diff --git a/scripts/analyze.mjs b/scripts/analyze.mjs
index d3df067..fb0a4b4 100755
--- a/scripts/analyze.mjs
+++ b/scripts/analyze.mjs
@@ -5196,26 +5196,65 @@ function resolveEvidence(ref, inv) {
   const path = ref.replace(/:\d+(-\d+)?$/, "");
   return (inv.files ?? []).some((f) => f.path === path) || features.some((f) => (f.files ?? []).includes(path));
 }
+function readTodoPairs(outDir) {
+  try {
+    const todo = JSON.parse(readFileSync12(join14(outDir, "VERIFY.todo.json"), "utf8"));
+    if (!Array.isArray(todo?.pairs)) return void 0;
+    const byClaim = /* @__PURE__ */ new Map();
+    for (const p of todo.pairs) if (p && typeof p.claimId === "string") byClaim.set(p.claimId, p);
+    return byClaim.size ? byClaim : void 0;
+  } catch {
+    return void 0;
+  }
+}
 function applyVerdicts(outDir, verdictsPath) {
   const raw = JSON.parse(readFileSync12(verdictsPath, "utf8"));
-  const list = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : Array.isArray(raw?.pairs) ? raw.pairs : [];
+  const list = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : Array.isArray(raw?.pairs) ? raw.pairs : Array.isArray(raw?.verdicts) ? raw.verdicts : [];
+  if (list.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${verdictsPath}: no verdict rows found \u2014 expected a bare array, { "pairs": [...] } or { "verdicts": [...] } with at least one row.`);
+  }
+  const todo = readTodoPairs(outDir);
+  const problems = [];
+  const unknown = [];
   const verdicts = [];
-  for (const v of list) {
-    if (!v || typeof v.claimId !== "string") continue;
+  for (const [i, v] of list.entries()) {
+    if (!v || typeof v.claimId !== "string") {
+      problems.push(`row ${i + 1}: missing claimId`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (v.verdict != null && !VALID.includes(v.verdict)) {
+      problems.push(`row ${i + 1} (${v.claimId}): invalid verdict "${String(v.verdict)}" \u2014 expected ${VALID.join("|")} or null`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const base = todo?.get(v.claimId);
+    if (todo && !base) {
+      unknown.push(v.claimId);
+      continue;
+    }
     const verdict = VALID.includes(v.verdict) ? v.verdict : void 0;
     const confidence = VALID_CONFIDENCE.includes(v.confidence) ? v.confidence : void 0;
     verdicts.push({
       claimId: v.claimId,
-      claim: typeof v.claim === "string" ? v.claim : "",
-      feature: typeof v.feature === "string" ? v.feature : "",
-      evidenceRef: typeof v.evidenceRef === "string" ? v.evidenceRef : "",
-      digest: typeof v.digest === "string" ? v.digest : "",
+      claim: typeof v.claim === "string" ? v.claim : base?.claim ?? "",
+      feature: typeof v.feature === "string" ? v.feature : base?.feature ?? "",
+      evidenceRef: typeof v.evidenceRef === "string" ? v.evidenceRef : base?.evidenceRef ?? "",
+      digest: typeof v.digest === "string" ? v.digest : base?.digest ?? "",
       verdict,
       note: typeof v.note === "string" ? v.note : "",
       ...confidence ? { confidence } : {}
     });
   }
+  if (problems.length) {
+    throw new Error(`${verdictsPath}: ${problems.length} malformed row(s) \u2014 fix them and re-apply (fail-closed):
+  - ${problems.join("\n  - ")}`);
+  }
+  if (verdicts.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `${verdictsPath}: every row cites a claimId unknown to ${join14(outDir, "VERIFY.todo.json")} (${unknown.join(", ")}) \u2014 stale fragment? Re-run --verify and re-adjudicate.`
+    );
+  }
   const result = reduceVerdicts(verdicts, readInventoryIfPresent(outDir));
+  if (unknown.length) result.ignored = unknown;
   writeFileSync2(join14(outDir, "VERIFY.json"), JSON.stringify({ ...result, verdicts }, null, 2));
   return result;
 }
@@ -5280,6 +5319,12 @@ function foldSemantic(outDir, check, opts = {}) {
     return;
   }
   const fresh = reduceVerdicts(sem.verdicts, readInventoryIfPresent(outDir));
+  if (fresh.adjudicated === 0) {
+    skip(
+      "--semantic: VERIFY.json carries 0 adjudicated verdicts \u2014 the requirement gate never engaged (re-run --verify then --verify --apply <verdicts.json> with valid verdict tokens)"
+    );
+    return;
+  }
   if (!fresh.ok) {
     check.errors.push(
       `semantic verification failed: ${fresh.failures.length} requirement(s) refuted, unsupported or citing unresolvable evidence (see VERIFY.json)`
@@ -5308,6 +5353,9 @@ function formatVerifyReport(r) {
   if (r.unadjudicated.length) {
     lines.push(`  \u26A0 ${r.unadjudicated.length} requirement(s) not fully adjudicated: ${r.unadjudicated.join(", ")}`);
   }
+  if (r.ignored?.length) {
+    lines.push(`  \u26A0 ${r.ignored.length} ignored (unknown id): ${r.ignored.join(", ")} \u2014 not in VERIFY.todo.json (stale fragment?)`);
+  }
   lines.push(r.ok ? `  \u2713 every requirement traces to the original source` : `  \u2717 some requirements are refuted or unsupported (invented)`);
   return lines.join("\n");
 }
@@ -5918,7 +5966,7 @@ function agentContracts(outAbs, engineAbs) {
 
