generation);
+    if (
+      value.canonicalRevision !== `sha256:${generation}` ||
+      !Array.isArray(value.files)
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    const wanted: readonly ("auth.yaml" | "users.yaml")[] =
+      mode === "local" ? ["auth.yaml", "users.yaml"] : ["auth.yaml"];
+    if (value.files.length !== wanted.length) throw invalid();
+    const files: ManifestFile[] = value.files.map((candidate, index) => {
+      const item = object(candidate);
+      const name = wanted[index]!;
+      const maximum = name === "auth.yaml" ? MAX_AUTH_BYTES : MAX_USERS_BYTES;
+      if (
+        Object.keys(item).length !== 3 ||
+        item.name !== name ||
+        !Number.isSafeInteger(item.size) ||
+        (item.size as number) < 0 ||
+        (item.size as number) > maximum ||
+        typeof item.sha256 !== "string" ||
+        !GENERATION.test(item.sha256)
+      )
+        throw invalid();
+      return { name, size: item.size as number, sha256: item.sha256 };
+    });
+    return {
+      version: 1,
+      generation,
+      mode,
+      canonicalRevision: value.canonicalRevision as string,
+      files,
+    };
+  });
+}
+function digest(bytes: Buffer): string {
+  return createHash("sha256").update(bytes).digest("hex");
+}
+function generationFor(
+  mode: "local" | "oidc",
+  auth: Buffer,
+  users?: Buffer,
+): string {
+  return digest(
+    Buffer.from(
+      `thothii-auth-projection-v1\nmode=${mode}\nauth=${digest(auth)}\nusers=${mode === "local" && users ? digest(users) : "-"}\n`,
+      "utf8",
+    ),
+  );
+}
+function snapshot(
+  generation: string,
+  users?: readonly LocalUserRecord[],
+): RuntimeProjectionSnapshot {
+  const localUsers =
+    users === undefined
+      ? undefined
+      : Object.freeze(
+          users.map((user) =>
+            Object.freeze({ ...user, roles: Object.freeze([...user.roles]) }),
+          ),
+        );
+  return Object.freeze({
+    generation,
+    canonicalRevision: `sha256:${generation}`,
+    ...(localUsers ? { localUsers } : {}),
+  });
+}
+interface ValidGeneration {
+  value: ReturnType<typeof parseAuthenticationConfigSource>;
+  users?: readonly LocalUserRecord[];
+}
+function validateGeneration(
+  generationsPath: string,
+  generation: string,
+  uid: number,
+): ValidGeneration {
+  const selectedPath = join(generationsPath, generation);
+  const openedGeneration = openDirectory(selectedPath, uid);
+  try {
+    const readManifest = readRegular(
+      join(selectedPath, "manifest.json"),
+      selectedPath,
+      uid,
+      MAX_MANIFEST_BYTES,
+    );
+    const loadedManifest = manifest(text(readManifest.bytes));
+    if (loadedManifest.generation !== generation) throw invalid();
+    entries(
+      selectedPath,
+      uid,
+      [
+        ...loadedManifest.files.map((item) => item.name),
+        "manifest.json",
+      ].sort(),
+    );
+    const auth = readRegular(
+      join(selectedPath, "auth.yaml"),
+      selectedPath,
+      uid,
+      MAX_AUTH_BYTES,
+    );
+    if (
+      loadedManifest.files[0]?.size !== auth.bytes.length ||
+      loadedManifest.files[0]?.sha256 !== digest(auth.bytes)
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    const value = parseAuthenticationConfigSource(text(auth.bytes));
+    if (value.mode !== loadedManifest.mode) throw invalid();
+    let users: readonly LocalUserRecord[] | undefined;
+    let userBytes: Buffer | undefined;
+    if (loadedManifest.mode === "local") {
+      const readUsers = readRegular(
+        join(selectedPath, "users.yaml"),
+        selectedPath,
+        uid,
+        MAX_USERS_BYTES,
+      );
+      if (
+        loadedManifest.files[1]?.size !== readUsers.bytes.length ||
+        loadedManifest.files[1]?.sha256 !== digest(readUsers.bytes)
+      )
+        throw invalid();
+      userBytes = readUsers.bytes;
+      users = parseLocalUserRegistrySource(text(userBytes));
+    }
+    if (
+      generationFor(loadedManifest.mode, auth.bytes, userBytes) !== generation
+    )
+      throw invalid();
+    stableDirectory(selectedPath, openedGeneration, uid);
+    return { value, users };
+  } finally {
