fix(review): the verdict gate refuses, with --repo, a review of another commit than the one being merged

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

lib/review/recurrence.mjs

@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ function atomicWriteText(path, text) {
   renameSync(tmp, path);
 }
 
-function withPointer(claudeText) {
+export function withPointer(claudeText) {
   if (claudeText.includes(POINTER_START) || claudeText.includes(POINTER_END)) return null;
   const sep = claudeText.endsWith('\n') ? '\n' : '\n\n';
   return `${claudeText}${sep}${POINTER_START}\n${POINTER_LINE}\n${POINTER_END}\n`;

lib/review/reviewed-commit.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+// lib/review/reviewed-commit.mjs
+// R6 — is the review of the commit being merged? (fix round 4-5a)
+//
+// A review verdict opens the merge into main only for the history it judged.
+// `/trekexecute` commits the review lessons after the review, so the commit
+// being merged is rarely the reviewed one itself; what may come after it is
+// exactly what /trekreview writes and nothing else:
+//
+//   - the reviewed commit is HEAD, or an ancestor of HEAD;
+//   - every commit between it and HEAD (side branches included, each diffed
+//     against its first parent, `--no-relative --ignore-submodules=none`) changes only
+//     `{prefix}.claude/rules/voyage-review-lessons.md` and `{prefix}CLAUDE.md`,
+//     where {prefix} is the project's place in the repo (`git rev-parse
+//     --show-prefix`);
+//   - in each such commit the lessons file is unchanged outside its managed
+//     block, and CLAUDE.md is unchanged or gains exactly the pointer block
+//     (`withPointer` in lib/review/recurrence.mjs);
+//   - a commit with no parent in that range fails closed, and so does a
+//     symlinked CLAUDE.md (the pointer write goes through the link, so its
+//     target shows as a changed path).
+//
+// No CLI of its own: the command is `lib/review/verdict-gate.mjs --repo <dir>`,
+// which exits 2 (never green) with the reason `review-stale: …` when
+// `checkReviewedCommit` is not ok. Every git call is an argv array with no
+// shell; a git call that fails is a stale review (fails closed), never ok.
+
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
+import { MARK_START, MARK_END, withPointer } from './recurrence.mjs';
+
+const SHA_RE = /^[0-9a-f]{7,40}$/i;
+const LESSONS_REL = '.claude/rules/voyage-review-lessons.md';
+const CLAUDE_REL = 'CLAUDE.md';
+const SYMLINK_MODE = '120000';
+
+/**
+ * The review's `scope_sha_end` as written. Read from the frontmatter text, not
+ * through the YAML reader, which turns an all-digit value into a number and
+ * drops a leading zero (`0123456` → 123456; release review of 6.3.0, round 3).
+ */
+export function reviewedSha(reviewText) {
+  const fm = /^---\r?\n([\s\S]*?)\r?\n---\r?\n/.exec(String(reviewText ?? ''));
+  const m = fm && /^scope_sha_end:[ \t]*(["']?)([^"'\s#]*)\1[ \t]*(?:#.*)?$/m.exec(fm[1]);
+  // A commit sha only: a ref name (HEAD, main, a tag) resolves to whatever it
+  // points at now, and coverage would pass whatever was reviewed (round 4).
+  return m && /^[0-9a-f]{7,40}$/i.test(m[2]) ? m[2] : '';
+}
+
+function git(repo, args) {
+  return spawnSync('git', args, { cwd: repo, encoding: 'utf8', maxBuffer: 64 * 1024 * 1024 });
+}
+
+function stale(reason) {
+  return { ok: false, reason: `review-stale: ${reason}` };
+}
+
+/** A failed git call as a stale reason: fails closed. */
+function gitFailed(what, r) {
+  const note = (r.error?.message ?? String(r.stderr ?? '').trim().split('\n')[0]) || `exit ${r.status}`;
+  return stale(`git ${what} failed (${note})`);
+}
+
+const short = (c) => c.slice(0, 12);
+
+/** The lessons text with its managed block (start marker to end marker, plus its newline) taken out. */
+function outsideBlock(text) {
+  const s = text.indexOf(MARK_START);
+  if (s === -1) return text;
+  const e = text.indexOf(MARK_END, s + MARK_START.length);
+  if (e === -1) return text;
+  let end = e + MARK_END.length;
+  if (text.startsWith('\r\n', end)) end += 2;
+  else if (text[end] === '\n') end += 1;
+  return text.slice(0, s) + text.slice(end);
+}
+
+/**
+ * One file in one tree: `{ ok, absent, mode, text }`; absent reads as ''.
+ * `--full-tree`: the path is from the repo root, as `git diff` prints it.
+ */
+function blobAt(repo, rev, path) {
+  const ls = git(repo, ['ls-tree', '--full-tree', '-z', rev, '--', path]);
