diff --git a/bin/gstack-ship-receipt b/bin/gstack-ship-receipt
index a8a1c87db..bfdb76169 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-ship-receipt
+++ b/bin/gstack-ship-receipt
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ function cmdResult(rest: string[], json: boolean): number {
   if (prFlag !== undefined && !/^[1-9]\d*$/.test(prFlag)) { process.stderr.write(`gstack-ship-receipt result: --pr must be a PR number, got ${JSON.stringify(prFlag.slice(0, 40))}\n`); return EXIT.usage; }
   const pr = prFlag;
   const repoRoot = git(['rev-parse', '--show-toplevel']);
-  const head = flag(rest, '--head') ?? (repoRoot ? git(['rev-parse', 'HEAD'], repoRoot) : undefined);
+  const head = (flag(rest, '--head') ?? (repoRoot ? git(['rev-parse', 'HEAD'], repoRoot) : undefined))?.toLowerCase();
   const refused = (code: 'QUEUE_RECEIPT_MISSING' | 'QUEUE_RECEIPT_STALE', message: string) => {
     process.stderr.write(resultLineWithDocs('gstack-ship-receipt result', code, message) + '\n');
     process.stdout.write(json ? JSON.stringify({ skill: 'ship', status: 'refused', run: '-', code, message }) + '\n' : 'GSTACK_RESULT: skill=ship status=refused run=-\n');
diff --git a/docs/troubleshooting.md b/docs/troubleshooting.md
index 36b812eb9..326554489 100644
--- a/docs/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/docs/troubleshooting.md
@@ -4075,7 +4075,10 @@ run uploads no train record, so the evidence is its plan: a superseded run
 skips `plan-slices` and uploads no `paid-plan` artifact, and a manifest with
 nothing planned counts the same. `ready --screen` dispatches a fresh one and
 `train build` prints `SCREEN: #<n> run <id> planned no cases (no paid-plan
-artifact; …); counted as not-run` and seats the slot unscreened.
+artifact; …)` or `… planned no cases (an empty plan manifest; …)`, each
+ending `; counted as not-run`, and seats the slot unscreened. A plan it cannot
+read (an expired artifact, an unreadable manifest) keeps the slot screened and
+prints `SCREEN: #<n> run <id> … unreadable; counted as screened, unverified`.
 
 **Fix.** Resolve the conflict with the base branch (or wait for GitHub to
 recompute the merge ref), push, and run `gstack-ship-queue ready --pr <n>
diff --git a/lib/ship-queue-train-github.ts b/lib/ship-queue-train-github.ts
index f437161fa..952f0a101 100644
--- a/lib/ship-queue-train-github.ts
+++ b/lib/ship-queue-train-github.ts
@@ -57,15 +57,15 @@ export function asRun(summary: RunSummary): { id: number; url: string } {
   return { id: summary.databaseId, url: summary.url };
 }
 
-/** One JSON artifact of a run (the first .json file it holds); null when it is missing or unreadable. */
-export function downloadJson(ctx: QueueContext, slug: string, run: number, name: string, scratch: string): unknown {
+/** One JSON artifact of a run (the named file, else the first .json file it holds); null when it is missing or unreadable. */
+export function downloadJson(ctx: QueueContext, slug: string, run: number, name: string, scratch: string, file?: string): unknown {
   const dir = path.join(scratch, `${run}-${name}`);
   fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
   fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
   try {
     if (!ctx.gh(['run', 'download', String(run), '--repo', slug, '-n', name, '-D', dir]).ok) return null;
-    const file = fs.readdirSync(dir).find(f => f.endsWith('.json'));
-    return file ? JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(dir, file), 'utf8')) : null;
+    const pick = file ?? fs.readdirSync(dir).find(f => f.endsWith('.json'));
+    return pick && fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, pick)) ? JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(dir, pick), 'utf8')) : null;
   } catch { return null; } finally { fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true }); }
 }
 
@@ -74,23 +74,27 @@ export function downloadJson(ctx: QueueContext, slug: string, run: number, name:
  * ref it was dispatched for was superseded, evals.yml skips plan-slices and
  * concludes success (GSTA-95 on #3431). A screen run uploads no train record,
  * so the evidence is the plan itself: no `paid-plan` artifact, or a manifest
- * with nothing planned. Returns the reason when the run is hollow, null when
- * it is live, still running, or its plan cannot be read.
