diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin/Services/EquipmentImportBatchService.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin/Services/EquipmentImportBatchService.cs
index d5bb7dd..eb2c9ba 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin/Services/EquipmentImportBatchService.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin/Services/EquipmentImportBatchService.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin.Services;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Entities;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Enums;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin.Services;
 
@@ -152,14 +153,37 @@ public sealed class EquipmentImportBatchService(OtOpcUaConfigDbContext db)
 
         try
         {
-            foreach (var row in batch.Rows.Where(r => r.IsAccepted))
+            // Snapshot active reservations that overlap this batch's ZTag + SAPID set — one
+            // round-trip instead of N. Released rows (ReleasedAt IS NOT NULL) are ignored so
+            // an explicitly-released value can be reused.
+            var accepted = batch.Rows.Where(r => r.IsAccepted).ToList();
+            var zTags = accepted.Where(r => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(r.ZTag))
+                .Select(r => r.ZTag).Distinct(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase).ToList();
+            var sapIds = accepted.Where(r => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(r.SAPID))
+                .Select(r => r.SAPID).Distinct(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase).ToList();
+
+            var existingReservations = await db.ExternalIdReservations
+                .Where(r => r.ReleasedAt == null &&
+                    ((r.Kind == ReservationKind.ZTag && zTags.Contains(r.Value)) ||
+                     (r.Kind == ReservationKind.SAPID && sapIds.Contains(r.Value))))
+                .ToListAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            var resByKey = existingReservations.ToDictionary(
+                r => (r.Kind, r.Value.ToLowerInvariant()),
+                r => r);
+
+            var nowUtc = DateTime.UtcNow;
+            var firstPublishedBy = batch.CreatedBy;
+
+            foreach (var row in accepted)
             {
+                var equipmentUuid = Guid.TryParse(row.EquipmentUuid, out var u) ? u : Guid.NewGuid();
+
                 db.Equipment.Add(new Equipment
                 {
                     EquipmentRowId = Guid.NewGuid(),
                     GenerationId = generationId,
                     EquipmentId = row.EquipmentId,
-                    EquipmentUuid = Guid.TryParse(row.EquipmentUuid, out var u) ? u : Guid.NewGuid(),
+                    EquipmentUuid = equipmentUuid,
                     DriverInstanceId = driverInstanceIdForRows,
                     UnsLineId = unsLineIdForRows,
                     Name = row.Name,
@@ -176,10 +200,25 @@ public sealed class EquipmentImportBatchService(OtOpcUaConfigDbContext db)
                     ManufacturerUri = row.ManufacturerUri,
                     DeviceManualUri = row.DeviceManualUri,
                 });
+
+                MergeReservation(row.ZTag, ReservationKind.ZTag, equipmentUuid, batch.ClusterId,
+                    firstPublishedBy, nowUtc, resByKey);
+                MergeReservation(row.SAPID, ReservationKind.SAPID, equipmentUuid, batch.ClusterId,
+                    firstPublishedBy, nowUtc, resByKey);
             }
 
