diff --git a/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/special_test.go b/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/special_test.go
index e16c61a..f592ff4 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/special_test.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/special_test.go
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ func TestScanReportsFIFOsAndSocketsAsSpecialFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, r.String(), "special file")
 }
 
-// Watch removes special files as it removes symlinks, and leaves regular
-// files alone.
-func TestWatchRemovesSpecialFilesButNotRegularFiles(t *testing.T) {
+// Watch removes a FIFO as it removes symlinks, and leaves a regular file
+// (which Scan never reports) alone.
+func TestWatchRemovesAFIFOAndLeavesAnUnreportedRegularFile(t *testing.T) {
 	brain := t.TempDir()
 	fifo := filepath.Join(brain, "f.md")
 	require.NoError(t, syscall.Mkfifo(fifo, 0o644))
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ func TestWatchRemovesSpecialFilesButNotRegularFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, n.msgs[0], "f.md")
 }
 
-// removeSpecial re-checks the type: a path that is now a regular file or a
-// directory is not removed.
+// removeSpecial re-checks the type: a path that is a regular file or a
+// directory at the re-check is not removed. (A swap between the re-check and
+// the unlink can still remove one; Linux has no conditional unlink. The same
+// window exists in removeSymlinks.)
 func TestRemoveSpecialRefusesRegularFilesAndDirectories(t *testing.T) {
 	brain := t.TempDir()
 	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(brain, "n.md"), []byte("n"), 0o644))
@@ -72,3 +74,28 @@ func TestRemoveSpecialRefusesRegularFilesAndDirectories(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(brain, "n.md"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 }
+
+// A special file Watch cannot remove (its directory is read-only) stays
+// reported: the persistent-finding alert names it.
+func TestWatchReportsASpecialFileItCannotRemove(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Geteuid() == 0 {
+		t.Skip("root ignores directory permissions")
+	}
+	brain := t.TempDir()
+	ro := filepath.Join(brain, "ro")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(ro, 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, syscall.Mkfifo(filepath.Join(ro, "f.md"), 0o644))
+	require.NoError(t, os.Chmod(ro, 0o555))
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = os.Chmod(ro, 0o755) })
+	n := &recNotifier{}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+	go Watch(ctx, brain, 10*time.Millisecond, n)
+	require.Eventually(t, func() bool { return n.count() >= 1 }, 2*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
+	_, err := os.Lstat(filepath.Join(ro, "f.md"))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "the FIFO could not be removed")
+	n.mu.Lock()
+	defer n.mu.Unlock()
+	assert.Contains(t, n.msgs[0], "ro/f.md")
+	assert.Contains(t, n.msgs[0], "special file")
+}
diff --git a/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/symlinkguard.go b/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/symlinkguard.go
index f848264..5086b8a 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/symlinkguard.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/symlinkguard/symlinkguard.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (r Result) String() string {
 		parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%d symlink(s): %s", len(r.Symlinks), q(r.Symlinks)))
 	}
 	if len(r.Special) > 0 {
-		parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%d special file(s): %s", len(r.Special), q(r.Special)))
+		parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%d special file(s) (FIFO, socket or device; delete them): %s", len(r.Special), q(r.Special)))
 	}
 	if len(r.Unreadable) > 0 {
 		parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("%d unreadable dir(s): %s", len(r.Unreadable), q(r.Unreadable)))
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@ func Watch(ctx context.Context, brainDir string, interval time.Duration, n Notif
 			reported = key
 			if key != "" {
 				slog.Error("brain symlink tripwire", "finding", key)
-				q.push("brain symlink tripwire (hyperguild#157): " + key +
-					". Readers may follow symlinks out of the brain; fix them.")
+				q.push("brain symlink tripwire (hyperguild#157, #179): " + key +
+					". Symlinks can lead readers out of the brain and special files can hang them; remove them.")
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -343,8 +343,10 @@ func permanent(err error) bool {
 
 // removeSpecial unlinks each brain-relative FIFO, socket or device through
 // an os.Root on the brain dir, after re-checking that it is still one: a
-// path that is now a regular file, a directory or a symlink is left alone
-// and reported as failed.
+// path that is a regular file, a directory or a symlink at the re-check is
+// left alone and reported as failed. The re-check narrows, but cannot close,
+// the window before the unlink (Linux has no conditional unlink); the same
+// window exists in removeSymlinks, and only a local writer can use it.
 func removeSpecial(brainDir string, rels []string) (removed, failed []string) {
 	if len(rels) == 0 {
 		return nil, nil