diff --git a/docs/testing/wine-proton-phases.md b/docs/testing/wine-proton-phases.md
index 06cd3f7..234e756 100644
--- a/docs/testing/wine-proton-phases.md
+++ b/docs/testing/wine-proton-phases.md
@@ -442,9 +442,22 @@ Known starting item (recorded at Phase 3 acceptance): the
 pre-attached edit-subclass caveat in the Phase 3 accepted handoff
 above. Its root cause is already localized to wine-access
 (`edit_hook.c` subclass persistence plus ungated text-event
-presentation in `main.cpp`), so if the maintainer elects to fix it
-in this phase, that localization is the proof required for a
-narrow wine-access defect branch.
+presentation in `main.cpp`).
+
+Maintainer disposition, 2026-11-01: **deferred; do not fix in
+Phase 4 and do not open a wine-access defect branch for it.**
+Rationale: tearing down helper/subclass state early risks
+disturbing programs that rely on the live helper's controller and
+review services; fresh processes are fully gated, and restarting
+the prefix restores the expected state. The surprise for an
+unsuspecting user who lists an already-running editor is
+acknowledged and must be recorded honestly in the Phase 4
+results, not silently treated as passing. Future work item,
+outside this stage unless the maintainer reopens it: teach
+wine-access dynamic add/remove of hook exclusions inside the
+running helper—updating foreground gating and silencing or
+detaching pre-attached edit subclasses—rather than relying only
+on helper restart plus fresh-process semantics.
 
 Fixed live corpus: