fix(fava): serialize source mutations, share HTTP client, validate BQL input

Fava-client hardening cluster (CODE-REVIEW-2026-06 #7, #14, #15, #19
+ libra-#23, libra-#53):

- New FavaClient.transform_source_line does the whole
  read-checksum-modify-write under the global write lock and maps
  Fava 409/412 to ChecksumConflictError. The approve and reject
  endpoints used to do this dance with raw httpx and no lock — two
  concurrent mutations raced each other and every other ledger
  writer (libra-#23). They now route through the new method and
  translate conflicts to HTTP 409.
- update_entry_source / delete_entry raise ChecksumConflictError on
  409/412 instead of leaking raw HTTPStatusError.
- One shared httpx.AsyncClient per FavaClient (12 per-call
  instantiations removed — no more TCP handshake per request);
  closed via libra_stop. Health probes keep their 2s timeout
  per-request.
- Account names/patterns are validated against ^[A-Za-z0-9:_-]+$
  before interpolation into BQL string literals.
- The posting amount regexes are consolidated into module-level
  compiled patterns, all decimal-tolerant — the old integer-only
  SATS pattern silently dropped decimal-SATS postings (Fava's @@->@
  normalisation emits them) from balances.
- add-account no longer verifies its own write with a second
  serialized get_all_accounts round-trip (libra-#53):
  sync_single_account_from_beancount grows an assume_exists path.

New test: concurrent approve+reject must both land (was
lost-update/412 before the lock).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

__init__.py

@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ def libra_stop():
         except Exception as ex:
             logger.warning(ex)
 
+    # Close the Fava client's shared HTTP connection pool. libra_stop is
+    # synchronous, so schedule the close; if the loop is already gone the
+    # sockets die with the process anyway.
+    from .fava_client import _fava_client
+
+    if _fava_client is not None:
+        try:
+            asyncio.get_event_loop().create_task(_fava_client.aclose())
+        except Exception as ex:
+            logger.warning(f"Could not close Fava HTTP client: {ex}")
+
 
 def libra_start():
     """Initialize Libra extension background tasks"""

account_sync.py

@@ -285,7 +285,11 @@ async def sync_accounts_from_beancount(force_full_sync: bool = False) -> dict:
     return stats
 
 
-async def sync_single_account_from_beancount(account_name: str) -> bool:
+async def sync_single_account_from_beancount(
+    account_name: str,
+    description: Optional[str] = None,
+    assume_exists: bool = False,
+) -> bool:
     """
     Sync a single account from Beancount to Libra DB.
 
@@ -294,6 +298,13 @@ async def sync_single_account_from_beancount(account_name: str) -> bool:
 
     Args:
         account_name: Hierarchical account name (e.g., "Expenses:Food")
+        description: Description for the Libra DB row (only used with
+            assume_exists — otherwise read from Beancount metadata)
+        assume_exists: Skip the Fava existence lookup. Pass when the
+            caller just wrote the Open directive itself — verifying via
+            a second serialized get_all_accounts round-trip doubles the
+            latency of every account create for no information gain
+            (libra-#53).
 
     Returns:
         True if account was created/updated, False if it already existed or failed
@@ -306,6 +317,22 @@ async def sync_single_account_from_beancount(account_name: str) -> bool:
         logger.debug(f"Account already exists: {account_name}")
         return False
 
+    if assume_exists:
+        try:
+            await create_account(
+                CreateAccount(
+                    name=account_name,
+                    account_type=infer_account_type_from_name(account_name),
+                    description=description,
+                    user_id=extract_user_id_from_account_name(account_name),
+                )
+            )
+            logger.info(f"Created account (writer-asserted): {account_name}")
+            return True
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error(f"Failed to sync account {account_name}: {e}")
+            return False
+
     # Get from Beancount
     fava = get_fava_client()
     try:

fava_client.py

@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ See: https://github.com/beancount/fava/blob/main/src/fava/json_api.py
 import asyncio
 import re
 import httpx
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
+from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
+from typing import Any, AsyncIterator, Callable, Dict, List, Optional
 from decimal import Decimal
 from datetime import date, datetime
 from loguru import logger
@@ -44,6 +45,34 @@ def _infer_target_file(account_name: str) -> str:
     return "accounts/chart.beancount"
 
 
+# Posting amount-string patterns shared by the balance parsers. Fava's
+# @@ → @ normalisation can emit decimal SATS values, so every SATS group
+# must tolerate decimals (the old integer-only pattern silently dropped
+# those postings from balances).
+_TOTAL_PRICE_RE = re.compile(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})\s+@@\s+(-?[\d.]+)\s+SATS$')
+_UNIT_PRICE_RE = re.compile(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})\s+@\s+([\d.]+)\s+SATS$')
+_FIAT_AMOUNT_RE = re.compile(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})$')
+_SATS_AMOUNT_RE = re.compile(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+SATS')
+
+
+def _sats_to_int(value: str) -> int:
+    """Parse a (possibly decimal) SATS amount string to whole sats."""
+    return int(Decimal(value))
+
+
+# Account names/patterns are interpolated into BQL string literals; restrict
+# them to Beancount account characters so caller-supplied input can't break
+# out of the quoted literal.
+_BQL_ACCOUNT_RE = re.compile(r'^[A-Za-z0-9:_-]+$')
+
+
+def _validate_bql_account(value: str) -> str:
+    """Validate a value bound for interpolation into a BQL string literal."""
+    if not _BQL_ACCOUNT_RE.match(value):
+        raise ValueError(f"Invalid account name for BQL query: {value!r}")
+    return value
+
+
 def _escape_beancount_string(value: str) -> str:
     """Escape a value for safe inclusion in a Beancount string literal.
 
@@ -136,6 +165,27 @@ class FavaClient:
         self._main_dir_cache: Optional[str] = None
         self._main_dir_lock = asyncio.Lock()
 
+        # Shared HTTP client, created lazily on first use. One client
+        # means one connection pool instead of a TCP handshake per call.
+        self._http: Optional[httpx.AsyncClient] = None
+
+    @asynccontextmanager
+    async def _client(self) -> AsyncIterator[httpx.AsyncClient]:
+        """Yield the shared HTTP client (lazily created).
+
+        Kept as a context manager so call sites read the same as the
+        per-call clients they replace; the client itself is NOT closed on
+        exit — call `aclose()` at extension shutdown.
+        """
+        if self._http is None or self._http.is_closed:
+            self._http = httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout)
+        yield self._http
+
+    async def aclose(self) -> None:
+        """Close the shared HTTP client (extension shutdown)."""
+        if self._http is not None and not self._http.is_closed:
+            await self._http.aclose()
+
     async def _resolve_target_file(self, target_file: str) -> str:
         """
         Turn a relative include path into the absolute path fava expects.
@@ -160,7 +210,7 @@ class FavaClient:
         if self._main_dir_cache is None:
             async with self._main_dir_lock:
                 if self._main_dir_cache is None:
-                    async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+                    async with self._client() as client:
                         resp = await client.get(f"{self.base_url}/options")
                         resp.raise_for_status()
                         main_file = resp.json()["data"]["beancount_options"]["filename"]
@@ -236,7 +286,7 @@ class FavaClient:
         # Acquire global write lock to serialize ledger modifications
         async with self._write_lock:
             try:
-                async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+                async with self._client() as client:
                     response = await client.put(
                         f"{self.base_url}/add_entries",
                         json={"entries": [entry]},
@@ -350,10 +400,11 @@ class FavaClient:
 
