diff --git a/src/controllers/replica.rs b/src/controllers/replica.rs
index 379b553..8ce3b84 100644
--- a/src/controllers/replica.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/replica.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,36 @@ pub fn persistent_schemas_migration_settled(replica: &PostgresPhysicalReplica) -
 		.is_none_or(SchemaMigrationPhase::is_settled)
 }
 
+/// True when a snapshot is already covered by an existing restore and must
+/// not be restored again.
+///
+/// A snapshot is covered when we've already recorded it as verified
+/// (`status.verifiedSnapshotId`, the ephemeral marker that outlives the torn
+/// down restore) or when any non-failed restore for this replica is already
+/// working on it (Pending/Restoring/Ready/Switching/Active). Failed restores
+/// don't count — the failure backoff path is allowed to retry the snapshot.
+///
+/// Without this an ephemeral `verify` replica whose restore has been torn
+/// down would re-create a restore for the same snapshot — the snapshot-list
+/// handler otherwise only checks the *active* restore, which is gone after
+/// teardown — and double-report the verification to canopy.
+fn snapshot_already_covered(
+	snapshot_id: &str,
+	verified_snapshot_id: Option<&str>,
+	restores: &[PostgresPhysicalRestore],
+) -> bool {
+	if verified_snapshot_id == Some(snapshot_id) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	restores.iter().any(|r| {
+		r.spec.snapshot == snapshot_id
+			&& !matches!(
+				r.status.as_ref().and_then(|s| s.phase.as_ref()),
+				Some(&RestorePhase::Failed)
+			)
+	})
+}
+
 /// Generate a random password for analytics credentials.
 pub(crate) fn generate_password() -> String {
 	let mut rng = rand::rng();
@@ -691,14 +721,20 @@ pub async fn reconcile(replica: Arc<PostgresPhysicalReplica>, ctx: Arc<Context>)
 								)
 								.await?;
 
-							let current_snapshot_id =
-								active_restore.map(|r| r.spec.snapshot.as_str());
+							let verified_snapshot_id = replica
+								.status
+								.as_ref()
+								.and_then(|s| s.verified_snapshot_id.as_deref());
 
-							if current_snapshot_id == Some(&snap.id) {
+							if snapshot_already_covered(
+								&snap.id,
+								verified_snapshot_id,
+								&restore_list.items,
+							) {
 								debug!(
 									replica = name,
 									snapshot = snap.id,
-									"latest snapshot already active, skipping"
+									"snapshot already covered by an existing or verified restore, skipping"
 								);
 							} else {
 								info!(
diff --git a/src/controllers/replica/tests.rs b/src/controllers/replica/tests.rs
index ecb9a89..dde9189 100644
--- a/src/controllers/replica/tests.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/replica/tests.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use crate::{kopia::Snapshot, types::*, util::TimeSpan};
 
 use super::{
 	generate_password, persistent_schemas_migration_settled, resources::build_snapshot_list_job,
+	snapshot_already_covered,
 };
 
 fn make_replica(
@@ -233,3 +234,70 @@ fn snapshot_list_job_rotates_kopia_logs() {
 		"snapshot-list script must rotate kopia logs by age"
 	);
 }
+
+fn make_restore(snapshot: &str, phase: Option<RestorePhase>) -> PostgresPhysicalRestore {
+	PostgresPhysicalRestore {
+		metadata: ObjectMeta {
+			name: Some(format!("test-{snapshot}")),
+			namespace: Some("default".into()),
+			..Default::default()
+		},
+		spec: PostgresPhysicalRestoreSpec {
+			replica: k8s_openapi::api::core::v1::LocalObjectReference {
+				name: "test".into(),
+			},
+			snapshot: snapshot.into(),
+			snapshot_size: k8s_openapi::apimachinery::pkg::api::resource::Quantity("1Gi".into()),
+			snapshot_time: None,
+			storage_size: k8s_openapi::apimachinery::pkg::api::resource::Quantity("2Gi".into()),
+		},
+		status: phase.map(|p| PostgresPhysicalRestoreStatus {
+			phase: Some(p),
+			..Default::default()
+		}),
+	}
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn snapshot_covered_by_verified_marker() {
+	// Ephemeral `verify` replica: the restore has been torn down (no live
+	// restores) but the marker records that we already verified the
+	// snapshot, so we must not restore it again and double-report.
+	assert!(snapshot_already_covered("snapA", Some("snapA"), &[]));
+	assert!(!snapshot_already_covered("snapB", Some("snapA"), &[]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn snapshot_covered_by_live_restore() {
+	for phase in [
+		RestorePhase::Pending,
+		RestorePhase::Restoring,
+		RestorePhase::Ready,
+		RestorePhase::Switching,
+		RestorePhase::Active,
+	] {
+		let restores = [make_restore("snapA", Some(phase.clone()))];
+		assert!(
+			snapshot_already_covered("snapA", None, &restores),
+			"a {phase:?} restore on the snapshot must count as covered"
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn failed_restore_does_not_cover_snapshot() {
+	// A Failed restore is allowed to be retried via the failure backoff
+	// path, so it must not block a fresh restore of the same snapshot.
+	let restores = [make_restore("snapA", Some(RestorePhase::Failed))];
+	assert!(!snapshot_already_covered("snapA", None, &restores));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn uncovered_snapshot_is_created() {
+	// No marker, and the only live restore is for a different snapshot.
+	let restores = [make_restore("snapOld", Some(RestorePhase::Active))];
+	assert!(!snapshot_already_covered("snapNew", None, &restores));
+	// A restore with no status yet (phase None) still counts as live.
+	let pending = [make_restore("snapNew", None)];
+	assert!(snapshot_already_covered("snapNew", None, &pending));
+}