diff --git a/docs/api-contract-scan.md b/docs/api-contract-scan.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d6f3bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/api-contract-scan.md
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# API Contract Scan
+
+- `CODEX.md` was not present anywhere under `/workspace`, so this scan follows the repository conventions from `CLAUDE.md`.
+- `Test coverage` is `yes` when an exported function or method has non-zero coverage in `go tool cover`, or when tests materially exercise values of an exported type.
+- `Usage-example comment` is `yes` only when the symbol's own doc comment includes explicit usage guidance; package-level examples in `docs/index.md` are not counted.
+
+| Name | Signature | Package path | Description | Test coverage | Usage-example comment |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| `Provider` | `type Provider string` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Identifies an LLM provider for quota profiles. | Yes | No |
+| `ModelQuota` | `type ModelQuota struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Defines the rate limits for a specific model. | Yes | No |
+| `ProviderProfile` | `type ProviderProfile struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Bundles model quotas for a provider. | Yes | No |
+| `Config` | `type Config struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Controls `RateLimiter` initialisation. | Yes | No |
+| `TokenEntry` | `type TokenEntry struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Records a token usage event. | Yes | No |
+| `UsageStats` | `type UsageStats struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Tracks usage history for a model. | Yes | No |
+| `RateLimiter` | `type RateLimiter struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Manages rate limits across multiple models. | Yes | No |
+| `ModelStats` | `type ModelStats struct` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Represents a snapshot of usage. | Yes | No |
+| `DefaultProfiles` | `func DefaultProfiles() map[Provider]ProviderProfile` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Returns pre-configured quota profiles for each provider; values are based on published rate limits as of February 2026. | Yes | No |
+| `New` | `func New() (*RateLimiter, error)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Creates a new `RateLimiter` with Gemini defaults and preserves backward compatibility for existing callers. | Yes | No |
+| `NewWithConfig` | `func NewWithConfig(cfg Config) (*RateLimiter, error)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Creates a `RateLimiter` from explicit configuration; Gemini defaults are used when both providers and quotas are omitted. | Yes | No |
+| `NewWithSQLite` | `func NewWithSQLite(dbPath string) (*RateLimiter, error)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Creates a SQLite-backed `RateLimiter` with Gemini defaults and creates the database at `dbPath` when needed. | Yes | Yes |
+| `NewWithSQLiteConfig` | `func NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath string, cfg Config) (*RateLimiter, error)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Creates a SQLite-backed `RateLimiter` with custom config; `cfg.Backend` is ignored and the caller should close the limiter when finished. | Yes | Yes |
+| `MigrateYAMLToSQLite` | `func MigrateYAMLToSQLite(yamlPath, sqlitePath string) error` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Reads state from a YAML file and writes both quotas and usage state into a SQLite database, creating the database if needed. | Yes | No |
+| `CountTokens` | `func CountTokens(ctx context.Context, apiKey, model, text string) (int, error)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Calls the Google API to count tokens for a prompt. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).SetQuota` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) SetQuota(model string, quota ModelQuota)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Sets or updates the quota for a specific model at runtime. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).AddProvider` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) AddProvider(provider Provider)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Loads all default quotas for a provider and overwrites any existing quotas for models in that profile. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Load` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Load() error` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Reads state from disk for YAML-backed limiters or from the database for SQLite-backed limiters. