diff --git a/src/clients/veraeClient.js b/src/clients/veraeClient.js
index 31aff54..781799c 100644
--- a/src/clients/veraeClient.js
+++ b/src/clients/veraeClient.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { config } from '../config.js';
 import { AppError } from '../errors.js';
 import { createDebugger } from '../debug/logger.js';
 import { stableVeraeUserId } from '../lib/identity.js';
+import { isHistory, stampHistory } from '../metadata-history.js';
 
 const log = createDebugger('http');
 
@@ -220,6 +221,32 @@ async function request(path, { method = 'GET', token, body } = {}) {
   return payload;
 }
 
+async function priorUserMetadata(token, digest) {
+  if (!digest) return null;
+  try {
+    const report = await request(`/api/hash/${encodeURIComponent(digest)}`, { token });
+    const receipts = Array.isArray(report?.receipts) ? report.receipts : [];
+    let jobId = '';
+    for (const ref of receipts) {
+      if (ref?.jobId) jobId = String(ref.jobId);
+    }
+    if (!jobId) return null;
+    const status = await request(`/api/status/${encodeURIComponent(jobId)}`, { token });
+    return status?.metadata && typeof status.metadata === 'object' ? status.metadata : null;
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err?.status === 404) return null;
+    throw err;
+  }
+}
+
+async function historyBody(token, body, digest) {
+  let prior = null;
+  if (body?.restamp === true && !isHistory(body?.metadata)) {
+    prior = await priorUserMetadata(token, digest);
+  }
+  return stampHistory(body, prior);
+}
+
 /**
  * Verae API client (mock when config.mockVerae is true).
  */
@@ -269,6 +296,12 @@ export const veraeClient = {
   async createTimestamp(token, body) {
     if (config.mockVerae) return mockCreateTimestamp(body);
     const liveBody = { data: body.data, hashAlg: body.hashAlg };
+    const digest = String(body.sha256 || body.digest || body.data || '').toLowerCase().replace(/^sha256:/, '');
+    const hist = await historyBody(token, body, /^[a-f0-9]{64}$/.test(digest) ? digest : '');
+    if (hist) {
+      liveBody.metadata = hist.metadata;
+      liveBody.restamp = hist.restamp;
+    }
     return request('/api/timestamp', { method: 'POST', token, body: liveBody });
   },
 
@@ -297,7 +330,20 @@ export const veraeClient = {
       }
       return { jobIds };
     }
-    return request('/api/batch/timestamp', { method: 'POST', token, body });
+    const items = [];
+    for (const item of body.items ?? []) {
+      const digest = String(item.sha256 || item.digest || item.data || '').toLowerCase().replace(/^sha256:/, '');
+      const next = { ...item };
+      const hist = await historyBody(token, item, /^[a-f0-9]{64}$/.test(digest) ? digest : '');
+      if (hist) {
+        next.metadata = hist.metadata;
+        next.restamp = hist.restamp;
+      } else {
+        delete next.metadata;
+      }
+      items.push(next);
+    }
+    return request('/api/batch/timestamp', { method: 'POST', token, body: { ...body, items } });
   },
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/metadata-history.js b/src/metadata-history.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df2d8a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/metadata-history.js
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+
+export const SCHEMA = "verae-meta-git/1";
+
+export function isPlainObject(value) {
+  return Boolean(value) && typeof value === "object" && !Array.isArray(value);
+}
+
+export function isBlank(value) {
+  if (value == null) return true;
+  if (typeof value === "string") return value.trim() === "";
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) return value.length === 0;
+  if (isPlainObject(value)) return Object.keys(value).length === 0;
+  return false;
+}
+
+export function clone(value) {
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) return value.map(clone);
+  if (isPlainObject(value)) {
+    const copy = {};
+    for (const key of Object.keys(value)) copy[key] = clone(value[key]);
+    return copy;
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
+export function canonical(value) {
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) return "[" + value.map(canonical).join(",") + "]";
+  if (isPlainObject(value)) {
+    const keys = Object.keys(value).sort();
+    return "{" + keys.map((key) => JSON.stringify(key) + ":" + canonical(value[key])).join(",") + "}";
+  }
+  return JSON.stringify(value);
+}
+
+export function same(a, b) {
+  return canonical(a) === canonical(b);
+}
+
+export function extendSnapshot(base, patch) {
+  const out = clone(isPlainObject(base) ? base : {});
+  if (!isPlainObject(patch)) return out;
+  for (const key of Object.keys(patch)) {
+    const next = patch[key];
+    if (isBlank(next)) continue;
+    const prev = out[key];
