diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e44cbbbb6..272914d99 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -589,6 +589,7 @@ journalctl -u pulse -f
 
 ## Operations Runbooks
 
+- [Sensor proxy config management](docs/operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md) – Safe configuration updates using the built-in CLI, migration guide, and troubleshooting.
 - [Sensor proxy audit log rotation](docs/operations/audit-log-rotation.md) – Safely rotate append-only logs and verify poller health.
 - [Adaptive polling rollout](docs/operations/ADAPTIVE_POLLING_ROLLOUT.md) – Enable/disable the adaptive scheduler with guardrails.
 - [Automatic update management](docs/operations/auto-update.md) – Control the `pulse-update` timer/service, trigger manual runs, and roll back safely.
diff --git a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md
index 8473b7b23..eff30b942 100644
--- a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md
+++ b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,71 @@ The proxy reads `/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml` (see
 | `max_ssh_output_bytes` | Cap command output | Prevents memory exhaustion (default 1 MiB) |
 | `rate_limit.per_peer_interval_ms` / `per_peer_burst` | Token bucket guardrails | Keep interval ≥100 ms in production |
 | `http_*` keys | HTTPS bridge mode | Needs TLS files plus bearer token |
+| `allowed_nodes_file` | Path to allowed nodes list | Default: `/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml` |
+
+### Configuration Management CLI
+
+The proxy includes built-in commands for safe configuration management. These prevent corruption by using atomic writes and file locking.
+
+**Validate configuration:**
+```bash
+# Validate config.yaml and allowed_nodes.yaml
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Validate specific config file
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate --config /path/to/config.yaml
+
+# Validate specific allowed_nodes file
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate --allowed-nodes /path/to/allowed_nodes.yaml
+```
+
+**Manage allowed nodes:**
+```bash
+# Add nodes to the allowed list (merge mode)
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --merge 192.168.0.1 --merge node1.local
+
+# Replace entire list with new nodes
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace --merge 192.168.0.1 --merge 192.168.0.2
+
+# Clear the allowed nodes list (replace with empty)
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace
+
+# Use custom path
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --allowed-nodes /custom/path.yaml --merge 192.168.0.10
+```
+
+**How it works:**
+- All writes are atomic (temp file + rename)
+- File locking prevents concurrent modifications
+- Deduplication and normalization happen automatically
+- Empty lists are allowed (useful for security lockdown or IPC-only clusters)
+- Config validation runs before service startup (systemd ExecStartPre)
+
+**Best practices:**
+- Use the CLI instead of manual editing whenever possible
+- The installer automatically uses these commands
+- Manual edits to `config.yaml` are safe if the service is stopped
+- Never edit `allowed_nodes.yaml` while the service is running
+
+### Allowed Nodes File
+
+The proxy maintains a separate YAML file for the authorized node list at
+`/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml`. This separation prevents
+config corruption when the installer or control-plane sync updates the list.
+
+Format:
+```yaml
+# Managed by pulse-sensor-proxy config CLI
+# Do not edit manually while service is running
+allowed_nodes:
+  - 192.168.0.1
+  - 192.168.0.2
+  - node1.local
+  - node2.example.com
+```
+
+The file is optional - if missing or empty, the proxy falls back to IPC-based
+discovery (pvecm status) when available.
 
 ### Environment Overrides
 
@@ -105,11 +170,64 @@ Set alerts on:
 
 | Symptom | Guidance |
 | --- | --- |
+| Service fails to start with "Config validation failed" | Run `pulse-sensor-proxy config validate` to see specific errors. Check for duplicate keys or malformed YAML. |
+| Config corruption detected during startup | Older versions had dual code paths. Update to v4.31.1+ and reinstall proxy. The migration runs automatically. |
+| Temperature monitoring stops working after config change | Validate config first with `pulse-sensor-proxy config validate`, then restart service: `systemctl restart pulse-sensor-proxy`. |
 | `Cannot open audit log file` | Check permissions on `/var/log/pulse/sensor-proxy`. Remove `chattr +a` only during rotation. |
 | `connection denied` in audit log | UID/GID not listed in `allowed_peers`. Verify Pulse container UID mapping. |
 | `HTTP request from unauthorized source IP` | Update `allowed_source_subnets` or run through a reverse proxy that advertises the client IP via `ProxyProtocol` (not supported yet). |
 | `rate limit exceeded` | Increase `rate_limit.per_peer_burst` or fix noisy hosts before relaxing limits. |
 | `temperature pollers stuck` | Hit `/api/monitoring/scheduler/health`, ensure breakers are `closed`, restart Pulse + proxy if necessary. |
+| Lock file permissions error | Lock files use 0600 to prevent unprivileged DoS. Check file ownership matches proxy user. |
+
+### Config Corruption Recovery
+
+If you suspect config corruption (service won't start, temperatures stopped):
+
+1. **Validate the config:**
+   ```bash
+   pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+   ```
+
+2. **If corruption is detected, reinstall the proxy:**
+   ```bash
+   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/scripts/install-sensor-proxy.sh | \
+     sudo bash -s -- --standalone --pulse-server http://your-pulse:7655
+   ```
+   The installer automatically migrates to file-based config and fixes corruption.
