diff --git a/cauldron/db.py b/cauldron/db.py
index f95e70f..71c85f5 100644
--- a/cauldron/db.py
+++ b/cauldron/db.py
@@ -972,13 +972,14 @@ class DB:
             )
 
     def finalize_sterilize_job(self, job_id: int, *, state: str) -> None:
-        """Move job to a terminal state (review/done/failed/cancelled).
+        """Move job to a new state. Will NOT overwrite a terminal state
+        (done / failed / cancelled) — that's the anti-zombie guard that
+        keeps user cancels from being silently replaced when the daemon
+        thread limps to the finish line.
 
-        Will NOT overwrite a job that's already terminal — if a runner is
-        about to call finalize('done') but the row was set to 'cancelled'
-        externally, we leave the cancellation in place. This is the
-        anti-zombie guard that keeps user cancels from being silently
-        replaced when the daemon thread limps to the finish line."""
+        Allowed source states: running, applying, review. The review state
+        is part of the normal flow (walk done → review → user approves
+        → applying), so transitions out of review must work."""
         with self.conn() as c, c.cursor() as cur:
             cur.execute(
                 """
@@ -989,7 +990,7 @@ class DB:
                     last_progress_at = NOW(),
                     current_slug = NULL
                 WHERE id=%s
-                  AND state IN ('running','applying')
+                  AND state NOT IN ('done','failed','cancelled')
                 """,
                 (state, state, job_id),
             )
@@ -1169,6 +1170,9 @@ class DB:
             )
 
     def finalize_consolidate_job(self, job_id: int, *, state: str) -> None:
+        """Same anti-zombie guard as finalize_sterilize_job — won't overwrite
+        a terminal state (done/failed/cancelled), but allows the normal
+        running→review→applying→done flow."""
         with self.conn() as c, c.cursor() as cur:
             cur.execute(
                 """UPDATE cauldron_consolidate_jobs
@@ -1178,7 +1182,7 @@ class DB:
                        last_progress_at = NOW(),
                        current_cluster = NULL
                    WHERE id=%s
-                     AND state IN ('running','applying')""",
+                     AND state NOT IN ('done','failed','cancelled')""",
                 (state, state, job_id),
             )