diff --git a/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/mod.rs b/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/mod.rs
index 00dbc945a..9d22dcca6 100644
--- a/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/mod.rs
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ enum UpdatePlan {
 fn assess(report: &DetectionReport) -> UpdatePlan {
     let installed = report::distinct_versions(report);
     let skewed = installed.len() > 1;
+    // A core binary missing from a real install root makes it *incomplete* —
+    // an update reconciles the full core set back into place.
+    let incomplete = has_missing_core(report);
     let Some(latest) = acquire::latest_version() else {
         return UpdatePlan::Offline;
     };
@@ -182,13 +185,29 @@ fn assess(report: &DetectionReport) -> UpdatePlan {
         // Zero or mixed versions → an update realigns the install.
         _ => true,
     };
-    if skewed || newer {
+    if skewed || newer || incomplete {
         UpdatePlan::Available { latest }
     } else {
         UpdatePlan::UpToDate { latest }
     }
 }
 
+/// True when any **unmanaged** install root is missing a core binary — i.e.
+/// the install is incomplete relative to the canonical set
+/// (`binaries::KNOWN_BINARIES`, the single source of truth). `WinGet` roots are
+/// delegated to `winget upgrade`, so they are not reconciled here.
+fn has_missing_core(report: &DetectionReport) -> bool {
+    report
+        .roots
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|root| root.channel.label() == "unmanaged")
+        .any(|root| {
+            binaries::KNOWN_BINARIES
+                .iter()
+                .any(|stem| !root.binaries.iter().any(|bin| bin.name == *stem))
+        })
+}
+
 /// Run the full end-to-end update when one is needed; otherwise report the
 /// install is current. Journaled + auto-rollback (delegated to `apply`).
 fn run_automatic_update(report: &DetectionReport, verbose: bool) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/snapshot.rs b/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/snapshot.rs
index 49d6b7aaa..f4ed39bb9 100644
--- a/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/snapshot.rs
+++ b/crates/uffs-cli/src/commands/update/snapshot.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
 
 use super::model::DetectionReport;
-use super::procinfo;
+use super::{binaries, procinfo};
 
