diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 49d7bc262..e5177bb09 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.91.244.0] - 2026-10-26
+
+**A restamp PR no longer fails pregate for the manifests it stamps.** gbrain's `bun run release:restamp` rewrites its plugin manifests and VERSION; its base's `.gstack/pregate.json` declares no lane for them, and pregate reads policy from the base, so every such PR failed `lanes` with `PREGATE_NO_LANE` and could not fix itself (gbrain #7625, #7606).
+
+### Fixed
+- **`gstack-pregate` lanes**: a touched `*.json`, `*.plist`, `VERSION` or `VERSION.txt` file whose diff against the merge base changes nothing but its version values is waived as version-stamp-only, on its own line (`version-stamp-only (no lane needed): <files> — only version values changed against the merge base; a manifest whose other content changed still needs a lane`), with the per-file verdict under `--explain`. The rule is exact per kind (`lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts`): JSON objects of the same shape (same own keys in the same order, same array lengths, same leaf types) whose only changed leaf is the document's top-level `version`, a bare version on both sides, with the text differing on that line alone; plist `<string>` versions under `CFBundleShortVersionString` or `CFBundleVersion`; a VERSION file that is one bare version on both sides. Nothing nested qualifies (a dependency pin, a lockfile entry, a catalog), texts are compared byte for byte outside the stamped value (a line-ending change or a BOM is content), and a changed description, a new, removed or reordered key, a floor such as `minHostVersion` or `MinimumOSVersion`, a change the parser would erase, an invalid-UTF-8 or over-1-MiB file, a mode change or symlink, an added, deleted or renamed manifest, a file under a test, fixture, golden, `.gstack/` or workflow tree, or any other file kind is not a stamp and keeps its `PREGATE_NO_LANE`. It applies only after the import graph, the declarations, the regen registry and both empty lanes found nothing, so a manifest a test reads still selects that test. `docs/pregate.md` and the `PREGATE_NO_LANE` troubleshooting entry state the rule.
+
 ## [1.91.243.0] - 2026-10-26
 
 **The launch environment reaches every gstack command and child through a sourceable file, and nothing in a skill fence may print the environment (GSTA-104).** During GSTA-96's unattended /ship on #3425 (2026-10-26), the Step 14.5 docs-audit child was told to export the `GSTACK_LAUNCH` assignments and re-typed them as `export $(...)`. The substitution came back empty, the shell ran a bare `export`, and the values of ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY and UBICLOUD_API_KEY landed in its tool output. The line itself carries no secret (PATH, GSTACK_SESSION_KIND, GSTACK_STATE_ROOT, GSTACK_EPHEMERAL, GSTACK_CAPY, GSTACK_INSTALL_VERDICT); the hazard was re-typing it. Now the installer writes the assignments as a file callers source, every fence that hands the launch environment to a child says so in one line, a free ratchet keeps environment dumps out of every skill fence and shell helper, and the redaction engine refuses a credential value from the writer's own environment, whatever its shape.
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 03e07d721..1c57908d7 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.91.243.0
+1.91.244.0
diff --git a/agents-digest/gstack-AGENTS.md b/agents-digest/gstack-AGENTS.md
index aa284c13c..3a831fa4f 100644
--- a/agents-digest/gstack-AGENTS.md
+++ b/agents-digest/gstack-AGENTS.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# gstack digest v1.91.243.0 — regenerate/re-copy after upgrading gstack
+# gstack digest v1.91.244.0 — regenerate/re-copy after upgrading gstack
 
 Behavioral rules from gstack (https://github.com/garrytan/gstack), compressed
 for agent hosts without a full skill install. The full skills add workflows,
diff --git a/docs/pregate.md b/docs/pregate.md
index 216baf97c..26315aac2 100644
--- a/docs/pregate.md
+++ b/docs/pregate.md
@@ -194,6 +194,36 @@ Two stages with separate clocks, both printed:
   issue templates, CODEOWNERS and dependabot config). Stylesheets (they import
   each other), any other dotfile (`.rspec`, `.husky/` hooks, `.env*`, version
   pins), CI workflows and actions, and `.gstack/` still need a lane.
+  A release manifest the branch only re-stamped is waived as
+  version-stamp-only (`version-stamp-only (no lane needed): …`): the file's
+  diff against the merge base changes nothing but its version values. Three
+  file kinds qualify, each by its own exact rule (lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts).
+  A JSON file (`*.json`) whose two sides parse to objects of the same shape
+  (the same own keys in the same order in every object, the same length in
+  every array, the same type at every leaf), whose only differing leaf is the
+  document's top-level `version` with a bare version on both sides (`1.2.3`,
+  `v1.2.3.4`, `1.2.3-rc.1`; never a range), and whose text is line-for-line
+  identical once that line has its old quoted version replaced by the new
+  one. A plist whose differing lines are all `<string>` versions under
+  `<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>` or `<key>CFBundleVersion</key>`. A
+  `VERSION` or `VERSION.txt` file (any case) holding one bare version, with at
+  most a trailing LF, on both sides. Texts are compared byte for byte outside
+  the stamped value, so a line-ending change or a BOM is content. Nothing
+  nested in JSON qualifies, so a dependency pin or range, a lockfile entry, a
+  catalog or a package named `version` is never a stamp; nor is a changed
+  description, a new, removed or reordered key, a floor such as
+  `minHostVersion`, `schemaVersion` or `MinimumOSVersion`, a reflow, a change
+  the parser would erase (a big integer, a duplicate key), a file that is not
+  valid UTF-8 or is over 1 MiB, a mode change or a symlink on either side, an
+  added, deleted or renamed manifest, or any other file kind: each keeps its
+  `PREGATE_NO_LANE`. The rule runs only after the import graph, the
+  declarations, the regen registry and both empty lanes found nothing, so a
+  manifest a test reads still selects that test, and never under a test,
+  fixture, golden, snapshot, `.gstack/` or CI-workflow tree, whose JSON a test
+  may compare against by a path the graph cannot see.
+  `--explain` prints the verdict per file (`version-stamp-only against
+  <merge-base> (version 1.0.0 → 1.0.1)` or `not version-stamp-only
+  (<reason>)`).
   In a Django project (a manage.py or code importing django, plus Python
   code, not a string or comment, that assigns `INSTALLED_APPS` or
   `ROOT_URLCONF`, or a config file names `DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE`), the files
diff --git a/docs/troubleshooting.md b/docs/troubleshooting.md
index dcd7117b3..52f919464 100644
--- a/docs/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/docs/troubleshooting.md
@@ -3031,6 +3031,20 @@ test. An unmapped source or code file still fails. A file under a test
 directory is not this empty lane. Images, fonts and media, and
 allowlisted tool config no test names, are the assets-and-tool-config empty lane,
 not this error.
+A release manifest the branch only re-stamped is not this error either: when a
+touched `*.json`, `*.plist`, `VERSION` or `VERSION.txt` file differs from the
+merge base in nothing but its version values, `lanes` waives it as
+version-stamp-only and prints `version-stamp-only (no lane needed): <files>`.
+The exact per-kind rule (the document's top-level `version` in JSON of the
+same shape and text, the two bundle version keys in a plist, one bare version
+in a VERSION file) is in [docs/pregate.md](pregate.md#gstack-pregate). A
+restamp PR on a base whose policy declares no lane for its manifests (gbrain's
+`release:restamp` and its plugin manifests) therefore passes without a
+policy change. A manifest whose description, keys, key order, nested
+versions, line endings or any non-version byte changed, one under a test,
+fixture, golden, `.gstack/` or workflow tree, or one added, deleted, renamed
+or re-moded, is still this error; `--explain` prints `not version-stamp-only (<reason>)`
+for it.
