@pareto4/pp-core 1.12.1 → 1.17.1

package/agents/pp-verifier.md

@@ -108,8 +108,6 @@ grep -E "^| $PHASE_NUM" .planning/REQUIREMENTS.md 2>/dev/null
 
 Extract phase goal from ROADMAP.md — this is the outcome to verify, not the tasks.
 
-**Install run (heavy tier):** when your files include `*-INSTALL-RUN.json`, judge user-facing truths on its `commands` (run against the INSTALLED product), not on the repo. `verdict: fail` → each `failures[]` entry is a blocker gap (status `gaps_found`); never re-run it.
-
 ## Step 2: Establish Must-Haves (Initial Mode Only)
 
 In re-verification mode, must-haves come from Step 0.
@@ -151,7 +149,7 @@ must_haves:
 **Also extract `must_haves.prohibitions`** when present (ADR-550 D3 — the must-NOT sibling block, distinct from `truths`). Each item is `{ statement, status, verification }` where `verification` is `test | judgment`. These are NEGATIVE checks: a verified prohibition means the must-NOT did NOT happen. Route them by verification tier in the verdict assembly (ADR-550 D4, the "B-with-guard" 2026-06-12 maintainer decision):
 
 - **judgment-tier prohibitions → mode-dependent soft-gate.** Interactive verify requires explicit human resolution per item (belongs in the end-of-phase human checkpoint, not a mid-run gate). Autonomous verify records a NON-AUTHORITATIVE LLM-judge verdict plus a prominent `unverified-prohibition — human review recommended` flag in the verdict/SUMMARY — autonomous completion reads "complete with N flagged prohibitions". NEVER a silent pass; NEVER a hard halt of an AFK run.
-- **test-tier prohibitions → FAIL CLOSED (accept-and-flag, not reject-at-parse).** Accept the `verification: test` value (the SPEC↔must_haves.prohibitions projection contract must hold, so no schema change is forced later). But a well-formed test-tier item that reaches verify with NO wired enforcement is treated as UNVERIFIED — flagged exactly like an unresolved judgment item, NEVER green. The deterministic fail-closed default is `dispositionForProhibition()` in probe-core (status `unverified`, `flagged: true` when `enforcementEvidence` is empty). Do NOT wire a real fail-first negative-test hard gate here — that enforcement MECHANISM defers to a follow-up PR.
+- **test-tier prohibitions → FAIL CLOSED (accept-and-flag, not reject-at-parse).** Accept the `verification: test` value (the SPEC↔must_haves.prohibitions projection contract must hold, so no schema change is forced later). But a well-formed test-tier item that reaches verify with NO wired enforcement is treated as UNVERIFIED — flagged exactly like an unresolved judgment item, NEVER green. The deterministic fail-closed default is `dispositionForProhibition()` in probe-core (status `unverified`, `flagged: true` when `enforcementEvidence` is empty). Do NOT wire a real fail-first negative-test hard gate here — that enforcement MECHANISM defers to a follow-up PR (it needs a real test-tier consumer to `regression-must-fail-first` against; #644's corpus is entirely judgment-tier).
 
 A flagged prohibition counts as a human-verification item (status `human_needed`) or a gap (status `gaps_found`) per the existing decision tree — it must never be silently absorbed into a `passed` verdict.
 
@@ -646,6 +644,12 @@ Parse the JSON to extract all phases. Identify phases with `number > current_pha
 - If the gaps list is now empty but human verification items exist → `human_needed`
 - If the gaps list still has items → `gaps_found`
 
+## Step 9c: Practice Verdicts (agent-judged)
+
+If a vault practice-verdict input was supplied in the prompt, follow
+@~/.claude/pp-core/references/verifier-practice-verdicts.md.
+Its verdicts are inputs to NOTHING in Step 9 — never truths, artifacts, links, gaps or human-verification items, and never `score:` or `status:`.
+
 ## Step 10: Structure Gap Output (If Gaps Found)
 
 Before writing VERIFICATION.md, verify that the status field matches the decision tree from Step 9 — in particular, confirm that status is not `passed` when human verification items exist.

package/bin/install.js

@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ function computePathPrefix({ isGlobal, isOpencode, isWindowsHost: _isWindowsHost
  *
  * MEASURED 2026-09-19, `09-PROBE.md` arm B: **yes** — a personal skill whose
  * body contained `${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR}` was delivered to the model as
- * `B: [<the project root>]`. (`$HOME`, `~` and
+ * `B: [/Users/hp/Documents/Projects/pareto-pp-core]`. (`$HOME`, `~` and
  * `${VAR:-default}` are NOT substituted — arms E, G, D.)
  *
  * true  → the dispatcher emits the literal `${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR}` and needs no
@@ -8699,7 +8699,7 @@ function uninstall(isGlobal, runtime = 'claude') {
     'github-release-notes.cjs', 'lint.cjs', 'new.cjs',
     'README.md', // documentation only — not user-authored
   ];
-  const GSD_SCRIPTS_LIB_FILES = ['cli-exit.cjs', 'allowlist-ratchet.cjs', 'size-budget.cjs'];
+  const GSD_SCRIPTS_LIB_FILES = ['cli-exit.cjs', 'allowlist-ratchet.cjs'];
 
   const changesetUninstallDir = path.join(targetDir, 'scripts', 'changeset');
   if (fs.existsSync(changesetUninstallDir)) {
@@ -10582,6 +10582,13 @@ function install(isGlobal, runtime = 'claude', options = {}) {
   const savedGsdArtifacts = preserveUserArtifacts(skillDest, USER_OWNED_ARTIFACTS);
   copyWithPathReplacement(skillSrc, skillDest, pathPrefix, runtime, false, isGlobal);
   restoreUserArtifacts(skillDest, savedGsdArtifacts);
+  // D-122: the pp_run launcher must land executable. The workflow preamble's
+  // CLAUDE_ENV_FILE export puts this bin dir first on PATH, but a PATH search
+  // skips a file without an exec bit, so a 0644 pp_run hands every prose
+  // `pp_run …` step to whichever pp_run comes next (a stale global engine).
+  // copyFileSync keeps the source mode, which a checkout or tarball can lose.
+  // This is the one place every runtime, local and global, copies pp-core/bin.
+  try { fs.chmodSync(path.join(skillDest, 'bin', 'pp_run'), 0o755); } catch { /* Windows */ }
   if (verifyInstalled(skillDest, 'pp-core')) {
     console.log(`  ${green}✓${reset} Installed workflow assets`);
   } else {
@@ -11833,7 +11840,7 @@ function install(isGlobal, runtime = 'claude', options = {}) {
   };
 }
 
-// The ONE owner of "how to start a project" in the installer. Every
+// PBI 75232 — the ONE owner of "how to start a project" in the installer. Every
 // runtime's Done! line names the init front door (git init, remote wiring, vault
 // binding, then handoff to /pp-discovery or /pp-new-project), derived from this
 // single stem so no runtime can drift back to naming the second step.

package/commands/pp-execute-phase.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: pp:execute-phase
 description: Execute all plans in a phase with wave-based parallelization
-argument-hint: "<phase-number> [--wave N] [--gaps-only] [--interactive] [--tdd] [--tier light|standard|heavy]"
+argument-hint: "<phase-number> [--wave N] [--gaps-only] [--interactive] [--tdd]"
 effort: max
 allowed-tools:
   - Read
@@ -47,14 +47,12 @@ Phase: $ARGUMENTS
 **Available optional flags (documentation only — not automatically active):**
 - `--wave N` — Execute only Wave `N` in the phase. Use when you want to pace execution or stay inside usage limits.
 - `--gaps-only` — Execute only gap closure plans (plans with `gap_closure: true` in frontmatter). Use after verify-work creates fix plans.
-- `--tier light|standard|heavy` — Ceremony tier for this run (overrides the phase's ROADMAP `**Tier:**` line and `phase.tier`): decides whether the verifier and code review run.
 - `--interactive` — Execute plans sequentially inline (no subagents) with user checkpoints between tasks. Lower token usage, pair-programming style. Best for small phases, bug fixes, and verification gaps.
 
