diff --git a/scripts/profile_sync.py b/scripts/profile_sync.py
index 8e2f54e29..7fde29014 100644
--- a/scripts/profile_sync.py
+++ b/scripts/profile_sync.py
@@ -4627,8 +4627,14 @@ def _apply_writes(
             # The guard above read the prose under the pins the profile held.
             # A bump that moves upstream_commit can leave prose the report
             # judged in the fork under the new upstream pin (dolphin-mmjr2,
-            # hatari, xenios): read it again on what was written.
-            left = realign_prose(path, args.cache_dir, args.offline, dry_run=True)
+            # hatari, xenios): read it again on what was written. It reads
+            # the profile's own history, so it runs on the real path, and a
+            # read that fails (offline, rate limit) puts the profile back.
+            try:
+                left = realign_prose(path, args.cache_dir, args.offline, dry_run=True)
+            except BaseException:
+                path.write_bytes(original)
+                raise
             if moved and left:
                 path.write_bytes(original)
                 print(
diff --git a/tests/test_profile_sync.py b/tests/test_profile_sync.py
index d28137fb1..92b51c817 100644
--- a/tests/test_profile_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_profile_sync.py
@@ -2670,6 +2670,19 @@ class TestWriteDryRun(unittest.TestCase):
             counts={"SHIFTED": 1},
         )
 
+    def test_a_prose_read_that_fails_leaves_the_profile_as_it_was(self):
+        """The bumped profile was promoted before the prose under its new pin
+        was read. Offline, an uncached cited file raised NotCachedError past
+        the restore and the profile kept a pin the guard would refuse."""
+        from unittest import mock  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        before = self.path.read_bytes()
+        cold = profile_sync.upstream.NotCachedError("x.c not cached")
+        with mock.patch.object(profile_sync, "realign_prose", side_effect=[[], cold]), \
+                self.assertRaises(profile_sync.upstream.NotCachedError):
+            self._run(self._args(rebase_refs=True, dry_run=False), self._shifted())
+        self.assertEqual(self.path.read_bytes(), before)
+
     def test_rebase_states_the_move_and_leaves_the_file(self):
         before = self.path.read_text()
         output = self._run(self._args(rebase_refs=True), self._shifted())