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

@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ hand-edit made outside `agentsmd-author` — the audit is what confirms the resu
 | `tests/validate-drift.bats` | (source-only) Bats test suite for `scripts/validate-drift.sh` |
 
 Rows marked **(source-only)** exist in the authoring source (`.apm/skills/agentsmd-audit/`) but are
-not present in an installed plugin: `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips `<category>/<name>/tests`
-when it generates the flat mirror, because these are dev-time fixtures no plugin host needs to
-discover (ADR-0017). Run them from a repo checkout, not from an install.
+not present in an installed plugin: the repo's `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips
+`<category>/<name>/tests` when it generates the flat mirror, because these are dev-time fixtures no
+plugin host needs to discover (ADR-0017). Run them from a repo checkout, not from an install.

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

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 ---
 name: agentsmd-audit
 description: >
-  Use when the user wants a repo's AGENTS.md audited — "audit this AGENTS.md",
-  "is this AGENTS.md safe to commit" — or after a hand-edit outside
-  `agentsmd-author`. Reports secrets, structure and drift; never edits.
-  Not for CLAUDE.md or provider files -> `provider-adapter-author`.
+  Use when the user wants a repo's AGENTS.md audited for secrets, structure
+  and drift — "is this AGENTS.md safe to commit" — or after a hand-edit
+  outside `agentsmd-author`.
+  Not converting a provider file -> `provider-adapter-author`.
   Not writing AGENTS.md -> `agentsmd-author`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read
 metadata:
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ bash scripts/validate-structure.sh <repo-root>
 bash scripts/validate-drift.sh <repo-root>
 ```
 
-Each script walks the repo for every `AGENTS.md` file (root and nested, excluding `.git`, `node_modules`, `vendor`, and similar) and prints `FAIL`/`INFO`/`SUGGESTION` lines with `Why`/`Fix` (or `Note`) per finding. A nonzero exit means at least one FAIL was found in that dimension. If a script cannot execute (`python3` unavailable, Bash denied), fall back to manual review: scan for real-looking credentials, check common sections are present, and spot-check a few referenced commands/paths by hand. Grade a manual finding the way the scripts grade theirs: a missing common section (e.g. no "Security" heading) is informational, not a failure — not every repo needs every section from the checklist. Only flag a FAIL when the file is empty, entirely unfilled placeholder text, or contains a real embedded secret/stale reference.
+Each script walks the repo for every `AGENTS.md` file (root and nested, excluding `.git`, `node_modules`, `vendor`, and similar) and prints `FAIL` lines, plus `INFO`/`SUGGESTION` where applicable, with `Why`/`Fix` (or `Note`) per finding. A nonzero exit means at least one FAIL was found in that dimension. If a script cannot execute (`python3` unavailable, Bash denied), fall back to manual review: scan for real-looking credentials, check common sections are present, and spot-check a few referenced commands/paths by hand. Grade a manual finding the way the scripts grade theirs: a missing common section (e.g. no "Security" heading) is informational, not a failure — not every repo needs every section from the checklist. Only flag a FAIL when the file is empty, entirely unfilled placeholder text, or contains a real embedded secret/stale reference.
 
 ## Step 2 — Report
 
@@ -43,16 +43,4 @@ Checked: secrets · structure · drift
 
 Then output only findings that were found, in this order within a repo: `### Secrets`, `### Structure`, `### Drift`. Omit a dimension heading entirely if it produced nothing — its absence confirms it passed. Report each finding verbatim as emitted by the scripts (they already carry file:line, Why/Fix or Note).
 
-Close with a result block:
-
-```text
-## Result
-
-PASS
-PASS · P info
-PASS (N suggestions) · P info
-FAIL (N fails)
-FAIL (N fails) · P info
-```
-
-INFO and SUGGESTION findings are observational — they never flip PASS to FAIL. Do not fix anything — this skill reports and proposes only. Point the user to `agentsmd-author` to apply fixes.
+Close with a `## Result` block holding one line: `PASS`, `PASS (N suggestions)`, or `FAIL (N fails · M suggestions)`, each optionally followed by ` · P info`. Omit the suggestion count when there are none, and omit `· P info` when there are none. INFO and SUGGESTION findings are observational — they never flip PASS to FAIL. Do not fix anything — this skill reports and proposes only. Point the user to `agentsmd-author` to apply fixes.