 **Active flags must be derived from `$ARGUMENTS`:**
 - `--wave N` is active only if the literal `--wave` token is present in `$ARGUMENTS`
 - `--gaps-only` is active only if the literal `--gaps-only` token is present in `$ARGUMENTS`
 - `--interactive` is active only if the literal `--interactive` token is present in `$ARGUMENTS`
-- `--tier` is active only if the literal `--tier` token is present in `$ARGUMENTS`
 - If none of these tokens appear, run the standard full-phase execution flow with no flag-specific filtering
 - Do not infer that a flag is active just because it is documented in this prompt
 

package/commands/pp-ns-review.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ argument-hint: ""
 allowed-tools:
   - Read
   - Skill
-requires: [code-review, audit-uat, secure-phase, eval-review, ui-review, validate-phase, debug, forensics, audit-fix, review, ui-phase]
+requires: [code-review, audit-uat, secure-phase, eval-review, ui-review, vault-review, validate-phase, debug, forensics, audit-fix, review, ui-phase]
 ---
 
 Route to the appropriate quality / review skill based on the user's intent.
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Route to the appropriate quality / review skill based on the user's intent.
 | Security review of a phase | pp-secure-phase |
 | Evaluate AI response quality | pp-eval-review |
 | Review UI for design and accessibility | pp-ui-review |
+| Retroactive vault-practice verdict review of a phase | pp-vault-review |
 | Validate phase outputs | pp-validate-phase |
 | Debug a failing feature or error | pp-debug |
 | Forensic investigation of a broken system | pp-forensics |

package/commands/pp-plan-phase.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: pp:plan-phase
 description: Create detailed phase plan (PLAN.md) with verification loop
-argument-hint: "[phase] [--auto] [--research] [--skip-research] [--research-phase <N>] [--view] [--gaps] [--skip-verify] [--prd <file>] [--ingest <path-or-glob>] [--ingest-format <auto|nygard|madr|narrative>] [--reviews] [--text] [--tdd] [--mvp] [--tier light|standard|heavy]"
+argument-hint: "[phase] [--auto] [--research] [--skip-research] [--research-phase <N>] [--view] [--gaps] [--skip-verify] [--prd <file>] [--ingest <path-or-glob>] [--ingest-format <auto|nygard|madr|narrative>] [--reviews] [--text] [--tdd] [--mvp]"
 effort: max
 allowed-tools:
   - Read
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ Phase number: $ARGUMENTS (optional — auto-detects next unplanned phase if omit
 - `--ingest-format <auto|nygard|madr|narrative>` — Optional ADR parser format override (`auto` default).
 - `--reviews` — Replan incorporating cross-AI review feedback from REVIEWS.md (produced by `/pp:review`)
 - `--text` — Use plain-text numbered lists instead of TUI menus (required for `/rc` remote sessions)
-- `--tier light|standard|heavy` — Ceremony tier for this phase; overrides the ROADMAP `**Tier:**` line and `phase.tier`, and is recorded for execute and verify. light = planner + executor only; standard = + verifier, code review, one plan-check pass; heavy = every gate.
 - `--mvp` — Vertical MVP mode. Planner organizes tasks as feature slices (UI→API→DB) instead of horizontal layers. On Phase 1 of a new project, also emits `SKELETON.md` (Walking Skeleton). Can be persisted on a phase via `**Mode:** mvp` in ROADMAP.md.
 
 Normalize phase input in step 2 before any directory lookups.

package/commands/pp-vault-review.md

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+name: pp:vault-review
+description: Retroactive per-practice client-vault review of a phase — reports, never gates
+argument-hint: "[phase]"
+allowed-tools:
+  - Read
+  - Write
+  - Bash
+  - Glob
+  - Grep
+  - Agent
+  - AskUserQuestion
+requires: [phase]
+---
+<objective>
+Review a completed phase against the client vault's practices, one verdict per practice
+(PASS / FAIL / N-A / INCONCLUSIVE) with a stated reason for every non-verdict. Derived facts come
+from `pp-tools check vault-review`; the agent judges only the remainder. Reports counts by verdict —
+never a score, and never a halt.
+Output: {phase_num}-VAULT-REVIEW.md
+</objective>
+
+<execution_context>
+@~/.claude/pp-core/workflows/vault-review.md
+@~/.claude/pp-core/references/verifier-practice-verdicts.md
+</execution_context>
+
+<context>
+Phase: $ARGUMENTS — optional, defaults to the last completed phase.
+</context>
+
+<process>
+Execute end-to-end.
+Inert on a project with the vault practices capability off.
+</process>

package/commands/pp-verify-work.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: pp:verify-work
 description: Validate built features through conversational UAT
-argument-hint: "[phase number, e.g., '4'] [--ws <name>] [--tier light|standard|heavy]"
+argument-hint: "[phase number, e.g., '4'] [--ws <name>]"
 allowed-tools:
   - Read
   - Bash
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ Output: {phase_num}-UAT.md tracking all test results. If issues found: diagnosed
 Phase: $ARGUMENTS (optional)
 - If provided: Test specific phase (e.g., "4")
 - If not provided: Check for active sessions or prompt for phase
-- `--tier light|standard|heavy` (optional): ceremony tier for this run; decides the plan-check passes on fix plans and the security / validation steps
 