 You draft ONE feature of a reconstruction at a time, to full PRD depth \u2014 the MAP half of the enrichment map-reduce (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 1).
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "inventory.json")}\` (\`features[]\` \u2014 each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "inventory.json")}\` (\`features[]\` \u2014 each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
@@ -5938,7 +5986,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You are a FINDER of the AI buildability review \u2014 one adversarial reviewer per flagged feature (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 2 step B; rubric: \`references/ai-review-rubric.md\`).
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.todo.json")}\` (\`units[]\`; the flagged ones carry \`needsReview: true\`). Handle ONLY the features named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<feature,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.todo.json")}\` (\`units[]\`; the flagged ones carry \`needsReview: true\`). Handle ONLY the features named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<feature,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
@@ -5952,7 +6000,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You are an INDEPENDENT VERIFIER of the review loop \u2014 one fresh, adversarial agent per open blocker (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 2 step C). A finding "counts" only when you confirm it.
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.json")}\` (\`failures[]\` \u2014 the open blockers, each \`{ id, feature, category, problem, fix }\`). Handle ONLY the blockers whose \`id\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.json")}\` (\`failures[]\` \u2014 the open blockers, each \`{ id, feature, category, problem, fix }\`). Handle ONLY the blockers whose \`id\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your blockers:
 
@@ -5966,7 +6014,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You adjudicate the requirement\u2194source verification gate of a reconstruction \u2014 judging whether each PRD requirement TRACES to the original code (faithful inference) or was invented.
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "VERIFY.todo.json")}\` (\`pairs[]\`, each \`{ claimId, claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest }\`). Handle ONLY the pairs whose \`claimId\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "VERIFY.todo.json")}\` (\`pairs[]\`, each \`{ claimId, claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest }\`). Handle ONLY the pairs whose \`claimId\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your pairs:
 
