diff --git a/weed/server/raft_server.go b/weed/server/raft_server.go
index f274a821d2..ae81d30ada 100644
--- a/weed/server/raft_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/raft_server.go
@@ -60,9 +60,10 @@ func (s StateMachine) Save() ([]byte, error) {
 		MaxVolumeId: s.topo.GetMaxVolumeId(),
 		TopologyId:  s.topo.GetTopologyId(),
 	}
-	if s.topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
+	if frozen, frozenAt := s.topo.GrowthFreezeState(); frozen {
 		state.GrowthFrozen = new(bool)
 		*state.GrowthFrozen = true
+		state.GrowthFrozenAt = frozenAt
 	}
 	glog.V(1).Infof("Save raft state %+v", state)
 	return json.Marshal(state)
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ func (s StateMachine) Recovery(data []byte) error {
 		glog.V(0).Infof("Recovered TopologyId: %s", state.TopologyId)
 	}
 	if state.GrowthFrozen != nil {
-		s.topo.SetGrowthFrozen(*state.GrowthFrozen)
+		s.topo.SetGrowthFrozen(*state.GrowthFrozen, state.GrowthFrozenAt, state.GrowthUnfreezeFor)
 	}
 	if err := s.topo.PersistMaxVolumeId(state.MaxVolumeId); err != nil {
 		glog.Warningf("persist max volume id %d: %v", state.MaxVolumeId, err)
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ func (s *StateMachine) Apply(l *hashicorpRaft.Log) interface{} {
 		}
 	}
 	if state.GrowthFrozen != nil {
-		s.topo.SetGrowthFrozen(*state.GrowthFrozen)
+		s.topo.SetGrowthFrozen(*state.GrowthFrozen, state.GrowthFrozenAt, state.GrowthUnfreezeFor)
 	}
 	if err := s.topo.PersistMaxVolumeId(state.MaxVolumeId); err != nil {
 		glog.Warningf("persist max volume id %d: %v", state.MaxVolumeId, err)
@@ -117,11 +118,12 @@ func (s *StateMachine) Apply(l *hashicorpRaft.Log) interface{} {
 }
 
 func (s *StateMachine) Snapshot() (hashicorpRaft.FSMSnapshot, error) {
-	frozen := s.topo.IsGrowthFrozen()
+	frozen, frozenAt := s.topo.GrowthFreezeState()
 	state := &topology.MaxVolumeIdCommand{
-		MaxVolumeId:  s.topo.GetMaxVolumeId(),
-		TopologyId:   s.topo.GetTopologyId(),
-		GrowthFrozen: &frozen,
+		MaxVolumeId:    s.topo.GetMaxVolumeId(),
+		TopologyId:     s.topo.GetTopologyId(),
+		GrowthFrozen:   &frozen,
+		GrowthFrozenAt: frozenAt,
 	}
 	return state, nil
 }
diff --git a/weed/topology/cluster_commands.go b/weed/topology/cluster_commands.go
index a4d7527863..c12528a2db 100644
--- a/weed/topology/cluster_commands.go
+++ b/weed/topology/cluster_commands.go
@@ -16,6 +16,17 @@ type MaxVolumeIdCommand struct {
 	// GrowthFrozen replicates the volume-growth freeze through raft so a
 	// leader change does not silently lift it. nil means no change.
 	GrowthFrozen *bool `json:"growthFrozen,omitempty"`
+	// GrowthFrozenAt pins the freeze instant so every master measures the
+	// same recovery window and can tell one freeze generation from the next.
+	// Zero on entries written before the field existed.
+	GrowthFrozenAt int64 `json:"growthFrozenAt,omitempty"`
+	// GrowthUnfreezeFor binds GrowthFrozen=false to the freeze generation
+	// the submitter observed: the lift applies only while that exact
+	// generation is armed, so a stale unfreeze cannot erase a freeze that
+	// reached the log first. Zero lifts unconditionally, for entries
+	// written before the binding existed; -1 binds the ageless generation
+	// left by freeze entries written before instants existed.
+	GrowthUnfreezeFor int64 `json:"growthUnfreezeFor,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func NewMaxVolumeIdCommand(value needle.VolumeId, topologyId string) *MaxVolumeIdCommand {
@@ -47,7 +58,7 @@ func (c *MaxVolumeIdCommand) Apply(server raft.Server) (interface{}, error) {
 		}
 	}
 	if c.GrowthFrozen != nil {
-		topo.SetGrowthFrozen(*c.GrowthFrozen)
+		topo.SetGrowthFrozen(*c.GrowthFrozen, c.GrowthFrozenAt, c.GrowthUnfreezeFor)
 	}
 	if err := topo.PersistMaxVolumeId(c.MaxVolumeId); err != nil {
 		glog.Warningf("persist max volume id %d: %v", c.MaxVolumeId, err)
diff --git a/weed/topology/growth_freeze_test.go b/weed/topology/growth_freeze_test.go
index 65e6e5812c..2404c809f2 100644
--- a/weed/topology/growth_freeze_test.go
+++ b/weed/topology/growth_freeze_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,36 @@
 package topology
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/raft"
 )
 
