diff --git a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
index cb4237c..0ecb6a6 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ Roadmap candidate 4. Owner: engine `override.go`.
 Validate: `go test ./internal/engine -run 'Override|CLI|Provenance|Diagnostic'`
 and the everyday check. No policy changes.
 
-## Stage 13: Coalesce resolution replay once with indexed ancestors
+## Stage 13: Coalesce resolution replay once with indexed ancestors — Complete
 
 Roadmap candidate 7. Owners: engine `history.go`, `load.go`, `load_result.go`.
 
diff --git a/internal/engine/explain.go b/internal/engine/explain.go
index b78720a..282a0cf 100644
--- a/internal/engine/explain.go
+++ b/internal/engine/explain.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (r *Inspection) Explain(path Path) (Explanation, bool) {
 	}
 
 	working = document.Clone(r.input)
-	for _, snapshot := range coalescedResolutionSnapshots(r.resolution) {
+	for _, snapshot := range r.resolutionReplay {
 		relevant := pathsIntersect(snapshot.change.Path, path)
 		var before ValueSnapshot
 		if relevant {
diff --git a/internal/engine/explain_test.go b/internal/engine/explain_test.go
index a53a89d..4cd9c27 100644
--- a/internal/engine/explain_test.go
+++ b/internal/engine/explain_test.go
@@ -520,3 +520,49 @@ func TestExplanationReplaysResolutionAdditionsAndOverlappingIntent(t *testing.T)
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestExplanationReplayDescriptorsRemainDetachedAcrossQueries(t *testing.T) {
+	type config struct {
+		Count int `yaml:"count"`
+	}
+	result, err := testLoad(Bytes("resolution-explanation.yml", []byte("count: 1\n")), Options[config]{
+		Definition: Definition[config]{Resolve: func(value *config, resolution *Resolution) error {
+			value.Count = 2
+			resolution.Record(Keys("count"), ChangeNormalization, "normalized", Keys("count"))
+			return nil
+		}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	first, ok := result.Explain(Keys("count"))
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("missing explanation")
+	}
+	var firstResolution *ValueChange
+	for index := range first.History {
+		if first.History[index].Origin.Layer == LayerResolution {
+			firstResolution = &first.History[index]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if firstResolution == nil || len(firstResolution.Reasons) != 1 || len(firstResolution.Dependencies) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("resolution history = %#v", first.History)
+	}
+	firstResolution.Reasons[0] = "mutated"
+	firstResolution.Dependencies[0].segments[0].key = "mutated"
+
+	second, ok := result.Explain(Keys("count"))
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("missing repeated explanation")
+	}
+	for _, change := range second.History {
+		if change.Origin.Layer == LayerResolution {
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(change.Reasons, []string{"normalized"}) || len(change.Dependencies) != 1 || change.Dependencies[0].String() != "/count" {
+				t.Fatalf("repeated explanation observed caller mutation: %#v", change)
+			}
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("resolution change missing from repeated explanation: %#v", second.History)
+}
diff --git a/internal/engine/history.go b/internal/engine/history.go
index 73e30d7..a72c526 100644
--- a/internal/engine/history.go
+++ b/internal/engine/history.go
@@ -179,28 +179,50 @@ func mergeHistoryAtPath(root **document.Node, path Path, incoming *document.Node
 // intent into that event rather than replay a child assignment a second time.
 func coalescedResolutionSnapshots(snapshots []resolutionSnapshot) []resolutionSnapshot {
 	groups := make([]resolutionSnapshot, 0, len(snapshots))
+	reasons := make([]map[string]struct{}, 0, len(snapshots))
+	dependencies := make([]map[string]struct{}, 0, len(snapshots))
+	var coverage pathPrefixIndex
 	for _, snapshot := range snapshots {
-		merged := false
-		for i := range groups {
-			if !pathContains(groups[i].change.Path, snapshot.change.Path) {
-				continue
+		pointer := snapshot.change.Path.String()
+		groupIndex := -1
+		coverage.visitAncestors(pointer, func(id int) {
+			if groupIndex < 0 || id < groupIndex {
+				groupIndex = id
 			}
+		})
+		if groupIndex >= 0 {
+			group := &groups[groupIndex]
 			for _, reason := range snapshot.change.Reasons {
-				groups[i].change.Reasons = appendUniqueString(groups[i].change.Reasons, reason)
+				if _, found := reasons[groupIndex][reason]; !found {
+					reasons[groupIndex][reason] = struct{}{}
+					group.change.Reasons = append(group.change.Reasons, reason)
+				}
 			}
 			for _, dependency := range snapshot.change.Dependencies {
-				groups[i].change.Dependencies = appendUniquePath(groups[i].change.Dependencies, dependency)
+				dependencyPointer := dependency.String()
+				if _, found := dependencies[groupIndex][dependencyPointer]; !found {
+					dependencies[groupIndex][dependencyPointer] = struct{}{}
+					group.change.Dependencies = append(group.change.Dependencies, dependency.clone())
+				}
 			}
 			if snapshot.change.Origin.Operation == ChangeNormalization {
-				groups[i].change.Origin.Operation = ChangeNormalization
+				group.change.Origin.Operation = ChangeNormalization
 			}
-			merged = true
-			break
+			continue
 		}
-		if !merged {
-			snapshot.change = cloneChange(snapshot.change)
-			groups = append(groups, snapshot)
+		snapshot.change = cloneChange(snapshot.change)
+		groups = append(groups, snapshot)
+		reasonSet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(snapshot.change.Reasons))
+		for _, reason := range snapshot.change.Reasons {
+			reasonSet[reason] = struct{}{}
 		}
+		reasons = append(reasons, reasonSet)
+		dependencySet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(snapshot.change.Dependencies))
+		for _, dependency := range snapshot.change.Dependencies {
+			dependencySet[dependency.String()] = struct{}{}
+		}
+		dependencies = append(dependencies, dependencySet)
+		coverage.insert(pointer, len(groups)-1)
 	}
 	return groups
 }
diff --git a/internal/engine/inheritance_history_test.go b/internal/engine/inheritance_history_test.go
index cadf98b..e81d52f 100644
--- a/internal/engine/inheritance_history_test.go
+++ b/internal/engine/inheritance_history_test.go
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ func TestInheritanceHistoryPrecedesApplicationResolution(t *testing.T) {
 	replaceHistoryPath(&final, path, replacement)
 	inspection.final = final
 	inspection.resolution = []resolutionSnapshot{snapshot}
+	inspection.resolutionReplay = coalescedResolutionSnapshots(inspection.resolution)
 	inspection.metadata.history[path.String()] = append(inspection.metadata.history[path.String()], snapshot.change)
 	inspection.metadata.fields[path.String()] = FieldInfo{Explicit: true, Origin: snapshot.change.Origin}
 	history := inspection.Metadata().History(path)
diff --git a/internal/engine/load.go b/internal/engine/load.go
index 839944f..9c2fa0d 100644
--- a/internal/engine/load.go
+++ b/internal/engine/load.go
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ type Inspection struct {
 	inputOrigins     map[string]Origin
 	final            *document.Node
 	resolution       []resolutionSnapshot
+	resolutionReplay []resolutionSnapshot
 	applications     []historyApplication
 	inheritance      []inheritanceOperation
 	secrets          map[string]bool
diff --git a/internal/engine/load_result.go b/internal/engine/load_result.go
index 72d2e76..091a697 100644
--- a/internal/engine/load_result.go
+++ b/internal/engine/load_result.go
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ func publishLoadResult[T any](schema *schemaDescriptor, definition Definition[T]
 		inputOrigins:     cloneOriginIndex(decoded.origins),
 		final:            final,
 		resolution:       resolutionSnapshots,
+		resolutionReplay: coalescedResolutionSnapshots(resolutionSnapshots),
 		applications:     applications,
 		inheritance:      inheritanceOperations(resolved.inheritance),
 		secrets:          secrets,
diff --git a/internal/engine/resolution_index_test.go b/internal/engine/resolution_index_test.go
index fb6f4fe..a205e6e 100644
--- a/internal/engine/resolution_index_test.go
+++ b/internal/engine/resolution_index_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,64 @@
 package engine
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit/internal/document"
 )
 
