diff --git a/docs/rfcs/0004-runtime-checkpoints.md b/docs/rfcs/0004-runtime-checkpoints.md
index 9d3bc175..e9ba649c 100644
--- a/docs/rfcs/0004-runtime-checkpoints.md
+++ b/docs/rfcs/0004-runtime-checkpoints.md
@@ -79,10 +79,14 @@ format, kind, internal identity consistency, current game/playthrough identity,
 map availability, integral in-bounds tile, facing, surfing, and synchronized save
 position.
 
-Validation codes are `invalid_checkpoint`, `unsupported_format`,
+Validation codes are `invalid_checkpoint`, `invalid_content`, `unsupported_format`,
 `unsupported_runtime_kind`, `wrong_game`, `wrong_playthrough`, `invalid_map`, and
 `invalid_position`, in addition to the capability refusal reasons.
 
+The canonical save validator runs against the detached record. Unlike ordinary
+CONTINUE, a checkpoint never accepts a quarantine, remap, reclaim, clamp, or
+repair: any such content change returns `invalid_content` before live mutation.
+
 The engine captures an in-memory rollback checkpoint, preserves current global
 options, then reconstructs semantic overworld state through
 `Game:restoreCheckpointSave`. Checkpoint entry suppresses normal map exit/entry
diff --git a/src/core/Checkpoint.lua b/src/core/Checkpoint.lua
index 07427c94..d1082855 100644
--- a/src/core/Checkpoint.lua
+++ b/src/core/Checkpoint.lua
@@ -195,6 +195,19 @@ local function validate(game, checkpoint)
       or runtime.x >= width * 2 or runtime.y >= height * 2 then
     return nil, "invalid_position", "Checkpoint position is outside the map."
   end
+
+  -- A checkpoint is a strict restoration record, not an ordinary CONTINUE
+  -- migration. Reuse the canonical save validator on the detached copy, but
+  -- reject any quarantine, remap, reclaim, clamp, or content repair it would
+  -- perform instead of silently changing the state the caller selected.
+  local beforeContent = SaveSerializer.encode(copy.save)
+  local validOk, report = pcall(SaveData.validate, copy.save, game.data)
+  local afterOk, afterContent = pcall(SaveSerializer.encode, copy.save)
+  if not validOk or not afterOk or not SaveData.emptyReport(report)
+      or afterContent ~= beforeContent then
+    return nil, "invalid_content",
+      "Checkpoint references unavailable or invalid game content."
+  end
   return copy
 end
 
diff --git a/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua b/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua
index 0feeed1c..3dd4aa09 100644
--- a/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua
+++ b/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ local function baseSave()
       name = "RED", rival = "BLUE", id = 7,
     },
     money = 3000,
-    party = { { species = "BULBASAUR", hp = 19, moves = { "TACKLE" } } },
+    party = { { species = "BULBASAUR", level = 5, hp = 19,
+      moves = { "TACKLE" } } },
     flags = { GOT_STARTER = true },
     inventory = { POTION = 1 },
     pcItems = {}, box = {}, boxes = {}, defeatedTrainers = {},
@@ -99,11 +100,18 @@ local function makeGame()
   end
   game = setmetatable({
     save = baseSave(), stack = stack, overworld = ow,
-    data = { maps = {
-      PALLET_TOWN = { id = "PALLET_TOWN", width = 10, height = 9 },
-      ROUTE_1 = { id = "ROUTE_1", width = 10, height = 18 },
-      BROKEN = { id = "BROKEN", width = 10, height = 9 },
-    } },
+    data = {
+      pokemon = { BULBASAUR = { dex = 1 } },
+      moves = { TACKLE = { pp = 35 } },
+      items = { POTION = {} },
+      constants = { fallbackMove = "TACKLE" },
+      field = { boot = { startMap = "PALLET_TOWN", startX = 5, startY = 6 } },
+      maps = {
+        PALLET_TOWN = { id = "PALLET_TOWN", width = 10, height = 9 },
+        ROUTE_1 = { id = "ROUTE_1", width = 10, height = 18 },
+        BROKEN = { id = "BROKEN", width = 10, height = 9 },
+      },
+    },
   }, { __index = GameMethods })
   stack.states[1] = ow
   return game, ow
@@ -261,6 +269,15 @@ T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "invalid_map",
 T.same(checkpoints:capture(game), beforeRejected,
   "validation failures leave the live state unchanged")
 
+local invalidGame = makeGame()
+local badSpecies = checkpoints:capture(invalidGame)
+badSpecies.save.party[1].species = "MISSING_SPECIES"
+restored, restoreCode = checkpoints:restore(invalidGame, badSpecies)
+T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "invalid_content",
+  "unknown Pokemon content is rejected before reconstruction")
+T.eq(invalidGame.save.party[1].species, "BULBASAUR",
+  "invalid Pokemon content leaves the live party unchanged")
+
 -- A reconstruction exception rolls back to the exact pre-operation state.
 local target = checkpoints:capture(game)
 target.runtime.overworld.map = "BROKEN"