+// appliedRaftServer answers as leader and records each command Do applies.
+type appliedRaftServer struct {
+	raft.Server
+	applied chan raft.Command
+}
+
+func (appliedRaftServer) State() string { return raft.Leader }
+
+func (s appliedRaftServer) Do(c raft.Command) (interface{}, error) {
+	s.applied <- c
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+type failingRaftServer struct {
+	raft.Server
+}
+
+func (failingRaftServer) State() string { return raft.Leader }
+
+func (failingRaftServer) Do(raft.Command) (interface{}, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("not the leader")
+}
+
 func TestGrowthFreezeOnTopologyMismatch(t *testing.T) {
 	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
 	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, 0)
@@ -58,6 +84,120 @@ func TestGrowthFreezeAutoRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestGrowthFreezeAutoRecoveryReplicates(t *testing.T) {
+	applied := make(chan raft.Command, 2)
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+	topo.RaftServer = appliedRaftServer{applied: applied}
+	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, 50*time.Millisecond)
+	topo.SetTopologyId("cluster-a")
+
+	topo.CheckReportedTopologyId("cluster-b")
+	if !topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
+		t.Fatal("mismatching topology id should freeze growth")
+	}
+	cmd := (<-applied).(*MaxVolumeIdCommand)
+	if cmd.GrowthFrozen == nil || !*cmd.GrowthFrozen {
+		t.Fatal("the freeze should be replicated")
+	}
+
+	time.Sleep(60 * time.Millisecond)
+	if topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
+		t.Fatal("growth should auto-resume past the recovery wait")
+	}
+	select {
+	case c := <-applied:
+		lift := c.(*MaxVolumeIdCommand)
+		if lift.GrowthFrozen == nil || *lift.GrowthFrozen {
+			t.Fatal("the auto unfreeze should be replicated like volume.growth.resume")
+		}
+		if lift.GrowthUnfreezeFor != cmd.GrowthFrozenAt {
+			t.Fatal("the unfreeze should be bound to the freeze instant it lifts")
+		}
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("auto unfreeze was not replicated; a restart would re-apply the freeze")
+	}
+}
+
+// A repeat mismatch while already frozen must keep the generation the
+// replicated freeze carries: re-stamping locally would bind every later
+// lift to a generation followers never saw, and the freeze would return on
+// replay.
+func TestRepeatMismatchKeepsFreezeGeneration(t *testing.T) {
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, 0)
+	topo.SetTopologyId("cluster-a")
+
+	topo.CheckReportedTopologyId("cluster-b")
+	gen := topo.growthFrozenState.Load()
+	if gen == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("mismatching topology id should freeze growth")
+	}
+	topo.CheckReportedTopologyId("cluster-c")
+	if topo.growthFrozenState.Load() != gen {
+		t.Fatal("a repeat mismatch must not re-stamp the armed freeze")
+	}
+}
+
+// Snapshots persist the flag and the generation together, so the pair must
+// come from one read: a lifted freeze reports (false, 0) and an armed one
+// reports its generation.
+func TestGrowthFreezeStateConsistentPair(t *testing.T) {
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, 0)
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, time.Now().UnixNano(), 0)
+	armed := topo.growthFrozenState.Load()
+	if frozen, at := topo.GrowthFreezeState(); !frozen || at != armed {
+		t.Fatalf("armed freeze should report (true, %d), got (%v, %d)", armed, frozen, at)
+	}
+	topo.ResumeVolumeGrowth()
+	if frozen, at := topo.GrowthFreezeState(); frozen || at != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("lifted freeze should report (false, 0), got (%v, %d)", frozen, at)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestReplicateGrowthUnfreezeSkipsRefreeze(t *testing.T) {
+	applied := make(chan raft.Command, 1)
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+	topo.RaftServer = appliedRaftServer{applied: applied}
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 1000, 0)
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 2000, 0)
+	topo.replicateGrowthUnfreeze(1000)
+	select {
+	case <-applied:
+		t.Fatal("a stale unfreeze must not lift a freeze that landed after it")
+	default:
+	}
+	if topo.growthFrozenState.Load() != 2000 {
+		t.Fatal("the newer freeze must stay armed")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestReplicateGrowthUnfreezeRearmsOnFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+	topo.RaftServer = failingRaftServer{}
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 1000, 0)
+	topo.growthFrozenState.CompareAndSwap(1000, 0) // the local lift
+	topo.replicateGrowthUnfreeze(1000)
+	if topo.growthFrozenState.Load() != 1000 {
+		t.Fatal("a failed replication must re-arm the freeze so a later read retries the lift")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestReplicateGrowthUnfreezeDoesNotRearmAfterResume(t *testing.T) {
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 1000, 0)
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 2000, 0)
+	topo.ResumeVolumeGrowth()
+	topo.replicateGrowthUnfreeze(1000)
+	if topo.growthFrozenState.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("a superseded lift must not re-arm the freeze an operator resumed")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCheckReportedTopologyIdBeforeTopologyIdKnown(t *testing.T) {
 	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
 	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, 0)
@@ -118,17 +258,57 @@ func TestGrowthFreezeCommandApply(t *testing.T) {
 	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, 0)
 