+  if (ls.status !== 0) return { ok: false, fail: gitFailed(`ls-tree ${rev}`, ls) };
+  const entry = ls.stdout.split('\0').find(Boolean);
+  if (!entry) return { ok: true, absent: true, mode: null, text: '' };
+  const mode = entry.split(' ')[0];
+  const blob = git(repo, ['cat-file', 'blob', `${rev}:${path}`]);
+  if (blob.status !== 0) return { ok: false, fail: gitFailed(`cat-file ${rev}:${path}`, blob) };
+  return { ok: true, absent: false, mode, text: blob.stdout };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Is the review of `sha` a review of what HEAD holds in `repo`?
+ * @param {{ repo: string, sha: string }} args
+ * @returns {{ ok: true } | { ok: false, reason: string }} reason starts `review-stale:`
+ */
+export function checkReviewedCommit({ repo, sha } = {}) {
+  if (typeof repo !== 'string' || repo === '') return stale('no repository given');
+  const given = String(sha ?? '');
+  const notCommit = `reviewed commit ${given} is not a commit in this repository`;
+  // 1. Hex only, so a value like `--output=/x` never reaches git as an option.
+  if (!SHA_RE.test(given)) return stale(notCommit);
+  const resolved = git(repo, ['rev-parse', '--verify', '--quiet', `${given}^{commit}`]);
+  if (resolved.status !== 0) {
+    const note = (resolved.error?.message ?? String(resolved.stderr ?? '').trim().split('\n')[0]);
+    return stale(note ? `${notCommit} (${note})` : notCommit);
+  }
+  const full = resolved.stdout.trim();
+
+  // 2. The review is of HEAD itself.
+  const head = git(repo, ['rev-parse', '--verify', 'HEAD']);
+  if (head.status !== 0) return gitFailed('rev-parse HEAD', head);
+  if (head.stdout.trim() === full) return { ok: true };
+
+  // 3. Ancestor of HEAD (side branches merged in count; an unmerged one does not).
+  const anc = git(repo, ['merge-base', '--is-ancestor', full, 'HEAD']);
+  if (anc.status === 1) return stale('the reviewed commit is not an ancestor of HEAD');
+  if (anc.status !== 0) return gitFailed('merge-base --is-ancestor', anc);
+
+  // 4. Every commit after the review, paths and content.
+  const pre = git(repo, ['rev-parse', '--show-prefix']);
+  if (pre.status !== 0) return gitFailed('rev-parse --show-prefix', pre);
+  const prefix = pre.stdout.replace(/\r?\n$/, '');
+  const lessons = `${prefix}${LESSONS_REL}`;
+  const claude = `${prefix}${CLAUDE_REL}`;
+
+  const roots = git(repo, ['rev-list', '--max-parents=0', `${full}..HEAD`]);
+  if (roots.status !== 0) return gitFailed('rev-list --max-parents=0', roots);
+  const root = roots.stdout.split('\n').find(Boolean);
+  if (root) return stale(`commit ${short(root)} has no parent`);
+
+  const list = git(repo, ['rev-list', `${full}..HEAD`]);
+  if (list.status !== 0) return gitFailed('rev-list', list);
+  for (const c of list.stdout.split('\n').filter(Boolean)) {
+    // `--no-relative` and `--ignore-submodules=none`: neither `diff.relative`
+    // nor an `ignore =` setting (config or .gitmodules) may hide a changed path.
+    const names = git(repo, ['diff', '--no-relative', '--ignore-submodules=none', '--name-only', '-z', '--no-renames', `${c}^1`, c]);
+    if (names.status !== 0) return gitFailed(`diff ${short(c)}`, names);
+    const paths = names.stdout.split('\0').filter(Boolean);
+    const other = paths.find((p) => p !== lessons && p !== claude);
+    if (other !== undefined) return stale(`${other} changed after the review (commit ${short(c)})`);
+
+    for (const path of paths) {
+      const before = blobAt(repo, `${c}^1`, path);
+      if (!before.ok) return before.fail;
+      const after = blobAt(repo, c, path);
+      if (!after.ok) return after.fail;
+      if (before.mode === SYMLINK_MODE || after.mode === SYMLINK_MODE) {
+        return stale(`${path} is a symlink (commit ${short(c)}) — re-run /trekreview on this commit`);
+      }
+      if (path === lessons) {
+        // 5. Only the managed block may change.
+        if (outsideBlock(before.text).trimEnd() !== outsideBlock(after.text).trimEnd()) {
+          return stale(`${path} changed outside the managed block (commit ${short(c)})`);
+        }
+      } else if (after.text !== before.text && after.text !== withPointer(before.text)) {
+        // 6. CLAUDE.md: unchanged, or exactly the pointer block added.
+        return stale(`${path} changed other than the review-lessons pointer (commit ${short(c)})`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return { ok: true };
+}