 /// Directory that holds update snapshots + staging
 /// (`<lifecycle_dir>/update`).
@@ -79,19 +79,35 @@ fn build_snapshot_value(
     captured_unix: u64,
     to_version: Option<&str>,
 ) -> Value {
+    // An apply snapshot (to_version set) reconciles each unmanaged root to the
+    // full core set: a missing core binary is appended with a null version so
+    // `acquire` downloads it and `apply` *adds* it. A doctor/non-apply snapshot
+    // (to_version = None) reports the install exactly as found.
+    let complete = to_version.is_some();
     let targets: Vec<Value> = report
         .roots
         .iter()
         .map(|root| {
+            let mut bins: Vec<Value> = root
+                .binaries
+                .iter()
+                .map(|binary| {
+                    json!({ "name": binary.name, "on_disk_version": binary.version })
+                })
+                .collect();
+            if complete && root.channel.label() == "unmanaged" {
+                for stem in binaries::KNOWN_BINARIES {
+                    if !root.binaries.iter().any(|binary| binary.name == stem) {
+                        bins.push(json!({ "name": stem, "on_disk_version": Value::Null }));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             json!({
                 "root": root.dir.display().to_string(),
                 "channel": root.channel.label(),
                 "scope": root.scope.label(),
                 "anchored_by": root.anchored_by.iter().map(|anchor| anchor.label()).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
-                "binaries": root.binaries.iter().map(|binary| json!({
-                    "name": binary.name,
-                    "on_disk_version": binary.version,
-                })).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+                "binaries": bins,
             })
         })
         .collect();
@@ -169,6 +185,11 @@ mod tests {
         probe("/targets/0/channel", json!("unmanaged"));
         probe("/targets/0/anchored_by/1", json!("daemon"));
         probe("/targets/0/binaries/0/on_disk_version", json!("0.6.2"));
+        // Apply snapshot (to_version set) → the unmanaged root is completed to
+        // the full core set: missing core binaries are appended after the
+        // present ones, each with a null on-disk version (= "add it").
+        probe("/targets/0/binaries/1/name", json!("uffs"));
+        probe("/targets/0/binaries/1/on_disk_version", json!(null));
         probe("/running/0/component", json!("daemon"));
         probe("/running/0/pid", json!(4242_u32));
         probe("/running/0/command_line", json!("uffsd --no-retire"));
diff --git a/crates/uffs-update/src/apply.rs b/crates/uffs-update/src/apply.rs
index 4484bf360..62cd03c8e 100644
--- a/crates/uffs-update/src/apply.rs
+++ b/crates/uffs-update/src/apply.rs
@@ -143,20 +143,43 @@ pub(crate) fn prune_backup(binary: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// Backup-then-swap a single binary from `staged` into `target`, leaving
-/// a `.bak` for rollback. Fails (without swapping) if the staged image is
-/// missing.
+/// Place the staged image at `target`, atomically.
+///
+/// - **Replace** (target exists): back the old image aside to `.bak`, then swap
+///   the new one in — returns `Some(bak)`. Rollback = restore the `.bak`.
+/// - **Add** (target absent): no prior image to back up, so just place the new
+///   one — returns `None`. This is the completeness path; rollback of an added
+///   binary is a *delete* (the caller records `BinaryEntry::added`).
 ///
 /// # Errors
 ///
-/// Propagates backup/swap failures; bails if `staged` is absent.
-pub(crate) fn backup_and_swap(staged: &Path, target: &Path) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+/// The staged image is missing, or a backup/rename fails.
+pub(crate) fn backup_and_swap(staged: &Path, target: &Path) -> Result<Option<PathBuf>> {
     if !staged.is_file() {
         bail!("staged image missing: {}", staged.display());
     }
-    let bak = backup(target)?;
-    swap_in(staged, target)?;
-    Ok(bak)
+    if target.exists() {
+        let bak = backup(target)?;
+        swap_in(staged, target)?;
+        Ok(Some(bak))
+    } else {
+        swap_in(staged, target)?;
+        Ok(None)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Roll back an **added** binary (no `.bak` exists): delete the image we
+/// placed. Idempotent — an already-absent target is success.
+///
+/// # Errors
+///
+/// The file exists but cannot be removed.
+pub(crate) fn remove_added(target: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+    if target.exists() {
+        std::fs::remove_file(target)
+            .with_context(|| format!("removing added binary {}", target.display()))?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -164,7 +187,8 @@ mod tests {
     use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
     use super::{
-        backup, backup_and_swap, backup_path, prune_backup, restore, swap_in, sweep_stale_backups,
+        backup, backup_and_swap, backup_path, prune_backup, remove_added, restore, swap_in,
+        sweep_stale_backups,
     };
 
     fn scratch(tag: &str) -> PathBuf {
@@ -189,7 +213,9 @@ mod tests {
         write(&target, "OLD");
         write(&staged, "NEW");
 
-        let bak = backup_and_swap(&staged, &target).expect("apply");
+        let bak = backup_and_swap(&staged, &target)
+            .expect("apply")
+            .expect("replace returns a backup");
         assert_eq!(read(&target), "NEW", "target holds the new image");
         assert_eq!(read(&bak), "OLD", "backup holds the old image");
         assert!(!staged.exists(), "staged consumed by the rename");
@@ -200,6 +226,27 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(!bak.exists(), "backup consumed by the restore");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn add_then_rollback_deletes_the_added_binary() {
+        // Completeness "add": the target does not exist yet.
+        let dir = scratch("add");
+        let target = dir.join("uffs-mft");
+        let staged = dir.join("uffs-mft.new");
+        write(&staged, "NEW");
+
+        // Add → no backup, target placed, return is None (signals "added").
+        let backup = backup_and_swap(&staged, &target).expect("add");
+        assert!(backup.is_none(), "an add has no backup");
+        assert_eq!(read(&target), "NEW", "added image is in place");
+        assert!(!backup_path(&target).exists(), "no .bak for an add");
+
+        // Rollback of an add = delete the placed image.
+        remove_added(&target).expect("remove_added");
+        assert!(!target.exists(), "rollback removed the added binary");
+        // Idempotent on an already-absent target.
+        remove_added(&target).expect("remove_added is idempotent");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn backup_is_idempotent() {
         let dir = scratch("idem");
diff --git a/crates/uffs-update/src/journal.rs b/crates/uffs-update/src/journal.rs
index e2c1e8ec1..6bd6f04e0 100644
--- a/crates/uffs-update/src/journal.rs
+++ b/crates/uffs-update/src/journal.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ pub(crate) struct BinaryEntry {
     /// Backup file name (in `backup_dir`) once backed up.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub(crate) backup: Option<String>,
+    /// True when this binary was newly **added** (no prior file existed) by a
+    /// completeness reconcile. There is no `.bak`, so rollback **deletes** the
+    /// placed image rather than restoring a backup.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub(crate) added: bool,
 }
 