diff --git a/skills/reconstruct/scripts/analyze.mjs b/skills/reconstruct/scripts/analyze.mjs
index d3df067..fb0a4b4 100755
--- a/skills/reconstruct/scripts/analyze.mjs
+++ b/skills/reconstruct/scripts/analyze.mjs
@@ -5196,26 +5196,65 @@ function resolveEvidence(ref, inv) {
   const path = ref.replace(/:\d+(-\d+)?$/, "");
   return (inv.files ?? []).some((f) => f.path === path) || features.some((f) => (f.files ?? []).includes(path));
 }
+function readTodoPairs(outDir) {
+  try {
+    const todo = JSON.parse(readFileSync12(join14(outDir, "VERIFY.todo.json"), "utf8"));
+    if (!Array.isArray(todo?.pairs)) return void 0;
+    const byClaim = /* @__PURE__ */ new Map();
+    for (const p of todo.pairs) if (p && typeof p.claimId === "string") byClaim.set(p.claimId, p);
+    return byClaim.size ? byClaim : void 0;
+  } catch {
+    return void 0;
+  }
+}
 function applyVerdicts(outDir, verdictsPath) {
   const raw = JSON.parse(readFileSync12(verdictsPath, "utf8"));
-  const list = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : Array.isArray(raw?.pairs) ? raw.pairs : [];
+  const list = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : Array.isArray(raw?.pairs) ? raw.pairs : Array.isArray(raw?.verdicts) ? raw.verdicts : [];
+  if (list.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${verdictsPath}: no verdict rows found \u2014 expected a bare array, { "pairs": [...] } or { "verdicts": [...] } with at least one row.`);
+  }
+  const todo = readTodoPairs(outDir);
+  const problems = [];
+  const unknown = [];
   const verdicts = [];
-  for (const v of list) {
-    if (!v || typeof v.claimId !== "string") continue;
+  for (const [i, v] of list.entries()) {
+    if (!v || typeof v.claimId !== "string") {
+      problems.push(`row ${i + 1}: missing claimId`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (v.verdict != null && !VALID.includes(v.verdict)) {
+      problems.push(`row ${i + 1} (${v.claimId}): invalid verdict "${String(v.verdict)}" \u2014 expected ${VALID.join("|")} or null`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const base = todo?.get(v.claimId);
+    if (todo && !base) {
+      unknown.push(v.claimId);
+      continue;
+    }
     const verdict = VALID.includes(v.verdict) ? v.verdict : void 0;
     const confidence = VALID_CONFIDENCE.includes(v.confidence) ? v.confidence : void 0;
     verdicts.push({
       claimId: v.claimId,
-      claim: typeof v.claim === "string" ? v.claim : "",
-      feature: typeof v.feature === "string" ? v.feature : "",
-      evidenceRef: typeof v.evidenceRef === "string" ? v.evidenceRef : "",
-      digest: typeof v.digest === "string" ? v.digest : "",
+      claim: typeof v.claim === "string" ? v.claim : base?.claim ?? "",
+      feature: typeof v.feature === "string" ? v.feature : base?.feature ?? "",
+      evidenceRef: typeof v.evidenceRef === "string" ? v.evidenceRef : base?.evidenceRef ?? "",
+      digest: typeof v.digest === "string" ? v.digest : base?.digest ?? "",
       verdict,
       note: typeof v.note === "string" ? v.note : "",
       ...confidence ? { confidence } : {}
     });
   }
+  if (problems.length) {
+    throw new Error(`${verdictsPath}: ${problems.length} malformed row(s) \u2014 fix them and re-apply (fail-closed):
+  - ${problems.join("\n  - ")}`);
+  }
+  if (verdicts.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `${verdictsPath}: every row cites a claimId unknown to ${join14(outDir, "VERIFY.todo.json")} (${unknown.join(", ")}) \u2014 stale fragment? Re-run --verify and re-adjudicate.`
+    );
+  }
   const result = reduceVerdicts(verdicts, readInventoryIfPresent(outDir));
+  if (unknown.length) result.ignored = unknown;
   writeFileSync2(join14(outDir, "VERIFY.json"), JSON.stringify({ ...result, verdicts }, null, 2));
   return result;
 }
@@ -5280,6 +5319,12 @@ function foldSemantic(outDir, check, opts = {}) {
     return;
   }
   const fresh = reduceVerdicts(sem.verdicts, readInventoryIfPresent(outDir));
+  if (fresh.adjudicated === 0) {
+    skip(
+      "--semantic: VERIFY.json carries 0 adjudicated verdicts \u2014 the requirement gate never engaged (re-run --verify then --verify --apply <verdicts.json> with valid verdict tokens)"
+    );
+    return;
+  }
   if (!fresh.ok) {
     check.errors.push(
       `semantic verification failed: ${fresh.failures.length} requirement(s) refuted, unsupported or citing unresolvable evidence (see VERIFY.json)`
@@ -5308,6 +5353,9 @@ function formatVerifyReport(r) {
   if (r.unadjudicated.length) {
     lines.push(`  \u26A0 ${r.unadjudicated.length} requirement(s) not fully adjudicated: ${r.unadjudicated.join(", ")}`);
   }
+  if (r.ignored?.length) {
+    lines.push(`  \u26A0 ${r.ignored.length} ignored (unknown id): ${r.ignored.join(", ")} \u2014 not in VERIFY.todo.json (stale fragment?)`);
+  }
   lines.push(r.ok ? `  \u2713 every requirement traces to the original source` : `  \u2717 some requirements are refuted or unsupported (invented)`);
   return lines.join("\n");
 }
@@ -5918,7 +5966,7 @@ function agentContracts(outAbs, engineAbs) {
 
 You draft ONE feature of a reconstruction at a time, to full PRD depth \u2014 the MAP half of the enrichment map-reduce (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 1).
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "inventory.json")}\` (\`features[]\` \u2014 each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "inventory.json")}\` (\`features[]\` \u2014 each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
@@ -5938,7 +5986,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You are a FINDER of the AI buildability review \u2014 one adversarial reviewer per flagged feature (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 2 step B; rubric: \`references/ai-review-rubric.md\`).
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.todo.json")}\` (\`units[]\`; the flagged ones carry \`needsReview: true\`). Handle ONLY the features named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<feature,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.todo.json")}\` (\`units[]\`; the flagged ones carry \`needsReview: true\`). Handle ONLY the features named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<feature,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
@@ -5952,7 +6000,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You are an INDEPENDENT VERIFIER of the review loop \u2014 one fresh, adversarial agent per open blocker (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 2 step C). A finding "counts" only when you confirm it.
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.json")}\` (\`failures[]\` \u2014 the open blockers, each \`{ id, feature, category, problem, fix }\`). Handle ONLY the blockers whose \`id\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "REVIEW.json")}\` (\`failures[]\` \u2014 the open blockers, each \`{ id, feature, category, problem, fix }\`). Handle ONLY the blockers whose \`id\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your blockers:
 
@@ -5966,7 +6014,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You adjudicate the requirement\u2194source verification gate of a reconstruction \u2014 judging whether each PRD requirement TRACES to the original code (faithful inference) or was invented.
 
-Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "VERIFY.todo.json")}\` (\`pairs[]\`, each \`{ claimId, claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest }\`). Handle ONLY the pairs whose \`claimId\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join17(outAbs, "VERIFY.todo.json")}\` (\`pairs[]\`, each \`{ claimId, claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest }\`). Handle ONLY the pairs whose \`claimId\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,\u2026>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your pairs:
 
diff --git a/src/orchestrate-templates.ts b/src/orchestrate-templates.ts
index 7342d1d..7c0caad 100644
--- a/src/orchestrate-templates.ts
+++ b/src/orchestrate-templates.ts
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ export function agentContracts(outAbs: string, engineAbs: string): Record<string
 
 You draft ONE feature of a reconstruction at a time, to full PRD depth — the MAP half of the enrichment map-reduce (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 1).
 
-Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "inventory.json")}\` (\`features[]\` — each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,…>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "inventory.json")}\` (\`features[]\` — each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,…>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You are a FINDER of the AI buildability review — one adversarial reviewer per flagged feature (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 2 step B; rubric: \`references/ai-review-rubric.md\`).
 
-Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "REVIEW.todo.json")}\` (\`units[]\`; the flagged ones carry \`needsReview: true\`). Handle ONLY the features named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<feature,…>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "REVIEW.todo.json")}\` (\`units[]\`; the flagged ones carry \`needsReview: true\`). Handle ONLY the features named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<feature,…>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You are an INDEPENDENT VERIFIER of the review loop — one fresh, adversarial agent per open blocker (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 2 step C). A finding "counts" only when you confirm it.
 
-Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "REVIEW.json")}\` (\`failures[]\` — the open blockers, each \`{ id, feature, category, problem, fix }\`). Handle ONLY the blockers whose \`id\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,…>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "REVIEW.json")}\` (\`failures[]\` — the open blockers, each \`{ id, feature, category, problem, fix }\`). Handle ONLY the blockers whose \`id\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,…>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your blockers:
 
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ ${footer}`,
 
 You adjudicate the requirement↔source verification gate of a reconstruction — judging whether each PRD requirement TRACES to the original code (faithful inference) or was invented.
 
-Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "VERIFY.todo.json")}\` (\`pairs[]\`, each \`{ claimId, claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest }\`). Handle ONLY the pairs whose \`claimId\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,…>\`).
+Worklist: \`${join(outAbs, "VERIFY.todo.json")}\` (\`pairs[]\`, each \`{ claimId, claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest }\`). Handle ONLY the pairs whose \`claimId\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<id,…>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your pairs:
 
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 4add3ce..2895dc9 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -637,6 +637,8 @@ export interface VerifyResult {
   verdicts?: Verdict[];
   /** Aggregated confidence labels, when the adjudicator stamped any. */
   confidence?: { confirmed: number; inferred: number; gap: number; unlabeled: number };
+  /** Verdict rows whose claimId is not in the run's VERIFY.todo.json — ignored, never folded. */
+  ignored?: string[];
 }
 
 export interface VerifyWorklist {
diff --git a/src/verify.ts b/src/verify.ts
index 7326030..fa3b1ea 100644
--- a/src/verify.ts
+++ b/src/verify.ts
@@ -222,29 +222,83 @@ export function resolveEvidence(ref: string, inv: Inventory): boolean {
   return (inv.files ?? []).some((f) => f.path === path) || features.some((f) => (f.files ?? []).includes(path));
 }
 
