diff --git a/bundle/.claude/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-guard.mjs b/bundle/.claude/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-guard.mjs
index 38eb52e..816f5d6 100644
--- a/bundle/.claude/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-guard.mjs
+++ b/bundle/.claude/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-guard.mjs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const lib = (rel) =>
 
 const { gnContext, emitVerdict } = await lib("claude-emit.mjs");
 const { setMcpToolUsed, bumpScore } = await lib("session-primer.mjs");
+const { classifyMcpDrift } = await lib("classify.mjs");
 
 const ctx = gnContext(root);
 const tool = input.tool_name ?? "";
@@ -31,7 +32,15 @@ if (ctx.phase === "must_refresh") {
     { root, mode: ctx.config.mode },
   );
 } else {
-  // Record the graph call so the impact/detect gates clear; then allow silently.
-  setMcpToolUsed(root, tool);
-  bumpScore(root, "graphCalls");
+  // Drift gate (classifyMcpDrift enforces phase === "fresh" itself): on a commit-fresh index a
+  // graph QUERY tool would return stale results that ignore the agent's uncommitted edits →
+  // require a fast incremental refresh.
+  const drift = classifyMcpDrift(tool, ctx.stale, ctx.config, ctx.phase);
+  if (drift.decision === "deny") {
+    emitVerdict(drift, { root, mode: ctx.config.mode });
+  } else {
+    // Record the graph call so the impact/detect gates clear; then allow silently.
+    setMcpToolUsed(root, tool);
+    bumpScore(root, "graphCalls");
+  }
 }
diff --git a/bundle/.cursor/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-allowlist.sh b/bundle/.cursor/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-allowlist.sh
index 558337d..cc21394 100755
--- a/bundle/.cursor/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-allowlist.sh
+++ b/bundle/.cursor/hooks/gitnexus-mcp-allowlist.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ const { evaluateStalePolicy, staleRefreshAgentMessage } = await import(
 const { setMcpToolUsed, bumpScore } = await import(
   pathToFileURL(path.join(root, '.gnkit/lib/session-primer.mjs')).href
 );
+const { classifyMcpDrift } = await import(
+  pathToFileURL(path.join(root, '.gnkit/lib/classify.mjs')).href
+);
 
 const config = helpers.loadHookConfig(root);
 const isGitnexus =
@@ -54,6 +57,20 @@ if (policy.phase === 'must_refresh') {
   process.exit(0);
 }
 
+// Drift gate (classifyMcpDrift enforces phase === 'fresh' itself, so never fires during
+// classical_fallback). A graph QUERY tool on a drifted-but-fresh index would ignore the
+// agent's uncommitted edits → require a fast incremental refresh.
+const drift = classifyMcpDrift(tool, stale, config, policy.phase);
+if (drift.decision === 'deny') {
+  bumpScore(root, 'driftRefreshBlocks');
+  out({
+    permission: 'deny',
+    agent_message: drift.agentMessage,
+    user_message: helpers.userMessage('drift.refresh'),
+  });
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
 setMcpToolUsed(root, `${tool} ${url} ${cmd}`);
 bumpScore(root, 'graphCalls');
 
diff --git a/bundle/.cursor/rules/00-gitnexus-enforcement.mdc b/bundle/.cursor/rules/00-gitnexus-enforcement.mdc
index 4cf470d..f68d4db 100644
--- a/bundle/.cursor/rules/00-gitnexus-enforcement.mdc
+++ b/bundle/.cursor/rules/00-gitnexus-enforcement.mdc
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ stale → agent-refresh (Shell, pre-approved)
 
 Session start runs auto-refresh when stale. Do **not** grep/read “while refreshing” — refresh is the next tool, not a background hint.
 