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

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: agentsmd-author
 description: >
   Use when the user wants a repo's AGENTS.md written or updated, root or
   nested, including "document this for AI coding tools". Writes only verified
-  conventions. Not review-only -> `agentsmd-audit`. Not for CLAUDE.md ->
+  conventions. Not review-only -> `agentsmd-audit`. Not converting CLAUDE.md ->
   `provider-adapter-author`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read Write Edit
 metadata:
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ AGENTS.md has no required schema. Use only sections that reflect something real
 
 ## Step 4 — Check for an existing provider file
 
-Look for `CLAUDE.md`, `.cursor/rules/*.mdc`, `.github/copilot-instructions.md`, or similar in the target repo. If one exists and now duplicates content the AGENTS.md you just wrote/updated already owns, invoke the `provider-adapter-author` skill on it to reconcile.
+Look for `CLAUDE.md`, `.cursor/rules/*.mdc`, `.github/copilot-instructions.md`, or similar in the target repo. If one exists, invoke the `provider-adapter-author` skill on it to reconcile — whether it duplicates content the AGENTS.md you just wrote/updated now owns, or is merely stale or missing a pointer to it. Never edit it yourself in either case.
 
 ## Step 5 — Audit and report
 
-Invoke the `agentsmd-audit` skill directly on the AGENTS.md file(s) you just wrote or updated. This closeout is mandatory, not optional, even when the change looks trivial — never sign the work off on your own judgment. Resolve any FAIL findings before considering the work done — re-invoke this skill's own writing steps to fix them, then re-run the audit, same as any other close-the-loop check. Report what was created/changed, whether a provider file was reconciled, and the audit's final result.
+Invoke the `agentsmd-audit` skill on the target repo root — its validators take a `<repo-root>` and walk the tree for every AGENTS.md themselves; there is no per-file entry point. This closeout is mandatory, not optional, even when the change looks trivial — never sign the work off on your own judgment. Resolve any FAIL findings before considering the work done — re-invoke this skill's own writing steps to fix them, then re-run the audit, same as any other close-the-loop check. Report what was created/changed, whether a provider file was reconciled, and the audit's final result.

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

@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ Provide the path to the provider-specific file to convert (and the target repo r
 | `tests/validate-adapter.bats` | (source-only) Bats test suite for `scripts/validate-adapter.sh` |
 
 Rows marked **(source-only)** exist in the authoring source (`.apm/skills/provider-adapter-author/`)
-but are not present in an installed plugin: `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips
+but are not present in an installed plugin: the repo's `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips
 `<category>/<name>/tests` when it generates the flat mirror, because these are dev-time fixtures no
 plugin host needs to discover (ADR-0017). Run them from a repo checkout, not from an install.

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

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 name: provider-adapter-author
 description: >
   Use when a provider file (CLAUDE.md, .cursor rules, copilot-instructions)
-  duplicating the repo's AGENTS.md should be cut to a thin adapter.
+  duplicating the repo's AGENTS.md should be cut to a thin adapter — "make
+  CLAUDE.md just import AGENTS.md".
   Not writing the AGENTS file -> `agentsmd-author`.
   Not auditing the AGENTS file -> `agentsmd-audit`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read Edit Write
@@ -16,7 +17,6 @@ metadata:
 ## Gotchas
 
 - Assume a provider has no cross-file import mechanism until you have confirmed it has one. Claude Code is the exception, not the rule: a `CLAUDE.md` may consist of nothing but `@path` lines, while the same `@AGENTS.md` line in a Cursor rule or a Copilot instructions file is inert text no tool resolves. Pass `--no-import-syntax` to `scripts/validate-adapter.sh` for those providers.
-- Works standalone or composed-into by `agentsmd-author` — behave identically either way; don't assume a caller skill exists.
 
 ## Step 1 — Detect
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Run the bundled check before finishing — this is the skill's own closeout gate
 bash scripts/validate-adapter.sh [--no-import-syntax] [--max-lines N] <adapter-file> <agents-md-file>
 ```
 