-            batch.FinalisedAtUtc = DateTime.UtcNow;
-            await db.SaveChangesAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            batch.FinalisedAtUtc = nowUtc;
+            try
+            {
+                await db.SaveChangesAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            }
+            catch (DbUpdateException ex) when (IsReservationUniquenessViolation(ex))
+            {
+                throw new ExternalIdReservationConflictException(
+                    "Finalise rejected: one or more ZTag/SAPID values were reserved by another operator " +
+                    "between batch preview and commit. Inspect active reservations + retry after resolving the conflict.",
+                    ex);
+            }
             if (tx is not null) await tx.CommitAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
         catch
@@ -193,6 +232,71 @@ public sealed class EquipmentImportBatchService(OtOpcUaConfigDbContext db)
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Merge one external-ID reservation for an equipment row. Three outcomes:
+    ///     (1) value is empty → skip; (2) reservation exists for same <paramref name="equipmentUuid"/>
+    ///     → bump <c>LastPublishedAt</c>; (3) reservation exists for a different EquipmentUuid
+    ///     → throw <see cref="ExternalIdReservationConflictException"/> with the conflicting UUID
+    ///     so the caller sees which equipment already owns the value; (4) no reservation → create new.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void MergeReservation(
+        string? value,
+        ReservationKind kind,
+        Guid equipmentUuid,
+        string clusterId,
+        string firstPublishedBy,
+        DateTime nowUtc,
+        Dictionary<(ReservationKind, string), ExternalIdReservation> cache)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(value)) return;
+
+        var key = (kind, value.ToLowerInvariant());
+        if (cache.TryGetValue(key, out var existing))
+        {
+            if (existing.EquipmentUuid != equipmentUuid)
+                throw new ExternalIdReservationConflictException(
+                    $"{kind} '{value}' is already reserved by EquipmentUuid {existing.EquipmentUuid} " +
+                    $"(first published {existing.FirstPublishedAt:u} on cluster '{existing.ClusterId}'). " +
+                    $"Refusing to re-assign to {equipmentUuid}.");
+
+            existing.LastPublishedAt = nowUtc;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var fresh = new ExternalIdReservation
+        {
+            ReservationId = Guid.NewGuid(),
+            Kind = kind,
+            Value = value,
+            EquipmentUuid = equipmentUuid,
+            ClusterId = clusterId,
+            FirstPublishedAt = nowUtc,
+            FirstPublishedBy = firstPublishedBy,
+            LastPublishedAt = nowUtc,
+        };
+        db.ExternalIdReservations.Add(fresh);
+        cache[key] = fresh;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     True when the <see cref="DbUpdateException"/> root-cause was the filtered-unique
+    ///     index <c>UX_ExternalIdReservation_KindValue_Active</c> — i.e. another transaction
+    ///     won the race between our cache-load + commit. SQL Server surfaces this as 2601 / 2627.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static bool IsReservationUniquenessViolation(DbUpdateException ex)
+    {
+        for (Exception? inner = ex; inner is not null; inner = inner.InnerException)
+        {
+            if (inner is Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlException sql &&
+                (sql.Number == 2601 || sql.Number == 2627) &&
+                sql.Message.Contains("UX_ExternalIdReservation_KindValue_Active", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>List batches created by the given user. Finalised batches are archived; include them on demand.</summary>
     public async Task<IReadOnlyList<EquipmentImportBatch>> ListByUserAsync(string createdBy, bool includeFinalised, CancellationToken ct)
     {
@@ -205,3 +309,16 @@ public sealed class EquipmentImportBatchService(OtOpcUaConfigDbContext db)
 
 public sealed class ImportBatchNotFoundException(string message) : Exception(message);
 public sealed class ImportBatchAlreadyFinalisedException(string message) : Exception(message);
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Thrown when a <c>FinaliseBatchAsync</c> call detects that one of its ZTag/SAPID values is
+///     already reserved by a different EquipmentUuid — either from a prior published generation
+///     or a concurrent finalise that won the race. The operator sees the message + the conflicting
+///     equipment ownership so they can resolve the conflict (pick a new ZTag, release the existing
+///     reservation via <c>sp_ReleaseExternalIdReservation</c>, etc.) and retry the finalise.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class ExternalIdReservationConflictException : Exception
+{
+    public ExternalIdReservationConflictException(string message) : base(message) { }
+    public ExternalIdReservationConflictException(string message, Exception inner) : base(message, inner) { }
+}
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin.Tests/EquipmentImportBatchServiceTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin.Tests/EquipmentImportBatchServiceTests.cs
index efcee02..d28db99 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin.Tests/EquipmentImportBatchServiceTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Admin.Tests/EquipmentImportBatchServiceTests.cs
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@ public sealed class EquipmentImportBatchServiceTests : IDisposable
 
     public void Dispose() => _db.Dispose();
 