+    try {
+      closeSync(openedGeneration.fd);
+    } catch {}
+  }
+}
+function load(root: string): LoadedAuthConfig {
+  const uid = runtimeOwner();
+  checkRoot(root);
+  const openedRoot = openDirectory(root, uid);
+  try {
+    entries(root, uid, ["CURRENT", "generations"]);
+    const currentPath = join(root, "CURRENT");
+    const selectedCurrent = readRegular(
+      currentPath,
+      root,
+      uid,
+      MAX_SELECTOR_BYTES,
+      true,
+    );
+    const selected = selector(text(selectedCurrent.bytes));
+    if (selected.state !== "ready" || !selected.generation) throw invalid();
+    const generationsPath = join(root, "generations");
+    const openedGenerations = openDirectory(generationsPath, uid);
+    try {
+      entries(generationsPath, uid, [
+        selected.generation,
+        ...(selected.previousGenerations ?? []),
+      ]);
+      const selectedGeneration = validateGeneration(
+        generationsPath,
+        selected.generation,
+        uid,
+      );
+      for (const predecessor of selected.previousGenerations ?? [])
+        validateGeneration(generationsPath, predecessor, uid);
+      stableDirectory(generationsPath, openedGenerations, uid);
+      const afterCurrent = regular(
+        lstatSync(currentPath) as Stats,
+        uid,
+        MAX_SELECTOR_BYTES,
+      );
+      if (!same(selectedCurrent.identity, afterCurrent)) {
+        if (replaced(selectedCurrent.identity, afterCurrent))
+          throw new CurrentReplaced();
+        throw invalid();
+      }
+      stableDirectory(root, openedRoot, uid);
+      return {
+        value: selectedGeneration.value,
+        revision: `sha256:${selected.generation}`,
+        sourcePath: join(generationsPath, selected.generation, "auth.yaml"),
+        runtimeProjection: snapshot(
+          selected.generation,
+          selectedGeneration.users,
+        ),
+      };
+    } finally {
+      try {
+        closeSync(openedGenerations.fd);
+      } catch {}
+    }
+  } finally {
+    try {
+      closeSync(openedRoot.fd);
+    } catch {}
+  }
+}
+export function createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(
+  root: string,
+): AuthenticationConfigProvider {
+  return {
+    current(): LoadedAuthConfig {
+      for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 2; attempt += 1) {
+        try {
+          return load(root);
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (error instanceof CurrentReplaced && attempt === 0) continue;
+          throw invalid();
+        }
+      }
+      throw invalid();
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/auth/types.ts b/backend/src/auth/types.ts
index 88292315..3cc8955b 100644
--- a/backend/src/auth/types.ts
+++ b/backend/src/auth/types.ts
@@ -45,10 +45,28 @@ export interface OidcAuthenticationConfig {
 
 export type AuthenticationConfig = LocalAuthenticationConfig | OidcAuthenticationConfig;
 
+export interface LocalUserRecord {
+  id: string;
+  username: string;
+  normalizedUsername: string;
+  displayName?: string;
+  passwordHash: string;
+  roles: readonly Role[];
+  enabled: boolean;
+  authRevision: number;
+}
+
+export interface RuntimeProjectionSnapshot {
+  generation: string;
+  canonicalRevision: string;
+  localUsers?: readonly LocalUserRecord[];
+}
+
 export interface LoadedAuthConfig {
   value: AuthenticationConfig;
   revision: string;
   sourcePath: string;
+  runtimeProjection?: RuntimeProjectionSnapshot;
 }
 
 export interface AuthenticationConfigProvider {
diff --git a/backend/test/auth-runtime-projection.test.ts b/backend/test/auth-runtime-projection.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0fa6e38b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/test/auth-runtime-projection.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,620 @@
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import {
+  chmodSync,
+  chownSync,
+  existsSync,
+  linkSync,
+  lstatSync,
+  mkdirSync,
+  mkdtempSync,
+  readFileSync,
+  renameSync,
+  rmSync,
+  symlinkSync,
+  unlinkSync,
+  writeFileSync,
+} from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { stringify } from "yaml";
