diff --git a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback.go b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback.go
index 1bd0252..2d08dbb 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback.go
@@ -6,12 +6,28 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"log/slog"
+	"math"
 
 	"crussell/db"
 
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
 )
 
+// errClawbackPartiallyReversed is returned by RevertGiftCardFunding when some
+// of the funding it was asked to revert had already been SPENT before the
+// charge failed — the clawback reverts everything still on the card/balance
+// but the spent portion cannot be reclaimed. The CRITICAL admin notification
+// for reconciliation is inserted inside RevertGiftCardFunding itself, so every
+// caller (till handler, stale-pending sweep, Square webhook) surfaces the
+// residual without forking the money logic.
+var errClawbackPartiallyReversed = errors.New("gift-card funding clawback partially reversed — funding was already spent")
+
+// penceLess reports whether a < b comparing two pound-float balances in pence,
+// the only float-safe way to compare money.
+func penceLess(a, b float64) bool {
+	return int64(math.Round(a*100)) < int64(math.Round(b*100))
+}
+
 // RevertGiftCardFunding undoes the gift-card funding performed earlier in the
 // SAME till-sale request after a definitive Square charge rejection, matching
 // the gift_card_transactions accounting: a created card is deleted (with its
@@ -50,6 +66,13 @@ func RevertGiftCardFunding(ctx context.Context, action, giftCardID string, amoun
 		return errTillSaleNotPending
 	}
 
+	// M6: partial flags that some of the funding was already spent before the
+	// charge failed — the clawback reverts everything still on the card/balance
+	// but the spent portion is unrecoverable. Set by the branches below and
+	// resolved into a CRITICAL admin notification + errClawbackPartiallyReversed
+	// after the commit.
+	partial := false
+
 	if action == "create" {
 		// A newly created card's transactions are scoped to THIS sale's
 		// funding (reference_type='till_sale' AND reference_id=sale id) — never
@@ -63,44 +86,66 @@ func RevertGiftCardFunding(ctx context.Context, action, giftCardID string, amoun
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete gift card: %w", err)
 		}
 		// If the card was immediately redeemed to a user balance in this
-		// request, reverse that credit (guarded so it can never go negative).
+		// request, reverse that credit. M6: the reversal CLAMPS to zero instead
+		// of the old guarded `balance >= amount` 0-row block — a partially-spent
+		// redemption must still give back everything that remains on the
+		// balance; the unreclaimable spent portion is surfaced as a CRITICAL
+		// admin notification + errClawbackPartiallyReversed below.
 		if redeemToUserID != nil && *redeemToUserID != "" {
-			bTag, bErr := tx.Exec(ctx, `
-				UPDATE user_giftcard_balances
-				SET balance = user_giftcard_balances.balance - $1, updated_at = NOW()
-				WHERE user_id = $2 AND balance >= $1
-			`, amount, *redeemToUserID)
-			if bErr != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to reverse redeemed gift card balance: %w", bErr)
-			}
-			if bTag.RowsAffected() == 0 {
-				// The guard blocked the reversal because some of the credited
-				// balance was already spent. The sale is still marked failed
-				// below — do not fail the whole clawback tx — but the
-				// un-reversed credit must be flagged for manual reconciliation
-				// (mirrors the top-up branch).
-				log.Printf("CRITICAL: ... MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED: create-with-redeem clawback for gift card %s could not fully reverse the £%.2f balance credited to user %s (balance < amount)", giftCardID, amount, *redeemToUserID)
+			var balanceBefore float64
+			err := tx.QueryRow(ctx, `SELECT balance FROM user_giftcard_balances WHERE user_id = $1`, *redeemToUserID).Scan(&balanceBefore)
+			if err != nil {
+				// Balance row missing (the credit was never recorded / already
+				// fully spent — nothing to reverse) or unreadable. A
+				// non-ErrNoRows read failure means the debit could not be
+				// verified — flag the sale as partially reversed so the owner
+				// reconciles instead of silently keeping the credit.
+				if !errors.Is(err, pgx.ErrNoRows) {
+					partial = true
+					log.Printf("CRITICAL: ... MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED: create-with-redeem clawback for gift card %s could not read the balance credited to user %s (%v) — MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED", giftCardID, *redeemToUserID, err)
+				}
+			} else {
+				if _, bErr := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+					UPDATE user_giftcard_balances
+					SET balance = GREATEST(0, balance - $1), updated_at = NOW()
+					WHERE user_id = $2
+				`, amount, *redeemToUserID); bErr != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to reverse redeemed gift card balance: %w", bErr)
+				}
+				if penceLess(balanceBefore, amount) {
+					partial = true
+					log.Printf("CRITICAL: ... MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED: create-with-redeem clawback for gift card %s could not fully reverse the £%.2f balance credited to user %s (some was already spent — remaining balance clamped to zero)", giftCardID, amount, *redeemToUserID)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
-		// Top-up: subtract the amount back out of the card. The guard keeps
-		// amount_remaining from ever going negative in the pathological case
-		// where some of the top-up was already spent before the charge failed.
-		tag, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
-			UPDATE gift_cards
-			SET total_funds_added = total_funds_added - $1,
-			    amount_remaining = amount_remaining - $1
-			WHERE id = $2 AND amount_remaining >= $1
-		`, amount, giftCardID)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to reverse gift card top-up: %w", err)
-		}
-		if tag.RowsAffected() == 0 {
-			// The guard blocked the reversal because some of the top-up was
-			// already spent. The sale is still marked failed below — do not
-			// fail the whole clawback tx — but the unreversed money must be
-			// flagged for manual reconciliation.
-			log.Printf("CRITICAL: ... MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED: top-up %v on gift card %s could not be fully reversed (amount_remaining < top-up)", amount, giftCardID)
+		// Top-up: subtract the amount back out of the card. M6: the reversal
+		// CLAMPS amount_remaining and total_funds_added to zero instead of the
+		// old guarded `amount_remaining >= amount` 0-row block — a partially-
+		// spent top-up must still give back everything still on the card; the
+		// unreclaimable spent portion is surfaced as a CRITICAL admin
+		// notification + errClawbackPartiallyReversed below.
+		var remainingBefore float64
+		if err := tx.QueryRow(ctx, `SELECT amount_remaining FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, giftCardID).Scan(&remainingBefore); err != nil {
+			// The card is gone (no FK — a concurrent gift-card cancellation can
+			// remove it) or unreadable: nothing can be reverted, but the sale
+			// must STILL be marked failed. Flag the funding as unrecovered so
+			// the owner reconciles instead of the sale staying pending forever.
+			partial = true
+			log.Printf("CRITICAL: ... MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED: top-up %v on gift card %s could not be reversed (card missing/unreadable: %v)", amount, giftCardID, err)
+		} else {
+			if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+				UPDATE gift_cards
+				SET total_funds_added = GREATEST(0, total_funds_added - $1),
+				    amount_remaining = GREATEST(0, amount_remaining - $1)
+				WHERE id = $2
+			`, amount, giftCardID); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to reverse gift card top-up: %w", err)
+			}
+			if penceLess(remainingBefore, amount) {
+				partial = true
+				log.Printf("CRITICAL: ... MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED: top-up %v on gift card %s could not be fully reversed (some of it was already spent — card balance clamped to zero)", amount, giftCardID)
+			}
 		}
 		// Remove only this request's top-up transaction (reference_id = till
 		// sale) so prior sales' accounting on the same card is untouched.
@@ -117,15 +162,30 @@ func RevertGiftCardFunding(ctx context.Context, action, giftCardID string, amoun
 	}
 
