diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py b/apps/api/src/services/awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py
index c9793be9..46d40c79 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/services/awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py
@@ -112,9 +112,10 @@ def _enrich_runtime_build_readback(payload: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     readback["runtime_build_matches_committed_production_image_tag"] = (
         image_matches_runtime
     )
+    matches_committed_deploy_readback = source_matches_runtime and image_matches_runtime
     readback["runtime_build_readback_status"] = (
         "matches_committed_deploy_readback"
-        if source_matches_runtime and image_matches_runtime
+        if matches_committed_deploy_readback
         else "runtime_build_diverges_from_committed_deploy_readback"
     )
 
@@ -135,11 +136,15 @@ def _enrich_runtime_build_readback(payload: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_readback_status"] = "ok"
     readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_sha"] = desired_tag
     readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_short_sha"] = desired_tag[:10]
-    image_matches_main = (
-        build_sha == desired_tag
-        and source_matches_runtime
-        and image_matches_runtime
+    runtime_matches_gitops_desired = build_sha == desired_tag
+    readback["runtime_build_matches_gitops_desired_image_tag"] = (
+        runtime_matches_gitops_desired
     )
+    if runtime_matches_gitops_desired and not matches_committed_deploy_readback:
+        readback["runtime_build_readback_status"] = (
+            "matches_gitops_desired_image_tag_with_committed_deploy_readback_drift"
+        )
+    image_matches_main = runtime_matches_gitops_desired
     readback["production_image_tag_matches_main"] = image_matches_main
     rollups["source_control_main_ready"] = True
     rollups["production_image_tag_matches_main"] = image_matches_main
diff --git a/apps/api/tests/test_awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py b/apps/api/tests/test_awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py
index 3a70aeef..3daf841c 100644
--- a/apps/api/tests/test_awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py
+++ b/apps/api/tests/test_awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from src.services import awoooi_production_deploy_readback_blocker as service
 _COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT_SHA = "a70c6756d9e76c33143676eef82bab7a49ac1839"
 
 
-def test_production_deploy_readback_blocks_stale_source_even_when_gitops_desired_matches_runtime(
+def test_production_deploy_readback_accepts_gitops_desired_match_with_snapshot_drift(
     monkeypatch,
 ):
     build_sha = "0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567"
@@ -28,18 +28,17 @@ def test_production_deploy_readback_blocks_stale_source_even_when_gitops_desired
         is False
     )
     assert readback["runtime_build_readback_status"] == (
-        "runtime_build_diverges_from_committed_deploy_readback"
+        "matches_gitops_desired_image_tag_with_committed_deploy_readback_drift"
     )
     assert readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_sha"] == build_sha
     assert readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_source"] == "gitops_deployment_env"
     assert readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_readback_status"] == "ok"
-    assert readback["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is False
-    assert payload["status"] == "blocked_production_runtime_image_tag_not_verified"
-    assert rollups["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is False
-    assert rollups["hard_blocker_count"] == 1
-    assert "production_runtime_image_tag_does_not_match_gitea_main_desired_tag" in (
-        payload["blockers"]
-    )
+    assert readback["runtime_build_matches_gitops_desired_image_tag"] is True
+    assert readback["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is True
+    assert payload["status"] == "closure_verified"
+    assert rollups["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is True
+    assert rollups["hard_blocker_count"] == 0
+    assert payload["blockers"] == []
 
 
 def test_production_deploy_readback_keeps_committed_snapshot_evidence(monkeypatch):
@@ -58,6 +57,7 @@ def test_production_deploy_readback_keeps_committed_snapshot_evidence(monkeypatc
         "matches_committed_deploy_readback"
     )
     assert readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_sha"] == build_sha
+    assert readback["runtime_build_matches_gitops_desired_image_tag"] is True
     assert readback["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is True
     assert payload["status"] == "closure_verified"
     assert rollups["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is True
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ def test_production_deploy_readback_blocks_runtime_build_mismatch(monkeypatch):
         "runtime_build_diverges_from_committed_deploy_readback"
     )
     assert readback["desired_main_api_image_tag_sha"] == desired_sha
+    assert readback["runtime_build_matches_gitops_desired_image_tag"] is False
     assert readback["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is False
     assert rollups["source_control_main_ready"] is True
     assert rollups["production_image_tag_matches_main"] is False