diff --git a/.github/copilot-instructions.md b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
index 07a9305..20edbcb 100644
--- a/.github/copilot-instructions.md
+++ b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
@@ -26,26 +26,26 @@ When generating code for this repository:
 ## Project Structure
 
 ```
-gpsmap/                # Repository root (install to plugins/gpsmap/ in Cacti)
-├── class/             # Supporting PHP classes
+gpsmap/                  # Repository root (install to plugins/gpsmap/ in Cacti)
+├── class/               # Supporting PHP classes
 ├── includes/
 │   ├── setup/
-│   │   ├── tabs.php        # top_header_tabs / top_graph_header_tabs callback
-│   │   ├── settings.php    # config_arrays/config_settings/draw_navigation_text/api_device_save
-│   │   └── database.php    # gpsmap_setup_database() / gpsmap_upgrade_database()
-│   └── polling.php    # poller_bottom callback, writes map XML/KML/HTML
-├── images/             # Marker icons (Green/Orange/Red)
-├── js/                 # GPSMaps.js, infobubble.js
-├── locales/            # Internationalization files
-├── tests/              # Test suite
-├── XML/                # Poller-generated map artifacts (all.xml, all.kml, all-top.html)
-├── gpsmap.php          # Main map view page
+│   │   ├── tabs.php     # top_header_tabs / top_graph_header_tabs callback
+│   │   ├── settings.php # config_arrays/config_settings/draw_navigation_text/api_device_save
+│   │   └── database.php # gpsmap_setup_database() / gpsmap_upgrade_database()
+│   └── polling.php      # poller_bottom callback, writes map XML/KML/HTML
+├── images/              # Marker icons (Green/Orange/Red)
+├── js/                  # GPSMaps.js, infobubble.js
+├── locales/             # Internationalization files
+├── tests/               # Test suite
+├── XML/                 # Poller-generated map artifacts (all.xml, all.kml, all-top.html)
+├── gpsmap.php           # Main map view page
 ├── gpsmap_security.php # Access/permission helpers
-├── gpstemplates.php    # Map template administration
-├── print.php           # Print-friendly map view
-├── INFO                # Plugin metadata (name, version, compat)
+├── gpstemplates.php     # Map template administration
+├── print.php            # Print-friendly map view
+├── INFO                 # Plugin metadata (name, version, compat)
 ├── README.md
-└── setup.php           # Plugin install/uninstall/upgrade hooks
+└── setup.php            # Plugin install/uninstall/upgrade hooks
 ```
 
 ## Naming Conventions
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ function gpsmap_check_upgrade() {
 	$old     = read_config_option('plugin_gpsmap_version', TRUE);
 
 	if ($current != $old) {
-		include_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/database.php');
+		require_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/database.php');
 		gpsmap_upgrade_database();
 	}
 }
@@ -244,6 +244,10 @@ existing code or adding new code, not just in dedicated cleanup passes:
 - **i18n text domain.** Every `__()`/`__esc()` call must include this plugin's text domain as the
   final argument, except when deliberately comparing against a literal, untranslated Cacti-core
   label.
+- **File inclusion uses `require`/`require_once`.** Always use `require`/`require_once` (never
+  `include`/`include_once`) so a missing dependency fails fast and loudly. This plugin already keeps
+  its library/helper code under `includes/` (schema in `includes/setup/database.php`); reference
+  plugin files from there.
 - **Plugin table-creation API.** Use `api_plugin_db_table_create()`/`api_plugin_db_add_column()`
   (from Cacti core's `lib/plugins.php`) instead of raw `CREATE TABLE`/`ALTER TABLE ... ADD COLUMN`.
   Both are idempotent (safe no-ops when already applied), so the same call can run unconditionally
@@ -252,3 +256,7 @@ existing code or adding new code, not just in dedicated cleanup passes:
   line, `@param` lines, a blank comment line, then `@return`. Infer parameter/return types from
   actual usage; don't change the function's real type-hints in the same pass (let static analysis
   flag mismatches separately). Skip vendored third-party library files.
+
+## File manifest & upgrade pruning
+
+The plugin ships a root `manifest.json` with three arrays: `tombstones` (files/directories older versions shipped that have since moved or been removed), `expected` (the top-level files and directories that ship today, directories written with a trailing `/`), and `whitelist` (paths holding user data that must never be touched). Keep `expected` current: CI runs `tests/bin/validate-manifest.php`, which fails on any drift between `expected` and the real top-level tree (it ignores `tests/`, `phpunit.xml`, `.git*`, `.md*`, and whitelisted paths). Custom customer CSS/theme files belong in `expected`, and stylesheets live in `css/` (not `themes/`). On upgrade, `gpsmap_prune_files()` deletes the tombstoned paths, the dev-only `tests/` tree, and the `phpunit.xml` test config, leaves `whitelist`, `.git*`, and `.md*` alone, and logs (without removing) any top-level entry the manifest does not account for. As a safety measure it refuses any tombstone that resolves outside the plugin directory (a tampered manifest.json) and logs a warning for any file or directory it cannot remove. When you move or delete a shipped file, add its old path to `tombstones` and update `expected` in the same change.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/plugin-ci-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/plugin-ci-workflow.yml
index 7696e88..ccb467b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/plugin-ci-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/plugin-ci-workflow.yml
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: Check PHP version
       run: php -v
 
