diff --git a/loopx/chat_action_store.py b/loopx/chat_action_store.py
index ccf22e793c..3601c7a6f3 100644
--- a/loopx/chat_action_store.py
+++ b/loopx/chat_action_store.py
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ def _opaque_id(value: Any, *, field: str) -> str:
     return token
 
 
+def normalize_idempotency_key(value: Any) -> str:
+    """Return the canonical token this store binds and persists."""
+    return _opaque_id(value, field="idempotency_key")
+
+
 def _bounded_text(value: Any, *, field: str, limit: int = 4000) -> str:
     text = str(value or "").strip()
     if not text or len(text) > limit or any(ord(character) < 32 for character in text):
@@ -231,7 +236,7 @@ def create_preview(
             },
             path="preview",
         )
-        key = _opaque_id(idempotency_key, field="idempotency_key")
+        key = normalize_idempotency_key(idempotency_key)
         request_digest = _canonical_digest(request)
         with exclusive_file_lock(
             self.path,
diff --git a/loopx/control_plane/goals/acceptance_actions.py b/loopx/control_plane/goals/acceptance_actions.py
index 8bdeebd3fc..b56729e9a0 100644
--- a/loopx/control_plane/goals/acceptance_actions.py
+++ b/loopx/control_plane/goals/acceptance_actions.py
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@
 from typing import Any, TypedDict
 from uuid import uuid4
 
-from ...chat_action_store import ActionConflictError, ChatActionStore
+from ...chat_action_store import (
+    ActionConflictError,
+    ChatActionStore,
+    normalize_idempotency_key,
+)
 from ...file_lock import exclusive_file_lock
 from .acceptance import (
     configure_goal_acceptance, inspect_goal_acceptance, public_goal_acceptance,
@@ -71,6 +75,10 @@ def prepare_acceptance_check(*, registry_path: Path, runtime_root: str | None,
         return {**public_goal_acceptance(preview), "prepared": False, "executed": False}
     service = ChatActionService(store=ChatActionStore(root / "chat" / "actions"),
                                 registry_path=registry_path)
+    # The store persists and binds the canonical token. Look up that same token
+    # so a re-sent request with surrounding whitespace is recovered as the
+    # accepted intent instead of becoming a conflicting new preview.
+    operation_id = normalize_idempotency_key(operation_id)
     parameters = service._normalize("goal.acceptance.check", {
         "goal_id": goal_id, "document": document, "prepared_by": agent_id})
     proposal = _saved_check(service.store, parameters, operation_id)
diff --git a/tests/control_plane/test_goal_acceptance_prepared_action.py b/tests/control_plane/test_goal_acceptance_prepared_action.py
index d3b4a4540a..f619a0b4df 100644
--- a/tests/control_plane/test_goal_acceptance_prepared_action.py
+++ b/tests/control_plane/test_goal_acceptance_prepared_action.py
@@ -198,6 +198,27 @@ def test_preparation_retry_does_not_return_another_preparers_plan(conversation_c
     assert not (project / "runs.txt").exists()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("retry_spelling", ["padded", "canonical"])
+def test_preparation_retry_uses_the_canonical_operation_id(conversation_check, retry_spelling):
+    project, cli, controller, _, _, call, _ = conversation_check
+    padded = "  recover-original-intent  "
+    # The store strips and persists the canonical token; the first tool reply may
+    # be lost after that write, so the retry must find the same accepted intent.
+    original = call(operation_id=padded)["proposal"]
+    assert original["idempotency_key"] == "recover-original-intent"
+    store = ChatActionStore(project.parent / "runtime/chat/actions")
+    code, updated = run_json_cli_result("todo", "update", "--goal-id", "goal-acceptance",
+        "--todo-id", "todo_export", "--agent-id", "agent-a", "--note", "Work is progressing",
+        registry_path=controller.registry_path, runtime_root=project.parent / "runtime")
+    assert code == 0, updated
+    authority, journal = cli("inspect")[1], store.path.read_bytes()
+    recovered = call(operation_id=padded if retry_spelling == "padded" else "recover-original-intent")
+    assert recovered["ok"] is True and recovered["executed"] is False, recovered
+    assert recovered["proposal"] == original
+    assert cli("inspect")[1] == authority and store.path.read_bytes() == journal
+    assert not (project / "runs.txt").exists()
+
+
 def test_preparation_retry_does_not_replace_unavailable_authority(conversation_check, monkeypatch):
     project, cli, _, _, _, call, _ = conversation_check
     call()