diff --git a/hooks/push-guard.sh b/hooks/push-guard.sh
index 12f96ed..0b92954 100644
--- a/hooks/push-guard.sh
+++ b/hooks/push-guard.sh
@@ -2,14 +2,22 @@
 # push-guard.sh — PreToolUse (Bash|Monitor): refuse `git push` in manual
 # push mode (BDR-111). Manual mode = `gitflow.autopush` reads false (or is
 # unparseable or unreadable: fail closed) in the payload cwd or in any literal -C / cd dir
-# the command names; outside a repo `git config` reads global/system.
+# the command names; outside a repo `git config` reads global/system. The
+# mode is read by the sourced lib verb gitflow_push_mode (single reader).
 #
 # Deny form: JSON on stdout, exit 0 (hookSpecificOutput.permissionDecision
 # = "deny"). Silent in auto mode and on every non-push command. The guard
 # sees the command TEXT only. Once a push is detected an EXIT trap emits a
 # static deny (exit 0) unless a decision was recorded: internal error =
-# push refused. jq missing: one stderr warning, allow (sibling hooks).
+# push refused. jq, cat, grep, sed, sort or head missing: one stderr
+# warning, allow (sibling hooks; PATH is not command-controlled).
 #
+# DENIED beyond a manual-mode push: a cd/-C dir token mixing quoted and
+# unquoted parts ("/m"/x"/y", a/'../b'); a cd argument touching a closing
+# quote followed by another quote on the line (bash -c 'cd /x' && bash -c
+# 'git push' reads as one mixed token, accepted, fail closed); a payload jq
+# cannot parse whose raw text (JSON escapes folded) looks like a push: static
+# deny, mode-blind, so a description naming a push also denies there.
 # OVER-BLOCKS in manual mode: any text carrying a later ` push` word after
 # a `git` token (git subtree push, git stash push, git log -S "git push",
 # grep -rn "git push" skills/, git config --get push.default, git add
@@ -24,14 +32,29 @@
 set -u
 unset CDPATH
 
+# Absolute lib path, before anything else; sourced once (functions only).
+_src=${BASH_SOURCE[0]}
+case "$_src" in */*) _dir=${_src%/*} ;; *) _dir=. ;; esac
+LIB="$(cd -P "$_dir/../lib" 2>/dev/null && pwd)/gitflow.sh"
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+if [ -r "$LIB" ]; then . "$LIB"; LIB_OK=1; else LIB_OK=0; fi
+
 if ! command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "push-guard: jq missing, guard inactive" >&2
   exit 0
 fi
+for t in cat grep sed sort head; do
+  command -v "$t" >/dev/null 2>&1 || {
+    echo "push-guard: $t missing, guard inactive" >&2
+    exit 0
+  }
+done
 
 payload=$(cat 2>/dev/null)
 field() { printf '%s' "$payload" | jq -r "$1 // empty" 2>/dev/null; }
-cmd=$(field '.tool_input.command')
+# jq's rc is field's rc: a payload that does not parse becomes the text to scan.
+unparsed=0
+cmd=$(field '.tool_input.command') || { cmd=$payload; unparsed=1; }
 cwd=$(field '.cwd')
 [ -n "$cmd" ] || exit 0
 [ -d "$cwd" ] || cwd=$PWD
@@ -39,7 +62,12 @@ cwd=$(field '.cwd')
 # Fold line breaks (backslash-newline first), then drop quoted spans.
 one=${cmd//$'\\\n'/ }
 one=${one//$'\n'/ }
+if [ "$unparsed" = 1 ]; then
+  one=${one//\\n/ }; one=${one//\\r/ }; one=${one//\\t/ }; one=${one//\\\\/ }
+fi
 bare=$(printf '%s' "$one" | sed -E "s/\"[^\"]*\"//g; s/'[^']*'//g")
+# JSON quotes are syntax, not shell quoting: keep them for the loose regexes.
+[ "$unparsed" = 1 ] && bare=$one
 
 # is_push: strict (full text), loose (quotes removed), alias definition.
 is_push() {
@@ -60,22 +88,35 @@ static_deny() {
 }
 decided=0
 trap '[ "$decided" = 1 ] || static_deny; exit 0' EXIT
+# Unparseable payload that looks like a push: the trap answers (mode-blind).
+[ "$unparsed" = 1 ] && exit 0
 