-Fix any `FAIL` by editing the provider file, and re-run until it exits `0`. The size `FAIL` advises moving provider-agnostic content into `AGENTS.md`; disregard that half of its wording and delete the redundant lines instead.
+Fix any `FAIL` by editing the provider file, and re-run until it exits `0`.
 
 ## Step 4 — Report
 

plugins/core/.apm/skills/provider-adapter-author/scripts/validate-adapter.sh

@@ -16,10 +16,15 @@ Arguments:
 
 Options:
   --no-import-syntax  The target provider has no native cross-file import
-                       mechanism. Accept a plain-text pointer mention of
-                       "AGENTS.md" instead of requiring an @import-style line.
+                       mechanism. Require a plain-text pointer line naming
+                       "AGENTS.md" instead of an @import-style line; an
+                       @AGENTS.md line alone does not satisfy it, because
+                       such a provider never resolves it. Without this flag
+                       an actual @import line is required, and naming
+                       AGENTS.md in prose alone does not satisfy it.
   --max-lines N        Max non-blank lines allowed in the adapter file before
-                       it's considered no longer "thin". Default: 60.
+                       it's considered no longer "thin". Must be a
+                       non-negative integer. Default: 60.
   --help, -h           Show this help and exit 0.
 
 Exit codes:
@@ -44,7 +49,15 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
       shift
       ;;
     --max-lines)
-      MAX_LINES="${2:-}"
+      if [[ $# -lt 2 ]]; then
+        echo "Error: --max-lines requires a value (a non-negative integer)." >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      MAX_LINES="$2"
+      if [[ ! "$MAX_LINES" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        echo "Error: --max-lines expects a non-negative integer, got '$MAX_LINES'." >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
       shift 2
       ;;
     *)
@@ -94,21 +107,25 @@ if not adapter_content.strip():
 IMPORT_RE = re.compile(r'(?m)^\s*@\S*AGENTS\.md\s*$')
 lines = adapter_content.splitlines()
 import_lines = [ln for ln in lines if IMPORT_RE.match(ln)]
+# A prose pointer is any line naming AGENTS.md that is not itself an import
+# line — an inert `@AGENTS.md` in a provider that resolves no imports points
+# a reader at nothing.
+pointer_lines = [ln for ln in lines if not IMPORT_RE.match(ln) and "AGENTS.md" in ln]
 
 if no_import_syntax:
-    has_reference = "AGENTS.md" in adapter_content
+    has_reference = bool(pointer_lines)
 else:
-    has_reference = bool(import_lines) or "AGENTS.md" in adapter_content
+    has_reference = bool(import_lines)
 
 if not has_reference:
     has_fail = True
     print(f"FAIL  Adapter has no reference to AGENTS.md — {adapter_path}")
     if no_import_syntax:
-        print("      Why: This provider has no import syntax, so the adapter must at least mention AGENTS.md as a text pointer.")
+        print("      Why: This provider resolves no cross-file import, so the adapter must point at AGENTS.md in prose; an `@AGENTS.md` line here is inert text.")
         print("      Fix: Add a sentence like \"See AGENTS.md at the repo root for shared conventions.\"")
     else:
-        print("      Why: A thin adapter must import AGENTS.md (e.g. `@AGENTS.md`) rather than silently omitting it.")
-        print("      Fix: Add an `@AGENTS.md` (or equivalent relative path) import line.")
+        print("      Why: A thin adapter must import AGENTS.md with an `@AGENTS.md` line; merely naming the file in prose defers nothing.")
+        print("      Fix: Add an `@AGENTS.md` (or equivalent relative path) import line, or pass --no-import-syntax if this provider resolves no imports.")
     print()
 