+**Mid-session drift (your own edits):** commit-equality can't see uncommitted edits, so after you change a few source files the graph silently falls behind your working tree. Don't wait for the block — once you've edited code and are about to `query`/`context`/`impact`/`cypher`/`pdg_query` again, run **`npm run gitnexus:refresh`** (**incremental** — reindexes only your changed files; quick for a few edits, longer on large batches / first run) so graph answers reflect your changes. Graph query tools hard-block past a small drift threshold until you do.
+
 ## Gates (do not skip — every task)
 
 ```
diff --git a/bundle/.gnkit/lib/check-staleness.mjs b/bundle/.gnkit/lib/check-staleness.mjs
index 696e213..fe6a3c6 100755
--- a/bundle/.gnkit/lib/check-staleness.mjs
+++ b/bundle/.gnkit/lib/check-staleness.mjs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import { execSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import path from 'node:path';
+import { loadHookConfig } from './hook-helpers.mjs';
 
 const root = process.argv[2] ?? process.cwd();
 
@@ -13,6 +14,47 @@ function git(cmd) {
   return execSync(cmd, { cwd: root, encoding: 'utf8', stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'ignore'] }).trim();
 }
 
+/**
+ * Count git-dirty SOURCE files modified since the index was built (mtime > indexedAt).
+ * Commit-equality can't see UNCOMMITTED edits (HEAD unchanged → "fresh" forever), so this
+ * is the working-tree drift that lets guards require a fast incremental resync. Only stats
+ * the handful of dirty files (fast), and RESETS on refresh because indexedAt advances.
+ * @param {string|null} at meta.indexedAt (ISO)
+ * @param {RegExp} sourceExtRe the kit's canonical source-file matcher (loadHookConfig)
+ */
+function countDrift(at, sourceExtRe) {
+  const atMs = at ? Date.parse(at) : NaN;
+  if (!Number.isFinite(atMs)) return 0;
+  let porcelain = '';
+  try {
+    // -c core.quotePath=false → real UTF-8 paths (no octal escaping) so non-ASCII source
+    // names still stat. No .trim() on the output — the leading-space status column (" M path")
+    // must keep its alignment for slice(3).
+    porcelain = execSync('git -c core.quotePath=false status --porcelain', {
+      cwd: root,
+      encoding: 'utf8',
+      stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'ignore'],
+    });
+  } catch {
+    return 0;
+  }
+  let n = 0;
+  for (const line of porcelain.split('\n')) {
+    if (line.length < 4) continue; // "XY path" is ≥4 chars
+    let f = line.slice(3);
+    if (f.includes(' -> ')) f = f.split(' -> ').pop(); // rename → new path (before unquote)
+    f = f.trim();
+    if (f.startsWith('"') && f.endsWith('"')) f = f.slice(1, -1);
+    if (!sourceExtRe.test(f)) continue;
+    try {
+      if (fs.statSync(path.join(root, f)).mtimeMs > atMs) n++;
+    } catch {
+      /* deleted/renamed source — skip */
+    }
+  }
+  return n;
+}
+
 const staleHookNote =
   'Hooks block Grep/Read/MCP/shell until refresh succeeds or fails.';
 const agentFix =
@@ -28,6 +70,7 @@ const out = {
   nodeCount: 0,
   embeddingCount: 0,
   embeddingsReady: false,
+  driftingFiles: 0,
 };
 
 const metaPath = path.join(root, '.gitnexus/meta.json');
@@ -74,6 +117,13 @@ try {
 }
 
 if (out.indexedCommit === out.headCommit) {
+  // Working-tree drift matters ONLY when commit-fresh (mid-session edits; HEAD unchanged).
+  // When behind/diverged a full refresh is needed regardless, so don't pay the git-status
+  // cost there — and skip it entirely when the drift gate is disabled (threshold ≤ 0).
+  const config = loadHookConfig(root);
+  if (config.driftRefreshThreshold > 0) {
+    out.driftingFiles = countDrift(out.indexedAt, config.sourceExtRe);
+  }
   if (out.nodeCount > 0 && !out.embeddingsReady) {
     out.fresh = false;
     out.reason = 'missing_embeddings';
diff --git a/bundle/.gnkit/lib/classify.mjs b/bundle/.gnkit/lib/classify.mjs
index ec566e5..0f07d6f 100644
--- a/bundle/.gnkit/lib/classify.mjs
+++ b/bundle/.gnkit/lib/classify.mjs
@@ -700,3 +700,57 @@ export function classifyShell(req, ctx) {
     userKey: "block.shell.stale",
   };
 }
+
+// ── Graph query tools gated by working-tree DRIFT ────────────────────────────
+// The grep/shell gates keep the agent ON the graph, but the graph goes stale vs the
+// agent's UNCOMMITTED edits — commit-based staleness can't see them (HEAD unchanged →
+// "fresh" forever). These tools READ graph structure, so after N source edits they
