diff --git a/frontend/detail-defer.js b/frontend/detail-defer.js
index 943da0c..7712370 100644
--- a/frontend/detail-defer.js
+++ b/frontend/detail-defer.js
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@ function createDetailDefer({
     defer(item, preset) {
       if (!item) return false;
       const until = laterWork.presetUntil(preset);
-      if (!laterWork.defer(item, until)) return false;
+      const result = laterWork.defer(item, until);
+      if (result !== 'deferred') {
+        announce(result === 'invalid' ? 'Choose a valid future time.' : 'Could not save Later on this device.');
+        return false;
+      }
       const inSession = session.active();
       if (!inSession) close();
       refresh();
diff --git a/frontend/index.html b/frontend/index.html
index 8b08650..1ff3e70 100644
--- a/frontend/index.html
+++ b/frontend/index.html
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
       <button id="release-issue" type="button">Release assignment</button>
       <button id="close-issue" type="button">Close issue</button>
       <a id="open-issue-gitea" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open in Gitea</a>
-      <details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today">Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow">Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details>
+      <details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today" disabled data-planning-disabled>Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow" disabled data-planning-disabled>Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details>
     </div>
     <nav class="work-session-nav" aria-label="Work session" hidden>
       <span class="small" aria-live="polite" data-work-session-progress></span>
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
       <button class="share-work-route" type="button">Share</button>
       <button id="mark-update-read-next" type="button">Mark read &amp; next</button>
       <a id="open-update-gitea" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open in Gitea</a>
-      <details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today">Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow">Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details>
+      <details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today" disabled data-planning-disabled>Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow" disabled data-planning-disabled>Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details>
     </div>
     <nav class="work-session-nav" aria-label="Work session" hidden>
       <span class="small" aria-live="polite" data-work-session-progress></span>
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
     <div class="pull-sheet-actions">
       <button class="share-work-route" type="button">Share</button>
       <a id="open-pull-gitea" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open in Gitea</a>
-      <details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today">Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow">Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details>
+      <details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today" disabled data-planning-disabled>Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow" disabled data-planning-disabled>Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details>
     </div>
     <nav class="work-session-nav" aria-label="Work session" hidden>
       <span class="small" aria-live="polite" data-work-session-progress></span>
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
     </section>
     <h2>Review history</h2>
     <div id="review-history" class="muted"></div>
-    <div class="review-sheet-actions"><details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today">Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow">Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details></div>
+    <div class="review-sheet-actions"><details class="detail-defer"><summary>Defer</summary><div class="detail-defer-options"><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="today" disabled data-planning-disabled>Later today</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-preset="tomorrow" disabled data-planning-disabled>Tomorrow</button><button type="button" data-detail-defer-cancel>Cancel</button></div></details></div>
     <nav class="work-session-nav" aria-label="Work session" hidden>
       <span class="small" aria-live="polite" data-work-session-progress></span>
       <button type="button" data-work-session-previous>Previous</button>
@@ -902,17 +902,18 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
   let reviewHandoffPending = false;
   let editingOutboxId = null;
   let confirmedOwnerLogin = '';
+  let planningOwnerLogin = '';
   let activeFlushLogin = '';
   let activeMyWork = [];
   let laterMyWork = [];
   let todayMyWork = [];
   const todayWork = createTodayWork({
     storage: localStorage,
-    getLogin: () => confirmedOwnerLogin,
+    getLogin: () => planningOwnerLogin,
   });
   const laterWork = createLaterWork({
     storage: localStorage,
-    getLogin: () => confirmedOwnerLogin,
+    getLogin: () => planningOwnerLogin,
     onWake: () => {
       qs('#my-work-action-status').textContent = 'Deferred work is ready again.';
       refreshMyWorkView();
@@ -1325,6 +1326,13 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
     });
   });
 
+  function updatePlanningAvailability() {
+    document.querySelectorAll('[data-detail-defer-preset]').forEach(button => {
+      button.disabled = !planningOwnerLogin;
+      button.toggleAttribute('data-planning-disabled', !planningOwnerLogin);
+    });
+  }
+
   function renderContextSnapshot(data) {
     liveMode = true;
     hasContextSnapshot = true;
@@ -1573,14 +1581,15 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
         '<button class="mark-update-read" data-notification-id="' + item.notification_id + '">Mark read</button>' : '';
       const readUpdate = item.has_update && Number.isInteger(item.notification_id) ?
         '<a class="read-update" href="' + escAttr(createWorkRoute.serialize({ kind:'update', notification_id:item.notification_id })) + '" data-update-index="' + index + '">Read update</a>' : '';
+      const planningDisabled = planningOwnerLogin ? '' : ' disabled data-planning-disabled';
       const laterActions = selectedWorkFilter === 'later' ?
         '<div class="later-actions"><button type="button" data-later-restore data-work-index="' + index + '">Bring back now</button></div>' :
-        '<div class="later-actions" aria-label="Defer this work"><button type="button" data-later-preset="today" data-work-index="' + index + '">Later today</button><button type="button" data-later-preset="tomorrow" data-work-index="' + index + '">Tomorrow</button></div>';
+        '<div class="later-actions" aria-label="Defer this work"><button type="button" data-later-preset="today" data-work-index="' + index + '"' + planningDisabled + '>Later today</button><button type="button" data-later-preset="tomorrow" data-work-index="' + index + '"' + planningDisabled + '>Tomorrow</button></div>';
       const alreadyToday = todayWork.contains(item);
       const todayPosition = todayWork.position(item);
       const todayActions = selectedWorkFilter === 'today' ?
         '<div class="today-actions" aria-label="Reorder Today"><button type="button" data-today-move="up" data-work-index="' + index + '"' + (todayPosition.can_up ? '' : ' disabled') + '>Move up</button><button type="button" data-today-move="down" data-work-index="' + index + '"' + (todayPosition.can_down ? '' : ' disabled') + '>Move down</button><button type="button" data-today-remove data-work-index="' + index + '">Remove from Today</button></div>' :
-        '<div class="today-actions"><button type="button" data-today-add data-work-index="' + index + '"' + (alreadyToday ? ' disabled' : '') + '>' + (alreadyToday ? 'Added to Today' : 'Add to Today') + '</button></div>';
+        '<div class="today-actions"><button type="button" data-today-add data-work-index="' + index + '"' + (alreadyToday ? ' disabled' : planningDisabled) + '>' + (alreadyToday ? 'Added to Today' : 'Add to Today') + '</button></div>';
       const planningActions = todayActions + laterActions;
       if (item.is_review) {
         return '<article class="my-work-card"><a class="my-work-card-main review-trigger" href="' + escAttr(routeHref) + '" data-review-index="' + index + '">' + contents + '</a>' + readUpdate + markRead + planningActions + '</article>';
@@ -1629,8 +1638,17 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
     document.querySelectorAll('[data-later-preset]').forEach(button => {
       button.addEventListener('click', () => {
         const item = lastMyWork[Number(button.dataset.workIndex)];
-        if (!item || !laterWork.defer(item, laterWork.presetUntil(button.dataset.laterPreset))) return;
-        qs('#my-work-action-status').textContent = 'Deferred work stays unread and unchanged in Gitea.';
+        if (!item) return;
+        if (!planningOwnerLogin) {
+          qs('#my-work-action-status').textContent = 'Planning is unavailable until your operator identity is restored.';
+          return;
+        }
+        const until = laterWork.presetUntil(button.dataset.laterPreset);
+        const result = laterWork.defer(item, until);
+        qs('#my-work-action-status').textContent = result === 'deferred' ?
+          'Deferred until ' + fmt(until) + '; work stays unread and unchanged in Gitea.' :
+          (result === 'invalid' ? 'Choose a valid future time.' : 'Could not save Later on this device.');
+        if (result !== 'deferred') return;
         refreshMyWorkView();
       });
     });
@@ -1644,10 +1662,15 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
     });
     document.querySelectorAll('[data-today-add]').forEach(button => {
       button.addEventListener('click', () => {
+        if (!planningOwnerLogin) {
+          qs('#my-work-action-status').textContent = 'Planning is unavailable until your operator identity is restored.';
+          return;
+        }
         const result = todayWork.add(lastMyWork[Number(button.dataset.workIndex)]);
         qs('#my-work-action-status').textContent = result === 'full' ?