-# unquote <tok>: strip one pair of surrounding quotes.
-unquote() {
-  local t=$1
+# classify_tok <raw>: prints the literal dir of a raw dir token, rc 1 when it
+# mixes quoted and unquoted parts. A token enclosed in one quote pair is
+# stripped (the other quote kind inside is fine); backslashes of an unquoted
+# token are unescaped (a\ b -> a b), deterministic, never eval'd.
+classify_tok() {
+  local t=$1 q=
   case "$t" in
-    \"*\") t=${t#\"}; t=${t%\"} ;;
-    \'*\') t=${t#\'}; t=${t%\'} ;;
+    \"*\") q='"' ;;
+    \'*\') q="'" ;;
   esac
-  printf '%s' "$t"
+  if [ -n "$q" ]; then
+    t=${t#"$q"}; t=${t%"$q"}
+    case "$t" in *"$q"*) return 1 ;; esac
+    printf '%s' "$t"
+    return 0
+  fi
+  case "$t" in *\"*|*\'*) return 1 ;; esac
+  printf '%s' "$t" | sed -E 's/\\(.)/\1/g'
 }
 
-# arg_tokens: the directory argument of every `cd`/`pushd`/`-C` in the text.
+# arg_tokens: the directory argument of every `cd`/`pushd`/`-C` in the text,
+# one shell word each (adjacent quoted and unquoted segments, \x escapes).
 # A quote or backtick may precede the command word (bash -c 'cd d && ...').
 arg_tokens() {
   local pre='[[:space:];&|()"'"'"'`]'
-  local arg='(--[[:space:]]+)?("[^"]*"|'"'[^']*'"'|[^[:space:];&|()"'"'"'`]+)'
+  local arg='(--[[:space:]]+)?((\\.|"[^"]*"|'"'[^']*'"'|[^[:space:];&|()"'"'"'`\\]+)+)'
   {
     printf '%s' "$one" | grep -oE "(^|$pre)(cd|pushd)[[:space:]]+$arg"
     printf '%s' "$one" | grep -oE "(^|$pre)-C[[:space:]]+$arg"
@@ -94,30 +135,30 @@ resolve_dir() {
   )
 }
 
-# candidates: cwd, then each distinct literal dir of $tokens, deduplicated
+# candidates: cwd, then each distinct literal dir of $literals, deduplicated
 # after resolution (unresolvable ones are skipped, never an allow).
 candidates() {
   local tok
   printf '%s\n' "$cwd"
-  printf '%s\n' "$tokens" | while IFS= read -r tok; do
-    tok=$(unquote "$tok")
+  printf '%s\n' "$literals" | while IFS= read -r tok; do
     case "$tok" in ''|-) continue ;; esac
     resolve_dir "$tok"
   done | sort -u
 }
 
 # mode_in <dir>: prints `manual`, `auto` (key unset or true),
-# `invalid:<raw>` (not a boolean) or `failed:<what>` (git or cd failed).
+# `invalid:<why>` (not a boolean, unreadable) or `failed:<what>`.
 mode_in() {
   (
     cd -- "$1" 2>/dev/null || { echo "failed:cannot enter the directory"; exit 0; }
-    val=$(git config --bool gitflow.autopush 2>/dev/null); rc=$?
-    case "$rc" in
-      0) if [ "$val" = false ]; then echo manual; else echo auto; fi ;;
-      1) echo auto ;;
-      *) raw=$(git config gitflow.autopush 2>/dev/null)
-         if [ -n "$raw" ]; then echo "invalid:$raw"
-         else echo "failed:git exited $rc"; fi ;;
+    [ "$LIB_OK" = 1 ] || { echo "failed:gitflow lib missing"; exit 0; }
+    out=$(gitflow_push_mode 2>&1); m=${out##*$'\n'}
+    why=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" | grep -m1 '^gitflow.sh push-mode: ' \
+      | sed 's/^gitflow.sh push-mode: //')
+    case "$m" in
+      manual|auto) echo "$m" ;;
+      invalid) echo "invalid:${why:-unreadable}" ;;
+      *) echo "$m" ;;
     esac
   )
 }
@@ -131,12 +172,26 @@ deny() {
   exit 0
 }
 
-# Cap the distinct dir tokens before resolving any (hook timeout is 10 s).
+# literal_dirs: fills $literals from $tokens; a mixed token denies, naming
+# it. Runs in the main shell (deny must end the hook, not a subshell).
+literal_dirs() {
+  local raw lit
+  literals=""
+  while IFS= read -r raw; do
+    [ -n "$raw" ] || continue
+    lit=$(classify_tok "$raw") || deny "push-guard: directory token $raw mixes quoted and unquoted parts — this guard refuses to interpolate it (fail closed). Quote the whole path, or run it yourself: ! $cmd"
+    literals="$literals$lit"$'\n'
+  done <<<"$tokens"
+}
+
+# Cap the distinct dir tokens before resolving or classifying any (hook
+# timeout is 10 s).
 tokens=$(arg_tokens | sort -u)
 ntok=$(printf '%s\n' "$tokens" | grep -c .)
 if [ "$ntok" -gt 20 ]; then
   deny "push-guard: too many directory tokens in one command ($ntok > 20) — push refused (fail closed). Split the command, or run it yourself: ! $cmd"
 fi
+literal_dirs
 
