diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ba81961af..0f3fd7822 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Changelog
 
+- Distinguish PARTIAL vessel snapshots from STALE data in the layer panel, with
+  accepted-record counts and unchanged retention, freshness and outage safeguards.
+
 - Keep Nepal provider media inside the Pinokio compatibility boundary: use
   source-linked fallback cards instead of automatic embeds or hidden preloads
   that launch an external browser. Ordinary browsers retain embedded playback.
diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index d19de0f38..b5727f353 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # God's Eye View Current State
 
+Vessel snapshot completeness is separate from freshness. A current snapshot with
+rejected or duplicate records shows PARTIAL with accepted/received counts; stale
+or unknown freshness and transport failures retain their warnings. Partial
+snapshots still retain missing contacts within the existing age and row limits.
+A complete successful snapshot clears the partial indicator.
+
 Director imports now open a non-mutating preview before Apply. EDIT DETAILS
 authors validated anchor, camera, pack and interaction drafts; SHARE SCENE exports
 a selected scene or a bounded bundle of explicitly chosen pack files. Bundled
diff --git a/src/data/feedState.js b/src/data/feedState.js
index f65bbd9bd..d0e8b187f 100644
--- a/src/data/feedState.js
+++ b/src/data/feedState.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { GUIDANCE_STATUSES } from '../loadingFeedback.js';
 /**
  * Normalize heterogeneous layer stats into one honest control-chip state.
  * @param {object|null} stats Layer getStats() result.
- * @returns {'nominal'|'loading'|'degraded'|'stale'|'fallback'|'unavailable'} Feed state.
+ * @returns {'nominal'|'loading'|'degraded'|'stale'|'partial'|'fallback'|'unavailable'} Feed state.
  */
 export function layerFeedState(stats = {}) {
   const state = stats || {};
@@ -50,5 +50,6 @@ export function layerFeedState(stats = {}) {
     state.available === false
   )
     return 'degraded';
+  if (state.partial === true) return 'partial';
   return 'nominal';
 }
diff --git a/src/layers/vessels/evidence.js b/src/layers/vessels/evidence.js
index 07a67c967..c5e593e26 100644
--- a/src/layers/vessels/evidence.js
+++ b/src/layers/vessels/evidence.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export function createEvidence({
     state.feed.loaded = true;
     state.feed.error = null;
     state.feed.stale = false;
+    state.feed.partial = false;
     state.feed.lastUpdate = Date.now();
     state.feed.transportStatus = 'synthetic';
     state.feed.lastMessageAt = null;
diff --git a/src/layers/vessels/ingestion.js b/src/layers/vessels/ingestion.js
index 73bb764dc..29d0f60eb 100644
--- a/src/layers/vessels/ingestion.js
+++ b/src/layers/vessels/ingestion.js
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ export function createIngestion({
     feed.lastMessageAt = snapshot.lastMessageAt;
     feed.rawRowCount = snapshot.rawRowCount;
     feed.acceptedRowCount = snapshot.acceptedRowCount;
+    feed.partial = payload?.complete === false;
 
     if (snapshot.acceptedRowCount === 0) {
       feed.count = readCount();
@@ -133,7 +134,8 @@ export function createIngestion({
     feed.count = readCount();
     feed.stale =
       Boolean(payload?.refreshing) ||
-      payload?.complete === false ||
+      payload?.freshness === 'stale' ||
+      snapshot.transportStatus === 'stale' ||
       payload?.freshness === 'unknown';
     feed.newestPositionAt = payload?.newestPositionAt || null;
     // Not unconditionally null: a degraded feed keeps its reason even though the
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ export function createVesselFeed() {
     loading: false,
     loaded: false,
     stale: false,
+    partial: false,
     error: null,
     loadingLabel: '',
     lastUpdate: null,
diff --git a/src/layers/vessels/lifecycle.js b/src/layers/vessels/lifecycle.js
index f00e68d16..3c8c8e245 100644
--- a/src/layers/vessels/lifecycle.js
+++ b/src/layers/vessels/lifecycle.js
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
     state.feed.loading = false;
     state.feed.loaded = false;
     state.feed.stale = false;
+    state.feed.partial = false;
     state.feed.error = null;
     state.feed.loadingLabel = '';
     state.feed.lastUpdate = null;
diff --git a/src/layers/vessels/ownership.test.mjs b/src/layers/vessels/ownership.test.mjs
