Say plainly when the private key cannot decrypt a snapshot (closes #427)

Restore and deep verify now report "cannot decrypt this snapshot: the
private key in VAULTIK_AGE_SECRET_KEY is not one of the keys the backup
was encrypted to", naming the key source like the invalid-key error.
The doubled "creating decryption reader" prefix and the outer
"downloading snapshot database" / "failed to decrypt database" prefixes
are gone for this case.

A blob the key cannot decrypt, such as one stored before the key was
added as a recipient, now reports "cannot decrypt this blob: the
private key in VAULTIK_AGE_SECRET_KEY is not one of the keys the blob
was encrypted to" after the file and blob it belongs to.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -313,12 +313,10 @@ when the next path element is a number (so
 `vaultik config set age_recipients.0 age1...` works on a file without
 `age_recipients`), otherwise as a map. If the config loads, a change after which
 it would not, such as `vaultik config set compression_level 99`, is refused and
-the file is left unchanged. A config that does not load, such as the one
-`config init` writes before `storage_url` is set or one with a `${ENV:...}`
-reference to a variable not set in this shell, is checked one setting at a time:
-only a change after which the changed setting cannot be read, such as one giving
-it the wrong type (a single value where a list belongs or a word where a number
-belongs), is refused.
+the file is left unchanged. A config that does not load is checked one setting
+at a time. Examples are the file `config init` writes before `storage_url` is
+set, and one with a `${ENV:...}` reference to a variable not set in this shell.
+In such a config, an unknown key or a value of the wrong type is refused.
 
 **`snapshot create`**: Perform incremental backup of configured snapshots.
 

internal/blobgen/negative_test.go

@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package blobgen_test
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
+	"testing/iotest"
 
 	"filippo.io/age"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -120,6 +122,38 @@ func TestNewReaderTrailingAndGarbage(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// TestNewReaderGarbageErrorQuotesNoBytes checks that lines of text in
+// place of a blob fail with ErrNotAgeStream, and that the error carries
+// none of their bytes. The lines end in a newline because age's own error
+// quotes the data's first line only when it reads a whole line.
+func TestNewReaderGarbageErrorQuotesNoBytes(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	id, _ := makeIdentity(t)
+	garbage := bytes.Repeat([]byte("garbage-bytes-\n"), 100)
+
+	_, err := blobgen.NewReader(bytes.NewReader(garbage), id)
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, blobgen.ErrNotAgeStream)
+	assert.NotContains(t, err.Error(), "garbage-bytes-")
+}
+
+// errConnectionReset stands for a storage read that fails.
+var errConnectionReset = errors.New("connection reset")
+
+// TestNewReaderReadFailure checks that a failed read of the age header is
+// returned as that read error, not as ErrNotAgeStream.
+func TestNewReaderReadFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	id, _ := makeIdentity(t)
+
+	_, err := blobgen.NewReader(iotest.ErrReader(errConnectionReset), id)
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errConnectionReset)
+	assert.NotErrorIs(t, err, blobgen.ErrNotAgeStream)
+}
+
 // TestNewWriterInvalidLevel covers the rejected end of issue case 9: an
 // out-of-range compression level errors and writes nothing to the destination.
 func TestNewWriterInvalidLevel(t *testing.T) {

internal/blobgen/reader.go

@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/klauspost/compress/zstd"
 )
 
+// ErrNotAgeStream is returned by NewReader when the data cannot be opened
+// as an age stream, for example because its header is malformed. It
+// replaces age's own error, which can quote the data's first bytes.
+var ErrNotAgeStream = errors.New("not a valid age stream")
+
 // Reader wraps decompression and decryption with SHA256 verification
 type Reader struct {
 	reader       io.Reader
@@ -24,11 +29,25 @@ type Reader struct {
 // NewReader creates a new Reader that decrypts, decompresses, and verifies
 // data. Every supplied identity is offered to age.Decrypt, so a blob
 // encrypted to any one of them can be read.
+//
+// A failure to read r is returned as that error, and a blob encrypted to
+// none of the identities as age.NoIdentityMatchError. Any other failure
+// to open the age stream is ErrNotAgeStream.
 func NewReader(r io.Reader, identities ...age.Identity) (*Reader, error) {
-	// Create decryption reader
-	decReader, err := age.Decrypt(r, identities...)
+	src := &readErrorRecorder{reader: r}
+
+	decReader, err := age.Decrypt(src, identities...)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating decryption reader: %w", err)
+		var noMatch *age.NoIdentityMatchError
+
+		switch {
+		case src.err != nil:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("reading age header: %w", src.err)
+		case errors.As(err, &noMatch):
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating decryption reader: %w", err)
+		default:
+			return nil, ErrNotAgeStream
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Create decompression reader
@@ -52,6 +71,23 @@ func NewReader(r io.Reader, identities ...age.Identity) (*Reader, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// readErrorRecorder passes reads through to reader and keeps the first
+// error other than io.EOF, so NewReader can tell a failed read from bad
+// data.
+type readErrorRecorder struct {
+	reader io.Reader
+	err    error
+}
+
+func (r *readErrorRecorder) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	n, err := r.reader.Read(p)
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) && r.err == nil {
+		r.err = err
+	}
+
+	return n, err
+}
+
 // Read implements io.Reader
 func (r *Reader) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
 	n, err := r.teeReader.Read(p)

internal/cli/config.go

@@ -443,11 +443,10 @@ number, otherwise as a map.
 
 If the config loads, a change after which it would not, such as
 compression_level 99, is refused and the file is left unchanged. A
-config that does not load, such as the one config init writes before
-storage_url is set or one with a ${ENV:...} reference to a variable
-not set here, is checked one setting at a time: only a change after
-which the changed setting cannot be read, such as one giving it the
-wrong type, is refused.
+config that does not load is checked one setting at a time. Examples
+are the file config init writes before storage_url is set, and one
+with a ${ENV:...} reference to a variable not set in this shell. In
+such a config, an unknown key or a value of the wrong type is refused.
 
 Examples:
   vaultik config set storage_url "file:///mnt/backups"
@@ -484,6 +483,13 @@ func writeConfigSet(out *ui.Writer, path, key, value string) error {
 
 	keys := strings.Split(key, ".")
 
+	if keys[0] != config.EnvSection {
+		_, err = config.SettingType(keys)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	err = yamlPathSet(root, keys, value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -739,41 +745,11 @@ func yamlPathSet(root *yaml.Node, keys []string, value string) error {
 }
 
 // configKeyIsString reports whether the dotted key names a string in
-// config.Config, following the fields' yaml tags, as s3.access_key_id and
-// snapshots.home.exclude.0 do.
+// config.Config, as s3.access_key_id and snapshots.home.exclude.0 do.
 func configKeyIsString(keys []string) bool {
-	typ := reflect.TypeFor[config.Config]()
+	typ, err := config.SettingType(keys)
 
-	for _, key := range keys {
-		switch {
-		case typ.Kind() == reflect.Map || typ.Kind() == reflect.Slice:
-			// The key is a snapshot name or a list index.
-			typ = typ.Elem()
-		case typ.Kind() == reflect.Struct:
-			field, ok := yamlField(typ, key)
-			if !ok {
-				return false
-			}
-
-			typ = field.Type
-		default:
-			return false
-		}
-	}
-
-	return typ.Kind() == reflect.String
-}
-
-// yamlField returns the field of struct type typ whose yaml tag names key.
-func yamlField(typ reflect.Type, key string) (reflect.StructField, bool) {
-	for field := range typ.Fields() {
-		name, _, _ := strings.Cut(field.Tag.Get("yaml"), ",")
-		if name == key {
-			return field, true
-		}
-	}
-
-	return reflect.StructField{}, false
+	return err == nil && typ.Kind() == reflect.String
 }
 
