diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd-sam.yaml b/.github/workflows/cd-sam.yaml
index cd07b71..b6b8b56 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cd-sam.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd-sam.yaml
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ jobs:
             --stack-name "${{ inputs.stack-name }}" \
             --query 'Stacks[0].StackStatus' --output text 2>/dev/null || echo "NOT_FOUND")
           case "$STATUS" in
-            *ROLLBACK_COMPLETE|*FAILED)
+            ROLLBACK_COMPLETE|*FAILED)
               echo "::error::Stack ${{ inputs.stack-name }} is in $STATUS — manual intervention required."
               exit 1
               ;;
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 00ae63e..26ad712 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ This ordering rule is about changing the **boundary** or the conditions that gat
 - **Removing `PermissionsBoundary` from an existing role fails by design.** CloudFormation issues `DeleteRolePermissionsBoundary` for that edit, gets `AccessDenied`, and the stack update rolls back. Removing the boundary from a SAM function is a security regression, so failing loudly is intended.
 - **Rollback of an update that *adds* a boundary to an existing role would also fail**, landing the stack in `UPDATE_ROLLBACK_FAILED`. This is currently unreachable — all 26 IAM roles across the five SAM stacks already carry the boundary (verified 2026-07-27), so no update can add one. It becomes reachable again only if a role is created without the boundary and given one later.
 
-Recovery in either case is an administrator action, not a pipeline retry: clear the wedged stack with `aws cloudformation continue-update-rollback --stack-name <stack> --resources-to-skip <RoleLogicalId>`, or replace the role by renaming its logical id. Note `cd-sam`'s pre-flight hard-fails on `*ROLLBACK_COMPLETE`, so that repo's deploys stay blocked until it is cleared.
+Recovery from `UPDATE_ROLLBACK_FAILED` is an administrator action, not a pipeline retry: clear the wedged stack with `aws cloudformation continue-update-rollback --stack-name <stack> --resources-to-skip <RoleLogicalId>`, or replace the role by renaming its logical id. A completed update rollback lands in `UPDATE_ROLLBACK_COMPLETE`, which is stable and can accept a corrective update; `cd-sam` blocks only first-create `ROLLBACK_COMPLETE` and failed or in-progress states.
 
 ## Setup
 
diff --git a/oidc-deploy-roles.yaml b/oidc-deploy-roles.yaml
index 2ac35bf..038a849 100644
--- a/oidc-deploy-roles.yaml
+++ b/oidc-deploy-roles.yaml
@@ -338,30 +338,17 @@ Resources:
               StringEquals:
                 "iam:PermissionsBoundary": !Sub "arn:aws:iam::${AWS::AccountId}:policy/seahaven-lambda-execution-boundary"
 
-          # Boundary management — SET the boundary only. DELETE is NOT
-          # granted: for a delete, the iam:PermissionsBoundary condition key
-          # reflects the boundary CURRENTLY attached to the target role, so
-          # a StringEquals condition on the boundary ARN MATCHES exactly the
-          # roles the gate protects. Granting delete under that condition
-          # lets this role create a boundary-gated role with an inline *:*
-          # policy, strip the boundary, and pass the now-unbounded role to
-          # Lambda — defeating the primary escalation control. Verified live
-          # against the mgmt copy 2026-07-27 (simulate-principal-policy:
-          # iam:DeleteRolePermissionsBoundary = allowed).
+          # Boundary management is SET-only. Granting delete would let this
+          # role create a boundary-gated role, strip the boundary, then pass an
+          # unconstrained role to Lambda. SAM creation and teardown need only
+          # PutRolePermissionsBoundary and DeleteRole.
           #
-          # OPERATIONAL CONSEQUENCE — read before debugging a stuck stack.
-          # SAM does not need the delete for the common paths: it SETS the
-          # boundary on roles it creates, and stack teardown calls DeleteRole.
-          # But there IS one path that now fails by design: updating an
-          # existing AWS::IAM::Role to REMOVE its PermissionsBoundary property
-          # makes CloudFormation call DeleteRolePermissionsBoundary, which is
-          # denied. The stack update fails and rolls back, and because cd-sam's
-          # pre-flight hard-fails on *ROLLBACK_COMPLETE, that repo's deploys
-          # stay blocked until it is cleared. Recovery is an out-of-band admin
-          # action (remove the boundary directly, or replace the role by
-          # renaming its logical id) — not a pipeline retry. Removing the
-          # boundary from a SAM function is a security regression anyway, so
-          # failing loudly here is the intent.
+          # Removing a boundary therefore fails by design. A failed rollback
+          # reaches UPDATE_ROLLBACK_FAILED and needs admin recovery by skipping
+          # or replacing the role. A successful rollback reaches the stable
+          # UPDATE_ROLLBACK_COMPLETE state and can accept a corrective update.
+          # Removing a SAM function boundary is a security regression, so
+          # failing loudly is intentional.
           - Sid: IAMPutPermissionsBoundary
             Effect: Allow
             Action:
@@ -479,6 +466,19 @@ Resources:
               StringEquals:
                 "iam:PassedToService": "lambda.amazonaws.com"
 
+          # API Gateway assumes SAM authorizer invocation roles. Keep this
+          # separate from Lambda PassRole so each target service and role
+          # pattern remains independently constrained.
+          - Sid: IAMPassAuthorizerRole
+            Effect: Allow
+            Action:
+              - iam:PassRole
+            Resource:
+              - !Sub "arn:aws:iam::${AWS::AccountId}:role/cfn-managed/*AuthorizerInvokeRole-*"
+            Condition:
+              StringEquals:
+                "iam:PassedToService": "apigateway.amazonaws.com"
+
   # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   # Shared CloudFormation execution role (SAM stacks) — INFRA-97 scoped
   #