+import { afterEach, expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
+import { createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider } from "../src/auth/runtime-projection.js";
+import { createCurrentLocalUserRegistryResolver } from "../src/auth/local-registry.js";
+
+const lstatHook = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  path: undefined as string | undefined,
+  callback: undefined as (() => void) | undefined,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("node:fs", async (importOriginal) => {
+  const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import("node:fs")>();
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    lstatSync(path: import("node:fs").PathLike) {
+      const result = actual.lstatSync(path);
+      if (lstatHook.path === String(path)) lstatHook.callback?.();
+      return result;
+    },
+  };
+});
+
+const sentinel = "$argon2id$synthetic-sentinel";
+const password = "correct horse battery staple";
+const passwordHash =
+  "$argon2id$v=19$m=65536,t=3,p=1$AAECAwQFBgcICQoLDA0ODw$DRo8ZSPI8G5OCvnFFapbVEjP69aDjy1Sw9i2743cPC4";
+const userId = "6ba7b810-9dad-4ed1-80b4-00c04fd430c8";
+const roots: string[] = [];
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  lstatHook.path = undefined;
+  lstatHook.callback = undefined;
+  for (const root of roots.splice(0))
+    rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+interface ProjectionFixture {
+  username: string;
+  hash?: string;
+  publicUrl?: string;
+}
+
+function sha256(value: string): string {
+  return createHash("sha256").update(value).digest("hex");
+}
+
+function generationFor(auth: string, users: string): string {
+  return sha256(
+    `thothii-auth-projection-v1\nmode=local\nauth=${sha256(auth)}\nusers=${sha256(users)}\n`,
+  );
+}
+
+function localProjectionFixture(
+  username: string,
+  hash = passwordHash,
+): ProjectionFixture {
+  return { username, hash };
+}
+
+function projectionRoot(): string {
+  const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "tht-auth-projection-"));
+  chmodSync(root, 0o700);
+  roots.push(root);
+  return root;
+}
+
+function currentDocument(
+  generation: string,
+  previousGenerations: readonly string[] = [],
+): string {
+  return `${JSON.stringify({
+    version: 1,
+    state: "ready",
+    transaction: "a".repeat(32),
+    generation,
+    ...(previousGenerations.length === 0 ? {} : { previousGenerations }),
+  })}\n`;
+}
+
+function projectionSources(fixture: ProjectionFixture): {
+  auth: string;
+  users: string;
+} {
+  return {
+    auth: stringify({
+      version: 1,
+      mode: "local",
+      publicUrl: fixture.publicUrl ?? "http://127.0.0.1:8080",
+      local: { usersFile: "users.yaml" },
+    }),
+    users: stringify({
+      version: 1,
+      users: [
+        {
+          id: userId,
+          username: fixture.username,
+          passwordHash: fixture.hash ?? passwordHash,
+          roles: ["admin"],
+          enabled: true,
+          authRevision: 1,
+        },
+      ],
+    }),
+  };
+}
+
+function writeGeneration(root: string, fixture: ProjectionFixture): string {
+  const { auth, users } = projectionSources(fixture);
+  const generation = generationFor(auth, users);
+  const directory = join(root, "generations", generation);
+  mkdirSync(directory, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+  chmodSync(directory, 0o700);
+  const manifest = `${JSON.stringify({
+    version: 1,
+    generation,
+    mode: "local",
+    canonicalRevision: `sha256:${generation}`,
+    files: [
+      {
+        name: "auth.yaml",
+        size: Buffer.byteLength(auth),
+        sha256: sha256(auth),
+      },
+      {
+        name: "users.yaml",
+        size: Buffer.byteLength(users),
+        sha256: sha256(users),
+      },
+    ],
+  })}\n`;
+  for (const [name, source] of [
+    ["manifest.json", manifest],
+    ["auth.yaml", auth],
+    ["users.yaml", users],
+  ] as const) {
+    writeFileSync(join(directory, name), source, {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+    chmodSync(join(directory, name), 0o600);
+  }