 # --- Duplication check ---
@@ -132,7 +149,7 @@ if non_blank_count > max_lines:
     has_fail = True
     print(f"FAIL  Adapter is not thin — {adapter_path}")
     print(f"      Why: {non_blank_count} non-blank lines exceeds the {max_lines}-line threshold for a thin adapter.")
-    print("      Fix: Move provider-agnostic content into AGENTS.md; keep only genuinely provider-specific additions here.")
+    print("      Fix: Delete the lines already covered by AGENTS.md; keep only genuinely provider-specific additions here.")
     print()
 
 if has_fail:

plugins/core/.apm/skills/provider-adapter-author/tests/validate-adapter.bats

@@ -115,6 +115,51 @@ EOF
     assert_output --partial "no reference"
 }
 
+@test "the two --no-import-syntax branches disagree: a text-pointer-only adapter fails in default mode" {
+    ADAPTER="$TMPDIR/copilot-instructions.md"
+    cat > "$ADAPTER" <<'EOF'
+See AGENTS.md at the repo root for setup, style, and testing conventions.
+
+## Copilot-specific
+Prefer inline suggestions over chat for one-line edits.
+EOF
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$ADAPTER" "$AGENTS_MD"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "no reference"
+
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" --no-import-syntax "$ADAPTER" "$AGENTS_MD"
+    assert_success
+}
+
+@test "with --no-import-syntax, an inert @AGENTS.md line alone is not a prose pointer" {
+    ADAPTER="$TMPDIR/copilot-instructions.md"
+    cat > "$ADAPTER" <<'EOF'
+@AGENTS.md
+
+## Copilot-specific
+Prefer inline suggestions over chat for one-line edits.
+EOF
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" --no-import-syntax "$ADAPTER" "$AGENTS_MD"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "no reference"
+}
+
+@test "--max-lines as the final argument reports a real error instead of failing silently" {
+    ADAPTER="$TMPDIR/CLAUDE.md"
+    echo "@AGENTS.md" > "$ADAPTER"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" "$ADAPTER" "$AGENTS_MD" --max-lines
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "--max-lines requires a value"
+}
+
+@test "--max-lines rejects a non-numeric value with a real error" {
+    ADAPTER="$TMPDIR/CLAUDE.md"
+    echo "@AGENTS.md" > "$ADAPTER"
+    run bash "$SCRIPT" --max-lines abc "$ADAPTER" "$AGENTS_MD"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "non-negative integer"
+}
+
 @test "--help exits 0 and documents usage" {
     run bash "$SCRIPT" --help
     assert_success

plugins/core/skills/agentsmd-audit/README.md

@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ hand-edit made outside `agentsmd-author` — the audit is what confirms the resu
 | `tests/validate-drift.bats` | (source-only) Bats test suite for `scripts/validate-drift.sh` |
 
 Rows marked **(source-only)** exist in the authoring source (`.apm/skills/agentsmd-audit/`) but are
-not present in an installed plugin: `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips `<category>/<name>/tests`
-when it generates the flat mirror, because these are dev-time fixtures no plugin host needs to
-discover (ADR-0017). Run them from a repo checkout, not from an install.
+not present in an installed plugin: the repo's `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips
+`<category>/<name>/tests` when it generates the flat mirror, because these are dev-time fixtures no
+plugin host needs to discover (ADR-0017). Run them from a repo checkout, not from an install.