+    - name: Validate plugin manifest (expected-file drift)
+      run: php cacti/plugins/gpsmap/tests/bin/validate-manifest.php
+
     - name: Run apt-get update
       run: sudo apt-get update
 
diff --git a/.mdlrc b/.mdlrc
deleted file mode 100644
index 2f92946..0000000
--- a/.mdlrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# mdl cli configuration
-style ".mdl_style.rb"
-verbose false
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9070f82..79dabfe 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ## Changelog
 --- develop ---
+* refactor: Switch every file inclusion from include/include_once to require/require_once for fail-fast consistency (schema already lives in includes/setup/database.php via the plugin table API, so no schema changes were needed)
 * dev: Measure CI coverage with xdebug instead of pcov so the plugin's own sources are instrumented (pcov auto-scopes to the Composer root and skipped cacti/plugins/, leaving the patch-coverage gate with nothing to measure)
 * dev: Enforce patch coverage of changed lines in CI and remove the inert COMPOSER_ROOT_VERSION env from the Pest step
 * security: Add a version-safe CSP nonce (`plugin_gpsmap_csp_nonce()`) to every inline `<script>` tag, route the plugin's own external JavaScript through Cacti's `get_md5_include_js()` helper, and nonce the Google Maps API tag, so pages stay compatible with Cacti's Content-Security-Policy nonce enforcement while falling back cleanly on older Cacti releases that lack the `CactiSecureHeaders` class
diff --git a/INFO b/INFO
index 229defe..b14c20a 100644
--- a/INFO
+++ b/INFO
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ longname = Maps Plugin
 author = Andrew Aloia, Wixiweb, The Cacti Group
 email = 
 homepage = http://www.cacti.net
-compat = 1.2.15
+compat = 1.2.29
 capabilities = online_view:1, online_mgmt:0, offline_view:0, offline_mgmt:0, remote_collect:0
diff --git a/gpsmap.php b/gpsmap.php
index 567efc1..b887eea 100644
--- a/gpsmap.php
+++ b/gpsmap.php
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
 */
 
 chdir('../../');
-include('./include/auth.php');
+require('./include/auth.php');
 require_once('./plugins/gpsmap/gpsmap_security.php');
-include_once('./plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/show.php');
-include_once('./plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/gpsmapinitial.php');
+require_once('./plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/show.php');
+require_once('./plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/gpsmapinitial.php');
 $body = '';
 
 general_header();
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@
 		gpsmap.downloadURL     = <?php print json_encode($config['url_path'] . 'plugins/gpsmap/XML/' . $parameter . '.xml', JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR | JSON_HEX_TAG | JSON_UNESCAPED_SLASHES); ?>;
 		gpsmap.t_error         = <?php print is_finite((float) $terror) ? json_encode((float) $terror) : '0'; ?>;
 
-		<?php include_once('plugins/gpsmap/includes/icons.php'); ?>
-		<?php include_once('plugins/gpsmap/includes/customicons.php'); ?>
+		<?php require_once('plugins/gpsmap/includes/icons.php'); ?>
+		<?php require_once('plugins/gpsmap/includes/customicons.php'); ?>
 
 		window.onresize = gpsmap.resize;
 
diff --git a/gpstemplates.php b/gpstemplates.php
index 88953ff..a09ddc4 100644
--- a/gpstemplates.php
+++ b/gpstemplates.php
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 */
 
 chdir('../../');
-include_once('./include/auth.php');
-include_once('./plugins/gpsmap/gpsmap_security.php');
+require_once('./include/auth.php');
+require_once('./plugins/gpsmap/gpsmap_security.php');
 
