diff --git a/.github/workflows/clone-stats.yml b/.github/workflows/clone-stats.yml
index 2918e2ff..ea397bc4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/clone-stats.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/clone-stats.yml
@@ -24,14 +24,45 @@ jobs:
       - name: Switch to stats branch
         run: git checkout -B stats
 
+      - name: Restore existing stats history
+        run: |
+          if git show origin/stats:stats/clone_history.json >/tmp/clone_history.json 2>/dev/null; then
+            mkdir -p stats
+            cp /tmp/clone_history.json stats/clone_history.json
+          fi
+
       - name: Fetch clone stats from GitHub API
         run: |
-          TOKEN="${TRAFFIC_TOKEN:-${{ github.token }}}"
-          curl -fsSL \
-            -H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
-            -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-            "https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/traffic/clones" \
-            -o traffic.json
+          API_URL="https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/traffic/clones"
+
+          fetch_traffic() {
+            local token="$1"
+            local code
+            code=$(curl -sS -L \
+              -H "Authorization: Bearer ${token}" \
+              -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+              -o traffic.json \
+              -w "%{http_code}" \
+              "${API_URL}")
+            echo "${code}"
+          }
+
+          if [ -n "${TRAFFIC_TOKEN}" ]; then
+            STATUS=$(fetch_traffic "${TRAFFIC_TOKEN}")
+
+            if [ "${STATUS}" = "401" ] || [ "${STATUS}" = "403" ]; then
+              echo "TRAFFIC_TOKEN was rejected (${STATUS}); retrying with github.token fallback."
+              STATUS=$(fetch_traffic "${{ github.token }}")
+            fi
+          else
+            STATUS=$(fetch_traffic "${{ github.token }}")
+          fi
+
+          if [ "${STATUS}" -lt 200 ] || [ "${STATUS}" -ge 300 ]; then
+            echo "Failed to fetch clone traffic (HTTP ${STATUS}). Response:"
+            cat traffic.json
+            exit 1
+          fi
 
           # Fail early with a clear message if GitHub API did not return usable traffic data.
           if [ "$(jq -r 'has("count") and has("uniques")' traffic.json)" != "true" ]; then
@@ -44,13 +75,29 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           COUNT=$(jq '.count' traffic.json)
           UNIQUES=$(jq '.uniques' traffic.json)
+
+          if [ -f stats/clone_history.json ]; then
+            jq -s '
+              (.[0] + .[1])
+              | sort_by(.timestamp)
+              | group_by(.timestamp)
+              | map(max_by(.count))
+            ' stats/clone_history.json <(jq '.clones' traffic.json) > stats/clone_history_merged.json
+          else
+            jq '.clones' traffic.json > stats/clone_history_merged.json
+          fi
+
+          mv stats/clone_history_merged.json stats/clone_history.json
+          TOTAL_COUNT=$(jq '[.[].count] | add // 0' stats/clone_history.json)
+
           mkdir -p stats
-          echo "{ \"count\": $COUNT, \"uniques\": $UNIQUES }" > stats/clones.json
+          echo "{ \"count\": $COUNT, \"uniques\": $UNIQUES, \"total_count\": $TOTAL_COUNT }" > stats/clones.json
 
       - name: Commit and push to stats branch
         run: |
           git config --global user.name "github-actions"
           git config --global user.email "actions@github.com"
+          git add stats/clone_history.json
           git add stats/clones.json
           git commit -m "Update clone stats" || exit 0
           git push origin stats --force
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2406b6dc..f032fe0c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   
   <p><b>Centralize. Unify. Govern.</b></p>
 
-![Clones (14d total)](https://img.shields.io/badge/dynamic/json?color=blue&label=Clones%20(14d%20total)&query=count&url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sendipad/uph/stats/clones.json)
+![Clones (all-time)](https://img.shields.io/badge/dynamic/json?color=blue&label=Clones%20(all-time)&query=total_count&url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sendipad/uph/stats/clones.json)
 ![Unique cloners (14d)](https://img.shields.io/badge/dynamic/json?color=informational&label=Unique%20cloners%20(14d)&query=uniques&url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sendipad/uph/stats/clones.json)
   [![CI develop](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/Sendipad/uph/ci.yml?branch=develop&job=test_v17&label=CI%20develop)](https://github.com/Sendipad/uph/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
   [![CI v16](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/Sendipad/uph/ci.yml?branch=develop&job=test_v16&label=CI%20v16)](https://github.com/Sendipad/uph/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
diff --git a/stats/README.md b/stats/README.md
index ec07391b..9d755809 100644
--- a/stats/README.md
+++ b/stats/README.md
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ This folder is used by the clone-stats GitHub Action.
 If you do not see recent data, trigger the **Update Clone Stats** workflow manually and wait for cache refresh.
 
 - If clone totals stay empty, add a `TRAFFIC_TOKEN` repository secret (classic PAT with `repo` scope) so the workflow can access the traffic API reliably.
-- `stats/clones.json` now stores both `count` (total clones in last 14 days) and `uniques` (unique cloners in last 14 days).
+- `stats/clones.json` stores `count` (total clones in last 14 days), `uniques` (unique cloners in last 14 days), and `total_count` (cumulative clones tracked over time).
+- `stats/clone_history.json` stores daily clone snapshots so cumulative totals survive the 14-day API window.