 Context files are resolved inside the workflow (`init verify-work`) and delegated via `<files_to_read>` blocks.
 </context>

package/gemini-extension.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "pp-core",
-  "version": "1.12.1",
+  "version": "1.17.1",
   "description": "PP Core — a meta-prompting, context engineering, and spec-driven development system for AI coding agents. Loads pp-core's operating context into every Gemini CLI session.",
   "contextFileName": "GEMINI.md"
 }

package/hooks/dist/pp-cursor-session-start.js

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 //
 // Behaviour:
 //   - If .planning/STATE.md is present, injects a brief state reminder.
-//   - If absent, nudges the user toward /pp-init (the init front door).
+//   - If absent, nudges the user toward /pp-init (PBI 75232: the init front door).
 //   - Fails open: any error silently exits 0 so a hook bug never wedges Cursor.
 //
 // Cursor docs: https://cursor.com/docs/hooks

package/hooks/dist/pp-statusline.js

@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ function evaluateUpdateCache(cache) {
   return { showUpdate, staleWarning };
 }
 
-// `npm run dev:install` leaves pp-dev-build.json in the profile it installs,
+// FORK-ONLY (PBI 74336): `npm run dev:install` leaves pp-dev-build.json in the profile it installs,
 // next to this hook's hooks/ folder; a stable install never has one, so its statusline is unchanged.
 function readDevBuild(configDir = path.join(__dirname, '..')) {
   try {

package/hooks/pp-cursor-session-start.js

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 //
 // Behaviour:
 //   - If .planning/STATE.md is present, injects a brief state reminder.
-//   - If absent, nudges the user toward /pp-init (the init front door).
+//   - If absent, nudges the user toward /pp-init (PBI 75232: the init front door).
 //   - Fails open: any error silently exits 0 so a hook bug never wedges Cursor.
 //
 // Cursor docs: https://cursor.com/docs/hooks

package/hooks/pp-statusline.js

@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ function evaluateUpdateCache(cache) {
   return { showUpdate, staleWarning };
 }
 
-// `npm run dev:install` leaves pp-dev-build.json in the profile it installs,
+// FORK-ONLY (PBI 74336): `npm run dev:install` leaves pp-dev-build.json in the profile it installs,
 // next to this hook's hooks/ folder; a stable install never has one, so its statusline is unchanged.
 function readDevBuild(configDir = path.join(__dirname, '..')) {
   try {