 // yamlSetInMapping resolves (creating if needed) the value node for the

internal/cli/config_test.go

@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ func TestConfigSetIndexUnderMissingKey(t *testing.T) {
 // change after which the config would not load, with an error giving the
 // reason, and leaves the file as it was. On the file `config init` writes,
 // which does not load until storage_url is set, and on one that cannot be
-// read here, only a value of the wrong type is refused.
+// read here, only an unknown key or a value of the wrong type is refused.
 func TestConfigSetKeepsFileThatWouldNotLoad(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
@@ -237,6 +237,14 @@ func TestConfigSetKeepsFileThatWouldNotLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		value  string
 		reason string
 	}{
+		// Keys that no setting has, on a config that loads and on one
+		// that does not.
+		{configWithoutRecipients, "nosuchkey", "1",
+			`unknown config key "nosuchkey"`},
+		{configWithoutRecipients, "snapshots.home.exlude", "/tmp",
+			`unknown config key "snapshots.home.exlude"`},
+		{defaultConfigText(macOS), "compression_lvl", "9",
+			`unknown config key "compression_lvl"`},
 		// Index 1 of the empty list the missing key gives.
 		{configWithoutRecipients, "age_recipients.1", testRecipient,
 			"index out of range"},
@@ -335,6 +343,39 @@ func TestConfigSetRefusesOnlyItsOwnFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestConfigSetWritesEnvSection checks that config set writes a key under
+// the top-level env section, whose keys are not settings, on a config that
+// loads.
+func TestConfigSetWritesEnvSection(t *testing.T) {
+	const name = "VAULTIK_TEST_CONFIG_SET_ENV"
+
+	// Loading the changed config sets the variable; t.Setenv restores it
+	// after the test.
+	t.Setenv(name, "")
+
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.yml")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(configWithoutRecipients), configFileMode)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = writeConfigSet(ui.NewWithColor(&bytes.Buffer{}, false),
+		path, "env."+name, "value")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("config set env.%s: %v", name, err)
+	}
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path) //nolint:gosec // G304: test-controlled path
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(string(data), "env:\n  "+name+": value\n") {
+		t.Errorf("config set env.%s wrote:\n%s", name, data)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestConfigSetStringLooksLikeNumber sets string settings to values that
 // YAML reads as numbers or booleans when they are unquoted, and checks that
 // config.Load returns each one unchanged.

internal/cli/database.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
 )
 
 // NewDatabaseCommand creates the database command group
@@ -90,12 +91,12 @@ Use --force to skip the confirmation prompt.`,
 
 				var confirm string
 
-				_, err = fmt.Scanln(&confirm)
+				// A failure to read the answer means no confirmation.
+				_, err = fmt.Fscanln(cmd.InOrStdin(), &confirm)
 				if err != nil || confirm != "yes" {
 					_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(w, "Aborted.")
 
-					//nolint:nilerr // a failed/aborted confirmation is a clean abort
-					return nil
+					return vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed
 				}
 			}
 

internal/cli/database_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package cli //nolint:testpackage // sets the unexported rootFlags directly
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// TestDatabaseDeleteDeclinedIsError checks that answering anything but
+// "yes" keeps the database and returns ErrNotConfirmed, so the command
+// exits non-zero.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // mutates the process-global rootFlags
+func TestDatabaseDeleteDeclinedIsError(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	dbPath, cfgPath := seedDatabaseDeleteConfig(t, dir)
+
+	setRootFlags(t, RootFlags{ConfigPath: cfgPath})
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+
+	cmd := newDatabaseDeleteCommand()
+	cmd.SetOut(&out)
+	cmd.SetErr(io.Discard)
+	cmd.SetIn(strings.NewReader("no\n"))
+	cmd.SetArgs(nil)
+
+	err := cmd.Execute()
+	if !errors.Is(err, vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed) {
+		t.Errorf("declined database delete returned %v, want %v",
+			err, vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed)
+	}
+
+	_, err = os.Stat(dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("declined database delete removed the file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(out.String(), "Aborted.") {
+		t.Errorf("declined database delete printed %q, want Aborted.",
+			out.String())
+	}
+}

internal/config/config.go

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -286,15 +287,37 @@ func Load(path string) (*Config, error) {
 }
 
 // Parse reads YAML config data as Load does, without validating it. It
-// applies default values for optional fields, fills in ${...} references
-// using smartconfig, and expands ~ in paths.
+// refuses a key that no setting has, applies default values for optional
+// fields, fills in ${...} references using smartconfig, and expands ~ in
+// paths.
 func Parse(data []byte) (*Config, error) {
+	// smartconfig drops line numbers, so keys are checked in the data as
+	// written.
+	var root yaml.Node
+
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, &root)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse config: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	err = checkKeys(&root, reflect.TypeFor[Config](), "",
+		map[*yaml.Node]bool{}, map[nodeAndType]bool{})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	// Load config using smartconfig for interpolation
 	sc, err := smartconfig.NewFromReader(bytes.NewReader(data))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load config file: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// A ${...} reference can bring in keys that are not in the file.
+	err = checkFilledKeys(sc.Data())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	cfg := &Config{
 		// Set defaults
 		BlobSizeLimit:    defaultBlobSizeLimit,

internal/config/keys.go

@@ -0,0 +1,214 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
+)
+
+// yamlMergeTag is the tag YAML gives a merge key (<<), which adds the keys
+// of the map it names to the map it sits in.
+const yamlMergeTag = "!!merge"
+
+// EnvSection is the top-level key of a map of environment variables that
+// smartconfig sets while it loads the config. It is not a vaultik setting,
+// so its keys are not checked.
+const EnvSection = "env"
+
+var (
+	errUnknownKey           = errors.New("unknown config key")
+	errAnchorContainsItself = errors.New("anchor contains itself")
+)
+
+// nodeAndType is a node of a parsed config and the setting type it is
+// checked against.
+type nodeAndType struct {
+	node *yaml.Node
+	typ  reflect.Type
+}
+
+// SettingType returns the type of the setting that the dotted key names in
+// Config, following the fields' yaml tags, as for s3.bucket or
+// snapshots.home.exclude.0. A snapshot name or a list index may be any
+// word. It returns an unknown key error when no setting has that key.
+func SettingType(keys []string) (reflect.Type, error) {
+	typ := reflect.TypeFor[Config]()
+
+	for _, key := range keys {
+		switch {
+		case typ.Kind() == reflect.Map || typ.Kind() == reflect.Slice:
+			typ = typ.Elem()
+		case typ.Kind() == reflect.Struct:
+			field, ok := yamlField(typ, key)
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w %q", errUnknownKey, strings.Join(keys, "."))
+			}
+
+			typ = field.Type
+		default:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w %q", errUnknownKey, strings.Join(keys, "."))
+		}
+	}
+
+	return typ, nil
+}
+
+// yamlField returns the field of struct type typ whose yaml tag names key.
+func yamlField(typ reflect.Type, key string) (reflect.StructField, bool) {
+	for field := range typ.Fields() {
+		name, _, _ := strings.Cut(field.Tag.Get("yaml"), ",")
+		if name == key && name != "-" {
+			return field, true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return reflect.StructField{}, false
+}
+
+// checkKeys returns an error naming the first key in node, a parsed config
+// or part of one at the dotted path, that no setting in typ has. The error
+// gives the key's line in the file, when it has one. A value of the wrong
+// type is left for the YAML decoder to report. following holds the aliases
+// the walk is inside. Meeting one of them again means its anchor contains
+// itself, which is an error. checked holds each anchored node the walk has
+// checked completely, with the type it was checked against. An alias to
+// that node is not followed again for that type.
+func checkKeys(node *yaml.Node, typ reflect.Type, path string,
+	following map[*yaml.Node]bool, checked map[nodeAndType]bool,
+) error {
+	switch node.Kind {
+	case yaml.DocumentNode:
+		for _, child := range node.Content {
+			err := checkKeys(child, typ, path, following, checked)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	case yaml.AliasNode:
+		if following[node] {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w: %q on line %d",
+				errAnchorContainsItself, node.Value, node.Line)
+		}
+
+		target := nodeAndType{node.Alias, typ}
+		if checked[target] {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		following[node] = true
+		defer delete(following, node)
+
+		err := checkKeys(node.Alias, typ, path, following, checked)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		checked[target] = true
+	case yaml.SequenceNode:
+		if typ.Kind() != reflect.Slice {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		for i, child := range node.Content {
+			err := checkKeys(child, typ.Elem(), joinKey(path, strconv.Itoa(i)),
+				following, checked)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	case yaml.MappingNode:
+		return checkMappingKeys(node, typ, path, following, checked)
+	case yaml.ScalarNode:
+		// A scalar has no keys.
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// checkFilledKeys is checkKeys for data, the config after smartconfig has
+// filled in its ${...} references. A key that a reference brings in is not
+// in the file, and the copy that Encode makes has no line numbers.
+func checkFilledKeys(data map[string]any) error {
+	var filled yaml.Node
+
+	err := filled.Encode(data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal config data: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return checkKeys(&filled, reflect.TypeFor[Config](), "",
+		map[*yaml.Node]bool{}, map[nodeAndType]bool{})
+}
+
+// checkMappingKeys is checkKeys for a map.
+func checkMappingKeys(node *yaml.Node, typ reflect.Type, path string,
+	following map[*yaml.Node]bool, checked map[nodeAndType]bool,
+) error {
+	for i := 0; i+1 < len(node.Content); i += 2 {
+		key, value := node.Content[i], node.Content[i+1]
+
+		if key.Tag == yamlMergeTag {
+			// The value is one map or a list of maps.
+			merged := []*yaml.Node{value}
+			if value.Kind == yaml.SequenceNode {
+				merged = value.Content
+			}
+
+			for _, m := range merged {
+				err := checkKeys(m, typ, path, following, checked)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		keyPath := joinKey(path, key.Value)
+		if keyPath == EnvSection {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		var valueType reflect.Type
+
+		switch {
+		case typ.Kind() == reflect.Map:
+			valueType = typ.Elem()
+		case typ.Kind() == reflect.Struct:
+			field, ok := yamlField(typ, key.Value)
+			if !ok && key.Line == 0 {
+				// A key that a ${...} reference brought in has no line.
+				return fmt.Errorf("%w %q", errUnknownKey, keyPath)
+			}
+
+			if !ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("%w %q on line %d",
+					errUnknownKey, keyPath, key.Line)
+			}
+
+			valueType = field.Type
+		default:
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		err := checkKeys(value, valueType, keyPath, following, checked)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// joinKey appends key to the dotted path.
+func joinKey(path, key string) string {
+	if path == "" {
+		return key
+	}
+
+	return path + "." + key
+}

