chore(skills): bump metadata.version for the Research doc migration

Raise the PATCH version of each skill whose references/sources.md,
references, or validator changed in the Research registry migration, as
ADR-0022 requires. factory-audit and skill-author changed behaviour and
docs; the rest changed provenance metadata only.

Refs: #121
ADR: 0022
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01EGHFJextYtVQseaHPDDhxB

.pre-commit-config.yaml

@@ -220,6 +220,21 @@ repos:
         pass_filenames: false
         always_run: true
 
+      - id: check-provenance-corpus
+        name: Check provenance across the skill corpus
+        description: Run factory-audit's validate-provenance.sh over every plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/ that has references/sources.md and fail on any FAIL (ADR-0028, #121)
+        entry: bash scripts/check-provenance-corpus.sh
+        language: system
+        stages: [pre-push]
+        pass_filenames: false
+        always_run: true
+        # Nothing else runs validate-provenance.sh over the real corpus --
+        # check-scope-walkup-sync exercises it against synthetic fixtures only --
+        # so ADR-0028's FAIL tier for a Research doc mismatch would be inert
+        # without this caller. The skill set is globbed, not counted, and
+        # discovering zero skills is an error (exit 2), not a pass. Needs no
+        # network; needs python3, which the validator's own preflight names.
+
       - id: check-skill-version-bump
         name: Check changed skills bump metadata.version
         description: On every push, fail if a skill directory changed (tests/ excluded) since the merge-base with main without its SKILL.md metadata.version rising above both that merge-base's and main's tip's (ADR-0022)

CONTEXT.md

@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@ topic docs and a `sources.md`; the author skill records which sources informed w
 and internally consistent.
 _Avoid_: sources, citations, attribution
 
+**Research registry**:
+A plugin's research `sources.md` (e.g. `plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md`), whose `## H2`
+headings are the source slugs. A skill's `Research doc:` field names exactly one, and
+`factory-audit` resolves each entry's slug against it. An entry with no registry declares
+`Research doc: none` and names what it was actually drawn from in `Basis:`.
+_Avoid_: research doc, sources file, topic doc (a topic doc is a digest of sources, not the registry)
+
 ### Governance
 
 **HITL** (human-in-the-loop):

docs/adr/0028-research-doc-names-the-research-registry.md

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+# `Research doc:` names one Research registry; entries without one declare `none` and a `Basis:`
+
+**Status: accepted (2026-09-21).** Resolves #121. Extends ADR-0004's INFO level: it keeps INFO for
+the case where a check cannot run and promotes the case where it ran and found a mismatch.
+
+Each entry in a skill's `references/sources.md` carries a `Research doc:` field. The spec
+(`skill-author/references/create.md`) says it names the plugin's research `sources.md`, the file
+whose `## H2` headings are the source slugs. The corpus did something else: 29 of 30 mismatched
+entries pointed at a research topic doc annotated `(whole-document reference)`, and 6 values were not
+a single path (comma-separated lists and shell brace expansion, plus a semicolon pair in
+`gitea-releases`). Checks 7 and 8 of `validate-provenance.sh` look the slug up as an H2 in the named
+file, so 36 entries reported INFO and nothing failed. Measured by running the script over all 39 skill
+directories, since nothing else runs it over the corpus.
+
+We decided that `Research doc:` names exactly one **Research registry** (the term is in
+`CONTEXT.md`), as the spec always said. Slug-to-H2 lookup in the registry is the only provenance link
+that can be verified deterministically; a topic doc has no per-source H2 to check against. A link to
+the topic doc that digested a source stays as free-text annotation and is not checked.
+
+## Considered options
+
+**Q1 — what `Research doc:` refers to.**
+
+- **(a) The Research registry (chosen).** Check 7 stays as designed (check 8 is retired, see Q6); the
+  29 entries repoint mechanically.
+- **(b) The topic docs a source fed into (rejected).** Matches what the authors wrote, and is arguably
+  the more useful pointer for a reader. Rejected because it changes the spec and the checker, and the
+  slug check has nothing to run against.
+- **(c) Both, as two fields (rejected).** Doubles the schema for a link nobody gates on.
+
+**Q2 — how an entry with no registry declares that honestly.**
+
+- **(a) `Research doc: none` plus a `Basis:` field (chosen).** `Basis:` takes repeated bullets of
+  repo paths (ADRs, `core/instructions/*.md`, a live example) and is checked for existence only.
+  `research_doc_is_none` already parses `none`, and `git-workflow` already writes it. Same shape as
+  #111: there was no honest way to declare the truthful thing.
+- **(b) A non-corpus path stays legal in `Research doc:` (rejected).** Leaves one field meaning two
+  things depending on its value, and the INFO it produces can never be cleared.
+- **(c) Move non-corpus entries out of `sources.md` (rejected).** A larger restructure than the
+  issue warrants.
+
+Lists are not needed under Q1(a): the four `pc-author` and `pc-run` brace expansions are one
+registry, and the `gitea-releases` pair collapses to one registry. Brace expansion and semicolon
+pairs are rejected outright, since nothing expands them in a markdown field.
+
+**Q3 — tier once the grammar is settled.**
+
+- **(b) FAIL when the path resolves and check 7 finds a mismatch; INFO when the path does not
+  resolve (chosen).** Check 8 is not part of this: see Q6. A topic doc in `Research doc:` is now
+  simply wrong and is a FAIL. An
+  unresolvable path stays INFO because `skill-file-structure.md` treats `sources.md` pointers as
+  development-time, and a deployed copy of a skill outside this repo will not have the research docs.
+  This repo's own corpus is audited from the authoring source, where every path resolves.
+- **(a) Everything stays INFO (rejected).** Under ADR-0004 INFO implies no action, which is how 36
+  mismatches went unnoticed.
+- **(c) Everything FAIL (rejected).** Fails a correctly-provenanced skill audited from a deployed
+  copy, which the file-structure exemption exists to prevent.
+
+**Q6 — what happens to check 8.** Found unsatisfiable during the migration, after Q3 was decided.
+Check 8 requires every `extracted` slug in the research doc to appear in the skill's `sources.md`.
+That worked while entries pointed at topic docs, and was dormant. Under Q1(a) the named file is a
+registry shared by many skills (`git/sources.md` backs seven), and nothing ties a registry slug to one
+skill, so every skill would fail permanently. The direction that matters, that each slug a skill lists
+exists in the registry, is already check 7.
+
+- **(a) Retire check 8 (chosen).** Check 7 is the FAIL. Under registry semantics check 8 has no
+  satisfiable meaning.
+- **(b) Keep it as an INFO (rejected).** Recreates the noise ADR-0004 warns about: an observation with
+  no action that every skill emits forever.
+- **(c) Redefine it as a registry-side coverage report (rejected for now).** "Registry slugs that no
+  skill uses" is a coherent check, but it is a report across all skills and separate work from this
+  issue.
+
+**Q7 — `Basis:` paths that no longer exist.** Found in the same migration: `git-commits` and
+`git-workflow` cite `core/instructions/git.md` and `commits.md`, deleted in `5deed07`. An existence
+check on every `Basis:` bullet would fail them.
+
+- **(a) A bullet annotated `(removed in <sha>)` skips the existence check (chosen).** The check stays
+  for live paths, which is what catches a renamed ADR, and deletion becomes an explicit, auditable
+  annotation. Weakness: the annotation can be written on any bullet to avoid the check. Verifying the
+  sha with `git cat-file -e` would close that, and was left out as over-engineering for three bullets.
+- **(b) `Basis:` becomes free prose with no existence check (rejected).** Gives up the one check that
+  catches a renamed or moved ADR.
+- **(c) Drop those `Basis:` lines and keep `none` with a prose reason (rejected).** Loses the
+  machine-readable record of what the entry was drawn from.
+
+Form: one path per bullet, `- **Basis:** <path>` repeated, not a header with sub-bullets.
+
+**Q8 — the `lint` entry with no verifiable basis.** `house-vale-3-15-2-repro` in `vale-config` and
+`vale-run` said `none` and claimed six behaviours were "established by running it against purpose-built
+fixtures in this repo". No such fixture or test exists in the tree or in history: the entry was added
+in `d1afdbe` with no test files, and the only vale test ever deleted (`4de5b6b`) guards an unrelated
+`E100`. Under Q2 it FAILed for a missing `Basis:`.
+
+- **(e) Remove the entry and its `source_keys` citations (chosen).** The stated basis was false, so
+  there is nothing honest to declare. The behavioural rules stay in the skills; only the provenance
+  claim goes. The gate needs no allowlist.
+- **(a) `Basis: tests/test-vale-wrap.sh` (rejected).** Backs about one of six claims and overstates the
+  rest.
+- **(b) Commit reproduction fixtures (rejected for now).** The right fix if the behaviours matter, but
+  separate work from this issue.
+- **(c) Allow `none` without `Basis:` for "house-verified" entries (rejected).** Reopens Q2 and gives
+  an escape hatch for unverified claims.
+- **(d) Keep the entry and allowlist the two skills in the gate (rejected).** Keeps a false claim in
+  place and adds a list that can rot.
+
+`configuration-reference.md` still says its rows were "reproduced against Vale 3.15.2"; that wording
+now has no provenance entry behind it and is left for a separate decision.
+
+**Q4 — enforcement.** A corpus-wide sweep gate lands in the same change: a test or pre-push hook that
+runs `validate-provenance.sh` over every `plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/` and fails on any FAIL. Deferring it
+was rejected because without a caller the FAIL tier is inert; nothing but `check-scope-walkup-sync.sh`
+(on fixtures) invokes the validator today.
+
+**Q5 — parser parity.** `parse_status` and `parse_research_doc` accept the bullet spelling
+(`- **Status:**`) as `parse_contributing_files` already does, with a regression test. Included because
+it is the same failure shape as #111 and #118 (a parser returns "nothing found", the caller reads it as
+"nothing declared"), sits in the same file, and `gitea-releases` already writes the unhyphenated form.
+
+## Consequences
+
+- About 40 `references/sources.md` entries migrate: roughly 30 repoint from a topic doc to the registry,
+  about 4 move to `Research doc: none` with a `Basis:` list (`provider-adapter-author`,
+  `git-commits` `org-commit-conventions`, `agentsmd-audit` `governance-secrets-hard-prohibition`,
+  `git-workflow`), and the `gitea-releases` pair collapses to one path.
+- `Basis:` is a new field: `create.md` step 6, `skill-file-structure.md` and the validator's usage text
+  must state it, and the validator must check that each listed path exists, except a bullet annotated
+  `(removed in <sha>)`. Each `Basis:` path is one bullet.
+- Check 7 gains a FAIL tier for resolved-path mismatches. INFO remains for a path that does not
+  resolve. A topic doc named in `Research doc:` is no longer legal: it is a FAIL, since a topic doc has
+  no per-source `## H2` to check the slug against.
+- Check 8 is retired: remove it from `lib-provenance-skill.sh`, its usage text and the tests, and drop
+  its mention from `skill-file-structure.md` and `create.md` where present.
+- The corpus-wide sweep is a new gate: register it in `docs/spec/gates.md` and
+  `.pre-commit-config.yaml`. The corpus must be migrated in the same change or the suite goes red.
+- Reversing this means re-migrating the same entries, which is why it is recorded.

docs/spec/gates.md

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ is checked out. Push one ref at a time when the gate matters.
 
 ## The pre-push gate
 
-Eight hooks, grouped below by what they guard rather than by the order `.pre-commit-config.yaml` declares them in.
+Nine hooks, grouped below by what they guard rather than by the order `.pre-commit-config.yaml` declares them in.
 
 **Core checks**
 
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ version-blind, so a stale key deploys fine (see [apm gates](#apm-gates)).
 | Hook | Guards |
 |---|---|
 | `check-apm-agents-valid` | runs `factory-audit`'s `validate.sh` over every real `plugins/*/.apm/agents/*.agent.md` (see [Agent files](#agent-files-take-the-description-gates-not-the-body-gate)) |
+| `check-provenance-corpus` | runs `factory-audit`'s `validate-provenance.sh` over every real `plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/` that has a `references/sources.md`, failing on any FAIL (see [The provenance corpus sweep](#the-provenance-corpus-sweep-adr-0028)) |
 
 **apm's own gates**
 
@@ -576,6 +577,38 @@ follows symlinks with `find -L` because vale does.
 on `files:` patterns that match single markdown files, and only the `-d "$arg"` branch mirrors a
 directory. The exposed caller is the hand-invoked `vale-wrap.sh <dir>`.
 
