diff --git a/policy/tells.yaml b/policy/tells.yaml
index aca45c7..a25c117 100644
--- a/policy/tells.yaml
+++ b/policy/tells.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ tells:
   - id: repo-bytes
     family: repository
     terminal: true
-    phrases: ["exact contents", "current contents", "show the file", "exact file", "exact implementation", "add a docstring", "what does line", "line * of", "exact line", "git diff", "show diff", "at commit", "literal value", "the bytes"]
+    phrases: ["exact contents", "current contents", "show the file", "exact file", "exact implementation", "add a docstring", "what does line", "line * of", "exact line", "show diff", "at commit", "literal value", "the bytes"]
 
   # ---- runtime: require a runtime noun or temporal/status qualifier ----
   - id: runtime-state
diff --git a/src/decompose.js b/src/decompose.js
index 6fa0a5d..972574d 100644
--- a/src/decompose.js
+++ b/src/decompose.js
@@ -7,6 +7,126 @@ function trimSegment(prompt, start, end) {
   return { text: prompt.slice(start, end), start, end };
 }
 
+function isWord(character) {
+  return character !== undefined && /[\p{L}\p{N}_]/u.test(character);
+}
+
+function mergeRanges(ranges) {
+  const merged = [];
+  for (const range of ranges.sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start || a.end - b.end)) {
+    const previous = merged[merged.length - 1];
+    if (previous && range.start <= previous.end) previous.end = Math.max(previous.end, range.end);
+    else merged.push({ ...range });
+  }
+  return merged;
+}
+
+function delimiterRunLength(prompt, start, delimiter) {
+  let end = start;
+  while (prompt[end] === delimiter) end += 1;
+  return end - start;
+}
+
+function findClosingDelimiter(prompt, delimiter, start, requiredLength, allowLonger) {
+  for (let index = start; index < prompt.length;) {
+    if (prompt[index] !== delimiter) {
+      index += 1;
+      continue;
+    }
+    const length = delimiterRunLength(prompt, index, delimiter);
+    if (length === requiredLength || (allowLonger && length > requiredLength)) return index + length;
+    index += length;
+  }
+  return prompt.length;
+}
+
+function isEscaped(prompt, index) {
+  let slashes = 0;
+  for (let cursor = index - 1; cursor >= 0 && prompt[cursor] === '\\'; cursor -= 1) slashes += 1;
+  return slashes % 2 === 1;
+}
+
+/** Mark data/code contexts whose bytes must not be interpreted as evidence requests. */
+function scanProtectedRanges(prompt) {
+  if (typeof prompt !== 'string') throw new TypeError('prompt must be a string');
+  const lexicalRanges = [];
+  const quotePairs = { '"': '"', '“': '”', "'": "'", '‘': '’' };
+
+  for (let index = 0; index < prompt.length;) {
+    const delimiter = prompt[index];
+    const delimiterLength = delimiter === '`' || delimiter === '~'
+      ? delimiterRunLength(prompt, index, delimiter) : 0;
+    const isCodeDelimiter = delimiter === '`' || (delimiter === '~' && delimiterLength >= 3);
+    if (isCodeDelimiter) {
+      const end = findClosingDelimiter(
+        prompt, delimiter, index + delimiterLength, delimiterLength, delimiterLength >= 3,
+      );
+      lexicalRanges.push({ start: index, end });
+      index = end;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const closeQuote = quotePairs[prompt[index]];
+    const isSingle = prompt[index] === "'" || prompt[index] === '‘';
+    const canOpen = closeQuote
+      && (!isSingle || (!isWord(prompt[index - 1]) && !/\s/u.test(prompt[index + 1] || '')));
+    if (canOpen) {
+      let close = index + 1;
+      while ((close = prompt.indexOf(closeQuote, close)) !== -1) {
+        if (isEscaped(prompt, close)) {
+          close += closeQuote.length;
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!isSingle || (!/\s/u.test(prompt[close - 1] || '') && !isWord(prompt[close + 1]))) break;
+        close += closeQuote.length;
+      }
+      const end = close === -1 ? prompt.length : close + closeQuote.length;
+      lexicalRanges.push({ start: index, end });
+      index = end;
+      continue;
+    }
+    index += 1;
+  }
+
+  const ranges = mergeRanges(lexicalRanges);
+  const stack = [];
+  let rangeIndex = 0;
+  for (let index = 0; index < prompt.length; index += 1) {
+    while (rangeIndex < ranges.length && index >= ranges[rangeIndex].end) rangeIndex += 1;
+    if (rangeIndex < ranges.length && index >= ranges[rangeIndex].start) {
+      index = ranges[rangeIndex].end - 1;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (prompt[index] === '(') stack.push({ start: index, hasOperator: false });
+    else if (stack.length > 0 && (
+      prompt[index] === ';'
+      || (prompt[index] === '&' && prompt[index + 1] === '&')
+      || (prompt[index] === '|' && prompt[index + 1] === '|')
+    )) stack[stack.length - 1].hasOperator = true;
+    else if (prompt[index] === ')' && stack.length > 0) {
+      const group = stack.pop();
+      if (group.hasOperator) {
+        ranges.push({ start: group.start, end: index + 1 });
+        if (stack.length > 0) stack[stack.length - 1].hasOperator = true;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return mergeRanges(ranges);
+}
+
+function overlapsRange(start, end, ranges) {
+  let low = 0;
+  let high = ranges.length;
+  while (low < high) {
+    const middle = Math.floor((low + high) / 2);
+    if (ranges[middle].end <= start) low = middle + 1;
+    else high = middle;
+  }
+  return low < ranges.length && ranges[low].start < end;
+}
+
 /**
  * Deterministically split explicit boundaries and high-precision "and + new
  * question" boundaries. Other bare conjunctions stay intact: under-splitting is
@@ -19,11 +139,13 @@ function decompose(prompt) {
   // Whitespace runs are bounded to keep the scan linear (CodeQL js/polynomial-redos);
   // a boundary buried in 9+ spaces stays unsplit, which under-splits — the safe direction.
   const boundaries = /,?\s{1,8}(?:and\s{1,8})?then\s{1,8}|,\s{0,8}(?:and|but)\s{1,8}|;\s{0,8}|\s{1,8}and\s{1,8}(?=(?:is|are|was|were|what|where|who|show|find|check|did|does|do|has|have|can|will)\b)/giu;
+  const protectedRanges = scanProtectedRanges(prompt);
   const clauses = [];
   let cursor = 0;
   let match;
 
