diff --git a/app/Models/Contract.php b/app/Models/Contract.php
index 3c46a87..0f97745 100644
--- a/app/Models/Contract.php
+++ b/app/Models/Contract.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Models;
 
 use App\Traits\Uuid;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Casts\Attribute;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\BelongsTo;
@@ -43,6 +44,38 @@ protected function casts(): array
         ];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Normalize start_date inputs to Y-m-d (or null) on assignment.
+     */
+    protected function startDate(): Attribute
+    {
+        return Attribute::make(
+            set: function ($value) {
+                if (is_null($value)) {
+                    return null;
+                }
+                $str = is_string($value) ? $value : (string) $value;
+                return \App\Services\DateNormalizer::toDate($str);
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Normalize end_date inputs to Y-m-d (or null) on assignment.
+     */
+    protected function endDate(): Attribute
+    {
+        return Attribute::make(
+            set: function ($value) {
+                if (is_null($value)) {
+                    return null;
+                }
+                $str = is_string($value) ? $value : (string) $value;
+                return \App\Services\DateNormalizer::toDate($str);
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
     public function type(): BelongsTo
     {
         return $this->belongsTo(\App\Models\ContractType::class, 'type_id');
diff --git a/app/Services/ImportProcessor.php b/app/Services/ImportProcessor.php
index 436552b..d7b65a0 100644
--- a/app/Services/ImportProcessor.php
+++ b/app/Services/ImportProcessor.php
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ public function process(Import $import, ?Authenticatable $user = null): array
                                 $ref = preg_replace('/\s+/', '', trim($ref));
                             }
                             if ($ref) {
-                                $q = Contract::query()
+                                $q = Contract::query()->withTrashed()
                                     ->when($import->client_id, function ($q2, $clientId) {
                                         $q2->join('client_cases', 'contracts.client_case_id', '=', 'client_cases.id')
                                             ->where('client_cases.client_id', $clientId);
@@ -266,10 +266,10 @@ public function process(Import $import, ?Authenticatable $user = null): array
                                     ->where('contracts.reference', $ref)
                                     ->select('contracts.*');
                                 $found = $q->first();
-                                if ($found) {
+                                if ($found instanceof \App\Models\Contract) {
                                     $contractResult = ['action' => 'resolved', 'contract' => $found];
                                     // Reactivation branch for resolved existing contract
-                                    if ($reactivateMode && ($found->active == 0 || $found->deleted_at)) {
+                                    if ($found->active == 0 || $found->deleted_at) {
                                         $reactivationApplied = $this->attemptContractReactivation($found, $user);
                                         if ($reactivationApplied['reactivated']) {
                                             $reactivatedThisRow = true;
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ public function process(Import $import, ?Authenticatable $user = null): array
                         } else {
                             $contractResult = $this->upsertContractChain($import, $mapped, $mappings);
                             // If contract was resolved/updated/inserted and reactivation requested but not needed (already active), we just continue normal flow.
-                            if ($reactivateMode && $contractResult && isset($contractResult['contract']) && $contractResult['contract'] instanceof Contract) {
+                            if ($contractResult && isset($contractResult['contract']) && $contractResult['contract'] instanceof Contract) {
                                 $found = $contractResult['contract'];
                                 if ($found->active == 0 || $found->deleted_at) {
                                     $reactivationApplied = $this->attemptContractReactivation($found, $user);
@@ -1501,7 +1501,7 @@ private function upsertContractChain(Import $import, array $mapped, $mappings):
         // Try to find existing contract EARLY by (client_id, reference) across all cases to prevent duplicates
         $existing = null;
         if ($clientId) {
-            $existing = Contract::query()
+            $existing = Contract::query()->withTrashed()
                 ->join('client_cases', 'contracts.client_case_id', '=', 'client_cases.id')
                 ->where('client_cases.client_id', $clientId)
                 ->where('contracts.reference', $reference)
@@ -1511,7 +1511,7 @@ private function upsertContractChain(Import $import, array $mapped, $mappings):
 
         // If not found by client+reference and a specific client_case_id is provided, try that too
         if (! $existing && $clientCaseId) {
-            $existing = Contract::query()
+            $existing = Contract::query()->withTrashed()
                 ->where('client_case_id', $clientCaseId)
                 ->where('reference', $reference)
                 ->first();