diff --git a/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/action.yml b/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/action.yml
index f49a4778..5bbe075f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/action.yml
@@ -254,6 +254,18 @@ inputs:
       write lands, and a job concluding `success` was not cancelled or timed
       out. Any other conclusion with no steps listed fails closed.
     default: ''
+  alias-jobs:
+    description: >-
+      Newline- or space-separated display names of jobs that only mirror the
+      gate's conclusion under an older check name while a required-check
+      rename rolls out (a job that needs the gate and exits with its result).
+      Such a job runs on contract-only events too, so the run-shape reads
+      ignore it: a run whose only other non-skipped job is an alias still
+      reads as contract-only, and a failed contract-only run with a failed
+      alias is still re-run by `rerun-contract-only-siblings`. A carried
+      `success` written by a run from before the rename, whose gate job had
+      the alias's name, still finds its gate step under that name.
+    default: ''
   rate-limit-wait-seconds:
     description: >-
       Ceiling, in seconds, on the time this step spends waiting out GitHub API
@@ -308,6 +320,7 @@ runs:
         YIELD_TO_FULL_RUN: ${{ inputs.yield-to-full-run }}
         YIELD_WAIT_SECONDS: ${{ inputs.yield-wait-seconds }}
         STEP_NAME: ${{ inputs.step-name }}
+        ALIAS_JOBS: ${{ inputs.alias-jobs }}
         JOB_CHECK_RUN_ID: ${{ job.check_run_id }}
         GH_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.token }}
         REPOSITORY: ${{ inputs.repository }}
diff --git a/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.sh b/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.sh
index f4235eb9..d194dffc 100755
--- a/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.sh
+++ b/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.sh
@@ -492,6 +492,9 @@ verify_carried_writer() {
 # branches), and every later `resolve_own_gate` answers from what that lookup
 # found, so the run spends one retry budget in all.
 own_gate_job=""
+# Jobs that only mirror the gate under an older check name (`alias-jobs`), as
+# a JSON array of names. The run-shape reads ignore them.
+alias_jobs_json="$(printf '%s' "${ALIAS_JOBS:-}" | tr -s ' \t\r\n' '\n' | jq -R . | jq -sc 'map(select(length > 0))')"
 own_gate_job_id=""
 own_gate_step=""
 own_gate_endpoint=""
@@ -758,9 +761,9 @@ verify_writer_step() {
 # contract step can fail it over a true lanes `success`, and only the step
 # tells the two apart.
 gate_step_outcome() {
-  jq -r --arg job "$own_gate_job" --arg step "$own_gate_step" \
+  jq -r --arg job "$own_gate_job" --arg step "$own_gate_step" --argjson aliases "$alias_jobs_json" \
     '[ .jobs[]? | select(.name == $job) ] as $gates
-     | [ $gates[] | .steps[]? | select(.name == $step) ]
+     | [ .jobs[]? | select(.name == $job or (.name as $n | $aliases | index($n))) | .steps[]? | select(.name == $step) ]
      | if length == 1 then .[0] | (if .status == "completed" then (.conclusion // "") else "running" end)
        elif length > 1 then "ambiguous"
        elif ($gates | length) == 1 and $gates[0].status == "completed" and $gates[0].conclusion == "success" and ($gates[0].steps // [] | length) == 0 then "success"
@@ -777,13 +780,19 @@ gate_step_outcome() {
 #               lane still ran its change-detection job, so it reads `full`;
 #   unknown     anything else: fewer jobs listed than `total_count`, nothing
 #               but the gate listed, or a body jq cannot parse.
+# Jobs named in `alias-jobs` are left out of the shape: they mirror the gate.
+# A run with no job named <gate-job-name> predates the rename, so there the
+# alias name is the gate.
