fix: census integrity — 17 phantom selection keys deleted, reverse invariant added, gitignored dep patterns replaced, local map forks derived

The merge-blocking gate census counted tests that could not run. Deleted
(critic-verified against both quoted-occurrence and dep-registration
liveness): 7 *-prosons-format keys with no declaring test, ship-plan-
completion/-verification, review-plan-completion, design-shotgun-path/
session/full, autoplan-core (dead ~10 months), e2e-harness-audit (its
namesake is a FREE-suite file), plus 2 dead LLM-judge keys and 2 free-file
keys (budget-regression-pty, global-discover) misplaced in the PAID maps.
Census: 191 -> 174 keys, gate 86 -> 78 honest.

The new reverse invariant in touchfiles.test.ts makes the class structurally
impossible: every key must be quoted in a living paid test file OR
registered to an existing paid test file via its dep list (the constructed-
name binding the 2026-08 self-registration sweep established) — zero
exceptions needed today, with a live-file check on any future exception.

Also: '.agents/skills/**' dep patterns replaced with the generator
(scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts) — .agents/ is gitignored, so those patterns
could NEVER match a git diff and review-template edits silently stopped
selecting codex/gemini tests; the codex/gemini local touchfile maps are now
DERIVED from the canonical map (loud throw if a key vanishes) instead of
hand-forked copies that had already drifted. ios-qa-e2e demoted gate ->
periodic: its gate declaration was never executable in CI (hardware
exclusion only applies at tier=periodic), so every Linux PR planned a
hollow shard.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

test/codex-e2e.test.ts

@@ -63,11 +63,18 @@ if (!evalsEnabled) {
 
 // --- Diff-based test selection ---
 
-// Codex E2E touchfiles — keyed by test name, same pattern as E2E_TOUCHFILES
-const CODEX_E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
-  'codex-discover-skill':    ['codex/**', '.agents/skills/**', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts'],
-  'codex-review-findings':   ['review/**', '.agents/skills/gstack-review/**', 'codex/**', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts'],
-};
+// Codex E2E touchfiles — DERIVED from the canonical map, never a local fork.
+// The old hand-copy drifted (it kept gitignored '.agents/skills/**' patterns
+// that can never match a git diff, and missed deps the canonical map gained
+// like lib/worktree.ts and this test file itself), so review-template edits
+// silently stopped selecting these tests. Deriving keeps one source of truth
+// and puts these keys under the tier-alignment + dep-existence invariants.
+const CODEX_E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = Object.fromEntries(
+  (['codex-discover-skill', 'codex-review-findings'] as const).map((key) => {
+    if (!E2E_TOUCHFILES[key]) throw new Error(`canonical E2E_TOUCHFILES lost key '${key}' — fix the map, not this file`);
+    return [key, E2E_TOUCHFILES[key]];
+  }),
+);
 
 let selectedTests: string[] | null = null; // null = run all
 

test/gemini-e2e.test.ts

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import { JUDGE_MS } from './helpers/eval-budgets';
 import { runGeminiSkill } from './helpers/gemini-session-runner';
 import type { GeminiResult } from './helpers/gemini-session-runner';
 import { EvalCollector } from './helpers/eval-store';
-import { selectTests, detectBaseBranch, getChangedFiles, GLOBAL_TOUCHFILES } from './helpers/touchfiles';
+import { selectTests, detectBaseBranch, getChangedFiles, E2E_TOUCHFILES, GLOBAL_TOUCHFILES } from './helpers/touchfiles';
 import { createTestWorktree, harvestAndCleanup } from './helpers/e2e-helpers';
 import * as path from 'path';
 
@@ -74,10 +74,16 @@ if (!evalsEnabled) {
 
 // --- Diff-based test selection ---
 
-// Gemini E2E touchfiles — keyed by test name
-const GEMINI_E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
-  'gemini-smoke':  ['.agents/skills/**', 'test/helpers/gemini-session-runner.ts'],
-};
+// Gemini E2E touchfiles — DERIVED from the canonical map, never a local fork
+// (the old hand-copy kept a gitignored '.agents/skills/**' pattern that can
+// never match a git diff and missed canonical deps — same drift class as the
+// codex copy).
+const GEMINI_E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = Object.fromEntries(
+  (['gemini-smoke'] as const).map((key) => {
+    if (!E2E_TOUCHFILES[key]) throw new Error(`canonical E2E_TOUCHFILES lost key '${key}' — fix the map, not this file`);
+    return [key, E2E_TOUCHFILES[key]];
+  }),
+);
 