+## The provenance corpus sweep (ADR-0028)
+
+`check-provenance-corpus` runs `validate-provenance.sh` over every real
+`plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/` directory that has a `references/sources.md`, and fails on any FAIL. The set
+is discovered by glob, not counted, so a new skill is covered the moment it grows a `sources.md`, and
+**discovering zero skills is an error, not a pass**.
+
+The hook exists because nothing else ran the validator over the real corpus.
+`check-scope-walkup-sync` invokes it only against synthetic `mktemp` fixtures, and `factory-audit`'s
+bats suite does the same. So a `Research doc:` naming the wrong file, or a slug absent from its
+Research registry, could only be found by hand-running the validator in a loop. That is how 36
+mismatches (#121) reported INFO while every gate stayed green. ADR-0028 promotes "the check ran and
+found a mismatch" from INFO to FAIL; without a caller across the corpus that FAIL tier would be inert.
+
+It reuses the validators' exit contract (see
+[the three exit tiers](#the-three-exit-tiers-of-factory-audits-validators)) and keeps the tiers apart:
+
+| Exit | Means |
+|---|---|
+| **0** | every skill validated. INFO-only findings are printed, never swallowed |
+| **1** | at least one skill FAILed. The summary line names the failing skills |
+| **2** | the gate could not run: the validator is missing, a skill's validator run exited 2 ("not auditable"), or no skill with a `references/sources.md` was found |
+
+A validator exit 2 is reported as a gate error, not as a FAIL about that skill: it says the audit never
+happened, and the skill has not been shown to be wrong.
+
+An unresolvable `Research doc:` path stays INFO by design, because a deployed copy of a skill outside
+this repo will not carry the research docs (see `skill-file-structure.md`'s `sources.md` exemption).
+This repo's own corpus is audited from the authoring source, where every path resolves, so an INFO
+printed here is worth reading. Needs no network; needs `python3`, which the validator's own preflight
+names.
+
 ## Current retrofit status
 
 The ADR-0020 gates ship hot, with no baseline file — a shrinking baseline was considered and

plugins/core/.apm/skills/agentsmd-audit/SKILL.md

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ metadata:
     - context7-websites-agents-md
     - context7-agentsmd-agents-md
     - governance-secrets-hard-prohibition
-  version: "0.1.3"
+  version: "0.1.4"
 ---
 
 ## Gotchas

plugins/core/.apm/skills/agentsmd-audit/references/sources.md

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 - **URL:** (org convention — not a plugin research corpus entry)
 - **Description:** Hard prohibition on placing secrets, API keys, tokens, or credentials in code, config, prompts, or any output. Grounds the secrets/credentials check in `scripts/validate-secrets.sh` and Step 1 of SKILL.md — AGENTS.md is committed content, so an embedded real secret is a hard-prohibition violation, not a style nit.
-- **Research doc:** core/instructions/governance.md (org convention file, not a plugin research corpus entry; content is inlined here since plugins must be self-contained and this file may not exist wherever the plugin is installed)
+- **Research doc:** none — org convention, not a plugin research corpus entry
+- **Basis:** core/instructions/governance.md (content is inlined here since plugins must be self-contained and this file may not exist wherever the plugin is installed)
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`

plugins/core/.apm/skills/provider-adapter-author/SKILL.md

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ metadata:
   category: docs
   source_keys:
     - adr-0002-0003-two-tier-claude-md
-  version: "0.1.2"
+  version: "0.1.3"
 ---
 
 ## Gotchas

plugins/core/.apm/skills/provider-adapter-author/references/sources.md

@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 - **URL:** (in-repo precedent — not an external source or plugin research corpus entry)
 - **Description:** This repo's own two-tier CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md pattern: AGENTS.md is the provider-agnostic source of always-on rules; provider-specific files (CLAUDE.md) become thin adapters that import it (`@AGENTS.md` plus provider-specific additions). Grounds this skill's entire adapter-conversion design — the "thin adapter" shape, the `@`-import convention, and the size/duplication expectations enforced by `scripts/validate-adapter.sh`.
-- **Research doc:** docs/adr/0002-two-tier-claude-md.md, docs/adr/0003-agents-md-provider-agnostic-entry-point.md, providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md (in-repo ADRs and a live example, not a plugin research corpus entry; referenced here since this skill's design is modeled directly on an existing implementation rather than external research)
+- **Research doc:** none — in-repo ADRs and a live example, not a plugin research corpus entry; this skill's design is modeled directly on an existing implementation rather than external research
+- **Basis:** docs/adr/0002-two-tier-claude-md.md
+- **Basis:** docs/adr/0003-agents-md-provider-agnostic-entry-point.md
+- **Basis:** providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/provider-matrix.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-branches/SKILL.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ description: >
   Not a Gitea remote's branches -> `gitea-branches`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.5"
+  version: "1.0.6"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - context7-git-htmldocs

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-branches/references/sources.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gitflow vs. GitHub Flow inference and the not-mixable rule)
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/comparing-workflows/gitflow-workflow
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gitflow vs. GitHub Flow inference and the not-mixable rule)
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://danielkummer.github.io/git-flow-cheatsheet/
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - references/branch-patterns.md (feature/release/hotfix naming conventions)
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 
 **Source:** context7:/git/htmldocs
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/branching-merging.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/branching-merging.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gotchas — `git switch` abort-on-conflict behaviour, branch/tag name ambiguity)

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-commits/SKILL.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ description: >
   Not branch lifecycle -> `git-branches`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "0.1.7"
+  version: "0.1.8"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - conventional-commits-spec

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-commits/references/sources.md

@@ -14,27 +14,29 @@ Sources extracted from the git plugin research phase. Only sources that directly
 ## conventional-commits-spec
 
 - **Description:** Conventional Commits Specification (v1.0.0) — message format, types, breaking changes, footer rules
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/commits.md § "Conventional Commits Specification (v1.0.0)"
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/commits.md § "Conventional Commits Specification (v1.0.0)")
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/conventional-commits-spec.md, references/create-commit.md
 - **Status:** extracted
 
 ## commitlint-config-conventional
 
 - **Description:** commitlint config-conventional preset — validation constraints (max 100 chars header, no trailing periods, lowercase type, 11-type set enforcement)
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/commits.md § "commitlint Constraints (`config-conventional`)"
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/commits.md § "commitlint Constraints (`config-conventional`)")
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/conventional-commits-spec.md, references/create-commit.md
 - **Status:** extracted
 
 ## org-commit-conventions
 
 - **Description:** Organization commit message body template and git conventions (atomic commits, no `--no-verify`, no force-push main/master, `rtk git` wrapper) — content fully embedded in this skill; the org's `core/instructions/git.md` and `core/instructions/commits.md` are provenance only and are not a live dependency
-- **Research doc:** core/instructions/commits.md, core/instructions/git.md (org convention, not part of the plugin's research corpus)
+- **Research doc:** none
+- **Basis:** core/instructions/commits.md (removed in 5deed07)
+- **Basis:** core/instructions/git.md (removed in 5deed07)
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/commit-template.md, references/create-commit.md, references/rewrite-history.md
 - **Status:** extracted
 
 ## context7-git-htmldocs
 
 - **Description:** Official Git HTML documentation — `git commit --squash`/`--fixup`, `git rebase --autosquash`, and `git cherry-pick` range and abort semantics
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/cli-reference.md § "Committing", § "Rebasing", § "Cherry-picking"
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/cli-reference.md § "Committing", § "Rebasing", § "Cherry-picking")
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/rewrite-history.md, references/cherry-pick.md
 - **Status:** extracted

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-history/SKILL.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ description: >
   `git-commits`. Not a Gitea server's history -> `gitea-branches`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.2"
+  version: "1.0.3"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - git-scm-bisect-docs

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-history/references/sources.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ source_keys:
 
 Git bisect documentation covering binary search through commit history to find the commit that introduced a bug. Includes manual flow, automated mode with exit codes, skip patterns, and visualization options.
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/history-inspection.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/history-inspection.md)
 - **Doc heading:** `## git bisect`
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/bisect.md
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Git bisect documentation covering binary search through commit history to find t
 
 Git log documentation covering format presets, custom format placeholders (commit identity, author, committer, message, refs, GPG signature), pickaxe search (`-S` and `-G`), `--follow` for file renames, `--diff-filter`, and line-range history (`-L`).
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/history-inspection.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/history-inspection.md)
 - **Doc heading:** `## git log — Format and Filtering`
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/git-log-format.md
 
@@ -26,6 +26,6 @@ Git log documentation covering format presets, custom format placeholders (commi
 
 Git diff documentation covering output control (--stat, --name-only, --name-status, --word-diff) and whitespace handling flags.
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/history-inspection.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/history-inspection.md)
 - **Doc heading:** `## git diff — Output Control`
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/git-log-format.md

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-remotes/SKILL.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ description: >
   Not submodule pointers -> `git-submodules`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.3"
+  version: "1.0.4"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - git-scm-remote-docs

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-remotes/references/sources.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://git-scm.com/docs/git-remote
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Remote Management (`git remote`)`
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Remote Management (`git remote`)`)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - references/remote-config.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://git-scm.com/docs/git-fetch
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Fetching (`git fetch`)`
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Fetching (`git fetch`)`)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gotchas — prune does not touch tags)
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://git-scm.com/docs/git-push
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Pushing (`git push`)`
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Pushing (`git push`)`)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gotchas — `--force-with-lease` caveat; Step 1 force-push gate)
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://git-scm.com/docs/git-pull
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Pulling (`git pull`)`
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Pulling (`git pull`)`)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gotchas — pull default drift)
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 
 **Source:** Context7 MCP / Git library
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md (cross-cutting — no dedicated section)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md — cross-cutting — no dedicated section)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (all sections)

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-submodules/SKILL.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ description: >
   Not the superproject's own remotes -> `git-remotes`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.1"
+  version: "1.0.2"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - git-scm-submodule-docs

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-submodules/references/sources.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ source_keys:
 
 **Source:** https://git-scm.com/docs/git-submodule
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/submodules.md (whole-document reference — the research doc is organized by descriptive prose headings such as "Concept Overview" and "Key Commands" rather than a heading matching this slug; this key covers the entire doc, not a single section)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/submodules.md — whole-document reference — the research doc is organized by descriptive prose headings such as "Concept Overview" and "Key Commands" rather than a heading matching this slug; this key covers the entire doc, not a single section)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (all sections)

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-workflow/SKILL.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ description: >
   agent caller -> `git-orchestrate`. Not Gitea -> `gitea-workflow`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.2"
+  version: "1.0.3"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - nvie-gitflow-post

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-workflow/references/sources.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Interaction style — branching-model-aware tips)
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/comparing-workflows/gitflow-workflow
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Interaction style — branching-model-aware tips)
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://danielkummer.github.io/git-flow-cheatsheet/
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/gitflow.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Interaction style — branching-model-aware tips)
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 **Source:** context7:/git/htmldocs
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/overview.md (whole-document reference)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/overview.md — whole-document reference)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Workflow — general git operation vocabulary)
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@
 
 **Source:** org-internal (formerly `core/instructions/git.md` in this repo, prior to its removal)
 
-- **Research doc:** none — org convention, not part of the plugin's research corpus (no `plugins/git/docs/research/` topic file backs this entry)
+- **Research doc:** none
+- **Basis:** core/instructions/git.md (removed in 5deed07)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - references/hard-rules.md (whole file — the eight hard rules and the conflict-handling rule)

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-worktrees/SKILL.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ description: >
   Not interactive multi-step git guidance -> `git-workflow`.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.2"
+  version: "1.0.3"
   category: git
   source_keys:
     - git-scm-worktree-docs

plugins/git/.apm/skills/git-worktrees/references/sources.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 **Source:** https://git-scm.com/docs/git-worktree
 