 	// MEDIUM-3a coverage: every funding clawback is a money reversal that must
-	// be auditable. Record it in admin_audit_log (best-effort, own tx —
-	// InsertAdminAuditCharge's separate transaction keeps a write failure from
-	// aborting the committed clawback). The create branch DELETES the card, so
-	// target_gift_card_id must stay NULL (the FK would otherwise block the card
-	// deletion); the card id is carried in the details. admin_id is NULL too —
-	// this helper is the shared implementation for the till handler, the
-	// stale-pending sweep and the Square webhook, which carry no admin actor.
+	// be auditable — the PARTIAL clawback included (it reverted the balance to
+	// zero and must leave the same trail). Record it in admin_audit_log
+	// (best-effort, own tx — InsertAdminAuditCharge's separate transaction
+	// keeps a write failure from aborting the committed clawback). The create
+	// branch DELETES the card, so target_gift_card_id must stay NULL (the FK
+	// would otherwise block the card deletion); the card id is carried in the
+	// details. admin_id is NULL too — this helper is the shared implementation
+	// for the till handler, the stale-pending sweep and the Square webhook,
+	// which carry no admin actor.
 	insertGiftCardClawbackAudit(ctx, giftCardID, tillSaleID, action, amount)
 
+	if partial {
+		// M6: the funding was partially spent before the charge failed — the
+		// clawback reverted everything still on the card/balance but the spent
+		// portion is gone. Surface a CRITICAL admin notification so the owner
+		// reconciles the residual (the card/balance were clamped to zero and
+		// the sale is failed; the spent money is unrecoverable and must be
+		// reviewed) and return the sentinel so every caller knows the reversal
+		// was not complete.
+		insertCriticalPaymentNotification(ctx, nil, redeemToUserID)
+		log.Printf("CRITICAL: till sale %s's gift-card funding clawback was PARTIAL (funding had already been spent) — card/balance reverted to zero; the spent portion is unrecoverable — MANUAL RECONCILIATION REQUIRED", tillSaleID)
+		return errClawbackPartiallyReversed
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback_test.go b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b0656f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_clawback_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+//go:build test && dev
+
+package payments
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+
+	"crussell/db"
+	"crussell/testutils"
+	"crussell/testutils/fixtures"
+)
+
+// TestRevertGiftCardFunding_TopupPartiallySpent_InsertsCriticalNotification
+// locks the M6 neither-path: when the top-up funding was already partially spent
+// before the charge failed, RevertGiftCardFunding clamps the card to zero,
+// returns errClawbackPartiallyReversed AND inserts a critical-payment admin
+// notification so the residual is surfaced in the admin notification centre
+// (a bare log line is not enough — an operator must see the reconciliation
+// item).
+func TestRevertGiftCardFunding_TopupPartiallySpent_InsertsCriticalNotification(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, tx := testutils.SetupTestTx(t)
+
+	adminID, err := fixtures.CreateTestAdminUser(tx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create admin user: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var cardID string
+	if err := tx.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO gift_cards (total_funds_added, amount_remaining, created_by, is_inventory)
+		VALUES (50.00, 10.00, $1, FALSE)
+		RETURNING id
+	`, adminID).Scan(&cardID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to seed gift card: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var saleID string
+	if err := tx.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO till_sales (item_type, description, quantity, unit_price, total_amount, payment_method, status, created_by, created_at, updated_at)
+		VALUES ('gift_card', 'Gift Card topup', 1, 50.00, 50.00, 'online_square', 'pending', $1, NOW(), NOW())
+		RETURNING id
+	`, adminID).Scan(&saleID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to seed till sale: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	pgxTx := db.TxFromContext(ctx)
+	if pgxTx == nil {
+		t.Fatal("no transaction in context")
+	}
+	if err := pgxTx.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to commit setup tx: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	pool := context.Background()
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM admin_notifications WHERE reason = 'critical_payment_log'`)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM gift_card_transactions WHERE gift_card_id = $1`, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM till_sales WHERE id = $1`, saleID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM users WHERE id = $1`, adminID)
+	})
+
+	err = revertGiftCardFunding(pool, "topup", cardID, 50.00, nil, saleID)
+	if !errors.Is(err, errClawbackPartiallyReversed) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected errClawbackPartiallyReversed for the partially-spent top-up, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// M6: the CRITICAL admin notification must exist for the residual (a till
+	// sale has no booking or user attribution, so the notification dedup key is
+	// (nil, nil)).
+	var notifCount int
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(pool, `SELECT COUNT(*) FROM admin_notifications WHERE reason = 'critical_payment_log' AND booking_id IS NULL AND user_id IS NULL`).Scan(&notifCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to count admin notifications: %v", err)
+	}
+	if notifCount < 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected a critical-payment admin notification for the partial clawback, got %d", notifCount)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRevertGiftCardFunding_CreateWithRedeemPartiallySpent_ClampsAndFlags locks
+// the M6 create-with-redeem neither-path: a created card immediately redeemed to
+// a user balance that was partially spent before the charge failed is deleted,
+// the balance is clamped to zero, errClawbackPartiallyReversed is returned and
+// a critical admin notification is inserted for the unrecoverable spent
+// portion.
+func TestRevertGiftCardFunding_CreateWithRedeemPartiallySpent_ClampsAndFlags(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, tx := testutils.SetupTestTx(t)
+
+	adminID, err := fixtures.CreateTestAdminUser(tx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create admin user: %v", err)
+	}
+	customerID, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(tx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create customer user: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var cardID string
+	if err := tx.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO gift_cards (total_funds_added, amount_remaining, created_by, is_inventory)
+		VALUES (50.00, 0.00, $1, FALSE)
+		RETURNING id
+	`, adminID).Scan(&cardID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to seed gift card: %v", err)
+	}
+	// The redeem credited £50 to the customer, who spent £40 before the charge
+	// failed.
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO user_giftcard_balances (user_id, balance, updated_at)
+		VALUES ($1, 10.00, NOW())
+	`, customerID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to seed user balance: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var saleID string
+	if err := tx.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO till_sales (item_type, description, quantity, unit_price, total_amount, payment_method, status, created_by, created_at, updated_at)
+		VALUES ('gift_card', 'Gift Card create', 1, 50.00, 50.00, 'online_square', 'pending', $1, NOW(), NOW())
+		RETURNING id
+	`, adminID).Scan(&saleID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to seed till sale: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	pgxTx := db.TxFromContext(ctx)
+	if pgxTx == nil {
+		t.Fatal("no transaction in context")
+	}
+	if err := pgxTx.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to commit setup tx: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	pool := context.Background()
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM admin_notifications WHERE reason = 'critical_payment_log'`)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM user_giftcard_balances WHERE user_id = $1`, customerID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM gift_card_transactions WHERE gift_card_id = $1`, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM till_sales WHERE id = $1`, saleID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(pool, `DELETE FROM users WHERE id = ANY($1)`, []string{adminID, customerID})
+	})
+
+	err = revertGiftCardFunding(pool, "create", cardID, 50.00, &customerID, saleID)
+	if !errors.Is(err, errClawbackPartiallyReversed) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected errClawbackPartiallyReversed for the partially-spent redeemed balance, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// The created card is deleted and the balance clamped to zero.
+	var cardCount int
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(pool, `SELECT COUNT(*) FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, cardID).Scan(&cardCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to count gift cards: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cardCount != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected the created card deleted by the clawback, got %d cards", cardCount)
+	}
+	var balance float64
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(pool, `SELECT balance FROM user_giftcard_balances WHERE user_id = $1`, customerID).Scan(&balance); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to query user balance: %v", err)
+	}
+	if balance != 0.00 {
+		t.Errorf("expected the partially-spent redeemed balance clamped to zero, got £%.2f", balance)
+	}
+
+	// The sale is failed and a CRITICAL notification surfaced.
+	var saleStatus string
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(pool, `SELECT status FROM till_sales WHERE id = $1`, saleID).Scan(&saleStatus); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to query till sale: %v", err)
+	}
+	if saleStatus != "failed" {
+		t.Errorf("expected till sale marked failed, got %q", saleStatus)
+	}
+	var notifCount int
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(pool, `SELECT COUNT(*) FROM admin_notifications WHERE reason = 'critical_payment_log' AND user_id = $1`, customerID).Scan(&notifCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to count admin notifications: %v", err)
+	}
+	if notifCount < 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected a critical-payment admin notification for the partial clawback, got %d", notifCount)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_redeem_touctoc_test.go b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_redeem_touctoc_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..979c267
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcard_redeem_touctoc_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+//go:build test && dev
+
+package payments
+
+// M16 gift-card double-redeem TOCTOU test. RedeemGiftCard serializes on a
+// `SELECT ... FOR UPDATE` of the gift_cards row (READ COMMITTED re-reads the