 let selectedTests: string[] | null = null; // null = run all
 

test/helpers/touchfiles-data.ts

@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'auq-repetition-cut-ab':                     ['scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'plan-ceo-review/**', 'test/helpers/auq-sdk-capture.ts', 'test/helpers/llm-judge.ts', 'test/fixtures/auq-pre-cut-plan-ceo-review-SKILL.md', 'test/skill-e2e-auq-repetition-cut-ab.test.ts'],
   'plan-ceo-mode-routing':       ['plan-ceo-review/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'test/helpers/claude-pty-runner.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-mode-routing.test.ts'],
   'plan-design-with-ui-scope':   ['plan-design-review/**', 'test/fixtures/plans/ui-heavy-feature.md', 'test/helpers/claude-pty-runner.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-plan-design-with-ui.test.ts'],
-  'budget-regression-pty':       ['test/helpers/eval-store.ts', 'test/skill-budget-regression.test.ts'],
   'ship-idempotency-pty':        ['ship/**', 'bin/gstack-next-version', 'bin/gstack-version-bump', 'scripts/resolvers/sections.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/helpers/claude-pty-runner.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-ship-idempotency.test.ts'],
   'tpa-present':                 ['scripts/resolvers/third-party-actions.ts', 'ship/SKILL.md.tmpl', 'ship/sections/apple-release.md.tmpl', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/helpers/session-runner.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-third-party-actions.test.ts'],
   'tpa-absent-linux':            ['scripts/resolvers/third-party-actions.ts', 'ship/SKILL.md.tmpl', 'ship/sections/apple-release.md.tmpl', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/helpers/session-runner.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-third-party-actions.test.ts'],
@@ -149,7 +148,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   // skill (D-CODEX A). Touching the registry/helper or sections.ts runs all.
   'carve-section-loading':       ['design-html/**', 'design-shotgun/**', 'qa/**', 'browse/**', 'retro/**', 'autoplan/**', 'spec/**', 'setup-gbrain/**', 'review/**', 'codex/**', 'land-and-deploy/**', 'plan-eng-review/**', 'plan-design-review/**', 'plan-devex-review/**', 'office-hours/**', 'document-release/**', 'design-consultation/**', 'cso/**', 'test/helpers/carve-guards.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/sections.ts', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/helpers/auq-sdk-capture.ts', 'test/helpers/session-runner.ts', 'test/carve-section-loading.test.ts'],
   'autoplan-chain-pty':          ['autoplan/**', 'plan-ceo-review/**', 'plan-design-review/**', 'plan-eng-review/**', 'plan-devex-review/**', 'test/fixtures/plans/ui-heavy-feature.md', 'test/helpers/claude-pty-runner.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-autoplan-chain.test.ts'],
-  'e2e-harness-audit':            ['bin/gstack-skill-start', 'bin/gstack-skill-end', 'plan-ceo-review/**', 'plan-eng-review/**', 'plan-design-review/**', 'plan-devex-review/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-completion-status.ts', 'test/helpers/agent-sdk-runner.ts', 'test/helpers/claude-pty-runner.ts'],
 
   // Per-finding AskUserQuestion count + review-report-at-bottom assertion.
   // Each test drives its skill end-to-end; touchfiles include preamble +
@@ -207,13 +205,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'plan-review-prosons-neutral-neg':  ['plan-ceo-review/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md', 'test/skill-e2e-plan-prosons.test.ts'],
 
   // Expanded coverage (CT3) — 6 non-plan-review skills inherit Pros/Cons via preamble
-  'ship-prosons-format':              ['ship/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
-  'office-hours-prosons-format':      ['office-hours/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
-  'investigate-prosons-format':       ['investigate/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
-  'qa-prosons-format':                ['qa/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
-  'review-prosons-format':            ['review/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
-  'design-review-prosons-format':     ['design-review/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
-  'document-release-prosons-format':  ['document-release/**', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/generate-ask-user-format.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble.ts', 'model-overlays/opus-4-7.md'],
 
   // /plan-tune (v1 observational)
   'plan-tune-inspect':         ['plan-tune/**', 'scripts/question-registry.ts', 'scripts/psychographic-signals.ts', 'scripts/one-way-doors.ts', 'bin/gstack-question-log', 'bin/gstack-question-preference', 'bin/gstack-developer-profile', 'test/skill-e2e-plan-tune.test.ts'],
@@ -241,7 +232,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'retro-base-branch': ['bin/gstack-retro-metrics', 'retro/**', 'test/skill-e2e-retro.test.ts'],
 
   // Global discover
-  'global-discover':   ['bin/gstack-global-discover.ts', 'test/global-discover.test.ts'],
 