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/worktrees.md (whole-document reference — covers `## Concept Overview`, `## Key Commands`, `## Workflow Patterns`, `## Common Gotchas`, `## Configuration`)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/worktrees.md — whole-document reference — covers `## Concept Overview`, `## Key Commands`, `## Workflow Patterns`, `## Common Gotchas`, `## Configuration`)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gotchas, Step 1 dispatch table and per-operation gates, Step 2 report format)

plugins/git/.apm/skills/pc-author/SKILL.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ description: >
   shellcheck"). Not running, installing, or updating hooks -> `pc-run`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read Write Edit
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.1"
+  version: "1.0.2"
   category: devtools
   source_keys:
     - context7-pre-commit-com

plugins/git/.apm/skills/pc-author/references/sources.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 - **URL:** context7:/pre-commit/pre-commit.com
 - **Description:** Official pre-commit.com documentation — installation, configuration schema, CLI reference, hook authoring, advanced features, troubleshooting
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/create-config.md, references/modify-config.md, references/hooks-by-language.md
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/{overview,configuration,cli-reference,hook-authoring}.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/overview.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/configuration.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/cli-reference.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hook-authoring.md)
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 
 ## pre-commit-com
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 - **URL:** https://pre-commit.com/
 - **Description:** Pre-commit framework homepage — full docs covering install, config, CLI, hook authoring, stages, local hooks, meta hooks, hazmat helpers, CI integration
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/create-config.md, references/modify-config.md, references/hooks-by-language.md
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/{overview,configuration,cli-reference,hook-authoring}.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/overview.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/configuration.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/cli-reference.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hook-authoring.md)
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 
 ## context7-pre-commit-hooks
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 - **URL:** context7:/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
 - **Description:** Official pre-commit-hooks collection — all available hook IDs with options and examples
 - **Contributing files:** references/hooks-by-language.md
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § pre-commit-hooks (official collection)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § pre-commit-hooks (official collection))
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 
 ## pre-commit-hooks-github
@@ -29,5 +29,5 @@
 - **URL:** https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks/main/README.md
 - **Description:** Official pre-commit-hooks README — complete hook listing with all args, categories, deprecated hooks, and latest version (v6.0.0)
 - **Contributing files:** references/hooks-by-language.md
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § pre-commit-hooks (official collection), § Deprecated hooks
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § pre-commit-hooks (official collection), § Deprecated hooks)
 - **Status:** `extracted`

plugins/git/.apm/skills/pc-run/SKILL.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ description: >
 compatibility: Requires pre-commit installed and available on PATH.
 
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.2"
+  version: "1.0.3"
   category: devtools
   source_keys:
     - context7-pre-commit-com

plugins/git/.apm/skills/pc-run/references/sources.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 - **URL:** context7:/pre-commit/pre-commit.com
 - **Description:** Official pre-commit.com documentation — installation, configuration schema, CLI reference, hook authoring, advanced features, troubleshooting
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/install.md, references/autoupdate.md, references/clean.md, references/failure-patterns.md
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/{overview,cli-reference,troubleshooting}.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/overview.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/cli-reference.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/troubleshooting.md)
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 
 ## pre-commit-com
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 - **URL:** https://pre-commit.com/
 - **Description:** Pre-commit framework homepage — full docs covering install, config, CLI, hook authoring, stages, local hooks, meta hooks, hazmat helpers, CI integration
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/install.md, references/autoupdate.md, references/clean.md, references/failure-patterns.md
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/{overview,cli-reference,troubleshooting}.md
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/overview.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/cli-reference.md, plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/troubleshooting.md)
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 
 ## context7-pre-commit-hooks
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 - **URL:** context7:/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
 - **Description:** Official pre-commit-hooks collection — all available hook IDs with options and examples
 - **Contributing files:** (none)
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § "pre-commit-hooks (official collection)"
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § "pre-commit-hooks (official collection)")
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 
 ## pre-commit-hooks-github
@@ -29,5 +29,5 @@
 - **URL:** https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks/main/README.md
 - **Description:** Official pre-commit-hooks README — complete hook listing with all args, categories, deprecated hooks, and latest version
 - **Contributing files:** (none)
-- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § "pre-commit-hooks (official collection)"
+- **Research doc:** plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/sources.md (digest: plugins/git/docs/research/docs/pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § "pre-commit-hooks (official collection)")
 - **Status:** `extracted`

plugins/gitea/.apm/skills/gitea-releases/SKILL.md

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ compatibility: Requires Gitea MCP server configured with a token with write:repo
 
 metadata:
   category: integration
-  version: "0.1.2"
+  version: "0.1.3"
   source_keys:
     - gitea-mcp-repo
     - gitea-mcp-slim-go

plugins/gitea/.apm/skills/gitea-releases/references/sources.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 - **URL:** https://gitea.com/gitea/gitea-mcp
 - **Description:** Official gitea-mcp repository; operation/*.go source files documenting the MCP tools, their parameters, and CLI flags. Originally extracted at v1.3.0; the input parameter schemas in `references/call-signatures.md` were re-verified live via `ToolSearch` against the deployed server, **last verified at v1.7.0** as reported by `get_gitea_mcp_server_version`.
-- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/api-reference.md (Releases and Tags section); plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/troubleshooting.md (`delete_release` numeric-id gotcha, `per_page` defaults)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/sources.md (digested in gitea/api-reference.md, Releases and Tags section, and gitea/troubleshooting.md, `delete_release` numeric-id gotcha and `per_page` defaults)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Dispatch table, Gotchas)
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 - **URL:** https://gitea.com/gitea/gitea-mcp/raw/branch/main/operation/repo/slim.go
 - **Description:** Slim response shape structs from gitea-mcp source; defines exactly which fields the MCP server returns for tags and releases.
-- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/api-reference.md (Releases and Tags response shapes)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/sources.md (digested in gitea/api-reference.md, Releases and Tags response shapes)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - references/call-signatures.md (release/tag object shapes)
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 - **URL:** context7:/websites/gitea
 - **Description:** Official Gitea docs mirror on Context7 (docs.gitea.com content) — release and tag semantics, draft/prerelease behavior.
-- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/workflow-conventions.md (Release and tag conventions section)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/sources.md (digested in gitea/workflow-conventions.md, Release and tag conventions section)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - SKILL.md (Gotchas — draft/prerelease as explicit flags)
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 
 - **URL:** context7:/git_gitea_com/gitea_tea
 - **Description:** Official `tea` CLI (reference Gitea client) docs on Context7 — practitioner release/tag command patterns, semver tag conventions, draft/prerelease flags, release-notes-from-file conventions.
-- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/workflow-conventions.md (Release and tag conventions section)
+- **Research doc:** plugins/gitea/docs/research/docs/gitea/sources.md (digested in gitea/workflow-conventions.md, Release and tag conventions section)
 
 **Contributing files:**
 - references/conventions.md (semver tag naming, release-notes sourcing)

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/SKILL.md

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ description: >
   fixes -> agent-author.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.3"
+  version: "1.0.4"
   category: factory
   source_keys:
     - agentskills-home

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/references/skill-file-structure.md

@@ -50,11 +50,15 @@ on-disk check. Flag any other spelling of a cross-skill reference.
 
 Two directories are exempt, and the exemptions are structural rather than discretionary:
 
-- **`references/sources.md`.** Its `Research doc:` fields are development-time provenance pointers,
-  not runtime references. They are expected to be unresolvable after install, so
-  `validate-provenance.sh` does not treat an absent path as a FAIL — it emits an INFO naming the
-  slug and stating that checks 7 and 8 did not run for it. Flagging them as broken references
-  would make every correctly-provenanced skill fail.
+- **`references/sources.md`.** Its `Research doc:` and `Basis:` fields are development-time
+  provenance pointers, not runtime references. A `Research doc:` path that does not resolve after
+  install is expected, so `validate-provenance.sh` does not treat an absent path as a FAIL — it
+  emits an INFO naming the slug and stating that check 7 did not run for it. Flagging them as
+  broken references would make every correctly-provenanced skill fail. Where the path DOES
+  resolve, it is checked: `Research doc:` names exactly one Research registry (a `sources.md`
+  whose H2 headings are the source slugs), and a slug missing from it, a topic document in its
+  place, or a list of paths is a FAIL. An entry with no registry writes `Research doc: none` plus
+  `Basis:` repo paths, which are existence-checked unless annotated `(removed in <sha>)`.
 - **`tests/`.** Test files are dev-only and may reference repo-level infrastructure such as a shared
   `tests/test_helper/`. The exemption is conditional on the dependency being declared: if `tests/`
   exists and `tests/README.md` is absent or does not document it, that is a FAIL.

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/lib-provenance-agent.sh

@@ -77,12 +77,13 @@ Checks performed:
   4  Contributing files back-reference the parent slug in their source_keys
   5  Research doc field present and not placeholder
 
-Agent mode has no counterpart to skill mode's checks 6, 7 and 8 (Research
-doc field / upstream forward / upstream reverse are numbered 6, 7, 8 there and
-5 here): an agent at plugin scope is a single file with a plugin-root
-sources.md, so there is no references/ tree to walk and no upstream research
-source index to cross-check. parse_status() and the sources.md-basename gate
-that those checks need exist only in lib-provenance-skill.sh.
+Agent mode has no counterpart to skill mode's checks 6 and 7 (Research doc
+field / slug in the Research registry are numbered 6 and 7 there, and the field
+check is 5 here): an agent at plugin scope is a single file with a plugin-root
+sources.md, so there is no references/ tree to walk and no Research registry to
+cross-check. The sources.md-basename gate and the Basis: check that those checks
+need exist only in lib-provenance-skill.sh. Skill mode's check 8 is retired
+(ADR-0028).
 EOF
 }
 

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/lib-provenance-skill.sh

@@ -63,12 +63,25 @@ Checks performed:
      read is reported as an INFO saying checks 4 and 5 did not run, never
      skipped silently.
   5  Contributing files back-reference the parent slug in their source_keys
-  6  Research doc field present and not placeholder
-  7  Slug in sources.md present in upstream research doc (INFO only). A section
+  6  Research doc field present and not a placeholder, and exactly ONE path — the Research registry, a plugin's
+     research sources.md whose H2 headings are the source slugs. A brace
+     expansion, a comma-separated list, a semicolon-separated pair and a
+     repeated '- **Research doc:**' line are each a FAIL. An entry with no
+     registry writes 'Research doc: none' (a trailing annotation after an em
+     dash is fine) and names what it was drawn from in '- **Basis:**', one
+     repo path per bullet; a missing Basis, or a Basis path that does not
+     exist, is a FAIL. A Basis bullet annotated '(removed in <sha>)' skips
+     the existence check.
+  7  Slug in sources.md present in the Research registry (FAIL). A section
      annotation ('§ ...', '→ ...', '(...)') is stripped before the path is
-     resolved; a path that still does not resolve is reported as an INFO saying
-     checks 7 and 8 did not run, never skipped silently.
-  8  Extracted non-(none) slug in research doc present in sources.md
+     resolved. A path that does not resolve, or no repo root above the skill
+     directory, is reported as an INFO saying check 7 did not run, never
+     skipped silently. A Research doc that resolves to a file NOT named
+     sources.md (a topic document) is a FAIL.
+  8  (retired — #121) The reverse check, "every extracted slug in the research
+     doc appears in this skill's sources.md", could not be satisfied when one
+     registry serves many skills. The number is left vacant so check 9 keeps
+     the name the rest of the repo cites.
   9  Description or Contributing files text changed since --base-ref (INFO
      only — a bash script cannot verify the claim is still TRUE, only that it
      changed; the auditor reads the named files to check that). Wrapped values
@@ -79,11 +92,10 @@ Checks performed:
      or references/sources.md is not tracked under this path at that ref, this
      is announced as ONE INFO for the whole check, never a silent skip.
 