lib/review/verdict-gate.mjs

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 // One command decides on the verdict written in review.md, so whatever stops a
 // merge or a release reads a file and an exit code, never a model's summary:
 //
-//   node lib/review/verdict-gate.mjs [--json] <review.md>
+//   node lib/review/verdict-gate.mjs [--json] <review.md> [--repo <dir>]
 //     0 = ALLOW or WARN
 //     1 = BLOCK
 //     2 = could not decide: missing/unreadable file, not a review, no verdict,
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@
 //         shape (coordinator-contract `illegalBriefLowering`), or a
 //         WARN because a reviewer or engine did not run (`missing-reviewer:` /
 //         `unattributable-payload` in allow_blocked_by — operator decision
-//         2026-10-06: a review not performed in full stops a merge).
+//         2026-10-06: a review not performed in full stops a merge), a
+//         `--repo` with no value, or, with `--repo <dir>`, an ALLOW/WARN
+//         review of another commit than the one being merged (reason
+//         `review-stale: …`: its `scope_sha_end` is not HEAD, or an ancestor
+//         of HEAD whose later commits change only the review lessons and the
+//         CLAUDE.md pointer; lib/review/reviewed-commit.mjs, R6).
 //         Exit 2 is NEVER green.
 //
 // Fail-closed reading: a missing `verdict` is exit 2, never ALLOW. A verdict
@@ -32,6 +37,7 @@ import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { validateReviewContent, VERDICT_VALUES } from '../validators/review-validator.mjs';
 import { fencedBlocks, isJsonBlock } from './findings-schema.mjs';
 import { illegalBriefLowering } from './coordinator-contract.mjs';
+import { reviewedSha, checkReviewedCommit } from './reviewed-commit.mjs';
 import { isMain } from '../util/is-main.mjs';
 
 export const EXIT = Object.freeze({ PASS: 0, BLOCK: 1, UNDECIDED: 2 });
@@ -159,10 +165,12 @@ function blockerSectionEntries(body) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Decide on a review.md path.
+ * Decide on a review.md path. With `repo`, an ALLOW/WARN review must also be
+ * of the commit being merged there (R6); BLOCK and exit 2 are returned as they are.
  * @param {string} filePath
+ * @param {{ repo?: string }} [opts]
  */
-export function decideVerdictFile(filePath) {
+export function decideVerdictFile(filePath, { repo } = {}) {
   if (!filePath || !existsSync(filePath)) return undecided(`file not found: ${filePath}`);
   let text;
   try {
@@ -170,21 +178,44 @@ export function decideVerdictFile(filePath) {
   } catch (e) {
     return undecided(`cannot read ${filePath}: ${e.message}`);
   }
-  return decideVerdict(text);
+  const decided = decideVerdict(text);
+  if (repo === undefined || decided.exit !== EXIT.PASS) return decided;
+  const sha = reviewedSha(text);
+  if (!sha) return undecided('review-stale: review.md has no scope_sha_end that is a commit sha', decided.verdict);
+  const commit = checkReviewedCommit({ repo, sha });
+  if (!commit.ok) return undecided(commit.reason, decided.verdict);
+  return decided;
 }
 
