diff --git a/design/src/check.ts b/design/src/check.ts
index dd4bfe43..8f4aee9a 100644
--- a/design/src/check.ts
+++ b/design/src/check.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ export async function checkMockup(imagePath: string, brief: string): Promise<Che
 
     if (!response.ok) {
       const error = await response.text();
+      if (response.status === 403 && error.includes("organization must be verified")) {
+        console.error("OpenAI organization verification required. Go to https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization to verify.");
+        return { pass: true, issues: "OpenAI org not verified — vision check skipped" };
+      }
       // Non-blocking: if vision check fails, default to PASS with warning
       console.error(`Vision check API error (${response.status}): ${error}`);
       return { pass: true, issues: "Vision check unavailable — skipped" };
diff --git a/design/src/evolve.ts b/design/src/evolve.ts
index f776b065..c88ae6c6 100644
--- a/design/src/evolve.ts
+++ b/design/src/evolve.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ export async function evolve(options: EvolveOptions): Promise<void> {
 
     if (!response.ok) {
       const error = await response.text();
+      if (response.status === 403 && error.includes("organization must be verified")) {
+        throw new Error(
+          "OpenAI organization verification required.\n"
+          + "Go to https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization to verify.\n"
+          + "After verification, wait up to 15 minutes for access to propagate.",
+        );
+      }
       throw new Error(`API error (${response.status}): ${error.slice(0, 300)}`);
     }
 
diff --git a/design/src/iterate.ts b/design/src/iterate.ts
index d6ec5a53..c85eacee 100644
--- a/design/src/iterate.ts
+++ b/design/src/iterate.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,13 @@ async function callWithThreading(
 
     if (!response.ok) {
       const error = await response.text();
+      if (response.status === 403 && error.includes("organization must be verified")) {
+        throw new Error(
+          "OpenAI organization verification required.\n"
+          + "Go to https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization to verify.\n"
+          + "After verification, wait up to 15 minutes for access to propagate.",
+        );
+      }
       throw new Error(`API error (${response.status}): ${error.slice(0, 300)}`);
     }
 
@@ -142,6 +149,13 @@ async function callFresh(
 
     if (!response.ok) {
       const error = await response.text();
+      if (response.status === 403 && error.includes("organization must be verified")) {
+        throw new Error(
+          "OpenAI organization verification required.\n"
+          + "Go to https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization to verify.\n"
+          + "After verification, wait up to 15 minutes for access to propagate.",
+        );
+      }
       throw new Error(`API error (${response.status}): ${error.slice(0, 300)}`);
     }
 
diff --git a/design/src/variants.ts b/design/src/variants.ts
index e9d8ad77..87ccca92 100644
--- a/design/src/variants.ts
+++ b/design/src/variants.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ async function generateVariant(
 
       if (!response.ok) {
         const error = await response.text();
+        if (response.status === 403 && error.includes("organization must be verified")) {
+          return { path: outputPath, success: false, error: "OpenAI organization verification required. Go to https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization to verify." };
+        }
         return { path: outputPath, success: false, error: `API error (${response.status}): ${error.slice(0, 200)}` };
       }