 $ds_actions = [
 	1 => __('Delete')
diff --git a/includes/setup/database.php b/includes/setup/database.php
index e70f660..20e15e1 100644
--- a/includes/setup/database.php
+++ b/includes/setup/database.php
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@
 function gpsmap_upgrade_database(string $old = '', bool $force = false): void {
 	global $config;
 
-	include_once($config['library_path'] . '/database.php');
+	require_once($config['library_path'] . '/database.php');
+
 
 	$v = plugin_gpsmap_version();
 
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ function gpsmap_upgrade_database(string $old = '', bool $force = false): void {
 		}
 	}
 
-	include_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/setup.php');
+	require_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/setup.php');
 
 	/* Recorded last, and only when every migration reported success.
 	 * gpsmap_check_upgrade() gates on this option, so writing it earlier would
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b32e6ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+{
+    "tombstones": [],
+    "expected": [
+        "CHANGELOG.md",
+        "INFO",
+        "LICENSE",
+        "README.md",
+        "XML/",
+        "class/",
+        "gpsmap.php",
+        "gpsmap_dns.php",
+        "gpsmap_security.php",
+        "gpstemplates.php",
+        "images/",
+        "includes/",
+        "index.php",
+        "js/",
+        "locales/",
+        "manifest.json",
+        "print.php",
+        "setup.php"
+    ],
+    "whitelist": []
+}
diff --git a/setup.php b/setup.php
index 1b19051..f1af2e3 100644
--- a/setup.php
+++ b/setup.php
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ function plugin_gpsmap_install() {
 	api_plugin_register_realm('gpsmap', 'gpstemplates.php,gpstemplates_add.php',__('Configure Maps', 'gpsmap'), 1);
 	api_plugin_register_realm('gpsmap', 'gpsmap.php', __('View Maps', 'gpsmap'), 1);
 
-	include_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/database.php');
+	require_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/database.php');
 
 	if (gpsmap_setup_database()) {
 		$info = plugin_gpsmap_version();
@@ -183,8 +183,9 @@ function gpsmap_check_upgrade(bool $force = false) {
 	$old     = read_config_option('plugin_gpsmap_version', true);
 
 	if ($current != $old) {
-		include_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/database.php');
+		require_once($config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap/includes/setup/database.php');
 		gpsmap_upgrade_database((string) $old, $force);
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
 	}
 
 	/* Migrate the misspelled 'gpsmap_latutude' key to 'gpsmap_latitude'.
@@ -361,3 +362,173 @@ function gpsmap_config_form() {
 