           'Today is limited to 5 items. Remove one before adding more.' :
-          (result === 'added' ? 'Added to Today without changing Gitea.' : 'This item is already in Today.');
+          (result === 'added' ? 'Added to Today without changing Gitea.' :
+            (result === 'exists' ? 'This item is already in Today.' : 'Could not save Today on this device.'));
         refreshMyWorkView();
       });
     });
@@ -2486,6 +2509,10 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
     }
     if (snapshot.context && workChanged) {
       setOfflineWorkMode(false);
+      const retainedPlanningLogin = !snapshot.context.error ?
+        String(snapshot.context.user?.login || '').trim() : '';
+      planningOwnerLogin = retainedPlanningLogin;
+      updatePlanningAvailability();
       const contextIdentityFresh = !snapshot.context.error && !contextFreshness?.stale &&
         !contextFreshness?.degraded && !contextFreshness?.revalidating;
       activeFlushLogin = contextIdentityFresh ? String(snapshot.context.user?.login || '').trim() : '';
diff --git a/frontend/later-work.js b/frontend/later-work.js
index 71c95a2..ebaacb5 100644
--- a/frontend/later-work.js
+++ b/frontend/later-work.js
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ function createLaterWork({ storage, getLogin, now = () => new Date(), setTimer =
     const key = storageKey();
     const id = identity(item);
     const wake = new Date(until);
-    if (!key || !id || Number.isNaN(wake.getTime()) || wake <= now()) return false;
+    if (!key) return 'unavailable';
+    if (!id || Number.isNaN(wake.getTime()) || wake <= now()) return 'invalid';
     const records = read();
     records[id] = wake.toISOString();
-    write(records);
-    return true;
+    return write(records) ? 'deferred' : 'unavailable';
   }
 
   function presetUntil(preset) {
diff --git a/tests/test_my_work.py b/tests/test_my_work.py
index e1e69ae..2a48b47 100644
--- a/tests/test_my_work.py
+++ b/tests/test_my_work.py
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{
     )
 
     assert json.loads(result.stdout) == {
-        "deferred": True,
+        "deferred": "deferred",
         "timmy": {
             "active": 0,
             "later": [{
@@ -838,6 +838,33 @@ process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{
     }
 
 
+def test_later_queue_reports_invalid_identity_and_failed_storage_without_false_success():
+    script = f"""
+const createLaterWork = require({json.dumps(str(LATER_WORK))});
+let login = '';
+const item = {{kind:'issue',repository:'stackchain/api',number:17}};
+const unavailable = createLaterWork({{
+  storage: {{getItem:() => null,setItem:() => {{ throw new Error('quota'); }},removeItem:() => {{}}}},
+  getLogin:() => login, now:() => new Date('2026-08-08T12:00:00Z'),
+}});
+const noIdentity = unavailable.defer(item, new Date('2026-08-08T16:00:00Z'));
+login = 'timmy';
+const invalid = unavailable.defer(item, new Date('2026-08-08T11:00:00Z'));
+const failedWrite = unavailable.defer(item, new Date('2026-08-08T16:00:00Z'));
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{noIdentity, invalid, failedWrite}}));
+"""
+
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["node", "-e", script], check=True, capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+
+    assert json.loads(result.stdout) == {
+        "noIdentity": "unavailable",
+        "invalid": "invalid",
+        "failedWrite": "unavailable",
+    }
+
+
 def test_later_queue_prunes_missing_work_and_wakes_expired_items_without_reload():
     script = f"""
 const createLaterWork = require({json.dumps(str(LATER_WORK))});
@@ -964,7 +991,7 @@ let sessionActive = false;
 const controller = createDetailDefer({{
   laterWork: {{
     presetUntil:preset => new Date(preset === 'today' ? '2026-08-08T16:00:00Z' : '2026-08-09T09:00:00Z'),
-    defer:(item, until) => {{ calls.push(['defer', item.title, until.toISOString()]); return true; }},
