diff --git a/replication.go b/replication.go
index a44f618..5fdb9b2 100644
--- a/replication.go
+++ b/replication.go
@@ -175,6 +175,9 @@ func (s *Server) snapshotJSON() []byte {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Replication term for fencing (PILOT-328).
+	snap.Term = s.term
+
 	// Enterprise config — pointers; not mutated post-init in practice but we
 	// still snapshot the pointer under RLock and Marshal will read whatever
 	// they point to. Acceptable: these are config blobs whose mutation
@@ -239,6 +242,16 @@ func (s *Server) applySnapshot(data []byte) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unmarshal: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// PILOT-328: reject snapshots from a stale-term primary.
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	currentTerm := s.term
+	s.mu.RUnlock()
+	if snap.Term < currentTerm {
+		slog.Warn("replication: rejecting snapshot from stale primary",
+			"snapshot_term", snap.Term, "current_term", currentTerm)
+		return nil // not an error — we just ignore the stale push
+	}
+
 	// --- Phase 1: build all the new maps OUTSIDE any lock ---
 
 	newNodes := make(map[uint32]*NodeInfo, len(snap.Nodes))
@@ -417,6 +430,7 @@ func (s *Server) applySnapshot(data []byte) error {
 	s.inviteInbox = newInviteInbox
 	s.nextNode = snap.NextNode
 	s.nextNet = snap.NextNet
+	s.term = snap.Term // PILOT-328: track replication epoch
 	if newRBACPreAssign != nil {
 		s.rbacPreAssign = newRBACPreAssign
 	}
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 519a1d5..06bbbab 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ type Server struct {
 	// Extracted to pkg/registry/server/replication (R7.1).
 	replMgr *replpkg.Manager
 
+	// term is the monotonic replication epoch, incremented on primary promotion.
+	// Standbys reject snapshots from a primary whose term is stale.
+	term uint64
+
 	// authz holds the authorization checker (admin/dashboard tokens, role gates,
 	// enterprise gates, signature verification). Extracted to pkg/registry/server/authz (R3.1).
 	authz *authzpkg.Checker
diff --git a/server_api.go b/server_api.go
index cd8827b..57689f5 100644
--- a/server_api.go
+++ b/server_api.go
@@ -27,6 +27,26 @@ func (s *Server) Reap() {
 	s.reapStaleBeacons()
 }
 
+// PromoteToPrimary increments the replication term and persists it, fencing
+// off a stale former primary. Safe to call on any server that should become
+// the sole write master. (PILOT-328)
+func (s *Server) PromoteToPrimary() error {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	s.term++
+	newTerm := s.term
+	s.mu.Unlock()
+	slog.Warn("replication: server promoted to primary", "term", newTerm)
+	return s.flushSave()
+}
+
+// Term returns the current replication epoch.
+func (s *Server) Term() uint64 {
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	t := s.term
+	s.mu.RUnlock()
+	return t
+}
+
 // ── Dispatcher interface implementation ───────────────────────────────────────
 //
 // These methods satisfy accept.Dispatcher so that Acceptor can delegate all
diff --git a/server_persist.go b/server_persist.go
index b8ad324..01c0417 100644
--- a/server_persist.go
+++ b/server_persist.go
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ func (s *Server) load() error {
 
 	s.nextNode = snap.NextNode
 	s.nextNet = snap.NextNet
+	s.term = snap.Term // PILOT-328: restore replication epoch
 
 	// Restore dashboard stats
 	if snap.TotalRequests > 0 {
diff --git a/wal/snapshot.go b/wal/snapshot.go
index ebbe3df..9f823c8 100644
--- a/wal/snapshot.go
+++ b/wal/snapshot.go
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ type Snapshot struct {
 	IDPConfig      *wire.BlueprintIdentityProvider `json:"idp_config,omitempty"`
 	AuditExportCfg *wire.BlueprintAuditExport      `json:"audit_export_config,omitempty"`
 	RBACPreAssign  map[string][]wire.BlueprintRole `json:"rbac_pre_assign,omitempty"` // networkID -> roles
+	// Term is the monotonic replication epoch, incremented on primary promotion.
+	// Standbys reject snapshots from a primary whose term is stale.
+	Term uint64 `json:"term,omitempty"`
+
 	// Integrity: SHA256 hex digest of all fields except Checksum
 	Checksum string `json:"checksum,omitempty"`
 }