index b9a3709f6..ce55aaf0f 100644
--- a/src/layers/vessels/ownership.test.mjs
+++ b/src/layers/vessels/ownership.test.mjs
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ test('partial observations retain missing contacts only until their receipt dead
   current = snapshot([observation('111')], { complete: false, rawRowCount: 2 });
   await layer.update();
   assert.equal(layer.hasContact('222'), true);
-  assert.equal(layer.getStats().stale, true);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().stale, false);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().partial, true);
   assert.equal(layer.getStats().rawRowCount, 2);
   assert.equal(layer.getStats().acceptedRowCount, 1);
   assert.equal(layer.getStats().lastUpdate, 500);
@@ -301,3 +302,62 @@ test('refresh keeps pick identity and renderer geometry separate, and eviction r
   assert.equal(primitives.has(primitive), false);
   assert.equal(layer.findByQuery('111'), null);
 });
+
+test('partial vessel snapshots preserve freshness and recover after a complete update', async (t) => {
+  const originalDocument = globalThis.document;
+  globalThis.document = { getElementById: () => null };
+  t.after(() => {
+    if (originalDocument === undefined) delete globalThis.document;
+    else globalThis.document = originalDocument;
+  });
+  const { vesselSnapshot } = await import('../../sources/live/vessels.js');
+  const { layerFeedState } = await import('../../data/feedState.js');
+  const valid = {
+    mmsi: '123456789',
+    lat: 51.93,
+    lon: 4.05,
+    last_position_epoch: 1,
+  };
+  let current = vesselSnapshot({
+    rows: [valid, { ...valid }, { mmsi: '987654321', lat: 200, lon: 4 }],
+    status: 'live',
+  });
+  const { layer } = setup({ getSnapshot: async () => current });
+  await layer.update();
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().partial, true);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().stale, false);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().rawRowCount, 3);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().acceptedRowCount, 1);
+  assert.equal(layerFeedState(layer.getStats()), 'partial');
+  assert.equal(layer.hasContact('123456789'), true);
+
+  for (const extra of [
+    { stale: true },
+    { freshness: 'stale' },
+    { freshness: 'unknown', observedAtMs: null },
+    { transportStatus: 'stale' },
+  ]) {
+    const original = current;
+    current = { ...original, ...extra };
+    await layer.update();
+    assert.equal(layer.getStats().partial, true);
+    assert.equal(layerFeedState(layer.getStats()), 'stale');
+    current = original;
+  }
+  current = { ...current, transportStatus: 'reconnecting' };
+  await layer.update();
+  assert.equal(layerFeedState(layer.getStats()), 'degraded');
+  assert.match(layer.getStats().error, /reconnecting/);
+
+  current = vesselSnapshot({ rows: [valid], status: 'live' });
+  await layer.update();
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().partial, false);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().stale, false);
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().error, null);
+  assert.equal(layerFeedState(layer.getStats()), 'nominal');
+  current = { ...current, complete: false };
+  await layer.update();
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().partial, true);
+  layer.destroy();
+  assert.equal(layer.getStats().partial, false);
+});
diff --git a/src/layers/vessels/queries.js b/src/layers/vessels/queries.js
index ab6a6af0c..5544379fe 100644
--- a/src/layers/vessels/queries.js
+++ b/src/layers/vessels/queries.js
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ export function createQueries({
           : state.feed.loadingLabel,
         error: state.feed.error,
         stale: state.feed.stale,
+        partial: state.feed.partial,
         status:
           state.feed.firstConnectPhase === 'unavailable'
             ? 'unavailable'
diff --git a/src/layers/vessels/testing.js b/src/layers/vessels/testing.js
index c4b7a2547..dc11f3003 100644
--- a/src/layers/vessels/testing.js
+++ b/src/layers/vessels/testing.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export function createTesting({
     state.feed.loaded = options.loaded === true;
     state.feed.loading = options.loading === true;
     state.feed.stale = options.stale === true;
+    state.feed.partial = options.partial === true;
     state.feed.error = options.error || null;
     state.feed.lastUpdate = options.lastUpdate ?? null;
