diff --git a/graphify/detect.py b/graphify/detect.py
index 20399eb36..57e8e198c 100644
--- a/graphify/detect.py
+++ b/graphify/detect.py
@@ -1581,9 +1581,15 @@ def detect_incremental(
             except Exception:
                 current_mtime = 0
 
-            # Legacy manifest: plain float value — treat as ast_hash only
+            # Legacy manifest: plain float value stores only mtime.
+            # Compare with `!=` so backwards mtime motion (git checkout of an
+            # older commit, tarball restore, rsync --times) still triggers a
+            # re-extract; the previous `>` silently kept the stale cache and
+            # the graph drifted from disk (#1859). No stored hash means we
+            # cannot verify content — any mtime delta forces a re-extract,
+            # and the next save promotes the entry into the dict schema.
             if isinstance(stored, (int, float)):
-                changed = stored is None or current_mtime > stored
+                changed = current_mtime != stored
             elif isinstance(stored, dict):
                 # Normalise legacy {mtime, hash} to new schema
                 if "hash" in stored and "ast_hash" not in stored:
diff --git a/tests/test_detect.py b/tests/test_detect.py
index 1d31fa711..1d1e14400 100644
--- a/tests/test_detect.py
+++ b/tests/test_detect.py
@@ -369,6 +369,67 @@ def test_detect_incremental_survives_dict_valued_mtime(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert not any("mod.py" in f for f in result["unchanged_files"]["code"])
 
 
+def test_detect_incremental_legacy_float_reextracts_on_backwards_mtime(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Legacy float manifests must re-extract when mtime moves BACKWARDS (#1859).
+
+    Pre-fix the legacy branch used `current_mtime > stored`, which silently kept
+    the cached entry after operations that restore older mtimes: `git checkout`
+    of an older commit, `tar -xf` restore, or `rsync --times`. The graph then
+    reflected the newer content while disk held the older content. The dict
+    branch has always used `!=`; this test pins the legacy branch to the same
+    contract.
+    """
+    import json
+
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+
+    src = tmp_path / "mod.py"
+    src.write_text("def old_content():\n    return 1\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    current_mtime = os.stat(src).st_mtime
+
+    manifest_dir = tmp_path / "graphify-out"
+    manifest_dir.mkdir()
+    manifest_path = str(manifest_dir / "manifest.json")
+
+    # Legacy schema (pre-dict-migration): the value is a bare float mtime.
+    # Store a mtime FROM THE FUTURE, simulating a checkout of an older
+    # revision that restored the file to an earlier timestamp.
+    future_mtime = current_mtime + 3600
+    legacy = {str(src.resolve()): future_mtime}
+    Path(manifest_path).write_text(json.dumps(legacy), encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = detect_incremental(tmp_path, manifest_path)
+
+    assert any("mod.py" in f for f in result["new_files"]["code"]), (
+        "backwards-moving mtime on a legacy manifest entry must trigger re-extract"
+    )
+    assert not any("mod.py" in f for f in result["unchanged_files"]["code"])
+
+
+def test_detect_incremental_legacy_float_skips_when_mtime_matches(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Non-regression for the fix above: legacy float branch still skips when
+    the stored mtime equals the current mtime."""
+    import json
+
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+
+    src = tmp_path / "mod.py"
+    src.write_text("def stable():\n    return 1\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    manifest_dir = tmp_path / "graphify-out"
+    manifest_dir.mkdir()
+    manifest_path = str(manifest_dir / "manifest.json")
+
+    # Legacy schema with the exact current mtime → no change → skip.
+    legacy = {str(src.resolve()): os.stat(src).st_mtime}
+    Path(manifest_path).write_text(json.dumps(legacy), encoding="utf-8")
+
+    result = detect_incremental(tmp_path, manifest_path)
+
+    assert not any("mod.py" in f for f in result["new_files"]["code"])
+    assert any("mod.py" in f for f in result["unchanged_files"]["code"])
+
+
 def test_classify_video_extensions():
     """Video and audio file extensions should classify as VIDEO."""
     from graphify.detect import FileType