 	frozen := true
-	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(frozen)
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(frozen, 0, 0)
 	if !topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
 		t.Fatal("replicated freeze should set the flag")
 	}
-	unfrozen := false
-	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(unfrozen)
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(false, 0, 0)
 	if topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
 		t.Fatal("replicated unfreeze should clear the flag")
 	}
 }
 
+// Freeze entries written before the instant field existed replay as their
+// own stable generation: a lift bound to it still applies, a lift bound to a
+// different generation cannot clear it, and the recovery window reads as
+// already elapsed — a replay-time stamp would shadow every committed
+// unfreeze and re-apply the freeze on each restart.
+func TestLegacyFreezeReplayStaysAgeless(t *testing.T) {
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+	topo.SetGrowthFreezeConfig(true, time.Minute)
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 0, 0)
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(false, 0, 1234)
+	if topo.growthFrozenState.Load() != -1 {
+		t.Fatal("a lift bound to a different generation must not clear the ageless freeze")
+	}
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(false, 0, -1)
+	if topo.growthFrozenState.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("a lift bound to the ageless generation should clear it")
+	}
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 0, 0)
+	if topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
+		t.Fatal("an ageless freeze should read its recovery window as elapsed")
+	}
+}
+
+// A lift bound to a freeze instant must not erase a newer freeze, so a stale
+// unfreeze cannot overwrite a freeze that committed first but applied later.
+func TestGrowthUnfreezeBoundToFreezeInstant(t *testing.T) {
+	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
+
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(true, 1000, 0)
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(false, 0, 999)
+	if !topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
+		t.Fatal("a lift for an older freeze instant must not clear a newer freeze")
+	}
+	topo.SetGrowthFrozen(false, 0, 1000)
+	if topo.IsGrowthFrozen() {
+		t.Fatal("a lift bound to the current freeze instant should clear it")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestAllocationDelay(t *testing.T) {
 	topo := NewTopology("topo", nil, 128, 3, false)
 
diff --git a/weed/topology/topology.go b/weed/topology/topology.go
index 177c66a63d..5559240385 100644
--- a/weed/topology/topology.go
+++ b/weed/topology/topology.go
@@ -92,8 +92,14 @@ type Topology struct {
 	lastPersistedTopologyId   atomic.Value
 	lastPersistedGrowthFrozen atomic.Bool
 
-	growthFrozen            atomic.Bool
-	growthFrozenAt          atomic.Int64
+	// growthFrozenState packs the freeze flag and its generation into one
+	// value: 0 = unfrozen, -1 = frozen without a recorded instant (entries
+	// written before the field existed), >0 = frozen at that instant. Every
+	// transition is a single atomic swap or compare-and-swap, so a lift can
+	// only clear the exact generation it was bound to — a stale unfreeze
+	// cannot erase a newer freeze, a resume cannot lift a generation it did
+	// not observe, and stamps need not be monotonic across masters.
+	growthFrozenState       atomic.Int64
 	metaReadOnly            atomic.Bool
 	freezeOnMismatch        atomic.Bool
 	stateLossRecoveryWait   atomic.Int64
@@ -122,6 +128,11 @@ type Topology struct {
 
 	reportedTopologyIdsLock    sync.Mutex
 	pendingReportedTopologyIds map[string]struct{}
+	// growthFreezeApplyLock serializes replicated freeze writes so the log
+	// order of concurrent mismatch reports cannot land an older freeze
+	// instant after a newer one. Unfreezes skip it: the state machine
+	// applies a lift only against the freeze generation it targeted.
+	growthFreezeApplyLock sync.Mutex
 