         # Use sum(weight) for SATS and sum(number) for fiat
         # Note: BQL doesn't support != operator, so use flag = '*' to exclude pending
+        _validate_bql_account(account_name)
         query = f"SELECT sum(number), sum(weight) WHERE account = '{account_name}' AND flag = '*'"
 
         try:
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
                 response = await client.get(
                     f"{self.base_url}/query",
                     params={"query_string": query}
@@ -446,14 +497,14 @@ class FavaClient:
                 import re
 
                 # Try total price notation: "50.00 EUR @@ 50000 SATS"
-                total_price_match = re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})\s+@@\s+(-?\d+)\s+SATS$', amount_str)
+                total_price_match = _TOTAL_PRICE_RE.match(amount_str)
                 # Try per-unit price notation: "50.00 EUR @ 1000.5 SATS"
-                unit_price_match = re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})\s+@\s+([\d.]+)\s+SATS$', amount_str)
+                unit_price_match = _UNIT_PRICE_RE.match(amount_str)
 
                 if total_price_match:
                     fiat_amount = Decimal(total_price_match.group(1))
                     fiat_currency = total_price_match.group(2)
-                    sats_amount = int(total_price_match.group(3))
+                    sats_amount = _sats_to_int(total_price_match.group(3))
 
                     if fiat_currency not in fiat_balances:
                         fiat_balances[fiat_currency] = Decimal(0)
@@ -480,8 +531,8 @@ class FavaClient:
                     accounts_dict[account_name]["sats"] += sats_amount
 
                 # Try simple fiat format: "50.00 EUR" (check metadata for sats)
-                elif re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})$', amount_str):
+                elif _FIAT_AMOUNT_RE.match(amount_str):
-                    fiat_match = re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})$', amount_str)
+                    fiat_match = _FIAT_AMOUNT_RE.match(amount_str)
                     if fiat_match and fiat_match.group(2) in ('EUR', 'USD', 'GBP'):
                         fiat_amount = Decimal(fiat_match.group(1))
                         fiat_currency = fiat_match.group(2)
@@ -502,9 +553,9 @@ class FavaClient:
 
                 else:
                     # Old format: SATS with cost/price notation - extract SATS amount
-                    sats_match = re.match(r'^(-?\d+)\s+SATS', amount_str)
+                    sats_match = _SATS_AMOUNT_RE.match(amount_str)
                     if sats_match:
-                        sats_amount = int(sats_match.group(1))
+                        sats_amount = _sats_to_int(sats_match.group(1))
                         total_sats += sats_amount
 
                         # Track per account
@@ -603,14 +654,14 @@ class FavaClient:
                 import re
 
                 # Try total price notation: "50.00 EUR @@ 50000 SATS"
-                total_price_match = re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})\s+@@\s+(-?\d+)\s+SATS$', amount_str)
+                total_price_match = _TOTAL_PRICE_RE.match(amount_str)
                 # Try per-unit price notation: "50.00 EUR @ 1000.5 SATS"
-                unit_price_match = re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})\s+@\s+([\d.]+)\s+SATS$', amount_str)
+                unit_price_match = _UNIT_PRICE_RE.match(amount_str)
 
                 if total_price_match:
                     fiat_amount = Decimal(total_price_match.group(1))
                     fiat_currency = total_price_match.group(2)
-                    sats_amount = int(total_price_match.group(3))
+                    sats_amount = _sats_to_int(total_price_match.group(3))
 
                     if fiat_currency not in user_data[user_id]["fiat_balances"]:
                         user_data[user_id]["fiat_balances"][fiat_currency] = Decimal(0)
@@ -629,8 +680,8 @@ class FavaClient:
                     user_data[user_id]["balance"] += sats_amount
 