 	$fields_host_edit = $fields_host_edit3;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Removes files and directories that a previous version of this plugin
+ * shipped but that have since moved or been deleted, using the tombstone
+ * and whitelist lists in manifest.json. Whitelisted (user-data) paths and
+ * any VCS metadata (.git*) are never touched; the dev-only tests/ tree is
+ * removed. Any path that resolves outside the plugin directory (a tampered
+ * manifest.json) is refused, and any file/directory that cannot be removed
+ * (e.g. read-only) is reported to the Cacti log. Any top-level entry that is
+ * neither expected nor a tombstone nor whitelisted is logged to the Cacti
+ * log and left in place. Called on a plugin version change.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ *
+ * @global array $config Cacti global configuration array; used to resolve
+ *                       the plugin directory.
+ */
+function gpsmap_prune_files(): void {
+	global $config;
+
+	$plugin_dir    = $config['base_path'] . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	$manifest_path = $plugin_dir . '/manifest.json';
+
+	if (!is_readable($manifest_path)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	$manifest = json_decode((string) file_get_contents($manifest_path), true);
+
+	if (!is_array($manifest)) {
+		cacti_log('WARNING: gpsmap manifest.json could not be parsed; skipping file prune', false, 'GPSMAP');
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	$tombstones = isset($manifest['tombstones']) && is_array($manifest['tombstones']) ? $manifest['tombstones'] : [];
+	$expected   = isset($manifest['expected'])   && is_array($manifest['expected'])   ? $manifest['expected']   : [];
+	$whitelist  = isset($manifest['whitelist'])  && is_array($manifest['whitelist'])  ? $manifest['whitelist']  : [];
+
+	$protected = function (string $rel) use ($whitelist): bool {
+		if (strncmp($rel, '.git', 4) === 0 || strncmp($rel, '.md', 3) === 0) {
+			return true;
+		}
+
+		foreach ($whitelist as $entry) {
+			$entry = trim((string) $entry, '/');
+
+			if ($entry !== '' && ($rel === $entry
+				|| strncmp($rel, $entry . '/', strlen($entry) + 1) === 0
+				|| strncmp($entry, $rel . '/', strlen($rel) + 1) === 0)) {
+				return true;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return false;
+	};
+
+	// Security: resolve the plugin directory so a tampered manifest.json
+	// cannot steer the prune outside of it.
+	$plugin_real = realpath($plugin_dir);
+
+	// Remove tombstoned (moved/deleted) paths plus the dev-only tests/
+	// tree and the phpunit.xml test configuration.
+	$remove   = $tombstones;
+	$remove[] = 'tests/';
+	$remove[] = 'phpunit.xml';
+
+	foreach ($remove as $rel) {
+		$rel = trim((string) $rel, '/');
+
+		if ($rel === '' || $protected($rel)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		// A tombstone must never contain '.'/'..' segments; a tampered manifest
+		// could use them to escape the plugin directory or target its root.
+		$segments = explode('/', $rel);
+
+		if (in_array('.', $segments, true) || in_array('..', $segments, true)) {
+			cacti_log(sprintf('WARNING: gpsmap prune refused to remove %s: path contains a traversal segment (tampered manifest.json?)', $rel), false, 'GPSMAP');
+
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		$path = $plugin_dir . '/' . $rel;
+
+		if (!is_link($path) && !file_exists($path)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		// Refuse any path that, after resolving symlinks and ../ segments,
+		// escapes the plugin directory (protects user data from a tampered
+		// manifest.json).
+		$anchor = is_link($path) ? dirname($path) : $path;
+		$real   = realpath($anchor);
+
+		if ($real === false || ($real !== $plugin_real && strncmp($real, $plugin_real . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR, strlen((string) $plugin_real) + 1) !== 0)) {
+			cacti_log(sprintf('WARNING: gpsmap prune refused to remove %s: path resolves outside the plugin directory (tampered manifest.json?)', $rel), false, 'GPSMAP');
+
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (is_dir($path) && !is_link($path)) {
+			$removed = gpsmap_rmtree($path);
+		} else {
+			$removed = @unlink($path);
+		}
+
+		if (!$removed) {
+			cacti_log(sprintf('WARNING: gpsmap upgrade could not remove %s (check file/directory permissions)', $rel), false, 'GPSMAP');
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Surface any top-level entry the manifest does not account for.
+	$known = [];
+
+	foreach (array_merge($expected, $tombstones) as $entry) {
+		$top = explode('/', trim((string) $entry, '/'))[0];
+
+		if ($top !== '') {
+			$known[$top] = true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	$entries = scandir($plugin_dir);
+
+	foreach (($entries !== false ? $entries : []) as $entry) {
+		if ($entry === '.' || $entry === '..' || $entry === 'tests' || $entry === 'phpunit.xml' || $protected($entry) || isset($known[$entry])) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		cacti_log(sprintf('WARNING: gpsmap upgrade found a file/directory not described in manifest.json: %s (left in place)', $entry), false, 'GPSMAP');
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Recursively deletes a directory and its contents. Symlinks are removed
+ * without being followed. Helper for gpsmap_prune_files().
+ *
+ * @param string $dir Absolute path to the directory to remove.
+ *
+ * @return bool True if the directory and everything under it was removed;
+ *              false if any entry could not be deleted.
+ */
+function gpsmap_rmtree(string $dir): bool {
+	$entries = scandir($dir);
+	$ok      = true;
+
+	foreach (($entries !== false ? $entries : []) as $entry) {
+		if ($entry === '.' || $entry === '..') {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		$path = $dir . '/' . $entry;
+
+		if (is_dir($path) && !is_link($path)) {
+			if (!gpsmap_rmtree($path)) {
+				$ok = false;
+			}
+		} elseif (!@unlink($path)) {
+			$ok = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (!@rmdir($dir)) {
+		$ok = false;
+	}
+
+	return $ok;
+}
diff --git a/tests/Security/IconsTest.php b/tests/Security/IconsTest.php
index 285cf8e..d131638 100644
--- a/tests/Security/IconsTest.php
+++ b/tests/Security/IconsTest.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 		$cwd = getcwd();
 		chdir(gpsmap_test_tmpdir());
 		ob_start();
-		include __DIR__ . '/../../includes/icons.php';
+		require __DIR__ . '/../../includes/icons.php';
 		$this->js = ob_get_clean();
 		chdir($cwd);
 	});
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
 		chdir(sys_get_temp_dir());
 		$empty = gpsmap_test_silence(function () {
 			ob_start();
-			include __DIR__ . '/../../includes/icons.php';
+			require __DIR__ . '/../../includes/icons.php';
 