+// latest committed version after the lock is granted), so two CONCURRENT
+// redemptions of the same code can never both succeed: exactly one wins the
+// row lock, zeroes the balance and credits its user; the loser re-reads the
+// committed row, sees redeemed_by set and is rejected 400. This test drives
+// two real HTTP requests in parallel goroutines and asserts exactly one
+// success, one rejection, and a single balance decrement + single
+// redeem_to_balance audit transaction.
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+
+	"crussell/db"
+	"crussell/mw"
+	"crussell/testutils/fixtures"
+	"crussell/testutils/jwt"
+
+	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
+)
+
+func TestGiftCardRedeem_ConcurrentSameCode_ExactlyOneWins(t *testing.T) {
+	// Seed on the pool directly (no SetupTestTx): each concurrent request
+	// must run its own transaction on the shared pool.
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	userA, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(db.Conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create user A: %v", err)
+	}
+	userB, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(db.Conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create user B: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var code string
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(ctx, `INSERT INTO gift_cards (total_funds_added, amount_remaining) VALUES (50.00, 50.00) RETURNING id`).Scan(&code); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to seed gift card: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(ctx, `DELETE FROM gift_card_transactions WHERE gift_card_id = $1`, code)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(ctx, `DELETE FROM user_giftcard_balances WHERE user_id IN ($1, $2)`, userA, userB)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(ctx, `DELETE FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, code)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(ctx, `DELETE FROM users WHERE id IN ($1, $2)`, userA, userB)
+	})
+
+	router := chi.NewRouter()
+	router.Use(mw.RequireAuth)
+	router.Post("/api/user/giftcards/redeem", RedeemGiftCard)
+
+	// Both redemptions start at the same barrier instant so the row lock
+	// genuinely contends.
+	start := make(chan struct{})
+	type attempt struct {
+		status int
+	}
+	attempts := make([]attempt, 2)
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+
+	redeem := func(userID, token string, idx int) {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		<-start
+		body, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{"code": code})
+		req := httptest.NewRequest("POST", "/api/user/giftcards/redeem", bytes.NewBuffer(body))
+		req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+token)
+		req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		router.ServeHTTP(w, req)
+		attempts[idx].status = w.Code
+	}
+
+	wg.Add(2)
+	go redeem(userA, jwt.GenerateTestToken(userA, "verified_email"), 0)
+	go redeem(userB, jwt.GenerateTestToken(userB, "verified_email"), 1)
+	close(start)
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	successes, failures := 0, 0
+	for _, a := range attempts {
+		switch a.status {
+		case http.StatusOK:
+			successes++
+		case http.StatusBadRequest:
+			failures++
+		default:
+			t.Errorf("unexpected redeem status %d", a.status)
+		}
+	}
+	if successes != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected exactly ONE successful redemption, got %d", successes)
+	}
+	if failures != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected exactly ONE rejected redemption, got %d", failures)
+	}
+
+	// The balance was decremented exactly once (amount_remaining zeroed).
+	var amountRemaining float64
+	var redeemedBy *string
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(ctx, `SELECT amount_remaining, redeemed_by FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, code).Scan(&amountRemaining, &redeemedBy); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to query gift card: %v", err)
+	}
+	if amountRemaining != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected the card balance decremented to 0 exactly once, got %.2f", amountRemaining)
+	}
+	if redeemedBy == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected the card redeemed to exactly one user")
+	}
+
+	// Exactly one user holds the credited balance; the other has none.
+	var winners int
+	var balanceSum float64
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		SELECT COUNT(*), COALESCE(SUM(balance), 0)
+		FROM user_giftcard_balances
+		WHERE user_id IN ($1, $2)
+	`, userA, userB).Scan(&winners, &balanceSum); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to query user balances: %v", err)
+	}
+	if winners != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected exactly one credited balance row, got %d", winners)
+	}
+	if balanceSum != 50 {
+		t.Errorf("expected the winner credited 50.00, got %.2f", balanceSum)
+	}
+
+	// Exactly one redeem_to_balance audit transaction exists.
+	var txCount int
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		SELECT COUNT(*) FROM gift_card_transactions
+		WHERE gift_card_id = $1 AND transaction_type = 'redeem_to_balance'
+	`, code).Scan(&txCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to count redeem transactions: %v", err)
+	}
+	if txCount != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected exactly one redeem_to_balance transaction, got %d", txCount)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards.go b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards.go
index b5f4b05..ffd05d0 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 )
 
