diff --git a/src/client/client_cli.c b/src/client/client_cli.c
index b47a059..d38078d 100644
--- a/src/client/client_cli.c
+++ b/src/client/client_cli.c
@@ -395,6 +395,39 @@ static void apply_output_buffering(const Config* config) {
 static int read_patterns_from_file(const char* filepath, char*** patterns, int* count,
                                    Config* config, char sign, const char* optname);
 
+/* Split one --debug/--info item into its category name and an optional rsync
+ * verbosity level suffix (e.g. "io2", "all4", "none0").  The output `name` is
+ * NUL-terminated and `level` is >= 0 (0 silences the item).  Returns false for
+ * an empty token or a token that is all digits. */
+static bool split_flag_level(const char* token, char* name, size_t name_size, int* level) {
+  size_t len = strlen(token);
+  if (len == 0 || name_size == 0)
+    return false;
+  size_t end = len;
+  while (end > 0 && token[end - 1] >= '0' && token[end - 1] <= '9')
+    end--;
+  if (end == 0)
+    return false; /* all digits: not a category name */
+  size_t name_len = end < name_size - 1 ? end : name_size - 1;
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < name_len; i++) {
+    char c = token[i];
+    name[i] = (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z') ? (char)(c - 'A' + 'a') : c;
+  }
+  name[name_len] = '\0';
+  int lvl = 1;
+  if (end < len) {
+    lvl = 0;
+    for (size_t i = end; i < len; i++) {
+      int digit = token[i] - '0';
+      if (lvl > (1000 - digit) / 10)
+        return false;
+      lvl = lvl * 10 + digit;
+    }
+  }
+  *level = lvl;
+  return true;
+}
+
 static int parse_debug_flags(const char* value, Config* config) {
   if (!value || value[0] == '\0' || value[0] == ',' || value[strlen(value) - 1] == ',' ||
       strstr(value, ",,")) {
@@ -412,30 +445,40 @@ static int parse_debug_flags(const char* value, Config* config) {
   for (char* token = strtok_r(flags, ",", &saveptr); token != NULL;
        token = strtok_r(NULL, ",", &saveptr)) {
     uint32_t flag = 0;
-    if (strcmp(token, "help") == 0) {
+    char name[32];
+    int level = 1;
+    if (!split_flag_level(token, name, sizeof(name), &level)) {
+      log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "unsupported --debug flag: %s", token);
+      free(flags);
+      return -1;
+    }
+    if (strcmp(name, "help") == 0) {
       print_debug_usage();
       free(flags);
       return 1;
-    } else if (strcmp(token, "all") == 0) {
-      parsed = LOG_DEBUG_ALL;
+    } else if (strcmp(name, "all") == 0) {
+      parsed = level == 0 ? 0 : LOG_DEBUG_ALL;
       continue;
-    } else if (strcmp(token, "none") == 0) {
+    } else if (strcmp(name, "none") == 0) {
       parsed = 0;
       continue;
-    } else if (strcmp(token, "io") == 0) {
+    } else if (strcmp(name, "io") == 0) {
       flag = LOG_DEBUG_IO;
-    } else if (strcmp(token, "proto") == 0) {
+    } else if (strcmp(name, "proto") == 0) {
       flag = LOG_DEBUG_PROTO;
-    } else if (strcmp(token, "pack") == 0) {
+    } else if (strcmp(name, "pack") == 0) {
       flag = LOG_DEBUG_PACK;
-    } else if (strcmp(token, "util") == 0) {
+    } else if (strcmp(name, "util") == 0) {
       flag = LOG_DEBUG_UTIL;
     } else {
       log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "unsupported --debug flag: %s", token);
       free(flags);
       return -1;
     }
-    parsed |= flag;
+    if (level == 0)
+      parsed &= ~flag;
+    else
+      parsed |= flag;
   }
   free(flags);
   config->debug_level = (int)parsed;
@@ -461,28 +504,43 @@ static int parse_info_flags(const char* value, Config* config) {
   for (char* token = strtok_r(flags, ",", &saveptr); token != NULL;
        token = strtok_r(NULL, ",", &saveptr)) {
     uint32_t flag = 0;
-    if (strcmp(token, "all") == 0) {
-      parsed = LOG_INFO_ALL;
+    char name[32];
+    int level = 1;
+    if (!split_flag_level(token, name, sizeof(name), &level)) {
+      log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "unsupported --info flag: %s", token);
+      free(flags);
+      return -1;
+    }
+    if (strcmp(name, "all") == 0) {
+      parsed = level == 0 ? 0 : LOG_INFO_ALL;
       continue;
     }
-    if (strcmp(token, "none") == 0) {
+    if (strcmp(name, "none") == 0) {
       parsed = 0;
       continue;
     }
-    if (strcmp(token, "copy") == 0)
+    if (strcmp(name, "help") == 0) {
+      print_info_usage();
+      free(flags);
+      return 1;
+    }
+    if (strcmp(name, "copy") == 0 || strcmp(name, "name") == 0)
       flag = LOG_INFO_COPY;
-    else if (strcmp(token, "misc") == 0)
+    else if (strcmp(name, "misc") == 0)
       flag = LOG_INFO_MISC;
-    else if (strcmp(token, "skip") == 0)
+    else if (strcmp(name, "skip") == 0)
       flag = LOG_INFO_SKIP;
-    else if (strcmp(token, "stats") == 0)
+    else if (strcmp(name, "stats") == 0)
       flag = LOG_INFO_STATS;
     else {
       log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "unsupported --info flag: %s", token);
       free(flags);
       return -1;
     }
-    parsed |= flag;
+    if (level == 0)
+      parsed &= ~flag;
+    else
+      parsed |= flag;
   }
   free(flags);
   config->info_level = (int)parsed;
@@ -1027,17 +1085,22 @@ typedef struct {
