diff --git a/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.test.ts b/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.test.ts
index 938d33e..1782e25 100644
--- a/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.test.ts
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ describe("verifyDelegatedCheckpoint", () => {
   });
 
   test("records reviewer outcomes with call binding and rejects stale callbacks", async () => {
-    const { runId } = await startedGeneration("binding");
+    const { runId, reviewWorkItemId } = await startedGeneration("binding");
     recordCheckpointReviewerLaunch(store, {
       runId,
       checkpointId: "CHECKPOINT-R-001",
@@ -404,6 +404,15 @@ describe("verifyDelegatedCheckpoint", () => {
     expect(mismatch.ok).toBe(false);
     if (!mismatch.ok) expect(mismatch.errorCode).toBe("CALLBACK_MISMATCH");
 
+    // A live launch keeps the reviewer in flight on the linked review item,
+    // so a relaunch attempt is still rejected while the reviewer works.
+    const tracked = store.beginTrackedLaunch({
+      sessionId: SESSION,
+      workItemId: reviewWorkItemId,
+      agent: "vv-code-reviewer",
+    });
+    expect(tracked.ok).toBe(true);
+
     const duplicate = recordCheckpointReviewerLaunch(store, {
       runId,
       checkpointId: "CHECKPOINT-R-001",
@@ -414,6 +423,61 @@ describe("verifyDelegatedCheckpoint", () => {
     if (!duplicate.ok) expect(duplicate.errorCode).toBe("ALREADY_LAUNCHED");
   });
 
+  test("releases a provably dead reviewer binding after a transport-failed launch (issue #43)", async () => {
+    const { runId, reviewWorkItemId } = await startedGeneration("dead-binding");
+    recordCheckpointReviewerLaunch(store, {
+      runId,
+      checkpointId: "CHECKPOINT-R-001",
+      reviewer: "code",
+      callId: "rv-dead",
+    });
+    const tracked = store.beginTrackedLaunch({
+      sessionId: SESSION,
+      workItemId: reviewWorkItemId,
+      agent: "vv-code-reviewer",
+    });
+    expect(tracked.ok).toBe(true);
+    // The launch dies at transport: the tracked launch reverts the round and
+    // the reviewer leaves inFlightReviewers, but the checkpoint binding must
+    // not stay dead forever.
+    const reverted = store.revertReviewerLaunch({
+      sessionId: SESSION,
+      workItemId: reviewWorkItemId,
+      agent: "vv-code-reviewer",
+    });
+    expect(reverted.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const relaunched = recordCheckpointReviewerLaunch(store, {
+      runId,
+      checkpointId: "CHECKPOINT-R-001",
+      reviewer: "code",
+      callId: "rv-fresh",
+    });
+    expect(relaunched.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const recorded = recordCheckpointReviewerResult(store, {
+      runId,
+      checkpointId: "CHECKPOINT-R-001",
+      reviewer: "code",
+      callId: "rv-fresh",
+      status: "PASS",
+    });
+    expect(recorded.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (recorded.ok) expect(recorded.roundComplete).toBe(true);
+
+    // A completed review still rejects a relaunch of the same role (the
+    // original guard order — ALREADY_LAUNCHED before ALREADY_RECORDED — is
+    // preserved when a result is already recorded).
+    const afterResult = recordCheckpointReviewerLaunch(store, {
+      runId,
+      checkpointId: "CHECKPOINT-R-001",
+      reviewer: "code",
+      callId: "rv-3",
+    });
+    expect(afterResult.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (!afterResult.ok) expect(afterResult.errorCode).toBe("ALREADY_LAUNCHED");
+  });
+
   test("FAIL settles the checkpoint as failed even after the review item closes", async () => {
     const { runId, reviewWorkItemId } = await startedGeneration("fail");
     const launched = store.beginTrackedLaunch({
diff --git a/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.ts b/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.ts
index 0c7654b..fb0ec6f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/workflow/checkpoints.ts
@@ -927,11 +927,37 @@ export function recordCheckpointReviewerLaunchInStore(
     };
   }
   if (active.review.reviewerCallIds[input.reviewer]) {
-    return {
-      ok: false,
-      errorCode: "ALREADY_LAUNCHED",
-      message: `ALREADY_LAUNCHED: ${input.reviewer} already launched for generation ${active.review.generation}`,
-    };
+    // A reviewer launch that dies at transport (a host-terminal error before
+    // any protocol report) used to leave its callId bound here forever: the
+    // tracked launch reverts the linked review item's round (the role leaves
+    // inFlightReviewers) but nothing released this binding, so the slot could
+    // never be relaunched — verify reports "incomplete" forever, recover
+    // refuses while the generation counts as live, and start refuses
+    // ALREADY_IN_REVIEW (issue #43). Release a provably dead binding: no
+    // result recorded for the role AND the linked review item's active round
+    // has the role out of flight. A live relaunch (role still in flight) and
+    // a completed review (result recorded) still reject exactly as before.
+    const linkedRecord = [...data.records.values()].find(
+      (entry) =>
+        entry.sessionId === active.run.sessionId &&
+        entry.workItemId === active.review.reviewWorkItemId,
+    );
+    const roleInFlight = Boolean(
+      linkedRecord?.currentRound &&
+      linkedRecord.currentRound.status === "active" &&
+      Array.isArray(linkedRecord.currentRound.inFlightReviewers) &&
+      linkedRecord.currentRound.inFlightReviewers.includes(input.reviewer),
+    );
+    const resultRecorded = Boolean(active.review.results[input.reviewer]);
+    if (!roleInFlight && !resultRecorded) {
+      delete active.review.reviewerCallIds[input.reviewer];
+    } else {
+      return {
+        ok: false,
+        errorCode: "ALREADY_LAUNCHED",
+        message: `ALREADY_LAUNCHED: ${input.reviewer} already launched for generation ${active.review.generation}`,
+      };
+    }
   }
   if (active.review.results[input.reviewer]) {
     return {