 // --- Types ---
@@ -120,6 +121,11 @@ type BuyGiftCardRequest struct {
 	// enforced environment charges/persists a saved card only when this matches
 	// the customer's pending code.
 	VerificationCode string `json:"verification_code,omitempty"`
+	// ConsentVersion / ConsentAccepted: the customer's explicit versioned
+	// consent to the SCA-unavailable → 2FA fallback (C6), enforced server-side
+	// (403 consent_required) and recorded on the 2fa_fallback_charge audit row.
+	ConsentVersion  *string `json:"consent_version,omitempty"`
+	ConsentAccepted bool    `json:"consent_accepted"`
 }
 
 type RedeemGiftCardRequest struct {
@@ -128,6 +134,45 @@ type RedeemGiftCardRequest struct {
 
 // --- Admin Handlers ---
 
+// giftCardDailyCapLockKey is the session advisory-lock key that serializes one
+// admin's gift-card value operations (CreateGiftCard / TopUpGiftCard /
+// TransferGiftCard) so the £5,000/day cap check and the mutation recording the
+// new value are atomic (M7). Keyed per admin: distinct admins never contend.
+const giftCardDailyCapLockKey = "crussell:giftcard-daily-cap:"
+
+// acquireGiftCardDailyCapLock acquires the per-admin gift-card daily-cap lock
+// (a bounded try-lock on a pinned pool connection, mirroring the payment
+// handlers' serialization pattern). The daily cap check
+// (adminGiftCardValueToday) and the transaction that records the new value must
+// run under the same lock, or two concurrent top-ups could both read the day's
+// value before either writes and both pass the cap — over-issuing value.
+// Returns the pinned connection once the lock is held (the caller must defer
+// capConn.Release() and releasePaymentLock(capConn, key)) or nil after writing
+// the error response.
+func acquireGiftCardDailyCapLock(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, adminID string) (*pgxpool.Conn, bool) {
+	lockKey := giftCardDailyCapLockKey + adminID
+	pinConn, err := db.Conn.Acquire(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to acquire connection for gift-card daily-cap lock %s: %v", lockKey, err)
+		http.Error(w, "internal server error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	lockOK, err := acquireAdvisoryLock(ctx, pinConn, lockKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		pinConn.Release()
+		log.Printf("Failed to acquire gift-card daily-cap lock %s: %v", lockKey, err)
+		http.Error(w, "internal server error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	if !lockOK {
+		pinConn.Release()
+		log.Printf("Gift-card daily-cap lock %s not acquired within bound — another gift-card value operation for this admin is in progress", lockKey)
+		http.Error(w, "Another gift-card value operation is already in progress for this admin — please try again in a moment", http.StatusConflict)
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	return pinConn, true
+}
+
 func GetGiftCards(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
 
@@ -456,7 +501,16 @@ func CreateGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	// Daily limit (owner decision): an admin may create/top-up/transfer at
-	// most £5,000 of gift-card value per UTC day. Enforced before any write.
+	// most £5,000 of gift-card value per UTC day. The cap check and the value
+	// recording transaction are serialized per admin (M7) so two concurrent
+	// operations cannot both read the day's value before either writes.
+	capPinConn, lockOK := acquireGiftCardDailyCapLock(ctx, w, adminID)
+	if !lockOK {
+		return
+	}
+	defer capPinConn.Release()
+	defer releasePaymentLock(capPinConn, giftCardDailyCapLockKey+adminID)
+
 	adminValueToday, err := adminGiftCardValueToday(ctx, db.Conn, adminID)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Failed to query admin gift-card value today for %s: %v", adminID, err)
@@ -593,7 +647,16 @@ func TopUpGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	// Daily limit (owner decision): an admin may create/top-up/transfer at
-	// most £5,000 of gift-card value per UTC day. Enforced before any write.
+	// most £5,000 of gift-card value per UTC day. The cap check and the value
+	// recording transaction are serialized per admin (M7) so two concurrent
+	// top-ups cannot both read the day's value before either writes.
+	capPinConn, lockOK := acquireGiftCardDailyCapLock(ctx, w, adminID)
+	if !lockOK {
+		return
+	}
+	defer capPinConn.Release()
+	defer releasePaymentLock(capPinConn, giftCardDailyCapLockKey+adminID)
+
 	adminValueToday, err := adminGiftCardValueToday(ctx, db.Conn, adminID)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Failed to query admin gift-card value today for %s: %v", adminID, err)
@@ -757,8 +820,16 @@ func TransferGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	// Daily limit (owner decision): an admin may create/top-up/transfer at
-	// most £5,000 of gift-card value per UTC day. Enforced before any write
-	// (and before the advisory lock acquisition below).
+	// most £5,000 of gift-card value per UTC day. The cap check and the value
+	// recording transaction are serialized per admin (M7) so two concurrent
+	// operations cannot both read the day's value before either writes.
+	capPinConn, lockOK := acquireGiftCardDailyCapLock(ctx, w, adminID)
+	if !lockOK {
+		return
+	}
+	defer capPinConn.Release()
+	defer releasePaymentLock(capPinConn, giftCardDailyCapLockKey+adminID)
+
 	adminValueToday, err := adminGiftCardValueToday(ctx, db.Conn, adminID)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Failed to query admin gift-card value today for %s: %v", adminID, err)
@@ -786,7 +857,7 @@ func TransferGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	defer pinConn.Release()
-	lockOK, err := acquireAdvisoryLock(ctx, pinConn, "crussell:giftcard-cancel:"+fromCardID)
+	lockOK, err = acquireAdvisoryLock(ctx, pinConn, "crussell:giftcard-cancel:"+fromCardID)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Failed to acquire gift-card cancel lock for %s: %v", fromCardID, err)
 		http.Error(w, "internal server error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
@@ -1136,8 +1207,17 @@ func RedeemGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// CleanupExpiredGiftCards the card still carries amount_remaining; without
 	// this check the holder could redeem value that is already forfeit (the
 	// nightly job moves it to gift_card_expired_balances and zeroes the card).
-	// Legacy cards with a NULL expiry_date are treated as unexpired.
-	if expiryDate.Valid && expiryDate.Time.Before(clock.Now()) {
+	// Legacy cards with a NULL expiry_date are treated as unexpired. The
+	// comparison uses the DATABASE clock (SELECT NOW()), the same clock that
+	// wrote expiry_date, so an app-clock drift can neither extend nor shorten
+	// card life.
+	expired, err := giftCardExpired(ctx, tx, expiryDate)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to check gift card expiry: %v", err)
+		http.Error(w, "internal server error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	if expired {
 		http.Error(w, "This gift card has expired", http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
@@ -1219,9 +1299,9 @@ func GetGiftCardBalance(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, pgx.ErrNoRows) {
 			if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{
-				"balance":          0.00,
-				"daily_buy_limit":  float64(maxUserGiftCardDailyPence) / 100.0,
-				"daily_buy_spent":  0.00,
+				"balance":         0.00,
+				"daily_buy_limit": float64(maxUserGiftCardDailyPence) / 100.0,
+				"daily_buy_spent": 0.00,
 			}); err != nil {
 				log.Printf("Failed to encode JSON response: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -1242,9 +1322,9 @@ func GetGiftCardBalance(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{
-		"balance":          balance,
-		"daily_buy_limit":  float64(maxUserGiftCardDailyPence) / 100.0,
-		"daily_buy_spent":  spentToday,
+		"balance":         balance,
+		"daily_buy_limit": float64(maxUserGiftCardDailyPence) / 100.0,
+		"daily_buy_spent": spentToday,
 	}); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Failed to encode JSON response: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1528,6 +1608,11 @@ func BuyGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		if !gateOK {
 			return
 		}
+		// C6: a fallback-authorized purchase must carry the customer's accepted
+		// consent (403 consent_required otherwise).
+		if !enforceSCAFallbackConsent(w, req.ConsentVersion, req.ConsentAccepted, twoFAFallbackUsed) {
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	var sourceID string
@@ -1901,7 +1986,7 @@ func BuyGiftCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// money transaction commits (a failed audit write must never roll back a
 	// completed charge). The actor is the customer's own userID.
 	if twoFAFallbackUsed {
-		insertTwoFAFallbackAudit(ctx, userID, userID, paymentResult.CardLast4, buyPaymentID, "gift-card purchase authorized via 2FA fallback (SCA unavailable)")
+		insertTwoFAFallbackAudit(ctx, userID, userID, paymentResult.CardLast4, buyPaymentID, "gift-card purchase authorized via 2FA fallback (SCA unavailable)", consentVersionValue(req.ConsentVersion), req.ConsentAccepted)
 	}
 
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusCreated)
@@ -1968,6 +2053,25 @@ func redactEmail(email string) string {
 	return email[:2] + "***@" + email[at+1:]
 }
 
+// giftCardExpired reports whether a card's expiry_date has passed, comparing
+// against the DATABASE clock (SELECT NOW()) — the SAME clock source the
+// CreateGiftCard / TopUpGiftCard / BuyGiftCard / TransferGiftCard expiry WRITES
+// use (expiry_date = NOW() + months). Every expiry comparison in giftcards.go
+// must use this DB clock, never crussell/clock.Now(): an application clock that
+// drifts behind the DB would extend card life past the expiry the DB itself
+// enforces, while one running ahead would cut it short. A card with a NULL
+// expiry_date (legacy) is treated as unexpired.
+func giftCardExpired(ctx context.Context, q db.Querier, expiryDate sql.NullTime) (bool, error) {
+	if !expiryDate.Valid {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	var dbNow time.Time
+	if err := q.QueryRow(ctx, `SELECT NOW()`).Scan(&dbNow); err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return expiryDate.Time.Before(dbNow), nil
+}
+
 type ExpiredBalance struct {
 	ID              string     `json:"id"`
 	AccountID       *string    `json:"account_id,omitempty"`
@@ -2314,6 +2418,16 @@ func assessGiftCardCancellation(ctx context.Context, q db.Querier, code string,
 		}
 	}
 
