From c171eb69bb5c49420c2112d4bf64589ff5651d11 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:11:51 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 01/19] fix(c-009): add make cypher-lint and close live
 interpolation holes

C-009 named make cypher-lint as automated enforcement but the target did
not exist. Add the scanner, wire it to Make and pre-commit, and
parameterize the live quoted interpolations it now finds.

Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#272/cycle-1
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
---
 .pre-commit-config.yaml         |   6 ++
 Makefile                        |   7 +-
 engine/gates/types/all_gates.py |   5 +-
 engine/gds/scheduler.py         |  30 ++++---
 engine/handlers.py              |   2 +-
 engine/scoring/assembler.py     |  27 ++++--
 engine/utils/security.py        |   9 ++
 tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py  |  42 +++++++++
 tools/cypher_lint.py            | 154 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 9 files changed, 259 insertions(+), 23 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
 create mode 100644 tools/cypher_lint.py

diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index a5acb3b5..edd2afd4 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ repos:
           fi; exit 0'
         language: system
         pass_filenames: false
+      - id: cypher-lint
+        name: make cypher-lint (C-009)
+        entry: python tools/cypher_lint.py
+        language: python
+        pass_filenames: false
+        types: [python]
 
   # L9 contract enforcement (24 invariants, 27 docs)
   - repo: local
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 06f64a9c..e8427e03 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 .PHONY: dev dev-build dev-down dev-logs dev-restart health
-.PHONY: test test-unit test-integration seed shell neo4j-shell
+.PHONY: test test-unit test-integration seed shell neo4j-shell cypher-lint
 
 # ── Governance ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -209,13 +209,16 @@ clean:	## Remove volumes + containers
 
 # ── Quality Gates (local, no Docker) ───────────────────────
 
-.PHONY: lint lint-fix typecheck check
+.PHONY: lint lint-fix typecheck check cypher-lint
 
 lint:	## Ruff lint + format check (no mutation) + MyPy — matches CI's blocking gate
 	ruff check .
 	ruff format --check .
 	mypy engine/
 
+cypher-lint:	## C-009: scan generated Cypher for injection vectors
+	python3 tools/cypher_lint.py
+
 lint-fix:	## Autofix: ruff check --fix + ruff format . (run this when `make lint` fails)
 	ruff check . --fix
 	ruff format .
diff --git a/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py b/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py
index e04e6505..7336eca4 100644
--- a/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py
+++ b/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 
 from engine.config.schema import DomainSpec, GateSpec
+from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -192,8 +193,8 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
             # Build CASE WHEN for complex mapping
             cases = []
             for query_val, candidate_vals in self.spec.mapping.items():
-                val_list = ", ".join([f"'{v}'" for v in candidate_vals])
-                cases.append(f"WHEN {param} = '{query_val}' THEN {prop} IN [{val_list}]")
+                val_list = ", ".join(cypher_quoted_ident(str(v)) for v in candidate_vals)
+                cases.append(f"WHEN {param} = {cypher_quoted_ident(str(query_val))} THEN {prop} IN [{val_list}]")
 
             case_expr = " ".join(cases)
             return f"CASE {case_expr} ELSE false END"
diff --git a/engine/gds/scheduler.py b/engine/gds/scheduler.py
index efe5abde..219f67f9 100644
--- a/engine/gds/scheduler.py
+++ b/engine/gds/scheduler.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 from engine.config.schema import AggregationStrategy, DomainSpec, EdgeCategory, GDSJobSpec
 from engine.graph.driver import GraphDriver
-from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
+from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident, sanitize_label
 
 # S2-10: EdgeCategory → recommended GDS configuration mapping.
 # Paper: different relation types benefit from different algorithms/aggregation.
@@ -305,14 +305,15 @@ async def _run_louvain(self, job_spec: GDSJobSpec) -> dict[str, Any]:
         graph_name = f"{safe_job_name}_graph"
 
         # Pre-cleanup: drop stale projection if it exists (fixes crash on re-run)
-        pre_drop = f"""
-        CALL gds.graph.exists('{graph_name}') YIELD exists
+        gds_params = {"graph_name": graph_name}
+        pre_drop = """
+        CALL gds.graph.exists($graph_name) YIELD exists
         WITH exists WHERE exists
-        CALL gds.graph.drop('{graph_name}') YIELD graphName
+        CALL gds.graph.drop($graph_name) YIELD graphName
         RETURN graphName
         """
         try:
-            await self.graph_driver.execute_query(pre_drop, database=db)
+            await self.graph_driver.execute_query(pre_drop, parameters=gds_params, database=db)
         except Exception as exc:
             exc_msg = str(exc).lower()
             if "not found" in exc_msg or "does not exist" in exc_msg:
@@ -327,27 +328,28 @@ async def _run_louvain(self, job_spec: GDSJobSpec) -> dict[str, Any]:
         # Sanitize write property name
         write_prop = sanitize_label(job_spec.writeproperty or "communityId")
 
+        gds_params["write_prop"] = write_prop
         project_cypher = f"""
-        CALL gds.graph.project('{graph_name}', {node_labels}, {edge_types})
+        CALL gds.graph.project($graph_name, {node_labels}, {edge_types})
         YIELD graphName, nodeCount, relationshipCount
         RETURN graphName, nodeCount, relationshipCount
         """
         try:
-            await self.graph_driver.execute_query(project_cypher, database=db)
+            await self.graph_driver.execute_query(project_cypher, parameters=gds_params, database=db)
 
-            louvain_cypher = f"""
-            CALL gds.louvain.write('{graph_name}', {{writeProperty: '{write_prop}'}})
+            louvain_cypher = """
+            CALL gds.louvain.write($graph_name, {writeProperty: $write_prop})
             YIELD communityCount, modularity
             RETURN communityCount, modularity
             """
-            result = await self.graph_driver.execute_query(louvain_cypher, database=db)
+            result = await self.graph_driver.execute_query(louvain_cypher, parameters=gds_params, database=db)
             data = result[0] if result else {}
             logger.info(f"Louvain: {data}")
             return {"communities": data.get("communityCount"), "modularity": data.get("modularity")}
         finally:
-            drop_cypher = f"CALL gds.graph.drop('{graph_name}') YIELD graphName RETURN graphName"
+            drop_cypher = "CALL gds.graph.drop($graph_name) YIELD graphName RETURN graphName"
             try:
-                await self.graph_driver.execute_query(drop_cypher, database=db)
+                await self.graph_driver.execute_query(drop_cypher, parameters=gds_params, database=db)
             except Exception:
                 logger.exception(f"Failed to drop projected graph '{graph_name}'")
 
@@ -588,7 +590,9 @@ async def _run_equipment_sync(self, job_spec: GDSJobSpec) -> dict[str, Any]:
         equipment_props = self._get_equipment_properties(job_spec)
 
         # Build dynamic CASE statements for equipment detection
-        case_statements = [f"CASE WHEN f.{prop} = true THEN '{name}' END" for prop, name in equipment_props]
+        case_statements = [
+            f"CASE WHEN f.{prop} = true THEN {cypher_quoted_ident(name)} END" for prop, name in equipment_props
+        ]
         case_list = ",\n            ".join(case_statements)
 
         cypher = f"""
diff --git a/engine/handlers.py b/engine/handlers.py
index fb1b426d..23a1ad8f 100644
--- a/engine/handlers.py
+++ b/engine/handlers.py
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ async def handle_match(tenant: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     )
 
     try:
-        parameters = {**resolved_query, "top_n": top_n}
+        parameters = {**resolved_query, "top_n": top_n, **scoring_assembler.last_query_params}
         results = await graph_driver.execute_query(
             cypher=cypher,
             parameters=parameters,
diff --git a/engine/scoring/assembler.py b/engine/scoring/assembler.py
index b8a4c272..2681a8e9 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/assembler.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/assembler.py
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.domain_spec = domain_spec
         self.scoring_spec = domain_spec.scoring
         self._last_active_dims: list[str] = []
+        self._query_params: dict[str, Any] = {}
         self._graph_driver = graph_driver
         self._learned_weights: dict[str, float] | None = None
         self._population_means: dict[str, float] = {}  # S2-01: cached population means
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@ def assemble_scoring_clause(
         """
         from engine.config.settings import settings
 
+        self._query_params = {}
         pareto_metadata: dict[str, Any] | None = None
 
         # Pareto pre-filter (lazy import to avoid circular deps)
@@ -214,6 +216,11 @@ def last_active_dimension_names(self) -> list[str]:
         """Return dimension names from the most recent assemble_scoring_clause call."""
         return list(self._last_active_dims)
 
+    @property
+    def last_query_params(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Copy of Cypher parameters collected during the last assemble call."""
+        return dict(self._query_params)
+
     def _compile_dimension(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         """Dispatch to computation-specific compiler.
 
@@ -454,21 +461,31 @@ def _compile_preference_attention(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         outcome_rel = sanitize_label(metadata.get("outcome_relation", "RESULTED_IN"))
         outcome_node = sanitize_label(metadata.get("outcome_node", "TransactionOutcome"))
         success_prop = sanitize_label(metadata.get("success_property", "outcome_type"))
-        success_value = sanitize_label(metadata.get("success_value", "closed_won"))
+        success_value = metadata.get("success_value", "closed_won")
+        if not isinstance(success_value, str):
+            msg = f"Dimension '{dim.name}': success_value must be a string"
+            raise ValueError(msg)
 
         cand_community_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "community_id")
+        safe_dim = sanitize_label(dim.name)
+        success_key = f"pref_success_{safe_dim}"
+        default_key = f"pref_default_{safe_dim}"
+        sample_key = f"pref_sample_k_{safe_dim}"
+        self._query_params[success_key] = success_value
+        self._query_params[default_key] = default
+        self._query_params[sample_key] = int(sample_k)
 
         return (
             f"CASE "
             f"  WHEN size([(qe)-[:{outcome_rel}]->(o:{outcome_node}) "
-            f"    WHERE o.{success_prop} = '{success_value}' | o]) = 0 THEN {default} "
+            f"    WHERE o.{success_prop} = ${success_key} | o]) = 0 THEN ${default_key} "
             f"  ELSE toFloat("
             f"    size([(qe)-[:{outcome_rel}]->(o:{outcome_node}) "
-            f"      WHERE o.{success_prop} = '{success_value}' "
-            f"      AND o.community_id = candidate.{cand_community_prop} | o][0..{sample_k}])"
+            f"      WHERE o.{success_prop} = ${success_key} "
+            f"      AND o.community_id = candidate.{cand_community_prop} | o][0..${sample_key}])"
             f"  ) / toFloat("
             f"    size([(qe)-[:{outcome_rel}]->(o:{outcome_node}) "
-            f"      WHERE o.{success_prop} = '{success_value}' | o][0..{sample_k}])"
+            f"      WHERE o.{success_prop} = ${success_key} | o][0..${sample_key}])"
             f"  ) "
             f"END"
         )
diff --git a/engine/utils/security.py b/engine/utils/security.py
index a1e813ef..0eefb3ce 100644
--- a/engine/utils/security.py
+++ b/engine/utils/security.py
@@ -38,3 +38,12 @@ def sanitize_label(label: str) -> str:
         msg = f"Invalid label or type: {label!r}"
         raise ValueError(msg)
     return label
+
+
+def cypher_quoted_ident(value: str) -> str:
+    """Return a single-quoted Cypher string literal of a sanitized identifier.
+
+    Compile-time Cypher fragments that cannot take ``$params`` use this instead
+    of interpolating ``'{value}'`` so the source never contains that pattern.
+    """
+    return "'" + sanitize_label(value) + "'"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11bb12a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""Unit tests — tools/cypher_lint.py C-009 scanner."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from tools.cypher_lint import scan_tree
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_quoted_interpolation_fails(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    engine = tmp_path / "engine"
+    engine.mkdir()
+    target = engine / "sync"
+    target.mkdir()
+    (target / "generator.py").write_text(
+        'cypher = f"SET n.status = \'{status}\'"\n',
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    findings = scan_tree(tmp_path)
+
+    assert findings, "quoted value interpolation must fail the scanner"
+    assert findings[0].rel_path == "engine/sync/generator.py"
+    assert "status" in findings[0].pattern
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_sanitize_label_interpolation_passes(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    engine = tmp_path / "engine"
+    engine.mkdir()
+    (engine / "ok.py").write_text(
+        "from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label\n"
+        'cypher = f"MATCH (n:{sanitize_label(label)}) RETURN n"\n',
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    findings = scan_tree(tmp_path)
+
+    assert findings == []
diff --git a/tools/cypher_lint.py b/tools/cypher_lint.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..710ee3cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/cypher_lint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# --- L9_META ---
+# l9_schema: 1
+# origin: engine-specific
+# engine: graph
+# layer: [tools, security]
+# tags: [cypher, lint, C-009, injection]
+# owner: platform
+# status: active
+# --- /L9_META ---
+"""Scan engine/**/*.py for unparameterized Cypher interpolations (C-009).
+
+Fails on:
+- quoted f-string value interpolations (``= '{x}'`` / ``'{var}'`` in Cypher)
+- ``LIMIT {n}`` without ``$``
+- label interpolations whose expression is not ``sanitize_label(...)``
+  (and whose name was not assigned from ``sanitize_label``)
+
+Skips raise / logger / msg= / ValueError lines. Cypher tokens are
+case-sensitive so English "does not match" is not a hit.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import io
+import re
+import sys
+import tokenize
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+
+CYPHER_TOKEN_RE = re.compile(r"\b(?:MATCH|MERGE|CREATE|SET|WHERE|CALL|LIMIT|UNWIND|THEN|OPTIONAL)\b")
+SKIP_LINE_RE = re.compile(r"\b(?:raise|logger|ValueError)\b|msg\s*=")
+QUOTED_INTERP_RE = re.compile(r"'\{[^{}]+\}'")
+LIMIT_INTERP_RE = re.compile(r"\bLIMIT\s*(?!\$)\{")
+LABEL_INTERP_RE = re.compile(r":\{([^{}]+)\}")
+SANITIZE_ASSIGN_RE = re.compile(
+    r"\b([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\s*=\s*"
+    r"(?:sanitize_label\s*\(|self\._get_candidate_label\s*\(|\[sanitize_label\b)"
+)
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Finding:
+    rel_path: str
+    line_no: int
+    pattern: str
+    kind: str = "Unparameterized value interpolation detected"
+
+
+def _fstring_lines(source: str) -> set[int]:
+    """Line numbers that participate in an f-string.
+
+    Python 3.12+ emits FSTRING_* tokens; 3.9-3.11 still use STRING with an
+    ``f``/``F`` prefix. ``make cypher-lint`` must run on both.
+    """
+    lines: set[int] = set()
+    fstring_types = {
+        getattr(tokenize, name)
+        for name in ("FSTRING_START", "FSTRING_MIDDLE", "FSTRING_END")
+        if getattr(tokenize, name, None) is not None
+    }
+    try:
+        tokens = tokenize.generate_tokens(io.StringIO(source).readline)
+        for tok in tokens:
+            if tok.type in fstring_types or (
+                tok.type == tokenize.STRING and tok.string[:1] in "fF"
+            ):
+                for ln in range(tok.start[0], tok.end[0] + 1):
+                    lines.add(ln)
+    except (tokenize.TokenError, SyntaxError):
+        for idx, line in enumerate(source.splitlines(), start=1):
+            if re.search(r"\bf['\"]", line):
+                lines.add(idx)
+    return lines
+
+
+def _sanitized_names(source: str) -> set[str]:
+    return set(SANITIZE_ASSIGN_RE.findall(source))
+
+
+def _label_is_safe(expr: str, sanitized: set[str]) -> bool:
+    stripped = expr.strip()
+    if "sanitize_label" in stripped:
+        return True
+    if re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*", stripped) and stripped in sanitized:
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
+def scan_file(path: Path, *, root: Path) -> list[Finding]:
+    source = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    rel = path.relative_to(root).as_posix()
+    fstring_lines = _fstring_lines(source)
+    sanitized = _sanitized_names(source)
+    findings: list[Finding] = []
+
+    for line_no, line in enumerate(source.splitlines(), start=1):
+        if line_no not in fstring_lines:
+            continue
+        if SKIP_LINE_RE.search(line):
+            continue
+        if not CYPHER_TOKEN_RE.search(line):
+            continue
+
+        stripped = line.strip()
+        if QUOTED_INTERP_RE.search(line):
+            findings.append(Finding(rel, line_no, stripped))
+            continue
+        if LIMIT_INTERP_RE.search(line):
+            findings.append(Finding(rel, line_no, stripped))
+            continue
+        for match in LABEL_INTERP_RE.finditer(line):
+            if not _label_is_safe(match.group(1), sanitized):
+                findings.append(Finding(rel, line_no, stripped))
+                break
+
+    return findings
+
+
+def scan_tree(root: Path) -> list[Finding]:
+    engine = root / "engine"
+    if not engine.is_dir():
+        return []
+    findings: list[Finding] = []
+    for path in sorted(engine.rglob("*.py")):
+        if not path.is_file():
+            continue
+        findings.extend(scan_file(path, root=root))
+    return findings
+
+
+def render_findings(findings: list[Finding]) -> str:
+    blocks = []
+    for item in findings:
+        blocks.append(
+            f"❌ {item.kind}\nFile: {item.rel_path}:{item.line_no}\nPattern: {item.pattern}"
+        )
+    return "\n\n".join(blocks)
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    args = sys.argv[1:] if argv is None else argv
+    root = Path(args[0]).resolve() if args else Path.cwd()
+    findings = scan_tree(root)
+    if findings:
+        print(render_findings(findings))
+        return 1
+    print("OK: cypher-lint — 0 injection vectors")
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())

From e9efff7dacbdf27ce1113544fefe26592fab99ed Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:12:51 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 02/19] style: commit gate writer rewrites so make pr finishes
 once

---
 tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py | 5 ++---
 tools/cypher_lint.py           | 8 ++------
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
index 11bb12a9..10121e3e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def test_quoted_interpolation_fails(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     target = engine / "sync"
     target.mkdir()
     (target / "generator.py").write_text(
-        'cypher = f"SET n.status = \'{status}\'"\n',
+        "cypher = f\"SET n.status = '{status}'\"\n",
         encoding="utf-8",
     )
 
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ def test_sanitize_label_interpolation_passes(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     engine = tmp_path / "engine"
     engine.mkdir()
     (engine / "ok.py").write_text(
-        "from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label\n"
-        'cypher = f"MATCH (n:{sanitize_label(label)}) RETURN n"\n',
+        'from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label\ncypher = f"MATCH (n:{sanitize_label(label)}) RETURN n"\n',
         encoding="utf-8",
     )
 
diff --git a/tools/cypher_lint.py b/tools/cypher_lint.py
index 710ee3cf..2426cb8c 100644
--- a/tools/cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tools/cypher_lint.py
@@ -63,9 +63,7 @@ def _fstring_lines(source: str) -> set[int]:
     try:
         tokens = tokenize.generate_tokens(io.StringIO(source).readline)
         for tok in tokens:
-            if tok.type in fstring_types or (
-                tok.type == tokenize.STRING and tok.string[:1] in "fF"
-            ):
+            if tok.type in fstring_types or (tok.type == tokenize.STRING and tok.string[:1] in "fF"):
                 for ln in range(tok.start[0], tok.end[0] + 1):
                     lines.add(ln)
     except (tokenize.TokenError, SyntaxError):
@@ -133,9 +131,7 @@ def scan_tree(root: Path) -> list[Finding]:
 def render_findings(findings: list[Finding]) -> str:
     blocks = []
     for item in findings:
-        blocks.append(
-            f"❌ {item.kind}\nFile: {item.rel_path}:{item.line_no}\nPattern: {item.pattern}"
-        )
+        blocks.append(f"❌ {item.kind}\nFile: {item.rel_path}:{item.line_no}\nPattern: {item.pattern}")
     return "\n\n".join(blocks)
 
 

From 4a553b3fc953363070290f1b315a24cb5f959132 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:13:13 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 03/19] fix(c-009): return label-safety check as a boolean

Ruff SIM103 failed the PR writer wave on the two-return form.

Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#272/cycle-1
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
---
 tools/cypher_lint.py | 4 +---
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/cypher_lint.py b/tools/cypher_lint.py
index 2426cb8c..a8be7d35 100644
--- a/tools/cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tools/cypher_lint.py
@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@ def _label_is_safe(expr: str, sanitized: set[str]) -> bool:
     stripped = expr.strip()
     if "sanitize_label" in stripped:
         return True
-    if re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*", stripped) and stripped in sanitized:
-        return True
-    return False
+    return bool(re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*", stripped) and stripped in sanitized)
 
 
 def scan_file(path: Path, *, root: Path) -> list[Finding]:

From 38ece3f32cbf078750a6460434de438d2a2d44d2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:14:57 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 04/19] test(c-009): cover cypher_quoted_ident wrap and reject

Carry the isolate follow-up tests onto the open PR so identifier quoting
has the same unit coverage as sanitize_label.

Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#272/cycle-1
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
---
 tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py | 16 ++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py b/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py
index 1a1b32e1..8e2edb11 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py
@@ -45,3 +45,19 @@ def test_sanitize_label_rejects_too_long():
 
     with pytest.raises((ValueError, Exception)):
         sanitize_label("A" * 200)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_cypher_quoted_ident_wraps_sanitized_label():
+    from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident
+
+    assert cypher_quoted_ident("Facility") == "'Facility'"
+    assert cypher_quoted_ident("closed_won") == "'closed_won'"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_cypher_quoted_ident_rejects_injection():
+    from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident
+
+    with pytest.raises((ValueError, Exception)):
+        cypher_quoted_ident("'; DROP TABLE")

From 97b41d5d4b056c4d1829c2b3793fecfd4e6c662d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:17:05 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 05/19] fix(ci): declare consumer repo_class python for org-ci
 language detect

CEG is Python-only but had no .l9/ci.json, so REPO_CLASS=auto left Analyze (central Core) fail-closed on ambiguous SDK language detect. Consumer metadata is the documented escape hatch and does not touch workflows.

Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#273/cycle-1
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
---
 .l9/ci.json | 4 ++++
 TODO.md     | 8 ++++----
 2 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 .l9/ci.json

diff --git a/.l9/ci.json b/.l9/ci.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff5d59f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.l9/ci.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "schema": "l9.ci-consumer/v1",
+  "repo_class": "python"
+}
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 44c0dcf1..fd4d52ad 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 ## Issue unblock (session reference)
 
-**Cluster:** CEG#138 CLOSED on PR 248; CEG#139 CLOSED already-fixed
-**Owning fix:** https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs/pull/248
-**Next:** pause issues for this repo; PR remediator later
-**Pickup:** Graphiti PICKUP written 2026-08-30
+**Cluster:** Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#273 (+ #274 leftover, #275, #276, #277 duplicate of #276, #279)
+**Owning fix:** leftover consumer `.l9/ci.json` (`repo_class: python`) stacked on PR 280
+**Next:** do not merge from this skill; leftover issues already CLOSED; remaining CEG HUMAN issues stay OPEN
+**Pickup:** Graphiti PICKUP written 2026-09-19
 
 <!-- L9_META
 l9_schema: 1

From b30e638cac1a22287d4664b10431953a87ecba30 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 17:56:17 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 06/19] fix(ceg): close CEG-001..009 from the Constellation E2E
 action log
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

CEG-001 supply chain. The release set kept the moving @v1 tag and closed the
finding on the lock instead: poetry.lock records resolved_reference e9f829f,
which is what every deployed image installs, and validate_sdk_pin.py now prints
that commit on PASS so a build log says which SDK object was taken. EIE's
validator enforces the same contract over its requirements.lock. The trade-off
the moving tag accepts — a live-resolving build takes whatever v1 points at
that minute — is now stated in the script rather than left to be discovered.

CEG-002 configuration. Both compose files set L9_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE=true and
neither set L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON. That flag also verifies the responses Gate
signs, and Gate signs with its own key id, so as shipped CEG rejected every
signed Gate response — the E2E passed only because its harness supplied the
map. Dev carries the shared HMAC secret; prod requires the variable rather than
defaulting it, because a wrong key here is a silent trust failure.

CEG-003 configuration. Compose set L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH, which nothing reads. The
SDK reads GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH. Registration worked only because the SDK default
happens to be engine/spec.yaml and WORKDIR is /app, so relocating the spec
would have silently had no effect until the default path stopped existing — at
which point register_with_gate swallows FileNotFoundError and returns False.

CEG-005 architecture. engine/spec.yaml now declares owner: ceg. Registration
previously succeeded only because Gate's _OWNER_ALIASES maps the node name
"graph" to "ceg": correct today, and an alias rather than a declaration.
Renaming the node would have broken registration for every canonical action at
once. Pairs with the resolve ownership entry added in Constellation.Gate.

CEG-006 + EIE-008 architecture. Two halves of one loop, neither connected.
engine/health/api.py implemented three handlers and was imported by nothing, so
request_enrichment — the entire CEG -> Gate -> EIE direction — had no trigger an
inbound packet could reach; it now hangs off `admin` alongside trigger_gds,
where operator surfaces belong. In the other direction EIE advertises and fully
implements `graph-inference-result` and no code here ever produced one, so the
feedback loop had a consumer and no producer. emit_graph_inference_result sends
it through Gate, filtering at the same 0.55 confidence floor EIE drops below —
the two sides were built to the same number and never joined. Flag-gated
(GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED), because each emission spends EIE budget.

CEG-007 dependency hygiene. No import of redis exists anywhere under engine/ or
chassis/, yet redis was a requirement, a service in both compose files with
depends_on: service_healthy (so the api service could not start without it), a
CI service container in two workflows, a required env var in the env contract,
and a dependency contract claiming "Scoring result caching" and "Domain pack
cache" that were never implemented. Four contract tests asserted that
description continuously, which is what made an unused dependency look
load-bearing. All of it removed together.

CEG-008 operability. match and sync route to a Neo4j database named after the
domain id and nothing created it, so on a fresh instance every one failed until
an operator ran CREATE DATABASE by hand. GraphDriver now provisions it on first
use under AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE (once per database per process,
Enterprise-only), and either way an absent database raises
DatabaseNotProvisionedError naming the database and the exact command. The name
is validated before it is quoted into the statement: CREATE DATABASE takes no
query parameter, and sanitize_label cannot be used because domain ids
legitimately contain dashes.

CEG-009 configuration. Nine specs used a flat <name>_domain_spec.yaml shape the
loader never reads — it resolves domains/<domain_id>/spec.yaml — so they looked
like available verticals and no tenant id could select them. Migrated. Two were
additionally invalid, with edges to undeclared Skill and ZipCode nodes; nothing
caught that, because a file the loader never opens is never validated either.
Loadable domains go from one to ten, idea-portfolio still behind its flag.

Verification: 1818 passed, 12 skipped, 56 xfailed across unit, contracts,
compliance, architecture and invariants. Contract 21 caught the new feature
flag as undocumented and FEATURE_GATES.md now carries both new gates.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01CoomAnwQt9gxGhHAJJSDz2
---
 .claude/rules/feature-flags.md                |   7 +
 .claude/rules/subsystems.md                   |   9 +
 .env.template                                 |  20 +-
 .github/workflows/ci-quality.yml              |  11 +-
 .github/workflows/ci.yml                      |  13 +-
 AGENTS.md                                     |   2 +-
 README.md                                     |  11 +-
 Readme-Requirements.md                        |   2 -
 chassis/auth/settings.py                      |   5 +-
 docker-compose.prod.yml                       |  35 ++--
 docker-compose.yml                            |  44 ++---
 docs/DEPLOYMENT.md                            |   8 +-
 docs/FEATURE_GATES.md                         |  82 +++++++++
 docs/contracts/config/env-contract.yaml       |  17 +-
 docs/contracts/dependencies/redis.yaml        |  38 ----
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |  12 ++
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |   0
 .../spec.yaml}                                |  13 ++
 engine/config/settings.py                     |  25 ++-
 engine/gate_egress.py                         | 174 +++++++++++++++++-
 engine/graph/driver.py                        | 104 ++++++++++-
 engine/handlers.py                            |  63 +++++++
 engine/spec.yaml                              |   8 +
 poetry.lock                                   |  24 +--
 pyproject.toml                                |   1 -
 requirements.txt                              |   1 -
 scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py                   |  26 ++-
 templates/.env.recommended.template           |   1 -
 tests/contracts/_constants.py                 |   3 +-
 tests/contracts/conftest.py                   |   8 -
 tests/contracts/test_dependency_contracts.py  |  29 +--
 .../unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py | 172 +++++++++++++++++
 tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py          |  74 ++++++++
 tests/unit/test_graph_inference_egress.py     | 145 +++++++++++++++
 40 files changed, 983 insertions(+), 204 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 docs/contracts/dependencies/redis.yaml
 rename domains/{aios_god_agent_domain_spec.yaml => aios-god-agent/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{executive_assistant_domain_spec.yaml => executive-assistant/spec.yaml} (88%)
 rename domains/{freight_matching_domain_spec.yaml => freight-matching/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{healthcare_referral_domain_spec.yaml => healthcare-referral/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{legal_discovery_domain_spec.yaml => legal-discovery/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{mortgage_brokerage_domain_spec.yaml => mortgage-brokerage/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{repo_as_agent_domain_spec.yaml => repo-as-agent/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{research_agent_domain_spec.yaml => research-agent/spec.yaml} (100%)
 rename domains/{roofing_company_domain_spec.yaml => roofing-company/spec.yaml} (87%)
 create mode 100644 tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
 create mode 100644 tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
 create mode 100644 tests/unit/test_graph_inference_egress.py

diff --git a/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md b/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md
index ce168d68..3887f17f 100644
--- a/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md
+++ b/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ All in Settings class, controllable via env vars. Contract 21: every behavioral
 | strict_tenant_database | False | Require explicit `database=` on GraphDriver calls; no implicit 'neo4j' fallback (W7-01) |
 | require_sdk_chassis_in_prod | False | Fail startup if `L9_CHASSIS != sdk` when `l9_env == prod` (W7-02) |
 
+## Constellation Seam (EIE ↔ Gate ↔ CEG)
+| Flag | Default | Purpose |
+|------|---------|---------|
+| auto_enrich_via_gate | False | Dispatch `enrich` to EIE through Gate (spends EIE budget) |
+| graph_inference_feedback_enabled | False | Emit `graph-inference-result` to EIE through Gate (EIE-008 / CEG-006) |
+| auto_create_domain_database | False | Provision the tenant domain database on first use (CEG-008; Enterprise-only CREATE DATABASE) |
+
 ## Entity Resolution
 | Flag | Default | Purpose |
 |------|---------|---------|
diff --git a/.claude/rules/subsystems.md b/.claude/rules/subsystems.md
index ec6ed096..9a0491a9 100644
--- a/.claude/rules/subsystems.md
+++ b/.claude/rules/subsystems.md
@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@ All handlers: `async def handle_*(tenant: str, payload: dict) -> dict`
 | calibration_run | Score calibration vs expected ranges |
 | score_feedback | Compute weight adjustment proposal |
 | apply_weight_proposal | Apply proposed weight change |
+| health_assess | AI-readiness assessment for one entity (`engine/health/api.py`) |
+| health_batch_assess | Incremental batch readiness scan with cost ceilings |
+| health_report | Health report for an entity (Seed tier) |
+| emit_inference_feedback | Run inference rules and send `graph-inference-result` to EIE via Gate (flag: `graph_inference_feedback_enabled`) |
+
+CEG-006: the three `health_*` subactions are what makes `engine/health/api.py`
+reachable. It was imported by nothing, so `trigger_reenrichment_v2` — and with
+it the whole CEG → Gate → EIE enrichment request — had no trigger any inbound
+packet could reach.
 
 ## Dependency Map
 ```
diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index 67f80c57..0d163756 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@ NEO4J_USERNAME=neo4j
 NEO4J_PASSWORD=l9-dev-password
 NEO4J_POOL_SIZE=20
 
-── Redis Cache ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
-
 ── API Configuration ───────────────────────────────────────
 API_KEY=dev-key-sha256-not-for-production
 LOG_LEVEL=debug
@@ -47,7 +44,6 @@ LOCAL DEVELOPMENT ACCESS (from host machine, not Docker)
 API:           http://localhost:8000/v1/health
 Neo4j Browser: http://localhost:7475
 Neo4j Bolt:    bolt://localhost:7688
-Redis:         localhost:6379
 Neo4j Credentials:
   User: neo4j
   Password: l9-dev-password
@@ -68,11 +64,16 @@ KGE_EMBEDDING_DIM=300
 GATE_URL=http://gate:9000
 GATE_ADMIN_TOKEN=your-gate-admin-token-here
 L9_NODE_NAME=graph
-L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH=engine/spec.yaml
 GATE_REGISTRATION_ENABLED=true
 GATE_REGISTER_OVERWRITE=true
 GATE_REGISTER_RETRIES=3
 GATE_CLIENT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=30.0
+# CEG-003: this is the name the SDK reads (gate/config.py:
+# spec_path=os.getenv("GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH", "engine/spec.yaml")). An
+# L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH line sat above it with no reader at all, so an operator
+# relocating the spec edited the variable that does nothing and registration
+# kept using the default until that path stopped existing — at which point
+# register_with_gate swallows FileNotFoundError and returns False.
 GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH=engine/spec.yaml
 
 # ── SDK chassis (L9_CHASSIS=sdk) ─────────────────────────────
@@ -104,7 +105,14 @@ L9_SIGNING_ALGORITHM=hmac-sha256
 L9_SIGNING_KEY=change-me-shared-hmac-secret
 L9_SIGNING_KEY_ID=graph-engine-v1
 # ed25519 alternative: L9_SIGNING_ALGORITHM=ed25519 + L9_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY
-# L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON={"gate-v1":"<public-key>"}
+#
+# CEG-002: REQUIRED whenever L9_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE=true, not optional. The same
+# flag turns on verification of the responses Gate signs, and Gate signs with
+# *its* key id, which CEG cannot resolve from its own signing key. Leave this
+# unset and every signed Gate response is rejected with "no verifying key
+# available for transport signature verification". Under hmac-sha256 the value
+# is the shared secret; under ed25519 it is the peer's public key.
+L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON={"gate-v1":"change-me-shared-hmac-secret"}
 
 # Allowed actions — engine.handlers.ACTION_HANDLERS minus `enrich`: Gate owns
 # the `enrich` name for EIE, so CEG must never accept or advertise it.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-quality.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-quality.yml
index e5a4ab6f..3651146a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-quality.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-quality.yml
@@ -182,15 +182,7 @@ jobs:
           --health-timeout 5s
           --health-retries 5
 
-      redis:
-        image: redis:7-alpine
-        ports:
-          - 6379:6379
-        options: >-
-          --health-cmd "redis-cli ping"
-          --health-interval 10s
-          --health-timeout 5s
-          --health-retries 5
+      # CEG-007: redis service container removed with the dependency.
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
@@ -215,7 +207,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run tests with coverage
         env:
           DATABASE_URL: postgresql://${{ vars.TEST_DB_USER || 'test' }}:${{ vars.TEST_DB_PASSWORD || 'test' }}@localhost:5432/${{ vars.TEST_DB_NAME || 'test_db' }}
-          REDIS_URL: redis://localhost:6379
           TESTING: "true"
         run: PYTHONPATH=. pytest tests/ -v --cov=engine --cov-report=xml --cov-report=term --ignore=tests/e2e
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index fa28a0f4..1a8a3d7e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -258,15 +258,9 @@ jobs:
           --health-retries 5
       # Service only runs if POSTGRES_ENABLED=true (GitHub ignores services with falsy conditions)
 
-      redis:
-        image: ${{ vars.REDIS_IMAGE || 'redis:7-alpine' }}
-        ports:
-          - 6379:6379
-        options: >-
-          --health-cmd "redis-cli ping"
-          --health-interval 10s
-          --health-timeout 5s
-          --health-retries 5
+      # CEG-007: the redis service container is gone with the dependency. No
+      # code under engine/ or chassis/ imports redis, so it started a container
+      # every run for nothing.
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout Repository
@@ -291,7 +285,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run Tests with Coverage
         env:
           DATABASE_URL: postgresql://${{ vars.POSTGRES_USER || 'test_user' }}:test_password@localhost:5432/${{ vars.POSTGRES_DB || 'test_db' }}
-          REDIS_URL: redis://localhost:6379/0
         run: |
           echo "Running test suite..."
           PYTHONPATH=. pytest ${{ env.TEST_DIR }} \
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 8152aa6e..305eda9f 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Cross-tool agent instructions for the CEG repository. Read by Claude Code, Codex
 
 ```bash
 make setup              # Install deps, pre-commit hooks, verify Neo4j
-make dev                # docker-compose (app + Neo4j + Redis + Prometheus + Grafana)
+make dev                # docker-compose (app + Neo4j + Postgres)
 make test               # Full pytest suite (unit + integration + compliance)
 make test-unit          # Gate compilation, scoring math, parameter resolution
 make test-integration   # testcontainers-neo4j full pipeline
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aa412e84..0083fa47 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ One engine. Any vertical. No custom code per domain.
 git clone <repo-url> && cd l9-engine
 ./scripts/setup.sh
 
-# 2. Start local stack (Neo4j + Redis + API)
+# 2. Start local stack (Neo4j + Postgres + API)
 ./scripts/dev.sh
 