 	// quarantinedVolumeIds are (node, vid) pairs force-read-only because the
 	// vid collided across layouts. Kept separate from the reported flag so
@@ -1591,15 +1602,22 @@ func (t *Topology) CheckReportedTopologyId(reported string) {
 		return
 	}
 	t.reportedTopologyIdsLock.Lock()
-	defer t.reportedTopologyIdsLock.Unlock()
-	t.checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(reported)
+	freeze := t.checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(reported)
+	t.reportedTopologyIdsLock.Unlock()
+	if freeze {
+		// The decision landed under the lock; the raft wait must not, or a
+		// slow apply would stall every later report — including one that
+		// needs to trigger the next freeze.
+		t.applyGrowthFreeze()
+	}
 }
 
 // checkReportedTopologyIdLocked runs the mismatch check inside
 // reportedTopologyIdsLock, the same critical section the init gate drains
 // under: a report received before the gate opens is either stashed or frozen
-// before the gate can release.
-func (t *Topology) checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(reported string) {
+// before the gate can release. It returns whether the freeze must be
+// replicated, which the caller does after releasing the lock.
+func (t *Topology) checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(reported string) (freeze bool) {
 	own := t.GetTopologyId()
 	if own == "" {
 		// The local topology id is still being minted. Keep the report so a
@@ -1609,82 +1627,175 @@ func (t *Topology) checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(reported string) {
 			t.pendingReportedTopologyIds = make(map[string]struct{})
 		}
 		t.pendingReportedTopologyIds[reported] = struct{}{}
-		return
+		return false
 	}
 	if reported == own {
-		return
+		return false
 	}
-	t.growthFrozenAt.Store(time.Now().UnixNano())
-	if t.growthFrozen.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+	// Only the first mismatch stamps a generation: a re-stamp never reaches
+	// the log, so bound lifts would target a generation followers never saw.
+	if t.growthFrozenState.CompareAndSwap(0, time.Now().UnixNano()) {
 		stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(1)
 		glog.Errorf("volume growth frozen: a volume server reports topology id %s but this cluster is %s; the master state was rebuilt. Verify the cluster inventory, then run: volume.growth.resume", reported, own)
-		t.applyGrowthFreeze(true)
+		return true
 	}
+	return false
 }
 
 func (t *Topology) IsGrowthFrozen() bool {
-	if !t.growthFrozen.Load() {
-		return false
+	frozen, _ := t.GrowthFreezeState()
+	return frozen
+}
+
+// GrowthFreezeState returns the freeze flag and its generation from one
+// load, so snapshots persisting both cannot split the pair across a lift.
+func (t *Topology) GrowthFreezeState() (frozen bool, frozenAt int64) {
+	state := t.growthFrozenState.Load()
+	if state == 0 {
+		return false, 0
 	}
 	if wait := t.stateLossRecoveryWait.Load(); wait > 0 {
-		if time.Duration(time.Now().UnixNano()-t.growthFrozenAt.Load()) > time.Duration(wait) {
-			if t.growthFrozen.CompareAndSwap(true, false) {
+		// A legacy generation carries no instant; its window counts as
+		// already elapsed.
+		if state < 0 || time.Duration(time.Now().UnixNano()-state) > time.Duration(wait) {
+			if t.growthFrozenState.CompareAndSwap(state, 0) {
 				stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(0)
 				glog.V(0).Infof("volume growth unfrozen after %v", time.Duration(wait))
+				go t.replicateGrowthUnfreeze(state)
+				return false, 0
 			}
-			return false
+			state = t.growthFrozenState.Load()
 		}
 	}
-	return true
+	return state != 0, state
+}
+
+// replicateGrowthUnfreeze pushes the recovery-wait lift through raft like
+// ResumeVolumeGrowth, so a restart does not replay the freeze. The command
+// carries the generation it lifts: a newer freeze — even one committed but
+// not yet applied when this node won an election — makes the apply a no-op
+// instead of being erased. If the write never lands, the generation is
+// re-armed so a later IsGrowthFrozen retries the lift.
+func (t *Topology) replicateGrowthUnfreeze(frozenAt int64) {
+	for attempt := 0; attempt < 3; attempt++ {
+		if attempt > 0 {
+			time.Sleep(time.Duration(attempt) * time.Second)
+		}
+		// The caller's lift already cleared the flag, so unfrozen is the
+		// state to expect; anything else armed is a newer generation this
+		// lift must not touch — and falling through to the re-arm would
+		// undo a resume that followed it.
+		if s := t.growthFrozenState.Load(); s != 0 && s != frozenAt {
+			return
+		}
+		if err := t.applyGrowthUnfreeze(frozenAt); err == nil {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	if frozenAt != 0 && t.growthFrozenState.CompareAndSwap(0, frozenAt) {
+		stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(1)
+		glog.Warningf("volume growth unfreeze not replicated; freeze re-armed for retry")
+	}
 }
 
