diff --git a/internal/apply/process.go b/internal/apply/process.go
index e2f37a6..b3c5978 100644
--- a/internal/apply/process.go
+++ b/internal/apply/process.go
@@ -303,10 +303,11 @@ func unitValue(key, value string) string {
 // have all vanished is forgotten rather than reported as removed.
 func removeProcess(ctx context.Context, a store.Applied, run Runner) (string, string, error) {
 	name := a.Target
-	if name == "" || strings.ContainsAny(name, "/ \t") {
-		// The name is a unit name and a directory under the mesh's own. One that could climb out
-		// of either is refused rather than acted on, whatever wrote it into the record.
-		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("a process recorded under %q cannot be removed by name", name)
+	if problem := declaration.ProcessNameProblem(name); problem != "" {
+		// The name is a unit name and a directory under the mesh's own, and what goes is that
+		// directory, whole. One that could climb out of either — ".." is the mesh's own directory's
+		// parent — is refused rather than acted on, whatever wrote it into the record.
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("a process recorded under %q cannot be removed by name: %s", name, problem)
 	}
 	found := false
 	for _, unit := range []string{name + ".timer", name + ".service"} {
diff --git a/internal/apply/process_test.go b/internal/apply/process_test.go
index 93dca73..7f055f7 100644
--- a/internal/apply/process_test.go
+++ b/internal/apply/process_test.go
@@ -224,3 +224,35 @@ func TestAnUndeclaredProcessIsRemovedWithItsUnitAndBundle(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("removing a process that is already gone failed: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAProcessRecordedUnderAPathlikeNameIsRefusedNotRemoved(t *testing.T) {
+	// filepath.Join(daemonRoot, "..") is the mesh's own directory, and removal deletes what that
+	// names, whole. A record is what some host wrote, perhaps under looser rules than today's, so
+	// the removal holds the name to the declaration's rule again (novox/hq ADR 0118).
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	bundles := filepath.Join(root, "daemons")
+	wasUnits, wasBundles := unitDir, daemonRoot
+	unitDir, daemonRoot = t.TempDir(), bundles
+	t.Cleanup(func() { unitDir, daemonRoot = wasUnits, wasBundles })
+	precious := filepath.Join(root, "state.json")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(bundles, "other"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(precious, []byte("{}"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, name := range []string{"..", ".", "", "-x"} {
+		known := store.State{Resources: []store.Applied{{ID: "p", Type: "process", Target: name}}}
+		d := parse(t, `{"declaration":1,"resources":[
+		  {"id":"f","type":"file","path":"`+filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a")+`","content":"a\n"}
+		]}`)
+		if _, _, err := Apply(context.Background(), archHost(t), d, known, store.OriginCarried, noServices, nil, nil); err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("a process recorded as %q was removed by name", name)
+		}
+		for _, still := range []string{precious, filepath.Join(bundles, "other")} {
+			if _, err := os.Stat(still); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("removing a process recorded as %q took %s with it", name, still)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/declaration/declaration.go b/internal/declaration/declaration.go
index 5ba9091..5cc738f 100644
--- a/internal/declaration/declaration.go
+++ b/internal/declaration/declaration.go
@@ -575,16 +575,34 @@ func (d *Process) Identity() string { return d.ID }
 func (d *Process) Kind() Type       { return TypeProcess }
 func (d *Process) Target() string   { return d.Name }
 
+// ProcessNameProblem says what is wrong with a process name, or nothing.
+//
+// The name becomes a unit name, a file under the unit directory and a directory under the mesh's
+// own — the one removing the process deletes, whole (novox/hq ADR 0118). So a name that is not one
+// plain path element is refused: with a separator it writes somewhere nobody meant, and "." or
+// ".." IS the mesh's directory or its parent — removing a process named ".." would delete every
+// bundle the mesh has, and more. One with a leading dash is read by the service manager as an
+// option, not a unit. Exported because the removal checks the recorded name again: a record is
+// what the host wrote, and a host of an older version wrote it under looser rules.
+func ProcessNameProblem(name string) string {
+	switch {
+	case name == "":
+		return "a process needs a name, which is what its unit is called"
+	case strings.ContainsAny(name, "/ \t"):
+		return "a process name becomes a unit name, so it cannot contain a path separator or a space"
+	case name == "." || name == "..":
+		return fmt.Sprintf("a process name becomes a directory under the mesh's own, and %q would be "+
+			"that directory or its parent", name)
+	case strings.HasPrefix(name, "-"):
+		return "a process name cannot begin with a dash: the service manager would read it as an option"
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 func (d *Process) validate(where string, _ bool) []string {
 	var problems []string
-	if d.Name == "" {
-		problems = append(problems, where+": a process needs a name, which is what its unit is called")
-	}
-	if strings.ContainsAny(d.Name, "/ \t") {
-		// It becomes a unit name and a file on disk. A name with a separator in it would write
-		// somewhere nobody meant.
-		problems = append(problems, where+": a process name becomes a unit name, so it cannot "+
-			"contain a path separator or a space")
+	if problem := ProcessNameProblem(d.Name); problem != "" {
+		problems = append(problems, where+": "+problem)
 	}
 	if d.Source == "" {
 		problems = append(problems, where+": a process needs somewhere to fetch its bundle from")
diff --git a/internal/declaration/process_test.go b/internal/declaration/process_test.go
index c52519f..9a7c7e9 100644
--- a/internal/declaration/process_test.go
+++ b/internal/declaration/process_test.go
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ func TestAProcessMustSayWhatToRun(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Its name becomes a unit name and a path, so a separator in it would write somewhere nobody meant.
 func TestAProcesssNameCannotEscapeItsUnit(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, bad := range []string{"", "../escape", "two words", "a/b"} {
+	// "." and ".." are one path element each, and the mesh's own bundle directory and its parent:
+	// removing a process named ".." would delete every bundle the mesh has, and more (novox/hq ADR
+	// 0118). A leading dash is an option to the service manager, not a unit.
+	for _, bad := range []string{"", "../escape", "two words", "a/b", ".", "..", "-", "--now"} {
 		d := aProcess()
 		d.Name = bad
 		if problems := d.validate("a process", false); len(problems) == 0 {