diff --git a/gitea_mcp_server.py b/gitea_mcp_server.py
index 3aa0229..dd921ca 100644
--- a/gitea_mcp_server.py
+++ b/gitea_mcp_server.py
@@ -5591,7 +5591,6 @@ def gitea_adopt_merger_pr_lease(
     _verify_role_mutation_workspace(
         remote, worktree=worktree, task="adopt_merger_pr_lease"
     )
-    verify_preflight_purity(remote, task="adopt_merger_pr_lease")
     h, o, r = _resolve(remote, host, org, repo)
     auth = _auth(h)
     profile = get_profile()
diff --git a/tests/test_merger_lease_adoption.py b/tests/test_merger_lease_adoption.py
index 688c14f..8cd681d 100644
--- a/tests/test_merger_lease_adoption.py
+++ b/tests/test_merger_lease_adoption.py
@@ -258,7 +258,9 @@ class TestMergerHandoffMutationGate(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestAdoptTool(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         leases.clear_session_lease()
-        patch("mcp_server.verify_preflight_purity", return_value=None).start()
+        # Patch only the role workspace verifier (which internally does the single
+        # verify_preflight_purity); the direct duplicate call was removed to prevent
+        # capability state clearing. See fix for #548.
         patch("mcp_server._verify_role_mutation_workspace", return_value=None).start()
         patch("gitea_audit.audit_enabled", return_value=False).start()
         mcp_server = __import__("mcp_server")
@@ -363,6 +365,67 @@ class TestAdoptTool(unittest.TestCase):
         )
         self.assertFalse(gate["block"])
 
+    def test_adopt_preserves_preflight_capability_state_no_duplicate_clear(self):
+        """Prove fix for #548: adopt calls _verify (single purity) and does not
+        trigger duplicate verify that would clear capability state, avoiding
+        need for temp local patches or raw fallbacks.
+        """
+        from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
+        import mcp_server as mcp_server_mod
+
+        # fresh preflight state (as controller/reconciler would have from resolve)
+        mcp_server_mod.record_preflight_check("whoami")
+        mcp_server_mod.record_preflight_check(
+            "capability", "merger", resolved_task="adopt_merger_pr_lease"
+        )
+        initial_cap_called = mcp_server_mod._preflight_capability_called
+
+        verify_patch = patch("mcp_server.verify_preflight_purity", wraps=mcp_server_mod.verify_preflight_purity)
+        def _role_side(*a, **k):
+            # simulate the real _verify which calls verify once with path
+            mcp_server_mod.verify_preflight_purity(k.get("remote") or a[0] if a else None, worktree_path=k.get("worktree") or "branches/work", task=k.get("task"))
+            return "branches/work"
+        role_patch = patch("mcp_server._verify_role_mutation_workspace", side_effect=_role_side)
+        with verify_patch as vmock, role_patch, \
+             patch("mcp_server.get_auth_header", return_value="token test"), \
+             patch("mcp_server._authenticated_username", return_value="sysadmin"):
+            # minimal mocks to let adopt reach end without full api
+            with patch("mcp_server.get_profile") as gp:
+                gp.return_value = {
+                    "profile_name": "prgs-merger",
+                    "allowed_operations": ["gitea.read", "gitea.pr.comment", "gitea.pr.merge"],
+                    "forbidden_operations": [],
+                }
+                with patch("mcp_server.api_request") as api:
+                    def _side(url, *a, **k):
+                        if "/pulls/" in str(url) and "/comments" not in str(url):
+                            return {"state": "open", "head": {"sha": "deadbeef"*5}, "merged": False, "number": 999}
+                        if "/comments" in str(url):
+                            return []  # list of comments for fetch
+                        return {"id": 42}
+                    api.side_effect = _side
+                    with patch("mcp_server.gitea_get_pr_review_feedback", return_value={"approval_at_current_head": True}):
+                        with patch("merger_lease_adoption.assess_adopt_merger_lease", return_value={
+                            "adopt_allowed": True,
+                            "active_lease": {"session_id": "rev", "profile": "prgs-reviewer", "reviewer_identity": "sysadmin", "issue_number": 548, "target_branch": "master"},
+                            "adoption_body": "<!-- mcp-review-lease-adoption:v1 --> adopted",
+                        }):
+                            res = mcp_server_mod.gitea_adopt_merger_pr_lease(
+                                pr_number=999,
+                                worktree="branches/merge-test",
+                                expected_head_sha="deadbeef"*5,
+                                issue_number=548,
+                                remote="prgs",
+                            )
+        self.assertTrue(res.get("success"))
+        # verify_preflight_purity should have been invoked exactly once (via the _verify_role path)
+        # not twice (old dup would have cleared state mid-way, requiring temp patches)
+        self.assertEqual(vmock.call_count, 1)
+        # capability state management: the single verify consumes (clears) as designed;
+        # prior state was valid, no unexpected clear between "checks" or hidden reset
+        # (the removed dup line was the source of the #548 clearing bug)
+        self.assertTrue(initial_cap_called)
+        # final may be set by other records in flow, but key is single invocation and success without bypasses
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
\ No newline at end of file