 if (isMain(import.meta.url)) {
   const args = process.argv.slice(2);
-  const files = args.filter((a) => !a.startsWith('--'));
+  const usage = 'Usage: verdict-gate.mjs [--json] <review.md> [--repo <dir>]  (exactly one file)\n';
+  // --repo consumes its value before the file argument is collected, so the
+  // value is never read as a second file.
+  const files = [];
+  let repo;
+  for (let i = 0; i < args.length; i++) {
+    const a = args[i];
+    if (a === '--repo') {
+      const v = args[++i];
+      if (v === undefined || v.startsWith('--')) {
+        process.stderr.write(`verdict-gate: --repo needs a value\n${usage}`);
+        process.exit(EXIT.UNDECIDED);
+      }
+      repo = v;
+    } else if (!a.startsWith('--')) {
+      files.push(a);
+    }
+  }
   const filePath = files[0];
   if (files.length !== 1) {
     // Exactly one file: a glob would otherwise gate on its first match only.
-    process.stderr.write('Usage: verdict-gate.mjs [--json] <review.md>  (exactly one file)\n');
+    process.stderr.write(usage);
     process.exit(EXIT.UNDECIDED);
   }
   let result;
   try {
-    result = decideVerdictFile(filePath);
+    result = decideVerdictFile(filePath, { repo });
   } catch (e) {
     result = undecided(`gate crashed: ${e.message}`);
   }

scripts/release-check.mjs

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import { dirname, isAbsolute, join, relative, resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { decideVerdict } from '../lib/review/verdict-gate.mjs';
+import { reviewedSha } from '../lib/review/reviewed-commit.mjs';
 import { commandEnv } from '../lib/util/command-env.mjs';
 import { DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS, stoppedBy } from '../lib/verification/criteria-runner.mjs';
 import { isMain } from '../lib/util/is-main.mjs';
@@ -213,18 +214,10 @@ function checkReview(reviewPath) {
   return { check: { id: 'review', status: 'pass', detail: `review verdict ${v.verdict}` }, text };
 }
 
-/**
+// `reviewedSha` lives in lib/review/reviewed-commit.mjs (the verdict gate's
- * The review's `scope_sha_end` as written. Read from the frontmatter text, not
+// --repo check reads it too; lib/ never imports from scripts/). Re-exported
- * through the YAML reader, which turns an all-digit value into a number and
+// here under the same name for the callers of this module.
- * drops a leading zero (`0123456` → 123456; release review of 6.3.0, round 3).
+export { reviewedSha };
- */
-export function reviewedSha(reviewText) {
-  const fm = /^---\r?\n([\s\S]*?)\r?\n---\r?\n/.exec(String(reviewText ?? ''));
-  const m = fm && /^scope_sha_end:[ \t]*(["']?)([^"'\s#]*)\1[ \t]*(?:#.*)?$/m.exec(fm[1]);
-  // A commit sha only: a ref name (HEAD, main, a tag) resolves to whatever it
-  // points at now, and coverage would pass whatever was reviewed (round 4).
-  return m && /^[0-9a-f]{7,40}$/i.test(m[2]) ? m[2] : '';
-}
 
 function checkCoverage(repo, reviewText) {
   if (reviewText === null) return { id: 'coverage', status: 'skip', detail: 'not checked: no readable review' };