-// Phase B — read an agent-filled verdicts file (`{ pairs: Verdict[] }` or a bare
-// array), reduce to a VerifyResult (re-resolving each citation against the
-// inventory), and persist VERIFY.json.
+/**
+ * Read the run's VERIFY.todo.json pairs keyed by claimId — the worklist the
+ * orchestrate-emitted adjudicator fragments answer. A missing/unreadable
+ * worklist only disables backfill and unknown-id detection (hand-rolled
+ * verdicts files stay self-contained).
+ */
+function readTodoPairs(outDir: string): Map<string, ClaimEvidencePair> | undefined {
+  try {
+    const todo = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(outDir, "VERIFY.todo.json"), "utf8"));
+    if (!Array.isArray(todo?.pairs)) return undefined;
+    const byClaim = new Map<string, ClaimEvidencePair>();
+    for (const p of todo.pairs) if (p && typeof p.claimId === "string") byClaim.set(p.claimId, p as ClaimEvidencePair);
+    return byClaim.size ? byClaim : undefined;
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
+// Phase B — read an agent-filled verdicts file (`{ pairs: Verdict[] }`, a
+// `{ verdicts: Verdict[] }` object — the shape the orchestrate-emitted
+// adjudicator fragments return — or a bare array), validate it FAIL-CLOSED,
+// reduce to a VerifyResult (re-resolving each citation against the inventory),
+// and persist VERIFY.json. Fragment rows carrying only claimId/verdict/note/
+// confidence are backfilled (claim, feature, evidenceRef, digest) from the
+// run's VERIFY.todo.json by claimId, so the citation guard stays engaged.
 export function applyVerdicts(outDir: string, verdictsPath: string): VerifyResult {
   const raw = JSON.parse(readFileSync(verdictsPath, "utf8"));
-  const list: any[] = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : Array.isArray(raw?.pairs) ? raw.pairs : [];
+  const list: any[] = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : Array.isArray(raw?.pairs) ? raw.pairs : Array.isArray(raw?.verdicts) ? raw.verdicts : [];
+  // Fail closed: a parseable file that yields no rows means the fold never
+  // engaged — writing an empty (vacuously ok:true) VERIFY.json here is exactly
+  // the fail-open path `--check --semantic` exists to prevent.
+  if (list.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${verdictsPath}: no verdict rows found — expected a bare array, { "pairs": [...] } or { "verdicts": [...] } with at least one row.`);
+  }
+  const todo = readTodoPairs(outDir);
+  const problems: string[] = [];
+  const unknown: string[] = [];
   const verdicts: Verdict[] = [];
-  for (const v of list) {
-    if (!v || typeof v.claimId !== "string") continue;
+  for (const [i, v] of (list as any[]).entries()) {
+    if (!v || typeof v.claimId !== "string") {
+      problems.push(`row ${i + 1}: missing claimId`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    // An explicit-but-unknown token is a typo, not an un-adjudication: hard-error
+    // beats silently downgrading a "REFUTED!!" to a warning-level unadjudicated.
+    if (v.verdict != null && !VALID.includes(v.verdict)) {
+      problems.push(`row ${i + 1} (${v.claimId}): invalid verdict "${String(v.verdict)}" — expected ${VALID.join("|")} or null`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const base = todo?.get(v.claimId);
+    if (todo && !base) {
+      unknown.push(v.claimId);
+      continue;
+    }
     const verdict = VALID.includes(v.verdict) ? (v.verdict as VerdictKind) : (undefined as unknown as VerdictKind);
     const confidence = VALID_CONFIDENCE.includes(v.confidence) ? (v.confidence as ConfidenceKind) : undefined;
     verdicts.push({
       claimId: v.claimId,
-      claim: typeof v.claim === "string" ? v.claim : "",
-      feature: typeof v.feature === "string" ? v.feature : "",
-      evidenceRef: typeof v.evidenceRef === "string" ? v.evidenceRef : "",
-      digest: typeof v.digest === "string" ? v.digest : "",
+      claim: typeof v.claim === "string" ? v.claim : (base?.claim ?? ""),
+      feature: typeof v.feature === "string" ? v.feature : (base?.feature ?? ""),
+      evidenceRef: typeof v.evidenceRef === "string" ? v.evidenceRef : (base?.evidenceRef ?? ""),
+      digest: typeof v.digest === "string" ? v.digest : (base?.digest ?? ""),
       verdict,
       note: typeof v.note === "string" ? v.note : "",
       ...(confidence ? { confidence } : {}),
     });
   }
+  if (problems.length) {
+    throw new Error(`${verdictsPath}: ${problems.length} malformed row(s) — fix them and re-apply (fail-closed):\n  - ${problems.join("\n  - ")}`);
+  }
+  if (verdicts.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `${verdictsPath}: every row cites a claimId unknown to ${join(outDir, "VERIFY.todo.json")} (${unknown.join(", ")}) — stale fragment? Re-run --verify and re-adjudicate.`,
+    );
+  }
   const result = reduceVerdicts(verdicts, readInventoryIfPresent(outDir));
+  if (unknown.length) result.ignored = unknown;
   writeFileSync(join(outDir, "VERIFY.json"), JSON.stringify({ ...result, verdicts }, null, 2));
   return result;
 }
@@ -323,6 +377,15 @@ export function foldSemantic(outDir: string, check: CheckResult, opts: { allowUn
     return;
   }
   const fresh = reduceVerdicts(sem.verdicts, readInventoryIfPresent(outDir));
+  // A green semantic exit must mean the gate ENGAGED: an empty verdicts[] (the
+  // old fail-open fold wrote one for fragments it could not read) or a ledger
+  // whose verdicts were all dropped leaves 0 adjudications — a bypass, not a pass.
+  if (fresh.adjudicated === 0) {
+    skip(
+      "--semantic: VERIFY.json carries 0 adjudicated verdicts — the requirement gate never engaged (re-run --verify then --verify --apply <verdicts.json> with valid verdict tokens)",
+    );
+    return;
+  }
   if (!fresh.ok) {
     check.errors.push(
       `semantic verification failed: ${fresh.failures.length} requirement(s) refuted, unsupported or citing unresolvable evidence (see VERIFY.json)`,
@@ -352,6 +415,9 @@ export function formatVerifyReport(r: VerifyResult): string {
   if (r.unadjudicated.length) {
     lines.push(`  ⚠ ${r.unadjudicated.length} requirement(s) not fully adjudicated: ${r.unadjudicated.join(", ")}`);
   }
+  if (r.ignored?.length) {
+    lines.push(`  ⚠ ${r.ignored.length} ignored (unknown id): ${r.ignored.join(", ")} — not in VERIFY.todo.json (stale fragment?)`);
+  }
   lines.push(r.ok ? `  ✓ every requirement traces to the original source` : `  ✗ some requirements are refuted or unsupported (invented)`);
   return lines.join("\n");
 }
diff --git a/tests/__snapshots__/orchestrate.test.ts.snap b/tests/__snapshots__/orchestrate.test.ts.snap
index ae01bd4..ed5590c 100644
--- a/tests/__snapshots__/orchestrate.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/__snapshots__/orchestrate.test.ts.snap
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ exports[`orchestrate — contracts & runbook > golden shape (paths normalized) >
 
