diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index d50656b..8bda04e 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -80,6 +80,21 @@ pub(crate) struct Args {
 /// Durable daemon state persisted to the state file.
 ///
 /// Runtime-only state (like `TrustEngine`) lives in `daemon::run()`.
+///
+/// # Notify-before-persist contract
+///
+/// Mutating paths notify subscribers via `notify_change()` *before* persisting
+/// to disk, so subscribers (e.g. the manager, gossip loop) can begin work
+/// without waiting on the disk write, and a crash before `save()` only leaves
+/// slightly stale state that converges on the next gossip round.
+/// `set_adhoc_membership` follows this: it notifies inline and relies on its
+/// caller (`persist_membership`) to `save()`.
+///
+/// `update_messages` is the documented exception: it saves *before* notifying,
+/// because the manager always follows it with `trust_engine.update()` as a
+/// separate step. Notifying first would let the woken gossip loop run during
+/// the `save().await` yield and read stale derivation. See `update_messages`
+/// for details.
 pub(crate) struct State {
     pub(crate) keypair: ImidKeypair,
     pub(crate) imid: Imid,
@@ -258,7 +273,8 @@ impl State {
         self.mutable.lock().await.adhoc_membership.clone()
     }
 
-    /// Sets the adhoc membership. Call `save()` to persist.
+    /// Sets the adhoc membership. Notifies subscribers first; caller should
+    /// `save()` to persist. See the notify-before-persist contract on `State`.
     pub(crate) async fn set_adhoc_membership(&self, membership: Option<adhoc::Membership>) {
         {
             let mut mutable = self.mutable.lock().await;
@@ -284,6 +300,8 @@ impl State {
     }
 
     /// Apply removals and additions as one observed message set update.
+    /// Saves before notifying — the documented exception to the
+    /// notify-before-persist contract on `State` (see inline comment for why).
     pub(crate) async fn update_messages(&self, update: MessageUpdate) -> Result<()> {
         let mut mutable = self.mutable.lock().await;
         let generation = mutable.messages.generation();
@@ -294,6 +312,16 @@ impl State {
         }
         assert!(new_generation > generation);
         drop(mutable);
+        // Persist before notifying. Unlike `set_adhoc_membership` (which
+        // notifies first and lets its caller save), `update_messages` is always
+        // followed by `trust_engine.update()` in the manager as a separate
+        // step. If we notified first, the `save().await` below would yield to
+        // the already-woken gossip loop before the manager could update the
+        // derivation — gossip would read stale derivation and contact the wrong
+        // peer set. Saving first keeps gossip asleep until after the yield
+        // point, so by the time it wakes the manager can promptly update the
+        // trust engine. See the notify-before-persist contract on `State` for
+        // why this path diverges.
         self.save().await?;
         self.notify_change();
         Ok(())