 } CliParseCtx;
 
 /* Apply output controls before processing other options so their order is
- * irrelevant.  Returns 0 on success, -1 on error. */
+ * irrelevant.  Returns 0 on success, a positive code for a help request
+ * (parse_args returns it verbatim), or -1 on error. */
 static int cli_apply_output_controls(Config* config, int argc, char* argv[]) {
   for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
     if (strcmp(argv[i], "-v") == 0 || strcmp(argv[i], "--verbose") == 0) {
       set_log_level(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG);
     } else if (strncmp(argv[i], "--info=", 7) == 0) {
-      if (parse_info_flags(argv[i] + 7, config) != 0)
-        return -1;
+      int ret = parse_info_flags(argv[i] + 7, config);
+      if (ret != 0)
+        return ret;
     } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--info") == 0) {
-      if (i + 1 >= argc || parse_info_flags(argv[++i], config) != 0)
+      if (i + 1 >= argc)
         return -1;
+      int ret = parse_info_flags(argv[++i], config);
+      if (ret != 0)
+        return ret;
     }
   }
   return 0;
@@ -1842,13 +1905,19 @@ static bool cli_handle_logging_options(CliParseCtx* ctx) {
     return true;
   }
   if (strncmp(arg, "--info=", 7) == 0) {
-    if (parse_info_flags(arg + 7, config) != 0)
-      ctx->exit_code = -1;
+    int info_ret = parse_info_flags(arg + 7, config);
+    if (info_ret != 0)
+      ctx->exit_code = info_ret;
     return true;
   }
   if (opt_is(arg, "--info", NULL)) {
-    if (ctx->i + 1 >= ctx->argc || parse_info_flags(ctx->argv[++ctx->i], config) != 0)
+    if (ctx->i + 1 >= ctx->argc) {
       ctx->exit_code = -1;
+      return true;
+    }
+    int info_ret = parse_info_flags(ctx->argv[++ctx->i], config);
+    if (info_ret != 0)
+      ctx->exit_code = info_ret;
     return true;
   }
   if (strncmp(arg, "--skip-compress=", 16) == 0) {
@@ -2436,8 +2505,11 @@ int parse_args(Config* config, int argc, char* argv[], int* positional_args,
   }
 
   int result = -1;
-  if (cli_apply_output_controls(config, exp_argc, exp_argv) != 0)
+  int output_ret = cli_apply_output_controls(config, exp_argc, exp_argv);
+  if (output_ret != 0) {
+    result = output_ret;
     goto done;
+  }
 
   CliParseCtx ctx = {
       .config = config,
diff --git a/src/client/client_send.c b/src/client/client_send.c
index 4da392f..a146059 100644
--- a/src/client/client_send.c
+++ b/src/client/client_send.c
@@ -328,15 +328,15 @@ static char* files_from_missing_dest_path(const Config* config, const char* entr
 
 /* --files-from semantics: every listed entry must resolve under the source
  * root, otherwise rsync reports a hard error instead of silently transferring
- * nothing. An empty list is also an error. An entry of "." (the whole tree)
- * and listed-but-empty directories are valid.  With --ignore-missing-args
+ * nothing. An entry of "." (the whole tree) and listed-but-empty directories
+ * are valid.  An empty list is valid too: rsync transfers nothing and exits 0.
+ * With --ignore-missing-args
  * (implied by --delete-missing-args) a listed-but-missing entry is instead
  * skipped: nothing is transferred for it, it never enters the keep-set and the
  * run succeeds for the rest (an all-missing non-empty list succeeds
  * transferring nothing, matching rsync).  With --delete-missing-args
  * `missing_dest` (when non-NULL) collects the entry's destination-relative
- * mirror for the receiver's exact-deletion request.  An empty list stays a
- * hard error in every mode (nothing was requested at all).  Runs before any
+ * mirror for the receiver's exact-deletion request.  Runs before any
  * transfer so the failure/skip is surfaced uniformly in the single-threaded,
  * -m, dry-run and --list-only paths. */
 static bool files_from_list_check(const Config* config, ArrayList* missing_dest, int* skipped_out) {
@@ -349,12 +349,11 @@ static bool files_from_list_check(const Config* config, ArrayList* missing_dest,
     return false;
   }
   if (set->count == 0) {
-    char* escaped_list =
-        output_escape(config->files_from ? config->files_from : "", log_get_8_bit_output());
-    log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "--files-from file '%s' contains no entries; nothing to transfer",
-                escaped_list ? escaped_list : "<allocation failed>");
-    free(escaped_list);
-    return false;
+    /* rsync treats an empty --files-from list as "nothing to transfer" and
+       exits 0 (the source directory is still a valid source arg), so this is
+       not an error.  Nothing passes the (empty) allow-set, so no file is sent
+       and no keep-set entry is produced. */
+    return true;
   }
   bool ignore = config->ignore_missing_args || config->delete_missing_args;
   for (int i = 0; i < set->count; i++) {
@@ -2679,12 +2678,15 @@ int send_files(Config* config) {
   report_transfer_stats(config, total_files, total_bytes, start);
   log_info_message(LOG_INFO_STATS, "Transfer summary: %d files, %.1f MB", total_files,
                    (double)total_bytes / (double)BYTES_PER_MIB);
-  /* --ignore-errors: an unreadable source directory was skipped but the run
-     still completed (and deleted); report the run as errored like rsync does.