+  return generation;
+}
+
+function writeReadyProjection(
+  root: string,
+  fixture: ProjectionFixture,
+): string {
+  mkdirSync(join(root, "generations"), { mode: 0o700 });
+  chmodSync(join(root, "generations"), 0o700);
+  const generation = writeGeneration(root, fixture);
+  writeFileSync(join(root, "CURRENT"), currentDocument(generation), {
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    mode: 0o600,
+  });
+  chmodSync(join(root, "CURRENT"), 0o600);
+  return generation;
+}
+
+function expectDenied(operation: () => unknown): void {
+  try {
+    operation();
+    throw new Error("operation unexpectedly succeeded");
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+    expect(message).toBe("authentication runtime projection is invalid");
+    expect(message).not.toContain(sentinel);
+    expect(message).not.toContain(passwordHash);
+  }
+}
+
+test("loads ready projection as one immutable auth and local-users snapshot", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const fixture = localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", passwordHash);
+  const generation = writeReadyProjection(root, fixture);
+  const loaded = createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current();
+
+  expect(loaded.revision).toBe(`sha256:${generation}`);
+  expect(loaded.sourcePath).toBe(
+    join(root, "generations", generation, "auth.yaml"),
+  );
+  expect(loaded.runtimeProjection?.generation).toBe(generation);
+  expect(loaded.runtimeProjection?.canonicalRevision).toBe(
+    `sha256:${generation}`,
+  );
+  expect(Object.isFrozen(loaded.runtimeProjection)).toBe(true);
+  expect(Object.isFrozen(loaded.runtimeProjection?.localUsers)).toBe(true);
+  expect(Object.isFrozen(loaded.runtimeProjection?.localUsers?.[0])).toBe(true);
+  expect(
+    Object.isFrozen(loaded.runtimeProjection?.localUsers?.[0]?.roles),
+  ).toBe(true);
+});
+
+test.each([
+  ["missing", undefined],
+  [
+    "blocked",
+    `${JSON.stringify({ version: 1, state: "blocked", transaction: "a".repeat(32) })}\n`,
+  ],
+  ["malformed", "{not-json}\n"],
+  [
+    "duplicate-field",
+    `{"version":1,"version":1,"state":"ready","transaction":"${"a".repeat(32)}","generation":"${"b".repeat(64)}"}\n`,
+  ],
+  [
+    "unknown-version",
+    `${JSON.stringify({ version: 2, state: "ready", transaction: "a".repeat(32), generation: "b".repeat(64) })}\n`,
+  ],
+])("rejects %s CURRENT without secret disclosure", (_label, contents) => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", sentinel),
+  );
+  if (contents === undefined) unlinkSync(join(root, "CURRENT"));
+  else
+    writeFileSync(join(root, "CURRENT"), contents, {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test.each([
+  "root traversal",
+  "CURRENT symlink",
+  "CURRENT hardlink",
+  "permissive mode",
+  "unexpected root entry",
+])("rejects %s without secret disclosure", (kind) => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", sentinel),
+  );
+  const current = join(root, "CURRENT");
+  if (kind === "root traversal") {
+    expectDenied(() =>
+      createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(
+        `${root}/../${root.split("/").at(-1)!}`,
+      ).current(),
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+  if (kind === "CURRENT symlink") {
+    renameSync(current, join(root, "current-target"));
+    symlinkSync(join(root, "current-target"), current);
+  } else if (kind === "CURRENT hardlink") {
+    linkSync(current, join(root, "current-link"));
+  } else if (kind === "permissive mode") {
+    chmodSync(current, 0o640);
+  } else {
+    writeFileSync(join(root, "unexpected"), "x", {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+  }
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test.runIf(process.geteuid?.() === 0)(
+  "rejects wrong owner at every projection boundary without secret disclosure",
+  () => {
+    const root = projectionRoot();
+    writeReadyProjection(
+      root,
+      localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", sentinel),
+    );
+    // Root may safely construct a synthetic foreign-owned fixture; no real account is touched.
+    chownSync(join(root, "CURRENT"), 1, 1);
+    expectDenied(() =>
+      createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+    );
+  },
+);
+
+test("rejects a symlinked runtime root", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const linkedRoot = `${root}-link`;
+  symlinkSync(root, linkedRoot, "dir");
+  roots.push(linkedRoot);
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(linkedRoot).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test.each([
+  "root",
+  "generations",
+  "selected generation",
+  "manifest",
+  "auth",
+  "users",
+])("rejects unsafe mode on %s", (boundary) => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const generation = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const selected = join(root, "generations", generation);
+  const path =
+    boundary === "root"
+      ? root
+      : boundary === "generations"
+        ? join(root, "generations")
+        : boundary === "selected generation"
+          ? selected
+          : join(
+              selected,
+              boundary === "manifest" ? "manifest.json" : `${boundary}.yaml`,
+            );
+  chmodSync(
+    path,
+    boundary === "root" ||
+      boundary === "generations" ||
+      boundary === "selected generation"
+      ? 0o750
+      : 0o640,
+  );
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test.each(["manifest", "generation", "size", "digest"])(
+  "rejects changed %s integrity data without secret disclosure",
+  (kind) => {
+    const root = projectionRoot();
+    const generation = writeReadyProjection(
+      root,
+      localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", sentinel),
+    );
+    const manifestPath = join(root, "generations", generation, "manifest.json");
+    const manifest = JSON.parse(String(readFileSync(manifestPath))) as Record<
+      string,
+      any
+    >;
+    if (kind === "manifest") manifest.unexpected = true;
+    if (kind === "generation") manifest.generation = "b".repeat(64);
+    if (kind === "size") manifest.files[0].size += 1;
+    if (kind === "digest") manifest.files[1].sha256 = "b".repeat(64);
+    writeFileSync(manifestPath, `${JSON.stringify(manifest)}\n`, {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+    chmodSync(manifestPath, 0o600);
+    expectDenied(() =>
+      createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+    );
+  },
+);
+
+test("switches atomically to a later complete generation", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const first = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("first", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const provider = createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root);
+  expect(provider.current().runtimeProjection?.generation).toBe(first);
+  const second = writeGeneration(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("second", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const temporary = join(root, ".current-switch.tmp");
+  writeFileSync(temporary, currentDocument(second, [first]), {
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    mode: 0o600,
+  });
+  chmodSync(temporary, 0o600);
+  renameSync(temporary, join(root, "CURRENT"));
+  expect(provider.current().runtimeProjection?.generation).toBe(second);
+});
+
+test("retries once when CURRENT is atomically replaced between lstat and open", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const first = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("first", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const second = writeGeneration(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("second", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const temporary = join(root, ".current-replacement.tmp");
+  lstatHook.path = join(root, "CURRENT");
+  lstatHook.callback = () => {
+    lstatHook.callback = undefined;
+    writeFileSync(temporary, currentDocument(second, [first]), {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+    chmodSync(temporary, 0o600);
+    renameSync(temporary, join(root, "CURRENT"));
+  };
+  expect(
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current()
+      .runtimeProjection?.generation,
+  ).toBe(second);
+});
+
