diff --git a/docs/ops/disaster-recovery.md b/docs/ops/disaster-recovery.md
index 5f3469880..3d9f971b5 100644
--- a/docs/ops/disaster-recovery.md
+++ b/docs/ops/disaster-recovery.md
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ A dump holds every account that existed when it was taken, including one
 deleted since. Deleted accounts leave the dumps as they age out: after
 `DB_BACKUP_KEEP` nights on the server, and after your lifecycle rule in the
 bucket. Give that rule a prefix that covers `database/` too; the admin
-backups page reads the bucket's rules and says when none does. This is the
+backups page reads the bucket's rules and says when none does, and the
+recovery readiness card calls it attention and tells the admins once. This is the
 retention period to state where you tell people that deleting their account
 deletes their data.
 
diff --git a/messages/de.json b/messages/de.json
index 83483b1a9..bb2624eeb 100644
--- a/messages/de.json
+++ b/messages/de.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Externe Kopien",
         "restore_drill": "Wiederherstellungsprobe",
         "offhost_setup": "Externe Sicherung",
-        "recovery_kit": "Wiederherstellungs-Kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Wiederherstellungs-Kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Dumps im Bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Neuester Dump: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Sicherungen öffnen",
         "restore_drill": "Sicherungen öffnen",
         "offhost_setup": "Sicherungen öffnen",
-        "recovery_kit": "Kit öffnen"
+        "recovery_kit": "Kit öffnen",
+        "dump_retention": "Sicherungen öffnen"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Es gibt noch kein Admin-Konto.",
           "not_confirmed": "Niemand hat eine Kopie der Schlüssel bestätigt, die eine Wiederherstellung braucht: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Sichere eine Kopie der Schlüssel, die eine Wiederherstellung braucht: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "Es ist kein externer Bucket eingerichtet.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Es geht kein Datenbank-Dump in den Bucket.",
+          "missing": "Keine Lebenszyklus-Regel im Bucket gilt für database/. Dumps dort und die gelöschten Konten darin werden deshalb nie entfernt. Lege eine Regel für dieses Präfix an.",
+          "configured": "Der Bucket entfernt Dumps nach {days} Tagen.",
+          "unknown": "Der Bucket gibt nicht an, ob eine Regel alte Dumps entfernt. Prüfe, ob eine Lebenszyklus-Regel database/ erfasst."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Jedes Konto hat wieder eine aktuelle externe Kopie.",
         "restore_drill": "Die Wiederherstellungsprobe ist wieder bestanden.",
         "offhost_setup": "Externe Kopien sind jetzt eingerichtet.",
-        "recovery_kit": "Das Wiederherstellungs-Kit ist wieder bestätigt."
+        "recovery_kit": "Das Wiederherstellungs-Kit ist wieder bestätigt.",
+        "dump_retention": "Eine Lebenszyklus-Regel im Bucket erfasst jetzt die Datenbank-Dumps."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/en.json b/messages/en.json
index 859bed279..f99c0d281 100644
--- a/messages/en.json
+++ b/messages/en.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Off-host copies",
         "restore_drill": "Restore drill",
         "offhost_setup": "Off-host backup",
-        "recovery_kit": "Recovery kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Recovery kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Dumps in the bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Newest dump: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Open backups",
         "restore_drill": "Open backups",
         "offhost_setup": "Open backups",
-        "recovery_kit": "Open the kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Open the kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Open backups"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "There is no admin account yet.",
           "not_confirmed": "Nobody has confirmed a copy of the keys a restore needs: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Save a copy of the keys a restore needs: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "No off-host bucket is set up.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "No database dump goes to the bucket.",
+          "missing": "No lifecycle rule in the bucket covers database/, so dumps there, and the deleted accounts inside them, are never removed. Add a rule for that prefix.",
+          "configured": "The bucket removes dumps after {days} days.",
+          "unknown": "The bucket does not say whether a rule removes old dumps. Check that a lifecycle rule covers database/."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Every account has a recent off-host copy again.",
         "restore_drill": "The restore drill passed again.",
         "offhost_setup": "Off-host copies are set up now.",
-        "recovery_kit": "The recovery kit is confirmed again."
