fix(sync): make snapshot protection timestamp-aware (GH#865)

The --protect-left-snapshot mechanism was protecting ALL local issues
by ID alone, ignoring timestamps. This caused newer remote changes to
be incorrectly skipped during cross-worktree sync.

Changes:
- Add BuildIDToTimestampMap() to SnapshotManager for timestamp-aware
  snapshot reading
- Change ProtectLocalExportIDs from map[string]bool to map[string]time.Time
- Add shouldProtectFromUpdate() helper that compares timestamps
- Only protect if local snapshot is newer than incoming; allow update
  if incoming is newer

This fixes data loss scenarios where:
1. Main worktree closes issue at 11:31
2. Test worktree syncs and incorrectly skips the update
3. Test worktree then pushes stale open state, overwriting mains changes

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

cmd/bd/import.go

@@ -262,19 +262,19 @@ NOTE: Import requires direct database access and does not work with daemon mode.
 			OrphanHandling:             orphanHandling,
 		}
 
-		// If --protect-left-snapshot is set, read the left snapshot and build ID set
+		// If --protect-left-snapshot is set, read the left snapshot and build timestamp map
-		// This protects locally exported issues from git-history-backfill
+		// GH#865: Use timestamp-aware protection - only protect if local is newer than incoming
 		if protectLeftSnapshot && input != "" {
 			beadsDir := filepath.Dir(input)
 			leftSnapshotPath := filepath.Join(beadsDir, "beads.left.jsonl")
 			if _, err := os.Stat(leftSnapshotPath); err == nil {
 				sm := NewSnapshotManager(input)
-				leftIDs, err := sm.BuildIDSet(leftSnapshotPath)
+				leftTimestamps, err := sm.BuildIDToTimestampMap(leftSnapshotPath)
 				if err != nil {
 					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Warning: failed to read left snapshot: %v\n", err)
-				} else if len(leftIDs) > 0 {
+				} else if len(leftTimestamps) > 0 {
-					opts.ProtectLocalExportIDs = leftIDs
+					opts.ProtectLocalExportIDs = leftTimestamps
-					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Protecting %d issue(s) from left snapshot\n", len(leftIDs))
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Protecting %d issue(s) from left snapshot (timestamp-aware)\n", len(leftTimestamps))
 				}
 			}
 		}

cmd/bd/import_shared.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/importer"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/beads/internal/storage"
@@ -165,7 +166,7 @@ type ImportOptions struct {
 	SkipPrefixValidation       bool              // Skip prefix validation (for auto-import)
 	ClearDuplicateExternalRefs bool              // Clear duplicate external_ref values instead of erroring
 	OrphanHandling             string            // Orphan handling mode: strict/resurrect/skip/allow (empty = use config)
-	ProtectLocalExportIDs      map[string]bool   // IDs from left snapshot to protect from git-history-backfill (bd-sync-deletion fix)
+	ProtectLocalExportIDs      map[string]time.Time // IDs from left snapshot with timestamps for timestamp-aware protection (GH#865)
 }
 
 // ImportResult contains statistics about the import operation

cmd/bd/snapshot_manager.go

@@ -289,6 +289,48 @@ func (sm *SnapshotManager) BuildIDSet(path string) (map[string]bool, error) {
 	return sm.buildIDSet(path)
 }
 
+// BuildIDToTimestampMap reads a JSONL file and returns a map of issue ID to updated_at timestamp.
+// This is used for timestamp-aware snapshot protection (GH#865): only protect local issues
+// if they are newer than incoming remote versions.
+func (sm *SnapshotManager) BuildIDToTimestampMap(path string) (map[string]time.Time, error) {
+	result := make(map[string]time.Time)
+
+	// #nosec G304 -- snapshot file path derived from internal state
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return result, nil // Empty map for missing files
+		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(f)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		if line == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Parse ID and updated_at fields
+		var issue struct {
+			ID        string    `json:"id"`
+			UpdatedAt time.Time `json:"updated_at"`
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(line), &issue); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse issue from line: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		result[issue.ID] = issue.UpdatedAt
+	}
+
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return result, nil
+}
+
 // Private helper methods
 
