diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index eac6171..0ba7828 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: ARTnet
-Version: 2.9.1
-Date: 2026-06-08
+Version: 2.9.2
+Date: 2026-08-21
 Title: Epidemic and Network Model Parameterization with the ARTnet Dataset
 Description: Epidemic and Network Model Parameterization with the ARTnet Dataset.
 Maintainer: Samuel Jenness <samuel.m.jenness@emory.edu>
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 4e025d7..07bd818 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,28 @@
+## ARTnet v2.9.2
+
+Two fixes to the sexual-cessation configuration of `build_netstats()`, where
+`age.limits[2]` is set above `age.sexual.cessation` so the population keeps
+aging past the point where it stops forming partnerships.
+
+* `active.sex` is now zeroed on the age group the breaks declare rather than on
+  the largest age group realized in the sampled population. When the
+  post-cessation group came out empty, the old behavior marked the oldest
+  *sexually active* group inactive and zeroed its degree on all three layers,
+  with no error and no warning. This affected both the sampling path and the
+  `target_pop` data frame path, where a projected population whose oldest
+  member sits below the cessation age would have hit the same problem.
+* `young.prop` must now be strictly between 0 and 1 when a cessation band
+  exists, and is rejected with a message pointing at a usable value. Either
+  endpoint empties one side of the age split by construction, and an age group
+  with no members carries no `ergm` term, so the failure used to surface much
+  later as a `target.stats` length mismatch in `netest()`. A post-cessation
+  group that comes out empty for other reasons (a `network.size` too small for
+  the seeded share, or a `target_pop` with no members above the cessation age)
+  now warns for the same reason.
+
+Neither change affects the default configuration, where the population upper
+limit and the cessation age coincide and there is no post-cessation band.
+
 ## ARTnet v2.9.0
 
 * `ARTnetData` is now a suggested package and example `EpiStats` and `Netstats`
diff --git a/R/NetStats.R b/R/NetStats.R
index db06bea..92ccc4d 100644
--- a/R/NetStats.R
+++ b/R/NetStats.R
@@ -191,6 +191,10 @@
 #' @param young.prop The proportion of the population that should be below the age of sexual cessation.
 #'        Default is NULL (meaning no re-weighting of the `age.pyramid` parameter is performed).
 #'        This parameter is only used if the age of sexual cessation is less than the upper age bound.
+#'        Must be strictly between 0 and 1: either endpoint empties one side of the split, and an
+#'        age group with no members cannot carry an `ergm` term. To start a model with effectively
+#'        nobody above the cessation age, use a value just below 1 (for example 0.999) rather than
+#'        1 itself, and let the post-cessation group fill over the burn-in.
 #' @param target_pop Optional specification of the synthetic target population. Defaults to NULL,
 #'        which uses the legacy patchwork of reference sources (NCHS age pyramid +
 #'        `ARTnetData::race.dist` + ARTnet's own degree / role / risk-quintile distributions).
@@ -373,6 +377,30 @@ build_netstats <- function(epistats, netparams,
 
   time.unit <- epistats$time.unit
 
+  # `young.prop` splits the age pyramid at the sexual cessation age, giving
+  # `young.prop` of the sampling mass to the sexually active ages and the
+  # remainder to the post-cessation ages. The two endpoints are degenerate:
+  # each empties one side of the split entirely, and an age group with no
+  # members cannot carry an `ergm` term, because levels are derived from the
+  # values actually present on the network. `netest()` would then fail on a
+  # target.stats length mismatch, a long way from the cause. Reject them here.
+  if (sex.cess.mod == TRUE && !is.null(young.prop)) {
+    if (young.prop >= 1) {
+      stop("`young.prop` must be less than 1 when the age of sexual cessation ",
+           "is below the upper age limit. At 1 no node is placed in the ",
+           "post-cessation age group, so that group's `nodefactor` and ",
+           "`nodematch` terms would be missing from any model fitted on the ",
+           "resulting population. Use a value just below 1 (for example ",
+           "0.999, which seeds about 0.1% of `network.size` above the ",
+           "cessation age) and let the group fill over the model burn-in.")
+    }
+    if (young.prop <= 0) {
+      stop("`young.prop` must be greater than 0. At 0 the entire population ",
+           "is placed above the age of sexual cessation, leaving no sexually ",
+           "active nodes to fit a network model to.")
+    }
+  }
+
 