internal/config/keys_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+package config //nolint:testpackage // checks the unexported errUnknownKey
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// keysTestConfig loads; each case below adds one line to it.
+const keysTestConfig = "storage_url: file:///tmp/vaultik-test-storage\n" +
+	"s3:\n" +
+	"  region: us-east-1\n" +
+	"snapshots:\n" +
+	"  test:\n" +
+	"    paths: [/tmp/vaultik-test-source]\n"
+
+// TestParseRefusesUnknownKey checks that a key no setting has, at any
+// depth, fails the parse with an error naming the key and its line. A key
+// that a ${...} reference brings in is not in the file, so its error gives
+// no line.
+func TestParseRefusesUnknownKey(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	snapshotPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "snapshot.yml")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(snapshotPath, []byte("other:\n"+
+		"  paths: [/tmp/vaultik-test-source]\n"+
+		"  exlude: [/tmp/cache]\n"), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write snapshot: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		yaml string
+		want string
+	}{
+		{"top level", keysTestConfig + "compression_lvl: 9\n",
+			`unknown config key "compression_lvl" on line 7`},
+		{"in a snapshot", keysTestConfig + "    exlude: [/tmp/cache]\n",
+			`unknown config key "snapshots.test.exlude" on line 7`},
+		{"in s3", strings.Replace(keysTestConfig, "  region:",
+			"  bukcet: b\n  region:", 1),
+			`unknown config key "s3.bukcet" on line 3`},
+		{"from a reference",
+			keysTestConfig + "  other: ${YAML:" + snapshotPath + ":other}\n",
+			`unknown config key "snapshots.other.exlude"`},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			_, err := Parse([]byte(tt.yaml))
+			if !errors.Is(err, errUnknownKey) {
+				t.Fatalf("Parse() error = %v, want errUnknownKey", err)
+			}
+
+			if err.Error() != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("Parse() error = %q, want %q", err.Error(), tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestParseRefusesAnchorThatContainsItself checks that a YAML merge key (<<)
+// naming the anchor of the map it sits in fails the parse with an error.
+func TestParseRefusesAnchorThatContainsItself(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	data := strings.Replace(keysTestConfig, "  test:", "  test: &test", 1) +
+		"    <<: *test\n"
+
+	_, err := Parse([]byte(data))
+	if !errors.Is(err, errAnchorContainsItself) {
+		t.Fatalf("Parse() error = %v, want errAnchorContainsItself", err)
+	}
+
+	want := `anchor contains itself: "test" on line 7`
+	if err.Error() != want {
+		t.Errorf("Parse() error = %q, want %q", err.Error(), want)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestParseRefusesExcessiveAliasing checks that Parse returns an error for
+// a file whose merge keys (<<) fan out. Each of eight snapshots merges the
+// one before it ten times. A key check that followed every alias would walk
+// the first snapshot over 10^8 times and run past the package's test
+// timeout.
+func TestParseRefusesExcessiveAliasing(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const snapshots, merges = 8, 10
+
+	var data strings.Builder
+
+	data.WriteString(strings.Replace(keysTestConfig, "  test:", "  test: &s0", 1))
+
+	for i := 1; i <= snapshots; i++ {
+		aliases := slices.Repeat([]string{"*s" + strconv.Itoa(i-1)}, merges)
+		fmt.Fprintf(&data, "  s%d: &s%d\n    <<: [%s]\n",
+			i, i, strings.Join(aliases, ", "))
+	}
+
+	_, err := Parse([]byte(data.String()))
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Parse() returned no error")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestParseAcceptsKnownKeys checks that a config with a ${...} reference
+// and a YAML merge key (<<) still parses.
+func TestParseAcceptsKnownKeys(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	levelPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "level")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(levelPath, []byte("9"), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write level: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	data := strings.Replace(keysTestConfig, "  test:", "  test: &test", 1) +
+		"  other:\n" +
+		"    <<: *test\n" +
+		"    exclude: [/tmp/vaultik-test-source/cache]\n" +
+		"compression_level: ${FILE:" + levelPath + "}\n"
+
+	cfg, err := Parse([]byte(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Parse() unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if cfg.CompressionLevel != 9 {
+		t.Errorf("compression_level = %d, want 9", cfg.CompressionLevel)
+	}
+
+	other := cfg.Snapshots["other"]
+	if len(other.Paths) != 1 || len(other.Exclude) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("snapshot other = %+v, want the paths of test and one exclude",
+			other)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestParseAcceptsEnvSection checks that a config with a top-level env
+// section still parses. smartconfig sets the environment variables it
+// lists, so its keys are not settings.
+func TestParseAcceptsEnvSection(t *testing.T) {
+	const name = "VAULTIK_TEST_ENV_SECTION"
+
+	// Parse sets the variable; t.Setenv restores it after the test.
+	t.Setenv(name, "")
+
+	_, err := Parse([]byte(keysTestConfig + "env:\n  " + name + ": set\n"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Parse() unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}

internal/vaultik/blob_fetch.go

@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ var errBlobHashMismatch = errors.New("blob hash mismatch")
 var errBlobNotFullyRead = errors.New(
 	"blob closed before fully read; hash not verified")
 
+// errWrongPrivateKeyForBlob is returned when the configured key parses
+// but is not one of the keys a blob was encrypted to.
+var errWrongPrivateKeyForBlob = errors.New("cannot decrypt this blob")
+
 // hashVerifyReader wraps a blobgen.Reader and verifies the double-SHA-256 hash
 // of decrypted plaintext when Close is called. It reuses the hash that
 // blobgen.Reader already computes internally via its TeeReader, avoiding
@@ -87,10 +91,14 @@ func (v *Vaultik) FetchAndDecryptBlob(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	reader, err := blobgen.NewReader(rc, identities...)
+	reader, err := v.newBlobReader(rc, identities)
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = rc.Close()
 
+		if errors.Is(err, errWrongPrivateKeyForBlob) {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating blob reader: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -102,6 +110,28 @@ func (v *Vaultik) FetchAndDecryptBlob(
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// newBlobReader opens the decrypting reader for a blob. When none of the
+// identities can decrypt it, the error says in plain words that the
+// configured private key is not one of the keys the blob was encrypted
+// to and names where the key was configured.
+func (v *Vaultik) newBlobReader(
+	r io.Reader, identities []age.Identity,
+) (*blobgen.Reader, error) {
+	blobReader, err := blobgen.NewReader(r, identities...)
+
+	if _, ok := errors.AsType[*age.NoIdentityMatchError](err); ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+			"%w: the private key in %s is not one of the keys the blob was encrypted to",
+			errWrongPrivateKeyForBlob, v.Config.AgeSecretKeySourceName())
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return blobReader, nil
+}
+
 // FetchBlob downloads a blob and returns a reader for the encrypted data.
 // The reader is closed as soon as ctx is cancelled, which ends a read
 // blocked inside it. A storage error is returned as is: restore and deep

internal/vaultik/destination_marker.go

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) checkDestinationMarker() error {
 	}
 
 	// Config is nil only in tests, which then record no binding (see
-	// EnsureStorageBinding).
+	// checkStorageBinding).
 	if v.Config != nil {
 		stored, configured, err := v.storageBinding()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -83,11 +83,19 @@ func (v *Vaultik) checkDestinationMarker() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// markDestination checks the backup destination store with
-// checkDestinationMarker and then writes the marker, so a first backup
-// marks its destination and a later one writes the same text again.
+// markDestination refuses a local index bound to a different
+// destination, checks the backup destination store for its marker,
+// writes the marker, and then records the binding. A first backup marks
+// its destination and a later one writes the same text again. The
+// binding is recorded last, so a first backup that cannot write to the
+// destination leaves the local index unbound.
 func (v *Vaultik) markDestination() error {
-	err := v.checkDestinationMarker()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err = v.checkDestinationMarker()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -99,5 +107,5 @@ func (v *Vaultik) markDestination() error {
 			destinationMarkerKey, err)
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return v.EnsureStorageBinding()
 }

internal/vaultik/prune.go

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) NukeRemote(force bool) error {
 	// the same way, so the advice below must not follow these errors.
 	// The listing also fails on a destination that answers that it has
 	// no marker while the local index holds snapshots.
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ type PruneBlobsResult struct {
 // PruneDatabase or PruneBlobs individually unless it specifically wants
 // one half.
 func (v *Vaultik) Prune(opts *PruneOptions) error {
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) PruneBlobs(opts *PruneOptions) error {
 
 	if !v.confirmPrune(opts, len(unreferencedBlobs), totalSize,
 		dirsWithoutManifest) {
-		return nil
+		return ErrNotConfirmed
 	}
 
 	v.deleteUnreferencedBlobs(unreferencedBlobs, allBlobs, result)

internal/vaultik/prune_metadata_dir_test.go

@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ func TestPruneDeclinedKeepsMetadataDirWithoutManifest(t *testing.T) {
 
 	env.v.Stdin = strings.NewReader("n\n")
 