+ * with nothing planned. `hollow` carries the reason; `live` is a screen that
+ * planned cases or is still running; `unknown` names what could not be read
+ * (the caller decides, and says, how it counts).
  */
-export function hollowScreen(ctx: QueueContext, slug: string, run: number): string | null {
+export type ScreenPlan = { kind: 'hollow'; reason: string } | { kind: 'live' } | { kind: 'unknown'; reason: string };
+export function hollowScreen(ctx: QueueContext, slug: string, run: number): ScreenPlan {
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(run) || run <= 0) return { kind: 'unknown', reason: `screen run id ${String(run).slice(0, 40)} is not a run number` };
   const view = runView(ctx, slug, run);
-  if (!view || view.status !== 'completed') return null;
-  const list = json<{ artifacts?: Array<{ name?: string; expired?: boolean }> }>(ctx.gh(['api', `repos/${slug}/actions/runs/${run}/artifacts?per_page=100`]));
-  if (!Array.isArray(list?.artifacts)) return null;
+  if (!view) return { kind: 'unknown', reason: `run ${run} is unreadable` };
+  if (view.status !== 'completed') return { kind: 'live' };
+  const list = json<{ artifacts?: Array<{ name?: string; expired?: boolean }> }>(ctx.gh(['api', `repos/${slug}/actions/runs/${run}/artifacts?name=${PLAN_ARTIFACT}&per_page=10`]));
+  if (!Array.isArray(list?.artifacts)) return { kind: 'unknown', reason: `run ${run}'s artifact list is unreadable` };
   const plan = list.artifacts.find(a => a.name === PLAN_ARTIFACT);
-  if (!plan) return `run ${run} planned no cases (no ${PLAN_ARTIFACT} artifact; concluded ${view.conclusion ?? 'unknown'})`;
-  if (plan.expired) return null;
+  if (!plan) return { kind: 'hollow', reason: `run ${run} planned no cases (no ${PLAN_ARTIFACT} artifact; concluded ${view.conclusion ?? 'unknown'})` };
+  if (plan.expired) return { kind: 'unknown', reason: `run ${run}'s ${PLAN_ARTIFACT} artifact has expired` };
   const scratch = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'gstack-screen-'));
   let manifest: { entries?: Array<{ status?: unknown }> } | null;
-  try { manifest = downloadJson(ctx, slug, run, PLAN_ARTIFACT, scratch) as typeof manifest; } finally { fs.rmSync(scratch, { recursive: true, force: true }); }
-  if (!Array.isArray(manifest?.entries)) return null;
+  try { manifest = downloadJson(ctx, slug, run, PLAN_ARTIFACT, scratch, 'manifest.json') as typeof manifest; } finally { fs.rmSync(scratch, { recursive: true, force: true }); }
+  if (!Array.isArray(manifest?.entries)) return { kind: 'unknown', reason: `run ${run}'s ${PLAN_ARTIFACT} manifest.json is unreadable` };
   const planned = manifest.entries.filter(e => e?.status === 'planned').length;
-  return planned === 0 ? `run ${run} planned 0 cases (concluded ${view.conclusion ?? 'unknown'})` : null;
+  return planned === 0 ? { kind: 'hollow', reason: `run ${run} planned no cases (an empty plan manifest; concluded ${view.conclusion ?? 'unknown'})` } : { kind: 'live' };
 }
 
 /** The plan manifest every evals.yml run that planned anything uploads (plan-slices); a superseded screen never reaches that job. */
diff --git a/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts b/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts
index 1ed8c46a3..624b45d0f 100644