                 # Try simple fiat format: "50.00 EUR" (check metadata for sats)
-                elif re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})$', amount_str):
+                elif _FIAT_AMOUNT_RE.match(amount_str):
-                    fiat_match = re.match(r'^(-?[\d.]+)\s+([A-Z]{3})$', amount_str)
+                    fiat_match = _FIAT_AMOUNT_RE.match(amount_str)
                     if fiat_match and fiat_match.group(2) in ('EUR', 'USD', 'GBP'):
                         fiat_amount = Decimal(fiat_match.group(1))
                         fiat_currency = fiat_match.group(2)
@@ -648,9 +699,9 @@ class FavaClient:
 
                 else:
                     # Old format: SATS with cost/price notation
-                    sats_match = re.match(r'^(-?\d+)\s+SATS', amount_str)
+                    sats_match = _SATS_AMOUNT_RE.match(amount_str)
                     if sats_match:
-                        sats_amount = int(sats_match.group(1))
+                        sats_amount = _sats_to_int(sats_match.group(1))
                         user_data[user_id]["balance"] += sats_amount
 
                     # Extract fiat from cost syntax or metadata (backward compatibility)
@@ -683,9 +734,12 @@ class FavaClient:
             True if Fava responds, False otherwise
         """
         try:
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=2.0) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
+                # Health probes stay fast regardless of the configured
+                # request timeout.
                 response = await client.get(
-                    f"{self.base_url}/changed"
+                    f"{self.base_url}/changed",
+                    timeout=2.0
                 )
                 return response.status_code == 200
         except Exception as e:
@@ -721,12 +775,13 @@ class FavaClient:
         """
         # Build Beancount query
         if account_pattern:
+            _validate_bql_account(account_pattern)
             query = f"SELECT * WHERE account ~ '{account_pattern}' ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT {limit}"
         else:
             query = f"SELECT * ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT {limit}"
 
         try:
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
                 response = await client.get(
                     f"{self.base_url}/query",
                     params={"query_string": query}
@@ -807,7 +862,7 @@ class FavaClient:
             https://beancount.github.io/docs/beancount_query_language.html
         """
         try:
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
                 response = await client.get(
                     f"{self.base_url}/query",
                     params={"query_string": query_string}
@@ -1341,7 +1396,7 @@ class FavaClient:
             # (BQL's SELECT DISTINCT account only returns accounts with postings)
             account_names: set[str] = set()
 
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
                 for endpoint in ("balance_sheet", "income_statement"):
                     try:
                         response = await client.get(f"{self.base_url}/{endpoint}")
@@ -1440,7 +1495,7 @@ class FavaClient:
                 params["time"] = f"{cutoff_date.isoformat()} - {today.isoformat()}"
                 logger.info(f"Querying journal for last {days} days (from {cutoff_date})")
 
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
                 response = await client.get(f"{self.base_url}/journal", params=params)
                 response.raise_for_status()
                 result = response.json()
@@ -1482,7 +1537,7 @@ class FavaClient:
             sha256sum = context["sha256sum"]
         """
         try:
-            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+            async with self._client() as client:
                 response = await client.get(
                     f"{self.base_url}/context",
                     params={"entry_hash": entry_hash}
@@ -1529,7 +1584,7 @@ class FavaClient:
         # Acquire global write lock to serialize ledger modifications
         async with self._write_lock:
             try:
-                async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+                async with self._client() as client:
                     response = await client.put(
                         f"{self.base_url}/source_slice",
                         json={
@@ -1544,11 +1599,78 @@ class FavaClient:
 
             except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
                 logger.error(f"Fava update error: {e.response.status_code} - {e.response.text}")
+                if e.response.status_code in (409, 412):
+                    raise ChecksumConflictError(
+                        f"Entry {entry_hash} changed concurrently"
+                    ) from e
                 raise
             except httpx.RequestError as e:
                 logger.error(f"Fava connection error: {e}")
                 raise
 
