diff --git a/src/sink.rs b/src/sink.rs
index 018b5b5..6316444 100644
--- a/src/sink.rs
+++ b/src/sink.rs
@@ -213,11 +213,8 @@ pub fn cmd_records_sink(
                         let _ = crate::grain::extend_grain(&dir, &name);
                     }
                     if crate::bark::load(&dir, &name).is_none() {
-                        if let Ok(m) =
-                            crate::bark::with_identity(crate::bark::derived_map(None, &op))
-                        {
-                            let _ = crate::bark::save(&dir, &name, &m);
-                        }
+                        let _ =
+                            crate::bark::save(&dir, &name, &crate::bark::derived_map(None, &op));
                     }
                     std::process::exit(code);
                 }
@@ -451,7 +448,6 @@ pub fn cmd_records_sink(
             Value::String(stages.join(" | ")),
         );
     }
-    let map = crate::bark::with_identity(map)?;
     crate::bark::save(&dir, &name, &map)?;
 
     // Declared retention and declared index, like every writer. (For a
@@ -503,3 +499,77 @@ pub fn cmd_records_sink(
     );
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU32, Ordering};
+
+    static COUNTER: AtomicU32 = AtomicU32::new(0);
+
+    struct TempDir(std::path::PathBuf);
+
+    impl TempDir {
+        fn new() -> TempDir {
+            let n = COUNTER.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+            let dir =
+                std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("timberfs-sink-test-{}-{n}", std::process::id()));
+            fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+            TempDir(dir)
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Drop for TempDir {
+        fn drop(&mut self) {
+            let _ = fs::remove_dir_all(&self.0);
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn a_stream(text: &str) -> Vec<u8> {
+        let mut s = b"\x1estream-start\x1fv=1\x00".to_vec();
+        s.extend_from_slice(format!("\x1eentry\x1flen={}\x00{text}\x00", text.len()).as_bytes());
+        s.extend_from_slice(b"\x1estream-end\x00");
+        s
+    }
+
+    fn sink_into(dest: &Path, records: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let cfg = Config {
+            chunk_size: 1 << 20,
+            level: 1,
+            flush_age_ms: 5_000,
+        };
+        cmd_records_sink(
+            Some(records),
+            dest,
+            cfg,
+            Delivery::Streaming,
+            Clock::Now,
+            false,
+            None,
+            None,
+            "append",
+            false,
+            0.0,
+        )
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_store_with_no_manifest_keeps_the_identity_its_index_already_carries() {
+        let d = TempDir::new();
+        let dest = d.0.join("s.log");
+        let records = d.0.join("in.records");
+        fs::write(&records, a_stream("hello")).unwrap();
+
+        sink_into(&dest, &records).unwrap();
+
+        let (dir, name) = resolve_backing(&dest).unwrap();
+        let manifest = crate::bark::load(&dir, &name).expect("the sink writes one");
+        let carried = crate::bark::carried_identity(&dir, &name).expect("the index carries one");
+        assert_eq!(
+            manifest.get("id").and_then(|v| v.as_str()),
+            Some(carried.as_str()),
+            "one store, one identity"
+        );
+        sink_into(&dest, &records).expect("a second open of the same store");
+    }
+}