diff --git a/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher.go b/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher.go
index a65db79..1e2b73c 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package watcher
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -72,6 +73,14 @@ func processDir(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, date string) []error {
 			return nil
 		}
 
+		// Skip files that have already been processed or permanently failed.
+		if _, err := os.Stat(path + ".processed"); err == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if _, err := os.Stat(path + ".failed"); err == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
 		if err := processFile(ctx, cfg, path, date); err != nil {
 			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("process %s: %w", filepath.Base(path), err))
 		}
@@ -83,7 +92,9 @@ func processDir(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, date string) []error {
 	return errs
 }
 
-// processFile reads a file, calls pipeline.Run, moves it to processed/ or failed/.
+// processFile reads a file, calls pipeline.Run, copies it to processed/ or failed/,
+// and writes a marker file next to the original so the watcher skips it next poll.
+// The original file is never deleted, keeping Syncthing-connected vaults (e.g. Obsidian) intact.
 func processFile(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, path, date string) error {
 	filename := filepath.Base(path)
 	source := deriveSource(filename)
@@ -95,46 +106,71 @@ func processFile(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, path, date string) error {
 
 	_, runErr := pipeline.Run(ctx, cfg.Pipeline, cfg.BrainDir, string(content), source, false)
 	if runErr != nil {
-		// Move to failed/.
+		// Copy to failed/ and leave a .failed marker so we don't retry.
 		failedDir := filepath.Join(cfg.BrainDir, "raw", "failed")
 		if mkErr := os.MkdirAll(failedDir, 0o755); mkErr != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("mkdir failed dir: %w", mkErr)
 		}
 		dest := filepath.Join(failedDir, filename)
-		if mvErr := os.Rename(path, dest); mvErr != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("move to failed: %w", mvErr)
+		if cpErr := copyFile(path, dest); cpErr != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("copy to failed: %w", cpErr)
+		}
+		if mkErr := os.WriteFile(path+".failed", []byte(runErr.Error()), 0o644); mkErr != nil {
+			slog.Error("watcher: failed to write .failed marker", "error", mkErr)
 		}
 
-		slog.Warn("watcher: file failed, moved to failed/", "file", filename, "error", runErr)
+		slog.Warn("watcher: file failed", "file", filename, "error", runErr)
 
 		if logErr := appendWatcherLog(cfg.BrainDir, filename, runErr, date); logErr != nil {
 			slog.Error("watcher: failed to write log entry", "error", logErr)
 		}
-		// Return nil: the file was quarantined successfully; the error was already
-		// logged. Returning runErr would cause processDir to log it again at Error level.
+		// Return nil: quarantine succeeded; error already logged.
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Move to processed/YYYY-MM-DD/.
+	// Copy to processed/YYYY-MM-DD/ and leave a .processed marker so we don't re-ingest.
 	processedDir := filepath.Join(cfg.BrainDir, "raw", "processed", date)
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(processedDir, 0o755); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("mkdir processed dir: %w", err)
 	}
 	dest := filepath.Join(processedDir, filename)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(dest); err == nil {
-		// File already exists in processed; append timestamp to avoid overwriting the archive.
+		// Archive copy already exists; append timestamp to avoid overwriting.
 		ext := filepath.Ext(filename)
 		base := strings.TrimSuffix(filename, ext)
 		dest = filepath.Join(processedDir, base+"-"+time.Now().UTC().Format("150405")+ext)
 	}
-	if err := os.Rename(path, dest); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("move to processed: %w", err)
+	if err := copyFile(path, dest); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("copy to processed: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path+".processed", []byte(date), 0o644); err != nil {
+		slog.Error("watcher: failed to write .processed marker", "error", err)
 	}
 
 	slog.Info("watcher: file processed", "file", filename, "source", source)
 	return nil
 }
 
+// copyFile copies src to dst, creating dst if it doesn't exist.
+func copyFile(src, dst string) error {
+	in, err := os.Open(src)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("open src: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer in.Close()
+
+	out, err := os.Create(dst)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("create dst: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer out.Close()
+
+	if _, err := io.Copy(out, in); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("copy: %w", err)
+	}
+	return out.Close()
+}
+
 // deriveSource turns a filename into a human-readable source name.
 // "shape-up-book.md" → "Shape Up Book"
 func deriveSource(filename string) string {
diff --git a/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher_test.go b/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher_test.go
index 4b20d39..8fd13a6 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher_test.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher_test.go
@@ -81,11 +81,15 @@ func TestStart_ProcessesFile(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
 	}
-	require.True(t, found, "file should be moved to processed/")
+	require.True(t, found, "file should be copied to processed/")
 
-	// Original file should be gone.
+	// Original file should still exist (copy, not move — keeps Obsidian vault intact).
 	_, err := os.Stat(rawFile)
-	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "original file should be gone from raw/")
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "original file should remain in raw/")
+
+	// A .processed marker should exist next to the original.
+	_, err = os.Stat(rawFile + ".processed")
+	assert.NoError(t, err, ".processed marker should be written")
 
 	// Wiki page should exist.
 	wikiPath := filepath.Join(brainDir, "wiki", "sources", "shape-up-book.md")
@@ -130,11 +134,15 @@ func TestStart_MovesToFailedOnError(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
 	}
-	require.True(t, found, "file should be moved to failed/")
+	require.True(t, found, "file should be copied to failed/")
 
-	// Original file should be gone from raw/.
+	// Original file should still exist (copy, not move — keeps Obsidian vault intact).
 	_, err := os.Stat(rawFile)
-	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "original file should be gone from raw/")
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "original file should remain in raw/")
+
+	// A .failed marker should exist next to the original.
+	_, err = os.Stat(rawFile + ".failed")
+	assert.NoError(t, err, ".failed marker should be written")
 
 	// log.md should contain a watcher error entry.
 	logContent, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(brainDir, "log.md"))