+test("rejects a second CURRENT replacement after the one permitted retry", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const first = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("first", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const second = writeGeneration(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("second", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const third = writeGeneration(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("third", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const replacements = [
+    { generation: second, previous: [first] },
+    { generation: third, previous: [second, first] },
+  ];
+  lstatHook.path = join(root, "CURRENT");
+  lstatHook.callback = () => {
+    const replacement = replacements.shift();
+    if (!replacement) return;
+    const temporary = join(
+      root,
+      `.current-replacement-${replacement.generation}.tmp`,
+    );
+    writeFileSync(
+      temporary,
+      currentDocument(replacement.generation, replacement.previous),
+      { encoding: "utf8", mode: 0o600 },
+    );
+    chmodSync(temporary, 0o600);
+    renameSync(temporary, join(root, "CURRENT"));
+  };
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test("fails deterministically when generations is replaced during a load", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const generation = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const replacement = mkdtempSync(
+    join(tmpdir(), "tht-auth-projection-replacement-"),
+  );
+  roots.push(replacement);
+  chmodSync(replacement, 0o700);
+  mkdirSync(join(replacement, generation), { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+  chmodSync(join(replacement, generation), 0o700);
+  for (const name of ["manifest.json", "auth.yaml", "users.yaml"]) {
+    const source = join(root, "generations", generation, name);
+    writeFileSync(join(replacement, generation, name), readFileSync(source), {
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+    chmodSync(join(replacement, generation, name), 0o600);
+  }
+  lstatHook.path = join(root, "generations");
+  lstatHook.callback = () => {
+    lstatHook.callback = undefined;
+    renameSync(join(root, "generations"), join(root, "generations-retired"));
+    renameSync(replacement, join(root, "generations"));
+  };
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test("fails deterministically when the selected generation directory is replaced during a load", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const generation = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const replacement = mkdtempSync(
+    join(tmpdir(), "tht-auth-projection-generation-replacement-"),
+  );
+  roots.push(replacement);
+  chmodSync(replacement, 0o700);
+  for (const name of ["manifest.json", "auth.yaml", "users.yaml"]) {
+    const source = join(root, "generations", generation, name);
+    writeFileSync(join(replacement, name), readFileSync(source), {
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+    chmodSync(join(replacement, name), 0o600);
+  }
+  lstatHook.path = join(root, "generations", generation);
+  lstatHook.callback = () => {
+    lstatHook.callback = undefined;
+    renameSync(
+      join(root, "generations", generation),
+      join(root, "generation-retired"),
+    );
+    renameSync(replacement, join(root, "generations", generation));
+  };
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test.each(["corrupt", "symlink"])(
+  "rejects a %s retained predecessor generation",
+  (kind) => {
+    const root = projectionRoot();
+    const first = writeReadyProjection(
+      root,
+      localProjectionFixture("first", passwordHash),
+    );
+    const second = writeGeneration(
+      root,
+      localProjectionFixture("second", passwordHash),
+    );
+    writeFileSync(join(root, "CURRENT"), currentDocument(second, [first]), {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      mode: 0o600,
+    });
+    chmodSync(join(root, "CURRENT"), 0o600);
+    const predecessor = join(root, "generations", first);
+    if (kind === "corrupt") {
+      writeFileSync(join(predecessor, "auth.yaml"), "tampered", {
+        encoding: "utf8",
+        mode: 0o600,
+      });
+      chmodSync(join(predecessor, "auth.yaml"), 0o600);
+    } else {
+      const replacement = mkdtempSync(
+        join(tmpdir(), "tht-auth-projection-history-"),
+      );
+      roots.push(replacement);
+      chmodSync(replacement, 0o700);
+      rmSync(predecessor, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      symlinkSync(replacement, predecessor, "dir");
+    }
+    expectDenied(() =>
+      createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+    );
+  },
+);
+
