diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cab48ac..2605d1e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     "generate:server-json": "tsx scripts/sync-release-metadata.ts",
     "publish:mcp-registry": "tsx scripts/publish-mcp-registry.ts",
     "lint": "eslint .",
-    "test": "node --test --test-concurrency=1 dist/test/coordinator-socket-error.integration.test.js dist/test/identity-store.test.js dist/test/identity-cert.test.js dist/test/broadcast-window.integration.test.js dist/test/identity-restart.integration.test.js dist/test/mesh-e2e.integration.test.js dist/test/ws-broadcast-window.integration.test.js dist/test/tls-transport.integration.test.js dist/test/state-sync-convergence.test.js dist/test/downtime-replay.test.js dist/test/downtime-replay.integration.test.js",
+    "test": "node --test --test-concurrency=1 dist/test/coordinator-socket-error.integration.test.js dist/test/identity-store.test.js dist/test/identity-cert.test.js dist/test/broadcast-window.integration.test.js dist/test/identity-restart.integration.test.js dist/test/mesh-e2e.integration.test.js dist/test/ws-broadcast-window.integration.test.js dist/test/tls-transport.integration.test.js dist/test/state-sync-convergence.test.js dist/test/downtime-replay.test.js dist/test/downtime-replay.integration.test.js dist/test/filestore.test.js",
     "test:visibility": "node --test dist/test/visibility.integration.test.js",
     "test:delivery": "node dist/test/delivery-receipt.runner.js",
     "test:all": "pnpm test && pnpm test:delivery",
diff --git a/src/core/store.ts b/src/core/store.ts
index 00df400..5d3036f 100644
--- a/src/core/store.ts
+++ b/src/core/store.ts
@@ -201,21 +201,27 @@ export class FileStore implements CommsStore {
 
   async listAgents(requesterId: string): Promise<AgentIdentity[]> {
     const dir = path.join(this.root, "registry", "agents");
+    let files: string[];
     try {
-      const files = await fs.readdir(dir);
-      const agents: AgentIdentity[] = [];
-      for (const file of files) {
-        if (!file.endsWith(".json")) continue;
-        const agent = AgentIdentitySchema.parse(
-          await this.readJsonFile(path.join(dir, file)),
-        );
-        if (agent.visibility === "ghost" && agent.id !== requesterId) continue;
-        agents.push(agent);
+      files = await fs.readdir(dir);
+    } catch (err) {
+      // A store with no registry yet legitimately lists no agents; a record
+      // that fails to parse is a real failure and must surface (#32).
+      if (err instanceof Error && "code" in err && err.code === "ENOENT") {
+        return [];
       }
-      return agents;
-    } catch {
-      return [];
+      throw err;
     }
+    const agents: AgentIdentity[] = [];
+    for (const file of files) {
+      if (!file.endsWith(".json")) continue;
+      const agent = AgentIdentitySchema.parse(
+        await this.readJsonFile(path.join(dir, file)),
+      );
+      if (agent.visibility === "ghost" && agent.id !== requesterId) continue;
+      agents.push(agent);
+    }
+    return agents;
   }
 
   async setAgentOffline(id: string): Promise<void> {
@@ -375,7 +381,11 @@ export class FileStore implements CommsStore {
       throw new CommsError("Only the room owner can invite", "NOT_OWNER");
 
     if (!room.invited.includes(targetId) && !room.members.includes(targetId)) {
-      room.invited.push(targetId);
+      room.version += 1;
+      room.invitedJoins[targetId] = room.version;
+      room.invited = Object.keys(room.invitedJoins).filter(
+        (id) => (room.invitedJoins[id] ?? 0) > (room.invitedLeaves[id] ?? 0),
+      );
     }
     await this.writeJsonFile(this.roomPath(roomId), room);
 
@@ -405,7 +415,11 @@ export class FileStore implements CommsStore {
         "NOT_INVITED",
       );
 