+func TestCoalescedResolutionSnapshotsMatchOrderedScan(t *testing.T) {
+	parsedDependency := parseOverrideTestPath(t, "/dependencies/item")
+	snapshots := []resolutionSnapshot{
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("a", "b"), Reasons: []string{"child", "shared", "child"}, Dependencies: []Path{Keys("dependencies", "item")}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("a", "c"), Reasons: []string{"other"}, Dependencies: []Path{Keys("other")}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("a"), Reasons: []string{"parent"}, Dependencies: []Path{Keys("parent")}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("a", "b", "grand"), Reasons: []string{"deep", "shared"}, Dependencies: []Path{parsedDependency, Keys("deep")}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Path{}, Reasons: []string{"root"}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("outside"), Reasons: []string{"root child"}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("a", "b", "normalization"), Reasons: []string{"normalized"}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeNormalization}}},
+		{change: Change{Path: Keys("a", "none"), Reasons: []string{"parent child"}, Origin: Origin{Operation: ChangeDerivedDefault}}},
+	}
+	want := coalescedResolutionSnapshotsByScan(snapshots)
+	got := coalescedResolutionSnapshots(snapshots)
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("coalesced snapshots differ from ordered scan:\n got: %#v\nwant: %#v", got, want)
+	}
+	if len(got) != 4 || got[0].change.Origin.Operation != ChangeNormalization ||
+		!reflect.DeepEqual(got[0].change.Reasons, []string{"child", "shared", "child", "deep", "normalized"}) ||
+		len(got[0].change.Dependencies) != 2 || got[3].change.Path.String() != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("coalesced ordering or unions changed: %#v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func coalescedResolutionSnapshotsByScan(snapshots []resolutionSnapshot) []resolutionSnapshot {
+	groups := make([]resolutionSnapshot, 0, len(snapshots))
+	for _, snapshot := range snapshots {
+		merged := false
+		for i := range groups {
+			if !pathContains(groups[i].change.Path, snapshot.change.Path) {
+				continue
+			}
+			for _, reason := range snapshot.change.Reasons {
+				groups[i].change.Reasons = appendUniqueString(groups[i].change.Reasons, reason)
+			}
+			for _, dependency := range snapshot.change.Dependencies {
+				groups[i].change.Dependencies = appendUniquePath(groups[i].change.Dependencies, dependency)
+			}
+			if snapshot.change.Origin.Operation == ChangeNormalization {
+				groups[i].change.Origin.Operation = ChangeNormalization
+			}
+			merged = true
+			break
+		}
+		if !merged {
+			snapshot.change = cloneChange(snapshot.change)
+			groups = append(groups, snapshot)
+		}
+	}
+	return groups
+}
+
 func TestResolutionCoverageIndexMatchesOrderedScan(t *testing.T) {
 	paths := []Path{
 		Keys("group"),