diff --git a/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy b/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy
index 68e1e1d..8e31c8b 100755
--- a/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy
+++ b/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy
@@ -4991,6 +4991,10 @@ def load_artifact(artifact, work_dir):
             and not is_engine_mcp_control_plane_slice(manifest["component"], entries)
             and not is_engine_mcp_ontology_sdk_slice(manifest["component"], entries)
             and not is_engine_mcp_autonomy_provider_v5_slice(manifest["component"], entries)
+            and not is_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics_slice(
+                manifest["component"],
+                entries,
+            )
         ):
             die("Engine node-intelligence payload requires the canonical transition")
         if is_engine_node_intelligence_transition(manifest["component"], entries):
diff --git a/infra/deploy-runner/test_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics.py b/infra/deploy-runner/test_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics.py
index 62d430e..8042aa6 100644
--- a/infra/deploy-runner/test_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics.py
+++ b/infra/deploy-runner/test_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics.py
@@ -82,6 +82,16 @@ class EngineProviderAuthorityDiagnosticsTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 ("http://127.0.0.1:3001/health",),
             )
             RUNNER.validate_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics_slice(payload, entries)
+            loaded_manifest, loaded_entries, loaded_payload = RUNNER.load_artifact(
+                first_artifact,
+                root / "loaded",
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(loaded_manifest["component"], "engine")
+            self.assertEqual(tuple(loaded_entries), entries)
+            RUNNER.validate_engine_provider_authority_diagnostics_slice(
+                loaded_payload,
+                loaded_entries,
+            )
 
     def test_preflight_requires_the_exact_deployed_predecessor(self):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="nodedc-provider-authority-preflight-") as directory: