diff --git a/prisma/migrations/0177_v1186_coach_message_role_index/migration.sql b/prisma/migrations/0177_v1186_coach_message_role_index/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bdaed2d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prisma/migrations/0177_v1186_coach_message_role_index/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+-- v1.18.6 (L1) — covering index for the Coach assistant-message scans.
+--
+-- Two hot reads walk a user's assistant messages newest-first:
+--   * the global Coach FAB poll (`GET /api/insights/coach/nudge-status`) —
+--     the newest assistant message across the caller's conversations, used
+--     to decide whether the unread dot paints; and
+--   * the proactive-nudge cron's frequency gate (CCH-02 / M1) — the newest
+--     `provider_type = 'nudge'` assistant message inside the rolling window.
+--
+-- The pre-existing `(conversation_id, created_at)` index does not cover the
+-- `role` / `provider_type` filter, so Postgres gathered every assistant row
+-- in the user's threads and sorted. `coach_messages` grows unbounded, and the
+-- FAB poll fires on every authenticated page with refetch-on-focus.
+--
+-- This index orders by `created_at DESC` after `(conversation_id, role)` so
+-- the planner can do an index-backed per-conversation merge for the
+-- newest-first reads. Additive; no data touched.
+--
+-- Reversibility (down):
+--   DROP INDEX IF EXISTS "coach_messages_conversation_id_role_created_at_idx";
+
+-- CreateIndex
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS "coach_messages_conversation_id_role_created_at_idx"
+  ON "coach_messages"("conversation_id", "role", "created_at" DESC);
diff --git a/prisma/schema.prisma b/prisma/schema.prisma
index 76b09170c..c2f620a3c 100644
--- a/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -3632,6 +3632,12 @@ model CoachMessage {
   feedback     RecommendationFeedback[]
 
