diff --git a/internal/session/session.go b/internal/session/session.go
index e9ecddc..53207e7 100644
--- a/internal/session/session.go
+++ b/internal/session/session.go
@@ -71,12 +71,15 @@ func (c *Controller) Deadline() time.Time {
 func (c *Controller) stateLocked() State {
 	st := State{RuntimeState: c.runtimeState}
 	if c.commitment != nil {
-		st.Commitment = &CommitmentView{
+		view := &CommitmentView{
 			NextAction:       c.commitment.NextAction,
 			SuccessCondition: c.commitment.SuccessCondition,
 			TimeboxSecs:      c.commitment.TimeboxSecs,
-			DeadlineUnixSecs: c.deadline.Unix(),
 		}
+		if !c.deadline.IsZero() {
+			view.DeadlineUnixSecs = c.deadline.Unix()
+		}
+		st.Commitment = view
 	}
 	return st
 }
@@ -124,7 +127,9 @@ func (c *Controller) StartManualCommitment(nextAction, successCondition string,
 	return c.persistLocked()
 }
 
-// Complete moves Active -> Review and marks the commitment completed.
+// Complete moves Active -> Review and marks the commitment completed. Both
+// transitions are computed before any field is mutated, so a failure leaves
+// state unchanged.
 func (c *Controller) Complete() error {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
@@ -132,12 +137,14 @@ func (c *Controller) Complete() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	c.runtimeState = next
 	if c.commitment != nil {
-		if s, e := statemachine.TransitionCommitment(c.commitment.State, statemachine.Complete); e == nil {
-			c.commitment.State = s
+		completed, err := statemachine.TransitionCommitment(c.commitment.State, statemachine.Complete)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
+		c.commitment.State = completed
 	}
+	c.runtimeState = next
 	return c.persistLocked()
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/session/session_test.go b/internal/session/session_test.go
index fe09cc0..37b37a9 100644
--- a/internal/session/session_test.go
+++ b/internal/session/session_test.go
@@ -85,3 +85,23 @@ func TestStateRestoresFromSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("restored commitment missing: %+v", st.Commitment)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRestoredCommitmentKeepsDeadline(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "state.json")
+	first, err := New(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("new: %v", err)
+	}
+	_ = first.EnterPlanning()
+	_ = first.StartManualCommitment("Keep deadline", "done", 25*time.Minute)
+	want := first.State().Commitment.DeadlineUnixSecs
+
+	second, err := New(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reopen: %v", err)
+	}
+	got := second.State().Commitment
+	if got == nil || got.DeadlineUnixSecs != want {
+		t.Fatalf("restored deadline: got %+v want %d", got, want)
+	}
+}