 			return ob_get_clean();
 		});
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
 	);
 
 	ob_start();
-	include __DIR__ . '/../../includes/customicons.php';
+	require __DIR__ . '/../../includes/customicons.php';
 	$custom = ob_get_clean();
 
 	it('maps a good icon', function () use ($custom) {
diff --git a/tests/Unit/PruneFilesTest.php b/tests/Unit/PruneFilesTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c917ee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/PruneFilesTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ | Copyright (C) 2009-2013 Andrew Aloia                                    |
+ | Copyright (C) 2014 Wixiweb                                              |
+ | Copyright (C) 2004-2026 The Cacti Group                                 |
+ |                                                                         |
+ | This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or           |
+ | modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License             |
+ | as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2          |
+ | of the License, or (at your option) any later version.                  |
+ |                                                                         |
+ | This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,         |
+ | but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of          |
+ | MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the           |
+ | GNU General Public License for more details.                            |
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ | http://www.cacti.net/                                                   |
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+*/
+
+/*
+ * Unit coverage for gpsmap_prune_files(): tombstone/tests removal,
+ * whitelist and .git protection, and logging of unaccounted-for entries.
+ */
+
+require_once __DIR__ . '/../../setup.php';
+
+function gpsmap_prune_fixture(array $manifest): string {
+	$base   = sys_get_temp_dir() . '/gpsmap-prune-' . uniqid();
+	$plugin = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+
+	mkdir($plugin . '/include', 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/include/old.php', "<?php\n");
+	mkdir($plugin . '/tests/Unit', 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/tests/Unit/SomeTest.php', "<?php\n");
+	mkdir($plugin . '/userdata', 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/userdata/keep.dat', 'keep');
+	mkdir($plugin . '/includes', 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/INFO', "[info]\n");
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/setup.php', "<?php\n");
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/oldfile.php', "<?php\n");
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/stray.php', "<?php\n");
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/phpunit.xml', '');
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/.mdlrc', '');
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/.md_style.rb', '');
+	mkdir($plugin . '/.git', 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/.git/config', '');
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/manifest.json', json_encode($manifest));
+
+	return $base;
+}
+
+beforeEach(function () {
+	$GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log'] = [];
+});
+
+it('removes tombstoned paths and the tests/ tree, keeps whitelist/.git/expected, logs strays', function () {
+	$manifest = [
+		'tombstones' => ['include/', 'oldfile.php', 'userdata/', 'gone.png'],
+		'expected'   => ['INFO', 'setup.php', 'includes/', 'manifest.json'],
+		'whitelist'  => ['userdata/'],
+	];
+
+	$base    = gpsmap_prune_fixture($manifest);
+	$plugin  = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+	}
+
+	// Tombstone and the dev-only tests/ tree are gone.
+	expect(is_dir($plugin . '/include'))->toBeFalse();
+	expect(is_dir($plugin . '/tests'))->toBeFalse();
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/oldfile.php'))->toBeFalse();
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/phpunit.xml'))->toBeFalse();
+
+	// Whitelisted user data, VCS metadata, and expected files are untouched.
+	// (userdata/ is even listed as a tombstone, but the whitelist wins.)
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/userdata/keep.dat'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(is_dir($plugin . '/.git'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/INFO'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(is_dir($plugin . '/includes'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/.mdlrc'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/.md_style.rb'))->toBeTrue();
