diff --git a/agents/client-handover-writer.md b/agents/client-handover-writer.md
index 0273722..c608bed 100644
--- a/agents/client-handover-writer.md
+++ b/agents/client-handover-writer.md
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ After loops finish (success, stall, or override), capture:
 
 ---
 
-## STEP 5 — COMMIT + PUSH (only if files changed)
+## STEP 5 — COMMIT + PUSH STATE READ (only if files changed)
 
 ```bash
 CHANGED_DURING_PIPELINE=$(git diff --name-only "$PIPELINE_BASE_SHA"..HEAD)
@@ -542,18 +542,18 @@ PENDING_CHANGES=$(git status --porcelain)
 
 If both empty → skip to STEP 6.
 
-**Gitflow precondition (report-only fallback).** Before any commit or push,
-confirm this is a gitflow repo:
+**Gitflow precondition (report-only fallback).** Before any commit,
+confirm this is a gitflow repo (the pipeline never pushes):
 
 ```bash
 git rev-parse --verify -q develop >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo DEVELOP_OK
 [ -f "$HOME/.claude/lib/gitflow.sh" ] && echo LIB_OK
 ```
 
-If `develop` is missing OR the gitflow lib is unavailable → **do NOT commit,
-do NOT push.** Leave the changes in the working tree and record in the STEP 8
-summary: "Commit/push skipped — no gitflow model in this repo; publish the
-listed changes manually before deploy." Continue to STEP 6.
+If `develop` is missing OR the gitflow lib is unavailable → **do NOT commit
+(and never push).** Leave the changes in the working tree and record in the
+STEP 8 summary: "Commit skipped — no gitflow model in this repo; publish the
+listed changes by hand before deploy." Continue to STEP 6.
 
 If `PENDING_CHANGES` non-empty → invoke /commit-change skill via subagent:
 
diff --git a/agents/release-executor.md b/agents/release-executor.md
index b86aa05..a102923 100644
--- a/agents/release-executor.md
+++ b/agents/release-executor.md
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ stop and report — never chain into the other span yourself.
 ### Input
 `<X.Y.Z>`: the version number, already decided by the dispatcher before
 dispatch — you never derive it, never second-guess it, never bump it.
+Format check only, by reading the string (never inside a Bash command):
+<X.Y.Z> must match ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ (literal regex text, single
+backslashes); anything else → STATUS: BLOCKED, nothing created.
 
 ### Steps
 1. `bash "$HOME/.claude/lib/gitflow.sh" start release <X.Y.Z>` — forks from
@@ -80,7 +83,7 @@ actual branch; never finish whatever happens to be checked out.
    main's release-merge commit). In auto-push mode finish pushes `main`
    and `develop` (best effort: the lib warns and returns 0 on a failed
    push; the dispatcher re-verifies with ahead counts) (BDR-095); in
-   manual push mode they stay local. The tag stays local until the
+   manual push mode, or with an invalid gitflow.autopush, they stay local. The tag stays local until the
    dispatcher's tag-push gate.
 