 
 **Fix.** Add a test that names the file, or declare its lane (an explicit `[]`
 for files with no behaviour) under `dependencies` in `.gstack/pregate.json` (or the user-owned file the message names).
diff --git a/lib/pregate/checks/lanes.ts b/lib/pregate/checks/lanes.ts
index 8d8fdf054..2b135254d 100644
--- a/lib/pregate/checks/lanes.ts
+++ b/lib/pregate/checks/lanes.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
  * with no lane is `FAIL lanes — <file> has no test lane`, never a pass.
  * Markdown no test depends on is the docs/no-tests empty lane instead
  * (lib/pregate/docs-lane.ts): it does not fail, and unmapped code still does.
+ * A release manifest whose diff against the merge base changes only version
+ * values is waived as version-stamp-only (lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts) and named
+ * on its own line; any other change to it still needs a lane.
  * A test that reads the file still selects that test.
  * Incidents: p0-4-pipe-hidden-failure (`false | tail` read as green),
  * p0-4-windows-lane-unrun (a Windows-only change merged with its lane unrun).
@@ -328,6 +331,7 @@ function describe(sel: Selection): string[] {
   const lines = sel.noLane.map(f => `FAIL lanes — ${f} has no test lane`);
   if (sel.emptyLane.length) lines.push(`docs/no-tests (empty lane): ${sel.emptyLane.join(' ')}`);
   if (sel.inert.length) lines.push(`no-tests (assets and tool config): ${sel.inert.join(' ')}`);
+  if (sel.stampOnly.length) lines.push(`version-stamp-only (no lane needed): ${sel.stampOnly.join(' ')} — only version values changed against the merge base; a manifest whose other content changed still needs a lane`);
   for (const r of sel.remote) lines.push(`requires-remote ${r.lane} (${r.platform}): ${r.tests.length} test(s) — ${r.tests.slice(0, 8).join(' ')}${r.tests.length > 8 ? ' …' : ''}`);
   lines.push(`Tiers ran: ${sel.tiersRan.join(' ') || '(none)'}; requires-remote: ${[...new Set(sel.remote.map(r => r.platform))].join(' ') || 'none'}`);
   return lines;
@@ -414,10 +418,9 @@ async function run(ctx: PregateContext): Promise<CheckResult> {
     return { ...base, status: 'fail', code: 'PREGATE_NO_LANE', detail: `${sel.noLane.length} touched file(s) with no test lane: ${sel.noLane.join(' ')}`, fix: noLaneFix(ctx, sel.noLane) };
   }
   if (sel.tests.length === 0) {
-    const inert = sel.inert.length ? `${sel.inert.length} asset or tool-config file(s)` : '';
-    const detail = sel.emptyLane.length
-      ? `docs/no-tests: ${sel.emptyLane.length} documentation file(s)${inert ? ` and ${inert}` : ''}; nothing touched selects a test`
-      : inert ? `no-tests: ${inert}; nothing touched selects a test`
+    const classes = [sel.emptyLane.length ? `${sel.emptyLane.length} documentation file(s)` : '', sel.inert.length ? `${sel.inert.length} asset or tool-config file(s)` : '', sel.stampOnly.length ? `${sel.stampOnly.length} version-stamp-only manifest(s)` : ''].filter(Boolean);
+    const label = sel.emptyLane.length ? 'docs/no-tests' : sel.inert.length ? 'no-tests' : 'version-stamp-only';
+    const detail = classes.length ? `${label}: ${classes.join(' and ')}; nothing touched selects a test`
       : ctx.touched.length ? 'nothing touched selects a test' : 'no touched files';
     return { ...base, detail };
   }
diff --git a/lib/pregate/docs-lane.ts b/lib/pregate/docs-lane.ts
index 0644dcef6..3affa1132 100644
--- a/lib/pregate/docs-lane.ts
+++ b/lib/pregate/docs-lane.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,12 @@ export function isDocsEmptyLane(rel: string, extraGlobs: readonly string[] = [])
   return isBuiltinDocsPath(norm);
 }
 
+/** True under a test directory or a protected tree (snapshots, goldens, baselines, fixtures, CI workflows and actions, `.gstack/`): never an empty lane, never a version stamp. */
+export function isProtectedTree(rel: string): boolean {
+  const norm = rel.replace(/\\/g, '/').replace(/^\.\//, '');
+  return isTestTree(norm) || PROTECTED_TREE.test(norm);
+}
+
 /** Tool configuration on the allowlist: a named dotfile at any depth, or a file under an editor or design-tool dot-directory. */
 function isToolConfig(rel: string): boolean {
   return INERT_DOTFILE.test(rel.split('/').pop() ?? rel) || INERT_DOT_DIR.test(rel);
diff --git a/lib/pregate/lane-selection.ts b/lib/pregate/lane-selection.ts
index 529227cd5..e3c41ff1a 100644
--- a/lib/pregate/lane-selection.ts
+++ b/lib/pregate/lane-selection.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,16 @@
  * runner-owned selection manifest `.gstack/pregate.json` declares for a
  * planner-computed matrix. Every uncertainty widens the selection.