     state.records.all = records;
diff --git a/src/ui/layerPanel.js b/src/ui/layerPanel.js
index fff6b9a33..c5d07b098 100644
--- a/src/ui/layerPanel.js
+++ b/src/ui/layerPanel.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const FEED_STATE_LABELS = Object.freeze({
   loading: 'LOADING',
   degraded: 'DEGRADED',
   stale: 'STALE',
+  partial: 'PARTIAL',
   fallback: 'FALLBACK',
   unavailable: 'UNAVAILABLE',
 });
@@ -505,6 +506,17 @@ export class LayerPanel {
           : stats.coverage || ago;
       return `${stateLabel} · ${source} · ${detail}`;
     }
+    if (feedState === 'partial') {
+      const { acceptedRowCount, rawRowCount } = stats;
+      const detail =
+        Number.isInteger(acceptedRowCount) &&
+        Number.isInteger(rawRowCount) &&
+        acceptedRowCount >= 0 &&
+        rawRowCount > acceptedRowCount
+          ? `${acceptedRowCount} of ${rawRowCount} records accepted`
+          : 'incomplete snapshot';
+      return `${stateLabel} · ${source} · ${detail} · ${ago}`;
+    }
     if (feedState === 'stale') {
       const retry =
         typeof stats.retryInSec === 'number' && stats.retryInSec > 0
diff --git a/src/ui/layerPanel.test.mjs b/src/ui/layerPanel.test.mjs
index 03f44cfd5..890a05257 100644
--- a/src/ui/layerPanel.test.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/layerPanel.test.mjs
@@ -29,3 +29,63 @@ test('panel presentation places Transit between Street Traffic and Bike Share in
   );
   assert.equal(order.filter(({ id }) => id === 'transit').length, 1);
 });
+
+test('partial feed controls distinguish incomplete records from stale data and outages', async () => {
+  const { LayerPanel, layerFeedState } = await import('./layerPanel.js');
+  const classes = new Map();
+  const attrs = new Map();
+  const button = {
+    classList: { toggle: (key, value) => classes.set(key, value) },
+    dataset: {},
+    setAttribute: (key, value) => attrs.set(key, value),
+  };
+  const layer = {
+    id: 'ais-live-vessels',
+    name: 'Live Vessels',
+    source: 'AISStream',
+    enabled: true,
+    stats: {
+      partial: true,
+      stale: false,
+      count: 2,
+      acceptedRowCount: 2,
+      rawRowCount: 3,
+      lastUpdate: Date.now(),
+    },
+  };
+  const panel = LayerPanel.prototype;
+  panel._syncToggleButton(button, layer);
+  assert.equal(button.textContent, 'PARTIAL');
+  assert.equal(button.dataset.feedState, 'partial');
+  assert.equal(classes.get('feed-partial'), true);
+  assert.equal(classes.get('feed-stale'), false);
+  assert.match(attrs.get('aria-label'), /PARTIAL/);
+  assert.match(
+    panel._buildMetaText(layer),
+    /^PARTIAL · AISStream · 2 of 3 records accepted · /,
+  );
+  assert.match(
+    panel._buildMetaText({
+      ...layer,
+      stats: { ...layer.stats, rawRowCount: 2 },
+    }),
+    /incomplete snapshot/,
+  );
+  assert.equal(layerFeedState({ ...layer.stats, stale: true }), 'stale');
+  assert.equal(
+    layerFeedState({ ...layer.stats, error: 'Connection lost' }),
+    'degraded',
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    layerFeedState({ ...layer.stats, status: 'unavailable' }),
+    'unavailable',
+  );
+  assert.equal(layerFeedState({ ...layer.stats, loading: true }), 'loading');
+  layer.stats = { ...layer.stats, partial: false };
+  panel._syncToggleButton(button, layer);
+  assert.equal(button.textContent, 'ON');
+  assert.equal(classes.get('feed-partial'), false);
+  layer.enabled = false;
+  panel._syncToggleButton(button, layer);
+  assert.equal(button.textContent, 'OFF');
+});
diff --git a/src/ui/styles/layers.css b/src/ui/styles/layers.css
index 7a85745cf..72207fa52 100644
--- a/src/ui/styles/layers.css
+++ b/src/ui/styles/layers.css
@@ -1298,6 +1298,7 @@
       .feed-loading,
       .feed-degraded,
       .feed-stale,
+      .feed-partial,
       .feed-fallback,
       .feed-unavailable
     )
diff --git a/src/ui/styles/radio.css b/src/ui/styles/radio.css
index 7b2ce0a69..131dc1753 100644
--- a/src/ui/styles/radio.css
+++ b/src/ui/styles/radio.css
@@ -666,6 +666,7 @@
 .data-toggle-btn.feed-loading,
 .data-toggle-btn.feed-degraded,
 .data-toggle-btn.feed-stale,
+.data-toggle-btn.feed-partial,
 .data-toggle-btn.feed-fallback,
 .data-toggle-btn.feed-unavailable {
   min-width: 82px;
@@ -685,6 +686,7 @@
 }
 
 .data-toggle-btn.active.feed-stale,
+.data-toggle-btn.active.feed-partial,
 .data-toggle-btn.active.feed-fallback {
   color: #ffd27a;
   border-color: rgba(255, 190, 82, 0.75);