 ### Forbidden in this span
diff --git a/skills/capitalize/SKILL.md b/skills/capitalize/SKILL.md
index 1045007..5037ea7 100644
--- a/skills/capitalize/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/capitalize/SKILL.md
@@ -343,7 +343,8 @@ Otherwise, from the `chore/<name>` branch, THREE separate Bash calls, never comb
 
 Outcomes, evaluated IN THIS ORDER (finish rc 0, or rc 5/2/6 with the branch merged — the wording then starts with `merged, branch not deleted (rc <n>) —` instead of `merged to develop —`):
 
-- **push mode `invalid`** → `merged to develop — gitflow.autopush=<value from stderr> is not a boolean: the lib and hooks still push on an invalid value until run D (origin/develop is <ahead> commit(s) behind, or unknown); fix the value by hand`.
+- **push mode `invalid`, `ahead` > 0 or unknown** → `merged to develop — <verb stderr line verbatim>: treated as manual push mode by every reader, nothing pushed (origin/develop is <ahead> commit(s) behind, or unknown). Fix the value by hand, then: ! git push origin develop` (append ` once a remote exists` when `ahead` is unknown).
+- **push mode `invalid`, `ahead` = 0** → `merged to develop — <verb stderr line verbatim>: pushed anyway, a hook in this repo still fails open (likely a stale .githooks/: a session-start reconcile refreshes it, commit the refresh) or a manual push. Fix the value by hand.`
 - **`ahead` = 0** → `develop <short> pushed` (auto-push mode did it).
 - **`ahead` = unknown** → `merged to develop — not on origin (no origin/develop ref; no remote or never fetched)`; push mode manual → add `You: ! git push origin develop once a remote exists`.
 - **`ahead` > 0, push mode `manual`** → `merged to develop — manual push mode: not pushed. You: ! git push origin develop`.
@@ -360,7 +361,7 @@ CAPITALIZE COMPLETE — <YYYY-MM-DD>  (<pre-wipe flush | session-close>)
   TODO.md      : checked <N>, added <M>
   journal.md   : +1 line under ## <date>
   committed    : <mem_hash>  (chore(memory): …)   | ⚠️ NOT committed (rc 3 — see closing line)
-  persisted    : develop <short> pushed | merged, manual push mode: not pushed | merged, not on origin (no origin/develop) | merged, push FAILED | merged, gitflow.autopush invalid (<ahead> behind) | finish rc <n>, not merged | merged, branch not deleted (rc <n>) | on chore/<name>, not merged (--no-push)
+  persisted    : develop <short> pushed | merged, manual push mode: not pushed | merged, not on origin (no origin/develop) | merged, push FAILED | merged, autopush invalid, nothing pushed (<ahead> behind) | merged, autopush invalid, pushed anyway (stale hook or manual push) | finish rc <n>, not merged | merged, branch not deleted (rc <n>) | on chore/<name>, not merged (--no-push)
   dropped as already-captured: LRN-023, BLK-006
   ignored as noise: push/tag release
 ```
@@ -368,15 +369,16 @@ CAPITALIZE COMPLETE — <YYYY-MM-DD>  (<pre-wipe flush | session-close>)
 Then the closing line — pick by the STEP 5C persist result (`<mode>` = `Context
 flushed` for pre-wipe, `Session closed` for ritual):
 
