diff --git a/scripts/game_state.gd b/scripts/game_state.gd
index a385329..1a5dad4 100644
--- a/scripts/game_state.gd
+++ b/scripts/game_state.gd
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ var use_local_storage := false
 # a browser (see tests/test_local_storage_load_validation.gd).
 var _local_storage_reader: Callable = Callable(self, "_local_storage_read")
 
+# Function-pointer hook for the save path. Defaults to _save_game_impl (the
+# real write). Tests inject a stub here so they can force a failed write and
+# count invocations without touching the filesystem (issue #379).
+var _save_game_hook: Callable = Callable(self, "_save_game_impl")
+
 var _backup_counter := 0
 
 func _ready() -> void:
@@ -101,6 +106,9 @@ func _read_json_file(path: String) -> Variant:
 	return JSON.parse_string(text)
 
 func save_game(data: Dictionary, path: String = "") -> bool:
+	return _save_game_hook.call(data, path)
+
+func _save_game_impl(data: Dictionary, path: String = "") -> bool:
 	var target_path := path if not path.is_empty() else SAVE_PATH
 	var payload := JSON.stringify(data)
 	if use_local_storage:
diff --git a/scripts/main.gd b/scripts/main.gd
index 713a74b..6b8ede3 100644
--- a/scripts/main.gd
+++ b/scripts/main.gd
@@ -1792,17 +1792,23 @@ func push_event(text: String) -> void:
 ## Save the colony. Debounced on the tick path; pass force=true for explicit
 ## user actions (save/recruit/placement) and on quit so nothing is lost.
 func persist(force := false) -> bool:
-	if not sim.dirty:
+	# A forced save (explicit Save click, recruit, placement, quit) must
+	# always re-attempt the write, even if a previous write failed and left
+	# sim.dirty cleared (issue #379). Only the non-forced tick path may skip
+	# when nothing has changed since the last persist.
+	if not force and not sim.dirty:
 		return true
 	if not force and tick - _last_persist_tick < PERSIST_INTERVAL_TICKS:
 		return true
-	sim.dirty = false
 	_last_persist_tick = tick
 	# Stamp the save version so future migrations can detect the format.
 	state["priority_order"] = priority_order.duplicate()
 	state["dock_anchor"] = String(settings.get("dock_anchor", "bottom"))
 	state["save_version"] = GameState.SAVE_VERSION
 	if not GameState.save_game(state):
+		# Keep sim.dirty set so the next forced save (or the next tick path
+		# once the sim mutates) re-attempts the write instead of reporting
+		# success without writing (issue #379).
 		# Surface the failure to the player exactly once per failed run, so
 		# a long streak of debounced failed ticks doesn't spam the feed.
 		# Subsequent ticks keep trying; we only re-announce when a save has
@@ -1811,6 +1817,8 @@ func persist(force := false) -> bool:
 			_persist_failure_announced = true
 			push_event("Save failed: colony progress is not being persisted.")
 		return false
+	# Only clear the dirty flag once the write actually succeeded.
+	sim.dirty = false
 	_persist_failure_announced = false
 	return true
 
diff --git a/tests/test_save_failure_surfaced.gd b/tests/test_save_failure_surfaced.gd
index 691df68..91a0fc7 100644
--- a/tests/test_save_failure_surfaced.gd
+++ b/tests/test_save_failure_surfaced.gd
@@ -9,8 +9,15 @@ extends "res://tests/test_case.gd"
 #   3. _write_text_file returns false on an unwritable path
 #   4. save_game returns false when the underlying write fails
 #   5. save_game returns true when the underlying write succeeds
+#   6. (issue #379) a second forced Save after a failed write re-attempts the
+#      write instead of reporting success without saving
 # =============================================================================
 