+    if (isPlainObject(prev) && isPlainObject(next)) {
+      out[key] = extendSnapshot(prev, next);
+    } else if (Array.isArray(prev) && Array.isArray(next)) {
+      const extra = next.filter((item) => !isBlank(item));
+      if (extra.length) out[key] = prev.concat(clone(extra));
+    } else if (Array.isArray(next)) {
+      const extra = next.filter((item) => !isBlank(item));
+      if (!extra.length) continue;
+      out[key] = Array.isArray(prev) ? prev.concat(clone(extra)) : clone(extra);
+    } else if (isPlainObject(next)) {
+      const nested = extendSnapshot(isPlainObject(prev) ? prev : {}, next);
+      if (!isBlank(nested)) out[key] = nested;
+    } else {
+      out[key] = clone(next);
+    }
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+export function changesBetween(before, after) {
+  const added = {};
+  const extended = {};
+  const updated = {};
+  const prior = isPlainObject(before) ? before : {};
+  const next = isPlainObject(after) ? after : {};
+  const keys = new Set([...Object.keys(prior), ...Object.keys(next)]);
+  for (const key of keys) {
+    if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(next, key)) continue;
+    if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(prior, key)) {
+      added[key] = clone(next[key]);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (same(prior[key], next[key])) continue;
+    if (isPlainObject(prior[key]) && isPlainObject(next[key])) {
+      const nested = changesBetween(prior[key], next[key]);
+      if (!isBlank(nested.added) || !isBlank(nested.extended) || !isBlank(nested.updated)) {
+        extended[key] = nested;
+      }
+    } else if (Array.isArray(prior[key]) && Array.isArray(next[key]) && next[key].length >= prior[key].length) {
+      const appended = next[key].slice(prior[key].length);
+      if (appended.length) extended[key] = { appended: clone(appended) };
+    } else {
+      updated[key] = { from: clone(prior[key]), to: clone(next[key]) };
+    }
+  }
+  return { added, extended, updated };
+}
+
+export function commitId(commit) {
+  const material = canonical({
+    parent: commit.parent,
+    at: commit.at,
+    message: commit.message,
+    snapshot: commit.snapshot,
+  });
+  return createHash("sha256").update(material).digest("hex");
+}
+
+export function isHistory(value) {
+  return isPlainObject(value)
+    && value.schema === SCHEMA
+    && Array.isArray(value.commits)
+    && isPlainObject(value.snapshot);
+}
+
+export function historyFromSnapshot(snapshot, at) {
+  const stored = clone(snapshot);
+  const commit = {
+    parent: null,
+    at,
+    message: "stamp",
+    snapshot: stored,
+    changes: changesBetween({}, stored),
+  };
+  commit.id = commitId(commit);
+  return {
+    schema: SCHEMA,
+    head: commit.id,
+    snapshot: clone(stored),
+    commits: [commit],
+  };
+}
+
+export function coerceHistory(existing, at) {
+  if (isHistory(existing)) return clone(existing);
+  if (isPlainObject(existing) && !isBlank(existing)) return historyFromSnapshot(existing, at);
+  return {
+    schema: SCHEMA,
+    head: null,
+    snapshot: {},
+    commits: [],
+  };
+}
+
+export function hasContent(patch) {
+  return isPlainObject(patch) && !isBlank(extendSnapshot({}, patch));
+}
+
+export function hasChanges(changes) {
+  return !isBlank(changes.added) || !isBlank(changes.extended) || !isBlank(changes.updated);
+}
+
+export function appendMetadata(existing, patch, options) {
+  const opts = options || {};
+  const restamp = Boolean(opts.restamp);
+  const at = opts.at || new Date().toISOString();
+  const blankPatch = !isPlainObject(patch) || isBlank(patch) || isBlank(extendSnapshot({}, patch));
+  if (!restamp && blankPatch && !isHistory(existing) && (existing == null || isBlank(existing))) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const doc = coerceHistory(existing, opts.priorAt || at);
+  if (!restamp && blankPatch) return doc.head ? doc : null;
+  const snapshot = extendSnapshot(doc.snapshot, patch);
+  const changes = changesBetween(doc.snapshot, snapshot);
+  if (!restamp && !hasChanges(changes) && doc.head) return doc;
+  const commit = {
+    parent: doc.head,
+    at,
+    message: opts.message || (doc.head ? "restamp" : "stamp"),
+    snapshot,
+    changes,
+  };
+  commit.id = commitId(commit);
+  doc.commits.push(commit);
+  doc.head = commit.id;
+  doc.snapshot = snapshot;
+  return doc;
+}
+
+export function stampHistory(body, prior) {
+  const restamp = body?.restamp === true;
+  let metadata = body?.metadata ?? null;
+  if ((metadata == null || isBlank(metadata)) && body?.documentName && String(body.documentName).trim()) {
+    metadata = { title: String(body.documentName).trim() };
+  }
+  if ((metadata == null || isBlank(metadata)) && !restamp) return null;