+// return answers that ignore the edits → require a FAST incremental refresh first.
+// Non-query tools (detect_changes, rename, check, tool_map…) always pass.
+const DRIFT_GATED_TOOLS = new Set([
+  "query", "context", "cypher", "impact", "pdg_query",
+  "trace", "explain", "api_impact", "route_map", "shape_check",
+]);
+
+/** Normalize a GitNexus MCP tool name to its bare suffix (query/context/pdg_query/…). */
+export function mcpToolSuffix(name) {
+  return String(name || "")
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .replace(/^mcp__gitnexus__/, "")
+    .replace(/^mcp_gitnexus_/, "")
+    .replace(/^gitnexus[_.]/, "")
+    .trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Drift gate for graph QUERY tools. When ≥threshold source files changed since the index
+ * (stale.driftingFiles), those tools return results that ignore the edits → deny with a
+ * nudge to a FAST incremental refresh. Allow for non-query tools, under threshold, or when
+ * disabled (threshold ≤ 0), or when the phase isn't `fresh`.
+ * @param {string} toolName
+ * @param {{ driftingFiles?: number }} stale
+ * @param {{ driftRefreshThreshold?: number }} config
+ * @param {string} [phase] staleness phase — drift only applies on `fresh`
+ * @returns {Verdict}
+ */
+export function classifyMcpDrift(toolName, stale, config, phase) {
+  // Drift applies ONLY on a commit-FRESH index. Never in classical_fallback (a failed refresh
+  // OR a user-granted fallback) — forcing a refresh there would loop or override the escape
+  // hatch — nor must_refresh (already handled). Undefined phase = caller pre-checked (allow through).
+  if (phase != null && phase !== "fresh") return { decision: "allow" };
+  const threshold = Number(config?.driftRefreshThreshold);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(threshold) || threshold <= 0) return { decision: "allow" };
+  const count = Number(stale?.driftingFiles) || 0;
+  if (count < threshold) return { decision: "allow" };
+  const suffix = mcpToolSuffix(toolName);
+  if (!DRIFT_GATED_TOOLS.has(suffix)) return { decision: "allow" };
+  return {
+    decision: "deny",
+    agentMessage:
+      `Graph is ${count} uncommitted edit(s) behind your working tree — gitnexus_${suffix} would ` +
+      "return STALE results that ignore your changes. Resync first: `npm run gitnexus:refresh` " +
+      "(incremental — reindexes only your changed files; usually quick), then retry.",
+    userKey: "drift.refresh",
+    scoreEvent: "driftRefreshBlocks",
+  };
+}
diff --git a/bundle/.gnkit/lib/hook-helpers.mjs b/bundle/.gnkit/lib/hook-helpers.mjs
index ff2573e..84223a4 100644
--- a/bundle/.gnkit/lib/hook-helpers.mjs
+++ b/bundle/.gnkit/lib/hook-helpers.mjs
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ export function loadHookConfig(root) {
     broadGlobRes: DEFAULT_BROAD_GLOB_RES,
     sourceExtRe: DEFAULT_SOURCE_EXT_RE,
     stalenessCacheTtlMs: 2500,
+    // Working-tree drift: after this many uncommitted source edits since the index,
+    // graph query tools require a fast incremental refresh. 0 disables the drift gate.
+    driftRefreshThreshold: 3,
   };
 
   const cfgPath = path.join(root, CONFIG_FILE);
@@ -101,6 +104,8 @@ export function loadHookConfig(root) {
       cfg.readLineThreshold = file.readLineThreshold;
     if (typeof file.stalenessCacheTtlMs === "number")
       cfg.stalenessCacheTtlMs = file.stalenessCacheTtlMs;
+    if (typeof file.driftRefreshThreshold === "number")
+      cfg.driftRefreshThreshold = file.driftRefreshThreshold;
     if (Array.isArray(file.sourceGlobs) && file.sourceGlobs.length) {
       cfg.sourcePathRes = file.sourceGlobs.map((g) => globToRegExp(g));
     }
@@ -331,7 +336,7 @@ export function midSessionGraphNudge(graphUsedThisSession, root = "") {
 
 /**
  * Human-facing hook messages — enforcement stays on; voice explains the benefit.
- * @param {'block.glob'|'block.semantic'|'block.grep.noGraph'|'block.grep.symbol'|'block.grep.likely'|'block.grep.field'|'block.read.full'|'block.edit.stale'|'block.shell.stale'|'stale.must_refresh'|'stale.classical'} key
+ * @param {'block.glob'|'block.semantic'|'block.grep.noGraph'|'block.grep.symbol'|'block.grep.likely'|'block.grep.field'|'block.read.full'|'block.edit.stale'|'block.shell.stale'|'stale.must_refresh'|'stale.classical'|'drift.refresh'} key
  * @param {Record<string, string | number>} [vars]
  */
 export function userMessage(key, vars = {}) {
@@ -366,6 +371,8 @@ export function userMessage(key, vars = {}) {
