Recoverability
Understand the Lazarus Window, what a guardian can stop and why a final transfer cannot be undone by changing a database record.
Recovery is a property of the rail
A payment can only be recovered if the execution mechanism still gives someone the authority to recover it.
Elpis distinguishes internal moves, staged escrow, conditional recovery and irreversible execution. A label in the console doesn't itself move funds back. It tells you which mechanism to inspect.
| Class | Typical mechanism | What it implies |
|---|---|---|
R1 | Internal move, reallocation or recall | No external recipient has final control. |
R2 | Cancellable escrow window | Recoverability depends on the staged contract state. |
R3 | Conditional or partial compensation | Recovery may require a counterpart's cooperation or a separate action. |
R4 | Irreversible transfer | No automatic reversal. Treat as high authority. |
The Lazarus Window
The Lazarus Window describes the period and conditions under which a staged payment can be held, canceled, or evaluated under its vault's rules. Exact powers depend on the deployed contract, guardian, deadline and state.
A valid condition can produce a release decision, but release still requires the authorized escrow path. A missed deadline can produce a refund decision under supported rules; verify that an actual refund transaction was confirmed before declaring funds returned.
Guardian and approvals
A guardian may have pause or cancel powers on supported vaults. That does not make it the owner of the funds. Verify exactly which functions the deployed contract grants the guardian address.
Use Recovery windows, Recovery controls, and the ledger to inspect ongoing incidents.
When a payment looks wrong
First establish the state: proposed, held for approval, staged in escrow, submitted or confirmed. Then use the appropriate refusal, pause, cancel or separate compensation mechanism. Keep the incident and its subsequent chain receipts visible.
For broader rules, see Spending controls, Payment lifecycle and Security boundaries.