+
+	// An unexpected, non-whitelisted stray is left in place but logged.
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/stray.php'))->toBeTrue();
+
+	$logged = implode("\n", $GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log']);
+	expect($logged)->toContain('stray.php');
+	expect($logged)->not->toContain('userdata');
+	expect($logged)->not->toContain('.git');
+	expect($logged)->not->toContain('.mdlrc');
+	expect($logged)->not->toContain('.md_style.rb');
+});
+
+it('is a safe no-op when the manifest is missing', function () {
+	$base    = sys_get_temp_dir() . '/gpsmap-prune-missing-' . uniqid();
+	mkdir($base . '/plugins/gpsmap', 0777, true);
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+	}
+
+	expect($GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log'])->toBe([]);
+});
+
+it('logs and skips pruning when the manifest is malformed', function () {
+	$base   = sys_get_temp_dir() . '/gpsmap-prune-bad-' . uniqid();
+	$plugin = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	mkdir($plugin, 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/manifest.json', 'not json');
+	mkdir($plugin . '/tests', 0777, true);
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+	}
+
+	// A malformed manifest must not delete anything.
+	expect(is_dir($plugin . '/tests'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(implode("\n", $GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log']))->toContain('could not be parsed');
+});
+
+it('refuses to remove a tombstone that resolves outside the plugin directory', function () {
+	$manifest = [
+		'tombstones' => ['../escapee.txt'],
+		'expected'   => ['manifest.json'],
+		'whitelist'  => [],
+	];
+
+	$base    = gpsmap_prune_fixture($manifest);
+	$plugin  = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	$outside = $base . '/plugins/escapee.txt';
+	file_put_contents($outside, 'precious user data');
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+	}
+
+	// The out-of-tree file is untouched and the refusal is logged.
+	expect(is_file($outside))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(implode("\n", $GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log']))->toContain('a traversal segment');
+});
+
+it('warns when a tombstoned path cannot be removed', function () {
+	$manifest = [
+		'tombstones' => ['locked/'],
+		'expected'   => ['manifest.json'],
+		'whitelist'  => [],
+	];
+
+	$base   = gpsmap_prune_fixture($manifest);
+	$plugin = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	mkdir($plugin . '/locked/sub', 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($plugin . '/locked/sub/data', 'x');
+	chmod($plugin . '/locked/sub', 0500); // read-only dir: its child cannot be unlinked
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	set_error_handler(static fn () => true); // swallow the expected unlink warning
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		restore_error_handler();
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+		@chmod($plugin . '/locked/sub', 0700);
+	}
+
+	expect(implode("\n", $GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log']))->toContain('could not remove');
+})->skip(function () {
+	return function_exists('posix_getuid') && posix_getuid() === 0;
+}, 'permission checks are bypassed for the root user');
+
+it('refuses a tombstone that escapes through a symlinked directory', function () {
+	$manifest = [
+		'tombstones' => ['escdir/secret.txt'],
+		'expected'   => ['manifest.json'],
+		'whitelist'  => [],
+	];
+
+	$base    = gpsmap_prune_fixture($manifest);
+	$plugin  = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	$outside = $base . '/outside';
+	mkdir($outside, 0777, true);
+	file_put_contents($outside . '/secret.txt', 'precious user data');
+	@symlink($outside, $plugin . '/escdir');
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+	}
+
+	// The out-of-tree file reached through the symlink is untouched and logged.
+	expect(is_file($outside . '/secret.txt'))->toBeTrue();
+	expect(implode("\n", $GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log']))->toContain('outside the plugin directory');
+})->skip(function () {
+	$probe = sys_get_temp_dir() . '/.prune-symlink-probe-' . uniqid();
+	$ok = @symlink(__FILE__, $probe);
+	@unlink($probe);
+
+	return $ok === false;
+}, 'symlinks are not supported on this filesystem');
+
+it('protects a whitelisted file from a tombstone on its parent directory', function () {
+	$manifest = [
+		'tombstones' => ['userdata/'],
+		'expected'   => ['manifest.json'],
+		'whitelist'  => ['userdata/keep.dat'],