+	// The expiry comparison uses the DATABASE clock (SELECT NOW()), the same
+	// clock that wrote expiry_date, so the assessment can never disagree with
+	// the DB-enforced card life.
+	expired, err := giftCardExpired(ctx, q, expiryDate)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to check gift card expiry for %s: %v", code, err)
+		st.CancellationReason = "Unable to verify this gift card's expiry"
+		return st
+	}
+
 	switch {
 	case isInventory:
 		st.CancellationReason = "This card was created as shop stock, not purchased online"
@@ -2325,7 +2439,7 @@ func assessGiftCardCancellation(ctx context.Context, q db.Querier, code string,
 		} else {
 			st.CancellationReason = "This gift card has been topped up, transferred, or partially spent in a way that cannot be verified"
 		}
-	case expiryDate.Valid && expiryDate.Time.Before(clock.Now()):
+	case expired:
 		st.CancellationReason = "This gift card has expired"
 	case purchasedAt.Before(clock.Now().Add(-giftCardCoolingOffPeriod)):
 		st.CancellationReason = "The 14-day cancellation period has expired"
@@ -2574,7 +2688,16 @@ func cancelGiftCardForUser(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.R
 		partialRefund = true
 	}
 
-	if expiryDate.Valid && expiryDate.Time.Before(clock.Now()) {
+	// The expiry comparison uses the DATABASE clock (SELECT NOW()), the same
+	// clock that wrote expiry_date, so an app-clock drift can neither extend
+	// nor shorten the cancellation window.
+	expired, err := giftCardExpired(ctx, tx, expiryDate)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to check gift card expiry for %s: %v", code, err)
+		http.Error(w, "internal server error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	if expired {
 		http.Error(w, "This gift card has already expired and cannot be cancelled", http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
@@ -2773,7 +2896,15 @@ func cancelGiftCardForUser(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.R
 	if partialRefund {
 		expectRemaining = remaining
 	}
-	if revIsInventory || revRedeemedBy.Valid || !approxEqual(revTotalFunds, purchaseAmount) || !approxEqual(revRemaining, expectRemaining) || (revExpiry.Valid && revExpiry.Time.Before(clock.Now())) {
+	// The expiry comparison uses the DATABASE clock (SELECT NOW()) so the
+	// re-verification can never disagree with the clock that wrote expiry_date.
+	revExpired, err := giftCardExpired(ctx, rtx, revExpiry)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Failed to re-check gift card expiry for %s: %v", code, err)
+		http.Error(w, "internal server error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	if revIsInventory || revRedeemedBy.Valid || !approxEqual(revTotalFunds, purchaseAmount) || !approxEqual(revRemaining, expectRemaining) || revExpired {
 		// The card changed between the eligibility commit and the reversal —
 		// redeemed, spent, transferred, or expired. Do NOT refund on top of
 		// the live balance (double value). The reversal tx has no writes and
diff --git a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards_test.go b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards_test.go
index b7a7c35..cb0ccd1 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards_test.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/payments/giftcards_test.go
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"math"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -2650,3 +2652,163 @@ func TestBuyGiftCard_PendingRow_StoresSquareSourceID(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected square_source_id %q (the exact CreatePayment SourceID), got %q", "cnon:card-nonce-ok", sourceID)
 	}
 }
+
+// =============================================================================
+// M7 — £5,000/day admin gift-card cap is race-free
+// =============================================================================
+
+// TestTopUpGiftCard_DailyCap_Concurrent pins the M7 daily-cap TOCTOU fix: N
+// concurrent top-ups by the same admin must never let the cumulative issued
+// value exceed the £5,000/day cap. The cap check (adminGiftCardValueToday) and
+// the transaction recording the top-up value run under one per-admin advisory
+// lock, so every check sees the previous top-up's committed row — the excess
+// requests are rejected. Without the lock two top-ups in the same batch read
+// the same pre-write cumulative value and both pass, over-issuing value.
+//
+// The per-transaction £250 cap bounds each top-up, so exceeding the £5,000
+// daily cap needs 21 top-ups of £250; a semaphore bounds how many run
+// simultaneously (each handler holds one pool conn for its advisory lock and
+// one for its transaction). The admin, the card, and every handler invocation
+// run directly against the REAL pool (no per-test transaction), so the batches
+// exercise genuine cross-connection concurrency exactly like production.
+func TestTopUpGiftCard_DailyCap_Concurrent(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	adminID, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(db.Conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create admin: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := db.Conn.Exec(ctx, "UPDATE users SET account_role = 'admin' WHERE id = $1", adminID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to promote admin: %v", err)
+	}
+	var cardID string
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO gift_cards (total_funds_added, amount_remaining, created_by)
+		VALUES (0, 0, $1) RETURNING id`, adminID).Scan(&cardID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create gift card: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		cctx := context.Background()
