diff --git a/crates/coa-core/examples/portable_smoke.rs b/crates/coa-core/examples/portable_smoke.rs
index 73a4ad2..f4fc5a9 100644
--- a/crates/coa-core/examples/portable_smoke.rs
+++ b/crates/coa-core/examples/portable_smoke.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,14 @@ fn with_profile(db: &Db, store: &mut Store, base: &ImportOptions, data_dir: &str
     }
     let registry = coa_core::portable::extension::ExtensionRegistry::new();
     let mut ra = ra_port.and_then(|port| std::env::var("COA_RA_PASSWORD").ok().and_then(|pw| coa_core::ra::Ra::connect_to(port, ra_user, &pw).ok()));
-    let caps = realm::profile::probe_capabilities(db, Some(std::path::Path::new(data_dir)), ra.as_mut(), &registry).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let mut caps = realm::profile::probe_capabilities(db, Some(std::path::Path::new(data_dir)), ra.as_mut(), &registry).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    if ra.is_none() {
+        let remembered = store.realm_profile(server).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+        caps = realm::profile::with_remembered_progression(caps, remembered.as_ref()).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+        if caps.progression.is_none() {
+            eprintln!("realm {server}: its progression (level cap) has never been read from a running core: start it once and run `capabilities` with --ra-port");
+        }
+    }
     let change = store.set_realm_profile(server, &caps, if ra.is_some() { "live" } else { "offline" }).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     eprintln!("realm {server}: content profile {}{}", &caps.content_profile_hash[..16], if change.changed() { " (new or changed)" } else { "" });
     Ok(ImportOptions { capabilities: Some(std::sync::Arc::new(caps)), extensions: Some(std::sync::Arc::new(registry)), ..base.clone() })
@@ -268,7 +275,7 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), String> {
                 _ if store.server_mappings(model.character_id).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?.iter().any(|m| &m.server_id == server) => coa_core::portable::compat::Operation::Update,
                 _ => coa_core::portable::compat::Operation::OfflineImport,
             };
-            let report = coa_core::portable::compat::evaluate(&coa_core::portable::compat::Inputs { operation, model: &model, capabilities: &caps, knowledge: opts.knowledge.as_deref(), collections: &[], extensions: opts.extensions.as_deref(), projection_decider: opts.projection.is_some() || matches!(operation, coa_core::portable::compat::Operation::OnlineImport) });
+            let report = coa_core::portable::compat::evaluate(&coa_core::portable::compat::Inputs { operation, model: &model, capabilities: &caps, knowledge: opts.knowledge.as_deref(), collections: &[], extensions: opts.extensions.as_deref(), projection_decider: opts.projection.is_some() || matches!(operation, coa_core::portable::compat::Operation::OnlineImport | coa_core::portable::compat::Operation::RuntimeSession) && ra_port.is_some() });
             println!("{} on {server} (content profile {}): {:?}", report.operation, &caps.content_profile_hash[..16], report.verdict());
             for o in &report.outcomes {
                 println!("  {o}");
diff --git a/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/profile.rs b/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/profile.rs
index 78d5ddc..e1b3a93 100644
--- a/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/profile.rs
+++ b/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/profile.rs
@@ -96,6 +96,21 @@ pub fn probe_capabilities(db: &Db, data_dir: Option<&Path>, ra: Option<&mut Ra>,
     assemble(db, &schema, data_dir, report.as_ref(), registry)
 }
 
+/// A profile assembled without the realm's core (a stopped realm) knows nothing of its progression. The progression the realm's core last
+/// reported live (remembered in the store) is the best there is: the profile gets it, and the core still refuses a character prepared for
+/// another progression at login, so a realm whose rules changed since is caught, not trusted.
+pub fn with_remembered_progression(offline: RealmCapabilities, remembered: Option<&RealmCapabilities>) -> Result<RealmCapabilities> {
+    let Some(progression) = remembered.and_then(|r| r.progression.clone()) else { return Ok(offline) };
+    if offline.progression.is_some() {
+        return Ok(offline);
+    }
+    let mut content = offline.content.clone();
+    if remembered.is_some_and(|r| r.content.supports(Feature::LevelProjection)) {
+        content.features.insert(Feature::LevelProjection);
+    }
+    RealmCapabilities::build(offline.core.clone(), content, Some(progression))
+}
+
 /// The table-level view an adapter needs to say whether its module is present, before any character is involved.
 struct NoRealm<'a> {
     probe: &'a SchemaProbe,
diff --git a/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/project.rs b/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/project.rs
index aa6bacc..8a4a8d7 100644
--- a/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/project.rs
+++ b/crates/coa-core/src/portable/realm/project.rs
@@ -234,6 +234,22 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(matches!(plan_with(&c, 3, Some(&unknown), None), Err(PortableError::ProgressionChanged(_))));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_stopped_realm_keeps_the_progression_its_core_last_reported() {
+        use super::super::profile::with_remembered_progression;
+        let live = caps(60, SIG);
+        let mut offline = live.clone();
+        offline.progression = None;
+        offline.content.features.remove(&Feature::LevelProjection);
+        let offline = RealmCapabilities::build(None, offline.content, None).unwrap();
+        assert!(offline.needs_reprobe());
+        let merged = with_remembered_progression(offline.clone(), Some(&live)).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(merged.progression, live.progression);
+        assert!(merged.content.supports(Feature::LevelProjection));
+        assert!(with_remembered_progression(offline.clone(), None).unwrap().needs_reprobe(), "nothing remembered, nothing invented");
+        assert_eq!(with_remembered_progression(live.clone(), Some(&caps(70, &"ab".repeat(32)))).unwrap(), live, "a live profile keeps its own");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn a_query_job_names_its_character_and_its_hash() {
         let c = geared_level_eighty();