+	];
+
+	$base    = gpsmap_prune_fixture($manifest);
+	$plugin  = $base . '/plugins/gpsmap';
+	$restore = $GLOBALS['config']['base_path'];
+
+	$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $base;
+
+	try {
+		gpsmap_prune_files();
+	} finally {
+		$GLOBALS['config']['base_path'] = $restore;
+	}
+
+	// A whitelisted file shields its parent directory from a tombstone.
+	expect(is_file($plugin . '/userdata/keep.dat'))->toBeTrue();
+});
diff --git a/tests/bin/patch-coverage.php b/tests/bin/patch-coverage.php
index e65b53d..25ea777 100644
--- a/tests/bin/patch-coverage.php
+++ b/tests/bin/patch-coverage.php
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@ function changed_lines($base_ref) {
  * Empty by default; add entries per repository as the need arises.
  */
 $unmeasured_allowlist = [
+    'gpsmap.php',                  // web UI entry point (chdir + auth.php); not loadable in isolation
+    'gpstemplates.php',            // web UI entry point (chdir + auth.php); not loadable in isolation
+    'setup.php',                   // plugin hook registration bootstrap; loaded by Cacti core, not isolable in a unit test
+    'includes/setup/database.php', // install/upgrade schema bootstrap; require_once's the live Cacti library, only runs during a real install/upgrade
 ];
 $unmeasured            = array_values(array_diff(array_keys($changed), array_keys($measured)));
 $unexpected_unmeasured = array_values(array_diff($unmeasured, $unmeasured_allowlist));
diff --git a/tests/bin/validate-manifest.php b/tests/bin/validate-manifest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c54fab5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bin/validate-manifest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ | Copyright (C) 2004-2026 The Cacti Group                                 |
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ | Validates that manifest.json's "expected" array matches the plugin's    |
+ | actual top-level tree, so the manifest that drives upgrade-time pruning  |
+ | cannot silently drift. tests/, phpunit.xml, .git* and .md* are          |
+ | excluded, as are whitelisted (user-data) paths. Non-zero exit on drift. |
+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+*/
+
+$root         = dirname(__DIR__, 2);
+$manifestPath = $root . '/manifest.json';
+
+if (!is_readable($manifestPath)) {
+	fwrite(STDERR, "manifest.json not found at plugin root\n");
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+$manifest = json_decode((string) file_get_contents($manifestPath), true);
+
+if (!is_array($manifest) || !isset($manifest['expected']) || !is_array($manifest['expected'])) {
+	fwrite(STDERR, "manifest.json is missing a valid 'expected' array\n");
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+$whitelist    = isset($manifest['whitelist']) && is_array($manifest['whitelist']) ? $manifest['whitelist'] : [];
+$whitelistTop = [];
+
+foreach ($whitelist as $entry) {
+	$entry = trim((string) $entry, '/');
+
+	if ($entry !== '') {
+		$whitelistTop[explode('/', $entry)[0]] = true;
+	}
+}
+
+$actual = [];
+
+foreach (scandir($root) as $entry) {
+	if ($entry === '.' || $entry === '..' || $entry === 'tests' || $entry === 'phpunit.xml') {
+		continue;
+	}
+
+	if (strncmp($entry, '.git', 4) === 0 || strncmp($entry, '.md', 3) === 0 || isset($whitelistTop[$entry])) {
+		continue;
+	}
+
+	$actual[] = is_dir($root . '/' . $entry) ? $entry . '/' : $entry;
+}
+
+$expected = $manifest['expected'];
+sort($actual);
+sort($expected);
+
+$missing = array_values(array_diff($expected, $actual));
+$extra   = array_values(array_diff($actual, $expected));
+
+if ($missing === [] && $extra === []) {
+	echo "manifest.json 'expected' matches the plugin tree.\n";
+	exit(0);
+}
+
+if ($missing !== []) {
+	fwrite(STDERR, "manifest.json lists 'expected' entries that are missing on disk:\n  " . implode("\n  ", $missing) . "\n");
+}
+
+if ($extra !== []) {
+	fwrite(STDERR, "Plugin tree has top-level entries not in manifest.json 'expected'\n(add them to 'expected', or record them under 'tombstones'/'whitelist'):\n  " . implode("\n  ", $extra) . "\n");
+}
+
+exit(1);
diff --git a/tests/bootstrap-unit.php b/tests/bootstrap-unit.php
index ef5fb16..efe5304 100644
--- a/tests/bootstrap-unit.php
+++ b/tests/bootstrap-unit.php
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ function __esc($format, ...$args) {
 if (!function_exists('cacti_log')) {
 	function cacti_log($message, $also_print = false, $log_type = '', $level = 0) {
 		$GLOBALS['gpsmap_stub_log'][] = $message;
+		$GLOBALS['__test_cacti_log'][] = (string) $message;
 	}
 }