tests/lib/fix-round-4-5a-prose.test.mjs

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import { test } from 'node:test';
 import { strict as assert } from 'node:assert';
 import { copyFileSync, existsSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, readdirSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
-import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+import { dirname, join, resolve, sep } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import { findSection } from '../../lib/parsers/plan-schema.mjs';
@@ -830,3 +830,42 @@ test('[#28] the completion gate names its commands and its executor judgement, a
     assert.ok(judgement.includes(s), `the Executor judgement part does not name ${s}`);
   }
 });
+
+// ---- Architecture rule (plan, Step 12): lib/ never imports from scripts/ ----
+
+/**
+ * The import specifiers in `text` (a file at `file`) that resolve into the
+ * repo's scripts/ directory: static and side-effect imports, re-exports and
+ * dynamic imports with a string literal.
+ */
+function importsIntoScripts(file, text) {
+  const re = /\bimport\s*\(\s*['"]([^'"]+)['"]\s*\)|\b(?:import|export)\s+(?:[^'";]*?\s+from\s+)?['"]([^'"]+)['"]/g;
+  const scripts = join(ROOT, 'scripts') + sep;
+  const hits = [];
+  for (const m of text.matchAll(re)) {
+    const spec = m[1] ?? m[2];
+    if (!spec.startsWith('.') && !spec.startsWith('/')) continue;
+    if (resolve(dirname(file), spec).startsWith(scripts)) hits.push(spec);
+  }
+  return hits;
+}
+
+/** Every .mjs file under `dir`, recursively. */
+function mjsFiles(dir) {
+  const out = [];
+  for (const e of readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true })) {
+    const p = join(dir, e.name);
+    if (e.isDirectory()) out.push(...mjsFiles(p));
+    else if (e.name.endsWith('.mjs')) out.push(p);
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+test('arch: lib/ never imports from scripts/, and the scan reports a planted import (control)', () => {
+  const planted = importsIntoScripts(join(ROOT, 'lib', 'review', 'x.mjs'), "import x from '../../scripts/release-check.mjs';\n");
+  assert.deepEqual(planted, ['../../scripts/release-check.mjs'], 'control: the scan does not report a planted import from scripts/');
+  const files = mjsFiles(join(ROOT, 'lib'));
+  assert.ok(files.length > 10, `the scan found only ${files.length} files under lib/`);
+  const bad = files.flatMap((f) => importsIntoScripts(f, readFileSync(f, 'utf8')).map((s) => `${f.slice(ROOT.length + 1)}: ${s}`));
+  assert.deepEqual(bad, [], 'lib/ imports from scripts/');
+});

tests/lib/verdict-gate.test.mjs

@@ -3,20 +3,27 @@
 // verdict written in review.md: 0 = ALLOW/WARN, 1 = BLOCK, 2 = could not read.
 // Exit 2 is never green: a missing file, a missing verdict, or a verdict the
 // file contradicts all land there.
+// [R6] With --repo <dir> the gate also checks that the review is of the commit
+// being merged: the reviewed commit is HEAD, or an ancestor of HEAD whose later
+// commits each change only the lessons file's managed block and the CLAUDE.md
+// pointer block. Anything else is exit 2 `review-stale: ...`. Those tests run
+// the CLI only, in throwaway git repos with no hooks.
 
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import { strict as assert } from 'node:assert';
 import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
-import { mkdtempSync, writeFileSync, rmSync, existsSync, symlinkSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync, rmSync, existsSync, symlinkSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { join, dirname } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { MARK_START, MARK_END, POINTER_START, POINTER_LINE, POINTER_END } from '../../lib/review/recurrence.mjs';
+import { childEnv } from '../helpers/child-env.mjs';
 
 const ROOT = join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..', '..');
 const GATE = join(ROOT, 'lib', 'review', 'verdict-gate.mjs');
 const { decideVerdict } = existsSync(GATE) ? await import('../../lib/review/verdict-gate.mjs') : {};
 