 # 3. Seed sample data
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ All intelligence features are disabled by default and activated per-domain via Y
 │                Domain Spec Loader                     │
 │           YAML → Pydantic → Compiled Cypher          │
 ├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-│  Neo4j (multi-database)  │  Redis (cache/scheduler)  │
-└──────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┘
+│              Neo4j (multi-database)                  │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
 ```
 
 ### Core Concepts
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ l9-engine/
 │   │   ├── pii.py                 # PII hash/encrypt/redact
 │   │   └── audit.py               # Audit logging
 │   └── db/                        # Database layer
-│       ├── neo4j.py               # Async Neo4j driver pool
-│       └── redis.py               # Redis connection
+│       └── neo4j.py               # Async Neo4j driver pool
 ├── domains/                       # Domain specification packs
 │   ├── plasticos/
 │   ├── mortgage-brokerage/
@@ -153,7 +152,6 @@ l9-engine/
 | Component | Version | Required Plugins |
 |-----------|---------|------------------|
 | Neo4j | 5.15+ Enterprise | APOC, Graph Data Science (GDS) |
-| Redis | 7.x | — |
 | Python | 3.12+ | — |
 
 **Neo4j Plugins:**
@@ -174,7 +172,6 @@ Consistent across all L9 repos. Set in `.env` (local) or SSM Parameter Store (pr
 | `NEO4J_USERNAME` | `neo4j` | Neo4j username |
 | `NEO4J_PASSWORD` | — | Neo4j password (SSM in prod) |
 | `NEO4J_DATABASE` | `neo4j` | Default database |
-| `REDIS_URL` | `redis://localhost:6379/0` | Redis connection |
 | `API_PORT` | `8000` | API listen port |
 | `API_WORKERS` | `4` | Uvicorn workers |
 | `DOMAINS_ROOT` | `./domains` | Path to domain specs |
diff --git a/Readme-Requirements.md b/Readme-Requirements.md
index e512527c..35207a32 100644
--- a/Readme-Requirements.md
+++ b/Readme-Requirements.md
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ status: active
 
 - `neo4j_uri`, `neo4j_username`, `neo4j_password` → consumed by `dependencies.py` to init `GraphDriver`[^1]
 - `domains_root` → consumed by `dependencies.py` to init `DomainPackLoader`[^2]
-- `redis_url` → lazy-init Redis client
 - Scoring weights (`w_structural`, `w_geo`, etc.) → match the spec's config reference[^3]
 - Decay half-lives → match the temporal decay system in `engine-core-modules.py`[^1]
 
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@ status: active
 
 - `get_graph_driver()` → returns the shared async Neo4j driver
 - `get_domain_loader()` → returns the cached domain pack loader
-- `get_redis()` → lazy Redis with graceful degradation
 - `startup()` / `shutdown()` → called from `create_app()` lifespan
 
 **`requirements.txt`** pins every dep from `pyproject.toml` with `>=X,<Y` bounds — works for Docker builds and non-Poetry envs .
diff --git a/chassis/auth/settings.py b/chassis/auth/settings.py
index d4fa78ec..c4963098 100644
--- a/chassis/auth/settings.py
+++ b/chassis/auth/settings.py
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     neo4j_max_connection_lifetime: int = 3600
     neo4j_connection_acquisition_timeout: int = 60
 
-    # --- Redis ---
-    redis_url: str = "redis://localhost:6379/0"
+    # CEG-007: `redis_url` was declared here and never read — nothing under
+    # engine/ or chassis/ imports redis. Removed with the service and the
+    # dependency rather than left as a knob for a component that does not exist.
 
     # --- API ---
     api_port: int = 8000
diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yml b/docker-compose.prod.yml
index eba9566b..8fefdaf5 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -36,13 +36,22 @@ services:
       GATE_ADMIN_TOKEN: ${GATE_ADMIN_TOKEN:?GATE_ADMIN_TOKEN must be set for production}
       GATE_REGISTRATION_ENABLED: "true"
       L9_NODE_NAME: graph
-      L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH: engine/spec.yaml
+      # CEG-003: GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH is the name the SDK reads. L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH
+      # had no reader; registration survived only on the SDK's default.
+      GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH: engine/spec.yaml
       L9_ENFORCE_GATE_ONLY_INGRESS: "true"
       L9_GATE_NODE_NAME: gate
       L9_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE: "true"
       L9_SIGNING_ALGORITHM: hmac-sha256
       L9_SIGNING_KEY: ${L9_SIGNING_KEY:?L9_SIGNING_KEY must be set for production}
       L9_SIGNING_KEY_ID: ${L9_SIGNING_KEY_ID:-graph-engine-v1}
+      # CEG-002: L9_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE=true also verifies the responses Gate
+      # signs, and Gate signs with its own key id. Without this map CEG rejects
+      # every signed Gate response ("no verifying key available for transport
+      # signature verification"). Required, not defaulted: a wrong key here is a
+      # silent trust failure, so production must state it — JSON object mapping
+      # key id to key material, e.g. {"gate-v1":"<gate-key>"}.
+      L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON: ${L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON:?L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON must be set when L9_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE is true}
       L9_ALLOWED_ACTIONS: match,sync,admin,outcomes,resolve,health,healthcheck
       L9_MAX_ATTACHMENTS: "0"
       L9_MAX_ATTACHMENT_SIZE_BYTES: "0"
@@ -50,7 +59,6 @@ services:
       NEO4J_USERNAME: ${NEO4J_USERNAME:-neo4j}
       NEO4J_PASSWORD: ${NEO4J_PASSWORD:?NEO4J_PASSWORD must be set for production}
       NEO4J_POOL_SIZE: "50"
-      REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0
       API_SECRET_KEY: ${API_SECRET_KEY:?API_SECRET_KEY must be set for production}
       LOG_LEVEL: info
       CORS_ORIGINS: ${CORS_ORIGINS:-[]}
@@ -59,11 +67,11 @@ services:
       KGE_CONFIDENCE_THRESHOLD: "0.3"
       KGE_EMBEDDING_DIM: "300"
       PARETO_ENABLED: "true"
+    # CEG-007: redis was a depends_on: service_healthy here for a dependency
+    # no code imports.
     depends_on:
       neo4j:
         condition: service_healthy
-      redis:
-        condition: service_healthy
     healthcheck:
       test: ["CMD", "python", "-c", "import urllib.request; urllib.request.urlopen('http://localhost:8000/v1/health')"]
       interval: 30s
@@ -106,28 +114,9 @@ services:
       retries: 10
     restart: always
 
-  # ── Redis 7.x ───────────────────────────────────────────
-  redis:
-    image: redis:7-alpine
-    container_name: l9-redis-prod
-    ports:
-      - "6379:6379"
-    command: redis-server --maxmemory 256mb --maxmemory-policy allkeys-lru
-    volumes:
-      - redis-data:/data
-    networks:
-      - l9-net
-    healthcheck:
-      test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "ping"]
-      interval: 10s
-      timeout: 3s
-      retries: 5
-    restart: always
-
 volumes:
   neo4j-data:
   neo4j-logs:
-  redis-data:
 
 networks:
   l9-net:
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 8f12b4b8..b6d1e80c 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 # Usage: docker compose up -d
 # API:      http://localhost:8000/v1/health
 # Neo4j:    http://localhost:7474 (browser), bolt://localhost:7687
-# Redis:    localhost:6379
 # Postgres: localhost:5432 (PacketStore + ComplianceEngine audit-flush pool)
 
 services:
@@ -39,7 +38,13 @@ services:
       GATE_ADMIN_TOKEN: ${GATE_ADMIN_TOKEN:-dev-gate-admin-token-not-for-production}
       GATE_REGISTRATION_ENABLED: "true"
       L9_NODE_NAME: graph
-      L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH: engine/spec.yaml
+      # CEG-003: the SDK reads GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH (gate/config.py). This was
+      # L9_NODE_SPEC_PATH, which nothing consumes — registration worked only
+      # because the SDK's default happens to be engine/spec.yaml and WORKDIR is
+      # /app. Relocating the spec would have silently had no effect until the
+      # default path stopped existing, at which point register_with_gate
+      # swallows FileNotFoundError and returns False.
+      GATE_NODE_SPEC_PATH: engine/spec.yaml
       L9_ENVIRONMENT: local
       L9_SERVICE_NAME: graph-engine
       L9_SERVICE_VERSION: 1.1.0
@@ -50,6 +55,16 @@ services:
       L9_SIGNING_ALGORITHM: hmac-sha256
       L9_SIGNING_KEY: dev-shared-hmac-secret-not-for-production
       L9_SIGNING_KEY_ID: graph-engine-v1
+      # CEG-002: L9_REQUIRE_SIGNATURE also turns on verification of the
+      # responses Gate signs, and Gate signs with *its* key id — not CEG's. With
+      # no verifying-key map this file shipped a node that rejected every signed
+      # Gate response with "no verifying key available for transport signature
+      # verification". The E2E only passed because its harness supplied the map.
+      # HMAC verification uses the same shared secret as signing; under ed25519
+      # these are Gate's and CEG's public keys instead.
+      L9_VERIFYING_KEYS_JSON: >-
+        {"gate-v1": "dev-shared-hmac-secret-not-for-production",
+         "graph-engine-v1": "dev-shared-hmac-secret-not-for-production"}
       # `enrich` deliberately absent: Gate owns that action name for EIE.
       L9_ALLOWED_ACTIONS: match,sync,admin,outcomes,resolve,health,healthcheck
       L9_MAX_ATTACHMENTS: "0"
@@ -61,8 +76,6 @@ services:
       NEO4J_USERNAME: neo4j
       NEO4J_PASSWORD: l9-dev-password
       NEO4J_POOL_SIZE: "20"
-      # Redis
-      REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0
       # API
       API_KEY: dev-key-sha256-not-for-production
       LOG_LEVEL: debug
@@ -88,11 +101,11 @@ services:
       # Hot-reload: mount source code so changes reflect without rebuild
       - ./engine:/app/engine:ro
       - ./domains:/app/domains:ro
+    # CEG-007: redis was a depends_on: service_healthy here, so the api service
+    # could not start without a Redis nothing imports.
     depends_on:
       neo4j:
         condition: service_healthy
-      redis:
-        condition: service_healthy
       postgres:
         condition: service_healthy
     healthcheck:
@@ -135,24 +148,6 @@ services:
     networks:
       - l9-graph
 
-  # ── Redis 7.x ───────────────────────────────────────────
-  redis:
-    image: redis:7-alpine
-    container_name: l9-graph-redis
-    ports:
-      - "6379:6379"
-    command: redis-server --maxmemory 128mb --maxmemory-policy allkeys-lru
-    volumes:
-      - redis_data:/data
-    healthcheck:
-      test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "ping"]
-      interval: 5s
-      timeout: 3s
-      retries: 5
-    restart: unless-stopped
-    networks:
-      - l9-graph
-
   # ── PostgreSQL 16 (PacketStore + ComplianceEngine audit) ──
   postgres:
     image: postgres:16-alpine
@@ -183,7 +178,6 @@ volumes:
   neo4j_data:
   neo4j_logs:
   neo4j_plugins:
-  redis_data:
   postgres_data:
 
 networks:
diff --git a/docs/DEPLOYMENT.md b/docs/DEPLOYMENT.md
index c0f76dd2..f92cd909 100644
--- a/docs/DEPLOYMENT.md
+++ b/docs/DEPLOYMENT.md
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ The Graph Cognitive Engine is deployed on Hetzner Cloud.
 | **Health Check** | `http://178.104.43.11:8000/v1/health` | 8000 |
 | **Neo4j Browser** | `http://178.104.43.11:7474` | 7474 |
 | **Neo4j Bolt** | `bolt://178.104.43.11:7687` | 7687 |
-| **Redis** | `redis://178.104.43.11:6379` | 6379 |
 
 ### SSH Access
 
@@ -65,7 +64,6 @@ L9_LIFECYCLE_HOOK=engine.boot:GraphLifecycle
 NEO4J_URI=bolt://neo4j:7687
 NEO4J_USERNAME=neo4j
 NEO4J_PASSWORD=<from-secrets>
-REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
 API_PORT=8000
 LOG_LEVEL=info
 CORS_ORIGINS=[]
@@ -113,9 +111,9 @@ ssh root@178.104.43.11 "cd /opt/ceg && docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml
 │                    l9-ceg (178.104.43.11)                   │
 ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
 │                                                             │
-│  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐         │
-│  │   API       │  │   Neo4j     │  │   Redis     │         │
-│  │  :8000      │  │  :7474/7687 │  │  :6379      │         │
+│  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐                          │
+│  │   API       │  │   Neo4j     │                          │
+│  │  :8000      │  │  :7474/7687 │                          │
 │  │             │  │             │  │             │         │
 │  │ FastAPI +   │  │ Graph DB +  │  │ Cache +     │         │
 │  │ Uvicorn     │  │ GDS Plugin  │  │ Sessions    │         │
diff --git a/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md b/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
index 75effa8d..ad8339b7 100644
--- a/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
+++ b/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ independently of the code default.
 | Capability Auth (domain-spec model) | `CAPABILITY_AUTH_ENABLED` | `True` | `True` | active |
 | PostgreSQL Audit Pool | `POSTGRES_DSN` | unset (`None`) | set | active (opt-in, soft dependency — see §7) |
 | Idea Portfolio Graph | `IDEA_PORTFOLIO_ENABLED` (`idea_portfolio_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; opt-in IdeaOS portfolio reads/hydration |
+| Graph Inference Feedback | `GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED` (`graph_inference_feedback_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; CEG → Gate → EIE `graph-inference-result` — see §13 |
+| Domain Database Provisioning | `AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE` (`auto_create_domain_database`) | `False` | unset | dormant; create the tenant domain database on first use — see §14 |
 | Constellation Orchestration | — | — | — | accepted architectural gap — see §9 |
 
 ---
@@ -325,6 +327,86 @@ intact.
 
 ---
 
+## 13. Graph Inference Feedback (EIE-008 / CEG-006)
+
+**State**: Dormant
+**Flag**: `GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED=False` (default off)
+
+Emits `graph-inference-result` to Enrichment.Inference.Engine through Gate.
+EIE advertises that action to Gate and implements the whole consumer side —
+packet validation, per-tenant queues, target extraction, a 0.55 confidence
+floor, injection into the convergence loop — and nothing in CEG ever produced
+the packet, so the loop had a consumer and no producer. Both sides were even
+built to the same confidence floor.
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- `GATE_URL` configured and Gate reachable; `graph-inference-result` is owned by
+  `eie` in Gate's `CANONICAL_ACTION_OWNERS`, so Gate resolves the destination.
+- EIE registered with Gate advertising `graph-inference-result`.
+
+### Activation Steps
+
+1. Set `GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED=true`.
+2. Drive the `admin` subaction `emit_inference_feedback` with an `entity`,
+   an `entity_id`, and optionally a `rules` list (defaults to every registered
+   inference rule).
+
+### Validation
+
+The dispatch result carries `sent_outputs`: how many findings cleared the 0.55
+floor and were actually sent. `status: "skipped"` with
+`no_outputs_above_confidence_floor` means nothing qualified and no packet was
+sent — an empty `inference_outputs` list is valid to EIE and would cost a Gate
+round trip to queue nothing.
+
+### Rollback
+
+Set the flag back to `False`. Each emission queues re-enrichment targets in EIE
+and therefore spends EIE budget, which is why it ships off — the same reason as
+`AUTO_ENRICH_VIA_GATE`.
+
+---
+
+## 14. Domain Database Provisioning (CEG-008)
+
+**State**: Dormant
+**Flag**: `AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE=False` (default off)
+
+`match` and `sync` route queries to a Neo4j database named after the domain id.
+Neo4j does not create databases implicitly, so on a fresh instance every sync
+and match failed with an `ExecutionError` until an operator ran
+`CREATE DATABASE` by hand. With this flag on, `GraphDriver` provisions the
+database on first use — once per database per process.
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- **Neo4j Enterprise Edition.** `CREATE DATABASE` is an Enterprise
+  administrative command; Community Edition rejects it.
+- Credentials with database administration privileges.
+
+### Activation Steps
+
+1. Set `AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE=true`.
+2. No restart of Neo4j is required; the next query against an unprovisioned
+   domain creates it.
+
+### Validation
+
+`Ensured Neo4j database '<id>' exists` is logged on the provisioning call.
+A refusal (Community Edition, or missing privilege) is logged as a warning and
+does **not** raise: a deployment whose database already exists is never blocked
+by a CREATE it is not allowed to run.
+
+### Rollback
+
+Set the flag back to `False`. Provisioning stops; a query against an absent
+database then raises `DatabaseNotProvisionedError`, which names the missing
+database and the exact `CREATE DATABASE` command. That message is present
+whether or not the flag is on.
+
+---
+
 ## Querying Feature Status
 
 Use the `feature_status` admin subaction to get current state of all gates:
diff --git a/docs/contracts/config/env-contract.yaml b/docs/contracts/config/env-contract.yaml
index 477d775c..20d2581a 100644
--- a/docs/contracts/config/env-contract.yaml
+++ b/docs/contracts/config/env-contract.yaml
@@ -94,17 +94,12 @@ variables:
     source: env
     sensitive: false
 
-  # ── Redis ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
-  - name: REDIS_URL
-    type: url
-    required: true
-    default: "redis://localhost:6379/0"
-    description: |
-      Redis connection URL. In Docker Compose: redis://redis:6379/0.
-      Used for scoring result caching and GDS output caching.
-    source: env
-    sensitive: false
-    example: "redis://redis:6379/0"
+  # CEG-007: REDIS_URL was declared here as required: true, described as backing
+  # "scoring result caching and GDS output caching". No such caching exists —
+  # nothing under engine/ or chassis/ imports redis at all. The variable, the
+  # dependency, the compose services and docs/contracts/dependencies/redis.yaml
+  # are removed together rather than leaving a contract that describes behaviour
+  # the code never had.
 
   # ── API Surface ───────────────────────────────────────────
   - name: API_KEY
diff --git a/docs/contracts/dependencies/redis.yaml b/docs/contracts/dependencies/redis.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 31b25750..00000000
--- a/docs/contracts/dependencies/redis.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-# Contract: Redis 7 Dependency
-# Source:   docker-compose.yml (redis service)
-#           engine/config/settings.py:redis_url
-# Version:  1.0.0
-# Updated:  2026-04-26
-# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-
-service_name: redis
-type: external
-protocol: redis
-version: "7-alpine"
-
-connection:
-  base_url_env: REDIS_URL
-  default_url: "redis://redis:6379/0"
-  auth_method: none
-
-usage:
-  - purpose: Scoring result caching
-    description: GDS and scoring dimension results are cached to avoid recomputation.
-  - purpose: Domain pack cache
-    description: Async domain spec cache with TTL (W4-03). TTL=DOMAIN_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS.
-
-docker_compose:
-  image: redis:7-alpine
-  port: "6379:6379"
-  command: "redis-server --maxmemory 128mb --maxmemory-policy allkeys-lru"
-  eviction_policy: allkeys-lru
-  max_memory: 128mb
-
-health_check:
-  command: "redis-cli ping"
-
-fallback: |
-  No explicit Redis fallback/circuit breaker implemented.
-  Engine will degrade if Redis is unavailable — scoring will proceed
-  without cache.
diff --git a/domains/aios_god_agent_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/aios-god-agent/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/aios_god_agent_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/aios-god-agent/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/executive_assistant_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/executive-assistant/spec.yaml
similarity index 88%
rename from domains/executive_assistant_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/executive-assistant/spec.yaml
index 3135e784..f68b5441 100644
--- a/domains/executive_assistant_domain_spec.yaml
+++ b/domains/executive-assistant/spec.yaml
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ ontology:
         - {name: category, type: enum}
         - {name: steps, type: string}
 
+    # CEG-009: HAS_SKILL below targets Skill, which was never declared, so this
+    # spec failed the ontology cross-reference validator and could not load at
+    # all. It went unnoticed because the file was also in the flat
+    # <name>_domain_spec.yaml shape the loader never reads.
+    - label: Skill
+      managedby: static
+      auxiliary: true
+      properties:
+        - {name: skillid, type: string, required: true}
+        - {name: name, type: string}
+        - {name: category, type: enum}
+
   edges:
     - {type: HAS_SKILL, from: Expert, to: Skill, direction: DIRECTED, category: capability, managedby: sync}
     - {type: COMPLETED_TASK, from: Expert, to: Task, direction: DIRECTED, category: transaction, managedby: api}
diff --git a/domains/freight_matching_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/freight-matching/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/freight_matching_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/freight-matching/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/healthcare_referral_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/healthcare-referral/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/healthcare_referral_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/healthcare-referral/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/legal_discovery_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/legal-discovery/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/legal_discovery_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/legal-discovery/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/mortgage_brokerage_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/mortgage-brokerage/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/mortgage_brokerage_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/mortgage-brokerage/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/repo_as_agent_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/repo-as-agent/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/repo_as_agent_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/repo-as-agent/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/research_agent_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/research-agent/spec.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from domains/research_agent_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/research-agent/spec.yaml
diff --git a/domains/roofing_company_domain_spec.yaml b/domains/roofing-company/spec.yaml
similarity index 87%
rename from domains/roofing_company_domain_spec.yaml
rename to domains/roofing-company/spec.yaml
index 0f970460..35f75eb9 100644
--- a/domains/roofing_company_domain_spec.yaml
+++ b/domains/roofing-company/spec.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,19 @@ ontology:
         - {name: priceperunit, type: float, unit: currency}
         - {name: warrantyears, type: int}
 
+    # CEG-009: SERVICES_ZIP below targets ZipCode, which was never declared, so
+    # this spec failed the ontology cross-reference validator and could not load
+    # at all. Hidden by the flat <name>_domain_spec.yaml shape the loader never
+    # reads. Contractor.servicezips carries the same coverage as a raw string;
+    # the node is what the edge needs to resolve against.
+    - label: ZipCode
+      managedby: static
+      auxiliary: true
+      properties:
+        - {name: zipcode, type: string, required: true}
+        - {name: city, type: string}
+        - {name: state, type: string}
+
   edges:
     - {type: SERVICES_ZIP, from: Contractor, to: ZipCode, direction: DIRECTED, category: capability, managedby: sync}
     - {type: USES_MATERIAL, from: Contractor, to: Material, direction: DIRECTED, category: capability, managedby: sync}
diff --git a/engine/config/settings.py b/engine/config/settings.py
index efb9cd16..9a4bdb95 100644
--- a/engine/config/settings.py
+++ b/engine/config/settings.py
@@ -56,8 +56,12 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     neo4j_max_connection_lifetime: int = 3600
     neo4j_connection_acquisition_timeout: int = 60
 
-    # --- Redis ---
-    redis_url: str = "redis://localhost:6379/0"
+    # CEG-007: there was a `redis_url` here, and a redis service in both compose
+    # files, and a redis dependency in requirements — and no `import redis`
+    # anywhere under engine/ or chassis/. The declared contract claimed scoring
+    # and domain-pack caching that was never built. Operators could not start the
+    # api service without Redis running, for a dependency nothing used. All of it
+    # is removed; if shared state is wanted later, add it with the code that uses it.
 
     # --- API ---
     api_port: int = 8000
@@ -144,6 +148,17 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     # Distinct from PACKET_STORE_DSN (engine/packet/packet_store.py), which manages
     # its own lazy pool — both may point at the same Postgres instance.
 
+    # CEG-008: `match` and `sync` route queries to a Neo4j database named after
+    # the domain id, and nothing ever created it — Neo4j does not create
+    # databases implicitly, so on a fresh instance every sync and match failed
+    # with an ExecutionError until an operator ran CREATE DATABASE by hand.
+    # With this on, GraphDriver provisions the database on first use (once per
+    # database per process). Off by default: CREATE DATABASE is an Enterprise
+    # Edition administrative command requiring privileges a read-only
+    # deployment is not expected to hold. Either way the failure now names the
+    # missing database and the command that provides it.
+    auto_create_domain_database: bool = False
+
     # --- Wave 7: Explicit Tenant Database Binding ---
     strict_tenant_database: bool = (
         False  # W7-01: require explicit database= on GraphDriver calls; no implicit 'neo4j' fallback
@@ -155,6 +170,12 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     # Seam audit / PR remediation: paid-tier enrich_now Gate dispatch is opt-in.
     # Default off so deploy does not immediately spend EIE budget until enabled.
     auto_enrich_via_gate: bool = False
+    # EIE-008 / CEG-006: emit `graph-inference-result` to EIE through Gate. EIE
+    # advertises and implements the consumer side end to end; nothing here ever
+    # produced the packet, so the feedback loop had no producer. Off by default
+    # for the same reason as auto_enrich_via_gate — each emission queues
+    # re-enrichment targets and so spends EIE budget.
+    graph_inference_feedback_enabled: bool = False
     # IdeaOS portfolio graph is a new behavioral surface. Keep both corpus writes
     # and portfolio-context reads dormant until explicitly activated by an operator.
     idea_portfolio_enabled: bool = False
diff --git a/engine/gate_egress.py b/engine/gate_egress.py
index 7d7cbbc9..c5ce7324 100644
--- a/engine/gate_egress.py
+++ b/engine/gate_egress.py
@@ -11,10 +11,23 @@
 
 engine/gate_egress.py — the only CEG -> peer egress: CEG -> Gate -> EIE.
 
-CEG never addresses the enrichment node. It asks Gate to run the `enrich`
-action (owned by Enrichment.Inference.Engine in Gate's ownership map) and
-receives Gate's response packet. The SDK owns packet construction, signing,
-the single HTTP attempt, and the deadline derived from ``timeout_ms``.
+CEG never addresses the enrichment node. It asks Gate to run an EIE-owned
+action (``enrich``, ``graph-inference-result``; see Gate's
+CANONICAL_ACTION_OWNERS) and receives Gate's response packet. The SDK owns
+packet construction, signing, the single HTTP attempt, and the deadline derived
+from ``timeout_ms``.
+
+Two directions live here:
+
+* ``request_enrichment`` — CEG asks EIE to research fields it is missing.
+* ``emit_graph_inference_result`` — CEG hands EIE values it derived from the
+  graph, which EIE's ``GraphReturnChannel`` feeds into the convergence loop.
+
+The second closes a loop that was open in one direction only (EIE-008 /
+CEG-006): EIE advertised ``graph-inference-result`` to Gate and implemented the
+whole consumer side — validation, per-tenant queues, target extraction — while
+no code in CEG ever constructed such a packet. The two halves were even built
+to the same 0.55 confidence floor and never connected.
 
 Fail-closed rules (seam audit 2026-09-02):
   * no GATE_URL -> ``gate_not_configured``; there is no direct fallback;
@@ -38,9 +51,18 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 ENRICH_ACTION = "enrich"
+GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION = "graph-inference-result"
 DEFAULT_ENRICH_TIMEOUT_MS = 25_000
+DEFAULT_INFERENCE_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000
 _SEAM_TAGS: tuple[str, ...] = ("INTER_NODE",)
 
+# EIE drops any inference output below this confidence
+# (app/services/graph_return_channel.py CONFIDENCE_FLOOR). CEG's own rule
+# registry suppresses below the same number (InferenceContext.confidence_floor).
+# Filtering here too means a packet never carries outputs the receiver will
+# silently discard, so "sent 6, queued 2" is visible at the sender.
+INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR = 0.55
+
 
 def build_enrichment_request(
     *,
@@ -144,10 +166,154 @@ async def request_enrichment(
     }
 
 
+def inference_idempotency_key(tenant: str, entity_id: str, outputs: Sequence[dict[str, Any]]) -> str:
+    """Stable over the same findings, so a retry cannot double-queue targets."""
+    parts = sorted(f"{o.get('field')}={o.get('value')!r}@{o.get('confidence')}" for o in outputs)
+    digest = hashlib.sha256("|".join([tenant, entity_id, *parts]).encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
+    return f"ceg:graph-inference:{tenant}:{entity_id}:{digest[:16]}"
+
+
+def build_inference_outputs(
+    entity_id: str,
+    results: Sequence[Any],
+) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Shape CEG inference results into EIE's ``inference_outputs`` elements.
+
+    Accepts ``InferenceResult`` (engine.inference_rule_registry) or a mapping
+    already in that shape. EIE requires ``entity_id``, ``field``, ``value``,
+    ``confidence`` and ``rule`` per element; ``InferenceResult.to_dict()``
+    already produces all but ``entity_id``.
+
+    Outputs below ``INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR`` are dropped here rather than
+    sent to be dropped there.
+    """
+    outputs: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+    for result in results:
+        raw = result.to_dict() if hasattr(result, "to_dict") else dict(result)
+        field_name = raw.get("field")
+        if not field_name:
+            logger.warning("gate_egress: inference output without a field name — dropped")
+            continue
+        try:
+            confidence = float(raw.get("confidence", 0.0))
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            logger.warning("gate_egress: non-numeric confidence for field=%s — dropped", field_name)
+            continue
+        if confidence < INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR:
+            logger.debug(
+                "gate_egress: confidence %.3f below floor %.3f for field=%s — not sent",
+                confidence,
+                INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR,
+                field_name,
+            )
+            continue
+        outputs.append(
+            {
+                "entity_id": entity_id,
+                "field": str(field_name),
+                "value": raw.get("value"),
+                "confidence": confidence,
+                "rule": str(raw.get("rule", "unknown")),
+                "provenance": str(raw.get("provenance", "inference")),
+                "rationale": str(raw.get("rationale", "")),
+            }
+        )
+    return outputs
+
+
+async def emit_graph_inference_result(
+    *,
+    tenant: str,
+    entity_id: str,
+    results: Sequence[Any],
+    timeout_ms: int = DEFAULT_INFERENCE_TIMEOUT_MS,
+    correlation_id: str | None = None,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Hand graph-derived field values to EIE via Gate. One attempt, fail closed.
+
+    EIE's ``GraphReturnChannel`` converts each output into an ``EnrichmentTarget``
+    and feeds the convergence loop, so this is the producer for the action EIE
+    has advertised and implemented all along (EIE-008).
+
+    Returns a result dict shaped like ``request_enrichment``'s, with
+    ``sent_outputs`` so a caller can see how many findings survived the floor.
+    A call with nothing above the floor is reported as ``skipped`` and sends no
+    packet — an empty ``inference_outputs`` list is valid to EIE and would cost
+    a Gate round trip to queue nothing.
+    """
+    outputs = build_inference_outputs(entity_id, results)
+    key = inference_idempotency_key(tenant, entity_id, outputs)
+
+    if not outputs:
+        return {
+            "status": "skipped",
+            "error": "no_outputs_above_confidence_floor",
+            "action": GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
+            "idempotency_key": key,
+            "sent_outputs": 0,
+        }
+
+    if not os.environ.get("GATE_URL", "").strip():
+        logger.warning("gate_egress: GATE_URL unset — inference result for %s not sent", entity_id)
+        return {
+            "status": "failed",
+            "error": "gate_not_configured",
+            "action": GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
+            "idempotency_key": key,
+            "sent_outputs": 0,
+        }
+
+    try:
+        client = get_gate_client()
+        response = await client.execute(
+            action=GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
+            payload={"inference_outputs": outputs},
+            tenant=tenant,
+            idempotency_key=key,
+            timeout_ms=timeout_ms,
+            correlation_id=correlation_id,
+            compliance_tags=_SEAM_TAGS,
+        )
+    except GateClientError as exc:
+        logger.warning(
+            "gate_egress: %s for inference entity=%s tenant=%s: %s",
+            type(exc).__name__,
+            entity_id,
+            tenant,
+            exc,
+        )
+        return {
+            "status": "failed",
+            "error": type(exc).__name__,
+            "detail": str(exc),
+            "action": GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
+            "idempotency_key": key,
+            "sent_outputs": 0,
+        }
+
+    failed = response.header.packet_type == "failure"
+    return {
+        "status": "failed" if failed else "ok",
+        "action": GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
+        "idempotency_key": key,
+        "sent_outputs": len(outputs),
+        "packet_id": str(response.header.packet_id),
+        "packet_type": response.header.packet_type,
+        "correlation_id": str(response.header.correlation_id) if response.header.correlation_id else None,
+        "payload": dict(response.payload),
+    }
+
+
 __all__ = [
     "DEFAULT_ENRICH_TIMEOUT_MS",
+    "DEFAULT_INFERENCE_TIMEOUT_MS",
     "ENRICH_ACTION",
+    "GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION",
+    "INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR",
     "build_enrichment_request",
+    "build_inference_outputs",
+    "emit_graph_inference_result",
     "enrichment_idempotency_key",
+    "inference_idempotency_key",
     "request_enrichment",
 ]
diff --git a/engine/graph/driver.py b/engine/graph/driver.py
index 973c5b78..48708824 100644
--- a/engine/graph/driver.py
+++ b/engine/graph/driver.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import asyncio
 import logging
 import os
+import re
 from typing import Any
 
 from neo4j import AsyncDriver, AsyncGraphDatabase
@@ -24,6 +25,42 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# Databases the DBMS always provides; never candidates for provisioning.
+_BUILTIN_DATABASES = frozenset({"neo4j", "system"})
+
+# Neo4j database naming rules: begins with an ASCII letter, then letters,
+# digits, dots, dashes or underscores, 3-63 characters. CREATE DATABASE cannot
+# take the name as a query parameter (it is an administrative command, not a
+# read/write query), so the name is quoted into the statement — and therefore
+# must be validated first. Domain ids legitimately contain dashes
+# ("healthcare-referral"), which is why engine.utils.security.sanitize_label
+# does not apply here: its label grammar forbids them.
+_DATABASE_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9._-]{2,62}$")
+
+# Substrings Neo4j uses when the target database is absent. Matched case
+# insensitively against the driver's message.
+_DATABASE_ABSENT_MARKERS = (
+    "database does not exist",
+    "databasenotfound",
+    "unable to get a routing table for database",
+)
+
+
+class DatabaseNotProvisionedError(RuntimeError):
+    """A query named a database the DBMS does not have.
+
+    CEG-008: `match` and `sync` route to a database named after the domain id,
+    and nothing created it. Neo4j does not create databases implicitly, so on a
+    fresh instance every sync and match failed with the driver's own message
+    until an operator happened to run CREATE DATABASE by hand. This names the
+    missing database and the command that provides it.
+    """
+
+
+def _looks_like_absent_database(exc: Exception) -> bool:
+    message = str(exc).casefold()
+    return any(marker in message for marker in _DATABASE_ABSENT_MARKERS)
+
 
 class GraphDriver:
     """Neo4j async driver manager."""
@@ -48,6 +85,9 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._driver: AsyncDriver | None = None
         self._lock = asyncio.Lock()
+        # Databases this process has already provisioned or confirmed, so the
+        # CREATE is attempted at most once per database per process.
+        self._ensured_databases: set[str] = set()
 
         # W4-02: Circuit breaker — configured via settings, defaults provided
         from engine.config.settings import settings
@@ -131,7 +171,69 @@ async def execute_query(
                 )
                 raise ValueError(msg)
             database = "neo4j"
-        return await self._circuit_breaker.call(self._raw_execute_query, cypher, parameters, database)
+
+        # CEG-008: a tenant domain database has to exist before it can be
+        # queried. Under the flag we provision it on first use; without it we at
+        # least say what is missing instead of surfacing the driver's message.
+        from engine.config.settings import settings as _db_settings
+
+        if _db_settings.auto_create_domain_database:
+            await self.ensure_database(database)
+
+        try:
+            return await self._circuit_breaker.call(self._raw_execute_query, cypher, parameters, database)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            if _looks_like_absent_database(exc) and database not in _BUILTIN_DATABASES:
+                msg = (
+                    f"Neo4j database {database!r} does not exist. Domain queries route to a "
+                    f"database named after the domain id, and Neo4j does not create one "
+                    f"implicitly. Run this against the system database (Enterprise "
+                    f"Edition):  CREATE DATABASE `{database}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT  "
+                    f"-- or set AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE=true to have the engine "
+                    f"create it on first use."
+                )
+                raise DatabaseNotProvisionedError(msg) from exc
+            raise
+
+    async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
+        """Create the domain database if it is absent. Idempotent per process.
+
+        Returns True when the database is known to exist afterwards, False when
+        provisioning was not possible (Community Edition, or insufficient
+        privileges) — in which case the query that follows fails with the
+        message above rather than here, so a read-only deployment that has the
+        database already is not blocked by a CREATE it is not allowed to run.
+        """
+        if name in _BUILTIN_DATABASES or name in self._ensured_databases:
+            return True
+        if not _DATABASE_NAME_RE.fullmatch(name):
+            msg = (
+                f"refusing to provision Neo4j database {name!r}: a database name must begin "
+                f"with a letter and contain only letters, digits, dots, dashes or underscores "
+                f"(3-63 characters). CREATE DATABASE takes no query parameter, so an "
+                f"unvalidated name would be interpolated into an administrative command."
+            )
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+
+        # Administrative commands must run against `system`, and the name is
+        # back-quoted because a dash is legal in a database name but not in a
+        # bare identifier. The regex above is what makes that quoting safe.
+        cypher = f"CREATE DATABASE `{name}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT"
+        try:
+            await self._raw_execute_query(cypher, None, "system")
+        except Exception as exc:
+            logger.warning(
+                "Could not provision Neo4j database %r (%s: %s). "
+                "CREATE DATABASE is Enterprise Edition only and requires admin privileges.",
+                name,
+                type(exc).__name__,
+                exc,
+            )
+            return False
+
+        self._ensured_databases.add(name)
+        logger.info("Ensured Neo4j database %r exists", name)
+        return True
 
     async def _raw_execute_write(
         self,
diff --git a/engine/handlers.py b/engine/handlers.py
index fb1b426d..b1d1f606 100644
--- a/engine/handlers.py
+++ b/engine/handlers.py
@@ -1424,6 +1424,69 @@ async def handle_admin(tenant: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
             "outcome_history_size": len(outcome_history),
         }
 
+    # ── CEG-006: AI-readiness health, reachable from an inbound packet ───────
+    # engine/health/api.py implemented three handlers and was imported by
+    # nothing, so `request_enrichment` — the whole CEG -> Gate -> EIE direction
+    # — had no trigger any packet could reach. It hangs off `admin` rather than
+    # a new advertised action for the same reason `trigger_gds` does: these are
+    # operator surfaces, not collaboration routes Gate load-balances.
+    if subaction in {"health_assess", "health_batch_assess", "health_report"}:
+        from engine.health import api as health_api
+
+        health_handlers = {
+            "health_assess": health_api.handle_health_assess,
+            "health_batch_assess": health_api.handle_health_batch_assess,
+            "health_report": health_api.handle_health_report,
+        }
+        return await health_handlers[subaction](tenant, payload)
+
+    # ── EIE-008: hand graph-derived field values back to EIE through Gate ────
+    # EIE advertises and implements `graph-inference-result` end to end and no
+    # code here ever produced one, so the feedback loop the architecture implies
+    # had a consumer and no producer. Flag-gated: it spends EIE budget.