-     A --max-delete-capped commit is a successful transfer that rsync reports
+  /* A skipped source entry (--ignore-errors past an unreadable directory, or a
+     dereferenced symlink with no referent) makes rsync report a partial
+     transfer (exit 23) even though the rest of the run succeeded.  A
+     --max-delete-capped commit is a successful transfer that rsync reports
      with exit code 25. */
-  if (!ok || had_scan_io)
+  if (!ok)
     ret = 1;
+  else if (had_scan_io)
+    ret = 23;
   else
     ret = delete_limit ? 25 : 0;
 
@@ -2921,12 +2923,15 @@ int send_files_multithreaded(Config** config_ptr) {
   mtx_unlock(&context->mutex_scanner);
   bool sender_ok = sender_result == thrd_success;
   bool delete_limit = context->delete_limit;
-  /* --ignore-errors: the run completed (and deleted) past an unreadable source
-     directory; report it as errored like rsync does.  A --max-delete-capped
-     commit is a successful transfer that rsync reports with exit code 25. */
+  /* A skipped source entry (--ignore-errors past an unreadable directory, or a
+     dereferenced symlink with no referent) makes rsync report a partial
+     transfer (exit 23).  A --max-delete-capped commit is a successful transfer
+     that rsync reports with exit code 25. */
   pipeline_context_sender_destroy(context);
   client_set_abort_armed(false);
-  if (!sender_ok || scan_io)
+  if (!sender_ok)
     return 1;
+  if (scan_io)
+    return 23;
   return delete_limit ? 25 : 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/client/scanner.c b/src/client/scanner.c
index 99057bf..5ad0ee9 100644
--- a/src/client/scanner.c
+++ b/src/client/scanner.c
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ typedef struct {
      Size pruning protects the destination mirror even under --delete-excluded,
      so it is recorded into a separate sink from `excluded`. */
   bool size_excluded;
+  /* True when a symlink selected for dereferencing (-L/--copy-links or an
+     unsafe target under --copy-unsafe-links) had no usable referent (a broken
+     link or a stat() failure).  rsync still reports this as a partial transfer
+     (exit 23) even though the entry is skipped, so the scanner records it as a
+     non-fatal I/O error. */
+  bool referent_error;
 } ScannerEntry;
 
 /* --one-file-system (-x) decision. Only directories can carry a different
@@ -412,6 +418,7 @@ static int scanner_inspect_entry(const ScannerOptions* options, const char* cont
                                  const char* link_rel, const char* name, ScannerEntry* entry) {
   entry->excluded = false;
   entry->size_excluded = false;
+  entry->referent_error = false;
   entry->is_symlink = false;
   entry->link_target = NULL;
   entry->path = path_cat(containing_dir, name);
@@ -438,12 +445,13 @@ static int scanner_inspect_entry(const ScannerOptions* options, const char* cont
     goto skip;
   case LINK_ACTION_DEREF:
     if (stat(entry->path, &entry->stats) != 0) {
-      /* rsync reports "symlink has no referent" and continues (exit 23); we
-         surface the same condition rather than silently dropping the entry. */
+      /* rsync reports "symlink has no referent" and continues with a partial
+         transfer (exit 23); record the error so the run exits 23 too. */
       char* escaped = output_escape(entry->path, log_get_8_bit_output());
       log_message(LOG_LEVEL_WARNING, "symlink has no referent: %s",
                   escaped ? escaped : "<allocation failed>");
       free(escaped);
+      entry->referent_error = true;
       goto skip;
     }
     entry->is_directory = S_ISDIR(entry->stats.st_mode);
@@ -1118,6 +1126,10 @@ Chunk* directory_scanner_next(DirectoryScanner* scanner) {
       break;
     }
     if (inspection == 0) {
+      /* A dereferenced symlink with no referent is a partial-transfer error
+         (rsync exit 23): record it as a non-fatal scan I/O error. */
+      if (inspected.referent_error)
+        scanner->io_error = true;
       /* A user-selection exclude protects its destination mirror from --delete
          unless --delete-excluded; a size prune is always protected.  Other
          skips (unreadable, symlink policy) protect nothing.  Under -R +
@@ -1511,6 +1523,8 @@ static void scan_root_entry(const ScannerOptions* options, const FilterNode* roo
     return;
   }
   if (inspection == 0) {
+    if (inspected.referent_error)
+      ps->io_error = true;
     ArrayList* sink = NULL;
     if (inspected.excluded)
       sink = inspected.size_excluded ? options->size_skipped_paths : options->excluded_paths;
diff --git a/src/client/usage.c b/src/client/usage.c
index 427dd56..6a79632 100644
--- a/src/client/usage.c
+++ b/src/client/usage.c
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@ void print_usage(void) {
   printf("  -v, --verbose       Enable debug logging\n");
   printf("  -q, --quiet         Suppress non-error output\n");
   printf("  --debug=FLAGS       Fine-grained debug logging (use --debug=help for flags)\n");
-  printf("  --info=FLAGS        Fine-grained info: copy,misc,skip,stats,all,none\n");
-  printf("                      none suppresses info even with --verbose\n");
+  printf("  --info=FLAGS        Fine-grained info: copy,name,misc,skip,stats,all,none\n");
+  printf("                      (use --info=help for flags; none suppresses --verbose)\n");
   printf("  --preserve          Preserve permissions and times (= -pt; long form only)\n");
   printf("  --no-perms          Negate -p/--perms\n");
   printf("  --no-times          Negate -t/--times\n");
@@ -340,5 +340,13 @@ void print_usage(void) {
 void print_debug_usage(void) {
   printf("Supported debug flags: IO,PROTO,PACK,UTIL,ALL,NONE\n");
   printf("Flags may be comma-separated, for example: --debug=io,proto\n");
-  printf("Other rsync debug flags are unsupported and rejected.\n");
+  printf("An optional level suffix is accepted (e.g. --debug=io2); level 0\n");
+  printf("silences that item.  Other rsync debug flags are unsupported and rejected.\n");
+}
+
+void print_info_usage(void) {
+  printf("Supported info flags: COPY,NAME,MISC,SKIP,STATS,ALL,NONE\n");
+  printf("Flags may be comma-separated, for example: --info=name,stats\n");
+  printf("An optional level suffix is accepted (e.g. --info=stats2); level 0\n");
+  printf("silences that item.  Other rsync info flags are unsupported and rejected.\n");
 }
diff --git a/src/client/usage.h b/src/client/usage.h
index ca8d65b..879716c 100644
--- a/src/client/usage.h
+++ b/src/client/usage.h
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@
 
 void print_usage(void);
 void print_debug_usage(void);
+void print_info_usage(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_features.py b/tests/integration/test_features.py
index 1e50d59..d9270e1 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_features.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_features.py
@@ -3157,15 +3157,21 @@ class TestMissingArgs:
         assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "gone1.txt"))
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("mt", [False, True])
-    def test_empty_list_stays_a_hard_error(self, shared_server, mt):
+    def test_empty_list_succeeds_transferring_nothing(self, shared_server, mt):
+        """rsync 3.4.1 treats an empty --files-from list as "nothing to
+        transfer" and exits 0 (verified with the real binary), so fastsync must
+        too rather than reporting a hard error."""
