diff --git a/.github/workflows/audit-immutability.yml b/.github/workflows/audit-immutability.yml
index fc41d90..a28af35 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/audit-immutability.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/audit-immutability.yml
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ jobs:
     name: Audit files are immutable (Rule 6)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmark-nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmark-nightly.yml
index 407fe3f..917a749 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/benchmark-nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmark-nightly.yml
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 60
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
             --out-md /tmp/regression.md
 
       - name: Upload run artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@ea165f8d65b6e75b540449e92b4886f43607fa02 # v4
         with:
           name: benchmark-${{ github.run_id }}
           path: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/claim-grade.yml b/.github/workflows/claim-grade.yml
index f2d69aa..f62b87a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claim-grade.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claim-grade.yml
@@ -40,12 +40,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     continue-on-error: true   # SHADOW MODE — remove to block on low scores
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/data-source-check.yml b/.github/workflows/data-source-check.yml
index 18c9575..90d0c08 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/data-source-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/data-source-check.yml
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     continue-on-error: true   # SHADOW MODE
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint-frontmatter.yml b/.github/workflows/lint-frontmatter.yml
index d3db784..517aa50 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint-frontmatter.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint-frontmatter.yml
@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint-workflows.yml b/.github/workflows/lint-workflows.yml
index 6779b62..d00c4a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint-workflows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint-workflows.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
 
       - name: Run actionlint
         # SUPPLY CHAIN: pin to an immutable version rather than `:latest`, which
diff --git a/.github/workflows/merge-gate.yml b/.github/workflows/merge-gate.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca40c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/merge-gate.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+name: merge-gate
+
+# Real producers for the two required status checks, `ci` and `secret-scan`
+# (2026-09-24 pre-bounty audit, WP R1.3 / PBA-L7-001). Before this file no repo
+# had a job with either name, so no PR could satisfy branch protection and every
+# merge used the admin bypass. Identical in every CitrateNetwork repo.
+#
+#   secret-scan  gitleaks (version + checksum pinned) over the commits this
+#                change introduces, plus the canonical-slug tripwire if present.
+#   ci           waits for every other check run on the head commit (all
+#                workflows) and fails if any failed. One stable context for the
+#                ruleset, however each repo splits its CI across files.
+
+on:
+  pull_request: {}
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  merge_group: {}
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: merge-gate-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  secret-scan:
+    name: secret-scan
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 15
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Install gitleaks (version + checksum pinned)
+        env:
+          GL_VERSION: 8.30.1
+          GL_SHA256: 551f6fc83ea457d62a0d98237cbad105af8d557003051f41f3e7ca7b3f2470eb
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          tarball="gitleaks_${GL_VERSION}_linux_x64.tar.gz"
+          curl -sSfL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -o "$RUNNER_TEMP/$tarball" \
+            "https://github.com/gitleaks/gitleaks/releases/download/v${GL_VERSION}/${tarball}"
+          echo "${GL_SHA256}  $RUNNER_TEMP/${tarball}" | sha256sum -c -
+          tar -xzf "$RUNNER_TEMP/$tarball" -C "$RUNNER_TEMP" gitleaks
+
+      - name: Scan the commits this change introduces
+        env:
+          EVENT: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          PR_BASE: ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}
+          PUSH_BEFORE: ${{ github.event.before }}
+          MQ_BASE: ${{ github.event.merge_group.base_sha }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          zero=0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
+          case "$EVENT" in
+            pull_request) range="$PR_BASE..HEAD" ;;
+            merge_group)  range="$MQ_BASE..HEAD" ;;
+            *) if [ -n "$PUSH_BEFORE" ] && [ "$PUSH_BEFORE" != "$zero" ]; then range="$PUSH_BEFORE..HEAD"; else range="HEAD~1..HEAD"; fi ;;
+          esac
+          cfg=()
+          if [ -f .gitleaks.toml ]; then cfg=(--config .gitleaks.toml); fi
+          "$RUNNER_TEMP/gitleaks" git . "${cfg[@]}" --log-opts="$range" --redact --no-banner
+
+      - name: Canonical GitHub slugs (if the repo carries the tripwire)
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          if [ -f scripts/check-canonical-slugs.sh ]; then bash scripts/check-canonical-slugs.sh .; fi
+          if [ -f scripts/tests/test_canonical_github_slugs.sh ]; then bash scripts/tests/test_canonical_github_slugs.sh .; fi
+
+  ci:
+    name: ci
+    needs: secret-scan
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 130
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      checks: read
+    steps:
+      - name: Wait for every other check on this commit
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.sha }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          deadline=$(( $(date +%s) + 120 * 60 ))
+          # Let sibling workflows register their check runs first.
+          sleep 30
+          # Per check name, over ALL runs on this commit: wait while any run is
+          # pending; otherwise judge the most recent non-cancelled result. A run
+          # cancelled because a duplicate superseded it is ignored; a check whose
+          # every run was cancelled counts as a failure.
+          summary='[.check_runs[] | select(.name != "ci" and .name != "secret-scan")]
+            | group_by(.name)
+            | map({name: .[0].name,
+                   pending: (map(select(.status != "completed")) | length),
+                   last: (map(select(.status == "completed" and .conclusion != "cancelled"))
+                          | sort_by(.completed_at) | last | .conclusion)})'
+          stable=0
+          while :; do
+            json=$(gh api --paginate "repos/$REPO/commits/$SHA/check-runs?per_page=100&filter=all" \
+                     --jq '.check_runs[]' | jq -s '{check_runs: .}')
+            failed=$(jq -r "$summary | map(select(.pending == 0) | select(.last as \$l | \$l == null or ([\"failure\",\"timed_out\",\"action_required\",\"startup_failure\",\"stale\"] | index(\$l) != null))) | map(.name) | join(\", \")" <<<"$json")
+            pending=$(jq "$summary | map(select(.pending > 0)) | length" <<<"$json")
+            if [ -n "$failed" ]; then
+              echo "::error::failing checks on $SHA: $failed"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            if [ "$pending" -eq 0 ]; then
+              stable=$((stable + 1))
+              # Two consecutive quiet polls: nothing late-registering.
+              if [ "$stable" -ge 2 ]; then
+                echo "All other checks on $SHA completed without failure."
+                exit 0
+              fi
+            else
+              stable=0
+              echo "waiting on $pending check(s)..."
+            fi
+            if [ "$(date +%s)" -gt "$deadline" ]; then
+              echo "::error::timed out waiting for checks on $SHA"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            sleep 30
+          done
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ratchet-check.yml b/.github/workflows/ratchet-check.yml
index a061f55..97934f0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ratchet-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ratchet-check.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       ref: ${{ steps.select.outputs.ref }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       AGENTILE_BASELINE_REF: ${{ needs.baseline.outputs.ref }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       AGENTILE_BASELINE_REF: ${{ needs.baseline.outputs.ref }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -104,12 +104,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       AGENTILE_BASELINE_REF: ${{ needs.baseline.outputs.ref }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -123,12 +123,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       AGENTILE_BASELINE_REF: ${{ needs.baseline.outputs.ref }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tripwires.yml b/.github/workflows/tripwires.yml
index d65ee02..a83c3d1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tripwires.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tripwires.yml
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ jobs:
     name: No `.unwrap()` in production (Rule 5)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ jobs:
     name: No stub/mock types in prod (Rules 2 + 11)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ jobs:
     name: Semgrep tripwires (AST-grade)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@ jobs:
     name: Frontmatter required on new .agentile/ docs (Rule 12)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065 # v5
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'