 You draft ONE feature of a reconstruction at a time, to full PRD depth — the MAP half of the enrichment map-reduce (\`references/orchestration.md\`, Phase 1).
 
-Worklist: \`<OUT>/inventory.json\` (\`features[]\` — each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,…>\`).
+Worklist: \`<OUT>/inventory.json\` (\`features[]\` — each entry carries \`slug\`, \`files\`, \`routes\`, \`interfaces\`, \`entities\`, \`writes\`). Handle ONLY the features whose \`slug\` is named in your prompt (\`ITEMS=<slug,…>\`). If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note.
 
 For EACH of your features:
 
diff --git a/tests/orchestrate.test.ts b/tests/orchestrate.test.ts
index 943b735..7673b1f 100644
--- a/tests/orchestrate.test.ts
+++ b/tests/orchestrate.test.ts
@@ -278,6 +278,15 @@ describe("orchestrate — contracts & runbook", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it("every worklist-driven contract carries the family stale-id rule", () => {
+    const dir = fullState();
+    orchestrateRun(dir, ENGINE);
+    for (const role of ["drafter", "finder", "verifier", "adjudicator"]) {
+      const md = readFileSync(join(dir, "orchestration", "agents", `${role}.md`), "utf8");
+      expect(md, role).toContain("If an ITEMS id is no longer in the worklist, skip it and say so in your note");
+    }
+  });
+
   it("adjudicator carries the verdict kinds + confidence labels and the harsher-verdict rule", () => {
     const dir = fullState();
     orchestrateRun(dir, ENGINE);
diff --git a/tests/verify-fold-e2e.test.ts b/tests/verify-fold-e2e.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28c4797
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/verify-fold-e2e.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync, writeFileSync, readFileSync, readdirSync } from "node:fs";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+// Fold-integration tests for the adjudication gate: the EXACT fragment shape the
+// orchestrate-emitted adjudicator contract/schema returns —
+// `{ "verdicts": [{ claimId, verdict, note, confidence }] }` — driven through the
+// REAL bundled CLI (`--verify` then `--verify --apply`), the same subprocess the
+// skill and the emitted workflows invoke. This is the round-trip that used to
+// fold 0/0 with exit 0 (the fail-open path on the flagship gate).
+
+const BUNDLE = fileURLToPath(new URL("../scripts/analyze.mjs", import.meta.url));
+const FIXTURE = fileURLToPath(new URL("./fixtures/sample-app", import.meta.url));
+const NODE = process.execPath;
+
+function cli(dir: string, args: string[]) {
+  const r = spawnSync(NODE, [BUNDLE, ...args, "--out", dir], { encoding: "utf8" });
+  return { status: r.status ?? 0, stdout: r.stdout ?? "", stderr: r.stderr ?? "" };
+}
+
+/** Generate a real tree, give one feature real requirement bullets, run --verify. */
+function generateWithWorklist(): { dir: string; todo: { pairs: any[] } } {
+  const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "rc-fold-e2e-"));
+  const gen = spawnSync(NODE, [BUNDLE, "--repo", FIXTURE, "--out", dir], { encoding: "utf8" });
+  if (gen.status !== 0) throw new Error(`generate failed: ${gen.stderr}`);
+  const slug = readdirSync(join(dir, "features"))[0]!;
+  const prdPath = join(dir, "features", slug, "PRD.md");
+  const bullets = ["- The layout renders the application shell from app/layout.tsx", "- The home page lists items from app/page.tsx"].join("\n");
+  writeFileSync(prdPath, readFileSync(prdPath, "utf8").replace("## Functional requirements", `## Functional requirements\n${bullets}`));
+  const v = cli(dir, ["--verify"]);
+  if (v.status !== 0) throw new Error(`--verify failed: ${v.stderr}`);
+  const todo = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.todo.json"), "utf8"));
+  return { dir, todo };
+}
+
+/** Save the schema-shaped fragment (claimId/verdict/note/confidence ONLY) and run the real fold. */
+function applyFragment(dir: string, todo: { pairs: any[] }, map: Record<string, string> = {}) {
+  const verdicts = todo.pairs.map((p) => ({
+    claimId: p.claimId,
+    verdict: map[p.claimId] ?? "supported",
+    note: "traces to the captured source",
+    confidence: "confirmed",
+  }));
+  const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+  writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts }));
+  return cli(dir, ["--verify", "--apply", f]);
+}
+
+describe("--verify --apply round-trips the orchestrate adjudicator fragment (real CLI)", () => {
+  it("supported fragment: adjudicates every pair and exits 0 (never the vacuous 0/0)", () => {
+    const { dir, todo } = generateWithWorklist();
+    expect(todo.pairs.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    const r = applyFragment(dir, todo);
