diff --git a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/install/transaction.rs b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/install/transaction.rs
index 5ff0951..6dd382d 100644
--- a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/install/transaction.rs
+++ b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/install/transaction.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use super::{
 };
 use crate::{
     game_paths::{BACKUP_DIR, INSTALL_OWNED_MARKER, INSTALLING_DIR, LOCAL_DIR},
+    local_games::read_version_from_ini_bounded,
     scoped_blocking::scoped_blocking,
     state_paths::launch_settings_applied_path,
 };
@@ -549,12 +550,13 @@ async fn unpack_archives(
 /// Windows, any reparse point (junctions, mount points).
 ///
 /// Extraction is delegated to an external `unrar` process whose output is
-/// otherwise trusted verbatim. The archives themselves are BLAKE3-verified
-/// against the bundled catalog, so a link would have to originate from the
-/// catalog publisher; this audit is defense in depth so that a link can never
-/// redirect later launch-time rewrites (`apply_launch_settings_once`) or an
-/// uninstall outside the game directory. `unrar` is additionally invoked
-/// with `-ol-` so links are skipped at extraction time.
+/// otherwise trusted verbatim. Downloaded archives are BLAKE3-verified, but
+/// ordinary install intentionally consumes the current root `.eti` set so the
+/// S33 local-mutation workflow remains supported. This audit prevents either a
+/// catalog archive or a locally supplied archive from redirecting later
+/// launch-time rewrites (`apply_launch_settings_once`) or an uninstall outside
+/// the game directory. `unrar` is additionally invoked with `-ol-` so links are
+/// skipped at extraction time.
 fn reject_links_in_staging(staging: &Path) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let staging = staging.to_path_buf();
     scoped_blocking(move || {
@@ -914,7 +916,7 @@ fn read_downloaded_version(game_root: &Path) -> Option<String> {
         if !version_ini_is_regular_file_blocking(game_root) {
             return None;
         }
-        match lanspread_db::db::read_version_from_ini(game_root) {
+        match read_version_from_ini_bounded(game_root) {
             Ok(version) => version,
             Err(err) => {
                 log::warn!(
diff --git a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/local_games.rs b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/local_games.rs
index 74dcc8f..964fa0b 100644
--- a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/local_games.rs
+++ b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/local_games.rs
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ fn build_game_summary(
     })
 }
 
-fn read_version_from_ini_bounded(game_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<Option<String>> {
+pub(crate) fn read_version_from_ini_bounded(game_path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<Option<String>> {
     let version_path = game_path.join(VERSION_INI);
     let Some(bytes) = read_bounded_regular_file(&version_path, MAX_VERSION_INI_BYTES)? else {
         return Ok(None);
diff --git a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/services/transfer.rs b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/services/transfer.rs
index 770729d..8099496 100644
--- a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/services/transfer.rs
+++ b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/services/transfer.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ use tokio_util::{
 use crate::{
     context::PeerCtx,
     download::open_catalog_file_for_read,
-    local_games::version_ini_is_regular_file,
+    local_games::{read_version_from_ini_bounded, version_ini_is_regular_file},
     peer::send_game_file_chunk,
     scoped_blocking::scoped_blocking,
     stream_install::{send_game_install_stream, send_stream_install_error},
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ async fn can_serve_game(ctx: &PeerCtx, game_dir: &std::path::Path, game_id: &str
     let expected_version_for_read = expected_version.clone();
     scoped_blocking(move || {
         expected_version_for_read.as_deref().is_none_or(|expected| {
-            lanspread_db::db::read_version_from_ini(&game_root)
+            read_version_from_ini_bounded(&game_root)
                 .is_ok_and(|version| version.as_deref() == Some(expected))
         })
     })
@@ -847,6 +847,16 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(game_root.join("version.ini"), b"20250101")
             .expect("sentinel should be restored");
 
+        std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+            .write(true)
+            .open(game_root.join("version.ini"))
+            .expect("sentinel should open")
+            .set_len(64 * 1024 + 1)
+            .expect("sentinel should become oversized");
+        assert_chunk_rejected(&ctx, content_id, &payload, 0, 7).await;
+        std::fs::write(game_root.join("version.ini"), b"20250101")
+            .expect("bounded sentinel should be restored");
+
         std::fs::write(game_root.join("payload.bin"), b"short")
             .expect("wrong-sized payload should be written");
         assert_chunk_rejected(&ctx, content_id, &payload, 0, 7).await;