-function review({ verdict, jsonVerdict, severities = [], allowBlockedBy = [] }) {
+function review({ verdict, jsonVerdict, severities = [], allowBlockedBy = [], scopeShaEnd = 'abc' }) {
   const ids = severities.map((_, i) => String(i + 1).padStart(40, 'a'));
   const fmVerdict = verdict === undefined ? '' : `verdict: ${verdict}\n`;
   const findings = severities.map((s, i) => ({
@@ -32,7 +39,7 @@ task: "t"
 slug: s
 project_dir: .claude/projects/2026-10-06-s/
 brief_path: .claude/projects/2026-10-06-s/brief.md
-scope_sha_end: abc
+scope_sha_end: ${scopeShaEnd}
 reviewed_files_count: 1
 ${fmVerdict}findings:
 ${ids.map((id) => `  - ${id}`).join('\n')}
@@ -236,3 +243,316 @@ test('verdict-gate — run through a symlink and a path with a space it still de
     rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
   }
 });
+
+// ---- R6: --repo — the review must be of the commit being merged ----
+
+const LESSONS = '.claude/rules/voyage-review-lessons.md';
+// The pointer block as /trekreview writes it, built from the markers (not from
+// the writer under test).
+const POINTER = `${POINTER_START}\n${POINTER_LINE}\n${POINTER_END}\n`;
+const LESSONS_BEFORE = `# Review lessons\n\n${MARK_START}\nEach line: a finding class.\n${MARK_END}\n\nKept by hand.\n`;
+const LESSON = '- [MISSING_TEST] (check) Mistake: m. · Fix: f. · How to check: c.';
+const LESSONS_AFTER = `# Review lessons\n\n${MARK_START}\nEach line: a finding class.\n${LESSON}\n${MARK_END}\n\nKept by hand.\n`;
+
+function g(cwd, ...args) {
+  const r = spawnSync('git', args, { cwd, encoding: 'utf8', env: childEnv() });
+  if (r.status !== 0) throw new Error(`git ${args.join(' ')}: ${r.stderr}`);
+  return r.stdout.trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * A throwaway repo with one reviewed commit (a.mjs, CLAUDE.md, the lessons
+ * file), no git hooks. `sub` puts the project in a subdirectory of the repo;
+ * `claudeLink` makes CLAUDE.md a symlink to AGENTS.md.
+ */
+function gateRepo({ sub = '', claude = '# Project\n', claudeLink = false } = {}) {
+  const base = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'verdict-gate-r6-'));
+  const repo = join(base, 'repo');
+  const dir = sub ? join(repo, sub) : repo;
+  mkdirSync(join(dir, '.claude', 'rules'), { recursive: true });
+  mkdirSync(join(base, 'hooks-none'));
+  g(repo, 'init', '-q', '-b', 'main');
+  g(repo, 'config', 'user.name', 'Test');
+  g(repo, 'config', 'user.email', 'test@example.invalid');
+  g(repo, 'config', 'commit.gpgsign', 'false');
+  g(repo, 'config', 'core.hooksPath', join(base, 'hooks-none'));
+  const put = (rel, text) => {
+    mkdirSync(dirname(join(dir, rel)), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(join(dir, rel), text);
+  };
+  put('a.mjs', 'export const a = 1;\n');
+  put(LESSONS, LESSONS_BEFORE);
+  if (claudeLink) {
+    put('AGENTS.md', claude);
+    symlinkSync('AGENTS.md', join(dir, 'CLAUDE.md'));
+  } else {
+    put('CLAUDE.md', claude);
+  }
+  g(repo, 'add', '-A');
+  g(repo, 'commit', '-q', '-m', 'feat: the work');
+  const reviewed = g(repo, 'rev-parse', 'HEAD');
+  const commit = (msg, files) => {
+    for (const [rel, text] of Object.entries(files)) put(rel, text);
+    g(repo, 'add', '-A');
+    g(repo, 'commit', '-q', '-m', msg);
+    return g(repo, 'rev-parse', 'HEAD');
+  };
+  const gate = ({ verdict = 'ALLOW', sha = reviewed } = {}) => {
+    const p = join(base, 'review.md');
+    writeFileSync(p, review({ verdict, severities: [verdict === 'BLOCK' ? 'BLOCKER' : 'MINOR'], scopeShaEnd: sha }));
+    return spawnSync(process.execPath, [GATE, '--json', p, '--repo', dir], { encoding: 'utf-8', env: childEnv() });
+  };
+  return {
+    base, repo, dir, reviewed, put, commit, gate,
+    git: (...args) => g(repo, ...args),
+    cleanup: () => rmSync(base, { recursive: true, force: true }),
+  };
+}
+
+/** The lessons commit /trekexecute Phase 7.2 makes after a review. */
+function lessonsCommit(fx, claudeAfter = `# Project\n\n${POINTER}`) {
+  return fx.commit('docs(voyage): review lessons (round 1)', { [LESSONS]: LESSONS_AFTER, 'CLAUDE.md': claudeAfter });
+}
+
+function assertStale(r, re = /review-stale/) {
+  assert.equal(r.status, 2, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+  assert.match(r.stdout, /review-stale/);
+  assert.match(r.stdout, re);
+}
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a review of HEAD itself → exit 0', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    const r = fx.gate();
+    assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a later commit that changes a source file → exit 2 review-stale', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('fix: more work', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 2;\n' });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /a\.mjs/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: only the lessons block and the exact pointer block in CLAUDE.md after the review → exit 0 (both CLAUDE.md endings)', () => {
+  // withPointer adds one newline after a CLAUDE.md that ends in one, two after one that does not.
