diff --git a/experiments/transformerless_lm/train_self_recursive.py b/experiments/transformerless_lm/train_self_recursive.py
index ade3212..650c4f1 100644
--- a/experiments/transformerless_lm/train_self_recursive.py
+++ b/experiments/transformerless_lm/train_self_recursive.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 import argparse
 import json
+import os
 import sys
 import time
 import math
@@ -2504,7 +2505,9 @@ def train_with_self_distillation(name, train_seed, corpus_anchor, val_split,
                                     distill_prob: float = 0.3,
                                     samples_per_cycle: int = 8,
                                     keep_top_k: int = 4,
-                                    growth_n_new: int = 128):
+                                    growth_n_new: int = 128,
+                                    continuous: bool = False,
+                                    checkpoint_path: str = None):
     """Self-distillation: model's high-creativity refined outputs become
     training targets for the next cycle.
 
@@ -2670,12 +2673,43 @@ def quality_fn(seq_tokens):
     cur_K = None
     eval_every = max(steps_per_cycle // 4, 100)
     global_step = 0
+    start_cycle = 0
     prompt = train_seed[:16].unsqueeze(0)
 
+    # Resume from checkpoint if one exists at checkpoint_path. Holds
+    # the entire distillation state (model, optimizer, active_base,
+    # cycle counter, best_creativity). The ratchet picks up exactly
+    # where it stopped.
+    if checkpoint_path and os.path.exists(checkpoint_path):
+        print(f"  resuming from checkpoint: {checkpoint_path}", flush=True)
+        ckpt = torch.load(checkpoint_path, map_location='cpu',
+                           weights_only=False)
+        model.load_state_dict(ckpt['model'])
+        optimizer.load_state_dict(ckpt['optimizer'])
+        active_base = ckpt['active_base']
+        best_creativity = float(ckpt['best_creativity'])
+        cycle_summary = ckpt.get('cycle_summary', [])
+        global_step = int(ckpt.get('global_step', 0))
+        start_cycle = int(ckpt.get('cycle', -1)) + 1
+        n_rejected_below_baseline = int(ckpt.get('n_rejected_below_baseline', 0))
+        n_rejected_anchor = int(ckpt.get('n_rejected_anchor', 0))
+        best_val = float(ckpt.get('best_val', float('inf')))
+        best_step = int(ckpt.get('best_step', -1))
+        if ckpt.get('best_refined_seq') is not None:
+            best_refined_seq = ckpt['best_refined_seq']
+        print(f"  resumed at cycle {start_cycle}, "
+              f"active_base={active_base.numel()} tokens, "
+              f"best_creativity={best_creativity:.4f}, "
+              f"global_step={global_step}", flush=True)
+
     # Vocab curriculum disabled for v59 -- v58 showed it hurts mid-cycles.
-    for cycle in range(n_cycles):
+    # Continuous mode: loop forever (until interrupted), checkpointing
+    # every cycle. Otherwise bounded by n_cycles.
+    cycle_limit = (10 ** 9) if continuous else n_cycles
+    for cycle in range(start_cycle, cycle_limit):
         active_vocab_size = None
-        print(f"\n  --- Cycle {cycle+1}/{n_cycles}  "
+        total_label = '∞' if continuous else str(n_cycles)
+        print(f"\n  --- Cycle {cycle+1}/{total_label}  "
               f"active_base_size={active_base.numel()} chars  "
               f"best_creativity={best_creativity:.4f} ---", flush=True)
         for s in range(steps_per_cycle):
@@ -2798,6 +2832,29 @@ def quality_fn(seq_tokens):
             print(f"  best sample (c={kept[0][1]:.3f}):\n    "
                   f"{repr(sample_text[:200])}")
 
+        # Checkpoint after every cycle. Atomic write via temp file so
+        # an interrupt mid-save doesn't corrupt the checkpoint.
+        if checkpoint_path:
+            tmp = checkpoint_path + ".tmp"
+            torch.save({
+                'model': model.state_dict(),
+                'optimizer': optimizer.state_dict(),
+                'active_base': active_base,
+                'cycle': cycle,
+                'global_step': global_step,
+                'best_creativity': best_creativity,
+                'best_val': best_val,
+                'best_step': best_step,
+                'cycle_summary': cycle_summary,
+                'n_rejected_below_baseline': n_rejected_below_baseline,
+                'n_rejected_anchor': n_rejected_anchor,
+                'best_refined_seq': best_refined_seq,
+            }, tmp)
+            os.replace(tmp, checkpoint_path)
+            print(f"  checkpoint saved: {checkpoint_path}  "
+                  f"(cycle {cycle+1}, active_base={active_base.numel()} tokens)",
+                  flush=True)
+
     # Final generation for inspection.
     final_gen = autoregressive_generate(model, prompt, n_new=n_new,
                                           vocab_size=vocab_size,
@@ -3254,6 +3311,14 @@ def main():
                                 "(phi^pi tanh fluid form) to per-token CE "
                                 "during training. Closes the train/inference "
                                 "asymmetry on the anti-stagnation primitive.")
+    parser.add_argument("--continuous", action="store_true",
+                          help="Self-distill indefinitely instead of stopping "
+                                "at n_cycles. Checkpoints every cycle so the "
+                                "run is Ctrl-C-resumable.")
+    parser.add_argument("--checkpoint", type=str, default=None,
+                          help="Path to checkpoint file. If it exists, "
+                                "training resumes from it. Saved after every "
+                                "cycle. Required for --continuous.")
     parser.add_argument("--out", type=str,
                           default="results_self_recursive.json")
     args = parser.parse_args()
@@ -3308,7 +3373,8 @@ def main():
             itos_map=itos_map, corpus_text=full_corpus_text,
             vocab_for_bigram=sub_tok.vocab,
             n_cycles=6, distill_prob=0.3,
-            samples_per_cycle=8, keep_top_k=4, growth_n_new=128)
+            samples_per_cycle=8, keep_top_k=4, growth_n_new=128,
+            continuous=args.continuous, checkpoint_path=args.checkpoint)
 
     print()
     print("=" * 92)