diff --git a/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py b/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
index f0c54d5..c0ccf44 100644
--- a/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
+++ b/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
@@ -68,11 +68,29 @@ def split_answer(text: str, threshold: int, max_parts: int) -> list:
 
 
 class ConfigFileHandler(FileSystemEventHandler):
-    def __init__(self, on_modified):
-        self._on_modified = on_modified
+    """Rename-safe config watch (CFG-05).
 
-    def on_modified(self, event):
-        self._on_modified(event)
+    Editors and tools save atomically — write a temp file, then rename it
+    over the target — which fires a *moved*/*created* event (not
+    *modified*) and swaps the inode, so watching the file directly goes
+    deaf after the first save. We watch the config's *directory* and react
+    to any event whose src or dest path is the config file.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, config_path: str, on_change):
+        self._config_path = str(Path(config_path).resolve())
+        self._on_change = on_change
+
+    def _hits_config(self, event) -> bool:
+        for attr in ("src_path", "dest_path"):
+            path = getattr(event, attr, "")
+            if path and str(Path(path).resolve()) == self._config_path:
+                return True
+        return False
+
+    def on_any_event(self, event):
+        if not event.is_directory and self._hits_config(event):
+            self._on_change()
 
 
 class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
@@ -102,8 +120,10 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
 
     def init_observer(self):
         self.observer = Observer()
-        self.file_handler = ConfigFileHandler(self.on_config_file_modified)
-        self.observer.schedule(self.file_handler, path=self.config_file, recursive=False)
+        config_path = Path(self.config_file).resolve()
+        self.file_handler = ConfigFileHandler(str(config_path), self.on_config_file_changed)
+        # Watch the directory, not the file — atomic saves replace the inode (CFG-05)
+        self.observer.schedule(self.file_handler, path=str(config_path.parent), recursive=False)
         self.observer.start()
 
     def init_aichannels(self):
@@ -415,12 +435,10 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
             airesponder.image_cache.purge_message(str(message.id))  # IMG-14
         await airesponder.observe_event(message.author.name, "delete", f"deleted: {message.content}")
 
-    def on_config_file_modified(self, event):
+    def on_config_file_changed(self):
         # Runs on the watchdog observer thread — the swap itself is
         # scheduled onto the event loop so no request reads a
         # half-swapped config (CFG-04 / D9)
-        if event.src_path != self.config_file:
-            return
         new_config = self.load_config(self.config_file)
         if repr(new_config) == repr(self.config):
             return
diff --git a/specs/SPEC-008-config.md b/specs/SPEC-008-config.md
index 3f3570f..c294be7 100644
--- a/specs/SPEC-008-config.md
+++ b/specs/SPEC-008-config.md
@@ -31,3 +31,13 @@ and all responder `.config` references is scheduled onto the event
 loop (`call_soon_threadsafe`), so no request ever reads a
 half-swapped config (D9). Before the loop runs (startup), the swap
 applies directly — there are no concurrent readers yet.
+
+### CFG-05 — Hot-reload is rename-safe (coverage: test)
+
+The watcher observes the config file's **directory**, not the file, and
+reacts to any event (modified, created, moved) whose source or
+destination path is the config file. This catches atomic saves — write
+a temp file, then rename it over the target — which replace the inode
+and fire a move/create rather than a modify; watching the file directly
+would go deaf after the first such save. Events for other files in the
+directory, and directory events themselves, are ignored.
diff --git a/tests/test_spec_per.py b/tests/test_spec_per.py
index 7021ede..dd9d960 100644
--- a/tests/test_spec_per.py
+++ b/tests/test_spec_per.py
@@ -120,9 +120,7 @@ class TestConfigReloadRace(TestBotBase):
         new_config["history-limit"] = 99
         self.bot.load_config = lambda path: new_config
         self.bot.loop = MagicMock()
-        event = MagicMock()
-        event.src_path = self.bot.config_file
-        self.bot.on_config_file_modified(event)
+        self.bot.on_config_file_changed()
         self.bot.loop.call_soon_threadsafe.assert_called_once()
         apply_fn = self.bot.loop.call_soon_threadsafe.call_args.args[0]
         apply_fn()
@@ -137,7 +135,32 @@ class TestConfigReloadRace(TestBotBase):
         loop = MagicMock()
         loop.call_soon_threadsafe.side_effect = RuntimeError("no running loop")
         self.bot.loop = loop
-        event = MagicMock()
-        event.src_path = self.bot.config_file
-        self.bot.on_config_file_modified(event)
+        self.bot.on_config_file_changed()
         self.assertEqual(self.bot.config["history-limit"], 42)
+
+
+class TestConfigReloadRenameSafe(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_atomic_rename_and_modify_trigger_reload(self):
+        """CFG-05: a modified OR a renamed-into-place config fires the reload; unrelated files do not."""
+        from fjerkroa_bot.discord_bot import ConfigFileHandler
+
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            config = Path(tmp) / "kroa.toml"
+            config.write_text("x = 1\n")
+            hits = []
+            handler = ConfigFileHandler(str(config), lambda: hits.append(1))
+
+            def evt(is_dir=False, src=None, dest=None):
+                event = MagicMock()
+                event.is_directory = is_dir
+                event.src_path = src if src is not None else ""
+                event.dest_path = dest if dest is not None else ""
+                return event
+
+            handler.on_any_event(evt(src=str(config)))  # in-place modify
+            handler.on_any_event(evt(src=str(Path(tmp) / "kroa.toml.tmp"), dest=str(config)))  # atomic rename over
+            self.assertEqual(len(hits), 2)
+
+            handler.on_any_event(evt(src=str(Path(tmp) / "other.txt")))  # unrelated file
+            handler.on_any_event(evt(is_dir=True, src=str(config)))  # directory event
+            self.assertEqual(len(hits), 2)  # neither fired