+
+3. **Check for duplicate allowed_nodes blocks:**
+   ```bash
+   grep -n "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+   ```
+   Should only appear once. Multiple instances indicate corruption that Phase 1 migration will fix.
+
+4. **Manual recovery (if installer unavailable):**
+   ```bash
+   # Stop the service
+   sudo systemctl stop pulse-sensor-proxy
+
+   # Validate and identify issues
+   pulse-sensor-proxy config validate --config /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+
+   # If allowed_nodes appears in config.yaml, extract it manually:
+   grep -A 100 "^allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml | \
+     head -n 20 > /tmp/nodes.txt
+
+   # Remove duplicate allowed_nodes from config.yaml (edit manually)
+   # Then create allowed_nodes.yaml:
+   pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace --merge node1 --merge node2
+
+   # Add allowed_nodes_file reference to config.yaml if missing:
+   echo "allowed_nodes_file: /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml" | \
+     sudo tee -a /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+
+   # Validate again
+   pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+   # Start service
+   sudo systemctl start pulse-sensor-proxy
+   ```
 
 For additional hardening steps, read `docs/PULSE_SENSOR_PROXY_HARDENING.md` and
 `docs/TEMPERATURE_MONITORING_SECURITY.md`.
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 6c3b39fe9..3a6a09100 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ section groups related guides so you can jump straight to the material you need.
 
 ## Operations Runbooks
 
+- [operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md](operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md) – Safe configuration updates using the built-in CLI, migration from inline config, and troubleshooting corruption issues.
 - [operations/audit-log-rotation.md](operations/audit-log-rotation.md) – Monthly/incident log rotation procedure that preserves the hash chain and validates scheduler health afterward.
 - [operations/ADAPTIVE_POLLING_ROLLOUT.md](operations/ADAPTIVE_POLLING_ROLLOUT.md) – Rollout/rollback plan for enabling adaptive polling in staging or production.
 - [operations/auto-update.md](operations/auto-update.md) – Lifecycle of the `pulse-update` timer/service: enablement, manual trigger, rollback, and observability.
diff --git a/docs/TEMPERATURE_MONITORING.md b/docs/TEMPERATURE_MONITORING.md
index ebd661b9f..df0c955fe 100644
--- a/docs/TEMPERATURE_MONITORING.md
+++ b/docs/TEMPERATURE_MONITORING.md
@@ -507,6 +507,40 @@ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/scripts/instal
 ```
 Then reinstall with the desired flags (for example, `--standalone --http-mode --pulse-server https://pulse:7655`).
 
+### Config Validation Failure on Startup
+
+**Symptom:** Proxy service fails to start with "Config validation failed" or "duplicate allowed_nodes blocks detected"
+
+**Cause:** Config file corruption from earlier versions that had dual code paths for managing the allowed nodes list. This was the root cause of 99% of temperature monitoring failures.