-	require.NoError(t, env.v.PruneBlobs(&vaultik.PruneOptions{}))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, env.v.PruneBlobs(&vaultik.PruneOptions{}),
+		vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed)
 
 	assert.True(t, env.store.hasKey(leftDB),
 		"a declined prune must keep the directory")

internal/vaultik/remove_quiet_test.go

@@ -54,9 +54,10 @@ func TestPurgeSnapshots_QuietPromptListsSnapshots(t *testing.T) {
 	v.UI.SetQuiet(true)
 
 	// Stdin is empty, so the prompt reads no answer and cancels.
-	require.NoError(t, v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{
+	err := v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{
 		KeepLatest: true,
-	}))
+	})
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed)
 
 	assert.Contains(t, out.String(), snapHomeT0)
 	assert.Contains(t, out.String(), "Delete 1 snapshot(s)? [y/N]")
@@ -77,7 +78,8 @@ func TestPruneBlobs_QuietPromptShowsBlobTotal(t *testing.T) {
 	addBlob(t, env.store.testStorer, testBlobHashA)
 
 	// Stdin is empty, so the prompt reads no answer and cancels.
-	require.NoError(t, env.v.PruneBlobs(&vaultik.PruneOptions{}))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, env.v.PruneBlobs(&vaultik.PruneOptions{}),
+		vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed)
 
 	assert.Contains(t, env.stdout.String(),
 		"Found 1 unreferenced blob(s) totaling")

internal/vaultik/remove_snapshot_test.go

@@ -337,6 +337,27 @@ func TestRemoveSnapshot_DefaultRemovesMetadataNotBlobs(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, out, "vaultik prune")
 }
 
+// TestRemoveSnapshot_DeclinedIsError checks that answering no to the
+// prompt keeps the snapshot and returns ErrNotConfirmed, so the command
+// exits non-zero.
+func TestRemoveSnapshot_DeclinedIsError(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	store := newTestStorer()
+	addManifest(t, store, "snapshot-001", nil)
+
+	tv := vaultik.NewForTesting(store)
+	tv.Repositories = newLocalIndex(t, "snapshot-001")
+	tv.Stdin.WriteString("n\n")
+
+	_, err := tv.RemoveSnapshot("snapshot-001", &vaultik.RemoveOptions{})
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed)
+	assert.True(t, store.hasKey(remoteKeyPath("snapshot-001")))
+	assert.Contains(t, tv.Stdout.String(), "Cancelled")
+}
+
 func TestRemoveSnapshot_DryRun(t *testing.T) {
 	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
 	t.Parallel()

internal/vaultik/restore.go

@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ var (
 	// which is secret, so the message is safe to print and log.
 	errInvalidAgeSecretKey = errors.New(
 		"configured age secret key holds no usable age identity")
+	// errWrongPrivateKey is returned when the configured key parses but
+	// is not one of the keys the snapshot was encrypted to.
+	errWrongPrivateKey          = errors.New("cannot decrypt this snapshot")
 	errBlobMissingFromIndex     = errors.New("blob hash missing from blob index")
 	errChunkNotInAnyBlob        = errors.New("chunk not found in any blob")
 	errBlobIDNotInHashIndex     = errors.New("blob id missing from hash index")
@@ -106,7 +109,12 @@ type RestoreResult struct {
 	BytesDownloaded int64
 	Duration        time.Duration
 	FilesFailed     int
-	FailedFiles     []string // Paths of files that failed to restore
+	FailedFiles     []string // Paths of files that failed to restore for their own reason
+	// Blobs that could not be downloaded, and the paths of the files
+	// skipped because they need one of them. Those files are counted in
+	// FilesFailed but not listed in the summary.
+	BlobsFailed            int
+	FilesNeedingFailedBlob []string
 	// Verification results (only populated if Verify option is set)
 	FilesVerified     int
 	BytesVerified     int64
@@ -128,10 +136,19 @@ func (v *Vaultik) Restore(opts *RestoreOptions) error {
 		"paths", opts.Paths,
 	)
 
+	remoteKey, err := v.resolveSnapshotRemoteKey(opts.SnapshotID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// Step 1: Download and decrypt the snapshot metadata database
 	log.Info("Downloading snapshot metadata...")
 
-	tempDB, tempDir, err := v.downloadSnapshotDB(opts.SnapshotID, identities)
+	tempDB, tempDir, err := v.downloadSnapshotDB(opts.SnapshotID, remoteKey, identities)
+	if errors.Is(err, errWrongPrivateKey) {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("downloading snapshot database: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -226,6 +243,11 @@ func (v *Vaultik) finishRestore(
 	if result.FilesFailed > 0 {
 		v.UI.Warningf("%d file(s) failed to restore:", result.FilesFailed)
 
+		if result.BlobsFailed > 0 {
+			v.UI.Detailf("%d of them need a blob that could not be read (%d blob(s) in all).",
+				len(result.FilesNeedingFailedBlob), result.BlobsFailed)
+		}
+
 		for _, path := range result.FailedFiles {
 			v.UI.Detailf("%s", v.UI.Path(path))
 		}
@@ -323,6 +345,28 @@ func (v *Vaultik) restoreIdentities() ([]age.Identity, error) {
 	return identities, nil
 }
 
+// newSnapshotDBReader opens the decrypting reader for a snapshot
+// database. When none of the identities can decrypt it, the error says
+// in plain words that the configured private key is the wrong one and
+// names where it was configured.
+func (v *Vaultik) newSnapshotDBReader(
+	r io.Reader, identities []age.Identity,
+) (*blobgen.Reader, error) {
+	blobReader, err := blobgen.NewReader(r, identities...)
+
+	if _, ok := errors.AsType[*age.NoIdentityMatchError](err); ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+			"%w: the private key in %s is not one of the keys the backup was encrypted to",
+			errWrongPrivateKey, v.Config.AgeSecretKeySourceName())
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return blobReader, nil
+}
+
 // restoreAllFiles processes files in blob-locality order: drain every
 // file whose blob set is on disk, download the missing blobs for the
 // pending file with the smallest uncached count, repeat. This keeps
@@ -494,8 +538,8 @@ func (v *Vaultik) runRestoreLoop(
 // Returns false when nothing is pending download (the caller stops).
 //
 // A blob that cannot be downloaded is reported through
-// handleRestoreFileError for every pending file that references it, so
-// it aborts the restore unless --skip-errors is set.
+// handleRestoreBlobError, so it aborts the restore unless --skip-errors
+// is set.
 func (s *restoreSession) downloadNextBlobSet(
 	plan *restorePlan, filesByID map[types.FileID]*database.File,
 ) (bool, error) {
@@ -528,12 +572,11 @@ func (s *restoreSession) downloadNextBlobSet(
 				return false, err
 			}
 
-			for _, fileID := range plan.filesReferencingBlob(hash) {
-				fileErr := s.v.handleRestoreFileError(
-					plan, s.opts, s.result, filesByID[fileID], fileID, err)
-				if fileErr != nil {
-					return false, fileErr
-				}
+			blobErr := s.v.handleRestoreBlobError(
+				plan, s.opts, s.result, filesByID,
+				plan.filesReferencingBlob(hash), err)
+			if blobErr != nil {
+				return false, blobErr
 			}
 
 			// next is among the failed files, so the rest of its blob set
@@ -648,6 +691,41 @@ func (v *Vaultik) handleRestoreFileError(
 	return nil
 }
 