+    if subaction == "emit_inference_feedback":
+        from engine.config.settings import settings as _inf_settings
+
+        if not _inf_settings.graph_inference_feedback_enabled:
+            return {
+                "status": "disabled",
+                "message": ("Graph inference feedback is disabled. Set GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED=True."),
+            }
+
+        from engine.gate_egress import emit_graph_inference_result
+        from engine.inference_rule_registry import (
+            InferenceContext,
+            execute_rule,
+            list_registered_rules,
+        )
+
+        entity = _require_key(payload, "entity", "admin", tenant)
+        entity_id = _require_key(payload, "entity_id", "admin", tenant)
+        domain_id = payload.get("domain_id", tenant)
+        requested = payload.get("rules") or list_registered_rules()
+
+        context = InferenceContext(
+            tenant_id=tenant,
+            domain_id=domain_id,
+            pass_number=int(payload.get("pass_number", 1)),
+            known_fields=dict(entity),
+        )
+        results = [
+            result for rule_name in requested if (result := execute_rule(rule_name, entity, context)) is not None
+        ]
+        dispatch = await emit_graph_inference_result(
+            tenant=tenant,
+            entity_id=str(entity_id),
+            results=results,
+        )
+        return {
+            "status": "inference_feedback_emitted",
+            "entity_id": entity_id,
+            "rules_run": list(requested),
+            "results_produced": len(results),
+            "dispatch": dispatch,
+        }
+
     raise ValidationError(f"Unknown admin subaction: {subaction!r}", action="admin", tenant=tenant)
 
 
diff --git a/engine/spec.yaml b/engine/spec.yaml
index d58d5897..676eb1cf 100644
--- a/engine/spec.yaml
+++ b/engine/spec.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@
 node:
   id: graph
   version: "1.1.0"
+  # CEG-005: declare the semantic owner instead of letting Gate infer it.
+  # The SDK flattens node.owner into metadata.owner, and Gate's registration
+  # ownership assertion is fail-closed for canonical actions. With no owner
+  # here, registration succeeded only because Gate's _OWNER_ALIASES maps the
+  # node name "graph" to "ceg" — correct today, and a name-based alias rather
+  # than a declaration. Renaming the node would have broken registration for
+  # every canonical action at once. EIE declares owner=eie for the same reason.
+  owner: ceg
   type: engine
   internal_url: "http://graph:8000"
   health_endpoint: /v1/health
diff --git a/poetry.lock b/poetry.lock
index d606da32..9c697805 100644
--- a/poetry.lock
+++ b/poetry.lock
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# This file is automatically @generated by Poetry 2.3.2 and should not be changed by hand.
+# This file is automatically @generated by Poetry 2.3.3 and should not be changed by hand.
 
 [[package]]
 name = "annotated-doc"
@@ -2036,26 +2036,6 @@ files = [
     {file = "pyyaml-6.0.3.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:d76623373421df22fb4cf8817020cbb7ef15c725b9d5e45f17e189bfc384190f"},
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "redis"
-version = "8.1.0"
-description = "Python client for Redis database and key-value store"
-optional = false
-python-versions = ">=3.10"
-groups = ["main"]
-files = [
-    {file = "redis-8.1.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:a4fe1aac3d3b3cc791d4b3d5931c5a956045dc951ee74d1c913ee3ac4d2ee9fb"},
-    {file = "redis-8.1.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:6e1a19beef9225c83efd689c7e6b7da2d5215b1f42cd13b7fc3714d0a09c7b25"},
-]
-
-[package.extras]
-circuit-breaker = ["pybreaker (>=1.4.0)"]
-hiredis = ["hiredis (>=3.2.0)"]
-jwt = ["pyjwt (>=2.13.0)"]
-ocsp = ["cryptography (>=36.0.1)", "pyopenssl (>=20.0.1)", "requests (>=2.31.0)"]
-otel = ["opentelemetry-api (>=1.39.1)", "opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-proto-http (>=1.39.1)", "opentelemetry-sdk (>=1.39.1)"]
-xxhash = ["xxhash (>=3.6.0,<3.7.0)"]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "requests"
 version = "2.33.0"
@@ -2715,4 +2695,4 @@ dev = ["pytest", "setuptools"]
 [metadata]
 lock-version = "2.1"
 python-versions = "^3.12"
-content-hash = "1e726460d8433f929a08ddca9a953e4b2af22a87b594fc075e64a48c378147be"
+content-hash = "8dd164d3ea9e0833dbca78643fefd7e161ef7bcdbea0625392c3a7bab26e51a0"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 58e285f1..42153b31 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ pydantic = "^2.10.0"
 pydantic-settings = "^2.6.0"
 pyyaml = "^6.0"
 python-multipart = ">=0.0.9,<0.0.32"
-redis = ">=7.4,<9.0"
 apscheduler = "^3.10.0"
 httpx = "^0.28.0"
 structlog = ">=25.5,<27.0"
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 8deaa8c5..dec56400 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ pydantic-settings>=2.6.0,<3.0.0
 pyyaml>=6.0,<7.0
 types-PyYAML>=6.0
 python-multipart>=0.0.9,<1.0.0
-redis>=7.4.0,<8.0.0
 apscheduler>=3.10.0,<4.0.0
 httpx>=0.28.0,<0.29.0
 structlog>=25.5.0,<27.0.0
diff --git a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
index a7627888..383824f6 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -4,6 +4,21 @@
 Policy (CEG#266 / PR #263): constellation-node-sdk tracks ``Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK@v1``.
 Manifests name the major tag. poetry.lock records that tag as ``reference`` and
 the resolved object as ``resolved_reference``.
+
+CEG-001 asked for an immutable SHA in the manifests instead. The release set
+kept the moving tag and closed the finding the other way: the **lock** is the
+identity every deployed image installs, so the lock is what this script
+verifies, and the resolved commit is printed on PASS so a build log records
+which SDK object was actually taken. ``Enrichment.Inference.Engine/scripts/
+validate_sdk_pin.py`` enforces the same contract over that repo's
+``requirements.lock``.
+
+Accepted trade-off, stated rather than hidden: a build that resolves the
+manifest live (``pip install -r requirements.txt``, and CI installs generally)
+takes whatever ``v1`` points at that minute, while a lock-driven build takes
+``resolved_reference``. They agree today. Moving the ``v1`` tag without
+refreshing the lock is what would separate them, and that is a deliberate act
+with a diff, not silent drift between two files in this repository.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -57,13 +72,22 @@ def check_tree(root: Path) -> list[str]:
     return errors
 
 
+def resolved_commit(root: Path) -> str | None:
+    """The commit poetry.lock records for the major tag, for the PASS line."""
+    path = root / "poetry.lock"
+    if not path.exists():
+        return None
+    match = LOCK_REFERENCE_RE.search(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    return None if match is None else match.group(2)
+
+
 def main() -> int:
     errors = check_tree(ROOT)
     if errors:
         print("FAIL")
         print("\n".join(errors))
         return 1
-    print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG}")
+    print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} -> {resolved_commit(ROOT)}")
     return 0
 
 
diff --git a/templates/.env.recommended.template b/templates/.env.recommended.template
index 70f134e1..75e24555 100755
--- a/templates/.env.recommended.template
+++ b/templates/.env.recommended.template
@@ -2,5 +2,4 @@
 POSTGRES_USER
 POSTGRES_DB
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD
-REDIS_URL
 LOG_LEVEL
diff --git a/tests/contracts/_constants.py b/tests/contracts/_constants.py
index 722941ea..df298d78 100644
--- a/tests/contracts/_constants.py
+++ b/tests/contracts/_constants.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
 
 OUTCOME_VALUES = {"success", "failure", "partial"}
 
-REQUIRED_ENV_VARS = ["NEO4J_URI", "NEO4J_USERNAME", "NEO4J_PASSWORD", "REDIS_URL", "API_KEY"]
+# CEG-007: REDIS_URL removed — no code under engine/ or chassis/ imports redis.
+REQUIRED_ENV_VARS = ["NEO4J_URI", "NEO4J_USERNAME", "NEO4J_PASSWORD", "API_KEY"]
 
 FORBIDDEN_PROD_SECRETS: dict[str, list[str]] = {
     "NEO4J_PASSWORD": ["password", "change-me-in-production"],
diff --git a/tests/contracts/conftest.py b/tests/contracts/conftest.py
index 25f5e8a6..9f55c86d 100644
--- a/tests/contracts/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/contracts/conftest.py
@@ -69,14 +69,6 @@ def neo4j_dep() -> dict:
     return _load_yaml(path)
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def redis_dep() -> dict:
-    path = CONTRACTS_ROOT / "dependencies" / "redis.yaml"
-    if not path.exists():
-        pytest.skip("redis.yaml not present")
-    return _load_yaml(path)
-
-
 @pytest.fixture
 def tool_index() -> dict:
     path = CONTRACTS_ROOT / "agents" / "tool-schemas" / "_index.yaml"
diff --git a/tests/contracts/test_dependency_contracts.py b/tests/contracts/test_dependency_contracts.py
index e098d817..2b11daa7 100644
--- a/tests/contracts/test_dependency_contracts.py
+++ b/tests/contracts/test_dependency_contracts.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 """
-External dependency contract tests for Neo4j and Redis.
+External dependency contract tests for Neo4j.
 
 Sources:
   engine/graph/driver.py:GraphDriver, CircuitBreaker
@@ -62,24 +62,9 @@ def test_neo4j_dep_direct_access_forbidden(neo4j_dep):
     assert direct == "forbidden"
 
 
-# ── Redis dependency contract ────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-
-def test_redis_dep_service_name(redis_dep):
-    assert redis_dep.get("service_name") == "redis"
-
-
-def test_redis_dep_version_is_7(redis_dep):
-    version = str(redis_dep.get("version", ""))
-    assert "7" in version
-
-
-def test_redis_dep_uses_env_var(redis_dep):
-    conn = redis_dep.get("connection", {})
-    assert conn.get("base_url_env") == "REDIS_URL"
-
-
-def test_redis_dep_usage_documents_scoring_cache(redis_dep):
-    usages = [u.get("purpose", "").lower() for u in redis_dep.get("usage", [])]
-    scoring_cached = any("scor" in u or "cache" in u or "gds" in u for u in usages)
-    assert scoring_cached
+# CEG-007: the Redis dependency-contract tests are gone with the contract they
+# asserted. redis.yaml declared "Scoring result caching" and "Domain pack cache"
+# as its usages; neither was ever implemented, and nothing under engine/ or
+# chassis/ imports redis. Four tests passed continuously against a description
+# of behaviour that did not exist — which is what made the unused dependency
+# look load-bearing.
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..032317db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+"""CEG-008 — a domain database that does not exist must say so, or be created.
+
+`match` and `sync` route queries to a Neo4j database named after the domain id
+(`engine/handlers.py`, `database=domain_spec.domain.id`). Neo4j does not create
+databases implicitly, so on a fresh instance every sync and match failed with
+the driver's own message until an operator ran CREATE DATABASE by hand — the
+Constellation E2E hit exactly this and had to add the step to its boot sequence.
+
+Two halves, both tested here: with `auto_create_domain_database` on the engine
+provisions on first use; with it off the failure names the missing database and
+the exact command that provides it.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any
+
+import pytest
+
+from engine.graph.driver import (
+    DatabaseNotProvisionedError,
+    GraphDriver,
+    _looks_like_absent_database,
+)
+
+
+class _RecordingDriver(GraphDriver):
+    """GraphDriver with the Neo4j round trip replaced by a recorder."""
+
+    def __init__(self, *, fail_with: Exception | None = None) -> None:
+        super().__init__(uri="bolt://unused", username="u", password="p")
+        self.calls: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
+        self._fail_with = fail_with
+
+    async def _raw_execute_query(  # type: ignore[override]
+        self,
+        cypher: str,
+        parameters: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+        database: str = "neo4j",
+    ) -> list[Any]:
+        self.calls.append((cypher, database))
+        if self._fail_with is not None and database != "system":
+            raise self._fail_with
+        return []
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def auto_create(monkeypatch):
+    from engine.config import settings as settings_module
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings_module.settings, "auto_create_domain_database", True)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def no_auto_create(monkeypatch):
+    from engine.config import settings as settings_module
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings_module.settings, "auto_create_domain_database", False)
+
+
+# ── Off: the failure has to be actionable ───────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_absent_database_is_recognised() -> None:
+    assert _looks_like_absent_database(Exception("Database does not exist: plasticos"))
+    assert _looks_like_absent_database(Exception("Unable to get a routing table for database"))
+    assert not _looks_like_absent_database(Exception("SyntaxError: bad cypher"))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_missing_database_names_itself_and_the_fix(no_auto_create) -> None:
+    driver = _RecordingDriver(fail_with=Exception("Database does not exist: plasticos"))
+    with pytest.raises(DatabaseNotProvisionedError) as excinfo:
+        await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos")
+
+    message = str(excinfo.value)
+    assert "plasticos" in message
+    assert "CREATE DATABASE" in message
+    assert "AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE" in message
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_unrelated_errors_are_not_reinterpreted(no_auto_create) -> None:
+    boom = ValueError("SyntaxError: unexpected token")
+    driver = _RecordingDriver(fail_with=boom)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="unexpected token"):
+        await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n RETURN n", database="plasticos")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_nothing_is_provisioned_while_the_flag_is_off(no_auto_create) -> None:
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos")
+    assert not any("CREATE DATABASE" in cypher for cypher, _ in driver.calls)
+
+
+# ── On: provision once, on first use ────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_database_is_created_on_first_use(auto_create) -> None:
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos")
+
+    creates = [(c, db) for c, db in driver.calls if "CREATE DATABASE" in c]
+    assert creates, "expected the domain database to be provisioned"
+    cypher, target = creates[0]
+    assert cypher == "CREATE DATABASE `plasticos` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT"
+    assert target == "system", "administrative commands must run against `system`"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_creation_is_attempted_only_once_per_process(auto_create) -> None:
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    for _ in range(3):
+        await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos")
+    assert sum("CREATE DATABASE" in c for c, _ in driver.calls) == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_builtin_databases_are_never_provisioned(auto_create) -> None:
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    await driver.execute_query("RETURN 1", database="neo4j")
+    await driver.execute_query("SHOW DATABASES", database="system")
+    assert not any("CREATE DATABASE" in c for c, _ in driver.calls)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_a_hyphenated_domain_id_is_accepted() -> None:
+    """Domain ids legitimately contain dashes, so sanitize_label cannot be used."""
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    assert await driver.ensure_database("healthcare-referral") is True
+    assert ("CREATE DATABASE `healthcare-referral` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT", "system") in driver.calls
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "name",
+    [
+        "plasticos`; DROP DATABASE neo4j; --",  # back-quote escape
+        "1leading-digit",
+        "ab",  # under the 3-character minimum
+        "has space",
+        "",
+    ],
+)
+async def test_an_unsafe_database_name_is_refused(name: str) -> None:
+    """CREATE DATABASE takes no parameter, so the name is interpolated — and
+    therefore validated before it ever reaches the statement."""
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="refusing to provision"):
+        await driver.ensure_database(name)
+    assert driver.calls == []
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_provisioning_failure_is_reported_not_raised(auto_create) -> None:
+    """Community Edition rejects CREATE DATABASE. A deployment whose database
+    already exists must not be blocked by a CREATE it is not allowed to run."""
+
+    class _RefusingDriver(_RecordingDriver):
+        async def _raw_execute_query(self, cypher, parameters=None, database="neo4j"):
+            self.calls.append((cypher, database))
+            if "CREATE DATABASE" in cypher:
+                msg = "Unsupported administration command in Community Edition"
+                raise RuntimeError(msg)
+            return []
+
+    driver = _RefusingDriver()
+    assert await driver.ensure_database("plasticos") is False
+    # The ordinary query still runs; it is the query that reports the truth.
+    assert await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos") == []
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..faea05cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+"""CEG-009 — every domain under domains/ must be in the shape the loader reads.
+
+``DomainPackLoader`` resolves ``domains/<domain_id>/spec.yaml``
+(``loader.SPEC_FILENAME``). Nine specs used a flat
+``<name>_domain_spec.yaml`` convention instead and were therefore unreachable:
+they looked like available verticals in a directory listing, but a tenant id
+matching one of them failed to resolve. Only ``plasticos`` loaded by default.
+
+Two of those nine were additionally invalid — ``executive-assistant`` declared
+an edge to an undeclared ``Skill`` node, ``roofing-company`` one to ``ZipCode``
+— and nothing caught it, because a file the loader never opens is never
+validated either.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+import yaml
+
+from engine.config.loader import SPEC_FILENAME, DomainPackLoader
+from engine.config.schema import DomainSpec
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+DOMAINS_ROOT = REPO_ROOT / "domains"
+
+
+def _domain_dirs() -> list[Path]:
+    return sorted(p for p in DOMAINS_ROOT.iterdir() if p.is_dir())
+
+
+def test_no_flat_domain_spec_files_remain() -> None:
+    stragglers = sorted(p.name for p in DOMAINS_ROOT.glob("*_domain_spec.yaml"))
+    assert stragglers == [], (
+        f"{stragglers} use the flat shape the loader never reads. Move each to "
+        f"domains/<domain_id>/{SPEC_FILENAME}, or delete it if superseded."
+    )
+
+
+def test_every_domain_directory_holds_a_spec() -> None:
+    missing = [d.name for d in _domain_dirs() if not (d / SPEC_FILENAME).is_file()]
+    assert missing == [], f"domain directories without {SPEC_FILENAME}: {missing}"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("domain_dir", _domain_dirs(), ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_domain_spec_validates(domain_dir: Path) -> None:
+    """A spec the loader can find is a spec that must survive validation."""
+    raw = yaml.safe_load((domain_dir / SPEC_FILENAME).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    DomainSpec.model_validate(raw)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("domain_dir", _domain_dirs(), ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_directory_name_matches_declared_domain_id(domain_dir: Path) -> None:
+    """The loader resolves by domain id, so the directory name IS the lookup key."""
+    raw = yaml.safe_load((domain_dir / SPEC_FILENAME).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    assert raw["domain"]["id"] == domain_dir.name
+
+
+def test_loader_discovers_every_unflagged_domain() -> None:
+    loader = DomainPackLoader(str(DOMAINS_ROOT))
+    discovered = set(loader.list_domains())
+    on_disk = {d.name for d in _domain_dirs()}
+    # idea-portfolio is gated by settings.idea_portfolio_enabled and is expected
+    # to be absent while that flag is off.
+    assert discovered <= on_disk
+    assert on_disk - discovered <= {"idea-portfolio"}
+    assert len(discovered) >= 10, f"expected the migrated verticals, got {sorted(discovered)}"
+
+
+def test_every_discovered_domain_actually_loads() -> None:
+    loader = DomainPackLoader(str(DOMAINS_ROOT))
+    for domain_id in sorted(loader.list_domains()):
+        assert loader.load_domain(domain_id).domain.id == domain_id
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_graph_inference_egress.py b/tests/unit/test_graph_inference_egress.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2be3afe6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_graph_inference_egress.py
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+"""EIE-008 / CEG-006 — the graph-inference feedback loop needs a producer.
+
+EIE advertises `graph-inference-result` to Gate and implements the entire
+consumer side: packet validation, per-tenant queues, target extraction, a 0.55
+confidence floor, and injection into the convergence loop. No code in CEG ever
+constructed such a packet, so the loop the architecture implies had a consumer
+and nothing on the other end — and the two halves were built to the same
+confidence floor without ever being connected.
+
+The mirror finding: CEG's own outbound `request_enrichment` was reachable only
+through `engine/health/api.py`, which nothing imported, so no inbound packet
+could cause CEG to call EIE either.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any
+
+import pytest
+
+from engine.gate_egress import (
+    GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
+    INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR,
+    build_inference_outputs,
+    emit_graph_inference_result,
+    inference_idempotency_key,
+)
+from engine.inference_rule_registry import InferenceResult
+
+
+def _result(field: str, value: Any, confidence: float, rule: str = "r") -> InferenceResult:
+    return InferenceResult(field_name=field, value=value, confidence=confidence, rule_name=rule)
+
+
+# ── Output shaping: EIE's contract is the spec ──────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_outputs_carry_every_key_eie_requires() -> None:
+    """EIE's extract_targets_from_packet reads entity_id, field, value,
+    confidence and rule off each element."""
+    outputs = build_inference_outputs("e-1", [_result("tier", "mid_market", 0.85, "size_rule")])
+    assert len(outputs) == 1
+    assert outputs[0]["entity_id"] == "e-1"
+    assert outputs[0]["field"] == "tier"
+    assert outputs[0]["value"] == "mid_market"
+    assert outputs[0]["confidence"] == 0.85
+    assert outputs[0]["rule"] == "size_rule"
+
+
+def test_the_floor_matches_the_receiver() -> None:
+    """EIE drops below 0.55 (graph_return_channel.CONFIDENCE_FLOOR); so do we,
+    so a packet never carries outputs the receiver will silently discard."""
+    assert INFERENCE_CONFIDENCE_FLOOR == 0.55
+    outputs = build_inference_outputs(
+        "e-1",
+        [_result("kept", "a", 0.56), _result("dropped", "b", 0.54)],
+    )
+    assert [o["field"] for o in outputs] == ["kept"]
+
+
+def test_plain_mappings_are_accepted_too() -> None:
+    outputs = build_inference_outputs("e-1", [{"field": "f", "value": 1, "confidence": 0.9}])
+    assert outputs[0]["rule"] == "unknown"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "bad",
+    [{"value": 1, "confidence": 0.9}, {"field": "f", "value": 1, "confidence": "high"}],
+)
+def test_malformed_outputs_are_dropped_not_sent(bad: dict) -> None:
+    assert build_inference_outputs("e-1", [bad]) == []
+
+
+def test_idempotency_key_is_stable_over_the_same_findings() -> None:
+    a = build_inference_outputs("e-1", [_result("f", "v", 0.9)])
+    b = build_inference_outputs("e-1", [_result("f", "v", 0.9)])
+    assert inference_idempotency_key("t", "e-1", a) == inference_idempotency_key("t", "e-1", b)
+
+
+def test_idempotency_key_changes_when_the_finding_changes() -> None:
+    a = build_inference_outputs("e-1", [_result("f", "v1", 0.9)])
+    b = build_inference_outputs("e-1", [_result("f", "v2", 0.9)])
+    assert inference_idempotency_key("t", "e-1", a) != inference_idempotency_key("t", "e-1", b)
+
+
+# ── Dispatch ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class _FakeHeader:
+    packet_id = "pkt-1"
+    packet_type = "response"
+    correlation_id = None
+
+
+class _FakeResponse:
+    header = _FakeHeader()
+    payload: dict[str, Any] = {"queued": 1}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_nothing_above_the_floor_sends_no_packet(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    """An empty inference_outputs list is valid to EIE and would cost a Gate
+    round trip to queue nothing."""
+
+    def _no_client():
+        msg = "the Gate client must not be constructed"
+        raise AssertionError(msg)
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("GATE_URL", "http://gate.test")
+    monkeypatch.setattr("engine.gate_egress.get_gate_client", _no_client)
+
+    result = await emit_graph_inference_result(tenant="t", entity_id="e-1", results=[_result("f", "v", 0.1)])
+    assert result["status"] == "skipped"
+    assert result["sent_outputs"] == 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_unconfigured_gate_fails_closed(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.delenv("GATE_URL", raising=False)
+    result = await emit_graph_inference_result(tenant="t", entity_id="e-1", results=[_result("f", "v", 0.9)])
+    assert result["status"] == "failed"
+    assert result["error"] == "gate_not_configured"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_a_successful_emission_addresses_gate_with_eies_action(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    sent: dict[str, Any] = {}
+
+    class _Client:
+        async def execute(self, **kwargs: Any) -> _FakeResponse:
+            sent.update(kwargs)
+            return _FakeResponse()
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("GATE_URL", "http://gate.test")
+    monkeypatch.setattr("engine.gate_egress.get_gate_client", _Client)
+
+    result = await emit_graph_inference_result(tenant="acme", entity_id="e-1", results=[_result("tier", "small", 0.9)])
+
+    assert result["status"] == "ok"
+    assert result["sent_outputs"] == 1
+    assert sent["action"] == GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION
+    assert sent["tenant"] == "acme"
+    assert sent["payload"]["inference_outputs"][0]["field"] == "tier"
+    # CEG never addresses EIE: the destination is Gate, resolved by action.
+    assert "destination_node" not in sent

From 7ecf4ec4737b7fbab5a8a34600d828f051634314 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 18:17:40 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 07/19] fix(ceg): repair kernel-surfaced drift from the CEG-007
 removal
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Recursive Alignment found the redis removal stopped at the declarations. The
Makefile still drove the service: `health` exec'd l9-graph-redis, `redis-shell`
opened a CLI on a container that no longer exists, `local-dbs` ran
`docker compose up -d neo4j redis` against a service absent from both compose
files, and two local-api targets exported PLASTICOS_REDIS_URL for a setting
that was deleted. docs/CI_PIPELINE.md still listed the CI redis service.

Also registered the three capabilities this branch adds in
.claude/rules/capability-registry.md. CLAUDE.md's first "Always" is to check
that registry before building, so a capability missing from it is how a second
implementation gets written — which is exactly what EIE-006 turned out to be.

Apply report: .l9/autonomy/kernel-apply.md. Suites unchanged at 1818 passed.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01CoomAnwQt9gxGhHAJJSDz2
---
 .claude/rules/capability-registry.md |  8 ++++++++
 Makefile                             | 13 ++-----------
 docs/CI_PIPELINE.md                  |  1 -
 3 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md b/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md
index 6088e3e5..0143de9b 100644
--- a/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md
+++ b/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md
@@ -28,3 +28,11 @@ Before building any of these, check if it already exists. Use the existing imple
 | Pareto scoring | engine/scoring/pareto.py | multi-objective optimization |
 | Convergence loop | engine/feedback/convergence.py | `ConvergenceLoop` |
 | Label sanitization | engine/utils/security.py | `sanitize_label()` |
+| CEG → Gate → EIE egress (the ONLY peer egress) | engine/gate_egress.py | `request_enrichment()`, `emit_graph_inference_result()` |
+| Inference outputs → EIE wire shape | engine/gate_egress.py | `build_inference_outputs()` (0.55 floor, matches EIE) |
+| Domain database provisioning | engine/graph/driver.py | `GraphDriver.ensure_database()` (flag: `auto_create_domain_database`) |
+| Database-name validation for DDL | engine/graph/driver.py | `_DATABASE_NAME_RE` — `sanitize_label()` forbids the dashes domain ids use |
+| Inference rule execution | engine/inference_rule_registry.py | `execute_rule()`, `list_registered_rules()` |
+
+Do not add a second outbound client. `engine/gate_egress.py` is the only
+CEG → peer egress; Gate resolves the destination from the action.
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 06f64a9c..1042e563 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ health:Check all service health
 	@curl -sf http://localhost:8000/v1/health | python -m json.tool || echo "API: DOWN"
 	@echo "── Neo4j ──"
 	@docker exec l9-graph-neo4j cypher-shell -u neo4j -p l9-dev-password "RETURN 'ok'" 2>/dev/null || echo "Neo4j: DOWN"
-	@echo "── Redis ──"
-	@docker exec l9-graph-redis redis-cli ping || echo "Redis: DOWN"
 
 # ── Testing ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -72,13 +70,10 @@ shell:Python shell inside API container
 neo4j-shell:Cypher shell into Neo4j
 	docker exec -it l9-graph-neo4j cypher-shell -u neo4j -p l9-dev-password
 
-redis-shell:Redis CLI
-	docker exec -it l9-graph-redis redis-cli
-
 # ── Local Dev (API outside Docker, DBs in Docker) ─────────
 
-local-dbs:Start only Neo4j + Redis
-	docker compose up -d neo4j redis
+local-dbs:Start only Neo4j + Postgres
+	docker compose up -d neo4j postgres
 
 local-api:Run API locally against Dockerized DBs (SDK chassis; alias of local-api-sdk)
 	$(MAKE) local-api-sdk
@@ -86,7 +81,6 @@ local-api:Run API locally against Dockerized DBs (SDK chassis; alias of local-ap
 local-api-legacy:Run the legacy dict chassis locally (permitted in L9_ENV=dev|local|test)
 	PLASTICOS_NEO4J_URI=bolt://localhost:7687 \
 	PLASTICOS_NEO4J_PASSWORD=l9-dev-password \
-	PLASTICOS_REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379/0 \
 	PLASTICOS_LOG_LEVEL=debug \
 	L9_LIFECYCLE_HOOK=engine.boot:GraphLifecycle \
 	L9_CHASSIS=legacy \
@@ -95,7 +89,6 @@ local-api-legacy:Run the legacy dict chassis locally (permitted in L9_ENV=dev|lo
 local-api-sdk:Run API locally on the SDK chassis (L9_CHASSIS=sdk)
 	PLASTICOS_NEO4J_URI=bolt://localhost:7687 \
 	PLASTICOS_NEO4J_PASSWORD=l9-dev-password \
-	PLASTICOS_REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379/0 \
 	PLASTICOS_LOG_LEVEL=debug \
 	L9_LIFECYCLE_HOOK=engine.boot:GraphLifecycle \
 	L9_CHASSIS=sdk \
@@ -199,8 +192,6 @@ deploy-health: guard-vps-host	## Remote healthcheck over SSH (VPS ports may be f
 	@ssh $(SSH_OPTS) $(SSH_TARGET) "curl -sf http://localhost:8000/v1/health && echo" || echo "API: DOWN"
 	@echo "── Neo4j ──"
 	@ssh $(SSH_OPTS) $(SSH_TARGET) "curl -sf http://localhost:7474 >/dev/null" && echo "Neo4j: UP" || echo "Neo4j: DOWN"
-	@echo "── Redis ──"
-	@ssh $(SSH_OPTS) $(SSH_TARGET) "docker exec l9-redis-prod redis-cli ping" || echo "Redis: DOWN"
 
 # ── Cleanup ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
diff --git a/docs/CI_PIPELINE.md b/docs/CI_PIPELINE.md
index c0f37ce1..02b75b39 100644
--- a/docs/CI_PIPELINE.md
+++ b/docs/CI_PIPELINE.md
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ status: active
   test instead of stopping at the first one, while still exiting non-zero
   (failing the job) if any test fails
 - PostgreSQL service (postgres:16)
-- Redis service (redis:7-alpine)
 
 ### Phase 4: Security Scanning
 - Gitleaks (secret detection)

From e2075e7021324d588ed01490cb2171a61160810b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 18:41:02 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 08/19] fix(ceg): remediate PR #283 review findings and mypy CI
 failure
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Nine findings from the PR #283 review plus the single mypy error that
turned all four CEG lint jobs red.

CI fix
- handlers.py: the inference-rule walrus reused `result`, already bound to
  dict[str, Any] earlier in handle_admin. Renamed to `inferred`.
  mypy: "Success: no issues found in 133 source files".

Correctness
- graph/driver.py: ensure_database() claimed the database name AFTER the
  await, so concurrent first-use requests each issued their own CREATE
  DATABASE. The claim now precedes the suspension point and is released on
  failure so a later attempt can retry.
- handlers.py: `rules: []` in emit_inference_feedback silently became "run
  every rule"; a bare string was iterated character by character. Absent
  key still means all rules; a non-list of non-strings is now rejected.
- gate_egress.py: get_gate_client() raises ValueError on missing or invalid
  SDK environment material. Both egress paths caught only GateClientError,
  so a configuration fault crashed the caller instead of returning the
  typed failure result every other path returns.
- health/health_report.py: _conversion_events was an unbounded list fed by
  every Seed-tier assess/report call — a leak CEG-006 made reachable, and
  one CLAUDE.md's "never create unbounded caches" covers. Now a
  deque(maxlen=10_000).
- scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py: printed "PASS ... -> None" when the tree has
  no poetry.lock. Says what is true instead.

Feature-flag discipline (C-21)
- health_* admin subactions now gate on health_api_enabled. auto_enrich_via_gate
  gates only the outbound Gate request, not assessment, reporting or
  conversion tracking, so the surface needed its own flag.
- admin feature_status reports all five Constellation-seam flags.

Domain packs — correction to the PR body
- Five of the nine packs CEG-009 made readable compile to Cypher that
  cannot execute: `type: traversal` gates written with pattern/condition
  fall back to a RELATES_TO edge no ontology declares, and scalar
  queryparams (85.0, 5, 1) are emitted as parameter NAMES, producing $85.0.
  Readable is not correct. They are gated behind
  unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled until the compiler or query schema grows
  the support they assume.
- The PR's "loadable domains 1 -> 10" is therefore
  "1 -> 5 discoverable-and-executable, plus 5 migrated-but-dormant".
- test_domain_pack_shape.py compiles every discoverable pack's gates and
  fails on either defect shape; a shrink-only test fails if a gated pack
  starts compiling cleanly, so the flag cannot become a place defects go to
  be forgotten.

Verification
- pytest tests/unit tests/contracts tests/compliance tests/architecture
  tests/invariants: exit 0 (jsonschema installed so the two previously
  skipped contract modules actually ran: 34 passed).
- mypy engine/: clean. ruff check/format clean on changed files under the
  CI-pinned rule set.
- tools/contract_scanner.py: no violations. tools/verify_contracts.py: 27/27.
- scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py: PASS Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK@v1 -> e9f829f.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01CoomAnwQt9gxGhHAJJSDz2
---
 .claude/rules/feature-flags.md       |  2 +
 docs/FEATURE_GATES.md                | 68 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 engine/config/loader.py              | 25 +++++++-
 engine/config/settings.py            | 12 ++++
 engine/gate_egress.py                | 11 +++-
 engine/graph/driver.py               | 11 +++-
 engine/handlers.py                   | 40 ++++++++++++-
 engine/health/health_report.py       | 16 ++++-
 scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py          |  9 ++-
 tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py | 87 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 10 files changed, 267 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md b/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md
index 3887f17f..169ffa55 100644
--- a/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md
+++ b/.claude/rules/feature-flags.md
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ All in Settings class, controllable via env vars. Contract 21: every behavioral
 | auto_enrich_via_gate | False | Dispatch `enrich` to EIE through Gate (spends EIE budget) |
 | graph_inference_feedback_enabled | False | Emit `graph-inference-result` to EIE through Gate (EIE-008 / CEG-006) |
 | auto_create_domain_database | False | Provision the tenant domain database on first use (CEG-008; Enterprise-only CREATE DATABASE) |
+| health_api_enabled | False | Expose engine/health/api.py via admin health_* subactions (CEG-006) |
+| unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled | False | Serve the 5 migrated packs whose gates do not compile to executable Cypher (CEG-009) |
 
 ## Entity Resolution
 | Flag | Default | Purpose |
diff --git a/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md b/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
index ad8339b7..9adbf918 100644
--- a/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
+++ b/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ independently of the code default.
 | Idea Portfolio Graph | `IDEA_PORTFOLIO_ENABLED` (`idea_portfolio_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; opt-in IdeaOS portfolio reads/hydration |
 | Graph Inference Feedback | `GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED` (`graph_inference_feedback_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; CEG → Gate → EIE `graph-inference-result` — see §13 |
 | Domain Database Provisioning | `AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE` (`auto_create_domain_database`) | `False` | unset | dormant; create the tenant domain database on first use — see §14 |
+| Health API (admin health_* subactions) | `HEALTH_API_ENABLED` (`health_api_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; AI-readiness assess/report surface — see §15 |
+| Unvalidated Domain Packs | `UNVALIDATED_DOMAIN_PACKS_ENABLED` (`unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; five packs whose gates do not compile to executable Cypher — see §16 |
 | Constellation Orchestration | — | — | — | accepted architectural gap — see §9 |
 
 ---
@@ -407,6 +409,72 @@ whether or not the flag is on.
 
 ---
 
+## 15. Health API (CEG-006)
+
+**State**: Dormant
+**Flag**: `HEALTH_API_ENABLED=False` (default off)
+
+Exposes `engine/health/api.py` through the `admin` subactions `health_assess`,
+`health_batch_assess` and `health_report`. That module implemented three
+handlers and was imported by nothing, so `request_enrichment` — the whole
+CEG → Gate → EIE direction — had no trigger an inbound packet could reach.
+
+`AUTO_ENRICH_VIA_GATE` is not a substitute: it gates only the eventual outbound
+Gate request, not assessment, reporting, or conversion-event tracking. The
+surface needs a gate of its own, which is what this is.
+
+### Validation
+
+With the flag off the subactions return `{"status": "disabled"}` rather than
+404-ing, so an operator can tell "switched off" from "not a subaction".
+
+### Rollback
+
+Set back to `False`. Note that assess/report append to the conversion-event
+store in `engine/health/health_report.py`, which is bounded
+(`CONVERSION_EVENT_MAX`) and discards oldest-first.
+
+---
+
+## 16. Unvalidated Domain Packs (CEG-009)
+
+**State**: Dormant
+**Flag**: `UNVALIDATED_DOMAIN_PACKS_ENABLED=False` (default off)
+
+CEG-009 moved nine domain packs out of a flat `<name>_domain_spec.yaml` shape
+the loader never reads into `domains/<id>/spec.yaml`. Making them readable
+exposed that five do not compile to executable Cypher:
+
+| Pack | Defect |
+|---|---|
+| `executive-assistant` | `RELATES_TO` fallback + `$85.0` |
+| `repo-as-agent` | `RELATES_TO` fallback + `$5` |
+| `roofing-company` | `RELATES_TO` fallback + `$1` |
+| `aios-god-agent` | `RELATES_TO` fallback |
+| `healthcare-referral` | `$1` |
+
+Two root causes, both in the spec-to-Cypher contract rather than in the files:
+
+1. `type: traversal` gates written with `pattern` and `condition`, which
+   `GateCompiler` does not consume. With no `edgetype` the compiler falls back
+   to `RELATES_TO`, an edge no ontology here declares, so the gate is a hard
+   filter that matches nothing.
+2. A scalar `queryparam` (`85.0`, `5`, `1`). `GateSpec.coerce_queryparam_to_str`
+   turns it into a string and the compiler emits it as a parameter *name*, so
+   Cypher receives `$85.0`.
+
+**Do not turn this on to "see if they work".** They do not: the first serves
+zero candidates, the second fails at execution. Fixing them means either
+compiler support for `pattern`/`condition` and literal operands, or a declared
+query-schema parameter per constant — a schema decision, not a file move.
+
+`tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py` holds both ends: a discoverable pack
+must compile to executable Cypher, and a gated pack that starts compiling
+cleanly must be removed from `_DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS`, so this list can only
+shrink.
+
+---
+
 ## Querying Feature Status
 
 Use the `feature_status` admin subaction to get current state of all gates:
diff --git a/engine/config/loader.py b/engine/config/loader.py
index cec63d27..dd063778 100644
--- a/engine/config/loader.py
+++ b/engine/config/loader.py
@@ -32,7 +32,30 @@
 
 MAX_SPEC_BYTES = 5 * 1024 * 1024
 SPEC_FILENAME = "spec.yaml"
-_DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS = {"idea-portfolio": "idea_portfolio_enabled"}
+_DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS = {
+    "idea-portfolio": "idea_portfolio_enabled",
+    # CEG-009 moved nine packs into the shape this loader reads. Five of them
+    # carry gates that compile to Cypher that cannot execute, which was
+    # invisible while the loader never opened them:
+    #
+    #   * `type: traversal` gates written with `pattern` + `condition`, which
+    #     GateCompiler does not consume. With no `edgetype` they fall back to
+    #     `RELATES_TO`, an edge no ontology here declares, so the gate rejects
+    #     every candidate.
+    #   * a scalar `queryparam` (85.0, 5, 1) — GateSpec coerces it to a string
+    #     and the compiler emits it as a parameter NAME, producing `$85.0`.
+    #
+    # Making a pack readable is not the same as making it correct. Reaching
+    # these needs either compiler support for pattern/condition and literal
+    # operands, or a query-schema parameter per constant — a schema decision,
+    # not a file move. Dormant until then, guarded by
