diff --git a/test/ceo-mode-handoff.test.ts b/test/ceo-mode-handoff.test.ts
index 2b89e855f..4b0de176e 100644
--- a/test/ceo-mode-handoff.test.ts
+++ b/test/ceo-mode-handoff.test.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ describe('native handoff evidence', () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test('an auto-decided handoff stands in for the unsent annotation, unless later withdrawn', () => {
+  // The helper's Bash result is collapsed in the terminal (Claude Code 2.1.284), so it locates the
+  // witness but is not one: the chat must begin with the printed line (integration decision 2026-10-04).
+  test('an auto-decided handoff counts only once the chat begins with its line, unless later withdrawn', () => {
     const captured = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dir, 'fixtures/native-auto-decide-ag.json'), 'utf8'));
     const attempt = () => {
       const f = structuredClone(captured.attempts[0]);
@@ -79,19 +81,24 @@ describe('native handoff evidence', () => {
     expect(verdict(unsent)).toBeNull();
     const sessionId = unsent.options.sessionId;
     const after = Date.parse('2026-09-10T02:19:00.000Z');
+    const helperOnly = attempt();
+    helperOnly.tools.push(...handoff(sessionId, after, `${CMD} "HOLD SCOPE" --auto`, AUTO_LINE));
+    expect(verdict(helperOnly)).toBeNull();
     const sent = attempt();
     sent.tools.push(...handoff(sessionId, after, `${CMD} "HOLD SCOPE" --auto`, AUTO_LINE));
+    sent.transcript.assistantMessages.push({ sessionId, timestamp: '2026-09-10T02:19:02.000Z', text: `${AUTO_LINE}\n\nContinuing with the review.` });
     expect(verdict(sent)).toMatchObject({ option: 'HOLD SCOPE', annotation: AUTO_LINE });
     const asked = attempt();
     asked.tools.push(...handoff(sessionId, after, `${CMD} "HOLD SCOPE"`, 'Mode: HOLD SCOPE; approved decisions: none.'));
     expect(verdict(asked)).toBeNull();
     const withdrawn = attempt();
     withdrawn.tools.push(...handoff(sessionId, after, `${CMD} "HOLD SCOPE" --auto`, AUTO_LINE));
+    withdrawn.transcript.assistantMessages.push({ sessionId, timestamp: '2026-09-10T02:19:02.000Z', text: AUTO_LINE });
     withdrawn.transcript.assistantMessages.push({ sessionId, timestamp: '2026-09-10T02:19:05.000Z', text: 'Correction: I withdraw this auto-decision.' });
     expect(verdict(withdrawn)).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  test('with the owned decision record, the handoff is the declaration the census run never sent', () => {
+  test('with the owned decision record, a handoff the chat never repeated is still a miss', () => {
     const attempt = () => {
       const f = structuredClone(stateCapture) as any;
       const use = f.tools.find((e: any) => e.input?.command?.includes('gstack-question-log'));
@@ -105,8 +112,12 @@ describe('native handoff evidence', () => {
     const decide = (f: any) => findNativeAutoDecision(f.transcript, f.tools, f.options);
     const { f: unsent } = attempt();
     expect(decide(unsent)).toBeNull();
+    const { f: helperOnly, loggedAt: helperAt } = attempt();
+    helperOnly.tools.push(...handoff(helperOnly.options.sessionId, helperAt + 1000, `${CMD} "HOLD SCOPE" --auto`, AUTO_LINE));
+    expect(decide(helperOnly)).toBeNull();
     const { f: sent, loggedAt } = attempt();
     sent.tools.push(...handoff(sent.options.sessionId, loggedAt + 1000, `${CMD} "HOLD SCOPE" --auto`, AUTO_LINE));
+    sent.transcript.assistantMessages.push({ sessionId: sent.options.sessionId, timestamp: new Date(loggedAt + 2000).toISOString(), text: AUTO_LINE });
     expect(decide(sent)).toMatchObject({ option: 'HOLD SCOPE', annotation: AUTO_LINE, stateRecord: sent.options.stateEvidence.records[0] });
     const { f: early } = attempt();
     const started = Date.parse(early.tools.find((e: any) => e.kind === 'result' && String(e.content).includes('SKILL_START_PROTO')).timestamp);
@@ -144,7 +155,7 @@ describe('native handoff evidence', () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test('census 37182865432: the printed handoff before the provenance log is the declaration', () => {
+  test('census 37182865432: the handoff ran but its line never reached the chat, so it is a miss', () => {
     const captured = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dir, 'fixtures/auto-decide-handoff-before-log-37182865432.json'), 'utf8'));
     const attempt = () => {
       const f = structuredClone(captured);
@@ -156,21 +167,22 @@ describe('native handoff evidence', () => {
       return f;
     };
     const decide = (f: any) => findNativeAutoDecision(f.transcript, f.tools, f.options);
-    // As captured, the closing "**Mode decided: HOLD SCOPE.**" chat also declares the mode.
-    expect(decide(attempt())).toMatchObject({ option: 'HOLD SCOPE' });
-    const handoffOnly = () => {
+    // As captured: the helper printed the line in a collapsed Bash result and the chat said
+    // "I'm defaulting to HOLD SCOPE…" then "**Mode decided: HOLD SCOPE.**"; neither is the line.
+    expect(decide(attempt())).toBeNull();
+    const shown = () => {
       const f = attempt();
-      f.transcript.assistantMessages.find((m: any) => m.text.startsWith('**Mode decided:')).text = 'Wrapping up this invocation.';
+      f.transcript.assistantMessages.find((m: any) => m.text.startsWith('**Mode decided:')).text = `${AUTO_LINE}\n\nWrapping up this invocation.`;
       return f;
     };
-    expect(decide(handoffOnly())).toMatchObject({ option: 'HOLD SCOPE', annotation: AUTO_LINE });
+    expect(decide(shown())).toMatchObject({ option: 'HOLD SCOPE', annotation: AUTO_LINE });
     for (const [name, mutate] of Object.entries({
-      'handoff output altered': (f: any) => { f.tools.find((e: any) => e.kind === 'result' && e.content === AUTO_LINE).content = AUTO_LINE.replace('HOLD SCOPE', 'SCOPE EXPANSION'); },
+      'line not at the start of the chat': (f: any) => { const m = f.transcript.assistantMessages.find((x: any) => x.text.startsWith(AUTO_LINE)); m.text = `Note: ${m.text}`; },
       'record names another mode': (f: any) => { f.options.stateEvidence.records[0].user_choice = 'SCOPE EXPANSION'; f.options.stateEvidence.records[0].recommended = 'SCOPE EXPANSION'; },
       'later withdrawal': (f: any) => { f.transcript.assistantMessages.push({ sessionId: f.options.sessionId, timestamp: new Date(f.options.now - 1000).toISOString(), text: 'Correction: I withdraw this decision.' }); },
       'missing record': (f: any) => { f.options.stateEvidence.records = []; },
     })) {
-      const f = handoffOnly(); mutate(f); expect(decide(f), name).toBeNull();
+      const f = shown(); mutate(f); expect(decide(f), name).toBeNull();
     }
     const pending = attempt();
     pending.transcript.assistantMessages.find((m: any) => m.text.startsWith('**Mode decided:')).text = '**Mode pending: HOLD SCOPE.**';
diff --git a/test/detector-corpus-auto-decide-preserved.test.ts b/test/detector-corpus-auto-decide-preserved.test.ts
index 86d88ae57..bf5646ba2 100644
--- a/test/detector-corpus-auto-decide-preserved.test.ts
+++ b/test/detector-corpus-auto-decide-preserved.test.ts
@@ -62,3 +62,18 @@ describe('auto-decide-preserved detector corpus', () => {
     }
   });
 });
+
+describe('auto-decide handoff needs a user-visible witness', () => {
+  test('37182865432: the helper result alone is refused; the same session is credited once its chat begins with the line', () => {
+    const entry = load('37182865432-t1-fail.json');
+    const line = 'Auto-decided review mode → HOLD SCOPE (your preference). Change with /plan-tune. Approved decisions: none.';
+    expect(entry.input.native.tools.some((t: { kind: string; content?: unknown }) => t.kind === 'result' && t.content === line)).toBe(true);
+    expect(native(entry)).toBeNull();
+    const last = entry.input.native.transcript.assistantMessages.at(-1);
+    const original = last.text;
+    last.text = `${line}\n\n${original}`;
+    expect(native(entry)).toMatchObject({ option: 'HOLD SCOPE', annotation: line });
+    last.text = `Note: ${line}\n\n${original}`;
+    expect(native(entry)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/fixtures/detector-corpora/auto-decide-preserved/37182865432-t1-fail.json b/test/fixtures/detector-corpora/auto-decide-preserved/37182865432-t1-fail.json
index 6fd82f061..a595f1287 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/detector-corpora/auto-decide-preserved/37182865432-t1-fail.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/detector-corpora/auto-decide-preserved/37182865432-t1-fail.json
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
  },
  "census_outcome": "failed",
  "census_error": "AUTO_DECIDE preserve test inconclusive: outcome=timeout",
- "expected": "pass",
- "justification": "Fixed false red: the model ran gstack-ceo-mode-handoff --auto (printing the AUTO_DECIDE line) before its provenance log, as Step 0E orders; the detector then required the handoff after the log. Repaired by d89dc32.",
+ "expected": "refuse",
+ "justification": "Genuine miss (integration decision 2026-10-04, lane S over lane D): the model ran gstack-ceo-mode-handoff --auto, but Claude Code collapses that Bash result, and its chat never began with the printed \"Auto-decided review mode → …\" line (\"I'm defaulting to HOLD SCOPE…\", then \"Mode decided: HOLD SCOPE\"), so the user never saw it. The helper's tool result locates the witness; it does not replace it. Same class as 37176837432 and 37179171083; the template now asks for the line verbatim (b8ec190).",
  "screen_expected": "refuse",
- "native_expected": "pass",
+ "native_expected": "refuse",
  "derived": "options.stateEvidence rebuilt from the session's gstack-question-log argument with source \"agent\" and ts = that call's tool-result timestamp (the bound question-log.jsonl itself is not archived)",
  "input": {
   "native": {
diff --git a/test/helpers/native-auto-decide.ts b/test/helpers/native-auto-decide.ts
index de9ba7c24..7e55b830f 100644
--- a/test/helpers/native-auto-decide.ts
+++ b/test/helpers/native-auto-decide.ts
@@ -258,6 +258,13 @@ export function ceoModeHandoffs(tools: ReadonlyArray<NativePublicToolEvent>, ses
   });
 }
 
+/** The helper's tool result is collapsed in the terminal, so the user sees the
+ * AUTO_DECIDE line only when a later chat message of the session begins with it. */
+function handoffShown(handoff: CeoModeHandoff, messages: ReadonlyArray<{ sessionId: string; timestamp: string; text: string }>): boolean {
+  return messages.some(m => m.sessionId === handoff.sessionId && Date.parse(m.timestamp) >= Date.parse(handoff.timestamp) &&
+    plain(m.text.split(/\r?\n/).find(line => line.trim()) ?? '').startsWith(handoff.line));
+}
+
 function currentModeStatement(text: string, questionSummary?: string): { option: string; statement: string } | null {
   const prose = publicProse(text);
   const lines = prose.split('\n');
@@ -318,11 +325,14 @@ function structuredModeDecision(transcript: PlanCountTranscript, tools: NativePu
   if (starts.length !== 1) return null;
   const start = starts[0]!, questionId = `${opts.skillName}-mode`;
   // The handoff helper's printed AUTO_DECIDE line is the current declaration
-  // when it follows the preference check and nothing later withdraws or changes
-  // it. Step 0E records provenance after the handoff, so the log may follow it.
+  // when it follows the preference check, the chat repeats it to the user, and
+  // nothing later withdraws or changes it. Step 0E records provenance after
+  // the handoff, so the log may follow it. A handoff the chat never showed is
+  // a miss: another mode statement cannot stand in for the AUTO_DECIDE line.
+  const autoHandoffs = (after: number, option: string) => ceoModeHandoffs(owned, opts.sessionId).filter(h => h.auto &&
+    h.option === option && timely(h.timestamp) && time(h.timestamp) >= after);
   const autoHandoff = (after: number, option: string, summary: string) => {
-    const handoff = ceoModeHandoffs(owned, opts.sessionId).find(h => h.auto && h.option === option &&
-      timely(h.timestamp) && time(h.timestamp) >= after);
+    const handoff = autoHandoffs(after, option).find(h => handoffShown(h, current));
     if (!handoff) return null;
     const later = current.filter(m => time(m.timestamp) >= time(handoff.timestamp));
     if (withdrawn(later.map(m => m.text).join('\n\n'), option, summary) ||
@@ -343,6 +353,7 @@ function structuredModeDecision(transcript: PlanCountTranscript, tools: NativePu
           loggedAt >= time(start.result.timestamp) && loggedAt <= opts.now) {
         const handoff = autoHandoff(time(start.result.timestamp), modeValue(row.user_choice)!, row.question_summary);
         if (handoff) return { ...handoff, summary: row.question_summary, preambleToolUseId: start.use.toolUseId, stateRecord: row };
+        if (autoHandoffs(time(start.result.timestamp), modeValue(row.user_choice)!).length) return null;
         for (const message of current) {
           const declared = currentModeStatement(message.text, row.question_summary);
           if (time(message.timestamp) < loggedAt || !declared || declared.option !== modeValue(row.user_choice)) continue;
@@ -394,6 +405,7 @@ function structuredModeDecision(transcript: PlanCountTranscript, tools: NativePu
   const handoff = autoHandoff(time(check.result!.timestamp), modeValue(logged.log.user_choice)!, logged.log.question_summary);
   if (handoff) return { ...handoff, summary: logged.log.question_summary, preambleToolUseId: start.use.toolUseId,
     preferenceToolUseId: check.use.toolUseId, questionLogToolUseId: logged.use.toolUseId };
+  if (autoHandoffs(time(check.result!.timestamp), modeValue(logged.log.user_choice)!).length) return null;
   for (const message of current) {
     if (time(message.timestamp) < time(logged.result!.timestamp)) continue;
     const declared = currentModeStatement(message.text, logged.log.question_summary);
@@ -432,7 +444,7 @@ export function findNativeAutoDecision(
   if (messages.some(m => !Number.isFinite(at(m.timestamp)) || at(m.timestamp) > opts.now)) return null;
   const loadedAt = at(results[0]!.timestamp);
   for (const handoff of ceoModeHandoffs(tools, opts.sessionId)) {
-    if (!handoff.auto || !timely(handoff.timestamp) || at(handoff.timestamp) < loadedAt) continue;
+    if (!handoff.auto || !timely(handoff.timestamp) || at(handoff.timestamp) < loadedAt || !handoffShown(handoff, messages)) continue;
     const later = messages.filter(m => at(m.timestamp) >= at(handoff.timestamp)).map(m => m.text).join('\n\n');
     if (withdrawn(later, handoff.option)) continue;
     return { sessionId: opts.sessionId, skillToolUseId: use.toolUseId, timestamp: handoff.timestamp,