diff --git a/alkstore-postgres/src/opts.rs b/alkstore-postgres/src/opts.rs
index 7185712..b47932e 100644
--- a/alkstore-postgres/src/opts.rs
+++ b/alkstore-postgres/src/opts.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ pub struct PgOpts {
     /// queries, claims, and all non-transactional work ride these.
     /// Default [`DEFAULT_MAX_SIZE`] = 8 (the deployment matrix's
     /// budget line; the listener adds +1 per LISTEN-ing process
-    /// *outside* the pool — sizing rule `max_size + 1`).
+    /// *outside* the pool — sizing rule `max_size + 1`). A value of
+    /// `0` fails [`open`](crate::open) with [`Error::Database`]
+    /// immediately (validated at entry — no round trip; deadpool
+    /// cannot grant checkouts from an empty pool).
     pub max_size: usize,
     /// The per-session `synchronous_commit` durability knob, wired as
     /// a connect-options `-c synchronous_commit=…` on every pooled
diff --git a/alkstore-postgres/src/store.rs b/alkstore-postgres/src/store.rs
index 3baf833..59f4deb 100644
--- a/alkstore-postgres/src/store.rs
+++ b/alkstore-postgres/src/store.rs
@@ -143,17 +143,38 @@ pub async fn open(config: &str, opts: PgOpts) -> alkstore::Result<Box<dyn Store>
 }
 
 pub(crate) async fn open_store(config: &str, opts: PgOpts) -> alkstore::Result<PgStore> {
+    // Validate at entry (the engine-wide posture): a `max_size: 0`
+    // pool can never grant a checkout, and deadpool (0.13/0.14) does
+    // not validate the size or apply default timeouts — without this
+    // guard `open` would hang forever at the bootstrap checkout
+    // instead of failing typed. This fires before any round trip.
+    if opts.max_size == 0 {
+        return Err(database_error(format!(
+            "max_size must be positive, got {}",
+            opts.max_size
+        )));
+    }
+
     let cfg: tokio_postgres::Config = config.parse().map_err(pg_error)?;
 
     // Per-session durability knob: the POC's connect-options SET
     // mechanics (`-c synchronous_commit=…` on every pooled
     // connection; POC-verified — pool.rs's `set_sync_commit_session`
-    // probe shape).
+    // probe shape). The engine's option is *appended* to whatever
+    // options the consumer's DSN carried (tokio-postgres's setter
+    // replaces — reading the parse-carried value via `get_options()`
+    // first keeps the consumer's `options=` alive alongside; postgres
+    // parses repeated `-c` flags, so both ride the connection).
     let mut pool_cfg = cfg.clone();
-    pool_cfg.options(format!(
+    let engine_opt = format!(
         "-c synchronous_commit={}",
         if opts.synchronous_commit { "on" } else { "off" }
-    ));
+    );
+    let merged = match pool_cfg.get_options() {
+        Some(existing) => format!("{existing} {engine_opt}"),
+        None => engine_opt,
+    };
+    pool_cfg.options(merged);
 
     let mgr_cfg = ManagerConfig {
         recycling_method: RecyclingMethod::Fast,
diff --git a/alkstore-postgres/src/store/open_tests.rs b/alkstore-postgres/src/store/open_tests.rs
index c1ba633..39b6142 100644
--- a/alkstore-postgres/src/store/open_tests.rs
+++ b/alkstore-postgres/src/store/open_tests.rs
@@ -701,6 +701,95 @@ async fn store_trait_methods_are_wired() {
     drop_schema(&admin, &schema).await;
 }
 