--- a/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts
+++ b/lib/ship-queue-train-ready.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ async function dispatchScreen(env: TrainEnv, o: ReadyOptions, mergeSha: string,
   if (!slug) return outRefused({ code: 'QUEUE_PROOF_MISSING', message: 'gh repo view could not name the repository' }, [], `${Q} ready --pr ${o.pr} --screen`, 'none');
   const exec = execFor(env.ctx);
   const existing = findDuplicateRun(listDispatchRuns(dispatch.workflow, exec, slug) ?? [], dedupeKey('pr', mergeSha, baseSha, scope));
-  const hollow = existing ? hollowScreen(env.ctx, slug, existing.databaseId) : null;
+  const plan = existing ? hollowScreen(env.ctx, slug, existing.databaseId) : null;
+  const hollow = plan?.kind === 'hollow' ? plan.reason : null;
   if (existing && !hollow) return { choice: { choice: 'screen', policy, nonce: /eval-bg (\S+?)\]/.exec(existing.displayTitle)?.[1] ?? nonce, run: existing.databaseId, merge_sha: mergeSha }, line: `SCREEN_DISPATCH: following run ${existing.databaseId} (same merge SHA, base and policy; no duplicate)` };
   const found = dispatchWorkflow(dispatch, env.ctx.base, exec, slug) ? await awaitNonceRun(dispatch.workflow, nonce, exec, slug) : null;
   if (!found) return outPending({ code: 'QUEUE_TRAIN_DISPATCH_UNKNOWN', message: `no ${dispatch.workflow} run named ${nonce} appeared after the screen dispatch` }, [], `${Q} ready --pr ${o.pr} --screen${o.broad ? ' --broad' : ''} (adopts the run by its key once it appears)`, 'none');
diff --git a/lib/ship-queue-train.ts b/lib/ship-queue-train.ts
index 8066bf75d..f8f26fcf7 100644
--- a/lib/ship-queue-train.ts
+++ b/lib/ship-queue-train.ts
@@ -302,8 +302,9 @@ function admitSlots(env: TrainEnv, pins: Array<{ pr: string; sha: string }>): {
     if (!ready) return outRefused({ code: 'QUEUE_NOT_READY', message: `no READY receipt for #${p.pr} at ${info.headRefOid.slice(0, 12)} (local state or ${'refs/notes/gstack-trains'})` }, [], `the lane runs ${Q} ready --pr ${p.pr} --screen|--no-screen`, 'none');
     let screen = ready.screen;
     if (screen.choice === 'screen' && screen.run && slug === undefined) slug = repoSlug(ctx);
-    const hollow = screen.choice === 'screen' && screen.run && slug ? hollowScreen(ctx, slug, screen.run) : null;
-    if (hollow) { lines.push(`SCREEN: #${p.pr} ${hollow}; counted as not-run, the slot rides unscreened`); screen = { ...screen, choice: 'no-screen' }; }
+    const plan = screen.choice === 'screen' && screen.run && slug ? hollowScreen(ctx, slug, screen.run) : null;
+    if (plan?.kind === 'hollow') { lines.push(`SCREEN: #${p.pr} ${plan.reason}; counted as not-run, the slot rides unscreened`); screen = { ...screen, choice: 'no-screen' }; }
+    else if (plan?.kind === 'unknown') lines.push(`SCREEN: #${p.pr} ${plan.reason}; counted as screened, unverified`);
     slots.push({ pr: p.pr, head: info.headRefOid, ready_at: ready.ready_at, screen });
   }
   return { slots, lines };
diff --git a/test/helpers/ship-queue-train-fixture.ts b/test/helpers/ship-queue-train-fixture.ts
index 92c20d25d..f5d0ec199 100644
--- a/test/helpers/ship-queue-train-fixture.ts
+++ b/test/helpers/ship-queue-train-fixture.ts
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ export const TRAIN_POLICY = { ...BASE_POLICY, train: TRAIN_BLOCK, min_gstack_ver