   while ((match = boundaries.exec(prompt)) !== null) {
+    if (overlapsRange(match.index, match.index + match[0].length, protectedRanges)) continue;
     const clause = trimSegment(prompt, cursor, match.index);
     if (clause) clauses.push(clause);
     cursor = match.index + match[0].length;
@@ -34,4 +156,4 @@ function decompose(prompt) {
   return clauses;
 }
 
-module.exports = { decompose };
+module.exports = { decompose, overlapsRange, scanProtectedRanges };
diff --git a/src/matcher.js b/src/matcher.js
index a6db494..aaae48e 100644
--- a/src/matcher.js
+++ b/src/matcher.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 const fs = require('node:fs');
 const YAML = require('yaml');
-const { decompose } = require('./decompose');
+const { decompose, overlapsRange, scanProtectedRanges } = require('./decompose');
 
 function loadPolicy(filePath) {
   const parsed = YAML.parse(fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf8'));
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ function isClauseFullyExcluded(clause, policy) {
 function matchPrompt(prompt, policy) {
   if (typeof prompt !== 'string') throw new TypeError('prompt must be a string');
   const clauses = decompose(prompt);
+  const protectedRanges = scanProtectedRanges(prompt);
   const matches = [];
 
   clauses.forEach((clause, clauseIndex) => {
@@ -76,6 +77,11 @@ function matchPrompt(prompt, policy) {
         while ((match = expression.exec(clause.text)) !== null) {
           const localStart = match.index;
           const localEnd = localStart + match[0].length;
+          const start = clause.start + localStart;
+          if (overlapsRange(start, start + match[0].length, protectedRanges)) {
+            if (match[0].length === 0) expression.lastIndex += 1;
+            continue;
+          }
           const isExcluded = excludedRanges.some((range) => (
             range.family === tell.family && localStart < range.end && localEnd > range.start
           ));
@@ -84,7 +90,6 @@ function matchPrompt(prompt, policy) {
             continue;
           }
 
-          const start = clause.start + localStart;
           matches.push({
             id: tell.id,
             family: tell.family,
diff --git a/test/claude-code.test.js b/test/claude-code.test.js
index ddce9fd..f55f37c 100644
--- a/test/claude-code.test.js
+++ b/test/claude-code.test.js
@@ -133,6 +133,38 @@ test('UserPromptSubmit injects a compact route block and stays silent without ob
   assert.deepEqual(handleClaudeHook(event(target, 'UserPromptSubmit', { prompt: 'Make it better' }), { projectDir: target, packageRoot: root }), {});
 });
 