+        "recovery_kit": "The recovery kit is confirmed again.",
+        "dump_retention": "A lifecycle rule in the bucket covers the database dumps now."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/es.json b/messages/es.json
index dafb1a5e2..37bf14e28 100644
--- a/messages/es.json
+++ b/messages/es.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Copias fuera del host",
         "restore_drill": "Simulacro de restauración",
         "offhost_setup": "Copia fuera del host",
-        "recovery_kit": "Kit de recuperación"
+        "recovery_kit": "Kit de recuperación",
+        "dump_retention": "Volcados en el bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Volcado más reciente: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Abrir copias de seguridad",
         "restore_drill": "Abrir copias de seguridad",
         "offhost_setup": "Abrir copias de seguridad",
-        "recovery_kit": "Abrir el kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Abrir el kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Abrir copias de seguridad"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Todavía no hay ninguna cuenta de administrador.",
           "not_confirmed": "Nadie ha confirmado una copia de las claves que necesita una restauración: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Guarda una copia de las claves que necesita una restauración: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "No hay ningún bucket externo configurado.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Ningún volcado de la base de datos va al bucket.",
+          "missing": "Ninguna regla de ciclo de vida del bucket cubre database/, así que los volcados de ahí, y las cuentas eliminadas que contienen, nunca se borran. Añade una regla para ese prefijo.",
+          "configured": "El bucket borra los volcados a los {days} días.",
+          "unknown": "El bucket no indica si alguna regla borra los volcados antiguos. Comprueba que una regla de ciclo de vida cubra database/."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Cada cuenta vuelve a tener una copia fuera del host reciente.",
         "restore_drill": "El simulacro de restauración vuelve a superarse.",
         "offhost_setup": "Las copias fuera del host ya están configuradas.",
-        "recovery_kit": "El kit de recuperación vuelve a estar confirmado."
+        "recovery_kit": "El kit de recuperación vuelve a estar confirmado.",
+        "dump_retention": "Ahora una regla de ciclo de vida del bucket cubre los volcados de la base de datos."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/fr.json b/messages/fr.json
index 4d049e4c6..9afb8acda 100644
--- a/messages/fr.json
+++ b/messages/fr.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Copies hors hôte",
         "restore_drill": "Test de restauration",
         "offhost_setup": "Sauvegarde hors hôte",
-        "recovery_kit": "Kit de récupération"
+        "recovery_kit": "Kit de récupération",
+        "dump_retention": "Dumps dans le bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Dump le plus récent : {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Ouvrir les sauvegardes",
         "restore_drill": "Ouvrir les sauvegardes",
         "offhost_setup": "Ouvrir les sauvegardes",
-        "recovery_kit": "Ouvrir le kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Ouvrir le kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Ouvrir les sauvegardes"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Il n'y a pas encore de compte administrateur.",
           "not_confirmed": "Personne n'a confirmé de copie des clés nécessaires à une restauration : {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Sauvegardez une copie des clés nécessaires à une restauration : {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "Aucun bucket hors site n'est configuré.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Aucun dump de la base ne part dans le bucket.",
+          "missing": "Aucune règle de cycle de vie du bucket ne couvre database/ : les dumps qui s'y trouvent, et les comptes supprimés qu'ils contiennent, ne sont jamais effacés. Ajoutez une règle pour ce préfixe.",
+          "configured": "Le bucket efface les dumps au bout de {days} jours.",
+          "unknown": "Le bucket n'indique pas si une règle efface les anciens dumps. Vérifiez qu'une règle de cycle de vie couvre database/."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Chaque compte a de nouveau une copie hors hôte récente.",
         "restore_drill": "Le test de restauration réussit de nouveau.",
         "offhost_setup": "Les copies hors hôte sont maintenant configurées.",
-        "recovery_kit": "Le kit de récupération est de nouveau confirmé."
+        "recovery_kit": "Le kit de récupération est de nouveau confirmé.",
+        "dump_retention": "Une règle de cycle de vie du bucket couvre désormais les dumps de la base."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/it.json b/messages/it.json
index a3fbd5a97..a67d5d50e 100644
--- a/messages/it.json
+++ b/messages/it.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Copie fuori host",
         "restore_drill": "Prova di ripristino",
         "offhost_setup": "Backup fuori host",
-        "recovery_kit": "Kit di recupero"
+        "recovery_kit": "Kit di recupero",
+        "dump_retention": "Dump nel bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Dump più recente: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Apri i backup",
         "restore_drill": "Apri i backup",
         "offhost_setup": "Apri i backup",
-        "recovery_kit": "Apri il kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Apri il kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Apri i backup"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Non esiste ancora un account amministratore.",
           "not_confirmed": "Nessuno ha confermato una copia delle chiavi necessarie per un ripristino: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Salva una copia delle chiavi necessarie per un ripristino: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "Non è configurato alcun bucket esterno.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Nessun dump del database va nel bucket.",
+          "missing": "Nessuna regola del ciclo di vita del bucket copre database/, quindi i dump lì, e gli account eliminati che contengono, non vengono mai rimossi. Aggiungi una regola per quel prefisso.",
+          "configured": "Il bucket rimuove i dump dopo {days} giorni.",
+          "unknown": "Il bucket non dice se una regola rimuove i dump vecchi. Verifica che una regola di ciclo di vita copra database/."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Ogni account ha di nuovo una copia fuori host recente.",
         "restore_drill": "La prova di ripristino è di nuovo riuscita.",
         "offhost_setup": "Le copie fuori host ora sono configurate.",
-        "recovery_kit": "Il kit di recupero è di nuovo confermato."