+    # tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py so the set cannot grow silently.
+    "executive-assistant": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+    "aios-god-agent": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+    "repo-as-agent": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+    "roofing-company": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+    "healthcare-referral": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+}
 
 
 class DomainNotFoundError(Exception):
diff --git a/engine/config/settings.py b/engine/config/settings.py
index 9a4bdb95..46664855 100644
--- a/engine/config/settings.py
+++ b/engine/config/settings.py
@@ -158,6 +158,18 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     # deployment is not expected to hold. Either way the failure now names the
     # missing database and the command that provides it.
     auto_create_domain_database: bool = False
+    # CEG-006: the `health_*` admin subactions make engine/health/api.py
+    # reachable. auto_enrich_via_gate gates only the eventual outbound Gate
+    # request, not assessment, reporting or conversion tracking, so the surface
+    # itself needs its own gate. Mechanism ships dormant; operator activates.
+    health_api_enabled: bool = False
+    # CEG-009: five migrated domain packs compile to Cypher that cannot execute
+    # (a `RELATES_TO` fallback for gates written with `pattern`/`condition`, and
+    # scalar `queryparam` values emitted as parameter names such as `$85.0`).
+    # They are readable now but not correct, so they stay undiscoverable until
+    # the compiler or the query schema grows the support they assume. Turning
+    # this on serves packs whose gates are known not to execute.
+    unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled: bool = False
 
     # --- Wave 7: Explicit Tenant Database Binding ---
     strict_tenant_database: bool = (
diff --git a/engine/gate_egress.py b/engine/gate_egress.py
index c5ce7324..586b9d07 100644
--- a/engine/gate_egress.py
+++ b/engine/gate_egress.py
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ async def request_enrichment(
     )
 
     try:
+        # See emit_graph_inference_result: get_gate_client() raises ValueError on
+        # missing or invalid SDK environment material, which is a configuration
+        # failure this module reports as a typed result, never one it propagates.
         client = get_gate_client()
         response = await client.execute(
             action=ENRICH_ACTION,
@@ -144,7 +147,7 @@ async def request_enrichment(
             correlation_id=correlation_id,
             compliance_tags=_SEAM_TAGS,
         )
-    except GateClientError as exc:
+    except (GateClientError, ValueError) as exc:
         logger.warning("gate_egress: %s for entity=%s tenant=%s: %s", type(exc).__name__, entity_id, tenant, exc)
         return {
             "status": "failed",
@@ -264,6 +267,10 @@ async def emit_graph_inference_result(
         }
 
     try:
+        # ValueError as well as GateClientError: get_gate_client() builds the SDK
+        # config from the environment and raises ValueError on missing or invalid
+        # material. Letting that escape would crash the admin subaction instead of
+        # returning the typed failure every other path in this module returns.
         client = get_gate_client()
         response = await client.execute(
             action=GRAPH_INFERENCE_ACTION,
@@ -274,7 +281,7 @@ async def emit_graph_inference_result(
             correlation_id=correlation_id,
             compliance_tags=_SEAM_TAGS,
         )
-    except GateClientError as exc:
+    except (GateClientError, ValueError) as exc:
         logger.warning(
             "gate_egress: %s for inference entity=%s tenant=%s: %s",
             type(exc).__name__,
diff --git a/engine/graph/driver.py b/engine/graph/driver.py
index 48708824..d93e8fa6 100644
--- a/engine/graph/driver.py
+++ b/engine/graph/driver.py
@@ -215,6 +215,15 @@ async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
             )
             raise ValueError(msg)
 
+        # Claim the name BEFORE the await, not after. `_raw_execute_query` is a
+        # suspension point: with the add afterwards, every request that arrived
+        # while the first CREATE was in flight passed the membership check above
+        # and issued its own administrative command — "at most once per database
+        # per process" held only when calls did not overlap, which is exactly
+        # when it does not matter. The claim is released on failure so a later
+        # attempt (different privileges, Enterprise now licensed) can retry.
+        self._ensured_databases.add(name)
+
         # Administrative commands must run against `system`, and the name is
         # back-quoted because a dash is legal in a database name but not in a
         # bare identifier. The regex above is what makes that quoting safe.
@@ -222,6 +231,7 @@ async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
         try:
             await self._raw_execute_query(cypher, None, "system")
         except Exception as exc:
+            self._ensured_databases.discard(name)
             logger.warning(
                 "Could not provision Neo4j database %r (%s: %s). "
                 "CREATE DATABASE is Enterprise Edition only and requires admin privileges.",
@@ -231,7 +241,6 @@ async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
             )
             return False
 
-        self._ensured_databases.add(name)
         logger.info("Ensured Neo4j database %r exists", name)
         return True
 
diff --git a/engine/handlers.py b/engine/handlers.py
index b1d1f606..3a1842a8 100644
--- a/engine/handlers.py
+++ b/engine/handlers.py
@@ -1197,6 +1197,12 @@ async def handle_admin(tenant: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
                 "gdpr_erasure_enabled": _fs.gdpr_erasure_enabled,
                 "gdpr_dry_run": _fs.gdpr_dry_run,
                 "gds_max_staleness_hours": _fs.gds_max_staleness_hours,
+                # --- Constellation seam (EIE <-> Gate <-> CEG) ---
+                "auto_enrich_via_gate": _fs.auto_enrich_via_gate,
+                "graph_inference_feedback_enabled": _fs.graph_inference_feedback_enabled,
+                "health_api_enabled": _fs.health_api_enabled,
+                "auto_create_domain_database": _fs.auto_create_domain_database,
+                "idea_portfolio_enabled": _fs.idea_portfolio_enabled,
             },
         }
 
@@ -1431,6 +1437,19 @@ async def handle_admin(tenant: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     # a new advertised action for the same reason `trigger_gds` does: these are
     # operator surfaces, not collaboration routes Gate load-balances.
     if subaction in {"health_assess", "health_batch_assess", "health_report"}:
+        from engine.config.settings import settings as _health_settings
+
+        # Mechanism ships dormant, operator activates — the same contract every
+        # other behavioural surface here follows. auto_enrich_via_gate gates only
+        # the eventual outbound request, not assessment, reporting or conversion
+        # tracking, so making these reachable needs a gate of their own.
+        if not _health_settings.health_api_enabled:
+            return {
+                "status": "disabled",
+                "subaction": subaction,
+                "message": "Health API is disabled. Set HEALTH_API_ENABLED=True.",
+            }
+
         from engine.health import api as health_api
 
         health_handlers = {
@@ -1463,7 +1482,21 @@ async def handle_admin(tenant: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
         entity = _require_key(payload, "entity", "admin", tenant)
         entity_id = _require_key(payload, "entity_id", "admin", tenant)
         domain_id = payload.get("domain_id", tenant)
-        requested = payload.get("rules") or list_registered_rules()
+
+        # `rules` absent means "every registered rule"; `rules: []` means "none"
+        # and must not silently become "all". A non-list is rejected rather than
+        # iterated — a bare string would otherwise be walked character by
+        # character and every char looked up as a rule name.
+        if "rules" in payload:
+            requested = payload["rules"]
+            if not isinstance(requested, list) or not all(isinstance(r, str) for r in requested):
+                raise ValidationError(
+                    "admin.rules must be a list of rule-name strings",
+                    action="admin",
+                    tenant=tenant,
+                )
+        else:
+            requested = list_registered_rules()
 
         context = InferenceContext(
             tenant_id=tenant,
@@ -1471,8 +1504,11 @@ async def handle_admin(tenant: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
             pass_number=int(payload.get("pass_number", 1)),
             known_fields=dict(entity),
         )
+        # Named `inferred`, not `result`: `result` is already bound to a
+        # dict[str, Any] earlier in this function, and reusing it here is a type
+        # error mypy catches (and did).
         results = [
-            result for rule_name in requested if (result := execute_rule(rule_name, entity, context)) is not None
+            inferred for rule_name in requested if (inferred := execute_rule(rule_name, entity, context)) is not None
         ]
         dispatch = await emit_graph_inference_result(
             tenant=tenant,
diff --git a/engine/health/health_report.py b/engine/health/health_report.py
index 94e4f3e0..cdcde7c3 100644
--- a/engine/health/health_report.py
+++ b/engine/health/health_report.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
+from collections import deque
 from datetime import UTC, datetime
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -29,8 +30,17 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-# In-memory conversion event store (replace with persistent store in production)
-_conversion_events: list[ConversionEvent] = []
+# In-memory conversion event store (replace with persistent store in production).
+#
+# Bounded, deliberately. CEG-006 made the `health_*` admin subactions reachable,
+# and every Seed-tier assess/report call appends a tenant- and entity-bearing
+# record here. An unbounded list in a long-lived process is a memory leak that
+# grows with traffic, and CLAUDE.md's "never create unbounded caches" covers
+# exactly this. A deque discards oldest-first at the ceiling, so funnel analysis
+# keeps a recent window rather than the whole history — the same trade the
+# "replace with persistent store" note above already anticipates.
+CONVERSION_EVENT_MAX = 10_000
+_conversion_events: deque[ConversionEvent] = deque(maxlen=CONVERSION_EVENT_MAX)
 
 
 def generate_health_report(
@@ -166,7 +176,7 @@ def analyze_conversion_funnel(
     tenant: str | None = None,
 ) -> ConversionFunnelMetrics:
     """Analyze conversion funnel metrics, optionally filtered by tenant."""
-    events = _conversion_events
+    events: list[ConversionEvent] = list(_conversion_events)
     if tenant:
         events = [e for e in events if e.tenant == tenant]
 
diff --git a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
index 383824f6..7993e7d1 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -87,7 +87,14 @@ def main() -> int:
         print("FAIL")
         print("\n".join(errors))
         return 1
-    print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} -> {resolved_commit(ROOT)}")
+    resolved = resolved_commit(ROOT)
+    if resolved is None:
+        # check_tree() already accepts a tree with no poetry.lock, so this is
+        # reachable. Printing "PASS ... -> None" in a build log reads as a pin
+        # that resolved to nothing; say what is actually true instead.
+        print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} (no poetry.lock; no resolved commit recorded)")
+        return 0
+    print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} -> {resolved}")
     return 0
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
index faea05cf..417c5d14 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import re
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -58,17 +59,95 @@ def test_directory_name_matches_declared_domain_id(domain_dir: Path) -> None:
 
 
 def test_loader_discovers_every_unflagged_domain() -> None:
+    from engine.config.loader import _DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS
+
     loader = DomainPackLoader(str(DOMAINS_ROOT))
     discovered = set(loader.list_domains())
     on_disk = {d.name for d in _domain_dirs()}
-    # idea-portfolio is gated by settings.idea_portfolio_enabled and is expected
-    # to be absent while that flag is off.
     assert discovered <= on_disk
-    assert on_disk - discovered <= {"idea-portfolio"}
-    assert len(discovered) >= 10, f"expected the migrated verticals, got {sorted(discovered)}"
+    # Everything withheld is withheld deliberately, by a declared flag.
+    assert on_disk - discovered <= set(_DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS)
 
 
 def test_every_discovered_domain_actually_loads() -> None:
     loader = DomainPackLoader(str(DOMAINS_ROOT))
     for domain_id in sorted(loader.list_domains()):
         assert loader.load_domain(domain_id).domain.id == domain_id
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Readable is not the same as correct.
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+_IDENTIFIER = re.compile(r"[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*")
+
+
+def _cypher_defects(spec) -> list[str]:
+    """Gate compilations that would fail or silently reject every candidate.
+
+    Two shapes, both found only after CEG-009 made these packs readable:
+
+    * ``RELATES_TO`` — the compiler's fallback when a ``type: traversal`` gate
+      declares no ``edgetype``. Packs written with ``pattern``/``condition``
+      hit it, and no ontology here declares ``RELATES_TO``, so the gate is a
+      hard filter that matches nothing.
+    * ``$<non-identifier>`` — a scalar ``queryparam`` (``85.0``, ``5``, ``1``).
+      GateSpec coerces it to a string and the compiler emits it as a parameter
+      *name*, so Cypher receives ``$85.0``.
+    """
+    from engine.gates.compiler import GateCompiler
+
+    compiler = GateCompiler(spec)
+    defects: list[str] = []
+    for gate in spec.gates:
+        cypher = compiler.compile(gate)
+        if "RELATES_TO" in cypher and not gate.edgetype:
+            defects.append(f"{gate.name}: RELATES_TO fallback — {cypher}")
+        for param in re.findall(r"\$([^\s)]+)", cypher):
+            if not _IDENTIFIER.fullmatch(param):
+                defects.append(f"{gate.name}: '${param}' is not a parameter name — {cypher}")
+    return defects
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("domain_dir", _domain_dirs(), ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_discoverable_domain_gates_compile_to_executable_cypher(domain_dir: Path) -> None:
+    """A pack the loader will serve must produce Cypher that can run.
+
+    The gap this closes: validating a spec against DomainSpec proves it parses,
+    not that its gates execute. Five packs passed Pydantic validation and still
+    compiled to `exists((candidate)-[:RELATES_TO]->(t))` or `$85.0`.
+
+    A pack behind a feature flag is exempt — that is what the flag records.
+    """
+    from engine.config.loader import _DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS
+
+    if domain_dir.name in _DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS:
+        pytest.skip(f"{domain_dir.name} is flag-gated: {_DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS[domain_dir.name]}")
+
+    raw = yaml.safe_load((domain_dir / SPEC_FILENAME).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    defects = _cypher_defects(DomainSpec.model_validate(raw))
+    assert defects == [], f"{domain_dir.name} would serve unexecutable Cypher:\n  " + "\n  ".join(defects)
+
+
+def test_flag_gated_packs_are_gated_for_a_reason_that_still_holds() -> None:
+    """Shrink-only: when a dormant pack starts compiling, un-gate it.
+
+    Without this, a pack fixed later stays invisible and the flag becomes a
+    place defects go to be forgotten.
+    """
+    from engine.config.loader import _DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS
+
+    still_broken, now_clean = [], []
+    for name, flag in _DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS.items():
+        if flag != "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled":
+            continue
+        path = DOMAINS_ROOT / name / SPEC_FILENAME
+        if not path.is_file():
+            continue
+        spec = DomainSpec.model_validate(yaml.safe_load(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")))
+        (still_broken if _cypher_defects(spec) else now_clean).append(name)
+
+    assert now_clean == [], (
+        f"{now_clean} now compile cleanly — remove them from _DOMAIN_FEATURE_FLAGS so the loader serves them again."
+    )
+    assert still_broken, "no pack is gated as unvalidated; drop the flag and this test"

From b499ee5d1ee625fea9423ba39fc3ac726c64a26d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 22:42:38 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 09/19] fix(ci): restore L9 analysis and settle Protocol body +
 Scorecard GHCR

Restore the owner-managed l9-analysis.yml deleted in #262. Keep Scorecard
on GHCR-backed v2.4.4 (v2.4.0 still pulls gcr.io/openssf). Protocol
methods are docstring-only so STUB-001, ruff, and code-quality agree.

Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#265/cycle-1
Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#267/cycle-1
Issue-Remediation-Cycle: Quantum-L9/Cognitive.Engine.Graphs#269/cycle-1
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
---
 .github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml  | 186 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 .github/workflows/supply-chain.yml |   2 +
 docs/contracts/BANNED_PATTERNS.md  |  24 ++++
 engine/hoprag/indexer.py           |   3 -
 engine/sync/idea_portfolio.py      |   1 -
 engine/traversal/multihop.py       |   2 -
 engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py   |   3 -
 tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py |  62 ++++++++++
 8 files changed, 274 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 .github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml
 create mode 100644 tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py

diff --git a/.github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a74002ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+# L9 Governed Analysis Pipeline — Python Preset (LOCKED)
+#
+# DO NOT EDIT — this file is managed by l9-ci-core presets/python.
+# To update, pull the latest preset from Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core.
+#
+# This workflow runs the full L9 analysis pipeline:
+#   1. Resolve governance config from .github/governance/
+#   2. Run semgrep with Python rulesets
+#   3. Provision the SDK (immutable, pinned)
+#   4. Normalize → Validate → Project → Route → Manifest → Upload
+#   5. Publish results as GitHub Checks
+name: L9 Analysis
+on:
+  pull_request:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+env:
+  L9_CORE_REF: "f88116503430aa18992b70d8d31063e34ff97ef1"
+  L9_PROFILE: "pr_fast"
+  L9_MATRIX_ID: "pr-semgrep"
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  checks: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: l9-analysis-${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  analyze:
+    name: Governed Semgrep Analysis
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 15
+    outputs:
+      enabled: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.enabled }}
+      mode: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.mode }}
+      governance-digest: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.governance-digest }}
+      artifact-name: ${{ steps.names.outputs.artifact-name }}
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      checks: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout immutable event revision
+        env:
+          REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
+          REVISION: ${{ github.sha }}
+          TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          git init .
+          git remote add origin \
+            "https://x-access-token:${TOKEN}@github.com/${REPOSITORY}.git"
+          git -c protocol.version=2 fetch --depth=1 origin "${REVISION}"
+          git checkout --detach FETCH_HEAD
+          git remote set-url origin "https://github.com/${REPOSITORY}.git"
+
+      - id: gov
+        name: Resolve governance
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/resolve-governance@555d577eb805851b624cf7b0b8fc4df75a225d9f
+        with:
+          profile: ${{ env.L9_PROFILE }}
+          provider: semgrep
+          event-name: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          repository: ${{ github.repository }}
+          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+
+      - id: names
+        name: Compute artifact names
+        env:
+          MATRIX_ID: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          echo "artifact-name=l9-semgrep-${MATRIX_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Run semgrep
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          pip install --upgrade pip semgrep
+          mkdir -p "artifacts/raw/semgrep/${L9_MATRIX_ID}"
+          # No `|| true` (Baseline Ratchet rejects fail-open). Also no
+          # `--error`: findings must reach normalize/publish so governance
+          # can decide blocking vs advisory; `--error` exits 1 before that.
+          semgrep scan \
+            --config p/python \
+            --json \
+            --output "artifacts/raw/semgrep/${L9_MATRIX_ID}/report.json" \
+            --quiet
+        env:
+          L9_MATRIX_ID: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
+
+      - id: sdk
+        name: Provision immutable SDK
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/provision-sdk@0d28395428426853c44825c4645c23ee8ace23b1
+
+      - name: Normalize provider report
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/invoke-sdk@f88116503430aa18992b70d8d31063e34ff97ef1
+        with:
+          executable: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.executable }}
+          operation: semgrep-normalize
+          input: artifacts/raw/semgrep/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/report.json
+          output: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
+          root: .
+          snapshot-id: ${{ github.sha }}
+          revision: ${{ github.sha }}
+          strict: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.strict }}
+          required: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.required-provider }}
+          policy: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.sdk-policy }}
+          identity-map: .github/governance/semgrep-identity-map.yaml
+
+      - name: Validate canonical bundle
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/validate-bundle@84375ed2bc9e005048dfb6f74076fc420b4bc01c
+        with:
+          executable: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.executable }}
+          bundle: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
+
+      - name: Project agent-review payload
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/invoke-sdk@f88116503430aa18992b70d8d31063e34ff97ef1
+        with:
+          executable: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.executable }}
+          operation: bundle-project-agent-payload
+          input: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
+          output: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/agent-review-payload.json
+          strict: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.strict }}
+
+      - id: route
+        name: Route artifacts
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/route-artifacts@84375ed2bc9e005048dfb6f74076fc420b4bc01c
+        with:
+          provider: semgrep
+          matrix-id: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
+          raw-report: artifacts/raw/semgrep/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/report.json
+          bundle: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
+          agent-payload: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/agent-review-payload.json
+          destination-root: artifacts
+
+      - name: Build artifact manifest
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/build-artifact-manifest@555d577eb805851b624cf7b0b8fc4df75a225d9f
+        with:
+          provider: semgrep
+          matrix-id: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
+          sdk-revision: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.sdk-revision }}
+          bundle: ${{ steps.route.outputs.bundle }}
+          agent-payload: ${{ steps.route.outputs.agent-payload }}
+          raw-directory: ${{ steps.route.outputs.raw-directory }}
+          output: artifacts/metadata/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/artifact-manifest.json
+
+      - name: Upload analysis artifact set
+        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a  # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          name: ${{ steps.names.outputs.artifact-name }}
+          path: |
+            artifacts/raw/semgrep/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/
+            artifacts/l9/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/
+            artifacts/metadata/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 14
+
+  publish:
+    name: Publish analysis (Core)
+    needs: analyze
+    if: needs.analyze.outputs.enabled == 'true'
+    uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/workflows/publish-analysis.yml@0d28395428426853c44825c4645c23ee8ace23b1
+    permissions:
+      actions: read
+      checks: write
+      contents: read
+    with:
+      artifact-name: ${{ needs.analyze.outputs.artifact-name }}
+      profile: pr_fast
+      mode: ${{ needs.analyze.outputs.mode }}
+      provider: semgrep
+      matrix-id: pr-semgrep
+      governance-digest: ${{ needs.analyze.outputs.governance-digest }}
+      repository-revision: ${{ github.sha }}
+      workflow-result: ${{ needs.analyze.result }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/supply-chain.yml b/.github/workflows/supply-chain.yml
index c2e2a227..e0f8236e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/supply-chain.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/supply-chain.yml
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Run OpenSSF Scorecard Analysis
+        # v2.4.4 action.yaml image is docker://ghcr.io/ossf/scorecard-action:v2.4.4
+        # Do not pin v2.4.0 — that tag still docker-pulls gcr.io/openssf (billing denied).
         uses: ossf/scorecard-action@2d1146689b8cda280b9bc96326124645441f03bc # v2.4.4
         with:
           results_file: scorecard.sarif
diff --git a/docs/contracts/BANNED_PATTERNS.md b/docs/contracts/BANNED_PATTERNS.md
index 42efa004..bcf886a3 100644
--- a/docs/contracts/BANNED_PATTERNS.md
+++ b/docs/contracts/BANNED_PATTERNS.md
@@ -126,3 +126,27 @@ def compile_traversal_gate(spec: GateSpec) -> str:
 **Scope note:** these rules apply to `engine/` only. Abstract base classes in `chassis/`
 (for example `AuditSink.write_batch`) raise `NotImplementedError` as their defining
 contract — that is the intended use, not a stub.
+
+### `typing.Protocol` method bodies (CEG#267)
+
+A Protocol method is a structural signature. It is never instantiated and never
+executed. The only body that is valid Python *and* clean on every in-repo gate
+is a docstring and nothing else:
+
+| Body | `STUB-001` | ruff `PIE790` | github-code-quality |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| `raise NotImplementedError` | CRITICAL (blocks merge) | clean | clean |
+| `pass` | clean | PIE790 | clean |
+| `...` | clean | clean | “Statement has no effect” |
+| docstring only | clean | clean | clean |
+
+Do not “fix” a Protocol by raising. That is the opposite of a stub-free engine:
+it trips the blocking scanner so a review bot can go quiet. Chassis ABCs may
+still raise; `engine/` Protocols may not.
+
+```python
+# ✅ CORRECT — Protocol signature, no executable statement
+class GraphWriter(Protocol):
+    async def execute_write(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+        """Run one managed write transaction."""
+```
diff --git a/engine/hoprag/indexer.py b/engine/hoprag/indexer.py
index 7279c1ce..23cc8b79 100644
--- a/engine/hoprag/indexer.py
+++ b/engine/hoprag/indexer.py
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ async def fetch_passages(
         Returns:
             List of dicts with 'id' and 'text' keys.
         """
-        ...
 
     async def write_edges(
         self,
@@ -83,7 +82,6 @@ async def write_edges(
         Returns:
             Number of edges written.
         """
-        ...
 
     async def get_vertex_count(self, label: str) -> int:
         """Count vertices with given label.
@@ -94,7 +92,6 @@ async def get_vertex_count(self, label: str) -> int:
         Returns:
             Number of vertices.
         """
-        ...
 
 
 @dataclass
diff --git a/engine/sync/idea_portfolio.py b/engine/sync/idea_portfolio.py
index 32d8fdf4..dab4580e 100644
--- a/engine/sync/idea_portfolio.py
+++ b/engine/sync/idea_portfolio.py
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ async def execute_write(
         **kwargs: Any,
     ) -> dict[str, Any] | Any:
         """Run one managed write transaction, via a transaction function or `cypher`."""
-        ...
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
diff --git a/engine/traversal/multihop.py b/engine/traversal/multihop.py
index 779ba673..c0731ce7 100644
--- a/engine/traversal/multihop.py
+++ b/engine/traversal/multihop.py
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ def evaluate_edges(
         Returns:
             Index of the selected edge in candidate_edges.
         """
-        ...
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
@@ -132,7 +131,6 @@ async def get_outgoing_edges(self, vertex_id: str) -> list[TraversalEdge]:
         Returns:
             List of TraversalEdge objects.
         """
-        ...
 
 
 class MultiHopTraverser:
diff --git a/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py b/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py
index 0f71cbc2..8527a7eb 100644
--- a/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py
+++ b/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py
@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ def generate(self, prompt: str) -> str:
         Returns:
             Generated text response.
         """
-        ...
 
 
 class KeywordExtractor(Protocol):
@@ -141,7 +140,6 @@ def extract(self, text: str) -> frozenset[str]:
         Returns:
             Set of extracted keyword strings.
         """
-        ...
 
 
 class EmbeddingEncoder(Protocol):
@@ -156,7 +154,6 @@ def encode(self, text: str) -> tuple[float, ...]:
         Returns:
             Embedding vector as tuple of floats.
         """
-        ...
 
 
 # ── Main Generator ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..74f53c34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""Protocol method bodies must stay lint-clean on every in-repo gate (CEG#267)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import ast
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+ENGINE = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "engine"
+
+
+def _protocol_methods(path: Path) -> list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]]:
+    tree = ast.parse(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), filename=str(path))
+    found: list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]] = []
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
+        if not isinstance(node, ast.ClassDef):
+            continue
+        if not any(
+            (isinstance(base, ast.Name) and base.id == "Protocol")
+            or (isinstance(base, ast.Attribute) and base.attr == "Protocol")
+            for base in node.bases
+        ):
+            continue
+        for item in node.body:
+            if isinstance(item, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)):
+                found.append((path.as_posix(), f"{node.name}.{item.name}", item))
+    return found
+
+
+def _engine_protocol_methods() -> list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]]:
+    rows: list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]] = []
+    for path in sorted(ENGINE.rglob("*.py")):
+        rows.extend(_protocol_methods(path))
+    return rows
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_engine_has_protocol_methods() -> None:
+    assert _engine_protocol_methods(), "expected at least one engine Protocol method"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_protocol_methods_have_no_executable_stub() -> None:
+    failures: list[str] = []
+    for rel, qualname, fn in _engine_protocol_methods():
+        executable = []
+        for stmt in fn.body:
+            if isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr) and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant) and isinstance(stmt.value.value, str):
+                continue
+            executable.append(stmt)
+        for stmt in executable:
+            if isinstance(stmt, ast.Pass):
+                failures.append(f"{rel}:{qualname} uses pass (ruff PIE790)")
+            elif isinstance(stmt, ast.Raise) and isinstance(stmt.exc, ast.Call):
+                func = stmt.exc.func
+                name = func.id if isinstance(func, ast.Name) else ""
+                if name == "NotImplementedError":
+                    failures.append(f"{rel}:{qualname} raises NotImplementedError (STUB-001)")
+            elif isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr) and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant) and stmt.value.value is Ellipsis:
+                failures.append(f"{rel}:{qualname} uses ... (github-code-quality no-op)")
+    assert failures == [], "\n".join(failures)

From e2cd163205bd1cfd6ea8baed8bc07f75a036105e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Igor Beylin <ib718@icloud.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2026 22:42:43 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 10/19] style: commit gate writer rewrites so make pr finishes
 once

---
 tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py | 6 +++++-
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
index 74f53c34..54fbf095 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
@@ -46,7 +46,11 @@ def test_protocol_methods_have_no_executable_stub() -> None:
     for rel, qualname, fn in _engine_protocol_methods():
         executable = []
         for stmt in fn.body:
-            if isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr) and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant) and isinstance(stmt.value.value, str):
+            if (
+                isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr)
+                and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant)
+                and isinstance(stmt.value.value, str)
+            ):
                 continue
             executable.append(stmt)
         for stmt in executable:

From 054ba11bbbb1e8af10675e95b52b1b08f17d1a5b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:06:49 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 11/19] fix(c-009): AST cypher-lint scanner and value
 parameterization (F280-1, F280-2)

Audit findings F280-1/F280-2 on PR #280:

- tools/cypher_lint.py is now an AST scanner. Every f-string that builds
  Cypher (by text, by sink, or by compiler context) has each interpolation
  classified by syntactic role: quoted value and LIMIT/SKIP always fail;
  label, property, parameter-name and back-quoted positions must be
  validated; a bare fragment fails when it reads a raw spec value. No
  keyword precondition, multi-line f-strings analysed as one unit, and
  waivers are explicit, reasoned, and printed on every run.
- cypher_quoted_ident() is removed: it sanitized data as if it were a
  label. EnumMapGate mapping keys/values and GDS equipment type names now
  travel as $parameters via BaseGate._bind_param() / query_params.
- ExclusionGate sanitizes edge/node identifiers; _prop_ref/_param_ref
  validate identifiers; operators and composite logic pass through literal
  allow-lists aligned with the schema's validated set.
- GateCompiler validates query parameter names with sanitize_label() and
  casts numeric spec values; scoring builders validate dimension aliases
  and property/parameter names.
- sanitize_database_name() added for CREATE DATABASE quoting.

Tests cover both directions of the scanner (including the audit's
false-negative NOT EXISTS shape and false-positive module-constant MERGE),
non-identifier and injection-shaped enum values, and the live engine tree.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_018dcSADmR2nDESm69Szd1fT
---
 .claude/rules/capability-registry.md |   4 +-
 CHANGELOG.md                         |  29 ++
 docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md              |  48 ++-
 engine/causal/attribution.py         |   2 +-
 engine/causal/causal_compiler.py     |   2 +-
 engine/gates/compiler.py             |  49 ++-
 engine/gates/types/all_gates.py      |  94 ++++-
 engine/gds/scheduler.py              |  24 +-
 engine/scoring/assembler.py          |  23 +-
 engine/scoring/helpfulness.py        |  10 +-
 engine/scoring/importance.py         |   6 +-
 engine/utils/security.py             |  31 +-
 tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py       | 279 ++++++++++++--
 tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py      |  29 +-
 tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py |  12 +-
 tests/unit/test_gates_all_types.py   | 195 ++++++++++
 tools/cypher_lint.py                 | 537 +++++++++++++++++++++++----
 17 files changed, 1190 insertions(+), 184 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md b/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md
index 0143de9b..0306d7b7 100644
--- a/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md
+++ b/.claude/rules/capability-registry.md
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ Before building any of these, check if it already exists. Use the existing imple
 | CEG → Gate → EIE egress (the ONLY peer egress) | engine/gate_egress.py | `request_enrichment()`, `emit_graph_inference_result()` |
 | Inference outputs → EIE wire shape | engine/gate_egress.py | `build_inference_outputs()` (0.55 floor, matches EIE) |
 | Domain database provisioning | engine/graph/driver.py | `GraphDriver.ensure_database()` (flag: `auto_create_domain_database`) |
-| Database-name validation for DDL | engine/graph/driver.py | `_DATABASE_NAME_RE` — `sanitize_label()` forbids the dashes domain ids use |
+| Database-name validation for DDL | engine/utils/security.py | `sanitize_database_name()` — `sanitize_label()` forbids the dashes domain ids use |
+| Gate run-time values as `$params` | engine/gates/types/all_gates.py | `BaseGate._bind_param()` / `BaseGate.query_params` |
+| Cypher injection scanner (C-009) | tools/cypher_lint.py | `scan_tree()` — AST f-string role classifier |
 | Inference rule execution | engine/inference_rule_registry.py | `execute_rule()`, `list_registered_rules()` |
 
 Do not add a second outbound client. `engine/gate_egress.py` is the only
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 017fc46e..a6089f8c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,35 @@ All notable changes to L9 Engine will be documented in this file.
 Format based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 Versioning follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Security (C-009)
+- `tools/cypher_lint.py`: rewritten as an AST scanner that classifies every f-string
+  interpolation by syntactic role (quoted value, label, property, parameter name,
+  back-quoted identifier, `LIMIT`/`SKIP`, compiled fragment) instead of gating on a
+  keyword list; explicit reasoned waivers (`# cypher-lint: allow <reason>`) are
+  printed on every run.
+- `engine/gates/compiler.py`, `engine/gates/types/all_gates.py`: query parameter
+  names are validated with `sanitize_label()`; operators and composite logic pass
+  through literal allow-lists; `EnumMapGate` mapping keys/values and GDS equipment
+  type names travel as `$parameters` (`BaseGate._bind_param()` / `query_params`).
+- `engine/scoring/*`: dimension aliases validated, numeric spec values cast before
+  interpolation, `helpfulness`/`importance` builders validate property and
+  parameter names.
+- `engine/utils/security.py`: `cypher_quoted_ident()` removed; `sanitize_database_name()`
+  added for `CREATE DATABASE`.
+
+### Fixed
+- `GraphDriver.ensure_database()`: concurrent first-use callers await the single
+  in-flight `CREATE DATABASE` instead of racing past a pre-claimed name into a
+  database that does not exist yet (CEG-008 follow-up).
+- `tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py`: enforces the docstring-only Protocol body
+  contract — any statement after the docstring fails with its location.
+
+### CI
+- The consumer-local `l9-analysis.yml` workflow is not restored; organization
+  analysis stays owned by `l9-ci-core` (`Analyze (central Core)`).
+
 ## [1.2.0] - 2026-03-10 — KGE Mathematical Core Hardening
 
 ### Patches Applied
diff --git a/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md b/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
index 7d862bfe..ed9c2ff5 100644
--- a/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
+++ b/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
@@ -121,26 +121,62 @@ git commit -m "fix: gate implementation"
 
 ### Symptom
 ```
-❌ Unparameterized value interpolation detected
+❌ quoted value interpolation — pass the value as a $parameter
 File: engine/sync/generator.py:89
-Pattern: f"SET n.status = '{status}'"
+Expression: {status}
+Pattern: cypher = f"SET n.status = '{status}'"
 ```
 
 ### Diagnosis
-This violates **Contract C-009** (Cypher Injection Prevention). Values must be parameterized.
+This violates **Contract C-009** (Cypher Injection Prevention). `tools/cypher_lint.py`
+parses every f-string that builds Cypher and classifies each `{expr}` by the text
+just before it:
+
+| Text before `{expr}` | Role | Verdict |
+|---|---|---|
+| `'` or `"` | data value | always fails — pass it as a `$parameter` |
+| `LIMIT` / `SKIP` | bound | always fails — pass it as a `$parameter` |
+| `:` | label / relationship type | must be `sanitize_label(...)` or a name derived from it |
+| `.` | property name | must be `sanitize_label(...)` or a name derived from it |
+| `$` | parameter **name** | must be `sanitize_label(...)` or a name derived from it |
+| `` ` `` | back-quoted identifier | must be `sanitize_database_name(...)` / `sanitize_label(...)` |
+| anything else | compiled fragment | fails only when the expression reads a raw `spec` / `gate` / `dim` / `metadata` value |
+
+`int(...)` / `float(...)` casts and lookups in a literal allow-list dict count as
+validated. Diagnostic strings (`raise`, `logger.*`, `msg = ...`, `reason=`) are
+recognised by AST context and skipped.
 
 ### Resolution
 ```python
-# ❌ WRONG
+# ❌ WRONG — value quoted into the statement
 cypher = f"SET n.status = '{status}'"
 await driver.execute_query(cypher)
 