-  Checks 7 and 8 apply ONLY when the Research doc value names a research SOURCE
-  INDEX — a file whose basename is sources.md, whose H2 headings ARE source
-  slugs. A Research doc pointing at a topic document is reported as an INFO
-  saying the two checks are not applicable, and every other reason they do not
-  run is announced the same way.
+  Check 7 applies to a Research doc that names a Research registry — a file
+  whose basename is sources.md, whose H2 headings ARE source slugs. A topic
+  document is a FAIL, not a value the check skips, and every other reason it
+  does not run is announced as an INFO.
 EOF
 }
 
@@ -344,25 +356,73 @@ KYBERFORGE_PROV_SKILL_PREAMBLE_PY="${KYBERFORGE_PROV_SKILL_PREAMBLE_PY%$'\n'}"
 
 IFS='' read -r -d '' KYBERFORGE_PROV_SKILL_BODY_PY <<'KYBERFORGE_PROV_SKILL_BODY' || true
 
-def parse_research_docs(content, slug):
-    """Every Research doc value under a given slug H2, in document order.
-
-    The caller uses the first and reports the rest. Returning only the first —
-    what this did before — meant a second '- **Research doc:**' line in one
-    entry was silently ignored, so an author who added a doc rather than
-    replacing one got checks 7 and 8 run against the old path and no hint that
-    the new one was never looked at.
-    """
+def _entry_block(content, slug):
+    """The text under a '## slug' heading, or None when there is no such entry."""
     pattern = re.compile(
         r'^## ' + re.escape(slug) + r'\s*\n(.*?)(?=^## |\Z)',
         re.MULTILINE | re.DOTALL
     )
     m = pattern.search(content)
-    if not m:
+    return m.group(1) if m else None
+
+def parse_field_values(content, slug, label):
+    """Every value of a '**label:**' field under a slug H2, in document order.
+
+    The SPELLING of a field must not decide whether it is read. Three
+    spellings are in the corpus and all three are accepted here:
+
+      - **Label:** value        (the documented form)
+      **Label:** value          (no leading hyphen — gitea-releases writes Status so)
+      **Label:**                (a header, then '- value' bullets)
+      - value
+
+    A field parsed by a regex that knew only the first form returned "nothing
+    found" for the other two, and every caller read that as "nothing declared"
+    (#121, second comment; the same failure shape as #111 and #118). A header's
+    bullets stop at the first line that is neither blank nor a bullet, and a
+    '- **Other:**' bullet is the NEXT field, not a value of this one.
+    """
+    block = _entry_block(content, slug)
+    if block is None:
         return []
-    block = m.group(1)
-    return [v.strip() for v in
-            re.findall(r'^\- \*\*Research doc:\*\* (.+)$', block, re.MULTILINE)]
+    values = []
+    lines = block.splitlines()
+    label_re = re.compile(r'^(?:- )?\*\*' + re.escape(label) + r':\*\*[ \t]*(.*)$')
+    i = 0
+    while i < len(lines):
+        m = label_re.match(lines[i])
+        i += 1
+        if not m:
+            continue
+        inline = m.group(1).strip()
+        if inline:
+            values.append(inline)
+            continue
+        while i < len(lines):
+            line = lines[i].strip()
+            if not line:
+                i += 1
+                continue
+            if not line.startswith('- ') or line.startswith('- **'):
+                break
+            values.append(line[2:].strip())
+            i += 1
+    return values
+
+def parse_research_docs(content, slug):
+    """Every Research doc value under a given slug H2, in document order.
+
+    Research doc takes exactly ONE path, so the caller FAILs on a second value
+    rather than using the first and announcing the rest — an author who added a
+    doc rather than replacing one otherwise got check 7 run against the
+    old path and a verdict that looked complete.
+    """
+    return parse_field_values(content, slug, 'Research doc')
+
+def parse_basis(content, slug):
+    """Every Basis value under a slug H2 — the repo paths an entry with no
+    Research registry was actually drawn from, one per bullet."""
+    return parse_field_values(content, slug, 'Basis')
 
 # A Research doc value is a path, and very often a path PLUS an annotation
 # naming the section the slug came from:
@@ -371,7 +431,7 @@ def parse_research_docs(content, slug):
 #   plugins/git/docs/research/docs/git/remotes.md → `## Pushing (`git push`)`
 #   .../pre-commit/hooks-reference.md § "pre-commit-hooks (official collection)"
 #
-# os.path.isfile() is false for every one of those strings, and checks 7 and 8
+# os.path.isfile() is false for every one of those strings, and check 7
 # used to skip SILENTLY whenever the path did not resolve. The effect was that
 # both checks were dead on eight of the nine git skills — git-history, the one
 # skill writing a bare path, was the only place they ran, which is why it was
@@ -394,57 +454,24 @@ def research_doc_is_none(value):
     """
     return re.match(r'\(?none\b', value.strip(), re.IGNORECASE) is not None
 
-# The Status value is what gates check 8, so every spelling this parser fails
-# to read is a check that does not run. Two were unreadable:
-#
-#   - **Status:** `extracted` — partial fetch     (a trailing note)
-#   **Status:**                                   (the bullet form, the same
-#   - `extracted`                                  shape parse_contributing_files
-#                                                  already accepts)
-#
-# Both used to parse to a string that compared unequal to "`extracted`", and
-# check 8 skipped on that inequality without a word. Returning the BACKTICKED
-# TOKEN — not the whole line — is what makes the trailing note harmless, and it
-# lets the caller name the actual status when it announces a skip.
-STATUS_TOKEN_RE = re.compile(r'^`([^`]*)`')
+# A Research doc or Basis value names ONE path. The three list spellings seen
+# in the corpus — a brace expansion, a comma-separated list and a
+# semicolon-separated pair — are humans writing "several documents" into a
+# single-path field. Nothing expands a brace in a markdown field, and the
+# annotation strip above discards everything after the first '(' or section
+# marker, so a second path parked after one was NEVER resolved and no check
+# said so. Detected on the raw value, with commas and semicolons INSIDE the
+# annotation left alone: those are prose ('cross-cutting; no dedicated
+# section'), and only a second path-shaped token after a ';' is a list.
+SECOND_PATH_AFTER_SEMICOLON_RE = re.compile(r';\s*[\w.\-]+/[\w./\-]*\.[A-Za-z]+')
 
+BASIS_REMOVED_RE = re.compile(r'\(removed in [0-9a-fA-F]{7,40}\b[^)]*\)')
 
-def parse_status(content, slug):
-    """Find the Status value for a given slug H2 in content.
-
-    Returns the status with its backticks stripped ('extracted', 'referenced',
-    'no content extracted'), or None when the entry has no Status line.
-    """
-    pattern = re.compile(
-        r'^## ' + re.escape(slug) + r'\s*\n(.*?)(?=^## |\Z)',
-        re.MULTILINE | re.DOTALL
-    )
-    m = pattern.search(content)
-    if not m:
-        return None
-    block = m.group(1)
-
-    raw = None
-    st_m = re.search(r'^\- \*\*Status:\*\* (.+)$', block, re.MULTILINE)
-    if st_m:
-        raw = st_m.group(1).strip()
-    else:
-        st_m = re.search(r'^\*\*Status:\*\*\s*$', block, re.MULTILINE)
-        if not st_m:
-            return None
-        for line in block[st_m.end():].splitlines():
-            line = line.strip()
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            if not line.startswith("- "):
-                break
-            raw = line[2:].strip()
-            break
-        if raw is None:
-            return None
-
-    token = STATUS_TOKEN_RE.match(raw)
-    return token.group(1).strip() if token else raw
+def names_more_than_one_path(value):
+    path_part = strip_research_doc_annotation(value)
+    if '{' in path_part or '}' in path_part or ',' in path_part or ';' in path_part:
+        return True
+    return SECOND_PATH_AFTER_SEMICOLON_RE.search(value) is not None
 
 def find_repo_root(start_dir):
     """Walk up from start_dir until we find a directory containing .git."""
@@ -460,7 +487,7 @@ def find_repo_root(start_dir):
 # --- Check 9 helpers ---------------------------------------------------
 # Check 9 needs a raw field VALUE (as text, to diff against an earlier
 # version), not the parsed structure parse_contributing_files() and
-# parse_status() return. The ONE normalization applied is whitespace
+# parse_field_values() return. The ONE normalization applied is whitespace
 # collapsing, which is what makes a re-wrap or a re-indent invisible; nothing
 # else is normalized away.
 #
@@ -532,7 +559,7 @@ def parse_field_raw(content, slug, field_name):
     """Raw text of a '**<field_name>:**' field under a slug H2, wrapping joined.
 
     Mirrors the two authored shapes parse_contributing_files() and
-    parse_status() already handle (inline value on the same line, or a
+    parse_field_values() already handle (inline value on the same line, or a
     bare heading followed by '- ' bullets), but returns text rather than a
     parsed structure, because check 9 diffs wording, not semantics.
 
@@ -788,11 +815,8 @@ if os.path.isdir(refs_dir):
 
 repo_root = find_repo_root(skill_dir)
 
-# Collect all research doc paths we'll check (for Check 8)
-research_docs_seen = {}  # abs_path → (rel_path, slugs referencing it, content)
-
 # Every per-slug parser below — parse_contributing_files, parse_research_docs,
-# parse_status — locates its block with pattern.search(), so a slug written
+# parse_basis — locates its block with pattern.search(), so a slug written
 # twice resolves to the FIRST block every time. Iterating the raw heading list
 # therefore checked the first block's fields twice and the second block's
 # never: a duplicated slug is half-validated, and looked fully validated. The
@@ -810,7 +834,7 @@ for _slug in all_slugs:
             f"references/sources.md (## {_slug})",
             f"'## {_slug}' appears {_count} times. Every field parser here takes the first match, so the "
             f"second and later blocks' Contributing files, Research doc and Status are never validated — "
-            f"checks 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 did not run for them. "
+            f"checks 4, 5, 6 and 7 did not run for them. "
             f"Merge the blocks into one entry, or give each a distinct slug and reference it from source_keys."
         )
 