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

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 ---
 name: agentsmd-audit
 description: >
-  Use when the user wants a repo's AGENTS.md audited — "audit this AGENTS.md",
-  "is this AGENTS.md safe to commit" — or after a hand-edit outside
-  `agentsmd-author`. Reports secrets, structure and drift; never edits.
-  Not for CLAUDE.md or provider files -> `provider-adapter-author`.
+  Use when the user wants a repo's AGENTS.md audited for secrets, structure
+  and drift — "is this AGENTS.md safe to commit" — or after a hand-edit
+  outside `agentsmd-author`.
+  Not converting a provider file -> `provider-adapter-author`.
   Not writing AGENTS.md -> `agentsmd-author`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read
 metadata:
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ bash scripts/validate-structure.sh <repo-root>
 bash scripts/validate-drift.sh <repo-root>
 ```
 
-Each script walks the repo for every `AGENTS.md` file (root and nested, excluding `.git`, `node_modules`, `vendor`, and similar) and prints `FAIL`/`INFO`/`SUGGESTION` lines with `Why`/`Fix` (or `Note`) per finding. A nonzero exit means at least one FAIL was found in that dimension. If a script cannot execute (`python3` unavailable, Bash denied), fall back to manual review: scan for real-looking credentials, check common sections are present, and spot-check a few referenced commands/paths by hand. Grade a manual finding the way the scripts grade theirs: a missing common section (e.g. no "Security" heading) is informational, not a failure — not every repo needs every section from the checklist. Only flag a FAIL when the file is empty, entirely unfilled placeholder text, or contains a real embedded secret/stale reference.
+Each script walks the repo for every `AGENTS.md` file (root and nested, excluding `.git`, `node_modules`, `vendor`, and similar) and prints `FAIL` lines, plus `INFO`/`SUGGESTION` where applicable, with `Why`/`Fix` (or `Note`) per finding. A nonzero exit means at least one FAIL was found in that dimension. If a script cannot execute (`python3` unavailable, Bash denied), fall back to manual review: scan for real-looking credentials, check common sections are present, and spot-check a few referenced commands/paths by hand. Grade a manual finding the way the scripts grade theirs: a missing common section (e.g. no "Security" heading) is informational, not a failure — not every repo needs every section from the checklist. Only flag a FAIL when the file is empty, entirely unfilled placeholder text, or contains a real embedded secret/stale reference.
 
 ## Step 2 — Report
 
@@ -43,16 +43,4 @@ Checked: secrets · structure · drift
 
 Then output only findings that were found, in this order within a repo: `### Secrets`, `### Structure`, `### Drift`. Omit a dimension heading entirely if it produced nothing — its absence confirms it passed. Report each finding verbatim as emitted by the scripts (they already carry file:line, Why/Fix or Note).
 
-Close with a result block:
-
-```text
-## Result
-
-PASS
-PASS · P info
-PASS (N suggestions) · P info
-FAIL (N fails)
-FAIL (N fails) · P info
-```
-
-INFO and SUGGESTION findings are observational — they never flip PASS to FAIL. Do not fix anything — this skill reports and proposes only. Point the user to `agentsmd-author` to apply fixes.
+Close with a `## Result` block holding one line: `PASS`, `PASS (N suggestions)`, or `FAIL (N fails · M suggestions)`, each optionally followed by ` · P info`. Omit the suggestion count when there are none, and omit `· P info` when there are none. INFO and SUGGESTION findings are observational — they never flip PASS to FAIL. Do not fix anything — this skill reports and proposes only. Point the user to `agentsmd-author` to apply fixes.

plugins/core/skills/agentsmd-author/SKILL.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: agentsmd-author
 description: >
   Use when the user wants a repo's AGENTS.md written or updated, root or
   nested, including "document this for AI coding tools". Writes only verified
-  conventions. Not review-only -> `agentsmd-audit`. Not for CLAUDE.md ->
+  conventions. Not review-only -> `agentsmd-audit`. Not converting CLAUDE.md ->