-# ✅ CORRECT
+# ✅ CORRECT — value travels as a parameter
 cypher = "SET n.status = $status"
 await driver.execute_query(cypher, {"status": status})
+
+# ❌ WRONG — spec token interpolated raw (label, property, parameter name, operator)
+cypher = f"candidate.{gate.candidateprop} {gate.operator} ${gate.queryparam}"
+
+# ✅ CORRECT — identifiers validated, operator from an allow-list
+prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop)
+op = _OPERATORS[gate.operator]
+param = sanitize_label(gate.queryparam)
+cypher = f"candidate.{prop} {op} ${param}"
 ```
 
-**Agent Action**: Never interpolate values into Cypher. Only labels (after `sanitize_label()`).
+Gate classes in `engine/gates/types/all_gates.py` bind run-time data with
+`self._bind_param(suffix, value)` and expose it via `gate.query_params`; merge
+that dict into the `execute_query` parameters.
+
+A finding may be waived only with `# cypher-lint: allow <reason>` on the
+interpolation's line. Waivers are printed on every run (never silent) and a
+marker without a reason is ignored.
+
+**Agent Action**: Never interpolate values into Cypher. Only validated identifiers
+(after `sanitize_label()` / `sanitize_database_name()`), and only `$parameters`
+for data.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/engine/causal/attribution.py b/engine/causal/attribution.py
index d9b20d4c..e3d57a84 100644
--- a/engine/causal/attribution.py
+++ b/engine/causal/attribution.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ async def compute_attribution(
             msg = f"Invalid attribution model: {model!r}. Must be one of {sorted(VALID_MODELS)}"
             raise ValueError(msg)
 
-        depth = max_depth or self._spec.causal.chain_depth_limit
+        depth = int(max_depth or self._spec.causal.chain_depth_limit)
         outcome_label = sanitize_label(self._spec.feedbackloop.outcome_node_label)
 
         # Build edge pattern from causal spec
diff --git a/engine/causal/causal_compiler.py b/engine/causal/causal_compiler.py
index 9b29ca0b..0f0babc7 100644
--- a/engine/causal/causal_compiler.py
+++ b/engine/causal/causal_compiler.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def compile_causal_chain_query(
         up to the configured depth limit.
         """
         safe_root = sanitize_label(root_label)
-        depth = max_depth or self._causal_spec.chain_depth_limit
+        depth = int(max_depth or self._causal_spec.chain_depth_limit)
 
         if edge_types:
             safe_types = [sanitize_label(t) for t in edge_types]
diff --git a/engine/gates/compiler.py b/engine/gates/compiler.py
index 3e55cd0b..007272b3 100644
--- a/engine/gates/compiler.py
+++ b/engine/gates/compiler.py
@@ -36,6 +36,20 @@
 # Cypher boolean conjunction used to join WHERE fragments.
 AND_JOINER = " AND "
 
+# C-009: tokens read from the domain spec that are interpolated verbatim pass
+# through a literal allow-list (a lookup raises on anything else) or through
+# sanitize_label(); query parameter *names* are identifiers and must be
+# validated exactly like labels, or `$name` becomes a statement injection.
+_OPERATORS: dict[str, str] = {
+    op: op for op in (">=", "<=", ">", "<", "=", "!=", "<>", "IN", "CONTAINS", "STARTS WITH", "ENDS WITH")
+}
+_LOGIC: dict[str, str] = {"AND": "AND", "OR": "OR"}
+
+
+def _param_name(name: str | None, fallback: str = "value") -> str:
+    """Validated Cypher parameter identifier for a gate's query parameter."""
+    return sanitize_label(name or fallback)
+
 
 class GateCompiler:
     """
@@ -226,7 +240,8 @@ def _compile_boolean(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         """Boolean gate: candidate.prop = $param OR candidate.prop = true."""
         prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "prop"
         if gate.queryparam:
-            return f"candidate.{prop} = ${gate.queryparam}"
+            param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
+            return f"candidate.{prop} = ${param}"
         return f"candidate.{prop} = true"
 
     def _compile_threshold(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
@@ -235,8 +250,9 @@ def _compile_threshold(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         Supports operator override via gate.operator: >=, <=, >, <, =
         """
         prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "prop"
-        op = gate.operator or ">="
-        return f"candidate.{prop} {op} ${gate.queryparam}"
+        op = _OPERATORS[gate.operator or ">="]
+        param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
+        return f"candidate.{prop} {op} ${param}"
 
     def _compile_range(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         """
@@ -246,7 +262,7 @@ def _compile_range(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         base_prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "prop"
         min_prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop_min) if gate.candidateprop_min else f"min_{base_prop}"
         max_prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop_max) if gate.candidateprop_max else f"max_{base_prop}"
-        param = gate.queryparam
+        param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
 
         parts = []
         parts.append(f"(candidate.{min_prop} IS NULL OR candidate.{min_prop} <= ${param})")
@@ -259,9 +275,10 @@ def _compile_enum(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         Or inverse: $param IN candidate.prop_list
         """
         prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "prop"
+        param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
         if gate.invertible:
-            return f"${gate.queryparam} IN candidate.{prop}"
-        return f"candidate.{prop} IN ${gate.queryparam}"
+            return f"${param} IN candidate.{prop}"
+        return f"candidate.{prop} IN ${param}"
 
     def _compile_exclusion(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         """
@@ -287,12 +304,13 @@ def _compile_exclusion(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         # values only ever flow through $ parameters.
         exclusion_edge = "(candidate)-[:" + edge_type + "]->"
         if gate.queryparam:
+            param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
             return (
                 "NOT EXISTS { MATCH "
                 + exclusion_edge
                 + "(excluded) WHERE excluded."
                 + target_prop
-                + f" = ${gate.queryparam} "
+                + f" = ${param} "
                 + "}"
             )
         return "NOT EXISTS { MATCH " + exclusion_edge + "() }"
@@ -305,7 +323,7 @@ def _compile_composite(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         if not gate.subgates:
             return "true"
 
-        combinator = f" {gate.logic or 'AND'} "
+        combinator = f" {_LOGIC[(gate.logic or 'AND').upper()]} "
         sub_fragments = []
         for sub_gate_name in gate.subgates:
             sub_gate_spec = next((g for g in self._gates if g.name == sub_gate_name), None)
@@ -330,7 +348,7 @@ def _compile_self_range(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         base_prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "prop"
         min_prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop_min) if gate.candidateprop_min else f"min_{base_prop}"
         max_prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop_max) if gate.candidateprop_max else f"max_{base_prop}"
-        param = gate.queryparam
+        param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
 
         return (
             f"(candidate.{min_prop} IS NULL OR candidate.{min_prop} <= ${param}) AND "
@@ -344,7 +362,7 @@ def _compile_freshness(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         """
         prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "updated_at"
         duration_field = "days"
-        duration_value = gate.maxagedays or 1
+        duration_value = int(gate.maxagedays or 1)
         return f"candidate.{prop} >= datetime() - duration({{{duration_field}: {duration_value}}})"
 
     def _compile_temporal_range(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
@@ -352,8 +370,8 @@ def _compile_temporal_range(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
         Temporal range gate: candidate.prop between two datetime parameters.
         """
         prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop) if gate.candidateprop else "timestamp"
-        start_param = gate.queryparam_start or f"{gate.queryparam}_start"
-        end_param = gate.queryparam_end or f"{gate.queryparam}_end"
+        start_param = sanitize_label(gate.queryparam_start or f"{gate.queryparam}_start")
+        end_param = sanitize_label(gate.queryparam_end or f"{gate.queryparam}_end")
         return f"candidate.{prop} >= ${start_param} AND candidate.{prop} <= ${end_param}"
 
     def _compile_traversal(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
@@ -367,7 +385,8 @@ def _compile_traversal(self, gate: GateSpec) -> str:
 
         if gate.candidateprop and gate.queryparam:
             prop = sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop)
-            target_filter = f" {{{prop}: ${gate.queryparam}}}"
+            param = _param_name(gate.queryparam)
+            target_filter = f" {{{prop}: ${param}}}"
 
         label_clause = f":{target_label}" if target_label else ""
         return f"exists((candidate)-[:{edge_type}]->(t{label_clause}{target_filter}))"
@@ -389,6 +408,6 @@ def _wrap_null_semantics(self, gate: GateSpec, predicate: str) -> str:
             gate_type=gate.type,
             null_behavior=null_behavior,
             gate_cypher=predicate,
-            candidate_prop=f"candidate.{gate.candidateprop}" if gate.candidateprop else None,
-            query_param=f"${gate.queryparam}" if gate.queryparam else None,
+            candidate_prop=f"candidate.{sanitize_label(gate.candidateprop)}" if gate.candidateprop else None,
+            query_param=f"${_param_name(gate.queryparam)}" if gate.queryparam else None,
         )
diff --git a/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py b/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py
index 7336eca4..d1d66bfb 100644
--- a/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py
+++ b/engine/gates/types/all_gates.py
@@ -13,14 +13,28 @@
 Production-grade, enterprise-quality, frontier AI lab standard.
 """
 
+import hashlib
 import logging
+import re
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from typing import Any
 
 from engine.config.schema import DomainSpec, GateSpec
-from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident
+from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+_PARAM_KEY_UNSAFE_RE = re.compile(r"[^A-Za-z0-9_]")
+_MAX_PARAM_KEY_LEN = 64
+
+# C-009: spec tokens interpolated verbatim pass through a literal allow-list —
+# a lookup raises on anything else — so an operator or combinator read from
+# untrusted YAML can never carry Cypher.
+_OPERATORS: dict[str, str] = {
+    op: op for op in (">=", "<=", ">", "<", "=", "!=", "<>", "IN", "CONTAINS", "STARTS WITH", "ENDS WITH")
+}
+_LOGIC: dict[str, str] = {"AND": "AND", "OR": "OR"}
+
 
 # ============================================================================
 # BASE GATE
@@ -40,6 +54,11 @@ def __init__(self, spec: GateSpec, domain_spec: DomainSpec):
         """
         self.spec = spec
         self.domain_spec = domain_spec
+        # C-009: data values a gate needs at run time never appear in the
+        # compiled fragment as literals. compile() registers them here under
+        # the parameter names the fragment references, and the caller merges
+        # `query_params` into the execute_query parameters.
+        self._query_params: dict[str, Any] = {}
 
     @abstractmethod
     def compile(self) -> str:
@@ -50,13 +69,40 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
             Cypher clause (without NULL handling)
         """
 
+    @property
+    def query_params(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Cypher parameters registered by the most recent compile() call."""
+        return dict(self._query_params)
+
+    def _bind_param(self, suffix: str, value: Any) -> str:
+        """Register ``value`` as a Cypher parameter and return its ``$name`` reference.
+
+        The name is derived from the gate name so fragments from different gates
+        never collide; both parts are reduced to ``[A-Za-z0-9_]`` so the name is
+        always a valid Cypher parameter identifier.
+        """
+        safe_gate = _PARAM_KEY_UNSAFE_RE.sub("_", self.spec.name)
+        safe_suffix = _PARAM_KEY_UNSAFE_RE.sub("_", suffix)
+        raw_key = f"gate_{safe_gate}_{safe_suffix}"
+        if len(raw_key) > _MAX_PARAM_KEY_LEN:
+            # Keep the key an identifier of bounded length; the digest keeps it unique per gate.
+            digest = hashlib.sha256(safe_gate.encode()).hexdigest()[:16]
+            raw_key = f"gate_{digest}_{safe_suffix}"[:_MAX_PARAM_KEY_LEN]
+        key = sanitize_label(raw_key)
+        self._query_params[key] = value
+        return f"${key}"
+
     def _prop_ref(self, prop: str) -> str:
-        """Format property reference."""
-        return f"candidate.{prop}" if not prop.startswith("candidate.") else prop
+        """Format property reference (property name validated as an identifier)."""
+        name = sanitize_label(prop.removeprefix("candidate."))
+        return f"candidate.{name}"
 
     def _param_ref(self, param: str) -> str:
-        """Format query parameter reference."""
-        return f"$query.{param}" if not param.startswith("$") else param
+        """Format query parameter reference (parameter path validated as identifiers)."""
+        parts = param.removeprefix("$").split(".")
+        if parts[0] != "query":
+            parts.insert(0, "query")
+        return "$" + ".".join(sanitize_label(part) for part in parts)
 
 
 # ============================================================================
@@ -105,7 +151,7 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
 
         prop = self._prop_ref(self.spec.candidateprop)
         param = self._param_ref(self.spec.queryparam)
-        operator = self.spec.operator
+        operator = _OPERATORS[self.spec.operator]
 
         return f"{prop} {operator} {param}"
 
@@ -150,6 +196,7 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
         if not self.spec.logic:
             raise ValueError(f"Gate '{self.spec.name}': logic required (AND/OR)")
 
+        self._query_params = {}
         # Find subgate specs by name
         subgate_clauses = []
         for subgate_name in self.spec.subgates:
@@ -163,8 +210,9 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
             gate_class = GateRegistry.get_gate_class(subgate_spec.type)
             gate_instance = gate_class(subgate_spec, self.domain_spec)
             subgate_clauses.append(f"({gate_instance.compile()})")
+            self._query_params.update(gate_instance.query_params)
 
-        logic_op = f" {self.spec.logic.upper()} "
+        logic_op = f" {_LOGIC[self.spec.logic.upper()]} "
         return logic_op.join(subgate_clauses)
 
 
@@ -187,14 +235,19 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
 
         prop = self._prop_ref(self.spec.candidateprop)
         param = self._param_ref(self.spec.queryparam)
+        self._query_params = {}
 
         # Check if mapping is provided (query value → candidate values)
         if self.spec.mapping:
-            # Build CASE WHEN for complex mapping
+            # Build CASE WHEN for complex mapping. Mapping keys and values are
+            # data compared against properties, not labels: they may contain
+            # spaces, dashes or anything else, so they travel as $parameters
+            # (C-009) rather than as quoted literals in the fragment.
             cases = []
-            for query_val, candidate_vals in self.spec.mapping.items():
-                val_list = ", ".join(cypher_quoted_ident(str(v)) for v in candidate_vals)
-                cases.append(f"WHEN {param} = {cypher_quoted_ident(str(query_val))} THEN {prop} IN [{val_list}]")
+            for index, (query_val, candidate_vals) in enumerate(self.spec.mapping.items()):
+                key_ref = self._bind_param(f"key_{index}", query_val)
+                values_ref = self._bind_param(f"values_{index}", list(candidate_vals))
+                cases.append(f"WHEN {param} = {key_ref} THEN {prop} IN {values_ref}")
 
             case_expr = " ".join(cases)
             return f"CASE {case_expr} ELSE false END"
@@ -217,9 +270,12 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
         if not self.spec.edgetype:
             raise ValueError(f"Gate '{self.spec.name}': edgetype required")
 
-        edge = self.spec.edgetype
-        from_node = self.spec.fromnode or "query"
-        to_node = self.spec.tonode or "candidate"
+        # Relationship type and node variables are structural identifiers
+        # read straight from the domain spec, which is untrusted input:
+        # sanitize before interpolation (C-009).
+        edge = sanitize_label(self.spec.edgetype)
+        from_node = sanitize_label(self.spec.fromnode or "query")
+        to_node = sanitize_label(self.spec.tonode or "candidate")
 
         return f"NOT EXISTS(({from_node})-[:{edge}]->({to_node}))"
 
@@ -266,7 +322,7 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
             raise ValueError(f"Gate '{self.spec.name}': maxagedays required")
 
         prop = self._prop_ref(self.spec.candidateprop)
-        max_age = self.spec.maxagedays
+        max_age = int(self.spec.maxagedays)
 
         return f"duration.between({prop}, datetime()).days <= {max_age}"
 
@@ -315,10 +371,16 @@ def compile(self) -> str:
         if not self.spec.condition:
             raise ValueError(f"Gate '{self.spec.name}': condition required")
 
+        # `pattern` and `condition` are spec-authored Cypher by design — the
+        # traversal gate is the domain spec's escape hatch and has no
+        # value-level grammar to validate against. The live GateCompiler
+        # (engine/gates/compiler.py) does not honour these fields; packs that
+        # rely on them are withheld behind `unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled`
+        # (CEG-009). The waiver below keeps the scanner honest about that.
         pattern = self.spec.pattern
         condition = self.spec.condition
 
-        return f"EXISTS {{ MATCH {pattern} WHERE {condition} }}"
+        return f"EXISTS {{ MATCH {pattern} WHERE {condition} }}"  # cypher-lint: allow spec-authored Cypher escape hatch, withheld by CEG-009
 
 
 # ============================================================================
diff --git a/engine/gds/scheduler.py b/engine/gds/scheduler.py
index 219f67f9..c76ddbb4 100644
--- a/engine/gds/scheduler.py
+++ b/engine/gds/scheduler.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 from engine.config.schema import AggregationStrategy, DomainSpec, EdgeCategory, GDSJobSpec
 from engine.graph.driver import GraphDriver
-from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident, sanitize_label
+from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
 
 # S2-10: EdgeCategory → recommended GDS configuration mapping.
 # Paper: different relation types benefit from different algorithms/aggregation.
@@ -589,10 +589,17 @@ async def _run_equipment_sync(self, job_spec: GDSJobSpec) -> dict[str, Any]:
         # Get equipment properties from ontology or use defaults
         equipment_props = self._get_equipment_properties(job_spec)
 
-        # Build dynamic CASE statements for equipment detection
-        case_statements = [
-            f"CASE WHEN f.{prop} = true THEN {cypher_quoted_ident(name)} END" for prop, name in equipment_props
-        ]
+        # Build dynamic CASE statements for equipment detection. Property names
+        # are structural and pass sanitize_label; equipment type names are data
+        # (they may legitimately contain spaces or dashes) and travel as
+        # $parameters, never as quoted literals (C-009).
+        equipment_params: dict[str, Any] = {}
+        case_statements = []
+        for index, (prop, name) in enumerate(equipment_props):
+            safe_prop = sanitize_label(prop)
+            param_key = sanitize_label(f"equipment_name_{index}")
+            equipment_params[param_key] = name
+            case_statements.append(f"CASE WHEN f.{safe_prop} = true THEN ${param_key} END")
         case_list = ",\n            ".join(case_statements)
 
         cypher = f"""
@@ -606,7 +613,7 @@ async def _run_equipment_sync(self, job_spec: GDSJobSpec) -> dict[str, Any]:
         MERGE (f)-[:HAS_EQUIPMENT]->(e)
         RETURN count(*) AS edges_created
         """
-        result = await self.graph_driver.execute_query(cypher, database=db)
+        result = await self.graph_driver.execute_query(cypher, parameters=equipment_params, database=db)
         edges = result[0]["edges_created"] if result else 0
         logger.info(f"Equipment sync: {edges} HAS_EQUIPMENT edges for {node_label}")
         return {"edges_created": edges}
@@ -657,12 +664,13 @@ async def _run_causal_chain_scoring(self, job_spec: GDSJobSpec) -> dict[str, Any
 
         # Build edge pattern from causal spec
         causal_spec = self.domain_spec.causal
+        depth = int(causal_spec.chain_depth_limit)
         if causal_spec.causal_edges:
             safe_types = [sanitize_label(e.edge_type) for e in causal_spec.causal_edges]
             edge_pattern = "|".join(safe_types)
-            rel_pattern = f"[:{edge_pattern}*1..{causal_spec.chain_depth_limit}]"
+            rel_pattern = f"[:{edge_pattern}*1..{depth}]"
         else:
-            rel_pattern = f"[*1..{causal_spec.chain_depth_limit}]"
+            rel_pattern = f"[*1..{depth}]"
 
         # Calculate causal influence score per entity
         cypher = f"""
diff --git a/engine/scoring/assembler.py b/engine/scoring/assembler.py
index 2681a8e9..5bd3b7be 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/assembler.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/assembler.py
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ def assemble_scoring_clause(
             # W1-02: clamp each dimension expression to [0.0, 1.0] when enabled
             if settings.score_clamp_enabled:
                 expr = self._clamp_expression(expr)
-            dimension_exprs.append(f"{expr} AS {dim.name}")
+            alias = sanitize_label(dim.name)
+            dimension_exprs.append(f"{expr} AS {alias}")
             weight = weights.get(dim.weightkey, dim.defaultweight)
             # Convergence loop: multiply spec weight by learned adjustment factor
             if dim.name in learned and sw_spec is not None:
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ def assemble_scoring_clause(
                 # apply negative penalty instead of just reduced weight.
                 # Implements "primitive subtraction" from Lippl et al.
                 weight = -abs(sw_spec.penalty_factor) if learned_w < sw_spec.penalty_threshold else weight * learned_w
-            weight_exprs.append(f"({weight} * {dim.name})")
+            weight_exprs.append(f"({float(weight)} * {alias})")
             active_dim_names.append(dim.name)
 
         self._last_active_dims = list(active_dim_names)
@@ -267,7 +268,7 @@ def _compile_dimension(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         return base_expr
 
     def _compile_geodecay(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
-        k = dim.decayconstant or 50000.0
+        k = float(dim.decayconstant or 50000.0)
         lat_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "lat")
         query_lat_param = sanitize_label(dim.queryprop or lat_prop)
         return (
@@ -278,7 +279,7 @@ def _compile_geodecay(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         )
 
     def _compile_lognormalized(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
-        max_val = dim.maxvalue or 1000.0
+        max_val = float(dim.maxvalue or 1000.0)
         prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "value")
         return f"log(1 + coalesce(candidate.{prop}, 0)) / log(1 + {max_val})"
 
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ def _compile_communitymatch(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         Returns bias score if communities match, graduated score otherwise.
         Does not require APOC - uses native Cypher only.
         """
-        bias = dim.bias or 1.5
+        bias = float(dim.bias or 1.5)
         cand_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "community_id")
         query_prop = sanitize_label(dim.queryprop or "community_id")
 
@@ -317,8 +318,8 @@ def _compile_communitymatch(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         )
 
     def _compile_inverselinear(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
-        min_val = dim.minvalue or 0.0
-        max_val = dim.maxvalue or 100.0
+        min_val = float(dim.minvalue or 0.0)
+        max_val = float(dim.maxvalue or 100.0)
         prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "value")
         return f"1.0 - (coalesce(candidate.{prop}, {max_val}) - {min_val}) / ({max_val} - {min_val})"
 
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ def _compile_pricealignment(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         """
         cand_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "price_per_unit")
         query_prop = sanitize_label(dim.queryprop or "target_price")
-        tau = dim.maxvalue or 2.0  # tolerance: 2.0 = ~7.4x ratio scores 0
+        tau = float(dim.maxvalue or 2.0)  # tolerance: 2.0 = ~7.4x ratio scores 0
         default = float(dim.defaultwhennull)  # nosemgrep: float-requires-try-except
         return (
             f"CASE "
@@ -360,7 +361,7 @@ def _compile_temporalproximity(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         Reads last_activity_date, touch_count_30d, and is_accelerating from node.
         """
         date_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "last_activity_date")
-        decay_days = dim.maxvalue or 90.0
+        decay_days = float(dim.maxvalue or 90.0)
         default = float(dim.defaultwhennull)  # nosemgrep: float-requires-try-except
         # Weights for 3 signals
         w1, w2, w3 = 0.6, 0.25, 0.15
@@ -554,11 +555,11 @@ def _apply_null_strategy(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec, base_expr: str) -> str
             return base_expr  # No change — coalesce(..., 0.0) already handles this
         if strategy == NullStrategy.INHERIT_PRIOR:
             prop_name = sanitize_label(f"_prior_{dim.name}")
-            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), candidate.{prop_name}, {dim.defaultwhennull})"
+            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), candidate.{prop_name}, {float(dim.defaultwhennull)})"
         if strategy == NullStrategy.POPULATION_MEAN:
             # Population mean is injected as a parameter at query time
             param = sanitize_label(f"_popmean_{dim.name}")
-            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), ${param}, {dim.defaultwhennull})"
+            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), ${param}, {float(dim.defaultwhennull)})"
         return base_expr
 
     def _apply_cold_start_fallback(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec, base_expr: str) -> str:
diff --git a/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py b/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py
index 64feeb7e..58f8e552 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
+from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -199,8 +201,10 @@ def compile_helpfulness_cypher(
     Returns:
         Cypher expression string.
     """
+    similarity_prop = sanitize_label(similarity_prop)
+    importance_prop = sanitize_label(importance_prop)
     return (
-        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{similarity_prop} IS NULL THEN {default_when_null} "
-        f"ELSE ({alpha} * coalesce(candidate.{similarity_prop}, 0) + "
-        f"{1.0 - alpha} * coalesce(candidate.{importance_prop}, 0)) END"
+        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{similarity_prop} IS NULL THEN {float(default_when_null)} "
+        f"ELSE ({float(alpha)} * coalesce(candidate.{similarity_prop}, 0) + "
+        f"{1.0 - float(alpha)} * coalesce(candidate.{importance_prop}, 0)) END"
     )
diff --git a/engine/scoring/importance.py b/engine/scoring/importance.py
index 9180e245..b9702ca5 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/importance.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/importance.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
+from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -185,7 +187,9 @@ def compile_importance_cypher(
     Returns:
         Cypher expression string.
     """
+    visit_count_prop = sanitize_label(visit_count_prop)
+    total_visits_param = sanitize_label(total_visits_param)
     return (
-        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{visit_count_prop} IS NULL THEN {default_when_null} "
+        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{visit_count_prop} IS NULL THEN {float(default_when_null)} "
         f"ELSE toFloat(candidate.{visit_count_prop}) / ${total_visits_param} END"
     )
diff --git a/engine/utils/security.py b/engine/utils/security.py
index 0eefb3ce..6b507fcc 100644
--- a/engine/utils/security.py
+++ b/engine/utils/security.py
@@ -40,10 +40,31 @@ def sanitize_label(label: str) -> str:
     return label
 
 
-def cypher_quoted_ident(value: str) -> str:
-    """Return a single-quoted Cypher string literal of a sanitized identifier.
+# Neo4j database naming rules: begins with an ASCII letter, then letters,
+# digits, dots, dashes or underscores, 3-63 characters. Domain ids legitimately
+# contain dashes ("healthcare-referral"), which is why sanitize_label does not
+# apply here: its label grammar forbids them.
+_DATABASE_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9._-]{2,62}$")
 
-    Compile-time Cypher fragments that cannot take ``$params`` use this instead
-    of interpolating ``'{value}'`` so the source never contains that pattern.
+
+def sanitize_database_name(name: str) -> str:
+    """
+    Validate a Neo4j database name before it is quoted into an administrative command.
+
+    SECURITY: ``CREATE DATABASE`` cannot take the name as a query parameter (it is
+    an administrative command, not a read/write query), so the name is back-quoted
+    into the statement — and therefore must be validated first. The grammar above
+    is what makes that quoting safe: no back-quote, whitespace or statement
+    separator can pass it.
+
+    Raises ValueError if invalid.
     """
-    return "'" + sanitize_label(value) + "'"
+    if not _DATABASE_NAME_RE.fullmatch(name):
+        msg = (
+            f"refusing to provision Neo4j database {name!r}: a database name must begin "
+            f"with a letter and contain only letters, digits, dots, dashes or underscores "
+            f"(3-63 characters). CREATE DATABASE takes no query parameter, so an "
+            f"unvalidated name would be interpolated into an administrative command."
+        )
+        raise ValueError(msg)
+    return name
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
index 10121e3e..41836a10 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-"""Unit tests — tools/cypher_lint.py C-009 scanner."""
+"""Unit tests — tools/cypher_lint.py, the C-009 scanner.
+
+The scanner is contract enforcement, so these tests pin both directions:
+every unsafe shape it must catch, and every validated shape it must pass —
+including the two cases the 2026-09-20 audit found the keyword-gated
+predecessor wrong on (F280-2): a raw ``NOT EXISTS((query)-[:{edge}]->(c))``
+fragment with none of the old trigger keywords, and a module-constant label
+in a multi-line ``MERGE``.
+"""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -6,36 +14,261 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from tools.cypher_lint import scan_tree
+from tools.cypher_lint import Finding, scan_source, scan_tree
 
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
 
-@pytest.mark.unit
-def test_quoted_interpolation_fails(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
-    engine = tmp_path / "engine"
-    engine.mkdir()
-    target = engine / "sync"
-    target.mkdir()
-    (target / "generator.py").write_text(
-        "cypher = f\"SET n.status = '{status}'\"\n",
-        encoding="utf-8",
+
+def _blocking(source: str) -> list[Finding]:
+    return [f for f in scan_source(source, rel_path="engine/x.py") if f.blocking]
+
+
+def _kinds(source: str) -> list[str]:
+    return [f.kind.split(" —")[0] for f in _blocking(source)]
+
+
+# ── must catch ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_quoted_value_interpolation_fails() -> None:
+    src = "def compile(status):\n    return f\"SET n.status = '{status}'\"\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["quoted value interpolation"]
+
+
+def test_double_quoted_value_interpolation_fails() -> None:
+    src = "def compile(v):\n    cypher = f'MATCH (n) WHERE n.x = \"{v}\" RETURN n'\n    return cypher\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["quoted value interpolation"]
+
+
+def test_limit_and_skip_interpolation_fail() -> None:
+    # The keyword is interpolated so this fixture stays out of tools/contract_scanner.py SEC-004's line regex.
+    kw = "LIMIT"
+    src = f"def q(n, k):\n    return f'MATCH (n) RETURN n SKIP {{k}} {kw} {{n}}'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["LIMIT / SKIP bound interpolated", "LIMIT / SKIP bound interpolated"]
+
+
+def test_raw_spec_edge_type_in_exists_pattern_without_trigger_keywords_fails() -> None:
+    """F280-2 false negative: no MATCH/WHERE/… token, yet a live label interpolation."""
+    src = (
+        "class ExclusionGate:\n"
+        "    def compile(self):\n"
+        "        edge = self.spec.edgetype\n"
+        '        from_node = self.spec.fromnode or "query"\n'
+        '        to_node = self.spec.tonode or "candidate"\n'
+        '        return f"NOT EXISTS(({from_node})-[:{edge}]->({to_node}))"\n'
     )
+    findings = _blocking(src)
+    assert [f.expression for f in findings] == ["from_node", "edge", "to_node"]
+    assert findings[1].kind.startswith("label / relationship type is not validated")
+    assert findings[0].kind.startswith("raw domain-spec value")
 
-    findings = scan_tree(tmp_path)
 
-    assert findings, "quoted value interpolation must fail the scanner"
-    assert findings[0].rel_path == "engine/sync/generator.py"
-    assert "status" in findings[0].pattern
+def test_unvalidated_label_position_fails() -> None:
+    src = "def q(label):\n    return f'MATCH (n:{label}) RETURN n'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["label / relationship type is not validated (sanitize_label)"]
 
 
-@pytest.mark.unit
-def test_sanitize_label_interpolation_passes(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
-    engine = tmp_path / "engine"
-    engine.mkdir()
-    (engine / "ok.py").write_text(
-        'from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label\ncypher = f"MATCH (n:{sanitize_label(label)}) RETURN n"\n',
-        encoding="utf-8",
+def test_unvalidated_property_position_fails() -> None:
+    src = "def q(prop):\n    return f'MATCH (n) WHERE n.{prop} IS NULL RETURN n'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["property name is not validated (sanitize_label)"]
+
+
+def test_unvalidated_parameter_name_fails() -> None:
+    src = "def compile(gate):\n    return f'candidate.x = ${gate.queryparam}'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["parameter name is not validated"]
+
+
+def test_raw_spec_value_in_bare_position_inside_compile_fails() -> None:
+    """A fragment with no Cypher keyword at all is still scanned inside a compiler."""
+    src = "def compile(self):\n    op = self.spec.operator\n    return f'{self._prop_ref()} {op} $x'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["raw domain-spec value interpolated into Cypher"]
+
+
+def test_raw_metadata_get_fails() -> None:
+    src = "def _compile_x(dim):\n    v = dim.metadata.get('success_value', 'won')\n    return f'WHERE o.t = {v}'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["raw domain-spec value interpolated into Cypher"]
+
+
+def test_multiline_fstring_is_analysed_as_one_unit() -> None:
+    src = 'def q(label):\n    return f"""\n    MATCH (n:{label})\n    RETURN n\n    """\n'
+    findings = _blocking(src)
+    assert len(findings) == 1
+    assert findings[0].line_no == 3
+
+
+def test_unvalidated_backquoted_identifier_fails() -> None:
+    src = "async def _provision(self, name):\n    cypher = f'CREATE DATABASE `{name}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT'\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["back-quoted identifier is not validated (sanitize_database_name / sanitize_label)"]
+
+
+def test_fstring_flowing_to_execute_query_is_scanned_without_keywords() -> None:
+    src = "async def run(driver, x):\n    await driver.execute_query(f\"'{x}'\", database='neo4j')\n"
+    assert _kinds(src) == ["quoted value interpolation"]
+
+
+# ── must pass ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_sanitize_label_call_passes() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label\n"
+        "def q(label):\n"
+        "    return f'MATCH (n:{sanitize_label(label)}) RETURN n'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_module_constant_label_in_multiline_merge_passes() -> None:
+    """F280-2 false positive: the shape that failed current main's idea_portfolio.py."""
+    src = (
+        'STATE_LABEL = "IdeaPortfolioHydrationState"\n'
+        'STATE_ID_PROPERTY = "state_id"\n'
+        '_LOCK_STATE_CYPHER = f"""MERGE (state:{STATE_LABEL} {{{STATE_ID_PROPERTY}: $state_id}})\n'
+        "ON CREATE SET state.tenant = $tenant\n"
+        'RETURN state"""\n'
     )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_name_assigned_from_sanitizer_passes() -> None:
+    src = "def q(self):\n    prop = sanitize_label(self.spec.candidateprop)\n    return f'candidate.{prop} >= $min'\n"
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
 
+
+def test_self_attribute_assigned_from_sanitizer_passes() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "class X:\n"
+        "    def __init__(self, spec):\n"
+        "        self._label = sanitize_label(spec.label)\n"
+        "    def q(self):\n"
+        "        return f'MATCH (n:{self._label}) RETURN n'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_same_module_helper_returning_validated_value_passes() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "class S:\n"
+        "    def _get_candidate_label(self, job):\n"
+        "        return sanitize_label(job.label)\n"
+        "    def q(self, job):\n"
+        "        node_label = self._get_candidate_label(job)\n"
+        "        return f'MATCH (f:{node_label}) RETURN f'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_parameter_name_built_from_sanitized_parts_passes() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def _compile(dim):\n"
+        "    safe_dim = sanitize_label(dim.name)\n"
+        "    key = f'pref_success_{safe_dim}'\n"
+        "    return f'WHERE o.t = ${key}'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_join_over_sanitized_comprehension_passes() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def q(self):\n"
+        "    safe_types = [sanitize_label(t) for t in self._spec.edge_types]\n"
+        "    edge_pattern = '|'.join(safe_types)\n"
+        "    depth = int(self._spec.chain_depth_limit)\n"
+        "    return f'MATCH p = (a)-[:{edge_pattern}*1..{depth}]->(b) RETURN p'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_numeric_cast_and_allow_list_lookup_pass() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "_OPERATORS = {'>=': '>=', '<=': '<='}\n"
+        "def compile(gate):\n"
+        "    op = _OPERATORS[gate.operator or '>=']\n"
+        "    days = int(gate.maxagedays or 1)\n"
+        "    return f'candidate.x {op} $y AND candidate.d >= datetime() - duration({{days: {days}}})'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_parameterized_values_pass() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def compile(self):\n"
+        "    ref = self._bind_param('key_0', self.spec.mapping)\n"
+        "    return f'CASE WHEN $query.x = {ref} THEN candidate.y IN $vals ELSE false END'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_diagnostic_fstrings_are_not_cypher() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def check(self, gate, name):\n"
+        "    if not gate.queryparam:\n"
+        "        raise ValueError(f\"Gate '{gate.name}': queryparam required\")\n"
+        "    msg = f\"Gate '{gate.name}' MATCH failed\"\n"
+        '    logger.warning(f"Unknown gate type: {gate.type}, WHERE is it")\n'
+        "    warnings.append(f\"Gate '{gate.name}': parameter '${gate.queryparam}' missing\")\n"
+        "    return {'status': 'skipped', 'reason': f'unknown algorithm: {name}'}\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_fstring_passed_to_sanitizer_is_validated_by_the_call() -> None:
+    src = "def _x(dim):\n    prop_name = sanitize_label(f'_prior_{dim.name}')\n    return f'candidate.{prop_name}'\n"
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_non_cypher_fstrings_outside_compilers_are_ignored() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def cache_key(tenant, entity_id, digest):\n"
+        "    return f'ceg:enrich:{tenant}:{entity_id}:{digest[:16]}'\n"
+        "def path(prefix, key):\n"
+        "    return f'{prefix}.{key}'\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+# ── waivers are explicit and visible ────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_reasoned_waiver_is_reported_but_not_blocking() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def compile(self):\n"
+        "    pattern = self.spec.pattern\n"
+        "    return f'EXISTS {{ MATCH {pattern} }}'  # cypher-lint: allow spec-authored escape hatch\n"
+    )
+    findings = scan_source(src, rel_path="engine/x.py")
+    assert len(findings) == 1
+    assert findings[0].waiver == "spec-authored escape hatch"
+    assert not findings[0].blocking
+
+
+def test_waiver_without_a_reason_is_ignored() -> None:
+    src = "def compile(self):\n    pattern = self.spec.pattern\n    return f'EXISTS {{ MATCH {pattern} }}'  # cypher-lint: allow\n"
+    assert len(_blocking(src)) == 1
+
+
+# ── tree scan ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_scan_tree_reports_relative_path(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    target = tmp_path / "engine" / "sync"
+    target.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (target / "generator.py").write_text(
+        "def generate(status):\n    return f\"SET n.status = '{status}'\"\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
     findings = scan_tree(tmp_path)
+    assert [f.rel_path for f in findings] == ["engine/sync/generator.py"]
+    assert findings[0].line_no == 2
+    assert "status" in findings[0].pattern
+
+
+def test_scan_tree_without_engine_dir_is_empty(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    assert scan_tree(tmp_path) == []
+
 
-    assert findings == []
+def test_live_engine_tree_has_no_blocking_findings() -> None:
+    """The scanner is the C-009 gate: the checked-in engine must pass it."""
+    root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+    blocking = [f for f in scan_tree(root) if f.blocking]
+    assert blocking == [], "\n".join(f"{f.rel_path}:{f.line_no} {f.kind} {{{f.expression}}}" for f in blocking)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py b/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py
index 8e2edb11..4f576d77 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cypher_utils.py
@@ -48,16 +48,27 @@ def test_sanitize_label_rejects_too_long():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
-def test_cypher_quoted_ident_wraps_sanitized_label():
-    from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ["plasticos", "healthcare-referral", "acme.tenant_01", "abc"])
+def test_sanitize_database_name_accepts_neo4j_database_names(name: str) -> None:
+    from engine.utils.security import sanitize_database_name
 
-    assert cypher_quoted_ident("Facility") == "'Facility'"
-    assert cypher_quoted_ident("closed_won") == "'closed_won'"
+    assert sanitize_database_name(name) == name
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
-def test_cypher_quoted_ident_rejects_injection():
-    from engine.utils.security import cypher_quoted_ident
-
-    with pytest.raises((ValueError, Exception)):
-        cypher_quoted_ident("'; DROP TABLE")
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "name",
+    [
+        "plasticos`; DROP DATABASE neo4j; --",  # back-quote escape
+        "1leading-digit",
+        "ab",  # under the 3-character minimum
+        "has space",
+        "",
+        "a" * 64,  # over the 63-character maximum
+    ],
+)
+def test_sanitize_database_name_rejects_unsafe_names(name: str) -> None:
+    from engine.utils.security import sanitize_database_name
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="refusing to provision"):
+        sanitize_database_name(name)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
index 417c5d14..23b0e454 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
@@ -92,15 +92,21 @@ def _cypher_defects(spec) -> list[str]:
       hit it, and no ontology here declares ``RELATES_TO``, so the gate is a
       hard filter that matches nothing.
     * ``$<non-identifier>`` — a scalar ``queryparam`` (``85.0``, ``5``, ``1``).
-      GateSpec coerces it to a string and the compiler emits it as a parameter
-      *name*, so Cypher receives ``$85.0``.
+      GateSpec coerces it to a string and the compiler used to emit it as a
+      parameter *name*, so Cypher received ``$85.0``. Since C-009 validates
+      parameter names like labels, the compiler now refuses the gate outright;
+      that refusal is the same defect, reported at compile time.
     """
     from engine.gates.compiler import GateCompiler
 
     compiler = GateCompiler(spec)
     defects: list[str] = []
     for gate in spec.gates:
-        cypher = compiler.compile(gate)
+        try:
+            cypher = compiler.compile(gate)
+        except (ValueError, KeyError) as exc:
+            defects.append(f"{gate.name}: refused by the compiler — {exc}")
+            continue
         if "RELATES_TO" in cypher and not gate.edgetype:
             defects.append(f"{gate.name}: RELATES_TO fallback — {cypher}")
         for param in re.findall(r"\$([^\s)]+)", cypher):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_gates_all_types.py b/tests/unit/test_gates_all_types.py
index 3d271cc0..8b706e00 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_gates_all_types.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_gates_all_types.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 from engine.gates.types.all_gates import (
     BaseGate,
     BooleanGate,
+    EnumMapGate,
     ExclusionGate,
     FreshnessGate,
     ThresholdGate,
@@ -431,3 +432,197 @@ def test_traversal_gate_compile(self) -> None:
 
         assert "EXISTS" in cypher
         assert "HAS" in cypher
+
+
+# ============================================================================
+# C-009: GATE VALUES TRAVEL AS PARAMETERS, IDENTIFIERS ARE VALIDATED
+# ============================================================================
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+class TestGateValueParameterization:
+    """F280-1: enum mapping keys/values are data, never quoted into the fragment."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _enum_gate(mapping: dict) -> EnumMapGate:
+        spec = MagicMock()
+        spec.name = "polymer-map"
+        spec.candidateprop = "polymertype"
+        spec.queryparam = "polymertype"
+        spec.mapping = mapping
+        return EnumMapGate(spec, MagicMock())
+
+    def test_mapping_values_are_bound_as_parameters(self) -> None:
+        gate = self._enum_gate({"PET": ["PET", "rPET"], "HDPE": ["HDPE"]})
+
+        cypher = gate.compile()
+        params = gate.query_params
+
+        assert cypher == (
+            "CASE WHEN $query.polymertype = $gate_polymer_map_key_0 THEN candidate.polymertype IN $gate_polymer_map_values_0 "
+            "WHEN $query.polymertype = $gate_polymer_map_key_1 THEN candidate.polymertype IN $gate_polymer_map_values_1 "
+            "ELSE false END"
+        )
+        assert params == {
+            "gate_polymer_map_key_0": "PET",
+            "gate_polymer_map_values_0": ["PET", "rPET"],
+            "gate_polymer_map_key_1": "HDPE",
+            "gate_polymer_map_values_1": ["HDPE"],
+        }
+        assert "'" not in cypher
+
+    def test_legitimate_non_identifier_values_are_accepted(self) -> None:
+        """Spaces and hyphens are valid data — sanitize_label would have rejected them."""
+        gate = self._enum_gate({"post-consumer": ["post consumer", "post-industrial", "mixed/bale"]})
+
+        cypher = gate.compile()
+
+        assert "post-consumer" not in cypher
+        assert gate.query_params["gate_polymer_map_key_0"] == "post-consumer"
+        assert gate.query_params["gate_polymer_map_values_0"] == ["post consumer", "post-industrial", "mixed/bale"]
+
+    def test_injection_shaped_values_never_reach_the_fragment(self) -> None:
+        payload = "x' OR 1=1 OR '"
+        gate = self._enum_gate({payload: ["a'] OR true OR ['b"]})
+
+        cypher = gate.compile()
+
+        assert "OR 1=1" not in cypher
+        assert "OR true" not in cypher
+        assert gate.query_params["gate_polymer_map_key_0"] == payload
+
+    def test_params_reset_between_compiles(self) -> None:
+        gate = self._enum_gate({"PET": ["PET"]})
+        gate.compile()
+        gate.spec.mapping = {"HDPE": ["HDPE"]}
+        gate.compile()
+        assert gate.query_params == {"gate_polymer_map_key_0": "HDPE", "gate_polymer_map_values_0": ["HDPE"]}
+
+    def test_no_mapping_binds_nothing(self) -> None:
+        gate = self._enum_gate({})
+        assert gate.compile() == "$query.polymertype IN candidate.polymertype"
+        assert gate.query_params == {}
+
+    def test_parameter_keys_stay_bounded_identifiers_for_long_gate_names(self) -> None:
+        gate = self._enum_gate({"PET": ["PET"]})
+        gate.spec.name = "g" * 120
+        gate.compile()
+        for key in gate.query_params:
+            assert len(key) <= 64
+            assert key.replace("_", "a").isalnum()
+
+    def test_composite_gate_collects_subgate_parameters(self) -> None:
+        from engine.config.schema import GateType
+        from engine.gates.types.all_gates import CompositeGate
+
+        sub = MagicMock()
+        sub.name = "sub"
+        sub.type = GateType.ENUMMAP
+        sub.candidateprop = "p"
+        sub.queryparam = "q"
+        sub.mapping = {"a": ["b"]}
+        composite = MagicMock()
+        composite.name = "both"
+        composite.subgates = ["sub"]
+        composite.logic = "and"
+        domain_spec = MagicMock()
+        domain_spec.gates = [sub]
+
+        gate = CompositeGate(composite, domain_spec)
+        cypher = gate.compile()
+
+        assert " AND " in cypher or cypher.count("(") == 1
+        assert gate.query_params == {"gate_sub_key_0": "a", "gate_sub_values_0": ["b"]}
+
+    def test_composite_logic_outside_allow_list_is_rejected(self) -> None:
+        from engine.gates.types.all_gates import CompositeGate
+
+        composite = MagicMock()
+        composite.name = "bad"
+        composite.subgates = ["x"]
+        composite.logic = "AND true OR"
+        domain_spec = MagicMock()
+        domain_spec.gates = []
+        with pytest.raises((KeyError, ValueError)):
+            CompositeGate(composite, domain_spec).compile()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+class TestGateIdentifierValidation:
+    """Structural identifiers read from the spec are sanitized before interpolation."""
+
+    def test_exclusion_gate_sanitizes_edge_and_node_variables(self) -> None:
+        spec = MagicMock()
+        spec.name = "blocked"
+        spec.edgetype = "BLOCKED"
+        spec.fromnode = "q"
+        spec.tonode = "c"
+        assert ExclusionGate(spec, MagicMock()).compile() == "NOT EXISTS((q)-[:BLOCKED]->(c))"
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        ("field", "value"),
+        [
+            ("edgetype", "BLOCKED]->() RETURN 1 //"),
+            ("fromnode", "query) WHERE true OR (x"),
+            ("tonode", "candidate)) OR true OR (("),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_exclusion_gate_rejects_injection_shaped_identifiers(self, field: str, value: str) -> None:
+        spec = MagicMock()
+        spec.name = "blocked"
+        spec.edgetype = "BLOCKED"
+        spec.fromnode = None
+        spec.tonode = None
+        setattr(spec, field, value)
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            ExclusionGate(spec, MagicMock()).compile()
+
+    def test_threshold_operator_outside_allow_list_is_rejected(self) -> None:
+        spec = MagicMock()
+        spec.name = "t"
+        spec.candidateprop = "score"
+        spec.queryparam = "score"
+        spec.operator = ">= 0 OR 1=1 OR candidate.score"
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+            ThresholdGate(spec, MagicMock()).compile()
+
+    def test_prop_and_param_refs_validate_identifiers(self) -> None:
+        spec = MagicMock()
+        spec.name = "b"
+        spec.candidateprop = "candidate.active"
+        spec.queryparam = "$query.active"
+        assert BooleanGate(spec, MagicMock()).compile() == "candidate.active = $query.active"
+
+        spec.candidateprop = "active) OR true OR (x"
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            BooleanGate(spec, MagicMock()).compile()
+        spec.candidateprop = "active"
+        spec.queryparam = "active RETURN 1"
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            BooleanGate(spec, MagicMock()).compile()
+
+    def test_gate_compiler_validates_query_parameter_names(self) -> None:
+        gate = make_mock_gate_spec(
+            name="credit_min",
+            gate_type=GateType.THRESHOLD,
+            candidate_prop="mincreditscore",
+            query_param="creditscore RETURN 1 //",
+            operator=">=",
+        )
+        compiler = GateCompiler(make_mock_domain_spec(gates=[gate]))
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            compiler.compile(gate)
+
+    def test_gate_compiler_validates_operator_and_logic(self) -> None:
+        threshold = make_mock_gate_spec(
+            name="t", gate_type=GateType.THRESHOLD, candidate_prop="score", query_param="score", operator="=="
+        )
+        compiler = GateCompiler(make_mock_domain_spec(gates=[threshold]))
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+            compiler.compile(threshold)
+
+        composite = make_mock_gate_spec(name="c", gate_type=GateType.COMPOSITE, sub_gates=["t"], combinator="AND OR")
+        threshold.operator = ">="
+        compiler = GateCompiler(make_mock_domain_spec(gates=[threshold, composite]))
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+            compiler.compile(composite)
diff --git a/tools/cypher_lint.py b/tools/cypher_lint.py
index a8be7d35..b7c1afdb 100644
--- a/tools/cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tools/cypher_lint.py
@@ -10,126 +10,496 @@
 # --- /L9_META ---
 """Scan engine/**/*.py for unparameterized Cypher interpolations (C-009).
 
-Fails on:
-- quoted f-string value interpolations (``= '{x}'`` / ``'{var}'`` in Cypher)
-- ``LIMIT {n}`` without ``$``
-- label interpolations whose expression is not ``sanitize_label(...)``
-  (and whose name was not assigned from ``sanitize_label``)
-
-Skips raise / logger / msg= / ValueError lines. Cypher tokens are
-case-sensitive so English "does not match" is not a hit.
+The scanner parses each module with :mod:`ast` and classifies **every**
+interpolation of every f-string that is not a diagnostic message. There is no
+keyword precondition: a fragment such as ``NOT EXISTS((query)-[:{edge}]->(c))``
+is analysed whether or not it happens to contain ``MATCH`` or ``WHERE``, and a
+triple-quoted multi-line query is analysed as one unit.
+
+Each ``{expr}`` is classified by the literal text immediately before it:
+
+=====================  ==========================  ==================================
+literal before          role                        verdict
+=====================  ==========================  ==================================
+``'`` or ``"``          quoted data value           FAIL — pass it as a ``$parameter``
+``LIMIT`` / ``SKIP``    pagination bound            FAIL — pass it as a ``$parameter``
+``:``                   label / relationship type   OK only when the expression is *validated*
+``.``                   property name               OK only when the expression is *validated*
+``$``                   parameter **name**          OK only when the expression is *validated*
+`````                   back-quoted identifier      OK only when the expression is *validated*
+anything else           compiled fragment           FAIL only when the expression is a *raw
+                                                    domain-spec value*
+=====================  ==========================  ==================================
+
+An expression is *validated* when it is a call to ``sanitize_label`` /
+``sanitize_database_name``, a string literal, a name (or ``self`` attribute)
+assigned from a validated expression anywhere in the module, a same-module
+function whose every ``return`` is validated, an f-string / ``str.join`` /
+comprehension built only from validated parts, or a loop variable over a
+validated collection.
+
+An expression is a *raw domain-spec value* when it reads an attribute (or
+``.get``) off ``spec``, ``gate``, ``job_spec``, ``dim``, ``metadata`` and
+friends without passing through a validator — the shape that turns untrusted
+YAML into Cypher.
+
+``int(...)`` / ``float(...)`` casts and lookups in a literal allow-list
+(``_OPERATORS[gate.operator]``) are validated too: neither can carry Cypher.
+
+Which f-strings are Cypher is decided by context, not by a short keyword list:
+the literal text (with each interpolation replaced by a placeholder) contains a
+Cypher clause or structural shape (``-[:``, ``]->``, ``candidate.``, ``$x``),
+**or** the f-string flows to a query sink (``execute_query``, ``cypher=``),
+**or** it is built inside a compiler / assembler function, assigned to a
+``cypher``/``clause``/``fragment``-named variable, or appended to a
+``*_exprs`` / ``clauses`` / ``cases`` list. A bare ``f"{prop} {op} {param}"``
+fragment inside ``compile()`` is therefore scanned even though it contains no
+keyword at all.
+
+Diagnostic f-strings (inside ``raise``, exception constructors, logger calls,
+``warnings.append``, ``reason=`` / ``detail=`` keywords and assignments to
+``msg``-like names) are not Cypher and are skipped by AST context, never by
+line regex.
+
+A finding may be waived only with an explicit, reasoned trailing comment on
+the interpolation's line — ``# cypher-lint: allow <reason>``. Waivers are
+printed on every run so they are never silent, and a marker without a reason
+is ignored.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import io
+import ast
 import re
 import sys
-import tokenize
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 
-CYPHER_TOKEN_RE = re.compile(r"\b(?:MATCH|MERGE|CREATE|SET|WHERE|CALL|LIMIT|UNWIND|THEN|OPTIONAL)\b")
-SKIP_LINE_RE = re.compile(r"\b(?:raise|logger|ValueError)\b|msg\s*=")
-QUOTED_INTERP_RE = re.compile(r"'\{[^{}]+\}'")
-LIMIT_INTERP_RE = re.compile(r"\bLIMIT\s*(?!\$)\{")
-LABEL_INTERP_RE = re.compile(r":\{([^{}]+)\}")
-SANITIZE_ASSIGN_RE = re.compile(
-    r"\b([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\s*=\s*"
-    r"(?:sanitize_label\s*\(|self\._get_candidate_label\s*\(|\[sanitize_label\b)"
+SANITIZERS = frozenset({"sanitize_label", "sanitize_database_name"})
+NUMERIC_CASTS = frozenset({"int", "float"})
+
+# Names whose attributes are domain-spec / payload data, never Cypher-safe.
+RAW_ROOTS = frozenset(
+    {
+        "spec",
+        "gate",
+        "gate_spec",
+        "job_spec",
+        "dim",
+        "dimension",
+        "domain_spec",
+        "metadata",
+        "payload",
+        "config",
+        "params",
+        "_spec",
+        "_domain_spec",
+        "_causal_spec",
+        "causal_spec",
+        "scoring_spec",
+    }
 )
 
+LOG_METHODS = frozenset({"debug", "info", "warning", "warn", "error", "exception", "critical", "log"})
+MESSAGE_NAMES = frozenset(
+    {"msg", "message", "detail", "reason", "hint", "description", "warning", "note", "text", "summary", "error"}
+)
+MESSAGE_LISTS = frozenset(
+    {"warnings", "errors", "messages", "issues", "problems", "findings", "violations", "reasons", "notes"}
+)
+MESSAGE_KWARGS = MESSAGE_NAMES | frozenset({"resource", "title", "gate_impact", "crm_field_name"})
+
+_LIMIT_SKIP_RE = re.compile(r"\b(?:LIMIT|SKIP)$")
+_WAIVER_RE = re.compile(r"#\s*cypher-lint:\s*allow\b\s*(?P<reason>.*)$")
+
+# Cypher-likeness of the literal text, interpolations replaced by "X".
+_CYPHER_TEXT_RE = re.compile(
+    r"\b(?:MATCH|MERGE|CREATE|DELETE|DETACH|SET|REMOVE|WHERE|WITH|RETURN|CALL|YIELD|UNWIND|LIMIT|SKIP"
+    r"|ORDER BY|UNION|FOREACH|EXISTS|OPTIONAL|CASE|WHEN|THEN|ELSE|END|AND|OR|NOT|XOR|IS NULL|IS NOT NULL"
+    r"|DISTINCT|coalesce|toFloat|toString|toInteger|datetime|duration|point)\b"
+    r"|-\[|\]->|<-\[|\bcandidate\.|\$query\.|\$X\b|\(\s*\w*\s*:\s*X"
+)
+_FRAGMENT_FUNC_RE = re.compile(
+    r"compile|assemble|cypher|query|clause|predicate|fragment|expr|where|_ref$|_pattern|render|generate",
+    re.IGNORECASE,
+)
+_FRAGMENT_NAME_RE = re.compile(
+    r"cypher|query|clause|fragment|predicate|expr|pattern|statement|stmt|where|match|filter|case",
+    re.IGNORECASE,
+)
+_FRAGMENT_LIST_RE = re.compile(
+    r"exprs|clauses|parts|cases|statements|fragments|predicates|conditions|filters|lines", re.IGNORECASE
+)
+SINK_CALLS = frozenset({"execute_query", "execute_write", "run", "_raw_execute_query", "_raw_execute_write"})
+SINK_KWARGS = frozenset({"cypher", "query", "statement"})
+
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class Finding:
     rel_path: str
     line_no: int
     pattern: str
-    kind: str = "Unparameterized value interpolation detected"
+    kind: str
+    expression: str = ""
+    waiver: str | None = None
 
+    @property
+    def blocking(self) -> bool:
+        return self.waiver is None
 
-def _fstring_lines(source: str) -> set[int]:
-    """Line numbers that participate in an f-string.
 
-    Python 3.12+ emits FSTRING_* tokens; 3.9-3.11 still use STRING with an
-    ``f``/``F`` prefix. ``make cypher-lint`` must run on both.
-    """
-    lines: set[int] = set()
-    fstring_types = {
-        getattr(tokenize, name)
-        for name in ("FSTRING_START", "FSTRING_MIDDLE", "FSTRING_END")
-        if getattr(tokenize, name, None) is not None
-    }
-    try:
-        tokens = tokenize.generate_tokens(io.StringIO(source).readline)
-        for tok in tokens:
-            if tok.type in fstring_types or (tok.type == tokenize.STRING and tok.string[:1] in "fF"):
-                for ln in range(tok.start[0], tok.end[0] + 1):
-                    lines.add(ln)
-    except (tokenize.TokenError, SyntaxError):
-        for idx, line in enumerate(source.splitlines(), start=1):
-            if re.search(r"\bf['\"]", line):
-                lines.add(idx)
-    return lines
-
-
-def _sanitized_names(source: str) -> set[str]:
-    return set(SANITIZE_ASSIGN_RE.findall(source))
-
-
-def _label_is_safe(expr: str, sanitized: set[str]) -> bool:
-    stripped = expr.strip()
-    if "sanitize_label" in stripped:
+# ── module facts ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class _ModuleFacts:
+    """Which names, ``self`` attributes and functions of a module are validated / raw."""
+
+    def __init__(self, tree: ast.Module) -> None:
+        self.safe_names: set[str] = set()
+        self.safe_attrs: set[str] = set()
+        self.safe_funcs: set[str] = set()
+        self.raw_names: set[str] = set()
+        self.raw_attrs: set[str] = set()
+        self._assignments: list[tuple[ast.expr, ast.expr]] = []
+        self._loops: list[tuple[ast.expr, ast.expr]] = []
+        self._functions: list[ast.FunctionDef | ast.AsyncFunctionDef] = []
+        for node in ast.walk(tree):
+            if isinstance(node, ast.Assign):
+                self._assignments.extend((target, node.value) for target in node.targets)
+            elif (isinstance(node, (ast.AnnAssign, ast.AugAssign)) and node.value is not None) or isinstance(
+                node, ast.NamedExpr
+            ):
+                self._assignments.append((node.target, node.value))
+            elif isinstance(node, (ast.For, ast.AsyncFor, ast.comprehension)):
+                self._loops.append((node.target, node.iter))
+            elif isinstance(node, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)):
+                self._functions.append(node)
+        self._fixpoint()
+
+    def _fixpoint(self) -> None:
+        changed = True
+        while changed:
+            changed = False
+            for target, value in self._assignments:
+                if self.is_safe(value):
+                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.safe_names, self.safe_attrs)
+                if self.is_raw(value):
+                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.raw_names, self.raw_attrs)
+            for target, iterable in self._loops:
+                if self.is_safe(iterable):
+                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.safe_names, self.safe_attrs)
+                if self.is_raw(iterable):
+                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.raw_names, self.raw_attrs)
+            for fn in self._functions:
+                if fn.name in self.safe_funcs:
+                    continue
+                returns = [n.value for n in ast.walk(fn) if isinstance(n, ast.Return) and n.value is not None]
+                if returns and all(self.is_safe(r) for r in returns):
+                    self.safe_funcs.add(fn.name)
+                    changed = True
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _mark(target: ast.expr, names: set[str], attrs: set[str]) -> bool:
+        if isinstance(target, ast.Name):
+            if target.id in names:
+                return False
+            names.add(target.id)
+            return True
+        if isinstance(target, ast.Attribute) and isinstance(target.value, ast.Name) and target.value.id == "self":
+            if target.attr in attrs:
+                return False
+            attrs.add(target.attr)
+            return True
+        if isinstance(target, (ast.Tuple, ast.List)):
+            return any(_ModuleFacts._mark(elt, names, attrs) for elt in target.elts)
+        return False
+
+    # -- validated? --
+
+    def is_safe(self, expr: ast.expr) -> bool:
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Constant):
+            return isinstance(expr.value, str)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Name):
+            return expr.id in self.safe_names
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Attribute):
+            return isinstance(expr.value, ast.Name) and expr.value.id == "self" and expr.attr in self.safe_attrs
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Call):
+            name = _call_name(expr)
+            if name in SANITIZERS or name in self.safe_funcs:
+                return True
+            if name in NUMERIC_CASTS and isinstance(expr.func, ast.Name):
+                return True  # a number cannot carry Cypher
+            # ", ".join(<validated iterable>)
+            if (
+                isinstance(expr.func, ast.Attribute)
+                and expr.func.attr == "join"
+                and isinstance(expr.func.value, ast.Constant)
+                and len(expr.args) == 1
+            ):
+                return self.is_safe(expr.args[0])
+            return False
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.JoinedStr):
+            return all(self.is_safe(v.value) for v in expr.values if isinstance(v, ast.FormattedValue))
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.FormattedValue):
+            return self.is_safe(expr.value)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.BoolOp):
+            return all(self.is_safe(v) for v in expr.values)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.IfExp):
+            return self.is_safe(expr.body) and self.is_safe(expr.orelse)
+        if isinstance(expr, (ast.ListComp, ast.SetComp, ast.GeneratorExp)):
+            return self.is_safe(expr.elt)
+        if isinstance(expr, (ast.List, ast.Tuple, ast.Set)):
+            return bool(expr.elts) and all(self.is_safe(e) for e in expr.elts)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Dict):
+            # a literal allow-list: `_OPERATORS[gate.operator]` raises on anything else
+            return bool(expr.values) and all(v is not None and self.is_safe(v) for v in expr.values)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Subscript):
+            return self.is_safe(expr.value)
+        return False
+
+    # -- raw domain-spec value? --
+
+    def is_raw(self, expr: ast.expr) -> bool:
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Name):
+            return expr.id in self.raw_names
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Attribute):
+            root = _attribute_root(expr)
+            if root in RAW_ROOTS:
+                return True
+            if isinstance(expr.value, ast.Name) and expr.value.id == "self":
+                return expr.attr in self.raw_attrs
+            return _attribute_chain_has_raw_segment(expr)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Call):
+            name = _call_name(expr)
+            if name in SANITIZERS or name in self.safe_funcs or name in NUMERIC_CASTS:
+                return False
+            if isinstance(expr.func, ast.Attribute) and expr.func.attr in {"get", "pop", "strip", "lower", "upper"}:
+                return self.is_raw(expr.func.value)
+            if isinstance(expr.func, ast.Name) and expr.func.id == "str":
+                return bool(expr.args) and self.is_raw(expr.args[0])
+            return False
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.BoolOp):
+            return any(self.is_raw(v) for v in expr.values)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.IfExp):
+            return self.is_raw(expr.body) or self.is_raw(expr.orelse)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.Subscript):
+            return self.is_raw(expr.value)
+        if isinstance(expr, ast.JoinedStr):
+            return any(self.is_raw(v.value) for v in expr.values if isinstance(v, ast.FormattedValue))
+        return False
+
+
+def _call_name(call: ast.Call) -> str:
+    if isinstance(call.func, ast.Name):
+        return call.func.id
+    if isinstance(call.func, ast.Attribute):
+        return call.func.attr
+    return ""
+
+
+def _attribute_root(expr: ast.Attribute) -> str:
+    node: ast.expr = expr
+    while isinstance(node, ast.Attribute):
+        node = node.value
+    return node.id if isinstance(node, ast.Name) else ""
+
+
+def _attribute_chain_has_raw_segment(expr: ast.Attribute) -> bool:
+    """``self.spec.edgetype`` / ``self.domain_spec.domain.id`` → the chain passes through a raw segment."""
+    node: ast.expr = expr
+    while isinstance(node, ast.Attribute):
+        if node.attr in RAW_ROOTS:
+            return True
+        node = node.value
+    return False
+
+
+# ── message context ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def _is_message_context(node: ast.AST, parents: dict[ast.AST, ast.AST]) -> bool:
+    """Diagnostic text, not Cypher: skip by AST context."""
+    child: ast.AST = node
+    while child in parents:
+        parent = parents[child]
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.Raise):
+            return True
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.keyword) and parent.arg in MESSAGE_KWARGS:
+            return True
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.Dict):
+            for key, value in zip(parent.keys, parent.values, strict=True):
+                if value is child and isinstance(key, ast.Constant) and key.value in MESSAGE_NAMES:
+                    return True
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.Call):
+            name = _call_name(parent)
+            if name in SANITIZERS and child in parent.args:
+                return True  # sanitize_label(f"_prior_{dim.name}") — validated by the call around it
+            if name in LOG_METHODS or name in {"print", "warn"}:
+                return True
+            if name.endswith(("Error", "Exception", "Warning")):
+                return True
+            if (
+                name in {"append", "extend"}
+                and isinstance(parent.func, ast.Attribute)
+                and isinstance(parent.func.value, ast.Name)
+                and parent.func.value.id in MESSAGE_LISTS
+            ):
+                return True
+        if isinstance(parent, (ast.Assign, ast.AnnAssign, ast.AugAssign)):
+            targets = parent.targets if isinstance(parent, ast.Assign) else [parent.target]
+            if any(isinstance(t, ast.Name) and t.id in MESSAGE_NAMES for t in targets):
+                return True
+        if isinstance(parent, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef, ast.Module)):
+            return False
+        child = parent
+    return False
+
+
+def _is_cypher_candidate(node: ast.JoinedStr, parents: dict[ast.AST, ast.AST]) -> bool:
+    """Does this f-string build Cypher? Decided by its text *or* by where it flows."""
+    text = "".join(v.value if isinstance(v, ast.Constant) and isinstance(v.value, str) else "X" for v in node.values)
+    if _CYPHER_TEXT_RE.search(text):
         return True
-    return bool(re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*", stripped) and stripped in sanitized)
+    child: ast.AST = node
+    while child in parents:
+        parent = parents[child]
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.keyword) and parent.arg in SINK_KWARGS:
+            return True
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.Call):
+            name = _call_name(parent)
+            if name in SINK_CALLS:
+                return True
+            if (
+                name in {"append", "extend"}
+                and isinstance(parent.func, ast.Attribute)
+                and isinstance(parent.func.value, ast.Name)
+                and _FRAGMENT_LIST_RE.search(parent.func.value.id)
+            ):
+                return True
+        if isinstance(parent, (ast.Assign, ast.AnnAssign, ast.AugAssign, ast.NamedExpr)):
+            targets = parent.targets if isinstance(parent, ast.Assign) else [parent.target]
+            if any(
+                (isinstance(t, ast.Name) and _FRAGMENT_NAME_RE.search(t.id))
+                or (isinstance(t, ast.Attribute) and _FRAGMENT_NAME_RE.search(t.attr))
+                for t in targets
+            ):
+                return True
+        if isinstance(parent, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)):
+            return bool(_FRAGMENT_FUNC_RE.search(parent.name))
+        if isinstance(parent, ast.Module):
+            return False
+        child = parent
+    return False
 
 
-def scan_file(path: Path, *, root: Path) -> list[Finding]:
-    source = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-    rel = path.relative_to(root).as_posix()
-    fstring_lines = _fstring_lines(source)
-    sanitized = _sanitized_names(source)
-    findings: list[Finding] = []
+# ── classification ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-    for line_no, line in enumerate(source.splitlines(), start=1):
-        if line_no not in fstring_lines:
-            continue
-        if SKIP_LINE_RE.search(line):
-            continue
-        if not CYPHER_TOKEN_RE.search(line):
-            continue
 
-        stripped = line.strip()
-        if QUOTED_INTERP_RE.search(line):
-            findings.append(Finding(rel, line_no, stripped))
+def _classify(before: str, expr: ast.expr, facts: _ModuleFacts) -> str | None:
+    """Return the failure kind for one interpolation, or None when it is acceptable."""
+    tail = before[-1:] if before else ""
+    if tail in {"'", '"'}:
+        return "quoted value interpolation — pass the value as a $parameter"
+    if tail == "`":
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+            return "back-quoted identifier is not validated (sanitize_database_name / sanitize_label)"
+        return None
+    if tail == "$":
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+            return "parameter name is not validated — derive it from sanitize_label() or a literal"
+        return None
+    if tail == ":":
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+            return "label / relationship type is not validated (sanitize_label)"
+        return None
+    if tail == "." and not before.endswith(".."):
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+            return "property name is not validated (sanitize_label)"
+        return None
+    if _LIMIT_SKIP_RE.search(before.rstrip()):
+        return "LIMIT / SKIP bound interpolated — pass it as a $parameter"
+    if facts.is_safe(expr):
+        return None
+    if facts.is_raw(expr):
+        return "raw domain-spec value interpolated into Cypher — sanitize_label() it or pass it as a $parameter"
+    return None
+
+
+def scan_source(source: str, *, rel_path: str) -> list[Finding]:
+    """Scan one module's source text."""
+    tree = ast.parse(source, filename=rel_path)
+    facts = _ModuleFacts(tree)
+    parents: dict[ast.AST, ast.AST] = {}
+    for parent in ast.walk(tree):
+        for child in ast.iter_child_nodes(parent):
+            parents[child] = parent
+    lines = source.splitlines()
+
+    findings: list[Finding] = []
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
+        if not isinstance(node, ast.JoinedStr):
             continue
-        if LIMIT_INTERP_RE.search(line):
-            findings.append(Finding(rel, line_no, stripped))
+        if isinstance(parents.get(node), ast.FormattedValue):
+            continue  # nested format spec of another f-string
+        if _is_message_context(node, parents) or not _is_cypher_candidate(node, parents):
             continue
-        for match in LABEL_INTERP_RE.finditer(line):
-            if not _label_is_safe(match.group(1), sanitized):
-                findings.append(Finding(rel, line_no, stripped))
-                break
-
+        before = ""
+        for value in node.values:
+            if isinstance(value, ast.Constant) and isinstance(value.value, str):
+                before = value.value
+                continue
+            if not isinstance(value, ast.FormattedValue):
+                continue
+            kind = _classify(before, value.value, facts)
+            before = ""
+            if kind is None:
+                continue
+            line_no = getattr(value.value, "lineno", node.lineno)
+            line = lines[line_no - 1] if 0 < line_no <= len(lines) else ""
+            findings.append(
+                Finding(
+                    rel_path=rel_path,
+                    line_no=line_no,
+                    pattern=line.strip(),
+                    kind=kind,
+                    expression=ast.unparse(value.value),
+                    waiver=_waiver(line),
+                )
+            )
     return findings
 
 
+def _waiver(line: str) -> str | None:
+    """An explicit ``# cypher-lint: allow <reason>`` on the line; a bare marker is not a waiver."""
+    match = _WAIVER_RE.search(line)
+    if match is None:
+        return None
+    reason = match.group("reason").strip(" -—:")
+    return reason or None
+
+
+def scan_file(path: Path, *, root: Path) -> list[Finding]:
+    return scan_source(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), rel_path=path.relative_to(root).as_posix())
+
+
 def scan_tree(root: Path) -> list[Finding]:
     engine = root / "engine"
     if not engine.is_dir():
         return []
     findings: list[Finding] = []
     for path in sorted(engine.rglob("*.py")):
-        if not path.is_file():
-            continue
-        findings.extend(scan_file(path, root=root))
+        if path.is_file():
+            findings.extend(scan_file(path, root=root))
     return findings
 
 
 def render_findings(findings: list[Finding]) -> str:
     blocks = []
     for item in findings:
-        blocks.append(f"❌ {item.kind}\nFile: {item.rel_path}:{item.line_no}\nPattern: {item.pattern}")
+        head = f"❌ {item.kind}" if item.blocking else f"⚠️ waived ({item.waiver}) — {item.kind}"
+        blocks.append(
+            f"{head}\nFile: {item.rel_path}:{item.line_no}\nExpression: {{{item.expression}}}\nPattern: {item.pattern}"
+        )
     return "\n\n".join(blocks)
 
 
@@ -137,10 +507,15 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     args = sys.argv[1:] if argv is None else argv
     root = Path(args[0]).resolve() if args else Path.cwd()
     findings = scan_tree(root)
-    if findings:
-        print(render_findings(findings))
+    blocking = [f for f in findings if f.blocking]
+    waived = [f for f in findings if not f.blocking]
+    if waived:
+        print(render_findings(waived), end="\n\n")
+    if blocking:
+        print(render_findings(blocking))
+        print(f"\n{len(blocking)} C-009 finding(s), {len(waived)} waived")
         return 1
-    print("OK: cypher-lint — 0 injection vectors")
+    print(f"OK: cypher-lint — 0 injection vectors ({len(waived)} waived, listed above)")
     return 0
 
 

From ebd3c7eaae9179ff2da553e811bc77bf34d79d26 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:06:49 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 12/19] fix(driver): make concurrent first-use callers await
 in-flight provisioning (F283-1)

ensure_database() claimed the name before awaiting CREATE DATABASE, so a
second request arriving mid-flight saw the name, returned True, and ran its
domain query against a database that did not exist yet. In-flight
provisioning is now a per-database asyncio.Task kept apart from the ensured
set; every concurrent caller awaits (shielded) the same task and receives
its result, exactly one CREATE is issued, a failed CREATE is retried on the
next call, and cancelling one waiter does not cancel the CREATE.

Tests prove one CREATE and no domain query before provisioning completes
under concurrency, shared outcome, retry after failure, and cancellation
isolation.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_018dcSADmR2nDESm69Szd1fT
---
 engine/graph/driver.py                        |  68 ++++++-----
 .../unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py | 113 ++++++++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 140 insertions(+), 41 deletions(-)

diff --git a/engine/graph/driver.py b/engine/graph/driver.py
index d93e8fa6..37c9b873 100644
--- a/engine/graph/driver.py
+++ b/engine/graph/driver.py
@@ -14,29 +14,21 @@
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import functools
 import logging
 import os
-import re
 from typing import Any
 
 from neo4j import AsyncDriver, AsyncGraphDatabase
 
 from engine.graph.circuit_breaker import CircuitBreaker
+from engine.utils.security import sanitize_database_name
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 # Databases the DBMS always provides; never candidates for provisioning.
 _BUILTIN_DATABASES = frozenset({"neo4j", "system"})
 
-# Neo4j database naming rules: begins with an ASCII letter, then letters,
-# digits, dots, dashes or underscores, 3-63 characters. CREATE DATABASE cannot
-# take the name as a query parameter (it is an administrative command, not a
-# read/write query), so the name is quoted into the statement — and therefore
-# must be validated first. Domain ids legitimately contain dashes
-# ("healthcare-referral"), which is why engine.utils.security.sanitize_label
-# does not apply here: its label grammar forbids them.
-_DATABASE_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9._-]{2,62}$")
-
 # Substrings Neo4j uses when the target database is absent. Matched case
 # insensitively against the driver's message.
 _DATABASE_ABSENT_MARKERS = (
@@ -86,8 +78,12 @@ def __init__(
         self._driver: AsyncDriver | None = None
         self._lock = asyncio.Lock()
         # Databases this process has already provisioned or confirmed, so the
-        # CREATE is attempted at most once per database per process.
+        # CREATE is attempted at most once per database per process ...
         self._ensured_databases: set[str] = set()
+        # ... and the CREATE currently in flight per database, kept apart from
+        # the ensured set so a concurrent first use awaits that CREATE instead
+        # of either issuing its own or racing past it into the domain query.
+        self._provisioning: dict[str, asyncio.Task[bool]] = {}
 
         # W4-02: Circuit breaker — configured via settings, defaults provided
         from engine.config.settings import settings
@@ -203,35 +199,42 @@ async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
         privileges) — in which case the query that follows fails with the
         message above rather than here, so a read-only deployment that has the
         database already is not blocked by a CREATE it is not allowed to run.
+
+        Concurrency: the first caller for a name starts the CREATE; every caller
+        that arrives while it is in flight awaits that same CREATE and receives
+        its result, so no domain query proceeds before provisioning completes
+        and the administrative command is issued once. A failed CREATE leaves
+        nothing ensured, so a later call retries it.
         """
         if name in _BUILTIN_DATABASES or name in self._ensured_databases:
             return True
-        if not _DATABASE_NAME_RE.fullmatch(name):
-            msg = (
-                f"refusing to provision Neo4j database {name!r}: a database name must begin "
-                f"with a letter and contain only letters, digits, dots, dashes or underscores "
-                f"(3-63 characters). CREATE DATABASE takes no query parameter, so an "
-                f"unvalidated name would be interpolated into an administrative command."
-            )
-            raise ValueError(msg)
-
-        # Claim the name BEFORE the await, not after. `_raw_execute_query` is a
-        # suspension point: with the add afterwards, every request that arrived
-        # while the first CREATE was in flight passed the membership check above
-        # and issued its own administrative command — "at most once per database
-        # per process" held only when calls did not overlap, which is exactly
-        # when it does not matter. The claim is released on failure so a later
-        # attempt (different privileges, Enterprise now licensed) can retry.
-        self._ensured_databases.add(name)
-
+        sanitize_database_name(name)
+
+        task = self._provisioning.get(name)
+        if task is None or task.done():
+            # A finished task still in the map lost its race with the done
+            # callback below; its outcome is already reflected in
+            # `_ensured_databases` (success) or not (failure → retry now).
+            task = asyncio.get_running_loop().create_task(self._provision_database(name))
+            self._provisioning[name] = task
+            task.add_done_callback(functools.partial(self._forget_provisioning, name))
+        # shield: cancelling one waiting request must not cancel the CREATE the
+        # other waiters — and the ensured set — depend on.
+        return await asyncio.shield(task)
+
+    def _forget_provisioning(self, name: str, done: asyncio.Task[bool]) -> None:
+        if self._provisioning.get(name) is done:
+            del self._provisioning[name]
+
+    async def _provision_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
         # Administrative commands must run against `system`, and the name is
         # back-quoted because a dash is legal in a database name but not in a
-        # bare identifier. The regex above is what makes that quoting safe.
-        cypher = f"CREATE DATABASE `{name}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT"
+        # bare identifier. sanitize_database_name is what makes that quoting
+        # safe; it is re-applied here so the statement is safe by construction.
+        cypher = f"CREATE DATABASE `{sanitize_database_name(name)}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT"
         try:
             await self._raw_execute_query(cypher, None, "system")
         except Exception as exc:
-            self._ensured_databases.discard(name)
             logger.warning(
                 "Could not provision Neo4j database %r (%s: %s). "
                 "CREATE DATABASE is Enterprise Edition only and requires admin privileges.",
@@ -241,6 +244,7 @@ async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
             )
             return False
 
+        self._ensured_databases.add(name)
         logger.info("Ensured Neo4j database %r exists", name)
         return True
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
index 032317db..baa2099d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import asyncio
 from typing import Any
 
 import pytest
@@ -153,20 +154,114 @@ async def test_an_unsafe_database_name_is_refused(name: str) -> None:
     assert driver.calls == []
 
 
+class _RefusingDriver(_RecordingDriver):
+    """Community Edition: CREATE DATABASE is rejected, ordinary queries work."""
+
+    async def _raw_execute_query(self, cypher, parameters=None, database="neo4j"):
+        self.calls.append((cypher, database))
+        if "CREATE DATABASE" in cypher:
+            msg = "Unsupported administration command in Community Edition"
+            raise RuntimeError(msg)
+        return []
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_provisioning_failure_is_reported_not_raised(auto_create) -> None:
     """Community Edition rejects CREATE DATABASE. A deployment whose database
     already exists must not be blocked by a CREATE it is not allowed to run."""
-
-    class _RefusingDriver(_RecordingDriver):
-        async def _raw_execute_query(self, cypher, parameters=None, database="neo4j"):
-            self.calls.append((cypher, database))
-            if "CREATE DATABASE" in cypher:
-                msg = "Unsupported administration command in Community Edition"
-                raise RuntimeError(msg)
-            return []
-
     driver = _RefusingDriver()
     assert await driver.ensure_database("plasticos") is False
     # The ordinary query still runs; it is the query that reports the truth.
     assert await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos") == []
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_failed_provisioning_is_retried_on_the_next_call() -> None:
+    driver = _RefusingDriver()
+    assert await driver.ensure_database("plasticos") is False
+    assert await driver.ensure_database("plasticos") is False
+    assert sum("CREATE DATABASE" in c for c, _ in driver.calls) == 2
+
+
+# ── On: concurrent first use ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class _SlowCreateDriver(_RecordingDriver):
+    """The CREATE suspends until the test releases it, like a real `WAIT` would."""
+
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        super().__init__()
+        self.release = asyncio.Event()
+        self.create_started = asyncio.Event()
+
+    async def _raw_execute_query(self, cypher, parameters=None, database="neo4j"):
+        self.calls.append((cypher, database))
+        if "CREATE DATABASE" in cypher:
+            self.create_started.set()
+            await self.release.wait()
+        return []
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_concurrent_first_use_issues_one_create_and_no_query_runs_before_it_completes(auto_create) -> None:
+    """F283-1: a second request arriving while the CREATE is in flight must
+    wait for it — not see the name already claimed and race into the domain
+    query against a database that does not exist yet."""
+    driver = _SlowCreateDriver()
+    requests = [asyncio.create_task(driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos")) for _ in range(5)]
+
+    await driver.create_started.wait()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0)  # let every request reach its await
+    assert driver.calls == [("CREATE DATABASE `plasticos` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT", "system")], (
+        "no domain query may run while provisioning is in flight, and only one CREATE may be issued"
+    )
+    assert all(not task.done() for task in requests)
+
+    driver.release.set()
+    await asyncio.gather(*requests)
+
+    creates = [c for c, _ in driver.calls if "CREATE DATABASE" in c]
+    queries = [(c, db) for c, db in driver.calls if "CREATE DATABASE" not in c]
+    assert len(creates) == 1
+    assert queries == [("MATCH (n) RETURN n", "plasticos")] * 5
+    # The CREATE precedes every domain query in the recorded order.
+    assert driver.calls[0][0].startswith("CREATE DATABASE")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_concurrent_callers_share_the_provisioning_outcome() -> None:
+    driver = _SlowCreateDriver()
+    waiters = [asyncio.create_task(driver.ensure_database("plasticos")) for _ in range(3)]
+    await driver.create_started.wait()
+    driver.release.set()
+    assert await asyncio.gather(*waiters) == [True, True, True]
+    assert sum("CREATE DATABASE" in c for c, _ in driver.calls) == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_cancelling_one_waiter_does_not_cancel_the_create_for_the_others() -> None:
+    driver = _SlowCreateDriver()
+    first = asyncio.create_task(driver.ensure_database("plasticos"))
+    second = asyncio.create_task(driver.ensure_database("plasticos"))
+    await driver.create_started.wait()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0)
+
+    first.cancel()
+    with pytest.raises(asyncio.CancelledError):
+        await first
+
+    driver.release.set()
+    assert await second is True
+    assert "plasticos" in driver._ensured_databases
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_in_flight_provisioning_is_forgotten_once_settled() -> None:
+    driver = _SlowCreateDriver()
+    task = asyncio.create_task(driver.ensure_database("plasticos"))
+    await driver.create_started.wait()
+    assert "plasticos" in driver._provisioning
+    driver.release.set()
+    await task
+    await asyncio.sleep(0)  # done callbacks run on the next loop iteration
+    assert driver._provisioning == {}

From a130b35901171faf964bf77b3e7a0cc99a651719 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:06:49 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 13/19] ci: keep L9 analysis central; test: enforce
 docstring-only Protocol bodies (F284-1, F284-2)

- Drop the restored consumer-local .github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml.
  Current l9-ci-core owner law (consumer_copy_required=false) prohibits
  copied L9 workflows in consumers; Analyze (central Core) already passes
  on this repository, and the local duplicate only produced a
  startup_failure plus Scorecard/Sonar alerts.
- test_protocol_bodies.py now strips the optional leading docstring and
  fails on any remaining statement with its location, instead of only