@@ -866,13 +890,13 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
     # Check 6: Research doc field required
     rd_values = parse_research_docs(sources_content, slug)
     if len(rd_values) > 1:
-        emit_info(
-            f"Multiple '- **Research doc:**' lines for '{slug}' — only the first is used",
+        emit_fail(
+            f"Multiple '- **Research doc:**' lines for '{slug}' — Research doc takes exactly one path",
             f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
-            f"The '## {slug}' entry has {len(rd_values)} Research doc lines; checks 7 and 8 ran against the first "
-            f"('{rd_values[0]}') and never looked at the rest. "
-            f"Keep one Research doc line per entry — if a slug genuinely came from two documents, split it into two slugs, "
-            f"or name the extra document inside the first value's annotation where it is at least visible."
+            f"The '## {slug}' entry has {len(rd_values)} Research doc lines. Research doc names one Research registry, "
+            f"so a second line is a list, and a list is not a grammar this field has.",
+            f"Keep one Research doc line, pointing at the plugin's research sources.md. If the entry has no registry, "
+            f"write '- **Research doc:** none' and name what it was drawn from in '- **Basis:**', one repo path per bullet."
         )
     rd_value = rd_values[0] if rd_values else None
     if rd_value is None:
@@ -889,7 +913,67 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
             f"The '## {slug}' entry has an unfilled Research doc value.",
             f"Set '- **Research doc:**' to a real path relative to repo root, or '(none)' if not applicable."
         )
-    elif not research_doc_is_none(rd_value):
+    elif research_doc_is_none(rd_value):
+        # An entry with no Research registry must still say what it WAS drawn
+        # from. Basis names repo paths, one per bullet, and each is checked to
+        # exist — the honest way to record an org convention, an ADR or a
+        # house-verified reproduction, none of which has a registry entry.
+        basis_values = parse_basis(sources_content, slug)
+        if not basis_values:
+            emit_fail(
+                f"Basis missing for '{slug}' — Research doc is 'none'",
+                f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                f"The '## {slug}' entry declares no Research registry ('{rd_value}') and no '- **Basis:**' line, "
+                f"so nothing records what the entry was drawn from.",
+                f"Add '- **Basis:** <repo path>' to the '## {slug}' entry, one line per path, naming the ADR, "
+                f"convention file or reproduction the entry rests on."
+            )
+        for basis in basis_values:
+            basis_path = strip_research_doc_annotation(basis)
+            if PLACEHOLDER_RE.search(basis) or not basis_path:
+                emit_fail(
+                    f"Basis is empty or placeholder for '{slug}'",
+                    f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                    f"The '## {slug}' entry has an unfilled Basis value '{basis}'.",
+                    f"Set '- **Basis:**' to one repo path."
+                )
+            elif names_more_than_one_path(basis):
+                emit_fail(
+                    f"Basis value names more than one path for '{slug}'",
+                    f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                    f"The Basis value '{basis}' is a brace expansion or a comma- or semicolon-separated list.",
+                    f"Write one '- **Basis:** <repo path>' line per path."
+                )
+            elif not repo_root:
+                emit_info(
+                    f"Basis check skipped for '{slug}' — no repo root above the skill directory",
+                    f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                    f"'{basis}' is a path relative to the repo root, but no ancestor of the skill directory contains a .git entry, "
+                    f"so it cannot be resolved. Run this script against a skill inside a checkout."
+                )
+            elif BASIS_REMOVED_RE.search(basis):
+                # A path the entry HISTORICALLY rested on, annotated
+                # '(removed in <sha>)', is a declaration that it is gone on
+                # purpose. The sha is not resolved: the annotation is the
+                # author saying "deleted, and here is where to look".
+                continue
+            elif not os.path.exists(os.path.join(repo_root, basis_path)):
+                emit_fail(
+                    f"Basis path '{basis_path}' does not exist",
+                    f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+                    f"'{basis}' resolves to '{basis_path}' relative to the repo root and nothing is there.",
+                    f"Correct the path, or remove the Basis line if the entry no longer rests on it."
+                )
+    elif names_more_than_one_path(rd_value):
+        emit_fail(
+            f"Research doc names more than one path for '{slug}'",
+            f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
+            f"The Research doc value '{rd_value}' is a brace expansion or a comma- or semicolon-separated list. "
+            f"Research doc names exactly one Research registry.",
+            f"Point Research doc at the plugin's research sources.md. If the entry has no registry, write "
+            f"'- **Research doc:** none' and name what it was drawn from in '- **Basis:**', one repo path per bullet."
+        )
+    else:
         # Check 7: Upstream forward — slug should appear in research doc.
         # Every path out of here that does NOT run the check says so out loud.
         rd_path = strip_research_doc_annotation(rd_value)
@@ -898,7 +982,7 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                 f"Upstream checks skipped for '{slug}' — no repo root above the skill directory",
                 f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
                 f"'{rd_value}' is a path relative to the repo root, but no ancestor of the skill directory contains a .git entry, "
-                f"so it cannot be resolved. Checks 7 and 8 did not run for this slug. "
+                f"so it cannot be resolved. Check 7 did not run for this slug. "
                 f"Run this script against a skill inside a checkout."
             )
         elif not rd_path:
@@ -906,8 +990,8 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                 f"Upstream checks skipped for '{slug}' — Research doc value names no path",
                 f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
                 f"The Research doc value '{rd_value}' is entirely annotation — stripping the section marker leaves no path. "
-                f"Checks 7 and 8 did not run for this slug. "
-                f"Give the value a file path relative to the repo root, or record '(none)' if no research doc backs this entry."
+                f"Check 7 did not run for this slug. "
+                f"Give the value a file path relative to the repo root, or record 'none' plus a '- **Basis:**' if no registry backs this entry."
             )
         else:
             rd_abs = os.path.join(repo_root, rd_path)
@@ -916,33 +1000,26 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                     f"Upstream checks skipped for '{slug}' — research doc '{rd_path}' does not exist",
                     f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
                     f"'{rd_value}' resolves to '{rd_path}' relative to the repo root and no file is there. "
-                    f"Checks 7 and 8 did not run for this slug, so nothing verified that the research doc still backs it. "
-                    f"Point the value at one existing file — a brace expansion, a comma-separated list of paths, or a bare section title does not resolve — "
-                    f"or record '(none)' if no research doc backs this entry."
+                    f"Check 7 did not run for this slug, so nothing verified that the research doc still backs it. "
+                    f"Point the value at the one existing Research registry (the plugin's research sources.md), "
+                    f"or record 'none' plus a '- **Basis:**' if no registry backs this entry."
                 )
             elif os.path.basename(rd_path) != "sources.md":
-                # Checks 7 and 8 both assume the Research doc is a research
-                # SOURCE INDEX — a sources.md whose H2 headings ARE source
-                # slugs. 30 of the 121 corpus entries point instead at a TOPIC
-                # DOCUMENT (remotes.md, gitflow.md, api-reference.md), whose
-                # H2s are headings like '## Core Philosophy'. A slug can never
-                # match one, so check 7 reported all 30 as "slug not found" —
-                # every one a false positive — and check 8, aimed at documents
-                # that carry no '- **Status:**' line at all, was saved from a
-                # matching flood of false FAILs only by an UNANNOUNCED skip on
-                # that missing status. The premise, not the corpus, was wrong.
-                #
-                # A topic-document reference is a legitimate, useful value; it
-                # just is not something these two checks can verify. Say that
-                # once, out loud, instead of failing 30 entries for it.
-                emit_info(
-                    f"Upstream checks not applicable for '{slug}' — research doc '{rd_path}' is a topic document, not a source index",
+                # Check 7 matches slugs against the H2 headings of a
+                # Research registry — a sources.md whose H2s ARE source slugs.
+                # A topic document (remotes.md, gitflow.md) has section headings
+                # for H2s, so no slug can ever match one. Research doc names the
+                # registry (#121), so a topic document there is the wrong file,
+                # not a value these checks cannot verify. A pointer to the topic
+                # document that digested the source belongs in the free-text
+                # annotation after the path, where it is not checked.
+                emit_fail(
+                    f"Research doc '{rd_path}' for '{slug}' is a topic document, not a Research registry",
                     f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
-                    f"Checks 7 and 8 match slugs against the H2 headings of a research source index — a file named 'sources.md', "
-                    f"where each H2 IS a source slug. '{os.path.basename(rd_path)}' is a topic document, so its H2s are section "
-                    f"headings and no slug will ever match one. Checks 7 and 8 did not run for this slug. "
-                    f"This needs no fix: point the value at the research corpus's own sources.md only if you want the "
-                    f"provenance link machine-verified."
+                    f"'{os.path.basename(rd_path)}' is not a sources.md, so its H2s are section headings and no slug can match one. "
+                    f"Research doc names the plugin's Research registry — the sources.md whose H2s are source slugs.",
+                    f"Repoint '{slug}' at the sibling sources.md in '{os.path.dirname(rd_path)}/', and keep the topic document in the "
+                    f"annotation, e.g. '<registry path> (digested in {os.path.basename(rd_path)})'."
                 )
             else:
                 try:
@@ -951,62 +1028,18 @@ for slug in unique_slugs:
                     emit_info(
                         f"Upstream checks skipped for '{slug}' — research doc '{rd_path}' is {exc}",
                         f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
-                        f"'{rd_path}' could not be decoded, so checks 7 and 8 did not run for this slug. "
+                        f"'{rd_path}' could not be decoded, so check 7 did not run for this slug. "
                         f"Re-save the research doc as UTF-8."
                     )
                     continue
                 rd_slugs = set(parse_h2_slugs(rd_content))
                 if slug not in rd_slugs:
-                    emit_info(
+                    emit_fail(
                         f"Slug '{slug}' not found as H2 in research doc '{rd_path}'",
                         f"references/sources.md (## {slug})",
-                        f"The research doc '{rd_path}' does not have a '## {slug}' heading. "
-                        f"The provenance link may be imprecise — the slug name in sources.md may differ from the research doc's heading."
-                    )
-                # Track for Check 8. The content is carried with the entry so
-                # check 8 reuses this read rather than decoding the file a
-                # second time, with a second chance to fail differently.
-                if rd_abs not in research_docs_seen:
-                    research_docs_seen[rd_abs] = (rd_path, set(), rd_content)
-                research_docs_seen[rd_abs][1].add(slug)
-
-# --- Check 8: Upstream reverse ---
-for rd_abs, (rd_rel, known_slugs, rd_content) in research_docs_seen.items():
-    for rd_slug in parse_h2_slugs(rd_content):
-        # Parse this slug's Contributing files and Status in the research doc
-        rd_cf = parse_contributing_files(rd_content, rd_slug)
-        rd_status = parse_status(rd_content, rd_slug)
-        # Skip if the research doc explicitly records no contributing files
-        if rd_cf == []:
-            continue
-        # Skip if status is not `extracted` — and say so when the skip is what
-        # kept the slug out of the FAIL below. A status of `referenced` or
-        # `no content extracted` is a real reason not to demand the slug, but
-        # it was applied in silence, so an entry that should have been in
-        # sources.md and a status line nobody had updated produced the same
-        # output: nothing. Only a MATERIAL skip is announced; when the slug is
-        # already in sources.md the check passes either way and there is no
-        # fail-open to disclose.
-        if rd_status != "extracted":
-            if rd_slug not in sources_slugs:
-                shown = f"`{rd_status}`" if rd_status else "absent"
-                emit_info(
-                    f"Check 8 skipped for research-doc slug '{rd_slug}' — its Status is {shown}, not `extracted`",
-                    f"{rd_rel} (## {rd_slug})",
-                    f"'{rd_rel}' has '## {rd_slug}' with contributing files but Status {shown}, and this skill's "
-                    f"sources.md has no '## {rd_slug}' entry. Check 8 only demands an entry for an `extracted` slug, "
-                    f"so it did not run here. If that status is stale — the content was extracted and the line was never "
-                    f"updated — this skill is missing a source entry; if it is accurate, nothing needs doing."
-                )
-            continue
-        # This slug should be in sources.md
-        if rd_slug not in sources_slugs:
-            emit_fail(
-                f"Research doc slug '{rd_slug}' missing from skill sources.md",
-                f"references/sources.md",
-                f"The research doc '{rd_rel}' has '## {rd_slug}' with status `extracted` and contributing files, "
-                f"but this skill's sources.md has no '## {rd_slug}' entry.",
-                f"Add '## {rd_slug}' to references/sources.md or mark it as '(none)' in the research doc's Contributing files."
+                        f"The Research registry '{rd_path}' does not have a '## {slug}' heading, so the entry's provenance "
+                        f"link resolves to nothing.",
+                        f"Rename the slug to match a '## ' heading in '{rd_path}', or repoint Research doc at the registry that has it."
                     )
 
 # --- Check 9: Description / Contributing files changed since --base-ref ---

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/tests/validate-provenance-skill.bats

@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ EOF
         local slug="${2:-my-source}"
         local contrib="${3:-SKILL.md}"
         local research="${4:-(none)}"
+        # A 'none' Research doc must name its Basis (#121); SKILL.md exists in
+        # every fixture skill and, once commit_as_base has run, is a repo path.
+        local basis_line=""
+        if [[ "$research" == *none* ]]; then basis_line="- **Basis:** SKILL.md"; fi
         mkdir -p "$dir/references"
         cat > "$dir/references/sources.md" <<EOF
 # Sources
@@ -63,6 +67,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** ${contrib}
 - **Research doc:** ${research}
+${basis_line}
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     }
@@ -82,6 +87,7 @@ EOF
   no forge-specific content drawn directly from it beyond that.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 EOF
     }
@@ -106,7 +112,7 @@ EOF
 
     # Helper: create a fake repo (a real git repo, one commit, makes
     # find_repo_root stop there) holding one skill whose single sources.md
-    # slug points at the given Research doc value. Checks 7 and 8 only run
+    # slug points at the given Research doc value. Check 7 only runs
     # for a skill inside a checkout, so every upstream case needs this shape;
     # the research doc itself is written per test into
     # "$repo/docs/research/sources.md" — which check 9 does not examine, so
@@ -114,6 +120,8 @@ EOF
     make_upstream_skill() {
         local repo="$1"
         local research="${2:-docs/research/sources.md}"
+        local basis_line=""
+        if [[ "$research" == *none* ]]; then basis_line="- **Basis:** my-skill/SKILL.md"; fi
         local skill="$repo/my-skill"
         mkdir -p "$skill/references" "$repo/docs/research"
         cat > "$skill/SKILL.md" <<EOF
@@ -138,6 +146,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** ${research}
+${basis_line}
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
         commit_as_base "$repo"
@@ -199,6 +208,7 @@ teardown() {
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
@@ -232,6 +242,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A different source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
@@ -335,6 +346,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     # Now add my-source that references SKILL.md but SKILL.md doesn't back-reference it
@@ -346,6 +358,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** Another source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
@@ -407,7 +420,7 @@ EOF
 # Cycle 11 — Check 7: Upstream forward: slug in sources.md not in research doc → INFO
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@test "INFO: slug in sources.md not found in research doc → INFO, exits 0" {
+@test "FAIL: slug in sources.md not found in the research registry → FAIL (was INFO before #121)" {
     local skill="$TMPDIR/my-skill"
     make_skill_with_source_keys "$skill"
 