+// handleRestoreBlobError records a blob that could not be downloaded.
+// fileIDs are the pending files that need it, never empty. Without
+// --skip-errors the first of them fails the restore. With it, the blob is
+// reported once, and its files are counted as failed and dropped from
+// the plan without being reported one by one.
+func (v *Vaultik) handleRestoreBlobError(
+	plan *restorePlan, opts *RestoreOptions, result *RestoreResult,
+	filesByID map[types.FileID]*database.File, fileIDs []types.FileID,
+	err error,
+) error {
+	if !opts.SkipErrors {
+		return v.handleRestoreFileError(
+			plan, opts, result, filesByID[fileIDs[0]], fileIDs[0], err)
+	}
+
+	log.Error("Failed to restore files", "files", len(fileIDs), "error", err)
+	v.UI.Errorf("Failed to restore %d file(s): %v. Skipping them (--skip-errors).",
+		len(fileIDs), err)
+
+	result.BlobsFailed++
+
+	for _, fileID := range fileIDs {
+		path := filesByID[fileID].Path.String()
+
+		log.Debug("Skipped file that needs a failed blob", "path", path)
+
+		result.FilesFailed++
+		result.FilesNeedingFailedBlob = append(result.FilesNeedingFailedBlob, path)
+
+		plan.finishFile(fileID)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // printRestoreProgress emits a periodic restore-phase status line via
 // the UI writer, mirroring scanner.printProcessingProgress so the two
 // long-running commands have the same on-screen rhythm.
@@ -719,8 +797,8 @@ func (v *Vaultik) handleRestoreVerification(
 ) error {
 	// A file that failed to restore was not written and is already
 	// reported as such, so it is not verified.
-	failedToRestore := make(map[string]bool, len(result.FailedFiles))
-	for _, path := range result.FailedFiles {
+	failedToRestore := make(map[string]bool, result.FilesFailed)
+	for _, path := range slices.Concat(result.FailedFiles, result.FilesNeedingFailedBlob) {
 		failedToRestore[path] = true
 	}
 
@@ -754,19 +832,12 @@ func (v *Vaultik) handleRestoreVerification(
 	return nil
 }
 
-// downloadSnapshotDB downloads and decrypts the snapshot metadata
-// database. The identifier is resolved to the snapshot's remote key: a
-// human ID is hashed, and a remote key (or its abbreviation, as printed
-// for a remote-only snapshot) is used as-is, so a host with no local
-// index can restore the snapshots it can only see on the store.
+// downloadSnapshotDB downloads and decrypts the metadata database of the
+// snapshot at remoteKey, which resolveSnapshotRemoteKey returned for
+// snapshotID.
 func (v *Vaultik) downloadSnapshotDB(
-	snapshotID string, identities []age.Identity,
+	snapshotID, remoteKey string, identities []age.Identity,
 ) (*database.DB, string, error) {
-	remoteKey, err := v.resolveSnapshotRemoteKey(snapshotID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", err
-	}
-
 	// Download encrypted database from storage
 	dbKey := fmt.Sprintf("metadata/%s/db.zst.age", remoteKey)
 
@@ -783,9 +854,9 @@ func (v *Vaultik) downloadSnapshotDB(
 	// the plaintext to a temp file. Neither the encrypted bytes nor the
 	// decrypted database is ever held whole in memory; a snapshot database
 	// can be large.
-	blobReader, err := blobgen.NewReader(reader, identities...)
+	blobReader, err := v.newSnapshotDBReader(reader, identities)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("creating decryption reader: %w", err)
+		return nil, "", err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = blobReader.Close() }()

internal/vaultik/restore_skip_errors_test.go

@@ -51,27 +51,72 @@ func TestRestoreSkipErrorsSkipsFilesOfMissingBlob(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(ctx, t, backupThenDeleteOneBlob(ctx, t))
+	backup := backupThenDeleteOneBlob(ctx, t)
+	out := assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(ctx, t, backup)
+
+	assertLostFilesCountedNotListed(t, backup, out)
+}
+
+// TestRestoreSkipErrorsReportsUnreadableBlobOnce restores with SkipErrors
+// after one blob of a two-blob snapshot was overwritten with other bytes
+// of the same size. The blob must be reported once, by its hash, as not a
+// valid age stream, without quoting its bytes, and its files must be
+// counted, not listed.
+func TestRestoreSkipErrorsReportsUnreadableBlobOnce(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	backup, lostBlob := backupThenOverwriteOneBlob(ctx, t)
+	out := assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(ctx, t, backup)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, strings.Count(out, "not a valid age stream"), out)
+	assert.Contains(t, out, lostBlob[:16])
+	assert.NotContains(t, out, overwriteBlobPattern)
+	assertLostFilesCountedNotListed(t, backup, out)
 }
 
 // TestRestoreSkipErrorsSkipsFilesWithChunkInNoBlob restores with
 // SkipErrors a snapshot whose metadata lists chunks that no blob holds, as
-// earlier backup defects left behind.
+// earlier backup defects left behind. Each such file fails for its own
+// reason, so each is listed.
 func TestRestoreSkipErrorsSkipsFilesWithChunkInNoBlob(t *testing.T) {
 	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(ctx, t, backupThenDropOneBlobFromMetadata(ctx, t))
+	backup := backupThenDropOneBlobFromMetadata(ctx, t)
+	out := assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(ctx, t, backup)
+
+	for path := range backup.lost {
+		assert.Containsf(t, out, path, "%s must be reported", path)
+	}
 }
 
-// assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles restores backup with SkipErrors. Every file
-// stored in the lost blob must be reported as failed and left absent,
-// every other file must be restored intact, and Restore must still return
-// an error.
+// assertLostFilesCountedNotListed checks that the restore output out
+// counts the files of the lost blob and names none of them.
+func assertLostFilesCountedNotListed(
+	t *testing.T, backup *missingBlobBackup, out string,
+) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	assert.Contains(t, out, fmt.Sprintf(
+		"%d of them need a blob that could not be read (1 blob(s) in all)",
+		len(backup.lost)))
+
+	for path := range backup.lost {
+		assert.NotContainsf(t, out, path,
+			"%s needs the lost blob and must be counted, not listed", path)
+	}
+}
+
+// assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles restores backup with SkipErrors and returns
+// what it printed. Every file stored in the lost blob must be left
+// absent, every other file must be restored intact, and Restore must
+// still return an error.
 func assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(
 	ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, backup *missingBlobBackup,
-) {
+) string {
 	t.Helper()
 
 	var out bytes.Buffer
@@ -93,8 +138,6 @@ func assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(
 		restored := filepath.Join(backup.restoreDir, path)
 
 		if backup.lost[path] {
-			assert.Containsf(t, out.String(), path,
-				"%s needs the lost blob and must be reported", path)
 			assert.NoFileExists(t, restored)
 
 			continue
@@ -104,6 +147,8 @@ func assertRestoreSkipsLostFiles(
 		require.NoErrorf(t, err, "%s does not need the lost blob", path)
 		assert.Equalf(t, content, got, "%s restored with wrong content", path)
 	}
+
+	return out.String()
 }
 
 // TestRestoreSkipErrorsVerifyChecksOnlyRestoredFiles restores with
@@ -144,9 +189,9 @@ func TestRestoreSkipErrorsVerifyChecksOnlyRestoredFiles(t *testing.T) {
 // TestRestoreSkipErrorsVerifyReportsFailuresApart restores with
 // SkipErrors and Verify after one blob of a two-blob snapshot was
 // deleted, while one file that does restore is written one byte too long.
-// The restore warning must list only the files of the deleted blob, the
-// verification summary only the long file, each path once, and Restore
-// must return an error.
+// The restore warning must count the files of the deleted blob without
+// listing them, the verification summary must list only the long file,
+// once, and Restore must return an error.
 func TestRestoreSkipErrorsVerifyReportsFailuresApart(t *testing.T) {
 	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
 	t.Parallel()
@@ -186,9 +231,9 @@ func TestRestoreSkipErrorsVerifyReportsFailuresApart(t *testing.T) {
 		"Verification failed: 1 files did not match")
 	require.Truef(t, found, "no verification summary in:\n%s", out.String())
 
+	assertLostFilesCountedNotListed(t, backup, warning)
+
 	for path := range backup.lost {
-		assert.Equalf(t, 1, strings.Count(warning, path),
-			"%s must be listed once as failed to restore", path)
 		assert.NotContainsf(t, summary, path,
 			"%s was not restored and must not fail verification", path)
 	}
@@ -292,6 +337,35 @@ func backupThenDeleteOneBlob(
 	return backup
 }
 