 evaluated=0
 while IFS= read -r dir; do
@@ -145,10 +200,12 @@ while IFS= read -r dir; do
     manual)
       deny "push-guard: manual push mode (gitflow.autopush=false in $dir) — Claude never pushes. Run it yourself in the terminal: ! $cmd" ;;
     invalid:*)
-      deny "push-guard: gitflow.autopush='${mode#invalid:}' is not a boolean in $dir — treated as manual push mode (fail closed). Fix the value by hand, or run it yourself: ! $cmd" ;;
+      deny "push-guard: ${mode#invalid:} in $dir — treated as manual push mode (fail closed). Fix the value by hand, or run it yourself: ! $cmd" ;;
     failed:*)
-      deny "push-guard: could not read gitflow.autopush in $dir (${mode#failed:}) — git failed, push refused (fail closed). Run it yourself in the terminal: ! $cmd" ;;
+      deny "push-guard: push mode unreadable in $dir (${mode#failed:}) — push refused (fail closed). Run it yourself: ! $cmd" ;;
     auto) evaluated=$((evaluated + 1)) ;;
+    *)
+      deny "push-guard: unexpected push mode '$mode' in $dir — push refused (fail closed). Run it yourself: ! $cmd" ;;
   esac
 done < <(candidates)
 
diff --git a/hooks/session-start.sh b/hooks/session-start.sh
index 5bf9d67..a7c7698 100644
--- a/hooks/session-start.sh
+++ b/hooks/session-start.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ _gf_lib="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib/gitflow.sh"
 if [ -f "$_gf_lib" ] && git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   GF_REFRESHED=$(bash "$_gf_lib" reconcile-hooks 2>/dev/null | sed -n 's/^gitflow hooks refreshed: *//p')
 fi
-unset _gf_lib
 
 # ── graphify threshold signal (BDR-097) ──
 # Informs, never acts: one banner line when the repo holds ≥ 200 tracked code
@@ -232,9 +231,12 @@ if [ -n "$GF_REFRESHED" ]; then
 fi
 # ── manual-push mode (BDR-111): one lock line when this repo never auto-pushes ──
 # %-46s, not 44: bash printf pads by BYTES and "—" is 3 bytes (2 extra).
-if [ "$(git config --bool --default true gitflow.autopush 2>/dev/null)" = false ]; then
-  printf "│  🔒 %-46s│\n" "push : manual (autopush=false) — ! git push"
-fi
+_pm=$( [ -r "$_gf_lib" ] && bash "$_gf_lib" push-mode 2>/dev/null )
+case "$_pm" in
+  manual) printf "│  🔒 %-46s│\n" "push : manual (autopush=false) — ! git push" ;;
+  invalid) printf "│  🔒 %-46s│\n" "push : manual (autopush bad) — ! git push" ;;
+esac
+unset _pm _gf_lib
 if [ -n "$GRAPHIFY_HINT" ]; then
   printf "│  🕸️  %-44s│\n" "${GRAPHIFY_HINT:0:44}"
   printf "│             %-40s│\n" "→ /graphify (AST, seconds) — you decide"
diff --git a/lib/tests/push-guard.test.sh b/lib/tests/push-guard.test.sh
index feef387..11c2054 100644
--- a/lib/tests/push-guard.test.sh
+++ b/lib/tests/push-guard.test.sh
@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ cmd48=""; for i in $(seq 1 25); do cmd48="${cmd48}cd /x$i;"; done
 run "$cmd48 git push" "$WORK/auto"
 check T48-cap-deny "$(verdict)" deny
 check T48-cap-reason "$(grep -c 'too many directory tokens' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+cmd58=""; for i in $(seq 1 2000); do cmd58="${cmd58}cd /x$i;"; done
+t58=$SECONDS
+run "$cmd58 git push" "$WORK/auto"
+t58=$((SECONDS - t58))
+echo "T58 elapsed: ${t58}s"
+check T58-flood-deny "$(verdict)" deny
+check T58-flood-reason "$(grep -c 'too many directory tokens' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+check T58-flood-fast "$([ "$t58" -lt 5 ] && echo yes || echo no)" yes
 cmd48b=""; for i in 1 2 3 4 5; do cmd48b="${cmd48b}cd \"$M\";"; done
 run "$cmd48b git push" "$WORK/plain"
 check T48b-dedup-detect "$(verdict)" deny
@@ -181,6 +189,69 @@ chmod 755 "$WORK/locked"
 check T50-bash-c-cd "$(fire "bash -c 'cd \"$M\" && git push'" "$WORK/plain")" deny
 check T50b-unquoted-arg "$(fire "bash -c 'cd $M && git push'" "$WORK/plain")" deny
 