  */
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import { GENERATED_PATH } from '../regen';
 import { runBashSync } from '../script-invocation';
 import { matchesAny } from '../ship-policy';
 import { PREGATE_CONFIG_PATH } from './config';
-import { isDocsEmptyLane, isInertNoTests } from './docs-lane';
+import { isDocsEmptyLane, isInertNoTests, isProtectedTree } from './docs-lane';
+import * as fs from 'node:fs';
+import * as path from 'node:path';
 import { buildGraph, isTestFile, listRepoFiles, testsFor, type Graph } from './import-graph';
+import { stampFileKind, versionStampOnly } from './stamp-only';
 import type { PregateContext, RemoteObligation } from './types';
 import type { Lane } from './workflows';
 
@@ -23,6 +27,8 @@ export interface Selection {
   emptyLane: string[];
   /** Assets and dotfile tool config with no import-graph test: files no runner loads, also an empty lane. */
   inert: string[];
+  /** Release manifests whose diff against the merge base changes only version values (lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts): waived, no lane needed. */
+  stampOnly: string[];
   /** Every test the touched files select, sorted. */
   tests: string[];
   /** Tests that run on this machine. */
@@ -70,6 +76,27 @@ export function laneFileSet(ctx: PregateContext, lane: Lane): string[] | '?' | '
   return files.size ? [...files] : 'all';
 }
 
+const STAMP_FILE_CAP = 1024 * 1024;
+/** Strict UTF-8 text of `bytes`, BOM kept as content, or null when invalid (two different invalid bytes would otherwise both decode to U+FFFD and compare equal) or over the cap. */
+function strictText(bytes: Buffer | null | undefined): string | null {
+  if (!bytes || bytes.length > STAMP_FILE_CAP) return null;
+  try { return new TextDecoder('utf-8', { fatal: true, ignoreBOM: true }).decode(bytes); } catch { return null; }
+}
+/** The file's text at the merge base when it is a regular blob there of mode `mode` (null when absent, a symlink or submodule, another mode, unreadable, invalid UTF-8 or over 1 MiB). */
+function readAtMergeBase(ctx: PregateContext, rel: string, mode: string): string | null {
+  const ls = spawnSync('git', ['ls-tree', ctx.mergeBase, '--', rel], { cwd: ctx.repoRoot, encoding: 'utf8', timeout: 60_000, env: ctx.env });
+  if (ls.status !== 0 || !(ls.stdout ?? '').startsWith(`${mode} blob `)) return null;
+  const r = spawnSync('git', ['show', `${ctx.mergeBase}:${rel}`], { cwd: ctx.repoRoot, timeout: 60_000, maxBuffer: STAMP_FILE_CAP + 1, env: ctx.env });
+  return r.status === 0 ? strictText(r.stdout as Buffer) : null;
+}
+/** The working-tree file's text and git mode under the same rules (a regular file only; a symlink or a mode change is not a stamp). */
+function readWorkingTree(repoRoot: string, rel: string): { text: string | null; mode: string } {
+  try {
+    const abs = path.join(repoRoot, rel); const st = fs.lstatSync(abs);
+    return { text: st.isFile() && st.size <= STAMP_FILE_CAP ? strictText(fs.readFileSync(abs)) : null, mode: st.mode & 0o111 ? '100755' : '100644' };
+  } catch { return { text: null, mode: '100644' }; }
+}
+
 /** Tracked files matching a registry entry's output globs. */
 function outputsOf(all: readonly string[], globs: readonly string[]): string[] { return all.filter(f => matchesAny(globs, f)); }
 
@@ -83,7 +110,9 @@ export function selectLanes(ctx: PregateContext): Selection {
   const noLane: string[] = [];
   const emptyLane: string[] = [];
   const inert: string[] = [];
+  const stampOnly: string[] = [];
   const seeds = new Map<string, string>();
+  const touchedByPath = new Map(touched.map(t => [t.path, t]));
   for (const t of touched) { seeds.set(t.path, t.status === 'D' ? 'deleted' : 'touched'); if (t.renamedFrom) seeds.set(t.renamedFrom, `renamed to ${t.path}`); }
   for (const e of ctx.registry.entries) {
     if (!touched.some(t => matchesAny(e.inputs, t.path) || matchesAny(e.outputs, t.path))) continue;
@@ -118,6 +147,18 @@ export function selectLanes(ctx: PregateContext): Selection {
       provenance.push(`${file}: no-tests (asset or tool config no runner loads)`);
       continue;
     }
+    // A release manifest the branch only re-stamped: nothing a test could observe changed, so no lane is owed (gbrain #7625). Never under a test, fixture, golden or pin tree: a test may compare against that JSON by a path the graph cannot see.
+    const entry = touchedByPath.get(file);
+    if (entry && entry.status === 'M' && !entry.renamedFrom && stampFileKind(file) && !isProtectedTree(file)) {
+      const after = readWorkingTree(ctx.repoRoot, file);
+      const verdict = versionStampOnly(file, after.text === null ? null : readAtMergeBase(ctx, file, after.mode), after.text);
+      if (verdict.stampOnly) {
+        stampOnly.push(file);
+        provenance.push(`${file}: version-stamp-only against ${ctx.mergeBase.slice(0, 12)} (${verdict.changed.join('; ')}); no lane needed`);
+        continue;
+      }
+      provenance.push(`${file}: not version-stamp-only (${verdict.reason})`);
+    }
     noLane.push(file);
   }
   const laneSets: Record<string, string[] | '?'> = {};
@@ -141,7 +182,7 @@ export function selectLanes(ctx: PregateContext): Selection {
   if (anyLocalAll || ctx.lanes.filter(l => l.runsTests && !l.manual && l.tier !== 'platform').length === 0) for (const t of selected) local.add(t);
   for (const t of selected) if (!local.has(t) && !remote.some(r => r.tests.includes(t))) local.add(t);
   if (local.size && tiers.size === 0) tiers.add('unit');
-  return { noLane: noLane.sort(), emptyLane: emptyLane.sort(), inert: inert.sort(), tests: selected, localTests: [...local].sort(), remote, tiersRan: [...tiers].sort(), laneSets, provenance };
+  return { noLane: noLane.sort(), emptyLane: emptyLane.sort(), inert: inert.sort(), stampOnly: stampOnly.sort(), tests: selected, localTests: [...local].sort(), remote, tiersRan: [...tiers].sort(), laneSets, provenance };
 }
 
 export function isTest(file: string): boolean { return isTestFile(file); }
diff --git a/lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts b/lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14dfe05f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+/**
+ * pregate version-stamp-only — a release manifest whose diff against the base
+ * changes nothing but its version values needs no test lane.
+ *
+ * gbrain's `release:restamp` rewrites six plugin manifests, its VERSION file
+ * and package.json; its base's `.gstack/pregate.json` declares no lane for
+ * them, and pregate reads policy from the base, so every stamp PR failed
+ * `lanes` with `PREGATE_NO_LANE` and the PR could not fix itself (gbrain #7625,
+ * #7606). A stamp changes no behaviour a test could observe, so `lanes` waives
+ * such a file, naming it and why, when `versionStampOnly` says the before and
+ * after texts differ only as a stamp does.
+ *
+ * The rule is deliberately narrow. Three file kinds, each with its own exact
+ * definition; anything else, a parse failure, a file absent on either side,
+ * or an unchanged file is not stamp-only, and the caller falls through to
+ * `PREGATE_NO_LANE` as before:
+ *
+ * - JSON (`*.json`): both texts parse to objects of the same shape (the same
+ *   own keys in the same order in every object, the same length in every
+ *   array, the same type at every leaf); the only differing leaf is the
+ *   document's top-level `version`, a bare version string on both sides
+ *   (`VERSION_TOKEN`: `1.2.3`, `v1.2.3.4`, `1.2.3-rc.1`); and the two texts
+ *   are line-for-line identical once that one changed line has its old quoted
+ *   version replaced by the new one. Nothing nested qualifies, so a dependency
+ *   pin or range, a lockfile entry, a catalog, a devcontainer feature option
+ *   or a package named `version` is never a stamp; nor is a changed
+ *   description, a new, removed or reordered key, a floor such as
+ *   `minHostVersion` or `schemaVersion`, a reflow, a document nested too deep
+ *   to walk, or any change the parser would erase (a big integer, a
+ *   duplicate key).
+ * - plist (`*.plist`): the same number of lines; every differing line pair is
+ *   a `<string>` holding a bare version on both sides, and the line before it
+ *   is `<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>` or `<key>CFBundleVersion</key>`.
+ *   `MinimumOSVersion` and every other key are not stamps.
+ * - VERSION files (basename `VERSION` or `VERSION.txt`, any case): the whole
+ *   content is one bare version, with at most a trailing LF, on both sides
+ *   (a BOM, a space, a CR or a second line is not).
+ *
+ * Texts are compared as they are: a line-ending change, a BOM or any other
+ * byte the parser would hide is content, and is not a stamp.
+ *
+ * Applied by lib/pregate/lane-selection.ts only after the import graph, the
+ * declarations, the regen registry and the two empty-lane classes found
+ * nothing, so a manifest a test reads still selects that test; only to a
+ * modified, unrenamed file; and never under a test, fixture, golden, snapshot,
+ * `.gstack/` or CI-workflow tree, whose JSON a test may compare against by a
+ * path the import graph cannot see. The verdict is per file: the other touched files
+ * keep their own lanes or their own `PREGATE_NO_LANE`.