+        "recovery_kit": "Il kit di recupero è di nuovo confermato.",
+        "dump_retention": "Ora una regola di ciclo di vita del bucket copre i dump del database."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/ko.json b/messages/ko.json
index 3210d5022..1caf6faf9 100644
--- a/messages/ko.json
+++ b/messages/ko.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "외부 보관 사본",
         "restore_drill": "복원 훈련",
         "offhost_setup": "외부 보관 백업",
-        "recovery_kit": "복구 키트"
+        "recovery_kit": "복구 키트",
+        "dump_retention": "버킷의 덤프"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "최신 덤프: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "백업 열기",
         "restore_drill": "백업 열기",
         "offhost_setup": "백업 열기",
-        "recovery_kit": "키트 열기"
+        "recovery_kit": "키트 열기",
+        "dump_retention": "백업 열기"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "아직 관리자 계정이 없습니다.",
           "not_confirmed": "복원에 필요한 키의 사본을 아무도 확인하지 않았습니다: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "복원에 필요한 키의 사본을 보관하세요: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "외부 버킷이 설정되지 않았습니다.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "버킷으로 가는 데이터베이스 덤프가 없습니다.",
+          "missing": "버킷의 어떤 수명 주기 규칙도 database/를 다루지 않아 그곳의 덤프와 그 안의 삭제된 계정이 절대 삭제되지 않습니다. 이 접두사에 대한 규칙을 추가하세요.",
+          "configured": "버킷은 {days}일 후에 덤프를 삭제합니다.",
+          "unknown": "버킷이 오래된 덤프를 삭제하는 규칙이 있는지 알려 주지 않습니다. 수명 주기 규칙이 database/를 포함하는지 확인하세요."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "모든 계정에 다시 최근 외부 보관 사본이 있습니다.",
         "restore_drill": "복원 훈련을 다시 통과했습니다.",
         "offhost_setup": "이제 외부 보관 사본이 설정되었습니다.",
-        "recovery_kit": "복구 키트가 다시 확인되었습니다."
+        "recovery_kit": "복구 키트가 다시 확인되었습니다.",
+        "dump_retention": "이제 버킷의 수명 주기 규칙이 데이터베이스 덤프를 포함합니다."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/nl.json b/messages/nl.json
index 94cbafe8f..01901ab56 100644
--- a/messages/nl.json
+++ b/messages/nl.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Externe kopieën",
         "restore_drill": "Hersteltest",
         "offhost_setup": "Externe back-up",
-        "recovery_kit": "Herstelkit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Herstelkit",
+        "dump_retention": "Dumps in de bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Nieuwste dump: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Back-ups openen",
         "restore_drill": "Back-ups openen",
         "offhost_setup": "Back-ups openen",
-        "recovery_kit": "Kit openen"
+        "recovery_kit": "Kit openen",
+        "dump_retention": "Back-ups openen"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Er is nog geen beheerdersaccount.",
           "not_confirmed": "Niemand heeft een kopie bevestigd van de sleutels die een herstel nodig heeft: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Bewaar een kopie van de sleutels die een herstel nodig heeft: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "Er is geen externe bucket ingesteld.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Er gaat geen databasedump naar de bucket.",
+          "missing": "Geen levenscyclusregel in de bucket geldt voor database/, dus dumps daar, en de verwijderde accounts erin, worden nooit verwijderd. Voeg een regel voor dat voorvoegsel toe.",
+          "configured": "De bucket verwijdert dumps na {days} dagen.",
+          "unknown": "De bucket zegt niet of een regel oude dumps verwijdert. Controleer of een levenscyclusregel database/ dekt."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Elk account heeft weer een recente externe kopie.",
         "restore_drill": "De hersteltest is weer geslaagd.",
         "offhost_setup": "Externe kopieën zijn nu ingesteld.",
-        "recovery_kit": "De herstelkit is weer bevestigd."
