diff --git a/.claude b/.claude
index 9edb5783..14ce8fb5 160000
--- a/.claude
+++ b/.claude
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 9edb5783e2c0f804f5da649f8ad65170b16e64bf
+Subproject commit 14ce8fb5591c9729637a2b5786d1e0093cbc7b89
diff --git a/.github/workflows/claim.yml b/.github/workflows/claim.yml
index 195ce780..4a442acd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claim.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claim.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,19 @@ jobs:
               return;
             }
 
+            // Incubation hard gate — an idea that isn't greenlit can't be claimed
+            // into development. Do NOT silently strip the label here: promotion out
+            // of incubation is a deliberate, separate decision (/groom or manual swap).
+            if (issue.labels.some(l => l.name === 'status-incubating')) {
+              await github.rest.issues.createComment({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                issue_number: issue.number,
+                body: `@${commenter} ⛔ This issue is in **incubation** (\`status-incubating\`) — an idea not yet greenlit for development, so it can't be claimed.\n\nPromote it first (swap to \`status-ready\`) via \`/groom\` (Readiness Triage) or:\n\`\`\`\ngh issue edit ${issue.number} --add-label status-ready --remove-label status-incubating\n\`\`\`\nthen \`/claim\` again.`
+              });
+              return;
+            }
+
             // Assign the commenter
             await github.rest.issues.addAssignees({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
@@ -50,6 +63,20 @@ jobs:
               labels: ['status-in-progress']
             });
 
+            // Strip the status-ready gate label — the issue is now in progress,
+            // not merely "ready to pick up". (status-incubating can't be present:
+            // the guard above already returned for incubating issues.)
+            try {
+              await github.rest.issues.removeLabel({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                issue_number: issue.number,
+                name: 'status-ready'
+              });
+            } catch (e) {
+              // Label might not be present, that's fine
+            }
+
             await github.rest.issues.createComment({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
               repo: context.repo.repo,