diff --git a/verify.sh b/verify.sh
index af8acbb..4a91fbe 100755
--- a/verify.sh
+++ b/verify.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ fail() { echo "[FAIL] SC$1 — $2"; FAIL=$((FAIL + 1)); exit 1; }
 
 # Tracked-file exclusions (paths preserved verbatim from old name).
 # - CHANGELOG/TRADEMARKS/MIGRATION legitimately reference the old name.
+# - cc-upgrade-2.1.181-decision-matrix.md cites CC features: `ultracode`
+#   (a real CC keyword, 2.1.160) and the `ultra-cc-architect` plugin name —
+#   both legitimate, not rebrand leftovers.
 # - architecture-discovery.mjs + project-discovery.mjs are Q8 exceptions
 #   pointing at the upstream architect producer slot.
 # - verify.sh self-references the forbidden patterns to detect them.
@@ -33,6 +36,7 @@ fail() { echo "[FAIL] SC$1 — $2"; FAIL=$((FAIL + 1)); exit 1; }
 exclude_path() {
   case "$1" in
     *CHANGELOG.md|*TRADEMARKS.md|*MIGRATION.md) return 0 ;;
+    *cc-upgrade-2.1.181-decision-matrix.md) return 0 ;;
     *lib/validators/architecture-discovery.mjs) return 0 ;;
     *lib/parsers/project-discovery.mjs) return 0 ;;
     *verify.sh) return 0 ;;