 /// One install root being updated.
@@ -262,6 +267,20 @@ impl Journal {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Mark a binary as newly added (no prior file) so rollback deletes it
+    /// rather than restoring a non-existent `.bak`.
+    pub(crate) fn set_binary_added(&mut self, root: &Path, name: &str) {
+        for target in &mut self.targets {
+            if target.root == root {
+                for binary in &mut target.binaries {
+                    if binary.name == name {
+                        binary.added = true;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /// `true` when this journal describes an interrupted run that Phase H
     /// should finish or undo: not terminal **and** its owner is gone.
     pub(crate) const fn needs_recovery(&self, owner_alive: bool) -> bool {
@@ -295,6 +314,7 @@ mod tests {
                 name: "uffsd".to_owned(),
                 status: BinaryStatus::Pending,
                 backup: None,
+                added: false,
             }],
         }];
         journal
diff --git a/crates/uffs-update/src/orchestrate.rs b/crates/uffs-update/src/orchestrate.rs
index f3cce4655..6fd706cf9 100644
--- a/crates/uffs-update/src/orchestrate.rs
+++ b/crates/uffs-update/src/orchestrate.rs
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ pub(crate) fn journal_from_snapshot(
                     name: binary.name.clone(),
                     status: BinaryStatus::Pending,
                     backup: None,
+                    added: false,
                 })
                 .collect(),
         })
@@ -146,15 +147,24 @@ where
     journal.transition(UpdateState::Swapping, "apply.begin")?;
     let plan = collect_plan(journal);
 
-    // backup + swap each
+    // backup + swap each (or, for a missing core binary, *add* it)
     for (root, stem, target) in &plan {
         let staged = staged_dir.join(exe_name(stem));
-        if let Err(err) = apply::backup_and_swap(&staged, target) {
-            rollback_all(journal)?;
-            return Err(err);
+        match apply::backup_and_swap(&staged, target) {
+            // `None` ⇒ the target did not exist: a completeness add. Record it
+            // so rollback deletes the placed image instead of hunting a `.bak`.
+            Ok(backup) => {
+                if backup.is_none() {
+                    journal.set_binary_added(root, stem);
+                }
+                journal.set_binary_status(root, stem, BinaryStatus::Swapped);
+                journal.save()?;
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                rollback_all(journal)?;
+                return Err(err);
+            }
         }
-        journal.set_binary_status(root, stem, BinaryStatus::Swapped);
-        journal.save()?;
     }
     journal.transition(UpdateState::Swapped, "apply.all_swapped")?;
 
@@ -171,15 +181,34 @@ where
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// Restore every backed-up binary (pre-commit rollback, INV-3).
+/// Roll back every touched binary (pre-commit rollback, INV-3): restore a
+/// **replaced** binary from its `.bak`, and **delete** an **added** binary
+/// (no `.bak` exists). Both primitives are idempotent on untouched targets.
 ///
 /// # Errors
 ///
-/// Propagates a restore failure.
+/// Propagates a restore / remove failure.
 pub(crate) fn rollback_all(journal: &mut Journal) -> Result<()> {
     journal.transition(UpdateState::RollingBack, "rollback.begin")?;
-    for (root, stem, target) in collect_plan(journal) {
-        apply::restore(&target)?;
+    // Snapshot (root, stem, target, added) first — the `set_binary_status`
+    // below needs `&mut journal`, so we cannot hold an iterator into it.
+    let items: Vec<(PathBuf, String, PathBuf, bool)> = journal
+        .targets
+        .iter()
+        .flat_map(|target| {
+            let root = target.root.clone();
+            target.binaries.iter().map(move |binary| {
+                let path = root.join(exe_name(&binary.name));
+                (root.clone(), binary.name.clone(), path, binary.added)
+            })
+        })
+        .collect();
+    for (root, stem, target, added) in items {
+        if added {
+            apply::remove_added(&target)?;
+        } else {
+            apply::restore(&target)?;
+        }
         journal.set_binary_status(&root, &stem, BinaryStatus::RolledBack);
     }
     journal.transition(UpdateState::RolledBack, "rollback.done")?;