+    async def transform_source_line(
+        self,
+        filename: str,
+        lineno: int,
+        transform: Callable[[str], str],
+    ) -> bool:
+        """Atomically read-modify-write one line of a ledger source file.
+
+        Holds the global write lock across the whole read-modify-write, so
+        another writer can't slip in between the checksum read and the
+        write (libra-#23: the approve/reject endpoints used to do this
+        read-then-write with raw httpx and no lock).
+
+        The transform receives the current line and returns the new one;
+        returning it unchanged skips the write.
+
+        Returns:
+            True when the line was changed and written, False on a no-op.
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: lineno is outside the file.
+            ChecksumConflictError: an out-of-process writer changed the
+                file between read and write (409/412 from Fava).
+        """
+        async with self._write_lock:
+            async with self._client() as client:
+                response = await client.get(
+                    f"{self.base_url}/source",
+                    params={"filename": filename},
+                )
+                response.raise_for_status()
+                source_data = response.json()["data"]
+                sha256sum = source_data["sha256sum"]
+                lines = source_data["source"].split("\n")
+
+                idx = lineno - 1
+                if idx < 0 or idx >= len(lines):
+                    raise ValueError(f"Line {lineno} not found in {filename}")
+
+                new_line = transform(lines[idx])
+                if new_line == lines[idx]:
+                    return False
+                lines[idx] = new_line
+
+                try:
+                    update = await client.put(
+                        f"{self.base_url}/source",
+                        json={
+                            "file_path": filename,
+                            "source": "\n".join(lines),
+                            "sha256sum": sha256sum,
+                        },
+                        headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+                    )
+                    update.raise_for_status()
+                except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
+                    if e.response.status_code in (409, 412):
+                        raise ChecksumConflictError(
+                            f"{filename} changed concurrently"
+                        ) from e
+                    raise
+                return True
+
     async def delete_entry(self, entry_hash: str, sha256sum: str) -> str:
         """
         Delete an entry from the Beancount file.
@@ -1571,7 +1693,7 @@ class FavaClient:
         # Acquire global write lock to serialize ledger modifications
         async with self._write_lock:
             try:
-                async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+                async with self._client() as client:
                     response = await client.delete(
                         f"{self.base_url}/source_slice",
                         params={
@@ -1585,6 +1707,10 @@ class FavaClient:
 
             except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
                 logger.error(f"Fava delete error: {e.response.status_code} - {e.response.text}")
+                if e.response.status_code in (409, 412):
+                    raise ChecksumConflictError(
+                        f"Entry {entry_hash} changed concurrently"
+                    ) from e
                 raise
             except httpx.RequestError as e:
                 logger.error(f"Fava connection error: {e}")
@@ -1664,7 +1790,7 @@ class FavaClient:
             # Acquire global write lock to serialize ledger modifications
             async with self._write_lock:
                 try:
-                    async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=self.timeout) as client:
+                    async with self._client() as client:
                         # Step 1: Get current source file (fresh read on each attempt)
                         response = await client.get(
                             f"{self.base_url}/source",

