diff --git a/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67e2551dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+name: Free Tests
+
+# The free suite (~400 files: test/, browse/test/, make-pdf/test/, design/test/)
+# had ZERO Linux CI coverage before this lane — only a curated Windows subset
+# ran anywhere. This job runs the whole thing through the canonical runner
+# (scripts/test-free-shards.ts): one `bun test --parallel` invocation with
+# strict-output classification, so a truncated or summary-less run can never
+# report green.
+#
+# Deliberately SECRETLESS: free tests make no API calls, so this lane gets no
+# provider keys at all — least privilege, and fork PRs get real test signal
+# here (the eval matrix skips fork PRs because repository secrets can't reach
+# them). test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts fails CI if a secret sneaks in.
+#
+# This is a REQUIRED check from day one (branch protection lists it). If it's
+# red, fix or quarantine-with-issue — don't make it advisory; an advisory lane
+# is permanent false comfort.
+#
+# Sizing note (decision V3): single --parallel job first. If PR runs show it
+# slower than the eval matrix wall, switch to a matrix of
+# `--shards N --shard i` jobs (indices are stable, empty shards no-op).
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+concurrency:
+  group: free-tests-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  free-tests:
+    runs-on: ubicloud-standard-8
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
+        with:
+          bun-version: 1.3.13
+
+      - uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.bun/install/cache
+          key: linux-bun-${{ hashFiles('bun.lock') }}
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: bun install --frozen-lockfile
+
+      - uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.cache/ms-playwright
+          key: linux-playwright-${{ hashFiles('bun.lock') }}
+
+      # Cache restores browser binaries; install is still required for system
+      # deps and is a fast no-op for already-present browsers.
+      - name: Install Playwright Chromium
+        run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
+
+      - name: Configure git identity (tests init temp repos)
+        run: |
+          git config --global user.email "free-tests-ci@gstack.test"
+          git config --global user.name "Free Tests CI"
+          git config --global init.defaultBranch main
+
+      - name: Generate host SKILL.md outputs (.agents, .factory)
+        # Golden-file tests read generated host outputs that are gitignored.
+        run: bun run gen:skill-docs --host all
+
+      - name: Build server-node bundle (loaded by browse cli imports)
+        run: bash browse/scripts/build-node-server.sh
+
+      - name: Run free suite
+        run: bun run test:free
diff --git a/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts b/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68459f80c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/**
+ * Static tripwire for .github/workflows/free-tests.yml — the Linux free-suite
+ * lane. Pins the three properties that made the lane worth having:
+ *
+ *   1. It invokes the CANONICAL runner (bun run test:free), not a raw
+ *      `bun test <dirs>` glob — the runner owns TEST_ROOTS and strict-output
+ *      classification, so a truncated run can't report green.
+ *   2. It is SECRETLESS: free tests make no API calls, and keeping keys out
+ *      means fork PRs get real signal here. Any `secrets.` reference is a
+ *      regression.
+ *   3. It triggers on `pull_request` (never `pull_request_target`, which
+ *      would hand a fork PR the base repo's context).
+ *
+ * Same wiring-tripwire class as test/hermetic-wiring.test.ts.
+ */
+
+import { describe, test, expect } from 'bun:test';
+import * as fs from 'fs';
+import * as path from 'path';
+
+const WORKFLOW = path.resolve(import.meta.dir, '..', '.github', 'workflows', 'free-tests.yml');
+
+describe('free-tests workflow wiring', () => {
+  const source = fs.readFileSync(WORKFLOW, 'utf-8');
+
+  test('workflow exists and invokes the canonical runner', () => {
+    expect(source).toContain('bun run test:free');
+    expect(source).not.toMatch(/run:\s*bun test\s/);
+  });
+
+  test('secretless: no secrets reach the free lane', () => {
+    expect(source).not.toContain('secrets.');
+    expect(source).not.toContain('ANTHROPIC_API_KEY');
+    expect(source).not.toContain('OPENAI_API_KEY');
+  });
+
+  test('pull_request trigger, never pull_request_target', () => {
+    expect(source).toContain('pull_request:');
+    expect(source).not.toContain('pull_request_target');
+  });
+
+  test('if sharded (matrix), the matrix count matches --shards N', () => {
+    // Single-job --parallel mode has no matrix — vacuously fine. If someone
+    // switches to the shard matrix (the V3 fallback), the two encodings of
+    // the shard count must agree or CI silently drops files.
+    const shardsFlag = source.match(/--shards\s+(\d+)/);
+    const matrix = source.match(/shard:\s*\[([^\]]+)\]/);
+    if (shardsFlag || matrix) {
+      expect(shardsFlag, 'matrix present but no --shards N flag').toBeTruthy();
+      expect(matrix, '--shards N present but no shard matrix').toBeTruthy();
+      const count = parseInt(shardsFlag![1], 10);
+      const entries = matrix![1].split(',').map(s => s.trim()).filter(Boolean);
+      expect(entries.length).toBe(count);
+    }
+  });
+});