+        "recovery_kit": "De herstelkit is weer bevestigd.",
+        "dump_retention": "Een levenscyclusregel in de bucket dekt nu de databasedumps."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/pl.json b/messages/pl.json
index 0aceb820b..c498fc660 100644
--- a/messages/pl.json
+++ b/messages/pl.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Kopie poza hostem",
         "restore_drill": "Próba przywracania",
         "offhost_setup": "Kopia poza hostem",
-        "recovery_kit": "Zestaw odzyskiwania"
+        "recovery_kit": "Zestaw odzyskiwania",
+        "dump_retention": "Zrzuty w buckecie"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Najnowszy zrzut: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Otwórz kopie zapasowe",
         "restore_drill": "Otwórz kopie zapasowe",
         "offhost_setup": "Otwórz kopie zapasowe",
-        "recovery_kit": "Otwórz zestaw"
+        "recovery_kit": "Otwórz zestaw",
+        "dump_retention": "Otwórz kopie zapasowe"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Nie ma jeszcze konta administratora.",
           "not_confirmed": "Nikt nie potwierdził kopii kluczy potrzebnych do przywrócenia: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Zapisz kopię kluczy potrzebnych do przywrócenia: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "Zewnętrzny bucket nie jest ustawiony.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Żaden zrzut bazy nie trafia do bucketu.",
+          "missing": "Żadna reguła cyklu życia bucketu nie obejmuje database/, więc zrzuty tam, wraz z usuniętymi kontami w nich, nigdy nie są usuwane. Dodaj regułę dla tego prefiksu.",
+          "configured": "Bucket usuwa zrzuty po {days} dniach.",
+          "unknown": "Bucket nie podaje, czy jakaś reguła usuwa stare zrzuty. Sprawdź, czy reguła cyklu życia obejmuje database/."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Każde konto znów ma aktualną kopię poza hostem.",
         "restore_drill": "Próba przywracania znów się powiodła.",
         "offhost_setup": "Kopie poza hostem są już skonfigurowane.",
-        "recovery_kit": "Zestaw odzyskiwania jest znów potwierdzony."
+        "recovery_kit": "Zestaw odzyskiwania jest znów potwierdzony.",
+        "dump_retention": "Reguła cyklu życia w buckecie obejmuje teraz zrzuty bazy."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/messages/pt-BR.json b/messages/pt-BR.json
index f09bce53c..ab7eaf3ca 100644
--- a/messages/pt-BR.json
+++ b/messages/pt-BR.json
@@ -8662,7 +8662,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Cópias fora do host",
         "restore_drill": "Teste de restauração",
         "offhost_setup": "Backup fora do host",
-        "recovery_kit": "Kit de recuperação"
+        "recovery_kit": "Kit de recuperação",
+        "dump_retention": "Dumps no bucket"
       },
       "at": {
         "database_dump": "Dump mais recente: {date}",
@@ -8678,7 +8679,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Abrir backups",
         "restore_drill": "Abrir backups",
         "offhost_setup": "Abrir backups",
-        "recovery_kit": "Abrir o kit"
+        "recovery_kit": "Abrir o kit",
+        "dump_retention": "Abrir backups"
       },
       "reason": {
         "database_dump": {
@@ -8727,6 +8729,13 @@
           "no_admin": "Ainda não há uma conta de administrador.",
           "not_confirmed": "Ninguém confirmou uma cópia das chaves de que uma restauração precisa: {keys}.",
           "not_confirmed_grace": "Guarde uma cópia das chaves de que uma restauração precisa: {keys}."
+        },
+        "dump_retention": {
+          "not_configured": "Nenhum bucket externo está configurado.",
+          "no_offhost_dumps": "Nenhum dump do banco vai para o bucket.",
+          "missing": "Nenhuma regra de ciclo de vida do bucket cobre database/, então os dumps ali, e as contas excluídas dentro deles, nunca são removidos. Adicione uma regra para esse prefixo.",
+          "configured": "O bucket remove os dumps após {days} dias.",
+          "unknown": "O bucket não informa se alguma regra remove dumps antigos. Confira se uma regra de ciclo de vida cobre database/."