 # Each caller reads `unknown` the way that fails closed for it.
 job_shape() {
-  jq -r --arg gate "$2" \
-    '(.total_count // 0) as $total | [ .jobs[]? ] as $jobs | ($jobs | map(select(.conclusion != "skipped") | .name)) as $ran
+  jq -r --arg gate "$2" --argjson aliases "$alias_jobs_json" \
+    '(.total_count // 0) as $total | [ .jobs[]? ] as $jobs
+     | (if any($jobs[]; .name == $gate) then {gate: $gate, ignore: $aliases}
+        else {gate: (first($jobs[] | .name | select(. as $n | $aliases | index($n))) // $gate), ignore: []} end) as $shape
+     | ($jobs | map(select(.conclusion != "skipped" and (.name as $n | $shape.ignore | index($n) | not)) | .name)) as $ran
      | if ($jobs | length) < $total then "unknown"
-       elif ($jobs | length) > 1 and $ran == [$gate] then "contract"
-       elif any($ran[]; . != $gate) then "full"
+       elif ($jobs | length) > 1 and $ran == [$shape.gate] then "contract"
+       elif any($ran[]; . != $shape.gate) then "full"
        else "unknown" end' \
     <"$1" 2>/dev/null || echo unknown
 }
@@ -1634,7 +1643,14 @@ rerun_failed_contract_only_siblings() {
       # The next poll is this read's retry, so `gh_api` sends it once.
       # shellcheck disable=SC2310 # gh_api handles its own errexit; an unreadable sibling is waited for.
       if GH_API_RETRY_ERRORS=false gh_api GET "repos/${REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${id}/jobs?filter=latest&per_page=100"; then
-        ran="$(jq -r '[ .jobs[]? | select(.status == "in_progress" or ((.conclusion // "skipped") != "skipped")) ] | length' <"$gh_stdout")" || ran=0
+        # An alias job mirrors the gate, so it is not a second job that ran;
+        # in a run from before the rename it is the gate itself. With this
+        # run's gate name unresolved, aliases are left out, which can only
+        # make a sibling wait longer, never skip its re-run.
+        ran="$(jq -r --arg gate "$own_gate_job" --argjson aliases "$alias_jobs_json" \
+          '[ .jobs[]? ] as $jobs | (if $gate == "" or any($jobs[]; .name == $gate) then $aliases else [] end) as $ignore
+           | [ $jobs[] | select(.name as $n | $ignore | index($n) | not)
+               | select(.status == "in_progress" or ((.conclusion // "skipped") != "skipped")) ] | length' <"$gh_stdout")" || ran=0
       fi
       if [[ ! "$ran" =~ ^[0-9]+$ || "$ran" -lt 2 ]]; then
         waiting="${waiting}${waiting:+ }${id}"
@@ -1666,7 +1682,7 @@ rerun_failed_contract_only_siblings() {
       warn_actions_failed "repos/${REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${id}/jobs" 'actions: write' "Not re-running run ${id}."
       continue
     fi
-    contract_shaped="$(jq -r '[ .jobs[]? | .conclusion ] | ((map(select(. != "skipped")) == ["failure"]) and (length > 1))' <"$gh_stdout")"
+    contract_shaped="$(jq -r --argjson aliases "$alias_jobs_json" '[ .jobs[]? | select(.name as $n | $aliases | index($n) | not) | .conclusion ] | ((map(select(. != "skipped")) == ["failure"]) and (length > 1))' <"$gh_stdout")"
     if [[ "$contract_shaped" != true ]]; then
       echo "Not re-running failed run ${id} on ${SHA}: its latest attempt is not contract-only (more than its gate ran, or the gate did not fail)."
       continue
diff --git a/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.test.sh b/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.test.sh
index cf23663d..3ac358ef 100755
--- a/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.test.sh
+++ b/.github/actions/pr-require-checks/aggregate-results/run.test.sh
@@ -1699,6 +1699,19 @@ clear_rerun_fixtures() {
     "$fixtures"/POST_repos_melodic-software_ci-workflows_actions_runs_*
 }
 
+# A failed contract-only run's alias job fails with its gate. Without
+# alias-jobs two failed jobs do not read as contract-only and the run stays red.
