diff --git a/common/dbg/experiments.go b/common/dbg/experiments.go
index 23d63dca492..6bdca9fa15f 100644
--- a/common/dbg/experiments.go
+++ b/common/dbg/experiments.go
@@ -137,7 +137,12 @@ var (
 	UseCodeStore         = EnvBool("USE_CODE_STORE", true)
 	DisableAdaptivePin   = EnvBool("DISABLE_ADAPTIVE_PIN", true)
 	AssertStateCache     = EnvBool("ASSERT_STATE_CACHE", false)
-	ReadAhead            = EnvBool("READ_AHEAD", true)
+	// MmapPoison makes a closed file revoke its mapping instead of unmapping it,
+	// turning a read through a slice that outlived its file into a fault at that
+	// read. Without it the address is free for the next file, and the stale read
+	// silently returns another file's bytes. Leaks address space — diagnostics only.
+	MmapPoison = EnvBool("MMAP_POISON", false)
+	ReadAhead  = EnvBool("READ_AHEAD", true)
 	// FilesAsyncIO warms cold state .kv pages via io_uring before the mmap read, so
 	// a would-be blocking page fault becomes a non-blocking read that releases the
 	// goroutine's P. Linux + io_uring only; self-disables (reads use ordinary faults)
diff --git a/common/mmap/mmap_unix.go b/common/mmap/mmap_unix.go
index c5ae2d56c7b..39d7be76690 100644
--- a/common/mmap/mmap_unix.go
+++ b/common/mmap/mmap_unix.go
@@ -91,3 +91,15 @@ func Munmap(mmapHandle1 []byte, _ *[MaxMapSize]byte) error {
 	err := unix.Munmap(mmapHandle1)
 	return err
 }
+
+// Poison revokes access to the range but deliberately leaves it mapped, so the
+// address can never be reused. A slice that outlived its file then faults at
+// the read that misuses it, instead of silently returning whichever file the
+// kernel mapped there next. Diagnostics only: the range leaks for the life of
+// the process.
+func Poison(mmapHandle1 []byte, _ *[MaxMapSize]byte) error {
+	if mmapHandle1 == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return unix.Mprotect(mmapHandle1, unix.PROT_NONE)
+}
diff --git a/common/mmap/mmap_windows.go b/common/mmap/mmap_windows.go
index e29d6fc2c4b..b33fef1a434 100644
--- a/common/mmap/mmap_windows.go
+++ b/common/mmap/mmap_windows.go
@@ -66,3 +66,17 @@ func Munmap(_ []byte, mmapHandle2 *[MaxMapSize]byte) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Poison revokes access to the range but deliberately leaves it mapped, so the
+// address can never be reused. A slice that outlived its file then faults at
+// the read that misuses it, instead of silently returning whichever file the
+// kernel mapped there next. Diagnostics only: the range leaks for the life of
+// the process.
+func Poison(mmapHandle1 []byte, mmapHandle2 *[MaxMapSize]byte) error {
+	if mmapHandle2 == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	addr := (uintptr)(unsafe.Pointer(&mmapHandle2[0]))
+	var old uint32
+	return windows.VirtualProtect(addr, uintptr(len(mmapHandle1)), windows.PAGE_NOACCESS, &old)
+}
diff --git a/common/mmap/poison_test.go b/common/mmap/poison_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..024711e397c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/mmap/poison_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+//go:build !windows
+
+package mmap
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/common/dir"
+)
+
+// A read through a poisoned range kills the process, so the read has to happen
+// in a child. The parent asserts on how the child died.
+const poisonChildEnv = "MMAP_POISON_TEST_CHILD"
+
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	if os.Getenv(poisonChildEnv) == "" {
+		os.Exit(m.Run())
+	}
+	poisonChild()
+}
+
+func poisonChild() {
+	f, err := os.CreateTemp("", "poison")
+	if err != nil {
+		os.Exit(3)
+	}
+	if err := f.Truncate(4096); err != nil {
+		os.Exit(3)
+	}
+	data, handle, err := Mmap(f, 4096)
+	if err != nil {
+		os.Exit(3)
+	}
+	borrowed := data[:8]
+	_ = borrowed[0] // readable while the file is open
+
+	// Unlink while mapped, the way a merge disposes of a superseded file.
+	if err := dir.RemoveFile(f.Name()); err != nil {
+		os.Exit(3)
+	}
+	if err := Poison(data, handle); err != nil {
+		os.Exit(3)
+	}
+	// The file is "closed" now. A stale borrow must not survive this.
