diff --git a/mempalace/cli.py b/mempalace/cli.py
index 27c81d3..9a1e8e4 100644
--- a/mempalace/cli.py
+++ b/mempalace/cli.py
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ def cmd_repair(args):
         if getattr(e, "live_replaced", False):
             print("  Live collection was already replaced; restoring from backup...")
             try:
-                _close_chroma_handles(palace_path)
+                _close_chroma_handles(palace_path, backend=backend)
                 if os.path.exists(palace_path):
                     shutil.rmtree(palace_path)
                 shutil.copytree(backup_path, palace_path)
diff --git a/mempalace/repair.py b/mempalace/repair.py
index 49d6abe..0585405 100644
--- a/mempalace/repair.py
+++ b/mempalace/repair.py
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ def rebuild_index(palace_path=None, confirm_truncation_ok: bool = False):
         if e.live_replaced and os.path.exists(backup_path):
             print(f"  Restoring from backup: {backup_path}")
             try:
-                _close_chroma_handles(palace_path)
+                _close_chroma_handles(palace_path, backend=backend)
                 _delete_collection_if_exists(backend, palace_path, COLLECTION_NAME)
                 shutil.copy2(backup_path, sqlite_path)
                 print("  Backup restored. Palace is back to pre-repair state.")
@@ -593,12 +593,18 @@ def status(palace_path=None) -> dict:
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-def _close_chroma_handles(palace_path: str) -> None:
-    """Drop ChromaBackend + chromadb singleton caches so OS mmap handles release."""
+def _close_chroma_handles(palace_path: str, backend: ChromaBackend | None = None) -> None:
+    """Drop ChromaBackend + chromadb singleton caches so OS mmap handles release.
+
+    When ``backend`` is provided, close the live instance so rollback/restore
+    releases the handles it was already using. Otherwise fall back to a
+    transient backend instance for the max-seq-id repair path.
+    """
     import gc
 
     try:
-        ChromaBackend().close_palace(palace_path)
+        closer = backend if backend is not None else ChromaBackend()
+        closer.close_palace(palace_path)
     except Exception:
         pass
     try:
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 11845fe..6572f1d 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -799,17 +799,14 @@ def test_cmd_repair_restores_backup_on_live_rebuild_failure(mock_config_cls, tmp
     mock_temp_col.count.return_value = 2
     mock_backend = _mock_backend_for(col=mock_col)
     mock_backend.create_collection.side_effect = [mock_temp_col, RuntimeError("live build failed")]
-    with (
-        patch("mempalace.backends.chroma.ChromaBackend", return_value=mock_backend),
-        patch("mempalace.repair._close_chroma_handles") as mock_close_handles,
-    ):
+    with patch("mempalace.backends.chroma.ChromaBackend", return_value=mock_backend):
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as excinfo:
             cmd_repair(args)
     out = capsys.readouterr().out
     assert excinfo.value.code == 1
     assert "Repair failed" in out
     assert "restoring from backup" in out
-    mock_close_handles.assert_called_once_with(str(palace_dir))
+    mock_backend.close_palace.assert_called_once_with(str(palace_dir))
     assert mock_backend.delete_collection.call_args_list == [
         call(str(palace_dir), "mempalace_drawers__repair_tmp"),
         call(str(palace_dir), "mempalace_drawers"),
diff --git a/tests/test_repair.py b/tests/test_repair.py
index 33daad9..9cd12dd 100644
--- a/tests/test_repair.py
+++ b/tests/test_repair.py
@@ -499,20 +499,25 @@ def test_rebuild_index_live_failure_restores_backup(mock_backend_cls, mock_shuti
     mock_temp_col.count.return_value = 2
     mock_new_col = MagicMock()
     mock_new_col.upsert.side_effect = RuntimeError("live upsert failed")
-    mock_backend = _install_mock_backend(mock_backend_cls, mock_col)
-    mock_backend.create_collection.side_effect = [mock_temp_col, mock_new_col]
+    active_backend = MagicMock()
+    active_backend.get_collection.return_value = mock_col
+    active_backend.create_collection.side_effect = [mock_temp_col, mock_new_col]
+    helper_backend = MagicMock()
+    mock_backend_cls.side_effect = [active_backend, helper_backend]
 
     with pytest.raises(repair.RebuildCollectionError) as excinfo:
         repair.rebuild_index(palace_path=str(tmp_path))
 
     assert excinfo.value.live_replaced is True
     assert mock_shutil.copy2.call_count == 2
-    assert mock_backend.delete_collection.call_args_list == [
+    assert active_backend.delete_collection.call_args_list == [
         call(str(tmp_path), "mempalace_drawers__repair_tmp"),
         call(str(tmp_path), "mempalace_drawers"),
         call(str(tmp_path), "mempalace_drawers__repair_tmp"),
         call(str(tmp_path), "mempalace_drawers"),
     ]
+    active_backend.close_palace.assert_called_once_with(str(tmp_path))
+    helper_backend.close_palace.assert_not_called()
 
 
 @patch("mempalace.repair.shutil")