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pareto4/pp-core",
-  "version": "1.12.1",
+  "version": "1.17.1",
   "description": "Pareto pp-core — The Pareto Project's AI-assisted engineering framework: meta-prompting, context engineering, and spec-driven development for AI coding agents.",
   "bin": {
     "pp-core": "bin/install.js",
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@
   "license": "MIT",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
-    "url": "git+https://gitlab.com/pareto4/pp-core.git"
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/pareto000/pp-core.git"
   },
-  "homepage": "https://gitlab.com/pareto4/pp-core",
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/pareto000/pp-core",
   "bugs": {
-    "url": "https://gitlab.com/pareto4/pp-core/-/issues"
+    "url": "https://github.com/pareto000/pp-core/issues"
   },
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public"
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     "npm": ">=10.0.0"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk": "^0.3.218",
+    "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk": "^0.3.251",
     "ws": "^8.21.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
@@ -65,22 +65,13 @@
     "eslint-plugin-no-only-tests": "^3.4.0",
     "fast-check": "^4.8.0",
     "globals": "^16.5.0",
-    "js-yaml": "^4.3.2",
+    "js-yaml": "^4.2.0",
     "typescript": "^6.0.3",
     "typescript-eslint": "^8.60.0"
   },
   "overrides": {
     "qs": ">=6.16.0",
-    "@hono/node-server": ">=2.0.5",
-    "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk": "^1.31.0",
-    "fast-uri": "^3.1.8",
-    "hono": "^4.13.7",
-    "ip-address": "^10.7.1",
-    "proxy-addr": "^2.0.8",
-    "brace-expansion@^1.1.0": "^1.1.21",
-    "brace-expansion@^5.0.0": "^5.0.12",
-    "browserslist": "^4.28.7",
-    "baseline-browser-mapping": "^2.11.0"
+    "@hono/node-server": ">=2.0.5"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {
     "fallow": "^2.70.0"
@@ -88,7 +79,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "sync:launcher": "node scripts/sync-runtime-launcher.cjs",
     "check:env": "node scripts/check-env.cjs",
-    "setup": "node scripts/dev-env.cjs stable",
+    "setup": "node scripts/dev-env.cjs setup",
     "dev:setup": "node scripts/dev-env.cjs dev-setup",
     "dev:install": "node scripts/dev-env.cjs install",
     "dev:claude": "node scripts/dev-env.cjs claude",
@@ -103,6 +94,7 @@
     "gen:capability-registry": "node scripts/gen-capability-registry.cjs --write",
     "gen:platform-bindings-schema": "node scripts/gen-platform-bindings-schema.cjs --write",
     "check:platform-bindings-schema": "node scripts/gen-platform-bindings-schema.cjs --check",
+    "check:inventory-manifest": "node scripts/gen-inventory-manifest.cjs --check",
     "gen:commands-reference": "node scripts/gen-commands-reference.cjs --write",
     "prepack": "npm run build:lib",
     "prepare": "npm run build:lib",
@@ -112,7 +104,7 @@
     "pretest:coverage": "npm run build:lib && npm run lint:skill-deps",
     "lint": "eslint . --cache --cache-location node_modules/.cache/eslint/",
     "lint:fix": "eslint . --fix",
-    "lint:ci": "npm run lint && npm run lint:skill-deps && node scripts/lint-test-file-count.cjs && node scripts/lint-command-contract.cjs && node scripts/lint-pr-check-project-dir.cjs && npm run lint:legacy-name && node scripts/lint-regression-test-names.cjs && node scripts/lint-windows-test-portability.cjs && node scripts/lint-allow-test-rule-refs.cjs && npm run check:platform-bindings-schema && node scripts/lint-org-coordinates.cjs && node scripts/lint-neutrality-names.cjs",
+    "lint:ci": "npm run lint && npm run lint:skill-deps && node scripts/lint-test-file-count.cjs && node scripts/lint-command-contract.cjs && node scripts/lint-pr-check-project-dir.cjs && npm run lint:legacy-name && node scripts/lint-regression-test-names.cjs && node scripts/lint-windows-test-portability.cjs && node scripts/lint-allow-test-rule-refs.cjs && npm run check:platform-bindings-schema && npm run check:practice-arithmetic-contract && npm run check:inventory-manifest && npm run rename-guard",
     "lint:allow-test-rule-refs": "node scripts/lint-allow-test-rule-refs.cjs",
     "lint:windows-test-portability": "node scripts/lint-windows-test-portability.cjs",
     "lint:regression-names": "node scripts/lint-regression-test-names.cjs",
@@ -127,6 +119,7 @@
     "rename-guard:baseline": "node scripts/verify-rename-guard.cjs --update-baseline",
     "ci:test-scope": "node scripts/ci-test-scope.cjs",
     "size:baseline": "node scripts/update-size-baseline.cjs",
+    "vault:calibrate": "node scripts/vault-calibrate.cjs",
     "changeset": "node scripts/changeset/new.cjs",
     "changelog:render": "node scripts/changeset/cli.cjs render",
     "test": "node scripts/run-tests.cjs",
@@ -141,6 +134,8 @@
     "test:coverage:unit": "c8 --check-coverage --lines 70 --branches 60 --reporter text --include 'pp-core/bin/lib/*.cjs' --exclude 'tests/**' --all node scripts/run-tests.cjs --suite unit && c8 check-coverage --per-file --lines 0 --functions 0 --statements 0 --branches 70 --include 'pp-core/bin/lib/state.cjs' --include 'pp-core/bin/lib/phase.cjs' --include 'pp-core/bin/lib/verify.cjs' --include 'pp-core/bin/lib/init.cjs' --exclude 'tests/**'",
     "test:coverage:all": "npm run test:coverage",
     "test:mutation": "stryker run",
-    "test:mutation:since": "stryker run --incremental --since origin/next"
+    "test:mutation:since": "stryker run --incremental --since origin/next",
+    "gen:practice-arithmetic-contract": "node scripts/gen-practice-arithmetic-contract.cjs --write",
+    "check:practice-arithmetic-contract": "node scripts/gen-practice-arithmetic-contract.cjs --check"
   }
 }