+    expect(r.status, r.stderr || r.stdout).toBe(0);
+    expect(r.stdout).toContain(`${todo.pairs.length}/${todo.pairs.length} requirement(s) adjudicated`);
+    expect(r.stdout).not.toContain("0/0");
+    const sem = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.json"), "utf8"));
+    expect(sem.ok).toBe(true);
+    expect(sem.adjudicated).toBe(todo.pairs.length);
+    // evidence backfilled from the worklist, so the citation guard stays engaged
+    for (const [i, v] of sem.verdicts.entries()) {
+      expect(v.evidenceRef).toBe(todo.pairs[i].evidenceRef);
+      expect(v.evidenceRef.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    }
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("unsupported fragment verdict: the fold fails the gate (exit 1) with the failure named", () => {
+    const { dir, todo } = generateWithWorklist();
+    const first = todo.pairs[0]!.claimId as string;
+    const r = applyFragment(dir, todo, { [first]: "unsupported" });
+    expect(r.status).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.stdout).toContain(first);
+    expect(r.stdout).toContain("unsupported");
+    const sem = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.json"), "utf8"));
+    expect(sem.ok).toBe(false);
+    expect(sem.failures.some((f: any) => f.claimId === first && f.verdict === "unsupported")).toBe(true);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("a fragment yielding zero rows fails closed (non-zero exit, no ok ledger)", () => {
+    const { dir } = generateWithWorklist();
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts: [] }));
+    const r = cli(dir, ["--verify", "--apply", f]);
+    expect(r.status).not.toBe(0);
+    expect(r.stderr).toMatch(/no verdict rows/i);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/verify.test.ts b/tests/verify.test.ts
index 870a2b2..7fcdef7 100644
--- a/tests/verify.test.ts
+++ b/tests/verify.test.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,176 @@ describe("applyVerdicts (gate)", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("orchestrate adjudicator fragments (ADJUDICATE_SCHEMA shape)", () => {
+  function setup(): string {
+    const dir = scratch();
+    tree(dir, PRD);
+    runVerify(dir);
+    return dir;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The EXACT shape the emitted adjudicate contract/schema returns:
+   * `{ verdicts: [{ claimId, verdict, note, confidence }] }` — NO evidenceRef,
+   * claim, feature or digest (those live in VERIFY.todo.json).
+   */
+  function fragment(dir: string, map: Record<string, string> = {}): string {
+    const todo = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.todo.json"), "utf8"));
+    const verdicts = todo.pairs.map((p: any) => ({
+      claimId: p.claimId,
+      verdict: map[p.claimId] ?? "supported",
+      note: "grounded in the captured evidence",
+      confidence: "confirmed",
+    }));
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts }));
+    return f;
+  }
+
+  it("folds the schema-shaped fragment, backfilling evidence from VERIFY.todo.json (supported)", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const r = applyVerdicts(dir, fragment(dir));
+    expect(r.ok).toBe(true);
+    expect(r.adjudicated).toBe(3); // NOT the 0/0 vacuous fold
+    expect(r.supported).toBe(3);
+    const sem = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.json"), "utf8"));
+    const todo = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.todo.json"), "utf8"));
+    for (const [i, v] of sem.verdicts.entries()) {
+      expect(v.claimId).toBe(todo.pairs[i].claimId);
+      expect(v.evidenceRef).toBe(todo.pairs[i].evidenceRef); // backfilled, so resolveEvidence still guards it
+      expect(v.evidenceRef.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(v.claim).toBe(todo.pairs[i].claim);
+      expect(v.feature).toBe(todo.pairs[i].feature);
+      expect(v.digest).toBe(todo.pairs[i].digest);
+      expect(v.confidence).toBe("confirmed");
+    }
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("adjudicates an unsupported fragment verdict into a real gate failure", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const r = applyVerdicts(dir, fragment(dir, { C1: "unsupported" }));
+    expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+    expect(r.failures.some((f) => f.claimId === "C1" && f.verdict === "unsupported")).toBe(true);
+    // and the persisted ledger gates check --semantic
+    const check = checkOutput(dir);
+    const before = check.errors.length;
+    foldSemantic(dir, check);