+ */
+
+/** A bare version: optional `v`, two to four dot-separated numbers, an optional pre-release or build suffix. No range operators. */
+export const VERSION_TOKEN = /^v?\d+(?:\.\d+){1,3}(?:[-+][0-9A-Za-z.-]+)?$/;
+/** The one JSON key a stamp may change, at the document root only. */
+const JSON_VERSION_KEY = 'version';
+/** The plist keys a stamp may change. */
+const PLIST_VERSION_KEYS = new Set(['CFBundleShortVersionString', 'CFBundleVersion']);
+const VERSION_FILE = /^VERSION(?:\.txt)?$/i;
+const PLIST_STRING = /^\s*<string>([^<]*)<\/string>\s*$/;
+const PLIST_KEY = /^\s*<key>([^<]*)<\/key>\s*$/;
+
+export type StampVerdict = { stampOnly: true; changed: string[] } | { stampOnly: false; reason: string };
+
+const not = (reason: string): StampVerdict => ({ stampOnly: false, reason });
+
+/** Which definition applies to `rel`; null when none does. */
+export function stampFileKind(rel: string): 'json' | 'plist' | 'version' | null {
+  const base = rel.replace(/\\/g, '/').split('/').pop() ?? rel;
+  if (VERSION_FILE.test(base)) return 'version';
+  if (/\.json$/i.test(base)) return 'json';
+  if (/\.plist$/i.test(base)) return 'plist';
+  return null;
+}
+
+type Json = null | boolean | number | string | Json[] | { [k: string]: Json };
+interface VersionChange { path: string; from: string; to: string }
+
+function kindOf(v: Json): string {
+  if (v === null) return 'null';
+  if (Array.isArray(v)) return 'array';
+  return typeof v;
+}
+
+const isObject = (v: Json): v is { [k: string]: Json } => v !== null && typeof v === 'object' && !Array.isArray(v);
+
+/**
+ * Walks `a` and `b` together. `key` is the own key `a` sits under (null at the
+ * root and inside arrays), `at` the display path, `depth` how many containers
+ * enclose it (1 for a root object's own values). Returns the first structural
+ * difference as a reason, or null after recording the version change.
+ */
+function jsonDiff(a: Json, b: Json, key: string | null, at: string, depth: number, changed: VersionChange[]): string | null {
+  const here = at || '$';
+  if (kindOf(a) !== kindOf(b)) return `${here} changed type (${kindOf(a)} → ${kindOf(b)})`;
+  if (Array.isArray(a) && Array.isArray(b)) {
+    if (a.length !== b.length) return `${here} changed length (${a.length} → ${b.length})`;
+    for (let i = 0; i < a.length; i++) { const r = jsonDiff(a[i]!, b[i]!, null, `${at}[${i}]`, depth + 1, changed); if (r) return r; }
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (isObject(a) && isObject(b)) {
+    const ka = Object.keys(a); const kb = Object.keys(b);
+    for (const k of ka) if (!Object.hasOwn(b, k)) return `${at}.${k} removed`;
+    for (const k of kb) if (!Object.hasOwn(a, k)) return `${at}.${k} added`;
+    for (let i = 0; i < ka.length; i++) if (ka[i] !== kb[i]) return `${here} keys reordered (${ka[i]} → ${kb[i]} at position ${i})`;
+    for (const k of ka) { const r = jsonDiff(a[k]!, b[k]!, k, `${at}.${k}`, depth + 1, changed); if (r) return r; }
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (a === b) return null;
+  if (typeof a !== 'string' || typeof b !== 'string') return `${here} changed and is not a version string`;
+  if (key !== JSON_VERSION_KEY) return `${here} changed and its key is not \`${JSON_VERSION_KEY}\``;
+  if (depth !== 1) return `${here} changed and is not the top-level \`${JSON_VERSION_KEY}\``;
+  if (!VERSION_TOKEN.test(a) || !VERSION_TOKEN.test(b)) return `${here} changed and a value is not a bare version (${JSON.stringify(a)} → ${JSON.stringify(b)})`;
+  changed.push({ path: at.replace(/^\./, ''), from: a, to: b });
+  return null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The texts must differ on exactly one line per recorded version change, each
+ * such line being the old line with that change's old quoted version replaced
+ * by the new one, each change consumed once. Rejects what the parser erased:
+ * reflow, a shadowed duplicate key, number spellings, escape spellings.
+ */
+function textDiffersOnlyByVersions(a: string, b: string, changed: readonly VersionChange[]): string | null {
+  const la = a.split('\n'); const lb = b.split('\n');
+  if (la.length !== lb.length) return `line count changed (${la.length} → ${lb.length})`;
+  const unused = [...changed];
+  for (let i = 0; i < la.length; i++) {
+    if (la[i] === lb[i]) continue;
+    const k = unused.findIndex(c => la[i]!.includes(JSON.stringify(c.from)) && la[i]!.replace(JSON.stringify(c.from), JSON.stringify(c.to)) === lb[i]);
+    if (k < 0) return `line ${i + 1} changed beyond a version value`;
+    unused.splice(k, 1);
+  }
+  return unused.length ? `${unused[0]!.path} changed in the document but on no line of its own` : null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether `rel` changed from `before` to `after` as a version stamp and nothing
+ * else, per the file-kind definitions above. `before` is the file's text at the
+ * merge base, `after` its working-tree text; null on either side (absent,
+ * unreadable, not valid UTF-8, or over the caller's size cap) is never a stamp.