-    room.invited = room.invited.filter((id) => id !== agentId);
+    room.version += 1;
+    room.invitedLeaves[agentId] = room.version;
+    room.invited = Object.keys(room.invitedJoins).filter(
+      (id) => (room.invitedJoins[id] ?? 0) > (room.invitedLeaves[id] ?? 0),
+    );
     await this.writeJsonFile(this.roomPath(roomId), room);
 
     const decliner = await this.getAgent(agentId);
diff --git a/src/test/filestore.test.ts b/src/test/filestore.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47ef888
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/filestore.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for the FileStore, the filesystem-backed legacy store exported from the public API. Covers the membership operation maps (a pending invite must survive an unrelated join, #35) and record parsing (an unparseable record must surface, not read as an empty mesh, #32).
+ */
+
+import * as assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import { FileStore } from "../core/store.js";
+
+function tempStore(): FileStore {
+  const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), "agent-comms-filestore-"));
+  return new FileStore(root);
+}
+
+void test("a pending invite survives an unrelated join to the room", async () => {
+  const store = tempStore();
+  const owner = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "owner",
+    harness: "pi",
+    cwd: "/tmp/p",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  const invitee = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "invitee",
+    harness: "claude-code",
+    cwd: "/tmp/i",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  const other = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "other",
+    harness: "codex",
+    cwd: "/tmp/o",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  await store.createRoom({
+    name: "room",
+    type: "public",
+    owner: owner.id,
+    description: "x",
+  });
+  await store.inviteToRoom("room", invitee.id, owner.id);
+  assert.deepEqual((await store.getRoom("room"))?.invited, [invitee.id]);
+
+  // Any later join re-derives the invited view from the operation maps; the pending invite must survive it (#35).
+  await store.joinRoom("room", other.id);
+  assert.deepEqual((await store.getRoom("room"))?.invited, [invitee.id]);
+});
+
+void test("declining and kicking clear the invited view consistently", async () => {
+  const store = tempStore();
+  const owner = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "owner",
+    harness: "pi",
+    cwd: "/tmp/p",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  const invitee = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "invitee",
+    harness: "claude-code",
+    cwd: "/tmp/i",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  await store.createRoom({
+    name: "room",
+    type: "private",
+    owner: owner.id,
+    description: "x",
+  });
+  await store.inviteToRoom("room", invitee.id, owner.id);
+  await store.declineInvite("room", invitee.id, "not now");
+  const declined = await store.getRoom("room");
+  assert.deepEqual(declined?.invited, []);
+  // Re-inviting after a decline works: the new join op outranks the leave.
+  await store.inviteToRoom("room", invitee.id, owner.id);
+  assert.deepEqual((await store.getRoom("room"))?.invited, [invitee.id]);
+  await store.kickFromRoom("room", invitee.id, owner.id);
+  assert.deepEqual((await store.getRoom("room"))?.invited, []);
+  assert.equal(
+    (await store.getRoom("room"))?.members.includes(invitee.id),
+    false,
+  );
+});
+
+void test("joining through an invitation consumes it", async () => {
+  const store = tempStore();
+  const owner = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "owner",
+    harness: "pi",
+    cwd: "/tmp/p",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  const invitee = await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "invitee",
+    harness: "claude-code",
+    cwd: "/tmp/i",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  await store.createRoom({
+    name: "room",
+    type: "private",
+    owner: owner.id,
+    description: "x",
+  });
+  await store.inviteToRoom("room", invitee.id, owner.id);
+  await store.joinRoom("room", invitee.id);
+  const room = await store.getRoom("room");
+  assert.deepEqual(room?.invited, []);
+  assert.equal(room?.members.includes(invitee.id), true);
+});
+
+void test("an unparseable stored record surfaces instead of an empty list", async () => {
+  const store = tempStore();
+  await store.registerAgent({
+    name: "good",
+    harness: "pi",
+    cwd: "/tmp/p",
+    pid: process.pid,
+    visibility: "visible",
+    tags: [],
+  });
+  // A record missing the required fields (written by an older build, say) must raise from listAgents, not read as an empty mesh (#32).
+  const agentsDir = path.join(store.root, "registry", "agents");
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(agentsDir, "stale.json"), '{"id": "stale"}');
+  await assert.rejects(
+    store.listAgents("whoever"),
+    (err: unknown) => err instanceof Error,
+  );
+});
+
+void test("a store with no registry yet lists no agents", async () => {
+  const store = tempStore();
+  assert.deepEqual(await store.listAgents("whoever"), []);
+});