diff --git a/backend/tests/integration/stream-lifecycle.test.ts b/backend/tests/integration/stream-lifecycle.test.ts
index 9bde6ec9..104a4a63 100644
--- a/backend/tests/integration/stream-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/backend/tests/integration/stream-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -623,6 +623,112 @@ describe("Stream Lifecycle Integration Tests", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("Full lifecycle: create → top up → partial withdraw → cancel", () => {
+    it("walks a single stream through every phase and verifies indexer state", async () => {
+      const streamId = 100;
+
+      // ── Step 1: Create ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+      const createEvent = createStreamCreatedEvent(streamId, {
+        deposited_amount: BigInt(100_000),
+        rate_per_second: BigInt(100),
+      });
+      await worker.processEvent(createEvent);
+
+      let dbStream = await testPrisma.stream.findUnique({
+        where: { streamId },
+      });
+      expect(dbStream).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(dbStream?.depositedAmount).toBe("100000");
+      expect(dbStream?.withdrawnAmount).toBe("0");
+      expect(dbStream?.isActive).toBe(true);
+
+      // ── Step 2: Top up ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+      // Add 50 000 more → deposited becomes 150 000
+      const topUpEvent = createStreamToppedUpEvent(streamId, 50_000, 150_000);
+      topUpEvent.txHash = "topup-tx-hash";
+      await worker.processEvent(topUpEvent);
+
+      dbStream = await testPrisma.stream.findUnique({
+        where: { streamId },
+      });
+      expect(dbStream?.depositedAmount).toBe("150000");
+      expect(dbStream?.withdrawnAmount).toBe("0");
+      expect(dbStream?.isActive).toBe(true);
+
+      // ── Step 3: Partial withdraw ─────────────────────────────────────────
+      // Recipient withdraws 30 000 → withdrawn becomes 30 000
+      const currentTimestamp = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+      const withdrawEvent = {
+        id: `evt-stream-withdrawn-${streamId}`,
+        type: "contract" as const,
+        ledger: 12350,
+        ledgerClosedAt: "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+        transactionIndex: 0,
+        operationIndex: 0,
+        txHash: "withdraw-tx-hash",
+        topic: [scvSymbol("tokens_withdrawn"), scvU64(BigInt(streamId))],
+        value: scvMap([
+          ["recipient", scvAccountAddress(RECIPIENT)],
+          ["amount", scvI128(BigInt(30_000))],
+          ["timestamp", scvU64(BigInt(currentTimestamp))],
+        ]),
+        inSuccessfulContractCall: true,
+      };
+      await worker.processEvent(withdrawEvent);
+
+      dbStream = await testPrisma.stream.findUnique({
+        where: { streamId },
+      });
+      expect(dbStream?.withdrawnAmount).toBe("30000");
+      expect(dbStream?.depositedAmount).toBe("150000");
+      // Stream should still be active after partial withdrawal
+      expect(dbStream?.isActive).toBe(true);
+
+      // Verify the withdraw event was recorded
+      const withdrawEventRecord = await testPrisma.streamEvent.findFirst({
+        where: { streamId, eventType: "WITHDRAWN" },
+      });
+      expect(withdrawEventRecord).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(withdrawEventRecord?.amount).toBe("30000");
+
+      // ── Step 4: Cancel ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+      // Cancel settles the remaining claimable. Withdrawn in the cancel event
+      // includes the 30 000 already withdrawn + newly accrued.
+      // For this test we use a cancel that settles 40 000 to recipient and
+      // refunds the rest (150 000 - 40 000 = 110 000) to sender.
+      const cancelEvent = createStreamCancelledEvent(
+        streamId,
+        40_000,
+        110_000,
+      );
+      cancelEvent.txHash = "cancel-tx-hash";
+      await worker.processEvent(cancelEvent);
+
+      dbStream = await testPrisma.stream.findUnique({
+        where: { streamId },
+      });
+      expect(dbStream?.withdrawnAmount).toBe("40000");
+      expect(dbStream?.isActive).toBe(false);
+
+      // Verify the cancel event was recorded
+      const cancelEventRecord = await testPrisma.streamEvent.findFirst({
+        where: { streamId, eventType: "CANCELLED" },
+      });
+      expect(cancelEventRecord).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(cancelEventRecord?.amount).toBe("110000");
+
+      // ── Verify that the final API response shows the completed stream ────
+      const response = await request(app)
+        .get(`/v1/streams/${streamId}`)
+        .expect(200);
+
+      expect(response.body.streamId).toBe(streamId);
+      expect(response.body.isActive).toBe(false);
+      expect(response.body.depositedAmount).toBe("150000");
+      expect(response.body.withdrawnAmount).toBe("40000");
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("SSE client receives broadcast for each stream event", () => {
     let eventSource: EventSource;
 
diff --git a/contracts/README.md b/contracts/README.md
index 6883bc73..2a544974 100644
--- a/contracts/README.md
+++ b/contracts/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,48 @@
 
 This directory contains the Soroban smart contracts for FlowFi.
 