+# T51: a literal `true` is auto mode.
+mkrepo "$WORK/truerepo"; git -C "$WORK/truerepo" config gitflow.autopush true
+check T51-literal-true "$(fire 'git push' "$WORK/truerepo")" allow
+
+# T52: tokens that mix quoted and unquoted parts are refused, named.
+run "cd $WORK/auto'/../manual' && git push" "$WORK/plain"
+check T52-mixed-deny "$(verdict)" deny
+check T52-mixed-reason "$(grep -c 'mixes quoted and unquoted' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+run "cd \"$WORK/manual/my dir\" && git push" "$WORK/plain"
+check T52b-quoted-deny "$(verdict)" deny
+check T52b-quoted-reason "$(grep -c 'manual push mode' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+mkdir -p "$WORK/auto/bob's"
+check T52c-apostrophe-nopush "$(fire "cd \"$WORK/auto/bob's\" && git status" "$WORK/plain")" allow
+check T52c-apostrophe-auto "$(fire "cd \"$WORK/auto/bob's\" && git push" "$WORK/plain")" allow
+
+# T53: a backslash-escaped space is one word, unescaped and resolved.
+run "cd $WORK/manual/my\\ dir && git push" "$WORK/plain"
+check T53-escaped-space "$(verdict)" deny
+check T53-escaped-reason "$(grep -c 'manual push mode' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+run "cd \"$WORK/manual\"/sub\"\" && git push" "$WORK/plain"
+check T53b-enclosed-mixed "$(verdict)" deny
+check T53b-mixed-reason "$(grep -c 'mixes quoted and unquoted' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+
+# T54: a payload jq cannot parse (lone surrogate escape in cwd).
+bad54() { # bad54 <command-json-text>: broken payload on stdout
+  printf '{"tool_input":{"command":"%s"},"cwd":"\\ud800"}' "$1"
+}
+bad54 'git status' > "$WORK/bad.json"
+if jq -e . <"$WORK/bad.json" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  check T54-precondition-unparseable parsed unparsed
+fi
+out54=$(cd "$WORK/auto" && bad54 'git push' | bash "$H" 2>/dev/null); rc54=$?
+check T54-deny "$(jq -r '.hookSpecificOutput.permissionDecision' <<<"$out54")" deny
+check T54-internal "$(grep -c 'internal error' <<<"$out54")" 1
+check T54-rc "$rc54" 0
+out54=$(cd "$WORK/auto" && bad54 'git status' | bash "$H" 2>/dev/null)
+check T54b-no-push-allow "$out54" ""
+out54=$(cd "$WORK/auto" && bad54 'git add -A\ngit push' | bash "$H" 2>/dev/null)
+check T54c-escaped-newline "$(grep -c 'permissionDecision":"deny"' <<<"$out54")" 1
+out54=$(cd "$WORK/auto" \
+  && bad54 'git subtree push --prefix=x origin main' | bash "$H" 2>/dev/null)
+check T54d-loose "$(grep -c 'permissionDecision":"deny"' <<<"$out54")" 1
+
+# T55: a missing core tool (grep) warns on stderr and stays inactive.
+mkdir -p "$WORK/nogrep"
+for tool in bash cat jq git sed sort head; do
+  real=$(command -v "$tool") || continue
+  case "$real" in /*) ln -sf "$real" "$WORK/nogrep/$tool" ;; esac
+done
+out55=$(cd "$M" && printf '%s' "$payload47" \
+  | PATH="$WORK/nogrep" "$(command -v bash)" "$H" 2>"$WORK/nogrep.err"); rc55=$?
+check T55a-rc "$rc55" 0
+check T55b-stdout-empty "$out55" ""
+check T55c-warn "$(grep -c 'grep missing' "$WORK/nogrep.err")" 1
+
+# T56: lib missing (hook copied away from its lib/) denies, own reason.
+mkdir -p "$WORK/alone/hooks"; cp "$ROOT/hooks/push-guard.sh" "$WORK/alone/hooks/"
+saved_h=$H; H="$WORK/alone/hooks/push-guard.sh"
+run 'git push' "$M"
+H=$saved_h
+check T56-lib-missing "$(verdict)" deny
+check T56-reason "$(grep -c 'gitflow lib missing' <<<"$(reason)")" 1
+
 # ── settings.json wiring (file content only) ──
 S="$ROOT/settings.json"
 check T40-wiring "$(jq -e '.hooks.PreToolUse[]
@@ -213,12 +284,28 @@ Write(~/.config/git/config)
 EOF
 check T41-new-deny-present "$missing" ""
 
