diff --git a/scripts/mutation_check.py b/scripts/mutation_check.py
index f64b485..e1a22ae 100755
--- a/scripts/mutation_check.py
+++ b/scripts/mutation_check.py
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ def check(mutation: dict, repo: Path = REPO) -> tuple[bool, str]:
         return False, f"anchor not found in {mutation['file']} — the table has drifted"
 
     INFLIGHT.write_text(f"{path}\n")
+    stat = path.stat()  # mtime included; see the restore below
     try:
         path.write_text(src.replace(mutation["old"], mutation["new"], 1))
         red = run(test, repo) != 0
@@ -92,6 +93,13 @@ def check(mutation: dict, repo: Path = REPO) -> tuple[bool, str]:
         # Verified, not assumed: a restore that silently failed would leave a
         # mutation in a tracked file and the next run would measure it.
         assert path.read_text() == src, f"RESTORE FAILED for {path} — fix by hand"
+        # ⚠ AND THE MTIME, which matters more here than it would elsewhere.
+        # This repo IS its own deployment root and nothing takes effect until
+        # the service restarts, so "is :8090 stale?" is answered by comparing
+        # the service's start time against source mtimes. A tool that churns
+        # those mtimes without changing a byte makes that check lie — it
+        # reported the live service 16 minutes stale when it was current.
+        os.utime(path, ns=(stat.st_atime_ns, stat.st_mtime_ns))
         INFLIGHT.unlink(missing_ok=True)
 
     return red, "" if red else "VACUOUS — stayed green under the change it forbids"
diff --git a/tests/test_mutation_check.py b/tests/test_mutation_check.py
index 09c262e..1fd4230 100644
--- a/tests/test_mutation_check.py
+++ b/tests/test_mutation_check.py
@@ -108,3 +108,23 @@ def test_the_source_is_restored_even_when_the_mutation_proves(tmp_path):
     check({"label": "flip", "file": "mod.py", "test": "test_probe.py::test_f",
            "old": "return 2", "new": "return 3"}, repo=repo)
     assert (repo / "mod.py").read_text() == before
+
+
+def test_a_reverted_file_keeps_its_mtime(tmp_path):
+    """The repo IS its own deployment root: nothing takes effect until the
+    service restarts, so "is :8090 stale?" is answered by comparing the
+    service's start time against source mtimes. A tool that rewrites a file
+    with identical bytes still bumps its mtime and makes that check lie — it
+    reported the live service 16 minutes stale when it was current.
+
+    Defeating change: dropping the os.utime in the restore."""
+    import os
+
+    repo = _tree(tmp_path, "def f():\n    return 2\n",
+                 "def test_f():\n    assert f() == 2\n")
+    mod = repo / "mod.py"
+    os.utime(mod, (1_000_000_000, 1_000_000_000))
+    before = mod.stat().st_mtime_ns
+    check({"label": "flip", "file": "mod.py", "test": "test_probe.py::test_f",
+           "old": "return 2", "new": "return 3"}, repo=repo)
+    assert mod.stat().st_mtime_ns == before