   # Demographic Initialization ----------------------------------------------
 
@@ -510,6 +538,14 @@ build_netstats <- function(epistats, netparams,
   age.breaks <- out$demog$age.breaks <- epistats$age.breaks
   nquants <- length(netparams$inst$nf.risk.grp)
 
+  # The post-cessation age group, as declared by the age breaks rather than as
+  # realized in the sampled population. `build_epistats` puts
+  # `age.sexual.cessation` into `age.breaks`, so under `sex.cess.mod` the last
+  # group is exactly the post-cessation band. Reading the group off the data
+  # instead (`max(attr_age.grp)`) silently marks the oldest *sexually active*
+  # group inactive whenever the post-cessation band happens to be empty.
+  top.age.grp <- length(age.breaks) - 1L
+
   # List-form distribution overrides for the sampling path. NULL means
   # "use the existing default source" (current behavior).
   .ov <- if (.tp$form == "list") .tp$overrides else list()
@@ -531,7 +567,7 @@ build_netstats <- function(epistats, netparams,
     } else {
       as_active <- rep(1L, num)
       if (sex.cess.mod == TRUE) {
-        as_active[attr_age.grp == max(attr_age.grp, na.rm = TRUE)] <- 0L
+        as_active[attr_age.grp %in% top.age.grp] <- 0L
       }
       as_active
     }
@@ -598,7 +634,7 @@ build_netstats <- function(epistats, netparams,
     # sexually active attribute
     attr_active.sex <- rep(1L, num)
     if (sex.cess.mod == TRUE) {
-      attr_active.sex[attr_age.grp == max(attr_age.grp)] <- 0L
+      attr_active.sex[attr_age.grp %in% top.age.grp] <- 0L
     }
 
     # race attribute
@@ -640,6 +676,21 @@ build_netstats <- function(epistats, netparams,
     attr_role.class <- apportion_lr(num, 0:2, .dist_role.class, shuffled = TRUE)
   }
 
+  # A post-cessation band can still come out empty for reasons other than
+  # `young.prop`: a `network.size` too small for the seeded share, or a
+  # `target_pop` data frame with no members above the cessation age. The
+  # netstats object is self-consistent either way (the band's target statistics
+  # are zero), but no model with an `age.grp` term can be fitted on the
+  # population it describes, so say so here rather than leaving it to `netest`.
+  if (sex.cess.mod == TRUE && !any(attr_age.grp %in% top.age.grp)) {
+    warning("No node was placed in the post-cessation age group (age.grp ",
+            top.age.grp, ", ages ", age.breaks[top.age.grp], " and over). ",
+            "`nodefactor` and `nodematch` terms on `age.grp` will be missing ",
+            "that level, so fitting against these target statistics will fail ",
+            "on a length mismatch. Raise `network.size`, lower `young.prop`, ",
+            "or include post-cessation members in `target_pop`.")
+  }
+
   # Common attr assignments (both paths) -----------------------------------
   out$attr$age <- attr_age
   out$attr$sqrt.age <- attr_sqrt.age
diff --git a/man/build_netstats.Rd b/man/build_netstats.Rd
index f6c1e61..8bf008f 100644
--- a/man/build_netstats.Rd
+++ b/man/build_netstats.Rd
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ Hispanic, and White/Other).}
 
 \item{young.prop}{The proportion of the population that should be below the age of sexual cessation.
 Default is NULL (meaning no re-weighting of the \code{age.pyramid} parameter is performed).
-This parameter is only used if the age of sexual cessation is less than the upper age bound.}
+This parameter is only used if the age of sexual cessation is less than the upper age bound.
+Must be strictly between 0 and 1: either endpoint empties one side of the split, and an
+age group with no members cannot carry an \code{ergm} term. To start a model with effectively
+nobody above the cessation age, use a value just below 1 (for example 0.999) rather than
+1 itself, and let the post-cessation group fill over the burn-in.}
 