 func (sm *SnapshotManager) createMetadata() snapshotMetadata {

internal/importer/importer.go

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	SkipPrefixValidation       bool            // Skip prefix validation (for auto-import)
 	OrphanHandling             OrphanHandling  // How to handle missing parent issues (default: allow)
 	ClearDuplicateExternalRefs bool            // Clear duplicate external_ref values instead of erroring
-	ProtectLocalExportIDs      map[string]bool // IDs from left snapshot to protect from deletion
+	ProtectLocalExportIDs      map[string]time.Time // IDs from left snapshot with timestamps for timestamp-aware protection (GH#865)
 }
 
 // Result contains statistics about the import operation
@@ -565,6 +565,12 @@ func upsertIssues(ctx context.Context, sqliteStore *sqlite.SQLiteStorage, issues
 			if existing, found := dbByExternalRef[*incoming.ExternalRef]; found {
 				// Found match by external_ref - update the existing issue
 				if !opts.SkipUpdate {
+					// GH#865: Check timestamp-aware protection first
+					// If local snapshot has a newer version, protect it from being overwritten
+					if shouldProtectFromUpdate(existing.ID, incoming.UpdatedAt, opts.ProtectLocalExportIDs) {
+						result.Skipped++
+						continue
+					}
 					// Check timestamps - only update if incoming is newer
 					if !incoming.UpdatedAt.After(existing.UpdatedAt) {
 						// Local version is newer or same - skip update
@@ -663,6 +669,12 @@ func upsertIssues(ctx context.Context, sqliteStore *sqlite.SQLiteStorage, issues
 			// The update should have been detected earlier by detectUpdates
 			// If we reach here, it means collision wasn't resolved - treat as update
 			if !opts.SkipUpdate {
+				// GH#865: Check timestamp-aware protection first
+				// If local snapshot has a newer version, protect it from being overwritten
+				if shouldProtectFromUpdate(incoming.ID, incoming.UpdatedAt, opts.ProtectLocalExportIDs) {
+					result.Skipped++
+					continue
+				}
 				// Check timestamps - only update if incoming is newer
 				if !incoming.UpdatedAt.After(existingWithID.UpdatedAt) {
 					// Local version is newer or same - skip update
@@ -919,6 +931,23 @@ func importComments(ctx context.Context, sqliteStore *sqlite.SQLiteStorage, issu
 	return nil
 }
 
+// shouldProtectFromUpdate checks if an update should be skipped due to timestamp-aware protection (GH#865).
+// Returns true if the update should be skipped (local is newer), false if the update should proceed.
+// If the issue is not in the protection map, returns false (allow update).
+func shouldProtectFromUpdate(issueID string, incomingTime time.Time, protectMap map[string]time.Time) bool {
+	if protectMap == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	localTime, exists := protectMap[issueID]
+	if !exists {
+		// Issue not in protection map - allow update
+		return false
+	}
+	// Only protect if local snapshot is newer than or equal to incoming
+	// If incoming is newer, allow the update
+	return !incomingTime.After(localTime)
+}
+
 func GetPrefixList(prefixes map[string]int) []string {
 	var result []string
 	keys := make([]string, 0, len(prefixes))