+// overwriteBlobPattern repeats, each time followed by a newline, through
+// the bytes that backupThenOverwriteOneBlob writes over a blob. age's own
+// error quotes the data's first line only when it reads a whole line.
+const overwriteBlobPattern = "overwritten-blob-bytes-"
+
+// backupThenOverwriteOneBlob backs up missingBlobFileCount single-chunk
+// files, then overwrites the blob holding the first of them with as many
+// bytes of overwriteBlobPattern lines. It also returns that blob's hash.
+func backupThenOverwriteOneBlob(
+	ctx context.Context, t *testing.T,
+) (*missingBlobBackup, string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	backup, db, lostBlob := backupSingleChunkFiles(ctx, t)
+	require.NoError(t, db.Close())
+
+	key := fmt.Sprintf("blobs/%s/%s/%s", lostBlob[:2], lostBlob[2:4], lostBlob)
+
+	info, err := backup.storer.Stat(ctx, key)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	line := overwriteBlobPattern + "\n"
+	pattern := bytes.Repeat([]byte(line), int(info.Size)/len(line)+1)
+	require.NoError(t, backup.storer.Put(
+		ctx, key, bytes.NewReader(pattern[:info.Size])))
+
+	return backup, lostBlob
+}
+
 // backupThenDropOneBlobFromMetadata backs up missingBlobFileCount
 // single-chunk files, then removes the blob holding the first of them from
 // the snapshot and exports the snapshot metadata again. The exported

internal/vaultik/restore_wrong_key_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"io"
+	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"filippo.io/age"
+	"github.com/spf13/afero"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/blobgen"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/snapshot"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/ui"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// TestWrongPrivateKeyError checks that restore and deep verify, given a
+// valid private key the backup was not encrypted to, fail with one plain
+// sentence that names where the key was configured.
+func TestWrongPrivateKeyError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	store := NewMockStorer()
+
+	const snapshotID = "test-host_2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
+
+	remoteKey := snapshot.RemoteSnapshotKey(snapshotID)
+
+	manifest, err := snapshot.EncodeManifest(
+		&snapshot.Manifest{SnapshotID: remoteKey}, 3)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, store.Put(ctx,
+		"metadata/"+remoteKey+"/manifest.json.zst", bytes.NewReader(manifest)))
+
+	// The database is encrypted to the test recipient only.
+	var db bytes.Buffer
+
+	writer, err := blobgen.NewWriter(&db, 1, []string{testAgePublicKey})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = writer.Write([]byte("snapshot database"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, writer.Close())
+	require.NoError(t, store.Put(ctx,
+		"metadata/"+remoteKey+"/db.zst.age", &db))
+
+	otherKey, err := age.GenerateX25519Identity()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	v := &vaultik.Vaultik{
+		Config:  &config.Config{AgeSecretKey: otherKey.String()},
+		Storage: store,
+		Fs:      afero.NewMemMapFs(),
+		Stdout:  io.Discard,
+		Stderr:  io.Discard,
+		UI:      ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false),
+	}
+	v.SetContext(ctx)
+
+	// A Config built directly has no recorded source, so the error names
+	// the config-file field.
+	const want = "cannot decrypt this snapshot: the private key in " +
+		"age_secret_key is not one of the keys the backup was encrypted to"
+
+	err = v.Restore(&vaultik.RestoreOptions{
+		SnapshotID: snapshotID,
+		TargetDir:  t.TempDir(),
+	})
+	require.EqualError(t, err, want)
+
+	err = v.RunDeepVerify(snapshotID, &vaultik.VerifyOptions{Deep: true})
+	require.EqualError(t, err, want)
+}
+
+// TestWrongPrivateKeyForBlobError backs up a file, then backs it up again
+// from an empty local index with a second recipient added. The second
+// snapshot reuses the stored blob, which stays encrypted to the first
+// recipient only. With only the added key configured, restore and deep
+// verify read the database but fail on the blob with one plain sentence
+// that names where the key was configured.
+func TestWrongPrivateKeyForBlobError(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	dataDir := filepath.Join(tempDir, "source")
+	dataPath := filepath.Join(dataDir, "data.bin")
+	storeDir := t.TempDir()
+	secondDBPath := filepath.Join(tempDir, "second.sqlite")
+
+	chunkSize := int64(64 * 1024)
+	maxBlobSize := int64(512 * 1024)
+
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(dataDir, 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs, dataPath,
+		bytesPattern("key-", int(chunkSize)), 0o644))
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	runFileStorageBackup(ctx, t, fs, dataDir, storeDir,
+		filepath.Join(tempDir, "first.sqlite"), chunkSize, maxBlobSize)
+
+	env := setupDedupBackupEnv(
+		ctx, t, fs, storeDir, secondDBPath, chunkSize, maxBlobSize)
+
+	defer func() { _ = env.db.Close() }()
+
+	addedKey, err := age.GenerateX25519Identity()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	env.cfg.AgeRecipients = append(env.cfg.AgeRecipients,
+		addedKey.Recipient().String())
+
+	snapshotID, result := runDedupSnapshot(ctx, t, env.sm, env.makeScanner(),
+		env.cfg.Hostname, "second", dataDir, secondDBPath)
+	require.Zero(t, result.BlobsUploaded,
+		"the second backup should reuse the stored blob")
+
+	require.NoError(t, env.db.Close())
+
+	blobKeys, err := env.storer.List(ctx, "blobs/")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, blobKeys, 1)
+
+	blobHash := path.Base(blobKeys[0])
+
+	env.cfg.AgeSecretKey = addedKey.String()
+
+	v := &vaultik.Vaultik{
+		Config:  env.cfg,
+		Storage: env.storer,
+		Fs:      fs,
+		Stdout:  io.Discard,
+		Stderr:  io.Discard,
+		UI:      ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false),
+	}
+	v.SetContext(ctx)
+
+	const sentence = "cannot decrypt this blob: the private key in " +
+		"age_secret_key is not one of the keys the blob was encrypted to"
+
+	// Restore names the blob by the first 16 characters of its hash.
+	err = v.Restore(&vaultik.RestoreOptions{
+		SnapshotID: snapshotID,
+		TargetDir:  t.TempDir(),
+	})
+	require.EqualError(t, err, "restoring "+dataPath+": downloading blob "+
+		blobHash[:16]+": "+sentence+
+		" (pass --skip-errors to continue past restore failures)")
+
+	err = v.RunDeepVerify(snapshotID, &vaultik.VerifyOptions{Deep: true})
+	require.EqualError(t, err,
+		"blob "+blobHash+" verification failed: "+sentence)
+}

internal/vaultik/snapshot.go

@@ -115,14 +115,9 @@ func (v *Vaultik) CreateSnapshot(opts *SnapshotCreateOptions) error {
 		"index_path", v.Config.IndexPath,
 	)
 
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// Before PruneDatabase: it drops incomplete snapshots, which could
 	// leave the local index without one and so skip the marker check.
-	err = v.markDestination()
+	err := v.markDestination()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -749,7 +744,7 @@ type SnapshotPurgeOptions struct {
 // snapshot name, not the latest globally. This prevents `home` and `system`
 // snapshots from cannibalizing each other.
 func (v *Vaultik) PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(opts *SnapshotPurgeOptions) error {
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -881,17 +876,12 @@ func (v *Vaultik) confirmAndExecutePurge(
 
 		var confirm string
 
+		// A failure to read the answer means no confirmation.
 		_, err := v.scanStdin(&confirm)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err != nil || strings.ToLower(confirm) != "y" {
 			v.printlnStdout("Cancelled")
 
-			return nil //nolint:nilerr // treat EOF or read error as "no"
-		}
-
-		if strings.ToLower(confirm) != "y" {
-			v.printlnStdout("Cancelled")
-
-			return nil
+			return ErrNotConfirmed
 		}
 	} else if !quiet {
 		v.UI.Infof("The following snapshots will be deleted:")
@@ -969,25 +959,22 @@ func (v *Vaultik) VerifySnapshotWithOptions(
 		Mode:       "shallow",
 	}
 
-	v.printVerifyHeader(snapshotID, opts)
-
-	// Resolve the identifier to the snapshot's remote key. A human ID is
-	// hashed; a remote key (or its abbreviation, as printed for a
-	// remote-only snapshot) is used as-is, so a host with no local index
-	// can verify a snapshot it can only see on the store. The key is kept
-	// so we can also check for the snapshot's encrypted database below.
+	// The key is kept so we can also check for the snapshot's encrypted
+	// database below.
 	remoteKey, err := v.resolveSnapshotRemoteKey(snapshotID)
 	if err != nil {
 		if opts.JSON {
 			result.Status = verifyStatusFailed
-			result.ErrorMessage = fmt.Sprintf("resolving snapshot identifier: %v", err)
+			result.ErrorMessage = err.Error()
 
 			return v.outputVerifyJSON(result)
 		}
 
-		return fmt.Errorf("resolving snapshot identifier: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
+	v.printVerifyHeader(snapshotID, opts)
+
 	manifest, err := v.downloadManifestByKey(remoteKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		if opts.JSON {
@@ -1285,7 +1272,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) outputVerifyJSON(result *VerifyResult) error {
 // jq` fail (issue #108). The narration is duplicated as log records,
 // which go to stderr and so cannot corrupt the document.
 func (v *Vaultik) CleanupLocalSnapshots(opts *PruneOptions) error {
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -1475,12 +1462,12 @@ func (v *Vaultik) RemoveSnapshot(
 		SnapshotID: snapshotID,
 	}
 
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
 	if err != nil {
 		return result, err
 	}
 