 export interface Rule {
   fail?: boolean; silent?: boolean; failButCreate?: boolean; status?: string; conclusion?: string | null; event?: string; headSha?: string;
   record?: { panels: unknown[]; census?: unknown; verdict?: 'GREEN' | 'RED'; nonce?: string };
-  /** The run's paid-plan manifest: planned entries (default 1); null uploads no paid-plan artifact, as a superseded screen does. */
-  plan?: { planned: number } | null;
+  /** The run's paid-plan manifest: planned entries (default 1), or a raw manifest object; null uploads no paid-plan artifact, as a superseded screen does. */
+  plan?: { planned: number } | { manifest: unknown } | null;
   check?: string | null;
   bisect?: { prefixes: string[]; patterns: Record<string, string>; costUsd?: number };
 }
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ function shimSource(): string {
     "  const run = { databaseId: id, workflow: w, headBranch: ref, headSha: head, status: rule.status || 'completed', conclusion: rule.conclusion === undefined ? 'success' : rule.conclusion,",
     "    url: 'https://example.invalid/runs/' + id, event: rule.event || 'workflow_dispatch', displayTitle: inputs.nonce ? 'E2E Evals [eval-bg ' + inputs.nonce + ']' : w, inputs };",
     "  d.runs.push(run); d.artifacts[id] = {};",
-    "  if (rule.plan !== null) d.artifacts[id]['paid-plan'] = { tier: 'gate', sliceCount: 1, entries: Array.from({ length: rule.plan ? rule.plan.planned : 1 }, (_, i) => ({ file: 'test/case-' + i + '.test.ts', status: 'planned' })) };",
+    "  if (rule.plan !== null) d.artifacts[id]['paid-plan'] = rule.plan && rule.plan.manifest ? rule.plan.manifest : { tier: 'gate', sliceCount: 1, entries: Array.from({ length: rule.plan ? rule.plan.planned : 1 }, (_, i) => ({ file: 'test/case-' + i + '.test.ts', status: 'planned' })) };",
     "  if (rule.record && !inputs.prefix_shas) d.artifacts[id][d.artifact] = { schema: 1, kind: 'train-gate', nonce: rule.record.nonce || inputs.nonce, head_sha: head, tree: rev(head + '^{tree}'),",
     "    verdict: rule.record.verdict || 'GREEN', census: rule.record.census, panels: rule.record.panels };",
     "  if (rule.check && !inputs.prefix_shas) (d.checks[head] = d.checks[head] || []).push({ name: 'gstack/full-gate', status: 'completed', conclusion: rule.check });",
@@ -176,11 +176,12 @@ function shimSource(): string {
     "if (a[0] === 'run' && a[1] === 'view') { const r = d.runs.find(x => String(x.databaseId) === a[2]); if (!r) fail('run not found'); out(r); }",
     "if (a[0] === 'run' && a[1] === 'download') {",
     "  const art = (d.artifacts[a[2]] || {})[opt('-n')]; if (!art) fail('no artifact matches');",
-    "  fs.mkdirSync(opt('-D'), { recursive: true }); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(opt('-D'), 'record.json'), JSON.stringify(art)); save(); process.exit(0);",
+    "  fs.mkdirSync(opt('-D'), { recursive: true }); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(opt('-D'), opt('-n') === 'paid-plan' ? 'manifest.json' : 'record.json'), JSON.stringify(art));",
+    "  if (opt('-n') === 'paid-plan') fs.writeFileSync(path.join(opt('-D'), 'gate-reuse.json'), '{\"reuse\":\"confirmed\"}'); save(); process.exit(0);",
     "}",
     "if (a[0] === 'api') {",
-    "  const arts = /actions\\/runs\\/(\\d+)\\/artifacts/.exec(a[1] || '');",
