diff --git a/internal/cli/delete.go b/internal/cli/delete.go
index a88e213..cf27d6a 100644
--- a/internal/cli/delete.go
+++ b/internal/cli/delete.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ var (
 var (
 	osExecutable = os.Executable
 	osRemoveAll  = os.RemoveAll
+	osStat       = os.Stat
 )
 
 // deleteOpts bundles the `tracebloc delete` flags.
@@ -382,7 +383,19 @@ func removeHostDataDir() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return osRemoveAll(dir)
+	if err := osRemoveAll(dir); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// Verify the directory is actually gone before the caller prints "✔ Removed".
+	// A nil RemoveAll is not proof the tree is absent — a racing writer, a mount,
+	// or a masked partial failure can leave it present — and claiming a clean wipe
+	// we didn't achieve is exactly the offboard-hygiene gap RFC-0003 flags.
+	if _, statErr := osStat(dir); statErr == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s still present after removal", dir)
+	} else if !errors.Is(statErr, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("verifying removal of %s: %w", dir, statErr)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // hostDataDirDisplay is the data dir for a user-facing hint; falls back to the
diff --git a/internal/cli/delete_test.go b/internal/cli/delete_test.go
index 9b9948a..48ec1da 100644
--- a/internal/cli/delete_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/delete_test.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ type fakeNodeboot struct {
 	pruneErr      error
 	removedPaths  []string
 	removeErr     map[string]error // path → error to return from osRemoveAll
+	statPresent   bool             // when true, osStat reports the data dir still exists after rm
 	executable    string
 	executableErr error
 	// Kubeconfig/context the uninstall seam was handed — so a test can prove the
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ type fakeNodeboot struct {
 func (f *fakeNodeboot) install(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Helper()
 	origU, origT, origP := uninstallChart, teardownCluster, pruneImages
-	origExe, origRm := osExecutable, osRemoveAll
+	origExe, origRm, origStat := osExecutable, osRemoveAll, osStat
 	uninstallChart = func(_ context.Context, ns, kubeconfig, kubeContext string) error {
 		f.calls = append(f.calls, "uninstall:"+ns)
 		f.uninstallKubeconfig, f.uninstallContext = kubeconfig, kubeContext
@@ -78,9 +79,19 @@ func (f *fakeNodeboot) install(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
+	// osStat backs removeHostDataDir's verify-before-success. Default: the data dir
+	// is gone (ErrNotExist) so a clean wipe reports success. statPresent flips it to
+	// "still there" so a test can prove the CLI does NOT claim ✔ on an unverified wipe.
+	osStat = func(path string) (os.FileInfo, error) {
+		f.calls = append(f.calls, "stat:"+path)
+		if f.statPresent {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		return nil, os.ErrNotExist
+	}
 	t.Cleanup(func() {
 		uninstallChart, teardownCluster, pruneImages = origU, origT, origP
-		osExecutable, osRemoveAll = origExe, origRm
+		osExecutable, osRemoveAll, osStat = origExe, origRm, origStat
 	})
 }
 
@@ -402,6 +413,36 @@ func TestDelete_WipeFails_StillClearsPointer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// A nil RemoveAll is not proof the wipe happened: if the data dir is still present
+// afterwards, delete must NOT print "✔ Removed" — it must warn and flag degraded,
+// so offboard never claims a clean slate it didn't achieve (RFC-0003).
+func TestDelete_WipeUnverified_DoesNotClaimSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	withClientBackend(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		switch {
+		case r.Method == http.MethodGet && r.URL.Path == "/edge-device/":
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`[{"id":5,"first_name":"gpu-box-01","namespace":"gpu-box-01","status":0}]`))
+		case r.Method == http.MethodPost && strings.Contains(r.URL.Path, "/revoke"):
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		}
+	})
+	setActiveForDelete(t, "5", "gpu-box-01", "gpu-box-01")
+	exe := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "tracebloc")
+	// osRemoveAll returns nil (no removeErr), but osStat reports the dir still present.
+	fn := &fakeNodeboot{executable: exe, statPresent: true}
+	fn.install(t)
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	if err := runDelete(context.Background(), ui.New(&out), nil, deleteOpts{yes: true}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("offboard: %v", err)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(out.String(), "Removed local tracebloc data and config") {
+		t.Errorf("must NOT claim a clean wipe when the dir is still present:\n%s", out.String())
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(out.String(), "Couldn't remove local data") {
+		t.Errorf("expected the unverified-wipe warning, got:\n%s", out.String())
+	}
+}
+
 // When a teardown step leaves real state behind, the closing line must NOT claim a
 // clean offboard — it should flag that some cleanup didn't complete.
 func TestDelete_TeardownFailure_HonestClosing(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/cli/testdata/golden/zz-all-strings.golden b/internal/cli/testdata/golden/zz-all-strings.golden
index 009e713..708a194 100644
--- a/internal/cli/testdata/golden/zz-all-strings.golden
+++ b/internal/cli/testdata/golden/zz-all-strings.golden
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ screen. %s/%d are runtime placeholders.
 "%s of %s GiB"
 "%s of %s cores"
 "%s requires CLIENT_WRITE permission"
+"%s still present after removal"
 "%s unreachable: %v"
 "%s · %d"
 "%s · Online%s"
@@ -579,6 +580,7 @@ screen. %s/%d are runtime placeholders.
 "unavailable"
 "unknown command %q for %q"
 "values:"
+"verifying removal of %s: %w"
 "waiting for ingestor Pod: %w"
 "waiting for staging-cleanup pod: %w"
 "waiting for teardown pod: %w"