+
+**Fix (Automatic):**
+Version 4.31.1+ automatically migrates to file-based config management during installation. Simply reinstall:
+
+```bash
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/scripts/install-sensor-proxy.sh | \
+  sudo bash -s -- --standalone --pulse-server http://your-pulse:7655
+```
+
+The installer will:
+- Detect and repair duplicate `allowed_nodes:` blocks in config.yaml
+- Migrate to separate `/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml` file
+- Use atomic Go CLI for all future config updates
+
+**Verify the fix:**
+```bash
+# Check for duplicates (should only appear once, in allowed_nodes.yaml)
+grep -n "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.yaml
+
+# Validate configuration
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Check service status
+systemctl status pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+**Manual recovery (if needed):**
+See troubleshooting section in `/opt/pulse/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md`
+
 ### SSH Connection Attempts from Container ([preauth] Logs)
 
 **Symptom:** Proxmox host logs (`/var/log/auth.log`) show repeated SSH connection attempts from your Pulse container:
@@ -1356,6 +1390,33 @@ test -S /run/pulse-sensor-proxy/pulse-sensor-proxy.sock && echo "Socket OK" || e
 
 **Contributions Welcome:** If any of these improvements interest you, open a GitHub issue to discuss implementation!
 
+## Configuration Management
+
+Starting with v4.31.1, the sensor proxy includes a built-in CLI for safe configuration management. This prevents config corruption that caused 99% of temperature monitoring failures.
+
+### Quick Reference
+
+```bash
+# Validate config files
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Add nodes to allowed list
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --merge 192.168.0.1 --merge node1.local
+
+# Replace entire allowed list
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace --merge 192.168.0.1
+```
+
+**Key benefits:**
+- Atomic writes with file locking prevent corruption
+- Automatic deduplication and normalization
+- systemd validation prevents startup with bad config
+- Installer uses CLI (no more shell/Python divergence)
+
+**See also:**
+- [Sensor Proxy Config Management Guide](operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md) - Complete runbook
+- [Sensor Proxy CLI Reference](/opt/pulse/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md) - Full command documentation
+
 ## Control-Plane Sync & Migration
 
 As of v4.32 the sensor proxy registers with Pulse and syncs its authorized node list via `/api/temperature-proxy/authorized-nodes`. No more manual `allowed_nodes` maintenance or `/etc/pve` access is required.
diff --git a/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md b/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
index c0b93c2f4..b28deb26a 100644
--- a/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
+++ b/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
@@ -280,6 +280,56 @@ See [Configuration Guide](CONFIGURATION.md#tlshttps-configuration) for complete
 
 ### Temperature Monitoring Issues
 
+#### Sensor proxy fails to start (config validation error)
+
+**Symptoms:** Service won't start, logs show "Config validation failed" or "duplicate allowed_nodes blocks detected"
+
+**Diagnosis:**
+```bash
+# Check service status
+sudo systemctl status pulse-sensor-proxy
+
+# Validate config manually
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Look for duplicate blocks
+grep -n "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+```
+
+**Fix:**
+The issue is config corruption from earlier versions. Version 4.31.1+ fixes this automatically:
+
+```bash
+# Reinstall to migrate to new config system
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/scripts/install-sensor-proxy.sh | \
+  sudo bash -s -- --standalone --pulse-server http://your-pulse:7655
+
+# Verify the fix
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+sudo systemctl status pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+The new config system:
+- Separates allowed nodes into `/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml`
+- Uses atomic writes with file locking
+- Validates config before service startup
+- Includes CLI for safe config management
+
+**Manual config management (advanced):**
+```bash
+# Add nodes to allowed list
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --merge 192.168.0.1 --merge node1.local
+
+# Replace entire list
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace --merge 192.168.0.1
+
+# Validate before restarting
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+sudo systemctl restart pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+See `/opt/pulse/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md` for complete CLI documentation.
+
 #### Temperature data flickers after adding nodes
 
 **Symptoms:** Dashboard temperatures alternate between values and `--`, or new nodes never show readings. Proxy logs contain `limiter.rejection` messages.
diff --git a/docs/operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md b/docs/operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..593618d25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/operations/sensor-proxy-config-management.md
@@ -0,0 +1,469 @@
+# Sensor Proxy Configuration Management
+
+This guide covers safe configuration management for pulse-sensor-proxy, including the new CLI tools introduced in v4.31.1+ to prevent config corruption.
+
+## Overview
+
+Starting with v4.31.1, pulse-sensor-proxy uses a two-file configuration system:
+
+1. **Main config:** `/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml` - Contains all settings except allowed nodes
+2. **Allowed nodes:** `/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml` - Separate file for the authorized node list
+
+This separation prevents corruption from concurrent updates by the installer, control-plane sync, and self-heal timer.
