diff --git a/TODOS.md b/TODOS.md
index 3270e2ece..535ccacf5 100644
--- a/TODOS.md
+++ b/TODOS.md
@@ -2329,7 +2329,7 @@ Shipped as v0.5.0 on main. Includes `/plan-design-review` (report-only design au
 
 ### Auto-invoke /document-release from /ship — SHIPPED
 
-Shipped in v0.8.4; redesigned twice since. Current design (v0.18.1.0+, carved in
+Shipped in v0.8.4; redesigned twice since. Current design (v0.18.2.0+, carved in
 v1.54.0.0): `/ship` Step 18 (`ship/sections/pr-body.md`) dispatches
 `/document-release` as a general-purpose subagent AFTER Step 17 (push) and
 BEFORE Step 19 (PR creation); the subagent's JSON contract (`files_updated`,
@@ -2380,16 +2380,18 @@ pin) and `test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts` (dispatch E2E, gate tier).
 
 ### Periodic paid-test shard census is one ungated file from the detach-timeout floor
 
-**What:** The periodic tier's shard census sits at exactly the 17×4 ceiling
-(68-file boundary). The next paid `skill-e2e-*` file WITHOUT a whole-file
-`describeE2ETier` self-gate counts in BOTH tier censuses, trips periodic to 18
-shards → 34,020s floor > the 32,400s configured detach timeout, and
+**What:** The periodic tier's shard census is 67 files — one ungated slot below
+the 68-file (17×4) ceiling. The next paid `skill-e2e-*` file WITHOUT a
+whole-file `describeE2ETier` self-gate lands at 68 (still 17 waves, floor
+32,130s ≤ 32,400s — passes); the SECOND ungated file trips 18 waves → 34,020s
+floor > the 32,400s configured detach timeout, and
 `test/eval-detach-timeout-floor.test.ts` fails with a confusing message.
 
-**Why:** Whoever adds the next periodic E2E gets a floor failure unrelated to
-their change. Fix options: raise the periodic detach timeout, or enforce
-whole-file tier self-gates on all paid files (upgrades them from the
-tier-alignment warn-only bucket to the hard invariant at the same time).
+**Why:** Whoever adds the second ungated periodic E2E gets a floor failure
+unrelated to their change. Fix options: raise the periodic detach timeout, or
+enforce whole-file tier self-gates on all paid files (upgrades them from the
+tier-alignment warn-only bucket to the hard invariant, and — bonus — restores
+tierless `bun run test:evals` coverage decisions to diff selection alone).
 
 **Context:** `scripts/test-paid-shards.ts` `classifyPaidTestFile` counts
 ungated files in both tiers; `ship-docsync` composed `describeE2ETier('gate')`
diff --git a/test/ship-document-release-dispatch.test.ts b/test/ship-document-release-dispatch.test.ts
index de93df904..118124a00 100644
--- a/test/ship-document-release-dispatch.test.ts
+++ b/test/ship-document-release-dispatch.test.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ describe('/ship Step 18 dispatches /document-release (carve visibility)', () =>
       expect(content).toContain('"documentation_section"');
       // Deliberate design: docs sync never holds a ship hostage.
       expect(content).toContain('Do not block /ship on subagent failure');
+      // These two strings are the ship-docsync E2E's dispatch-matcher markers
+      // (test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts) — they come verbatim from the
+      // dictated Step 18 subagent prompt. Rewording them in pr-body.md.tmpl
+      // silently decouples the paid matcher; update both in lockstep.
+      expect(content).toContain('You are executing the /document-release workflow');
+      expect(content).toContain('.claude/skills/gstack/document-release/SKILL.md');
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts
index 853b8859f..048d626cb 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@
  *
  * Gating: whole-file gate-tier self-gate (describeE2ETier) COMPOSED with
  * diff-based selection (describeIfSelected). The self-gate keeps this file
- * out of the periodic shard census (which sits at its ceiling) and under
- * the hard tier-alignment invariant. Run locally with:
+ * out of the periodic shard census (near its ceiling) and under the hard
+ * tier-alignment invariant. DELIBERATE TRADEOFF: tierless runs (`bun run
+ * test:evals` / `test:e2e`) skip every tier-gated file, so this test does
+ * NOT run there even when ship/** changed — use the gate lane locally:
+ *   EVALS_TIER=gate bun run test:evals            # diff-selected gate lane
  *   EVALS=1 EVALS_TIER=gate EVALS_ALL=1 bun test test/skill-e2e-ship-docsync.test.ts
  *
  * Fixture layout (non-obvious — fake HOME + planted skill tree):
@@ -208,13 +211,19 @@ describeE2E('Ship doc-sync dispatch E2E (gate)', () => {
       // (e.g. a PR-body drafter) must NOT count — that false-pass would mask
       // the exact regression this test exists to catch. Verified against
       // recorded burn-in transcripts: real dispatch inputs carry both markers.
-      const dispatchIdx = calls.findIndex(
-        (tc) =>
-          (tc.tool === 'Agent' || tc.tool === 'Task') &&
-          /document-release\/SKILL\.md|executing the \/document-release workflow/i.test(
-            JSON.stringify(tc.input ?? {})
-          )
-      );
+      // Section-paste exclusion: a subagent handed the WHOLE pr-body.md as
+      // context carries the markers too. The dictated Step 18 prompt never
+      // contains the section's scaffolding, so its presence disqualifies.
+      // Verified across all recorded runs: real dispatches match markers,
+      // zero contain scaffold strings.
+      const dispatchIdx = calls.findIndex((tc) => {
+        if (tc.tool !== 'Agent' && tc.tool !== 'Task') return false;
+        const input = JSON.stringify(tc.input ?? {});
+        return (
+          /document-release\/SKILL\.md|executing the \/document-release workflow/i.test(input) &&
+          !/## Step 19: Create PR\/MR|Parent processing:/.test(input)
+        );
+      });
       const prCreateIdx = calls.findIndex(
         (tc) =>
           tc.tool === 'Bash' &&