internal/importer/timestamp_test.go

@@ -205,6 +205,274 @@ func TestImportSameTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestImportTimestampAwareProtection tests the GH#865 fix: timestamp-aware snapshot protection
+// The ProtectLocalExportIDs map should only protect issues if the local snapshot version is newer.
+func TestImportTimestampAwareProtection(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test.db")
+
+	store, err := sqlite.New(context.Background(), dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create storage: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer store.Close()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	if err := store.SetConfig(ctx, "issue_prefix", "bd"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to set prefix: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	// Create a local issue in the database
+	localIssue := &types.Issue{
+		ID:          "bd-protect1",
+		Title:       "Test Issue",
+		Description: "Local version",
+		Status:      types.StatusOpen,
+		Priority:    1,
+		IssueType:   types.TypeTask,
+		CreatedAt:   now.Add(-2 * time.Hour),
+		UpdatedAt:   now.Add(-1 * time.Hour), // DB has old timestamp
+	}
+	localIssue.ContentHash = localIssue.ComputeContentHash()
+
+	if err := store.CreateIssue(ctx, localIssue, "test"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create local issue: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	t.Run("incoming newer than local snapshot - should update", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Scenario: Remote closed the issue after we exported locally
+		// Local snapshot: issue open at T1 (10:00)
+		// Incoming: issue closed at T2 (11:30) - NEWER
+		// Expected: Update should proceed (remote is newer)
+
+		snapshotTime := now.Add(-30 * time.Minute) // Local snapshot at 10:00
+		incomingTime := now                         // Incoming at 11:30 (newer)
+		closedAt := incomingTime
+
+		incomingIssue := &types.Issue{
+			ID:          "bd-protect1",
+			Title:       "Test Issue",
+			Description: "Remote closed version",
+			Status:      types.StatusClosed,
+			Priority:    1,
+			IssueType:   types.TypeTask,
+			CreatedAt:   now.Add(-2 * time.Hour),
+			UpdatedAt:   incomingTime,
+			ClosedAt:    &closedAt,
+		}
+		incomingIssue.ContentHash = incomingIssue.ComputeContentHash()
+
+		// Protection map has the issue with the local snapshot timestamp
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-protect1": snapshotTime,
+		}
+
+		result, err := ImportIssues(ctx, dbPath, store, []*types.Issue{incomingIssue}, Options{
+			SkipPrefixValidation:  true,
+			ProtectLocalExportIDs: protectMap,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Import failed: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Incoming is newer than snapshot, so update should proceed
+		if result.Updated == 0 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 1 update (incoming newer than snapshot), got 0")
+		}
+		if result.Skipped > 0 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 0 skipped, got %d", result.Skipped)
+		}
+
+		// Verify the issue was updated to closed
+		dbIssue, err := store.GetIssue(ctx, "bd-protect1")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to get issue: %v", err)
+		}
+		if dbIssue.Status != types.StatusClosed {
+			t.Errorf("Expected status=closed (remote version), got %s", dbIssue.Status)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("incoming older than local snapshot - should protect", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Reset the issue for next test
+		resetIssue := &types.Issue{
+			ID:          "bd-protect2",
+			Title:       "Another Issue",
+			Description: "Local modified version",
+			Status:      types.StatusInProgress,
+			Priority:    2,
+			IssueType:   types.TypeBug,
+			CreatedAt:   now.Add(-2 * time.Hour),
+			UpdatedAt:   now, // Current timestamp
+		}
+		resetIssue.ContentHash = resetIssue.ComputeContentHash()
+		if err := store.CreateIssue(ctx, resetIssue, "test"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create reset issue: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Scenario: We modified locally, remote has older version
+		// Local snapshot: issue in_progress at T2 (11:30)
+		// Incoming: issue open at T1 (10:00) - OLDER
+		// Expected: Skip update (protect local changes)
+
+		snapshotTime := now                         // Local snapshot at 11:30
+		incomingTime := now.Add(-30 * time.Minute) // Incoming at 10:00 (older)
+
+		incomingIssue := &types.Issue{
+			ID:          "bd-protect2",
+			Title:       "Another Issue",
+			Description: "Old remote version",
+			Status:      types.StatusOpen,
+			Priority:    1,
+			IssueType:   types.TypeBug,
+			CreatedAt:   now.Add(-2 * time.Hour),
+			UpdatedAt:   incomingTime,
+		}
+		incomingIssue.ContentHash = incomingIssue.ComputeContentHash()
+