+/// Acceptance (review 002 Finding 3): `max_size: 0` fails `open` with
+/// the typed `Database` error *before any round trip* — promptly, not
+/// the deadpool hang (a `max_size: 0` pool can never grant a checkout
+/// and deadpool 0.13/0.14 neither validates it nor defaults timeouts).
+/// The test's inner timeout bounds the hang: a regression re-hangs and
+/// fails here by timeout. This needs no server — the guard fires at
+/// entry, before any connection attempt (its "before any round trip"
+/// property pinned by running against an unreachable endpoint).
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn open_fails_database_promptly_on_zero_max_size() {
+    let dsn = harness_dsn().unwrap_or_else(unreachable_dsn);
+    let schema = instance_namer("zero")();
+    let opts = PgOpts {
+        schema,
+        max_size: 0,
+        ..PgOpts::default()
+    };
+    let result = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(2), open_store(&dsn, opts)).await;
+    assert!(
+        result.is_ok(),
+        "open with max_size: 0 must fail promptly — \
+         an inner timeout tripped, the deadpool hang regressed"
+    );
+    let err = result.unwrap().unwrap_err();
+    match err {
+        alkstore::Error::Database(source) => {
+            let detail = source.to_string();
+            assert!(
+                detail.contains("max_size") && detail.contains("positive"),
+                "the source chain says what was rejected, got: {detail}"
+            );
+        }
+        other => panic!("max_size: 0 must fail typed Database, got {other:?}"),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Acceptance (review 002 options note): the consumer DSN's `options=`
+/// survive `open` — the engine's `synchronous_commit` `-c` SET is
+/// *appended*, not substituted (tokio-postgres's setter replaces; the
+/// parse-carried value is read back and preserved). Both knob values
+/// ride every pooled connection: the consumer's
+/// (`statement_timeout` via `SHOW`) and the engine's
+/// (`synchronous_commit` via `SHOW` on both settings).
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+async fn consumer_dsn_options_survive_alongside_the_engine_set() {
+    let Some(dsn) = harness_dsn() else {
+        eprintln!("skip: no harness server");
+        return;
+    };
+    let consumer_dsn = format!("{dsn} options='-c statement_timeout=30000'");
+
+    for (sync_commit, expected) in [(true, "on"), (false, "off")] {
+        let schema = instance_namer("dsnops")();
+        let store = open_store(
+            &consumer_dsn,
+            PgOpts {
+                schema: schema.to_string(),
+                synchronous_commit: sync_commit,
+                ..PgOpts::default()
+            },
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("open with a DSN carrying options must succeed: {e}"));
+        let conn = store.pool().get().await.unwrap();
+
+        let row = conn.query_one("SHOW statement_timeout", &[]).await.unwrap();
+        let timeout: String = row.get(0);
+        assert_eq!(
+            timeout, "30s",
+            "the consumer's DSN options must survive open, got: {timeout}"
+        );
+
+        let row = conn
+            .query_one("SHOW synchronous_commit", &[])
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        let value: String = row.get(0);
+        assert_eq!(
+            value, expected,
+            "the engine's SET must still ride the appended options, got: {value}"
+        );
+
+        drop(conn);
+        store.close();
+        let admin = harness_client().await.unwrap();
+        drop_schema(&admin, &schema).await;
+    }
+}
+
 /// The error-mapping helpers exist and are the documented reuse point:
 /// a mapped error is `Error::Database` with the source chain preserved
 /// (the mapping trio the mechanism tasks reuse; the io-Error string
diff --git a/tasks/pg-fix-open-path.md b/tasks/pg-fix-open-path.md
index 3df0607..272c8e0 100644
--- a/tasks/pg-fix-open-path.md
+++ b/tasks/pg-fix-open-path.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 id: pg-fix-open-path
 name: Fix `max_size: 0` open hang + DSN options override (review 002 Finding 3 + options note)
-status: pending
+status: completed
 depends_on: []
 scope: single
 risk: low
@@ -53,16 +53,16 @@ opts-flow tests stay green.
 
 ## Acceptance Criteria
 
-- [ ] `max_size: 0` fails `open` with a typed `Database` error before
+- [x] `max_size: 0` fails `open` with a typed `Database` error before
       any round trip — pinned by test (prompt failure, no hang)
-- [ ] The consumer DSN's `options=` survive: appended, not replaced —
+- [x] The consumer DSN's `options=` survive: appended, not replaced —
       pinned by test (DSN with options + engine SET coexist, `SHOW`
       observable)
 - [ ] If append proved impractical instead: the engine-wins semantics
       documented at the site and in crate docs (record the decision in
-      Notes)
-- [ ] Existing open/opts tests stay green
-- [ ] `cargo test -p alkstore-postgres` (harness server), clippy
+      Notes) — *n/a: append landed*
+- [x] Existing open/opts tests stay green
+- [x] `cargo test -p alkstore-postgres` (harness server), clippy
       `-D warnings`, fmt clean; gates green server-less
 