         }
       },
       "recovered": {
@@ -8735,7 +8744,8 @@
         "offhost_copies": "Todas as contas têm novamente uma cópia recente fora do host.",
         "restore_drill": "O teste de restauração passou novamente.",
         "offhost_setup": "As cópias fora do host estão configuradas agora.",
-        "recovery_kit": "O kit de recuperação está confirmado novamente."
+        "recovery_kit": "O kit de recuperação está confirmado novamente.",
+        "dump_retention": "Agora uma regra de ciclo de vida do bucket cobre os dumps do banco."
       }
     }
   },
diff --git a/src/app/api/admin/recovery-readiness/route.ts b/src/app/api/admin/recovery-readiness/route.ts
index 7c34286f9..a6d5d8dd2 100644
--- a/src/app/api/admin/recovery-readiness/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/admin/recovery-readiness/route.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
  * Every backup signal with its verdict, its time and where to fix it: the
  * database dump, the weekly copy, the off-host copies, the last restore drill
  * (no time window: a failed drill stays failed until a later one passes), the
- * off-host setup and the recovery kit. The same judgement the hourly
+ * off-host setup, whether the bucket ever removes the database dumps, and the
+ * recovery kit. The same judgement the hourly
  * evaluation pushes to the admins (`src/lib/recovery/readiness-model.ts`).
  * Cookie-only admin.
  */
diff --git a/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx b/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx
index 19cf4e5db..d77ae64d1 100644
--- a/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx
+++ b/src/components/admin/recovery-readiness-card.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 /**
  * `<RecoveryReadinessCard>` — every backup signal on one card: the database
  * dump, the weekly account copies, the off-host copies, the last restore
- * drill, the off-host setup and the recovery kit. Each row says its verdict,
+ * drill, the off-host setup, the bucket's rule for the dumps and the recovery
+ * kit. Each row says its verdict,
  * the time it is about and where to fix it.
  *
  * No time window anywhere: a failed drill stays on this card until a later
diff --git a/src/lib/recovery/__tests__/readiness-model.test.ts b/src/lib/recovery/__tests__/readiness-model.test.ts
index 0d5c6bcdb..b9d59405d 100644
--- a/src/lib/recovery/__tests__/readiness-model.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/recovery/__tests__/readiness-model.test.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type { DatabaseBackupHealth } from "@/lib/recovery/database-dump-health";
 import {
   DUMP_FAILING_AFTER_HOURS,
   evaluateDatabaseDump,
+  evaluateDumpRetention,
   evaluateOffhostCopies,
   evaluateOffhostSetup,
   evaluateRecoveryKit,
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ function inputs(over: Partial<ReadinessInputs> = {}): ReadinessInputs {
     weekly: { accounts: [{ createdAt: ago(60 * DAY), lastCopyAt: ago(DAY) }] },
     offhost: {
       configured: true,
+      databaseLifecycle: { state: "configured", expirationDays: 30 },
       accounts: [
         { lastAttemptAt: ago(10 * HOUR), lastSuccessAt: ago(10 * HOUR) },
       ],
@@ -227,6 +229,76 @@ describe("database dump", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("dump retention in the bucket", () => {
+  const goingOffhost = dump({ offhostConfigured: true });
+  const evalRule = (
+    databaseLifecycle: ReadinessInputs["offhost"]["databaseLifecycle"],
+    d: ReadinessInputs["dump"] = goingOffhost,
+    configured = true,
+  ) =>
+    evaluateDumpRetention({
+      dump: d,
+      offhost: { configured, databaseLifecycle, accounts: [] },
+    });
+
+  it("asks for a rule when dumps go to a bucket that never removes them", () => {
+    expect(evalRule({ state: "missing", expirationDays: null })).toMatchObject({
+      state: "attention",
+      reason: "missing",
+      fixPath: "/admin/backups",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("names the expiry when a rule covers database/, and stays quiet when the bucket will not say", () => {
+    expect(evalRule({ state: "configured", expirationDays: 30 })).toMatchObject(
+      { state: "ok", reason: "configured", params: { days: 30 } },
+    );
+    expect(evalRule({ state: "unknown", expirationDays: null })).toMatchObject({
+      state: "ok",
+      reason: "unknown",
+    });
+    expect(evalRule(null)).toMatchObject({ state: "ok", reason: "unknown" });
+  });
+
+  it("does not apply without a bucket, or while no dump goes to it", () => {
+    const missing = { state: "missing", expirationDays: null } as const;
+    expect(evalRule(missing, goingOffhost, false)).toMatchObject({
+      state: "inactive",