+test('procedural and protected-data prompts create no hook obligation in advisory or enforce mode', () => {
+  const prompts = [
+    'byte-review (git fetch; git diff base..head), verify hashes, then merge',
+    'Rewrite `literal `` who calls fake` without executing it',
+  ];
+
+  for (const mode of ['advisory', 'enforce']) {
+    for (const prompt of prompts) {
+      const target = project();
+      installClaudeCode({ projectDir: target, packageRoot: root, mode });
+      assert.deepEqual(
+        handleClaudeHook(event(target, 'UserPromptSubmit', { prompt }), { projectDir: target, packageRoot: root }),
+        {},
+      );
+      assert.deepEqual(
+        handleClaudeHook(event(target, 'PreToolUse', {
+          tool_name: 'Grep', tool_input: { pattern: 'unrelated' }, tool_use_id: `${mode}-grep`,
+        }), { projectDir: target, packageRoot: root }),
+        {},
+      );
+      assert.deepEqual(
+        handleClaudeHook(event(target, 'Stop', {
+          stop_hook_active: false, last_assistant_message: 'Finished the requested edits.',
+        }), { projectDir: target, packageRoot: root }),
+        {},
+      );
+      const state = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(target, '.leadline', 'state', 'session-live-1.json'), 'utf8'));
+      assert.deepEqual(state.contract.steps, []);
+    }
+  }
+});
+
 test('protected operation denial escalates to an executable human approval fallback', () => {
   const target = project();
   installClaudeCode({ projectDir: target, packageRoot: root, mode: 'enforce' });
diff --git a/test/decompose.test.js b/test/decompose.test.js
index beea724..eaa49f4 100644
--- a/test/decompose.test.js
+++ b/test/decompose.test.js
@@ -61,3 +61,23 @@ test('bounds boundary whitespace at eight and safely under-splits longer runs',
   const nine = 'Did we ship the graph fix         and         is it live?';
   assert.deepEqual(decompose(nine), [{ text: nine, start: 0, end: nine.length }]);
 });
+
+test('does not decompose delimiters inside protected shell groups or code spans', () => {
+  const shell = 'byte-review (git fetch; git diff base..head), then merge';
+  assert.deepEqual(decompose(shell), [
+    { text: 'byte-review (git fetch; git diff base..head)', start: 0, end: shell.indexOf(', then') },
+    { text: 'merge', start: shell.indexOf('merge'), end: shell.length },
+  ]);
+
+  for (const prompt of [
+    'Rewrite `who calls alpha; then show beta` without executing it',
+    'Rewrite `literal `` who calls alpha; then show beta` without executing it',
+    'Rewrite "who calls alpha; then show beta" without executing it',
+    'Rewrite "say \\"who calls alpha; then show beta\\" now" without executing it',
+    'Rewrite "who calls alpha; then show beta',
+    'Example:\n```sh\nwho calls alpha; then show beta\n```\nwithout executing it',
+    'Example:\n````md\n```\nwho calls alpha; then show beta\n```\n````\nwithout executing it',
+  ]) {
+    assert.deepEqual(decompose(prompt), [{ text: prompt, start: 0, end: prompt.length }]);
+  }
+});
diff --git a/test/matcher.test.js b/test/matcher.test.js
index 987ff69..61a8d61 100644
--- a/test/matcher.test.js
+++ b/test/matcher.test.js
@@ -78,3 +78,49 @@ test('covers high-precision development variants without semantic inference', ()
     ['repository'],
   );
 });
+
+test('ignores tells inside quoted data, code, and shell procedure groups', () => {
+  const policy = loadPolicy(policyPath);
+  const prompts = [
+    'Rewrite `who calls performSync` without running it',
+    'Rewrite `literal `` who calls performSync` without running it',
+    'The example says "who calls performSync"; rewrite it',
+    'Rewrite "say \\"who calls performSync\\" now" without running it',
+    'Rewrite "who calls performSync; then merge',
+    'Example:\n```sh\nwho calls performSync\n```\nRewrite the example.',
+    'Example:\n````md\n```\nwho calls performSync\n```\n````\nRewrite the example.',
+    'byte-review (git fetch; git diff base..head), verify hashes, then merge',
+  ];
+
+  for (const prompt of prompts) assert.deepEqual(matchPrompt(prompt, policy), []);
+});
+
+test('removes naked executable mentions without suppressing evidence requests', () => {
+  const policy = loadPolicy(policyPath);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(matchPrompt('git diff base..head, then merge', policy), []);
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    matchPrompt('show diff for auth.js', policy).map((match) => match.family),
+    ['repository'],
+  );
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    matchPrompt('check whether port 443 is open', policy).map((match) => match.family),
+    ['runtime'],
+  );
+});
+
+test('retains an eligible evidence clause beside protected quoted data', () => {
+  const policy = loadPolicy(policyPath);
+  for (const prompt of [
+    'Rewrite "who calls fake", and who calls performSync?',
+    'Rewrite "say \\"who calls fake\\" now" and who calls performSync?',
+  ]) {
+    const matches = matchPrompt(prompt, policy);
+
+    assert.deepEqual(matches.map((match) => [match.family, match.text]), [['structural', 'who calls']]);
+    assert.deepEqual(matches[0].span, {
+      start: prompt.lastIndexOf('who calls'),
+      end: prompt.lastIndexOf('who calls') + 'who calls'.length,
+    });
+  }
+});