         source = self._make_source("mg_empty_src")
         dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "mg_empty_dst")
         clean_dir(dest)
         lst = _write_rel_list(b"")
         flags = ["--files-from", lst, "--ignore-missing-args"] + (["--threads"] if mt else [])
         result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=flags, port=shared_server.port)
-        assert result.returncode != 0, "an empty --files-from list must stay a hard error"
-        assert "contains no entries" in (result.stderr or result.stdout)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, \
+            f"an empty --files-from list must succeed like rsync: {result.stderr[:300]}"
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "a.txt")), \
+            "an empty --files-from list must transfer nothing"
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("mt", [False, True])
     def test_delete_missing_removes_mirror_not_unrelated(self, mt):
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_parity_quickwins.py b/tests/integration/test_parity_quickwins.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52127bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/test_parity_quickwins.py
@@ -0,0 +1,846 @@
+"""Client-only rsync-parity quick wins.
+
+Each test here pins behaviour that must match real ``rsync 3.4.1``.  The
+differential tests skip cleanly when rsync is not installed.
+"""
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
+from common import (
+    TEST_DATA_DIR,
+    ServerManager,
+    run_client,
+    clean_dir,
+    get_dest_received_dir,
+)
+
+RSYNC = shutil.which("rsync")
+requires_rsync = pytest.mark.skipif(RSYNC is None, reason="rsync 3.4.1 not installed")
+
+
+def _rel_files(root, skip=()):
+    """Relative paths of regular files and symlinks below root, sorted."""
+    out = []
+    for dirpath, _dirs, files in os.walk(root):
+        for name in files:
+            if name in skip:
+                continue
+            out.append(os.path.relpath(os.path.join(dirpath, name), root))
+    return sorted(out)
+
+
+def _rsync(args):
+    env = dict(os.environ, LC_ALL="C")
+    return subprocess.run(
+        [RSYNC] + args, capture_output=True, text=True, env=env, timeout=120
+    )
+
+
+class TestCopyLinksReferentError:
+    """#38/#39: a broken referent under -L/--copy-unsafe-links exits 23."""
+
+    def _make_broken_tree(self, root):
+        clean_dir(root)
+        with open(os.path.join(root, "ok.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"hello\n")
+        os.symlink("/nonexistent/target", os.path.join(root, "broken"))
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_copy_links_broken_referent_exit_23(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cl_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cl_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cl_rdst")
+        self._make_broken_tree(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-aL", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 23, rsync_result.stderr
+
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-L"], port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 23, (
+            f"-L broken referent must exit 23, got {result.returncode}: "
+            f"{result.stderr[:300]}"
+        )
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "ok.txt"))
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_copy_links_broken_referent_multithreaded_exit_23(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cl_mt_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cl_mt_dst")
+        self._make_broken_tree(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-L", "--threads"], port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 23, (
+            f"-L broken referent must exit 23 under --threads, got {result.returncode}"
+        )
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_copy_unsafe_links_broken_referent_exit_23(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cul_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cul_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cul_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "sub"))
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "ok.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"hello\n")
+        # Unsafe (escaping) target with no referent: dereferenced -> exit 23.
+        os.symlink("../../../nonexistent/target", os.path.join(source, "sub", "unsafe"))
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--copy-unsafe-links", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 23, rsync_result.stderr
+
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-l", "--copy-unsafe-links"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 23, (
+            f"--copy-unsafe-links broken referent must exit 23, got {result.returncode}"
+        )
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_copy_unsafe_links_safe_broken_stays_symlink(self, shared_server):
+        """A safe (non-escaping) broken symlink is NOT dereferenced: exit 0."""
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cul_safe_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cul_safe_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_cul_safe_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "sub"))
+        os.symlink("nonexistent-target", os.path.join(source, "sub", "safe"))
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--copy-unsafe-links", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-l", "--copy-unsafe-links"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        assert os.path.islink(os.path.join(received, "sub", "safe"))
+
+
+class TestIgnoreMissingArgsParity:
+    """#58: --files-from + --ignore-missing-args matches rsync, including the
+    empty-list case (rsync exits 0 transferring nothing)."""
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_missing_entry_skipped_like_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        lst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_list")
+        with open(lst, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("a.txt\nmissing.txt\n")
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--files-from=" + lst, "--ignore-missing-args",
+                               source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--files-from", lst,
+                                                    "--ignore-missing-args"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "a.txt"))
+        assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "missing.txt"))
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_empty_files_from_list_succeeds_like_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_empty_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_empty_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_empty_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        lst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_empty_list")
+        with open(lst, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("")
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--files-from=" + lst, source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--files-from", lst],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, (
+            f"empty --files-from must succeed like rsync, got {result.returncode}: "
+            f"{result.stderr[:300]}"
+        )
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_empty_files_from_with_delete_is_not_destructive(self, shared_server):
+        """An empty --files-from list synchronizes nothing, so --delete must not
+        wipe the destination (rsync keeps the extra)."""