-	inLocalIndex, err := v.findSnapshotToRemove(snapshotID, opts)
+	inLocalIndex, err := v.checkSnapshotExists(snapshotID, opts.LocalOnly)
 	if err != nil {
 		return result, err
 	}
@@ -1490,7 +1477,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) RemoveSnapshot(
 	}
 
 	if !v.confirmRemoveSnapshot(snapshotID, opts) {
-		return result, nil
+		return result, ErrNotConfirmed
 	}
 
 	// Checked before the local record is deleted: it may be the last
@@ -1543,17 +1530,20 @@ func (v *Vaultik) RemoveSnapshot(
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-// findSnapshotToRemove reports whether the local index has a row for
-// snapshotID, and returns errSnapshotNotFound when there is nothing to
-// remove: no row and, unless LocalOnly is set, no metadata on the
-// destination store either. The destination store is consulted only
-// when the local index has no row, so a snapshot in the local index can
-// still be removed from it while the destination store is unreachable,
-// and only after checkDestinationMarker passes, so an unplugged volume's
-// empty mount point is not taken for a store without the snapshot.
-func (v *Vaultik) findSnapshotToRemove(
-	snapshotID string, opts *RemoveOptions,
-) (bool, error) {
+// checkSnapshotExists returns errSnapshotNotFound when the local index
+// has no row for snapshotID and, unless localOnly is set, the
+// destination store has no metadata for it either. inLocalIndex reports
+// whether the local index has that row. The destination store is
+// consulted only when the local index has no row, so a snapshot in the
+// local index can still be removed from it while the destination store
+// is unreachable, and only after checkDestinationMarker passes, so an
+// unplugged volume's empty mount point is not taken for a store without
+// the snapshot.
+//
+//nolint:nonamedreturns // the result name says what the bool means
+func (v *Vaultik) checkSnapshotExists(
+	snapshotID string, localOnly bool,
+) (inLocalIndex bool, err error) {
 	if v.Repositories != nil {
 		snap, err := v.Repositories.Snapshots.GetByID(v.ctx, snapshotID)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -1565,12 +1555,12 @@ func (v *Vaultik) findSnapshotToRemove(
 		}
 	}
 
-	if opts.LocalOnly {
+	if localOnly {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("%w in the local index: %s",
 			errSnapshotNotFound, snapshotID)
 	}
 
-	err := v.checkDestinationMarker()
+	err = v.checkDestinationMarker()
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
@@ -1712,7 +1702,7 @@ func (v *Vaultik) removeSnapshotRemote(
 // before it removes anything when the destination store cannot be
 // listed or is not present by checkDestinationMarker.
 func (v *Vaultik) RemoveAllSnapshots(opts *RemoveOptions) (*RemoveResult, error) {
-	err := v.EnsureStorageBinding()
+	err := v.checkStorageBinding()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}

internal/vaultik/snapshot_identifier.go

@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ var (
 // Two forms are accepted, matching the two things a host can know:
 //
 //   - A human snapshot ID (hostname_name_timestamp), which a host holding
-//     the local index has. It is hashed to its remote key; the store is
-//     not consulted.
+//     the local index has. It is hashed to its remote key. An ID that
+//     names no snapshot in the local index or on the destination store
+//     is an error (see checkSnapshotExists).
 //   - A remote key, or the leading part of one, which is all a host with
 //     no local index can know — it is exactly what `snapshot list` prints
 //     for a remote-only snapshot (see formatRemoteOnlyID). It is resolved
@@ -41,6 +42,11 @@ var (
 // RFC3339 timestamp).
 func (v *Vaultik) resolveSnapshotRemoteKey(identifier string) (string, error) {
 	if !isRemoteKeyOrPrefix(identifier) {
+		_, err := v.checkSnapshotExists(identifier, false)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+
 		return snapshot.RemoteSnapshotKey(identifier), nil
 	}
 

internal/vaultik/snapshot_list_test.go

@@ -362,8 +362,9 @@ func TestSnapshotListAndPurgePrintSizesLikeRemoteInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	// Without --force and with nothing on stdin the purge lists what it
 	// would delete, reads no confirmation, and deletes nothing.
 	env.stdout.Reset()
-	require.NoError(t, env.v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(
-		&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{OlderThan: "1d"}))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, env.v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(
+		&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{OlderThan: "1d"}),
+		vaultik.ErrNotConfirmed)
 	assert.Contains(t, findTableRow(t, env.stdout.String(), listLocalID),
 		wantSize, "snapshot purge")
 }

internal/vaultik/storage_bind.go

@@ -13,35 +13,30 @@ import (
 var errStorageBindingMismatch = errors.New(
 	"local index is bound to a different backup destination")
 
-// EnsureStorageBinding guarantees that the local index database is
-// bound to the currently-configured storage destination. Every mutating
-// command must call this before touching either the local index or the
-// destination store, because the two live in lockstep: the local index
-// records which chunks/blobs already exist at the destination, and
-// mismatched destination + local index produces silent corruption (the
-// scanner sees "known" chunks and skips uploads, then writes snapshots
-// whose manifests reference blobs that aren't on the new destination).
+// checkStorageBinding refuses when the local index database is bound to
+// a different destination than the configured one, with an error that
+// tells the user how to recover (revert the config, or run `vaultik
+// database delete`). Every mutating command calls it before touching
+// either the local index or the destination store, because the two live
+// in lockstep: the local index records which chunks/blobs already exist
+// at the destination, and a mismatched pair produces silent corruption
+// (the scanner sees "known" chunks and skips uploads, then writes
+// snapshots whose manifests reference blobs that aren't on the new
+// destination).
 //
-// Behaviour:
-//   - On first use (empty stored value), record the configured
-//     destination (storage_url, or the s3.* endpoint, bucket and
-//     prefix) and log the binding.
-//   - When the stored value matches the configured destination, do
-//     nothing and return nil.
-//   - When the two differ, refuse with an error that tells the user
-//     how to recover (revert the config, or run `vaultik database
-//     delete` to discard the local index and rebuild against the new
-//     destination on the next backup).
+// It records nothing. Only a backup binds the local index, through
+// EnsureStorageBinding, and it does so before adding anything to it. An
+// unbound local index therefore holds nothing from any destination.
 //
 // Read-only inspection commands (remote info, snapshot list, etc.)
 // deliberately don't call this: they can be run against a bare
 // destination store without any binding state.
-func (v *Vaultik) EnsureStorageBinding() error {
+func (v *Vaultik) checkStorageBinding() error {
 	if v.Repositories == nil || v.Config == nil {
 		// NewForTesting builds a Vaultik with no DB or config;
-		// there's nothing to bind and no binding to check. Callers
-		// exercising the bind path use a real DB and populate Config
-		// explicitly (see storage_bind_test.go).
+		// there's no binding to check. Callers exercising the bind
+		// path use a real DB and populate Config explicitly (see
+		// storage_bind_test.go).
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -50,6 +45,24 @@ func (v *Vaultik) EnsureStorageBinding() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if stored == "" || stored == configured {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w\n%s",
+		errStorageBindingMismatch, buildBindingMismatchMessage(stored, configured))
+}
+
+// EnsureStorageBinding records the configured destination (storage_url,
+// or the s3.* endpoint, bucket and prefix) as the binding of an unbound
+// local index. It refuses as checkStorageBinding does when the local
+// index is bound to a different destination.
+func (v *Vaultik) EnsureStorageBinding() error {
+	stored, configured, err := v.storageBinding()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if stored == "" {
 		err = v.Repositories.LocalMeta.Set(
 			v.ctx, database.LocalMetaKeyStorageURL, configured)
@@ -62,12 +75,12 @@ func (v *Vaultik) EnsureStorageBinding() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if stored == configured {
-		return nil
+	if stored != configured {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w\n%s",
+			errStorageBindingMismatch, buildBindingMismatchMessage(stored, configured))
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Errorf("%w\n%s",
-		errStorageBindingMismatch, buildBindingMismatchMessage(stored, configured))
+	return nil
 }
 
 // storageBinding returns the destination the local index is bound to

internal/vaultik/storage_bind_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package vaultik_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -9,9 +10,126 @@ import (
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/database"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/storage"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/storage/faultstore"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
 )
 
