diff --git a/qa/SKILL.md.tmpl b/qa/SKILL.md.tmpl
index 391102800..b2451924c 100644
--- a/qa/SKILL.md.tmpl
+++ b/qa/SKILL.md.tmpl
@@ -238,19 +238,12 @@ Healthy-contract commits use `test(qa): regression test for {contract}`.
 
 ### 8f. Self-Regulation (STOP AND EVALUATE)
 
-Every 5 fixes (or after any revert), compute the WTF-likelihood:
+Every 5 fixes (or after any revert), judge the WTF-likelihood: is the loop now doing
+more harm than good? Reverts, edits to unrelated files, fixes spanning many files, a
+long run of fixes, and a queue of only Low issues all raise it.
 
-```
-WTF-LIKELIHOOD:
-  Start at 0%
-  Each revert:                +15%
-  Each fix touching >3 files: +5%
-  After fix 15:               +1% per additional fix
-  All remaining Low severity: +10%
-  Touching unrelated files:   +20%
-```
-
-**If WTF > 20%:** STOP immediately. Show the user what you've done so far. Ask whether to continue.
+**If it is high** (two reverts or one unrelated-file edit is enough): STOP immediately.
+Show the user what you've done so far. Ask whether to continue.
 
 **Hard cap: 50 fixes.** After 50 fixes, stop regardless of remaining issues.
 
diff --git a/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts b/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts
index 0a1febe8e..a27fbed59 100644
--- a/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts
+++ b/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ do not launch the downstream skill or open a browser.`,
         '## Phase 7: Triage',
         '## Phase 8: Fix Loop',
         '8e.5. Regression Test',
-        'WTF-LIKELIHOOD',
+        '### 8f. Self-Regulation',
         '## Additional Rules (qa-specific)',
         '## Output Structure',
       ],
diff --git a/test/qa-browser-preservation.test.ts b/test/qa-browser-preservation.test.ts
index 0cd24f262..3d1599ecd 100644
--- a/test/qa-browser-preservation.test.ts
+++ b/test/qa-browser-preservation.test.ts
@@ -217,7 +217,8 @@ describe('compact QA browser recipes retain native operations', () => {
     const classification = section('### 8e.', '### 8e.5.');
     for (const rule of ['passed 8c', 'native regression when available', 'disclose missing test coverage', "undo only this run's repair", 'revert its commit if already committed', 'retain the valid regression/evidence', '"deferred"', 'Never discard user changes']) expect(classification).toContain(rule);
     const regulation = section('### 8f.', '## Phase 9:');
-    for (const rule of ['Every 5 fixes (or after any revert)', 'WTF > 20%', 'STOP immediately', 'Ask whether to continue', 'Hard cap: 50 fixes']) expect(regulation).toContain(rule);
+    for (const rule of ['Every 5 fixes (or after any revert)', 'STOP immediately', 'Ask whether to continue', 'Hard cap: 50 fixes']) expect(regulation).toContain(rule);
+    for (const signal of [/WTF-likelihood/i, /revert/i, /unrelated/i]) expect(regulation).toMatch(signal);
     expect(source).toContain('When in doubt, stop and ask');
     const rules = source.slice(source.indexOf('## Additional Rules'));
     for (const rule of ['Outside an explicitly approved browser bootstrap', 'Only create tests through authorized codification in Phase 8a.5', 'Never modify CI configuration or weaken existing tests', 'use new native test files']) expect(rules).toContain(rule);
diff --git a/test/skill-validation.test.ts b/test/skill-validation.test.ts
index 1401a5d43..ff1faccc7 100644
--- a/test/skill-validation.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-validation.test.ts
@@ -1247,7 +1247,7 @@ describe('Phase 8e.5 regression test generation', () => {
     const content = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, 'qa', 'SKILL.md'), 'utf-8');
     expect(content).toContain('8e.5. Regression Test');
     expect(content).toContain('test(qa): regression test');
-    expect(content).toContain('WTF-likelihood exclusion');
+    expect(content).toMatch(/test-only commits do not count/i);
   });
 
   test('qa/SKILL.md Rule 13 is amended for regression tests', () => {