diff --git a/scripts/pb-add-dn-note-dismissed.py b/scripts/pb-add-dn-note-dismissed.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75c3402
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pb-add-dn-note-dismissed.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Adds "dismissed" to DN_BATCH_NOTES.status.
+
+Duplication happens per note, not per batch. The same stack of Vula
+invoices was scanned three times in overlapping groupings (13, 16 and 14
+pages, three different file hashes), so every one of those batches holds
+a mix of promoted notes, duplicates of another batch, and invoices unique
+to it. Dismissing a whole batch therefore either discards unique
+invoices or zeroes a counter for notes already on the ledger.
+
+"dismissed" lets a single duplicate note stand down, which is the only
+safe granularity.
+
+Idempotent.
+"""
+import sys
+
+from pb_env import PB, http, superuser_token
+
+NEW_VALUE = "dismissed"
+
+
+def main():
+    token = superuser_token()
+    print(f"\n→ dn_batch_notes on {PB}")
+
+    code, coll = http("GET", "/api/collections/dn_batch_notes", token=token)
+    if code != 200:
+        sys.exit(f"GET failed: {code} {coll}")
+
+    # Read the live field list and modify in place. PocketBase replaces
+    # the whole array on PATCH, so never build it from anything but a
+    # fresh read.
+    fields = list(coll.get("fields", []))
+    status = next((f for f in fields if f.get("name") == "status"), None)
+    if not status:
+        sys.exit("no status field on dn_batch_notes")
+
+    values = list(status.get("values") or [])
+    if NEW_VALUE in values:
+        print(f"  • status already allows '{NEW_VALUE}'")
+        return
+
+    status["values"] = values + [NEW_VALUE]
+    code, resp = http("PATCH", f"/api/collections/{coll['id']}", {"fields": fields}, token)
+    if code != 200:
+        sys.exit(f"PATCH failed: {code} {resp}")
+    print(f"  ✓ status values now {status['values']} (kept {len(fields)} fields)")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+    print("\nDone.")
diff --git a/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.test.ts b/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.test.ts
index 3e11c5d..0b347ab 100644
--- a/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
  *
  * The "already ingested" button. The route's contract:
  *   1. Path validation: id is a 15-char alnum PocketBase id.
- *   2. Park the batch at `processed` with notes_promoted=0, an empty
+ *   2. Park the batch at `processed` with notes_promoted reflecting
+ *      what actually reached the ledger, an empty
  *      claimed_at, an empty last_error, and a single passing check
  *      whose reason explains why nothing was promoted. The check
  *      keeps the board consistent — Processed always means "ran the
@@ -21,8 +22,9 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 /* Hoisted mocks                                                       */
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
 
-const { dnBatchesUpdate, viPbAdmin } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+const { dnBatchesUpdate, dnBatchNotesGetFullList, viPbAdmin } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   dnBatchesUpdate: vi.fn(),
+  dnBatchNotesGetFullList: vi.fn(),
   viPbAdmin: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
@@ -30,10 +32,11 @@ function makePb() {
   return {
     authStore: { token: "test-admin-token" },
     collection: (name: string) => {
-      if (name !== "dn_batches") {
-        throw new Error(`unexpected collection in test: ${name}`);
-      }
-      return { update: dnBatchesUpdate };
+      if (name === "dn_batches") return { update: dnBatchesUpdate };
+      // The route counts what genuinely promoted rather than assuming
+      // none, so it reads the batch's notes.
+      if (name === "dn_batch_notes") return { getFullList: dnBatchNotesGetFullList };
+      throw new Error(`unexpected collection in test: ${name}`);
     },
   };
 }
@@ -67,6 +70,8 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   vi.stubEnv("POCKETBASE_ADMIN_PASSWORD", "test-password");
 
   dnBatchesUpdate.mockReset();
+  dnBatchNotesGetFullList.mockReset();
+  dnBatchNotesGetFullList.mockResolvedValue([]);
   viPbAdmin.mockReset();
   viPbAdmin.mockResolvedValue(makePb() as never);
 
@@ -177,3 +182,33 @@ describe("POST /api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss — admin auth", () => {
     expect(res.status).toBe(200);
   });
 });
+
+describe("POST /api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss — promoted notes are not erased", () => {
+  it("records how many notes really reached the ledger", async () => {
+    // The bug this replaces: notes_promoted was hardcoded to 0. A batch
+    // that had already promoted 8 of 13 notes then reported nothing
+    // while 8 delivery notes sat in the figures people pay from.