+ */
+export function versionStampOnly(rel: string, before: string | null, after: string | null): StampVerdict {
+  const kind = stampFileKind(rel);
+  if (!kind) return not('not a JSON, plist or VERSION file');
+  if (after === null) return not('absent or unreadable in the working tree');
+  if (before === null) return not('absent or unreadable at the merge base');
+  const a = before; const b = after;
+  if (a === b) return not('unchanged');
+  if (kind === 'version') {
+    const x = a.replace(/\n$/, ''); const y = b.replace(/\n$/, '');
+    if (!VERSION_TOKEN.test(x) || !VERSION_TOKEN.test(y)) return not('content is not one bare version on both sides');
+    if (x === y) return not('no version changed (trailing newline only)');
+    return { stampOnly: true, changed: [`${x} → ${y}`] };
+  }
+  if (kind === 'plist') {
+    const la = a.split('\n'); const lb = b.split('\n');
+    if (la.length !== lb.length) return not(`line count changed (${la.length} → ${lb.length})`);
+    const changed: string[] = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < la.length; i++) {
+      if (la[i] === lb[i]) continue;
+      const ma = PLIST_STRING.exec(la[i]!); const mb = PLIST_STRING.exec(lb[i]!);
+      if (!ma || !mb) return not(`line ${i + 1} changed and is not a <string> value`);
+      if (!VERSION_TOKEN.test(ma[1]!) || !VERSION_TOKEN.test(mb[1]!)) return not(`line ${i + 1} changed and a value is not a bare version`);
+      const key = i > 0 ? PLIST_KEY.exec(la[i - 1]!)?.[1] : undefined;
+      if (key === undefined || !PLIST_VERSION_KEYS.has(key)) return not(`line ${i + 1} changed under ${key === undefined ? 'no <key>' : `<key>${key}</key>`}, not a bundle version key`);
+      changed.push(`${key} ${ma[1]} → ${mb[1]}`);
+    }
+    return changed.length ? { stampOnly: true, changed } : not('no line changed');
+  }
+  let ja: Json; let jb: Json;
+  try { ja = JSON.parse(a); jb = JSON.parse(b); } catch (e) { return not(`not parseable JSON on both sides (${(e as Error).message})`); }
+  if (!isObject(ja) || !isObject(jb)) return not('not a JSON object on both sides');
+  const changed: VersionChange[] = [];
+  let reason: string | null;
+  try { reason = jsonDiff(ja, jb, null, '', 0, changed); } catch (e) { return not(`could not compare (${e instanceof RangeError ? 'nested too deep' : (e as Error).message})`); }
+  reason ??= changed.length ? textDiffersOnlyByVersions(a, b, changed) : 'no value changed (whitespace or spelling only)';
+  if (reason) return not(reason);
+  return { stampOnly: true, changed: changed.map(c => `${c.path} ${c.from} → ${c.to}`) };
+}
diff --git a/lib/result-codes.ts b/lib/result-codes.ts
index b1226dc44..d4e1cf5b4 100644
--- a/lib/result-codes.ts
+++ b/lib/result-codes.ts
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ export const RESULT_CODES = {
   PREGATE_NO_LANE: {
     anchor: 'pregate-no-lane',
     summary: 'a touched source file maps to no test lane through imports, repo-path literals, the bin/<name> convention or a declaration',
-    fix: 'add a test that names the file, or declare its lane (or an explicit empty lane) under `dependencies` in .gstack/pregate.json. Markdown no test depends on is already a docs/no-tests empty lane; other documentation goes in `empty_lanes`',
+    fix: 'add a test that names the file, or declare its lane (or an explicit empty lane) under `dependencies` in .gstack/pregate.json. Markdown no test depends on is already a docs/no-tests empty lane; other documentation goes in `empty_lanes`; a release manifest whose only change against the merge base is its version values is waived as version-stamp-only',
   },
   PREGATE_LANE_FAILED: {
     anchor: 'pregate-lane-failed',
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 49a4d108b..c64a23383 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "gstack",
-  "version": "1.91.243",
+  "version": "1.91.244",
   "description": "Garry's Stack — Claude Code skills + fast headless browser. One repo, one install, entire AI engineering workflow.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "type": "module",
diff --git a/scripts/lib/windows-curation.ts b/scripts/lib/windows-curation.ts
index 36dae63ac..fe98f272f 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/windows-curation.ts
+++ b/scripts/lib/windows-curation.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export const KNOWN_WINDOWS_INCOMPATIBLE: Array<{ file: string; reason: string }>
   { file: 'test/pregate-regate.test.ts', reason: 'its REGATE and MIGRATION_COLLISION verdicts differ on windows-latest, not diagnosed in fix wave PR 5; gstack-pregate regate itself launches through lib/script-invocation.ts' },
   { file: 'test/pregate-invalidation.test.ts', reason: 'expects the Linux-host lanes verdict (the windows lane as the requires-remote obligation); on Windows the Linux lane is the obligation instead; gstack-pregate itself launches through lib/script-invocation.ts' },
   { file: 'test/pregate-selection.test.ts', reason: 'its gstack-pregate (bin) cases expect the Linux-host lanes verdict (a local lane run); on Windows the fixture\'s Linux lane is a requires-remote obligation' },
+  { file: 'test/pregate-stamp-only.test.ts', reason: 'its gstack-pregate (bin) cases expect the Linux-host lanes verdict for the mapped-file and test-reads-manifest fixtures, and its mode-change case needs a POSIX exec bit and symlink; the stamp rule it drives is POSIX-run like the other pregate fixtures' },
   { file: 'test/pregate-bats-nested.test.ts', reason: 'expects the bats lane to run locally, which it does on a Linux host; on Windows the fixture\'s Linux lane is a requires-remote obligation' },
   { file: 'test/pregate-docs-lane-review.test.ts', reason: 'spawns bin/gstack-pregate through test/helpers/pregate-fixture.ts runBin (shebang via CreateProcess); the docs-lane selection rules it drives are POSIX-run like the other pregate fixtures' },
   { file: 'test/pregate-dart.test.ts', reason: 'its dart, flutter and fvm stand-ins are bash scripts on a colon-joined PATH, which Bun.which and CreateProcess cannot use on Windows, and its containment case needs a POSIX symlink; the Dart lane code it drives is POSIX-run like the other pregate fixtures' },
diff --git a/test/pregate-stamp-only.test.ts b/test/pregate-stamp-only.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c5a767f2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pregate-stamp-only.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,308 @@
+/**
+ * pregate version-stamp-only (lib/pregate/stamp-only.ts, lib/pregate/lane-selection.ts):
+ * a release manifest whose diff against the merge base changes only its
+ * version values needs no test lane, so a restamp PR on a base whose
+ * .gstack/pregate.json declares no lane for its manifests no longer fails
+ * `lanes` with PREGATE_NO_LANE (gbrain #7625, #7606). A manifest whose other
+ * content changed, one added, deleted or renamed, or one a test reads, keeps
+ * its lane or its failure.
+ */
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
+import * as fs from 'node:fs';
+import * as path from 'node:path';
+import { EXIT } from '../lib/headless-artifacts';
+import { stampFileKind, VERSION_TOKEN, versionStampOnly } from '../lib/pregate/stamp-only';
+import { cleanup, commit, makeFixtureRepo, runBin, write, type FixtureRepo } from './helpers/pregate-fixture';
+
+const repos: FixtureRepo[] = [];
+const fixture = (opts?: Parameters<typeof makeFixtureRepo>[0]) => { const r = makeFixtureRepo(opts); repos.push(r); return r; };
+afterEach(() => { while (repos.length) cleanup(repos.pop()!); });
+const pregate = (repo: FixtureRepo, args: string[] = []) => runBin(repo, 'gstack-pregate', ['--base', 'main', '--allow-repo-commands', '--stage', 'tests', ...args]);
+const lanes = (repo: FixtureRepo) => JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(repo.work, '.gstack/tmp/pregate.json'), 'utf8')).checks.find((c: any) => c.id === 'lanes');
+const WAIVER = 'lanes: version-stamp-only (no lane needed): ';
+
+const manifest = (version: string, extra: Record<string, unknown> = {}) => JSON.stringify({ name: 'gbrain', version, description: 'Personal knowledge brain', author: { name: 'Garry Tan' }, ...extra }, null, 2) + '\n';
+const j = (v: unknown) => JSON.stringify(v, null, 2) + '\n';
+
+describe('versionStampOnly (pure)', () => {
+  test('VERSION_TOKEN accepts bare versions and refuses ranges, words and dates', () => {
+    for (const ok of ['1.2', '1.2.3', 'v1.2.3', '0.60.462.0', '1.2.3-rc.1', '1.2.3+build.7']) expect(VERSION_TOKEN.test(ok)).toBe(true);
+    for (const no of ['^1.2.3', '~1.2.3', '>=1.2.3', '1', '1.2.3.4.5', 'latest', '1.2.3 ', 'v', '2026-10-26']) expect(VERSION_TOKEN.test(no)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('file kinds: JSON, plist and VERSION files (VERSION, VERSION.txt, version.txt, any case); nothing else', () => {
+    expect(stampFileKind('.claude-plugin/plugin.json')).toBe('json');
+    expect(stampFileKind('openclaw.plugin.json')).toBe('json');
+    expect(stampFileKind('ios/App/Info.plist')).toBe('plist');
+    expect(stampFileKind('VERSION')).toBe('version');
+    expect(stampFileKind('packages/core/VERSION.txt')).toBe('version');
+    expect(stampFileKind('version.txt')).toBe('version');
+    expect(stampFileKind('sub\\dir\\Version')).toBe('version');