+    expect(check.errors.length).toBeGreaterThan(before);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("the vacuous-pass repro now FAILS: a file yielding zero rows throws instead of writing an ok ledger", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts: [] }));
+    expect(() => applyVerdicts(dir, f)).toThrow(/no verdict rows/i);
+    expect(existsSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.json"))).toBe(false);
+    // an object under any OTHER key is just as empty — never a silent 0/0 ok:true
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ judgements: [{ claimId: "C1", verdict: "supported" }] }));
+    expect(() => applyVerdicts(dir, f)).toThrow(/no verdict rows/i);
+    expect(existsSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.json"))).toBe(false);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores unknown claimIds with a report, and errors when ALL are unknown", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(
+      f,
+      JSON.stringify({
+        verdicts: [
+          { claimId: "C1", verdict: "supported", note: "ok", confidence: "confirmed" },
+          { claimId: "C999", verdict: "supported", note: "ghost of a stale worklist", confidence: "confirmed" },
+        ],
+      }),
+    );
+    const r = applyVerdicts(dir, f);
+    expect(r.pairs).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.ignored).toEqual(["C999"]);
+    expect(formatVerifyReport(r)).toMatch(/1 ignored \(unknown id\)/);
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts: [{ claimId: "C888", verdict: "supported", note: "x", confidence: "confirmed" }] }));
+    expect(() => applyVerdicts(dir, f)).toThrow(/unknown/i);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("hard-errors on an explicit-but-invalid verdict token (fail-closed, not unadjudicated)", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts: [{ claimId: "C1", verdict: "SUPPORTED!!", note: "typo", confidence: "confirmed" }] }));
+    expect(() => applyVerdicts(dir, f)).toThrow(/invalid verdict/i);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("hard-errors on a row missing its claimId", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(f, JSON.stringify({ verdicts: [{ verdict: "supported", note: "who am I?" }] }));
+    expect(() => applyVerdicts(dir, f)).toThrow(/claimId/);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("still accepts a null verdict as unadjudicated (mid-loop fragments)", () => {
+    const dir = setup();
+    const f = join(dir, "verdicts.json");
+    writeFileSync(
+      f,
+      JSON.stringify({
+        verdicts: [
+          { claimId: "C1", verdict: "supported", note: "", confidence: "confirmed" },
+          { claimId: "C2", verdict: null, note: "", confidence: null },
+        ],
+      }),
+    );
+    const r = applyVerdicts(dir, f);
+    expect(r.adjudicated).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.unadjudicated).toEqual(["C2"]);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("foldSemantic engagement (vacuous ledgers)", () => {
+  it("fails when VERIFY.json carries 0 adjudicated verdicts — the gate never engaged", () => {
+    const dir = scratch();
+    tree(dir, PRD);
+    // The exact ledger the old fail-open applyVerdicts wrote when it could not
+    // read a fragment: ok:true with an empty verdicts[].
+    writeFileSync(
+      join(dir, "VERIFY.json"),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        ok: true,
+        pairs: 0,
+        adjudicated: 0,
+        supported: 0,
+        partial: 0,
+        refuted: 0,
+        unsupported: 0,
+        failures: [],
+        unadjudicated: [],
+        verdicts: [],
+      }),
+    );
+    const check = checkOutput(dir);
+    const before = check.errors.length;
+    foldSemantic(dir, check);
+    expect(check.errors.length).toBeGreaterThan(before);
+    expect(check.errors.join(" ")).toMatch(/0 adjudicated|never engaged/i);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("downgrades the vacuous ledger to a warning under allowUnverified", () => {
+    const dir = scratch();
+    tree(dir, PRD);
+    writeFileSync(join(dir, "VERIFY.json"), JSON.stringify({ ok: true, pairs: 0, adjudicated: 0, failures: [], unadjudicated: [], verdicts: [] }));
+    const check = checkOutput(dir);
+    const before = check.errors.length;
+    foldSemantic(dir, check, { allowUnverified: true });
+    expect(check.errors.length).toBe(before);
+    expect(check.warnings.join(" ")).toMatch(/0 adjudicated|never engaged/i);
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+});
+
 describe("foldSemantic (--check --semantic composition)", () => {
   it("adds an error to the check result when VERIFY.json fails", () => {
     const dir = scratch();