+echo 'case: a full-mode success re-runs a failed contract-only sibling whose alias failed too, given alias-jobs'
+clear_run_fixtures
+clear_rerun_fixtures
+current_run
+workflow_runs "[$(completed_run 5000 failure)]"
+printf '%s' '{"jobs":[{"name":"ci-status","conclusion":"failure"},{"name":"lint","conclusion":"skipped"},{"name":"old-gate","conclusion":"failure"}]}' >"$fixtures/GET_repos_melodic-software_ci-workflows_actions_runs_5000_jobs.json"
+run_case 0 'success success' pass false true RERUN_CONTRACT_ONLY_SIBLINGS=true ALIAS_JOBS='old-gate'
+expect_gh_call "POST repos/${repository}/actions/runs/5000/rerun-failed-jobs"
+run_case 0 'success success' pass false true RERUN_CONTRACT_ONLY_SIBLINGS=true
+expect_no_gh_call 'actions/runs/5000/rerun-failed-jobs'
+
 # 5000 and 4242 (this run, completed only in this fixture) are contract-only
 # shaped: one failed gate, every other job skipped. 5100 is a failed full run,
 # 5500 a failed single-job run, and 5200, 5300 and 5400 did not fail.
@@ -1908,6 +1921,51 @@ run_case 0 'skipped skipped' pass true true YIELD_TO_FULL_RUN=true
 expect_log "Carried forward: ci-lanes is success on ${sha}"
 expect_no_sleep
 
+# A job that mirrors the gate under an older check name runs on a
+# contract-only event too. Without alias-jobs it reads as a lane that ran, so
+# a contract-only sibling would count as a full run in flight.
+contract_only_jobs_with_alias='[{"name":"lint","conclusion":"skipped"},{"name":"test","conclusion":"skipped"},{"name":"ci-status","conclusion":null},{"name":"old-gate","conclusion":null}]'
+echo 'case: yield ignores a contract-only sibling whose alias job is listed, given alias-jobs'
+reset_yield_fixtures
+status_list "[$(full_run_success 100)]"
+workflow_runs "[$(run_entry 4300 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:31Z),$(run_entry 4242 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:30Z)]"
+jobs_raw 4300 "$contract_only_jobs_with_alias"
+run_case 0 'skipped skipped' pass true true YIELD_TO_FULL_RUN=true ALIAS_JOBS='old-gate'
+expect_log "Carried forward: ci-lanes is success on ${sha}"
+
+# A success a full run wrote before the gate job was renamed names its gate
+# job by the old name, which alias-jobs now carries. Without looking under that
+# name too, every open pull request's carried success is discarded until a push.
+echo 'case: a success written under the gate job'"'"'s old name is carried, given alias-jobs'
+reset_yield_fixtures
+status_list "[$(full_run_success 100)]"
+printf '{"jobs":[{"name":"lint","status":"completed","conclusion":"success","steps":[]},%s]}' "$(writer_gate_job success | sed 's/"name":"ci-status"/"name":"old-gate"/')" \
+  >"$fixtures/GET_repos_melodic-software_ci-workflows_actions_runs_4100_jobs.json"
+run_case 0 'skipped skipped' pass true true ALIAS_JOBS='old-gate'
+expect_log "Carried forward: ci-lanes is success on ${sha}"
+run_case 1 'skipped skipped' pass true true
+expect_no_log "Carried forward: ci-lanes is success on ${sha}"
+install_step_fixtures
+
+# A contract-only sibling from before the rename has no job under the new gate
+# name: its gate carries the name alias-jobs now lists. Dropping that job
+# would leave nothing that ran and the shape unknown.
