diff --git a/harness/tests/test_dwh_preprocess_job.py b/harness/tests/test_dwh_preprocess_job.py
index 4d8a76db..79d6812f 100644
--- a/harness/tests/test_dwh_preprocess_job.py
+++ b/harness/tests/test_dwh_preprocess_job.py
@@ -231,6 +231,35 @@ def test_generation_retention_keeps_active_and_one_rollback(tmp_path):
     assert remaining == set(run_ids[-2:])
 
 
+def test_corrupt_newer_directory_does_not_consume_rollback_slot(tmp_path):
+    run_ids = []
+    pipeline = None
+    for index in range(3):
+        pipeline = DwhPreprocessPipeline(
+            workspace_id="demo", workspace_root=tmp_path,
+            config_fingerprint=FP, input_fingerprint=FP,
+            introspect=lambda output, i=index: output.write_text(str(i)),
+            build_lsh=lambda physical, output, i=index: [
+                (output / name).write_text(str(i))
+                for name in ("demo_lsh.pkl", "demo_minhashes.pkl", "demo_meta.json")
+            ],
+            retain_generations=3,
+        )
+        run_ids.append(pipeline.run().run_id)
+    generations = tmp_path / ".tht-dwh" / "generations"
+    corrupt = generations / ("f" * 32)
+    corrupt.mkdir(mode=0o700)
+    (corrupt / "junk").write_text("not a published generation")
+
+    pipeline.retain_generations = 2
+    pipeline._cleanup_generations()
+
+    assert (generations / run_ids[-1]).is_dir()
+    assert (generations / run_ids[-2]).is_dir()
+    assert not (generations / run_ids[0]).exists()
+    assert corrupt.is_dir()
+
+
 def test_reader_lease_blocks_retain_one_publisher_until_file_reads_finish(tmp_path):
     import threading
     import time
diff --git a/harness/tht/jobs/dwh_pipeline.py b/harness/tht/jobs/dwh_pipeline.py
index 3581d1ec..e0815f37 100644
--- a/harness/tht/jobs/dwh_pipeline.py
+++ b/harness/tht/jobs/dwh_pipeline.py
@@ -453,6 +453,10 @@ class DwhPreprocessPipeline:
                 and stat.S_ISDIR(info.st_mode)
                 and info.st_uid == os.getuid()
             ):
+                try:
+                    validate_generation(path)
+                except CorruptCheckpointError:
+                    continue
                 generations.append((info.st_mtime_ns, path.name))
         generations.sort()
         keep_recent = {name for _, name in generations[-self.retain_generations:]}