diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 660abba..74b564c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -134,6 +134,14 @@ A plain `pkh deb` never reuses a session — everything is rechecked from
 scratch — and it replaces the session of its target. `pkh deb --resume`
 refuses to adopt a session built for a different series/architecture.
 
+Packages whose `debian/rules` keeps an input-untracked stamp cache (the
+kernels' `debian/stamps`) declare it in the quirks data (`resume_clear`):
+resumed builds drop the cache so the wrapper steps — including the
+kernel's flavour config export — re-run over the incremental inner
+builds, and a config edit is never silently ignored. If a build died
+hard (OOM kill), the next build unmounts and clears the leftover session
+state first (escalating through sudo when needed).
+
 ### Running the DEP-8 tests
 
 `pkh test` runs the package's as-installed tests (`debian/tests/control`,
diff --git a/data/quirks.yml b/data/quirks.yml
index 4d94273..16637a5 100644
--- a/data/quirks.yml
+++ b/data/quirks.yml
@@ -23,8 +23,20 @@ quirks:
   # architecture only, so a cross build installs no build-architecture
   # variants and the kernel's host-side tools cannot link.  Inject the
   # build-architecture variants until the control is fixed upstream.
+  # The kernel's debian/rules keeps its wrapper-step stamps in
+  # debian/stamps, and the flavour config rule there exports .config from
+  # the annotations with no config prerequisite — a resumed build would
+  # keep the previous attempt's configuration and silently ignore config
+  # edits. List the stamp cache under `resume_clear` so resumed builds
+  # drop it and re-run the wrapper steps; the inner kbuild keeps its own
+  # incremental state, so only the cheap wrapper passes re-run. This is
+  # the packaging's long-standing shape rather than a fixable regression,
+  # so the entry applies to every series.
   linux:
     deb:
+      - series: []
+        resume_clear:
+          - debian/stamps
       - series: [resolute]
         dependencies:
           replace:
@@ -37,6 +49,9 @@ quirks:
             - libssl-dev:native
   linux-riscv:
     deb:
+      - series: []
+        resume_clear:
+          - debian/stamps
       - series: [resolute]
         dependencies:
           replace:
diff --git a/plans/deb-incremental-builds.md b/plans/deb-incremental-builds.md
index bcc4ed4..1544750 100644
--- a/plans/deb-incremental-builds.md
+++ b/plans/deb-incremental-builds.md
@@ -427,3 +427,29 @@ ephemeral}.rs`, `src/context/{api,unshare}.rs`, `src/prune.rs` and
   build → same; overlay mount unsupported/failed on resume → fresh
   copy staging (environment resume only, artifacts discarded); no
   host-tree snapshot → upper wiped and re-snapshotted.
+
+# Addendum: resume correctness (post-merge findings)
+
+Two real-world failures against a kept kernel session, both fixed:
+
+- **The kernel's config chain is stamp-blind** — `stamp-prepare-%`
+  (`debian/rules.d/2-binary-arch.mk`) exports `.config` from the
+  annotations with no config prerequisite, so a resumed build silently
+  kept the previous attempt's configuration; the config edit never
+  reached the .deb even though `debian/rules build` ran. Dropping the
+  stamp cache unconditionally would be a package-specific decision, so
+  it is data-driven: the kernels declare `resume_clear: [debian/stamps]`
+  in `data/quirks.yml`, and resumed builds remove those tree-relative
+  paths before `debian/rules build`. The inner kbuild keeps its own
+  state, so the re-run wrappers stay cheap and only config-affected
+  objects recompile.
+- **A SIGKILLed build (OOM) poisons the next one.** The crashed attempt
+  leaves its overlay mounts and /proc bind mount behind, and overlayfs
+  creates root-owned `work` state inside the workdir; the next PLAIN
+  build (recording is always on: it replaces the session of its
+  identity) failed to clear the leftovers with a permission error.
+  `clear_dir()` now unmounts everything under each entry at depth
+  (re-reading /proc/mounts, tolerating mount stacks from consecutive
+  crashes) and escalates through sudo; if the tree still cannot be
+  cleared, the plain build reports it and continues WITHOUT a session
+  instead of failing or layering over a half-cleared tree.
diff --git a/src/deb/ephemeral.rs b/src/deb/ephemeral.rs
index 7556b7d..0bb5f33 100644
--- a/src/deb/ephemeral.rs
+++ b/src/deb/ephemeral.rs
@@ -147,15 +147,48 @@ pub(crate) fn privileged_remove(path: &Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
     }
 }
 
