diff --git a/mempalace/migrate.py b/mempalace/migrate.py
index d56cc13..5ad1a5b 100644
--- a/mempalace/migrate.py
+++ b/mempalace/migrate.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ Usage:
     mempalace migrate --dry-run                # show what would be migrated
 """
 
+import errno
 import os
 import shutil
 import sqlite3
@@ -23,6 +24,26 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 from datetime import datetime
 
 
+def _restore_stale_palace(palace_path: str, stale_path: str) -> None:
+    """Roll back a failed swap.
+
+    shutil.move() can partially create palace_path before raising, which
+    would make a bare os.replace(stale_path, palace_path) fail (dest exists).
+    Clear any partial destination first, then restore. Best-effort: if the
+    restore itself fails, log both paths so the operator can recover by hand.
+    """
+    try:
+        if os.path.lexists(palace_path):
+            shutil.rmtree(palace_path, ignore_errors=True)
+        os.replace(stale_path, palace_path)
+    except Exception as err:
+        print(
+            f"  CRITICAL: rollback failed — original palace at {stale_path}, "
+            f"partial migration data at {palace_path}. Restore manually. "
+            f"({err})"
+        )
+
+
 def extract_drawers_from_sqlite(db_path: str) -> list:
     """Read all drawers directly from ChromaDB's SQLite, bypassing the API.
 
@@ -235,14 +256,19 @@ def migrate(palace_path: str, dry_run: bool = False, confirm: bool = False):
     stale_path = palace_path + ".old"
     if os.path.exists(stale_path):
         shutil.rmtree(stale_path)
-    os.rename(palace_path, stale_path)
+    os.replace(palace_path, stale_path)
     try:
-        os.rename(temp_palace, palace_path)
-    except OSError:
+        os.replace(temp_palace, palace_path)
+    except OSError as e:
+        # EXDEV = temp lives on a different filesystem; fall back to copy+delete.
+        # Anything else is a real error — don't mask it with shutil.move.
+        if getattr(e, "errno", None) != errno.EXDEV:
+            _restore_stale_palace(palace_path, stale_path)
+            raise
         try:
             shutil.move(temp_palace, palace_path)
         except Exception:
-            os.rename(stale_path, palace_path)
+            _restore_stale_palace(palace_path, stale_path)
             raise
     shutil.rmtree(stale_path, ignore_errors=True)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_migrate.py b/tests/test_migrate.py
index f7e7d7e..4701048 100644
--- a/tests/test_migrate.py
+++ b/tests/test_migrate.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 """Tests for destructive-operation safety in mempalace.migrate."""
 
+import os
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
-from mempalace.migrate import migrate
+from mempalace.migrate import _restore_stale_palace, migrate
 
 
 def test_migrate_requires_palace_database(tmp_path, capsys):
@@ -46,3 +47,57 @@ def test_migrate_aborts_without_confirmation(tmp_path, capsys):
     assert "Aborted." in out
     mock_copytree.assert_not_called()
     mock_rmtree.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_restore_stale_palace_with_clean_destination(tmp_path):
+    """Rollback when no partial copy exists at palace_path."""
+    palace_path = tmp_path / "palace"
+    stale_path = tmp_path / "palace.old"
+    stale_path.mkdir()
+    (stale_path / "chroma.sqlite3").write_bytes(b"original")
+
+    _restore_stale_palace(str(palace_path), str(stale_path))
+
+    assert palace_path.is_dir()
+    assert (palace_path / "chroma.sqlite3").read_bytes() == b"original"
+    assert not stale_path.exists()
+
+
+def test_restore_stale_palace_clears_partial_copy(tmp_path):
+    """Rollback must remove a partially-copied palace_path before restoring.
+
+    Simulates the Qodo-reported hazard: shutil.move() began creating
+    palace_path, then failed. A bare os.replace(stale, palace_path) would
+    trip on the existing destination; _restore_stale_palace must clear it.
+    """
+    palace_path = tmp_path / "palace"
+    stale_path = tmp_path / "palace.old"
+
+    stale_path.mkdir()
+    (stale_path / "chroma.sqlite3").write_bytes(b"original")
+
+    palace_path.mkdir()
+    (palace_path / "half-copied.bin").write_bytes(b"garbage")
+
+    _restore_stale_palace(str(palace_path), str(stale_path))
+
+    assert palace_path.is_dir()
+    assert (palace_path / "chroma.sqlite3").read_bytes() == b"original"
+    assert not (palace_path / "half-copied.bin").exists()
+    assert not stale_path.exists()
+
+
+def test_restore_stale_palace_logs_and_swallows_on_failure(tmp_path, capsys):
+    """If restore itself fails, log both paths — don't raise from rollback."""
+    palace_path = tmp_path / "palace"
+    stale_path = tmp_path / "palace.old"
+    stale_path.mkdir()
+
+    # Force os.replace to fail deterministically.
+    with patch("mempalace.migrate.os.replace", side_effect=OSError("boom")):
+        _restore_stale_palace(str(palace_path), str(stale_path))
+
+    out = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "CRITICAL" in out
+    assert os.fspath(palace_path) in out
+    assert os.fspath(stale_path) in out