diff --git a/src/overlay/state.test.ts b/src/overlay/state.test.ts
index 766d8b6..9e8898a 100644
--- a/src/overlay/state.test.ts
+++ b/src/overlay/state.test.ts
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ it("shows only authoritative compact execution details in plain language", () =>
   expect(details).toEqual([
     "Citrix",
     "1:05",
-    "Effect evidence: separate read-only session (Tier 2)",
+    "Effect evidence: separate read-only session (Oracle tier 1)",
     "0 model calls",
     "No external network calls",
   ]);
diff --git a/src/overlay/state.ts b/src/overlay/state.ts
index 482a8b4..13ea649 100644
--- a/src/overlay/state.ts
+++ b/src/overlay/state.ts
@@ -464,12 +464,12 @@ export function overlaySecondaryItems(
   if (effectTiers.length) {
     const tier = Math.min(...effectTiers);
     const phrase = {
-      1: "independent system interface",
-      2: "separate read-only session",
-      3: "persisted-state reacquisition",
-      4: "immediate screen confirmation",
+      1: "system-of-record check (Oracle tier 2)",
+      2: "separate read-only session (Oracle tier 1)",
+      3: "persisted-state reacquisition (Oracle tier 0)",
+      4: "immediate screen confirmation (Oracle tier 0)",
     }[tier];
-    items.push(`Effect evidence: ${phrase} (Tier ${tier})`);
+    items.push(`Effect evidence: ${phrase}`);
   }
   if (state.modelCalls !== null) {
     items.push(
diff --git a/src/screens/Qualification.tsx b/src/screens/Qualification.tsx
index 3fb21a5..df6dfef 100644
--- a/src/screens/Qualification.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Qualification.tsx
@@ -888,10 +888,10 @@ export function Qualification({
                     value={minimumTier}
                     onChange={(event) => setMinimumTier(Number(event.target.value))}
                   >
-                    <option value={1}>Tier 1 · independent system</option>
-                    <option value={2}>Tier 2 · independent session</option>
-                    <option value={3}>Tier 3 · persisted-state reacquisition</option>
-                    <option value={4}>Tier 4 · immediate screen</option>
+                    <option value={1}>System of record · Oracle tier 2</option>
+                    <option value={2}>Independent session · Oracle tier 1</option>
+                    <option value={3}>Persisted-state reacquisition · Oracle tier 0</option>
+                    <option value={4}>Immediate screen · Oracle tier 0</option>
                   </select>
                 </div>
               </div>
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ export function Qualification({
               >
                 <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: 0, minWidth: 280 }}>
                   <label htmlFor="project-minimum-effect-tier">
-                    Workflow minimum verification tier
+                    Workflow minimum verification strength
                   </label>
                   <select
                     id="project-minimum-effect-tier"
@@ -1005,12 +1005,12 @@ export function Qualification({
                       setProjectMinimumTier(Number(event.target.value))
                     }
                   >
-                    <option value={1}>Tier 1 · independent system</option>
-                    <option value={2}>Tier 2 · independent session</option>
+                    <option value={1}>System of record · Oracle tier 2</option>
+                    <option value={2}>Independent session · Oracle tier 1</option>
                     <option value={3}>
-                      Tier 3 · persisted-state reacquisition
+                      Persisted-state reacquisition · Oracle tier 0
                     </option>
-                    <option value={4}>Tier 4 · immediate screen</option>
+                    <option value={4}>Immediate screen · Oracle tier 0</option>
                   </select>
                 </div>
                 <Button
@@ -1752,16 +1752,16 @@ export function Qualification({
                             setVerificationTier(Number(event.target.value))
                           }
                         >
-                          <option value={1}>Tier 1 · independent system</option>
-                          <option value={2}>Tier 2 · independent session</option>
+                          <option value={1}>System of record · Oracle tier 2</option>
+                          <option value={2}>Independent session · Oracle tier 1</option>
                           <option value={3}>
-                            Tier 3 · persisted-state reacquisition
+                            Persisted-state reacquisition · Oracle tier 0
                           </option>
-                          <option value={4}>Tier 4 · immediate screen</option>
+                          <option value={4}>Immediate screen · Oracle tier 0</option>
                         </select>
                         <span className="page-sub">
-                          The project requires Tier{" "}
-                          {project.project.minimum_effect_tier} or stronger.