package/pareto-skills/pp-project-setup/SKILL.md

@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ mkdir -p \
   .obsidian
 ```
 
-Discovery Sprint artifacts are not scaffolded here — `/pp-discovery` creates `.planning/discovery/` itself on first run (session files, `_progress.md`, `_context.md`). The interactive prototype is built by `/pp-discovery prototype` into `.planning/discovery/prototype/`, on the UI kit the client vault declares when there is one, otherwise on the kit recorded in Session 4.
+Discovery Sprint artifacts are not scaffolded here — `/pp-discovery` creates `.planning/discovery/` itself on first run (session files, `_progress.md`, `_context.md`). The interactive prototype is built by `/pp-discovery prototype` into `.planning/discovery/prototype/`, on the UI kit the client vault declares.
 
 #### 4c. Scaffold Project Definition & Requirements Templates
 

package/pp-core/bin/detect-build-commands.sh

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 # the test ladder, after the Python arm in the build ladder, matching where
 # package.json already sat in each. The relative order of every pre-existing
 # arm is unchanged. That placement is load-bearing and is proven by an executed
-# mutation rung in tests/gate-shell-owners.test.cjs
+# mutation rung in tests/feat-73988-gate-shell-owners.test.cjs
 # ("PLACEMENT RUNG"), which swaps the two arms in a scratch copy and asserts
 # the shadowing reappears.
 #
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ _pp_emit() { printf '%s\n' "$1"; }
 # -maxdepth 2 probe covers ./App.csproj and ./App/App.csproj but misses the
 # canonical one entirely, which would silently hand a .NET repository back to
 # the package.json arm. All three layouts are pinned as a matrix in
-# tests/gate-shell-owners.test.cjs.
+# tests/feat-73988-gate-shell-owners.test.cjs.
 #
 # The solution probe stays at depth 1: a .sln nested deeper falls through to
 # the project probe, which still yields a correct `dotnet test`, whereas a

package/pp-core/bin/lib/capability-activation.cjs

@@ -13,11 +13,19 @@ const node_path_1 = __importDefault(require("node:path"));
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports
 const planningWorkspaceMod = require("./planning-workspace.cjs");
 const { planningDir, planningRoot } = planningWorkspaceMod;
+/**
+ * Segments that must never be walked or matched, on either key form.
+ * Extracted so the nested walk and the flat fallback cannot drift into
+ * disagreeing about what a pollution attempt looks like.
+ */
+function _isRejectedKeySegment(seg) {
+    return seg === '__proto__' || seg === 'constructor' || seg === 'prototype';
+}
 function _getNestedConfigValue(config, dotKey) {
     const segments = dotKey.split('.');
     let current = config;
     for (const seg of segments) {
-        if (seg === '__proto__' || seg === 'constructor' || seg === 'prototype') {
+        if (_isRejectedKeySegment(seg)) {
             return { found: false, value: undefined };
         }
         if (typeof current !== 'object' || current === null) {
@@ -31,6 +39,65 @@ function _getNestedConfigValue(config, dotKey) {
     }
     return { found: true, value: current };
 }
+/**
+ * GATE-05: look the WHOLE dotted string up as a single own property.
+ *
+ * An operator hand-pasting a gate key into a config.json they did not write
+ * writes `{"vault.required": true}` at least as often as the three-line nested
+ * form. Before this existed, that flat shape resolved nowhere — the nested walk
+ * looked up `config['vault']`, found nothing, and the key silently fell through
+ * to its default. For an enforcement gate that is a fail-open with no error
+ * message, which is exactly the failure GATE-05 exists to close.
+ *
+ * Performs NO traversal: one own-property check on a string already in hand.
+ * The rejected-segment guard is applied to every segment of the dotted string
+ * anyway (T-02-13) so the flat path can never become the bypass the nested
+ * path already closes, and `hasOwnProperty` is required (T-02-14) so an
+ * inherited property is never mistaken for configuration.
+ *
+ * A flat own property valued `undefined` is reported NOT-found on purpose: it
+ * cannot come from JSON, and treating it as configured would let a
+ * programmatically built object shadow the schema default with nothing.
+ */
+function _getFlatConfigValue(config, dotKey) {
+    for (const seg of dotKey.split('.')) {