  recognising pass / raise NotImplementedError / ellipsis. Negative fixtures
  cover return, assignment, arbitrary raise, calls, expressions and
  compound statements.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_018dcSADmR2nDESm69Szd1fT
---
 .github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml  | 186 -----------------------------
 tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py | 164 +++++++++++++++++++------
 2 files changed, 125 insertions(+), 225 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 .github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml

diff --git a/.github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index a74002ba..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/l9-analysis.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,186 +0,0 @@
-# L9 Governed Analysis Pipeline — Python Preset (LOCKED)
-#
-# DO NOT EDIT — this file is managed by l9-ci-core presets/python.
-# To update, pull the latest preset from Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core.
-#
-# This workflow runs the full L9 analysis pipeline:
-#   1. Resolve governance config from .github/governance/
-#   2. Run semgrep with Python rulesets
-#   3. Provision the SDK (immutable, pinned)
-#   4. Normalize → Validate → Project → Route → Manifest → Upload
-#   5. Publish results as GitHub Checks
-name: L9 Analysis
-on:
-  pull_request:
-  push:
-    branches: [main]
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-env:
-  L9_CORE_REF: "f88116503430aa18992b70d8d31063e34ff97ef1"
-  L9_PROFILE: "pr_fast"
-  L9_MATRIX_ID: "pr-semgrep"
-
-permissions:
-  contents: read
-  checks: write
-
-concurrency:
-  group: l9-analysis-${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
-  cancel-in-progress: true
-
-jobs:
-  analyze:
-    name: Governed Semgrep Analysis
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 15
-    outputs:
-      enabled: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.enabled }}
-      mode: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.mode }}
-      governance-digest: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.governance-digest }}
-      artifact-name: ${{ steps.names.outputs.artifact-name }}
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      checks: write
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout immutable event revision
-        env:
-          REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
-          REVISION: ${{ github.sha }}
-          TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          git init .
-          git remote add origin \
-            "https://x-access-token:${TOKEN}@github.com/${REPOSITORY}.git"
-          git -c protocol.version=2 fetch --depth=1 origin "${REVISION}"
-          git checkout --detach FETCH_HEAD
-          git remote set-url origin "https://github.com/${REPOSITORY}.git"
-
-      - id: gov
-        name: Resolve governance
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/resolve-governance@555d577eb805851b624cf7b0b8fc4df75a225d9f
-        with:
-          profile: ${{ env.L9_PROFILE }}
-          provider: semgrep
-          event-name: ${{ github.event_name }}
-          repository: ${{ github.repository }}
-          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
-
-      - id: names
-        name: Compute artifact names
-        env:
-          MATRIX_ID: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          echo "artifact-name=l9-semgrep-${MATRIX_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-
-      - name: Run semgrep
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          pip install --upgrade pip semgrep
-          mkdir -p "artifacts/raw/semgrep/${L9_MATRIX_ID}"
-          # No `|| true` (Baseline Ratchet rejects fail-open). Also no
-          # `--error`: findings must reach normalize/publish so governance
-          # can decide blocking vs advisory; `--error` exits 1 before that.
-          semgrep scan \
-            --config p/python \
-            --json \
-            --output "artifacts/raw/semgrep/${L9_MATRIX_ID}/report.json" \
-            --quiet
-        env:
-          L9_MATRIX_ID: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
-
-      - id: sdk
-        name: Provision immutable SDK
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/provision-sdk@0d28395428426853c44825c4645c23ee8ace23b1
-
-      - name: Normalize provider report
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/invoke-sdk@f88116503430aa18992b70d8d31063e34ff97ef1
-        with:
-          executable: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.executable }}
-          operation: semgrep-normalize
-          input: artifacts/raw/semgrep/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/report.json
-          output: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
-          root: .
-          snapshot-id: ${{ github.sha }}
-          revision: ${{ github.sha }}
-          strict: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.strict }}
-          required: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.required-provider }}
-          policy: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.sdk-policy }}
-          identity-map: .github/governance/semgrep-identity-map.yaml
-
-      - name: Validate canonical bundle
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/validate-bundle@84375ed2bc9e005048dfb6f74076fc420b4bc01c
-        with:
-          executable: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.executable }}
-          bundle: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
-
-      - name: Project agent-review payload
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/invoke-sdk@f88116503430aa18992b70d8d31063e34ff97ef1
-        with:
-          executable: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.executable }}
-          operation: bundle-project-agent-payload
-          input: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
-          output: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/agent-review-payload.json
-          strict: ${{ steps.gov.outputs.strict }}
-
-      - id: route
-        name: Route artifacts
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/route-artifacts@84375ed2bc9e005048dfb6f74076fc420b4bc01c
-        with:
-          provider: semgrep
-          matrix-id: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
-          raw-report: artifacts/raw/semgrep/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/report.json
-          bundle: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/finding-bundle.json
-          agent-payload: .l9/runtime/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/agent-review-payload.json
-          destination-root: artifacts
-
-      - name: Build artifact manifest
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/actions/build-artifact-manifest@555d577eb805851b624cf7b0b8fc4df75a225d9f
-        with:
-          provider: semgrep
-          matrix-id: ${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}
-          sdk-revision: ${{ steps.sdk.outputs.sdk-revision }}
-          bundle: ${{ steps.route.outputs.bundle }}
-          agent-payload: ${{ steps.route.outputs.agent-payload }}
-          raw-directory: ${{ steps.route.outputs.raw-directory }}
-          output: artifacts/metadata/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/artifact-manifest.json
-
-      - name: Upload analysis artifact set
-        if: steps.gov.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a  # v7.0.1
-        with:
-          name: ${{ steps.names.outputs.artifact-name }}
-          path: |
-            artifacts/raw/semgrep/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/
-            artifacts/l9/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/
-            artifacts/metadata/${{ env.L9_MATRIX_ID }}/
-          if-no-files-found: error
-          retention-days: 14
-
-  publish:
-    name: Publish analysis (Core)
-    needs: analyze
-    if: needs.analyze.outputs.enabled == 'true'
-    uses: Quantum-L9/l9-ci-core/.github/workflows/publish-analysis.yml@0d28395428426853c44825c4645c23ee8ace23b1
-    permissions:
-      actions: read
-      checks: write
-      contents: read
-    with:
-      artifact-name: ${{ needs.analyze.outputs.artifact-name }}
-      profile: pr_fast
-      mode: ${{ needs.analyze.outputs.mode }}
-      provider: semgrep
-      matrix-id: pr-semgrep
-      governance-digest: ${{ needs.analyze.outputs.governance-digest }}
-      repository-revision: ${{ github.sha }}
-      workflow-result: ${{ needs.analyze.result }}
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
index 54fbf095..6bbf6ba3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-"""Protocol method bodies must stay lint-clean on every in-repo gate (CEG#267)."""
+"""Protocol method bodies must be a docstring and nothing else (CEG#267).
+
+`docs/contracts/BANNED_PATTERNS.md` — "typing.Protocol method bodies": a
+Protocol method is a structural signature, never executed, and the only body
+that is valid Python *and* clean on every in-repo gate is a docstring alone.
+The check therefore strips an optional leading docstring and requires the
+remaining body to be empty; **any** statement fails, with its location.
+"""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -10,29 +17,48 @@
 ENGINE = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "engine"
 
 
-def _protocol_methods(path: Path) -> list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]]:
-    tree = ast.parse(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), filename=str(path))
-    found: list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]] = []
+def _is_protocol_class(node: ast.ClassDef) -> bool:
+    return any(
+        (isinstance(base, ast.Name) and base.id == "Protocol")
+        or (isinstance(base, ast.Attribute) and base.attr == "Protocol")
+        for base in node.bases
+    )
+
+
+def _is_docstring(stmt: ast.stmt) -> bool:
+    return isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr) and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant) and isinstance(stmt.value.value, str)
+
+
+def protocol_body_violations(tree: ast.AST, path: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Every statement after the optional docstring of every Protocol method, located."""
+    violations: list[str] = []
     for node in ast.walk(tree):
-        if not isinstance(node, ast.ClassDef):
-            continue
-        if not any(
-            (isinstance(base, ast.Name) and base.id == "Protocol")
-            or (isinstance(base, ast.Attribute) and base.attr == "Protocol")
-            for base in node.bases
-        ):
+        if not isinstance(node, ast.ClassDef) or not _is_protocol_class(node):
             continue
         for item in node.body:
-            if isinstance(item, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)):
-                found.append((path.as_posix(), f"{node.name}.{item.name}", item))
-    return found
+            if not isinstance(item, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)):
+                continue
+            body = item.body[1:] if item.body and _is_docstring(item.body[0]) else list(item.body)
+            violations.extend(
+                f"{path}:{stmt.lineno}: {node.name}.{item.name} body must be a docstring only, "
+                f"found {type(stmt).__name__} ({ast.unparse(stmt)})"
+                for stmt in body
+            )
+    return violations
 
 
-def _engine_protocol_methods() -> list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]]:
-    rows: list[tuple[str, str, ast.AST]] = []
+def _engine_protocol_methods() -> list[str]:
+    found: list[str] = []
     for path in sorted(ENGINE.rglob("*.py")):
-        rows.extend(_protocol_methods(path))
-    return rows
+        tree = ast.parse(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), filename=str(path))
+        for node in ast.walk(tree):
+            if isinstance(node, ast.ClassDef) and _is_protocol_class(node):
+                found.extend(
+                    f"{node.name}.{item.name}"
+                    for item in node.body
+                    if isinstance(item, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef))
+                )
+    return found
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
@@ -41,26 +67,86 @@ def test_engine_has_protocol_methods() -> None:
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
-def test_protocol_methods_have_no_executable_stub() -> None:
+def test_engine_protocol_methods_are_docstring_only() -> None:
     failures: list[str] = []
-    for rel, qualname, fn in _engine_protocol_methods():
-        executable = []
-        for stmt in fn.body:
-            if (
-                isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr)
-                and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant)
-                and isinstance(stmt.value.value, str)
-            ):
-                continue
-            executable.append(stmt)
-        for stmt in executable:
-            if isinstance(stmt, ast.Pass):
-                failures.append(f"{rel}:{qualname} uses pass (ruff PIE790)")
-            elif isinstance(stmt, ast.Raise) and isinstance(stmt.exc, ast.Call):
-                func = stmt.exc.func
-                name = func.id if isinstance(func, ast.Name) else ""
-                if name == "NotImplementedError":
-                    failures.append(f"{rel}:{qualname} raises NotImplementedError (STUB-001)")
-            elif isinstance(stmt, ast.Expr) and isinstance(stmt.value, ast.Constant) and stmt.value.value is Ellipsis:
-                failures.append(f"{rel}:{qualname} uses ... (github-code-quality no-op)")
+    for path in sorted(ENGINE.rglob("*.py")):
+        tree = ast.parse(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), filename=str(path))
+        failures.extend(protocol_body_violations(tree, path.as_posix()))
     assert failures == [], "\n".join(failures)
+
+
+# ── the checker itself must discriminate (F284-2) ───────────────────────────
+
+_PROTOCOL = "from typing import Protocol\n\nclass P(Protocol):\n    def m(self) -> int:\n"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "body",
+    [
+        '        """Doc."""\n',
+        '        """Doc.\n\n        Multi-line.\n        """\n',
+    ],
+    ids=["docstring", "multiline-docstring"],
+)
+def test_docstring_only_bodies_pass(body: str) -> None:
+    assert protocol_body_violations(ast.parse(_PROTOCOL + body), "p.py") == []
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("body", "expected"),
+    [
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        ...\n', "Expr (...)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        pass\n', "Pass (pass)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        raise NotImplementedError\n', "Raise (raise NotImplementedError)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        raise NotImplementedError("x")\n', "Raise (raise NotImplementedError('x'))"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        raise RuntimeError("x")\n', "Raise (raise RuntimeError('x'))"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        return None\n', "Return (return None)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        return 0\n', "Return (return 0)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        x = 1\n', "Assign (x = 1)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        self.x: int = 1\n', "AnnAssign (self.x: int = 1)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        print("x")\n', "Expr (print('x'))"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        1 + 1\n', "Expr (1 + 1)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        if True:\n            pass\n', "If (if True:"),
+        ("        ...\n", "Expr (...)"),
+        ("        pass\n", "Pass (pass)"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        """Second string is a statement."""\n', "Expr ('Second string is a statement.')"),
+    ],
+    ids=[
+        "ellipsis",
+        "pass",
+        "raise-bare",
+        "raise-not-implemented",
+        "raise-other",
+        "return-none",
+        "return-value",
+        "assign",
+        "ann-assign",
+        "call",
+        "expression",
+        "compound",
+        "ellipsis-no-docstring",
+        "pass-no-docstring",
+        "second-string",
+    ],
+)
+def test_any_non_docstring_statement_fails_with_location(body: str, expected: str) -> None:
+    violations = protocol_body_violations(ast.parse(_PROTOCOL + body), "p.py")
+    assert len(violations) == 1
+    assert violations[0].startswith("p.py:")
+    assert "P.m body must be a docstring only" in violations[0]
+    assert expected in violations[0]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_every_offending_statement_is_reported() -> None:
+    body = '        """Doc."""\n        x = 1\n        return x\n'
+    violations = protocol_body_violations(ast.parse(_PROTOCOL + body), "p.py")
+    assert [v.split(": ", 1)[0] for v in violations] == ["p.py:6", "p.py:7"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_non_protocol_classes_are_not_checked() -> None:
+    src = "class Base:\n    def m(self) -> int:\n        raise NotImplementedError\n"
+    assert protocol_body_violations(ast.parse(src), "b.py") == []

From dbf4ce1f07f6ea5f40786f808d61c3955f724f7d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:19:59 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 14/19] fix(ci): validated numeric casts, logger docstring
 examples, no bare awaits in tests

- Semgrep Policy Check (float-requires-try-except): numeric spec values now
  pass through engine.utils.security.cypher_number(), which does the float()
  conversion inside try/except and raises ValueError with the offending
  value; cypher-lint treats it as a validator alongside sanitize_label.
- Check Terminology Consistency (print( on changed files): docstring usage
  examples in hoprag/indexer, scoring/helpfulness, scoring/importance,
  traversal/multihop and traversal/pseudo_query use logger.info; the
  Protocol-body fixture uses len("x") as its call statement.
- github-code-quality "statement has no effect": the provisioning tests
  assert on the awaited task results instead of bare await statements.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_018dcSADmR2nDESm69Szd1fT
---
 engine/hoprag/indexer.py                      |  2 +-
 engine/scoring/assembler.py                   | 22 +++++++++----------
 engine/scoring/helpfulness.py                 | 10 ++++-----
 engine/scoring/importance.py                  |  6 ++---
 engine/traversal/multihop.py                  |  2 +-
 engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py              |  4 ++--
 engine/utils/security.py                      | 17 ++++++++++++++
 .../unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py |  6 ++---
 tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py            |  2 +-
 tools/cypher_lint.py                          |  4 ++--
 10 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 29 deletions(-)

diff --git a/engine/hoprag/indexer.py b/engine/hoprag/indexer.py
index 23cc8b79..d422bbf4 100644
--- a/engine/hoprag/indexer.py
+++ b/engine/hoprag/indexer.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class GraphIndexBuilder:
             graph_store=neo4j_store,
         )
         result = await builder.build(passage_label="Passage")
-        print(f"Created {result.edges_created} edges")
+        logger.info("Created %d edges", result.edges_created)
     """
 
     def __init__(
diff --git a/engine/scoring/assembler.py b/engine/scoring/assembler.py
index 5bd3b7be..5109e2eb 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/assembler.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/assembler.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     ScoringDimensionSpec,
 )
 from engine.graph.driver import GraphDriver
-from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
+from engine.utils.security import cypher_number, sanitize_label
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ def assemble_scoring_clause(
                 # apply negative penalty instead of just reduced weight.
                 # Implements "primitive subtraction" from Lippl et al.
                 weight = -abs(sw_spec.penalty_factor) if learned_w < sw_spec.penalty_threshold else weight * learned_w
-            weight_exprs.append(f"({float(weight)} * {alias})")
+            weight_exprs.append(f"({cypher_number(weight)} * {alias})")
             active_dim_names.append(dim.name)
 
         self._last_active_dims = list(active_dim_names)
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ def _compile_dimension(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         return base_expr
 
     def _compile_geodecay(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
-        k = float(dim.decayconstant or 50000.0)
+        k = cypher_number(dim.decayconstant or 50000.0)
         lat_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "lat")
         query_lat_param = sanitize_label(dim.queryprop or lat_prop)
         return (
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ def _compile_geodecay(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         )
 
     def _compile_lognormalized(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
-        max_val = float(dim.maxvalue or 1000.0)
+        max_val = cypher_number(dim.maxvalue or 1000.0)
         prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "value")
         return f"log(1 + coalesce(candidate.{prop}, 0)) / log(1 + {max_val})"
 
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ def _compile_communitymatch(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         Returns bias score if communities match, graduated score otherwise.
         Does not require APOC - uses native Cypher only.
         """
-        bias = float(dim.bias or 1.5)
+        bias = cypher_number(dim.bias or 1.5)
         cand_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "community_id")
         query_prop = sanitize_label(dim.queryprop or "community_id")
 
@@ -318,8 +318,8 @@ def _compile_communitymatch(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         )
 
     def _compile_inverselinear(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
-        min_val = float(dim.minvalue or 0.0)
-        max_val = float(dim.maxvalue or 100.0)
+        min_val = cypher_number(dim.minvalue or 0.0)
+        max_val = cypher_number(dim.maxvalue or 100.0)
         prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "value")
         return f"1.0 - (coalesce(candidate.{prop}, {max_val}) - {min_val}) / ({max_val} - {min_val})"
 
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ def _compile_pricealignment(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         """
         cand_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "price_per_unit")
         query_prop = sanitize_label(dim.queryprop or "target_price")
-        tau = float(dim.maxvalue or 2.0)  # tolerance: 2.0 = ~7.4x ratio scores 0
+        tau = cypher_number(dim.maxvalue or 2.0)  # tolerance: 2.0 = ~7.4x ratio scores 0
         default = float(dim.defaultwhennull)  # nosemgrep: float-requires-try-except
         return (
             f"CASE "
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ def _compile_temporalproximity(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec) -> str:
         Reads last_activity_date, touch_count_30d, and is_accelerating from node.
         """
         date_prop = sanitize_label(dim.candidateprop or "last_activity_date")
-        decay_days = float(dim.maxvalue or 90.0)
+        decay_days = cypher_number(dim.maxvalue or 90.0)
         default = float(dim.defaultwhennull)  # nosemgrep: float-requires-try-except
         # Weights for 3 signals
         w1, w2, w3 = 0.6, 0.25, 0.15
@@ -555,11 +555,11 @@ def _apply_null_strategy(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec, base_expr: str) -> str
             return base_expr  # No change — coalesce(..., 0.0) already handles this
         if strategy == NullStrategy.INHERIT_PRIOR:
             prop_name = sanitize_label(f"_prior_{dim.name}")
-            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), candidate.{prop_name}, {float(dim.defaultwhennull)})"
+            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), candidate.{prop_name}, {cypher_number(dim.defaultwhennull)})"
         if strategy == NullStrategy.POPULATION_MEAN:
             # Population mean is injected as a parameter at query time
             param = sanitize_label(f"_popmean_{dim.name}")
-            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), ${param}, {float(dim.defaultwhennull)})"
+            return f"coalesce(({base_expr}), ${param}, {cypher_number(dim.defaultwhennull)})"
         return base_expr
 
     def _apply_cold_start_fallback(self, dim: ScoringDimensionSpec, base_expr: str) -> str:
diff --git a/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py b/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py
index 58f8e552..5ba8c632 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/helpfulness.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
-from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
+from engine.utils.security import cypher_number, sanitize_label
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class HelpfulnessScorer:
 
         scorer = HelpfulnessScorer(alpha=0.5)
         result = scorer.compute(similarity=0.82, importance=0.45)
-        print(result.score)  # 0.635
+        logger.info("helpfulness=%s", result.score)  # 0.635
     """
 
     def __init__(self, alpha: float = 0.5) -> None:
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def compile_helpfulness_cypher(
     similarity_prop = sanitize_label(similarity_prop)
     importance_prop = sanitize_label(importance_prop)
     return (
-        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{similarity_prop} IS NULL THEN {float(default_when_null)} "
-        f"ELSE ({float(alpha)} * coalesce(candidate.{similarity_prop}, 0) + "
-        f"{1.0 - float(alpha)} * coalesce(candidate.{importance_prop}, 0)) END"
+        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{similarity_prop} IS NULL THEN {cypher_number(default_when_null)} "
+        f"ELSE ({cypher_number(alpha)} * coalesce(candidate.{similarity_prop}, 0) + "
+        f"{1.0 - cypher_number(alpha)} * coalesce(candidate.{importance_prop}, 0)) END"
     )
diff --git a/engine/scoring/importance.py b/engine/scoring/importance.py
index b9702ca5..4c94c36e 100644
--- a/engine/scoring/importance.py
+++ b/engine/scoring/importance.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
-from engine.utils.security import sanitize_label
+from engine.utils.security import cypher_number, sanitize_label
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class ImportanceScorer:
         scorer = ImportanceScorer()
         visit_counts = {"v1": 5, "v2": 3, "v3": 2}
         result = scorer.compute("v1", visit_counts)
-        print(result.score)  # 0.5
+        logger.info("importance=%s", result.score)  # 0.5
     """
 
     def compute(
@@ -190,6 +190,6 @@ def compile_importance_cypher(
     visit_count_prop = sanitize_label(visit_count_prop)
     total_visits_param = sanitize_label(total_visits_param)
     return (
-        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{visit_count_prop} IS NULL THEN {float(default_when_null)} "
+        f"CASE WHEN candidate.{visit_count_prop} IS NULL THEN {cypher_number(default_when_null)} "
         f"ELSE toFloat(candidate.{visit_count_prop}) / ${total_visits_param} END"
     )
diff --git a/engine/traversal/multihop.py b/engine/traversal/multihop.py
index c0731ce7..9ef6c325 100644
--- a/engine/traversal/multihop.py
+++ b/engine/traversal/multihop.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class MultiHopTraverser:
             start_vertices=["v1", "v2", "v3"],
             query_embedding=query_emb,
         )
-        print(result.visit_counts)  # {"v1": 3, "v4": 2, ...}
+        logger.info("visit_counts=%s", result.visit_counts)  # {"v1": 3, "v4": 2, ...}
     """
 
     def __init__(
diff --git a/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py b/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py
index 8527a7eb..a62ecd3b 100644
--- a/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py
+++ b/engine/traversal/pseudo_query.py
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ class PseudoQueryGenerator:
             n_incoming=2,
             m_outgoing=4,
         )
-        print(len(result.incoming))   # 2
-        print(len(result.outgoing))   # 4
+        logger.info("incoming=%d", len(result.incoming))   # 2
+        logger.info("outgoing=%d", len(result.outgoing))   # 4
     """
 
     def __init__(
diff --git a/engine/utils/security.py b/engine/utils/security.py
index 6b507fcc..46f66714 100644
--- a/engine/utils/security.py
+++ b/engine/utils/security.py
@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ def sanitize_label(label: str) -> str:
     return label
 
 
+def cypher_number(value: object) -> float:
+    """
+    Validate a domain-spec scalar before it is interpolated into Cypher as a numeric literal.
+
+    SECURITY: a number cannot carry Cypher, so a value that survives ``float()``
+    is safe to interpolate; anything else (a string payload, ``None`` where the
+    spec promised a number) is rejected here instead of reaching the query.
+
+    Raises ValueError if the value is not numeric.
+    """
+    try:
+        return float(value)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+    except (TypeError, ValueError) as exc:
+        msg = f"Expected a numeric Cypher literal, got {value!r}"
+        raise ValueError(msg) from exc
+
+
 # Neo4j database naming rules: begins with an ASCII letter, then letters,
 # digits, dots, dashes or underscores, 3-63 characters. Domain ids legitimately
 # contain dashes ("healthcare-referral"), which is why sanitize_label does not
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
index baa2099d..a92b7c38 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ async def test_cancelling_one_waiter_does_not_cancel_the_create_for_the_others()
     await asyncio.sleep(0)
 
     first.cancel()
-    with pytest.raises(asyncio.CancelledError):
-        await first
+    await asyncio.wait([first])
+    assert first.cancelled()
 
     driver.release.set()
     assert await second is True
@@ -262,6 +262,6 @@ async def test_in_flight_provisioning_is_forgotten_once_settled() -> None:
     await driver.create_started.wait()
     assert "plasticos" in driver._provisioning
     driver.release.set()
-    await task
+    assert await task is True
     await asyncio.sleep(0)  # done callbacks run on the next loop iteration
     assert driver._provisioning == {}
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
index 6bbf6ba3..977d82b0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_protocol_bodies.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def test_docstring_only_bodies_pass(body: str) -> None:
         ('        """Doc."""\n        return 0\n', "Return (return 0)"),
         ('        """Doc."""\n        x = 1\n', "Assign (x = 1)"),
         ('        """Doc."""\n        self.x: int = 1\n', "AnnAssign (self.x: int = 1)"),
-        ('        """Doc."""\n        print("x")\n', "Expr (print('x'))"),
+        ('        """Doc."""\n        len("x")\n', "Expr (len('x'))"),
         ('        """Doc."""\n        1 + 1\n', "Expr (1 + 1)"),
         ('        """Doc."""\n        if True:\n            pass\n', "If (if True:"),
         ("        ...\n", "Expr (...)"),
diff --git a/tools/cypher_lint.py b/tools/cypher_lint.py
index b7c1afdb..76097e05 100644
--- a/tools/cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tools/cypher_lint.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 =====================  ==========================  ==================================
 
 An expression is *validated* when it is a call to ``sanitize_label`` /
-``sanitize_database_name``, a string literal, a name (or ``self`` attribute)
+``sanitize_database_name`` / ``cypher_number``, a string literal, a name (or ``self`` attribute)
 assigned from a validated expression anywhere in the module, a same-module
 function whose every ``return`` is validated, an f-string / ``str.join`` /
 comprehension built only from validated parts, or a loop variable over a
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 
-SANITIZERS = frozenset({"sanitize_label", "sanitize_database_name"})
+SANITIZERS = frozenset({"sanitize_label", "sanitize_database_name", "cypher_number"})
 NUMERIC_CASTS = frozenset({"int", "float"})
 
 # Names whose attributes are domain-spec / payload data, never Cypher-safe.

From 6013efa726c286fb8b3c24b0fbc3534ec1c516e0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:20:53 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 15/19] feat(deps): detect a stale Gate_SDK lock, and enforce
 the pin in CI
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

CEG already declares the moving major channel correctly — pyproject
rev = "v1", requirements.txt @v1, poetry.lock reference = "v1" — and
none of that changes here. What was missing is the one failure a moving
tag makes possible and structural checks cannot see: Gate_SDK advances
`v1`, and this repository's lock silently stops matching it without a
single local file changing.

- scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py: adds --verify-tag. It resolves
  Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK@v1 at the canonical remote and requires
  poetry.lock's resolved_reference to equal it, failing closed when the
  remote cannot be resolved — an unverifiable lock has not been
  verified. check_text() and check_tree() are untouched, so the existing
  offline contract and its tests are unchanged; the new logic is three
  additive pure functions plus an argparse front door.
- tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py: covers the comparison directly —
  current lock, stale lock, unresolvable channel, lock with no
  resolved_reference. Pure logic, no network in the test suite.
- ci.yml: the validator was never actually wired into CI; it was only
  reachable through a unit test. Both modes now run in the
  merge-blocking validate job.

poetry.lock is NOT regenerated: resolved_reference is already
e9f829f982110be13752da8f18c7a9692e8ed908, which is what v1 resolves to
today, so there is nothing to refresh and no reason to churn the file.

Verified: ruff check, ruff format --check, 9 passed in
tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py, and both validator modes against
the live remote.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_0153NHEJmFreprQ5tHLztSGq
---
 .github/workflows/ci.yml            | 11 ++++
 scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py         | 86 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py | 48 ++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 142 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index fa28a0f4..91c168f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -89,6 +89,17 @@ jobs:
           python tools/check_deprecated_imports.py --check .
           echo "✅ No deprecated DomainSpecLoader usage found"
 
+      - name: Gate_SDK declares the v1 channel (offline)
+        run: |
+          python scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
+
+      - name: Gate_SDK lock agrees with the v1 channel (networked)
+        # The structural check above cannot see a stale lock: `v1` moves inside
+        # Gate_SDK and nothing here changes. This resolves the channel at the
+        # canonical remote and fails closed if poetry.lock no longer matches.
+        run: |
+          python scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py --verify-tag
+
       # PacketEnvelope prohibition is governed by the baseline ratchet
       # (.github/workflows/baseline-ratchet-caller.yml → l9-ci-core
       # "Baseline Ratchet / Quarantined Debt", fail-closed). The l9-ci-sdk
diff --git a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
index a7627888..3cef784a 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -4,16 +4,33 @@
 Policy (CEG#266 / PR #263): constellation-node-sdk tracks ``Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK@v1``.
 Manifests name the major tag. poetry.lock records that tag as ``reference`` and
 the resolved object as ``resolved_reference``.
+
+Gate_SDK owns what ``v1`` means (``contracts/RELEASE_IDENTITY_LEDGER.json``,
+schema v2). The structural checks below prove CEG declares the channel; they
+cannot prove the lock still holds what the channel points at, because a moving
+tag goes stale without any local file changing. ``--verify-tag`` closes that
+gap by resolving the channel at the canonical remote.
+
+Modes
+-----
+default        Offline structural checks over the active surfaces.
+--verify-tag   Resolves ``v1`` at the canonical remote and requires
+               ``resolved_reference`` to match. Fails closed when the remote
+               cannot be resolved — a lock that cannot be checked has not been
+               checked.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import argparse
 import re
+import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
 
 ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
 MAJOR_TAG = "v1"
 CANONICAL_REPO = "Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK"
+CANONICAL_REMOTE = f"https://github.com/{CANONICAL_REPO}.git"
 FORBIDDEN_FORK = "cryptoxdog/Gate_SDK"
 SHA_RE = re.compile(r"\b[0-9a-f]{40}\b")
 LOCK_REFERENCE_RE = re.compile(
@@ -57,13 +74,76 @@ def check_tree(root: Path) -> list[str]:
     return errors
 
 
-def main() -> int:
-    errors = check_tree(ROOT)
+def lock_resolution(text: str) -> str | None:
+    """The concrete object poetry recorded for the moving tag."""
+    match = LOCK_REFERENCE_RE.search(text)
+    return match.group(2) if match else None
+
+
+def resolve_remote_tag(remote: str, tag: str) -> str | None:
+    """Resolve ``refs/tags/<tag>`` at *remote*, preferring the peeled object."""
+    completed = subprocess.run(
+        ["/usr/bin/git", "ls-remote", "--tags", remote, f"refs/tags/{tag}"],
+        check=False,
+        text=True,
+        capture_output=True,
+    )
+    if completed.returncode != 0:
+        return None
+    peeled: str | None = None
+    direct: str | None = None
+    for line in completed.stdout.splitlines():
+        sha, _, name = line.partition("\t")
+        if name == f"refs/tags/{tag}^{{}}":
+            peeled = sha.strip()
+        elif name == f"refs/tags/{tag}":
+            direct = sha.strip()
+    return peeled or direct
+
+
+def compare_lock_to_tag(resolved: str | None, tag_sha: str | None) -> list[str]:
+    """Stale-lock detection: the lock must hold what the channel points at now."""
+    if tag_sha is None:
+        return [f"--verify-tag: could not resolve {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG}; an unverifiable lock does not pass"]
+    if resolved is None:
+        return ["--verify-tag: poetry.lock carries no resolved_reference to compare"]
+    if resolved != tag_sha:
+        return [
+            (
+                f"--verify-tag: poetry.lock resolved_reference is {resolved} but "
+                f"{MAJOR_TAG} now points at {tag_sha} — the lock is stale; re-run `poetry lock`"
+            )
+        ]
+    return []
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Validate the Gate_SDK moving-major pin.")
+    parser.add_argument("--root", type=Path, default=ROOT)
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--verify-tag",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="resolve the channel at the canonical remote and compare to poetry.lock",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--remote", default=CANONICAL_REMOTE)
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+
+    errors = check_tree(args.root)
+
+    if args.verify_tag:
+        lock_path = args.root / "poetry.lock"
+        resolved = lock_resolution(lock_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")) if lock_path.exists() else None
+        tag_sha = resolve_remote_tag(args.remote, MAJOR_TAG)
+        errors.extend(compare_lock_to_tag(resolved, tag_sha))
+        if not errors:
+            print(f"NETWORK: {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} == poetry.lock {tag_sha}")
+
     if errors:
         print("FAIL")
         print("\n".join(errors))
         return 1
-    print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG}")
+    mode = "offline + networked" if args.verify_tag else "offline"
+    print(f"PASS CEG pin {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} ({mode})")
     return 0
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py b/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
index 4e2b4e4e..2050a87d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@
 MAJOR_TAG = _mod.MAJOR_TAG
 check_text = _mod.check_text
 check_tree = _mod.check_tree
+lock_resolution = _mod.lock_resolution
+compare_lock_to_tag = _mod.compare_lock_to_tag
+
+CHANNEL_OBJECT = "e9f829f982110be13752da8f18c7a9692e8ed908"
+STALE_OBJECT = "69c6c67060b08440734a61473c03663423709964"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
@@ -62,3 +67,46 @@ def test_repo_tree_matches_v1_policy() -> None:
     errors = check_tree(_ROOT)
     assert errors == [], errors
     assert MAJOR_TAG == "v1"
+
+
+# ── stale-lock agreement (--verify-tag logic, exercised without network) ──────
+#
+# The structural checks above cannot catch a stale lock: `v1` moves in Gate_SDK
+# and nothing in this repository changes. These cover the comparison that does.
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_lock_resolution_reads_the_resolved_object() -> None:
+    lock = (
+        'name = "constellation-node-sdk"\n'
+        "[package.source]\n"
+        'url = "https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git"\n'
+        'reference = "v1"\n'
+        f'resolved_reference = "{CHANNEL_OBJECT}"\n'
+    )
+    assert lock_resolution(lock) == CHANNEL_OBJECT
+    assert lock_resolution("no sdk source block here\n") is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_lock_current_with_the_channel_passes() -> None:
+    assert compare_lock_to_tag(CHANNEL_OBJECT, CHANNEL_OBJECT) == []
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_stale_lock_fails() -> None:
+    errors = compare_lock_to_tag(STALE_OBJECT, CHANNEL_OBJECT)
+    assert any("stale" in item for item in errors), errors
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_an_unresolvable_channel_fails_closed() -> None:
+    """Required networked mode: inability to resolve is a failure, not a pass."""
+    errors = compare_lock_to_tag(CHANNEL_OBJECT, None)
+    assert any("could not resolve" in item for item in errors), errors
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_lock_without_a_resolved_reference_fails_closed() -> None:
+    errors = compare_lock_to_tag(None, CHANNEL_OBJECT)
+    assert any("no resolved_reference" in item for item in errors), errors

From 80d97dee058ca9bcbdfbdad1526581f5d3ea86f0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:25:40 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 16/19] fix: address Codex and Copilot review on PR #285
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

- cypher-lint (Codex P1, Copilot): name facts are now lexically scoped — a
  sanitizer binding in one function no longer certifies a same-named
  variable in a sibling function; nested functions see enclosing scopes;
  a helper counts as validated only by its own return statements, never
  by returns inside a nested def. Scoping exposed five private helpers
  (resolution/similarity, feedback/drift_detector, feedback/signal_weights)
  that interpolated a label parameter relying on their callers to have
  sanitized it; each now validates the parameter itself.
- GraphDriver (Codex P2): execute_write provisions the domain database on
  first use and translates a missing-database error exactly like
  execute_query, via shared _provision_on_first_use /
  _translate_absent_database helpers.
- domain_extractor (Codex P2): writes domains/<domain-id>/spec.yaml, the
  only layout DomainPackLoader discovers.
- strictwhen (Copilot): declared by GateSpec, consumed by no compiler, so
  legal-discovery and research-agent are withheld behind
  unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled; the pack-shape test records strictwhen
  as a defect so the shrink-only guard still holds.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_018dcSADmR2nDESm69Szd1fT
---
 docs/FEATURE_GATES.md                         |  15 +-
 engine/config/loader.py                       |  13 +-
 engine/feedback/drift_detector.py             |   2 +
 engine/feedback/signal_weights.py             |   2 +
 engine/graph/driver.py                        |  66 ++++---
 engine/resolution/similarity.py               |   6 +
 tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py                |  43 +++++
 .../unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py |  36 ++++
 tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py          |   6 +
 tools/cypher_lint.py                          | 181 ++++++++++++------
 tools/domain_extractor.py                     |  15 +-
 11 files changed, 286 insertions(+), 99 deletions(-)

diff --git a/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md b/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
index 9adbf918..d23aa75e 100644
--- a/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
+++ b/docs/FEATURE_GATES.md
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ independently of the code default.
 | Graph Inference Feedback | `GRAPH_INFERENCE_FEEDBACK_ENABLED` (`graph_inference_feedback_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; CEG → Gate → EIE `graph-inference-result` — see §13 |
 | Domain Database Provisioning | `AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE` (`auto_create_domain_database`) | `False` | unset | dormant; create the tenant domain database on first use — see §14 |
 | Health API (admin health_* subactions) | `HEALTH_API_ENABLED` (`health_api_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; AI-readiness assess/report surface — see §15 |
-| Unvalidated Domain Packs | `UNVALIDATED_DOMAIN_PACKS_ENABLED` (`unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; five packs whose gates do not compile to executable Cypher — see §16 |
+| Unvalidated Domain Packs | `UNVALIDATED_DOMAIN_PACKS_ENABLED` (`unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled`) | `False` | unset | dormant; seven packs whose gates do not compile to executable, faithful Cypher — see §16 |
 | Constellation Orchestration | — | — | — | accepted architectural gap — see §9 |
 
 ---
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ store in `engine/health/health_report.py`, which is bounded
 
 CEG-009 moved nine domain packs out of a flat `<name>_domain_spec.yaml` shape
 the loader never reads into `domains/<id>/spec.yaml`. Making them readable
-exposed that five do not compile to executable Cypher:
+exposed that seven do not compile to executable, faithful Cypher:
 
 | Pack | Defect |
 |---|---|
@@ -452,16 +452,21 @@ exposed that five do not compile to executable Cypher:
 | `roofing-company` | `RELATES_TO` fallback + `$1` |
 | `aios-god-agent` | `RELATES_TO` fallback |
 | `healthcare-referral` | `$1` |
+| `legal-discovery` | `strictwhen` on a gate, consumed by no compiler |
+| `research-agent` | `strictwhen` on two gates, consumed by no compiler |
 
-Two root causes, both in the spec-to-Cypher contract rather than in the files:
+Three root causes, all in the spec-to-Cypher contract rather than in the files:
 
 1. `type: traversal` gates written with `pattern` and `condition`, which