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Persist` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Persist() error` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Writes a snapshot of quotas and state to YAML or SQLite after cloning state under lock. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).BackgroundPrune` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) BackgroundPrune(interval time.Duration) func()` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Starts a background goroutine that periodically prunes all model states and returns a stop function. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).CanSend` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) CanSend(model string, estimatedTokens int) bool` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Checks whether a request can be sent without violating the configured limits. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).RecordUsage` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) RecordUsage(model string, promptTokens, outputTokens int)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Records a successful API call. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).WaitForCapacity` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) WaitForCapacity(ctx context.Context, model string, tokens int) error` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Blocks until capacity is available or the context is cancelled. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Reset` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Reset(model string)` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Clears usage stats for one model, or for all models when `model` is empty. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Models` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Models() iter.Seq[string]` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Returns a sorted iterator over all model names tracked by the limiter. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Iter` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Iter() iter.Seq2[string, ModelStats]` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Returns a sorted iterator over all model names together with their current stats. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Stats` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Stats(model string) ModelStats` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Returns the current stats for a model. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).AllStats` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) AllStats() map[string]ModelStats` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Returns stats for all tracked models. | Yes | No |
+| `(*RateLimiter).Close` | `func (rl *RateLimiter) Close() error` | `forge.lthn.ai/core/go-ratelimit` | Releases resources held by the limiter; it is a no-op for YAML and closes the database connection for SQLite. | Yes | No |
diff --git a/error_test.go b/error_test.go
index 05166b2..c302925 100644
--- a/error_test.go
+++ b/error_test.go
@@ -65,6 +65,26 @@ func TestPersistYAML(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestYAMLErrorPaths(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("Load returns error when YAML path is a directory", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rl := newTestLimiter(t)
+		rl.filePath = t.TempDir()
+
+		err := rl.Load()
+		assert.Error(t, err, "Load should fail when the YAML path is a directory")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Persist returns error when YAML path is a directory", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rl := newTestLimiter(t)
+		rl.filePath = t.TempDir()
+		rl.Quotas["test"] = ModelQuota{MaxRPM: 1}
+		rl.RecordUsage("test", 1, 1)
+
+		err := rl.Persist()
+		assert.Error(t, err, "Persist should fail when the YAML path is a directory")
+	})
+}
+
 func TestSQLiteLoadViaLimiter(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("Load returns error when SQLite DB is closed", func(t *testing.T) {
 		dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "load-err.db")
@@ -142,6 +162,21 @@ func TestNewWithSQLiteErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		assert.Error(t, err, "should fail with invalid path")
 	})
+
+	t.Run("NewWithConfig with sqlite backend fails when default directory cannot be created", func(t *testing.T) {
+		home := t.TempDir()
+		blockedHome := filepath.Join(home, "blocked-home")
+		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(blockedHome, []byte("x"), 0o644))
+
+		t.Setenv("HOME", blockedHome)
+		t.Setenv("USERPROFILE", "")
+		t.Setenv("home", "")
+
+		_, err := NewWithConfig(Config{
+			Backend: backendSQLite,
+		})
+		assert.Error(t, err, "should fail when the default sqlite directory cannot be created")
+	})
 }
 