+                          The project requires its configured verification
+                          strength or stronger.
                           {project.project.minimum_effect_tier < 4
                             ? " Immediate-screen evidence is below the current minimum."
                             : " The current minimum permits immediate-screen evidence."}
@@ -1836,18 +1836,17 @@ export function Qualification({
                             setBindingVerificationTier(Number(event.target.value))
                           }
                         >
-                          <option value={1}>Tier 1 · independent system</option>
-                          <option value={2}>Tier 2 · independent session</option>
+                          <option value={1}>System of record · Oracle tier 2</option>
+                          <option value={2}>Independent session · Oracle tier 1</option>
                           <option value={3}>
-                            Tier 3 · persisted-state reacquisition
+                            Persisted-state reacquisition · Oracle tier 0
                           </option>
-                          <option value={4}>Tier 4 · immediate screen</option>
+                          <option value={4}>Immediate screen · Oracle tier 0</option>
                         </select>
                         <span className="page-sub">
-                          The project requires Tier{" "}
-                          {project.project?.minimum_effect_tier ?? minimumTier} or
-                          stronger. Consequential writes cannot qualify from the
-                          current screen alone.
+                          The project requires its configured verification
+                          strength or stronger. Consequential writes cannot
+                          qualify from the current screen alone.
                         </span>
                       </div>
                       <div className="grid grid-2">
diff --git a/tests/test_oracle_vocabulary.py b/tests/test_oracle_vocabulary.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3044d6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_oracle_vocabulary.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""Desktop must present the public Seal oracle ladder to operators."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).parents[1]
+
+
+def test_operator_surfaces_use_the_seal_oracle_ladder() -> None:
+    qualification = (ROOT / "src" / "screens" / "Qualification.tsx").read_text(
+        encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+    overlay = (ROOT / "src" / "overlay" / "state.ts").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    public_copy = qualification + overlay
+
+    assert "System of record · Oracle tier 2" in qualification
+    assert "Independent session · Oracle tier 1" in qualification
+    assert "Tier 1 · independent system" not in public_copy
+    assert "Tier 2 · independent session" not in public_copy
+    assert "(Tier ${tier})" not in public_copy
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 6967bbf..6398f10 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -572,14 +572,14 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "gitpython"
-version = "3.1.58"
+version = "3.1.59"
 source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "gitdb" },
 ]
-sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/26/d6/5f358ff283325580c2003a6d953aea18cfe10ae87b46f5ebc80fa3a386dc/gitpython-3.1.58.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:621416df10ef3fd0e19fabf9172ddeed0fa704d353d04f194eec56a625a95b22", size = 228498, upload-time = "2026-08-04T15:05:49.47Z" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ca/dc/126b28e76b24a9268ba931ad3e012f71ebdadf62fd9f17758f7074bb0b20/gitpython-3.1.59.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:0a1475cfdc38a5bfba1a3e9a4a9da52a39749ecec322b772915c019f94e5b7e4", size = 230445, upload-time = "2026-08-10T12:03:20.271Z" }
 wheels = [
-    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ec/0c/9d8752098bc442f0726e64aa6135940b3a96809915d1aa4206c1bb97881d/gitpython-3.1.58-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:d331e722577f0fd7fc1f857419b3ecc07af66282b933d2a4d95f84a042fdd50f", size = 220183, upload-time = "2026-08-04T15:05:48.025Z" },
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ef/ed/ae57eb7d344f43f87b74b3a281ead6ec7d6394eef72a7b1dcb28dd089550/gitpython-3.1.59-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:67a82f537384578643624c8b2c531938a9b82be431663e575dcf638526631d4c", size = 220996, upload-time = "2026-08-10T12:03:18.804Z" },
 ]
 
 [[package]]