-# Nothing removed: every deny entry of the pre-run-B settings is still there.
-base=HEAD
-lost=$(git -C "$ROOT" show "$base:settings.json" 2>/dev/null \
-  | jq -r --slurpfile now "$S" \
-    '.permissions.deny[] | select(. as $e | ($now[0].permissions.deny | index($e)) == null)')
-check T42-nothing-removed "$lost" ""
+# Nothing removed: every deny entry of the fresher of origin/main and main
+# (the last release) is still there. Neither ref resolves: SKIP, no count.
+rv() { git -C "$ROOT" rev-parse -q --verify "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1; }
+base=""
+if rv origin/main && rv main; then
+  if git -C "$ROOT" merge-base --is-ancestor main origin/main; then
+    base=origin/main; else base=main; fi
+elif rv origin/main; then base=origin/main
+elif rv main; then base=main
+fi
+if [ -z "$base" ]; then
+  echo "SKIP T42 (no main ref)"
+else
+  echo "T42 base: $base"
+  basedeny=$(git -C "$ROOT" show "$base:settings.json" 2>/dev/null \
+    | jq -r '.permissions.deny[]' 2>/dev/null)
+  check T42-base-nonempty "$([ -n "$basedeny" ] && echo yes || echo no)" yes
+  lost=$(git -C "$ROOT" show "$base:settings.json" 2>/dev/null \
+    | jq -r --slurpfile now "$S" \
+      '.permissions.deny[] | select(. as $e | ($now[0].permissions.deny | index($e)) == null)')
+  check T42-nothing-removed "$lost" ""
+fi
 
 soft=$(jq -r '.autoMode.soft_deny[]' "$S")
 check T43a-soft-rule "$(grep -c 'manual-push mode' <<<"$soft" | tr -d ' ')" 1
@@ -235,5 +322,7 @@ check T45-banner-manual "$(grep -c 'push : manual (autopush=false)' <<<"$out")"
 out=$(banner "$WORK/auto")
 check T46a-auto-control "$(grep -c 'Claude Code config' <<<"$out")" 1
 check T46b-auto-silent "$(grep -c 'push : manual' <<<"$out")" 0
+out=$(banner "$WORK/bad")
+check T57-banner-invalid "$(grep -c 'push : manual (autopush bad)' <<<"$out")" 1
 
 printf 'PASS=%s FAIL=%s\n' "$pass" "$fail"; [ "$fail" -eq 0 ]
diff --git a/skills/tour/SKILL.md b/skills/tour/SKILL.md
index 9f88245..a486a4d 100644
--- a/skills/tour/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/tour/SKILL.md
@@ -240,12 +240,12 @@ order:
 5. Push state, only when a branch exists (report-only, skipped or
    dirty-tree projects have none: their row keeps `no branch`, no push
    column). Two read-only calls, probe first:
-   `git -C <abs project> remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1 || echo no-origin`
+   `git -C "<abs project>" remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1 || echo no-origin`
    then
-   `git -C <abs project> rev-list --count <branch> --not --remotes=origin 2>/dev/null || echo unknown`
+   `git -C "<abs project>" rev-list --count <branch> --not --remotes=origin 2>/dev/null || echo unknown`
    (`<branch>` = the name `gitflow start` returned, suffixed `-2`/`-3` on a
    same-day re-run — never the bare `chore/tour-<date>`). 0 → `on origin`;
-   else `local only → ! git -C <abs project> push -u origin <branch>` (probe
+   else `local only → ! git -C "<abs project>" push -u origin <branch>` (probe
    printed `no-origin` → `local only (no origin remote)`).
 
 ```markdown
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ without that approval — neither this repo's nor any target project's.
   never push `main`/`develop`** — "the tour is green" is not a signal.
   The gitflow hooks push the chore branch in auto-push mode only; when it
   is not on origin (manual push mode, or a `push FAILED` warning) the USER
-  pushes it — `! git -C <abs project> push -u origin <branch>` — the tour
+  pushes it — `! git -C "<abs project>" push -u origin <branch>` — the tour
   never pushes or retries.
 - Scoped pathspecs only; `git add -A` is forbidden.
 - Target TODO.md and target `.claude/memory/` are READ-ONLY. Reconcile