diff --git a/bin/gstack-ship-receipt b/bin/gstack-ship-receipt
index e5aef15ca..a798e0922 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-ship-receipt
+++ b/bin/gstack-ship-receipt
@@ -225,24 +225,31 @@ function cmdResult(rest: string[], json: boolean): number {
     source = path.resolve(bodyFile);
   } else if (pr) {
     const repo = flag(rest, '--repo');
-    const r = gh(['pr', 'view', pr, ...(repo ? ['--repo', repo] : []), '--json', 'body']);
+    const r = gh(['pr', 'view', pr, ...(repo ? ['--repo', repo] : []), '--json', 'body,headRefOid']);
     if (!r.ok) return incomplete(`gh pr view failed: ${r.err.trim()}`);
-    try { body = JSON.parse(r.out).body ?? ''; } catch { return incomplete('gh returned no JSON body'); }
+    let pushed: unknown;
+    try { const v = JSON.parse(r.out); body = v.body ?? ''; pushed = v.headRefOid; } catch { return incomplete('gh returned no JSON body'); }
+    if (typeof pushed === 'string' && /^[0-9a-f]{12,64}$/i.test(pushed) && !pushed.toLowerCase().startsWith(head.toLowerCase())) {
+      return refused('QUEUE_RECEIPT_STALE', `HEAD ${head.slice(0, 12)} is not PR #${pr}'s pushed head ${pushed.slice(0, 12)}; push it, then rerun gstack-ship-receipt result`);
+    }
     source = `PR #${pr}${repo ? ` (${repo})` : ''}`;
   } else { process.stderr.write(`gstack-ship-receipt result: --pr <n> or --body <file> is required\n${HELP}\n`); return EXIT.usage; }
   const bound = bindReceipt(body, pr, [head]);
   if (!bound.ok) return refused(bound.code, bound.message);
   const stamp = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[:.]/g, '-');
-  const dir = flag(rest, '--out') ?? path.join(resolveStateRoot(), 'ship', 'runs', `${stamp}-${head.slice(0, 12)}`);
-  fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+  const out = flag(rest, '--out');
+  const dir = out ? path.resolve(out) : path.join(resolveStateRoot(), 'ship', 'runs', `${stamp}-${head.slice(0, 12)}`);
   const receiptPath = path.join(dir, 'ship-receipt.md');
-  fs.writeFileSync(receiptPath, renderReceiptBlock(bound.receipt));
+  try {
+    fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(receiptPath, renderReceiptBlock(bound.receipt));
+  } catch (e) { return incomplete(`cannot write the run record under ${dir}: ${e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}`); }
   const run = {
     schema_version: 1, skill: 'ship', status: 'complete', head, pr: bound.receipt.pr ?? (pr ? Number(pr) : null), base: bound.receipt.base, version: bound.receipt.version ?? null,
     queue_mode: bound.receipt.queue_mode ?? null, session_kind: bound.receipt.session_kind ?? process.env.GSTACK_SESSION_KIND ?? null,
     receipt: receiptPath, receipt_source: source, branch: repoRoot ? git(['rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD'], repoRoot) ?? null : null, created_at: new Date().toISOString(),
   };
-  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'ship-run.json'), JSON.stringify(run, null, 2) + '\n');
+  try { fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'ship-run.json'), JSON.stringify(run, null, 2) + '\n'); } catch (e) { return incomplete(`cannot write ${path.join(dir, 'ship-run.json')}: ${e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}`); }
   process.stderr.write(bound.line + '\n');
   process.stdout.write(json ? JSON.stringify({ ...run, run: dir }) + '\n' : `GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=complete run=${dir}\n`);
   return EXIT.ok;
diff --git a/bin/gstack-skill-start b/bin/gstack-skill-start
index da1d011b7..f193b539f 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-skill-start
+++ b/bin/gstack-skill-start
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ if [ "$_SESSION_KIND" = "unattended" ]; then
   case "$SKILL_NAME" in
     autoplan)  _UA_RECORD="This skill writes a run directory through gstack-autoplan (plan.md, review-record.md, tasks.jsonl, decisions.jsonl, findings.jsonl, timing.json, run.json, gate.json): append each recommended choice to decisions.jsonl with kind \"auto\" and each pending one with kind \"approval\" and status \"pending\". The final approval gate is written as a gate list (gstack-gate render) and this run ENDS there with \`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=autoplan status=gate_pending run=<dir>\`." ;;