+	if borrowed[0] == 0xFF {
+		os.Exit(4)
+	}
+	os.Exit(5) // reached only if the read did not fault
+}
+
+func TestPoisonFaultsOnStaleRead(t *testing.T) {
+	exe, err := os.Executable()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(exe, "-test.run", "TestPoisonFaultsOnStaleRead")
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(), poisonChildEnv+"=1")
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+
+	require.Error(t, err, "reading a poisoned range must kill the child, got clean exit:\n%s", out)
+	require.Contains(t, string(out), "fatal error: fault",
+		"child should die on a memory fault, not exit normally:\n%s", out)
+
+	// Which signal carries the fault is the OS's choice: Linux reports
+	// SIGSEGV/SEGV_ACCERR, Darwin reports SIGBUS for a protection violation on a
+	// file-backed mapping. Only Linux runs in production, so pin the code there.
+	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
+		require.Contains(t, string(out), "SIGSEGV")
+		require.Contains(t, string(out), "code=0x2",
+			"the range must still be mapped (SEGV_ACCERR), not unmapped (SEGV_MAPERR):\n%s", out)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPoisonKeepsAddressReserved is the property that makes poisoning useful:
+// the range stays owned, so no later file can be handed the same address and
+// answer a stale read with plausible bytes.
+func TestPoisonKeepsAddressReserved(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	first, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(dir, "a.bin"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer first.Close()
+	require.NoError(t, first.Truncate(4096))
+
+	data, handle, err := Mmap(first, 4096)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	addr := &data[0]
+
+	require.NoError(t, Poison(data, handle))
+
+	// Map enough further files to make address reuse likely had the range
+	// been released.
+	for i := range 32 {
+		f, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(dir, strings.Repeat("b", i+1)+".bin"))
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.NoError(t, f.Truncate(4096))
+		next, _, err := Mmap(f, 4096)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.NotSame(t, addr, &next[0],
+			"a later file was handed the poisoned address — a stale read there would "+
+				"return this file's bytes instead of faulting")
+		f.Close()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/db/seg/decompress.go b/db/seg/decompress.go
index c1f94c91151..dded5e6a160 100644
--- a/db/seg/decompress.go
+++ b/db/seg/decompress.go
@@ -578,7 +578,11 @@ func (d *Decompressor) Close() {
 		rb.stop() // join the refresh goroutine before munmap so no mincore touches freed memory
 		d.residency.Store(nil)
 	}
-	if err := mmap.Munmap(d.mmapHandle1, d.mmapHandle2); err != nil {
+	unmap := mmap.Munmap
+	if dbg.MmapPoison {
+		unmap = mmap.Poison
+	}
+	if err := unmap(d.mmapHandle1, d.mmapHandle2); err != nil {
 		log.Log(dbg.FileCloseLogLevel, "unmap", "err", err, "file", d.FileName(), "stack", dbg.Stack())
 	}
 	if err := d.f.Close(); err != nil {
diff --git a/db/seg/poison_wiring_test.go b/db/seg/poison_wiring_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a8c3e25024e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/seg/poison_wiring_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+//go:build linux
+
+package seg
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/common/dbg"
+)
+
+// fileStillMapped reports whether this process still holds a mapping of path.
+// Asking by file rather than by address matters: a released address is reused
+// almost immediately, so "something is mapped here" says nothing about whether
+// our file's mapping survived.
+func fileStillMapped(t *testing.T, path string) bool {
+	t.Helper()
+	maps, err := os.ReadFile("/proc/self/maps")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	base := filepath.Base(path)
+	for line := range strings.SplitSeq(string(maps), "\n") {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(line, base) || strings.HasSuffix(line, base+" (deleted)") {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// TestPoisonWiring proves the dbg flag reaches Decompressor.Close: with it set
+// the closed file keeps its range (revoked, never reusable); without it the
+// range is handed back to the kernel.
+func TestPoisonWiring(t *testing.T) {
+	d := prepareLoremDict(t)
+	path := d.FilePath()
+	require.True(t, fileStillMapped(t, path), "mapped while open")
+
+	d.Close()
+
+	require.Equal(t, dbg.MmapPoison, fileStillMapped(t, path),
+		"poison must retain the mapping so the address cannot be handed to another "+
+			"file; a plain Close must release it")
+}