+echo 'case: yield reads a pre-rename contract-only sibling, gated under the alias name, as contract-only'
+reset_yield_fixtures
+status_list "[$(full_run_success 100)]"
+workflow_runs "[$(run_entry 4300 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:31Z),$(run_entry 4242 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:30Z)]"
+jobs_raw 4300 '[{"name":"lint","conclusion":"skipped"},{"name":"test","conclusion":"skipped"},{"name":"old-gate","conclusion":null}]'
+run_case 0 'skipped skipped' pass true true YIELD_TO_FULL_RUN=true ALIAS_JOBS='old-gate'
+expect_log "Carried forward: ci-lanes is success on ${sha}"
+
+echo 'case: without alias-jobs the same sibling counts as a full run in flight'
+reset_yield_fixtures
+status_list "[$(full_run_success 100)]"
+workflow_runs "[$(run_entry 4300 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:31Z),$(run_entry 4242 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:30Z)]"
+jobs_raw 4300 "$contract_only_jobs_with_alias"
+run_case 1 'skipped skipped' pass true true YIELD_TO_FULL_RUN=true
+expect_log '::error::superseded by full run https://github.com/melodic-software/ci-workflows/actions/runs/4300'
+
 # Without the gate-name check, a full run whose first job has finished and whose
 # lanes were skipped, before its gate job exists, has the contract-only shape
 # and the older success would carry across it.
@@ -2526,6 +2584,20 @@ expect_rerun_after_last_listing 5000
 expect_rerun_after_last_listing 5300
 expect_log "Re-ran 2 failed contract-only run(s) on ${sha}."
 
+# A contract-only sibling whose gate already failed while its alias job still
+# runs. Without leaving the alias out of the in-flight count, the two jobs read
+# as a full run, the wait ends, and the sibling is never re-run.
+echo 'case: the in-flight wait leaves an alias job out of a contract-only sibling'"'"'s count, given alias-jobs'
+reset_yield_fixtures
+workflow_runs_on_call 1 "[$(completed_run 5000 failure),$(run_entry 5300 in_progress 2026-09-05T12:00:40Z)]"
+workflow_runs "[$(completed_run 5000 failure),$(completed_run 5300 failure)]"
+jobs_for 5000 failure skipped
+printf '{"jobs":%s}' '[{"name":"lint","status":"completed","conclusion":"skipped"},{"name":"ci-status","status":"completed","conclusion":"failure"},{"name":"old-gate","status":"in_progress","conclusion":null}]' >"$fixtures/GET_repos_melodic-software_ci-workflows_actions_runs_5300_jobs.1.json"
+jobs_for 5300 failure skipped
+run_case 0 'success success' pass false true RERUN_CONTRACT_ONLY_SIBLINGS=true YIELD_TO_FULL_RUN=true ALIAS_JOBS='old-gate'
+expect_log "Waiting 10s for in-flight run(s) 5300 on ${sha} to finish before re-running failed contract-only runs."
+expect_gh_call "POST repos/${repository}/actions/runs/5300/rerun-failed-jobs"
+
 # A carry-forward wait of 0 reads once and never polls, so it has the same race.
 echo 'case: with a carry-forward wait of 0 a full-mode success also waits for an in-flight contract-only sibling'
 reset_yield_fixtures
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 84fa967e..9359722b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -444,6 +444,14 @@ consumer to audit it.
     longer for a runner. A polling contract-only run (a wait above `0`
     without yield) reads the success itself, so nothing waits for it, and
     neither does a holding one (`yield-wait-seconds` above `0`).
+  - `alias-jobs` on the `ci-status` step, while a repository renames its
+    required gate job: the display names of jobs that only mirror the gate's
+    conclusion under the old check name (a job that needs the gate, runs
+    `if: always()` and exits with its result). Such a job runs on every
+    event, so without this input a contract-only run reads as a full run,
+    and a failed contract-only run whose alias failed too is not re-run. A
+    carried `success` written before the rename is also found under the
+    old gate name. Remove the input with the alias job.
 
   A red contract-only check does not hold a merge in the meantime: GitHub's
   docs do not say how several same-name check runs on one SHA are judged, and