diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md
index 170cab139..d0d91e3b3 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ When a milestone completes:
 
 1. Extract full milestone details to `.planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-ROADMAP.md`
 2. Archive requirements to `.planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-REQUIREMENTS.md`
-3. Update ROADMAP.md — replace milestone details with one-line summary
-4. Delete REQUIREMENTS.md (fresh one for next milestone)
+3. Update ROADMAP.md — overwrite in place with milestone grouping (preserve Backlog section)
+4. Safety commit archive files + updated ROADMAP.md, then `git rm REQUIREMENTS.md` (fresh for next milestone)
 5. Perform full PROJECT.md evolution review
 6. Offer to create next milestone inline
 7. Archive UI artifacts (`*-UI-SPEC.md`, `*-UI-REVIEW.md`) alongside other phase documents
@@ -400,18 +400,29 @@ Verify: `✅ Phase directories archived to .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-phases/`
 If "Skip": Phase directories remain in `.planning/phases/` as raw execution history. Use `/gsd-cleanup` later to archive retroactively.
 
 After archival, the AI still handles:
-- Reorganizing ROADMAP.md with milestone grouping (requires judgment)
+- Reorganizing ROADMAP.md with milestone grouping (requires judgment) — overwrite in place after extracting Backlog section
 - Full PROJECT.md evolution review (requires understanding)
-- Deleting original ROADMAP.md and REQUIREMENTS.md
+- Safety commit of archive files + updated ROADMAP.md, then `git rm .planning/REQUIREMENTS.md`
 - These are NOT fully delegated because they require AI interpretation of content
 
 </step>
 
 <step name="reorganize_roadmap_and_delete_originals">
 
-After `milestone complete` has archived, reorganize ROADMAP.md with milestone groupings, then delete originals:
+After `milestone complete` has archived, reorganize ROADMAP.md with milestone groupings, then commit archives as a safety checkpoint before removing originals.
 
-**Reorganize ROADMAP.md** — group completed milestone phases:
+**Backlog preservation — do this FIRST before rewriting ROADMAP.md:**
+
+Extract the Backlog section from the current ROADMAP.md before making any changes:
+
+```bash
+# Extract lines under ## Backlog through end of file (or next ## section)
+BACKLOG_SECTION=$(awk '/^## Backlog/{found=1} found{print}' .planning/ROADMAP.md)
+```
+
+If `$BACKLOG_SECTION` is empty, there is no Backlog section — skip silently.
+
+**Reorganize ROADMAP.md** — overwrite in place (do NOT delete first) with milestone groupings:
 
 ```markdown
 # Roadmap: [Project Name]
@@ -432,11 +443,22 @@ After `milestone complete` has archived, reorganize ROADMAP.md with milestone gr
 </details>
 ```
 
-**Then delete originals:**
+**Re-append Backlog section after the rewrite** (only if `$BACKLOG_SECTION` was non-empty):
+
+Append the extracted Backlog content verbatim to the end of the newly written ROADMAP.md. This ensures 999.x backlog items are never silently dropped during milestone reorganization.
+
+**Safety commit — commit archive files BEFORE deleting any originals:**
 
 ```bash
-rm .planning/ROADMAP.md
-rm .planning/REQUIREMENTS.md
+node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" commit "chore: archive v[X.Y] milestone files" --files .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-ROADMAP.md .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-REQUIREMENTS.md .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-MILESTONE-AUDIT.md .planning/MILESTONES.md .planning/PROJECT.md .planning/STATE.md .planning/ROADMAP.md
+```
+
+This creates a durable checkpoint in git history. If anything fails after this point, the working tree can be reconstructed from git.
+
+**Remove REQUIREMENTS.md via git rm** (preserves history, stages deletion atomically):
+
+```bash
+git rm .planning/REQUIREMENTS.md
 ```
 
 </step>
@@ -686,14 +708,13 @@ git push origin v[X.Y]
 
 <step name="git_commit_milestone">
 
-Commit milestone completion.
+Commit the REQUIREMENTS.md deletion (archive files and ROADMAP.md were already committed in the safety commit in `reorganize_roadmap_and_delete_originals`).
 
 ```bash
-node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" commit "chore: complete v[X.Y] milestone" --files .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-ROADMAP.md .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-REQUIREMENTS.md .planning/milestones/v[X.Y]-MILESTONE-AUDIT.md .planning/MILESTONES.md .planning/PROJECT.md .planning/STATE.md
-```
+git commit -m "chore: remove REQUIREMENTS.md for v[X.Y] milestone"
 ```
 
-Confirm: "Committed: chore: complete v[X.Y] milestone"
+Confirm: "Committed: chore: remove REQUIREMENTS.md for v[X.Y] milestone"
 
 </step>
 
@@ -759,10 +780,12 @@ Milestone completion is successful when:
 - [ ] PROJECT.md full evolution review completed
 - [ ] All shipped requirements moved to Validated in PROJECT.md
 - [ ] Key Decisions updated with outcomes
-- [ ] ROADMAP.md reorganized with milestone grouping
+- [ ] ROADMAP.md Backlog section extracted before rewrite, re-appended after (skipped if absent)
+- [ ] ROADMAP.md reorganized with milestone grouping (overwritten in place, not deleted)
 - [ ] Roadmap archive created (milestones/v[X.Y]-ROADMAP.md)
 - [ ] Requirements archive created (milestones/v[X.Y]-REQUIREMENTS.md)
-- [ ] REQUIREMENTS.md deleted (fresh for next milestone)
+- [ ] Safety commit made (archive files + updated ROADMAP.md) BEFORE deleting REQUIREMENTS.md
+- [ ] REQUIREMENTS.md removed via `git rm` (fresh for next milestone, history preserved)
 - [ ] STATE.md updated with fresh project reference
 - [ ] Git tag created (v[X.Y])
 - [ ] Milestone commit made (includes archive files and deletion)