diff --git a/artifacts/api-server/src/lib/free-tier.ts b/artifacts/api-server/src/lib/free-tier.ts
index db96a2f..b376441 100644
--- a/artifacts/api-server/src/lib/free-tier.ts
+++ b/artifacts/api-server/src/lib/free-tier.ts
@@ -183,11 +183,13 @@ export class FreeTierService {
     const now = new Date();
     const DAY_MS = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
 
-    // All three mutations happen atomically inside a single transaction:
-    //   1. Pool deduction via SQL expression (GREATEST to clamp at 0)
-    //   2. Daily absorption increment via SQL CASE (reset on new day)
-    //   3. Audit log insert
-    // This prevents concurrent grants from racing on stale application-layer reads.
+    // All three mutations happen atomically inside a single transaction with row-locking:
+    //   1. Lock + read pool row (FOR UPDATE), compute actual deductible amount
+    //   2. Pool deduction capped to available balance
+    //   3. Daily absorption increment via SQL CASE (reset on new day), capped to actualAbsorbed
+    //   4. Audit log insert with accurate absorbed amount
+    // Using FOR UPDATE ensures concurrent grants cannot over-debit the pool.
+    let actualAbsorbed = 0;
     let actualNewPoolBalance = 0;
 
     await db.transaction(async (tx) => {
@@ -197,19 +199,26 @@ export class FreeTierService {
         .values({ key: POOL_KEY, value: String(POOL_INITIAL_SATS) })
         .onConflictDoNothing();
 
-      // Atomically decrement pool using GREATEST to avoid going negative; RETURNING actual value.
-      const updated = await tx
+      // Lock the pool row for this transaction; read current balance.
+      const locked = await tx.execute(
+        sql`SELECT value::int AS balance FROM timmy_config WHERE key = ${POOL_KEY} FOR UPDATE`,
+      );
+      const poolBalance = (locked.rows[0] as { balance: number } | undefined)?.balance ?? 0;
+
+      // Cap actual absorption to what the pool can cover.
+      actualAbsorbed = Math.min(absorbSats, poolBalance);
+      if (actualAbsorbed <= 0) {
+        // Pool is empty; nothing to absorb — roll back silently.
+        return;
+      }
+      actualNewPoolBalance = poolBalance - actualAbsorbed;
+
+      await tx
         .update(timmyConfig)
-        .set({
-          value: sql`GREATEST(value::int - ${absorbSats}, 0)::text`,
-          updatedAt: now,
-        })
-        .where(eq(timmyConfig.key, POOL_KEY))
-        .returning({ value: timmyConfig.value });
+        .set({ value: String(actualNewPoolBalance), updatedAt: now })
+        .where(eq(timmyConfig.key, POOL_KEY));
 
-      actualNewPoolBalance = updated[0] ? parseInt(updated[0].value, 10) : 0;
-
-      // Atomically increment daily absorption.
+      // Atomically increment daily absorption by the actual absorbed amount.
       // If absorbed_reset_at is older than 24 h, reset the counter (new day).
       await tx
         .update(nostrIdentities)
@@ -217,8 +226,8 @@ export class FreeTierService {
           satsAbsorbedToday: sql`
             CASE
               WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (${now}::timestamptz - absorbed_reset_at)) * 1000 >= ${DAY_MS}
-              THEN ${absorbSats}
-              ELSE sats_absorbed_today + ${absorbSats}
+              THEN ${actualAbsorbed}
+              ELSE sats_absorbed_today + ${actualAbsorbed}
             END
           `,
           absorbedResetAt: sql`
@@ -236,16 +245,24 @@ export class FreeTierService {
         id: randomUUID(),
         pubkey,
         requestHash,
-        satsAbsorbed: absorbSats,
+        satsAbsorbed: actualAbsorbed,
         poolBalanceAfter: actualNewPoolBalance,
       });
     });
 
-    logger.info("free-tier grant recorded", {
-      pubkey: pubkey.slice(0, 8),
-      absorbSats,
-      newPoolBalance: actualNewPoolBalance,
-    });
+    if (actualAbsorbed > 0) {
+      logger.info("free-tier grant recorded", {
+        pubkey: pubkey.slice(0, 8),
+        requestedSats: absorbSats,
+        actualAbsorbed,
+        newPoolBalance: actualNewPoolBalance,
+      });
+    } else {
+      logger.warn("free-tier grant skipped: pool empty at grant time", {
+        pubkey: pubkey.slice(0, 8),
+        requestedSats: absorbSats,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts b/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts
index cd1680e..c20ee41 100644
--- a/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts
+++ b/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts
@@ -80,16 +80,13 @@ async function runEvalInBackground(
 
         eventBus.publish({ type: "job:state", jobId, state: "executing" });
 
-        // Record grant (deducts from pool, increments identity's daily budget)
-        if (nostrPubkey) {
-          const reqHash = createHash("sha256").update(request).digest("hex");
-          await freeTierService.recordGrant(nostrPubkey, reqHash, breakdown.amountSats);
-        }
-
+        // Grant is recorded AFTER work completes (in runWorkInBackground) so we use
+        // actual cost rather than estimated sats for the audit log.
         streamRegistry.register(jobId);
         setImmediate(() => {
           void runWorkInBackground(
             jobId, request, 0, breakdown.btcPriceUsd, true, nostrPubkey,
+            breakdown.amountSats, // pass estimated as cap; actual cost may be lower
           );
         });
         return;
@@ -237,11 +234,17 @@ async function runWorkInBackground(
       void freeTierService.credit(workAmountSats);
     }
 
-    // Record partial free-tier grant now that work is confirmed complete.
-    // Deferred from invoice creation to prevent economic DoS (pool reservation without payment).
-    if (!isFree && partialAbsorbSats > 0 && nostrPubkey) {
+    // Record free-tier grant now that work is confirmed complete.
+    // For fully-free jobs: cap at actual cost (actualAmountSats was 0 for isFree, use actualCostUsd→sats).
+    // For partial jobs: partialAbsorbSats is the estimated absorbed portion (cap enforced in recordGrant).
+    // Both are deferred until post-execution so the audit log reflects real cost, not estimates.
+    if (partialAbsorbSats > 0 && nostrPubkey) {
+      const lockedBtcPrice = btcPriceUsd ?? 100_000;
+      const absorbCap = isFree
+        ? pricingService.calculateActualChargeSats(actualCostUsd, lockedBtcPrice)
+        : partialAbsorbSats;
       const reqHash = createHash("sha256").update(request).digest("hex");
-      await freeTierService.recordGrant(nostrPubkey, reqHash, partialAbsorbSats);
+      await freeTierService.recordGrant(nostrPubkey, reqHash, absorbCap);
     }
 
     // Trust scoring — fire and forget