 \item{method}{Character. Either \code{"existing"} (default) or \code{"joint"}. \code{"existing"} reproduces
 the pre-refactor behavior byte-for-byte: target statistics for edges, nodefactor, and
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-sex-cessation.R b/tests/testthat/test-sex-cessation.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b69fb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-sex-cessation.R
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+# Tests for the sexual-cessation configuration of build_netstats(), where
+# `age.limits[2]` sits above `age.sexual.cessation` so the population keeps
+# aging past the point where it stops forming partnerships.
+#
+# Two defects motivated these:
+#  1. `active.sex` was zeroed on `max(attr_age.grp)` as realized rather than on
+#     the age group the breaks declare. Whenever the post-cessation group came
+#     out empty, that marked the oldest *sexually active* group inactive and
+#     zeroed its degree, silently and without any error.
+#  2. `young.prop = 1` empties the post-cessation group by construction, which
+#     triggered (1) and then failed much later in `netest()` on a target.stats
+#     length mismatch, because an age group with no members carries no `ergm`
+#     term.
+
+skip_without_artnetdata <- function() {
+  testthat::skip_if(system.file(package = "ARTnetData") == "",
+                    "ARTnetData not installed")
+}
+
+have_data <- system.file(package = "ARTnetData") != ""
+if (have_data) {
+  # Sexual cessation at 65, population to 100: six age groups, the sixth being
+  # the post-cessation band.
+  set.seed(20260821L)
+  .ep_cess <- build_epistats(geog.lvl = "city", geog.cat = "Atlanta",
+                             init.hiv.prev = c(0.33, 0.137, 0.084),
+                             race = TRUE, time.unit = 7,
+                             age.limits = c(15, 100),
+                             age.sexual.cessation = 65)
+  .np_cess <- build_netparams(.ep_cess, smooth.main.dur = TRUE)
+
+  # The default configuration, where the population limit and the cessation age
+  # coincide and there is no post-cessation band at all.
+  set.seed(20260821L)
+  .ep_plain <- build_epistats(geog.lvl = "city", geog.cat = "Atlanta",
+                              init.hiv.prev = c(0.33, 0.137, 0.084),
+                              race = TRUE, time.unit = 7)
+  .np_plain <- build_netparams(.ep_plain, smooth.main.dur = TRUE)
+}
+
+mk_pop <- function(n, age_lo, age_hi) {
+  data.frame(
+    age        = stats::runif(n, age_lo, age_hi),
+    race       = sample(1:3, n, replace = TRUE, prob = c(0.5, 0.05, 0.45)),
+    deg.casl   = sample(0:3, n, replace = TRUE),
+    deg.main   = sample(0:2, n, replace = TRUE),
+    role.class = sample(0:2, n, replace = TRUE),
+    risk.grp   = sample(1:5, n, replace = TRUE)
+  )
+}
+
+
+# ---- The configuration itself ------------------------------------------------
+
+test_that("sexual cessation adds a post-cessation age group and real mortality", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  expect_true(.ep_cess$sex.cess.mod)
+  expect_equal(.ep_cess$age.breaks, c(15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 100))
+  expect_equal(.ep_cess$age.grps, 6)
+
+  set.seed(101L)
+  ns <- build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                       network.size = 3000)
+  asmr <- ns$demog$asmr
+  rates <- as.matrix(asmr[asmr$age >= 65 & asmr$age <= 99, -1])
+  # Under the default 15-to-65 configuration mortality is forced to 1 at 65.
+  # Here the cut has to move to the upper age limit instead.
+  expect_true(all(rates > 0 & rates < 1))
+  expect_true(all(asmr[asmr$age == 100, -1] == 1))
+  expect_equal(min(asmr$age[apply(asmr[, -1] >= 1, 1, any)]), 100)
+})
+
+
+# ---- active.sex keys on the declared band, not the realized maximum ----------
+
+test_that("active.sex is 0 exactly for nodes at or above the cessation age", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  set.seed(102L)
+  ns <- build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                       network.size = 3000)