   `provider-adapter-author`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read Write Edit
 metadata:
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ AGENTS.md has no required schema. Use only sections that reflect something real
 
 ## Step 4 — Check for an existing provider file
 
-Look for `CLAUDE.md`, `.cursor/rules/*.mdc`, `.github/copilot-instructions.md`, or similar in the target repo. If one exists and now duplicates content the AGENTS.md you just wrote/updated already owns, invoke the `provider-adapter-author` skill on it to reconcile.
+Look for `CLAUDE.md`, `.cursor/rules/*.mdc`, `.github/copilot-instructions.md`, or similar in the target repo. If one exists, invoke the `provider-adapter-author` skill on it to reconcile — whether it duplicates content the AGENTS.md you just wrote/updated now owns, or is merely stale or missing a pointer to it. Never edit it yourself in either case.
 
 ## Step 5 — Audit and report
 
-Invoke the `agentsmd-audit` skill directly on the AGENTS.md file(s) you just wrote or updated. This closeout is mandatory, not optional, even when the change looks trivial — never sign the work off on your own judgment. Resolve any FAIL findings before considering the work done — re-invoke this skill's own writing steps to fix them, then re-run the audit, same as any other close-the-loop check. Report what was created/changed, whether a provider file was reconciled, and the audit's final result.
+Invoke the `agentsmd-audit` skill on the target repo root — its validators take a `<repo-root>` and walk the tree for every AGENTS.md themselves; there is no per-file entry point. This closeout is mandatory, not optional, even when the change looks trivial — never sign the work off on your own judgment. Resolve any FAIL findings before considering the work done — re-invoke this skill's own writing steps to fix them, then re-run the audit, same as any other close-the-loop check. Report what was created/changed, whether a provider file was reconciled, and the audit's final result.

plugins/core/skills/provider-adapter-author/README.md

@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ Provide the path to the provider-specific file to convert (and the target repo r
 | `tests/validate-adapter.bats` | (source-only) Bats test suite for `scripts/validate-adapter.sh` |
 
 Rows marked **(source-only)** exist in the authoring source (`.apm/skills/provider-adapter-author/`)
-but are not present in an installed plugin: `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips
+but are not present in an installed plugin: the repo's `scripts/sync-plugin-content.sh` strips
 `<category>/<name>/tests` when it generates the flat mirror, because these are dev-time fixtures no
 plugin host needs to discover (ADR-0017). Run them from a repo checkout, not from an install.

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

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 name: provider-adapter-author
 description: >
   Use when a provider file (CLAUDE.md, .cursor rules, copilot-instructions)
-  duplicating the repo's AGENTS.md should be cut to a thin adapter.
+  duplicating the repo's AGENTS.md should be cut to a thin adapter — "make
+  CLAUDE.md just import AGENTS.md".
   Not writing the AGENTS file -> `agentsmd-author`.
   Not auditing the AGENTS file -> `agentsmd-audit`.
 allowed-tools: Bash Read Edit Write
@@ -16,7 +17,6 @@ metadata:
 ## Gotchas
 
 - Assume a provider has no cross-file import mechanism until you have confirmed it has one. Claude Code is the exception, not the rule: a `CLAUDE.md` may consist of nothing but `@path` lines, while the same `@AGENTS.md` line in a Cursor rule or a Copilot instructions file is inert text no tool resolves. Pass `--no-import-syntax` to `scripts/validate-adapter.sh` for those providers.
-- Works standalone or composed-into by `agentsmd-author` — behave identically either way; don't assume a caller skill exists.
 
 ## Step 1 — Detect
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Run the bundled check before finishing — this is the skill's own closeout gate
 bash scripts/validate-adapter.sh [--no-import-syntax] [--max-lines N] <adapter-file> <agents-md-file>
 ```
 