+# Count of GameState.save_game invocations while a forced-failure hook is
+# installed (Flow 6). A member (not a local) so the injected lambda can mutate
+# it — a lambda captures `self`, not enclosing locals.
+var _save_call_count := 0
+
 func run_tests() -> void:
 	# Autoloads are not running in --script mode — instantiate game_state.gd
 	# manually (same pattern as test_save_backup.gd).
@@ -23,6 +30,7 @@ func run_tests() -> void:
 	flow_write_text_file_returns_false_for_unwritable_path(gs)
 	flow_save_game_returns_false_when_write_fails(gs)
 	flow_save_game_returns_true_on_successful_write(gs)
+	flow_second_save_click_retries_after_failure()
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -85,4 +93,73 @@ func flow_save_game_returns_true_on_successful_write(gs: Node) -> void:
 	var dir := DirAccess.open("user://")
 	if dir != null and dir.file_exists(tmp):
 		dir.remove(tmp)
-	gs.use_local_storage = saved_local
\ No newline at end of file
+	gs.use_local_storage = saved_local
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Flow 6: (issue #379) a second forced Save after a failed write re-attempts
+# the write instead of reporting success without saving.
+#
+# persist() used to clear sim.dirty *before* the write, so after a failed
+# write a fast second Save click hit the `if not sim.dirty: return true`
+# early-return and the caller pushed "Game saved" without writing. Now the
+# dirty flag only clears on a successful write, so a forced save always
+# re-invokes GameState.save_game.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func flow_second_save_click_retries_after_failure() -> void:
+	print("\n=== Flow 6: second forced Save re-attempts after a failed write ===")
+	# main.gd references the GameState autoload — load at runtime, not preload.
+	var main_script: GDScript = load("res://scripts/main.gd")
+	var main: Control = main_script.new()
+	# The GameState autoload is registered once the engine has booted, so
+	# persist() writes through it. Force every write to fail and count calls.
+	var gs: Node = root.get_node("GameState")
+	_save_call_count = 0
+	gs._save_game_hook = func(_data: Dictionary, _path: String) -> bool:
+		_save_call_count += 1
+		return false
+
+	main.state = {"tick": 0, "events": []}
+	main._mark_dirty()
+
+	# First explicit Save click: the write fails.
+	var first: bool = main.persist(true)
+	assert_false(first, "first forced persist returns false when the write fails")
+	assert_eq(_save_call_count, 1, "first forced persist invoked GameState.save_game once")
+	# The core fix: dirty must stay set so the next forced save re-attempts.
+	assert_true(main.sim.dirty, "sim.dirty stays true after a failed write")
+
+	# Second explicit Save click immediately after the failure. Before the fix
+	# this hit the dirty-skip early-return and returned true (→ "Game saved").
+	var second: bool = main.persist(true)
+	assert_false(second, "second forced persist returns false (re-attempts, does not report success)")
+	assert_eq(_save_call_count, 2, "second forced persist re-invoked GameState.save_game")
+	assert_true(main.sim.dirty, "sim.dirty still true after the second failed write")
+
+	# The success branch (the only place "Game saved" is pushed) must not have
+	# fired for either click.
+	assert_false(
+		_events_contain(main.state.get("events", []), "Game saved"),
+		"no 'Game saved' event was pushed after failed writes"
+	)
+
+	# Once the write succeeds, a forced persist clears the dirty flag.
+	gs._save_game_hook = func(_data: Dictionary, _path: String) -> bool:
+		_save_call_count += 1
+		return true
+	var recovered: bool = main.persist(true)
+	assert_true(recovered, "forced persist returns true once the write succeeds")
+	assert_false(main.sim.dirty, "sim.dirty clears on a successful write")
+
+	# Restore the real save path for any later flow.
+	gs._save_game_hook = Callable(gs, "_save_game_impl")
+	main.free()
+
+
+## True when any event's text contains `needle`.
+func _events_contain(events: Array, needle: String) -> bool:
+	for entry in events:
+		if String(entry.get("text", "")).contains(needle):
+			return true
+	return false
\ No newline at end of file