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_edel_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_edel_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_edel_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "keep.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"keep\n")
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        with open(os.path.join(rdst, "extra.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"extra\n")
+        lst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_ima_edel_list")
+        with open(lst, "w") as fh:
+            fh.write("")
+        rs = _rsync(["-a", "--delete", "--files-from=" + lst, source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rs.returncode == 0, rs.stderr
+        assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(rdst, "extra.txt"))
+
+        with ServerManager() as server:
+            server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
+            seed = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            os.makedirs(seed, exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(seed, "extra.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"extra\n")
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest,
+                                   flags=["--delete", "--files-from", lst],
+                                   port=server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+            assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(seed, "extra.txt")), \
+                "empty --files-from + --delete must not delete the destination"
+
+
+class TestPerDirFilterOrdering:
+    """#10: -F .rsync-filter evaluation order matches rsync (a directory's own
+    rules before its ancestors'; anchored rules are relative to their owner)."""
+
+    def _run_pair(self, shared_server, root_rules, sub_rules, subsub_rules=None):
+        tag = "qw_f"
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, tag + "_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, tag + "_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, tag + "_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "sub"))
+        if subsub_rules is not None:
+            os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "sub", "deep"))
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "bar"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"bar\n")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", "foo"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"foo\n")
+        if subsub_rules is not None:
+            with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", "deep", "foo"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"deep foo\n")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, ".rsync-filter"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write(root_rules)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", ".rsync-filter"), "w") as fh:
+            fh.write(sub_rules)
+        if subsub_rules is not None:
+            with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", "deep", ".rsync-filter"), "w") as fh:
+                fh.write(subsub_rules)
+
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        fs_result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--preserve", "-F"],
+                                  port=shared_server.port)
+        assert fs_result.returncode == 0, fs_result.stderr[:300]
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        fs_files = _rel_files(received, skip=(".rsync-filter",))
+        return fs_files, source, rdst
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_child_include_overrides_parent_exclude(self, shared_server):
+        fs_files, source, rdst = self._run_pair(shared_server, "- foo\n", "+ foo\n")
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-aF", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        assert fs_files == _rel_files(rdst, skip=(".rsync-filter",))
+        assert "sub/foo" in fs_files
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_child_exclude_overrides_parent_include(self, shared_server):
+        fs_files, source, rdst = self._run_pair(shared_server, "+ foo\n", "- foo\n")
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-aF", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        assert fs_files == _rel_files(rdst, skip=(".rsync-filter",))
+        assert "sub/foo" not in fs_files
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_three_level_inheritance(self, shared_server):
+        fs_files, source, rdst = self._run_pair(
+            shared_server, "- foo\n", "+ foo\n", "- foo\n"
+        )
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-aF", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        assert fs_files == _rel_files(rdst, skip=(".rsync-filter",))
+
+
+class TestDeleteEdgeSemantics:
+    """#20/#23/#24/#25: delete timing/policy edge cases match rsync."""
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_delete_before_removes_extras_like_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_db_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_db_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_db_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "keep.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"keep\n")
+        for d in (dest, rdst):
+            clean_dir(d)
+            with open(os.path.join(d, "extra.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"extra\n")
+        received_seed = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        os.makedirs(received_seed, exist_ok=True)
+        with open(os.path.join(received_seed, "extra.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"extra\n")
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--delete-before", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        with ServerManager() as server:
+            server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--delete-before"],
+                                   port=server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+            received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "keep.txt"))
+            assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "extra.txt")), \
+                "--delete-before must remove destination extras"
+        assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(rdst, "extra.txt"))
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_delete_excluded_protects_then_deletes(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_de_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_de_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_de_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "keep.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"keep\n")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "skip.log"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"log\n")
+
+        # Default --delete protects the excluded mirror (rsync parity).
+        rdst_prot = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_de_rprot")
+        clean_dir(rdst_prot)
+        with open(os.path.join(rdst_prot, "skip.log"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"stale\n")
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--delete", "--exclude=*.log", source + "/",
+                               rdst_prot + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(rdst_prot, "skip.log"))
+
+        with ServerManager() as server:
+            server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
+            clean_dir(dest)
+            seed = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            os.makedirs(seed, exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(seed, "skip.log"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"stale\n")
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--delete", "--exclude=*.log"],
+                                   port=server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+            received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "skip.log")), \
+                "--delete must protect the excluded destination mirror"
+
+            # --delete-excluded removes it.
+            clean_dir(rdst)
+            with open(os.path.join(rdst, "skip.log"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"stale\n")
+            rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--delete", "--delete-excluded",
+                                   "--exclude=*.log", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+            assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+            assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(rdst, "skip.log"))
+
+            result, _ = run_client(
+                source, dest,
+                flags=["--delete", "--delete-excluded", "--exclude=*.log"],
+                port=server.port,
+            )
+            assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+            assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "skip.log")), \
+                "--delete-excluded must remove the excluded mirror"
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_force_replaces_nonempty_destination_dir(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_force_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_force_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_force_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "x"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"file-content\n")
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(rdst, "x"))
+        with open(os.path.join(rdst, "x", "blocker"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"blocker\n")
+
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", "--force", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+        assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(rdst, "x"))
+
+        with ServerManager() as server:
+            server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
+            clean_dir(dest)
+            seed = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            os.makedirs(os.path.join(seed, "x"), exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(seed, "x", "blocker"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"blocker\n")
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--force"],
+                                   port=server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+            received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            assert os.path.isfile(os.path.join(received, "x")), \
+                "--force must replace a non-empty destination directory"
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_no_force_nonempty_dir_is_partial_error(self, shared_server):
+        """Without --force a non-empty destination dir blocking a file is not
+        replaced; rsync exits 23, fastsync must not silently mangle it."""