   // CSO
   'cso-full-audit':   ['cso/**', 'test/skill-e2e-cso.test.ts'],
@@ -277,14 +267,14 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'codex-review': ['codex/**', 'test/skill-e2e-workflow.test.ts'],
 
   // Codex E2E (tests skills via Codex CLI + worktree)
-  'codex-discover-skill':  ['codex/**', '.agents/skills/**', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/codex-e2e.test.ts'],
-  'codex-review-findings': ['review/**', '.agents/skills/gstack-review/**', 'codex/**', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/codex-e2e.test.ts'],
+  'codex-discover-skill':  ['codex/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/codex-e2e.test.ts'],
+  'codex-review-findings': ['review/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'codex/**', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/codex-e2e.test.ts'],
 
   // GPT-5.6 Sol scope-termination E2E (Codex CLI, full generated investigate skill)
   'codex-sol-scope-termination': ['model-overlays/gpt-5.6-sol.md', 'scripts/models.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/model-overlay.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/preamble/**', 'investigate/**', 'test/helpers/codex-session-runner.ts', 'test/codex-e2e-sol-scope.test.ts'],
 
   // Gemini E2E — smoke test only (Gemini gets lost in worktrees on complex tasks)
-  'gemini-smoke':  ['.agents/skills/**', 'test/helpers/gemini-session-runner.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/gemini-e2e.test.ts'],
+  'gemini-smoke':  ['scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/helpers/gemini-session-runner.ts', 'lib/worktree.ts', 'test/gemini-e2e.test.ts'],
 
 
   // Coverage audit (shared fixture) + triage + gates
@@ -295,9 +285,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'ship-docsync': ['ship/**', 'document-release/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/sections.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts'],
 
   // Plan completion audit + verification
-  'ship-plan-completion': ['ship/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts'],
-  'ship-plan-verification': ['ship/**', 'qa-only/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts'],
-  'review-plan-completion': ['review/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts'],
 
   // Design
   'design-consultation-core':       ['design-consultation/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/helpers/llm-judge.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-design.test.ts'],
@@ -308,9 +295,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'design-review-fix':              ['design-review/**', 'browse/src/**', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-design.test.ts'],
 
   // Design Shotgun
-  'design-shotgun-path':            ['design-shotgun/**', 'design/src/**', 'scripts/resolvers/design.ts'],
-  'design-shotgun-session':         ['design-shotgun/**', 'scripts/resolvers/design.ts'],
-  'design-shotgun-full':            ['design-shotgun/**', 'design/src/**', 'browse/src/**'],
 
   // /diagram (diagram-render bundle consumers). Triplet = deterministic
   // functional (gate); authoring quality = LLM-judged benchmark (periodic).
@@ -330,7 +314,6 @@ export const E2E_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
 
 
   // Autoplan
-  'autoplan-core':  ['autoplan/**', 'plan-ceo-review/**', 'plan-eng-review/**', 'plan-design-review/**'],
   'autoplan-dual-voice': ['autoplan/**', 'codex/**', 'bin/gstack-codex-probe', 'scripts/resolvers/review.ts', 'scripts/resolvers/design.ts', 'test/skill-e2e-autoplan-dual-voice.test.ts'],
 
   // Multi-provider benchmark adapters — live API smoke against real claude/codex/gemini CLIs
@@ -523,7 +506,6 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'review-base-branch': 'gate',
   'review-design-lite': 'periodic',   // 4/7 threshold is subjective
   'review-coverage-audit': 'gate',
-  'review-plan-completion': 'gate',
   'review-dashboard-via': 'gate',
 
   // Review Army — gate for core functionality, periodic for multi-specialist
@@ -583,7 +565,6 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'office-hours-auto-mode': 'gate',
   'auto-decide-preserved': 'periodic',
   'conductor-prose': 'periodic',
-  'e2e-harness-audit': 'gate',
 
   // Real-PTY E2E batch — tier classification:
   //   gate: cheap, deterministic, run on every PR
@@ -593,7 +574,6 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'auq-format-gate':                         'gate',       // ~$0.50/run, SDK capture, single skill probe
   'plan-ceo-mode-routing':     'periodic',   // ~$3/run, deep navigation through 8-12 prior AskUserQuestions
   'plan-design-with-ui-scope': 'gate',       // ~$0.80/run
-  'budget-regression-pty':     'gate',       // free, library-only assertion
   'ship-idempotency-pty':      'periodic',   // ~$3/run, real /ship in plan mode
   'tpa-present':               'gate',       // consent/credential safety guardrail; deterministic shims + grep asserts
   'tpa-absent-linux':          'gate',       // consent/credential safety guardrail; deterministic shims + grep asserts
@@ -656,13 +636,6 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'plan-review-prosons-neutral-neg': 'periodic',
 