+    for (const other of ['package-lock.json.bak', 'src/version.ts', 'Cargo.toml', 'pyproject.toml', 'CHANGELOG.md', 'llms-full.txt', 'versions', 'VERSIONS']) expect(stampFileKind(other)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  test('a JSON manifest whose only change is its top-level version value is stamp-only, naming the change; nothing nested qualifies', () => {
+    expect(versionStampOnly('.claude-plugin/plugin.json', manifest('0.60.462.0'), manifest('0.60.463.0'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: true, changed: ['version 0.60.462.0 → 0.60.463.0'] });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('x.json', '{"version":"v1.2.3","b":[1,2]}\n', '{"version":"v1.2.4","b":[1,2]}\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: true, changed: ['version v1.2.3 → v1.2.4'] });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('x.json', j({ plugin: { version: 'v1.2.3' } }), j({ plugin: { version: 'v1.2.4' } }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.plugin.version changed and is not the top-level `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('x.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', build: { version: '1.0.0' } }), j({ version: '1.0.1', build: { version: '1.0.1' } }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.build.version changed and is not the top-level `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('x.json', j([{ version: '1.0.0' }]), j([{ version: '1.0.1' }]))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'not a JSON object on both sides' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('x.json', '"1.0.0"', '"1.0.1"')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'not a JSON object on both sides' });
+  });
+
+  test('a JSON manifest whose non-version content changed is not stamp-only, with the path in the reason', () => {
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), manifest('1.0.0', { description: 'Personal knowledge brain, now with RLS' }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.description changed and its key is not `version`' });
+    const mixed = versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), manifest('1.0.1', { description: 'changed too' }));
+    expect(mixed).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.description changed and its key is not `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), manifest('1.0.1', { keywords: ['a'] }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.keywords added' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0', { keywords: ['a'] }), manifest('1.0.1'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.keywords removed' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', files: ['a', 'b'] }), j({ version: '1.0.1', files: ['b', 'a'] }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.files[0] changed and its key is not `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', files: ['a'] }), j({ version: '1.0.1', files: ['a', 'b'] }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.files changed length (1 → 2)' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', count: 1 }), j({ version: '1.0.1', count: 2 }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.count changed and is not a version string' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', count: 1 }), j({ version: '1.0.1', count: '1' }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.count changed type (number → string)' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: ['1.0.0'] }), j({ version: ['1.0.1'] }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.version[0] changed and its key is not `version`' });
+  });
+
+  test('a reordered object is not a stamp even with a version bump (conditional exports resolve in key order)', () => {
+    const before = j({ version: '1.0.0', exports: { '.': { import: './a.mjs', default: './a.cjs' } } });
+    const after = j({ version: '1.0.1', exports: { '.': { default: './a.cjs', import: './a.mjs' } } });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', before, after)).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.exports.. keys reordered (import → default at position 0)' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', j({ name: 'x', version: '1.0.0' }), j({ version: '1.0.1', name: 'x' }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '$ keys reordered (name → version at position 0)' });
+  });
+
+  test('a key with a prototype name added, removed or changed is seen (own keys only)', () => {
+    for (const k of ['__proto__', 'constructor', 'toString', 'hasOwnProperty', 'valueOf']) {
+      expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0"}', `{"version":"1.0.1",${JSON.stringify(k)}:"evil"}`)).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: `.${k} added` });
+      expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', `{"version":"1.0.0",${JSON.stringify(k)}:"a"}`, '{"version":"1.0.1"}')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: `.${k} removed` });
+      expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', `{"version":"1.0.0",${JSON.stringify(k)}:"a"}`, `{"version":"1.0.1",${JSON.stringify(k)}:"b"}`)).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: `.${k} changed and its key is not \`version\`` });
+    }
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0","__proto__":{"x":1}}', '{"version":"1.0.1","__proto__":{"x":1}}').stampOnly).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test('only a key named exactly version qualifies: floors, schema versions, package names and dependency maps are not stamps', () => {
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', minHostVersion: '1.0.0' }), j({ version: '1.0.1', minHostVersion: '9.0.0' }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.minHostVersion changed and its key is not `version`' });
+    for (const k of ['schemaVersion', 'apiVersion', 'versionName', 'Version', 'VERSION', 'minimumVersion']) expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ [k]: '1.0.0' }), j({ [k]: '1.0.1' })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', devDependencies: { 'standard-version': '9.5.0' } }), j({ version: '1.0.1', devDependencies: { 'standard-version': '9.5.1' } }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.devDependencies.standard-version changed and its key is not `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', dependencies: { version: '1.2.3' } }), j({ version: '1.0.1', dependencies: { version: '1.2.4' } }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.dependencies.version changed and is not the top-level `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package-lock.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', packages: { 'node_modules/lodash': { version: '4.17.20' } } }), j({ version: '1.0.0', packages: { 'node_modules/lodash': { version: '4.17.21' } } }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.packages.node_modules/lodash.version changed and is not the top-level `version`' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('composer.lock', j({ packages: [{ version: 'v1.0.0' }] }), j({ packages: [{ version: 'v1.0.1' }] })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', catalog: { version: '1.2.3' } }), j({ version: '1.0.1', catalog: { version: '1.2.4' } })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('.devcontainer/devcontainer.json', j({ features: { 'ghcr.io/x/node:1': { version: '20.1.0' } } }), j({ features: { 'ghcr.io/x/node:1': { version: '22.1.0' } } })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', engines: { node: '20.0.0' } }), j({ version: '1.0.0', engines: { node: '22.0.0' } })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('package.json', j({ version: '1.0.0', dependencies: { left: '^1.2.3' } }), j({ version: '1.0.1', dependencies: { left: '^1.2.4' } })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0' }), j({ version: 'latest' }))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: '.version changed and a value is not a bare version ("1.0.0" → "latest")' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', j({ version: '1.0.0' }), j({ version: '^1.0.1' })).stampOnly).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('a change the parser erases is still a change: big integers, duplicate keys, number spellings, a reflow with the stamp', () => {
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0","id":9007199254740993}', '{"version":"1.0.1","id":9007199254740992}')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 1 changed beyond a version value' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0","a":1,"a":2}', '{"version":"1.0.1","a":2}').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0","n":1.0}', '{"version":"1.0.1","n":1}').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0","s":"\\u0041"}', '{"version":"1.0.1","s":"A"}').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(manifest('1.0.1'))))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line count changed (9 → 1)' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0",\n"name":"x"}', '{"version":"1.0.1",\n"name": "x"}')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 2 changed beyond a version value' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{"version":"1.0.0","name":"1.0.0"}', '{"version":"1.0.1","name":"1.0.0"}').stampOnly).toBe(true);
+    // A shadowed duplicate key holding the old version on its own line: the parser sees one change, the text has two changed lines.
