diff --git a/review/sections/review-army.md b/review/sections/review-army.md
index 4a1e82889..10f990caa 100644
--- a/review/sections/review-army.md
+++ b/review/sections/review-army.md
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ Based on the scope signals above, select which specialists to dispatch.
 6. **API Contract** — if SCOPE_API=true. Read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/api-contract.md`
 7. **Design** — if SCOPE_FRONTEND=true. Use the existing design review checklist at `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/design-checklist.md` and run the mechanical pass at the top of that checklist (the user-installed design detector, when present) before the LLM items
 8. **Simplification** — if DIFF_LINES > 100. Read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/simplification.md`. Advisory-only lens: hunts unrequested structure (hand-rolled stdlib, one-implementation abstractions, dependencies duplicating platform features), never coverage.
-9. **State Machines** — any size, if `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-state-matrix detect --base <base>` says SCOPE_STATE_MACHINE=true: read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/state-machines.md`; its output must pass that tool's `check -`.
+9. **State Machines** — if `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-state-matrix detect --base <base>` says SCOPE_STATE_MACHINE=true: read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/state-machines.md`, then pipe output to `check -`.
 
 ### Adaptive gating
 
diff --git a/scripts/resolvers/review-army.ts b/scripts/resolvers/review-army.ts
index 8d5db9dd6..49faaf5d9 100644
--- a/scripts/resolvers/review-army.ts
+++ b/scripts/resolvers/review-army.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Based on the scope signals above, select which specialists to dispatch.
 6. **API Contract** — if SCOPE_API=true. Read \`${ctx.paths.skillRoot}/review/specialists/api-contract.md\`
 7. **Design** — if SCOPE_FRONTEND=true. Use the existing design review checklist at \`${ctx.paths.skillRoot}/review/design-checklist.md\` and run the mechanical pass at the top of that checklist (the user-installed design detector, when present) before the LLM items
 8. **Simplification** — if DIFF_LINES > 100. Read \`${ctx.paths.skillRoot}/review/specialists/simplification.md\`. Advisory-only lens: hunts unrequested structure (hand-rolled stdlib, one-implementation abstractions, dependencies duplicating platform features), never coverage.
-9. **State Machines** — any size, if \`${ctx.paths.binDir}/gstack-state-matrix detect --base <base>\` says SCOPE_STATE_MACHINE=true: read \`${ctx.paths.skillRoot}/review/specialists/state-machines.md\`; its output must pass that tool's \`check -\`.
+9. **State Machines** — if \`${ctx.paths.binDir}/gstack-state-matrix detect --base <base>\` says SCOPE_STATE_MACHINE=true: read \`${ctx.paths.skillRoot}/review/specialists/state-machines.md\`, then pipe output to \`check -\`.
 
 ### Adaptive gating
 
diff --git a/ship/sections/review-army.md b/ship/sections/review-army.md
index 6ac375131..106f92ef9 100644
--- a/ship/sections/review-army.md
+++ b/ship/sections/review-army.md
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ Based on the scope signals above, select which specialists to dispatch.
 6. **API Contract** — if SCOPE_API=true. Read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/api-contract.md`
 7. **Design** — if SCOPE_FRONTEND=true. Use the existing design review checklist at `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/design-checklist.md` and run the mechanical pass at the top of that checklist (the user-installed design detector, when present) before the LLM items
 8. **Simplification** — if DIFF_LINES > 100. Read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/simplification.md`. Advisory-only lens: hunts unrequested structure (hand-rolled stdlib, one-implementation abstractions, dependencies duplicating platform features), never coverage.
-9. **State Machines** — any size, if `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-state-matrix detect --base <base>` says SCOPE_STATE_MACHINE=true: read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/state-machines.md`; its output must pass that tool's `check -`.
+9. **State Machines** — if `~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-state-matrix detect --base <base>` says SCOPE_STATE_MACHINE=true: read `~/.claude/skills/gstack/review/specialists/state-machines.md`, then pipe output to `check -`.
 
 ### Adaptive gating