+
+## Architecture
+
+### Why Two Files?
+
+Earlier versions stored `allowed_nodes:` inline in `config.yaml`, causing corruption when:
+- The installer updated node lists
+- The self-heal timer ran (every 5 minutes)
+- Control-plane sync modified the list
+- Version detection had edge cases
+
+Multiple code paths (shell, Python, Go) would race to update the same YAML file, creating duplicate `allowed_nodes:` keys that broke YAML parsing.
+
+### New System (v4.31.1+)
+
+**Phase 1 (Migration):**
+- Force file-based mode exclusively
+- Installer migrates inline blocks to `allowed_nodes.yaml`
+- Self-heal timer includes corruption detection and repair
+
+**Phase 2 (Atomic Operations):**
+- Go CLI replaces all shell/Python config manipulation
+- File locking prevents concurrent writes
+- Atomic writes (temp file + rename) ensure consistency
+- systemd validation prevents startup with corrupt config
+
+## Configuration CLI Reference
+
+### Validate Configuration
+
+Check config files for errors before restarting the service:
+
+```bash
+# Validate both config.yaml and allowed_nodes.yaml
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Validate specific config file
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate --config /path/to/config.yaml
+
+# Validate specific allowed_nodes file
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate --allowed-nodes /path/to/allowed_nodes.yaml
+```
+
+**Exit codes:**
+- 0 = valid
+- Non-zero = validation failed (check stderr for details)
+
+**Common validation errors:**
+- "duplicate allowed_nodes blocks" - Run migration (see below)
+- "failed to parse YAML" - Syntax error in config file
+- "read_timeout must be positive" - Invalid timeout value
+
+### Manage Allowed Nodes
+
+The CLI provides two modes:
+
+**Merge mode (default):** Adds nodes to existing list
+```bash
+# Add single node
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --merge 192.168.0.10
+
+# Add multiple nodes
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes \
+  --merge 192.168.0.1 \
+  --merge 192.168.0.2 \
+  --merge node1.local
+```
+
+**Replace mode:** Overwrites entire list
+```bash
+# Replace with new list
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace \
+  --merge 192.168.0.1 \
+  --merge 192.168.0.2
+
+# Clear the list (empty is valid for IPC-only clusters)
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace
+```
+
+**Custom paths:**
+```bash
+# Use non-default path
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes \
+  --allowed-nodes /custom/path.yaml \
+  --merge 192.168.0.10
+```
+
+### How It Works
+
+1. **File locking:** Uses `flock(LOCK_EX)` on separate `.lock` file
+2. **Atomic writes:** Writes to temp file, syncs, then renames
+3. **Deduplication:** Automatically removes duplicate entries
+4. **Normalization:** Trims whitespace, sorts entries
+5. **Empty lists allowed:** Useful for security lockdown or IPC-based discovery
+
+## Common Tasks
+
+### Adding Nodes After Cluster Expansion
+
+When you add a new node to your Proxmox cluster:
+
+```bash
+# Add the new node to allowed list
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --merge new-node.local
+
+# Validate config
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Restart proxy to apply
+sudo systemctl restart pulse-sensor-proxy
+
+# Verify in Pulse UI
+# Check Settings → Diagnostics → Temperature Proxy
+```
+
+### Removing Decommissioned Nodes
+
+When removing a node from your cluster:
+
+```bash
+# Get current list
+cat /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml
+
+# Replace with updated list (without old node)
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace \
+  --merge 192.168.0.1 \
+  --merge 192.168.0.2
+  # (omit the decommissioned node)
+
+# Validate and restart
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+sudo systemctl restart pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+**Note:** The proxy cleanup system automatically removes SSH keys from deleted nodes. See temperature monitoring docs for details.