   // CT3 expanded coverage — non-plan-review skills inheriting Pros/Cons (all periodic)
-  'ship-prosons-format': 'periodic',
-  'office-hours-prosons-format': 'periodic',
-  'investigate-prosons-format': 'periodic',
-  'qa-prosons-format': 'periodic',
-  'review-prosons-format': 'periodic',
-  'design-review-prosons-format': 'periodic',
-  'document-release-prosons-format': 'periodic',
 
   // /plan-tune — gate (core v1 DX promise: plain-English intent routing)
   'plan-tune-inspect': 'gate',
@@ -702,15 +675,12 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'ship-coverage-audit': 'gate',
   'ship-triage': 'gate',
   'ship-docsync': 'gate',
-  'ship-plan-completion': 'gate',
-  'ship-plan-verification': 'gate',
 
   // Retro — gate for cheap branch detection, periodic for full Opus retro
   'retro': 'periodic',
   'retro-base-branch': 'gate',
 
   // Global discover
-  'global-discover': 'gate',
 
   // CSO — gate for security guardrails, periodic for quality
   'cso-full-audit': 'periodic',  // D2a demotion 2026-08: 250s/$0.57 full audit; cso targeted tests stay gate
@@ -739,9 +709,6 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'design-consultation-preview': 'periodic',   // D2a demotion 2026-08 ($0.89/481s)
   'plan-design-review-no-ui-scope': 'gate',
   'design-review-fix': 'periodic',
-  'design-shotgun-path': 'gate',
-  'design-shotgun-session': 'gate',
-  'design-shotgun-full': 'periodic',
 
   // /diagram — triplet is deterministic functional, judge is a quality benchmark
   'diagram-triplet': 'gate',
@@ -760,7 +727,6 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
 
 
   // Autoplan — periodic (not yet implemented)
-  'autoplan-core': 'periodic',
   'autoplan-dual-voice': 'periodic',
 
   // Multi-provider benchmark — periodic (requires external CLIs + auth, paid)
@@ -793,9 +759,14 @@ export const E2E_TIERS: Record<string, 'gate' | 'periodic'> = {
   'overlay-harness-opus-4-7-fanout-toy': 'periodic',
   'overlay-harness-opus-4-7-fanout-realistic': 'periodic',
 
-  // /ios-qa daemon + codegen — no-device path runs every PR (no hardware
-  // dependency, deterministic). with-device path requires GSTACK_HAS_IOS_DEVICE.
-  'ios-qa-e2e': 'gate',
+  // /ios-qa daemon + codegen. Demoted gate -> periodic (2026-08 audit): the
+  // gate declaration was never executable in CI — the file sits in
+  // PERIODIC_CI_EXCLUDE ("not a CI runner capability"), but that exclusion
+  // only applies at tier=periodic, so the gate lane planned a HOLLOW shard
+  // on every Linux PR. Periodic keeps it in the weekly census on capable
+  // hosts; re-promote if a macOS runner lands (flagged decision in the
+  // test-infra overhaul plan).
+  'ios-qa-e2e': 'periodic',
   // Swift toolchain only, no device required, but heavier than TS unit tests.
   'ios-qa-swift-build': 'periodic',
   // Requires a real connected + paired iPhone. Manual-trigger only.
@@ -841,8 +812,6 @@ export const LLM_JUDGE_TOUCHFILES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'design-consultation/SKILL.md research': ['design-consultation/SKILL.md', 'design-consultation/SKILL.md.tmpl', 'test/skill-llm-eval.test.ts'],
 
   // Office Hours
-  'office-hours/SKILL.md spec review':    ['office-hours/SKILL.md', 'office-hours/SKILL.md.tmpl', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts'],
-  'office-hours/SKILL.md design sketch':  ['office-hours/SKILL.md', 'office-hours/SKILL.md.tmpl', 'scripts/gen-skill-docs.ts'],
 
