diff --git a/apps/api/src/domains/couples/repository.ts b/apps/api/src/domains/couples/repository.ts
index 4f6e46b..819aa89 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/domains/couples/repository.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/domains/couples/repository.ts
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ export class PostgresCoupleRepository implements CoupleRepository {
       }
 
       const members = await client.query<{ id: string }>(
-        'select id from profiles where couple_id = $1 for update',
+        'select id from profiles where couple_id = $1',
         [profile.couple_id],
       );
       if (members.rows.length > 1) {
@@ -299,8 +299,9 @@ export class PostgresCoupleRepository implements CoupleRepository {
       }
 
       // At this point the couple has precisely the authenticated creator as a
-      // member. Removing it cannot delete paired data, and the foreign key
-      // clears the creator's couple_id while leaving sealed answers intact.
+      // member. Removing it cannot delete paired data. Answers made before
+      // invite creation stay sealed; answers made while waiting are coupled
+      // and are deleted with the cancelled invite.
       await client.query('delete from couples where id = $1', [profile.couple_id]);
     });
   }
diff --git a/apps/api/test/couples.repository.integration.test.ts b/apps/api/test/couples.repository.integration.test.ts
index e7fc324..d0fbed5 100644
--- a/apps/api/test/couples.repository.integration.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/test/couples.repository.integration.test.ts
@@ -70,12 +70,30 @@ describe.skipIf(!databaseUrl || !localDatabase)('PostgresCoupleRepository', () =
 
   it('cancels a waiting invite only for its creator', async () => {
     const coupleId = 'bbbbbbbb-bbbb-4bbb-8bbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb';
+    const pack = 'abababab-abab-4bab-8bab-abababababab';
+    const sealedQuestion = 'acacacac-acac-4cac-8cac-acacacacacac';
+    const waitingQuestion = 'adadadad-adad-4dad-8dad-adadadadadad';
+    await pool.query('insert into question_packs(id, name) values ($1, $2)', [pack, 'Invite cancellation']);
+    await pool.query(
+      'insert into questions(id, pack_id, text) values ($1, $3, $2), ($4, $3, $5)',
+      [sealedQuestion, 'Sealed before invite', pack, waitingQuestion, 'Answered while waiting'],
+    );
+    await pool.query(
+      "insert into responses(id, user_id, question_id, couple_id, answer) values ($1, $2, $3, null, 'yes')",
+      [randomUUID(), charlie, sealedQuestion],
+    );
     await repository.create(charlie, coupleId, 'WAIT2345');
+    await pool.query(
+      "insert into responses(id, user_id, question_id, couple_id, answer) values ($1, $2, $3, $4, 'no')",
+      [randomUUID(), charlie, waitingQuestion, coupleId],
+    );
 
     await repository.cancelInvite(charlie);
 
-    await expect(repository.getState(charlie)).resolves.toEqual({ couple: null, partner: null, sealed_count: 0 });
+    await expect(repository.getState(charlie)).resolves.toEqual({ couple: null, partner: null, sealed_count: 1 });
     expect((await pool.query('select count(*)::int as count from couples where id = $1', [coupleId])).rows[0].count).toBe(0);
+    expect((await pool.query('select count(*)::int as count from responses where question_id = $1', [sealedQuestion])).rows[0].count).toBe(1);
+    expect((await pool.query('select count(*)::int as count from responses where question_id = $1', [waitingQuestion])).rows[0].count).toBe(0);
   });
 
   it('never deletes a joined couple through the invite cancellation path', async () => {
diff --git a/docs/couple-pairing.md b/docs/couple-pairing.md
index 14a1343..4fa4a14 100644
--- a/docs/couple-pairing.md
+++ b/docs/couple-pairing.md
@@ -199,8 +199,9 @@ This prevents race conditions where multiple users try to join simultaneously.
 The invite journey leads with the shared outcome, then shows the recoverable
 eight-character code. It offers both a bare-code copy and a full
 `https://sauci.app/join/{code}` link copy. Cancelling an invite warns that it
-removes only an unjoined invite and retains sealed answers. The five-second
-poll surfaces an inline offline state but continues retrying.
+removes only an unjoined invite. Sealed answers made before invite creation
+remain, while answers made while waiting are deleted with the invite. The
+five-second poll surfaces an inline offline state but continues retrying.
 
 When pairing succeeds, both members are routed once per account and couple to
 the `/(app)/paired` payoff screen. It reads only `newMatchesCount`: it never