+  if (isHistory(metadata)) return { metadata, restamp: restamp || (metadata.commits || []).length > 1 };
+  const doc = appendMetadata(restamp ? prior : null, metadata, {
+    restamp,
+    message: body?.message,
+    at: body?.at,
+  });
+  if (!doc) return null;
+  return { metadata: doc, restamp: restamp || (doc.commits || []).length > 1 };
+}
+
diff --git a/test/unit/metadata-history.test.js b/test/unit/metadata-history.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..870300f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/metadata-history.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import { describe, it, afterEach } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { appendMetadata, stampHistory } from '../../src/metadata-history.js';
+import { veraeClient } from '../../src/clients/veraeClient.js';
+import { config } from '../../src/config.js';
+
+const HEAD_1 = '161ff3344ba776ae7201b73914c0e7500116ac9dde02e1967a761b7089c41fa7';
+const HEAD_2 = 'c606e41ccbf4c0f9f653b21759df83ecda25262621075db3a153b592270fd918';
+const DIGEST = 'ab'.repeat(32);
+
+describe('stampHistory', () => {
+  it('matches the node-red golden commit ids', () => {
+    const first = appendMetadata(null, { title: 'deed', tags: ['a'] }, {
+      restamp: false,
+      at: '2026-10-11T01:00:00.000Z',
+      message: 'stamp',
+    });
+    assert.equal(first.head, HEAD_1);
+    const second = stampHistory({
+      metadata: { title: 'deed-2', tags: ['b'], place: 'office' },
+      restamp: true,
+      message: 'correct the title',
+      at: '2026-10-11T02:00:00.000Z',
+    }, first);
+    assert.equal(second.restamp, true);
+    assert.equal(second.metadata.head, HEAD_2);
+    assert.deepEqual(second.metadata.snapshot, {
+      title: 'deed-2',
+      tags: ['a', 'b'],
+      place: 'office',
+    });
+    assert.equal(second.metadata.commits[1].parent, HEAD_1);
+    assert.equal(second.metadata.commits[1].changes.removed, undefined);
+  });
+
+  it('stores a history document as sent', () => {
+    const first = appendMetadata(null, { title: 'deed', tags: ['a'] }, {
+      at: '2026-10-11T01:00:00.000Z',
+      message: 'stamp',
+    });
+    const sent = stampHistory({ metadata: first, restamp: false }, null);
+    assert.equal(sent.metadata, first);
+    assert.equal(sent.restamp, false);
+  });
+
+  it('omits metadata when the body has none', () => {
+    assert.equal(stampHistory({ data: 'hello', restamp: false }, null), null);
+  });
+
+  it('uses a non-blank document name as the title', () => {
+    const sent = stampHistory({
+      documentName: 'Deed.pdf',
+      at: '2026-10-11T01:00:00.000Z',
+    }, null);
+    assert.equal(sent.metadata.schema, 'verae-meta-git/1');
+    assert.equal(sent.metadata.snapshot.title, 'Deed.pdf');
+    assert.equal(sent.restamp, false);
+  });
+
+  it('does not delete fields when the patch is blank', () => {
+    const sent = stampHistory({
+      metadata: { title: '', tags: [] },
+      restamp: true,
+      at: '2026-10-11T03:00:00.000Z',
+    }, { title: 'deed', tags: ['a'] });
+    assert.equal(sent.metadata.snapshot.title, 'deed');
+    assert.deepEqual(sent.metadata.snapshot.tags, ['a']);
+    assert.equal(sent.metadata.commits.length, 2);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('createTimestamp history body', { skip: config.mockVerae }, () => {
+  const original = globalThis.fetch;
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    globalThis.fetch = original;
+  });
+
+  it('leaves a digest-only body unchanged', async () => {
+    const calls = [];
+    globalThis.fetch = async (url, init) => {
+      calls.push({ url: String(url), init });
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({ jobId: 'job-1' }), { status: 202 });
+    };
+    await veraeClient.createTimestamp('tok', { data: DIGEST, hashAlg: 'SHA256' });
+    const body = JSON.parse(calls[0].init.body);
+    assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(body, 'metadata'), false);
+    assert.notEqual(body.restamp, true);
+  });
+
+  it('sends a title history for documentName', async () => {
+    const calls = [];
+    globalThis.fetch = async (url, init) => {
+      calls.push({ url: String(url), init });
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({ jobId: 'job-1' }), { status: 202 });
+    };
+    await veraeClient.createTimestamp('tok', {
+      data: DIGEST,
+      sha256: DIGEST,
+      hashAlg: 'SHA256',
+      documentName: 'Deed.pdf',
+      at: '2026-10-11T01:00:00.000Z',
+    });
+    const body = JSON.parse(calls[0].init.body);
+    assert.equal(body.metadata.schema, 'verae-meta-git/1');
+    assert.equal(body.metadata.snapshot.title, 'Deed.pdf');
+    assert.equal(body.restamp, false);
+    assert.equal(calls.length, 1);
+  });
+});