tests/test_void_reject_api.py

@@ -210,3 +210,69 @@ async def test_double_reject_returns_404_on_second_call(
     assert r.status_code in (200, 404), (
         f"second reject should be deterministic, got {r.status_code}: {r.text}"
     )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_concurrent_approve_and_reject_are_serialized(
+    client, super_user_headers, configured_user, standard_accounts,
+):
+    """Two mutations of the same ledger source file fired concurrently must
+    BOTH land. Before libra-#23 each endpoint did its own read-modify-write
+    with raw httpx and no lock, so one writer overwrote the other's change
+    (or 412'd on the stale checksum). Now both route through
+    FavaClient.transform_source_line under the global write lock.
+    """
+    import asyncio
+
+    _, wallet = configured_user
+    approve_tag = f"conc-approve-{uuid4().hex[:6]}"
+    reject_tag = f"conc-reject-{uuid4().hex[:6]}"
+
+    posted = {}
+    for tag in (approve_tag, reject_tag):
+        posted[tag] = await post_expense(
+            client,
+            wallet_inkey=wallet.inkey,
+            user_wallet_id=wallet.id,
+            amount="10.00",
+            currency="EUR",
+            description=tag,
+            expense_account=standard_accounts["expense_food"]["name"],
+        )
+
+    # Force a Fava reload so the approve/reject lookups see both fresh
+    # pending entries (see #37).
+    await list_user_entries(client, wallet_inkey=wallet.inkey)
+
+    r_approve, r_reject = await asyncio.gather(
+        client.post(
+            f"/libra/api/v1/entries/{posted[approve_tag]['id']}/approve",
+            headers=super_user_headers,
+        ),
+        client.post(
+            f"/libra/api/v1/entries/{posted[reject_tag]['id']}/reject",
+            headers=super_user_headers,
+        ),
+    )
+    assert r_approve.status_code == 200, f"approve: {r_approve.text}"
+    assert r_reject.status_code == 200, f"reject: {r_reject.text}"
+
+    # Both mutations must be visible: one entry voided, the other cleared
+    # (a cleared entry no longer matches the pending-only reject lookup).
+    listing = await list_user_entries(client, wallet_inkey=wallet.inkey)
+    entries = listing.get("entries", [])
+    rejected = next(
+        (e for e in entries if reject_tag in (e.get("description") or "")), None,
+    )
+    assert rejected is not None and "voided" in rejected.get("tags", []), (
+        f"rejected entry lost its #voided tag: {rejected}"
+    )
+
+    second_reject = await client.post(
+        f"/libra/api/v1/entries/{posted[approve_tag]['id']}/reject",
+        headers=super_user_headers,
+    )
+    assert second_reject.status_code == 404, (
+        "approved entry should no longer match the pending-only reject "
+        f"lookup, got {second_reject.status_code}"
+    )

views_api.py

@@ -2903,8 +2903,7 @@ async def api_approve_expense_entry(
 
     This updates the transaction in the Beancount file via Fava API.
     """
-    import httpx
+    from .fava_client import ChecksumConflictError, get_fava_client
-    from .fava_client import get_fava_client
 
     fava = get_fava_client()
 
@@ -2939,57 +2938,29 @@ async def api_approve_expense_entry(
             detail="Entry metadata missing filename or lineno"
         )
 
-    # 3. Get the source file from Fava
+    # 3. Flip the flag under FavaClient's write lock — the whole
-    async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=fava.timeout) as client:
+    # read-modify-write is atomic against every other ledger writer.
-        response = await client.get(
+    old_pattern = f"{date_str} !"
-            f"{fava.base_url}/source",
-            params={"filename": filename}
-        )
-        response.raise_for_status()
-        source_data = response.json()["data"]
 
-        sha256sum = source_data["sha256sum"]
+    def _approve(line: str) -> str:
-        source = source_data["source"]
+        if old_pattern not in line:
-        lines = source.split('\n')
-
-        # 4. Find and modify the entry at the specified line
-        # Line numbers are 1-indexed, list is 0-indexed
-        entry_line_idx = lineno - 1
-
-        if entry_line_idx >= len(lines):
             raise HTTPException(
                 status_code=HTTPStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
-                detail=f"Line {lineno} not found in source file"
+                detail=f"Line {lineno} does not contain expected pattern '{old_pattern}'. Found: {line}"
             )
+        return line.replace(old_pattern, f"{date_str} *", 1)
 
-        entry_line = lines[entry_line_idx]
+    try:
-
+        await fava.transform_source_line(filename, lineno, _approve)
-        # Check if the line contains the pending flag pattern
+    except ValueError as e:
-        old_pattern = f"{date_str} !"
+        raise HTTPException(
-        if old_pattern not in entry_line:
+            status_code=HTTPStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, detail=str(e)
-            raise HTTPException(
+        )
-                status_code=HTTPStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+    except ChecksumConflictError:
-                detail=f"Line {lineno} does not contain expected pattern '{old_pattern}'. Found: {entry_line}"
+        raise HTTPException(
-            )
+            status_code=HTTPStatus.CONFLICT,
-
+            detail="Ledger changed concurrently; retry the approval",
-        # Replace the flag
-        new_pattern = f"{date_str} *"
-        new_line = entry_line.replace(old_pattern, new_pattern, 1)
-        lines[entry_line_idx] = new_line
-
-        # 5. Write back the modified source
-        new_source = '\n'.join(lines)
-
-        update_response = await client.put(
-            f"{fava.base_url}/source",
-            json={
-                "file_path": filename,
-                "source": new_source,
-                "sha256sum": sha256sum
-            },
-            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"}
         )
-        update_response.raise_for_status()
 