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_noforce_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_noforce_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_noforce_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "x"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"file-content\n")
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(rdst, "x"))
+        with open(os.path.join(rdst, "x", "blocker"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"blocker\n")
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rsync_result.returncode == 23, rsync_result.stderr
+
+        with ServerManager() as server:
+            server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
+            clean_dir(dest)
+            seed = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+            os.makedirs(os.path.join(seed, "x"), exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(seed, "x", "blocker"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"blocker\n")
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, port=server.port)
+            assert result.returncode != 0, "a blocked file install must not report success"
+
+
+def _snapshot(root):
+    """rel path -> (kind, payload) for every file/symlink below root."""
+    result = {}
+    for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(root, followlinks=False):
+        for name in list(dirnames):
+            p = os.path.join(dirpath, name)
+            if os.path.islink(p):
+                result[os.path.relpath(p, root)] = ("link", os.readlink(p))
+                dirnames.remove(name)
+        for name in filenames:
+            p = os.path.join(dirpath, name)
+            if os.path.islink(p):
+                result[os.path.relpath(p, root)] = ("link", os.readlink(p))
+            else:
+                with open(p, "rb") as fh:
+                    result[os.path.relpath(p, root)] = ("file", fh.read())
+    return result
+
+
+def _assert_same_tree(rdst, received, msg=""):
+    rsync_tree = _snapshot(rdst)
+    fs_tree = _snapshot(received)
+    assert fs_tree == rsync_tree, (
+        f"tree mismatch {msg}\n----- rsync only/diff -----\n"
+        f"{ {k: v for k, v in rsync_tree.items() if fs_tree.get(k) != v} }\n"
+        f"----- fastsync only/diff -----\n"
+        f"{ {k: v for k, v in fs_tree.items() if rsync_tree.get(k) != v} }"
+    )
+
+
+class TestVerifyAndFlip:
+    """Item 8: confirm already-implemented client-side rows match rsync."""
+
+    def _src(self, tag):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, f"vw_{tag}_src")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        return source
+
+    def _dst(self, tag):
+        d = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, f"vw_{tag}_dst")
+        clean_dir(d)
+        return d
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_links_verbatim_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("links")
+        dest = self._dst("links")
+        rdst = self._dst("links_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        os.symlink("a.txt", os.path.join(source, "rel"))
+        os.symlink("/etc/hostname", os.path.join(source, "abs"))
+        os.symlink("../../escape", os.path.join(source, "dd"))
+        assert _rsync(["-a", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-a"], port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(-l/--links)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_dry_run_does_not_write_like_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("dry")
+        dest = self._dst("dry")
+        rdst = self._dst("dry_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "sub"))
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", "b.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"b\n")
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--dry-run", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-a", "--dry-run"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--dry-run)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_ignore_existing_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("ie")
+        dest = self._dst("ie")
+        rdst = self._dst("ie_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"source\n")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "new.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"new\n")
+        for root in (get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), rdst):
+            os.makedirs(root, exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(root, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(b"destination-kept\n")
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--ignore-existing", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--ignore-existing"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--ignore-existing)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_append_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("app")
+        dest = self._dst("app")
+        rdst = self._dst("app_r")
+        prefix = b"P" * (256 * 1024)
+        tail = b"T" * (16 * 1024)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "grow"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(prefix + tail)
+        for root in (get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), rdst):
+            os.makedirs(root, exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(root, "grow"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(prefix)
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--append", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--append"], port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--append)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_append_verify_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("appv")
+        dest = self._dst("appv")
+        rdst = self._dst("appv_r")
+        prefix = b"Q" * (128 * 1024)
+        tail = b"Z" * (8 * 1024)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "grow"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(prefix + tail)
+        for root in (get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), rdst):
+            os.makedirs(root, exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(root, "grow"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(prefix)
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--append-verify", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--append-verify"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--append-verify)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_delay_updates_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("delay")
+        dest = self._dst("delay")
+        rdst = self._dst("delay_r")
+        for rel, content in {"a.txt": b"a\n", "sub/b.txt": b"b\n"}.items():
+            full = os.path.join(source, rel)
+            os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(full), exist_ok=True)
+            with open(full, "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(content)
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--delay-updates", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--delay-updates"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--delay-updates)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_preallocate_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("prealloc")
+        dest = self._dst("prealloc")
+        rdst = self._dst("prealloc_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "f.bin"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"x" * (512 * 1024))
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--preallocate", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--preallocate"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--preallocate)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_fuzzy_content_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("fuzzy")
+        dest = self._dst("fuzzy")
+        rdst = self._dst("fuzzy_r")
+        payload = (b"the quick brown fox\n" * 4096)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "renamed.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(payload)
+        for root in (get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), rdst):
+            os.makedirs(root, exist_ok=True)
+            with open(os.path.join(root, "old_name.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+                fh.write(payload)
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--fuzzy", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-y"], port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(-y/--fuzzy)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_skip_compress_content_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("skipz")
+        dest = self._dst("skipz")
+        rdst = self._dst("skipz_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "already.zip"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"PK" + b"z" * 4096)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "text.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"compress me\n" * 1024)
+        assert _rsync(["-az", "--skip-compress=gz/zip", source + "/",
+                       rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-z", "--skip-compress=gz/zip"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--skip-compress)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_copy_dest_content_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("copyd")
+        dest = self._dst("copyd")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "f.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"copy-from-basis\n")
+        # fastsync basis DIR is relative to the receive root; the basis file is
+        # looked up at the same source-mirror relative path.
