diff --git a/apps/api/core/credits.py b/apps/api/core/credits.py
index 442a930..b9dcd39 100644
--- a/apps/api/core/credits.py
+++ b/apps/api/core/credits.py
@@ -956,21 +956,48 @@ async def _monthly_topup_reset():
                 for _rk in reset_keys:
                     _p = PLANS.get(_rk["tier"], PLANS["free"])
                     _monthly = _p["monthly_credits"]
-                    await db.execute("""
-                        UPDATE user_credits
-                           SET credits_balance  = GREATEST(credits_balance, $1),
+                    # Capture the pioneer pool BEFORE zeroing so the reset leaves a
+                    # ledger trail — the pool must never drop to 0 without a
+                    # credit_transactions row (previously this was a silent UPDATE).
+                    # RETURNING fires only when the month-gate actually matches, so a
+                    # no-op reset writes no forfeiture row and zeroes no counters.
+                    _reset_row = await db.fetchrow("""
+                        WITH before AS (
+                            SELECT pioneer_credits_balance AS old_pioneer
+                              FROM user_credits WHERE user_id = $2::uuid
+                        )
+                        UPDATE user_credits uc
+                           SET credits_balance  = GREATEST(uc.credits_balance, $1),
                                pioneer_credits_balance = 0,
                                last_credited_at = NOW(),
                                updated_at       = NOW()
-                         WHERE user_id = $2::uuid
+                          FROM before
+                         WHERE uc.user_id = $2::uuid
                            AND (
-                               last_credited_at IS NULL
-                               OR date_trunc('month', last_credited_at AT TIME ZONE 'UTC')
+                               uc.last_credited_at IS NULL
+                               OR date_trunc('month', uc.last_credited_at AT TIME ZONE 'UTC')
                                   < date_trunc('month', NOW() AT TIME ZONE 'UTC')
                            )
+                        RETURNING before.old_pioneer
                     """, _monthly, _rk["user_id"])
+                    if _reset_row is None:
+                        continue  # gate didn't match (already credited this month)
+                    _forfeited = int(_reset_row["old_pioneer"] or 0)
+                    if _forfeited > 0:
+                        # Ledger trail for the forfeited pioneer overflow. balance_after
+                        # is the pioneer pool after the reset (0), matching how
+                        # pioneer_drip rows record that pool.
+                        await db.execute("""
+                            INSERT INTO credit_transactions
+                              (user_id, amount, balance_after, type, description, api_endpoint)
+                            VALUES ($1::uuid, $2, 0, 'pioneer_reset', $3, '/account/pioneer/reset')
+                        """, _rk["user_id"], -_forfeited,
+                            f"pioneer cycle reset: {_forfeited} unused pioneer credits "
+                            f"forfeited at subscription renewal")
                     # Zero per-cycle pioneer drip counters so the dashboard shows
                     # "earned this cycle" from day 1 of the new subscription month.
+                    # (These columns are now display-vestigial — pioneer_status
+                    # derives the figures from the ledger — but keep them clean.)
                     # Lifetime enrollment days are derived at query time from
                     # pioneer_opted_in_at and are never reset.
                     await db.execute("""
diff --git a/apps/api/routers/billing/account.py b/apps/api/routers/billing/account.py
index 448ec23..763e2d7 100644
--- a/apps/api/routers/billing/account.py
+++ b/apps/api/routers/billing/account.py
@@ -1335,6 +1335,7 @@ async def pioneer_status(request: Request, db=Depends(get_db)):
     pioneer_calls_made = 0
     pioneer_calls_this_month = 0
     credits_earned_this_month = 0
+    drip_days_this_cycle = 0
     try:
         pioneer_calls_made = await db.fetchval("""
             SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT sa.id)
@@ -1365,8 +1366,23 @@ async def pioneer_status(request: Request, db=Depends(get_db)):
                AND type = 'pioneer_drip'
                AND created_at >= date_trunc('month', NOW())
         """, user_id) or 0
+
+        # Distinct Pacific calendar days dripped this cycle — DERIVED from the
+        # immutable pioneer_drip ledger, not the denormalized
+        # users.pioneer_drip_days_this_cycle column. The denormalized column can
+        # orphan (it survived a full-account reset that wiped the pool + ledger,
+        # leaving "15,600 / 13 days" with zero backing rows). Deriving from the
+        # ledger means the figure can never disagree with the credits actually
+        # dripped again.
+        drip_days_this_cycle = await db.fetchval("""
+            SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT (created_at AT TIME ZONE 'America/Los_Angeles')::date)
+              FROM credit_transactions
+             WHERE user_id = $1::uuid
+               AND type = 'pioneer_drip'
+               AND created_at >= date_trunc('month', NOW())
+        """, user_id) or 0
     except Exception:
-        pass  # non-critical: credits_earned_this_month display falls back to 0
+        pass  # non-critical: pioneer drip displays fall back to 0
 
     now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
     tier = await _resolve_pioneer_tier(db, user_id)
@@ -1402,8 +1418,10 @@ async def pioneer_status(request: Request, db=Depends(get_db)):
         "credits_earned_this_month":             int(credits_earned_this_month),  # backward compat alias
         # Task 10 display fields
         "days_enrolled":                         int((now - user["pioneer_opted_in_at"]).days) if user["pioneer_opted_in_at"] else 0,
-        "drip_credits_this_cycle":               int(user["pioneer_drip_credits_this_cycle"] or 0),
-        "drip_days_this_cycle":                  int(user["pioneer_drip_days_this_cycle"] or 0),
+        # Derived from the pioneer_drip ledger (same source as credits_earned_this_month),
+        # NOT the denormalized users.pioneer_drip_* columns which can orphan.
+        "drip_credits_this_cycle":               int(credits_earned_this_month),
+        "drip_days_this_cycle":                  int(drip_days_this_cycle),
         "daily_drip_rate":                       _PIONEER_DAILY_CREDITS.get(tier, 0),
         "rollover_note":                         "Credits reset with your monthly subscription. Unused credits do not carry over.",
         # Searches that were in the 60% boosted bucket AND had a boosted provider