 func (t *Topology) ResumeVolumeGrowth() bool {
-	if !t.growthFrozen.CompareAndSwap(true, false) {
-		return false
+	for {
+		// The compare binds the resume to the generation it observed: a
+		// freeze landing between the load and the swap just moves to the
+		// next iteration, which lifts the generation actually armed.
+		frozenAt := t.growthFrozenState.Load()
+		if frozenAt == 0 {
+			return false
+		}
+		if t.growthFrozenState.CompareAndSwap(frozenAt, 0) {
+			stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(0)
+			glog.V(0).Infof("volume growth resumed by operator")
+			t.applyGrowthUnfreeze(frozenAt)
+			return true
+		}
 	}
-	stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(0)
-	glog.V(0).Infof("volume growth resumed by operator")
-	t.applyGrowthFreeze(false)
-	return true
 }
 
-// SetGrowthFrozen applies a replicated freeze state on every master. The
-// timestamp lands before the flag so a reader can never see frozen with a
-// zero time and misjudge the auto-resume window.
-func (t *Topology) SetGrowthFrozen(frozen bool) {
+// SetGrowthFrozen applies a replicated freeze transition on every master. A
+// positive frozenAt pins the instant so all nodes share one recovery
+// window; a non-positive one — entries written before the field existed —
+// becomes the ageless generation, a stable identity a bound lift can still
+// match and the recovery check reads as already elapsed. An unfreeze bound
+// to unfreezeFor applies only while that exact generation is armed, so a
+// stale lift cannot erase a newer freeze; zero lifts unconditionally, for
+// entries written before the binding existed.
+func (t *Topology) SetGrowthFrozen(frozen bool, frozenAt int64, unfreezeFor int64) {
 	if frozen {
-		t.growthFrozenAt.Store(time.Now().UnixNano())
-		if t.growthFrozen.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+		gen := frozenAt
+		if gen == 0 {
+			gen = -1
+		}
+		if t.growthFrozenState.Swap(gen) == 0 {
 			stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(1)
 			glog.V(0).Infof("volume growth freeze applied from raft")
 		}
 		return
 	}
-	if t.growthFrozen.CompareAndSwap(true, false) {
+	if unfreezeFor == 0 {
+		if t.growthFrozenState.Swap(0) != 0 {
+			stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(0)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	if t.growthFrozenState.CompareAndSwap(unfreezeFor, 0) {
 		stats.MasterVolumeGrowthFrozen.Set(0)
 	}
 }
 