+// storageBindingOf returns the destination the local index is bound to,
+// or "" when it is not bound.
+func storageBindingOf(
+	ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, repos *database.Repositories,
+) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	got, err := repos.LocalMeta.Get(ctx, database.LocalMetaKeyStorageURL)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	return got
+}
+
+// TestFailedFirstBackupLeavesIndexUnbound checks that a first backup
+// the destination refuses, as a mistyped bucket would, leaves the local
+// index unbound, so a backup with the corrected destination succeeds.
+func TestFailedFirstBackupLeavesIndexUnbound(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	storeDir := t.TempDir()
+	v, repos := newFileDestinationVaultik(ctx, t, storeDir)
+	working := v.Storage
+
+	refusing := faultstore.New(working)
+	refusing.OnPut = func(string) faultstore.PutAction { return faultstore.PutFail }
+	refusing.OnStat = func(string) bool { return true }
+	v.Storage = refusing
+	v.Config.StorageURL = "file://" + filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "typo")
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, backUp(v, "first"), faultstore.ErrInjectedUpload)
+	assert.Empty(t, storageBindingOf(ctx, t, repos))
+
+	v.Storage = working
+	v.Config.StorageURL = "file://" + storeDir
+
+	require.NoError(t, backUp(v, "first"))
+	assert.Equal(t, "file://"+storeDir, storageBindingOf(ctx, t, repos))
+}
+
+// TestBackupToOtherDestinationWritesNoMarker checks that a backup
+// refuses a local index bound to a different destination before it
+// writes the marker to the configured one.
+func TestBackupToOtherDestinationWritesNoMarker(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	firstDir := t.TempDir()
+	v, _ := newFileDestinationVaultik(ctx, t, firstDir)
+	v.Config.StorageURL = "file://" + firstDir
+
+	require.NoError(t, backUp(v, "first"))
+
+	secondDir := t.TempDir()
+	secondStore, err := storage.NewFileStorer(secondDir)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	v.Storage = secondStore
+	v.Config.StorageURL = "file://" + secondDir
+
+	require.ErrorContains(t, backUp(v, "first"),
+		"local index is bound to a different backup destination")
+	assert.NoFileExists(t, filepath.Join(secondDir, markerFile))
+}
+
+// TestCommandsOtherThanBackupLeaveIndexUnbound checks that commands
+// other than a backup do not bind an unbound local index, whether or not
+// they fail. Each runs on a fresh local index.
+func TestCommandsOtherThanBackupLeaveIndexUnbound(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		run  func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error
+	}{
+		{"prune", func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			return v.Prune(&vaultik.PruneOptions{Force: true})
+		}},
+		{"snapshot purge", func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			return v.PurgeSnapshotsWithOptions(
+				&vaultik.SnapshotPurgeOptions{KeepLatest: true, Force: true})
+		}},
+		{"snapshot remove", func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			_, err := v.RemoveSnapshot("host_first_2026-01-02T03:04:05Z",
+				&vaultik.RemoveOptions{Force: true})
+
+			return err
+		}},
+		{"snapshot remove --all", func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			_, err := v.RemoveAllSnapshots(&vaultik.RemoveOptions{Force: true})
+
+			return err
+		}},
+		{"remote nuke", func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			return v.NukeRemote(true)
+		}},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			ctx := context.Background()
+			v, repos := newFileDestinationVaultik(ctx, t, t.TempDir())
+
+			_ = tt.run(v)
+
+			assert.Empty(t, storageBindingOf(ctx, t, repos))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // buildBindTestVaultik returns a minimal Vaultik wired with a real
 // in-memory DB and a config carrying the given StorageURL. Enough to
 // exercise EnsureStorageBinding without spinning up storage or fx.

internal/vaultik/unknown_snapshot_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package vaultik_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
+)
+
+// TestUnknownSnapshotID checks that restore and verify, given an ID that
+// names no snapshot in the local index or on the destination store, say
+// so in the words `snapshot remove` uses and print nothing else.
+func TestUnknownSnapshotID(t *testing.T) {
+	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const unknownID = "host1_home_2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
+
+	commands := map[string]func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error{
+		"restore": func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			return v.Restore(&vaultik.RestoreOptions{
+				SnapshotID: unknownID,
+				TargetDir:  t.TempDir(),
+			})
+		},
+		"verify": func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			return v.VerifySnapshotWithOptions(unknownID, &vaultik.VerifyOptions{})
+		},
+		"verify --deep": func(v *vaultik.Vaultik) error {
+			return v.VerifySnapshotWithOptions(unknownID,
+				&vaultik.VerifyOptions{Deep: true})
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, run := range commands {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			store := newTestStorer()
+			addManifest(t, store, "snapshot-001", nil)
+
+			// A backup wrote to this destination, so it carries the marker.
+			require.NoError(t, store.Put(context.Background(), markerFile,
+				bytes.NewReader(nil)))
+
+			tv := vaultik.NewForTesting(store)
+			tv.Config = &config.Config{AgeSecretKey: testAgeSecretKey}
+			tv.Repositories = newLocalIndex(t, "snapshot-001")
+
+			err := run(tv.Vaultik)
+
+			require.EqualError(t, err, "snapshot not found in the local "+
+				"index or on the destination store: "+unknownID)
+			assert.Empty(t, tv.Stdout.String())
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/vaultik/vaultik.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package vaultik
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -184,6 +185,12 @@ func (v *Vaultik) printlnStdout(args ...any) {
 	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(v.Stdout, args...)
 }
 
+// ErrNotConfirmed is returned when a confirmation prompt gets any answer
+// but the one it asks for (`y` or `Y`, or `yes` for `database delete`), or
+// stdin ends first. Nothing the prompt asked about is deleted, and the
+// command exits non-zero.
+var ErrNotConfirmed = errors.New("deletion not confirmed")
+
 // scanStdin reads a line of input from stdin.
 func (v *Vaultik) scanStdin(a ...any) (int, error) {
 	return fmt.Fscanln(v.Stdin, a...)

internal/vaultik/verify.go

@@ -120,12 +120,17 @@ func (v *Vaultik) RunDeepVerify(snapshotID string, opts *VerifyOptions) error {
 
 	log.Info("Starting snapshot verification", "snapshot_id", snapshotID, "mode", "deep")
 
+	remoteKey, err := v.resolveSnapshotRemoteKey(snapshotID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return v.deepVerifyFailure(result, opts, err.Error(), err)
+	}
+
 	if !opts.JSON && !v.UI.Quiet() {
 		v.stdoutf("Deep verification of snapshot: %s\n\n", snapshotID)
 	}
 
 	manifest, tempDB, dbBlobs, err := v.loadVerificationData(
-		snapshotID, opts, result, identities)
+		snapshotID, remoteKey, opts, result, identities)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -170,21 +175,13 @@ func (v *Vaultik) RunDeepVerify(snapshotID string, opts *VerifyOptions) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// loadVerificationData downloads manifest, database, and blob list for verification
+// loadVerificationData downloads manifest, database, and blob list for
+// verification of the snapshot at remoteKey, which
+// resolveSnapshotRemoteKey returned for snapshotID.
 func (v *Vaultik) loadVerificationData(
-	snapshotID string, opts *VerifyOptions, result *VerifyResult,
+	snapshotID, remoteKey string, opts *VerifyOptions, result *VerifyResult,
 	identities []age.Identity,
 ) (*snapshot.Manifest, *tempDB, []snapshot.BlobInfo, error) {
-	// Resolve the identifier to the snapshot's remote key. A human ID is
-	// hashed; a remote key (or its abbreviation, as printed for a
-	// remote-only snapshot) is used as-is, so a host with no local index
-	// can verify a snapshot it can only see on the store.
-	remoteKey, err := v.resolveSnapshotRemoteKey(snapshotID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, nil, v.deepVerifyFailure(result, opts,
-			fmt.Sprintf("resolving snapshot identifier: %v", err), err)
-	}
-
 	// Download manifest. downloadManifestByKey is the single reader for
 	// remote manifests; see its doc comment.
 	log.Info("Downloading manifest", "remote_key", remoteKey)
@@ -267,6 +264,10 @@ func (v *Vaultik) downloadVerifiedSnapshotDB(
 	defer func() { _ = dbReader.Close() }()
 
 	tdb, err := v.decryptAndLoadDatabase(dbReader, identities)
+	if errors.Is(err, errWrongPrivateKey) {
+		return nil, v.deepVerifyFailure(result, opts, err.Error(), err)
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, v.deepVerifyFailure(result, opts,
 			fmt.Sprintf("failed to decrypt database: %v", err),
@@ -351,9 +352,9 @@ func (v *Vaultik) decryptAndLoadDatabase(
 	reader io.ReadCloser, identities []age.Identity,
 ) (*tempDB, error) {
 	// Decrypt and decompress through the shared blobgen reader.
-	blobReader, err := blobgen.NewReader(reader, identities...)
+	blobReader, err := v.newSnapshotDBReader(reader, identities)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create decryption reader: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = blobReader.Close() }()
@@ -426,7 +427,11 @@ func (v *Vaultik) verifyBlob(
 	// the plaintext as it is read. A blob's hash — its remote name — is the
 	// double SHA-256 of that plaintext (see blobgen.DoubleSHA256), not of the
 	// encrypted bytes.
-	blobReader, err := blobgen.NewReader(reader, identities...)
+	blobReader, err := v.newBlobReader(reader, identities)
+	if errors.Is(err, errWrongPrivateKeyForBlob) {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create blob reader: %w", err)
 	}