@@ -471,262 +484,9 @@ EOF
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill2"
-    assert_success
-    assert_output --partial "INFO"
-}
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Cycle 12 — Check 8: Upstream reverse: extracted slug in research doc not in sources.md → FAIL
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-@test "FAIL: extracted non-(none) slug in research doc missing from skill sources.md" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    mkdir -p "$fake_repo"
-    touch "$fake_repo/.git"
-
-    local skill="$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    mkdir -p "$skill"
-    cat > "$skill/SKILL.md" <<EOF
----
-name: my-skill
-description: A valid skill description.
-metadata:
-  source_keys:
-    - my-source
----
-
-## Step 1
-
-Do the thing.
-EOF
-
-    mkdir -p "$skill/references"
-    mkdir -p "$fake_repo/docs/research"
-
-    # Research doc has my-source (extracted, with a contributing file) AND extra-source (also extracted)
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/references/extra.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    cat > "$skill/references/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Sources
-
-## my-source
-
-- **URL:** https://example.com/my-source
-- **Description:** A test source.
-- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
-- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
     assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "FAIL"
-}
-
-@test "pass: extracted slug in research doc with (none) contributing files is not required in sources.md" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    mkdir -p "$fake_repo"
-    touch "$fake_repo/.git"
-
-    local skill="$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    mkdir -p "$skill"
-    cat > "$skill/SKILL.md" <<EOF
----
-name: my-skill
-description: A valid skill description.
-metadata:
-  source_keys:
-    - my-source
----
-
-## Step 1
-
-Do the thing.
-EOF
-
-    mkdir -p "$skill/references"
-    mkdir -p "$fake_repo/docs/research"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** (none — not relevant)
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    cat > "$skill/references/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Sources
-
-## my-source
-
-- **URL:** https://example.com/my-source
-- **Description:** A test source.
-- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
-- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
-    assert_success
-}
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Cycle 13 — parse_contributing_files: None ("could not parse") is NOT []
-#            ("explicitly (none)")
-#
-# Check 8 reads [] as "the research doc deliberately records no contributing
-# files" and SKIPS the slug on that basis. A block the parser cannot read must
-# therefore return None, so the slug stays exposed to check 8. Each case below
-# asserts that CONSEQUENCE — check 8 firing on the unreadable entry — not the
-# parser's return value, because returning [] is exactly the shape that makes
-# the check silently do nothing while still exiting 0.
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-@test "check 8 runs: bullet form with '*' asterisk bullets is unparsable, not '(none)'" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-**Contributing files:**
-* some-skill/references/extra.md
-
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "FAIL"
-    assert_output --partial "extra-source"
-}
-
-@test "check 8 runs: bullet form with a numbered list is unparsable, not '(none)'" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-**Contributing files:**
-1. some-skill/references/extra.md
-
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "FAIL"
-    assert_output --partial "extra-source"
-}
-
-@test "check 8 runs: bullet form followed by prose is unparsable, not '(none)'" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-**Contributing files:**
-See the table below for the file list.
-
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "FAIL"
-    assert_output --partial "extra-source"
-}
-
-@test "check 8 runs: bullet form heading with a blank line and nothing after is unparsable, not '(none)'" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-**Contributing files:**
-
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "FAIL"
-    assert_output --partial "extra-source"
-}
-
-@test "check 8 runs: inline form whose whole value is a parenthetical is unparsable, not '(none)'" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** (see notes below)
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "FAIL"
-    assert_output --partial "extra-source"
+    assert_output --partial "Slug 'my-source' not found as H2 in research doc 'docs/research/sources.md'"
 }
 
 @test "check 4 runs: bullet form with '-' hyphen bullets still parses each path" {
@@ -746,6 +506,7 @@ EOF
 - references/nonexistent.md (why this one matters)
 
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
@@ -762,52 +523,6 @@ EOF
     assert_output --partial "Contributing file 'references/nonexistent.md' does not exist"
 }
 
-@test "check 8 skips: bullet form '- (none)' is an explicit declaration" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-**Contributing files:**
-- (none — nothing was extracted from this section)
-
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
-}
-
-@test "check 8 skips: inline bare '(none)' is an explicit declaration" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Research
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** (none)
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
-}
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Cycle 14 — Check 3 (#111): an explicit 'source_keys: []' is a house-authored
 #            declaration, a bare 'source_keys:' is truncation
@@ -894,7 +609,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Cycle 15 — Checks 7 and 8: Research doc annotation stripping, and the INFO
+# Cycle 15 — Check 7: Research doc annotation stripping, and the INFO
 #            that replaced the silent skip
 #
 # A Research doc value is very often a path PLUS a section annotation, and
@@ -917,7 +632,7 @@ EOF
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
+    assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "Slug 'my-source' not found as H2 in research doc 'docs/research/sources.md'"
     refute_output --partial "§"
 }
@@ -936,7 +651,7 @@ EOF
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
+    assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "Slug 'my-source' not found as H2 in research doc 'docs/research/sources.md'"
     refute_output --partial "→"
 }
@@ -955,7 +670,7 @@ EOF
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
+    assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "Slug 'my-source' not found as H2 in research doc 'docs/research/sources.md'"
     refute_output --partial "whole-document reference"
 }
@@ -978,7 +693,7 @@ EOF
     assert_output ""
 }
 
-@test "checks 7 and 8 skipped silently: Research doc '(none)' is recognised before the strip" {
+@test "check 7 skipped silently: Research doc '(none)' is recognised before the strip" {
     local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
     make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo" "(none)"
 
@@ -987,7 +702,7 @@ EOF
     assert_output ""
 }
 
-@test "checks 7 and 8 skipped silently: bare 'none — reason' is recognised as a declaration" {
+@test "check 7 skipped silently: bare 'none — reason' is recognised as a declaration" {
     local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
     make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo" "none — org convention, no upstream research doc"
 
@@ -1031,7 +746,7 @@ EOF
 # Cycle 16 — Checks 4 and 5: None ("could not parse") is NOT [] ("explicitly
 #            (none)"), on the sources.md side this time
 #
-# Cycle 13 pinned the distinction for check 8, which reads the parser's output
+# Cycle 13 pinned the distinction for check 8 (since retired), which read the parser's output
 # against a RESEARCH doc. Checks 4 and 5 read it against the skill's own
 # sources.md and honoured neither half: a truthiness test collapsed None into
 # [], so an unreadable Contributing files block disabled both checks and the
@@ -1053,6 +768,7 @@ EOF
 - **URL:** https://example.com/my-source
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 **Contributing files:**
 * references/ghost.md (asterisk bullets are not the bullet form)
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
@@ -1075,6 +791,7 @@ EOF
 - **URL:** https://example.com/my-source
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
@@ -1158,11 +875,11 @@ EOF
 }
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Cycle 20 — F: checks 7 and 8 apply only to a research SOURCE INDEX, and
+# Cycle 20 — F: check 7 applies only to a Research registry, and
 # every skip announces itself
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@test "F: a topic-doc Research doc is reported as not applicable, not as a missing slug" {
+@test "F: a topic-doc Research doc is a FAIL naming the registry, not a missing slug (#121)" {
     local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
     make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo" "docs/research/remotes.md"
     cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/remotes.md" <<EOF
@@ -1174,9 +891,8 @@ Prose about remotes.
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
-    assert_output --partial "Upstream checks not applicable for 'my-source'"
-    assert_output --partial "is a topic document, not a source index"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "is a topic document, not a Research registry"
     refute_output --partial "not found as H2 in research doc"
 }
 
@@ -1193,102 +909,11 @@ EOF
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
+    assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "Slug 'my-source' not found as H2 in research doc 'docs/research/sources.md'"
     refute_output --partial "not applicable"
 }
 
-@test "F: check 8 announces the slug it skipped for a non-extracted Status" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Sources
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/references/extra.md
-- **Status:** \`referenced\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
-    assert_output --partial "Check 8 skipped for research-doc slug 'extra-source'"
-    assert_output --partial "its Status is \`referenced\`, not \`extracted\`"
-}
-
-@test "F: a Status with a trailing note after the backticked value still reads as extracted" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Sources
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/references/extra.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\` — partial fetch, section 3 only
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "Research doc slug 'extra-source' missing from skill sources.md"
-}
-
-@test "F: a bullet-form Status still reads as extracted" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Sources
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/references/extra.md
-
-**Status:**
-- \`extracted\`
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "Research doc slug 'extra-source' missing from skill sources.md"
-}
-
-@test "F: a research-doc slug with no Status line at all is announced, not skipped silently" {
-    local fake_repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
-    make_upstream_skill "$fake_repo"
-    cat > "$fake_repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
-# Sources
-
-## my-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/SKILL.md
-- **Status:** \`extracted\`
-
-## extra-source
-
-- **Contributing files:** some-skill/references/extra.md
-EOF
-
-    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$fake_repo/my-skill"
-    assert_success
-    assert_output --partial "Check 8 skipped for research-doc slug 'extra-source'"
-    assert_output --partial "its Status is absent, not \`extracted\`"
-}
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Cycle 21 — G1: a bad target is a hard error, not a silent pass
 #
@@ -1361,6 +986,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** references/sources.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
 
@@ -1446,6 +1072,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** FILL IN:
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
 
@@ -1480,6 +1107,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 
 ## my-source
@@ -1488,6 +1116,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** The same slug a second time.
 - **Contributing files:** references/nonexistent.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
 
@@ -1497,7 +1126,7 @@ EOF
     assert_output --partial "only the first block is checked"
 }
 
-@test "G7: a second '- **Research doc:**' line in one entry is announced" {
+@test "G7: a second '- **Research doc:**' line in one entry FAILs (Research doc is single-valued, #121)" {
     local skill="$TMPDIR/my-skill"
     make_skill_with_source_keys "$skill"
     mkdir -p "$skill/references"
@@ -1510,12 +1139,13 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A test source.
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
 
     run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
-    assert_success
+    assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "Multiple '- **Research doc:**' lines for 'my-source'"
 }
 
@@ -1664,6 +1294,7 @@ EOF
 - **Description:** A brand-new source, never committed.
 - **Contributing files:** (none)
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** \`extracted\`
 EOF
 
@@ -1852,6 +1483,7 @@ PY
 - references/other.md (the rubric)
 
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 EOF
     printf -- '---\nsource_keys:\n  - my-source\n---\n\nnotes\n' > "$skill/references/other.md"
@@ -1886,6 +1518,7 @@ EOF
 - references/other.md (the rubric)
 
 - **Research doc:** (none)
+- **Basis:** SKILL.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`
 EOF
     printf -- '---\nsource_keys:\n  - my-source\n---\n\nnotes\n' > "$skill/references/other.md"
@@ -1924,6 +1557,7 @@ EOF
     mkdir -p "$skill"
     make_skill_with_source_keys "$skill"
     make_sources_md "$skill"
+    sed -i 's#^- \*\*Basis:\*\* SKILL.md#- **Basis:** tracked-skill/SKILL.md#' "$skill/references/sources.md"
     commit_as_base "$repo"
 