     logger.info(f"Entry {entry_id} approved (flag changed to *)")
 
@@ -3012,8 +2983,7 @@ async def api_reject_expense_entry(
     Adds #voided tag for audit trail while keeping the '!' flag.
     Voided transactions are excluded from balances but preserved in the ledger.
     """
-    import httpx
+    from .fava_client import ChecksumConflictError, get_fava_client
-    from .fava_client import get_fava_client
 
     fava = get_fava_client()
 
@@ -3048,50 +3018,26 @@ async def api_reject_expense_entry(
             detail="Entry metadata missing filename or lineno"
         )
 
-    # 3. Get the source file from Fava
+    # 3. Add the #voided tag under FavaClient's write lock — the whole
-    async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=fava.timeout) as client:
+    # read-modify-write is atomic against every other ledger writer.
-        response = await client.get(
+    def _void(line: str) -> str:
-            f"{fava.base_url}/source",
+        if "#voided" in line:
-            params={"filename": filename}
+            return line  # already voided — no-op
+        return line.rstrip() + ' #voided'
+
+    try:
+        changed = await fava.transform_source_line(filename, lineno, _void)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=HTTPStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, detail=str(e)
         )
-        response.raise_for_status()
+    except ChecksumConflictError:
-        source_data = response.json()["data"]
+        raise HTTPException(
-
+            status_code=HTTPStatus.CONFLICT,
-        sha256sum = source_data["sha256sum"]
+            detail="Ledger changed concurrently; retry the rejection",
-        source = source_data["source"]
+        )
-        lines = source.split('\n')
+    if changed:
-
+        logger.info(f"Entry {entry_id} rejected (added #voided tag)")
-        # 4. Find and modify the entry at the specified line - add #voided tag
-        entry_line_idx = lineno - 1
-
-        if entry_line_idx >= len(lines):
-            raise HTTPException(
-                status_code=HTTPStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
-                detail=f"Line {lineno} not found in source file"
-            )
-
-        entry_line = lines[entry_line_idx]
-
-        # Add #voided tag if not already present
-        if "#voided" not in entry_line:
-            # Add #voided tag to the transaction line
-            new_line = entry_line.rstrip() + ' #voided'
-            lines[entry_line_idx] = new_line
-
-            # 5. Write back the modified source
-            new_source = '\n'.join(lines)
-
-            update_response = await client.put(
-                f"{fava.base_url}/source",
-                json={
-                    "file_path": filename,
-                    "source": new_source,
-                    "sha256sum": sha256sum
-                },
-                headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"}
-            )
-            update_response.raise_for_status()
-            logger.info(f"Entry {entry_id} rejected (added #voided tag)")
 
     return {
         "message": f"Entry {entry_id} rejected (marked as voided)",
@@ -3820,8 +3766,14 @@ async def api_admin_add_chart_account(
             "already_existed": True,
         }
 
-    # Mirror into libra DB so permissions / metadata layer sees it.
+    # Mirror into libra DB so permissions / metadata layer sees it. We just
-    synced = await sync_single_account_from_beancount(payload.name)
+    # wrote the Open directive ourselves, so skip the verification
+    # round-trip through Fava (libra-#53).
+    synced = await sync_single_account_from_beancount(
+        payload.name,
+        description=payload.description,
+        assume_exists=True,
+    )
 
     return {
         "success": True,