       "GitNexus index is behind — the agent must refresh the graph first (not grep/read). Hooks enforce refresh-then-graph, not skip-to-classical.",
     "stale.classical":
       "GitNexus refresh failed — the agent may use classic search now and must say why the graph could not be updated.",
+    "drift.refresh":
+      "The agent edited code since the last index, so graph queries would be stale — it will run a fast incremental refresh before continuing.",
   };
   return (
     templates[key] ??
diff --git a/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-agent.mjs b/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-agent.mjs
index 0379886..eed312b 100644
--- a/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-agent.mjs
+++ b/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-agent.mjs
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ if (cmd === "status") {
     if ((stale.embeddingCount ?? 0) > 0) {
       console.log(`  embeddings: ${stale.embeddingCount} vectors`);
     }
+    if ((stale.driftingFiles ?? 0) > 0) {
+      console.log(
+        `  ⚠ working tree: ${stale.driftingFiles} source file(s) edited since index — graph queries may be stale.`,
+      );
+      console.log("    Resync: npm run gitnexus:refresh (fast, incremental)");
+    }
     console.log(systemTmp);
     process.exit(0);
   }
@@ -520,6 +526,7 @@ if (cmd === "scorecard") {
     editStaleBlocks: "Stale-edit blocks",
     compactions: "Context compactions",
     classicalFallbackGranted: "Classical-fallback grants (GN distrusted)",
+    driftRefreshBlocks: "Graph-drift refresh blocks (edited since index)",
   };
   console.log("GitNexus enforcement scorecard (this session)");
   console.log(
diff --git a/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-teaching/script-gates.mjs b/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-teaching/script-gates.mjs
index 797f6c7..c37abf0 100644
--- a/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-teaching/script-gates.mjs
+++ b/bundle/scripts/gitnexus-teaching/script-gates.mjs
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ export const GITNEXUS_SCRIPT_GATES = [
     description:
       "Humans/CI refresh the graph. Agents run gitnexus:agent-refresh autonomously when stale (hook pre-approved).",
     scripts: {
-      "gitnexus:refresh": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --embeddings --skills`,
-      "gitnexus:full": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --force --embeddings --skills`,
-      "gitnexus:pdg": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --embeddings --skills --pdg`,
-      "gitnexus:full-pdg": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --force --embeddings --skills --pdg`,
+      "gitnexus:refresh": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --embeddings 0 --skills`,
+      "gitnexus:full": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --force --embeddings 0 --skills`,
+      "gitnexus:pdg": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --embeddings 0 --skills --pdg`,
+      "gitnexus:full-pdg": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest analyze --force --embeddings 0 --skills --pdg`,
       "gitnexus:status": `${WRAP} npx gitnexus@latest status`,
       "gitnexus:agent-refresh": "node scripts/gitnexus-agent.mjs refresh",
       "gitnexus:agent-review": "node scripts/gitnexus-agent.mjs review",
diff --git a/bundle/templates/AGENTS.gitnexus.md b/bundle/templates/AGENTS.gitnexus.md
index 7b0b1b4..10fa90b 100644
--- a/bundle/templates/AGENTS.gitnexus.md
+++ b/bundle/templates/AGENTS.gitnexus.md
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ stale → agent-refresh (Shell, pre-approved)
 
 Session start runs auto-refresh when stale. Do **not** grep/read “while refreshing” — refresh is the next tool, not a background hint.
 
+**Mid-session drift (your own edits):** commit-equality can't see uncommitted edits, so after you change a few source files the graph silently falls behind your working tree. Don't wait for the block — once you've edited code and are about to `query`/`context`/`impact`/`cypher`/`pdg_query` again, run **`npm run gitnexus:refresh`** (**incremental** — reindexes only your changed files; quick for a few edits, longer on large batches / first run) so graph answers reflect your changes. Graph query tools hard-block past a small drift threshold until you do.
+
 ## Gates (do not skip — every task)
 