     # A copy of the same skill at a path git does not know — the everyday case
@@ -2060,3 +1694,257 @@ EOF
     refute_output ""
     assert_output --partial "$dir/notes.txt"
 }
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Cycle 28 — #121: `Research doc:` names exactly one Research registry;
+# an entry with no registry writes `none` plus `Basis:`
+#
+# Helper: a fake repo holding one skill whose single entry is written verbatim
+# from the fields passed in — make_upstream_skill only varies the Research doc
+# value, and the Basis cases need a second field. The registry lives at
+# docs/research/sources.md and a basis file at docs/basis.md.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+make_entry_skill() {
+    local repo="$1"
+    local fields="$2"
+    local skill="$repo/my-skill"
+    mkdir -p "$skill/references" "$repo/docs/research"
+    cat > "$skill/SKILL.md" <<EOF
+---
+name: my-skill
+description: A valid skill description.
+metadata:
+  source_keys:
+    - my-source
+---
+
+## Step 1
+
+Do the thing.
+EOF
+    printf '%s\n' "# Basis" > "$repo/docs/basis.md"
+    printf '%s\n' "# Other" > "$repo/docs/other-basis.md"
+    {
+        printf '# Sources\n\n## my-source\n\n'
+        printf '%s\n' '- **URL:** https://example.com/my-source'
+        printf '%s\n' '- **Description:** A test source.'
+        printf '%s\n' '- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md'
+        printf '%s\n' "$fields"
+        printf '%s\n' '- **Status:** `extracted`'
+    } > "$skill/references/sources.md"
+    cat > "$repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
+# Research
+
+## my-source
+
+- **Contributing files:** (none)
+- **Status:** \`extracted\`
+EOF
+    commit_as_base "$repo"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a brace-expansion Research doc names more than one path" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/{sources,other}.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a comma-separated Research doc names more than one path" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md, docs/research/other.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a semicolon-separated pair of annotated paths names more than one path" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md (Releases section); docs/research/other.md (`delete_release` gotcha)'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Research doc names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a comma or semicolon INSIDE the annotation is prose, not a list" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md (cross-cutting; no dedicated section, see notes)'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: repeated Research doc lines are a list, not an INFO" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md' '- **Research doc:** docs/research/other.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Multiple '- **Research doc:**' lines for 'my-source'"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: 'none' with one Basis bullet resolves and is clean" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: 'none — reason' carries a trailing annotation and still counts as none" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none — org convention, not a research corpus entry' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: repeated single-path Basis bullets are each checked" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md' '- **Basis:** docs/other-basis.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a second Basis bullet naming a missing path fails even when the first resolves" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md' '- **Basis:** docs/gone.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/gone.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a Basis header followed by '- ' path bullets is read too" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '**Basis:**' '- docs/basis.md' '- docs/other-basis.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: 'none' with no Basis declares nothing" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** none'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis missing for 'my-source'"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a Basis path that does not exist" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/gone.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/gone.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: one Basis value naming several paths is a list" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md, docs/other-basis.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis value names more than one path"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a '(removed in <sha>)' Basis skips the existence check" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md' '- **Basis:** docs/deleted-adr.md (removed in 5b80f30)')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a Basis annotated with something other than '(removed in <sha>)' is still existence-checked" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/deleted-adr.md (removed later)')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "Basis path 'docs/deleted-adr.md' does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 pass: a Basis with a trailing annotation resolves its path" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '- **Research doc:** none' '- **Basis:** docs/basis.md (org convention file, not a corpus entry)')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: check 7 — a slug missing from a resolved registry is a FAIL, not an INFO" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md'
+    cat > "$repo/docs/research/sources.md" <<EOF
+# Research
+
+## different-slug
+
+- **Contributing files:** (none)
+- **Status:** \`extracted\`
+EOF
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "FAIL"
+    assert_output --partial "Slug 'my-source' not found as H2 in research doc 'docs/research/sources.md'"
+}
+
+@test "#121 FAIL: a Research doc that resolves to a topic document is wrong, not 'not applicable'" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/remotes.md (whole-document reference)'
+    printf '# Remotes\n\n## Core Philosophy\n\nProse.\n' > "$repo/docs/research/remotes.md"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "is a topic document, not a Research registry"
+    refute_output --partial "not applicable"
+}
+
+@test "#121 INFO: an unresolvable Research doc path stays INFO and exits 0" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '- **Research doc:** docs/research/gone/sources.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output --partial "INFO"
+    assert_output --partial "does not exist"
+}
+
+@test "#121 INFO: a Basis cannot be existence-checked with no repo root, and says so" {
+    local skill="$TMPDIR/my-skill"
+    make_skill_with_source_keys "$skill"
+    mkdir -p "$skill/references"
+    cat > "$skill/references/sources.md" <<EOF
+# Sources
+
+## my-source
+
+- **URL:** https://example.com/my-source
+- **Description:** A test source.
+- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
+- **Research doc:** none
+- **Basis:** docs/basis.md
+- **Status:** \`extracted\`
+EOF
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$skill"
+    assert_success
+    assert_output --partial "Basis check skipped for 'my-source'"
+}
+
+# --- Parser parity: the spelling of a field must not change what is read ----
+
+@test "#121 parity: an inline Research doc with no leading hyphen is read, not reported missing" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" '**Research doc:** docs/research/sources.md'
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    refute_output --partial "Research doc field missing"
+    assert_output ""
+}
+
+@test "#121 parity: a Research doc header with one '- ' bullet is read" {
+    local repo="$TMPDIR/fakerepo"
+    make_entry_skill "$repo" "$(printf '%s\n%s' '**Research doc:**' '- docs/research/sources.md')"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$repo/my-skill"
+    assert_success
+    refute_output --partial "Research doc field missing"
+    assert_output ""
+}

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/skill-author/SKILL.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ description: >
   Not read-only review -> `factory-audit`. Not agent files -> `agent-author`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read Write Edit
 metadata:
-  version: "1.0.4"
+  version: "1.0.5"
   category: factory
   source_keys:
     - agentskills-home

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/skill-author/references/contract.md

@@ -252,6 +252,6 @@ inline that content directly into the skill (SKILL.md or a `references/` file) r
 to the file's path. Plugins must be self-contained and portable — the org file may not exist
 wherever the plugin is installed, and in this repo such files are meant to be deleted once their
 content is fully embedded downstream. Tag the inlined content with a `source_keys` entry using the
-same `references/sources.md` schema as the create flow's Step 6, noting in the `Research doc:`
-field that the source is an org convention rather than a plugin research corpus entry, so
-provenance survives after the source file is gone.
+same `references/sources.md` schema as the create flow's Step 6: write `Research doc: none` and
+name the org convention file in a `Basis:` line, so provenance survives after the source file is
+gone (annotate the Basis `(removed in <sha>)` once the file is deleted).

plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/skill-author/references/create.md

@@ -171,11 +171,20 @@ If a research `sources.md` is present in the conversation context:
 2. For each entry, determine which skill files it contributed to (SKILL.md and any files in
    `references/` that drew from it). Update `Contributing files` accordingly — list skill files,
    not research topic files.
-3. Write the updated content to `references/sources.md`. For each entry, include
-   `- **Research doc:** <path>` where `<path>` is the relative path from the repo root to the
-   plugin-level research sources file this entry was drawn from (e.g.
-   `plugins/myplugin/docs/research/docs/<topic>/sources.md`). This field is required on every
-   entry — it makes the provenance chain explicit and is validated by `/factory-audit`.
+3. Write the updated content to `references/sources.md`. Every entry carries exactly one
+   `- **Research doc:** <path>` line. `<path>` is the relative path from the repo root to the
+   **Research registry** — the plugin-level research `sources.md` whose `## H2` headings are the
+   source slugs (e.g. `plugins/myplugin/docs/research/docs/<topic>/sources.md`) — never a topic
+   document, and never a list: no brace expansion, no comma- or semicolon-separated paths, no
+   second `Research doc:` line. A pointer to the topic document that digested the source goes in
+   an annotation after the path, e.g. `<registry path> (digested in remotes.md)`, where it is not
+   checked. `/factory-audit` fails a slug missing from the registry it names.
+
+   If the entry has no Research registry — an org convention, an ADR, a house-verified
+   reproduction — write `- **Research doc:** none` and name what it was drawn from with one
+   `- **Basis:** <repo path>` line per path. Each Basis path is checked to exist; annotate one
+   that has since been deleted `(removed in <sha>)` and the check is skipped. `none` with no Basis
+   is a FAIL.
 4. Add `source_keys` to the frontmatter of `SKILL.md` (under `metadata`) listing the slugs of
    sources that informed it.
 5. For each file in `references/` that was informed by research sources, add `source_keys`

plugins/lint/.apm/skills/vale-config/SKILL.md

@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ description: >
 
 metadata:
   category: lint
-  version: "0.1.3"
+  version: "0.1.4"
   source_keys:
     - context7-websites-vale-sh
-    - house-vale-3-15-2-repro
 ---
 
 ## Gotchas

plugins/lint/.apm/skills/vale-config/references/configuration-reference.md

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 topic: configuration-reference
 source_keys:
   - context7-websites-vale-sh
-  - house-vale-3-15-2-repro
 ---
 
 ## Core Settings
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ Only *package* styles need fetching. A style whose YAML rule files are already c
 - `Vale.Avoid` — enforces the project's rejected vocabulary terms.
 - `Vale.Repetition` — flags repeated words (e.g. "the the").
 
-`Packages` (top-level, what `vale sync` downloads) and `BasedOnStyles` (per-glob, what activates) are separate keys: a style lints a file only once it is in both. Every row below reproduced against Vale 3.15.2 (slug `house-vale-3-15-2-repro`):
+`Packages` (top-level, what `vale sync` downloads) and `BasedOnStyles` (per-glob, what activates) are separate keys: a style lints a file only once it is in both. Every row below reproduced against Vale 3.15.2:
 
 | Configuration | Result |
 |---|---|
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ Only *package* styles need fetching. A style whose YAML rule files are already c
 
 ## Frontmatter Scopes
 
-House-verified behaviour, not documented on vale.sh — reproduced locally against Vale 3.15.2 (slug `house-vale-3-15-2-repro`).
+House-verified behaviour, not documented on vale.sh — reproduced locally against Vale 3.15.2.
 
 A rule scoped to `text.frontmatter.<key>` (e.g. `text.frontmatter.description`) matches reliably when that field's value is a single physical line, and breaks on most — not all — multi-line forms. Multi-line forms spanning 2+ lines:
 

plugins/lint/.apm/skills/vale-config/references/sources.md

@@ -7,11 +7,3 @@
 - **Research doc:** plugins/lint/docs/research/docs/vale/sources.md
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/configuration-reference.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`
-
-## house-vale-3-15-2-repro
-
-- **URL:** (house-verified — reproduced locally against the `vale` binary, not an external source)
-- **Description:** Behaviour of Vale 3.15.2 established by running it against purpose-built fixtures in this repo, where vale.sh documents nothing: the `E100 [loadStyles]` / exit-2 failure for a `BasedOnStyles` name absent from `StylesPath`, `vale sync` reporting `Synced 0 package(s)` for a name not declared in `Packages`, the `E201` / exit-2 failure when the `StylesPath` directory does not exist, the exit-0 no-op of an empty style directory, the `E201` / exit-2 failure when a core option is written below a `[glob]` header (with `Packages` as the silent exception), and the `text.frontmatter.<key>` scope matrix across multi-line YAML forms.
-- **Research doc:** none — house-verified reproduction, not part of the plugin's research corpus (no `plugins/lint/docs/research/` topic file backs this entry)
-- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/configuration-reference.md
-- **Status:** `extracted`

plugins/lint/.apm/skills/vale-run/SKILL.md

@@ -6,11 +6,10 @@ description: >
   as in "lint the docs", "check prose style", or "why is CI failing on the docs
   check". Not setting up Vale config or styles -> `vale-config`.
 metadata:
-  version: "0.1.4"
+  version: "0.1.5"
   category: lint
   source_keys:
     - context7-websites-vale-sh
-    - house-vale-3-15-2-repro
 ---
 
 ## Gotchas

plugins/lint/.apm/skills/vale-run/references/sources.md

@@ -7,11 +7,3 @@
 - **Research doc:** plugins/lint/docs/research/docs/vale/sources.md
 - **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/troubleshooting.md
 - **Status:** `extracted`
-
-## house-vale-3-15-2-repro
-
-- **URL:** (house-verified — reproduced locally against the `vale` binary, not an external source)
-- **Description:** Behaviour of Vale 3.15.2 established by running it against purpose-built fixtures in this repo, where vale.sh documents nothing or documents it wrongly: `.mdx` has no built-in support and needs either `[formats] mdx = md` or an external `mdx2vast` binary (absent, the whole invocation exits 2 with `E100 [lintMDX]`), the inline-suppression form inverts between those two configurations, the `spelling` check's `ignore` paths resolve against `StylesPath` or the working directory but never against the rule file's own directory and fail silently when they resolve nowhere, `ls-config` reports styles and paths but never rules, and the `text.frontmatter.<key>` scope matrix across multi-line YAML forms.
-- **Research doc:** none — house-verified reproduction, not part of the plugin's research corpus (no `plugins/lint/docs/research/` topic file backs this entry)
-- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md, references/troubleshooting.md
-- **Status:** `extracted`

plugins/lint/.apm/skills/vale-run/references/troubleshooting.md

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 ---
 source_keys:
   - context7-websites-vale-sh
-  - house-vale-3-15-2-repro
 ---
 