   // Deploy skills
   'land-and-deploy/SKILL.md workflow':    ['land-and-deploy/SKILL.md', 'land-and-deploy/SKILL.md.tmpl', 'land-and-deploy/sections/**', 'test/skill-llm-eval.test.ts'],

test/touchfiles.test.ts

@@ -81,14 +81,12 @@ describe('selectTests', () => {
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-selective');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-benefits');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-expansion-energy');
-    expect(result.selected).toContain('autoplan-core');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('codex-offered-ceo-review');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-format-mode');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-format-approach');
     // v1.10.2.0 plan-mode handshake entries also depend on plan-ceo-review/**
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-plan-mode');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-mode-no-op');
-    expect(result.selected).toContain('e2e-harness-audit');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-ceo-review-prosons-cadence');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-review-prosons-format');
     expect(result.selected).toContain('plan-review-prosons-hardstop-neg');
@@ -115,8 +113,8 @@ describe('selectTests', () => {
     expect(result.selected).toContain('preamble-script-ab');
     // AUQ repetition-cut NOT-WORSE gate drives plan-ceo-review, so it keys on it too.
     expect(result.selected).toContain('auq-repetition-cut-ab');
-    expect(result.selected.length).toBe(25);
-    expect(result.skipped.length).toBe(Object.keys(E2E_TOUCHFILES).length - 25);
+    expect(result.selected.length).toBe(23);
+    expect(result.skipped.length).toBe(Object.keys(E2E_TOUCHFILES).length - 23);
   });
 
   test('global touchfile triggers ALL tests', () => {
@@ -388,3 +386,65 @@ describe('touchfile dependency paths exist', () => {
     }
   });
 });
+
+// --- Reverse invariant: every selection key names a LIVING test ---
+// The forward invariants above catch stale dep PATHS; nothing caught stale
+// KEYS. The 2026-08 audit found 15 phantom E2E keys (6 gate-tier) selecting
+// tests that existed nowhere — the merge-blocking census counted work that
+// could not run. A key earns its place by appearing as a quoted testName in
+// a living paid test file; constructed names get a reasoned exception.
+
+describe('reverse invariant — keys must name living paid tests', () => {
+  const { isPaidTestFile } = require('./helpers/paid-test-set') as typeof import('./helpers/paid-test-set');
+
+  /** Keys whose testNames are CONSTRUCTED at runtime (template literals), so
+   *  a quoted-occurrence scan cannot see them. Each entry needs the file that
+   *  constructs it. Shrink-only: prefer literal names in new tests. */
+  const CONSTRUCTED_NAME_EXCEPTIONS: Record<string, string> = {};
+
+  const paidSources: string[] = [];
+  for (const name of fs.readdirSync(path.join(ROOT, 'test'))) {
+    const rel = `test/${name}`;
+    if (!isPaidTestFile(rel)) continue;
+    paidSources.push(fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, rel), 'utf-8'));
+  }
+
+  const quotedSomewhere = (key: string): boolean =>
+    paidSources.some((src) =>
+      src.includes(`'${key}'`) || src.includes(`"${key}"`) || src.includes('`' + key + '`'));
+
+  /** Clause (b) of liveness: constructed testNames (template literals) bind
+   *  through SELF-REGISTRATION — the 2026-08 dep-list sweep put each test
+   *  FILE into its key's dep list, and the parent mapper keeps a shard on
+   *  that registration union. So a key is alive when its name is quoted in a
+   *  paid file OR its dep list names an existing paid test file. */
+  const registeredToLivingFile = (key: string): boolean =>
+    (E2E_TOUCHFILES[key] ?? []).some((dep) =>
+      /\.test\.ts$/.test(dep) && isPaidTestFile(dep) && fs.existsSync(path.join(ROOT, dep)));
+
+  test('every E2E_TOUCHFILES key is declared in a living paid test file', () => {
+    expect(paidSources.length).toBeGreaterThan(50); // scan-rot guard
+    const phantoms = Object.keys(E2E_TOUCHFILES)
+      .filter((key) => !(key in CONSTRUCTED_NAME_EXCEPTIONS))
+      .filter((key) => !quotedSomewhere(key) && !registeredToLivingFile(key));
+    expect(
+      phantoms,
+      `E2E_TOUCHFILES key(s) with NO declaring paid test — the census counts tests that cannot run. ` +
+      `Delete the key (both maps) or implement the test:\n  ${phantoms.join('\n  ')}`,
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  test('every LLM_JUDGE_TOUCHFILES key is declared in a living paid test file', () => {
+    const phantoms = Object.keys(LLM_JUDGE_TOUCHFILES).filter((key) => !quotedSomewhere(key));
+    expect(
+      phantoms,
+      `LLM_JUDGE_TOUCHFILES key(s) with NO declaring test:\n  ${phantoms.join('\n  ')}`,
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  test('constructed-name exceptions stay live (files exist and construct them)', () => {
+    const stale = Object.entries(CONSTRUCTED_NAME_EXCEPTIONS)
+      .filter(([, file]) => !fs.existsSync(path.join(ROOT, file)));
+    expect(stale.map(([k]) => k), 'exception points at a deleted file — remove the entry').toEqual([]);
+  });
+});