+    defer:(item, until) => {{ calls.push(['defer', item.title, until.toISOString()]); return 'deferred'; }},
   }},
   session: {{ active:() => sessionActive }},
   close:() => calls.push(['close']),
@@ -1000,6 +1027,32 @@ process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{outside,session,calls}}));
     }
 
 
+def test_detail_defer_reports_storage_failure_without_closing_or_refreshing():
+    script = f"""
+const createDetailDefer = require({json.dumps(str(DETAIL_DEFER))});
+const calls = [];
+const controller = createDetailDefer({{
+  laterWork: {{
+    presetUntil:() => new Date('2026-08-08T16:00:00Z'),
+    defer:() => 'unavailable',
+  }},
+  session: {{active:() => false}},
+  close:() => calls.push('close'), refresh:() => calls.push('refresh'),
+  focus:() => calls.push('focus'), announce:message => calls.push(message),
+}});
+const saved = controller.defer({{kind:'issue',repository:'stackchain/api',number:17}}, 'today');
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{saved,calls}}));
+"""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["node", "-e", script], check=True, capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+
+    assert json.loads(result.stdout) == {
+        "saved": False,
+        "calls": ["Could not save Later on this device."],
+    }
+
+
 @pytest.mark.anyio
 async def test_mobile_detail_sheets_offer_touch_safe_defer_without_a_gitea_mutation():
     html = await dashboard()
@@ -1023,16 +1076,16 @@ async def test_mobile_my_work_wires_touch_safe_non_mutating_later_actions():
     assert 'data-work-filter="later"' in html
     assert 'data-work-count="later"' in html
     assert 'const laterWork = createLaterWork({' in html
-    assert 'getLogin: () => confirmedOwnerLogin' in html
+    assert 'getLogin: () => planningOwnerLogin' in html
     assert 'laterWork.partition(lastMyWork,' in html
     assert 'data-later-preset="today"' in html
     assert 'data-later-preset="tomorrow"' in html
     assert 'data-later-restore' in html
     assert "Deferred until ' + escapeHtml(fmt(item.deferred_until))" in html
-    assert "laterWork.defer(item, laterWork.presetUntil(button.dataset.laterPreset))" in html
+    assert "const result = laterWork.defer(item, until)" in html
     assert 'laterWork.restore(item)' in html
     assert '.later-actions button { min-height:44px;' in html
-    assert 'Deferred work stays unread and unchanged in Gitea.' in html
+    assert "'Deferred until ' + fmt(until)" in html
 
 
 def test_milestone_lane_composes_with_type_filter_and_updates_confirmed_snapshot():
diff --git a/tests/test_today_work.py b/tests/test_today_work.py
index 4c5b4da..a4c882f 100644
--- a/tests/test_today_work.py
+++ b/tests/test_today_work.py
@@ -94,3 +94,20 @@ async def test_dashboard_runs_the_curated_today_queue_as_a_mobile_work_flow():
     assert 'data-today-move="down"' in html
     assert 'Today is limited to 5 items' in html
     assert '.today-actions button' in html and 'min-height:44px' in html
+
+
+@pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_retained_authenticated_context_keeps_local_planning_separate_from_fresh_delivery():
+    html = await dashboard()
+
+    assert "let planningOwnerLogin = '';" in html
+    assert html.count("getLogin: () => planningOwnerLogin") == 2
+    assert "const retainedPlanningLogin = !snapshot.context.error ?" in html
+    assert "planningOwnerLogin = retainedPlanningLogin;" in html
+    assert "button.disabled = !planningOwnerLogin;" in html
+    assert "activeFlushLogin = contextIdentityFresh ?" in html
+    assert "getOwnerLogin: () => confirmedOwnerLogin" in html
+    assert "Planning is unavailable until your operator identity is restored." in html
+    assert "Could not save Today on this device." in html
+    assert "Could not save Later on this device." in html
+    assert "data-planning-disabled" in html