 # Vale troubleshooting reference

scripts/check-provenance-corpus.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Corpus-wide provenance sweep: runs factory-audit's validate-provenance.sh over
+# every plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/ directory that has a references/sources.md, and
+# fails on any FAIL.
+#
+# WHY THIS GATE EXISTS (ADR-0028, #121). Nothing else runs the validator over the
+# real corpus. check-scope-walkup-sync.sh invokes it, but only against synthetic
+# mktemp fixtures, and the factory-audit bats suite does the same. So a
+# `Research doc:` that named the wrong file, or a slug absent from its Research
+# registry, could only be found by hand-running the validator in a loop -- which
+# is how 36 mismatches sat unnoticed while every gate stayed green. ADR-0028
+# promotes "the check ran and found a mismatch" from INFO to FAIL; without a
+# caller across the corpus that FAIL tier would be inert.
+#
+# Exit codes, kept distinct on purpose:
+#   0  every skill validated (INFO-only findings are printed, never swallowed)
+#   1  at least one skill FAILed -- a real finding about the corpus
+#   2  the gate itself could not run: validator missing, a validator exit 2
+#      ("not auditable"), or NO skill with a references/sources.md found. A
+#      gate that discovers nothing must not read as a pass, and a skill that
+#      could not be audited must not read as a skill that failed the audit.
+#
+# The skill set is discovered by glob, not hardcoded, so a new skill is covered
+# the moment it grows a references/sources.md. Run from repo root or pass
+# REPO_ROOT as arg.
+
+REPO_ROOT="${1:-$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd)}"
+if [[ ! -d "$REPO_ROOT" ]]; then
+  echo "Provenance corpus check failed: REPO_ROOT '$REPO_ROOT' is not a directory." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$REPO_ROOT" && pwd)"
+
+VALIDATOR="$REPO_ROOT/plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts/validate-provenance.sh"
+if [[ ! -f "$VALIDATOR" ]]; then
+  echo "Provenance corpus check failed: $VALIDATOR does not exist, so no skill was audited. If factory-audit's scripts moved, update this path." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+shopt -s nullglob
+sources_files=("$REPO_ROOT"/plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/references/sources.md)
+shopt -u nullglob
+
+if [[ ${#sources_files[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+  echo "Provenance corpus check failed: found no plugins/*/.apm/skills/*/references/sources.md under $REPO_ROOT. Discovering zero skills is an error, not a pass -- the glob has gone stale or the corpus moved." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+failing=()
+errored=()
+for sources in "${sources_files[@]}"; do
+  refs_dir="${sources%/*}"
+  skill_dir="${refs_dir%/*}"
+  rel="${skill_dir#"$REPO_ROOT"/plugins/}"
+  label="${rel%%/*}/${skill_dir##*/}"
+
+  rc=0
+  out="$(bash "$VALIDATOR" "$skill_dir" 2>&1)" || rc=$?
+
+  case "$rc" in
+    0)
+      # Exit 0 with output means INFO-only: a check that could not run,
+      # announced rather than skipped. Print it so it is not swallowed.
+      if [[ -n "$out" ]]; then
+        echo "== $label"
+        echo "$out"
+      fi
+      ;;
+    1)
+      echo "== $label"
+      echo "$out"
+      failing+=("$label")
+      ;;
+    *)
+      echo "== $label (validator exit $rc)"
+      echo "$out"
+      errored+=("$label")
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+echo ""
+echo "Provenance corpus: ${#sources_files[@]} skill(s) checked."
+
+if [[ ${#errored[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
+  echo "Provenance corpus check errored (could not audit): ${errored[*]}" >&2
+  if [[ ${#failing[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
+    echo "Failing skills: ${failing[*]}" >&2
+  fi
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+if [[ ${#failing[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
+  echo "Failing skills: ${failing[*]}" >&2
+  echo "Fix each FAIL above (see ADR-0028 for the Research doc / Basis grammar); INFO lines do not fail the gate." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Provenance corpus check passed."

tests/test-adr0020-contract.sh

@@ -744,6 +744,8 @@ EXPECTED = {
         'apm pack --check-versions --check-clean --dry-run', ['pre-push']),
     'check-scope-walkup-sync': (
         'bash scripts/check-scope-walkup-sync.sh', ['pre-push']),
+    'check-provenance-corpus': (
+        'bash scripts/check-provenance-corpus.sh', ['pre-push']),
     'check-skill-version-bump': (
         'bash scripts/check-skill-version-bump.sh', ['pre-push']),
     'validate-marketplace': (

tests/test-check-provenance-corpus.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+SCRIPT="$REPO_ROOT/scripts/check-provenance-corpus.sh"
+VALIDATOR_DIR="plugins/kyberforge/.apm/skills/factory-audit/scripts"
+PASS=0
+FAIL=0
+
+pass() { echo "  PASS: $1"; PASS=$((PASS + 1)); }
+fail() { echo "  FAIL: $1"; FAIL=$((FAIL + 1)); }
+
+FIXTURES=()
+cleanup() { [[ ${#FIXTURES[@]} -eq 0 ]] || rm -rf "${FIXTURES[@]}"; }
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+# Per-run scratch for captured output, for the reason check-scope-walkup-sync's
+# test gives: tests/run-tests.sh fans test scripts out concurrently.
+RUN_TMP="$(mktemp -d)"
+FIXTURES+=("$RUN_TMP")
+
+# A minimal REPO_ROOT: a .git entry (the validator's find_repo_root stops at
+# it), a copy of the real validator at its real relative path, and one plugin
+# holding a Research registry. Copying the real validator means the fixtures
+# exercise the actual FAIL/INFO/exit contract rather than a stub of it.
+make_repo() {
+  local dir
+  dir="$(mktemp -d)"
+  FIXTURES+=("$dir")
+  mkdir -p "$dir/.git" "$dir/$VALIDATOR_DIR" "$dir/plugins/p/docs/research/docs/t"
+  cp -R "$REPO_ROOT/$VALIDATOR_DIR/." "$dir/$VALIDATOR_DIR/"
+  cat > "$dir/plugins/p/docs/research/docs/t/sources.md" <<'EOF'
+# Sources
+
+## known-slug
+
+**Status:** `extracted`
+EOF
+  echo "$dir"
+}
+
+# make_skill <repo> <name> <slug> <research-doc-value>
+make_skill() {
+  local repo="$1" name="$2" slug="$3" research="$4"
+  local skill="$repo/plugins/p/.apm/skills/$name"
+  mkdir -p "$skill/references"
+  cat > "$skill/SKILL.md" <<EOF
+---
+name: $name
+description: A valid skill description.
+metadata:
+  source_keys:
+    - $slug
+---
+
+## Step 1
+
+Do the thing.
+EOF
+  cat > "$skill/references/sources.md" <<EOF
+# Sources
+
+## $slug
+
+- **URL:** https://example.com/$slug
+- **Description:** A test source.
+- **Contributing files:** SKILL.md
+- **Research doc:** $research
+- **Status:** \`extracted\`
+EOF
+}
+
+REGISTRY="plugins/p/docs/research/docs/t/sources.md"
+
+# --- 1. A skill whose slug resolves in the registry passes, quietly ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- passing skill ---"
+R="$(make_repo)"
+make_skill "$R" good known-slug "$REGISTRY"
+if bash "$SCRIPT" "$R" > "$RUN_TMP/good.out" 2>&1; then
+  pass "exits 0 when every skill validates"
+else
+  fail "exited non-zero on a clean corpus: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/good.out")"
+fi
+
+# --- 2. A slug missing from the registry is a FAIL and is named ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- failing skill ---"
+R="$(make_repo)"
+make_skill "$R" good known-slug "$REGISTRY"
+make_skill "$R" bad missing-slug "$REGISTRY"
+set +e
+bash "$SCRIPT" "$R" > "$RUN_TMP/bad.out" 2>&1
+rc=$?
+set -e
+if [[ $rc -eq 1 ]]; then
+  pass "exits 1 when one skill has a slug missing from its registry"
+else
+  fail "expected exit 1, got $rc: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/bad.out")"
+fi
+if grep -q "bad" "$RUN_TMP/bad.out" && ! grep -qE "Failing skills:.*good" "$RUN_TMP/bad.out"; then
+  pass "summary line names the failing skill and not the passing one"
+else
+  fail "summary did not name only the failing skill: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/bad.out")"
+fi
+
+# --- 3. INFO-only passes but the INFO is printed, not swallowed ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- INFO-only skill ---"
+R="$(make_repo)"
+make_skill "$R" info-only known-slug "plugins/p/docs/research/docs/gone/sources.md"
+if bash "$SCRIPT" "$R" > "$RUN_TMP/info.out" 2>&1; then
+  pass "exits 0 when the only findings are INFO"
+else
+  fail "INFO-only corpus failed the gate: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/info.out")"
+fi
+if grep -q "INFO" "$RUN_TMP/info.out"; then
+  pass "INFO findings are printed"
+else
+  fail "INFO finding was swallowed: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/info.out")"
+fi
+
+# --- 4. Zero skills discovered is an error, not a pass ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- zero skills ---"
+R="$(make_repo)"
+set +e
+bash "$SCRIPT" "$R" > "$RUN_TMP/zero.out" 2>&1
+rc=$?
+set -e
+if [[ $rc -eq 2 ]]; then
+  pass "exits 2 when no skill with references/sources.md is found"
+else
+  fail "expected exit 2 for an empty corpus, got $rc: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/zero.out")"
+fi
+
+# --- 5. A missing validator is a gate error (exit 2), never a pass ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- missing validator ---"
+R="$(make_repo)"
+make_skill "$R" good known-slug "$REGISTRY"
+rm -rf "${R:?}/$VALIDATOR_DIR"
+set +e
+bash "$SCRIPT" "$R" > "$RUN_TMP/novalidator.out" 2>&1
+rc=$?
+set -e
+if [[ $rc -eq 2 ]]; then
+  pass "exits 2 when the validator is missing"
+else
+  fail "expected exit 2 for a missing validator, got $rc: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/novalidator.out")"
+fi
+
+# --- 6. A validator exit 2 (unauditable input) is a gate error, not a FAIL ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- validator exit 2 ---"
+R="$(make_repo)"
+make_skill "$R" good known-slug "$REGISTRY"
+# Replace the entry point with a stub that reports "not auditable".
+printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\necho "stub: not auditable" >&2\nexit 2\n' \
+  > "$R/$VALIDATOR_DIR/validate-provenance.sh"
+set +e
+bash "$SCRIPT" "$R" > "$RUN_TMP/exit2.out" 2>&1
+rc=$?
+set -e
+if [[ $rc -eq 2 ]]; then
+  pass "a validator exit 2 surfaces as gate exit 2, not as a skill FAIL"
+else
+  fail "expected exit 2 to propagate, got $rc: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/exit2.out")"
+fi
+
+# --- 7. The real corpus: reported, and the gate agrees with the validator ---
+echo ""
+echo "--- this repo's real corpus ---"
+set +e
+bash "$SCRIPT" "$REPO_ROOT" > "$RUN_TMP/real.out" 2>&1
+rc=$?
+set -e
+if [[ $rc -eq 0 || $rc -eq 1 ]]; then
+  pass "gate runs to a verdict (0 or 1) against the real corpus (exit $rc)"
+else
+  fail "gate errored (exit $rc) against the real corpus: $(cat "$RUN_TMP/real.out")"
+fi
+
+echo ""
+echo "Results: $PASS passed, $FAIL failed"
+[[ $FAIL -eq 0 ]]