 ```
diff --git a/bundle/templates/CLAUDE.gitnexus.md b/bundle/templates/CLAUDE.gitnexus.md
index 03ecd56..b3a0127 100644
--- a/bundle/templates/CLAUDE.gitnexus.md
+++ b/bundle/templates/CLAUDE.gitnexus.md
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ stale → agent-refresh (Shell, pre-approved)
 
 Session start runs auto-refresh when stale. Do **not** grep/read “while refreshing” — refresh is the next tool, not a background hint.
 
+**Mid-session drift (your own edits):** commit-equality can't see uncommitted edits, so after you change a few source files the graph silently falls behind your working tree. Don't wait for the block — once you've edited code and are about to `query`/`context`/`impact`/`cypher`/`pdg_query` again, run **`npm run gitnexus:refresh`** (**incremental** — reindexes only your changed files; quick for a few edits, longer on large batches / first run) so graph answers reflect your changes. Graph query tools hard-block past a small drift threshold until you do.
+
 ## Gates (do not skip — every task)
 
 ```
diff --git a/lib/kit.test.mjs b/lib/kit.test.mjs
index e615f84..ed5911e 100644
--- a/lib/kit.test.mjs
+++ b/lib/kit.test.mjs
@@ -1732,6 +1732,84 @@ describe("gitnexus-agent-kit", () => {
     fs.rmSync(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
   });
 
+  it("classifyMcpDrift gates graph query tools on working-tree drift", async () => {
+    const { classifyMcpDrift, mcpToolSuffix } = await import(
+      new URL("../bundle/.gnkit/lib/classify.mjs", import.meta.url).href
+    );
+    const cfg = { driftRefreshThreshold: 3 };
+    const drift = (tool, n, config = cfg) =>
+      classifyMcpDrift(tool, { driftingFiles: n }, config).decision;
+
+    // suffix normalization across name formats
+    assert.equal(mcpToolSuffix("mcp__gitnexus__query"), "query");
+    assert.equal(mcpToolSuffix("mcp__gitnexus__pdg_query"), "pdg_query");
+    assert.equal(mcpToolSuffix("gitnexus_context"), "context");
+
+    // query tools deny at/over threshold, allow under
+    assert.equal(drift("mcp__gitnexus__query", 3), "deny");
+    assert.equal(drift("mcp__gitnexus__query", 2), "allow");
+    assert.equal(drift("gitnexus_context", 5), "deny");
+    assert.equal(drift("mcp__gitnexus__pdg_query", 4), "deny");
+    // non-query tools always pass (detect_changes helps SEE drift; rename is an action)
+    assert.equal(drift("mcp__gitnexus__detect_changes", 9), "allow");
+    assert.equal(drift("mcp__gitnexus__rename", 9), "allow");
+    // threshold 0 disables the gate
+    assert.equal(drift("mcp__gitnexus__query", 9, { driftRefreshThreshold: 0 }), "allow");
+    // deny message steers to the incremental refresh + is scored
+    const v = classifyMcpDrift("mcp__gitnexus__impact", { driftingFiles: 4 }, cfg);
+    assert.match(v.agentMessage, /gitnexus:refresh/);
+    assert.match(v.agentMessage, /incremental/i);
+    assert.equal(v.scoreEvent, "driftRefreshBlocks");
+
+    // PHASE gate (regression): drift applies ONLY on a commit-fresh index. It must NOT fire in
+    // classical_fallback (a failed refresh OR a user-granted fallback) — that would override the
+    // escape hatch / tell the agent to run the refresh that just failed.
+    const ph = (tool, n, phase) =>
+      classifyMcpDrift(tool, { driftingFiles: n }, cfg, phase).decision;
+    assert.equal(ph("mcp__gitnexus__query", 5, "fresh"), "deny");
+    assert.equal(ph("mcp__gitnexus__query", 5, "classical_fallback"), "allow");