+test("has no direct-file fallback when CURRENT is absent", () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const generation = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", sentinel),
+  );
+  unlinkSync(join(root, "CURRENT"));
+  writeFileSync(
+    join(root, "auth.yaml"),
+    projectionSources(localProjectionFixture("synthetic-user", sentinel)).auth,
+    { mode: 0o600 },
+  );
+  expect(existsSync(join(root, "generations", generation, "auth.yaml"))).toBe(
+    true,
+  );
+  expectDenied(() =>
+    createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root).current(),
+  );
+});
+
+test("in-flight snapshot authenticates A after selection B and deletion A, while a new load sees B", async () => {
+  const root = projectionRoot();
+  const first = writeReadyProjection(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("first", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const provider = createProjectedAuthenticationConfigProvider(root);
+  const loadedA = provider.current();
+  const second = writeGeneration(
+    root,
+    localProjectionFixture("second", passwordHash),
+  );
+  const temporary = join(root, ".current-switch.tmp");
+  writeFileSync(temporary, currentDocument(second), {
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    mode: 0o600,
+  });
+  chmodSync(temporary, 0o600);
+  renameSync(temporary, join(root, "CURRENT"));
+  rmSync(join(root, "generations", first), { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+  const resolver = createCurrentLocalUserRegistryResolver();
+  const registryA = resolver.resolve(loadedA);
+  const userA = await registryA?.findByUsername("FIRST");
+  await expect(registryA?.verify(userA, password)).resolves.toBe(true);
+  const loadedB = provider.current();
+  const registryB = resolver.resolve(loadedB);
+  await expect(registryB?.findByUsername("second")).resolves.toMatchObject({
+    username: "second",
+  });
+  await expect(registryB?.findByUsername("first")).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+});
diff --git a/backend/test/local-registry.test.ts b/backend/test/local-registry.test.ts
index 6a7718b5..c80f70a8 100644
--- a/backend/test/local-registry.test.ts
+++ b/backend/test/local-registry.test.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ vi.mock("node:fs", async (importOriginal) => {
   };
 });
 
-import { createLocalUserRegistry } from "../src/auth/local-registry.js";
+import { createCurrentLocalUserRegistryResolver, createLocalUserRegistry } from "../src/auth/local-registry.js";
 
 const password = "correct horse battery staple";
 const passwordHash = "$argon2id$v=19$m=65536,t=3,p=1$AAECAwQFBgcICQoLDA0ODw$DRo8ZSPI8G5OCvnFFapbVEjP69aDjy1Sw9i2743cPC4";
@@ -136,6 +136,44 @@ async function expectInvalid(operation: Promise<unknown>, secrets: string[] = []
 }
 
 describe("local user registry", () => {
+  test("resolves a projected local registry from its frozen in-memory users", async () => {
+    const resolver = createCurrentLocalUserRegistryResolver();
+    const users = Object.freeze([Object.freeze({
+      id: adminId,
+      username: "ProjectedAdmin",
+      normalizedUsername: "projectedadmin",
+      passwordHash,
+      roles: Object.freeze(["admin"] as const),
+      enabled: true,
+      authRevision: 1,
+    })]);
+    const loaded = {
+      value: {
+        version: 1 as const,
+        mode: "local" as const,
+        publicUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:8080",
+        session: {
+          regularTtlSeconds: 1,
+          regularIdleSeconds: 1,
+          rememberTtlSeconds: 1,
+          rememberIdleSeconds: 1,
+          oidcTtlSeconds: 1,
+        },
+        local: { usersFile: "users.yaml" },
+      },
+      revision: "sha256:synthetic",
+      sourcePath: "/definitely/not/opened/auth.yaml",
+      runtimeProjection: Object.freeze({
+        generation: "a".repeat(64),
+        canonicalRevision: `sha256:${"a".repeat(64)}`,
+        localUsers: users,
+      }),
+    };
+    const registry = resolver.resolve(loaded);
+    await expect(registry?.findByUsername("PROJECTEDADMIN")).resolves.toMatchObject({ id: adminId });
+    await expect(registry?.verify(await registry?.findByUsername("projectedadmin"), password)).resolves.toBe(true);
+  });
+
   test("reads known fields, performs case-insensitive lookup, and verifies passwords", async () => {
     const fixture = writeRegistry(registryYaml(userYaml({ displayName: "Local administrator" })));
     const registry = createLocalUserRegistry(fixture.path);