-Fix any `FAIL` by editing the provider file, and re-run until it exits `0`. The size `FAIL` advises moving provider-agnostic content into `AGENTS.md`; disregard that half of its wording and delete the redundant lines instead.
+Fix any `FAIL` by editing the provider file, and re-run until it exits `0`.
 
 ## Step 4 — Report
 

plugins/core/skills/provider-adapter-author/scripts/validate-adapter.sh

@@ -16,10 +16,15 @@ Arguments:
 
 Options:
   --no-import-syntax  The target provider has no native cross-file import
-                       mechanism. Accept a plain-text pointer mention of
-                       "AGENTS.md" instead of requiring an @import-style line.
+                       mechanism. Require a plain-text pointer line naming
+                       "AGENTS.md" instead of an @import-style line; an
+                       @AGENTS.md line alone does not satisfy it, because
+                       such a provider never resolves it. Without this flag
+                       an actual @import line is required, and naming
+                       AGENTS.md in prose alone does not satisfy it.
   --max-lines N        Max non-blank lines allowed in the adapter file before
-                       it's considered no longer "thin". Default: 60.
+                       it's considered no longer "thin". Must be a
+                       non-negative integer. Default: 60.
   --help, -h           Show this help and exit 0.
 
 Exit codes:
@@ -44,7 +49,15 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
       shift
       ;;
     --max-lines)
-      MAX_LINES="${2:-}"
+      if [[ $# -lt 2 ]]; then
+        echo "Error: --max-lines requires a value (a non-negative integer)." >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      MAX_LINES="$2"
+      if [[ ! "$MAX_LINES" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        echo "Error: --max-lines expects a non-negative integer, got '$MAX_LINES'." >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
       shift 2
       ;;
     *)
@@ -94,21 +107,25 @@ if not adapter_content.strip():
 IMPORT_RE = re.compile(r'(?m)^\s*@\S*AGENTS\.md\s*$')
 lines = adapter_content.splitlines()
 import_lines = [ln for ln in lines if IMPORT_RE.match(ln)]
+# A prose pointer is any line naming AGENTS.md that is not itself an import
+# line — an inert `@AGENTS.md` in a provider that resolves no imports points
+# a reader at nothing.
+pointer_lines = [ln for ln in lines if not IMPORT_RE.match(ln) and "AGENTS.md" in ln]
 
 if no_import_syntax:
-    has_reference = "AGENTS.md" in adapter_content
+    has_reference = bool(pointer_lines)
 else:
-    has_reference = bool(import_lines) or "AGENTS.md" in adapter_content
+    has_reference = bool(import_lines)
 
 if not has_reference:
     has_fail = True
     print(f"FAIL  Adapter has no reference to AGENTS.md — {adapter_path}")
     if no_import_syntax:
-        print("      Why: This provider has no import syntax, so the adapter must at least mention AGENTS.md as a text pointer.")
+        print("      Why: This provider resolves no cross-file import, so the adapter must point at AGENTS.md in prose; an `@AGENTS.md` line here is inert text.")
         print("      Fix: Add a sentence like \"See AGENTS.md at the repo root for shared conventions.\"")
     else:
-        print("      Why: A thin adapter must import AGENTS.md (e.g. `@AGENTS.md`) rather than silently omitting it.")
-        print("      Fix: Add an `@AGENTS.md` (or equivalent relative path) import line.")
+        print("      Why: A thin adapter must import AGENTS.md with an `@AGENTS.md` line; merely naming the file in prose defers nothing.")
+        print("      Fix: Add an `@AGENTS.md` (or equivalent relative path) import line, or pass --no-import-syntax if this provider resolves no imports.")
     print()
 
 # --- Duplication check ---
@@ -132,7 +149,7 @@ if non_blank_count > max_lines:
     has_fail = True
     print(f"FAIL  Adapter is not thin — {adapter_path}")
     print(f"      Why: {non_blank_count} non-blank lines exceeds the {max_lines}-line threshold for a thin adapter.")
-    print("      Fix: Move provider-agnostic content into AGENTS.md; keep only genuinely provider-specific additions here.")
+    print("      Fix: Delete the lines already covered by AGENTS.md; keep only genuinely provider-specific additions here.")
     print()
 
 if has_fail: