diff --git a/tools/estuary_probe.py b/tools/estuary_probe.py
index 1c9b00a..f3e61dd 100644
--- a/tools/estuary_probe.py
+++ b/tools/estuary_probe.py
@@ -135,8 +135,27 @@ def main() -> None:
     if not failed:
         print("  no failed images found")
     else:
-        target = failed[0]
-        print(f"  refused file: {target}\n")
+        # The failures are two different classes and only one is interesting.
+        # A deleted file 404s on /files/{id}; a refused one answers 200. Testing
+        # a deleted file here proves nothing, so pick a refused one.
+        target = None
+        for candidate in failed:
+            try:
+                provider._pace()
+                meta = provider._session.request(
+                    "GET", f"{BASE_URL}/files/{candidate}", timeout=30
+                )
+            except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - diagnostic
+                continue
+            if meta.status_code == 200:
+                target = candidate
+                break
+            print(f"  (skipping {candidate[:28]}… — deleted, {meta.status_code})")
+
+        if target is None:
+            print("  every failure is a deleted file; nothing in the refused class")
+            return
+        print(f"\n  refused file: {target}  (exists, download refused)\n")
         for label, url in [
             ("estuary/files/{id}/download", f"{BASE_URL}/estuary/files/{target}/download"),
             ("estuary/files/{id}", f"{BASE_URL}/estuary/files/{target}"),
@@ -145,9 +164,28 @@ def main() -> None:
             ("estuary/{id}", f"{BASE_URL}/estuary/{target}"),
             ("estuary/download?id=", f"{BASE_URL}/estuary/download?id={target}"),
             ("files/{id}/download?v=0", f"{BASE_URL}/files/{target}/download?v=0"),
+            # Validation asked only for id, p and ts — never sig. Perhaps the
+            # signature is enforced elsewhere, or not at all for an owner.
+            ("estuary/content (no sig)", f"{BASE_URL}/estuary/content?id={target}&p=fs&cid=1&v=0&ts=496382"),
         ]:
             call(label, url)
 
+        # Does a working file's freshly minted URL serve if we swap in the
+        # refused id? If it does, the signature is not bound to the file.
+        if working:
+            try:
+                provider._pace()
+                resp = provider._session.request(
+                    "GET", f"{BASE_URL}/files/{working}/download", timeout=30
+                )
+                minted = (resp.json() or {}).get("download_url") if resp.status_code == 200 else None
+            except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - diagnostic
+                minted = None
+            if minted:
+                swapped = re.sub(r"id=file_[0-9a-f]+", f"id={target}", minted)
+                print()
+                call("working file's URL, refused id swapped in", swapped)
+
     # ── C. replay a pasted URL through our session ─────────────────────────
     if pasted:
         print()