+  expect_gt(sum(ns$attr$age >= 65), 0)
+  expect_equal(ns$attr$active.sex == 0, ns$attr$age >= 65)
+  expect_equal(ns$attr$active.sex == 0, ns$attr$age.grp == 6)
+  # Inactive nodes cannot carry degree on any layer.
+  inactive <- ns$attr$active.sex == 0
+  expect_true(all(ns$attr$deg.main[inactive] == 0))
+  expect_true(all(ns$attr$deg.casl[inactive] == 0))
+  expect_true(all(ns$attr$deg.tot[inactive] == 0))
+})
+
+test_that("an empty post-cessation band does not retire the 55-64 group", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  # This is the regression test for defect (1). Every member of this target
+  # population is sexually active, so the post-cessation group is empty and the
+  # realized maximum age group is 5. Reading the band off the data marked all
+  # 55-to-64 year olds inactive and zeroed their degree.
+  set.seed(103L)
+  df <- mk_pop(2000, 20, 64)
+  expect_warning(
+    ns <- build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                         target_pop = df),
+    "post-cessation age group"
+  )
+  expect_equal(sum(ns$attr$age.grp == 6), 0)
+  expect_gt(sum(ns$attr$age.grp == 5), 0)
+  expect_true(all(ns$attr$active.sex == 1))
+  expect_true(any(ns$attr$deg.main > 0))
+})
+
+test_that("a populated band is unaffected by the fix", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  set.seed(104L)
+  df <- mk_pop(2000, 20, 90)
+  ns <- build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                       target_pop = df)
+  expect_gt(sum(ns$attr$age.grp == 6), 0)
+  expect_equal(ns$attr$active.sex == 0, ns$attr$age >= 65)
+})
+
+
+# ---- young.prop endpoints -----------------------------------------------------
+
+test_that("young.prop = 1 is rejected with an actionable message", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  expect_error(
+    build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                   network.size = 3000, young.prop = 1),
+    "must be less than 1"
+  )
+  expect_error(
+    build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                   network.size = 3000, young.prop = 1),
+    "0.999"
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("young.prop = 0 is rejected", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  expect_error(
+    build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                   network.size = 3000, young.prop = 0),
+    "must be greater than 0"
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("young.prop just below 1 seeds the band and nothing else changes", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  set.seed(105L)
+  ns <- build_netstats(.ep_cess, .np_cess, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                       network.size = 25000, young.prop = 0.999)
+  n_retired <- sum(ns$attr$age.grp == 6)
+  expect_gt(n_retired, 0)
+  expect_lt(n_retired / ns$demog$num, 0.01)
+  expect_equal(ns$attr$active.sex == 0, ns$attr$age >= 65)
+  # The band's target statistics are zero on every layer, which is what makes
+  # `ergm` pin those terms off and keep retired nodes tie-free.
+  for (layer in c("main", "casl", "inst")) {
+    nf <- ns[[layer]]$nodefactor_age.grp
+    expect_length(nf, 6)
+    expect_equal(unname(nf[6]), 0)
+    expect_gt(sum(nf[1:5]), 0)
+  }
+})
+
+
+# ---- The default configuration is untouched ----------------------------------
+
+test_that("young.prop is inert without a sexual-cessation band", {
+  skip_without_artnetdata()
+  # With `age.limits[2]` equal to the cessation age there is no split to
+  # reweight, so no value of young.prop should be rejected and none should
+  # change the result.
+  set.seed(106L)
+  a <- build_netstats(.ep_plain, .np_plain, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                      network.size = 3000, young.prop = 1)
+  set.seed(106L)
+  b <- build_netstats(.ep_plain, .np_plain, expect.mort = 0.000478213,
+                      network.size = 3000)
+  expect_equal(a$attr, b$attr)
+  expect_true(all(a$attr$active.sex == 1))
+  expect_equal(length(.ep_plain$age.breaks) - 1L, 5L)
+})