-// applyGrowthFreeze replicates the freeze flag so followers keep it across a
-// leader change. No raft server (single-master test topologies) just sets it.
-func (t *Topology) applyGrowthFreeze(frozen bool) {
+// applyGrowthFreeze replicates the current freeze flag and instant so
+// followers keep both across a leader change.
+func (t *Topology) applyGrowthFreeze() error {
+	t.growthFreezeApplyLock.Lock()
+	defer t.growthFreezeApplyLock.Unlock()
 	cmd := NewMaxVolumeIdCommand(t.GetMaxVolumeId(), t.GetTopologyId())
+	frozen := true
 	cmd.GrowthFrozen = &frozen
+	cmd.GrowthFrozenAt = t.growthFrozenState.Load()
+	return t.applyGrowthFreezeCommand(cmd)
+}
+
+// applyGrowthUnfreeze replicates a lift bound to the freeze instant the
+// caller observed.
+func (t *Topology) applyGrowthUnfreeze(frozenAt int64) error {
+	cmd := NewMaxVolumeIdCommand(t.GetMaxVolumeId(), t.GetTopologyId())
+	frozen := false
+	cmd.GrowthFrozen = &frozen
+	cmd.GrowthUnfreezeFor = frozenAt
+	return t.applyGrowthFreezeCommand(cmd)
+}
+
+// applyGrowthFreezeCommand sends the transition through raft. With no raft
+// server (single-master test topologies) it applies locally.
+func (t *Topology) applyGrowthFreezeCommand(cmd *MaxVolumeIdCommand) error {
+	frozen := cmd.GrowthFrozen != nil && *cmd.GrowthFrozen
 	t.RaftServerAccessLock.RLock()
 	defer t.RaftServerAccessLock.RUnlock()
 	if t.RaftServer != nil {
 		if _, err := t.RaftServer.Do(cmd); err != nil {
 			glog.Warningf("apply growth freeze %v: %v", frozen, err)
+			return err
 		}
-	} else if t.HashicorpRaft != nil {
-		if b, err := json.Marshal(cmd); err != nil {
-			glog.Warningf("marshal growth freeze %v: %v", frozen, err)
-		} else if future := t.HashicorpRaft.Apply(b, time.Second); future.Error() != nil {
-			glog.Warningf("apply growth freeze %v: %v", frozen, future.Error())
-		}
-	} else {
-		t.SetGrowthFrozen(frozen)
+		return nil
 	}
+	if t.HashicorpRaft != nil {
+		b, err := json.Marshal(cmd)
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Warningf("marshal growth freeze %v: %v", frozen, err)
+			return err
+		}
+		if future := t.HashicorpRaft.Apply(b, time.Second); future.Error() != nil {
+			glog.Warningf("apply growth freeze %v: %v", frozen, future.Error())
+			return future.Error()
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	t.SetGrowthFrozen(*cmd.GrowthFrozen, cmd.GrowthFrozenAt, cmd.GrowthUnfreezeFor)
+	return nil
 }
 
 // MarkFreshMint records that this boot minted the TopologyId rather than
@@ -1713,13 +1824,17 @@ func (t *Topology) SetTopologyInitPending(pending bool) {
 	// a mismatching report checked here, or still in flight under the same
 	// lock, lands its freeze before any allocation can observe the open gate.
 	t.reportedTopologyIdsLock.Lock()
-	defer t.reportedTopologyIdsLock.Unlock()
 	reported := t.pendingReportedTopologyIds
 	t.pendingReportedTopologyIds = nil
+	freeze := false
 	for id := range reported {
-		t.checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(id)
+		freeze = t.checkReportedTopologyIdLocked(id) || freeze
 	}
 	t.topologyInitPending.Store(false)
+	t.reportedTopologyIdsLock.Unlock()
+	if freeze {
+		t.applyGrowthFreeze()
+	}
 }
 
 // ReleaseAllocationOnFirstReport opts the topology into lifting the post-mint
@@ -1879,7 +1994,7 @@ func (t *Topology) SetMaxVolumeIdFile(file string) {
 	}
 	if cmd.GrowthFrozen != nil {
 		t.lastPersistedGrowthFrozen.Store(*cmd.GrowthFrozen)
-		t.SetGrowthFrozen(*cmd.GrowthFrozen)
+		t.SetGrowthFrozen(*cmd.GrowthFrozen, cmd.GrowthFrozenAt, 0)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1888,7 +2003,7 @@ func (t *Topology) SetMaxVolumeIdFile(file string) {
 // recovery, so follower mirrors stay current too.
 func (t *Topology) PersistMaxVolumeId(vid needle.VolumeId) error {
 	topoId := t.GetTopologyId()
-	frozen := t.IsGrowthFrozen()
+	frozen, frozenAt := t.GrowthFreezeState()
 	mirrored := func() bool {
 		return t.lastPersistedMaxVolumeId.Load() >= uint32(vid) && t.lastPersistedTopologyId.Load() == topoId && t.lastPersistedGrowthFrozen.Load() == frozen
 	}
@@ -1908,6 +2023,9 @@ func (t *Topology) PersistMaxVolumeId(vid needle.VolumeId) error {
 	}
 	cmd := NewMaxVolumeIdCommand(vid, topoId)
 	cmd.GrowthFrozen = &frozen
+	if frozen {
+		cmd.GrowthFrozenAt = frozenAt
+	}
 	b, err := json.Marshal(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err