+        rel = os.path.abspath(source).lstrip(os.sep)
+        basis = os.path.join(dest, "basis", rel)
+        os.makedirs(basis, exist_ok=True)
+        with open(os.path.join(basis, "f.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"copy-from-basis\n")
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest,
+                               flags=["--copy-dest=basis", "--incremental"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "f.txt"))
+        with open(os.path.join(received, "f.txt"), "rb") as fh:
+            assert fh.read() == b"copy-from-basis\n"
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_trust_sender_content_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("trust")
+        dest = self._dst("trust")
+        rdst = self._dst("trust_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--trust-sender", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--trust-sender"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        _assert_same_tree(rdst, get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "(--trust-sender)")
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_compare_dest_content_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("cmpd")
+        dest = self._dst("cmpd")
+        rdst = self._dst("cmpd_r")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "f.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"basis-content\n")
+        # rsync resolves --compare-dest relative to the destination dir; its
+        # basis file sits at the transfer-relative path.
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(rdst, "basis"), exist_ok=True)
+        with open(os.path.join(rdst, "basis", "f.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"basis-content\n")
+        rs = _rsync(["-a", "--compare-dest=basis", source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+        assert rs.returncode == 0, rs.stderr
+        assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(rdst, "f.txt")), \
+            "rsync compare-dest must leave the destination sparse"
+
+        # fastsync resolves the basis DIR relative to the receive root, and the
+        # file's relative path there mirrors the source path.
+        rel = os.path.abspath(source).lstrip(os.sep)
+        basis = os.path.join(dest, "basis", rel)
+        os.makedirs(basis, exist_ok=True)
+        with open(os.path.join(basis, "f.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"basis-content\n")
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest,
+                               flags=["--compare-dest=basis", "--incremental"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        # rsync --compare-dest never copies: a basis match is simply not
+        # transferred, so the destination stays sparse (no f.txt).
+        assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(received, "f.txt"))
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_link_dest_hardlinks_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = self._src("linkd")
+        dest = self._dst("linkd")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "f.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"link-basis-content\n")
+        rel = os.path.abspath(source).lstrip(os.sep)
+        basis = os.path.join(dest, "basis", rel)
+        os.makedirs(basis, exist_ok=True)
+        basis_file = os.path.join(basis, "f.txt")
+        with open(basis_file, "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"link-basis-content\n")
+        received = get_dest_received_dir(dest, source)
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest,
+                               flags=["--link-dest=basis", "--incremental"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        dest_file = os.path.join(received, "f.txt")
+        assert os.path.exists(dest_file)
+        assert os.stat(dest_file).st_ino == os.stat(basis_file).st_ino, \
+            "--link-dest must hard-link to the basis file"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(os.geteuid() != 0, reason="ownership mapping requires root")
+class TestOwnershipMapping:
+    """#33/#34/#35: --usermap/--groupmap/--chown match rsync's numeric result."""
+
+    def _prep(self, tag):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, f"own_{tag}_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, f"own_{tag}_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, f"own_{tag}_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        return source, dest, rdst
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_usermap_groupmap_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source, dest, rdst = self._prep("map")
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--usermap=*:12345", "--groupmap=*:54321",
+                       source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest,
+                               flags=["--usermap=*:12345", "--groupmap=*:54321"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        rs = os.stat(os.path.join(rdst, "a.txt"))
+        fs = os.stat(os.path.join(get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "a.txt"))
+        assert (fs.st_uid, fs.st_gid) == (rs.st_uid, rs.st_gid) == (12345, 54321)
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_chown_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source, dest, rdst = self._prep("chown")
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--chown=23456:65432", source + "/",
+                       rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--chown=23456:65432"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        rs = os.stat(os.path.join(rdst, "a.txt"))
+        fs = os.stat(os.path.join(get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "a.txt"))
+        assert (fs.st_uid, fs.st_gid) == (rs.st_uid, rs.st_gid) == (23456, 65432)
+
+
+class TestFakeSuper:
+    """#32: --fake-super stores privileged attrs via xattrs.  FastSync uses its
+    own reserved key (documented divergence) but the file DATA must match rsync."""
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_fake_super_data_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "fs_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "fs_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "fs_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"fake-super-data\n")
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--fake-super", source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--fake-super"],
+                               port=shared_server.port)
+        assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+        with open(os.path.join(get_dest_received_dir(dest, source), "a.txt"), "rb") as fh:
+            assert fh.read() == b"fake-super-data\n"
+        with open(os.path.join(rdst, "a.txt"), "rb") as fh:
+            assert fh.read() == b"fake-super-data\n"
+
+
+class TestInfoDebugFlagParity:
+    """#01/#02: rsync's info/debug spellings are either mapped to real output or
+    rejected by name (never silently ignored)."""
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_mapped_info_categories_accepted_like_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_flags_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_flags_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_flags_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        for cat in ("stats2", "name", "copy", "misc", "skip", "STATS2"):
+            assert _rsync(["-a", "--info=" + cat, source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+            clean_dir(rdst)
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--info=" + cat],
+                                   port=shared_server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, (
+                f"--info={cat} must be accepted: {result.stderr[:200]}"
+            )
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    def test_mapped_debug_categories_accepted_like_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_dflags_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_dflags_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_dflags_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        for cat in ("io2", "proto0", "all"):
+            assert _rsync(["-a", "--debug=" + cat, source + "/", rdst + "/"]).returncode == 0
+            clean_dir(rdst)
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["--debug=" + cat],
+                                   port=shared_server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, (
+                f"--debug={cat} must be accepted: {result.stderr[:200]}"
+            )
+
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_unmapped_categories_rejected_by_name(self, shared_server):
+        """rsync accepts del/filter; fastsync has no mapping so it must refuse
+        loudly, naming the category, rather than silently ignoring it."""
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_umap_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "qw_umap_dst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"a\n")
+        # rsync accepts these (so they are valid rsync invocations).