   @@index([conversationId, createdAt])
+  // v1.18.6 (L1) — the FAB nudge-status poll and the cron's persisted-nudge
+  // frequency gate both scan a user's assistant messages newest-first
+  // (optionally filtered to provider_type = 'nudge'). This index lets the
+  // planner do an index-backed per-conversation merge instead of gathering +
+  // sorting every assistant row in the user's threads on each global poll.
+  @@index([conversationId, role, createdAt(sort: Desc)])
   @@map("coach_messages")
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/ai/coach/persistence.ts b/src/lib/ai/coach/persistence.ts
index 7e318ee93..a6f9ec7b4 100644
--- a/src/lib/ai/coach/persistence.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ai/coach/persistence.ts
@@ -194,8 +194,6 @@ export interface RecordProactiveNudgeParams {
   title: string;
   /** The nudge body, persisted as the initial ASSISTANT message. */
   body: string;
-  /** Trigger tag for the wide-event annotation on the caller side. */
-  providerType?: string | null;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -228,7 +226,9 @@ export async function recordProactiveNudge(
         role: "assistant",
         encryptedContent: encryptToBytes(params.body),
         metricSourceJson: null,
-        providerType: params.providerType ?? "nudge",
+        // Tags the message as a proactive nudge — the cron's frequency gate
+        // reads this back to cap rail conversations for no-push-channel users.
+        providerType: "nudge",
         promptVersion: null,
       },
     });
diff --git a/src/lib/jobs/__tests__/coach-nudge.test.ts b/src/lib/jobs/__tests__/coach-nudge.test.ts
index dfa3a5a23..d69313117 100644
--- a/src/lib/jobs/__tests__/coach-nudge.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/jobs/__tests__/coach-nudge.test.ts
@@ -524,6 +524,7 @@ describe("runCoachNudgeTick — gates and prefs", () => {
     users?: unknown[];
     intakeRows?: unknown[];
     recentNudge?: unknown;
+    recentPersistedNudge?: unknown;
     coachFocusEncrypted?: Uint8Array | null;
   }) {
     return {
@@ -539,6 +540,12 @@ describe("runCoachNudgeTick — gates and prefs", () => {
           return overrides.recentNudge ?? null;
         }),
       },
+      coachMessage: {
+        findFirst: vi.fn(async (args?: unknown) => {
+          void args;
+          return overrides.recentPersistedNudge ?? null;
+        }),
+      },
       medicationIntakeEvent: {
         findMany: vi.fn(async () => overrides.intakeRows ?? []),
       },
@@ -643,6 +650,42 @@ describe("runCoachNudgeTick — gates and prefs", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("caps on a recently persisted nudge conversation even with no push-success row (M1)", async () => {
+    // A no-push-channel user never writes an `ok` push-attempt row, so the
+    // ledger side of gate 5 stays empty. The persisted nudge conversation
+    // from a prior tick must still pin the window so the rail does not get a
+    // brand-new nudge conversation every cron run.
+    const dispatch = vi.fn();
+    const recordNudge = vi.fn();
+    const prisma = prismaMock({
+      users: [userRow(null)],
+      intakeRows: failingIntakes,
+      recentNudge: null,
+      recentPersistedNudge: { id: "msg_recent" },
+    });
+    const summary = await runCoachNudgeTick(
+      prisma as unknown as PrismaClient,
+      now,
+      { dispatch: dispatch as never, recordNudge: recordNudge as never },
+    );
+    expect(summary.skippedRecentNudge).toBe(1);
+    expect(dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(recordNudge).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // The persisted-nudge query honours the same rolling cutoff as the ledger.
+    const arg = vi.mocked(prisma.coachMessage.findFirst).mock.calls[0]?.[0] as {
+      where: {
+        providerType: string;
+        role: string;
+        createdAt: { gte: Date };
+      };
+    } | undefined;
+    expect(arg?.where.providerType).toBe("nudge");
+    expect(arg?.where.role).toBe("assistant");
+    expect(arg?.where.createdAt.gte.getTime()).toBe(
+      now.getTime() - 7 * MS_PER_DAY,
+    );
+  });
+
   it("skips a disabled group's trigger queries entirely", async () => {
     const prisma = prismaMock({
       users: [
diff --git a/src/lib/jobs/coach-nudge.ts b/src/lib/jobs/coach-nudge.ts
index d1fe2724e..24c2d948f 100644
--- a/src/lib/jobs/coach-nudge.ts
+++ b/src/lib/jobs/coach-nudge.ts
@@ -782,10 +782,15 @@ export async function runCoachNudgeTick(
       }
 
       // Gate 5 — one nudge per rolling window (7 d default, 14 d when
-      // the user picked "biweekly"), anchored on the push-attempts
-      // ledger. A delivered nudge writes an `ok` row per succeeding
-      // channel; a fully failed dispatch leaves the slot free so
-      // tomorrow's tick can retry.
+      // the user picked "biweekly"). Anchored on BOTH the push-attempts
+      // ledger (a delivered nudge writes an `ok` row per succeeding
+      // channel) AND the persisted nudge conversation (v1.18.6 CCH-02
+      // writes one regardless of push outcome). A user with no push
+      // channel never gets an `ok` row, so without the persisted-side
+      // check the cap would be inert for them and every tick would mint a
+      // fresh rail conversation. A fully failed dispatch on a push-capable
+      // user still leaves the ledger slot free, but the persisted nudge
+      // already pins the window — exactly the once-per-window contract.
       const capCutoff = new Date(
         now.getTime() - nudgePrefs.minIntervalDays * MS_PER_DAY,
       );
@@ -802,6 +807,19 @@ export async function runCoachNudgeTick(
         summary.skippedRecentNudge += 1;
         continue;
       }
+      const recentPersistedNudge = await prisma.coachMessage.findFirst({
+        where: {
+          providerType: "nudge",
+          role: "assistant",
+          conversation: { userId: user.id },
+          createdAt: { gte: capCutoff },
+        },
+        select: { id: true },
+      });
+      if (recentPersistedNudge) {
+        summary.skippedRecentNudge += 1;
+        continue;
+      }
 
       // Gate 6 — Rest Mode pause (v1.18.1 P4). A user with an active
       // illness/condition episode should not be told to measure more often;