+    dnBatchNotesGetFullList.mockResolvedValue([
+      { id: "n1", status: "promoted", delivery_note: "dn1" },
+      { id: "n2", status: "promoted", delivery_note: "dn2" },
+      { id: "n3", status: "blocked", delivery_note: "" },
+    ]);
+
+    const res = await POST(post(), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: ID }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+
+    const u = allUpdates().at(-1)!;
+    expect(u.data.notes_promoted).toBe(2);
+    expect(u.data.status).toBe("processed");
+    const checks = u.data.checks as { reason: string }[];
+    expect(checks[0].reason).toContain("2 note(s) had promoted");
+  });
+
+  it("still reports zero when nothing promoted", async () => {
+    dnBatchNotesGetFullList.mockResolvedValue([
+      { id: "n1", status: "blocked", delivery_note: "" },
+    ]);
+    await POST(post(), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: ID }) });
+    expect(allUpdates().at(-1)!.data.notes_promoted).toBe(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.ts b/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.ts
index d560e80..0df7716 100644
--- a/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss/route.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,18 @@ export const runtime = "nodejs";
 /**
  * POST /api/dn-batches/[id]/dismiss
  *
- * Marks a batch processed without promoting anything.
+ * Marks a whole batch processed without promoting anything further.
  *
- * Needed because the four notes of scan_20260915_c5p7fkmzgv.pdf were
- * captured by hand during phase 1, so when this pipeline reads that
- * file the not_duplicate check will correctly block every note. Without
- * this action that card would sit in Needs attention forever.
+ * Needed for a document whose notes were captured by hand before the
+ * pipeline existed: not_duplicate correctly blocks every one, and the
+ * card would otherwise sit in Needs attention forever.
+ *
+ * NOT for duplicate batches. Duplication happens per note — the same
+ * stack of Vula invoices was scanned three times in overlapping
+ * groupings, so each of those batches mixes promoted notes, duplicates
+ * of another batch, and invoices unique to it. Dismissing one wholesale
+ * discards the unique ones. Use
+ * POST /api/dn-batches/[id]/notes/[noteId]/dismiss instead.
  */
 export async function POST(
   _request: Request,
@@ -24,17 +30,37 @@ export async function POST(
   }
 
   const pb = await pbAdmin();
+
+  // Count what is genuinely on the ledger rather than assuming none.
+  // This used to write notes_promoted: 0 unconditionally, which for a
+  // batch that had already promoted 8 of its 13 notes left the board
+  // reporting nothing while 8 delivery notes sat in the figures people
+  // pay from.
+  const promoted = (
+    await pb
+      .collection("dn_batch_notes")
+      .getFullList({ filter: `batch='${id}'`, fields: "id,status,delivery_note" })
+      .catch(() => [])
+  ).filter(
+    (n) =>
+      (n as { status?: string }).status === "promoted" ||
+      Boolean((n as { delivery_note?: string }).delivery_note),
+  ).length;
+
   try {
     await pb.collection("dn_batches").update(id, {
       status: "processed",
-      notes_promoted: 0,
+      notes_promoted: promoted,
       claimed_at: "",
       last_error: "",
       checks: [
         {
           id: "dismissed",
           passed: true,
-          reason: "marked as already ingested by an operator",
+          reason:
+            promoted > 0
+              ? `marked as already ingested by an operator; ${promoted} note(s) had promoted and remain on the ledger`
+              : "marked as already ingested by an operator",
         },
       ],
     });
diff --git a/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/notes/[noteId]/dismiss/route.ts b/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/notes/[noteId]/dismiss/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da603b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/dn-batches/[id]/notes/[noteId]/dismiss/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+import { NextResponse } from "next/server";
+import { pbAdmin } from "@/lib/pb";
+
+export const dynamic = "force-dynamic";
+export const runtime = "nodejs";
+
+/**
+ * POST /api/dn-batches/[id]/notes/[noteId]/dismiss
+ * Body: { reason?: string }
+ *
+ * Stands one candidate note down without promoting it.