+    expect(versionStampOnly('m.json', '{\n  "description": "1.0.0",\n  "description": "real",\n  "version": "1.0.0"\n}\n', '{\n  "description": "1.0.1",\n  "description": "real",\n  "version": "1.0.1"\n}\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 4 changed beyond a version value' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('m.json', '{\n  "x": "1.0.0",\n  "x": "keep",\n  "version": "1.0.0"\n}\n', '{\n  "x": "2.0.0",\n  "x": "keep",\n  "version": "2.0.0"\n}\n').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    const deep = (v: string) => `{"version":"${v}","a":${'['.repeat(200_000)}1${']'.repeat(200_000)}}`;
+    expect(versionStampOnly('deep.json', deep('1.0.0'), deep('1.0.1'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'could not compare (nested too deep)' });
+  });
+
+  test('an absent, unchanged, reformatted or unparseable manifest is not stamp-only, and a non-manifest file never is', () => {
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', null, manifest('1.0.0'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'absent or unreadable at the merge base' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), null)).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'absent or unreadable in the working tree' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), manifest('1.0.0'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'unchanged' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(manifest('1.0.0'))))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'no value changed (whitespace or spelling only)' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', manifest('1.0.0'), '{ version: 1.0.1 }').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('src/version.ts', "export const VERSION = '1.0.0';", "export const VERSION = '1.0.1';")).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'not a JSON, plist or VERSION file' });
+  });
+
+  test('a VERSION file is stamp-only when both sides are one bare version with at most a trailing LF; a line-ending change is content', () => {
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '0.60.462.0\n', '0.60.463.0\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: true, changed: ['0.60.462.0 → 0.60.463.0'] });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '0.60.462.0', '0.60.463.0')).toEqual({ stampOnly: true, changed: ['0.60.462.0 → 0.60.463.0'] });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '0.60.462.0\n', '0.60.463.0\r\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'content is not one bare version on both sides' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('p.json', '{\r\n"version": "1.0.0"\r\n}', '{\n"version": "1.0.1"\n}')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 1 changed beyond a version value' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '0.60.462.0\n', '0.60.463.0\nnotes\n').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', 'unreleased\n', '1.0.0\n').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '1.0.0', '1.0.0\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'no version changed (trailing newline only)' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '1.0.0\n', ' 1.0.1\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'content is not one bare version on both sides' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '1.0.0\n', '\u00a01.0.0\u2028').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('VERSION', '1.0.0\n', '\ufeff1.0.1\n').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('a plist is stamp-only when only the <string> under CFBundleShortVersionString or CFBundleVersion changed', () => {
+    const plist = (short: string, build: string, name = 'App', minOS = '15.0') => `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<plist version="1.0">
+<dict>
+  <key>CFBundleName</key>
+  <string>${name}</string>
+  <key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
+  <string>${short}</string>
+  <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
+  <string>${build}</string>
+  <key>MinimumOSVersion</key>
+  <string>${minOS}</string>
+</dict>
+</plist>
+`;
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45'), plist('1.2.4', '1.2.4.46'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: true, changed: ['CFBundleShortVersionString 1.2.3 → 1.2.4', 'CFBundleVersion 1.2.3.45 → 1.2.4.46'] });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '45'), plist('1.2.4', '46'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 9 changed and a value is not a bare version' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45'), plist('1.2.4', '1.2.4.46', 'Other'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 5 changed and a value is not a bare version' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45', '1.0.0'), plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45', '2.0.0'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 5 changed under <key>CFBundleName</key>, not a bundle version key' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45'), plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45', 'App', '17.0'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 11 changed under <key>MinimumOSVersion</key>, not a bundle version key' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45'), plist('1.2.4', '1.2.4.46').replace('<key>CFBundleVersion</key>', '<key>CFBundleVersions</key>'))).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 8 changed and is not a <string> value' });
+    expect(versionStampOnly('ios/Info.plist', plist('1.2.3', '1.2.3.45'), plist('1.2.4', '1.2.4.46') + '<!-- -->\n').stampOnly).toBe(false);
+    expect(versionStampOnly('v.plist', '<string>1.0.0</string>\n', '<string>1.0.1</string>\n')).toEqual({ stampOnly: false, reason: 'line 1 changed under no <key>, not a bundle version key' });
+  });
+});
+
+describe('gstack-pregate lanes and version-stamp-only manifests', () => {
+  // The fixture's base pregate.json declares no lane for these manifests, as gbrain's master does not; every PR is judged by the base's policy.
+  const base = { '.claude-plugin/plugin.json': manifest('1.0.0'), '.codex-plugin/plugin.json': manifest('1.0.0'), 'openclaw.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.0', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine' }), 'VERSION': '1.0.0\n' };
+  const stamp = (v: string) => ({ '.claude-plugin/plugin.json': manifest(v), '.codex-plugin/plugin.json': manifest(v), 'openclaw.plugin.json': manifest(v, { id: 'gbrain-context-engine' }), 'VERSION': `${v}\n` });
+
+  test('positive: a PR that only re-stamps the manifests and VERSION passes lanes with a line naming the waived files and why', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo, stamp('1.0.1'), 'release: restamp 1.0.1');
+    const r = pregate(repo);
+    expect(r.err).not.toContain('PREGATE_NO_LANE');
+    expect(r.out).not.toContain('has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toContain(`${WAIVER}.claude-plugin/plugin.json .codex-plugin/plugin.json VERSION openclaw.plugin.json — only version values changed against the merge base; a manifest whose other content changed still needs a lane`);
+    expect(r.status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(lanes(repo).status).toBe('pass');
+    expect(lanes(repo).detail).toBe('version-stamp-only: 4 version-stamp-only manifest(s); nothing touched selects a test');
+    const explain = pregate(repo, ['--explain']).out;
+    expect(explain).toMatch(/\.claude-plugin\/plugin\.json: version-stamp-only against [0-9a-f]{12} \(version 1\.0\.0 → 1\.0\.1\); no lane needed/);
+    expect(explain).toMatch(/VERSION: version-stamp-only against [0-9a-f]{12} \(1\.0\.0 → 1\.0\.1\); no lane needed/);
+  });
+
+  test('negative: a manifest whose non-version field changed still fails with PREGATE_NO_LANE and says why it was not a stamp', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo, { '.claude-plugin/plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { description: 'Personal knowledge brain, with RLS' }), 'VERSION': '1.0.1\n' }, 'release: restamp and reword');
+    const r = pregate(repo);
+    expect(r.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    expect(r.err).toContain('(PREGATE_NO_LANE)');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — .claude-plugin/plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toContain(`${WAIVER}VERSION — `);
+    expect(r.out).not.toContain(`${WAIVER}.claude-plugin`);
+    expect(pregate(repo, ['--explain']).out).toContain('.claude-plugin/plugin.json: not version-stamp-only (.description changed and its key is not `version`)');
+  });
+
+  test('mixed diff: the stamped manifests are waived while an unmapped source file keeps its PREGATE_NO_LANE, and a mapped one still runs its test', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo, { 'VERSION': '1.0.1\n', 'openclaw.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine' }), 'lib/orphan.js': 'exports.lonely = () => 2;\n' }, 'stamp plus an orphan');
+    const orphan = pregate(repo);
+    expect(orphan.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    expect(orphan.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — lib/orphan.js has no test lane');
+    expect(orphan.out).toContain(`${WAIVER}VERSION openclaw.plugin.json — `);
+    expect(pregate(repo, ['--explain']).out).not.toContain('lib/orphan.js: not version-stamp-only');
+    const repo2 = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo2, { 'VERSION': '1.0.1\n', 'openclaw.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine' }), 'lib/util.js': 'exports.add = (a, b) => a + b + 0;\n' }, 'stamp plus a mapped change');
+    const mapped = pregate(repo2);
+    expect(mapped.status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(mapped.out).toContain(`${WAIVER}VERSION openclaw.plugin.json — `);
+    expect(lanes(repo2).detail).toMatch(/^1 tests ran in 1 file\(s\), exit 0/);
+  });
+
+  test('a manifest a test reads keeps its lane: the test runs and the file is not waived', () => {
+    // lib/config.json is read by test/config-read.test.js through a repo-path literal in the fixture.