     eval-plan) _UA_RECORD="This run ENDS at the Step 4 spend approval, left pending, with \`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=eval-plan status=gate_pending run=<outdir>\`, where <outdir> is the pilot's --out directory. No helper writes a gate.json for this skill yet, so the parent reads the pilot report and spend ledger in <outdir>." ;;
-    ship)      _UA_RECORD="This skill ends with \`gstack-ship-receipt result\` (Step 22), which writes <state root>/ship/runs/<utc>-<head12>/ship-run.json (a /ship record, not a run manifest) and prints \`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=complete run=<dir>\`; a run that stops earlier prints \`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=refused run=-\` itself. The one publication allowed here: when an open PR for this branch exists and HEAD is its pushed head, update that PR's body with the receipt through the pr-body section's existing-PR path (never pr-create, never a push); otherwise the handoff section writes the receipt to .gstack/tmp/ship-receipt.md and the parent reads it there." ;;
+    ship)      _UA_RECORD="This skill ends with \`gstack-ship-receipt result\` (Step 22), which writes <state root>/ship/runs/<utc>-<head12>/ship-run.json (a /ship record, not a run manifest) and prints \`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=complete run=<dir>\`; a run that stops earlier prints \`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=refused run=-\` itself. The one publication allowed here: when an open PR for this branch exists and HEAD is its pushed head, update that PR's body and title with the receipt through the pr-body section's existing-PR path (never pr-create, never a push, and never \`gh pr ready\`: the draft-state items there concern an early PR this run never opened); otherwise the handoff section writes the receipt to .gstack/tmp/ship-receipt.md and the parent reads it there." ;;
     review)    _UA_RECORD="$_UA_NONE The parent reads the review-log rows (\`gstack-review-read\`)." ;;
     qa)        _UA_RECORD="$_UA_NONE The parent reads the \`qa-report-*.md\` file." ;;
     *)         _UA_RECORD="$_UA_NONE The parent reads this skill's own record (docs/unattended.md)." ;;
diff --git a/docs/unattended.md b/docs/unattended.md
index 7d594110e..b6831b4d6 100644
--- a/docs/unattended.md
+++ b/docs/unattended.md
@@ -100,8 +100,11 @@ Not every workflow writes this line or a run directory today:
   open PR for the branch exists and HEAD is its pushed head, Step 18 takes the
   pr-body section's existing-PR path and posts the body (receipt first) and
   title through `gstack-post`. That is the one publication the unattended
-  rules allow; it never runs `pr-create`, never pushes a commit, and a branch
-  with no open PR, or whose PR head is not HEAD, takes the handoff section.
+  rules allow; it never runs `pr-create`, never pushes a commit, never runs
+  `gh pr ready` (the existing-PR path's draft-state items concern an early PR
+  an unattended run never opens), and a branch with no open PR, or whose PR
+  head is not HEAD, takes the handoff section. `result --pr <n>` also refuses
+  `QUEUE_RECEIPT_STALE` when HEAD is not the PR's pushed head.
   When the run committed anything (a CHANGELOG entry, generated tests), the
   parent pushes those commits itself, then reruns the receipt write, the body
   post and `result` at the pushed head: a receipt for an unpushed head is
diff --git a/hosts/claude/hooks/auq-error-fallback-hook.ts b/hosts/claude/hooks/auq-error-fallback-hook.ts
index 7fe74ef74..49027ee80 100755
--- a/hosts/claude/hooks/auq-error-fallback-hook.ts
+++ b/hosts/claude/hooks/auq-error-fallback-hook.ts
@@ -154,8 +154,9 @@ export function directiveFor(kind: SessionKind): string {
         'a destructive or irreversible option, or an approval gate is appended with kind "approval" and status ' +
         '"pending" — never chosen, never approved — and the skill ends at its next gate. Only /autoplan and ' +
         '/eval-plan print `GSTACK_RESULT: skill=<name> status=gate_pending run=<dir>` there, and /ship prints its ' +
-        'own line at Step 22 (`gstack-ship-receipt result`); every other skill prints no GSTACK_RESULT line, so do ' +
-        'not invent one (Unattended session block; docs/unattended.md names each skill\'s record).'
+        'own line at Step 22 (`gstack-ship-receipt result`); every other skill prints no GSTACK_RESULT line of its own ' +
+        '(only a refused install check prints `status=refused run=-` for any skill), so do not invent one ' +
+        '(Unattended session block; docs/unattended.md names each skill\'s record).'
       );
     case 'headless':
       // #2733 review (multi-specialist): a spawned-marked subagent under a
diff --git a/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts b/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts
index 9ea2799d1..949665847 100644
--- a/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts
+++ b/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ export async function trainReady(ctx: QueueContext, o: ReadyOptions): Promise<Tr
     const again = `resolve the conflict with ${ctx.base} (or wait for GitHub to recompute refs/pull/${o.pr}/merge), push, then ${Q} ready --pr ${o.pr} --screen; a screen dispatched on a stale merge ref plans no cases`;
     if (!/^[0-9a-f]{40,64}$/.test(mergeSha)) return outRefused({ code: 'QUEUE_SCREEN_STALE_REF', message: `${env.remote} has no refs/pull/${o.pr}/merge (the PR conflicts with ${ctx.base}, or GitHub has not computed it yet)` }, lines, again, 'none');
     const fetched = git(ctx.repoRoot, ['fetch', '-q', env.remote, `refs/pull/${o.pr}/merge`]);
-    const mergeParent = fetched.ok ? git(ctx.repoRoot, ['rev-parse', '--verify', '--quiet', `${mergeSha}^2`]).out : '';
+    if (!fetched.ok) return outRefused({ code: 'QUEUE_SCREEN_STALE_REF', message: `could not fetch refs/pull/${o.pr}/merge from ${env.remote}: ${(fetched.err || fetched.out).trim().slice(0, 200) || 'git fetch failed'}` }, lines, `check the remote, then ${Q} ready --pr ${o.pr} --screen`, 'none');
+    const mergeParent = git(ctx.repoRoot, ['rev-parse', '--verify', '--quiet', `${mergeSha}^2`]).out;
     if (mergeParent !== head) return outRefused({ code: 'QUEUE_SCREEN_STALE_REF', message: `${env.remote}'s refs/pull/${o.pr}/merge (${mergeSha.slice(0, 12)}) merges ${mergeParent ? mergeParent.slice(0, 12) : 'no PR head'}, not the PR head ${head.slice(0, 12)}: GitHub has not recomputed it, which is what a conflicting PR looks like (CHANGELOG-only conflicts included)` }, lines, again, 'none');
     const d = await dispatchScreen(env, o, mergeSha, baseSha);
     if ('exit' in d) return { ...d, lines: [...lines, ...d.lines] };
diff --git a/lib/ship-receipt.ts b/lib/ship-receipt.ts
index c543edbfd..713dcbc90 100644
--- a/lib/ship-receipt.ts
+++ b/lib/ship-receipt.ts
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ export function missingIssueLines(body: string, issues: NonNullable<ShipReceipt[
   return expected.filter(e => !have.some(l => l === e || l.startsWith(`${e} `)));
 }
 
-/** The first lines of the completion message to the coordinator: identifiers only. */
 /** Receipt fields come from the PR body, so anything printed from one stays on its own line, control characters included. */
 const oneLine = (s: string) => s.replace(/[\x00-\x1f\x7f]+/g, ' ');
 
+/** The first lines of the completion message to the coordinator: identifiers only. */
 export function receiptSummaryLine(r: ShipReceipt): string {
   const parts = [`pr=${r.pr ?? '-'}`, `head=${r.head.slice(0, 12)}`, `version=${r.version ?? '-'}`, `base=${r.base}`];
   if (r.gated_tree) parts.push(`gated_tree=${r.gated_tree.slice(0, 12)}`);
diff --git a/test/gstack-skill-start.test.ts b/test/gstack-skill-start.test.ts
index ee47487a8..74be5164a 100644
--- a/test/gstack-skill-start.test.ts
+++ b/test/gstack-skill-start.test.ts
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ describe('gstack-skill-start behavior', () => {
     expect(ship.match(line)).toHaveLength(1);
     expect((ship.match(/^GSTACK_INSTRUCTION_BEGIN: (\S+)/gm) ?? []).map((h) => h.replace(/^GSTACK_INSTRUCTION_BEGIN: /, ''))).toEqual(['unattended-session']);
     expect(ship).toContain('`GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=complete run=<dir>`');
-    expect(ship).toContain("update that PR's body with the receipt through the pr-body section's existing-PR path (never pr-create, never a push)");
+    expect(ship).toContain("update that PR's body and title with the receipt through the pr-body section's existing-PR path (never pr-create, never a push, and never `gh pr ready`");
     expect(ship).toContain('the handoff section writes the receipt to .gstack/tmp/ship-receipt.md');
     for (const skill of ['review', 'qa', 'autoplan']) {
       expect(runStart(['--skill', skill], { GSTACK_SESSION_KIND: 'unattended' })).not.toContain('UNATTENDED_SHIP');