+    // Unique SAPID per row — FinaliseBatch reserves ZTag + SAPID via filtered-unique index, so
+    // two rows sharing a SAPID under different EquipmentUuids collide as intended.
     private static EquipmentCsvRow Row(string zTag, string name = "eq-1") => new()
     {
         ZTag = zTag,
         MachineCode = "mc",
-        SAPID = "sap",
+        SAPID = $"sap-{zTag}",
         EquipmentId = "eq-id",
         EquipmentUuid = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
         Name = name,
@@ -162,4 +164,93 @@ public sealed class EquipmentImportBatchServiceTests : IDisposable
         await _svc.DropBatchAsync(Guid.NewGuid(), CancellationToken.None);
         // no throw
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task FinaliseBatch_Creates_ExternalIdReservations_ForZTagAndSAPID()
+    {
+        var batch = await _svc.CreateBatchAsync("c1", "alice", CancellationToken.None);
+        await _svc.StageRowsAsync(batch.Id, [Row("z-new-1")], [], CancellationToken.None);
+
+        await _svc.FinaliseBatchAsync(batch.Id, 1, "drv", "line", CancellationToken.None);
+
+        var active = await _db.ExternalIdReservations.AsNoTracking()
+            .Where(r => r.ReleasedAt == null)
+            .ToListAsync();
+        active.Count.ShouldBe(2);
+        active.ShouldContain(r => r.Kind == ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Enums.ReservationKind.ZTag && r.Value == "z-new-1");
+        active.ShouldContain(r => r.Kind == ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Enums.ReservationKind.SAPID && r.Value == "sap-z-new-1");
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task FinaliseBatch_SameEquipmentUuid_ReusesExistingReservation()
+    {
+        var batch1 = await _svc.CreateBatchAsync("c1", "alice", CancellationToken.None);
+        var sharedUuid = Guid.NewGuid();
+        var row = new EquipmentCsvRow
+        {
+            ZTag = "z-shared", MachineCode = "mc", SAPID = "sap-shared",
+            EquipmentId = "eq-1", EquipmentUuid = sharedUuid.ToString(),
+            Name = "eq-1", UnsAreaName = "a", UnsLineName = "l",
+        };
+        await _svc.StageRowsAsync(batch1.Id, [row], [], CancellationToken.None);
+        await _svc.FinaliseBatchAsync(batch1.Id, 1, "drv", "line", CancellationToken.None);
+
+        var countAfterFirst = _db.ExternalIdReservations.Count(r => r.ReleasedAt == null);
+
+        // Second finalise with same EquipmentUuid + same ZTag — should NOT create a duplicate.
+        var batch2 = await _svc.CreateBatchAsync("c1", "alice", CancellationToken.None);
+        await _svc.StageRowsAsync(batch2.Id, [row], [], CancellationToken.None);
+        await _svc.FinaliseBatchAsync(batch2.Id, 2, "drv", "line", CancellationToken.None);
+
+        _db.ExternalIdReservations.Count(r => r.ReleasedAt == null).ShouldBe(countAfterFirst);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task FinaliseBatch_DifferentEquipmentUuid_SameZTag_Throws_Conflict()
+    {
+        var batchA = await _svc.CreateBatchAsync("c1", "alice", CancellationToken.None);
+        var rowA = new EquipmentCsvRow
+        {
+            ZTag = "z-collide", MachineCode = "mc-a", SAPID = "sap-a",
+            EquipmentId = "eq-a", EquipmentUuid = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
+            Name = "a", UnsAreaName = "ar", UnsLineName = "ln",
+        };
+        await _svc.StageRowsAsync(batchA.Id, [rowA], [], CancellationToken.None);
+        await _svc.FinaliseBatchAsync(batchA.Id, 1, "drv", "line", CancellationToken.None);
+
+        var batchB = await _svc.CreateBatchAsync("c1", "bob", CancellationToken.None);
+        var rowB = new EquipmentCsvRow
+        {
+            ZTag = "z-collide", MachineCode = "mc-b", SAPID = "sap-b", // same ZTag, different EquipmentUuid
+            EquipmentId = "eq-b", EquipmentUuid = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
+            Name = "b", UnsAreaName = "ar", UnsLineName = "ln",
+        };
+        await _svc.StageRowsAsync(batchB.Id, [rowB], [], CancellationToken.None);
+
+        var ex = await Should.ThrowAsync<ExternalIdReservationConflictException>(() =>
+            _svc.FinaliseBatchAsync(batchB.Id, 2, "drv", "line", CancellationToken.None));
+        ex.Message.ShouldContain("z-collide");
+
+        // Second finalise must have rolled back — no partial Equipment row for batch B.
+        var equipmentB = await _db.Equipment.AsNoTracking()
+            .Where(e => e.EquipmentId == "eq-b")
+            .ToListAsync();
+        equipmentB.ShouldBeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task FinaliseBatch_EmptyZTagAndSAPID_SkipsReservation()
+    {
+        var batch = await _svc.CreateBatchAsync("c1", "alice", CancellationToken.None);
+        var row = new EquipmentCsvRow
+        {
+            ZTag = "", MachineCode = "mc", SAPID = "",
+            EquipmentId = "eq-nil", EquipmentUuid = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
+            Name = "nil", UnsAreaName = "ar", UnsLineName = "ln",
+        };
+        await _svc.StageRowsAsync(batch.Id, [row], [], CancellationToken.None);
+        await _svc.FinaliseBatchAsync(batch.Id, 1, "drv", "line", CancellationToken.None);
+
+        _db.ExternalIdReservations.Count().ShouldBe(0);
+    }
 }