+        if (_isRejectedKeySegment(seg))
+            return { found: false, value: undefined };
+    }
+    if (typeof config !== 'object' || config === null) {
+        return { found: false, value: undefined };
+    }
+    if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(config, dotKey)) {
+        return { found: false, value: undefined };
+    }
+    const value = config[dotKey];
+    if (value === undefined)
+        return { found: false, value: undefined };
+    return { found: true, value };
+}
+/**
+ * GATE-05: resolve a dotted key in EITHER form against one config object.
+ *
+ * PRECEDENCE — nested first, flat only as a fallback. This ordering is the
+ * decision, not an implementation detail: when both forms are present for the
+ * same key the NESTED form wins. Chosen because every shipped example and every
+ * project configured to date is nested, so a nested-first fallback cannot move
+ * the resolution of any key that resolves today — the flat form resolves
+ * nowhere at present, so adding it below the nested walk is strictly additive.
+ * A flat-first ordering would silently change behaviour for any project that
+ * later adds a flat key alongside a nested one. Pinned by the
+ * "both forms present … NESTED wins" tests in
+ * tests/capability-precedence-parity.test.cjs; invert this and they go red.
+ *
+ * Called from the leaf of every precedence level, so levels 1-3 inherit the
+ * fallback without any change to the four-level walk itself.
+ */
+function getConfigValueEitherForm(config, dotKey) {
+    const nested = _getNestedConfigValue(config, dotKey);
+    if (nested.found)
+        return nested;
+    return _getFlatConfigValue(config, dotKey);
+}
 const _warnedRawConfigPaths = new Set();
 function _readRawConfigKey(filePath, dotKey) {
     try {
@@ -49,7 +116,9 @@ function _readRawConfigKey(filePath, dotKey) {
             }
             return { found: false, value: undefined };
         }
-        return _getNestedConfigValue(parsed, dotKey);
+        // GATE-05: levels 2 and 3 read raw config.json files — the surface an
+        // operator hand-edits — so they need both key forms, nested first.
+        return getConfigValueEitherForm(parsed, dotKey);
     }
     catch {
         return { found: false, value: undefined };
@@ -58,11 +127,11 @@ function _readRawConfigKey(filePath, dotKey) {
 /**
  * The raw config files levels 2 and 3 read, in read order: the active
  * `planningDir(cwd)/config.json`, then the root `planningRoot(cwd)/config.json`
- * when it is a different file. Exported so `unreadableConfigFiles`
- * (src/config-loader.cts) parses every file the hook resolver reads — this list
- * beside `configFilesFor`, the loader's — without restating either. Both levels
- * skip an unparseable file with a stderr warning and read on, which is the
- * swallow a gate-governing caller must refuse.
+ * when it is a different file (16-04, D-28). Exported so the door-admission
+ * verdict (`vaultAdmissionVerdict` in src/vault.cts) parses every file the gate
+ * reads — this list beside `configFilesFor`, the loader's — without restating
+ * either. Both levels skip an unparseable file with a stderr warning and read
+ * on, which is the swallow the verdict exists to refuse.
  */
 function activationConfigFilesFor(cwd) {
     const wsConfigPath = node_path_1.default.join(planningDir(cwd), 'config.json');
@@ -84,8 +153,8 @@ function activationConfigFilesFor(cwd) {
  */
 function resolveConfigKey(dotKey, opts) {
     const { config, cwd, registry } = opts;
-    // Level 1: loadConfig result
-    const fromConfig = _getNestedConfigValue(config, dotKey);
+    // Level 1: loadConfig result (GATE-05: nested form first, flat form as fallback)
+    const fromConfig = getConfigValueEitherForm(config, dotKey);
     if (fromConfig.found)
         return { found: true, value: fromConfig.value };
     // Level 2 + 3: raw config.json files (only when cwd is available)
@@ -116,6 +185,11 @@ function _resolveActivationValue(dotKey, config, cwd, registry) {
 }
 module.exports = {
     _getNestedConfigValue,
+    // GATE-05: exported so src/config.cts's cmdConfigGet reuses this exact flat
+    // lookup rather than growing a second, driftable copy of the rule.
+    _getFlatConfigValue,
+    _isRejectedKeySegment,
+    getConfigValueEitherForm,
     _readRawConfigKey,
     _resolveActivationValue,
     resolveConfigKey,