+      reason: "not_configured",
+    });
+    for (const d of [
+      null,
+      "unreadable" as const,
+      dump({ offhostConfigured: false }),
+      dump({ offhostConfigured: true, enabled: false }),
+    ]) {
+      expect(evalRule(missing, d)).toMatchObject({
+        state: "inactive",
+        reason: "no_offhost_dumps",
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("moves the overall verdict to attention on its own", () => {
+    const r = evaluateRecoveryReadiness(
+      inputs({
+        dump: goingOffhost,
+        offhost: {
+          configured: true,
+          databaseLifecycle: { state: "missing", expirationDays: null },
+          accounts: [
+            { lastAttemptAt: ago(10 * HOUR), lastSuccessAt: ago(10 * HOUR) },
+          ],
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(
+      r.signals.filter((x) => x.state !== "ok" && x.state !== "inactive"),
+    ).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ id: "dump_retention" })]);
+    expect(r.state).toBe("attention");
+  });
+});
+
 describe("weekly copy", () => {
   const weekly = (
     ...accounts: Array<{ createdAt: Date; lastCopyAt: Date | null }>
@@ -289,7 +361,11 @@ describe("off-host copies", () => {
       lastAttemptAt: Date | null;
       lastSuccessAt: Date | null;
     }>
-  ) => evaluateOffhostCopies({ now: NOW, offhost: { configured, accounts } });
+  ) =>
+    evaluateOffhostCopies({
+      now: NOW,
+      offhost: { configured, databaseLifecycle: null, accounts },
+    });
 
   it("does not apply while no bucket is configured", () => {
     expect(offhost(false).state).toBe("inactive");
@@ -337,7 +413,10 @@ describe("off-host copies", () => {
 
 describe("restore drill", () => {
   const drill = (d: ReadinessInputs["drill"], configured = true) =>
-    evaluateRestoreDrill({ offhost: { configured, accounts: [] }, drill: d });
+    evaluateRestoreDrill({
+      offhost: { configured, databaseLifecycle: null, accounts: [] },
+      drill: d,
+    });
   const run = {
     lastRunAt: ago(5 * DAY),
     lastSuccessAt: null as Date | null,
@@ -386,7 +465,7 @@ describe("off-host setup", () => {
     evaluateOffhostSetup({
       now: NOW,
       firstAdminAt,
-      offhost: { configured, accounts: [] },
+      offhost: { configured, databaseLifecycle: null, accounts: [] },
     });
 
   it("asks for a bucket 7 days after the first admin exists", () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/recovery/readiness-model.ts b/src/lib/recovery/readiness-model.ts
index e544a2c26..ba7b1fbe8 100644
--- a/src/lib/recovery/readiness-model.ts
+++ b/src/lib/recovery/readiness-model.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@
  * ordinary row. A failed monthly drill was on the failing-jobs card three days
  * in thirty. An off-host bucket that was never configured showed only on the
  * backups page, and the key step confirmed one key of the several a restore
- * needs. This module turns them into six signals with one verdict each, which
- * the readiness tile shows and the hourly evaluation pushes to every admin.
+ * needs. A bucket whose lifecycle rule left `database/` out kept every dump,
+ * and every deleted account inside it, forever, and only the backups page
+ * said so. This module turns them into seven signals with one verdict each,
+ * which the readiness tile shows and the hourly evaluation pushes to every
+ * admin.
  *
  * Pure: the inputs are read elsewhere (`readiness.ts`), so each threshold is a
  * unit test away and the tile and the push cannot disagree about a verdict.
@@ -26,6 +29,7 @@ import {
   classifyOffhostBackup,
   type OffhostBackupFreshness,
 } from "@/lib/jobs/offhost-backup-freshness";
+import type { LifecycleVerdict } from "@/lib/jobs/offhost-lifecycle";
 import type { DatabaseBackupHealth } from "@/lib/recovery/database-dump-health";
 import type { KitEntry } from "@/lib/recovery/kit-rules";
 
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@ export const READINESS_SIGNALS = [
   "offhost_copies",
   "restore_drill",
   "offhost_setup",
+  "dump_retention",
   "recovery_kit",
 ] as const;
 export type ReadinessSignalId = (typeof READINESS_SIGNALS)[number];
@@ -69,6 +74,7 @@ export const READINESS_FIX_PATHS: Record<ReadinessSignalId, string> = {
   offhost_copies: "/admin/backups",
   restore_drill: "/admin/backups",
   offhost_setup: "/admin/backups",
+  dump_retention: "/admin/backups",
   recovery_kit: "/admin/encryption",
 };
 
@@ -121,6 +127,12 @@ export interface ReadinessInputs {
   };
   offhost: {
     configured: boolean;
+    /**
+     * The bucket's lifecycle rules for keys under `database/`, as the backups
+     * page reads them (`probeOffhostLifecycle`). Null when no bucket is
+     * configured.