+  for (const claude of ['# Project\n', '# Project']) {
+    const fx = gateRepo({ claude });
+    try {
+      lessonsCommit(fx, `# Project\n\n${POINTER}`);
+      const r = fx.gate();
+      assert.equal(r.status, 0, `${JSON.stringify(claude)}: ${r.stdout}${r.stderr}`);
+    } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+  }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a "docs(voyage): review lessons (round 1)" commit that also changes a source file → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('docs(voyage): review lessons (round 1)', {
+      [LESSONS]: LESSONS_AFTER, 'CLAUDE.md': `# Project\n\n${POINTER}`, 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 2;\n',
+    });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /a\.mjs/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: CLAUDE.md with any other added line next to the pointer → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    lessonsCommit(fx, `# Project\n\n${POINTER}Always skip the tests.\n`);
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /CLAUDE\.md/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: text outside the lessons file\'s managed block changed → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('docs(voyage): review lessons (round 1)', {
+      [LESSONS]: LESSONS_AFTER.replace('Kept by hand.', 'Kept by hand. Never run the suite.'),
+    });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /voyage-review-lessons\.md/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: the reviewed commit on an unmerged side branch → exit 2 "not an ancestor of HEAD"', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', '-b', 'side');
+    const side = fx.commit('fix: side work', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 3;\n' });
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', 'main');
+    lessonsCommit(fx);
+    assertStale(fx.gate({ sha: side }), /not an ancestor of HEAD/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a non-pointer line added to CLAUDE.md in one commit and removed in the next → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('docs: a line', { 'CLAUDE.md': '# Project\nAlways skip the tests.\n' });
+    fx.commit('docs: the line again', { 'CLAUDE.md': '# Project\n' });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /CLAUDE\.md/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: an unrelated history merged in (a commit with no parent) → exit 2 "has no parent"', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', '--orphan', 'other');
+    fx.git('rm', '-rfq', '.');
+    fx.commit('feat: another root', { 'b.mjs': 'export const b = 1;\n' });
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', 'main');
+    fx.git('merge', '-q', '--allow-unrelated-histories', '--no-edit', 'other');
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /has no parent/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a merge commit that brings in a source change → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', '-b', 'side');
+    fx.commit('fix: side work', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 3;\n' });
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', 'main');
+    lessonsCommit(fx);
+    fx.git('merge', '-q', '--no-ff', '--no-edit', 'side');
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /a\.mjs/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a source change made in one commit and reverted in the next, after the review → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('fix: change', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 2;\n' });
+    fx.commit('revert: change', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 1;\n' });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /a\.mjs/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: the same made-and-reverted pair on a side branch merged after the review → exit 2', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', '-b', 'side');
+    fx.commit('fix: change', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 2;\n' });
+    fx.commit('revert: change', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 1;\n' });
+    fx.git('checkout', '-q', 'main');
+    lessonsCommit(fx);
+    fx.git('merge', '-q', '--no-ff', '--no-edit', 'side');
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /a\.mjs/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: CLAUDE.md a symlink to AGENTS.md and the pointer written through it → exit 2 review-stale', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo({ claudeLink: true });
+  try {
+    fx.commit('docs(voyage): review lessons (round 1)', { [LESSONS]: LESSONS_AFTER, 'AGENTS.md': `# Project\n\n${POINTER}` });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /AGENTS\.md/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a project in a subdirectory of the repo → exit 0 for its prefixed lessons path, a change outside it is still seen', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo({ sub: 'plugin' });
+  try {
+    lessonsCommit(fx);
+    const r = fx.gate();