-- **auto-persisted (5C: finish rc 0 AND `ahead` = 0)** → `✅ <mode> + persisted to origin/develop (<short>). Next session: read .claude/memory/ at startup.`
+- **auto-persisted (push mode `auto`, finish rc 0 AND `ahead` = 0)** → `✅ <mode> + persisted to origin/develop (<short>). Next session: read .claude/memory/ at startup.`
 
 On the `--no-push` path ONLY read TWO facts first, each its own Bash call: `bash "$HOME/.claude/lib/gitflow.sh" push-mode` and `git rev-list --count origin/chore/<name>..chore/<name> 2>/dev/null || echo unknown` (`branch_ahead`). `<push mode>` below is the verb's word. The WORKING-branch and rc 3 paths have no `chore/<name>` and never use the mode.
 
-- **--no-push, `branch_ahead` = 0** → `✅ <mode> + committed on chore/<name> — pushed to origin by the hooks (auto-push mode), NOT merged (--no-push). Merge when ready.`
-- **--no-push, `branch_ahead` > 0 or unknown** → `✅ <mode> + committed on chore/<name> — this disk only, not pushed (<push mode manual | no origin/chore ref>), NOT merged. You: ! git push -u origin chore/<name>; merge when ready.` With push mode `invalid`, append ` gitflow.autopush=<value> is not a boolean: fix it by hand`.
+- **--no-push, `branch_ahead` = 0** → `✅ <mode> + committed on chore/<name> — pushed to origin by the hooks (auto-push mode), NOT merged (--no-push). Merge when ready.` With push mode `invalid`, replace `(auto-push mode)` with `(<verb stderr line verbatim>: pushed anyway, a hook still fails open, likely stale, or a manual push; fix the value by hand, commit the .githooks refresh)`.
+- **--no-push, `branch_ahead` > 0 or unknown** → `✅ <mode> + committed on chore/<name> — this disk only, not pushed (<push mode manual | no origin/chore ref>), NOT merged. You: ! git push -u origin chore/<name>; merge when ready.` With push mode `invalid`, append ` <verb stderr line verbatim>: treated as manual push mode, nothing pushed; fix the value by hand`.
 - **manual (merged, `ahead` > 0)** → `✅ <mode> + merged to develop — manual push mode: not pushed. You: ! git push origin develop`
-- **not on origin (merged, `ahead` unknown)** → `✅ <mode> + merged to develop — not on origin (no origin/develop ref).` Push mode manual → add `You: ! git push origin develop once a remote exists`.
-- **invalid (merged)** → `⚠️ <mode> + merged to develop — gitflow.autopush=<value> is not a boolean; lib/hooks still push on it until run D (origin/develop <ahead> behind). Fix the value by hand.`
+- **not on origin (push mode not `invalid`, merged, `ahead` unknown)** → `✅ <mode> + merged to develop — not on origin (no origin/develop ref).` Push mode manual → add `You: ! git push origin develop once a remote exists`.
+- **invalid (merged, ahead > 0 or unknown)** → `⚠️ <mode> + merged to develop — <verb stderr line verbatim>: treated as manual push mode by every reader, nothing pushed (origin/develop <ahead> behind). Fix the value by hand, then: ! git push origin develop` (+ ` once a remote exists` when unknown)
+- **invalid (merged, ahead = 0)** → `⚠️ <mode> + merged to develop — <verb stderr line verbatim>: pushed anyway, a hook still fails open, likely stale (refreshed by the next session-start reconcile; commit the refresh) or a manual push. Fix the value by hand.`
 - **push failed after merge** → `✅ <mode> + merged to develop — ⚠️ push FAILED (<reason>); merged locally, push manually.`
 - **finish failed** → `⚠️ <mode> + finish rc <n>: <stderr> — chore/<name> kept, NOT merged; resolve by hand.` (rc 1/4 only; rc 5/2/6 with the branch merged use the outcome lines above with the `merged, branch not deleted (rc <n>)` prefix, so the push state is still reported.)
 - **WORKING branch (rode a feature branch)** → `✅ <mode> + committed <mem_hash> on <branch>. Integrates when the branch merges.`
diff --git a/skills/client-handover/SKILL.md b/skills/client-handover/SKILL.md
index d7df8f0..fa4acc3 100644
--- a/skills/client-handover/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/client-handover/SKILL.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ The agent runs a **ship-and-handover pipeline** with explicit gates:
    - Re-invoke the audit subagent in audit mode: it re-scores and returns the next FIX BUNDLE; it applies nothing (a dispatched child cannot hold a gate).
    - Repeat up to `MAX_ITERATIONS` (default 5).
    - If still < 17/20 after cap → escalate to user with concrete remaining issues; user decides continue / stop / manual intervention.
-4. **COMMIT + PUSH** — If files changed during fix loops, run /commit-change (atomic logical commits); the gitflow hooks push in auto-push mode, otherwise (manual push mode, or a hook push that failed) the agent tells the user to push with `! git push -u origin <branch>` BEFORE the deploy pause.
+4. **COMMIT + PUSH STATE READ** — If files changed during fix loops, run /commit-change (atomic logical commits); the gitflow hooks push in auto-push mode, otherwise (manual push mode, an invalid gitflow.autopush, or a hook push that failed) the agent tells the user to push with `! git push -u origin <branch>` BEFORE the deploy pause.
 5. **DEPLOY PAUSE** — List exact deploy artifacts: changed files since baseline, deploy hints from project (vercel.json, netlify.toml, Dockerfile, .github/workflows/deploy.yml, etc.), and the deploy process in plain words. Use AskUserQuestion: "Deploy done? (Yes / Not yet / Skip validate)". Block until Yes or Skip.
 6. **/web-validate (live site)** — Run validator-analyzer against the deployed URL. Capture `SCORE_VALIDATE`.
 7. **GATE — per-axis threshold ≥17/20** — Compute final `SCORE_*_AFTER` for SEO classique, GEO (IA), HARDEN, VALIDATE. If ANY < 17/20: STOP. Generate `.claude/audits/HANDOVER-ROADMAP.md` with prioritized analysis of what's blocking each below-threshold axis. Do NOT write the client deliverable. Report to user.