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(cctx, `DELETE FROM admin_audit_log WHERE admin_id = $1 OR target_user_id = $1 OR target_gift_card_id = $2`, adminID, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(cctx, `DELETE FROM gift_card_transactions WHERE gift_card_id = $1`, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(cctx, `DELETE FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, cardID)
+		_, _ = db.Conn.Exec(cctx, `DELETE FROM users WHERE id = $1`, adminID)
+	})
+
+	token := jwt.GenerateTestToken(adminID, "admin")
+
+	const perTopUp = 250.00    // £250 per top-up (at the £250 per-transaction cap)
+	const totalOps = 21        // 21 × £250 = £5,250 > the £5,000 daily cap
+	const concurrencyLimit = 6 // at most 6 handlers in flight (bounded pool conns)
+
+	sem := make(chan struct{}, concurrencyLimit)
+	start := make(chan struct{})
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	successes := 0
+	failCodes := map[int]int{}
+	for i := 0; i < totalOps; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			<-start
+			sem <- struct{}{}
+			defer func() { <-sem }()
+			body, _ := json.Marshal(TopUpGiftCardRequest{Amount: perTopUp, PaymentMethod: "cash"})
+			r := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPut, "/api/admin/gift-cards/"+cardID+"/topup", bytes.NewReader(body))
+			r.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+token)
+			r.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+			w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+			router := chi.NewRouter()
+			router.Use(mw.RequireAuth)
+			router.With(mw.RequireAdmin).Put("/api/admin/gift-cards/{id}/topup", TopUpGiftCard)
+			router.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+			mu.Lock()
+			if w.Code == http.StatusOK {
+				successes++
+			} else {
+				failCodes[w.Code]++
+			}
+			mu.Unlock()
+		}()
+	}
+	close(start)
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	// Money-safety invariant under serialization: at most 20 of the 21 top-ups
+	// may succeed (20 × £250 = £5,000 = the inclusive cap; the 21st would land
+	// the day on £5,250 and must be rejected). A rejected attempt surfaces as
+	// either the 400 cap rejection or a 409 from the bounded try-lock giving up
+	// under heavy contention — both are the designed backpressure and neither
+	// records value. The OLD cap check (no per-admin lock) lets each batch read
+	// the pre-write cumulative value so all 21 succeed, overshooting the cap —
+	// `successes > 20` (or a cumulative over the cap below) is the regression
+	// signal this test must catch.
+	if successes < 1 || successes > 20 {
+		t.Errorf("expected between 1 and 20 of 21 concurrent top-ups to succeed under the £5,000 cap, got %d (cumulative value £%.2f); failure codes: %v", successes, perTopUp*float64(successes), failCodes)
+	}
+
+	// The day's issued value (the cap signal) must never exceed the cap.
+	issuedToday, err := adminGiftCardValueToday(ctx, db.Conn, adminID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to query today's issued value: %v", err)
+	}
+	if int64(math.Round(issuedToday*100)) > maxAdminGiftCardDailyPence {
+		t.Errorf("cumulative daily issued value £%.2f exceeds the £5,000 cap", issuedToday)
+	}
+
+	// The card must hold exactly the value of the successful top-ups.
+	var remaining float64
+	if err := db.Conn.QueryRow(ctx, `SELECT amount_remaining FROM gift_cards WHERE id = $1`, cardID).Scan(&remaining); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to query gift card: %v", err)
+	}
+	if remaining != perTopUp*float64(successes) {
+		t.Errorf("expected card balance £%.2f, got £%.2f", perTopUp*float64(successes), remaining)
+	}
+}
+
+// =============================================================================
+// Expiry enforcement — DB clock boundary
+// =============================================================================
+
+// TestRedeemGiftCard_ExpiryEdge_DBClock pins the unified expiry-clock source:
+// redemption expiry enforcement compares expiry_date against the DATABASE clock
+// (SELECT NOW()), the same clock that writes expiry_date. A card whose expiry
+// passed one second before the DB clock is rejected as expired; a card whose
+// expiry is a few seconds ahead of the DB clock still redeems. An app-clock
+// drift can therefore neither extend nor shorten a card's life.
+func TestRedeemGiftCard_ExpiryEdge_DBClock(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, tx := testutils.SetupTestTx(t)
+
+	userID, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(tx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create user: %v", err)
+	}
+	token := jwt.GenerateTestToken(userID, "verified_email")
+
+	// A card whose expiry passed one second before the DB clock's now must be
+	// rejected as expired.
+	const expiredCardID = "3a3a3a3a3a01"
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO gift_cards (id, total_funds_added, amount_remaining, expiry_date)
+		VALUES ($1, 50.00, 50.00, NOW() - INTERVAL '1 second')
+	`, expiredCardID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create expired-edge card: %v", err)
+	}
+	if w := redeemCodeRequest(t, token, tx.(pgx.Tx), expiredCardID); w.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Errorf("expected 400 for a card expired just before the DB clock, got %d. body: %s", w.Code, w.Body.String())
+	}
+
+	// A card whose expiry is a few seconds ahead of the DB clock must still
+	// redeem (the redemption check runs long before the +5s expiry passes).
+	const liveCardID = "3a3a3a3a3a02"
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+		INSERT INTO gift_cards (id, total_funds_added, amount_remaining, expiry_date)
+		VALUES ($1, 50.00, 50.00, NOW() + INTERVAL '5 seconds')
+	`, liveCardID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create live-edge card: %v", err)
+	}
+	if w := redeemCodeRequest(t, token, tx.(pgx.Tx), liveCardID); w.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Errorf("expected 200 for a card expiring just after the DB clock, got %d. body: %s", w.Code, w.Body.String())
+	}
+}