+
+### Migrating from Inline Config
+
+If you're running an older version with inline `allowed_nodes:` in config.yaml:
+
+```bash
+# Upgrade to latest version (auto-migrates)
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/scripts/install-sensor-proxy.sh | \
+  sudo bash -s -- --standalone --pulse-server http://your-pulse:7655
+
+# Verify migration
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Check that allowed_nodes only appears in allowed_nodes.yaml
+grep -n "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.yaml
+# Should show: allowed_nodes.yaml:3:allowed_nodes:
+# Should NOT show duplicate entries in config.yaml
+```
+
+### Changing Other Config Settings
+
+For settings in `config.yaml` (not allowed_nodes):
+
+```bash
+# Stop the service first
+sudo systemctl stop pulse-sensor-proxy
+
+# Edit config.yaml manually
+sudo nano /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+
+# Validate before starting
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# Start service
+sudo systemctl start pulse-sensor-proxy
+
+# Check for errors
+sudo systemctl status pulse-sensor-proxy
+journalctl -u pulse-sensor-proxy -n 50
+```
+
+**Safe to edit in config.yaml:**
+- `allowed_source_subnets`
+- `allowed_peers` (UID/GID permissions)
+- `rate_limit` settings
+- `metrics_address`
+- `http_*` settings (HTTPS mode)
+- `pulse_control_plane` block
+
+**Never edit manually:**
+- `allowed_nodes:` (use CLI instead, or it will be in allowed_nodes.yaml anyway)
+- Lock files (`.lock`)
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Config Validation Fails
+
+**Symptom:** `pulse-sensor-proxy config validate` returns error
+
+**Diagnosis:**
+```bash
+# Run validation with full output
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate 2>&1
+
+# Check for duplicate blocks
+grep -n "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+
+# Check YAML syntax
+python3 -c "import yaml; yaml.safe_load(open('/etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml'))"
+```
+
+**Common fixes:**
+- Duplicate blocks: Run migration (upgrade to v4.31.1+)
+- YAML syntax errors: Fix indentation, remove tabs, check colons
+- Missing required fields: Add `read_timeout`, `write_timeout`
+
+### Service Won't Start After Config Change
+
+**Diagnosis:**
+```bash
+# Check systemd logs
+journalctl -u pulse-sensor-proxy -n 100
+
+# Look for validation errors
+journalctl -u pulse-sensor-proxy | grep -i "validation\|corrupt\|duplicate"
+
+# Try starting in foreground for better errors
+sudo -u pulse-sensor-proxy /usr/local/bin/pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+**Fix:**
+```bash
+# Validate config first
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# If validation passes but service fails, check permissions
+ls -la /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/
+ls -la /var/lib/pulse-sensor-proxy/
+
+# Ensure proxy user owns files
+sudo chown -R pulse-sensor-proxy:pulse-sensor-proxy /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/
+sudo chown -R pulse-sensor-proxy:pulse-sensor-proxy /var/lib/pulse-sensor-proxy/
+```
+
+### Lock File Errors
+
+**Symptom:** `failed to acquire file lock` or `failed to open lock file`
+
+**Cause:** Lock file has wrong permissions or process holds stale lock
+
+**Fix:**
+```bash
+# Check lock file permissions (should be 0600)
+ls -la /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.lock
+
+# Fix permissions
+sudo chmod 0600 /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.lock
+sudo chown pulse-sensor-proxy:pulse-sensor-proxy /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.lock
+
+# If stale lock, identify holder
+sudo lsof /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml.lock
+
+# Kill stale process if needed (use with caution)
+sudo kill <PID>
+```
+
+**Prevention:** Locks are automatically released when process exits. Don't manually delete lock files.