 func TestSQLiteSaveStateErrors(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/ratelimit.go b/ratelimit.go
index 0e34709..faf9e53 100644
--- a/ratelimit.go
+++ b/ratelimit.go
@@ -224,14 +224,20 @@ func (rl *RateLimiter) Load() error {
 // loadSQLite reads quotas and state from the SQLite backend.
 // Caller must hold the lock.
 func (rl *RateLimiter) loadSQLite() error {
+	hasSnapshot, err := rl.sqlite.hasSnapshot()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !hasSnapshot {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	quotas, err := rl.sqlite.loadQuotas()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	// Persisted quotas are authoritative when present; otherwise keep config defaults.
-	if len(quotas) > 0 {
-		rl.Quotas = maps.Clone(quotas)
-	}
+	// Persisted quotas are always authoritative, even when empty.
+	rl.Quotas = maps.Clone(quotas)
 
 	state, err := rl.sqlite.loadState()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/sqlite.go b/sqlite.go
index 863ede4..275d1bd 100644
--- a/sqlite.go
+++ b/sqlite.go
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ func newSQLiteStore(dbPath string) (*sqliteStore, error) {
 // createSchema creates the tables and indices if they do not already exist.
 func createSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
 	stmts := []string{
+		`CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS snapshot_meta (
+			id           INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (id = 1),
+			has_snapshot INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0
+		)`,
 		`CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS quotas (
 			model   TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
 			max_rpm INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
@@ -75,6 +79,31 @@ func createSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
 			return coreerr.E("ratelimit.createSchema", "exec", err)
 		}
 	}
+
+	if err := initialiseSnapshotMeta(db); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func initialiseSnapshotMeta(db *sql.DB) error {
+	if _, err := db.Exec("INSERT OR IGNORE INTO snapshot_meta (id, has_snapshot) VALUES (1, 0)"); err != nil {
+		return coreerr.E("ratelimit.createSchema", "init snapshot meta", err)
+	}
+
+	// Older databases do not have snapshot metadata. If any snapshot table
+	// already contains rows, treat it as an existing persisted snapshot.
+	if _, err := db.Exec(`UPDATE snapshot_meta
+		SET has_snapshot = 1
+		WHERE id = 1 AND has_snapshot = 0 AND (
+			EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM quotas) OR
+			EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM requests) OR
+			EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM tokens) OR
+			EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM daily)
+		)`); err != nil {
+		return coreerr.E("ratelimit.createSchema", "backfill snapshot meta", err)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -138,6 +167,9 @@ func (s *sqliteStore) saveSnapshot(quotas map[string]ModelQuota, state map[strin
 	if err := insertState(tx, state); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := markSnapshotPersisted(tx); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	return commitTx(tx, "ratelimit.saveSnapshot")
 }
@@ -236,6 +268,13 @@ func insertState(tx *sql.Tx, state map[string]*UsageStats) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func markSnapshotPersisted(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	if _, err := tx.Exec("INSERT OR REPLACE INTO snapshot_meta (id, has_snapshot) VALUES (1, 1)"); err != nil {
+		return coreerr.E("ratelimit.saveSnapshot", "mark snapshot", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func commitTx(tx *sql.Tx, scope string) error {
 	if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
 		return coreerr.E(scope, "commit", err)
@@ -243,6 +282,14 @@ func commitTx(tx *sql.Tx, scope string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *sqliteStore) hasSnapshot() (bool, error) {
+	var hasSnapshot int
+	if err := s.db.QueryRow("SELECT has_snapshot FROM snapshot_meta WHERE id = 1").Scan(&hasSnapshot); err != nil {
+		return false, coreerr.E("ratelimit.hasSnapshot", "query", err)
+	}
+	return hasSnapshot != 0, nil
+}
+
 // loadState reconstructs the UsageStats map from SQLite tables.
 func (s *sqliteStore) loadState() (map[string]*UsageStats, error) {
 	result := make(map[string]*UsageStats)
diff --git a/sqlite_test.go b/sqlite_test.go
index 7026261..07289ed 100644
--- a/sqlite_test.go
+++ b/sqlite_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package ratelimit
 
 import (
+	"database/sql"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
@@ -198,6 +199,35 @@ func TestSQLiteEmptyState_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Empty(t, state, "should return empty state from fresh DB")
 }
 
+func TestSQLiteLoadStateSparseRows_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "sparse.db")
+	store, err := newSQLiteStore(dbPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer store.close()
+
+	now := time.Now()
+	_, err = store.db.Exec("INSERT INTO requests (model, ts) VALUES (?, ?)", "request-only", now.UnixNano())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = store.db.Exec("INSERT INTO tokens (model, ts, count) VALUES (?, ?, ?)", "token-only", now.Add(time.Second).UnixNano(), 123)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	state, err := store.loadState()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Contains(t, state, "request-only")
+	assert.Len(t, state["request-only"].Requests, 1)
+	assert.Empty(t, state["request-only"].Tokens)
+	assert.True(t, state["request-only"].DayStart.IsZero())
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, state["request-only"].DayCount)
+
+	require.Contains(t, state, "token-only")
+	assert.Empty(t, state["token-only"].Requests)
+	assert.Len(t, state["token-only"].Tokens, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, 123, state["token-only"].Tokens[0].Count)
+	assert.True(t, state["token-only"].DayStart.IsZero())
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, state["token-only"].DayCount)
+}
+
 func TestSQLiteClose_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "close.db")
 	store, err := newSQLiteStore(dbPath)
@@ -706,6 +736,34 @@ func TestSQLiteEmptyModelState_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Empty(t, s.Tokens, "should have no tokens")
 }
 