 ## References
@@ -77,8 +77,67 @@ opts-flow tests stay green.
 
 ## Notes
 
-> To be filled by implementation agent
+Decisions of record made while implementing (the description didn't
+pin them):
+
+- **Both fix shapes' primary option landed (the guard; no deadpool
+  timeout config added)**: `open_store` rejects `opts.max_size == 0`
+  at entry — `database_error("max_size must be positive, got 0")`
+  (the value rides the message; the source chain says what was
+  rejected) — *before* the config parse and any round trip. The
+  timeout-configured-hang alternative was not taken (the review ranked
+  it weaker; not trivially worth doing both — deadpool 0.13/0.14 has
+  no default pool timeouts to lean on and the guard is total).
+- **Append is practical and landed** (the task's preferred fix; the
+  n/a acceptance row): tokio-postgres 0.7.18's
+  `Config::get_options() -> Option<&str>` returns the raw options
+  string the parse (or a prior programmatic `options()`) carried, so
+  `open_store` reads it, appends
+  ` -c synchronous_commit={on|off}`, and calls the setter — the
+  consumer's `options=` ride every pooled connection alongside the
+  engine's SET. Postgres parses repeated `-c` flags in order, so if
+  the consumer's own options set `synchronous_commit`, the engine's
+  later `-c` wins *for that knob* (it is the knob `PgOpts` owns) and
+  every other consumer setting lives untouched. The listener path
+  (`cfg.clone()` + `application_name` only) is unchanged — the SET is
+  a pool-connection concern. Documented at the site and on
+  `PgOpts::max_size` (0 rejected immediately) in `opts.rs`.
+- **Tests**: `open_fails_database_promptly_on_zero_max_size` pins the
+  guard — typed `Database`, source chain containing "max_size" +
+  "positive", bounded by an inner `tokio::time::timeout(2s)` so a
+  regression re-hangs and fails here by timeout; it runs server-less
+  too (unreachable-DSN fallback — the guard fires before any
+  connection attempt, which is exactly the "before any round trip"
+  property being pinned). `consumer_dsn_options_survive_alongside_the_engine_set`
+  pins the append: DSN `options='-c statement_timeout=30000'` → open
+  succeeds, `SHOW statement_timeout` = `30s` (consumer's survived)
+  and `SHOW synchronous_commit` = on/off per `PgOpts` (engine's SET
+  rides) — both knob values asserted for both settings, against the
+  harness server.
+- **The `PgOpts::max_size` doc on `opts.rs` now states the 0
+  rejection** (the constructor's validation is part of the option's
+  contract now that it is typed-failed at open).
 
 ## Summary
 
-> To be filled on completion
\ No newline at end of file
+Both open-path fixes landed in `alkstore-postgres/src/store.rs`
+(`open_store`). Finding 3: a `max_size > 0` entry guard fires before
+the config parse and any round trip — `max_size: 0` now fails `open`
+with the typed `Error::Database` ("max_size must be positive, got 0")
+instead of hanging forever at the bootstrap checkout (deadpool
+0.13/0.14 neither validates `max_size` nor defaults timeouts). Minor
+note: the engine's connect-options SET (`-c synchronous_commit=…`) is
+now *appended* to the parse-carried `options=` string (read back via
+`tokio_postgres::Config::get_options()`) rather than replacing it —
+the consumer's DSN options survive on every pooled connection
+alongside the engine's knob; repeated `-c` flags are
+order-processed by postgres so the engine still owns
+`synchronous_commit` if it collides. Pinned by two new tests in
+`src/store/open_tests.rs` (the zero-guard test with a bounded-hang
+timeout structure, server-less-capable; the append test asserting
+both `SHOW statement_timeout` and `SHOW synchronous_commit` across
+both knob settings against the harness server). Verified: 118/118 pg
+lib tests + contract-suite/schema suites green against the harness
+(pglo-poc :15432), workspace `cargo test` green server-less (283
+tests, pg skipping per convention), `cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D
+warnings` and `cargo fmt --check` clean workspace-wide.
\ No newline at end of file