+
+### Allowed Nodes List is Empty
+
+**Symptom:** allowed_nodes.yaml exists but has no entries
+
+**Is this a problem?** Not necessarily:
+- Empty list is valid for clusters using IPC discovery (pvecm status)
+- Control-plane mode populates the list automatically
+- Standalone nodes require manual node entries
+
+**To populate manually:**
+```bash
+# Add your cluster nodes
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace \
+  --merge 192.168.0.1 \
+  --merge 192.168.0.2 \
+  --merge 192.168.0.3
+
+# Verify
+cat /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml
+```
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### General Guidelines
+
+1. **Always validate before restarting:**
+   ```bash
+   pulse-sensor-proxy config validate && sudo systemctl restart pulse-sensor-proxy
+   ```
+
+2. **Use the CLI for allowed_nodes changes:**
+   - Don't edit `allowed_nodes.yaml` manually
+   - Use `config set-allowed-nodes` instead
+
+3. **Stop service before editing config.yaml:**
+   - Prevents race conditions with running process
+   - systemd validation will catch errors on startup
+
+4. **Back up config before major changes:**
+   ```bash
+   sudo cp /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml.backup
+   sudo cp /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml.backup
+   ```
+
+5. **Monitor after changes:**
+   ```bash
+   journalctl -u pulse-sensor-proxy -f
+   # Check Pulse UI: Settings → Diagnostics → Temperature Proxy
+   ```
+
+### Automation Scripts
+
+When scripting config changes:
+
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Function to safely update allowed nodes
+update_allowed_nodes() {
+    local nodes=("$@")
+
+    # Build command
+    local cmd="pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace"
+    for node in "${nodes[@]}"; do
+        cmd="$cmd --merge $node"
+    done
+
+    # Execute with validation
+    if eval "$cmd"; then
+        echo "Allowed nodes updated successfully"
+    else
+        echo "Failed to update allowed nodes" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # Validate
+    if ! pulse-sensor-proxy config validate; then
+        echo "Config validation failed after update" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # Restart service
+    if sudo systemctl restart pulse-sensor-proxy; then
+        echo "Service restarted successfully"
+    else
+        echo "Service restart failed" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # Wait for service to be active
+    sleep 2
+    if systemctl is-active --quiet pulse-sensor-proxy; then
+        echo "Service is running"
+    else
+        echo "Service failed to start" >&2
+        journalctl -u pulse-sensor-proxy -n 20
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
+# Example usage
+update_allowed_nodes "192.168.0.1" "192.168.0.2" "node3.local"
+```
+
+### Monitoring Config Health
+
+Add to your monitoring system:
+
+```bash
+# Check for config corruption (should return 0)
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+echo $?
+
+# Check for duplicate blocks (should be empty)
+grep "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml | wc -l
+
+# Check lock file permissions (should be 0600)
+stat -c "%a" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.lock
+
+# Check service is running
+systemctl is-active pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+## Migration Path
+
+### Upgrading from Pre-v4.31.1
+
+**Automatic migration** (recommended):
+```bash
+# Simply reinstall - migration runs automatically
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/scripts/install-sensor-proxy.sh | \
+  sudo bash -s -- --standalone --pulse-server http://your-pulse:7655
+
+# Verify
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+sudo systemctl status pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+**Manual migration** (if needed):
+```bash
+# 1. Stop service
+sudo systemctl stop pulse-sensor-proxy
+
+# 2. Extract allowed_nodes from config.yaml
+grep -A 100 "^allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml > /tmp/nodes.txt
+
+# 3. Parse and add to allowed_nodes.yaml
+# (Example for simple list - adjust for your format)
+pulse-sensor-proxy config set-allowed-nodes --replace \
+  --merge node1.local \
+  --merge node2.local
+
+# 4. Remove allowed_nodes from config.yaml
+# Edit manually or use sed:
+sudo sed -i '/^allowed_nodes:/,/^[a-z_]/d' /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+
+# 5. Add reference to allowed_nodes.yaml
+echo "allowed_nodes_file: /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/allowed_nodes.yaml" | \
+  sudo tee -a /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.yaml
+
+# 6. Validate
+pulse-sensor-proxy config validate
+
+# 7. Start service
+sudo systemctl start pulse-sensor-proxy
+```
+
+## Related Documentation
+
+- [Temperature Monitoring](../TEMPERATURE_MONITORING.md) - Setup and troubleshooting
+- [Sensor Proxy README](/opt/pulse/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/README.md) - Complete CLI reference
+- [Audit Log Rotation](audit-log-rotation.md) - Managing append-only logs
+- [Temperature Monitoring Security](../TEMPERATURE_MONITORING_SECURITY.md) - Security architecture
+
+## Support
+
+If config management issues persist after following this guide:
+
+1. Collect diagnostics:
+   ```bash
+   pulse-sensor-proxy config validate 2>&1 > /tmp/validate.log
+   sudo systemctl status pulse-sensor-proxy > /tmp/status.log
+   journalctl -u pulse-sensor-proxy -n 200 > /tmp/journal.log
+   grep -n "allowed_nodes:" /etc/pulse-sensor-proxy/*.yaml > /tmp/grep.log
+   ```
+
+2. File an issue at https://github.com/rcourtman/Pulse/issues
+
+3. Include:
+   - Pulse version
+   - Sensor proxy version (`pulse-sensor-proxy --version`)
+   - Output from diagnostic commands above
+   - Steps that led to the issue