+     */
+    databaseLifecycle: LifecycleVerdict | null;
     accounts: ReadonlyArray<{
       lastAttemptAt: Date | null;
       lastSuccessAt: Date | null;
@@ -385,6 +397,42 @@ export function evaluateOffhostSetup(
     : signal(id, "ok", "not_configured_grace", graceEnds);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Whether the bucket ever removes the database dumps. Each one holds every
+ * account that existed when it was taken, so a bucket with no rule for
+ * `database/` keeps a deleted account's data for as long as the bucket
+ * exists. Attention, not failing: every restore still works. A bucket that
+ * will not say (a credential without the permission, a target without the
+ * call) is not news either way.
+ */
+export function evaluateDumpRetention(
+  input: Pick<ReadinessInputs, "dump" | "offhost">,
+): ReadinessSignal {
+  const id = "dump_retention";
+  if (!input.offhost.configured) {
+    return signal(id, "inactive", "not_configured", null);
+  }
+  const { dump } = input;
+  const dumpsGoOffhost =
+    dump !== null &&
+    dump !== "unreadable" &&
+    dump.enabled &&
+    dump.offhostConfigured;
+  if (!dumpsGoOffhost) {
+    return signal(id, "inactive", "no_offhost_dumps", null);
+  }
+  const rule = input.offhost.databaseLifecycle;
+  if (rule?.state === "missing") {
+    return signal(id, "attention", "missing", null);
+  }
+  if (rule?.state === "configured" && rule.expirationDays !== null) {
+    return signal(id, "ok", "configured", null, {
+      days: rule.expirationDays,
+    });
+  }
+  return signal(id, "ok", "unknown", null);
+}
+
 export function evaluateRecoveryKit(
   input: Pick<ReadinessInputs, "now" | "firstAdminAt" | "kit">,
 ): ReadinessSignal {
@@ -431,6 +479,7 @@ export function evaluateRecoveryReadiness(
     evaluateOffhostCopies(inputs),
     evaluateRestoreDrill(inputs),
     evaluateOffhostSetup(inputs),
+    evaluateDumpRetention(inputs),
     evaluateRecoveryKit(inputs),
   ];
   const state = signals.reduce<Exclude<ReadinessState, "inactive">>(
diff --git a/src/lib/recovery/readiness.ts b/src/lib/recovery/readiness.ts
index 3e0c1553d..97782e0a9 100644
--- a/src/lib/recovery/readiness.ts
+++ b/src/lib/recovery/readiness.ts
@@ -11,12 +11,17 @@
  *   - the off-host copies: the per-account ledger the nightly run writes, and
  *     the same "configured" rule the backups page uses (the environment, or a
  *     ledger row as proof that an upload happened);
+ *   - the bucket's lifecycle rule for `database/`: the same cached probe the
+ *     backups page shows, asked only when a bucket is configured;
  *   - the drill: its persisted last outcome, with no time window;
  *   - the kit: the same assessment the kit card shows;
  *   - the dump: whatever the dump module reports, through a provider.
  */
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
-import { offhostBackupConfigured } from "@/lib/jobs/offhost-backup";
+import {
+  offhostBackupConfigured,
+  probeOffhostLifecycle,
+} from "@/lib/jobs/offhost-backup";
 import {
   readDatabaseBackupHealth,
   type DatabaseBackupHealthProvider,
@@ -74,6 +79,10 @@ export async function readReadinessInputs(
   const configured =
     offhostBackupConfigured() ||
     accounts.some((account) => account.offhostBackupState !== null);
+  // Never throws: a bucket that cannot be asked answers `unknown`.