+## Workspace Layout
+
+This directory is a [Cargo workspace](https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/ch14-03-cargo-workspaces.html)
+root. The workspace manifest is `contracts/Cargo.toml`, and each contract lives in its
+own member crate under this directory.
+
+```
+contracts/
+├── Cargo.toml              # Workspace manifest — run `cargo build` / `cargo test` here
+├── Cargo.lock
+└── stream_contract/         # Member crate (the core streaming contract)
+    ├── Cargo.toml
+    └── src/
+```
+
+**Always run `cargo build` / `cargo test` from the workspace root** (`contracts/`), never
+from inside a member crate. The workspace `[profile.release]` section in `Cargo.toml`
+configures WASM-specific optimisations for all members.
+
+## Adding a New Contract Crate
+
+1. Create a new crate directory under `contracts/`, e.g. `contracts/my_contract/`.
+2. Add a `[package]` section in its `Cargo.toml` and reference `soroban-sdk` via
+   `workspace = true`:
+   ```toml
+   [dependencies]
+   soroban-sdk = { workspace = true }
+   ```
+3. Register the crate in `contracts/Cargo.toml` under `[workspace] members`:
+   ```toml
+   members = ["stream_contract", "my_contract"]
+   ```
+4. Run `cargo build` from `contracts/` to verify the workspace compiles.
+
+For contract-specific documentation see the crate's own `README.md`.
+
+## Crate docs
+
+- **[`stream_contract/`](./stream_contract/)** — Core streaming contract (create, top-up,
+  withdraw, cancel, pause/resume). See [`stream_contract/README.md`](./stream_contract/README.md)
+  for its full API reference.
+
 ## Layout
 
 - `stream_contract/`: Contains the core streaming logic, including stream creation, funding, claiming, and cancellation.
diff --git a/contracts/stream_contract/src/lib.rs b/contracts/stream_contract/src/lib.rs
index 0395396f..44db038a 100644
--- a/contracts/stream_contract/src/lib.rs
+++ b/contracts/stream_contract/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
+//! # `stream_contract` — Soroban Payment-Streaming Contract
+//!
+//! ## Module responsibilities
+//!
+//! | Module | Responsibility |
+//! |--------|---------------|
+//! | [`lib.rs`](./lib.rs) | Public contract interface (`StreamContract`) — entrypoints exposed via `#[contractimpl]` |
+//! | [`storage.rs`](./storage.rs) | Persistent state — read/write `ProtocolConfig` and `Stream` records to Soroban storage |
+//! | [`types.rs`](./types.rs) | Data types — `Stream`, `ProtocolConfig`, `StreamStatus`, `DataKey` |
+//! | [`errors.rs`](./errors.rs) | Error types — `StreamError` enum with all contract error variants |
+//! | [`events.rs`](./events.rs) | Event payloads — typed structs emitted by each entrypoint |
+//! | [`test.rs`](./test.rs) | Unit & integration tests — module gated behind `#[cfg(test)]` |
+
 #![no_std]
 #![doc = include_str!("../README.md")]
 
diff --git a/contracts/stream_contract/src/test.rs b/contracts/stream_contract/src/test.rs
index 18245951..8956a93c 100644
--- a/contracts/stream_contract/src/test.rs
+++ b/contracts/stream_contract/src/test.rs
@@ -386,6 +386,74 @@ fn test_create_stream_emits_event() {
     assert_eq!(payload.rate_per_second, 5);
 }
 
+// ─── #796 start_time / backdated timestamp guard ──────────────────────────────
+//
+// `create_stream` always derives `start_time` from `env.ledger().timestamp()`
+// (see lib.rs:201). The contract does NOT accept a caller-supplied start_time,
+// so backdated start times are structurally impossible via the public API.
+//
+// The tests below verify this invariant and demonstrate the risk that would
+// exist if a backdated start_time were accepted.
+
+#[test]
+fn test_create_stream_uses_ledger_timestamp_as_start_time() {
+    let env = Env::default();
+    env.mock_all_auths();
+    let (token, _) = create_token(&env);
+    let sender = Address::generate(&env);
+    let recipient = Address::generate(&env);
+    mint(&env, &token, &sender, 1_000);
+
+    // Set ledger to a known timestamp.
+    env.ledger().with_mut(|l| l.timestamp = 500_000);
+
+    let client = create_contract(&env);
+    let stream_id = client.create_stream(&sender, &recipient, &token, &1_000, &1_000);
+
+    let s = client.get_stream(&stream_id).unwrap();
+    // start_time must be the ledger timestamp at creation, never caller-supplied.
+    assert_eq!(s.start_time, 500_000);
+    assert_eq!(s.last_update_time, 500_000);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_backdated_start_time_would_immediately_vest_full_amount() {
+    let env = Env::default();
+    env.mock_all_auths();
+    let (token, _) = create_token(&env);
+    let sender = Address::generate(&env);
+    let recipient = Address::generate(&env);
+    mint(&env, &token, &sender, 1_000);
+
+    let client = create_contract(&env);
+    let stream_id = client.create_stream(&sender, &recipient, &token, &1_000, &1_000);
+
+    // Simulate a backdated start_time by directly manipulating storage.
+    // This is NOT possible through the public API — the contract always uses
+    // env.ledger().timestamp() — but it demonstrates the risk that would exist
+    // if a caller-supplied start_time were ever added.
+    let mut stream = client.get_stream(&stream_id).unwrap();
+    stream.start_time = 0;          // backdated far into the past
+    stream.last_update_time = 0;    // sync anchor to match
+    env.as_contract(&client.address, || {
+        env.storage()
+            .persistent()
+            .set(&types::DataKey::Stream(stream_id), &stream);
+    });
+
+    // Advance ledger well past the stream's natural end.
+    env.ledger().with_mut(|l| l.timestamp += 10_000);
+
+    // The full deposited_amout would be immediately claimable because the
+    // elapsed time (start_time=0 → now=10_000) far exceeds the duration.
+    let claimable = client.get_claimable_amount(&stream_id).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(claimable, 1_000);
+
+    // Backdated start times are intentionally prevented by the contract design:
+    // `create_stream` always uses `env.ledger().timestamp()`, so this scenario
+    // cannot occur via the public API.
+}
+
 // ─── top_up_stream ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 #[test]