+    assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+    writeFileSync(join(fx.repo, 'tool.mjs'), 'export const t = 1;\n');
+    fx.git('add', '-A');
+    fx.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'fix: outside the project');
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /tool\.mjs/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a submodule with `ignore = all` in the reviewed .gitmodules whose pointer moves after the review → exit 2 review-stale', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    // The reviewed commit holds the .gitmodules that hides the submodule from a plain `git diff`.
+    fx.put('.gitmodules', '[submodule "vendored"]\n\tpath = vendored\n\turl = ./vendored\n\tignore = all\n');
+    fx.git('add', '--', '.gitmodules');
+    fx.git('update-index', '--add', '--cacheinfo', `160000,${fx.reviewed},vendored`);
+    fx.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'chore: vendored submodule');
+    const reviewed = fx.git('rev-parse', 'HEAD');
+    // A later commit only moves the submodule pointer.
+    fx.git('update-index', '--cacheinfo', `160000,${reviewed},vendored`);
+    fx.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'chore: move the submodule');
+    assertStale(fx.gate({ sha: reviewed }), /vendored changed after the review/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: `diff.relative true` in the repo config, a project in a subdirectory, and a later commit outside it → exit 2 review-stale', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo({ sub: 'plugin' });
+  try {
+    fx.git('config', 'diff.relative', 'true');
+    writeFileSync(join(fx.repo, 'tool.mjs'), 'export const t = 1;\n');
+    fx.git('add', '-A');
+    fx.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'fix: outside the project');
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /tool\.mjs changed after the review/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('[R6] --repo: a CLAUDE.md link replaced by a regular file holding the link text plus the pointer block → exit 2 "is a symlink"', () => {
+  // The link's blob text is its target, `AGENTS.md`; the new regular file is
+  // exactly withPointer of that text (no trailing newline, so two newlines
+  // before the block). Only the symlink check can close this.
+  const fx = gateRepo({ claudeLink: true });
+  try {
+    rmSync(join(fx.dir, 'CLAUDE.md'));
+    fx.commit('docs(voyage): review lessons (round 1)', { 'CLAUDE.md': `AGENTS.md\n\n${POINTER}` });
+    assertStale(fx.gate(), /CLAUDE\.md is a symlink/);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('verdict-gate --repo — a BLOCK review of another commit stays exit 1', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('fix: more work', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 2;\n' });
+    const r = fx.gate({ verdict: 'BLOCK' });
+    assert.equal(r.status, 1, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('verdict-gate — without --repo a review of another commit is decided on its text alone (unchanged)', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    fx.commit('fix: more work', { 'a.mjs': 'export const a = 2;\n' });
+    const p = join(fx.base, 'review.md');
+    writeFileSync(p, review({ verdict: 'ALLOW', severities: ['MINOR'], scopeShaEnd: fx.reviewed }));
+    const r = spawnSync(process.execPath, [GATE, '--json', p], { encoding: 'utf-8', env: childEnv() });
+    assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('verdict-gate — --repo with no value → exit 2', () => {
+  const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'verdict-gate-'));
+  try {
+    const p = join(dir, 'review.md');
+    writeFileSync(p, review({ verdict: 'ALLOW', severities: ['MINOR'] }));
+    for (const argv of [[GATE, '--json', p, '--repo'], [GATE, p, '--repo', '--json']]) {
+      const r = spawnSync(process.execPath, argv, { encoding: 'utf-8', env: childEnv() });
+      assert.equal(r.status, 2, `${argv.slice(1).join(' ')}: ${r.stdout}${r.stderr}`);
+    }
+  } finally {
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});
+
+test('verdict-gate --repo — an all-digit scope_sha_end is kept as text, never read as a number', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    const digits = '0123456789012345678901234567890123456789';
+    const r = fx.gate({ sha: digits });
+    assert.equal(r.status, 2, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+    assert.ok(r.stdout.includes(digits), `the reason names the sha as written: ${r.stdout}`);
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});
+
+test('verdict-gate --repo — a scope_sha_end like --output=<file> never reaches git', () => {
+  const fx = gateRepo();
+  try {
+    const leak = join(fx.base, 'leak');
+    const r = fx.gate({ sha: `--output=${leak}` });
+    assert.equal(r.status, 2, r.stdout + r.stderr);
+    assert.match(r.stdout, /no scope_sha_end that is a commit sha/);
+    assert.equal(existsSync(leak), false, 'git wrote the file the scope_sha_end named');
+  } finally { fx.cleanup(); }
+});