+ *
+ * This exists because duplication happens per NOTE, not per batch. The
+ * same stack of Vula invoices was scanned three times in overlapping
+ * groupings — 13, 16 and 14 pages, three different file hashes, so
+ * upload-time hash dedup could not see it. Each of those batches holds a
+ * mix of notes that promoted, notes duplicating another batch, and notes
+ * unique to it. `vdn074468` alone carries four invoices that exist
+ * nowhere else.
+ *
+ * So there is no correct batch-level action: dismissing the batch either
+ * discards unique invoices or zeroes a counter for notes already on the
+ * ledger. Dismissing the individual duplicate note is the only safe
+ * granularity.
+ *
+ * Refuses to touch a promoted note. Its delivery note is already on the
+ * ledger, and standing the candidate down would leave the two disagreeing
+ * — delete the delivery note first if that is really the intent.
+ */
+export async function POST(
+  request: Request,
+  { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string; noteId: string }> },
+) {
+  const { id, noteId } = await params;
+  if (!/^[a-z0-9]{15}$/i.test(id) || !/^[a-z0-9]{15}$/i.test(noteId)) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "invalid_id" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  let reason = "duplicate of a note already ingested";
+  try {
+    const body = await request.json();
+    if (typeof body?.reason === "string" && body.reason.trim()) reason = body.reason.trim();
+  } catch {
+    // Body is optional.
+  }
+
+  const pb = await pbAdmin();
+
+  const note = await pb
+    .collection("dn_batch_notes")
+    .getOne(noteId, { fields: "id,batch,status,delivery_note,delivery_note_number,checks" })
+    .catch(() => null);
+  if (!note) return NextResponse.json({ error: "note_not_found" }, { status: 404 });
+  if (note.batch !== id) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "note_not_in_batch" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+  if (note.status === "promoted" || note.delivery_note) {
+    return NextResponse.json(
+      {
+        error: "already_promoted",
+        detail: "this note is on the ledger — delete its delivery note first",
+      },
+      { status: 409 },
+    );
+  }
+
+  const checks = Array.isArray(note.checks) ? note.checks : [];
+
+  try {
+    await pb.collection("dn_batch_notes").update(noteId, {
+      status: "dismissed",
+      checks: [
+        ...checks,
+        {
+          id: "dismissed",
+          passed: true,
+          reason: `${reason} (dismissed ${new Date().toISOString()})`,
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+  } catch (err) {
+    return NextResponse.json(
+      { error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : "dismiss_failed" },
+      { status: 500 },
+    );
+  }
+
+  // A batch whose every note is now either promoted or dismissed has
+  // nothing left to answer for.
+  const siblings = await pb
+    .collection("dn_batch_notes")
+    .getFullList({ filter: `batch='${id}'`, fields: "id,status" })
+    .catch(() => []);
+  const outstanding = siblings.filter(
+    (s) => (s as { status?: string }).status === "blocked" || (s as { status?: string }).status === "candidate",
+  ).length;
+
+  if (outstanding === 0) {
+    const batch = await pb
+      .collection("dn_batches")
+      .getOne(id, { fields: "id,open_pages" })
+      .catch(() => null);
+    const openPages = Array.isArray(batch?.open_pages)
+      ? (batch!.open_pages as { dismissed?: boolean }[]).filter((p) => !p.dismissed).length
+      : 0;
+    if (openPages === 0) {
+      await pb
+        .collection("dn_batches")
+        .update(id, { status: "processed" })
+        .catch(() => undefined);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return NextResponse.json({
+    ok: true,
+    note: note.delivery_note_number ?? "",
+    outstanding_notes: outstanding,
+  });
+}