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: { 'lib/config.json': j({ version: '1.0.0', limit: 10 }) } });
+    commit(repo, { 'lib/config.json': j({ version: '1.0.1', limit: 10 }) }, 'stamp a config a test reads');
+    const r = pregate(repo);
+    expect(r.out).not.toContain('version-stamp-only');
+    expect(r.out).toContain("ran: node --test 'test/config-read.test.js'");
+    expect(lanes(repo).detail).toMatch(/^1 tests ran in 1 file\(s\)/);
+  });
+
+  test('the comparison is against the merge base: main re-stamping after the fork does not change the verdict, and a later non-stamp commit on the branch does', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo, stamp('1.0.1'), 'release: restamp 1.0.1');
+    repo.git('checkout', '-q', 'main');
+    for (const [rel, text] of Object.entries(stamp('1.0.5'))) write(repo.work, rel, text);
+    repo.git('add', '-A'); repo.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'main restamps 1.0.5'); repo.git('push', '-q', 'origin', 'main');
+    repo.git('checkout', '-q', 'feature');
+    const stamped = pregate(repo);
+    expect(stamped.status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(pregate(repo, ['--explain']).out).toMatch(/VERSION: version-stamp-only against [0-9a-f]{12} \(1\.0\.0 → 1\.0\.1\)/);
+    commit(repo, { 'openclaw.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine', description: 'reworded later' }) }, 'reword after the stamp');
+    const reworded = pregate(repo);
+    expect(reworded.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    expect(reworded.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — openclaw.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(reworded.out).toContain(`${WAIVER}.claude-plugin/plugin.json .codex-plugin/plugin.json VERSION — `);
+  });
+
+  test('a mode change or a symlink on either side is not a stamp', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    fs.chmodSync(path.join(repo.work, 'VERSION'), 0o755);
+    commit(repo, { 'VERSION': '1.0.1\n' }, 'stamp with an exec bit');
+    expect(pregate(repo).out).toContain('FAIL lanes — VERSION has no test lane');
+    const link = fixture({ baseFiles: { 'target.txt': '1.0.0\n' } });
+    fs.symlinkSync('target.txt', path.join(link.work, 'VERSION'));
+    link.git('add', '-A'); link.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'symlinked VERSION'); link.git('push', '-q', 'origin', 'HEAD:main'); link.git('fetch', '-q', 'origin');
+    fs.unlinkSync(path.join(link.work, 'VERSION')); write(link.work, 'VERSION', '1.0.1\n');
+    link.git('add', '-A'); link.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'symlink becomes a file');
+    const r = pregate(link, ['--explain']);
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — VERSION has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('VERSION: not version-stamp-only (absent or unreadable at the merge base)');
+  });
+
+  test('a renamed manifest, an added one and a deleted one are not stamps', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(repo.work, 'plugins'));
+    repo.git('mv', 'openclaw.plugin.json', 'plugins/openclaw.plugin.json');
+    commit(repo, { 'plugins/openclaw.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine' }), 'VERSION': null, 'new.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1') }, 'move, add and delete');
+    const r = pregate(repo);
+    expect(r.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — new.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — plugins/openclaw.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).not.toContain('version-stamp-only (no lane needed)');
+  });
+
+  test('the working tree decides: an uncommitted stamp is waived, an uncommitted reword on top of a committed stamp is not, and an oversize or non-UTF-8 manifest is never a stamp', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    write(repo.work, 'VERSION', '1.0.1\n');
+    expect(pregate(repo).status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(lanes(repo).detail).toBe('version-stamp-only: 1 version-stamp-only manifest(s); nothing touched selects a test');
+    commit(repo, { 'openclaw.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine' }) }, 'stamp');
+    write(repo.work, 'openclaw.plugin.json', manifest('1.0.1', { id: 'gbrain-context-engine', description: 'reworded in the working tree' }));
+    const dirty = pregate(repo);
+    expect(dirty.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    expect(dirty.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — openclaw.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    const big = fixture({ baseFiles: { 'big.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.0', { pad: 'x'.repeat(1024 * 1024) }), 'bad.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.0'), 'bom.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.0') } });
+    commit(big, { 'big.plugin.json': manifest('1.0.1', { pad: 'x'.repeat(1024 * 1024) }) }, 'oversize stamp');
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(big.work, 'bad.plugin.json'), Buffer.concat([Buffer.from('{"version":"1.0.1","name":"'), Buffer.from([0xff]), Buffer.from('"}\n')]));
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(big.work, 'bom.plugin.json'), Buffer.concat([Buffer.from([0xef, 0xbb, 0xbf]), Buffer.from(manifest('1.0.1'))]));
+    big.git('add', '-A'); big.git('commit', '-q', '-m', 'invalid utf-8');
+    const r = pregate(big, ['--explain']);
+    expect(r.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — big.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — bad.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('big.plugin.json: not version-stamp-only (absent or unreadable in the working tree)');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('bad.plugin.json: not version-stamp-only (absent or unreadable in the working tree)');
+    expect(r.out).toContain('FAIL lanes — bom.plugin.json has no test lane');
+    expect(r.out).toMatch(/bom\.plugin\.json: not version-stamp-only \(not parseable JSON on both sides/);
+  });
+
+  test('a manifest under a test, fixture, golden, .gstack or workflow tree is never waived', () => {
+    const files = { 'test/fixtures/golden.json': j({ version: '1.0.0', expect: 1 }), 'test/golden/expected.json': j({ version: '1.0.0' }), 'goldens/out.json': j({ version: '1.0.0' }), '.gstack/extra.json': j({ version: '1.0.0' }), '.github/workflows/meta.json': j({ version: '1.0.0' }), 'VERSION': '1.0.0\n' };
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: files });
+    commit(repo, Object.fromEntries(Object.entries(files).map(([k, v]) => [k, v.replace('1.0.0', '1.0.1')])), 'stamp everything');
+    const r = pregate(repo, ['--explain']);
+    expect(r.status).toBe(EXIT.fail);
+    for (const f of Object.keys(files).filter(f => f !== 'VERSION')) expect(r.out).toContain(`FAIL lanes — ${f} has no test lane`);
+    expect(r.out).toContain(`${WAIVER}VERSION — `);
+    expect(r.out).not.toContain('golden.json: not version-stamp-only');
+  });
+
+  test('the no-tests detail names the stamped manifests beside documentation and assets', () => {
+    const repo = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo, { 'VERSION': '1.0.1\n', 'docs/README.md': '# docs, reworded\n' }, 'stamp plus docs');
+    expect(pregate(repo).status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(lanes(repo).detail).toBe('docs/no-tests: 1 documentation file(s) and 1 version-stamp-only manifest(s); nothing touched selects a test');
+    const repo2 = fixture({ baseFiles: base });
+    commit(repo2, { 'VERSION': '1.0.1\n', 'assets/logo.png': 'not really a png\n' }, 'stamp plus an asset');
+    expect(pregate(repo2).status).toBe(EXIT.ok);
+    expect(lanes(repo2).detail).toBe('no-tests: 1 asset or tool-config file(s) and 1 version-stamp-only manifest(s); nothing touched selects a test');
+  });
+});