+    assert.equal(ph("mcp__gitnexus__query", 5, "must_refresh"), "allow");
+    assert.equal(ph("mcp__gitnexus__query", 5, undefined), "deny"); // undefined = caller pre-checked
+  });
+
+  it("check-staleness detects working-tree drift + resets on refresh", async () => {
+    const { execFileSync } = await import("node:child_process");
+    const tmp = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "gn-drift-"));
+    execFileSync(
+      "bash",
+      ["-c", "git init -q && git config user.email x@x && git config user.name x"],
+      { cwd: tmp },
+    );
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmp, "src.js"), "export function a(){}\n");
+    execFileSync("bash", ["-c", "git add -A && git commit -qm init"], { cwd: tmp });
+    const head = execFileSync("git", ["-C", tmp, "rev-parse", "HEAD"], {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+    }).trim();
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmp, ".gitnexus"), { recursive: true });
+    const setIndexedAt = (at) =>
+      fs.writeFileSync(
+        path.join(tmp, ".gitnexus/meta.json"),
+        JSON.stringify({ lastCommit: head, indexedAt: at, stats: { nodes: 10, embeddings: 5 } }),
+      );
+    const CS = new URL("../bundle/.gnkit/lib/check-staleness.mjs", import.meta.url).pathname;
+    const stat = () => JSON.parse(execFileSync(process.execPath, [CS, tmp], { encoding: "utf8" }));
+
+    setIndexedAt(new Date(Date.now() - 3600e3).toISOString());
+    let s = stat();
+    assert.equal(s.fresh, true, "commit-fresh");
+    assert.equal(s.driftingFiles, 0, "clean tree → no drift");
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmp, "src.js"), "export function a(){return 1}\n"); // edit
+    assert.equal(stat().driftingFiles, 1, "one edited source → drift 1");
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmp, "note.md"), "doc\n"); // non-source
+    assert.equal(stat().driftingFiles, 1, "non-source edit does not count");
+
+    // refresh: indexedAt advances → drift resets even though files stay uncommitted
+    setIndexedAt(new Date(Date.now() + 2000).toISOString());
+    assert.equal(stat().driftingFiles, 0, "refresh resets drift");
+    fs.rmSync(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
   it("session-health-audit builds agent context and user message", async () => {
     const auditMod = await import(
       new URL(
diff --git a/scripts/contract/enforcement-contract.md b/scripts/contract/enforcement-contract.md
index 96a79d7..93cf26e 100644
--- a/scripts/contract/enforcement-contract.md
+++ b/scripts/contract/enforcement-contract.md
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ stale → agent-refresh (Shell, pre-approved)
 
 Session start runs auto-refresh when stale. Do **not** grep/read “while refreshing” — refresh is the next tool, not a background hint.
 
+**Mid-session drift (your own edits):** commit-equality can't see uncommitted edits, so after you change a few source files the graph silently falls behind your working tree. Don't wait for the block — once you've edited code and are about to `query`/`context`/`impact`/`cypher`/`pdg_query` again, run **`npm run gitnexus:refresh`** (**incremental** — reindexes only your changed files; quick for a few edits, longer on large batches / first run) so graph answers reflect your changes. Graph query tools hard-block past a small drift threshold until you do.
+
 ## Gates (do not skip — every task)
 
 ```