+		// Protection map has the issue with the local snapshot timestamp
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-protect2": snapshotTime,
+		}
+
+		result, err := ImportIssues(ctx, dbPath, store, []*types.Issue{incomingIssue}, Options{
+			SkipPrefixValidation:  true,
+			ProtectLocalExportIDs: protectMap,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Import failed: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Incoming is older than snapshot, so update should be skipped (protected)
+		if result.Skipped == 0 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 1 skipped (local snapshot newer), got 0")
+		}
+		if result.Updated > 0 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 0 updates, got %d", result.Updated)
+		}
+
+		// Verify the issue was NOT updated
+		dbIssue, err := store.GetIssue(ctx, "bd-protect2")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to get issue: %v", err)
+		}
+		if dbIssue.Status != types.StatusInProgress {
+			t.Errorf("Expected status=in_progress (protected local), got %s", dbIssue.Status)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("issue not in protection map - normal behavior", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Create an issue not in the protection map
+		unprotectedIssue := &types.Issue{
+			ID:          "bd-unprotected",
+			Title:       "Unprotected Issue",
+			Description: "Original",
+			Status:      types.StatusOpen,
+			Priority:    1,
+			IssueType:   types.TypeTask,
+			CreatedAt:   now.Add(-2 * time.Hour),
+			UpdatedAt:   now.Add(-1 * time.Hour),
+		}
+		unprotectedIssue.ContentHash = unprotectedIssue.ComputeContentHash()
+		if err := store.CreateIssue(ctx, unprotectedIssue, "test"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create unprotected issue: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Incoming version is newer
+		closedAt := now
+		incomingIssue := &types.Issue{
+			ID:          "bd-unprotected",
+			Title:       "Unprotected Issue",
+			Description: "Updated",
+			Status:      types.StatusClosed,
+			Priority:    1,
+			IssueType:   types.TypeTask,
+			CreatedAt:   now.Add(-2 * time.Hour),
+			UpdatedAt:   now, // Newer than DB
+			ClosedAt:    &closedAt,
+		}
+		incomingIssue.ContentHash = incomingIssue.ComputeContentHash()
+
+		// Protection map does NOT contain this issue
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-other": now, // Different issue
+		}
+
+		result, err := ImportIssues(ctx, dbPath, store, []*types.Issue{incomingIssue}, Options{
+			SkipPrefixValidation:  true,
+			ProtectLocalExportIDs: protectMap,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Import failed: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Issue not in protection map, incoming is newer - should update
+		if result.Updated == 0 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 1 update (not in protection map), got 0")
+		}
+
+		dbIssue, err := store.GetIssue(ctx, "bd-unprotected")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to get issue: %v", err)
+		}
+		if dbIssue.Status != types.StatusClosed {
+			t.Errorf("Expected status=closed (updated), got %s", dbIssue.Status)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+// TestShouldProtectFromUpdate tests the helper function directly
+func TestShouldProtectFromUpdate(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	t.Run("nil map - no protection", func(t *testing.T) {
+		if shouldProtectFromUpdate("bd-123", now, nil) {
+			t.Error("Expected no protection with nil map")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("issue not in map - no protection", func(t *testing.T) {
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-other": now,
+		}
+		if shouldProtectFromUpdate("bd-123", now, protectMap) {
+			t.Error("Expected no protection when issue not in map")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("incoming newer than local - no protection", func(t *testing.T) {
+		localTime := now.Add(-1 * time.Hour)
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-123": localTime,
+		}
+		if shouldProtectFromUpdate("bd-123", now, protectMap) {
+			t.Error("Expected no protection when incoming is newer")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("incoming same as local - protect", func(t *testing.T) {
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-123": now,
+		}
+		if !shouldProtectFromUpdate("bd-123", now, protectMap) {
+			t.Error("Expected protection when timestamps are equal")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("incoming older than local - protect", func(t *testing.T) {
+		localTime := now.Add(1 * time.Hour) // Local is newer
+		protectMap := map[string]time.Time{
+			"bd-123": localTime,
+		}
+		if !shouldProtectFromUpdate("bd-123", now, protectMap) {
+			t.Error("Expected protection when local is newer")
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	// Ensure test DB files are cleaned up
 	code := m.Run()