+func TestSQLiteSaveSnapshotSkipsNilStateEntries_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "nil-state.db")
+	store, err := newSQLiteStore(dbPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer store.close()
+
+	require.NoError(t, store.saveSnapshot(
+		map[string]ModelQuota{
+			"quota-only": {MaxRPM: 1, MaxTPM: 2, MaxRPD: 3},
+		},
+		map[string]*UsageStats{
+			"nil-model": nil,
+		},
+	))
+
+	hasSnapshot, err := store.hasSnapshot()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, hasSnapshot)
+
+	state, err := store.loadState()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.NotContains(t, state, "nil-model")
+
+	quotas, err := store.loadQuotas()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, quotas, "quota-only")
+}
+
 // --- Phase 2: End-to-end with persist cycle ---
 
 func TestSQLiteEndToEnd_Good(t *testing.T) {
@@ -788,6 +846,90 @@ func TestSQLiteLoadReplacesPersistedSnapshot_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, rl2.Stats("model-b").RPD)
 }
 
+func TestSQLiteLoadBeforeFirstPersistPreservesConfiguredQuotas_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "fresh-load.db")
+	rl, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Providers: []Provider{ProviderAnthropic},
+		Quotas: map[string]ModelQuota{
+			"custom-model": {MaxRPM: 10, MaxTPM: 1000, MaxRPD: 50},
+		},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer rl.Close()
+
+	require.Contains(t, rl.Quotas, "claude-opus-4")
+	require.Contains(t, rl.Quotas, "custom-model")
+	require.NotContains(t, rl.Quotas, "gemini-3-pro-preview")
+
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Load())
+
+	assert.Contains(t, rl.Quotas, "claude-opus-4", "fresh DB should not wipe configured defaults")
+	assert.Equal(t, ModelQuota{MaxRPM: 50, MaxTPM: 40000, MaxRPD: 0}, rl.Quotas["claude-opus-4"])
+	assert.Contains(t, rl.Quotas, "custom-model", "fresh DB should preserve configured custom quotas")
+	assert.Equal(t, ModelQuota{MaxRPM: 10, MaxTPM: 1000, MaxRPD: 50}, rl.Quotas["custom-model"])
+	assert.Empty(t, rl.State)
+}
+
+func TestSQLiteLoadBackfillsSnapshotMetaForLegacyDB_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "legacy.db")
+	rl, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Quotas: map[string]ModelQuota{
+			"legacy-model": {MaxRPM: 7, MaxTPM: 700, MaxRPD: 70},
+		},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	rl.RecordUsage("legacy-model", 30, 40)
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Persist())
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Close())
+
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite", dbPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = db.Exec("DROP TABLE snapshot_meta")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, db.Close())
+
+	rl2, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Providers: []Provider{ProviderGemini},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer rl2.Close()
+
+	require.NoError(t, rl2.Load())
+
+	assert.NotContains(t, rl2.Quotas, "gemini-3-pro-preview")
+	require.Contains(t, rl2.Quotas, "legacy-model")
+	assert.Equal(t, ModelQuota{MaxRPM: 7, MaxTPM: 700, MaxRPD: 70}, rl2.Quotas["legacy-model"])
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, rl2.Stats("legacy-model").RPD)
+}
+
+func TestSQLiteLoadReplacesQuotasWithEmptyPersistedSnapshot_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "empty-quotas.db")
+	rl, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Providers: []Provider{ProviderLocal},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Empty(t, rl.Quotas)
+	rl.RecordUsage("usage-only-model", 10, 20)
+
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Persist())
+	require.NoError(t, rl.Close())
+
+	rl2, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{
+		Providers: []Provider{ProviderGemini},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer rl2.Close()
+
+	require.NotEmpty(t, rl2.Quotas, "constructor should start with Gemini defaults")
+	require.NoError(t, rl2.Load())
+
+	assert.Empty(t, rl2.Quotas, "persisted empty quotas should replace configured defaults")
+	assert.NotContains(t, rl2.Quotas, "gemini-3-pro-preview")
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, rl2.Stats("usage-only-model").RPD)
+}
+
 func TestSQLitePersistAtomic_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "persist-atomic.db")
 	rl, err := NewWithSQLiteConfig(dbPath, Config{