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--info=del", source + "/", dest + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        assert _rsync(["-a", "--debug=filter", source + "/", dest + "/"]).returncode == 0
+        for flag, name in (("--info=del", "del"), ("--debug=filter", "filter")):
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=[flag],
+                                   port=shared_server.port)
+            assert result.returncode != 0, f"{flag} must be rejected"
+            assert name in (result.stderr or ""), \
+                f"{flag} must be rejected by name, got: {result.stderr[:200]}"
diff --git a/tests/test_client_cli.c b/tests/test_client_cli.c
index 50d1072..66c6f3d 100644
--- a/tests/test_client_cli.c
+++ b/tests/test_client_cli.c
@@ -1317,7 +1317,66 @@ static void test_parse_args_rejects_invalid_info_flag() {
   config_delete(cfg);
 }
 
+/* rsync's info "name" category maps to fastsync's per-file name logging, and
+ * --info=help prints the flag list and exits without error. */
+static void test_parse_args_info_name_and_help() {
+  Config* cfg = config_create();
+  char* argv[] = {"fastsync", "--info=name", "/src", "/dst"};
+  int positional_args[2];
+  int positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(cfg->info_level, LOG_INFO_COPY);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* help_argv[] = {"fastsync", "--info=help"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 2, help_argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 1);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+}
+
 /* Test parse_args with --archive flag */
+/* rsync accepts a trailing level digit on --debug/--info items (e.g. io2,
+ * all4); level 0 silences the item. */
+static void test_parse_args_debug_info_levels() {
+  Config* cfg = config_create();
+  char* argv[] = {"fastsync", "--debug=io2,proto0,all", "/src", "/dst"};
+  int positional_args[2];
+  int positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(cfg->debug_level, LOG_DEBUG_ALL);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* io0_argv[] = {"fastsync", "--debug=all,io0", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, io0_argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(cfg->debug_level, LOG_DEBUG_ALL & ~LOG_DEBUG_IO);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* info_argv[] = {"fastsync", "--info=stats2", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, info_argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(cfg->info_level, LOG_INFO_STATS);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* bad_argv[] = {"fastsync", "--debug=123", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, bad_argv, positional_args, &positional_count), -1);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  /* rsync accepts category names case-insensitively. */
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* upper_argv[] = {"fastsync", "--info=STATS2", "--debug=IO", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 5, upper_argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(cfg->info_level, LOG_INFO_STATS);
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(cfg->debug_level, LOG_DEBUG_IO);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+}
+
 static void test_parse_args_archive() {
   Config* cfg = config_create();
   char* argv[] = {"fastsync", "--archive", "/src", "/dst"};
@@ -4255,6 +4314,7 @@ void test_client_cli() {
   test_parse_args_debug_flags();
   test_parse_args_debug_help();
   test_parse_args_debug_flags_validation();
+  test_parse_args_debug_info_levels();
   test_parse_args_modify_window();
   test_parse_args_rejects_invalid_modify_window();
   test_parse_args_skip_compress();
@@ -4278,6 +4338,7 @@ void test_client_cli() {
   test_parse_args_info_flags();
   test_parse_args_info_verbose_order();
   test_parse_args_rejects_invalid_info_flag();
+  test_parse_args_info_name_and_help();
   test_parse_args_archive();
   test_parse_args_preserve_attributes_are_independent();
   test_parse_args_preserve_long_form();
diff --git a/tests/test_scanner.c b/tests/test_scanner.c
index 2bc9980..2cdf201 100644
--- a/tests/test_scanner.c
+++ b/tests/test_scanner.c
@@ -1533,6 +1533,49 @@ static void test_scanner_entry_classification() {
   rmdir(root);
 }
 
+/* A dereferenced symlink with no referent (broken/unreadable) must record a
+ * non-fatal I/O error so the run can exit 23 like rsync, without aborting the
+ * scan or treating the condition as a fatal failure. */
+static void test_scanner_broken_referent_io_error(void) {
+  const char* root = "test_scan_broken_ref";
+  const char* good = "test_scan_broken_ref/good.txt";
+  const char* broken = "test_scan_broken_ref/broken";
+
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(mkdir(root, 0755), 0);
+  create_test_file(good, "hello");
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(symlink("/nonexistent/quickwins/target", broken), 0);
+
+  {
+    ScannerOptions options = {0};
+    options.copy_links = true;
+    DirectoryScanner* scanner = directory_scanner_create_with_options(root, &options);
+    EXPECT_NOT_NULL(scanner);
+    Chunk* chunk;
+    while ((chunk = directory_scanner_next(scanner)) != NULL)
+      chunk_destroy(chunk);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(directory_scanner_failed(scanner));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(directory_scanner_had_io_error(scanner));
+    directory_scanner_destroy(scanner);
+  }
+
+  {
+    ScannerOptions options = {0};
+    options.copy_links = true;
+    ParallelScanner* scanner = parallel_scanner_create_with_options(root, &options, NULL);
+    EXPECT_NOT_NULL(scanner);
+    Chunk* chunk;
+    while ((chunk = parallel_scanner_next(scanner)) != NULL)
+      chunk_destroy(chunk);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(parallel_scanner_failed(scanner));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(parallel_scanner_had_io_error(scanner));
+    parallel_scanner_destroy(scanner);
+  }
+
+  unlink(broken);
+  unlink(good);
+  rmdir(root);
+}
+
 void test_scanner() {
   test_scanner_single_file();
   test_scanner_multiple_files();
@@ -1551,6 +1594,7 @@ void test_scanner() {
   test_scanner_one_file_system_decision();
   test_scanner_one_file_system_same_device();
   test_parallel_scanner_one_file_system_same_device();
+  test_scanner_broken_referent_io_error();
   test_scanner_one_file_system_cross_device();
   test_files_from_subset(false);
   test_files_from_subset(true);