    `GateCompiler` does not consume. With no `edgetype` the compiler falls back
    to `RELATES_TO`, an edge no ontology here declares, so the gate is a hard
    filter that matches nothing.
 2. A scalar `queryparam` (`85.0`, `5`, `1`). `GateSpec.coerce_queryparam_to_str`
-   turns it into a string and the compiler emits it as a parameter *name*, so
-   Cypher receives `$85.0`.
+   turns it into a string; since C-009 validates parameter names like labels
+   the compiler refuses the gate outright instead of emitting `$85.0`.
+3. `strictwhen` on a gate. `GateSpec` declares it and nothing under `engine/`
+   consumes it, so a gate the author wrote as conditional (`legal-discovery`,
+   `research-agent`) runs as an unconditional hard filter.
 
 **Do not turn this on to "see if they work".** They do not: the first serves
 zero candidates, the second fails at execution. Fixing them means either
diff --git a/engine/config/loader.py b/engine/config/loader.py
index dd063778..21c36534 100644
--- a/engine/config/loader.py
+++ b/engine/config/loader.py
@@ -43,18 +43,23 @@
     #     `RELATES_TO`, an edge no ontology here declares, so the gate rejects
     #     every candidate.
     #   * a scalar `queryparam` (85.0, 5, 1) — GateSpec coerces it to a string
-    #     and the compiler emits it as a parameter NAME, producing `$85.0`.
+    #     and the compiler refuses it as a parameter NAME (C-009).
+    #   * `strictwhen` conditions — declared by the schema, consumed by no
+    #     compiler, so a gate meant to be conditional runs as an unconditional
+    #     hard filter and rejects candidates the pack author meant to keep.
     #
     # Making a pack readable is not the same as making it correct. Reaching
-    # these needs either compiler support for pattern/condition and literal
-    # operands, or a query-schema parameter per constant — a schema decision,
-    # not a file move. Dormant until then, guarded by
+    # these needs either compiler support for pattern/condition, literal
+    # operands and strictwhen, or a query-schema parameter per constant — a
+    # schema decision, not a file move. Dormant until then, guarded by
     # tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py so the set cannot grow silently.
     "executive-assistant": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
     "aios-god-agent": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
     "repo-as-agent": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
     "roofing-company": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
     "healthcare-referral": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+    "legal-discovery": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
+    "research-agent": "unvalidated_domain_packs_enabled",
 }
 
 
diff --git a/engine/feedback/drift_detector.py b/engine/feedback/drift_detector.py
index 2369dba8..536e21bb 100644
--- a/engine/feedback/drift_detector.py
+++ b/engine/feedback/drift_detector.py
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ async def _query_dimension_frequency(
         recent: bool,
     ) -> dict[str, float]:
         """Query dimension frequency distribution for recent or baseline outcomes."""
+        # Validated again here so this helper is safe on its own, not only via its callers (C-009).
+        outcome_label = sanitize_label(outcome_label)
         comparator = ">" if recent else "<="
         cypher = f"""
         MATCH (o:{outcome_label})
diff --git a/engine/feedback/signal_weights.py b/engine/feedback/signal_weights.py
index 233b6a03..aa387a05 100644
--- a/engine/feedback/signal_weights.py
+++ b/engine/feedback/signal_weights.py
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ async def _compute_dimension_weight(
 
         Returns a dict with keys: weight, confidence, ci_width, lift, sample_size.
         """
+        # Validated again here so this helper is safe on its own, not only via its callers (C-009).
+        outcome_label = sanitize_label(outcome_label)
         safe_dim = sanitize_label(dimension_name)
 
         # Query outcomes where this dimension scored above median
diff --git a/engine/graph/driver.py b/engine/graph/driver.py
index 37c9b873..8ba2936f 100644
--- a/engine/graph/driver.py
+++ b/engine/graph/driver.py
@@ -168,28 +168,38 @@ async def execute_query(
                 raise ValueError(msg)
             database = "neo4j"
 
-        # CEG-008: a tenant domain database has to exist before it can be
-        # queried. Under the flag we provision it on first use; without it we at
-        # least say what is missing instead of surfacing the driver's message.
+        await self._provision_on_first_use(database)
+        try:
+            return await self._circuit_breaker.call(self._raw_execute_query, cypher, parameters, database)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            raise self._translate_absent_database(exc, database) from exc
+
+    async def _provision_on_first_use(self, database: str) -> None:
+        """CEG-008: a tenant domain database has to exist before it can be used.
+
+        Under ``auto_create_domain_database`` we provision it on first use —
+        for reads and writes alike, since a fresh deployment's first operation
+        is as likely to be a sync write as a match query.
+        """
         from engine.config.settings import settings as _db_settings
 
         if _db_settings.auto_create_domain_database:
             await self.ensure_database(database)
 
-        try:
-            return await self._circuit_breaker.call(self._raw_execute_query, cypher, parameters, database)
-        except Exception as exc:
-            if _looks_like_absent_database(exc) and database not in _BUILTIN_DATABASES:
-                msg = (
-                    f"Neo4j database {database!r} does not exist. Domain queries route to a "
-                    f"database named after the domain id, and Neo4j does not create one "
-                    f"implicitly. Run this against the system database (Enterprise "
-                    f"Edition):  CREATE DATABASE `{database}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT  "
-                    f"-- or set AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE=true to have the engine "
-                    f"create it on first use."
-                )
-                raise DatabaseNotProvisionedError(msg) from exc
-            raise
+    @staticmethod
+    def _translate_absent_database(exc: Exception, database: str) -> Exception:
+        """Name the missing database and the command that provides it, else pass the error through."""
+        if _looks_like_absent_database(exc) and database not in _BUILTIN_DATABASES:
+            msg = (
+                f"Neo4j database {database!r} does not exist. Domain queries route to a "
+                f"database named after the domain id, and Neo4j does not create one "
+                f"implicitly. Run this against the system database (Enterprise "
+                f"Edition):  CREATE DATABASE `{database}` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT  "
+                f"-- or set AUTO_CREATE_DOMAIN_DATABASE=true to have the engine "
+                f"create it on first use."
+            )
+            return DatabaseNotProvisionedError(msg)
+        return exc
 
     async def ensure_database(self, name: str) -> bool:
         """Create the domain database if it is absent. Idempotent per process.
@@ -322,12 +332,16 @@ async def execute_write(
                 )
                 raise ValueError(msg)
             database = "neo4j"
-        return await self._circuit_breaker.call(
-            self._raw_execute_write,
-            transaction_function,
-            *args,
-            cypher=cypher,
-            parameters=parameters,
-            database=database,
-            **kwargs,
-        )
+        await self._provision_on_first_use(database)
+        try:
+            return await self._circuit_breaker.call(
+                self._raw_execute_write,
+                transaction_function,
+                *args,
+                cypher=cypher,
+                parameters=parameters,
+                database=database,
+                **kwargs,
+            )
+        except Exception as exc:
+            raise self._translate_absent_database(exc, database) from exc
diff --git a/engine/resolution/similarity.py b/engine/resolution/similarity.py
index 06698f36..ca7c55b5 100644
--- a/engine/resolution/similarity.py
+++ b/engine/resolution/similarity.py
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ async def _property_similarity(
         label: str,
     ) -> float:
         """Jaccard similarity over comparison properties."""
+        # Validated again here so this helper is safe on its own, not only via its callers (C-009).
+        label = sanitize_label(label)
         comp_props = self._spec.comparison_properties
         if not comp_props:
             return 0.0
@@ -163,6 +165,8 @@ async def _structural_similarity(
         label: str,
     ) -> float:
         """Shared neighbor overlap (Jaccard on neighbor sets)."""
+        # Validated again here so this helper is safe on its own, not only via its callers (C-009).
+        label = sanitize_label(label)
         cypher = f"""
         MATCH (a:{label} {{entity_id: $a_id}})--(neighbor_a)
         WITH a, collect(DISTINCT id(neighbor_a)) AS neighbors_a
@@ -220,6 +224,8 @@ async def _find_property_candidates(
         limit: int,
     ) -> list[str]:
         """Find candidate entity IDs that share property values."""
+        # Validated again here so this helper is safe on its own, not only via its callers (C-009).
+        label = sanitize_label(label)
         comp_props = self._spec.comparison_properties
         if not comp_props:
             # Fallback: return all entities of the same label
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
index 41836a10..a131e7da 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cypher_lint.py
@@ -227,6 +227,49 @@ def test_non_cypher_fstrings_outside_compilers_are_ignored() -> None:
     assert _blocking(src) == []
 
 
+# ── facts are lexically scoped (Codex P1 / Copilot on PR #285) ──────────────
+
+
+def test_sanitizer_binding_in_one_function_does_not_certify_another() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "def safe(value):\n"
+        "    label = sanitize_label(value)\n"
+        "    return f'MATCH (n:{label}) RETURN n'\n"
+        "def unsafe(label):\n"
+        "    return f'MATCH (n:{label}) RETURN n'\n"
+    )
+    findings = _blocking(src)
+    assert [(f.line_no, f.expression) for f in findings] == [(5, "label")]
+
+
+def test_binding_in_an_enclosing_scope_is_visible_to_nested_functions() -> None:
+    src = (
+        "LABEL = sanitize_label(spec.label)\n"
+        "def outer(x):\n"
+        "    prop = sanitize_label(x)\n"
+        "    def inner():\n"
+        "        return f'MATCH (n:{LABEL}) WHERE n.{prop} IS NULL RETURN n'\n"
+        "    return inner()\n"
+    )
+    assert _blocking(src) == []
+
+
+def test_helper_is_validated_only_by_its_own_returns() -> None:
+    """A validated return inside a nested def must not certify the outer helper."""
+    src = (
+        "class S:\n"
+        "    def _label(self, job):\n"
+        "        def _inner(v):\n"
+        "            return sanitize_label(v)\n"
+        "        return job.label\n"
+        "    def q(self, job):\n"
+        "        node_label = self._label(job)\n"
+        "        return f'MATCH (f:{node_label}) RETURN f'\n"
+    )
+    findings = _blocking(src)
+    assert [f.expression for f in findings] == ["node_label"]
+
+
 # ── waivers are explicit and visible ────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
index a92b7c38..caf8b7bf 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_database_provisioning.py
@@ -33,6 +33,20 @@ def __init__(self, *, fail_with: Exception | None = None) -> None:
         self.calls: list[tuple[str, str]] = []
         self._fail_with = fail_with
 
+    async def _raw_execute_write(  # type: ignore[override]
+        self,
+        transaction_function: Any = None,
+        *args: Any,
+        cypher: str | None = None,
+        parameters: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+        database: str = "neo4j",
+        **kwargs: Any,
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        self.calls.append((f"WRITE {cypher}", database))
+        if self._fail_with is not None and database != "system":
+            raise self._fail_with
+        return {"nodes_created": 0}
+
     async def _raw_execute_query(  # type: ignore[override]
         self,
         cypher: str,
@@ -95,9 +109,31 @@ async def test_nothing_is_provisioned_while_the_flag_is_off(no_auto_create) -> N
     assert not any("CREATE DATABASE" in cypher for cypher, _ in driver.calls)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_missing_database_on_a_write_names_itself_and_the_fix(no_auto_create) -> None:
+    driver = _RecordingDriver(fail_with=Exception("Database does not exist: plasticos"))
+    with pytest.raises(DatabaseNotProvisionedError, match="CREATE DATABASE"):
+        await driver.execute_write(cypher="MERGE (n:X)", database="plasticos")
+
+
 # ── On: provision once, on first use ────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_first_use_write_is_provisioned_too(auto_create) -> None:
+    """A fresh deployment's first operation can be a managed write (idea-portfolio
+    corpus sync), not a match query; provisioning must not depend on which."""
+    driver = _RecordingDriver()
+    await driver.execute_write(cypher="MERGE (n:X)", database="plasticos")
+    assert driver.calls == [
+        ("CREATE DATABASE `plasticos` IF NOT EXISTS WAIT", "system"),
+        ("WRITE MERGE (n:X)", "plasticos"),
+    ]
+    # ...and the query that follows reuses the ensured state.
+    await driver.execute_query("MATCH (n) RETURN n", database="plasticos")
+    assert sum("CREATE DATABASE" in c for c, _ in driver.calls) == 1
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_database_is_created_on_first_use(auto_create) -> None:
     driver = _RecordingDriver()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
index 23b0e454..57c3e56a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ def _cypher_defects(spec) -> list[str]:
       declares no ``edgetype``. Packs written with ``pattern``/``condition``
       hit it, and no ontology here declares ``RELATES_TO``, so the gate is a
       hard filter that matches nothing.
+    * ``strictwhen`` — declared by ``GateSpec`` and consumed by no compiler, so
+      a gate meant to be conditional runs as an unconditional hard filter.
     * ``$<non-identifier>`` — a scalar ``queryparam`` (``85.0``, ``5``, ``1``).
       GateSpec coerces it to a string and the compiler used to emit it as a
       parameter *name*, so Cypher received ``$85.0``. Since C-009 validates
@@ -102,6 +104,10 @@ def _cypher_defects(spec) -> list[str]:
     compiler = GateCompiler(spec)
     defects: list[str] = []
     for gate in spec.gates:
+        if gate.strictwhen:
+            # Declared by GateSpec, consumed by nothing under engine/: the gate
+            # would run as an unconditional hard filter.
+            defects.append(f"{gate.name}: strictwhen {gate.strictwhen!r} is not consumed by any compiler")
         try:
             cypher = compiler.compile(gate)
         except (ValueError, KeyError) as exc:
diff --git a/tools/cypher_lint.py b/tools/cypher_lint.py
index 76097e05..2ae8e80d 100644
--- a/tools/cypher_lint.py
+++ b/tools/cypher_lint.py
@@ -32,11 +32,13 @@
 =====================  ==========================  ==================================
 
 An expression is *validated* when it is a call to ``sanitize_label`` /
-``sanitize_database_name`` / ``cypher_number``, a string literal, a name (or ``self`` attribute)
-assigned from a validated expression anywhere in the module, a same-module
-function whose every ``return`` is validated, an f-string / ``str.join`` /
-comprehension built only from validated parts, or a loop variable over a
-validated collection.
+``sanitize_database_name`` / ``cypher_number``, a string literal, a name
+bound from a validated expression in the same lexical scope (its function,
+an enclosing function, or the module — never a sibling function), a ``self``
+attribute assigned from one anywhere in the module, a same-module function
+whose own ``return`` statements (nested defs excluded) are all validated, an
+f-string / ``str.join`` / comprehension built only from validated parts, or a
+loop variable over a validated collection.
 
 An expression is a *raw domain-spec value* when it reads an attribute (or
 ``.get``) off ``spec``, ``gate``, ``job_spec``, ``dim``, ``metadata`` and
@@ -151,50 +153,113 @@ def blocking(self) -> bool:
 # ── module facts ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
+_SCOPE_NODES = (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef, ast.Lambda)
+_NESTED_STOP = (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef, ast.Lambda, ast.ClassDef)
+
+
+def _own_nodes(root: ast.AST):
+    """Yield the nodes of ``root``'s own body, not descending into nested scopes."""
+    stack = list(ast.iter_child_nodes(root))
+    while stack:
+        node = stack.pop()
+        yield node
+        if not isinstance(node, _NESTED_STOP):
+            stack.extend(ast.iter_child_nodes(node))
+
+
+class _Scope:
+    """Validated / raw name facts for one lexical scope (module or function)."""
+
+    def __init__(self, node: ast.AST, parent: _Scope | None) -> None:
+        self.node = node
+        self.parent = parent
+        self.safe_names: set[str] = set()
+        self.raw_names: set[str] = set()
+        self.assignments: list[tuple[ast.expr, ast.expr]] = []
+        self.loops: list[tuple[ast.expr, ast.expr]] = []
+
+    def chain(self):
+        scope: _Scope | None = self
+        while scope is not None:
+            yield scope
+            scope = scope.parent
+
+
 class _ModuleFacts:
-    """Which names, ``self`` attributes and functions of a module are validated / raw."""
+    """Which names, ``self`` attributes and functions of a module are validated / raw.
+
+    Name facts are lexically scoped: a binding made inside one function is
+    visible in that function and its nested functions, never in a sibling —
+    so ``label = sanitize_label(x)`` in one method cannot certify a bare
+    ``{label}`` in another. ``self`` attributes are object state and stay
+    module-wide. Assignment order inside one scope is not tracked.
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, tree: ast.Module) -> None:
-        self.safe_names: set[str] = set()
         self.safe_attrs: set[str] = set()
-        self.safe_funcs: set[str] = set()
-        self.raw_names: set[str] = set()
         self.raw_attrs: set[str] = set()
-        self._assignments: list[tuple[ast.expr, ast.expr]] = []
-        self._loops: list[tuple[ast.expr, ast.expr]] = []
+        self.safe_funcs: set[str] = set()
+        self.parents: dict[ast.AST, ast.AST] = {}
+        for parent in ast.walk(tree):
+            for child in ast.iter_child_nodes(parent):
+                self.parents[child] = parent
+        self._scopes: dict[ast.AST, _Scope] = {tree: _Scope(tree, None)}
+        for node in ast.walk(tree):
+            if isinstance(node, _SCOPE_NODES):
+                self._scopes[node] = _Scope(node, None)
+        for node, scope in self._scopes.items():
+            if node is not tree:
+                # A nested function's parent scope is the function that
+                # contains it (closures see enclosing bindings), else the
+                # scope that contains the parent node.
+                parent_node = self.parents[node]
+                scope.parent = self._scopes.get(parent_node) or self.scope_of(parent_node)
         self._functions: list[ast.FunctionDef | ast.AsyncFunctionDef] = []
         for node in ast.walk(tree):
             if isinstance(node, ast.Assign):
-                self._assignments.extend((target, node.value) for target in node.targets)
+                self.scope_of(node).assignments.extend((target, node.value) for target in node.targets)
             elif (isinstance(node, (ast.AnnAssign, ast.AugAssign)) and node.value is not None) or isinstance(
                 node, ast.NamedExpr
             ):
-                self._assignments.append((node.target, node.value))
+                self.scope_of(node).assignments.append((node.target, node.value))
             elif isinstance(node, (ast.For, ast.AsyncFor, ast.comprehension)):
-                self._loops.append((node.target, node.iter))
+                self.scope_of(node).loops.append((node.target, node.iter))
             elif isinstance(node, (ast.FunctionDef, ast.AsyncFunctionDef)):
                 self._functions.append(node)
         self._fixpoint()
 
+    def scope_of(self, node: ast.AST) -> _Scope:
+        """The lexical scope a node's bindings belong to (its nearest enclosing function, else module)."""
+        current: ast.AST | None = node
+        while current is not None:
+            if current in self._scopes and current is not node:
+                return self._scopes[current]
+            current = self.parents.get(current)
+        return next(iter(self._scopes.values()))
+
     def _fixpoint(self) -> None:
         changed = True
         while changed:
             changed = False
-            for target, value in self._assignments:
-                if self.is_safe(value):
-                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.safe_names, self.safe_attrs)
-                if self.is_raw(value):
-                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.raw_names, self.raw_attrs)
-            for target, iterable in self._loops:
-                if self.is_safe(iterable):
-                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.safe_names, self.safe_attrs)
-                if self.is_raw(iterable):
-                    changed |= self._mark(target, self.raw_names, self.raw_attrs)
+            for scope in self._scopes.values():
+                for target, value in scope.assignments:
+                    if self.is_safe(value, scope):
+                        changed |= self._mark(target, scope.safe_names, self.safe_attrs)
+                    if self.is_raw(value, scope):
+                        changed |= self._mark(target, scope.raw_names, self.raw_attrs)
+                for target, iterable in scope.loops:
+                    if self.is_safe(iterable, scope):
+                        changed |= self._mark(target, scope.safe_names, self.safe_attrs)
+                    if self.is_raw(iterable, scope):
+                        changed |= self._mark(target, scope.raw_names, self.raw_attrs)
             for fn in self._functions:
                 if fn.name in self.safe_funcs:
                     continue
-                returns = [n.value for n in ast.walk(fn) if isinstance(n, ast.Return) and n.value is not None]
-                if returns and all(self.is_safe(r) for r in returns):
+                # Only the function's own returns count — a validated return
+                # inside a nested helper says nothing about the outer function.
+                returns = [n.value for n in _own_nodes(fn) if isinstance(n, ast.Return) and n.value is not None]
+                fn_scope = self._scopes[fn]
+                if returns and all(self.is_safe(r, fn_scope) for r in returns):
                     self.safe_funcs.add(fn.name)
                     changed = True
 
@@ -214,13 +279,17 @@ def _mark(target: ast.expr, names: set[str], attrs: set[str]) -> bool:
             return any(_ModuleFacts._mark(elt, names, attrs) for elt in target.elts)
         return False
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _name_in(name: str, scope: _Scope, attr: str) -> bool:
+        return any(name in getattr(s, attr) for s in scope.chain())
+
     # -- validated? --
 
-    def is_safe(self, expr: ast.expr) -> bool:
+    def is_safe(self, expr: ast.expr, scope: _Scope) -> bool:
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Constant):
             return isinstance(expr.value, str)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Name):
-            return expr.id in self.safe_names
+            return self._name_in(expr.id, scope, "safe_names")
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Attribute):
             return isinstance(expr.value, ast.Name) and expr.value.id == "self" and expr.attr in self.safe_attrs
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Call):
@@ -236,32 +305,32 @@ def is_safe(self, expr: ast.expr) -> bool:
                 and isinstance(expr.func.value, ast.Constant)
                 and len(expr.args) == 1
             ):
-                return self.is_safe(expr.args[0])
+                return self.is_safe(expr.args[0], scope)
             return False
         if isinstance(expr, ast.JoinedStr):
-            return all(self.is_safe(v.value) for v in expr.values if isinstance(v, ast.FormattedValue))
+            return all(self.is_safe(v.value, scope) for v in expr.values if isinstance(v, ast.FormattedValue))
         if isinstance(expr, ast.FormattedValue):
-            return self.is_safe(expr.value)
+            return self.is_safe(expr.value, scope)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.BoolOp):
-            return all(self.is_safe(v) for v in expr.values)
+            return all(self.is_safe(v, scope) for v in expr.values)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.IfExp):
-            return self.is_safe(expr.body) and self.is_safe(expr.orelse)
+            return self.is_safe(expr.body, scope) and self.is_safe(expr.orelse, scope)
         if isinstance(expr, (ast.ListComp, ast.SetComp, ast.GeneratorExp)):
-            return self.is_safe(expr.elt)
+            return self.is_safe(expr.elt, scope)
         if isinstance(expr, (ast.List, ast.Tuple, ast.Set)):
-            return bool(expr.elts) and all(self.is_safe(e) for e in expr.elts)
+            return bool(expr.elts) and all(self.is_safe(e, scope) for e in expr.elts)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Dict):
             # a literal allow-list: `_OPERATORS[gate.operator]` raises on anything else
-            return bool(expr.values) and all(v is not None and self.is_safe(v) for v in expr.values)
+            return bool(expr.values) and all(v is not None and self.is_safe(v, scope) for v in expr.values)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Subscript):
-            return self.is_safe(expr.value)
+            return self.is_safe(expr.value, scope)
         return False
 
     # -- raw domain-spec value? --
 
-    def is_raw(self, expr: ast.expr) -> bool:
+    def is_raw(self, expr: ast.expr, scope: _Scope) -> bool:
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Name):
-            return expr.id in self.raw_names
+            return self._name_in(expr.id, scope, "raw_names")
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Attribute):
             root = _attribute_root(expr)
             if root in RAW_ROOTS:
@@ -274,18 +343,18 @@ def is_raw(self, expr: ast.expr) -> bool:
             if name in SANITIZERS or name in self.safe_funcs or name in NUMERIC_CASTS:
                 return False
             if isinstance(expr.func, ast.Attribute) and expr.func.attr in {"get", "pop", "strip", "lower", "upper"}:
-                return self.is_raw(expr.func.value)
+                return self.is_raw(expr.func.value, scope)
             if isinstance(expr.func, ast.Name) and expr.func.id == "str":
-                return bool(expr.args) and self.is_raw(expr.args[0])
+                return bool(expr.args) and self.is_raw(expr.args[0], scope)
             return False
         if isinstance(expr, ast.BoolOp):
-            return any(self.is_raw(v) for v in expr.values)
+            return any(self.is_raw(v, scope) for v in expr.values)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.IfExp):
-            return self.is_raw(expr.body) or self.is_raw(expr.orelse)
+            return self.is_raw(expr.body, scope) or self.is_raw(expr.orelse, scope)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.Subscript):
-            return self.is_raw(expr.value)
+            return self.is_raw(expr.value, scope)
         if isinstance(expr, ast.JoinedStr):
-            return any(self.is_raw(v.value) for v in expr.values if isinstance(v, ast.FormattedValue))
+            return any(self.is_raw(v.value, scope) for v in expr.values if isinstance(v, ast.FormattedValue))
         return False
 
 
@@ -395,32 +464,32 @@ def _is_cypher_candidate(node: ast.JoinedStr, parents: dict[ast.AST, ast.AST]) -
 # ── classification ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
-def _classify(before: str, expr: ast.expr, facts: _ModuleFacts) -> str | None:
+def _classify(before: str, expr: ast.expr, facts: _ModuleFacts, scope: _Scope) -> str | None:
     """Return the failure kind for one interpolation, or None when it is acceptable."""
     tail = before[-1:] if before else ""
     if tail in {"'", '"'}:
         return "quoted value interpolation — pass the value as a $parameter"
     if tail == "`":
-        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr, scope):
             return "back-quoted identifier is not validated (sanitize_database_name / sanitize_label)"
         return None
     if tail == "$":
-        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr, scope):
             return "parameter name is not validated — derive it from sanitize_label() or a literal"
         return None
     if tail == ":":
-        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr, scope):
             return "label / relationship type is not validated (sanitize_label)"
         return None
     if tail == "." and not before.endswith(".."):
-        if not facts.is_safe(expr):
+        if not facts.is_safe(expr, scope):
             return "property name is not validated (sanitize_label)"
         return None
     if _LIMIT_SKIP_RE.search(before.rstrip()):
         return "LIMIT / SKIP bound interpolated — pass it as a $parameter"
-    if facts.is_safe(expr):
+    if facts.is_safe(expr, scope):
         return None
-    if facts.is_raw(expr):
+    if facts.is_raw(expr, scope):
         return "raw domain-spec value interpolated into Cypher — sanitize_label() it or pass it as a $parameter"
     return None
 
@@ -429,10 +498,7 @@ def scan_source(source: str, *, rel_path: str) -> list[Finding]:
     """Scan one module's source text."""
     tree = ast.parse(source, filename=rel_path)
     facts = _ModuleFacts(tree)
-    parents: dict[ast.AST, ast.AST] = {}
-    for parent in ast.walk(tree):
-        for child in ast.iter_child_nodes(parent):
-            parents[child] = parent
+    parents = facts.parents
     lines = source.splitlines()
 
     findings: list[Finding] = []
@@ -443,6 +509,7 @@ def scan_source(source: str, *, rel_path: str) -> list[Finding]:
             continue  # nested format spec of another f-string
         if _is_message_context(node, parents) or not _is_cypher_candidate(node, parents):
             continue
+        scope = facts.scope_of(node)
         before = ""
         for value in node.values:
             if isinstance(value, ast.Constant) and isinstance(value.value, str):
@@ -450,7 +517,7 @@ def scan_source(source: str, *, rel_path: str) -> list[Finding]:
                 continue
             if not isinstance(value, ast.FormattedValue):
                 continue
-            kind = _classify(before, value.value, facts)
+            kind = _classify(before, value.value, facts, scope)
             before = ""
             if kind is None:
                 continue
diff --git a/tools/domain_extractor.py b/tools/domain_extractor.py
index 6c7a251c..d8f38358 100644
--- a/tools/domain_extractor.py
+++ b/tools/domain_extractor.py
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 OUTPUT:
     domains/
     ├── plasticos/spec.yaml
-    ├── mortgage_brokerage_domain_spec.yaml
-    ├── healthcare_referral_domain_spec.yaml
+    ├── mortgage-brokerage/spec.yaml
+    ├── healthcare-referral/spec.yaml
     └── ...
 """
 
@@ -67,16 +67,17 @@ def extract_domains(input_file: Path) -> None:
 
         domain_id = domain_id_match.group(1)
 
-        # Normalize domain_id (replace hyphens with underscores for filename)
-        domain_id_normalized = domain_id.replace("-", "_")
-
         # Clean up YAML (remove --- separator if at start)
         spec_clean = spec.strip()
         if spec_clean.startswith("---"):
             spec_clean = spec_clean[3:].lstrip()
 
-        # Write spec file with standard naming convention
-        spec_path = domains_dir / f"{domain_id_normalized}_domain_spec.yaml"
+        # Folder-shaped pack: domains/<domain-id>/spec.yaml is the only layout
+        # DomainPackLoader discovers (tests/unit/test_domain_pack_shape.py
+        # rejects the former flat <id>_domain_spec.yaml files).
+        pack_dir = domains_dir / domain_id
+        pack_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+        spec_path = pack_dir / "spec.yaml"
         spec_path.write_text(spec_clean)
 
         print(f"✅ Created: {spec_path} ({len(spec_clean)} bytes)")

From a56ea12731f853d8b757ee94ab10d3c046ea8c4f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:27:50 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 17/19] docs(contracts): point the SDK install contract at the
 canonical channel
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

SHARED_MODELS.md is status: active and CLAUDE.md tells agents to load it
before touching engine/packet/. Under a heading reading "Installation
(pyproject.toml)" it prescribed:

    constellation-node-sdk = {git = "https://github.com/cryptoxdog/Gate_SDK.git"}

which is wrong twice over — the forbidden fork, and no ref at all, so it
floats on that fork's default branch. scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py fails
closed on both, meaning the doc instructed the next agent to write
something the repository's own gate rejects.

This is not the historical seam-audit evidence the release-identity
campaign deliberately leaves alone; it is a live instruction. Corrected
to the canonical repo on the v1 compatibility channel, with a note on
why the resolved object belongs in poetry.lock instead.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_0153NHEJmFreprQ5tHLztSGq
---
 docs/contracts/SHARED_MODELS.md | 8 +++++++-
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/docs/contracts/SHARED_MODELS.md b/docs/contracts/SHARED_MODELS.md
index 6d38c165..bbb1904d 100644
--- a/docs/contracts/SHARED_MODELS.md
+++ b/docs/contracts/SHARED_MODELS.md
@@ -38,9 +38,15 @@ from engine.packet_bridge import build_request_packet, build_response_packet
 
 Installation (pyproject.toml):
 ```toml
-constellation-node-sdk = {git = "https://github.com/cryptoxdog/Gate_SDK.git"}
+constellation-node-sdk = {git = "https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git", rev = "v1"}
 ```
 
+`Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK` is canonical — `cryptoxdog/Gate_SDK` is a forbidden fork
+and `scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py` fails closed on it. `v1` is the moving major
+compatibility channel owned by Gate_SDK's `contracts/RELEASE_IDENTITY_LEDGER.json`;
+declare that channel, never a commit sha and never a branch. The concrete object
+it resolves to belongs in `poetry.lock` as `resolved_reference`.
+
 ---
 
 ## Package: l9-core (Internal Models)

From 328fe4306cc887aae833913e6846b5f7c932fb21 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 15:49:44 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 18/19] fix(security): refuse a Gate_SDK remote git would parse
 as an option

SonarCloud pythonsecurity:S8705 on the new --verify-tag code, and it is
a real finding, not a false positive. Passing argv as a list and never
invoking a shell stops *command* injection but not *argument* injection:
`git ls-remote --upload-pack=<cmd> <repo>` executes <cmd>, so a --remote
value beginning with `-` is an execution vector on its own.

Two independent guards, because either alone is a single point of
failure:
- safe_remote() rejects an empty remote or one starting with `-`, before
  it reaches git.
- --end-of-options is passed so git treats the remote as a positional
  even if the guard is ever loosened.

The rejection fails closed through the same path as any other
unresolvable channel, but names which of the two reasons it was rather
than reporting a generic resolution failure.

Tests cover both directions: a canonical https remote and a local
fixture path are accepted, and --upload-pack=..., -u, --exec=sh and ""
are refused. The Gate_SDK test drives it end to end through the CLI and
asserts the payload file was never created.

Introduced by my own --verify-tag commit on this branch; SonarCloud was
green on the previous head and red on mine. The same code was written
into all four validators, so all four carry this fix.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_0153NHEJmFreprQ5tHLztSGq
---
 scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py         | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 64 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
index dcfa0d8f..d03e20df 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -93,10 +93,33 @@ def lock_resolution(text: str) -> str | None:
     return match.group(2) if match else None
 
 
+def safe_remote(remote: str) -> str:
+    """Reject a remote that git would parse as an option.
+
+    Passing argv as a list and never invoking a shell stops *command*
+    injection, but not *argument* injection: ``git ls-remote
+    --upload-pack=<cmd> <repo>`` runs ``<cmd>``, so a --remote value
+    beginning with ``-`` is an execution vector on its own
+    (SonarCloud pythonsecurity:S8705). Callers pass --remote, so validate it
+    here and use --end-of-options below rather than trusting either alone.
+    """
+    if not remote or remote.startswith("-"):
+        msg = f"refusing Gate_SDK remote {remote!r}: a remote must not begin with '-'"
+        raise ValueError(msg)
+    return remote
+
+
 def resolve_remote_tag(remote: str, tag: str) -> str | None:
     """Resolve ``refs/tags/<tag>`` at *remote*, preferring the peeled object."""
     completed = subprocess.run(
-        ["/usr/bin/git", "ls-remote", "--tags", remote, f"refs/tags/{tag}"],
+        [
+            "/usr/bin/git",
+            "ls-remote",
+            "--tags",
+            "--end-of-options",
+            safe_remote(remote),
+            f"refs/tags/{tag}",
+        ],
         check=False,
         text=True,
         capture_output=True,
@@ -153,10 +176,16 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     errors = check_tree(args.root)
 
     if args.verify_tag:
-        tag_sha = resolve_remote_tag(args.remote, MAJOR_TAG)
-        errors.extend(compare_lock_to_tag(resolved_commit(args.root), tag_sha))
-        if not errors:
-            print(f"NETWORK: {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} == poetry.lock {tag_sha}")
+        try:
+            tag_sha = resolve_remote_tag(args.remote, MAJOR_TAG)
+        except ValueError as exc:
+            # Fails closed like any other unresolvable channel, but says which
+            # of the two reasons it was.
+            errors.append(f"--verify-tag: {exc}")
+        else:
+            errors.extend(compare_lock_to_tag(resolved_commit(args.root), tag_sha))
+            if not errors:
+                print(f"NETWORK: {CANONICAL_REPO}@{MAJOR_TAG} == poetry.lock {tag_sha}")
 
     if errors:
         print("FAIL")
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py b/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
index 2050a87d..117df359 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 check_tree = _mod.check_tree
 lock_resolution = _mod.lock_resolution
 compare_lock_to_tag = _mod.compare_lock_to_tag
+safe_remote = _mod.safe_remote
 
 CHANNEL_OBJECT = "e9f829f982110be13752da8f18c7a9692e8ed908"
 STALE_OBJECT = "69c6c67060b08440734a61473c03663423709964"
@@ -110,3 +111,32 @@ def test_an_unresolvable_channel_fails_closed() -> None:
 def test_a_lock_without_a_resolved_reference_fails_closed() -> None:
     errors = compare_lock_to_tag(None, CHANNEL_OBJECT)
     assert any("no resolved_reference" in item for item in errors), errors
+
+
+# ── remote validation (SonarCloud pythonsecurity:S8705) ──────────────────────
+#
+# argv is a list and no shell is involved, which stops command injection but
+# not argument injection: `git ls-remote --upload-pack=<cmd> <repo>` executes
+# <cmd>, so a --remote beginning with `-` is an execution vector by itself.
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_canonical_remote_is_accepted() -> None:
+    assert safe_remote("https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git") == ("https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git")
+    # Local paths are accepted so tests can resolve against a fixture repo.
+    assert safe_remote("/tmp/fixture-origin") == "/tmp/fixture-origin"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "hostile",
+    [
+        "--upload-pack=touch /tmp/pwned",
+        "-u",
+        "--exec=sh",
+        "",
+    ],
+)
+def test_a_remote_git_would_read_as_an_option_is_refused(hostile: str) -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must not begin with"):
+        safe_remote(hostile)

From ea2bdefeb83e6e47232fa49ca94c1f9bcc75041d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 15:54:27 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 19/19] fix(security): the canonical remote is the contract,
 not a CLI option
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

My previous commit guarded the remote with a negative check and
--end-of-options. That is correct on the merits but SonarCloud still
reported pythonsecurity:S8705, and it was right to: a `startswith("-")`
rejection is not a sanitizer, so the argparse value still reached git
having only been filtered, not replaced. On Gate_SDK the report simply
moved from the resolver to the _git() helper.

The real problem was the flag existing at all. `--remote` let an
operator point a release-identity check at a repository that is not
Gate_SDK — which is precisely what this contract exists to prevent. So
the flag is gone:

- main() passes the CANONICAL_REMOTE module constant. No command-line
  argument reaches git.
- safe_remote() returns the constant on an equality match, so the value
  handed to the sink is provably not derived from any input. A
  non-canonical value is only accepted if it is an existing directory —
  the local fixture repositories the tests use — and a `-`-leading or
  empty value is still refused outright. --end-of-options stays as the
  third layer.
- The Gate_SDK tests that drove --verify-tag through the CLI now call
  validate(..., remote=...) in process, so the fixture path is a
  function parameter rather than a command-line argument.

This narrows what the tool can be pointed at, which is the behaviour the
release-identity contract wanted in the first place. Nothing about the
v1 channel, the lock comparison or the fail-closed semantics changes.

Verified in every repo: ruff, ruff format, the validator suites
(Gate_SDK 22, Gate 126, CEG 15, EIE 25 passed) and --verify-tag against
the live remote still reporting
e9f829f982110be13752da8f18c7a9692e8ed908.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_0153NHEJmFreprQ5tHLztSGq
---
 scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py         | 28 ++++++++++++++++++++--------
 tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py | 15 +++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 31 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
index d03e20df..e011244d 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -94,19 +94,32 @@ def lock_resolution(text: str) -> str | None:
 
 
 def safe_remote(remote: str) -> str:
-    """Reject a remote that git would parse as an option.
+    """Return a remote from a fixed set — never the caller's string.
 
     Passing argv as a list and never invoking a shell stops *command*
     injection, but not *argument* injection: ``git ls-remote
-    --upload-pack=<cmd> <repo>`` runs ``<cmd>``, so a --remote value
-    beginning with ``-`` is an execution vector on its own
-    (SonarCloud pythonsecurity:S8705). Callers pass --remote, so validate it
-    here and use --end-of-options below rather than trusting either alone.
+    --upload-pack=<cmd> <repo>`` runs ``<cmd>``, so a remote beginning with
+    ``-`` is an execution vector on its own (SonarCloud
+    pythonsecurity:S8705).
+
+    The canonical remote is the contract, so it is matched by equality and the
+    module constant is returned: what reaches git is provably not built from
+    the argument. Anything else is a local fixture path used by the tests,
+    which must be an existing git repository directory. The CLI deliberately
+    exposes no --remote flag — an operator pointing this check at a
+    non-canonical repository is exactly what the release-identity contract
+    exists to prevent.
     """
+    if remote == CANONICAL_REMOTE:
+        return CANONICAL_REMOTE
     if not remote or remote.startswith("-"):
         msg = f"refusing Gate_SDK remote {remote!r}: a remote must not begin with '-'"
         raise ValueError(msg)
-    return remote
+    candidate = Path(remote)
+    if not candidate.is_dir():
+        msg = f"refusing Gate_SDK remote {remote!r}: not canonical and not a local repository"
+        raise ValueError(msg)
+    return str(candidate.resolve(strict=True))
 
 
 def resolve_remote_tag(remote: str, tag: str) -> str | None:
@@ -170,14 +183,13 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         action="store_true",
         help="resolve the channel at the canonical remote and compare to poetry.lock",
     )
-    parser.add_argument("--remote", default=CANONICAL_REMOTE)
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
 
     errors = check_tree(args.root)
 
     if args.verify_tag:
         try:
-            tag_sha = resolve_remote_tag(args.remote, MAJOR_TAG)
+            tag_sha = resolve_remote_tag(CANONICAL_REMOTE, MAJOR_TAG)
         except ValueError as exc:
             # Fails closed like any other unresolvable channel, but says which
             # of the two reasons it was.
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py b/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
index 117df359..8f2b328f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_validate_sdk_pin.py
@@ -121,10 +121,11 @@ def test_a_lock_without_a_resolved_reference_fails_closed() -> None:
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
-def test_a_canonical_remote_is_accepted() -> None:
-    assert safe_remote("https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git") == ("https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git")
-    # Local paths are accepted so tests can resolve against a fixture repo.
-    assert safe_remote("/tmp/fixture-origin") == "/tmp/fixture-origin"
+def test_a_canonical_remote_is_accepted(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    url = "https://github.com/Quantum-L9/Gate_SDK.git"
+    assert safe_remote(url) == url
+    # An existing directory is accepted so tests can use a fixture repo.
+    assert safe_remote(str(tmp_path)) == str(tmp_path.resolve())
 
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
@@ -140,3 +141,9 @@ def test_a_canonical_remote_is_accepted() -> None:
 def test_a_remote_git_would_read_as_an_option_is_refused(hostile: str) -> None:
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must not begin with"):
         safe_remote(hostile)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_non_canonical_remote_that_is_not_a_repository_is_refused() -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="not canonical and not a local repository"):
+        safe_remote("https://example.invalid/evil/Gate_SDK.git")