diff --git a/internal/uploads/worker_duration_test.go b/internal/uploads/worker_duration_test.go
index a1c94d4..cae4b18 100644
--- a/internal/uploads/worker_duration_test.go
+++ b/internal/uploads/worker_duration_test.go
@@ -69,15 +69,84 @@ func TestWorkerDuration_JustOverTheLimitWithinTheSlackStillTranscribes(t *testin
 	assert.Contains(t, completed, "a", "ffmpeg rounds: 20 s over a 90-minute limit is not a lie")
 }
 
-func TestWorkerDuration_AFileThatEndsFarEarlierThanItClaimedIsRefusedNotHalfTranscribed(t *testing.T) {
+func audioStepNote(r *wrig) string {
+	for _, st := range r.st.lastSteps() {
+		if st.Key == "audio" {
+			return st.Note
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func TestWorkerDuration_AFileThatEndsFarEarlierThanItClaimedIsStillTranscribedAndSaysSo(t *testing.T) {
+	// A container header can over-estimate a complete file (VBR MP3 without a Xing header
+	// claimed 79 minutes for 20 real ones). Refusing it was wrong; staying silent about a
+	// truncated one is wrong too. So it is transcribed, and the audio step carries a note.
 	r := newWRig(t, time.Minute)
 	w := durationWorker(t, r, 20*60, 90*time.Minute)
 
-	w.Process(context.Background(), jobWith(r, t, 60*time.Minute))
+	w.Process(context.Background(), jobWith(r, t, 79*time.Minute))
 
-	_, failed := r.st.snapshot()
-	assert.Equal(t, domain.UploadErrIncomplete, failed["a"], "a recording truncated at a third must not return a third of a transcript with no warning")
-	assert.Empty(t, r.tr.paths)
+	completed, failed := r.st.snapshot()
+	assert.Empty(t, failed, "a complete recording with a bad header estimate must not be refused")
+	assert.Contains(t, completed, "a")
+	note := audioStepNote(r)
+	assert.Contains(t, note, "20 min", "what was really transcribed")
+	assert.Contains(t, note, "1 h 19 min", "what the file claimed")
+	assert.Contains(t, note, "cut off", "and what to do if that is not a surprise")
+}
+
+func TestWorkerDuration_TheShortfallNoteIsPinnedAtEightyPercentAndTwoMinutes(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		claimed time.Duration
+		wav     float64
+		noted   bool
+	}{
+		{"79 percent of an hour", 60 * time.Minute, 0.79 * 3600, true},
+		{"81 percent of an hour", 60 * time.Minute, 0.81 * 3600, false},
+		{"exactly two minutes short and under 80 percent", 6 * time.Minute, 4 * 60, false},
+		{"two minutes and a second short and under 80 percent", 6 * time.Minute, 4*60 - 1, true},
+		{"unknown claimed length", 0, 20 * 60, false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			r := newWRig(t, time.Minute)
+			w := durationWorker(t, r, tt.wav, 90*time.Minute)
+
+			w.Process(context.Background(), jobWith(r, t, tt.claimed))
+
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.noted, audioStepNote(r) != "")
+			completed, _ := r.st.snapshot()
+			assert.Contains(t, completed, "a", "a note never stops the job")
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWorkerDuration_TheTooLongToleranceIsExactlyThirtySeconds(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		wav  float64
+		fail bool
+	}{
+		{"at the limit plus 30 s", 90*60 + 30, false},
+		{"at the limit plus 31 s", 90*60 + 31, true},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			r := newWRig(t, time.Minute)
+			w := durationWorker(t, r, tt.wav, 90*time.Minute)
+
+			w.Process(context.Background(), jobWith(r, t, 90*time.Minute))
+
+			_, failed := r.st.snapshot()
+			if tt.fail {
+				assert.Equal(t, domain.UploadErrTooLong, failed["a"])
+			} else {
+				assert.Empty(t, failed)
+			}
+		})
+	}
 }
 
 func TestWorkerDuration_AnEstimateThatIsMerelyALittleOffIsNotTruncation(t *testing.T) {