diff --git a/backend/spec/models/post_implication_spec.rb b/backend/spec/models/post_implication_spec.rb
index 8a11600..3cd34f7 100644
--- a/backend/spec/models/post_implication_spec.rb
+++ b/backend/spec/models/post_implication_spec.rb
@@ -48,4 +48,47 @@ RSpec.describe PostImplication, type: :model do
     expect(duplicate).not_to be_valid
     expect(duplicate.errors[:post_id]).to be_present
   end
+
+  it 'rejects a parent that would create a two-post cycle' do
+    described_class.create!(post: post_record, parent_post:)
+
+    implication = described_class.new(
+        post: parent_post, parent_post: post_record)
+
+    expect(implication).not_to be_valid
+    expect(implication.errors.of_kind?(:parent_post_id, :invalid)).to be true
+  end
+
+  it 'rejects a parent that would create a three-post cycle' do
+    ancestor_post = create(:post)
+    described_class.create!(post: post_record, parent_post:)
+    described_class.create!(post: parent_post, parent_post: ancestor_post)
+
+    implication = described_class.new(
+        post: ancestor_post, parent_post: post_record)
+
+    expect(implication).not_to be_valid
+    expect(implication.errors.of_kind?(:parent_post_id, :invalid)).to be true
+  end
+
+  it 'allows a parent with an ancestor when no cycle would result' do
+    ancestor_post = create(:post)
+    described_class.create!(post: parent_post, parent_post: ancestor_post)
+
+    implication = described_class.new(post: post_record, parent_post:)
+
+    expect(implication).to be_valid
+  end
+
+  it 'terminates when existing ancestors already contain a cycle' do
+    ancestor_post = create(:post)
+    described_class.create!(post: parent_post, parent_post: ancestor_post)
+    legacy_implication = described_class.new(
+        post: ancestor_post, parent_post:)
+    legacy_implication.save!(validate: false)
+
+    implication = described_class.new(post: post_record, parent_post:)
+
+    expect(implication).to be_valid
+  end
 end