+  const databaseLifecycle = configured
+    ? (await probeOffhostLifecycle()).database
+    : null;
 
   return {
     now,
@@ -88,6 +97,7 @@ export async function readReadinessInputs(
     },
     offhost: {
       configured,
+      databaseLifecycle,
       accounts: accounts.map((account) => ({
         lastAttemptAt: account.offhostBackupState?.lastAttemptAt ?? null,
         lastSuccessAt: account.offhostBackupState?.lastSuccessAt ?? null,
diff --git a/tests/integration/recovery-readiness-dump-retention.test.ts b/tests/integration/recovery-readiness-dump-retention.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f7a2f9c9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/recovery-readiness-dump-retention.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+/**
+ * The dump-retention signal through the real readiness reader against
+ * Postgres: the reader asks the bucket's lifecycle rules for `database/` the
+ * way the backups page does, only while a bucket is configured, and the model
+ * turns a missing rule into attention.
+ *
+ * The bucket call itself is stubbed (`probeOffhostLifecycle`); the parsing of
+ * the rules it returns is covered by the lifecycle unit tests.
+ */
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { DatabaseBackupHealth } from "@/lib/database-backup/health";
+import type { OffhostLifecycle } from "@/lib/jobs/offhost-lifecycle";
+
+const probe = vi.fn<() => Promise<OffhostLifecycle>>();
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/jobs/offhost-backup", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("@/lib/jobs/offhost-backup")>()),
+  probeOffhostLifecycle: () => probe(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/db-compat", () => ({
+  ensureDbCompatibility: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+}));
+
+import { getPrismaClient, truncateAllTables } from "./setup";
+
+const NOW = new Date();
+
+/** A dump that went to the bucket an hour ago. */
+const dumpGoingOffhost = async (): Promise<DatabaseBackupHealth> => ({
+  enabled: true,
+  directory: "/var/lib/healthlog/backups",
+  keepNightly: 7,
+  localDirWritable: true,
+  localPersistent: true,
+  localReason: "volume",
+  offhostConfigured: true,
+  lastGood: {
+    at: new Date(NOW.getTime() - 3_600_000).toISOString(),
+    fileName: "healthlog-20261025T013000Z-daily.dump",
+    sizeBytes: 1024,
+    local: true,
+    offhost: true,
+  },
+  lastFailure: null,
+});
+
+function useBucket(): void {
+  vi.stubEnv("BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT", "https://bucket.invalid");
+  vi.stubEnv("BACKUP_S3_BUCKET", "b");
+  vi.stubEnv("BACKUP_S3_ACCESS_KEY", "a");
+  vi.stubEnv("BACKUP_S3_SECRET_KEY", "s");
+  vi.stubEnv("BACKUP_ENCRYPTION_KEY", "e".repeat(64));
+}
+
+async function retentionSignal() {
+  const { readRecoveryReadiness } = await import("@/lib/recovery/readiness");
+  const readiness = await readRecoveryReadiness({
+    now: NOW,
+    dumpHealth: dumpGoingOffhost,
+  });
+  return {
+    overall: readiness.state,
+    signal: readiness.signals.find((s) => s.id === "dump_retention"),
+  };
+}
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  probe.mockReset();
+  for (const name of [
+    "BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT",
+    "BACKUP_S3_BUCKET",
+    "BACKUP_S3_ACCESS_KEY",
+    "BACKUP_S3_SECRET_KEY",
+    "BACKUP_ENCRYPTION_KEY",
+  ]) {
+    vi.stubEnv(name, "");
+  }
+  const prisma = getPrismaClient();
+  await truncateAllTables(prisma);
+  await prisma.user.create({
+    data: {
+      id: "user-retention-admin",
+      username: "retention-admin",
+      role: "ADMIN",
+    },
+  });
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+});
+
+describe("dump retention in the readiness verdict (real Postgres)", () => {
+  it("calls a bucket with no rule for database/ attention", async () => {
+    useBucket();
+    probe.mockResolvedValue({
+      state: "configured",
+      expirationDays: 30,
+      database: { state: "missing", expirationDays: null },
+    });
+    const { signal } = await retentionSignal();
+    expect(signal).toMatchObject({
+      state: "attention",
+      reason: "missing",
+      fixPath: "/admin/backups",
+    });
+    expect(probe).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("is ok with the rule's expiry once one covers database/", async () => {
+    useBucket();
+    probe.mockResolvedValue({
+      state: "configured",
+      expirationDays: 30,
+      database: { state: "configured", expirationDays: 45 },
+    });
+    expect((await retentionSignal()).signal).toMatchObject({
+      state: "ok",
+      reason: "configured",
+      params: { days: 45 },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not ask a bucket that is not configured", async () => {
+    const { signal } = await retentionSignal();
+    expect(signal).toMatchObject({
+      state: "inactive",
+      reason: "not_configured",
+    });
+    expect(probe).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});