-/// Remove the contents of `dir` but keep the directory itself.
-fn wipe_dir_contents(dir: &Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+/// Clear a directory's contents, keeping the directory itself.
+///
+/// Built for re-cleaning a crashed build's leftovers: a SIGKILLed build
+/// (OOM, power loss) leaves its overlay mounts and /proc bind mount behind,
+/// and the kernel creates root-owned `work` state inside an overlay
+/// workdir that a plain `rm -rf` cannot remove. So every child is first
+/// unmounted at depth (re-reading /proc/mounts until nothing is left under
+/// it), then removed with a privileged `rm -rf` fallback.
+///
+/// Returns an error when some content could not be removed: callers should
+/// refuse to layer a fresh build over a half-cleared tree.
+pub(crate) fn clear_dir(dir: &Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
     fs::create_dir_all(dir)?;
+    const MAX_UNMOUNT_PASSES: usize = 10;
     for entry in fs::read_dir(dir)?.flatten() {
         let path = entry.path();
-        if path.is_dir() {
-            fs::remove_dir_all(&path)?;
+        // Unmount everything under the child, deepest first; the loop
+        // handles stacks (a re-mount over an earlier, never-unmounted one —
+        // exactly what consecutive crashed builds leave behind).
+        for _ in 0..MAX_UNMOUNT_PASSES {
+            let mounts = host_mounts_under(&path);
+            if mounts.is_empty() {
+                break;
+            }
+            let is_root = crate::utils::root::is_root().unwrap_or(false);
+            for mount in mounts.into_iter().rev() {
+                if !unmount_path(&mount, is_root) {
+                    log::warn!("Failed to unmount {} (retrying)", mount.display());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let result = if path.is_dir() {
+            fs::remove_dir_all(&path)
         } else {
-            fs::remove_file(&path)?;
+            fs::remove_file(&path)
+        }
+        .or_else(|_| privileged_remove(&path));
+        if let Err(e) = result {
+            return Err(std::io::Error::other(format!(
+                "cannot remove {}: {e}",
+                path.display()
+            )));
         }
     }
     Ok(())
@@ -487,7 +520,7 @@ impl EphemeralContextGuard {
             }
             // Not reusing (fresh session or failed probe): never extract
             // over stale content.
-            wipe_dir_contents(chroot_path)?;
+            clear_dir(chroot_path)?;
         }
 
         // Clone ctx for use in create_device_nodes after download_chroot_tarball consumes it
@@ -1051,4 +1084,41 @@ mod chroot_cleanup_tests {
 
         assert!(!chroot.exists());
     }
+
+    /// clear_dir removes content a plain `rm -rf` cannot: a root-owned
+    /// 0700 directory (the shape of an overlay workdir left by a crashed
+    /// build). Skipped when neither root nor working non-interactive sudo
+    /// is available, since escalation is then legitimately impossible.
+    #[test]
+    fn clear_dir_removes_root_owned_subdirectories() {
+        let is_root = unsafe { libc::geteuid() } == 0;
+        if !is_root
+            && !privileged_command("true", false)
+                .status()
+                .is_ok_and(|s| s.success())
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let cleared = dir.path().join("chroot");
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(cleared.join("stale")).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(cleared.join("stale").join("f"), "x").unwrap();
+        // Root-owned, non-traversable: the crashed-workdir shape.
+        let _ = privileged_command("chmod", is_root)
+            .arg("-R")
+            .arg("0700")
+            .arg(cleared.join("stale"))
+            .status();
+        let _ = privileged_command("chown", is_root)
+            .arg("-R")
+            .arg("root:root")
+            .arg(cleared.join("stale"))
+            .status();
+
+        clear_dir(&cleared).expect("clear_dir removes root-owned leftovers");
+
+        let read = std::fs::read_dir(&cleared).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(read.count(), 0, "the directory must be empty");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/deb/local.rs b/src/deb/local.rs
index 9ca3216..315fe23 100644
--- a/src/deb/local.rs
+++ b/src/deb/local.rs
@@ -340,6 +340,31 @@ pub async fn build(
         );
     }
 
+    // A resumed build continues in the previous attempt's tree. Packages
+    // whose debian/rules keeps an input-untracked stamp cache (quirk:
+    // `resume_clear`, e.g. the kernels' `debian/stamps`, whose flavour
+    // config rule exports .config with no config prerequisite) would build
+    // from the previous attempt's configuration: drop the listed caches so
+    // the wrapper steps re-run over the incremental inner builds.
+    if resume {
+        for rel in crate::quirks::get_resume_clear_paths(package, series) {
+            let path = Path::new(package_dir_str).join(&rel);
+            if !ctx.exists(&path).unwrap_or(false) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            log::info!("Dropping the resumed build's cached '{rel}' (quirk)");
+            let status = ctx
+                .command("rm")
+                .arg("-rf")
+                .arg(&path)
+                .status()
+                .map_err(|e| format!("cannot drop '{rel}': {e}"))?;
+            if !status.success() {
+                return Err(format!("cannot drop '{rel}'").into());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     // Run the build step
     log::debug!("Building (debian/rules build) package...");
     enter_phase(view, Phase::Building);
diff --git a/src/deb/mod.rs b/src/deb/mod.rs
index 94144f8..8a005bd 100644
--- a/src/deb/mod.rs
+++ b/src/deb/mod.rs
@@ -524,6 +524,10 @@ fn resolve_session(
                 log::info!("{busy}; building without a session");
                 Ok(None)
             }
+            Err(session::SessionOpenError::Unusable(e)) => {
+                log::error!("{e}; building without a session");
+                Ok(None)
+            }
             Err(session::SessionOpenError::Other(e)) => Err(e.into()),
         },
         SessionResume::Latest => {
diff --git a/src/deb/session.rs b/src/deb/session.rs
index 6a17e1b..7d97717 100644
--- a/src/deb/session.rs
+++ b/src/deb/session.rs
@@ -350,20 +350,7 @@ impl Session {
     /// attempt's tree would merge stale build artifacts and resurrect
     /// host-deleted files into the build.
     pub fn wipe_staged_tree(&self) -> io::Result<()> {
-        let staged = self.chroot_path().join("tmp/pkh-build");
-        fs::create_dir_all(&staged)?;
-        for entry in fs::read_dir(&staged)?.flatten() {
-            let path = entry.path();
-            let result = if path.is_dir() {
-                fs::remove_dir_all(&path)
-            } else {
-                fs::remove_file(&path)
-            }
-            .or_else(|_| crate::deb::ephemeral::privileged_remove(&path));
-            result
-                .map_err(|e| io::Error::other(format!("cannot clear {}: {e}", staged.display())))?;
-        }
-        Ok(())
+        crate::deb::ephemeral::clear_dir(&self.chroot_path().join("tmp/pkh-build"))
     }
 
     /// Remove the whole session tree (unmounting anything mounted under
@@ -557,6 +544,9 @@ fn open_from_dir(root: PathBuf) -> Option<Session> {
 pub enum SessionOpenError {
     /// The session is locked by a concurrent build.
     Busy(SessionBusy),
+    /// The previous session could not be cleared (crashed-build leftovers
+    /// that even the privileged removal could not lift).
+    Unusable(String),
     /// Anything else (I/O, manifest errors).
     Other(String),
 }
@@ -565,6 +555,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for SessionOpenError {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
         match self {
             SessionOpenError::Busy(busy) => write!(f, "{busy}"),
+            SessionOpenError::Unusable(message) => write!(f, "{message}"),
             SessionOpenError::Other(message) => write!(f, "{message}"),
         }
     }
@@ -618,28 +609,17 @@ pub fn fresh_session(
 
     session.acquire().map_err(SessionOpenError::Busy)?;
 
-    // Wipe the previous attempt (the lock file lives outside the root): a
-    // previous chroot holds root-owned device nodes, so escalate on
-    // failure, like the prune removal does.
-    for entry in fs::read_dir(&root)
-        .map_err(|e| SessionOpenError::Other(format!("cannot clear {}: {e}", root.display())))?
-        .flatten()
-    {
-        let path = entry.path();
-        let result = if path.is_dir() {
-            fs::remove_dir_all(&path)
-        } else {
-            fs::remove_file(&path)
-        }
-        .or_else(|_| crate::deb::ephemeral::privileged_remove(&path));
-        if let Err(e) = result {
-            log::warn!(
-                "Failed to clear the previous session file '{}': {}",
-                path.display(),
-                e
-            );
-        }
-    }
+    // Wipe the previous attempt (the lock file lives outside the root). A
+    // crashed build leaves its mounts behind and the kernel creates
+    // root-owned state inside overlay workdirs, so the clearing unmounts
+    // at depth and escalates via sudo when needed; see clear_dir.
+    crate::deb::ephemeral::clear_dir(&root).map_err(|e| {
+        SessionOpenError::Unusable(format!(
+            "cannot clear the previous build session {}: {e}. \
+         Free it with `pkh prune` (or remove it manually) and rebuild",
+            root.display()
+        ))
+    })?;
 
     session.reset_fresh(host_tree, identity, tree_version);
     Ok(session)
diff --git a/src/quirks.rs b/src/quirks.rs
index 36e0039..ee9cc41 100644
--- a/src/quirks.rs
+++ b/src/quirks.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,20 @@ pub struct OperationQuirks {
     /// like linux packages that use directories like "linux-main" or other custom names
     #[serde(default)]
     pub package_directory: Vec<String>,
+
+    /// Paths (relative to the package tree) removed before
+    /// `debian/rules build` when the build resumes a previous attempt.
+    ///
+    /// For packages whose debian/rules keeps a stamp cache that does not
+    /// track its inputs (the Ubuntu/Debian kernels' `debian/stamps`: the
+    /// flavour config rule exports `.config` from the annotations with no
+    /// config prerequisite), a resumed build would keep building from the
+    /// previous attempt's configuration. Listing the stamp directories
+    /// here drops the cache so the wrapper steps re-run, while the inner
+    /// build system (kbuild) keeps its own incremental state. Only list
+    /// caches whose re-run is cheap or whose inner build is incremental.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub resume_clear: Vec<String>,
 }
 
 /// Quirks for a specific package
@@ -166,6 +180,33 @@ pub fn get_package_directories(package: &str, series: &str) -> Vec<String> {
     directories
 }
 
+/// Get the paths to clear before a resumed `debian/rules build`
+///
+/// Every matching deb entry contributes its paths, in file order. See
+/// [`OperationQuirks::resume_clear`] for what belongs here.
+///
+/// # Arguments
+/// * `package` - The package name
+/// * `series` - The distribution series (e.g. "resolute")
+///
+/// # Returns
+/// * `Vec<String>` - Tree-relative paths to remove, empty when the package
+///   opts out
+pub fn get_resume_clear_paths(package: &str, series: &str) -> Vec<String> {
+    let Some(quirks) = get_package_quirks(&QUIRKS_DATA, package) else {
+        return Vec::new();
+    };
+    let mut paths = Vec::new();
+    for deb in quirks
+        .deb
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|q| entry_applies_to_series(q, series))
+    {
+        paths.extend(deb.resume_clear.iter().cloned());
+    }
+    paths
+}
+
 /// Apply the dependency quirks of `package` in `series` to parsed
 /// build-dependency clauses
 ///
@@ -374,4 +415,23 @@ mod tests {
         };
         assert!(apply_rules(&mut clauses, &deps, &opts()).is_err());
     }
+
+    /// The kernels opt in to clearing their stamp cache on resume, for
+    /// every series; packages without the entry opt out by default.
+    #[test]
+    fn resume_clear_paths_are_data_driven() {
+        for package in ["linux", "linux-riscv"] {
+            assert_eq!(
+                get_resume_clear_paths(package, "resolute"),
+                vec!["debian/stamps".to_string()]
+            );
+            assert_eq!(
+                get_resume_clear_paths(package, "some-future-series"),
+                vec!["debian/stamps".to_string()],
+                "the stamp-cache entry applies to every series"
+            );
+        }
+        assert!(get_resume_clear_paths("hello", "resolute").is_empty());
+        assert!(get_resume_clear_paths("no-such-package", "resolute").is_empty());
+    }
 }