-    "  if (arts) { const names = Object.keys(d.artifacts[arts[1]] || {}); out({ total_count: names.length, artifacts: names.map(name => ({ name, expired: false })) }); }",
+    "  const arts = /actions\\/runs\\/(\\d+)\\/artifacts(?:\\?name=([^&]+))?/.exec(a[1] || '');",
+    "  if (arts) { const names = Object.keys(d.artifacts[arts[1]] || {}).filter(n => !arts[2] || n === decodeURIComponent(arts[2])); out({ total_count: names.length, artifacts: names.map(name => ({ name, expired: false })) }); }",
     "  const named = /commits\\/([0-9a-f]+)\\/check-runs\\?check_name=([^&]+)/.exec(a[1] || '');",
     "  if (named) { const list = (d.checks[named[1]] || []).filter(c => c.name === decodeURIComponent(named[2])); out({ total_count: list.length, check_runs: list }); }",
     "  const paged = /commits\\/([0-9a-f]+)\\/(check-runs|status)\\?.*page=(\\d+)/.exec(a[1] || '');",
diff --git a/test/ship-queue-train.test.ts b/test/ship-queue-train.test.ts
index 9f2df7289..0818d4b29 100644
--- a/test/ship-queue-train.test.ts
+++ b/test/ship-queue-train.test.ts
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ describe('ready under a train policy: the screen choice', () => {
     fx.write(d => { d.rules['evals.yml'] = { status: 'completed', conclusion: 'success', plan: { planned: 3 } }; });
     const live = queue(fx, ['ready', '--pr', '1', '--pregate', pregate, '--screen']);
     expect(live.status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
-    expect(line(live.out, 'SCREEN_DISPATCH:')).toMatch(/^SCREEN_DISPATCH: evals\.yml run 103 .*not following run 102 planned 0 cases \(concluded success\)/);
+    expect(line(live.out, 'SCREEN_DISPATCH:')).toMatch(/^SCREEN_DISPATCH: evals\.yml run 103 .*not following run 102 planned no cases \(an empty plan manifest; concluded success\)/);
     const followed = queue(fx, ['ready', '--pr', '1', '--pregate', pregate, '--screen']);
     expect(followed.status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
     expect(line(followed.out, 'SCREEN_DISPATCH:')).toBe('SCREEN_DISPATCH: following run 103 (same merge SHA, base and policy; no duplicate)');
@@ -266,6 +266,11 @@ describe('ready under a train policy: the screen choice', () => {
     fx.write(d => { d.rules['evals.yml'] = { status: 'in_progress', conclusion: null }; });
     const runningBuild = queue(fx, ['train', 'build', '--prs', `1@${head}`, '--dry-run']);
     expect([runningBuild.status, line(runningBuild.out, 'ORDER:'), line(runningBuild.out, 'SCREEN:')]).toEqual([EXIT.ok, 'ORDER: 1:#1(screened)', '']);
+    fx.write(d => { d.rules['evals.yml'] = { status: 'completed', conclusion: 'success' }; d.artifacts['103']['paid-plan'] = { reuse: 'confirmed' }; });
+    const unreadable = queue(fx, ['train', 'build', '--prs', `1@${head}`, '--dry-run']);
+    expect([unreadable.status, line(unreadable.out, 'ORDER:'), line(unreadable.out, 'SCREEN:')]).toEqual([EXIT.ok, 'ORDER: 1:#1(screened)', "SCREEN: #1 run 103's paid-plan manifest.json is unreadable; counted as screened, unverified"]);
+    const stillFollowed = queue(fx, ['ready', '--pr', '1', '--pregate', pregate, '--screen']);
+    expect(line(stillFollowed.out, 'SCREEN_DISPATCH:')).toBe('SCREEN_DISPATCH: following run 103 (same merge SHA, base and policy; no duplicate)');
   }, 120_000);
 });